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9 - 15 Mar - Learn With Joy and Not With Sorrow - Jacob 1 - 4

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...
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Helaman 4 - Among Those Also Who Professed to Belong to the Church of God


Helaman chapter 4 offers a cautionary tale of the perils that await those who place pride and worldliness above keeping the commandments of God. Helaman explains that "there were many dissensions in the church" that predicated the military defeat of the Nephites. These were not garden-variety contentions conflicts among members of the the church, but deep divisions "insomuch that there was much bloodshed" (Helaman 4:1). In every congregation of the church gossip, criticism, and tensions are sure to be found, which are seeds of pride with toxic potential to be sure, but I take some comfort in knowing that these seldom result in violence, let alone death. There are many who may leave the church, abandon it's teachings, and even challenge the church as an institution, but I have never seen this animosity reach the levels experienced by the Nephites at this time. The dissenters from the church defected to the Lamanites and returned to attack their former people. 

 The Lamanites and Nephite detractors "succeeded in obtaining possession of the land of Zarahemla [the Nephite capital]; yea, and also all the lands, even unto the land which was near the land Bountiful" (Helaman 4:5). Usually when I read the scriptures the events that unfold seem distant and inevitable. It helps me to imagine similar events in a contemporary context to appreciate how dire the circumstances of the Nephites were. This period in Nephite society was plagued by war with the Lamanites and intense religious and political divisions. The Nephites faced an existential crisis in which they realized that their extinction as a people and a nation was feasible. Perhaps what is most disheartening about their story is that it was all avoidable. "Now this great loss of the Nephites, and the great slaughter which was among them, would not have happened had it not been for their wickedness and their abomination which was among them; yea, and it was among those also who professed to belong to the church of God" (Helaman 4:11)

 Righteousness alone cannot prevent bad things from happening in this life. We learn in Matthew 5:45 that the Lord "maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust." That said, there are also examples in the scriptures of when a few righteous members of society forestalled its destruction, as when Abraham prayed for Sodom (Genesis 18). Regardless of our earthly circumstances, we are ennobled, those around us are blessed, and nations are preserved when we strive to do what God would have us do. As a counterexample, Helaman offered a list of vices that were directly tied to the downfall of the Nephites (Helaman 4:12):

  • the pride of their hearts, because of their exceeding riches
  • their oppression to the poor
  • withholding their food from the hungry
  • withholding their clothing from the naked
  • smiting their humble brethren upon the cheek
  • making a mock of that which was sacred
  • denying the spirit of prophecy and of revelation
  • murdering
  • plundering
  • lying
  • stealing
  • committing adultery
  • rising up in great contentions
  • deserting away ... among the Lamanites

Before listing grave sins like murder and adultery, Helaman emphasizes the corrosiveness of pride and failure to care for the temporal needs of the less-fortunate members of society. "And because of this their great wickedness, and their boastings in their own strength, they were left in their own strength" (Helaman 4:13). All of us are susceptible to pride, but we are also all capable of resisting it. 


 Application Questions

 What more can I do this week to help the poor and the needy?

 Who are the most difficult people I interact with at church, at work, at school, or at home? How can I love them more unconditionally?

 How does pride manifest itself in my life and what can I do about it?

 What negative consequences have I experienced from a lack of obedience?
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