2 Nephi 31:16 Example of Jesus

I found an interesting verse in my scripture study today: 2 Nephi 31:16

“ And now, my beloved brethren, I know by this that unless a man shall endure to the end, in following the example of the Son of the living God, he cannot be saved.”

So, I have to ask myself, what it the example of the Savior?  This reminds me of another scripture in 1 Nephi 19:9 which says,

“And the world, because of their iniquity, shall judge him to be a thing of naught; wherefore they scourge him, and he suffereth it; and they smite him, and he suffereth it. Yea, they spit upon him, and he suffereth it, because of his loving kindness and his long-suffering towards the children of men.”

So, all I can do is strive to be more like the Savior.  It make life easy.  Did you know that?  Life becomes easy.  I am reminded of another scripture, Alma 37:46,

“O my son, do not let us be slothful because of the easiness of the way”.

Why is living the gospel and following the Son easy?  Well, I suppose it isn’t easy for the natural man that is full of wicked traditions.  But, why is the way easy?  This reminds me of the words of Hymn, page 125, last verse,

“I’ll drop my burden at his feet And bear a song away.”

And,

“Come, cast your burdens on the Lord And trust his constant care” (first verse)

The whole hymn speaks for life being easy in the Lord.

As I learn to do this, I my faith becomes strong.

Scott

2 Nephi 26:20 Striking the Rock

I found 2 Nephi 26:20 interesting today.  It says: 

And now, my brethren, I have spoken plainly that ye cannot err. And as the Lord God liveth that brought Israel up out of the land of Egypt, and gave unto Moses power that he should heal the nations after they had been bitten by the poisonous serpents, if they would cast their eyes unto the serpent which he did raise up before them, and also gave him power that he should smite the rock and the water should come forth; yea, behold I say unto you, that as these things are true, and as the Lord God liveth, there is none other name given under heaven save it be this Jesus Christ, of which I have spoken, whereby man can be saved.

I was surprised that Nephi uses two metaphors that don't seem to relate to each other: raising up the serpent on the stick and smiting the rock.  I then realized that they both involve healing. One involves looking to Christ and other. the waters of life flowing from Christ, The Rock.  Nephi then says, that there is none other name given under heaven save it be this Jesus Christ...whereby man can be saved.
I then looked around on the internet and found this:

Christ is the main subject in the Old Testament "concealed". God speaks of Him in types and shadows. At Rephidim (Exodus 17:4) God told Moses to strike the Rock.The Rock is Christ (1st Corinthians 10:4), Moses represents the Law. Jesus was struck by Israel for presuming to violate the Law, for claiming to be God, which He is! When He was struck "crucified", living water (John 4:10) for all humanity who would "believe" was poured out. Moses was told to speak to the Rock at Meribah (Numbers 20:8). As a prerequisite for Jesus to return, to save Israel during the Great Tribulation they must ask Him, (Luke 13:35). So by striking the Rock, Moses messed up God's model or type which would have modeled the 1st and 2nd comings of Christ.
So to counter this mistake by Moses, He was not allowed to take Israel into the Promised Land which is a type of Heaven, Moses represents the Law, only God's Grace gets you in Heaven "the Promised land, so Joshua took them in! Joshua is Hebrew for Jesus! The Law is the 1st five books of the Old Testament, called the Torah by the Jews, The very next book is "Joshua" Found in. 

https://christianity.stackexchange.com/questions/6998/why-was-god-so-upset-with-moses-for-striking-the-rock-the-second-time-in-the-des

The Lord was trying to teach Israel that Moses, or the Law will not save them!  Only Christ and his merits, mercy and grace can save mankind!

I like this response as well:

The section you quote contains the answer: because Moses did not believe. He was told to "tell the rock... to yield its water" but instead he struck the rock twice, apparently believing God's command to be insufficient. He expected God to act in exactly the same way as He had before*, but God apparently wanted to reveal His power to Moses in a new way.
As the leader, Moses was being watched. When Moses did not believe, this could easily lead to lack of belief amongst the Israelites, which had been a problem before.
Finally, God had previously to deal with men not trusting His promise but taking matters into their own hands.

 Believing Christ is the answer.  It always has been the answer. Relying wholly upon His merits who is mighty to save isn't as hard or scary as it sounds.  Surrender to His will and trust that he loves you. You don't have to do it all yourself.  You don't have to take matters into your own hands.  Life becomes peaceful and full of purpose.

