Zachariah, What Does Repent Mean?

I read or listen to a gospel passage in the morning. I listen here or read here.

The gospel passage this morning included the word repent. Repentance is vital to our becoming the kind of people who put the words of Jesus into practice *

”Zachariah, what does repentance mean?” I ask sincerely interested in his understanding.

“Repentance is to ask for forgiveness of my sin.”

I was glad he knew this much as this is included in repentance, yet, this understanding is limited. If his understanding of repentance stays at asking forgiveness of his sins, his ability to live into himself as a new creation in Christ will be severely limited.

In Greek the word repent is metanoia.

It means to change one's mind or purpose.

For our kids we are experimenting with the terminology

To repent means to rethink in order to re-do.

I write this post as a conversation. Your comments will continue this conversation.

Will you join me in this conversation?

What did you think repent meant?