What Does Repentance Look Like?
“And now behold, I ask of you, my brethren of the church, have ye spiritually been born of God? Have ye received his image in your countenances? Have ye experienced this mighty change in your hearts?”
Repentance looks like a change in us — a visible, spiritual, relational transformation.
Alma 5:14 gives us three lenses:
- “… spiritually been born of God …”
- “… received his image in your countenances …”
- “… experienced this mighty change in your hearts …”
This shows what repentance actually looks like when it is alive in our lives. Below is a doctrinal dissection written for us — communal, reflective, principle‑driven.
What Repentance Looks Like Through Alma 5:14
1. “Spiritually been born of God”
Repentance looks like new life beginning in us
Headline Scriptures for “Spiritually”
“To be spiritually minded is life and peace.”
“To be carnally‑minded is death, and to be spiritually‑minded is life eternal.”
These two passages capture the essence of Alma’s question:
Has our mind, heart, and way of being shifted from the natural to the spiritual?
They name the outcome of spiritual rebirth with perfect clarity — life, peace, and eternal life — which is exactly what repentance produces in us when new life begins.
Why All the Topical Guide Scriptures Matter for Celestial Spiritual Growth: Spirituality
All of these scriptures form a unified pattern of celestial spiritual growth: they teach us that spirituality is not an abstract feeling but a transformation of desire, perception, and identity. They show that when we delight in God’s law, become spiritually minded, discern spiritual things, and bear the fruit of the Spirit, we are being built into a spiritual house and putting off the natural man. They reveal that our hearts are changed through faith, filled with the Holy Ghost, and shaped into the image of Christ as we remember Him and walk with His Spirit. They testify that spiritual rebirth is not a moment but a continual receiving of light, companionship, and sanctifying power. Together, these passages anchor us in the principle that celestial growth is the ongoing work of letting God reshape our hearts, align our desires with His, and fill us with His Spirit until we become like Him.
Cross‑Reference Phrase: “Born of God” — Supporting Scriptures
“For, said he, I have repented of my sins, and have been redeemed of the Lord; behold I am born of the Spirit.”
⚓︎ “And the Lord said unto me: Marvel not that all mankind, yea, men and women, all nations, kindreds, tongues and people, must be born again; yea, born of God, changed from their carnal and fallen state, to a state of righteousness, being redeemed of God, becoming his sons and daughters;”
“And thus they become new creatures; and unless they do this, they can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God.”
“I say unto you, unless this be the case, they must be cast off; and this I know, because I was like to be cast off.”
▪︎ Alma Testifies He Has Been Born of God | Mosiah 27; Alma 36
▪︎ The Pattern of Being “Changed From Their Carnal and Fallen State”
Mosiah 27 shows us what spiritual rebirth looks like in lived experience. Alma the Younger describes being “born of God” as a complete inward transformation — a turning from darkness to light, from rebellion to submission, from destruction to discipleship. This passage teaches us that being born of God is not self‑reform but divine intervention: God awakens us, humbles us, and re‑creates us. For celestial spiritual growth, this scripture anchors the principle that true repentance requires us to yield our whole heart to God so He can change what we cannot change on our own.
"And it came to pass that after Aaron had expounded these things unto him, the king said: What shall I do that I may have this eternal life of which thou hast spoken? Yea, what shall I do that I may be born of God, having this wicked spirit rooted out of my breast, and receive his Spirit, that I may be filled with joy, that I may not be cast off at the last day? Behold, said he, I will give up all that I possess, yea, I will forsake my kingdom, that I may receive this great joy."
▪︎ The Willingness to Give Away All Our Sins
In Alma 22, the king expresses the pure desire at the center of spiritual rebirth:
“I will give away all my sins to know thee.”
This is the heart of repentance — not merely stopping sin, but surrendering everything that separates us from God. This scripture teaches us that spiritual rebirth requires total willingness, not partial compliance. For celestial spiritual growth, it establishes the principle that we progress as far as we are willing to surrender. The more we yield, the more God can fill us with His Spirit.
Integrated Section: What Repentance Looks Like
Repentance is not cosmetic. It is not guilt management. It is not behavior polishing.
It is rebirth — a spiritual restart where something real awakens inside us.
Repentance looks like:
- New desires — we stop wanting the things that were draining us spiritually.
- New direction — we turn toward God with honesty, not excuses.
- New identity — we stop living as the old self and step into who God is shaping us to become.
