Charity - The Pure Love of Christ

Charity, in the scriptural sense, has an esoteric quality.  It seems to be floating somewhere out there above and beyond the pale of daily life.. We can get in the trenches with faith or hope and the more temporal based commandments (thou shalt not steal), but charity seems nebulous and is slightly discomforting to us.  The word itself seems to demand something from us that is not congruent with how the structure of our temporal world begs us to operate. Christ's teachings that fall into this realm cause us to pause - turn the other cheek, pray for your enemies, give your cloak as well as your coat, go the second mile, give away all you have and follow Jesus.  Indeed, charity is not eye for an eye and tooth for a tooth and it is not me and mine..

Yet we are told by Paul and Mormon that without charity we are nothing.  Charity is the crowning virtue and required for eternal life.  The scriptures tell us that charity is beyond normal love and beyond our normal abilities to acquire.  Mormon charges us with the task of praying for charity with all energy of heart which indicates that charity is not just going to fall upon us unbidden.  Charity is a gift from the divine.  It is truly a heavenly, celestial virtue that must be sought after in opposition to this fallen, telestial state we live in.

There are many, many gut-wrenching needs in this world and "Charity," is the only true source of healing.

This past week I read the chapter in Larry Barkdull's book, No Poor Among Them on charity. I would like to share a few of his concepts and encourage a reading of the rest.

"The quality of love that motivates us to sacrifice to lift and save others is called charity"

"Charity refers more to what we do than what we feel."

"Charity forgives from enormous distance."

"Charity "is ... a condition or state of being."

"When Zion people give and receive charity they cease to be afraid: 'Perfect love casteth out all fear.'"

"Charity saves the lives of both the giver and the receiver."

"Charity is closely aligned with patience.  Patience means:
    "I will wait for you."
    "I will wait with you."
    "I will wait upon you."

"In patience we refrain from giving offense.  In patience we forgive multiple times.  In patience we show kindness when kindness is not returned.  In patience we offer brotherly love over an extended period.  Clearly, in patience we wait for, with and upon the Lord and his children."

"...we might point to charity as the preeminent virtue that transforms priesthood authority into priesthood power."

"Charity draws the Lord near....Conversely, when we fail to exhibit charity, we sense distance between the Lord and ourselves. "

"A fast that does not include extending charity to someone yields no more blessings than shedding a few extra pounds."

"On the other hand, a true fast that includes charitable service carries these promises:

•  loose the bands of wickedness
•  undo the heavy burdens
•  let the oppressed go free
•  break every yoke."

"The world is filled with so much need, and the Lord has placed within our reach the power to supply that need."     

"Uncompensated service is one answer, one good answer to overcome loneliness."

"Sometimes charity is a handout but it is always a hand up."

"The promise of charitable service is that of an abundant return.  President Marion G. Romney taught the following truth: 'You cannot give yourself poor in this work; you can only give yourself rich.'"

"Most certainly, charity is love in action, and that action always involves sacrifice."

"It is an immutable law that the more you give away the more you receive."

"Extending charitable service to the needy is a fixed requirement for all gospel laws.  ...Neither fasting nor prayer nor substantially any other law of God becomes valid or a principle of power without charity. ... Clearly, without charity, we are nothing." 

(All above quotes from Larry Barkdull, No Poor Among Them.)

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.

(Book of Mormon | Moroni 7:46 - 48)

Filling our Vessels with Light and Truth

Light and truth are eternal companions.  The greater the light the more truth is illuminated, perceived and understood.  Section 93 of the Doctrine and Covenants teaches in a brilliant way about the relationship of light and truth and it's application to our journey in mortality.  The Lord also warns us that the adversary does not operate in light and truth and one of his goals is to remove those precious qualities from our lives.  This basically sums up the battle of the universe.  The Lord tells us that if we "know" the truth, the truth shall make us free.  In D&C 93 the Lord defines truth for us:

24 And truth is knowledge of things as they are, and as they were, and as they are to come;

He then tell us than anything less than or above and beyond that definition is in the camp of the adversary.

25 And whatsoever is more or less than this is the spirit of that wicked one who was a liar from the beginning.

36 The glory of God is intelligence, or, in other words, light and truth.
37 Light and truth forsake that evil one.

Our goal as sons and daughters of God is to receive all truth or in other words, a "fullness" of truth.  That quest is directly related to the keeping of the commandments.

