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Friday, June 26, 2015

2 Nephi 10, Alma 41&42 - What is the meaning of "restore"?

I have been very intrigued lately by how often I see a form of the word "restore" in the scriptures. I noticed it especially in a few chapters of the Book of Mormon. I will illustrate here what I found in the verses and how those verses changed my understanding of the meaning of "restore."

2 Nephi 10:2 says, "For behold, the promises which we have obtained are promises unto us according to the flesh; wherefore, as it has been shown unto me that many of our children shall perish in the flesh because of unbelief, nevertheless, God will be merciful unto many; and our children shall be restored, that they may come to that which will give them the true knowledge of their Redeemer."

As I read this verse I thought, What does it mean to be restored??

Verse 6 says that after the Jews crucify Jesus Christ and destruction comes upon them, those who are not destroyed will be scattered "among all nations." But "when the day cometh that they shall believe in me, that I am Christ, then have I covenanted with their fathers that they shall be restored in the flesh, upon the earth, unto the lands of their inheritance" (verse 7).

Restored = to be brought back; to return to a place of belonging

Verse 8 - "And it shall come to pass that they shall be gathered in from their long dispersion, from the isles of the sea, and from the four parts of the earth; and the nations of the Gentiles shall be great in the eyes of me, saith God, in carrying them forth to the lands of their inheritance."

Verse 10 - "But behold, this land, said God, shall be a land of thine inheritance, and the Gentiles shall be blessed upon the land."

Restored = brought back to something that was yours before; gathered in. This implies that you are "coming back."

I love the idea that God will "restore" us to a place where we belong as He gathers the righteous together.


Alma 41 & 42 use the idea of "restoration" in a different context. These chapters discuss the plan of restoration which includes the body and soul being restored together, and good being restored for good / evil being restored for evil:

41:2 "The plan of restoration is requisite with the justice of God; for it is requisite that all things should be restored to their proper order. Behold, it is requisite and just, according to the power and resurrection of Christ, that the soul of man should be restored to its body, and that every part of the body should be restored to itself."
41:3 "And it is requisite with the justice of God that men should be judged according to their works; and if their works were good in this life, and the desires of their hearts were good, that they should also, at the last day, be restored unto that which is good."
41:4 "And if their works are evil they shall be restored unto them for evil. Therefore, 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 the one hand, the other on the other--"
41:5 "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."
41:6 "And so it is on the other hand. If he hath repented of his sins, and desired righteousness until the end of his days, even so he shall be rewarded unto righteousness."
41:10 "Do not suppose, because it has been spoken concerning restoration, that ye shall be restored from sin to happiness. Behold, I say unto you, wickedness never was happiness."
41:12 "And now behold, is the meaning of the word restoration to take a thing of a natural state and place it in an unnatural state, or to place it in a state opposite to its nature?"
41:13 "O, my son, this is not the case; but 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."
41:14 "Therefore, my son, 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."
41:15 "For that which ye do send out shall return unto you again, and be restored; therefore, the word restoration more fully condemneth the sinner, and justifieth him not at all."

Restored = to reward good for good, bad for bad, etc.

These verses introduce the idea that everything will be restored or "brought back" to its natural state. God will reward each of us according to our works and the desires of our hearts. 
Alma 42 continues with this concept:

42:23 "But God ceaseth not to be God, and mercy claimeth the penitent, and mercy cometh because of the atonement; and the atonement bringeth to pass the resurrection of the dead; and the resurrection of the dead bringeth back men into the presence of God; and thus they are restored into his presence, to be judged according to their works, according to the law and justice."
42:27 "Therefore, O my son, whosoever will come may come and partake of the waters of life freely; and whosoever will not come the same is not compelled to come; but in the last day it shall be restored unto him according to his deeds."
42:28 "If he has desired to do evil, and has not repented in his days, behold, evil shall be done unto him, according to the restoration of God."

Thursday, June 18, 2015

Alma 36:28-29 - What do the scriptures mean when they say "From time to time"?

As I was reading Alma 36 I read about how God released the people from bondage "from time to time." I wondered if that meant "from one time to the next" or "every now and then"? Did God consistently release His people from bondage, or was it dependent on certain actions on their part?

