We live in a world of convenience. That which is easily attained is more likely to be the focus of our efforts. Secular knowledge, because of its ease of access generally draws our attention because the rewards are easily obtained, measurable and tangible. Concentrated study of a particular discipline leads to the development of valued expertise and potentially greater profitability. In this world, potential benefits of secular knowledge draws our energy, efforts, and desires in search of improved quality of life and the privileges of prestige and prosperity.
Secular knowledge is essential in this cycle but may interfere with our acquiring greater knowledge, greater righteousness[1] and power[2] if we fail to achieve balance in our efforts to gain secular and spiritual knowledge.
“Joseph Smith linked blessings with knowledge. He linked knowledge with obedience to laws. “And if a person gains more knowledge and intelligence in this life through his diligence and obedience than another, he will have so much the advantage in the world to come. There is a law, irrevocably decreed in Heaven before the foundations of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated — and when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated.” “If we want a blessing, we must find the law upon which the blessing is predicated, and then follow that law. If we do, we get the blessing. There is a majestic simplicity to this orderly procedure . . .” (A Glossary of Gospel Terms, Blessings, pp.38-39, emphasis added).
Knowledge obtained in mortality is carried with us into the next life. If we search diligently for knowledge and obey what is received it is advantageous in the next world.[3] Concentration on acquiring secular knowledge may be transferable to the next life, but irrelevant. In fact, exclusive attention to secular knowledge may distract us from learning spiritual laws God intends us to learn in preparation for our next cycle of life.
“Behold, there are many called, but few are chosen, and why are they not chosen? Because their hearts are set so much upon the things of this world, and aspire to the honors of men, that they do not learn this one lesson — that the rights of the Priesthood are inseparably connected with the Powers of Heaven and that the Powers of Heaven cannot be controlled nor handled, only upon the principles of righteousness . . .” (RE T&C 139:5, emphasis added).
When our hearts desires are drawn toward secular pursuits, we fail to learn durable, irrevocable laws due to secular distraction. Spiritual laws provide practical information relevant to this life and the world to come. They empower us now and prepare us for our post mortal experience. Not only knowledge is required, righteousness is essential as well.
Our objective in this mortal experience is to learn to live on earth as God lives in the Heavens.
“So follow this example when you offer prayer: Our Father in heaven, let Your name remain Holy. May Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. And forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. And don’t let us fall into temptation, but rescue us from evil. For Yours is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen. For if you forgive others’ offenses, your Heavenly Father will also forgive yours, but if you don’t forgive others’ offenses, your Father won’t forgive yours either” (CofC, 3 Nephi 5:34, emphasis added).
For Father in Heaven’s will to be done on earth, as it is in Heaven, His children inhabiting earth must learn irrevocable laws and obey them. Learning His immutable laws and choosing to comply with His will leads us to the only path to exaltation and eternal life.
The Law of Opposition
In his closing counsel to his son’s, Lehi expounded on the necessity of opposition in all things. His exposition on this topic provides insight into an irrevocable law instituted prior to the fall of Adam and Eve. Lehi’s explanation of this law provides guidance to navigate our mortal experience and understand how eternal laws on earth are applicable in mortality. They teach us to follow the pattern of Heaven. It has to be so because mortality is a subset of eternity, so eternal laws apply here because eternity is one great whole.[4]
“The Holy One has established the requirements of the law that impose a fixed punishment opposite to the available happiness. Happiness is the purpose of the atonement. But there must be a balance or opposition for all things. If there were no balance, my first born in the wilderness, righteousness and wickedness couldn’t exist, or happiness and misery, or good and bad. The result would be no contrast but only an unvarying sameness. That being the case, if everything were fixed into the same condition, there would be no difference between life or death, decay or growth, happiness or misery, awareness or unconsciousness. Therefore everything would have been created for nothing — there would have been no purpose resulting from its creation. This failure to have opposites would destroy the wisdom of God and His eternal purposes, and also make the power, mercy, and justice of God mean nothing. If you eliminate law, you must also eliminate sin. And if you eliminate sin, you must also eliminate righteousness. Then if there’s no righteousness, there’s no happiness. And if there’s no righteousness or happiness, there’s no punishment or misery. And if all these plans of God are destroyed, you must also destroy God. If you destroy God, then we wouldn’t exist, and neither would the earth, since there couldn’t have been a creation of things, either to act or be acted upon; therefore all things would have necessarily ceased to exist” (CofC, 2 Nephi 1:7, emphasis added).
