"Farewell" Address

Repentance

Aaron Murdock

May 19 2013

I'm grateful for the Sacrament that we just partook of. It's a symbol of renewing our covenants with our Father in Heaven that we will always remember our Savior and His suffering. It is a wonderful gift that can refresh us each week and strengthen us for the upcoming days.

Central to the Sacrament is the Atonement of Jesus Christ, which includes His suffering in the Garden of Gethsemane as well as His death on the cross. Mosiah 3:7 states:

And lo, he shall suffer temptations, and pain of body, hunger, thirst, and fatigue, even more than man can suffer, except it be unto death; for behold, blood cometh from every pore, so great shall be his anguish for the wickedness and the abominations of his people.

It is wonderful to think that one like me could be redeemed because of Jesus! It is wonderful that He should care for me enough to die for me! His atonement has brought joy to my life when I've applied it to my problems.

There is joy to be found in living the unwavering standards of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Just as we can receive joy and comfort in our lives when we apply the Atonement to our trials and heartaches, so too can we receive joy when we apply it to our sins. It seems that often there is a sort of 'stigma' associated with Repentance; that somehow the it's an undesirable thing to have to do in our own lives. While it's true that the bad choices that make Repentance necessary are shaming and often embarassing, Repentance itself is an amazing gift given out of love.

Elder D. Todd Christofferson gave a talk about repentance during the October 2011 General Conference. I will be pulling a few things from his talk. The first is this:

“First, the invitation to repent is an expression of love. When the Savior “began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 4:17), it was a message of love, inviting all who would to qualify to join Him “and enjoy the words of eternal life in this world, and eternal life [itself] in the world to come” (Moses 6:59). If we do not invite others to change or if we do not demand repentance of ourselves, we fail in a fundamental duty we owe to one another and to ourselves. A permissive parent, an indulgent friend, a fearful Church leader are in reality more concerned about themselves than the welfare and happiness of those they could help. Yes, the call to repentance is at times regarded as intolerant or offensive and may even be resented, but guided by the Spirit, it is in reality an act of genuine caring.”

Doctrine and Covenants section 121 states thus:

 41 No power or influence can or ought to be maintained by virtue of the priesthood, only by persuasion, by long-suffering, by gentleness and meekness, and by love unfeigned;

 42 By kindness, and pure knowledge, which shall greatly enlarge the soul without hypocrisy, and without guile—

 43 Reproving betimes with sharpness, when moved upon by the Holy Ghost; and then showing forth afterwards an increase of love toward him whom thou hast reproved, lest he esteem thee to be his enemy;

 44 That he may know that thy faithfulness is stronger than the cords of death.

We see from these verses that when a church leader, a concerned friend, or the Lord chastises us and encourages us to repent and change, it is not because they are trying to puff themselves up or make themselves look better than us. It is because they are genuinely concerned about our welfares and want us to be truly happy.

When Nephi spoke to his brothers about the vision of the Tree of Life, in chapter 15 of 1^st Nephi they reacted this way.

 1 And now it came to pass that after I, Nephi, had made an end of speaking to my brethren, behold they said unto me: Thou hast declared unto us hard things, more than we are able to bear.

 2 And it came to pass that I said unto them that I knew that I had spoken hard things against the wicked, according to the truth; and the righteous have I justified, and testified that they should be lifted up at the last day; wherefore, the guilty taketh the truth to be hard, for it cutteth them to the very center.

It is this cutting to the very center that so many people don't like. They don't want to hear that their actions are unwise, sinful, or downright evil. They take offense when they hear a loved one tell them they ought to change. I know I've had struggles with this, and I'm sure most of us have. But some of us choose to put away our pride and realize the error of our ways. Some of us choose the road that may at first seem harder, but in the end brings greater joy. Some of us choose to repent.

Elder Christofferson next said this:

“Second, repentance means striving to change. It would mock the Savior’s suffering in the Garden of Gethsemane and on the cross for us to expect that He should transform us into angelic beings with no real effort on our part. Rather, we seek His grace to complement and reward our most diligent efforts (see 2 Nephi 25:23).”

Repentance can be difficult. It can take a long time if one's sinful behavior was ingrained in one's life. It can take lots of tears, lots of frustration, lots of sorrow for sin, lots of anguish of spirit, but in the end it brings a joy and a peace never felt by those who choose not to repent.

The pamphlet “For the Strength of Youth” says this about repentance:

“Satan wants you to think that you cannot repent, but that is absolutely not true. The Savior has promised you forgiveness if you will do what is required. The sooner you repent, the sooner you will find the blessings that come from forgiveness.

Some people knowingly break God’s commandments, expecting to repent before they go to the temple or serve a mission (or, I might add, before they die). Such deliberate sin mocks the Savior’s Atonement and invites Satan to influence your life. Repentance for such behavior is difficult and can take a long time. If you sin in this way, you may lose years of blessings and spiritual guidance. You may become trapped in the sinful behavior, making it difficult to find your way back.”

What is required to repent is not just confessing. It's not just forsaking the sinful behavior. It is turning our minds, our hearts, and our whole lives toward Heavenly Father and his Son. It is pushing forward, away from our sinful pasts, into a brighter future, with diligence and hope and a covenant to do what is right.

Elder Christofferson gave a third point:

“Third, repentance means not only abandoning sin but also committing to obedience. The Bible Dictionary states, “Repentance comes to mean a turning of the heart and will to God, [as well as] a renunciation of sin to which we are naturally inclined. . . For our turning to the Lord to be complete, it must include nothing less than a covenant of obedience to Him.  ”

The demands of justice must be satisfied. The mercy of the Savior's Atonement can satisfy that justice, but only if we ourselves apply His Atonement to our sins. To those who choose not to repent, although they know the incorrectness of their actions, Elder Christofferson gives a warning.

“Any pain entailed in repentance will always be far less than the suffering required to satisfy justice for unresolved transgression. The Savior spoke little about what He endured to satisfy the demands of justice and atone for our sins, but He did make this revealing statement:

“For behold, I, God, have suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer if they would repent;

“But if they would not repent they must suffer even as I;

“Which suffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body and spirit—and would that I might not drink the bitter cup. (D&C 19:16–18).”

There is joy in repentance because, after we have truly repented, we receive forgiveness. Forgiveness is such an amazing feeling. Knowing that Heavenly Father has extended forgiveness to you brings light and joy to your life. It is a true freedom that no drug or stimulant can ever bring. Repentance is a gift, and ought not to be shunned, but embraced. It is part and parcel to the Plan of Salvation and a requisite part of attaining eternal life, which is life with our Father in Heaven.

The Atonement of Jesus Christ was given out of love, and therefore so was repentance. It is a gift that can be difficult to share, but one we must share if we ourselves have felt the joy of its effects. It is not a passive thing, and we cannot go through the motions of repentance without putting our whole hearts into it. Repentance is for everyone, and we are no exception. When you repent, it is a whole turning about so that your life is in tune with the Lord's will. So repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is nigh, and we all are sinners to some degree.