1 John 1:8-10 "If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives."
There is one way to be forgiven and it all starts with a confession - not a justification, not an excuse, or some other clever play on words to make our sins seem less "dirty". The more honest we are about our sins and our failures the more we can be forgiven. Most people fail to understand that God knows are heart and our sins already but there is power in the confession. A true confession requires us to take an honest look at ourselves and admit our failures. A confession expresses the desire to change, that is when God can begin to radically change our hearts and lives... but it all starts with a confession.