Contemplating Lehi’s words deeply provides greater practical understanding of our lives and challenges we face. Considering a pendulum as a metaphor for our lives, conceptually, a weight is attached to the arm swinging back and forth. The weight is balanced so when the pendulum swings one direction, it returns an equally, opposite direction. Our lives are like a pendulum designed to teach how to become as God is.
The Pendulum of Life
In a day when most devices are digital, the concept of a pendulum may be difficult to grasp. Having lived through the transition from analog to a digital age, I recall old grandfather clocks. They required winding a spring attached to the arm below the clock face. The arm perpetually swings as long as the spring remained tight. The motion of the arm kept the clock work on time.
In the context of life, equilibrium for a pendulum is straight down and motionless. From a human perspective, another term for equilibrium in life is “innocence.”
“Now if Adam hadn’t transgressed, he wouldn’t have fallen, but he would have stayed in the Garden of Eden. And all things that were created must have remained in exactly the same state as when first created. They would have continued forever and had no end, and they wouldn’t have had children. Therefore they would have remained in a state of innocence, having no joy, because they knew no misery, doing no good, because they weren’t exposed to sin. But all things have been done in the wisdom of Him who knows all things. Adam fell for people to exist, and we exist to experience joy. And the Messiah comes at the appointed time to rescue mankind from the Fall. Then because they’re rescued from the Fall, they’re free to act, knowing good from evil, to act for themselves and not to be acted on. However, mankind will be punished based on the law on the great and last day, according to the commandments God has given. So people act freely in this life, and this creation lets people choose freely. They’re free to choose liberty and eternal life by obeying mankind’s Mediator, or instead choose captivity and death by letting the accuser lead them. The accuser wants all mankind to become miserable like he is” (CofC 2 Nephi 1:10, emphasis added).
Innocent is what Adam and Eve were in the Garden of Eden. To remain in that state is to sacrifice agency or the right to choose, sacrificing the possibility of feeling joy. It is inconsistent with God’s plan to create mankind for the purposes of remaining in a state of neutrality. In the beginning they are innocent by nature but creating children who are without sin but remain ignorant is not godly or godlike. To ascend to where God is requires knowledge of both good and evil. For God to fulfill His highest purpose, He had to raise up men and women, grant them agency and place them in a condition to repent and choose righteousness without compulsion. Thereafter His hope is that they obey Him, their Father and choose the path leading to becoming like Him.[5]
Returning to the grandfather clock metaphor, we begin our lives like a grandfather clock yet to be wound [innocent]. The pendulum remains motionless for our formative years [no accountability because of lack of knowledge and agency. The Atonement, because of ignorance, a part of innocence, shields them from just consequences] but with life experience we gain knowledge and experience. Like winding the spring in the clock propelling the pendulum back and forth when released. When a child reaches the age of accountability, the pendulum starts swinging back and forth. The problem with the grandfather clock metaphor is the case around the pendulum restricts how far it may swing. The in our lives it swings more broadly than the clock.
Taking a literal interpretation of Lehi’s exposition on opposition in all things, whenever the pendulum swings one direction, it must swing equidistant the opposing direction. We find evidence of this substantiated in many examples in scripture and teachings of the Lord’s servants.[6] Beginning with the Savior we read:
“This Comforter is the promise which I give unto you of eternal life, even the glory of the Celestial Kingdom, which glory is that of the church of the Firstborn, even of God, the holiest of all, through Jesus Christ his Son, he that ascended up on high, as also he descended below all things, in that he comprehended all things, that he might be in all and through all things, the light of truth, which truth shines . . .” (RE T&C 86:1, emphasis added).
