Lds clean hands pure heart3/24/2024 ![]() If you made a rigorous and complete inventory of your life in Step Four, your list will include a number of transgressions that are not necessarily serious enough to require confession to a bishop. I have a testimony of the principle of confession as part of the Lord’s plan for our healing. Even when we are still struggling with the actions of addiction, it helps to have someone share the burden with us. But each time I confessed, I felt better afterwards. Each time I approached the task of disclosing my sins, I felt a knot in my stomach. Throughout the years that I struggled with sexual addiction, I counseled with several bishops and stake presidents. If a problem is ongoing, reporting periodically to the bishop can be an important act of accountability and an important motivation for abstinence. His calling is not simply to hear confessions and issue discipline, but also (and more importantly) to help us work through the repentance process. It is also beneficial to discuss with the bishop things some might consider trivial, such as lustful thoughts and sexual fantasizing. Therefore, fornication (sex before marriage), adultery (sex outside of marriage), abortion, masturbation and even the viewing of pornography should all be confessed to the bishop as part of our repentance process. This especially includes sins of a sexual nature. Therefore, any sin we have committed that may jeopardize our membership in the Church needs to be confessed to him. He acts for the Church in matters of transgression against the laws of the Church. The bishop issues temple recommends and callings based on our adherence to the standards of the gospel. The bishop is a “common judge in Israel ,” meaning he has the responsibility to vouch for our worthiness before the Lord and the fellowship of the Church. There are several appropriate people to whom you can give your Fifth Step inventory:Ĭonfession to the bishop is most definitely necessary to our repentance before the Lord. (Mosiah 26:29 Alma 22:18) (Heart t’ Heart scriptural version) Honestly shared this inventory with God and with another person, thus demonstrating the sincerity of our repentance, and our willingness to give away all our sins that we might know Him. Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply.AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |