Mosiah Chapters 13-16
Bro. Bruce
Satterfield
September 26, 2002
Mosiah 12: 20-24- King Noah’s priests ask
Abinadi questions concerning his authority.
(Mosiah 12:20-24.)
20 And it came to pass that one of them said unto him: What meaneth
the words which are written, and which have been taught by our fathers, saying:
21 How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that
bringeth good tidings; that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of
good; that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth;
22 Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice; with the voice together
shall they sing; for they shall see eye to eye when the Lord shall bring again
23 Break forth into joy; sing together ye waste places of
24 The Lord hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the
nations, and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God?
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What
Meaneth the Words That Are Written?" |
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"What Meaneth the Words That Are Written?" Ann Madsen What
is astonishing is that Abinadi makes this sublime discourse in the presence
of hostile priests who, at the behest of their king, came to a council to
determine the fate of Abinadi.1
As he speaks, Abinadi presents a wonderfully clear view of the coming Christ
and his atonement. The prophet's carefully crafted case for the fulfillment
of the law of Moses culminates in his majestic witness of a living, acting
Christ couched in Isaiah's inspiring words. The
writings of Isaiah were recorded on the brass plates, which were recovered by
Nephi about a century after Isaiah's death.2
The value of the brass plates to the children of Lehi cannot be
overestimated.3
Isaiah's writings, as copied thereon, would become a recurring thread running
through the Book of Mormon, from one prophet to another, from Nephi to At
the beginning of the Nephite record, for example, Nephi and his brother Jacob
employ Isaiah's words to teach their people powerfully of the role of Christ
and his atonement in the great plan of happiness. A thousand years later,
when the record draws to a close, Mormon and Moroni are still consulting the
brass plates or other copies of Isaiah's prophecies and admonishing their
people to search and heed them. This late mention of Isaiah's writings
underscores vividly the timeless quality of both Isaiah's prophetic message
and its importance in the brass plates. Just
over 180 years after Abinadi, the resurrected Christ himself quoted Isaiah
during his visit to the people of Nephi. At that time he quoted Isaiah 54 in
its entirety (see 3 Nephi 22). Moreover, many of his other teachings during
his ministry among the Nephites were expressed in phrases found in Isaiah's
writings. The
Setting About
148 B.C. King Noah's military forces drove back the Lamanites who had been
attacking small groups of Nephites as they tended their flocks. The Lamanite
marauders had killed a few men, stolen their animals, and driven many of
their flocks out of the land. King Noah finally sent enough of his army to
force the Lamanites into retreat for a time. The victorious Nephite forces
returned from the battle "rejoicing in their spoil" and swelling
with pride. They boasted that their "fifty could stand against thousands
of the Lamanites"; but worse, they had come to "delight in blood,
and the shedding of the blood of their [Lamanite] brethren, and this because
of the wickedness of their king and priests" (Mosiah 11:18, 19; emphasis
added). As
the Nephites were celebrating the shedding of Lamanite blood, the prophet
Abinadi arrived on the scene. His message immediately dampened their
celebratory mood. His message was simple: God has seen your wickedness and
whoredoms, and unless you repent, you will be delivered into the hands of
your enemies and brought into bondage. You have been slow to heed God's
words; therefore God will be slow to hear you (see Mosiah 11:20-24). Predictably,
Abinadi's message angered his listeners, who by now were bloodthirsty. They
sought to kill him but felt God's power and were afraid to touch him. When
King Noah4
heard of Abinadi's sharp criticism of his people, he said: Who is Abinadi, that I and my people should
be judged of him, or who is the Lord, that shall bring upon my people such
great affliction? I command you to bring Abinadi hither, that I may slay him,
for he has said these things that he might stir up my people to anger one
with another, and to raise contentions among my people; therefore I will slay
him. (Mosiah 11:27-28) After
King Noah's declaration, "the eyes of the people were blinded; therefore
they hardened their hearts against the words of Abinadi, and they sought from
that time forward to take him" (Mosiah 11:29). For
a time Abinadi eluded those who sought him, but he appeared again two years
later, this time in disguise and with an even more urgent message. One
wonders whether the people recognized him as he suddenly appeared after two
years. The scripture says the people "knew him not" (Mosiah 12:1).
Even though he announced his name in his first sentence, after two years that
name may have meant nothing to them. Perhaps they did not know him since they
identify him simply as "a man" (v. 9). In any event, in their anger
the people brought him bound to the king and reported: Behold, we have brought a man before thee
who has prophesied evil concerning thy people, and saith that God will
destroy them. And he also prophesied evil concerning thy life, and saith that
thy life shall be as a garment in a furnace of fire. . . . Behold, here is
the man, we deliver him into thy hands; thou mayest do with him as seemeth
thee good. (Mosiah 12:9-10, 16) King
Noah cast Abinadi into prison and called his priests to a council to decide
his fate. At a certain point in the proceeding, agents brought Abinadi before
the priests, who began to question Abinadi, trying to "cross him"
so they could find evidence with which to accuse him. But he "answered
them boldly and withstood all their questions" and "did confound
them in all their words" (Mosiah 12:19). As the priests of Noah
struggled to condemn Abinadi for preaching "gloom and doom," one of
them sought to clinch the inquisition by asking a question regarding the
writings of Isaiah. What does it mean, the priest asked, when Isaiah the
prophet declares, "How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him
that bringeth good tidings; that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings
of good; that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God
reigneth"? (Mosiah 12:20-21, quoting Isaiah 52:7). We
naturally ask, why did the priest focus on the meaning of these particular
verses? Perhaps he intended to show Abinadi that prophets? Including Abinadi?
are to speak beautiful, joyful messages of peace and good tidings. An
"all is well in Further,
since interpreting Isaiah has never been a simple task, the priest may have
felt that such a passage would surely confuse Abinadi. Ironically, he was
questioning one of the very persons about whom Isaiah was
speaking?Abinadi?though peace was not his only message. Abinadi would explain
these verses in detail later. The
priest went on to quote the next three verses, apparently intent on baffling
Abinadi. Perhaps the priest was suggesting that "watchmen" sing and
are joyful because all is well in Thy watchman shall lift up the voice; with
the voice together shall they sing; for they shall see eye to eye when the
Lord shall bring again Zion; Break forth into joy; sing together ye waste
places of Jerusalem; for the Lord hath comforted his people, he hath redeemed
Jerusalem; The Lord hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the
nations, and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.
(Mosiah 12:22-24, quoting Isaiah 52:8-10) Abinadi's
answer before the priests and presumably the king is not a short one.5
One of the astonishing cultural dimensions of this long treatise is that it
was spoken orally. Was it all in his head, or perhaps more truly, did he know
it by heart?6
He turns the tables by asking them questions over and over again in an almost
Talmudic manner. His response is methodical, carefully crafted, inspired, and
ultimately sublime. Time and time again his listeners are astonished at his
words. With occasional interruption, he reviews the Ten Commandments;7
he then discusses the law of Moses, which was to keep them in remembrance of
God and to point them forward to the Savior, about whom Moses and other
prophets had prophesied. This discourse recalls the three farewell addresses
of Moses in the book of Deuteronomy, in which Moses "remembers"
before all Israel God's long-suffering, his working with them, and ultimately
his bringing them out of Abinadi
Turns to Moses As
Abinadi gives his powerful explanation to the priests of the king, he
consistently focuses on the atonement and resurrection of Christ. The priests
have asked barbed questions of Abinadi, who has brought their whole way of
life into question. He will again prophesy of their destruction, but he
begins by turning the inquisition around to squarely confront his accusers.
The following dialogue, based on the account in Mosiah 12:25-16:15, is
instructive. Abinadi: Are you priests, and pretend to
teach this people and to understand the spirit of prophesying, and yet you
ask me what these things mean? Wo unto you for perverting the ways of the
Lord! You have not applied your hearts to understanding nor been wise. What
do you teach your people? (12:25-27) At
this point King Noah cries out that Abinadi is mad and impatiently demands
that he be taken away and killed. But Abinadi commands, "Touch me not .
. . for I have not delivered the message which the Lord sent me to deliver;
neither have I told you that which ye requested that I should tell"
(13:3; emphasis added). In other words, he hadn't even answered their
questions yet. At this juncture the people of King Noah dared not lay their
hands on him, "for the Spirit of the Lord was upon him; and his face
shone with exceeding luster, even as Moses' did while in the mount of Sinai,
while speaking with the Lord. And he spake with power and authority from God;
and he continued his words" (13:5-6). Part of the message that Abinadi
was sent to deliver may have been shown to them as they witnessed this
radiant power, as they experienced it themselves. Without being fully aware,
they were also learning about Moses in the mount (see Exodus 34:29). Abinadi: You see you have no power to slay
me, so I finish my message. This much I tell you: what you do with me shall
be a type of things to come. And now I will read8
to you the rest of the commandments. (13:7-11) After
doing just that (see 13:12-24), Abinadi asks the priests if they have taught
their people to keep these ten commandments. He answers his own question in
the negative (see 13:25-26). Abinadi: If you had served as proper
teachers, I would not have been sent to you. You say that salvation comes by
the law of Moses, and you are partly right? For it is important for you to
keep the law of Moses for the time being. But the time will come when it will
no longer be expedient to keep the law of Moses. Salvation does not come by
the law alone, but by the atonement that God himself shall make for the sins
and iniquities of his people, notwithstanding the law of Moses. (13:26-28) Strict
laws were given to the children of Abinadi: Did not Moses9
and all the prophets prophesy of the Messiah and that God would redeem his
people? All the prophets since the world began have spoken more or less
concerning this matter. Have they not said that God himself would come to
earth in the form of man and go forth in mighty power? Have they not also
said that he would bring to pass the resurrection of the dead and that he
himself would be oppressed and afflicted? (13:33-35) Abinadi
Turns to Isaiah 53 The
beginning of this text has a double meaning as spoken by Abinadi: "Who
hath believed our report, and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?"
(Mosiah 14:1). Surely he was delivering a report. This query might be a
common cry from every prophet who ever revealed to his people the coming of
the Messiah. In this instance it is both Isaiah's and Abinadi's cries that
may echo Christ's own lament when he used Isaiah's words to describe the
people's rejection of him even though he had done so many miracles in their
sight (see John 12:37-38). Abinadi
continues by describing this Messiah as a "tender plant" growing
"like a root out of dry ground" (Mosiah 14:2; compare Isaiah 11:1),
referring perhaps to the thirsty land of his birth and continuing to explain
that he had no special beauty to attract us to him. The Messiah is a tragic
figure, rejected and despised by men, "a man of sorrows, and familiar
with suffering" (Isaiah 53:3 NIV). With these words, Isaiah draws every
human being into his account. We all are part of the eternal congregation who
must choose to accept or reject this Savior. "He was despised, and we
esteemed him not" (Mosiah 14:3; emphasis added). This rhetorical device
is often used in Isaiah's writing and in many Jewish texts. One can hear in
the Passover seder this same self-inclusive notion: "Were we not
strangers in the Yet
this Messiah was willing to "take up our infirmities" and
"carry our sorrows." Even though we "considered him stricken
by God, smitten by him and afflicted, he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was
upon him, and by his wounds we are healed" (Isaiah 53:5 NIV; emphasis
added). Again,
we are all drawn into the account. "All we like sheep have gone astray,
each of us has turned to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the
iniquity of us all." The themes of his taking upon himself all our sins
and of our moving away from him along our own paths are a constant in the
records of the prophets. But the idea of his "opening not his
mouth" during the pain and anguish that he endured in "And
who can speak of his descendants?" asks Isaiah, because "he has
been cut off from the land of the living" and stricken "for the
transgressions of my people" (Isaiah 53:8 NIV; emphasis added). Here we
note the sense of ownership or parenting? that is, we are bought with a price
precisely because we belong to him and he to us. The connection is made sure
by his matchless love that allows such a sacrifice not only to save us if we
choose but also to draw us to him after we have felt the motivating magnetism
of that love. Thus, "I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all
men unto me" (John 12:32). Though
the Savior's grave was with the wicked, he was the ultimate innocent one
quietly meeting the demands of justice for the guilty. "He had done no
evil, neither was any deceit in his mouth" (Mosiah 14:9; compare Isaiah
53:9). His soul was made an offering for the sins of many whom he would one
day see and own. The many would be those who had chosen to seek and know him
and give away their sins to become like him. The day would come when he, as
heir, would divide all he had been given with those who had willingly taken
upon them his name. Abinadi's
Interpretation of Isaiah Abinadi: I would that ye should understand
that God himself shall come down among the children of men, and shall redeem
his people. And because he dwelleth in flesh he shall be called the Son of
God. (Mosiah 15:1-2) So
Abinadi explains that the holy Son of God will come to this earth to dwell in
a body "conceived by the power of God" (15:3) so that the flesh
could become subject to the Spirit of this resplendent being,
"suffer[ing] temptation and yield[ing] not to the temptation"
(15:5). Abinadi also describes the inseparable relationship of the Son of God
and his Father, beginning with the expression "having subjected the
flesh to the will of the Father" (15:2; emphasis added), a condition to
which, through him, we all can aspire. This ultimate eternal subjection to
the will of the Father is prefigured in the covenants we make. Promising
future behavior, we move confidently away from temptations, learning to pay
no heed to them in the pattern of Jesus. We not only say, "Thy will be
done"; we mean it. In
this connection Brigham Young instructs us: The spirit is influenced by the body and
the body by the spirit. In the first place the spirit is pure, and under the
special control and influence of the Lord, but the body is of the earth, and
is subject to the power of the devil, and is under the mighty influence of
that fallen nature that is of the earth. If the spirit yields to the body,
the devil then has power to overcome both the body and spirit of that man,
and he loses both. When you are tempted . . . and wish to yield to it, then
stop and let the spirit, which God has put into your tabernacles, take the
lead.11
We
see this influence of spirit over body personified in Jesus. Abinadi explains
how the Son of God even deflected the temptation to avoid suffering on our
behalf and instead "suffereth himself to be mocked, and scourged and
cast out and disowned by his people" (15:5). Abinadi: And after all this, after working
many mighty miracles among the children of men, he shall be led, yea, even as
Isaiah said, as a sheep before the shearer is dumb, so he opened not his
mouth. Yea, even so shall he be led, crucified, and slain, the flesh becoming
subject even unto death, the will of the Son being swallowed up in the will
of the Father. And thus God breaketh the bands of death, having gained the
victory over death; giving the Son power to make intercession for the
children of men. (15:6-8; emphasis added) Just
as "the will of the Son [was] swallowed up in the will of the
Father," we too can choose to align our wills with our Father's will.
This magnificent prophecy continues as Abinadi delivers his testimony of the
atonement: Abinadi: [Christ] ascended into heaven,
having the bowels of mercy; being filled with compassion towards the children
of men; standing betwixt them and justice; having broken the bands of death,
taken upon himself their iniquity and their transgressions, having redeemed
them, and satisfied the demands of justice. (15:9) Christ
paid for our sins, and we covenant to remember that the payment has been made
in full. We take his name upon ourselves in the holiest of ways, walking of
our own volition into the purifying waters of baptism to signify that we
remember his cleansing act and participating in a sacred meal each Sabbath
that reiterates our binding to him with cords that are stronger than death. Abinadi
cries out, "Who shall declare his generation? [and answers his own
question] Behold, I say unto you, that when his soul has been made an
offering for sin he shall see his seed" (15:10). Reference here may be
to the descendants of a man, whose sons declare his generation. Jewish
tradition is heavy with the idea that a son must somehow speak for his father
after his death. There is a formal ceremony at the grave one year after the
father's death in which the son speaks a formulaic prayer in his father's
behalf, thus "declaring his generation" and the continuance of
"his seed." At
this point Abinadi asks? and answers? a question not covered in Isaiah 53:
"Who shall be his seed?" (15:10). Now the answer to the question
posed by King Noah's wicked priests begins to unfold in all its majesty.
Abinadi first notes that the prophets are referred to in Isaiah's line
"How beautiful upon the mountains . . . ," but he goes on to
explain that the passage refers to others as well: Abinadi: Whosoever has heard the words of the
prophets, yea, all the holy prophets who have prophesied concerning the
coming of the Lord? I say unto you, that all those who have hearkened unto
their words, and believed that the Lord would redeem his people, and have
looked forward to that day for a remission of their sins, I say unto you,
that these are his seed, or they are the heirs of the Those
who believe in the Messiah's redemptive power are the ones who willingly take
his name upon them after having heard the testimony of the prophets. They are
his seed. As King Benjamin so eloquently explained to his people: "And
now, because of the covenant which ye have made, ye shall be called the
children of Christ, his sons, and his daughters; for behold, this day he hath
spiritually begotten you; for ye say that your hearts are changed through
faith on his name; therefore, ye are born of him and have become his sons and
his daughters" (Mosiah 5:7). An example leaps to mind? the priest Alma
who is listening to this very discourse. Abinadi asks rhetorically about the
prophets themselves, ancient, present, and future? are they not his seed?13
Abinadi: And these are they who have
published peace, who have brought good tidings of good, who have published
salvation; and said unto Modern-day
prophets are singled out by Abinadi and even prophets yet unborn. But these
groups were only shadows of the coming Messiah, the Son of God whose feet
would be the most beautiful upon the mountains: Abinadi: This is not all. For O how beautiful
upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that is
the founder of peace, yea, even the Lord, who has redeemed his people . . .
[and] bringeth to pass the resurrection of the dead. (15:18, 20; emphasis
added) Abinadi
now explains the order of the resurrection of the dead, including what he
calls the "restoration" promised to those who died before Christ
came and to those who die as little children. Then he returns to his
relentless message of repentance.14
Abinadi: Fear, and tremble before God, for ye
ought to tremble; for the Lord redeemeth none such that rebel against him and
die in their sins; yea, even all those that . . . have wilfully rebelled
against God, that have known the commandments of God, and would not keep
them; these are they that have no part in the first resurrection. . . . The
Lord hath redeemed none such; yea, neither can the Lord redeem such; for he
cannot deny himself; for he cannot deny justice when it has its claim.
(15:26-27; emphasis added) A
prophecy concerning our time introduces the rest of Abinadi's answer to the
priest's queries. What of the watchmen who see eye to eye, those whose feet
are beautiful? Abinadi: The time shall come that the
salvation of the Lord shall be declared to every nation, kindred, tongue, and
people. [He exults!] Yea, Lord, thy watchmen shall lift up their voice; with
the voice together shall they sing; for they shall see eye to eye, when the
Lord shall bring again He
expands on these ideas, stretching forth his hand, gesturing to the future,
and explains: Abinadi: The time shall come when all shall
see the salvation of the Lord; when every nation, kindred, tongue, and people
shall see eye to eye and shall confess before God that his judgments are
just. And then shall the wicked be cast out, and they shall have cause to
howl, and weep, and wail, and gnash their teeth; and this because they would
not hearken unto the voice of the Lord; therefore the Lord redeemeth them
not. For they are carnal and devilish, and the devil has power over them.
(16:1-3; emphasis added) Here
Abinadi makes the convincing point that it is our choice whether we submit
ourselves either to God or to the devil and thereby deliver ourselves to one
or the other to govern us. If God had not redeemed his people? those who
would follow him? they would have remained in their lost and fallen state,
the devil gladly seizing power over them all. Abinadi: But remember that he that persists
in his own carnal nature, and goes on in the ways of sin and rebellion
against God, remaineth in his fallen state and the devil hath all power over
him. Therefore he is as though there was no redemption made, being an enemy
to God; and also is the devil an enemy to God. (16:5) As
Abinadi testifies of Christ and opens to our view the essential elements of
the atonement, he becomes an example of prophetic perception. We see the way
in which prophets speak of things to come as if they have already happened.
They are obviously describing something they have seen in vision. It is yet
to happen, but for Abinadi it was vividly present. Abinadi: If Christ had not risen from the
dead, or have broken the bands of death that the grave should have no
victory, and that death should have no sting, there could have been no
resurrection. But there is a resurrection, therefore the grave hath no victory,
and the sting of death is swallowed up in Christ. He is the light and the
life of the world; yea, a light that is endless, that can never be darkened;
yea, and also a life which is endless, that there can be no more death. Even
this mortal shall put on immortality, and this corruption shall put on
incorruption, and shall be brought to stand before the bar of God, to be
judged of him according to their works whether they be good or whether they
be evil. (16:7-10) After
his impassioned profession of faith in the power of Jesus to save, Abinadi
offers a last plea for his listeners to repent. Abinadi: And now, ought ye not to tremble and
repent of your sins, and remember that only in and through Christ ye can be
saved? (16:13) Then
he ends as he began, having led his hearers? and us? full circle: Abinadi: If ye teach the law of Moses, also
teach that it is a shadow of those things which are to come? teach them that
redemption cometh through Christ, the Lord, who is the very Eternal Father.
Amen. (16:14-15; emphasis added) The
account of Abinadi concludes as he is given the opportunity to recant his
words. Ironically, the charge that emerges after three days of deliberations
is that he has proclaimed that "God himself should come down among the
children of men" (17:8). His response is courageous because he knows he
has delivered a message of truth from God. Abinadi: I will not recall the words which I
have spoken unto you concerning this people, for they are true; . . . and
they shall stand as a testimony against you. (17:9-10) King
Noah falters momentarily, fearful that the judgments of God will come upon
him, but at the prodding of the priests, he turns Abinadi over to them to
suffer death by fire. Abinadi's
Influence But there was one among them whose name was
Did not my father Alma believe in the words
which were delivered by the mouth of Abinadi? And was he [Abinadi] not a holy
prophet? Did he not speak the words of God, and my father Alma believe them?
And according to his faith there was a mighty change wrought in his heart. ( Thus
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?15
( The
Lord's image in one's countenance? Now it came to pass after Abinadi had
spoken these words that the people of king Noah durst not lay their hands on
him, for the Spirit of the Lord was upon him; and his face shone with
exceeding luster, even as Moses' did while in the mount of Sinai, while
speaking with the Lord. (Mosiah 13:5; emphasis added) Notes |
Abinadi answers them in verses 25-37. Also, Mosiah 13, he reviews the Ten
Commandments and the Law of Moses, and asks the king and priests why they
haven’t lived it!!
(Mosiah 12:25-37.)
25 And now Abinadi said unto them: Are you priests, and pretend to
teach this people, and to understand the spirit of prophesying, and yet desire
to know of me what these things mean?
26 I say unto you, wo be unto you for perverting the ways of the
Lord! For if ye understand these things ye have not taught them; therefore, ye
have perverted the ways of the Lord.
27 Ye have not applied your hearts to understanding; therefore, ye
have not been wise. Therefore, what teach ye this people?
28 And they said: We teach the law of Moses.
29 And again he said unto them: If ye teach the law of Moses why do
ye not keep it? Why do ye set your hearts upon riches? Why do ye commit
whoredoms and spend your strength with harlots, yea, and cause this people to commit
sin, that the Lord has cause to send me to prophesy against this people, yea,
even a great evil against this people?
30 Know ye not that I speak the truth? Yea, ye know that I speak
the truth; and you ought to tremble before God.
31 And it shall come to pass that ye shall be smitten for your
iniquities, for ye have said that ye teach the law of Moses. And what know ye
concerning the law of Moses? Doth salvation come by the law of Moses? What say
ye?
32 And they answered and said that salvation did come by the law of
Moses.
33 But now Abinadi said unto them: I know if ye keep the
commandments of God ye shall be saved; yea, if ye keep the commandments which
the Lord delivered unto Moses in the mount of Sinai, saying:
34 I am the Lord thy God, who hath brought thee out of the
35 Thou shalt have no other God before me.
36 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness
of any thing in heaven above, or things which are in the earth beneath.
37 Now Abinadi said unto them, Have ye done all this? I say unto
you, Nay, ye have not. And have ye taught this people that they should do all
these things? I say unto you, Nay, ye have not.
Sin and Bondage
In
the period of the Nephites' vainglory following their military defeat of the
Lamanites, the prophet Abinadi began to preach among them. Through him the Lord
offered Noah's people a clear choice of actions with two sure options: (1) they
must repent, or (2) they must be taken into bondage. Notice how clearly and
unmistakably these choices are spelled out in the following verses:
Thus
saith the Lord—Wo be unto this people, for I have seen their abominations, and
their wickedness, and their whoredoms; and except they repent I will
visit them in mine anger. And except they repent and turn to the Lord
their God, behold, I will deliver them into the hands of their enemies; yea,
and they shall be brought into bondage; and they shall be afflicted by the hand
of their enemies. . . . And it shall come to pass that except this people
repent and turn unto the Lord their God, they shall be brought into
bondage; and none shall deliver them, except it be the Lord the Almighty God. .
. . And except they repent in sackcloth and ashes, and cry mightily to
the Lord their God, I will not hear their prayers, neither will I deliver them
out of their afflictions. (Mosiah 11:20, 21, 23, 25; italics added.)
The
word of the Lord through Abinadi is as valid for us today as it was for Noah's
society. People of all nations must repent or suffer spiritual and temporal
bondage. fn
The
people of Noah refused to repent, and Abinadi was rejected—not only by Noah and
his priests, but by the people as well. As the account states: "The eyes
of the people were blinded; therefore they hardened their hearts against the
words of Abinadi, and they sought from that time forward to take him. And King
Noah hardened his heart against the word of the Lord, and he did not repent of
his evil doings." (Mosiah 11:29.)
Two
years passed before Abinadi returned. But this time he had a different message
from the Lord: "My people . . . have hardened their hearts against my
words; they have repented not of their evil doings; therefore, I will
visit them in my anger, yea, in my fierce anger will I visit them in
their iniquities and abominations. Yea, wo be unto this generation! . . .
Because of their iniquities, [they] shall be brought into bondage, and shall
be smitten on the cheek; yea, and shall be driven by men, and shall
be slain; and the vultures of the air, and the dogs, yea, and the wild
beasts, shall devour their flesh." (Mosiah 12:1-2; italics added.) When
Abinadi first came before Noah and his priests, he challenged them to repent or
be taken into bondage. Now he simply affirmed that their punishment of bondage
(and other things) would in fact take place, saying, "It shall come to
pass."
Other
examples in the scriptures also teach us that eventually it is simply too late
to avert disaster by repentance, and the prophesied punishment from the Lord is
sure. In Helaman 13-16 is the account of the Lamanite prophet Samuel, whom the
Lord had sent to prophesy against the Nephites. He declared to them:
"Behold, your days of probation are past; ye have procrastinated the day
of your salvation until it is everlastingly too late, and your destruction is
made sure." (Hel. 13:38.) Similarly Mormon witnessed a time among his
people when "the day of grace was passed with them, both temporally and
spiritually," and their destruction was assured. (Morm. 2:15.) King Noah
and his people were now under the same condemnation: It was "everlastingly
too late" for them.
When
Abinadi appeared before King Noah and his priests, he chastised them for
failing in their callings as priests and teachers of the people—for neither
understanding nor living the principles of righteousness themselves: "Are
you priests, and pretend to teach this people, and to understand the spirit of
prophesying, and yet desire to know of me what these things mean? I say unto
you, wo be unto you for perverting the ways of the Lord! For if ye understand
these things ye have not taught them; therefore, ye have perverted the ways of
the Lord. Ye have not applied your hearts to understanding; therefore, ye have
not been wise. Therefore, what teach ye this people?" (Mosiah 12:25-27.)
After teaching King Noah and the priests about the law of Moses, he continued
to condemn their actions. King Noah and his priests had not kept the
commandments of the Lord, neither had they taught the commandments to their people.
Abinadi knew that they were not doing what they should because, as he explained
to them: "If ye had [kept the commandments and taught them to the people],
the Lord would not have caused me to come forth and to prophesy evil concerning
this people." (Mosiah 12:37; 13:25-26.)
Many
years earlier, Jacob had written against the evil of which Abinadi was
speaking, making reference to his calling among his own people: "We did
magnify our office unto the Lord, taking upon us the responsibility, answering
the sins of the people upon our own heads if we did not teach them the word of
God with all diligence; wherefore, by laboring with our might their blood might
not come upon our garments; otherwise their blood would come upon our garments,
and we would not be found spotless at the last day." (Jacob 1:19.) Because
Noah and his priests failed to teach righteous principles to their people, they
led a whole generation into sin.
Through the Redemption
of God
Abinadi
taught Noah and his priests about the law of Moses and the mission of Jesus
Christ. After reciting to them the Ten Commandments (Mosiah 12:34-36;
13:12-24), he discussed with them the nature of the law of Moses. King Noah and
his priests believed that they would be saved because they had the law of Moses
and (as they said) were keeping it. Abinadi used this opportunity to teach them
of the true meaning of the law of sacrifice. He said: "Ye have said that
salvation cometh by the law of Moses. I say unto you that it is expedient that
ye should keep the law of Moses as yet; but I say unto you, that the time shall
come when it shall no more be expedient to keep the law of Moses." (Mosiah
13:27.) Abinadi and faithful Nephites understood well that the law of Moses was
not sufficient to save someone, because salvation comes only through the
atonement of Jesus Christ. Yet the Nephites lived under the law of Moses—even
though they had the gospel—and were commanded to observe the law until the
coming of Christ among them.
The
law was not sufficent. (Mosiah 13:28.) More was needed, namely the atonement,
"which God himself shall make for the sins and iniquities of his
people." Without the atonement, all people would "unavoidably
perish." Amulek taught: "It is expedient that an atonement should be
made; for according to the great plan of the Eternal God there must be an
atonement made, or else all mankind must unavoidably perish; yea, all are
hardened; yea, all are fallen and are lost, and must perish except it be
through the atonement which it is expedient should be made." (
The
Law of Moses was a type of the gospel of Christ (Mosiah 13:31); it taught,
through symbols, the principles of the atonement. This is particularly true of
animal sacrifices, which were types of the atoning sacrifice of the Lord Jesus
Christ. The sacrifices of the law taught that through the vicarious sacrifice
of one who was innocent—the sacrificial animal symbolizing Christ—the sins of
the repentant were removed. In the Law of Moses there were several kinds of
sacrifices; yet there was one central focus, as was revealed in the days of
Adam: "This thing is a similitude of the sacrifice of the Only Begotten of
the Father, which is full of grace and truth." (Moses 5:7.) Jesus' atoning
sacrifice was the theme that undergirded the Law of Moses. Sacrifice as a means
of worship was symbolic of the atonement, and the sacrifices were meant to
teach the principles upon which the atonement was based. Sadly, through most of
the history of
Since
the Law was something temporary that pointed to a greater reality, its
"fulfillment" could come only when the greater thing to which it
pointed came into existence. In one sense, the law was a great prophecy of
which Jesus was the fulfillment. When Jesus came and fulfilled the work for
which the Father had sent him, then all of the things that pointed to his
coming were fulfilled—not simply in that they no longer existed, but in that
the realities they had foreshadowed had come true. Abinadi said that all things
pertaining to the law of Moses "were types of things to come."
(Mosiah 13:31.)
Many
Israelites (and Noah and his priests) could not understand the law
"because of the hardness of their hearts." (Mosiah 13:32.) They were
spiritually unprepared to understand and accept the higher law of the
atonement. They had falsely attributed salvation to the sacrifices of the Law
of Moses and had lost the symbol of Christ's atoning sacrifice. They did not
understand that the sacrifices of the Law of Moses were not able to bring about
redemption, and that it would be accomplished through the sacrifice of the Only
Begotten of the Father. Abinadi explained that "God himself should come
down among the children of men." (Mosiah 13:34.) In the next two chapters
of the book of Mosiah, Abinadi expounded on this theme with great power. fn
(Kent P. Jackson, ed., Studies in
Scripture, Vol. 7: 1 Nephi to Alma 29 [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co.,
1987], 234.)
Mosiah 13:15-The 3rd commandment
of taking the Lord’s name in vain. The meaning is much deeper than
profanity. D&C 63:60-63, 93:11-20.
(Doctrine and Covenants 63:60-63.) – Using the
Lord’s name in vain is more than swearing, it also means using His name without
His authority.
60 Behold, I am Alpha and Omega, even Jesus Christ.
61 Wherefore, let all men beware how they take my name in their
lips—
62 For
behold, verily I say, that many there be who are under this condemnation, who
use the name of the Lord, and use it in vain, having not authority.
63 Wherefore, let the church repent of their sins, and I, the Lord,
will own them; otherwise they shall be cut off.
With the Priesthood (Authority) established
again on the earth, we have the authority to act in his name. Taking upon us the name of Jesus, Elder Oaks
Apr 1985 conf talk, D&C 20:77, willing to take upon us his name
Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are
commanded to partake of the sacrament each week. (See D&C 59:9, 12.) In
doing so, they witness unto God the Eternal Father, as stated in the prayer on
the bread, that they are "willing to take upon them the name of thy Son,
and always remember him and keep his commandments which he has given
them." (D&C 20:77; Moro. 4:3.) We should ponder these sacred covenants
during the sacrament service.
On this Easter Sunday it is appropriate to reflect on what it
means to partake of the sacrament. I will focus on the first of these solemn
"witnesses" to God the Eternal Father: that we are willing to take
upon us the name of his Son. What does this mean?
Our witness that we are willing to take upon us the name of Jesus
Christ has several different meanings. Some of these meanings are obvious, and
well within the understanding of our children. Others are only evident to those
who have searched the scriptures and pondered the wonders of eternal life.
One of the obvious meanings renews a promise we made when we were
baptized. Following the scriptural pattern, persons who are baptized witness
before the Church that they have truly repented of all their sins, and are
willing to take upon them the name of Jesus Christ, having a determination to
serve him to the end." (D&C 20:37; see also 2 Ne. 31:13; Moro. 6:3.)
When we partake of the sacrament, we renew this covenant and all the other
covenants we made in the waters of baptism. (See Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines
of Salvation, comp. Bruce R. McConkie, 3 vols., Salt Lake City: Bookcraft,
1954-56, 2:341, 346.)
As a second obvious meaning, we take upon us our Savior's name
when we become members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. By
his commandment, this church bears his name. (See D&C 115:4; 3 Ne. 27:7-8.)
Every member, young and old, is a member of the "household of God."
(Eph. 2:19.) As true believers in Christ, as Christians, we have gladly taken
his name upon us. (See
We also take upon us the name of Jesus Christ whenever we publicly
proclaim our belief in him. Each of us has many opportunities to proclaim our
belief to friends and neighbors, fellow workers, and casual acquaintances. As
the Apostle Peter taught the Saints of his day, we should "sanctify the
Lord God in [our] hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man
that asketh [us] a reason of the hope that is in [us]." (1 Pet. 3:15.) In
this, we keep the modern commandment: "Take upon you the name of Christ,
and speak the truth in soberness." (D&C 18:21.)
A third meaning appeals to the understanding of those mature
enough to know that a follower of Christ is obligated to serve him. Many
scriptural references to the name of the Lord seem to be references to the work
of his kingdom. Thus, when Peter and the other Apostles were beaten, they
rejoiced "that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his
name." (Acts
In these
three relatively obvious meanings, we see that we take upon us the name of
Christ when we are baptized in his name, when we belong to his Church and
profess our belief in him, and when we do the work of his kingdom.
There are
other meanings as well, deeper meanings that the more mature members of the
Church should understand and ponder as he or she partakes of the sacrament.
It is
significant that when we partake of the sacrament we do not witness that we
take upon us the name of Jesus Christ. We witness that we are willing to do so.
(See D&C 20:77.) The fact that we only witness to our willingness suggests
that something else must happen before we actually take that sacred name upon
us in the most important sense.
What future
event or events could this covenant contemplate? The scriptures suggest two
sacred possibilities, one concerning the authority of God, especially as
exercised in the temples, and the other--closely related--concerning exaltation
in the celestial kingdom.
The name of God is sacred. The Lord's Prayer begins with the
words, "Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed by thy name." (Matt.
6:9.) From Sinai came the commandment, "Thou shalt not take the name of
the Lord thy God in vain." (Ex. 20:7, Deut. 5:11.) Latter-day revelation
equates this with using the name of God without authority. "Let all men
beware how they take my name in their lips," the Lord declares in a modern
revelation, for "many there be who … use the name of the Lord, and use it
in vain, having not authority." (D&C 63:61-62.)
Consistent with these references, many scriptures that refer to
"the name of Jesus Christ" are obviously references to the authority
of the Savior. This was surely the meaning conveyed when the seventy reported
to Jesus that "even the devils are subject unto us through thy name."
(Luke 10:17.) The Doctrine and Covenants employs this same meaning when it
describes the Twelve Apostles of this dispensation as "they who shall
desire to take upon them my name with full purpose of heart." (D&C
18:27.) The Twelve are later designated as "special witnesses of the name
of Christ in all the world," and as those who "officiate in the name
of the Lord, under the direction of the Presidency of the Church."
(D&C 107:23, 33.)
By way of further illustration, the Old Testament contains scores
of references to the name of the Lord in a context where it clearly means the
authority of the Lord. Most of these references have to do with the temple.
When the children of
Similarly,
in modern revelations the Lord refers to temples as houses built "unto my
holy name." (D&C 124:39; D&C 105:33; D&C 109:2-5.) In the
inspired dedicatory prayer of the
All of
these references to ancient and modern temples as houses for "the
name" of the Lord obviously involve something far more significant than a
mere inscription of his sacred name on the structure. The scriptures speak of
the Lord's putting his name in a temple because he gives authority for his name
to be used in the sacred ordinances of that house. That is the meaning of the
Prophet's reference to the Lord's putting his name upon his people in that holy
house. (See D&C 109:26.)
Willingness
to take upon us the name of Jesus Christ can therefore be understood as
willingness to take upon us the authority of Jesus Christ. According to this
meaning, by partaking of the sacrament we witness our willingness to
participate in the sacred ordinances of the temple and to receive the highest
blessings available through the name and by the authority of the Savior when he
chooses to confer them upon us.
Another
future event we may anticipate when we witness our willingness to take that
sacred name upon us concerns our relationship to our Savior and the
incomprehensible blessings available to those who will be called by his name at
the last day.
King Benjamin told his people, "There shall be no other name
given nor any other way nor means whereby salvation can come unto the children
of men, only in and through the name of Christ, the Lord Omnipotent."
(Mosiah 3:17; see also 2 Ne. 31:21.) Peter proclaimed "the name of Jesus
Christ of Nazareth" to the leaders of the Jews, declaring that "there
is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be
saved." (Acts
The scriptures proclaim that the Savior's atoning sacrifice was
for those who "believe on his name."
Thus, those who exercise faith in the sacred name of Jesus Christ
and repent of their sins and enter into his covenant and keep his commandments
(see Mosiah 5:8) can lay claim on the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Those
who do so will be called by his name at the last day.
When the
Savior taught the Nephites following his resurrection, he referred to the
scriptural statement that "ye must take upon you the name of Christ."
He explained, "For by this name shall ye be called at the last day; And
whoso taketh upon him my name, and endureth to the end, the same shall be saved
at the last day." (3 Ne. 27:5-6.) That same teaching is repeated in a
modern revelation, which adds the caution that "if they know not the name
by which they are called, they cannot have place in the kingdom of my
Father." (D&C 18:25; see also
The Book of
Mormon explains the significance of being called by the name of Jesus Christ.
When the Savior showed his spirit body to the brother of Jared, he introduced
himself as the Father and the Son, declaring that through his redeeming
sacrifice all mankind who believed on his name should have life eternal through
him, "and they shall become my sons and my daughters." (Ether 3:14.)
Abinadi said of those who believed in the Lord and looked to him for a
remission of their sins "that these are his seed, or they are heirs of the
"For
these are they whose sins he has borne; these are they for whom he has died, to
redeem them from their transgressions. And now, are they not his seed?"
(Mosiah 15:12.)
Speaking
through the prophet Alma, the Lord explained the significance of this
relationship: "For behold, in my name are they called; and if they know me
they shall come forth, and shall have a place eternally at my right hand."
(Mosiah 26:24.)
In these
great scriptures from the Book of Mormon, we learn that those who are qualified
by faith and repentance and compliance with the laws and ordinances of the
gospel will have their sins borne by the Lord Jesus Christ. In spiritual and
figurative terms they will become the sons and daughters of Christ, heirs to
his kingdom. These are they who will be called by his name in the last day.
According to
this meaning, when we witness our willingness to take upon us the name of Jesus
Christ, we are signifying our commitment to do all that we can to achieve
eternal life in the
Those who
are found worthy to take upon them the name of Jesus Christ at the last day are
described in the great revelations recorded in the ninety-third and
seventy-sixth sections of the Doctrine and Covenants. Here the Savior revealed
to Joseph Smith that in due time, if we keep the commandments of God, we can
receive the "fulness" of the Father. (D&C 93:19-20.) Here the
Savior bears record that "all those who are begotten through me are
partakers of the glory of the [Father], and are the church of the
Firstborn." (D&C 93:22.) "They are they into whose hands the
Father has given all things. … Wherefore, as it is written, they are gods"
who "shall dwell in the presence of God and his Christ forever and
ever." (D&C 76:55, 58, 62.) "And this is life eternal, that they
might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent."
(John 17:3; see also D&C 88:4-5.) This is the ultimate significance of
taking upon us the name of Jesus Christ.
When the priest offers the scriptural prayer on the bread at the
sacrament table, he prays that all who partake may "witness" unto
God, the Eternal Father, "that they are willing to take upon them the name
of thy Son." (D&C 20:77; Moro. 4:3.) This witness has several
different meanings.
It causes us to renew the covenant we made in the waters of
baptism to take upon us the name of Jesus Christ and serve him to the end. We
also take upon us his name as we publicly profess our belief in him, as we
fulfill our obligations as members of his Church, and as we do the work of his
kingdom.
But there is something beyond these familiar meanings, because
what we witness is not that we take upon us his name but that we are willing to
do so. In this sense, our witness relates to some future event or status whose
attainment is not self-assumed, but depends on the authority or initiative of
the Savior himself.
Scriptural references to the name of Jesus Christ often signify
the authority of Jesus Christ. In that sense, our willingness to take upon us
his name signifies our willingness to take upon us the authority of Jesus
Christ in the sacred ordinances of the temple, and to receive the highest
blessings available through his authority when he chooses to confer them upon
us.
Finally, our willingness to take upon us the name of Jesus Christ
affirms our commitment to do all that we can to be counted among those whom he
will choose to stand at his right hand and be called by his name at the last
day. In this sacred sense, our witness that we are willing to take upon us the
name of Jesus Christ constitutes our declaration of candidacy for exaltation in
the celestial kingdom. Exaltation is eternal life, "the greatest of all
the gifts of God." (D&C 14:7.)
That is what we should ponder as we partake of the sacred emblems
of the sacrament. As we do so, we glory in the mission of the risen Lord, who
lived and taught and suffered and died and rose again that all mankind might
have immortality and eternal life. Of this I testify in the sacred name of the
Lord Jesus Christ, whose witness I am, amen.
Grace for grace has various levels. Grace-Baptism, Grace-Holy Ghost,
Grace-Washing and Anointing, Grace-Endowment, Grace-Eternal Marriage,
progression from one level to another
How Jesus Knew All
Things
I.
V. John 2:24. He knew all things] During his mortal life our Lord went from
grace to grace and from truth to truth. He progressed from intelligence to
intelligence until finally after the triumph of a glorious resurrection he
gained all power, all knowledge, and all truth. It is only in this exalted and
resurrected state that he came to a knowledge of all things in the ultimate and
unlimited sense. (D & C. 93:6-28.) However, in the course of his mortal
probation, he knew all things in the sense that, having the constant
companionship of that Spirit (the Holy Ghost) who does know all things, Jesus
could and did receive revelation of all that was needed for his ministry from
time to time. He knew all things in the sense that knowledge of all things was
constantly available to him.
In
this same sense faithful saints are entitled to receive revelation from the
Spirit, or in other words to "have the mind of Christ." (1 Cor.
2:16.) Those who gain their exaltation will, like Christ, be glorified in truth
and light and know all things in the ultimate and absolute sense, meaning there
will be no truth they do not know, no knowledge they have not mastered. (D
& C. 93:27-28.)
(Bruce R. McConkie, Doctrinal New
Testament Commentary, 3 vols. [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1965-1973], 1:
139.)
Nevertheless,
the term grace is sometimes used in a different sense to describe a
quality that is responsive or reactive to human behavior. When spoken of
in this sense, God's favor or grace is not a preexisting given but is something
that can be sought after, increased, decreased, or even lost completely by an
individual's own actions. Thus Peter can insist in 1 Peter 5:5 that God gives
grace to the humble (as opposed to those who lack humility). He also exhorts believers to "grow
in grace." (See 2 Pet. 3:18; italics added. Cf. Luke 2:52.) John explains
that believers receive grace for grace, or in other words they receive
increased favor from God as they react positively (graciously) to grace already
received. (See John 1:16; see also D&C 93:12, D&C 93:19-20 Paul even
warns the Galatians against falling from grace through their own foolishness.
(See Gal. 1:6; 5:4.)
This
reactive or responsive grace can "be multiplied" (e.g., 1 Pet. 1:2),
it "abounds" under certain circumstances, and it can be received
"in vain" (2 Cor. 6:1). It is used in the sense of reward in Luke
6:32-34 ("What thank have ye?") fn and of the thanks that humans owe
God. Thus even now, "to say grace" means to offer the thanks due to
God in return for his blessings. This responsive kind of grace is also the
nuance behind most of the scriptural passages in which one individual speaks of
finding "grace in the eyes of" another. (See, e.g., Gen. 19:19; 1
Sam. 20:3.) When the term grace is used with this nuance, as responsive
grace, we see how an individual can be said to grow from grace to grace until
ultimately coming to a "fulness of grace." (D&C 93:13, D&C
93:19-20)
Thus we see that some
aspects of God's favor or grace are unilateral and without preconditions. These
things God has already done for us without any consideration of our individual
behavior. They are sheer gifts granted to all human beings alike out of his
preexisting love for us. However, other aspects of God's favor or grace are
conditional and may increase, decrease, or even cease altogether in our lives
depending upon how we respond to their influence. Nevertheless, in both cases
love and grace flow from God to human beings—they originate in him as part of
his nature, and he makes the first move. God loves us not because we're so
lovable he can't help himself—he loves us because his nature is loving, because
God is love. (See 1 Jn. 4:8.)
(Stephen E. Robinson, Believing Christ:
The Parable of the Bicycle and Other Good News [Salt Lake City: Deseret
Book Co., 1992], 64.)
(Doctrine and Covenants 93:12-14, 19-20.) - Additional
powers of light and truth were continually being extended to him such that he
went from grace to grace. In other words, he went from one power level to
another, from one capacity to a greater, until he received a fulness of the
Father.
12 And I, John, saw that he received not of the fulness at the
first, but received grace for grace;
13 And he received not of the fulness at first, but continued from
grace to grace, until he received a fulness;
14 And thus he was called the Son of God, because he received not
of the fulness at the first.
19 I give unto you these sayings that you may understand and know
how to worship, and know what you worship, that you may come unto the Father in
my name, and in due time receive of his fulness.
20 For if you keep my commandments you shall receive of his
fulness, and be glorified in me as I am in the Father; therefore, I say unto
you, you shall receive grace for grace.
(Helaman 12:23-24.)
23 Therefore, blessed are they who will repent and hearken unto the
voice of the Lord their God; for these are they that shall be saved.
24 And may God grant, in his great fulness, that men might be
brought unto repentance and good works, that they might be restored unto grace
for grace, according to their works.
The
purpose of such an interpretation is to emphasize that the grace of God is not
the crown upon our labors but rather the heart and soul of our hope of
salvation. That such is the case is beyond dispute. Yet it is equally true that
only those who do all that they can do can receive the fulness of God's grace.
And the fulness of God's grace comes only to those who are exalted. It was
never supposed that Christ atoned for the sins of the world so that we might
have the option of finding some measure of happiness in the lower kingdoms. The
atonement of Christ was first and foremost to bring us back into the presence
of God in a glorified and exalted state. Christ
atoned for our sins so that we might become as God is. We become so by
advancing from grace to grace, or from one labor to a greater labor, until we
have received the fulness of the Father (see D&C 93:12 D&C 93:6-20). As
we comply with the laws and ordinances of the gospel, we obtain the full
effects of Christ's grace in a sequential manner, for that is the manner in
which we receive the ordinances of salvation.
(Joseph Fielding McConkie, Answers:
Straightforward Answers to Tough Gospel Questions [Salt Lake City: Deseret
Book Co., 1998], 69 - 70.)
Whenever
grace is extended, something is imparted. This imparting results in increased
ability in the recipient. In the scriptures the reception of grace is expressed
in two ways: a loss of the very propensity for sin and the accompanying ability
to live God's laws. Paul taught this concept, saying, "What shall we say
then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall
we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? . . . For sin shall not have
dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace." (Romans
6:1-2, 14.)
The
Savior himself had to have power to live his Father's law. According to Joseph
Smith, "None ever were perfect but Jesus; and why was He perfect? Because
He was the Son of God, and had the fullness of the Spirit, and greater power
than any man." fn This power came through grace, even the grace of God.
Just
what was imparted to Christ and, by inference, to man? Doctrine and Covenants
93 makes clear that it is light and truth. The possession of light and truth
allows one to forsake the evil one and to be protected against his
machinations. Further, light and truth enable their recipient to progress
toward a fulness of the glory of God. This was the case with the Lord. Through
his benevolence he received grace. Additional
powers of light and truth were continually being extended to him such that he
went from grace to grace. In other words, he went from one power level to
another, from one capacity to a greater, until he received a fulness of the
Father.
Receiving
these life-giving principles of God allowed the Lord to become the spiritual
Son of the Father. fn John seems to have been communicating this idea when he
stated, "And thus he was called the Son of God, because he received
not of the fulness at the first." (D&C 93:14; italics added.) The
Father confirmed that sonship had been accomplished when he stated: "This
is my beloved Son." (D&C 93:15.) The fulness of sonship was contingent
upon receiving the fulness of grace or, in other words, light and truth. The
Savior did receive this fulness, and John testified, "He received a
fulness of the glory of the Father; And he received all power, both in heaven
and on earth, and the glory of the Father was with him, for he dwelt in
him." (D&C 93:16-17.) Thus, section 93 is clear about the way the
Savior gained the glory of the Father. Since he is the way, the course he
pursued must be the way all must follow. Section 93 is emphatic that this is
the case. The Savior states, "I give unto you these sayings that you many
understand . . . that you may come unto the Father in my name, and in due time
receive of his fulness.
"For
if you keep my commandments you shall receive of his fulness, and be glorified
in me as I am in the Father; therefore, I say unto you, you shall receive grace
for grace." (D&C 93:19-20.)
Expressing
the same thought, Joseph Smith stated, "You have got to learn how to be
Gods yourselves, and to be kings and priests to God, the same as all Gods have
done before you, namely, by going from one small degree to another, and from a
small capacity to a great one; from grace to grace, from exaltation to
exaltation, until you attain to the resurrection of the dead, and are able to
dwell in everlasting burnings, and to sit in glory, as do those who sit
enthroned in everlasting power." fn
(Susan Easton Black et al., Doctrines for
Exaltation: The 1989 Sperry Symposium on the Doctrine and Covenants [Salt
Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1989], 38.)
Also, Revelation 3:12, 21 Joint-heirship with
Christ, Elder Stapley April 1961 conf talk
Joint-Heirship With Christ
Elder Delbert L. Stapley
Conference Report, April 1961, p.65-68
My
brothers and sisters, as I contemplate the gospel plan of our Heavenly Father
for his children as given in the revelations, I am convinced that no sacrifice
here in mortality is too great for us to make to attain the riches and glories
of eternal life. I am also convinced that by righteous living and devoted
service a good measure of this happiness and joy can be experienced here and
now in this mortal life.
God our Father, through his Beloved Son, Jesus Christ, has
admonished:
"For all who will have a blessing at my hands shall abide the
law which was appointed for that blessing, and the conditions thereof, as were
instituted from before the foundation of the world." (D&C 132:5.)
This important admonition is reaffirmed in another revelation
which is clear to the understanding of all mankind. Said the Lord:
"There is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the
foundations of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated--
"And when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law
upon which it is predicated." (Ibid. 130:20-21.)
These pronouncements of principle and admonition of the Lord are
fundamental requirements for each individual seeking eternal life and are as
firm and sure as the pillars of heaven. Every law and ordinance of the gospel
is to be complied with to attain a fulness of God's glory. The key to guide us
safely to the celestial kingdom is found in this instruction:
"And I now give unto you a commandment to beware concerning
yourselves, to give diligent heed to the words of eternal life.
"For you shall live by every word that proceedeth forth from the mouth of God."
(Ibid., 84:43-44.)
Three important points are here enumerated: 1. to beware
concerning ourselves; 2. to give diligent heed to the words of eternal life;
and 3. to live by every word that proceeds forth from the mouth of God.
The Apostle James warned, "For whosoever shall keep the whole
law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all." (James 2:10.) This
statement appears harsh and uncompromising, but it takes full obedience to the
whole gospel plan to obtain a fulness of eternal lives and glory, therefore, to
break one law is to violate the whole law and makes the violator guilty of all.
So often we are deceived by thinking that some divine laws are not too
significant and to break them is no deterrent to a fulness of eternal joy.
However, the Lord himself has declared:
"But no man is possessor of all things except he be purified
and cleansed from all sin.
"And if ye are purified and cleansed from all sin, ye shall ask whatsoever
you will in the name of Jesus and it shall be done." (Ibid., 50:28-29.)
Our Omnipotent God is possessor of all things: the universe with
its heights and depths and all his works of creation; all truth, knowledge,
power, wisdom, and every quality of goodness, love, and charity. Christ
inherited these gifts and attributes from his Father and if, as the scriptures
teach, we are joint-heirs with Christ, we are then potentially eligible to
share with him the full joy and glory of these creations, powers, gifts, and
blessings.
Complete obedience and faithfulness obtain full fellowship in the
household of faith and, more importantly, merit joint-heirship with Christ our
Lord in all that the Father has committed unto him. The Apostle Paul stated
that God appointed his Only Begotten Son heir of all things and it pleased the
Father that in his Son should a fulness dwell. John the Beloved taught,
"The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into
his hand," (John
--which makes Christ the heir and joint-possessor of the fulness
of God's kingdoms, works, and glory.
Christ prayed to the Father for his disciples to be one even as he
and the Father are one. This quality of sharing so characteristic of the
Savior's life, offers to us, if faithful and worthy, every blessing which he
has received from his Father.
In the important doctrinal discourse known as the "King
Follett Sermon" the Prophet Joseph Smith, referring to those who
"shall be heirs of God and joint-heirs with Jesus Christ," described
joint-heirship as inheriting the same power, the same glory, and the same
exaltation, until an individual ascends to the station of Godhood and rises to
the throne of eternal power, sharing the rewards with all the faithful who have
preceded him. A joint-heir legally inherits and shares all equities and gifts
in equal interest with all other heirs. Nothing is excluded nor adjusted in
value between the participating joint-heirs.
The Apostle Paul expressed to the Roman saints this knowledge and
hope:
"For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the
sons of God. . . .
"The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the
children of God;
"And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ,
if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together."
(Romans 8:14, 16-18.)
If we are led by the Spirit of God in our lives, we are promised
heirship with him and joint-heirship with Christ our Lord in the great estate
of God's kingdom and glory. We "suffer with Christ" as we sacrifice
the things of the world and yield complete obedience to every truth, principle,
and ordinance of the gospel plan. Whatever we contribute in honest tithes and
other contributions along with unselfish participation and service to our
fellow men to build the
We learn in modern scripture that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob abided
by the law of God completely and did ". . . none other things than that
which they were commanded; and because they did none other things than that
which they were commanded, they have entered into their exaltation, according
to the promises, and sit upon thrones, and are not angels but are Gods."
(D&C 132:37.) They have inherited, as joint-heirs with Christ, a fulness of
God's kingdom, power, and glory.
John the beloved apostle expressed this meaningful teaching and
instruction:
"Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon
us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us
not because it knew him not.
"Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we
shall be: but we know that when he shall appear, we shall be like him for we
shall see him as he is.
"And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is
pure." (1 John 3:1-3.)
As sons and daughters of God, we are required to purify and
perfect ourselves in righteousness; otherwise, we cannot be with him nor enjoy
eternal lives and glory in his kingdom. To become like God we must possess the
powers of Godhood. For such preparation there are important covenants
obligations, and ordinances for mankind to receive beyond the requirement of
baptism and the laying on of hands for the reception of the Holy Ghost. Every
person is to receive his or her endowments in the house of the Lord which
permit them, if faithful and true, to pass by the angels who stand as sentinels
guarding the way to eternal glory in the mansions of God. The everlasting
covenant of marriage ordained of God for man and woman, also is to be entered
into and the marriage contract sealed eternally by the authority of the Holy
Priesthood of God. Otherwise, the highest degree of the celestial kingdom
cannot be attained nor Godhood acquired, which exalted condition assures
continuation of the lives forever.
President Joseph Fielding Smith has said,
"He who obtains eternal life will become a son of God, a
joint-heir with Jesus Christ, and the Father promises him the fullness of the
blessings of his kingdom. Eternal life has a deeper meaning than immortality,
and all those who receive it become like God They will inherit the fulness of
the Father's kingdom, all things will be given to them and they become sons and
daughters of God." (Man, His Origin and Destiny, pp. 530, 540.)
God has said of his sons, "For the power is in them wherein
they are agents unto themselves." (D&C 58:28.) Man, as a child of God,
partakes of the divine nature of his Father and has within him the power to
upgrade himself and by perfecting his own native endowments become like his
eternal parent, possessing the same attributes and qualities in their
perfection as the Father and the Son.
The Father has promised his sons who receive the Holy Priesthood
and faithfully abide by the conditions of its oath and covenant that they are
to share in all that which the Father hath. The Father possesses kingdoms,
thrones, principalities, powers, dominions, and exaltations. These the faithful
will receive of him as heirs of God and joint-heirs with Jesus Christ. This
promise -- and the Lord will not fail -- is a challenging encouragement for all
to do his will. It is natural for a father to share his estate with his
children. Our Heavenly Father is no exception. He does so with a binding
covenant with his faithful sons. Listen to the words of this promise:
"Therefore, all those who receive the priesthood, receive
this oath and covenant of my Father, which he cannot break, neither can it be
moved." (Ibid., 84:40.)
The number sharing these great and choice blessings will be
limited. It is unfortunate that so few will worthily prepare themselves and
enter the strait gate and faithfully follow the narrow way to the end to earn
the promising reward of eternal life and its joint-heirship with Christ of all
that God the Father possesses.
It seems strange, but people generally fail to understand these
gospel teachings and, living as they do in this mortal world, are prone to
think and act in terms of mortal existence, which they only partially
understand. As a result they fail to project themselves into that eternal state
of life after the death of the mortal body and to envision their true place in
it according to their present manner of living here in mortality. If somehow we
could view with clarity the impressive picture of the life hereafter resulting
from obeying every gospel principle and ordinance while here perhaps we would
plan our lives in mortality differently and see to it that all our daily
actions are motivated by truth and righteousness and good works. Life then
would have sincere purpose and would earn rewarding values for the soul.
President Wilford Woodruff made this significant
observation:
"Now I sometimes ask myself the question, do we comprehend
these things? Do we comprehend that if we abide the laws of the priesthood we
shall become heirs of God and joint-heirs with Jesus Christ? I realize that our
eyes have not seen, our ears have not heard, neither hath it entered into our
hearts to conceive the glory that is in store for the faithful." (Discourses
of Wilford Woodruff, p. 80.)
In the vision given to Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon concerning
the degrees of glory, the Lord specified the qualifications of those who belong
to the Church of the Firstborn and then said:
"They are they into whose hands the Father has given all
things--
"They are they who are priests and kings, who have received of his fulness
and of his glory; . . .
"Wherefore, as it is written, they are gods, even the sons of God--
"Wherefore, all things are theirs whether life or death, or things present
or things to come, all are theirs and they are Christ's, and Christ is
God's." (D&C 76:55-56, 58-59.)
Personally, my brothers and sisters I am humbly grateful for the
privilege and blessing of being a candidate for joint-heirship with Christ, my
Lord in all that the Father has promised My heart is full of love and gratitude
for the Savior and for the sacrifice of his life on the cross to redeem mankind
from the fall and the offer he has given all mankind for salvation and
exaltation as joint-heirs with him in the kingdom of our God.
I pray that God will bless us all, my brothers and sisters, with
the courage and the faith to live every standard and obey every law and every
ordinance of the gospel to merit joint-heirship with Christ our Lord in all things.
This I humbly pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Sabbath Day observances, Elder Mark E.
Peterson Apr 1975-conf talk. Bro.
Satterfield’s web site, notes from General Authorities on the Sabbath.
Mark E. Peterson
No law in all scripture has been more clearly defined than that of
the Sabbath. From the time of Genesis to our own day, there has been no subject
spoken of more directly or repeatedly than the Sabbath.
It is one of the laws most dear to the heart of God. Yet it is
noted far more in its desecration than in its acceptance and proper observance.
. . .
Our observance or nonobservance of the Sabbath is an unerring
measure of our attitude toward the Lord personally and toward his suffering in
Mosiah 13:16-19. D&C 77:12 - 7th day the work
is finished, sanctified, and man was created.
(Doctrine and Covenants 59:5-15.) – The New
Ten Commandments
5 Wherefore, I give unto them a commandment, saying thus: Thou
shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy might, mind, and
strength; and in the name of Jesus Christ thou shalt serve him.
6 Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. Thou shalt not steal;
neither commit adultery, nor kill, nor do anything like unto it.
7 Thou shalt thank the Lord thy God in all things.
8 Thou shalt offer a sacrifice unto the Lord thy God in
righteousness, even that of a broken heart and a contrite spirit.
9 And that thou mayest more fully keep thyself unspotted from the
world, thou shalt go to the house of prayer and offer up thy sacraments upon my
holy day;
10 For verily this is a day appointed unto you to rest from your
labors, and to pay thy devotions unto the Most High;
11 Nevertheless thy vows shall be offered up in righteousness on
all days and at all times;
12 But remember that on this, the Lord's day, thou shalt offer
thine oblations and thy sacraments unto the Most High, confessing thy sins unto
thy brethren, and before the Lord.
13 And on this day thou shalt do none other thing, only let thy
food be prepared with singleness of heart that thy fasting may be perfect, or,
in other words, that thy joy may be full.
14 Verily, this is fasting and prayer, or in other words, rejoicing
and prayer.
15 And inasmuch as ye do these things with thanksgiving, with cheerful
hearts and countenances, not with much laughter, for this is sin, but with a
glad heart and a cheerful countenance—
Vs. 9, 12: We fulfill the covenant by
partaking of the sacrament. Helps us
keep unspotted from the world. Vs. 12:
Anciently fasting was a sign of mourning and a concentration on the things of
God.
Major purpose of the Sabbath:
1.
Revisit
Golgotha and
2.
Spiritual
well being of His children
Ezra Taft Benson
- The purpose of the Sabbath is for
spiritual uplift, for a renewal of our covenants, for worship, for rest,
for prayer. It is for the purpose of feeding the spirit, that we may keep
ourselves unspotted from the world by obeying God's command. (D&C
59:9.) (Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson, p.438)
The new consolidated meeting
schedule is a marvelous step toward achieving our expectations. Think on this!
Every Latter-day Saint father gathering his family together on the Sabbath and
instructing them in gospel principles, gospel responsibilities, missionary
service, and genealogy work. Will this not cause every man, woman, and child to
move toward the ideal to speak in the name of the Lord? Will not faith increase
in the hearts of many? Will there not be more covenants made with sincerity,
and more covenants kept? And will there not come from these faithful homes
those who can proclaim the gospel message to others? As the families of the
Church follow the counsel of their leaders and instruct their families in the
gospel principles and obligations, we will see results far beyond that which we
initially contemplated. (Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson, p.440)
Sabbath is the key to spirituality. Sabbath is the key to the Holy Ghost.
Mosiah 13:20- As parents we are acting in the
name of God.
The other commandments when broken create
disunity. Coveting covers all of the
commandments. Elder Jeffrey Holland Apr
2002 conf talk.
The Other Prodigal
Elder
Jeffrey R. Holland
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
No one of us is less treasured or cherished of God than
another. I testify that He loves each of us—insecurities, anxieties,
self-image, and all.
|
|
Among
the most memorable parables the Savior ever told is the story of a foolish
younger brother who went to his father, asked for his portion of the estate,
and left home to squander his inheritance, the scripture says, in "riotous
living."1
His money and his friends disappeared sooner than he thought possible—they
always do—and a day of terrible reckoning came thereafter—it always does. In
the downward course of all this he became a keeper of pigs, one so hungry, so
stripped of sustenance and dignity that he "would fain have filled his
belly with the husks that the swine did eat." But even that consolation
was not available to him.
Then
the scripture says encouragingly, "He came to himself." He determined
to find his way home, hoping to be accepted at least as a servant in his
father's household. The tender image of this boy's anxious, faithful father
running to meet him and showering him with kisses is one of the most moving and
compassionate scenes in all of holy writ. It tells every child of God, wayward
or otherwise, how much God wants us back in the protection of His arms.
But
being caught up in this younger son's story, we can miss, if we are not
careful, the account of an elder son, for the opening line of the Savior's
account reads, "A certain man had two sons"—and He might have
added, "both of whom were lost and both of whom needed to come home."
The
younger son has returned, a robe has been placed on his shoulders and a ring on
his finger, when the older son comes on the scene. He has been dutifully,
loyally working in the field, and now he is returning. The language of parallel
journeys home, though from very different locations, is central to this story.
As
he approaches the house, he hears the sounds of music and laughter.
"And
he called one of the servants [note that he has servants] and asked what these
things meant.
"And
[the servant] said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed
the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound.
"And
[the older brother] was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father
out, and intreated him."
You
know the conversation they then had. Surely, for this father, the pain over a
wayward child who had run from home and wallowed with swine is now compounded
with the realization that this older, wiser brother, the younger boy's
childhood hero as older brothers always are, is angry that his brother has come
home.
No,
I correct myself. This son is not so much angry that the other has come home as
he is angry that his parents are so happy about it. Feeling unappreciated and
perhaps more than a little self-pity, this dutiful son—and he is wonderfully
dutiful—forgets for a moment that he has never had to know filth or despair,
fear or self-loathing. He forgets for a moment that every calf on the ranch is
already his and so are all the robes in the closet and every ring in the
drawer. He forgets for a moment that his faithfulness has been and always will
be rewarded.
No,
he who has virtually everything, and who has in his hardworking, wonderful way
earned it, lacks the one thing that might make him the complete man of the Lord
he nearly is. He has yet to come to the compassion and mercy, the charitable
breadth of vision to see that this is not a rival returning. It is his
brother. As his father pled with him to see, it is one who was dead and now is
alive. It is one who was lost and now is found.
Certainly this younger brother had been a
prisoner—a prisoner of sin, stupidity, and a pigsty. But the older brother
lives in some confinement, too. He has, as yet, been unable to break out of the
prison of himself. He is haunted by the green-eyed monster of jealousy.2
He feels taken for granted by his father and disenfranchised by his brother,
when neither is the case. He has fallen victim to a fictional affront. As such
he is like Tantalus of Greek mythology—he is up to his chin in water, but he
remains thirsty nevertheless. One who has heretofore presumably been very happy
with his life and content with his good fortune suddenly feels very unhappy
simply because another has had some good fortune as well.
Who is it that whispers so subtly in our
ear that a gift given to another somehow diminishes the blessings we have
received? Who makes us feel that if God is smiling on another, then He surely must
somehow be frowning on us? You and I both know who does this—it is the father
of all lies.3
It is Lucifer, our common enemy, whose cry down through the corridors of time
is always and to everyone, "Give me thine honor."4
It has been said that envy is the one sin
to which no one readily confesses, but just how widespread that tendency can be
is suggested in the old Danish proverb, "If envy were a fever, all the
world would be ill." The parson in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales
laments it because it is so far-reaching—it can resent anything, including any
virtue and talent, and it can be offended by everything, including every
goodness and joy.5
As others seem to grow larger in our sight, we think we must therefore be
smaller. So, unfortunately, we occasionally act that way.
How does this happen, especially when we
wish so much that it would not? I think one of the reasons is that every day we
see allurements of one kind or another that tell us what we have is not enough.
Someone or something is forever telling us we need to be more handsome or more
wealthy, more applauded or more admired than we see ourselves as being. We are
told we haven't collected enough possessions or gone to enough fun places. We
are bombarded with the message that on the world's scale of things we
have been weighed in the balance and found wanting.6
Some days it is as if we have been locked in a cubicle of a great and spacious
building where the only thing on the TV is a never-ending soap opera entitled Vain
Imaginations.7
But
God does not work this way. The father in this story does not tantalize his
children. He does not mercilessly measure them against their neighbors. He
doesn't even compare them with each other. His gestures of compassion toward
one do not require a withdrawal or denial of love for the other. He is divinely
generous to both of these sons. Toward both of his children he extends charity.
I believe God is with us the way my precious wife, Pat, is with my singing. She
is a gifted musician, something of a musical genius, but I couldn't capture a
musical note with Velcro. And yet I know she loves me in a very special way
when I try to sing. I know that because I can see it in her eyes. They are the
eyes of love.
One
observer has written: "In a world that constantly compares people, ranking
them as more or less intelligent, more or less attractive, more or less
successful, it is not easy to really believe in a [divine] love that does not
do the same. When I hear someone praised," he says, "it is hard not
to think of myself as less praiseworthy; when I read about the goodness and
kindness of other people, it is hard not to wonder whether I myself am as good
and kind as they; and when I see trophies, rewards, and prizes being handed out
to special people, I cannot avoid asking myself why that didn't happen to me."8
If left unresisted, we can see how this inclination so embellished by the world
will ultimately bring a resentful, demeaning view of God and a terribly
destructive view of ourselves. Most "thou shalt not" commandments are
meant to keep us from hurting others, but I am convinced the commandment not to
covet is meant to keep us from hurting ourselves.
How
can we overcome such a tendency so common in almost everyone? For one thing, we
can do as these two sons did and start making our way back to the Father. We
should do so with as much haste and humility as we can summon. Along the way we
can count our many blessings and we can applaud the accomplishments of others. Best
of all, we can serve others, the finest exercise for the heart ever prescribed.
But finally these will not be enough. When we are lost, we can "come to
ourselves," but we may not always be able to "find ourselves,"
and, worlds without end, we cannot "save ourselves." Only the Father
and His Only Begotten Son can do that. Salvation is in Them only. So we pray
that They will help us, that They will "come out" to meet and embrace
us and bring us into the feast They have prepared.
They
will do this! The scriptures are replete with the promise that God's grace is
sufficient.9
This is one arena where no one has to claw or compete. Nephi declares that the
Lord "loveth the [whole] world" and has given salvation freely.
"Hath
[He] commanded any that they should not partake of his
goodness?" Nephi asks. No! "All . . . are
privileged the one like unto the other, and none are forbidden [at His
hand]."
"Come
unto me all ye ends of the earth," He pleads, and buy milk without money
and honey without price.10
All are privileged, the one like unto the other. Walk peacefully. Walk
confidently. Walk without fear and without envy. Be reassured of Heavenly
Father's abundance to you always.
As
we do this, we can help others, calling down blessings on them even as they
make supplication for us. We can cheer every talent and ability, wherever it is
bestowed, thus making life here more nearly what it will be like in heaven.
It
will help us always to remember Paul's succinct prioritizing of
virtues—"Now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest
of these is charity."11
He reminds us we are all of the body of Christ, and that all
members, whether comely or feeble, are adored, essential, and important. We
feel the depth of his plea that there be "no schism in the body, but that
the members . . . have the same care one for another. And [when] one member
suffer[s], all the members suffer with it; or [when] one member [is] honoured,
all the members rejoice."12
That incomparable counsel helps us remember that the word generosity has
the same derivation as the word genealogy, both coming from the Latin genus,
meaning of the same birth or kind, the same family or gender.13
We will always find it easier to be generous when we remember that this person
being favored is truly one of our own.
Brothers
and sisters, I testify that no one of us is less treasured or cherished of God
than another. I testify that He loves each of us—insecurities, anxieties,
self-image, and all. He doesn't measure our talents or our looks; He doesn't
measure our professions or our possessions. He cheers on every runner,
calling out that the race is against sin, not against each other. I know
that if we will be faithful, there is a perfectly tailored robe of
righteousness ready and waiting for everyone,14
"robes . . . made . . . white in
the blood of the Lamb."15
May we encourage each other in our effort to win that prize is my earnest
prayer, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
NOTES
1.
See Luke 15:11–32.
2. See William Shakespeare, The Merchant of Venice, act 3, scene 2, line
110.
3. See 2 Ne.
2:18.
4. Moses 4:1.
5. See Geoffrey Chaucer, The
6. See Dan.
5:27 (double entendre doubly intended).
7. See 1 Ne.
12:18.
8. Henri J. M. Nouwen, The Return of the Prodigal Son (1992), 103.
9. See Ether
12:26; Moro.
10:32; D&C
17:8.
10. See 2 Ne. 26:24–28; emphasis added.
11. 1 Cor.
13:13.
12. See 1
Cor. 12:25–26.
13. I am indebted to Henri Nouwen for pointing out this etymological link.
14. See Isa.
61:10; 2
Ne. 4:33; 9:14.
15. Rev. 7:14.
Mosiah 13:25-35 - Purpose of the Law of
Moses, NOT TO SAVE, to teach them their duty.
Point to Christ. Jarom 1:11.
(Mosiah 13:25-35.) – Abinadi rebuked the
priests for not teaching the purpose of the Law of Moses. He taught correct doctrine
25 And it came to pass that after Abinadi had made an end of these
sayings that he said unto them: Have ye taught this people that they should
observe to do all these things for to keep these commandments?
26 I say unto you, Nay; for if ye had, the Lord would not have
caused me to come forth and to prophesy evil concerning this people.
27 And now ye have said that salvation cometh by the law of Moses.
I say unto you that it is expedient that ye should keep the law of Moses as
yet; but I say unto you, that the time shall come when it shall no more be
expedient to keep the law of Moses.
28 And moreover, I say unto you, that salvation doth not come by
the law alone; and were it not for the atonement, which God himself shall make
for the sins and iniquities of his people, that they must unavoidably perish,
notwithstanding the law of Moses.
29 And now I say unto you that it was expedient that there should
be a law given to the children of Israel, yea, even a very strict law; for they
were a stiffnecked people, quick to do iniquity, and slow to remember the Lord
their God;
30 Therefore there was a law given them, yea, a law of performances
and of ordinances, a law which they were to observe strictly from day to day,
to keep them in remembrance of God and their duty towards him.
31 But behold, I say unto you, that all these things were types of
things to come.
32 And now, did they understand the law? I say unto you, Nay, they
did not all understand the law; and this because of the hardness of their
hearts; for they understood not that there could not any man be saved except it
were through the redemption of God.
33 For behold, did not Moses prophesy unto them concerning the
coming of the Messiah, and that God should redeem his people? Yea, and even all
the prophets who have prophesied ever since the world began—have they not
spoken more or less concerning these things?
34 Have they not said that God himself should come down among the
children of men, and take upon him the form of man, and go forth in mighty
power upon the face of the earth?
35 Yea, and have they not said also that he should bring to pass
the resurrection of the dead, and that he, himself, should be oppressed and
afflicted?
Mosiah 14, Study Isaiah 53. The story of Christ and the Atonement, Vs. 10
He saw all those who accept him.
Mosiah 15:10-14. Who are the seed? Those who accept his gospel and DO his will.
(Mosiah 15:10-15.)
10 And now I say unto you, who shall declare his generation?
Behold, I say unto you, that when his soul has been made an offering for sin he
shall see his seed. And now what say ye? And who shall be his seed?
11 Behold I say unto you, that whosoever has heard the words of the
prophets, yea, all the holy prophets who have prophesied concerning the coming
of the Lord—I say unto you, that all those who have hearkened unto their words,
and believed that the Lord would redeem his people, and have looked forward to
that day for a remission of their sins, I say unto you, that these are his
seed, or they are the heirs of the kingdom of God.
12 For these are they whose sins he has borne; these are they for
whom he has died, to redeem them from their transgressions. And now, are they
not his seed?
13 Yea, and are not the prophets, every one that has opened his
mouth to prophesy, that has not fallen into transgression, I mean all the holy
prophets ever since the world began? I say unto you that they are his seed.
14 And these are they who have published peace, who have brought
good tidings of good, who have published salvation; and said unto
15 And O how beautiful upon the mountains were their feet!
In
his commentary (Mosiah 15:7-13), Abinadi elaborates on the death of the Savior,
speaking of the resurrection following the crucifixion and then answering
Isaiah's question: "Who shall declare his generation?" Abinadi first
comments on the Savior's crucifixion and death, "Yea, even so he shall be
led, crucified, and slain, the flesh becoming subject even unto death, the will
of the Son being swallowed up in the will of the Father" (Mosiah 15:7),
and then concludes, "And thus God breaketh the bands of death, having
gained the victory over death; giving the Son power to make intercession for
the children of men" (v 8). Today we find the concept of breaking the
bands of death and gaining a victory over death in Paul's First Epistle to the
Corinthians; however, Paul is quoting what "is written" (1 Cor.
15:54-55). Where was it written? Some have supposed it to be a quotation from
Hosea 13:14, but if so, the Hosea text has been greatly modified. It seems more
logical that this quote is a part of the plain and precious parts that have
been lost from the Bible (1 Nephi 13:23-29). Nonetheless, that the resurrection
of Christ would break the bands of death and gain victory over the grave was
known to the Old Testament prophets. Abinadi would probably not have coined a
phrase so close to what Paul was reading from the Hebrew Bible. Of course the
Spirit could have dictated the same words, but it seems most logical that both
Paul and Abinadi were quoting from an earlier text.
After
speaking of the resurrection and atonement of Christ (Mosiah 15:8-9), Abinadi
answers the question posed by Isaiah: "And now I say unto you, who shall
declare his generation?"
Behold,
I say unto you, that when his soul has been made an offering for sin he shall
see his seed. And now what say ye? And who shall be his seed? (Mosiah 15:10)
Abinadi
combines his answer to "who shall declare his generation" with
Isaiah's declaration that when Christ made "his soul an offering for sin
he shall see his seed." The question and the declaration go hand in hand.
Those who are spiritually begotten of Christ through being born again are
adopted as his sons and daughters (Mosiah 5:7; see also Gal 4:1-7; Rom.
8:14-17; and the Exposition by the First Presidency and the Twelve cited
above). Thus the adopted, born-again sons and daughters of Jesus Christ will
declare the message of the gospel that Jesus Christ was sent to the earth to
redeem all humankind. Following his death, Christ's Apostles and others were to
take this message to all the world (Mark 16:15-16). Abinadi explains at some
length who these messengers will be, the prophets and those who have accepted
and lived their message:
Behold
I say unto you, that whosoever has heard the words of the prophets, yea, all
the holy prophets who have prophesied concerning the coming of the Lord—I say
unto you, that all those who have hearkened unto their words, and believed that
the Lord would redeem his people, and have looked forward to that day for a
remission of their sins, I say unto you, that these are his seed, or they are
the heirs of the kingdom of God. For these are they whose sins he has borne; these
are they for whom he has died, to redeem them from their transgressions. And
now, are they not his seed? Yea, and are not the prophets, every one that has
opened his mouth to prophesy, that has not fallen into transgression, I mean
all the holy prophets ever since the world began? I say unto you that they are
his seed. (Mosiah 15:11Mosiah 15:11-13)
(Monte S. Nyman and Charles D. Tate, Jr.,
eds., Mosiah: Salvation Only through Christ [Provo: BYU Religious
Studies Center, 1991], 174 - 175.)
2 witnesses of Christ in Mosiah, King
Benjamin chaps 3-5, Abinadi 14-16.
"His Stewardship Was Fulfilled"
John A. Tvedtnes
When
Abinadi testified before King Noah and his priests, they "attempted to lay
their hands on him" (Mosiah 13:2), but he warned them, "Touch me not,
for God shall smite you if ye lay your hands upon me, for I have not delivered
the message which the Lord sent me to deliver" (Mosiah 13:3). Knowing that
"the Spirit of the Lord was upon him," "the people of king Noah
durst not lay their hands on him" (Mosiah 13:5), and Abinadi went on to
tell them about the coming of the Messiah. "I finish my message," he
declared, "and then it matters not whither I go, if it so be that I am
saved" (Mosiah 13:9). Only after he had delivered the words of the Lord
were they able to slay him (Mosiah 17:1).
A
similar story is found in the pseudepigraphic book known as 4 Baruch or
"The Things Omitted from Jeremiah the Prophet."fn "And as
Jeremiah was saying these things about the Son of God, that he is coming into
the world, the people became angry and said, ÔThese (once) again are the words
spoken by Isaiah the son of Amos, saying, "I saw God and the son of
God." Come, therefore, and let us not kill him by that (same) death [as
Isaiah], but let's stone him with stones'" (4 Baruch 9:21-22).fn
But Jeremiah declared, "they will not kill me until I have described to
you everything that I saw" (4 Baruch 9:24). He then asked the Lord
to protect him, and his life was spared by divine intervention when the Lord
blinded their eyes and made them think that a large stone was Jeremiah.
"Jeremiah delivered all the mysteries that he had seen . . . and then he
simply stood in the midst of the people, desiring to bring his stewardship to
an end" (4 Baruch 9:29). The people then "saw him, [and] they
immediately ran at him with many stones, and his stewardship was
fulfilled" (4 Baruch 9:31).
On
several occasions, as Jesus testified of himself and his relationship with the
Father, those who heard him sought to slay him. On two of these occasions, he
simply went "through the midst of them" and escaped unharmed (Luke
4:30; cf. John 8:58-59). On two other occasions, we read that "no man laid
hands on him, because his hour was not yet come" (John 7:30; 8:20; cf. John 2:4; 7:6,
8). Only when he had completed his mortal ministry did he declare that
"the hour is come; [and] the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of
sinners" (Mark 14:41; cf. John 12:23;
13:1; 17:1).