Like the Savior, in order for us to ascend, we must descend. Our pendulum allows us to descend sufficiently to propel it an equal distance the opposite direction. Before Jesus could ascend on high, eternal law required Him to descend “below all things.” His ascension was to rise up to the Father in Heaven and join the Father on His throne. The Lord revealed to Joseph Smith this is the greatest of all the gifts of God to mankind.[7]
Joseph Smith pointed to the principle of opposition in all things for those seeking to lead others to salvation. The Savior descended below anyone accountable before God. He did so to lead all to salvation. Anyone failing to trod the path of ascension without descending lacks sufficient knowledge and experience to find their way let alone guide those mired in the deepest abyss. They are blind guides trying to lead others out of darkness into somewhere they have never been.
“A fanciful and flowery and heated imagination beware of; because the things of God are of deep import; and time, and experience, and careful and ponderous and solemn thoughts can only find them out. Thy mind, O man! if thou wilt lead a soul unto salvation, must stretch as high as the utmost heavens, and search into and contemplate the darkest abyss, and the broad expanse of eternity—thou must commune with God” (Smith Jr., Joseph. Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith (pp.153-154, emphasis added). Deseret Book Company. Kindle Edition).
Our purpose in this life is to use our intellect and spiritual connection to the Savior to find our way back to the thrones of the Father and Son. Human nature has a tendency to measure our progress by comparing ourselves to others. That is a mistake. It is unproductive to compare ourselves to others because we are in different stages of progression in relation to the Father and Son. Our recollection of earlier cycles is veiled from our consciousness for now. Our circumstances are uniquely tailored to our individual needs by God.
The love of God is spread equally amongst all. His love knows no favorites. What He does know and desire for all mankind is to heal the effects of Adam and Eve’s fall and exalt us. Some have been at this for a very long time, while others labor to advance from fewer cycles of experience. Wherever we find ourselves, we should spend less time considering where we are in relation to others and more time considering where we are in relation to the Savior.
Exploring Practical Application of the Law of Opposition
Where is your personal pendulum? Is it swinging back into the negative? Or is your pendulum swinging forward to the positive. How are you feeling? Are you optimistic about your future or pessimistic about your prospects. Do you feel confident and secure or fearful and anxious? Questions of this nature inform of us where our personal pendulum is.
What about your economic pendulum or spiritual pendulum? Our national pendulum? Our ability to accurately assess these questions determine how successfully we apply the law of opposition to navigate our lives. How so?
It begins with having faith these laws exist, providing hope for us under all circumstances. The first principle relating to the law of opposition is realizing the pendulum always swings both ways. When it swings in an extremely positive direction we feel like it will go on like this forever. It will not. When it swings in a negative direction to the extreme it feels as if it will never get better. Your wrong. As helpless as it may seem, the pendulum will reverse and return the opposite direction. “There must be opposition in all things.”
Extremes either direction lead to extremely false conclusions. Our pendulum can be influenced by our health, relationships at home or work, economic prosperity or poverty, excessive debt or wealth. All of these lead to various challenges.
Our greatest lessons come when we reach extremes and when the pendulum begins reversing directions. We experience the greatest pain or complacency and make poor decisions to stop or slow the inevitable reversal.
Searching for Wisdom
For men specifically, wisdom is generally a female trait. When Satan encouraged Eve to partake of the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil he correctly enticed her by saying, “It will make you wise.”[8] Because she partook of the fruit first and gave it to Adam to partake, she imparted her wisdom on him. The man is not without the woman, neither the woman without the man in the Lord.[9] Together they discover godliness but not apart.
The man represents knowledge but the woman, wisdom. Knowledge without the wisdom of the woman is indeed dangerous.[10] After forty plus years of marriage, my biggest mistakes have always been of my own making because of the patriarchal tradition I was raised under. My wife was raised in the same tradition and complied with the same paradigm, albeit reluctantly. After pouring over the content of “Our Divine Parents” I felt liberated. My wife’s wise counsel keeps me grounded, avoiding foolish decisions I am prone to make. Too often she and our family suffered for my hubris.
When a man enlists the counsel of his wife, her wisdom tempers the broad range of swings in the pendulum of our lives. That is important because our ultimate goal is to return to “innocence,” or equilibrium. That is where the Father and Son dwell with their companions. It is not sufficient for us to simply be innocent at birth. God wants us to gain experience, learn wisdom and trust Them to teach us how to allow our kingdoms to come to us without compulsory means. For them, compulsion is revulsion. They desire your companionship because you love Them and desire to be like them. To be with Them, we need to be “like them.”[11] The greatest form of flattery is imitation, but also the truest form of worship.
