Because of the fall, we have been born into bodies cut off from the light and presence of God. Consequently, we have no recollection of our premortal (eternal) identity.
We say God is the Father of our spirits, and that is true enough. However, this sentiment takes on new meaning when we make some adjustments in our cultural understanding. To the Gentile mind, names and titles are like labels that cannot be changed. A “child” is the physical and genetic offspring of a man and woman. In Hebrew thinking, “father,” mother,” and child” are each defined by the role they play. A father is one who “gives strength to the family,” and the mother is one who “holds the family together.” A child submits to his/her parents, and willingly receives what they teach them.
In this sense, a person chooses whether or not they will be somebody’s child, based on who they are obedient to and receive from. Jesus told the Pharisees, “If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me… Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do” (John 8:42-44).
Of course, Christ’s point is not about who impregnated the woman that gave birth to them. Rather, it’s a question of who is “fathering” them; who are they being obedient to, learning from, and becoming like? Similarly, we read in the scriptures phrases like, “Love your enemies… that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 5:44-45), and, “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God” (John 1:12). In other words, being a child of God isn’t just an immutable label on our identity, but something we willingly choose (“willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father”); it is to be a son or daughter of light andtruth.
Your Premortal Identity
That being said, consider how this adds value to the idea that we were sons and daughters of God before this life. When we read that at the creation of the earth, “the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy” (Job 38:7), we are not just reading about the offspring of God (though we are indeed His offspring), but of immensely powerful beings who were full of light and truth, willing to freely receive and obey God’s light without reservation.
Joseph Smith taught: “At the first organization in heaven we were all present and saw the Savior chosen and appointed and the plan of salvation made, and we sanctioned it.”
This alone says a lot about our premortal identity. We sanctioned the plan made and Savior chosen. Furthermore, to stand in God’s presence requires a greater deal of intelligence (light and truth) than the world presently has. Similarly, before this life we possessed greater intelligence than we have now. When we were in God’s presence, the truth of who and what we are flowed to us freely, and we thus lived in perfect awareness of our true identity.
As Adam and Eve were “cut off” from God’s presence after the fall, so too are we born into a body that is cut off from His light. Our bodies do not receive light freely as did our spirits, and thus we’re cut off from a knowledge of our true identity. This creates a vacuum in our identity as we seek to discover who we really are. I believe it’s akin to being submerged in water, suddenly cut off from air, and desperately trying to get it back. This creates a deep desire in us to discover purpose and meaning.
Without a knowledge of our true identity, we try to create one. However, being in a fallen, veiled, and darkened state, our new perception of ourselves is extremely limited. We base it on our birthplace, our heritage, the values and beliefs we’re raised with, the desires of our bodies, the new interests we’ve taken, our relatively short-life experience, our mistakes, our future dreams and goals, etc. But thinking these things determine who we really are would be like waking up with severe amnesia—in a foreign land—and basing our entire identity on what we did in the first few hours.
We are more eternal than we realize.
Two Natures
You do not have a spirit, you are a spirit. You have a body.
Because you have taken residence in a fallen tabernacle, you are cut off from God “in the body”—but because your spirit has a connection to heaven, you can still access God in the spirit.
We talk of the different voices that entice us to either keep God’s commandments or sin. We say it is the angels who deliver God’s word by the Holy Ghost (D&C 76:86-88; cf. 2 Nephi 32:3), and that it’s evil spirits who tempt us to sin (Ephesian 6:12), and that is true enough. However, there is also a part in each of us that is inclined to obey one or the other. As Jesus remarked, “the spirit is indeed willing, but the flesh is weak” (Matthew 26:41). Or as King Benjamin taught, “the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam” (Mosiah 3:19), which natural man Alma describes as “carnal, sensual, and devilish” (Alma 42:10). So in a sense, while outside forces can seek to influence us (either for good or for evil), they are only appealing to the internal forces inside of us.
You are a divided being. On the one hand you are your spirit-self, who is eternal, intelligent, perceptive, powerful, and already has a godly nature: “Ye are gods (and goddesses); and all of you are children of the most High” (Psalms 82:6). On the other hand, your body is broken, subject to death, mentally slow compared to your spirit, unaware of spiritual things, and weak in every possible way. It is blinded by the screaming demands of the flesh, full of questions, uncertainty, pride, corruption, and self-will: an enemy to God.
But know this: you are not your body. When you notice this division of will—as your conscience quietly prompts you to do one thing and the flesh screams you do another—know that your voice, and your will, is not the voice of the flesh. Though we might be in the habit of thinking to ourselves, “I’m so angry,” or “I really want to indulge in this,” or “I have no desire for spiritual things,” this is in fact the voice of the false-self.
You are so much more than your body. You’re more than its desires, its brokenness, and the experiences you’ve had while occupying it for this brief period of time. You are your spirit self, who is divine, eternal, and of a godly nature.
Your true (eternal) self is reflected in the voice of your conscience. Promptings to do good and yield to the light of God are your deepest yearnings and desires. The voice that tries to dissuade you from obeying your conscience is always derived from fear. It is always a fear of something. The fear your body won’t get what it wants; the fear that the false-self is in danger of being erased; the fear that people will think less of you. Fundamentally, the desire for validation stems from our need to be aligned with God and truth, but because we are so steeped in fear we look to others to fill that need.
These fears are the essence of the false-self. They are the result of being cut off from God—not integrated to the light.
The false-self is a recent innovation for each of us as eternal beings—one that is the sum of our bodies’ fears.
I find I have a distaste for movements that emphasize ideas like “self-care,” “self-esteem,” and “self-compassion,” because they tend to cater to the wrong “self.” They spend a lot of time trying to soothe the fears of the false self, but never get to the root of the problem: it is altogether a false self. It’s not loving to only soothe those enchained in lies and deception—we ought to set them free. As it lies that make up the chains of hell (D&C 123:7-8), it is the light and truth of God flowing through us again that will dispel all darkness: “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32).
The only role the self plays in this equation is the one prescribed by Christ: “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it” (Matthew 16:24-25).
This is what it means to have faith in Christ. When we have the faith to let go of who we think we are, we will begin to find who we truly are.
As C.S. Lewis wrote, “Our real selves are waiting for us in Him. The more I resist Him and try to live on my own, the more I become dominated by my own heredity and upbringing and natural desires… it is when I turn to Christ, when I give myself up to His personality, that I first begin to have a real personality of my own.”
Yielding to Light
The purpose of this life is to yield your body to the enticings of the Holy Spirit so that light and truth flow through your body as freely as they did your spirit (Mosiah 3:19; cf. Matthew 6:22). This “yielding” requires we voluntarily give up our false-selves— our desires, beliefs, and identity—placing our entire will on the altar of sacrifice.
As you yield yourself to the voice of your conscience, your body will come in alignment with your spirit. Consequently, you will begin to feel more like yourself—your true and eternal self. Whenever you act on spiritual promptings, you are acting according to your true nature.
When your body then undergoes the trials and experiences necessary for its refinement, it will be upgraded, changed, and sanctified sufficient to again be in God’s presence. It will be brought into full alignment with your spirit, and you will at last be you in the flesh; a son or daughter of God, freely receiving the light and truth that flows from His presence.
We must rend the veil created by the fall to reclaim our true identity. Concerning this transition, Paul wrote, “For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known” (1 Corinthians 13:12; cf. D&C 88:67-68). In D&C 76, we read that those who dwell in God’s presence in Celestial glory are “gods, even the sons of God,” and also that they “see as they are seen, and know as they are known (D&C 76:58, 94). In other words, as the truth of God flows through them freely in His presence, they live in perfect awareness and clarity of who they really are—and whose they are.
And the world is in desperate need of who you really are, and what you really have to offer. Your light will make the world a truer place. To the extent that you yield your heart to God’s light it will flow through you and from you, and your presence will give those around you the opportunity to do the same.
The Light of the World
One aspect of Christ’s atoning role is that He descended into this world of darkness and lies, and was exactly who He is (Mosiah 15:1-2). The “Word became flesh” because His body was full of light and truth. His light made the world a truer place, lifting and inspiring those around Him to do the same:
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God… In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not…
“That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth” (John 1:1, 4-5, 9-14; emphasis added).
Our Savior is the light of the world. To those who turn to His light, and believe on His name, He empowers to become the sons of God (in the flesh, as He is; 1 John 3:2). To “abide in Christ” is to surrender your whole being to His will. It is a state or condition of being, wherein we freely receive and live in the light He shines. This is how He redeems the world—freeing us from the lies that fetter our eternal soul.
Christ Himself taught: “And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them” (Ether 12:27).
Christ sees us and knows us as we truly are. When we are in His presence, we see as we are seen, and know as we are known—and are otherwise guided by His increasing light until we arrive at that perfect day.
Christ is inviting us into an order. It is properly called the Holy Priesthood after the Order of the Son of God, because those who come into it are also made “sons” (and daughters) of God (D&C 76:56-58; cf. John 1:12).
When Christ turns our hearts, we are then inspired to turn the hearts of others. We invite them to awake, arise and abide in the light with us. When we forgive others, or respond charitably to evil, we are not just absorbing the effects of sin, but are lovingly inviting them to shake off the chains and lies that bind them, and to live in the truth of who they really are.
Charity is, in essence, to be so full of truth that we see through the lies of this fallen condition to who people really are—even (and especially) when they do not see it themselves. This is why we must pray with all the energy of heart in order to be filled with charity. By giving diligence unto prayer, we are filled with the mind of God—with light and truth—and can then see things as they really are, and people for who they really are. That is the essence of what it means to be like Christ, and to take His name upon us. It is to live in the light, and to be a light, while surrounded by a world of fear and darkness.
