Pope Shenouda III
Repentance and salvation
Many of our Protestant brethren try to separate repentance from the subject of salvation. When they concentrate on Christ's Blood, they say to people: “You are saved by the Blood of Christ and not by repentance. Repentance is one of the deeds and you cannot be saved by deeds.”
We do not deny that salvation is completed by the Blood of Christ. But there is no salvation without repentance. The Lord Jesus Christ says: “...unless you repent you will all likewise perish” (Lk.13: 3).
Repentance is necessary for salvation because nobody is without sin. As long as there is sin, then there is punishment for sin, and the wages of sin is death. There is no salvation from that death except through repentance. Repentance makes us worthy of Christ's Blood; “unless you repent you will all likewise perish.”