Principles of Divine Intervention from the Covenant of Christ
In addition to our wives, the Savior teaches He will not leave us comfortless but will come to us. Coming to us does not always refer to a personal visitation. In fact it rarely leads there, though it is not out of the question given unique circumstances.
Instead of running to the rescue every time we find ourselves in need, He provides a promise of divine intervention if we ask. Before exploring His methods of divine intervention it is important to understand a basic principle that undergirds His involvement in our lives. It is found in the Teachings and Commandments.
“Behold, I say unto you, there were jarrings, and contentions, and envyings, and strifes, and lustful and covetous desires among them; therefore, by these things they polluted their inheritances. They were slow to hearken unto the voice of the Lord their God, therefore the Lord their God is slow to hearken unto their prayers, to answer them in the day of their trouble. In the day of their peace they esteemed lightly my counsel, but in the day of their trouble, of necessity they feel after me” (RE T&C 101:2, emphasis added).
Whether in difficult times or prosperous times, we must refrain from “jarrings, contention, and envying’s, and strife’s, and lustful and covetous desires." The presence of those behaviors pollute our inheritance and exacerbate moves in your personal and family pendulum. Pushing us to extremes makes it more difficult to find equilibrium or innocence. In the course of experiencing interim moves between extremes we tend to feel settled, neglecting the Lord’s voice. That is the reason our moves are extreme. Actively seeking the Lord’s voice all of the time tempers the swings and softens the consequences, rarely eliminating them. Remember, we’re to learn something from these experiences and too much intervention robs us of learning opportunities.
Prayer through the vicissitudes of life is not sufficient. We have to hearken to the Lord’s voice and do it promptly. That’s what hearkening is. When the Lord says He is slow to hearken to us, it isn’t because He doesn’t care or doesn’t want to be more responsive. It’s because we set the terms of our relationship with Him. He doesn’t compel anyone and refrains from responding until we demonstrate a level of earnestness; making His intervention necessary and purposeful. No sense in comforting people who don’t seek it.
In His revelation to Joseph Smith, the Lord uses an interesting choice of words when He says, “of necessity they feel after me.” In the context of prayer, the Lord requires more than words. He wants emotional connection with us. Rote prayers are something but to “commune with God” as Joseph Smith suggests is more than words. One of my most profound experiences with the Lord was when I spoke from my heart rather than my head. I confessed I wasn’t happy serving as a missionary. The raw honesty of my admissions were cringe worthy for me as I anticipated His wrath being poured out upon me.
During an institute class we were instructed not to say our prayers but “feel them.” In effect, vocalize what we felt rather than focusing on what we thought. The response was life changing. There were no Heavenly messengers or visible manifestations. There was an indescribable feeling of love, beginning at my feet and legs as I knelt. It rose from there until the entire room was filled with love. As it moved up my body I recall my amazement I could experience this in an unworthy and undeserving condition. I had believed there was some undefinable spiritual plateau I had to reach before receiving a manifestation from God. I was born of God and have not been the same since. I “felt” my prayer and that was sufficient for the Lord’s loving response.
Keeping in mind the concept of “feeling after the Lord,” there are several passages worth considering. The first is Nephi’s encounter with his brothers after witnessing his father’s dream of the Tree of Life.
“ . . .You’re quick to commit iniquity but slow to remember the Lord who is God. You’ve seen an angel and he spoke to you. You’ve heard His voice from time to time, and He’s spoken to you in a quiet, gentle voice; but you were no longer capable of feeling and you couldn’t feel His words. So He’s spoken to you in a thundering voice that made the earth shake as if it would split in two. You also know that by His all-powerful word He can make the earth pass away. You know that by His word He can level mountains and break apart the stable ground. Then how can you be so hard in your hearts? My soul suffers because of you, and my heart aches. I’m afraid you’ll be rejected forever. I’m full of the Spirit of God, so much so that I’ve become exhausted” (CofC 1 Nephi 5:21, emphasis added).
