GUILTY

That has to be one of the most earth-shattering words that could ever be directed at a person – especially when it is spoken by a judge.  We can almost see the defendant slump down as his or her family break out in tears.  This is magnified all the more when the guilty verdict results in the death penalty.

“Guilty” is the verdict that rang down on all of mankind from no less a judge than God himself.  “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.”  (James 2:10)  As the footnote in the LDS edition of the Bible correctly states, “offend” means to stumble or err.  The breaking of the law in consideration is not an intentional, but an unintentional one.  It is a stumble, a mistake.  But that makes no difference.  The verdict is just as devastating.  Guilty!  “Guilty of all”.  You stumble at just one point – you break it all.  God’s commandments are a unified whole.  It only takes one pinprick to burst a balloon.  It only takes one sin to break the whole law.

And it doesn’t make any difference how much good a person did before or after – the verdict “guilty” remains.  He could have been the model citizen before and the model prisoner afterwards but he remains guilty.

But what makes matters even more sobering is the realization that James is talking hypothetically.  There has been no person who just erred once.  Reality is that we stumble and err regularly.  There are so many good things we fail to do – so many sinful thoughts, words, and actions that we end up doing.  No matter how hard we try, all we can do is dig ourselves into a deeper hole. This contrast: “offend in one point – guilty of all” makes for an airtight case.  If a person’s obedience isn’t perfect – if there is just one slip – he is guilty – guilty of all.

That’s why I am so thankful that Jesus took all my guilt and became guilty in my place – and served my sentence.  That is why I am so thankful that Jesus was perfectly obedient and God credited that perfect obedience to me.  That is why, when I think of living eternally with heavenly Father the only work that I base that on is his work for me.  “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.”

Natural Man

Lesson 15 in the Gospel Doctrine’s curriculum looks at Mosiah 1-3 in the Book of Mormon.  Mosiah 3:19 talks about the natural man and how it is an enemy of God.  The teacher’s guide has one quote from McConkie’s Mormon Doctrine explaining it.  Other than that, it’s difficult to find much written about it.  The LDS Bible Dictionary contains no entry on it.  I found no specific listing of it in either of Mormonism’s basic manuals: Gospel Principles or True to the Faith.  Neither has it often been raised in my discussions with LDS members.

The one thing that is obvious about Mormonism’s view of the natural man is that, in Mormonism, it doesn’t describe a thorough corruption.  For example, Mosiah 3:16 talks about how even if little children could sin, they couldn’t be saved without Christ’s atonement because “as in Adam, or by nature, they fall.”  So even though they fell, they don’t sin.  D&C 29:47 simply says: “Wherefore, they cannot sin, for power is not given unto Satan to tempt little children, until they become accountable before me.”  According to D&C 68:27 they reach that at the age of eight.  Therefore Mormonism teaches that children don’t sin until the age of eight.  Just as an aside, spending one hour in any preschool will severely put that belief to the test!

But to the bigger point.  This teaching about children is just one illustration of Mormonism’s view that the natural man doesn’t describe a thorough corruption.  But thoroughly corrupt is how the Bible describes us by nature.  God said:  “for the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth” (Gen. 8:21).  What is so striking about that is that God said that after the Flood – when Noah and his family constituted the whole human race!  Even then God did not have an optimistic view of humanity.  Instead of talking about an innate right to choose between good and evil, he said that even a person’s inclination is evil.

Other scriptures support this. “God looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, that did seek God.  Every one of them is gone back; they are altogether become filthy; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.”  (Psalm 53:2-3.)  That is all inclusive.  None were seeking God – all have become filthy – none does good.  Wouldn’t yielding to “the enticings of the Holy Spirit” which Mosiah 3 says is the way to put off the natural man be doing something good?

Mormonism and the Bible have differing views of humanity.  Because of their different starting points, they end up in different places.  Because of its more optimistic view of humanity, Mormonism talks about grace plus.  It says that “effort is required on our part to receive the fullness of the Lord’s grace and be made worthy to dwell with Him” (True to the Faith, p. 77).  Because of its pessimistic view of man by nature, the Bible talks about grace alone based entirely on Jesus’ work for us.  “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace.”  (Ephesians 1:7).

I confess that by nature I was rotten through and through.  I confess that I was filthy in God’s sight.  I confess that I sinned against God a multitude of times before I was eight years old.  Therefore I am thankful that Jesus did everything for me.  I praise him for drowning my sins in the depths of the sea.  He completely covered me with his perfection.  I am saved by God’s grace alone.  Only because of what he did am I confident that I will spend eternity living with Heavenly Father.  To God be all the praise!

CAPTIVITY OF SIN

I recently read that during the fall of Cambodia the Communists used a simple but very effective way of controlling their prisoners as they forced them to walk through the jungle.  Using a long needle they would thread something like fish line through the palms of each of their captives.  If a prisoner lagged behind or tried escaping, the pain would be excruciating for all.