These
accounts from the New Testament, the Book of Mormon, and 4 Baruch
illustrate the principle taught by Brigham Young in October 1844: "The
Lord never let a prophet fall on the earth until he had accomplished his
work."fn
1
The text used herein is the English translation by S. E. Robinson, published in
The Old Testament Pseudepigrapha, ed. James H. Charlesworth (Garden
City: Doubleday, 1985), 2:418-25.
2
Similarly, when Lehi told the people about his vision "of the coming of
the Messiah, and also the redemption of the world . . . the Jews . . . were
angry with him; yea, even as with the prophets of old, whom they had cast out,
and stoned, and slain; and they also sought his life, that they might take it
away" (1 Ne. 1:19-20; cf. Hel. 8:22). The Lord saved Lehi by telling him
to flee Jerusalem. In this, Lehi's story resembles that of Abinadi in Mosiah
11:26. When Nephi was threatened by his brothers, the Lord protected him as he
protected Abinadi, by making it impossible for them to lay their hands on him
until he had finished speaking (1 Ne. 17:48-55; cf. Lehi in 1 Ne. 2:13-14).
3
HC 7:302.
(Notes and Communications, FARMS Journal
of Book of Mormon Studies, vol. 5, no. 2 (Fall 1996),.)
Mosiah 16
October 3, 2002
2 Nephi 9:13-14 - Jacob discusses the
righteous and the wicked, includes himself in both groups. Humor
(2 Nephi 9:13-14.)
13 O how great the plan of our God! For on the other hand, the
paradise of God must deliver up the spirits of the righteous, and the grave
deliver up the body of the righteous; and the spirit and the body is restored
to itself again, and all men become incorruptible, and immortal, and they are
living souls, having a perfect knowledge like unto us in the flesh, save it be
that our knowledge shall be perfect.
14 Wherefore, we shall have a perfect knowledge of all our guilt,
and our uncleanness, and our nakedness; and the righteous shall have a perfect
knowledge of their enjoyment, and their righteousness, being clothed with
purity, yea, even with the robe of righteousness.
Book of Mosiah
Bearing Testimony of Christ
1st witness King Benjamin People
of Zarahemla
2nd witness
Abinadi
King Noah, priests, (
Fallen State Exaltation
Of Mankind The Spiritual Rebirth Process
Spiritually The Taught Faith in Repent
Our Part = Baptism Gift of HG Spiritual
Dead Awakening Pure Doctrine Christ Lord’s = Not Guilty Clean Life
D&C
29:41
Part
Justified Sanctified D&C 20:31
Aaron teaches the King the rebirth process in
THE IMPORTANCE OF
ORDINANCES
Look at the web site for the 1st
Principles and Ordinances of the Gospel.
Joseph Smith, Joseph F. Smith and Orson Pratt quotes.
To Be Born
Again Requires Ordinances
Joseph Smith
Being born again comes by the Spirit of God through
ordinances. (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p.162)
Joseph F. Smith
To all believers, and to the Latter-day Saints especially,
there is sweet comfort in this knowledge, and in the thought that through
obedience to the ordinances and principles of the gospel, which Christ, our
Savior, taught and enjoined upon the people and his disciples, men shall be
born again, redeemed from sin, arise from the grave, and like Jesus return into
the presence of the Father. (Gospel Doctrine, p.447)
Mosiah 15:26-31 Abinadi talking to the priest
and Alma. Wicked is knowing the
commandments and not keeping them.
(Mosiah 15:26-31.)
26 But behold, and fear, and tremble before God, for ye ought to
tremble; for the Lord redeemeth none such that rebel against him and die in
their sins; yea, even all those that have perished in their sins ever since the
world began, that have wilfully rebelled against God, that have known the commandments
of God, and would not keep them; these are they that have no part in the first
resurrection.
27 Therefore ought ye not to tremble? For salvation cometh to none
such; for the Lord hath redeemed none such; yea, neither can the Lord redeem
such; for he cannot deny himself; for he cannot deny justice when it has its
claim.
28 And now I say unto you that the time shall come that the
salvation of the Lord shall be declared to every nation, kindred, tongue, and
people.
29 Yea, Lord, thy watchmen shall lift up their voice; with the
voice together shall they sing; for they shall see eye to eye, when the Lord
shall bring again Zion.
30 Break forth into joy, sing together, ye waste places of
Jerusalem; for the Lord hath comforted his people, he hath redeemed Jerusalem.
31 The Lord hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the
nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.
Mosiah 16:1-15 Man can be redeemed from the
Fall, if they so choose!! Verse
12!! Arms of mercy extended to you.
Moses 6: 58-61 (60) Physical birth (once),
Spiritual Rebirth (twice) 1.
Pre-mortality 2.
Baptism, Receiving Gift of Holy Ghost!!!!
Moses 6:62-63 all things point to the Plan of
Salvation, you have to look for it.
The Gift of the Holy Ghost makes one alive
again spiritually. Orson Pratt, new
creatures. D&C
Orson Pratt
A person cannot be born again legitimately without a legal
administrator. If you are born of the Spirit, there must needs be a man
authorized to administer that Spirit. Paul says, "Who hath also made us
able ministers of the New Testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit, for
the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life." Why? Because he was
authorized to lay his hands on baptized believers, and confirm upon them the
gift of the Holy Ghost, that they might be born of the Spirit and become new
creatures. (Journal of Discourses, 7:265)
We learn line upon line; teach the basics
first like Aaron did in
Quickened means to be made alive, The Holy
Ghost
Pres. Marion G. Romney Conf Report April
1977. Moses 6:64-66 Adam’s baptism and
receiving the Holy Ghost.
Member of the Godhead
The Holy Ghost is, as we have said, the third member of the
Godhead. Of Him the Prophet Joseph said:
"The Holy Ghost has not a body of flesh and bones [as we know
that God and Jesus Christ have], but is a personage of Spirit." (D&C
130:22.)
The Holy Ghost is the great witness of, the messenger for, and
testifier of the Father and the Son. The Savior, speaking of Him as the
"Spirit of truth," said:
"When he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you
into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall
hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
"He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall
shew it unto you." (John 16:13-14.)
By the witness and power of the Holy Ghost we receive personal
testimonies of the truths of the gospel, including knowledge of God the Father
and His beloved Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Redeemer.
Notwithstanding the availability of the gifts of the Holy Ghost,
there are many people who live within reach of them who fail to see them.
Concerning such tragedy, the Lord said:
"Behold, I am Jesus Christ, the Son of God. I am the same
that came unto mine own, and mine own received me not. I am the light which
shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehendeth it not." (D&C
6:21.)
Comprehending the light
All three of the synoptic Gospel writers record the following classic
illustration of the difficulty one in darkness has in comprehending the light.
Matthew's version reads:
"When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he
asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?
"And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist:
some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets." (Matt. 16:13-14.)
Now, the people who expressed these opinions were Christ's
contemporaries. Their conclusions evidenced the fact that they knew something
about His mighty works. No doubt they were aware of His claim that He was the
Son of God. Their minds, however, were opaque to the light of His true
identity. Although the light was shining brightly about them, they
"comprehended it not."
Having heard their answer as to who men said He was, Jesus
directed to His disciples the question, "But whom say ye that I am?"
(Matthew 16:15.)
Then Peter, speaking for himself and presumptively for the others,
answered, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God." (Matthew
16:1].) In this declaration, Peter evidenced the fact that he and his fellow
disciples did comprehend the light shining in the world of spiritual darkness
around them.
In His response to Peter's answer, Jesus declared a truth
understood only by those who comprehend the light by and through the gift and
power of the Holy Ghost, for Jesus' answer was:
"Flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee," He
said, "but my Father which is in heaven, . . . and upon this
rock"--meaning, upon the rock of revelation, which comes by means of the
Holy Ghost--"I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not
prevail against it." (Matthew 16:17-18.)
How difficult it is to get one in darkness to comprehend the light
or to believe that there is such light is illustrated by John's account of the
interview between Jesus and Nicodemus.
"There was," says John, "a man of the Pharisees,
named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:
"[Who] came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we
know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles
that thou doest, except God be with him.
"Jesus answered and said . . . Verily, verily, I say unto
thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the
"Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is
old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?
"Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a
man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the
One is born again by actually receiving and experiencing the light
and power inherent in the gift of the Holy Ghost.
(
4 And behold, I say unto you, they were delivered out of the hands
of the people of king Noah, by the mercy and power of God.
5 And behold, after that, they were brought into bondage by the
hands of the Lamanites in the wilderness; yea, I say unto you, they were in
captivity, and again the Lord did deliver them out of bondage by the power of
his word; and we were brought into this land, and here we began to establish
the church of God throughout this land also.
6 And now behold, I say unto you, my brethren, you that belong to
this church, have you sufficiently retained in remembrance the captivity of
your fathers? Yea, and have you sufficiently retained in remembrance his mercy
and long-suffering towards them? And moreover, have ye sufficiently retained in
remembrance that he has delivered their souls from hell?
7 Behold,
he changed their hearts; yea, he awakened them out of a deep sleep, and they
awoke unto God. Behold, they were in the midst of darkness; nevertheless, their
souls were illuminated by the light of the everlasting word; yea, they were
encircled about by the bands of death, and the chains of hell, and an
everlasting destruction did await them.
Pres. Harold B. Lee Lesson 21 page 196 2002
Priesthood manual
The
scriptures tell us how to live a Christlike life. What must I do to be
saved? As I pondered these words, I thought of three essentials that are
necessary to inspire one to live a Christlike life—or, speaking more accurately
in the language of the scriptures, to live more perfectly as the Master lived. The first essential I would name in
order to qualify is: There must be awakened in the individual who would be
taught or who would live perfectly an awareness of his needs.
The
rich young ruler [see Matthew
The
Master, with His keen discernment and the power of a great teacher, diagnosed
the young man's case perfectly: his need and his lack were to overcome his love
for worldly things, his tendency to trust in riches. And then Jesus prescribed
the effective remedy: "If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast,
and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and
follow me" (Matthew
Enos,
the grandson of Lehi, tells of the wrestle he had before God, before he
received a remission of his sins. We are not told what his sins were, but he apparently
confessed them very freely. And then he said, "And my soul hungered"
(Enos 1:4). You see, that awareness and feeling of great need, and that
soul-searching, brought him face to face with his lack and his need.
This
quality of sensing one's need was expressed in the great Sermon on the Mount
when the Master said, "Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the
kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 5:3). The poor in spirit, of course, means
those who are spiritually needy, who feel so impoverished spiritually that they
reach out with great yearning for help.
Every
one of us, if we would reach perfection, must one time ask ourselves this
question, "What lack I yet?" if we would commence our climb upward on
the highway to perfection. The effective leader is one who helps the learner to
discover that lack, to diagnose his basic difficulties, and then to prescribe
his spiritual remedies.
The second essential for perfection that I
would name is found in the conversation the Master had with Nicodemus. He
discerned as Nicodemus came to Him that he was seeking to have the answer to
what many others had asked Him: "What must I do to be saved?" And the
Master answered, "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born
again, he cannot see the
A
man must be "born again" if he would reach perfection, in order to
see or enter into the
You
cannot have a Christlike life without being born again. One would never be
happy in the presence of the Holy One of Israel without this cleansing and
purifying.
And then finally the
third essential:
to help the learner to know the gospel by living the gospel. Spiritual
certainty that is necessary to salvation must be preceded by a maximum of
individual effort. Grace, or the free gift of the Lord's atoning power, must be
preceded by personal striving. Repeating again what Nephi said, "By grace
we are saved, after all we can do" (2 Nephi 25:23).
The
Master answered a question of the Jews as to how they could be certain as to
whether His mission was of God or whether He was just another man. He said:
"If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be
of God, or whether I speak of myself" (John
(Harold B. Lee, The Teachings of Harold B.
Lee, edited by Clyde J. Williams [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1996], 163.)
Stories of Awakening – 1 Nephi 2, Enos, Alma
1, Alma 2, Amulek, King Lamoni, His Father,
Mosiah 3-5, 26, Alma 8-12, 17-18, 22-24, 36.
Alma 22:4-16 Aaron teaches the basic gospel
doctrine. Nature of God, the Fall and
Redemption, Faith in Christ, Repentance
Pres. Benson conf April 1987, Fall,
Redemption, Born Again, Baptism, Holy Ghost.
If you do not feed the Spirit, it will
starve. The sign is Apathy toward
Christ’s doctrines.
Being reborn of the Spirit, Question: Do I sense a need for the Atonement?
Do I
sense a need to hurry home after Sacrament? Watch Football
(
14 And since man had fallen he could not merit anything of himself;
but the sufferings and death of Christ atone for their sins, through faith and
repentance, and so forth; and that he breaketh the bands of death, that the
grave shall have no victory, and that the sting of death should be swallowed up
in the hopes of glory; and Aaron did expound all these things unto the king.
15 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.
16 But Aaron said unto him: If thou desirest this thing, if thou
wilt bow down before God, yea, if thou wilt repent of all thy sins, and will
bow down before God, and call on his name in faith, believing that ye shall
receive, then shalt thou receive the hope which thou desirest.
17 And it came to pass that when Aaron had said these words, the
king did bow down before the Lord, upon his knees; yea, even he did prostrate
himself upon the earth, and cried mightily, saying:
18 O God, Aaron hath told me that there is a God; and if there is a
God, and if thou art God, wilt thou make thyself known unto me, and I will give
away all my sins to know thee, and that I may be raised from the dead, and be
saved at the last day. And now when the king had said these words, he was
struck as if he were dead.
Elder Bruce McConkie The Spiritual Rebirth NWAF pages
282-292
The Spiritual Birth
Born of the Spirit
There
is a natural birth, and there is a spiritual birth. The natural birth is to die
as pertaining to premortal life, to leave the heavenly realms where all spirits
dwell in the Divine Presence, and to begin a new life, a mortal life, a life
here on earth. The natural birth creates a natural man, and the natural man is
an enemy to God. In his fallen state he is carnal, sensual, and devilish by
nature. Appetites and passions govern his life and he is alive—acutely so—to
all that is evil and wicked in the world.
The
spiritual birth comes after the natural birth. It is to die as pertaining to
worldliness and carnality and to become a new creature by the power of the
Spirit. It is to begin a new life, a life in which we bridle our passions and
control our appetites, a life of righteousness, a spiritual life. Whereas we
were in a deep abyss of darkness, now we are alive in Christ and bask in the
shining rays of his everlasting light. Such is the new birth, the second birth,
the birth into the household of Christ.
A
wise and good man, one Nicodemus by name, sought counsel in secret from Jesus
following the first Passover of our Lord's ministry. Jesus said to him:
"Except a man be born again, he cannot see the
Nicodemus
was troubled. Being himself as yet dead to the things of the Spirit, he asked:
"How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into
his mother's womb, and be born?" The questions were unworthy of one who
was a master in
There
followed, however, a doctrinal explanation. "That which is born of the
flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit," Jesus
said. These are the two births, the natural and the spiritual. "Marvel not
that I said unto thee Ye must be born again," Jesus continued. "The
wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst
not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born
of the Spirit." (John 3:3-8.)
Birth
from the waters of the
Alma
the son of
While
he lay in a trance, the Lord said to him: "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
Sons and Daughters of
Jesus Christ
Those
who are born again not only live a new life, but they also have a new father.
Their new life is one of righteousness, and their new father is God. They
become the sons of God; or, more particularly, they become the sons and
daughters of Jesus Christ. They bear, ever thereafter, the name of their new
parent; that is, they take upon themselves the name of Christ and become
Christians, not only in word but in very deed. They become by adoption the seed
or offspring of Christ, the children in his family, the members of his
household which is the perfect household of perfect faith. And further: Having
become the sons of God (Christ), they also become joint-heirs with him of the
fulness of the glory of the Father, thus becoming by adoption the sons of God
the Father.
John
tells us that the Lord Jesus, who came in time's meridian unto his own, was
rejected by them. "But as many as received him as their Messiah and
Savior, "to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them
that believe on his name." (John 1:12.) Speaking of that same meridian
day, the same Lord said in our day: "To as many as received me, gave I
power to become my sons." Be it noted that true believers are not
automatically born to a newness of life by the mere fact of belief alone. That
belief and that acceptance of the Savior gives them power to become the sons of
God. And in our day the divine word continues: "Even so will I give unto
as many as will receive me, power to become my sons." And how are those
who receive the Lord identified? By way of answer, he tells us: "Verily,
verily, I say unto you, he that receiveth my gospel receiveth me; and he that
receiveth not my gospel receiveth not me." (D&C 39:4-5.) Those who have
accepted the fulness of the everlasting gospel as it has come again in our day
through the instrumentality of Joseph Smith have power to become the sons of
God; those who reject this heaven-sent message of salvation reject that Lord
whose message it is and remain outside the Lord's family.
In
addressing a congregation of contrite and penitent Nephites, King Benjamin,
using that simplicity of speech and clarity of expression in which Book of
Mormon prophets so excel, said to his fellow saints: "Because of the
covenant which ye have made ye shall be called the children of Christ, his
sons, and his daughters." They thus gain a new father, and he gains new
children. "For behold, this day he hath spiritually begotten you."
Their new birth is not a natural but a spiritual birth. "For ye say that
your hearts are changed through faith on his name; therefore, ye are born of
him and have become his sons and his daughters."
Thus
it is that the saints are born of Christ because they have been born of the
Spirit; they are alive in Christ because they enjoy the companionship of the
Spirit, and they are members of his family because they are clean as he is
clean. "And under this head ye are made free"—being in Christ, they
are free from the bondage of sin—"and there is no other head [other than
Christ our Head] whereby ye can be made free." Only those who accept
Christ and receive the Spirit can free themselves from the sins of the world.
"There is no other name given whereby salvation cometh; therefore, I would
that ye should take upon you the name of Christ, all you that have entered into
the covenant with God that ye should be obedient unto the end of your
lives." (Mosiah 5:7-8.)
Those
who receive the Lord Jesus and believe in their hearts that he is the Son of
God by whom salvation comes; those who then covenant in the waters of baptism
to serve him and keep his commandments; those who believe the gospel and are
members of the earthly kingdom—these are the ones who have power to become his
sons and daughters. Thus they are the ones who take upon themselves his name.
In
our day the divine word from the Lord Jesus commands: "Take upon you the
name of Christ, and speak the truth in soberness. . . . Behold, Jesus Christ is
the name which is given of the Father, and there is none other name given
whereby man can be saved; wherefore, all men must take upon them the name which
is given of the Father, for in that name shall they be called at the last day;
wherefore, if they know not the name by which they are called, they cannot have
place in the kingdom of my Father." (D&C 18:21-25.)
It
was ever thus. Isaiah prophesied of the "seed" of Christ. (Isaiah
53:10.) Abinadi says "his seed" consists of the prophets and saints
who hearken to his word, who believe he will "redeem his people," who
gain "a remission of their sins," and who are thus "heirs of the
Our
theologically gifted friend Paul teaches the doctrine of spiritual rebirth and
of becoming sons and daughters of both the Father and the Son, explaining that
true believers, converted souls, righteous saints, those who are born again,
"walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." To walk after the
manner of the flesh is to live after the manner of the world; to walk after the
manner of the Spirit is to overcome the world and live by the standards of the
gospel. "For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the
flesh"—they live carnal and evil lives—"but they that are after the
Spirit the things of the Spirit." Theirs is a godly course of conduct.
"For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life
and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: . . . so then they
that are in the flesh cannot please God." The Lord cannot look upon sin
with the least degree of allowance. Those who live after the manner of the
flesh are damned; those who bridle their passions and overcome the world are
saved.
As
to the saints of God, Paul says: "But ye are not in the flesh, but in the
Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not
the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his." In the full and eternal sense,
even in the true church, only those saints who enjoy the companionship of the
Spirit belong to the Lord; they are the only ones who are the Lord's people in
the sense of gaining salvation. "And if Christ be in you, the body is dead
because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the
Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you"—if you have
the companionship of the Holy Ghost—"he that raised up Christ from the
dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in
you." Ye shall be born again; ye shall become new creatures of the Holy
Ghost; your bodies shall be quickened, shall be made new, shall become fit
tabernacles in which the Spirit may dwell. "Therefore, brethren, we are
debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh." The saints must not
live in sin. "For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through
the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live." Those who
live after the manner of the world are spiritually dead; those who control the
appetites of the flesh and pursue a godly course are alive spiritually.
"For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear." Ye are made
free from the bondage of sin through Christ. "But ye have received the
Spirit of adoption [of sonship], whereby we cry, Abba, Father." Abba is
an Aramaic word that means father; the meaning here is that we sense and feel
our newly found relationship with God the Father and hence feel free to address
him in a friendly and familiar way.
"The
Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so
be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together." That
is, because we have been adopted into the family of Christ, because we have
taken his name upon us, and because he has accepted us in full, we are also
accepted by his Father. We become joint-heirs with the Son. We are adopted into
a state of sonship by the Father. Christ is his natural heir, and as adopted
sons, we become joint-heirs, receiving, inheriting, and possessing as does the
Natural Heir. Because we conform "to the image of his Son," we are
also "glorified" with him. (Romans 8:4-30.) And thus, in like manner,
the inhabitants of all worlds "are begotten sons and daughters unto
God" the Father through the atonement of Christ the Son. (D&C 76:24.)
Born of Water, Blood,
and Spirit
Three
elements are involved in every valid baptism. Unless they are present, unless
they are inseparably connected, unless they act in perfect harmony, there is no
legal and lawful baptism. These three are the water, the blood, and the Spirit.
Baptism
itself is dual in nature; it consists of two parts, an immersion in water and
an immersion in the Spirit. But baptism operates and has efficacy, virtue, and
force because of blood, the blood of Christ. Baptism is a birth, a new birth, a
birth in water and of the Spirit; but these two births would be mere
formalities, useless performances, needless man-made rites without saving
power, if it were not for the atoning blood of the Lamb. That is to say: If
there had been no atonement of Christ, no agony of blood and sorrow in
Gethsemane, no suffering with blood and pain on
Two
births are essential to salvation. Man cannot be saved without birth into
mortality, nor can he return to his heavenly home without a birth into the
realm of the Spirit. By obedience and conformity in preexistence, we earned the
right to a mortal birth, and by a like course while here, we become fit
candidates for the promised Spirit-birth. The elements present in a mortal
birth and in a spiritual birth are the same. They are water, blood, and spirit.
Thus every mortal birth is a heaven-given reminder to prepare for the second
birth.
The
Lord commanded Adam to teach his children: "By reason of transgression
cometh the fall, which fall bringeth death." That is, death and
procreation entered the world with the fall. Both of them appertain to
mortality, and Adam lived in a deathless state of immortality before the fall.
"And inasmuch as ye were born into the world by water, and blood, and the
spirit, which I have made, and so became of dust a living soul," the Lord
continued, "even so ye must be born again into the kingdom of heaven, of
water, and of the Spirit, and be cleansed by blood, even the blood of mine Only
Begotten."
In
every mortal birth the child is immersed in water in the mother's womb. At the
appointed time the spirit enters the body, and blood always flows in the veins
of the new person. Otherwise, without each of these, there is no life, no birth,
no mortality.
In
every birth into the kingdom of heaven, the newborn babe in Christ is immersed
in water, he receives the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands, and the blood
of Christ cleanses him from all sin. Otherwise, without each of these there is
no Spirit-birth, no newness of life, no hope of eternal life.
Why
must we be born of the Spirit? The Divine Voice continues: "That ye might
be sanctified from all sin, and enjoy the words of eternal life in this world,
and eternal life in the world to come, even immortal glory; for by the water ye
keep the commandment; by the Spirit ye are justified, and by the blood ye are
sanctified." (Moses 6:59-60.)
Those
who are born of the Spirit thereby—that is, by virtue of their spiritual
rebirth—overcome the world. They die as to carnality and evil; they live as to
spirituality and godliness. And it all comes to pass because they have faith in
Christ. "Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of
God," John says. Those who are born anew love the Lord and keep his
commandments. "For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments.
. . . For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the
victory that overcometh the world, even our faith." There is no way to
overcome the world except by turning to Christ and his gospel. It is by living
the gospel that men forsake the world and are born again. "Who is he that
overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?"
Having
so taught, John says of our Lord: "This is he that came by water and
blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood." That
is to say: Christ our prototype was born as we are. He came into the world as a
mortal by water and blood and spirit. In his birth, as in the birth of each of
us, the requisite elements were present. But in his life, these elements were
again present in his death. He sweat great drops of blood in
Thus
it was that his mortal life ended; thus it was that his atoning death fulfilled
the Father's plan; and thus it was that the elements of water, blood, and
spirit came not only to signify the spiritual rebirth into the kingdom of God,
but also were made symbols of the atonement itself. And, be it remembered, it
is because of the atonement that an entrance into the kingdom of heaven is
possible. "It is the Spirit that beareth witness" of all these
things, "because the Spirit is truth."
Then
John says: "There are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the
Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one." The three members of
the one Godhead bear everlasting witness of eternal truth. "And there are
three that bear witness in earth, the spirit, and the water, and the blood: and
these three agree in one." Every birth of water, blood, and spirit is a witness
that the infant mortal must in due course be born of water, blood, and Spirit
into the kingdom of heaven. And every baptism—in water, of the Spirit, and
binding because of Christ's shed blood—is a witness that our Lord's atonement,
wherein also the water and blood and spirit were present, is the rock
foundation upon which all blessings rest. "This is the witness of God
which he hath testified of his Son." This the true saints understand.
"He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself." (1
John 5:1-10.)
Baptism of the Spirit
Questions: When do we receive the actual remission of our sins?
When are we changed from our carnal and fallen state to a state of
righteousness? When do we become clean and pure and spotless so as to be able
to dwell with Gods and angels? What is the baptism of fire and of the Holy
Ghost?
Answers: Sins are remitted not in the waters of baptism, as we
say in speaking figuratively, but when we receive the Holy Ghost. It is the
Holy Spirit of God that erases carnality and brings us into a state of
righteousness. We become clean when we actually receive the fellowship and
companionship of the Holy Ghost. It is then that sin and dross and evil are
burned out of our souls as though by fire. The baptism of the Holy Ghost is the
baptism of fire. There have been miraculous occasions when visible flames
enveloped penitent persons, but ordinarily the cleansing power of the Spirit
simply dwells, unseen and unheralded, in the hearts of those who have made the
Lord their friend. And the Spirit will not dwell in an unclean tabernacle.
John,
who baptized the Lord Jesus, preached the baptism of repentance. He called upon
all men to repent and be baptized in water for the remission of their sins,
meaning that if they submitted to his Aaronic authority, they would be blessed
in due course with the manifestation of Melchizedek authority of another who
would give them a second baptism. "I indeed baptize you with water unto
repentance," he said, "but he that cometh after me is mightier than
I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy
Ghost, and with fire." (Matthew 3:11.)
After
his resurrection, Jesus told the apostles: "John truly baptized with
water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence."
(Acts 1:5.) The blessed fulfillment came on the day of Pentecost, when
"suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind and
it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them
cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all
filled with the Holy Ghost." (Acts 2:1-4.)
To
his Nephite apostles Jesus said: "Blessed are they who shall believe in
your words and come down into the depths of humility and be baptized, for they
shall be visited with fire and with the Holy Ghost, and shall receive a
remission of their sins." (3 Nephi 12:2.) Thus has it been in all ages,
and thus is it in our day. After baptism in water, legal administrators lay
their hands upon a repentant person and say: "Receive the Holy
Ghost." This gives him the gift of the Holy Ghost, which is the right to
the constant companionship of that member of the Godhead based on faithfulness.
Either then or later, depending upon the individual's personal worthiness, the
Holy Ghost comes. The baptized person becomes a new creature. He is baptized
with fire, sin and evil are burned out of his soul, and he is born again.
Truly
baptism is a death, burial, and resurrection! "We are buried" with
Christ "by baptism into death." We die as to sin. Then, "like as
Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also
should walk in newness of life." We live as to righteousness. "Our
old man is crucified with him [Christ], that the body of sin might be destroyed,
that henceforth we should not serve sin."
Truly
baptism prepares us for a glorious resurrection! "For if we have been
planted together in the likeness of his [Christ's] death, we shall be also in
the likeness of his resurrection." (Romans 6:3-6.) As he came forth in the
resurrection with a celestial body, a body free from sin, a body prepared to
dwell everlastingly in a celestial kingdom, so shall it be with us.
All
those who have been baptized in water for the remission of their sins; all
those who have received the gift of the Holy Ghost; all those who are saints in
very deed and who seek salvation—all these desire, above all else, to gain the
companionship of the Spirit, the baptism of the Spirit, so they can stand
spotless before the Holy One in the day of judgment.
(Bruce R. McConkie, A New Witness for the
Articles of Faith [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1985], 282.)
Many times in prophecy, the
present and past tenses are used, even though the prophecy refers to a future
event. Can you explain the use of verb tenses in prophecy?
, associate professor
of Hebrew and Semitic languages,
Some
Old Testament prophets make similar use of the past tense for future events.
Biblical scholars E. Kautsch and A. E. Cowley note (in words that are
strikingly similar to those in Mosiah 16) that the past form—referred to as the
“perfect” in biblical Hebrew—is sometimes used “to express facts which are
undoubtedly imminent, and therefore, in the imagination of the speaker, already
accomplished. … [In] this use of the perfect … the prophet so transports
himself in imagination into the future that he describes the future event as if
it had been already seen or heard by him.” (Gesenius’ Hebrew Grammar,
Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1970, pp. 312–13; see also Paul Joüon, Grammaire de
l’hébreu biblique, Rome: Pontifical Biblical Institute, 1965, pp. 298–99.)
Thus,
in Isaiah 5:13 [Isa. 5:13], which is rendered in the King James Version as
“Therefore my people are gone into captivity,” the Hebrew verb
translated as “are gone” is a past tense form that might also be rendered by a
future tense form, as it is in the New International Version, where the
scripture reads: “Therefore my people will go into exile.” In another
prophecy, Isaiah 11:9 [Isa. 11:9], the past form in Hebrew of “be full” is translated
as a future tense form: “They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy
mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as
the waters cover the sea.”
Another
striking example can be found in 2 Chronicles 20:37 [2 Chr. 20:37], translated in the King James Version as “Then
Eliezer the son of Dodavah of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying,
Because thou hast joined thyself with Ahaziah, the Lord hath broken thy
works.” Again, the Hebrew verb translated in the King James Version as “hath
broken” is a past tense but, given the prophetic context of the verse, its
sense is clearly future, and it is rendered as a future tense in other versions
of the Bible. (For example, in the New International Version, the verse reads,
“Because you have made an alliance with Ahaziah, the Lord will destroy
what you have made.” See Isa. 10:28, Isa.
19:7, and Job 5:20 for
other examples.)
The
scriptures also provide clear instances of prophecies that may be fulfilled at
more than one time. An example can be found in Joel 2:28: “And
it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh;
and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream
dreams, your young men shall see visions.” (See also Joel 2:29–32.)
After the Holy Spirit descended on the Apostles at Pentecost, Peter addressed
the crowd that had gathered around, citing these verses from Joel and
declaring: “Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known
unto you, and hearken to my words:
“For
these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the
day.
“But
this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel.” (Acts 2:14–16.)
The
angel
M E R I D I A N M A G A Z I N E
Have You Been Born Again? Brent L. Top
At
a large gathering of Latter-day Saints several years ago, something was said to
me by one of the guests that both surprised and troubled me. The speaker
was addressing the important doctrinal topic of salvation by grace and
spiritual rebirth--being "born again." After the talk was completed,
one of the people in attendance approached me with this question, "We
don't believe that stuff, do we?"
The "we" in his question meant Latter-day Saints, and the "that
stuff" obviously referred to the doctrine of spiritual rebirth that we had
just heard addressed. Of course we do, I responded. "Why would you even
ask?" His response was, "Because that is what the 'born-agains' believe."
I
was surprised that he had never heard that Latter-day Saints believe in being
"born again." And I was even more troubled by the fact that he seemed
to dismiss the doctrine just because other devout Christians professed
something similar. His attitude seemed to be, "Well, if they believe
it, then we must surely not believe it."
“Haven’t
you read in the New Testament where Jesus said that a person must be 'born of
the water and of the Spirit' in order to enter into the kingdom of
heaven?" I asked. "What do you think that means?"
"That
just means being baptized and confirmed a member of the Church," he
answered.
"Do
you believe that a remission of sins is necessary to gain exaltation?" I
asked.
"Of
course," he said, a little frustrated with the question, thinking I was
changing the subject.
"Then
you believe in being 'born again,'" I concluded. "Receiving
forgiveness from our sins is part and parcel with spiritual rebirth. You can't
have one without the other."
I
was troubled by this man's misunderstanding of one of the most important and
profound doctrines of the Restoration--spiritual regeneration that results
through the atonement of Christ. We often hear the phrase "born-again
Christians." Unfortunately, more often than not that term is used in a negative
sense, both by the secular world in general and by some uninformed Latter-day
Saints. In the truest sense of the phrase, however, being "born
again" not only is a positive Christian characteristic but is also an
imperative for salvation. As Latter-day Saints we not only believe in spiritual
rebirth but we also realize that we must become "born-again"
Christians ourselves.
When
our family lived in
The
confusion came, however, when they asked me for the date of my
"rebirth." At first, I didn't know what to say. And then, being the
smart aleck that I am, I decided that I could just as easily give any
date--better yet, give several dates in several different years. I was just
trying to be funny, but in reality I was also teaching them that while
Latter-day Saints do, indeed, believe in being born again, they are not content
to be reborn only once. They were as incredulous to that idea as was the
Latter-day Saint who had approached me with the question, "Do we really
believe all that stuff?" Both were guilty of a misunderstanding of the
true doctrine of spiritual rebirth.
While
my Latter-day Saint friend may have misunderstood the doctrine because of his
aversion to the evangelical use of the term "born again," my
evangelical friends were suspicious of our view of being born again
repeatedly--thinking that somehow diminished or demeaned the significance of
spiritual rebirth. Whatever the cause, both were deficient in their doctrinal
understanding. Both were Bible believing and were familiar with New Testament
passages on the subject, yet despite the teachings of the Bible there was still
misunderstanding and many differing views. Perhaps the differences of opinions
on the subject and the misunderstandings of the doctrine are as much a result
of a different doctrinal vocabulary as almost anything else. Being "born
again" may mean different things to different people. Thus they may use a
different terminology, but often are describing the same things.
A
national study was brought to my attention recently that illustrates this
problem. When asked on a survey, "Have you been spiritually born
again?" there was great diversity in the responses of Christians from many
different denominations and religious traditions. Some churches showed very
high percentages of respondents who said they had, indeed, been "born
again." Others had very low percentages. Of significant interest to me
were the results for Latter-day Saints. Over twenty-five percent of the LDS
respondents reported having been "born again." That statistic could
be read as both positive and negative. My immediate reaction was, "What
about the other seventy-five percent?" The more I thought about this
study, the more I was convinced that the diversity of the results was due more
to differences in definition than to doctrine or experience.
For
example, for some Christians "born again" would be the same as
commitment to Christ. For others it may mean when they experienced a spiritual
change in their life's direction. I am convinced that had the question been
posed to Latter-day Saints, "Have you been converted?" or "Have
you ever felt a remission of sins in your life?" or "Have you
received the Holy Ghost?" the results would have been drastically
different. The difference would be because of our use of different terms to
describe what appears to be the same phenomenon--spiritual rebirth.
This
confusion of terms and misunderstanding of doctrine could be part of the
spiritual darkness spoken of in Doctrine and Covenants 84:54-58 that is lifted
through greater study of the Book of Mormon and its teachings on this important
subject. The Bible may teach the need for spiritual rebirth and give some
guidance and explanation of the doctrine, but in the Book of Mormon we really
begin to see what is meant by the phrase "born again." Through
studying and applying the Book of Mormon teachings on this subject, not only
would understanding dramatically increase but so too would the percentage of
Latter-day Saints who could affirmatively respond to the question, "Have
you been born again?"
What
the Scriptures Say
There
are brief glimpses in the New Testament of what is meant by the injunction,
"Ye must be born again." They are like small pieces of a giant jigsaw
puzzle. John the Baptist taught his disciples that he baptized with "water
unto repentance; but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I
am not worthy to bear; he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with
fire" (Matthew 3:11). At the Last Supper Jesus promised the Apostles that
He would pray to the Father asking Him to bestow upon them "another
Comforter, that he may abide with you forever" (John 14:16).
The
Apostle Paul also taught of a "spiritual birth" (see Galatians 4:29)
whereby a person becomes a "new creature" in Christ (see 2
Corinthians 5:17) and walks thereafter in a "newness of life" (see
Romans 6:2-6; Ephesians 4:24). All these passages are important pieces of the
puzzle and indirectly refer to the spiritual rebirth of which Jesus spoke as He
commanded Nicodemus, "Ye must be born again," yet they do not fully
explain what the "baptism of fire" really is and how it
is obtained. It is only through the doctrines of the Restoration in general and
the Book of Mormon specifically that more and more pieces of the
puzzle are revealed and fitted together. Only then can we see the true
"picture" of the doctrine of spiritual rebirth. Through a careful
examination of the doctrinal teachings of Book of Mormon prophets we can more
fully understand what it means to be born again, how one comes to experience
spiritual rebirth, and what are the "fruits" or indicators of that
transformation, and how one retains a remission of sins.
Spiritual
rebirth--also described in the scriptures by such terms as "born
again," "baptism of fire," or "a mighty change"--is
the spiritual transformation that results when one has actually received the
Holy Ghost and experienced the remission of sins that accompanies it. Nephi
explained that after one has followed the Savior "with full purpose
of heart, acting no hypocrisy and no deception before God, but with real
intent, repenting of your sins, witnessing unto the Father that ye are willing
to take upon you the name of Christ, by baptism," only then will
that person "receive the Holy Ghost; yea, then cometh the baptism of fire
and of the Holy Ghost; and then can ye speak with the tongue of angels, and
shout praises unto the Holy One of Israel" (2 Nephi 31:13). Two of the
most illustrative examples in the Book of Mormon of how the process described
by Nephi actually works are the accounts of the conversion of King Benjamin's
people and the dramatic transformation of Alma the Younger.
King
Benjamin taught his people that there was "no other name given nor any
other way nor means whereby salvation can come unto the children of men"
except through the atonement of Jesus Christ (see Mosiah 3:17; also 4:8). He
further explained that the natural man, which is "an enemy to God,"
could only be overcome through submitting to Christ's redemptive power (Mosiah
3"19) and by continually repenting of and forsaking their sins, calling on
the Lord daily, and through continual obedience (Mosiah 3:10-12). Benjamin's
people were already members of the Church. They had already received the
ordinance of baptism and perhaps had previously received the "baptism of
fire," but now as Benjamin taught them anew concerning the principles of
the gospel and how to "retain a remission of [their] sins" (Mosiah
3:12), a remarkable thing occurred.
And
now, it came to pass that when king Benjamin had thus spoken to his people, he
sent among them, desiring to know of his people if they believed the words
which he had spoken unto them.
And
they all cried with one voice, saying: Yea, we believe all the words which thou
has spoken unto us; and also, we know of their surety and truth, because of the
Spirit of the Lord Omnipotent, which has wrought a mighty change in us, or in our
hearts, that we have no more disposition to do evil, but to do good
continually. (Mosiah 5:1-2.)
King
Benjamin's doctrinal explanation to his people regarding what had indeed
occurred within the hearts of his people also serves as one of the best definitions
of the phrase "born again."
And
now, these are the words which king Benjamin desired of them; and therefore he
said unto them: Ye have spoken the words that I desired; and the covenant which
ye have made is a righteous covenant.
And
now, because of the covenant which ye have made ye shall be called the children
of Christ, his sons and his daughters; for behold this day he hath spiritually
begotten you; for ye say that your hearts are changed through faith on
his name; therefore, ye are born of him and have become his sons and
his daughters. (Mosiah 5:6-7; emphasis added.)
Experiencing
a similar yet even more dramatic conversion, Alma the Younger described his
spiritual transformation--being changed by the power of the Holy Ghost from an
enemy of God to a "new creature," one who is converted and committed
to the cause of righteousness.
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
The
Book of Mormon clearly teaches that while the ordinance of baptism allows one
to enter in at the gate ("For the gate by which ye should enter is repentance
and baptism by water"), salvation cannot be obtained without also
experiencing the spiritual rebirth - "then cometh a remission of your sins
by fire and by the Holy Ghost" (2 Nephi 31:17). "Water baptism is
only a preparatory cleansing of the believing penitent . . . ," explained
Elder Orson Pratt; "whereas, the Baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost
cleanses more thoroughly, by renewing the inner man, and by purifying the
affections, desires, and thoughts which have long been habituated in the impure
ways of sin" ("The Holy Spirit," A Series of Pamphlets by
Orson Pratt [Liverpool: Franklin D. Richards, 1852], p. 57; republished in
Orson Pratt: Writings of an Apostle [Salt Lake City: Mormon Heritage
Publishers, 1976] ).
Several
Book of Mormon passages illustrate, as well as define, this spiritual rebirth
(see Enos 1:1-6; Alma 13:1-12; 18:41-43; 19:6, 33; Helaman 5:41-49; 3 Nephi
9:20-22). The spiritual rebirth that Jesus told Nicodemus was required "to
see the kingdom of heaven" is the same baptism of fire that we experience
when we fulfill the commandment given at confirmation, "Receive the Holy
Ghost." Being born again is the actual reception of the Holy Ghost,
which brings a remission of our sins and a "newness of life"--our
being raised from a lower or carnal state to a state of righteousness and
increased spiritual enlightenment. "The baptism of the Holy Ghost is the
baptism of fire," Elder Bruce R. McConkie wrote. "Sins are remitted
not in the waters of baptism, as we say in speaking figuratively, but when we
receive the Holy Ghost. It is the Holy Spirit of God that erases carnality and
brings us into a state of righteousness. We become clean when we actually
receive the fellowship and companionship of the Holy Ghost. It is then that
sin and dross and evil are burned out of our souls as though by fire." (A
New Witness for the Articles of Faith [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1985],
p. 290.)
How
One Comes to Experience Spiritual Rebirth
Most
of the scriptural accounts of men and women whose lives were transformed by the
"baptism of fire" and whose sins were remitted involve dramatic or
almost sensational events. Alma (see Mosiah 27; Alma 36), Paul (see Acts 9),
King Benjamin's people (see Mosiah 5), King Lamoni and his wife (see Alma
18-19), and the general gathering of Saints on the day of Pentecost (see Acts
2) are among the many who were "born again" in a most remarkable
manner, in a singular and overwhelming event. These miraculous conversion
stories often leave the reader wondering if he/she must be "born
again" in the same manner. The Book of Mormon also provides us with less
obvious accounts that describe this same spiritual transformation as a less
visible, gradual process rather than a single event.
The
resurrected Christ declared: "And whoso cometh unto me with a broken heart
and a contrite spirit, him will I baptize with fire and with the Holy Ghost,
even as the Lamanites, because of their faith in me at the time of their
conversion, were baptized with fire and with the Holy Ghost, and they knew
it not" (3 Nephi 9:20; emphasis added). Even in our day there are
those who receive the Holy Ghost and become "new creatures" in Christ
through sudden, miraculous conversions, and yet others likewise are baptized by
fire and become "quickened in the inner man" (see Moses 6:65-66) and
still, like the Lamanites of old, may not even recognize it. "A person may
get converted in a moment, miraculously," Elder Bruce R. McConkie taught.
"But that is not the way it happens with most people."
With
most people conversion [spiritual rebirth and the accompanying remission of
sins] is a process; and it goes step by step, degree by degree, level by level,
from a lower state to a higher, from grace to grace, until the time that
individual is wholly turned to the cause of righteousness. Now this means that
an individual overcomes one sin today and another sin tomorrow. He perfects his
life in one field now, and in another field later on. And the process goes on
until it is complete, until we become, literally, as the Book of Mormon says,
saints of God instead of natural men. (Address delivered at Brigham Young
University First Stake conference, 11 February 1968.)
We
say that a man has to be born again, meaning that he has to die as pertaining
to the unrighteous things in the world. Paul said, "Crucify the old man of
sin and come forth in a newness of life" (see Romans 6:6). We are born
again when we die as pertaining to unrighteousness and when we live as
pertaining to the things of the Spirit. But that doesn't happen in an instant,
suddenly. That also is a process. Being born again is a gradual thing, except
in a few isolated instances that are so miraculous they get written up in the
scriptures. As far as the generality of the members of the Church are
concerned, we are born again by degrees, and we are born again to added light
and added knowledge and added desires for righteousness as we keep the
commandments. ("Jesus Christ and Him Crucified," in 1976
Devotional Speeches of the Year [
Thus
there is no real difference in the quality of the conversion or spiritual
rebirth, whether it comes gradually over time or suddenly in a singular event.
The process may differ but the results are the same. It could
perhaps be compared to "the difference between suddenly emerging from a
dark room into bright sunlight as opposed to experiencing the dawning of the
day. The dawning is more gradual, but results in just as much light."
(Larry E. Dahl, "The Doctrine of Christ," in The Book of Mormon:
Second Nephi, the Doctrinal Structure, ed. Monte S. Nyman and Charles D.
Tate, Jr. [Provo, Utah: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University,
1989], p. 366.)
Some
Spiritual “Fruits” or Indicators of the “Baptism of Fire”
Whether
it be a sudden and singular transformation or a slow process of growth with
almost imperceptible changes, becoming "born again," becoming
Christ's sons and daughters with a "baptism of fire," brings with it
"fruits" that can be felt and discerned within the heart and life of
one who has overcome the natural man through the atonement of Christ. Just as
spiritual rebirth can be a process as well as an event, so can this spiritual
transformation occur on various levels and at different times in one's life. The
Book of Mormon, perhaps better than any other volume of scripture, teaches and
illustrates not only how one can tell if he/she has been "born of
God," but also to what extent. The following "fruits" or
indicators of spiritual rebirth, taught in the Book of Mormon, are not given to
be an exhaustive, all-inclusive inventory checklist of experiences one must
have in order to be considered "born again," but rather may serve as
inspiring examples and illustrative guides. The Book of Mormon can bring us
comfort in helping us to recognize how the Atonement has indeed transformed
us, and also inspire us to continue to "press forward with steadfastness
in Christ" that we may be "born again" and again--from one level
to a higher until finally we hear the blessed pronouncement, "Behold, thus
saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life" (2 Nephi 31:20).
Peace
of Conscience
One
of the most significant indicators or by-products of spiritual rebirth is found
in Enos' declaration, "My guilt was swept away" (Enos 1:6). Approximately
four centuries after Enos' “wrestle” with God that resulted in a "baptism
of fire," King Benjamin's people experienced similar feelings after their
prayer of faith and penitence: "O have mercy, and apply the atoning blood
of Christ that we may receive forgiveness of our sins, and our hearts may be
purified" (Mosiah 4:2). The Book of Mormon records their miraculous
spiritual rebirth, which effected a remission of their sins and was accompanied
by a "peace of conscience, because of the exceeding faith which they had
in Jesus Christ" (Mosiah 4:3). Like Enos, King Benjamin's people
experienced a sweet spiritual "fruit" of conversion that "swept
away" feelings of guilt and pain and replaced them with a peace of
conscience that permeated their very souls.
Spiritual
rebirth does not eliminate our memory of our sins but instead affects us in
much the same manner as Alma, who explained to his son, "I could remember
my pains no more; yea, I was harrowed up by the memory of my sins no more"
(
A
Feeling of Joy and Divine Love
Another
indicator of the "mighty change of heart" often cited in the Book of
Mormon conversion accounts is that of an overwhelming feeling of joy and being
enveloped in the divine love of God.
Another
example of this kind of joy that accompanies spiritual rebirth is found in the
scriptural account of the conversion of King Lamoni and his wife. After being
taught the gospel by Ammon they were "overpowered by the Spirit" and
they all fell to the ground "as though they were dead" (see
Although
we may not become so overwhelmed by the "baptism of the Holy Ghost"
that we fall to the earth in a spiritual trance, we can nonetheless feel the
"exquisite joy" that comes with conversion and a remission of sins.
Associated with this increased sense of joy is also an intensified awareness of
divine love.
No
Desire to Do Evil, But to Do Good Continually
Another
testament of the spiritual transformation is a "mighty change" in
dispositions and desires. King Benjamin's people experienced this
"fruit" and joyfully declared: "The Spirit of the Lord
Omnipotent... has wrought a mighty change in us, or in our hearts, that we have
no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually" (Mosiah 5:2).
King Lamoni, his wife, and all those who on that occasion had been converted
following Ammon's ministrations likewise testified of the "mighty
change" that took place in their lives when they were spiritually reborn
and forgiven of their sins. "They did all declare unto the people the
self-same thing--that their hearts had been changed; that they had no more
desire to do evil" (Alma 19:33).
Similarly,
Alma spoke of the high priests whose "garments were washed white through
the blood of the Lamb" and whose hearts and lives were changed by the
sanctifying power of the Holy Ghost so that they "could not look upon sin
save it were with abhorrence" (Alma 13:11-12).
Thus
we can determine the degree to which we have been "born again" by
examining our disposition toward evil and our desires to "do good continually." This condition does not mean that we
will never again succumb to any of the temptations surrounding us, but it does
mean that sinfulness becomes repugnant to us and the desires of our hearts are
turned to righteousness, to doing good. This "fruit" of spiritual
rebirth is reflected in the following experience of President Joseph F. Smith.
The
feeling that came upon me was that of pure peace, of love and of light. I felt
in my soul that if I had sinned~and surely I was not without sin~that it had
been forgiven me; that I was indeed cleansed from sin; my heart was touched,
and I felt that I would not injure the smallest insect beneath my feet. I felt
as if I wanted to do good everywhere to everybody and to everything. I felt a
newness of life, a newness of desire to that which was right. There was not one
particle of desire for evil left in my soul ....
Oh!
that I could have kept that same spirit and that same earnest desire in my
heart every moment of my life from that day to this. Yet many of us who have
received that witness, that new birth, that change of heart, while we may have
erred in judgment or have made many mistakes, and often perhaps come short of
the true standard in our lives, we have repented of the evil, and we have
sought from time to time forgiveness at the hand of the Lord; so that until
this day the same desire and purpose which pervaded our souls when we . . .
received a remission of our sins, still holds possession of our hearts, and is
still the ruling sentiment and passion of our souls. (Gospel Doctrine [Salt
Lake City: Deseret Book, 1939], p. 96.)
Increased
Love for Our Fellowman
The
spiritual transformation that comes with the reception of the Holy Ghost also
creates a "new heart" and a "new spirit" (see Ezekiel
36:25-27), a heart softened by the mercy of Christ and that is filled with
greater love and compassion toward others. Enos exemplified this when, after
the Lord assured him that his sins were forgiven, his compassion and concern
extended beyond self to his brethren, the Nephites, and even to his enemies,
the Lamanites (see Enos 1:9-13). After the remarkable conversion of the sons of
Mosiah "they were desirous that salvation should be declared to every
creature, for they could not bear that any human soul should perish; yea, even
the very thoughts that any soul should endure endless torment did cause them to
quake and tremble" (Mosiah 28:3). The love of God and the joy of the Lord
that fills our hearts when we are "born again" naturally becomes
reflected in our desire to "bring [others] to taste of the exceeding joy
of which [we] did taste; that they might also be born of God, and be filled
with the Holy Ghost" (Alma 36:24).
King
Benjamin perhaps explained it best as he counseled his people regarding the
"mighty change" they had experienced: "If ye have known of
[God's] goodness and have tasted of his love, and have received a remission of
your sins, which causeth such exceedingly great joy in your souls .... ye will
not--have a mind to injure one another, but to live peaceably, and to render to
every man according to that which is his due .... And also ye yourselves will
succor those that stand in need of your succor; ye will administer of your
substance unto him that standeth in need." (Mosiah 4:11, 13, 16.)
Increased
Spiritual Understanding
Several
of the Book of Mormon accounts of the remarkable spiritual metamorphosis
experienced by those who were "baptized by fire" speak of souls
being filled with light. A natural or sinful man is spiritually
darkened, whereas one who has overcome the natural man and has become a
"new creature" in Christ is enlightened by the Holy Ghost. Such
spiritual enlightenment is evident in the conversion of King Lamoni--"the
dark veil of unbelief was being cast away from his mind, and the light which
did light up his mind, which was the light of the glory of God, which was a
marvelous light of his goodness--yea, this light had infused such joy into his
soul, the cloud of darkness having been dispelled, and that the light of
everlasting life was lit up in his soul" (Alma 19:6).
This
increased guidance of the Holy Spirit not only brings comfort, peace, and joy,
but also an increased spiritual perspective on life. Elder Wilford Woodruff
testified of the increased spiritual discernment that comes with the reception
and companionship of the Holy Ghost. "The veil of darkness, of doubt, and
fear is taken from our minds," he explained, "and we can see clearly
where to go and what to do; and we feel that our spirit is right---that we are
acceptable before the Lord our God, and are the subjects of his
blessings." (In Journal of Discourses 8:268.)
King
Benjamin's people witnessed that accompanying their baptism of fire were
"the manifestations of his Spirit" and "great views of that
which is to come" (see Mosiah 5:3). These "great views of that which
is to come" not only instruct the spiritually reborn concerning the
doctrines of the kingdom and the "mysteries of God" (see
Having
the Image of God Engraven upon Our Countenances
Speaking
to the Church in Zarahemla,
An
"image" is not just an outward visual impression but also a vivid
representation, a graphic display, or a total likeness of something. It is a
person or thing very much like another, a copy or counterpart. Likewise, countenance
does not simply mean a facial expression or visual appearance. The word
comes from an Old French term originally denoting "behavior,"
"demeanor," or "conduct." In earlier times the word countenance
was used with these meanings in mind.
Therefore,
to receive Christ's image in one's countenance means to acquire the Savior's
likeness in behavior, to be a copy or reflection of the Master's life. This is
not possible without a mighty change in one's pattern of living. It requires,
too, a change in feelings, attitudes, desires, and spiritual commitment.
("
Determining
whether we have been "born again" and to what extent we have
experienced this "mighty change" requires a self-examination of our
countenances. This examination is not conducted in front of any mortal mirror,
but rather through sincere soul-searching and by listening to the still, small
voice of the Spirit. The Holy Ghost will help us to answer the question: Is our
renewed commitment to follow the Savior discernible in our countenance, both in
our appearance and, more important, in our actions?
Sometimes
we may recognize the level of spiritual regeneration we have experienced as
much by what we do as by what we feel. "If a man bringeth forth good
works," declared
Christ,
here and now, in that very room where you are saying your prayers, is doing
things to you. It is not a question of a good man who died two thousand years
ago. It is a living Man, still as much a man as you, and still as much God as
He was when He created the world, really coming and interfering with your very
self; killing the old natural self in you and replacing it with the kind of
self He has. At first, only for moments. Then for longer periods. Finally, if
all goes well, turning you permanently into a different sort of thing; into .
. . a being which, in its own small way, has the same kind of life as God;
which shares His power, joy, knowledge and eternity. (Mere Christianity [New
York: Macmillan, 1952], p. 164.)
Retaining
a Remission of One’s Sins
Being
"born again" and forgiven of our sins does not mean that we have
"arrived" at spiritual maturity or that we are guaranteed of eternal
life, nor does it mean that we can never lose the "fruits" of that
spiritual rebirth. "It is a possibility that one may be born of the Spirit
and then, because of his sinfulness or slothfulness, he may lose the Spirit
and fall from grace," President Harold B. Lee stated. "The Spirit
will not dwell in unholy tabernacles." (Address to seminary and institute
personnel, Brigham Young University, 26 June 1962.) This important realization
is reflected in the searching question posed by
"I
would that ye should remember to retain the name written always in your
hearts," King Benjamin admonished his people after their hearts had been
changed, "that ye are not found on the left hand of God, but that ye hear
and know the voice by which ye shall be called, and also, the name by which he
shall call you" (Mosiah 5:12; see also verses 7-10). King Benjamin
counseled his people that in order for them to retain or regain their spiritual
rebirth in Christ, they must exercise faith in Christ and repent of their sins,
and strive to keep the commandments all the days of their lives. Those
attitudes and actions that initially led them to be "born of God"
would also result in a retention or reclamation of that "newness of
life."
And
again, believe that ye must repent of your sins and forsake them, and humble
yourselves before God; and ask in sincerity of heart that he would forgive
you; and now, if you believe all these things see that ye do them.
And
again I say unto you as I have said before, that as ye have come to the
knowledge of the glory of God, or if ye have known of his goodness and have
tasted of his love, and have received a remission of your sins, which causeth
such exceedingly great joy in your souls, even so I would that ye should
remember, and always retain in remembrance, the greatness of God, and your own
nothingness, and his goodness and long-suffering towards you, unworthy
creatures, and humble yourselves even in the depths of humility, calling on
the name of the Lord daily, and standing steadfastly in the faith ....
And
behold, I say unto you that if ye do this ye shall always rejoice, and be
filled with the love of God, and always retain a remission of your sins; and ye
shall grow in the knowledge of the glory of him that created you, or in the
knowledge of that which is just and true. (Mosiah 4:10-12.)
King
Benjamin's exhortations are as relevant to us today as they were when given to
his own people. If we are to retain the Savior's image in our countenances and
His divine love in our hearts we will, as Nephi declared, "press forward
with steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love
of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the
word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall
have eternal life." (2 Nephi 31:20.)
Through
the teachings and examples given in the Book of Mormon, we learn what being
"born again" really entails, how it is to be achieved, and what it
does for and to us. This is truly one of the timeless themes of that sacred
book. But perhaps even more important than just doctrinal clarification, we
learn from the Book of Mormon that becoming a "new creature" in
Christ is a lifetime endeavor. Birth, even spiritual rebirth, is just a
beginning. Just because we may have once had our "hearts changed through
faith on [Christ's] name" and our sins burned from our souls through the
"baptism of fire," we cannot let go of the iron rod. "Pressing
forward," holding on to the iron rod unceasingly, will inevitably lead us
to the tree of life. For this reason, King Benjamin's final exhortation to his
people--a people who had been "born of God" and had commenced a
"new life"--is our charge today as well.
Therefore,
I would that ye should be steadfast and immovable, always abounding in good
works, that Christ, the Lord God Omnipotent, may seal you his, that you may
be brought to heaven, that ye may have everlasting salvation and eternal life,
through the wisdom, and power, and justice, and mercy of him who created all
things, in heaven and in earth, who is God above all. Amen. (Mosiah 5:15;
emphasis added.)
TWO PROPHETS: ABINADI AND ALMA
(Mosiah 14-18)
Rodney Turner
We
are introduced to two prophets in chapters 14 through 18 of Mosiah—Abinadi, and
Alma the elder. Although their lives touched but briefly, their labors are
bound together forever. Abinadi brought the light of the gospel of redemption
through Jesus Christ to a people in darkness.
The Ministry and
Message of Abinadi
Abinadi
is the John the Baptist of the Book of Mormon. Like John, he was a lone prophet
who briefly ministered to a people committed to the law of Moses, who knew
little of the Messiah to come and nothing of his actual divinity. Like John,
Abinadi preached repentance, warned of the impending judgments of God, and
testified of the Messiah to come. Both prophets were opposed by the religious
leaders of their day; both were victims of priestcraft—the ultimate hypocrisy.
Both denounced the immoral conduct of their respective kings and died violent
deaths at their hands. Both Abinadi and John served as transitional prophets,
linking together the old and the new covenants—the law of Moses and the law of
Christ. In doing so, they functioned as "Eliases," preparing the way
for the first coming of the Messiah.
We
know nothing of Abinadi's personal life. How old was he when he began his
ministry? How did he come to be a prophet? Did he have a wife and children? Did
someone weep for him when he died? We can answer none of these questions.
However, we do know that Abinadi was a Nephite who, depending on his birthdate,
was born either in the
Zeniff
and "a considerable number" of Nephites obtained Lamanite permission
to resettle the lands of Lehi-Nephi and Shilom. (Omni 1:29; Mosiah 9:6-8.)
Appointed king by his people, Zeniff reigned over that southern colony during
Benjamin's concurrent reign over the
It
was following a boastful Nephite victory over the Lamanites about the year 150
b.c. that Abinadi, one of King Noah's subjects, came among the people preaching
repentance and warning of possible future defeat and bondage. His message only
angered the defiant king: "Who is Abinadi, that I and my people should be
judged by him, or who is the Lord, that shall bring upon my people such great
affliction?" (Mosiah 11:27.) His life sought by king and people alike, the
rejected prophet withdrew. Returning in disguise two years later, Abinadi
delivered a dire prophecy: failure to repent would mean war, painful bondage,
drought, insect infestation, famine, pestilence, and death. King Noah would
suffer death by fire (the same fate he was to inflict on Abinadi—see Mosiah
12:2-7.) Noah's people accused Abinadi of being a false prophet and, as such,
subject to the penalty of death. (See Deut. 18:20.) Their arguments were
typical of those who reject the prophets: (1) "he pretendeth the Lord hath
spoken it"; (2) "we are guiltless, and thou, O king, hast not
sinned"; and (3) "we are strong." (Mosiah 12:12-15.)
Imprisoned,
Abinadi was finally brought before Noah and his priestly judicial council for
final judgment. Their efforts to entrap him were to no avail: "He answered
them boldly, and withstood all their questions . . . and did confound them in
all their words." (Mosiah 12:19.) Undoubtedly inspired, one of the
priests—was it Alma himself?—asked for an explanation of Isaiah 52:7-10, which
speaks of Christ and his latter-day
Abinadi
answered: "Are you priests, and pretend to teach this people, and to
understand the spirit of prophesying, and yet desire to know of me what these
things mean?" (Mosiah 12:25.) When he asked the priests what they taught
their people, they responded, "We teach the law of Moses." In a stinging
rebuke, Abinadi then asked: "If ye teach the law of Moses why do ye not
keep it?" (Mosiah 12:29; see also Rom. 2:17-23.) As evidence of their
hypocrisy, he cited their worship of riches, and their "whoredoms."
Abinadi
acknowledged that the Mosaic law led to salvation if they kept "the
commandments of God"—meaning the decalogue. Beginning to read it, he was
interrupted by King Noah: "Away with this fellow, and slay him; for what
have we to do with him, for he is mad." (Mosiah 13:1.) The ad hominem
attack is the final recourse of those who cannot endure the truth. But Abinadi
was not mad; he was a holy prophet who had been baptized with the Holy
Ghost and with fire; he was filled with the Spirit. Like Moses on Sinai,
"his face shone with exceeding luster," and they "durst not lay
their hands on him." (Mosiah 13:5; see also Ex. 34:29.) Transfigured with
glory, he told his cowed audience: "I perceive that it cuts you to your
hearts because I tell you the truth concerning your iniquities. Yea, and my
words fill you with wonder and amazement, and with anger. . . . But this much I
tell you, what you do with me, after this, shall be as a type and a shadow [a
portent] of things which are to come." (Mosiah 13:7-10.)
Beginning
at the second commandment, Abinadi concluded the decalogue and asked,
"Have ye taught this people that they should observe to do all these
things for to keep these commandments? I say unto you, Nay." (Mosiah
13:25-26.) Having exposed their duplicity about the law, he then revealed the
limitations of the law itself. It was at this point that Abinadi became a
transitional prophet, binding the lesser to the greater law, and Moses to
Christ: "Salvation doth not come by the law alone; and were it not
for the atonement, which God himself shall make for the sins and iniquities of
his people, that they must unavoidably perish, notwithstanding the law of
Moses." (Mosiah 13:28; italics added.) In other words, the ultimate
efficacy of
Only
God could redeem his people. Therefore, "God himself"—the Messiah—was
to come among men "in mighty power" and, in due course, be
"oppressed and afflicted." (Mosiah 13:34-35; see also 15:1.) In
support of his own testimony, Abinadi quoted Isaiah's prophetic summary of the
Redeemer's birth, earthly ministry, suffering, and atoning sacrifice.
Chapters
14-16 of Mosiah constitute Abinadi's commentary on Isaiah's prophecy of the
promised Messiah (Isaiah 53), the main points of which are:
1. The witness of the prophets concerning the
Lord's Servant (the Messiah) had been ignored.
2. The Servant would grow up in God's
presence, but in the midst of a spiritually impoverished people.
3. The Servant would be considered as of no
worth.
4. The Servant's grief for the blindness and
sins of those who despised and rejected him would be God-imposed.
5. Seemingly cursed by God, the Servant would
endure the punishment that was rightly due mankind.
6. The Servant's atoning wounds would heal the
human family, which had strayed from God.
7. Denied legal protection and justice, the
Servant would be mocked and scourged and would go silently to his death like a
lamb to the slaughter.
8. What constitutes the Servant's posterity?
Who can identify it?
9. Innocent of any crime or deceit, the
Servant would be buried in a rich man's tomb.
10.
Through his sacrificial death, the Servant would create immortality, claim his
spiritual posterity, share the riches of heaven with the righteous, and reign
with the Gods.
Nowhere
else in all scripture is the mission of the Son of God summarized more
completely or with more beauty, simplicity, and power.
Parenthetically,
it should be noted that although most biblical scholars reject the prophet
Isaiah's authorship of chapter 53 and assign chapters 40 to 56 to an anonymous
scribe (known as "deutero-Isaiah"), chapter 54 was quoted by
the risen Christ with the comment "Great are the words of Isaiah." (3
Ne. 23:1.) There is but one Isaiah. Little wonder that his magnificent
prophecy concerning the Messiah's then-future mission was chosen by Abinadi as
his primary text.
God Himself Will Come
to Earth
The
central message of Abinadi to King Noah was essentially the same message an
angel of the Lord was to deliver to King Benjamin over twenty years later:
"God himself"—"the Lord Omnipotent"—was to come to earth as
the Redeemer of mankind. (See Mosiah 3:5; 15:1.) That message would eventually
unite three groups:
The
doctrine of a divine redeemer had been taught by all of the ancient prophets,
beginning with Adam. (See Moses 5:6-12.) It figured prominently in the contents
of the plates of brass. (See 1 Ne. 19:10-13.) It fills the pages of the Book of
Mormon. Although the Redeemer was known to the Nephite prophets by different
titles (God of Jacob, Holy One of Israel, Great Creator, Lamb of God, Messiah,
Christ, and so on), in every instance, they were referring to one and the same
person. Noah and his priests were either unaware of, or had rejected, the
doctrine of a redeeming God; otherwise they would not have seized upon
Abinadi's testimony as justification for his execution. (See Mosiah 7:27-28;
17:8.)
Abinadi's
teachings in Mosiah 15:1-5 have been cited as an argument for trinitarianism in
the Book of Mormon. However, Joseph Smith did not recognize any such doctrine
therein. Just eleven days before his death he said: "I have always
declared God to be a distinct personage, Jesus Christ a separate and distinct
personage from God the Father, and that the Holy Ghost was a distinct personage
and a Spirit." fn The fact that tritheism was what Joseph Smith, its translator,
taught, suggests that tritheism is what the Book of Mormon ("the most
correct of any book on earth" fn) teaches as well. There is no
"evolutionary development" in the Book of Mormon, nor in Joseph
Smith's subsequent teachings, on the nature of the Godhead.
Father,
Son, and Holy Ghost constitute the one God. (2 Ne. 31:21; Alma 11:44;
D&C 20:28.) This "one God" is not a triune god—three in one—but
three individual personages bound together by the common bonds of light, truth,
and eternal priesthood. Indeed, in the ultimate sense, the "one God"
is the sum of all the Gods that were, are, and ever will be. In the
abstract, the "one God" may be defined as all of the attributes and
powers of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Abinadi,
like Isaiah, was concerned with the redemptive mission of "God
himself"—that individual deity who embodied the natures of both the Father
and the Son—Jesus Christ. Just as a child has a legal right to the surname of
its parent, so did the Only Begotten—who was "conceived by the power of
God" in spirit and in flesh—have a legal right to the divine name Father.
(See Mosiah 15:3; Ether 3:14; John 10:36.) Literally possessing his Father's
name and powers, the Son was worthy and able to act as the Father's divine
surrogate. To this end, he became the Only Begotten Son in the flesh when he
was conceived by Mary, a mortal woman.
Begotten
of an immortal Father and a mortal mother, Jesus possessed two natures
(one divine, one human) and, therefore, two wills (that of the Father,
and that of the Son). He could manifest either nature "at will." The
Son, by definition, is one who does not possess the fulness of the power and
glory of the Father. (See D&C 93:14-17.) As Son, Jesus was less than, and
subject to, his Father. (See John 14:28.) As his flesh was to be subject to his
spirit, so was the Son to be subject to the Father. The atonement required the
subjection and sacrifice of the fleshly will of the "Son" to the
spiritual will of the "Father". This same sacrifice is required of us
all; humanity must yield to divinity. The Son willed to let the cup
pass; the Father willed that it should be drunk to its dregs. Abinadi
described Jesus' submission as "the will of the Son being swallowed up in
the will of the Father." (Mosiah 15:7; see also Luke 22:42; 3 Ne. 11:11.)
In a sense, it was not the Son as Son, but the Father in the Son
who atoned. That is, Jesus not only did the will of his Father in heaven,
but the will of the Father in himself. The Father and the Son—being
"one God"—came to earth in the person of Jesus of Nazareth. "God
himself"—in perfect unity—atoned for the sins of the world.
Abinadi's
description of the ministry, rejection, sufferings, trial, and crucifixion of
Jesus (Mosiah 15:5-7) is a virtual paraphrase of Isaiah's own prophecy. It is
also similar to the words of the angel who was to appear to King Benjamin over
twenty years later. (See Mosiah 3:5-10.) When these prophecies are added to
those of Nephi (1 Ne. 11:3-33) and Zenock, Neum, and Zenos (1 Ne. 19:8-13), it
is obvious that the ancient scriptures from which our present Old Testament was
derived were replete with plain and precious teachings concerning the coming of
the Redeemer. It is little wonder that Jews and Christians alike err in their
attempts to interpret the Bible.
The Atonement
Abinadi
stressed the indispensable role of the Redeemer, and, by implication, the
inadequacy of the law of Moses, in declaring another Book of Mormon doctrine:
the hopelessly lost state of humanity as a result of the fall. "All mankind
must have perished"—both physically and spiritually—were it not for the
Redeemer. (See 1 Ne. 10:6; 2 Ne. 9:6-9; Mosiah 15:19; 16:4, 6;
The
atonement was made necessary by the absolute truth that God is inescapably a
God of justice. (See
However,
Isaiah and Abinadi knew better. Said Isaiah: "He was wounded for our
transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities. . . . The Lord hath laid on
him the iniquities of us all. . . . For the transgressions of my people was he
stricken. . . . Thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin. . . . [He] made
intercession for the trangressors." (Mosiah 14:5-12.) And Abinadi echoed
Isaiah: "Thus God breaketh the bands of death . . . standing betwixt them
and justice; . . . taken upon himself their iniquity and their transgressions,
having redeemed them, and satisfied the demands of justice." (Mosiah
15:8-9.) Plainly, the atonement testifies to the justice, as well as the mercy,
of God.
Responding
to Isaiah's question, "Who shall declare [reveal] his generation,"
Abinadi asked Noah's court: "Now what say ye? And who shall be his
seed?" (Mosiah 15:10.) Answering his own rhetorical question, Abinadi
identified the posterity of Christ as the "heirs of the
Over
and over again, the inspiration of the Book of Mormon bursts forth as themes
large and small weave themselves into a sacred scriptural tapestry. Recall that
in Mosiah 12:20-24 a priest had asked Abinadi the meaning of Isaiah 52:7-10.
Having expounded the messianic prophecy in Isaiah 53, Abinadi then identified
"him that bringeth good tidings." He explained that he is not one
man, but many. He is the composite "Elias" of all ages who prepares
the way for the Lord's coming. He is the prophets who were, who are, and who
will yet be. He is a peacemaker, bringing the message of reconciliation between
God and His children. Therefore, he is every soul, every missionary, every
prince of peace who bears witness to the nations of the Prince of Peace.
The combined message of glad tidings published from the beginning of time will
culminate in the coming of "the founder of peace, yea, even the Lord, who
has redeemed his people; yea, him who has granted salvation unto his
people." (Mosiah 15:18.)
Abinadi
looked down the corridors of time and prophesied: "The time shall come
that the salvation of the Lord shall be declared to every nation, kindred,
tongue, and people." (Mosiah 15:28; see D&C 133:37.) An angel of the
Lord was to utter the same prophecy to King Benjamin some two decades later.
(See Mosiah 3:20.) The gospel message must "sweep the earth as with a
flood" (Moses 7:62) before the climactic judgments of God bring this
present world order to an end.
Abinadi
returned to Isaiah's prophecy, as quoted by the unidentified priest of king
Noah. (See Mosiah 12:21-24.) Having explained the meaning of Isaiah 52:7, he
quoted verses 8 through 10 as follows: "Yea, Lord, thy watchmen shall lift
up their voice; with the voice together shall they sing; for they shall see eye
to eye, when the Lord shall bring again Zion. Break forth into joy, sing
together, ye waste places of
This
passage was also quoted by the risen Christ to the assembled multitude in
The Resurrection
Humanity's
"last enemy"—physical death (the grave), and spiritual death
(hell)—can be vanquished only by "God himself." Christ alone could
rob the grave of its "victory" and death of its "sting."
(Mosiah 16:7-8.) fn Hence Jesus' words to the distraught Martha: "I
am the resurrection, and the life." (John 11:25.) "The Son,"
said Abinadi, "reigneth, and hath power over the dead; therefore, he
bringeth to pass the resurrection of the dead." (Mosiah 15:20.)
The
Father had commanded Jesus to lay down his life and then take it up again. (See
John 10:17-18.) But God gives no commandment without providing a way for its
fulfillment; Jesus was provided with that way. He acquired the keys and powers
of immortality, of dominion over death, when he was conceived by Mary as the
Only Begotten of the Father in the flesh.
However,
Jesus could not break the bands of death until he, himself, was bound by them.
Therefore, he became "subject even unto death" so that he might
conquer death. Having conquered that last enemy for himself, fn the Redeemer
was prepared to break the bands of death for all others. While the atonement
conquers spiritual death on conditions of repentance, the resurrection conquers
physical death unconditionally as an act of pure grace. This is because we are
punished for our own sins—not for Adam's transgression, which imposed physical
death on the human race.
The
universal resurrection is divided into a first resurrection (of the just, or
unto life), and a second resurrection (of the unjust, or unto damnation). (See
John 5:29; D&C 76:15-17.) According to modern revelation, the first
resurrection includes both the celestial and terrestrial kingdoms. The second
resurrection includes the telestial kingdom and the kingdom without glory (a
realm of darkness—the final habitation of sons of perdition). The first
resurrection began with Christ and spans a period of more than three thousand
years. The second resurrection occurs after Christ's millennial reign at the "end
of the earth." (See D&C 38:5; 76:16-17; 88:29-32, 97-101.)
Abinadi's
statements on the resurrection should be interpreted in the light of the
foregoing. He spoke of "a first resurrection" as being "the
first resurrection"—meaning, first in point of time. (See Mosiah
15:21; Alma 40:16-18.) It was to begin with Jesus and to include three classes
of the dead: (1) the righteous who had kept the commandments of God, (2) little
children, and (3) those who had lived and died in ignorance of the plan of
salvation. All three classes were to have "eternal life."
We
must understand that each prophet speaks according to his own understanding;
his knowlege of a given doctrine may be greater or less than that of another
prophet living at another time. But whether prophet or layman, all learn the
things of God line upon line. For example, Abinadi assumed—according to
As
there is a first resurrection, so there is a second—both as to time and to
quality. Woe to those who come forth in the second resurrection! Having
knowingly and wilfully rebelled against God, they die in their sins. (See
Mosiah 15:26; John 8:24.) That is, they carry with them the full measure of
their guilt and reprobate natures into death.
The Judgment
In
the Book of Mormon, the resurrection is almost always mentioned in connection
with the judgment. Abinadi said: "Even this mortal shall put on
immortality, and this corruption shall put on incorruption, and shall be
brought to stand before the bar of God, to be judged of him according to their
works whether they be good or whether they be evil." (Mosiah 16:10.)
Everyone must be resurrected because everyone must answer for the deeds done in
the body. (See 1 Ne. 15:32; Alma 5:15.) As every nation, kindred, tongue, and
people must hear the truth in the last days, so must every nation,
kindred, tongue, and people acknowlege that truth at the last judgment.
They "shall see eye to eye and shall confess before God that his judgments
are just." (Mosiah 16:1; see also
Speaking of those who refuse to repent, Alma
said: "Our words will condemn us, yea, all our works will condemn us; we
shall not be found spotless; and our thoughts will also condemn us; and in this
awful state we shall not dare to look up to our God; and we would fain be glad
if we could command the rocks and the mountains to fall upon us to hide us from
his presence. But this cannot be; we must come forth and stand before
him in his glory . . . and acknowledge to our everlasting shame that all his
judgments are just." (
As before stated, the Book of Mormon reduces
the issue of salvation to its most basic level. We must repent and acknowledge
the sovereignty of God, or we must suffer the second death, wherein we are
sealed to the devil and his fate. (See 1 Ne. 14:7.) This is true doctrine.
However, in the wisdom of the Lord, a vital qualification of this doctrine was
omitted from the Book of Mormon as we have it: prior to resurrection, one who
dies in his sins may, upon soul-deep repentance, escape the second death and be
saved! fn
Amulek noted: "After this day of life,
which is given us to prepare for eternity, behold, if we do not improve our
time while in this life, then cometh the night of darkness wherein there can be
no labor performed." (
Latter-day Saints commonly equate eternal life
with exaltation in the celestial kingdom. However, the concept of multiple
heavens or conditions of salvation, as revealed to Joseph Smith in Doctrine and
Covenants 76, is not found in the Book of Mormon. Instead, it speaks in terms
of absolutes: one is either saved in the presence of God or damned with the
devil and his angels. (See Mosiah 16:10-11.) Consequently, in the Book of
Mormon, eternal life is in opposition to eternal death. (See 1 Ne. 14:7; 2 Ne.
1:13; 2:27-29; 10:23.) However, eternal life is actually subdivided into
"many mansions" or degrees of glory. This being the case, eternal
life is tantamount to salvation as such. That is, every soul resurrected into
any state of immortal glory enjoys a degree of eternal life. (See D&C
29:26-29; 88:21-24.) A fullness of eternal life is exaltation and
the "continuation of the lives." (D&C 132:22.) Any state of
salvation less than this is a state of damnation or death insofar as spirit
progeny or dominion is concerned. (See D&C 131:1-4; 132:25.) However, the
issue for Abinadi was not exaltation per se, but salvation. fn
Those
resurrected persons of whom Abinadi speaks in Mosiah 16:2-5 are never redeemed
from their fallen state. "They were commanded to repent," said
Abinadi, "and yet they would not repent." (Mosiah 16:12;
italics added.) They remain carnal and everlastingly "filthy still."
(See 2 Ne. 9:16; Alma 34:35; D&C 88:32-35.) Cain is representative of that
class of souls. Like Lucifer, they are absolute enemies of God and all that he
represents. The devil has "all power" over them; they suffer the
fullness of the second death. (See 2 Ne. 1:22.) To put the fear of God into
them, Abinadi implied that Noah and his priests were prime candidates for such
a fate.
Abinadi ended his defense as he had begun it:
by testifying that the law of Moses was but "a shadow of those things
which are to come," and by admonishing Noah's priests to teach "that
redemption cometh through Christ the Lord, who is the very Eternal
Father." (Mosiah 16:14-15.)
Nephi pointed out: "When a man speaketh
by the power of the Holy Ghost the power of the Holy Ghost carrieth it unto
the hearts of the children of men. But behold, there are many that harden their
hearts against the Holy Spirit, that it hath no place in them." (2 Ne.
33:1-2; italics added.) King Noah and his priests verified his words. The Holy
Spirit had carried the inspired words of Abinadi unto their hearts, but
it could not carry those words into their hearts. Agency makes truth
resistable. The Prophet Joseph Smith observed: "Men who have no principle
of righteousness in themselves, and whose hearts are full of iniquity, and have
no desire for the principles of truth, do not understand the word of truth when
they hear it. The devil taketh away the word of truth out of their hearts,
because there is no desire for righteousness in them." fn
Death of Abinadi
Like
many a prophet before him, and many after him, Abinadi sealed his testimony
with his very life. Filled with rage, Noah ordered his immediate execution.
However, Noah seems to have been dissuaded from that course by the pleadings of
one of his young priests, Alma. Returned to prison, Abinadi languished for
three days while Noah and his council searched for a justifiable reason for
killing him. Obviously, no such reason existed; otherwise such a search would
have been unnecessary. But they finally "found" a charge they felt
they could live with: Abinadi, like Jesus, was guilty of blasphemy in saying
that "God himself should come down among the children of men."
(Mosiah 17:8.) Pride and self-righteousness carried the day. The law, as they
interpreted it and lived it, was all-sufficient; a Redeemer was not needed.
Offered his life if he would retract all that
he had said—especially about the sins of Noah and his people—Abinadi pointed
out that he could not deny his words because they were true, and because they
had been spoken under the influence of the Spirit of Truth. Indeed, Abinadi had
knowingly sacrificed his life so that they could be spoken under that
influence. The prophet prepared to seal his testimony with his blood, saying:
"If ye slay me ye will shed innocent blood, and this shall also stand as a
testimony against you at the last day." (Mosiah 17:10, 20.)
Momentarily frightened by the threat of God's
judgments, the king thought to release Abinadi, but his destructive pride won
out when his priests shouted, "He has reviled the king." (Mosiah
17:12.) Abinadi's death by burning fn foretold a similar fate for a number of
Lamanite converts at the hands of the descendants of Noah's priests, the
Amulonites. (See
(Kent
P. Jackson, ed., Studies in Scripture, Vol. 7: 1 Nephi to Alma 29 [Salt
Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1987], 240.)
|
|
TEACH PURE DOCTRINE
October 10, 2002
Bro. Satterfield reviewed the
1 Nephi 2 the story of Nephi’s awakening, see
vs. 16. Leaving
(1 Nephi 2:16.)
16 And it came to pass that I,
Nephi, being exceedingly young, nevertheless being large in stature, and also
having great desires to know of the mysteries of God, wherefore, I did cry unto
the Lord; and behold he did visit me, and did soften my heart that I did
believe all the words which had been spoken by my father; wherefore, I did not
rebel against him like unto my brothers.
