Chapter 20: Baptism

The Commandment to be Baptized

Again, tremendous resources for this lesson can be found in the Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: ... (the old Priesthood/Relief Society manuals). Especially helpful will be the manuals for Joseph Smith, Chapter 7, Brigham Young, chapter 9, Joseph F. Smith, Chapter 7, David O. McKay, Chapter 21, and Harold B. Lee, pp. 31-35 (Chapter 4). Remember, these can all be found on “lds.org” by clicking on “Gospel Library” then “Lessons” then “Melchizedek Priesthood and Relief Society.” All of the manuals are listed at the bottom of this page.

In this section is stated “Baptism is the first ordinance of the gospel (p. 115). Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery experienced this first hand very early in the Church’s restoration. Following the First Vision, receiving the gold plates for translation, next was the restoration of the Aaronic Priesthood and baptism. Joseph described that experience this way:

We experienced great and glorious blessings from our Heavenly Father. No sooner had I baptized Oliver Cowdery, than the Holy Ghost fell upon him, and he stood up and prophesied many things which should shortly come to pass. And again, so soon as I had been baptized by him, I also had the spirit of prophecy, when, standing up, I prophesied concerning the rise of this Church, and many other things connected with the Church, and this generation of the children of men. We were filled with the Holy Ghost, and rejoiced in the God of our salvation (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith, 89).

This section states, “Baptism is the first ordinance of the gospel” (p. 115). It may be helpful for some to understand that the pattern of ordinances goes back to premortality and through every dispensation since creation. First, for premortality, here are some quotes repeated from this blog, Chapter 2, “Our Heavenly Family”:

1 Peter 1:19-20 and Alma 13:4 discuss ordination “before the foundation of the world.”

Elder Joseph Fielding Smith taught:

…in the pre-mortal state…Ordinances pertaining to that pre-existence were required… (The Way to Perfection, 50-51)Elder Dallin Oaks stated in conference:Many of us also made covenants with the Father concerning what we would do in mortality. In ways that have not been revealed, our actions in the spirit world influence us in mortality. (Ensign, Nov 1993, 72)
Elder Neal A. Maxwell taught: Just as certain men were foreordained from before the foundations of the world, so were certain women appointed to certain tasks. (Ensign, May 1978, 10)President Harold B. Lee in Conference:
…there are many who were foreordained before the world was… (Ensign, Jan 1974, 2

Secondly, on ordinances since the creation, we know that Adam was baptized (see Moses 6:64).

Joseph Smith taught:

The ancients who were actually the fathers of the church in the different ages, when the church flourished on the earth… were initiated into the kingdom by baptism, for it is self evident in the scripture—God changes not.
Now taking it for granted that the scriptures say what they mean, and mean what they say, we have sufficient grounds to go on and prove from the Bible that the gospel has always been the same; the ordinances to fulfil its requirements, the same…Noah… Abel…Enoch…Abraham…Jacob…Moses…
In the former ages of the world, before the Saviour came in the flesh, ‘the saints’ were baptised in the name of Jesus Christ to come, because there never was any other name whereby men could be saved… (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith, 92-4).

We do know that John the Baptist was baptizing even before Christ was baptized (see Matthew 3:11-13 and Mark 1:1-9).

In the first paragraph of this section is quoted Matthew 28:19-20, concerning the charge Jesus Christ gave to His apostles to baptize. It may be of interest to note that this same charge is basically given as the last commandment in every book of the Gospels as well as in the last appearance of Jesus in Acts.

And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned (Mark 16:15-16).

And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem (Luke 24:47).

So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.
He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep (John 21:15-17).

For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence (Acts 1:5).

Even more importantly, we need to realize how this charge for missionary work and baptism has not changed. We are still under the same charge, as Elder David B. Haight explained in conference:

This is our mandate. This is why we go to all nations of the earth proclaiming His gospel (Ensign, May 1994, 75).

First - - We Must Be Baptized for the Remission of Our Sins

In the first paragraph of this section is a most important sentence, “When we place our faith in Jesus Christ, repent, and are baptized, our sins are forgiven through the Atonement of Jesus Christ (p. 115).” This is a terrific summary statement of the last three lessons. It also ties in a crucial doctrine, that the Atonement can only be accessed thru baptism. President Lee declared:

Only those who repent and are baptized for the remission of their sins will lay full claim to the redeeming blood of his atonement (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Harold B. Lee, 31).

I like the way Elder Theodore M. Burton said this:

Mankind cannot be saved solely by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the gospel. Only those ordinances coupled with the atonement of Jesus Christ and conditioned upon obedience to gospel truths can bring us back into the presence of God the Eternal Father. Thus, through the atonement of Jesus Christ, together with the proper ordinances performed in the proper manner by proper authority and coupled with obedience to the laws and commandments of God, we can be saved from spiritual death and can be exalted to live in the presence of God the Eternal Father. That is why all three of these concepts—atonement, ordinances, and obedience—are mentioned in the third article of faith, which we accept as truth (Ensign, Sep 1985, 66).

Most likely due to the chaos of Nauvoo, the martyrdom of his father, Hyrum, and the trek west, young Joseph F. Smith was not baptized until he was 13 ½ years old. However, a year and a half later he was ordained and elder and sent to a foreign language mission in Hawaii. Joseph had a wonderful experience concerning the “remission of sins” at his baptism:

I felt in my soul that if I had sinned—and surely I was not without sin—that it had been forgiven me; that I was indeed cleansed from sin; my heart was touched, and I felt that I would not injure the smallest insect beneath my feet. I felt as if I wanted to do good everywhere to everybody and to everything. I felt a newness of life, a newness of desire to do that which was right. There was not one particle of desire for evil left in my soul. I was but a little boy, it is true, when I was baptized; but this was the influence that came upon me, and I know that it was from God, and was and ever has been a living witness to me of my acceptance of the Lord (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Joseph F. Smith, p. 59).

For those who do not fully appreciate their own sinfulness and need to be baptized, Brigham Young taught:

If you can say you have no sins to repent of, forsake your false theories, and love and serve God with an undivided heart (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Brigham Young, 62).

Second - - We Must Be Baptized to Become Members of the Church of Jesus Christ

Joseph Smith could not contain his feelings of joy when his father was baptized a member of the Church. His mother, Lucy, recalled that experience:

Joseph stood on the shore when his father came out of the water, and as he took him by the hand he cried out, ‘… I have lived to see my father baptized into the true church of Jesus Christ,’ and he covered his face in his father’s bosom and wept aloud for joy as did Joseph of old when he beheld his father coming up into the land of Egypt (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith, p. 90).

Membership in the Church carries a sacred obligation, as illustrated by Brigham Young:

All Latter-day Saints enter the new and everlasting covenant when they enter this Church. They covenant to cease sustaining, upholding and cherishing the kingdom of the Devil and the kingdoms of this world. They enter the new and everlasting covenant to sustain the Kingdom of God and no other kingdom. They take a vow of the most solemn kind, before the heavens and earth, and that, too, upon the validity of their own salvation, that they will sustain truth and righteousness instead of wickedness and falsehood, and build up the Kingdom of God, instead of the kingdoms of this world (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Brigham Young, 62-3).

President McKay stated how we should feel about membership in the Church:

When an applicant for baptism stood at the water’s edge, before being buried with Christ in baptism, he possessed an implicit faith that the Church of Jesus Christ is established upon the earth, and that this organization is the best in the world today for the fostering of spiritual life, for the attaining of true religious development, for the salvation of the soul (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: David O. McKay, 200).

Third - - We Must Be Baptized before We Can Receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost

Baptism and the Gift of the Holy Ghost must be inseparably intertwined for access to the Atonement. Elder Theodore M. Burton talked about this concept as a sign of the true Church in a wonderful talk:

As to the importance of confirmation following baptism by water, Paul recorded that he found some of the Ephesians had been baptized in the same manner of immersion that John the Baptist had used. When Paul then asked if they had received the Holy Ghost, he was astonished to find that they had not even heard about it. He then explained: “John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.
“When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus [not in the name of either John or Paul].
“And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.” (Acts 19:4-6)
In other words, their original baptism was invalid, apparently because it had been performed by someone without proper authority, as evidenced by their lack of knowledge of the complete ordinance (Ensign, Sep 1985, 66).

This quote will also help answer the question at the end of the section on “correct mode of baptism” which asks, “Why is authority to perform a baptism important?” (See p. 117.)

Fourth - - We Must Be Baptized to Show Obedience
President Joseph F. Smith taught:

Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins, by one having authority, is a true principle, because Christ taught it; Christ obeyed it, and would not fail, for anything, to fulfil it—not that He was sinful and needed to be baptized for the remission of sins, but He only needed to do it to fulfill all righteousness, that is, to fulfil the law (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Joseph F. Smith, p. 63).

Fifth - - We Must Be Baptized to Enter the Celestial Kingdom
This section quotes 3 Nephi 11:34 which states, “And whoso believeth not in me, and is not baptized, shall be damned “ (p. 116). Concerning this doctrine, Joseph Smith explained:

Baptism is a sign to God, to angels, and to heaven that we do the will of God, and there is no other way beneath the heavens whereby God hath ordained for man to come to Him to be saved, and enter into the kingdom of God, except faith in Jesus Christ, repentance, and baptism for the remission of sins, and any other course is in vain…
It is a sign and a commandment which God has set for man to enter into His kingdom. Those who seek to enter in any other way will seek in vain; for God will not receive them, neither will the angels acknowledge their works as accepted, for they have not obeyed the ordinances, nor attended to the signs which God ordained for the salvation of man, to prepare him for, and give him a title to, a celestial glory; and God has decreed that all who will not obey His voice shall not escape the damnation of hell. What is the damnation of hell? To go with that society who have not obeyed His commands (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith, p. 91).

Brigham also declared:

Hundreds and thousands of people have believed on the Lord Jesus Christ and repented of their sins, and have had the Holy Spirit to witness unto them that God is love, that they loved him and that he loved them, and yet they are not in his Kingdom. They have not complied with the necessary requirements, they have not entered in at the door (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Brigham Young, 63).

