Repentance in Christian Doctrine

Discovering the Biblical Path to Spiritual Renewal and Freedom from Sin's Bondage.

Created byMichael E.B. Maher

Last updated 5/2026

English

What you'll learn

Explain the theological meaning of repentance and its essential role in Christian salvation.
Analyse how sin manifests as disobedience and impacts spiritual and physical life.
Evaluate why Christ's sacrificial death was necessary for human salvation.
Describe how body, soul and spirit interact in the sanctification of believers.

Course content

3 sections • 9 lectures • 2h 43m total length

Introduction0:09

Repent: Gospel's Core Message19:15
This lecture emphasizes repentance as a foundational doctrine in Christianity. It highlights that repentance was central to Jesus' and the apostles' gospel message, being a key component of salvation and a divine commandment for all people to turn from their sins.
Repent: Darkness to Light18:58
Repentance means wilfully turning from darkness to light, from Satan to God. It involves believing in Jesus, being convicted of sin, experiencing godly sorrow, and choosing to follow Christ, which inherently demonstrates a complete change of direction.
Repent: Sin's Deadly Grip19:37
This lecture explores the biblical concept of repentance and dead works, arguing that repentance and salvation are synonymous. It explains that dead works are sins, as listed in Galatians 5:19-21, and that believers are called to turn away from these through understanding Christ's cleansing work.
Sin: Mankind's Deadliest Enemy23:35
This lecture explains that sin is defined as wilful disobedience to God's laws, whether through direct violation of written commandments or through ignoring one's conscience, which inherently knows right from wrong. The lecture emphasizes that sin leads to both spiritual and physical death, and that Jesus came to free people from sin's destructive power.
Sin's Price Finally Paid27:37
This lecture explains why Jesus Christ's sacrifice was necessary for human salvation. It argues that God's perfect holiness requires all sins to be justly punished. Christ, being perfect, took humanity's sins upon Himself, died, spent three days in hell receiving punishment, and was resurrected. His blood sacrifice provides cleansing for those who accept it.
Spirit Cannot Commit Sin27:54
This lecture explains that humans consist of body, soul (mind), and spirit. When someone is "born again," only their spirit changes instantly, becoming sinless and righteous. The body remains prone to sin, while the mind must be gradually renewed through studying scripture. The born-again spirit cannot sin and houses the Holy Spirit.
Spirit vs. Flesh Battle26:28
This lecture discusses how born-again Christians struggle with their flesh (physical body) versus their spiritual nature. Using Romans 7:14-25, it explains that while a believer's spirit is renewed, their body retains sinful tendencies. The solution, demonstrated by Jesus, is to walk in the Spirit rather than yielding to fleshly desires.

Requirements

As a supplementary resource, students can obtain the book, Repentance from Dead Works, by M.E.B. Maher (Amazon, 2017) ISBN: 978-1521011010. The book is available in print and digital formats.

Description

This course presents a comprehensive examination of Christian theology regarding sin, repentance, and salvation. The series establishes repentance as a cornerstone of Christian doctrine, defining it as a deliberate turning from darkness to light through faith in Jesus Christ. The teachings explore the multifaceted nature of sin, characterizing it as wilful disobedience to God's laws that leads to both spiritual and physical death. Central to this theological framework is the explanation of Christ's sacrificial death as the necessary payment for humanity's sins, fulfilling God's requirements for justice and holiness. The lectures also delve into the complex spiritual anatomy of humans, consisting of body, soul, and spirit, explaining that upon being "born again," only the spirit becomes instantaneously righteous while the body remains susceptible to sin. This creates an ongoing tension between the flesh and spirit in believers' lives, as described in Romans 7:14-25, with the solution being to "walk in the Spirit" rather than yielding to physical desires. Throughout these teachings, the interconnected themes of repentance, sin's deadly nature, Christ's redemptive work, and the spiritual transformation of believers form a cohesive theological narrative about Christian salvation and sanctification.

This course is meant for all audiences. No previous theological study is required or expected, for it is intended to give a basic understanding of what the bible says about the subject of Repentance in Christian Doctrine.

Michael Maher will lecture from the bible, to walk the student through this subject. As a supplementary resource, this course can be taken in tandem with reading Michael Maher’s book, Repentance from Dead Works.

I trust the material and the dialogue with other students will be encouraging and enlightening.

Who this course is for:

This is an entry level course for anyone wishing to understand what the bible teaches about the subject of Repentance in Christian Doctrine.
This course is not for those who wish to enter into religious debates.

Repentance in Christian Doctrine

What you'll learn

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Course content

Introduction1 lecture • 1min