By Anna Roberts
A BYU professor of ancient studies addressed students and faculty on the twin miracles of repentance and forgiveness last Tuesday in the de Jong Concert Hall.
Professor Kelly Ogden stressed the danger of the “sin now, repent later” mentality. Referencing Elder Richard G. Scott, he said this philosophy is “perilously wrong” and that premeditated sins are harder to surmount than other sins. He urged the audience that they “should be ready always … repenting daily and preparing to meet (their) Maker.” No one knows when they will return “home,” so Ogden cautioned everyone to remain clean and worthy, repenting on a daily or weekly basis.
Ogden also described the pain associated with sin, illustrating the process with a painting “Turning Toward the Light.” He mentioned that sinning brings on godly sorrow and suffering, which is necessary for repentance. However, he said he believes that it is better to suffer minimally now rather than feel the full effects of our sins in the next life.
Additionally, Ogden mentioned that after going through the process of repentance, it is vital to forsake committed sins and leave them behind. Through repentance one becomes a new person, which makes forgiving yourself and forgetting mistakes easier. “Tie yourself to your potential,” he counseled, “and not to your past.”
Seventeen-year-old Melissa Randall, a Summer Scholar who attended the devotional, found the message about leaving sins behind especially meaningful. “I feel like people don’t always realize how much holding on to sins holds them back in life,” she said. “It’s good to hear that although we remember our sins, we need to move on to truly repent.”
“Keep your eyes straight ahead and on the Savior,” Ogden urged. “When Satan reminds you of your past, remind him of his future.”
Ann Roberts is a high school student participant in the Summer Scholars program sponsored by the BYU Department of Communications. Anna is from South Jordan, Utah.