Joseph Smith declared this doctrine Biblical, as well as made a case for the next section on “correct mode of baptism”:

Upon looking over the sacred pages of the Bible, searching into the prophets and sayings of the apostles, we find no subject so nearly connected with salvation, as that of baptism. … Let us understand that the word baptise is derived from the Greek verb baptiso, and means to immerse (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith, p. 91).

Elder William R. Bradford of the Seventies, after quoting the scripture in this section, 3 Nephi 11:33-34, stated:

There are many who mock and scoff at this vital ordinance. It has been changed to fit the convenience of men or, in some instances, has been cast aside entirely as a thing of no significance. Much of the world embraces the false and wicked teachings of Satan, who says God is dead, and therefore, his church is dead, and its ordinances are not of any value. And thus, only a comparatively few have taken upon themselves the name of Christ and entered into his kingdom through the waters of baptism (Ensign, May 1976, 97).

This quote was sound by utilizing “scriptures.byu.edu,” which matches up scriptures with conference talks.

Another great scripture to complement those listed in this section is:

And no unclean thing can enter into his kingdom; therefore nothing entereth into his rest save it be those who have washed their garments in my blood, because of their faith, and the repentance of all their sins, and their faithfulness unto the end (3 Nephi 27:19).

The Correct Mode of Baptism
It may be interesting to discuss 3 Nephi 11:21-30 and note how many times the Savior stressed that there be no “disputations” or “contentions” (as well as where contention comes from - - verse 29) concerning baptism by the correct authority (verses 21 and 220 and immersion (verse 26).

Concerning the “correct mode of baptism,” Brigham Young affirmed:

We, the Latter-day Saints, believe in being baptized by immersion for the remission of sins, according to the testimony of the disciples of Jesus and the revelations of the Lord given in these last days (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Brigham Young, 62).

Note President Young’s statement has to do both with the Bible (“the testimony of the disciples of Jesus”) as well as latter-day scripture. The Bible does declare the correct doctrine of baptism multiple times.

Also, President Joseph F. Smith avowed:

It [baptism] is the door of the Church of Christ, we cannot get in there in any other way, for Christ hath said it, “sprinkling,” or “pouring,” is not baptism. Baptism means immersion in water… (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Joseph F. Smith, 62-3).

In this section is described the wonderful symbolism of baptism as depicted by Paul in Romans 6:3-5. As found using the “scriptures.byu.edu” website mentioned earlier, President David O. McKay explained about baptism:

First, it is an entrance into the kingdom of God. It is the doorway, and it is significant that that doorway is by immersion. Sprinkling will not give it. It spoils the symbol. Pouring will not give it. Only by immersion can that birth mentioned by Jesus be properly carried out. There are three elements in which we are buried—the air, which is our natural element; the earth, in which we can be buried, which takes the physical and ends it; we can be buried in water and come out, and the typical comparison of birth is complete because it means when you get a glimpse of the spiritual you want to leave off the animal life, with its appetites, indulgences, and to develop the spiritual instead of the physical side of your nature.
So we are buried in that element, burying the old man with his appetites, passions, enticements, and coming forth anew. We are born again, buried with Christ in baptism, said the Apostle, for like as Christ was buried, and came forth in a newness of life, so we also all come forth in a newness of life (Rom. 6:4) with all our bad habits, our enmities, our hatreds, buried in the water.
(Conference Report, April 1959, p. 48).

This quote was also found looking in the website “scriptures.byu.edu” under Romans 5:4.

Also concerning the symbolism mentioned in this section, President Joseph F. Smith declared:

It [baptism] is a symbol of the burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and must be done in the likeness thereof… (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Joseph F. Smith, 63).

President McKay also discussed this concept:

He [an applicant for baptism] was about to go through the ordinance of baptism, typical of the burial of his old life, and with it all the imperfections, the frailties, the evils, the sins that accompanied that old living. He was to be buried by baptism, that as Christ was raised from the dead by the power and the glory of the Father, so he might come forth in newness of life, a member of the Church of God, a child of the Father, a citizen in the kingdom of Christ. By baptism he was born again, and became a fit recipient of the Holy Spirit. His body came forth anew, and the Holy Ghost was bestowed upon him; he was confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ. That is where we all stood at one time. Those were our feelings, our faith, our hope (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: David O. McKay, 200).

President McKay also exclaimed:

Though men may scoff at it, ridicule it, and doubt its efficacy, baptism remains ever, even in its simplicity, not only one of the most beautiful symbols known, but also one of the most effective laws operating for the salvation of man (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: David O. McKay, 201).

We sometimes hear that baptism “washes away our sins.” A good question might be, “Is this idea technically true?”

Brigham Young stated:

Has water, in itself, any virtue to wash away sin? Certainly not; but the Lord says, “If the sinner will repent of his sins, and go down into the waters of baptism, and there be buried in the likeness of being put into the earth and buried, and again be delivered from the water, in the likeness of being born—if in the sincerity of his heart he will do this, his sins shall be washed away.” [See D&C 128:12-13.] Will the water of itself wash them away? No; but keeping the commandments of God will cleanse away the stain of sin (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Brigham Young, 64).

This section also discusses the need for “proper authority” (p. 117). Here is what President Brigham Young had to say about this:

You have not the power to baptize yourselves, neither have you power to resurrect yourselves; and you could not legally baptize a second person for the remission of sins until some person first baptized you and ordained you to this authority (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Brigham Young, 63-4).

Baptism at the Age of Accountability

This section teaches in a terrific way that little children have no need for baptism. However, the Lord strongly admonished the need for parents to teach their children:

And again, inasmuch as parents have children in Zion, or in any of her stakes which are organized, that teach them not to understand the doctrine of repentance, faith in Christ the Son of the living God, and of baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of the hands, when eight years old, the sin be upon the heads of the parents (D&C 68:25)..

Relating to this wonderful revelation, President Joseph F. Smith declared:

It is the duty of Latter-day Saints to teach their children the truth, to bring them up in the way they should go, to teach them the first principles of the gospel, the necessity of baptism for the remission of sins, and for membership in the Church of Christ (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith, p. 63).

Joseph Smith made an interesting distinction for those younger than eight and those older than eight:

Children are all made alive in Christ, and those of riper years through faith and repentance (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith, p. 94).

Joseph also emphatically declared concerning little children, as well as “correct mode of baptism” from the previous section:

The doctrine of baptizing children, or sprinkling them, or they must welter in hell, is a doctrine not true, not supported in Holy Writ, and is not consistent with the character of God (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith, p. 94-5).

Joseph Smith affirmed from vision shown him by God:

The heavens were opened upon us, and I beheld the celestial kingdom of God, and the glory thereof. … I also beheld that all children who die before they arrive at the years of accountability are saved in the celestial kingdom of heaven (D&C 137:1, 10).

Brigham Young also taught:

Infants are pure, they have neither sorrow of heart, nor sins to repent of and forsake, and consequently are incapable of being baptized for the remission of sin. If we have sinned, we must know good from evil; an infant does not know this, it cannot know it; it has not grown into the idea of contemplation of good and evil; it has not the capacity to listen to the parent or teacher or to the priest when they tell what is right or wrong or what is injurious; and until these things are understood a person cannot be held accountable and consequently cannot be baptized for the remission of sin [see Moroni 8] (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Brigham Young, 62).

We Make Covenants When We Are Baptized

This section discusses the basics of a covenant. In conference, Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin said:

We covenant that we will show our love for our Heavenly Father… (Ensign, May 1997, 15).

That God loves us is implicit in His wanting to make covenants with us. Thanks to my wife for sharing a terrific statement from a talk at the recent General Relief Society Meeting by Sister Silva H. Allred, first counselor in Relief Society Presidency:

The first time I remember feeling with all certainty that Heavenly Father knew and love and cared for me was when I entered that waters of baptism at the age of fifteen. Before then I knew that God existed and that Jesus Christ was the Savior of the world. I believed in them. I loved them but I never felt their love and care for me individually until that day. As I enjoyed that opportunity to make Baptismal Covenants, I realized what a great miracle it had been that I was taught by the missionaries especially with only a handful of missionaries amongst a million people and I learned though them that Heavenly Father knew me and loved me in a special way that He guided the missionaries to my home. I know now that God is a God of love.

It may me valuable to point out that in the list on p. 118 there are four promises we make to God and five that He promises us. God will always give us more than we can ever give Him (Mosiah 2:20-21).

Promise # 4 in the list of what God promises us is “come forth in the First Resurrection” (p. 118). For those who may not be aware, this means eternity in the Celestial Kingdom, as stated in D&C 76:62-64:

These shall dwell in the presence of God and his Christ forever and ever.
These are they whom he shall bring with him, when he shall come in the clouds of heaven to reign on the earth over his people.
These are they who shall have part in the first resurrection.

So this would also include being present for the entire Millennium.

For those who have been to the temple, remind them to listen more closely next time they do and endowment or initiatory for this promise. For those who have not been to the temple, encourage them to prepare and go to the temple.

Baptism Gives Us a New Beginning
President Joseph F. Smith taught:

Then, we say to you who have repented of your sins, who have been buried with Christ in baptism, who have been raised from the liquid grave to newness of life, born of the water and of the Spirit, and who have been made the children of the Father, heirs of God and joint heirs with Jesus Christ—we say to you, if you will observe the laws of God, and cease to do evil, … and have faith in God, believe in the truth and receive it, and be honest before God and man, that you will be set up on high, and God will put you at the head, just as sure as you observe these commandments. Whoso will keep the commandments of God, no matter whether it be you or any other people, they will rise and not fall, they will lead and not follow, they will go upward and not downward. God will exalt them and magnify them before the nations of the earth, and he will set the seal of his approval upon them, will name them as his own. This is my testimony to you (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Joseph F. Smith, 64-5).

For the process of “rebirth” discussed in this section, Elder Bruce R. McConkie taught something very significant:

Few doctrines are better known by members of the true church than the doctrine of preexistence. We are well aware that all men are the children of God, the offspring of the Father, his sons and daughters…
What is not so well known is that nearly all the passages of scripture, both ancient and modern, which speak of God as our Father and of men on earth being the sons of God, have no reference to our birth in preexistence as the children of Elohim, but teach rather that Jehovah is our Father and we are his children…
Whose sons and whose daughters do we become when we are born again? Who is our Father? The answer is, Christ is our Father; we become his children by adoption; he makes us members of his family (The Promised Messiah: The First Coming of Christ, 351).

This is apparently what Jesus Christ was meant in addressing Joseph Smith:

Who so loved the world that he gave his own life, that as many as would believe might become the sons of God. Wherefore you are my son;
And blessed are you because you have believed; (D&C 34:3 - 4)

Similarly, King Benjamin taught:

And now, because of the covenant which ye have made ye shall be called the children of Christ, his sons, and his daughters; for behold, this day he hath spiritually begotten you; for ye say that your hearts are changed through faith on his name; therefore, ye are born of him and have become his sons and his daughters.
And under this head ye are made free, and there is no other head whereby ye can be made free. There is no other name given whereby salvation cometh; therefore, I would that ye should take upon you the name of Christ, all you that have entered into the covenant with God that ye should be obedient unto the end of your lives.
And it shall come to pass that whosoever doeth this shall be found at the right hand of God, for he shall know the name by which he is called; for he shall be called by the name of Christ (Mosiah 5:7-9).

In the wonderful talk previously mentioned, Elder Theodore M. Burton explained:

Now, if we are born again, we must be born into a family. Into whose family are we born? Why, into the family of Jesus Christ! The scriptures refer to the Savior as the Bridegroom and to the church as the bride. Through baptism, then, we become children in that royal family, with Jesus Christ as our Father. Through the baptismal ordinance we take upon ourselves a new family name—the name of Jesus Christ. Paul states that we are thereby adopted as the sons and daughters of Jesus Christ (next quotes Romans 8:14-17)…
By the ordinance of baptism and confirmation, a person is both physically and spiritually adopted as a child of Jesus Christ…
When we are baptized, we actually make a new covenant with God the Eternal Father to take upon us the name of his Only Begotten Son. Jesus Christ thus becomes by adoption our covenant Father. Thus, though he was, and is, our Elder Brother, he is also now our covenant Father, and we have become his covenant sons and daughters. We desire to be respectful and show our gratitude to him for the opportunity we have to become members of his royal family…
Through baptism we have become adopted members of the royal family of Jesus Christ, and that is the basic reason we now call each other “brother” or “sister.” We have indeed become members of the Church, or family, of Jesus Christ.
If we can keep that concept clearly in mind, that we are covenant children of Jesus Christ, as well as children of our Heavenly Father, it will change our lives (Ensign, Sep 1985, 66).

In conference, Elder Russell M. Nelson also explained:

When we embrace the gospel and are baptized, we are born again and take upon ourselves the sacred name of Jesus Christ. [See D&C 20:37.] We are adopted as his sons and daughters and are known as brothers and sisters. He is the Father of our new life. We become joint heirs to promises given by the Lord to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and their posterity [See Gal. 3:29; D&C 86:8-11.] (Ensign, May 1995, 32).

This concept of Christ as our Father will also be important later in Chapter 23, “The Sacrament.”
Again, from “scriptures.byu.edu” is found the following quote from President James E. Faust concerning the importance of “baptism gives us a new beginning”:

Covenants are not simply outward rituals; they are real and effective means of change. “Being born again, comes by the Spirit of God through ordinances” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, 162) (Ensign, May 1998, 17).

Helping all of us remember that this doctrine of “taking upon ourselves the name of Jesus Christ is a process, Elder Dallin H. Oaks instructed us in conference:

It is significant that when we partake of the sacrament we do not witness that we take upon us the name of Jesus Christ. We witness that we are willing to do so. (See D&C 20:77.) The fact that we only witness to our willingness suggests that something else must happen before we actually take that sacred name upon us in the most important sense.

What future event or events could this covenant contemplate? The scriptures suggest two sacred possibilities, one concerning the authority of God, especially as exercised in the temples, and the other—closely related—concerning exaltation in the celestial kingdom...

Our willingness to take upon us the name of Jesus Christ affirms our commitment to do all that we can to be counted among those whom he will choose to stand at his right hand and be called by his name at the last day. In this sacred sense, our witness that we are willing to take upon us the name of Jesus Christ constitutes our declaration of candidacy for exaltation in the celestial kingdom. Exaltation is eternal life, ‘the greatest of all the gifts of God’ (D&C 14:7)” (Ensign, May 1985, 80).

All of this should be of great help in discussing the wonderful question at the end of the lesson, “How was your baptism a new beginning? (p. 118)”

Chapter 19: Repentance

We All Need to Repent

Tremendous resources for this lesson can be found in the Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: ... (the old Priesthood/Relief Society manuals). Especially helpful will be the manuals for Joseph Smith, Chapter 5, Brigham Young, chapter 9, Joseph F. Smith, Chapter 7, David O. McKay, Chapter 21, and Harold B. Lee, pp. 29-30 (Chapter 4). Remember, these can all be found on “lds.org” by clicking on “Gospel Library” then “Lessons” then “Melchizedek Priesthood and Relief Society.” All of the manuals are listed at the bottom of this page. Following are some ideas on “What is the Priesthood?” from these sources:

The first question in this section is “What is Sin?” In the third paragraph the answer is given from James 4:17.

If you go onto “lds.org” and look across the top, there is a link named “A-Z Index.” These are gospel topics with quick answers as well as scriptural references. If you click on “S” and then click “Sin” you get the following:

To commit sin is to willfully disobey God's commandments or to fail to act righteously despite a knowledge of the truth (see James 4:17).

So according to James, sin is knowing what to do and not doing it. According to the above statement, sin is also knowing what not to do and doing it.

President David O. McKay related the following concerning sin:

John Wesley’s mother [John Wesley was a noted theologian] reputedly has given us this:
“Take this rule: Now note—whatever weakens your reason, impairs the tenderness of your conscience, obscures your sense of God, takes off your relish for spiritual things, whatever increases the authority of the body over the mind, that thing is sin to you, however innocent it may seem in itself” (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: David O. McKay, 198).

It is interesting that although there is consensus in the Christian world about the scriptural fact that all men sin, there is very little understood or taught by other churches on the subject of repentance. President McKay had this to say:

It is inconceivable to think that anyone can even question the essentiality of repentance (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: David O. McKay, 198).

In a terrific quote, Joseph Smith also stated:

I shall speak with authority of the Priesthood in the name of the Lord God. … Notwithstanding this congregation profess to be Saints, yet I stand in the midst of all [kinds of] characters and classes of men. If you wish to go where God is, you must be like God, or possess the principles which God possesses, for if we are not drawing towards God in principle, we are going from Him and drawing towards the devil. Yes, I am standing in the midst of all kinds of people.
Search your hearts, and see if you are like God. I have searched mine, and feel to repent of all my sins (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith, p. 72).

Similarly, President Joseph F. Smith taught:

Who can say in his heart, in the presence of God and man, “I have truly repented of all my sins.” … I have many weaknesses and imperfections. I have as many weaknesses as many of you, and I do not know but what I have more than a great many of you. … I have not been able yet to live up to and honor this second principle of the gospel of Jesus Christ; and I would like to see the man who has. I would like to see the human preacher who has done it. But I am trying, I want you to understand, my brethren and sisters, I am still trying (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Joseph F. Smith, p. 61).

Becoming Free from Our Sins through Repentance

It may be important to understand what repentance is before continuing our study. Here are some scriptures and statements from prophets which help:

“Repent, and turn yourselves from your idols; and turn away your faces from all your abominations” (Ezek. 14:6).

O, my beloved brethren, turn away from your sins… (2 Nephi 9:45).

And it shall come to pass that except this people repent and turn unto the Lord their God, they shall be brought into bondage; and none shall deliver them, except it be the Lord the Almighty God (Mosiah 11:23).

Now my son, I would that ye should repent and forsake your sins, and go no more after the lusts of your eyes, but cross yourself in all these things; for except ye do this ye can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God. Oh, remember, and take it upon you, and cross yourself in these things (Alma 39:9).

From the Book of Mormon Student Manual, p. 239:

The phrase, “cross yourself,” as used in Alma 39:9, is not familiar to us today. However, in Webster’s 1828 dictionary, we find the following helpful definitions that relate to Alma’s counsel to his son: “To erase, to cancel, to counteract, to stop, to preclude” (Noah Webster’s First Edition of an American Dictionary of the English Language, 1828 [1967]).

[Remember all of the Institute manuals are online at “institute.lds.org” then “Institute Courses & Manuals.”]

The Greek word of which this is the translation denotes a change of mind, i.e., a fresh view about God, about oneself, and about the world. Since we are born into conditions of mortality, repentance comes to mean a turning of the heart and will to God, and a renunciation of sin to which we are naturally inclined (Bible Dictionary, under “repentance”).

True repentance only is acceptable to God, nothing short of it will answer the purpose. Then what is true repentance? True repentance is not only sorrow for sins, and humble penitence and contrition before God, but it involves the necessity of turning away from them, a discontinuance of all evil practices and deeds, a thorough reformation of life, a vital change from evil to good, from vice to virtue, from darkness to light.
No mouth profession of repentance is acceptable to God unless it is carried out in practice. We must have works as well as faith; we must do as well as pretend to do (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Joseph F. Smith, p. 61).

Repentance is the turning away from that which is low and the striving for that which is higher (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: David O. McKay, p. 199).

In thus changing your life from those things which are on the animal plane, you repent of your sins. If you profane Deity, never do it again! Instead of profaning his name, worship him! And once that feeling of change comes to the soul, you desire to be born again, to have a new life (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: David O. McKay, p. 199).

Now, if you have made mistakes, make today the beginning of a change of your lives. Turn from the thing that you have been doing that is wrong. The most important of all the commandments of God is that one that you are having the most difficulty keeping today (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Harold B. Lee, p. 30).

The Lord made it very clear in the early years of this dispensation that we have no greater responsibility than to encourage people to repent. That simply means that we encourage them to forsake evil, to turn around, and to set their lives in harmony with the truths of the everlasting gospel (President Gordon B. Hinckley, Tambuli, May 1989, 2).

