Repentance and Seeking Counsel

[KC-30]

There is a person in my life that is struggling with their sin. I know that through the Atonement of Jesus Christ that He suffered and died for all mankind. The Atonement was needed so that man could return back to our Heavenly Father. (2 Nephi 9:7) I know that we are free to act for ourselves, we have the choice; everlasting death or everlasting life.

There are some sins that are truly personal. After reading the New Era Magazine, October 2013 article titled, "Why and What do I need to confess to my bishop?" https://www.lds.org/new-era/2013/10/why-and-what-do-i-need-to-confess-to-my-bishop?lang=eng I am having a hard time understanding the reason why the priesthood is needed in the repentance process.

I understand what we must do as children of God. “…consists in believing and accepting and living in harmony with all that the Lord once offered his ancient chosen people. It consists of having faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, of repenting, of being baptized and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and of keeping the commandments of God. It consists of believing in the gospel, joining the Church, and coming into the kingdom.” (A New Witness for the Articles of Faith [1985], 515).

I was not raised in any church and converted 18 years ago. During that time I have not been very active from the fear of my lack of knowledge. Just in the past couple of months have I really started to understand. In praying about this situation I have been led here to seek help from other members that may have faced the struggle of repentance of a serious sin.

[sxfritz]

Two reasons I can express:

 - The Bishop can lead you in your repentance. He can guide you in steps you can take personally and he can offer comfort.

 - The requirement to talk to the Bishop in matters of serious sin is to protect the Church and members of the Church. A person may believe they have personally repented of a serious sexual sin, but it is important that the Bishop refrain from offering you a calling that involves working with youth or children, until a sufficient amount of time has passed. Of if you had financial sins, from being a Ward Clerk, etc. 

[estradling75]

There is a person in my life that is struggling with their sin. I know that through the Atonement of Jesus Christ that He suffered and died for all mankind. The Atonement was needed so that man could return back to our Heavenly Father. (2 Nephi 9:7) I know that we are free to act for ourselves, we have the choice; everlasting death or everlasting life.

There are some sins that are truly personal. After reading the New Era Magazine, October 2013 article titled, "Why and What do I need to confess to my bishop?" https://www.lds.org/new-era/2013/10/why-and-what-do-i-need-to-confess-to-my-bishop?lang=eng I am having a hard time understanding the reason why the priesthood is needed in the repentance process.

I understand what we must do as children of God. “…consists in believing and accepting and living in harmony with all that the Lord once offered his ancient chosen people. It consists of having faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, of repenting, of being baptized and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and of keeping the commandments of God. It consists of believing in the gospel, joining the Church, and coming into the kingdom.” (A New Witness for the Articles of Faith [1985], 515).

I was not raised in any church and converted 18 years ago. During that time I have not been very active from the fear of my lack of knowledge. Just in the past couple of months have I really started to understand. In praying about this situation I have been led here to seek help from other members that may have faced the struggle of repentance of a serious sin.

 

You read the article...  So you read about D&C 58: 43 that repentance requires a Confession of the Sin, not just the forsaking.  Please note that the whole section is give as direction to us mortals (aka the Church) that we mortals (aka the Church) might know that the person has repented... Confession to mortal ears and forsaking to mortal sight (aka the Church in addition to Christ's ears and eyes)

 

The scriptures also point out that the Bishop is the judge and the one appointed by the Lord to be the mortal that Hear and See the signs of repentance for the Church.

 

Now the Church/Bishop/Stake President can not forgive sin, but they are required to judge worthiness to a certain extent, which is why the Lord explained how we can tell if someone has repented (Confess and Forsake)

 

Thus this is why we need to talk to the bishop.  This is how the Lord through his scriptures set it up. 

 

Now for a less active member coming back the idea of blurting out of all our prior misdeeds to a stranger (aka a bishop) can be very intimidating, even scary.  But the Lord wants us to be humble and submit to his Will and not our Own understanding.

 

Its also been my experience that we tend to worry more then is needful about it.  Once we talk to the bishop we will most likely find ourselves thinking in hindsight that we stressed out over something that we need not have been so stressed out about.