We know that repentance means change, but when I think of that change, I usually limit my definition of repentance to sin and overcoming sin. My eyes were opened to a new way of thinking about repentance last week when I listened to The Scriptures are Real podcast with Dr. Kerry Muhlestein and guest Phil Allred on Christ and Covenant to Get through Our Dark and Dreary Waste. Side note: I love The Scriptures are Real podcasts and the insights Dr. Muhlestein and his guests share about the scriptures. It is different from most other Come, Follow Me-related podcasts in that not only do they focus on relating it to our daily, modern lives but they also dig deep and discuss the scriptural academics and specified knowledge from research and other sources. Anyway, check it out.
I mention this episode specifically because they talk about other ways that repentance can apply to our lives rather than just fixing sin and not sinning again. They were talking about the dark and dreary waste and the covenant path and the role of the Fall and the Atonement of Jesus Christ. On the one hand, we are divine beings: spirit children of our Heavenly Parents. On the other hand, we live in a fallen world because of the Fall of Adam and Eve: we are in a natural state of mortal life being subjected to temptation, pain, affliction of every kind. They suggested three paths:
- The overly confident divine being who focuses solely on the fact they are a child of God. God loves all of His children, regardless of our actions, so by focusing on that and that alone, nothing we do matters. The “you do you” or “take me as I am” philosophies of the world fit well here because it ignores the Fall and the need for a Savior all together.
- The self-loathing being who sees themselves as a fallen son or daughter who cannot be redeemed because they are sinful, carnal, devilish and continually make mistakes. This philosophy allows no room for improvement or change because it focuses solely on the Fall and doesn’t acknowledge the Redeemer.
- The middle ground or the covenant maker and keeper who understands and recognizes their fallen state, but relies upon the mercies of the Savior, Jesus Christ to fully redeem them from the Fall and the monsters of Death and Sin that accompany it.
In path one, there is no need for a Savior simply because we are children of God and that is good enough. But it isn’t enough. We do need a Savior because we are human and make mistakes. But path two is also wrong because while we make mistakes and cannot in this life be perfect, Jesus Christ did suffer and die for us and made it possible for us to return to live with God, our Father. This is why path three is the best option because it allows for our mortality, our humanity, our mistakes and our learning. It allows for us to become something new and better through our covenants with the Lord.
When we repent of sin, of course our sins our cleansed and we can become a “new creature” like Paul describes in the New Testament. We can completely change from a sinful state to one of holiness and purity through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. But, more than that, when we have weaknesses (Ether 12:27) or things we struggle with as part of our mortal experience, we can change and turn those into strengths through Jesus Christ. Now, I am not saying I didn’t know we could turn to the Savior to make “weak things become strong,” no; what I am saying is that everything we are can be improved upon and changed through Jesus Christ. Even our strengths can become stronger and used for more holy purposes when we turn to Christ. For example, I am an introvert who has had to over the years get better at talking with people and enjoying “crowds” to some extent. I did this back when I worked in a corporate position as well as part of various Church callings. It took work and effort on my part, but I couldn’t do it alone. I needed the enabling power of the Atonement to help me with this. I still struggle with it sometimes, but I am so much better. I’ve improved and changed to the point that some people mistake me for an extrovert at first. Nope. I have just been working on this weakness to make it stronger. Repentance means change, more specifically changing to be more like Christ. So, you could say that it was a repentance process that helped me overcome by intense introvertness (okay, that’s not a word, but you get it). I am not suggesting that we start using the word repentance in exchange with change everywhere (and Brother Allred states this on the podcast that we can’t interchange them because of the strong definitions and connotations the words have), but this concept is a good one. What else do I need to change and overcome to grow closer to God, to keep my covenants better, to become like Jesus Christ? These questions will help me on the covenant path as I seek Him and strive to find joy each day in following Him.
