President Joseph F. Smit gave us a searching definition of repentance: “True repentance involves the necessity of turning away from sin, a discontinuance of all evil practices and deeds, a thorough reformation of life, a vital change from evil to good, from vice to virtue, from darkness to light. Not only so, but to make restitution, so far as it is possible, for all the wrongs we have done, to pray our debts and to restore to God and man their rights—that which is due them from us. This is true repentance, and the exercise of the will and all the powers of body and mind is demanded to complete this glorious work of repentance.” (Gospel Doctrine p. 123)
No man is justified in assuming the “Holier than thou” attitude or in saying, either by word or action, “I thank thee God that I am not as other men.” (See Luke 18:11.) While all have need of repentance, there is some good in everyone. The proportion of good and evil varies, but no one is perfect. The dissipated individual may be capable of a generous nature while the morally upright person may be acrid and intolerant. Emerson said, “I have never met a man who was not my superior in some respect.”
Sincere repentance does not mean that we should brood over past mistakes or continually look backward with regret. The way we are facing is more important than where we are standing. I God is good enough to give us the gift of repentance, we should turn our backs on the past and resolutely ace the future unafraid. The adversary whispers to the repentant sinner: “You have lost, there is no use trying,” but this is as false as his former whisperings that sin is sweet and desirable. He who has truly repented should forget as far as possible in order that his whole power may be concentrated on the promising future. “Do not insist on remembering what God is willing to forget.” Let us try to rid ourselves of even the memory of sin.
Sin then creates inner conflict, causes loss of self-respect, saps moral strength, causes injury to and estranges others, makes men more susceptible to temptation, and in numerous other subtle ways retards, delays, and blocks our journey toward our goal. Its enticements tend to divert us from moral ideals and to obscure our vision of desirable objectives.
True repentance halts this disintegration and, when followed by baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost places one’s feet on the highway to successful living. With the companionship of that spirit, one may release the power which is in the human soul even as men have been able to release the power of the atom. This power, when released and given divine direction and guidance will lead to immortality and eternal life . . . Young people, your Father in heaven loves you; he loves you with a love beyond what your earthly parents can know. If you make mistakes—and you will and all of us have—our Heavenly Father stands ready to forgive and to welcome you when you come to yourselves and turn backs on the husks and your faces toward home. He will embrace you and say, “For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost and is found.” (Luke 15:24). But let no one think he will not have to pay for his folly. The Father could not in justice say to the prodigal what he said to his older son, “All that I have is thine.” (Ibid. 31.)
Our Father is kind and loving and forgiving, but there is an inexorable law which has not been repealed. It is the law of the harvest. As ye sow, so shall ye reap. We cannot sow thistles and reap figs, nor plant thorns and harvest grapes. But when we have had enough of thistles and thorns, we may have the grapes and the figs if we are willing to pay the price—and they cost less. While ours is a world governed by rigid and unwavering law, man has free agency; he may choose to obey or disobey the law, but he must of course abide the consequences of his choice. (Hugh B. Brown, Eternal Quest, ed. Charles Manley Brown [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft Inc., Publishers, 1956], 102-3, 317, italics in original)
