Obtaining a Remission of Your Sins

Posted on Mar 16, 2021Mar 22, 2021 by Jacob

When it comes to obtaining a remission of your sins, which attitudes and conditions of the heart are necessary? How does one prepare for the remission of sins? The natural man will assume righteousness and goodness before God, seeking blessings at His hand based on a confident assumption that he or she is worthy. A firm knowledge of our own unworthiness and need for a Savior is a catalyst for mighty faith to be cleansed from sin.

Watch the video presentation

“Obtaining a Remission of Your Sins” by Jacob Isbell (Disciple of Christ YouTube channel)

Table of contents show

Pitfalls of Believing We Are Righteous

During the time of Isaiah & Jeremiah, Lehi received his prophetic mission. In 1 Nephi 1:13, Lehi learns that destruction is eminent for Jerusalem. He began to share this message with residents of Jerusalem and preparing them to obtain a remission of sins.

This was the mindset of Laman and Lemuel, who were Jerusalem residents:

1 Nephi 17:22 (Book of Mormon)

And we know that the people who were in the land of Jerusalem were a righteous people; for they kept the statutes and judgments of the Lord, and all his commandments, according to the law of Moses; wherefore, we know that they are a righteous people; and our father hath judged them, and hath led us away because we would hearken unto his words; yea, and our brother is like unto him. And after this manner of language did my brethren murmur and complain against us.

These people were convinced that they were righteous based on bloodline, church membership and even adherence to all of the commands in the law of Moses. Some of these people in Jerusalem (convinced of their own righteousness) mocked Jesus in public and planned or supported his assassination in private.

The Zoramites & the Rameumptom

The Zoramites had a few barriers to obtaining a remission of your sins. Can you spot them?

1 Nephi 17:22 (Book of Mormon)

17 But thou art the same yesterday, today, and forever; and thou hast elected us that we shall be saved, whilst all around us are elected to be cast by thy wrath down to hell; for the which holiness, O God, we thank thee; and we also thank thee that thou hast elected us, that we may not be led away after the foolish traditions of our brethren, which doth bind them down to a belief of Christ, which doth lead their hearts to wander far from thee, our God.
18 And again we thank thee, O God, that we are a chosen and a holy people. Amen.

What can we do to avoid this attitude and propensity for self-declared holiness in our own lives?

Preparing for Obtaining a Remission of Your Sins

An angel asked Adam why he offered a sacrifice, and Adam answered, ”I know not save I was commanded”. Adam was doing this without full understanding, but then received instruction later, after he had exercised faith and demonstrated a willingness to obey the Lord.

What attitude are you to have if you are in the process of obtaining a remission of your sins? King Benjamin in his old age preached to his people about how to obtain a remission of sin. The people were prepared in their hearts and minds to receive it, having real intent and full purpose of heart.

Mosiah 4:2 (Book of Mormon)

2 And they had viewed themselves in their own carnal state, even less than the dust of the earth. And they all cried aloud with one voice, saying: O have mercy, and apply the atoning blood of Christ that we may receive forgiveness of our sins, and our hearts may be purified; for we believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who created heaven and earth, and all things; who shall come down among the children of men.

We must remember our own nothingness before God like a little child.

2 Ne. 31:13 (Book of Mormon)

13 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, I know that if ye shall follow the Son, with full purpose of heart, acting no hypocrisy and no deception before God, but with real intent, repenting of your sins, witnessing unto the Father that ye are willing to take upon you the name of Christ, by baptism—yea, by following your Lord and your Savior down into the water, according to his word, behold, then shall ye receive the Holy Ghost; yea, then cometh the baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost; and then can ye speak with the tongue of angels, and shout praises unto the Holy One of Israel.

Recognizing Our Own Nothingness

It’s near impossible to call upon God in mighty prayer and enough faith if we aren’t fully convinced we need it.

Lehi didn’t feel the desperate need for the Lord’s help until after he recognized that a he had allowed a man to led him into a dark and dreary waste. Lehi had to call upon God for help escaping the man-made guidance into a dark place, void of the presence of God.

1 Nephi 8:5-8 (Book of Mormon)

5 And it came to pass that I saw a man, and he was dressed in a white robe; and he came and stood before me.
6 And it came to pass that he spake unto me, and bade me follow him.
7 And it came to pass that as I followed him I beheld myself that I was in a dark and dreary waste.
8 And after I had traveled for the space of many hours in darkness, I began to pray unto the Lord that he would have mercy on me, according to the multitude of his tender mercies.

Preparations for Obtaining a Remission of Your Sins

In 3 Nephi 17:13,5-16, the Savior tells the people in Bountiful how to prepare for obtaining a remission of sins by the Holy Ghost. First, He commands them to go to their homes and ponder the doctrines that He taught (the doctrine of Christ).

The disciples of Christ returned having pondered in their hearts the doctrine of Christ, delivered the previous day. Notice that the disciples did not vary from what Jesus had taught or prayed for on their behalf. Accuracy in our requests is crucial. We cannot “ask amiss” to things that are not in God’s plan of salvation and expect to receive them.

3 Nephi 19:7-9 (Book of Mormon)

7 And the disciples did pray unto the Father also in the name of Jesus. And it came to pass that they arose and ministered unto the people.
8 And when they had ministered those same words which Jesus had spoken—nothing varying from the words which Jesus had spoken—behold, they knelt again and prayed to the Father in the name of Jesus.
9 And they did pray for that which they most desired; and they desired that the Holy Ghost should be given unto them.

God will purity us as if by fire if we are faithful to what He’s asked. It is not just an allegory, it is not just symbolic, but a baptism that we are to receive. For us to obtain a remission of our sins it is simple to say yet difficult for us to do.

The simple process is: