Category: Moroni

16 For behold, the Spirit of Christ is given to every man, that he may know good from evil; wherefore, I show unto you the way to judge; for every thing which inviteth to do good, and to persuade to believe in Christ, is sent forth by the power and gift of Christ; wherefore ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of God.
17 But whatsoever thing persuadeth men to do evil, and believe not in Christ, and deny him, and serve not God, then ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of the devil; for after this manner doth the devil work, for he persuadeth no man to do good, no, not one; neither do his angels; neither do they who subject themselves unto him.
18 And now, my brethren, seeing that ye know the light by which ye may judge, which light is the light of Christ, see that ye do not judge wrongfully; for with that same judgment which ye judge ye shall also be judged.
19 Wherefore, I beseech of you, brethren, that ye should search diligently in the light of Christ that ye may know good from evil; and if ye will lay hold upon every good thing, and condemn it not, ye certainly will be a child of Christ.
20 And now, my brethren, how is it possible that ye can lay hold upon every good thing?
21 And now I come to that faith, of which I said I would speak; and I will tell you the way whereby ye may lay hold on every good thing (Moroni 7:16-21).

Mormon’s priesthood sermon in Moroni 7 falls automatically into three sections. The first is his greeting. He acknowledges the remarkable qualifications of the men in his congregation. He addresses them as his “beloved brethren. In verse 3 he says why they are a select group, and it is probably not wrong to read into what he says that they are there by invitation.

3 Wherefore, I would speak unto you that are of the church, that are the peaceable followers of Christ, and that have obtained a sufficient hope by which ye can enter into the rest of the Lord, from this time henceforth until ye shall rest with him in heaven (Moroni 7:3).

Verse 3 seems to say that each of these men had already received the Second Comforter (see D&C 88:1-5). If this is true, then they now sit on a precarious precipice: their options are either eternal salvation or becoming sons of perdition (see D&C 76:32-35). Given the apostate environment in which they lived, the latter may have been all to common among others of their associates.

Verses 4 and 5 are the transition into the second section of his sermon. Mormon says:

4 And now my brethren, I judge these things of you because of your peaceable walk with the children of men.
5 For I remember the word of God which saith by their works ye shall know them; for if their works be good, then they are good also (Moroni 7:4-5).

The second part of Mormon’s sermon draws a sharp distinction between the real and the apostate claims to priesthood authority, and personal and group righteousness (zedek). Mormon’s warning to his friends is also a description of our world, just as it was of the growing apostasy in the New Testament church. Similarly, Timothy’s warning was not only applicable to his times, and to our own times, but it is also an apt description of the world in which Mormon and his friends lived.

1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron (1 Timothy 4:1-).

In previous posts I have already discussed sections one and two of Mmormon’s sermon. Now, before we get to part three, we need to consider verses 16-21 which are the transition between the second part where he warns them of the real dangers of that precipice, and the third part where he teaches them the only way the danger can be avoided.

In verse 16 he describes “the Spirit of Christ” as the universal guide by which all people can know good from evil. “The Spirit of Christ” is usually identified by LDS leaders as one’s conscience. We easily understand that, because our experience teaches us that our conscience does, in fact, help us distinguish right from wrong. However, Mormon tells his friends there is also another source of truth to which they must look. The problem with our conscience is that sometimes it can actually get in the way of our knowing truth. That is because our conscience gets its definitions of right and wrong from the teachings of one’s culture, and therefore, usually cannot define right from wrong in an absolute sense. My favorite example to demonstrate this is a story I have heard Hugh Nibley tell several times.

All students who enroll at BYU must take a Book of Mormon class in their freshman year. Nibley spoke Arabic fluently so he was always assigned to teach that class for the students from the middle east. He observed that when a teacher gets to the place where Nephi cuts off Laban’s head, some Christian students say the story cannot be true because God would never ask Nephi to do that. But when middle eastern students get to that place, they say that the story cannot possibly be true because Nephi would not have had problems with his conscience. He would have just cut the head off .

Another example is this: children who grow up in an LDS society where they are taught to live the word of wisdom know that tobacco and alcohol are real sins because their conscience tells them so. Thus, in our sub-culture we can say with conviction that their conscience teaches them right from wrong. In other sub-cultures the argument against tobacco and alcohol is not that they are sin, but that they are harmful and using them is foolish. Those people’s consciences will tell them using the stuff is stupid, but probably not that it is sinful. In other sub-cultures where everyone just does it, their consciences are silent on the question, and will remain so until the person is taught differently.

Probably the best known examples in the scriptures are the invented rules and regulations the Pharisees attached to the Law of Moses. Jesus admonished them, “Judge not according to your traditions, but judge righteous judgment (JST John 7:24).” They, of course, did not listen and eventually executed him—not for committing any real crime—but for breaking their cultural rules.

Here is another example that I mention because it very relevant in our own time: One of the most emotionally charged cultural wars we are fighting withing the United States just now is the question of whether homosexuality is a real sin, or only a sin because culture has defined it that way. One argument is that it is unnatural and therefore a real sin. Since it is unnatural to about 90% of the population, for them that is a sound argument. However, the other 10% insist that it is perfectly natural to themselves, and for them to try to change who and what they are would be a violation of Self. Therefore, they argue, trying to force them to change or imposing a legal inferiority upon them — those are the real sins. The question of gay marriage has turned the question of cultural sin into a legal question of Constitutional proportions. The Supreme Court can settle the legal question, but the moral question will still remain the property of American sub-cultures.

Mormon’s sermon is addressed to his friends whom he trusts really do know the difference between right and wrong. But he does not ask his friends to rely exclusively on their consciences in order to know the ultimate truths that will assure their salvation. For that, he reminds them, they must rely on “the Light of Christ.” (Since he uses that phrase differently from “the Spirit of Christ” it is reasonable to believe that he did not understand them to mean the same thing.)

His reminder to them in verses 18-21 is the introduction that leads to the third section of Mormon’s sermon. He says:

18 And now, my brethren, seeing that ye know the light by which ye may judge, which light is the light of Christ, see that ye do not judge wrongfully; for with that same judgment which ye judge ye shall also be judged.
19 Wherefore, I beseech of you, brethren, that ye should search diligently in the light of Christ that ye may know good from evil; and if ye will lay hold upon every good thing, and condemn it not, ye certainly will be a child of Christ.
20 And now, my brethren, how is it possible that ye can lay hold upon every good thing?
21 And now I come to that faith, of which I said I would speak; and I will tell you the way whereby ye may lay hold on every good thing (Moroni 7:18-21).

If he is using “light” to actually mean “light” (the shechinah), then he is probably reminding them of their experiences within that light. In that context, Mormon is now going to spell out exactly what they must do to become “the sons of God.”

A corollary to his sermon is the letter Peter wrote to the temple-worshiping Saints of his own time. Our looking at the sequence in Peter’s letter is not really a diversion from discussing Mormon’s sermon because it is the same sequence as Mormon’s. It also begins with pistis and ends with charity, but it places them in a fuller context. In his letter, Peter outlined eight steps his readers must follow in order to make their “calling and election sure” (2 Peter 1:1-10).

In the first 4 verses Peter uses faith — the Greek word is pistis and means the covenants {1} — to represent their temple service and describes the purpose of that service in words that are poetically beautiful. Then he lays out the 8 steps:

1 (is something one is given) faith (pistis) — the covenants of the early Christian temple service.
2 (something one is) “virtue” — the word actually means “manliness” — strength, intelligence, integrity.
3 (something one is) knowledge — I read that as truth in D&C 93:24. Knowledge of reality in sacred time.
4 (something one is) temperance — self control.

5 (our attitude toward others) patience — We must be patient with ourselves and God as well as with other people.
6 (an attitude toward others) “godliness” — the word actually means reverence. One can never hurt anyone or anything that one revers.
7 (an attitude toward others) brotherly kindness — the word is philadelphia and means fraternal love. Elsewhere in the New Testament it is translated as “brotherly love.” It is focused love (hesed).
8 (an attitude toward others) charity — this is universal love. One cannot love everyone (charity) unless he can love them individually (philadelphia) (2 Peter 1:5-7).

The first four qualities in Peter’s sequence are the personal characteristics one must have. The second four are the attitudes and actions one must have toward others. Peter concludes this sequence with a warning that is very like Mormon’s:

8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ
9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.
10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall (2 Peter 1:8-10).

The point is, one can know lots of stuff, but that knowledge is “barren and unfruitful” if one does not crown it with brotherly love and charity.

The Savior says essentially the same thing to Nicodemus:

21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God (John 3:21).

He did not say one must know truth, rather “he that doeth truth cometh to the light.” That brings us back to where we were in Mormon’s sermon. He says

18 And now, my brethren, seeing that ye know the light by which ye may judge, which light is the light of Christ, see that ye do not judge wrongfully; for with that same judgment which ye judge ye shall also be judged.

If the light Mormon is describing is the shechinah, {2} that adds a whole new dimension to the meaning of his entire sermon.

The shechinah is the first thing a prophet sees and usually the first thing he mentions when reporting that he saw the Savior. Joseph Smith described it this way:

16 … I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me.
17 It no sooner appeared than I found myself delivered from the enemy which held me bound. When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other—This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him! (Joseph Smith-History:16-17)

It is the cloud of light through which the Lord put his finger while speaking with the brother of Jared. It is the veil that separates man from God and was represented in Solomon’s Temple by the beautifully embroidered veil that separated the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies. {3} During the Israelite Feast of Tabernacles temple drama, Psalm 21 was sung as the king approached that veil, then as he symbolically both heard and saw God. {4}

Moroni alludes to that same ceremony in his brief recount of the Nephite temple service when he says,

30 And again I would exhort you that ye would come unto Christ, and lay hold upon every good gift, and touch not the evil gift, nor the unclean thing (Moroni 10:30).

In Mormon’s transitional statement between the second and third portions of his sermon, he also alludes to many parts of that same ceremony when he instructs his “beloved brethren,”

19 Wherefore, I beseech of you, brethren, that ye should search diligently in the light of Christ [shechinah] that ye may know good from evil; and if ye will lay hold [with the hand] upon every good thing, and condemn it not, ye certainly will be a child of Christ [Psalm 2].
20 And now, my brethren, how is it possible that ye can lay hold upon every good thing?
21 And now I come to that faith [pistis], of which I said I would speak; and I will tell you the way whereby ye may lay hold on every good thing.

What Mormon is saying is that the only real way one “may lay hold upon every good thing” is by the power of the covenants which brings one to charity.
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FOOTNOTES
{1} I will discuss pistis as we continue through Moroni 7. However, in the meantime you can also find it in chapter, “Meaning of ‘Faith’ – pistis,” in Who Shall Ascend into the Hill of the Lord, 697-710, in the paperback edition, which is the one in this website.

{2} See shechinah in the LDS Bible Dictionary. The shechinah is discussed in several places in Who Shall Ascend into the Hill of the Lord. You will find it as the light of Christ, as the veil, and as a cloud of light on pages 98, 102 & n, 140, 249, 263, 270, 373, 392, 468.

