1 00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:01,840 How can you know if you've been forgiven? 2 00:00:01,960 --> 00:00:05,600 That's a good question, but it's not the best question. 3 00:00:05,920 --> 00:00:13,240 Most sin does not result in immediate cataclysmic spiritual 4 00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:18,120 death, but sets in motion a process that will end in death 5 00:00:18,320 --> 00:00:21,760 without intervention. Remorse for sin is part of 6 00:00:21,760 --> 00:00:26,040 repentance, but it has never been the plan of our Father to 7 00:00:26,040 --> 00:00:30,600 wallow in it forever. Christ suffered in Gethsemane 8 00:00:32,000 --> 00:00:40,640 for that very recent The plan has never been to go alone. 9 00:00:41,320 --> 00:00:45,680 You need the help of heaven. Look to the past long enough to 10 00:00:45,680 --> 00:00:49,720 learn and repent, and then turn around. 11 00:00:51,560 --> 00:01:14,240 Look ahead and go. The Lord has said, Say nothing 12 00:01:14,240 --> 00:01:19,320 but repentance unto this generation, Keep my 13 00:01:19,320 --> 00:01:23,280 commandments, and assist to bring forth my work according to 14 00:01:23,280 --> 00:01:26,160 my commandments, and you shall be blessed. 15 00:01:28,560 --> 00:01:33,320 So what does that mean? Say, say nothing, say nothing 16 00:01:33,320 --> 00:01:38,400 but repentance. It is a bit perplexing because 17 00:01:38,400 --> 00:01:42,000 he also said to go to all the world and preach the gospel 18 00:01:42,000 --> 00:01:46,440 everywhere to everyone. And while repentance is an 19 00:01:46,440 --> 00:01:49,200 essential part of the gospel, it's not the whole of it. 20 00:01:50,920 --> 00:01:57,000 Hello, I'm Larry Corbridge, and this is episode 22 of the Stand 21 00:01:57,000 --> 00:01:59,800 Forever series. I'm happy that you've joined us. 22 00:02:00,720 --> 00:02:05,680 In this episode, we will unpack that scripture and repentance is 23 00:02:05,680 --> 00:02:09,759 a vital part of the path leading to the fulfillment of your 24 00:02:09,759 --> 00:02:15,480 divine potential. In past episodes, we concluded 25 00:02:15,480 --> 00:02:19,920 that a purposeful life leading to the to the fulfillment of 26 00:02:19,920 --> 00:02:24,760 your divine potential requires knowing where you are going. 27 00:02:25,240 --> 00:02:28,840 You know, we could call that point B and where you are now 28 00:02:28,840 --> 00:02:32,960 point A, and then plot the course in between. 29 00:02:34,000 --> 00:02:38,880 We determined the course is the Gospel of Jesus Christ, also 30 00:02:38,880 --> 00:02:43,440 known as the doctrine of Christ, including faith in the Lord 31 00:02:43,440 --> 00:02:48,960 Jesus Christ, repentance, ordinances and covenants, 32 00:02:48,960 --> 00:02:54,400 beginning with baptism, the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring 33 00:02:54,400 --> 00:02:57,680 to the end, building up the Kingdom of God is an active 34 00:02:57,680 --> 00:03:00,320 contributing member of that Kingdom. 35 00:03:02,160 --> 00:03:07,920 In the last episode we looked at faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. 36 00:03:08,680 --> 00:03:12,840 We concluded that of all the principles of redeeming truth, 37 00:03:12,880 --> 00:03:19,280 of all the laws of the gospel, faith in Christ maybe is 38 00:03:19,280 --> 00:03:24,280 probably the one which, if more fully understood and applied, 39 00:03:24,280 --> 00:03:27,640 would generate the greatest return, the greatest benefit. 40 00:03:29,240 --> 00:03:36,720 Faith leads us to repentance. What is repentance and and how 41 00:03:36,720 --> 00:03:39,040 do you know if you've been forgiven? 42 00:03:45,950 --> 00:03:52,430 Synonyms for repentance might include sanctifying change, 43 00:03:52,430 --> 00:03:58,440 perhaps, or improvement. And if so, we might take the 44 00:03:58,440 --> 00:04:02,960 Lord's admonition to say nothing but repentance unto this 45 00:04:02,960 --> 00:04:07,640 generation as meaning say nothing but continual 46 00:04:07,640 --> 00:04:10,080 improvement to become more like the Lord. 47 00:04:11,840 --> 00:04:16,360 Another, less common way of thinking about repentance is as 48 00:04:16,360 --> 00:04:24,360 a subset of ambition. From the first attempts of an an 49 00:04:24,360 --> 00:04:30,640 infant to feed herself or walk unaided across the room, we are 50 00:04:30,680 --> 00:04:36,440 all driven by a divine urge to improve, to do better. 51 00:04:36,800 --> 00:04:41,720 That drive is sometimes referred to as ambition. 52 00:04:42,880 --> 00:04:49,360 It drives one to train harder, to run faster or farther, ski 53 00:04:49,360 --> 00:04:54,560 better, jump higher, improve a golf swing, score more points, 54 00:04:55,080 --> 00:04:58,880 provide better for a family, speak better, think better, be a 55 00:04:58,880 --> 00:05:03,880 better spouse, parent or grandparents, organize a closet, 56 00:05:03,880 --> 00:05:09,400 clean a house, mow the lawn, learn more or improve. 57 00:05:09,400 --> 00:05:16,400 In any aspect of life, no one sets out to do or become less. 58 00:05:17,080 --> 00:05:24,040 No one has a goal to become what dishonest or or worse than 59 00:05:24,040 --> 00:05:27,800 before. It is the drive that urges 60 00:05:27,800 --> 00:05:33,480 people to improve and ultimately realize the full measure of 61 00:05:33,480 --> 00:05:39,760 their divine potential. We are hardwired to improve. 62 00:05:40,880 --> 00:05:44,520 That drive is part of your divine DNA. 63 00:05:44,520 --> 00:05:47,400 It is embedded in your very being. 64 00:05:47,400 --> 00:05:52,400 It is universal. The same among men and women, 65 00:05:52,720 --> 00:05:58,880 children and adults. So repentance, at least. 66 00:05:58,880 --> 00:06:01,760 I'd like you to think about this as repentance. 67 00:06:01,760 --> 00:06:08,440 Being a subset of that more comprehensive universal divine 68 00:06:08,520 --> 00:06:12,960 drive to improve we could call ambition. 69 00:06:14,520 --> 00:06:19,200 Repentance is the drive to specifically become more like 70 00:06:19,200 --> 00:06:25,200 the Lord. It is not autonomic as breathing 71 00:06:25,200 --> 00:06:30,080 or the beat of your heart, but it is as natural as eating and 72 00:06:30,080 --> 00:06:34,600 sleeping. Yes, what we otherwise call the 73 00:06:34,600 --> 00:06:39,000 natural man and Satan resist change. 74 00:06:39,000 --> 00:06:42,960 That is true. But your divine nature is 75 00:06:42,960 --> 00:06:48,720 stronger and urges you to continually improve, to realize 76 00:06:49,400 --> 00:06:55,320 your full potential. That process of of refinement is 77 00:06:55,320 --> 00:07:00,800 repentance. If faith in Christ is to look to 78 00:07:00,800 --> 00:07:06,560 Him, learn of Him, and trust Him, Repentance is to apply what 79 00:07:06,560 --> 00:07:09,680 you learn. It's that simple. 80 00:07:10,960 --> 00:07:16,200 It is striving to align your life with His as best you know, 81 00:07:16,200 --> 00:07:26,160 to do your will with His as you know it, your mind with His as 82 00:07:26,160 --> 00:07:30,560 you know it, your your heart with His as you know it, your 83 00:07:30,920 --> 00:07:34,120 actions with His as you know them. 84 00:07:35,840 --> 00:07:40,240 If you are off course, repentance is turning back to 85 00:07:40,240 --> 00:07:44,640 God, making the corrections necessary to turn back on 86 00:07:44,640 --> 00:07:49,960 course. Jesus said the Father sent me to 87 00:07:49,960 --> 00:07:54,240 bless you in turning away everyone of you from your 88 00:07:54,240 --> 00:08:00,640 iniquities. If you're on course, repentance 89 00:08:00,640 --> 00:08:05,160 is the constant vigilance and discipline to stay on course, 90 00:08:05,680 --> 00:08:08,800 move forward, and apply what you learn as you do. 91 00:08:09,840 --> 00:08:15,240 It is to advance from 1° of light and and knowledge to the 92 00:08:15,240 --> 00:08:18,120 next, and from there to the next and on and on. 93 00:08:18,480 --> 00:08:24,920 It is the glorious process of divine evolution, applying what 94 00:08:24,920 --> 00:08:27,480 you learn. Exercising faith in Christ, 95 00:08:27,480 --> 00:08:30,920 however, is more than forsaking sin. 96 00:08:32,159 --> 00:08:36,960 Although repentance is usually linked with overcoming evil, its 97 00:08:36,960 --> 00:08:43,039 sweep is as broad as the yawning gap between who you are now and 98 00:08:43,039 --> 00:08:48,200 who you can become. Many of your weaknesses are not 99 00:08:48,200 --> 00:08:55,720 evil, they're just deficiencies if the shortfall in comparison 100 00:08:56,440 --> 00:08:59,760 to who the Lord is and your full potential. 