Can One Contend Righteously?

In Mosiah 2:32-33, King Benjamin warns his people of a specific sin to beware of: contention. Since he is talking to his people, he may be referring particularly to political and religious contention. He pronounces a wo upon those who contend and tells them that they are following the evil spirit.

32But, O my people, beware lest there shall arise contentions among you, and ye list to obey the evil spirit, which was spoken of by my father Mosiah.

33For behold, there is a wo pronounced upon him who listeth to obey that spirit; for if he listeth to obey him, and remaineth and dieth in his sins, the same drinketh damnation to his own soul; for he receiveth for his wages an everlasting punishment, having transgressed the law of God contrary to his own knowledge.

I wonder how we as American measure up individually as well as in politics with our American way of contending with each other about everything. Is being contentious really listing to obey the evil spirit?

I guess I should define the word, contention before I get too far:

1. Strife; struggle; a violent effort to obtain something, or to resist a person, claim or injury; contest; quarrel.
2. Strife in words or debate; quarrel; angry contest; controversy.
3. Strife or endeavor to excel; emulation.
4. Eagerness; zeal; ardor; vehemence of endeavor.

Is there healthy contention or is it always bad? Alma 2:5 speaks of "wonderful contentions" one with anther to vote whether or not to have a king once again. Can one debate politically without contention? Since strife is used often in the above definition of contention, let's look that up:

Strife: 1. Exertion or contention for superiority; contest of emulation, either by intellectual or physical efforts. 2. Contention in anger or enmity; contest; struggle for victory; quarrel or war.

I believe one can discuss or debate politics or religion without contending. But, I don't think it is easy. Human nature seems to cause us to slip in strife and contention.

A 'discussion' (in 1828 Webster's Dictionary) is defined as follows:

2. Debate; disquisition; the agitation of a point or subject with a view to elicit truth; the treating of a subject by argument, to clear it of difficulties, and separate truth from falsehood.

I like the idea of clearing truth from falsehood. It must take a person of sufficient character to choose not to contend with others. It takes discerning listeners to realize when a discussion has turned to contention and strife. Is it better to fight with words to the end or find points of compromise? It seems like the American political and religious fronts are full strive and contention. We get caught up in our 'rightness' and fall into temptation. What is the temptation? To contend. When we contend or agree with the contention at hand (mobs do this), we fall into the hands of the devil. To conclude, let's look at one last scripture. Jesus says the following in 3 Nephi 11:29:

For verily, verily I say unto you, he that hath the spirit of contention is
not of me, but is of the devil, who is the father of contention, and he stirreth
up the hearts of men to contend with anger, one with another.

You either move forwards or backwards

A common thread in the scriptures is that one is either moving forward or moving backwards regarding spiritual progression. When I use the word spiritual, I mean what a man does to either comprehend the things of God more fully or less fully. We are sometime deceived by our own preceived enlightenment when this enlightment is really a way to rationalize or justify our actions. What do I mean by rationalize? Anything that keeps us from being completely blameless or guiltless is something that we have retionalized. If you can be blamed for hurting yourself or others in anyway you are not blameless. For example, someone entreats you for assistance and you say no when you could have assisted. If you honestly can say that you give not because you have not then you stand blameless. Rationalizing any kind of sin causes us to no longer stand blameless. You also comprehend less and less of the things of God. A person who presists in fighting against goodness will unknowingly find himself in state called the chains of hell. This person thinks faith is foolish; he mocks things that he may have believed in the past; he can't receive counsel; he is in a state of unbelief.

The scriptures are the repository of what God has communicated to His children. God is not silent! He has told us His will. Why doesn't God reveal himself to me directly? Why should He? He has given us His scriptures. But, He will do something for you! As you study His words through His holy prophets with real intent, He will witness the truth of them to your heart. As you apply a teaching, you will know it is true. First faith, then the witness. It never goes the other way. Sincerity and real intent also have be part of the sacred search.

