Who Needs to Repent?

What is it about the idea of repentance that is so hard for us to accept? Is it because we have been taught that only 'bad' people need to repent, or, related to this same idea, could it be that the idea of repentance is repugnant to us because we cannot accept that we are in need of repentance? Or could it be that our idea of what it means to repent is not accurate and therefore causes us to pervert the Lord's definition of repentance?

Could it be that we somehow see ourselves as being sufficient as we are? Do we believe in our hearts that we are already good enough, that the Savior may indeed have to forgive us of a few things, but his love and generosity will easily take away those things, and we will then be ushered ceremoniously into the blessings of the great beyond? (2 Nephi 28:7-9). Such a belief is what He defines as pride. It is the belief that we are good, though perhaps our deeds are not. This is the belief that the old us does not need to die and become a new creature, but only our garments need to be cleansed. In pride we see ourselves as eternal creatures who may need to be forgiven and lifted up by Jesus Christ, but who do not need to be totally changed by Him! We perhaps do not believe that we need that new and pure heart which only He can give us. 

Our tendency to grade sins may cause us to deceive ourselves into thinking that we are good because we do not and have not committed the more 'serious' sins. We fall into a trap of thinking that some people need repentance more than others do. As Hugh Nibley reminded us, we can always find someone who is worse than we are to make us feel that we are better. Those terrorists, perverts, adulterers, rapists--they are the ones who need to repent! And there is no question but that they must repent, and for them repentance will be a full-time job, exactly as it is for all the rest of us!

This attitude is consistent with someone who is religious, but not with someone who believes the gospel of Jesus Christ, and certainly not consistent with all that God has revealed to us concerning our condition here, and the need all of us have for His mercy which comes about because of His atonement.

Otherwise we ignore the Lord's words: "Now this is the commandment: Repent, all ye ends of the earth" (3 Nephi 27:20). And why is it that all mankind everywhere must repent? And why is it expedient that an atonement should be made? It is because "according to the great plan of the Eternal God there must be an atonement made, or else all mankind must unavoidably perish; yea, all are hardened; yea, all are fallen and are lost, and must perish except it be through the atonement which it is expedient should be made" (Alma 34:9 emphasis added).

What the Lord is teaching us through Amulek is that all of us are lost and fallen, and because there is "not any man that can sacrifice his own blood which will atone for the sins of another...there can be nothing which is short of an infinite atonement which will suffice for the sins (even ours) of the world" (Alma 34:11-12). And the intent of this "great and last sacrifice" is to "bring about the bowels of mercy, which overpowereth justice, and bringeth about means unto men that they may have faith unto repentance" (Alma 34:14-15 emphasis added). Through His atonement mercy is introduced, which only comes about through repentance. Only mercy will overpower justice, and only the penitent will receive mercy. The idea that we must have faith unto repentance is the idea that we have faith in His mercy, faith in the fact that He will hold us guiltless, and faith in His words, through which we know of His promises of mercy if we repent and of His justice if we do not.

So we find ourselves (all) in a lost and fallen state with sinful natures, unable to merit anything of ourselves, unable to save ourselves no matter the length or nature of our list of good works. "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:22 emphasis added). For this reason repentance is the means to turn to Christ and rely wholly upon His merits to save us. It is not a one time process, and is certainly not done a sin at a time. It begins with a desire to turn to Him, a desire to exercise faith in Him, and it is through this faith that we come to repentance, and "only unto him that has faith unto repentance is brought about the great and eternal plan of redemption" (Alma 34:16). Amulek's prayer for all of us is: "may God grant unto you...that ye may begin to exercise your faith unto repentance, that ye begin to call upon his holy name, that he would have mercy upon you; Yea, cry unto him for mercy; for he is mighty to save" (Alma 34:17-18). Nephi describes this beautifully in 2 Nephi 31 where he writes that we should come unto Christ with "full purpose of heart, acting no hypocrisy and no deception before God, but with real intent, repenting of (our) sins, witnessing unto the Father that (we) are willing to take upon (us) the name of Christ..." (vs. 13). Of course the no hypocrisy and no deception before God means that we not deceive ourselves or act (no hypocrisy) as if we are righteous and merit anything because of our 'good works.' No we "rely wholly" upon His merits! We know we cannot deceive him, but we can and do deceive ourselves because of our vain imaginations and going about to establish our 'own' righteousness (Romans 10:1-4). It is His righteousness and only His righteousness that saves us! (See the following references: 2 Nephi 2:3, 6, 8, 10; 2 Nephi 31:19; Alma 22:14; Alma 24:10-11; Helaman 13:14; Moroni 6:4; D&C 1:20). 

