--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: True repentance involves a change of…" description: "\"True repentance involves a change of heart and not just a change of behavior.\" — Ezra Taft Benson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ea/ezra-taft-benson-443_behavior_true-repentance-involves-a-change-of-hea_2972836.png" --- # True repentance involves a change of heart and not just a… ![“True repentance involves a change of heart and not just a change of behavior.” quote by Ezra Taft Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ea/ezra-taft-benson-443_behavior_true-repentance-involves-a-change-of-hea_2972836.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ea/ezra-taft-benson-443_behavior_true-repentance-involves-a-change-of-hea_2972836.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ea/ezra-taft-benson-443_behavior_true-repentance-involves-a-change-of-hea_2972836.png) > “True repentance involves a change of heart and not just a change of behavior.” [Ezra Taft Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-taft-benson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. True repentance requires heartfelt transformation, not just outward behavior changes. **In simple terms:** Change heart, not just actions. Key Takeaway Cultivate inner sincerity. Themes spirituality morality growth Mood solemn hopeful Type religious philosophical When to use this quote - personal counseling - religious practice - conflict resolution Key Concepts inner change ethical living Questions to Reflect On - How to assess genuine repentance? - What practices foster inner change? A Different Perspective May be hard to measure. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Behavior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behavior/) [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Change Behavior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change-behavior-247984/) [Change Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change-heart-245669/) [Change Of Behavior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change-of-behavior-224861/) [Change of heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change-of-heart/) [Habits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/habits/) [Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/) [Involves Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/involves-change-4586606/) [Regret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/regret/) [Repentance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/repentance/) [Repentance Involves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/repentance-involves-2437455/) [True repentance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/true-repentance/) ## Related quotes > [True repentance also involves reform.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hosea-ballou/true-repentance-also-involves-reform/) [Hosea Ballou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hosea-ballou/) > [True repentance always involves reform.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hosea-ballou/true-repentance-always-involves-reform/) [Hosea Ballou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hosea-ballou/) > [Repentance is a change of behavior which invites forgiveness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-m-burton/repentance-is-a-change-of-behavior-which-invites-forgiveness/) [Theodore M. Burton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-m-burton/) > [A change of heart leads to change in behavior, and a change in behavior leads to changing the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/a-change-of-heart-leads-to-change-in-behavior-and-a-change-in/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [A change in behavior begins with a change in the heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-change-in-behavior-begins-with-a-change-in-the-heart/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There are three ways to correct our faults:We can change through behavior We can change through understanding We can change heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/there-are-three-ways-to-correct-our-faults-we-can-change-through/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [A change in the behavior begins with a change in the heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sniper-alpacino/a-change-in-the-behavior-begins-with-a-change-in-the-heart/) [Sniper Alpacino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sniper-alpacino/) > [“The Bible, however, teaches that change comes about through confession, repentance, and obedience. There is no need for hours and hours of free association,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elyse-m-fitzpatrick/the-bible-however-teaches-that-change-comes-about-through-confession/) [Elyse M. Fitzpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elyse-m-fitzpatrick/) > [“Without the Gospel, I am only projecting behavioral modification. Changes of the heart must trump mere change of behavior. Therefore, the goodness of God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-mason/without-the-gospel-i-am-only-projecting-behavioral-modification/) [Eric Mason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-mason/) > [“Many Christians struggle hard with this idea of repentance because they somehow expect that if they genuinely repent, sin will go away and temptation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-gilbert/many-christians-struggle-hard-with-this-idea-of-repentance-because/) [Greg Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-gilbert/) > [Yes, one can repent of moral transgression. The miracle of forgiveness is real, and true repentance is accepted of the Lord.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-taft-benson/yes-one-can-repent-of-moral-transgression-the-miracle-of-forgiveness/) [Ezra Taft Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-taft-benson/) > [Admittedly, repentance is not always easy; I suppose it would not be true repentance if it were. It can also take a longer time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-s-baxter/admittedly-repentance-is-not-always-easy-i-suppose-it-would-not-be/) [David S. Baxter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-s-baxter/) > [A true repentance shuns the evil itself, more than the external suffering or the shame.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/a-true-repentance-shuns-the-evil-itself-more-than-the-external/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Before a person start to walk the Straight & Narrow Path, they have to make some changes within them self, like turning away from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glen-rambharack/before-a-person-start-to-walk-the-straight-narrow-path-they-have-to/) [Glen Rambharack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glen-rambharack/) > [True repentance never leads to despair. Its leads home. It leads to grace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/true-repentance-never-leads-to-despair-its-leads-home-it-leads-to/) [John Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg/) ## More by Ezra Taft Benson > [What would God have me do with my life?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-taft-benson/what-would-god-have-me-do-with-my-life/) [Ezra Taft Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-taft-benson/) > [Records, radio, television, movies, magazines-all are monopolized by the money managers who are guided by one ethic, the words wealth and power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-taft-benson/records-radio-television-movies-magazines-all-are-monopolized-by-the/) [Ezra Taft Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-taft-benson/) > [Every Latter-day Saint should make the study of this book a lifetime pursuit. Otherwise, he is placing his soul in jeopardy and neglecting that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-taft-benson/every-latter-day-saint-should-make-the-study-of-this-book-a-lifetime/) [Ezra Taft Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-taft-benson/) > [Do not be caught up in materialism, one of the real plagues of our generation-that is, acquiring things, fast-paced living, and securing career success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-taft-benson/do-not-be-caught-up-in-materialism-one-of-the-real-plagues-of-our/) [Ezra Taft Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-taft-benson/) > [Most of us think of pride as self-centeredness, conceit, boastfulness, arrogance, or haughtiness. All of these are elements of the sin, but the heart,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-taft-benson/most-of-us-think-of-pride-as-self-centeredness-conceit-boastfulness/) [Ezra Taft Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-taft-benson/) > [The high cost of low living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-taft-benson/the-high-cost-of-low-living/) [Ezra Taft Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-taft-benson/) > [“We must each of us do our home work. 