In Christology,
Jesus, and the forgiveness of sins, I discussed, among other things, John
20:23 and how God uses human instruments in the forgiveness of sins, depending
on how serious the sins are. This ties nicely into what Neil L. Anderson wrote
in his book on forgiveness:
Confessing to Proper Priesthood Authority
Very serious transgressions, such as sexual
sins (See Doctrine and Covenants 42:24), need to be confessed to a bishop or stake
president and resolved with the Lord and with the Church. Bishops and stake
presidents have been ordained and set apart to serve as judges in Israel (See
Doctrine and Covenants 58:17; 107:72). Of course, only the Lord can forgive
sins, but priesthood leaders play an important role in the process of repentance
of serious sins. Alma was wrestling with the important responsibility of
dealing with those who had committed serious transgressions. He was troubled in
spirit and inquired of the Lord (See Mosiah 26:13). He poured out his whole
soul, and the voice of the Lord came to him, directing him as to what he should
do (See Mosiah 26:14), including the Lord’s explanation that there were two
confessions and two forgivenesses. “Therefore I say unto you, Go; and whosoever
transgresseth against me, him shall yet judge according to the sins which he
has committed; and if he confess his sins before thee and me, and repenteth in
the sincerity of his heart, him shall ye forgive, and I will forgive him also”
(Mosiah 26:29). Those who transgress in these cases must confess to Him and to
their priesthood leader. Once they have repented in the sincerity of their
heart, the priesthood leader is to forgive them and the Lord promises He will
forgive them. The bishop is not forgiving them personally, but he is forgiving
them as to their standing in the Church: if, for example, they may use their
priesthood, take the sacrament, or return to the temple. It is the Lord,
however, who extends the ultimate forgiveness which includes peace of
conscience and a fullness of joy (See Mosiah 4:2-3).
Alma helps us understand the role of
priesthood leaders who work with the Lord in helping a sincere and humble
person to receive forgiveness for grave transgressions.
Describing the duties of the bishop, the Lord
revealed that he was “also to be a judge in Israel, to do the business of the
church, to sit in judgment upon transgressors [and] upon testimony as it shall
be laid before him according to the laws . . . This is the duty of a bishop . .
. Thus shall he be a judge, even a common judge among the inhabitants of Zion,
or in any branch of the church where he shall be set apart unto this ministry”
(Doctrine and Covenants 107:72-74).
In the Book of Mormon, the Lord commanded the
leaders “that ye shall not suffer any one knowingly to partake of my flesh and
blood unworthily, when ye shall minister it; For whoso eateth and drinketh my flesh
and blood unworthily eateth and drinketh damnation to his soul” (3 Nephi
18:28-29). A loving bishop has a special responsibility to keep his flock from
partaking of the sacrament unworthily because of the spiritual consequences.
Priesthood leaders are not to act only in the
role of judges, but also as guides to help us find our way. In the prophet Lehi’s
dream he beheld he was in “a dark and dreary waste.” After traveling “for the space
of many hours in darkness,” he prayed that the Lord “would have mercy on [him]”
(1 Nephi 8:7-8). The Lord guided him out of his darkness. Our bishop, stake
president, and other priesthood leaders can help guide us out of darkness. (Neil
L. Andersen, The Divine Gift of
Forgiveness [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2019], 205-7)