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Posts Tagged ‘Repentance’

  1. I confess…

    November 21, 2010 by Ben Tanner

    I’ve done bad things, I’ve made mistakes, and I’ve done my share of sinning.  Not just in my life, but probably in the past hour.  I’m no better than anyone else in the world, regardless of their beliefs or religion.   That is one of the important characteristics of true Christianity.  We are willing to admit, that we have done wrong, and that we continue to struggle with sin every day.

    Mormonism is not about putting yourself on some kind of pedestal and proclaiming to the world that you are perfect.  Unfortunately, there are many who think that Christianity and Mormonism is just a bunch of hypocritical people who think they are better than every one else.  I’ll give them the hypocritical part, because we all (everyone, Christian or non-Christian) are and have been hypocrites about different things at different times.

    But I hope they know, we really don’t think we are better than anyone else.  Part of following Jesus Christ is admitting that you are a sinner, admitting that sin really exists, and admitting that you need power outside of your own to overcome it.

    The atheist won’t even admit that there is a right or a wrong, good or bad, therefore they cannot admit that they are sometimes wrong, and that they sin. It wouldn’t make logical sense.    This to me seems even more hypocritical.

    A Mormon takes personal accountability to another level.  In Mormonism, we are not a liberty to blame Adam, or the fall for our individual sins.  We believe in true moral agency.  We believe that when we sin, it really is our fault.  And therefore, we need a Savior, because we are powerless to overcome our sins by our personal effort alone.

    Having said that, our personal effort is required to show our faith in the Lord’s redeeming power.

    The good news is that the Lord does forgive.  He is merciful.  He is kind.  But his love even goes beyond that.  He is just.  And because He is just, he could not wave our sins away with some kind of cosmic magic wand.  In order for Him to fulfill the law of Justice, the price of our sins had to be paid for.  And that price was the blood of a sinless, pure, God, even Jesus Christ.  He paid the price of justice, and he gave complete mercy.

    He gave us the formula for us to tap into this marvolouse mercy and grace.  Here it is:

    1. Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ  (We must believe in Him and His power to save, and change us)

    2. Repentance (We must, confess our sins,  ask for forgiveness, do what is in our power to repair the wrongs we have done, and forsake the practice of our sins with His help)

    3. Baptism for the Remission of Sins. (By those who have authority to baptize)

    4. The laying on of Hands for the Gift of the Holy Ghost. (By those who have the authority to give the Gift of the Holy Ghost)

    5. Keep His commandments and endure in faith to the end of our lives. (which means to continue to repent when we make mistakes, strive to overcome our desires for sin, and to love and serve God and our fellow men.)

    This is how we gain access to Jesus Christ fully.  And if we have accesses to Jesus Christs grace, then we have access to Heaven.  We will be changed into one who is fit for the Kingdom.

    In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

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  2. King David: “Create in Me a Clean Heart”

    June 27, 2010 by Ben Tanner

    In Psalm 51 we find King David repenting.  There are many insights to be gained in this Psalm about true repentance.

    Here are a few insights  from this Psalm:

    1. “Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.”
    God is interested in what is going on in our hearts and minds, not just what we are doing on the outside.

    2. “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.”
    Repentance is not just about seeking forgiveness, but also about changing our hearts and becoming more like God.

    3. “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.”
    The sacrifice that is required for forgivness is true sorry (Godly sorrow) for our sins and an inner desire to truly change.

    When we truly repent, we will find peace in the loving mercy and grace of Jesus Christ.  The atonement is wonderful because it give us access to forgiveness.  But perhaps even more grate because if we continually repent of our folly and sin, God will change us to eventually become like Him.  That means that we don’t just become reconcilled with God, we also become like Him and truly one with Him.

    In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

    To find out more about repentance and how you can become truly clean, please click here

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  3. Gardening, Repentance, and Consistency

    October 11, 2009 by Ben Tanner


    I grew up in a small but vibrant town in Southern Utah called Kanab. We lived in three different houses in Kanab, but the one where I did most of my growing up was on 400 south. Our house was surrounded by gardens.