1 Nephi 15:7-11 Laman and Lemuel show NO
FAITH toward the Lord. Didn’t even think
to ask, Vs.8
(1 Nephi 15:7-11.)
7 And they said: Behold, we cannot understand the words which our
father hath spoken concerning the natural branches of the olive-tree, and also
concerning the Gentiles.
8 And I said unto them: Have ye inquired of the Lord?
9 And they said unto me: We have not; for the Lord maketh no such
thing known unto us.
10 Behold, I said unto them: How is it that ye do not keep the
commandments of the Lord? How is it that ye will perish, because of the
hardness of your hearts?
11 Do ye not remember the things which the Lord hath said?—If ye
will not harden your hearts, and ask me in faith, believing that ye shall
receive, with diligence in keeping my commandments, surely these things shall
be made known unto you.
1 Nephi 17: 20-22 Laman and Lemuel didn’t
want to learn true doctrine, it was foolishness unto them. Their attitude was the same as the people in
(1 Nephi 17:20-22.)
20 And thou art like unto our father, led away by the foolish
imaginations of his heart; yea, he hath led us out of the land of Jerusalem,
and we have wandered in the wilderness for these many years; and our women have
toiled, being big with child; and they have borne children in the wilderness
and suffered all things, save it were death; and it would have been better that
they had died before they came out of Jerusalem than to have suffered these
afflictions.
21 Behold, these many years we have suffered in the wilderness,
which time we might have enjoyed our possessions and the land of our
inheritance; yea, and we might have been happy.
22 And we know that the people who were in the land of Jerusalem
were a righteous people; for they kept the statutes and judgments of the Lord,
and all his commandments, according to the law of Moses; wherefore, we know
that they are a righteous people; and our father hath judged them, and hath led
us away because we would hearken unto his words; yea, and our brother is like
unto him. And after this manner of language did my brethren murmur and complain
against us.
Helaman 15:7 – Faith in Christ coupled with
Repentance. Brings a Change of Heart.
(Helaman 15:7.)
7 And behold, ye do know of
yourselves, for ye have witnessed it, that as many of them as are brought to
the knowledge of the truth, and to know of the wicked and abominable traditions
of their fathers, and are led to believe the holy scriptures, yea, the
prophecies of the holy prophets, which are written, which leadeth them to faith
on the Lord, and unto repentance, which faith and repentance bringeth a change
of heart unto them—
With a change of heart I can be baptized and
receive the Holy Ghost, then I can enter the presence of God.
VERY IMPORTANT: Teach pure true doctrine, not the DO’S and
DON’TS. Why we do what we do, not just
the rules.
Example:
Marry the right person in the right place at the right time. Fine, but WHY?? Eternal Progression, having a family!!! See the web site under Marriage and
Family. He gave an example of a young
couple that didn’t know WHY they were married.
Having kids!
Elder Joseph Wirthlin’s Oct. 2002 Conf
talk. What is Faith in Jesus Christ?
1.
Absolute Confidence and Trust in Jesus
Christ
2.
Being
Active – Doing things, motivated for Good
POWER TO ENABLE ACTION
3.
Actions must be in accord with the
Will of God, “Thy will be done” Absolute conformity to His will
4. The Lord’s timetable, not
my own timetable, Patience on my part
Faith is not my will OVER His will;
it’s the other way. Mosiah 15:7, Alma
14:9-14, Helaman 10:1-9
(Mosiah 15:7.)
7 Yea, even so he shall be led,
crucified, and slain, the flesh becoming subject even unto death, the will of
the Son being swallowed up in the will of the Father.
FAMILY HOME EVENING is for parents to teach
true doctrine. Not the DO’S and
DON’T’S. Teach the WHY!!!!!!!!!! Use the scriptures, use revelation in
governing the home, the way to increase faith/power.
Do You Know?
Elder Glenn L. Pace
Of the Seventy
I
invite you to "experiment upon my words." Will you read and pray
about the Joseph Smith story?
Some
time ago I had a delightful conversation with an impressive 16-year-old young
woman. I discovered she was the only member of the Church in her high school. I
asked her, "What is the most difficult challenge you face being the only
member?"
She
was thoughtful and gave a very astute answer: "It is believing something
is true when everyone else believes it is false, and believing something is
wrong when everyone else believes it's all right."
I
asked her a second question: "Do you know Joseph Smith is a prophet of
God?" Her response was, "I think so, but I'm not sure."
This
morning I would like to ask the youth throughout the Church, "Do you
know?"
The
first time I knew I had a testimony of Joseph Smith was when I was just 11
years old and my parents took me to Temple Square in Salt Lake City.
My
favorite activity was to collect all the free stuff. I became very adept at
working the system. I would ask, "Is this free?" After a positive
response I would reach out my 11-year-old hand and say, "Thank you. Is
that free too? Thank you!" On occasion someone might say, "No, I'm
sorry; those cost five cents." Undeterred, I would lower my head and,
showing much disappointment, say, "Oh, I always wanted to read that
pamphlet, but I don't have any money. Thank you!" It worked every time. The
truth is, I never read it. I just collected it.
However,
on this particular trip, I was alone in our 1948 Chevrolet, waiting for my
parents, when I became inescapably bored. In desperation I looked down at the
seat and spotted my stack of free stuff. I picked up a pamphlet entitled Joseph
Smith Tells His Own Story and began to read it.
I
was riveted, and my heart was filled with joy. After completing it, I caught my
reflection in the rearview mirror, and much to my surprise, I was crying. I
didn't understand then, but I understand now. I had felt a witness of the
Spirit. My parents weren't there. My sister wasn't there. My Primary teacher
wasn't there. It was just me and the Spirit of the Holy Ghost.
Now,
this can happen to you, and something similar probably already has.
When
seeking a testimony, those of you born into the Church may be looking for some
spectacular spiritual feeling different than anything you have ever felt
before. You may have heard converts testify of their conversion and wonder if
you're missing something. One reason it seems so spectacular to them is that it
is new.
You
have had the same feelings your whole life during family home evenings, youth
testimony meetings, seminary classes, scripture reading, and on many other
occasions.
Our
missionaries are trained to help investigators recognize when they are feeling
the Spirit. I remember on numerous occasions stopping in the middle of an
intense, spiritual discussion and saying, "Let's pause for a moment and
talk about what you are feeling right now. You're feeling like we've reminded
you of things you had forgotten. You're feeling that we are telling you the
truth. You're feeling peace. You're feeling the Holy Ghost."
I
remember teaching an extremely intelligent woman who had a hard time accepting
anything until she had nailed down every intellectual loose end. However, at
long last we heard her say, "I cannot deny this feeling any longer."
She
joined the Church and was very happy for the next few years, but she gradually
let her intellectual doubts creep back in and ultimately left the Church.
Fifteen
years went by, and she came to visit our family. We took her to Temple Square.
As we started up the circular ramp leading to the statue of the Savior, she
paused and tearfully said, "Here comes that feeling again. My heart still
yearns for what my mind won't accept!"
Once
you have felt it, you can never forget it.
Spiritual witnesses
come at a young age to those who are exposed to spiritual experiences. As parents, teachers, and leaders, we are good at making
certain you understand the rules and commandments. We could improve on helping
you gain a testimony of the principles and doctrine. Perhaps we could
pause more often and help you learn to recognize the Spirit.
Once you recognize
those feelings for what they are, your faith in them will increase. Soon you
will find that you have developed a spiritual sixth sense which cannot be
misled.
At
11 years of age, I knew Joseph Smith was a prophet of God. I didn't hear
voices, see angels, or anything like that. What I felt was much more certain.
My spiritual sense had been touched. I felt elation springing forth from the
innermost part of my being, which is protected from all deceit. This spiritual
sense vibrates only when activated by the Holy Ghost.
How
does this spiritual witness feel? It is as difficult to describe as the scent
of a rose or the song of a bird or the beauty of a landscape. Nevertheless, you
know it when you feel it.
The
scriptures give us some insights into these feelings:
"Verily,
verily, I say unto you, I will impart unto you of my Spirit, which shall
enlighten your mind, which shall fill your soul with joy; and then shall ye
know" (D&C 11:13–14).
Sometimes
the feeling is like a memory. We first learned the gospel in our heavenly home.
We have come to this earth with a veil of forgetfulness. And yet lingering in
each of our spirits are those dormant memories. The Holy Ghost can part the
veil and bring those things out of their dormancy. Often my reaction to a
supposedly newfound truth is, "Oh, I remember that!"
"The
Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost . . . [will] bring all
things to your remembrance" (John 14:26).
My
young brothers and sisters, I invite you to "experiment upon my
words" (Alma 32:27). Will you read and pray about the Joseph Smith
story?
The
wonderful thing about knowing it is true is that you know simultaneously that
God the Father and Jesus Christ live and stand at the head of this Church
today. I gained that knowledge when I was 11, and now I stand before you as an
ordained especial witness of Jesus Christ and testify it is true. I also
testify that the Lord wants you to know it is true, and He "will [reveal]
the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost" (Moroni 10:4).
In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Concept of Baptism
In the Book of Mormon
2 Nephi 31:1-2 – Doctrine of the mission of
Christ, what he was commissioned to do
2 Nephi 31:4-6 – The reasons WHY Christ was
baptized: Example to us vs. 7
“according to the flesh” Obedient to Heavenly Father!! Covenant to keep the commandments, shows us
the way.
(2 Nephi 31:1-7.)
1 And now I, Nephi, make an end of my prophesying unto you, my
beloved brethren. And I cannot write but a few things, which I know must surely
come to pass; neither can I write but a few of the words of my brother Jacob.
2 Wherefore, the things which I have written sufficeth me, save it
be a few words which I must speak concerning the doctrine of Christ; wherefore,
I shall speak unto you plainly, according to the plainness of my prophesying.
3 For my soul delighteth in plainness; for after this manner doth
the Lord God work among the children of men. For the Lord God giveth light unto
the understanding; for he speaketh unto men according to their language, unto
their understanding.
4 Wherefore, I would that ye should remember that I have spoken
unto you concerning that prophet which the Lord showed unto me, that should
baptize the Lamb of God, which should take away the sins of the world.
5 And now, if the Lamb of God, he being holy, should have need to
be baptized by water, to fulfil all righteousness, O then, how much more need
have we, being unholy, to be baptized, yea, even by water!
6 And now, I would ask of you, my beloved brethren, wherein the
Lamb of God did fulfil all righteousness in being baptized by water?
7 Know ye not that he was holy? But notwithstanding he being holy,
he showeth unto the children of men that, according to the flesh he humbleth
himself before the Father, and witnesseth unto the Father that he would be
obedient unto him in keeping his commandments.
THE PROMISE OF ETERNAL LIFE
(2 Nephi 31-33)
Joseph F. McConkie
The
scriptures do not contain a systematic or disciplined treatment of the
doctrines of salvation. For the most part, we are required to sift and search
the holy writ to obtain the mind and will of God, and even then our path is
often beset with difficulties. In some instances the language is archaic or
ambiguous; the meaning of Bible texts can be obscured by poor translation or
the loss of words and phrases from the text. Add to this the necessity of
correctly divining whether what we read was meant to be figurative or literal
and whether the instruction given was conditioned upon a particular set of
circumstances, thus subject to change, or represents an announcement of eternal
principle.
The challenges of scriptural study are such
that the best of scholars have differed and do differ in their understanding.
Indeed, nothing serves to measure spiritual maturity or test spiritual
integrity better than scriptural study. All who are serious students of the
scriptures find from time to time that they must repent of misunderstanding and
improve their views.
Some have responded to such difficulties by
avoiding the challenge. They are satisified to depend on interpretations given
by others, particularly if the commentary comes from a prominent person. The
thought seems to be that all interpretation and meaningful insights will come
from a selected few while the rest of us are to depend on their understanding;
and that when we are called upon to speak or teach, we are to confine ourselves
primarily to weaving together quotations from those commissioned to understand.
Among the glorious doctrines of the Book of
Mormon is the assurance that all may know and understand the doctrines
of salvation. The requisites for such understanding are faith, sincerity,
righteousness, and obedience, matters upon which all have equal claim. Thus the
hope of salvation, the promise of eternal life, is extended to all on equal
grounds. Nephi and his fellow prophets have, for the most part, written with a
plainness that far exceeds the clarity of the Bible. Further, the Book of
Mormon contains a number of systematic treatments of doctrinal subjects,
something noticeably missing in the scripture of the
The Savior Is Our
Example in All Things
Nephi,
to dramatize the importance of baptism, wrote that the Savior had to be
baptized to "fulfill all righteousness." (2 Ne. 31:5.) The doctrine
is both little understood and marvelously important. In the high spiritual
sense there is no righteousness without willing submission to all the
ordinances of salvation. No more perfect example could be found than Christ
himself. Christ, who was sinless, had to be baptized in order to be considered
righteous. To be righteous, as the word is used in its highest spiritual sense,
means far more than being sinless, pure, or merely good. Righteousness is not
simply the absence of evil or impropriety; it is the active seeking of the mind
and will of the Father and compliance with that will once it has been obtained.
In
Matthew's account of Jesus' baptism, Christ responded to John's reluctance to
baptize him by saying, "Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to
fulfill all righteousness." (Matt. 3:15.) The text is quite literally
true. Neither John nor Jesus could have been considered righteous had the
baptism not taken place. In the general sense, righteousness was understood to
embrace the filling of obligations or the observance of legal requirements. In
a more strictly religious sense, it was understood to mean conforming to the
will of the Father. Thus we see Christ as the personification of righteousness
because his whole nature, his every action, conformed to God's will. fn The
scriptures refer to Christ as the Son of Righteousness (2 Ne. 26:9; 3 Ne. 25:2;
Ether 9:22), or even as The Righteous (Moses 7:45, 47). "Righteous,"
as a name-title for Deity, is intended to convey the idea of unswerving
faithfulness in the keeping of covenant promises. Salvation and righteousness
are thus inseparably linked. "God's righteousness in his judicial reign
means that in covenant faithfulness he saves his people." fn
Nephi identified four ways in which Christ
fulfilled all righteousness through his baptism: (1) he humbled himself before
the Father (2 Ne. 31:7); (2) he entered a covenant relationship with the
Father, promising obedience in keeping the commandments (2 Ne. 31:7); (3) he
opened to himself the gate to the celestial kingdom (2 Ne. 31:9); (4) he set a
perfect example for all to follow (2 Ne. 31:10).
None but the righteous can be saved; that is,
only those who are willing to enter into and honor the covenants of salvation
will be heirs of the kingdom of heaven. Christ is the example; all who obtain
salvation must obtain it in the same manner that Christ obtained it. As baptism
was required of Christ that he might be an heir of salvation, so it is required
of all who seek that blessing. Extending this principle beyond the ordinance of
baptism, Joseph Smith taught that "if a man gets a fullness of the
priesthood of God he has to get it in the same way that Jesus Christ obtained
it, and that was by keeping all the commandments and obeying all the ordinances
of the house of the Lord." fn
The Doctrine of Christ
Christ
is our example in all things. He ceases to be that if we excuse him from
compliance with the ordinances of salvation or the obligation to keep the
commandments. It would hardly be consistent to announce one system of salvation
for Christ and another for the rest of humanity, and then to stoutly maintain
that Christ's actions are the example to be followed. It is asked: Was it necessary
for Christ to receive the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands? Was
it necessary for him to receive the priesthood in the same manner? Did he
comply with temple ordinances? and so forth. In response it could be asked: Did
he "fulfill all righteousness" in baptism, or was more required of
him? Could he have fulfilled all righteousness by selectively keeping the
commandments, or was it necessary, as Joseph Smith taught, for him to keep all
the commandments? On such matters Nephi was emphatic—there is, he declared, but
one path to the divine presence, and only by following that path could Jesus
show us the way. (2 Ne. 31:9, 18-19.) "This is something of which
uninspired men have no comprehension," stated Elder Bruce R. McConkie:
Truly,
he was the Lord Omnipotent before the world was; truly, he was like unto the
Father in the pre-mortal life; truly, he was the Son of God here on earth—and
yet, with it all, as with all the spirit children of the same Father, he too
was subject to all of the terms and conditions of the Father's plan.
He
also was born on earth to undergo a mortal probation, to die, to rise again in
immortal glory, to be judged according to his works, and to receive his place
of infinite glory in the eternal kingdom of his Everlasting Father. How well
Paul said: "Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things
which he suffered; and being made perfect, he became the author [that is, the
cause] of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him." (Heb. 5:8-9.) fn
It
was required of Christ as it is required of all people, taught Nephi, that he
follow the strait and narrow path. (2 Ne. 31:9.) A straight path is one
without deviation, whereas a strait path, as spoken of in this text, is
one that is strict, narrow, and rigorous. Both expressions are appropriate
descriptions of the path that leads to the presence of God. In this instance,
however, the emphasis is on the strictness with which all who would be saved
must comply with the ordinances of salvation. Salvation is found only in
willing obedience to the Father, never in neglect, disobedience, or the pursuit
of one's own will. As it was, it was necessary for Christ to be obedient in all
things to work out his salvation. It is necessary for all others to do the
same.
Christ
was not baptized for a remission of sins—he neither had nor would commit any.
Christ was baptized because baptism is required for entrance into the
With marvelous artistry, Nephi painted a
word-picture of the path we must follow to obtain the presence of the Father.
He depicted baptism as the gate or place of beginning that opens to a strait
and narrow path. At this point he asked, "Is all done?" and
responded, "Nay; for ye have not come thus far save it were by the word of
Christ with unshaken faith in him, relying wholly upon the merits of him who is
mighty to save. Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in
Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men.
Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and
endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal
life." (2 Ne. 31:19-20.)
Similarly, those following the strait path in
our day who are so living that they have been sealed by the Holy Spirit of
promise are assured that it will be said unto them, "Ye shall come forth
in the first resurrection," meaning that they will "inherit thrones,
kingdoms, principalities, and powers, dominions, all heights and depths"
and that when they are out of the world they shall pass those stationed to
guard the way and to see that no unclean thing enters the presence of the Lord.
They are to receive exaltation and glory, "which glory shall be a fulness
and a continuation of the seeds forever and ever." Thus the man and woman
so sealed are promised that they will "be gods, because they have no end;
therefore shall they be from everlasting to everlasting, because they continue;
then shall they be above all, because all things are subject unto them. Then
shall they be gods, because they have all power, and the angels are subject
unto them." (D&C 132:19-20.)
Commenting on this principle, Joseph Smith
said: "After a person has faith in Christ, repents of his sins, and is
baptized for the remission of his sins and receives the Holy Ghost, (by the
laying on of hands), which is the first Comforter, then let him continue to
humble himself before God, hungering and thirsting after righteousness, and
living by every word of God, and the Lord will soon say unto him, Son, thou
shalt be exalted. When the Lord has thoroughly proved him, and finds that the
man is determined to serve Him at all hazards, then the man will find his
calling and his election made sure, then it will be his privilege to receive
the other Comforter, which the Lord hath promised the Saints." fn
The
"doctrine of Christ" (2 Ne. 31:2, 21) is the plan and system whereby
the children of God "fulfill all righteousness" by taking upon
themselves the name of Christ in baptism, receiving and obeying the principles
and ordinances of the gospel, and then enduring to the end in faith. Paul
stated it thus: "One Lord, one faith, one baptism" (Eph. 4:5), while
errant Christianity would have it "Many Lords, many faiths, and many
baptisms." Yet there cannot be contradictory truths. It is a strait and
narrow path that leads to the presence of God; there is but one plan of
salvation, one priesthood, and one church. The Lord commanded that we "be
one," saying, "If ye are not one ye are not mine." (D&C
38:27.) In his great intercessory prayer, Christ implored the Father to help
all who embrace the gospel to become one. "I in them," he prayed,
"and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one." (John
17:21-23.) Without such unity there is no perfection, nor can there be
salvation. Thus the most perfect of all teaching devices is the announcement that
the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost (three separate and distinct personages) are
one God. (2 Ne. 31:21.)
Revelation Is the
Doctrine of Christ
Introducing
his discourse on the necessity of our fulfilling all righteousness, Nephi
stated that the Lord "giveth light unto the understanding." (2 Ne.
31:3.) Joseph Smith expanded this principle by saying, "A person may
profit by noticing the first intimation of the spirit of revelation; for
instance, when you feel pure intelligence flowing into you, it may give you
sudden strokes of ideas, so that by noticing it, you may find it fulfilled the
same day or soon; (i.e.) those things that were presented unto your minds by
the Spirit of God, will come to pass; and thus by learning the Spirit of God
and understanding it, you may grow into the principle of revelation, until you
become perfect in Christ Jesus." fn
Continuing,
Nephi assured us that the Lord speaks to his children "according to their
language, unto their understanding." (2 Ne. 31:3.) God and his angels,
when conversing with mortals, speak according to the language and understanding
of those whom they have chosen to address. To Joseph Smith, they spoke in
English; to Adam, they spoke the pure Adamic tongue; to the Nephites, they
spoke the language of the Nephites; and so on. To each person, they speak
according to his or her level of understanding. To do otherwise would be
futile. Thus, since the days of Adam when language was "pure and
undefiled" (Moses 6:6), we have been without the ability to give full or
perfect expression to revelations; an imperfect language imposes its
imperfections on the expressions of heavenly messengers. In like manner,
imperfections in our understanding, particularly those imperfections born of
disobedience or lack of faith, impair our ability to understand the revelations
the Lord has given us. Thus some will see a thousand times more than others in
a single verse of scripture.
Having taught that those who go down into the
waters of baptism are entitled to the "baptism of fire and of the Holy
Ghost," Nephi said that they could then "speak with a new tongue,
yea, even with the tongue of angels." (2 Ne. 31:13-14.) Returning to that
matter in 2 Nephi 32, Nephi asked, "Now, how could ye speak with the
tongue of angels save it were by the Holy Ghost?" Then he explained that
"angels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost" and thus are able to
"speak the words of Christ." (2 Ne. 32:2-3.) That is, they are able
to say and do what Christ would say and do under the same circumstances. Men
and women, when moved upon by the Holy Ghost, can speak with the same power,
authority, and doctrinal purity as angels. Indeed, angels are merely men or
women from the other side of the veil of mortality. The message, power, and
authority of angels does not differ from those of the Lord's mortal servants.
The importance of receiving the Holy Ghost
cannot be overstated. It is only by the power of the Holy Ghost that we can
know or teach the doctrines of the kingdom. For instance, in our day the Lord
has said: "If ye receive not the Spirit ye shall not teach" (D&C
42:14), meaning that unless that which we teach is sustained by the power of
the Lord's Spirit, no teaching or learning can take place. We may have gone
through all the right motions and said all the right words, having the
"form of godliness," and yet be without "the power
thereof." (JS-H 1:19.) Nephi promised his people that if they would
"enter in by the way, and receive the Holy Ghost," it would show them
all that they must do to be saved in the
Exhortation to Prayer
Having
spoken of the role of the Holy Ghost in leading us to all truth, Nephi turned
his attention to the role of the third member of the Godhead in the matter of
prayer. "If ye would hearken unto the Spirit which teacheth a man to
pray," he said, "ye would know that ye must pray; for the evil spirit
teacheth not a man to pray, but teacheth him that he must not pray." (2
Ne. 32:8.) It has ever been the purpose of the adversary to separate men from
association with their God. By contrast, no servant of God has ever argued that
the heavens are sealed or that the canon of scripture is full. No servant of
God has ever suggested that the honest in heart should not seek divine
direction in all things.
Only
evil spirits would seek to teach men not to pray. The true servant of the Lord
has ever been found testifying of Christ and his gospel and challenging those
to whom he speaks to seek a spiritual confirmation of it. "Ask of
God," is the challenge of the Lord's servants, for he "giveth to all
men liberally, and upbraideth not." (James 1:5.) If one seeks to know the
truth of the Book of Mormon, we challenge that person to read it, ponder its
teachings, and ask of God with an honest heart if it is true. We know full well
that no opponent of the Book of Mormon would ever stand before a congregation
and invite them to read it and pray to know of its truthfulness. All manner of
argument is used against Joseph Smith and against our testimony that he is a
prophet. Yet we never hear of the Prophet's critics inviting others to read the
Joseph Smith Story (as he himself told it) and then to pray to know of its
truthfulness.
The Holy Ghost will always lead a person to
prayer and in prayer. That is, the Spirit teaches us to pray and also
gives us direction in the things for which we should pray. To have the Holy
Ghost is to have the promise, "It shall be given you what you shall
ask" (D&C 50:30), and the promise that "he that asketh in the
Spirit asketh according to the will of God; wherefore it is done even as he
asketh" (D&C 46:30). The prayer of the Twelve in 3 Nephi is a classic
illustration of this principle. Of this prayer we read: "They did not
multiply many words, for it was given unto them what they should pray, and they
were filled with desire." (3 Ne. 19:24.)
Nephi also established the proper order of
prayer, directing that we "pray unto the Father in the name of
Christ," and that we counsel with the Lord in all things. This is not to
say that we need be "commanded in all things" (D&C 58:26), but
rather that having studied a matter out in our minds and having made the best
decisions we can (D&C 9:8)—using correct principles and drawing upon past
inspiration—we then seek the Lord's confirmation (Morm. 9:25), or, in Nephi's
words, we seek to have the Lord "consecrate" our performance that it
may be for the welfare of our souls (2 Ne. 32:9).
The Spirit Sustains
the Word of Truth
As
he concluded his record, Nephi lamented that he was not "mighty in
writing, like unto speaking." (2 Ne. 33:1.) Yet he realized that the Holy
Ghost was the source of power with which he had touched the hearts of his
people, and that the Holy Ghost would also testify of the truthfulness of what
he had written. Surely it is no more difficult for the Holy Ghost to testify of
the written word than of the spoken word. The simple words of a humble prophet,
spoken some 2,600 years ago and sustained by the power of the Spirit, are
sufficient to kindle the fires of faith, while the jangling eloquence of the
worldly wise rarely lives beyond their own generation.
As an experienced teacher, Nephi knew that
many would harden their hearts against the Holy Spirit so that it could have no
place in them, and that they would "cast many things away which are
written and esteem them as things of naught." (2 Ne. 33:2.) He knew that
the record he had made would be rejected by those who denied the spirit of
revelation. He also knew that those who rejected the testimony of the Book of
Mormon would do so in the name of loyalty to the Bible. (See 2 Ne. 33:10.)
Reviewing his writings, he noted that their purpose was to persuade people to
do good, to restore to them a knowledge of their ancient fathers, to encourage
belief in and testify of Christ, and to teach people to endure in faith to the
end so that they could obtain eternal life. He also noted that his words spoke
harshly against sin. Quite properly, Nephi concluded that no one "will be
angry at the words which I have written save he shall be of the spirit of the
devil." (2 Ne. 32:4-5.)
Thus we see that the truth of all things—that
is, all things of eternal importance—will be sustained on the one hand by the
quiet whisperings of the Spirit and identified on the other by wrath of the
adversary. We will always be able to identify the truths of salvation by the
opposition of the Prince of Darkness and the contrasting feelings of comfort
and assurance that come only from the Prince of Peace. Light and darkness will
never meet.
The Seal of Testimony
It
is the pattern of the prophets to teach the doctrines of salvation and then to
seal their teachings with a testimony that what they have taught is the gospel.
As Nephi concluded an earlier discourse, he said: "I have spoken plainly
unto you, that ye cannot misunderstand. And the words which I have spoken shall
stand as a testimony against you; for they are sufficient to teach any man the
right way; for the right way is to believe in Christ and deny him not; for by denying
him ye also deny the prophets and the law." (2 Ne. 25:28.) In the truest
sense, unless something has been taught, no testimony has been given. As Nephi
concluded his record, which contains teachings about the plan of salvation that
are unsurpassed in all the holy writ for plainness and spiritual power, Nephi
placed a seal upon his testimony or teachings.
Few prophets have been granted the privilege
given Nephi of testifying to all the ends of the earth. His testimony is that
all must believe in Christ. He admonished them that if they could not believe
what he had written, then they should believe in Christ. If they honestly
believed in Christ, they would of necessity come to believe what Nephi had
written, for he had written nothing but the words of Christ. Nephi further
reasoned that one cannot truly believe in the Bible and not at the same time
believe in the Book of Mormon. Brigham Young taught the same principle, saying:
"There is not that person on the face of the earth who has had the privilege
of learning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ from these two books [the Bible and
the Book of Mormon], and can say that one is true, and the other is false. No
Latter-day Saint, no man or woman, can say the Book of Mormon is true, and at
the same time say that the Bible is untrue. If one be true, both are; and if
one be false both are false." fn To believe the words of one is to believe
the words of both. (See Mormon 7:9.)
All
who reject his record, Nephi declared, will be called upon to meet him face to
face at the judgment bar, where they will know that he was commanded of God to
write the things he had written. (See 2 Ne. 33:11.)
Christ
was rejected by a nation professing loyalty to the law of Moses. To those of
his day the Savior said: "Do not think that I will accuse you to the
Father: there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust. For had
ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me. But if ye
believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?" (John 5:45-47.)
Similarly, our testimony of Joseph Smith is rejected by many who profess a
loyalty to the Bible and the prophets of ages past. Well might Joseph Smith say
of them: "Do not think I will accuse you to the Father; there are others
that accuse you, even Moses, Isaiah, and Ezekiel, in whom ye trusted. For had
ye believed the prophets of the Bible, ye would have believed me; for they
wrote of me."
Nephi understood the destiny of the record he
was keeping. He knew that it would yet "spring out of the earth" (Ps.
85:11; Isa. 45:8), carrying the testimony of those whose bodies had long since
returned to the dust (see Isa. 29:4; 2 Ne. 27:6). "I speak unto you as the
voice of one crying from the dust," he said. "Farewell until that
great day shall come." (2 Ne. 33:13.)
Conclusion
The
plan of salvation is eternal and applies in like manner to those of all ages.
Christ is the perfect model—all desiring salvation must earnestly seek to
imitate his example. They must follow the path he marked out. As it was
necessary for him to know and live gospel principles, so it is for us. As it
was necessary for him to enter in at the gate, to obediently comply with the
ordinances and rites of the gospel, so it is with us. As it was necessary for
him to have the companionship of the Holy Ghost and seek that knowledge and
understanding that comes only from heaven, so it is with us. As his conviction,
power, and knowledge enabled him to stand independent of all the powers and
influences of the earth, so must ours. Such is the path that Nephi invites us
to follow, taking the Holy Spirit as our guide and Christ as our example. Such
is the path by which we are to fulfill all righteousness and obtain the promise
of eternal life.
Footnotes
1.
Joseph F. McConkie is associate professor of ancient scripture at
2.
Gerhard Kittel and Gerhard Friedrich, editors; translated by Geoffrey W.
Bromiley, Theological Dictionary of the New Testament Abridged in One Volume
(Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1985), pp.
169-70.
3.
Ibid., p. 171.
4.
Joseph Smith, Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, selected by Joseph
Fielding Smith (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Company, 1938), p. 308.
5.
Bruce R. McConkie, "The Mystery of Godliness'' (Brigham Young University,
15 Stake Fireside, January 6, 1985).
6.
Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 198.
7.
Ibid., p. 150.
8.
Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 151.
9.
Journal of Discourses, 26 vols. (London: Latter-day Saints' Book Depot,
1854-86), 1:38.
(Kent P. Jackson, ed., Studies in
Scripture, Vol. 7: 1 Nephi to Alma 29 [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co.,
1987], 162.)
There are ordinances that all must
go through; the natural man must comply to get back into the presence of our
Heavenly parents. Even Christ, born of a
woman had to go through the ordinances.
Immaculate Conception taught by Catholics is
about MARY not CHRIST!!! She had to be
divine, because you can’t have Christ mortal!!!! Study this.
It
was because of this mistaken view of original sin, holding that little children
are born in sin, that the doctrine of the "immaculate conception" was
developed in Catholic theology. This doctrine is not, as many have supposed, a
reference to Jesus' own conception, but is the belief that Mary, mother of
Jesus, was herself conceived miraculously in her mother's womb, so that she
(Mary) would be born without original sin, and thus could be free to conceive
the holy child Jesus. One false concept led to another, and another, and
another.
(Monte S. Nyman and Charles D. Tate, Jr.,
eds., Second Nephi: The Doctrinal Structure [Provo: BYU Religious
Studies Center, 1989], 185.)
The
virgin birth must not be confused with the so-called immaculate conception.
"From the moment of her conception, Mary, the mother of our Lord, in the
false Catholic view of things, is deemed to have been free from the stain of
original sin. This supposed miraculous event is called the doctrine of the
immaculate conception. After reciting the universal prevalence of so-called
original sin, Cardinal Gibbons says: 'The Church, however, declares that the
Blessed Virgin Mary was exempted from the stain of original sin by the merits
of our Savior Jesus Christ; and that, consequently, she was never for an
instant subject to the dominion of Satan. This is what is meant by the doctrine
of the Immaculate Conception.' (James Cardinal Gibbons, The Faith of Our
Fathers, p. 220.) The virgin birth has reference to the birth of Christ and is
a true doctrine; the immaculate conception has reference to the birth of Mary
and is a false doctrine." (Mormon Doctrine, 2nd ed., pp. 375-76.)
(Bruce R. McConkie, The Mortal Messiah:
From Bethlehem to Calvary, 4 vols. [
Greek word for Comforter=Advocate. The Holy Ghost
D&C 29:42-49 – The great sin of parents
is not teaching their children doctrine.
vs. 48
(Doctrine and Covenants 29:42-49.)
42 But, behold, I say unto you that I, the Lord God, gave unto Adam
and unto his seed, that they should not die as to the temporal death, until I,
the Lord God, should send forth angels to declare unto them repentance and
redemption, through faith on the name of mine Only Begotten Son.
43 And thus did I, the Lord God, appoint unto man the days of his
probation—that by his natural death he might be raised in immortality unto
eternal life, even as many as would believe;
44 And they that believe not unto eternal damnation; for they
cannot be redeemed from their spiritual fall, because they repent not;
45 For they love darkness rather than light, and their deeds are
evil, and they receive their wages of whom they list to obey.
46 But behold, I say unto you, that little children are redeemed
from the foundation of the world through mine Only Begotten;
47 Wherefore, they cannot sin, for power is not given unto Satan to
tempt little children, until they begin to become accountable before me;
48 For it
is given unto them even as I will, according to mine own pleasure, that great
things may be required at the hand of their fathers.
49 And, again, I say unto you, that whoso having knowledge, have I
not commanded to repent?
Priesthood manual Harold B. Lee, lesson
13. Pages 120-123
The relationship between the
When we take the Sacrament each week to renew
our baptism covenants, we also are renewing our temple covenants.
"When
one joins the Church, he pledges certain things as he goes into the waters of
baptism. When accepting the priesthood, we make a very definite covenant with
the Lord. When partaking of the sacrament, we renew our covenants. I am using
covenants, promises, and pledges interchangeably.
"When
partaking of the sacrament, we renew those covenants. When accepting office in
the Church, we agree to do certain things. We take upon ourselves certain
covenants; we make certain pledges. You who have been to the temple know the
covenants you make and the obligations you take upon yourselves.
(Daniel H. Ludlow, A Companion to Your
Study of the New Testament: The Four Gospels [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book
Co., 1982], 53.)
2 Nephi 31:9-21 – The Spiritual Rebirth
process again is explained.
Verse 12-13 Sounds like the Sacrament Prayer,
renew the covenant of baptism.
Verse 20 Press Forward feast on the Word of
Christ. That comes by Angels, Like the
Holy Ghost. See 2 Nephi 32:2.
2 Nephi 32:2-3 – Angels speak the words of
Christ by the power of the Holy Ghost.
The Ministry of
Angels
We don’t teach this doctrine enough!!
Purpose of Angels:
1.
Come
from the throne of God 1 Nephi 1:8
2.
Can
Protect 1 Nephi 3:29
3.
Teacher
of Righteousness 1 Nephi 8, 11-14.
4.
Visual
Experiences with angels 1 Nephi 17:45.
Audible voice or still small voice.
The 1st key of the Aaronic
Priesthood is the ministry of angels.
D&C 13, D&C 84:26, D&C 107:20.
We can all qualify for this gift.
109:22
"Thine
angels have charge over them"
"Undoubtedly
angels often guard us from accidents and harm, from temptation and sin. They
may properly be spoken of as guardian angels. Many people have borne and may
bear testimony to the guidance and protection that they have received from
sources beyond their natural vision. Without the help that we receive from the
constant presence of the Holy Spirit, and from possibly holy angels, the
difficulties of life would be greatly multiplied. The common belief, however,
that to every person born into the world is assigned a guardian angel to be
with that person constantly, is not supported by available evidence. It is a
very comforting thought, but at present without proof of its correctness. An
angel may be a guardian angel though he comes only as assigned to give us
special help. In fact, the constant presence of the Holy Spirit would seem to
make such a constant, angelic companionship unnecessary." (John A.
Widtsoe, GI, pp. 28-29.)
(Daniel H. Ludlow, A Companion to Your
Study of the Doctrine and Covenants, 2 vols. [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book
Co., 1978], 1: 558.)
QUESTION
Do
we have guardian angels?
ANSWER
Without
question there are occasions upon which those from the other side of the veil
reach out to bless and protect those of us in mortality. Numerous scriptural
texts attest to such a thing. Of those who keep their covenant to magnify the
priesthood, the Lord said, "I have given the heavenly hosts and mine
angels charge concerning you" (D&C 84:42). Of his missionaries he
said: "Whoso receiveth you, there I will be also, for I will go before
your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall
be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up"
(D&C 84:88). Of those who have been endowed in the temple and have received
the promised blessing of protection there, the Lord said they would go forth
from his house armed with power and his name would be upon them, his glory
round about them, and, he added, "angels have charge over them"
(D&C 109:22).
Nonetheless, the
notion that each of us has a particular angel assigned to us with the sole
responsibility to follow us around "silent notes taking" is not good
doctrine (Hymns, no. 237). Such a thought is demeaning to both the
living and the dead. It demeans the living in the assumption that we need
constant watching, a divine baby-sitter, as it were. It demeans the dead in the
assumption that they have no greater work or labor to do. That simply is not
the case. Were it so, we would be left to wonder why we had been given the
companionship of the Holy Ghost and a blessing of protection as part of the
endowment.
(Joseph Fielding McConkie, Answers:
Straightforward Answers to Tough Gospel Questions [Salt Lake City: Deseret
Book Co., 1998], 114.)
Elder Dallin H. Oaks Conference talk Oct
1998. “Aaronic Priesthood and the
Sacrament” he quoted Pres. John Taylor on how angels help us understand revelation
from the eternal world, “
In a closely related way, these ordinances of the
Aaronic Priesthood are also vital to the ministering of angels.
"The word 'angel' is used in the scriptures for any heavenly
being bearing God's message" (George Q. Cannon, Gospel Truth, sel.
Jerreld L. Newquist [1987], 54). The scriptures recite numerous instances where
an angel appeared personally. Angelic appearances to Zacharias and Mary (see
Luke 1) and to King Benjamin and Nephi, the son of Helaman (see Mosiah 3:2; 3
Ne. 7:1718) are only a few examples. When I was young, I thought such personal
appearances were the only meaning of the ministering of angels. As a young
holder of the Aaronic Priesthood, I did not think I would see an angel, and I
wondered what such appearances had to do with the Aaronic Priesthood.
But the ministering of
angels can also be unseen. Angelic messages can be delivered by a voice or
merely by thoughts or feelings communicated to the mind. President John Taylor
described "the action of the angels, or messengers of God, upon our minds,
so that the heart can conceive. . . revelations from the eternal
world" (Gospel Kingdom, sel. G. Homer Durham [1987], 31).
Nephi described three manifestations of the ministering of angels
when he reminded his rebellious brothers that (1) they had "seen an
angel," (2) they had "heard his voice from time to time," and
(3) also that an angel had "spoken unto [them] in a still small
voice" though they were "past feeling" and "could not feel
his words" (1 Nephi 17:45). The scriptures contain many other statements
that angels are sent to teach the gospel and bring men to Christ (see Heb.
How does the Aaronic Priesthood hold the key to the ministering of
angels? The answer is the same as for the Spirit of the Lord.
In general, the blessings of spiritual companionship and
communication are only available to those who are clean. As explained earlier,
through the Aaronic Priesthood ordinances of baptism and the sacrament, we are
cleansed of our sins and promised that if we keep our covenants we will always
have His Spirit to be with us. I believe that promise not only refers to the
Holy Ghost but also to the ministering of angels, for "angels speak by the
power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore, they speak the words of Christ" (2
Nephi 32:3). So it is that those who hold the Aaronic Priesthood open the door
for all Church members who worthily partake of the sacrament to enjoy the
companionship of the Spirit of the Lord and the ministering of angels.
To have the experience we must be
clean!! The Holy Ghost teaches us
according to what we need. Listen to the
still small voice. Have yourself in that
position to be taught.
THE SACRAMENT
And
3 NEPHI
October 25, 2002
Elder Dallin Oaks talk on the Aaronic
Priesthood and the Sacrament.
The Aaronic Priesthood and the Sacrament
Elder Dallin H. Oaks
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
Ensign, Nov. 1998, pp. 37-40
My
beloved brethren, I appreciate the opportunity to speak to you this evening. I
address my remarks to the young men who hold the Aaronic Priesthood and to the
bishops and counselors who preside over them. I will speak about the sacred
activities of Aaronic Priesthood holders in preparing, administering, and
passing the sacrament of the Lord's Supper to the members of the Church.
I.
On
May 15, 1829, John the Baptist restored the Aaronic Priesthood to the earth. He
did so by laying his hands upon Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery and speaking
these words: "Upon you my fellow servants, in the name of Messiah I confer
the Priesthood of Aaron, which holds the keys of the ministering of angels, and
of the gospel of repentance, and of baptism by immersion for the remission of
sins; and this shall never be taken again from the earth, until the sons of
Levi do offer again an offering unto the Lord in righteousness" (D&C
13:1).
Later,
the Lord revealed these further truths: "The lesser priesthood … holdeth
the key of the ministering of angels and the preparatory gospel;
"Which
gospel is the gospel of repentance and of baptism, and the remission of
sins" (D&C 84:26-27).
What
does it mean that the Aaronic Priesthood holds "the key of the ministering
of angels" and of the "gospel of repentance and of baptism, and the
remission of sins"? The meaning is found in the ordinance of baptism and
in the sacrament. Baptism is for the remission of sins, and the sacrament is a
renewal of the covenants and blessings of baptism. Both should be preceded by
repentance. When we keep the covenants made in these ordinances, we are
promised that we will always have His Spirit to be with us. The ministering of
angels is one of the manifestations of that Spirit.
II.
We
begin with the doctrine as taught by the Lord. During His ministry, Jesus
taught that baptism is necessary for salvation. "Except a man be born of
water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the
At
the conclusion of His ministry, Jesus introduced the sacrament of the Lord's
Supper. He broke bread and blessed it and gave it to His disciples, saying,
"Take, eat; this is my body" (Matt. 26:26). "This do in
remembrance of me" (Luke 22:19). He took the cup and gave thanks and gave
it to them, saying, "This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed
for many for the remission of sins" (Matt. 26:28).
When
He introduced the sacrament, the Savior also gave teachings and promises about
the Holy Ghost. On that sacred occasion known as the Last Supper, Jesus
explained the mission of the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost. The Comforter
would testify of Him and reveal other truths. Jesus also explained that He had
to leave His disciples in order for the Comforter to come to them. When I
depart, He told them, "I will send him unto you" (John 16:7). After
His Resurrection, He told His Apostles to tarry in
Similarly,
when the Savior introduced the sacrament in the
The
close relationship between partaking of the sacrament and the companionship of
the Holy Ghost is explained in the revealed prayer on the sacrament. In
partaking of the bread, we witness that we are willing to take upon us the name
of Jesus Christ and always remember Him and keep His commandments. When we do
so, we have the promise that we will always have His Spirit to be with us (see
D&C 20:77).
To
have the continuous companionship of the Holy Ghost is the most precious
possession we can have in mortality. The gift of the Holy Ghost was conferred
upon us by the authority of the Melchizedek Priesthood after our baptism. But
to realize the blessings of that gift, we must keep ourselves free from sin.
When we commit sin, we become unclean and the Spirit of the Lord withdraws from
us. The Spirit of the Lord does not dwell in "unholy temples" (see
Mosiah 2:36-37;
A
few weeks ago I used a chain saw to cut down a tree in my backyard. It was a
dirty job, and when I was done I was splattered with a filthy mixture of
sawdust and oil. In that condition I did not want anyone to see me. I just
wanted to be cleansed in water so I would again feel comfortable in the
presence of other people.
Not
one of you young men and not one of your leaders has lived without sin since
his baptism. Without some provision for further cleansing after our baptism,
each of us is lost to things spiritual. We cannot have the companionship of the
Holy Ghost, and at the final judgment we would be bound to be "cast off
forever" (1 Ne. 10:21). How grateful we are that the Lord has provided a
process for each baptized member of His Church to be periodically cleansed from
the soil of sin. The sacrament is an essential part of that process.
We
are commanded to repent of our sins and to come to the Lord with a brokenheart
and a contrite spirit and partake of the sacrament in compliance with its
covenants. When we renew our baptismal covenants in this way, the Lord renews
the cleansing effect of our baptism. In this way we are made clean and can
always have His Spirit to be with us. The importance of this is evident in the
Lord's commandment that we partake of the sacrament each week (see D&C
59:8-9).
We
cannot overstate the importance of the Aaronic Priesthood in this. All of these
vital steps pertaining to the remission of sins are performed through the
saving ordinance of baptism and the renewing ordinance of the sacrament. Both
of these ordinances are officiated by holders of the Aaronic Priesthood under
the direction of the bishopric, who exercise the keys of the gospel of
repentance and of baptism and the remission of sins.
III.
In
a closely related way, these ordinances of the Aaronic Priesthood are also
vital to the ministering of angels.
"The
word 'angel' is used in the scriptures for any heavenly being bearing God's
message" (George Q. Cannon, Gospel Truth, sel. Jerreld L. Newquist
[1987], 54). The scriptures recite numerous instances where an angel appeared
personally. Angelic appearances to Zacharias and Mary (see Luke 1) and to King
Benjamin and Nephi, the grandson of Helaman (see Mosiah 3:2; 3 Ne. 7:17-18) are
only a few examples. When I was young, I thought such personal appearances were
the only meaning of the ministering of angels. As a young holder of the Aaronic
Priesthood, I did not think I would see an angel, and I wondered what such
appearances had to do with the Aaronic Priesthood.
But
the ministering of angels can also be unseen. Angelic messages can be delivered
by a voice or merely by thoughts or feelings communicated to the mind.
President John Taylor described "the action of the angels, or messengers
of God, upon our minds, so that the heart can conceive … revelations from the
eternal world" (Gospel Kingdom, sel. G. Homer Durham [1987], 31).
Nephi
described three manifestations of the ministering of angels when he reminded
his rebellious brothers that (1) they had "seen an angel," (2) they
had "heard his voice from time to time," and (3) also that an angel
had "spoken unto [them] in a still small voice" though they were
"past feeling" and "could not feel his words" (1 Ne.
17:45). The scriptures contain many other statements that angels are sent to
teach the gospel and bring men to Christ (see Heb. 1:14;
How
does the Aaronic Priesthood hold the key to the ministering of angels? The
answer is the same as for the Spirit of the Lord.
In
general, the blessings of spiritual companionship and communication are only
available to those who are clean. As explained earlier, through the Aaronic
Priesthood ordinances of baptism and the sacrament, we are cleansed of our sins
and promised that if we keep our covenants we will always have His Spirit to be
with us. I believe that promise not only refers to the Holy Ghost but also to
the ministering of angels, for "angels speak by the power of the Holy
Ghost; wherefore, they speak the words of Christ" (2 Ne. 32:3). So it is
that those who hold the Aaronic Priesthood open the door for all Church members
who worthily partake of the sacrament to enjoy the companionship of the Spirit
of the Lord and the ministering of angels.
IV.
The
doctrines I have just discussed are contained in the scriptures. From the
scriptures we also know that those who officiate in the priesthood act in
behalf of the Lord (see D&C 1:38; D&C 36:2). I will now suggest how
teachers and priests and deacons should carry out their sacred responsibilities
to act in behalf of the Lord in preparing, administering, and passing the
sacrament. I will not suggest detailed rules, since the circumstances in
various wards and branches in our worldwide Church are so different that a
specific rule that seems required in one setting may be inappropriate in
another. Rather, I will suggest a principle based on the doctrines. If all
understand this principle and act in harmony with it, there should be little
need for rules. If rules or counseling are needed in individual cases, local leaders
can provide them, consistent with the doctrines and their related principles.
The
principle I suggest to govern those officiating in the sacrament--whether
preparing, administering, or passing--is that they should not do anything that
would distract any member from his or her worship and renewal of covenants.
This principle of non-distraction suggests some companion principles.
Deacons,
teachers, and priests should always be clean in appearance and reverent in the
manner in which they perform their solemn and sacred responsibilities.
Teachers' special assignments in preparing the sacrament are the least visible
but should still be done with dignity, quietly and reverently. Teachers should
always remember that the emblems they are preparing represent the body and
blood of our Lord.
To
avoid distracting from the sacred occasion, priests should speak the sacrament
prayers clearly and distinctly. Prayers that are rattled off swiftly or mumbled
inaudibly will not do. All present should be helped to understand an ordinance
and covenants so important that the Lord prescribed the exact words to be
uttered. All should be helped to focus on those sacred words as they renew
their covenants by partaking.
On
this subject I feel to share a painful experience from my youth. As a
16-year-old priest, I was just beginning a part-time job as a radio announcer
at a local station. After I offered a prayer at the sacrament table in our
ward, a girl who was present told me I sounded like I was reading a commercial.
Can you imagine the shame I felt? After 50 years that rebuke still stings.
Brethren, remember the significance of those sacred prayers. You are praying as
a servant of the Lord in behalf of the entire congregation. Speak to be heard
and understood, and say it like you mean it.
Deacons
should pass the sacrament in a reverent and orderly manner, with no needless
motions or expressions that call attention to themselves. In all their actions
they should avoid distracting any member of the congregation from worship and covenant
making.
All
who officiate in the sacrament--in preparing, administering, or passing--should
be well groomed and modestly dressed, with nothing about their personal
appearance that calls special attention to themselves. In appearance as well as
actions, they should avoid distracting anyone present from full attention to
the worship and covenant making that is the purpose of this sacred ordinance.
This
principle of non-distraction applies to things unseen as well as seen. If
someone officiating in this sacred ordinance is unworthy to participate, and
this is known to anyone present, their participation is a serious distraction
to that person. Young men, if any of you is unworthy, talk to your bishop
without delay. Obtain his direction on what you should do to qualify yourself
to participate in your priesthood duties worthily and appropriately.
I
have a final suggestion. With the single exception of those priests occupied
breaking the bread, all who hold the Aaronic Priesthood should join in singing
the sacrament hymn by which we worship and prepare to partake. No one needs
that spiritual preparation more than the priesthood holders who will officiate
in it. My young brethren, it is important that you sing the sacrament hymn.
Please do so.
The
Aaronic Priesthood holds the keys of the "gospel of repentance and of
baptism, and the remission of sins" (D&C 84:27). The cleansing power
of our Savior's Atonement is renewed for us as we partake of the sacrament. The
promise that we "may always have his Spirit to be with [us]" (D&C
20:77) is essential to our spirituality. The ordinances of the Aaronic
Priesthood are vital to all of this. I testify that this is true, and I pray
that our brethren of the Aaronic Priesthood will understand the importance of
their sacred responsibilities and act worthily in them, in the name of Jesus
Christ, amen.
Discussed the Spirit World for a few minutes,
see the web site on the spirit world.
2
Purposes of the Spirit World
1.
Working
with the dead – missionary work. D&C
138
2.
Working with the living – ministering
angels. D&C 7:6, 129, 130:5
Also, Joseph Smith’s talk at the funeral of
James Adams HC 6:50-52
The Prophet's Remarks on the Demise of James Adams
All
men know that they must die. And it is important that we should understand the
reasons and causes of our exposure to the vicissitudes of life and of death,
and the designs and purposes of God in our coming into the world, our
sufferings here, and our departure hence. What is the object of our coming into
existence, then dying and falling away, to be here no more? It is but
reasonable to suppose that God would reveal something in reference to the
matter, and it is a subject we ought to study more than any other. We ought to
study it day and night, for the world is ignorant in reference to their true
condition and relation. If we have any claim on our Heavenly Father for
anything, it is for knowledge on this important subject. Could we read and
comprehend all that has been written from the days of Adam, on the relation of man
to God and angels in a future state, we should know very little about it.
Reading the experience of others, or the revelation given to them, can
never give us a comprehensive view of our condition and true relation to
God. Knowledge of these things can only be obtained by experience through the
ordinances of God set forth for that purpose. Could you gaze into heaven five
minutes, you would know more than you would by reading all that ever was
written on the subject.
We
are only capable of comprehending that certain things exist, which we may
acquire by certain fixed principles. If men would acquire salvation, they have
got to be subject, before they leave this world, to certain rules and
principles, which were fixed by an unalterable decree before the world was.
The
disappointment of hopes and expectations at the resurrection would be
indescribably dreadful.
The
organization of the spiritual and heavenly worlds, and of spiritual and
heavenly beings, was agreeable to the most perfect order and harmony: their
limits and bounds were fixed irrevocably, and voluntarily subscribed to in
their heavenly estate by themselves, and were by our first parents subscribed
to upon the earth. Hence the importance of embracing and subscribing to
principles of eternal truth by all men upon the earth that expect eternal life.
I
assure the Saints that truth, in reference to these matters, can and may be
known through the revelations of God in the way of His ordinances, and in
answer to prayer. The
Spirits
can only be revealed in flaming fire or glory. Angels have advanced further,
their light and glory being tabernacled; and hence they appear in bodily shape.
The spirits of just men are made ministering servants to those who are sealed
unto life eternal, and it is through them that the sealing power comes down.
Patriarch
Concerning
Brother James Adams, it should appear strange that so good and so great a man
was hated. The deceased ought never to have had an enemy. But so it was.
Wherever light shone, it stirred up darkness. Truth and error, good and evil
cannot be reconciled. Judge Adams had some enemies, but such a man ought not to
have had one. I saw him first at
Flesh
and blood cannot go there; but flesh and bones, quickened by the Spirit of God,
can.
If
we would be sober and watch in fasting and prayer, God would turn away sickness
from our midst.
Hasten
the work in the
Such
is a faint outline of the discourse of President Joseph Smith, which was
delivered with his usual feeling and pathos, and was listened to with the most
profound and eager attention by the multitude, who hung upon his instructions,
anxious to learn and pursue the path of eternal life.
After
singing by the choir, and prayer by the President, Conference adjourned sine
die, with the benediction of the President.
Joseph
Smith, President.
Gustavus
Hills, Clerk.
(Joseph Smith, History of The Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 7 vols., introduction and notes by B. H.
Roberts [Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,
1932-1951], 6: 50.)
Gift of the Holy Ghost and the
Baptism of Fire 3 Nephi 12:1-2
1.
Fire
– Cleansing of the individual of sin
2.
Holy
Ghost – Spiritual rebirth through the ordinances of the gospel.
(3 Nephi 12:1-2.)
1 And it came to pass that when Jesus had spoken these words unto
Nephi, and to those who had been called, (now the number of them who had been
called, and received power and authority to baptize, was twelve) and behold, he
stretched forth his hand unto the multitude, and cried unto them, saying:
Blessed are ye if ye shall give heed unto the words of these twelve whom I have
chosen from among you to minister unto you, and to be your servants; and unto
them I have given power that they may baptize you with water; and after that ye
are baptized with water, behold, I will baptize you with fire and with the Holy
Ghost; therefore blessed are ye if ye shall believe in me and be baptized,
after that ye have seen me and know that I am.
2 And again, more blessed are they who shall believe in your words
because that ye shall testify that ye have seen me, and that ye know that I am.
Yea, blessed are they who shall believe in your words, and come down into the
depths of humility and be baptized, for they shall be visited with fire and
with the Holy Ghost, and shall receive a remission of their sins.
Look at Bro Satterfield’s web page, the
quotes on the 1st Principles & Ordinances of the Gospel.
Joseph Smith
Being born again comes by the Spirit of God through
ordinances. (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p.162)
Marion G. Romney
One is born again by actually receiving and experiencing the
light and power inherent in the gift of the Holy Ghost. (Conference Report,
Apr. 1977, 61; or Ensign, May 1977, 44)
Joseph Fielding Smith – Doctrines of
Salvation vol. 2:322-328.
Baptism and Salvation
Baptism: A Birth and Resurrection
BAPTISM
IN OLD TESTAMENT TIMES. Baptism dates from the fall. Without modern revelation
this truth would have remained hidden from the world. The plan of salvation was
declared before the foundation of the world was laid. God is unchangeable. The
word of the Lord to Joseph Smith and through him, has cleared this doctrine and
established it. I believe there are passages in the Old Testament that we might
term as having reference to baptism, although they are very indistinct, and
without modern revelation we would not know it. Baptism is a Greek word, not a
Hebrew word. The Jews had a font in the temple upon 12 oxen, and there are
places where the word washing appears.
WHY
BAPTISM MUST BE BY IMMERSION. The mode of baptism is by immersion in water.
Sprinkling or pouring did not come into vogue until two or three centuries
after Christ, and such a practice was not universal until about the 13th
century A.D. We have to go into history to find these particulars. Baptism
cannot be by any other means than immersion of the entire body in water, for
the following reasons:
1. It is in the
similitude of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and of all
others who have received the resurrection.
2. Baptism is also a
birth and is performed in the similitude of the birth of a child into this
world.
3. Baptism is not only a
figure of the resurrection, but also is literally a transplanting or
resurrection from one life to another-from the life of sin to the life of
spiritual life.
I
want to take up the second reason: Baptism is also a birth and is performed in
the similitude of the birth of a child into this world. When this earth was
created, it came into existence the same way. (I am not speaking
scientifically, and yet scientific doctrine tells us the same thing.) This
earth was born in water. Before the land appeared the whole sphere was covered
with water.
BIRTH
COMES BY WATER, BLOOD, AND SPIRIT. In the Book of Moses we read:
"Therefore I give unto you a commandment, to teach these things freely
unto your children, saying: That by reason of transgression cometh the fall,
which fall bringeth death, and inasmuch as ye were born into the world by
water, and blood, and the spirit, which I have made, and so became of dust a
living soul, even so ye must be born again into the kingdom of heaven, of
water, and of the Spirit, and be cleansed by blood, even the blood of mine Only
Begotten; that ye might be sanctified from all sin, and enjoy the words of
eternal life in this world, and eternal life in the world to come, even
immortal glory; For by the water ye keep the commandment; by the Spirit ye are
justified, and by the blood ye are sanctified."
That
is one of the finest passages I know, and we find practically the same thing
recorded by John.
SAME
ELEMENTS PRESENT IN FIRST AND SECOND BIRTHS. Every child that comes into this world
is carried in water, is born of water, and of blood, and of the spirit, so when
we are born into the
I
have heard some of our young elders preaching on baptism say that the Lord
could have brought to pass the remission of sins in some other way. They
reasoned he could have done it by sprinkling, or in this way or that way. The
Lord could not consistently do it any other way, only by being buried in the
water, born of water and of the spirit, and cleansed by the blood of Christ,
just as a child is born into this world of water, blood, and spirit. The
comparison is very striking.
BAPTISM:
A RESURRECTION TO LIFE. Coming now to the third reason: Baptism is not only a
figure of the resurrection, but also is literally a transplanting or
resurrection from one life to another-from the life of sin to the life of
spiritual life. For proof of that, I am going to read first something the Lord
said to Joseph Smith.
"Wherefore,
I, the Lord God, caused that he [Adam] should be cast out from the Garden of
Eden, from my presence, because of his transgression, wherein he became
spiritually dead, which is the first death, even that same death which is the
last death, which is spiritual, which shall be pronounced upon the wicked when
I shall say: Depart, ye cursed."
Here
we have two conditions, spiritual life and spiritual death. The condition of
Adam in the Garden of Eden was spiritual life. He was in the presence of God.
Through his transgression, he was banished into spiritual death-a new life
entirely. He was no longer in the presence of God. He was shut out, separated,
a veil drawn between him, and the Lord.
Adam,
after the fall, was in spiritual death, and not only Adam but every man and woman
upon the face of the earth who is accountable before God, We will not consider
the last death more than to say it is also banishment from the presence of God.
"But,
behold, I say unto you that I, the Lord God, gave unto Adam and unto his seed,
that they should not die as to the temporal death, until I, the Lord God,
should send forth angels to declare unto them repentance and redemption,
through faith on the name of mine Only Begotten Son. And thus did I, the Lord
God, appoint unto man the days of his probation-that by his natural death he
might be raised in immortality unto eternal life, even as many as would
believe; And they that believe not unto eternal damnation; for they cannot be
redeemed from their spiritual fall, because they repent not."
We
find Adam, then, in spiritual death, and all his posterity, excepting little
children. All men and women need repentance. Death is banishment. They are in
spiritual death. How are they going to get back? By being buried in the water.
They are dead and are buried in the water and come forth in the resurrection of
the Spirit back into spiritual life. That is what baptism is.
WHY
BAPTISM REMITS FUTURE SINS. I have heard some of our young men, and some not so
young, when talking on baptism, say they do not know why it is, since baptism
is for the remission of sins, that a man does not have to be baptized every
time he commits a sin. Do you see the reason? As long as a man sins and stays
within spiritual life, he is alive; he can repent and be forgiven. He does not
need to be baptized to be brought back to where he already is, But there are
sins, John says, "unto death," and if a man commits a sin unto death,
he is banished again and comes back into spiritual death.
Through
this kind of transgression he loses the effect of baptism and is banished into
spiritual death. When a man commits a sin unto death, he is banished from
spiritual life. The shedding of innocent blood is one such sin and blasphemy
against the Holy Ghost another. The enemies of the Prophet Joseph Smith carried
him off to
If
a man sins unto death, he goes back again to spiritual death, but as long as he
stays within spiritual life, he does not have to be baptized again.
DEATH
TO SIN BRINGS RESURRECTION TO LIFE. Paul had that very clearly in mind. He says,
in writing to the Romans: "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in
sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin,
live any longer therein? Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into
Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
"Therefore
we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up
from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in
newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his
death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: Knowing this, that
our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed,
that henceforth we should not serve sin."
Paul
is speaking to members of the Church. We are dead to sin because we have left
it. Banishment works one way as well as the other. In other words, when we are
in spiritual life (or in the Church or in the
HOW
SAINTS ARE IN PRESENCE OF GOD. We are back in the presence of God. The
question might naturally be raised: How do we come back into the presence of
God if we do not see him? We do not see him now, but are we not in his presence
when we have the gift of the Holy Ghost, one of the members of the Godhead, to
lead and direct us in righteousness? We are back in his presence, if we keep
the commandments and do not longer live in sin; then we are in spiritual life.
That is an important thing in connection with baptism not generally understood.
HOW BAPTISM BRINGS
SALVATION
NATURE
OF COVENANT OF BAPTISM. Every person baptized into this Church has made a
covenant with the Lord to keep his commandments. We are to serve the Lord with
all the heart, and all the mind, and all the strength that we have, and that
too in the name of Jesus Christ. Everything that we do should be done in the
name of Jesus Christ.
In
the waters of baptism, we covenanted that we would keep these commandments;
that we would serve the Lord; that we would keep this first and greatest of all
commandments, and love the Lord our God; that we would keep the next great
commandment, we would love our neighbor as ourselves; and with all the might
that we have, with all the strength, with all our hearts, we would prove to him
that we would "live by every word that proceedeth forth from the mouth of
God"; that we would be obedient and humble, diligent in his service,
willing to obey, to hearken to the counsels of those who preside over us and do
all things with an eye single to the glory of God.
We
should not forget these things, for this commandment is binding upon us as
members of the Church.
OBLIGATION
TO KEEP COVENANT OF BAPTISM. Every soul baptized, truly baptized, has humbled
himself; his heart is broken; his spirit is contrite; he has made a covenant
before God that he will keep his commandments, and he has forsaken all his
sins. Then after he gets into the Church, is it his privilege to sin after he
is in? Can he let down? Can he indulge in some of the things which the Lord has
said he should avoid? No, it is just as necessary that he have that contrite spirit
that broken heart, after he is baptized as it is before.
It
seems to me to be so clear that the ordinances of the gospel are for those who
are entitled to enter the celestial kingdom, based on obedience to the
principles of the gospel, that there should be no question about it.
Why
should he say what he has said of those who enter the telestial kingdom:
"And they shall be servants of the Most High; but where God and Christ
dwell they cannot come, worlds without end"?
Why
did he say: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, except ye abide my law ye
cannot attain to this glory.
For
strait is the gate, and narrow the way that leadeth unto the exaltation and
continuation of the lives, and few there be that find it, because ye receive me
not in the world neither do ye know me. . . Broad is the gate, and wide the way
that leadeth to the deaths; and many there are that go in thereat, because they
received me not, neither do they abide in my law"?
How
can we explain this: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, they who believe not
on your words, and are not baptized in water in my name, for the remission of
their sins, that they may receive the Holy Ghost, shall be damned, and shall
not come into my Father's kingdom where my Father and I am. And this revelation
unto you, and commandment, is in force from this very hour upon all the world,
and the gospel is unto all who have not received it"?
And,
again, this: "And he that endureth not unto the end, the same is he that
is also hewn down and cast into the fire, from whence they can no more return,
because of the justice of the Father"?
We
know that the great majority of men will be barred from the celestial kingdom
forever. If this is not so, then the word of the Lord must be revised.
BAPTISM
SAVES MEN FROM LOWER KINGDOMS. The First Presidency have said in answer to
a similar question: "We know of no ordinances pertaining to the
terrestrial or the telestial kingdom. All of the ordinances of the gospel are
given for the salvation of men in the celestial kingdom and pertain unto that
kingdom."
The
Lord has said positively that those who reject the gospel shall be
"damned." Baptism and obedience are to save them from damnation. If
we are to be baptized for all who are dead without regard to the glory which
they receive, then logically we must say that they are not to be damned, and
such a thing is a contradiction of the word of the Lord.
This
doctrine, that baptism is to be required of all men, is doing a great deal of
harm in that it tends to encourage men in the procrastination of their
repentance and holds out to them the false hope that they shall eventually,
notwithstanding their unfaithfulness and disobedience, receive the blessings of
the celestial
REPENTANCE
MUST PRECEDE BAPTISM.
Consider the instruction the Lord gave to candidates for baptism, Doctrine and
Covenants, section 20, verse 37. Did he not mean it? I read in this verse that
the candidate should have a broken heart, and a contrite spirit, and give
witness before the Church that he has truly repented of all his sins and that
he has a determination to serve the Lord to the end.
I
ask, how can a man do all of this and still be addicted to tobacco or liquor?
How can he do it if he is living in violation of any other commandment?
Again:
"And we know that all men must repent and believe on the name of Jesus
Christ, and worship the Father in his name, and endure in faith on his name to
the end, or they cannot be saved in the kingdom of God."
Again:
"And he commandeth all men that they must repent, and be baptized in his
name, having perfect faith in the Holy One of Israel, or they cannot be saved
in the
“And
no unclean thing can enter into his kingdom; therefore nothing entereth into
his rest save it be those who have washed their garments in my blood, because
of their faith, and the repentance of all their sins, and their faithfulness
unto the end.” How can a man obtain the remission of all his sins, if he has
not repented of all his sins? The trouble with many of us is that we do not
take the word of the Lord seriously; we do not think he means what he says.
REPENTANCE
REMOVES SCAR OF SIN.
It appears to me the most extreme folly to believe, much less to teach, that
the atonement of Jesus Christ merely paved the way for the remission and
forgiveness of the sins of those who truly repent; and after one has truly
repented and been baptized, he still must pay the price to some extent for his
transgressions. This means that the man has not been truly forgiven, but is
placed on probation with a penalty attached. This idea, which has so often been
taught by saying that the holes remain after the nails are withdrawn, is a
false doctrine when applied to the atonement for the truly repentant sinner.
Moses
6:50-68;
D.
& C. 20:21-28; 22:1-4.
1
Kings 7:23-26, 39, 44; 2 Chron. 4:2-6; Psalm 51:7; Isa. 1:16; 48:1; 1 Ne. 20:1;
Acts 22:16; Titus 3:5; Zech. 9:11.
Moses
6:58-60.
1
John 5:3-9.
D.
& C. 29:41-44.
1
John 4:14-15;
Church
News,
Mosiah
18:8-13.
D.
& C. 59:5-7; Deut. 6:4-5;
D.
& C. 84:44; 98:11; Deut. 8:3; Matt. 4:4.
Conf.
Rep., Apr., 1940, P. 95.
Conf.
Rep., Oct., 1950, p. 12; D. & C. 20:37.
John
3:3-5.
Mark
D.
& C. 76:112.
D.
& C. 132:21, 25; Matt. 7:13-14; 3 Ne. 14:13-14; 27:33.
D.
& C. 84:74-75.
3
Ne. 27:17.
D.
& C. 76:71-112; 88:22-24; 132:16-17.
D.
& C. 20:29.
2
Ne. 9:23.
3
Ne. 27:19.
Pers.
Corresp.; D. & C. 19:4, 15-19; Alma 7:14: Acts 22:14-16; 1 Pet. 2:24; Isa.
53:5.
(Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of
Salvation, 3 vols., edited by Bruce R. McConkie [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft,
1954-1956], 2: 323.)
How do I maintain that feeling of being clean? Retain a remission of their sins.
Romans 1:28, Mosiah 4:12, 26,
(Mosiah 4:12, 26.)
12 And behold, I say unto you that
if ye do this ye shall always rejoice, and be filled with the love of God, and
always retain a remission of your sins; and ye shall grow in the knowledge of
the glory of him that created you, or in the knowledge of that which is just
and true.
26 And now, for the sake of these
things which I have spoken unto you—that is, for the sake of retaining a
remission of your sins from day to day, that ye may walk guiltless before God—I
would that ye should impart of your substance to the poor, every man according
to that which he hath, such as feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, visiting
the sick and administering to their relief, both spiritually and temporally,
according to their wants.
Always
retain a remission of your sins] Those who return to their sins are as a dog
turned to its vomit or as the sow that was washed returning to wallow in the
mire (see 2 Peter 2:22). One cannot return to sin and profess to have repented
of it (D&C 82:7). To repent is to abandon sin, not just to sin less
frequently. Through the waters of baptism and the sanctifying power of the Holy
Ghost we can receive a remission of sins. We retain that remission of sins by
faithful observance of covenants we have made with God and through Christlike
service to those in need.
(Joseph Fielding McConkie and Robert L.
Millet, Doctrinal Commentary on the Book of Mormon, 4 vols. [Salt Lake
City: Bookcraft, 1987-1992], 2: 162.)
In
this postbaptism stage of spiritual development, one's best efforts-further
works-are required to "endure to the end" (2 Ne. 31:20). These
efforts include obeying the Lord's commandments and receiving the higher
ordinances performed in the temples, and continuing a repentance process as
needed "to retain a remission of your sins" (Mosiah 4:12).
(Encyclopedia of Mormonism, 1-4 vols.,
edited by Daniel H. Ludlow (New York: Macmillan, 1992), 562.)
Retaining a Remission
of Sins
The
divine doctrine of justification may be divided into two programs: (1) the
program by which man may initially obtain a remission of sins, and (2)
the program by which he may thereafter retain a remission of sins. It is
one thing to obtain a remission of sins as man obeys the ordinances of the
gospel. But to receive an official acquittal of sins by baptism does not mean
that he is then perfect, or that he will thereafter obey the law of God to
perfection. It is therefore necessary for one who is baptized to be able to retain
a remission of sins from day to day as he grows in grace and in the knowledge
of the truth.
Man's
need to retain a remission of sins after accepting the gospel comes from the
weakness of his mortal nature in this fallen state. The plan of life and salvation
is designed so that man must rely continually in faith upon Jesus Christ until
he is perfected in Christ, fn and glorified in Christ. fn "I give unto men
weakness that they may be humble," the Lord explained, "and my
grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me." fn
Having lamented the weakness of his flesh, Nephi thus qualified:
"Nevertheless, I know in whom I have trusted. My God hath been my
support." fn
In
order for one who has embraced the gospel to retain a remission of his sins as
he struggles upward against the power of the fall and the influence of the
world, he must exemplify Christ in his dedication to divine truth. As he
applies the blessings of the gospel in his life, he must live outside of
himself in love and service to others. The Prophet stated: "To be justified
before God we must love one another: we must overcome evil; we must visit
the fatherless and the widow in their affliction, and we must keep ourselves
unspotted from the world." fn In a more elaborate statement, King Benjamin
explained to his people the requirements associated with this phase of the
gospel, after they had taken upon themselves the name of Christ. He said:
.
. . as ye have come to the knowledge of the glory of God, or if ye have known
of his goodness and have tasted of his love, and have received a remission of
your sins, which causeth such exceeding great joy in your souls, even so I
would that ye should remember, and always retain in remembrance, the greatness
of God, and your own nothingness, and his goodness and long-suffering towards
you, unworthy creatures, and humble yourselves even in the depths of humility,
calling on the name of the Lord daily, and standing steadfastly in the faith. .
. .
And
behold, I say unto you that if ye do this ye shall always rejoice, and be
filled with the love of God, and always retain a remission of your sins; and
ye shall grow in the knowledge of the glory of him that created you, or in the
knowledge of that which is just and true.
And
ye will not have a mind to injure one another, but to live peaceably, and to
render to every man according to that which is his due.
And
ye will not suffer your children that they go hungry, or naked; neither will ye
suffer that they transgress the laws of God, and fight and quarrel one with
another, and serve the devil, who is the master of sin. . . .
But
ye will teach them to walk in the ways of truth and soberness; ye will teach
them to love one another, and to serve one another.
And
also, ye yourselves will succor those that stand in need of your succor; ye
will administer of your substance unto him that standeth in need; and ye will
not suffer that the beggar putteth up his petition to you in vain, and turn him
out to perish. . . .
And
now, for the sake of these things which I have spoken unto you—that is, for
the sake of retaining a remission of your sins from day to day, that ye may
walk guiltless before God—I would that ye should impart of your substance
to the poor, every man according to that which he hath, such as feeding the
hungry, clothing the naked, visiting the sick and administering to their
relief, both spiritually and temporally, according to their wants. fn
(Hyrum L. Andrus, Principles of Perfection
[Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1970], 192.)
2 parts of Baptism: Water and Fire – Spiritual Life. Experience a change of Heart.
Once you repent, don’t go back, former sins
return!! D&C 82:7, Mosiah 4:26.
The
broken heart and contrite spirit that are the requirements for forgiveness are
also its fruits. The very humility that is the sign of having been forgiven is
protection against future sin. And it is by avoiding future sin that we retain
a remission of the sins of the past.
(Henry B. Eyring, To Draw Closer to God: A
Collection of Discourses [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1997],.)
Secrets of Maintaining a Spiritual Life
Sabbath Worship – Feasting upon the word of
Christ.
1.
Scripture
study – Pres. Benson The Power of the Word Apr. conf 1986
2.
Obey
Prophets
3.
Holy
Ghost -
Ministry of Angels
Christ’s Ministry in 3rd Nephi
3 Nephi 17:1-3 - The people don’t understand
Christ’s teaching so far.
(3 Nephi 17:1-3.)
1 Behold, now it came to pass that when Jesus had spoken these
words he looked round about again on the multitude, and he said unto them:
Behold, my time is at hand.
2 I perceive that ye are weak, that ye cannot understand all my
words which I am commanded of the Father to speak unto you at this time.
3 Therefore, go ye unto your homes, and ponder upon the things
which I have said, and ask of the Father, in my name, that ye may understand,
and prepare your minds for the morrow, and I come unto you again.
3 Nephi
(3 Nephi 17:13-14.)
13 And it came to pass that when they had all been brought, and
Jesus stood in the midst, he commanded the multitude that they should kneel
down upon the ground.
14 And it came to pass that when they had knelt upon the ground,
Jesus groaned within himself, and said: Father, I am troubled because of the
wickedness of the people of the house of Israel.
3 Nephi 18:1-30 – Breakdown of this chapter
Verses 7-11- The Sacrament, always remember
Him>>>the blessing I get is the Gift of the Holy Ghost. Do we remember Christ throughout the
week? Watch and pray always.
Vs. 21 - Pray in your families
Vs. 24 - Service to others, King Benjamin’s
address. Light unto the world, his light
– Doing!!
Vs. 26 – Christ turns to the 12 for personal
instruction concerning the sacrament and church attendance.
3 Nephi 19:1-3 – Share the message with
others. Serving others helps us.
Vs. 8-9 – The greatest gift they most desired
was the Gift of the Holy Ghost. The
reason was so they could understand the Lord’s teachings!!
Vs. 10-12 – Nephi’s baptism along with
everyone else
Vs. 13-14 – The Holy Ghost with ministering
angels again!
Vs. 18, 22 – Christ represents the Father in
this case.
Vs. 19-24 – Christ prays to the Father, the
people pray to Him. He thanks Father for
giving the people the Holy Ghost.
Vs. 25 – Filled with desire, they came to the
tree of life (Christ). The whiteness,
Lehi
Vs. 29 – Christ prays for us. Who knows us best? The Atonement
Vs. 33-36 – They understood. They are now purified, sanctified, one with
Christ. The miracle of verse 35 was they
being clean. The Jews in Christ’s mortal
mission couldn’t get to this level because of their unbelief. Verse 36 shows the need for the Holy Ghost.
THEOPHANY
(3 Nephi 17-19)
Catherine Thomas
Only
after 1830 could one who sought God turn to a book to read about the true
nature and post-resurrection ministry of the living, corporeal, resurrected Son
of God. But when Joseph Smith entered the grove in 1820, the world had lain
more than 1,600 years in ignorance of the nature of God. About A.D. 180
Irenaeus, Bishop of Lyons, France, wrote: "The Father of all is at a vast
distance from those affections and passions which operate among men. He is a
simple, uncompounded Being, without diverse members, and altogether like, and
equal to Himself, since He is wholly understanding, and wholly spirit, and
wholly thought, and wholly intelligence, and wholly reason, and wholly hearing,
and wholly seeing, and wholly light, and the whole source of all that is
good." fn
A
few years after Irenaeus, Origen (ca. A.D. 230), a church scholar, described
the Father and the Son: "Setting aside all thought of a material body, we
say that [Christ] was begotten of the invisible and incorporeal God apart from
any bodily feeling, like an act of will proceeding from the mind." fn Much
of the Christian world today repeats creeds that describe a passionless,
bodiless God.
The
Prophet Joseph had seen more truth in a short interview with the Father and the
Son than centuries of theological sophistry could discover. Further truths
concerning the nature of God poured into our dark world through the pages of 3
Nephi. Joseph Smith remarked near the end of his life: "If men do not
comprehend the character of God, they do not comprehend themselves." fn We
will examine here several insights from 3 Nephi 17-19 that pertain to the
divine nature and its implications for man.
The First Day: God
Revealed As a Man
One
of the first doctrines to disappear when apostasy conceives in the hearts of
mortals is the fact that God is a glorified man. When people repress that
doctrine, they forget who they really are and what they may become (cf. the
Zoramites, Alma 31:15). One of the first things Joseph Smith learned as the
Lord undertook to educate him was that he was created in the literal image of
the Father and the Son. Many express outrage at this doctrine, believing that
it diminishes God and at the same time presumptuously exalts man. But Joseph
Smith did not invent the idea. The Bible plainly speaks of man's creation in
the image of God (Gen. 1:26-27); Jacob saw God face to face (Gen. 32:30); God
has feet (Ex. 24:10); he has a finger (Ex. 31:18); Moses saw his face (Ex.
33:11) and his back parts (Ex. 33:23) and spoke to God mouth to mouth (Num.
12:8). The "eyes of the Lord" and the "ears of the Lord"
occur frequently in the Prophets and in Psalms. In Genesis God walks about in
the garden. (Genesis 3:8.)
As
apostasy progressed in the intertestamental period, as well as in the post-New
Testament period, many theologians found the idea that God has a body and
emotions to be an embarrassment. fn In spite of the fact that both the Old and
New Testaments abound in expressions of God's love, joy, sadness, pity, and
compassion, theologians of the third and fourth centuries A.D. preferred to
envision God as impassible. R. M. Grant writes: "From the writings of
early Christians after New Testament times we can discover relatively few
references to God's love, though a few writers provide exceptions. In general
the themes which were first developed were those related to God's transcendence
and his relation to the cosmos." fn Hilary of Poitiers (ca. A.D. 350)
declared that Christ felt the assault of suffering but not the pain of
suffering; it was as if a weapon were to pierce water or fire or air. He
allowed that Christ did display thirst and sorrow and hunger, but only for the
sake of others, not to satisfy his own needs. fn Origen and other fathers
avoided the themes of Christ's physical suffering in
With
the sweet refreshment of simple truth, 3 Nephi described the appearance of the
resurrected Christ: From heaven a Man descended clothed in a white robe. He
declared he was the Christ and invited the people to confirm that by coming
forward and thrusting their hands into his side and feeling the prints of the
nails. (3 Ne. 11:14.) Twenty-five hundred people (3 Ne. 17:25), one by one, saw
with their eyes, felt with their hands, and bore record that it was indeed
Christ (3 Ne. 11:15). fn Each person saw and felt the tangible body of the
resurrected Christ. The Apostle John declared: "Every spirit that
confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: and every spirit
that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and
this is that spirit of antichrist." (1 Jn. 4:2-3.)
God's Response to
Man's Desire
As
it grew late in the first day of the Savior's visit, and he had finished the
teaching tasks of that day, he looked round on the people and declared:
"Behold, my time is at hand." (3 Ne. 17:1.) "Go ye unto your
homes, and ponder upon the things which I have said, and ask of the Father, in
my name, that ye may understand, and prepare your minds fn for the morrow, and
I come unto you again. But now I go unto the Father and . . . unto the lost
tribes of
Earlier
the Lord taught them: "Blessed are all they who do hunger and thirst after
righteousness, for they shall be filled with the Holy Ghost." (3 Ne.