101 00:09:01,040 --> 00:09:06,960 One person, for example, may have faith to be healed and 102 00:09:06,960 --> 00:09:12,400 another not. There are as many variations of 103 00:09:12,400 --> 00:09:17,720 knowledge as people, and yet everyone falls woefully short of 104 00:09:17,720 --> 00:09:23,040 the knowledge of God. One may be fearful and another 105 00:09:23,040 --> 00:09:28,000 prone to depression. Perhaps those deficiencies are 106 00:09:28,000 --> 00:09:33,760 not evil. They're just part of the gap in 107 00:09:33,760 --> 00:09:37,800 the process of time. All deficiencies listen to this. 108 00:09:38,840 --> 00:09:44,200 All deficiencies may be resolved by the Lord, and because of His 109 00:09:44,200 --> 00:09:48,560 atonement, by faith in Him. Repentance. 110 00:09:49,240 --> 00:09:54,360 In other words, works, ordinances, the gift of the Holy 111 00:09:54,360 --> 00:09:59,400 Ghost, and staying on course engaged in God's work. 112 00:10:01,040 --> 00:10:06,840 The grace of the Lord is sufficient to make weak things 113 00:10:06,880 --> 00:10:14,120 become strong in every way for those who humble themselves 114 00:10:14,120 --> 00:10:17,800 before before Him and have faith in Him. 115 00:10:19,400 --> 00:10:23,160 But you can't. You can't do it alone. 116 00:10:25,000 --> 00:10:28,600 You may change your behavior, but you can't change your nature 117 00:10:28,600 --> 00:10:34,120 on your own. You can't undo or compensate for 118 00:10:34,120 --> 00:10:38,800 your sins and mistakes, and you can't lay claim to the power of 119 00:10:38,800 --> 00:10:42,800 God alone. You can't do it. 120 00:10:44,360 --> 00:10:49,160 However great or small your sins may be, they are all sufficient 121 00:10:49,920 --> 00:10:53,120 to separate you from the presence and power of God 122 00:10:53,880 --> 00:11:00,120 forever, which is the essential problem in life. 123 00:11:02,440 --> 00:11:09,680 We all need help. We all need help to bridge the 124 00:11:09,680 --> 00:11:15,080 gap. Faith in Christ and repentance 125 00:11:15,840 --> 00:11:21,160 are coordinates or waypoints on the course to that hell. 126 00:11:28,420 --> 00:11:33,700 Repentance involves, of course, change, which is something the 127 00:11:33,700 --> 00:11:40,940 natural man and Satan resist. As we've said now, most of the 128 00:11:40,940 --> 00:11:45,220 great fallacies of life, it seems to me, all lead to the 129 00:11:45,220 --> 00:11:52,480 same damning conclusion. Specifically, I don't need to 130 00:11:52,480 --> 00:11:57,640 change, or in other words, I don't need to repent. 131 00:11:59,080 --> 00:12:05,920 They all have this one common denominator to relieve man from 132 00:12:05,920 --> 00:12:10,440 the need to improve his thoughts and actions, permitting each to 133 00:12:10,440 --> 00:12:16,040 walk after the image of his own God and muddle along at no great 134 00:12:16,040 --> 00:12:19,760 cost. They all worship at the throne 135 00:12:19,760 --> 00:12:24,400 of the God of convenience, mediocrity, and ease. 136 00:12:25,440 --> 00:12:27,440 Here are some of those fallacies. 137 00:12:27,440 --> 00:12:31,120 Now I'm sorry this is kind of a long list, but stay with me. 138 00:12:31,640 --> 00:12:35,520 There is no God, therefore there are no absolutes, no right and 139 00:12:35,520 --> 00:12:39,040 wrong. And that being the case, I don't 140 00:12:39,040 --> 00:12:44,360 need to change. God is a spirit without human 141 00:12:44,360 --> 00:12:47,400 attributes, form, body parts or passions. 142 00:12:47,400 --> 00:12:53,120 A divine mind that permeates the universe, God the Father, Jesus 143 00:12:53,120 --> 00:12:58,800 Christ, the Holy Ghost, or our one God capable of manifesting 144 00:12:58,800 --> 00:13:03,720 in three personages an omniscient force or spirit that 145 00:13:03,720 --> 00:13:06,520 is beyond the comprehension of man. 146 00:13:08,200 --> 00:13:10,040 Therefore, I don't need to change. 147 00:13:10,040 --> 00:13:16,240 I I I because I can't identify with, much less emulate and 148 00:13:16,240 --> 00:13:19,040 ethereal power. I cannot understand. 149 00:13:20,400 --> 00:13:24,320 One can't strive to become like something that is fundamentally 150 00:13:24,320 --> 00:13:28,920 and eternally different from man another. 151 00:13:29,720 --> 00:13:33,560 The atonement makes possible salvation by grace alone. 152 00:13:34,800 --> 00:13:38,000 All that is needed is to confess Christ in my heart. 153 00:13:39,480 --> 00:13:42,520 Therefore, there's no need to change another. 154 00:13:43,040 --> 00:13:47,040 All that is necessary is to be to be saved is confession and 155 00:13:47,040 --> 00:13:50,240 the sacraments. Therefore I don't need to change 156 00:13:50,960 --> 00:13:54,720 or Some are predestined to salvation while others are not. 157 00:13:54,720 --> 00:13:58,120 Therefore I don't need to change or. 158 00:13:58,120 --> 00:14:02,800 The afterlife is comprised of only two destinations, heaven 159 00:14:02,800 --> 00:14:06,440 and hell. The wicked go to hell, and 160 00:14:06,440 --> 00:14:10,560 everybody else, the half hearted, the indifferent, the 161 00:14:10,560 --> 00:14:14,080 lukewarm, along with the faithful and valiant. 162 00:14:14,080 --> 00:14:18,040 I'll go to the only other destination, which is heaven. 163 00:14:19,960 --> 00:14:26,000 Mediocrity smuggling marches into heaven with her hordes 164 00:14:26,360 --> 00:14:31,920 following after her, trampling justice as they go, and they all 165 00:14:31,920 --> 00:14:36,240 sit down with those that sacrificed everything, even 166 00:14:36,240 --> 00:14:38,720 their very lies, in defense of the truth. 167 00:14:39,640 --> 00:14:43,840 Therefore what? There's no need to knock myself 168 00:14:43,840 --> 00:14:48,440 out to live by every word that proceedeth forth from the mouth 169 00:14:48,440 --> 00:14:50,960 of God. I don't need to change. 170 00:14:52,480 --> 00:14:56,360 Here's another, There are no prophets who are apostles in our 171 00:14:56,360 --> 00:14:59,640 day. Religious leaders today only 172 00:14:59,640 --> 00:15:04,080 speak of the scripture long ago revealed, and the scriptures are 173 00:15:04,080 --> 00:15:06,640 subject to individual interpretation. 174 00:15:07,320 --> 00:15:09,560 There is no one who can say today. 175 00:15:09,560 --> 00:15:14,760 Thus saith the Lord of God. And so we are left to interpret 176 00:15:14,760 --> 00:15:18,640 and pick and choose among among what has been revealed according 177 00:15:18,640 --> 00:15:23,840 to our needs and biases. Therefore, I'm free to go and do 178 00:15:23,840 --> 00:15:29,040 as I choose and as I think best. Here's another. 179 00:15:29,320 --> 00:15:31,800 A loving God will save all his children. 180 00:15:32,120 --> 00:15:35,760 This is a big one. A loving God will save all of 181 00:15:35,760 --> 00:15:38,800 his children. Therefore, I don't need to 182 00:15:38,800 --> 00:15:43,800 change or the moral code of yesterday is antiquated, 183 00:15:43,800 --> 00:15:46,200 unsophisticated and small minded. 184 00:15:46,680 --> 00:15:50,440 Therefore, I can live however I choose if it does not harm 185 00:15:50,760 --> 00:15:52,960 anyone else. Live my own truth. 186 00:15:53,920 --> 00:15:58,640 I don't need to change or all is lost. 187 00:15:58,640 --> 00:16:02,320 There is no hope. I can't change, so what's the 188 00:16:02,320 --> 00:16:06,200 use of trying? I can't be forgiven for all that 189 00:16:06,200 --> 00:16:11,480 I all I have done. I'm bad, It's too late. 190 00:16:13,080 --> 00:16:15,040 Therefore there's no need to change. 191 00:16:17,040 --> 00:16:21,440 Here's another I can't be perfect, so why try? 192 00:16:22,760 --> 00:16:27,120 Or I'm a nobody, not good enough, I can't attain to 193 00:16:27,120 --> 00:16:30,040 eternal life, therefore there's no reason to change. 