Charity will change the world; perfect love casts out all fear, light dispels darkness, and the truth sets us free. As we come to live in the truth of who we really are, we will bring heaven down to earth.
There’s no such thing as being objective. For the last few hundred years, our modern culture has perpetuated the belief that we can think about and observe truth as though we’re just outside spectators. This is a Gentile idea, and is false.
We need to challenge that assumption. No matter who you are, where you go, or what you’re thinking, you are always an active participant in this world. Unlike the Greeks, who believed truth was a thought to be had, the Hebrews believed it was a life to be lived (e.g. compare Socrates with Isaiah). In other words, we do not just think about truth; we do truth.
This might seem like a foreign idea (and by definition, it is), however, grafting ourselves back into the house of Israel requires we shift our worldview from our native Gentile paradigm to that of God’s people. Making this shift will act as a guard-rail against deception in our quest for truth.
You Go Where You Look
As clinical psychologist Jordan Peterson has put it, people are “aiming creatures.” In one sense, this is what our eyes are designed to do; we focus on things so that we can get them. Not too long ago, we hunted for food. I suppose in a humorous way, we still do the same thing at the grocery store, in sports, and other activities. Generally speaking, we have aims and goals in our lives. We’re always aiming at something—whether it’s to graduate, be a better person, get that pay raise, or just make it through the day. Even the lowest or poorest of goals still represent an aim, a direction, and a course of action. Everything we do is motivated by our deeper desires—whatever they might be.
A common tip given to student motorcyclists is to “look where you want to go.” This is because where you look is where you’ll go; it’s inevitable. If you see an upcoming accident, you’re instructed to look to the clear spaces around it and not at the accident itself (otherwise you’ll end up hitting it dead on). The direction you look affects the direction you’re facing, which affects your trajectory, and ultimately your destination.
This is a true principle generally. The direction you look—the things you desire and focus on—will determine your destination.
Part of the reason for this actually isn’t too mysterious. The world presents itself to us according to the things we focus on. For example, have you ever noticed when you’re driving a new car that it suddenly seems like everyone else is driving the same car? Before, it was white noise; now it catches your attention every time.
I remember when I was 5 or 6 hearing the word “awkward” for the first time (the funny thing is, “awkward” wasn’t even the word that was being said; it was “Upward,” the Christian basketball league). I swore that nobody had ever used the word before, but suddenly I was hearing “awkward” left and right.
This holds for more complex ideas too. You’ve probably found when you’re learning something new, or are thinking about a question, that suddenly it’s relevant to all of the conversations you’re having, or things you’re reading. You encounter it everywhere.
Your world presents itself as the product of your conscious attention.
We are encountering an overload of information all the time. It’s too much to make sense of all at once, so we choose to focus on what we think is most important, or relevant. This is like wading out into the world holding a piece of Velcro, which is designed to catch things of a similar nature. If I’m thinking about the word “awkward,” I’ll start to notice every time somebody says it.
So how does this apply spiritually?
Well, like the piece of Velcro, “like attracts like.” In other words, we will gravitate towards whatever is in our own heart. It will affect the things we give attention to, the way we think, the questions we ask, and ultimately the conclusions we draw. It all begins in our heart, with our desires.
The Orientation of Our Heart
This brings us back to the idea covered in the previous post about “the thoughts of the heart.” Just like anger or depression can distort the way you think about something in a moment, so too can pride, fear, complacency, etc., affect the way you think about things generally. The state of one’s heart will reflect its feelings back to itself. If you’re a fearful person, you’re going to see reasons to be fearful. “We don’t see things as they are, we see them as we are.”
The best way to think about the state of your heart is as being “oriented” in a certain direction. Which way are you facing? What are you aiming at? Because like a motorcyclist, you’ll go where you look. You are going to find exactly what you’re looking for—even if it’s not what you think you’re looking for: “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also” (Matt. 6:21).
We treat confirmation bias like it’s this thing we have to watch out for, but can escape if we’re actively trying to be objective. We cannot. We don’t get the luxury of just making observations about things like we’re outside spectators. We are inescapably participants, subject to the state of our own hearts.
If you were truly objective, you wouldn’t have any interest or curiosity in learning anything in the first place. Interest, curiosity, and questions denote that we are orienting our attention towards something. The kinds of questions we ask reflect our attention and desire–the direction our hearts are pointed.
Furthermore, the kinds of questions we ask determine the kind of answers we can get. Questions function like a flashlight: they focus you on certain things at the exclusion of others. Every question has certain baked-in assumptions about what can be an answer. If I asked you, “what time is it?,” and you told me “strawberry-shortcake,” I couldn’t register that—even as a wrong answer. It’s completely outside of what that question assumes it can discover. That’s not inherently bad, but it highlights the nature of attention. Certain questions can only get you certain answers.
As another example of this: if you asked me, “Is college good?”, it would be improper to just give a yes or no answer. There are certainly beneficial aspects to college, but it may not be for everyone in every case; the culture and ideology tend to be corrupt; there may be more efficient ways to get a good job in your field, etc. Either response (yes or no) may lead you to conclusions I didn’t intend to convey.
The issue then, very frequently, becomes: are we asking the right question? Think about how many times Christ answered a question with another question, or reframed the question being asked. He was changing the orientation of the asker because their question wasn’t going to get them anywhere.
Whether you’re asking a friend a question, conducting a scientific study, or seeking revelation from God, the right questions will get you the right answers.
It all starts with the desires of our hearts. Everything else flows out from there. Our hearts reflect our desires, our desires determine our focus, our focus determines our direction, and our direction determines our destination.
Confirmation bias itself is actually neutral—it just represents our state of being, or the direction we’re headed. It is the frequency on which we resonate. The real question is: what are biased to, and why?
Each line represents an orientation, paradigm, bias, or “frequency,” with its associated trajectory. The yellow line represents the light, word, Spirit, and truth of God. When our hearts are not properly oriented towards Him, our trajectory will take us away from Him.
As intelligent beings, we are always trying to organize facts into a narrative, or story. This is how we understand and make sense of things.
That being said, there are an infinite number of ways to make sense of the world. Because the state of our heart impacts our conclusions, the way we see the world is directly tied to the state of our heart. In other words, the belief system that each person has indicates something about their heart.
Those who have similar hearts come to similar conclusions. This is why we see social trends (correlations) in political parties, music interests (concerts), restaurants, stores, clothing styles, churches, religions, etc. Like attracts like. You will gravitate towards whatever is in your heart. If you are “vibrating” at a certain frequency, you’re going to surround yourself with people and things that are the same. Again, that’s not inherently bad [1]. It’s just important to recognize. The external things orbiting in someone’s life represent the internal condition of their hearts. In a sense, it’s the fruit they bear.
The Path We Walk
Each orientation of the heart will have an associated path (or belief system) built around it. At the end of every path is a god, or ideal, which represents our concept of “perfect” or good. As it’s been said that we’re aiming creatures, the thing you’re aiming at (or are oriented towards) is your god.
Everybody has a god, though not everybody knows it. Even if you’re an atheist, you have a god—and even if you’re Christian, the god you worship may not be the God of Israel. It may be a false image of Him, or something else entirely. Your god may be your possessions, career, business, reputation, spouse, parents, or friends; it may be sports, music, entertainment, comfort, sex, government, academics, medicine, or some form of the “arm of flesh.” It may be the need to be “right” all the time, to be praised, or seen by others. It may be a distorted image of God, such as humility, inclusion, and acceptance at the expense of discernment, truth, and the sacred (or vice versa). In all reality, it will likely be more complicated than a single “thing,” but hopefully these examples illustrate the idea.
Your “god” is the thing your heart is set upon; the thing you’re willing to sacrifice for. Anciently, people would make sacrifices and pay homage to the gods they worshiped. While those specific rituals are not practiced today (at large), our hearts work the same. The god (or image of God) your heart looks to is the god you worship.
Because you go where you look, you will move down a path towards whatever “god” you are looking at. As you persist down that path, you will come to know that god. Like a seed growing into a mature tree, the orientation of your heart will eventually blossom into a comprehensive ideology, worldview, and belief system.
And because truth is not just something we think about, but something we are and do, coming to know your god also means you will be conformed into its image (the Hebrew word for “know” implies experience, the way Adam “knew” Eve, and they became one flesh). Along the way, you may change religions, attitudes, habits, friends, priorities, and more. “Seek and ye shall find” (Matt. 7:7) is first a foremost a statement of fact; you’re going to find whatever is in your heart.
For example, if your heart is filled with fear about not being loved or approved by others, you may first imagine God as a parent with impossibly high and strict standards, and zero tolerance for your flaws. You sense judgment and disapproval from others (whether real or imagined) as your imperfections and errors are on display. Fear prompts you to become a critic of yourself so that nobody else will. You demand flawlessness in every aspect of your life, but find it harder and harder to maintain. The fear of making a mistake even starts to paralyze you. Then you perhaps grow intolerant of the imperfections and mistakes of others, and before you know it, you have been conformed into the image of God you have been trying to appease all your life.