{3} For a discussion of the veil see Who Shall Ascend into the Hill of the Lord, chapters “The King at the Veil of Solomon’s Temple,” 390-397.

{4} This is discussed in three chapters of Who Shall Ascend into the Hill of the Lord, “The King at the Veil of Solomon’s Temple”, 390-97; “The Veil Ceremony in Psalm 21,” 397-400; “Act 2, Scene 11: The King Enters the Holy of Holies of Solomon’s Temple,” 400-03.

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Moroni 7:12-17

12 Wherefore, all things which are good cometh of God; and that which is evil cometh of the devil; for the devil is an enemy unto God, and fighteth against him continually, and inviteth and enticeth to sin, and to do that which is evil continually.
13 But behold, that which is of God inviteth and enticeth to do good continually; wherefore, every thing which inviteth and enticeth to do good, and to love God, and to serve him, is inspired of God.
14 Wherefore, take heed, my beloved brethren, that ye do not judge that which is evil to be of God, or that which is good and of God to be of the devil.
15 For behold, my brethren, it is given unto you to judge, that ye may know good from evil; and the way to judge is as plain, that ye may know with a perfect knowledge, as the daylight is from the dark night.
16 For behold, the Spirit of Christ is given to every man, that he may know good from evil; wherefore, I show unto you the way to judge; for every thing which inviteth to do good, and to persuade to believe in Christ, is sent forth by the power and gift of Christ; wherefore ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of God.
17 But whatsoever thing persuadeth men to do evil, and believe not in Christ, and deny him, and serve not God, then ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of the devil; for after this manner doth the devil work, for he persuadeth no man to do good, no, not one; neither do his angels; neither do they who subject themselves unto him.

I would like to approach these verses differently from the previous ones. In our discussions of verses 1-11, I first asked how this applies to high school seminary students, then asked how it applied to Mormon’s mature priesthood audience. I would like to reverse that and begin by discussing how it might have been understood by Mormon’s “beloved brethren.”

Remembering that Mormon and his friends were surrounded by an intense and violent apostasy, and that Mormon’s subject so far in this sermon had been about priesthood legitimacy, it is easy to see that when speaking of that apostasy and those apostates, Mormon was completely accurate in ascribing to the devil the origin and success of those damnable doctrines. (No “woops,” that’s an appropriate word here!)

However, these verses are not so easily applied to the everyday lives of high school seminary students because “all things” in verse 12 seems to be too inclusive to fit comfortably into their complex world. “All things” leaves no place for shades of grey, even though the teen age world is mostly grey. There is little question about right and wrong when they understand what the Church says they should do and not do. But the church does not address “all things” and the young people are bombarded with multiple teachers who give multiple options to multiple unanswerable questions.

Paul’s warning is very apt:

8 For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?
9 So likewise ye, except ye utter by the tongue words easy to be understood, how shall it be known what is spoken? for ye shall speak into the air (1 Corinthians 14:8-9).

While some teachers may speak with clarion tones, others, including their teenage contemporaries, speak with muddled discourse. That is equally true with adults. King Benjamin was not talking to just the teenagers when he said,

29 And finally, I cannot tell you all the things whereby ye may commit sin; for there are divers ways and means, even so many that I cannot number them (Mosiah 4:29).

Most teenagers live in world of grey, but I suppose most adults do also. As an example, I recall back in the early 1970’s when I attended General Priesthood Conference in a stake house. Several speakers “addressed the youth,” and focused on keeping the word of wisdom and avoiding petting in order to also avoid premarital sex. After the meeting was over I happened to walk out behind a group of boys who looked to be about 16 or 18. One of them said, loud enough that the others could hear, “What a stupid meeting. None of us do those kinds of things, but it almost felt like some of those guys were accusing us. We came to be ‘uplifted’ and we didn’t need to hear that stuff again.” Another boy replied, “Yea, why do they always talk about young men’s sins? Why don’t they ever talk about old men’s sins instead?”

That gave me pause. His question was legitimate, and at least part of the answer is not hard to come by. The young men’s sins the speakers emphasized are easy to catalogue and define. But not so with the old men’s sins: avarice; manipulative dishonesty in business affairs; infidelity; a studied desire to avenge; unfair competitiveness in climbing the social, corporate, or academic ladders of power and prestige. Those sins are so well shrouded in various shades of grey that they give the sinner all the wiggle room he needs for self justification. Such sins are not easily definable until they become unlawful.

In the world, different human cultures and subcultures have their own definitions of what is right and wrong. Each one has its own standards and its own rules about how far people can deviate from those standards without being punished. The upshot is that in a country as large and diverse as the United States there is no universal moral standard of excellence. Some subcultures encourage moral and decent people, but for others the standard is “whatever floats your boat,” or “its OK as long as you don’t get caught.”

In all cultures, there are two kinds of sins. There are the real ones that violate our eternal Self and damage the soul. (Gospel principles and commandments are a sure way of identifying what those are.) And there are cultural sins that are defined by what some people think other people should be and do. In many cases, one is more apt to be socially ostracized or even punished for committing cultural sins than from committing real ones. {1}

All sins, whether the real or cultural, originate in one’s brain (the ancient scriptures would have said “in his heart”). Some stay there. The real ones that do stay in the heart act like a canker to corrode and then destroy one’s Self. Those that become the motives for actions, become more dangerous when they move from the heart to the tongue or to the hands. There, they impact the well-being of others. That is when the culturally unacceptable ones become unlawful.

Even though Mormon was talking to his “beloved brethren” about the differences between their own priesthood authority and the pretended authority of the apostates, his words can apply to our everyday world as well. There is a solution for us, of course, and that solution is the same as it was for them: Listen to the prophet and obey the prompting of the Holy Ghost. A major function of the Holy Ghost is to help us define the real sins, to teach us how to avoid them, and to help us have the strength to live pure lives.
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FOOTNOTE

{1} Two places where I have discussed the nature of evil and the difference between real and cultural sins are:
In this website, “3 Nephi 12:10-12 — persecution and persecuted,”
In Who Shall Ascend into the Hill of the Lord, chapter “Alma 14: The Origins of Good and Evil”

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Moroni 7:8-11

8 For behold, if a man being evil giveth a gift, he doeth it grudgingly; wherefore it is counted unto him the same as if he had retained the gift; wherefore he is counted evil before God.
9 And likewise also is it counted evil unto a man, if he shall pray and not with real intent of heart; yea, and it profiteth him nothing, for God receiveth none such.
10 Wherefore, a man being evil cannot do that which is good; neither will he give a good gift.
11 For behold, a bitter fountain cannot bring forth good water; neither can a good fountain bring forth bitter water; wherefore, a man being a servant of the devil cannot follow Christ; and if he follow Christ he cannot be a servant of the devil.

This statement is still in the context of Mormon’s discourse about the validity of priesthood ordinances and covenants. As with the previous verses, these words are applicable on one level to the high school seminary student and, in a different way, to the mature priesthood congregation to whom Mormon was speaking.

Not just the seminary student, but each of us who live in this fallen world is forever encountering someone who wants to give us something that entices. Evil gifts are like a succulent worm attached to a hook, attached to a line, attached to a rod, attached to the arm of a hungry man who will consume the fish that expected to eat rather than to be eaten. Our world is full of such hungry men and women who hide hooks within pleasurable barbs. “Beware of Greeks bearing gifts” is a warning that has been echoed by wise men for more than 2,000 years. The generosity of an enemy is a dangerous thing. As recently as 500 years ago Ophelia returned Hamlet’s gifts with this timeless lament, “to the noble mind, rich gifts wax poor when givers prove unkind. {1} In a somewhat different context Hamlet described his most bitter enemy in these vivid terms, “O villain, villain, smiling, damned villain! … one may smile, and smile, and be a villain.” {2}

Even prophets have a long history of being offered gifts by their enemies. Alma and Peter were offered money; Mormon was offered a military command; many have been threatened with imprisonment or offered freedom if they will only abandon their integrity. Their enemies seem to judge the prophet’s integrity by their own lack of it.

It is a simple truth that one cannot bribe someone by offering what the person does not value, nor can one bully someone by threatening to take away what does not matter.

One is not permitted to help a prophet who does not have the prophet’s best interests at heart. That is true of prophets but is equally true of everyone who is wise.

Those are principles that apply to just living in this world, but Mormon was talking to his “beloved brethren” about Melchizedek Priesthood covenants and ordinances. In that context, Mormon’s observations are especially accurate. In terms of priesthood gifts, whether it is a blessing, an ordinance, or a prophecy, an evil man cannot give a good gift. The LDS Church policy is that if a man is later found to have been unworthy, the ordinances he performed prior to that finding are still valid and do not have to be repeated. However, in Mormon’s world, he is talking about apostates who claim to have authority they do not have, “and did administer that which was sacred unto him to whom it had been forbidden because of unworthiness (4 Nephi 1:27).”

Mormon also observes that an evil man cannot even pray effectually. That is because his prayer cannot be directed by the Holy Ghost, and therefore cannot be binding upon the Lord.

In terms of priesthood covenants, good gifts are given according to one’s ability to give and according to the recipient’s needs. That is equally true with material gifts as it is with spiritual blessings. For one who has charity and lives the law of consecration, giving in is as natural as breathing. Receiving such gifts with thanks and appreciation should be equally natural when one is aware that love rather than some hidden hook is the motive behind the gift.

But if the gift is a hook, hidden within the pretense of charity, the giver is evil and so is his gift. As Mormon warned, “Wherefore, a man being evil cannot do that which is good; neither will he give a good gift.”

One of my favorite stories in church history is about how Martin Harris’s wife Lucy tried to bribe young Joseph Smith into letting her see the plates, apparently so she could invest in them and get a share of whatever the gold was worth. Her’s is the perfect example of what happens when someone tries to bribe a prophet. The story, as it is told in a chapter of my book called Joseph and Moroni, is as follows: {3}

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Trouble with Lucy Harris

Mrs. Harris is an important part of the story of the relationship between Joseph and the angel Moroni for three reasons. First, she was the cause of much of the friction between the Prophet and the angel. Second, her being an obstacle to Joseph’s work contributed to a number of important events relating to the translation of the Book of Mormon. And third, because she created such trauma for Joseph and for his family and friends (and perhaps for Moroni too, if angels can experience trauma), it is instructive to see how Joseph and the angel dealt with her.

At the time when Joseph and Emma were getting ready to move to Pennsylvania, Joseph owed debts totaling about $50. He did not have the money but did not want the people he owed to think he was leaving town to avoid paying them. He decided he would try to borrow that amount from a friend and then use it to pay everyone else. With this in mind, Joseph asked his mother to ask Martin if he would lend him the money.

When Mother Smith arrived at the Harris farm, she asked Mrs. Harris if she could talk with Mr. Harris. Mrs. Harris wanted to know all the reasons for the visit, so Lucy Smith told Lucy Harris why she had come. To Mother Smith’s surprise, Lucy Harris declared that she would give Joseph the money. When Joseph’s mother declined the offer, Mrs. Harris announced, “I am coming to your place to see him, too, and I will be there on Tuesday afternoon, and will stop over night.”