194 00:16:31,840 --> 00:16:34,440 Or I can't keep the commandments, so why try? 195 00:16:34,440 --> 00:16:39,440 Or I'm not worthy of God's love. Or to be among the Saints, so 196 00:16:39,440 --> 00:16:44,680 there's no need to change. Or it's not, it's not that bad. 197 00:16:44,680 --> 00:16:48,600 And if we're guilty in the end, God will beat us with a few 198 00:16:48,600 --> 00:16:52,040 stripes and at last we will all be saved in the Kingdom of God. 199 00:16:52,760 --> 00:16:59,640 Therefore, I don't need to change or I'm OK just the way I 200 00:16:59,640 --> 00:17:06,560 am, Maybe even awesome. I just need to be myself and 201 00:17:06,560 --> 00:17:09,680 live by my truth. Therefore there is no need to 202 00:17:09,680 --> 00:17:14,200 change another. The church is not true. 203 00:17:15,119 --> 00:17:18,800 Therefore, I don't need to change, or I can live the gospel 204 00:17:18,800 --> 00:17:22,680 on my own. I don't need the church to tell 205 00:17:22,680 --> 00:17:26,160 me how to live. Therefore, I can March to the 206 00:17:26,160 --> 00:17:30,320 beat of my own drum, worship after the image of my own God, 207 00:17:30,920 --> 00:17:38,920 and I don't need to change. Now, it may be that not everyone 208 00:17:38,920 --> 00:17:43,280 accepts any one of those fallacies for the express 209 00:17:43,280 --> 00:17:50,480 purpose of avoiding change, but that is the outcome, and you can 210 00:17:50,480 --> 00:17:56,600 be sure Satan promotes them for that very reason. 211 00:17:56,920 --> 00:18:02,440 He will and does thwart positive change. 212 00:18:03,240 --> 00:18:08,440 In other words, repentance at every turn. 213 00:18:15,280 --> 00:18:22,160 So here's another question. Does sin alienate the Spirit? 214 00:18:23,360 --> 00:18:27,920 Or is it the failure to repent that results in spiritual death? 215 00:18:29,640 --> 00:18:34,400 The question may at first seem academic, maybe even silly. 216 00:18:37,240 --> 00:18:41,880 We might think of course sin would alienate the Spirit, but 217 00:18:41,880 --> 00:18:46,320 if so, those of us who are prone to air would be spiritual 218 00:18:46,400 --> 00:18:51,120 zombies. There is scriptural support for 219 00:18:51,120 --> 00:18:55,960 actually for both propositions. As for the belief that sin 220 00:18:55,960 --> 00:19:00,240 causes the Spirit to withdraw, the Lord said he that looketh 221 00:19:00,240 --> 00:19:04,440 upon a woman to lust after her shall deny the faith and shall 222 00:19:04,440 --> 00:19:10,120 not have the Spirit, and if he repents not, he should be cast 223 00:19:10,120 --> 00:19:14,320 out. Does does this mean no one who 224 00:19:14,320 --> 00:19:17,840 has entertained an immoral thought can have the Spirit? 225 00:19:20,080 --> 00:19:23,800 The Lord cannot in in the words of the Scripture, the Lord 226 00:19:23,800 --> 00:19:29,080 cannot look upon sin with the least degree of allowance and 227 00:19:29,080 --> 00:19:33,960 Mormon records the Spirit of the Lord does not dwell in an unholy 228 00:19:34,160 --> 00:19:38,440 temple. King Benjamin warned, If you 229 00:19:38,440 --> 00:19:43,040 should transgress and go contrary to that which has been 230 00:19:43,040 --> 00:19:47,160 spoken, that you do withdraw yourselves from the Spirit of 231 00:19:47,160 --> 00:19:51,560 the Lord, that it may have no place in you to guide you in 232 00:19:51,560 --> 00:19:55,440 wisdoms paths, that you may be blessed, prospered and 233 00:19:55,440 --> 00:19:58,000 preserved. The same cometh out in open 234 00:19:58,000 --> 00:20:03,080 rebellion against God. Therefore he listeth to obey the 235 00:20:03,080 --> 00:20:08,960 evil spirit, and becometh an enemy to all righteousness. 236 00:20:10,360 --> 00:20:15,440 Those are sobering statements. But what constitutes an unholy 237 00:20:15,440 --> 00:20:23,280 temple? Is it any sin, or is it a course 238 00:20:23,280 --> 00:20:30,680 of action, in the words of King Benjamin, going contrary and 239 00:20:30,680 --> 00:20:33,640 listening to obey the evil spirit? 240 00:20:34,680 --> 00:20:38,640 Is it a single sin, or is it direction? 241 00:20:40,720 --> 00:20:44,720 It is surprising that immoral thought is singled out in 242 00:20:44,720 --> 00:20:47,200 Scripture as offensive to the Spirit. 243 00:20:48,920 --> 00:20:50,760 What about acting on those thoughts? 244 00:20:50,760 --> 00:20:53,920 Adultery or other immorality, or lying? 245 00:20:53,920 --> 00:20:58,240 Surely if the thought alone is offensive to the Spirit, the 246 00:20:58,240 --> 00:21:00,760 execution of the thought is evermore so. 247 00:21:01,640 --> 00:21:04,880 The Lord at least has made it clear that evil thought is 248 00:21:04,880 --> 00:21:09,760 sufficient to alienate the Spirit, let alone the very act. 249 00:21:11,520 --> 00:21:15,480 Now 1 might point to section 121 of the Doctrine Covenants to 250 00:21:15,480 --> 00:21:20,200 establish that sin alienates the Spirit, but those verses 251 00:21:20,840 --> 00:21:25,720 actually say that whenever one undertakes to cover his sins, 252 00:21:27,040 --> 00:21:32,480 whenever one undertakes to cover his sins, the Spirit is grieved 253 00:21:32,840 --> 00:21:38,480 and withdraws. The loss of the Spirit because 254 00:21:38,480 --> 00:21:43,400 of covering or duplicity is different than the withdrawal of 255 00:21:43,400 --> 00:21:45,680 the Spirit because of a single mistake. 256 00:21:47,040 --> 00:21:54,320 Hiding or covering sin seems to be especially egregious and 257 00:21:54,320 --> 00:21:59,520 offensive to God. Again, in King Benjamin's words, 258 00:21:59,520 --> 00:22:04,480 going contrary to that which has been spoken and listening to 259 00:22:04,480 --> 00:22:10,720 obey the evil spirit is not a single mistake, but overall 260 00:22:10,720 --> 00:22:14,400 direction. Direction is extremely 261 00:22:14,400 --> 00:22:18,800 important. Going in the wrong direction is 262 00:22:18,800 --> 00:22:23,320 the refusal to learn from mistakes and constitutes a 263 00:22:23,320 --> 00:22:27,760 rejection of God, making one an enemy to God. 264 00:22:27,880 --> 00:22:32,200 Again, in King Benjamin's words, unless he yields to the 265 00:22:32,200 --> 00:22:39,040 enticings of the Holy Spirit, which is to repent, yielding to 266 00:22:39,040 --> 00:22:44,600 the Spirit as a natural man, an enemy to God, implies some 267 00:22:44,600 --> 00:22:48,040 degree of the Holy Spirit sufficient to entice. 268 00:22:49,480 --> 00:22:54,040 One example in support of the second proposition, that the 269 00:22:54,040 --> 00:22:58,200 failure to repent results in spiritual death more than the 270 00:22:58,200 --> 00:23:04,000 initial mistake is, is Christ twice repeated assertion. 271 00:23:04,680 --> 00:23:09,200 Except ye repent, ye shall all perish. 272 00:23:10,480 --> 00:23:13,000 Except ye repent, ye shall all perish. 273 00:23:13,400 --> 00:23:17,440 The invitation to repent and the warning that death, which I 274 00:23:17,440 --> 00:23:21,240 interpret to mean spiritual death, will follow without 275 00:23:21,240 --> 00:23:28,280 repentance presupposes 2 things, sin in the 1st place and death 276 00:23:28,400 --> 00:23:32,440 yet to happen. Death in the sense of spiritual 277 00:23:32,440 --> 00:23:36,400 death. Although catastrophic injuries 278 00:23:36,400 --> 00:23:42,400 can result in immediate physical death, the initial invasion of 279 00:23:42,400 --> 00:23:47,360 our body by a foreign agent, such as cancer, a virus, or 280 00:23:47,360 --> 00:23:51,600 bacteria, usually does not result in immediate death but 281 00:23:51,600 --> 00:23:55,960 sets in motion a process that may cause death unless checked 282 00:23:56,400 --> 00:24:02,840 by some healing intervention. In a fallen world, all are 283 00:24:02,840 --> 00:24:07,160 spiritually vulnerable to equally deadly foreign agents. 284 00:24:08,440 --> 00:24:12,480 While catastrophic sinful actions may result in immediate 285 00:24:12,480 --> 00:24:18,080 death, most sin is the incursion of a foreign agent that sets in 286 00:24:18,080 --> 00:24:23,000 motion a process that will result in spiritual death unless 287 00:24:23,000 --> 00:24:27,520 checked, unless checked by the healing intervention of 288 00:24:27,520 --> 00:24:33,320 repentance and the redeeming grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. 