In Alma 36:28-29, Alma says to his son Helaman (regarding God), "And I know that he will raise me up at the last day, to dwell with him in glory; yea, and I will praise him forever, for he has brought our fathers out of Egypt, and he has swallowed up the Egyptians in the Red Sea; and he led them by his power into the promised land; yea, and he has delivered them out of bondage and captivity from time to time. Yea, and he has also brought our fathers out of the land of Jerusalem; and he has also, by his everlasting power, delivered them out of bondage and captivity, from time to time even down to the present day; and I have always retained in remembrance their captivity; yea, and ye also ought to retain in remembrance, as I have done, their captivity."

As I studied further I noticed something important in verse 30: "But behold, my son, this is not all; for ye ought to know as I do know, that inasmuch as ye shall keep the commandments of God ye shall prosper in the land; and ye ought to know also, that inasmuch as ye will not keep the commandments of God ye shall be cut off from his presence. Now this is according to his word."

It seems to me that these scriptures are saying that God's mercy comes with our faith and obedience to His commandments. So "from time to time" would reflect how often His people choose to keep the commandments. Verse 28 could be interpreted to say, "he has delivered them out of bondage and captivity when they choose to follow his commandments." Verse 30 illustrates the principle that obedience leads to prosperity, and disobedience leads to being cut off from God. It seems, then, that God's deliverance is conditional upon our faithfulness.

Richard Lyman Bushman, in Believing History: Latter-day Saint Essays, illustrates a pattern of God's deliverances in the Book of Mormon: "Book of Mormon prophets saw the major events of their own past as comprising a series of deliverances beginning with the archetypal flight of the Israelites from Egypt. Alma the Younger pictured the Exodus from Egypt and Lehi's journey from Jerusalem as the first of a number of bondages and escapes. . . . Among those bondages reaching 'down to the present day' were those of his father and Limhi, who, like their illustrious predecessors, were 'delivered out of the hands of the people of king Noah, by the mercy and power of God. And behold, after that, they were brought into bondage by the hands of the Lamanites in the wilderness . . . and again the Lord did deliver them out of bondage' (Alma 5:4-5)." He writes of the benefits of understanding God's deliverances because "they illustrated so perfectly the familiar ways of God with his people. Events took on religious meaning and form as they followed the established pattern of divine intervention." Understanding God's patterns of deliverance in the past can help us predict the consequences of future events.

My biggest takeaway from these scriptures is that God's deliverance from our bondage is conditional upon our faithfulness to His commandments. When we are obedient, we reap the benefits of His mercy, and He delivers us.

Thursday, May 28, 2015

2 Nephi 30:15 - How does the "knowledge of the Lord" create peace and harmony on the earth?

The verses leading to 2 Nephi 30:15 illustrate a scene that would seem quite unusual for the world today: the wolf dwelling with the lamb; the leopard lying down with the kid, calf, and fatling, all led by a little child; the cow and the bear feeding together and their young ones lying down together; the lion eating straw like the ox; the baby playing on a hole of a snake, etc. This scene comes at a time of peace and righteousness on the earth, after the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ. This time will be called the Millennium.

2 Nephi 30:15 explains that "the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord." What is it about the knowledge of the Lord that will create this peace and harmony? The next few verses begin to answer this question.

"The things of all nations shall be made known; yea, all things shall be made known unto the children of men. There is nothing which is secret save it shall be revealed; there is no work of darkness save it shall be made manifest in the light; and there is nothing which is sealed upon the earth save it shall be loosed. Wherefore, all things which have been revealed unto the children of men shall at that day be revealed; and Satan shall have power over the hearts of the children of men no more, for a long time" (2 Nephi 30:16-18).

When I think of secrecy I think of mistrust, miscommunication, misunderstanding, and unsurety. Because all things will be made known in the Millennium, all these negative effects of secrecy will disappear.

I imagine being in a classroom learning new material and not understanding that material. My peers get together to study together, but they don't allow me to join. They are secretive about it, because they want to have an unfair advantage over the rest of the class. This would leave me feeling mistreated, lost, and frustrated. If I didn't understand the material I would not have the ability to do well in the class. However, with knowledge, I would be enabled to pass the class and continue to receive further knowledge. I would feel fulfilled and liberated.

It is a beautiful prophecy that in the times preceding the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, "wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of [our] times, and strength of salvation" (Isaiah 33:6).


