Preaching Repentance

One of the themes of the Doctrine and Covenants is the need to declare repentance to the people in our day.  The introduction to the Doctrine and Covenants describes "the need for repentance" as one of the fundamental matters that the book teaches, and we see numerous times the Lord's command to His servants to preach and cry and declare repentance.  For example, we the command to teach repentance to the people to many of the initial leaders of the church in the early sections of the book.  Joseph and Oliver were told, "Say nothing but repentance unto this generation," and the Lord repeated the same phrase verbatim to Hyrum (D&C 6:9, 11:9).  John and Peter Whitmer were both told that the thing which would be of most worth to them would be to "declare repentance unto this people, " and David Whitmer similarly was told to stand as a witness and "declare repentance unto this generation" (D&C 15:6, 16:6, 14:8).  Martin Harris was told to "preach not but repentance" and then again to not talk about "tenets" but instead to "declare repentance and faith on the Savior" (D&C 19:21, 31).    

As the Lord sent more missionaries, He continued commanding them to teach and preach repentance to this generation.  Orson Pratt was told, "Lift up your voice as with the sound of a trump, both long and loud, and cry repentance unto a crooked and perverse generation" (D&C 34:6).  The Lord told "all men" who would "embrace" the calling "to preach the everlasting gospel among the nations—Crying repentance, saying: Save yourselves from this untoward generation" (D&C 36:5-6).  In 1831 the Lord commanded that elders should be gathered who would "go forth into the regions round about, and preach repentance unto the people," and Sidney Gilbert was specifically commanded: "Take upon you mine ordination, even that of an elder, to preach faith and repentance and remission of sins, according to my word" (D&C 44:3, 53:3).  We even learn that those elders who are preaching repentance who die will continue the same labor on the other side of the veil: "I beheld that the faithful elders of this dispensation, when they depart from mortal life, continue their labors in the preaching of the gospel of repentance and redemption" (D&C 138:57).  Clearly one of the major purposes of the whole Restoration itself is to bring people to repentance, and that can’t happen if we don’t preach it to them.  And this is not only so they can return to the presence of God in the next life but that they can also "save [themselves] from this untoward generation, and come forth out of the fire" (D&C 36:6).  Repentance will be a literal protection to us as the days of great tribulation up ahead come upon us. 

Preaching repentance, though, is more than simply telling people to repent. It means to teach them the commandments of God and help them to change their lives and live according to each of those commands.  Any teaching that we do that helps someone to recognize a need for change is surely part of preaching repentance to the people, and this counts in (especially in) our own homes and families.  Of course, sharing the principles of the gospel and inviting others to make changes to their lives can be a difficult task.  But perhaps it is one responsibility that becomes easier as we gain the real vision of this scripture: "And if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father!" (D&C 18:15)