This is a day of repentance when you and I can turn around and face up to our responsibilities (President Gordon B. Hinckley, Ensign, July 1998, 74).

So, repentance must be simply turning away from sin and towards righteousness. All of these quotes supplement the statement made in the section “Seventh - - We Must Keep the Commandments of God” which states:

“When we repent, our life changes” (p. 111).

Perhaps the most important sentence to remember in this whole lesson is the following:

“The privilege of repenting is made possible through the Atonement of Jesus Christ” (p. 109).

Repentance cannot be understood as a principle separated from the doctrine of the Atonement.

Elder Richard G. Scott declared:

Indeed, it is that very Atonement that makes repentance even possible (Ensign, Nov 2002, 86).

In a conference talk by Elder Richard G. Hinckley, he expressed gratitude for “…the magnificent principle of repentance and for the Atonement that makes it possible…” (Ensign, May 2006, 48).

Alma taught:

And thus he shall bring salvation to all those who shall believe on his name; this being the intent of this last sacrifice, to bring about the bowels of mercy, which overpowereth justice, and bringeth about means unto men that they may have faith unto repentance.
And thus mercy can satisfy the demands of justice, and encircles them in the arms of safety, while he that exercises no faith unto repentance is exposed to the whole law of the demands of justice; therefore only unto him that has faith unto repentance is brought about the great and eternal plan of redemption (Alma 34:15-16).

Referring to this scripture, Elder Dallin H. Oaks explained:

What is meant by Alma 34:16 is that the person who repents does not need to suffer even as the Savior suffered for that sin. Sinners who are repenting will experience some suffering, but because of their repentance and the Atonement they will not experience the full, exquisite extent of eternal torment the Savior suffered for those sins (Ensign, Apr 2010, 30).

President Lee stated:

An all-wise Father, foreseeing that some would fall in sin and all would have need to repent, has provided in the teachings of his gospel and through his Church the plan of salvation that defines the clear-cut way to repentance (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Harold B. Lee, p. 29).

A great scripture to supplement the quote in this section by President Joseph Fielding Smith is Mosiah 3:7

And lo, he shall suffer temptations, and pain of body, hunger, thirst, and fatigue, even more than man can suffer, except it be unto death; for behold, blood cometh from every pore, so great shall be his anguish for the wickedness and the abominations of his people (bolded emphasis added).

Principles of Repentance

Like all principles, repentance is an eternal principle. President Joseph F. Smith proclaimed:

I want to say to you that the principles of the gospel are always true…
…principles are always true and are always absolutely necessary for the salvation of the children of men, no matter who they are or where they are. …
Repentance of a sin is an eternal principle (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Joseph F. Smith, p. 60).

It may be important to ask “What principles were taught on an earth trillions of years ago and what principles are going to be taught on an earth trillions of years from now?” Of course, the answer had better be the same as are in this manual.

In a talk given at the Brigham Young University–Idaho Devotional on April 24, 2007, Byron Webster quoted an experience Robert Millet had when he served as a Bishop and later published in the forward of a book he wrote entitled “By Grace Are Ye Saved”:

Some years ago I sat in my office just before sacrament meeting was to start. A young woman from my ward knocked on the door and said she would like to visit with me for a moment. I told her we could chat for a bit but that sacrament meeting would be starting soon. She assured me that this would only take a minute or two.
After we had been seated she said: “Bishop, I need to confess a sin.”
I was startled with the suddenness of the statement and offered the
following: “Well, that could take some time, couldn’t it? Shall we meet after the block of meetings today?”
She quickly responded: “Oh no! This will just take a second.”
I asked her to go ahead and she proceeded to describe in some detail a very serious moral transgression in which she had been involved. It was now about one minute before the meetings were to start, so I tried again:
“Why don’t we meet together after Priesthood and Relief Society meetings?”
She then staggered me by saying, “Well, I don’t know why we would need to, unless it would be helpful to you, or something.”
I indicated that such a meeting might prove beneficial to both of us and she agreed to return.
Three hours later we sat in my office and I asked her, “How do you feel about what has happened?”
She responded, “Just fine.” I must have shown my perplexity, because she
added: “For a number of hours I felt bad about what happened, but it’s okay now because I’ve repented.”
I couldn’t ask her the question fast enough, “What do you mean when you say that you have repented?” (She had explained to me earlier that the transgression had taken place on Friday night, and it was now Sunday afternoon.)
She reached into her purse and pulled out a yellow sheet of paper.
Pointing one by one to various headings that began with R, she said, “I’ve done this, and this, and this and this, and finally I’ve confessed to you.
I’ve repented.”
“It seems to me that you’ve skipped an R, that your list is missing something,” I said.
A startled but persistent look was in her eyes, and I noted a slight impatience with me as she said, “No, that can’t be. I have everything listed here!”
The R you’re missing,” I responded “is Redeemer. You have no place for Christ on your list. I mean, what does Jesus Christ have to do with your transgression? What does what happened in Gethsemane and on Calvary some two thousand years ago have to do with what happened to you two nights ago?”
She answered: “Jesus died for me. He died for my sins.”
To almost every question I asked thereafter about the Atonement she gave a perfect answer – at least, a perfectly correct answer. She had been well trained, and her answers reflected an awareness of the doctrines associated with repentance. But the answers were all totally cerebral, straight from memory and mind –not from the heart. She obviously saw not real tie between her own ungodly actions and the infinite actions of a God. We spent several hours that day and many days thereafter – searching the scriptures, praying together, and counseling over the way back to the straight and narrow path. She came, in time, to know the correct answers—this time by feeling, that is, from the heart (Robert L. Millet, By Grace Are Ye Saved, Bookcraft, Inc. SLC, 1989, introduction).

This story by Bishop Millet helps answer the question at the very end of this section which asks:

“How do the teachings in this section differ from the false idea that repentance is the performance of a list of simple steps or routine actions?” (p. 112)

This story could also be included if an eighth step were added to this section, which might be entitled “Eighth - - We Must Acknowledge Our Redeemer.”

First - - We Must Recognize Our Sins

Poignant is Joseph Smith’s letter to his brother William who had become angry with him:

“[I have spoken to you] for the express purpose of endeavoring to warn, exhort, admonish, and rescue you from falling into difficulties and sorrows, which I foresaw you plunging into, by giving way to that wicked spirit, which you call your passions, which you should curb and break down, and put under your feet; which if you do not, you never can be saved, in my view, in the Kingdom of God. God requires the will of His creatures to be swallowed up in His will (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith, p. 74).

Second - - We Must feel Sorrow for Our Sins

This section is wonderful for “sincere sorrow” necessary for repentance. It may be important for us to recognize that “sincere sorrow” must lie somewhere in between “too little sorrow” and “too much sorrow.” The last part of verse 29 of Alma 42 was quoted in the previous section. Here is the entire verse:

And now, my son, I desire that ye should let these things trouble you no more, and only let your sins trouble you, with that trouble which shall bring you down unto repentance.

Alma counsels his son to “…let these things trouble you no more…” Too much “sorrow” may not be productive in the repentance process.

Elder Richard G. Scott explained both “too little” and “too much” in conference:

To feel sorrow and be motivated to confess is a proper beginning, but it is not sufficient. When confession is voluntary, the action required for repentance is greatly simplified. It does no good for an individual to stonewall efforts of a judge in Israel to encourage repentance by denying that a real transgression has occurred or by being otherwise unyielding.
To you who have sincerely repented yet continue to feel the burden of guilt, realize that to continue to suffer for sins when there has been proper repentance and forgiveness of the Lord is prompted by the master of deceit. Lucifer will encourage you to continue to relive the details of past mistakes, knowing that such thoughts can hamper your progress. Thus he attempts to tie strings to the mind and body so that he can manipulate you like a puppet to discourage personal achievement (Ensign, Nov 2000, 25).

Sorrow for sin is certainly OPPOSITE from the mental state of the little boy who was overheard praying: “Lord, if you can’t make me a better boy, don’t worry about it. I’m having a good time like I am.”

Third - - We Must Forsake Our Sins

President Monson gave a wonderful example for this section in conference:

An inspiring lesson is learned from a “Viewpoint” article which appeared some time ago in the Church News. May I quote:
“To some it may seem strange to see ships of many nations loading and unloading cargo along the docks at Portland, Ore. That city is 100 miles from the ocean. Getting there involves a difficult, often turbulent passage over the bar guarding the Columbia River and a long trip up the Columbia and Willamette Rivers.
“But ship captains like to tie up at Portland. They know that as their ships travel the seas, a curious saltwater shellfish called a barnacle fastens itself to the hull and stays there for the rest of its life, surrounding itself with a rocklike shell. As more and more [of these] barnacles attach themselves, they increase the ship’s drag, slow its progress, decrease its efficiency.
“Periodically, the ship must go into dry dock, where with great effort the barnacles are chiseled or scraped off. It’s a difficult, expensive process that ties up the ship for days.
“But not if the captain can get his ship to Portland. Barnacles can’t live in fresh water. There, in the sweet, fresh waters of the Willamette or Columbia, the barnacles die and some fall away, while those that remain are easily removed. Thus, the ship returns to its task lightened and renewed.
“Sins are like those barnacles. Hardly anyone goes through life without picking up some. They increase the drag, slow our progress, decrease our efficiency. Unrepented, building up one on another, they can eventually sink us.
“In His infinite love and mercy, our Lord has provided a harbor where, through repentance, our barnacles fall away and are forgotten. With our souls lightened and renewed, we can go efficiently about our work and His (Ensign, May 2000, 46).

Fourth - - We Must Confess Our Sins

Brigham Young had this to say about confession:

I believe in coming out and being plain and honest with that which should be made public, and in keeping to yourselves that which should be kept. … Tell to the public that which belongs to the public. If you have sinned against the people, confess to them. If you have sinned against a family or a neighborhood, go to them and confess. … If you have sinned against one individual, take that person by yourselves and make your confession to him (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Brigham Young, p. 61).

