What is the fruit of genuine repentance?

John Snyder explains in this video that genuine repentance will always lead to action. In 2 Corinthians, Paul explains that if individuals are truly repentant, they will make things right. Their repentance will be more notorious than their sin.

John explains that after he became a Christian, he had to go back to people who he had sinned against to apologize for what he had done and explain why he had a change of heart. He did it because he felt it would be honoring to God. Through the conversations that he had with those he had sinned against, he had a chance to witness to them and share what God had done in his life. 

2 Corinthians 5:17 (NKJV) – “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”

Genuine repentance will ultimately lead to action. 2 Corinthians chapter 7, Paul talks to the Corinthians about repentance and he mentions the fact that this repentance will lead them to put things right. It will remove the stain of their sin. In one sense we could say it this way, we know that repentance is genuine when our repentance is more notorious than our sin. I can remember before I came to Christ that I was a very rebellious teenager.

I had godly parents. I didn't appreciate that. After I became a Christian, I had to go back to people, people that I had harmed, people that I had ruined their property and done damage. I had to seek them out one by one, everyone that I still could find, to make payment for what I had done, to explain that The reason that I had change of heart was because of Christ. I was frightened to do that.

I didn't have much money. I was in seminary at the time and I was afraid of the cost. But I did it because I felt it would honor the Lord. When I did that, Every person that I talked to was very kind to me. It was a chance to witness to them.

And the Lord was kind.