In October 2013 general conference, President Dieter F. Uchtdorf said, "When the entire truth is eventually known, things that didn’t make sense to us before will be resolved to our satisfaction." All of us have questions, some of which will never be answered until we pass on to the next life. But letting those questions cause doubts lead us to stop progressing and gaining more knowledge. President Uchtorf says to "doubt your doubts before you doubt your faith. We must never allow doubt to hold us prisoner and keep us from the divine love, peace, and gifts that come through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ" (Dieter F. Uchtorf, "Come Join with Us").

It was necessary for Adam and Eve to exercise their faith in Jesus Christ after they chose to partake of the forbidden fruit. They were commanded not to partake of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. They were given a choice, and they chose to eat the fruit. With their choice came the ability for Satan to tempt and try God's children. Because of this, it was necessary for God to provide a Savior to redeem all mankind from the results of the Fall. Without gaining knowledge, Adam and Eve would never have had the opportunity to progress and become like God. They would never experience good and evil and understand the difference. They would never have the opportunity to exercise their agency. They would never experience true joy. (See 2 Nephi 2:22-23.)

The Bible Dictionary states that "knowledge of divine and spiritual things is absolutely essential for one's salvation. . . . The scriptures, and also living prophets, are given so that the people might have knowledge of things of God. . . . Knowledge is one of the endowments of the Holy Ghost and one of the gifts of the Spirit. . . . Since no one can be saved in ignorance of the gospel, and one progresses only as fast as he gains knowledge, it follows that the person who gains knowledge will have 'the advantage in the world to come' (D&C 130:18-19)."

Knowledge comes from the Spirit of God which is the Spirit of peace. The Spirit gives us knowledge "and power according to [our] faith and desires which are in God" (Alma 18:35). When we receive knowledge through the Spirit, we discover the mysteries of God and "all the riches of the full assurance of understanding" (see Colossians 2:2-3).

In Romans 15, Paul lays out the beauty of obtaining knowledge from the scriptures: "For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. . . . Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost. And I myself also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that ye also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another" (Romans 15:4, 13-14). With knowledge we can obtain hope, joy, and peace, because we understand what is good.


As stated in the scriptures, the knowledge of the Lord will fill the earth before the Second Coming of the Savior. "And this is according to the prophecy, that they shall again be brought to the true knowledge, which is the knowledge of their Redeemer, and their great and true shepherd, and be numbered among his sheep" (Helaman 15:13).

In the Book of Mormon, Mormon glorifies God as he illustrates his gratitude for the knowledge God has given to him and his people: "I am Mormon, and a pure descendant of Lehi. I have reason to bless my God and my Savior Jesus Christ, that he brought our fathers out of the land of Jerusalem, (and no one knew it save it were himself and those whom he brought out of that land) and that he hath given me and my people so much knowledge unto the salvation of our souls. Surely he hath blessed the house of Jacob, and hath been merciful unto the seed of Joseph. And insomuch as the children of Lehi have kept his commandments he hath blessed them and prospered them according to his word. Yea, and surely shall he again bring a remnant of the seed of Joseph to the true knowledge of the Lord their God. And as surely as the Lord liveth, will he gather in from the four quarters of the earth all the remnant of the seed of Jacob, who are scattered abroad upon all the face of the earth. And as he hath covenanted with all the house of Jacob, even so shall the covenant wherewith he hath covenanted with the house of Jacob be fulfilled in his own due time, unto the restoring all the house of Jacob unto the knowledge of the covenant that he hath covenanted with them. And then shall they know their Redeemer, who is Jesus Christ, the Son of God; and then shall they be gathered in from the four quarters of the earth unto their own lands, from whence they have been dispersed; yea, as the Lord liveth so shall it be. Amen" (3 Nephi 5:20-26).

The "knowledge of the Lord" is far more valuable than any other knowledge we could attain. Let us continue to seek knowledge so that we can be brought into the fold of God, and receive the peace and joy that comes from knowing our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Saturday, May 2, 2015

How many times will the Savior forgive?

I am the type of person who loves perfection. I love being in control of my life and doing things right. But I have one weakness that I have never seemed to overcome completely. I have always been an emotional eater, and at times it has gotten completely out of hand. There have been moments when all I could do was pray and give myself completely to God, knowing that I couldn't overcome this struggle on my own. Sometimes I have felt hopeless because I messed up again and again and didn't think I could ever overcome this weakness. I have wondered if the Savior really would help me again and again. And again. (To see a post I wrote about this, click on this link: "Food, Self Worth, and the Real Me" ... and here is the follow-up post.)

