The word repentance appears frequently in Revelation 2 and 3 in a particular way. There, the Lord was dealing with the works of the past. He was calling for men to have a different view concerning their past works. Revelation 2:5 says, "Remember therefore where you have fallen from and repent and do the first works; but if not, I am coming to you and will remove your lampstand out of its place, unless you repent." The Lord said this because they had left their first love. They did not do the first works. They had to remember from whence they had fallen. This is repentance. After this, they have to do the first works which are something of the future. One has to repent of what he did in the past. The works in the future are a different matter altogether.

Verse 16 says, "Repent therefore; but if not, I am coming to you quickly, and I will make war with them with the sword of My mouth." The Lord was speaking here to the church in Pergamos. Some had followed the teaching of the Nicolaitans. They considered this teaching to be good. That is why the Lord said that they needed to repent. They needed to consider that the work of the Nicolaitans was evil. They needed to change their view and their concepts.

Verse 21 says, "And I gave her time that she might repent, and she is not willing to repent of her fornication." She had committed fornication, but she would not consider that as wrong. She would not judge that as improper. Verse 22 says, "Behold, I cast her into a bed, and those who commit adultery with her, into great tribulation, unless they repent of her works." This again shows us that they needed to repent of their past deeds. If they did not repent, the Lord would cast them into great tribulation.

Revelation 3:3 says, "Remember therefore how you have received and heard, and keep it and repent." Here, the Lord is again calling them to repent, that is, to change their view concerning their behavior.

Verse 19 says, "As many as I love I rebuke and discipline; be zealous therefore and repent."

After seeing how the word is used in Luke, Acts, and Revelation, we can now understand what repentance really means in the Bible. Repentance is a change of mind. But it is always used in reference to the deeds of the past and is never used in reference to conduct in the future. Repentance is a change in one's own mind, but what it deals with is in respect to the failures, the sins, the mistakes, the lack of zeal, and the ungodliness of the past. This means that we now see all these as wrong and improper. This is the meaning of repentance. We may say that faith is our looking up to Christ, and repentance is our looking at ourselves in the light of Christ. While we are still sinners, the Holy Spirit shines into us and shows us ourselves. This is repentance. This is most necessary and is indispensable. Without the enlightening of the Holy Spirit and the realization of ourselves, we cannot lift our eyes to the Lord Jesus.