26 The Spirit of truth is of God.  I am the Spirit of truth, and John bore record of me, saying: He received a fulness of truth, yea, even of all truth;
27 And no man receiveth a fulness unless he keepeth his commandments.
28 He that keepeth his commandments receiveth truth and light, until he is glorified in truth and knoweth all things.

The commandments are our shield against the adversary as we pursue the path of truth, thus the vital importance of the first law of the gospel, that of obedience.  Obedience is not to confine us, to impede us but to protect us so that we can grow.   

31 Behold, here is the agency of man, and here is the condemnation of man; because that which was from the beginning is plainly manifest unto them, and they receive not the light.
32 And every man whose spirit receiveth not the light is under condemnation.

39 And that wicked one cometh and taketh away light and truth, through disobedience, from the children of men, and because of the tradition of their fathers.

Somehow our acts of disobedience gives the adversary access to our souls where he can bleed us of light and truth.  I like to think that obedience to the commandments places the armor of God upon us so we are impervious to the fiery darts of the adversary.  Our vessels remain without fissure. 

 24 And I said unto them that it was the word of God; and whoso would hearken unto the word of God, and would hold fast unto it, they would never perish; neither could the temptations and the fiery darts of the adversary overpower them unto blindness, to lead them away to destruction.

(Book of Mormon | 1 Nephi 15:24)

8 Yet you should have been faithful; and he would have extended his arm and supported you against all the fiery darts of the adversary; and he would have been with you in every time of trouble.

(Doctrine and Covenants | Section 3:8)

Disobedience allows us to be wounded in our spirits.  If those wounds are not healed by the atonement of Jesus Christ we will continue to bleed spiritually in some way or we will perhaps only partially heal with scar tissue in place of true regeneration through the Savior.  Thus one of the greatest task of parenthood is to teach our children the importance of obedience to the commandments of God and repentance because humans are mortal and will disobey either purposefully or ignorantly.

40 But I have commanded you to bring up your children in light and truth.
41 But verily I say unto you, my servant Frederick G. Williams, you have continued under this condemnation;
42 You have not taught your children light and truth, according to the commandments; and that wicked one hath power, as yet, over you, and this is the cause of your affliction.

(Doctrine and Covenants | Section 93:24 - 42)

In thinking about this subject I also wonder if we have the ability to hurt each other and cause wounds that allow the adversary access to bleed a victim of light and truth.  In this case the atonement is also the answer.  The act of forgiveness and turning to the Savior can heal us of wounds inflicted either purposefully or inadvertently by others.  The power of the priesthood has been given to us to use as a healer of spiritual wounds whatever may be the cause.  Those wounds can be sealed off so that the adversary can no longer cause spiritually searing damage to our souls.  

There is much we can do to heal the wounds in ourselves and in our children and increase our access to light and truth and to create vessels of our souls to hold those spiritual acquisitions until we receive a "fullness" in the perfect day.  May we pray, repent, forgive, obey and use the priesthood power the Lord has placed among us.

The Law of Love

"Only people who live the law of consecration can eradicate poverty from the earth.  While improvements in the condition of man can be achieved by employing other methods, the law of consecration is and always has been the ultimate way by which the complete population of the poor is permanently rescued and elevated.  How is this possible?  Because beyond all other considerations,  law or covenant of consecration is a law of love."     
     
                                                                 Larry Barkdull - No Poor Among Them, p.85
                                                                 http://www.pillarsofzion.com/

The "True" and "The Truth"

Truth - Library of Congress, Thomas Jefferson Building

 I attended a class taught by Ronald Bartholomew at BYU's Education Week.  Among the many insightful ideas he presented on the atonement was an interesting observation that Satan, the adversary, often uses "the true" to divert us from "the truth." 

Some examples:

Bodies:

The truth is that we have come to earth to get a body in this stage of our eternal progression.  Our body will one day be perfected and resurrected.  Our body is a gift from God and a temple in which our spirit resides.  Though not perfect here in mortality, one day our body will be perfected.  In the meantime it is a wonderful, useful tool to aid us in our eternal progression and our experience here in mortality. 