The following is a friend's recent post on Facebook. It was very timely, and something I needed to hear. She shares a beautiful testimony about families and the hope of eternal life, and then she illustrates the Savior's ability to forgive.

This is one of my absolute favorite pictures of Christ.



These past few months I've been challenging myself to recognize the blessings in my life and become more grateful for them. I am so so thankful for the atonement. Knowing that it is not the end when we have made mistakes is such a powerful thing to know. We have second chances. Third chances, fourth chances, and fifth chances even. However many chances it takes for us to get things right, The Lord is waiting and wanting to forgive. That knowledge to me is priceless. As long as we are striving, struggling, and desiring, the Lord is waiting with a forgiving heart and open arms. At times when I have made wrong choices and felt that I could not carry on, I have felt overwhelming peace and reassurance that the Lord has mercy and enough love to carry me through tough times. I'm thankful for trials big and small so that we are able to come closer to our Savior and have him help us through. I love knowing that we all have the same end goal in mind, just how we get there is different. I love love love the gospel with all of my heart, and my great family who would do anything for me. I'm thankful for a forgiving Savior and brother who has paid for my mistakes. I'm thankful for the knowledge that none of us are perfect, yet are capable of a perfect love, and lastly I'm thankful for our Father in Heaven who wants the best for us and is waiting until we are with him again.

Each of us struggles with something. And each of us messes up, sometimes once, sometimes twice, sometimes over and over and over again. How can the Savior love us enough to continue to forgive us?

Although we may feel otherwise, Jesus Christ wants to forgive us. In an April 2013 conference talk, Elder Craig A. Cardon said that Christ "does not excuse us in our sins. He does not condone our return to past sins. But when we repent and obey His gospel, He forgives us. . . . If we exercise faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, the enabling power of His Atonement strengthens us in our moment of need, and His redeeming power sanctifies us as we '[put] off the natural man.' This brings hope to all, especially to those who feel that recurring human weakness is beyond the Savior's willingness to help and to save." This last sentence is crucial in our repentance process, and it is a principle I am still trying to understand. For me, the most important thing to remember is that no matter how many times I sin, I can always come to my Savior and ask Him for strength to overcome my sins. It doesn't seem fair to me that I can mess up so many times and He will continue to give me chances, but because of that I am eternally grateful. He will never give up on me. Or anyone. The beauty of this principle is that "He allows for improvement over time rather than demanding immediate perfection." We have a lifetime to become like Him.

Monday, April 27, 2015

John 12:47-50 - Does Christ judge us for our sins?

"And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world. He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day. For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak. And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak."

These verses stuck out to me today because I have been reminded many times recently of the power of Christ's Atonement. I was asked to offer a prayer yesterday with a group of women after we had each shared our simple testimonies of Jesus Christ. I don't believe I've ever offered a more thankful and sincere prayer. I have recently heard several examples of the enabling power of the Atonement changing people to become better. My testimony of the power to change has grown, and Christ's sacrifice has become more personal to me.

These verses teach me that Christ was never here to judge us. His purpose was never to condemn us for our sins. His purpose has always been to help us and save us from our sins. He was sent to earth simply to accomplish the will of His Father, which was to teach His word and help people know how to find everlasting life through Him. It is not Christ who judges us--it is the word of God. When we sin, God's law condemns us, but when we repent and keep His commandments, His law saves and renews us.

Wednesday, April 22, 2015

Shifting gears...

Up to this point, this blog has included posts about doctrinal insights I've gained from asking questions and seeking answers from the scriptures and words of church leaders. My posts have been formal and straightforward, without much personal experience or testimony. I've realized recently that one of the most effective ways to reach people is to share personal experiences, so my posts are going to become less formal and more conversational. I want to share why I've been led to certain questions and what personal insights I have gained through studying those questions. I will still post doctrinal insights and references, but I will include much more of my own voice!

To start off...I will say that I have a deep appreciation for the scriptures. I need to spend time in them every day, not to check it off my list of to-dos, but to keep myself grounded in the truth. It's too easy to get caught up in all the voices of the world, so I need that daily pickup from the scriptures to bring me back to God's simple truths. I can't tell you how many times I have read the scriptures and thought, "Wait, I don't remember reading this before!" It's like God is speaking to me in words that I'm not actually reading. He speaks to me between the lines.

