Yea, and how is it that ye have forgotten that the Lord is able to all things according to his will, for the children of men, if it so be that they exercise faith in him? Wherefore, let us be faithful to him.
These are amazing word spoken by Nephi to Laman and Lemuel. They keep on forgetting that there is a God and he can do all things if we exercise faith in him.
Nephi just holds to his guns. He will not compromise. But, he finally says to Laman and Lemuel to go ahead a go back to Jerusalem and perish (v.15). At this point they get really angry at Nephi. It sounds like they are conflicted. They want to go back and just get on with their old life but they also are going along with their father, Lehi. They are dreaming about how good life would be back in Jerusalem. Nephi gives them a reality check trying to bring them back to the faithful way of thinking. He bursts their little bubble. He reminds them of the evidences the have already received and their obligation to the family and the Lord. They hate the reality check and decide to tie up Nephi and leave him to perish in the wilderness.
Why do we so easily forget the great things the Lord has done for us? What is it about the world we live in that screws up our minds so readily? I think we keep on forgetting that there is a God because we can't see Him. We like our carnal security. We all tend to press forward toward security. Those who give themselves periodic reality checks readjust their grip on the iron rod and redouble their efforts to think on a more spiritual plane. Those who practice the higher plane enough start moving forward in what I call the faith cycle. Our faith grows because we receive blessings (miracles, assurances, evidences and comfort). Because we know more about the unseen, we try pur faith out again and the same thing happens (blessings and miracles). And the cycle starts again, going on and on until we become just men (and women) made perfect.
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Murmuring - Nephi's Measuring Stick
I have been trying to understand what is was that Nephi had that made him highly favored of the Lord. What made it so Nephi never murmured or complained? The obvious answer is that he had faith, that he brought some this with him from the premortal realm. It seems like it was easy for Nephi to trust in the Lord while everyone else had levels of unbelief. We, in general, act like Laman and Lemuel although we want to believe that we would act like Nephi. So, what did Nephi do to be so believing that the Lord would work in Nephi's behalf whenever he was in a pinch?
So far, I come up with following:
1. Nephi desired to know the mysteries of God, sought after the Lord (asked) and received an answer ( 1 N. 2:16,19). Laman and Lemuel, on the other hand, murmured against their father, apparently because the wouldn't seek humbly for an answer from God (v. 12). It looks like the thought to seek or inquire of the Lord didn't even cross their minds.
2. Nephi make special mention that he was young. Perhaps that means that he wasn't full of worldly nonsense that molds our belief systems as we get older. He hadn't developed an unbelieving heart. He was able to start fresh from the start with minimal faith debilitating influences. His older brothers were already intrenched in their ways.
3. Nephi's testimony or softening of his heart caused him to believe the words of his father. When commanded to go back to Jerusalem, he had already prepared himself to say yes. He believed that the command came from the Lord. He believed that a way would be prepared. He didn't murmur (1 N. 3:1). His brothers saw it as a hard thing and murmured (v.5).
4. After the first attempt to get the plates, everyone was sorrowful. Nephi's brothers wanted to give up. Nephi pulls out the slump and rallies the brothers together. He tells them to be faithful. They bribe Laban with their father's gold and silver. This plan also back fires. You can imagine what's going on in Laman and Lemuel's heads. They just about got themselves killed because of the (in their opinion) Nephi's stupid plan to bribe Laban. They also realized that they have just squandered their inheritance. And last of all, they are wanted men. They can never return to their old life. Well, they get mad and start beating on Nephi and Sam. This makes sense to me. They believed Nephi's plan and it completely backfired. Their older brother natural man-ness kicks in and they start smiting them with a rod. If God doesn't do something right now, Nephi could be forced to comply with Laman and Lemuel's demands and scrap the mission - as well as being severely beaten or worse. The only logical response from God is to intervene. The boy is exercising faith! He believes that the Lord will provide a way. So the angel comes and puts and end to the beating. This reinforces Nephi's faith. He just received an evidence of things not seen , an assurance of things hoped for. He now knows that God is willing to intercede when necessary.
