1:10
All of our actions have consequences - both in the present and eternally. There is no action I take today that won’t have some effect. Even non-action has consequences. This is a law of the universe. “Unto the day when the Lord shall come to recompense unto every man according to his work, and measure to every man according to the measure which he has measured to his fellow man.”
The greatest actions that have real consequences is how we treat others - especially how we judge others. How we care for or neglect others has consequences. How we bless or take advantage of others has consequences. How we strengthen or take advantage of others has consequences. How we love or hate our neighbor has consequences - both in this life and eternally.
If we see every day as important and every interaction as consequential, we will make better decisions and our character will progress in one direction or another. Our work will be the works of righteousness. Again, every action has consequences.
1:16
Few verses accurately reveal the world today as this one. “They seek not the Lord to establish his righteousness, but every man walketh in his own way, and after the image of his own god, whose image is in the likeness of the world, and whose substance is that of an idol, which waxeth old and shall perish in Babylon, even Babylon the great, which shall fall.”
Many of us are attempting to establish our own righteousness. We are intent on designing our own system of what is right and good and what isn’t. We love to establish standards that perfectly match our preferences. It’s human nature and it’s also wrong. Deciding what is right and wrong and basing it on what we feel comfortable with is narcissistic and weak.
Many of us want to walk in our own way. Everyone likes to do what they like to do. Finding a path that is best suited for ourselves is NOT the purpose of life. I hear this often - “The church wasn’t working for me…so I left and I’ve never felt so happy!” Of course there is some temporary pleasure that comes from doing exactly what we want to. But that’s not how discipleship works!!! Abraham sacrificing Isaac was uncomfortable. Lehi being told to leave all of his property and possessions was uncomfortable. Alma stepping down from the prestigious judgement seat was uncomfortable. The three being thrown into the furnace rather than worship who they were commanded to was uncomfortable. The purpose of life is to match our will to God’s - not to just follow our comfortable will.
The object of our worship is generally obvious. If I watch you for a week, I could probably get a pretty good idea about what or who I’m worshipping. It may be our career or money or possessions or a house or prominence in the community or OURSELVES! We can’t create our own God. God is God and he is independent of any of our feelings or desires. I often hear people speaking for God. “God would never keep a mother from attending her daughter’s wedding.” The person who states that isn’t interested in the slightest about what God wants or thinks.
The key is in the first line. We must seek the Lord “to establish HIS righteousness.” Righteousness is what God says is righteous - not us.
1:19-21
“The weak things of the world shall come forth and break down the mighty and strong ones, that man should not counsel his fellow man, neither trust in the arm of flesh.” The strong and the wise of this world are not the sources of truth. The successful among us are not the ones to emulate. We must not rely on each other to discover the will of the Lord. We should have trustworthy friends but we shouldn’t trust anyone more than what God has already said or continues to speak through his prophets.
I see, among the anti-Mormon crowd, an echo-chamber of opinion. Critics gather to criticize. Combining opinions adds credibility to the criticism. If I am speaking with people who share my same doubts or critiques, I can begin to sincerely believe that I am right.
Rather than relying on each other as the sources of truth, we must rely on our Heavenly Father and his Son. “But that every man might speak in the name of God the Lord, even the Savior of the world; That faith also might increase in the earth.” It’s not about conflating common criticisms, it is about turning heavenward. The most experienced among us are 80 years old. That’s not a lot of time. We are all spiritual babies and should view ourselves as such. Just like a bunch of toddlers shouldn’t get together to figure out the purpose of life, we shouldn’t do the same. We all have parents who are omniscient and omnipresent. We must look up to them.
1:24-28
The Lord, in this chapter, is being plain about his using flawed and weak humans to establish his church. “Behold, I am God and have spoken it; these commandments are of me, and were given unto my servants in their weakness, after the manner of their language, that they might come to understanding.” Every revelation of God has been given to an imperfect human with weaknesses. God doesn’t wait until his prophets are perfect before he reveals.
As with all of us, God is eternally interested in our development. He reveals truths to the imperfect that they may progress and develop and understand. Again, it’s about development:
“And inasmuch as they erred it might be made known;”
“And inasmuch as they sought wisdom they might be instructed;”
“And inasmuch as they sinned they might be chastened, that they might repent;”
“And inasmuch as they were humble they might be made strong, and blessed from on high, and receive knowledge from time to time.”
Thankfully, God is willing to work through imperfect people - including you and me. He’s willing to bless people “in their weakness.” The Lord is describing weakness leading to understanding. He’s saying that those who err are those who will know. He’s saying that those who search for wisdom will be instructed. He’s describing sinners being chastened that they may repent. His chosen servants sound like you and I.
The key is humility. Those who are humble will be made strong eventually.
