Repentance in Christianity

[2][3] It can specifically refer to a stage in Christian salvation in which an individual gains awareness of God's standard, acknowledges their past or present wrongdoings, and deliberately turns away from sin toward God; its numeration as a stage in the ordo salutis varies with the Christian denomination, with some theological traditions arguing it occurs prior to faith and the Reformed theological tradition arguing it occurs after faith.[5]: 1007  David Lambert believes that "It is in the writings of rabbinic Judaism and early Christianity that it attains the status of a technical term, a basic item of an emerging religious lexicon".[9] In the New Testament, metanoia (Biblical Greek: μετανοέω) can mean remorse but is generally translated as a turning away from sin (Matthew 3:2).Interior repentance is a radical reorientation of our whole life, a return, a conversion to God with all our heart, an end of sin, a turning away from evil, ... the desire and resolution to change one's life, with hope in God's mercy and trust in the help of his grace (1431).This is elaborated on by bishop George Hay, who in his catechism answers the question, What are the principal parts of which true repentance is composed?For if we truly partake of his death, our old man is crucified by its power, and the body of sin expires, so that the corruption of our former nature loses all its vigor....[Quotes from A Compend of the Institutes of the Christian Religion by John Calvin edited by Hugh T. Kerr, The Westminster Press-Philadelphia 1939.[21][22][23][24] Joseph Dillow taught instead that repentance refers to remorse or regret for sin, in his view being a necessary pre-condition of faith.
Some faithful manifest repentance through penance and physical pain.
John Calvin in an engraving by René Boyvin .
RepentancepenanceromanizedmetanoiaholinessCatholic theologyLutheran theologyOrthodox theologyAnglican theologyconfession and absolutionChristian salvationordo salutisChristian denominationReformed theological traditionHebrew BibleNew TestamentJohn the Baptistthe gospelsalvationBiblical GreekEmanuel SwedenborgRoman CatholicGeorge HayAugsburg ConfessionProtestant ReformationRené BoyvinReformedJohn Calvinfear of GodrighteousnessMethodist theologyImmanuel Missionary ChurchFree grace theologyZane C. HodgesNondenominational Christianityevangelicalismnew birthT. C. MitchellHay, Rev. GeorgeShoals, IndianaReformed traditionWayne GrudemconversionsanctificationregeneratedAbsolutionAdoptionAssuranceAtonementBaptismCallingConditional securityDivinizationElectionEternal lifeextra Ecclesiam nulla salusForgivenessGlorificationIrresistiblePrevenientImputationJustificationMeans of graceMonergismMortificationPerseverancePredestinationRecapitulationReconciliationRedemptionRegenerationResurrectionSynergismTheosisUnion with ChristWorshipBlessing