5. But, Laman and Lemuel start murmuring again after the angel leaves. Why? They hadn't planted the seed of faith so the experience wasn't a faith growing experience. I am a little surprised that Laman and Lemuel didn't say, "we now believe the words of our father". But, the fear of Laban stuck with them. They couldn't get the fear out of their heads. Nephi gives them a pep talk about how the Lord has done great things in the past and that they just saw an angel (1 N. 4:3)! The brothers whine (murmur) all the way back to Jerusalem. They are following Nephi but they can't cast off their unbelief. Nephi finally decides to drop the excess baggage (alternate voices) and go it alone. The Spirit guides him and he finds Laban. Nephi is given a very difficult personal test and passes. He gets the plates.
It's interesting the Nephi's mother, Sariah, is freaking out at base camp. She doesn't believe Lehi and his visions. The boys have been gone for a long while. She is convinced that her sons are dead. Lehi gives her a pep talk (1 N. 5:4). He doesn't get defensive or mad. He agrees that he is a visionary man and stays positive that everything is going to work out. This comforts Sariah. I am comforted in hard times by the faith promoting pep talks of others, especially my wife. When her sons return she now knows of a surety that the Lord is with her husband. The joy and comfort she received upon the return of her sons and the plates established her faith. She didn't murmur after that. But, why didn't this happen with Laman and Lemuel? I am not sure.
In 1 N. 5:20 we read that 'thus far I and my father had kept the commandments where with the Lord had commanded us.' Nephi singles out himself and his father as being able to do the hard thing and not murmur.
Nephi follows the pattern of exercising faith, getting an answer which grows his faith, doing it again, having another miracle occur, growing his faith once again, and so on. This is a logical pattern. If God is really there, he will not let those that are planting the seed of faith down. But, our faith has to be tried. We are the conflicted ones. Instead of growing logically from one faith promoting experience to the next with confirming witnesses from the Lord, we tend to vacillate all over the place. Nephi was able to stay focused and steadfast as he progressed from grace to grace. Why do we fear? Why do we freak out when the going gets rough? Be believing. Fear not. Come unto the Lord.
So far, I come up with following:
1. Nephi desired to know the mysteries of God, sought after the Lord (asked) and received an answer ( 1 N. 2:16,19). Laman and Lemuel, on the other hand, murmured against their father, apparently because the wouldn't seek humbly for an answer from God (v. 12). It looks like the thought to seek or inquire of the Lord didn't even cross their minds.
2. Nephi make special mention that he was young. Perhaps that means that he wasn't full of worldly nonsense that molds our belief systems as we get older. He hadn't developed an unbelieving heart. He was able to start fresh from the start with minimal faith debilitating influences. His older brothers were already intrenched in their ways.
3. Nephi's testimony or softening of his heart caused him to believe the words of his father. When commanded to go back to Jerusalem, he had already prepared himself to say yes. He believed that the command came from the Lord. He believed that a way would be prepared. He didn't murmur (1 N. 3:1). His brothers saw it as a hard thing and murmured (v.5).
4. After the first attempt to get the plates, everyone was sorrowful. Nephi's brothers wanted to give up. Nephi pulls out the slump and rallies the brothers together. He tells them to be faithful. They bribe Laban with their father's gold and silver. This plan also back fires. You can imagine what's going on in Laman and Lemuel's heads. They just about got themselves killed because of the (in their opinion) Nephi's stupid plan to bribe Laban. They also realized that they have just squandered their inheritance. And last of all, they are wanted men. They can never return to their old life. Well, they get mad and start beating on Nephi and Sam. This makes sense to me. They believed Nephi's plan and it completely backfired. Their older brother natural man-ness kicks in and they start smiting them with a rod. If God doesn't do something right now, Nephi could be forced to comply with Laman and Lemuel's demands and scrap the mission - as well as being severely beaten or worse. The only logical response from God is to intervene. The boy is exercising faith! He believes that the Lord will provide a way. So the angel comes and puts and end to the beating. This reinforces Nephi's faith. He just received an evidence of things not seen , an assurance of things hoped for. He now knows that God is willing to intercede when necessary.
