Repentance And Salvation

I am currently reading through the book of Acts, and something struck me as I read the first 10 chapters. In the early church, when the Holy Spirit came upon the new converts, there is nothing mentioned about brokenness or repentance for sin. Can you explain this?

Q. I am currently reading through the book of Acts, and something struck me as I read the first 10 chapters. In the early church, when the Holy Spirit came upon the new converts, there is nothing mentioned about brokenness or repentance for sin. Can you explain this as I understand it to be a condition of being born-again, and it was a significant component of my experience.

Examples I am referring to would be the Ethiopian eunuch and Cornelius and his household. Would this seem to indicate that belief is all that is required to receive the indwelt Holy Spirit….or does it imply that repentance came before or after what the scripture recorded? Your insight is always helpful!

A. The confusion stems from our misunderstanding of the meaning of repentance as it’s used in the Bible. The Greek word metanoeo is translated into English as repent. It literally means to change one’s mind. When John the Baptist told his listeners to repent and be saved he was trying to get them to change their minds about their need for a savior. In Acts 2:36 Peter was persuading them to change their minds about who Jesus is.

Often non believers don’t believe that they’re sinners and therefore don’t feel the need for a Savior. Only after they change their minds about sin can they become receptive to the idea of being saved. In many cases the brokenness we feel actually follows the salvation experience as the Holy Spirit brings us new understanding. But over time the change of mind and the brokenness have become so intertwined that we commonly but incorrectly define repentance as involving both.

Some use the visible signs of brokenness and contrition as evidence that a person is sincere in asking to be saved. Others include behavioral change as evidence of repentance. But as you can see from your studies in Acts, both are man’s inventions that can’t be supported Biblically.

The only clear precondition for salvation the Bible gives us is to “believe in the One He has sent.” (John 6:28-29)