When it comes to salvation, "Repent of your sins" is a damnable heresy. Repenting of your sins does not save you. It's taught in almost every modern gospel presentation ("repent of your sins and trust in Jesus"), but it's not in the Bible.
Jesus said to repent. Repentance is not reformation, an apology for sin, or a promise to stop sinning. Biblically, to repent is to change your mind, to be persuaded of something. Repentance means "a change of mind" or "a change in the inner man" (see metanoia in Greek). If you stole a candy bar or a wad of cash and then repented from stealing, that means you changed your mind about stealing. If this were necessary to be saved, that would mean you must keep the law to be saved, for the law says, "Thou shalt not steal." But Scripture is crystal clear that lawkeeping is not the path to salvation. (Gal. 2:16, Gal. 3:2, 10) Then what is?
We are saved when we believe in Jesus Christ who died for our sins, was buried, and rose again. (1 Cor. 15:1-4)
God didn't say turn or burn. He said repent or perish.—Pastor Curtis Hutson
All have sinned and the penalty for sin is death. The death of Christ on the cross paid for the sin of the whole world (John 3:16, 1 John 2:2). The sin is paid for, but each sinful person must have the righteousness of Christ credited to them. This happens through faith. When we put our trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, His righteousness is imputed to us which means that in the eyes of God, we are no longer guilty of sin because Jesus took our place and died the death we deserve. (Rom. 4:24, 2 Cor. 5:21) Our sin was put on Christ, and His righteousness is put on us when we believe. It's wondrous and simple! A glorious, eternal-life-giving exchange.
What if I am sorry for my sins?
Some people think repenting of your sins means to confess your sins or to be sorry for your sins. Even if this were true, it would not save you. Godly sorrow over sin can lead to repentance (2 Cor. 7:9-10) but notice that sorrow comes first; it is not the same thing as repentance which can come after. Next, no one can confess all of their sins. To enter heaven one must be perfect; even one tiny, forgotten unconfessed sin would disqualify you from going in. But even if you managed to confess every last one, you would not be saved by it. Because it is by His mercy we are saved, not by any work of righteousness we have done. (Titus 3:4-7, Is. 64:6)
Brother Tim Morton writes,
"Phrases such as "repent of sins, confess your sins, turn from your sins, ask Jesus into your heart, follow Jesus, make Jesus Lord of your life" cannot explain the gospel because they are contrary TO the gospel. The gospel teaches forgiveness of sins while [false teachers] are teaching turning from sins. The subject is justification, and their gospel is clearly shown false by scripture. Until they recognize scripture teaches God justifies the ungodly, they will never recognize the falsehood of their teaching!" (See Romans 4:4-5 & Ephesians 2:5.)
Believe. This is what you must do to be saved. (John 3:15-16, John 3:36, John 5:24, John 6:40, Acts 13:39, Rom. 1:16, Rom. 4:5, Rom. 10:4)
"He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." John 3:18
Now when you believe the gospel, that Christ died for your sin, was buried, and rose again, guess what? You have changed your mind. You've had a change in the inner man. You formerly did not believe, but now you do. You have repented.
A sobering passage in Luke describes what Jesus means by repentance, which has nothing to do with repenting of sins. Read carefully:
“There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day. But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate, desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. “Then he cried and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.’ But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented. And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.’ “Then he said, ‘I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house, for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.’ Abraham said to him, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.’ And he said, ‘No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ But he said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.’ ”
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So, is it really that bad? When Aunt Jess, or cousin Sam, or mom or dad, or sweet grandmother Ethel with her spectacles so earnestly urge you to repent of your sins to be saved, is it really all that bad? Maybe they don't have their message perfect, but how many of us do?
We are warned by Jesus to "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it." (Matt. 7:13-14) Notice the words many and few. Christianity is one of the leading major religions of the world. It is a religion of many. Yet Jesus Himself said that few find the way that leads to life—and He is speaking of Himself. He is the only way to the Father. (John 14:4-6)
The apostle Paul said that even if he—Paul himself, who wrote most of the New Testament—or an angel from heaven preach any other gospel to you, then let them be accursed. Accursed. (Gal. 1:6-9) This is strong, serious language. We are saved by grace through faith in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ who died for us. It is a message of foolishness to the world, of foolishness to the ones who are perishing. But to those who are saved, it is the power of God. (Rom. 1:16, 1 Cor. 1:17-24) This is the good news we must preach!
To learn more, I recommend the teaching of Gregg Jackson.
Repent of Your Sins Heresy by Pastor Curtis Hutson (click to listen)