Repentance: Like a Door Upon its Hinges

These posts on Repentance are best read in order beginning with Repentance: Introduction. At the bottom of each post is a link to the next post. This is another postscript on repentance.

"If we go on lusting after the groveling things of this life which perish with the handling we shall surely remain fixed with a very limited amount of knowledge, and like a door upon its hinges, move to and fro from one year to another without any visible advancement or improvement."
(Brigham Young).

I am reminded of the story of four lifelong friends, one of whom was terminal. He was wealthy, however, and curious. He proposed to friends, a plan to see if he could take some of his money with him. He told his friends, one a doctor, another a businessman and the third a lawyer, that he would give each of them $250,000 cash to put in his coffin at his viewing, to see if he could take the money with him.

The man died about three months later, and at his viewing each of his friends tucked an envelope, unseen, in the coffin.

Several weeks later the three were at lunch and the doctor said. "I must confess something. In my envelope I put in only $200,000 and kept $50,000," he said sheepishly.

"I'm glad you confessed that," said the businessman, because I only put in $150,000 and kept $100,000."

They both looked at the lawyer, waiting for him to say something. "Don't look at me," he said. "I did exactly as he asked. I wrote out a check for the full $250,000!" 😂😂

But what of our life here? How much of our earthly life really goes with us into the next life, the eternities? How much of our previous existence did we bring with us? Is our life here, as Brigham said, like a door upon its hinges, swinging to and fro, but going nowhere? Are we wasting the days of our probation? 

What can we take with us? I know of only two revelations that address this subject directly, many others indirectly.

The first revelation says:

"Whatever principle of intelligence we attain unto in this life, it will rise with us in the resurrection. 

And if a person gains more knowledge and intelligence in this life through his diligence and obedience than another, he will have so much the advantage in the world to come" (D&C 130:18-19).

This raises a few questions:

1. What is meant by 'principle of intelligence'?

2. What kind of 'knowledge and intelligence'?

3. What will be the advantage?

There are two qualifiers:

1. One must gain this knowledge and intelligence in this life.

2) It must be obtained by our diligence and by our obedience, also in this life.

This assumes there is knowledge and intelligence, that if obtained, will rise with us in the resurrection. But is there an implication that perhaps other types of knowledge may not rise with us in the resurrection? 

The second revelation says:

That "same spirit which doth possess your bodies at the time that ye go out of this life, that same spirit will have power to possess your body in that eternal world" (Alma 34:34). I would say that that includes gifts of the Spirit that we have been given, including His grace that we have received prior to death, and what we have become by receiving grace for grace.

Other revelations indicate that we also take with us the word of God that is found in us; whatever glory we have received in this life; wisdom, but not the wisdom of men; understanding; charity or the pure love of Christ; the desires of our hearts; and the fruits of our repentance. 

See That Same Spirit.

Before we explore these revelations further, let's look first at what we will not be able to take.

1. Things: like money, cars, phones, computers, clothes, jewelry, glasses, hearing aids, books, collections, family photos, artwork, favorite furniture, Facebook, scriptures, family histories, recipes, glasses, hearing aids, earthly rewards, musical instruments, and no vain things of the world. No AI, internet, no mobile phones, no technology. 

"Seek not after riches nor the vain things of this world; for behold, you cannot carry them with you" (Alma 39:14 emphasis added). 

Even amidst our worldly addictions we may assume the Lord will come through for us, insensible to the fact that His end-time “work” and “plan” are for us to fulfill. If we don’t repent of transgression and come out from the wicked, from the world, our reward is to be hewn down and cast into the fire and have our names blotted out (Alma 5:53–57). Book of Mormon instances of people’s loving the vain things of the world fall in the same category as living in a state of unbelief, setting one’s hearts upon riches, seeking for riches, praise, honor, glory, power, and authority, being lifted up in pride, wearing costly apparel, worshiping idols, being puffed up in greatness, hearts swallowed up in pride, crying to the Lord with the mouth while the heart is far from him, being slow to remember the Lord God, setting at naught His counsels, slow to walk in wisdom’s paths, having no desire that He who created them should rule over them or be their guide, giving Satan great power and letting him lead away the heart (Alma 1:16; 4:8; 5:37, 53; 7:6; 31:27–28; 39:14; 60:32; Helaman 7:21; 12:5–6; 3 Nephi 6:15–16). 

