Repentance Chris discusses an ongoing controversy among some ministers who argue that to teach repentance and faith (rather than faith alone) amounts to works-based salvation. Is this the case? Does a person need to repent in order to receive salvation? Or can they be saved by faith in Christ -- without repenting of sin? Jesus said "... except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish" (Luke 13:3). But does this really apply to all? Are some able to skip over repentance and just believe? Or must a person be regenerated first before they can repent? Incredibly, the debates concerning these things are quite heated. Some preachers are even calling it heresy to preach repentance to lost souls, warning that this is leading to a great falling away in the church. But what does the Scripture say?