5. But, Laman and Lemuel start murmuring again after the angel leaves. Why? They hadn't planted the seed of faith so the experience wasn't a faith growing experience. I am a little surprised that Laman and Lemuel didn't say, "we now believe the words of our father". But, the fear of Laban stuck with them. They couldn't get the fear out of their heads. Nephi gives them a pep talk about how the Lord has done great things in the past and that they just saw an angel (1 N. 4:3)! The brothers whine (murmur) all the way back to Jerusalem. They are following Nephi but they can't cast off their unbelief. Nephi finally decides to drop the excess baggage (alternate voices) and go it alone. The Spirit guides him and he finds Laban. Nephi is given a very difficult personal test and passes. He gets the plates.
It's interesting the Nephi's mother, Sariah, is freaking out at base camp. She doesn't believe Lehi and his visions. The boys have been gone for a long while. She is convinced that her sons are dead. Lehi gives her a pep talk (1 N. 5:4). He doesn't get defensive or mad. He agrees that he is a visionary man and stays positive that everything is going to work out. This comforts Sariah. I am comforted in hard times by the faith promoting pep talks of others, especially my wife. When her sons return she now knows of a surety that the Lord is with her husband. The joy and comfort she received upon the return of her sons and the plates established her faith. She didn't murmur after that. But, why didn't this happen with Laman and Lemuel? I am not sure.
In 1 N. 5:20 we read that 'thus far I and my father had kept the commandments where with the Lord had commanded us.' Nephi singles out himself and his father as being able to do the hard thing and not murmur.
Nephi follows the pattern of exercising faith, getting an answer which grows his faith, doing it again, having another miracle occur, growing his faith once again, and so on. This is a logical pattern. If God is really there, he will not let those that are planting the seed of faith down. But, our faith has to be tried. We are the conflicted ones. Instead of growing logically from one faith promoting experience to the next with confirming witnesses from the Lord, we tend to vacillate all over the place. Nephi was able to stay focused and steadfast as he progressed from grace to grace. Why do we fear? Why do we freak out when the going gets rough? Be believing. Fear not. Come unto the Lord.
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Knowing Not The Dealings of God
How does one know the know the dealings of that God who has them? Laman and Lemuel had this problem. In 1 Nephi 2:12 is says,
And thus Laman and Lemuel ... did murmur agains their father. And they did murmur because they knew not the dealings of that God who had created them.
They didn't get the witness from God that what Lehi was doing was of God. They didn't want that witness. They wanted to go back to Jerusalem. They did not believe the assurance that were given them by Lehi. They had no evidence. Jerusalem was not destroyed, thus, they couldn't believe what they could not see. They wouldn't experiment on Lehi's words.
This verse is similar to another verse in Mormon 9. In verse 20 we read, "And the reason why he ceaseth to do miracles among the children of me is because that they dwindle in unbelief, and depart from the right way, and know not the God in whom they should trust."
The Book of Mormon teaches that God is an active God, interested in us and our walk on this earth. To believe that God doesn't perform miracles in our lives is to declare that you are in a state of unbelief. To say that he hasn't revealed himself to you just means that you haven't passed the trial of your faith or perhaps haven't even planted the seed. Our human tendancy is belief what we can see and hear and feel. We need to learn to walk by faith, changing and repenting as required, growing from grace to grace.
In Hebrews 11: 6 we read, "But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him."
Faith is accepting or having the assurance of things hoped for and having or accepting evidences of things not seen.
We build on the assurances that we have received from others that there really is a God out there. We also have assurances from the Spirit. We have many evidences that there is more to this life than what can be seen and felt. The scriptures is an evidence. Miracles and blessings in our lives are evidences that there is a God.
Isn't there such a contrast between the natural man and the spiritual man? It is like night and day! The natural man cannot comprehend the spiritual but the spiritual man can comprehend the natural becuase he was once there.