Like early latter-day saints, Nephi’s brothers were “slow to hearken” and their hearts were hardened until they were only able to hear the Lord’s voice when He spoke like thunder. Regardless where our pendulum swings, never neglect seeking the Lord’s voice and hearkening to it. Referring to the Lord’s personal voice we should always “feel after.” He is the one overseeing and nurturing us through these life lessons. He knows our breaking points and allows us to reach them so we know how to help others return from the brink of pain and suffering with the promise He will always be there for us with hope for a new day.
The last reference related to the concept of feeling after the Lord is from Jeremiah
.
“ . . . For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord — thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you an expected end. Then shall you call upon me, and you shall go and pray unto me, and I will listen unto you. And you shall seek me and find me when you shall search for me with all your heart. And I will be found of you, says the Lord. And I will turn away your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations and from all the places to which I have driven you, says the Lord, and I will [always]bring you again into the place from which I caused you to be carried away captive” (RE Jeremiah 11:1, emphasis added).
The Lord revealed to the Jewish captives in Babylon their captivity would be 70 years and then return to Jerusalem. His object in telling them was to assure them of their “expected end” when their pendulum swings back toward their homeland and rebuilding the Temple. He assured them if they called upon Him, He would hear them. He told them “if you shall seek me and find me when you search for me with all your heart.” If the Jews followed the Lord’s counsel through Jeremiah they are promised He will hear them but they must seek Him and find Him when “ye shall search for me with all your heart.” Searching for the Lord with all your heart is another way for the Lord to say, “feel after me.”
The Covenant of Christ illustrates four types of divine intervention He offers us if we have faith to ask for His intervention. They are listed in descending order from most likely to least likely outcome. The level of intervention is influenced by how much you hearken to the Lord’s voice and your diligence in obeying His commandments.
1. Soften the hearts of those who afflict you:
“Now there were many widows in the land, and they complained continually every day, because a great fear of the Lamanites terrorized them. Their continual complaining stirred up the rest of Limhi’s people to be angry at the Lamanites, so they went once more to battle. But they were defeated again, and many were killed. But they tried again a third time and suffered similarly, and those who survived returned to the city of Nephi. Then they humbled themselves to the dust, submitting themselves to the burdens of slavery, letting themselves be beaten, herded here and there, and treated like pack mules, according to their enemies’ whims. They humbled themselves in the depths of humility, praying humbly to God — indeed, they prayed to God all day long, asking Him to end their suffering.
Now the Lord was slow to answer their prayers because of their iniquities. Nevertheless, the Lord answered their prayers and began to soften the Lamanites’ hearts, and they began to ease their burdens. But the Lord didn’t see fit to free them from slavery” (CofC Mosiah 9:29-30, emphasis added).
2. Strengthen you to bear the burdens placed upon you.
“The Lord warned Alma that king Noah’s armies were coming to attack them, and Alma told his people. So they gathered their flocks, took their grain, and went into the wilderness ahead of king Noah’s armies. The Lord gave them strength, so they stayed ahead of king Noah’s people coming to kill them. They fled into the wilderness for eight days, arriving at a very beautiful and pleasant land with fresh water. They pitched their tents there and began to farm the ground and construct buildings, etc. - you see, they were productive and hard working” (CofC, Mosiah 11:1, emphasis added).
3. Provide a “Deliverer.”
“Then Gideon came forward and addressed the king, saying: Your majesty, you’ve taken my advice many times before while we fought our Lamanite brothers. And now, your majesty, if I haven’t given you bad advice, or if you’ve listened to me before and found I gave you good counsel, I ask you to consider my counsel now; because I have a way to free this people from slavery. The king wanted to hear him, and Gideon said: Consider the back passageway through the back wall behind the city. The Lamanite guards get drunk at night. So let’s announce to the people to gather their flocks and herds, so they can herd them into the wilderness at night. And I’ll go with your permission and pay the latest tribute of wine to the Lamanites, and they’ll get drunk. Then we’ll pass through the secluded pass on the left of their camp while they’re passed-out drunk. This is how we can leave with our women, children, flocks, and herds into the wilderness; and we’ll avoid the land of Shilom. The king adopted Gideon’s plan and had his people gather their flocks. And he sent the Lamanites the wine tribute, sending more wine as a gift to them. They drank the wine king Limhi sent them without restraint” (CofC Mosiah 10:2, emphasis added).
