Jacob 1 - That We Might Persuade Them to Come Unto Christ I'm taking an online economics class right now, which prompted me to think of the definition of economics in the context of the scriptures. Economics is the study of the allocation of scarce resources. In the case of Nephi and his successor Jacob, the plates upon which they engraved their record was a scarce resource. They were costly to make and difficult to engrave, and instilling a tradition of passing them through generations was surely cumbersome. Recognizing the great importance of spiritual things and the challenge of maintaining records, Nephi instructed Jacob to prioritize religious instruction saying, " if there were preaching which was sacred, or revelation which was great, or prophesying, that I should engraven the heads of them upon these plates, and touch upon them as much as it were possible, for Christ’s sake, and for the sake of our people" (Jacob 1:4). This priority was not only reflecte
Amulek summarized the teachings of Alma reminding the people that "he hath spoken somewhat unto you to prepare your minds; yea, and he hath exhorted you unto faith and to patience—Yea, even that ye would have so much faith as even to plant the word in your hearts, that ye may try the experiment of its goodness" (Alma 34:3-4).
An Infinite and Eternal Sacrifice
"For it is expedient that an atonement should be made; for according to the great plan of the Eternal God there must be an atonement made, or else all mankind must unavoidably perish; yea, all are hardened; yea, all are fallen and are lost, and must perish except it be through the atonement" (Alma 34:9). None of us has merit before God to hope for eternal life without the divine assistance of the atonement. Isaiah said it this way, "All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all" (Isaiah 53:6). Humbly acknowledging our sinful nature and nothingness before God allows us to rely on His merits and mercy, and avoid prideful judgements of others who seem to have wandered further than we have. While our sins may differ in severity and frequency, they are equally disqualifying without the Savior's intervention.
Regarding the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, Amulek stressed that "it must be an infinite and eternal sacrifice," meaning it must cover all things and endure for all time (Alma 34:10). The atonement is infinite because its power circumscribes all the effects of the fall of man, every sinful thought and deed, and every pain and disappointment. As Amulek explained, "there can be nothing which is short of an infinite atonement which will suffice for the sins of the world" (Alma 34:12). One of Satan's key tactics in undermining righteousness and derailing repentant hearts is to deny this truth. Satan would have us believe that it is too late, that it is too hard, that we have wandered too far, and that we are unworthy of God's mercy and love. A clear understanding of the nature and power of the atonement, on the other hand, is enabling and motivating. It banishes despair and fills us with hope. I know that through the power of Jesus Christ, we can overcome all things. As Isaiah taught, the power of the atonement to heal us is an obviously and logical matter of course, and God would reason with us to affirm this truth. "Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool" (Isaiah 1:18).
The Bowels of Mercy
Christ's perfect life and sacrifice qualified Him to stand between us as the full brunt of the law. Without his intervention, God could not extend mercy and would have to exact just punishment for our sins. As Amulek explained that remains the case for the unrepentant, for "he that exercises no faith unto repentance is exposed to the whole law of the demands of justice" (Alma 34:16). The atonement paved the way for our forgiveness, "this being the intent of this last sacrifice, to bring about the bowels of mercy, which overpowereth justice, and bringeth about means unto men that they may have faith unto repentance" (Alma 34:15)
Only because the atonement secured this mercy are we truly free to choose. "And the Messiah cometh in the fulness of time, that he may redeem the children of men from the fall. And because that they are redeemed from the fall they have become free forever, knowing good from evil; to act for themselves and not to be acted upon, save it be by the punishment of the law at the great and last day, according to the commandments which God hath given" (2 Nephi 2:26). Agency is different than free will. Long before we ever came to this earth we had the ability to choose for ourselves, and we chose to follow Christ and the Plan of Salvation. But agency is the ability to choose eternal life, wrought by the Atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ. It is the "means" that Amulek spoke of. Without the Atonement, the option of sin and damnation would be the only option available to us. Christ's atoning sacrifice balanced out and expanded our range of possibilities to include Celestial glory and eternal life. Without the Atonement we could not act in faith to repent, but would be acted upon or bound by the power of Satan. When we sin we may be using our divinely ordained free will, but we are not exercising agency.
