Moroni 10:20-26
10:20-21 - If gifts of the Spirit are not among the people then is it “only according to the unbelief of the children of men. Wherefore, there must be faith; and if there must be faith there must also be hope; and if there must be hope there must also be charity.” I’ve never really understood the concept of faith, hope, and charity, or why they go together, why choose those 3 attributes to go together. I know that we talked pretty in depth about faith, hope, and charity before, and if we consider charity as the pure love of Christ, meaning the perfect way in which Jesus loves us, then that facilitates the other two. Because Christ loves us so unconditionally, we are able to believe in Him and trust Him, and because we can believe in and trust Him, then we can hope that His way is the path to happiness, we can hope that all things work together for our good, and we can trust that the plan of salvation was created for the sole purpose of our eternal welfare and happiness. The IM quotes Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin as teaching “when we keep the Lord’s commandments, faith, hope, and charity abide with us. These virtues ‘distill upon (our) soul as the dews from heaven,’ and we prepare ourselves to stand with confidence before our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, ‘without blemish and without spot.’… These are the virtuous, lovely, praiseworthy characteristics we seek. We all are familiar with Paul’s teaching that ‘charity never faileth.’ Certainly we need unfailing spiritual strength in our lives. Moroni recorded the revelation ‘that faith, hope, and charity bringeth (us) unto (the Lord)- the fountain of all righteousness.’ The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the restored Church of the Lord on the earth today, guides us to the Savior and helps us develop, nurture, and strengthen these divine attributes.” I think it makes sense that faith, hope, and charity are concepts that might be a little bit difficult for me to understand right now, that over time I can learn about them and have them in my life and grow stronger in my possession and use of them. Verse 21 takes charity in another meaning, whereas I was considering it previously in the light of Christ’s love for us, this consideration seems to take it as our possession of the pure love of Christ towards others because without charity “ye can in nowise be saved in the kingdom of God; neither can ye be saved in the kingdom of God if ye have not faith; neither can ye if ye have no hope.” Christ’s love for us never changes, so our salvation is not contingent on his love for us, by any means, but for our ability to try to become like him and love others the way he does, that is the commandment we work on and that’s the hinge for our salvation, he makes it possible for us to have charity, we just have to want to love others in that way and do our part to make it happen, and he will make up the rest. In the talk "Our Perfect Example" by President Eyring that we quoted from yesterday he also says, speaking of a children’s choir singing “I’m Trying to be Like Jesus,” “It seemed to me that they were not just singing; they were declaring their determination. Jesus Christ was their example. To be like Him was their fixed goal. And their eager looks and their shining eyes convinced me that they had no doubts. They expected to succeed. They believed that the instruction of the Savior to be perfect was not a hope but a command. And they were sure He had prepared the way. That determination and confidence can and must be in the heart of every Latter-day Saint. The Savior has prepared the way through His Atonement and His example. And even the children who sang that song know how.” We can become perfect, because of and through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, by following his example we can be purified of the “natural man” and become as he is, eventually.
10:22 - Moroni continues, “And if ye have no hope ye must needs be in despair; and despair cometh because of iniquity.” I didn’t/don’t really understand this, because I think back to my own life and many of my most painful moments did come because of iniquity, but not because of mine, my heart was broken and I felt awful because of the choices that someone else made that were wrong that affected me. But was I in despair at that time? When I was younger, yes, I would say so because I didn’t know God or really anything like that, I saw no way out and that was terrible. But in my adult, or really in my younger days, did I feel despair when others made poor choices, or was it only when I started making those bad choices that I was inconsolable? There was a period in my childhood, probably from 12 to 15, when I was really devoted to the gospel, even though I didn’t know a ton about it, I didn’t really know the Savior or Heavenly Father other than what I was told in Church that they are. But for that time, yes my life was difficult, but I had hope, I saw God as my way out, my healer. I read the scriptures, I went to church, I said my prayers, I did all that because I was told to in church even though I didn’t know why. And this is really the first time that I’ve ever looked back at that time with 20/20 hindsight to see, when I was faithful to the commandments, even though my life was pretty awful, there