Worthiness vs. worthiness

I have been thinking about worthiness vs. worthiness.  It is minor thing but worth exploring.

The Church’s modern definition of worthiness has to do with a standard that has be set that we can compare ourselves against.  For example, if I am temple worthy I have stated that I meet a certain standard set by the Church.

On the other hand, the word ‘worthy’ in ancient times is used differently.  They would still compare themselves to a standard but would always find themselves coming up short.  Alma the Younger taught his son, Shiblon, the following:

Do not say: O God, I thank thee that we are better than our brethren; but rather say: O Lord, forgive my unworthiness, and remember my brethren in mercy—yea, acknowledge your unworthiness before God at all times. (Alma 38:14).

So, we members of the Church, these days, say that we are worthy members of the Church and Alma teaches to always acknowledge our unworthiness before God at all times.  Why is there an apparent discrepancy?  Or, is there?

The obvious answer is that we are talking about two different things.  One is a standard set by the Church and the other is a set by the Atonement of Jesus Christ.  Although this is true, it can be confusing.  If I am worthy before the Church, why am I unworthy before God? Shouldn’t I be worthy before God?

We will always be imperfect creatures.  Even if we were to get pretty close to perfection (completion) we still have sinned and do sin.  Without Christ’s atonement those sins can never be washed away.   We can never go it alone in this life.  Does this make us unworthy?  Yes, because we all require Christ’s infinite atonement to make it back. Without Him we are nothing.  We are less than the dust of the earth. (Helaman 12:7-8, Moses 1:10)

The fact is that we all sin.  So, what can we become perfect at?  We can become perfect in our faith in Jesus Christ (Jacob 9:23).  To develop faith, a main requirement is to be meek and lowly in heart (Moroni 7:39,43).  Being humble and acknowledging our unworthiness before God at all times go hand in hand. Other prophets describe perfect faith as unshaken faith in Christ, relying wholly upon the merits of him who is might to save (2 Nephi 31:19).  Others  describe this faith in Christ as “relying alone upon the merits of Christ, who was the author and the finisher of their faith. (Moroni 6:4).  And humility is always the prerequisite (see v.2).

It is very humbling to know that you are nothing without Jesus Christ.  This may even go against modern thought.  Here’s the kicker: when we are connected to Christ, we become perfect in Christ (Moroni 10:32), even in our unworthy state.  Of course, because we love the Lord for what He has done for us, and we love His ways, and we want to change.  This is all implied in our Christian discipleship.

Do not make sin and shame the center of your life.  Make Christ and His merits and His grace your center.  We will always be unworthy, imperfect creatures.  That is not the focus.  Letting our lives be lit up by Christ (the Light) will show our sins in the right perspective.

Being Church worthy is a wonderful first step on the path of being a humble follower of Christ.

Scott

Education Week, Day 3, 2nd Hour, Patrick Degn, The Sacrifice of the Red Heifer

http://greenscooter1513.blogspot.com/

Education Week, Day 3, 2nd Hour, Patrick Degn

Sacrifice of the Red Heifer

 Redemption is through the blood of the Lamb, not through our own works.  Cain brought the wrong offering.

Napoleon Hill - No such thing as a free lunch.

Question: What is the Price of Redemption?

The work "Priesthood" is synymous with "Jesus Christ".

The tabernacle drawn out East to West:

1. the Ash Pit (price of redemption), Christ endows me with ability to repent and go the door (gate)

2. the Alter of Sacrifice (west of the east gate)

3. Lavar of Washing

4. Lamp Stead (Gives me light to rule  my day)

5. Shew Bread

6. Incense Altar (Prayers)

7. Ark

Hebrew 10:19-22

v.19 having boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus.  We are not to be shy.

v.20 by a new a living way...through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; - The highway out of the sea (the world) enables us to go from the world into Zion.  The veil of the temple is the flesh of Jesus Christ.  You must go the through his flesh.

v.22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith...(a new and living way is a fresh thing, still living) and consecrated.

Number 19

Hebrews 9:13-17

v.13 For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: [absolves ritual uncleaness]

v.14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? [ashes to bring us to the reality of the blood]

v.16 For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. [the death of the testator is necessary.  He must be cut, and bleed and die.]

v.17 For a testament is of force after men are dead:otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth. [We have new covenant with Him and his death]

Ezekial 43:21

21 Thou shalt take the bullock also of the sin offering, andhe shall burn it in the appointed place of the house,without the sanctuary.

