The Remission of Sins and Preparing for the Second Coming of the Lord

As I was reading the scriptures, I encountered the phrase "remission of sins" in a context that made me think. This was in 3 Ne 1:23 and it spoke of the remission of sins, but not of an individual receiving a forgiveness of sins, but a group of people having this great effect. The concept of remission of sins has always been in my mind as being synonymous with receiving a forgiveness from God, having a particular sin removed and blotted out. With this new thinking, I thought of the concept of remission of sins in a much broader sense.

The key is the process that follows repentance. Mormon explains it well in his letter to Moroni in Moroni 8:26, "And the remission of sins bringeth meekness, and lowliness of heart; and because of meekness and lowliness of heart cometh the visitation of the Holy Ghost, which Comforter filleth with hope and perfect love, which love endureth by diligence unto prayer, until the end shall come, when all the saints shall dwell with God." It is a process which is driven by the power of the Holy Ghost and leads to being a new and a changed person, not just the removal of a particular sin as we strive to overcome our sins and imperfections.

I see it as a three-step process:
Step 1 is the forgiveness, having our sins taken away. Step 2 is to have the effect of sin taken away. Step 3 is to have the desire of sin taken away, having no more the disposition to do evil, but to do good continually (Mosiah 5:2). This is an ongoing process, the conditions of repentance, not just what we do before baptism or a one-time change of heart for repentance, and it is the on-going effect of the the Holy Ghost that is key in every step.

Concerning the second step, as we learn about the atonement, we come to better understand the process and the need to have the effect of sin removed. The Savior suffered the "pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people." (Alma 7:11) It is the wonderful blessing of the atonement that makes our progress even possible. We are often hurt, wounded and suffer from the effects of our own sins and the sins of others. It is an essential part of the remission of sins.

The third step is what the people experienced in the beginning of third Nephi - the removal or lessening of the disposition to sin - individually and as a people.

Looking back at that people in Third Nephi, we see that they were amazed by the signs of the birth of Jesus.  It is evident that they were not a perfected people and they began to be less amazed and believed the lies Satan told them, but that through the work of Nephi and the other church leaders that the people progressed and learned and grew towards perfection. A great remission of sins was the result. The people as a whole became less inclined to sin, to be less consumed by pride - and they became full of "meekness, and lowliness of heart; and because of meekness and lowliness of heart cometh the visitation of the Holy Ghost, which Comforter filleth with hope and perfect love, which love endureth by diligence unto prayer" (as stated in Moroni 8:26). As a whole, the people were more prepared for the coming visit of the Savior to them. It allowed them to weather the powerful attacks of Satan, which did pull many away, but still left many who were ready for the coming of Christ.

I see that today, as we look forward to the coming of Christ, that same is so necessary. We have the promise that we will not become totally lost as it happened in the apostasy of the many previous dispensations, but that the Kingdom of God will keep progressing until the Savior comes. How is that to be? It is as more and more of us as a group become less inclined to sin, more and more filled with meekness and lowliness of heart - the result of the remission of sins.

How does it happen? is it by our best efforts? No.

When Christ did come and visit his people in America, he taught them:
3_Nephi 12:2 "… blessed are they who shall believe in your words, and come down into the depths of humility and be baptized, for they shall be visited with fire and with the Holy Ghost, and shall receive a remission of their sins."

It comes through the cleansing fire that can only come with the Holy Ghost.

The thing to remember is the absolute necessity of continual prayer. As we repent and are forgiven and go through the process of the remission of sins, it must be accompanied by constant prayer. The lessening or the lack of the desire to sin is not a switch that is turned in our souls. It is the natural consequence that comes through true repentance where we recognize that we are powerless on our own to become "[filled] with hope and perfect love" as Mormon puts it. It "[endures] by diligence unto prayer." (Moro 8:26)

I love the way Alma states it as he spoke to the wicked people of Ammonihah:

Alma 13:28 "But that ye would humble yourselves before the Lord, and call on his holy name, and watch and pray continually, that ye may not be tempted above that which ye can bear, and thus be led by the Holy Spirit, becoming humble, meek, submissive, patient, full of love and all long-suffering;"

Our desire to sin, or the lack thereof, is our ability to endure temptation. To be able to do so, we must "watch and pray continually."

As a people striving to be ready for the coming of our Savior, we understand the need for the 4 steps (principles and ordinances of the Gospel), but to truly be "baptized by immersion for the remission of sins," means that we first have our sins removed, then the effects of the sins burned away the fire of the Holy Ghost, and then continue to watch and pray always that we are freed from the desire to sin. Then, as a people, because of the atonement of Christ, we can be able to withstand the power of Satan as he attempts to thwart the great blessing of the coming of our Lord - so we can rejoice with the throngs who are ready to meet Him.