In other words we take with us when we die, the consequences of our choice of either Good or Evil.

2. Skills and expertise: there will be no need for any of the many skills we have spent the most part of our lives learning and developing. For example, there will be no doctors, even heart surgeons; no lawyers; no businessmen and women; no bakers, athletes or politicians; no conference talks or ecclesiastical skills; no scientists, professors or consultants; no bankers, investment or otherwise; no royalty, presidents or dictators; no professional clergy; no rewards for being hard workers, for amassing fortunes or for being famous; no athletic skills, comedians or actors; no real estate agents or brokers; no billionaires, power brokers, legislators, governors, journalists; no artificial intelligence data centers.

On the whole, none of the activities that man does that center around his physical needs, livelihood and devices will be available. We leave behind what has sustained us for this life on earth, all those things and activities that are for this life only. Those things and activities that have taken the bulk of our time here. We can see how these worldly pursuits can contract and confine us. 

A friend visited us from Greece several years ago, and something he said really stuck with me. He said, "I have lived a good life, and have no regrets." Which probably found its way into his obituary. But is our purpose here only to live what we believe to be a good life?

The Pharisee did the same, looking at his clutch of good deeds as being enough to keep him in the game, which they probably did, but for the rest of his life only. They could only justify him during his life here. But that was his error. For the rest of his life here, maybe. But what about for the length and breadth of eternity? 

But "...everything that is in the world, whether it be ordained of men, by thrones, or principalities, or powers, or things of name, whatsoever they may be, that are not by me or by my word, saith the Lord, shall be thrown down, and shall not remain after men are dead, neither in nor after the resurrection, saith the Lord your God" (D&C 132:13 emphasis added).

Not even praiseworthy human values will go with us because human values are created by humans to make their lives better or to justify their lives here.

I like this from Hugh Nibley: "No one supposes for one moment that in heaven the angels are speculating, that they are building railroads and factories, taking advantage one of another, gathering up the substance there is in heaven to aggrandize themselves, and that they live on the same principle that we are in the habit of doing. . . . No sectarian Christian in the world believes this; they believe that the inhabitants of heaven live as a family, that their faith, interests and pursuits have one end in view—the glory of God and their own salvation, that they may receive more and more. . . . We all believe this, and suppose we go to work and imitate them as far as we can." 

And 'family' may or may not include members of our immediate family, since each has a right to make his or her own choices about what they will take with them, if anything, except their same spirits.

All the things that are passing away today are the very essence of "the economy," but they will be missing in the hereafter. They are already obsolescent; every one of them is make-work of a temporary and artificial nature for which an artificial demand must be created, and upon which we have spent the bulk of our time pursuing while on this earth, and which bind us and capture us. We will not take with us any of the vain things of this world, but we will take with us the treasures of heaven that we have discovered during our journey here, which prepares us to receive more, even all, the Treasures of Heaven. 

These will include, I believe, all the mysteries of science, art, imagination, creativity,  color, dimension, space, intelligence, light, resurection, distance, darkness, words, language, beauty, design, family, immortality, eternal lives, thought, memory, communication, movement, perspective, thinking, glory, and curiosity. 

And there will be teachers* of the Gospel of Christ, and spirits to teach, those which are under the bondage of sin when they die. There will also be teachers for all the Treasures of Heaven, but not teachers of finance, business, medicine, law, or religion.

*Teachers to those "who died in their sins, without a knowledge of the truth, or in transgression, having rejected the prophets" (D&C 138:32).

That leaves us with just us, and what we know or don't know. It leaves us with our choices of Good or Evil and the consequences of those choices. Under the bondage of sin here, then under bondage of sin there. Under Grace here, then under Grace there. Same for rebellion, not believing Christ and His words, having hard hearts, etc.

Persons who most increase in intelligence attain the greatest oneness with God. The more they acquire his divine attributes, the more powerful they become with God and with humanity. Jesus’ words, “I seek not my own will but the will of the Father who has sent me” (John 5:30), express his oneness with God as a God—the same oneness with God all may grow into (cf. Isaiah 56:3–5; Matthew 12:50; John 17:19–23; 3 Nephi 11:11). 

The difference between God, angels, and men isn’t so much in appearance as it is in divine power and intelligence. 

You cannot teach what you do not know. You take your ignorance with you! 

