List of Doctrines on "Repentance: Obtaining Forgiveness"
635. There can be complete divine forgiveness of sin.
636. Repentance brings peace of conscience.
635. There can be complete divine forgiveness of sin.
George F. Richards
Joseph Smith
Ezekiel
George Teasdale
President Harold B. Lee
Joseph Smith
Joseph Smith
Joseph Smith
Joseph Smith
Marion G. Romney
Isaiah
Moroni, son of Mormon
Moroni, son of Mormon
Peter
Richard G. Scott
Jeffrey R. Holland
Boyd K. Packer
Elder Joseph Fielding Smith
Jeremiah
George F. Richards
The burden of sin and remorse is something to be dreaded and to be avoided. The Savior has provided, however, a means by which the sins of deepest dye may be forgiven, and that, by repentance and obedience unto the laws and ordinances of the gospel, made effective through the atonement of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. CR1946Apr:98
Joseph Smith,
receiving the Word of the Lord
receiving the Word of the Lord
Nevertheless, he that repents and does the commandments of the Lord shall be forgiven;
33. And he that repents not, from him shall be taken even the light which he has received; for my Spirit shall not always strive with man, saith the Lord of Hosts. (Revelation through Joseph Smith during conference of elders of the Church, Nov. 1, 1831) D&C 1:32-33
Ezekiel
But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die.
22. All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him: in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live. . . .
27. Again, when the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed, and doeth that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive. (Ezekiel preaches the word of the Lord) Ezekiel 18:21-22,27
George Teasdale
He hath said to the sinner, "When the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed, and doeth that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive" [Ezekiel 18:27]. This is a precious promise to the erring children of the Father. Our message to the sinner is that if he will repent, cease to do evil and learn to do well, he shall receive a remission of his sins, through obedience to the Gospel and dedicating the rest of his life to the service of God. What a bright and glorious outlook, to be redeemed from sin and to have the privilege of walking in the light, receiving salvation, and obtaining a glorious resurrection CR1903Oct:50
President Harold B. Lee
If the time comes when you have done all that you can to repent of your sins, whoever you are, wherever you are, and have made amends and restitution to the best of your ability; if it be something that will affect your standing in the Church and you have gone to the proper authorities, then you will want that confirming answer as to whether or not the Lord has accepted of you. In your soul-searching, if you seek for and you find that peace of conscience, by that token you may know that the Lord has accepted of your repentance. Satan would have you think otherwise and sometimes persuade you that now having made one mistake, you might go on and on without turning back. That is one of the great falsehoods. The miracle of forgiveness is available to all of those who turn from their evil doings and return no more, because the Lord has said in a revelation to us in our day: " . . . go your ways and sin no more; but unto that soul who sinneth [meaning again] shall the former sins return, saith the Lord your God." (D&C 82:7) Have that in mind, all of you who may be troubled with a burden of sin. (Revelation received at Kirtland, Ohio, May 6, 1833) CR1973Apr:177-78
Joseph Smith,
receiving the Word of the Lord
receiving the Word of the Lord
Verily, thus saith the Lord: It shall come to pass that every soul who forsaketh his sins and cometh unto me, and calleth on my name, and obeyeth my voice, and keepeth my commandments, shall see my face and know that I am; (Revelation received at Kirtland, Ohio, May 6, 1833) D&C 93:1
Joseph Smith,
receiving the Word of the Lord
receiving the Word of the Lord
Behold, he who has repented of his sins, the same is forgiven, and I, the Lord, remember them no more. (Revelation for the elders of the Church, Aug. 1, 1831) D&C 58:42
Joseph Smith,
receiving the Word of the Lord
receiving the Word of the Lord
Nevertheless, he has sinned; but verily I say unto you, I, the Lord, forgive sins unto those who confess their sins before me and ask forgiveness, who have not sinned unto death. (Revelation for the elders of the Church at Kirtland, Ohio, Sept. 11, 1831) D&C 64:7
Joseph Smith,
receiving the Word of the Lord
receiving the Word of the Lord
Behold, verily thus saith the Lord unto you, O ye elders of my church, who are assembled upon this spot, whose sins are now forgiven you, for I, the Lord, forgive sins, and am merciful unto those who confess their sins with humble hearts; (Revelation to the elders of the Church, Aug. 12, 1831) D&C 61:2
Marion G. Romney
Forgiveness is as wide as repentance. Every person will be forgiven for all the transgression of which he truly repents. If he repents of all his sins, he shall stand spotless before God because of the atonement of our Master and Savior Jesus Christ. . . . Such is the gift of God's merciful plan of redemption. CR1955Oct:124
Isaiah
Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; . . . 18. Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. (Isaiah preaches the word of the Lord) Isaiah 1:16,18
Moroni, son of Mormon
But as oft as they repented and sought forgiveness, with real intent, they were forgiven. (Moroni writes for the benefit of the Lamanites, A.D. 400-421) Moroni 6:8
Moroni, son of Mormon
