Should I take the sacrament?


Starya
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I've been feeling like I should not take it lately. I feel a little guilty taking it. I did take it today, but I am still struggling with sexual sin a little bit still and honestly I don't have a great relationship with God yet. I don't take my membership that seriously, I go to church and stuff, but only because I feel bad if I don't. I am the kind of person that would probably stay home if i didn't have my family behind me. I just feel like I shouldn't be taking it. I don't feel worthy to take it right now.

When is it okay to take the sacrament?

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When your bishop says it's okay after an honest and upfront discussion with him concerning the sexual sin you are doing....

When you feel it's okay/that you're worthy...

When you want to.

It sounds like your heart isn't really in the gospel right now. If you are doing things that the church teaches are immoral; please, definitely do not take the sacrament.

I don't know how much you believe in this religion. I would just ask that you respect the belief that the sacrament is a sacred renewing of the covenants members have made at baptism. I, too, have had my share of sinning and problems with the church. However, I have always believed that I would play by the "rules" of the church regardless of whether or not I was going to be a part of it; i.e., that if I wasn't living the standards/beliefs/teachings/doctrines of the LDS church, that I wouldn't also desecrate the sacred ordinances by taking them when I wasn't worthy. It's kind of like adding insult to injury to me if I were to do this.

It is really important to me to uphold the holiness of the covenants I've made; both in baptism and in the temple. The scriptures specifically warn about knowingly taking the sacrament unworthily and the damnation that follows....I just ask that you respect this even if you don't believe in it.

Thanks

Dove

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Taking the sacrament is kind of like a robot thing for me, I do it without thinking about it at all. That is until today when a friend of mine didn't take it. I don't know why he didn't take it but when I saw this happen I actually thought about it and this is how I felt.

I believe in the church, but I don't think I take it as seriously as I should. My testimony is not as strong as some other people I know in my ward, this I know. I guess that even if my bishop hasn't said I shouldn't take the sacrament if I really feel I shouldn't then I shouldn't??? Can I really makethis decision on my own?

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i pray that other members will correct me if i am wrong, i literally just got baptised and am still studying the scriptures.

but i believe that admitting you have done something wrong is the first step, having the strength to admit that you are not prepared for the sacrement is the next. be strong enough in your convictions by not taking it is a leap in the right direction to redemption and once again being able to recieve it with a hole heart. God loves you and he wants you to be open hearted once again.

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Sexual transgressions need to be confessed to your Bishop. Until you do meet with your Bishop, you should not partake of the sacrament. Read the articles below if you would like more information.

On the sacrament & worthiness

When should I not take the sacrament?

Obviously, if we are guilty of a sin that is serious enough to require confession to the bishop, then we should not partake until we have properly cleared up the matter.

On sexual sin & confession

Repentance

Serious sins, such as sexual transgression or use of pornography, need to be confessed to your bishop. Be completely honest with him. He will help you repent.

On waiting to confess

Forgiveness for the Repentant

It is wrong to commit sexual sins with the thought that you will simply repent later. This attitude is a sin itself, showing irreverence for the Lord and the covenants you make with Him. However, if you have committed sexual sins, the Lord offers forgiveness if you repent.

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Taking the sacrament is kind of like a robot thing for me, I do it without thinking about it at all. That is until today when a friend of mine didn't take it. I don't know why he didn't take it but when I saw this happen I actually thought about it and this is how I felt.

Sexual sins aren't transgressions that can be worked through on your own. They need to be confessed to your Bishop as part of the repentance process. You should not be taking the sacrament while stuck in sexual sin that hasn't been confessed. Taking the sacrament unworthily is not a casual matter.

I believe in the church, but I don't think I take it as seriously as I should. My testimony is not as strong as some other people I know in my ward, this I know. I guess that even if my bishop hasn't said I shouldn't take the sacrament if I really feel I shouldn't then I shouldn't??? Can I really makethis decision on my own?

If you're ever unsure about taking the sacrament, don't. Not taking the sacrament is absolutely a choice you can make on your own, but taking it if you feel that you shouldn't be is not a choice you should make. You need to talk to your Bishop about why you're feeling unworthy. He'll let you know if you're worthy to take the sacrament, and if you aren't worthy then he'll help you become worthy again.

Pretty much all sexual sin is going to involve some type of repentance process. Your Bishop is the one who sets the terms of the repentance. Whatever it is, it can be worked though.

It does seem like you might not be taking things as seriously as you could. Breaking the Law of Chastity Is Extremely Serious. Unchastity is next to murder in seriousness.

From True to the Faith:

Serious transgressions, such as violations of the law of chastity, may jeopardize your membership in the Church. Therefore, you need to confess these sins to both the Lord and His representatives in the Church. This is done under the care of your bishop or branch president and possibly your 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 your confession confidential and help you throughout the process of repentance. Be completely honest with them. If you partially confess, mentioning only lesser mistakes, you will not be able to resolve a more serious, undisclosed transgression. The sooner you begin this process, the sooner you will find the peace and joy that come with the miracle of forgiveness.

My advice is to call your Bishop first thing in the morning and tell you have sexual transgressions that you need his help with. It is infinitely better to go and confess than to be caught. And the longer you wait, the worse this becomes. Please read through some of the stuff I've linked to because I'm not sure you understand the seriousness of breaking the law of chastity. Like I said, whatever it is that's been done, it can be worked through and forgiven. Call your Bishop.

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I think that is a question best answered between you and the Lord. One of the primary reasons behind the sacrament is the process of repentance. It by definition is a renewal of our baptisimal oovenants. However, if you are feeling guilty about doing so, then why not take it up with Him whose ordinance this is?

If you then feel comfortable moving forward with taking the sacrament and using it to help you move forward in taking upon yourself the name of Christ, then I am not going to be one to argue with that answer.

If you feel impressed to talk with your bishop or branch president after counseling with the Lord, then by all means do so, and follow his council since that is what you were impressed upon by the Spirit to do.

-RM

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I've been working on thiese problems for over 4 years now with my bishop. I have certainly made some progress, a LOT of progress in overcoming my desires, but I still am not quite there yet. I never even once thought about what I was doing when I took the sacrament. I have taken it unworthily so many times it's not even countable. I'm glad I saw my friend that I highly respect not take it because it sparked the thought in me and now I can't let it go. I definitely feel the guilt of doing what I have done now. I am planning on seeing my bishop again in a few weeks. I don't think I will take it again until I'm absolutely sure. I'm sure that God understands. I am doing this to show respect. I don't think i have shown him respect for a very long time.

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From my opinion of it, if you feel you shouldn't take it, then don't. But the fact is that you have been working with your bishop, and he didn't feel you needed to stop taking it. I would ask him briefly, about it. I have been told that if you are worthy, it doesn't make a lot of difference if you miss it for a few weeks. So either way, I don't think it'll be an issue. My sticking point on this though is that your bishop never told you not to. They notice, and they will ask. My mom once sat behind my Bishop, and he thought she had not taken the sacrament and came in late as a result. He asked her, if everything was ok. If someone passes on the sacrament, and its not a person they are aware of, they do all them on it. So, you may end up in his office sooner then you think.

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