Two Headed Monster

That Awful Two-Headed Monster--Or Why We Need To Repent Now

When Annie and I taught primary, we would always teach the kids about the two-headed monster described in 2nd Nephi 9, one of the great doctrinal discourses in the Book of Mormon. We did this because it captured their interest, but more importantly it helped them understand how Christ can save us from this two-headed monster. The lesson was about God and Jesus.

There are many Book of Mormon chapters where the Book of Mormon Prophet Writers teach us many of the great truths revealed to them, and 2 Nephi 9 is one of them.  They differ, at least to me, in that they are great doctrinal discourses designed to help us understand and experience why we must repent and why the Lord and His plan are described as Good and Great.

Jacob had just read to the people of Nephi some of the words of Isaiah concerning the"'covenants of the Lord that he has covenanted with all of the house of Israel."  He spoke these words unto them so that they might rejoice and "lift up (their) heads forever, because of the blessings which the Lord God (will) bestow upon (their) children."

Jacob knew that many had searched the records so that they would know of things to come, and he knew that they had come to know as a result, that their flesh would waste away and they would die, even though in their bodies they would see God. He also knew that they did know that in His body He would show himself unto those at Jerusalem. Jesus would suffer himself to become subject unto man in the flesh, and die for all men, that all men might become subject unto him. 

Jacob then taught that because death had passed upon all men, to fulfill the merciful plan of the great Creator, there must needs be a power of resurrection, and the resurrection must needs come unto man by reason of the fall; and the fall came by reason of transgression; and because man became fallen they were cut off from the presence of the Lord.

The only remedy for this condition is an infinite atonement, for without an infinite atonement our corruption could not become incorruptible. Presently everything on this earth gives way to the second law of thermodynamics--entropy, or everything becomes corrupt, or falls into disorder. Without an infinite atonement everything and everybody would remain in a state of corruption and our flesh would be laid down to rot and crumble to its mother earth, to rise no more.

What would be the effect if there was no resurrection? If the “flesh should rise no more our spirits would become subject to that angel who fell from before the presence of the Eternal God, and became the devil, to rise no more. And our spirits must have become like unto him, and we become devils, angels to a devil, to be shut out from the presence of our God, and to remain with the father of lies, in misery, like unto himself…” (2 Nephi 9:8-9). Think about this--our spirits would become subject to Satan--forever! We would be devils, angels to devils and shut out from God’s presence--forever!

Jacob introduces us to the two-headed monster.  One head of this monster is death and the other head is hell--DEATH and HELL. He exclaims the goodness of God because He has prepared a way for our escape from the grasp of this awful monster, DEATH and HELL.  Jacob then makes it clear that DEATH is the death of the body and HELL is the death of the spirit.

Jacob then explains that because of the Lord’s deliverance, the grave shall deliver up its dead, which death is the grave. And the death which he calls spiritual death, shall also deliver up its dead, which spiritual death is hell. There you have it.  DEATH and HELL must deliver up their dead.  HELL must deliver up its captive spirits, and the grave must deliver up its captive bodies. When this happens the bodies and the spirits of men will be restored one to the other, and it is because of the power of the resurrection of the Holy One of Israel.

It is no wonder that Jacob says “O how great the goodness of our God! O how great the plan of our God!”

My friend and I were talking the other day about whether we will see loved ones in the Spirit World after we die. We were both of the opinion that we would, but Jacob makes it clear that the spirit world is but a place where we are between death and the resurrection. So yes, we probably have a chance to visit with loved ones there. But there has not yet been any judgment. That does not happen until after the resurrection. Jacob explains: “the paradise of God must deliver up the spirits of the righteous, and the grave deliver up the body of the righteous; and the spirit and the body is restored to itself again, and all men become incorruptible, and immortal, and they are living souls, having a perfect knowledge like unto us in the flesh, save it be that our knowledge shall be perfect” (2 Nephi 9:13). But still no judgment yet.

But after the resurrection we will have a perfect knowledge of all our guilt, and our uncleanness, and our nakedness (the wicked); 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. The robe of righteousness is the righteousness of Christ that is put on those who have repented. They are entitled to be called righteous even though it is because of the righteousness of Christ, that they are deemed righteous.  But still no judgment yet.

“And it shall come to pass that when all men shall have passed from this first death unto life, insomuch as they have become immortal, they must appear before the judgment-seat of the Holy One of Israel; and then cometh the judgment, and then must they be judged according to the holy judgment of God” (2 Nephi 9:15). It is here that we receive either the justice of God or the mercy of God. If it is the justice of God then we will be judged according to our works regardless of whether our works were good or evil. If we receive the mercy of God, then we will be found guiltless or spotless because He has met the demands of justice for us. Keep in mind that we stand before God to be judged. He employs no servants there.

