Learning from Parables

During His ministry, Jesus often spoke in parables. It seems to me that there is something to learn from the reasons Jesus gave for using parables.  Consider the structure, rather than the parables, of Matthew 13.  Here are the elements of the chapter:

• Multitudes gathered to the sea shore to hear Jesus teach.
• Jesus tells the parable of the sower.
• He concludes with, "He who hath ears to hear, let him hear."
• The disciples ask, "Why speakest thou unto them in parables?"
• Jesus answers that He speaks in parables so that those who are ready can be taught and those who are not will hear and not understand and see and not perceive.
• He then explained the parable of the sower to the disciples.

Matthew 13 opens with many people gathering to learn from Jesus.  Many of those who hear Him teach leave without really understanding what He as said.  This is evidenced by the disciples who asked why Jesus taught in parables and what He meant.

This chapter of Matthew teaches an important pattern.  When there are things that God would like to teach, but only to those who are ready to learn, He gives those things in some symbolic form.  Jesus taught in parables.  He used symbols like bread, water, seeds, trees and flowers.  He taught on mountains, by the sea, in the synagogue, and in the temple where Israel was supposed to have been taught symbolically of their promised Messiah.

Like all symbolic teaching from the Lord, the parable is meant to be understood.  Jesus invites those who have "ears to hear" to pay attention and learn from the parable.  Parables, like all symbolic teaching, are not the plain and direct way to communicate.  Rather, they are a way to teach so that when the time is right, those who have "ears to hear" will understand.

Notice that the parable of the sower does have a specific meaning.  It is not just an opportunity to free-associate and arrive at whatever meaning we want.  Jesus was actually teaching something specific, as shown when He interpreted the parable for His disciples.  I think that the story of Jesus teaching, and interpreting, the parable of the sower is an example of a broader pattern; that it is God who gives the interpretation of the parable.  When there is symbolic teaching offered by God, it is God who will teach us the meaning.

We should consider the parable of the sower as we participate in ordinances that have significant symbolic meaning.  For example, when we partake of the sacrament are we like those who heard the parable of the sower and then left wondering what Jesus really meant?  Or, are we like the disciples who asked, in essence, "What does it mean?"  Similarly, when we attend the temple, do we ask the Lord to teach us what the symbolic representations really mean?  The Lord is speaking to us in a manner analogous to a parable when we worship in the temple.  And, it is the Lord who is trying to communicate with us.  Do we see and not perceive?  Do we hear and not understand?  Or, do we "hear the parable of the" temple symbols?

The Joy of Repentance

 Repentance is a change of the mind and the heart

that is accompanied by increased knowledge of God

and finding more joy in Jesus Christ our Redeemer

In a previous post I discussed faith in the context of various definitional statements found in the scriptures.  Once again, my goal in this post is to explore repentance in light of scriptures that define the principle.  It is interesting, though, that while the words “repent” or “repentance” are used numerous times in the scriptures, there are very few definitional statements. There are, however, uses of the word that provide us with insight into repentance. And, there is one passage that is truly definitional.

Defining Repentance

It seems appropriate to begin with the well-known invitation of John the Baptist in Matthew 3:

  1 In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea,

  2 And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

It is often noted that the footnote to the word “Repent” in the LDS version of the King James Bible indicates that the Greek word denotes a change of heart or mind, i.e. a conversion. It is also interesting to look at the Oxford English Dictionary to find a definition that is contemporaneous with the translation in the King James Bible.[1] 

Repent, v. – To feel contrition, compunction, sorrow or regret for something one has done or left undone; to change one's mind with regard to past action or conduct through dissatisfaction with it or its results.

It is clear, then, that an understanding of this second principle of the gospel begins with the idea that repentance is a type of change. It is a change of heart or mind that involves sorrow or regret for past errors.

There is a passage in the Book of Mormon, though, that provides a definitional statement about repentance that adds insight into this principle of the gospel. Alma, son of Alma, knew much about repentance and taught his son Helaman. In particular, Alma spoke of the value of the scriptures relative to repentance in Alma 37:

  8 And now, it has hitherto been wisdom in God that these things should be preserved; for behold, they have enlarged the memory of this people, yea, and convinced many of the error of their ways, and brought them to the knowledge of their God unto the salvation of their souls.

