John Adams Quotes

Repentance is a sweet solace to conscience as well as the most complete atonement to the Supreme Judge of our offenses; notwithstanding, the tongue of malevolence and scurrility may be continually preparing its most poisonous ingredients for the punishment of a crime, which has already received more than half a pardon.

To have clemency, it is necessary to admit guilt.

...we must forgive him who repents, and asketh pardon for what is past; having first taken caution for the time to come

You have to be a little contrite to get redemption.

And the only thing to do with a sin is to confess, do penance and then, after some kind of decent interval, ask for forgiveness.

I hope when I'm on my deathbed, people forgive me, because there is a lot to forgive.

In order to properly repent, he who has sinned against the public must make public reparation.

Pardon ever follows sincere repentence.

People do bad things in their lives. And those sort of things are forgivable. That's half the point of having confession in church - you need to be able to fess up to what you've done.

God's forgiveness is the only thing. And, well, I take full responsibility for the adultery. It was my fault and, you know, no matter what went on, the man has to take responsibility; and I do.

Forgiveness to the injured does belong; but they ne'er pardon who have done wrong.

I am much chastened and profoundly remorseful. I can only hope that the Almighty and those whom I have wronged will forgive me my trespasses.

One of the great benefits of organised religion is that you can be forgiven your sins, which must be a wonderful thing. I mean, I carry my sins around with me, there's nobody there to forgive them.

Sins cannot be undone, only forgiven.

Regret is not a proactive feeling. It is situated in disappointment, sorrow, even remorse. It merely wishes things were different without an act to cause a difference. However, repentance is different. Repentance is an admission of, hatred of, and turning away from sin before God.

Forgiveness is the remission of sins. For it is by this that what has been lost, and was found, is saved from being lost again.

I am that prodigal son who wasted all the portion entrusted to me by my father. But I have not yet fallen at my father's knees. I have not yet begun to put away from me the enticements of my former riotous living.

I apologize profusely to those I have offended deeply a million times over.

The strongest proof of repentance is the endeavor to atone.

I truly believe that we cannot come to a place of reconciliation until there is individual repentance and corporate repentance.

Repentance doth alter a man's case with God: and therefore repentance should alter the case between one man and another.

I've done some dastardly things but what can I do except make amends and apologize?

Confession of sins is not meritorious: to confess sins as a way of placing God in your debt is not dealing with sin; it is committing another sin. The context of all confession must be the free grace of justification.

The sense of repentance is better assurance of pardon than the testimony of an angel.

Hopefully America will forgive me.