Obtaining Forgiveness

One of the most basic questions of the gospel is how we can be forgiven.  The whole of the gospel is centered around the fact that we need the Savior's redeeming power to be cleansed from our sins, and so obtaining forgiveness of our sins is of utmost priority in trying to live the gospel.  The scriptures make it very clear that forgiveness comes with repentance.  In the Lord's preface to the Doctrine and Covenants He said, "He that repents and does the commandments of the Lord shall be forgiven" (D&C 1:32).  He also promised that "he who has repented of his sins, the same is forgiven, and I, the Lord, remember them no more" (D&C 58:42).  In another revelation He said, "And if he repent he shall be forgiven, according to the covenants and commandments of the church" (D&C 68:24).  In the Book of Mormon the Lord revealed to Alma the same principle: "If he confess his sins before thee and me, and repenteth in the sincerity of his heart, him shall ye forgive, and I will forgive him also" (Mosiah 26:29).  Moroni described the people of God among the Nephites saying, "As oft as they repented and sought forgiveness, with real intent, they were forgiven" (Moroni 6:8).  The promise of the Lord is that if we repent, we will be forgiven.  And how do we repent?  The most concise definition is probably this one: "By this ye may know if a man repenteth of his sins—behold, he will confess them and forsake them" (D&C 58:43).  We confess before the Lord—thus asking for forgiveness—and then we show the Lord we are serious about our confession by changing. 

There are two other themes I see in the scriptures that give a slightly different perspective on how it is that we obtain forgiveness of our sins. One of those is that we obtain forgiveness when we ourselves forgive others.  In the Lord's Prayer we read, "And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors" (Matt. 6:12).  The Savior taught on another occasion, "And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses" (Mark 11:25-26).  Our forgiving others is in some measure a prerequisite for receiving forgiveness from the Father.  The Lord said to Alma in the Book of Mormon, "And ye shall also forgive one another your trespasses; for verily I say unto you, he that forgiveth not his neighbor’s trespasses when he says that he repents, the same hath brought himself under condemnation" (Mosiah 26:31).  Christ referred to that condemnation in our dispensation, telling Joseph, "Wherefore, I say unto you, that ye ought to forgive one another; for he that forgiveth not his brother his trespasses standeth condemned before the Lord" (D&C 64:9).  The Lord also told him, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, my servants, that inasmuch as you have forgiven one another your trespasses, even so I, the Lord, forgive you" (D&C 82:1).  Perhaps nowhere is the message clearer than in the parable of the man who owed ten thousand talents.  His lord forgave him his enormous debt, and then he turned around and wouldn't forgive a very small debt in comparison.  This was discovered and "then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me: Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee?" (Matt 18:32-33)  The man was then given to the "tormenters" until he could repay his original debt.  Clearly the Lord is serious that we must be willing to forgive others if we are to receive forgiveness. 

The other theme that we see in a few verses of scriptures is that forgiveness comes with the sharing of the gospel.  The Lord told missionaries in this dispensation, “Nevertheless, ye are blessed, for the testimony which ye have borne is recorded in heaven for the angels to look upon; and they rejoice over you, and your sins are forgiven you" (D&C 62:3).  In another revelation the Lord again tied forgiveness with bearing testimony: “For I will forgive you of your sins with this commandment—that you remain steadfast in your minds in solemnity and the spirit of prayer, in bearing testimony to all the world of those things which are communicated unto you" (D&C 84:61).  He also told Thomas B. Marsh, "Therefore, thrust in your sickle with all your soul, and your sins are forgiven you, and you shall be laden with sheaves upon your back, for the laborer is worthy of his hire. Wherefore, your family shall live" (D&C 31:5).  I’m not sure which way the relationship goes, whether when you share the gospel you are forgiven or if when you are forgiven you naturally want to share the gospel.  It’s probably both.  The key is simply to know that God is merciful and good and eager to forgive, and that is a message we need to know for ourselves and that we need to share with others.