I will never have all the answers, but what I DO know is enough. It's enough to know that Jesus Christ is my Savior, He makes up for all that I do wrong, He helps me become better, and there is always hope when I do my best to follow Him. The more I learn, the more I realize I don't know, and the more I see the need to depend on Him. I'm grateful every day for my Savior, and I hope through my studies I can come to know Him better.

I will try to post at least weekly, to keep myself accountable for what I study. If I don't post as often...it's because I'm so caught up in answering a question and there's too much to study in just a few days :) Feel free to comment or send me your own questions!

Sunday, February 22, 2015

What is good and evil, and how can we tell the difference?

WHAT IS GOOD

The origin of the word “good” comes from the Middle High German/Indo-European gatern meaning “to unite, to join, to fit,” as well as the Sanskrit gadhya meaning “what one clings to.” Goodness is all about oneness, togetherness, and binding (see “Origin of the English word GOOD”, edenics.net/english-word-origins.aspx?word=GOOD).

The scriptures offer many ways to know that something is good.
  1. We can know something is good by comparing it to a seed (see Alma 32:28). If it is a good seed, and you don’t “cast it out by your unbelief . . . it will begin to swell within your breasts,” it will “enlarge [your] soul,” it will “enlighten [your] understanding,” and it will “be delicious to [you].” If the seed grows it is good, but if it does not grow it is not good (Alma 32:32).
  2. Whatever is light is good, because it is discernible (see Alma 32:35). 
  3. “Goodness” can be described by the following terms as outlined in the thirteenth Article of Faith: “honest, true, chaste, benevolent, [or] virtuous. . . . If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things.”
  4. That which is of God invites and entices us to do good continually. All that invites us to do good and to love and serve God is of God (see Moroni 7:13). 
  5. The Spirit of God leads us to do good, meaning He leads us to do justly, to walk humbly, and to judge righteously. The Spirit will enlighten your mind and fill your soul with joy (see D&C 11:12). 
It is important to remember the true source of all goodness: God. He manifests truth and goodness through the Spirit, so it is up to everyone to recognize truth for themselves. We cannot rely on other people’s understanding; we must seek it out on our own so we can receive the Spirit of goodness.

WHAT IS EVIL

The origin of the word “evil” comes from the Indo-European base upo meaning “up from under” or wep meaning “bad, evil.” It stems from several branches like [A] VaH meaning “to sin, to do wrong”; [A]VeN meaning “wickedness”; NaBHaL meaning “a vile person”; (N)aFaL meaning “to fall”; and APHayLaH meaning “darkness” (see “Origin of English word EVIL,” edenics.net/english-word-origins.aspx?word=EVIL).

In the Book of Mormon, Nephi explains certain evils that we should avoid (referencing the Ten Commandments):

"The Lord hath commanded that men should not murder; that they should not lie; that they should not steal; that they should not take the name of the Lord their God in vain; that they should not envy; that they should not have malice; that they should not contend one with another; that they should not commit whoredoms; and that they should do none of these things; for whose doeth them shall perish.

"For none of these iniquities come of the Lord; for he doeth that which is good among the children of men; and he doeth nothing save it be plain unto the children of men; and he inviteth them all to come unto him and partake of his goodness" (2 Nephi 26:32-33).

HOW CAN WE KNOW THE DIFFERENCE

1. LIGHT OF CHRIST
The way to judge between good and evil is as plain as the daylight is from the dark night. All people are given the “Spirit of Christ” or the “light of Christ” to discern between good and evil. In the Book of Mormon, Moroni explains that all that invites to do good and to persuade to believe in Christ is of God, therefore it is good. All that persuades to do evil and not believe in Christ and serve God is of the devil (see Moroni 7:15-17). If we “search diligently in the light of Christ” and “lay hold upon every good thing” we will know good from evil (Moroni 7:19).

