Is there a limit to how often I can repent? (2024)

“Is there a limit to how often I can repent?,” For the Strength of Youth, Sept. 2022.

When you truly desire to repent, it can be frustrating if you slip up again. But because of the infinite Atonement of Jesus Christ, God’s mercy and grace are infinite, and you can still repent and be worthy. Remember that “repentance is not an event; it is a process” and that “when we choose to repent, … we choose to … receive joy.”1

Repentance is always available, even if you’ve made the same mistake again. The Lord has said, “As often as my people repent will I forgive them their trespasses against me” (Mosiah 26:30). Be one of “His people,” and return to the Lord whenever you stray. Also, talk to your parents and your bishop. Their help and support can strengthen you.

If you are struggling to overcome a sin, don’t give up. Satan may want you to believe that you’re a lost cause or you’ve had all the chances you’re going to get. But it’s not true. Keep trying. The Lord always welcomes heartfelt repentance.

Is there a limit to how often I can repent? (2024)

FAQs

Is there a limit to how often I can repent? ›

Repentance is always available, even if you've made the same mistake again. The Lord has said, “As often as my people repent will I forgive them their trespasses against me” (Mosiah 26:30). Be one of “His people,” and return to the Lord whenever you stray. Also, talk to your parents and your bishop.

How many times can you repent? ›

There are two things to remember here: (1) God's mercy is indeed infinite, and (2) true repentance means forsaking your sins. On the one hand, because of the infinite Atonement of Jesus Christ, repentance is available to everyone, even those who have made the same mistakes many times.

What does the Bible say about repeated sin? ›

We do not just stop passions, we exchange them. That is always the key to conquering sin. If we stop fulfilling sinful passions, we leave a void or vacuum in our life that must be filled. If it is not filled with a better, more fulfilling passion, the old lusts will return (2 Peter 2:20-22).

What is the meaning of 70 times 7? ›

Jesus speaks of forgiveness beyond what anyone had ever considered before: seventy times seven! Many commentaries understand this to mean that Jesus was telling Peter that he should forgive his brother a limitless number of times.

Is repentance a one-time thing? ›

Martin Luther famously said, “All of a Christian's life is repentance.” Repentance is not something we do to start the Christian life; repentance is a posture toward God that we adopt at conversion and maintain the rest of our lives.

What does the Bible say about repenting daily? ›

Ether 12:27: "If men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble." Daily we need to repent of our weaknesses.

How many times can you ask God for forgiveness? ›

He doesn't put a limit on how many times you turn to him with your sincere heart, humbly seeking forgiveness. He's just glad you've returned. May we do our best to model our forgiveness after God's example.

What are the three unforgivable sins? ›

Resistance to the known truth. Envy of a brother's spiritual good, i.e., of the increase of Divine grace in the world. Impenitence, i.e., the specific purpose of not repenting a sin.

What are the three worst sins? ›

Listed in order of increasing severity as per Pope Gregory I, 6th-century A.D., the seven deadly sins are as follows:
  • Lust.
  • Gluttony.
  • Greed.
  • Sloth.
  • Wrath.
  • Envy.
  • Pride.

Does God forgive all sins if you repent? ›

You may have felt like your sins are too serious or that you have made the same mistake too many times. But no matter how much we have sinned, we can always repent and be forgiven. Some sins may be easier to correct than others, but Jesus Christ has provided for total forgiveness from all sins. He is eager to forgive.

Does God only forgive 77 times? ›

Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?" 22Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times. "Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants.

What does 490 mean in the Bible? ›

Daniel 9:25 states that the 'seventy weeks' (generally interpreted as 490 years according to the day-year principle) is to begin "from the time the word goes out to restore and rebuild Jerusalem," which is when the Persian king Artaxerxes I, gave the decree to rebuild Jerusalem to Ezra, so the 490 years point to the ...

What does the Bible say about tattoos? ›

But in the ancient Middle East, the writers of the Hebrew Bible forbade tattooing. Per Leviticus 19:28, “You shall not make gashes in your flesh for the dead, or incise any marks on yourselves.” Historically, scholars have often understood this as a warning against pagan practices of mourning.

Can you repent to many times? ›

Repentance is always available, even if you've made the same mistake again. The Lord has said, “As often as my people repent will I forgive them their trespasses against me” (Mosiah 26:30). Be one of “His people,” and return to the Lord whenever you stray.

How can I truly repent? ›

Principles of Repentance
  1. We Must Recognize Our Sins. To repent, we must admit to ourselves that we have sinned. ...
  2. We Must Feel Sorrow for Our Sins. ...
  3. We Must Forsake Our Sins. ...
  4. We Must Confess Our Sins. ...
  5. We Must Make Restitution. ...
  6. We Must Forgive Others. ...
  7. We Must Keep the Commandments of God.

How to ask God for forgiveness when you keep sinning? ›

  1. Forgive All My Sins. Lord Jesus, You opened the eyes of the blind, ...
  2. Mercy. Lord Jesus, Son of God, Have mercy on me, ...
  3. Friend of Sinners. Lord Jesus, ...
  4. Luke 15:18; 18:13. Father, I have sinner against you. ...
  5. Psalm 50:4-5. Wash me from my guilt. ...
  6. Forgiveness. Jesus, I believe you love me. ...
  7. Penance. My God, ...
  8. Lamb of God. Lord Jesus Christ,

How many times can you rededicate your life to God? ›

The short answer is no. There is not a limit to the amount of times you can rededicate or resurrender your life to Christ because you are in a continual battle between your flesh and your spirit, and this battle will not end until you are safe in God's presence.

How many times does the Bible say you can be forgiven? ›

Jesus says we should forgive someone seventy times seven in response to a question from Peter about how many times to forgive a brother who sins against him. Peter asks if forgiving seven times is appropriate, and Jesus responds “not seven times, but seventy times seven” (Matthew 18:22).

How many times should we confess our sins? ›

There's no direct teaching in Scripture about the frequency of confessing our sins. We should approach it first from the angle of how frequently we sin. Given that we sin each day, it would make sense that we confess our sins each day and ask for our Father's forgiveness each day.

How many stages of repentance do we have? ›

In the first two stages we looked at conviction and confession. * We have felt the weight of our sin by seeing it as God does and confessed it to Him and others. Before we move to next stage I want to warn you of turning these stages into a checklist.

References

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