We will not get much out of the scriptures if we continually think of ourselves as the 'good guys' and fail to liken the scriptures to ourselves. It has been said that wo unto that generation who knows what the Book of Mormon is all about. It is written for us by those who saw our day. And what did they see?
Specifically when Moroni was shown our "doing" he did not describe us as we might like to see ourselves. He said that he knows that we walk in the pride of our hearts, and that we have transfigured the holy word of God. He asks us why we are ashamed to take upon us the name of Christ, and why we value the things of the world and adorn ourselves with that which has no life. And he asks us why we have polluted the holy church of God? He tells us we love money and our substance more than we love the poor and the needy. And he also warns us that the sword of vengeance hangs over us.
A specific scripture we can liken to ourselves to see if the the conditions spoken of are present with us is found in 3 Nephi 6, and describes the people of the church as being distinguished by ranks according to their riches and their chances for learning. We do not have to look too hard at the Wasatch Front to see that we too are distinguished by ranks. There are those who have riches and as a result receive greater learning because of their riches, while many are ignorant because of their poverty and their lack of opportunities to gain an education.
This inequality was described as great wickedness and iniquity, especially because it existed in the Church. And it was a result of pride and seeking of the vain things of the world. And, moreover, these people did not sin ignorantly, for they knew the will of God concerning them, for it had been taught them, therefore they did willfully rebel against God. Could it be that we too know better, and yet persist in setting our hearts upon the vain things of the world?
These are the same conditions that existed among the Church in Alma's day (Alma 4) and we can also liken them to ourselves. When Alma describes the people as waxing proud because of their riches which they had gained by their industry, could it be that he is also describing us? It was so bad that their pride did exceed the pride of those who did not belong to the church of God. Alma also describes great inequality among the people of the Church, and describes this inequality as iniquity and wickedness.
There were, however, others who were humble, who did help the poor and the needy. These also suffered all manner of afflictions for Christ's sake. They, according to the spirit of prophecy, did look forward to the day that Christ should come, retaining a remission of their sins being filled with great joy because of the resurrection of the dead.
Alma mourned, however, because of the persecutions which were heaped upon the humble followers of God by the remainder of his people, seeing all their inequality.
Isaiah tells us that the people of Ephraim are drunk with the wine of self-deception, and he also had many other things to say about us in these latter-days, almost identical with the descriptions by Alma and Nephi. The humble followers of Christ act no hypocrisy and no deception, meaning they do not see themselves as anything but what they are in comparison to the goodness of God, having retained in remembrance their nothingness. Therefore, they rely wholly upon the merits of Christ, and do not rely on their own industry and strength.
No comments:
Post a Comment