Woodstock Letter #13

Leshelle & a silo with a face

Here is something neat that I thought of as I studied this week:

I've known since I was young that the sacrifice of Jesus Christ enables me to be forgiven of mistakes. He died for my sins. If I change my ways and repent, I will be forgiven.

My understanding of that sacrifice has grown over the years.  Consequently, I now know that His sacrifice covers far more than mistakes; that His sacrifice isn't only about allowing me to be free of guilt but also about empowering me to do what I cannot do alone - in essence making possible all things that are impossible for me personally. I've come to see how essential that sacrifice is. Because of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, I can be happy in this life as well as in the life to come. Without Him and His sacrifice, there is NO WAY that I could ever return to God.

I love that, as I study, I understand things in new ways and from new angles. Jesus Christ's sacrifice clicked for me again the other day, beginning with a word that has been common to me: merits.

I read a scripture in Helaman 14: "repent and prepare the way of the Lord". (verse 9)

My thoughts immediately went something like this: He doesn't need me to prepare His way. He has the power and ability to make a way even if there was not a way initially. So, why do the scriptures often speak of "repent and prepare the way of the Lord" ???

He doesn't need us to prepare His way for the world. However, He does need us to prepare the way for Him to enter our hearts. He respects our ability to choose - He won't force us to do anything, even if it is a good thing. He knows that we need to apply His sacrifice in order to find joy, and to eventually be able to return to our perfect God even though we are imperfect. Even knowing our essential need for His sacrifice, He won't force us to use it. He's made it available. He's made it clear how to apply it in our lives. But, He won't force it to be applied. That, only we can do.

I took it this way: repenting is how we prepare the way of the Lord and how the power of His sacrifice may be applied in our individual lives. Each one of us must do that. I cannot prepare the way into your heart. Only you can, just as only I can prepare the way for Him to enter mine.

"And if ye believe on His name ye will repent of all your sins, that thereby ye may have a remission of them through his bmerits." (verse 13)

It's established that repentance is necessary. Beginning with a belief that He - because of his sacrifice - has the power to free us of pain caused by our sins as well as those of others, we repent. In other words, we change. Then, through His merits we receive that liberation.  I looked up the word merits, wanting to understand more because it was intriguing me so.

Merits:
-something that entitles reward
-state or fact of deserving well
-that which is deserved
-be worthy of; deserve

So....repentance allows us to receive a remission of sins through the merits of Christ. Repentance is somewhat like charging it to His pre-paid tab; it is His qualification in order to use his "tab", which tab is the entitlement to remission of sins. This tab is His worthiness to receive forgiveness. He deserves no guilt, no pain, no sadness because He is perfect. Because He was perfect, He gave His life to create that "tab". By doing what He asks (repenting) He allows us to receive what only He deserves - that which only He is worthy of.

Imagine walking into a restaurant. You are hungry. You need to eat in order to keep living. There is no other option for food. But, you don't have enough money for anything. You believe in the words of those who have told you that there is a tab that you can use. There is such a tab. The waiter needs to know that you are authorized to use that tab - he needs to know what kind of connection you have to He whose tab you intend to use. The waiter needs proof that you have permission to use Christ's tab. Christ has instructed the waiter that, in order to keep justice and order, people must show by their actions (repentance) that they have received permission. That is how the waiter will know. Then, you are given the menu of endless options. It doesn't quite seem like a fair trade; but, Christ wants you to use that tab in order to enjoy, progress, and be able to go forward. He doesn't ask much in order for Him to give you access to things that you and I don't deserve. Yet, through His mercy, he allows us the way to access His merits.

This way, justice is satisfied while Christ can still give us His mercy. It doesn't always seem easy - frankly, it isn't easy to follow what He has asked. But it is clear. The way He provides is clear. He's given us each step. Only you can move your feet. Only you can choose to follow the steps that He has shown you. Each step you take paves one more brick of the way - the way of the Lord-into your soul.

Love,
Leshelle