Article June 9, 1986 Issue

Past mistakes are redeemable

MARGARET COLEMAN BROWN

Are you struggling with the lingering effects of some mistake of the past? If so, take heart. Past mistakes are redeemable— even that mistake which seems the very worst in your life. You may be saying to yourself, "Oh no, not that one." But it is redeemable. In fact, even the suffering that you experience as a consequence of your mistake can be a blessing if it prods you to rise higher in the understanding of God and of man's spiritual nature. And isn't spiritual progress the most important thing?

The term redeem is used in the business world to refer to regaining something by paying a price—for example, mortgaged property or a promissory note. Spiritually considered, however, redemption takes on a much deeper meaning: salvation from sin and from the penalties incurred for violation of divine law. Indulgence in sin is a basic error from which mistake comes, and in order to gain freedom from sin, we must give up whatever claims to obstruct the way of salvation. We cannot hold on to old sinful ways and still expect to gain the blessings of salvation. There is a price to pay, and this price is clearly stated throughout the teachings of the Master, Christ Jesus.

When he was preaching the gospel in Galilee, he said, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel."^{Mark 1:15.} The requirements for experiencing the peace and joy of the heavenly kingdom at hand (and within each one of us) are made plain. First, repent: See thoroughly the error of our ways, turn from the sin, and pray for more light to follow the spiritual path leading to a recognition of God's kingdom at hand. The next step is reformation: We must put our desire to do right into practice by assimilating more of the Christ-spirit in daily life.