O then ye unbelieving, turn ye unto the Lord; cry mightily unto the Father in the name of Jesus, that perhaps ye may be found spotless, pure, fair, and white, having been cleansed by the blood of the Lamb, at that great and last day. (Moroni calls upon those who do not believe in Christ to repent, A.D. 400-421) Mormon 9:6
Peter,
recorded in Acts
recorded in Acts
Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; (Peter preaches repentance) Acts 3:19
Richard G. Scott
There are several vital steps to repentance. Each is essential for complete forgiveness. President Joseph F. Smith identified some of these steps this way: “True repentance is not only sorrow for sins, and humble penitence and contrition before God, but it involves the necessity of turning away from them, a discontinuance of all evil practices … a thorough reformation of life, a vital change from evil to good … to make restitution, so far as … possible, for all the wrongs we have done. … This is true repentance, and the exercise of the will and all the powers of [the] body and mind is demanded, to complete this glorious work of repentance.” (CR 2000Oct; The Path to Peace and Joy, Ensign, November 2000, p.25)
Jeffrey R. Holland
If some few of you are carrying such wounds—and I know that you are—to you is extended the peace and renewal of repentance available through the atoning sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ. In such serious matters the path of repentance is not easily begun nor painlessly traveled. But the Savior of the world will walk that essential journey with you. He will strengthen you when you waver. He will be your light when it seems most dark. He will take your hand and be your hope when hope seems all you have left. His compassion and mercy, with all their cleansing and healing power, are freely given to all who truly wish complete forgiveness and will take the steps that lead to it. (CR 1998Oct; Personal Purity, Ensign, November 1998, p.75)
Boyd K. Packer
The gospel teaches us that relief from torment and guilt can be earned through repentance. Save for those few who defect to perdition after having known a fulness, there is no habit, no addiction, no rebellion, no transgression, no offense exempted from the promise of complete forgiveness. ¶ I repeat, save for the exception of the very few who defect to perdition, there is no habit, no addiction, no rebellion, no transgression, no apostasy, no crime exempted from the promise of complete forgiveness. That is the promise of the atonement of Christ. (CR 1995Oct; The Brilliant Morning of Forgiveness, Ensign, November 1995, p.18)
Related Witnesses:
Elder Joseph Fielding Smith
It appears to me the most extreme folly to believe, much less to teach, that the atonement of Jesus Christ merely paved the way for the remission and forgiveness of the sins of those who truly repent; and after one has truly repented and been baptized, he still must pay the price to some extent for his transgressions. This means that the man has not been truly forgiven, but is placed on probation with a penalty attached. This idea, which has so often been taught by saying that the holes remain after the nails are withdrawn, is a false doctrine when applied to the atonement for the truly repentant sinner. (Doctrines of Salvation, 2:332) TLDP:555
Jeremiah
[T]hey shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD; for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more. (Jeremiah speaks of the last days) Jeremiah 31:34
Author's Note: To be forgiven of sins means to receive a complete release from the penalty for sins. This is a remission of sins.
636. Repentance brings peace of conscience.
Marion G. Romney
King Benjamin
President Harold B. Lee
Boyd K. Packer
Richard L. Evans
Elder Spencer W. Kimball
Boyd K. Packer
Richard G. Scott
Joseph Smith
Alma, the younger
John
Paul
Alma, the younger
Paul
HYMNS Written by Prophets Applicable to this Topic
Parley P. Pratt
Marion G. Romney
To these witnesses I add my testimony that repentance brings to the soul who has faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and his gospel forgiveness, with the attendant blessings of "peace" and "rest". CR1980Oct:73
King Benjamin,
quoted by Mormon
quoted by Mormon
And it came to pass that after they had spoken these words the Spirit of the Lord came upon them, and they were filled with joy, having received a remission of their sins, and having peace of conscience, because of the exceeding faith which they had in Jesus Christ who should come, according to the words which king Benjamin had spoken unto them. (King Benjamin concludes his discourse, about 124 B.C.) Mosiah 4:3
President Harold B. Lee
In your soul-searching, if you seek for and you find that peace of conscience, by that token you may know that the Lord has accepted of your repentance. Satan would have you think otherwise and sometimes persuade you that now having made one mistake, you might go on and on without turning back. That is one of the great falsehoods. The miracle of forgiveness is available to all of those who turn from their evil doings and return no more, because the Lord has said in a revelation to us in our day: " . . . go your ways and sin no more; but unto that soul who sinneth [meaning again] shall the former sins return, saith the Lord your God." (D&C 82:7) Have that in mind, all of you who may be troubled with a burden of sin. CR1973Apr:177-78
Boyd K. Packer
I repeat, as Bishop Featherstone said, my young friends, that there is a great cleansing power. Know that you can be clean. If you are outside of the Church, the covenant of baptism itself represents, among other things, a washing and a cleansing.