Mosiah 27:24–27 shows us that this rebirth is a divine work — God changes our hearts when we yield. Alma 22:15 shows us the posture required — a willingness to give away all our sins so we can know Him. Together, they teach us that repentance is the doorway to spiritual life, peace, and eternal transformation.
When we repent, we feel the shift:
We are not trying to fix ourselves — we are letting God re‑create us.
2. “Received His Image in Our Countenances”
Repentance Looks Like Visible Transformation
Repentance is not merely inward; it becomes visible. Alma’s question — Have we received His image in our countenances? — is a question about what radiates from us, not what sits on the surface of our faces. It is the outward evidence of an inward rebirth.
Repentance looks like:
- Softened countenance — humility replacing defensiveness.
- Peace in our presence — others can feel the difference before we speak.
- Integrity in our actions — our choices begin to align with our covenants.
We begin to carry something of God’s character in the way we speak, listen, forgive, and walk through the world. Repentance becomes visible — not because we announce it, but because it shows.
How Susan W. Tanner Deepens This Doctrine
By Susan W. Tanner
Young Women General President
General Conference Talk October 2005
Sister Tanner’s message adds a profound layer to Alma’s teaching: receiving His image in our countenances is inseparably connected to how we understand, honor, and treat our bodies.
Her central line becomes the doctrinal hinge:
“The Lord wants us to be made over—but in His image, not in the image of the world, by receiving His image in our countenances.”
This truth reframes repentance as embodied discipleship. Our bodies are not obstacles to spirituality; they are the very instruments through which God’s image becomes visible in us.
A. The Body as a Temple — The Foundation of Visible Transformation
Sister Tanner teaches that our bodies were part of God’s plan from the beginning — gifts we “shouted for joy” to receive. Because our bodies are temples, repentance naturally expresses itself in:
- Modesty of heart and appearance
- Respect for the sanctity of the body
- Cleanliness of life and conduct
When we treat our bodies as sacred, our countenances reflect that sacredness. When we misuse or objectify the body, the countenance dims.
Repentance restores the temple.
Repentance restores the glow.
B. The World’s Image vs. The Lord’s Image
Sister Tanner warns that Satan tries to distort our relationship with the body — tempting us either to despise it or worship it. Both extremes erase God’s image from our countenances.
Repentance reverses this distortion by teaching us:
- Selflessness over self‑obsession
- Holiness over vanity
- Purpose over appearance
Her mother’s counsel captures the principle perfectly:
“Do everything you can to make your appearance pleasing, but the minute you walk out the door, forget yourself and start concentrating on others.”
This is the heart of visible repentance: when we forget ourselves, Christ becomes visible in us.
C. The Glow of Christlike Character
Sister Tanner describes young women whose modesty and purity caused their countenances to “glow with goodness.” This glow is not cosmetic — it is covenantal.
President Hinckley’s words reinforce the same principle:
"'A daughter of God who walks in virtue radiates beauty of body, mind, and spirit.'"
This is what Alma meant. This is what repentance produces. This is what it means to receive His image in our countenances.
D. The Body–Spirit Connection: Why Repentance Shows
Sister Tanner teaches that the physical and spiritual are inseparably connected. When we indulge the body improperly, our spiritual sensitivity dulls. When we honor the body, our spiritual clarity increases.
This means:
- Repentance purifies the body.
- Purity sharpens the spirit.
- A sharpened spirit transforms the countenance.
Thus, visible transformation is not superficial — it is the natural result of aligning body and spirit with God.
Integrated Principle for Our Ministry
Receiving His image in our countenances is the outward evidence of inward repentance.
It is the radiance that comes when we honor our bodies as temples, reject the world’s distortions, embrace Christlike selflessness, and allow the Spirit to sanctify both body and soul. When we repent, we do not merely look different — we become different, and that difference becomes visible in our presence, our purity, our peace, and our way of being.
3. “Experienced This Mighty Change in Your Hearts”
Repentance Looks Like Inner Surrender
This is the core. Repentance is not merely stopping sin; it is yielding our hearts.
Repentance looks like:
- Letting God remove pride, fear, and rebellion
- Letting Him reshape our desires
- Choosing repentance as a daily pattern
The “mighty change” is not a moment — it is a process of surrender.
We stop resisting God.
We stop negotiating with Him.
We stop clinging to the old self.
We let Him work in us.
