Jesus said it Himself in (John 3:15-18),

“…everyone who believes in Him may have eternal life.

For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life…Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.”

With belief as a requirement for salvation, the question that remains is whether belief is enough.  If belief is all that is necessary for salvation, then the logical conclusion is that one need never repent. If repentance wasn’t necessary for salvation, then the Word of God is not being consulted when witnessing to the lost souls of this world.  Jesus, Himself, in the Word of God, commands that repentance be preached to all nations?

Let’s look at just a sampling of the many Scripture readings that confirm the necessity for repentance as a requirement for salvation:

"If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth" (1 John 1:6)

"He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy.” (Proverbs 28:13)

"I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish." (Luke 13:3)

"So then, God has granted even the Gentiles repentance unto life.” (Acts 11:18)

"…turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus Christ”          (Acts 20:21)

"God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9)

“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.”     (Acts 2:38)

"Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out" (Acts 3:19)

Repent of your sins is clearly stated in the Word of God as you can see. It is a mark of a true believer. Your reward in heaven for your good works is given account after your conversion to true faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Prior to true belief marked by repentance, one’s good deeds are burned up like chaff in the unquenchable fire. 

The Bible tells us that there are those that "believe" and yet are not saved (Luke 8:13). They are false converts. They will be turned away at the gates of heaven. True Christians believe in Jesus Christ, they embrace the Word of God who is Jesus Christ, Himself, (John 1:1-2), they follow its precepts, and each true believer actually has a unique relationship with Jesus, Himself.

The warnings in Scripture are very clear, yet surprisingly, not widely spoken of.  If there is no repentance, there is no salvation. Belief is not enough. Jesus said in (John 10:27), "My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me." To say that one believes is not enough. Your actions are a measure of your TRUE belief! There are many who think that they are saved, yet are not TRUE Christians. They are not saved. They sit in our pews even today!

Without repentance, there is no forgiveness of sins; we are still under His wrath. We cannot be forgiven for our sins unless we repent. We are dead in our trespasses and sins and until we seek repentance, we cannot be made alive in Christ. The Word of God does not pull any punches on this subject.

God will not forgive a sinner on the basis that he is sorry. God will only release us from the demands for eternal justice on the basis that someone else paid our fine. Two thousand years ago, Jesus Christ died on the cross to pay for our sins. The debt has been paid in full. All who repent and trust in Him receive forgiveness of sins. Their case is dismissed on the basis of His suffering death.

So, what is repentance?

Repentance is to turn AWAY from sin. Recognize sin and to turn away from it and RUN the other way! We turn from sin to the Savior. How do you repent, which is a necessity for salvation, if you do not know what sins to repent of?

Confessing your sins to God is a component of repentance, yet many people do not confess their sins. How do people confess their sins to God, and repent, if they do not know what sins they have committed? How can a man repent if he does not know what he is repenting for? You cannot just say forgive me of my sins. Which sins are we talking about?  They do not know what the sins are.

Ask yourself these questions to test yourself:

Can I name 10 Beers?

Can I name the 10 Commandments?

Which one of these questions can you answer? Why is it that most people can hold in their amazing brain rather insignificant information like naming beers, and yet, can not remember what the sins are?

As a true believer learning the 10 Commandments is imperative to your salvation and witnessing ability. Place them in your heart so that you can recognize sin and repent when you fall short of the glory of God. You will, then, be a much better witness for the Lord as you interact with the people that God has placed in your path.       

When witnessing, we should aim at the conscience of the unsaved, rather than the intellect. Take them thru the Law of God (the Commandments) to bring about the knowledge of sin.

Here is an example:

(You can start with the previous questions; they are ice-breakers!) “Can you name 10 beers?”

Then, go to this question, “Can you name the 10 Commandments?”

Ask them, “Do they think that they are a good person?”

“Let’s test that. Have you EVER told a lie? What does that make you?”

 “Have you EVER stolen anything; a pencil; EVER?” That would make you a ___?

“Have you ever used the Lord’s name in vain? As a curse word? That would make you a blasphemer.  God says that all blasphemers will take their part in the lake of fire.”

“So far we are a lying, blasphemous thief! And, we have only gone over 3 of the 10 Commandments! God says that if we break one of the Laws of God, we have broken them all and shall not see the glory of heaven. Only repentance thru the shed blood of our Lord Jesus Christ shall save us from the wrath of God.”

This is where you can inform them of the grace and mercy of God.

Emphasize (Ephesians 2:8-9), “For it is by grace, you have been saved through faith--and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God -- not by works so that no one can boast.” We are condemned despite our good works. Do not trust in your own righteousness. Trust in the grace of God thru Jesus Christ and the Word of God.

We as Christians should seek the opportunity to sow the good seed of the gospel, Remember one sows and another reaps. Faithfully sow the seed (the Word of God). If you reap, it is because someone has sown in the past, but it is God who causes the seed to grow. Do not be discouraged or timid when you faithfully share the gospel and sow the seed. Measure yourself by the faithful attempts to sow the seed of Christ, not by converts at the time of sowing. Remember someone sows, someone waters, and someone harvests the souls of man (1 Corinthians 3:6-9). Remember it is your job to witness to the lost souls of this world; it is God’s job to do with it as He pleases.