How is this done? How do we “lay hold upon every good thing”? Moroni goes on to explain that it is through faith. Before the coming of Christ, prophets declared His coming, and God manifested many good things unto the children of men, which “good cometh of Christ; otherwise men were fallen, and there could no good thing come unto them” (Moroni 7:24). He explains that “by the ministering of angels, and by every word which proceeded 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 thus it was until the coming of Christ. And after that he came men also were saved by faith in his name . . . And [Christ] spake these words unto our fathers, saying: 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” (Moroni 7:25-26). Those who have faith in Christ will “cleave unto every good thing” (Moroni7:28).

The Bible Dictionary defines the light of Christ as follows: “The light of Christ is just what the words should imply: enlightenment, knowledge, and an uplifting, ennobling, persevering influence that comes upon mankind because of Jesus Christ” (Bible Dictionary, “Light of Christ,” 725; see also D&C 84:46-47).

2. RECOGNIZING THE SPIRIT
We recognize good by recognizing the Spirit. The following list includes feelings, thoughts, and impressions that the Holy Ghost gives:

- Gives feelings of love, joy, peace, patience, meekness, gentleness, faith, and hope
- Gives ideas in the mind, feelings in the heart
- Occupies the mind and presses on the feelings
- Helps scriptures have a strong effect
- Gives good feelings to teach if something is true
- Enlightens the mind
- Replaces darkness with light
- Strengthens the desire to avoid evil and obey the commandments
- Teaches truth and brings it to remembrance
- Gives feelings of peace and comfort
- Guides to truth and shows things to come
- Reveals truth
- Guides and protects from deception
- Glorifies and bears record of God the Father and Jesus Christ
- Guides the words of humble teachers
- Recognizes and corrects sin
- Gives gifts of the Spirit
- Helps to perceive or discern the thoughts of others
- Tells what to pray for
- Tells what to do
- Helps the righteous speak with power and authority
- Testifies of the truth
- Sanctifies and brings remission of sins
- Carries truth to the heart of the listener
- Enhances skills and abilities
- Constrains (impels forward) or restrains (holds back)
- Edifies both teacher and students
- Gives comfort
(See Preach My Gospel, 96-97.)

President Gordon B. Hinckley taught, “That’s the test, when all is said and done. Does it persuade one to do good, to rise, to stand tall, to do the right thing, to be kind, to be generous? Then it is of the Spirit of God. . . . If it invites to do good, it is of God. If it inviteth to do evil, it is of the devil. . . . And if you are doing the right thing and if you are living the right way, you will know in your heart what the Spirit is saying to you. You recognize the promptings of the Spirit by the fruits of the Spirit—that which enlighteneth, that which buildeth up, that which is positive and affirmative and uplifting and leads us to better thoughts and better words and better deeds is of the Spirit of God” (Teachings of Gordon B. Hinckley, 260-61).

How do we recognize the Spirit? “The Spirit speaks quietly, through your feelings as well as your mind” (Preach My Gospel, 96). The voice of the Spirit is neither “loud” nor “harsh.” It is “not a voice of thunder, neither . . . voice of a great tumultuous noise.” It is a “still voice of perfect mildness, as if it had been a whisper,” and it can “pierce to the very soul” and “cause [the heart] to burn” (3 Nephi 11:3; Helaman 5:30; D&C 85:6-7).

“The Spirit does not get our attention by shouting or shaking us with a heavy hand. Rather it whispers. It caresses so gently that if we are preoccupied we may not feel it at all. . . . Occasionally it will press just firmly enough for us to pay heed. But most of the time, if we do not heed the gentle feeling, the Spirit will withdraw and wait until we come seeking and listening and say in our manner and expression, like Samuel of ancient times, ‘Speak [Lord], for thy servant heareth’ (1 Sam. 3:10).” (“The Candle of theLord,” Ensign, Jan. 1983, 53).

3. SATAN’S DECEPTION
Many people believe good and evil are relative. But God’s goodness is real and unchangeable. Satan desensitizes people to all that is good because the sin becomes the “norm” of society. All that is good and moral becomes “intolerant” or “overly conservative” in the eyes of the world. And the line between good and evil becomes blurred.

There are times when something may seem good but in reality are evil. Satan often imitates the thing of God, but his imitation are of poorer quality or less value. These false spiritual gifts are real, and Satan uses them with the intent to “overthrow” us (see D&C 50:1-9). We can determine whether something is from God or Satan by the Spirit of Christ (see Moroni 7:15-17). Whatever does not edify us is not of God, and is darkness. Something that edifies makes us feel uplifted and makes us want to improve; it comes from God and makes us want to follow Christ and be better people. Things that are from Satan have a bad influence and try to lead us to disobey the commandments. “That which is of God is light; and he that receiveth light, and continueth in God, receiveth more light; and that light groweth brighter and brighter until the perfect day“ (D&C 50:23-24).

