A deceived cult member said that you must first turn to the Father and learn the ways of the Kingdom and change your way of thinking in order to receive eternal life. Is this true?

First of all, if you desire to please the Father your must first comply with His will; that is, “believe in the One He has sent into the World” to provide you atonement for your sin (John 6:29); that is, believe in Jesus Christ as Messiah who died for you (John 3); then, receive the indwelling Holy Spirit as your Guarantor of New Covenant relationship with the Father (Ephesians 1:13-14). It is only by faith in the Son as Messiah that one is redeemed from sin and Hell. It is only by faith in Jesus as one’s Messiah that one receives the imputed-gifted righteousness of Jesus over their life in exchange for their sin and the covenant promise of forgiveness (2 Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 8:12).

Sanctification following Salvation by faith…

It is the indwelling Holy Spirit who provides you a redeemed conscience (2 Corinthians 5:17) that desires the will of the Father and the Holy Spirit then enlivens the spiritual law (Romans 2:14-15; Romans 8:2) that is written upon your heart and by this, the Spirit forms a catalyst via the combination of your redeemed conscience and the enlivened spiritual law to walk you daily in the process of sanctification (Galatians 5:16) and the Spirit produces through you “fruits of righteousness” and there is NO LAW against this fruit but that fruit fulfills all law (Galatians 5). Jesus said “You will know them by their fruit” (Matthew 7:15-20).

Therefore, if you desire to turn to the Father for salvation you must first come to Him via the Son by faith (John 14:6).