Additional revelation sheds more light on this judgment. We are told that all but the Sons of Perdition will be redeemed. Concerning the Sons of Perdition there is no forgiveness for them because they have denied the Holy Spirit after having received it (D&C 76:31-38). These will not be resurrected, and He saves all except them (D&C 76:39;44). This section of the Doctrine & Covenants, and section Eighty-Eight give great detail concerning those who are deemed worthy of the Celestial, Terrestrial and Telestial glory, or a kingdom which is not a kingdom of glory (D&C 88:24). Joseph Smith adds even more when he tells us concerning seeing his brother Alvin in the Celestial kingdom, how he marveled how it was that he had obtained inheritance in that kingdom when he died before being baptized. The Lord told Joseph that all who have died without a knowledge of the gospel, who would have received it they had been permitted to tarry, shall be heirs of the Celestial kingdom (D&C 137:1-6). 

And what about those who repent in the Spirit World? We know of those who were the spirits of men at the time of Noah who were kept in prison in the spirit world that they also could be redeemed if they repented, but at the judgment they would still have to pay for their own sins. “The dead who repent will be redeemed through obedience to the ordinances of the house of God, and after they have paid the penalty of their transgressions, and are washed clean, shall receive a reward according to their works, for they are heirs of salvation” (D&C 138:58-59).

Armed with a little more information let's go back to Jacob’s discourse. 

“And assuredly, as the Lord liveth, for the Lord God hath spoken it, and it is his eternal word, which cannot pass away, that they who are righteous shall be righteous still, and they who are filthy shall be filthy still; wherefore, they who are filthy are the devil and his angels; and they shall go away into everlasting fire, prepared for them; and their torment is as a lake of fire and brimstone, whose flame ascendeth up forever and ever and has no end. O the greatness and the justice of our God! For he executeth all his words, and they have gone forth out of his mouth, and his law must be fulfilled (2 Nephi 9:16-17).

“But, behold, the righteous, the saints of the Holy One of Israel, they who have believed in the Holy One of Israel, they who have endured the crosses of the world, and despised the shame of it, they shall inherit the kingdom of God, which was prepared for them from the foundation of the world, and their joy shall be full forever (2 Nephi 9:18 emphasis added).

Can we see why Jacob keeps exclaiming the greatness of the mercy of our God, the Holy One of Israel? For he delivereth his saints from that awful monster the devil, and death, and hell, and that lake of fire and brimstone, which is endless torment. 

God is great and holy and there is nothing that He does not know. He descended below all things, and came into the world so that He may save all men if they will hearken unto his voice; for He suffered the pains of all men, yea, the pains of every living creature, both men, women, and children, who belong to the family of Adam. 

We will all stand before him on that great judgment day. 

We now come to His Gospel which he gives us in 3 Nephi 27:13-21, and how repentance is the key to receiving His mercy. He commands all men that they must repent, and be baptized in his name, having perfect faith in the Holy One of Israel, or they cannot be saved in the kingdom of God.  

And if they will not repent, believe in His name, and be baptized in His name, and endure to the end, they must be damned; for the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, has spoken it. And when did He speak it? Just read the Book of Mormon.

Jacob, like Alma after him, teaches us about Justice and Mercy. He teaches that Jesus has given a law; and where there is no law given there is no punishment; and where there is no punishment there is no condemnation; and where there is no condemnation the mercies of the Holy One of Israel have claim upon them, because of the atonement; for they are delivered by the power of him. 

But Christ’s atonement satisfies the demands of his justice upon all those who 1) repent, and those who 2) have not the law given to them. These are delivered from that awful two-headed monster, DEATH and HELL. These are delivered from the devil, and from the lake of fire and brimstone, and from endless torment; and they are restored to that God who gave them breath, which is the Holy One of Israel. 

Now this is a particular and specific warning to us. “Wo unto him that has the law given, yea, that has all the commandments of God, like unto us, and that transgresseth them, and that wasteth the days of his probation, for awful is his state! In other words those who fail to turn (repent) to Him. Of these, Satan, because of their vainess and foolishness, does his best work. They think they are wise, and rely on the wisdom of others, and do not hear the voice of God in His words. They set them aside, supposing they know of themselves or rely on others such as ecclesiastical authorities, and not on the counsel of God. Their wisdom is foolish and it does not benefit them. And they shall perish. Remember the spirits of men kept in prison? They repented but it was too late, and they had to pay for their own sins. 

But to be learned is good if they hearken unto the counsels of God. But wo (covenant curse) unto those, who are rich as to the things of the world. For because they are rich they despise the poor, and they persecute the meek, and their hearts are upon their treasures, and their treasure is their god. And their treasure shall perish with them also. 

And wo unto the deaf that will not hear; for they will perish. 