1:30
“And also those to whom these commandments were given, might have power to lay the foundation of this church, and to bring it forth out of obscurity and out of darkness, the only true and living church upon the face of the whole earth, with which I, the Lord, am well pleased, speaking unto the church collectively and not individually.” The church will roll forth “boldly, nobly and independent” on it’s own in spite of the weaknesses of its leaders. The church will never be taken from the earth. The Lord is well pleased with it.
Does that mean that God is well-pleased with everything the members are doing in the church? No. He’s pleased with the church collectively - not individually. The church, as a whole, is a perfect organization. However, not every bishop is perfect. In fact, some bishops are bad. If you look at any large organization that involves humans, you can drill down until you find someone who is wicked - even in positions of authority.
1:31-32
“For I the Lord cannot look upon sin with the least degree of allowance; Nevertheless, he that repents and does the commandments of the Lord shall be forgiven.” The Lord is never okay with sin. He doesn’t look the other way when it comes to sin. He doesn’t allow any degree of sin. While sounding harsh, this is the only way it can be.
This is not to say that we will be kept away from God’s presence because of some mistakes that all of us have made. We all have the opportunity to repent and do that sin no more. We can be forgiven.
Sin will keep us from God - but it is our unwillingness to repent that creates a permanent barrier. We can always choose to repent. When we cease to repent, true damnation begins. It’s important to understand that. It is the rebellion that keeps us from becoming like him and being with him. We are choosing a path that leads away. We are allowing pride to become an impenetrable wall that keeps us out.
This is how the smallest of sins can keep us from his presence. Again, it isn’t the degree of wickedness, it is our unwillingness to repent. Whether the sin is adultery or a white lie, if we are unwilling to repent, that unwillingness is always an infinitely high barrier.
1:33
Those of us who have the gift of the Holy Ghost are blessed with a constant companion. The Spirit can be with us always. With that companionship, we are better able to be effective disciples of Christ. However, if we rebel and reject the promptings that we receive, the Spirit will no longer strive with us. “And he that repents not, from him shall be taken even the light which he has received; for my Spirit shall not always strive with man, saith the Lord of Hosts.”
Those who have once been members of the church who later rebel and leave often seem to have less basic logic and certainly less discernment of spiritual principles. It’s almost as if their rebellion dulls their eyes and ears. Someone who has had the companionship of the Holy Ghost and then rejects it definitely does have less light than they had when they first accepted the gospel.
The Spirit is like me in this way. If everything I said to someone was ignored or rejected, I’d stop speaking with that person. I don’t think the Spirit engages in futile conversations.
1:35
“For I am no respecter of persons, and will that all men shall know that the day speedily cometh; the hour is not yet, but is nigh at hand, when peace shall be taken from the earth, and the devil shall have power over his own dominion.” We cannot forget that this world is the devil’s kingdom. He has power in this place.
I’m reminded of this every time I see someone lose their faith or become influenced by a friend in the wrong way. It seems a lot easier for a friend to persuade a member to head down a worldly path than it is the other direction. We have a young friend who recently returned home from her mission. She started dating a boy who was no a member of the church. The hope was that she would influence him and bring him to her spiritual level. Unfortunately, it has quickly gone the other way. This happens a lot.
Again, I think it has to do with the worldly current that we are all swimming in. Those who are attempting to be disciples of Christ are swimming up the current. It’s the easiest thing in the world to stop swimming and let the current take us. If we see the world in this way, it allows us to see this place as the enemy’s territory. We can’t just relax. We’re in an active battle in a real battlefield. Peace is being taken from the earth. Dig in.
1:37-39
The Lord himself is giving us direction. “Search these commandments, for they are true and faithful, and the prophecies and promises which are in them shall all be fulfilled.” We can trust what is written in this book. We don’t need to worry if what is said is true.
“What I the Lord have spoken, I have spoken, and I excuse not myself; and though the heavens and the earth pass away, my word shall not pass away, but shall all be fulfilled, whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same.” The Lord does not need to beat around the bush. The Lord does not need to worry about offending anyone or explaining himself. He doesn’t need to cite references. He doesn’t need to excuse himself for what he’s saying. What he says what he says. His words are more permanent than the heavens and the earth. That’s saying something.
“For behold, and lo, the Lord is God, and the Spirit beareth record, and the record is true, and the truth abideth forever and ever. Amen.” I love scriptures that speak about truth. That word is stretched these days beyond recognition. There are “my truth” and “your truth.” Many believe that the truth can be unique to the person.
This literally flies in the face of what the definition of “truth” is! A good definition of truth is: “that which is true or in accordance with fact or reality.” The truth doesn’t change. Part of the definition of truth is that is lasts forever. For us to have faith and hope, our faith and hope has to be grounded in truth. We can’t have hope in something that may or may not be true! If we have faith in a covenant we have made God, we must know that what he has said is true and unchanging.
I know that what the Lord has said is true. I’m betting my life on it.
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