12:6.) They were not satisfied; they were hungry. They yearned for him. His
intent was to go to the bosom of his Father and to visit the Lost Tribes, but
the Nephites' desire prevailed with him. He invited them to bring their sick.
As many as could crowd near him kissed his feet and bathed them with their
tears. (3 Ne. 17:10.) He was compelled by their longing for him. They brought
all their children. Then Jesus commanded the multitude to kneel. Groaning
"within himself," he prayed; he was standing: "Father, I am
troubled because of the wickedness of the people of the house of
Rendering
comfort, relief, and healing knowledge belong to eternity. The whole host of
heaven serves the cause of the healing and exaltation of God's children. Such
simple virtues will continue into the eternities. Whatever Christ models for us
is designed to endure in us. Whatever he teaches us he himself practices.
Jesus, even though master of all, is servant of all. (Matt. 20:27.)
Bread of Life and the
Mind of Christ
The
Savior's next act was to institute the sacrament. (3 Ne. 18.) The Nephites
ascended in their divine experience. They had witnessed outward manifestations
of the Holy Ghost; now Jesus showed them how they could realize the promise of
being inwardly filled in their hunger for the divine presence. He blessed bread
and wine and instructed them to eat.
The
Lord uses the image of "eating," whether fruit or bread or fish or
living water, to provide a tangible symbol of obtaining a higher spiritual
life, as though one could "eat" to replace one's old self with new
cells of more dynamic and gifted life. Adam and Eve ate a new way of life (Gen.
3); the ancient Israelites ate the elements of the Passover and were delivered
from spiritual and physical death (Ex. 12); they lived by the manna from heaven
in the wilderness (Ex. 16); Lehi ate the fruit of the tree of Christ's love (1
Ne. 8); Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and John ate the words of Christ (Jer. 15:16; Ezek.
3:1; Rev. 10:10); Jesus bade the squeamish Jews to live by eating his flesh and
blood (John 6:48-58). In each case, the people "ingested" the Holy
Ghost, or obtained access to blessings through Christ. (1 Cor. 2:16.) The scripture records that the disciples
and multitude were filled. (3 Ne. 18:4-5.) They were not only physically
satisfied from an abundance of food, but also with what bread and wine
represent: the spirit and body of Christ through the atonement. (3 Ne. 18:7.)
Their physical satisfaction served as a device to teach spiritual satisfaction.
In the sacrament covenant we promise to keep the commandments in exchange for
the power to keep the commandments. We eat the emblems of the atonement to
receive the spirit, the power, and the mind of Christ. The sacrament is not
optional; it is the ordinance that unlocks the flow of the Holy Ghost and
provides progression along the path of light and fulness.
True Prayer
True prayer is
characterized by the presence of the Holy Ghost; that is, the Holy Ghost shows
us what we may ask for and what we may obtain power to do: "Wherefore . .
. feast upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will tell you
all things what ye should do. . . . It [the Holy Ghost] will show unto you all
things what ye should do." (2 Ne. 32:3, 5.) The words of Christ come not
only from the scripture, but through the Holy Ghost as well.
Now that the multitude
had eaten the sacrament, they were prepared to receive the mind of Christ
through prayer. He is the light; he has set the example in prayer. (3 Ne.
18:16.) If we do not pray, we are in danger, because without the influence of
Christ, we will absorb the influence of Satan. (3 Ne. 18:15, 18.) The Lord
taught specifics:
1.
(V. 19.) We pray to the Father of our spirits in the name of Christ, who is the
Father of our spiritual rebirth. Our first Father holds the power of exaltation
(Matt. 20:23; 3 Ne. 27:14-16); our second Father, Christ, holds the power of
our spiritual rebirth on the path to our exaltation.
2.
(V. 20.) (a) Ask aright, (b) believe, (c) receive: Prayer is labor in
the spirit. Casually done, it has no power. We strain upward in spirit to grasp
the answers we seek. We live for the Holy Ghost so that when we pray, we know
what to ask for. Having power in the Holy Ghost, we have assurance that what we
pray for will be granted. We believe, that is, we envision the realized
blessing and actively receive it. "Believing," as it is used in the
scriptures, signifies powerful confidence born of personal righteousness. (Hel.
14:13.)
3.
(Vv. 21-23.) We learn that we may draw down the blessings of heaven on our
loved ones, on the community of Saints, and on those who come to investigate.
Prayer is not optional. We simply cannot move forward on the path of light
without the Holy Ghost to illuminate the way.
The
light that we must hold up, that must not be veiled in bushels of sin, fear, or
pride, is the spirit of Christ that springs in us: "Behold I am the light
which ye shall hold up—that which ye have seen me do." (3 Ne. 18:24.) We
hold up, not the darkness of our own wills, but the light and love of God as
Jesus demonstrated. He calls us to his works—not only sacrament, baptism, and
so on, but also mighty miracles.
The
image of holding up a light suggests that we hold up Christ's light in a dark
world so those who are lost may come and have refuge in Jesus. Christ has given
all in total consecration to the cause of saving God's children. We are to do
the same in giving ourselves physically ("that ye might feel and see"
[3 Ne. 18:25]) as well as spiritually, standing always behind his will rather
than trotting ours out to the fore, being blind guides. (D&C 19:38-41.) For
us to give less than all is by definition temptation and sin. (3 Ne. 18:25.) In
fact, the implication is that if we do not actively and with full purpose of
heart pursue the dissemination of Christ's light, we will find ourselves at
cross purposes with God's will. Consecration saves us from ourselves.
Though
we pray for and nurture those who live at the fringes of gospel commitment, the
sacrament is reserved only for those in full fellowship. An unworthy person who
takes the sacrament enters into spiritual chaos. If dangerous to the flock, the
person shall not be numbered among them; that is, he or she may not be kept on
the records of the church. But our responsibility to minister to the
person continues as long as he or she will be ministered to. We never give up
on someone lest Christ should "heal" the person and we be the means
of bringing salvation to him or her. (3 Ne. 18:32.)
"And
now I go unto the Father, because it is expedient that I should go unto the
Father for your sakes." (3 Ne. 18:35.) The Lord made a similar statement
to his apostles in
The
Savior's last act on this first day was to give his twelve disciples power to
bestow the indispensable gift of the Holy Ghost (3 Ne. 18:36-37), that unseen
link with the spiritual world. A heavenly cloud veiled his ascension into
heaven.
The Second Day:
Transfiguration
Through
the night the people made known widely the fact that Jesus would return the
next day. At the appointed time, Nephi and the rest of the Twelve divided the
multitude into twelve groups; each disciple commenced teaching. After prayer,
they accurately repeated the very words that Jesus had spoken the day before.
(3 Ne. 19:8.) They prayed as Jesus had taught them, which was to pray for the
Holy Ghost. Then Nephi baptized the rest of the Twelve, who received the Holy
Ghost fn and the baptism of fire; angels returned to minister again. Jesus appeared
in the midst of this heavenly fire, and at his command his disciples began to
pray to him, calling him their Lord and God. (3 Ne. 19:18.) Jesus explained in
3 Nephi 19:22 that they prayed to him rather than the Father because Jesus was
with them. But the instruction under all other circumstances was to pray to the
Father in the name of Jesus Christ. (3 Ne. 19:7.) We want to ask what they
prayed to him. We cannot answer fully until we have experienced this kind of
prayer ourselves, because the experience is grasped in one's spirit. But one
thing we observe is that Jesus—even after his resurrection—continued to set the
example in prayer.
Jesus
thanked the Father for the giving of the Holy Ghost and prayed that all who
heard the words of his disciples would believe them. The Lord encircled them
with his love and righteousness, and they entered together into at-one-ment as
Jesus prayed for that state of oneness. (3 Ne. 19:23.) It was a joyful fruition
of his recent painful atonement.
It
is the possession of the fullness that brings people into oneness with each
other. As the Father has granted fullness to the Son, so a portion had been
granted through the Holy Ghost to the disciples.
Jesus
returned from prayer to find the disciples still praying: "It was given
unto them what they should pray, and they were filled with desire. And it came
pass that Jesus blessed them as they did pray unto him; and his countenance did
smile upon them, and the light of his countenance did shine upon them, and
behold they were as white as the countenance and also the garments of Jesus;
and behold the whiteness thereof did exceed all the whiteness, yea, even there
could be nothing upon earth so white as the whiteness thereof. And Jesus said
unto them: Pray on; nevertheless they did not cease to pray." (3 Ne.
19:24-26.)
The
Holy Ghost performs two of his functions in these passages: he fills those
praying with catalytic desire, and he burns out impurities and cleanses them.
In this process the disciples were transfigured, being empowered to endure the
presence of heavenly elements and beings without being wholly consumed.
(D&C 76:118.)
"Father,
I thank thee that thou hast purified those whom I have chosen, because of their
faith, and I pray for them, and also for them who shall believe on their words,
that they may be purified in me, through faith on their words, even as they are
purified in me." (3 Ne. 19:28.) We grasp here the meaning of the promise
to those disciples who believe the words of the Lord's apostles and prophets.
We too can experience this increasing purification and glory of the Lord. The
Holy Ghost performs this purification for our entrance into the Lord's
presence. We cannot cleanse ourselves. This process is initiated by our desire
and effort, but it is consummated by the power of the Lord. (D&C 88:74.)
"Father,
I pray not for the world, but for those whom thou hast given me out of the
world, because of their faith, that they may be purified in me, that I may be
in them as thou, Father, art in me, that we may be one, that I may be glorified
in them." (3 Ne. 19:29.) Jesus spoke of being glorified. As we
understand from D&C 93, glory is a manifestation related to light,
truth, and intelligence; that is, to fullness. The reception of the fullness
causes one to be glorified.
"When
Jesus had spoken these words he came again unto his disciples; and behold they
did pray steadfastly, without ceasing, unto him; and he did smile upon them
again; and behold they were white, even as Jesus." (3 Ne. 19:30.) What
does the shining, smiling face of God signify? The smile reflects the joy in
God's nature and his giving of that joy to his receptive children. Elder Melvin J. Ballard experienced that
divine smile:
As I entered the door,
I saw, seated on a raised platform, the most glorious Being my eyes have ever
beheld or that I ever conceived existed in all the eternal worlds. As I
approached to be introduced, he arose and stepped towards me with extended
arms, and he smiled as he softly spoke my name. If I shall live to be a million
years old, I shall never forget that smile. He took me into his arms and kissed
me, pressed me to his bosom, and blessed me, until the marrow of my bones
seemed to melt! When he had finished, I knelt at his feet, and, as I bathed
them with my tears and kisses, I saw the prints of the nails in the feet of the
Redeemer of the world. The feeling that I had in the presence of him who hath
all things in his hands, to have his love, his affection, and his blessing was
such that if I ever can receive that of which I had but a foretaste, I would
give all that I am, all that I ever hope to be, to feel what I then felt. fn
"The
multitude did hear and do bear record; and their hearts were open and they did
understand in their hearts the words which he prayed . . . [which] cannot be
written, neither can they be uttered by man." (3 Ne. 19:33.) God has
granted to many the right and power to communicate to others important things
pertaining to the mysteries of the kingdom (although even this information is
understood by the Holy Ghost). But there is reserved by God that knowledge
which is communicated only by God directly to the one whose heart is prepared.
This knowledge cannot be communicated to others. Joseph Smith wrote as he
viewed the mysteries and works of God: "Which [works and mysteries of God]
he commanded us we should not write while we were yet in the Spirit, and are
not lawful for man to utter; neither is man capable to make them known, for
they are only to be seen and understood by the power of the Holy Spirit, which
God bestows on those who love him, and purify themselves before him; to whom he
grants this privilege of seeing and knowing for themselves; that through the
power and manifestation of the Spirit, while in the flesh, they may be able to
bear his presence in the world of glory." (D&C 76:115-18.)
Conclusion
In
these chapters we observe how like God man is, how he is organized on the same
principles that God is, and how it is man's destiny to develop into a Godly
being. Through Christ, we learn that God is a man, that he has a tangible body;
we see that he is deeply sensitive, patient, loving, and responsive to the pure
desires of his children. He teaches us to study him and be as he is. We observe
that coming to the sacrament table hungry in spirit will prepare us to receive
the Holy Ghost and the mind of Christ. We begin to understand how intimate a
relationship he offers us. We learn that he stands ready to share his fullness
as fast as we can put aside the veil of fear and sin. We sense that a stronger
envisioning of the spiritual realities around us might draw us closer to a
face-to-face view.
Footnotes
1.
Catherine Thomas is a doctoral student in ancient history at
2.
''Adversus Haereses,'' 10.3. The Ante-Nicene Fathers (Grand Rapids:
Eerdmans, 1885).
3.
''De Principiis,'' 4.4.1, in G. W. Butterworth, ed., Origen: On First
Principles (New York: Harper & Row, 1966), pp. 313-14.
4.
King Follett Discourse (Willard Richards's account) in The Words of Joseph
Smith, Andrew F. Ehat and Lyndon W. Cook eds. (Provo, Utah: Religious
Studies Center, 1981), p. 340.
5.
Edwin Hatch, The Influence of Greek Ideas and Usages upon the Christian
Church (London: Williams and Norgate, 1914), p. 69; for anthropomorphisms
in the Old Testament, see Cecil Roth, ''Anthropomorphism,'' Encyclopaedia
Judaica, vol. 3 (Jerusalem: Keter Publishing House, 1972), p. 53.
6.
Robert M. Grant, The Early Christian Doctrine of God (Charlottesville:
Univ. Press of Virginia, 1966), pp. 4-5.
7.
De Trinitas, 10-23.
8.
J. N. D. Kelly, Early Christian Doctrines, rev. ed. (San Franciso:
Harper & Row, 1978), p. 165.
9.
The image of 2,500 people going forth one by one arrests our attention. Even if
each person had only ten seconds to touch the Lord's body, that adds up to
nearly seven hours that he stood patiently and graciously allowed this
examination.
10.
The Lord reminded us of the place our agency has in our receiving spiritual
growth and blessing. We may understand spiritual experience too passively, waiting
for something to happen to us. Perhaps we wait too patiently for the arrival of
the spiritual blessings we need. We may not realize that many blessings
require, initially, acts of will on our part, a labor in the spirit, a setting
aside of time: cleansing of selfish purpose from the heart, submission,
envisioning the blessing, thanks in anticipation of receiving the blessing. God
gave us agency, and it may have more power than we have used.
11.
This is the second use of ''one by one'' and reassures us of the Lord's
individual attention to each of his children. Again we calculate how much time
the blessing of many hundreds of children individually must have taken. He
illustrated what he says later: ''I know my sheep, and they are numbered.'' (3
Ne. 18:31.)
12.
Cf. Matt 20:28: ''The Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to
minister.'' The New Bible Dictionary notes that the Hebrew term mesaret
(LXX leitourgos) and its correlates normally refer to temple service, or
else to the ministration of angels. It refers to service in general, has the
special connotation of lowly service, often of a subordinate. In Luke 22:27
Christ appears among the disciples as ho diakonon, ''one who serves.''
(J. D. Douglas, ed. New Bible Dictionary, 2nd ed. [
13.
These Nephites had baptism all along, but with the establishment of a new
organization of the Church, they all underwent baptism and confirmation for
admission into the new order.
14.
Bryant S. Hinckley, Sermons and Missionary Service of Melvin J. Ballard
(Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Company, 1949), pp. 155-56.
(Kent P. Jackson, ed., Studies in
Scripture, Vol. 8: Alma 30 to Moroni [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co.,
1988], 172.)
D&C 50:13-30 – Teach by the spirit. Anything else won’t do. Teaching by emotion is not teaching by the
spirit. Both are not edified!! Teach doctrine by the Holy Ghost.
John Taylor was put in as president of the 12 just 2 years before Brigham Young died. Orson Hyde and Orson Pratt were excommunicated earlier in Church history because they were not obedient to the Prophet and apostized. JT was faithful throughout his life. He didn’t fall short. See the new biography on John Taylor by Matthew Haslem.
Enduring to the End
The Story of Enos
D&C 20:29-36 – Like Lehi’s dream those
who partook of the fruit of the tree can fall away, being ashamed. This is still a probationary state, the
testing continues.
Helaman
(Helaman 3:35.)
35 Nevertheless they did fast and
pray oft, and did wax stronger and stronger in their humility, and firmer and
firmer in the faith of Christ, unto the filling their souls with joy and
consolation, yea, even to the purifying and the sanctification of their hearts,
which sanctification cometh because of their yielding their hearts unto God.
Elder Joseph Wirthlin Conference talk Oct
2002. “Shall He Find Faith on the
Earth”?
Faith is the key:
1.
We
must have confidence in what we cannot see.
2.
We
must do all in our power to change passive belief into active faith. ACT on Faith.
3.
We
must have faith, which is consistent with the will of our Heavenly Father. His story of the sparrow flying against a
hurricane. Heb 11:1 footnote.
How do we know God’s will?
1.
Know
the Scriptures 1&2 are general guidelines in our life
2.
Know
the teachings of the Brethren
3.
Seek
the guidance of the Holy Ghost
3 has reference to revelation specific in my life.
Helaman 3:35 – 2nd part of the verse,
the sanctification process, forgetting self and looking out for the welfare of
others
(
10 Now, as I said concerning the holy order, or this high
priesthood, there were many who were ordained and became high priests of God;
and it was on account of their exceeding faith and repentance, and their
righteousness before God, they choosing to repent and work righteousness rather
than to perish;
11 Therefore they were called after this holy order, and were
sanctified, and their garments were washed white through the blood of the Lamb.
12 Now they, after being sanctified by the Holy Ghost, having their
garments made white, being pure and spotless before God, could not look upon
sin save it were with abhorrence; and there were many, exceedingly great many,
who were made pure and entered into the rest of the Lord their God.
(Helaman 15:7.)
7 And behold, ye do know of yourselves, for ye have witnessed it,
that as many of them as are brought to the knowledge of the truth, and to know
of the wicked and abominable traditions of their fathers, and are led to
believe the holy scriptures, yea, the prophecies of the holy prophets, which
are written, which leadeth them to faith on the Lord, and unto repentance,
which faith and repentance bringeth a change of heart unto them—
Doctrine Of Sanctification
Sanctification Defined
Joseph
Smith taught that in being sanctified, man is not only forgiven of sin but
cleansed from the effects of it so that he is made a pure and holy being. The
English word "sanctify" comes from the French word sanctifier,
which means to make holy, which in turn derives from the Latin root sanctus,
which means holy. It is one thing to forgive man of his sins and thereby acquit
him of personal responsibility to divine law, but it is quite another thing to
purge and renovate his soul from the effects of those sins and from the
influences of this fallen mortal state. The latter tasks are those which are
involved in the work of sanctification. Orson Pratt explained:
After
you have been immersed . . . in the water [of baptism], and been cleansed and
received a remission of your sins, you also have the promise of baptism of fire
and of the Holy Ghost, by which you are . . . sanctified from all your evil
affections, and you feel to love God and that which is just and true, and to
hate that which is sinful and evil. Why? Because of this sanctifying, purifying
principle that comes upon you, by the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost. fn
Orson
Hyde defined the state of sanctification as follows:
.
. . it means a purification of, or a putting away from, us, as individuals and
as a community, everything that is evil, or that is not in accordance with the
mind and will of our heavenly Father.
Sanctification
has also an eye to our own preservation for usefulness—for executing, carrying
forward, and perpetuating the work of the Most High God. fn
Of
the state of sanctification, Brigham Young said:
.
. . it consists in overcoming every sin and bringing all into subjection to the
law of Christ. God has placed in us a pure spirit; when this reigns
predominant, without let or hindrance, and triumphs over the flesh and rules
and governs and controls as the Lord controls the heavens and the earth, this I
call the blessing of sanctification. fn
In
the sense that sanctification means a cleansing of man from sin, all who repent,
either in this world or in the spirit world hereafter, will be sanctified and
endowed with a degree of glory in the resurrection. A revelation explained that
Christ made His atonement "to sanctify the world, and to cleanse it from
all unrighteousness, . . . except those sons of perdition who deny the Son
after the Father has revealed him." fn But in a more positive sense,
sanctification means more than to be cleansed from the effects of sin. It
denotes possession of the powers and attributes of God—a condition of being
matured in the divine nature of God. Only those who qualify for celestial
redemption will be sanctified in this sense. Brigham Young explained that
"when we sanctify ourselves to enter into the presence of the Father and
of the Son, we will be filled with the same patience that he is filled
with." fn
Man's Challenge to Be
Sanctified
Brigham
Young explained that man has been placed on earth "to be sanctified, that
every thought, and desire and feeling may be brought into subjection to the
will of God." fn This is true particularly of those who have embraced the
gospel. "We are gathered together to sanctify these bodies," he
explained, "to deal, act, transact and do everything we do in the love of
God." fn
By
sanctification, man may be cleansed and purified from (1) the effects of the
fallen and corrupt nature that exists upon the earth as a result of Adam's
transgression and the subsequent sins of man, and (2) the effects of his
personal sins. Regarding the first issue, it is by being sanctified that man is
changed from his "carnal and fallen state, to a state of
righteousness." By the action of the Spirit he puts off the natural man,
or the man that is natural to the order of life that prevails on this fallen
sphere, and becomes a new creature in Christ. fn This transformation is
necessary regardless of man's personal righteousness or purity. It is a factor
separate and apart from the second issue mentioned above. Because Jesus was
born of a mortal woman in this temporal state, He had to be sanctified from the
effects of this fallen state, even though He had no personal sins. Speaking of
His disciples, He said: "For their sakes I sanctify myself, that
they also might be sanctified through the truth." fn Many elements that
made up Christ's physical body were mortal elements; and the nature He received
from His mother was a mortal nature. He, too, found it necessary to put off the
natural man by the action of divine power.
To
the degree that man transgresses the laws of God, the task of becoming
sanctified is made more difficult, for by sin he loses virtue and becomes
contaminated by the baneful influences which are in the world. In addition to
being transformed from the fallen mortal state, which is a corrupt state, fn he
must be cleansed from the effects of his personal sins and have built back into
him the substance of virtue and power which he lost by transgression. This can
only be done by the action of the Holy Spirit, which is a substance of virtue
and truth. By its influence, man can partake of the virtue of Christ and be
endowed with the attributes and powers of God. In this way, sinful man can be
cleansed and renewed by the gospel, to become a new creature in Christ.
But
when man is contaminated by sin and enveloped in the spiritual darkness which
follows transgression, it is often hard for him to see how to extricate
himself. And even when he is brought to see the way of life and truth, he may
find it difficult to follow. The fact that he has lost virtue in some form may
evidence a weakness of character that makes it hard for him to apply the
principles by which he can regain innocence and acquire spiritual strength.
Nevertheless, the pangs of guilt and remorse of conscience which the sinner
feels may awaken in him a desire for righteousness which he had not previously
possessed. With a new determination to do right, coupled with the mercy and
power which God extends to aid those who truly desire to come unto Him, a
wayward person can be renewed to a state of purity and power in Christ.
In
facing the challenge of sanctification, man should, according to Brigham Young,
keep in mind that "the power of God is greater than the power of the
wicked one; and unless the Saints sin against light and knowledge, and wilfully
neglect their plain and well understood duties, and the Spirit of God is
grieved and it ceases to strive with them, the Spirit is sure to prevail
over the flesh, and ultimately succeed in sanctifying the tabernacle for a
residence in the presence of God." fn This fact should give the Saints
great consolation and a hope of ultimate victory by complying with the program
of the gospel.
Nevertheless,
man in mortality cannot be sanctified completely from the effects of sin and of
this fallen state. "Some suppose that they can in the flesh be sanctified
body and spirit and become so pure that they will never again feel the effects
of the power of the adversary of truth," Brigham Young observed. He
explained: "Were it possible for a person to attain to this degree of
perfection in the flesh, he could not die neither remain in a world where sin
predominates." fn So long as man has a mortal body, there are corrupt
elements within his system which, like centrifugal forces pulling a revolving
object away from its center, tend to alienate man from God, so that the
struggle of man's mortal probation continues until death. For this reason the
Lord said, as He warned the Saints of the possibility of falling from grace:
"Yea, and even let those who are sanctified take heed also." fn But
as man becomes sanctified, he gains the mastery over the flesh and the world;
and he may retain that mastery by the continual exercise of his will and of his
reliance on Christ, except possibly in instances of slight or inadvertent
departures from the path of strict rectitude which arise out of the weaknesses
of human nature on earth. fn Brigham Young continued: "If we live our
religion it will enable us to so overcome sin that it will not reign in our
mortal bodies but will become subject to us, and the world and its fulness will
become our servant instead of our master." fn
Sanctification by the
Blood of Christ
The
atonement is the foundation of the divine plan by which man may be sanctified,
fn and Jesus "wrought out this perfect atonement through the shedding of
his own blood." fn It may be said, therefore, that man is sanctified by
the blood of Jesus Christ.
Several
scriptures refer to the doctrine of sanctification in this light. God explained
to Adam that to enter the kingdom of heaven, his children had to be
"cleansed by . . . the blood" of His Only Begotten Son and in this
way they could be "sanctified from all sin." God stressed: "By
the blood ye are sanctified." fn Jesus taught the Nephites that only those
who "washed their garments" in His blood could be saved. fn Nephi and
Sanctification by the
Spirit
Though
the shedding of Christ's blood in the atonement is the foundation of the divine
program by which man may be sanctified, the active agent in the process of
sanctification is the power of the Holy Ghost. Having referred to some in
ancient times whose "garments were washed white through the blood of the
Lamb," Alma explained: "Now they, after being sanctified by the
Holy Ghost, having their garments made white, being pure and spotless
before God, could not look upon sin save it were with abhorrence." fn
To
the Father, Jesus prayed in behalf of His disciples: "Sanctify them
through thy truth: thy word is truth." fn This is the living word, which
is truth, or light, or Spirit—the Spirit of Jesus Christ. fn Divine truth given
to man through the Holy Spirit has an enlightening and sanctifying influence in
his life. Of this divine substance, which is called the glory of
God—intelligence, or, in other words, light and truth—and which is the Spirit
of truth, a revelation said: "Light and truth forsake that evil one [the
Adversary]." fn "That which is of God is light," another
revelation said, as it explained the manifestations of the Spirit of truth to
the Saints; "and he that receiveth light, and continueth in God, receiveth
more light; and that light groweth brighter and brighter until the perfect
day." fn A sanctified person is filled with the light of the Spirit which
abounds within him. fn These explanations were made so that the Saints might
"know the truth," that they might "chase darkness" from
among them, and, by becoming sanctified, that they might return, eventually, to
the presence of God. fn
Justification Compared
with Sanctification
The
doctrine of justification is identified with the preparatory gospel, fn by
which man is made ready to receive "a greater revelation of God." fn
Since justification is essentially a preparatory action and state, it alone
cannot bring man to the ultimate goal of salvation. Unless the work of
justification is associated with the cleansing, renewing, and maturing powers
of the Holy Spirit—powers that go beyond the enlightening influences by which a
man of faith may be born to see the kingdom of God—it is useless in the final
analysis. Man cannot be redeemed from his fallen state to celestial glory by
the program of justification alone.
Orson
Pratt, in explaining the relationship between the divine program by which man
may receive a remission of personal sins and the means by which he can be
sanctified from the effects of sin, stated:
The
Holy Spirit dwells not in unholy temples; that is, it dwells not there, to
sanctify, teach, and comfort the mind, but merely has an existence in such
temples, to carry on the common operations of nature. To receive the Holy
Spirit, so as to have the mind benefited, requires a preparation both of the
body and mind. The body and mind of a natural man [i.e., a man who is
conditioned to the world and its fallen state], have both been defiled by sin;
consequently, both are unholy, impure, and altogether unprepared for the
indwelling of the holy Comforter. Now there is but one way for them to be
properly prepared for the residence of this pure Spirit. This one way is of
divine origin, and consists of three important steps; . . . namely, Faith,
Repentance, and Water Baptism. By these three steps, taken sincerely and
properly, the sinner is forgiven of all past sins, and both mind and body are
prepared for the Baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost.
Water
Baptism is only a preparatory cleansing of the believing penitent; it is only a
condition of a cleansing from sin [i.e., a condition of justification];
whereas, the Baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost cleanses more thoroughly, by
renewing the inner man, and by purifying the affections, desires, and thoughts
which have long been habituated in the impure ways of sin. Without the aid of
the Holy Ghost, a person who has long been accustomed to love sin, and whose
affections and desires have long run with delight in the degraded channel of
vice, would have but very little power to change his mind, at once, from its
habituated course, and to walk in newness of life. Though his sins may have
been cleansed away, yet so great is the force of habit, that he would, without
being renewed by the Holy Ghost, be easily overcome, and contaminated again
with sin. Hence, it is infinitely important that the affections and desires
should be, in a measure, changed and renewed, so as to cause him to hate that
which he before loved, and to love that which he before hated. To thus renew
the mind of man is the work of the Holy Ghost. fn
Sanctification by
Grace
Sanctification,
like justification, comes by the grace of God. Having written by revelation
sanctioning the doctrine of justification by grace, Joseph Smith declared:
"We know also, that sanctification through the grace of our Lord and
Savior Jesus Christ is just and true, to all those who love and serve God
with all their mights, minds, and strength." fn Man cannot sanctify
himself. He is powerless by his own means to transform himself from his fallen
and carnal state on earth to that state of righteousness which leads to eternal
life. He cannot endow himself with the divine intelligence and power which are
required to achieve full spiritual union with God. Nor does he earn that which
he receives from Christ. A fallen being has little with which to purchase the
divine endowments by which his renewal to a state of glory is made possible.
The
basic means of receiving sanctifying truth and power is through the gift of the
Holy Ghost. As indicated, this is a gift. But sanctification is a
process, not a state to be achieved immediately upon reception of this gift.
Having entered by faith and obedience into a state of grace, man must mature in
the blessings and gifts of the Holy Spirit until he is glorified in Christ at
the time of his resurrection. "Ye are little children and ye cannot bear
all things now," a revelation explained to the Saints; "ye must grow
in grace and in the knowledge of the truth." fn King Benjamin
expressed the same point as he spoke to his people of their need to continue in
the path of eternal life. "If ye do this," he declared, "ye
shall always rejoice, and be filled with the love of God, and always retain a
remission of your sins; and ye shall grow in the knowledge of the glory of him
that created you, or in the knowledge of that which is just and true." fn
Because
man must grow in the gifts and blessings of God after he receives the gospel, a
revelation promised an early convert "grace and assurance" within the
divine plan of life and salvation if he would continue faithful. fn Joseph
Smith referred with approval to the declaration of the Apostle Peter that
"grace and peace" are multiplied—given more abundantly or in manifold
proportions—to the saints "through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our
Lord." fn Concerning the means by which the Saints could acquire such
knowledge, a revelation said: "Teach ye diligently and my grace shall
attend you, that you may be instructed more perfectly in theory, in
principle, in doctrine, in the laws of the gospel, in all things that pertain
unto the kingdom of God, that are expedient for you to understand." fn
Because he understood the relationship between man's efforts and the grace of
God in the salvation of those who accept the gospel, Jacob explained, when some
Nephites acquired power by faith to do great miracles: "Nevertheless, the
Lord God showeth us our weaknesses that we may know that it is by his grace,
and his great condescension unto the children of men, that we have power to
do these things." fn By continuing "from grace to grace," Jesus
acquired a fulness of the Father's glory, fn and man must do the same. fn In
the words of the Prophet, man must go "from one small degree to another,
and from a small capacity to a great one; from grace to grace, from
exaltation to exaltation," until he has attained to the resurrection of
the dead and is "able to dwell in everlasting burnings, and to sit in
glory, as do those who sit enthroned in everlasting power." fn
.
. . I would exhort you that ye would come unto Christ, and lay hold upon
every good gift, and touch not the evil gift, nor the unclean thing. . . .
Yea,
come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all
ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness and love God
with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for
you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God
ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God.
And
again, if ye by the grace of God are perfect in Christ, and deny not his
power, then are ye sanctified in Christ by the grace of God, through the
shedding of the blood of Christ, which is in the covenant of the Father unto
the remission of your sins, that ye become holy, without spot. fn
Sanctification by
Works of Righteousness
Though
man is sanctified by the grace of God, the Prophet wrote by revelation that
grace to this end is given only to those who "love and serve God with all
their mights, minds, and strength." fn This means that if man is to be
sanctified he must commit his life and interests completely to Christ. He may
be sanctified only by service in doing the will of God. A revelation
declared that those who magnify their "calling" are "sanctified
by the Spirit unto the renewing of their bodies." fn
In
the sense that man must serve God in righteousness in order to receive the
sanctifying powers of the Spirit, it may be said that he is sanctified by his
works. Having declared that if man's eye is "single" to the glory of
God his whole body will be filled with the light of the Spirit, a revelation
admonished the Saints: "Therefore, sanctify yourselves that your
minds become single to God." fn Another revelation explained that for man
to obtain the powers and attributes of God's glory he must receive "grace for
grace." fn This means that he can receive grace (i.e., the divine truth,
powers, and attributes of the Spirit) from God only as he gives grace to
others.
Sanctification
comes to those who reconcile themselves to Christ. It is the Lord's purpose to
sanctify man through the gospel, fn and in Him is centered the power to do so.
But to be sanctified, man must perform, in faith and love, the works of
reconciliation and service which the law of God requires. To the degree that
man does these things, he may be sanctified. Mormon wrote of a group of Nephite
saints: "They did fast and pray oft, and did wax stronger and stronger in
their humility, and firmer and firmer in the faith of Christ, unto the filling
their souls with joy and consolation, yea, even to the purifying and the
sanctification of their hearts, which sanctification cometh because of their
yielding their hearts unto God." fn Having obeyed the gospel, man is
sanctified in degree commensurate with his yielding his heart to God.
God's Methods of
Sanctifying Man
A
revelation to Joseph Smith indicates that God uses various methods in His
effort to sanctify man so that man can be endowed with celestial glory in the
resurrection. But man must respond to the uplifting hand of God and yield
obedience to the law of God. "They who are not sanctified through the law
which I have given unto you, even the law of Christ," the revelation
declares, "must inherit another kingdom, even that of a terrestrial
kingdom, or that of a telestial kingdom." fn The revelation then explains:
.
. . that which is governed by law is also preserved by law and perfected and
sanctified by the same.
That
which breaketh a law, and abideth not by law, but seeketh to become a law unto
itself, and willeth to abide in sin, cannot be sanctified by law, neither by
mercy, justice, nor judgment. Therefore, they must remain filthy still. fn
God
first extends His law to man, and by obeying that law man may receive a
remission of his sins and the power of the Holy Spirit by which he may be
sanctified. Obedience to law thus leads man to a state of sanctification; and
without obedience man cannot be sanctified. Basing his statement on the
testimony of scripture, Brigham Young declared: "The people must be
sanctified by law, they must live according to that law; and they must be
justified, purified, and sanctified in order to get into the kingdom of heaven,
that is, the highest glory." fn
Since
fallen man does not obey the law of God to perfection, the Lord next extends
mercy to those who seek for His righteousness, so that by mercy they may
receive the blessings of the Holy Spirit and be sanctified. By being sanctified
by the Spirit, man may then more fully keep the law of God. In referring to the
way the gifts of the Holy Spirit are received, a revelation said: "Verily
I say unto you, they are given for the benefit of those who love me and keep
all my commandments, and him that seeketh so to do." fn Not totally
by law, but by mercy also, the blessings of the Spirit are given to man.
Third,
if man rejects mercy, God has no alternative but to exercise justice upon him
to bring him to an awareness of his responsibility to divine law. But in
executing divine justice, God stands ready to extend mercy and power to
repentant man, to sanctify him from sin and redeem him to a state of
righteousness.
God's
dealings with the people who perished in the flood in the days of Noah is an
example of this policy. The Lord explained to the patriarch Enoch that Christ
would pay the debt of their sins if they would repent when the message of
redemption was given to them in the spirit world, after the crucifixion, but
until that time they would be in torment. Enoch was then shown that after the
resurrection of Christ "as many of the spirits as were in prison came
forth, and stood on the right hand of God." fn But when God is required to
exercise justice in order to bring man to repentance, man's waywardness may
evidence a lack of dedication to truth and righteousness on his part. When this
is the case, man cannot be sanctified to the point that he can receive the full
glory and power of celestial existence. Those who perished in the flood are, in
general, redeemed only to a terrestrial state of glory in the resurrection. fn
Finally,
the word "judgment" is used in the above statement to portray a
method by which God seeks to sanctify man. Judgment denotes a more harsh and
exacting action against a wayward person than does justice. Justice may be
tempered with mercy, but judgment is more demanding and enduring in its
prescribed penalties. In referring to the doctrine of eternal judgment, Joseph
Smith explained that it is possible for man to sin against truth and light to
the extent that he cannot receive mercy even though he should repent. In such
cases, man himself must pay the debt of justice for his sins, unmitigated by
mercy, before he can be forgiven and sanctified to the degree that he can
attain a kingdom of glory in the resurrection.
Murderers
in an enlightened Christian society are in this class. "If the ministers
of religion had a proper understanding of the doctrine of eternal judgment,
they would not be found attending the man who forfeited his life to the injured
laws of his country, by shedding innocent blood," the Prophet explained; "for
such characters cannot be forgiven, until they have paid the last
farthing." Murderers are outside of the pale of mercy. "The prayers
of all the ministers in the world can never close the gates of hell against a
murderer," fn the latter-day Seer concluded.
Neither
is mercy extended to the man who falls from the sanctified state in which he
has made sure his calling and election to celestial glory. He must suffer the
judgments of God unmitigated by mercy before he can inherit the blessings that
have been sealed upon his head. He cannot receive final sanctification and
glorification except by judgment. fn
At
times the sanctifying process requires that the Saints "be chastened and
tried, even as Abraham, who was commanded to offer up his only son." The
Lord explained: "For all those who will not endure chastening, but deny
me, cannot be sanctified." fn Another revelation declared of the
latter-day program:
Therefore,
let your hearts be comforted; for all things shall work together for good to
them that walk uprightly, and to the sanctification of the church.
For
I will raise up unto myself a pure people, that will serve me in righteousness.
fn
To
become fully sanctified, the Saints are required to apply every aspect of the
law of God in their lives so that they can be reconciled in every way to Christ
and receive the full powers of the Holy Spirit. Not only must their hearts be
dedicated to God, but the institutions of society among them must be patterned
after the law of heaven. Only then can the Spirit and power of the gospel be
revealed in their fulness among the people of God. Having given the Saints some
instructions concerning the divine order which they are to establish and
uphold, a revelation said:
And
thus ye shall become instructed in the law of my church, and be sanctified by
that which ye have received. . . .
That
inasmuch as ye do this, glory shall be added to the kingdom which ye have
received. Inasmuch as ye do it not, it shall be taken, even that which ye have
received. fn
Thus
God and man work together in the divine process of sanctifying man, and for
this reason the Saints were admonished:
Prepare
ye, prepare ye, O my people; sanctify yourselves; gather ye together, O ye
people of my church. . . .
Go
ye out from
Call
your solemn assemblies, and speak often one to another. And let every man call
upon the name of the Lord. fn
Sacrament of the
Lord's Supper
The
sacrament of the Lord's supper is an essential part of the divine program by
which man can be justified and sanctified before God. As He introduced this
sacred rite among the Nephites, Jesus instructed: "Behold there shall one
be ordained among you, and to him will I give power that he shall break bread
and bless it and give it unto the people of my church, unto all those who shall
believe and be baptized in my name." "This shall ye do in remembrance
of my body, which I have shown unto you," He continued. "And it shall
be a testimony unto the Father that ye do always remember me." Finally, He
promised: "And if ye do always remember me ye shall have my Spirit to
be with you." fn This Spirit is the power of the Holy Ghost which
Christ gives to man in the gospel in order to sanctify him before God. fn
The
sacramental prayer which Jesus gave the Nephites to bless the bread
incorporates the above ideas into this sacred ritual. It states:
O
God, the Eternal Father, we ask thee in the name of thy Son, Jesus Christ, to
bless and sanctify this bread to the souls of all those who partake of it; that
they may eat in remembrance of the body of thy Son, and witness unto thee, O
God, the Eternal Father, that they are willing to take upon them the name of
thy Son, and always remember him, and keep his commandments which he hath given
them, that they may always have his Spirit to be with them. Amen. fn
Having
administered this part of the sacrament to the Nephites, Jesus commanded His
disciples to take wine and drink, and to give it to the multitude. He then
said: "This is fulfilling my commandments, and this doth witness unto the
Father that ye are willing to do that which I have commanded you."
Continuing, He instructed: "This shall ye always do to those who repent
and are baptized in my name; and ye shall do it in remembrance of my blood,
which I have shed for you, that ye may witness unto the Father that ye do
always remember me." He then promised again: "And if ye do always
remember me ye shall have my Spirit to be with you." fn
The
sacramental prayer which Jesus gave the Nephites to bless the wine, like that
which He gave to bless the bread, incorporates the above ideas into this sacred
ritual. It states:
O
God, the Eternal Father, we ask thee, in the name of thy Son, Jesus Christ, to
bless and sanctify this wine to the souls of all those who drink of it, that
they may do it in remembrance of the blood of thy Son, which was shed for them;
that they may witness unto thee, O God, the Eternal Father, that they do always
remember him, that they may have his Spirit to be with them. Amen. fn
The
mere act of partaking of the sacrament does not bring the results which Jesus
promised, for He stated specifically that if those who were baptized would
always "remember" Him fn and partake of the sacred emblems worthily
they would have His Spirit—the power of the Holy Ghost—to be with them. Though
the outward ritual was to be observed, the blessings of the Holy Spirit were to
be given only to those who lived in true remembrance of Christ. By being
continually in a state of justification through the power of His atonement,
they could partake day by day of the blessings of His Holy Spirit.
Later
when Jesus again administered the sacrament to the Nephites, He expressed in
Hebraic symbolism the spiritual blessings which were to be given to those who
partook of the sacrament worthily. "He that eateth this bread eateth of my
body to his soul," He explained; "and he that drinketh of this
wine drinketh of my blood to his soul; and his soul shall never
hunger nor thirst, but shall be filled." fn
The
sacrament of the Lord's supper and the first principles and ordinances of the
gospel constitute the basic program of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Having
administered the sacrament to the Nephites, Jesus explained: "And if ye do
always do these things blessed are ye, for ye are built upon my rock." fn
The record then states that "when the multitude had all eaten and drunk,
behold, they were filled with the Spirit." fn
Final Purpose of
Sanctification
The
final purpose of the gospel is to sanctify man so that he can be crowned with
celestial glory in the resurrection. Having endowed His disciples on the
Western hemisphere with some of His glory, which was to them a sanctifying
agent, Jesus prayed: "Father, I thank thee that thou hast purified those
whom I have chosen, because of their faith, and I pray for them, and also for
them who shall believe on their words, that they may be purified in me, through
faith on their words, even as they are purified in me." fn The end-purpose
of their sanctification, Jesus then observed, was that He might "be
glorified in them." fn
The
same objective was set for the Saints in the latter days. A revelation
declared: "Sanctify yourselves and ye shall be endowed with power." fn
Of the final goal to be achieved, another revelation said: "Unto him that
repenteth and sanctifieth himself before the Lord shall be given eternal
life." fn Only by being sanctified can man abide in the presence of God.
Having admonished the Saints to sanctify themselves so that their minds were
"single to God," the Prophet wrote by revelation: "The days will
come that you shall see him; for he will unveil his face unto you." fn
Evidences Of A
Sanctified Life
Several
characteristics distinguish a sanctified man: First, he has spiritually been
born of God. There has been a mighty change wrought in his heart, for he is
quickened by the Spirit in the inner man, and he is continuing to travel the
path which leads to eternal life or glory. fn Second, his eye is single to the
glory of God; he yields his heart to the Lord. fn Third, he feels continually a
nearness of the Holy Spirit and enjoys its sacred fruits, gifts, and blessings
in his life. fn Fourth, by means of the Spirit, he loves and serves God with all
his heart, might, mind, and strength, living outside himself in genuine
interest for the welfare of his fellow men. fn Finally, he has lost the desire
for sin, and he cannot look upon that which is perverse except with abhorrence.
fn He has achieved such union spiritually with God that he views things as God
sees them, and the light and truth of the Spirit dictate his every action.
Brigham Young explained: "When through the Gospel, the spirit in man has
so subdued the flesh that he can live without willful transgression, the Spirit
of God unites with his spirit, they become congenial companions, and the mind
and will of the Creator is thus transmitted to the creature." fn
Since
the elements of mortal corruption still exist in some measure in a sanctified person's
mortal body and exert a baneful influence upon him, his whole being which is
made sensitive to impure influences by the refining power of the Spirit may
feel keenly the corruption of the flesh. With Nephi he may mourn: "O
wretched man that I am! Yea, my heart sorroweth because of my flesh." fn
Nevertheless, Brigham Young explained, he takes "a firmer hold on the
enduring substance behind the veil, drawing from the depths of that eternal
Fountain of Light sparkling gems of intelligence which surround [him] . . .
with a halo of immortal wisdom." fn In patience, he possesses his soul,
and he waits earnestly for his corrupt mortal body to be raised to an incorrupt
state endowed with a fulness of the Spirit which he has come to know and to
esteem above all else on earth.
Summary
The
programs of justification and sanctification are prominent features in the plan
of the gospel. Justification is concerned, primarily, with the legal acquittal
of man from the demands of broken law, and sanctification has to do with the
purification of man from the effects of sin and the fallen mortal state. There
are several aspects of the doctrine of justification: justification by law,
justification by grace, justification by faith, justification by man's
righteous works, and justification by the Holy Spirit. By abiding continually
in Christ, man can retain a remission of his sins from day to day—live day by
day in a state of justification. But one who commits serious transgressions of
the law of God after receiving the gospel must have his acts judged by a bishop
or another appropriate official of the Church to see if he is worthy by
repentance to retain his standing among the Saints. Having repented of his sins
and made the required adjustment with the Church, the offending person may know
that the Lord has forgiven him by the return of the blessings and
manifestations of the Spirit.
Man
is sanctified by the power of the Holy Ghost, by being transformed from his
fallen state to a state of righteousness and being cleansed from the effects of
sin. As with justification, there are several aspects of the doctrine of
sanctification: sanctification by the blood of Christ, sanctification by the
Spirit, sanctification by grace, and sanctification by man's righteous works.
Having given man the law by which he can be sanctified, God extends mercy to
man to enable him to become sanctified. The Lord may also administer justice
and judgment upon man, if they are necessary, to bring man to realize his
responsibility to divine law that he may be sanctified. When man responds to
the law of God and begins to become sanctified, he is given the manifestations
of the Holy Spirit in greater abundance, making the sanctifying process in some
respects a cyclical one. The sacrament of the Lord's supper plays a significant
role in the programs of justification and sanctification. When man is
sanctified, he is a new creature in Christ, having been purified by the power
of the Holy Ghost and endowed with its enlightening and enlivening powers.
Corrupted
by the Fall."
(Hyrum L. Andrus, Principles of Perfection
[Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1970], 213 - 214.)
The Story of Enos
The Book of Enos covers his whole life, not
just his prayer.
Verses1-3 - A classic, Jacob was a good
father, he taught his family doctrine.
Also, he wanted a remission of his sins.
Verses 4-7 – The spiritual rebirth process
for Enos, He is justified, no longer feeling guilt before the Lord.
Verses 8-11 – He has absolute confidence in
Christ. His faith is unshaken. The sanctifying process begins in his
life. Even during our trials our faith
burns like a Bon Fire, not like a tiny match.
Elder Wirthin’s Oct 2002 talk.
Enos loves those who are unlovable (Lamanites). Verse 12, he labored diligently.
Verses 13-17 – Once he received a remission
of his sins all of his energies went toward the benefit of others. Faith is what can be done within our own
agency. What he could control. Only himself!!! Like the Nephite record, everything else he
could only INFLUENCE but NOT CONTROL, Very important.
Enos knew his role, his soul did REST.
NO
CONTROL
INFLUENCE
CONTROL
WORLD COUNTRY FRIENDS FAMIL MYSELF
We can only control our own actions,
ourselves. Everything else we have great
or very little influence on.
Enos only had control over himself and the
Nephite record. Just like us. Sometimes we get frustrated, angry,
depressed or even despair over what we influence, but remember they have their
agency also.
Satan wants to CONTROL us, see Moses
interview with Satan.
Christ wants to INFLUENCE us through
obedience to the commandments and keeping our covenants.
Verses 18-23 – Other prophets prayed for the
same thing as Enos had. He still taught
the people, he didn’t give up.
Verses 26-27 – His testimony, He endured to
the end.
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Jacob
and Enos: Wrestling before God Enos,
one of the scribes who kept the small plates of Nephi, was the son of Nephi’s
brother Jacob. In his record Enos appears to allude to the ancestor after
whom his father was named: Jacob, who was renamed When
Enos wrote about his wrestling, he evidently was refer ring not only to his
struggle to over come sin but also to his prayers for both the Lamanites and
the Nephites (see verses 9-18). He wrote of 'struggling in the spirit' while
praying for his own people (verse 10) and noted that he 'prayed unto [God]
with many long strugglings, for [his] brethren, the Lamanites' (verse 11). Similar
terminology is found in Alma 8:10, where we read that 'Alma labored much in
the spirit, wrestling with God in mighty prayer, that he would pour out his
Spirit upon the people who were in the city; that he would also grant that he
might baptize them unto repentance.' These two examples suggest that
wrestling with God can refer to prayer in behalf of those who have fallen
away from the truth. In
similar fashion, Jacob may have been praying for his brother Esau during his
wrestle with the angel. At the time, Jacob was returning to his homeland
after a sojourn of two decades in the The
Nephites and Lamanites for whom Enos prayed were very much like Jacob and
Esau. Nephi, like Jacob, had to flee with his family because his elder
brothers Laman and Lemuel sought to kill him (2 Nephi 5:1–7). Nephi’s people
were settled and industrious, constructing a temple and other buildings (2
Nephi 5:15– 17), while the Lamanites became “an idle people, full of mischief
and subtlety, and did seek in the wilderness for beasts of prey” (2 Nephi
5:24). Enos later described the Lamanites as “wild and ferocious, and a
blood-thirsty people, full of idolatry and filthiness; feeding upon beasts of
prey; dwelling in tents, and wandering about in the wilderness with a short
skin girdle about their loins and their heads shaven; and their skill was in
the bow, and in the cimeter, and the ax” (Enos 1:20) and noted that they
sought to destroy the Nephites (Enos 1:14). Similarly,
the Bible describes Esau as 'a cunning hunter, a man of the field' (Genesis
25:26), who loved to hunt with the bow (Genesis 27:1-5). Before God for gave
his sins, Enos 'went to hunt beasts in the forests,' where he remembered the
words of his father, which prompted him to seek God's forgiveness (Enos
1:3-4). By describing himself as a hunter, Enos may have been comparing his
preconversion self to the Lamanites and to Esau. Additional
evidence suggesting that Enos had his ancestor Jacob in mind is found in his
words “I will tell you of the wrestle which I had before God” (Enos 1:2). In
He brew the words before God would be liphney el, literally “to
the face of God.” The name of the place where Jacob wrestled all night,
Peniel, is from the same Hebrew phrase. “And Jacob called the name of the
place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved”
(Genesis 32:30). After
his wrestle with God, Enos expressed the hope that, at the resurrection, he
would “stand before him; then shall I see his face with pleasure” (Enos
1:27). This passage is also reminiscent of Jacob’s reunion and reconciliation
with his brother Esau the day after his nightlong wrestle. Jacob said to his
brother, “I have seen thy face, as though I had seen the face of God, and
thou wast pleased with me” (Genesis 33:10). Just as Esau was “pleased” when Jacob
saw his face, Enos hoped to see the face of God “with pleasure.” Enos
noted that the Lamanites wanted to destroy the records of the Nephites (Enos
1:14). Evidently this was because these records gave validity to various
Nephite claims, including the right to possess the land that God had given
them (see Enos 1:10). Some noncanonical Jewish texts reflect a similar tale
of the dispute between Jacob and Esau. Jasher 27:12– 14 recounts
Jacob’s purchase of the birthright in exchange for the pottage and notes that
“Jacob wrote the whole of this in a book, and he testified the same with
witnesses, and he sealed it, and the book remained in the hands of Jacob.”
Later, after returning from Enos
prayed that God would preserve the Nephite records (Enos 1:13, 15–16), and
they were eventually buried in the ground in a stone box by The
subtlety of Enos’s allusion to his ancestor Jacob and the way he seems to
compare the situation of the Nephites and Lamanites with that of Jacob and
Esau suggests an acute awareness of the scriptural account. It may also
reflect additional material found on the brass plates of Laban and
represented in early Jewish tradition. Such subtlety, we suggest, would not
be expected from an uneducated farm boy such as Joseph Smith, who dictated
the entire Book of Mormon in approximately 60 days. Consequently, we see
these allusions to the biblical account as further evidence for the
authenticity of the Book of Mormon and another example of the complexity of
this masterpiece of literature. Notes 1.
Jacob’s purchase of the rights to the 2.
This story is also found in TB Sotah 16a, Pirqe
de Rabbi Eliezer 39, and Rashi on Genesis 49:21. By
John A. Tvedtnes and Matthew Roper |
Enos
Enos
was the son of Jacob, who was Nephi's younger brother. The posterity of Jacob
maintained these records for over four centuries, from 544 b.c. to almost 130
b.c. It is noteworthy that the important small plates of Nephi were not passed
on through Nephi's own descendants but were kept by the posterity of his
younger brother.
Enos
provides a positive model on how and why one receives answers to prayers. As
noted in verse 3, Enos had heard the words of his father, Jacob, about eternal
life and joy. Enos now hungered for such joy; he prayed all day and into the
night. His petition was not because of any serious sins or for selfish motives,
but simply because he hungered after the blessings of the Spirit. His request
was not granted after a brief prayer, but only after his soul supplicated the
Almighty for many hours. As noted in verses 5 and 10, the voice of the Lord
came to him and revealed some marvelous truths.
Enos
was among those mortals who have received special divine communication through
the Holy Spirit. The Holy Ghost serves the Godhead as a revelator, revealing
great, new, and important truths. God, with his infinite knowledge and power,
has developed a system of communication far superior to anything mortals have
yet developed or even conceived. Through the Holy Spirit, he is able to
communicate with his children instantly, individually, and personally. However,
his spiritual communication is perceived only by certain sensitive individuals.
His voice is neither loud nor disturbing, and one might not hear or sense it
unless one were in tune with God's soft, still, small voice. (See 1 Kgs.
19:12-13; 3 Ne. 11:3-5; Hel. 5:29-33.)
God
can communicate with many people simultaneously yet individually. He provides a
simultaneous, instant, individual communication. Even more impressive is the
fact that he communicates not only messages but a verification of the
truthfulness of those messages. Enos recognized this, as noted in verse 6, as
he said that God could not lie.
The
Holy Ghost is unique. Through the Holy Ghost, we receive a message, a
validation of that message, and then comfort, direction, and peace. Enos
expressed this peace and joy in verses 6, 17, and 27.
Perhaps
other lessons can be learned from the example of Enos's prayers. Note that he
was alone and away from others and the normal pressures of day-to-day living as
he meditated and prayed. Verse 3 notes that he took advantage of his situation
while hunting to contemplate deeply on the messages of his father, Jacob. A
certain amount of privacy and some undisturbed time for meditation is very
valuable as we seek for deep personal communion with our Heavenly Father.
Also,
seeds of gospel truth had been planted earlier in Enos' soul, and these were now
ready to bear new, fresh fruit.
In
summary, the account of Enos and his mighty prayer demonstrates the importance
of being taught gospel truths, the value of being alone as one meditates and
prays, the necessity of prolonged and intense prayer, and, most important, the
clear answers and profound peace that prayer can bring as God communicates with
us through the Holy Ghost. Enos gives us a short but important lesson in some
valuable characteristics of true, powerful prayer.
Scriptures and
Prophets
Some
other valuable lessons can be learned from the brief writings of Enos. First he
wrote about the power of scriptural records as they preserve God's dealings
with his children on earth. Then he stressed some rewards of unifying our faith
with that of earlier prophets as we respond to their words.
In
verses 13-17, Enos prayed about the Nephites and the Lamanites. He mentioned
the desire of the Lamanites to destroy the Nephite holy records and asked God
to preserve the records and their truths. Enos knew that God could save the
records, and in his faith he asked God to do so. God's response was in the form
of a covenant, which promised not only that the records would be protected but
that they would also come forth to the Lamanites.
God
kept this covenant. Thus the Book of Mormon shares an important characteristic
with the Bible in that both have been preserved by God from the distant past to
be a blessing to his children in the last days. The ancient civilizations of
both the
After
Enos was promised that his sacred records would be preserved, God told him that
earlier prophets had requested the same thing and that they had also received
the same promise. Thus the faith of Enos matched the faith of his noble father,
uncle, and grandfather. Likewise, we can seek to have not only the same faith
as our righteous progenitors and earlier prophets, but we can also develop the
same desires in our hearts so that our requests to God can be unified with theirs.
fn
Unfortunately,
Enos also provides some examples of what happens to people who do not respond
to the messages of the prophets. Verses 22 and 23 indicate the difficult
challenge the prophets faced as they tried to bring people's lives into harmony
with the truths of the gospel. Prophets face similar obstacles today; often
their greatest opposition comes from the Latter-day Saints who should be the
first to respond with simple, devout faith to the prophetic word. However,
repeated words of plainness, harshness, and sharpness are often needed to keep
God's children from bringing divine destruction upon themselves. (See Enos
1:23.)
Footnotes
1.
Victor L. Ludlow is associate professor of ancient scripture and director of
Bible research at
2.
The chronological order of the scribes of the Book of Mormon records that
Joseph Smith translated from the small plates of Nephi is: Nephi, Jacob, Enos,
Jarom, Omni, Amaron, Chemish, Abinadom, Amaleki, and Mormon. Mormon's
abridgment from the large plates of Nephi includes the records of Benjamin,
Mosiah, Alma, Helaman, Shiblon (
3.
Compare Enos, verse 18, with the Lord's great intercessory prayer as recorded
in John 17.
(Kent
P. Jackson, ed., Studies in Scripture, Vol. 7: 1 Nephi to Alma 29 [Salt
Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1987], 197.)
2nd day Of Christ’s visit
3 Nephi 19 – Almost all of the verses start
with and, but or now. Perfect Hebrew
It is written in a narrative form, like we
are watching a past event. Narrative
form
Same as 3 Nephi 20:1-10.
The phrase:
“And it came to pass”, is pure Hebrew.
See Gospel link for references.
In 3 Nephi 19, we read that
some Nephites prayed to Jesus. Is it proper to pray to him?
, seminary teacher,
In
the pattern of prayer given to the Nephites, the direction was to “pray unto
the Father in the name of Jesus.” (See 3 Ne. 19:6–8;
see also 3 Ne. 18:19, 21.)
Jesus is our Mediator with the Father, and all we do in our attempts to
approach the Father must be done in his name. (See 1 Tim. 2:5.)
In
3 Nephi 19:16–30, however, we read that, when Jesus was in their immediate
presence, his disciples prayed directly to him. Perhaps the key to this unusual
behavior is found in verse 22, where Jesus explains that “they pray unto me because
I am with them.” [3 Ne.
19:16–30] (Italics added.)
Jesus made this comment while praying to the Father for the welfare of his
disciples.
Apparently,
on that occasion, while he was in their presence, praying to him was
acceptable. After he left them, however, the Nephites continued the pattern of
praying to the Father in Jesus’ name, as we are directed to do also. (See 3 Ne. 20:30–31;
3 Ne. 27:2, 28–29.)
Elder Bruce R.
McConkie clearly explained what our relationship with each member of the
Godhead should be, pointing out that some misguided members of the Church may
“begin to pray directly to Christ because of some special friendship they feel
has been developed” with him. This is wrong, said Elder McConkie. We should
pray directly to the Father, and he will answer our prayers as he sees fit.
Elder McConkie also pointed out that we should maintain an attitude of
reverence for all the members of the Godhead. (See “Our Relationship with the
Lord,” in Brigham Young University 1981–82 Fireside and Devotional Speeches,
Provo: Brigham Young University, 1982, pp. 97–103.)
Likewise,
we do not pray to the Holy Ghost, even though we may pray for specific gifts of
the Holy Ghost—such as the gifts of tongues, comfort, knowledge, or
remembrance. We should always pray to the Father. He is the Director, the
Supreme Being, the Ultimate Power.
As
we contemplate our relationship with Christ and our prayers to the Father, it
may be helpful for us to think about our premortal life. The Father’s plan was
presented for our sustaining vote. Lucifer wanted the power and glory for
himself, but Christ, in his wisdom and humility, realized that the honor and
glory should go to the Father. Thus, the Savior has consistently instructed,
“When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven.” (Luke 11:2.)
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Joseph Smith didn’t learn Hebrew until
January of 1835; Oliver Cowdery picked up the grammar books in NYC in Nov 1834.
3
Nephi 20:4-9 – Christ performs the sacrament again to the people. The miracle of bread is done for them. It is the only miracle that all 4 gospels
record. He teaches them that he is the
Bread of Life.
Matthew 4:1-3 – Satan commands Christ to make
bread to satisfy his hunger. Christ
refuses. Heavenly Father gives the
commands we obey, not Satan. Deut 8:2-3
and D&C 84:44. Are we any
different? Christ teaches us again who
to obey, how to obey and why!!!!
3 Nephi
Verse 12- verily, verily means Amen in
Hebrew. It’s like the speaker grabs you
by the shirt with both hands and says:
listen to me!! The Lord expects
the audience to already understand the Abrahamic covenant, (fulfilling of the
covenant).
Who are the Gentiles? BD 679-680.
2 definitions are used.
Verses 13-15 –
See the web site for the quotes on Scattering
and Gathering of Israel.
Verse 16 – The young lion represents the
Church, and the growth and progress of missionary work, it won’t be
stopped. Jeremiah 3:14,
Verse 18 – Gathering, Matthew 13:24-31,
D&C 86. Wheat and Tares Bro.
Satterfield described the process of separating wheat from tares. Threshing and grinding the chaff in ancient
times, using oxen and large limestone slabs.
Verses 19-26 – The horn represents power,
Micah 4:12-13. The sword of justice, the
clock is ticking. The prophet is
Christ. Another mention of the Abrahamic
covenant. We must remember the audience
the Lord is speaking too. Those who
survived the destruction of 3 Nephi 9:1, 11-14.
They listen to Christ and accept the covenant.
Verses 27-30 – The covenant and its promises
The Return of
This gathering will be millennial, after the
2nd coming.
THE FINAL GATHERING TO CHRIST
(3 Nephi 20-22)
Joseph F. McConkie
The
instruction given by Christ to the Nephites included a prophetic description of
the most singular events of the last days. In teaching of such things, the
Savior affirmed that the Father had not forgotten the covenant he had made with
his people—the house of
The Sword of God's
Justice
Christ
commanded the Nephites to record the things he said to them. He prophesied that
what was written would eventually come forth through the Gentiles [Joseph Smith
and the tribe of Ephraim] to the remnant of
Christ
gave the Nephites a prophetic description of the restoration of the fullness of
the gospel in the last days, announcing that it would come through the
Gentiles. The word Gentile is used in this context to emphasize that it
would not be the nation of Israel—that nation formed by God—who would bring
forth the word of life, but rather those possessing believing blood who had
been scattered among Gentile nations. Thus Gentiles as used in the Book
of Mormon includes faithful descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob who are
not of the tribe of Judah or who are not transplanted Jewish nationals; that
is, citizens of the Southern Kingdom. This time of restoration is known to us
as the "times of the Gentiles." When the time comes that the Gentiles
partake of that same dark spirit known to the tribe of
We
learn from the Joseph Smith Translation that Christ foretold these same events
to the inner circle of faithful Saints in the
This
day of vengeance is millennial; it refers to the Second Coming. Christ used the
words of Micah to describe it: "The remnant of Jacob shall be among the
Gentiles in the midst of many people as a lion among the beasts of the forest,
as a young lion among the flocks of sheep: who, if he go through, both treadeth
down, and teareth in pieces, and none can deliver." (Micah 5:8; 3 Ne.
20:16; 21:12.) The prophecy has no reference to the Lamanites or any other
remnant of
Christ
further emphasized that this final gathering was to be his doing and not that
of mortals—a matter of making bare his arm in contrast to the arm of flesh. He
said, "I will gather my people together as a man gathereth his sheaves
into the floor." He then added to the imagery of the ferocious lion that
of a goring bull. Again the prophetic promise is given in the words of Micah:
"I will make thine horn iron, and I will make thy hoofs brass: and thou
shalt beat in pieces many people: and I will consecrate their gain unto the
Lord, and their substance unto the Lord of the whole earth." fn (Micah
4:13.) Christ's commentary was simple and direct: "And behold, I am he who
doeth it." The sword of God's justice, he declared, shall hang over all
the nations of the Gentiles, and unless they repent it shall fall upon them. As
for the house of
The New Jerusalem
As
to the establishment of his people, the Savior told the Nephites that their
land would be the place of a New Jerusalem. The
A
little later in this same discourse, Christ again quoted Micah relative to the
ravishing lion and the destruction of the unrepentant Gentiles. Again he
announced that the rebellious were to be cut off from the house of
Thus,
this New Jerusalem shall become "a land of peace, a city of refuge, a
place of safety for the saints of the Most High God; and the glory of the Lord
shall be there, and the terror of the Lord also shall be there, insomuch that
the wicked will not come unto it, and it shall be called Zion. And it shall
come to pass among the wicked, that every man that will not take his sword
against his neighbor must needs flee unto
All of
Surely
the reader of Christ's discourse on the gathering will not overlook how closely
he tied the Nephites to their ancient forebears in the
Blessings of the
Covenant
Joseph
Smith's translation of the Abraham papyrus opens to us a flood of knowledge
about the covenant God made with our ancient father—knowledge now lost to those
whose understanding is limited to the Bible. From the record we learn that
Abraham was promised that his seed—his literal descendants—were to hold the
priesthood and carry the message of salvation, even the blessings of eternal
life, to all nations. (Abr. 2:9, 11.) This right has not been given to those of
any other lineage. In our present text, Christ reminds the Nephites that they
are the children of the prophets and thus inheritors of the promises made to
Abraham. It was because of that covenant that Christ had come to them and
sought to turn them from their iniquities. (3 Ne. 20:25-26.)
Amplifying
the Abrahamic covenant over that preserved for us in the Bible, the Savior said
that he had promised Abraham that through his posterity all the families of the
earth would be blessed by the "pouring out of the Holy Ghost," which
blessing would make the Gentiles "mighty above all, unto the scattering of
. . . [the] house of Israel." The Gentiles, he said, would be a
"scourge unto the people of this land," meaning Lehi's descendants in
the last days. Nevertheless, after the fullness of the gospel had gone forth
among the Gentiles, if they hardened their hearts and returned to their
iniquities all these evils would return to them. (3 Ne. 20:27-28.)
The Day of Jewish
Conversion
When
the day of the Gentile has been fulfilled, that is, when the gospel will be
taken from them because of their iniquities, the Savior will remember the
covenant he made with those of
Of this matter Elder
Bruce R. McConkie wrote: "As all the world knows, many Jews are now
gathering to
It
will be in this future setting, the Savior explained, that the prophecies of
Isaiah relative to
The Great Prophet of
the Restoration
To
this point Christ was describing the restoration of the gospel,
Concluding
his prophetic description of the return of those of
Jesus
then gave his Nephite congregation a sign so they would know when these
things—specifically the gathering of
At
this point in the Savior's remarks it becomes evident why he quoted Isaiah's
prophecies about a suffering servant to identify the great prophet who would
stand at the head of the latter-day gathering of
The Magnitude of the
Gathering
The
greatness of
By
what voice is scattered
"But
if they will repent and hearken unto my words," the Savior declared,
"and harden not their hearts, I will establish my church among them, and
they shall come in unto the covenant and be numbered among this the remnant of
Jacob"—having reference to Lehi's seed; for they and as many as shall come
to the covenant shall help build the New Jerusalem. "Then shall the power
of heaven come down among them" and the Savior be in their midst. (3 Ne.
21:22-25.)
The
text then declares that at this time—and it is clearly millennial—the work of
the Father shall "commence" in gathering the dispersed of Israel—the
tribes that have been lost—back to the land of their inheritance. There is no
mistaking the intended meaning. Four times in three verses the Lord said that
the labor of gathering
"And
all thy children shall be taught of the Lord; and great shall be the peace of
thy children. . . . No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and
every tongue that shall revile against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn.
This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of
me, saith the Lord." (3 Ne. 22:13, 17; Isa. 54:13, 17.)
Conclusion
We
have no more authoritative or informative source on the latter-day gathering of
These
comments of the Savior certainly affirm that neither he nor his Father has
forgotten the covenants made to our ancient progenitors. The promises God made
to the posterity of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are real! The Abrahamic covenant
is not an allegory; it is not a Bible story that is to be spiritualized away.
The gathering of
Yet,
as is always the case, a spiritual gathering must precede the physical
gathering—a gathering that centers in the restoration of the "fulness of
the gospel," the "pouring out of the Holy Ghost," the
reestablishing of the "true points" of Christ's doctrine, the
believing in his words, the repentance of sin and coming unto the "Beloved
Son." "I will establish my church among them," Christ declared,
"and they shall come in unto the covenant."
The
heart of the gathering is the testimony of Jesus. Those who reject that
testimony particularly and specifically as it comes forth in the record of the
Nephites and at the hands of the Prophet Joseph Smith are to be cut off from
among the Lord's people. One can hardly overstate the importance of the Book of
Mormon in this epic drama of
Footnotes
1.
Joseph F. McConkie is professor of ancient scripture at
2.
Bruce R. McConkie, The Mortal Messiah, 4 vols. (Salt Lake City: Deseret
Book Company, 1979-81), 4:334-35. See also The Millennial Messiah (Salt
Lake City: Deseret Book Company, 1982), pp. 244-48.
3.
We are told in the Doctrine and Covenants that returning
4.
The Millennial Messiah, p. 229.
5.
See Joseph Fielding McConkie and Robert L. Millet, Doctrinal Commentary on
the Book of Mormon (Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1987), 1:157.
6.
The Millennial Messiah, p. 171.
(Kent P. Jackson, ed., Studies in
Scripture, Vol. 8: Alma 30 to Moroni [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co.,
1988], 184.)
|
Book of Mormon Names Attested in Ancient Hebrew Inscriptions Journal of Book of Mormon Studies: Volume - 9, Issue
- 1 The
views expressed in this article are the views of the author and do not
represent the position of the Maxwell Institute, Brigham Young University, or
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. |
Book of
Mormon Names Attested in Ancient Hebrew Inscriptions
Personal
names found in the Book of Mormon but unknown from the Bible have long
intrigued LDS scholars. Some have proposed Hebrew etymologies for many of the
nonbiblical names used in Nephite and Lamanite society. While this kind of
activity suggests an Israelite origin for these peoples and hence provides
strong evidence for the historicity of the Book of Mormon, we now have an even
stronger source of evidence. In recent years, a large number of ancient
writings have been found in and around Israel. While many of these include
names found in the Bible and other ancient texts, others were previously
unattested in written sources. Some of these previously unattested names are
unknown in the Bible but are found in the Book of Mormon. The discovery of
these Hebrew names in ancient inscriptions provides remarkable evidence for the
authenticity of the Book of Mormon and provides clear refutation of those
critics who would place its origin in nineteenth-century America.
Two of
these names have been discussed in previous issues of the Journal.
Jeffrey Chadwick demonstrated that Sariah, known in the Book of Mormon as the
name of Lehi's wife, appears on one of the papyri written by members of a
Jewish community in Elephantine, Egypt, in the fifth century BC and discovered
at the turn of the twentieth century, and on several seals and clay bullae (for
the meaning of this and other technical terms, see the glossary on page 44)
found in Israel that date from the time of Lehi.1 Paul Hoskisson,
following up on previous notes from Hugh Nibley,2 showed that the
name Alma appears on a Jewish document of the early second century AD, also
found in Israel.3 Terrence Szink provided evidence that the name
Alma is even older, being attested on clay tablets found at the northwestern
Syrian site of Ebla and dating to the second half of the third millennium BC4
A number of other biblical names have been found at Ebla, which is in the
region that some scholars consider to be the homeland of the Hebrews.
The Hebrew Language
Some
peculiarities of the Hebrew language will help the reader appreciate the value
of the various names that we will discuss in this article. The ancient
Israelites spoke the same language as their neighbors, the Canaanites, though
there may have been some dialectal variation. The Canaanite languages (which
include Canaanite/Hebrew, Phoenician and its descendant Punic, Moabite,
Ammonite, and Edomite) are part of a larger family known as Semitic.
The
Canaanite languages, along with a number of other Semitic languages, were
written with consonants only, right-to-left rather than the left-to-right orientation
of English writing. The reader had to mentally add the vowels according to the
context of the words—which is still the case in modern Hebrew. The vowels found
in medieval Hebrew Bible scrolls and in modern printed Hebrew Bibles were
supplied by later scribes. Thus, the Hebrew form of Alma was written 'lm'.
From Hebrew phonetic rules, the most likely pronunciation was Alma, which is
how its discoverer, Yigael Yadin, rendered it in English.5
Hebrew
names tend to have meanings in that language, making it possible for us to
assign etymologies to most of the names discussed in this article and to other
names in the Bible and the Book of Mormon.
Sariah
The Hebrew
form of the the great battle at Cumorah also bore this name (see Mormon 6:14).
In the Old name Sariah is Sryh. The first element of the name is sar
(with vowel), generally rendered "prince" in the KJV.6 The
second element is a theophoric element, Yah or Yahû, an
abbreviated form of the divine name that appears as either Jehovah or LORD (all
caps) in the KJV. Thus the correct vocalization would be saryah, meaning
either "prince of Jehovah" or "Jehovah is Prince."
The
theophoric element is usually transliterated -iah in the Bible, as in
the names Jeremiah and Isaiah, though sometimes it is rendered -jah, as
in Elijah and Abijah. (In earlier forms of English, the letters j and
y were pronounced alike, and even names like Ishmael and Isaiah begin with
the y sound in Hebrew.)
Previous
to its discovery as a woman's name at Elephantine, Sariah was known from the
Bible as a male name, transliterated Seraiah in English, though spelled the
same in Hebrew, which, as previously mentioned, was originally written without
vowels.7 Indeed, the name seems to have been common in the time of
Jeremiah, a contemporary of Lehi and his wife Sariah (see Jeremiah 36:26; 40:8;
51:59, 61; 52:24), and is attested on seals and bullae of that time period.8
It may
seem strange to modern readers that a male name could be given to a woman, but
the phenomenon is common in many languages, including English (e.g., Jan, Kim,
Bobbie), and is known from the Bible (e.g., Abijah is a man's name in 1 Kings
14:1 but a woman's name in 2 Chronicles 29:1). Even the name Solomon (Hebrew Å lmh)
is attested on a bulla in the Moussaieff collection as the name of a woman, the
"daughter of Shebniah."9
Other Book of Mormon Names
In
addition to Alma and Sariah, a number of other Nephite names are attested in
ancient Hebrew inscriptions. These include Aha, Ammonihah, Chemish, Hagoth,
Himni, Isabel, Jarom, Josh, Luram, Mathoni, Mathonihah, Muloki, and Sam, none
of which appear in English Bibles. The name Gilgal is known from the Bible as a
place name and refers to something that rolls, such as a wheel (see Joshua
5:9). In addition to the Nephite city Gilgal (see 3 Nephi 9:6), one of the
Nephite military leaders who perished in World, it also appears as the name of
a man (Glgl) on Arad Ostracon 49, from the second half of the eighth
century BC10
Sources of the Attested Names
Most of
the Book of Mormon names that are now attested are known from Hebrew
inscriptions on bullae. These inscriptions typically give the owner's name and
often his or her paternity. In the early 1960s, Israeli archaeologist Yohanan
Aharoni discovered the first collection of Hebrew bullae in a pottery jar at
Lachish, some twenty miles southwest of Jerusalem. Because one of them bore the
name of a royal official, he suggested that they had been part of an
administrative archive.
In the
mid—1970s, a group of nearly 70 bullae and two seals of the Persian period came
to light. Their provenance is unknown because they fell into the hands of
private collectors.
A number
of bullae from a hoard illegally excavated near Tell Beit Mirsim began
appearing in the Jerusalem antiquities market in 1975. Of these, nearly 200
were acquired by a single Israeli collector, Yoav Sasson, while another 49 were
purchased by Dr. Reuben Hecht of Haifa and donated to the Israel Museum in
Jerusalem. The clay bullae were accidentally preserved by being fired when the
site was burned during the Babylonian invasion of 588—587 BC The Sasson and
Hebrew University collections, comprising 255 bullae impressed by 211 different
seals, were published in 1986 by Nahman Avigad.11 Bullae from the
same site ended up in the collections of Solomon Moussaieff of London and Ch.
Kaufman of Antwerp.
In 1982,
another 50 Hebrew bullae were discovered in the ancient City of David, south of
the current Old City of Jerusalem. Other bullae were uncovered during
archaeological excavations at Tell el- Judeideh, Beth-Zur, Lachish, Beer-
Sheba, and Tel el-Hesi. By 1997, Robert Deutsch was able to report that some
510 bullae had been published.12
Arrowheads
are another source for the names. To date, about forty ancient bronze
arrowheads of the tenth and eleventh centuries BC, inscribed with the names of
their owners, have been discovered in northern Israel and Lebanon. A few of
them bear names also found in the Book of Mormon. Some of the arrowheads are
held by private collectors, others by museums.
Patristic Names
A feature
of the Book of Mormon that is unknown from the Old Testament is the naming of a
son after his father. Thus, we have Alma son of Alma, Helaman son of Helaman,
Nephi son of Nephi son of Helaman, and Pahoran son of Pahoran. Until recently,
patristic names of this sort were unknown from epigraphic sources. But an
ostracon from the late seventh or early sixth century BC in the Moussaeiff
collection lists one 'lkn bn 'lkn, "Elikon [or Elkanah] son of
Elikon."13
Implications for the Book of Mormon
Critics of
the Book of Mormon have long suggested that Joseph Smith (or sometimes another
nineteenth-century personality, such as Solomon Spaulding or Sidney Rigdon)
wrote the Book of Mormon and invented all of the nonbiblical names found
therein. One critic claimed that Book of Mormon names "were the product of
a schizophrenic mind that was excessively religious. They are in no sense
divinely inspired."14
Another
critic wrote that "There is not a single discovery or scrap of evidence in
support of any of the following names of heads, under which the book has been
divided. . . . This altogether remarkable production of an over-imaginative
mind bears evidences of the eagerness with which the would-be prophet sought to
study his profit, and how he mistook his calling in life, rather than anything
in the way of support towards its claims."15
A pair of
critics wrote, "It would be easy to make up hundreds of 'new names' by
simply changing a few letters on names that are already known or by making
different combinations with parts of names. . . . If he used a list of Bible
names and a little imagination, it would have been very easy to have produced
the 'new names' found in the Book of Mormon."16
Critics of
the Book of Mormon have been reluctant to grant the historical complexity of
Book of Mormon names, even when faced with evidence supporting their
authenticity. One man, after writing a series of inflammatory letters designed
to elicit negative comments about LDS scriptures from prominent Near Eastern
scholars, received a response from William F. Albright of Johns Hopkins
University, who expressed doubts that Joseph Smith could have learned Egyptian
from any early nineteenth century sources. Explaining that he was a Protestant
and hence not a believer in the Book of Mormon, he observed, "It is all
the more surprising that there are two Egyptian names, Paanch[i] and Pahor[an]
which appear in the Book of Mormon in close connection with a reference to the
original language being 'Reformed Egyptian.'" Puzzled at the existence of
such names in an obscure book published by Joseph Smith in 1830, Albright
vaguely suggested that the young Mormon leader was some kind of "religious
genius."17
Incensed
by this response, the critic wrote to another scholar in England. Without
mentioning Albright by name, he complained of "another scholar who is
renowned in ancient Semitic studies" who "though a Protestant, he
writes of the Book of Mormon like it had authentic Egyptian-Hebrew support. He
even offered me what he said were two good Egyptian names in the Book of
Mormon— Paanchi and Pahoran. . . Certainly he would know Joseph Smith didn't
understand Egyptian, but why would he leave an impression that Joseph Smith was
on the right track?"18
The names
described in this article deal a serious blow to critics of the Book of Mormon.
Found in both the Book of Mormon and ancient inscriptions, these names are
Hebrew in origin, as one would expect for people who emigrated from ancient
Jerusalem. Except where noted, these names are not known from the Bible. Of
particular interest is the fact that most of these names are attested in
inscriptions dating to the time of Lehi. Indeed, some are relatively common for
that time period.We can only speculate about how they made their way to the New
World—whether on the brass plates of Laban or on the large plates of Nephi
(which we no longer have) or in the names of the sons of Ishmael or their
children or Lehi's grandchildren.
With
ongoing excavation in Israel and elsewhere in the Near East, it is likely that
more Book of Mormon names will show up in ancient Hebrew inscriptions.
Abish is
the name of a Lamanite woman, a servant to king Lamoni's queen (see Alma
19:16). Abish corresponds to the Hebrew name 'bš', found on a seal from
pre-exilic times (prior to 587 BC) in the Hecht Museum in Haifa.19
The addition of the Hebrew letter aleph
(symbolized by ' in transliteration) to the end of the name is known from other
Hebrew hypocoristic names, suggesting that the name on the seal may be
hypocoristic. (See Hypocoristic Forms on page 50.) However, no etymology has
been proposed. The form 'bš' is also attested as a Semitic name on a wall
relief in the tomb of Khnum-hotep III at Beni Hasan, Egypt, dating to the
nineteenth century BC The relief depicts a group of Asiatics, probably Semites,
entering Egypt with their donkeys. Scholars have often compared the scene to
the emigration of Abraham and later his grandson Jacob into Egypt. W. F.