289 00:24:35,040 --> 00:24:40,200 The presence of the Holy Spirit is also not binary, black or 290 00:24:40,200 --> 00:24:43,080 white. You either have it or you don't. 291 00:24:43,480 --> 00:24:48,160 There are degrees of glory and degrees of spiritual power. 292 00:24:49,200 --> 00:24:53,400 This is supported by scriptures that speak of receiving a 293 00:24:53,400 --> 00:24:58,920 fullness of the Holy Ghost. A fullness implies lesser 294 00:24:58,920 --> 00:25:05,040 degrees as well or preliminary variations of spiritual power. 295 00:25:06,200 --> 00:25:11,280 Moses said in resistance to Satan, Blessed be the name of my 296 00:25:11,280 --> 00:25:17,080 God, for his spirit hath not altogether withdrawn from me. 297 00:25:18,920 --> 00:25:25,080 So both answers are correct. Of course, sin is hostile to the 298 00:25:25,080 --> 00:25:27,400 Spirit of the Lord, even evil thought. 299 00:25:27,440 --> 00:25:35,120 But most sin does not result in immediate cataclysmic spiritual 300 00:25:35,120 --> 00:25:40,840 death, but sets in motion a process that will end in death, 301 00:25:41,480 --> 00:25:44,960 spiritual death, without intervention. 302 00:25:45,000 --> 00:25:50,520 Therefore, in the Lord's words, repent or perish. 303 00:25:57,280 --> 00:26:00,440 The Lord has also said about repentance. 304 00:26:00,440 --> 00:26:06,080 This By this you may know, if a man repenteth of his sins, 305 00:26:06,080 --> 00:26:10,160 behold, he will confess and forsake them. 306 00:26:12,360 --> 00:26:18,080 Those those two confessing and forsaking are evidence of 307 00:26:18,080 --> 00:26:21,840 repentance, but not the whole of the process. 308 00:26:22,920 --> 00:26:29,440 Repentance begins with seeing. It begins with honesty, which 309 00:26:29,440 --> 00:26:32,600 gives rise to confession to whom is appropriate. 310 00:26:33,560 --> 00:26:38,160 Covering sin is more offensive to God and His Spirit than sin 311 00:26:38,160 --> 00:26:43,040 itself, a woman said of her former husband. 312 00:26:44,440 --> 00:26:47,320 My previous spouse is a good man. 313 00:26:48,360 --> 00:26:53,440 He unfortunately became ensnared in a pornography addiction that 314 00:26:53,440 --> 00:26:56,560 consumed him for the majority of our marriage. 315 00:26:57,720 --> 00:27:01,440 This addiction caused him to self hate and lie. 316 00:27:02,880 --> 00:27:08,080 His lying began to infiltrate all areas of his life, affecting 317 00:27:08,080 --> 00:27:11,840 our relationship, his interactions with others, his 318 00:27:11,840 --> 00:27:16,640 schooling and his jobs. He was not able to maintain jobs 319 00:27:16,640 --> 00:27:20,880 for long as he had difficulty being away from pornography and 320 00:27:20,880 --> 00:27:23,720 would often leave work to return home to view. 321 00:27:24,640 --> 00:27:28,640 This addiction eventually led him to stray to relationships 322 00:27:28,640 --> 00:27:33,120 with women outside of his marriage in response to his 323 00:27:33,120 --> 00:27:37,040 behaviors. Again, still quoting from her in 324 00:27:37,040 --> 00:27:40,760 response to his behaviors. I became frustrated and 325 00:27:40,760 --> 00:27:45,240 impatient, which only worsened his depression and self hate. 326 00:27:46,280 --> 00:27:50,840 We truly tried in the marriage, however, without honesty and 327 00:27:50,840 --> 00:27:55,760 loyalty, the relationship became too toxic for both parties and 328 00:27:55,760 --> 00:27:58,360 we divorced. End Quote. 329 00:28:00,320 --> 00:28:07,880 Sin alone is bad enough, but it is the combination of sin and 330 00:28:08,040 --> 00:28:18,760 deceit, sin and covering sin and lying that wreaks havoc in the 331 00:28:18,760 --> 00:28:24,120 lives of people, a man said of his repentance. 332 00:28:25,280 --> 00:28:28,840 I have never felt more peace with my worthiness than I do 333 00:28:28,840 --> 00:28:31,880 now. I've never felt more honest 334 00:28:31,880 --> 00:28:36,360 without baggage in my life. I'm not hiding things, he said. 335 00:28:37,160 --> 00:28:41,160 And I feel free to worship my Heavenly Father and Savior Jesus 336 00:28:41,160 --> 00:28:45,520 Christ without guilt. My conversations with my 337 00:28:45,520 --> 00:28:48,600 Heavenly Father are more free and meaningful. 338 00:28:49,880 --> 00:28:51,880 They are full of gratitude and love. 339 00:28:52,960 --> 00:28:56,720 They are said with passion and not with the feeling of remorse 340 00:28:57,160 --> 00:28:59,280 as they may have been in the past. 341 00:29:00,040 --> 00:29:04,400 Prayer is a new found source of strength and peace at all times, 342 00:29:05,080 --> 00:29:17,640 not just in times of need. Now, confession is to honestly 343 00:29:17,640 --> 00:29:23,560 own or acknowledge one's sins. Integrity, especially about sin 344 00:29:23,560 --> 00:29:28,880 and weakness, is foundational. You can't fix what you ignore, 345 00:29:28,880 --> 00:29:33,800 deny, or don't see. Honesty is essential and 346 00:29:33,800 --> 00:29:42,400 covering is especially harmful. A woman said of her sins. 347 00:29:42,920 --> 00:29:46,760 The very thought of coming into the presence of my God did Wrack 348 00:29:46,760 --> 00:29:49,400 my soul with inexpressible horror. 349 00:29:50,400 --> 00:29:54,160 I longed to come back to church and I and feel the love from all 350 00:29:54,160 --> 00:29:57,000 the other members and have my spirit fed. 351 00:29:58,080 --> 00:30:02,640 I longed to be forgiven. I knew I had to confess those 352 00:30:02,640 --> 00:30:07,640 ugly sins to the Bishop, no matter how many prayers I said I 353 00:30:07,640 --> 00:30:12,600 had to confess my sins. Finally, the day came when I had 354 00:30:12,600 --> 00:30:16,640 to meet with the Bishop. Surprisingly, I wasn't really 355 00:30:16,640 --> 00:30:21,120 afraid anymore to meet him. I had been carrying this dirty 356 00:30:21,120 --> 00:30:25,440 laundry far too long and I was anxious to get rid of it. 357 00:30:26,200 --> 00:30:29,680 We had a good meeting. I know without a doubt that he 358 00:30:29,680 --> 00:30:33,320 is a man of God. We discussed the path to 359 00:30:33,320 --> 00:30:38,120 repentance and I left his office with such a weight lifted from 360 00:30:38,120 --> 00:30:44,480 my soul. Confession has been 361 00:30:44,480 --> 00:30:51,680 misunderstood, abused and even prostituted in the religious 362 00:30:51,680 --> 00:30:55,320 world. As a result, some dismiss it 363 00:30:55,320 --> 00:30:58,960 while many others believe it to be the sum total of repentance. 364 00:31:00,720 --> 00:31:06,160 The confess and go mindset looks for the cheap and easy Rd. road 365 00:31:06,160 --> 00:31:10,960 to heaven, which is not a shortcut at all, but a dead end. 366 00:31:12,440 --> 00:31:16,520 Repeated cycles of sin, confession, and sin and 367 00:31:16,520 --> 00:31:20,880 confession again ignore the other primary evidence of 368 00:31:20,880 --> 00:31:27,280 repentance, which is forsaking. Eventually it becomes a mockery 369 00:31:27,280 --> 00:31:31,240 to God and the power of it all dissipates. 370 00:31:32,880 --> 00:31:37,120 Others, equally mistaken, believe they can go it alone, 371 00:31:37,880 --> 00:31:41,920 live a righteous life, and pay the Lord back without confession 372 00:31:41,920 --> 00:31:46,200 of serious sin. The pay it back mindset can 373 00:31:46,200 --> 00:31:51,000 claim some scriptural support as well, such as, for example, from 374 00:31:51,000 --> 00:31:55,040 the Doctrine and Covenants. Thrust in your sickle with all 375 00:31:55,040 --> 00:31:57,240 your soul and your sins are forgiven you. 376 00:31:59,240 --> 00:32:04,400 When taken in isolation, that statement give right gives rise 377 00:32:04,400 --> 00:32:09,840 to a false conclusion. The problem with the with the 378 00:32:09,840 --> 00:32:16,360 pay it back mindset is Christ and his atoning sacrifice are 379 00:32:16,360 --> 00:32:20,400 completely ignored. They're not even part of the 380 00:32:20,400 --> 00:32:24,680 equation. There may be self-made man in 381 00:32:24,680 --> 00:32:29,920 the earthly sense, but there's no self-made man in the godly 382 00:32:29,920 --> 00:32:34,120 sense. You can't pay it back. 383 00:32:36,160 --> 00:32:42,640 No matter how hard you work worlds without end, you can't 384 00:32:42,640 --> 00:32:46,440 pay it back. You can't do it on your own. 385 00:32:48,400 --> 00:32:53,800 I have seen that reality play out and replay over and over and 386 00:32:53,800 --> 00:32:59,080 over again. People who live righteous good 387 00:32:59,080 --> 00:33:04,760 lives but never fully free from from past mistakes. 