  9 Yea, I say unto you, were it not for these things that these records do contain, which are on these plates, Ammon and his brethren could not have convinced so many thousands of the Lamanites of the incorrect tradition of their fathers; yea, these records and their words brought them unto repentance; that is, they brought them to the knowledge of the Lord their God, and to rejoice in Jesus Christ their Redeemer.

In verse eight, those who become convinced of the error of their ways come “to the knowledge of their God unto the salvation of their souls.”  In verse nine, repentance is accompanied by knowledge of God and joy in Jesus Christ as Redeemer. A comparison of the structure of verses eight and nine suggests a parallel between becoming convinced of the error of our ways and repentance. Similarly, the comparison also links salvation of the soul with rejoicing in Jesus Christ our Redeemer. Here is a table that shows these parallel parts of verses 8 and 9:

convinced of the error of their ways	knowledge of their God	salvation of their souls
repentance	knowledge of the Lord their God	rejoice in Jesus Christ their Redeemer

One more important insight comes from these verses. The structure of the last sentence equates repentance with being brought “to the knowledge of the Lord their God, and to rejoice in Jesus Christ their Redeemer.”  Thus, repentance is not just any change of mind or heart about our past conduct, repentance is a change that is uniquely linked to gaining knowledge of God and rejoicing in Jesus Christ our Redeemer because He is the source of salvation of the soul.

At least four defining aspects of repentance come from the above observations:

1. Repentance is a change of heart or mind.
2. Repentance involves becoming convinced of the error of our ways.
3. Repentance is accompanied by increased knowledge of God.
4. Repentance necessarily causes us to rejoice in Jesus Christ our Redeemer.

The dictionary definitions of the word “repent” and the Greek word that is translated as “repent” are consistent with the aspects gleaned from Alma 37: 8-9. But, the dictionary definitions only really focus on the first, and most often discussed, aspect of repentance. Imagine, though, substituting all four aspects of repentance into John’s command in Matthew 3: 2.

Change your heart and your mind because you have become convinced of the error of your ways so that you may better know God and rejoice in Jesus Christ your Redeemer: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

The meaning of the verse is the same. Yet, the nuances of the expanded verse are powerful. John is asking the listener to rethink their past views of right and wrong, their past conduct, and their past understanding of the Lord’s will. The change that John is inviting in the listener is specifically the change that will cause a person to better know God and to find greater joy in Jesus Christ as the Redeemer. This invitation is all the more urgent because the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

A similar substitution can be made in any verse of scripture that uses the word “repent.”  When these four aspects of repentance are kept in mind many, many verses take on a richer and more powerful meaning.

Why Repentance?

Having determined four defining aspects of repentance, it is important to consider the circumstances in life that make repentance necessary. In Moses 6 we learn of the condition of all people ever born into mortality. Starting with verse 48:

  48 And he said unto them: Because that Adam fell, we are; and by his fall came death; and we are made partakers of misery and woe.

Adam, having fallen, was instructed about the role of repentance in God’s plan.

  52 And [God] also said unto [Adam]: If thou wilt turn unto me, and hearken unto my voice, and believe, and repent of all thy transgressions, and be baptized, even in water, in the name of mine Only Begotten Son, who is full of grace and truth, which is Jesus Christ, the only name which shall be given under heaven, whereby salvation shall come unto the children of men, ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, asking all things in his name, and whatsoever ye shall ask, it shall be given you.

Adam asked for further information and was taught about the role of the Savior in overcoming the consequences of Adam’s transgression.

 53 And our father Adam spake unto the Lord, and said: Why is it that men must repent and be baptized in water? And the Lord said unto Adam: Behold I have forgiven thee thy transgression in the Garden of Eden.

  54 Hence came the saying abroad among the people, that the Son of God hath atoned for original guilt, wherein the sins of the parents cannot be answered upon the heads of the children, for they are whole from the foundation of the world.

