The Father wants to adopt us as His children (Psalm 68:5, 27:10). As a "child of God" you will be saved from eternal condemnation (Genesis 18:25). But you have to repent and make right with your Father so that your sins which separated us from God can be forgiven.

If my people who are called by my name

1. humble themselves, and
2. pray and
3. seek my face and
4. turn from their wicked ways,

then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

-- 2 Chronicles 7:14; Psalm 32:1-2

Previously the priests and leaders like Moses, had to cover their faces with a veil when they approached God, but after one turned to the Lord you have the freedom to access God through Christ (John 14:6).

Since we have such a hope, we are very bold, not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face so that the Israelites might not gaze at the outcome of what was being brought to an end. But their minds were hardened. For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away. Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts.

But when one turns to the Lord:

1. the veil is removed.
2. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
3. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another.

-- 2 Corinthians 3:12-18 (ESV)

True repentance require that you should...

Be convicted of your sins

For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death. -- 2 Corinthians 7:10 (ESV)

Without conviction, you are doomed as the Prophet Isaiah wrote:

The very look on their faces gives them away. They display their sin like the people of Sodom and don’t even try to hide it. They are doomed! They have brought destruction upon themselves. -- Isaiah 3:9 (NLT)

Everyone have sin.

If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. -- 1 John 1:8 (ESV)

John, the baptist, recognized that true conviction is required to get saved in the following scripture:

But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them,

"Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance."

-- Matthew 3:7-8 (NKJV)

Confess your sins

Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy. -- Proverbs 28:13

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. -- 1 John 1:9 (ESV)

This is exactly what David done:

I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said,
“I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,”
and you forgave the iniquity of my sin.

-- Psalm 32:5 (ESV)

All sin can be forgiven.

Simon on the other hand believed and were baptised (Acts 8:13), but refused to repent. This is what apostle Peter, had to say of him:

"You have neither part nor lot in this matter, for your heart is not right before God. Repent, therefore, of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, the intent of your heart may be forgiven you. For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity." -- Acts 8:21-23 (ESV)

Reborn into a new life

Repentance is not a once off confession event or altar call. There is no such thing as a "sinner's prayer" that will guarantee your salvation. Your responsibility to make right with God does not stop after your confession.

This is only the first step of the repentance process which is to transform (2 Corinthian 3:18). In other words, you need to follow Jesus' example (John 13:15) who is an imitator of his Father (John 14:9; Philippians 2:5-6, Colossians 1:15) so that we too could be imitators God (Ephesians 5:1; 1 John 5:20).

After you confessed your sins, you will still be under the bondage of sin, which means your life is still dictated by addictions, temptations, evil spirits, curses and so on. There is still a very high risk that you could fall back to your old sinful lifestyle, which could cause you to lose your faith, which could cost you your salvation.

Therefore, you need to be set free. This is only possible with a spiritual rebirth known as Baptism (Mark 16:16, Acts 19:4, Romans 6:3-14, John 3:5, Colossians 2:12-14, Acts 22:16, Acts 2:38, 2 Corinthians 5:17).

For one who has died has been set free from sin. -- Romans 6:7 (ESV)

This means that the only way to get freed from you sin, is to die from sin (old life) and to get reborn into a new life.

Therefore, Baptism is required and the next step to salvation.