388 00:33:04,760 --> 00:33:11,720 Never hole, always with a critical piece missing, always 389 00:33:11,720 --> 00:33:16,800 the back door slightly ajar, rattling in the wind, until 390 00:33:16,800 --> 00:33:21,240 finally, sometimes decades later, sometimes almost a 391 00:33:21,240 --> 00:33:29,240 lifetime later, they confess and finally the back door slam shot. 392 00:33:30,800 --> 00:33:35,280 The wind still blow, but the door doesn't rattle anymore and 393 00:33:35,280 --> 00:33:38,160 finally he sleeps soundly through the night. 394 00:33:40,080 --> 00:33:44,440 Confession is essential. I I don't know why that is true, 395 00:33:44,440 --> 00:33:48,960 I just know it is. Maybe it's essential because it 396 00:33:48,960 --> 00:34:00,360 forges integrity. Forsaking is enabled by 397 00:34:00,360 --> 00:34:02,840 confession. It has. 398 00:34:02,840 --> 00:34:09,600 Forsaking has 2 dimensions. Forsaking sin and forsaking the 399 00:34:09,600 --> 00:34:13,560 past. The first dimension to forsake 400 00:34:13,560 --> 00:34:17,880 sin is to stop, obviously stop sinful, sinful behavior and 401 00:34:17,880 --> 00:34:20,840 start better behavior. It is. 402 00:34:20,920 --> 00:34:24,800 It is a course, a course correction, turning to God. 403 00:34:26,000 --> 00:34:29,639 One of the most disheartening things about reading the life 404 00:34:29,639 --> 00:34:34,239 stories of so many people while serving on the Restoration and 405 00:34:34,239 --> 00:34:39,679 Cancellations Committee is that not some people commit serious 406 00:34:39,679 --> 00:34:45,040 sins, but they repeat them time and time and time again. 407 00:34:45,560 --> 00:34:50,199 They don't turn. It is the pattern of 408 00:34:50,199 --> 00:34:56,880 unrighteousness in a continuous downward spiral that is so 409 00:34:56,880 --> 00:35:01,000 damaging. It is easier to avoid getting 410 00:35:01,000 --> 00:35:04,960 into the downward spiral than to pull out of it once you are 411 00:35:04,960 --> 00:35:09,360 headed down. The word most often used in the 412 00:35:09,360 --> 00:35:12,760 Old Testament for repentance is turning. 413 00:35:14,200 --> 00:35:20,000 Ezekiel, for example, recorded as I live, saith, Lord God, I 414 00:35:20,000 --> 00:35:24,200 have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked 415 00:35:24,200 --> 00:35:27,480 turn from his way. But that the wicked turn from 416 00:35:27,480 --> 00:35:33,840 his way. And live turn ye, turn ye from 417 00:35:33,840 --> 00:35:39,120 your evil ways, for why will ye die, O House of Israel? 418 00:35:42,040 --> 00:35:46,800 Speaking to King Agrippa, Paul said the Lord gave him a charge 419 00:35:46,800 --> 00:35:51,600 relative to people to whom he would be sent to open their eyes 420 00:35:51,640 --> 00:35:59,240 and to turn them from darkness to light, from the power of 421 00:35:59,240 --> 00:36:04,920 Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and 422 00:36:04,920 --> 00:36:08,400 inheritance among them, which are sanctified by faith. 423 00:36:08,880 --> 00:36:15,320 That is in me. Forsaking also involves turning. 424 00:36:16,120 --> 00:36:21,720 It sounds simple enough, but it is a monstrous labor, especially 425 00:36:21,720 --> 00:36:24,760 when trying to kill the Dragons of addiction. 426 00:36:26,600 --> 00:36:31,440 They are like the evil monsters of movies who, after being 427 00:36:32,040 --> 00:36:37,200 pounded into the ground and blown to bits, rise again out of 428 00:36:37,200 --> 00:36:40,640 the flames as soon as you turn your back. 429 00:36:41,800 --> 00:36:44,280 You want to win, you want to stop. 430 00:36:44,280 --> 00:36:48,480 But after so many battles, you become exhausted, and they 431 00:36:48,480 --> 00:36:53,760 tragically conclude you can't, thinking you're just too tired, 432 00:36:53,760 --> 00:36:58,040 you've battled too long, you're not strong enough, as as your 433 00:36:58,040 --> 00:37:03,560 sword slips from your hand and the Dragons turn to eat you 434 00:37:03,560 --> 00:37:08,080 alive. The problem is you're trying to 435 00:37:08,080 --> 00:37:13,360 do it on your own. And on your own you're right, 436 00:37:14,880 --> 00:37:20,520 you're not strong enough. The Dragons are too big and you 437 00:37:20,520 --> 00:37:29,480 can't win, not alone. The plan has never been to go 438 00:37:29,760 --> 00:37:36,440 alone. You need the help of heaven and 439 00:37:36,440 --> 00:37:39,400 probably the help and support of others as well. 440 00:37:41,040 --> 00:37:45,520 Confession not only engages the help of trusted others, such as 441 00:37:45,520 --> 00:37:53,080 a priesthood leader, a spouse or parent, trusted counselors, but 442 00:37:53,080 --> 00:37:58,040 it also opens the door wide to receive heaven's help. 443 00:37:59,600 --> 00:38:04,760 Most people think of forsaking in in the first sense, that is 444 00:38:04,800 --> 00:38:08,920 forsaking sin. But the second dimension of 445 00:38:08,920 --> 00:38:16,360 forsaking, forsaking the past, is equally important but less 446 00:38:16,360 --> 00:38:20,680 understood. This part of forsaking also 447 00:38:20,680 --> 00:38:26,760 involves turning, but not from sin, rather turning to look 448 00:38:26,760 --> 00:38:33,800 ahead. We are all debilitated merely by 449 00:38:33,800 --> 00:38:38,480 remembering sins, let alone returning to them again. 450 00:38:39,760 --> 00:38:43,840 That's part of the awfulness of sin, in King Benjamin's words. 451 00:38:44,760 --> 00:38:50,560 The awful awfulness of sin is the corrosive effect it may have 452 00:38:50,560 --> 00:38:54,440 even after repentance and forgiveness. 453 00:38:55,720 --> 00:38:59,720 A man seeking to have all his blessings restored as a member 454 00:38:59,720 --> 00:39:04,440 of the church said this. I struggled for a long time 455 00:39:04,440 --> 00:39:08,400 regarding feeling worthy even when I was in on the straight 456 00:39:08,400 --> 00:39:11,760 and narrow. Honestly, in the past some of my 457 00:39:11,760 --> 00:39:15,440 most depressing times were when I was the most spiritual. 458 00:39:16,320 --> 00:39:20,680 Odd I know. He said I hung on too much to my 459 00:39:20,680 --> 00:39:27,600 past and I let Satan creep in and convince, convince me I will 460 00:39:27,600 --> 00:39:35,560 never be worthy. This has scared me for years and 461 00:39:35,560 --> 00:39:39,240 I felt like I shouldn't get too spiritual because of the 462 00:39:39,240 --> 00:39:44,120 depression I would often fall into, which is why it has taken 463 00:39:44,120 --> 00:39:47,080 me so long to get to this point I'm at now. 464 00:39:47,720 --> 00:39:51,520 I truly have a testimony of the atonement, he said. 465 00:39:52,240 --> 00:39:57,400 Whereas before, I honestly don't think I did, otherwise I would 466 00:39:57,400 --> 00:40:03,720 have rejoiced in the spirit. Another man lost his membership 467 00:40:03,720 --> 00:40:05,840 in the church because of adultery. 468 00:40:06,840 --> 00:40:13,040 After several years he repented and was re baptized, but even 469 00:40:13,040 --> 00:40:16,640 still he could not forgive himself. 470 00:40:17,840 --> 00:40:24,000 He could not forgive himself and languished for decades longer 471 00:40:25,120 --> 00:40:29,160 without doing what was needed to have all his blessings restored. 472 00:40:30,760 --> 00:40:35,760 What a tragedy. Surely the Lord forgave him long 473 00:40:35,760 --> 00:40:39,200 ago, but he would not do the same. 474 00:40:40,520 --> 00:40:47,400 He forsook his sins, but he did not forsake the past. 475 00:40:48,800 --> 00:40:55,160 In the meantime, life passed him by, not because he wasn't 476 00:40:55,160 --> 00:40:58,400 worthy, but because he wouldn't believe it. 477 00:41:00,320 --> 00:41:05,400 He missed out being the priest of leader he could have been for 478 00:41:05,400 --> 00:41:11,360 his children and grandchildren had he forgiven himself and put 479 00:41:11,360 --> 00:41:20,000 away the past, Forsake the past. Remorse for sin is part of 480 00:41:20,000 --> 00:41:24,280 repentance, but it has never been the plan of our Father to 481 00:41:24,280 --> 00:41:29,400 wallow in it forever. Christ suffered in Gethsemane 482 00:41:30,800 --> 00:41:40,600 for that very reason that we not suffer as He. 483 00:41:42,920 --> 00:41:49,000 It makes no sense to refuse Christ payment only to pay the 484 00:41:49,000 --> 00:41:56,920 same debt again. Double payment is just as 485 00:41:56,920 --> 00:42:01,200 stupid, just as foolish as non payment. 