Finally, Moses 6 contains instruction to Adam about the importance of repentance for all of Adam’s children.

  55 And the Lord spake unto Adam, saying: Inasmuch as thy children are conceived in sin, even so when they begin to grow up, sin conceiveth in their hearts, and they taste the bitter, that they may know to prize the good.

  56 And it is given unto them to know good from evil; wherefore they are agents unto themselves, and I have given unto you another law and commandment.

  57 Wherefore teach it unto your children, that all men, everywhere, must repent, or they can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God, for no unclean thing can dwell there, or dwell in his presence; for, in the language of Adam, Man of Holiness is his name, and the name of his Only Begotten is the Son of Man, even Jesus Christ, a righteous Judge, who shall come in the meridian of time.

While we are free from responsibility for the transgression of Adam and Eve in the garden, we are all born into a world where our spirit inhabits a body that has desires, appetites and passions. We will all be subject to temptation and sin. In fact, King Benjamin in Mosiah 3 described us as being by nature, through Adam, fallen (see verse 16). He then goes on to describe us in our fallen state:

  19 For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord …

Consider the implication of this. God intended, from the beginning as part of His plan, for us to be born into mortality in a fallen state. It is inherent in mortality that we experience sin. We will sin and there is a purpose in the experience of mortality. As it said in Moses 6: 55, we are meant to taste the bitter, that we may know to prize the good. We are here to learn to prefer the good to the bitter, to prefer God to the desires, appetites and passions of the body.  For this to happen, we are meant to taste the bitter.

As an analogy, mortality and sin are kind of like God dropping us in the middle of a muddy field. We are invited to get out of the mud. But, it is inevitable that we will get mud on us as we try to get out. What we should not do, though, is drop and roll in the mud and revel in the feel of it. We should head for the edge of the field where God is waiting to wash the mud off of us. Ultimately, Jesus Christ is the only one who can wash the mud of sin off of us. We should not think of ourselves as failures just because we sin (get mud on ourselves). Sin is inevitable in life. The real question is, do we learn to prefer being clean?

Moroni also spoke of our condition in mortality. He gives us hope that the fallen condition of the “natural man” in mortality may be overcome. In Ether 12 Moroni reports the Lord’s invitation to us:

  27 And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them.

Taken together these scriptures describe the fall of Adam and Eve and our condition in mortality. And, despite their transgression, we enjoy freedom from original guilt through Jesus Christ. Yet, our condition in mortality is one of weakness as the “natural man.”  Our spirit is confronted with the desires, appetites and passions of the body. The desires of the “natural man” cause us to violate the laws that would allow us to return to the presence of God. We become unclean because of sin.

If we will humble ourselves and come unto Jesus Christ, He will do something remarkable for us. He will show us our weakness. Our weakness is that we are the “natural man” and an enemy to God. While it may not sound like a fun thing to learn of our weakness, it is actually the beginning of repentance. We come to understand that we can be reconciled to God through the atonement of Jesus Christ. We accept His invitation to change.

What a remarkable blessing it is that God intended, from the beginning, for us to taste the bitter that we might know to prize the good. He will show us our weakness so that we may have those weak things in us become strong. Jesus Christ will transform us from a natural man or woman into a man or woman of God. This will happen a little at a time as, line upon line, grace for grace, weak things are made strong through repentance; that is, through changing our mind and heart as we come to know God and rejoice in Jesus Christ our Redeemer.

The sheer joy of this process is seen in Ammon’s words in Alma 26:

  16 Therefore, let us glory, yea, we will glory in the Lord; yea, we will rejoice, for our joy is full; yea, we will praise our God forever. Behold, who can glory too much in the Lord? Yea, who can say too much of his great power, and of his mercy, and of his long-suffering towards the children of men? Behold, I say unto you, I cannot say the smallest part which I feel.

  21 And now behold, my brethren, what natural man is there that knoweth these things? I say unto you, there is none that knoweth these things, save it be the penitent.

