Why Repent?

1. If we repent, then we will be forgiven of our sins.
Ezekiel 18:30-32—God judges everyone according to what they do. Therefore repent and turn away from your sin and God will forgive, for he takes no pleasure in the death of anyone.
Jonah 3:1-10—Nineveh was not destroyed because they repented
Matthew 3:4-8—The people came to John, confessed their sins and was baptized by him.
Mark 1:4; Luke 3:3—John preached a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
Mark 1:15—Jesus’ basic message was to repent and to believe in the gospel.
Luke 15:1-10—The Lord rejoices at the repentance of sinners.
Luke 17:3-4—A brother is to forgive a repentant brother.
Luke 24:47—Repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached to all nations.
Acts 2:38—Repent and be baptized and you will be saved.
Acts 3:19—Repent so your sins will be wiped away.
Acts 5:31—Jesus grants repentance to Israel and the forgiveness of sins.
Acts 8:22—Repent that your intention might be forgiven you.
Acts 11:18—God granted to the gentiles the repentance that leads to life.
Acts 20:21—Paul taught repentance and faith in Jesus.
Acts 26:20—Paul taught repentance, turning to God and doing acts in accordance with repentance
II Tim 2:25—God might grant repentance to them leading to the knowledge of the truth
II Pet 3:9—God does not desire anyone to be punished but that all would come to repentance.
I Cor 6:11—Some of you were evildoers, but now you are justified and sanctified.

2.If we don’t repent, we will be punished eternally.
Luke 10:13—Woe to cities of Israel because they did not repent—they will be judged on the last day.
Luke 11:32—Nineveh will condemn the generation of Jesus on the judgment day because Jesus’ generation did not repent
Luke 13:1-5—Unless you repent, great punishment will come upon you
Rev. 2:5—Repent or else Jesus will come and take the lamp stand out of its place

3. If we repent, we can have a good relationship with God.
I John 1:5-10—This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us.

4. If we repent, we can be restored to our brothers and sisters in Christ.
Luke 17:3-4—If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. And if he sins against you seven times a day, and returns to you seven times, saying, 'I repent,' forgive him."

5. If we don’t repent, we will be separated from God’s people.
Matthew 18:15-17—If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother. But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every fact may be confirmed. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.
I Corinthians 5:11—Do not associate with any so-called brother if he is an immoral person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler-- not even to eat with such a one.