Repent Ye

“…Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.” –Mark 1:14-15

I often feel like repentance is an idea that is talked about all the time but never really grasped. It is central to the gospel, and essential to salvation. It is the second principle of the gospel, after faith, and before baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost. We are told to preach “nothing but repentance” to bring people to Christ (D&C 6:9, 11:9, see Mosiah 18:20), and bringing people to Christ is one of the missions of the church and our purpose as disciples of Christ.

So what does it mean? I’ve heard many definitions that all help me to better understand what repentance means. It means to have a new mind. It’s a process of recognizing your mistakes and sins and going to God for forgiveness and letting him change you. It’s a conversion. It’s acknowledging previous failures. It means to feel sorrow for your sins and make a change for the better. The easiest way for me to think about repentance is to think about change. When you ask someone to repent, or when you are asked to repent you are really inviting and asking them to change their lives to become more like God. Whether it is to stop smoking or to be kinder or to forgive someone, these are all changes that come from repentance–recognizing a sin or something that makes you less like God, and asking for his help to stop it and change your nature.

My New Testament professor gave another definition for repentance. He said that if you go back to the Greek the word means more of “to return.” Return to what? In the New Testament and in the Book of Mormon, Christ uses little children as an example of what we are to become:

“At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.” ~Matt. 18:1-3

So we are to return to a child-Father relationship with Heavenly Father. The invitation to repent is an invitation to enter into a new relationship with the Father and live as children before God as Father. We are dependent on Him. We need his help, we can’t live an independent life. And when we trust God as a Father, as though we were little children depending upon our father for everything we will be so blessed. We will really become more like Christ and we will really be able to return to Him and receive all that He wants to give us.

One of my favorite things is to see little children. I work in the mall and they come into my store with their parents all the time, and the light and joy and innocence and wonder and curiosity that is in each one, and their love for their parents is always amazing to see. It makes my day. I hope that each day and each change I make can help me return to my Heavenly Father as a little child would. I hope that repentance–change, renewal, return–each day will draw me closer to Christ. I know that that is where we will all find the healing and hope that we so desperately need to find joy and peace beyond this mortal existence.

The beginning…

“The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God . . . And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth or Galilee, and was baptized of John in Jordan.” ~Mark 1:1-9

I am taking a New Testament class at BYU this semester. We’re covering the four gospels, starting with Mark. My professor pointed something out the other day that I had never thought about before and something that has really stuck with me. He was talking about how at some point Jesus decided to be baptized. Something changed or happened in his life when he decided it was time to go and be baptized of John. We don’t know what that was, but for whatever reason one day he went to be baptized of John in the river of Jordan. Mark starts his account as “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God” (Mark 1:1). Then he immediately tells of Jesus’ baptism. So the beginning of the good news of the gospel was really when Jesus took that initial step and was baptized. In a verse from the Book of Mormon, 2 Nephi 31:17, the prophet Nephi teaches that “the gate by which ye should enter is repentance and baptism by water.” And as we learn in Matthew 7:14 “strait is the gate and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life” (see also 3 Nephi 14:14 & Doctrine and Covenants 132:22). Christ walked this path himself, though he was perfect, to show us the way. The gate that Christ entered to fully begin the journey to Gethsemane and the Atonement and the ultimate good news was his baptism.

I think of my own decision to get baptized. It was a decision that a lot of people didn’t understand and many were angry about, especially my family. Despite the disapproval and the anger, I had gained a testimony of the gospel. I had had spiritual experiences that taught me that there really is a God, he really does love us, and his son, Jesus Christ, really did die for each one of us. I knew that I had to follow the example of the perfect Savior, and submit myself to the will of Heavenly Father. I knew that taking that step would start me on a journey to eternal life and the true joy and happiness that Heavenly Father wants for me. Being baptized was the scariest decision I have ever had to make, but it was absolutely worth it. It was definitely a beginning for me. Previously I had been fairly active in church and knew most people, but it wasn’t until I took the step of baptism that I truly entered the gate and began the journey of following Christ towards the fullness of the joy that Heavenly Father desires to give me.

I think about my own journey as well. Christ walked a path that led to the Atonement and the resurrection. He told his disciples “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me” (Matt. 16:24, Mark 8:34, Luke 9:23). To follow in the Savior’s path we all have crosses to bear. We all have trials and pains and sorrows that weigh us down, sometimes to a point that we think we can go no farther. But we can look to Christ and continue to follow him, for he will support, strengthen, comfort and succor us. At the end of our journeys we can look forward to the promise of eternal life. In the meantime we can try to emulate the Savior and become more like him each day as we not only take up our cross, but as we serve the poor, deny the natural man, resist the temptations of Satan, comfort those who stand in need of comfort, mourn with those who mourn, and continually strive to build up the kingdom of God.

Our own paths can seem overwhelming, but Christ has walked each one. His gospel, the good news which began with his baptism and extends to the far reaches of eternity and expanses of the universe, is one of hope and healing. Christ truly heals. He brings peace to the wounded soul. He brings hope to the hopeless. He loves the lonely and downtrodden. He supports and strengthens. And this testimony is a continual source of strength for me and I continue on my mortal journey, often unsure of what lies ahead, sometimes doubting, sometimes depressed, but I hold on to the hope of Christ, and I hope that everyone else can as well.