The "Admit You are a Sinner" and "Repent of Your Sins" Terminology Battle
While I dismiss easy believism as a very serious heresy because I really can't see any reason why anybody should get saved and never get a change in their lives (and for stressing this, I do sometimes get labeled as a works salvationist). For one, let me stress this out that admitting you are a sinner is equal to repent of your sins, sometimes the semantics just got confused. For one, repentance if defined is metanoneia or a "change of mind". The dictionary defines repentance as changing one's mind and feeling regret or contrition. Regret is not automatically repentance but it definitely is part of repentance. It's really something I was already put in the "beware of these preachers" list as well. One I admit God repents which He changes His mind. In the case of lost sinners, except they change their mind about their sin or are willing to turn from it, it becomes an issue that because of that they either just pretend to get saved or the more obvious REJECT salvation.
The whole issue behind this is another raging battle of semantics which most IFBs may not be willing to admit. So far, to think about it, we do read this verse in Mark 1:15, "And saying, The time is fulfilled and the Kingdom of God is at hand, REPENT ye and believe the Gospel." That's right, REPENT ye and believe the Gospel. You cannot get rid of repentance from salvation, EVEN some so-called "opponents" of Lordship salvation admit that! Trying to appeal to the King James isn't going to work that well to try
So maybe you can argue that there is no "repent of your sins" but the problem can be this, except if people repent of their sins, how on Earth can they repent of their unbelief? Matthew 9:13, Mark 2:17 and Luke 15:15-17 calls SINNERS to repentance. What are sinners called to repent of? Their sins. Even if the word "repent" does not appear in John, it does cut out repentance of sin. Sinners are called to repentance. If sinners are called to repentance, they certainly will repent of their sins. Talk about the conversion of Matthew, Zaccheus and the adulterous woman. Talk about the conversion of Peter. Peter if he didn't repent of his sins would have not said, "Lord depart from me for I am a SINFUL MAN." The adulterous woman knew nothing more than to throw herself at the feet of Jesus as she knew she was a sinner. Would have the adulterous woman been self-righteous, she would never admit she was a sinner.
You might want to consider Luke 24:47 again which ties repentance of sins, "And that REPENTANCE and remission of sins should be preached in His name among all nations beginning at Jerusalem." So much for that God only tells us to repent of your sins after you are saved which is a very OUT OF CONTEXT doctrine like that rather ridiculous "Pisseth Against the Wall" sermon. In fact, I really see no reason why a person would come to Christ if they even haven't changed their minds about their sins? Biblical repentance for sinners calls them to repent of their sins. John 3:19-20 is clear that unrepentant sinners will NEVER admit their sins and come to Christ. They want to continue sinning, they love darkness which can invalidate taking John 3:16 out of context. As said, repenting of your sins is NOT works salvation but rather, unless a person repents of their sins they will NEVER receive the free gift of salvation because they know salvation will change their lives in God's image. That's why so many unrepentant sinners prefer to reject the Gospel while many who see themselves as sinners (and repentance of sin happens here) admits.