True statements about our body might be that it is too short, tall, thin, fat, ugly and not at all like the air-brushed version in the magazines.  These "true" statements can mask "the truth" about our bodies and focus us on spending too much time, effort, thought and money in achieving the "perfect" body in a temporal sense and in the process we forget why we are here and why we have a body.

Children:

The truth about children is that they are an heritage of the Lord.  Having children allows us to participate with God in providing bodies for his spirit children.  Children will ultimately bring us the greatest happiness and joy both here in this life and in the eternities.  Careers and other temporal achievements have their end but the family unit is eternal.  People, especially family are what life is about.  Children help us grow. 

True statements about children are that they come as babies and babies cry.  They keep you up at night.  You have to change their diapers and wipe up spit-up.  They are exhausting.  They tie you down.  Having a baby changes your body (often not in desirable ways!)  They grow up to be teenagers.  If you have more than one they fight with each other.  They are expensive! All of these statements are a version of reality and if we focus on them we may choose to not participate or limit our participation in the parenting process and forfeit the inexplicable joy that comes from having children. 

Marriage:

The truth:  Marriage is ordained of God.  One of the purposes of this life or the next is to seek an eternal companion and to develop the qualities of a loving spouse.  There is joy in the marriage relationship.  Through marriage we learn unselfishness, sacrifice, charity, forgiveness, repentance.  Marriage is the best laboratory for gospel living.  We can grow together in a companionship in ways we could never do alone. Marriage is affirming and fulfilling in the long-range perspective.

It is true that it can be hard living with another person unlike yourself.  Marriage ties you down to obligations.  Marriage requires putting your own needs aside.  Men can be louts.  Women can be nags.  Marriage is responsibility.  Single people are still having fun and you, the married person, are not!  Marriage is expensive.  Marriage can interfere with careers.  Many people get divorced.  Some people are miserable in their marriages.

Perspective can make all the difference and focusing on the eternal truths about marriage can lift us up, get us through and encourage us to make the hard choices to be a trusted marriage partner upon whom our spouse can rely.  Becoming fixated on the negative, though true, aspects of marriage is like putting a pebble up to your eye so that you no longer see the big picture and the beautiful vistas on the horizons. 

There are other applications.  What is "the truth" about an individual, a church leader, a neighbor, our job, our nation.  True is often used in adversarial ways to manipulate thinking or action.  We need to stay focused on the big picture "truth."  Interesting idea to think about.

True Happiness

  
"Elder McConkie said that true happiness 'is a gift of the spirit.  It comes from the Holy Ghost.'....
Therefore the more faithfilled, repentant, humble, and Zion-like we become the more joy we experience.  Moreover our seeking the establishment of  Zion in our own lives will serve to dispel sadness and result in a high degree of joy."  

Larry Barkdull - Portrait of a Zion Person p.12-13.  

Zion

 At BYU Education week this year (2012) I ran into a series of books by Larry Barkdull on Zion.  They caught my attention so I purchased several of them (I think there are seven in the series.)  I was not disappointed.  They are thorough, thoughtful, well documented and invite soul-searching in an insightful way.   In true Zion spirit they can be downloaded in PDF file format without charge or electronic and hard copies can be purchased. 

“Call to me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.” (Jeremiah 33:3)

Faith That Moves Mountains....

Edward Lear -  Mt. Sinai 2

I know that faith can move mountains.  I also know that the kind of faith that moves mountains requires a spiritual labor we are not often willing to perform.  Alma alludes to this exertion when he says:


5 And I trust, according to the Spirit of God which is in me, that I shall also have joy over you; nevertheless I do not desire that my joy over you should come by the cause of so much afflictions and sorrow which I have had for the brethren at Zarahemla, for behold, my joy cometh over them after wading through much affliction and sorrow.

(Book of Mormon | Alma 7:5)

It's the wading part that often deters us.  And where other people are concerned it also involves charity and a willingness to to make sacrifices and offerings in their behalf which include our prayers, fasting, our time and an outpouring of spiritual energy in their behalf.  It means truly being unselfish.  Scott Peck in The Road Less Traveled labels laziness as the opposite of love.  How true!  I wonder what mountains we could move if we weren't so spiritually lazy.