I like this scripture in Mosiah 1:5. It expresses the importance of having an unchanging base to work from (in contrast to all sorts of modern ideas).

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.

Isn't it the same thing if we don't read and apply what we have? The Lamanites didn't have God's commandments and dwindled in unbelief. Anyone who doesn't read and ponder and pray in this day and age will have the same thing occur. You get to this point that you "even do not believe them when [you] are taught them, because of the [modern] traditions, which are not correct. And this is the sad truth. Let's all start progressing forward, not falling backward!

-Scott

Trying to Do it All Yourself - Leaving God Out

I think these verses are a great metaphor or pattern for how some of us operate in our lives. I take my text from Mosiah 21 5-16. When the natural man is the operating person we learn the hard way that we can't do it all ourselves.

5 And now the afflictions of the Nephites were great, and there was no way that they could deliver themselves out of their hands, for the Lamanites had surrounded them on every side. (We are in trouble and there's not way out)
6 And it came to pass that the people began to murmur with the king because of their afflictions; and they began to be desirous to go against them to battle. And they did afflict the king sorely with their complaints; therefore he granted unto them that they should do according to their desires. (We think about our plight and get angry inside. The Lord let's us try out our plan)
7 And they gathered themselves together again, and put on their armor, and went forth against the Lamanites to drive them out of their land. (We do our best efforts to fix the problem ourselves without the Lord's help.)
8 And it came to pass that the Lamanites did beat them, and drove them back, and slew many of them. (We fail. Our spirit is broken.)
9 And now there was a great mourning and lamentation among the people of Limhi, the widow mourning for her husband, the son and the daughter mourning for their father, and the brothers for their brethren. (We get depressed and grieve our disappointments.)
10 Now there were a great many widows in the land, and they did cry mightily from day to day, for a great fear of the Lamanites had come upon them. (We lose our self esteem and begin to fear that our situation is insuperable)
11 And it came to pass that their continual cries did stir up the remainder of the people of Limhi to anger against the Lamanites; and they went again to battle, but they were driven back again, suffering much loss. (we rally our spirits and with anger or determination once again and go out and try again to solve the problem)
12 Yea, they went again even the third time, and suffered in the like manner; and those that were not slain returned again to the city of Nephi. (we don't learn our lesson and keep on trying to solve the problem on our own and we fail miserably. We are now demoralized.)
13 And they did humble themselves even to the dust, subjecting themselves to the yoke of bondage, submitting themselves to be smitten, and to be driven to and fro, and burdened, according to the desires of their enemies. (We finally humble ourselves and submit to yoke of bondage. We are acutely aware of our predicament)
14 And they did humble themselves even in the depths of humility; and they did cry mightily to God; yea, even all the day long did they cry unto their God that he would deliver them out of their afflictions. (We turn to God for help in our humble state. We ask for help)
15 And now the Lord was slow to hear their cry because of their iniquities; nevertheless the Lord did hear their cries, and began to soften the hearts of the Lamanites that they began to ease their burdens; yet the Lord did not see fit to deliver them out of bondage. (The Lord tries our resolve to trust in Him. Some good things begin to happen but we are not delivered)
16 And it came to pass that they began to prosper by degrees in the land, and began to raise grain more abundantly, and flocks, and herds, that they did not suffer with hunger. (As we stay humble, relying on the Lord, our lives are blessed in degrees.)

We have learned an important lesson. Some will learn it sooner than others. We learn this lesson experientially. We learn that trying to solve the problem ourselves seldom works very well. We learn that humbling ourselves and relying on the Lord always bring better results even if it is only peace while in bondage. Deliverance will happen in the Lord's own due time (see Mosiah 22).

Being Guided in Wisdom's Paths

Mosiah 2:36 says:

[36] And now, I say unto you, my brethren, that after ye have known and have been taught all these things, if ye should transgress and go contrary to that which has been spoken, that ye do withdraw yourselves from the Spirit of the Lord, that it may have no place in you to guide you in wisdom's paths that ye may be blessed, prospered, and preserved --

I like to change this scripture and phrase it positively: ... the Spirit of the Lord ... may have place in you to guide you in wisdom's paths that ye may be blessed, prospered, and preserved.

