Repentance Is A Spirit

Last Updated on Sun September 12, 2021 @ 3:40 pm

In Sabbath Service on August 29, 2020, Brother Stair made the statement that “Repentance is a spirit”.  We wanted to examine this proclamation from the Prophet in light of the word of God to show you where it stands and what we should consider this means.

The Turning Away

Repentance is turning away from sin.  Which starts with acknowledging and confessing sin as sin, and then you turn away from the sin [which is first in your inward man (heart) but must also be worked out in an outward act (physically)] and then if the sin affected anyone, restoring the wrong done.   Repentance encompasses all three of these aspects to fulfill the requirements to be repentance.

The last aspect, restoration, is not an ambiguous spiritual thing or done ‘before God’ as some would like to make it.   This acknowledging and restoration is the evidence of a godly sorrow which is what worketh repentance to salvation (2Cor 7:10).  Without these outward acts of repentance, you don’t have repentance – nor do you have salvation (according to the passage).

The Fruit of Repentance

Repentance is a fruit!  Not a spirit.  Have you ever heard of the term the fruit of repentance?  It comes from the Word of God, ‘Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance’ (Mt 3:8) but it’s often not coming from the mouth of those claiming to be men of God – for some reason.  Perhaps because they don’t evidence it in their lives – or because they oppose it. 

A fruit of repentance is acknowledging the truth (2Tim 2:25).  This is something that God gives us because we oppose the truth in our lack of repentance (2Tim 2:25).  The Foundation of repentance is repentance from dead works (Heb 6:1).  Works are not an ambiguous spiritual thing.

What is a fruit?  It is the outward evidence of what is in the inner hidden root.  John, like all true prophets, knew about this.  John said Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, “I am God’s chosen anointed messenger” or “the pastor appointed over you”  [or such like, to fit whatever is your current scenario] (Luke 3:8).  John said, Bring forth fruit that is consistent with repentance [let your lives prove your change of heart] (Matt 3:8  AMPC).

What Sort of Sorrow?

Repentance is a fruit of godly sorrow.  Repentance is not a spirit. 

Repentance is the fruit of godly sorrow and that repentance leads us to salvation (2Cor 7:10).  Without the proper type of repentance, you cannot get to salvation, because worldly sorrow leads to death (2Cor 7:10).  The works of the flesh are what need to be repented of (Gal 5:19-21).  This repentance then brings about the fruits of the spirit (Gal 5:22-26).

Depending upon which spirit the repentance is of – godly or worldly (2Cor 7:10) will be shown in the fruits produced (Mt 7:15-20).   Therefore godly repentance produces the fruits of love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance – things that are lawful (Gal 5:22-23).  At least for those that are indeed Christ’s and have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts (Gal 5:24, 19-21).  That they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds appropriate to repentance (Acts 26:20).

These scriptures show that repentance is not a spirit but it is an inward change that brings an outward change that has visible outward proof of the inward change wrought through repentance.  Just like faith is worthless and not faith without its physical expression in the natural realm through works (Jam 2:14, 17;  Mt 7:20).

Thus in the Christian faith, these correct doctrines are; Works of faith and Fruits of repentance.  It seems that this is what Brother Stair’s congregation knows in their spirit by the looks on their faces.  They know that Brother Stair is not repenting.  Just like the 99% that have fled from him knew that he did not repent – not in a godly fashion.

His is the evidence of worldly sorrow – a sorrow that he got caught, and is seeking to cover up what was brought to light.  Not to turn from it but to justify it – “You’ve all done the same thing”.  That’s worldly sorrow, and likewise, we see its fruit of death manifest both physically and spiritually (2Cor 7:10;  2Cor 12:21).

Concrete or Construct ?

This teaching of Brother Stair’s that Repentance is a spirit flows in the same vein of heresy as his ambiguous spiritual classification of iniquity and the witness.  Thus repentance is not something you’re going to witness or evidence in Brother Stair doing because “it’s a spirit”. 

This follows that since Brother Stair is the Great One of God (Acts 8:9) he knows your spirit and he doesn’t see repentance therein.  Thus you’re trapped.  He doesn’t have to do any repentance that you can see (because “it’s a spirit”) but you have to do something that you cannot do (outwardly) to please him – because he supposedly can discern your spirit.

This teaching of a spirit of repentance is largely a Catholic construct.  This is a false doctrine/teaching.  It focuses away from a repentance that produces the fruits of the spirit (Gal 5:22-23).  While it does have a bearing that repentance must start in the heart there is no scripture that says that repentance is a spirit or that there is a spirit of repentance. 

While you might say there is a spirit of confusion – which is largely what we’re witnessing in operation in this false teaching (1Cor 14:33).  Because this confusion does not come from God (1Cor 14:33).  It’s from the god of this world (like that worldly sorrow) who blinds minds (2Cor 4:4). 

Interestingly, Paul is talking about prophets and order in the Church in that previous passage (1Cor 14:29-33).  Prophets bringing confusion into the Church.  And he also adds in there that the Church is to judge the prophets that speak (1Cor 14:29).

The Repenting God

Brother Stair also added to his teaching of Repentance is a spirit with; “The spirit of God is a spirit of repentance.”  To which he backs up with quoting Genesis 6:6;   “And it repented God.”

This is another false rendition made by twisting a scripture to say what it doesn’t say, brought on by a false teaching – in this case, the false teaching that “Repentance is a spirit”.  This scripture in Genesis 6:6 means (as most other translations properly translate it to say) the LORD regretted (or was sorry) that he had made man on the earth. 

Remember, God is not a man that He should… repent (Num 23:19).  God doesn’t even give us a spirit of repentance.  But He can give us a space of repentance (2Pt 3:9;  Rev 2:21;  Gen 6:3;  Isa 55:6;  Jonah 3:5-9;  Heb 12:17;  2Cor12:21).  And we should use it to repent and not wax worse and worse and start teaching false doctrines.

The Holy God

The one thing you must know about God is that God is a Spirit (Jn 4:24) and the Spirit of God is Holy!  He is a Holy Spirit!  Not a repentant, sorry, regretting spirit.  Thus showing the heresy of the statement that God’s Spirit is a spirit of repentance.  Repentance is for man, not for God (Num 23:19).  God is a Spirit, a spirit of truth (Jn 4:24) and His Spirit is above all things, Holy, Holy, Holy (Isa 6:3;  Rev 4:8).

This fact will take us a long way in testing the spirits to see whether they be of God or not.

But God says to evil men:
Recite My laws no longer and stop claiming My promises, for you have refused My discipline, disregarding My laws. You curse and lie, and vile language streams from your mouths. You slander your own brother. I remained silent—you thought I didn’t care—but now your time of punishment has come, and I list all the above charges against you.
This is the last chance for all of you who have forgotten God, before I tear you apart—and no one can help you then.

But true praise is a worthy sacrifice; this really honors Me.
Those who walk My paths will receive salvation from the Lord.
(Ps 50:16-23  TLB)

Footnotes:

Construct – an idea or theory containing various conceptual elements, typically one considered to be subjective and not based on empirical evidence.