President Joseph F. Smith taught:

I believe in the principle of repentance, because I have tested it and I know it to be good. If in an evil moment I have said or done anything that has given offense to my brother, I never could be satisfied or feel free from a certain degree of bondage until I went to that brother whom I had wronged, repented of my sin and made it right with him. Then the load would be lifted and I would at once feel the good effect of repentance of sin (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Joseph F. Smith, p. 59).

Fifth - - We Must Make Restitution

Two wonderful scriptures on restitution are:

Then they shall confess their sin which they have done: and he shall recompense his trespass with the principal thereof, and add unto it the fifth part thereof, and give it unto him against whom he hath trespassed (Numbers 5:7).

If thou borrowest of thy neighbor, thou shalt restore that which thou hast borrowed; and if thou canst not repay then go straightway and tell thy neighbor, lest he condemn thee.
If thou shalt find that which thy neighbor has lost, thou shalt make diligent search till thou shalt deliver it to him again (D&C 136:25-26).

Elder Boyd K. Packer discussed restitution in a wonderful conference talk:

To earn forgiveness, one must make restitution. That means you give back what you have taken or ease the pain of those you have injured.
But sometimes you cannot give back what you have taken because you don’t have it to give. If you have caused others to suffer unbearably—defiled someone’s virtue, for example—it is not within your power to give it back.
There are times you cannot mend that which you have broken. Perhaps the offense was long ago, or the injured refused your penance. Perhaps the damage was so severe that you cannot fix it no matter how desperately you want to.
Your repentance cannot be accepted unless there is restitution. If you cannot undo what you have done, you are trapped. It is easy to understand how helpless and hopeless you then feel and why you might want to give up, just as Alma did.
The thought that rescued Alma, when he acted upon it, is this: Restoring what you cannot restore, healing the wound you cannot heal, fixing that which you broke and you cannot fix is the very purpose of the Atonement of Christ.
When your desire is firm and you are willing to pay the “uttermost farthing” (Matt. 5:25-26), the law of restitution is suspended. Your obligation is transferred to the Lord. He will settle your accounts.
I repeat, save for the exception of the very few who defect to perdition, there is no habit, no addiction, no rebellion, no transgression, no apostasy, no crime exempted from the promise of complete forgiveness. That is the promise of the Atonement of Christ.
How all can be repaired, we do not know. It may not all be accomplished in this life. We know from visions and visitations that the servants of the Lord continue the work of redemption beyond the veil (see D&C 138) (New Era, Apr. 2005, 4).

Sixth - - We Must Forgive Others

President Heber J. Grant shares a marvelous experience concerning forgiveness:

Some years ago a prominent man was excommunicated from the Church. He, years later, pleaded for baptism. President John Taylor referred the question of his baptism to the apostles, stating [in a letter] that if they unanimously consented to his baptism, he could be baptized, but that if there was one dissenting vote, he should not be admitted into the Church. As I remember the vote, it was five for baptism and seven against. A year or so later the question came up again and it was eight for baptism and four against. Later it came up again and it was ten for baptism and two against. Finally all of the Council of the Apostles, with the exception of your humble servant, consented that this man be baptized and I was then next to the junior member of the quorum. Later I was in the office of the president and he said:
“Heber, I understand that eleven of the apostles have consented to the baptism of Brother So and So,” naming the man, “and that you alone are standing out. How will you feel when you get on the other side and you find that this man has pleaded for baptism and you find that you have perhaps kept him out from entering in with those who have repented of their sins and received some reward?”
I said, “President John Taylor, I can look the Lord squarely in the eye, if he asks me that question, and tell him that I did that which I thought was for the best good of the kingdom. … I can tell the Lord that [that man] had disgraced this Church enough, and that I did not propose to let any such a man come back into the Church.”
“Well,” said President Taylor, “my boy, that is all right, stay with your convictions, stay right with them.”
I said, “President Taylor, your letter said you wanted each one of the apostles to vote the convictions of his heart. If you desire me to surrender the convictions of my heart, I will gladly do it; I will gladly vote for this man to come back, but while I live I never expect to consent, if it is left to my judgment. That man was accused before the apostles several years ago and he stood up and lied and claimed that he was innocent, and the Lord gave to me a testimony that he lied, but I could not condemn him because of that. I got down on my knees that night and prayed God to give me the strength not to expose that man, seeing that he had lied but that we had no evidence, except only the testimony of the girl that he had seduced. And I prayed the Lord that some day additional testimony might come, and it did come, and we then excommunicated him. And when a man can lie to the apostles, and when he can be guilty while proclaiming repentance of sin, I think this Church has been disgraced enough without ever letting him come back into the Church.”
“Well,” repeated President Taylor, “my boy, don’t you vote as long as you live, while you hold those ideas, stay right with them.”
I left the president’s office. I went home. … I was reading the Doctrine and Covenants through for the third or fourth time systematically, and I had my bookmark in it, but as I picked it up, instead of opening where the bookmark was, it opened to:
“I, the Lord, will forgive whom I will forgive, but of you it is required to forgive all men; but he that forgiveth not his brother standeth condemned before the Lord.” [See D&C 64:9-10.]
And I closed the book and said: “If the devil applies for baptism, and claims that he has repented, I will baptize him.”
After lunch I returned to the office of President Taylor and I said, “President Taylor, I have had a change of heart. One hour ago I said, never while I live, did I expect to ever consent that Brother So and So should be baptized, but I have come to tell you he can be baptized, so far as I am concerned.”
President Taylor had a habit, when he was particularly pleased, of sitting up and laughing and shaking his whole body, and he laughed and said, “My boy, the change is very sudden, very sudden. I want to ask you a question. How did you feel when you left here an hour ago? Did you feel like you wanted to hit that man right squarely between the eyes and knock him down?”
I said, “That is just the way I felt.”
He said, “How do you feel now?”
“Well, to tell you the truth, President Taylor, I hope the Lord will forgive the sinner.”
He said, “You feel happy, don’t you, in comparison. You had the spirit of anger, you had the spirit of bitterness in your heart toward that man, because of his sin and because of the disgrace he had brought upon the Church. And now you have the spirit of forgiveness and you really feel happy, don’t you?”
And I said, “Yes I do; I felt mean and hateful and now I feel happy.”
And he said: “Do you know why I wrote that letter?”
I said: “No, sir.”
“Well I wrote it, just so you and some of the younger members of the apostles would learn the lesson that forgiveness is in advance of justice, where there is repentance, and that to have in your heart the spirit of forgiveness and to eliminate from your hearts the spirit of hatred and bitterness, brings peace and joy; that the gospel of Jesus Christ brings joy, peace and happiness to every soul that lives it and follows its teachings.”
And so he went on. I cannot remember all of the teachings, but he continued in this way, telling me that he could never have given me that experience, that he could not give to me a testimony of the gospel; that I must receive that testimony for myself; that I must have the right spirit come into my heart and feel it—the spirit of forgiveness, the spirit of long-suffering and charity—before there would any good come to me as an individual; that by simply surrendering my will to his, and voting to baptize this man, I would never have learned the lesson that the spirit of joy and peace comes in the hour of forgiveness, and when our hearts are full of charity and long-suffering to those who have made mistakes. From that day to this I have remembered those teachings.
The Prophet of the Lord [President Taylor] said:
“My boy, never forget that when you are in the line of your duty your heart will be full of love and forgiveness, even for the repentant sinner, and that when you get out of that straight line of duty and have the determination that what you think is justice and what you think is equity and right should prevail, you ofttimes are anything but happy. You can know the difference between the Spirit of the Lord and the spirit of the adversary, when you find that you are happy and contented, that you love your fellows, that you are anxious for their welfare; and you can tell that you do not have that Spirit when you are full of animosity and feel that you would like to knock somebody down” (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Heber J. Grant, 149-152)

That President Grant learned this lesson not only in his head and heart, but in his very soul seems to be born out by his daughter’s assessment of him:

He never seems to bear malice. He is bitter in his denouncement of sin, but to the sinner he is most merciful (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Heber J. Grant, 147).

In the second sentence of this section it states, “The Lord will not forgive us unless our hearts are fully cleansed of all hate, bitterness, and bad feelings against other people” (p. 111).

President Grant also had this to say about forgiveness:

There is nothing that will bring more joy to us than to be ready and willing to forgive the trespasses of our neighbors against us, and there is nothing that will bring more condemnation to us than to harden our hearts and to be bitter and vindictive in our feelings towards those by whom we are surrounded (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Heber J. Grant, 148).

Apparently these are our only two choices. Perhaps the commandment to forgive is like a spiritual Word of Wisdom for our soul. It appears to be for our good and really has not nearly as much to do with those who offend us.

Many examples can be found like the one President James E. Faust shared:

The Lord requires us “to forgive all men” (D&C 64:10) for our own good because “hatred retards spiritual growth.” (Orson F. Whitney, Gospel Themes, 144). Only as we rid ourselves of hatred and bitterness can the Lord put comfort into our hearts…
Here in Salt Lake City in 1985, Bishop Steven Christensen, through no fault of his own, was cruelly and senselessly killed by a bomb intended to take his life. He was the son of Mac and Joan Christensen, the husband of Terri, and the father of four children. With his parents’ consent, I share what they learned from this experience. After this terrible deed, the news media followed members of the Christensen family around relentlessly. On one occasion this media intrusion offended one of the family members to the point that Steven’s father, Mac, had to restrain him. Mac then thought, “This thing will destroy my family if we don’t forgive. Venom and hatred will never end if we do not get it out of our system.” Healing and peace came as the family cleansed their hearts from anger and were able to forgive the man who took their son’s life (Ensign, May 2007, 67).

Seventh - - We Must Keep the Commandments of God

From the Bible Dictionary, under “repentance”:

Without this there can be no progress in the things of the soul’s salvation, for all accountable persons are stained by sin, and must be cleansed in order to enter the kingdom of heaven.

A great scripture on this subject is:

For I the Lord cannot look upon sin with the least degree of allowance;
Nevertheless, he that repents and does the commandments of the Lord shall be forgiven;
And he that repents not, from him shall be taken even the light which he has received; for my Spirit shall not always strive with man, saith the Lord of Hosts (D&C 1:31-33).