When Tuesday came, so did Mrs. Harris. Joseph’s mother told the story of her visit in some detail, and in doing so, made no attempt to disguise her disdain for the visitor. Mother Smith recounted that after Mrs. Harris was “well seated,” she began to quiz Joseph about the plates. She said if he was telling the truth about having them, he must show them to her; then, she said, “she was determined to help him publish them.”

He explained he could not show them to anyone. Relative to her offer of assistance, he told her he would prefer to deal with her husband.

That was not the response Mrs. Harris wanted, for, as Mother Smith observed, “she considered herself altogether superior to her husband,” and she continued to tease Joseph about seeing the plates.

“Now, Joseph, are you not telling me a lie? Can you look full in my eye and say before God that you have in reality found a record, as you pretend?”

To this Joseph replied, rather indifferently, “Why, yes, Mrs. Harris, I would as soon look you in the face and say so as not, if that will be any gratification to you.”

Then said she, “Joseph, I will tell you what I will do, if I can get a witness that you speak the truth, I will believe all you say about the matter and I shall want to do something about the translation—I mean to help you any way.”{A}

With this statement about her wanting a “witness” the conversation ended for the evening.

The next morning, Mrs. Harris reported she had received her witness. She said she had a dream in which “a personage appeared to her” and told her that her attitude toward Joseph and her insistence upon seeing the plates were “not right in the sight of God.” The personage then showed her the plates of the Book of Mormon and said to her, “Behold, here are the plates, look upon them and believe.” The dream was so vivid to her that she was able to describe the plates “very minutely” to the Smiths.{B}

The dream had satisfied Mrs. Harris’s curiosity but not her determination to control this young man and his gold. She did not trouble Joseph about seeing the plates any more that day, but in all other respects she acted just as she had the night before. She would invest in Joseph’s treasure whether Joseph wanted a partner or not. He finally gave in, but recognizing that she was not as willing to be useful as she was determined to dominate, he refused to accept her money as a gift. He would not be indebted to her in any way that could not be readily defined and entirely repaid. He agreed to accept $28 from her—but only as a loan.

Joseph realized that if he was to remain free to obey God he could not accept constraining help from anyone. He understood, though Mrs. Harris did not, that one may assist a prophet only if one does not use that assistance as a lever with which to try to control the prophet.

A short time later, Martin Harris insisted on giving $50 to Joseph. In contrast to Joseph’s determination to not accept help from Mrs. Harris, he accepted the gift from Martin. He understood it to be an expression of love from Martin, and Joseph’s willingness to receive it is evidence that he trusted his friend. Joseph promptly used Martin’s money to pay his debts, and he returned the $28 to Mrs. Harris. {C}{4}

Later Martin had served as scribe while Joseph translated the plates. Martin was so convinced by what Joseph was doing that he believed if he could show the translation to his wife, she would lso believe. Martin borrowed 116 manuscript pages that Joseph had already translated and took them home to show Mrs. Harris. Joseph never saw those pages again. Joseph’s mother registered her belief that Lucy Harris had stolen them, intending to use them to embarrass Martin and Joseph. {5}

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FOOTNOTES FOR ESSAY

{1} William Shakespeare, Hamlet, Act 3, Scene 1.

{2} William Shakespeare, Hamlet, Act 1, Scene 5.

{3} Joseph and Moroni, The 7 Principles Moroni taught Joseph Smith is one of the books in this website under “published books.”

{4} LeGrand L. Baker, Joseph and Moroni, The 7 Principles Moroni taught Joseph Smith (Salt Lake City, Eborn Books, 2006), pages 54-57

{5} Lucy Smith, History, 131-32.  This story is told in Joseph and Moroni, chapters “The Loss of the 116 Pages” and “What Happened to the 116 Pages?,” 62-68.

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FOOTNOTES FROM JOSEPH AND MORONI

{A} This story is reported in Lucy Mack Smith, History of Joseph Smith by His Mother (Salt Lake City, Bookcraft, 1954), 114-117.

{B} Lucy Smith, History, 117.

{C} Lucy Smith, History, 117-18. Joseph Smith, History of the Church, 1:19.

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5 For I remember the word of God which saith by their works ye shall know them; for if their works be good, then they are good also.
6 For behold, God hath said a man being evil cannot do that which is good; for if he offereth a gift, or prayeth unto God, except he shall do it with real intent it profiteth him nothing.
7 For behold, it is not counted unto him for righteousness (Moroni 7:5-7) .

As was true with the first verses of this sermon, so it is here: there are different ways that we may read what Mormon said, and that difference is our perception of his audience. When discussing the first verses, I drew a distinction between an audience of high school seminary students, and the priesthood body to whom Mormon was speaking. That distinction is still important.

In these verses the differences in interpretation hangs on the definition of “works.” In the world of the teenager, works can mean taking warm bread to a neighbor or keeping the commandments as the Church teaches; being part of church activities, accepting church assignments, and just being nice to other people.

To teenagers, Mormon’s warning is easily translated into Church teachings. From the time we are little we are taught what God’s commandments are and that we should not only live those commandments but that we should also avoid being in the company of people who do not.

Mormon gives a stern reminder that evil men can produce attractive enticements, either by their actions or in the products they sell, and that those enticements can do real physical or spiritual harm. The Church reenforces those teachings by spelling out what many of those dangerous enticements are. Mormon’s words are a clear warning, insisting that we must not only look to the actions of an individual, but we must also examine his motives. If he hides his motives behind protestations of his own goodness, then we must look to the consequences of his actions, and their effects on others.

That is a helpful and perfectly legitimate way to understand this scripture.

However, if we read it as an address to a mature priesthood audience, then the interpretation is different, but no less scarey. Again, the understanding hangs on the meaning of “works.”

Probably the best place to begin looking for a priesthood definition of “works” is in Alma’s review of the Nephite temple drama. He says, “God conversed with men, and made known unto them the plan of redemption, which had been prepared from the foundation of the world; and this he made known unto them according to their faith and repentance and their holy works.(Alma 12:30).” In this context “faith” must surely be pistis–the covenants. And “holy works” are the ordinances that instruct the participant and validate his covenants. “Repentance” validates both. {1}

There are other scriptures where “works” clearly refer to the ordinances. One of the most straightforward is in Alma’s Zarahemla conference address. Before we read it, a quick review: Righteousness is zedek — the same as zedek in Melchizedek, which means “King of Righteousness” or “My king is righteous.” Right or righteous is a perfect translation. Zedek means correctness in priesthood and temple things. To be done in zedek (righteousness), ordinances must be performed in the right place, at an appropriate time, with the right authority, dressed the right way, using the right words, and with the right hand or arm gestures. If all of these things are not in place, the ordinance is not valid. Baptism, for example. They go down into the water, dressed the right way, he holds his arm the right way, he speaks the right words with the right authority and he dunks the other person, then brings him up out of the water. If any of those things are lacking, or if anything is added, the ordinance is not valid. The word zedek/righteousness represents the correctness of that baptismal ordinance.

At Zarahemla, Alma invited the people to be baptized, and in preparation for that invitation he quoted God as saying,

35 Yea, come unto me and bring forth works of righteousness [zedek], and ye shall not be hewn down and cast into the fire—
36 For behold, the time is at hand that whosoever bringeth forth not good fruit, or whosoever doeth not the works of righteousness, the same have cause to wail and mourn (Alma 5:35-36).

In this context, “works of righteousness” is clearly a reference to correct priesthood ordinances.

In a similar context Ammon rejoices with his brethren because of their success with the Lamanites. Here he uses almost the same wording that Alma used in his review of the Nephite temple drama (Alma 12 quoted above). First, another quick review: “Mystery” in the New Testament means “the idea of silence imposed by initiation into religious rites”{2} It is a reference to the New Testament Christian temple rites. If, as I believe, the Book of Mormon and New Testament meanings are the same, then Ammon’s promise, “unto such it is given to know the mysteries of God,” is a reference to the Nephite temple rites. The difference between what Alma said and what Ammon said is that where Alma says “holy works,” Ammon says “good works.”

22 Yea, he that repenteth and exerciseth faith [pistis, keeping the covenants], and bringeth forth good works [ordinances], and prayeth continually without ceasing—unto such it is given to know the mysteries of God [Nephite temple drama]; yea, unto such it shall be given to reveal things which never have been revealed; yea, and it shall be given unto such to bring thousands of souls to repentance, even as it has been given unto us to bring these our brethren to repentance (Alma 26:22).

Alma used the same sequence, “faith and good works,” (pistis = covenants, and ordinances) when he described premortal priesthood callings.

3 And this is the manner after which they were ordained—being called and prepared from the foundation of the world according to the foreknowledge of God, on account of their exceeding faith and good works; in the first place being left to choose good or evil; therefore they having chosen good, and exercising exceedingly great faith, are called with a holy calling, yea, with that holy calling which was prepared with, and according to, a preparatory redemption for such (Alma 13:3).

The ultimate importance of correct priesthood ordinances is emphasized by the sequence culminating in the final judgement.

The Book of Mormon repeatedly tells us that the final judgement comes AFTER the resurrection. In other words, when we stand before the Savior to be judged, we will already have received our resurrected body. Celestial persons will already have been judged to merit a celestial glory. So the question might be asked, “Then why do they need a “final judgement?” The answer is zedek — all things must not only be correct, but legally correct — we must be judged by our works according to the validity of the ordinances we have received and honored.

As I understand it, the judgement that could enable one to receive a celestial body was based on keeping his covenants. For example, the object of the perfection to which we strive is defined in the Book of Mormon as charity, just as that object in the Doctrine and Covenants is keeping the law of consecration. They are two sides of the same coin. When charity is what we are, the law of consecration is what we do.

Those characteristics (the ones that are discussed at length by Mormon in his sermon in Moroni 7) are the criteria used to determine whether we will receive a celestial body in the resurrection. The Lord explained that more succinctly to the Prophet Joseph.

28 They who are of a celestial spirit shall receive the same body which was a natural body; even ye shall receive your bodies, and your glory shall be that glory by which your bodies are quickened.
29 Ye who are [present tense] quickened by a portion of the celestial glory shall then receive of the same, even a fulness.
30 And they who are quickened by a portion of the terrestrial glory shall then receive of the same, even a fulness [etc.] (D&C 88:28-30).

Alma says that after we have received our resurrected bodies we will be judged “according to our works.” Here are two examples:

21 But whether it be at his resurrection or after, I do not say; but this much I say, that there is a space between death and the resurrection of the body, and a state of the soul in happiness or in misery until the time which is appointed of God that the dead shall come forth, and be reunited, both soul and body, and be brought to stand before God, and be judged according to their works (Alma 40:21).

23 But God ceaseth not to be God, and mercy claimeth the penitent, and mercy cometh because of the atonement; and the atonement bringeth to pass the resurrection of the dead; and the resurrection of the dead bringeth back men into the presence of God; and thus they are restored into his presence, to be judged according to their works, according to the law and justice (Alma 42:23).

Alma says we “are restored into his presence, to be judged according to their works, according to the law and justice.”

