CHAPTER 6
PIN-POINTING OUR PRESENT CONDITION
"To him that OVERCOMETH will I grant to sit
with me in my throne, even as I also overcame and am set down with my Father
in his throne." (Revelation 3:21)
Those of you who have been in combat remember,
in the heat of battle, how easy it is to get lost. As the battle rages
sometimes the lines flow back and forth. Sometimes you can find yourself
behind enemy lines. Some have become lost while hunting in the mountains.
The weather suddenly closes in and all of the points of reference vanish.
It's a frightening experience. Fear crushes in upon you and you wonder
if you'll ever get out alive. It's frightening, but at least you know that
you're lost. As dangerous as one of these situations might be there is
one even more dangerous--to be lost and not know it. In this condition
we go merrily on our way believing, "All is well."
Listen as Nephi prophetically warns
the children of Zion.
Therefore wo be unto him that is at ease in Zion!
Wo be unto him that crieth: All is well!
Yea, wo be unto him that hearkeneth unto the PRECEPTS
OF MEN, and denieth the POWER OF GOD, and the GIFT OF THE HOLY GHOST!
(II Nephi 28:24-27)
Is Nephi talking directly to the Latter-Day
Saints? It surely sounds that way. Aren't we the ones that have the gift
of the Holy Ghost?
For what doth it profit a man if a gift is bestowed
upon him, and he receive not the gift? Behold, he rejoices not in that
which is given unto him, neither rejoices in him who is the giver of the
gift. (D&C 88:33)
Nephi continues:
And in fine, wo unto all those who tremble, and are
angry because of the truth of God! For behold, he that is built upon the
rock receiveth it with gladness; and he that is built upon a sandy foundation
trembleth lest he shall fall.
Wo be unto him that shall say: We have received
the word of God, and we need no more of the word of God, for we have enough!
(Nephi 28:28-29)
How many times have you heard the "we
have enough" doctrine?
For behold, thus saith the Lord God: I will give
to the children of men line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little
and there a little; and blessed are those who hearken unto my precepts,
and lend an ear unto my counsel, for they shall learn wisdom; FOR UNTO
HIM THAT RECEIVETH I WILL GIVE MORE: and from them that shall say, WE HAVE
ENOUGH, from them SHALL BE TAKEN AWAY EVEN THAT WHICH THEY HAVE.
Cursed is he that putteth his trust in man, or
maketh flesh his arm, or shall hearken unto the precepts of men, SAVE THEIR
PRECEPTS SHALL BE GIVEN BY THE POWER OF THE HOLY GHOST. (II Nephi 28:30-31)
Navigation is a process of determining
destination relative to our present position. Nephi has zeroed in on the
subject of our spiritual position. He doesn't want us to be lost and not
know it. However, the Book of Mormon was given to lead us to greater things.
Mormon makes this statement in III Nephi 26:6-11:
And now there cannot be written in this book
even a hundredth part of the things which Jesus did truly teach unto the
people;
But behold the plates of Nephi do contain the
more part of the things which he taught the people.
And these things have I written, which are
a lesser part of the things which he taught the people; and I have
written them to the intent that they may be brought again unto this people,
from the Gentiles, according to the words which Jesus hath spoken.
And when they shall have received this, which
is expedient that they should have first, TO TRY THEIR FAITH, and IF
it shall so be that they SHALL BELIEVE THESE THINGS, THEN SHALL THE GREATER
THINGS BE MADE MANIFEST UNTO THEM.
And if it so be that THEY WILL NOT BELIEVE
THESE THINGS, then shall the GREATER THINGS BE WITHHELD FROM THEM, UNTO
THEIR CONDEMNATION.
Behold, I was about to write them, all which were
engraven upon the plates of Nephi, BUT THE LORD FORBADE IT, saying, I
WILL TRY THE FAITH OF MY PEOPLE.
The promise was made that if the Lamanites
and Gentiles believed the Lord's teachings in the Book of Mormon, greater
things would be made manifest. Have these greater things been made manifest
unto us? Obviously not. They are still hidden from us.
Over that 160 years, six to eight generations have passed since the coming
forth of the Book of Mormon and still the Lord has not given us these greater
things. Why don't we have these greater things? The Lord has already
told us why, just five years to the day after the plates were given into
the hands of the prophet Joseph Smith for translation. Listen to His stinging
rebuke:
And your minds in times past have been darkened
because of unbelief, and because you have treated lightly the things you
have received-Which VANITY and UNBELIEF have brought the whole church under
condemnation.
And this condemnation resteth upon the children
of Zion, even all.
And they shall REMAIN UNDER THIS CONDEMNATION
UNTIL THEY REPENT AND REMEMBER THE NEW COVENANT, EVEN THE BOOK OF MORMON
AND THE FORMER COMMANDMENTS WHICH I HAVE GIVEN THEM, not only to SAY, but
to DO according to that which I have written -
That they may bring forth fruit meet for their
Father's kingdom; otherwise there REMAINETH A SCOURGE AND JUDGMENT TO BE
POURED OUT UPON THE CHILDREN OF ZION.
For shall the children of the kingdom pollute
my holy land? Verily, I say unto you, Nay. (D&C 84:54-59)
Have we treated sacred things lightly?
