Is there anything that you can do to atone for your sins on a spiritual level? Or did Jesus atone for your sins? If you could atone for your sins by feeling guilty and ashamed, then Jesus didn't need to die, all you had to do was feel guilty.
Jesus said his yoke is easy and his burden is light, but all throughout Christendom there is the tendency to place heavy burdens greivous to be borne on those who would follow Jesus. They create a religion where Jesus sacrifice is step one on the ladder and the sinner is then obliged to climb the ladder through self righteousness.
Jesus said it is finished. He did not say, well I guess this is a good start. Yes you must repent and believe. But must a man dwell on his past? Must he focus on his own shrotcomings? Or must he like a lamb, focus on the shepherd?
Belief is just too easy a way for some people. They think they must do something to help Jesus to save them. But what saves them has already been done. Its just too hard to believe.