was a silver lining, there was a happiness in me that was comforting and positive and optimistic. It wasn’t until I decided that I wanted something that was contrary to the gospel, that I began to rationalize my way out of my faithfulness. That’s when the real unhappiness started, and looking back at all my times in life when I decided that the gospel wasn’t for me, or I willfully rebelled against God, there was a gaping hole in my spirit that was raw like it had been cut out with a rusty knife, and there was no soothing it, there was no balm in Gilead, because the way away from God is a black hole, the ultimate emotional suck. There is no end to that, there is no way to find any kind of happiness, yes, it might seem pleasing for a while, but when that pleasing part goes away, it is literally torture, wallowing, the ache, the loneliness, the isolation, it’s sick, it’s disgusting, and I’ve wallowed in it far too many times. I didn’t know what the real meaning of despair was until I just thought back to all my times when my spirit ached like it was on fire, and knowing that I could be happy again, that I could come back to the only one who really loves me in a way I didn’t know was possible, that was the only healing, the only soothing aloe that there was, and that state is the ultimate definition of despair. So what’s the difference between the despair you feel because of your own iniquity and the devastation that can come because of the iniquity of others? The answer, for me, comes in an April 2001 general conference address entitled “Plow in Hope” in which Elder Neal A. Maxwell teaches, “Our contest is challenging, however. We have many overwhelmed parents, more and more marriages in meltdown, and dysfunctional families. Destructive consequences impact steadily from drugs, violence, and pornography. Truly, ‘despair cometh… of iniquity.’ Since the adversary desireth ‘that all men might be miserable like unto himself,’ his is the plan of misery.” Ok that seems to be the message that despair can come because of the poor choices of others, but that’s not the case, as he illustrates next, saying, “The valiant among us keep moving forward anyway, because they know the Lord loves them, even when they ‘do not know the meaning of all things.’ As you and I observe the valiant cope successfully with severe and relentless trials, we applaud and celebrate their emerging strength and goodness. Yet the rest of us tremble at the tuition required for the shaping of such sterling character, while hoping we would not falter should similar circumstances come to us!” In the midst of trial that we did not cause, or even ones that we did, as we remain faithful to God while we struggle through them, we become spiritually stronger, and our characters become more Christ-like. All trials, caused by us or others, are for our good if we will turn to God and let him show us the way out of them. And our reward for this? Happiness. It’s like being thrown into a ditch with spikes in it, and by taking the rope out that Jesus offers, we become stronger as we climb up towards him, and we see the plant roots and the earth worms, we smell the fresh dirt and revel in the sunshine. While the pit can be awful, the work required to get out of it can have us emerge from that dark hole, strong, vibrant, healthy, happy, full of gratitude, and comforted. The IM quotes President Ezra Taft Benson as teaching, “I the Book of Mormon we read that ‘despair cometh because of iniquity.’ ‘When I do good I feel good,’ said Abraham Lincoln, ‘and when I do bad I feel bad.’ Sin pulls a man down into despondency and despair. While a man may take some temporary pleasure in sin, the end result is unhappiness. ‘Wickedness never was happiness.’ Sin creates disharmony with God and is depressing to the spirit. Therefore, a man would do well to examine himself to see that he is in harmony with all God’s laws. Every law kept brings a particular blessing. Every law broken brings a particular blight. Those who are heavy laden with despair should come unto the Lord, for his yoke is easy and his burden is light.”
10:23-26 - The gifts of the Spirit, coming unto Christ in faith and hope and charity is incredible, but Moroni warns us, “if the day cometh that the power and gifts of God shall be done away among you, it shall be because of unbelief. And wo be unto the children of men if this be the case; for there shall be none that doeth good among you, no not one. For if there be one among you that doeth good, he shall work by the power and gifts of God.” It makes sense in the context of agency that only spiritual blessings and gifts will only be present as long as they are desired and worked for, but it’s this concept of there being none who are righteous that has me confused. We know that Mormon and Moroni were righteous, but were they the only ones? It was probably few and far between if the keeper of the plates buried them until a 15 year old boy could retrieve them. It reminds me of Abraham asking the Lord if he would spare Sodom if there were only a handful of faithful people left. God led Lot out of the city because apparently he was the only righteous one left. God led out Lehi and Mosiah and Alma from wicked places so that they could be preserved and protected. I don’t really know much about this, I’ll have to think about it some more.