Albright suggested reading the name as Abi-shar, but in view of the more recent
evidence, this must now be abandoned.20
Aha was
one of the sons of the Nephite military leader Zoram (Alma 16:5). Hugh Nibley
proposed that the name was of Egyptian origin meaning "warrior". But
the name is now attested in several early inscriptions as Hebrew 'h',
thought by scholars to have been vocalized 'Aha' and to be a
hypocoristic name based on 'ah, "brother". The longer form,
rendered Ahijah in the King James Bible, is 'ahîyah(û), which means
"brother of Yah (Jehovah)" or "Yah is my brother",21
which is also attested in a dozen ancient Hebrew inscriptions.22
The name
'ii' is inscribed in Canaanite letters of the eleventh and ninth centuries
BC, respectively, on two bronze arrowheads in the possession of a collector who
prefers to remain anonymous, and on a Moabite seal.23 More
importantly, the name also appears on several Hebrew ostraca, including Samaria
Ostracon 51,24 Ostracon 1543/1 from Khirbet el-Meshash,25
and Arad ostraca 49, 67, 74.26 It is also known from four jar stamps,
two from Tel el-Judeideh,27 and two from Khirbet Rabud,28
along with a Hebrew bulla of unknown provenance.29 Of particular
significance for our study is a Hebrew bulla found in Jerusalem that dates from
the time of Lehi.30
The
addition of the Hebrew letter aleph to the end of the name Aha is also
known from other Hebrew hypocoristic names.
Ammonihah
was the name of a Nephite who founded the city of the same name (see Alma
8:6—7). The name is attested on two Hebrew seals, one known to date to the
seventh century BC, in the forms ‘mnyhw and ‘mnwyhw.31
Nibley saw
the ending -ihah, found in this and several other Book of Mormon names,
as the theophoric element rendered -iah in the KJV and found in many
Hebrew names from the time of Lehi.32 The use of -ihah for
the divine name Yhwh (KJV "Jehovah") suggests that the Nephites may
have used this longer form. It is possible, however, that the first h
merely reflects Joseph Smith's transliteration.
Chemish
was a descendant of Jacob and one of the guardians and authors of the small
plates of Nephi (see Omni 1:8—10). His name is apparently related to that of
the Ammonite god Chemosh, spelled Kmš in prevocalic Hebrew and Ammonite
(related languages). A number of names containing the element Kmš are
known, in which it is clear that the divine name was meant.33 Also
known is a seal currently in the Israel Museum that has Kmš as the name
of a man or woman.34
Hagoth was
a Nephite shipbuilder who constructed ships that took colonizers into the land
northward (see Alma 63:5). Contrary to LDS folklore, there is no indication in
the text that Hagoth himself sailed on any of them (see Alma 63:6—9).
One Book
of Mormon critic argued that Joseph Smith derived the name Hagoth from the name
of the biblical prophet Haggai.35 Indeed, the names may be related,
but a closer parallel is the biblical Haggith (see 2 Samuel 3:4; 1 Kings 1:5,
etc.), which may have been vocalized Hagoth anciently. All three names derive
from a root referring to a pilgrimage to attend religious festivals.
The name
Hagoth is attested in the form Hgt on an Ammonite seal inscribed
sometime in the eighth through the sixth centuries BC36 (The
Ammonites, neighbors of the Israelites and descendants of Abraham's nephew Lot,
wrote and spoke the same language as the Israelites.)
Himni was
one of the four sons of Mosiah2 who went on the mission to the
Lamanites (see Mosiah 27:34; Alma 22:35; 23:1; 25:17; 27:19; 31:6). Of this
name, an early critic wrote, "It appeared to the present writer, by this
time, almost certain that the name Harmony, that of the town where Joseph Smith
spent so many happy, loving hours courting Emma, would be discernible, so he
again consulted the list and found HiMNI. I need not point out the radical
resemblance. Is that resemblance accidental, and not due at all to the
haunting cadences of that doubly blessed name 'Harmony?'"37
Contrary
to this speculation, the name Himni is clearly Hebrew and is represented by the
unvocalized form, Hmn on two Israelite seals. The first, from the eighth
century BC, was found at Megiddo in the Jezreel Valley.38 The other
is from the first half of the seventh century BC39
Because
the seal inscriptions do not have vowels, we cannot know precisely how the name
is to be read. The Bible knows of a non-Israelite Haman from the time of
Esther, and Heman was a noted poet and musician in the time of David and
Solomon. The vowel at the end of Himni suggests that it is a gentillic form,
meaning "Hemanite". (See the glossary on page 44.)
Isabel was
a harlot in the land of Siron, on the border between the Lamanites and the
Zoramites (see Alma 39:3). LDS scholars have generally assumed that the name is
identical to that of the Old Testament Jezebel, the Hebrew form of which was 'ÃŽzebel,
and this is probably correct. But the spelling Yzbl is now attested on a
seal in the Israel Museum in Jerusalem that is thought to be Phoenician in
origin.40
Jarom was
the son of Enos and grandson of Nephi's brother Jacob (see Jarom 1:1, 14). The
fifth book in the Book of Mormon bears his name. One might wish to compare
Jarom with the biblical name Jehoram, which is found twenty-one times in the
Bible, while its hypocoristic form Joram occurs twenty-four times. But several
Hebrew inscriptions bear the name Yrm, which scholars consider to be the
hypocoristic form of Yrmyh(w), Jeremiah, whose name means "Yah
(Jehovah) exalts."41 Yrm is found in four Hebrew
inscriptions, including a seal of the seventh century BC, found in Egypt,42
and three items from the time of Lehi: a jug inscription from Tel
esh-Shari‘ah, and an ostracon and bulla in the Moussaieff collection.
Josh was
the name of a city destroyed at the time of Christ's crucifixion (see 3 Nephi
9:10) and of a Nephite military leader who died in the great battle at Cumorah
(see Mormon 6:14). Critics have suggested that this is merely the American
diminutive for the name Joshua.
But a
number of Hebrew inscriptions bear the name Y'š, probably vocalized Yô'š,
which Israeli scholars have acknowledged to be hypocoristic for the biblical
name Y'šyhw, Josiah, in whose reign Jeremiah began his prophetic mission
(see Jeremiah 1:2; 27:1).43 The name appears in three of the Lachish
letters (2, 3, and 6) from the time of Lehi.44 It is also the name
of four persons named in the fifth-century BC Jewish Aramaic papyri from
Elephantine, Egypt.45 Four of the bullae found near Tel Beit Mirsim
and dating from ca. 600 BC bear the name Y'š.46 Three of them
were made from the same seal.
Luram is
the name of a Nephite military leader who served with Mormon (see Moroni 9:2).
The name is reflected in the second element of the name 'dn-Lrm,
"Lord of LRM," known from a seal of ca. 720 BC found during
excavations at Hama (Hamath) in Syria. The name is also known from graffiti on
three bricks from the same level at Hama.47
Mathoni
and Mathonihah were the names of two of the twelve disciples chosen by Christ
during his visit to the Nephites (see 3 Nephi 19:4). Critic Walter Prince
suggested an unusual derivation for the name, writing, "Just lisp the
sibilant and you have the entire word 'Mason' and almost the entire word
"Masonic" in both of these appellations."48 Prince
would have done better to look to the Bible.
The fact
that Mathoni is hypocoristic for Mathonihah reinforces the idea that the
element -ihah is the Nephite form of the divine name (see Ammonihah,
above). This being the case, Mathonihah would correspond to KJV Mattaniah
(Hebrew Mtnyhw), the birth-name of Zedekiah (see 2 Kings 24:17), who was
king of Judah when Lehi left Jerusalem (see 1 Nephi 1:4). Several other
biblical personalities bore this name. We can then compare Mathoni to biblical
Mattan, the name of two different men, one of whom was a contemporary of Lehi
and Jeremiah (see Jeremiah 38:1). (Note that the Hebrew letter tav is
sometimes transliterated t in the Bible, as in these names, and
sometimes th, as in Methuselah.)
Hugh
Nibley was the first to suggest that the Book of Mormon name Mathonihah
corresponded to biblical Mattaniah, while its biform Mathoni (see 3 Nephi 19:4)
corresponded to biblical Mattan. He further noted that both names are found in
the Elephantine Papyri and that the longer form occurs in the Lachish letters,
written just a few years after Lehi left Jerusalem.49
The Hebrew
name Mtnyhw appears on a seventh- century BC wine decanter,50
on six seals,51 and on seven bullae, most of them from the time of
Lehi.52 The hypocoristic Mtn, which could be vocalized either
Mattan (as in the Bible) or Mathoni (as in the Book of Mormon), is found on
Ostracon 1682/2 from Khirbet el-Meshash (second half of the seventh century
BC),53 seven seals (most from the seventh century BC),54
and eleven bullae (most from the time of Lehi).55
Muloki was
one of the men who accompanied the sons of Mosiah on their mission to the
Lamanites (see Alma 20:2; 21:11). His name suggests that he may have been a
Mulekite. Also from the same root are names such as Mulek56 and
Melek,57 which is the Hebrew word meaning "king". Mulek is
hypocoristic for Hebrew Mlkyh(w) (KJV Melchiah and Malchiah), which is
attested both in the Bible (see 1 Chronicles 6:40; Ezra 10:25, 3; Nehemiah
3:14, 31; 8:4; 11:12; Jeremiah 21:1; 38:1, 6) and in numerous ancient
inscriptions, most of them from the time of Lehi. Indeed, it has been suggested
that one of the men bearing this name is the Mulek of the Book of Mormon. He is
called "Malchiah the son of Hammelech," which means "Malchiah,
son of the king" (see Jeremiah 38:6).58
Muloki
corresponds to the name Mlky
on a bulla found in the City of David (Jerusalem) and dating from the time of
Lehi.59
Sam,
brother of Nephi, came to the New World with his father Lehi and family (see 1
Nephi 2:5; 2 Nephi 5:6; Alma 3:6). Critics have suggested that Joseph Smith
simply used the common English diminutive of Samuel. What these critics failed
to realize is that the name Samuel, which appears in the English Bible, is from
the Hebrew name (Å mû'el) comprised of two elements, Shem
("name") + El ("God").
The name
Sam is attested on a bronze ring mounted seal dated to the seventh century BC60
While others have read this name as Shem, in paleo- Hebrew there is no
distinction in writing between s and š (the latter written sh in
English). (It is the same letter used at the beginning of the name Sariah.)
Various dialects of Hebrew pronounced this letter in different ways anciently.
From the story in Judges 12:6, we find that some of the tribe of Joseph
pronounced it s instead of š, reminding us that Lehi was a descendant of Joseph
(see 1 Nephi 5:14).
Gathering of Israel
November 14, 2002
D&C 133:4-9 – Saints need to get out of
1.
stakes of
2.
The
Jews gather at
Orson Hyde’s journey to the
D&C 45:67-68 – Flee to
3 Nephi 20:32-41 – The Lord quotes Isaiah’s
prophecies. Why are Isaiah’s words in
the Book of Mormon? To testify of Christ
and speak of the gathering of
Article of Faith #10
3 Nephi 21:1-7 – Look at the semi colons, one
very long sentence!! The gospel shall be
made known unto the Gentiles through the Book of Mormon. The
(3 Nephi 21:1-7.)
1 And verily I say unto you, I give unto you a sign, that ye may
know the time when these things shall be about to take place—that I shall
gather in, from their long dispersion, my people, O house of Israel, and shall
establish again among them my Zion;
2 And behold, this is the thing which I will give unto you for a
sign—for verily I say unto you that when these things which I declare unto you,
and which I shall declare unto you hereafter of myself, and by the power of the
Holy Ghost which shall be given unto you of the Father, shall be made known
unto the Gentiles that they may know concerning this people who are a remnant
of the house of Jacob, and concerning this my people who shall be scattered by them;
3 Verily, verily, I say unto you, when these things shall be made
known unto them of the Father, and shall come forth of the Father, from them
unto you;
4 For it is wisdom in the Father that they should be established in
this land, and be set up as a free people by the power of the Father, that
these things might come forth from them unto a remnant of your seed, that the
covenant of the Father may be fulfilled which he hath covenanted with his
people, O house of Israel;
5 Therefore, when these works and the works which shall be wrought
among you hereafter shall come forth from the Gentiles, unto your seed which
shall dwindle in unbelief because of iniquity;
6 For thus it behooveth the Father that it should come forth from
the Gentiles, that he may show forth his power unto the Gentiles, for this
cause that the Gentiles, if they will not harden their hearts, that they may
repent and come unto me and be baptized in my name and know of the true points
of my doctrine, that they may be numbered among my people, O house of Israel;
7 And when these things come to pass that thy seed shall begin to
know these things—it shall be a sign unto them, that they may know that the
work of the Father hath already commenced unto the fulfilling of the covenant
which he hath made unto the people who are of the house of
See web site for quotes from Pres. Benson,
Pres. Kimball, and Pres. Snow about the gathering, Elder McConkie was the most
direct about the gathering of
Keys for the Gathering of
The
gathering of
- After this vision closed, the
heavens were again opened unto us; and Moses appeared before us, and
committed unto us the keys of the gathering of
- We believe in the literal
gathering of Israel and in the restoration of the Ten Tribes; that Zion
(the New Jerusalem) will be built upon the American continent; that Christ
will reign personally upon the earth; and, that the earth will be renewed
and receive its paradisiacal glory. (Articles of Faith 10)
Of this, Bruce R. McConkie has said:
Moses, who mediated the cause of his erring
brethren in ancient times, and to whom the Lord revealed the doctrine of the
scattering and the doctrine of the gathering, is the very one who came in
resurrected glory to give the needed authorization and keys to Joseph Smith and
Oliver Cowdery. As the holy word attests: "Moses appeared before us, and
committed unto us the keys of the gathering of
Two things are involved in this commission. First
The Gathering
of
Bruce R.
McConkie:
The gathering of
The three phases of this great latter-day work are as
follows:
Phase I - From the First Vision,
the setting up of the kingdom on April 6, 1830, and the coming of Moses on
April 3, 1836, to the secure establishment of the Church in the
Phase II - From the creation of stakes of
Phase III - From the Lord's second coming
until the kingdom is perfected and the knowledge of God covers the earth as the
waters cover the sea, and from then until the end of the Millennium, a period
of 1,000 years. ("Come: Let
3 Nephi 21:8-10 – The Church will be
established, never to be removed. This
work is in the Lord’s hands.
(3 Nephi 21:8-10.)
8 And when that day shall come, it shall come to pass that kings
shall shut their mouths; for that which had not been told them shall they see;
and that which they had not heard shall they consider.
9 For in that day, for my sake shall the Father work a work, which
shall be a great and a marvelous work among them; and there shall be among them
those who will not believe it, although a man shall declare it unto them.
10 But behold, the life of my servant shall be in my hand;
therefore they shall not hurt him, although he shall be marred because of them.
Yet I will heal him, for I will show unto them that my wisdom is greater than
the cunning of the devil.
The gathering of
Verses 12-29 – Are events preceding the
Millennium. Look at verse 25.
3 Nephi 22 the Savior quotes Isaiah 54. A few were left in
The
kingdom is established, it’s here!! He
hasn’t forgotten his people,
The Millennium in verses 10-17
3 Nephi 23 – Isaiah was fantastic, he taught
everything concerning the scattering and the gathering of
Alma 39-40
November 21, 2002
Alma 35:15 – The Zoramite mission was a
disaster! Chapters 31-35 describe the
mission. The people were hardened to
begin with. Corianton’s sins didn’t help
matters; it just gave the people an excuse not to listen to the message. They put it in
D&C 121:34-43 – How to use the priesthood
and be a father in
Alma 39:3 – Pride was the problem; he thought
he had more wisdom and intelligence then the others!! His fall into immorality was next.
In
In verse 12,
(
1 And now, my son, I have somewhat more to say unto thee than what
I said unto thy brother; for behold, have ye not observed the steadiness of thy
brother, his faithfulness, and his diligence in keeping the commandments of
God? Behold, has he not set a good example for thee?
2 For thou didst not give so much heed unto my words as did thy
brother, among the people of the Zoramites. Now this is what I have against
thee; thou didst go on unto boasting in thy strength and thy wisdom.
3 And this is not all, my son. Thou didst do that which was
grievous unto me; for thou didst forsake the ministry, and did go over into the
4 Yea, she did steal away the hearts of many; but this was no
excuse for thee, my son. Thou shouldst have tended to the ministry wherewith
thou wast entrusted.
5 Know ye not, my son, that these things are an abomination in the
sight of the Lord; yea, most abominable above all sins save it be the shedding
of innocent blood or denying the Holy Ghost?
6 For behold, if ye deny the Holy Ghost when it once has had place
in you, and ye know that ye deny it, behold, this is a sin which is
unpardonable; yea, and whosoever murdereth against the light and knowledge of
God, it is not easy for him to obtain forgiveness; yea, I say unto you, my son,
that it is not easy for him to obtain a forgiveness.
7 And now, my son, I would to God that ye had not been guilty of so
great a crime. I would not dwell upon your crimes, to harrow up your soul, if
it were not for your good.
8 But behold, ye cannot hide your crimes from God; and except ye
repent they will stand as a testimony against you at the last day.
9 Now my son, I would that ye should repent and forsake your sins,
and go no more after the lusts of your eyes, but cross yourself in all these
things; for except ye do this ye can in nowise inherit the
10 And I command you to take it upon you to counsel with your elder
brothers in your undertakings; for behold, thou art in thy youth, and ye stand
in need to be nourished by your brothers. And give heed to their counsel.
11 Suffer not yourself to be led away by any vain or foolish thing;
suffer not the devil to lead away your heart again after those wicked harlots.
Behold, O my son, how great iniquity ye brought upon the Zoramites; for when
they saw your conduct they would not believe in my words.
12 And now the Spirit of the Lord doth say unto me: Command thy
children to do good, lest they lead away the hearts of many people to
destruction; therefore I command you, my son, in the fear of God, that ye
refrain from your iniquities;
Alma 40 –
Stephen L. Richards
First, I mention the gift of discernment, embodying the power to
discriminate, which has been spoken of in our hearing before particularly as
between right and wrong. I believe that this gift when highly developed arises
largely out of an acute sensitivity to impressions -- spiritual
impressions, if you will -- to read under the surface as it were,
to detect hidden evil, and more importantly to find the good that may be
concealed. The highest type of discernment is that which perceives
in others and uncovers for them their better natures, the good inherent within
them. It's the gift every missionary needs when he takes the gospel to the
people of the world. He must make an appraisal of every personality whom he
meets. He must be able to discern the hidden spark that may be lighted for
truth. The gift of discernment will save him from mistakes and embarrassment,
and it will never fail to inspire confidence in the one who is rightly
appraised.
The gift of discernment is essential to the leadership of the
Church. I never ordain a bishop or set apart a president of a stake without
invoking upon him this divine blessing, that he may read the lives and hearts
of his people and call forth the best within them. The gift and power
of discernment in this world of contention between the forces of good and the
power of evil is essential equipment for every son and daughter of God.
There could be no such mass dissensions as endanger the security of the world,
if its populations possessed this great gift in larger degree. People
are generally so gullible one is sometimes led to wonder whether the great
Lincoln was right, after all, in the conclusion of his memorable statement,
"You can't fool all the people all the time." One does feel at times,
however, a sense of pity and sympathy for some of the peoples of the world
whose education, information, and exposure to higher ideals and exalted
concepts have been so arbitrarily and ruthlessly restricted.
There is a class of people now grown sizable in the world who
should possess this great gift in large degree. They know how the gift is
attained. They have been educated in its spiritual foundations. They have been
blessed with the counsels which foster it. They know how to order their lives
to procure it. You know who they are, my brethren and sisters. Every member
in the restored
Everyone will be resurrected. But what will our bodies be like, Celestial,
Terrestrial or Telestial? The doctrine
was restored to us through the Prophet Joseph Smith, in D&C 76.
In verses 12-13, there will be no change in
our spirits when we die. Righteous or
wicked we will be you reap what you sow.
See the Spirit World paper on the web site. He quoted a lot from it. Parley P. Pratt, Brigham Young, George Q. Cannon,
Harold B. Lee, Presidents Kimball & Benson, Pres. Joseph F. Smith and his
son Joseph Fielding.
There is a separation in the spirit
world. Righteous/Wicked Christ after his
resurrection organized the righteous to visit the wicked and teach them the
gospel, (D&C 138) those who accepted great, those who don’t, oh well!!
There are 2 judgments: 1. Individual
Death, paradise or prison
2. Final judgment – The
assignment to our kingdom
Joseph Smith quote on heirships is found in
HC 5:424. Without covenants we risk
losing the whole. Get all of the
ordinances!! Don’t stop at baptism.
“All men
who become heirs of God and joint-heirs with Jesus Christ will have to receive
the fullness of the ordinances of his kingdom; and those who will not receive
all the ordinances will come short of the fullness of that glory, if they do
not lose the whole.”
Moses 7:56-57 – Luke 16. The gulf was bridged so the gospel could be
taught, quote by Joseph Fielding Smith.
The Gulf Bridged Between
Joseph Fielding Smith
- We hear the
objection made, from time to time, that Jesus did not come to save the
dead, for he most emphatically declared himself that there was an
impassable gulf that separated the righteous spirits from the wicked. In
defense of their position they quote the words in Luke: "And beside
all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they
which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us
that would come from thence." These words, according to the
story, were spoken by Abraham's spirit to the rich man who raised his eyes
and asked that Lazarus might go touch his lips and relieve his torment.
Abraham replied that it could not be for there was a gulf fixed between
them that the spirit of no man could pass. Therefore, say the objectors to
the doctrine of universal salvation, "It is quite evident that the
righteous and the wicked who are dead cannot visit each other, hence there
is no salvation for the dead." This was true before the days
that Jesus atoned for sin, which is plainly shown in the passage from the
Book of Moses previously quoted. And it was at this period this event
occurred. However, Christ came and through his death bridged that gulf,
proclaimed liberty to the captives, and the opening of this prison door to
those who sat in darkness and captivity. From that time forth
this gulf is bridged so that the captives, after they have paid the full
penalty of their misdeeds, satisfied justice, and have accepted the gospel
of Christ, having the ordinances attended to in their behalf by their
living relatives or friends, receive the passport that entitles them to
cross the gulf. (Doctrines of Salvation, 2:158; emphasis
original)
Punishments are not eternal for an
individual; they are given to reform a
person.
D&C 138:57-59 – Without ordinances we
cannot expand in wisdom, we can grow and progress in the Spirit World.
(Doctrine and Covenants 138:57-59.)
57 I beheld that the faithful elders of this dispensation, when
they depart from mortal life, continue their labors in the preaching of the
gospel of repentance and redemption, through the sacrifice of the Only Begotten
Son of God, among those who are in darkness and under the bondage of sin in the
great world of the spirits of the dead.
58 The dead who repent will be redeemed, through obedience to the
ordinances of the house of God,
59 And after they have paid the penalty of their transgressions,
and are washed clean, shall receive a reward according to their works, for they
are heirs of salvation.
THE PATH OF REPENTANCE
(
Robert L. Millet
1.
He had become haughty, had yielded to feelings of self-sufficiency. He had
begun to boast in his own strength (
2.
Corianton had forsaken his ministry (Alma 39:3), had left his duty station. He
was not where he had been assigned to be. One who sings "I'll go where you
want me to go, dear Lord," must not then be guilty of desertion, of
negligence and waywardness when the assignment comes. "No man," the
Savior declared, "having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is
fit for the
3.
He had begun to associate with the wrong kinds of people; he eventually
surrendered to the allurements and pressures to conform to the ways of the
worldly. But,
The
Seriousness of Sexual Transgression
"All
manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men," Jesus warned,
"but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men .
. . neither in this world, neither in the world to come." (Matt.
12:31-32.) These are they who "know [God's] power, and have been made
partakers thereof, and suffered themselves through the power of the devil to be
overcome, and to deny the truth and defy [God's] power—they are they who are
the sons of perdition, . . . vessels of wrath," enemies to the cause of
truth, "having denied the Holy Spirit after having received it, and having
denied the Only Begotten Son of the Father, having crucified him unto
themselves and put him to an open shame." (D&C 76:31-35.) fn Joseph
Smith declared:
All
sins shall be forgiven, except the sin against the Holy Ghost; for Jesus will
save all except the sons of perdition. What must a man do to commit the
unpardonable sin? He must receive the Holy Ghost, have the heavens opened unto
him, and know God, and then sin against Him. After a man has sinned against the
Holy Ghost, there is no repentance for him. He has got to say that the sun does
not shine while he sees it; he has got to deny Jesus Christ when the heavens
have been opened unto him, and to deny the plan of salvation with his eyes open
to the truth of it; and from that time he begins to be an enemy. fn
The
sin against the Holy Ghost is unpardonable because it is not covered by
the atoning blood of Christ and because no amount of personal suffering on the
part of the sinner can atone for the pernicious deed.
"Whosoever
murdereth against the light and knowledge of God, it is not easy for him to
obtain forgiveness,"
Sexual
immorality ranks third in order of serious offenses before God because it, like
murder, deals with life. One who tampers with virtue prematurely or
inappropriately—outside of marriage—tampers with the powers of life. Elder Boyd
K. Packer has taught: "There was provided in our bodies—and this is
sacred—a power of creation, a light, so to speak, that has the power to kindle
other lights. This gift was to be used only within the sacred bonds of
marriage. Through the exercise of this power of creation, a mortal body may be
conceived, a spirit enter into it, and a new soul born into this life."
Further, this power "is a gift from God our Father. In the righteous
exercise of it as in nothing else, we may come close to him." On the other
hand, "God has declared in unmistakable language that misery and sorrow
will follow the violation of the laws of chastity. . . . Crowning glory awaits
you if you live worthily. The loss of the crown may well be punishment enough.
Often, very often, we are punished as much by our sins as we are for
them." fn
A Pattern for
Repentance
It
would appear that much of Corianton's problem was borne of doctrinal ignorance
and misunderstanding, particularly concerning the appropriateness of justice
and punishment for sin. (See
First,
having stressed the seriousness of the offense,
"Now
my son,"
Because
Corianton's abominable deeds rang so loudly in the ears of the Zoramites, the
words of the Nephite missionaries did not have the spiritual appeal they might
otherwise have had. "How great iniquity ye brought upon the
Zoramites,"
True
repentance only is acceptable to God, nothing short of it will answer the
purpose. Then what is true repentance? True repentance is not only sorrow for
sins, and humble penitence and contrition before God, but it involves the
necessity of turning away from them, a discontinuance of all evil practices and
deeds, a thorough reformation of life, a vital change from evil to good, from vice
to virtue, from darkness to light. Not only so, but to make restitution, so far
as it is possible, for all the wrongs we have done, to pay our debts, and
restore to God and man their rights—that which is due to them from us. This is
true repentance, and the exercise of the will and all the powers of body and
mind is demanded, to complete this glorious work of repentance; then God will
accept it. fn
Indeed,
Corianton learned, as do we all, that repentance consists of a major
realignment of priorities, a turn from the fleeting, and an acceptance of the
permanent. "Seek not after riches nor the vain things of this world,"
a tender father thus counseled, "for behold, you cannot carry them with
you." (
No
discussion of repentance would be complete without a focus upon the power and
saving grace available through the redemptive work of Jesus Christ. And thus it
is that
The Return of the
Prodigal
Corianton's
sin was abhorrent to God and the people of God. It hindered the work of the
Lord among the Zoramites and caused deep pain and sorrow for those who knew and
loved him. But it was not an unpardonable nor an unforgivable sin. Though it is
true that the Holy One cannot look upon sin with the least degree of allowance,
it is also true that "he that repents and does the commandments of the
Lord shall be forgiven." (D&C 1:31-32; see also
You parents of the
wilful and the wayward: Don't give them up. Don't cast them off. They are not
utterly lost. The shepherd will find his sheep. They were his before they were
yours—long before he entrusted them to your care; and you cannot begin to love
them as he loves them. They have but strayed in ignorance from the Path of
Right, and God is merciful to ignorance. Only the fulness of knowledge brings
the fulness of accountability. Our Heavenly Father is far more merciful,
infinitely more charitable, than even the best of his servants, and the
Everlasting Gospel is mightier in power to save than our narrow finite minds
can comprehend. fn
President J. Reuben
Clark observed: "I feel that [the Lord] will give that punishment which is
the very least that our transgression will justify. . . . I believe that when
it comes to making the rewards for our good conduct, he will give the maximum
that it is possible to give." fn
Footnotes
1.
Robert L. Millet is associate professor of ancient scripture at
2.
There is a sense in which those who have ''shed innocent blood'' are guilty of
the sin against the Holy Ghost. That person who becomes a son of perdition
crucifies Christ anew. (Compare Heb. 6:4-6.) ''He gets the spirit of the
devil-the same spirit that they had who crucified the Lord of Life-the same
spirit that sins against the Holy Ghost.'' (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph
Smith, selected by Joseph Fielding Smith [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book
Company, 1976], p. 358.) ''The blasphemy against the Holy Ghost, which shall
not be forgiven in the world nor out of the world, is in that ye commit
murder wherein ye shed innocent blood, and assent unto my death.''
(D&C 132:27; emphasis added.) See also Bruce R. McConkie, Doctrinal New
Testament Commentary, 3 vols. (Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1965-73), 3:116,
345; The Mortal Messiah: From Bethlehem to Calvary, 4 vols. (Salt Lake
City: Deseret Book Company, 1979-81), 2:216; A New Witness for the Articles
of Faith (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Company, 1985), p. 233.
3.
Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 358.
4.
Ibid., p. 339.
5.
A New Witness for the Articles of Faith, p. 231.
6.
Boyd K. Packer, Conference Report, April 1972, pp. 136-38.
7.
Spencer W. Kimball, The Miracle of Forgiveness (Salt Lake City:
Bookcraft, 1969), pp. 233-34.
8.
Joseph F. Smith, Gospel Doctrine (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Company,
1971), pp. 100-101.
9.
Conference Report, April 1929, p. 110.
10.
From ''As Ye Sow . . . ,'' Address at
11.
Later in the story we read of Corianton busily engaged in the work of the Lord.
(See
(Kent P. Jackson, ed., Studies in
Scripture, Vol. 8: Alma 30 to Moroni [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co.,
1988], 48.)
Alma 40-41
December 5, 2002
Definition of Soul: Book of Mormon = Spirit
Doctrine and Covenants = Body and Spirit
(
15 Now, there are some that have understood that this state of
happiness and this state of misery of the soul, before the resurrection, was a
first resurrection. Yea, I admit it may be termed a resurrection, the raising
of the spirit or the soul and their consignation to happiness or misery,
according to the words which have been spoken.
16 And behold, again it hath been spoken, that there is a first
resurrection, a resurrection of all those who have been, or who are, or who
shall be, down to the resurrection of Christ from the dead.
17 Now, we do not suppose that this first resurrection, which is
spoken of in this manner, can be the resurrection of the souls and their
consignation to happiness or misery. Ye cannot suppose that this is what it
meaneth.
18 Behold, I say unto you, Nay; but it meaneth the reuniting of the
soul with the body, of those from the days of Adam down to the resurrection of
Christ.
19 Now, whether the souls and the bodies of those of whom has been
spoken shall all be reunited at once, the wicked as well as the righteous, I do
not say; let it suffice, that I say that they all come forth; or in other
words, their resurrection cometh to pass before the resurrection of those who
die after the resurrection of Christ.
Teachings Concerning
The Final Judgment
General
Statement
Russell M. Nelson
Another unchanging principle, brothers and sisters, is that of your eventual judgment.
Each of you will be judged according to your individual works and the desires
of your hearts (see D&C 137:9). You will not be required to pay the debt of
any other. Your eventual placement in the celestial, terrestrial, or telestial
kingdom will not be determined by chance. The Lord has prescribed unchanging
requirements for each. You can know what the scriptures teach, and pattern your
lives accordingly (see John 14:2; 1 Cor. 15:40–41; D&C 76:50–119; D&C
98:18). [“Constancy amid Change,” Ensign, Nov. 1993, p. 35]
There
Are Many “Days of Judgments”
Bruce R. McConkie
In all ages, from Adam to this hour, the holy prophets have taught the true
doctrine of the judgment. They have always set forth those concepts and
verities that would encourage men to live in such a manner as to gain the
glorious reward of eternal life when their day and time came to stand before
the Eternal Bar. The hour of judgment is not the same for every man. Some are
judged at one time and others at a different hour. There are, in fact, many
days of judgment available, but always the same Judge sits at the same
judgment bar, always the same laws govern the procedures, and always a just and
right judgment is imposed.
Our birth into mortality is a day of judgment in that it signalizes
we were found worthy while in the premortal life to undergo a mortal probation
and thus to continue on the course leading to eternal life. There are those who
press forward along this course during this mortal probation – with a
steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect love of God and of all men, keeping
the commandments, and doing only those things that please their Lord – until
they are translated and taken up into heaven, or until their calling and
election is made sure. Either of these glorious eventualities is in itself a
day of judgment. Their celestial inheritance is thus assured, though they
have not yet gained bodies of immortal glory. Death also is a day of
judgment when the spirits of men go to either paradise or hell as their
deeds warrant.
The second coming of Christ is the great day of judgment for all men,
both the living and the dead. In it those who qualify come forth in the
resurrection of the just and obtain their rewards in the kingdoms established
for them. At that time the decree goes forth that the rest of the dead shall
remain in their graves to await the resurrection of the unjust and their
consequent telestial inheritance. At that time the wicked among men are
consumed as stubble, their bodies become dust again, and their spirits are
consigned to an eternal hell to await the day of the resurrection of damnation.
At that time those mortals who are worthy escape the burning, abide the day,
and remain on the new earth with its new heavens in the presence of earth’s new
King.
Then, in the final day, when all is done and accomplished according to
the divine purpose – after all men, the sons of perdition included, have risen
from death to life and have become immortal – all men will stand before the bar
of God in a final day of judgment. The eventual destiny of all men
will have been determined before that day, but then the final and
irrevocable decrees will be issued as pertaining to every living soul. (The
Millennial Messiah, p.515)
There Shall Be a Final Judgment
3 Nephi 26
4 And even unto the great and last day, when
all people, and all kindreds, and all nations and tongues shall stand before
God, to be judged of their works, whether they be good or whether they be
evil--
D&C 19
3 Retaining all power, even to the destroying
of Satan and his works at the end of the world, and the last great day of
judgment, which I shall pass upon the inhabitants thereof, judging every man
according to his works and the deeds which he hath done.
D&C 38
5 But behold, the residue of the wicked have
I kept in chains of darkness until the judgment of the great day, which shall
come at the end of the earth;
Ezra Taft Benson
I testify that not many years hence the earth will be cleansed. (See D&C
76:41.) Jesus the Christ will come again, this time in power and great glory to
vanquish His foes and to rule and reign on the earth. (See D&C 43:26–33.)
In due time all men will gain a resurrection and then will face the Master in a
final judgment. (See 2 Ne. 9:15, 41.) God will give rewards to each according
to the deeds done in the flesh. (See
Marion G. Romney
I know, of course, as each of you know that
we shall die; that our bodies shall return to the earth whence they came; that
our spirits shall return to the spirit world; that by reason of Christ’s
victory over the grave all of us will be resurrected and as immortal souls
stand before the judgment bar of the great Jehovah; and that there we shall be
assigned that degree of glory the laws of which we have obeyed while in
mortality. (“The Way of Life,” Ensign, May 1976, p. 81)
Joseph B. Wirthlin
At some future day, you and I will each hear
the voice of the Lord calling us forward to render an account of our mortal
stewardship. This accounting will occur when we are called up to “stand before
[the Lord] at the great and judgment day”(2 Ne. 9:22).
Each day on this earth is but a small part of eternity. The day of resurrection
and final judgment will surely come for each one of us.
Then our Father in Heaven’s great and noble heart will be saddened for those of
His children who, because they chose evil, will be cast out, unworthy to return
to His presence. But He will welcome with loving arms and with indescribable
joy those who have chosen to be “true to the truth.” Righteous living, combined
with the grace of the Atonement, will qualify us to stand before Him with clean
hearts and clear consciences. (“True to the Truth,” Ensign, May 1997, p.
16)
Judgment Day
Will Be
the Moment of Truth
Neal A. Maxwell
The judgment day is one of the things that
really will be. The “future shock” of that judgment and the events to precede
it will be without parallel. The dramatic day described so powerfully by
In writing of this event that really will be, the apostle John described how
“the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief
captains, and the mighty men. . . hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks
of the mountains; And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us
from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the
Lamb.” (Revelation 6:15-16.) This is high drama. This is a final confrontation
with the ultimate reality, the living God.
On that dramatic day there can be no saving swagger – no panache. On that day
there can be no grievance with God that can be advanced at all. In that scene
described by John and Alma, those whose grievance with God and his gospel was
that his gospel was too plain and too simple will be simply speechless.
The living scriptures will have been before us. Living prophets’ words will
have previously penetrated every culture and every clime. Goethe said that
“architecture is frozen music,” and the scriptures are the preserved moral
music of the universe that God kept repeating for mankind over the centuries.
The promised day of judgment will come, and all men will be left “without
excuse.” (D&C 101:93; Romans 1:20.) All individuals will receive “according
to their works, according to the desire of their hearts.” (JS-V 1:9.) The
justice and mercy of God will have combined so that by then all inhabitants of
the earth will have heard the gospel of Jesus Christ sufficiently to be fully
accountable for it. Even those who died without that opportunity will by then
have heard the gospel “that they might be judged according to men in the flesh,
but live according to God in the spirit.” (JFS-V 1:34, 59.) What President
Joseph F. Smith saw was just what Peter saw much earlier when he wrote of the
preaching of the gospel “to them that are dead, that they might be judged
according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.” (1
Peter 4:6.)
All will have heard from living prophets (through preaching and through the
scriptures), so that personal accountability will be just as complete as Nephi
indicated: “And you that will not partake of the goodness of God, and respect
the words of the Jews, and also my words, and the words which shall proceed
forth out of the mouth of the Lamb of God, behold, I bid you an everlasting
farewell, for these words shall condemn you at the last day.” (2 Nephi 33:14.)
Each individual will have had full opportunity to forge his decision, to give
his real desires full expression. We will receive what we really chose, and
none can or will question the justice or mercy of God. (Things As They
Really Are, pp.111-113)
Every Mortal Soul Will Be Judged at
the
Final Judgment
Mormon 3
20 And these things doth the Spirit manifest
unto me; therefore I write unto you all. And for this cause I write unto you,
that ye may know that ye must all stand before the judgment-seat of Christ,
yea, every soul who belongs to the whole human family of Adam; and ye must
stand to be judged of your works, whether they be good or evil;
Each Will Be Judged By What
They
Have Become
Ezra Taft Benson
In light of our mortal probation, our future
resurrection, and our final judgment, we need to remember the question which
the resurrected Lord posed to His disciples as recorded in 3 Nephi in the Book
of Mormon.
He asked them, “Therefore, what manner of men ought ye to be?” And He answered,
“Verily I say unto you, even as I am” (3 Ne. 27:27). [“The Savior’s Visit to
James E. Talmage
That every soul shall find his place in the
hereafter, that he shall be judged and assigned according to what he is, is no
less truly scriptural than reasonable. He shall inherit according to his
capacity to receive, enjoy, and utilize. This is made sublimely plain by
revelation given in 1832, in which we read: “For he who is not able to abide
the law of a celestial kingdom cannot abide a celestial glory. And he who
cannot abide the law of a terrestrial kingdom cannot abide a terrestrial glory.
And he who cannot abide the law of a telestial kingdom cannot abide a telestial
glory; therefore he is not meet for a kingdom of glory. Therefore he must abide
a kingdom which is not a kingdom of glory.” (Articles of Faith, p.408)
Dallin H. Oaks
The Apostle Paul taught that the Lord’s
teachings and teachers were given that we may all attain “the measure of the
stature of the fulness of Christ” (Eph. 4:13). This process requires far more
than acquiring knowledge. It is not even enough for us to be convinced
of the gospel; we must act and think so that we are converted by it. In
contrast to the institutions of the world, which teach us to know
something, the gospel of Jesus Christ challenges us to become something.
Many Bible and modern scriptures speak of a final judgment at which all persons
will be rewarded according to their deeds or works or the desires of their
hearts. But other scriptures enlarge upon this by referring to our being judged
by the condition we have achieved.
The prophet Nephi describes the Final Judgment in terms of what we have
become: “And if their works have been filthiness they must needs be
filthy; and if they beis filthy shall be filthy still; and he that is
righteous shall be righteous still” (Morm. 9:14; emphasis added; see also
Rev. 22:11-12; 2 Ne. 9:16; D&C 88:35). The same would be true of “selfish”
or “disobedient” or any other personal attribute inconsistent with the
requirements of God. Referring to the “state” of the wicked in the Final
Judgment, Alma explains that if we are condemned by our words, our works, and
our thoughts, “we shall not be found spotless; … and in this awful state we
shall not dare to look up to our God” (Alma 12:14). filthy it must needs be
that they cannot dwell in the
From such teachings we conclude that the
Final Judgment is not just an evaluation of a sum total of good and evil acts –
what we have done. It is an acknowledgment of the final effect of our
acts and thoughts – what we have become. It is not enough for anyone
just to go through the motions. The commandments, ordinances, and covenants of
the gospel are not a list of deposits required to be made in some heavenly
account. The gospel of Jesus Christ is a plan that shows us how to become what
our Heavenly Father desires us to become.
A parable illustrates this understanding. A wealthy father knew that if he were
to bestow his wealth upon a child who had not yet developed the needed wisdom
and stature, the inheritance would probably be wasted. The father said to his
child:
“All that I have I desire to give you – not only my wealth, but also my
position and standing among men. That which I have I can easily give
you, but that which I am you must obtain for yourself. You will qualify
for your inheritance by learning what I have learned and by living as I have
lived. I will give you the laws and principles by which I have acquired my
wisdom and stature. Follow my example, mastering as I have mastered, and you
will become as I am, and all that I have will be yours.”
This parable parallels the pattern of heaven. The gospel of Jesus Christ
promises the incomparable inheritance of eternal life, the fulness of the
Father, and reveals the laws and principles by which it can be obtained. . . .
The gospel of Jesus Christ is the plan by which we can become what children of
God are supposed to become. This spotless and perfected state will result from
a steady succession of covenants, ordinances, and actions, an accumulation of
right choices, and from continuing repentance. “This life is the time for men
to prepare to meet God” (
Now is the time for each of us to work toward our personal conversion, toward
becoming what our Heavenly Father desires us to become. As we do so, we should
remember that our family relationships -- even more than our Church callings –
are the setting in which the most important part of that development can occur.
The conversion we must achieve requires us to be a good husband and father or a
good wife and mother. Being a successful Church leader is not enough.
Exaltation is an eternal family experience, and it is our mortal family
experiences that are best suited to prepare us for it. (“The Challenge to
Become,” Ensign, Nov. 2000, p. 32)
Don’t forget the Millennium when describing
the Plan of Salvation. Look at what type
of people will be living during the 1000 years!! Celestial and Terrestrial folks
In fact, when Christ comes for the 2nd
coming and ushers in the millennial era, there will be a resurrection that
takes place. Those people will be
Celestial beings living here on earth during the Millennium. Think of all the knowledge and spiritual
experiences you will have. It can’t be
imagined, that’s why we exercise FAITH to get there, and we couldn’t comprehend
it!! D&C 45:44-46, D&C
88:92-103, various resurrections will take place. Doctrines of Salvation Vol. 2 chapter 15
D&C 88:12-13 – The Light of Christ powers
everything in our existence here.
D&C 88:18-24 – Bodies of Glory, various
kingdoms, various resurrections.
D&C 76:88 – Teaching others, minister to
them.
Everything has its opposite: Celestial kingdom and Outer Darkness. The 2nd death will be eternal, no
relief for those who are there. A horrible fate, D&C 76:28-49. This is different then those who can repent and
are punished for there sins, D&C 19.
The glory of outer darkness is like
multiplying with 0, a good analogy.
There are consequences for our actions;
A definition of the Light of Christ is found
in Elder McConkie’s book New Witness to the Articles of Faith, pages
257-258. Faith – Priesthood – Light is
all the same.
The Light of Christ
There
is a spirit—the Spirit of the Lord, the Spirit of Christ, the light of truth,
the light of Christ—that defies description and is beyond mortal comprehension.
It is in us and in all things; it is around us and around all things; it fills
the earth and the heavens and the universe. It is everywhere, in all immensity,
without exception; it is an indwelling, immanent, ever-present, never-absent
spirit. It has neither shape nor form nor personality. It is not an entity nor
a person nor a personage. It has no agency, does not act independently, and
exists not to act but to be acted upon. As far as we know, it has no substance
and is not material, at least as we measure these things. It is variously
described as light and life and law and truth and power. It is the light of
Christ; it is the life that is in all things; it is the law by which all things
are governed; it is truth shining forth in darkness; it is the power of God who
sitteth upon his throne. It may be that it is also priesthood and faith and
omnipotence, for these too are the power of God.
This
light of truth or light of Christ is seen in the light of the luminaries of
heaven; it is the power by which the sun, moon, and stars, and the earth itself
are made. It is the light that "proceedeth forth from the presence of God
to fill the immensity of space." It is "the light which is in all
things, which giveth life to all things, which is the law by which all things
are governed, even the power of God who sitteth upon his throne, who is in the
bosom of eternity, who is in the midst of all things." It is the agency of
God's power; it is the means and way whereby "he comprehendeth all
things," so that "all things are before him, and all things are round
about him." It is the way whereby "he is above all things, and in all
things, and is through all things, and is round about all things." Because
of it, "all things are by him, and of him, even God, forever and
ever." (D&C 88:6-13, 41.)
Thus,
when the Mosaic account of the creation says that "the Spirit of God moved
upon the face of the waters" (Genesis 1:2), and when Abraham records of
those same events that "the Spirit of the Gods was brooding upon the face
of the waters" (Abraham 4:2), the revealed word is speaking of the light
of Christ. And when Job says that "by his spirit [the Lord] hath garnished
the heavens" (Job 26:13), and the Psalmist explains that all things were
created because the Lord sent forth his spirit, by which also he "renewest
the face of the earth" (Psalm 104:30), both are teaching the same truth.
Creation itself came by the light of Christ.
The
light of Christ is neither the Holy Ghost nor the gift of the Holy Ghost; but
that member of the Godhead, because he along with the Father and the Son is
God, uses the light of Christ for his purposes. Thus spiritual gifts, the gifts
of God meaning faith, miracles, prophecy, and all the rest—come from God by the
power of the Holy Ghost. Men prophesy, for instance, when moved upon by the
Holy Ghost. And yet
The Light of
Christ—for All Men
The
light of Christ, conforming to the will of that God whose influence and spirit
it is, dwells in the hearts of all men. If it were not present, life would
cease, for it is the light of life as that life comes from God. It is the
instrumentality and agency by which Deity keeps in touch and communes with all
his children, both the righteous and the wicked. It has an edifying,
enlightening, and uplifting influence on men. One of its manifestations is
called conscience, through which all men know right from wrong.
It
is the means by which the Lord invites and entices all men to improve their lot
and to come unto him and receive his gospel. It is the agency through which the
Lord strives with men, through which he encourages them to forsake the world
and come unto Christ, through which good desires and feelings are planted in
the hearts of decent people. It is the medium of intelligence that guides
inventors, scientists, artists, composers, poets, authors, statesmen,
philosophers, generals, leaders, and influential men in general, when they set
their hands to do that which is for the benefit and blessing of their
fellowmen. By it the Lord guides in the affairs of men and directs the courses
of nations and kingdoms. By it the Lord gives ennobling art, the discoveries of
science, and music like that sung in the courts above. By it he dispenses truth
in a host of ways to all who will heed the promptings.
It
is the Spirit, promised of old, that is being poured out "upon all
flesh" in the last days, thus preparing them for the receipt of the Holy
Ghost and that high state of spirituality of which Joel, speaking in the name
of the Lord, said: "Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old
men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: and also upon the
servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit."
(Joel 2:28-29.) It is "the Spirit of God that . . . came down and wrought
upon" Columbus, leading him to the Lamanites "who were in the Promised
Land." (1 Nephi 13:12.)
Truly,
man does not stand alone. God governs in all the affairs of men, and he does it
by the power of his Spirit, the Spirit of Jesus Christ, the light of Christ,
which is in all things. In reciting all these things, the scriptures speak as
though this light or power or influence or spirit strives and entices and
enlightens, although it is in reality the agency through which the Lord himself
does all these things.
All
men are enlightened by the light of Christ. "I am the true light that
lighteth every man that cometh into the world," he says. (D&C 93:2;
John 1:9.) The light of Christ is the light of truth. Thus all men have the
obligation to seek the truth, to believe the truth, and to live the truth.
"The word of the Lord is truth, and whatsoever is truth is light, and
whatsoever is light is Spirit, even the Spirit of Jesus Christ." This is
the Spirit that God gives to all men. "And the Spirit giveth light to
every man that cometh into the world; and the Spirit enlighteneth every man
through the world, that hearkeneth to the voice of the Spirit." (D&C
84:45-46.)
All
men receive this Spirit, but not all hearken to its voice. Many choose to walk
in carnal paths and go contrary to the enticings of the Spirit. It is possible
to sear one's conscience to the point that the Spirit will withdraw its
influence and men will no longer know or care about anything that is decent and
edifying. "For my Spirit shall not always strive with man, saith the Lord
of Hosts." (D&C 1:33.) Such was the case among the Jaredites (Ether
Those
who follow the promptings of the Spirit accept the gospel and receive the gift
of the Holy Ghost. "And every one that hearkeneth to the voice of the
Spirit cometh unto God even the Father. And the Father teacheth him of the
covenant which he has renewed and confirmed upon you, which is confirmed upon
you for your sakes, and not for your sakes only, but for the sake of the whole
world." (D&C 84:47-48.) By following the light of Christ, men are led
to the gospel covenant, to the baptismal covenant, to the church and kingdom.
There they receive the Holy Ghost.
Truly,
"the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam
and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy
Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the
atonement of Christ the Lord." (Mosiah 3:19.) The Holy Ghost does not
strive or entice; his mission is to teach and testify. But those who heed the
enticements and submit to the strivings of the Holy Spirit (which is the light
of Christ) are enabled to receive the Holy Spirit (which is the Holy Ghost).
We
have no better illustration of the full operation of the light of Christ upon
an investigator of the gospel than what happened to King Lamoni. After the king
had fallen to the earth as though he were dead, the scripture says that Ammon
"knew that king Lamoni was under the power of God; he knew that the dark veil
of unbelief was being cast away from his mind." He knew that "the
light which did light up his mind . . . was the light of the glory of
God," and that it "was a marvelous light of his goodness." Ammon
knew that "this light had infused such joy into [Lamoni's] soul, [that]
the cloud of darkness [had] been dispelled." As to Lamoni: "The light
of everlasting life was lit up in his soul." (
There
is really no excuse for men to reject the gospel message. When they do so, it
is because of spiritual blindness or because their deeds are evil and they love
darkness rather than light. If they would but hearken to the voice of
conscience, to the voice of the light within them, to the voice of the Spirit,
they would come unto Christ and receive the Holy Ghost. If they would but heed
the whisperings and respond to the enticings planted in their hearts, all would
be well with them. All things which are good cometh of God," Mormon tells
us, "and that which is evil cometh of the devil." God entices to do
good; the devil entices to do evil. "That which is of God inviteth and
enticeth to do good continually; wherefore, every thing which inviteth and
enticeth to do good, and to love God, and to serve him, is inspired of
God."
How
shall man know good from evil? "The Spirit of Christ is given to every
man, that he may know good from evil; wherefore, I show unto you the way to
judge," Mormon continues, "for every thing which inviteth to do good,
and to persuade to believe in Christ, is sent forth by the power and gift of
Christ; wherefore ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of God." And
"the light by which ye may judge," he says, "is the light of
Christ." (
(Bruce R. McConkie, A New Witness for the
Articles of Faith [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1985], 263.)
To become like God we will fully control
light and power just like he does. He
has the knowledge to use it for his purposes.
Moses 1:39. We learn how much later.
It’s all in our capacity to progress.
Do you want to progress on a bike, car, or spaceship!!! You make the choice about how you live and
conduct yourself here. THIS IS A
TEST!!!!!!!!!!
Final Judgment is like commencement from
college:
Celestial – Doctorate, Ph d
Terrestrial – Masters
Telestial – Bachelors
You reap what you sow. What courses are you taking??
Corianton bought into the religion of
Nehor. All will be saved no matter what
you do.
Doctrinal
misunderstandings can lead to wrong actions, sin. Teach doctrine, explain clearly, and don’t
teach “Because”. It’s the worst answer you can give.
In verse 5,
John Taylor
God is
interested in the whole of the human family. He cannot take them all into the
celestial kingdom, for they are not all prepared to go there, and you cannot
prepare them and He cannot, because they have to be governed by certain laws
and certain principles and certain feelings, and if they are not governed by
these and will not be governed by a celestial law, they are not prepared for a
celestial glory. There are some that may be governed by a terrestrial law, and
may be prepared for a terrestrial glory, but not for a celestial glory. Still,
they are God's children, and He is doing the best by them He can. (Journal
of Discourses, 24:195)
Desires for good come from our study of
doctrine coupled with prayer, fasting and obedience to God’s will.
M E R I D I A N M A G A Z I N E
Lesson
30
"The Great Plan of Happiness "
by
Bruce Satterfield
The Setting
It
is appropriate to keep in mind the setting in which this counsel was given as
well as the problem
Unfortunately,
the mission ended disastrously. While in Zoram, Corianton, forsook “the
ministry, and did go over into the
Nehorism’s Effects On Alma’s Household
Recall
that Nehor established a religious order based on a belief in God. He
taught that God had created all men and would also "redeem all men,"
for "in the end, all men should have eternal life" (
It
is evident from
Despite
After
counseling with Helaman (Alma 36-37) and Shiblon (Alma 38),
Truly,
Alma exemplified the council given the present-day Church regarding both the
righteous use of priesthood and proper parenting: “No power or influence can or
ought to be maintained by virtue of the priesthood [or parenthood], only by persuasion, by long‑suffering,
by gentleness and meekness, and by love unfeigned; by kindness, and pure
knowledge, which shall greatly enlarge the soul without hypocrisy, and without
guile–reproving betimes with sharpness, when moved upon by the Holy Ghost; and
then showing forth afterwards an increase of love toward him whom thou hast
reproved, lest he esteem thee to be his enemy; that he may know that thy
faithfulness is stronger than the cords of death” (D&C 121:41-44).
Note
the following, particularly as it relates to
First,
Second,
- “Now my son, here is somewhat more I
would say unto thee; for I perceive
that thy mind is worried concerning the resurrection of the dead” (
- “And now, my son, I have somewhat to say
concerning the restoration of which has been spoken; for behold, some have
wrested the scriptures, and have gone far astray because of this thing.
And I perceive
that thy mind has been worried also concerning this thing. But behold, I
will explain it unto thee” (
- “And now, my son, I perceive there is
somewhat more which doth worry your mind, which ye cannot understand–which
is concerning the justice of God in the punishment of the sinner; for ye
do try to suppose that it is injustice that the sinner should be consigned
to a state of misery” (Alma 42:1; emphasis added).
How
was
Third,
Fourth,
Mormon
recorded: “And now it came to pass that the sons of
The Coming of Christ
Having
placed
Contradicting
Nehoric doctrine,
But
Corianton, having been swayed by Nehoric beliefs, silently questioned “why
these things should be known so long beforehand” (
These
questions are aimed at the nature of God. “God is no respecter of
persons,” the Apostle Peter taught, “but in every nation he that feareth him,
and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him” (Acts 10:34-35). It has
never been the intention of the Lord to keep his children in the dark.
Rather, as the Prophet Amos, taught the iniquitous children of
The
Lord’s secrets have always included teaching His plan to his children.
The purpose of the plan was to bring His children into a condition of
happiness. Therefore,
The Spirit World and Resurrection
Corianton
was confused about certain aspects of this plan. Through the gift of
discernment,
What
is meant by the phrase, “taken home to that God who gave them life”?
President Harold B. Lee explained: “In discussing this matter I have found the
quotation from President Brigham Young contained in his Discourses, which says:
“[The scripture] reads that the spirit goes to God who gave it. Let me render
this scripture a little plainer; when the spirits leave their bodies they are
in the presence of our Father and God, they are prepared then to see, hear and
understand spiritual things. But where is the spirit world?” He answers by
saying this:
“
‘If we go back to our mother country, the States, we there find the righteous,
and we there find the wicked; if we go to California, we there find the
righteous and the wicked, all dwelling together; and when we go beyond this
veil, and leave our bodies which were taken from mother earth, and which must
return, our spirits will pass beyond the veil; we go where both Saints and
sinners go; they all go to one place.
“
‘If the wicked wish to escape from his presence, they must go where he is not,
where he does not live, where his influence does not preside. To find such a
place is impossible, except they go beyond the bounds of time and space.’ (Discourses of Brigham Young,
sel. John A. Widtsoe [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1941], pp. 376-77.)
“As
I understand what President Young is saying, when we go home to God, it is just
like going back to our home country. We may not go into the presence of the
governor of the state where we live, but we will go to the home country, and
there we shall find our level among the people with whom we are most accustomed
to associate.”
Continuing
his discussion with Corianton,
After
Christ’s birth, death, and resurrection,
So
it does matter
what a man does in this life??
The Law of Restoration
This
resurrection, he said, is also called a restoration, “the restoration of those
things of which has been spoken by the mouths of the prophets” (
The
concept of restoration troubled Corianton. Discerning this,
“The
plan of restoration,” he observed, “is requisite with the justice of God; for
it is requisite that all things should be restored to their proper order” (
Often
justice is looked at in a negative light. But the reality is, justice
works for us or against us. Justice demands that good consequences must
be restored for
good works while evil consequences are restored
for evil works. “Therefore,” Alma taught, “all things shall
be restored to their proper order, every thing to its natural frame–mortality
raised to immortality, corruption to incorruption–raised to endless happiness
to inherit the kingdom of God, or to endless misery to inherit the kingdom of
the devil, the one on one hand, the other on the other–the one raised to
happiness according to his desires of happiness, or good according to his
desires of good; and the other to evil according to his desires of evil; for as
he has desired to do evil all the day long even so shall he have his reward of
evil when the night cometh” (Alma 41:4-5).
This
is was what Nehor and his followers had “wrested” or twisted in their desire to
justify sin. They believed God would restore happiness for
wickedness. Therefore, they believed, it did not matter what one does in
life–or what sins he or she commits–in the end, God would redeem and restore
happiness to each of his children. But this is a pernicious view of the
justice of God. If one has committed sin, justice demands that there be
repentance of that sin. If so, then good can be restored for good,
otherwise, evil will be restored for evil. Accordingly,
In
reality, he continued, “the word restoration more fully condemneth the sinner,
and justifieth him not at all” for “the meaning of the word restoration is to
bring back again evil for evil, or carnal for carnal, or devilish for
devilish–good for that which is good; righteous for that which is righteous;
just for that which is just; merciful for that which is merciful” (Alma 41:13,
15).
“Therefore,”
Alma urged, “see that you are merciful unto your brethren; deal justly, judge
righteously, and do good continually; and if ye do all these things then shall
ye receive your reward; yea, ye shall have mercy restored unto you again; ye
shall have justice restored unto you again; ye shall have a righteous judgment
restored unto you again; and ye shall have good rewarded unto you again.
For that which ye do send out shall return unto you again, and be restored” (
The
significance of law of restoration as it relates to the doctrine of
resurrection has been reiterated by prophets in our day. For example, in
April 2000 General Conference, Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve
taught: “The assurance of resurrection also gives us a powerful incentive to
keep the commandments of God during our mortal lives. Resurrection is much more than merely
reuniting a spirit to a body held captive by the grave. We know from the
Book of Mormon that the resurrection is a restoration
that brings back ‘carnal for carnal’ and ‘good for that which is good’ (
Justice and Mercy
As
the discussion continued,
Corianton
had bought into the perverted view of justice asserted by Nehor and his
followers. It seems that since the time of Adam, there have always been
those who believe and teach that God will not really punish sinners.
Whether they are followers of Nehor or like those in our day who believe that
God has unconditional love Then what
about God’s love. “Does this mean the Lord does not love the
sinner? Of course not. Divine love is infinite and universal.
The Savior loves both saints and sinners. The Apostle John affirmed, ‘We
love him, because he first loved us’ (1 John 4:19).” Further, “God
declared that His work and glory is ‘to bring to pass the immortality and
eternal life of man’ (Moses 1:39). Thanks to the Atonement, the gift of
immortality is unconditional
(see Acts 24:15; 1 Cor. 15:22;
The
result of the fall was that “our first parents were cut off both temporally and
spiritually from the presence of the Lord” (
Elder
Dallin H. Oaks, explained
Elder
Oaks continued, “The justice of God holds each of us responsible for our own
transgressions and automatically imposes the penalty. This reality should
permeate our understanding, and it should influence all our teachings about the
commandments of God and the effect of individual transgressions. Can man
in and of himself overcome the spiritual death all mankind suffers from the
Fall, which we bring upon ourselves anew by our own sinful acts?
No! Can we ‘work out our own salvation’? Never! ‘By the law
no flesh is justified,’ Lehi explained (2 Nephi 2:5). ‘Salvation doth not
come by the law alone,’Abinadi warned (Mosiah 13:28). Shakespeare had one
of his characters declare this truth: ‘In the course of justice, none of us
should see salvation: we do pray for mercy’ (The
Merchant of Venice, act 4, scene 1, lines 196-197).”
The
needed mercy to satisfy eternal justice comes through the atonement of Jesus
Christ. Alma elaborated: “And now, the plan of mercy could not be brought
about except an atonement should be made; therefore God himself atoneth for the
sins of the world, to bring about the plan of mercy, to appease the demands of
justice, that God might be a perfect, just God, and a merciful God also” (Alma
42:15).
Again,
Elder Oaks elaborated
“If
justice is balance, then mercy is counterbalance. If justice is exactly
what we deserve, then mercy is more
benefit than we deserve. In its relationship to justice and mercy, the
Atonement is the means by which justice is served and mercy is extended.
In combination, justice and mercy and the Atonement constitute the glorious
eternal wholeness of the justice and mercy of God.
“Mercy
has several different manifestations in connection with our redemption.
The universal resurrection from physical death is an unconditional act of mercy
made possible by the Atonement.
“A
second effect of the Atonement concerns our redemption from spiritual
death. We are redeemed from the fall of Adam without condition. We
are redeemed from the effects of our personal sins on condition of our
obedience to the laws and ordinances of the gospel.
“Justice
is served and mercy is extended by the suffering and shed blood of Jesus
Christ. The Messiah ‘offereth himself a sacrifice for sin, to answer the
ends of the law’ (2 Nephi 2:7; Romans 5:18-19). In this way, ‘God himself
atoneth for the sins of the world, to bring about the plan of mercy, to appease
the demands of justice, that God might be a perfect, just God, and a merciful
God also’ (Alma 42:15).”
The
atonement of Christ,
He
concluded his instruction to Corianton by admonishing him “that ye should deny
the justice of God no more. Do not endeavor to excuse yourself,” he warned,
”in the least point because of your sins, by denying the justice of God.”
Rather, he urged, “I desire that ye should let these things trouble you no
more, and only let your sins trouble you, with that trouble which shall bring
you down unto repentance.” Finally, he admonished Corianton to “let the
justice of God, and his mercy, and his long‑suffering have full sway in
your heart; and let it bring you down to the dust in humility” (Alma 42:29-30).
Conclusion – The Great Plan of Happiness
In
Alma 39-42, Alma referred the plan of God as the plan of redemption (39:18;
42:11), the plan of restoration (41:2), the plan of mercy (42:31), the plan of
salvation (42:5), and the great plan of happiness (42:8,16). In one
sense, the plans of redemption, restoration, mercy, and salvation could be
considered various parts of “the great plan of happiness.” Joseph Smith
once wrote: “Happiness is the object and design of our existence; and will be
the end thereof, if we pursue the path that leads to it; and this path is
virtue, uprightness, faithfulness, holiness, and keeping all the commandments
of God.”
In
order to bring about our happiness, Heavenly Father instituted “the great plan
of happiness.” We were first placed upon the path of happiness when our
Heavenly Parents gave birth to our spirits, endowing us with divine
potential. In our premortal existence, we pursued the path that leads
towards happiness by keeping the commandments of that existence.
An
essential part of the great plan of happiness required that we leave the
presence of God and come to this mortal existence where we would come into
direct contact with evil and its consequences. This was requisite for our
happiness, “for if [we] never should have bitter [we] could not know the sweet” (D&C
29:39; emphasis added. Also see 2 Nephi 2:11-13). Knowing we would
sin, the Author of the great plan of happiness provided a “plan of mercy,” a
“plan of redemption,“ or a “plan of salvation,” which provided a way for us to
escape the consequences of sin through the atonement of Jesus
Christ.
Through
the plan of redemption, the law of justice–which demands the eternal
consequences of the violation of eternal laws–is satisfied through the infinite
sacrifice of Jesus Christ. This makes possible the plan of mercy wherein
the atonement may be extended to every one who will exercise faith in the
atonement of Jesus Christ and repent of their sinful actions. This
qualifies them for a “remission of sins by baptism, and by fire, yea, even the
Holy Ghost” (D&C 19:31). Through the plans of redemption and mercy,
men may be saved from the eternal consequences of their sins. Thus these
plans are rightfully called the “plan of salvation.”
With
the law of justice satisfied, we are free to continue our growth towards
happiness by making choices that will produce eternal happiness. In so
doing, the law of justice–negatively looked upon by the sinner–now becomes our
friend. How? As the plan of happiness incorporated the plans of
redemption and mercy, so it also included a plan of restoration (
It
is my sincere hope that we may all trust in God and His prophets and sow seeds
of righteousness that happiness may be restored to us in the resurrection.
Notes
The Brethren have often taught that these verses
regarding the priesthood also refer to parenthood since in the gospel
parenthood is a priesthood responsibility. For example, see, Gordon B.
Hinckley, “Pillars of Truth,” Ensign,
Jan. 1994, p. 5; Joseph B. Wirthlin, “Spiritually Strong Homes and Families,” Ensign, May 1993, p. 71;
“Seeds of Renewal,” Ensign, May 1989, p. 8.
Probably meaning that the sons were located in
various places and were brought to the same location.
James E. Talmage, Conference Report, April 1931,
p.28.
Stephen L. Richards, Conference Report, April
1950, pp. 162; emphasis added.
James E. Faust, “Serving the Lord and Resisting
the Devil,” Ensign,
Sept. 1995, pp. 6–7.
H. Burke Peterson, “Unrighteous Dominion,” Ensign, July 1989, p. 10.
Boyd K. Packer, “Washed Clean,” Ensign, May 1997, p. 10;
also Boyd K. Packer, “Little Children,” Ensign,
Nov. 1986, 17.
The word soul
is defined in a variety of ways in the scriptures. In can be used in a
generic sense with the meaning, “a person” (e.g., Genesis 17:14).
Sometimes it simply refers to the whole self (e.g., Alma 32:28; D&C
121:42). Sometimes it can refer to the intimate feelings of a person, as
when Enos “pour[ed] out my whole soul unto God for” the Nephites (Enos
1:9). In a more specific sense, the Lord defined the soul in these terms:
“The spirit and the body are the soul of man” (D&C 88:15). In other
places, soul has reference to the spirit of man (e.g., Matthew 10:28; 1 Nephi
15:31; 19:7; 2 Nephi 1:22; Mosiah 2:38;
Harold B. Lee, The
Teachings of Harold B. Lee (Bookcraft: Salt Lake City, 1996), pp.
57-58.
“Justice” in True
to the Faith: A Gospel Reference (Published by The Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints, 2004), p. 91.
Dallin H. Oaks, “Resurrection,” Ensign, May 2000, pp.
14-16; emphasis added.
It has become common in today’s world for
Christians to speak of God’s love as unconditional. Even members of
the Church have been guilty of the same thing. This is often done without
thinking through what that phrase implies. The term “unconditional love”
was coined by humanist psychologists around the early 1900's and was referred
to the kind of love parents should have for their children. It was
eventually adopted into Christian dialogue where this “philosophy of man” was
mingled with scripture.
Recently, in an effort to check the use of this term among Church members, the Ensign published an
article by Elder Russell M. Nelson of the Council of the Twelve Apostles in
which he stated: “While divine love can be called perfect, infinite, enduring,
and universal, it cannot correctly be characterized as unconditional. The
word does not appear in the scriptures. On the other hand, many verses
affirm that the higher levels of love the Father and the Son feel for each of
us–and certain divine blessings stemming from that love–are conditional.” After
citing many scriptural examples of this truth, Elder Nelson said:
“Understanding that divine love and blessings are not truly ‘unconditional’ can
defend us against common fallacies such as these: ‘Since God’s love is
unconditional, He will love me regardless …’ or ‘Since ‘God is love,’ (1 Jn.
4:8, 16) He will love me unconditionally, regardless …”
Continuing, he stated: “These arguments are used by anti-Christs to woo people
with deception. Nehor, for example, promoted himself by teaching
falsehoods: He “testified unto the people that all mankind should be saved at
the last day, … for the Lord had created all men, … and, in the end, all men should have eternal life”
(Alma 1:4; emphasis added; see also Alma 1:3, 5-6; 2 Ne. 28:8-9. Such an
unconditional concept [eternal life for all] would negate the need for
ordinances, covenants, and temple work). Sadly, some of the people
believed Nehor’s fallacious and unconditional concepts. In contrast to
Nehor’s teachings, divine love warns us that ‘wickedness never was happiness’ (
Richard G. Scott, “Jesus Christ, Our Redeemer,” Ensign, May 1997, p. 53.
Elder Dallin H. Oaks, “Sins, Crimes, and
Atonement,” in With Full
Purpose of Heart (
Oaks, “Sins, Crimes, and Atonement,” pp. 116-117.
Joseph Smith, Teachings
of the Prophet Joseph Smith, (Comp. by Joseph Fielding Smith.
Restoration
December 12, 2002
This was the last class for the Book of
Mormon. Bro. Satterfield answered
various questions about whatever was on the classes mind, a free for all, so to
speak.
I added this paper to the notes because it
covers both lessons from last week and this week very well.
JUSTICE, MERCY, AND THE LIFE BEYOND
(
Robert L. Millet
It
is in the context of a serious father-and-son discussion—counsel by
Between Death and
Resurrection
Before
discussing the doctrine of resurrection and the law of restoration—the
principle that all people will be raised to that level of glory commensurate
with the lives they lived in mortality—Alma turned his attention to a
discussion of the postmortal spirit world, a matter he had "inquired
diligently of the Lord to know." (
The
transition from time into eternity is immediate. As the physical self breathes
its last breath, the spirit self passes through a veil separating this world
from the next. At this point the spirit experiences what might be called a
"partial judgment." fn Those who have been true and faithful to their
trust in mortality, Alma explained, are received into paradise, "a
state of rest, a state of peace, where they shall rest from all their troubles
and from all care, and sorrow." (
Those,
on the other hand, who have been wicked on earth—who gave themselves up to the
lusts and lasciviousness of the flesh—shall be received into that portion of
the spirit world called hell or outer darkness, fn a place of
"weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth, and this because of their
own iniquity, being led captive by the will of the devil." (
The Doctrine of
Resurrection
No
doctrine provides a more powerful assurance and comfort to the bereaved than
the doctrine of resurrection—the verity that all who have taken physical bodies
through birth shall survive death, shall receive those bodies again in the
resurrection. Resurrection is a doctrine as old as the world: it is not a
creation of the first-century Christians, nor a belief spawned by the Jews in
Babylonian captivity. It was taught to Adam, discussed by Enoch, and testified
of by Abraham. Any people through the ages who have gained the understanding of
the ministry of the Messiah, who have come to know by revelation of the coming
of Jesus Christ, have likewise gained the understanding that Christ would break
the bands of death and open the door for all others to be likewise raised from
death to life in glorious immortality. It was just so with the Nephites. Alma,
the noble patriarch, sought to inform and inspire his son on this fundamental
principle of the Christian religion. fn
"The
soul shall be restored to the body,"
A
prophetic successor, Joseph F. Smith, observed: "The body will come forth
as it is laid to rest, for there is no growth or development in the grave. As
it is laid down, so will it arise, and changes to perfection will come by the
law of restitution. But the spirit will continue to expand and develop, and the
body, after the resurrection will develop to the full stature of man." fn
The
Lord has stated in a modern revelation that "the resurrection from the
dead is the redemption of the soul." (D&C 88:16.) Death is not the
end. The grave shall not have won the victory. The prophetic promise is sure.
Joseph Smith declared: "All your losses will be made up to you in the
resurrection, provided you continue faithful. By the vision of the Almighty I
have seen it." fn
The Doctrine of
Restoration
The
resurrection,
Wickedness
here never was and never will be happiness here or hereafter. Carnality here
never was and never will be spirituality here or hereafter. Charting a course
contrary to God and his plan in this life can never lead to spiritual union and
joy with him in the life to come. (See
For
he who is not able to abide the law of a celestial kingdom cannot abide a
celestial glory. And he who cannot abide the law of a terrestrial kingdom
cannot abide a terrestrial glory. And he who cannot abide the law of a
telestial kingdom cannot abide a telestial glory; therefore he is not meet for
a kingdom of glory. Therefore he must abide a kingdom which is not a kingdom of
glory.
They
who are of a celestial spirit [in mortality] shall receive [in the
resurrection] the same body which was a natural body; even ye shall receive
your bodies, and your glory shall be that glory by which your bodies are
quickened. Ye who are quickened by a portion of the celestial glory shall then
receive of the same, even a fulness. And they who are quickened by a portion of
the terrestrial glory shall then receive of the same, even a fulness. And also
they who are quickened by a portion of the telestial glory shall then receive
of the same, even a fulness. (D&C 88:21-24, 28-31.)
In
summary, "that which ye do send out [the life we live, the deeds we do]
shall return unto you again, and be restored; therefore, the word restoration
more fully condemneth the sinner, and justifieth him not at all." (
Justice
and Mercy: The Delicate Balance
To
demonstrate the necessity and timelessness of justice and to show that there
are always consequences for our transgressions,
The
balance of justice and mercy is achieved only in and through a God, only in and
through a being in whom there is a perfect balance, through him who is both
infinitely just and merciful. The balance is achieved only by him who is
sinless and upon whom justice has no claim, through him who has no need of
pardoning mercy. Elder Boyd K. Packer beautifully illustrated the role of
Christ as Mediator in the following parable:
There
was once a man who wanted something very much. It seemed more important than
anything else in his life. In order for him to have his desire, he incurred a
great debt.
He had been warned about going into that much
debt, and particularly about his creditor. But it seemed so important for him
to do what he wanted to do and to have what he wanted right now. He was sure he
could pay for it later.
So he signed a contract. He would pay it off
some time along the way. He didn't worry too much about it, for the due date
seemed such a long time away. He had what he wanted now, and that was what
seemed important.
The creditor was always somewhere in the back
of his mind, and he made token payments now and again, thinking somehow that
the day of reckoning really would never come.
But as it always does, the day came, and the
contract fell due. The debt had not been fully paid. His creditor appeared and
demanded payment in full.
Only then did he realize that his creditor not
only had the power to repossess all that he owned, but the power to cast him
into prison as well.
"I cannot pay you, for I have not the
power to do so," he confessed.
"Then," said the creditor, "we
will exercise the contract, take your possessions, and you shall go to prison.
You agreed to that. It was your choice. You signed the contract, and now it
must be enforced."
"Can you not extend the time or forgive
the debt?" the debtor begged. "Arrange some way for me to keep what I
have and not go to prison. Surely you believe in mercy? Will you not show
mercy?"
The creditor replied, "Mercy is always so
one-sided. It would serve only you. If I show mercy to you, it will leave me
unpaid. It is justice I demand. Do you believe in justice?"
"I believed in justice when I signed the
contract," the debtor said. "It was on my side then, for I thought it
would protect me. I did not need mercy then, nor think I should need it ever.
Justice, I thought, would serve both of us equally as well."
"It is justice that demands that you pay
the contract or suffer the penalty," the creditor replied. "That is
the law. You have agreed to it and that is the way it must be. Mercy cannot rob
justice."
There they were: One meting out justice, the
other pleading for mercy. Neither could prevail except at the expense of the
other.
"If you do not forgive the debt there
will be no mercy," the debtor pleaded.
"If I do, there will be no justice,"
was the reply.
Both laws, it seemed, could not be served.
They are two eternal ideals that appear to contradict one another. Is there no
way for justice to be fully served, and mercy also?
There is a way! The law of justice can
be fully satisfied and mercy can be fully extended—but it takes someone
else. And so it happened this time.
The debtor had a friend. He came to help. He
knew the debtor well. He knew him to be shortsighted. He thought him foolish to
have gotten himself into such a predicament. Nevertheless, he wanted to help
because he loved him. He stepped between them, faced the creditor, and made
this offer:
"I will pay the debt if you will free the
debtor from his contract so that he may keep his possessions and not go to
prison."
As the creditor was pondering the offer, the
mediator added, "You demanded justice. Though he cannot pay you, I will do
so. You will have been justly dealt with and can ask no more. It would not be
just."
And so the creditor agreed.
The mediator turned then to the debtor.
"If I pay your debt, will you accept me as your creditor?"
"Oh yes, yes," cried the debtor.
"You save me from prison and show mercy to me."
"Then," said the benefactor,
"you will pay the debt to me and I will set the terms. It will not be
easy, but it will be possible. I will provide a way. You need not go to
prison."
And so it was that the creditor was paid in
full. He had been justly dealt with. No contract had been broken.
The debtor, in turn, had been extended mercy.
Both laws stood fulfilled. Because there was a mediator, justice had claimed
its full share, and mercy was fully satisfied. fn
The
scriptures affirm that "there is one God, and one mediator between God and
men, the man Christ Jesus." (1 Tim. 2:5.) Mercy comes because of the
atonement. Mercy is extended to the penitent. (
Can God Cease to Be
God?
In
seeking to dramatize the absolute necessity for God's justice to be meted out
where appropriate,
Joseph
Smith taught and the scriptures boldly and repeatedly attest to the fact that
God is omnipotent, omniscient, and, by the power of his Holy Spirit,
omnipresent. The Prophet taught that "God is the only supreme governor
and independent being in whom all fulness and perfection dwell; . . .
without beginning of days or end of life; and that in him every good gift and
every good principle dwell; and that he is the Father of lights; in him the
principle of faith dwells independently, and he is the object in whom the
faith of all other rational and accountable beings center for life and
salvation." fn Joseph Smith also stated:
It
is . . . necessary, in order to the exercise of faith in God unto life and
salvation, that men should have the idea of the existence of the attribute
justice in him; for without the idea of the existence of the attribute justice
in the Deity, men could not have confidence sufficient to place themselves
under his guidance and direction; for they would be filled with fear and doubt
lest the judge of all the earth would not do right, and thus fear or doubt,
existing in the mind, would preclude the possibility of the exercise of faith
in him for life and salvation. But when the idea of the existence of the
attribute justice in the Deity is fairly planted in the mind, it leaves no room
for doubt to get into the heart, and the mind is enabled to cast itself upon
the Almighty without fear and without doubt, and with the most unshaken
confidence, believing that the Judge of all the earth will do right. fn
The
fact of the matter is that God will not nor cannot cease to be God. His title,
his status, and his exalted position are forever fixed and immutable. Exalted
beings simply do not apostatize! They do not slip! It is contrary to their
divine nature to lie or cheat or be impartial. God is not dependent on others
for his Godhood, nor can he be impeached. Nor need the Saints of God spend a
particle of a second worrying and fretting about the Almighty falling from
grace. For members of the Church to do so, in fact—as the Prophet has
suggested—is to err in doctrine as to the true nature of God and thus fall
short of that dynamic faith which leads to life and salvation.
Footnotes
1.
Robert L. Millet is associate professor of ancient scripture at
2.
3.
Journal of Discourses, 26 vols. (London: Latter-day Saints' Book Depot,
1854-86), 3:368.
4.
Orson Pratt, ibid., 16:365.
5.
George Q. Cannon, Gospel Truth, 2 vols. in one, comp. Jerreld L.
Newquist (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Company, 1987), p. 58.
6.
This expression is used by Joseph F. Smith (see Gospel Doctrine [
7.
Robert L. Millet and Joseph Fielding McConkie, The Life Beyond (Salt
Lake City: Bookcraft, 1986), p. 18. For a discussion of the Savior's statement
to the thief on the cross, ''To day shalt thou be with me in paradise'' (Luke
23:43), see The Life Beyond, pp. 19-20, 168.
8.
With but few exceptions, outer darkness refers to hell, the place of
suffering and sadness and confrontation in the spirit world. (See Alma 34:33;
40:13-14; 41:7; D&C 38:5; 138:22, 30, 57; Isa. 49:9.) ''So complete is the
darkness prevailing in the minds of these spirits, so wholly has gospel light
been shut out of their consciences, that they know little or nothing of the
plan of salvation, and have little hope within themselves of advancement and
progression through the saving grace of Christ.'' (Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon
Doctrine, 2nd. ed. [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1966], pp. 551-52.)
9.
Joseph Smith, Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, selected by Joseph
Fielding Smith (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Company, 1938), pp. 310-11.
10.
Ibid., p. 357.
11.
The entire spirit world, and not just that portion designated as hell, is
appropriately called a ''spirit prison.'' (See D&C 45:17; 138:15, 18, 50;
Moses 7:55-57; Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 310; Orson
Pratt, Journal of Discourses, 1:289-90; Brigham Young, Journal of
Discourses, 3:95; Bruce R. McConkie, Ensign, August 1976, p. 11.)
12.
Joseph Smith explained that ''the fundamental principles of our religion are
the testimony of the Apostles and Prophets, concerning Jesus Christ, that He
died, was buried, and rose again the third day, and ascended into heaven; and
all other things which pertain to our religion are only appendages to it.'' (Teachings
of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 121; cf. 1 Cor. 15:1-4.)