So the Holy Ghost guides those how follow Him in wisdom's paths. Too me, wisdom's paths means that we don't make all sorts of mistakes in this life. Life isn't a crap shoot where you get what you get. Things go more successfully. The person knows that he has been bless and prospered beyond his own capability. He is preserved in tough times.

Here's a poem quoted by Elder Boyd K. Packard:

With thoughtless and impatient hands
We tangle up the plans
The Lord hath wrought.
And when we cry in pain He saith,
“Be quiet, man, while I untie the knot.”

It might take time for the Lord untie the knots that we create in our lives.

Alma's Church: Foundations

It seems that it wasn't uncommon to have a tradition of having all things in common for the people of the Book of Mormon. Alma seems to have made this a main tennant of the church he orgainized. There are two roots in the Book of Mormon to having all things in common that I wish to explore: Jacob 2 and Mosiah 4.

Four hundred and sixty years before Alma organized his church, Jacob rebuked his people with the following in Jacob 2:17-18:

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. But before ye seek for riches, seek ye for the kingdom of God. 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.

Here Jacob exhorts his brethren to be free with their substance so everyone can be rich. Substance mean wealth in any form. "Think of your brethren like unto yourselves". Jacob doesn't want any personal amassing of wealth. He says in verse 19 that if we really have a hope in Christ, we can do nothing but help others with our surplus wealth. But, it appears that our inclination or desire to give away our substance is brought about by whether or not we have sought the kingdom of God. The natual man cannot even comprehend giving freely. He considers it foolishness. And he never will know the blessings and miracles that he might have received if he had faith. And receiving the blessings is proof (in some twisted way) that Jacob's just doesn't work.

In Mosiah 4:22-23, King Benjamin, forty years before the establishment of Alma's church tells his people that one of the results of rebirth in the Christ is use your substance as if it were a gift:

And if ye judge the man who putteth up his petition to you for your substance that he perish not, and condemn him, how much more just will be your condemnation for withholding your substance, which doth not belong to you but to God, to whom also your life belongeth; and yet ye put up no petition, nor repent of the thing which thou hast done. I say unto you, wo be unto that man, for his substance shall perish with him; and now, I say these things unto those who are rich as pertaining to the things of this world.

King Benjamin is saying that the rich man will perish if he doesn't use his gift of making wealth to help others. You can't even judge the person who you know messed up his temporal situation. It just doesn't matter. Since your substance isn't yours anyways, the Lord's requirement being blessing with this temporal gift is to give it all away. Many get distressed at this idea these days - but to King Benjamin it show true discipleship.

Let's look at verses 17-18:

Perhaps thou shalt say: The man has brought upon himself his misery; therefore I will stay my hand, and will not give unto him of my food, nor impart unto him of my substance that he may not suffer, for his punishments are just— But I say unto you, O man, whosoever doeth this the same hath great cause to repent; and except he repenteth of that which he hath done he perisheth forever, and hath no interest in the kingdom of God. For behold, are we not all beggars? Do we not all depend upon the same Being, even God, for all the substance which we have, for both food and raiment, and for gold, and for silver, and for all the riches which we have of every kind?

This earler verse tells us that we are all beggars - or at least people who have had the change of heart. Christ gave you the gift of redeeming love so love others in the small way that you can. Not everyone has the same gift in this life. Some have spiritual gifts and others have temporal gifts. To withhold your temporal gift is like a person with gift of healing to withhold his gift from you when you are sick!

Alma new the doctrine and organized his church of believers according to that doctrine. The members - and the whole nation were blessed because of this order that they followed. They were delivered from the hands of the Lamanites over and over again. They were prospered in all ways. They had the strength of the Lord!