10:22 - Moroni continues, “And if ye have no hope ye must needs be in despair; and despair cometh because of iniquity.” I didn’t/don’t really understand this, because I think back to my own life and many of my most painful moments did come because of iniquity, but not because of mine, my heart was broken and I felt awful because of the choices that someone else made that were wrong that affected me. But was I in despair at that time? When I was younger, yes, I would say so because I didn’t know God or really anything like that, I saw no way out and that was terrible. But in my adult, or really in my younger days, did I feel despair when others made poor choices, or was it only when I started making those bad choices that I was inconsolable? There was a period in my childhood, probably from 12 to 15, when I was really devoted to the gospel, even though I didn’t know a ton about it, I didn’t really know the Savior or Heavenly Father other than what I was told in Church that they are. But for that time, yes my life was difficult, but I had hope, I saw God as my way out, my healer. I read the scriptures, I went to church, I said my prayers, I did all that because I was told to in church even though I didn’t know why. And this is really the first time that I’ve ever looked back at that time with 20/20 hindsight to see, when I was faithful to the commandments, even though my life was pretty awful, there was a silver lining, there was a happiness in me that was comforting and positive and optimistic. It wasn’t until I decided that I wanted something that was contrary to the gospel, that I began to rationalize my way out of my faithfulness. That’s when the real unhappiness started, and looking back at all my times in life when I decided that the gospel wasn’t for me, or I willfully rebelled against God, there was a gaping hole in my spirit that was raw like it had been cut out with a rusty knife, and there was no soothing it, there was no balm in Gilead, because the way away from God is a black hole, the ultimate emotional suck. There is no end to that, there is no way to find any kind of happiness, yes, it might seem pleasing for a while, but when that pleasing part goes away, it is literally torture, wallowing, the ache, the loneliness, the isolation, it’s sick, it’s disgusting, and I’ve wallowed in it far too many times. I didn’t know what the real meaning of despair was until I just thought back to all my times when my spirit ached like it was on fire, and knowing that I could be happy again, that I could come back to the only one who really loves me in a way I didn’t know was possible, that was the only healing, the only soothing aloe that there was, and that state is the ultimate definition of despair. So what’s the difference between the despair you feel because of your own iniquity and the devastation that can come because of the iniquity of others? The answer, for me, comes in an April 2001 general conference address entitled “Plow in Hope” in which Elder Neal A. Maxwell teaches, “Our contest is challenging, however. We have many overwhelmed parents, more and more marriages in meltdown, and dysfunctional families. Destructive consequences impact steadily from drugs, violence, and pornography. Truly, ‘despair cometh… of iniquity.’ Since the adversary desireth ‘that all men might be miserable like unto himself,’ his is the plan of misery.” Ok that seems to be the message that despair can come because of the poor choices of others, but that’s not the case, as he illustrates next, saying, “The valiant among us keep moving forward anyway, because they know the Lord loves them, even when they ‘do not know the meaning of all things.’ As you and I observe the valiant cope successfully with severe and relentless trials, we applaud and celebrate their emerging strength and goodness. Yet the rest of us tremble at the tuition required for the shaping of such sterling character, while hoping we would not falter should similar circumstances come to us!” In the midst of trial that we did not cause, or even ones that we did, as we remain faithful to God while we struggle through them, we become spiritually stronger, and our characters become more Christ-like. All trials, caused by us or others, are for our good if we will turn to God and let him show us the way out of them. And our reward for this? Happiness. It’s like being thrown into a ditch with spikes in it, and by taking the rope out that Jesus offers, we become stronger as we climb up towards him, and we see the plant roots and the earth worms, we smell the fresh dirt and revel in the sunshine. While the pit can be awful, the work required to get out of it can have us emerge from that dark hole, strong, vibrant, healthy, happy, full of gratitude, and comforted. The IM quotes President Ezra Taft Benson as teaching, “I the Book of Mormon we read that ‘despair cometh because of iniquity.’ ‘When I do good I feel good,’ said Abraham Lincoln, ‘and when I do bad I feel bad.’ Sin pulls a man down into despondency and despair. While a man may take some temporary pleasure in sin, the end result is unhappiness. ‘Wickedness never was happiness.’ Sin creates disharmony with God and is depressing to the spirit. Therefore, a man would do well to examine himself to see that he is in harmony with all God’s laws. Every law kept brings a particular blessing. Every law broken brings a particular blight. Those who are heavy laden with despair should come unto the Lord, for his yoke is easy and his burden is light.”
10:23-26 - The gifts of the Spirit, coming unto Christ in faith and hope and charity is incredible, but Moroni warns us, “if the day cometh that the power and gifts of God shall be done away among you, it shall be because of unbelief. And wo be unto the children of men if this be the case; for there shall be none that doeth good among you, no not one. For if there be one among you that doeth good, he shall work by the power and gifts of God.” It makes sense in the context of agency that only spiritual blessings and gifts will only be present as long as they are desired and worked for, but it’s this concept of there being none who are righteous that has me confused. We know that Mormon and Moroni were righteous, but were they the only ones? It was probably few and far between if the keeper of the plates buried them until a 15 year old boy could retrieve them. It reminds me of Abraham asking the Lord if he would spare Sodom if there were only a handful of faithful people left. God led Lot out of the city because apparently he was the only righteous one left. God led out Lehi and Mosiah and Alma from wicked places so that they could be preserved and protected. I don’t really know much about this, I’ll have to think about it some more.
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