1 Nephi 2:16 states that Nephi desire to know the mysteries of God and did cry unto the Lord. "...and behold he did visit me, and did soften my heart that I did believe all the words which were spoken by my father, wherefore I did not rebel against him like unto my brothers."
Is all about seeking to know. Its about hungering and thirsting. Its about exercising faith.
But there's more to concept. To know that God deals with people on this earth
And thus Laman and Lemuel ... did murmur agains their father. And they did murmur because they knew not the dealings of that God who had created them.
They didn't get the witness from God that what Lehi was doing was of God. They didn't want that witness. They wanted to go back to Jerusalem. They did not believe the assurance that were given them by Lehi. They had no evidence. Jerusalem was not destroyed, thus, they couldn't believe what they could not see. They wouldn't experiment on Lehi's words.
This verse is similar to another verse in Mormon 9. In verse 20 we read, "And the reason why he ceaseth to do miracles among the children of me is because that they dwindle in unbelief, and depart from the right way, and know not the God in whom they should trust."
The Book of Mormon teaches that God is an active God, interested in us and our walk on this earth. To believe that God doesn't perform miracles in our lives is to declare that you are in a state of unbelief. To say that he hasn't revealed himself to you just means that you haven't passed the trial of your faith or perhaps haven't even planted the seed. Our human tendancy is belief what we can see and hear and feel. We need to learn to walk by faith, changing and repenting as required, growing from grace to grace.
In Hebrews 11: 6 we read, "But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him."
Faith is accepting or having the assurance of things hoped for and having or accepting evidences of things not seen.
We build on the assurances that we have received from others that there really is a God out there. We also have assurances from the Spirit. We have many evidences that there is more to this life than what can be seen and felt. The scriptures is an evidence. Miracles and blessings in our lives are evidences that there is a God.
Isn't there such a contrast between the natural man and the spiritual man? It is like night and day! The natural man cannot comprehend the spiritual but the spiritual man can comprehend the natural becuase he was once there.
1 Nephi 2:16 states that Nephi desire to know the mysteries of God and did cry unto the Lord. "...and behold he did visit me, and did soften my heart that I did believe all the words which were spoken by my father, wherefore I did not rebel against him like unto my brothers."
Is all about seeking to know. Its about hungering and thirsting. Its about exercising faith.
But there's more to concept. To know that God deals with people on this earth
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Weakness
Over the years I have read Ether 12:27 over and over again trying to understand how to tap into that scripture. The verse goes,
And if men come unto me I will show unto them their aweakness. I bgive unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that dhumble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make eweak things become strong unto them.
So, as I strive to come unto the Lord, I am shown my weakness. Well, over the past ten years, I have been many weaknesses by the Lord. I will enumerate them in my private journal. Suffice it say that I am accutely aware of many of them. I sometimes confess them in prayer. If someone were to say, Scott, you really have a problem in this area or that, I would say, yes, I know.
I humbly know how weak I am. What is amazing is that if I have faith in Christ, he will make weak things strong unto me. He didn't say that he will turn my weakness into a strength. It seems to be broader than that. Maybe he will make it into a strength. Maybe he will create he just changes the environment so the weakness doesn't have to plague me anymore.
28 Behold, I will show unto the Gentiles their weakness, and I will show unto them that afaith, hope and charity bringeth unto me—the fountain of all brighteousness.
We Gentiles need to stop being so proud and start exercising faith in God. We don't believe what we can't see. We can't see how God would provide if we would let him. We have to be so ruggedly independent. We can't accept help from others and don't expect God to help us either! Other races don't have this problem. The develop their faith, gain a hope and walk with charity in their hearts much earlier than we Gentiles do. We believe in a pull up your boot straps God. When others need temporal help and would love a leg up, we just can't. It goes against the I did it myself belief so he can do it too. We believe that all people have the same capasity that we were endowed with. There isn't room for someone to be really emotional sick. Cancer is ok. Take a year off. But, to be emotionally sick is not acceptable for some reason!
Back to what I want to talk about: weakness. The key is that weakness brings one closer to God! To know your weakness means that you are self aware. This means that repentance has been granted unto you. Most people that I have met have no awareness of their weakness. They are always right. They don't want to know. If you told them, they would get upset, want to leave the room or vehemently deny what you just said.
