"Return Unto Me" 3 Nephi 9:13-14

3 Nephi 9:13-14

After Jesus Christ was resurrected and visited the inhabitants in the Americas, he told those that were still living in the land, "O all ye that are spared because ye were more righteous than they, will ye not now return unto me, and repent of your sins, and be converted, that I may heal you? Yea, verily I say unto you, if ye will come unto me ye shall have eternal life. Behold, mine arm of mercy is extended towards you, and whosoever will come, him will I receive; and blessed are those who come unto me" (3 Nephi 9:13-14).

This points out that we all are on the road of discipleship if we are turning to Him and coming unto Him. Ether 12:27 explains that if we come unto Him, we will see our weakness. As we repent, we are forgiven and healed. I have felt this and desire to receive this again and again as I repent fully of my many sins.

Many do not believe this doctrine. They believe it is as simple as confessing Christ and then you are forgiven and healed. Amulek spoke with Zeezrom, a wicked lawyer, and told him, "the Lord surely should come to redeem his people, but that he should not come to redeem them in their sins, but to redeem them from their sins" (Helaman 5:10). He doesn't redeem us "IN" our sins but "FROM" our sins that we have given away to know Him (Alma 22:18).

The story of the converted Ammonites and their swords becoming bright is the perfect metaphor for true repentance. The Lamanites had been a blood-thirsty people but heard the word of God and buried their weapons of war. They said, "it was all we could do to repent [Greek; to change one's mind or purpose] sufficiently before God that he would take away our stain--" (Alma 24:11). He could not heal them or forgive them if their swords were still bloody. Faith without works is dead, being alone (James 2:17-18).

This doctrine leads me to my knees, for there are many sins I still struggle to overcome. I have faith that I will receive the help I need from the Savior to support me as I struggle to turn to Him and be healed, just as He has done with other sins that I have eventually overcome through Christ and then received of His blood to cleanse me. Then the Holy Ghost has come in with greater abundance and sanctified my heart more and more as these sins have become stains washed away. I am so grateful for Jesus Christ. He is my hope and salvation.