AC 8388, 8389, 8393 - confession, repentance, forgiveness by the Lord

AC 8388
To confess sins is to become thoroughly acquainted with evils,
to see them in one's self,
to acknowledge them,
to regard one's self as guilty,
and to condemn one's self on account of them.
When this is done before God,
it is to confess sins.

AC 8389
To do repentance
is after one has thus confessed his sins
and from a humble heart
has made supplication for their forgiveness,
to desist from them
and to lead a new life according to the commands of faith.

AC 8393
Repentance of the mouth
and not of the life
is not repentance.
Sins are not forgiven through repentance of the mouth,
but through repentance of the life.
Sins are continually being forgiven by the Lord,
for He is mercy itself;
but sins adhere to the person,
however much he may suppose that they have been forgiven,
nor are they removed from him
except through a life according to the commands of faith.
So far as he lives according to these commands,
so far his sins are removed;
and so far as they are removed,
so far they have been forgiven.
For, by the Lord, a person is withheld from evil,
and is held in good....