486 00:42:03,240 --> 00:42:07,040 Alma recorded. And now for three days and for 487 00:42:07,040 --> 00:42:11,240 the three nights I was wracked even with the pains of a damsel. 488 00:42:11,760 --> 00:42:16,400 And it came to pass that as I was wracked with torment while I 489 00:42:16,400 --> 00:42:20,360 was harrowed up. Now listen to this while I was 490 00:42:20,360 --> 00:42:28,680 harrowed up by the memory of my many sins, looking back, behold, 491 00:42:28,720 --> 00:42:32,920 I remembered also to have heard my Father prophecy unto the 492 00:42:32,920 --> 00:42:37,880 people concerning the coming of 1 Jesus Christ, a Son of God, to 493 00:42:37,880 --> 00:42:42,760 atone for the sins of the world. Now as my mind caught hold upon 494 00:42:42,760 --> 00:42:46,400 this thought, again this is Alma said. 495 00:42:46,520 --> 00:42:51,960 I cried within my heart, O Jesus, thou Son of God, have 496 00:42:51,960 --> 00:42:57,120 mercy on me, who am in the gall of bitterness, and am encircled 497 00:42:57,120 --> 00:42:59,920 about by the everlasting chains of death. 498 00:43:00,640 --> 00:43:05,480 And now, behold, when I thought this, I could remember my pains 499 00:43:05,800 --> 00:43:10,720 no more. Yeah, I was harrowed up by the 500 00:43:10,720 --> 00:43:15,840 memory of my sins. No more. 501 00:43:17,160 --> 00:43:22,000 And oh, what joy, what marvelous light I did behold the A My soul 502 00:43:22,000 --> 00:43:26,440 was filled with joy as succeeding as was my pain. 503 00:43:28,360 --> 00:43:36,720 Alma was able to put away the past and became a very fruitful 504 00:43:36,720 --> 00:43:44,400 servant of the Lord. You can't move forward-looking 505 00:43:44,400 --> 00:43:51,040 back, the Lord said. No man, having put his hand to 506 00:43:51,040 --> 00:43:55,920 the plow and looking back, is fit for the Kingdom. 507 00:43:57,680 --> 00:44:01,320 Direction is extremely important. 508 00:44:02,560 --> 00:44:08,480 It is far more important to be on, to be on course than how far 509 00:44:08,480 --> 00:44:12,000 along you are at any point in time. 510 00:44:14,120 --> 00:44:19,840 Forgiveness is not forgetting, nor is it not regretting. 511 00:44:21,480 --> 00:44:25,480 God says He remembers your sins no more when you repent. 512 00:44:26,200 --> 00:44:29,760 At least they're no longer a deterrent or an issue with Him. 513 00:44:30,600 --> 00:44:35,120 It is with Him as though they had never happened in so far as 514 00:44:35,120 --> 00:44:39,240 your worthiness goes. But not so with us. 515 00:44:40,600 --> 00:44:44,640 By remembering and regretting, you find it harder to believe in 516 00:44:44,640 --> 00:44:47,440 yourself, which weakens your faith. 517 00:44:49,320 --> 00:44:52,720 And the more you have to forget, the harder it is to believe, 518 00:44:52,720 --> 00:44:54,920 especially to believe in yourself. 519 00:44:56,080 --> 00:44:58,560 That is part of the awfulness of sin. 520 00:44:59,960 --> 00:45:03,760 Even when you repent, even when you are forgiven, the natural 521 00:45:03,760 --> 00:45:08,960 tendency is to insist on suffering more, believing you 522 00:45:08,960 --> 00:45:12,840 don't and can't measure up. And when you believe that Satan 523 00:45:13,200 --> 00:45:18,440 still wins. If he cannot entice you to 524 00:45:18,440 --> 00:45:23,320 return to wallow again in the same mire, the next best thing 525 00:45:23,320 --> 00:45:28,400 is to undermine your confidence today, because you were once in 526 00:45:28,400 --> 00:45:32,400 the mire, and either way, he wins. 527 00:45:34,440 --> 00:45:38,280 There is a difference. There is a difference between 528 00:45:38,280 --> 00:45:43,400 the regret of past sins for which you have repented and the 529 00:45:43,400 --> 00:45:47,240 crushing burden of unresolved sin. 530 00:45:48,760 --> 00:45:52,360 If you remember and regret your sins, it doesn't mean you 531 00:45:52,360 --> 00:45:54,720 haven't repented or been forgiven. 532 00:45:55,240 --> 00:46:01,080 It only means you are human with cognitive abilities greater than 533 00:46:01,080 --> 00:46:06,080 your cat. To an extent, you are schooled 534 00:46:06,080 --> 00:46:12,480 by failure, and failure is never really failure until you quit or 535 00:46:12,480 --> 00:46:17,720 refuse to learn from it. By remembering the good and the 536 00:46:17,720 --> 00:46:21,880 bad, you are more fully informed to sell ahead. 537 00:46:22,560 --> 00:46:27,360 Forsaking, therefore, is not only stopping sinful behavior 538 00:46:27,360 --> 00:46:34,040 and starting better behavior, but also putting away the past 539 00:46:34,480 --> 00:46:42,520 you won't forget. Face your past honestly, as 540 00:46:42,520 --> 00:46:47,560 painful as it may be, but don't be its victim. 541 00:46:49,480 --> 00:46:53,480 Don't let it claim you otherwise. 542 00:46:53,880 --> 00:47:01,080 You deny Christ, you deny his suffering is sufficient to meet 543 00:47:01,080 --> 00:47:06,200 the demands of justice. You insist on suffering more and 544 00:47:06,200 --> 00:47:09,000 continue to kick yourself around the ranch. 545 00:47:11,440 --> 00:47:20,960 The Lord said. For behold, I, God, have have 546 00:47:20,960 --> 00:47:27,200 suffered these things, for all that they might not suffer if 547 00:47:27,200 --> 00:47:33,960 they would repent. Look, look to the past long 548 00:47:33,960 --> 00:47:38,480 enough to learn and repent, and then turn around. 549 00:47:40,320 --> 00:47:47,000 Look ahead and go. If you have repented, if you 550 00:47:47,000 --> 00:47:51,160 have done all you can do, shut the back door. 551 00:47:51,840 --> 00:48:00,800 That is part of forsaking. Otherwise it's all for none, all 552 00:48:00,800 --> 00:48:05,920 of Christ suffering and all of your suffering, all in vain. 553 00:48:06,360 --> 00:48:12,840 All for not let it go. Shut the door. 554 00:48:14,120 --> 00:48:16,680 That's the second dimension of forsaking. 555 00:48:23,410 --> 00:48:31,720 There is great power in forgiveness, That is power when 556 00:48:31,720 --> 00:48:37,960 God Forgives us, and also power when we forgive others. 557 00:48:39,400 --> 00:48:46,280 To be forgiven we must forgive, Jesus taught. 558 00:48:46,280 --> 00:48:50,480 For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father 559 00:48:50,800 --> 00:48:57,000 will also forgive you. But if you forgive not men their 560 00:48:57,000 --> 00:49:03,680 trespasses, neither will your father forgive your trespasses. 561 00:49:04,360 --> 00:49:09,880 Pretty sobering, thought Alma uniquely taught what he alone 562 00:49:09,880 --> 00:49:15,360 called the law of restoration. He said, For that which you do 563 00:49:15,360 --> 00:49:19,880 send out shall return unto you again and be restored. 564 00:49:21,880 --> 00:49:27,720 Isaiah said The righteous shall eat the fruit of their doings. 565 00:49:29,040 --> 00:49:32,360 You receive what you what you give. 566 00:49:32,960 --> 00:49:39,440 That is an absolute vital truth. Forgive. 567 00:49:39,600 --> 00:49:43,360 To be forgiven is 1 expression of that truth. 568 00:49:43,920 --> 00:49:50,720 Here are a few other examples of this law of restoration that you 569 00:49:50,720 --> 00:49:56,120 receive what you give. Blessed are the merciful, for 570 00:49:56,120 --> 00:50:01,840 they shall obtain mercy. For what judgment you judge ye 571 00:50:01,840 --> 00:50:06,400 shall be judged, and what measure ye meet, it shall be 572 00:50:06,400 --> 00:50:10,560 measured to you again. Here's another. 573 00:50:10,560 --> 00:50:16,120 For behold, the same that judgeth rashly shall be judged 574 00:50:16,280 --> 00:50:21,440 rashly again. For according to his works shall 575 00:50:21,440 --> 00:50:27,320 his wages be. Therefore he that smiteth shall 576 00:50:27,320 --> 00:50:32,440 be smitten again of the Lord. Pretty sobering. 