Cherie,
Bottom line is you must be born again to enter the kingdom of heaven. Confess to God that you are a sinner.. not just that you have sinned and you want forgiveness for some sins you committed. Jesus died, not just for the sins you committed yesterday, are committing right now, and will commit in the future. He DIED FOR SINNERS. This is a covering of who and what we are, not just what we have done. If you do not confess to God, repent from you wicked ways, accept Jesus' sacrifice for you, a sinner, you will not be born again and will not be forgiven. There is no ritual (like baptism) that can accomplish this.
Ok can we separate this sinner bit and let's see if we can agree.
You say confess to God that you are sinner.
Are you talking about the following?
Luke 18:13
13 “But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, ‘O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.’
So when we talk about being a sinner we talk about all the sins we have done.
Basically past sins which we ask Jesus to forgive us off.
But is that starting point?
For me the starting point is this.
John 16:8-9
8 And when he comes, he will convict the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment.9 The world’s sin is that it refuses to believe in me.
The world's sin is unbelief in him.
When we repent of this sin then our sins before, current and future not forgiven on the cross?
As a result of confession have we not repented of our sins?
That being change me from what I was to be what I am in you.
Be like you.
I believe that when we repent of our sin of unbelief in Jesus then we seek him to help us to be like him.