Let Your Hearts Be Full, Drawn out in Prayer
Alma 34:20-25 provides a long list of appropriate topics to include to our prayers such as our livelihood, our families, our efforts to avoid sin, and attempts to overcome our enemies. As I have reflected on my own prayers lately, I have found room for improvement. The list of things I express gratitude for has become repetitive, and that issues I ask for help with can be transactional, temporal, and uninspired. Amulek's teaching perfectly summarizes the improvements I would like to make in my prayers. "But this is not all; ye must pour out your souls in your closets, and your secret places, and in your wilderness. Yea, and when you do not cry unto the Lord, let your hearts be full, drawn out in prayer unto him continually for your welfare, and also for the welfare of those who are around you" (Alma 34:26-27). For me, the most useful way to invite the Spirit into my prayers and have meaningful communication with my Heavenly Father is to ask questions that matter and focus on what God would have me say and do. Asking Him to "please bless that I'll have a good day" is not a bad thing to pray for, but does not carry the same power as "please help me know what I can do today to encourage my child to love each other and invite the spirit into our home."
Amulek went on to emphasize the importance of charitable action in conjunction with prayer. "And now behold, my beloved brethren, I say unto you, do not suppose that this is all; for after ye have done all these things, if ye turn away the needy, and the naked, and visit not the sick and afflicted, and impart of your substance, if ye have, to those who stand in need—I say unto you, if ye do not any of these things, behold, your prayer is vain, and availeth you nothing, and ye are as hypocrites who do deny the faith. Therefore, if ye do not remember to be charitable, ye are as dross, which the refiners do cast out, (it being of no worth) and is trodden under foot of men." (Alma 34:28-29). Another way to infuse prayers with power is to focus them on your efforts to serve others. It is easy my my prayers to become self-focused and dwell on questions about what I should do to advance professionally, make sound financial decisions, or progress academically. Again, all worthwhile things to pray about, but less likely to invite direction from the Spirit than a sincere exploration of my personal ministry, with a implied commitment to act on inspiration.
The Time for Men to Prepare to Meet God
Recently our family went on a weekend trip to the southern coastal city of Kaohsiung, Taiwan. With four small kids in tow, it was an exhausting, but truly fun and rewarding experience. When our oldest daughter asked why we needed to hurry catch a ferry, Bren replied, "because we only have a few days in Kaohsiung and we want to see and do as much as we can." I loved this response and thought about how it applies to our life on earth, and my willingness to work hard and serve. We almost didn't go on this impromptu trip south, considering instead to stay home and just hang around the house and relax over a 5-day weekend. If we had stayed, it might have been more relaxing, but would not likely have been as fulfilling. Somehow, the belief that Kaohsiung was different and special, and that our time there was limited, emboldened me and filled me with energy to maintain a pace that I might not have otherwise maintained. The inconvenience and fatigue is forgotten, but the family memories remain. This perspective made the effort of hauling four kids on trains, taxi's, light rail, subways, and ferries bearable and totally worth it.
Similarly, realizing that our time on earth is special and limited can fuel us to make sacrifices to serve and live righteously. Amulek taught, "now is the time and the day of your salvation; and therefore, if ye will repent and harden not your hearts, immediately shall the great plan of redemption be brought about unto you. For behold, this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God; yea, behold the day of this life is the day for men to perform their labors" (Alma 34:31-32). This life will not last forever. It will become for rich and meaningful in conjunction with our efforts to live righteously, serve others, and build God's kingdom. The most important use of this time is to transform our natures through an interactive process of repentance. That is why God allows us this time on earth. As Amulek explained, "and the days of the children of men were prolonged, according to the will of God, that they might repent while in the flesh; wherefore, their state became a state of probation, and their time was lengthened, according to the commandments which the Lord God gave unto the children of men. For he gave commandment that all men must repent" (2 Nephi 2:21).
This transformative process makes us who we are. The character that we develop and the relationships we create are the most important things that we will take with us after this life, "for that same spirit which doth possess your bodies at the time that ye go out of this life, that same spirit will have power to possess your body in that eternal world" (Alma 34:34). I'm grateful for the chance to learn and grow. There is no short cut to this process and I'm thankful for God's watchful care as I continue to stumble forward. Because of the atonement of Jesus Christ, my mistakes have been and can be consecrated for me good. Touched by His hand, they are all invaluable experiences and important milestones along my path to be a better person.
Application Questions
What in your life could benefit from the healing and strengthening power of the atonement?
How can you improve your prayers to feel the spirit and receive personal revelation?
Do you like the person you are becoming? How has repentance helped you grow and become the person you are today?
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