Or perhaps you begin to recognize the bad fruit that serving this “god” bears in your life. You begin to shift your heart’s orientation. You yearn for an end to the mindless rat race, and become attentive to the criticism that you are trying to “work your way to heaven.” As you notice this stress absent in the lives of other Christians, you come to see your past ideals as tyrannical and unhealthy. You question whether a loving God would really make it so hard to return Him. Self-evidently, it seems unreasonable that a parent who really loved their child would keep them out of heaven for their mistakes or flaws. You find it easy to conclude that if God loves us, He will take us no matter how we are—we just need to accept His love. You begin to resent any form of “religious authority” that has the audacity to tell people they need to meet certain standards before God will take them back. You recognize and admire how Christ contradicted the religious authorities of his day, and begin to see Him as irreverent, casual, funny, and opposed to organized religion. In time, you become conformed to this image as well.
These are just a couple of examples that illustrate the idea. Like I mentioned above: this process is actually much more complex and multi-faceted, but the principles are the same. The state of our heart will determine our beliefs, image of God, and who we become.
Because walking down a path is inevitable, it’s important we are intentional about where we look, what we desire, and what we worship. If we seek truth, but our hearts are not right with the Lord, then we will walk a path that takes us away from God.
God is truth (Deuteronomy 32:4), thus if we are interested in obtaining truth, we must gain “a correct idea of [God’s] character, perfections and attributes,” as well as “an actual knowledge that the course of life which [we are] pursuing, is according to his will” (Lectures on Faith 3:4-5). If we’re not actively seeking that, with a willingness to submit to whatever He is, then our hearts will take us a down a path that leads to something else.
So what is the solution? How do we ensure we’re looking and heading in the right direction?
The Straight and Narrow Path
Our goal, above all else, must be to know the only true God. In the intercessory prayer, Christ noted this is the essence of eternal life: “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent” (John 17:3; emphasis added).
As was mentioned earlier, at the end of every path is a god. If we pursue the path to its end, we will know (or experience and become one with) that god. Thus, in pursuing He who is truth (John 14:6), we can know and become one with truth—which is eternal life.
Christ taught, “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it” (Matt. 7:13-14).
There is a path that leads to eternal life. If there is a path, there is a direction. If there is a direction, obtaining eternal life requires we properly align our hearts to walk in that direction (1 Kings 8:58,61). As a matter of fact, the word “repent” means to turn and face, or also to have a change of mind (to think differently afterwards). Because the “gate” represents the entrance to this path, it should be no surprise that we read “the gate by which ye should enter is repentance…” (2 Nephi 31:17).
In order to obtain truth, your heart must be aligned with God’s will. “The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!” (Matt. 6:22-23)
Now some of the pieces start coming together: Our heart represents the direction we’re facing. We go where we look. Therefore, we are all heading in some direction. If we want the truth of God, we must fundamentally change the direction we’re facing—the things we desire (and consequently the way we think). By reorienting our hearts, we enter in at the straight gate and begin walking the path that leads to eternal life—which Christ observed “few” do.
In order to be in a state where you can receive truth, you must enter in at the strait gate. This raises the question: how? How do we reorient our hearts to God? How do we know which direction to face? What do we set our hearts upon so that we can know God?
Observe how “eternal life,” or “knowing God,” gets defined in scripture:
The apostle John wrote: “And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him” (1 John 2:3-5).
John connects the idea of knowing God to keeping His commandments, and being perfected in the love of God. Jesus also connected eternal life with keeping the commandments: “And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments” (Matt. 19:16-17; Matt. 18:8-9).
On one level, we come to know God by keeping His commandments. Therefore, the first thing we ought to seek for (in our hearts) is to keep the commandments of God, both written in scripture and as He speaks to us personally through the voice of our conscience. Our highest desire and priority should be to obey Him, leaving behind all other idols and worldly cares:
“Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it” (Matt. 16:24-25; emphasis added).
“Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire. And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire” (Matt. 18:8-9).
Losing ourselves for Christ’s sake includes not just doing as He asks, but wanting to do as He asks—seeking for it, hungering and thirsting after righteousness. It’s not to merely inconvenience ourselves, but to give up all other desires, plans, and priorities for His will, trusting that His way will bless us more than any other option available (more on this in a future post). To repent and enter in at the gate is to fully reconcile our ideas, desires, and actions to the voice of the Spirit. It’s to love Him, and who He is; to love purity, holiness, light, love, and life. It is by this total surrender of heart and mind that we orient our hearts to God, and begin upon the path that leads to life.
When we get our hearts right with the Lord, truly right, our minds and hearts will then begin to be changed. As we persist down that path (or “endure to the end”), we will come to know Him in the fullest sense: We become like Him (2 Peter 1:5-8; cf. John 17:19-21), pure “even as he is pure” (1 John 3:2-3), and will know Him face to face (Genesis 32:30; Exodus 33:11).
John taught, “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure… Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him” (1 John 3:2-3,6; cf. 1 John 4:7-8). Christ also noted, “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God” (Matt. 5:8; cf. John 6:46).
As was stated above, what we see in the world is a reflection of what’s in our heart. Hence, those who are pure “even as he is pure” will begin to see Him. They’ll begin to see Him in every aspect of their lives, in every detail of the world, and in their own countenance; and eventually they will see and know Him face to face (John 14:21-23; cf. 1 Corinthians 13:12).
Look to Life to Receive Truth
If our goal or desire is anything other than knowing God, our best efforts in discovering truth will take us down one of the many paths leading to death (Matt. 7:13). If we are not actively seeking to learn how God is, and become like He is, our heart will lead us astray (Jeremiah 17:9; contrast with Matt. 5:8). Hence the importance of turning our hearts (Luke 1:16; cf. Psalm 51:10; Jeremiah 24:7; Ezekiel 36:26).
On the other hand, when we orient ourselves to this goal, and are willing to sacrifice any inconvenience or comfort to have it, we allow the Spirit of Truth to flow into our lives and teach us “the truth of all things.” We begin judging ideas and teachings based on their efficacy to bring us closer to God (i.e. accord with His Spirit). We carefully observe whether they bear the fruit of the Spirit in our lives—not just as passing feelings, but as attributes growing within us: “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance” (Galatians 5:23 [19-23]); and whether they have the power to bring us into God’s presence—to know Him in the fullest sense.
With this in mind, we understand more clearly these words from Christ in the Sermon on the Mount:
“Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
“Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
“Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity” (Matt. 7:13-23; emphasis added).
Those who live by these words of the Savior will invariably be led to the truth. They will be equipped to discern truth from error, and true messengers from false ones.
John boldly proclaimed: “We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error” (1 John 4:6; emphasis added).
Paul similarly stated: “If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord” (1 Corinthians 14:37).
Christ also taught: “If any man will do [God’s] will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself” (John 7:17).
In other words, the key to recognizing true messengers of God is to seek to know Him by keeping His commandments and aligning our whole hearts to His will.
As we persist in this state of total surrender, we will begin to acquire His attributes. The greater influence the Spirit has in our lives, the more we become one with Christ and can see things as He sees them—through the mind and will of the Father. As our understanding is thus quickened by the Spirit, we can perceive greater truth. This enables us to see “afar off” (into eternity) both spiritually and physically.
Comparatively, Peter says that “he that lacketh these things [faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness, and charity] is blind, and cannot see afar off” (2 Peter 1:9). Paul similarly noted, “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Corinthians 2:14). Consequently, those who are “not of God” will reject His servants.
Christ Himself was rejected as an imposter by the religious majority of His day because their hearts were not aligned with God’s: “Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God… Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not... He that is of God heareth God’s words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God” (John 8:42-47; emphasis added).
A Note on the Restoration
When it comes to determining whether or not Joseph Smith was a true or false prophet, we ought to evaluate him by the Savior’s criteria: what is the fruit? Does it bring you closer to God? Does it inspire and empower you to be more like Him? Does it bear greater love, joy, peace, gentleness, meekness, etc., in your character? Does it make you more sensitive to the voice of the Spirit? Does (or can) it bring you through the strait gate, and along the narrow way that leads to life?
Joseph Smith claimed, “If you will obey the Gospel with honest hearts, I promise you, in the name of the Lord, that the gifts as promised by our Savior will follow you, and by this you may prove me to be a true servant of God” (Teachings of the Presidents: Joseph Smith, Ch. 9: Gifts of the Spirit). Therefore, in a very real way, Joseph’s claims can be verified based on their ability to do these things. If obtaining these things is your goal, and your heart is set upon knowing God, then you will be able to determine whether the restoration and its associated scripture, doctrines, ordinances, etc., add any value to your journey.
Joseph is, in essence, claiming to provide a treasure map. If you read and follow the map correctly, you will find the treasure—else he is a false prophet. I will tell you most assuredly that the map is true and faithful. It will guide you into greater light, love, and pure knowledge. When correctly understood, and closely followed, it will do all Joseph claims it does. I am yet to find another system of religion that can do as much for an honest disciple as can the restored gospel.
On the other hand, if you are either unacquainted with or disinterested in knowing God (and all that entails), it does not matter if you are born with the restored gospel or encounter it in another context, it will sooner or later appear foolishness to you. Even the best attempts to reconcile history, scripture, or doctrine will seem forced, convenient, or just a way to “make things fit.” It will not seem like the truth, and trying to believe it is will feel like an increasingly heavy burden.
A living covenant has both blessings and curses attached. You can think of it as a huge stone: if you abide in the covenant, it will become a stepping stone under your feet on your ascent to God; if you do not, it will seem a burden on your shoulders that threatens to crush you. Hence, Christ said, “on whomsoever this stone [the kingdom of God] shall fall, it shall grind him to powder” (see The Parable of the Lion).
All things you don’t understand pertaining to the Restoration can be reconciled, but first you must be reconciled to God through the atonement of Christ, having an eye single to His glory. Then your whole body will be full of light (Matt. 6:22). “Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all [your needs] shall be added unto you” (Matt. 6:33).
