I commend you for reading your Bible thoughtfully and asking a question that surfaces frequently. Urgings or commands to repent are fairly common, as familiar passages such as Acts 2:38, 3:19, and 17:30 confirm. A careful analysis of the statements, their immediate contexts, and the wider context of Scripture will yield these thoughts:

1. It is certain that mankind is by nature utterly sinful, spiritually dead, and unable to repent in active obedience to the command or invitation (see Romans 8:6-8, 1 Corinthians 2:14). Additionally, in passages like Acts 5:31, 11:18, and 2 Timothy 2:25, repentance is clearly said to be the work of God, not of sinners themselves.

2. Many of the exhortations to repent are a vigorous preaching of divine law, assuming and declaring people’s utter sinfulness. As declarations of law they will have the impact of law; they will create a painful personal knowledge of sin.

3. Some statements may be serving as pronouncements of law and gospel, not only exposing sinfulness but also identifying what provides a right relationship to God. “The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!” (Mark 1:15). These calls to repentance need not be understood as implying that sinners themselves should do the work. They simply call for conversion without any reference to the agent or power that can bring it about.