Ezekiel 33:15 NKJV
if the wicked restores the pledge, gives back what he has stolen, and walks in the statutes of life without committing iniquity, he shall surely live; he shall not die.
Ezekiel the prophet, speaking on behalf of God remarks that when a wicked man is on a path to death because of his wickedness he has a chance to cancel his death sentence. He can restore whatever was stolen to those whom he has cheated. Then he can repent of his wicked lifestyle and go forward living uprightly. Sometimes we want to go to bankruptcy court, naturally or spiritually and start over without consideration of those who have been harmed by us. God wants to restore us but he also wants us to consider restoration for those we have hurt wherever possible. We must do what we can to make amends. When Zacheus, who was a tax collector met Jesus he did not accept salvation from the Lord and move right on along. He expressed a willingness to restore what he knew he had stolen from people before his encounter with Christ. Willingness to make amends is a part of true repentance and allows God to bring restoration to us.