Forgiven

I have never understood the meaning of being forgiven -- until now.  It's so different than I thought.  I love the Lord, I love His ways.  He is so kind and merciful!  He makes all things possible.  At first, being "forgiven" is merely a "remission" of sins.  This allows us to have the Holy Ghost so we can start on the path to Eternal Life.  At some point we may be actually forgiven, and cleansed from all sin and transgression so that we are brought back into the presence of God and we are able to see our Savior and Redeemer.  This is the path that leads to Eternal Life, if we don't veer off of it.

Remission of Sins
When we repent of our sins and are baptized, we still have all of the transgressions and sins, but we just don't have the effects of them, Jesus Christ allows us to put down our load of sin and take His burden.  "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."  (Matthew 11:28-30)

He covers us, and covers for us.  When Jesus spoke about the people of the world who would reject the Apostles, He said, "If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloak for their sin."  (John 15:22)  Because of their knowledge of the Savior, and their rejection of Him and unbelief, they do not have their sins remitted.  Only those who believe in Christ can have this cloak.

However, we are still guilty, we are still sick, but He takes on Himself all the pain, sorrow, grief, loneliness, separation, guilt, and remorse.  "Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.  But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.  All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.  He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth."  (Isaiah 53:4-7)

At this point we are not innocent, we are just "in remission."  When Jesus instituted the Sacrament among His Apostles, He took the cup of wine and said, "this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins."  (Matthew 26:28)  It is interesting to note that His blood was not shed for "all" as that is not the case.  Only those who repent and are baptized may receive a remission of sins.  These may then receive the Holy Ghost as their guide along "the straight and narrow path" that leads to Eternal Life.

The Straight and Narrow Path
We must have a remission of sins because "the Spirit of the Lord doth not dwell in unholy temples." (Helaman 4:24)  We are not washed clean at this point, we only have our sins remitted so that the Holy Ghost can be with us and guide us along the paths of righteousness, allowing us to become clean.

We can only be on the road to Heaven if we have the Holy Ghost as our guide.  There is no other way to traverse the steep and rocky road, to learn and grow, and to know how to act.  We cannot "keep the commandments" unless we understand them.  Before receiving the "unspeakable gift of the Holy Ghost" (D&C 121:26) we are covered by the Lord, Jesus Christ, by His blood.  However, once we receive the Holy Ghost, we begin to take responsibility for sin.  We must be obedient to everything we learn.

What we learn is the meaning of the commandments.  We learn how to love God with all our heart.  This does not indicate our affection for Him, but rather our commitment to Him.  Our heart is set on Him and His Kingdom, accepting His offer of Eternal Life by sacrificing all other desires, appetites, and passions.  We learn how to truly take upon us His name.  We learn how to keep the Sabbath day holy, live the Gospel and keep the law of Chastity.  We learn the true meaning of consecration.  As the Spirit of God teaches us, we become more and more obedient because we know more.  Without this knowledge we cannot even keep the commandments.  This is why "It is impossible for a man to be saved in ignorance."  (D&C 131:6)  If we don't even know the rules, how can we live by them?  Only the Holy Ghost can teach us the truth.  Without this supernal gift we cannot even be on the path to God.

Sanctification
As we become more obedient we learn more, and in turn we have more opportunity to be obedient.  It is a cycle of growth.  "That which is of God is light; and he that receiveth light, and continueth in God, receiveth more light; and that light groweth brighter and brighter until the perfect day." (D&C 50:24)  At some time we can actually be forgiven, clean and pure, or "perfected in him." (Moroni 10:32)

Perfection is not something we fall into, we don't coast downhill or float downstream to reach God.  We must be active participants in keeping every word of God.  Once we learn how to live "by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God," (Matthew 4:4) then we may be sanctified.  The Lord commands us to "sanctify yourselves; yea, purify your hearts, and cleanse your hands and your feet before me, that I may make you clean." (D&C 88:74)  Once we are clean we can see the face of God.  "Therefore, sanctify yourselves that your minds become single to God, and the days will come that you shall see him; for he will unveil his face unto you, and it shall be in his own time, and in his own way, and according to his own will." (D&C 88:68)

Unforgivable
If we achieve this state of forgiveness our sins are no longer with us.  We are not in "remission," but rather clean and healed of all our sins and transgressions.  Those who have recieved a remission of sins may turn away from their path "like the dog to his vomit, or like the sow to her wallowing in the mire," (3 Nephi 7:8) and remove the "cloak" given by Jesus, and the old sins are still there.  However, they may still return and repent of them, and receive a remission of sins again, and return to the path of righteousness, learning the commandments and heading towards sanctification, either in this life, or in the next, after death.

However, those who achieve a sanctified and pure state must endure to the end, or they may forfeit their ability to repent.  Once we are sanctified, if we "sin" or break the laws of God and willfully rebel against Him then we can no longer be forgiven.  "But whoso breaketh this covenant after he hath received it, and altogether turneth therefrom, shall not have forgiveness of sins in this world nor in the world to come." (D&C 84:41)  We can only be cast out of Heaven.  This is the unforgivable sin against the Holy Ghost.  One must be in the light and reject it with full knowledge in order to receive this condemnation, those who are not sanctified don't have enough knowledge to become the "sons of perdition."

Eternal Life
However, those who continue on "shall inherit thrones, kingdoms, principalities, and powers, dominions, all heights and depths..." (D&C 132:19)

"These shall dwell in the presence of God and his Christ forever and ever.
These are they whom he shall bring with him, when he shall come in the clouds of heaven to reign on the earth over his people.
These are they who shall have part in the first resurrection.
These are they who shall come forth in the resurrection of the just.
These are they who are come unto Mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly place, the holiest of all.
These are they who have come to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of Enoch, and of the Firstborn.
These are they whose names are written in heaven, where God and Christ are the judge of all.
These are they who are just men made perfect through Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, who wrought out this perfect atonement through the shedding of his own blood.
These are they whose bodies are celestial, whose glory is that of the sun, even the glory of God, the highest of all, whose glory the sun of the firmament is written of as being typical.
(D&C 76:62-70)