4. Remove the Problem (least likely).
“Their faith and patience were so great that the Lord’s voice spoke again, saying: Be of good cheer, because I’ll free you from slavery tomorrow. He told Alma: You will lead this people, and I’ll go with you and free them from slavery.
Now Alma and his people gathered their flocks and grain at night — indeed, they spent the whole night herding their flocks. And in the morning, the Lord caused a deep sleep to overcome the Lamanites, and all their taskmasters were sound asleep. Then Alma and his people made their way into the wilderness. And when they had traveled all day, they pitched their tents in a valley, calling it Alma, because he led their way in the wilderness. They poured out their thanks to God in the valley of Alma because He had been merciful to them and eased their burdens and freed them from slavery — and no one could have set them free from their enslavement except for the Lord who is God. And they gave thanks to God — indeed, all the men, women, and children who could speak raised their voices, giving praise to God” (CofC Mosiah 11:10-11, emphasis added).
Contrast between Alma and Limhi’s People
Both Alma and Limhi’s people had similar circumstances. Both were subjected to servitude at the hands of their enemies. The Lord’s resolution of both circumstances had subtle differences in the manner in which the Lord saved both groups.
In the beginning Limhi’s people attempted to fight their out of slavery and were rebuffed each time. Eventually, after losing many men they resigned themselves to their difficult circumstances until the Lord brought men from Zarahemla to assist in their deliverance.
Contrasting Alma’s experience with Limhi and his people, Alma and his people submitted to their captors and endured persecution, extenuating labor conditions, abuse for themselves and their children. Because of their devotion to the Lord and patience in their suffering, the Lord intervened and led them out of captivity in a miraculous way.
The Lord’s intervention on behalf of Limhi and his people was less direct and they had to wait until the Lord delivered them through mortal means.
Practical Application of the Divine Intervention Principles
These principles are both practical and effective for those who trust the Lord in their time of need. Most of my experiences dealt with the first two methods primarily. When I spoke or taught, I prayed the Lord would soften my heart and the hearts of those attending. I prayed He would pour out His Spirit upon me and the audience. More often than not the Lord answered my prayers and all were edified and inspired.
On several occasions I requested the Lord’s assistance in pursuing a career by softening the heart of the person making hiring decisions. It was not uncommon for the Lord to reveal to me the persons thoughts before they spoke.
As I practiced my profession I began applying the pendulum logic to different aspects of my life. Words and thoughts are given at exactly the perfect moment.
When you find a life pendulum swinging to an extreme, call on the Lord to soften hearts, strengthen you, and provide someone to deliver you. The choice is always according to His wisdom. If you sought His counsel throughout the pendulum process, you find the pendulum move is less extreme than when you “fly blind,” as a matter of speaking. He is always willing and ready to deliver you but it will be after you’ve learned something from the process. Delivering you must not circumvent your learning experience. The process is intended to teach us obedience through the things we suffer and suffer we must if we are to lead souls to salvation.
“So also Christ glorified not himself to be made a high priest, but he that said unto him, You are my Son; today I have begotten you. As he says also in another place, You are a priest for ever after the Order of Melchizedek — who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him [feeling after the Lord] that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared, though he was a son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered. (This alludes to Melchizedek and not to Christ.) (RE Hebrews 1:12, emphasis added).
[1] “In the land of the Chaldeans, at the residence of my father, I, Abraham, saw that it was needful for me to obtain another place of residence. And finding there was greater happiness, and peace, and rest for me, I sought for the blessings of the Fathers and the right whereunto I should be ordained to administer the same. Having been myself a follower of righteousness, desiring also to be one who possessed great knowledge, and to be a greater follower of righteousness, and to possess a greater knowledge, and to be a Father of many nations, a prince of peace, and desiring to receive instructions and to keep the commandments of God, I became a rightful heir, a high priest, holding the right belonging to the Fathers. It was conferred upon me from the Fathers: it came down from the Fathers, from the beginning of time, yea, even from the beginning (or before the foundations of the earth) to the present time, even the right of the firstborn (or the first man — who is Adam — or first Father) through the Fathers unto me. I sought for my appointment unto the Priesthood according to the appointment of God unto the Fathers concerning the seed” (RE T&C 145, Abraham 1:1, emphasis added).