If we truly understand repentance then we will gladly learn of our weakness. We will find greater knowledge of God and rejoice in Jesus Christ our Redeemer as we see weak things become strong through repentance. Rather than wallowing in guilt over past mistakes and haranguing ourselves as worthless and unworthy, we should celebrate the opportunity to learn and progress. God intended for us to experience the feelings and consequences of indulging the desires, appetites and passions of mortality. He does not, however, intend for us to remain in sin. He is waiting to embrace us when we choose to come to Him as we follow the sweet promptings of the Spirit.

As Ammon said, the natural man cannot know the things of God. Only the penitent can know God and rejoice in Jesus Christ our Redeemer.

How do I Know I Have Been Forgiven?

Often we wonder how to know if our sins have been forgiven. This is a matter of faith in Jesus Christ. He is very clear on this question. Remember the woman taken in adultery. The scribes and Pharisees brought her to Jesus. After the crowd dispersed in response to His invitation, "he that is without sin cast the first stone," Jesus asked the woman who was left to condemn her. Her response, in John 8: 12, was, “No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.”

This wonderful anecdote illustrates what John had already taught about Jesus in chapter 3:

  16 ¶ For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

  17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

Jesus did not come into the world to condemn us. He came into the world to save us from sin. His request is simple. Learn from the sin that we do not like the bitter consequences. Show through change that we prefer the good that comes from being clean of sin. We have his promise that if we change through repentance that He will not condemn us, our sins are forgiven, and we can look forward to everlasting life.

Remember, sin is an inevitable part of life. We do not fail just because we sin. We fail when we do not learn the lessons of sin in such a way that we come to better know God and rejoice in Jesus Christ our Redeemer.

---

[1] Oxford English Dictionary, second edition (1989). 

The Parable of the Pearl Seekers

I don't know how well this will work, but here goes my first try at writing a parable. There is a message intended. Whether this works, or not, we may never know. After all, parables are not meant to be a clear form of communication. They are meant to trigger thoughts as the reader considers what application the parable may point toward.  So, here goes ...

The Parable

Two servants were sent by their lord to find pearls.

The first servant went about his work caring for the lands and animals of his lord. He hoped that he would find pearls. On occasion he heard talk of people who had pearls and he once even met a man who had a pearl. He did not, however, obtain any pearls to bring back to his lord.

The second servant, as he traveled to the market on his lord's business, inquired as to where pearls might be found. He learned that pearls were to be found in a distant city. He studied maps to find the location of that city. After a long journey and through diligent effort this servant obtained several pearls to bring back to his lord.

When the time came to report to their lord, the first servant knocked at the door to seek entry. He was asked if he had obtained the pearls he was sent to find. He replied that he had not found any pearls and so was refused entry into the house of his lord.

The second servant then knocked at the door and was asked if he had found the pearls he was sent to find. He was able to present those pearls to his lord. The lord welcomed the second servant into his house where they supped together and the servant was given the pearls to keep.

What does it mean?

This is not like the problems at the end of a chapter in a textbook. The answer is not provided here, or at the back of the text, so to speak. But, there is a scripture that I think is relevant. The Lord taught his disciples in Matthew 7 (JST) to teach:

  12 ¶ Say unto them, Ask of God; ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. 

  13 For every one that asketh, receiveth; and he that seeketh, findeth; and unto him that knocketh, it shall be opened.

Feel free to email or to post a comment if you have thoughts you would like to discuss based upon this parable.

Know the Lord

There is a wonderful and profound prophecy in the book of Jeremiah. It is in the 31st chapter and is as follows:

  31 ¶ Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:

  32 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the Lord:

  33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.

  34 And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.

Recall the earlier history of Israel and their interaction with God. After Moses brought Israel out of Egypt, the invitation was made to Israel to enter the presence of the Lord and to know Him at Sinai. They were to prepare themselves to meet the Lord in the mountain. But when the Lord came down to meet them, the people pulled back, as described in Exodus 20:

  18 ¶ And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off.

