Lessons on the Life and Ministry of Jesus Christ and His Apostles
Lesson No. Thirty-Six
The Gospel of Repentance
The conditions of repentance are faith in Jesus Christ and a desire to become like him. The first principle of the gospel is faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and second is repentance. (See Articles of Faith 1:4) True faith in Jesus Christ and a desire to become like Him leads to repentance.
Paul taught “godly sorrow for sin worketh repentance to salvation” (2 Corinthians 7:10). We experience godly sorrow because we have faith in Christ yet we still sin. The only solution to godly sorrow caused by sin is to repent. True faith in Jesus Christ and a desire to become more like Him “worketh repentance to salvation” (Ibid).
One of the great contributions of the Book of Mormon is that it ties faith and repentance together by teaching that faith in Christ and in His atonement leads to repentance. The Book of Mormon frequently refers to this as “faith unto repentance” (Alma 34:15-17).
The need for repentance – All accountable people, save Jesus only, who has or ever will live on this earth are stained by sin, and no person stained by sin can enter into the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, the merciful plan of salvation has provided a Savior, who through His atoning sacrifice, and on the condition of our repentance makes it possible for us to be completely forgiven. In this way we can realize our divine destiny as heir of eternal life.
Repentance also makes it possible for us to have joy in this life. True repentance may not always be easy, but it is essential to personal happiness and emotional and spiritual growth in this life.
The purpose of repentance – Paul taught that the purpose of repentance is to replace the “natural man” (1 Corinthians 2:14) with the “new man” in Christ (Ephesians 4:20-24). The Book of Mormon gives a powerful explanation of the purpose of repentance: “For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man (repents) and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father” (Mosiah 3:19, parentheses mine).
The process of repentance – Repentance is a process that is greatly facilitated by partaking of the sacrament each week. The Book of Mormon outlines the process or repentance. The people of king Benjamin received a remission of their sins because of their repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. (Mosiah 4:2-3).
However, king Benjamin knew that his people would continue to experience temptation and sin. Therefore, he charged them to always retain in remembrance, the greatness of God, his goodness and long-suffering, and to be humble and call upon the Lord daily, and be steadfast in their faith in Christ. If they would do this they could retain a remission of their sins. (See Mosiah 4:11-12).
Benjamin concluded with this warning that also applies to our day: “I can tell you, that if ye do not watch yourselves, and your thoughts, and your words, and your deeds, and observe the commandments of God, and continue in faith of what ye have heard concerning the coming of our Lord, even unto the end of your lives, ye must perish. And now, O man, remember, and perish not” (Mosiah 4:30).
Partaking of the sacrament weekly helps us to retain all of these things in our remembrance.
The time for repentance – A marvelous part of the plan of salvation is that everyone who has ever lived on the earth will have the opportunity to accept the gospel of Jesus Christ, if not in this life it will be in the spirit world. For those who have not had the opportunity to accept the gospel in this life their time to believe and repent will be extended to the spirit world. Those who would have accepted it here will accept it there.
For those of us who have the gospel “this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God…. therefore…do not procrastinate the day of your repentance” (Alma 34:32-33). For those who should have repented in this life but did not will find the repentance process much harder in the spirit world.
The ministry of repentance – The work of John the Baptist may be described as a ministry of repentance. John began his ministry saying, “Repent ye for the kingdom of heaven is at hand…Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance” (Matthew 3:2, 8).
The work of the Lord Jesus Christ, as recorded in the New Testament, may be described as a ministry of repentance. Starting at the beginning of His mortal ministry as He called His apostles, “Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 4:17).
Jesus called His apostles and charged them with the ministry of repentance, “And they went out and preached that all men should repent” (Mark 6:12). At His ascension, Jesus again charged his apostles with the ministry of repentance: “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel (faith in Christ, repentance, baptism, the gift of the Holy Ghost) to every creature” (Mark 16:15, parentheses mine).
The Lord charged His latter day servants, who are to take the gospel to the world, with the ministry of repentance. His instructions are to declare “nothing but repentance unto this generation” (D&C 6:9).
The testimony of repentance – I desire to be like the people of king Benjamin. (See Mosiah 4:1-12) I know the gospel of Jesus Christ and I want to be forgiven of my sins. I have viewed myself in my carnal state, and I ask for mercy and to apply to me the atoning blood of Christ that I may receive forgiveness of my sins, and that my heart may be purified; for I believe in Jesus Christ the Son of God who came down among the children of men, and atoned for my sins and the sins of the world. When my prayers are answered I am filled with joy, having peace of conscience.
I strive to retain a remission of my sins from day to day, and walk guiltless before God, yet I often fall short.How grateful I am for the blessings of the sacrament, and to renew my covenants with the Lord each week to always remember Him, and to keep His commandments that I may always have His Spirit to be with me.