There is a designated, appointed place outside the tabernacle.  This is the ash pit.

Seth was appointed to take the place of Abel.

The only animal slain at the Ash pit is the red heifer.

North indicates lost.  I die on the north side of the alter because of the price paid on the east.  "All slain to the north of the brazen alter of sacrifice (Leviticus).

Sacred place - Female cow, red heifer, most precious of all offerings.  Slain on the Day of Atonement - Miphkad.  Numbers 19:1-6

1 And the Lord spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,

2 This is the ordinance of the law which the Lord hath commanded, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring thee a red heifer without spot, wherein is no blemish, and upon which never came yoke:

3 And ye shall give her unto Eleazar the priest, that he may bring her forth without the camp, and one shall slay her before his face:

4 And Eleazar the priest shall take of her blood with his finger, and sprinkle of her blood directly before thetabernacle of the congregation seven times:

5 And one shall burn the heifer in his sight; her skin, and her flesh, and her blood, with her dung, shall he burn:

6 And the priest shall take cedar wood, and hyssop, and scarlet, and cast it into the midst of the burning of the heifer.

Never came yoke means never been mounted by a male bull.

The sacrifice is done outside the camp.  He slay her with its face east toward God.  The heifer if place south (toward the covenant people) and the head is turned east to the temple and is then slain.  Blood is sprinkled seven times toward the temple.

Animal blood sprinkled before the Lord is like the Hosanna Shout.  Similar to the sacrifice of the Heifer.

Seven things offered (perfection) rather than five things (grace).  My four + the priest's 3.  Covenants always made in three.  We (the heifer) offers skin, flesh, dung and blood.  The priest offers cedar, hyssop, and scarlet.  Interesting that the four are present agents.  One is amazing (flesh).  The other three are the worst things to offer.  Who represents the red heifer?  A sweet savor offering (smells like BBQ) doesn't have skin and hair and blood.  This offering smells bad.

the red heifer represents Adam or each of us.

The priest mixes in  cedar wood, hyssop and scarlet ( Ex12:22, Lev 14, John 19:29).  In the offering, priest includes some of his nature.  The cedar is very expensive, durable, valuable, last forever, eternity, used by kings.  The hyssop grows on the walls of the temple.  It is a mystery.  Nobody knows now what it is.  The scarlet is the token of redemption.  Put in the window at Jericho.  Token on blood. Psalm 22:1, vs 6 "I am a worm and no man despised (this is the worm that you extract scarlet from.  It climbs up the wall and on the third day the egg sacks burst open and leaves a scarlet mark on the wall.

So, my four things that I offer and his three things that He offers are cast into the fire in the ash pit.  Ashes are produced.  The ashes represent the sins gathered up - purified for sin.

Numbers 19:11-22 - the ashes are used to purify ritual uncleanness on the 3rd and 7th day.  3rd day purified and on the 7th day pronounced clean.

A person that walks into the temple complex unclean (been around death) having the stench of death will be excommunicated.

Purified living waters plus the ashes of the heifer.  Doctrine of Christ

Bethphage - priestly city outside the camp.  Jesus was probably brought to Bethpage and was tried there.  According to the Mishna, only nine red heifers  had been offered from Moses to Jesus.  Very precious ashes.  Mythna Altar - the ash pit.

All ashes were carried to the ash pit.  Water washed the ashes to the Kidron Valley.  The blood of the sacrifices mixed with the ashes  East (ashes), West (Blood).

Jesus was at Gethsemane, he was led by the priest as was the Red Heifer. He was judged and then led to be sacrificed as was the Red Heifer.  He was probably crucified near the ash pit Mythna Altar east of the temple.  That would make sense.

Blood, red heifer, led by the priests. Red heifer bride and church. Ephesians 5:32. Paul says

32 This is a great a mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. {You give Christ everything.  He injects his goodness.}

C.S. Lewis (Mere Christianity, 1960) -  about building a palace.  All that he requires of you is that you trust him and his priesthood.  He will find areas that are inconsistent.  You cannot do it on your own.You go to the end of all you can do which is relying only on His Merits.

I die in the waters of baptism.

The purchase price = everything.

Jesus part = everything.

He is Time.  He is Space.  His Grace is sufficient for me.

Water, cutting and dung are also used in grafting.  Isaiah 61.  This is our offering to be water, cut and dunged.  He requires you to trust in Him.