Nephi records:

3 But I, Nephi, have written what I have written, and I esteem it as of great worth, and especially unto my people.  For I pray continually for them by day, and mine eyes water my pillow by night, because of them; and I cry unto my God in faith, and I know that he will hear my cry.

(Book of Mormon | 2 Nephi 33:3)

Nephi's whole heart and soul was motivated by his love for God and his desires for the blessing of his people.  

Last night I was reading Elder Eyring's First Presidency in the the June Ensign - Called of God and Sustained by the People  The entire message is strengthening but this part in particular struck me as I have been thinking about the power of faith in our lives and it's ability to make the gospel "work" for us.

"Years ago an 18-year-old student showed me what it means to sustain the Lord’s servants. I am still blessed by his humble example.

He had just begun his first year in college. He was baptized less than a year before he left home to begin his studies at a large university. There I served as his bishop.

As the school year began, I had a brief interview with him in the bishop’s office. I remember little of that first conversation except that he spoke of his challenges in a new place, but I will never forget our second conversation.

He asked to see me in my office. I was surprised when he said, “Could we pray together, and may I be voice?” I was about to say that I had already prayed and expected that he had as well. Instead I agreed.

He began his prayer with a testimony that he knew the bishop was called of God. He asked God to tell me what he should do in a matter of great spiritual consequence. The young man told God he was sure the bishop already knew his needs and would be given the counsel needed to hear.

As he spoke, the specific dangers he would face came to my mind. The counsel was simple but given in great clarity: pray always, obey the commandments, and have no fear."

Elder Eyring used this as an example of how our sustaining influence sustains and enables our leaders. I saw it as an example of one who is using his faith to move mountains.  I believe we can all do that if we lay aside our spiritual lethargy, our doubt and labor in faith.  Doing it is not as hard as it seems.  It's the deciding to do it that is the hard part.  It's making the commitment.  

Alma talks of the price of spiritual knowledge:

45 And this is not all.  Do ye not suppose that I know of these things myself?  Behold, I testify unto you that I do know that these things whereof I have spoken are true.  And how do ye suppose that I know of their surety?
46 Behold, I say unto you they are made known unto me by the Holy Spirit of God.  Behold, I have fasted and prayed many days that I might know these things of myself.  And now I do know of myself that they are true; for the Lord God hath made them manifest unto me by his Holy Spirit; and this is the spirit of revelation which is in me.

(Book of Mormon | Alma 5:45 - 46)

As we are all human and are growing in the gospel  we are also in the process of growing our faith but isn't it interesting that the new convert in Elder Eyring's story brought an active and firm faith to the table without years of "trying" to get there.  I don't think great faith is as much a matter of time (although the evidence of faith is gathered over time) as it is belief, humility, charity and desire and laying aside the things of the world..  New converts have often just taken steps of putting off the natural man, leaving their old life behind, making covenants, moving into a new life.  They are alive in Christ.  I guess the question for those of us who have been around for a while is "How alive in Christ are we?"

26 And now behold, I say unto you, my brethren, if ye have experienced a change of heart, and if ye have felt to sing the song of redeeming love, I would ask, can ye feel so now?
(Book of Mormon | Alma 5:26)



(As you can see, I have been reading in Alma this week.)

The Book of Mormon: A Type and Shadow.

"Behold, my soul delighteth in proving unto my people the truth of the coming of Christ; for, for this end hath the law of Moses been given;  and all things which have been given of God from the beginning of the world, unto man, are the typifying of him."  2 Ne 11:4

I was studying types and shadows in preparation for the Gospel Doctrine lesson I taught Sunday on Abinadi.  I ran into this comparison developed by Robert Norman, (LDS Institute at the University of Utah.  Quoted in an article entitled Abinadi, The Message and the Martyr by Todd B. Parker.)  It outlines a comparison between Christ and the coming forth of the Book of Mormon. Nephi says all things given by God are the typifying of him,  The coming forth of The Book of Mormon —a witness for Christ—is also a type and shadow of the mission of Jesus Christ. 