For those of you who are in the Church there is a way, not entirely painless, but certainly possible. You can stand clean and spotless before him. Guilt will be gone, and you can be at peace. Go to your bishop or your branch president. He holds the key to this cleansing power. Go and have an interview with him, and then you do what he says, and you can become clean again. ACR(Stockholm) 1974:84
Richard L. Evans
And you who are tried and tempted by appetites, by evil in its subtle shapes; you who have been careless in your conduct, who have lived the kind of lives that fall short of what you know you should have lived—and are contending with conscience and are torn inside yourselves: You also are not alone in life, for the Lord God who gave you life has also given the glorious principle of repentance, which, upon sincere turning away from false ways, can restore again the blessed peace that comes with quiet conscience. (Richard L. Evans: The Man and the Message, p. 139) TLDP:553-54
Elder Spencer W. Kimball
Confession brings peace. How often have people departed from my office relieved and lighter of heart than for a long time Their burdens were lighter, having been shared. They were free. The truth had made them free.
Having warned of excruciating pain and punishments, the Lord said: ". . . confess your sins, lest you suffer these punishments of which I have spoken, . . . " (D&C 19:20) There is substantial psychological strength in confession. Confession is not only the revealing of errors to proper authorities, but the sharing of burdens to lighten them. One lifts at least part of his burden and places it on other shoulders which are able and willing to help carry the load. Then there comes satisfaction in having taken another step in doing all that is possible to rid oneself of the burden of transgression. (The Miracle of Forgiveness, pp. 187-88) TLDP:552
Boyd K. Packer
The Atonement has practical, personal, everyday value; apply it in your life. It can be activated with so simple a beginning as prayer. You will not thereafter be free from trouble and mistakes but can erase the guilt through repentance and be at peace. (CR 2001Apr; “The Touch of the Master’s Hand”, Ensign, May 2001, p.22)
Richard G. Scott
There is an essential aspect of the plan of happiness of our Father in Heaven that is often ignored even though it invariably yields peace and joy. The Savior gave His life that it might be used to bless every child of Father in Heaven. This subject is widely misunderstood and often feared. Some feel that it is to be employed only by those in serious transgression, while the Lord intended that it be consistently used by every one of His children. He has repeatedly commanded His prophets and leaders to proclaim it and to speak of little else.1 I refer to the blessing of true, sincere, continuing repentance, the path to peace and joy. It is a conduit to the reforming power of the Lord and, when understood and used, a dear and precious friend. (CR 2000Oct; The Path to Peace and Joy, Ensign, November 2000, p.25)
Related Witnesses:
Joseph Smith
For unless a person does know that he is walking according to the will of God, it would be offering an insult to the dignity of the Creator were he to say that he would be a partaker of his glory when he should be done with the things of this life. But when he has this knowledge, and most assuredly knows that he is doing the will of God, his confidence can be equally strong that he will be a partaker of the glory of God. (Lectures on Faith delivered to the School of the Prophets, 1834-35) LOF6:6
Alma, the younger
quoted by Mormon
quoted by Mormon
Now, how could a man repent except he should sin? How could he sin if there was no law? How could there be a law save there was a punishment?
18. Now, there was a punishment affixed, and a just law given, which brought remorse of conscience unto man.
19. Now, if there was no law given—if a man murdered he should die—would he be afraid he would die if he should murder?
20. And also, if there was no law given against sin men would not be afraid to sin.
21. And if there was no law given, if men sinned what could justice do, or mercy either, for they would have no claim upon the creature?
22. But there is a law given, and a punishment affixed, and a repentance granted; which repentance mercy claimeth; otherwise, justice claimeth the creature and executeth the law, and the law inflicteth the punishment; if not so, the works of justice would be destroyed, and God would cease to be God. (Alma speaks to his son Corianton concerning the resurrection of the dead, about 73 B.C.) Alma 42:17-22
John
And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. (Jesus says he that is without sin, let him cast the first stone, when the scribes and Pharisees bring before him a woman taken in adultery) John 8:9
Paul
Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
2. Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; (Letter to his assistant Timothy, about A.D. 64) 1 Timothy 4:1-2
Alma, the younger
quoted by Mormon
quoted by Mormon
Yea, and I know that good and evil have come before all men; he that knoweth not good from evil is blameless; but he that knoweth good and evil, to him it is given according to his desires, whether he desireth good or evil, life or death, joy or remorse of conscience. (Alma discourses on the principle of repentance, about 76 B.C.) Alma 29:5
Paul
And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men. (Paul defends himself and his doctrine before Felix) Acts 24:16
HYMNS Written by Prophets Applicable to this Topic
Parley P. Pratt
Father in Heaven, We Do Believe
HYMNS:180
Father in Heav'n, we do believe
The promise thou hast made;
Thy word with meekness we receive,
Just as thy Saints have said.
We now repent of all our sin
And come with broken heart,
And to thy covenant enter in
And choose the better part.
O Lord, accept us while we pray,
And all our sins forgive;
New life impart to us this day,
And bid the sinners live.
Humbly we take the sacrament
In Jesus' blessed name;
Let us receive thru covenant
The Spirit's heav'nly flame.
We will be buried in the stream
In Jesus' blessed name,
And rise, while light shall on us beam
The Spirit's heav'nly flame.
Baptize us with the Holy Ghost
And seal us as thine own,
That we may join the ransomed host
And with the Saints be one.