I love that we can take with us our hope, and also the amount of His righteousness and love that we have obtained here.

"All these had departed the mortal life, firm in the hope of a glorious resurrection, through the grace of God the Father and his Only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ" (D&C 138:14).

"And so it is on the other hand. If he hath repented of his sins, and desired righteousness until the end of his days, even so he shall be rewarded unto righteousness" (Alma 41:6).

But not restored from sin to happiness.

"For that which ye do send out shall return unto you again" (Alma 41:15).

The Devil has the mastery of the earth: he has corrupted it, and has corrupted the children of men. He has led them in evil until they are almost entirely ruined, and are so far from God that they neither know Him nor His influence, and have almost lost sight of everything that pertains to eternity. This darkness is more prevalent, more dense, among the people of Christendom, including Latter-day Saints, than it is among the heathen. They have lost sight of all that is great and glorious—of all principles that pertain to life eternal. See more on that which we work for we worship

Are we here to seek knowledge or to seek the credits that will get us ahead in the world? Remember that Christ taught 'they shall have their reward.'

What of the glorious benefits and promises for the gospel given the Saints in these latter days? Can we say of ourselves that "inasmuch as they sought wisdom they might be instructed; . . . and inasmuch as they were humble they might be made strong, and blessed from on high, and receive knowledge from time to time" (D&C 1:26, 28)? Will the word of God be found in us? "Then if our hearts have been hardened, yea, if we have hardened our hearts against the word, insomuch that it has not been found in us, then will our state be awful, for then we shall be condemned" (Alma 12:13 emphasis added).

"If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth." (Colossians 3:1-2).

The same spirit...

For our lives maybe. Do we approach this life with the attitude that once it's over, we will worry about the next life, if there is one?

Although God gave humanity the freedom to choose Good or Evil in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 2:16-17), once a person chooses he isn’t free to decide the consequences. So it is with the consequences of what we prepare to take with us. Do we take more intelligence (light and truth--both definitions of His words), or do we take nothing because we have wasted the days of our probation seeking after those things which give no life?

For more on what we become in mortality that goes with us after death, see Leave First Principles and Go On Unto Perfection

Leave First Principles and Go On Unto Perfection

This is the first of four posts about going on unto perfection. A link to the next post is found at the end of each post.

I had often wondered what Paul meant when he said ​"Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection..." (Hebrew 6:1). I just could not wrap my mind around why we would be encouraged to leave the "principles of the doctrine of Christ." Most attempts to explain why, just did not seem reason enough for me. Especially when Christ defined His doctrine as baptism and repentance, and said anything more or less was not of Him, but of the devil (3 Nephi 11:39-40).

This raises a question:

Q. What is beyond repentance and baptism? Or more accurately asked: are there those who are leaving behind the first principles and going on to perfection?

A. Yes. There are those who are no longer under the law, but are under Grace, and desire to go on to perfection. There is both the condition, i.e., under grace and the desire to receive all that the Father desires to give us, to receive ever more grace. 

This was a new dimension for me. It was as if I had crossed over into another state of reality. Could we actually begin the process of being exalted during our earthly life? Could we experience receiving grace for grace as opposed to just being under grace? Could the process of being perfected by Christ actually begin now? Are there exalted states we could be born into before death, beyond being born of the water and of the spirit? Could we be further along the very lengthy process of becoming perfected when we leave this temporal existence? And if we refuse His grace will we be de-created and become less?

But didn't that process begin when we were born, and then again if we had been born of the word, born of the water, and then born of the spirit? A scripture I have quoted many times has now become significantly more enlightening and meaningful to me. 

"And the Lord said unto me: Marvel not that ¹all mankind, yea, men and women, all nations, kindreds, tongues and people, ²must be 

born again; yea, ³born of God, 

⁴changed from their carnal and fallen state, to a ⁵state of righteousness, 

⁶being redeemed of God, ⁷becoming his sons and daughters;

"And thus ⁸they become new creatures; 

and ⁹unless they do this, ¹⁰they can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God" (Mosiah 27:25-26 emphasis added).

I wrote a post about becoming His Sons and Daughters, which I discovered is an exalted state, a state whereby we are re-created by Christ as new creatures, just as Alma said. 

