Latter-day Saints revere several books of scripture in addition to the Bible. There are many verses in these books that are consistent with the Bible and that I find stirring and powerful even though I no longer believe they are scripture. But there is one verse in the Doctrine and Covenants that stands out to me as one of the most problematic verses that undermines the Bible’s message of God’s forgiveness.

In Doctrine and Covenants 82:7, Joseph Smith claims to speak for the Lord Jesus Christ in declaring: “And now, verily I say unto you, I, the Lord, will not lay any sin to your charge; go your ways and sin no more; but unto that soul who sinneth shall the former sins return, saith the Lord your God.”

This verse sends the problematic message that our forgiveness is always conditional. Our sins are never truly gone for good. God always remembers them. And if we sin again, then our former sins return and continue to burden us.  

Indeed, one early church leader went so far to say that renewed sin even undoes the efficacy of baptism: “He also told them that that soul that sinned and would not comply with the covenant and promise which they made before him … should have his former sins returned to him, which had been before remitted in baptism.” (Orson Pratt JD 15:354).

If taken literally this verse is crushing. One can spend years repenting earnestly. But all of that progress is wiped away with one slip up or set back. What a discouraging thought as we struggle with the chronic temptations and challenges that torment us in this life.

The truth is that in this life we will always struggle with sin. Even as we are being sanctified, we slip up and fall into bad habits. At times we will cry with Paul “O wretched man that I am!” (Romans 7:24). Or when we are doing well with our temptations, we become prideful and judgmental of those who continue to struggle. Our imperfections and weaknesses are not meant to fill us with shame and guilt, meant to turn us with humility to God and fill us with gratitude for his grace and mercy. See 2 Cor 12:7-10 (“My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.”)

The Bible speaks of a God who generously and mercifully forgives us when we are yet sinners and ungodly. It speaks of a savior who nailed out sins to the cross and paid the full cost for our sins. He does not hold our old sins over our head. Indeed, if we are in Christ there is “no condemnation.” (Romans 8:1).

Here are just a few of the verses that teach this powerful truth:

• “I, I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins.” (Isaiah 43:25).
• “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9).
• “As far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.” (Psalm 103:12)
• And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.” (Jeremiah 31:34)
• “Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool. (Isaiah 1:18)

Our sins are removed away from us as far as the east is from west (i.e., as far as is possible). They can never again be brought to us. God remembers them no more. He makes us white as wool or snow even though we were once stained with sin. God will not go back on his word. He cannot.

When we come to Christ, we can be confident that our sins are nailed to the cross. Neither God nor Satan can hold them against us ever again, because the penalty for that sin has been paid in full by Christ’s sacrifice. We do not need to live in anxiety about whether we have done enough to be forgiven or whether a slip up will bring us back under condemnation. We can have confidence that nothing will separate us from God, not even our own imperfect striving and our wrestles with sin.

If you are a Latter-day Saint, I would invite you to read these powerful words from the end of Romans 8 in light of these assurances:

“Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies.  Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? … For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”