What do you desire? What are you seeking first?
Christ’s love for us knows no limit, but because He loves us His standards are exacting. He asks for our whole hearts because He knows anything less will take us down a different path: “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other (Matt. 6:24); “if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire” (Matt. 18:9); “he that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me” (Matt. 10:37); “if any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me” (Matt. 16:24).
“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God isone Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might” (Deuteronomy 6:4-5; emphasis added).
Built Upon a Rock
At the conclusion of the Sermon on the Mount, Christ said: “Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it” (Matt. 7:24-27).
If we give everything to follow Christ, passing through the strait gate and walking the narrow way, we will have built our lives on a rock-solid foundation. We will withstand the rain, winds, and floods that threaten to deter us from our course. If on the other hand we hold back a portion of our hearts, try to serve two masters, or are more concerned with the things of this world, the storms and floods of life will disorient us, confuse us, and bring us down.
Ultimately, the hearts matter above all else in the search for truth (spiritual or otherwise). In order to see and understand truth, we must live truthfully. There is no other way to do that than the way prescribed by Christ. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. To know Him is to know truth, see truth, and become truth —which is eternal life.
“God has created man with a mind capable of instruction, and a faculty which may be enlarged in proportion to the heed and diligence given to the light communicated from heaven to the intellect; and . . . the nearer man approaches perfection, the clearer are his views, and the greater his enjoyments, till he has overcome the evils of his life and lost every desire for sin; and like the ancients, arrives at that point of faith where he is wrapped in the power and glory of his Maker, and is caught up to dwell with Him” —Joseph Smith
[1] The fact that “like attracts like” can apply to either our detriment or our benefit. If our hearts are turned away from God, the things we draw into our life will create greater obstacles in coming to Him. On the other hand, we read: “intelligence cleaveth unto intelligence; wisdom receiveth wisdom; truth embraceth truth; virtue loveth virtue; light cleaveth unto light… Draw near unto me and I will draw near unto you; seek me diligently and ye shall find me; ask, and ye shall receive; knock, and it shall be opened unto you” (D&C 88:40, 63).
This last week I’ve been especially grateful for good friends. I struggle putting in words how I feel.
Many are familiar with the revelations Joseph received in Liberty Jail. However, many are not familiar with the fact that those sections of the Doctrine and Covenants are only portions of a much longer letter. When sections of this letter were later canonized in 1876, Orson Pratt lifted the words of the Lord from the text to isolate the revelation. It’s great scripture, but it’s even better when you read it in its full context.
We’re used to reading, “Oh God, where art thou?” etc., and then immediately reading the Lord’s response: “My son, peace be unto thy soul…” However, reading this letter in its full context paints a slightly different picture. Notice what led to Joseph hearing the Lord’s voice:
“Those who have not been enclosed in the walls of a prison without cause or provocation can have but a little idea how sweet the voice of a friend is. One token of friendship from any source whatever awakens and calls into action every sympathetic feeling. It brings up in an instant everything that is passed; it seizes the present with a vivacity of lightning; it grasps after the future with the fierceness of a tiger; it retrogrades from one thing to another, until finally all enmity, malice, and hatred, and past differences, misunderstandings and mismanagements lie slain victims at the feet of hope—and when the heart is sufficiently contrite, then the voice of inspiration steals along and whispers: ‘My son, peace be unto thy soul. Thine adversity and thy afflictions shall be but a small moment, and then if thou endure it well, God shall exalts thee on high. Thou shalt triumph over all thy foes. Thy friends do stand by thee, and they shall hail thee again with warm hearts, and friendly hands.’”
It was “the voice of a friend” that filled Joseph with light, hope, and humility, putting him in a place contrite enough to hear God’s voice. On another occasion, he said: “Nothing is so much calculated to lead people to forsake sin as to take them by the hand and to watch over them in tenderness. When persons manifest the least kindness and love to me, O what pow’r it has over my mind.”
My good friends are a balm of Gilead to my soul. I’m blessed by my association with them. Their service and love inspire me to in turn be a better friend to others. Love has such a ripple effect.
I’m reminded of the Savior’s mission: “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” (Isaiah 61:1, Luke 4:18). It was His love for His friends that empowered Him to soften their hearts and free them from their own spiritual chains: “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13); “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit” (John 12:24); “he loveth the world, even that he layeth down his own life that he may draw all men unto him” (2 Nephi 26:24).
The Savior’s atoning sacrifice is the source of all good things. Because He descended below all things, He is the fulcrum of all creation. All love can be traced back to His atonement – even before it happened. As we are inspired by love to love, we are sown into the order of life. “We love him [and therefore, the least of these], because he first loved us” (1 John 4:19).
Never underestimate the power you have to bring that about for someone else. The most powerful thing we can do in turning others to Christ is binding up their broken hearts with love – thus opening the prison door to their own spiritual Liberty Jails. It was the love of Joseph’s friends that freed his mind and softened his heart sufficient to hear the voice of inspiration.
Ultimately, every person must learn to hear and obey the voice of God for themselves, but our love can soften hearts sufficient to hear Him, and exercise faith.
Joseph once called writing a “little, narrow prison” of words; “total darkness of paper, pen and ink—and a crooked, broken, scattered and imperfect language.” That sentiment speaks to me more with each passing day. As I’ve come to understand greater mysteries, seeing the deep coherence and beauty of the gospel, I find it near impossible to reduce these things to words.
It’s not that I feel I know a lot – just that what I do know is beginning to transcend my ability to explain it. Language, sentences, and words are linear; these truths exist in grand patterns and arrays. Putting these things in words is a lot like trying to describe a painting to someone who hasn’t seen it, or tasking a stranger with picking out my friend from a crowd, just based on my description. I recognize and comprehend it when I see it, but struggle to capture its fulness in words.
Like Moroni, I sense my weakness in writing (Ether 12:25).
Like Joseph, Moses, and Enoch, I am slow of speech, “but a lad, and all the people hate me” (Moses 6:31).
I feel increasingly inadequate, relying on the Spirit to distill upon the hearts of the penitent the truths I cannot put in words – ever cautious that I don’t, “by any means, get shaken from my firmness in the Spirit, and stumble because of my over anxiety for you” (Jacob 4:18).
I also understand with increasing clarity why the Lord has said, “Say nothing but repentance unto this generation” (D&C 11:9). It’s impossible for others to receive greater truth from God if they ignore what He has already given them. We all have access to the same light and Spirit of truth, and any person who will give serious attention and heed to that influence will attune themselves to the melody of creation, and thus be empowered to see and understand all truth (Moroni 10:5).
“But great and marvelous are the works of the Lord, and the mysteries of his kingdom which he showed unto us, which surpass all understanding in glory, and in might, and in dominion; which he commanded us we should not write while we were yet in the Spirit, and are not lawful for man to utter; neither is man capable to make them known, for they are only to be seen and understood by the power of the Holy Spirit, which God bestows on those who love him, and purify themselves before him; to whom he grants this privilege of seeing and knowing for themselves; that through the power and manifestation of the Spirit, while in the flesh, they may be able to bear his presence in the world of glory” (D&C 76:114-118; see also Moses 1:2-11).
This same gift and power is accessible to any person in any age of history. Whether it’s our day, or Joseph Smith’s day, or Peter’s, or Nephi’s; it is the same Spirit, available to everyone. This is why, not only did the early converts to the Church feel the same Spirit and power in the Book of Mormon that is felt today, but the same eternal truths that were understood by Joseph Smith were understood by Peter (and vice versa); they were animated by the same Spirit.
As Nephi said:
“And it came to pass after I, Nephi, having heard all the words of my father, concerning the things which he saw in a vision, and also the things which he spake by the power of the Holy Ghost, which power he received by faith on the Son of God—and the Son of God was the Messiah who should come—I, Nephi, was desirous also that I might see, and hear, and know of these things, by the power of the Holy Ghost, which is the gift of God unto all those who diligently seek him, as well in times of old as in the time that he should manifest himself unto the children of men.
“For he is the same yesterday, today, and forever; and the way is prepared for all men from the foundation of the world, if it so be that they repent and come unto him. For he that diligently seeketh shall find; and the mysteries of God shall be unfolded unto them, by the power of the Holy Ghost, as well in these times as in times of old, and as well in times of old as in times to come; wherefore, the course of the Lord is one eternal round” (1 Nephi 10:17-19).
My hope is in the fact that despite my weakness, these things can be understood by any person who will give heed to the Spirit, and diligently seek to know the mysteries of God.
I pray we all do, and that my words inspire faith to pursue that course.
Admittedly, the title of this post is a bit tongue-in-cheek.
Jonathan Pageau is an Orthodox Christian, professional carver, writer, and public speaker. He specializes in symbolism and traditional Christian art. I’ve recently been profoundly impressed by many of the conclusions he’s come to through symbolism.
Though I’m not endorsing all of his conclusions, his testimony of scriptural patterns supports many unique doctrines Joseph claimed to have received by revelation, which were largely opposed in his day (perhaps with the exception of the first one). And yet Joseph got the pattern and archetypes right every time.
If this post floats into his orbit, I’d love hear his reaction to the symbolism and archetypes of the Book of Mormon. I think he could mine out greater value than many.
The New Jerusalem Emerging from the United States
“We believe in the literal gathering of Israel and in the restoration of the Ten Tribes; that Zion (the New Jerusalem) will be built upon the American continent; that Christ will reign personally upon the earth; and, that the earth will be renewed and receive its paradisiacal glory” (Articles of Faith 1:10).
