Repent

[Landy77]

Can anyone explain or give me a reference on confessing to someone in the church being required for some transgressions?

[pam]

From lds.org

Serious transgressions, such as violations of the law of chastity, may jeopardize a person's membership in the Church. Therefore, such sins need to be confessed to both the Lord and His priesthood representatives in the Church. This is done under the care of a bishop or branch president and possibly a stake or mission president, who serve as watchmen and judges in the Church. While only the Lord can forgive sins, these priesthood leaders play a critical role in the process of repentance. They will keep confessions confidential and help throughout the process of repentance.

[Traveler]

Can anyone explain or give me a reference on confessing to someone in the church being required for some transgressions?

D&C 121 - indicates that "covering" and hiding one's transgressions (vein ambitions) separates one from G-dliness.

The Book of Mormon warns against pride. It is usually pride that prevents one from being honest about what they have done and not done.

The Traveler

[ehkape]

If you look at the topical guide, it gives Esra 10:11 as first sripture reference. The people transgressed and the prophet tells them to repent:

"11 Now therefore make confession unto the LORD God of your fathers, and do his pleasure: and separate yourselves from the people of the land, and from the strange wives."

Our confession should be to God. He is the one who can forgive. Its Jesus Christ who died for our sins to make us whole again. Nobody else can do that. The bishop can't. The stake pres. can't. It's Jesus and his atonement alone.

But if you read the complete story in Esra the prophet already knew the transgression of the people. Back in the Old Testament days, to repent also meant to offer burnt sacrifices. To offer sacrifice, you had to bring your animal/offering to the priest who did the ceremony.

So in a way, the people confessed to the priest who offered the sacrifice on their behalf.

Today, we don't offer animal sacrifice, because Jesus fullfilled the law and gave the new one.

Maybe you could compare confessing to your bishop to the Israelites who went to the priest and asked for his service.

ehkape

***btw - that's just me trying to make sense out of what I read...***

[ehkape]

Here's a good reference from the Book of Mormon, Mosiah 26:29:

" 29 Therefore I say unto you, Go; and whosoever transgresseth against me, him shall ye 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."

I think it emphasizes what I said before. You have to make your confession before God and the appointed priesthood leader.

[spamlds]

D&C 58:43 - By this ye may know if a man repenteth of his sins—behold, he will confess them and forsake them.

[Snow]

Can anyone explain or give me a reference on confessing to someone in the church being required for some transgressions?

"Spill your guts pronto or it will rot your soul" Vanna White - private correspondence.

[Moksha]

I imagine the Bishop's handbook has the exact specifics.

I have been intrigued by the way repentance and the act of confession are handled in various Christian denominations. I don't know if religion students are ever required to do research beyond scripture chases, but here is a great hypothesis for a sociology student:

Hypothesis: The more a Church teaches obedience to their religious leaders, the more the religious leaders will be involved in any religious repentance process. Get ready to plug the numbers into your analysis of variance equation.

[Hemidakota]

Confession and Forsaking: Elements of Genuine Repentance

in James A. Cullimore, Ensign, 1971, Dec.

...- Ensign Article - Confession and Forsaking: Elements of Genuine .

First Presidency Message The Gospel of Repentance

in Spencer W. Kimball, Ensign, 1982, Oct.

... - Ensign Article - The Gospel of Repentance Skip to Content Skip to ( 2 Ne. 9:27 .) As repentance gets under way, there must ...

The Meaning of Repentance

in Theodore M. Burton, Ensign, 1988, Aug.

...? Actually, in some ways it is easier to understand what repentance is not than to understand what it is. As a General Authority,....) Naturally, the confession that precedes repentance for serious sins should be made to a bishop or stake president ...

Repentance

in F. Burton Howard, Ensign, 1983, May

LDS.org - Ensign Article - Repentance Skip to Content Skip to Navigation Search... here. If you have fully repented, the relief and the peace you feel...

Repentance and Change

in Dallin H. Oaks, Ensign, 2003, Nov.

LDS.org - Ensign Article - Repentance and Change Skip to Content Skip to ... positions. We just move around. A bishop released by proper authority and called to...

Repentance and Conversion

in Russell M. Nelson, Ensign, 2007, May

LDS.org - Ensign Article - Repentance and Conversion Skip to Content Skip...LDS.org - Ensign Article - Repentance and Conversion"