Obedience to God’s commandments is not only an indicator of our true repentance but is also a fruit of our faith in the Lord (see James 2:17-18). When we exercise faith in the Lord Jesus Christ we are naturally drawn to repentance. True repentance, in turn, naturally leads us to greater righteousness and firmer obedience to God’s laws, ordinances, and commandments. These by-products of faith when combined together are the “all we can do” which in Turn yields a remission of sins by the grace of Christ (see 2 Nephi 25:23).
“Fulfilling the Commandments Bringeth Remission of Sins”
A remission of sins comes by repentance and by obedience to God’s laws and commandments. In fact, repentance and obedience are intertwined. There cannot be true repentance without also a conscientious effort to keep all of God’s commandments. Too often we tend to think of forsaking sin as merely stopping doing the one sin of which we are repenting. That is necessary, of course, but repentance that yields a remission of sins requires much more. President Spencer W. Kimball taught that there is no true repentance if we forsake only some selected sins but continue to embrace sinfulness. “That transgressor is not fully repentant who neglects his tithing, misses his meetings, breaks the Sabbath, fails in his family prayers, does not sustain the authorities of the Church, breaks the Word of Wisdom, does not love the Lord nor his fellowmen. A reforming adulterer who drinks or curses is not repentant. The repenting burglar who has sex play is not ready for forgiveness. God cannot forgive unless the transgressor shows a true repentance which spreads to all areas of his life.” (The Miracle of Forgiveness, p 203.)