Elder Richard G. Scott commented on the above scripture:

That scripture emphasizes that the Lord cannot abide sin but He will forgive the repentant sinner because of His perfect love. It also teaches that not only is it important to keep a commandment you have broken, but by obeying all of the commandments you will obtain additional power and support in the process of repentance (Ensign, Nov 2002, 86).

This quote was found by using the “LDS Scripture Citation Index” found at “scriptures.byu.edu” in which you can pull up any scripture and find how general authorities used it in conference.

How Repentance Helps Us

In the last lesson on faith, we studied the wonderful instruction on “planting the seed” from Alma 32. President Lee gave this wonderful counsel to add repentance to the process with the following:

In order for good to blossom it must be cultivated and exercised by constant practice, and to be truly righteous there is required a daily pruning of the evil growth of our characters by a daily repentance from sin (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Harold B. Lee, p. 29).

A terrific application of this principle is found in the translation of the Book of Mormon as given by David Whitmer:

“One morning when [Joseph Smith] was getting ready to continue the translation, something went wrong about the house and he was put out about it. Something that Emma, his wife, had done. Oliver and I went upstairs and Joseph came up soon after to continue the translation but he could not do anything. He could not translate a single syllable. He went downstairs, out into the orchard, and made supplication to the Lord; [he] was gone about an hour—came back to the house, and asked Emma’s forgiveness and then came upstairs where we were and then the translation went on all right.” (B. H. Roberts, Comprehensive History of the Church, 1:131.)

Joseph Smith proclaimed the following:

There is never a time when the spirit is too old to approach God. All are within the reach of pardoning mercy, who have not committed the unpardonable sin (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith, p. 76).

The Dangers of Procrastinating Our Repentance

President Lee had this to say about Satan and procrastination:

Let’s face it. All of us have done something that we ought not to have done, or we have neglected to do things we should have done. All of us then have made mistakes, and every one of us needs to repent. The old devil would have you believe that if you have made one mistake, why don’t you just keep on making mistakes? That is Satan trying to tell you that there is no chance to come back. But you must turn your face towards the rising sun, and through repentance turn from the thing you have done that is wrong and never go back again thereto. The Lord said, “Go [thy way] and sin no more; but unto that soul who sinneth [meaning again] shall the former sins return, saith the Lord your God” (D&C 82:7) (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Harold B. Lee, p. 30).

One of the pernicious false doctrines Satan has introduced into other churches is “death bed repentance.” Similarly, Satan has introduced into some Latter-day Saints the idea that “I can have fun [do wickedly] now and repent before I go on a mission or get married in the temple.”

Here is what Joseph Smith had to say about the former:

We should take warning and not wait for the death-bed to repent; as we see the infant taken away by death, so may the youth and middle aged, as well as the infant be suddenly called into eternity. Let this, then, prove as a warning to all not to procrastinate repentance, or wait till a death-bed, for it is the will of God that man should repent and serve Him in health, and in the strength and power of his mind, in order to secure His blessing, and not wait until he is called to die (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith, p. 73).

Brigham Young also weighed in on the former:

Some of our old traditions teach us that a man guilty of atrocious and murderous acts may savingly repent when on the scaffold; and upon his execution will hear the expression, “Bless God! he has gone to heaven, to be crowned in glory, through the all-redeeming merits of Christ the Lord.” This is all nonsense. Such a character never will see heaven. Some will pray, “O that I had passed through the veil on the night of my conversion!” This proves the false ideas and vain notions entertained by the Christian world (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Brigham Young , p. 62).

Concerning the latter, there may be no better counsel that the following from For the Strength of Youth pamphlet:

Some people knowingly break God’s commandments, expecting to repent before they go to the temple or serve a mission. Such deliberate sin mocks the Savior’s Atonement and invites Satan to influence your life. Repentance for such behavior is difficult and can take a long time. If you sin in this way, you may lose years of blessings and spiritual guidance. You may become trapped in the sinful behavior, making it difficult to find your way back (p. 30).

In an Ensign article, Barbara Lockhart related the following about Elder M. Russell Ballard’s grandfather, also an apostle:

In his classic discourse, The Three Degrees of Glory, Elder Melvin J. Ballard admonishes us to overcome all things in this life. We will not lose the tendencies of the flesh when we die and go to the spirit world. “They will be with us,” he says. “It is my judgment that any man or woman can do more to conform to the laws of God in one year in this life than they could in ten years when they are dead. … It is much easier to overcome and serve the Lord when both flesh and spirit are combined as one.” (Ensign, Feb 1985, 57)

Perhaps it should be taught that repentance is only one of two options we sinners have. In D&C 19:15-17 Jesus Christ, who suffered for all of our sins, declared:

Therefore I command you to repent—repent, lest I smite you by the rod of my mouth, and by my wrath, and by my anger, and your sufferings be sore—how sore you know not, how exquisite you know not, yea, how hard to bear you know not.
For behold, I, God, have suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer if they would repent;
But if they would not repent they must suffer even as I;

In a wonderful Ensign article entitled, “Beauty for Ashes: The Atonement of Jesus Christ,” Bruce C. Hafen, before he was called to the quorum of seventy, stated:

Through his sinless life, his genetic nature as the Only Begotten of the Father, and his willingness to drink the bitter cup of justice, the Savior was able to atone unconditionally for Adam and Eve’s transgression and for physical death, and to atone conditionally for our personal sins. The unconditional part of the Atonement is a free gift of grace requiring no further action on our part. The conditional part, however, requires our repentance as the condition of applying mercy to our personal sins. If we do not repent, we must suffer even as the Lord did to satisfy the demands of justice. (See D&C 19:15-17.)
However, if we refuse to repent, and thereby must satisfy justice by suffering for our own sins, we will remain unprepared to enter the celestial kingdom. Unless we accept the Savior’s invitation to carry our sins, we will not experience the complete rehabilitation that occurs through a combination of divine assistance and genuine repentance (Ensign, Apr 1990, 7).

Chapter 18: Faith in Jesus Christ

What is Faith?

Tremendous resources for this lesson can be found in the Teachings of the Presidents of the Church:... (the old Priesthood/Relief Society manuals). Especially helpful will be the manuals for Brigham Young, chapter 8, Wilford Woodruff, Chapter 15, Joseph F. Smith, Chapter 6, David O. McKay, pages 196-198 (Chapter 21), and Spencer W. Kimball, Chapter 13, and Harold B. Lee, pages 28-29 (Chapter 4). Remember, these can all be found on “lds.org” by clicking on “Gospel Library” then “Lessons” then “Melchizedek Priesthood and Relief Society.” All of the manuals are listed at the bottom of this page. You also may enjoy Chapter 13 in Doctrines of the Gospel Institute Manual, which can be found on “institute.lds.org” then “Institute Courses & Manuals.”

The first sentence of this section is “Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is the first principle of the gospel. From the Doctrines of the Gospel Institute Manual comes this great quote to supplement this idea:

Faith is the first principle of the gospel and the foundation of all other principles. (p. 35)

From the former Priesthood/Relief Society manuals come the following which also supplement this concept:

Our faith in Jesus Christ lies at the foundation of our religion, the foundation of our hope for remission of sins, and for exaltation after death, and for the resurrection from death to everlasting life (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Joseph F. Smith, p. 50).

Faith applied to religion is its foundation principle and indeed the source of all righteousness that directs man in his efforts to gain eternal life in the world to come (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Harold B. Lee, p. 28).

An unwavering faith in Christ is the most important need of the world today. What does it mean to keep the faith? It means first, that we accept Jesus Christ, not merely as a great teacher, a powerful leader, but as the Savior, the Redeemer of the world. … He who keeps the faith will accept Jesus Christ as the Son of God, the Redeemer of the world. I would have all men keep that faith. I think it is fundamental to man’s happiness, fundamental to his peace of mind. I think it is the cardinal principle of the Church of Jesus Christ (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: David O. McKay, pp. 196-7).

The next two sentences in this section represent a powerful doctrine perhaps too little understood, that the Savior’s atonement regarding spiritual life has no power except to those who have faith (and repent, etc. - - but those are future lessons). This doctrine needs to be taught well to be better understood.

The first sentence under “faith” in the Bible Dictionary states:

Faith…must be centered in Jesus Christ in order to produce salvation.

And later in this reference we find:

Even more important, by faith one obtains a remission of sins and eventually can stand in the presence of God.

From the Encyclopedia of Mormonism:

Though God delights to bless his children, he “first, [tries] their faith,…then shall the greater things be made manifest” (3 Ne. 26:9). But there will be “no witness until after the trial of your faith” (Ether 12:6), and “without faith you can do nothing” (D&C 8:10)… (pp. 484-5).

By the way, Ether 12:6 is a great additional cross-reference with the two scriptures in the second paragraph of this section.

Nephi also helps us with this doctrine:

For behold, I am God; and I am a God of miracles; and I will show unto the world that I am the same yesterday, today, and forever; and I work not among the children of men save it be according to their faith (2 Nephi 27:23).

In these latter days, Jesus Christ taught a great principle concerning this doctrine:

…for behold, my blood shall not cleanse them if they hear me not (D&C 29:17).

Again, from the Encyclopedia of Mormonism:

The gospel of Jesus Christ comprises fundamental principles and ordinances that must be followed to obtain a fulness of salvation. (p. 1257)

The atonement of Jesus Christ saved all men from physical death. But the atonement also made salvation from spiritual death possible. In short, the atonement made it possible for us to be saved from spiritual death, but we must use our sacred gift of agency to do what He asks for this salvation to happen. This will also tie in with “saying” versus “doing,” which is discussed later in this lesson.

God is well represented as the loving father in the Parable of the Prodigal Son. We are each Prodigal Sons. The point of doctrine here is that “when he came to himself” (Luke 15:17) the Father can bestow the most treasured blessings upon each of us.

The salvation from spiritual death, not physical death is what Christ was referring to in John 11:25 when He declared:

I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:

Note the phrase “he that believeth in me.” Thus “belief’ (or, as we will learn in this lesson, ”true faith”) is a necessary requirement for this salvation.