But Paul adds even more: 

"For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

This verse could be read as saying that the work of the ministry is the perfecting of the saints, as in "this is my work and my glory to bring to pass the immortality of man." Christ described His saints as those who are desiring to move away from the world, to begin the process of becoming perfected in Him. He tells us that we are in the process of being re-created by Christ, "for the edifying of the body of Christ," which is another way of saying we become the fruits of Christ. See Tim Merrill's personal Vision of The Tree of Life which adds even another dimension to becoming new creatures in Christ, His fruits, which adorn the Tree of Life.

"Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

We then see Christ as the perfect man, and that we can become like Him, experiencing several of our own re-births through Him, which, Paul tells us, can begin now. His fulness can become our fulness, begotten by Him, being partakers of His glory (D&C 93:20-22). We grow up "into Him in all things."

"That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

An amazing fruit of repentance and partaking of His grace is that we are no longer children being tossed to and fro, and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men. When we become so, we are no longer deceived. We know the doctrine, are repenting, but are now moving on to perfection, becoming perfected by Him.

"But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ..." (Ephesians 4:12-15 emphasis added).

I give examples of this in the Sons and Daughters post. Those who have gone beyond just believing to actually repenting, and then to being exalted to Sons and Daughters of God, who are now moving toward perfection. They are becoming more like God, acquiring, through Grace, the attributes of God. And I want to emphasize that it is not by trying or striving to become like Christ! Only Christ, through His Grace, recreates us. 

A quote from this post will help you see more clearly what it means to become a Son or Daughter of God:

"Persons who receive grace for grace to ascend to the Sons-Daughters /Servants level, are primarily concerned with things beyond the forgiveness of their sins. By tending to the spiritual and material needs of others, they follow God's example, developing His attributes and character traits as they receive more grace.

They become examples of righteousness by serving as God's agents of 'deliverance' and 'salvation' to those who are still in need of deliverance. They are willing to be in the world to bring others out of the world. They are in the process of 'sanctifying' their lives in the service of God. God's will is becoming their will. God's Sons-Daughters/Servants, both now and in the endtime, are those who do/will fulfill the role of deliverers and saviors to God's people. These include all those who thrust in their sickles and reap, being concerned for the welfare of the soul for all mankind, and especially for the souls of their friends and family.

Those who make this transition in their lives completely change their thought processes. As they open themselves to the influence of God’s Spirit, God enlightens them to his truth, to things as they really are, different from their former, imperfect perception of the truth. They become aware of, and discard, fixed beliefs about themselves and others that have bound them to patterns of living below their potential. The gap between their beliefs and the truth is being eliminated."

Some may say it can't be that simple. But it is! However, it is also more difficult work, more worry, more sadness and sorrow, but also more joy, just as you would expect the Lord's work to be. But we cannot pretend that the casual believer can perceive the things of God just as well as one who diligently searches God’s Word and lives it until it permeates his/her whole being.

I can see that as we begin to develop His attributes, everyone becomes our brother and sister. We want for them His mercy, more than for ourselves. We mourn for those who can't see and hear what we can see and hear. We rejoice with those who do! Like Enos, Alma, Amulek, the Sons of Mosiah, and many others, the rest of our lives are spent teaching His words, trying to bring others to Him. We are doing His work, that which we have seen Him do! But it is the hardest work there is. One reason is that we see and understand what happens to our brothers and sisters, our family, our friends, if they do not repent. 

Because we are becoming His Sons and Daughters, who through His grace, are developing His attributes, we cannot stand the thought that someone may have to suffer even as He suffered if they do not repent. Because we have the Spirit of Revelation, we know. And because we have the Spirit of Prophecy, we can see clearly what is ahead for those who do not repent and for those who do. And so we invite them, warn them, we nudge and even push them; we give them historical examples, we plead with them and rejoice with them. We implore them, encourage them and caution them. We rejoice and mourn with them. We love them. 

"And thus we see the great call of diligence of men to labor in the vineyards of the Lord; and thus we see the great reason of sorrow, and also of rejoicing—sorrow because of death and destruction among men, and joy because of the light of Christ unto life" (Alma 28:14 emphasis added).

As Alma said, "I stood upon my feet, and did manifest unto the people that I had been born of God.

Yea, and from that time even until now, I have labored without ceasing, that I might bring souls unto repentance; that I might bring them to taste of the exceeding joy of which I did taste; that they might also be born of God, and be filled with the Holy Ghost" (Alma 37:23-24 emphasis added).