When people think of being under sin’s bondage they often think of the “big and dirty” sins like murder, adultery, addictions.  They picture sin’s bonds as heavy duty chains.  But the devil is smart.  He often controls people like those Communists in Cambodia controlled their captives – with slender threads of pride, bitterness, and the like.  One of his most common “threads” is self righteousness.  That was the thread the devil used to bind the Pharisees of Jesus’ day.

What is so devious about all this is that it’s very difficult for both the person bound and others to see that they are truly captives. Often nothing looks amiss.  Things look good.  So much so that the captive doesn’t even try to escape and thus doesn’t feel much pain.  Life is not that bad.  But whether their bonds are seen or not, they are captives of sin and are walking on the broad way that leads to destruction.

They too need to be rescued.  That is what Jesus did.  He came and defeated the devil.  He broke sin’s power.  He cut the bonds enslaving us.  “Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part the same, that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.” (Hebrews 2: 14-15)

It is my prayer that everybody sees that all sins – even the nearly invisible ones – are deadly. That they not only see them, but then see that in Jesus and in him alone, is deliverance.

Blessings from the Fall?

This Sunday, the Gospel Doctrine classes throughout the LDS Church will be studying the first two chapters of 2 Nephi in the Book of Mormon.  Among other things, these chapters contain the basis for Mormonism’s teaching that great blessings resulted from Adam and Eve’s fall into sin.  The key verses are 2 Nephi 2:22-25.

“And now, behold, if Adam had not transgressed he would not have fallen, but he would have remained in the garden of Eden. And all things which were created must have remained in the same state in which they were after they were created; and they must have remained forever, and had no end.  23 And they would have had no children; wherefore they would have remained in a state of innocence, having no joy, for they knew no misery; doing no good, for they knew no sin.  24 But behold, all things have been done in the wisdom of him who knoweth all things. 25 Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy.”

I will just highlight a few things from these verses that reveal just how differently Mormonism looks at the fall.  In verse 23 it said that they would not have fallen into sin, they would have had no children.  Gospel Principles states, in regard to this verse:  “When Adam and Eve were placed in the Garden of Eden, they were not yet mortal.  In this state, ‘they would have no children’ (2 Nephi 2:23).” (p. 28). It expands the definition of “mortal” to include the inability to have children – something no dictionary I know of includes.  Along those lines is this interesting comment made in the LDS Bible Dictionary.  “Before the fall, Adam and Eve had physical bodies but no blood.” (p.670). None of this, however, is supported by the Bible.

Also in verse 23 it said that if they would have stayed in their state of innocence they would have no joy.  Really?  They lived in paradise – they were perfectly created by God – they had unhindered communion with God – and they had no joy?  They also, according to verse 23, were “doing no good”.  Again, really?

Probably the most widely quoted verse in this section is verse 25.  “Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy.”  This is how Gospel Principles explains this.  “Some people believe Adam and Eve committed a serious sin when they ate of the tree of knowledge of good and evil.  However, latter-day scriptures help us understand that their Fall was a necessary step in the plan of life and a great blessing to all of us.  Because of the Fall, we are blessed with physical bodies, the right to choose between good and evil, and the opportunity to gain eternal life.  None of these privileges would have been ours had Adam and Eve remained in the garden.” (p.29)

This then is just another in a long string of examples illustrating how vastly different Mormonism is from Christianity. There is no Christian church that teaches any of the above.  There is no Christian church that talks about blessings – great blessings – stemming from the fall.  They don’t do that because that is not what the Bible says.  Throughout the Bible, Adam’s and Eve’s fall into sin is described as a great tragedy.  “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men for that all have sinned.” (Romans 5:12) Period.

But thank God that he didn’t stop there.  “Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.”  (Romans 5:18)  Thank God that he sent Jesus to be obedient and righteous for us.  The fall didn’t bring joy.  It only brought sin, sorrow, and death.  Jesus is the one who brought us joy and eternal life.

Seeing the fall for what it really was – a tremendous tragedy – helps us appreciate Jesus and what he did for us all the more.

A Heart Free of Enmity?

 

This coming Sunday, chapter two of the Teachings of George Albert Smith will be studied throughout the LDS Church.  This chapter is entitled, “Love Thy Neighbor As Thyself”.  There are a number of things that struck me as I read that chapter but the two I would like to focus on are two quotes from President Smith.  On p. 11 he is quoted as saying, “I do not have an enemy that I know of, and there is no one in the world that I have any enmity towards.”    Then a few pages later we read this quote:  “I have only good will in my heart for mankind.  I haven’t any animosity in my heart toward any living human being.” (p. 16)

Even making these more striking is seeing when President Smith spoke them – especially the second quote.  He said that during General Conference in April, 1946.  World War II had ended only the year before.  Especially pertinent is the fact that from November 1945 to October 1946 numerous major Nazi figures were on trial in Nuremberg for war crimes.  Almost daily there was new evidence of their atrocities – evidence that filled the newspapers.  Placing President Smith’s statement that he didn’t have any animosity in his heart toward any living human being against that background makes it even more startling.

