“Wo unto all

Wo Unto All...those who tremble, and are angry because of the truth of God! For behold, he that is built upon the rock receiveth it with gladness; and he that is built upon a sandy foundation trembleth lest he shall fall (2 Nephi 28:28).

This post is very personal for me. As one who has searched the scriptures diligently and one who loves the words of God, I am saddened by those who either "tremble, and are angry because of the truth of God" or who just don't care because they believe that just because they are active church members they need no repentance or no one reminding them of the Lord's commandment to repent.

And for me this includes close friends and family. I mistakenly assumed that especially these would receive His words "with gladness" and not be angry or perhaps in some cases just be bothered or apathetic, or worse, think His words do not apply to them (2 Nephi 28:28), or perhaps believe the messenger can't possibly be armed with the sword of truth.

As Jehovah forewarns, a wayward people's typical response when a prophet appeals to them to repent is to harden their hearts and dull their senses. And who is a prophet in this case? Anyone who has been called to "say nothing but repentance" unto this generation, which includes me.

I found this great promise in Malachi, and while it encourages me and tells me there are some who will speak "often one with another," I am also reminded that far too many will not speak the same language. Malachi said:

"Then those who feared Jehovah spoke often one with another. And Jehovah heard (it) and took heed, and a book of remembrance was written before him for those who feared Jehovah and who thought on his name. They will be mine, says Jehovah of Hosts, in the day I make up my jewels, and I will spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him. Then will you return and discern between the righteous and the wicked--between him who serves God and him who serves him not" (Malachi 3:16-18).

I wonder however--must the few who fear God and love the truth be compelled to speak only "one with another," and not with God's people in general, so as to avoid persecution? Or even one's own children, grandchildren or friends?

This is true even though I shared a very personal revelatory experience about my being called by my Savior to learn His words and teach them to others, and to say nothing but repentance.

As I received either silence or push back from what I was sharing, I began to examine my motives for sharing. Perhaps it was me or the manner in which I was sharing. Was I attempting to find some praise or acceptance? Was I trying to justify myself to them? Did I come across as wanting to be the light, the intelligent one, the one who knew more? Was I being motivated by the Love of Christ in wanting to share and teach my friends and family? I knew I would come up short in each of these evaluations, but also realized that my motivations were good. I wanted to share the light and truth that I had received. Not only was I compelled to, but I wanted to more than anything. You can imagine the disappointment to be rejected so completely. After all, what right did I have to call others to repentance? 

But I knew that my motivations were good because "my soul delighteth in the scriptures, and my heart pondereth them, and writeth them for the learning and the profit of my children," and that I have none other object save it be the everlasting welfare of their souls.

Were His words not understood, too hard to hear or just not applicable?  I was told that I was not giving enough praise to those who were active church members with terrific kids. They had, after all, done a great job in raising their kids in the church. They were all active and sent many kids on missions. Why should they be told they needed to repent?  

I must admit that I felt some responsibility for teaching them that it was all about being active. Isn't this a good example of religion verses truth and how religion can displace the gospel? My role in teaching them traditional religion is a big part of my motivation to now labor diligently to teach them the word of God. 

I do it to please God. But sometimes pleasing God means we make others happy; other times pleasing God means we make others very mad. This from my friend Timothy Merrill in his owlofthedesert.com/blog illustrates this point.

"The point I want to make is this: We must never seek to please others.  

That sounds kind of selfish, doesn't it? Well, we aren't here to please ourselves, either. 

Unfortunately, the whole business of religion is about pleasing others and ourselves, isn't it?  

We please our priest, or pastor, or bishop, or spouse, or parents, [or children] or ourselves, when we follow their traditions or rules, their teachings and commandments, their religious observances and ways of doing things.  It makes us feel good to be so . . . good!

But what happens when God calls us apart? 

What happens when God calls you to leave the 99 and go after the one?

What happens when God calls you to abandon the things that you were taught by your parents were right, as He did when he called Abraham to forsake the the foolishness of his idolatrous father, Terah?

I suspect that made Terah quite upset. After all, Abraham was more concerned with pleasing God than being a dutiful son!"

"For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ. But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ" (Galations 10-12).

I am therefore concerned and rightly so. Having seen, through prophecy, many of the endtime events, how can I not be worried for those I love the most? Coming to terms with spiritual truths can cause this worry and concern. How we see ourselves and how Isaiah and Book of Mormon prophets see us are very different.

While some of us will acknowledge that Book of Mormon prophets saw our day (Mormon 8:34–41), should we not also admit that what they saw seldom matches our high opinion of ourselves?