The divine powers and attributes God manifests through someone who has been sanctified, come from his growing assimilation of what are liberating and empowering truths--His words. It is an integral part of becoming, as His words become our words. His words are manifested in us. We are born of the word. We can see!

If you want the easy way continue with your religious and worldly activities. Faith is the hardest of work according to Joseph Smith. It is pure mental exertion. "What are we to understand by a man’s working by faith? We answer–we understand that when a man works by faith he works by mental exertion instead of physical force. It is by words, instead of exerting his physical powers, with which every being works when he works by faith" (Lectures on Faith, Lecture 7, Verse 3).

And so I work using words. Not mine, but His, because I have obtained His words, and because I know that His words are more effective than anything else. But sometimes I feel like a major league baseball player trying to teach baseball to five year old T-Ball players. But the amazing thing is, a few of these T-Ballers really want to know. And because His Gospel is so simple, I can, as commanded, teach them to understand the doctrines of baptism and repentance, even before they reach the age of eight years!

I can relate to how the Sons of Mosiah felt: "Now they were desirous that salvation should be declared to every creature, for they could not bear that any human soul should perish; yea, even the very thoughts that any soul should endure endless torment did cause them to quake and tremble" (Mosiah 28:3 emphasis added).

But being perfected by Christ is not often taught to us from the pulpit. Instead we are encouraged  to 'strive' to be like him, to 'follow' His example, to 'love' as He loved, to 'keep' our covenants, and even though we make mention of His name, the emphasis is primarily on us. And we remain under the bondage of sin, in Babylon,  becoming less. It is only through Him and His grace that we go on to perfection! And in this we deny the power of God to change us because we rely on our own puny efforts to try to become like Him. We are like the Pharisee, and we can even use the same list as the Pharisee did, as we 'strive' to justify ourselves before God.

What needs to be changed is us, not our actions or our behaviors. We can, for example, quit doing a particular sinful deed, but what is not changed is our capacity to continue to commit that sinful deed. And only God can do that!

"To save a man from his sins, or from his awful, sinful and polluted state is the reason Christ was sent by His Father, sent to do the will of the Father. Christ did not come to just deliver us from the consequences of our sinful deeds, while yet our sinful nature remained. But men, loving their sins, pervert the word of God by saying that He came to save us from the punishment of our sins. This teaching has perverted and corrupted the teaching of His gospel. He did not come to just pay the price of our sinful deeds, but to pay the price of our awful, sinful and polluted state--to save us from our sins, from ourselves" (Saved From Our Sins).

For him, the eternal order is a perpetual-motion machine: it can tolerate no friction at all. Even one grain of sand - one lurking vice in one of the redeemed - given long enough, will find somewhere to lodge and something to rub on. And that damaged something, given another of the infinite eternities ties within eternity itself, will go off center and shake the next part loose. And then the next; and so straight on into what can only be the beginning of the end: the very limitlessness of the opportunity for mischief will eventually bring the whole works to a grinding halt. In other words to be in His presence there can be no grains of sand, only perfection, and only He can perfect us! 

The last words Moroni chose to write before His death were these:

• "Yea, come unto Christ, 
• and be perfected in him,
• and deny yourselves 
• of all ungodliness; 
• and if ye shall deny yourselves
• of all ungodliness, 
• and love God with all your
• might, mind and strength, 
• then is his grace 
• sufficient for you, 
• that by his grace 
• ye may be perfect in Christ; 
• and if by the grace of God 
• ye are perfect in Christ, 
• ye can in nowise 
• deny the power of God.
• And again, if ye 
• by the grace of God 
• are perfect in Christ, 
• and deny not his power, 
• then are ye sanctified 
• in Christ by the grace of God,
• through the shedding 
• of the blood of Christ, 
• which is in the covenant 
• of the Father unto 
• the remission of your sins, 
• that ye become holy, 
• without spot" (Moroni 10:32-33 emphasis  added).

But what other implications might there be, for example, for my friends and family, and especially for Annie? This is where we can become, again through Him, as one. When our wills are aligned with His, i.e., when we want for ourselves and others what He wants for us and them, then we can be perfected in Him as one. We can become His Sons and Daughters, new creatures together, and so much more as He re-creates us together. Isaiah’s covenant theology shows that male–female unions of God’s “sons” and “daughters” and levels higher endure into eternity, sealed by God’s “everlasting covenant” (Isaiah 59:21; 60:1–4, 19–22; 61:6–10; 65:13–23).