"The Book of Mormon's coming forth was declared by an angel named Moroni; Christ's coming forth was declared by an angel named Gabriel. The Book of Mormon came forth in time of apostasy, to restore truth; Jesus Christ came in the meridian of time to an apostate Israel, to restore truth. The Book of Mormon was laid away in a stone receptacle; Christ was laid away in a stone receptacle. The Book of Mormon was taken from that receptacle by a man named Joseph; Christ was put into the receptacle by a man named Joseph. The Book of Mormon came forth after the stone was moved away; Christ came forth after the stone was moved away. At the Book of Mormon's coming forth, an angel, Moroni, was there to see the coming forth of the plates from the receptacle; at Christ's coming forth, an angel was there to oversee his coming forth from the tomb.  The first to see the plates, Joseph, was forbidden to touch them at first; the first to see Jesus, Mary, was forbidden to touch him.  [John 20:17].  The Book of Mormon was attested to by twelve witnesses, the three and the eight plus Joseph; Jesus Christ had twelve special witnesses. The Book of Mormon is the word of God; of Jesus, the scriptures say: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God" (John 1:1). The Book of Mormon teaches the fulness of the gospel; Christ taught the fulness. The Book of Mormon is the keystone of our religion; Christ is the cornerstone. All things testify of Christ."  Todd B. Parker

Christ, the Sure Foundation

 Not your mother or your father.  Not your best friend.  Not the brilliant philosopher nor the scintillating professor..  Not the politically correct public figure.  Not the cultural guru.  Not the bishop, nor the religion teacher. 

12 And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall.  (Book of Mormon | Helaman 5:12)

This morning as I was saying my prayers I began to think about how truly profound the concept is that we must build our foundation upon our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God.   We are so often tempted to build foundations elsewhere.  We look to others, friends, family, associates, leaders.  We look to philosophies, sciences, the learning of men;. We look to governments, organizations and institutions.  Even the church, as important as it is cannot be the "Sure" foundation.  All of these sources have offerings that are important but they are infallible.   Christ is the only perfect being, the only Sure way.   If our foundation is build upon Christ we can then turn to serve and lift and be a strength in our relationships, in our endeavors, in our activities.  We can further His work in the church without being dismayed at the imperfections of it's members or leaders.  We are not swayed by the philosophies of men.  We may experience fog or disorientation for a time but we will survive the storm.  Our foundation will be Sure.

How to we build our foundation upon Christ?  In my mind we study his words and teachings.  We build a relationship with him through humble prayer.  We partake of the ordinances and covenants which symbolize His atonement and bring added power of faith into our lives.  We repent of our sins.  We follow his commandments and example.  We lift and serve our fellowmen.  We seek humility and teachability.

That Ye May Be Filled With Love

This 1768 parchment (612×502 mm) by Jekuthiel Sofer emulated the 1675 Ten Commandments at the Amsterdam Esnoga synagogue

Our society has for the most part forgotten the connection between love and restraint.  

4 And also that they might give thanks to the Lord their God, who had brought them out of the land of Jerusalem, and who had delivered them out of the hands of their enemies, and had appointed just men to be their teachers, and also a just man to be their king, who had established peace in the land of Zarahemla, and who had taught them to keep the commandments of God, that they might rejoice and be filled with love towards God and all men.

(Book of Mormon | Mosiah 2:4)

Genuinely keeping the commandments of God results in personal development that turns one outward. The result is that we experience greater joy and are more likely to be filled with love towards both God and all men.  Alma’s counsel to Shiblon also connects the idea of love with reining in individual desires which is an element of keeping the commandments of God:

12 Use boldness, but not overbearance; and also see that ye bridle all your passions, that ye may be filled with love; see that ye refrain from idleness.

(Book of Mormon | Alma 38:12)

Alway Before our Eyes

5 I say unto you, my sons, were it not for these things, which have been kept and preserved by the hand of God, that we might read and understand of his mysteries, and have his commandments always before our eyes, that even our fathers would have dwindled in unbelief, and we should have been like unto our brethren, the Lamanites, who know nothing concerning these things, or even do not believe them when they are taught them, because of the traditions of their fathers, which are not correct.

(Book of Mormon | Mosiah 1:5)

In Mosiah 1:5 King Benjamin uses a phrase I love,  “and have his commandments always before our eyes….”  We do need to cast our eyes upon the word of God daily or we drift and dwindle in unbelief.  That is the nature of our mortal beings.  The other benefit King Benjamin give us in partaking of the scriptures iis so we might “understand of his mysteries.”  The mysteries of godliness won’t just float into our lives.  Like the pearl of great price Christ talks about in Matthew, we have to seek them and treasure them in order to have them opened up unto us. 

