Scripture Blog

This weblog is my personal online scripture journal. I try to read the scriptures each morning as I exercise on my cross-trainer. It has a great impact on my life and my testimony of the Savior and his restored church. The journal is really for my own benefit but I have set it up as a web log in hopes to benefit anyone else that may be interested. "For he that diligently seeketh shall find; and the mysteries of God shall be unfolded unto them, by the power of the Holy Ghost..." 1 Nephi 10:19

Friday, November 02, 2012

Moroni 7

Moroni shares one of the great discourses in the Book of Mormon by his father.  After Mormon teaches us that evil and good can't co-exist he then teaches us how to discern good from evil saying -

"...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."  (Book of Mormon  Moroni 7:16 - 17)

And then he follows -

"...how is it possible that ye can lay hold upon every good thing?"  (Book of Mormon  Moroni 7:20)

First it is by faith in Jesus Christ and the words of His prophets -

"For behold, God knowing all things, being from everlasting to everlasting, behold, he sent angels to minister unto the children of men, to make manifest concerning the coming of Christ; and in Christ there should come every good thing.
23 And God also declared unto prophets, by his own mouth, that Christ should come.
24 And behold, there were divers ways that he did manifest things unto the children of men, which were good; and all things which are good cometh of Christ; otherwise men were fallen, and there could no good thing come unto them.
25 Wherefore, by the ministering of angels, and by every word which proceeded forth out of the mouth of God, men began to exercise faith in Christ; and thus by faith, they did lay hold upon every good thing..."  (Book of Mormon  Moroni 7:22 - 25)

Therefore, the Savior has declared -

"...Whatsoever thing ye shall ask the Father in my name, which is good, in faith believing that ye shall receive, behold, it shall be done unto you."  (Book of Mormon  Moroni 7:26)

And then Mormon asks an interesting question -

"...my beloved brethren, have miracles ceased because Christ hath ascended into heaven, and hath sat down on the right hand of God, to claim of the Father his rights of mercy which he hath upon the children of men?"  (Book of Mormon   Moroni 7:27)

And then He answers -

"...Nay; neither have angels ceased to minister unto the children of men.
30 For behold, they are subject unto him, to minister according to the word of his command, showing themselves unto them of strong faith and a firm mind in every form of godliness."  (Book of Mormon  Moroni 7:29 - 30)

I note that miracles are only shown to them of strong faith.  Even -

"...will he, so long as time shall last, or the earth shall stand, or there shall be one man upon the face thereof to be saved?"  (Book of Mormon   Moroni 7:36)

There is a another condition for faith and for miracles -

"...that ye have faith in Christ because of your meekness; for if ye have not faith in him then ye are not fit to be numbered among the people of his church."  (Book of Mormon  Moroni 7:39)

And then he teaches that hope and faith go hand in hand saying -

"Wherefore, if a man have faith he must needs have hope; for without faith there cannot be any hope."  (Book of Mormon   Moroni 7:42)

And again -

"...that he cannot have faith and hope, save he shall be meek, and lowly of heart."  (Book of Mormon  Moroni 7:43)

And finally, which seems the fruit of hope and faith is charity -

"...for none is acceptable before God, save the meek and lowly in heart; and if a man be meek and lowly in heart, and confesses by the power of the Holy Ghost that Jesus is the Christ, he must needs have charity; for if he have not charity he is nothing; wherefore he must needs have charity.
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."  (Book of Mormon  Moroni 7:44 - 47)

The conditions of obedience for the plan seem so simple - faith, hope, charity.