1 The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;

2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;

3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified.

4 ¶And they shall build the old wastes, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of many generations.

5 And strangers shall stand and feed your flocks, and the sons of the alien shall be your plowmen and your vine dressers.

6 But ye shall be named the Priests of the Lord: men shall call you the Ministers of our God: ye shall eat the riches of the Gentiles, and in their glory shall ye boast yourselves.

7 ¶For your shame ye shall have double; and for confusion they shall rejoice in their portion: therefore in their land they shall possess the double: everlasting joy shall be unto them.

8 For I the Lord love judgment, I hate robbery for burnt offering; and I will direct their work in truth, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them.

9 And their seed shall be known among the Gentiles, and their offspring among the people: all that see them shall acknowledge them, that they are the seed which the Lord hath blessed.

10 I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.

11 For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.

We can be transformed into trees of righteousness by believing in Jesus Christ and offering ourselves to be dunged, cut and watered.

What does the Average Humble Follower of Christ Experience?

I have read the Book of Mormon many times over many years.  I have come across numerous verses that spoke of signs, wonders and miracles following the believer.  Until recently I thought that this must be a very special person, perhaps the chosen few.  While I was reading 2 Nephi I came across one of these verses. Nephi tells us in 2 Nephi 26:13,

And that he manifesteth himself unto all those who believe in him, by the power of the Holy Ghost; yea, unto every nation, kindred, tongue, and people, working mighty miracles, signs, and wonders, among the children of men according to their faith.

And it came to me!  I have been having these kind of manifestations from God my whole life.  As my faith grows they have been more frequent.  I realize now these tender mercies keep me going along the gospel path.  Sometimes the miracles, signs and wonders are small and I am barely aware of them. And at other times the manifestations are more grand.

I then came across this verse in Jacob 4:6:

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.

I realized that Christian faith is evidence-based faith!  The only way for us to obtain a hope is to have spiritual witnesses.  These come to us as revelations and the spirit of prophecy.  Nephi called them signs, wonders and miracles.  So, the witnesses (evidences) cause us to gain a hope (in Christ) and this hope + witnesses causes our faith to become unshaken.

What do I do if I am not seeing signs, wonders and miracles in my life?  We work on getting closer to God.  How might I do this?  Perhaps we exercise faith unto repentance.  Perhaps we just begin to believe in Christ (Alma 33).  Perhaps we become very humble and submissive to God.  Ask God what you ought to be doing.  He will tell you through the still, small voice of the Holy Ghost. He knows you are a beginner and will give you small things to do.  Come and fear not (Alma 7:15).  God is good and loves you.  Once we exert ourselves to follow Christ something wonderful begins to happen.  We feel connected to God.  The Spirit starts to guide us.  The seed (Alma 32) begins to swell in our hearts.  This always happens.

What has happened is the great plan of redemption has immediately been brought about to you:

Yea, I would that ye would come forth and harden not your hearts any longer; for behold, now is the time and the day of your salvation; and therefore, if ye will repent and harden not your hearts, immediately shall the great plan of redemption be brought about unto you. (Alma 34:31)

What does immediate mean?  I believe it means that grace has entered your soul.  We are saved by grace!  As we continuously look for ways to deny ourselves all ungodliness and come unto Christ through repentance and loving service, we become perfect in Christ (Moroni 10:32).  We remain perfect in Christ as we continue to exert ourselves.  We fall from this when we get slothful.  But, what's wonderful is that as we continue forward God continues to bless us.  These evidences increase our faith.  Our love grows deeper for our Savior.  The gospel tastes delicious to us.

By grace we are saved after all we can do.  All we can do is exert ourselves to be better, to always remember Christ in all that we do, repenting when we make mistakes and believe.  We are constantly saved by grace if we are striving to do good!

Here’s the pattern to begin to receive assurances.

1.       Believe in Christ.  Humble yourself.  Put all your trust in Him.  Rely only on His merits.  Recognize your unworthiness at all times.

2.       Repent.  This is humbling yourself again casting off pride and fixing any of the basic commandments that you are deficient in.

3.       Worship Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ by partaking of the Sacrament with real intent.  Ask for cleansing.

4.       Sincerely ask for the Holy Ghost.  Ask for the gifts of the Spirit that you need. 

This is the pattern.

