Christ calls for repentance as a way of life, not to earn his mercy, but to fully enjoy his favour. Repentance is a mark of holiness in Christ. It means admitting specific wrong, recognizing your sin’s offensiveness to God, changing course, turning to Christ, and delighting to walk in the ways of the Lord. True repentance is hard, at times painful. But the beautiful truth is, it is always through Christ. The coming to life of the new nature is a heartfelt joy in God through Christ, and a love and delight to live according to the will of God
(Heidelberg Catechism, Lord’s Day 33). There is more to repentance than grieving over sin. There is also joy, through Christ, who is shaping you to look more and more like him, and to have a heart for God like Christ does.
6 Les enfants d'Israël firent encore ce qui déplaît à l'Eternel; ils servirent les Baals et les Astartés, les dieux de Syrie, les dieux de Sidon, les dieux de Moab, les dieux des fils d'Ammon, et les dieux des Philistins, et ils abandonnèrent l'Eternel et ne le servirent plus.