  19 And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die.

They declined the opportunity to personally know their God and, instead, sent Moses to speak to God and deliver God’s word. Having rejected the opportunity to come into the presence of God, and after making the golden calf, Israel lost the higher priesthood and ordinances necessary to enter God’s presence. They were left to follow a law of outward observances and to be reliant on prophets, as intermediaries, to teach them of God. Still, Moses longed for a day when Israel would receive knowledge of the Lord when he said in Numbers 11: 29, “ … would God that all the Lord’s people were prophets, and that the Lord would put his spirit upon them!”

Jeremiah’s prophecy indicates that the day will come when Israel will accept the Lord’s covenant and come to know the Lord. In fact, each and every person alive will know the Lord. All will know the Lord and will know their sins have been forgiven. Imagine living among such people!  Each and every person you come in contact with would already know the Lord and have the promise of eternal life, as indicated by John 17: 3. “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.”

At a very practical level a society like this would enjoy very different interactions. There would be no need for a prophet or apostle to say, “Know the Lord” because each member of the society, from the least to the greatest, would already know the Lord. Imagine what the church might be like if everyone already knew the Lord. A Bishop would still hold the keys of certain ordinances. He would still call people to serve in the ward organization. But, he would not need to worry about building the faith of people. Rather, he could just count upon each member of his ward being willing to serve wherever needed. Similarly, a relief society president would count on not just the visiting teachers, but on all of the other sisters to see to the needs of ward members out of a pure motivation of charity. Nobody would need the recognition of a calling or visible service. All members of this society would find their satisfaction in their personal knowledge of the Lord and His acceptance of their service.

There would still be the two lines of communication discussed by Elder Oaks (“Two Lines of Communication,” General Conference, October 2010). There would still be a church line of authority to see to the running of the church, the provision of ordinances, and the official communication of revelation from heaven. And, in addition, there would be regular personal communication from heaven. Neither line would contradict nor supersede the other. Both would make the other more effective. We would have an entire society, and church, filled with the kind of people described by President Dieter Uchtdorf in the analogy he made to his favorite pen (“Pride and the Priesthood,” General Conference, October 2010).

I once owned a pen that I loved to use during my career as an airline captain. By simply turning the shaft, I could choose one of four colors. The pen did not complain when I wanted to use red ink instead of blue. It did not say to me, “I would rather not write after 10:00 p.m., in heavy fog, or at high altitudes.” The pen did not say, “Use me only for important documents, not for the daily mundane tasks.” With greatest reliability it performed every task I needed, no matter how important or insignificant. It was always ready to serve.

In a similar way we are tools in the hands of God. When our heart is in the right place, we do not complain that our assigned task is unworthy of our abilities. We gladly serve wherever we are asked. When we do this, the Lord can use us in ways beyond our understanding to accomplish His work.

I have illustrated what this organization might be like in the picture below. This society would be made up of individuals. Some of these individuals would be in callings in the church. The church could still include the First Presidency, the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, the Quorums of Seventy, Stake Presidents and all Stake auxiliary leaders, Bishops and all ward leaders, etc. Each of these would be a source of revelation for their area of responsibility. Each will serve well because of their own knowledge of the Lord and their joy being found in His service.

In addition to the church, there would be the rest of the men and women in the society. Each of these would personally know the Lord and, thus, have their own personal line of communication with God. When asked, they would serve willingly and ably in any position, great or small, in the church. When not in a calling they would serve one another in ways that would lift burdens, bring joy, create unity, etc. Each and every individual in this society would find their joy and their sense of acceptance to God through the personal line. And, when asked, would serve in the church as needed.

It is important to remember that no amount of revelation will cause us to graduate from, or move beyond, the Church of Jesus Christ. This is the place where we have the Book of Mormon, Doctrine & Covenants, Pearl of Great Price and the Bible. In addition, we have the temple and the ordinances through which the power of godliness is manifest. As we come to know the Lord, that knowledge should be manifest in how we lift and serve others. We should not become impatient with others who are in the church and still trying to find their way. The more we know of Jesus Christ, the better we should be able to teach of Him and live as an example of a believer.

Choose Your Love; Love Your Choice.