God is the best person to reveal weaknesses. He does it with the right timing. It took me years and years to finally realize and confess my first weakness. It took another six years for the second. These were awarenesses of major weaknesses. Things that I cannot change on my own. Since then many, many more have become known unto me. These awarenesses led up to a pivotal moment. I received a revelation on what I needed to do. Ask me and I might tell you. You first must have trust.
In verse 37 it says,
And it came to pass that the Lord said unto me: If they have not charity it mattereth not unto thee, thou hast been faithful; wherefore, thy garments shall be made aclean. And because thou hast seen thy bweakness thou shalt be made strong, even unto the sitting down in the place which I have prepared in the mansions of my Father.
This verse is amazing because the Lord tells Moroni that because he has seen his weakness, he shall be made strong. To see his weakness means to be aware of it, to realize that you have it. Apparently the Gentiles don't know that they need charity and this constitutes a big weakness on our behalf. We don't believe that faith, hope and charity are the most important things to work on. We are very proud. We are full up capacity. We prosper according to our own genious. We fare according to the management of our creatures and conquer according our own strength. We believe this is the right way. Even when we are 100% wrong. We love competition. We love money. These are all weaknesses!
And if men come unto me I will show unto them their aweakness. I bgive unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that dhumble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make eweak things become strong unto them.
So, as I strive to come unto the Lord, I am shown my weakness. Well, over the past ten years, I have been many weaknesses by the Lord. I will enumerate them in my private journal. Suffice it say that I am accutely aware of many of them. I sometimes confess them in prayer. If someone were to say, Scott, you really have a problem in this area or that, I would say, yes, I know.
I humbly know how weak I am. What is amazing is that if I have faith in Christ, he will make weak things strong unto me. He didn't say that he will turn my weakness into a strength. It seems to be broader than that. Maybe he will make it into a strength. Maybe he will create he just changes the environment so the weakness doesn't have to plague me anymore.
28 Behold, I will show unto the Gentiles their weakness, and I will show unto them that afaith, hope and charity bringeth unto me—the fountain of all brighteousness.
We Gentiles need to stop being so proud and start exercising faith in God. We don't believe what we can't see. We can't see how God would provide if we would let him. We have to be so ruggedly independent. We can't accept help from others and don't expect God to help us either! Other races don't have this problem. The develop their faith, gain a hope and walk with charity in their hearts much earlier than we Gentiles do. We believe in a pull up your boot straps God. When others need temporal help and would love a leg up, we just can't. It goes against the I did it myself belief so he can do it too. We believe that all people have the same capasity that we were endowed with. There isn't room for someone to be really emotional sick. Cancer is ok. Take a year off. But, to be emotionally sick is not acceptable for some reason!
Back to what I want to talk about: weakness. The key is that weakness brings one closer to God! To know your weakness means that you are self aware. This means that repentance has been granted unto you. Most people that I have met have no awareness of their weakness. They are always right. They don't want to know. If you told them, they would get upset, want to leave the room or vehemently deny what you just said.
God is the best person to reveal weaknesses. He does it with the right timing. It took me years and years to finally realize and confess my first weakness. It took another six years for the second. These were awarenesses of major weaknesses. Things that I cannot change on my own. Since then many, many more have become known unto me. These awarenesses led up to a pivotal moment. I received a revelation on what I needed to do. Ask me and I might tell you. You first must have trust.
In verse 37 it says,
And it came to pass that the Lord said unto me: If they have not charity it mattereth not unto thee, thou hast been faithful; wherefore, thy garments shall be made aclean. And because thou hast seen thy bweakness thou shalt be made strong, even unto the sitting down in the place which I have prepared in the mansions of my Father.
