Change of Heart Leading to a Change of Action?

Repentance Is a Change of Mind — But Does It Automatically Change Your Actions?

There are some people who would agree that repentance is just a change of mind, but then they add a step. They say repentance is a change of mind that leads to a change of heart that leads to a change of action — and so if you really have changed your mind and believed on Christ, you will end up walking the walk and doing what is right.

It is a clever little phrase, but the first thing I would ask is where is that in the Bible? I have heard it a million times, but where is it actually in the word of God? Just because you believe on Christ does not mean you are automatically going to end up doing what he says.

What takes place according to the word of God is that when you believe on Christ, you now have the new man. You have the old man and the new man. And yes, the new man wants to do what is right — but the old man wants to do what is wrong. There is no guarantee that simply because you believe in Christ you are going to start walking in the new man and doing what is right. In fact, throughout the New Testament we see this battle taking place.

Galatians 5:16: "This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh." These are people who are already saved. And what Paul is commanding them is to walk in the spirit — because if you are walking in the flesh, you are going to fulfil the lust of the flesh. Now if a changed life were automatic after salvation, why would Paul have to command saved people to walk in the spirit? The very fact that he is commanding it proves it is not automatic.

So repentance is a change of mind — but that does not automatically mean you are going to have a change of heart and a change of action toward your sin.

Pastor Matthew Stucky