How the Supporting Scriptures Deepen This Section
Each of the supporting passages reveals a different dimension of what the “mighty change” looks like and why it is essential for celestial spiritual growth.
Romans 7:22 — The Heart That Delights in God’s Law
Paul says he “delights in the law of God after the inward man.” This scripture teaches that the mighty change begins when our inner desires shift. Repentance is not forced obedience — it is learning to love what God loves.
Principle:
Celestial growth begins when our hearts delight in righteousness.
Romans 8:11–17 — The Spirit That Makes Us New
Paul teaches that the Spirit:
- quickens our mortal bodies,
- leads us,
- bears witness we are children of God,
- and makes us joint‑heirs with Christ.
This passage shows that the mighty change is powered by the Spirit, not by willpower. Repentance is the process of letting the Spirit rewrite our identity.
Principle:
Celestial growth requires yielding to the Spirit who makes us sons and daughters of God.
Colossians 3:9–10 — Putting Off the Old Self, Putting On the New
Paul describes repentance as:
- putting off the old man, natural man
- putting on the new, Christ discipleship
- and being renewed in knowledge after the image of God. Christlike in nature.
This is Alma’s mighty change in New Testament language. Repentance is not self‑improvement — it is spiritual replacement.
Principle:
Celestial growth requires shedding the old self and consciously putting on Christ.
Mosiah 5:2 — Hearts Changed Through Faith
The people testify: “We have no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually.”
This is the clearest scriptural description of the mighty change. Their desires were transformed — not by effort, but by faith in Christ.
Principle:
Celestial growth is measured by changed desires, not merely changed behavior.
Moses 6:65 — Being Born Again Through Water, Spirit, and Blood
Adam is taught that being born again comes through:
- water (covenant),
- Spirit (sanctification),
- blood (atonement).
This scripture shows that the mighty change is covenantal, spiritual, and atoning. It is the full pattern of rebirth.
Principle:
Celestial growth requires entering and living the covenant pattern of rebirth.
Why Sanctification Matters for the Mighty Change of Heart — A Summary on the Topical Guide list Sanctification, Sanctify
Sanctification is the doctrinal engine behind the word change in Alma 5:14. The scriptures in the Topical Guide show that sanctification is always God’s work in us — never self‑manufactured. From the sanctifying of the Sabbath, the temple, the firstborn, and the house of Israel, to Christ sanctifying His disciples through truth, Spirit, and blood, the pattern is consistent: God takes something ordinary and sets it apart for holy purpose. When applied to us, sanctification means that through the Atonement of Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Ghost, our hearts, desires, motives, and very nature are purified and made new. This is why sanctification is essential for celestial spiritual growth — because celestial life requires celestial character, and celestial character can only be formed by God Himself working within us.
For us, sanctification becomes the covenant pathway of transformation. We enter it through ordinances, we remain in it through obedience and yielding our hearts, and we progress in it through the companionship of the Spirit. The scriptures teach that we are sanctified by truth (John 17:17), sanctified by faith in Christ (Acts 26:18), sanctified by the Spirit (1 Cor. 6:11), sanctified through Christ’s offering (Heb. 10:10), and sanctified as we yield our hearts to God (Hel. 3:35). Together, these passages reveal the principle that our covenants bind us to Christ so He can cleanse, renew, and elevate us into His likeness. Sanctification is not optional for celestial glory — it is the process by which we become the kind of beings who can dwell with God. Through Jesus Christ, we are not only forgiven; we are made holy, made new, and made His.
Summary for the Section
Together, these scriptures reveal that the “mighty change” is the deep, inner surrender by which God transforms us from the inside out. Romans teaches us that this change begins when our hearts learn to delight in God’s law and when we yield to the Spirit who quickens us, leads us, and claims us as His children. Colossians shows that this surrender requires putting off the old self and consciously putting on the new, allowing Christ to reshape our identity. Mosiah testifies that true conversion produces changed desires — a new disposition born of faith in Christ rather than human effort. Moses teaches that this rebirth is covenantal and Spirit‑driven, made possible through water, Spirit, and the atoning blood of Jesus Christ.
All of these passages testify that celestial spiritual growth is the lifelong work of letting God sanctify us — yielding our hearts so He can renew our desires, reshape our nature, and form His image within us. The mighty change is not a single moment but a sustained pattern of surrender in which we stop resisting, stop negotiating, and allow the Holy Ghost to make us holy. Through this process of sanctification, we become the kind of beings who can dwell with God in celestial glory.
