The Lord's Willingness to Forgive

The Savior Wants to Forgive

BY ELDER CRAIG A. CARDON

Of the Seventy

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The Lord loves us and wants us to understand His willingness to forgive

The Savior forgives sins “upon earth” and not just at the Final Judgment. He does not excuse us in our sins.¹¹ He does not condone our return to past sins.¹² But when we repent and obey His gospel, He forgives us.¹³

In this forgiveness we see the enabling and the redeeming power of the Atonement harmoniously and graciously applied. If we exercise faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, the enabling power of His Atonement strengthens us in our moment of need,¹⁴ and His redeeming power sanctifies us as we “[put] off the natural man.”¹⁵ This brings hope to all, especially to those who feel that recurring human weakness is beyond the Savior’s willingness to help and to save.

Our Heavenly Father knows what we are facing, that we all sin and “come short of the glory of God”⁴⁹ again and again. He sent His Son, who “knoweth the weakness of man and how to succor them who are tempted.”⁵⁰ His Son teaches us to “pray always that [we] enter not into temptation.”⁵¹ We are told to “cry unto [God] for mercy; for he is mighty to save.”⁵² The Savior commands us to repent⁵³ and to forgive.⁵⁴ And although repentance is not easy, as we strive with all our hearts to obey His gospel, He gives this promise: “Verily I say unto you, notwithstanding [your] sins, my bowels are filled with compassion towards [you]. I will not utterly cast [you] off; and in the day of wrath I will remember mercy.”⁵⁵The Savior wants to forgive.

“Gently Raise the Sacred Strain.” 

William W. Phelps’s 

Holy, holy is the Lord.

Precious, precious is his word: …

Repent and live;

Tho your sins be crimson red,

Oh, repent, and he’ll forgive.⁵⁶