In the recent General Conference, President Thomas Monson spoke in priesthood session about marriage. He spoke of the sadness associated with canceling so many temple sealings. In this context, one particular piece of counsel struck me as quite important.  He said:

Choose a companion carefully and prayerfully; and when you are married, be fiercely loyal one to another. Priceless advice comes from a small framed plaque I once saw in the home of an uncle and aunt. It read, “Choose your love; love your choice.” There is great wisdom in those few words. Commitment in marriage is absolutely essential.

I have pondered on the principles that relate to this direction from President Monson.  There are two key principles that seem quite important.  The first is that we need to trust the priesthood power by which we are sealed in marriage.  The second is the nature of the effort required of us to be sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise.

First, trusting the Lord's promises.  We act in faith when we believe the word of God and do as He has instructed (see previous post on faith and belief for more on this).  In Moses 4, God said,

  30 For as I, the Lord God, liveth, even so my words cannot return void, for as they go forth out of my mouth they must be fulfilled.

It is truly an act of faith to trust what God has promised and live as if what He has given is already ours. In addition, we must trust the promises that come through God's servants.  As the Lord said in D&C 1,

  38 What I the Lord have spoken, I have spoken, and I excuse not myself; and though the heavens and the earth pass away, my word shall not pass away, but shall all be fulfilled, whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same.

Think about how this applies to marriage in the temple.  Many of us feel that we are guided by the Spirit as we decide who to marry.  Even if we don't feel that we sought, or received, a private witness of the Spirit before marrying in the temple, we have a promise made by a servant of God through the sealing power of the Melchizedek priesthood.  While kneeling at the alter across from one another, a servant of God seals upon us the promise of an eternal marriage.  That promise now belongs to the wife and husband who enter this covenant relationship.  It is not just a woman covenanting with a man, and a man covenanting with a woman.  It is more, even, than a man and woman agreeing to a covenant relationship to each other and toward God.  It is a covenant relationship that includes God's promise to do His part to make the eternal marriage happen.  He knows that we will stumble and struggle along the way.  But, because of the priesthood authority that seals a couple together, we can trust that God will provide the way to overcome any struggle, stumble or obstacle that a couple faces together.

Consider the detailed description of eternal marriage in D&C 132:

  19 And again, verily I say unto you, if a man marry a wife by my word, which is my law, and by the new and everlasting covenant, and it is sealed unto them by the Holy Spirit of promise, by him who is anointed, unto whom I have appointed this power and the keys of this priesthood; and it shall be said unto them—Ye shall come forth in the first resurrection; and if it be after the first resurrection, in the next resurrection; and shall inherit thrones, kingdoms, principalities, and powers, dominions, all heights and depths—then shall it be written in the Lamb’s Book of Life, that he shall commit no murder whereby to shed innocent blood, and if ye abide in my covenant, and commit no murder whereby to shed innocent blood, it shall be done unto them in all things whatsoever my servant hath put upon them, in time, and through all eternity; and shall be of full force when they are out of the world; and they shall pass by the angels, and the gods, which are set there, to their exaltation and glory in all things, as hath been sealed upon their heads, which glory shall be a fulness and a continuation of the seeds forever and ever.

What a remarkable promise!  And, it is ours through the power of the priesthood when we marry in the temple under proper authority.  It is a promise, spoken by a servant of God, that is as valid and reliable as if God had pronounced it upon us Himself.  It requires real faith and trust, though, to realize this promise.

I can't help but think of this idea in terms of my finance training.  The promises in D&C 132: 19 are like an asset on our balance sheet as soon as we make our marriage covenants.  We also have a liability on our balance sheet.  The liability is to live in such a way that the promises become realized.  When we have done and become what is necessary to be an eternally married couple, then the liability is discharged and the asset is declared ours through the Holy Spirit of Promise.  The promise of eternal marriage becomes the reality of eternal marriage!

