“Repentance,” Topics and Questions (2025)
Overview
Repentance
One of the first principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ is repentance. When we repent, we turn away from sin and turn to God because we love Him and want to obey His commandments.
The Gift of Repentance
Repentance is God’s gift to us. When He sent us to earth, He knew that none of us would be perfect. So as part of His plan of salvation, He gave us His Son, Jesus Christ, to suffer for our sins. Because of Christ’s Atonement, we can repent and be forgiven when we transgress, or break God’s commandments. Our sins can then become “white as snow,” meaning we are clean and worthy to live with God again after this life.
When we have faith in Jesus Christ and sincerely repent, we can experience a change of heart and mind. It can require effort and patience to truly experience this change, but it is possible through the Savior’s Atonement.
Repentance is not only for when we need forgiveness from serious sins. We can repent daily of even minor mistakes to help us continually grow closer to God. President Russell M. Nelson taught: “Repentance is not an event; it is a process. It is the key to happiness and peace of mind. When coupled with faith, repentance opens our access to the power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. … When we choose to repent, we choose to change! We allow the Savior to transform us into the best version of ourselves.”
The Process of Repentance
Repentance includes the following elements:
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Faith in our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. To receive forgiveness from our sins, we must first act on our faith in Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. As we turn to our Savior and rely on His power to cleanse us from sin, we will be able to “exercise [our] faith unto repentance.”
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Sorrow for sin. Before we can repent, we need to realize that we have sinned. We then feel “godly sorrow,” which comes when we truly feel bad for disobeying Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. When we feel godly sorrow, we will also have a sincere desire to do all we need to do to receive forgiveness.
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Confession. We also need to confess our sins to be forgiven. This means humbly praying to Heavenly Father, admitting our mistakes, and asking for His help and forgiveness. For serious sins, we may also need to speak with our bishop or branch president and seek his guidance in the repentance process.
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Giving up sin. The Lord has said, “By this ye may know if a man repenteth of his sins—behold, he will confess them and forsake them.” As we repent and grow our faith in Jesus Christ, our trust in Him can lead us to change how we act. Receiving His power in our life can help us avoid repeating sins and avoid situations where we may be tempted to sin.
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Restitution. When we repent, we should repair any hurt or damage that may have been caused by our actions.
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Righteous living. Repenting includes doing our best to follow Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ by doing things like studying the scriptures, praying daily, attending church, and fasting for added help and strength. When possible, partaking of the sacrament and worshipping in the temple can also help us receive the power of Jesus Christ in our lives.