Monday, February 3, 2020

Neil L. Anderson on the Confession of Serious Sins to Priesthood Leaders


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)