I am so grateful for the Book of Mormon and for the sacrifices many have made over thousands of years in order that we might have it “before our eyes.”    

Jacob 4:6 - A Key to Mighty Faith

Tucked away in Jacob 4:6 is a beautiful little formula for developing mighty faith.  

6 Wherefore, we search the prophets, and we have many revelations and the spirit of prophecy; and having all these witnesses we obtain a hope, and our faith becometh unshaken, insomuch that we truly can command in the name of Jesus and the very trees obey us, or the mountains, or the waves of the sea.  (Book of Mormon | Jacob 4:6)

The words of the prophets are found in the scriptures and from the mouths of the living prophets.  We don’t just hear them but we search them.   We seek greater light and knowledge and greater understanding.  Our searching provides witnesses upon which we obtain hope that these things are true.  Not a passive hope but an active motivation to reach for those things for which we hope.  The scriptural hope is much more substantive than the wishful meaning behind our daily usage of that word. 

One dictionary definition of  hope is: desire with expectation of obtainment.  I like the phrase "expectation of obtainment" and think that that expectation coupled with desire is a good description of scriptural hope.

An article in the Britannica Encyclopedia further describes Christian hope:

“Hope, in Christian thought is one of the three theological virtues, the others being faith and charity (love). It is distinct from the latter two because it is directed exclusively toward the future, as fervent desire and confident expectation. When hope has attained its object, it ceases to be hope and becomes possession…The ancient Greeks used the term hope (elpis) in reference to an ambiguous, open-ended future; but the Resurrection of Jesus Christ gave the term, for Christians, a positive expectation and a moral quality. Throughout the New Testament, Christian hope is closely tied to the ultimate hope of the return of Jesus Christ as the judge of the living and the dead. Yet this eschatological hope does not eliminate intermediate hopes for lesser goods, even for material blessings.”

John Welch wrote an article entitled The Power of Evidence in the Nurturing of Faith that is worth a read.  http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=8&chapid=60  Witnesses (in the case of Jacob 4:6 we gain these witnesses through revelation by searching the prophets) help lead to hope which leads us to an unshaken faith, the kind that can move mountains and calm the waves of the sea.  If only we truly believed these words our faith would be more than a belief.  It would become a mighty power in our lives. 

The "Cannot" Scriptures

There are several ways that the word “cannot” is used in the scriptures.  

The first has to do with human inability where there are declarations that one cannot do more because of limitations of time, space or strength.  This is how we commonly use the word cannot in our everyday language.  “I can’t do more than I’m already doing.  I can’t go to the store right now because….”   This usage of the word “cannot” has many variables and is not particularly pertinent as far as teaching doctrines of the gospel.   An example of this use of “cannot” in the scriptures is as follows:

8 And there had many things transpired which, in the eyes of some, would be great and marvelous; nevertheless, they cannot all be written in this book; yea, this book cannot contain even a hundredth part of what was done among so many people in the space of twenty and five years;

(Book of Mormon | 3 Nephi 5:8)

A second and by far more profound use of the word has to do with eternal laws..  In the “cannot” verses of the scripture we have a picture clearly laid out before us of the roles of justice and mercy and the plainness in which these truths are communicated to man so that man cannot misunderstand the plan of salvation.  This is particularly true in the Book of Mormon but all of the scriptures contain such declarations.  There are laws given unto this world and laws that pertain to the next world  that are immutable and “cannot” be violated or “God would cease to be God.”  (Book of Mormon | Alma 42:13)

The “cannot” scriptures testify of the atonement of Jesus Christ and that He is the only way by which man can be saved.  Whereas at first we may feel that the “cannot” scriptures are in the negative realm, upon closer reading we find that they are joyous declarations that salvation is ”sure” and “cannot” fail us if we but heed those directives given to us plainly in the scripture.  The Book of Mormon particularly seems to play a roll of plainness so that man “cannot” misunderstand the way in which he may return to God.  The Book of Mormon clearly illuminates the path and then states that we are “free to choose.”  It is not God who determines our salvation or condemnation.  The path is laid out before mankind and he chooses his own destiny in the end.  It is through God’s perfect love and charity and compassion for his children that He speaks plainly through His prophets to his children upon the earth.  The “cannot” scriptures are spoken in plainness so that we cannot misunderstand.

