1 Timothy 1:13–15 (CSB) even though I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an arrogant man. But I received mercy because I acted out of ignorance in unbelief, and the grace of our Lord overflowed, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. This saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”—and I am the worst of them.
As repentance is to be continued through the whole course of our lives, upon the account of the body of death, and the motions thereof, so it is every man's duty to repent of his particular known sins particularly.
Luke 19:8 (CSB) But Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, “Look, I’ll give half of my possessions to the poor, Lord. And if I have extorted anything from anyone, I’ll pay back four times as much.”
Let us not be so quick to forget! We cannot repent of our sin within our own natural power for "no one does good, no, not even one" (Romans 3:12; Psalms 14) We cannot turn to God as sons of Adam. We are wicked and depraved. Repenting of sins is a good thing but we lack the ability to do actual good in the sight of God the only good.
But ah, look at Christ! He has come to be your God-owed obedience and he is your God perfection! And he has saved you and covers you in his righteousness. Yes, our works before God are as filthy rags. But because God has cleansed you, given you his own heart, his own Spirit, causes you to obey him because he gave you his only begotten Son, you and I, now sons of the Almighty God get to repent of our sins.
The Confession properly reads, "so it is every man's duty to repent of his particular known sins particularly." Do not distraught, beloved. You and I cannot repent of our sins perfectly because we were once foolish and led astray. God knows that! That is why he sent his Son not for you to try harder but to give you rest for your weary soul and your broken heart.
We cannot come to God on our own. God has to come to us. He is so far and we are so sinful. We dare not approach the throne of grace because the gap between us and him is infinite.
It will take an infinite being to cross an infinite gap to save a wretch like me. Fortunately, God is infinite, Father is God, Son is God, and the Spirit and therefore, the Triune God is infinite. He spans the gap so that you and I will eb with him forever and ever. Amen.