“And that a New Jerusalem should be built up upon this land, unto the remnant of the seed of Joseph, for which things there has been a type. For as Joseph brought his father down into the land of Egypt, even so he died there; wherefore, the Lord brought a remnant of the seed of Joseph out of the land of Jerusalem, that he might be merciful unto the seed of Joseph that they should perish not, even as he was merciful unto the father of Joseph that he should perish not. Wherefore, the remnant of the house of Joseph shall be built upon this land; and it shall be a land of their inheritance; and they shall build up a holy city unto the Lord, like unto the Jerusalem of old; and they shall no more be confounded, until the end come when the earth shall pass away” (Ether 13:6-8).
Pre-Mortal Life
“Man was also in the beginning with God. Intelligence, or the light of truth, was not created or made, neither indeed can be” (D&C 93:29).
“The mind or the intelligence which man possesses is co-equal [co-eternal] with God himself… I am dwelling on the immortality of the spirit of man. Is it logical to say that the intelligence of spirits is immortal, and yet that it has a beginning? The intelligence of spirits had no beginning, neither will it have an end. That is good logic. That which has a beginning may have an end. There never was a time when there were not spirits; for they are co-equal [co-eternal] with our Father in heaven.
“Intelligence is eternal and exists upon a self-existent principle. It is a spirit from age to age and there is no creation about it. All the minds and spirits that God ever sent into the world are susceptible of enlargement…
“The first principles of man are self-existent with God. God himself, finding he was in the midst of spirits and glory, because he was more intelligent, saw proper to institute laws whereby the rest could have a privilege to advance like himself. The relationship we have with God places us in a situation to advance in knowledge. He has power to institute laws to instruct the weaker intelligences, that they may be exalted with Himself, so that they might have one glory upon another, and all that knowledge, power, glory, and intelligence, which is requisite in order to save them in the world of spirits” (King Follett Discourse).
“And the Lord said unto me: These two facts do exist, that there are two spirits, one being more intelligent than the other; there shall be another more intelligent than they; I am the Lord thy God, I am more intelligent than they all…
“Now the Lord had shown unto me, Abraham, the intelligences that were organized before the world was; and among all these there were many of the noble and great ones; and God saw these souls that they were good, and he stood in the midst of them, and he said: These I will make my rulers; for he stood among those that were spirits, and he saw that they were good; and he said unto me: Abraham, thou art one of them; thou wast chosen before thou wast born.
“And there stood one among them that was like unto God, and he said unto those who were with him: We will go down, for there is space there, and we will take of these materials, and we will make an earth whereon these may dwell; and we will prove them herewith, to see if they will do all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them” (Abraham 3:19, 22-25).
A Council of the Gods
“In the beginning, the head of the Gods called a council of the Gods; and they came together and concocted [prepared] a plan to create the world and people it. When we begin to learn this way, we begin to learn the only true God, and what kind of a being we have got to worship. Having a knowledge of God, we begin to know how to approach Him, and how to ask so as to receive an answer” (The King Follett Sermon).
Theosis
This is really only a foundation for the logical conclusion and bigger picture Joseph Smith shines a light on in the King Follett Discourse.
“Here, then, is eternal life—to know the only wise and true God; and you have got to learn how to be gods yourselves, and to be kings and priests to God, the same as all gods have done before you, namely, by going from one small degree to another, and from a small capacity to a great one; from grace to grace, from exaltation to exaltation, until you attain to the resurrection of the dead, and are able to dwell in everlasting burnings, and to sit in glory, as do those who sit enthroned in everlasting power” (The King Follett Sermon).
Hell
The first part of his explanation I cover at length here.
“Behold, I say unto you that ye would be more miserable to dwell with a holy and just God, under a consciousness of your filthiness before him, than ye would to dwell with the damned souls in hell. For behold, when ye shall be brought to see your nakedness before God, and also the glory of God, and the holiness of Jesus Christ, it will kindle a flame of unquenchable fire upon you” (Mormon 9:4-5)
“For our words will condemn us, yea, all our works will condemn us; we shall not be found spotless; and our thoughts will also condemn us; and in this awful state we shall not dare to look up to our God; and we would fain be glad if we could command the rocks and the mountains to fall upon us to hide us from his presence. But this cannot be; we must come forth and stand before him in his glory, and in his power, and in his might, majesty, and dominion” (Alma 12:14-15)
“Wherefore, we shall have a perfect knowledge of all our guilt, and our uncleanness, and our nakedness; and the righteous shall have a perfect knowledge of their enjoyment, and their righteousness, being clothed with purity, yea, even with the robe of righteousness” (2 Nephi 9:14).
“A man is his own tormentor and his own condemner. Hence the saying, ‘They shall go into the lake that burns with fire and brimstone.’ The torment of disappointment in the mind of man is as exquisite as a lake burning with fire and brimstone. I say, so is the torment of man” (TPJS p. 357).
I’m excited to announce that I’ve started a podcast!
Description: While religion is largely criticized today, there‘s an increasing longing for spiritual things. This podcast re-discovers the depths of spiritual truth found in scripture, both ancient and modern. It will give you a new perspective on religion, scriptural patterns, and a connection with the Divine.
The first episode, “Oh Say, What is Truth?” can currently be found on a couple platforms, and I’m in the process of expanding that. I’ll update the links on this to reflect the options as they become available.
I’ll also update the “Podcast” tab on this site. To my understanding, they’ll be directly playable from that page.
I came home from school one day in second grade and announced to my parents that I no longer had a need for school. With curious grins, they asked me why. I told them I had learned the life cycle of a bird, and the life cycle of a frog, and so I was pretty much set for the rest of my life. In my mind, I had hit the peak of human discovery – surely anything else at this point was irrelevant.
As humorous and innocent as this memory is, it actually represents an interesting tendency in human nature: when we learn something new, we assume we know everything – and when we assume we know everything, we prevent ourselves from learning further truth. It’s sort of a negative feedback loop that can stunt our growth.
Because this is human nature, it happens all the time. For years, astronomers believed the universe was geocentric. When further discoveries and evidence suggested the universe revolved around the sun, it was met with a lot of controversy (and this wasn’t a “science vs. religion” issue – scholars of the day generally rejected Galileo and Copernicus’ work).
In the scriptures, the Lord commented on how the Gentiles would react to the coming forth of further truth and scripture: “And because my words shall hiss forth—many of the Gentiles shall say: A Bible! A Bible! We have got a Bible, and there cannot be any more Bible” (2 Nephi 29:3).
A little bit of knowledge is a dangerous thing. As the prophet Jacob noted, “When they are learned they think they are wise, and they hearken not unto the counsel of God, for they set it aside, supposing they know of themselves” (2 Nephi 9:28).
Experience teaches us that one need not be a scholar to “think they are wise,” and suppose “they know of themselves.” This can apply to anyone who lets any amount of new information make them prideful – great or small. My observation is that we’re especially prone to this when learning something that doesn’t appear to be widely-known or understood.
I’ve seen this in atheists, Jews, Christians, Mormons, anti-Mormons, political activists, scholars, and more. They learn a thing and are quick to assume they have learned everything. It is the same pattern in all because it is the same natural man.
Like authority, as soon as they get a little knowledge (as they suppose), they immediately begin to lift themselves up. Like Priesthood authority, as soon as pride enters into their hearts “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 [light, knowledge, and understanding] 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” (D&C 121:37-39).
The Nature of Condemnation
When our actions, beliefs, and values are aligned to the truth and light God shines on us, we live in the light. We submit our entire will to the Lord’s. This is a state of justification.
When we align ourselves to God, His Spirit flows to us freely.
When we are not aligned with God, we are cut off from His light and Spirit.
When we turn away from any degree of light, we cut off our connection to heaven. This is what happens when we ignore promptings, or try to “rationalize” them away. This is what happens when we’re proud, selfish, or act in any way contrary to what the Spirit tells us is good and right. This is what happens when we knowingly avoid repentance, because we fear the light. This is a state of condemnation.
The Savior observed to Nicodemus “And this is the [world’s] condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God” (John 3:19-21).
When we resist the Spirit, or gratify the natural man, we turn ourselves away from God’s light. Without God’s light, everything turns into chaos. We do not necessarily forget what we’ve previously learned, but our understanding becomes distorted with time.
Truth is information when it is properly structured by light. When we are in a state of justification, the Holy Ghost will begin to do the work of structuring all of the information we have.
Like all things, our knowledge is “created” as it’s ordered by God’s light. Like all things, our knowledge decays back into chaos as the light withdraws; we begin losing truth, and eventually end up with a bunch of puzzle pieces that we can’t seem to piece together.
Most people still try their best to piece things together without the Spirit, by their own strength and reasoning. This is generally a terrible idea. It’s why the world is divided by a million opinions. When we are not enlightened by the Spirit, our efforts to piece things together will always fail. This is why it is so deeply important that our hearts be set right before we pursue greater truth.
The Thoughts of the Heart
The scriptures frequently describe thoughts as coming from one’s heart. The reason for this is because ancient Israelites understood that the state of one’s heart will affect their thought patterns.
Consider, for example, how being angry or depressed influences your ability to reason. When we allow anger to overtake us, we can’t think as clearly. Our view becomes narrowed in that moment – hence the advice that sometimes it’s good to let things cool off before saying anything too severe, or making any major decisions. When we find ourselves overtaken by depression, our thought patterns will reflect those feelings back to us – we’ll highlight evidence to craft a narrative that supports those feelings. But in fact, Christ (who has suffered all), knows that things are not as hopeless as they seem.