Are we filled with vanity and unbelief? How many have searched the Book
of Mormon deeply? Or is it just a dust covered book? Have we remained under
this condemnation? Surely. Now what of the scourge and judgments? Were
they poured out? History testifies that they were and are still being poured
out. The saints were driven from pillar to post until they finally ended
up in the valleys of the mountains. Then the government continued to harass
them for more than forty years. And what of the modern scourges and judgments?
To name them all would be impossible. Here are just a few.
Witchcraft
Erosion of freedom
Corrupt government officials
Doctorcraft
Lawyercraft
Pornography
Children disrespecting
Drugs, prescribed & Holidays instead
of elders otherwise Holy Days
Politiciancraft Priestcraft Socialism
Increasing crime
Abortion
Rampant dishonesty
Super Sundays
Divorce Permissiveness
Social Diseases
Secret combinations
Unemployment
Corruption of the Arts, Water, air
& mind
Oppression by children
Music & Literature pollution (Isaiah
3:12)
Corrupt law
Women’s liberation
AIDS
Some of these might seem humorous, but
to those who have been touched by them, I assure you that they are not
funny. Is there a family in Zion that has been left untouched?
We'll zero in on one more crippling
condemnation. Perhaps this one will really pin-point our spiritual position.
In the early days of the church, a law was given that would have forever
freed the saints from the money lenders. It is referred to as the law of
consecration. This law was designed to make us equal in temporal things.
This law was rejected by the saints. The Lord tells us why.
Behold, I say unto you, were it not for the
transgressions of my people, speaking concerning the church and not individuals,
they might have been redeemed even now.
But behold, they have not learned to be obedient
to the things which I required at their hands, but are FULL OF ALL MANNER
OF EVIL, AND DO NOT IMPART OF THEIR SUBSTANCE, AS BECOMETH SAINTS, TO THE
POOR AND AFFLICTED AMONG THEM:
And are not united according to the union required
by the law of the celestial kingdom;
And Zion cannot be built up unless it is by the
principles of the law of the celestial kingdom; otherwise I cannot receive
her unto myself. And my people must needs be chastened until THEY LEARN
OBEDIENCE, IF IT MUST NEEDS BE, BY THE THINGS WHICH THEY SUFFER. (D&C
105:2-6)
Greed and selfishness were their stumbling
blocks. They didn't have enough faith in God to share. Are we any different
today? What was the consequence or condemnation in this case?
He who is appointed to administer spiritual
things, the same is worthy of his hire, even as those who are appointed
to a stewardship to administer in temporal things;
Yea, even more abundantly, which abundance is
multiplied unto them through the manifestations of the Spirit.
Nevertheless, in your temporal things YOU SHALL
BE EQUAL, and this NOT GRUDGINGLY, otherwise THE ABUNDANCE of the MANIFESTATIONS
OF THE SPIRIT SHALL BE WITHHELD. (D&C 70:12-14)
The saints wouldn't live the law. They
were promised that if they lived the law voluntarily they would have the
abundance of the manifestations of the spirit. If they lived the law grudgingly
they would not have them. THEY CHOSE NOT TO LIVE IT AT ALL. HOW
MANY MANIFESTATIONS HAVE BEEN WITHHELD FROM US BECAUSE WE DON'T LIVE THE
LAW? HOW MANY VISIONS, DREAMS, REVELATIONS, HEALINGS, TESTIMONIES, CONVERSIONS
AND SEALINGS HAVE WE SACRIFICED ON THE ALTAR OF GREED AND SELFISHNESS?
Only the Lord knows. Some think we don't really need the manifestations
of the spirit today. But what does the Lord say?
But great and marvelous are the works of the
Lord, and the mysteries of his kingdom which he showed unto us, which surpass
all understanding in glory, and in might, and in dominion;
Which he commanded us we should not write while
we were yet in the Spirit, and are not lawful for man to utter;
Neither is man capable to make them known, for
they are only to be seen and understood by the power of the Holy Spirit,
which God bestows on those who love him, and PURIFY THEMSELVES BEFORE HIM:
To whom he grants this privilege of SEEING AND
KNOWING FOR THEMSELVES;
That through the power and manifestation of the
Spirit, WHILE IN THE FLESH, they may BE ABLE to BEAR HIS PRESENCE in the
world of glory. (D&C 76:114-118)
Now that we have made the attempt to zero
in our position Satan should be raging. He doesn't mind our being lost,
but he doesn't want us to know that we are lost. Satan's job is to spread
doubt, fear, anger and unbelief. If Satan can keep us from finding out
where we really are he can make it extremely difficult for us to get where
we think we are going. Beware of his promptings. "I don't believe that."
"I doubt it." "That couldn't be right." "I belong to the true church. That
couldn't be true." Remember what happened to the children of our first
parents.
And Adam and Eve blessed the name of God, and
they made all things known unto their sons and daughters.
And Satan came among them, saying: I am also a
son of God: and he commanded them, saying: BELIEVE IT NOT; and THEY
BELIEVED IT NOT, and they loved Satan more than God. And men began
from that time forth to be carnal, sensual, and devilish. (Moses 5:12-13)