13.
Joseph Smith distinguished between the fundamental and nonfundamental elements
of the body. ''There is no fundamental principle,'' he taught, ''belonging to a
human system that ever goes into another in this world or in the world to come;
I care not what the theories of men are. We have the testimony that God will
raise us up, and he has the power to do it. If anyone supposes that any part of
our bodies, that is, the fundamental parts thereof, ever goes into another
body, he is mistaken.'' (History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints, 2nd ed. rev., edited by B. H. Roberts [Salt Lake City: The Church
of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1932-51], 5:339.)
14.
Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pp. 199-200.
15.
Improvement Era, June 1904, pp. 623-24; see also Gospel Doctrine,
pp. 23, 447-48. President Smith's son, Joseph Fielding Smith, commented on
these words as follows: ''President Smith was in full accord with Amulek and
Alma. He taught that the body will be restored as stated in
"President
Smith never intended to convey the thought that it would require weeks or
months of time in order for the defects to be removed. These changes will come
naturally, of course, but almost instantly. We cannot look upon it in
any other way." (Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, 3
vols. comp. Bruce R. McConkie [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1954-56], 2:293-94.)
16.
''It is evident
17.
Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 296.
18.
Conference Report, April 1977, pp. 79-80.
19.
Lectures on Faith (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Company, 1985), 2:2.
20.
Ibid., 4:13. In a limited meaning of the phrase, therefore, God can
cease to be God in the mind of mortals, but never in an absolute sense. That is
to say, if people do not understand that God Almighty possesses all attributes
in perfection, they cannot exercise saving faith in him-he ceases to be God to
them!
(Kent P. Jackson, ed., Studies in
Scripture, Vol. 8: Alma 30 to Moroni [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co.,
1988],.)
D&C 84:84-85 – Good words to live by let
the Holy Ghost be your guide when you speak.
We talked about the doctrines of Nehor. It was a very dynamic and free flowing set of
teachings. They didn’t believe in the
redemption of Christ, but believed in God only.
They twisted the scriptures to fit their teachings. Whatever you did you can still be saved. This was the opposite of the doctrine of
restoration. If you lived an evil life
you will be restored to good in the end.
It seems like the teaching was adapted to each city
We had a long discussion on unconditional love. The phrase is not found in the
scriptures. It’s a term from
psychology. God cannot save us in our
sins and wickedness. His love cannot
overlook law, sin and justice. See the
John Taylor quote on the web site.
While divine love can be called perfect, infinite,
enduring, and universal, it cannot correctly be characterized as unconditional.
Russell M. Nelson, “Divine Love,” Ensign, Feb.
2003, 20
In today’s world trembling with terror and hatred, our knowledge of divine love
is of utmost importance. We bear responsibility to understand and testify that
Heavenly Father and Jesus the Christ are glorified, living, and loving
personages. “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son,
that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
1 Jesus “so loved the world that he gave his own life, that as many as
would believe might become the sons of God.”
2 Indeed, the Father and the Son are one—in purpose and love.
3
Divine Love
Is Perfect and Infinite
Their
love is divine by definition. Scriptures also describe it as perfect.
4 It is infinite because the Atonement was an act of love for all who ever
lived, who now live, and who will ever live.
5 It is also infinite because it transcends time.
Divine Love
Is Enduring
Divine
love is enduring:
6 “The Lord … keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep
his commandments to a thousand generations.”
7
Divine Love
Is Universal
Divine
love is universal.
8 God “maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain
on the just and on the unjust.”
9 Jesus is the light of the world,
10 giving life and law to all things.
11 “He inviteth … all to come unto him … ; and he denieth none that come
unto him, black and white, bond and free, male and female.”
12 And all are invited to pray unto our Father in Heaven.
13
Divine Love
Is Also Conditional
While
divine love can be called perfect, infinite, enduring, and universal, it cannot
correctly be characterized as unconditional. The word does not appear in
the scriptures. On the other hand, many verses affirm that the higher levels of
love the Father and the Son feel for each of us—and certain divine blessings
stemming from that love—are conditional. Before citing examples, it is
well to recognize various forms of conditional expression in the scriptures.
Conditional
Forms
Several
forms of conditional expression may be found in the scriptures:
•
“If … [certain conditions exist], then … [certain consequences
follow].” (The indicators if and then may be written or implied.)
•
“Inasmuch as … [certain conditions exist], … [certain consequences
follow].”
14
•
“Except … cannot …”
15
•
“Prove …, if …” For example, a verse pertaining to our creation reveals
a prime purpose for our sojourn here in mortality: “We will prove them
herewith, to see if they will do all things whatsoever the Lord their
God shall command them.”
16 Life here is a period of mortal probation. Our thoughts and actions
determine whether our mortal probation can merit heavenly approbation.
17
The
Conditional Nature of Divine Love
With
scriptural patterns of conditional statements in mind, we note many verses that
declare the conditional nature of divine love for us. Examples include:
•
“If ye keep my commandments, [then] ye shall abide in my love;
even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.”
18
•
“If you keep not my commandments, [then] the love of the Father
shall not continue with you.”
19
•
“If a man love me, [then] he will keep my words: and my Father
will love him.”
20
•
“I love them that love me; and those that seek me … shall find me.”
21
•
“God is no respecter of persons: But in every nation he that feareth him, and
worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.”
22
•
The Lord “loveth those who will have him to be their God.”
23
•
“He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and
he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will
manifest myself to him.”
24
The
Conditional Nature of Divine Blessings
It
is equally evident that certain blessings come from a loving Lord only if
required conditions are met. Examples include:
•
“If thou wilt walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments,
… then I will lengthen thy days.”
25
•
“If thou wilt walk in my statutes, and execute my judgments, and keep
all my commandments … ; then will I perform my word with thee.”
26
•
“I, the Lord, am bound when ye do what I say; but when ye do not what I say, ye
have no promise.”
27
•
“When we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon
which it is predicated.”
28
•
“Unto every kingdom is given a law; and unto every law there are certain bounds
also and conditions.”
29
The
Lord declares: “All who will have a blessing at my hands shall abide the law
which was appointed for that blessing, and the conditions thereof. …
“And
as pertaining to the new and everlasting covenant, it was instituted for the
fulness of my glory; and he that receiveth a fulness thereof must and shall
abide the law, or he shall be damned, saith the Lord God.
“…
The conditions of this law are these: All covenants, contracts, bonds,
obligations, oaths, vows, performances, connections, associations, or
expectations, that are not made and entered into and sealed … of him who is
anointed, … are of no efficacy, virtue, or force in and after the resurrection from
the dead.”
30
Other
laws are designed to bless us here in mortality. One such law is tithing:
“Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse … and prove me now
herewith, saith the Lord … , if I will not open you the windows of
heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to
receive it.”
31 Such a blessing is conditional. Those who fail to tithe have no
promise.
32
Again,
“all that he requires of you is to keep his commandments; and he has promised …
that if ye would keep his commandments ye should prosper in the land; and he
never doth vary from that which he hath said; therefore, if ye do keep
his commandments he doth bless you and prosper you.”
33
Why
is divine love conditional? Because God loves us and wants us to be happy.
“Happiness is the object and design of our existence; and will be the end
thereof, if we pursue the path that leads to it; and this path is
virtue, uprightness, faithfulness, holiness, and keeping all the commandments
of God.”
34
Our Defense
against False Ideologies
Understanding
that divine love and blessings are not truly “unconditional” can defend us
against common fallacies such as these: “Since God’s love is unconditional, He
will love me regardless …”; or “Since ‘God is love,’
35 He will love me unconditionally, regardless …”
These
arguments are used by anti-Christs to woo people with deception. Nehor, for
example, promoted himself by teaching falsehoods: He “testified unto the people
that all mankind should be saved at the last day, … for the Lord had created
all men, … and, in the end, all men should have eternal life.”
36 Sadly, some of the people believed Nehor’s fallacious and unconditional
concepts.
In
contrast to Nehor’s teachings, divine love warns us that “wickedness never was
happiness.”
37 Jesus explains, “Come unto me and be ye saved; … except ye shall
keep my commandments, … ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.”
38
Divine Love
and the Sinner
Does
this mean the Lord does not love the sinner? Of course not. Divine love is
infinite and universal. The Savior loves both saints and sinners. The Apostle
John affirmed, “We love him, because he first loved us.”
39 And Nephi, upon seeing in vision the Lord’s mortal ministry, declared:
“The world, because of their iniquity, shall judge him to be a thing of naught;
wherefore they scourge him, and he suffereth it; and they smite him, and he
suffereth it. Yea, they spit upon him, and he suffereth it, because of his loving
kindness and his long-suffering towards the children of men.”
40 We know the expansiveness of the Redeemer’s love because He died that all
who die might live again.
41
Immortality
and Eternal Life
God
declared that His work and glory is “to bring to pass the immortality and
eternal life of man.”
42 Thanks to the Atonement, the gift of immortality is unconditional.
43 The greater gift of eternal life, however, is conditional.
44 In order to qualify, one must deny oneself of ungodliness
45 and honor the ordinances and covenants of the temple.
46 The resplendent bouquet of God’s love—including eternal life—includes
blessings for which we must qualify, not entitlements to be expected
unworthily. Sinners cannot bend His will to theirs and require Him to bless
them in sin.
47 If they desire to enjoy every bloom in His beautiful bouquet, they must
repent.
48
Counsel to
Repent
President
Brigham Young (1801–77) declared: “Every blessing the Lord proffers to his
people is on conditions. These conditions are: ‘Obey my law, keep my
commandments, walk in my ordinances, observe my statutes, love mercy, … keep
yourselves pure in the law, and then you are entitled to these blessings, and
not until then.’ ”
49
President
Joseph F. Smith (1838–1918) expressed a similar thought: “This is how I look at
the requirements which God has made upon his people collectively and
individually, and I do believe that I have no claim upon God or upon my
brethren for blessing, favor, confidence or love, unless, by my works, I prove
that I am worthy thereof, and I never expect to receive blessings that I do not
merit.”
50
President
Spencer W. Kimball (1895–1985) said that the Lord “ ‘cannot look upon sin with
the least degree of allowance.’ (D&C 1:31.) …
We will better appreciate his love … if similar abhorrence for sin impels us to
transform our lives through repentance.”
51
Given
the imperfections we all have, individual initiative is imperative: “He that
repents and does the commandments of the Lord shall be forgiven;
“And
he that repents not, from him shall be taken even the light which he has
received; for my Spirit shall not always strive with man, saith the Lord.”
52
In
climbing the pathway of repentance, both the effort and the result count. The
Lord taught that spiritual gifts are given to “those who love me and keep all
my commandments, and [who] seeketh so to do.”
53
Divine Love
Provides Us with a Pattern
Jesus
asked us to love one another as He has loved us.
54 Is that possible? Can our love for others really approach divine love?
Yes it can!
55 The pure love of Christ is granted to all who seek and qualify for it.
56 Such love includes service
57 and requires obedience.
58
Compliance
with divine law requires faith—the pivotal point of mortality’s testing and
trials. At the same time, faith proves our love for God.
59 The more committed we become to patterning our lives after His, the
purer and more divine our love becomes.
60
Perhaps
no love in mortality approaches the divine more than the love parents have for
their children. As parents, we have the same obligation to teach obedience that
our heavenly parents felt obliged to teach us. While we can teach the need for
tolerance of others’ differences,
61 we cannot tolerate their infractions of the laws of God. Our children
are to be taught the doctrines of the kingdom,
62 to trust in the Lord, and to know that they receive the blessings of His
love by first obeying His commandments.
63
Divine
love is perfect, infinite, enduring, and universal. The full flower of divine
love and our greatest blessings from that love are conditional—predicated upon
our obedience to eternal law. I pray that we may qualify for those blessings
and rejoice forever.
What Does Conditional Mean?
The
term conditional comes from Latin roots—con, meaning “with,” and dicere,
meaning “to talk.” Thus, conditional means that “bounds or conditions
have been communicated verbally.”
The
term unconditional means “without condition or limitation; absolute.”
Gospel topics: faith,
love, blessings, repentance, obedience
Notes
1. John 3:16.
2. D&C 34:3.
3. See 2 Ne. 31:21; Alma 12:33; D&C
93:3.
4. See 1 Jn. 4:12, 15–18.
5. See Alma 34:9–12.
Divine love is infinite also because all the faithful may be eventually
“encircled about with the matchless bounty of his love” (Alma 26:15).
6. See Isa. 54:10; see
also 3 Ne. 22:10.
7. Deut. 7:9; see
also 1 Chr. 16:15;
Ps. 105:8.
8. Defined as “of, relating to, extending to, or affecting the entire world or
all within the world; worldwide” (The American Heritage Dictionary, 4th
ed. [2000], “universal,” 1883).
9. Matt. 5:45; see
also 3 Ne. 12:45.
11.
See D&C 88:6–13.
12.
2 Ne. 26:33.
13.
See Matt. 6:6; see
also 3 Ne. 13:6; Moro. 7:48.
14.
For examples, see 1 Ne. 2:20; 1 Ne. 4:14; 2 Ne. 1:9, 20;
2 Ne. 4:4; Jarom 1:9; Omni
1:6; Alma 9:13; Alma 36:1, 30;
Alma 38:1; Alma 50:20; Hel. 4:15.
15.
Examples are: “Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot
enter into the
16.
Abr. 3:25;
emphasis added; see also Mal. 3:10; 3 Ne. 24:10.
17.
See Matt. 25:21, 23.
18.
John 15:10;
emphasis added.
19.
D&C 95:12;
emphasis added.
20.
John 14:23;
emphasis added.
21.
Prov. 8:17.
22.
Acts 10:34–35.
23.
1 Ne. 17:40.
24.
John 14:21.
25.
1 Kgs. 3:14;
emphasis added; see also Deut. 19:9.
26.
1 Kgs. 6:12;
emphasis added.
27.
D&C 82:10.
28.
D&C 130:21.
29.
D&C 88:38;
see also D&C 132:5.
30.
D&C 132:5–7;
see also Alma 9:12; Alma 42:13, 17.
31.
Mal. 3:10; emphasis
added; see also 3 Ne. 24:10.
The Lord did not restrict how He would bless tithe payers. Some are
blessed spiritually more than they are temporally.
32.
See D&C 119:4–5.
Tithing is also required for one to be enrolled with the people of God (see D&C
85:3).
33.
Mosiah 2:22;
emphasis added. That conditional counsel is repeated many times throughout the
scriptures. See 1 Ne. 2:20; 1 Ne. 4:14; 2 Ne. 1:9, 20;
2 Ne. 4:4; Jacob 2:17–19;
Jarom 1:9; Omni
1:6; Mosiah 1:7; Mosiah 2:31; Alma 9:13; Alma 36:1, 30;
Alma 37:13; Alma 38:1; Alma 48:15, 25;
Alma 50:20; Hel. 3:20.
34.
Joseph Smith, Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, sel. Joseph
Fielding Smith (1976), 255–56; emphasis added.
35.
1 Jn. 4:8, 16.
36.
Alma 1:4;
emphasis added; see also Alma 1:3, 5–6;
2 Ne. 28:8–9.
Such an unconditional concept (eternal life for all) would negate the need for
ordinances, covenants, and temple work.
37.
Alma 41:10.
38.
3 Ne. 12:20;
emphasis added.
39.
1 Jn. 4:19.
40.
1 Ne. 19:9;
emphasis added.
41.
See Rom. 5:8; 2 Cor. 5:14–15;
see also 1 Cor. 15:22.
42.
Moses 1:39.
43.
See Acts 24:15; 1 Cor. 15:22;
Alma 12:8; D&C 76:17;
Joseph Smith Translation, John 5:29.
44.
See D&C 14:7.
45.
See Moro. 10:32;
Joseph Smith Translation, Matt. 16:26.
46.
See D&C 132:19.
47.
See Alma 11:37.
48.
The Lord said, “Thou art not excusable in thy transgressions; … go thy way and
sin no more” (D&C 24:2). See
also John 8:11; D&C
6:35; D&C 29:3; D&C
82:7; D&C 97:27.
49.
Discourses of Brigham Young, sel. John A. Widtsoe (1954), 454.
50.
51.
The Miracle of Forgiveness (1969), 59.
52.
D&C 1:32–33.
53.
D&C 46:9;
emphasis added.
54.
See John 13:34; John 15:12.
55.
See Ether 12:33–34;
Moro. 7:46–47.
56.
See Moro. 7:48.
57.
See Gal. 5:13; Mosiah 2:18–21;
Mosiah 4:15.
58.
John taught, “Whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God
perfected” (1 Jn. 2:5).
59.
See Deut. 13:3; John 14:15; John 15:6–7.
60.
See Matt. 6:19–22;
D&C 88:67–68;
D&C 93:11–20.
61.
See A of F 1:11.
62.
Doctrines include the plan of salvation, faith, repentance, baptism, and the
gift of the Holy Ghost (see Moro. 8:10; D&C 68:25; Moses 6:57–62).
63.
See Mosiah 4:6–7.
Light of Christ is always there for us. It doesn’t leave us, we leave it. When we turn away from the light we reject
its influence for good. Look at members
of the church who go apostate. See
We discussed various terms in the Book of
Mormon, geography etc . . . The term
Lamanite changed throughout the book.
How many hill Cumorahs? Does it
matter? Be very careful and remember the
book is only discussing a few groups of people.
There were others here when Lehi and his family came here!! Remember King Lemhi sending out search
parties looking for other people and they found the Jaredite civilization. The purpose of the Book of Mormon is to
testify of Christ. 1 Nephi 1:20. We have an incomplete record of what
happened. “I tell you only a hundredth
of what took place.” They wished they
could write in Hebrew to explain better but had to settle for Reformed
Egyptian, Mormon 8.
Someone asked how
Alma 41-42 – Elder Oaks gave a talk on
Resurrection and Restoration. An
assurance of resurrection gives us a powerful incentive to keep the
commandments. What type of resurrection
do you want? Repentance is so important
to us.
Resurrection
Dallin H. Oaks, “Resurrection,” Ensign,
May 2000, 14
Resurrection is much more than merely
reuniting a spirit to a body. … The resurrection is a restoration that brings
back “carnal for carnal” and “good for that which is good” (Alma 41:13).
The
book of Job poses the universal question, “If a man die, shall he live again?”
(Job
14:14). The question of resurrection from the dead is a central subject of
scripture, ancient and modern. The resurrection is a pillar of our faith. It
adds meaning to our doctrine, motivation to our behavior, and hope for our
future.
I. The Resurrection
of Jesus
The
universal resurrection became a reality with the Resurrection of Jesus Christ
(see Matt.
27:52–53). On the third day after His death and burial, Jesus came forth
out of the tomb. He appeared to several men and women, and then to the
assembled Apostles. Three of the Gospels describe this event. Luke is the most
complete:
“Jesus
… saith unto them, Peace be unto you.
“But
they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit.
“And
he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your
hearts?
“Behold
my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit
hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have. …
“Then
opened he their understanding …
“And
said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and
to rise from the dead the third day” (Luke
24:36–39, 45–46).
The
Savior gave the Apostles a second witness. Thomas, one of the Twelve, had not
been with them when Jesus came. He insisted that he would not believe unless he
could see and feel for himself. John records:
“And
after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then
came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be
unto you.
“Then
saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach
hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but
believing.
“And Thomas answered and said unto him, My
Lord and my God.
“Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou
hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet
have believed” (John 20:26–29).
Despite these biblical witnesses, many who
call themselves Christians reject or confess serious doubts about the reality
of the resurrection. As if to anticipate and counter such doubts, the Bible
records many appearances of the risen Christ. In some of these He appeared to a
single individual, such as to Mary Magdalene at the sepulchre. In others He
appeared to large or small groups, such as when “he was seen of [about] five
hundred brethren at once” (1 Cor. 15:6).
The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of
Jesus Christ records the experience of hundreds who saw the risen Lord in
person and touched Him, feeling the prints of the nails in His hands and feet
and thrusting their hands into His side. The Savior invited a multitude to have
this experience “one by one” (3 Ne. 11:15) so that they could know that He was “the
God of Israel, and the God of the whole earth, and [had] been slain for the
sins of the world” (3 Ne. 11:14).
During the course of His personal ministry
among these faithful people, the resurrected Christ healed the sick and also
“took their little children, one by one, and blessed them” (3 Ne. 17:21).
This tender episode was witnessed by about 2,500 men, women, and children (see 3 Ne. 17:25).
II.
The Resurrection of Mortals
The possibility that a mortal who has died will
be brought forth and live again in a resurrected body has awakened hope and
stirred controversy through much of recorded history. Relying on clear
scriptural teachings, Latter-day Saints join in affirming that Christ has
“broken the bands of death” (Mosiah 16:7) and that “death is swallowed up in
victory” (1 Cor. 15:54; see also Morm. 7:5;
Mosiah
15:8; Mosiah 16:7–8; Alma 22:14).
Because we believe the Bible and Book of Mormon descriptions of the literal
Resurrection of Jesus Christ, we also readily accept the numerous scriptural
teachings that a similar resurrection will come to all mortals who have ever
lived upon this earth (see 1 Cor. 15:22; 2 Ne. 9:22;
Hel.
14:17; Morm. 9:13; D&C 29:26;
D&C
76:39, 42–44). As Jesus taught, “Because I live, ye shall live also” (John 14:19).
The literal and universal nature of the
resurrection is vividly described in the Book of Mormon. The prophet Amulek
taught:
“The death of Christ shall loose the bands of
this temporal death, that all shall be raised from this temporal death.
“The spirit and the body shall be reunited
again in its perfect form; both limb and joint shall be restored to its proper
frame, even as we now are at this time; …
“Now, this restoration shall come to all,
both old and young, both bond and free, both male and female, both the wicked
and the righteous; and even there shall not so much as a hair of their heads be
lost; but every thing shall be restored to its perfect frame” (Alma
11:42–44).
Alma also taught that in the resurrection
“all things shall be restored to their proper and perfect frame” (Alma 40:23).
Many living witnesses can testify to the
literal fulfillment of these scriptural assurances of the resurrection. Many,
including some in my own extended family, have seen a departed loved one in
vision or personal appearance and have witnessed their restoration in “proper
and perfect frame” in the prime of life. Whether these were manifestations of
persons already resurrected or of righteous spirits awaiting an assured
resurrection, the reality and nature of the resurrection of mortals is evident.
What a comfort to know that all who have been disadvantaged in life from birth
defects, from mortal injuries, from disease, or from the natural deterioration
of old age will be resurrected in “proper and perfect frame.”
III.
The Significance of the Resurrection
I wonder if we fully appreciate the enormous
significance of our belief in a literal, universal resurrection. The assurance
of immortality is fundamental to our faith. The Prophet Joseph Smith declared:
“The fundamental principles of our religion
are the testimony of the Apostles and Prophets, concerning Jesus Christ, that
He died, was buried, and rose again the third day, and ascended into heaven;
and all other things which pertain to our religion are only appendages to it” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith,
sel. Joseph Fielding Smith [1938], 121).
Of all things in that glorious ministry, why
did the Prophet Joseph Smith use the testimony of the Savior’s death, burial,
and Resurrection as the fundamental principle of our religion, saying that “all
other things … are only appendages to it”? The answer is found in the fact that
the Savior’s Resurrection is central to what the prophets have called “the
great and eternal plan of deliverance from death” (2 Ne. 11:5).
In our eternal journey, the resurrection is
the mighty milepost that signifies the end of mortality and the beginning of
immortality. The Lord described the importance of this vital transition when He
declared, “And thus did I, the Lord God, appoint unto man the days of his
probation—that by his natural death he might be raised in immortality unto
eternal life, even as many as would believe” (D&C 29:43).
Similarly, the Book of Mormon teaches, “For as death hath passed upon all men,
to fulfil the merciful plan of the great Creator, there must needs be a power
of resurrection” (2 Ne. 9:6). We also know, from modern revelation, that
without the reuniting of our spirits and our bodies in the resurrection we
could not receive a “fulness of joy” (D&C
93:33–34).
When we understand the vital position of the
resurrection in the “plan of redemption” that governs our eternal journey (Alma 12:25),
we see why the Apostle Paul taught, “If there be no resurrection of the dead,
then … is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain” (1 Cor.
15:13–14). We also see why the Apostle Peter referred to the fact that God
the Father, in His abundant mercy, “hath begotten us again unto a lively hope
by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” (1 Pet. 1:3;
see also 1 Thes. 4:13–18).
IV.
The Resurrection Changes Our View of Mortality
The “lively hope” we are given by the
resurrection is our conviction that death is not the conclusion of our identity
but merely a necessary step in the destined transition from mortality to
immortality. This hope changes the whole perspective of mortal life. The
assurance of resurrection and immortality affects how we look on the physical
challenges of mortality, how we live our mortal lives, and how we relate to
those around us.
The assurance of resurrection gives us the
strength and perspective to endure the mortal challenges faced by each of us
and by those we love, such things as the physical, mental, or emotional
deficiencies we bring with us at birth or acquire during mortal life. Because
of the resurrection, we know that these mortal deficiencies are only temporary!
The assurance of resurrection also gives us a
powerful incentive to keep the commandments of God during our mortal lives.
Resurrection is much more than merely reuniting a spirit to a body held captive
by the grave. We know from the Book of Mormon that the resurrection is a restoration that brings
back “carnal for carnal” and “good for that which is good” (Alma 41:13;
see also Alma 41:2–4 and Hel. 14:31).
The prophet Amulek taught, “That same spirit which doth possess your bodies at
the time that ye go out of this life, that same spirit will have power to
possess your body in that eternal world” (Alma 34:34).
As a result, when persons leave this life and go on to the next, “they who are
righteous shall be righteous still” (2 Ne. 9:16),
and “whatever principle of intelligence we attain unto in this life … will rise
with us in the resurrection” (D&C 130:18).
The principle of restoration also means that
persons who are not righteous in mortal life will not rise up righteous in the
resurrection (see 2 Ne. 9:16; 1 Cor.
15:35–44; D&C 88:27–32). Moreover, unless our mortal sins
have been cleansed and blotted out by repentance and forgiveness (see Alma 5:21;
2 Ne.
9:45–46; D&C 58:42), we will be resurrected with a “bright
recollection” (Alma 11:43) and a “perfect knowledge of all of our
guilt, and our uncleanness” (2 Ne. 9:14; see also Alma 5:18).
The seriousness of that reality is emphasized by the many scriptures suggesting
that the resurrection is followed immediately by the Final Judgment (see 2 Ne.
9:15, 22; Mosiah 26:25; Alma
11:43–44; Alma 42:23; Morm. 7:6;
Morm.
9:13–14). Truly, “this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God” (Alma 34:32).
The assurance that the resurrection will
include an opportunity to be with our family members—husband, wife, parents,
brothers and sisters, children, and grandchildren—is a powerful encouragement
for us to fulfill our family responsibilities in mortality. It helps us live
together in love in this life in anticipation of joyful reunions and
associations in the next.
Our sure knowledge of a resurrection to
immortality also gives us the courage to face our own death—even a death that
we might call premature. Thus, the people of Ammon in the Book of Mormon “never
did look upon death with any degree of terror, for their hope and views of
Christ and the resurrection; therefore, death was swallowed up to them by the
victory of Christ over it” (Alma 27:28).
The assurance of immortality also helps us
bear the mortal separations involved in the death of our loved ones. Every one
of us has wept at a death, grieved through a funeral, or stood in pain at a
graveside. I am surely one who has. We should all praise God for the assured
resurrection that makes our mortal separations temporary and gives us the hope
and strength to carry on.
V.
The Resurrection and Temples
We are living in a glorious season of temple
building. This is also a consequence of our faith in the resurrection. Just a
few months ago I was privileged to accompany President Hinckley to the
dedication of a new temple. In that sacred setting I heard him say:
“Temples stand as a witness of our conviction
of immortality. Our temples are concerned with life beyond the grave. For
example, there is no need for marriage in the temple if we were only concerned
with being married for the period of our mortal lives.”
This prophetic teaching enlarged my
understanding. Our temples are living, working testimonies to our faith in the
reality of the resurrection. They provide the sacred settings where living
proxies can perform all of the necessary ordinances of mortal life in behalf of
those who live in the world of the spirits. None of this would be meaningful if
we did not have the assurance of universal immortality and the opportunity for
eternal life because of the Resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
We believe in the literal, universal
resurrection of all mankind because of “the resurrection of the Holy One of
Israel” (2
Ne. 9:12). We also testify of “The Living Christ,” as was said in the
recent apostolic declaration of that same name:
“We solemnly testify that His life, which is
central to all human history, neither began in Bethlehem nor concluded on
Calvary. …
“We bear testimony, as His duly ordained
Apostles—that Jesus is the Living Christ, the immortal Son of God. He is the
great King Immanuel, who stands today on the right hand of His Father. He is
the light, the life, and the hope of the world. His way is the path that leads
to happiness in this life and eternal life in the world to come” (“The Living
Christ: The Testimony of the Apostles,” 1 Jan. 2000).
I testify of that reality and of the reality
of His Resurrection and ours, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
We reap what we sow. Good for good, evil for evil. The law of Restoration
Things we
Overcome Become
1. Sin 1. Celestial
2. Terrestrial 3.
Telestial
Our spirits are still developing in this
world, it isn’t perfect yet. To be
complete and perfected cannot happen until the resurrection.
Elder Maxwell – Lest ye be wearied and faint
in your minds. Great talk on
the web site.
1.
Serve
others
2.
Study
– Scriptures, the Brethren, and all truth, D&C 88:118
3.
Prayer
4.
Worship
Lest Ye Be Wearied and Faint in Your Minds"
Elder
Neal A. Maxwell
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
Ensign, May 1991, pp. 88-91
Having
all been richly nourished by this general conference, it is fitting to focus
prescriptively on the few in the Church who remain spiritually undernourished,
including those who have grown weary and fainted in their minds. (See Heb.
12:3.)
A
few of these few have had their faith scorched, such as by the circumstances of
wrenching or unrelieved sickness, grinding economic pressures, loss of a loved
one, or deep disappointment with a spouse or friend. Adversity can increase
faith or instead can cause the troubling roots of bitterness to spring up. (See
Heb. 12:15.) A few have been overcome by the preoccupying cares of the world,
those wearying, surface things of life. (See Matt. 13:6-7.) Emerson's plea is
surely appropriate: "Give me truths: for I am weary of the surfaces."
("Blight," in The Complete Writings of Ralph Waldo Emerson,
Whatever
the preceding causes, any fainting in our minds brings a loss of spiritual
consciousness and, with this, the inclination to charge God foolishly. (See Job
1:22.)
The
urgings for us not to weary in well-doing contain prescriptions to avoid such
weariness. (See Gal. 6:9; 2 Thes. 3:13; Alma 37:34.) We are to work steadily,
but realistically, and only expect to reap "in due season." (Gal.
6:9.) We are to serve while being "meek and lowly" (
Even
when righteously chastised or rebuked, we need not faint, for in the correcting
is renewing love: "My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord,
nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:
"For
whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth." (Heb. 12:5-8.)
One's
life, therefore, cannot be both faith-filled and stress-free. President Wilford
Woodruff counseled us all about the mercy that is inherent in some adversity:
"The chastisements we have had from time to time have been for our good,
and are essential to learn wisdom, and carry us through a school of experience
we never could have passed through without." (In Journal of Discourses,
2:198.)
Therefore,
how can you and I really expect to glide naively through life, as if to say,
"Lord, give me experience, but not grief, not sorrow, not pain, not
opposition, not betrayal, and certainly not to be forsaken. Keep from me, Lord,
all those experiences which made Thee what Thou art! Then let me come and dwell
with Thee and fully share Thy joy!"
Serving,
studying, praying, and worshiping are four fundamentals in perfecting
"that which is lacking in [our] faith." (1 Thes. 3:10.) If we cease
nurturing our faith in any of these four specific ways, we are vulnerable.
Failure
to study, for instance, is to be intellectually and spiritually malnourished.
Inspired words do matter, for "when a man works by faith he works by …
words." (Lectures on Faith, 7:3.) In a hardening world, the Lord can
pierce our consciousness by using "the sword of the Spirit, which is the
word of God." (Eph. 6:17; see also Jarom 1:12.) However, hearing must be
"mixed with faith" (Heb. 4:2) and with Christian service, as we have
heard again and again in this conference.
"For
how knoweth a man the master whom he has not served, and who is a stranger unto
him, and is far from the thoughts and intents of his heart?" (Mosiah
5:13.)
A
lack of deep personal prayer and deep genuine worship also erodes our faith,
and we may "faint in the day of trouble." (D&C 109:38.)
Much
of any weariness is attributable to carrying the heavy natural man. Unlike
others we might carry, the natural man is heavy, and he is not our brother!
So
much depends upon our individual faith. The Apostles pled, "Lord, Increase
our faith." (Luke 17:5.) No wonder, brothers and sisters, because we are
to "walk by faith, not by sight." (2 Cor. 5:7.) Life is so designed
that we are to "overcome by faith" (D&C 76:53), not by
intellectual acuity or wealth or political prowess.
Nevertheless,
seekers after the rewards of faith are often disappointed when they are told to
study, serve, pray, and worship. As with leprous Naaman, they apparently expect
some great thing which requires no obedience to counsel. (See 2 Kgs. 5:13.)
Faith
brings with it the expanding "evidence of things not seen." (Heb.
11:1.) Some mortals dismiss this real, spiritual evidence because "the
natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are
foolishness unto him … because they are spiritually discerned." (1 Cor.
2:14.) But this provincialism on the part of others should not deprive the rest
of us of energizing evidence.
Building
faith is often preceded by shaping circumstances, benefiting those who are
"in a preparation to hear the word." (
As
we "give place" and plant the seed of faith, it grows discernibly. We
are invigorated as it enlightens and swells. (See
However,
in this process of personal experimentation and verification, the several,
sacred steps cannot be skipped over: "For ye receive no witness until
after the trial of your faith." (Ether 12:6.)
Moreover,
acquiring faith is not a one-time thing: "But if ye neglect the tree, and
take no thought for its nourishment, behold it will not get any root; and when
the heat of the sun cometh and scorcheth it, because it hath no root it withers
away." (
Our
"neglect," brothers and sisters, takes so many forms. Similarly, the
withering "heat of the sun" is felt in so many ways.
Experience
by experience, faith can yield to knowledge "in that thing," meaning
the particularized verifications of gospel truths. (
But
we're all at different points in this process, aren't we, of desiring,
experimenting, verifying, and knowing. Hence "to some it is given … to
know. … To others it is given to believe on their words." (D&C
46:13-14.)
While
faith is not a perfect knowledge, it brings a deep trust in God, whose knowledge
is perfect! Otherwise, one's small data base of personal experience permits so
few useful generalizations! But by [page 90] searching the holy scriptures, we
access a vast, divine data bank, a reservoir of remembrance. In this way, the
scriptures can, as the Book of Mormon says, enlarge the memory. (See
Fully
formed faith has several, distinct facets. Faith in God and in the Lord Jesus
Christ includes not only faith in Their existence but also in Their redemptive
capacities. The Lord has assured us, "I will show unto the children of men
that I am able to do mine own work." (2 Ne. 27:21.) Is He ever able!
Indeed, "in him all things hold together." (
Faith
also includes trust in God's timing, for He has said, "All things must
come to pass in their time." (D&C 64:32.) Ironically, some who
acknowledge God are tried by His timing, globally and personally!
Faith
likewise includes faith in God's developmental purposes, for "the Lord
seeth fit to chasten his people; yea, he trieth their patience and their
faith." (Mosiah 23:21.) Still, some of us have trouble when God's tutoring
is applied to us! We plead for exemption more than we do for sanctification,
don't we, brothers and sisters?
A
reassuring promise is given us in this journey: "And any man that shall go
and preach this gospel of the kingdom, and fail not to continue faithful in all
things, shall not be weary in mind, neither darkened." (D&C 84:80.)
But
what if, from time to time, we appear to be doing all four of these essential
things--serving, studying, praying, and worshiping--and still seem to obtain a
lesser measure of the promised blessings?
First,
check "the equipment"! All four components are needed, and one may be
missing or malfunctioning.
Second,
go back to a very basic question: Does one really have an inner "desire to
believe"? (
Third,
do we naively expect Christ to come to us--instead of our going to Him? Truly
He waits "all the day long" with open arms to receive the repentant.
(2 Ne. 28:32; Morm. 6:17.) There are no restrictive "office hours."
But it is we who must arise and go to Him! (See Luke 15:18.)
Blessed
are the meek for they shall not be easily offended, which is especially
important, since "My people must be tried in all things … and he that will
not bear chastisement is not worthy of my kingdom." (D&C 136:31.)
Genuine
faith makes increasing allowance for these individual tutorials. In view of
these tutorials, God cannot, brothers and sisters, respond affirmatively to all
of our petitions with an unbroken chain of "yeses." This would assume
that all of our petitions are for that "which is right" and are
spiritually "expedient." (3 Ne. 18:20; D&C 18:18; D&C
88:64-65.) No petitioner is so wise! Paul even acknowledged that we sometimes
"know not what we should pray for as we ought." (
For
example, in process of time, our personal inconsistencies may be made
inconveniently clear. How else shall we see what we lack? Spiritual refinement
is not only to make the gross more pure but to further refine the already fine!
Hence, said Peter, we should not think a "fiery trial" to be
"some strange thing." (1 Pet. 4:12.)
Real
faith, however, is required to endure this necessary but painful developmental
process. As things unfold, sometimes in full view, let us be merciful with each
other. We certainly do not criticize hospital patients amid intensive care for
looking pale and preoccupied. Why then those recovering from surgery on their
souls? No need for us to stare; those stitches will finally come out. And in
this hospital, too, it is important for everyone to remember that [page 91] the
hospital chart is not the patient. Extending our mercy to someone need not wait
upon our full understanding of their challenges! Empathy may not be appreciated
or reciprocated, but empathy is never wasted.
When
you and I make unwise decisions, if we have frail faith, we not only demand to
be rescued but we want to be rescued privately, painlessly, quickly--or at
least to be beaten only "with a few stripes." (2 Ne. 28:8.) Brothers
and sisters, how can we really feel forgiven until we first feel responsible?
How can we learn from our own experiences unless these lessons are owned up to?
In
the trial of faith, we may sometimes feel God has deserted us. The reality is
that our behavior has isolated us from Him. It is when we first feel the
consequences of our mistakes and are just turning away from these, but have not
yet turned fully to God, that we may have these feelings of being forsaken.
No
part of walking by faith is more difficult than walking the road of repentance.
However, with "faith unto repentance" (
Growing
out of our faith in the Lord is our sustaining of His anointed leaders, as we
have done at this April conference.
John
These same people will kill him later.
D&C 88:78-79 – Truth is truth, there is
not separation between theology and secular teachings. We need to feed the whole body; mind, spirit,
and the body.
In the church we teach doctrine in a hodge
podge manner. We have an incomplete
understanding of doctrine. It’s on our
shoulders to learn it then teach it, the analogy of looking at a house, we only
look at one side and think we see the whole house!!
Elder Maxwell teaches a lot about overcoming
the natural man. Come unto Christ and be
perfected in him.
Remember
how, momentarily, the disciples on a storm-tossed sea were frightened by their
approaching Deliverer. (see Matt. 14:22-36.) Within this context of the
opposites, cheer and despair, there is another ongoing and inner drama for all
those who are serious disciples. From its personal affects we cannot be spared.
Indeed, upon serious reflection we would not really wish to be spared from the divine
discontent which is a necessary part of developing discipleship. This should
not be confused, however, with the global gloom and despair previously noted.
This
very process of spiritual isometrics commences when we rightly heed the
beckoning call, "Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny
yourselves of all ungodliness" (Moro. 10:32). When we answer that call,
something else happens, however, cheek-by-jowl: "And if men come unto me I
will show unto them their weakness . . ." Then comes a special promise:
"My grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for
if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make
weak things become strong unto them." (Ether 12:27.)
This
process is painful. It is unavoidable. It is repetitive. It is relentless! As
to our repeated need to be taught one lesson all the time, Brigham Young
observed:
Men
are organized to be independent in their sphere . . . yet they have, as
soldiers term it, to run the gauntlet all the time. . . . but that independency
. . . must be proved and tried while in this state of existence, [it] must be
operated upon by the good and the evil. (In Journal of Discourses, 3:316.)
It is vital, therefore, for us to distinguish
between, on the one hand, the growth pains inevitably felt during the process
of discipleship and, on the other hand, the general, disoriented despair
described earlier. Since the gospel lets us know the difference between
proximate and ultimate things, we need not be confused. There can be proximate
tribulation, but with ultimate salvation. There can be proximate disappointment
but with ultimate joy. There can be local cloud cover but without general and
lasting darkness!
Will
we, therefore, have faith in God's hand—not only as to the grand plan of
salvation but also in our specific, individual portion of the plan? In the
midst of our troubles, trials, and afflictions will we trust in God that things
will finally work out "all right"? Hence trusting is part of having
faith in Him, in His plan, and in His timing, just as President Brigham Young
conveyed, as noted earlier:
When
the Latter-day Saints make up their minds to endure, for the kingdom of God's
sake, whatsoever shall come, whether poverty or riches, whether sickness or to
be driven by mobs, they will say it is all right, and will honor the
hand of the Lord in it, and in all things, and serve Him to the end of their
lives (in Journal of Discourses 1:338; emphasis added).
(Neal A. Maxwell, One More Strain of
Praise [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1999], 27 - 28.)
Dear
Lauren:
The
hardest part of taking up the cross "daily" is to overcome one's
reflexive, persistent selfishness. Allowing for its many faces, selfishness is
the most profound, pronounced, and persistent feature of the natural man.
George MacDonald observed that it is as if, each morning, we need to break all
over again the crust of self that has gathered afresh about us. The steady
secretions of selfishness will continue to reencrust us until we put off the
natural man and woman—firmly and finally!
Admired
by all the rest of us are the men and women who are low demanders but high
performers. These unselfish few are so quietly contributive. Without excessive
expectations, these individuals often go unheralded, yet they make up part of
the critical mass of human goodness. For them, a word of spiritual direction is
sufficient—like the Roman centurion who asked only a healing word
from Jesus, not His presence (see Matthew 8:5-13).
As
neighbors, these individuals make high but quiet contributions. They also make
low demands of others and even of the Church. They are meekly content with
"what is allotted" to them (Alma 29:3-4, 6). They take their trials
in stride, pressing forward on the straight and narrow path. They are
unsurprised by adversity and manage to live in "cheerful insecurity."
In
contrast, the natural man never picks up the cross. His is the "sorrowing
of the damned," which involves regret but not necessarily over the sin
itself. Instead, it is because these sorrowers can no longer take pleasure in
sin (see Mormon 2:13). Quite a difference, for the natural man still clings,
not to the cross, but to his old ways!
Those
forces which appeal to our selfishness and sensuality often conspire against
us. There is a striking sameness in the combines of craftiness formed by
designing men in any age (see D&C 89:4). Their craftiness is often subtle
and always focuses on things which appeal to the natural man. Anyone who
challenges that rigid pattern of things or who goes against the grain of that
intellectual fashion is highly resented as an alien intruder!
But
Paul is right, the fashions of this world will pass away (see 1 Corinthians
7:31). Some men save neckties, awaiting the time when they will be in fashion
again. However, when the life-style and fashions of this world disappear, it
will be irrevocable.
Daring
to be different from the fashions of this world is to become fashionable for
that realm in which true beauty and spiritual symmetry are ever honored.
I
love you and the joy in life you have always displayed in your sweet
appreciativeness!
Love,
Grandfather
1.
See C. S. Lewis, ed., George MacDonald Anthology (New York: Macmillan,
1947), p. 138.
(Neal A. Maxwell, That Ye May Believe [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1992], 47.)
He waits for us all day long, with his arms
out, ready to receive us. The repentant
will receive the pure love of Christ.
Alma the Younger and the Sons of Mosiah and
the Conversion Process
M E R I D I A N M A G A Z I N E
Lesson
26
“Converted unto the Lord"
Alma 23-29
by
Bruce Satterfield
It
is doubtful that the sons of Mosiah anticipated that their mission among the
Lamanites would turn out as successful as it did. It is true that they
were promised success before their mission began. When King Mosiah prayed
to the Lord to know whether his sons should go on this mission, the Lord
responded: “Let them go up, for many shall believe on their words, and
they shall have eternal life” (Mosiah 28:7; emphasis added). Again, after
they departed to the Lamanite lands, they were promised success when the sons
of Mosiah plead that “a portion of [the Lord’s] Spirit” would go with them
“that they might be an instrument in the hands of God to bring, if it were
possible, their brethren, the Lamanites, to the knowledge of the truth, to the
knowledge of the baseness of the traditions of their fathers, which were not
correct.” The Lord promised: “I will make an instrument of thee in my
hands unto the salvation of many souls” (
But
many is a relative term. In this case, many turned out to
be literally thousands! Mormon reports: “And thousands were brought to
the knowledge of the Lord, yea, thousands were brought to believe in the
traditions of the Nephites; and they were taught the records and prophecies
which were handed down even to the present time” (
Even
more remarkable is that the Lamanite converts “never did fall away.”
Mormon observed: “And as sure as the Lord liveth, so sure as many as believed,
or as many as were brought to the knowledge of the truth, through the preaching
of Ammon and his brethren, according to the spirit of revelation and of
prophecy, and the power of God working miracles in them–yea, I say unto you, as
the Lord liveth, as many of the Lamanites as believed in their preaching, and
were converted unto the Lord, never did fall away” (Alma 23:6; emphasis
added).
This
seems almost unbelievable. As revealed in the Parable of the Sower
(Matthew 13:3-9, 18-23), the Savior taught that there are generally four
responses to hearing the gospel. In three of the four cases, the hearer
accepts the gospel (i.e., the seed that “fell upon stony places,” the seed that
“fell among thorns,” and the seed that “fell into good ground”). But of
the three, only one (the seed that “fell into good ground”) continued on
the strait and narrow path, thus securing salvation. Because of
persecution, tribulation, cares of the world, or riches, did not continue in
the gospel and became “unfruitful.” Therefore, Mormon’s statement that
the converted Lamanites “never did fall away” is astounding.
Yet,
twice Mormon swears with an oath that this was the case. “As sure as
the Lord liveth,” he wrote, “ . . . yea, I say unto you, as the Lord
liveth, as many of the Lamanites as believed in their preaching, and were
converted unto the Lord, never did fall away” (
What
is the message? The Lamanites never turned away from the truth they were
taught because they “were converted unto the Lord” (emphasis
added).
It
is one thing to join the Lord’s mortal Church. It is another to be
saved in the
Thus,
Nephi declared: “And now, my beloved brethren, after ye have gotten into this
strait and narrow path, I would ask if all is done? Behold, I say unto you,
Nay; for ye have not come thus far save it were by the word of Christ with
unshaken faith in him, relying wholly upon the merits of him who is mighty to
save. Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ,
having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men.
Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and
endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal
life” (2 Nephi 31:19-20). Mormon’s rehearsal of the conversion of
the Lamanites gives greater insight into what it means to “press forward,
feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end.” In other words,
it gives us greater insight into the process of conversion.
The
Meaning of Conversion
Often
in the Church, various forms of the word convert – convert, conversion,
converted– are used to refer to one’s joining the Church. Implied in this
usage is the idea that the person has been taught the gospel, exercised faith
in the atonement of Jesus Christ, repented of his or her’s sins and then joined
the Church through the ordinance of baptism. This use of the word implies
an event that has occurred in the life of an individual.
Though
this is not an inappropriate use of the word, it is a limited use.
As used in holy writ, the word has greater meaning. In the recently
published booklet, True to the Faith: A Gospel Reference published by
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the following is stated
regarding conversion:
“‘To
be carnally minded is death,’ declared the Apostle Paul, ‘but to be spiritually
minded is life and peace’ (Romans 8:6; see also 2 Nephi 9:39). In our
fallen state, we often struggle with temptation, and we sometimes give in to
“the will of the flesh and the evil which is therein” (2 Nephi 2:29). To
be able to receive the blessing of eternal life, we need to be ‘spiritually
minded’ and conquer our unrighteous desires. We need to change.
More accurately, we need to be changed, or converted, through the power
of the Savior’s Atonement and through the power of the Holy Ghost. This process
is called conversion. Conversion includes a change in behavior, but it
goes beyond behavior; it is a change in our very nature. It is such a
significant change that the Lord and His prophets refer to it as a rebirth, a
change of heart, and a baptism of fire.” [i]
Likewise,
Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Council of the Twelve Apostles stated: “We qualify
for eternal life through a process of conversion. As used here, this
word of many meanings signifies not just a convincing but a profound change of
nature.” [ii]
The
Process of Conversion
The
following statement found in True to the Faith gives a brief synopsis of
what is required in the process of conversion: “Conversion is a process, not an
event. You become converted as a result of your righteous efforts to follow the
Savior. These efforts include exercising faith in Jesus Christ, repenting
of sin, being baptized, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and
enduring to the end in faith.” [iii]
It
can be seen that this process includes more than what we normally imply in the
word convert. Of particular importance is the receiving of the
gift of the Holy Ghost and enduring to the end in faith–both constant life-long
endeavors.
Receiving
the gift of the Holy Ghost is perhaps the most important part of the conversion
process. The Lord said: “And ye shall offer for a sacrifice unto me a
broken heart and a contrite spirit. And whoso cometh unto me with a broken
heart and a contrite spirit, him will I baptize with fire and with the Holy
Ghost, even as the Lamanites, because of their faith in me at the time of their
conversion, were baptized with fire and with the Holy Ghost, and they knew it
not” (3 Ne. 9:20). Thus, “conversion is a quiet, constant process” and
many “may be converted now and not realize it.” [iv]
Receiving
the Holy Ghost is the beginning of the conversion process. Elder Oaks has
observed, “The needed conversion by the gospel begins with the
introductory experience the scriptures call being “born again” (e.g., Mosiah
27:25; Alma 5:49; John 3:7; 1 Pet. 1:23). In the waters of baptism and by
receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, we become the spiritual ‘sons and
daughters’ of Jesus Christ, ‘new creatures’ who can ‘inherit the
Becoming is the essence of the
process of conversion. “Final Judgment is not just an evaluation of a sum
total of good and evil acts–what we have done. It is an
acknowledgment of the final effect of our acts and thoughts–what we have become.
It is not enough for anyone just to go through the motions. The
commandments, ordinances, and covenants of the gospel are not a list of
deposits required to be made in some heavenly account. The gospel of
Jesus Christ is a plan that shows us how to become what our Heavenly Father
desires us to become.” [vi]
Characteristics
of People Who Are Converted
Therefore,
certain qualities characterize those who are “converted unto the Lord.”
These are outlined in True to the Faith. [vii]
“They
desire to do good. King Benjamin’s people declared, ‘The Spirit of
the Lord Omnipotent, … has wrought a mighty change in us, or in our hearts,
that we have no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually”
(Mosiah 5:2).
“They
do not rebel against the Lord. Mormon told of a group of Lamanites
who had been wicked and bloodthirsty but who were “converted unto the Lord” (
“They
share the gospel. Enos, Alma the Elder, Alma the Younger,
the sons of Mosiah, Amulek, and Zeezrom dedicated themselves to preaching the
gospel after they became converted to the Lord (see Enos 1:26; Mosiah 18:1;
Mosiah 27:32-37; Alma 10:1-12; Alma 15:12).
They
are filled with love.
After the resurrected Savior visited the people in the
The
Anti-Nephi-Lehi’s
In
this list of characteristics, it should be noted that the Lamanites who were
taught and baptized through the efforts of the four sons of Mosiah and their
companions were used as an example of a converted people. They not only knew
the gospel was true but had become changed people. Thus, Mormon tells us
that these Lamanites “did repent and come to the knowledge of the truth,
and were converted” (
Because
of their conversion, they became a different people, even to the point
that they wanted a different name. “And now it came to pass that the king
and those who were converted were desirous that they might have a name, that
thereby they might be distinguished from their brethren; therefore the king
consulted with Aaron and many of their priests, concerning the name that they
should take upon them, that they might be distinguished. And it came to
pass that they called their names Anti‑Nephi‑Lehies; and they were
called by this name and were no more called Lamanites” (
Mormon
then describes, in part, what they had become. Earlier descriptions of
the Lamanites characterize them as having “become an idle people, full of
mischief and subtlety” (2 Nephi 5:24) and “a lazy and an idolatrous people”
(Mosiah 9:12). But after receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, Mormon
says: “And they began to be a very industrious people; yea, and they were
friendly with the Nephites; therefore, they did open a correspondence with
them, and the curse of God did no more follow them” (Alma 23:18).
The
Covenant
As
remarkable as this is description is, the best illustration Mormon gives of the
Lamanite conversion is found in the great covenant story found in
The
Lamanites at the time of the conversion were made up of two kinds of people:
(1) those who were descendants of Laman, Lemuel, and those who were opposed to
Nephi (2 Nephi 5:1-8), and (2) those were apostate Nephites who had left the
Nephite lands and joined themselves to the Lamanites. Apostate Nephites
living among the Lamanites at that time were the Amalekites and the Amulonites
(
Mormon
tells us that the Lamanites who were “converted unto the Lord” were true blood
Lamanites. “And the Amalekites were not converted, save only one; neither
were any of the Amulonites; but they did harden their hearts, and also the
hearts of the Lamanites in that part of the land wheresoever they dwelt, yea,
and all their villages and all their cities” (Alma 23:14).
Typical
of those who have apostatized, those who were not converted became very
angry with the Lamanites who had become known as the Anti-Nephi-Lehi’s.
“And it came to pass that the Amalekites and the Amulonites and the Lamanites
who were in the land of Amulon, and also in the land of Helam, and who were in
the land of Jerusalem, and in fine, in all the land round about, who had not
been converted and had not taken upon them the name of Anti‑Nephi‑Lehi,
were stirred up by the Amalekites and by the Amulonites to anger against their
brethren. And their hatred became exceedingly sore against them, even
insomuch that they began to rebel against their king, insomuch that they would
not that he should be their king; therefore, they took up arms against the
people of Anti‑Nephi‑Lehi” (
The
response to this threat by the Anit-Nephi-Lehi’s demonstrates the true
conversion of the Lamanites. The King of the Lamanites who was converted
through the instrumentality of Aaron “conferred the kingdom upon his son, and
he called his name Anti‑Nephi‑Lehi. And the king died in that
selfsame year that the Lamanites began to make preparations for war against the
people of God” (
In
fact, we are told that it was King Anti-Nephi-Lehi who “commanded them that
they should not” take up swords against those who had now become their
enemy. In a meeting held by the Anit-Nephi-Lehi’s to the discuss of how
to deal with the impending threat, King Anit-Nephi-Lehi stood and delivered a
stirring discourse (Alma 24:7-16) which reveals the deepness of his and his
people’s conversion and the strength of their convictions.
King
Anti-Nephi-Lehi first noted how grateful he was that God had sent Nephites “to
convince us of the traditions of our wicked fathers” – a remarkable thing since
it was the wicked traditions of their fathers that had been passed down for
centuries and kept the hate of the Lamanites against the Nephites afresh.
He
continued, because of the great work of the four sons of Mosiah and those who
went with them among the Lamanites, “we have been convinced of our sins, and of
the many murders which we have committed.” He was amazed that God “hath
granted unto us that we might repent of these things, and also that he hath
forgiven us of those our many sins and murders which we have committed, and
taken away the guilt from our hearts, through the merits of his Son.”
Then
came the point! Since we have been forgiven of our murders, the King
stated, “let us retain our swords that they be not stained with the blood of
our brethren; for perhaps, if we should stain our swords again they can no more
be washed bright through the blood of the Son of our great God, which shall be
shed for the atonement of our sins.” For, he said, “since it has been as
much as we could do to get our stains taken away from us, and our swords are
made bright, let us hide them away that they may be kept bright, as a testimony
to our God at the last day, or at the day that we shall be brought to stand
before him to be judged, that we have not stained our swords in the blood of
our brethren since he imparted his word unto us and has made us clean
thereby.”
In
response to the king’s plea, the converted Lamanites “took their swords, and
all the weapons which were used for the shedding of man's blood, and they did
bury them up deep in the earth. And this they did, it being in their view
a testimony to God, and also to men, that they never would use weapons again
for the shedding of man's blood; and this they did, vouching and covenanting
with God, that rather than shed the blood of their brethren they would give up
their own lives; and rather than take away from a brother they would give unto
him; and rather than spend their days in idleness they would labor abundantly
with their hands” (Alma 24;17-18).
Mormon
then makes the point he intends his reader to glean from this remarkable
covenant: “And thus we see that, when these Lamanites were brought to believe
and to know the truth, they were firm, and would suffer even unto death rather
than commit sin” (Alma 24:19)
Their
resolve to keep their covenant was immediately tested. Their enemy came
upon them in a fit of hatred and anger. “Now when the [Anit-Nephi-Lehi’s]
saw that they were coming against them they went out to meet them, and
prostrated themselves before them to the earth, and began to call on the name
of the Lord; and thus they were in this attitude when the Lamanites began to
fall upon them, and began to slay them with the sword. And thus without
meeting any resistance, they did slay a thousand and five of them; and we know
that they are blessed, for they have gone to dwell with their God” (
The
effect this had on the angered Lamanites was amazing. When many of the
Lamanites “saw this they did forbear from slaying them; and there were many whose
hearts had swollen in them for those of their brethren who had fallen under the
sword, for they repented of the things which they had done. And it came
to pass that they threw down their weapons of war, and they would not take them
again, for they were stung for the murders which they had committed; and they
came down even as their brethren, relying upon the mercies of those whose arms
were lifted to slay them.”
We
are then told that “the people of God were joined that day by more than the
number who had been slain; and those who had been slain were righteous people,
therefore we have no reason to doubt but what they were saved” (Alma
24:24-26). Mormon then makes an interesting statement: “thus we see that
the Lord worketh in many ways to the salvation of his people” (
Mormon
follows this with another surprise! “Now the greatest number of those of
the Lamanites who slew so many of their brethren were Amalekites and
Amulonites, the greatest number of whom were after the order of the
Nehors. Now, among those who joined the people of the Lord, there were
none who were Amalekites or Amulonites, or who were of the order of Nehor, but
they were actual descendants of Laman and Lemuel.” (
Having
said this, Mormon makes point often made in the Book of Mormon about the
dangers of apostasy: “And thus we can plainly discern, that after a people have
been once enlightened by the Spirit of God, and have had great knowledge of
things pertaining to righteousness, and then have fallen away into sin and
transgression, they become more hardened, and thus their state becomes worse
than though they had never known these things” (Alma 24:30).
Conclusion
The
power of conversion is one of the most remarkable miracles ever witnesses by
mankind. Such a miracle is the greatest to sought for by God’s children
while in mortality. Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Council of the Twelve
Apostles said: “Changing bodies or protecting temples are miracles, but an even
greater miracle is a mighty change of heart by a son or daughter of God (see
Mosiah 5:2). A change of heart, including new attitudes, priorities, and
desires, is greater and more important than any miracle involving the body.” [viii]
The
conversion of the Lamanites through the instrumentality of the four sons of
Mosiah is a wonderful reminder of the power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ
and the miracle of conversion. That we may all be so converted is my hope
and prayer.
Notes
[i] “Conversion,” in True to the Faith: A
Gospel Reference (published by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints, Salt Lake City, Utah, 2004), pp. 40-41; I highly recommend every member
of the Church own and use this wonderful booklet.
[ii] Dallin H. Oaks, “The Challenge to Become,” Ensign,
Nov. 2000, p. 32.
[iii] True to the Faith, p. 41; emphasis
added.
[iv] True to the Faith, p. 41.
[v] Oaks, “The Challenge to Become,” p. 33.
[vi] Oaks, “The Challenge to Become,” p. 32.
[vii] True to the Faith, pp. 42-43.
[viii] Dallin H. Oaks, “Miracles,” Ensign,
June 2001, p. 17.
Elder
Oaks – Powerful Ideas. Lifts us from discouragement, the work of the
Church is an eternal work. Not all
problems or relationships will be solved in mortality. Not limited to mortality, we still have the
spirit world and the Millennium to progress, the purpose of the Millennium is
to prepare us to become as He is, to be like God.
Powerful Ideas
Last
summer I attended the funeral of an elect lady. One speaker described three of
her great qualities: loyalty, obedience, and faith. As he elaborated on her
life, I thought how appropriate it was to speak of such powerful qualities in a
funeral tribute. A life is not a trivial thing, and its passing should not be
memorialized with trivial things. A funeral service is a time to speak of
powerful ideas—ideas that can appropriately stand beside the importance of
life, ideas that are powerful in their influence on those who remain behind.
As
I enjoyed the spirit of this inspiring funeral, my thoughts were directed
toward the application of this principle in other settings. Parents should also
teach powerful ideas. So should home teachers, visiting teachers, and the
teachers in various classes. The Savior warned that we will be judged for
“every idle word that [we] shall speak” (Matt. 12:36).
Modern revelation commands us to cease from “light speeches” and
“light-mindedness” (D&C 88:121)
and to cast away “idle thoughts” and “excess of laughter” (D&C 88:69).
There are plenty of other spokesmen for trivial things. Latter-day Saints
should be constantly concerned with teaching and emphasizing those great and
powerful eternal truths that will help us find our way back to the presence of
our Heavenly Father.
About
thirty years ago, some scholars authored a book on general education—the body
of knowledge expected of all educated persons. Its title, The Knowledge Most
Worth Having, (Wayne C. Booth, ed., Chicago and London: The University of
Chicago Press, 1967), is a good reminder of the fact that knowledge is not of
equal value. Some knowledge is more important than others. That principle also
applies to what we call spiritual knowledge.
Consider
the power of the idea taught in our beloved song “I Am a Child of God” (Hymns,
1985, no. 301), sung so impressively by the choir at the beginning of this
session. Here is the answer to one of life’s great questions, “Who am I?” I am
a child of God with a spirit lineage to heavenly parents. That parentage
defines our eternal potential. That powerful idea is a potent antidepressant.
It can strengthen each of us to make righteous choices and to seek the best
that is within us. Establish in the mind of a young person the powerful idea
that he or she is a child of God and you have given self-respect and motivation
to move against the problems of life.
When
we understand our relationship to God, we also understand our relationship to
one another. All men and women on this earth are the offspring of God, spirit
brothers and sisters. What a powerful idea! No wonder God’s Only Begotten Son
commanded us to love one another. If only we could do so! What a different
world it would be if brotherly and sisterly love and unselfish assistance could
transcend all boundaries of nation, creed, and color. Such love would not erase
all differences of opinion and action, but it would encourage each of us to
focus our opposition on actions rather than actors.
The
eternal truth that our Heavenly Father loves all his children is an immensely
powerful idea. It is especially powerful when children can visualize it through
the love and sacrifice of their earthly parents. Love is the most powerful
force in the world. Arthur Henry King has said, “Love is not just an ecstasy,
not just an intense feeling. It is a driving force. It is something that
carries us through our life of joyful duty” (The Abundance of the Heart,
Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1986, p. 84).
We
all have our own examples of the power of love. More than twenty-five years ago
I recorded some memories I had of my father, who died before I was eight years
old. What I wrote then illustrates the power of love in the life of a boy:
“The
strongest impression I have of my relationship with my father I cannot document
with any event or any words I can recall. It is a feeling. Based on words and
actions long since lost to mind, this feeling persists with all the clarity of
perfect faith. He loved me and he was proud of me. … That is the kind of memory
a boy can treasure, and also a man” (“Memories of My Father,”
Another
powerful idea we should teach one another is that mortal life has a purpose and
that mortal death is not the end but only a transition to the next phase of an
existence that is immortal. President Brigham Young taught that “our existence
here is for the sole purpose of exaltation and restoration to the presence of
our Father and God” (Discourses of Brigham Young, sel. John A. Widtsoe,
Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1978, p. 37). The idea of eternal progress is one
of the most powerful ideas in our theology. It gives us hope when we falter and
challenge when we soar. Surely this is one of the great “solemnities of
eternity” that we are commanded to let “rest upon [our] minds” (D&C 43:34).
Another
idea that is powerful to lift us from discouragement is that the work of The
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, “to bring to pass the … eternal
life of man” (Moses 1:39),
is an eternal work. Not all problems are overcome and not all needed
relationships are fixed in mortality. The work of salvation goes on beyond the
veil of death, and we should not be too apprehensive about incompleteness
within the limits of mortality.
A
powerful idea with immediate practical application is the reality that we can
pray to our Heavenly Father, and he will hear our prayers and help us in the
way that is best for us. Most of us have experienced the terrible empty feeling
that comes from being separated from those who love us. If we remember that we
can pray and be heard and helped, we can always withstand that feeling of
emptiness. We can always be in touch with a powerful friend who loves us and
helps us, in his own time and in his own way.
Thousands
of experiences show that we can pray and have our prayers answered. Some of the
choicest involve young children. In the biography of President Spencer W.
Kimball we read:
“Again
and again Spencer watched his parents take their problems to the Lord. One day
when Spencer was five and out doing his chores, little one-year-old Fannie
wandered from the house and was lost. No one could find her. Clare, sixteen,
said, ‘Ma, if we pray, the Lord will direct us to Fannie.’ So the mother and
children prayed. Immediately after the prayer Gordon walked to the very spot where
Fannie was fast asleep in a large box behind the chicken coop. ‘We thanked our
Heavenly Father over and over,’ Olive recorded in her journal” (Edward L.
Kimball and Andrew E. Kimball, Jr., Spencer W. Kimball, Salt Lake City:
Bookcraft, 1977, p. 31).
Every
follower of Jesus Christ knows that the most powerful ideas of the Christian
faith are the resurrection and the atonement of Jesus Christ. Because of him we
can be forgiven of our sins and we will live again. Those powerful ideas have
been explained in countless sermons from this pulpit and a million others. They
are well known but not well applied in the lives of most of us.
Our
model is not the latest popular hero of sports or entertainment, not our
accumulated property or prestige, and not the expensive toys and diversions
that encourage us to concentrate on what is temporary and forget what is
eternal. Our model—our first priority—is Jesus Christ. We must testify of him
and teach one another how we can apply his teachings and his example in our
lives.
Brigham
Young gave us some practical advice on how to do this. “The difference between
God and the Devil,” he said, “is that God creates and organizes, while the
whole study of the Devil is to destroy” (Discourses of Brigham Young, p.
69). In that contrast we have an important example of the reality of
“opposition in all things” (2 Ne. 2:11).
Remember,
our Savior, Jesus Christ, always builds us up and never tears us down. We
should apply the power of that example in the ways we use our time, including
our recreation and diversions. Consider the themes of the books, magazines,
movies, television, and music we make popular by our patronage. Do the purposes
and actions portrayed in our chosen entertainment build up or tear down the
children of God? During my lifetime I have seen a strong trend to displace what
builds up and dignifies the children of God with portrayals and performances
that are depressing, demeaning, and destructive.
The
powerful idea in this example is that whatever builds people up serves the
cause of the Master, and whatever tears people down serves the cause of the
adversary. We support one cause or the other every day by our patronage. This
should remind us of our responsibility and motivate us toward fulfilling it in
a way that would be pleasing to Him whose suffering offers us hope and whose
example should give us direction.
We
should always put the Savior first. The first commandment Jehovah gave to the
children of
It
is surprisingly easy to take what should be our first devotion and subordinate
it to other priorities. Fifty years ago, the Christian philosopher C. S. Lewis
illustrated that tendency with an example that is distressingly applicable in
our own day. In his book The Screwtape Letters, a senior devil explains
how to corrupt Christians and frustrate the work of Jesus Christ. One letter
explains how any “extreme devotion” can lead Christians away from the Lord and
the practice of Christianity. Lewis gives two examples, extreme patriotism or
extreme pacifism, and explains how either “extreme devotion” can corrupt its
adherent.
“Let
him begin by treating the Patriotism or the Pacifism as a part of his religion.
Then let him, under the influence of partisan spirit, come to regard it as the
most important part. Then quietly and gradually nurse him on to the stage at
which the religion becomes merely part of the ‘cause,’ in which Christianity is
valued chiefly because of the excellent arguments it can produce in favour of
the British war effort or of pacifism. … Once you have made the World an end,
and faith a means, you have almost won your man, and it makes very little
difference what kind of worldly end he is pursuing” (C. S. Lewis, The
Screwtape Letters, rev. ed., New York: MacMillan, 1982, p. 35).
We
can readily see that tendency in our own time, with many causes that are good
in themselves but become spiritually corrupting when they assume priorities
ahead of him who commanded, “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” Jesus
Christ and his work come first. Anything that would use him or his kingdom or
his church as a means to an end serves the cause of the adversary.
Two
other powerful ideas were given voice by a noble young woman who survived a
terrible experience. Virginia Reed was a survivor of the tragic Donner-Reed
party, who made one of the earliest wagon treks into
The
delays and incredible energies expended on this unproven route cost the
Donner-Reed party an extra month in reaching the
After
months in the mountains and incredible hardships of hunger and terror,
thirteen-year-old Virginia Reed reached
That
is powerful and true advice, especially for teenagers. Young people are
surrounded by many beckoning paths and many persuasive promoters who offer
advice and cutoffs as substitutes for the proven way. “Try out this detour” or
“tarry here for a while” are familiar proposals on the journey of life. My
young friends remember Virginia Reed’s advice—“Never take no cutofs and hury
along as fast as you can.”
I
conclude with an example from the life of the Apostle Paul. During his ministry
he was exposed to ample light-mindedness, idle thoughts, and trivial things. In
Let
us follow the commandments of God and the examples of his servants. Let us
focus our teachings on those great and powerful ideas that have eternal
significance in promoting righteousness, building up the children of God, and
helping each of us toward our destiny of eternal life. That we may do so is my
fervent prayer, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
M E R I D I A N M A G A Z I N E
Lesson
32
“They
Did Obey . . . Every Word of Command with Exactness”
By
Bruce Satterfield
For
the most part,
The
length given by Mormon in his record pertaining to this particular war
indicates its importance to the message he intended for his latter-day
reader. Recall that Mormon saw our day and chose “those things which would
be of greatest worth to us” to include in his record. Therefore, as
President Ezra Taft Benson taught, “If they saw our day and chose those things
which would be of greatest worth to us, is not that how we should study the
Book of Mormon? We should constantly ask ourselves, “Why did the Lord
inspire Mormon (or
Spiritual
Warfare
At
least one message would appear to be that Mormon intended his latter-day reader
to liken the Nephite-Lamanite war of Alma 53-63 to the spiritual war each of
God’s children is facing in these last days before the second coming of
Christ. Of this war, Elder Henry B. Eyring of the Council of the Twelve
Apostles has said: “There has been a war between light and darkness, between
good and evil, since before the world was created. The battle still rages and
the casualties seem to be increasing.”2 Likewise, Elder M. Russell Ballard of the
Twelve said: “We are in a war. This war is the same war that raged in the
premortal world. Lucifer and his followers are committed to an evil direction.”3
President
Ezra Taft Benson, spoke of his concern about the spiritual warfare of our day:
“We live in a day of great challenge. We live in that time of which the Lord
spoke when he said, ‘Peace shall be taken from the earth, and the devil shall
have power over his own dominion.’ (D&C 1:35.) We live in that day
which John the Revelator foresaw when ‘the dragon was wroth with the woman, and
went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of
God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.’ (Rev. 12:17.) The dragon is
Satan; the woman represents the Church of Jesus Christ. Satan is waging war
against the members of the Church who have testimonies and are trying to keep
the commandments. And while many of our members are remaining faithful
and strong, some are wavering. Some are falling. Some are
fulfilling John’s prophecy that in the war with Satan, some Saints would be
overcome. (See Rev. 13:7.)”4
What
can we, as Latter-day Saints, do to avoid being overcome? Nephi gave us a
clue. In a vision of the last days, Nephi was shown the war of good
versus evil. Said he: “And it came to pass that I beheld that the great
mother of abominations did gather together multitudes upon the face of all the
earth, among all the nations of the Gentiles, to fight against the Lamb of
God.” Nephi also saw how God would protect His people. “The power
of the Lamb of God,” said Nephi, “descended upon the saints of the church of
the Lamb, and upon the covenant people of the Lord, who were scattered upon all
the face of the earth; and they were armed with righteousness and with the
power of God in great glory” (1 Ne. 14:13-14).
In
what manner did the power of the Lord descend upon His people that it armed
them with righteousness and power? The answer to this question is
critical!
Sons
of Helaman
At
least part of the answer can be discovered by examining the astonishing account
of the sons of Helaman which form part of the war chapters in
Let
us briefly review the story of the sons of Helaman and the principles we can
glean from Mormon’s inclusion of this account in his record.
The
sons of Helaman were really the sons of the people of Ammon–the Lamanite
converts, who, as a result of the missionary efforts of the four sons of Mosiah
had become fully converted to the gospel. Recall that to save them from
being slaughtered by other non-converted Lamanites, the Nephites gave them the
As
the war between the Nephites and Lamanites recorded in
Their
leader, Helaman, referred to them as either “young men” or “ very young” men (
After
taking the oath to fight in the defense of the Nephites, these young warriors
“would that Helaman should be their leader” (
From
both Mormon’s comments and Helaman’s letter, we can discern several things the
stripling warriors did that brought the power of God upon them insomuch that
none of them fell in battle. Consider the following.
Courage
In
speaking of those things that brought power to the sons of Helaman, Mormon and
Helaman mentioned to their great courage. “And they were all young men,”
Mormon said, ”and they were exceedingly valiant for courage, and also for
strength and activity” (
Like
the sons of Helaman, in order to draw upon the powers of heaven to win the
battles against evil, we must demonstrate tremendous courage. The
Psalmist wrote: “Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye
that hope in the Lord” (Ps. 31:24).
The
courage needed in the battles against evil will give us the fortitude to live
after the manner of God and not after the ways of men. President Thomas
S. Monson taught: “It is this sweet assurance that can guide you and me–in our
time, in our day, in our lives. Of course we will face fear, experience
ridicule, and meet opposition. Let us have the courage to defy the consensus,
the courage to stand for principle. Courage, not compromise, brings the smile
of God’s approval. Courage becomes a living and an attractive virtue when it is
regarded not only as a willingness to die manfully, but as the determination to
live decently. A moral coward is one who is afraid to do what he thinks is
right because others will disapprove or laugh. Remember that all men have their
fears, but those who face their fears with dignity have courage as well.”6
We
especially need courage in order to hearken to the will of God by following the
counsel of our leaders. In so doing, we will find safety. Elder
Eyring observed: “There seems to be no end to the Savior’s desire to lead us to
safety. And there is constancy in the way He shows us the path. He calls
by more than one means so that it will reach those willing to accept it.
And those means always include sending the message by the mouths of His
prophets whenever people have qualified to have the prophets of God among
them.” He continued, “Those authorized servants are always charged with
warning the people, telling them the way to safety.” He then rehearsed
the story of the tragedy of Haun’s Mill explaining that that misfortune could
have been avoided had Jacob Haun had the courage and humility to follow the
counsel given him by Joseph Smith to leave the mill and gather his group of
saints to
“In
our own time,” Elder Eyring continued, “we have been warned with counsel of
where to find safety from sin and from sorrow.” Warnings should always be
recognized because they are repeated, he taught. But it takes courage to
follow the warnings of God through his prophets. “Looking for the path to
safety in the counsel of prophets makes sense to those with strong
faith.” On the other hand, “When a prophet speaks, those with little
faith may think that they hear only a wise man giving good advice. Then
if his counsel seems comfortable and reasonable, squaring with what they want
to do, they take it. If it does not, they consider it either faulty
advice or they see their circumstances as justifying their being an exception
to the counsel.” It is at times like these that we have to have the
courage to follow counsel instead of our ways.
The
courage to follow the counsel of prophets changes everything. “Another
fallacy,” Elder Eyring taught, “is to believe that the choice to accept or not
accept the counsel of prophets is no more than deciding whether to accept good
advice and gain its benefits or to stay where we are. But the choice not
to take prophetic counsel changes the very ground upon which we stand. It
becomes more dangerous. The failure to take prophetic counsel lessens our
power to take inspired counsel in the future. The best time to have
decided to help Noah build the ark was the first time he asked. Each time
he asked after that, each failure to respond would have lessened sensitivity to
the Spirit. And so each time his request would have seemed more foolish,
until the rain came. And then it was too late.”
He
concluded, “Every time in my life when I have chosen to delay following
inspired counsel or decided that I was an exception, I came to know that I had
put myself in harm’s way. Every time that I have listened to the counsel
of prophets, felt it confirmed in prayer, and then followed it, I have found
that I moved toward safety. Along the path, I have found that the way had
been prepared for me and the rough places made smooth. God led me to
safety along a path which was prepared with loving care, sometimes prepared
long before.”7
Courage
to follow the counsel of the Brethren rather than our own ways or the ways of
the world is an essential attribute if we are to receive divine power to win
the spiritual war we are facing.
Trust
in the Lord
The
courage displayed by the sons of Helaman was born of trust. Of this,
Helaman wrote: “Now this was the faith of these of whom I have spoken; they are
young, and their minds are firm, and they do put their trust in God
continually” (Alma 57:27). “To trust,” stated Elder Richard G. Scott of
the Quroum of the Twelve Apostles, “means to obey willingly without knowing the
end from the beginning.” To be productive, he continued, “your trust in
the Lord must be more powerful and enduring than your confidence in your own
personal feelings and experience.”
Notice
in Helaman’s comment quoted above that trust and faith in the Lord go hand in
hand. Speaking of this, Elder Scott stated: “To exercise faith is to
trust that the Lord knows what He is doing with you and that He can accomplish
it for your eternal good even though you cannot understand how He can possibly
do it.” Trust and faith are acquired incrementally. “We are like
infants,” Elder Scott taught, “in our understanding of eternal matters and
their impact on us here in mortality. Yet at times we act as if we knew it all.
When you pass through trials for His purposes, as you trust Him, exercise faith
in Him, He will help you. That support will generally come step by step, a
portion at a time. While you are passing through each phase, the pain and
difficulty that comes from being enlarged will continue. If all matters were
immediately resolved at your first petition, you could not grow. Your Father in
Heaven and His Beloved Son love you perfectly. They would not require you to
experience a moment more of difficulty than is absolutely needed for your
personal benefit or for that of those you love.”8
Faith
and Trust Instilled by their Mothers
Helaman
states very clearly that the faith and trust of the sons of Helaman were
instilled in them because of the teachings of their mothers. Note the
following statements from Helaman’s letter:
•
“Now they
never had fought, yet they did not fear death; and they did think more upon the
liberty of their fathers than they did upon their lives; yea, they had been
taught by their mothers, that if they did not doubt, God would deliver
them. And they rehearsed unto me the words of their mothers, saying: We
do not doubt our mothers knew it. (
•
Yea, and
they did obey and observe to perform every word of command with exactness; yea,
and even according to their faith it was done unto them; and I did remember the
words which they said unto me that their mothers had taught them. (
After
a particularly terrible battle, when Helaman discovered that none of his “sons”
were killed, he remarked: “And now, their preservation was astonishing to our
whole army, yea, that they should be spared while there was a thousand of our
brethren who were slain. And we do justly ascribe it to the miraculous power of
God, because of their exceeding faith in that which they had been taught to
believe–that there was a just God, and whosoever did not doubt, that they
should be preserved by his marvelous power” (Alma 57:26). Keeping in line
with the previous statements, it would be proper to assume that the teachings
referred to must have come from their mothers.
Through
these statements, Mormon is making both a powerful and important message Mormon
to his latter-day reader. The role of mothers in helping their children
withstand the evil which is in the world cannot be overstated. President
Gordon B. Hinckley spoke of this in these terms: “Now there is an added
challenge for you sisters of this day. Never before, at least not in our
generation, have the forces of evil been so blatant, so brazen, so aggressive
as they are today. Things we dared not speak about in earlier times are
now constantly projected into our living rooms. All sensitivity is cast
aside as reporters and pundits speak with a disgusting plainness of things that
can only stir curiosity and lead to evil.” He then stated in clear terms:
“The home is under siege. So many families are being destroyed.” He
urged the sisters to faithfully attend to their role as mothers.
“Sisters, guard your children. They live in a world of evil. The forces are all
about them. I am proud of so many of your sons and daughters who are living
good lives. But I am deeply concerned about many others who are gradually
taking on the ways of the world. Nothing is more precious to you as
mothers, absolutely nothing. Your children are the most valuable thing
you will have in time or all eternity. You will be fortunate indeed if,
as you grow old and look at those you brought into the world, you find in them
uprightness of life, virtue in living, and integrity in their behavior.”9
In
saying this, President Hinckley was simply restating what has been expressed so
very often. Perhaps the most important of these declarations was made in
the October 1942 General Conference where President J. Reuben Clark began conference
by reading a First Presidency statement regarding parenthood: “By
bringing these choice spirits to earth, each father and each mother assume
towards the tabernacled spirit and towards the Lord Himself by having taken
advantage of the opportunity He offered, an obligation of the most sacred kind,
because the fate of that spirit in the eternities to come, the blessings or
punishments which shall await it in the hereafter, depend, in great part, upon
the care, the teachings, the training which the parents shall give to that
spirit.” Continuing: “No parent can escape that obligation and that
responsibility, and for the proper meeting thereof, the Lord will hold us to a
strict accountability.” Then this significant statement was made: “No
loftier duty than this can be assumed by mortals.”
The
First Presidency then spoke specifically regarding the role of mothers:
“Motherhood thus becomes a holy calling, a sacred dedication for carrying out
the Lord's plans, a consecration of devotion to the uprearing and fostering,
the nurturing in body, mind, and spirit, of those who kept their first estate
and who come to this earth for their second estate ‘to see if they will do all
things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them.’ (Abraham 3:25 ) To
lead them to keep their second estate is the work of motherhood and ‘they who
keep their second estate shall have glory added upon their heads for ever and
ever.’ (op. cit.)”