I don’t know about you, but I could never make that claim.  It’s not good will that fills my heart when someone cuts me off on the freeway.  When I hear about people abusing children, my heart is not filled with good will.  I have to admit that people don’t even have to give me a good reason for me to think ill of them.  I frequently do that unfairly.  They didn’t do anything to me but because I was in a bad mood or had a bad day, I lash out at them.  There is no way that I can identify with President Smith’s statements.

That’s why I am so thankful that Jesus has not only washed all my sins away but that he also kept the law perfectly for me.  Because I could never keep one commandment perfectly.  And nobody, not even the president of the LDS Church, can do that.  What’s more, nobody, not even the president of the LDS Church, can ever get to the point in this life of doing that.  Until the day we die we all will sin – in a great variety of ways.

But what is tragic is that this chapter doesn’t even mention God’s forgiveness of our sins in Christ.  Neither does it mention that Jesus is our righteousness.  All it does is hold up statements like the above as examples to follow.  Or talks about rewards to be earned.  “When our life is ended and we return home, we will find credited to us there every good act we have performed, every kindness we have done, every effort we have put forth to benefit our fellows.” (p. 18)

“He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 1:31)

Christmas is proof of God’s commitment

 

There are so many different ways to view Christmas.  And I’m not considering all the totally false views that place Santa or something else at the center of it.  I’m talking about the many different ways that we can correctly view it, keeping Christ at its center.  Even when we do that we can view it from many different angles because it has so many different facets.

One angle that I like viewing it from is the perspective of God keeping his commitment to the human race.  It’s totally mind-boggling that he would do that – considering how mankind had treated him.  Just think of it.  God had created Adam and Eve perfectly and gave them a perfect home to live in.  In response, what did they do?  They disobeyed his direct command not to eat from the tree.  Their disobedience had horrendous consequences:  not only for them but for the entire human race.  Paul put it this way:  “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.” (Romans 5:12)  Although created perfect, Adam and Eve became repulsive sinners and passed that repulsive nature on to all their ancestors.

What would you have done if you were God?  What do you do when something you created is ruined?  Although the analogy limps, think of how you would react to an employee that daily trashes your name and constantly works against you and your purposes.  I don’t think any of us would keep him around very long.  But that is nothing to what the human race did to God.  “They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.” (Romans 3:12)  It is truly amazing that God didn’t wipe humans off the face of the earth.

Instead, for thousands of years, he gave them promise after promise of a rescuer.  And at Christmas he sent that rescuer.  That is mind-boggling – not only because of how the human race had treated him but also because of what it cost him.  Only God himself, in the person of the Son of God, could serve as the rescuer for all people.  Therefore the Son humbled himself “and made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was make in the likeness of men.”  (Philippians 2:7)  He willingly placed himself under the law to keep it perfectly for us.  And that is what he did for 33 years.  Then he “redeemed us from the curse of law, being made a curse for us; for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree.” (Galatians 3:13)

As our rescuer, Jesus led the perfect life we could never and gave us the credit for it.  He then became the sacrifice for all our sins and paid for them all on the cross.  It was for those reasons, and those reasons alone, that he was born.  Christmas is when God put his rescue plan for us into action.  Even though we didn’t deserve it, God did it.  He did it because that was his commitment to us.

The best way to praise and honor him for that is to give him ALL the credit for your salvation and eternal life.  He deserves nothing less – for he did it

Fully converted

At the last General Conference, in one of his talks, President Henry B. Eyring of the First Presidency, talked about meeting an elderly man.  After describing the meeting he remarks:  “He was an example of the fully converted Latter-day Saints I meet often after they have given a life of dedicated service.  They press on.  President Marion G. Romney described it this way: ‘In one who is wholly converted, desire for things [contrary] to the gospel of Jesus Christ has actually died, and substituted therefor is a love of God with a fixed and controlling determination to keep his commandments.’” (Ensign, Nov, 2011, p. 70, emphasis added)

Note the two things I emphasized in that quote.  First he says he meets such people often.  In other words, according to him, a fully converted person is not that rare.  And secondly, one of the main characteristics of who is wholly converted is that the “desire for things contrary to the gospel of Jesus Christ has actually died”.

Really?  Such a person never again has a sinful desire?  Not one sniff of sinful anger or revenge?  Not one self-centered or selfish yearning?  Not one twinge of lust or greed?  Not one moment of doubt or worry?  No trace of apathy?

This is a condition not even claimed by biblical prophets.  When the prophet Isaiah saw a vision of the Lord he exclaimed:  “Woe is me!  for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips.” (Isaiah 6:5)  This is something not even claimed by the Lord’s apostles.  Paul lamented:  “For the good that I would I do not; but the evil which I would not, that I do.”  (Romans 7:19).  But President Eyring says he meets such people often!

There has been only one person who, at the time of his death, had no sinful desires.  That person was Jesus.  That is why his death was an acceptable sacrifice for sin.  And that is why his death was a necessary sacrifice for sin.  For absolutely everybody else continues to have sinful desires until the day of his or her death.  And that is why whoever is saved is saved entirely on what Jesus has done and not, in any way, in what they do.  To Jesus, and to Jesus alone, be the glory.