The Lord explained to the Prophet Joseph why that final judgement must be “according to the law and justice.” D&C 132 says that not only must things done correctly, but that they must also be “sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise.” That sealing is the final and necessary validation. Then he adds:

8 Behold, mine house is a house of order, saith the Lord God, and not a house of confusion.
9 Will I accept of an offering, saith the Lord, that is not made in my name?
10 Or will I receive at your hands that which I have not appointed?
11 And will I appoint unto you, saith the Lord, except it be by law, even as I and my Father ordained unto you, before the world was?
12 I am the Lord thy God; and I give unto you this commandment—that no man shall come unto the Father but by me or by my word, which is my law, saith the Lord.
13 And 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.
14 For whatsoever things remain are by me; and whatsoever things are not by me shall be shaken and destroyed (D&C 132:8-14).

The final judgement is when one stands before the Savior to be judged by him. If that judgement is an ordinance (Perhaps something like the Israelite king going through the Great veil in Solomon’s temple, as is described in Psalm 21), then it is reasonable to suppose that, like every other ordinance, it will have to be done according to set rules — in zedek, following a precise, even legalistic formula. If that is so, then it is also reasonable to suppose that one would be expected to give evidence that he had received ALL of the necessary ordinances. I suppose that is what the Savior meant when he told the Prophet Joseph, “my house is a house of order.”

This brings us full circle back to the three verses in Moroni 7 where we started. The question of the validity of priesthood ordinances was a major issue in Mormon’s day. There were false churches that were performing counterfeit ordinances. He tells us,

27 And it came to pass that when two hundred and ten years had passed away there were many churches in the land; yea, there were many churches which professed to know the Christ, and yet they did deny the more parts of his gospel, insomuch that they did receive all manner of wickedness, and did administer that which was sacred unto him to whom it had been forbidden because of unworthiness.
28 And this church did multiply exceedingly because of iniquity, and because of the power of Satan who did get hold upon their hearts. (4 Nephi 1:27-28)

Understanding that Mormon was speaking to his “beloved brethren” who were surrounded by murderous apostates, corrupt doctrines, and fraudulent ordinances, one can hear the ring of urgency in Mormon’s words:

5 For I remember the word of God which saith by their works [the validity of their priesthood ordinances] ye shall know them; for if their works be good, then they are good also.
6 For behold, God hath said a man being evil cannot do that which is good; for if he offereth a gift, or prayeth unto God, except he shall do it with real intent it profiteth him nothing.
7 For behold, it is not counted unto him for righteousness (Moroni 7:5-7) .
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FOOTNOTES

{1} See the chapter called “Alma 12, Review of the Feast of Tabernacles Drama” in Who Shall Ascend into the Hill of the Lord, first edition, 651-55, paperback edition, 556-58.

{2} That definition is in Strong, 1894 edition, # 3466. For a more complete discussion of the meaning of “mystery” in the New Testament and in the Book of Mormon see footnote # 737 on page 463 of the paperback edition of Who Shall Ascend into the Hill of the Lord, and also the chapter called “Sode Experience—Returning to the Council in Heaven,” pages 139-47. In the first edition, the footnote is # 726 on page 650 and the chapter is on pages 195-207.

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Moroni 7:2-4 
2 And now I, Mormon, speak unto you, my beloved brethren; and it is by the grace of God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, and his holy will, because of the gift of his calling unto me, that I am permitted to speak unto you at this time.
3 Wherefore, I would speak unto you that are of the church, that are the peaceable followers of Christ, and that have obtained a sufficient hope by which ye can enter into the rest of the Lord, from this time henceforth until ye shall rest with him in heaven.
4 And now my brethren, I judge these things of you because of your peaceable walk with the children of men.

Mormon begins this sermon by addressing his “beloved brethren” and declaring the authority by which he is “permitted to speak.”

2 And now I, Mormon, speak unto you, my beloved brethren; and it is by the grace of God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, and his holy will, because of the gift of his calling unto me, that I am permitted to speak unto you at this time.

Mormon is the prophet and president of the church. If he needed permission to give this sermon, the only persons from whom he could have received that permission were, as he said, “it is by the grace of God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, and his holy will, because of the gift of his calling unto me, that I am permitted to speak unto you at this time.”

This asks a very important question: what is there about this speech that the prophet had to get permission to deliver it. The answer, I think, is in the combination of the content of the speech and the audience to whom he addressed it.

The speech is brilliant. On one level it is most appealing to persons who have read the Book of Mormon for the first time. Seminary students and new converts love it because it speaks to their souls. And as we grow in the gospel it continues to speak to us. However, it takes a great reach on my part to begin to understand what it would have meant to the audience to whom it was first given.

The sermon begins by acknowledging his audience as those who “are the peaceable followers of Christ.”

3 Wherefore, I would speak unto you that are of the church, that are the peaceable followers of Christ, and that have obtained a sufficient hope by which ye can enter into the rest of the Lord, from this time henceforth until ye shall rest with him in heaven.

That brings us to some of the Savior’s most fundamental teachings. Many of the Beatitudes are quotes or paraphrases from the Psalms or from Isaiah. They move in a sequence from the first principles, through the temple rites and priesthood responsibilities until we come to verse 8 which says Zion shall see God, and then verse 9 which reads:

9 And blessed are all the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God (3 Nephi 12:9).

The group to whom Mormon addressed his sermon were remarkable because of their “peaceable walk with the children of men.” But they were more than that. It is a simple truth that to understand any quote, part of that understanding must be to know why and to whom it was spoken. Part of the context of any sermon is to know who the audience was. In this case it is a priesthood meeting. We know that because he addresses only “my beloved brethren,” and he did it nine times in these few pages.

Whether he intended to or not (and I believe it was very intentional), his sermon followed the pattern of, and was a perfect commentary on the Beatitude: “blessed are all the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God.” Because I believe he intended to do that, I also believe that a meaningful context into which to fit that sermon is the sequence of the Beatitudes. Here, I give only their barest outline. I realize that it contains no justifications for the conclusions it draws, however, these apparent leaps of logic are carefully discussed and documented in detail in Who Shall Ascend into the Hill of the Lord, {1}

Outline of the Beatitudes in the Book of Mormon, 3 Nephi 12:

v. 1 – Jesus gave authority to Twelve –

v. 1b – Follow the Brethren
v. 2 – First Principles – “visited by the Holy Ghost”
v. 3 – Poor in Spirit – endowment for the living – may become kings and priests
v. 4 – Comfort all that mourn – endowment for the dead (Isaiah 61)
v. 5 – Meek – the meek are those who keep their eternal covenants (Psalm 25)
v. 6 – “hunger and thirst after righteousness” – “filled with the Holy Ghost”
v. 7 – Merciful – how to be a king and a priest (Psalm 18:25)

v. 8 – Pure in Heart – Zion shall see God (D&C 97:16-21, 101:16-18)
v. 9 – Peacemakers – called [new name] “children of God” (Moroni 73-4 & 48)

v. 10 – “for my name’s sake” – do become kings and priests
v. 11-12 – “when men shall revile” – endure to the end
v. 13 – “salt of the earth” – missionary work
v. 14-16 – “light of this people” – to be a blessing to the Saints

It takes only a quick look at that sequence to realize that everything one needs to know and do in a whole lifetime is in those verses.

If Moroni 7 is a commentary on verse 9, then its placement in the sequence of the Beatitudes tells us a great deal about its meaning and significance. Then verse 8 may be seen as not only a prelude or introduction to verse 9 but also to Mormon’s sermon. Verse 8 reads simply, “And blessed are all the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”

Psalm 24 promises the pure in heart will be welcomed into the temple to “receive the blessing from the Lord.”

3 Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall stand in his holy place?
4 He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.
5 He shall receive the blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation (Psalms 24:3-5).

Similarly, speaking of Zion, the Lord told the Prophet Joseph, “and all the pure in heart that shall come into it shall see God,” then he declared, “for this is Zion—THE PURE IN HEART” (D&C 97:16, 21).

The Beatitude that reads, “And blessed are all the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” is a perfect introduction to Moroni 7.

Mormon began his sermon by addressing his audience in those same terms. He spoke to those who “have obtained [past tense] a sufficient hope by which ye can enter into the rest of the Lord, from this time henceforth until ye shall rest with him in heaven. [then he added] … I judge these things of you because of your peaceable walk with the children of men.”

If I have understood Mormon’s introduction correctly, and the members of his audience really had “obtained a sufficient hope by which ye can enter into the rest of the Lord,” then they were not only in a very wonderful, but also in a very dangerous situation. Mormon understood that first hand. In his generation, many of the once faithful Nephites had not only denied the Savior, but had done so with violent furor. However, Mormon’s sermon also testifies to us that even in that environment there were some people who remained faithful, and that their prophet was concerned for their well-being. His message to them was that they must do more than try to avoid evil, but that must also keep their covenants, live as though those covenants were already fulfilled, and love each other and their God. Love—charity—was their ultimate defense against both evil and apostasy, just as it is ours.

The reason this sermon is so dearly beloved by Latter-day Saints in every stage of our spiritual development is because the Spirit testifies to each of us that the love that we give and that we accept from the Savior and from others (hesed) is the ultimate power that brings us back to the Savior and to our Heavenly Father. In this world, as Mormon observed, the fruit of love is peace, and the blessing to those who exude peace is that they may give peace to others—that they are peacemakers. Peace is a product of reciprocated love—hesed. {2}

The Beatitudes do not end with verse 9, but continue until they reach a new height—the “salt of the earth” is sharing the gospel; “light of this people” –is to be a blessing to the Saints—to be a personification of charity. Similarly, Peter’s sequence showing the attributes one must have in order to “make your calling and election sure” concludes with charity, (2 Peter 1:10) as does Mormon’s teachings in Moroni 7. I am convinced that while the priesthood ordinance and covenants are absolutely necessary to secure salvation, the ultimate sealing power (the power that validates the ordinances) is our own ability to give and to receive love.

Our Beatitude promises the peacemakers “shall be called [receive the new covenant-name] the children of God.” Mormon concludes his sermon with the same promise except he is speaking to only men, whereas the Savior was speaking to entire families.

48 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ; that ye may become the sons of God; that when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we may have this hope; that we may be purified even as he is pure. Amen (Moroni 7:48).

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FOOTNOTES

{1} Who Shall Ascend into the Hill of the Lord, pages 646-96 in the edition in this website; and also check the “scriptures” section. The two are not exactly the same. The latter was written after the book was published and so contains a few ideas not in the former. That is especially true with verse 7.

{2} Hesed means “unfailing love based on a prior covenant.” Use the search engine to find more detailed discussions.

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Moroni 6:4 
4 And after they had been received unto baptism, and were wrought upon and cleansed by the power of the Holy Ghost, they were numbered among the people of the church of Christ;

The words “cleansed by the power of the Holy Ghost,” are unique to this passage of scripture. Nevertheless, they are very helpful in understanding how we are blessed by the Holy Ghost. There are four scriptures that teach we must be “sanctified by the Holy Ghost” The message of each of these scriptures is the same, but because the contexts are different, they combine to teach us a great deal.

