"Wherefore it came to pass that my father, Lehi, as he went forth prayed unto the Lord, yea, even with all his heart, in behalf of his people."
"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 truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, endureth all things." (Moroni 7: 45)
If someone is merciful are they willing to suffer long with others?
If someone is meek are they puffed up? Would they ever seek their own will?
If someone is a peacemaker can it be said of them that they are not easily provoked and that they are kind?
The Lord said that we should not allow anger to even exist in our hearts. If we follow that course are we in a state where we think no evil?
If we watch all of our thoughts as the Lord exhorted and take up our cross then are we avoiding envy and rejoicing not in iniquity?
If we allow others to exact unjust claims upon us and resist them not, if we pray for them who despitefully use us and persecute us, if we love our enemies, and if we are willing to suffer abuse for the Lord's name can it be said of us that we are willing to bear all things and endure all things?
Can it be reasonably said that a person who lives these principles rejoices in truth and believes all things the Lord declares?
Remember, because this is important, what the Lord declared concerning those who would live this way that they would be "...the children of your Father who is in heaven..." (3 Nephi 12: 45)
Mormon continued and said some very important things about the acquisition of this charity.
"Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ; that ye may become the sons of God; that when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we may have this hope; that we may be purified even as he is pure. Amen" (Moroni 7: 48)
According to Mormon, can we develop this attribute in ourselves?
Who does the Father bestow this attribute on?
How does one qualify to be a true follower of God's Son?
What is the relationship to the Father of those who receive this attribute from the Father? (remember what Christ declared about those willing to live the principles of the Sermon on the Mount and at Bountiful)
What does it mean to become sons of God or children of your Father who is in heaven?
Would Christ appear unto someone who is unlike Him?
Would Christ appear to someone who, like Himself, has become a son or daughter of God?
If a true follower of Christ has this attribute bestowed upon them, and they become like Christ, do they then have a lively hope that He will appear to them?
How does this charity purify those who have it bestowed upon them like Christ is purified when no one is capable of living a perfect sin free life like the Savior did?
We interpret what Mormon spoke, "... that when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is..." to mean that the reason Christ appears to someone who possesses charity (someone who is living the Sermon on the Mount) is because they are like Him. They are able to see Him as He truly is. They understand His character because they are living it. To a certain degree, they truly understand His infinite feelings for all of the Father's children. They can be trusted with what He has to give to them.
Whatever the Lord imparts to them, whatever He assigns them to do, they will not consume what they receive upon their lusts. They are in a state where they desire to do the will of the Lord just like the Lord desired to do the will of the Father.
In the book of Helaman chapters 7-9 we can read about one of the individuals, Nephi son of Helaman, who is one of the examples we cited, of an individual who sought to intercede for his people.
He is an individual who possesses the charity Mormon is talking about.
He is an individual who possesses the charity Mormon is talking about.
At the very beginning of chapter 7 we read the following concerning Nephi son of Helaman.
"...therefore, Nephi had bowed himself upon the tower which was in his garden, which tower was also near unto the garden gate by which led the highway. And it came to pass that there were certain men passing by and saw Nephi as he was pouring out his soul unto God upon the tower; and they ran and told the people what they had seen, and the people came together in multitudes that they might know the cause of so great mourning for the wickedness of the people. and now when Nephi arose he beheld the multitudes of people who had gathered together. And it came to pass that he opened his mouth and said unto them: Behold why have ye gathered yourselves together? That I may tell you of your iniquities? Yea, because I have got upon my tower that I might pour out my soul unto my God, because of the exceeding sorrow of my heart, which is because of your iniquities! And because of my mourning and lamentation ye have gathered yourselves together, and do marvel: yea, and ye have great need to marvel; yea, ye ought to marvel because ye are given away that the devil has got so great hold upon your hearts." (Helaman 7:10-15)
Nephi is sorrowing over the wickedness of his people. He is pouring out his soul to God because of their wickedness. He yearns for them to have soft hearts and he deeply desires that they would see that the devil has got a great hold upon their hearts.
Is there any judgement in Nephi's feelings?
Does Nephi express any condemnation for them?
Is Nephi willing to suffer long for these folks? Does he feel mercy for them?
Is Nephi showing forth fruit of one who would be a "type" of Christ who he professed to follow?
From this point in the account to chapter 10 the account describes how Nephi preached repentance and how many of those listening sought to incite the people against Nephi to try to imprison or kill him. We read of the power of the Lord in revealing to Nephi concerning a conspiracy and a murder and how the Lord revealed the culprit to Nephi.
During this event Nephi's life was on the line just like it was while he was imprisoned with his brother Lehi as described in chapter 5 of Helaman.
How is it that Nephi is able to be so fearless?
Does Nephi fear to die?
Does Nephi fear to lose his reputation or standing among the people?
Is Nephi doing his own will or seeking his own in any of this?
In chapter 10 of Helaman we read of a very important experience that takes place with Nephi.
"And it came to pass as he was thus pondering--being much cast down because of the wickedness of the people of the Nephites, their secret works of darkness, and their murderings, and their pluncerings, and all manner of iniquities--and it came to pass as he was thus pondering in his heart, behold, a voice came unto him saying: Blessed art thou, Nephi, for these things which thou hast done; for I have beheld how thou hast with unwearyingness declared the word, which I have given unto thee, unto this people. And thou hast not feared them, and hast not sought thine own life, but hast sought my will, and to keep my commandments." (Helaman 10: 3-4)
Remember in the second part of this discussion how we talked about Christ being the "Word of God" because He fulfilled the will of the Father so perfectly that to view His life was to view God's words or will in perfect action?