The second paragraph of this section discusses faith as “a principle of action”. President Woodruff had this to say:

It is truly good to … hear the word of the Lord, and it is truly a good thing to believe in it, but it is still better to practice it. (Presidents of the Church: Wilford Woodruff, p. 154).

Concerning this idea, President Kimball also explained:

The exercising of faith is a willingness to accept without total regular proof and to move forward and perform works.
A real faith pushes one forward to constructive and beneficial acts as though he knew in absoluteness.
One may enjoy the benefits of the miracles in the physical world without a complete knowledge of the underlying principles involved. He may turn darkness into light by pushing a button and read in the darkest night. He need not be able to develop the electricity, nor to have the knowledge to wire the home. But he must have the faith sufficient to secure lamps and faith to turn the switch. He then may receive the light. … He may turn a dial and enjoy sweet music from afar without being able to fashion a radio or understand fully its workings, but the blessing will never be his unless he connects his set with the power, and turns the dial correctly. In like manner, one may receive spiritual blessings and manifestations, by establishing contact turning the dial. Faith manifested by prayer and works is that key.
We pray for enlightenment, then go to with all our might and our books and our thoughts and righteousness to get the inspiration. We ask for judgment, then use all our powers to act wisely and develop wisdom. We pray for success in our work and then study hard and strive with all our might to help answer our prayers. When we pray for health we must live the laws of health and do all in our power to keep our bodies well and vigorous. We pray for protection and then take reasonable precaution to avoid danger. There must be works with faith (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Spencer W. Kimball, pp. 137-8).

Regarding this same idea, President McKay declared:

What we need today is faith in the living Christ, which is more than a mere feeling, but a power that moves us to action—a faith that will put purpose into life and courage into the heart. We need the gospel of application (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: David O. McKay, pp. 197).

This section states very clearly that faith must have action. For those in other religions, or for those of us who do not quite grasp that action separates belief and faith, the apostle James declared:

Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.
Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? (James 2:17-20)

So devils believe, but disciples are separated by works (actions).

The last paragraph of this section discusses various scriptural examples of faith. There is wonderful additional discussion from President Woodruff (Presidents of the Church: Wilford Woodruff, pp. 155-156) and President Kimball (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Spencer W. Kimball, pp. 140-2).

In the teachings of President Woodruff, he also discusses temple work and missions as examples of faith which may add to the question, if discussed, posed at the end of this section.

In the teachings of President Kimball, he concludes with:

Remember there were no towns and cities, no farms and gardens, no homes and storehouses, no blossoming desert in Utah when the persecuted pioneers crossed the plains. And remember that there were no heavenly beings in Palmyra, on the Susquehanna or on Cumorah when the soul-hungry Joseph slipped quietly into the Grove, knelt in prayer on the river bank, and climbed the slopes of the sacred hill. (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Spencer W. Kimball, p. 142).

The third paragraph discusses belief. Brigham Young had this to say:

If we speak of faith in the abstract, it is the power of God by which the worlds are and were made, and is a gift of God to those who believe and obey his commandments. On the other hand, no living, intelligent being, whether serving God or not, acts without belief. He might as well undertake to live without breathing as to live without the principle of belief. But he must believe the truth, obey the truth, and practice the truth, to obtain the power of God called faith (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Brigham Young, 56).

It may help students to understand that with true faith, there is no need to fear. As the Lord told Emma Smith:

And thou needest not fear, for thy husband shall support thee in the church; for unto them is his calling, that all things might be revealed unto them, whatsoever I will, according to their faith, (D&C 25:9).

President Gordon B. Hinckley explained it this way:

Who among us can say that he or she has not felt fear? I know of no one who has been entirely spared. Some, of course, experience fear to a greater degree than do others. Some are able to rise above it quickly, but others are trapped and pulled down by it and even driven to defeat. We suffer from the fear of ridicule, the fear of failure, the fear of loneliness, the fear of ignorance. Some fear the present, some the future. Some carry the burden of sin and would give almost anything to unshackle themselves from those burdens but fear to change their lives. Let us recognize that fear comes not of God, but rather that this gnawing, destructive element comes from the adversary of truth and righteousness. Fear is the antithesis of faith. It is corrosive in its effects, even deadly.
“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind” (2 Tim. 1:7).
We need not fear as long as we have in our lives the power that comes from righteously living by the truth which is from God our Eternal Father.
Nor need we fear as long as we have the power of faith (from Ensign, Oct. 1984, 2–3).

In his first conference talk as an apostle, Elder Quentin L. Cook shared the following:

The overwhelming feeling that I have in receiving this call is that we must live by faith and not by fear (Ensign, Nov 2007, 70).

Concerning faith, the following statement by President Joseph F. Smith may be meaningful in Relief Society (okay, maybe the Priesthood needs it even more):

There are people fond of saying that women are the weaker vessels. I don’t believe it. Physically, they may be; but spiritually, morally, religiously and in faith, what man can match a woman who is really convinced? Daniel had faith to sustain him in the lion’s den, but women have seen their sons torn limb from limb, and endured every torture satanic cruelty could invent because they believed. They are always more willing to make sacrifices, and are the peers of men in stability, Godliness, morality, and faith (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Joseph F. Smith, p. 56).

Why Should We Have Faith in Jesus Christ?

The first sentence in this section states that we must “center our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.” It should not be overlooked that without knowledge of the correct nature of God as learned in the very first act of the restoration (First Vision), there could be no “true faith.” This is stated well under “faith” in the Bible Dictionary:

All true faith must be based upon correct knowledge or it cannot produce the desired results.

The second paragraph in this section discusses the idea that “faith in Jesus Christ” means “trust” in Him. In the Bible Dictionary, is also found the following:

To have faith is to have confidence in something or someone. The Lord has revealed himself and his perfect character, possessing in their fulness all the attributes of love, knowledge, justice, mercy, unchangeableness, power, and every other needful thing, so as to enable the mind of man to place confidence in him without reservation.

Explaining why we can trust God, President Joseph F. Smith stated:

Faith in God is to believe that he is, and “that he is the only supreme Governor and independent Being, in whom all fulness and perfection and every good gift and principle dwell independently…that he is the great Creator of all things, that he is omnipotent, omniscient, and by his works and the power of his Spirit omnipresent (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Joseph F. Smith, p. 53).

Some have confused the principle of trust and faith, especially as it applies to obedience, with the false concept of “blind obedience.” If this is important to members of your class, you will want to refer to President Kimball’s wonderful explanation of this heresy (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Spencer W. Kimball, pp. 139-140).

The second paragraph of this section discusses the powerful concept that “Through faith we cam receive strength to overcome temptations.” The opposite of this is discussed in the Encyclopedia of Mormonism where it is stated:

Elder Dallin H. Oaks also explained this well:

Faith must include trust…When we have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, we must have trust in him. We must trust him enough that we are content to accept his will, knowing that he knows what is best for us.
When we try to develop faith in the Lord Jesus Christ rather than merely cultivating faith as an abstract principle of power, we understand the meaning of the Savior’s words: “If ye will have faith in me ye shall have power to do whatsoever thing is expedient in me” (Moro. 7:33).
(Ensign, May 1994, 99).

The last paragraph in this section discusses faith in the Godhead. It may need to be pointed out that there is no difference in faith in the Father, or the Son, or the Holy Ghost. The Bible, Book of Mormon and Doctrine and Covenants all proclaim that they are one - - in unity. This means that “faith in God” can apply to any of the Godhead. This is what President Joseph F. Smith said concerning this:

Not only is it necessary to have faith in God, but also in Jesus Christ, his Son, the Savior of mankind and the Mediator of the New Covenant; and in the Holy Ghost, who bears record of the Father and the Son, “the same in all ages and forever” (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Joseph F. Smith, p. 50).

Note how this quote ties in with 2 Nephi 27:23.

Perhaps the best answer to the question heading this section is that given by President Monson about a year ago. After checking off a laundry list of the terrible conditions of the world, he then concluded:

Though the storm clouds may gather, though the rains may pour down upon us, our knowledge of the gospel and our love of our Heavenly Father and of our Savior will comfort and sustain us and bring joy to our hearts as we walk uprightly and keep the commandments. There will be nothing in this world that can defeat us.
My beloved brothers and sisters, fear not. Be of good cheer. The future is as bright as your faith. (Ensign, May 2009, 89–92).


On the other hand, as President Monson has earlier declared;

Stated simply, if we do not have a deep foundation of faith and a solid testimony of truth, we may have difficulty withstanding the harsh storms and icy winds of adversity which inevitably come to each of us. (Ensign, Nov 2006, 62).

How Can We Increase Our Faith in Jesus Christ?

This section has a wonderful discussion of the question it poses. Some (okay all mortals) may sometimes be discouraged about the challenge to “increase our faith in Jesus Christ” This quote from President Joseph F. Smith gives me hope:

We are all babes in this principle of the gospel. We are only beginning, the best of us, to know something of this principle of life and salvation, this principle of power. By faith, we are told, the worlds were made. Who of us have faith to do much of anything? Our faith is so limited that we can scarcely live the little principles of the gospel that God has revealed to us that are necessary for social peace and enjoyment. We have scarcely faith to carry out these little principles that are revealed to us for the government of our every day lives. The Lord has to bear with us and to be patient with us and to teach us here a little and there a little, line upon line and precept upon precept that we may eventually gain that faith that was once delivered to the Saints by which the mouths of lions were stopped, and the heat of the fiery furnace was assuaged. …Our great teacher, Jesus Christ…is trying to teach us the principles of life and salvation which are principles of power, teaching men to rise from the depths of sorrow, from the depths of humanity to the heights of glory and knowledge of God.
An enriched faith means an enlarged power, and though man may not have in this life an occasion to exercise all the powers that come to him through the enrichment of his faith, those powers may be exercised in their fulness in eternity, if not in time (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Joseph F. Smith, pp. 52-3).

