Repentance -- The Ultimate "Delete Key"

Post 6 by Judy Rix...

Humorists say, "Mistakes make you wiser, which basically makes me a genius!" In our fallen human condition, we "geniuses" all make mistakes daily.

"We all drift from time to time," says Deiter Uchtdorf, "but we can get back on course. We can navigate our way through the darkness and trials of this life and find our way back to our loving Heavenly Father if we seek, accept, and follow the spiritual landmarks He has provided. Learn to embrace personal revelation and strive for daily restoration. This is how we become true disciples of our beloved Savior.” "Daily Restoration," October 2021 General Conference

Because God loves His children, He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, who willingly atoned for our sins and imperfections. Through that atonement, mankind received the remarkable gift of repentance.

"For, behold, the Lord your redeemer suffered death in the flesh; wherefore He suffered the pain of all men [so] that all men might repent and come unto Him." D&C 18:11 

Availing yourself of that "do - over" gift is completely up to you; you can choose to accept it or not. But what a relief when you no longer have to carry the heavy burden of sin. And let's face it, we all sin.

Boyd K. Packer reminds us that, “The atonement leaves no tracks, no traces. What it fixes is fixed. …It just heals, and what it heals stays healed." (General conference training meeting, 7 April 2015)

Discover the Joy of Daily Repentance.

President Russell M. Nelson states: "Discover the joy of daily repentance...Repenting is the key to progress. Pure faith keeps us moving forward on the covenant path. Please do not fear or delay repenting. Satan delights in your misery. Cut it short. Cast his influence out of your life! Start today to experience the joy of putting off the natural man. The Savior loves us always, but especially when we repent." "The Power of Spiritual Momentum," April 2022 General Conference

President Nelson further states: “Does everyone need to repent? The answer is yes... Nothing is more liberating, more ennobling, or more crucial to our individual progression than is a regular, daily focus on repentance... Experience the strengthening power of daily repentance, of doing and being a little better each day. When we choose to repent, we choose to change! We allow the Savior to transform us into the best version of ourselves... When we choose to repent, we choose to become more like Jesus Christ. Daily repentance is the pathway to purity, and purity brings power." "We Can Do Better and Be Better," April 2019 General Conference 

Repentance Is a Two - Part Process.

Repentance enables us to Emulate Jesus Christ, and it involves two things: (1) personal change and (2) reliance on Christ's atonement.

(1) Personal Change Is a Choice -- Your Choice.

The invitation to repent is rarely a voice of chastisement but rather a loving appeal to turn around and to “re-turn” toward God, toward happiness. This is the part of repenting that no one can do for you; only you can do it. It means to undergo a change of heart, completely transform your way of thinking, turn away and abandon evil, and let go of guilt. Repentance hastens our spiritual progression.

Are you feeling guilty about something? The scriptures give many examples of people who seemed unlikely candidates for change but who, through the power of Jesus Christ, repented and became righteous.

It's OK to take two steps forward and one step back, or the other way around. Remember, you're here on earth to learn in this school of experience, even if you're a slow learner. Because of repentance, you can bulldoze those obstacles and begin each day anew. Emulating the Savior is a gradual journey toward perfection.

(2) Repentance Involves Reliance on Christ's Atonement.

No matter how hard you try, you can't "Repent yourself into heaven." Only the Savior has the power to make us perfectly clean through His atonement, and we must be perfectly clean to return back to the presence of our Heavenly Father.

"No unclean thing can inherit the kingdom of heaven." (BOM Alma 11:37)

Dale G. Renlund said, "Without the Redeemer, the inherent hope and joy evaporate, and repentance becomes simply miserable behavior modification." "Repentance, a Joyful Choice," October 2016 General Conference

The atonement is an integral part of the Plan of Salvation, the plan for returning God's children back to our heavenly home after we have learned our mortal lessons. We can stand before Him pure, worthy, and sanctified. Repentance is the ultimate "delete key" giving us a fresh start!

Repentance Is One of the Most Joyous Aspects of the Gospel.

The Lord directs His prophets to "Cry repentance!" Why? One reason is because He does not want us to suffer. He wants us to be happy. Without repentance, we could not develop the qualities of Jesus Christ, and it's those very character traits that will make us happy!

"For behold, I, God, have suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer if they would repent..." D&C 19:16.

Isn't that amazing? You do the best you can, and His atonement makes up the difference. He does for you what you cannot do for yourself. When you bind yourself to Him, He binds His perfect self to you. He offers His perfection to make up for your imperfection. What an unselfish act of love!

The Gift of the Weekly Sacrament Is a Means of Repentance.

For members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, participating in the sacrament is the most sacred and vital part of Sunday worship.

Akin to what some churches refer to as communion, the sacrament serves as a powerful symbolic reminder of the Savior's atoning sacrifice. It allows us the privilege to learn from last week's errors, make amends, recommit ourselves, and start anew. These frequent intentional "reset" moments stop us from straying too far off course before finding our way back.

Deiter F. Uchtdorf reminds us: “The Savior’s infinite atonement completely changes the way we may view our transgressions and imperfections. Instead of dwelling on them and feeling irredeemable or hopeless, we can learn from them and feel hopeful. The cleansing gift of repentance allows us to leave our sins behind and emerge a new creature.” ("God Among Us," April 2021 General Conference)

The Lord loves you so much He's willing to take your sins upon His own shoulders if you'll let Him. Learn from your mistakes! Repent! Change! Let it go! Experience the joy of starting over clean and fresh!

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Go to the Source -- What Do the Scriptures and Respected Teachers Say?

"Repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." (Bible. Matthew 3:2)

The Lord instructed Adam, “Teach it unto your children that all men everywhere must repent, or they can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God. For no unclean thing can dwell there, or dwell in His presence.” (PGP. Moses 6:57)

“It is our duty to be better today than we were yesterday, and better tomorrow than we are today. Why? Because we are on that road…to perfection, and that can only come through obedience and the desire in our hearts to overcome [our sins].” (President Joseph Fielding Smith. Doctrines of Salvation, comp. Bruce R. McConkie, 3 vols. [1954–56], 2:18–19).

"...Do not procrastinate the day of your repentance until the end; for after this day of life, which is given us to prepare for eternity, behold, if we do not improve our time while in this life, then comes the night of darkness wherein there can be no labor performed." (BOM Alma 34:33)

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