'My people are destroyed,' said Hosea, 'for lack of knowledge.' We must be wise as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-taft-benson/we-must-each-of-us-do-our-home-work-my-people-are-destroyed-said/) [Ezra Taft Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-taft-benson/) > [“Man…need not stand alone. Prayer will open doors; prayer will remove barriers; prayer will ease pressures; prayer will give inner peace and comfort during…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-taft-benson/man-need-not-stand-alone-prayer-will-open-doors-prayer-will-remove/) [Ezra Taft Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-taft-benson/) > [Humility does not mean weakness. It does not mean timidity. It does not mean fear. A man can be humble and fearless. A man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-taft-benson/humility-does-not-mean-weakness-it-does-not-mean-timidity-it-does-not/) [Ezra Taft Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-taft-benson/) > [The scriptures record remarkable accounts of men whose lives changed dramatically, in an instant, as it were: Alma the Younger, Paul on the road…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-taft-benson/the-scriptures-record-remarkable-accounts-of-men-whose-lives-changed/) [Ezra Taft Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-taft-benson/) > [That government is best which governs the least, so taught the courageous founders of this nation. This simple declaration is diametrically opposed to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-taft-benson/that-government-is-best-which-governs-the-least-so-taught-the/) [Ezra Taft Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-taft-benson/) > [No nation which has kept the commandments of God has ever perished, but I say to you that once freedom is lost, only blood…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-taft-benson/no-nation-which-has-kept-the-commandments-of-god-has-ever-perished/) [Ezra Taft Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-taft-benson/) > [Someone has said it is better to appreciate the things you don't own than to own things you don't appreciate. I hope we will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-taft-benson/someone-has-said-it-is-better-to-appreciate-the-things-you-don-t-own/) [Ezra Taft Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-taft-benson/) > [“In framing that great document which Gladstone declared ‘the most wonderful work ever struck off at a given time by the brain and purpose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-taft-benson/in-framing-that-great-document-which-gladstone-declared-the-most/) [Ezra Taft Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-taft-benson/) > [Godly sorrow is a gift of the Spirit. It is a deep realization that our actions have offended our Father and our God. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-taft-benson/godly-sorrow-is-a-gift-of-the-spirit-it-is-a-deep-realization-that/) [Ezra Taft Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-taft-benson/) [Explore all 556 Ezra Taft Benson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-taft-benson/) ## More Behavior quotes > [The vision of the left, full of envy and resentment, takes its worst toll on those at the bottom - whether black or white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-vision-of-the-left-full-of-envy-and-resentment-takes-its-worst/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [As you begin changing your thinking, start immediately to change your behaviour. Begin to act the part of the person you would like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-you-begin-changing-your-thinking-start-immediately-to-change-your/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I now know that deep within the human concept is something dark, selfish, and completely willing to do whatever is necessary to support the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-west/i-now-know-that-deep-within-the-human-concept-is-something-dark/) [Melissa West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-west/) > [“We are endowed with genes which code out our reaction to beavers and otters, maybe our reaction to each other as well. We are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-thomas/we-are-endowed-with-genes-which-code-out-our-reaction-to-beavers-and/) [Lewis Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-thomas/) > [The number of poor, and poorly prepared, students who succeed in college and beyond undercuts the simplistic notion that economic or educational disadvantage is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roland-merullo/the-number-of-poor-and-poorly-prepared-students-who-succeed-in/) [Roland Merullo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roland-merullo/) > [To behave creatively in art means behavior with skill; and skill comes from discipline, not derangement. The artist who knows the rules -and proportion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burne-hogarth/to-behave-creatively-in-art-means-behavior-with-skill-and-skill-comes/) [Burne Hogarth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burne-hogarth/) > [You don't put milk in chamomile tea - that's disgusting behavior! That's not right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-fraser/you-don-t-put-milk-in-chamomile-tea-that-s-disgusting-behavior-that-s/) [Laura Fraser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-fraser/) > [The laws of thermodynamics, as empirically determined, express the approximate and probable behavior of systems of a great number of particles, or, more precisely,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-willard-gibbs/the-laws-of-thermodynamics-as-empirically-determined-express-the/) [J. 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Our judges aren't paid so much a case. We keep them pretty well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/if-you-want-good-behavior-don-t-pay-on-a-commission-basis-our-judges/) [Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/) [Browse all 4,218 Behavior quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behavior/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "True repentance involves a change of heart and not just a change of behavior.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ezra Taft Benson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-taft-benson/true-repentance-involves-a-change-of-heart-and-not-just-a-change-of/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Behavior" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-taft-benson/true-repentance-involves-a-change-of-heart-and-not-just-a-change-of/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ea/ezra-taft-benson-443_behavior_true-repentance-involves-a-change-of-hea_2972836.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ea/ezra-taft-benson-443_behavior_true-repentance-involves-a-change-of-hea_2972836.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ea/ezra-taft-benson-443_behavior_true-repentance-involves-a-change-of-hea_2972836.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“True repentance involves a change of heart and not just a change of behavior.” — Ezra Taft Benson", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Ezra Taft Benson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-taft-benson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "True repentance involves a change of...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-taft-benson/true-repentance-involves-a-change-of-heart-and-not-just-a-change-of/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-taft-benson/true-repentance-involves-a-change-of-heart-and-not-just-a-change-of/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```