But I can also see that there may be some of my family who may not yet desire the same, because they do not yet understand how we move together unto perfection in Him. My hope and my faith is that through His words they will desire the same, because male–female unions and family unions on levels lower than God’s elect, on the other hand, possess no such assurance. Although a woman’s journey of spiritual ascent parallels the man’s in Isaiah’s theology, ultimately the degree of each one’s exaltation is individual, depending on the law of God they keep, lower or higher, in the mortal condition. In other words, although the man and the woman are created of equal status before God in the beginning, because God is no respecter of persons they may still, like other family members, end up in different degrees of salvation or exaltation even when conjoined in marriage. What the marriage contract affords them, however, is for both to “get on the same page” in keeping God’s law, although even then their roles are complementary, not the same. But in the event that they don't "get on the same page," perhaps it may not be for eternity, because as He perfects us, He also blesses us with the righteous desires of our hearts.

I know what the New Testament Timothy said is true. I am "nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto [I have] attained" (2 Timothy 4:6 emphasis added). 

And now I want to move on to the process of being perfected by Christ. I "take heed unto [my]self, and unto the doctrine, and continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee" (2 Timothy 4:16 emphasis added).

There is so much in me that needs to be changed, but now I see a way that all the ugly, the terrible, the evil, even the human goodness, can be replaced with His Goodness. And in this I rejoice! It is like He has opened to my view the pathway to His presence. I can now understand why Paul said we should leave the principles of the doctrine of Christ, and move onto perfection. Let us take His hand and hang on, while we spend our lives bringing as many as we possibly can, to Him.

Paul also taught us that to repent of transgression and receive a remission of sins through the atonement Jesus wrought on behalf of God’s children isn’t the same as going “from glory to glory” (2 Corinthians 3:18), to be “conformed to the image of his Son” (Romans 8:29) until one comes “unto a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Messiah” (Ephesians 4:13; Colossians 1:28). Hopefully you can also see the difference and the pathway to becoming like Him.

As “there is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars” (1 Corinthians 15:41), so the higher a person ascends, the greater the degree of glory.

To “follow” Jesus (Matthew 10:38; 16:24; 19:21) thus looks far beyond being “saved” to becoming even as he is (3 Nephi 27:27).

And how do we know? We can uncover many heavenly mysteries embedded in the scriptures we currently possess. Theological concepts such as higher and lower categories of souls, ascending and descending spiritual levels both in heaven and on earth, relationships before and beyond this life, multiple mortal states or eternal lives, the interconnectedness of time and eternity—all form implicit truths embedded in the scriptures. 

And think of the wonderous implications of ministering to those with less, and being ministered to by those with more--forever--all in the name of, and with the love of God! 

Next: Sons and Daughters of God

See also: Saved by Grace

Dialogue With God

This dialogue between us and God was written by Hugh Nibley. I have taken the liberty to make a few changes.

Those who belong to Babylon don’t perceive idolatry for what it is. They can’t for a moment imagine that they are worshiping idols or that there is a problem with what they do.

We: Dear Father, whenever the end is scheduled to be, can't you give us an extension of time? 

He: Willingly. But tell me first, what will you do with it?

We: Well...ah...we will go on doing pretty much what we have been doing; after all, isn't that why we are asking for an extension?

He: And isn't that exactly why I want to end it soon--because you show no inclination to change? Why should I reverse the order of things so that you can go on doing the very things I want to put an end to?

We: But is what we are doing so terribly wrong? The church is growing. We spend time with our families. We attend our meetings and fulfill our religious duties. We are pursuing our careers and becoming self-reliant. Why shouldn't we go on doing the things our parents and grandparents did?

He: Haven't I made it clear enough to you what kind of greatness I expect of my offspring? Forget the statistics; you are capable of better things--your religious and daily activities don't impress me in the least.

We: But why should we quit when all we are doing is what each considers to be the best for himself and his family?

He: Because it is not you but I who decides what that shall be, and I have told you a hundred times what is best for you individually and collectively--and that is repentance, not matter who you are.

We: We find your inference objectionable, Sir -- quite unacceptable.

He: I know

But We Have The Book! - Impact of His Words!