They
concluded saying: “Motherhood is near to divinity. It is the highest,
holiest service to be assumed by mankind.”10
The story of the sons of Helaman testifies to the reality of this
statement. The work of a mother is the most important work in the
world. Yet, the role of motherhood is being greatly diminished in our
world today. Elder Robert D. Hales of the Quorum of the Twelve stated:
“Because of the importance of the family to the eternal plan of happiness,
Satan makes a major effort to destroy the sanctity of the family, demean the
importance of the role of men and women, encourage moral uncleanliness and
violations of the sacred law of chastity, and to discourage parents from
placing the bearing and rearing of children as one of their highest
priorities.”11
Speaking
specifically of the role of mothers, Elder Richard G. Scott stated: “Beware of
the subtle ways Satan employs to take you from the plan of God and true
happiness. One of Satan’s most effective approaches is to demean the role of
wife and mother in the home. This is an attack at the very heart of God’s plan
to foster love between husband and wife and to nurture children in an
atmosphere of understanding, peace, appreciation, and support. Much of the
violence that is rampant in the world today is the harvest of weakened homes.
Government and social plans will not effectively correct that, nor can the best
efforts of schools and churches fully compensate for the absence of the tender
care of a compassionate mother and wife in the home.” Speaking of the
essential role of a mother, he continued: “As a mother guided by the Lord, you
weave a fabric of character in your children from threads of truth through
careful instruction and worthy example. You imbue the traits of honesty, faith
in God, duty, respect for others, kindness, self-confidence, and the desire to
contribute, to learn, and to give in your trusting children’s minds and hearts.
No day-care center can do that. It is your sacred right and privilege.”
Women
are remarkable in many ways and well can compete in the job market with
men. However, Elder Scott pointed out, “as a woman you can do exceptionally
well in the workplace, but is that the best use of your divinely appointed
talents and feminine traits? As a husband, don’t encourage your wife to
go to work to help in your divinely appointed responsibility of providing
resources for the family, if you can possibly avoid it. As the prophets have
counseled, to the extent possible with the help of the Lord, as parents, work
together to keep Mother in the home. Your presence there will strengthen the
self-confidence of your children and decrease the chance of emotional
challenges. Moreover, as you teach truth by word and example, those children
will come to understand who they are and what they can obtain as divine
children of Father in Heaven.”12
Conclusion
Mormon
saw our day and the siege of wickedness that surrounds every family. He
also observed that the success of children will greatly depend upon the care
and teachings their mothers will give them.
President
Benson observed this important truth when he taught: “One of the most stirring
success stories in scripture is told in the Book of Mormon of Lamanite women
who taught their sons the gospel in the home. These two thousand young men were
taught faith in God at their mothers’ knees. Later, they exhibited great faith
and courage when they went to war. Their leader, Helaman, said of them,
‘Yea, they had been taught by their mothers, that if they did not doubt, God
would deliver them.’ (
John
Wesley, one of the great reformers, wrote a letter to his aged mother, Susannah
Wesley, asking what she had done to have successfully raised her nineteen
children. She wrote a letter in response and said: “The writing anything
about my way of education I am much adverse to. It cannot, I think, be of
service to anyone to know how I, who have lived such a retired life for so many
years, used to employ my time and care in bringing up my own children. No
one can, without renouncing the world, in the most literal sense, observe my
methods; and there are few, if any, that would entirely devote above twenty
years of the prime of life in hopes to save souls of their children, which
they think may be saved without so much ado; for that was my principal
intention, however unskillfully and unsuccessfully managed.”14
Those
women who devote themselves, either by desire and/or action, to the call of
motherhood, God will praise–for the care they give to their children is in
reality care being given to God’s own sons and daughters! To such women,
God will grant the blessing of becoming like Him, for they will have proven
themselves worthy of such an eternal reward and calling.
Notes
1. See Ezra Taft Benson, “The Book of
Mormon—Keystone of Our Religion,” Ensign, Nov. 1986, p. 6.
2. Henry B. Eyring, “The Power of
Teaching Doctrine,” Ensign, May 1999, p. 73.
3. M. Russell Ballard, “Filling the
World with Goodness and Truth,” Ensign, July 1996, p. 12.
4. Ezra Taft Benson, “The Power of the
Word,” Ensign, May 1986, p. 79.
5. Ezra Taft Benson, “To the ‘Youth of
the Noble Birthright,’ ” Ensign, May 1986, p. 43.
6. Thomas S. Monson, “Courage Counts,” Ensign, Nov. 1986, p. 41.
7. Henry B. Eyring, “Finding Safety in
Counsel,” Ensign, May 1997, pp. 24–25.
8. Richard G. Scott, “Trust in the
Lord,” Ensign, Nov. 1995, p. 17.
9. Gordon B.
10. Conference Report, October 1942,
p.13; emphasis added.
11. Robert D. Hales, “The Eternal
Family,” Ensign, Nov. 1996, p. 65.
12. Conference Report, Oct. 1996, p.
102, or “The Joy of Living the Great Plan of Happiness,” in Ensign (Nov. 1996),
p. 74.
13. Ezra Taft Benson, “The Honored
Place of Woman,” Ensign, Nov. 1981, p. 106; emphasis added.
14. Franklin Wilder, Immortal Mother,
Moroni
December 11, 2008
(Mormon 8:1-6.) – Moroni will write a few
things on the plates, there isn’t much room left to write however. He is alone; it’s been 15 years since the
last battle (vs. 6). He has the plates with
him.
1 Behold I, Moroni, do finish the record of my father, Mormon.
Behold, I have but few things to write, which things I have been commanded by
my father.
2 And now it came to pass that after the great and tremendous
battle at Cumorah, behold, the Nephites who had escaped into the country
southward were hunted by the Lamanites, until they were all destroyed.
3 And my father also was killed by them, and I even remain alone to
write the sad tale of the destruction of my people. But behold, they are gone,
and I fulfil the commandment of my father. And whether they will slay me, I
know not.
4 Therefore I will write and hide up the records in the earth; and
whither I go it mattereth not.
5 Behold, my father hath made this record, and he hath written the
intent thereof. And behold, I would write it also if I had room upon the
plates, but I have not; and ore I have none, for I am alone. My father hath
been slain in battle, and all my kinsfolk, and I have not friends nor whither
to go; and how long the Lord will suffer that I may live I know not.
6 Behold, four hundred years have passed away since the coming of
our Lord and Savior.
(Moroni 1:1-4.) – Moroni has more to write,
Ether and his own book. He is writing to
the Lamanites, things that will be of worth to them.
1 Now I, Moroni, after having made an end of abridging the account
of the people of Jared, I had supposed not to have written more, but I have not
as yet perished; and I make not myself known to the Lamanites lest they should
destroy me.
2 For behold, their wars are exceedingly fierce among themselves;
and because of their hatred they put to death every Nephite that will not deny
the Christ.
3 And I, Moroni, will not deny the Christ; wherefore, I wander
whithersoever I can for the safety of mine own life.
4 Wherefore, I write a few more things, contrary to that which I
had supposed; for I had supposed not to have written any more; but I write a
few more things, that perhaps they may be of worth unto my brethren, the
Lamanites, in some future day, according to the will of the Lord.
There
was a discussion of the relationship between water and light, so the class
reviewed the contents by chapter of the gospel of John.
2
– Water turned to wine, Christ brings the living water
3
– He ties the water and the Spirit together, spiritual rebirth
(John 3:3-5.) – You cannot see the kingdom of
God unless you are spiritually reborn; remember we are fallen, unclean to enter
God’s presence. There are 2 parts of the
rebirth process, water and spirit, justification (no longer guilty),
sanctification (clean by the Holy Ghost, the baptism of fire)
3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto
thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old?
can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?
5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be
born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of
God.
4
– Woman at the well
5
– Christ heals the man at the pool of Bethesda
6
– Christ walks on water; this shows his power to control the elements
7
– Feast of the Tabernacles – water
(John 7:37-39.) – The water drawing ceremony
at the Feast.
37 In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood
and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.
38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his
belly shall flow rivers of living water.
39 (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him
should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus
was not yet glorified.)
8
– Christ is the light of the world
9
– The Man who is born blind. Christ
makes clay out of dirt and his spit to anoint the man’s eyes, wash in the pool
of Siloam and you will see.
John 7-9 in Light
of the Feast of Tabernacles
Bruce
Satterfield
Department of Religious Education,
Brigham Young University - Idaho
[Publised
in The Testimony of John the Beloved: the 1998 Sperry Symposium on the New
Testament. Salt Lake City, UT: Deseret Book, 1998, pp. 249-265)
One
of several themes woven through the gospel of John is that Christ is the
fulfilment of ancient Israel's sacred times (e.g., the Sabbath, the feasts of
Passover and Tabernacles, etc). For John, these sacred times, which were an
important part of New Testament Judaism, were types and shadows of Christ and
his role as savior and redeemer of the world. This theme is a central aspect of
John 7-9. In these chapters, John apprizes his reader of the Savior's
activities during the Feast of Tabernacles, or Sukkoth, as it is known
in Hebrew.
The
Feast of Tabernacles was one of the three feasts commanded by the Lord that all
males should annually attend (Ex. 23:17; 34:23) and what Josephus calls the
"most holy and most eminent" of the three feasts of the Hebrews.(1)
Understanding how Christ was the fulfilment of this most important feast is
intimately connected with the feast itself. However, as is often the case in
scripture, John assumes the reader is already aware of the activities
associated with the Feast of Tabernacles and therefore no details of the feast
are given. John only tells of the movements and sayings of Christ in connection
with the feast. But as Raymond Brown has said, in order to understand what the
Savior said during John 7-9 "one must have an intimate knowledge of the
celebration of the Tabernacles."(2)
The
focus of the following pages will be to provide that "intimate
knowledge" of the Feast of Tabernacles that Brown spoke of in order to
reveal how that sacred time was meant to be a type and shadow of the Savior. To
arrive at this, the feast will be examined through both Biblical and Rabbinical
sources. It will then be possible to examine John 7-9 in light of the Feast of
Tabernacles background noting the impact of Jesus' sayings upon his listeners.
The
Feast of Tabernacles background has already been the subject of scholarly
discussion (mainly non-LDS). However, it is felt that many in the LDS community
are not familiar with or do not have access to this essential background.
Therefore, it seems appropriate that this information be made available to
them.
Sources
There
are two major sources available that aid our understanding of how the Feast of
Tabernacles was practiced during the second temple period: (1) Biblical, (2)
Rabbinical or Jewish writings. Biblical legislation regarding the feast are
found in the five books of Moses (Ex. 23:14-17; 34:22,23; Leviticus 23:33-44;
Numbers 29:12-40; Deuteronomy 16:13-17), and Nehemiah (8:13-18). Added to the
Biblical legislation are various descriptions of the Feast of Tabernacles found
in Rabbinical writings. These are important to consider because by the time of
Christ there were several additional developments that had become part of the
activities associated with the feast. Familiarity with these developments is
essential in understanding John 7-9. Our only source for these additional
activities are found in the Rabbinical writings. Chief among these writings is
the legislation found in the Mishnah and Talmud.(3)
Though these regulations were codified years after the destruction of the
second temple and present an idealized picture of the customs associated with
the Feast of Tabernacles, much of what the Rabbis have said still seems to be
applicable.
Feast
of Tabernacles, One of Three Temple Feasts
After
the children of Israel were freed from Egyptian bondage and led by Moses to Mt.
Sinai, the Lord had Moses prepare Israel to enter into a covenant with him in
order to make of them "a peculiar treasure unto [the Lord] above all
people" (see Exodus 19). The initial covenant Israel entered into included
this command: "Three times thou shalt keep a feast unto me in the year . .
. Three times in the year all thy males shall appear before the Lord GOD"
(Exodus 23:14,17). The three feasts became known as the Feast of Passover, the
Feast of Weeks (often called the feast of Pentecost), and the Feast of
Tabernacles.
The
central activities of the feasts were located in the Temple with priests in
charge. This is apparent from the injunction that all "males shall appear
before the Lord GOD." Though no word for temple or sanctuary is used in
this command, the phrase "before the Lord" has reference to a temple
or sanctuary. Regarding this, Menahem Haran states: "In general, any
cultic activity to which the biblical text applies the formula 'before the
Lord' can be considered an indication of the existence of a temple at the site,
since this expression stems from the basic conception of the temple as a divine
dwelling place and actually belongs to the temple's technical
terminology."(4)
That these feasts were to be held at a temple can be seen in the name given to
the first sanctuary of the Israelites. What is called in the King James
Version, "the Tabernacle," is in Hebrew named ohel mo'ed,
meaning "tent of meeting" or "tent of feasts." Of this,
Roland de Vaux wrote:
Against
[the] background of daily, weekly and monthly worship, the great annual feasts
stood out in relief. The general word for a 'feast' is mo'ed: the term
means a fixed place or a fixed time--a rendezvous--and the desert Tent was
called 'ohel mo'ed or 'The Tent of Meeting'. Thus the word came
to mean a meeting or an assembly, and finally an assembly or meeting to
celebrate a feast.(5)
Though
the Lord commanded that all males should come to the temple during these three
feasts, it appears that at least during the second temple period, often the
whole family participated in the worship associated with the feasts (see Luke
2:41-50).
In
light of how modern temples are used, it seems clear that these feasts were
intended to be teaching experiences in which Israel would be reminded of past
events and taught of future events. Further, this would be a time to renew
covenants made with God. The Feast of Passover reminded Israel of their exodus
from Egyptian bondage and the triumph of God over idolatry (see Exodus 12:12).
It also was to remind them of the future coming of the Messiah who would free
them from spiritual bondage. The Feast of Weeks or Pentecost reminded Israel of
the law God gave to Israel at Mt. Sinai in the third month following their
exodus from Egypt.(6)
It also foreshadowed the giving of the higher law at a future time.(7)
The Feast of Tabernacles recalled Israel's wandering in the wilderness for
forty years and their eventual arrival into the promised land, Israel's
permanent home. It also anticipated the future coming of the Messiah.
Feast of Tabernacle
Customs
Length
of the Feast
From
Leviticus (23:33-44), we learn that the feast was to be held for seven days.
The first day was to be a "holy convocation"; the Hebrew is mikra
kodesh which means a holy summons. "It stresses the summons to an
assembly where Israel, in a state of special holiness, is called to fulfil its
sacred functions. Holy convocations were central aspects of each of the three
great Feasts and the Day of Atonement. They were days of rest, like the
sabbath, and in later times were known as sabbaths."(8)
An additional "holy convocation" was to be called after the seven
days were complete making the feast a total of eight days.(9)
The eighth day was referred to as the "great day of the feast" (John
7:37).
Dwelling
in Booths
We
are also told in Leviticus that the Israelites were to build booths or small
huts outside of their houses. During the seven days of the feast they were to
live in the booths so that their "generations may know that I made the
children of Israel to dwell in booths, when I brought them out of the land of
Egypt" (Lev. 23:43). It is from these booths (the Hebrew is Sukkoth)
that the Feast of Tabernacles receives its name. These booths were to remind
Israel that their forefathers lived in tents during the wilderness journey and
did so until they came into the promised land where they dwelt in permanent
houses. Living in booths may have also reminded Israel that mortality is not
the final and permanent resting place for mankind. Just as Israel was brought
to a promised land for a permanent home, God's children will be brought into
their final resting place only during the millennial reign of the Messiah.
The
booths were generally of modest size, at least three walls and roof, and had to
be outside. They could be placed in a courtyard or on the roof of a house.(10)
In Nehemiah 8:16, we are told that when the Feast of Tabernacles was
reinstituted after the return of the Jews from Babylonian exile, the Jews set
up their booths in a number of different places: "every one upon the roof
of his house, and in their courts, and in the courts of the house of God, and
in the street of the water gate, and in the street of the gate of
Ephraim." Rabbinical writings tell us that those traveling some distances
were exempt from living in booths if they so desired (see Talmud Sukkah 26a).
Water
Drawing Ceremony
A
statement made by Rabbi Joshua ben Hanania in the Talmud regarding the Feast of
Tabernacles states:
"The
first hour was occupied with the daily morning sacrifice; from there we
proceeded to prayers; from there we proceeded to the additional sacrifice, then
the prayers to the additional sacrifice, then to the House of Study, then the
eating and drinking, then the afternoon prayer, then the daily evening
sacrifice, and after that the Rejoicing at the place of the Water-Drawing all
night." (Talmud Sukkah 53a.)
In
this description, the order of events of an average day during the Feast of
Tabernacles is revealed, albeit incomplete, as will now be shown.
The
day began with the normal daily morning burnt offering. However, during the
Feast of Tabernacles a rite was added to the daily burnt offering called the
water-drawing ceremony. During the preparation of the burnt offering,(11)
a procession of priests with the accompaniment of flute playing and singing
wended their way from the temple down to the Pool of Siloam where a priest
filled a golden flask with water while a choir repeated Isa. 12:3: "with
joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation" (see Mishnah Sukkah
4:9; 5:1; Talmud Sukkah 48b). The Pool of Siloam was a collecting pool for the
spring Gihon, the major water supply for Jerusalem. The Jews referred to water
from springs or streams fit for drinking as "living water." Living
water was considered the most superior form of water for ritual purification.(12)
The
priests returned to the temple via the Water Gate, a gate on the south side of
the wall immediately surrounding the temple within the court of Gentiles.(13)
Arriving at the Water Gate a blast was made on a shofar, the Hebrew word
for ram's horn. The shofar was a signaling instrument used to announce
major events such as the beginning of the Sabbath, new moons, the death of a
notable, or warned of approaching danger. In this case, the shofar
announced the beginning of the Feast of Tabernacles which began with the
water-drawing ceremony.
When
the procession of priests and Levites returned from the pool of Siloam, they
were met by pilgrims who had come to the Temple Mount. Each pilgrim brought
with them a lulab, which consisted of a tree branch in one hand and a
citron in the other (Mishnah 3:1-7). The lulab was to be waved while the
morning sacrifice was being offered with the special water libation. The waving
of the lulab was a Biblical injunction: "And ye shall take you on
the first day the boughs of goodly trees, branches of palm trees, and the
boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook; and ye shall rejoice before
the LORD your God seven days" (Leviticus 23:40).
Upon
the blasting of the shofar, the group moved towards the altar of
sacrifice located in the Court of the Priests which surrounded the temple. The
priest with the golden flask filled with water ascended the altar and prepared
to pour the libation on the morning burnt offering. While doing this, the
procession that had followed the priest would circle the altar.
It
appears that pilgrims joined in with the priests who were circling the altar.(14)
However, this is a matter of debate. George MacRae seems to suggest that this
procession was of priests alone.(16)
But an incident mentioned in the Mishnah may suggest otherwise. Mishnah Sukkah
4:9 tells us that after the water was poured into the Silver Bowl, it was said
to the officiating priest: "Raise thy hand!" The reason for saying
this was that "on one occasion [a Sadducean priest] poured over his
feet" the water (for the Sadducees did not hold to this tradition). This
so outraged the pilgrims that "all the people pelted him with their
citrons." This suggests that if the pilgrims were not in the procession
itself they were at least close enough for them to be able to pelt the priest.
The only logical places would be the court of the priests itself or perhaps in
the court of the Israelites though the latter seems less likely due to its
size.(17)
Whether
walking around the altar or observing the procession, the following was said by
the pilgrims while waving(18)
their lulabs: "We beseech Thee, O Eternal, save us, we pray"
(Mishnah Sukkah 3:9; see also 4:5). The priest who had charge of pouring the
water then offered the water libation with a wine libation into two silver
bowls on the south-west corner of the altar.
The
water-drawing ceremony proceeded in this manner every day of the feast except
on the seventh day when the priests (and pilgrims?) circled the altar seven
times instead of just once (Mishnah Sukkah 4:5). The circumambulation of the
altar seven times ended the water-drawing ritual. It was not performed on the
eighth day (Mishnah Sukkah 4:1, 5),(19)
though it appears that a prayer for rain was given on the eighth day (Talmud
Taanith 2a-3a).
The
Lighting Ceremony
According
to the chronicle outlined by Rabbi Joshua ben Hanania quoted earlier, following
the water-drawing ceremony there was an "additional sacrifice."
According to Numbers 29:12-40, in addition to the daily morning and evening
burnt offering required by the law of Moses,(20)
there were additional sacrifices to be made during the Feast of Tabernacles. On
the first day of the feast there was to be offered 13 young bullocks, 2 rams,
14 lambs of the first year, and one kid for a sin offering. On the second day
of the feast, there was to be offered the same offerings except instead of 13
young bullocks there was only to be offered 12. On the third day the offerings
were again the same with the exception of the bullocks. Only 11 were offered.
This declination of bullocks continued until the seventh day when 7 bullocks
were offered (the other sacrifices remaining the same). Then a change occurred
on the eighth day. One bullock was offered with one ram, seven lambs and one
kid for a sin offering. The account concludes with this injunction: "These
things ye shall do unto the Lord in your set feast, beside your vows, and your
freewill offerings, for your burnt offerings, and for your meat offerings, and
for your drink offerings and for your peace offerings."
Upon
the conclusion of the "additional sacrifice," the pilgrims would have
opportunity to present their individual offerings, such as expressing personal
devotion to God (through the burnt offering) or those associated with the
cleansing of severe impurities (through the sin offering). This was a time of
great rejoicing and singing including the singing of the complete Hallel or
Psalms 113-118 (Mishnah Sukkah 4:8).(21)
When the personal offerings were completed, the afternoon burnt offering was
performed.(22)
Normally,
upon the conclusion of the afternoon burnt offering, probably around sunset,
the gates of the temple would be closed.(23)
However on the first day of the Feast of Tabernacles the gates were left opened
so that all might participate in the final rite of the day, the lighting
ceremony. This occasion proved to be a most joyous and festive observance. From
the Mishnah (Sukkah 5:2-3) we are told that "At the close of the first
Holyday" the priests would descend from the Court of the Israelites to the
Court of Women.(24)
In the court four huge candelabra were placed, each "with four golden
bowls at their tops and four ladders to each one." Each candelabra were
fifty cubits in height. Wicks made "from the worn-out drawers and girdles
of the priests" were placed in each bowl and lit. It is said that
"there was no courtyard in Jerusalem that was not lit up with the
light" which came from these candelabras.
The
rest of the night was spent in joyous activities in the Court of Women. Mishnah
Sukkah 5:4 says:
Pious
men and men of good deeds used to dance before them (the candelabra) with
burning torches in their hands and sang before them songs and praises. And the
Levites on harps, and on lyres, and with cymbals, and with trumpets and with
other instruments of music without number upon the fifteen steps leading down
from the court of the Israelites to the Women's Court, corresponding to the
Fifteen Songs of Ascent in the Psalms [Psalms 120-134]; upon them the Levites
used to stand with musical instruments and sing hymns.
The
festivities surrounding the illumination rite concluded the festival day.
However, it is not clear whether or not the illumination rite was done every
night, or whether the lights simply remained lit during the whole feast.
The
Messianic Nature of the Feast
Both
the water drawing ceremony and the lighting of the candelabra were additional
aspects of the feast not found in Biblical legislation.(25)
Nevertheless, they had apparently become part of the ceremonies of the feast to
portray the future messianic age. We learn this from the fact that as part of
the ceremonies associated with the Feast of Tabernacles, Zechariah 14, a
messianic chapter, was read to all the people. Talmud Megillah 31a says:
"On the first day of Tabernacles we read the section of the festivals in
Leviticus, and for haftarah [a section from the prophetic books recited
after the reading from the Pentateuch on Sabbaths and Holy-days], Behold a
day cometh for the Lord (Zech.14)."
What
is the connection between Zechariah 14 and the Feast of Tabernacles? Chapter
fourteen describes the time when "the day of the Lord cometh." At a
time when "all nations" have gathered against Jerusalem, the Lord
will return and save his people by standing upon the Mount of Olives which
shall "cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and the toward the
west" providing a way to escape through the valley created. Having saved
his people, the Lord insists that "every one that is left of all the
nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to
worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles"
(vs. 16). Failure to keep this command would result in the rains failing (see
vs.s 17-19). This is the first Biblical association of rain with the festival.
But as George MacRae has said, "the fact that it was celebrated at the end
of the harvest and immediately before the autumnal rainy season, we can well
imagine that the petition for rain is as old as the feast itself."(26)
With
the coming of the Lord, the messianic age is inaugurated. Zechariah points out
two important aspects associated with the messianic age. The first is perpetual
light. In Zechariah 14:6-7, describing the day when the Lord comes, it says:
"And it shall come to pass in that day, that the light shall not be clear,
nor dark: but it shall be one day which shall be known to the LORD, not day,
nor night: but it shall come to pass, that at evening time it shall be
light." The second characteristic of the messianic age is akin to rain,
that of water. Zechariah says: "And it shall be in that day, that living
waters shall go out from Jerusalem" (Zech. 14:8).(27)
It seems safe to assume that by the reading of Zechariah 14 during the feast
the application of these messianic features to the Feast of Tabernacles was
commonplace among the people.
From
the foregoing, it is possible to see that the two features of the messianic age
described by Zechariah in chapter 14 were made an important part of the Feast
of Tabernacles ceremonies. The water-drawing ceremony is the compliment of the
living water flowing from Jerusalem in 14:8. The lighting of the huge
candelabra is the symbolic counterpart of the continuous day found in 14:6-7.
Zechariah
14 gives us further insight into the meaning of the lighting ceremony. When the
Messiah comes, inaugurating the messianic age, he will be the light of all the
world, not just the Jews. This is perhaps why four candelabra were used in the
lighting ceremony. Four is often a symbolic number representing geographical
completeness. This is because their are four corners of the world. Thus, the
lighting of the four candelabra would have symbolized that light would be given
to all the world through the coming Messiah. This would have been emphasized
further by the fact that each candelabra had four bowls.(28)
JESUS AND THE FEAST OF
TABERNACLES
Jesus
and the Living Waters
It
is in this setting that we find Jesus in John 7-9. We are told in John 7:14
that Jesus arrived midway through the feast.(29)
His first few days at the temple were filled with confrontations concerning the
authority of his teachings (John 7: 15-36). Then on "the last day, that
great day of the feast," Jesus "stood" and issued this
challenge: "If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that
believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers
of living water" (John 7:37-38). Then John added, "But this spake he
of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive" (John 7:39).
That is, the Holy Ghost which is given to those who come unto Christ brings
life to their souls.
The
impact of this challenge is lost unless one understands the water-drawing
ceremony of the Feast of Tabernacles as described in these pages. Having daily
drawn water from the Pool of Siloam, then pouring it on the morning offering
while shouting, "Save us Lord," the absence of the water-drawing
ceremony on the eighth day would have been profound. Hence, on the day when
living water was not drawn from the spring, and only a prayer for rain was
offered--a day that perhaps symbolized Israel's dependence upon God for water
that sustains life--the Savior declared that if any thirst, they should come to
him for living waters. However, the water he offered was not for
physical but spiritual survival. His water was the cleansing and sustaining
influence of the Holy Ghost necessary for the salvation of the souls of
mankind. Interestingly enough, the Jerusalem Talmud(30)
states that the Jews understood the water drawing ceremony to be symbolic of
the Holy Ghost: "Why is the name of it called, The drawing out of water?
Because of the pouring out of the Holy Spirit, according to what is said: 'With
joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.'"(31)
Thus the prayers of the priests and pilgrims attending the Feast of Tabernacles
had been answered . . .but not in the way they had expected!(32)
Jesus
is the Light of the World
On
the day following the Savior's challenge to come to him for living water, the
Savior was once again at the temple teaching. While in the Court of Women,(33)
the Savior declared to the multitude, "I am the light of the world: he
that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of
life" (John 8:12). Could there be any doubt in the minds of his listeners
as to what he was claiming? In the very place where the huge candelabras were
lit giving light to "every courtyard in Jerusalem," symbolizing the
continuous light given to all the world during the messianic age, Jesus
proclaimed that he was that light.(34)
Not only the light of Jerusalem, but of all the world. Even Jewish tradition
held that God gives man light.(35)
It is obvious that he was claiming to be the Messiah in their own hearing.
To give credence to
His claim, the Savior demonstrated his power to give light to the world through
a miracle that is recorded only by John. In John 9:1-7, the story of a man born
blind follows on the heels of the Feast of the Tabernacles. The story begins
when Jesus "saw a man which was blind from his birth." When asked
why, the Savior responded "that the works of God should be made manifest
in him." Then he said, "I must work the works of him that sent me,
while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work. As long as I am in the
world, I am the light of the world." Upon that "he spat on the
ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man
with the clay, and said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam." The man
did exactly what he was told. After he had washed his eyes in the same pool
that the priest had drawn water as part of the water drawing ceremony of the Feast
of Tabernacles, he came out seeing.
Two major symbols of
the Feast of Tabernacles, water and light, were present in the miracle. By
spiting onto the ground, Jesus demonstrated that indeed the living waters or
the Spirit of the Holy Ghost which can give man light does indeed come from
Him, for "out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water" (John
7:38). This is further emphasized by the washing of the waters in the pool of
Siloam which symbolized the Holy Ghost.
Conclusion
It
is undeniable that Jesus' statements during the Feast of Tabernacles are
highlighted by the feast itself. The Savior chose a sacred time of the year
when the Jews looked forward with great rejoicing through ritual action to the
coming of the Messiah. Through the instrumentality of the feast, Jesus declared
that he was the promised Messiah; that he was the literal fulfillment of
everything promised in the Feast of Tabernacles. It is clear from the hostile
reactions of the Jews that they saw it this way, supposing that by so doing he
was speaking blasphemy (John 7:30,32,44-53; 8:59).
References
1. The Antiquities of the Jews, 8.4.1.
See also George W. MacRae, "The Meaning and Evolution of the Feast of
Tabernacles," The Catholic Biblical Quarterly 22, no.3 (1960): 251.
2. Raymond E. Brown, The Gospel According
to John. Anchor Bible Series Vol. 29 (Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1983),
326.
3. During the second temple period, many Jews
(including the Pharisees) followed an oral interpretation of the written law of
Moses found in Exodus through Deuteronomy. This is often referred to as the
"oral law." In the New Testament, the oral law is called the
tradition of the elders" (Matthew 15:2; Mark 7:3,5). In the second century
A. D., the oral tradition was reduced to writing and systematically organized
by Rabbi Judah the Prince. It is called the Mishnah. The Mishnah is grouped
into six orders, which in turn are divided into sixty-three treatises called
tractates.
Over
time, the Rabbis held many debates concerning the Mishnah. The records and
minutes of these debates were added to the Mishnah. This compilation has become
known as the Talmud. There were two different groups of Rabbis that produced a
Talmud: a group in Babylon and a group in Jerusalem. The Babylonian Talmud is
the most commonly used of the two Talmuds. It has been translated in several
languages. The Jerusalem Talmud is not often used and is only found in Hebrew.
(For a complete discussion of the history of the Mishnah and Talmud, see Isaac
Unterman, The Talmud: An Analytical Guide to its History and Teachings,
[New York: Bloch, 1952].)
In
this paper, all references to the Talmud refer to the Babylonian Talmud unless
otherwise stated. Further, in this paper, I will follow MacRae's thinking who
states: "We shall not be concerned with the dating of the Mishnah; there
is no doubt that at least some of the precepts in it go back long before the
final crystallization of the written form. It would be idle also to be deterred
by the fact that many of the legal prescriptions are meaningless in view of the
destruction of the Temple. As far as the feast is concerned, the Mishnah
presents an idealized picture of the Temple ritual but also the necessary
information for the proper observance of them elsewhere" ("The Meaning
and Evolution of the Feast of Tabernacles," 270-271).
4. Menahem Haran, Temples and Temple
Service in Ancient Israel (Winona Lake, Indiana: Eisenbrauns. 1985;
Originally published: Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1978), 26.
5. Roland de Vaux, Ancient Israel: Vol. 2
Religious Institutions (New York: McGraw-Hill,1965), 470.
6. Talmud Pesahim 68b states that the Feast
of Weeks commemorated "the day on which the Torah was given." See
also Talmud Meglillah 31a and The Book of Jubilees 1:1; 6:17-19. This is not
only the view of ancient Judaism, but modern Jewry as well. Writing of this
feast, Rabbi Hayim Halevy Donin states: "Shavuot [Heb. for feast of Weeks]
commemorates the awesome event experienced by the children of Israel seven
weeks after their exodus from Egypt when they camped at the foot of Mt. Sinai
somewhere in the Sinai Peninsula. This event was the Revelation, when God's
will was revealed to Israel. It marked the declaration of the Ten
Commandments" (Hayim Halvey Donin, To be a Jew [New York: Basic
Books, 1972], 239).
7. It should be remembered that as a result
of rebellion, the law Israel ultimately received at Mt. Sinai was the law of
Moses, which was only preparatory for the higher law that would be given later.
The law of Moses functioned through the authority of the lesser or Aaronic
Priesthood. The higher law promised would function under the authority of the
higher or Melchizedek Priesthood. It would include the ordinances associated
with that priesthood, the first of which is the laying on of hands for the gift
of the Holy Ghost. The reception of the gift of the Holy Ghost was given on the
Day of Pentecost (Acts 1-2), an appropriate time to demonstrate that the higher
law had been given by God to Israel.
8. J. C. Rylaarsdam, "Convocation,
Holy," in Interpreter's Dictionary of the Bible, 4 Vols.
(Nashville, Tenn.: Abingdon, 1962), 1:678-679.
9. In the Talmud the eighth day is actually
considered a separate festival (see Sukkah 48a).
10. See Talmud Shabbath 154b and Louis
Ginzberg, The Legends of the Jews 7 Vols. (Philadephia: The Jewish
Publication Society of America, 1913), 4:405. Roofs were generally flat with a
staircase ascending from the outside and were used for a variety of reasons.
11. The Mishnah describes the rite of the
burnt offering as being performed in four parts with each part being determined
by lot. The first lot was the clearing of the ashes from the Altar (Yoma 2:2;
Tamid 1:4). The ashes were cleared from the Altar "at cockcrow or close to
it, either before or after it" but during "the Festivals at the first
watch" for "before cockcrow time drew near the Forecourt was already
filled with Israelites" (Yoma 1:8). Josephus tells us that the temple
gates which were normally kept closed until morning were opened at midnight
during festivals (The Antiquities of the Jews, 18.2.2). The second lot
determined "who should slaughter, who should toss blood, (and) who should
remove the ashes from the Inner Altar, (and) who should clear away the ashes
from the Candlestick, (and) who should take up the limbs [of the burnt
offering] to the Altar-slope" (Yoma 2:3; see also Tamid 3:1). The animal
could not be slaughtered before dawn, therefore, the Captain of the Temple (sagan
ha kohanim) said to one, "Go forth and see if the time has arrived for
slaughtering." The priest went to a high point of the temple to see if the
light of morning lit up the east "as far as Hebron." If so the animal
could be slaughtered (Yoma 3:1; see also Tamid 3:2-7). The third lot determined
who would offer the incense upon the Inner-Altar (Yoma 2:4; Tamid 5:2-6:3). The
fourth lot determined which priests would offer the burnt offering on the Altar
(Yoma 2:5; Tamid 4:3). For detailed descriptions concerning the offering of the
morning and evening burnt offering (the Tamid) see Shmuel Safrai, Ritual in
"Temple," Encyclopedia Judaica (Jerusalem: Keter, 1971): Vol
15:974-977; Shmuel Safrai, Daily whole-offerings in "The Temple," in The
Jewish People in the First Century, 2 Vols. (Philadelphia: Fortress, 1987),
2:887-890; Aaron Rothkoff, Second Temple Period in "Sacrifice," Encyclopedia
Judaica (Jerusalem: Keter, 1971): Vol 14: 607-609; and Emil Schurer, A
History of the Jewish People in the Age of Jesus Christ. A new version,
revised and edited by Geza Vermes, Ferges Millar, and Matthew Black. 2 Vols.
(Edinburg: T&T Clark, 1973), 2: 299-308.
12. According to Mishnah Mikvaoth 1:1:
"There are six grades among ritual baths, in ascending order of
superiority." These are (1) water in cisterns, (2) water of rain
drippings, (3) mikvehs, (4) wells, (5) salty water or hot water from a spring,
and (6) living water (Mikvaoth 1:1-8). Only "living water" could be
used in the purification of lepers (Lev. 14:5) and the defilement caused by
dead corpses (Num. 19:17).
13. The main sources for a description of the
temple come from the Mishnah and Josephus. But there is discrepancy in the
different accounts. According to Middoth 1:4-5 and Josephus Antiquities of
the Jews 15.11.5, there are seven gates into the Court of the Priests
including the Nicanor gate (which does not actually open into the Court of
Priests but into the Court of the Israelites). In Middoth 2:6, Shekalim 6:3 and
Josephus' The Wars of the Jews 5.5.2, eight gates are mentioned not
including the Nicanor gate. Most scholars accept the smaller number placing the
Water Gate as the third gate from the west on the southern side of the Court of
the Priests. This would place it close to the laver (see Shmuel Safrai and
Michael Avi-Yona, "Temple," Encyclopedia Judaica, 15:962-967).
14. It is Safrai's belief that the people
were involved in the procession itself. Says he:
"The
people participated in all the rites of the Feast of Tabernacles and, with the
exception of the water-libation which was performed by a priest or the high
priest, their role in Temple rites and customs was equal to that of the
priests. They surrounded the altar with palm-branches and with willow, which
is, of course, the essence of the water-libation ceremonies . . . All the
people participated in the procession around the altar, (from which they were
barred during the rest of the year) with the palm-branch.(15)
15. Safrai, "Temple," in The
Jewish People of the First Century, 2:894-895." "" -
16. George W. McCrae, "The Meaning and
Evolution of the Feast of Tabernacles," 272.
17. This is the view of J. C. Rylaarsdam who
describes this scene in this manner: "The water was brought up in solemn
fashion with the blowing of the shofar at the city gate. The pilgrims, singing
the Hallel and carrying their lulabs, witnessed the circumambulation of the
altar by the priestly procession and waving their lulabs, joined in the great
cry: 'Save us, we beseech thee, O LORD'" ("Booths, Feast of," in
Interpreter's Dictionary of the Bible, 4 Vols. [Nashville, Tenn.:
Abingdon, 1962], 1:456).
18. Mishnah Sukkah 3:9 says: "And where
do they wave?--At the beginning and end of Give thanks unto the Eternal
and at We beseech Thee, O Eternal, save us, we pray; this is the view of
the School of Hillel. The School of Shammai says, Also at We beseech Thee, O
Eternal, send us prosperity, we pray."
19. In the Talmud, there is a debate about
how often the water-drawing rite was done as well as when it was performed last
in the feast (see Taanith 2a-3a). However, the Mishnah, which consists of
earlier Rabbinical writings, suggests that the last day the water-drawing
ritual was performed was the seventh day (Sukkah 4:1; but see Rabbi Judah's
comments in Sukkah 4:9). This agrees with Biblical legislation that requires
the waving of the lulab, a ritual performed during the pouring of the
water on the altar, for seven days (see Leviticus 23:40).
20. See Exodus 29:38-42 and Numbers 28:2-4.
21. See Safrai, Ritual in "Temple,"
Encylopedia Judaica, 982.
22. Mishnah Pesachim 5:1 says: "The
daily burnt-offering was slaughtered at the eighth hour and a half and offered
up at the ninth hour and a half." However, it is not clear whether the
time on this was strictly held during the Feast of Tabernacles.
23. See Safrai, Ritual in "Temple,"
in Encylopedia Judaica, 15:976.
24. From Talmudic sources it appears that
"the place of the Water-Drawing" is in the Court of the Women. Talmud
Sukkah 53a tells of the rejoicing that took place after the lighting of the
huge candelabra's which Mishnah Sukkah 5:2 says took place in the Court of
Women. Yet Talmud Sukkah 53a speaks of this place as "the place of
Water-Drawing." In a note on Mishnah Sukkah 5:1, Philip Backman suggests
the reason for this name was because there was a "well, in the Women's
Forecourt, from which the water was drawn for libation on Sukkoth"
(Backman, Mishnayoth, 2:341). However, Raymond Brown says of this place:
"In connection with the water ceremonies at the feast of Tabernacles, the
Jerusalem Talmud (Sukkah 55a) says that the part of the temple precincts
traversed during the procession with the water was called the 'Place of
Drawing,' because from there 'they drew the holy spirit' (also Midrash Rabbah
lxx 8 on Gen xxix 1)" (Brown, The Gospel According to John. The
Anchor Bible, v. 29, 329).
25. The Rabbi's believed that these
traditions were given at Mt. Sinai but only passed down orally. See Lightfoot, A
Commentary on the New Testament from the Talmud and Hebraica, 3:322.
26. MacRae, "The Meaning and Evolution
of the Feast of Tabernacles," 269. The association of the Feast of
Tabernacles with rain is well known from Mishnaic times. The tractate Ta'anith,
which deals with special fasts that are called for due to continued drought, begins
with the statement: "From what time should they begin to mention the Power
of Rain? R. Eliezer says, From the first Holyday day of the Festival of
Tabernacles; R. Joshua says, From the last Holyday day of the Festival of
Tabernacles" (1:1).
27. cf. Ps. 46:4; 65:9; Isa. 8:6; Jer. 2:13;
Ezek. 47:1-12; Joel 3:18; Rev. 22:1-2. On this, Brown comments thus: "The
fountain of waters that overflows from Jerusalem . . . can be interpreted
against the background of abundant rain sent by God during Tabernacles"
(Brown, The Gospel According to John. The Anchor Bible, v. 29, 327).
Joyce Baldwin interprets this verse in this way: "The dream of an abundant
water supply in Jerusalem will become fact. Instead of the spring Gihon, which
supplied water that 'flowed gently' to become the Siloam brook (Isa. 8:6), and
was never really adequate for the city's needs, rivers independent of seasonal
rainfall would rise in Jerusalem, to flow constantly to east and west until
they reached the Dead Sea and the Mediterranean" (Joyce Baldwin,
Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi. Vol. 24, Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries
[London: Tyndale, 1972], 203).
28. Numerology is an important aspect of
Jewish thought. Numbers like 3, 4, and 7 represented wholeness or completeness.
Three because the number three has a beginning, a middle, and an end. Four
because there are four corners of the world. Seven because the world was
created in seven days. To emphasize the completeness of something, often the
number was multiplied by itself: 3 x 3, 4 x 4, or 7 x 7.
29. The reason for his late arrival seems to
be due to the pressure of his non-believing brothers who wished him to go to
the feast simply to perform miracles. Brown sees this as a temptation faced by
the Savior similar to the account in Matthew (4:1-11) and Luke (4:1-13) where
the Savior is tempted to display his power by jumping from the pinnacle of the
temple (see Brown, The Gospel According to John. The Anchor Bible, v.
29, 308 for complete discussion). Therefore, the Savior delays his departure to
the feast so that it is clear that his reasons for being there are not to
display his power.
31. Jerusalem Talmud Sukkah 55a, quoted from
Morris, The Gospel According to John, 421; see also F.F. Bruce, The
Gospel of John (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Eerdmans, 1983), 182, 187 n.13; John
Lightfoot, A Commentary on the New Testament from the Talmud and Hebraica
4 Vols. (Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson, 1979), 3:322-323.
32. The theme of Christ as the living waters
permeates the gospel of John wherein is recorded several incidences that
occurred during the ministry of Christ that revolve around water. For example,
John records the story of the Savior offering living water to the woman of
Samaria who was drawing water from a well. To her, he said: "Whosoever
drinketh of this water shall thirst again: But whosoever drinketh of the water
that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him
shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life" (John
4:13-14). That Christ has the power to give this living water is demonstrated
through two stories that evidence Christ's power over water: the marriage at
Cana where Christ turned water turn to wine (John 2:1-11) and the Savior's
walking on water (John 615-21). To dramatize the point further, John, alone,
records the piercing of the Savior's side while upon the cross. In that account
it is said the when the soldiers were breaking the legs of the three who were
crucified, they saw that the Savior was already dead "and they brake not
his legs: but one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith
came there out blood and water" (John 19:33-34; emphasis added).
John's point is clear. The living waters do come from the Savior.
In
view of this, the reader of John's gospel is stunned to discover that while on
the cross the Savior cried out, "I thirst" (John 19:28), a statement
only recorded by John. He to whom all must go to receive "living
waters" so they may "never thirst" again (John 4:14), now
thirsted! This pathetic statement reveals that while on the cross, the Savior,
in bearing our sins, infirmities, fears, guilt, and remorse, had
"descended below all things" that he might comprehend "all
things" (D&C 88:6). Thus, he became like "the poor and
needy" who "seek water, and there is none" (Isaiah 41:17). He
had become like us, lost, alone, and thirsty. In this condition, the Savior
gained the compassion and mercy needed to bring the living waters to those who
seek it.
33. John 8:20 tells us that he was in the
treasury, which is the Court of the Women.
34. J. H. Bernard sees the lighting of the
candelabras as a possible background behind Jesus' saying, but offers another
possible reason: "But Philo's account of the Feast of Tabernacles would
furnish an equally plausible explanation. He says that this feast is held at
the autumnal equinox, in order that the world (kosmos) may be full, not
only by day but also by night, of the all-beautiful light (tou pagkalou
photos), as at this season there is no twilight (de septen. 24) . .
. The passage of Philo shows, however, that the Feast of Tabernacles suggested
the idea of light to some minds" (J. H. Bernard, A Critical and
Exegetical Commentary on the Gospel According to St. John, 2 Vols. The New
International Critical Commentary [Edinburgh: T&T Clark,1985], 2:291).
35. See for example, Psalms 27:1, Isa. 60:19.
"The later Rabbis applied the thought to the Messiah: 'Light is the Name
of Messiah,' they said" (Bernard, A Critical and Exegetical Commentary
on the Gospel According to St. John, 2:292).
12
– Mary anoints Jesus feet, there is much more going on here than meets the eye,
deep significance
13
– Jesus washes the feet of the 12.
Symbolizes of His Atonement which will cleanse them of their sins,
Access to the Atonement comes from the Holy Ghost who carries out the plans and
actions of the Father and the Son. The
Holy Ghost cleanses like Jesus cleansed the apostles feet.
(John 13:8-10.) – The duty of the 12 is to
help the church become clean via the Holy Ghost. If we are not clean we cannot be where God
is.
8 Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus
answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.
9 Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my
hands and my head.
10 Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his
feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all.
Washing of
Feet
Posted
By Bryce Haymond On May 6, 2008 @ 6:29 am In Church History, General
Authorities, Scholarship, Temples Today | 13
Comments
A reader has asked, “Do you have
any insight into what happened to the washing of feet? Could the washing of
feet have been preparatory to the full ordinance of washing as we now have it
in the initiatories?”
The ordinance of washing of feet
is still performed in the temple, for it is a restored ordinance, but it is
part of the culminating sealing ordinances which are reserved for
those who make their calling and election sure through faith. Temple scholar
Matthew Brown has offered this:
The Lord mentioned in a
revelation on 1 November 1831 that he had granted unto his disciples the
authority to “seal both on earth and in heaven” (D&C 1:8). During
the same month he indicated that God the Father would reveal to his servants
who should be sealed up “unto eternal life” by this power (D&C 68:12). The ordinance of the washing of feet
was then introduced by the Lord as the means whereby someone could be rendered
“clean from the blood of this generation” (D&C 88:138-141),
and when Joseph Smith administered this ordinance, he stated that those who
received it were not only “clean” in a ritual sense but were also “sealed up
unto eternal life” (HC, 1:323-24; see also MD, 829-32).[1]
Indeed, the Prophet Joseph had
this to say on the sacred occasion, in language that mirrors D&C 132:26:
On the 23rd of January, we again
assembled in conference; when, after much speaking, singing, praying, and
praising God, all in tongues, we proceeded to the washing of
feet (according to the practice recorded in the 13th chapter
of John’s Gospel), as commanded of the Lord. Each Elder washed his own feet
first, after which I girded myself with a towel and washed the feet of all of
them, wiping them with the towel with which I was girded. . . . At the close of
the scene, Brother Frederick G. Williams, being moved upon by the Holy Ghost,
washed my feet in token of his fixed determination to be with me in suffering,
or in journeying, in life or in death, and to be continually on my right hand;
in which I accepted him in the name of the Lord.
I then
said to the Elders, As I have done so do ye; wash ye, therefore, one another’s
feet; and by the power of the Holy Ghost I pronounced them all clean from the blood of this
generation; but if any of them should sin wilfully after they
were thus cleansed, and
sealed up unto eternal life, they should be given over unto the
buffetings of Satan until the day of redemption.[2]
Dr. Daniel
H. Ludlow has also given us some insight:
This
ordinance of the gospel has been restored in this dispensation. When the School of the Prophets was organized, the Lord indicated
that the members should “be received by the ordinance of the washing of feet,
for unto this end [that ye might be clean from the blood of this generation]
was the ordinance of the washing of feet instituted.” (D&C
88:139.) The
ordinance of washing of the feet has now been incorporated in the ordinances
that are revealed to be administered in the Lord’s house.[3]
Elder
Bruce R. McConkie has also taught:
Washing of
feet is a gospel ordinance; it is a holy and sacred rite, one performed by the
saints in the seclusion of their temple sanctuaries. It is not done before the world or for worldly people. . . .
As part of
the restoration of all things, the ordinance of washing of feet has been
restored in the dispensation of the fulness of times. In keeping with the standard pattern of revealing principles and
practices line upon line and precept upon precept, the Lord revealed his will
concerning the washing of feet little by little until the full knowledge of the
endowment and all temple ordinances had been given. . . .
Thus the
knowledge relative to the washing of feet has been
revealed step by step in this day until a
full knowledge is now incorporated in the revealed ordinances of the Lord’s
house. Obviously the apostate peoples of the world, being
without revelation to guide them, cannot comply with our Lord’s command given
on the occasion of the last supper.[4]
It is
enlightening that originally the traditional church hymn “The Spirit of God Like a Fire is
Burning!“, which was sung at the dedication of the Kirtland temple, had
these words as one of the verses:
We’ll wash
and be washed,
and with oil be anointed,
Withal not omitting the
washing of feet;
For he that receiveth his
penny appointed
Must surely be clean at the
harvest of wheat.[5]
In Elder
McConkie’s excellent 4-volume series, The Mortal Messiah: From
Bethlehem to Calvary, this apostle gave one of the most comprehensive discussions on
this sacred subject:
After
reclining at the Passover table, Jesus and his apostolic friends ate the
Passover meal with such portion of its rites and ceremonies as then suited
their purposes. Then he
introduced the gospel ordinance of the washing of feet. . . . To keep things in proper perspective, however, it is
important to emphasize that the washing of feet came in the course of the meal,
not at the beginning, and it was not simply an illustration of Godly humility,
devised by Jesus to demonstrate his teachings about precedence, but was in fact the introduction of a
new gospel ordinance.
John alone
records such portions of what transpired relative to the foot-washing ordinance
as have come down to us from biblical sources; our more extended knowledge
relative thereto comes from latter-day revelation. . . . And the two ordinances about to be
revealed—those of the washing of feet and of
the partaking of the emblems of his flesh and blood—these two become an eternal
manifestation of the grace and goodness and love of the Lord for the Twelve and
for all who believe and obey the gospel, thereby making themselves worthy to
receive each of these ordinances. . . .
. . . He riseth from supper, and
laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself. After that he
poureth water into a basin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe
them with the towel wherewith he was girded.”
This appears to be a general
summary of all that transpired. What then follows are some of the particulars.
As to these particulars, John says: “Then cometh he to Simon Peter: and Peter
saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet?” Jesus replied: “What I do thou
knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter.” That is: ‘You assume that I am
acting only as any slave or host might, which is far from the case. I am about to perform a sacred
ordinance, the meaning of which I will explain, and in due
course you will know its true meaning.’ Still impulsive and reticent, the Chief
Apostle said: “Thou“—our
Master and Lord!—”Thou,”
of all people, “needest not to wash my feet.” ‘Even though it be a sacred ordinance, let
someone else do it instead!’ . . .
Jesus then said: “If I wash thee
not, thou hast no part with me.” Catching
a partial glimpse of the cleansing power of the new ordinance,
Peter, ever impetuous, ever desiring to do all and more than need be, exclaimed
“Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head.” Jesus replied: “He
that has washed his hands and his head, needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit; and ye are clean,
but not all.”
At this point, with reference to
the ordinance itself, John explains: “Now this was the custom of the Jews under
their law; wherefore, Jesus did this that the law might be fulfilled.” The full
significance of this is not apparent to the casual reader, nor should it be, for the washing of feet is a sacred
ordinance reserved to be done in holy places for those who make themselves
worthy. It is evident, however, that the Jews also had sacred
ordinances performed in their temple, a knowledge of which has not been
preserved, nor could it be, in any literature that has come down to us.
What had he done? He had
instituted—nay, reinstituted, for “the order of the house of God has been, and
ever will be, the same” — he
had reinstituted one of the holy ordinances of the everlasting gospel. Those
who have been washed in the waters of baptism, who have been freed from sin and
evil through the waters of regeneration, who have come forth thereby in a
newness of life, and who then press forward with a steadfastness in Christ,
keeping the commandments and walking in paths of truth and righteousness,
qualify to have an eternal seal placed on their godly conduct. They are thus
ready to be endowed with power from on high. Then, in holy places, they cleanse
their hands and their feet, as the scripture saith, and become “clean from the
blood of this wicked generation.” (D&C 88:74-75,
D&C 88:137-41.)
Then, as the scripture also saith, they receive anointings and washings and
conversations and statutes and judgments. (D&C 124:37-40.)
Then they receive what Jesus here gave the Twelve, for as the
Prophet said: “The house of the Lord must be prepared, . . . and in it we must
attend to the ordinance of washing of feet. It was never intended for any but
official members. It is calculated to unite our hearts, that we may be one in
feeling and sentiment, and that our faith may be strong, so that Satan cannot
overthrow us, nor have any power over us here.” (Commentary 1:709.). . . .
It should be clear to all,
however, that just as the act of immersion in water only hints at the true
significance and power of baptism, so the act of the washing of feet is far
more than the cleansing and refreshing of dusty and tired pedal extremities. It is an eternal ordinance, with
eternal import, understood only by enlightened saints. That it
might be continued by those having divine authorization to perform it, Jesus
said:
Ye call me Master and Lord: and
ye say well; for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your
feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an
example, that ye should do as I have done to you.
Verily, verily, I say unto
you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater
than he that sent him. If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them. . .
.
And in conclusion, well might we
ask: If true disciples are to wash each other’s feet, where among the sects of
Christendom is this done? And how could it be done except by revelation? Who
would know all that is involved unless God revealed it? Is not this holy ordinance one of the
many signs of the true Church?[6]
Notes:
1.
Matthew B. Brown, The
Gate of Heaven, 235. [↩]
2.
HC, 1:323-324. [↩]
3.
Daniel H. Ludlow, Companion
to Your Study of the Doctrine and Covenants, vol. 2, 322-323. [↩]
4.
Bruce R. McConkie, Doctrinal
New Testament Commentary, vol. 1, 708. [↩]
5.
ibid., 710. [↩]
6.
Bruce R. McConkie, Mortal
Messiah: From Bethlehem to Calvary, vol. 4, 36-41. [↩]
(3 Nephi 12:1-2.) – Priesthood authority and
the gift of the Holy Ghost literally comes from Christ.
1 And it came to pass that when Jesus had spoken these words unto
Nephi, and to those who had been called, (now the number of them who had been
called, and received power and authority to baptize, was twelve) and behold, he
stretched forth his hand unto the multitude, and cried unto them, saying:
Blessed are ye if ye shall give heed unto the words of these twelve whom I have
chosen from among you to minister unto you, and to be your servants; and unto them I have given power that they
may baptize you with water; and after that ye are baptized with water, behold,
I will baptize you with fire and with the Holy Ghost; therefore blessed are ye
if ye shall believe in me and be baptized, after that ye have seen me and know
that I am.
2 And again, more blessed are they who shall believe in your words
because that ye shall testify that ye have seen me, and that ye know that I am.
Yea, blessed are they who shall believe in your words, and come down into the
depths of humility and be baptized, for they shall be visited with fire and
with the Holy Ghost, and shall receive a remission of their sins.
(Moroni 2:1-3.) – The necessity and importance
of having the gift of the Holy Ghost, it is critical to have the Spirit in our
Sacrament Meetings, private counsel to the 12 disciples.
1 The words of Christ, which he spake unto his disciples, the
twelve whom he had chosen, as he laid his hands upon them—
2 And he called them by name, saying: Ye shall call on the Father
in my name, in mighty prayer; and after ye have done this ye shall have power
that to him upon whom ye shall lay your hands, ye shall give the Holy Ghost;
and in my name shall ye give it, for thus do mine apostles.
3 Now Christ spake these words unto them at the time of his first
appearing; and the multitude heard it not, but the disciples heard it; and on
as many as they laid their hands, fell the Holy Ghost.
(Moroni 3:1-4.)
1 The manner which the disciples, who were called the elders of the
church, ordained priests and teachers—
2 After they had prayed unto the Father in the name of Christ, they
laid their hands upon them, and said:
3 In the name of Jesus Christ I ordain you to be a priest, (or, if
he be a teacher) I ordain you to be a teacher, to preach repentance and
remission of sins through Jesus Christ, by the endurance of faith on his name
to the end. Amen.
4 And after this manner did they ordain priests and teachers,
according to the gifts and callings of God unto men; and they ordained them by
the power of the Holy Ghost, which was in them.
Moroni
taught, in Moroni 3:4, how men are to be ordained to the priesthood. Joseph
Smith included these same instructions in verse 60. He also placed in verse 37
the prerequisites for baptism that are given in Moroni 6:1-3. fn
The
elders are to conduct church meetings as the Holy Ghost directs them. This
teaching comes from Moroni 6:9. Joseph Smith published this same doctrine in
verse 45. Moroni recorded his teachings concerning transgressors in Moroni 6:7,
and Joseph Smith included this material in verses 80 through 83.
President
Ezra Taft Benson said: "In the twentieth section of the Doctrine and
Covenants, the Lord devotes several verses to summarizing the vital truths which
the Book of Mormon teaches. (See vs. 17-36.) It speaks of God, the creation of
man, the Fall, the Atonement, the ascension of Christ into heaven, prophets,
faith, repentance, baptism, the Holy Ghost, endurance, prayer, justification
and sanctification through grace, and loving and serving God.
(Susan
Easton Black et al., Doctrines for Exaltation: The 1989 Sperry Symposium on
the Doctrine and Covenants [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1989], 266.)
THE PRACTICES OF THE CHURCH
(Moroni 1-6)
Robert E. Parsons fn
This
final book in the Book of Mormon was written by Moroni after his father's death
and some fifteen to thirty-five years after the battle at Cumorah. Moroni's
dangerous and lonely situation is expressed in the opening verses: "Now I,
Moroni, after having made an end of abridging the account of the people of
Jared, I had supposed not to have written more, but I have not as yet perished;
and I make not myself known to the Lamanites lest they should destroy me. For
behold, their wars are exceedingly fierce among themselves; and because of
their hatred they put to death every Nephite that will not deny the Christ. And
I, Moroni, will not deny the Christ; wherefore, I wander whithersoever I can
for the safety of mine own life." (Moro. 1:1-3.)
The
first six chapters of Moroni deal with procedures and practices of the Church
in Moroni's day. What is written is somewhat "ordinary" for active
Latter-day Saints because the procedures are so similar to Church practices
today. Thus, there often is a tendency to skim these chapters quickly and move
on to more exciting material. However, a different view is needed if we
acknowledge that Moroni was writing to our generation and had seen our day and
time:
Behold,
the Lord hath shown unto me great and marvelous things concerning that which
must shortly come, at that day when these things shall come forth among you.
Behold, I speak unto you as if ye were present, and yet ye are not. But behold,
Jesus Christ hath shown you unto me, and I know your doing. And I know that ye
do walk in the pride of your hearts; and there are none save a few only who do
not lift themselves up in the pride of their hearts, unto the wearing of very
fine apparel, unto envying, and strifes, and malice, and persecutions, and all
manner of iniquities; and your churches, yea, even every one, have become
polluted because of the pride of your hearts. (Morm. 8:34-36.)
In
connection with seeing our day, I like to think that Moroni also saw the
practices of modern-day Christianity. This makes it easier to understand his
concern and interest in telling us the correct procedures for such basic
practices as conferring the Holy Ghost, ordaining to offices in the priesthood,
administering the sacrament, and conducting church meetings. If one were to visit
Catholics, Baptists, Lutherans, Pentecostals, and Unitarians on successive
Sundays, what would he or she observe regarding the sacrament, ordinations, and
church meetings? In that framework, it is easy to understand Moroni's concern
with basic procedure and why he wrote what he did to this generation.
Power to Minister for
Christ
Moroni's
straightforward explanation in chapters 2 and 3 clarifies the statement of
Jesus in John: "Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained
you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit." (John 15:16.) What does it
mean that Christ ordained the apostles? The Christian world lays on
unauthorized hands, confers divinity degrees to bestow authority, or assumes
power by simple desire. In clear, unmistakable words, Moroni stated:
The
words of Christ, which he spake unto his disciples, the twelve whom he had
chosen, as he laid his hands upon them—And he called them by name, saying: Ye
shall call on the Father in my name, in mighty prayer; and after ye have done this
ye shall have power that to him upon whom ye shall lay your hands, ye shall
give the Holy Ghost; and in my name shall ye give it, for thus do mine
apostles. (Moro. 2:1-2.)
The
manner which the disciples, who were called the elders of the church, ordained
priests and teachers—After they had prayed unto the Father in the name of
Christ, they laid their hands upon them, and said: In the name of Jesus Christ
I ordain you to be a priest, (or, if he be a teacher) I ordain you to be a
teacher, to preach repentance and remission of sins through Jesus Christ, by
the endurance of faith on his name to the end. Amen.
And
after this manner did they ordain priests and teachers, according to the gifts
and callings of God unto men; and they ordained them by the power of the Holy
Ghost, which was in them. (Moro. 3:1-4.)
As we read these
words, there can be no question as to how one is ordained with power to
minister for Christ and how that power is used to bestow the Holy Ghost.
Another plain and precious teaching has been restored in the Book of Mormon,
and we can now read biblical statements on receiving the priesthood and
bestowing the Holy Ghost without misunderstanding.
Verse 2 of Moroni
chapter 2 ends, "for thus do mine apostles." Obviously the Nephites
were familiar with this term as well as the sacred office, notwithstanding the
constant use of the terms "twelve" or "disciple."
Concerning the presence of apostles among the Nephites and the office in their
church administration, Joseph Smith stated:
This book also tells
us that our Saviour made His appearance upon this continent after His
resurrection; that He planted the Gospel here in all its fullness, and
richness, and power, and blessing; that they had Apostles, Prophets, Pastors,
Teachers, and Evangelists; the same order, the same priesthood, the same
ordinances, gifts, powers, and blessings, as were enjoyed on the eastern
continent, that the people were cut off in consequence of their transgressions,
that the last of their prophets who existed among them was commanded to write
an abridgment of their prophecies, history, &c, and to hide it up in the
earth and that it should come forth and be united with the Bible for the
accomplishment of the purposes of God in the last days. fn
Elder
Joseph Fielding Smith added: "While in every instance the Nephite twelve
are spoken of as disciples, the fact remains that they had been endowed with
divine authority to be special witnesses for Christ among their own people.
Therefore, they were virtually apostles to the Nephite race, although their
jurisdiction was, as revealed to Nephi, eventually to be subject to the
authority and jurisdiction of Peter and the twelve chosen in Palestine."
fn
Sacramental Prayers
As
Moroni saw our day and observed a typical Christian Sabbath, he must have been
amazed at the multitude of apostate practices surrounding the holy yet simple
ordinance of the sacrament in the various Christian churches. Visiting the
Catholics, Presbyterians, Congregationalists, or Pentecostals, one would see a
variety of practices. No wonder Moroni wrote the prayers and manner of
administering and said, "We know the manner to be true." (Moro. 4:1.)
Both
of the sacramental prayers contain the phrase "always remember him."
We learn something of the importance of this phrase in the account recorded in
3 Nephi 1-2. A plan had been made to slay the righteous, and a day had been set
apart to do this if the sign spoken of by Samuel the Lamanite should not come
to pass. As Nephi pleaded with God in mighty prayer, the Lord spoke, saying:
"Lift up your head and be of good cheer; for behold, the time is at hand,
and on this night shall the sign be given, and on the morrow come I into the
world, to show unto the world that I will fulfil all that which I have caused
to be spoken by the mouth of my holy prophets." (3 Ne. 1:13.)
The
sign was given, and the effect of this sign on those in the promised land is
recorded as follows: "From this time forth there began to be lyings sent
forth among the people, by Satan, to harden their hearts, to the intent that
they might not believe in those signs and wonders which they had seen; but
notwithstanding these lyings and deceivings the more part of the people did
believe, and were converted unto the Lord." (3 Ne. 1:22.)
Although
it is common to say "signs do not convert," it is clear that this
sign was so tremendous that "the more part of the people did believe, and
were converted to the Lord."
A
great lesson is now taught in the Book of Mormon, for we learn that after
conversion one must continue in works of faith to retain this conversion. Only
three or four years after the people were converted, we read: "Thus passed
away the ninety and fifth year also, and the people began to forget those signs
and wonders which they had heard, and began to be less and less astonished at a
sign or a wonder from heaven, insomuch that they began to be hard in their
hearts, and blind in their minds, and began to disbelieve all which they had
heard and seen." (3 Ne. 2:1.)
How
do people "begin to forget"? Could they actually forget they had seen
a day, a night, and a day as one day? Certainly not, but they could forget the
spiritual significance of that experience. They could forget their spiritual
feelings and thus could lose their spiritual conversion. Unfortunately, we see
the same thing in the lives of a few Church members today. For example, a
returned missionary will never forget where he served his mission, but he may
forget his spiritual feelings and conversion. How does this happen? By
neglecting the sacred ordinance given that "we might always
remember." If we always remember, we certainly cannot forget. If we
neglect the sacred ordinance of the sacrament, or do not partake of the emblems
worthily and with the proper attitude, it is not long until we do not
"always remember him" and "always have his spirit to be with
us." If we lose his spirit, we are no longer numbered with the faithful.
Although the Nephites in 3 Nephi 2 did not have the ordinance of the sacrament
(it had not yet been instituted among them), they obviously had sacrificial
ordinances designed to point them to Christ and to help them always remember
him. They lost the spirit that converted them and could keep them faithful. The
necessity of faithful sacrament observance in remembering the Lord was
discussed by President Spencer W. Kimball: "When you look in the
dictionary for the most important word, do you know what it is? It could be
remember. Because all of you have made covenants—you know what to do and you
know how to do it—our greatest need is to remember. That is why everyone goes
to sacrament meeting every Sabbath day, to take the sacrament and listen to the
priests pray that they 'may always remember him and keep his commandments which
he has given them.' Nobody should ever forget to go to sacrament meeting.
Remember is the word. Remember is the program." fn
Sacred Ordinances
Elder
Boyd K. Packer said, "Good conduct without the ordinances of the gospel
will neither redeem nor exalt mankind; covenants and the ordinances are
essential." fn
Elder
Packer was speaking of the ordinances of salvation—beginning with baptism and
progressing on to the sealing ordinances of the temple. Why should ordinances
be so important? Certainly most Protestant churches place little saving value
on them. The following four points may help solidify our understanding of their
purpose and importance.
First,
God has commanded them. This in and of itself should be sufficient:
"Wherefore he that prayeth, whose spirit is contrite, the same is accepted
of me if he obey mine ordinances. He that speaketh, whose spirit is contrite,
whose language is meek and edifieth, the same is of God if he obey mine
ordinances." (D&C 52:15-16.)
Second,
ordinances are the legal means for the orderly accomplishment of stated purposes.
Priesthood is used in God's kingdom so that the work performed is legal. So it
continues with ordinances. God could remit sins through any means he decreed.
If he said that one must read the Bible eight times to be forgiven of sins,
that decree would stand. However, for good reasons he instituted the principle
that sins are to be forgiven through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, repentance
of sins, and participation in the ordinance of baptism. Thus, this becomes the
legal or authorized means for remitting sins. Performed under the direction of
his priesthood, it is and remains an orderly procedure, without confusion,
carefully and harmoniously regulated.
Third,
ordinances are effective teaching symbols that clearly portray what is
happening. The ordinance of baptism is a perfect example. How gracious of God
to institute a procedure that portrays forgiveness. Water itself is a cleansing
agent. The burial in the water symbolizes the burying of the man of sin in a
watery grave. The rising of the person from immersion in water is analogous to
the dead rising from an earthly grave. The rising or resurrection is to a new
life—a spiritual life. As we wash away our sins in a watery grave and bury the
man of sin in a watery tomb, so we also come forth to a new, spiritual life,
cleansed and forgiven through the sacred ordinance of baptism.
Fourth,
ordinances serve as witnesses to spiritual agreements between God and man. As
one puts his signature to a document to bind himself to the written terms, so
we bind ourselves to the terms of ordinances by participating in them. Such a
seal of intent and participation is noted in heaven itself and is also recorded
on earthly records kept by the Church. When the day of judgment arrives and the
books are opened, records of our participation in and binding ourselves to the
terms of ordinances will be brought forth. Both our making of these ordinances
and our keeping of the terms entered into will play a major role in the
judgment rendered upon us.
Nourishing New Members
Moroni
6 is most interesting and enlightening concerning Nephite church practices. We
read: "After they had been received unto baptism, and were wrought upon
and cleansed by the power of the Holy Ghost, they were numbered among the
people of the church of Christ; and their names were taken, that they might
be remembered and nourished by the good word of God, to keep them in the
right way, to keep them continually watchful unto prayer, relying alone upon
the merits of Christ, who was the author and the finisher of their faith."
(Moro. 6:4; emphasis added.)
To
illustrate the importance of nourishing new members, I would like to include
excerpts from a lesson taught to a Book of Mormon class at Brigham Young
University during the fall of 1987. I asked the class to indicate where they
had family members serving on missions and then to estimate how many hours a
day the missionary was working and how much the mission was costing per month.
Teacher:
We
have suggested time and cost of missionary work. Let us examine another
question. Why do some converts not remain active in the Church? My own
experience has been that if we were to pick the one central thing that causes
more people to go inactive than anything else, the answer would have to be lack
of fellowshipping. But that has ramifications. You can say, well they weren't
really converted, but what that means is that as long as someone fellowshipped
them they were converted enough to keep coming and to grow. But if you stop the
fellowshipping, they weren't able to keep on by themselves. If we had
fellowshipped them another one or two years, maybe they would have been strong
enough to stand by themselves.
The
reason we've discussed this is that I did a little calculating. Although these
figures may not be exactly up to date, they are not too far off. These figures
were worked out in the early 1980s. I took the number of converts we get in the
Church per year, and the number of missionaries we have, and an estimated
number of hours they work, and the estimated average cost. What I came up with
was that it was taking about 468 hours of missionary work per convert, and it
was costing about $540 per convert. If you go on a mission and know that it is
going to take that many hours to make a convert and cost that much money, do you
want to go or stay home? Do you find members objecting to spending that much
money and that much time to convert somebody to the Church? We don't object to
that. We say we would like to be more economical because we want more people to
hear the gospel. But, if that is what it takes, we'll spend the time and the
money. Now, isn't it a shame to spend all that time and all that money to bring
somebody into the Church, and then lose him? And the main reason we lose him is
what? Lack of fellowshipping. We should keep many more converts in the Church.
We should be much more successful.
Have
you ever gone to sacrament meeting, stood at the back of the hall for ten or
fifteen minutes before the meeting began, watched people come in and sit down,
and noticed who looked like he might be all alone? Have you ever watched for
somebody sitting all by himself? Did you ever have enough compassion and spirit
of fellowshipping to go sit down by that person and say, "I'm so-and-so
and you're who?" Did you get acquainted and make that person feel at home
and go through the meetings with him? No, we don't do that. That's as much a
part of missionary work for this time and circumstances as to accept a
full-time mission when the call comes.
Now,
in the light of all I've said, let's read a passage from Moroni chapter 6. We
want to pick it up in verse 4. We are talking about converts who come into the
Church. "After they had been received unto baptism, and were wrought upon
and cleansed by the power of the Holy Ghost, they were numbered among the
people of the church of Christ; and their names were taken, that they might be
remembered and nourished by the good word of God, to keep them in the right
way."
We
have a system for keeping track of people. Isn't that what Moroni was saying
they did? They were numbered, and their names were taken. Now, they didn't have
computers like we do today, but they kept track of people so they could be
nourished and kept in the right way. They fellowshipped them to strengthen them
in the kingdom.
We
do a very good job in missionary work and are willing to spend money and time
to convert people to the Church. We don't do a very good job currently in
fellowshipping. There are some exceptions to that; once in a while you go to a
ward where they really take care of strangers.
Student:
Sometimes
we, as missionaries, hated to take someone to a ward knowing how cold that ward
was going to be. We had something so precious that we wanted to share with
them, but we were afraid of what the members would do.
Teacher:
That's
not too flattering to us, is it? As we reflect on our efforts to strengthen
converts and keep track of members in the Church today, it is edifying to read
Moroni's statement of similar concern in his day and of the practices of the
Church among the Nephites.
Is
it not faith-promoting to know that the Church in earlier dispensations not
only practiced faith, repentance, and baptism, but also recorded the names of
members and watched over and nourished them that they might be kept in the faith?
Today we call such practices fellowshipping, home teaching, or visiting
teaching, but the purpose in each dispensation has been the same—first to
convert and then to perfect members of Christ's Church. President Gordon B.
Hinckley commented on the tragedy of losing souls after once having brought
them into the kingdom: "The greatest tragedy in the Church . . . is the
loss of those who join the Church and then fall away. With very few exceptions
it need not happen. I am convinced that almost universally those who are
baptized by the missionaries have been taught sufficiently to have received
knowledge and testimony sufficiently to warrant their baptism. But it is not an
easy thing to make the transition incident to joining this Church. It means
cutting old ties. It means leaving friends. It may mean setting aside cherished
beliefs. It may require a change of habits and a suppression of appetites. In
so many cases it means loneliness and even fear of the unknown. There must be
nurturing and strengthening during this difficult season of a convert's life. A
tremendous price has been paid for his presence in the Church. The long efforts
of the missionaries and the cost of their service, the separation from old
relationship and the trauma associated with this makes it imperative that these
precious souls be welcomed, reassured, helped in their times of weakness,
praised for what they do, given responsibility under which they may grow
strong, and encouraged and thanked for all they do." fn
Conducting Meetings
Moroni
6 concludes: "The church did meet together oft, to fast and to pray, and
to speak one with another concerning the welfare of their souls. . . . And
their meetings were conducted by the church after the manner of the workings of
the Spirit, and by the power of the Holy Ghost; for as the power of the Holy
Ghost led them whether to preach, or to exhort, or to pray, or to supplicate,
or to sing, even so it was done." (Moro. 6:5, 9.)
Those
who preside over meetings today are concerned that what is done is under the
influence of the Holy Ghost. Meetings should be planned under the inspiration
of the Holy Spirit, and meetings should be conducted under that same spirit.
This will necessitate, at times, that on-the-spot changes be made in the songs
sung and those called upon to speak and the subjects spoken upon—all this that
God may be glorified and that Church members may be watched over and
strengthened as was done in the ancient church among the Nephites.
Footnotes
1.
Robert E. Parsons is associate professor of ancient scripture at Brigham Young
University.
2.
Joseph Smith, History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,
ed. B.H. Roberts, 7 vols. (Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints, 1932-51), 4:538, March 1842.
3.
Joseph Fielding Smith, Answers to Gospel Questions (Salt Lake City:
Deseret Book Company, 1957), 1:122.
4.
''Circles of Exaltation,'' Charge to Religious Educators, 2nd ed. [Salt Lake
City], 28 June 1968.
5.
Conference Report, Oct. 1984, p. 105.
6.
President Gordon B. Hinckley, Regional Representatives' Seminar, April 3, 1987.
(Kent
P. Jackson, ed., Studies in Scripture, Vol. 8: Alma 30 to Moroni [Salt
Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1988], 282.)
(Moroni 6:1-9.) – We need to have the Holy
Ghost to build up the kingdom and be active in the gospel. The Bishop or presiding authority at the
meeting should be directed on what to do by the Spirit, and be sensitive to His
promptings.
1 And now I
speak concerning baptism. Behold, elders, priests, and teachers were baptized;
and they were not baptized save they brought forth fruit meet that they were
worthy of it.
2 Neither
did they receive any unto baptism save they came forth with a broken heart and
a contrite spirit, and witnessed unto the church that they truly repented of
all their sins.
3 And none
were received unto baptism save they took upon them the name of Christ, having
a determination to serve him to the end. – Lehi’s dream across the gulf of tribulation to the tree of Life, how
badly do you want the fruit?
4 And after they had been received unto baptism, and were wrought
upon and cleansed by the power of the Holy Ghost, they were numbered among the
people of the church of Christ; and their names were taken, that they might be
remembered and nourished by the good word of God, to keep them in the right
way, to keep them continually watchful unto prayer, relying alone upon the
merits of Christ, who was the author and the finisher of their faith.
5 And the church did meet together oft, to fast and to pray, and to
speak one with another concerning the welfare of their souls. – Was this a Fast and Testimony meeting?
6 And they did meet together oft to partake of bread and wine, in
remembrance of the Lord Jesus. – The purpose
of Sacrament meeting, keeps us thinking straight, repent and strive to move
forward building up His kingdom here on earth.
7 And they were strict to observe that there should be no iniquity
among them; and whoso was found to commit iniquity, and three witnesses of the
church did condemn them before the elders, and if they repented not, and
confessed not, their names were blotted out, and they were not numbered among
the people of Christ.
8 But as oft as they repented and sought forgiveness, with real
intent, they were forgiven.
9 And their
meetings were conducted by the church after the manner of the workings of the
Spirit, and by the power of the Holy Ghost; for as the power of the Holy Ghost
led them whether to preach, or to exhort, or to pray, or to supplicate, or to
sing, even so it was done. – How to
conduct church meetings, by the workings of the Spirit, by the power of the
Holy Ghost. We live far beneath our
privileges in this regard. The greatest
way to be taught is by the Spirit, follow his direction
(Helaman 13:2-3.)
2 And it came to pass that in this year there was one Samuel, a
Lamanite, came into the land of Zarahemla, and began to preach unto the people.
And it came to pass that he did preach, many days, repentance unto the people,
and they did cast him out, and he was about to return to his own land.
3 But behold, the voice of the Lord came unto him, that he should
return again, and prophesy unto the people whatsoever things should come into his
heart.
(Doctrine and Covenants 84:85.) – We need to
study the scriptures so well that the Lord can utilize our minds to speak by
the Spirit. We also need greater
understanding about the gift of the Holy Ghost and how he should be directing
our meetings.
85 Neither take ye thought beforehand what ye shall say; but
treasure up in your minds continually the words of life, and it shall be given
you in the very hour that portion that shall be meted unto every man.
Natural
men and women need not, however, be what we would call degenerate. They may
well be moral and upright men and women, bent upon goodness and benevolence.
However, they operate in and are acclimated to the present fallen world. Such
persons do not enjoy the enlivening powers of the Holy Ghost. They have not
received the revealed witness of the truth, and they have not enjoyed the
sanctifying powers of the blood of Christ. Although their behavior is proper
and appropriate according to societal standards, these natural men and women
have not hearkened sufficiently to the light of Christ to be led to the
covenant gospel (see Mosiah 16:2; D&C 84:45–48). “The whole world lieth in
sin,” the Savior declared in a modern revelation, “and groaneth under darkness
and under the bondage of sin. And by this you may know they are under the
bondage of sin, because they come not unto me.” (D&C 84:49–50; see also
35:12.)
And
what of the members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints? Are any
of us natural men or women? We certainly qualify for that title if we are
guilty of gross wickedness, if we have sinned against gospel light and have not
thoroughly repented. And yes, we are relatively guilty, too, if we persist in a
nature which leads us to exist in twilight when we might bask in the light of
the Son. Brigham Young declared to the
people of the Church: “There is no doubt, if a person lives according to the
revelations given to God’s people, he may have the Spirit of the Lord to
signify to him His will, and to guide and to direct him in the discharge of his
duties, in his temporal as well as his spiritual exercises. I am satisfied,
however, that in this respect, we live far beneath our privileges.” (In Journal
of Discourses 12:104.) Members of the Church who refuse to climb toward
greater spiritual heights, who have no inclination to further anchor themselves
in the truth, who have become satisfied with their present spiritual
state-these are they who are natural men and women, persons generally of
goodwill who do not understand that through their smugness and complacency they
are aiding and abetting the cause of the enemy of all righteousness. Joseph
Smith taught that “all men are naturally disposed to walk in their own paths as
they are pointed out by their own fingers, and are not willing to consider and
walk in the path which is pointed out by another, saying, This is the way, walk
ye in it, although he should be an unerring director, and the Lord his God sent
him” (Teachings, pp. 26–27).
(Joseph
Fielding McConkie, Joseph Smith: The Choice Seer [Salt Lake City:
Bookcraft, 1996],.)
WHAT IS THE CONDEMNATION?
Then
what is the condemnation? What is the scourge, the judgment? How is it that the
Lord says the Latter-day Saints as a people are under his divine censure and
reprimand? For one thing, because of our near neglect of the Book of Mormon, we
are not possessed of the spirit of testimony, the spirit of conversion, as we
might otherwise have been. In a broader sense, I believe the condemnation that
rests upon the Latter-day Saints is a loss of spiritual power, a loss of
blessings, a loss of perspective about eternal possibilities. Perhaps we have
not enjoyed the revelations, the divine direction, the sweet promptings of the
Spirit that might have been ours. We have not been the recipients of the fruit
of the Spirit—"love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness,
faith, meekness, temperance" (Galatians 5:22-23)—as we could have been.
Surely we have not enjoyed the understanding, the light and truth, the lens of
pure intelligence that is so readily accessible.
