Repentance and Faith

“So, my enemy, you have found me!” Ahab exclaimed to Elijah. “Yes,” Elijah answered, “I have come because you have sold yourself to what is evil in the LORD’s sight. So now the LORD says, ‘I will bring disaster on you and consume you. I will destroy every one of your male descendants, slave and free alike, anywhere in Israel! I am going to destroy your family as I did the family of Jeroboam son of Nebat and the family of Baasha son of Ahijah, for you have made me very angry and have led Israel into sin.’ “And regarding Jezebel, the LORD says, ‘Dogs will eat Jezebel’s body at the plot of land in Jezreel.’ “The members of Ahab’s family who die in the city will be eaten by dogs, and those who die in the field will be eaten by vultures.” (No one else so completely sold himself to what was evil in the LORD’s sight as Ahab did under the influence of his wife Jezebel. His worst outrage was worshiping idols just as the Amorites had done—the people whom the LORD had driven out from the land ahead of the Israelites.) But when Ahab heard this message, he tore his clothing, dressed in burlap, and fasted. He even slept in burlap and went about in deep mourning. Then another message from the LORD came to Elijah: “Do you see how Ahab has humbled himself before me? Because he has done this, I will not do what I promised during his lifetime. It will happen to his sons; I will destroy his dynasty.” [1 Kings 21.20-29]

As I prayed today and the read this passage in the One Year Chronological Bible, it occurred to me that faith and repentance are kindred - perhaps even interchangeable.

Jesus Himself gives us a clue that faith and repentance are interchangeable.

“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. [John 3.16]

"Not perishing" is said here to be the result of believing. Right? Then consider the following:

It was also written that this message would be proclaimed in the authority of his name to all the nations, beginning in Jerusalem: ‘There is forgiveness of sins for all who repent.’ [Luke 24.47]

You see? "Not perishing" and "forgiveness of sins" are consistent. However the respective conditions to be met in order to "not perish" or "be forgiven" are different: believe or repent. Which is it?

Ahab repented in the passage above. His repentance pleased God and subsequently God released Ahab from the immediate curse spoken over him.

What else is it the Bible says pleases God? FAITH. In fact, the Bible says it is impossible to please God except by faith. See where this is going?

Faith and repentance are indeed interchangeable. One cannot believe without being repentant. One's act of repentance (as seen in Ahab's repentance) accomplishes the work of faith. In other words, repentance is the ultimate act of faith in submitting to God Who is unseen.

We should all consider how faith and repentance relate to one another. Could it be that our misunderstanding of the interchangeability of repentance and faith renders us powerless in life today? It is worth considering.

Father, help me to better understand and implement the relationship of repentance and faith in my life and walk on earth.