Testing the words of LDS leaders with Biblical Truth:
March 2010
Aaronic Priesthood Manual 2
* Sins of Omission and Sins of Commission? (page 29):
Write Omission and Commission on the chalkboard.
• What do these words mean? (Omission refers to something neglected or left undone. Commission, in one of its meanings, refers to something that has been done.)
• What are some examples of sins of omission and commission? Some possible responses are listed in the following chart.
Sins of Omission
1. Failing to pay tithing
2. Staying home from church
3. Shirking priesthood duties
4. Failing to pray
5. Failing to love
6. Failing to forgive
Sins of Commission
1. Smoking
2. Being dishonest
3. Swearing
4. Sexual sins
Test these LDS Words with Biblical Truth:
Here we find some examples of what sins of omission and commission are. I quote these words from the Lesson as a way to get you thinking about the LDS process of repentance—specifically the “forsaking” sins aspect, as discussed on page 30 of this lesson. Sure, it is easy to completely abandon “smoking”. But think about sexual sins. Remember that Jesus taught: “Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.” (Matthew 5:27-28) How many times a month will these young men look at a woman in lust, whether it be on TV, at school or even viewing pornography? According to LDS leaders, if you do not completely “forsake” a sexual sin, then you are not truly repentant and hence, not forgiven.
One could consider the same aspect using the sins of omission. What about failing to love, failing to forgive, failing to pray. We are commanded: “Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18). How many times does a person commit these sins of omission? When it comes to repentance, do you take two steps forward and three steps back? Are you tired of trying to gain forgiveness with your own works? I invite you to read this blog Post “Are You Tired?” from October 3, 2009. Click on this link to read it:
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* Should Guilt be the Motivator that leads us to Repent? (page 30):
• How do people often feel when they have done something they should not have done or have not done something they know they should have done? (Guilty.)
• How can guilt feelings be bad? How can they be good?
Explain that many people today say that feelings of guilt are not good. However, Alma told his son Corianton something very important about guilt feelings. Have the young men read and mark Alma 42:29–30.
• Why did Alma tell Corianton to let his sins trouble him? (Feeling guilty should lead him to repent.)
• When should we have guilt feelings? (When we have done something wrong and need to repent.)
• What good should come from our guilt feelings? (We should recognize our sins and then repent of them.)
Test these LDS Words with Biblical Truth:
The Biblical definition of repentance is a “turning” a change of mind. Believers live in a continual state of repentance—not desiring to sin but recognizing when we do, we confess our sins to God. Believers know that all of our sins have been forgiven already—at the cross where Christ paid the penalty. When we sin, we “turn back” to God in thankfulness for our forgiveness. Our motivation for turning to God–is His goodness:
Romans 2:4 “Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?”
1 John 4:19 “We love him, because he first loved us.”
Ephesians 4:32 “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.”
To read more about the Biblical definition of Repentance, read the Post “What does “repentance” mean?” from January 12, 2009, or Click here:
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* Is Repentance Really an Invitation for Growth, Improvement, and Progress? (page 30):
Repentance Leads to Progress and Happiness. “Repentance is, … following faith, the most encouraging word in the Christian vocabulary…”
• …help the young men understand that repentance is an invitation to growth, improvement, and progress. The results of true repentance are peace, well-being, and happiness.
Test these LDS Words with Biblical Truth:
These reasons for repentance: “repentance is an invitation to growth, improvement, and progress” are all self-focused. These motivations have nothing to do with sorrow for doing something against God’s will. Every sin we commit is a sin against our loving and majestic God. Our one and only motivation to turn from evil is because we love God and we desire to please Him. When King David committed the sin of adultery with Bathsheba and then had her husband Uriah murdered, he claimed: “Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. 2 Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. 3 For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. 4 Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.” (Psalm 51:1-4).
To read more about God-pleasing motivations, go to this Post “Are You One Hundred Percent?” from December 6, 2008. Here, you will find a short video clip of a young woman who has embraced being obedient, simply because of love for God. Or Click here:
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* Does Repentance Mean You Must Forsake Your Sin? (page 30):
• What does it mean to repent? Have the young men read Doctrine and Covenants 58:42–43. [Behold, he who has repented of his sins, the same is forgiven, and I, the Lord, remember them no more. 43 By this ye may know if a man repenteth of his sins—behold, he will confess them and forsake them.] Suggest that they mark these verses.
