Transcript

Chapter 9 is entitled "Faith Leads, Repentance Follows." I start with an experience that somehow I remember from my past of being in seminary in my high school years. And there was a young lady there, and we shared a good friendship. She was quite sincere in our seminary class, but interestingly, many times on the weekend, she would fall away from the commandments that she knew were true. And often, when I talked to her during the week, I would try to exhort her by saying, you need to see the bishop, or you need to make these things, write them on your hand what you're going to do this weekend. I gave her all sorts of ideas. But I think if I were talking to her today, with much more experience and more knowledge about what would change her behavior, I would have talked to her about her faith in Jesus Christ. What did she feel about Him? How could she believe in such a way that it would influence her behavior? Faith always leads. And so sometimes, when we think we've been caught into a pattern of repeating sins over and over again, what we need to work on most of all is how we see the Savior Jesus Christ. Study His words. Pray more intently. Come to know Him. And try to feel the power of His atoning sacrifice, what it means to us. With your faith growing and the power and gifts of God working within you, you will sense deep within yourself the ability and divine help to change your behavior. You will have a greater desire and strength to keep the commandments, to discard those things that do not bring goodness into your life. As you do these things, suddenly there is another power: the power of Christ and His Atonement, bringing increasing forgiveness for your past sins. You begin feeling His approval because of what you are doing. Then, miraculously--sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly--you feel the gift of His forgiveness. I hope if there's one thing we learn in this class, it's that faith leads and repentance follows. As we build our faith, I give you my assurance, repentance will come next.

Faith in Jesus Christ

Description
(The Divine Gift of Forgiveness, Chapter 9) Elder Neil L. Andersen teaches that faith in Jesus Christ will help us break out of a pattern of sin.
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