Here are a few examples:

24 ¶ 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.  Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

23 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 kingdom of God.

(Book of Mormon | 2 Nephi 9:23)

Now, this is not because the seed was not good, neither is it because the fruit thereof would not be desirable; but it is because your ground is barren, and ye will not nourish the tree, therefore ye cannot have the fruit thereof

Alma 32:38-39

34 And now I know that this love which thou hast had for the children of men is charity; wherefore, except men shall have charity they cannot inherit that place which thou hast prepared in the mansions of thy Father.

(Book of Mormon | Ether 12:32 - 34)

My favorite “cannot” scripture is as follows:

12 And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall.

(Book of Mormon | Helaman 5:12)

Helaman could have used the phrase “will not” but instead he said “cannot.”  When “cannot” is used the implication is that the end result is built upon something that is unchangeable, something that is larger than will.  It is “sure” because there is no other possible outcome.

Helaman is teaching his sons that if they will build their lives upon Christ it will be a “sure” foundation and they “cannot” fall.  What a joyous declaration that is.

 And how about:

34 Therefore, fear not, little flock; do good; let earth and hell combine against you, for if ye are built upon my rock, they cannot prevail.

(Doctrine and Covenants | Section 6:34)

The "cannot" scriptures remind us that mercy is as sure as justice.

“Or canst thou run about longer as a blind guide?”

38 Pray always, and I will pour out my Spirit upon you, and great shall be your blessing—yea, even more than if you should obtain treasures of earth and corruptibleness to the extent thereof.

39 Behold, canst thou read this without rejoicing and lifting up thy heart for gladness?

40 Or canst thou run about longer as a blind guide?

41 Or canst thou be humble and meek, and conduct thyself wisely before me?  Yea, come unto me thy Savior.  Amen.      D& C 19:39-41

Verse 40: “Or canst thou run about longer as a blind guide?” 

This seems to me to be an injunction from the Lord to teachers.  When we fail to really seek out further light and knowledge and to obtain truth ourselves I believe we are to some degree blind guides.  We teach from a limited point of view a surface understanding of the gospel.  We fail to tap into the power and saving strength, the vitality and life that is available for us.  We teach out of ignorance because we ourselves have not personally sought through study, prayer, faith, diligence to know, to understand and to LIVE the principles of the gospel.

Verse 31:  “And of tenets thou shalt not talk, but thou shalt declare repentance and faith on the Savior, and remission of sins by baptism, and by fire, yea, even the Holy Ghost.”

This seems a bit of a contradiction to what I just wrote but I think not at all.  The power of the gospel is generated by repentance, faith, baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost.  That is the crux and the foundation that must never be left behind or we will cease to progress.  As a teacher however our personal study and seeking of the tenets of the gospel, even the mysteries of the kingdom will give us greater personal spiritual power.  Any increase of light and knowledge will allow us to teach with greater strength and effectiveness.  We will have increased ability to lift others even if we are teaching nothing but repentance, faith etc.

Be Thou Humble

Neal A. Maxwell

10 Be thou humble; and the Lord thy God shall lead thee by the hand, and give thee answer to thy prayers.

(Doctrine and Covenants | Section 112:10)

I'm reading Neal A. Maxwell's  Meek and Lowly..  There are a handful of books I have read in my life which I would consider pivotal markers for me in my journey back to Heavenly Father.  This book will make that list.as does much of Elder Maxwell's insightful and humble, yet brilliant writings.  I chose the above picture of Elder Maxwell because it shows him at the end of his mortal journey, seasoned and taught by experience and humility.  I have thought I would post a quote or two but as everything both before and after chosen selections seems equally significant I find myself wanting to put up entire chapters so I will just recommend the book to whomever happens upon this blog post.

