Transcript Alma 34 - ericdrichards.com

Alma 34
How long have you been
away from God’s
presence?
Elder Jeffrey R.
Holland, However
Long and Hard the
Road, p.6
“We ought to fall on our knees and thank
our Father in heaven that we belong to a church
and have grasped a gospel that promises
repentance to those who will pay the price.
Repentance is not a foreboding word. It is the
most encouraging word in the Christian
vocabulary. Repentance is simply the scriptural
invitation for growth and improvement and
progress.
“If there is one lament I cannot abide, it
is the poor, pitiful, withered cry, “Well, that’s
just the way I am.” I’ve heard it from too many
people who want to sin and call it psychology...
Elder Jeffrey R.
Holland, However
Long and Hard the
Road, p.6
“Another satanic sucker punch is that it
takes years and years and eons of eternity to
repent. That’s just not true. It takes exactly as
long to repent as it takes you to say, “I’ll
change”-and mean it. Of course there will be
problems to work out and restitutions to make.
You may well spend - indeed you had better
spend - the rest of your life proving your
repentance by its permanence. But change,
growth, renewal, and repentance can come for
you as instantaneously as they did for Alma and
the sons of Mosiah.”
The life of Christ…
Alma 34:8-10
What does the Atonement
do for us?
Alma 34:8-10
“I suspect that you and I are much more familiar
with the redeeming power of the Atonement than we
are with the enabling power of the Atonement. Most
of us clearly understand that the Atonement is for
sinners. I am not so sure, however, that we know and
understand that the Atonement is also for saints—for
good men and women who are obedient and worthy
and who are striving to become better and serve
faithfully. I frankly do not think many of us “get it”
concerning this enabling and strengthening aspect of
the Atonement, and I wonder if we mistakenly believe
we must make the journey all by ourselves through
sheer grit, willpower, and discipline, and with our
obviously limited capacities.” (Elder David A. Bednar, In the Strength of the
Lord, BYI Idaho Speeches, 23 October 2001).
Alma 34:8-10
In what ways have you seen the
Atonement enable, strengthen, or
redeem people?
Alma 34:8-10
Who exercises?
How do we ‘exercise’ faith?
Alma 34:15-18
How do we ‘exercise’ faith?
“…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.
“…begin to exercise your faith unto repentance, that ye begin to call
upon his holy name, that he would have mercy upon you;
“Yea, cry unto him for mercy; for he is mighty to save” (Alma 34:15–
18).
Exercising faith vs
Exercising faith unto repentance?
The Atonement Lifts our Burdens
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=coef8G5ax6E
 “__________________ is the thief of eternal life.”
(Joseph Fielding Smith, in Conference Report, April 1969, 121).
 “__________________ is one of the most serious
human defects in all ages.” (Spencer W. Kimball, Miracle of
Forgiveness, p7)
“I knew a man, now deceased, not a member of the Church,
who was a degenerate old reprobate who found pleasure, as he
supposed, in living after the manner of the world. A cigarette dangled
from his lips, alcohol stenched his breath, and profane and bawdy
stories defiled his lips. His moral status left much to be desired.
“His wife was a member of the Church, as faithful as she
could be under the circumstances. One day she said to him, ‘You
know the Church is true; why won’t you be baptized?’ He replied, ‘Of
course I know the Church is true, but I have no intention of changing
my habits in order to join it. I prefer to live the way I do. But that
doesn’t worry me in the slightest. I know that as soon as I die, you
will have someone go to the temple and do the work for me and
everything will come out all right in the end anyway.’
“He died and she had the work done in the temple. We do not
sit in judgment and deny vicarious ordinances to people. But what
will it profit him?” (Elder McConkie, “The Seven Deadly Heresies,” in 1980 Devotional
Speeches of the Year: BYU Devotional and Fireside Addresses [1980], 77).
 “PROCRASTINATION is the thief of eternal life.”
(Joseph Fielding Smith, in Conference Report, April 1969, 121).
 “PROCRASTINATION is one of the most serious
human defects in all ages.” (Spencer W. Kimball, Miracle of
Forgiveness, p7)
Alma 34:32-34
“It appears that we do not change when we die, which means
that if we are addicted to drugs, bad habits, and evil desires when we
go out of this life, those influences will probably follow us. Therefore,
repentance and forgiveness, which come under the heading of fearing
God and keeping his commandments, are our whole duty here in
mortality.” (Elder Hartman Rector Jnr., Oct. 1985 Gen. Conf)
“In youth we may have thought: “There will be
time enough to worry about spiritual things just before
my mission or before marriage. Spiritual things are for
older people.” Then, in the early years of marriage, the
pressures of life, of jobs, of bills, of finding a moment for
rest and recreation seem to crowd us so closely that delay
in meeting obligations to God and family again seems
reasonable.
“It is easy to think, “Perhaps there will be more
President Henry B.
Eyring, Do Not Delay, time for that in the middle years.” But the compression of
October 1999
time does not ease in the years that follow. There is so
much to do, and time seems to shrink.
“And so Satan tempts with procrastination. Any
choice to delay repentance gives him the chance to steal
happiness from one of the spirit children of our Heavenly
Father.
“One of the questions we must ask of our
Heavenly Father in private prayer is this: “What have
I done today, or not done, which displeases Thee? If I
can only know, I will repent with all my heart without
delay.” That humble prayer will be answered. And the
answers will surely include the assurance that asking
today was better than waiting to ask tomorrow.”
