What does repentance mean to Mormons?


I recently read a blog talking about a Mormon Repentance Quiz. It said that Mormon's believe it is too hard to repent. The blogger used the Doctrine and Covenants to pose True and False questions about repentance. I think he was trying to scare people away from being a Mormon by saying, "It's too hard." I can't help but chuckle at that - ironically, he also things the rewards for Mormons are "too great".

I have taken the liberty to adjust the requirements of his Mormon repentance quiz and modified it to use the Bible as the word on the subject.


Have you met the requirements of repentance as defined by Jesus Christ?
1. True or False? According to the Jesus Christ, people who repent of their sins forsake their sin.
2. True or False? True repentance involves keeping the commandments.
3. True or False? In order to live with Heavenly Father you must stop sinning.
4. True or False? True repentance means never repeating that sin again.
5. True or False? A crucial test of repentance is abandonment of the sin.
6. True or False? If you hope to achieve exaltation in the next life, you must overcome your sin in this life.
7. True or False? Repenting of only some sins never results in complete forgiveness.


Answer Key:
1. True: "He that coverth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy." (Proverbs 28:13) John was baptizing and people came to Jordan "confessing their sins" to be baptized and when the Pharisees and Sadducees came John rebuked them saying "Bring forth therefore fruit meet for repentance". What is the "fruit", if not repentance?

2. True: True: Jesus says "For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven." Jesus then goes on to explain being angry is sin, if you don't forgive a brother it is sin, lusting after a woman is sin, swearing is a sin, not loving your enemies is a sin… "For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? Do not the publicans the same?" If you can't be like the Pharisees and publicans, doesn't that mean you have to follow the commandments of God?

3. Jesus Christ says "That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven… Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." Doesn't being perfect mean "stop sinning". (Matthew 5:45-48)

4. True: "As a dog returneth to his vomit, so a fool returneth to his folly." (Proverbs 26:11) 2 Peter 2 describes quite a few that were destroyed because of their persistence in sin.

5. True: Else why would Jesus "upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not"? Those cities did not abandon their sins, so Jesus continued to upbraid them. Are you suggesting that you can continue in sin and magically be saved?

6. True: Paul says the sorrow of the world worketh death, but "godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation" (2 Corinthians 7:9-10) If one does not feel godly sorrow for things done wrong, how can repentance lead to salvation? Jesus commanded "be perfect". That is His standard not a Mormon standard. Additionally, Jesus said to the young man desiring eternal life "but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments." I don't see where Jesus said anything about not keeping a few of his commandments and you can still enter into "life".

7. True: Unless you are suggesting one can "be perfect" while sinning? A shirt with dirt on the inside is still a dirty shirt. Jesus said "Whosoever therefore shall break one of the least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 5:19) So which sins can you keep and make it into eternal life?


So, how did you do?



1 Telestial


But don't worry too much, because Mormon's believe everyone gets a reward for trying!
Source: Picture of Repentance Tough on Sins (I loved the Jedi's too)

1 comment:

appreciable said...

Dear Fleeting_Thoughts,

I really like this message about repentance. I especially love the thought that a shirt with dirt on the inside is still a dirty shirt. I believe as well, that God cannot look upon sin with the least degree of allowance. It is the evil spirit that tries to lull people into believing that their sinful behaviors are justified and need no correction. I feel that the Lord is pleased with the message that you have shared. You are crying repentance and in our world this need for changing our hearts and lives is so very important and so desperately needed.

God bless you!

With love,

-Appreciable Goodfaithpoet