Miracle of Forgiveness
Encyclopedia
The Miracle of Forgiveness is a book written by Spencer W. Kimball
, who was a member of Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). (He later became president of the church).
Originally published in 1969, the book discusses the issues of repentance and forgiveness through Jesus Christ in LDS theology. It is primarily written for an LDS audience. It is notable for its unusual bluntness about a range of activities that it brands as sinful, including:
Kimball defines repentance as the perfect, successful abandonment of sin, through the following actions:
"Trying is not sufficient. Nor is repentance
complete when one merely tries to abandon sin," Kimball writes. The objective of repentance, he writes, is to obtain "perfection" as a prerequisite for achieving "immortality and eternal life. ... This progress toward eternal life is a matter of achieving perfection. Living all the commandments guarantees total forgiveness of sins and assures one of exaltation through that perfection which comes by complying with the formula the Lord gave us. ... Being perfect means to triumph over sin."
, "[T]he book filled a need, as evidenced by the printing of half a million copies in English and sixteen other languages between its publication in 1969 and his death in 1985... By 1998 the total in all languages was roughly estimated at 1.6 million copies."
This book has received numerous accolades from LDS Church authorities. Ezra Taft Benson
, who succeeded Kimball as president of the church, urged all church members "to read and reread President Spencer W. Kimball's book." More recently, Mormon apostle Richard G. Scott
called it a "masterly work."
The book is not a part of the "approved missionary library."
Non-Mormon
Spencer W. Kimball
Spencer Woolley Kimball was the twelfth president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1973 until his death in 1985.-Ancestry:...
, who was a member of Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). (He later became president of the church).
Originally published in 1969, the book discusses the issues of repentance and forgiveness through Jesus Christ in LDS theology. It is primarily written for an LDS audience. It is notable for its unusual bluntness about a range of activities that it brands as sinful, including:
Murder, adultery, theft, cursing, unholiness in masters, disobedience in servants, unfaithfulness, improvidence, hatred of God, disobedience to husbands, lack of natural affection, high-mindedness, flattery, lustfulness, infidelity, indiscretion, backbiting, whispering, lack of truth, striking, brawling, quarrelsomeness, unthankfulness, inhospitality, deceitfulness, irreverence, boasting, arrogance, pride, double-tongued talk, profanity, slander, corruptness, thievery, embezzlement, despoiling, covenant-breaking, incontinence, filthiness, ignobleness, filthy communications, impurity, foolishness, slothfulness, impatience, lack of understanding, unmercifulness, idolatry, blasphemy, denial of the Holy Ghost, Sabbath breaking, envy, jealousy, malice, maligning, vengefulness, implacability, bitterness, clamor, spite, defiling, reviling, evil speaking, provoking, greediness for filthy lucre, disobedience to parents, anger, hate, covetousness, bearing false witness, inventing evil things, fleshliness, heresy, presumptuousness, abomination, insatiable appetite, instability, ignorance, self-will, speaking evil of dignitaries, becoming a stumbling block; and in our modern language, masturbation, petting, fornication, adultery, homosexuality; and every sex perversion, every hidden and secret sin and all unholy and impure practices.
Kimball defines repentance as the perfect, successful abandonment of sin, through the following actions:
- conviction, in which "the sinner consciously recognizes his sin."
- abandonment of sin
- confession to church authorities and/or other parties wronged by the sin
- restitution
- keeping God's commandments
- forgiving others
"Trying is not sufficient. Nor is repentance
Repentance
Repentance is a change of thought to correct a wrong and gain forgiveness from a person who is wronged. In religious contexts it usually refers to confession to God, ceasing sin against God, and resolving to live according to religious law...
complete when one merely tries to abandon sin," Kimball writes. The objective of repentance, he writes, is to obtain "perfection" as a prerequisite for achieving "immortality and eternal life. ... This progress toward eternal life is a matter of achieving perfection. Living all the commandments guarantees total forgiveness of sins and assures one of exaltation through that perfection which comes by complying with the formula the Lord gave us. ... Being perfect means to triumph over sin."
Reputation in Mormonism
According to Spencer Kimball's son, EdwardEdward L. Kimball
Edward L. Kimball is a now-retired law professor at Brigham Young University who has written biographies of his father Spencer W. Kimball and his mother Camilla Eyring Kimball. Mormon historians have described these as "well crafted" biographies...
, "[T]he book filled a need, as evidenced by the printing of half a million copies in English and sixteen other languages between its publication in 1969 and his death in 1985... By 1998 the total in all languages was roughly estimated at 1.6 million copies."
This book has received numerous accolades from LDS Church authorities. Ezra Taft Benson
Ezra Taft Benson
Ezra Taft Benson was the thirteenth president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1985 until his death and was United States Secretary of Agriculture for both terms of the presidency of Dwight D. Eisenhower.-Biography:Born on a farm in Whitney, Idaho, Benson was the oldest of...
, who succeeded Kimball as president of the church, urged all church members "to read and reread President Spencer W. Kimball's book." More recently, Mormon apostle Richard G. Scott
Richard G. Scott
Richard Gordon Scott is an American nuclear engineer and a current member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . Currently, he is the seventh most senior apostle among the ranks of the church.-Early years:Richard G...
called it a "masterly work."
The book is not a part of the "approved missionary library."
External links
Mormon- Full text of the book
- A Controversial Book That Should Not Be Controversial, by John W. Redelfs
Non-Mormon
- The Miracle of Forgiveness, reviewed by Bill McKeever
- A Miracle for Mormons: Forgiveness of Sins, by Timothy Oliver
- What does God say about being perfect? (PerfectRighteousness.com)
- An article about the book on MormonWiki.org, a critical online encyclopedia of Mormonism maintained by evangelical Christians