What is Repentance

Repentance is the second principle of the gospel of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but what is repentance?

Definition of Repentance: Acting upon our faith in Jesus Christ by obeying his commandments.

True Repentance Includes Four Things:

1. Repentance is giving our heart, mind, and will unto God by forsaking sin.
   • Turning our will over to the Lord by forsaking sins is one of the steps of repentance
   • "Behold, he offereth himself a sacrifice for sin, to answer the ends of the law, unto all those who have a broken heart and a contrite spirit; and unto none else can the ends of the law be answered." (2 Nephi 2:7)
   • Isaiah 1:16-20
   • Ezek 18:30-31
   
   
2. Repentance is obeying God's command to be baptized and then continuing to repent after baptism.
   • "And this is my doctrine, and it is the doctrine which the Father hath given unto me; and I bear record of the Father, and the Father beareth record of me, and the Holy Ghost beareth record of the Father and me; and I bear record that the Father commandeth all men, everywhere, to repent and believe in me."
     
     "And whoso believeth in me, and is baptized, the same shall be saved; and they are they who shall inherit the kingdom of God."
     
     "And whoso believeth not in me, and is not baptized, shall be damned." (3 Nephi 11:32-34)
   • 2 Nephi 31:5-13
   • 2 Nephi 9:23
   • Acts 2:38
   • Matthew 3:11
   
   
3. Repentance is necessary for us to be saved. All people of accountability must repent or they cannot be saved.
   • "And we know that all men must repent and believe on the name of Jesus Christ, and worship the Father in his name, and endure in faith on his name to the end, or they cannot be saved in the kingdom of God." (D&C 20:29)
   • D&C 133:16
   • Alma 34:33
   • Mosiah 2:38
   
   
4. Repentance is how we are cleansed through the atonement of Jesus Christ.
   • "For, behold, the Lord your Redeemer suffered death in the flesh; wherefore he suffered the pain of all men, that all men might repent and come unto him."
     
     "And he hath risen again from the dead, that he might bring all men unto him, on conditions of repentance."
     
     "And how great is his joy in the soul that repenteth!" (D&C 18:11-13)
   • Mosiah 26:29
   • Alma 5:31-33

Now that we understand more about repentance how does one repent? Learn how with these steps of repentance.

I know that unless we repent of our sins we cannot return to live with our Father in Heaven. I am thankful for repentance because without it we could not become clean, be baptized, or receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost. May each of us be humble and daily repent of our sins.