The first is Paul’s statement about his own missionary purpose:

16 That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost (Romans 15:16).

The second is Alma’s description of the faithful who lived in Zarahemla:

54 Yea, will ye persist in supposing that ye are better one than another; yea, will ye persist in the persecution of your brethren, who humble themselves and do walk after the holy order of God, wherewith they have been brought into this church, having been sanctified by the Holy Spirit, and they do bring forth works which are meet for repentance (Alma 5:54).

The third is Alma’s description of the faithful who “were called after this holy order” of the priesthood:

11 Therefore they were called after this holy order, and were sanctified, and their garments were washed white through the blood of the Lamb.
12 Now they, after being sanctified by the Holy Ghost, having their garments made white, being pure and spotless before God, could not look upon sin save it were with abhorrence; and there were many, exceedingly great many, who were made pure and entered into the rest of the Lord their God.
13 And now, my brethren, I would that ye should humble yourselves before God, and bring forth fruit meet for repentance, that ye may also enter into that rest (Alma 13:11-13).

The fourth is part of the Savior’s injunction to the Twelve in 3 Nephi 27. He began that part of his instructions by saying:

13 Behold I have given unto you my gospel, and this is the gospel which I have given unto you—that I came into the world to do the will of my Father, because my Father sent me.

He then amplified the definition of the gospel by teaching about his Atonement. In connection with the gospel, he defined “the word” and then “the commandment,” then he concluded with: “this is my gospel; and ye know the things that ye must do in my church; for the works which ye have seen me do that shall ye also do; for that which ye have seen me do even that shall ye do (v.21)” So, between the two definitions of “gospel” are two instructions about being clean and sanctified:

18-19 And this is the word …. no unclean thing can enter into his kingdom; therefore nothing entereth into his rest save it be those who have washed their garments in my blood, because of their faith, and the repentance of all their sins, and their faithfulness unto the end.
20 Now this is the commandment: Repent, all ye ends of the earth, and come unto me and be baptized in my name, that ye may be sanctified by the reception of the Holy Ghost, that ye may stand spotless before me at the last day (3 Nephi 27:13, 18-20).

We usually understand “sanctify” to mean to make sacred or holy, and we have difficulty attaching a concrete meaning to the idea that the Holy Ghost will make us holy. However, Moroni’s statement that they were “cleansed by the power of the Holy Ghost” gives us the key to know what it means to be sanctified. My Strong says the Hebrew word (# 6942) translated as “sanctify” means “to make clean” or “to purify.” The Greek word (# 37) translated as “sanctify” means “to purify,” or to “make holy.” The notion that the Holy Ghost makes us clean explains what the other scriptures mean by “sanctify.”

Parley P. Pratt penned what is probably the most beautiful and comprehensive description of what it means to be cleansed by the Holy Ghost:

The gift of the Holy Spirit adapts itself to all these organs or attributes, It quickens all the intellectual faculties, increases, enlarges, expands and purifies all the natural passions and affections, and adapts them, by the gift of wisdom, to their lawful use. It inspires, develops, cultivates and matures all the fine toned sympathies, joys, tastes, kindred feelings and affections of our nature. It inspires virtue, kindness, goodness, tenderness, gentleness and charity. It develops beauty of person, form and features. It tends to health, vigor, animation and social feeling. It develops and invigorates all the faculties of the physical and intellectual man. It strengthens, invigorates and gives tone to the nerves. In short, it is, as it were, marrow to the bone, joy to the heart, light to the eyes, music to the ears, and life to the whole being.

In the presence of such persons one feels to enjoy the light of their countenances, as the genial rays of a sunbeam. Their very atmosphere diffuses a thrill, a warm glow of pure gladness and sympathy, to the heart and nerves of others who have kindred feelings, or sympathy of spirit. No matter if the parties are strangers, entirely unknown to each other in person or character; no matter if they have never spoken to each other, each will be apt to remark in his own mind, and perhaps exclaim, when referring to the interview, “O what an atmosphere encircles that stranger! How my heart thrilled with pure and holy feelings in his presence! What confidence and sympathy he inspired! His countenance and spirit gave me more assurance than a thousand written recommendations or introductory letters.” Such is the gift of the Holy Spirit, and such are its operations when received through the lawful channel, the divine, eternal Priesthood.{1}

I think I am safe in asserting that every person who has been baptized and received the Gift of the Holy Ghost has experienced to a greater or lesser degree the sense that he is clean from one or more sins that used to really bother him. After baptism we still have to work a long time to get to the state of “being made sacred,” because the cleansing is an ongoing process. Nevertheless, it is very real, and very comforting.

Baptism places our sins in remission, that is, it makes them inoperative in the way that cancer stops growing when it is “in remission.” Our sins remain in remission as we persist in making them a dormant and ineffectual part of our past. It is by the power of the Atonement and the workings of the Holy Ghost that those sins can cease altogether to be a part of our real Self. Then the sin no longer has claim upon our desires and we can live our lives as though it has no part in our eternal Self.

As in Alma 13 (which we read above in conjunction with the priesthood), the scriptures sometimes make no practical distinction between being cleansed by the Holy Ghost and by the Savior’s Atonement. The first part of that quote reads: they “were sanctified, and their garments were washed white through the blood of the Lamb….[then] after being sanctified by the Holy Ghost, having their garments made white, being pure and spotless before God ….” (Alma 13:11-13).

For us, the ultimate product of that cleansing is Peace — not a passive peace, but the power within us to transcend hurt, disappointment, and sorrow. In John 14, the name-titles that describes the sources of that kind of peace is translated “Comforter.” The key to the word’s meaning is in the Savior’s paraphrase of Isaiah’s prophecy about salvation for the dead.{2}

The word “comfort” in Isaiah 61:2 means the personal power to transcend sorrow. That power creates the ultimate “peace.” That verse in Isaiah 61 is paraphrased in the Beatitudes v. 4 as, “Blessed are all those who mourn for they shall be comforted.” The Greek word translated “comforted” in the New Testament Beatitudes (Strong # 3870) is a different form, but otherwise the same word as the word translated “Comforter” in John 14. (Strong 3875). So a reasonable way to understand “Comforter” would be “the ultimate source of the power to transcend sorrow” — the “Empowerer.” And “peace” is the fruit of that empowerment. {3}

As the Prophet Joseph explained, the Savior talked about two different Comforters in John 14. The Prophet said:

There are two Comforters spoken of. One is the Holy Ghost, the same as given on the day of Pentecost, and that all Saints receive after faith, repentance, and baptism. This first Comforter or Holy Ghost has no other effect than pure intelligence.
. …
Now what is this other Comforter? It is no more nor less than the Lord Jesus Christ Himself; {4}

The words of the Savior’s promise about that “other Comforter” in John are:

15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you (John 14:15-27).

That “Other Comforter” is described more fully in Doctrine and Covenants 88:

3 Wherefore, I now send upon you another Comforter, even upon you my friends, that it may abide in your hearts, even the Holy Spirit of promise; which other Comforter is the same that I promised unto my disciples, as is recorded in the testimony of John.
4 This Comforter is the promise which I give unto you of eternal life, even the glory of the celestial kingdom;
5 Which glory is that of the church of the Firstborn, even of God, the holiest of all, through Jesus Christ his Son — (D&C 88:3-5).

As Joseph Smith said, John also describes the Holy Ghost as a Comforter:

26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. (John 14:15-27)

That last verse describes the “peace” which is both the purpose and power of each of the two Comforters. John also tells us about the time when the Savior bestowed the “peace” of that first Comforter upon the Apostles.

21 Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.
22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost (John 20:21-22).

There is a relationship between our being given the command to “receive the Holy Ghost,” being visited by the Holy Ghost, being filled with the Holy Ghost, being baptized with fire and the Holy Ghost, and the Holy Ghost as a Comforter. But I don’t know how to define each of those concepts in terms of each of the others.

Sometimes it is as important to know what we don’t know as it is to know what we do know. The reason is that when we are aware of the limits of our understanding, knowing those limits opens wonderful questions. We may not have the answers, but even being able to express the questions has value. So here are some of the things I don’t know.

As far as I can tell, being given the command to “receive the Holy Ghost,” and being “visited by the Holy Ghost” represent the same ideas. If that is so, it is probable that the other concepts (being filled by the Holy Ghost, being baptized with fire and the Holy Ghost, and the Holy Ghost as a Comforter) may represent a different set of ideas. Since I don’t know, I think I will just show you some key scriptures so you can decide what you think the relationships are.

Some of those phrases I mentioned are given context by the Savior’s Beatitudes in 3 Nephi.

1 … after that ye are baptized with water, behold, I will baptize you with fire and with the Holy Ghost….
2 … Yea, blessed are they who shall believe in your words, and come down into the depths of humility and be baptized, for they shall be visited with fire and with the Holy Ghost, and shall receive a remission of their sins.
….
6 And blessed are all they who do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled with the Holy Ghost.
….
9 And blessed are all the peacemakers, for they shall be called [new name] the children of God (3 Nephi 12:1-9). {5}

The Doctrine and Covenants gives others a context by putting “baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost,” “the Comforter,” and “the peaceable things of the kingdom” all in a single sentence:

6 And this is my gospel—repentance and baptism by water, and then cometh the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost, even the Comforter, which showeth all things, and teacheth the peaceable things of the kingdom (D&C 39:5). {6}

Peter said that when the Savior was baptized he was also anointed “with the Holy Ghost and with power.” His words are:

37 That word, I say, ye know, which was published throughout all Judaea, and began from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached;
38 How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him (Acts 10:37-38).

I have wondered if the Savior’s being anointed by his Father “with the Holy Ghost and with power” may be something like the Savior’s promise to the Nephites: “after that ye are baptized with water, behold, I will baptize you with fire and with the Holy Ghost (3 Nephi 12:1).”

Some scriptures are especially helpful in understanding the meanings of those relationships. For example, Moroni’s last words are important, not only because they teach us how we can be cleansed and made holy by the Savior’s Atonement, but they also teach the relationship between ourselves, the Savior, and “the covenant of the Father.” However, in this passage he does not mention the Holy Ghost.

32 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.
33 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).

And finally there are the instructions given by God to Adam. They tie many of these principles into a very nice package. He establishes the relationships between baptism, the Spirit, justified, cleansed, sanctified, the Comforter, and “the peaceable things of immortal glory.”

58 Therefore I give unto you a commandment, to teach these things freely unto your children, saying:
59 That by reason of transgression cometh the fall, which fall bringeth death, and inasmuch as ye were born into the world by water, and blood, and the spirit, which I have made, and so became of dust a living soul, even so ye must be born again into the kingdom of heaven, of water, and of the Spirit, and be cleansed by blood, even the blood of mine Only Begotten; that ye might be sanctified from all sin, and enjoy the words of eternal life in this world, and eternal life in the world to come, even immortal glory;
60 For by the water ye keep the commandment; by the Spirit ye are justified, and by the blood ye are sanctified;
61 Therefore it is given to abide in you; the record of heaven; the Comforter; the peaceable things of immortal glory; the truth of all things; that which quickeneth all things, which maketh alive all things; that which knoweth all things, and hath all power according to wisdom, mercy, truth, justice, and judgment.
62 And now, behold, I say unto you: This is the plan of salvation unto all men, through the blood of mine Only Begotten, who shall come in the meridian of time (Moses 6:58-62).

