Revelations 2:5, Ezekiel 18:24, Ezekiel 18:30-32.

When people repent of their sin, it withholds God’s judgment upon them that He would otherwise pour out. When people repent, it restrains the negative effects of sin in their lives that they otherwise would have experienced. And when people repent of their sin, it allows them to be restored into intimate fellowship with God that they would be lacking. The passages we have already considered show this, but let’s look at several others. 

Matthew 12:41, Acts 8:22. Repentance rescues us from the negative and physical consequences of sin. One of the greatest consequences is physical death. A New Testament passage which illustrates this is Luke 13:3-5. After all it was the sin of lying that killed Ananias and Sapphira. King Herod allowed his pride to become so great that God caused him to die from being eaten by worms. (Acts 12:23). Luke 3:8. True repentance brings about change in a person’s life. While sorrow may lead to repentance, some people are only sorry, but are not repentant (2 Corinthians 7:10). When a person repents, there will be the fruit of repentance, which is an observable change and transformation in a person’s life. 

Righteous Eternal God of all life, I pray in Jesus’ name for the transforming power of the resurrection to bring about repentance across the nations. I pray that knees bend, hearts bow and lips proclaim Jesus Christ is Lord. Almighty God, I give You thanks for every person whose heart cries out to You through faith in Your Word. In Jesus’ name. Amen.