Challies on Repentance

Because our society so hates the idea of repentance, many churches, out of a so-called "seeker-sensitivity," have stopped speaking about it, choosing instead to teach about sorrow and brokenness. Instead of portraying Jesus as the one who died to remove the stench of our sin from before God, Jesus is portrayed as one who died to meet our needs and to help us live a better life. Jesus died to give us purpose and to give us the power to change our minds. There need not be true, biblical repentance in this watered-down gospel. The true gospel, the gospel which has the power to transform lives, cannot be preached without repentance...

It is important to note that repentance is much more than simply feelings of sorrow or self-hatred. Though these may be part of our reactions to repenting, they are not enough. True repentance expresses itself in action and in a changed life. In Psalm 51 David pours out his heart to God in a beautiful prayer of repentance – one we would all do well to make our own. We see him acknowledging his sinfulness before God ("my sin is always before me. Again You, You only have I sinned"), asking God for forgiveness ("wash me and I shall be whiter than snow") and expressing a changed life ("deliver me from the guilt...and my tongue shall sing aloud of Your righteousness...my mouth shall show forth Your praise."). More than simply feeling guilt or sorrow, David showed that he was willing to change. Just as faith without works is dead, so repentance without change is dead.

Source. (emphasis mine)