These same principles come into play when pride, resentment, fear, etc., are in our hearts. If these things are present, they create conditions for self-deception. Fear could make us impatient, and impatience would cause us to focus and reason in a way that tended towards those things. Hatred might cause us to overlook the needs and inherent value of others, which would spiral into something much worse. People under the influence of any kind of drug or alcohol think they’re acting logically – until they’re sober and look back on the decisions they’ve made with regret.
The only way we can ensure our sense of justice is aligned with reality is if we ourselves are aligned with reality.
For years I believed the whole battle for truth was in the mind – that I simply needed to find (or have) the most logical and comprehensive argument, and it’d be settled. I’ve since learned that it’s not that simple, as one’s ability to even register and discern truth is inseparably connected to the degree that they live according to it. An unjust person cannot discern true justice (which is the heart of political corruption).
No, the battle for truth is not in fact in the mind, as I once supposed, but in the heart. When we seek to do good and be good above all else, truth distils upon our souls like the dews from heaven.
Discernment
We must learn to observe and discern the spirit in all things, ideas, and people. This is why Christ taught us to test teachers by their fruits.
A lie might be cunning and compelling, but a lie nonetheless.
We need not live in fear that someone will come along with an argument we haven’t heard or considered, collapsing everything we thought was true. If our desire is to be good, then we will recognize those with truth are those who bear good fruit, are filled with light and the Spirit, and whose works evidence such. We will desire what they have, and seek to learn more.
By the same token, we will know that those who carry a spirit of pride, hatred, or cynicism, are not inspired by a spirit of truth. It may not be that they are entirely wrong – Satan’s greatest deceptions typically consist of some portion of truth mingled with error – but if the spirit that animates their conclusions is not one of love, but resentment, pride, or fear, we can know it is not structured by the Spirit of Truth, and therefore is a well-crafted lie.
If it bears bad fruit, it is a bad tree – and all bad trees are eventually “hewn down and cast into the fire” (3 Nephi 27:11).
We must learn to pay attention to whether teachings and ideas enliven us, or cause us to decay. Do they set us free, or shackle us in the chains of hell? Do they expand our world, or make it more narrow? Do they deepen our love for others, or cause us to think less of them? Do they fill us with spiritual light, or merely stimulate our intellect?
We must learn to think about things spiritually rather than only logically. Reason has a place in the revelatory process, but it is wholly inadequate if not given over to the principles of discernment, repentance, and revelation. If you can discern a lie spiritually, but can’t yet break it down logically, wait upon the Lord for further light and knowledge. Continue to trust Him more than yourself, and in time, His light will shine upon your life so as to expel all darkness.
Conclusion
The heart matters above all else in these matters. The search for truth is a pursuit fit for our whole souls, not just our minds. Any number of distractions can serve as obstacles on the path God has ordained for us to receive greater truth. As we turn to Him with full purpose of heart, acting no hypocrisy, He will teach us greater and greater truths for the purpose of our personal sanctification, development, and joy.
The Lord Himself instructed us on this matter in these words: “Wherefore, I the Lord ask you this question—unto what were ye ordained? To preach my gospel by the Spirit, even the Comforter which was sent forth to teach the truth.
“And then received ye spirits which ye could not understand, and received them to be of God; and in this are ye justified? Behold ye shall answer this question yourselves; nevertheless, I will be merciful unto you; he that is weak among you hereafter shall be made strong.
“Verily I say unto you, he that is ordained of me and sent forth to preach the word of truth by the Comforter, in the Spirit of truth, doth he preach it by the Spirit of truth or some other way? And if it be by some other way it is not of God.
“And again, he that receiveth the word of truth, doth he receive it by the Spirit of truth or some other way? If it be some other way it is not of God.
“Therefore, why is it that ye cannot understand and know, that he that receiveth the word by the Spirit of truth receiveth it as it is preached by the Spirit of truth? Wherefore, he that preacheth and he that receiveth, understand one another, and both are edified and rejoice together.
“And that which doth not edify is not of God, and is darkness. That which is of God is light; and he that receiveth light, and continueth in God, receiveth more light; and that light groweth brighter and brighter until the perfect day” (D&C 50:13-24, emphasis added; see also 2 Nephi 9:42; Alma 12:9-10; Alma 26:21-22).
It was previously mentioned that Isaiah speaks of several themes and patterns throughout his book, all of which will repeat in a climactic finale immediately preceding the Savior’s return. It will feel like a story right out of the scriptures, and in fact, will be the most scriptural thing that has ever happened.
Almost all major patterns in the Book of Mormon serve as a type or shadow of what will take place in this endtime scenario. From prophets crying repentance, to a wilderness journey to the promised land, to wars and rumors of wars, to the conversion of many Lamanites, and much more. All of these things will fit inside a sequence of events in the last days.
There are a lot of pieces to the picture. As we search the words of Isaiah diligently, and seek greater light, the Spirit will help us to put the pieces together.
Laying the Foundation of a Great Work
When it comes to studying the scriptures, it’s important we identify and understand how the scriptures define their own terms. Otherwise, we risk twisting their intended meaning and getting a less-clear picture.
One such example of this is the scriptural term, “Great and Marvelous Work,” which has come to commonly be defined as “the restoration of the priesthood,” or the missionary effort currently underway in the Church. However, these things do not actually match the scriptures’ definition and use of this phrase, but are more accurately defined as “laying the foundation of a great work” (D&C 64:33; cf. D&C 4:1; 6:1; 11:1; 14:1; 3 Nephi 21:7).
If you trace the use of this term(s) (also “great work,” or “marvelous work”) throughout the scriptures, including the Doctrine and Covenants, you will see that it consistently points to the great culmination of the Lord’s work in the last days (Isaiah’s endtime scenario). The restoration of the gospel, priesthood, and coming forth of the Book of Mormon all serve as a foundation upon which the Lord will do a work in the last days, which is yet future.
In some sense, we are still laying the foundation for this work. The Lord is currently putting all of the pieces in place to accomplish it. Gentile-Ephraimites are being gathered now to perform the gathering of the Jews, Lamanites, and lost tribes later – which is the essence of the “Great and Marvelous Work.”
“A People Out of This People”
We are currently the beneficiaries of the work accomplished through Joseph Smith. We enjoy the revelations, scripture, covenants, and knowledge of the priesthood restored through him. His life and ministry opened a dispensation by which we have been blessed for almost 200 years. It is upon this foundation that the Lord can and will work a great and marvelous work in the last days.
In this, there is a pattern in which we can see a general work started among the Saints in the days of Joseph Smith, and a more specific work which will come out of it in the last days. Consider the imagery depicted in the book of Revelation:
“And the woman being with child, cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered. And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron; and her child was caught up unto God and his throne” (JST Revelation 12:2-3).
In verse 7, the woman is defined as “the Church of God,” and the man child as the “kingdom of our God and his Christ.” Bringing forth a child represents maturation, like when a tree brings forth fruit. In other words, the Church in maturity will bring forth the Kingdom in the last days.
We say the restoration is incomplete, and that is true enough. A general foundation has been restored, which will allow some to bring about the restoration of all things (D&C 86:10; Acts 3:20-21; cf. Matt. 17:11). This will include restoring the Kingdom to Israel (Acts 1:6), the fulness of the priesthood, and the presence of God to the earth.
Another way of thinking about this is to put these ideas on par with the Book of Mormon itself. We received the Book of Mormon through Joseph 200 years ago, but there will come a day when full use is made of the Book of Mormon, and the sealed portion comes forth (Ether 4:5-7; 3 Nephi 26:9).
On a similar note, many of the early brethren made remarks such as these:
Brigham Young: “God will preserve a portion of this people, the meek and the humble, to bear off the kingdom to the inhabitants of the earth and will defend his priesthood; for it is the last time, the last gathering time.” (The Contributor Vol. 10, p362).
Heber C. Kimball: “The day will come when the Lord will choose a people out of this people, upon whom he will bestow his choicest blessings…” (JD 11 p145 & Des News 9 Nov. 1865).
Daniel Wells: “… the kingdom will not be taken from this people and given to another, but a people will come forth from among us who will be zealous of good works…” (JD 18:99). And again, “There will come up from the midst of this people that people that has been talked so much about…” (JD 23:305b, & Des News Dec. 9 1882).
George Q. Cannon: “There will be a people raised up, if we will not be that people – there will yet be a people raised up whose lives will embody in perfection the revelations contained in this book [probably the D&C], who will live as the doctrines here taught require, as the laws here revealed show unto us, and they will be raised up, too, in this generation, and such a people will have to be raised up before Zion can be fully redeemed…” (JD 24:144).
As has been noted previously, the Gentile Church will be split two ways in the last days – either to become “saviors unto Israel” or “salt that hath lost its savor” (D&C 103:9-10; cf. D&C 86:11), “which is thenceforth good for nothing but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of my people” (3 Nephi 16:15 [10-15]; cf. D&C 112:23-26). It will be in this context that woman will be “travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered.” As the Gentile Church is increasingly divided, those lifted up in pride will persecute “the more humble part of the people,” who will be purified in the refiners fire as they turn to Christ (Helaman 3:34-35).
The Savior Himself taught, “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind: Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away. So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, and shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 13:47-50; emphasis added).