For he who is unwilling to know how he may attain to life, and prefers to be in ignorance lest he thereby be made guilty, from this very fact is judged as if he knew and had knowledge. For he knew what it was that he was unwilling to hear; and the cunning obtained by the artifice of the serpent will avail him nothing for an excuse... (Quoting Peter from Clement of Rome, Chapter 18 emphasis added).

I have quoted D&C 10:67-70 several times in this blog to emphasize that only those who are repenting are of His church. When I wrote that President Benson also quoted these same verses to emphasize that being a member of His church is different than being a member of record of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a person asked for a citation, which I provided. I was struck with the thought that more often than not, we just don't take the Lord’s words at face value. Are we reluctant to believe unless we hear it from the pulpit? Are His words not enough to convince us? Isn’t this the definition of treating His words lightly? Is this an example of "...but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it" (Hebrews 4:2)?

Another way of treating His words lightly is by ignoring His 'more' or 'nothing' rule. It is never static. You are either receiving a greater portion of His words, or you have hardened your heart, in which case you are "given the lesser portion of the word until (you) know nothing concerning his mysteries..." (Alma 12:10). Are you are passing or failing the test?

But why? What is it about the word 

of God that is so important? This is a recurring theme in this blog and it cannot be said or written too often--the word of God is truth, light, spirit, even the Spirit of Jesus Christ!

Consider the source of His words:

They come from "He that ascended up on high, as also he descended below all things, in that he comprehended all things, that he might be in all and through all things, the light of truth; Which truth shineth. This is the light of Christ. As also he is in the sun, and the light of the sun, and the power thereof by which it was made" (D&C 88:6-7 emphasis added).

I've quoted Hugh Nibley before saying that the Book of Mormon was not given to us to convince us, but to convict us. But convict us of what, I ask? Just being ignorant or being willfully ignorant?

Having been given the Book of Mormon can we ever have an excuse? Can we hold this precious book in our hands and yet remain clueless of its message to us--to you?

Consider this summary, keeping in mind that Christ taught only His Father's words (John 12:49-50).

1. What the word of God is.

His words are truth (D&C 84:45).

His words are light (ibid).

His words are His Spirit (ibid).

His words are Him!

He is the word!

His words are treasures.

The word of God is a two-edged sword.

Sword of truth is the word of God.

Word of God is intelligence or in other words, light and truth 

He is the word, is in the word and the word is in Christ. 

His words are unchanging.

Only the word of our God endures.

2. What the word of God does.

One word from the mouth of God strikes everything else as insignificant. 

We are judged by His words.

Without His words we abide in darkness.

His words divide us.

His words cut the chains of hell.

His words anger some and please others. 

His words take us beyond this vale of sorrow.

The word or rod of iron, is the weapon God uses to judge and make war.

His words unite us.

His words enlighten and awaken us.

His words reclaim us.

His words shine His light on us.

His words test us.

His words convey His anger, wrath and judgment. 

His words convey His love, mercy and joy.

His words are brought to our remembrance through the Holy Ghost.

His words lift us.

Nothing is more effective than the word of God.

His words lead us to the Tree of Life.

His words tell us all that we must do.

His words can become our words.

His words can be found in us.

Through His words we receive more or less.

Faith comes by hearing His words.

We are humbled because of His words.

Enoch spake forth the words of God and the people trembled.

We can hear His voice in His words.

The word of God nourishes us.

The desire to repent comes from hearing the word of God.

Without His words we remain ignorant and unaware.

We can only tell whether one is a true messenger of God by the message.

His words condemn us.

His words increase our faith in Christ.

3. What are we to do with, or how do we respond to, the word of God.

Get in the way by His words.

Live by every word that comes from God. 

Stay in the way through His words.

We either believe or do not believe His words.

We hear His words.

We hear His voice in His words.

We see by His words.

Understand His words with our hearts.

Humble ourselves because of His words.

Hear the word of Jehovah, you who are vigilant for his word.

We are to treasure up continually the words of life.

Feast upon the words of Christ.

First seek to obtain my word, then shall your tongue be loosed.

Hold fast to His words.

Search His words.

Enjoy His words of eternal life in this world.

Angels speak the words of Christ.

We can speak with tongue of angels.

We write His words.

We teach His words.

We expound upon His words.

Whoso read let him understand.

He who denies God's revelations has not read the scriptures.

Give heed unto the word of God.

Hearken unto my voice and believe.

Study His words.