[2] “Behold, there are many called, but few are chosen, and why are they not chosen? Because their hearts are set so much upon the things of this world, and aspire to the honors of men, that they do not learn this one lesson — that the rights of the Priesthood are inseparably connected with the Powers of Heaven and that the Powers of Heaven cannot be controlled nor handled, only upon the principles of righteousness. That they may be conferred upon us, it is true, but when we undertake to cover our sins or to gratify our pride, our vain ambition, or to exercise control, or dominion, or compulsion, upon the souls of the children of men in any degree of unrighteousness, behold, the Heavens withdraw themselves, the spirit of the Lord is grieved, and when it is withdrawn, Amen to the priesthood or the authority of that man. Behold, ere he is aware, he is left unto himself, to kick against the pricks, to persecute the saints, and to fight against God. We have learned by sad experience that it is the nature and disposition of almost all men, as soon as they get a little authority, as they suppose, they will immediately begin to exercise unrighteous dominion. Hence many are called, but few are chosen” (RE T&C 139:5, emphasis added).
“And again, verily I say unto you, and I say it that you may know the truth, that you may chase darkness from among you. For he that is ordained of God and sent forth, the same is appointed to be the greatest, notwithstanding he is least and the servant of all. Wherefore, he is possessor of all things, for all things are subject unto him both in Heaven and on the earth: the life and the light, the spirit and the power, sent forth by the will of the Father through Jesus Christ, his Son. But no man is possessor of all things except he be purified and cleansed from all sin. And if you are purified and cleansed from all sin, you shall ask whatever you will in the name of Jesus, and it shall be done. But know this, it shall be given you what you shall ask” (RE T&C 36:5, emphasis added).
“For God, having sworn unto Enoch and unto his seed with an oath by himself that everyone being ordained after this Order and calling should have power, by faith, to break mountains, to divide the seas, to dry up waters, to turn them out of their course, to put at defiance the armies of nations, to divide the earth, to break every band, to stand in the presence of God, to do all things according to his will, according to his command subdue principalities and powers; and this by the will of the Son of God which was from before the foundation of the world. And men having this faith, coming up unto this Order of God, were translated and taken up into Heaven” (RE Genesis 7:18-19, emphasis added).
[3] “Truly I say unto you, I will liken you unto the rich man. For there was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day. And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus who was laid at his gate, full of sores and desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table; moreover, the dogs came and licked his sores. And it came to pass that the beggar died and was carried of the angels into Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. And in hell he lifted up his eyes, being in torments, and saw Abraham afar off and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am tormented in this flame. But Abraham said, Son, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and likewise, Lazarus evil things, but now he is comforted and you are tormented. And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed so that they who would pass from here to you cannot, neither can they pass to us that would come from there. Then he said, I ask you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house, for I have five brethren, that he may testify unto them lest they also come into this place of torment. Abraham said unto him, They have Moses and the prophets, let them hear them. And he said, Nay, father Abraham, but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one should rise from the dead” (RE Luke 9:20, emphasis added).
[4] “And God spoke unto Moses, saying, Behold, I am the Lord God Almighty, and Endless is my name, for I am without beginning of days or end of years — and is this not endless? And behold, you are my son. Wherefore, look, and I will show you the workmanship of my hands — but not all, for my works are without end, and also my words, for they never cease. Wherefore, no man can behold all my works except he behold all my glory, and no man can behold all my glory and afterward remain in the flesh on the earth. And I have a work for you, Moses my son, and you are in the similitude of my Only Begotten. And my Only Begotten is and shall be the Savior, for he is full of grace and truth, but there is no other God beside me. And all things are present with me, for I know them all. And now behold, this one thing I show unto you, Moses my son, for you are in the world; and now I show it to you” (RE Genesis 1:1, emphasis added).
[5] “The Lord said unto Enoch, Behold these, your brethren, they are the workmanship of my own hands; and I gave unto them their intelligence, and in the Garden of Eden man had agency. And unto your brethren have I said, and also gave commandment, that they should love one another, and that they should serve me, their God [“choose me, their Father” (Moses 7:33, LDS)].