We have a few types of this in the Book of Mormon. Lehi brings his entire family into the wilderness to escape the destruction of Jerusalem. As time passes on, the wheat (Nephi &co.) and the tares (Laman &co.) mature in their respective ways until there’s need for a second sifting from among them. An exodus within the exodus (2 Nephi 5). Another partial example of this is among the people of Zeniff who went to reclaim the land of Lehi-Nephi, who are later sifted by the ministry of Abinadi/Alma the Younger. These make a return exodus to Zarahemla to be with the people of God.
The Rod and the Root
Yet another dimension to this is the principle of “the one and the many.” For every group or idea, there is always a prototype. For instance, Satan (the one) rebelled against the Father , but also led a following who did the same thing (the many). This applies to our last days context as well. As the woman bringing forth the child represents the Church bringing forth the Kingdom, so also does it mark the emergence of the endtime servant (who is a prototypical citizen in that Kingdom).
The distinctive roles of these groups/individuals is delineated in Isaiah 11. This verse has been translated in a few ways. The King James Version renders it: “And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem [i.e. stump] of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots” (Isaiah 11:1). A more accurate translation states, “A shoot will spring up from the stock of Jesse and a branch from its graft bear fruit” (Isaiah 11:1, Gileadi Translation).
To briefly define some of the symbolism: When a tree is cut to stump, a watersprout (or shoot/rod) will grow out of it. The watersprout is wild in nature, and not a replacement for the actual tree – it doesn’t bear fruit. It’s only purpose is to provide a space into which other living branches can be grafted that will hopefully bear fruit.
This verse identifies three key personalities who bring about the Messianic age: The Stem (Stock), the Rod (Shoot), and the Root (Branch). The Lord gives us interpretations for each of these terms in D&C 113:
Q: Who is the Stem of Jesse spoken of in the 1st, 2d, 3d, 4th, and 5th verses of the 11th chapter of Isaiah? A: Verily thus saith the Lord: It is Christ.
Q: What is the rod[shoot/watersprout] spoken of in the first verse of the 11th chapter of Isaiah, that should come of the Stem of Jesse? A: Behold, thus saith the Lord: It is a servant in the hands of Christ, who is partly a descendant of Jesse as well as of Ephraim, or of the house of Joseph, on whom there is laid much power.
Q: What is the root[branch] of Jesse spoken of in the 10th verse of the 11th chapter? A: Behold, thus saith the Lord, it is a descendant of Jesse, as well as of Joseph, unto whom rightly belongs the priesthood, and the keys of the kingdom, for an ensign, and for the gathering of my people in the last days. (D&C 113:1-6; compare to 2 Nephi 3)
In other words: the stump is Christ, and the watersprout and branch represent two significant servants – one providing a foundation for the other. And so goes the pattern:
Woman
Man-Child
Church
Kingdom of God
Rod/Shoot
Root/Branch
Joseph Smith
Endtime Servant
Book of Mormon
Sealed Portion
Gentile-Ephraimites
Lost Tribes of Israel
As is made clear in Zenos’s allegory of the Olive Tree, the branch(es) being grafted into the main body represents the restoration of the house of Israel; namely, the Lamanites, Jews, and lost 10 tribes. This work will be attended to by the Lord of the vineyard’s “servant,” and the other “servants” he recruits (Jacob 5:70-71). This is when and how the kingdom will be restored to Israel (Acts 1:6). I hope the consistency in these examples shed light on this pattern unfolding in the last days.
Have you ever wondered why people become cynical, bitter, or resentful? It happens quite frequently, and I think understanding its cause (whether in others or ourselves) will help us know how to best approach it.
Here’s my best estimation:
As I covered in a previous video, we can overlay each spiritual journey in 2 or 3 major phases, mirroring the “three pillars of eternity”: Creation, Fall, and Atonement.
The first phase is akin to the Garden of Eden, or childhood. We exist inside the circle, where everything we’re aware of makes sense (as we understand it). We feel safe inside our bubble, not generally aware of all the evil and complexity of the outside world. This is Simba as a cub at Pride Rock, or Luke Skywalker living a casual life on Tatooine. It’s care free, and perhaps a bit naïve.
This first phase does not last forever, and at some point (sooner or later), every person is forced out of the Garden. Within Adam and Eve’s context, they partook of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, and their eyes were “opened.” Increased knowledge opened their eyes, or made them aware, to the fact that their world is not all they thought it was. Mufassa is killed in a conspiracy more complex than Simba could even comprehend, and Luke similarly finds himself in the middle of something he wasn’t prepared for. Because their eyes have been opened, they can no longer remain in Eden; their world is spinning, everything seems like chaos.
This is a probationary state.
The journey is essentially complete when the hero conquers the new chaos. Simba defeats Scar and reclaims Pride Rock; Luke defeats the Emperor and frees the galaxy, etc. Greater peace and prosperity is enjoyed by all as the hero connects with his true identity.
The at-one-ment phase brings all things into order and harmony. This is a state of rest.
Whether or not people directly involve God, this process is always spiritual at its core. Peace of mind, security, order, chaos, and reconciliation are all spiritual concerns. We enjoy movies and books for the same reason the ancients were enthralled by myths – something about them resonates with the deep truths of our soul.
This three-act pattern can be found on many different levels. On perhaps the most general scale, these three states represent our pre-mortality, morality, and resurrection. Our imperfect, mortal, bodies separate us from God. As we submit the flesh to the Spirit, we are reconciled to Him and will come forth triumphant in the first resurrection.
On a smaller scale, this can happen when a child enters adolescence and becomes “self-conscious” about how they look to their peers, or when someone encounters the pain of a personal trial, like betrayal, or losing a loved one. It can happen when someone encounters information that causes them to question their faith, or even when receiving a commandment they don’t want to keep. Whatever it is, the result is the same: we become aware of something that we didn’t know, and it temporarily separates us from God.
There are, in reality, only two states of being: harmony with God, and disharmony with God. In a “Fall” stage we’re in disharmony, cut off from His presence (spiritually and physically), and in a state of death. When we are reconciled to His light, we are in a state of life. The end of one cycle is the beginning of another (note the similarity between “Creation” and “Re-Creation”).
Bitterness, Arrogance, and Resentment
The reason anyone becomes bitter or resentful is because they learn something that they don’t know how to reconcile. In other words, they get stuck in a fall state, which causes them to gradually lose greater and greater light.
Sometimes this happens because someone is exposed to too much chaos at a young age. Before they can even get their bearings in the world, their parents get divorced, a family member dies, or they suffer abuse from the very people they’re counting on for security.
Sometimes it happens because, even later in life, they don’t know how to reconcile severe trials. Sometimes they discover cracks in the foundations of their values and beliefs. Their eyes are opened. In some sense, they learn that Eden isn’t everything they thought it was; there are snakes in the garden.
Our response to greater knowledge and awareness is crucial. We must not allow the chaos to make us bitter or arrogant. Many people who do become cynical grow in hatred for those who seem happy and full of faith. They see them as naïve, and believe that the only reason they’re not miserable is because they’re ignorant of reality. They want to pop everyone’s “bubble,” and sometimes make it their life mission to do so. Like Satan, they seek that “all men might be miserable like unto [themselves]” (2 Nephi 2:27). This hatred for life and faith is the spirit of the Devil.
If you find that new knowledge (or awareness) has made you resentful to people who don’t have it in any way, you are being influenced by an evil spirit. If you allow that knowledge to lift you up in pride, or to cause you to think you are better than others, you are under an influence contrary to life. In short, if you use that knowledge for anything other than increasing your faith in Christ, it will work against you.
To those who increase in learning, Jacob warns: “O that cunning plan of the evil one! O the vainness, and the frailties, and the foolishness of men! When they are learned they think they are wise, and they hearken not unto the counsel of God, for they set it aside, supposing they know of themselves, wherefore, their wisdom is foolishness and it profiteth them not. And they shall perish” (2 Nephi 9:28).
We must at all times maintain a spirit of humility and love. It is often our tendency to judge or criticize ourselves or others when we learn we have erred in something. This can be good if our criticism drives us to repentance, but we must guard against the temptation to use our new knowledge as sledgehammer to condemn those who have not learned what we have; to play the role of accuser is to play the part of Satan.
It is often the case that until we repent and reconcile our hearts back to light, love, and the Spirit, that we cannot even properly understand what we have been made aware of. As is depicted in the “Fall” diagram above, just because our awareness expands does not mean that we have made sense of it all. Only when we surrender to the light will everything be put in order.
The Remedy
The Savior descended below it all so that He could stand as a witness and comforter for every single person, no matter how severe their pain. He experienced all of these things in the flesh so that we could have faith in His ability to heal us. He has overcome the world.
“And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people. And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities” (Alma 7:11-12; cf. D&C 88:6).
We can have perfect faith in Him knowing that He knows the depth of our pain and alienation, and can bring us back into a state of reconciliation.
As time passes in a “Fall” state, our alienation from life and love grows from a smaller degree to a greater one. Time can make many people bitter and resentful: we get set in our ways, become hardened, and lose the joy and inspiration of childhood. The Savior’s injunction to become as a little child becomes especially meaningful in this context (Mosiah 3:19; 3 Nephi 9:22). He invites us to return to that place of childlike trust, assuring us that He has all of the light and truth pertinent to our reality. There is nothing He has not experienced and conquered. He has put all things under His feet, emanating love and life still. He is worthy and deserving of all of our faith.
The only real remedial course in these situations is to come unto Him with our whole heart and soul, in light of the things we’ve learned/experienced. He is the one that puts us into these situations, precisely so that we may learn to align ourselves with Him, and from Him become empowered to overcome the world. As we surrender all things to His will, His greater light will heal that which is broken in us, be it heartache, confusion, fear, doubt, cynicism, anger, or pride. He will order our chaos.