Chapter Five contains this quote from Joseph Smith: 

"Why will not man learn Wisdom by precept & example at this late age of the world & not be obliged to learn every thing we know by sad experience?"  (The Words of Joseph Smith p.7)

*

Recently a dear friend shared with me a thought: "Remember that even in destruction the Lord's purposes are being fulfilled."  We talked about that idea.  She said that often the Lord has to deconstruct an old situation, habits, ways of operating, most commonly through difficulty and trial  in order to rebuild us in His Image, to make us more like He is, to create a new inner and sometimes outer environment.  This is similar to the idea of being born again - of overcoming the natural and carnal man and becoming a spiritual man.  She talked about this principle in our lives personally as well as circumstantially.   A number of years ago this same friend and I discussed building and construction images in the gospel.  The word edify comes from the same root as the word edifice.  So when we edify someone or receive edification ourselves, we are building their or our own spiritual edifices.  That is an interesting tie-in to Paul's declaration in Ephesians that the church is build upon a foundation of apostles and prophets with Jesus Christ being the chief cornerstone.  Anciently, the chief cornerstone was the first block laid in a foundation.  If it is perfectly square  (as the Savior is) then as all the other stones are added the foundation will square off.  I love that analogy in relationship to building our lives square against the gospel the Savior taught..  We need a perfect square (the Savior) to measure ourselves against in order that we might make needed adjustments.  Thus our houses will be build upon the rock.  I think it is interesting that Jesus was a builder by profession.  When Randy and I were in Israel one of our guides said that there are some sources that indicate the word that is translated as "carpenter" can also be translated as a stone mason so some think that perhaps Jesus was a stone mason.  Either way, carpenter or stone mason, it's symbolic that He, the builder of our souls was a builder by profession.   My friend said, "think of the word understanding.  Literally it means 'that which is underneath your standing?' or 'that which are you standing on,'" the correlation being, that the greater our understanding of the gospel is, the more solid the foundation upon which we stand.  

Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.  Ephesians 2:19-22

...and their hearts were open.

Look to the Children - Minerva Teichert

33 And 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. (Book of Mormon | 3 Nephi 19:33)

The phrase "and their hearts were open" is simple yet highly instructive and an important key in the spiritual outpouring the Nephites experienced with the Savior at the temple in Bountiful.  How open are our hearts? What is the spiritual outcome of a closed heart? If we are truly honest with ourselves we can feel the condition of our heart and whether we receive the words of truth with joy or whether we resist.  We can sense if seeds of truth take root of if they fall by the wayside.

28 Now, we will compare the word unto a seed.  Now, if ye give place, that a seed may be planted in your heart, behold, if it be a true seed, or a good seed, if ye do not cast it out by your unbelief, that ye will resist the Spirit of the Lord, behold, it will begin to swell within your breasts; and when you feel these swelling motions, ye will begin to say within yourselves—It must needs be that this is a good seed, or that the word is good, for it beginneth to enlarge my soul; yea, it beginneth to enlighten my understanding, yea, it beginneth to be delicious to me.   (Book of Mormon | Alma 32:28)

It seems that a willingness to believe is a key to having an open heart.  I would guess that humility, meekness and and being teachable also contribute.  These qualities are the antitheses of pride, the bedrock of a closed and hardened heart.

The Old Testament talks about a circumcised heart which symbolizes a heart that has been cut or broken open to receive the seeds of the gospel, the seeds of healing from the Savior.

6 And the LORD thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live.   (Old Testament | Deuteronomy 30:6)


No wonder the Lord uses trials  and tribulations to plow our ground that our hearts might perhaps be more open to his teachings which will heal us.

An open heart leads to life eternal.

20 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
(Book of Mormon | 3 Nephi 9:20)
 
Our part of the equation is to exercise faith, to extend belief, to let go of unbelief, to act in humility, to become teachable as a little child.


15 Behold, when ye shall rend that veil of unbelief which doth cause you to remain in your awful state of wickedness, and hardness of heart, and blindness of mind, then shall the great and marvelous things which have been hid up from the foundation of the world from you—yea, when ye shall call upon the Father in my name, with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, then shall ye know that the Father hath remembered the covenant which he made unto your fathers, O house of Israel.

(Book of Mormon | Ether 4:15)
 
Beautiful promises!! We can pray that our hearts will be opened to receive His word. The process must begin with our own choosing to take that initial step towards faith.


7 Behold, he offereth himself a sacrifice for sin, to answer the ends of the law, unto all those who have a broken heart and a contrite spirit; and unto none else can the ends of the law be answered.

(Book of Mormon | 2 Nephi 2:7)