• What does it mean to forsake your sins and confess them?
Test these LDS Words with Biblical Truth:
Think about what it means to forsake your sins. Truly think about all the types of sins that you commit. How many times are you angry? Jealous? Envious? Self-centered? Un-loving? No one can truly forsake these types of sins. No one can even come close to forsaking most of the sins they commit daily.
To read more, go to this Post: “No One is Good but God!” written March 6, 2009; or, Click here:
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* In the eternal perspective, why is it easier to repent than not to repent? (page 31):
Explain that life is like taking a long journey carrying a bag or suitcase… Explain that the bag is heavy because you must carry all your necessities in it: food, clothing, and bedding. No one would want rocks or other unnecessary weight in his bag. That would take up space and create an extra burden.
• In the journey of life, what are some extra burdens we sometimes try to take along? (Sins.)
• How can we get rid of these burdens? (Through repentance. If we repent of our sins, Christ will carry our burdens for us.)
Take out a few rocks from the bag.
• What difference will this make in our journey? (The journey could still be long and difficult, but not nearly as difficult as with the rocks.)
Test these LDS Words with Biblical Truth:
In the journey of life, we commit so many sins that we aren’t even aware of. Truly, if we carried every sin as if it were a rock, we would be buried under a mound of rocks so huge it would fill a mountain. The lesson claims “If we repent of our sins, Christ will carry our burdens for us.” The Biblical truth is that Christ has already carried our burden of sin. This true purpose and mission of the Christ was prophesied in the Old Testament:
“Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.” (Isaiah 53:4-6) Notice that “we all like sheep have gone astray”. This is why Jesus had to come to save us. This is why Jesus pleads with you: “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)
To read more about removing your burden of sin, go to this blog Post “Your Heavy Burden of Sin Has Been Removed!” written February 17, 2009; or, Click here:
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* What will truly happen if we have any unrepented sins? (pages 31-32):
• What could easily happen to us if we carry with us unrepented sins? (Like the tree, we might be weakened and give in to temptation.)
• How can such sins prevent us from progressing and developing the way we should? (One serious consequence is that we will not have the companionship of the Holy Ghost to help us make wise decisions and lead us to do good. This could eventually keep us out of the celestial kingdom.)
Test these LDS Words with Biblical Truth:
How serious is sin? It is so serious that having even one sin remaining means that Jesus will send you to spend eternity in Hell with Satan. The wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). Jesus gave us a picture of what Judgment Day will look like for those who merely committed sins of omission: “Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. 46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.” (Matthew 25:41-46)
To read more about the eternal consequence of sin, go to this blog Post: “How Long Will Eternity Last?” written June 3, 2009; or, Click here:
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* Is Repentance what washes away our sins? (page 32):
“Repentance is like soap. It is the soap of life. Like soap, it washes away the sins of life. It is to be used as frequently as necessary. One must keep in mind, however, that misuse—lack of thorough cleansing and half-hearted effort—may result in ‘tattletale gray.’ Properly used, however, the soap of life cleanses thoroughly, completely and permanently. … “One day we … will be ushered before the judgment bar of the Lord. There we shall stand either besmirched, dirty, and unclean, or by acceptance and application of the great and marvelous gift of cleansing—by the soap of life—we may stand clean, forgiven, and pure before the Lord. The next time you use soap, you might also want to think of cleansing your spirit by applying the soap of life, the universal law of repentance.”
Test these LDS Words with Biblical Truth:
No one will be cleansed of sin by their own works! The LDS process of repentance is false! There is only one way to be washed clean of sin and that is through faith. All sins were paid for and forgiven at the cross. Those who don’t believe this have rejected Christ’s amazing gift. To receive it, you must believe it. The Apostle Peter claimed: “To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.” (Acts 10:43) Believe it, and receive it!!
To read more about how to be cleansed from sin, read this blog Post: “God Doesn’t Lie–You Have Been Forgiven!!!” written March 12, 2009; or, Click here:
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