President Henry B.
Eyring, Do Not Delay,
October 1999
Doctrinally, what happens if a
person chooses not to repent?
Two options:
D&C 19:4
D&C 19:16-19
“Christ is the Creator, the Healer.
What He made, He can fix.”
(Elder Boyd K. Packer, April 2006 General
Conference)
What role does the Church play in your repentance?
“The treatment for sin must be
commensurate with its seriousness. A BandAid is not sufficient for a deep wound. In some
cases spiritual surgery is required—this begins
with a confession that lays open the spiritual
wound so it is exposed to the view of the self,
the Lord, and, in the case of serious
transgressions, to the Church leader as well. If
this is not done, complete repentance is
impossible…”
What role does the Church play in your repentance?
“The truly repentant man is sorry before he is
apprehended. He is sorry even if his secret is never
known. Repentance of the godly type means that one
comes to recognize the sin and voluntarily and
without pressure from outside sources begins his
transformation. Paul put it this way to the Corinthian
saints: "Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry,
but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made
sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive
damage by us in nothing. For godly sorrow worketh
repentance: but the sorrow of the world worketh
death" (2 Cor. 7:9-10). (The Miracle of Forgiveness, p.149)
What if you still feel guilt after you’ve repented?
Elder Scott, October 2000
General Conference
“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.
Elder Scott, October 2000
General Conference
“When memory of past mistakes encroaches
upon your mind, turn your thoughts to the
Redeemer and to the miracle of forgiveness with
the renewal that comes through Him. Your
depression and suffering will be replaced by peace,
joy, and gratitude for His love.
“How difficult it must be for Jesus Christ,
our Savior and Redeemer, to see so many
needlessly suffer, because His gift of repentance is
ignored. It must pain Him deeply to see the
pointless agony both in this life and beyond the veil
that accompany the unrepentant sinner after all He
did so that we need not suffer.
Elder Scott, October 2000
General Conference
“Have you wandered from the path of joy
and now find yourself where you do not want to be,
with feelings you do not want to have? Is there a
yearning to return to the peace and joy of a worthy
life? I invite you with all the love of my heart to
repent and come back. Decide to do it now. That
journey is not as difficult as it seems. You can cast
out guilt, overcome depression, receive the blessing
of peace of mind, and find enduring joy. Pray for
help and guidance, and you will be led to find it. Go
to where you know the light of truth shines—to a
worthy friend, a loving bishop or stake president, an
understanding parent. Please come back. We love
you. We need you.”
“The teacher said, ‘Good morning, boys, we have
come to conduct school.’ They yelled and made
fun at the top of their voices. ‘Now, I want a good
school, but I confess that I do not know how unless
you help me. Suppose we have a few rules. You
tell me, and I will write them on the blackboard.’
“One fellow yelled, ‘No stealing!’ Another yelled,
‘On time.’ Finally, ten rules appeared on the
blackboard. “‘Now,’ said the teacher, ‘a law is not
good unless there is a penalty attached. What shall
we do with one who breaks the rules?’ “‘Beat him
across the back ten times without his coat on,’
came the response from the class. “‘That is pretty
severe, boys. Are you sure that you are ready to
stand by it?’ Another yelled, ‘I second the motion,’
and the teacher said, ‘All right, we will live by
them! Class, come to order!’
(“The Wondrous and True
Story of Christmas,”
Ensign, Dec. 2000, 4).
“In a day or so, ‘Big Tom’ found that his lunch had been
stolen. The thief was located—a little hungry fellow,
about ten years old. ‘We have found the thief and he
must be punished according to your rule—ten stripes
across the back. Jim, come up here!’ the teacher said.
“The little fellow, trembling, came up slowly with a big
coat fastened up to his neck and pleaded, ‘Teacher, you
can [hit] me as hard as you like, but please, don’t take
my coat off!’ “‘Take your coat off,’ the teacher said.
‘You helped make the rules!’ “‘Oh, teacher, don’t make
me!’ He began to unbutton, and what did the teacher see?
The boy had no shirt on, and revealed a bony little
crippled body. “‘How can I whip this child?’ he thought.
‘But I must, I must do something if I am to keep this
school.’ Everything was quiet as death. “‘How come you
aren’t wearing a shirt, Jim?’ “He replied, ‘My father died
and my mother is very poor. I have only one shirt and she
is washing it today, and I wore my brother’s big coat to
keep me warm.’
(“The Wondrous and True
Story of Christmas,”
Ensign, Dec. 2000, 4).
“The teacher, with rod in hand, hesitated. Just
then ‘Big Tom’ jumped to his feet and said,
‘Teacher, if you don’t object, I will take Jim’s
licking for him.’ “‘Very well, there is a certain
law that one can become a substitute for another.
Are you all agreed?’
“Off came Tom’s coat, and after five strokes the
rod broke! The teacher bowed his head in his
hands and thought, ‘How can I finish this awful
task?’ Then he heard the class sobbing, and what
did he see? Little Jim had reached up and caught
Tom with both arms around his neck. ‘Tom, I’m
sorry that I stole your lunch, but I was awful
hungry. Tom, I will love you till I die for taking
my [beating] for me.
(“The Wondrous and True
Story of Christmas,”
Ensign, Dec. 2000, 4).
After quoting this story, President Hinckley said, “To lift a
phrase from this simple story, Jesus, my Redeemer, has
taken ‘my lickin’ for me’ and yours for you.”
Alma 34