After one has shown faith in Jesus Christ by reading the Book of Mormon and believing the doctrine resting therein and flowing therefrom (the doctrine that Jesus is the Christ and that Joseph Smith was and is His prophet in these last days), one must continually press forward by repenting of his sins so that he might enter the waters of baptism clean and pure.
That leads to the question "What is repentance? What does it mean to repent?" Repentance, plain and simply, is acknowledgment of one's sins and a complete forsaking of such. We know from both the Bible and the Book of Mormon that our Lord went around both the Old and New Worlds commanding people that "except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish (Luke 13:3)." So it still is today. If we do not repent we cannot be saved, for "no unclean thing can dwell with God".
Like Elder Neal A. Maxwell of the Council of the Twelve once said, so say I, that repentance "is a rescuing, not a dour doctrine (Ensign, Nov 1991, 30)." I know that it is a rescuing doctrine, for I have and continue to repent daily. I know there is peace therein, and that we can be truly free.
Jesus Christ is the Perfect Example and has commanded to "be ye therefore perfect, even as I, or your Father in Heaven is perfect (3 Nephi 12:48)." I know we can do it if we rely on Him. In the Name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
That leads to the question "What is repentance? What does it mean to repent?" Repentance, plain and simply, is acknowledgment of one's sins and a complete forsaking of such. We know from both the Bible and the Book of Mormon that our Lord went around both the Old and New Worlds commanding people that "except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish (Luke 13:3)." So it still is today. If we do not repent we cannot be saved, for "no unclean thing can dwell with God".
Like Elder Neal A. Maxwell of the Council of the Twelve once said, so say I, that repentance "is a rescuing, not a dour doctrine (Ensign, Nov 1991, 30)." I know that it is a rescuing doctrine, for I have and continue to repent daily. I know there is peace therein, and that we can be truly free.
Jesus Christ is the Perfect Example and has commanded to "be ye therefore perfect, even as I, or your Father in Heaven is perfect (3 Nephi 12:48)." I know we can do it if we rely on Him. In the Name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
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