Even though I don’t understand HOW it works, I do know THAT it works. Through the power of the Atonement we can be made clean by the workings Holy Ghost. The ultimate promise is found at the end of verse 59: “that ye might … enjoy the words of eternal life in this world, and eternal life in the world to come, even immortal glory.”

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FOOTNOTES

{1} Parley P. Pratt, Key to the Science of Theology (Liverpool, F. D. Richards, 1855), 98-99.

{2} See Isaiah 61 under in the Scriptures section of this website.

{3} Also in Isaiah 61:2 and the Beatitudes 3 Nephi 12:4, and Matthew 5:4. For a discussion of the meaning of “comfort” see Who Shall Ascend into the Hill of the Lord, first edition pages 467-71; paperback edition (that one found in this website), pages 340-42.

{4} Joseph Smith, Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, selected and arranged by Joseph Fielding Smith (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1976), 149-50.

{5} You can find a discussion of these Beatitudes in Who Shall Ascend into the Hill of the Lord (check table of contents) and in the scripture section of this website (search by chapter and verse)

{6} Lecture 5 in the Lectures on Faith has some useful information about relationships.

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Our covenants are validated by the ordinances and the ordinances are validated by our keeping the covenants. The sacrament is a renewal and affirmation of both.

Even though the words of the two sacrament blessings are similar, their intent is quite different. The blessing on the bread is a three part covenant. The blessing on the water is an affirmation that we are keeping those covenants.

“Witness” can mean to make a covenant or to take an oath, and the context of the two prayers suggests the word is intended to mean different things in the different prayers.  “That” is a powerful conjunction that creates a dependent sequence of ideas.
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The blessing on the bread reads:

O God, the Eternal Father, we ask thee in the name of thy Son, Jesus Christ, to bless and sanctify this bread to the souls of all those who partake of it; that they may eat in remembrance of the body of thy Son,
And witness [to covenant] unto thee, O God, the Eternal Father,
.     [1] that they are willing to take upon them the name of thy Son,
.     [2]  and [ that they are willing to] always remember him
.     [3]  and [ that they are willing to] keep his commandments which he has given them;
that they may always have his Spirit to be with them. Amen

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The blessing on the water reads:

O God, the Eternal Father, we ask thee, in the name of thy Son, Jesus Christ, to bless and sanctify this wine to the souls of all those who drink of it, that they may do it in remembrance of the blood of thy Son, which was shed for them;
.       that they may witness [to take an oath] unto thee, O God, the Eternal Father,
.        that they DO always remember him,
that they may have his Spirit to be with them. Amen.

————————–

In 3 Nephi 18 the resurrected Savior administers the sacrament to the Nephites, and in conjunction with that he also instituted a formal covenant with them. There are two correspond scriptures in the Book of Mormon that discuss this. One is Mosiah 5 where King Benjamin officiates as the people make a similar covenant. The other is Moroni 4 and 5 where the sacrament prayers are given verbatim. The covenants made by the people of King Benjamin and the ones in 3 Nephi are incorporated as an integral part of those prayers.

The Lord’s instructions to the Nephites includes the terms and objectives of the covenant. He said:

7 And this shall ye do in remembrance of my body, which I have shown unto you. And it shall be a testimony unto the Father that ye do always remember me. And if ye do always remember me ye shall have my Spirit to be with you.
8 And it came to pass that when he said these words, he commanded his disciples that they should take of the wine of the cup and drink of it, and that they should also give unto the multitude that they might drink of it.
9 And it came to pass that they did so, and did drink of it and were filled; and they gave unto the multitude, and they did drink, and they were filled.
10 And when the disciples had done this, Jesus said unto them: Blessed are ye for this thing which ye have done, for this is fulfilling my commandments, and this doth witness unto the Father that ye are willing to do that which I have commanded you.
11 And this shall ye always do to those who repent and are baptized in my name; and ye shall do it in remembrance of my blood, which I have shed for you, that ye may witness unto the Father that ye do always remember me. And if ye do always remember me ye shall have my Spirit to be with you (3 Nephi 18:7-11).

In Mosiah 5 the people spoke in unison and said:

5 And we are willing to enter into a covenant with our God to do his will, and to be obedient to his commandments in all things that he shall command us, all the remainder of our days, that we may not bring upon ourselves a never-ending torment, as has been spoken by the angel, that we may not drink out of the cup of the wrath of God.

To which the king responded:

6 And now, these are the words which king Benjamin desired of them; and therefore he said unto them: Ye have spoken the words that I desired; and the covenant which ye have made is a righteous covenant.
7 And now, because of the covenant which ye have made ye shall be called the children of Christ, his sons, and his daughters; for behold, this day he hath spiritually begotten you; for ye say that your hearts are changed through faith on his name; therefore, ye are born of him and have become his sons and his daughters.
8 And under this head ye are made free, and there is no other head whereby ye can be made free. There is no other name given whereby salvation cometh; therefore, I would that ye should take upon you the name of Christ, all you that have entered into the covenant with God that ye should be obedient unto the end of your lives.
9 And it shall come to pass that whosoever doeth this shall be found at the right hand of God, for he shall know the name by which he is called; for he shall be called by the name of Christ.
10 And now it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall not take upon him the name of Christ must be called by some other name; therefore, he findeth himself on the left hand of God.
11 And I would that ye should remember also, that this is the name that I said I should give unto you that never should be blotted out, except it be through transgression; therefore, take heed that ye do not transgress, that the name be not blotted out of your hearts.
12 I say unto you, I would that ye should remember to retain the name written always in your hearts, that ye are not found on the left hand of God, but that ye hear and know the voice by which ye shall be called, and also, the name by which he shall call you (Mosiah 5:5-12).

As King Benjamin explains, to take upon oneself the name of Christ is to “become his sons and his daughters.” When we are adopted into a new family we take the family name as our own. But the terms of the adoption covenant mean more than that. An adopted child has the full rights of inheritance. So to take upon us the name of Christ is to lay claim to all the blessings implied by the family relationship.

The blessing on the bread is a reiteration of that covenant. Like all covenants it has two parts: the promises of the first party and the promises of the second.

For our part, we—

“witness unto thee, O God, the Eternal Father, that they are willing [that is the operative word] to take upon them the name of thy Son, and [that they are willing to] always remember him, and [that they are willing to] keep his commandments which he hath given them,”

For God’s part, his promise is

“that they may always have his Spirit to be with them (Moroni 4:3).

The blessing on the water is different from that. It is an assertion and an evidence that we are actually keeping the covenants we just made:

that they may do it in remembrance of the blood of thy Son, which was shed for them; that they may witness … that they do [“do” is the operative word here] always remember him,

Through that assertion we lay claim to the fulfillment of the Father’s part of the covenant:

“that they may have his Spirit to be with them” (Moroni 5:2).

Notwithstanding the fact that we take the sacrament weekly, and that many, especially the children, do not understand what the words say, there is noting trivial suggested in its frequent repetition. When the words of the covenants in the blessing on the bread are understood to represent a renewing of all of the covenants we have made, including the temple covenants; and the words of the blessing on the water asserts that we are keeping all of those covenants, then we begin to understand power represented in those ordinances.

It is little wonder the Savior warned:

28 And now behold, this is the commandment which I give unto you, that ye shall not suffer any one knowingly to partake of my flesh and blood unworthily, when ye shall minister it;
29 For whoso eateth and drinketh my flesh and blood unworthily eateth and drinketh damnation to his soul….(3 Nephi 18:28-29).

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Moroni 7:45-47, LeGrand Baker, A Meaning of ‘Charity’

Like Peter (1 Peter 1:2-4, 2 Peter 1:1-10), Mormon places charity as the indispensable peak of the mountain one must climb to find eternal life.

45 And charity suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
46 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, if ye have not charity, ye are nothing, for charity never faileth. Wherefore, cleave unto charity, which is the greatest of all, for all things must fail—
47 But charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him.

Mormon’s final words are like “act 3” of the 23rd Psalm: “and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” They are also the conclusion of the 9th verse of the Beatitudes: “And blessed are all the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God.” Mormon’s final words are:

48 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ; that ye may become the sons of God; that when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we may have this hope; that we may be purified even as he is pure. Amen (Moroni 7:45-48).

The beginning and ending of Moroni 7 are the same beginning and ending as verse 9 of the Beatitudes: “And in the state of the gods are all the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God.” The only difference is that here Mormon is speaking to his “beloved brethren,” while Jesus was speaking to a congregation of men, women and children. That difference is reflected in Mormon’s words, “that ye may become the sons of God,” while the Savior’s words are not gender-specific: “for you shall be called the children of God.”

His word, “called,” denotes that they are given a new name, and the name is the same one that is recorded as the royal king-name in Psalm 2 where God is represented as saying:

6 Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.
[And the king testifies, ]
7 I will declare the decree: the Lord hath said unto me,
Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.
(Psalm 2:6-7)1

We look around the world and see other people whom our eyes and ears testify to our brain are real. Experience has taught us to accept the testimony of our eyes and ears, and we believe the people are real. We can interact with them, as well as see hear, and touch them. All of those sensations are in the “heart”—the cosmic center of the person where the ancients assigned both one’s emotions and one’s intellect. But the heart/brain is not designed to be able to give its owner absolute proof of anything. (Food that tastes good may not be good for the body; people who look beautiful may not be kind.) All that we see hear and feel are only our brain’s interpretation of electronic impulses. We get much the same kind of electronic information when we sit in a movie theater as when we watch a live theatrical production.

Although we believe the latter is the more real, we have no better evidence than what our body and our experiences have taught us to accept. In fact, we have no compelling evidence at all. If one projects that argument to its logical conclusion, we have no absolute evidence that any of our family or friends even exist. That’s an age old philosophical question. We might go back to the primary question and suggest that we have no absolute evidence that we are real.

We write that, and we suppose it sounds rational, but it is really quite silly. To begin with, we know that we are—not for the classic reason: “I think therefore I am,” but because we love. We know love is real because we know—really know—that Jesus is God: we have experienced his love for us and ours for him. That love IS reality—it is the ultimate experience that finds confirmation in the combined testimony of both our bodies and our souls. Our having experienced that love is the only absolute proof we have that we are. We know that we are, because we know that He exists. We see family and friends, and we love them. We know that kind of love is also real because it is like the love we have for our Savior. They receive and reciprocate, therefore we know that they are real also. Through those experiences, we are also assured that the people whom we love, but who do not reciprocate, are also real. In that knowledge—the sure knowledge that we have the capacity to both love and be loved—is absolute proof that God is, that we are, and that other people are. (Truth, light, and love are only slightly different expressions of the same thing, and their product is joy.)