The second principle relates to what is required of us.  There is a strong suggestion of what we must do to make the promise into a reality of eternal marriage.  In D&C 132: 19 are the words, "they shall pass by the angels, and the gods, which are set there, to their exaltation and glory in all things ... "  Compare these words to a statement made by Brigham Young:

“Your endowment is, to receive all those ordinances in the house of the Lord, which are necessary for you, after you have departed this life, to enable you to walk back to the presence of the Father, passing the angels who stand as sentinels, being enabled to give them the key words, the signs and tokens, pertaining to the holy Priesthood, and gain your eternal exaltation in spite of earth and hell” (Discourses of Brigham Young, sel. John A. Widtsoe [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1941], p. 416).

It seems that it is in keeping all the ordinances in the house of the Lord that we become prepared to realize the promises of exaltation, eternal life and, in particular, eternal marriage.  Consider some possible implications of this in marriage.

Clearly, we will need to be obedient to the word of God.  Personal worthiness is a prerequisite to all of God's offered blessings.  In addition, though, it is quite likely that sacrifice will be needed in a successful marriage.  There may be preconceptions, personal quirks, maybe even hopes or dreams that will have to be sacrificed for the good of the marriage.

Certainly, there will be repentance and forgiveness as we live in such an intimate relationship as marriage.  No other person may ever see us so clearly as when we live in marriage.  And, we will likely have to forgive much of what we see as we allow each other to repent and progress.  How grateful we should be for the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

The Law of Chastity is central to marriage.  The law, though, is much more than, "Thou shalt not commit adultery."  Chastity involves a committed, loyal, loving relationship between a man and a woman.  Living the law of Chastity brings children, service, sacrifice and experiential learning of Jesus Christ.  We learn to use creative power in the service of other of God's children.  We learn what it is like to love unconditionally, an still be rejected or mistreated.  We learn the power of repentance and forgiveness.  Chastity is essential to learning of God.

Finally, we must become consecrated in our marriage.  We must be willing to be as committed to the success of our marriage as God is.  Our promise must be as reliable as God's promise.  There must be no doubt that we will give all that we have to the success of our marriage.

When we keep the covenants made in the house of the Lord we keep our part of a covenant relationship between a husband, wife and God.  When we have proved that we will keep those covenants no matter what happens, then the Holy Spirit of Promise makes the promise, given by priesthood authority by a servant of God in the temple, into reality.

As President Monson said, "Choose a companion carefully and prayerfully; and when you are married, be fiercely loyal one to another."  And, “Choose your love; love your choice.”  The scriptures, the teachings of the prophets, and the temple show the way to trust God's promise that a marriage can be eternal.

If Two Things Exist ...

Learning is essential to following Jesus Christ.  This fact is taught in many ways in the scriptures.  For example, in D&C 88: 118 the Lord commands, “… seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom; seek learning, even by study and also by faith.”  Or, in D&C 93 wherein is described Jesus’ example of the critical importance of learning.  The testimony of John identifies this essential element of Jesus’ example:

And I, John, saw that he received not of the fulness at the first, but received grace for grace; And he received not of the fulness at first, but continued from grace to grace, until he received a fulness; And thus he was called the Son of God, because he received not of the fulness at the first.[1]

Later in this same section of scripture the Lord explains the “fulness” that He received.

And truth is knowledge of things as they are, and as they were, and as they are to come; 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; … He that keepeth his commandments receiveth truth and light, until he is glorified in truth and knoweth all things.[2]

The fulness received by Jesus Christ includes truth or, in other words, knowledge.  The Son of God set the example of continual learning.  We should base our approach to learning on His example.  In fact, there is one additional gem of insight given along with these two passages.  The Lord says,

I give unto you these sayings that you may understand and know how to worship, and know what you worship, that you may come unto the Father in my name, and in due time receive of his fulness.[3]

Learning is more than just following the example set by Jesus in His mortal life, it is the essence of worship. 

There is a pattern identified in the Lord’s revelation to Abraham.  In Abraham 3:16 the Lord says, “If two things exist, and there be one above the other, there shall be greater things above them.”  The Lord applies this to the reckoning of time on one planet compared to another with time being longer on each planet as you approach the Lord’s time.  He next applied it to the greatness of the stars with one star closer than another to the Lord until you arrive at Kolob, the closest to the Lord.  He finally applies this pattern to spirits where one is more intelligent than another with the Lord being more intelligent than them all. 