[6] “And as I was tortured like this, while I was pained by the memory of my many sins, I also remembered hearing my father prophesy to the people about the coming of one Jesus Christ, a Son of God, to atone for the world’s sins. Now as my mind took ahold of this thought, I cried out within my heart: O Jesus, Son of God, have mercy on me — I bitterly regret my life and I feel doomed to everlasting death. Now when I prayed this, I was released from my pains; indeed, I was no longer tormented by the memory of my sins. But then, I felt such joy, and I saw such light! My soul was filled with joy as great as had been my pains. Indeed, I tell you, my son, nothing is as intense and bitter as were my pains.
But my son, on the other hand, from my experience there’s nothing as intense and sweet as was my joy . . .” (CofC Alma 17:4-5, emphasis added).
[7] “Then Jesus looked up to Heaven and said these words, Father, the hour has arrived. Let your light abide with your Son, that your Son may be filled by your light and illuminate others. Because you have taught me to overcome the weaknesses of the flesh, you guide me to gain power to heal all weaknesses and redeem all creation. From your presence come Eternal lives, worlds without end, and you are the sole source of all truth. Therefore, it is known and will be known that I am the Messiah sent by you. I have kept every obligation you have asked of me and now have completed this part of the work. Let what happens next finish your great work, so I may return to your Throne to be with you where I was before my descent here” (RE T&C 171, Testimony of Saint John 10:30, emphasis added).
“Seek to bring forth and establish my Zion. Keep my commandments in all things, and if you keep my commandments and endure to the end, you shall have eternal life, which gift is the greatest of all the gifts of God” (RE T&C 1, Joseph Smith History Part 15:5, emphasis added).
[8] “And now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which I, the Lord God, had made. And Satan put it into the heart of the serpent (for he had drawn away many after him, and he sought also to beguile [charm or enchant at times in a deceptive way] Eve, for he knew not the mind of God; wherefore, he thought to destroy the world) and he said unto the woman, Yea, has God said, You shall not eat of every tree of the garden? (And he spoke by the mouth of the serpent.) And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden but of the fruit of the tree which you behold in the midst of the garden. God has said, You shall not eat of it, neither shall you touch it, lest you die. And the serpent said unto the woman, You shall not surely die, for God does know that in the day you eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened and you shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it became pleasant to the eyes and a tree to be desired to make her wise, she took of the fruit thereof and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her, and he did eat. And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they had been naked, and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves aprons” (RE Genesis 2:16, emphasis added).
[9] “Nevertheless, neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord” (RE 1 Corinthians 1:44).
[10] “The Father and the Son are masculine and, therefore, personified by the word knowledge. The Mother as well as the Son’s companion are feminine and personified by the word wisdom. These personifications reflect an eternal truth about these two parts of the one true God. Knowledge (masculine) initiates; Wisdom (feminine) receives, guides, and tempers. Knowledge can be dangerous unless it is informed by wisdom. Wisdom provides guidance and counsel to channel what comes from knowledge. These are eternal attributes, part of what it means to be a male or a female. Creation begins with the active initiative of knowledge, but order and harmony for the creation requires wisdom. Balance between them is required for an orderly creation to exist.
[11] “If a person is meek and humble in heart and confesses by the power of the Holy Ghost that Jesus is the Christ, they must have charity. Because if they don’t have charity, they’re nothing; so they must have charity. Charity is long-suffering and kind; it doesn’t envy or brag; it doesn’t insist on its own way; it isn’t easily angered; it doesn’t keep track of wrongs; it takes no pleasure in evil, but rejoices in the truth; it patiently bears all things, always believes, always hopes, and always endures. So, my dear people, if you don’t have charity, you’re nothing, since charity never fails. Therefore hold firmly to charity, which is the greatest of all. Because everything will pass away; but charity is Christ’s pure love, and it endures forever. Those who are found to possess it on the last day, it will go well with them. So, my dear people, pray earnestly to the Father so you can be filled with this love that He’s freely given to all who are true followers of His Son Jesus Christ, so you can become the sons and daughters of God, so when He appears, we’ll be like Him and we’ll see and comprehend Him, so we can have this hope, so we can be purified, just as He is pure. Amen” (CofC Moroni 7:9, emphasis added).
Scott Roderick
2/27/25
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