Many people share common misconceptions about the Atonement of Jesus Christ and the concept of repentance. In today’s episode, Donald will discuss 3 of these misconceptions and how we can free ourselves of the false ideas they portray.
1. I don’t need to repent
- No matter who you are or what walk of life you are from, everyone needs to repent. Jesus Christ is the only perfect being. If we seek to become like him, we must utilize His atonement and recognize that we are never exempt from repentance.
- As a young adult, Donald came to believe that repentance was only for bad people, for sinners. However, he later came to realize that the greatest difference between sinners and saints is those who repent and seek to become better.
2. I’ll be shamed/I’ll get in trouble
- Before Donald became a Bishop, he thought that only sinners or bad people needed to repent. But come to find out, the complete opposite was true! As a bishop, Donald found new respect and love for the individuals who would come to him to confess their sins and mistakes. Those people were learning and growing. As you repent, you build a spiritual fortification for yourself.
3. God will not forgive me
- This is simply a lie. Heavenly Father will always forgive anyone who truly seeks repentance. Some sins are harder to recover from, but God will never turn his back on us when we utilize the Atonement.
- There are several examples in the scriptures, like Peter, who denied Christ but was later forgiven and led the 12 apostles. We are all capable of repentance.
Bonus #1. Bad thoughts still come to mind, which means I haven’t changed
- We all receive occasional bad thoughts. Having a bad thought doesn't make you a bad person. What’s important is how you deny those bad thoughts in your mind. Try singing an uplifting song. Over time, as you deny those thoughts, they become weaker and less influential. The Holy Spirit will help you overcome negative and sinful thoughts.
Bonus #2. I keep making the same mistakes over and over again
- Repeating past mistakes does not make you a bad person, but it does mean you need to continue progressing and improving yourself. A little desire for change will help you grow little by little.
“Repentance is reviewing one's actions and feeling contrition or regret for past wrongs, which is accompanied by commitment to and actual actions that show and prove a change for the better.” (thechurchofjesuschrist.org). The ultimate goal is to improve ourselves and grow closer to Jesus Christ.
Do not let Satan make you feel unworthy of Christ’s Atonement. You are nothing less than a disciple of Jesus Christ. Jesus loves you, and knows that you can make it back to Him. Audio credits to soundstripe.