As we repeat this cycle with intentionality, we will find that the interval between each “Fall” and subsequent “Re-Creation” phase gets shorter and shorter, until at we arrive at the point where there is nothing God can reveal that would cause our faith to waiver; we will be immediately reconciled to His light. When we arrive at this point, our faith is perfect, and we are prepared to inherit the kingdom of God (or, all that He has) (2 Nephi 9:23; cf. D&C 84:38).
Nephi so testified: “Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life” (2 Nephi 31:20).
When the Savior ministered to the Nephites, He said the Book of Mormon would come forth in the last days to try the Gentiles’ faith:
“And when they shall have received this, which is expedient that they should have first, to try their faith, and if it shall so be that they shall believe these things then shall the greater things be made manifest unto them. And if it so be that they will not believe these things, then shall the greater things be withheld from them, unto their condemnation” (3 Nephi 26:9-10).
Christ spelled out the conditions: if they believe these things, they will receive the greater (sealed) portion; if they do not, it will be withheld unto their condemnation. This resembles the pattern described by Alma concerning the mysteries of God; he who hardens not his heart will receive the greater portion until he knows the mysteries in full, but he who does harden his heart will receive a lesser portion until he knows nothing concerning his mysteries (Alma 12:9-11; D&C 50:24).
The principle is this: When God speaks, there is no longer middle ground. We must either repent and reconcile ourselves to His light and word, or come under condemnation for sinning against it. We will either move into greater light, or greater darkness.
An example of this in the scriptures is when the Lord invited Israel (in the wilderness) to come into His presence. They had an invitation to receive the “greater” blessings of the high priesthood, but “hardened their hearts and could not endure his presence,” and so the Lord took Moses and the Holy Priesthood out of their midst, and they were left with a “lesser” portion (D&C 84:23-26).
When Nephi was shown in vision the events of our day, he saw a short period of time when the gospel would go to the Gentiles in the last days. At “that day,” the angel told Nephi, the Gentiles would either harden their hearts against His word, or they would not (1 Nephi 14). This is the question on heaven’s mind in our day. Will we harden our hearts, like the children of Israel before? Or will we receive the word of God with gladness?
In 1832, only two years after the Gentiles had received the Book of Mormon, the Lord told the Church they had come under condemnation for “vanity and unbelief,” because they had treated lightly the things they had received (most notably the Book of Mormon). He declared that this condemnation would remain until they “repent and remember the new covenant, even the Book of Mormon and the former commandments which I have given them, not only to say, but to do according to that which I have written” (D&C 84:54-58).
This condemnation remains for as long as we continue to harden our hearts. If we repent and remember the Book of Mormon individually, greater things will be made manifest to us. When the Gentiles come together “that they shall repent of their iniquity, and become clean before the Lord,” the Lord will reveal the sealed portion (Ether 4:6-7).
Though most people understand the sealed portion will not come forth until we make full use of the Book of Mormon, some may still be surprised at the idea of condemnation. However, the two ideas go hand-in-hand, as the scriptures indicate.
This sobering truth ought to give us pause and cause us to wonder, “In what ways have I hardened my heart against the Lord’s words in the Book of Mormon? How can I repent and receive more of what He wants to give me?”
The answer to this question will largely be personal because repentance is an individual matter. However, there is one thing that I believe applies almost universally that adds to our condemnation, resulting in our minds being darkened.
The Savior’s Commandment
When Jesus ministered to the Nephites following His resurrection, He gave us the following commandment regarding the prophecies of Isaiah: “And now, behold, I say unto you, that ye ought to search these things. Yea, a commandment I give unto you that ye search these things diligently; for great are the words of Isaiah” (3 Nephi 23:1).
Isaiah is the only book of scripture we’ve been directly commanded to study by Christ Himself, and unfortunately, it is the only one we make fun of.
We joke in quasi-hushed tones about “the Isaiah chapters” in the Book of Mormon, or talk about how we normally skip them, or don’t get much of out of them. There’s of course the joke of the soldier who was shot, but the bullet stopped in about 2 Nephi of his pocket Book of Mormon; “nothing gets through Isaiah.”
Of course, the jokes aren’t inherently immoral, but I believe the attitude we have towards Isaiah, both in and out of the Book of Mormon, is reflective of the Savior’s rebuke for “treating lightly” the things we have received, and contributes to our unbelief about its message.
Why does understanding Isaiah matter so much to the Savior? He tells us: “For surely he spake as touching all things concerning my people which are of the house of Israel; therefore it must needs be that he must speak also to the Gentiles. And all things that he spake have been and shall be, even according to the words which he spake” (3 Nephi 23:2-3; emphasis added).
All things that he speak have been (in the past) and shall be (in the future). In other words, he selectively prophesied of events in his day that would also come to pass in the latter-days. When he speaks of the destruction of wicked cities anciently, they serve as a precedent (or mirror image) of future wickedness and destruction. When he prophesies of Assyria’s world conquest in his day, he is also speaking of a latter-day superpower that will play the same role.
There’s an apocryphal quote attributed to Mark Twain that my US History teacher would read at the start of every class: “History does not repeat itself, but it often rhymes.” In other words, the same events may not transpire again, but similar events played by different actors will.
In Hebrew thinking history is not linear, but cyclical. Solomon noted, “What has been will be again… there is nothing new under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 1:9). People follow patterns, and everything that will happen in the future has happened before in the past.
Consider what is commonly referred to as “the pride cycle,” as such a pattern. Whether its the Jews, the Nephites, or the United States, the pattern is the same: 1) Righteousness and prosperity 2) Pride and wickedness, 3) Destruction and suffering 4) Humiliation and repentance As Isaiah carefully structured his writings, he used ancients events to predict future ones.
“Great are the words of Isaiah, ” said Jesus Christ.
As we keep the Savior’s commandment to “search these things diligently,” we are filled with a clearer understanding of how God interacts with His people, and what things will inevitably comes to pass again – as history repeats itself, and God is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
By keeping this commandment, we will also gain greater light regarding the Book of Mormon and its purpose.
The Backbone of the Book of Mormon
One can know the Book of Mormon is true by a witness of the Spirit, but they will come to know why it’s true as they study the words of Isaiah.
The prophets of the Book of Mormon were very fluent in Isaiah’s prophecy, and its meaning was plain to them. They would apply or “liken” Isaiah’s words to their own events that fit the same patterns. It’s actually not dissimilar to how modern meme culture will take quotable lines from a movie and apply them to everyday life.
Isaiah is more or less the quotable movie you have to have seen in order to get the references. For instance, Isaiah 29 speaks of a sealed book coming forth. In Isaiah’s own context, he is referring to the book of Isaiah. However, Nephi likens this prophecy to his own people, and uses the same language as a meme to talk about the coming forth of the Book of Mormon in 2 Nephi 27.
By becoming fluent in Isaiah’s concepts and phraseology, the Book of Mormon opens up in an entirely new way. Every time a Book of Mormon author prophesies of the last days, they quote or nuance some aspect of Isaiah’s prophecy. As you become familiar with the themes and phrases from Isaiah in their own context, you will begin to recognize and understand their significance in the Book of Mormon.
Furthermore, Mormon himself states a handful of times that he was including less than 1% of his people’s history. This of course begs the question, what was the criteria by which events were included or excluded? The answer is: that which typifies the endtime. Nephi and Mormon both craft their history to highlight the themes and events spoken of by Isaiah.
As just one example, consider this sequence of events: 1) A people is wicked and ripe for destruction 2) God sends a messenger to preach repentance 3) The righteous are gathered out and separated from the wicked 4) The wicked are destroyed 5) The righteous are preserved and begin a new people
We see this pattern unfold in the story of both Noah (the flood) and Abraham (Sodom and Gomorrah). This is a theme that Isaiah prophesies will repeat in the endtime. Consequently, the Book of Mormon records a similar sifting of the righteous and wicked in the story of Lehi (Jerusalem), Abinadi (the people of Nephi), and others.
Isaiah speaks of several such patterns that we see throughout scriptural history, but perhaps the most astonishing part is that he indicates that every pattern and theme he speaks of will repeat in the endtime – almost simultaneously. Within the span of a handful of years, everything Isaiah has prophesied will repeat in a grand crescendo. The historical events spoken of by Isaiah, and those included in the Book of Mormon, are all types and shadows of a great work to be accomplished within a single generation preceding Christ’s second coming.
Conclusion
There’s a price to be paid to unlock the message of Isaiah, but every person who does so will learn things that cannot be known or understood in any other way.
There are some great study tools that have been provided by Avraham Gileadi and the Isaiah institute. If you are interested in learning Isaiah, IsaiahExplained.com and IsaiahInstitute.com are great places to start.
For as long as we neglect this commandment, we risk hardening our hearts against the Lord’s words. This is a dangerous place to be, as “they that will harden their hearts, to them is given the lesser portion of the word until they know nothing concerning his mysteries” (Alma 12:11). Our minds are turned to the parable of the talents, wherein Christ remarked, “For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath” (Matthew 25:29).
Isaiah is required reading for every Latter-day Saint. If you have made a covenant to obey Christ, you are under covenant to “search these things diligently.” I testify that there is greater power in understanding Isaiah, and that the Lord has not given this commandment to be a burden, but a blessing. Your faith will be increased and renewed, your understanding enlightened, and your soul enlarged. Like the fruit of the tree of life, it will be delicious (Alma 32:28).
Establishing the Cause of Zion 