And this prayer is for all, especially for those who think they need no repentance. Alma reminds us that "he sendeth an invitation unto all men, for the arms of mercy are extended toward them, and he saith: Repent, and I will receive you" (Alma 5:33 emphasis added). Note here that it is the Holy One that sendeth the invitation and it is the Holy One that saith "Repent, and I will receive you." Alma makes special mention to those of us that are "puffed up in the vain things of the world, ye that have professed to have known the ways of righteousness nevertheless have gone astray, as sheep having no shepherd, notwithstanding a shepherd hath called after you, and is still calling after you, but ye will not hearken unto his voice!" (Alma 5:37-38 emphasis added). And His voice is clear: "Repent all ye ends of the earth" (3 Nephi 27:20).

Alma had been commanded of God to "stand and testify" unto the people (including, or especially us). He tells us that "I am called, yea, to preach unto my beloved brethren, yea, and every one that dwelleth in the land; to preach unto all, both old and young, both bond and free; yea, I say unto you the aged, and also the middle aged, and the rising generation; yea to cry unto them that they must repent and be born again" (Alma 5:49 emphasis added).

Now note how many times Alma uses the word 'repent' in the next several verses: "Yea, thus saith the Spirit: Repent, all ye ends of the earth.... And also the Spirit saith unto me, yea crieth unto me with a mighty voice, saying: Go forth and say unto this people--Repent, for except ye repent ye can in nowise inherit the kingdom of heaven" (Alma 5:50-51 emphasis added). He then tells us that the "ax is laid at the root of the tree; therefore every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit (fruit meet for repentance) shall be hewn down and cast into the fire..." (Alma 5:52).

And then this: "Behold, and remember, the Holy One hath spoken it" (Alma 5:52 emphasis added). It is not Alma's words but the words of the Lord. It is His voice and He has spoken it. "Can ye withstand these saying; yea, can ye lay aside these things (these words), and trample the Holy One under your feet; yea, can ye be puffed up in the pride of your hearts; yea, will ye still persist in the wearing of costly apparel and setting your hearts upon the vain things of the world, upon your riches? Yea, will ye persist in supposing that ye are better one than another?" (Alma 5:52-53). He warns against persecuting those who humble themselves, "having been sanctified by the Holy Spirit, and they do bring forth works which are meet for repentance--" (Alma 5:52 emphasis added).

"And finally, all ye that will persist in your wickedness (those who will not repent), I say unto you that these are they who shall be hewn down and cast into the fire except they speedily repent" (Alma 5:56 emphasis added).

Alma's message is more timely now than when he gave it. It has been preserved for us. "The good shepherd doth call after you; and if you will hearken unto his voice he will bring you into his fold... I speak by way of command unto those who do belong to the church; and unto those who do not belong to the church I speak by way of invitation, saying: Come and be baptized unto repentance, that ye also may be partakers of the fruit of the tree of life" (Alma 5:62 emphasis added).

After reading this can any of us honestly say we do not need to repent, especially when he, by way of commandment, addresses us who belong to the church? Enduring to the end is to endure to the end in faith in Jesus Christ unto repentance. It is a full time job for us and it is the Father's work that we listen to His voice and repent. Then and only then can He save us through His son.

Again repentance is not a one and done process, nor is it the process of 'repenting' of our sins one sin at a time. Enduring to the end is to fulfill the purpose of repentance. The Latin root for repentance is to turn. The Greek root means to change one's mind. The Hebrew root means to return to God. Repentance is turning from wherever we are, from whatever we are, to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ. We have to want our minds and our hearts to be changed, and be willing to return to God. We have all gone out of the way, we have all sinned and we have all fallen short of the glory of God. Therefore, we must return to God, and that return is by means of His gift of repentance. In other words He gives us the blessing of repentance as the way out of our lost and fallen state which leads to the justice of God, and by turning to Him He cures our tendency to turn away from Him. He begins the process of taking away our disposition to do evil, and will bless us with the fruits of our repentance. We then exercise our unshaken faith in Him by relying wholly upon His merits, and in this condition of repentance we endure in faith in Him to the end, feasting upon His words. His arms of mercy are extended to all.