The “mustard seed” is discussed in the first paragraph of this section. Here is a delightful discussion of this parable from Elder David B. Haight:

If ye had but the faith of a tiny—I’m trying to think of the name of that little tree. [President Hinckley says, “Mustard.”] Mustard! Thank you, President. (I keep the President around to help me.) If you had but the faith of a mustard seed. Perhaps not many of you have seen a mustard seed. A few years ago in Jerusalem we were in a car with a driver, and he said, “Oh, there’s a mustard tree.” And I said, “Let’s see it.” We got out to look at that mustard tree, and it had a little pod on it, and I was able to open the pod, which was like those on a locust tree, and see those tiny little seeds, not much larger than a grain of pepper.
Just imagine the analogy that the Savior was teaching the people. If you only had as much faith as that little tiny mustard seed—and I held it in my hand, and I could hardly see it—if you had that much faith you would say to the mountain, “Move hence,” and it would move, if you had that much faith (see Matt. 17:20) (Ensign, Nov. 2001, 22).

On page 104 of this section is discussed Alma’s tremendous comparison “of the word of God to a seed.” President Lee added some interesting insights to this:

The preaching of the truth concerning God and his purposes has been compared to the sowing of a seed, which if a good seed will begin to sprout and grow in your hearts on these conditions: First, that it is planted in the rich, fertile soil of sincerity and real desire; second, that it is cultivated with diligent study and searching; and third, that it is watered by genial spiritual “dews” and warmed by rays of inspiration that come from humble prayer. The harvest from such planting comes only to that individual who acts upon the truths he has learned and reforms his life of sin and fills his days with purposeful conduct in keeping the commandments of God in whom he has faith, and in service toward his fellowmen (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Harold B. Lee, p. 28).

Something that may be valuable for this lesson might be to have each of us set up a measuring standard as to exactly how we can “increase our faith in Jesus Christ.” There are some great helps for doing this. First, from Encyclopedia of Mormonism is found:

Righteousness leads to greater faith, while sin and wickedness diminish faith (p. 484).

Along this same line of thought, under “faith” in the Bible Dictionary we find:

A lack of faith leads one to despair, which comes because of iniquity.

President Brigham Young also stated:

Every person who lives in this Church must be faithful. They cannot run by sight, but must actually exercise faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, in order to enjoy the light of the Holy Ghost. When they neglect this, the spirit of the world takes possession of them, and they become cold and fruitless, and pine away into darkness, and spiritual death (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Brigham Young, p. 55).

So we might ask ourselves, “Am I sinning and despairing or becoming cold?” This is an important measure of our faith.

Another idea from Encyclopedia of Mormonism:

One who has this faith [in Jesus Christ] believes him to be the living Son of God, trusts in his goodness and power, repents of one’s sins, and follows his guidance (p. 483).

So the questions, “Am I repenting daily?” and “Am I being obedient?” are good measures of our faith. Of course, we will learn much more about repentance in next week’s lesson.

Some other measures are found under “faith” in the Bible Dictionary:

The effects of true faith in Jesus Christ include

(1) an actual knowledge that the course of life one is pursuing is acceptable to the Lord (see Heb. 11:4);

(2) a reception of the blessings of the Lord that are available to man in this life; and

(3) an assurance of personal salvation in the world to come.

Concerning the first point, President Joseph F. Smith also declared:

…unless the Saints have an actual knowledge that the course which they are pursuing is in harmony with the will of God, they will grow weary in trial, and will faint under persecution. … But, on the contrary, with this trust in God burned into their souls, no matter what comes, they are happy in doing his will, knowing full well that at last the promise shall be theirs (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Joseph F. Smith, p. 55).

Concerning the second point, President Woodruff taught:

In any and every age of the world when God has called or commanded a man or a people to perform a certain work, they through determination and perseverance, and faith in him, have been enabled to accomplish it.
It is our duty to be continually increasing in faith, that we may be enabled to call upon the Lord with acceptance (Presidents of the Church: Wilford Woodruff, p. 156, 157).

Richard G. Scott also commented on this idea in the second point:

Since with even our best efforts to obey His teachings we will still fall short, because of His grace we will be “saved, after all we can do” (2 Nephi 25:23) (Ensign, Nov 2006, 40).

Concerning the third point, under “faith” in the Bible Dictionary we find:

Faith in Jesus Christ is the first principle of the gospel and is more than belief, since true faith always moves its possessor to some kind of physical and mental action; it carries an assurance of the fulfillment of the things hoped for.

Hopefully these measures will help us with the important question heading this section of the lesson.

What Are Some Blessings That Follow Faith?

This section begins “Through the gift of faith…” President Joseph F. Smith stated:

Faith is always a gift of God to man, which is obtained by obedience, as all other blessings are. The man or woman in this Church who desires to enrich his or her faith to the highest possible degree will desire to observe every rite and ordinance in the Church in conformity to the law of obedience to the will of God (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Joseph F. Smith, pp. 52-3).

The next word in the first sentence quoted above is “…miracles…” In the Bible Dictionary we find a great explanation of this:

Miracles do not produce faith but strong faith is developed by obedience to the gospel of Jesus Christ; in other words, faith comes by righteousness, although miracles often confirm one’s faith.

This powerful first paragraph in this section ends with the blessing of faith makes it possible that “men [and women] become sons [and daughters] of God.” This concept is related to the following ideas from Presidents Harold B. Lee and Brigham Young:

By faith in God then, you too … can become attuned to the Infinite and by power and wisdom obtained from your Heavenly Father harness the powers of the universe and have them serve you in your hour of need in the solution of problems too great for your human strength or intelligence (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Harold B. Lee, p. 28).

My faith is, when we have done all we can, then the Lord is under obligation, and will not disappoint the faithful; he will perform the rest (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Brigham Young, 57).

Again, it is important that we understand that faith and doing all we can do is absolutely necessary for us to be in position for Christ to do all that He can.

President Lee also had this to say about the process of becoming as God:

By faith we would understand that whatever contributes in life to the standard of Jesus “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect” [Matthew 5:48] is for our good and our eternal benefit…
Every child must learn that faith sufficient to perfection can only be developed by sacrifice and except he learns to sacrifice of his appetites and [physical] desires in obedience to the laws of the Gospel he cannot be sanctified and made holy before the Lord (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Harold B. Lee, pp. 28-9).

It is important that we conclude that “sons and daughters of God” can become like Him.

President Gordon B. Hinckley made a terrific statement about the blessings of faith in building the kingdom:

This precious and marvelous gift of faith, this gift from God our Eternal Father, is still the strength of this work and the quiet vibrancy of its message. Faith underlies it all. Faith is the substance of it all. Whether it be going into the mission field, living the Word of Wisdom, paying one’s tithing, it is all the same. It is the faith within us that is evidenced in all we do.
Our critics cannot understand it. Because they do not understand, they attack. A quiet inquiry, an anxious desire to grasp the principle behind the result, could bring greater understanding and appreciation.
I was asked at a news conference on one occasion how we get men to leave their vocations, to leave home, and serve the Church.
I responded that we simply ask them, and we know what their answer will be.
What a marvelous and wonderful thing it is, this powerful conviction that says the Church is true. It is God’s holy work. He overrules in the things of His kingdom and in the lives of His sons and daughters. This is the reason for the growth of the Church. The strength of this cause and kingdom is not found in its temporal assets, impressive as they may be. It is found in the hearts of its people. That is why it is successful. That is why it is strong and growing. That is why it is able to accomplish the wonderful things that it does. It all comes of the gift of faith, bestowed by the Almighty upon His children who doubt not and fear not, but go forward (Ensign, May 2001, 67).

Similarly, President Brigham Young had this to say:

When faith springs up in the heart, good works will follow, and good works will increase that pure faith within them (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Brigham Young, 57).

I really like the following statement from the Bible Dictionary:

Faith is kindled by hearing the testimony of those who have faith (Rom. 10:14-17).

A wonderful illustration this idea is found in the story related by Elder Russell M. Nelson at the funeral for President Spencer W. Kimball:

In March 1972, when President Kimball’s heart was failing and he sensed that death was nigh, he obtained a conference with his file leaders in the Church, the First Presidency. To provide medical information as requested, he invited his devoted cardiologist, Dr. Ernest L. Wilkinson, and me.
President Kimball breathlessly began, “I am a dying man. I can feel my life slipping. At the present rate of deterioration I believe that I can live only about two more months. Now I would like my doctor to present his views.”
Dr. Wilkinson then reaffirmed President Kimball’s feelings, concluding that recovery would be unlikely and death would ensue in the not-too-distant future.
Then President Kimball called on me as a cardiac surgeon and asked, “What can surgery offer?”
I indicated that an operation, if it were to be done, would consist of two components. First, an aortic valve replacement would be required. Second, an important coronary artery with a blockage should be treated with a bypass graft.
President Harold B. Lee of the First Presidency then asked the crucial question, “What would be the risks with such a procedure?”
“I don’t know,” I replied. “In a man aged seventy-seven, the risk of either of these operations is significant. But to do both on one whose heart is failing would entail risk so high that the operation cannot be recommended as a safe one.”
As a weary President Kimball responded, “I am an old man and ready to die,” President Lee interrupted. He rose to his feet, pounded his fist to the desk, and said, with his prophetic power,“Spencer, you have been called! You are not to die! You are to do everything you need to do to care for yourself and continue to live.” [Of course, we now know that President Kimball succeeded President Lee as President of the Church.]
President Kimball replied, “Then I will have the operation.”
He underwent that complex operation not because it was deemed to be reasonably safe in the opinion of his medical advisers, but because he was obedient to the counsel of the Lord, expressed through the leaders of the Church—regardless of personal risk.
The outcome is well known. He was blessed to survive the operation which reversed the tide of his deterioration.
I shall never forget the feeling I had as his heart resumed beating, leaping with power and vigor. At that very moment, the Spirit made known to me that this special patient would live to become the prophet of God on earth (Ensign, Dec 1985, 39).

For Priesthood and Relief Society, perhaps no more important idea could be taught than that which was pled for by President J. Reuben Clark, Jr., of the First Presidency, in an old Priesthood Manual:

…if a family is to become a celestial family, the [faith of the] husband and wife should “cover the home as a kindly light” (Immortality and Eternal Life, 2: 14).