Wo unto the blind that will not see; for they will also perish. 

Wo unto the uncircumcised of heart, for a knowledge of their iniquities will smite them at the last day. 

Wo unto the liar, for he will be thrust down to hell. 

Wo unto the murderer who deliberately kills, for he will die.

Wo unto them who commit whoredoms, for they will be thrust down to hell. 

Wo unto those that worship idols, for the devil of all devils delights in them. 

And finally, wo unto all those who die in these sins; for they will return to God, and behold his face, and remain in their sins. We are only saved from these sins because of Him, not because we confess them, eliminate them or work on them. We are not saved because of our goodness, but because of His.

Remember to transgress against God, is to yield to the enticings of that cunning one. 

Don't think that if you do not do any of the sins listed here that you are home free. If you do think this then you miss the whole point. As His words make clear, we repent because we are fallen and have become subject to the Devil. As Enoch describes the condition of each of us, because that Adam fell, we are; and by his fall comes death; and we are made partakers of misery and woe. Satan is among us tempts us to worship him; and we become carnal, sensual and devilish, and we are shut out from the presence of God. And the remedy? "God hath made known unto our fathers that all men must repent" (Moses 6:48-50).

As my friend Tim Merrill says, it is not about being good, but about choosing good, and only God is good. We repent when we turn to His goodness; when we choose His goodness, when we rely totally upon His merits.

Remember, to be carnally-minded is death, and to be spiritually-minded is life eternal. 

My friends and family, I beseech you to hear His words. Remember the greatness of the Holy One of Israel. Do not say that I have spoken hard things against you; for if you do, you will contend against His words which are the truth; for I have spoken the words of God. I know that the words of truth are hard against all uncleanness; but the righteous fear them not, for they love the truth and are not shaken. 

Let Jacob conclude:

“O then, my beloved brethren, come unto the Lord, the Holy One. Remember that his paths are righteous. Behold, the way for man is narrow, but it lieth in a straight course before him, and the keeper of the gate is the Holy One of Israel; and he employeth no servant there; and there is none other way save it be by the gate; for he cannot be deceived, for the Lord God is his name. And whoso knocketh, to him will he open; and the wise, and the learned, and they that are rich, who are puffed up because of their learning, and their wisdom, and their riches—yea, they are they whom he despiseth; and save they shall cast these things away, and consider themselves fools before God, and come down in the depths of humility, he will not open unto them. 

But the things of the wise and the prudent shall be hid from them forever—yea, that happiness which is prepared for the saints.

Note the urgency in Jacob's plea to us.

O, my beloved brethren, remember my words. Behold, I take off my garments, and I shake them before you; I pray the God of my salvation that he view me with his all-searching eye; wherefore, ye shall know at the last day, when all men shall be judged of their works, that the God of Israel did witness that I shook your iniquities from my soul, and that I stand with brightness before him, and am rid of your blood. 

O, my beloved brethren, turn away from your sins; shake off the chains of him that would bind you fast; come unto that God who is the rock of your salvation. Prepare your souls for that glorious day when justice shall be administered unto the righteous, even the day of judgment, that ye may not shrink with awful fear; that ye may not remember your awful guilt in perfectness, and be constrained to exclaim: Holy, holy are thy judgments, O Lord God Almighty—but I know my guilt; I transgressed thy law, and my transgressions are mine; and the devil hath obtained me, that I am a prey to his awful misery. 

But behold, my brethren, is it expedient that I should awake you to an awful reality of these things? Would I harrow up your souls if your minds were pure? Would I be plain unto you according to the plainness of the truth if ye were freed from sin? Behold, if ye were holy I would speak unto you of holiness; but as ye are not holy, and ye look upon me as a teacher, it must needs be expedient that I teach you the consequences of sin. Behold, my soul abhorreth sin, and my heart delighteth in righteousness; and I will praise the holy name of my God. 

Come, my brethren, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters; and he that hath no money, come buy and eat; yea, come buy wine and milk without money and without price. 

Wherefore, do not spend money for that which is of no worth, nor your labor for that which cannot satisfy. Hearken diligently unto me, and remember the words which I have spoken; and come unto the Holy One of Israel, and feast upon that which perisheth not, neither can be corrupted, and let your soul delight in fatness. 

Behold, my beloved brethren, remember the words of your God; pray unto him continually by day, and give thanks unto his holy name by night. Let your hearts rejoice. And behold how great the covenants of the Lord, and how great his condescensions unto the children of men; and because of his greatness, and his grace and mercy, he has promised unto us that our seed shall not utterly be destroyed, according to the flesh, but that he would preserve them; and in future generations they shall become a righteous branch unto the house of Israel. Amen” (2 Nephi 9:41-54).

And Amen.