Is Nephi seeking to follow the same path?
The Lord continued.
"And now, because thou hast done this with such unwearyingness, behold, I will bless thee forever; and I will make thee mighty in word and in deed, in faith and in works; yea, even that all things shall be done unto thee according to thy word, for thou shalt not ask that which is contrary to my will. Behold, thou art Nephi, and I am God. Behold, I declare it unto thee in the presence of mine angels, that ye shall have power over this people, and shall smite the earth with famine, and with pestilence, and destruction, according to the wickedness of this people. Behold, I give unto you power, that whatsoever ye shall seal on earth shall be sealed in heaven; and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven; and thus shall ye have power among this people. And thus, if ye shall say unto this temple it shall be rent in twain, it shall be done. And if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou cast down and become smooth, it shall be done.And behold, if ye shall say that God shall smite this people, it shall come to pass." (Helaman 10: 5-10)
Normally we talk about men having faith in God. Here we see God having faith in a man.
God knows that He can trust Nephi with this power because, like Christ, Nephi seeks only to do the will of the Father not his own will. Nephi is filled with love for his fellow man. He desires mercy for them.
He only declares to the people that they must repent or be destroyed because he was commanded by God to declare such things. (Helaman 10: 11 - 12).
Those who possess charity are never on their own errand.
"Thy mind, O man! if thou wilt lead a soul unto salvation, must stretch as high as the utmost heavens, and search into and contemplate the darkest abyss, and the broad expanse of eternity- thou must commune with God." (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p.137)
Nephi is able to commune with God. Therefore, He is given a message from God and sent by God. The message Nephi brings is a saving and binding message because it is not his message it is God's.
Lehi, as he is offering intercession for his people, finds himself in the same position, possessing the same attributes of charity as Nephi son of Helaman.
These types of individuals become purified even as Christ is pure. We believe there are two parts to this.
1) They are freed from sin.
Alma, speaking to his son Corianton, taught the following concerning restoration.
"...the meaning of the word restoration is to bring back again evil for evil, or carnal for carnal, or devilish for devilish-good for that which is good; righteous for that which is righteous; just for that which is just; merciful for that which is merciful. Therefore, my son, see that you are merciful unto your brethren; deal justly, judge righteously, and do good continually; and if ye do all these things then shall ye receive your reward; yea, ye shall have mercy restored unto you again; ye shall have a righteous judgment restored unto you again; and ye shall have good rewarded unto you again. For that which ye send out shall return unto you again, and be restored;..." (Alma 41: 13-15)
The Prophet Joseph put it this way.
"If you do not accuse each other, God will not accuse you. If you have no accuser you will enter heaven, and if you will follow the revelations and instructions which God gives you through me, I will take you into heaven as my back load. If you will not accuse me, I will not accuse you. If you throw a cloak of charity over my sins, I will over yours - for charity covereth a multitude of sins." (DHC 4: 445)
Those who come to possess charity find it in their nature to extend mercy and do not accuse their fellow men regardless of the actions their fellow men take against them.
They qualify to be judged according to the level of judgment they have given. They have set the bar mercifully low for their brethren so the bar is set mercifully low for them.
They can have their sins forgiven because that is restoring to them what they have sent out to their fellow men.
2) Their natures become pure as His nature is pure.
King Benjamin gives us a glimpse of this.
Those who possess charity are able the see Christ as He is because they are like Him. Their natures are the same as the Lord's nature. They seek the will of the Father. They seek for mercy for all around them and indeed for the whole earth. They become chosen vessels who meekly deliver whatsoever God declares unto them to deliver. They willingly sacrifice to teach, and seek to persuade even those who would cast them out or kill them, the truth concerning God.
It is natural for them to feel so inclined to mercy.
The Prophet Joseph taught,
"The nearer we get to our heavenly Father, the more we are disposed to look with compassion on perishing souls; we feel that we want to take them upon our shoulders, and cast their sins behind our backs." (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 241)
As a type of the Lord, who in very real deed has taken all of us on His shoulders and cast our sins behind His back, those who possess this charity act to mirror, as much as they are able to in this mortal existence, His actions.
They have put themselves in a position where they can be claimed by Christ as His because they possess His same attributes.
We will see presently, by what he received, that Lehi did possess the attributes we are talking about. (" Ye shall know them by their fruits..." (3 Nephi 14: 16))
Here is a "type" of our Lord 600 years before He came into the world.
We consider it exceedingly interesting and very important that the Book of Mormon would present intercession right at the first.
How very anti-Babylon this principle of intercession is. The world wants justice. Those who are Christ's in a way defy justice; not seeking to rob justice but seeking any means to give excuse to their fellow men as Christ did to the woman taken in adultery.
As we shall presently see, this principle of intercession will bring anyone very close to God, even into His very presence.
Here is pure religion.
Surely the Book of Mormon, by what it presents to us even in the first 5 verses of the book, is a keystone that holds together the principles of the ancient religion of Adam.
Should we not follow it's teachings and rise up to receive what it has the audacity to declare we can and must receive for salvation?
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