This verse is amazing because the Lord tells Moroni that because he has seen his weakness, he shall be made strong. To see his weakness means to be aware of it, to realize that you have it. Apparently the Gentiles don't know that they need charity and this constitutes a big weakness on our behalf. We don't believe that faith, hope and charity are the most important things to work on. We are very proud. We are full up capacity. We prosper according to our own genious. We fare according to the management of our creatures and conquer according our own strength. We believe this is the right way. Even when we are 100% wrong. We love competition. We love money. These are all weaknesses!
Mercy
I have started the Book of Mormon again. One of the main themes of the Book of Mormon is mercy. The Lord is merciful unto those that he has chosen. Those that are chosen have done specific things to become highly favored of the Lord. It wasn't a random selection by the Lord. Lehi actually showed his faith by doing something that took a lot of courage: obey the Lord's command and walk out on a street corner and start preaching. The last verse of 1 Nephi 1 says,
20 And when the Jews heard these things they were angry with him; yea, even as with the prophets of old, whom they had cast out, and stoned, and slain; and they also sought his life, that they might take it away....
These were very dangerous times. The Jews didn't want to hear what a prophet had to say. Lehi put his life in the Lord's hands. Would I be able to do that?
...But behold, I, Nephi, will show unto you that the tender mercies of the Lord are over all those whom he hath chosen, because of their faith, to make them mighty even unto the power of deliverance.
Nephi states at the beginning of his book, that he wants to show the reader that this isn't a random God who just lets wickedness take its course and does nothing to protect his people. He is an active God that delivers those that put their trust in him and show by their actions that they mean it. God is merciful to those that he has chosen even if it requires that he makes the person mighty so he can be delivered from seemingly insurmountable odds.
20 And when the Jews heard these things they were angry with him; yea, even as with the prophets of old, whom they had cast out, and stoned, and slain; and they also sought his life, that they might take it away....
These were very dangerous times. The Jews didn't want to hear what a prophet had to say. Lehi put his life in the Lord's hands. Would I be able to do that?
...But behold, I, Nephi, will show unto you that the tender mercies of the Lord are over all those whom he hath chosen, because of their faith, to make them mighty even unto the power of deliverance.
Nephi states at the beginning of his book, that he wants to show the reader that this isn't a random God who just lets wickedness take its course and does nothing to protect his people. He is an active God that delivers those that put their trust in him and show by their actions that they mean it. God is merciful to those that he has chosen even if it requires that he makes the person mighty so he can be delivered from seemingly insurmountable odds.
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Godliness
I was reading Moroni 10:32 ,
Yea, acome unto Christ, and be bperfected in him, and cdeny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and dlove God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be eperfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God.
It struck me that the first thing one does is come unto Christ, the second thing is to be perfected in him and the third is to deny yourself of all ungodliness. Perhaps as one come to rely on Christ, one realizes how far away he really is. But, that doesn't really matter since he takes up all the slack and you are perfected in him. At that point the struggle begins: denying yourself all ungodliness. This step requires that the person needs to start to grow. And this growth is difficult. All those poor character traits, bad habits and weaknesses that have made your natural man dentrites completely inflexible need to be worked on. But, we have Christ's grace to assist us. We could never do it alone. If, this wasn't true, you would have your defects. But, you still have them. They don't go away. You have tried and tried. You take the sacrament over and over again, repenting, wanting the weaknesses to depart. But they don't.
I believe that denying yourself all ungodliness has much to do with the character traits detailed by the Lord in the sermon on the mount. It is impossible for the natural man to even comprehend living precepts taught by the Lord on the mount. In fact, most of the teachings are foolishness to the natural man. Who in their right mind would turn the other cheek when verbally attacked? Its normal to call or think that someone is a fool when they do foolish things. Looking on a beautiful woman can bring obvious desires that the Lord counsel us to curtail since we might be committing adultury in our hearts. It is definitely incomprehensible to the natural man to consider the lillies of the field, how they toil not and apply the teaching in his own life. How do relax and flow through life, caring for nothing of the world, enjoying each moment? I could go on and on. Godliness, in my opinion, is the development of character traits that mirror Jesus Christ. Godliness requires the faith to desire to change deeply seated habits. The gift of charity must be bestowed on this humble follower of Christ because the attributes of charity are exactly what is needed to be able to live the sermon on the mount. You have to be long suffering to go the extra mile, you must believe all things and hope all things and endure all things to give your children good gifts rather than using compulsion to get what you want.
