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)

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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