It seems that this pattern might be profitably applied to learning.  Any time we learn something we then also know that there are two levels of knowledge, i.e., the level before learning and the level after learning.  The application of the Lord’s lesson to Abraham, then, is straightforward.  It might go something like this, “If two levels of knowledge exist, and there be one above the other, there shall be greater things above them.” 

It seems that it is in the nature of people to enjoy learning, but to miss the opportunity to learn more.  An example would be those who heard the Savior say in John 10: 16, “And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.”  They failed to ask who the “other sheep” are and, thus, failed to learn of their brethren, the Nephites. (See Denver Snuffer's Blog for more on the Nephites' failure to ask about the "other sheep.")

The Savior emphasized this point when he taught the Nephites in 3 Nephi 15:

  18 And now, because of stiffneckedness and unbelief they understood not my word; therefore I was commanded to say no more of the Father concerning this thing unto them.

  19 But, verily, I say unto you that the Father hath commanded me, and I tell it unto you, that ye were separated from among them because of their iniquity; therefore it is because of their iniquity that they know not of you.

And, interestingly, there is no mention of the Nephites asking for more information about the yet other sheep the Savior told them about.

Nephi warns us of the severe consequences of learning a little and then being satisfied.  His strong warning in 2 Nephi 28 is:

  29 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!

  30 For behold, thus saith the Lord God: I will give unto 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.

The application of the pattern revealed to Abraham is clear.  Through Nephi the Lord says that, “unto him that receiveth I will give more.”  When we receive we go from one level of learning to another.  Then, as long as we don’t fall into the trap of thinking we have enough, the Lord will give us more and our level of learning becomes greater above the previous levels.  The end of continued learning is that we receive the fulness of the Father as described in D&C 76, 84, and 93, among others.

There are many ways in which we can fall into the trap of thinking, “A Bible! A Bible! I have a Bible!” as condemned by Nephi.[4]  For example, we might study a passage of scripture and have a good insight through the inspiration of the spirit.  We then have experienced the level of knowledge before, and the level of knowledge after, the inspired insight as proof that there is a level of knowledge still above what we have experienced.  Yet, it is easy to have the moment of inspiration and close the scriptures with gratitude for having learned.  We then might fail to go back for more thinking that we have learned, and that is enough.

In fact, Mormon warns of this very thing.  Mormon tells us that we have only enough of the record of Jesus’ teachings to try our faith.  In 3 Nephi 26 we have the following:

  6 And now there cannot be written in this book even a hundredth part of the things which Jesus did truly teach unto the people;

  7 But behold the plates of Nephi do contain the more part of the things which he taught the people.

  8 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.

  9 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.

  10 And if it so be that they will not believe these things, then shall the greater things be withheld from them, unto their condemnation.

  11 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.

We must believe what we have received.  The promise is explicit that there is more for us to learn.  The fact that we have not received the rest of the record is a condemnation of how we have responded to what we have.

Mormon’s admonition is not just for us as a people but also for us individually.  Concluding the record of his father, Moroni tells us that, “whoso receiveth this record, and shall not condemn it because of the imperfections which are in it, the same shall know of greater things than these” (Mormon 8:12).  The Book of Mormon is meant to lead us to greater revelation.  We need to read it as a guide.  It provides a list of “to-do” items that will lead to greater learning (M. Catherine Thomas in, “Light in the Wilderness”).

How often do we fail to learn because we are satisfied with the good things we have received through scripture study, temple attendance or great teachers?  Are we grateful for the things we learn, yet satisfied?   Should we seek for more because we have proof that there is more that the Lord wants to give us?  Remember, if we have experienced a level of knowledge before learning and a higher level of knowledge after learning then there exists yet a higher level of knowledge above those two.  That yet higher level of knowledge is the next thing to seek for as we try to approach our Father in Heaven.

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[1] Doctrine & Covenants 93: 12-14.

[2] Doctrine & Covenants 93: 24, 26, 28.

[3] Doctrine & Covenants 93: 19.

[4] See 2 Nephi 29: 3.