The Lamanites’ anciently receiving the gospel and becoming more righteous than the Nephites, has an endtime parallel or sequel: 

“And the Lamanites had become, the more part of them, a righteous people, insomuch that their righteousness did exceed that of the Nephites, because of their firmness and their steadiness in the faith. For behold, there were many of the Nephites who had become hardened and impenitent and grossly wicked, insomuch that they did reject the word of God and all the preaching and prophesying which did come among them. Nevertheless, the people of the church did have great joy because of the conversion of the Lamanites, yea, because of the church of God, which had been established among them. And they did fellowship one with another, and did rejoice one with another, and did have great joy” (Helaman 6:1–3)

But seeing that the hearts of his people began to wax hard, and that they began to be offended because of the strictness of the word, Helaman was exceedingly sorrowful.

But I have learned that as the truth of God “cuts to the heart” persons who are determined to live less than the truth (cf. Acts 5:33; 7:54; Mosiah 13:7), one who loves the truth may expect a less-than-kind response from people whose paradigms aren’t scripturally based. This I now know firsthand and like Helaman I am exceedingly saddened.

But no longer surprised. In other words, our darkened minds and the condemnation that rests upon us—because we accept only our cosmetic rendering of the scriptures, misread their meaning, and underrate their importance—are even now sealing upon our heads God’s imminent judgments.

Those who believed in him, Jew and Gentile, were those who “received the word with all readiness of mind” and “searched the scriptures daily whether those things were so” (Acts 17:11–12). Those that don't search (as opposed to read) the scriptures daily do not receive His words with all readiness of mind. Why? Because their minds are on other things.

Assuming all is well denies the possibility of disease already in the heart, just hidden from sight or diagnosis because of a bit of a Catch-22. So how exactly do you find something that you refuse to look for (the Catch-22) because you believe it can’t be there? Or you believe it won't affect you or those you love? 

Why do we assume that we aren’t among those same Gentiles “in Zion” (2 Nephi 28:21, 24, 32) who “are led, that in many instances they do err because they are taught by the precepts of men” (2 Nephi 28:14)—those who don’t search the scriptures and repent of their error (cf. Jacob 7:23; Alma 14:1; 17:2 33:2; 3 Nephi 10:14) but who are “at ease in Zion” and assume “all is well” (2 Nephi 28:24–25)? 

Or why do we assume that we aren’t among those who “hearken unto the precepts of men,” who disallow “the power of God” in their lives and void “the gift of the Holy Ghost” (2 Nephi 28:26)—those who say, “We have received, and we need no more” (2 Nephi 28:27, 29), who get “angry” when confronted with “the truth of God” found in the scriptures when it conflicts with their “precepts of men” (2 Nephi 28:28, 31)? 

What course should we as endtime Ephraimite Gentiles follow, to search the scriptures for what they say or to suffer God’s “scourge and judgment” for not repenting of making wrongful assumptions (Doctrine & Covenants 84:54–58) even as we ostracize persons who believe the truth (Isaiah 66:5)?

Shall we as the Ephraimite Gentiles continually fail to discern that our idolatrous lives are sabotaging our salvation, as we imagine that God will not intervene?

“Must-see” movies, sports, entertainments, theme parks, fashion malls, mansions, investments, time shares, cruises, trips, religion, and so forth, aren’t these simply diversions? With lives cluttered by the trappings of Babylon—television, video games, smart phones, adornments, designer clothes, sports vehicles, wave runners, can we honestly say, “What evil fruit”?

If spiritual blindness results from infatuation with idols as the prophets declare, how better is it defined than by those who “see but don’t perceive,” who “hear but don’t understand” (Isaiah 6:9)?

Despite the fact that the scriptures we currently possess originate hundreds of years apart, they nevertheless synchronize and intertwine like one grand tapestry of truth that testifies to their divinity. And as the centerpiece of that tapestry—through which all interconnect and cohere—shines the Book of Isaiah. To understand Isaiah’s and Book of Mormon prophecy for what it is, therefore, is to understand all other scriptures—where each fits in the totality of God’s Word.

And that first and last commandment (also described as the greatest of all gifts) to all people everywhere especially Ephraimite Gentiles--to repent--and all words of God and all events connecting everything to repentance is to shine the light of God upon each of us, personally and intimately. But can we behold His light?

The worst thing in the world is trying to teach third-base-truths to someone in the dugout, who either wants to stay in the dugout or has  no desire to get to third base. Anyone who hasn't passed first base will not understand the truths found on second base, much less third base. But does it mean we should not point out to all within our sphere of influence that there is a third-base, and that third base leads to home?