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Question

 

Gramps,

In your response to the question under the title ‘Forgiveness’ Alison asks a question about murder. In your response you said that we cannot be forgiven in this life for murder. I’ve heard conflicting opinions on this subject. Do you know if there is any modern day revelation that talks about this specific issue?

Thanks,

Thomas

 

Answer

 

Thomas,

You have asked an excellent question from my response to Allison, however I think you may have read my comment too quickly, or misunderstood it. This is what I shared with Allison:

“Murder is a very grievous sin but the infinite and eternal nature of the atonement of Jesus Christ even makes provision for that. Full forgiveness requires restitution for the sin just like every other sin… So murder in and of itself is not unforgivable.”

Yes, we have modern revelation through the Book of Mormon that specifies how some who have murdered have been forgiven. I would draw your mind to the People of Ammon. These were Lamanites who committed murders against the Nephites. Yet, through their personal covenant with the Lord, they received forgiveness of these murders.

However, President Spencer W. Kimball shared:

“Many people feel a little sorry and offer one or two little prayers to their Heavenly Father for forgiveness. But that is not enough when they have committed a serious sin. Breaking the law of chastity is one of the most serious sins next to murder. Of course, murder is not forgivable in this life as far as we know. One cannot break this law with impunity. One who has transgressed this law should immediately go to his bishop or branch presidency and should open his soul and tell the bishop the whole story. He should tell it without any limitations …

 

Therefore, the sins of mankind can be forgiven, but not by ignoring them. One must go to the proper ecclesiastical officials and clear his problems … (Amsterdam, General Session, pp. 4–7, emphasis added)

Thus we have the Book of Mormon suggesting the people of Ammon were forgiven, while Spencer W. Kimball specifying it is not forgiveable as far we know.

What we have to remember is that God will judge us according our thoughts, our words, and our deeds. This will be according to our knowledge and the intents of our heart also.

If we have been taught since childhood to not take a life, I think our judgement then will be very different to a person who was taught, since they were young, that it is okay to murder.

The best advice is keep the commandment, “Thou shalt not murder,” and no one will have to worry about forgiveness for this sin at all.

Gramps

 

 

 

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