We can't see the results of living this new way. Since we can't see it, we don't believe that it will really work. Most of us can't even see our weaknesses since our culture teaches us over and over again that the natural man character traits are good. We fight back when when attacked. We believe we a justified and pat ourselves on the back because we verbally one the fight with the other individual. The person who has been granted repentance (Alma 13, last verse), does't see it that way. He is accutely aware that he has failed once again to hold his tongue. He feels terrible and wants to apologize yet again to his loved one for being such a jerk. When this person works out his salvation in fear and trembling or in other words, works at the weakness, relying on the grace of God - - when he gets to that place when he usually fights back, defending himself, digging into his natural man bag of tricks - - he has not desire to do it. He is calm. He isn't gritting his teeth. At this moment, this man realizes that charity has been granted and he no longer has a desire to evil. A miracle has just occurred. He knows and God knows it. This man immediately, praises God in prayer, thanking him for making his weakness a strength unto him.
He is on the road to becoming a just man and even a just man made perfect.
Yea, acome unto Christ, and be bperfected in him, and cdeny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and dlove God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be eperfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God.
It struck me that the first thing one does is come unto Christ, the second thing is to be perfected in him and the third is to deny yourself of all ungodliness. Perhaps as one come to rely on Christ, one realizes how far away he really is. But, that doesn't really matter since he takes up all the slack and you are perfected in him. At that point the struggle begins: denying yourself all ungodliness. This step requires that the person needs to start to grow. And this growth is difficult. All those poor character traits, bad habits and weaknesses that have made your natural man dentrites completely inflexible need to be worked on. But, we have Christ's grace to assist us. We could never do it alone. If, this wasn't true, you would have your defects. But, you still have them. They don't go away. You have tried and tried. You take the sacrament over and over again, repenting, wanting the weaknesses to depart. But they don't.
I believe that denying yourself all ungodliness has much to do with the character traits detailed by the Lord in the sermon on the mount. It is impossible for the natural man to even comprehend living precepts taught by the Lord on the mount. In fact, most of the teachings are foolishness to the natural man. Who in their right mind would turn the other cheek when verbally attacked? Its normal to call or think that someone is a fool when they do foolish things. Looking on a beautiful woman can bring obvious desires that the Lord counsel us to curtail since we might be committing adultury in our hearts. It is definitely incomprehensible to the natural man to consider the lillies of the field, how they toil not and apply the teaching in his own life. How do relax and flow through life, caring for nothing of the world, enjoying each moment? I could go on and on. Godliness, in my opinion, is the development of character traits that mirror Jesus Christ. Godliness requires the faith to desire to change deeply seated habits. The gift of charity must be bestowed on this humble follower of Christ because the attributes of charity are exactly what is needed to be able to live the sermon on the mount. You have to be long suffering to go the extra mile, you must believe all things and hope all things and endure all things to give your children good gifts rather than using compulsion to get what you want.
We can't see the results of living this new way. Since we can't see it, we don't believe that it will really work. Most of us can't even see our weaknesses since our culture teaches us over and over again that the natural man character traits are good. We fight back when when attacked. We believe we a justified and pat ourselves on the back because we verbally one the fight with the other individual. The person who has been granted repentance (Alma 13, last verse), does't see it that way. He is accutely aware that he has failed once again to hold his tongue. He feels terrible and wants to apologize yet again to his loved one for being such a jerk. When this person works out his salvation in fear and trembling or in other words, works at the weakness, relying on the grace of God - - when he gets to that place when he usually fights back, defending himself, digging into his natural man bag of tricks - - he has not desire to do it. He is calm. He isn't gritting his teeth. At this moment, this man realizes that charity has been granted and he no longer has a desire to evil. A miracle has just occurred. He knows and God knows it. This man immediately, praises God in prayer, thanking him for making his weakness a strength unto him.
He is on the road to becoming a just man and even a just man made perfect.
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