The Deceitfulness of Riches

Jacob talks of the rich and learned that are proud in 2 Nephi 9:42.  I can't stop but wonder who Jacob's readership is.  It can only be Latter Day Saints and investigators.  That's all who read the Book of Mormon.  So, I conclude that this means that he is talking to Mormons.  I wonder what a Mormon who is rich or learned is thinking when he or she reads this passage:

And whoso knocketh, to him will he open; and the wise, and the learned, and they that are rich, who are puffed up because of their learning, and their wisdom, and their riches—yea, they are they whom he despiseth; and save they shall cast these things away, and consider themselves fools before God, and come down in the depths of humility, he will not open unto them.

So, I am reading this passage.  I ask myself the question, have I passed through the gate?  Has Christ opened up to me?  I have two options - yes he has or no he hasn't.  If I answer yes, what evidence do I have that the Holy One of Israel has opened the gate?  Have I been baptized by fire?  Do I have the Holy Ghost as my constant companion?  Have I received Justification?  If I can't provide myself these evidences than the answer is no.  That doesn't mean that I am bad.  It just means that I haven't passed through this gate.

I might then ask myself if I could be considered puffed up by the Lord?  I am rich or I am learned or I am both?  Do I identify with my riches or my learnedness?  Do I believe who I am (my identity) is based on my riches or being learned?  If so, I am running under the natural man.  Egoic states possess my consciousness.  I want my riches and learnedness more than I want my God.

How I would I know if this is true?  Well, I definitely haven't cast off my riches. I still have them. Perhaps I can keep my riches, but be a good steward over them.  What would that look like?  Could it mean to give away my surplus riches?  Do I make a mock of my brothers and sisters by showing off my wealth by what I wear and drive?  Do I show off my riches in the house I choose to live in? Why might this be considered mocking my brethren?  Surely this can't be so!  My poor brothers and sisters should just be humble and admire my things.  They should learn not to covet and envy.  This is sin. You are exactly right, but what else does this blatant inequality do among believers?  Temporal equality is a tenet of gospel of Christ.  It brings a sense of unity, of common purpose for a Stake of Zion.  What example does having rich and poor in a Stakes of Zion give to everyone especially our youth? Perhaps, that we give lip service only - to the cause of Christ and Zion.

How would I know if I am puffed up and proud? I am grateful to God, (like a wicked Zoromite?), that he has blessed me more than others and I thank him (that I am better off than others).  I wear, drive and live in - expensive things.  If I am not proud then what am I?  Highly blessed by God above other people, has to be my answer.  Oh, the deceitfulness of riches!  I have to decide whether I am humble rich or proud rich.  Am I humble rich wearing, driving and living above everyone else?  Yes, that must be it!  The person writing this essay is an idiot.  All is well in Zion! Let's read this scripture:

And others will he pacify, and lull them away into carnal security, that they will say: All is well in Zion; yea, Zion prospereth, all is well—and thus the devil cheateth their souls, and leadeth them away carefully down to hell.

And behold, others he flattereth away, and telleth them there is no hell; and he saith unto them: I am no devil, for there is none—and thus he whispereth in their ears, until he grasps them with his awful chains, from whence there is no deliverance. 2 Nephi 28:21-22)

 We rich Mormons might be deceived by our riches.  Read this:

And I know that ye do walk in the pride of your hearts; and there are none save a few only who do not lift themselves up in the pride of their hearts, unto the wearing of very fine apparel, unto envying, and strifes, and malice, and persecutions, and all manner of iniquities; and your churches, yea, even every one, have become polluted because of the pride of your hearts. 

For behold, ye do love money, and your substance, and your fine apparel, and the adorning of your churches, more than ye love the poor and the needy, the sick and the afflicted.

Why do ye adorn yourselves with that which hath no life, and yet suffer the hungry, and the needy, and the naked, and the sick and the afflicted to pass by you, and notice them not? (Mormon 8:36-37, 39)

What can I do, if I am rich, to show my faith and love for my God?  How do I get through the eye of the needle and get to heaven?  How do I show my devotion to God and the cause of Zion?  I don't want to lift up my head with the wicked in hell?  See D&C 104:18:

Therefore, if any man shall take of the abundance which I have made, and impart not his portion, according to the law of my gospel, unto the poor and the needy, he shall, with the wicked, lift up his eyes in hell, being in torment.