    To the left of us, the Buttons had a large garden and a corral behind their house where they kept horses and sometimes a few beef cows. I would help take care of these animals when they were out of town.
    To the right of us was Lester and Ruth Johnson. They kept a meticulous yard and large garden with just about every kind of fruit and vegetable you can imagine surrounding their property.
    Right behind us was Thayne Smith. He also had a large garden area with a big green house and a chicken coop. He owned a nursery in town.
    Our yard had a pear tree, an apple tree, a grape vine hanging over the fence from the Johnsons, and, you guessed it, a large garden area. (We also had a basketball court which was awesome.)
    When you contrasted the red cliffs with the green gardens surrounding us it was a small paradise. But I did have to learn to work hard. My dad was incredible with his gardening skills. He was also very competitive and wouldn’t be outdone by the gardens surrounding our home.
    He would meticulously prepare the ground and make sure the rows he plowed were straight and even. He would cultivate the perfect soil to make sure each area of the garden would produce and yield the greatest amount of harvest.
    My job was to make sure the garden was irrigated (every 4 days) and that all weeds and pests were kept out.
    When my Dad was around, I worked hard because I knew I would be in trouble if I didn’t. But work was hard to find in Kanab so my Dad would take jobs out of state in California for sometimes months at a time. He would go and work construction for my uncle Bud’s company who did government contracts.
    When he left, I would sigh with relief because I thought I could get away with letting the weeds go for a while and not have to check the garden every day. One instance in particular sticks out in my mind. My Dad left and I then proceeded to let the weeds get out of control.
    They started to take over the whole garden. Then one day my mom told me that my Dad would be coming home the following day. I looked out at the garden and fear swept over me. I knew that if my Dad came home and saw the yard and garden in this shape, I would be in deep trouble.
    So I begged my Mom to let me stay home from school so I could work to get the yard and garden back in shape before my Dad came home. My mother agreed, knowing how frustrated my Dad would be and wanting him to be happy when he got home.
    I ran out to the garden and started to hoe down the weeds as fast as I could. As I was doing this my neighbor Lester Johnson leaned over the fence and with a big smile on his face said “Your Dad’s coming home isn’t he?”
    I said yes and he let out a big chuckle and went back to his work. Gratefully, I was able to get the garden and yard in good condition before my Dad came home.
    However there were some vegetables lost and the harvest that year wasn’t as great as it would have been.
    My Dad told me that the key to gardening is to check everyday for weeds and then if you are consistent with that, it will only take a few minutes everyday to keep the garden weed free. But if you let it go, the job just gets bigger and bigger, and can threaten the entire garden.
    Years later I have realized that the principle is the same when it comes to our individual sins. Sin, like little weeds, can sprout up daily in our lives. But if we are quick to repent, we can stay clean. Eventually, we can even eradicate the sins from our lives with the help of our Savior Jesus Christ.
    This requires a daily examining of ourselves, and daily fervent prayer. If we let this go, the sins like weeds will grow and grow and eventually compromise our relationship with our Heavenly Father.
    Sin like a weed steals the nutrients from the good plants or the good inside of us. Weeds wrap their roots around the root structure of the good plants and choke them enough to keep them from getting access to the water, then they die.
    Sin does the same to our souls. The more we are entangled in sin, the harder it is to access the living water that comes from Jesus Christ. But if we repent, the Master gardener will clear our lives from sin and provide the living water we need to grow.
    In the end, because of Jesus, we will yield a bountiful harvest. The key is consistent daily repentance, prayer and scripture study. Then when we face our Heavenly Father again, we will be pleased with how we have taken care of the stewardships He has entrusted us with.
    In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

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  4. Repentance

    September 25, 2008 by Ben Tanner


    The second principle of the the Gospel is repentance.
    It’s very important that we look at repentance as the experience that will lead us upward and onward.

    When a person undertakes to repent, they should not be looked on as a wicked person, in fact, they should be admired for trying to work through sins head on. They are acting in complete faith in the Lord Jesus Christ that He can truly fix and heal our hearts and the heart of those who we may have injured through on sins.

    True Repentance will include the following:

    1. True remorse or sorrow for the sin(s) we have committed.
    2. Full confession of the sin
    3. A complete forsaking of the sin or sinful lifestyle.
    4. The determination never to fall into the sin again
    5. The making of restitution for the sin so far as possible
    6. Living an obedient and commandment keeping life
    7. The asking of forgiveness from God and those whom we have sinned against.

    As you can see, Repentance is a life long process. The Lord Jesus Christ asked us to replace the sacrifice of burnt offerings that were made for atonement in the Jewish Temple with a “Broken Heart and a Contrite Spirit”.

    This is an essential step in gaining the grace of Jesus Christ. Repentance alone will not save us. However it is a requirement or a key that brings us to Jesus’ Grace. As Latter-day Saints, we believe that it is the Grace of Jesus Christ that is the only way to heaven. “I am the way, the truth and the light, no man comes unto the Father but by Me.”

    Having said that, how does one come to Christ? If Christ is the way to Heaven, how does one “get Christ”. The answer is: Faith, Repentance, Baptism, the bestowal of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end. All of this is spelled out in the Bible.

    Repentance is the process that prepares us to receive a remission of our sins through baptism. One cannot repent without faith. One cannot be baptized with any effect unless they are willing to repent and make a covenant that they will try to keep the commandments.

    The end result of TRUE repentance is ALWAYS Forgiveness through the mercy and merits of Jesus Christ. If one truly repents, there will be peace in their hearts and in their minds. They will experience the love of the Savior. They will actually come out of the experience with a change of heart, one ready for baptism and it’s sacred covenant.

    I testify that repentance is a blessing. It is the way to truly get rid of the extra baggage we carry around and give it to the Savior who knows how to carry that burden.

    He wants you and me to repent not because He wants to punish us, but because He wants to save us from the full consequences of sin.

    Who can repent? EVERYONE. There is grace available to every repentant sinner. There are blessings waiting for you as you repent of the sins and mistakes you make.

    In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

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