And now, remember the words of him who is the life and light of the world, your Redeemer, your Lord and your God.

We plant His words in our hearts.

His words properly nourished, grow into a tree of knowledge, a tree of Life  whose fruit is most desirable.

Through His words we know our condition here and what is expedient for us.

His words are found in us.

His words are not to be treated lightly.

Those who speak with the tongue of angels speak the word of God.

If we believe the words of God, we believe Christ.

We are more likely to believe God's words if we are not compelled to believe, but just desire to know and believe.

If we truly humble ourselves because of the word, we will repent and find mercy.

God is merciful to those who believe on His name, and this is why He desires that we believe, "yea, even on his word."

We can come to know that they are true by experimenting on his words. 

More

The idea that we do not have to believe anything that is not true, and that we can know the truth for ourselves through God's word, is unique in world religions today.

We either believe Christ or we don't, and if we believe Christ, we will believe in Christ and repent and find mercy. 

Certainly by being enticed by one or the other (good or evil), we are putting ourselves in a better position to choose good, and the word is the catalyst to do so.

Alma asks. "I would ask if ye have read the scriptures? If ye have, how can ye disbelieve on the Son of God?"

And if you do plant and nourish the word by your faith "it will become a tree, springing up in you unto everlasting life."

"And it came to pass that after they had found out the minds of all the people, those who were in favor of the words which had been spoken by Alma and his brethren were cast out of the land."

"For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it."

Live by every word that comes from the mouth of God.

We don't just ignore but we rebel against the word of God.

We should not leave the word of God and serve tables.

Word of God does not abide in you.

The words of God shall be fulfilled.

Some are slain for the word of God.

All but those armed with His words will be deceived.

"How great the importance to make these things known to the inhabitants of the earth" (why?) "that they may know that there is no flesh that can dwell in the presence of God save it be through the merits, and mercy, and grace of the Holy Messiah...." 

Can you say that you know good from evil because you have been instructed sufficiently? 

To those that hear the word of God and believe the word of God, they are to also teach the word of God. 

The word of God is the instrument used by the Lord to cause men to repent and turn to Him. 

It is the exactness of His words that is sharper than a two-edged sword that will divide the righteous from the wicked.

Another way of saying the above is that God's words must be used, like musical notes, with exactness, not watered down, not transfigured, not mingled with the precepts of men, or as Ammon said God answered their prayers "and that he had also verified his word unto them in every particular" (Alma 25:17 emphasis added).

Read the following words and ask that He verify these words unto you in every detail:

"And the whole world lieth in sin, and groaneth under darkness and under the bondage of sin. 

And by this you may know they are under the bondage of sin, because they come not unto me. 

For whoso cometh not unto me is under the bondage of sin. 

And whoso receiveth not my voice is not acquainted with my voice, and is not of me. 

And by this you may know the righteous from the wicked, and that the whole world groaneth under sin and darkness even now.

Verily, verily, I say unto you who now hear my words, which are my voice, blessed are ye inasmuch as you receive these things..." (D&C 84:49-53; 60 emphasis added).

When Nephi prophecies that there will be a great division among the people, it will be because of His words, those that believe them on one hand, and those who do not, on the other, which is the precise meaning of the parable of the 10 virgins: "For they that are wise and have received the truth (His words), and have taken the Holy Spirit for their guide, and have not been deceived--verily I say unto you, they shall not be hewn down and cast into the fire, but shall abide the day." (D&C 45:56-57 emphasis added). 

"And I know that they will be preserved; for there are great things written upon them, out of which my people and their brethren shall be judged at the great and last day, according to the word of God which is written" (Words of Mormon 1:11 emphasis added).

Yes, we have the Book!

"What I the Lord have spoken, I have spoken, and I excuse not myself; and though the heavens and the earth pass away, my word shall not pass away, but shall all be fulfilled, whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants,* it is the same" (D&C 1:38 emphasis added).

Every word from God accomplishes what He intended it to accomplish.

"So is the word that leaves my mouth: it does not return to me empty; it accomplishes what I desire, achieves the purpose for which I sent it" (Isaiah 55:11 Gileadi Translation).

Compare KJV of Isaiah 55:11: "So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it."

*Anyone who teaches His words including those who have thrust in their sickles to reap, are those armed with the word of God because they have obtained His words.

Next: But We Have The Book! Antithetical or Proving Contraries