3 Nephi 12

In follow up to my blog last Friday concerning my intepretation of being pure in heart, the Savior continues -

 "...it is written by them of old time, that thou shalt not commit adultery; 28 But I say unto you, that whosoever looketh on a woman, to lust after her, hath committed adultery already in his heart." (Book of Mormon | 3 Nephi 12:27 - 28)

Again, the heart suggests to our innermost desires . The Lord did not suggest that at times we do not incidently have thoughts that enter our mind, but is suggesting a "natural man" desire to lust after woman where we ponder on these things. The Savior continues -

 "...I give unto you a commandment, that ye suffer none of these things to enter into your heart..." (Book of Mormon | 3 Nephi 12:29)

Much like I blogged last Friday, our burden is to root out these desires from our heart. The natural man is an enemy to God -

 "...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, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father." (Book of Mormon | Mosiah 3:19)

 It is this this pattern that allows us to have a change of heart. One more thought somewhat related to the above, the Savior taught - :...I give unto you to be the salt of the earth; but if the salt shall lose its savor wherewith shall the earth be salted? The salt shall be thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out and to be trodden under foot of men." (Book of Mormon | 3 Nephi 12:13)

Much of the Savior's Jewish learning was the law of Moses and so he related His higher teachings to that law. Of the Mosaic law - "All the heave offerings of the holy things, which the children of Israel offer unto the LORD, have I given thee, and thy sons and thy daughters with thee, by a statute for ever: it is a covenant of salt for ever before the LORD unto thee and to thy seed with thee." (Old Testament | Numbers 18:19)

And -

 "Ought ye not to know that the LORD God of Israel gave the kingdom over Israel to David for ever, even to him and to his sons by a covenant of salt?" (Old Testament | 2 Chronicles 13:5)

Salt then was a symbol of the covenant made by Jehovah. As modern day latter-day saints, we have also made covenants. The words of the Savior to those of the Americas would not only suggest that we are to be an example to the world, but a great warning if we fail to keep our covenants we will be good for nothing and trodden under the foot of men.