Friendships, like families, are eternal. One of the reasons it is so important that we be sealed to our families is because our friends are also sealed to theirs. Somewhere, way back in the generations, we will come to the place where our families are the same. We will find that we are sealed to our friends with the same authority that we are sealed to our immediate families. Friendships are eternal because families are eternal. This concept is a perfect thread that runs through the stories of friendships in the Book of Mormon. Its most powerful expression is at the conclusion of Helaman’s epistle to Moroni:

41 And now, my beloved brother, Moroni, may the Lord our God, who has redeemed us and made us free, keep you continually in his presence; yea, and may he favor this people, even that ye may have success in obtaining the possession of all that which the Lamanites have taken from us, which was for our support. And now, behold, I close mine epistle. I am Helaman, the son of Alma (Alma 58:41).

That expression of brotherly love is bound up in their mutual love of the Savior. It must be that way, or it cannot be eternal.

Truth, in D&C 93 is knowing reality as God knows it, in sacred time, past, present, and future. He knows all truth, which at least in our context means his knowledge includes all things in linear time and in the space associated with it.

His light is in and through all things (D&C 88 & 932). All things are made by, through, and of him. In theoretical physics, it comes down to the string theory that holds that all things are little wiggles of energy. Energy is light—ie, all things are made “of him”—of his light—not of his person but of the light that surrounds and defines him.

His love is also in all things, and sustains all things.

So, light, truth, and love are equivalents. The words are simply different ways we have of describing the same thing. When we know someone in sacred time and perceive the light that is in them, then we love them. The product of light, truth, love is joy—which is the essence of a full life. There can be no fullness of joy if we are alone. In the Celestial Kingdom people are sealed together in an eternal bond, and therefore, in the Celestial Kingdom their joy is complete.

In the knowledge of the reality of eternal love, is embedded the foundation of the laws of our own beings. Within the context of that knowledge—our knowledge of our relationship with the Savior and with his children—we may begin—in this life—to re-discover the nature, quality, and origin of our eternal personalities. As we come to know ourselves, we also discover the window through which we can learn what truth is. The window is formed within the perimeters of our own reality—the law of one’s own being. The meaning and expansiveness of that law can best be understood by the Prophet’s assurance:

1 When the Savior shall appear we shall see him as he is. We shall see that he is a man like ourselves.
2 And that same sociality which exists among us here will exist among us there, only it will be coupled with eternal glory, which glory we do not now enjoy (D&C 130:1-2).

It is there, in the bonds of eternal togetherness—family and friends—where one discovers the fruition of one’s own Self. It is within that togetherness that we keep, and therefore seal the covenants we made at the Council in Heaven. It is not Nirvana. We do not loose our personalities, but rather we perfect them through the love we have for others. The implication is this: perfection is simply the maturation of what one is—the self-defined—and God approved—eternal law of one’s own being.

Sin, then, is a violation of the law of one’s own being because it is a degradation of one’s Self just as it is the intrusion upon the integrity of others. Generic sins (like anger, stealing, inappropriate sex—the ones that are spelled out in the commandments) are actions and attitudes that do violence to everyone’s Self as well as to others. If that is true, then sin is being something other than what one is; really serious sin is the maturation of what one is not. (As we write that it occurs to us that it would be easy for someone to take that statement out of context and make it a self-justification for almost anything one wishes. But that won’t work—it is the “God approved” part that restricts one’s definition of one’s eternal Self to the principles of righteousness.) So sin is simply one’s functioning, or seeking to function, outside the righteous law of one’s own being.

If that is correct, then for God to teach one “his way” and for one to walk in that way, probably means that one seeks to retain or reclaim the identity and personality he had at the Council—to retain in this world’s environment, the integrity he maintained in the world before this one. That can be done, as Abinadi insisted, by seeking to understand the intimate sonship relationship between the Savior and his children. Charity is knowing and loving in sacred time.

Nibley completes the story:

      These five things you have asked me about (the Lord tells the apostles after his resurrection, in the Kephalaia) appear very small and unimportant to the world, but they are really a very great and holy thing. I will teach you the mysteries now. These tokens (semeia) go back to the ordinances of the first man, Adam himself. He brought them with him when he came out of the garden of Eden, and having completed his struggle upon the earth, he mounted up by these very same signs and was received again into the Aeons of Light. The person who receives these becomes a Son. He both gives and receives the signs and the tokens of the God of truth, while demonstrating the same to the Church–all in hopes that some day these things may become a reality. So the apostles realized that these things are but forms and types, yet you can’t do without them. You cannot do without analogues. For us they may only be symbols, but they must be done here, the Lord says. They may be but symbols here, but they are indispensable steps to the attainment of real power. ‘In fact’, say the Pistis Sophia, ‘without the mysteries one loses one’s power. Without the ordinances, one has no way of controlling matter, for such control begins with the control of one’s self. The ordinances provide the very means and the discipline by which light operates on material things. ‘You don’t understand this now,’ it continues, ‘but your level, or taxis, in the next world will depend on the ordinances you receive in this world. Whoever receives the highest here will understand the whys and the wherefores of the great plan.’ ‘You can’t understand it now, but you will. Your faith is being tested here. It is through the ordinances that one makes this progress in knowledge, so that those who receive all available ordinances and teachings here shall pass by all the intermediate topoi and shall not have to give the answers and signs, nor stand certain tests hereafter.’” (Nibley, Temple and Cosmos, 310-11.)

This world really is a lonely, dreary place. The only power that penetrates its shroud of darkness are the light of the Saviour, and the smiling light of the people we love. Significantly, that light is the only thing we can take with us to enjoy after we leave this world.

The idea that the quality of one’s love is the defining characteristic of one’s eternal Self is sustained, not only by the scriptures that teach us about charity, but also by statements like these:

1 Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith [pistis] with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ: [Here Peter combines pistis and righteousness to represent all of the blessings of the ancient temple, just as Mormon does in Moroni 7.]
2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,
3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue (2 Peter 1:1-3).

61 If thou shalt ask, thou shalt receive revelation upon revelation, knowledge upon knowledge, that thou mayest know the mysteries and peaceable things— that which bringeth joy, that which bringeth life eternal (D&C 42:61).

The source of that joy is identified in Section 88:

40 For intelligence cleaveth unto intelligence; wisdom receiveth wisdom; truth embraceth truth; virtue loveth virtue; light cleaveth unto light; mercy hath compassion on mercy… (D&C 88:40).

It is further clarified in Section 130.

1 When the Savior shall appear we shall see him as he is. We shall see that he is a man like ourselves.
2 And that same sociality which exists among us here will exist among us there, only it will be coupled with eternal glory, which glory we do not now enjoy (D&C 130:1-2).

That same section of the Doctrine and Covenants contains two verses that wrap up the whole panorama of our existence into a single idea:

18 Whatever principle of intelligence [that does not say “academic information”] we attain unto in this life, it will rise with us in the resurrection.
19 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 130:19).

Beginning with the premise that the words given by the Lord to the Prophet Joseph are carefully chosen and precise in meaning, we can conclude that in that scripture “knowledge” cannot mean an accumulation of ephemeral and transitory information. If the knowledge has eternal value, it must be knowledge of eternal truth.

24 And truth is knowledge of things as they are, and as they were, and as they are to come; (D&C 93:24).

It is equally evident what is meant by the phrase “whatever principle of intelligence.” “Principle” is singular, so the word “whatever” refers to possible variants in quality, not in quantity. (If the Lord had said “principles of intelligence,” then he would have been talking about quantity.) That being so, we may know he is talking about only that one supreme principle that James calls “the royal law,” “the perfect law of liberty” (James 2:8, 1: 25).

That eternal law is the ever-expansive “principle of intelligence.” As we have already discussed, intelligence is defined in Section 93 as “the light of truth.” In 88, we learn that “truth shines.” Truth is knowledge in sacred time, is equivalent to light, is equivalent to love, is equivalent to joy. Thus, the scripture says—and all of the scriptures affirm—the “principle of intelligence” that we must “attain unto in this life” and that will “rise with us in the resurrection” is truth-light-love-joy. The quality of our love for the Saviour and for our Father’s children is also the quality of joy that will define and sustain us throughout all the eternities to come.
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NOTES

1}  For a discussion of “son” as the royal king-name, see Who Shall Ascend into the Hill of the Lord, the chapter called, “Act 2, Scene 9: The Coronation Ceremony in Isaiah 61.”

2}  The evidence that truth, light and life are the same things are in D&C 88 and 93. The fact that God’s love, as well as his light, is in and through all things is self evident and needs no proof.

4 This Comforter is the promise which I give unto you of eternal life, even the glory of the celestial kingdom;
5 Which glory is that of the church of the Firstborn, even of God, the holiest of all, through Jesus Christ his Son—
6 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;
7 Which truth shineth. This is the light of Christ. …
11 And the light which shineth, which giveth you light, is through him who enlighteneth your eyes, which is the same light that quickeneth your understandings;
12 Which light proceedeth forth from the presence of God to fill the immensity of space—
13 The light which is in all things, which giveth life to all things, which is the law by which all things are governed, even the power of God. … (D&C 88:4-7,11-13)

8 Therefore, in the beginning the Word was, for he was the Word, even the messenger of salvation—
9 The light and the Redeemer of the world; the Spirit of truth, who came into the world, because the world was made by him, and in him was the life of men and the light of men.
10 The worlds were made by him; men were made by him; all things were made by him, and through him, and of him. …
24 And truth is knowledge of things as they are, and as they were, and as they are to come;
25 And whatsoever is more or less than this is the spirit of that wicked one who was a liar from the beginning.
26 The Spirit of truth is of God. I am the Spirit of truth, and John bore record of me, saying: He received a fulness of truth, yea, even of all truth;
27 And no man receiveth a fulness unless he keepeth his commandments.
28 He that keepeth his commandments receiveth truth and light, until he is glorified in truth and knoweth all things. (D&C 93:8-10, 24-28)

Moroni 4 and 5 — LeGrand Baker — Sacrament as Covenant

Alma 22:15-30 tells a story that can help us understand the sacramental covenant.

15 And it came to pass that after Aaron had expounded these things unto him, the king said: What shall I do that I may have this eternal life of which thou hast spoken? Yea, what shall I do that I may be born of God, having this wicked spirit rooted out of my breast, and receive his Spirit, that I may be filled with joy, that I may not be cast off at the last day? Behold, said he, I will give up all that I possess, yea, I will forsake my kingdom, that I may receive this great joy.
16 But Aaron said unto him: If thou desirest this thing, if thou wilt bow down before God, yea, if thou wilt repent of all thy sins, and will bow down before God, and call on his name in faith, believing that ye shall receive, then shalt thou receive the hope which thou desirest.
17 And it came to pass that when Aaron had said these words, the king did bow down before the Lord, upon his knees; yea, even he did prostrate himself upon the earth, and cried mightily, saying:
18 O God, Aaron hath told me that there is a God; and if there is a God, and if thou art God, wilt thou make thyself known unto me, and I will give away all my sins to know thee, and that I may be raised from the dead, and be saved at the last day. And now when the king had said these words, he was struck as if he were dead. (Alma 22:15-18. Italics added)

It is apparent to me that to “give up” and to “give away” are not the same things. To “give up” is a passive approach. It is to abandon, to surrender, to desist from, to discontinue.