In
too many cases our minds and hearts have not been shaped and prepared by the
Book of Mormon, by its lessons and logic, testimony and transforming power, and
thus too often the judgment and discernment so essential to perceiving the
false doctrines of the world, and even the irrelevant, have not been as strong
as they might have been. Because we have not immersed and washed ourselves in
those living waters that flow from the Book of Mormon, we have not enjoyed
faith like the ancients, that faith which strengthens resolve and provides
courage and peace in a time of unrest. So much of the stress and fear and
apprehension and exhaustion that now exist in society is so very unnecessary;
ours could be the right to that lifting and liberating Spirit that produces
hope and peace and rest. Though the light of the fulness of the everlasting
gospel has begun to break forth into a world of darkness (see D&C 45:28),
yet too often we walk in darkness at noonday, or at least we traverse the path
of life in twilight when we might bask in the bright light of the Son. "There is no doubt," stated
President Brigham Young, "if a person lives according to the revelations
given to God's people, he may have the Spirit of the Lord to signify to him His
will, and to guide and to direct him in the discharge of his duties, in his temporal
as well as his spiritual exercises. I am satisfied, however, that in this
respect, we live far beneath our privileges." fn
In
summary, we have denied ourselves supernal privileges because we have taken
lightly the new covenant—another testament of Jesus Christ. "Our homes are
not as strong," President Ezra Taft Benson has warned, "unless we are
using [the Book of Mormon] to bring our children to Christ. Our families may be
corrupted by worldly trends and teachings unless we know how to use the book to
expose and combat the falsehoods in socialism, organic evolution, rationalism,
humanism, and so forth. Our missionaries are not as effective unless they are
'hissing forth' with it. . . . Our Church classes are not as spirit-filled
unless we hold it up as a standard." In short, "we have not been
using the Book of Mormon as we should." fn That is the description.
The prescription is straightforward: "I will forgive you of your
sins with this commandment—that you remain steadfast in your minds in solemnity
and the spirit of prayer, in bearing testimony to all the world of those
things which are communicated unto you" (D&C 84:61; italics
added).
(Robert
L. Millet, The Power of the Word: Saving Doctrines from the Book of Mormon
[Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1994], 303.)
Moro. 1-10: Formula of Faith, Hope, Charity and Gifts –
Lecture 112 Hugh Nibley, Book of Mormon class.
In
Moro. 1:1, Moroni tells us that he's writing an appendix to the Book of Mormon.
He hadn't intended to write any more, but he had some time on his hands. He
ended it with the Jaredites. That's where it should end, back there, showing
that they suffered the same things. Well, I'm going to skip to just the high
points here, and then I may go back to some others. He tells us in the fourth
verse anything he writes now is for the Lamanites. Of course, his people are
finished. Moro. 2:2 is a note from the forty-day mission of Christ, and it's
how we can enlist the power of the Holy Ghost, which is absolutely
indispensable. A very elusive thing is the Holy Ghost, but that verse will tell
you some very important things about the Holy Ghost.
You'll
notice the third, fourth, and fifth chapters, which we're not going into now,
are ordinances that you are familiar with. We have actually taken them from
here. We've taken them from the Book of Mormon-the sacrament prayer, baptism,
etc. Moroni, with a little time on his hands, searched for the most important,
the most vital items, and that's what we have here.
St.
Basil, writing in the fourth century, said, we know they baptized, but we don't
have any formula. We don't have any ordinance for baptism given. The church
didn't have one. They had to invent them. And he said, we know they got
married, but we don't know what kind of marriage rites were celebrated in the
early Christian church. Now if you want the best thumbnail sketch that could
possibly be given of primitive Christianity, called the primitive Christian
church, we look to Moro. 6:1Moro. 6. In the sixth chapter we have a thumbnail
sketch of it. It's just like Qumran revisited, a little Dead Sea Scrolls here,
the way it describes it. That is a short chapter that's taken up with a
description of the working of the church in the early days, and it's a very
interesting thing. This is exactly the picture of the primitive church that has
emerged from the recent studies of it on the basis of newly found documents,
begun in the latter part of the nineteenth century by von Harnack, Albert
Schweitzer, Bultmann, and people like that. But read the sixth chapter if you
want your primitive church. Yes?
"I'm
sorry, you started telling us about the test before you stepped in front of the
microphone, so I didn't hear it all."
Oh
yes, the essay may be typewritten or handwritten, if it's clearly handwritten.
The length is what it would take to unload your thoughts in three hours, and
think about it. It's going to be judged purely as an essay. It's a very broad
subject, as you know, and yet it's coming down to a fine point today. I'm
really getting serious about the Book of Mormon now. It's just been an
intellectual exercise heretofore. Not any more, kiddo-it's the real thing. And
you might bring that home in [your essay] with what we have here.
Well,
let's consider these chapters in Moroni. This will give you some ideas right
here, you see. Chapters 7 to 9 are important chapters. What chapter 7 all boils
down to, as it tells us in verse 1, is the ancient formula of faith, hope, and
charity. I'll refer to that later. In chapter 7 you notice that Mormon is sick
to death of violence. He wants rest and peace. He's just obsessed with it now.
He said right at the beginning that since he was old enough to observe the ways
of men, he had seen nothing but this restless violence. Note verses 3 and 4 in
the seventh chapter: "Wherefore I would speak unto you that are of the
church, that are the peaceable followers of Christ, and that have obtained a
sufficient hope by which ye can enter into the rest of the Lord, from this time
henceforth until ye shall rest with him in heaven [notice his emphasis on peace
and rest]. And now my brethren, I judge these things of you because of your
peaceable walk with the children of men." I want to talk of peace for a
change with some peaceable people. He wants a peaceable world and he wants a rest.
He's sick and tired. Remember, he's led the whole thing here, and he has this
obsession. Peace and rest are foremost in his mind here, and it comes out
throughout this chapter.
He
goes on with what he's been through. Is this cynical when he says in the sixth
verse: "For behold, God hath said a man being evil cannot do that which is
good; for if he offereth a gift, or prayeth unto God, except he shall do it
with real intent it profiteth him nothing. For behold, it is not counted unto
him for righteousness." See, he's in a fake and a phony world, and he
[refers] here to our reluctant gifts, our formal prayers, etc. "Man being
evil" is a present participle, active, you see. As long as he is evil,
being evil, he can't do that which is good. Everything we do is wrong here.
This is a significant thing. Men are not capable of saving themselves, and it's
the inevitable question. He has no peace or rest. What's the use? Men are just
naturally evil. This is not cynical; it's just a statement of fact. Mormon sees
no point in criticizing here. He takes a wholly positive stand here. He's not
disillusioned at all because he never had any illusions. When he was fifteen
years old he was preaching to the people [and it was like preaching] to a stone
wall, so he has no illusions at all. He says that's just the way people are
(Morm. 1:15-16; 2:18). We're flawed from the beginning because of the Fall.
We're naturally selfish; that colors everything we do. We're not in a position
to give a good gift he says in verses 6-10 here. Are we really servants of the
devil?
Then
he explains what's going on in verses 12-13. Notice the balance here. They're
perfectly balanced against each other here, using the same expressions exactly.
You're thinking of a person suspended in space, and two planets are trying to
pull him in opposite directions to opposite orbits. "For the devil is an
enemy unto God, and fighteth against him continually." There is no mention
anywhere of God fighting against the devil. He doesn't have to. He could
dismiss him like that. There's no issue there because the devil is phony. He
can only react, but he's always fighting against God. You're not called upon to
fight God's battles for him, as Mormon tells us here. He has not asked you to
do that at all. He has asked you to do what's good. If you do righteously,
that's the deadly weapon-not going out and attacking him [Satan] because he's
evil. Remember, he's going to have to live with us forever, too, in eternity.
We've got to get on with each other eventually. He's going to be forgiven, so
there's nothing you can do by going out and trying to eliminate him. He says
here, "The devil is an enemy unto God, and fighteth against him
continually, and inviteth and enticeth to sin [that's his method], and to do
that which is evil continually."
So
it's like a gravitational force, a continual force exerting steady pressure or
attraction to pull you over into an orbit where you'll be invited to sin and do
evil continually. And with God the same thing: "That which is of God inviteth
and enticeth to do good continually." On the other hand, you're
continually being pulled in the opposite direction. But the same way, inviting
and enticing-the same test. "Wherefore, every thing which inviteth and
enticeth to do good, and to love God, and to serve him, is inspired of
God."
Between
the two it's up to you, and the pull is equal. It has to be. Neither one is
overwhelmingly powerful-not in this world. If God exerted irresistible
force-which Joseph Smith says he will not do-then you would have no choice. I
mean it wouldn't be a test at all. As Peter says in the famous Clementine
Recognitions, if God forced us to be good, there'd be no merit in that at
all. On the other hand, if the devil was absolutely overpowering and you
couldn't resist him, we wouldn't be responsible for yielding to him. He'd be
much too strong for us. So each of them has a mighty pull. The one is this
direction, and the other is phony, but it's a mirror image of the other.
There's a great early Christian literature in which the devil is an exact
counterpart. He waits for God to act, and then he acts. He makes the same
claims to dominion. He is the fisherman of men, too. He does all these other
things. He sends out his missionaries. He has the same influence, and so it's up
to you to make the choice. You're suspended in space between the two [and you
decide] which direction you're going to move in here.
Remember
in Ether 3:2, when he's asking the Lord [for help], he says "because of
the fall our natures have become evil continually." Because of the fall we
can't do any good of ourselves. But the way is free for our probation, so it's
up to us to make the choice. He tells us in the next verse, in making the
choice, don't you start rationalizing. He says in view of this you have your
choice to be this way or that way, but "take heed…that ye do not judge
that which is evil to be of God, or that which is good and of God to be of the
devil."
Who
would do that? Everybody would do that. It's the common temptation to do that
thing-to rationalize, making good and bad suit your interests. The typical
company spokesman will do that. His answer is never an answer. The position is
predictable, the routine flat denial of any wrongdoing. We've heard it a
hundred times. All we have to do is listen to all these charges against the
savings and loan companies, HUD, or whatever it is. The charges that are made
are always categorically denied. What we did was only good. You can very easily
argue yourself into saying "what I've been doing is good," because
you want to. So don't fool yourself, and don't judge that which is evil to be
of God and that which is good to be evil, in making your choice here.
We're
under great pressure to support the establishment, but he says in verse 15, you
still cannot be fooled unless you want to be. You couldn't get out of it, you
say. Oh well, but I was fooled. I didn't know all the facts, etc. Uh uh, he
says here. "It is given unto you to judge, that ye may know good from
evil; and the way to judge is as plain, that ye may know with a perfect
knowledge, as the daylight is from the dark night." You're not going to
have any excuse on those grounds. In the end you know what's right and wrong-no
hairsplitting about ethics and conditions.
I
noticed an interesting thing here. He says (verse 16), "the spirit of
Christ is given to every man, that he may know good from evil." We know
with a perfect knowledge. Well, what happens if you reject it? That is an
interesting thing. Paul says in Rom. 1:28, "And even as they did not like
to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind."
Forget God, ignore the light of common day [they say]. Let's be practical and
down to earth. We don't worry about those things. If they didn't "like to
retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind."
The Greek word he uses is adokimos which means "sick, wanton,
perverse, self-destructive, paranoid." The whole world is a promised land.
We have the story of the promised land, but after all, the whole world is a
promised land where we come for our tests. It's most glorious and beautiful, as
God has made it. There is a land choice above all other lands, but other lands
are choice, too. This is just choice above all other lands. So the earth is a
promised land, and there are certain obligations [that] come with the
territory. We've seen that in the promised land [references] again and again.
It goes for the whole earth. You are not free to take it or leave it, is the
point. You say, "Well, here's the proposition-take it or leave it."
"No,
I won't be interested in that. I won't concern myself with what God wants or
anything else. That's a fine-pointed argument, and we can't concern ourselves.
We have our daily work to do, and all these things fade into the light of
common day when you come down to common sense things." That doesn't go at
all. You go crazy if that happens, and you see what's happening in the world
today. Everybody seems to have lost their balance. He gave them over to a
reprobate mind because they didn't like to go on thinking of God, "retain
God in their knowledge." So you can't ignore it. You're not free to take
it or leave it.
Notice
he develops his argument by perfectly logical conditions here. This is exactly
what you'd expect, you see. First the violence he's seen-he wants peace and
rest. Well, men aren't capable of saving themselves. What is it then? Well,
they are being exposed to equal forces here; they have their choice. Yes, but
can't you be overwhelmed? No, you can't be. You're able to judge. Well, in that
case, can't we just put it aside and live our lives? No, you can't do that
either. We find out that that's so.
Well,
then in Moro. 7:20-21 he talks about laying hold of every good thing. Make it
yours; live by it. Don't merely seek to know but to lay hold of every good
thing. Notice he's arguing in a regular, logical order in verses 20 and 21. How
do you "lay hold upon every good thing?" Well, he says it's by faith.
Well, what gives you faith? he asks. We're inclined to avoid intense effort, he
says. Ether 3:2 "Because of the fall our natures have become evil
continually; nevertheless, O Lord, thou hast given us a commandment."
That's why we have to go on. Our natures are evil, but we're not going to get
off the hook because the Lord has commanded us "that we must call upon
thee, that from thee we may receive according to our desires." When you
make your choice between the two planets that are pulling you in opposite
directions, who decides? See, every moment of your life you have two ways
before you-the early Christian doctrine of the two ways. There's a right way
and a wrong way, a right choice and a wrong choice. There are many choices, and
you'll never know among those which is the best. But, as he tells you, it's
given you to know with a perfect knowledge which is right and which is wrong.
You make your choice, and you have to do that all the time. Well, this earth is
a place of testing. Our whole life became just a time of probation, Nephi says.
We're being proven here, so every minute you have to make a choice of what
would be preferable to do. In other words, you're revealing your true nature,
your true desire, what Alma calls "the desires of your heart." That,
of course, is what you'll be judged by. Nobody's very smart, nobody's very
strong, nobody's very brave, but what you want-what you would really
desire-that is what you will be judged by. So he says in this case we must call
upon thee that we may receive according to our desires. If you want to go with
the other one, you desired it. It's your idea all the way along. You'll never
have to be given anything you don't want, that you don't desire.
Here's
an interesting thing here. Doesn't this look like a contradiction? Notice he
tells us in verse 16: "For behold, the Spirit of Christ is given to every
man, that he may know good from evil;…ye may know with a perfect knowledge it
is of God." But then he tells us in verse 19, "Search diligently in
the light of Christ that ye may know good from evil." How does that come in
here? When do you make your choice? You have to instruct and inform yourself.
You have to know what you're talking about. You must search diligently and
acquire knowledge so you'll know the choice you're making. You're given the
power to judge any proposition, but you have to know the proposition first. You
have to know what the situation is. You must search diligently; then you may
know good from evil and make your choice. That's up to you then.
We
have so much stuff here. It's an interesting thing. In all of Mormon's teaching,
there's no mention of repentance. Isn't that odd? The Book of Mormon just
bristles with it-500 times the word repentance is repeated? It's because he's
not talking about that side of it now. He's just talking about the positive
side of it. He knows we're evil; he's said that all along. We have to repent.
He wants for the time being to be entirely positive. Granted we do evil in this
world, he wants to fix our attention on the other world, on the positive
values, and to make that real. People underestimate that, he says. If I make
that strong enough to you, you might be more enticed to go in that direction.
Now
how does faith bring it about? It has to be by faith. How does faith bring
about a meeting of the worlds, joining in the covenant? Notice in verse 30 and
32. Well he goes on right down here (verses 23-24): "And God also declared
unto prophets, by his own mouth, that Christ should come. And behold, there
were divers ways that he did manifest things unto the children of men [there's
lots of evidence], which were good; and all things which are good cometh of
Christ; otherwise men were fallen, and there could no good thing come unto
them." Notice-it's a choice between all and nothing here.
Verses
25-26: "Wherefore, by the ministering of angels, and by every word which
proceedeth forth out of the mouth of God, men began to exercise faith in
Christ; and thus by faith, they did lay hold upon every good thing.…And after
that he came men also were saved by faith in his name; and by faith, they
become the sons of God.…Whatsoever thing ye shall ask the Father in my name,
which is good, in faith believing that ye shall receive, behold, it shall be
done unto you."
But
then he raises the question, having said this here. What about faith? How do we
get it? Well, he says, it has to be brought from above. It has to be brought by
angels. It has to come from outside. You don't get it of your own accord.
Notice he says here, you not only lay hold of it, but in verse 28 he says
"they who have faith in him will cleave unto every good thing." You
cling to it once you've got it. You grab it and cling to every good thing.
"He dwelleth eternally in the heavens." Well, there must be a
celestial connection there. What happens then? Well, this is the situation
here. Faith brings about this meeting of the worlds, which he calls here
joining in the covenant. Notice (verse 30), "…to minister according to the
word of his command, showing themselves unto them of strong faith."
The
word covenant is from convenira, come together. Venir is
"to come." Venue, conventical, and convention are related words. It's
a coming together of the two worlds. He has just said that the Lord dwells in
heaven. Why should he bring that in? "He dwelleth eternally in the
heavens." He says, well, therefore, we have to have a connection here, and
he tells us what the connection is. It's five steps here. First of all, God
commissions his angels, but they're only to represent him and to say what he
wants them to say and nothing else. That's what Bartholomew told the mob in
Rome. I've been sent as an emissary and ambassador, and I cannot argue your
fine points of the law. I just have to deliver my message as it was given to
me. So he [Mormon] says these messengers are angels. So you start out with
angels. The restoration of the gospel started out with an angel, the angel
Moroni-well, with the first vision. It started out with the angel, and in the
New Testament, it's the angel Gabriel who appears in the temple to Zacharias.
That's the beginning, and then he appears to Mary with the coming of angels.
And here he sends angels. Without them, we wouldn't have that connection. So
this takes us outside to real things here.
Verses
29-30: "Neither have angels ceased to minister unto the children of men.
For behold, they are subject unto him, to minister according to the word of his
command." So they represent God, just as if God himself had come. The
angels come, and the next step is they come to deliver his message in person,
and they deliver it "unto them [notice it's common gender] of strong faith
and a firm mind."
If
you look at Alma 32:23, he tells us what he means by them when he says
this: "And now, he imparteth his word by angels unto men, yea, not only
men but women also. Now this is not all; little children do have words given
unto them many times, which confound the wise and the learned." When he
says "given to them," it means to women as well as men. They're all
subject to receive revelation. There's no special privilege here. So they
deliver it to what kinds of people? "unto them of strong faith and firm
mind." The words are strong and firm. These are not
hysterical types. These are not ambitious types who want to have dreams and
visions. They are not self-promoting. They are not empty-headed, unbalanced
airheads that get all sorts of ideas and visions of this, that, and the other.
That's very important, that they be of strong faith, but also of firm mind.
[They must be] perfectly sane to receive these messages, because, as you know,
all sorts of hysterical people [claim] various things. People get hysterical
and receive the stigmata. They fall down and froth at the mouth. A great deal
of this has gone on in the past and still goes on. So, that's a very important
thing.
That's
the second thing. First God sends his angels, but to them "of strong faith
and a firm mind." They in turn have a special office. That means their
calling, a temporary calling, something that's assigned to them. It's their
assignment. They have it as the office of their ministry. They minister, but
their office is to declare it (verse 31) "unto the chosen vessels of the
Lord." They pass it down another stage. Now it's the chosen vessels of the
Lord. They're the leaders of the Church that come down from these others. We
have a few great prophets, but they in turn declare it, he says, "to the
chosen vessels of the Lord." And what do they do? They bear testimony to
prepare for the residue of men to receive it. There's the fifth stage. It comes
from God to the angels to a few people who receive revelation, but they have to
be of strong faith and a firm mind. They give it to the chosen vessels of the
Lord, and they hand it on to the rest of the world, to the residue of men.
Well,
is this a case of rank? No, it has nothing to do with it, because verse 32
completely wipes that out. "And by so doing, the Lord God prepareth the
way that the residue of men may have faith in Christ, that the Holy Ghost may
have place in their hearts," It isn't that the Holy Ghost gives the
message to one person, and he goes and gives you a message. No, it's the Holy
Ghost directly who comes to everyone singly and individually. He has as much a
revelation as any of them through this handing down in this way, "that the
residue of men may have faith in Christ, that the Holy Ghost may have place in
their hearts, according to the power thereof; and after this manner [this is
the way he does it] bringeth to pass the Father, the covenants which he hath
made unto the children of men." A covenant, as I said, is a coming together,
an agreement. This is a covenant where everybody is joined in the same
atonement, at-one-ment. They're all joined together, and this is the way it
happens. He says he does it in regular order here. But nobody's privileged
above another. It's just the office of their ministry. As Brigham Young said,
prophecy is not an office at all-it's a gift. It doesn't go with any office.
Some women have the gift more often than men, as a matter of fact. One of the
greatest prophets we had was Eliza R. Snow. My grandmother told us some
marvelous prophecies she gave that have been fulfilled.
So
this is the situation here. Well, here's repent, though (verse 34):
"Repent all ye ends of the earth, and come unto me, and be baptized in my
name, and have faith in me." If you have faith in Christ, then "ye
shall have power," and in verse 34 we're invited at all times to put it to
the test. If you take action (verse 35), God will show you that it's true, but
you must take action first. Then (verse 37): Why don't we see the plan working?
Well, if we don't have faith, all is vain. Now that's no secret. The Koran
says, "All is vain in this world." The Greek chorus is fond of making
such remarks as "how absolutely nothing I estimate the world to be."
All is vain. Well, that's no secret. Everybody who's ever looked at the earth
knows that it's all vain and absurd because you're going to end up with nothing
at all. Everybody's admitted it, of course. If these things have ceased, that's
all you have. You have nothing else, you see. It's just a void, a vacuum.
He
talks now about a great and awful gulf between those who follow the plan of the
gospel and the others. You say, well, that's too extreme. You can't damn
everybody. Well, we've damned ourselves, and they've damned themselves, too. I
mean, we're in a desperate situation. "Men at times are sober. They think
by fits and starts. And when they think they fasten their hands upon their
hearts." As soon as people are sober, they all realize what a terrible
thing we're up against in this life. Who was it? Richard Cory "one fine
summer night went home and put a bullet through his head." The most
successful and admired man in town; you remember his name from Spoon River
Anthology. There are all sorts of things like that. It is [vain] when you
start thinking about it, the frustration of it. After all, what are the plays
that get the Nobel Prize? The plays that end in bleak despair and show the
bleakness of our lives. Strong films make us face up to reality which is that
there's nothing there. Well, it's that sort of thing.
Well,
he says it's true. These things have ceased, and we know why. "Awful is
the state of man." We're lost in space, you see. In that case, "awful
is the state of man." Well, every unbiased observer has said that. There's
a saying you hear all the time among the German peasants, the German Bauern,
I should say. Where I spent all my mission was in the country in the Black
Forest. They say, "Life is a baby's bib, short and messy." That's all
we get out of it.
Well,
so Moroni says in verse 39 there must be something better than that. "But
behold, my beloved brethren, I judge better things of you, for I judge that ye
have faith in Christ,"-you must have some faith, and that fact should give
us hope. So we begin with that. In verse 40 he asks, hope for what. For eternal
life. Well, can't we ask for anything less ambitious? No, we can't stop short
of that. Anything else is just a reprieve, isn't it? Remember what Hamlet says
to Claudius when he's praying, "This physick but prolongs thy sickly
days." We just prolong our sickly days awhile. Anything short of eternal
life, just "prolongs thy sickly days," which is not very
satisfactory. But that's what it is. If you're granted a few years more, it
doesn't make any difference. At my age, I don't care. A year or two-that's a
bonus. That's gravy; that's great. I have no right to expect it at all. A
reprieve is the best thing you can expect. Ah, but eternal life-that's
something else, you see. That's the only alternative. But you've got to have that
hope first and must receive faith. Well, what will justify it? Remember, Mormon
prayed for his people without hope, and he said he led them without faith. You
have to have the two together. They can both be completely out of our sphere,
not even wishful thinking. That's where the world is today.
Well,
what is the insuperable obstacle? Why don't we get these things? Why don't we
have the faith and the revelations that go with it? Verse 44 tells us
that-because we're not honest. We are not meek and lowly. That's what being
honest is, recognizing what you don't know, not what you do. Forget degrees and
everything else. "The glory of God is intelligence." Intelligence is
problem-solving ability. We know that. William James's definition is problem-solving
ability. How do you go about solving a problem? You always, step by step, find
out what you don't know. This is where I'm ignorant. This is what I don't know,
and I have to fill that gap. There are no fields anymore. There are no fields;
there are only problems to solve. If you have a particular problem you have to
work on and it requires a certain language, you've got to get the language. If
it requires certain math, you've got to get the math. See, it's not the field
you're in that makes it; it's the problem you have to solve. You have to get
whatever you lack. You can't fall back on your degrees and your reputation and
all this sort of thing and say well he's an authority on the subject. There are
none such. You have to be honest and smart enough to realize where the
limitations are and where we're supposed to go. But only by a systematic and
progressive revelation of your own ignorance can you do that. That's a
humiliating process, and very few will face it. They must be meek and lowly.
The
greatest classical philologist who ever lived, Joseph Justus Scaliger, lived
back in the sixteenth century. He went to Rome and lived in the ghetto to learn
Hebrew. They spoke Hebrew in those days. The little children laughed at him
when he'd make mistakes, and his fellow colleagues disowned him. He wasn't
scholarly about it at all. You don't go down and mix with vulgar people. His
colleagues wore fur-lined robes and everything else, but their knowledge of
Hebrew was less than elementary. That's the difference, you see. You have to be
meek and lowly if you're going to learn anything or do what the Lord wants you
to do. Realize your situation and what you really are. But who wants to be meek
and lowly?
Now
we come to this insistence on charity. You notice he just has a thing about
charity here (verse 44 and following). Why this insistence on charity? Well,
charity puts the stamp of authenticity on the whole thing. Without charity
there's always an element of ulterior motives, calculation, self-interest, and
manipulation-it's always there. In the most abstract problems, you're liable to
fool yourself. A lot has been written about that recently-how much cheating has
been going on by scientists in high places, faking their data, etc., because
just a little fake would do. The historians of science and people like Gregor
Mendel have all fudged a little here and there. Well, that's the way you have
to do it. Charity is the love one has for children-he talks a lot about
children-and you expect nothing in return. It's completely spontaneous, and
it's irrepressible. Mormon broke his oath out of charity, you see. He had to.
Charity finds the suffering of others unbearable, you see. Mormon just couldn't
leave them alone. They were his people. He knew they were wrong. He knew they
were going to be destroyed and everything else, but his charity was too great.
He just couldn't do it. He realized that he might alleviate the suffering and
give them a bit of cheer for a while, and that's what he did.
In
verses 45-47 you notice he goes into a long section from the New Testament.
Aha! He's quoting the New Testament in the Book of Mormon. Well, there's an
answer to this. We get to it right here, as a matter of fact. Well, Paul
labored, as you know, to define [charity]. It's rather laborious. He had to go
through all this, for "if ye have not charity, ye are nothing." Verse
45: "And charity suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth not." We
all know this. Therefore, without charity all things must pay. Verse 47:
"But charity is the pure love"-unbiased, without any calculations,
just for the love of it. Why would you do science or anything else? The only
motive would be pure love, even for that, you see. A true scientist or a true
artist does what he does for love. It is just as much love as a sexual attraction,
something like that. It's a great attraction. "But charity is the pure
love of Christ,…and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be
well with him." So, this charity is a very important thing.
Paul
gives an operational definition here, as you may notice. Charity is an
intimate, subjective thing-very hard to define. Unless you have it, you don't
know what it is. It's like indigestion or a gift for music or math or something
like that. You have to have it. That's what charity is, very hard to define.
It's impulsive, and yet it's ongoing. It can't be faked; it can't be
artificial. You can't use artifice, and you can't use faking as you do in
everything else, in every other act of life. In order to get along, we have to
grease the rails or oil the machinery to make things go smooth. See these
little lies we give to each other make life much easier. You have to write
"Dear Sir" to somebody you hate, etc. We have to act as if we had
affection toward others and respect of others that we really don't have. I mean
in a debate in the Senate or something like that, you might just despise the
person you're talking to, but [you say] the Honorable Learned Senator from so
forth and so on. These things are necessary to grease the rails in any society.
A
German philosopher, Hans Vaihinger, in the early part of this century wrote a
famous work on the subject called The Philosophy of "As If."
Everything we do has to have a little "as if" in it. We have to act
as if we were friends. I have to act as if I were teaching you something here.
There's always something fake about it, but that's necessary to make life
[bearable]. There's none of that in charity-that's the point. Charity
eliminates that entirely. Not even that is necessary because it's pure love,
the pure love of Christ. There's no artifice in it at all, as there is in
everything else. So that means it's impulsive and ongoing. It belongs to the
very nature of your being and comes right out of you yourself. It's part of
your character and built into you, whatever charity you have. So this is
essential. That means there's going to be no cheating. You're not going to go
on cheating for eternity. For a person who spends his life cheating, it gets
worse and worse. He says [like Macbeth], "I am in blood stepped in so far,
that, should I wade no more, returning were as tedious as go o'er." You
can cheat up to a point, and then it's suicide or something. This is happening
now. We see all these famous stock crashes, these junk bonds and things like
that. It's very clever cheating, but it always collapses because it builds up.
If we're going in for the long stretch, if we're going in for eternity, the one
thing we've got to have is charity, because that means doing away with all the
cheating. We won't need it at all. How we deal with each other, how we think of
each other must be genuine here.
Incidentally,
Paul's definition is quoted in the Book of Mormon. It's a long one. But Paul
was quoting another work. He was quoting an old hermetic work on the subject.
Richard Reitzenstein and some others showed that some years ago, and it's
typical of the hermetic writings. In fact, yesterday I was reading an
apocalyptic work I'd never read before, and it gives exactly the same analysis
of charity. This was a very common theme, not only with the philosophers. We
know, especially from recent research, that Paul quoted all over the place. He
quoted about every classical writer you can name. Possibly half the statements
in Paul are quotations from the classics, from the orators, from the plays,
etc., Paul quoted all over the place; he was a very learned man. What he's
quoting here [in 1 Cor. 13] is from an ancient writing, and it's quoted here in
the Book of Mormon. Where we find it is in the hermetic writings which were
taken over from the Jews at a very early time. Remember, [Moroni] was going
through the records now and picking out the best things. So he picked Paul's
definition. It's the best thing you can find [on charity].
In
the normal run of things, all things must fail. But remember, Paul said,
"Charity faileth not." Charity is the only thing that doesn't fail,
in other words. All the others are contrived, they're contingent, they're
contemporary. Everything else is an illusion.
Franz
Grillparzer was the first modern German dramatist, and his first drama was A
Dream Is Life. Of course, Shakespeare wrote his last play on that.
Our
revels now are ended. These our actors,
As
I foretold you, were all spirits and
Are
melted into air, into thin air;
And,
like the baseless fabric of this vision,
The
cloud-capped towers, the gorgeous palaces,
The
solemn temples, the great globe itself,
Yea,
all which it inherit, shall dissolve;
And,
like this insubstantial pageant faded,
Leave
not a rack behind.
Shakespeare,
The Tempest, act IV, scene 1
Shakespeare's
final word was, it's all just a play, it's all just imagination. There's going
to be nothing left when it has faded after the storm. This is what we have to
offer. It's a sad thing, but all else must fail. They're right about that. Then
he tells us-unless there is this (verse 46). This is entropy, you see. This is
the second law-all things fail. This is the heat death, the normal course of
nature. 2 Ne. 9:7 is one of the most important verses in the Book of Mormon, where
he tells us what happens in the normal course of things. We must refer to this,
why we need a savior. "Wherefore, it must needs be an infinite
atonement." There must be unlimited power at work here in the
universe-infinite atonement. He says unless that power is infinite (I'd just
love to talk about infinity today) [it would fail]. "Save it should be an
infinite atonement, this corruption could not put on incorruption. Wherefore,
the first judgment which came upon man must needs have remained to an endless
duration. And if so, this flesh must have laid down to rot and to crumble to
its mother earth, to rise no more."
That's
the normal course of nature. We do die, we do rot, we do crumble to earth, and
we do rise no more unless there's a power resisting it, and that must be an
infinite power-it's resisting the force of the universe itself, of entropy. And
this is what we have. The Russian scientist Kozyrev wrote some very fascinating
things on that particular subject. He said you can't deny that things are being
put together again. That's what Buckminster Fuller writes, but he calls it
"syntropy." If you have entropy breaking things down, there's
obviously syntropy, which is organizing things and putting them
together, or we would not have been here ages ago. That process would have been
completed billions of years ago, and there wouldn't have been anything left at
all. Something must be building up toward something. So remember what he said,
the one enticeth and inviteth in this direction; the other enticeth and
inviteth in that direction. There must be a counterforce of infinite power
that's working on our behalf. There are reasons for believing without faith.
You won't believe it, though, but you don't have to.
Notice
he [the Savior] has infinite charity. And what does he want? He wants us to
become like him. "For behold, this is my work and my glory-to bring to
pass the immortality and eternal life of man" (Moses 1:39). Infinite
charity-that's it. And so he says here, in verse 48 they "become the sons
of God…we shall be like him." This is the payoff, you see. So Mormon ends
on this note of supreme hope, this greatest of promises, the greatest
conceivable happiness here. Don't talk about the Book of Mormon being downbeat.
We don't recognize it. It keeps telling us. If we'd only wake up, it's there,
but we set up the obstacles.
In
the eighth chapter we ask, why this overriding concern for little children?
Well, there's more than meets the eye here; I'm sure of that. Adults on earth
are responsible for overseeing the passage of over ninety percent of the human
family, which has passed through the earth as little children. Ninety percent
of the human race has died in childbirth and childhood. They must also be our
role model, he says, because it's pride that's destroying us. As I said,
there's more there than meets the eye.
In
the ninth and tenth chapters Mormon's own words describe the final debacle
which is a state of mind. Notice everything is anger, blood, revenge. Oh, and
Moro. 9:6 is very important. The battle is on-don't get discouraged. If you do
get discouraged, there's no excuse at all. "And now, my beloved son,
notwithstanding their hardness [we've lost the battle, see], let us labor
diligently; for if we should cease to labor, we should be brought under
condemnation; for we have a labor to perform whilst in this tabernacle of clay
[no matter how the battle goes], that we may conquer the enemy of all
righteousness, and rest our souls in the kingdom of God" by doing
righteously. So no matter how discouraged we are, no matter how badly things
go, it's our obligation. We have a work, a labor here to perform, so don't
commit suicide. That's the wrong thing to do.
Then
[we have] this state of arms and what brings it on with the mounting
atrocities. The Nephite civilization had ended long before this, as soon as
civilized behavior [ceased]. The army had requisitioned everything, and the
people were starving. Then he tells us in verses 19-20 there is no order, no
feeling, no mercy. Today everything is an all-absorbing partisanship, as it was
then. We say "win, succeed, dominate," etc. whether it's in sports,
business, careers, or family. We're growing more and more partisan, more and
more determined to win. That's what happens. When you meet defeat, as they do back
and forth, then this degenerates into that state of mind in which he says
everything is anger and blood and revenge.
Then
the tenth chapter. What should we do? All we can do now is help the Lamanites,
he says. Remember, the bottom line is God's loving kindness. You can count on
that, he tells us in verses 3-4. So he tells us, deny not the gifts. He [the
Lord] gives us these gifts, and we're to enjoy them. They'll see you through.
He lists nine gifts here. It's very interesting. Our ancestors in the north had
the nine norns, and the Egyptians had the hathors. These were the spirits that
would come at a child's birth, and each would bestow a gift on the child. It's
a very ancient [tradition]. Well, it's the seven hathors and then the nine.
Everyone has a particular gift, but he tells us there's no reason why one
person shouldn't have more than one gift. You're not limited. Usually one is
all you can handle. But notice what the nine gifts are here. First and most
desirable (verses 9-10) are the intellectual gifts-very interesting. See,
before anything means anything to you at all, your brain and intellect must be
clear and active. Otherwise, you're not going to take everything in. And this
is our fatal weakness today, of course. We're becoming brain dead. That's the
thing that's emerging, as you see every day more and more. That's given as the
explanation now-we just don't have it. We're just not up with it. That's what
happened in the Roman Empire.
Then
there's the vital gift of healing, of putting things right. Then there is the
gift of mighty miracles. This is a useful one. He says the gifts are for our
profit. They're not for display. He tells us in verse 8 that the gifts are for
our profit. So these great miracles are for our profit. Then the gift of prophecy-who
has it? Since everything is conditioned, the Book of Mormon is all the prophecy
we need, actually. Prophecy is not office, as Brigham Young said; it's one of
the gifts. It's power to see invisible visitors, the visiting of angels. Some
people have it. I know some who have seen angels; many have seen them. It's
like these after-death experiences-they hesitate to report them. When you've
seen an angel or someone from another world-it's oftener than you think-but
people don't talk about it. It's only a few medical doctors who recently have
been putting their heads together [on this subject], beginning with Raymond
Moody, who [spoke] here at BYU. He said that these things happen oftener than
people realize, but [those who have them] are embarrassed to mention them. If
people haven't had them, you're not going to get anywhere with them, so leave
that alone.
Then
there's the useful gift of speaking in living tongues, as Joseph Smith tells.
That's for the spreading of the gospel among various nations, etc. Then last
there's the gift of understanding the ancient records, the ancient tongues.
Notice it makes a [distinction] between verses 15 and 16. One is tongues and
the other is the ancient documents.
So,
one person is not necessarily limited to one gift. They usually go together,
but all must come from Christ. He's the only intercessor. They're all
available, but we ignore them, he tells us in Moro. 9:19 . This is the trouble,
you see. We just have ourselves to thank for that. These gifts will never be done
away with. Then he says don't ignore them. Don't deny them. He keeps imploring
us not to do that. This is what he ends on. They're available, and we ignore
them. Our guilt, though suppressed, paralyzes us. We're not able to receive
them for this reason, you see.
Verse
22: "And if ye have no hope ye must needs be in despair; and despair
cometh because of iniquity." Good old Freud, you see. If you've been doing
the wrong things, you may cover them up and rationalize. That goes into your
subconscious, but boy will that cripple you! You'll never be able to accept the
gospel or anything else. That guilt will haunt you and paralyze you; it will
make you incapable of moving; it will give you ulcers and skin disease and
everything else. You must despair without hope, because of iniquity. So if you
have iniquity, you won't have hope. You can't entertain hope because you'll ask
the mountains and the rocks to cover you. After all, you can't get rid of it,
and you'll be aware of it.
So
if you do not believe you have it, you won't have it, he says in verse 24.
These were the Lord's words to Joseph in the grove, incidentally, here in verse
25. The first words he spoke to the Prophet were, "Behold the world at
this time lieth in sin, and there is none that doeth good- no, not one. And
mine anger is kindling against the inhabitants of the earth, to visit them
according to this ungodliness." Notice verse 25: "And wo be unto the
children of men if this be the case; for there shall be none that doeth good
among you, no not one." That was the condition the earth had reached at
the time the Father and the Son appeared to the Prophet Joseph in the grove. So
suddenly in verse 25 we find a great yawning gulf-what a terrible thing.
Verses
27, 29: "Did I not declare my words unto you…like as one crying from the
dead…Lay hold upon every good gift, and touch not the evil gift, nor the
unclean thing. " What is called the "filthy gift." Lucre, money,
in the New Testament is the unclean thing.
Verse
32: "Come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all
ungodliness [notice, he ends with a desperate plea here, calling out from the
other side of the gulf]…If by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can
in nowise deny the power of God." Then you're sanctified. But notice-it's
up to you to deny it. You have it. It's only if you put up a positive
resistance to it that you'll be able to evade it. He tells us do not deny the
power of Christ. You have to deny it actively if you're going to avoid it.
"…become holy without spot." And then in the end he says, I'll see
you later. We'll talk about these things later.
Go
hence to have more talk of these sad things;
Some
shall be pardoned, and some punished:
For
never was a story more of woe
Than
this of Juliet and her Romeo.
Shakespeare,
Romeo and Juliet, act V, scene 3 See Hugh Nibley, The World and the
Prophets, vol. 3 in The Collected Works of Hugh Nibley (Salt Lake
City: Deseret Book and F.A.R.M.S., 1987), 157.
Dr.
Nibley is translating from the old Nestle edition of the Bible. He said,
"It has thirty different texts with all the variant readings. You can see
if somebody disagrees with somebody else because no two are alike."
Dr.
Nibley translated it himself.
See
Hugh Nibley, The Prophetic Book of Mormon, vol. 8 in The Collected
Works of Hugh Nibley (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book and F.A.R.M.S., 1989),
411-13.
He
is quoting and paraphrasing from his Old Testament again.
Cf.
Hugh W. Nibley, "The Prophetic Book of Mormon," in The Prophetic
Book of Mormon, vol. 8 in The Collected Works of Hugh Nibley (Salt
Lake City: Deseret Book and F.A.R.M.S., 1989), 439-43.
He
is quoting from Hermann Hilprecht, The Earliest Version of the Babylonian
Deluge Story and the Temple Library of Nippur (Philadelphia: University of
Pennsylvania Press, 1910), 52-55.
Cf.
Hugh Nibley, "The Prophetic Book of Mormon," in The Prophetic Book
of Mormon , vol. 8 in The Collected Works of Hugh Nibley (Salt Lake
City: Deseret Book and F.A.R.M.S., 1989), 438.
(Hugh
Nibley, Teachings of the Book of Mormon--Semester 1: Transcripts of Lectures
Presented to an Honors Book of Mormon Class at Brigham Young University,
1988--1990 [Provo: Foundation for Ancient Re 277.)
M E R I D I A
N M A G A Z I N E
Lesson 48
“Come
Unto Christ ”
Moroni 7-8; 10
By Robert J. Norman
Moroni 7
Real Intent
In
Moroni 7, Mormon is addressing members who have sufficient hope to enter into
the rest of the Lord and who walk peaceably with the children of men (Moroni
7:3-4). Coming unto Christ requires a spiritual sensitivity acquired only by
those who are acting with no hypocrisy and with real intent (2 Nephi 31:13).
Even a good man can be considered evil when his heart and intent are not pure,
or he begrudges his service in the kingdom or to his fellowman. Thus, Adam was
taught that the Law of Sacrifice included doing
all things in the name of the Son (Moses 5:7-8). There is no
exception to this law and covenant. It is designed to influence our lives from
the time that we arise in the morning to our going to bed at night. It is to
influence the way we treat each person, the types of an employee or employers
that we are, the ways we dress and groom, keep our yard, take care of all of
our earthly stewardship, etc. To the Prophet Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery
the Lord commanded, "Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear
not" (D&C 6:36 ). These are protections for us so that we will not be
servants of the devil and so that we can follow Christ ( Moroni 7:11).
Judge with Righteous Judgment
Those who are thus oriented will be better equipped to judge correctly and not
judge that which is evil to be good. There is some "politically
correct" nonsense going around today that we should not judge. However,
Mormon makes it clear that it is given to us to judge so that we may know good
from evil. Elder Dallin Oaks has recently given an excellent talk on judgment
and the necessity of judging and the types of judgments that we make1. All things that persuade one to come unto
Christ and believe in him are of God. We ought to fear and tremble as we watch
references to God and Christ and the commandments slowly excised from our
schools and our culture. We, as a nation, are in the process of changing good
for evil and evil for good (Isaiah 5:20) and the Saints need to have a perfect
knowledge of how to judge. Evil is being labeled as good and vice versa. Those
things which lead us away from Christ and his commandments and to not serve God
is from the Devil, which Mormon says that we can know perfectly (Moroni
7:16-17). Judgment is serious business as we will be judged with the same
judgment with which we judge. Therefore, the light of Christ must be strong in
us so that we do not judge wrongfully. Some judgments must take time and we
must "search diligently in the light of Christ" so that we may know
good from evil. Satan is becoming sophisticated in his packaging and labeling
of evil. We must be careful or we may be duped.
Lay Hold on Every Good Thing
By mistakenly judging good for evil or vice versa, we run the risk of losing
the ability to lay hold of every good thing. The process of laying hold of
every good thing is given by Mormon.
1.
Use the light of Christ to judge correctly between good and evil (verse 19)
2.
Exercise faith (verse 21)
3.
The administration of angels (verse 22)
4.
Learn of Christ from the prophets (verse 23)
5.
In Christ is every good thing (verse 24) [do all in his name Moses 5:7-8]
6.
Live by every word that comes from the mouth of God (verse 25; D&C 84:44)
Miracles and Angels
Christ is a God of miracles and has it so designed that we are to have
"many miracles wrought by the power of God, day by day" (Alma 37:40).
Alma taught that the use of the Liahona and the miracles worked as Lehi and his
colony journeyed to the Promised Land were a type and shadow of our own lives
we travel to a far better land of promise (Alma 37:43-47). From the Lehi exodus
we learn that when they were slothful and forgot to exercise faith and
diligence the marvelous works ceased. Is it possible that we fail to see many
of the miracles because they were worked by "small means" (Alma
37:41) or they are categorized as "coincidences?" Both miracles and
angels appearing unto the children of men are needed so long as there is one
man on the earth to be saved (Moroni 7:36). These things are essentials in the
saving process and cease only because of unbelief. Without faith, miracles and
the appearance of angels "all is vain" says Mormon, "and awful
is the state of man" (Moroni 7:37-38). The Prophet Joseph Smith taught,
"We may look for angels and receive their ministrations."2 Elder Jeffrey R. Holland said this about the
administration of angels,
"I
am convinced that one of the profound themes of the Book of Mormon, one which
may not yet have been developed enough in our teaching of young people, is the
role and prevalence and central participation of angels in the everlasting
gospel story.
"May
I suggest to you that one of the things we need to teach our students, and one
of the things which will become more important in their lives the longer they
live, is the reality of angels, their work, and their ministry. Obviously I
speak here not alone of the angel Moroni, but also of those more personal
ministering angels who are with us and around us, empowered to help us, and who
do exactly that.
"Perhaps
more of us, including our students, could literally, or at least figuratively,
behold the angels around us if we would but awaken from our stupor and hear the
voice of the Spirit as those angels try to speak.
"I
believe we need to speak of and believe in and bear testimony to the ministry
of angels more than we sometimes do. They constitute one of God's great methods
of witnessing through the veil, and no document in all this world teaches that
principle so clearly and so powerfully and so often as does the Book of Mormon.3"
Faith, Hope and Charity
Mormon is very clear that our hope is to be raised unto life eternal, because
of our faith in Christ. He is also clear that one cannot have true faith and
hope without being meek and lowly in heart, which leads to charity. (Moroni
7:41-43). Is it any wonder that most of the televison programs and sitcoms
teach pride, vulgarity, sexuality and all those things that mitigate against
meekness and lowliness of heart? I see the young people try to emulate these
things in their conversations with their friends and in the way they treat each
other. The fear is that we as Church members are absorbing too much of the
world as Nephi warned us that many of us would do (2 Nephi 28:14). He says that
the humble followers of Christ would in many instances be taught by the
precepts of men. We are to become finely tuned spiritual instruments filled
with charity. We must shun these worldly images in our actions, dress and
grooming. After all, true charity is actually a gift from God given only to
those who pray with all the energy of their heart and are true followers of
Christ (Moroni 7:47-48).
Moroni 8
Little Children
The
issue of little children was taught beautifully by an angel of God presence
sent to King Benjamin. (See Mosiah 3:16-19)
Moroni 10
By the Power of the Holy
Ghost
It
behooves us as Latter-day Saints to know for sure, by the power of the Holy
Ghost, that the Book of Mormon is the word of God and to treat it with great
respect and search out the hidden truths contained therein. If we treat the
Book of Mormon lightly, we will be condemned and our minds will be darkened
(D&C 84:54-58). We are in a trial period with a "lesser part" of
Christ's teachings to see if the Lord will make "greater things"
known unto us from the larger plates. If we do not pass this trial of our
faith, the greater things will be withheld to our condemnation (3 Nephi
26:6-11).
Importance of the Gifts of God
The gifts of the Spirit are not gender specific. They belong to both female and
male. In Mark 16:17-18, the Savior taught that the gifts of the Spirit will
follow them that believe. Moroni, like his father Mormon, is quick to remind us
that the running of the kingdom depends on these gifts. If these things are
done away with then there are none that are doing good (Moroni 10:23-26). When
the kingdom is well and healthy it is filled with the Spirit. Those who are
expunging the things of this world out of their lives as they prepare for life
in a better kingdom will be blessed with the gifts of the Spirit.
Elder Bruce R. McConkie taught,
If
the saints are to be saved, they must accept, understand, and experience the
gifts of the Spirit. Since religion itself is of the Spirit, and deals with
spiritual things, it can be received and known only by the power of the Spirit.
Thus where the gifts of the Spirit are manifest, there is true religion; and
where the gifts of the Spirit are not manifest, there true religion is not. Hence,
in his farewell to the Lamanites, Moroni counseled: "I exhort you, my
brethren, that ye deny not the gifts of God, for they are many." (Moro.
10:8.)4
Come Unto Christ and be Perfected in Him
I think it is singular that the Book of Mormon closes with an appeal to come
unto Christ and to be perfected in him. We must understand that it is
ultimately the power of Christ that saves and perfects us. If we feel that we
have the power to perfect ourselves then we "deny his power." Moses
taught very clearly that only Christ (the LORD thy God who is Jehovah/Christ)
could circumcise our hearts (Deut. 30:6). King Benjamin taught this same
principle that only faith in Christ could change our hearts (Mosiah 5:7). They
only way we can make the changes necessary for perfection is to yield our
hearts to him (Helaman 3:35) to make them pure and sanctified. We are finally
reminded by Moroni, that the blood of Christ is in the covenant of the Father
(Moroni 10:33). Therefore, all covenants that we make imply that we know that
it is by the power of the atonement of Christ that will purify and purge us so
that we will be perfected in him.
Notes
1. "Judge Not" and Judging, Elder
Dallin H. Oaks, Ensign 1999, p.7
2.
Teachings
of the Prophet Joseph Smith , by Joseph Fielding Smith, Deseret Book Company,
Salt Lake City, Utah, 1976, p. 161
3.
"A
Standard unto My People," an address by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland,
delivered at a CES Symposium on August 9, 1994, Brigham Young University
4.
Doctrinal
New Testament Commentary, by Bruce R. McConkie, Vol.2, p.36
Moroni 7 – Moroni shares a Sacrament meeting
talk given by his father Mormon on Faith, Hope, and Charity, this was a time in
Nephite history where there wasn’t very much hope. This was given by the power of the Holy
Ghost, see Moroni 6. Mormon speaks of
higher things to the peaceable followers of Christ, their calling and election
being made sure.
(Moroni 7:5-20.) – God is watching us doing
well in a decadent world. We are enticed
both ways, following the Spirit gives us the guide to do good.
5 For I remember the word of God which saith by their works ye
shall know them; for if their works be good, then they are good also.
6 For behold, God hath said a man being evil cannot do that which
is good; for if he offereth a gift, or prayeth unto God, except he shall do it
with real intent it profiteth him nothing.
7 For behold, it is not counted unto him for righteousness.
8 For behold, if a man being evil giveth a gift, he doeth it
grudgingly; wherefore it is counted unto him the same as if he had retained the
gift; wherefore he is counted evil before God.
9 And likewise also is it counted evil unto a man, if he shall pray
and not with real intent of heart; yea, and it profiteth him nothing, for God
receiveth none such.
10 Wherefore, a man being evil cannot do that which is good;
neither will he give a good gift.
11 For behold, a bitter fountain cannot bring forth good water;
neither can a good fountain bring forth bitter water; wherefore, a man being a
servant of the devil cannot follow Christ; and if he follow Christ he cannot be
a servant of the devil.
12 Wherefore, all things which are good cometh of God; and that
which is evil cometh of the devil; for the devil is an enemy unto God, and
fighteth against him continually, and inviteth and enticeth to sin, and to do
that which is evil continually.
13 But behold, that which is of God inviteth and enticeth to do
good continually; wherefore, every thing which inviteth and enticeth to do
good, and to love God, and to serve him, is inspired of God.
14 Wherefore, take heed, my beloved brethren, that ye do not judge
that which is evil to be of God, or that which is good and of God to be of the
devil.
15 For behold, my brethren, it is given unto you to judge, that ye
may know good from evil; and the way to judge is as plain, that ye may know
with a perfect knowledge, as the daylight is from the dark night.
16 For
behold, the Spirit of Christ is given to every man, that he may know good from
evil; wherefore, I show unto you the way to judge; for every thing which
inviteth to do good, and to persuade to believe in Christ, is sent forth by the
power and gift of Christ; wherefore ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is
of God.
17 But whatsoever thing persuadeth men to do evil, and believe not in
Christ, and deny him, and serve not God, then ye may know with a perfect
knowledge it is of the devil; for after this manner doth the devil work, for he
persuadeth no man to do good, no, not one; neither do his angels; neither do
they who subject themselves unto him.
18 And now, my brethren, seeing that ye know the light by which ye
may judge, which light is the light of Christ, see that ye do not judge
wrongfully; for with that same judgment which ye judge ye shall also be judged.
19 Wherefore, I beseech of you, brethren, that ye should search
diligently in the light of Christ that ye may know good from evil; and if ye
will lay hold upon every good thing, and condemn it not, ye certainly will be a
child of Christ.
20 And now, my brethren, how is it possible that ye can lay hold
upon every good thing? – The answer is in Moroni 10, the 8 exhortations
Hope = Full expectation of a desired outcome,
this follows faith that has been exercised by the peaceful followers of Christ
who have overcome a decadent world.
The World (Great and Spacious
Building)
Faith Hope
Strait and Narrow Tree of Life – Love
of God Charity
Tribulations
– All experience this
The
Infinite Power of Hope
President
Dieter F. Uchtdorf
Second Counselor in the First Presidency
Hope
in God, His goodness, and His power refreshes us with courage during difficult
challenges.
My
dear brothers and sisters and friends, what a glorious day for us to witness
the announcement of five new temples by our beloved prophet. What a beautiful
day for all of us.
Toward
the end of World War II, my father was drafted into the German army and sent to
the western front, leaving my mother alone to care for our family. Though I was
only three years old, I can still remember this time of fear and hunger. We
lived in Czechoslovakia, and with every passing day, the war came nearer and
the danger grew greater.
Finally,
during the cold winter of 1944, my mother decided to flee to Germany, where her
parents were living. She bundled us up and somehow managed to get us on one of
the last refugee trains heading west. Traveling during that time was dangerous.
Everywhere we went, the sound of explosions, the stressed faces, and
ever-present hunger reminded us that we were in a war zone.
Along
the way the train stopped occasionally to get supplies. One night during one of
these stops, my mother hurried out of the train to search for some food for her
four children. When she returned, to her great horror, the train and her
children were gone!
She
was weighed down with worry; desperate prayers filled her heart. She
frantically searched the large and dark train station, urgently crisscrossing
the numerous tracks while hoping against hope that the train had not already
departed.
Perhaps
I will never know all that went through my mother’s heart and mind on that
black night as she searched through a grim railroad station for her lost
children. That she was terrified, I have no doubt. I am certain it crossed her
mind that if she did not find this train, she might never see her children
again. I know with certainty: her faith overcame her fear, and her hope
overcame her despair. She was not a woman who would sit and bemoan tragedy. She
moved. She put her faith and hope into action.
And
so she ran from track to track and from train to train until she finally found
our train. It had been moved to a remote area of the station. There, at last,
she found her children again.
I
have often thought about that night and what my mother must have endured. If I
could go back in time and sit by her side, I would ask her how she managed to
go on in the face of her fears. I would ask about faith and hope and how she
overcame despair.
While
that is impossible, perhaps today I could sit by your side and by the side of
any who might feel discouraged, worried, or lonely. Today I would like to speak
with you about the infinite power of hope.
The Importance of Hope
Hope
is one leg of a three-legged stool, together with faith and charity. These
three stabilize our lives regardless of the rough or uneven surfaces we might
encounter at the time. The scriptures are clear and certain about the
importance of hope. The Apostle Paul taught that the scriptures were written to
the end that we “might have hope.”1
Hope
has the power to fill our lives with happiness.2
Its absence—when this desire of our heart is delayed—can make “the heart sick.”3
Hope
is a gift of the Spirit.4
It is a hope that through the Atonement of Jesus Christ and the power of His
Resurrection, we shall be raised unto life eternal and this because of our
faith in the Savior.5
This kind of hope is both a principle of promise as well as a commandment,6
and, as with all commandments, we have the responsibility to make it an active
part of our lives and overcome the temptation to lose hope. Hope in our
Heavenly Father’s merciful plan of happiness leads to peace,7
mercy,8
rejoicing,9
and gladness.10
The hope of salvation is like a protective helmet;11
it is the foundation of our faith12
and an anchor to our souls.13
Moroni
in his solitude—even after having witnessed the complete destruction of his
people—believed in hope. In the twilight of the Nephite nation, Moroni wrote
that without hope we cannot receive an inheritance in the kingdom of God.14
But Why Then Is There Despair?
The
scriptures say that there must be “an opposition in all things.”15
So it is with faith, hope, and charity. Doubt, despair, and failure to care for
our fellowmen lead us into temptation, which can cause us to forfeit choice and
precious blessings.
The
adversary uses despair to bind hearts and minds in suffocating darkness.
Despair drains from us all that is vibrant and joyful and leaves behind the
empty remnants of what life was meant to be. Despair kills ambition, advances
sickness, pollutes the soul, and deadens the heart. Despair can seem like a
staircase that leads only and forever downward.
Hope,
on the other hand, is like the beam of sunlight rising up and above the horizon
of our present circumstances. It pierces the darkness with a brilliant dawn. It
encourages and inspires us to place our trust in the loving care of an eternal
Heavenly Father, who has prepared a way for those who seek for eternal truth in
a world of relativism, confusion, and of fear.
What, Then, Is Hope?
The
complexities of language offer several variations and intensities of the word hope.
For example, a toddler may hope for a toy phone; an adolescent may hope for a
phone call from a special friend; and an adult may simply hope that the phone
will stop ringing altogether.
I
wish to speak today of the hope that transcends the trivial and centers on the
Hope of Israel,16
the great hope of mankind, even our Redeemer, Jesus Christ.
Hope
is not knowledge,17
but rather the abiding trust that the Lord will fulfill His promise to us. It
is confidence that if we live according to God’s laws and the words of His
prophets now, we will receive desired blessings in the future.18
It is believing and expecting that our prayers will be answered. It is manifest
in confidence, optimism, enthusiasm, and patient perseverance.
In
the language of the gospel, this hope is sure, unwavering, and active. The
prophets of old speak of a “firm hope”19
and a “lively hope.”20
It is a hope glorifying God through good works. With hope comes joy and
happiness.21
With hope, we can “have patience, and bear . . . [our]
afflictions.”22
Things We Hope For, Things We Hope In
The
things we hope for are often future events. If only we could look beyond
the horizon of mortality into what awaits us beyond this life. Is it possible
to imagine a more glorious future than the one prepared for us by our Heavenly
Father? Because of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, we need not fear, for we will
live forever, never to taste of death again.23
Because of His infinite Atonement, we can be cleansed of sin and stand pure and
holy before the judgment bar.24
The Savior is the Author of our Salvation.25
And
what kind of existence can we hope for? Those who come unto Christ, repent of
their sins, and live in faith will reside forever in peace. Think of the worth
of this eternal gift. Surrounded by those we love, we will know the meaning of
ultimate joy as we progress in knowledge and in happiness. No matter how bleak
the chapter of our lives may look today, because of the life and sacrifice of
Jesus Christ, we may hope and be assured that the ending of the book of our
lives will exceed our grandest expectations. “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard,
neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared
for them that love him.”26
The
things we hope in sustain us during our daily walk. They uphold us
through trials, temptations, and sorrow. Everyone has experienced
discouragement and difficulty. Indeed, there are times when the darkness may
seem unbearable. It is in these times that the divine principles of the
restored gospel we hope in can uphold us and carry us until, once again,
we walk in the light.
We
hope in Jesus the Christ, in the goodness of God, in the manifestations of the
Holy Spirit, in the knowledge that prayers are heard and answered. Because God
has been faithful and kept His promises in the past, we can hope with
confidence that God will keep His promises to us in the present and in the
future. In times of distress, we can hold tightly to the hope that things will
“work together for [our] good”27
as we follow the counsel of God’s prophets. This type of hope in God, His
goodness, and His power refreshes us with courage during difficult challenges
and gives strength to those who feel threatened by enclosing walls of fear,
doubt, and despair.
Hope Leads to Good Works
We
learn to cultivate hope the same way we learn to walk, one step at a time. As
we study the scriptures, speak with our Heavenly Father daily, commit to keep
the commandments of God, like the Word of Wisdom, and to pay a full tithing, we
attain hope.28
We grow in our ability to “abound in hope, through the power of the Holy
Ghost,”29
as we more perfectly live the gospel.
There
may be times when we must make a courageous decision to hope even when
everything around us contradicts this hope. Like Father Abraham, we will
“against hope [believe] in hope.”30
Or, as one writer expressed, “in the depth of winter, [we find] within [us] an
invincible summer.”31
Faith,
hope, and charity complement each other, and as one increases, the others grow
as well. Hope comes of faith,32
for without faith, there is no hope.33
In like manner faith comes of hope, for faith is “the substance of things hoped
for.”34
Hope
is critical to both faith and charity. When disobedience, disappointment, and
procrastination erode faith, hope is there to uphold our faith. When
frustration and impatience challenge charity, hope braces our resolve and urges
us to care for our fellowmen even without expectation of reward. The brighter
our hope, the greater our faith. The stronger our hope, the purer our charity.
The
things we hope for lead us to faith, while the things we hope in
lead us to charity. The three qualities—faith, hope, and charity35—working
together, grounded on the truth and light of the restored gospel of Jesus
Christ, lead us to abound in good works.36
Hope from Personal Experience
Each
time a hope is fulfilled, it creates confidence and leads to greater hope. I
can think of many instances in my life where I learned firsthand the power of
hope. I well remember the days in my childhood encompassed by the horrors and
despair of a world war, the lack of educational opportunities, life-threatening
health issues during youth, and the challenging and discouraging economic
experiences as a refugee. The example of our mother, even in the worst of
times, to move forward and put faith and hope into action, not just worrying or
wishful thinking, sustained our family and me and gave confidence that present
circumstances would give way to future blessings.
I
know from these experiences that it is the gospel of Jesus Christ and our
membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints that strengthen
faith, offer a bright hope, and lead us to charity.
Hope
sustains us through despair. Hope teaches that there is reason to rejoice even
when all seems dark around us.
With
Jeremiah I proclaim, “Blessed is the man . . . whose hope
the Lord is.”37
With
Joel I testify, “The Lord [is] the hope of his people, and the strength of the
children of Israel.”38
With
Nephi I declare: “Press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a
perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye
shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end,
behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life.”39
This
is the quality of hope we must cherish and develop. Such a mature hope comes in
and through our Savior Jesus Christ, for “every man that hath this hope in him
purifieth himself, even as [the Savior] is pure.”40
The
Lord has given us a reassuring message of hope: “Fear not, little flock.”41
God will wait with “open arms to receive”42
those who give away their sins and continue in faith, hope, and charity.
And
to all who suffer—to all who feel discouraged, worried, or lonely—I say with
love and deep concern for you, never give in.
Never
surrender.
Never
allow despair to overcome your spirit.
Embrace
and rely upon the Hope of Israel, for the love of the Son of God pierces all
darkness, softens all sorrow, and gladdens every heart.
Of
this I testify and leave you my blessing in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
NOTES
1. Romans
15:4.
2. See Psalm
146:5.
3. Proverbs
13:12.
4. See Moroni
8:26.
5. See Moroni
7:41.
6. See Colossians
1:21–23.
7. See Romans
15:13.
8. See Psalm
33:22.
9. See Romans
12:12.
10. See Proverbs
10:28.
11. See 1
Thessalonians 5:8.
12. See Hebrews
11:1; Moroni
7:40.
13. See Hebrews
6:19; Ether
12:4.
14. See Ether
12:32; see also Romans 8:24.
15. 2 Nephi
2:11.
16. See Jeremiah
17:13.
17. See Romans
8:24.
18. See D&C
59:23.
19. Alma
34:41.
20. 1 Peter
1:3.
21. See Psalm
146:5.
22. Alma
34:41.
23. See Alma
11:45.
24. See 2
Nephi 2:6–10.
25. See Hebrews
5:9.
26. 1
Corinthians 2:9.
27. D&C
90:24.
28. See Romans
15:14.
29. Romans
15:13.
30. Romans
4:18.
31. Albert Camus, in John Bartlett, comp., Familiar Quotations, 17th ed.
(2002), 790.
32. See Ether
12:4.
33. See Moroni
7:42.
34. Hebrews 11:1.
35. See Moroni
10:20.
36. See Alma
7:24.
37. Jeremiah
17:7.
38. Joel
3:16.
39. 2
Nephi 31:20.
40. 1 John
3:3.
41. D&C
6:34.
42. See Mormon
6:17.
(Romans 5:1-5.) – Exercising faith during
tribulation and overcoming them gives hope.
Our faith proves we are not giving up.
Patience >> Experience >> Hope
1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God
through our Lord Jesus Christ:
2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we
stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
3 And not ony so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing
that tribulation worketh patience;
4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope:
5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed
abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
Moroni 10 – The 8 Exhortations (Teachings),
interestingly, they are in chiasm form.
Also, Moroni 10 is a 2nd witness to Moroni 7, Father and Son,
the gifts of the Spirit are given to the faithful
1. (Moroni 10:3.)
3 Behold, I would
exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be
wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember how merciful the
Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down
until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in your
hearts.
Read
the Book of Mormon remembering God’s mercy and ponder His mercy. From the creation of Adam to King Zedekiah in
the Old Testament Remember the Old Testament and the Book of Mormon.
2. (Moroni 10:4-6.)
4 And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the
Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye
shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he
will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.
5 And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all
things.
6 And whatsoever thing is good is just and true; wherefore, nothing
that is good denieth the Christ, but acknowledgeth that he is.
Ask
God if this scripture is not true. Show
a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, and the truth will
be manifested to you by the power of the Holy Ghost; if you follow this you
will know the truth.
3. (Moroni 10:7.)
7 And ye may know that he is, by the power of the Holy Ghost;
wherefore I would exhort you that ye
deny not the power of God; for he worketh by power, according to the
faith of the children of men, the same today and tomorrow, and forever.
The
power of God is the Holy Ghost. Judging
good things, Moroni 7:11-16-20
4. (Moroni 10:8-17.)
8 And again, I exhort
you, my brethren, that ye deny not the gifts of God, for they
are many; and they come from the same God. And there are different ways that
these gifts are administered; but it is the same God who worketh all in all;
and they are given by the manifestations of the Spirit of God unto men, to
profit them.
9 For behold, to one is given by the Spirit of God, that he may
teach the word of wisdom;
10 And to another, that he may teach the word of knowledge by the
same Spirit;
11 And to another, exceedingly great faith; and to another, the
gifts of healing by the same Spirit;
12 And again, to another, that he may work mighty miracles;
13 And again, to another, that he may prophesy concerning all
things;
14 And again, to another, the beholding of angels and ministering
spirits;
15 And again, to another, all kinds of tongues;
16 And again, to another, the interpretation of languages and of
divers kinds of tongues.
17 And all these gifts come by the Spirit of Christ; and they come
unto every man severally, according as he will.
Deny
not the gifts of the Spirit. All of
these gifts come by the Spirit of Christ (the Light of Christ) administered by
the Holy Ghost.
We
deny by:
A.
not praying
B.
not following the promptings of the Holy Ghost
C.
not really believing in it
D.
not asking or pleading for the gift
E.
not realizing its full importance
5. (Moroni 10:18.)
18 And I would exhort you, my beloved brethren, that ye remember that
every good gift cometh of Christ.
Every good gift comes from Christ
6. (Moroni 10:19-26.)
19 And I would
exhort you, my beloved brethren, that ye remember that he is the same
yesterday, today, and forever, and that all these gifts of which I have spoken,
which are spiritual, never will be done away, even as long as the world shall
stand, only according to the unbelief of the children of men.
20 Wherefore, there must be faith; and if there must be faith there
must also be hope; and if there must be hope there must also be charity.
21 And except ye have charity ye can in nowise be saved in the
kingdom of God; neither can ye be saved in the kingdom of God if ye have not
faith; neither can ye if ye have no hope.
22 And if ye have no hope ye must needs be in despair; and despair
cometh because of iniquity.
23 And
Christ truly said unto our fathers: If ye have faith ye can do all things which
are expedient unto me. – Moroni gives
his own witness of this truth, a 2nd witness to his father’s
words. Moroni 7:33
24 And now I speak unto all the ends of the earth—that if the day
cometh that the power and gifts of God shall be done away among you, it shall
be because of unbelief.
25 And wo be unto the children of men if this be the case; for
there shall be none that doeth good among you, no not one. For if there be one
among you that doeth good, he shall work by the power and gifts of God.
26 And wo unto them who shall do these things away and die, for
they die in their sins, and they cannot be saved in the kingdom of God; and I
speak it according to the words of Christ; and I lie not.
Christ is the same forever. These gifts will not be taken away unless
there is unbelief. Christ is no
respecter of persons; everyone is eligible to receive these gifts. An example of this principle happened during
the events surrounding the Kirtland temple dedication. Many member both leaders and lay members
enjoyed a great outpouring of the Spirit and received many gifts of the Spirit,
while others, even members of the 12 did not.
Why? It is because they were not
ready, spiritual manifestations are not based on a particular office or calling
but on individual worthiness.
Revelation
is one of the gifts of the Holy Ghost and is available to every worthy member
of the Church. Each righteous person is entitled to revelation in his or her
own personal life and in any responsibilities he or she may have. The Prophet
Joseph Smith said: "It is also the privilege of any officer in this Church
to obtain revelations, so far as relates to his particular calling and duty in
the Church." (HC 2:477.) He also declared: "No man can receive
the Holy Ghost without receiving revelations. The Holy Ghost is a
revelator." (TPJS, p. 328.)
Accordingly,
those who are saints indeed, those who have been born again, those who are so
living as to be in tune with the Spirit—they are they who receive revelation,
personal revelation, revelation which is the mind and will of God to them as
individuals. They know there are apostles and prophets directing the kingdom
who receive revelation for the Church and the world. But they as individuals
receive personal revelation in their own affairs.
And
there are no restrictions placed upon them; there are no limitations as to what
they may see and know and comprehend. No eternal truths will be withheld, if
they obey the laws entitling them to receive such truths.
Joseph
Smith and the prophets had revelation. They saw God, viewed the visions of
eternity, entertained angels, came upon Mount Zion, stood in heavenly places,
and had communion with the general assembly and Church of the Firstborn.
Of these very
experiences Joseph Smith said:". . . God hath not revealed anything to
Joseph, but what He will make known unto the Twelve, and even the least Saint
may know all things as fast as he is able to bear them."(TPJS, p.
149.)
.
. . Revelations are not reserved for a limited few or for those called to
positions of importance in the Church. It is not position in the Church that
confers spiritual gifts. It is not being a bishop, a stake president, or an
apostle that makes revelation and salvation available. These are high and holy
callings which open the door to the privilege of great service among men. But it is not a call to a special office
that opens the windows of revelation to a truth seeker. Rather it is personal
righteousness; it is keeping the commandments; it is seeking the Lord while he
may be found.
God is no respecter of
persons. He will give revelation to me and to you on the same terms and
conditions. I can see what Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon saw in the vision of
the degrees of glory—and so can you. I can entertain angels and see God, I can
receive an outpouring of the gifts of the Spirit—and so can you.
There
are goals to gain, summits to climb, revelations to receive. In the eternal
scope of things we have scarcely started out on the course to glory and
exaltation. The Lord wants his saints to receive line upon line, precept upon
precept, truth upon truth, revelation upon revelation, until we know all things
and have become like him. (Bruce R. McConkie, IE, December 1969, p. 85.)
(Daniel H. Ludlow, A Companion to Your
Study of the Doctrine and Covenants, 2 vols. [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book
Co., 1978], 1: 3.)
Faith >>>>> Repentance
>>>>> Covenant >>>>> Gift of the Holy Ghost
Faith >>>>> Hope
>>>>> Charity
Faith – Understand God’s will
Repent – Adopt God’s will
Baptism – Covenant to keep God’s
will
Holy Ghost – Receive the right and
get it from God
Those with the Holy Ghost in life do not have
despair (loss of hope), but it doesn’t mean there isn’t sorrow.
7. (Moroni 10:27.)
27 And I exhort you to remember these things; for the
time speedily cometh that ye shall know that I lie not, for ye shall see me at
the bar of God; and the Lord God will say unto you: Did I not declare my words
unto you, which were written by this man, like as one crying from the dead,
yea, even as one speaking out of the dust?
Remember these things that I am teaching you,
prophesies will be fulfilled. God will
tell us these things are true.
8. (Moroni 10:30.) – Moroni 7:20
30 And again I would exhort you that ye would come unto Christ, and lay
hold upon every good gift, and touch not the evil gift, nor the unclean thing.
By faith we come unto Christ, doing His will,
adopting His will as my own. Lay hold
upon every good gift.
(Moroni 10:32-34.) – We are perfected in
Christ by the gifts of the Spirit. Leave
the world behind, don’t give in to temptations, and love God with all of our
heart, might, mind, and strength.
32 Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny
yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all
ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his
grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if
by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power
of God.
33 And again, if ye by the grace of God are perfect in Christ, and
deny not his power, then are ye sanctified in Christ by the grace of God,
through the shedding of the blood of Christ, which is in the covenant of the
Father unto the remission of your sins, that ye become holy, without spot.
34 And now I bid unto all, farewell. I soon go to rest in the
paradise of God, until my spirit and body shall again reunite, and I am brought
forth triumphant through the air, to meet you before the pleasing bar of the
great Jehovah, the Eternal Judge of both quick and dead. Amen.
(Moroni 7:44-48.) – Charity = Atonement of
Christ
44 If so, his faith and hope is vain, for none is acceptable before
God, save the meek and lowly in heart; and if a man be meek and lowly in heart,
and confesses by the power of the Holy Ghost that Jesus is the Christ, he must
needs have charity; for if he have not charity he is nothing; wherefore he must
needs have charity.
45 And charity suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth not, and is
not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil,
and rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things,
believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
46 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, if ye have not charity, ye are
nothing, for charity never faileth. Wherefore, cleave unto charity, which is
the greatest of all, for all things must fail—
47 But charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever;
and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him.
48 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all
the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath
bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ; that ye may
become the sons of God; that when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we
shall see him as he is; that we may have this hope; that we may be purified
even as he is pure. Amen.
I
once told as a joke the story of a student who wrote in an exam that when we
are told that there were no poor in Zion, it meant that only the well-to-do
were admitted. To my amazement this is no longer a joke; most students are
surprised and sometimes offended to be told that that is not actually the
meaning of the passage. The objection to the law of consecration is that it is
hard to keep. We want eternal life in the presence of God and the angels, but
that is too high a price to pay! God has commanded and we have accepted, but
then we have added a proviso: "We will gladly observe and keep the law of
consecration as soon as conditions make it less trying and more convenient for
us to do so." And we expect Atonement for that?! We are clearly
told in the Book of Mormon that when God commands us to do something, no matter
how hard, he will open the way for us if we put our hearts into it: "For I
know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he
shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he
commandeth them" (1 Nephi 3:7). How fortunate for Nephi that the Lord did
not ask him to observe the law of consecration! And perhaps he should have
prudently waited until the coast was clear before going back to Jerusalem for
the plates.
The
key to keeping this commandment is, of course, faith, and faith is never
without hope (anticipating and envisioning the results), and neither of these
is of the slightest avail without charity (Moroni 7:41-44). So we pray with
energy for "charity which seeketh not her own self-interest" (see 1
Corinthians 13:4-5). For "this love which . . . [God has] for the children
of men is charity" (Ether 12:34); without it there is no "place . . .
prepared in the mansions of my Father" (Ether 12:37)—that is to say there
is no atonement. Charity alone should answer all our pious arguments for
putting the law of consecration on hold: "Ye have procrastinated the day
of your salvation until it is everlastingly too late . . . for ye have sought
all the days of your lives for that which ye could not obtain" (Helaman
13:38). Even lots of money cannot guarantee you security.
(Hugh
Nibley, Approaching Zion, edited by Don E. Norton [Salt Lake City and
Provo: Deseret Book Co., Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies,
1989], 593 - 594.)
Through
the continuing work of angels and the testimony of the chosen vessels of the
Lord to whom they minister, we may also have faith in Christ in our day if we
desire it. The believer's obligation is as it has always been. As the Master
explained it, "If ye will have faith in me ye shall have power to do
whatsoever thing is expedient in me. . . . Repent all ye ends of the earth, and
come unto me, and be baptized in my name, and have faith in me, that ye may be
saved." fn
The
miracles that accompany believers will be one of the genuine evidences that faith
continues in the present day, "for no man can be saved, according to the
words of Christ, save they shall have faith in his name; wherefore, if
[miracles] have ceased, then has faith ceased also; and awful is the state of
man, for they are as though there had been no redemption made" and
"all is vain." fn
That
kind of redeeming faith, Mormon taught, leads to hope, a special, theological
kind of hope. The word is often used to express the most general of
aspirations—wishes, if you will. But as used in the Book of Mormon it is very
specific and flows naturally from one's faith in Christ. "How is it that
ye can attain unto faith, save ye shall [as a consequence] have hope?"
Mormon asked. fn This is the same faith-leads-to-hope sequence that Moroni
used, saying, "Ye may also have hope . . . if ye will but have
faith." fn
What
is the nature of this hope? It is certainly much more than wishful thinking. It
is to have "hope through the atonement of Christ and the power of his
resurrection, to be raised unto life eternal, and this because of your faith in
him according to the promise." fn That is the theological meaning
of hope in the faith-hope-charity sequence. With an eye to that meaning, Moroni
7:42 then clearly reads, "If a man have faith [in Christ and his
atonement] he must needs [as a consequence] have hope [in the promise of the
Resurrection, because the two are inextricably linked]; for without faith [in
Christ's atonement] there cannot be any hope [in the Resurrection]." fn
Faith
in Christ and hope in his promises of resurrected, eternal life can come only
to the meek and lowly in heart. Such promises, in turn, reinforce meekness and
lowliness of heart in that believer. Only thorough disciples of Christ, living
as meekly as he lived and humbling themselves as he humbled himself, can
declare uncompromised faith in Christ and have genuine hope in the
Resurrection. These then, and only these, come to understand true charity—the
pure love of Christ.
And
what are the characteristics of such a love born of faith and hope?
"Charity suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth not, and is not puffed
up, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, and
rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things,
believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things." fn
The
essential nature of this transcendent virtue of charity is clear in Mormon's
declaration that without it we "are nothing," that of the many
Christian virtues, charity "is the greatest of all." fn This is consistent
with what Paul would later teach in slightly different language but to the same
end—that it matters not how many other virtues we possess or how many good
things we have done if true charity is lacking. Without true charity in the
heart of the servant, these good works would be as "sounding brass, or a
tinkling cymbal," and in the end they would be "nothing." The
means—or in this case the motive—is essential to the meaning of the end, the
action. In just the sequence that Mormon taught it, Paul affirmed that faith,
hope, and charity are the three great virtues that, as Christians, we must
cling to and try to demonstrate, "but the greatest of these is
charity." fn
It
is instructive to note that the charity, or "the pure love of
Christ," we are to cherish can be interpreted two ways. One of its
meanings is the kind of merciful, forgiving love Christ's disciples should have
one for another. That is, all Christians should try to love as the Savior
loved, showing pure, redeeming compassion for all. Unfortunately, few, if any,
mortals have been entirely successful in this endeavor, but it is an invitation
that all should try to meet.
The
greater definition of "the pure love of Christ," however, is not what
we as Christians try but largely fail to demonstrate toward others but rather
what Christ totally succeeded in demonstrating toward us. True charity
has been known only once. It is shown perfectly and purely in Christ's
unfailing, ultimate, and atoning love for us. It is Christ's love for us that
"suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth not." It is his love for us
that is not "puffed up . . . , not easily provoked, thinketh no
evil." It is Christ's love for us that "beareth all things, believeth
all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things." It is as demonstrated
in Christ that "charity never faileth." It is that charity—his pure
love for us—without which we would be nothing, hopeless, of all men and women
most miserable. Truly, those found possessed of the blessings of his love at
the last day—the Atonement, the Resurrection, eternal life, eternal
promise—surely it shall be well with them.
This
does not in any way minimize the commandment that we are to try to acquire this
kind of love for one another. We should "pray unto the Father with all the
energy of heart, that [we] may be filled with this love." fn We should try
to be more constant and unfailing, more longsuffering and kind, less envious
and puffed up in our relationships with others. As Christ lived so should we
live, and as Christ loved so should we love. But the "pure love of
Christ" Mormon spoke of is precisely that—Christ's love. With that divine
gift, that redeeming bestowal, we have everything; without it we have nothing
and ultimately are nothing, except in the end "devils [and] angels to a
devil." fn
Life
has its share of fears and failures. Sometimes things fall short. Sometimes
people fail us, or economies or businesses or governments fail us. But one
thing in time or eternity does not fail us—the pure love of Christ.
"I
remember," Moroni had said earlier, speaking directly to the Savior,
"that thou hast said that thou hast loved the world, even unto the laying
down of thy life for the world, that thou mightest take it again to prepare a
place for the children of men. And now I know that this love which thou hast
had for the children of men is charity; wherefore, except men shall have
charity [trying to demonstrate it in their own lives but, even more important,
being the worthy, willing recipient of it as given by Christ] they cannot
inherit that place which thou hast prepared in the mansions of thy
Father." fn
Thus,
the miracle of Christ's charity both saves and changes us. His atoning love
saves us from death and hell as well as from carnal, sensual, and devilish behavior.
That redeeming love also transforms the soul, lifting it above fallen standards
to something far more noble, far more holy. Wherefore, we must "cleave
unto charity"—Christ's pure love of
us and our determined effort toward pure love of him and all others—for without
it we are nothing, and our plan for eternal happiness is utterly wasted.
Without the redeeming love of Christ in our lives, all other qualities—even
virtuous qualities and exemplary good works—fall short of salvation and joy.
(Jeffrey
R. Holland, Christ and the New Covenant: The Messianic Message of the Book
of Mormon [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1997], 334.)
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