How do we know true repentance is necessary for salvation?

True repentance is foundational to the Christian faith and is characterized by a heartfelt acknowledgment of sin and a turning away from it towards God. As articulated in Ezekiel 7:16, the remnant mourns for their iniquity, demonstrating an understanding of the seriousness of their sins. This aligns with Jesus’ teaching in the Beatitudes, 'Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted' (Matthew 5:4). Repentance is not merely feeling sorrow for wrongdoing; it is a transformative experience that leads individuals to seek God's grace and forgiveness. The biblical narrative illustrates that without acknowledging one's sinfulness, one cannot truly grasp the need for Christ's sacrificial atonement, hence the necessity of genuine repentance in the pathway to salvation.