It may require some effort. It can be difficult, but the difficulty is to achieve the passivity. For example if one gives up smoking one may have to exercise a good deal of willpower in order to discontinue, but the willpower is directed toward inactivity. Another example: To give up telling lies is not the same as to seek to tell the truth, because not telling a lie does not impose the burden of saying anything at all. (If one determines to tell the truth, that would be a major change for the better, but it is also something different from simply giving up the habit of telling lies.)

Repentance is “giving away” one’s sins. The sins are forever there and they carry consequences. But both the sin and the consequence can be “given away” to the Saviour who will accept their burden and pay their price.

To give away is never passive, but always active. If you and I are sitting by a desk and my dollar bill is on the desk, and you take it, that’s stealing. If I proffer it to you and you don’t accept it, but I give it anyway, that’s throwing it at you, not giving it to you. If you do not accept I cannot give away, because throwing it at you is not the same as giving.

To give away requires action on the part of both persons, and that action always presupposes a written, spoken, implied or symbolic contract or covenant. An example of an implied covenant is that if you invite me to lunch (give me food), I could not accept your invitation without also accepting the implied covenant that you would pay for it and I won’t have to. An example of a written covenant is that if I wish to give you my car, I must go to the court house and fill out the necessary paper work. If you accept, you also accept the burden of paying the future taxes on the car.

As I understand it, The ordinance of baptism functions like that paper work in the courthouse. It is the formality of giving our sins to the Saviour. For us the meaning of the contract is that our sins may go into remission. It evokes the blessings of the atonement to put the sins in remission. The word initially meant a diminution of force or effect, a slackening of energy— like putting cancer in remission— and therefore making the sins inoperative. -The Saviour accepts the burden of the sins so that it will not weight us down as we seek to turn our lives around. “Repent” literally means to turn around and go the other way. To use the example above: repentance not only means that we stop telling falsehoods, but also to begin telling the truth and testify of it.

Repentance is giving one’s sins to the Saviour. The ordinance of baptism is literally a transfer of ownership.

Repentance is a maturation process. It requires persistence, refining, and re-refining. It requires both the gift of the atonement, and a knowing response on our part to the tutoring of the Holy Ghost. The Spirit teaches us how to repent and it cleanses us from those sins, then teaches us more and cleanses, and teaches and cleanses, ad infinitum. Thus, by the Spirit, our spirits are refined. As Moroni explained,

And after they had been received unto baptism, and were wrought upon and cleansed by the power of the Holy Ghost… (Moroni 6:4)

That principle is taught to us weekly in the covenant of these words:

O God, the Eternal Father, we ask thee in the name of thy Son, Jesus Christ, to bless and sanctify this bread to the souls of all those who partake of it, that they may eat inremembrance of the body of thy Son, and witness unto thee, O God, the Eternal Father, that they are willing to take upon them the name of thy Son, and [willing to] always remember him and [willing to] keep his commandments which he has given them; that [to the end that:] they may always have his Spirit to be with them. Amen. (D&C 20:77 bold added)

Being thus committed by covenant, our cleansing is again renewed by water that represents the Saviour’s blood— the cleansing waters of life.

O God, the Eternal Father, we ask thee in the name of thy Son, Jesus Christ, to bless and sanctify this wine to the souls of all those who drink of it, that they may do it in remembrance of the blood of thy Son, which was shed for them; that they may witness unto thee, O God, the Eternal Father, that they do always remember him, that they may have his Spirit to be with them. Amen. (D&C 20:79 bold and italics added)

I suppose that to understand this whole principle most clearly, one must simply take the Saviour at his word when he summed up it up to the Nephites. There, the first Beatitude (the one that is left out of the New Testament) might be translated into today’s terms as simply, “Blessed are those who follow the Prophet and the Brethren.” It reads,

1 …. Blessed are ye if ye shall give heed unto the words of these twelve whom I have chosen from among you to minister unto you, and to be your servants; and unto them I have given power that they may baptize you with water; and after that ye are baptized with water, behold, I will baptize you with fire and with the Holy Ghost; therefore blessed are ye if ye shall believe in me and be baptized, after that ye have seen me and know that I am.
2 And again, more blessed are they who shall believe in your words because that ye shall testify that ye have seen me, and that ye know that I am. Yea, blessed are they who shall believe in your words, and come down into the depths of humility and be baptized, for they shall be visited with fire and with the Holy Ghost, and shall receive a remission of their sins. (3 Nephi 12:1-2)

Mormon tells us almost nothing about the organization of the early Nephite church, and very little about how the church operated after the Savior came. Moroni does not tell us much more. Here he gives us only the barest of details. And even these tell us only about the policies and practices regarding the members of the church.

The first thing he tells us appears to be about their practice of rebaptisms:

1 And now I speak concerning baptism. Behold, elders, priests, and teachers were baptized; and they were not baptized save they brought forth fruit meet that they were worthy of it.
2 Neither did they receive any unto baptism save they came forth with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, and witnessed unto the church that they truly repented of all their sins.
3 And none were received unto baptism save they took upon them the name of Christ, having a determination to serve him to the end (Moroni 6:1-3).

His statement about who was baptized is most interesting. Apparently he does not mention a person’s initial baptism, but rather reports, “elders, priests, and teachers were baptized.” Since he gives no explanation, we are left to only guess about what the policies were. My guess is that there was a formal re-commitment that was validated by a rebaptism whenever someone received an advancement in the priesthood. Rebaptisms seem to have been relatively common among the Nephites, {1} and they were also frequently performed in the early LDS church. {2}

The reason baptism can be used to represent so many different milestones in our lives is that it can represent so many endings and new beginnings: Cleansing, remission of sins, burial and resurrection, born again, birth and death, entrance into the church, renewal of oneself (Romans 6:1-13; Mosiah 18:8-14; D&C 20:23-28; D&C 128:12-13; Moses 6:58-61).

The rest of what Moroni tells us about the practices in the Nephite church is almost exactly like our own. The members were given the gift of the Holy Ghost and then looked after by other church members. Moroni describes what could easily be read as home teaching and Relief Society visiting teaching.

4 And after they had been received unto baptism, and were wrought upon and cleansed by the power of the Holy Ghost, they were numbered among the people of the church of Christ; and their names were taken, that they might be remembered and nourished by the good word of God, to keep them in the right way, to keep them continually watchful unto prayer, relying alone upon the merits of Christ, who was the author and the finisher of their faith.

Doctrine and Covenants 20 places the same requirements on Latter-day Saints. For example, the duties of the Elders are:

41 And to confirm those who are baptized into the church, by the laying on of hands for the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost, according to the scriptures;
42 And to teach, expound, exhort, baptize, and watch over the church;
46 The priest’s duty is to preach, teach, expound, exhort, and baptize, and administer the sacrament, ….
47 And visit the house of each member, and exhort them to pray vocally and in secret and attend to all family duties…..
51 And visit the house of each member, exhorting them to pray vocally and in secret and attend to all family duties. ….
53 The teacher’s duty is to watch over the church always, and be with and strengthen them;
54 And see that there is no iniquity in the church, neither hardness with each other, neither lying, backbiting, nor evil speaking;
55 And see that the church meet together often, and also see that all the members do their duty (D&C 20:41-55).

Their meetings were also similar to our own. Verse 5 could easily be a description of our own fast and testimony meetings:

5 And the church did meet together oft, to fast and to pray, and to speak one with another concerning the welfare of their souls.

They, like us, met often to partake of the sacrament:

6 And they did meet together oft to partake of bread and wine, in remembrance of the Lord Jesus.

For them, as for us, membership in the church was a privilege, not a right. The privilege was earned by obedience to the laws, covenants, and commandments of the gospel. Persons who were not willing to keep the commandments were excommunicated, but, just as in the present church, if they repented they were welcomed back into full fellowship.

7 And they were strict to observe that there should be no iniquity among them; and whoso was found to commit iniquity, and three witnesses of the church did condemn them before the elders, and if they repented not, and confessed not, their names were blotted out, and they were not numbered among the people of Christ.
8 But as oft as they repented and sought forgiveness, with real intent, they were forgiven.

To Latter-day Saints who are accustomed to well structured meetings that are conducted the same way all over the world, Moroni’s description of their meetings might sound a bit chaotic, but that need not have been so. Moroni tells us:

9 And their meetings were conducted by the church after the manner of the workings of the Spirit, and by the power of the Holy Ghost; for as the power of the Holy Ghost led them whether to preach, or to exhort, or to pray, or to supplicate, or to sing, even so it was done.

The form of our meetings are now set by church policy. However, the content of our meeting is still “conducted by the church after the manner of the workings of the Spirit.”We expect that the person presiding will receive inspiration about who should speak about what, and who should pray. The speakers’ message, the selection of hymn, and the prayers are all expected to be under the inspiration of the th Holy Ghost. The Lord told the Prophet Joseph,

2 But notwithstanding those things which are written, it always has been given to the elders of my church from the beginning, and ever shall be, to conduct all meetings as they are directed and guided by the Holy Spirit (D&C 62:2).

The Church is, and has always been, a social and cultural organization whose ordinances and covenants are unchanging, but whose other policies and practices are consistent with the culture of its people. Everything that is not pure doctrine is, and has been subject to change. For example, in the Victorian Age long dresses were necessary because it was considered immoral for women to let their ankles show. Because it was equally immoral among Church members the women who crossed the plains did so in great, long skirts. Now, when culture has changed so that skirts are shorter and women can wear pants in the workplace, it is not immoral for Church members to wear short skirts and pants. Even the presentation of the temple drama has evolved along with American cultural tastes.

Even though some definitions of right and wrong, and some policies and practices may be adapted to the culture of the people, others may not. Priesthood authority is eternal, and the ordinances and covenants remain constant because they relate to, and help define our present and eternal relationships with our Heavenly Father and the Savior.

The reason to have a church organization is another of those constants. No matter what the time, place, or culture, the purposes of the church are to administer the sacred ordinances and covenants, and to bless the members and to give them opportunity to bless others, and to provide a social and sub-cultural bulwark to sustain the righteous. Those were the reasons for the Nephite church, the New Testament church, and for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
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FOOTNOTES

{1} I have written two short essays about that. You can find them using the search engine. They are: “Alma 7:14-16 – the many uses of re-baptism” and “Mosiah 18:9-30, The covenants of Baptism.”

{2}The Encyclopedia of Mormonism explains:

Rebaptism is rare among Latter-day Saints in modern times. Historically, however, many members were rebaptized as an act of rededication. This was first practiced in Nauvoo and was continued in the Utah Territory. Rebaptism served as a ritual of recommitment but was not viewed as essential to salvation. Members often sought rebaptism when called to assist in colonization or to participate in one of the united orders. On some occasions, the Saints were rebaptized as they prepared for marriage or entrance into the temple. Early members also rebaptized some of the sick among them as an act of healing. Because of misuse by some Church members, all such practices of rebaptism were discontinued in 1897. (“Rebaptism” in Encyclopedia of Mormonism, 1-4 vols., edited by Daniel H. Ludlow [New York: Macmillan, 1992], 1194.)

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