This tells me to impart my portion. The more rich I am, the more generous I am to be.  Maybe, over time, I might even decide to live like the rest of human kind in a modest home, driving a modest car and wearing comely apparel.  But, for now, I think I will just give a lot to the poor.  When I gain that  hope in Christ I will even more compelled to do the following:

Think of your brethren like unto yourselves, and be familiar with all and free with your substance, that they may be rich like unto you. (Jacob 2:17)

Now there's a principle to be followed!  But, it take time to extricate one's self from our wicked traditions.

But, I am a Mormon.  I have a hope in Christ! Look what a person with a hope in Christ does:

And after ye have obtained a hope in Christ ye shall obtain riches, if ye seek them; and ye will seek them for the intent to do good—to clothe the naked, and to feed the hungry, and to liberate the captive, and administer relief to the sick and the afflicted. (Jacob 2:19)

My riches (and my ability to produce riches) are a gift like any other gift - to be used to give God glory - not for self-aggrandizement.  When I live this principle, considering myself a fool before God, then God will open the gate and permit me to pass through.

But, if not....

But the things of the wise and the prudent shall be hid from them forever—yea, that happiness which is prepared for the saints. (2 Nephi 9:43)

That happiness of the saints will be hidden from me forever.

Shibon - The Good Son

Shibon was a never-do-it-oncer.  He was that classic young man raised in the church with obedience that comes naturally in a society filled with good role models.  Shiblon has been steady and faithful unto God (v.2); he commenced in his youth to look to the Lord.  On his mission to the Zoromites he has been faithful, diligent, patient and long suffering (v.3).  He has been raised well and had made good choices.

Alma, in verse 6, feels  to tell his son that he (Alma) has been born of God.  He tells his son that he had to cry unto the Lord for mercy, receive a remission of his sins and find peace to his soul.  He emphasizes the importance of Jesus Christ being at the center of Shiblon's faith (v.9), not extolling Christ as one of Shiblon's virtues but as counsel for Shiblon to learn wisdom (v.9)

It's as if Alma sees what Shiblon lacks and is gently persuading him to add the mercy (v.8), the saving power (v.9) and centrality of Christ - being the life, the light and the word of truth and righteousness - as new additions to his son's belief system.

Alma counsels Shiblon to be temperate (v.10), not be lifted up in pride (v.11), that he not boast in his own wisdom nor in his much strength (v.11).  It's almost as if Alma sees the direction a young man raised well will take if Christ doesn't become the center.  Strict observance can unwittingly become pride, the very thing that was to be avoided.  If this happens, the mark is missed and the whole of being raised in strict obedience is lost.

Alma counsels his son to take of stand for righteousness (boldness in v.12) but not overbearance; to bridle his passions, be filled with love and refrain from idleness.  He then tells Shibon what prayer isn't (v.13).  As Alma is speaking of the wickedness of the Zoromites, it's as if he sees something that needs correcting in his son.  Alma senses that Shiblon believes he is 'better' than others because he has done all the outward commandments since his youth (see v. 14).  Alma's counsel strikes to the heart of the matter that plagues all who have outwardly obeyed yet never felt mercy: judging oneself as better than others.  "Rather say, forgive thy unworthiness, and remember my brethren in mercy" (v.14)

I can imagine seeing the obedient young person, like Shiblon, saying, "but, how can I be unworthy?  I have obeyed all the commandments from my youth!  I don't get it. This doesn't make sense."  Alma goes on and says, "acknowledge your unworthiness before God at all times", re-enforcing the fact that Christ paid for all our sins and we will forever be unworthy creatures.  There's no changing this.  To believe otherwise denies that atonement and suggests that we work our way back to heaven.  Then why obey? Why do good works?

Embedded throughout Alma's counsel to his second born son is the need to live a Christ-centered life. We change and become better people because Christ paid for our sins in the first place.  He loved us first.  This should cause us great humility.  Alma was trying to teach his son, and all of us, that we choose to change and progress by and through the grace of God because we love Him and want to be like Him.  Any other motive breeds pride.  We know we are running on that other motive when we can't see or comprehend our own unworthiness.

Unworthiness, in a scriptural sense, is our acknowledgment to our Savior that he has paid the price so we can return.  Mercy has satisfied the demands of Justice.  This unworthiness produces an attitude of  humility, contriteness and a broken heart.  It is the foundation on which all other gospel virtues hinge.





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Posted By NelsonFamilyBlog to Scott's Life at 10/28/2013 07:37:00 AM