If we are having difficulty knowing if something is from God, the first thing we should do is ask God, “who giveth liberally” (D&C46:7). We are told in modern revelation that “if you behold a spirit manifested that you cannot understand, and you receive not that spirit, ye shall ask of the Father in the name of Jesus; and if he give not unto you that spirit, then you may know that it is not of God” (D&C 50:31). We can also talk to parents or trusted leaders.
(See “The Saints Are Taught to Recognize Good and Evil,” lds.org/manual/primary-5-doctrine-and-covenants-and-church-history/lesson-19-the-saints-are-taught-to-recognize-good-and-evil?lang=eng.)

To be sure we are not being deceived, we must earnestly seek the gifts of the Spirit for the intent to do good, not to “consume it upon our lusts” (see D&C 46:7-26).

AGENCY

1. ADAM AND EVE
One of the very first commandments Adam and Eve received was to not partake of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. God gave them an option, allowing them to use their agency to choose whether or not they would obey this commandment. When they partook of the fruit, Satan told them they would become “as gods,” knowing good and evil (see Genisis 3:5). They would be able to know sorrow as well as joy. From this experience, we learn that to know good from evil is to have knowledge, to have our eyes opened (see Genesis 3:6).

If they had not partaken of the fruit, they would have remained in a state of innocence, having no joy or misery, doing no good or sin (see 2 Nephi 2:23).If they had not transgressed they would not have had children and would never have known good from evil. They would never understand the joy of redemption and eternal life which God gives unto the obedient (see Moses 5:11).

All of us are “conceived in sin,” which means as we grow up we naturally conceive sin in our hearts. This is that we might taste the bitter and know to prize the good (see Moses 6:55). God’s greatest gift to us is our agency, our freedom to choose good or evil. We are “redeemed from the fall” and are “free forever, knowing good from evil, to act for [ourselves] and not to be acted upon” (2 Nephi 2:26). We are given all that we need to make a fair choice. We are “free to choose liberty and eternal life [through Christ], or . . . captivity and death [through the devil]” (2 Nephi 2:27).

We receive what we desire. “He that knoweth not good from evil is blameless; but he that knoweth good and evil, to him it is given according to his desires, whether he desireth good or evil, life or death, joy or remorse of conscience” (Alma 29:5).

God placed His children on the earth for a testing period. With our knowledge of good and evil, He gave us time to learn, grow, and repent. On earth we are cut off from God’s presence because of Adam and Eve’s transgression, but we still have access to God’s power to help us discern between right and wrong. There are certain consequences for each of our choices, and God extends mercy and justice accordingly.

2. CHOOSING GOOD OVER EVIL
When we choose the right, we are blessed; when we sin we are punished. This is according to the eternal, unchanging laws of the plan of happiness. “Now, repentance could not come unto men except there were a punishment, which also was eternal as the life of the soul should be, affixed opposite to the plan of happiness, which was as eternal also as the life of the soul. Now, how could a man repent except he should sin? How could he sin if there was no law? How could there be a law save there was a punishment?” (Alma42:16-17).

Sin brings remorse of conscience. In the Book of Mormon, Alma explains that if there was no law given, people could choose to do things like murder and feel no remorse. “Men would not be afraid to sin. . . . “But there is a law given, and a punishment affixed, and a repentance granted; which repentance, mercy claimeth; otherwise, justice claimeth the creature and executeth the law, and the law inflicteth the punishment; if not so, the works of justice would be destroyed, and God would cease to be God” (Alma 42:20, 22).

There is an important principle that must be acknowledged when discussing good versus evil; that is the principle of agency. Every individual on earth has the ability to make choices, or to exercise agency. Elder Alvin A. Dyer spoke of this principle in his talk “The Nobility of Man in Choosing Goodover Evil." He said, “Without a knowledge of good and evil, the divine principle of agency would be ineffectual.” It is not possible to “indulge heavily in both evil and good things at the same time.” This goes back to the principle Christ taught that “no man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other” (Matthew 6:24).

