Repentance of sin opens the way for a relationship with God: Luke 3:7-8 (NIV) 7 John said to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him, "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? 8 Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham.
Unless we repent of our sins, we will perish: Luke 13:5 (NIV) "Unless you repent, you too will all perish."
Angels rejoice when a sinner repents: Luke 15:7 (NIV) I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.
Forgive those who repent of wrongs done to you: Luke 17:4 (NIV) "If he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times comes back to you and says, 'I repent,' forgive him."
Repentance is essential for the Holy Spirit to work: Acts 2:38 (NIV) Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
God can use difficulties to encourage us to repent: 2 Corinthians 7:9-10 (NIV) 9 Yet now I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance. For you became sorrowful as God intended and so were not harmed in any way by us. 10 Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.
God would like everyone to repent and believe: 2 Peter 3:9 (NIV) The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
God will take nine steps toward us, but he will not take the tenth. He will incline us to repent, but he cannot do our repenting for us.
A. W. Tozer (1897-1963)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 2004), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, Under: "REPENTANCE".
Edythe Draper, Draper's Book of Quotations for the Christian World, (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 1992), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, 528.