577 00:50:32,440 --> 00:50:35,800 Here's another one. For whosoever shall be ashamed 578 00:50:35,800 --> 00:50:44,920 of me and my words of him, shall the Son of Man be ashamed, when 579 00:50:44,920 --> 00:50:48,480 he shall come in his glory and in his Father's. 580 00:50:48,920 --> 00:50:56,120 And of the holy angels again, Alma's compelling words. 581 00:50:57,160 --> 00:51:03,600 For that which you do send out shall we return unto you again 582 00:51:04,040 --> 00:51:07,480 and be restored the law of restoration. 583 00:51:09,360 --> 00:51:13,320 We create our own heaven or hell. 584 00:51:14,360 --> 00:51:19,000 We build it. We lay each stone of the 585 00:51:19,000 --> 00:51:22,080 foundation. We place the floor and raise the 586 00:51:22,080 --> 00:51:26,560 walls. We hammer every now we place 587 00:51:27,480 --> 00:51:31,160 each shingle. If there are flowers in the 588 00:51:31,160 --> 00:51:33,600 window box, it is because we planted them. 589 00:51:34,400 --> 00:51:40,960 We build our own house. We receive what we give. 590 00:51:42,200 --> 00:51:47,880 What awaits us is not so much reward as the product of our own 591 00:51:47,880 --> 00:51:54,800 construction, the reflection of our life, the reproduction there 592 00:51:55,280 --> 00:52:00,960 of our life here. That is the law of restoration. 593 00:52:03,320 --> 00:52:09,920 God stands ready to help us as we help others. 594 00:52:11,080 --> 00:52:13,680 Part of that truth relates to forgiveness. 595 00:52:14,760 --> 00:52:18,600 He will forgive us as we forgive others. 596 00:52:20,040 --> 00:52:23,640 So again in the Lord's words, Wherefore I say unto you, that 597 00:52:23,640 --> 00:52:26,720 you ought to forgive one another. 598 00:52:27,880 --> 00:52:32,720 For he that forgiveth not his brother, his trespasses standeth 599 00:52:32,720 --> 00:52:37,440 condemned before the Lord, for the remaineth in him the greater 600 00:52:37,720 --> 00:52:42,880 sin. Jesus also said to forgive 601 00:52:42,960 --> 00:52:51,000 anyone 70 * 7, which is of course always forgiving. 602 00:52:51,000 --> 00:52:55,120 Others should not be confused, however, should not be confused 603 00:52:55,120 --> 00:53:00,400 with condoning, overlooking, ignoring, or enabling sin. 604 00:53:07,330 --> 00:53:11,170 Sometimes people are more focused on the consequences of 605 00:53:11,170 --> 00:53:17,810 church membership limitations or withdrawal than the consequences 606 00:53:17,850 --> 00:53:21,450 of sin itself, particularly spiritual death. 607 00:53:22,400 --> 00:53:25,680 And in the minds of many, repentance has more to do with 608 00:53:25,680 --> 00:53:30,240 compliance with the conditions of church discipline than what 609 00:53:30,240 --> 00:53:33,760 is necessary to be for be forgiven by Heavenly Father 610 00:53:33,760 --> 00:53:36,880 because of the intervention of the Lord Jesus Christ. 611 00:53:39,080 --> 00:53:43,600 There is a phrase people often use when Speaking of repentance 612 00:53:44,680 --> 00:53:48,200 that seems to me to be somewhat misleading and maybe even 613 00:53:48,200 --> 00:53:54,640 harmful. They refer to the process of 614 00:53:54,640 --> 00:53:57,280 repentance. That's the phrase. 615 00:53:58,880 --> 00:54:02,120 On its face, it's fine, although not scriptural. 616 00:54:03,240 --> 00:54:07,240 Repentance is a process, but not formulaic. 617 00:54:08,400 --> 00:54:12,320 When people say they went through the process of 618 00:54:12,320 --> 00:54:16,960 repentance, what they usually mean is they complied with the 619 00:54:16,960 --> 00:54:21,520 requirements and conditions of church discipline rather than 620 00:54:21,520 --> 00:54:24,040 what the Lord requires for redemption. 621 00:54:25,480 --> 00:54:30,160 They they may assume they are all one in the same, but that's 622 00:54:30,160 --> 00:54:35,280 that's a mistake. The process of church discipline 623 00:54:35,480 --> 00:54:40,640 includes confession to a common judge such as a Bishop, state 624 00:54:40,640 --> 00:54:45,840 president, or mission president, submission to any informal or 625 00:54:45,840 --> 00:54:50,800 formal limitations of membership privileges, compliance with the 626 00:54:50,800 --> 00:54:55,600 conditions to recover those privileges, leading to ultimate 627 00:54:55,760 --> 00:55:00,720 restoration. That is what people usually mean 628 00:55:00,720 --> 00:55:08,800 by the process of repentance, but godly sorrow, forsaking, 629 00:55:09,400 --> 00:55:15,400 restitution, fasting and prayer, the atonement, and even the Lord 630 00:55:15,440 --> 00:55:19,960 Jesus Christ are not expressly in that sequence. 631 00:55:21,040 --> 00:55:28,240 They may be added, and hopefully so, but they are ancillary and 632 00:55:28,240 --> 00:55:33,960 the administrative process may over shadow redemption. 633 00:55:36,040 --> 00:55:39,880 A state president commented about a man's preparation to 634 00:55:39,880 --> 00:55:44,880 have his membership restrictions lifted, saying this, he acted 635 00:55:44,880 --> 00:55:49,000 like a normal member. He would always fast and pray 636 00:55:49,000 --> 00:55:52,080 for forgiveness from the Lord for his actions. 637 00:55:52,720 --> 00:55:55,040 End Quote. I wonder. 638 00:55:56,280 --> 00:56:01,720 I wonder if that is in fact what most normal members do. 639 00:56:03,480 --> 00:56:07,320 Are they focused on the consequences of sin or the 640 00:56:07,320 --> 00:56:10,360 consequences of membership restrictions? 641 00:56:11,880 --> 00:56:15,920 Are they focused on doing what is necessary to regain the 642 00:56:15,920 --> 00:56:20,480 Spirit of God or good standing in the church? 643 00:56:21,840 --> 00:56:27,120 Both are important, and they should coincide to some extent, 644 00:56:27,120 --> 00:56:31,680 but they do not always. And the process of repentance 645 00:56:31,680 --> 00:56:36,280 without redemption is formed without substance. 646 00:56:36,280 --> 00:56:41,960 Substance. The Church, as marvelous as it 647 00:56:41,960 --> 00:56:48,000 is and as essential as it is, the Church does not dispense 648 00:56:48,320 --> 00:56:51,640 redemption. The Lord does that. 649 00:56:59,040 --> 00:57:02,760 The process of restricting or withdrawing church membership is 650 00:57:02,760 --> 00:57:08,360 what the Lord said to Alma is to regulate all the affairs of the 651 00:57:08,360 --> 00:57:12,400 church. Regulating the affairs of the 652 00:57:12,400 --> 00:57:16,680 church is important. To protect the innocent, help 653 00:57:16,680 --> 00:57:17,680 people. Yes. 654 00:57:17,680 --> 00:57:21,560 To repent and protect the good name of the Church. 655 00:57:23,000 --> 00:57:26,960 Confession, personal counseling, informal membership 656 00:57:26,960 --> 00:57:31,840 restrictions, and Church membership councils facilitate 657 00:57:31,960 --> 00:57:37,440 and encourage forsaking and are a great blessing to people who 658 00:57:37,440 --> 00:57:41,840 are penitent in the process of Church discipline. 659 00:57:41,840 --> 00:57:48,200 There is a beginning and an end to that process, and that can 660 00:57:48,200 --> 00:57:53,640 structure and greatly aid repentance, which is otherwise 661 00:57:53,640 --> 00:57:58,160 somewhat unstructured. That's that structure confers a 662 00:57:58,160 --> 00:58:05,280 sense of integrity, submission and completion, enabling one to 663 00:58:05,280 --> 00:58:09,280 close more easily the back door. Now that's important. 664 00:58:11,000 --> 00:58:14,240 After a long stretch of infidelity and suffering, a 665 00:58:14,240 --> 00:58:18,320 woman spoke with her Bishop. She said this. 666 00:58:19,080 --> 00:58:23,200 I told him everything. My transgressions were serious 667 00:58:23,200 --> 00:58:27,120 enough to lead to my disfellowship, and this is the 668 00:58:27,120 --> 00:58:31,120 moment that turned my life around, she said. 669 00:58:31,640 --> 00:58:35,960 I no longer had any desire to engage in immoral behavior. 670 00:58:36,240 --> 00:58:41,040 In fact, it was a sickening thought and I wish never to 671 00:58:41,040 --> 00:58:45,760 return to that life again. This is the biggest miracle of 672 00:58:45,760 --> 00:58:52,720 all to me is how God can heal us when we lay our burdens at His 673 00:58:52,720 --> 00:58:54,800 feet. End Quote. 