So What Does Repentance Look Like?
Repentance looks like:
- “… spiritually been born of God …” — rebirth,
- “… received his image in your countenances …” — radiance, and
- “… experienced this mighty change in your hearts …” — surrender.
It looks like God changing us from the inside out.
It looks like us becoming more whole, more honest, more peaceful, more like Him.
It looks like a heart that is learning to love what He loves.
Healing Through the Savior:the 12‑Step Recovery Guide
For many of us — whether we struggle with addiction or simply with the human condition — repentance can feel abstract, heavy, or overly complex. I know for myself that I can over‑intellectualize doctrinal principles until they become harder than they need to be. That is why the Healing Through the Savior: Addiction Recovery Program 12‑Step Guide has become, for me, “the handbook for dummies on repentance.” Not because we are spiritually unintelligent, but because we are spiritually human — and we need a pattern we can actually live in real time.
The 12‑Step pattern is the easier, softer way because it breaks repentance down into daily, doable, heart‑level movements. It teaches us to make inventory as we go — not once a year, not only in crisis, but in the middle of our ordinary routines. It turns repentance from a dramatic event into a living rhythm. Instead of waiting until we crash, we learn to notice pride, fear, resentment, dishonesty, or self‑will the moment they surface. We acknowledge them. We surrender them. We invite the Savior into them. And we keep moving forward with Him.
This is why the 12‑Step Guide is powerful for all of us, not just those with addictions. Steps 4, 5, 10, 11, and 12 especially teach us how to take inventory, confess honestly, stay accountable, seek God’s will, and serve others — which is exactly what Alma 5:14 describes as the mighty change of heart. The 12‑Step path simply gives us a framework to practice what the scriptures teach.
In this way, the ARP Guide becomes a companion to our discipleship. It helps us repent on the go — while driving, working, parenting, ministering, or facing temptation. It keeps repentance from becoming theoretical. It keeps us from drifting into self‑reliance. It keeps us close to the Savior. And it reminds us that repentance is not about perfection; it is about continual surrender.
For us as a ministry people, this is the gift:
The 12‑Step pattern turns repentance into a walk with Christ, not a wrestling match with ourselves.
It is the softer way because it is the Savior’s way — honest, humble, daily, relational, and full of grace.
Hearts Made New in Christ
My beloved brothers and sisters, as we come to the close of this study, my heart is full. We have walked together through Alma’s piercing questions, through the scriptures that shape our understanding, and through the lived patterns of rebirth, radiance, and surrender. And now, as we stand at the end of this journey, I testify that repentance is not a doctrine we master — it is a life we enter, a relationship we embrace, and a Savior we trust.
I testify that Jesus Christ is the One who makes all change possible. We do not save ourselves. We do not sanctify ourselves. We do not transform ourselves. He does the work — and we yield. When we spiritually awaken, when His image begins to shine through us, when our hearts soften and surrender, it is because He has touched us, He has lifted us, He has breathed life into places we thought were dead.
I testify that the mighty change is real. I have felt it in my own life — sometimes in sudden breakthroughs, more often in quiet, daily surrenders. I have felt Him remove pride I could not uproot, fear I could not silence, rebellion I could not tame. I have felt Him reshape desires I thought were permanent. I have felt Him walk with me in the long, slow work of becoming new. And I know He will do the same for every one of us who turns toward Him.
I testify that sanctification is the covenant promise of discipleship. Through His Atonement, through His Spirit, through His grace, we are not only forgiven — we are changed. We are not only cleansed — we are made holy. We are not only healed — we are made whole. This is the work of a lifetime, the work of eternity, the work of a God who refuses to give up on His children.
And I testify that repentance is not meant to be crushing. It is not meant to be complicated. It is not meant to be a burden. It is meant to be a pathway back into His arms. Even the 12‑Step pattern teaches us this — that repentance can be lived in simple, honest, daily movements of surrender. That we can walk with Christ, not wrestle alone. That we can inventory our hearts as we go, and let Him shape us moment by moment.
My final thoughts are simple:
We are not beyond His reach.
We are not beyond His mercy.
We are not beyond His power to make us new.
May we be a people who yield our hearts, who welcome His image, who embrace the mighty change, and who walk in the light of His sanctifying love. May we become more whole, more honest, more peaceful, more like Him. And may our lives testify that Jesus Christ is the living, loving Redeemer who still changes hearts today.
In His holy name — even Jesus Christ — amen.
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