One way to determine the difference between right and wrong is to observe the results of one’s actions. “Man is the sum result of what he thinks and does. Habit can become a monster to tarnish and destroy, yet proper behavioral traits can bring lasting joy and achievement. The effect that both good and bad habits have on our lives is all too real to be ignored. Bad habits that violate the commandments of physical health (D&C 89) and of moral behavior (D&C 121) . . . will threaten and destroy all opportunities for real happiness.” We can know good versus evil by the fruits of one’s actions.

Let us all learn to choose good over evil, to discern between right and wrong. “Choosing good over evil and right over wrong is the crowning achievement of life, and in so doing man becomes the masterpiece of the Creator and fulfills the basic purposes of his mortal probation. . . . The fusing of ritual and commandment with everyday living calls for the best that is in us, that by our agency we may feel the affected condition by choosing good rather than evil, thus not only glorifying ourselves but glorifying Him who has made all things possible.”

Friday, February 13, 2015

Why does God give us weakness?

One definition of "weakness" as stated in Merriam-Webster is "a quality or feature that prevents someone or something from being effective or useful; a fault or defect."

As human beings, we are subject to the "natural man" which limits us from being completely "effective or useful." We have faults, simply because we don't understand everything perfectly and we cannot be perfect by ourselves. Part of God's plan is to allow us to go through trials so that we can learn and grow from them.

One of the most turned-to verses of scripture regarding weakness is Ether 12:27: "And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and 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."

In this scripture we are told that we are given weakness (singular) so that we might be humble and turn to Christ. This "weakness" is a general term that every human being born on the earth faces. Every person is limited in their abilities independently of Christ. But when we acknowledge our weakness and humble ourselves, Christ makes "weak things become strong" unto us.

In his second epistle to the Corinthians, Paul tells us that he glories in his infirmities because [Christ's] strength is made perfect in weakness." Paul states, "Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then I am strong" (2 Corinthians 12:9-10). (The footnote to "weak" in this verse takes the reader to "Humility" in the topical guide.)


The scriptures also tell us that the weak ones of the world will confound the wise and spread the kingdom of God. God restored the fulness of the gospel to the earth "to prepare the weak for those things which are coming on the earth, and for the Lord's errand in the day when the weak shall confound the wise. . . . And by the weak things of the earth the Lord shall thrash the nations by the power of his Spirit." (D&C 133:58-59)

D&C 1:19-28 states, "The weak things of the world shall come forth and break down the mighty and strong ones, that man should not counsel his fellow man, neither trust in the arm of flesh." We are given weakness so that we will not trust in the counsel of the world but in God. The verse goes on to list other reasons God relies on the weak ones of the world: "That every man might speak in the name of God the Lord, even the Savior of the world; That faith also might increase in the earth; That mine everlasting covenant might be established; That the fulness of my gospel might be proclaimed by the weak and the simple unto the ends of the world, and before kings and rulers." God even gave His commandments to His servants in their weakness, "after the manner of their language, that they might come to understanding. And inasmuch as they erred it might be made known; And inasmuch as they sought wisdom they might be instructed; And inasmuch as they sinned they might be chastened, that they might repent; And inasmuch as they were humble they might be made strong, and blessed from on high, and receive knowledge from time to time." All of these principles are a result of individuals exercising "weakness" or "humility."

It is the weak and the simple who spread the kingdom of God, because they are those who will be the must humble and rely on God in all things. "But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are." God chooses the weak things of the world to confound the wise "that no flesh should glory in his presence. But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord" (1 Corinthians 1:27). We are given weakness to remind us that it is through God that we receive all wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. We are given weakness so that we don't glory in ourselves but in God! He gives us limitations to remind us that He is in charge. It is only through Him that we are made strong.


In summary, here are several reasons we are given weakness:
- To humble ourselves enough to have the Spirit so we can spread the kingdom of God.
- To allow Christ's grace to make us stronger.
- That the power of Christ may rest upon us.
- To remember who we should trust in (Christ, not men).
- That we might speak in the name of God.
- That faith might increase.
- That God's everlasting covenant might be established.
- That the fulness of the gospel might be proclaimed.
- That we might understand God's commandments.
- That we might gain knowledge and blessings.
- To remember that God is in charge and we must glory in Him and not ourselves.
- To cause us to search for answers and rely on the Lord because we admit that we don't know everything.