Conditions of Repentance

A friend asked how an LDS Bishop could be so hard on their son who wanted to serve an LDS mission but was still struggling with a certain sin and addiction.  The Bishop had said if the son can be clean 6 months he could serve.   The son had been very depressed about his addiction even to the point of suicidal ideation.  The parent blamed the depression on the Church and the Bishop and not the sin. The parent didn't think that religion should be the cause of so much guilt.  She then said that she was happy that her son had left the Church and became Buddist because, while he hasn't repented, he no longer seemed as depressed.

My reponse is that it is my experience that I have found the True God though repentance.  It is not correct to send a young man still addicted and actively sinning on a mission.  But if he can forsake the sin and demonstrate some self control for 6 month period then he can serve.  Does it make sense for a young man to teaching repentance and committing people to keep laws of morality and self-control when he himself has not repented and is not keeping those standards of virtue himself?

Seeking another religion instead of dealing with our sins is an unfortunate and common response.  That is why false religion is so alluring.  False religion gives a person the false idea of a relationship with God without expectations.   Well the true God cannot look at sin with the least degree of allowance.  Obedience yields blessings and sin brings painful consequences.  We do not have to be perfect, as yet, but we are expected to live up to God's minimum standards and "deny ourselves of all ungodliness" only then we can be perfected in Christ.

It is very sad when a loved one is struggling so much with sin that they can experience deep depression even to the point of suicidal ideation.  I have a friend struggle with this.  It can be tempting to try and turn the blame on society or church standards as the root cause of the pain and guilt and not on the sin and on Satan who accuses us.   

The evangelical teaching taught by the priests of Noah against Abinadi was that the gospel was supposed to be happy all the time because didnt Isaiah say "how beautiful upon the Mountains are the feet of them who publish peace".  The gospel of Christ should be always happy and focused on His mercy and love and forgiveness.

Modern scriptures and the Book of Mormon clarify this that Christ came to 1. save us from our sins and not in our sins. 2. the good news of the gospel is the "conditions of repentance" 3. our doctrine should be repentance focused 4.  We are saved by grace after all we can do.  5. All we can do is "make use of the means God has provided for us". 6 the "means" God has provided us is the atonement of Christ, repentance, keep covenants, etc.(Alma 60). 7. We can by perfected in Christ by first denying ourselves of all ungodliness and living God's standard in 1 Cor 5:11.  8. God's standard in 1 Cor 5:11 is the basis for the temple questions covers sexual sin, false religion and false doctrine, love of money, anger and abuse, chemical addiction and abuse, and dishonesty.

We don't have to be perfect in this life, but the good news is that if we come unto Christ, His atonement has both the grace and power to help us overcome and forsake these sins. Fogiven or not, sin carries painful consequences. I prefer a religion with the power to overcome and escape the painful sin then to accept the false idea that repentance isn't necessary, and that god accepts us in your sins, and as we are?   I want a religion that helps me repent and expects virtuous living. Individuals and families making a keeping covenants of virtue is what will create the Zion communities of peace and safety that we all desire.  James in the New Testament tells us that charity and virtue the whole purpose of "pure religion?"  If our religion fails to expect that we keep ourselves "unspotted from the world" then what good is it?