674 00:58:56,320 --> 00:59:01,280 One might think there is a great inequity in the Church, that 675 00:59:01,280 --> 00:59:06,440 while members who are active or partially active experience 676 00:59:06,440 --> 00:59:12,440 restrictions or withdrawal of membership privileges, a great 677 00:59:12,440 --> 00:59:18,440 many members of the church fly under the radar, living lives of 678 00:59:18,440 --> 00:59:22,760 wild abandoned in flagrant disregard to the commandments of 679 00:59:22,760 --> 00:59:26,560 God, without institutional consequence. 680 00:59:27,720 --> 00:59:32,040 That view, however, derives from the mistaken perception of 681 00:59:32,040 --> 00:59:38,840 church discipline as negative when in truth it is intended to 682 00:59:38,840 --> 00:59:43,560 be positive. Applied under the inspiration of 683 00:59:43,560 --> 00:59:49,440 heaven, it disrupts the routine, upsets the apple cart, breaks 684 00:59:49,440 --> 00:59:55,320 patterns, upsets A complacent or destructive status quo, and 685 00:59:55,320 --> 01:00:01,120 helps people turn. It helps people turn their lives 686 01:00:01,120 --> 01:00:06,880 around, hopefully turn to the Lord, which is frequently the 687 01:00:06,880 --> 01:00:12,280 result. The lack of church intervention 688 01:00:12,280 --> 01:00:17,760 can be very harmful. Not only may the transgressor 689 01:00:17,760 --> 01:00:22,680 continue to suffer the ill effects of unresolved sin, but 690 01:00:22,680 --> 01:00:29,160 innocent people, especially a faithful spouse or children, may 691 01:00:29,160 --> 01:00:33,000 well continue to suffer the collateral damage of another's 692 01:00:33,000 --> 01:00:37,680 sins only for want of church intervention. 693 01:00:39,280 --> 01:00:45,600 One of its primary purposes of church discipline is to protect 694 01:00:46,000 --> 01:00:50,880 the innocent, but without any intervention, the innocent may 695 01:00:50,880 --> 01:00:57,240 continue to suffer. There are always consequences, 696 01:00:57,800 --> 01:01:03,480 and the consequences of no consequences can be devastating. 697 01:01:10,730 --> 01:01:16,010 So finally, another question. Stay with me here. 698 01:01:17,480 --> 01:01:21,160 How can I know if I've been forgiven? 699 01:01:22,560 --> 01:01:24,440 How can you know if you've been forgiven? 700 01:01:24,520 --> 01:01:29,240 That's a good question, but it's not the best question. 701 01:01:31,040 --> 01:01:35,760 Many great souls have hunger to know their standing before God. 702 01:01:36,000 --> 01:01:39,720 We all need to know that. It is part of what drove Joseph 703 01:01:39,720 --> 01:01:44,320 Smith into the Grove to pray on that spring morning. 704 01:01:45,360 --> 01:01:50,200 It is what caused Enos to pray all day and into the night. 705 01:01:50,760 --> 01:01:54,240 It is what caused Isaiah to doubt himself. 706 01:01:54,640 --> 01:01:58,320 It is what caused Alma to say that he was wracked, even with 707 01:01:58,320 --> 01:02:01,840 the pains of a damned soul for three days and night. 708 01:02:03,480 --> 01:02:09,880 In addition to the First Vision, the Lord also assured Joseph 709 01:02:09,880 --> 01:02:14,000 Smith his sins were forgiven on at least three separate 710 01:02:14,000 --> 01:02:18,600 occasions. In almost every instance when 711 01:02:18,600 --> 01:02:24,080 the Lord declared thy sins are forgiven thee, He followed with 712 01:02:25,400 --> 01:02:30,520 go to work. When people can stop worrying 713 01:02:30,520 --> 01:02:38,080 about their standing before God, when they can forsake the past 714 01:02:39,320 --> 01:02:44,640 and forget about themselves, they are able to go to work and 715 01:02:44,640 --> 01:02:51,040 focus on others, then they can become fruitful. 716 01:02:52,960 --> 01:02:58,440 The worry about 1 standing before God is similar to the 717 01:02:58,440 --> 01:03:01,640 third pillar of the foundation of faith that we've talked 718 01:03:01,640 --> 01:03:05,400 about. To have an actual knowledge, the 719 01:03:05,400 --> 01:03:08,520 course you are pursuing is acceptable to God. 720 01:03:10,040 --> 01:03:17,720 It is of course a valid concern, but people waste far too much 721 01:03:17,760 --> 01:03:23,480 energy and time worrying about whether or when they have been 722 01:03:23,480 --> 01:03:27,920 or will be forgiven. While they are fussing over 723 01:03:27,920 --> 01:03:32,640 whether they have been or will be forgiven, life passes by. 724 01:03:34,760 --> 01:03:43,160 If you are on course and moving forward, you will be forgiven if 725 01:03:43,160 --> 01:03:47,800 you haven't been already, and you will attain to eternal life 726 01:03:47,880 --> 01:03:53,120 if you stay the course. That is all you need to know. 727 01:03:55,120 --> 01:04:00,200 The better question is not have I been forgiven, rather am I on 728 01:04:00,200 --> 01:04:02,960 course? That's the question. 729 01:04:03,960 --> 01:04:09,760 Forgiveness, whether yesterday, today or tomorrow doesn't matter 730 01:04:09,760 --> 01:04:15,040 if you are on course. If you are, and if you are not 731 01:04:15,040 --> 01:04:20,320 covering sin, you may have full confidence before the Lord. 732 01:04:21,520 --> 01:04:26,000 The Lord said he that repents and does the commandments of the 733 01:04:26,000 --> 01:04:35,200 Lord shall be forgiven absolute. It will happen so don't worry 734 01:04:35,200 --> 01:04:42,200 about it and go to work. A similar question is have I 735 01:04:42,200 --> 01:04:47,320 done enough to repent? The answer is the same. 736 01:04:48,440 --> 01:04:50,760 Are you on course and moving forward? 737 01:04:51,640 --> 01:04:56,160 If so, you will do enough if you haven't already. 738 01:04:57,040 --> 01:05:00,720 The Spirit will show you all things you should do. 739 01:05:01,800 --> 01:05:06,680 If there are apologies that need saying, He will tell you. 740 01:05:07,120 --> 01:05:11,200 If there is restitution that needs to be made, He will tell 741 01:05:11,200 --> 01:05:13,680 you. If there's something unresolved, 742 01:05:13,680 --> 01:05:18,360 the Lord will tell you. If you are honest, if you ask, 743 01:05:18,360 --> 01:05:22,200 and if you listen, the Lord will tell you. 744 01:05:22,240 --> 01:05:35,680 And when He does do it? Faith without repentance is dead 745 01:05:35,840 --> 01:05:37,280 in profits. Nothing. 746 01:05:38,840 --> 01:05:44,040 If you are off course, turn to get on course. 747 01:05:45,600 --> 01:05:51,000 Look to the past long enough to learn and repent and then turn 748 01:05:51,000 --> 01:05:56,520 around and look ahead. Be vigilant and disciplined to 749 01:05:56,520 --> 01:06:02,760 stay on course. Repent to be born again and then 750 01:06:02,760 --> 01:06:08,560 stay alive from day-to-day. Forgive all others that you may 751 01:06:08,560 --> 01:06:13,800 be forgiven. Don't think of repentance as a 752 01:06:13,800 --> 01:06:19,680 series of steps or elements. To check off faith in Christ is 753 01:06:19,680 --> 01:06:22,840 to look to Him, learn of Him, and trust Him. 754 01:06:24,000 --> 01:06:27,320 Repentance is to apply what you learn. 755 01:06:28,760 --> 01:06:36,160 It's that simple. We've all sinned and come short 756 01:06:36,160 --> 01:06:40,600 of the glory of God. Our sin separate us from the 757 01:06:40,600 --> 01:06:45,360 presence and power of God, which is the essential problem in 758 01:06:45,360 --> 01:06:49,280 life. We all have need for redemption. 759 01:06:50,720 --> 01:06:55,440 We all have weaknesses. We all need to be strengthened. 760 01:06:56,640 --> 01:07:02,680 As long as we draw breath, we will have need to repent because 761 01:07:02,680 --> 01:07:09,000 long as long as we live, we have need for God's Son, His Spirit 762 01:07:09,120 --> 01:07:13,800 and his life. It doesn't end, at least anytime 763 01:07:13,800 --> 01:07:19,920 soon, if ever. It is life's great adventure. 764 01:07:22,240 --> 01:07:28,120 In the next episode, we will focus on baptism and ordinances 765 01:07:28,120 --> 01:07:33,800 as essential waypoints along the path to eternal life and every 766 01:07:33,800 --> 01:07:36,720 good thing between there and here. 767 01:07:38,040 --> 01:07:39,800 I hope you will join me then.