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
When Jesus spoke to His disciples on a hill, He outlined attributes and conditions that we should aspire to if we hope to be followers of Christ, and each attribute was paired with a promised blessing. The Sermon on the Mount is one of the most familiar passages in the New Testament, but for that reason I have tended to gloss over the meaning and significance of each of the attributes listed. What does it mean to be "poor in spirit?" Why would God want us to mourn? How is it fair that being merciful secures mercy for ourselves?
The Poor in Spirit
Christ taught, "Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 5:3). Being poor in spirit is one of the key requirements to return to God's presence, but what does it mean to be poor in spirit, and how can I develop that characteristic? The people of King Benjamin recorded in the Book of Mormon were "poor in spirit" after they heard the teachings of King Benjamin. They deeply humbled themselves before God and fell to the ground because "they had viewed themselves in their own carnal state, even less than the dust of the earth" (Mosiah 4:2).
To say that being "poor in spirit" is to be humble would likely be an oversimplification, but it clearly has something to do with recognizing the greatness of God, and recognizing our own fallen and imperfect nature. But how can we acknowledge our own nothingness before God and keep our sense of hope and self in tact? How can we reconcile the fact that we are less than the dust of the earth with the fact that we are literal spirit children of God with infinite worth and divine potential?
When Jesus delivered the sermon on the mount to his followers on the American continent, we worded this phrase slightly differently. He said, "blessed are the poor in spirit who come unto me, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" (3 Nephi 12:3). While we will be blessed by humbling ourselves and acknowledging the gap that exists between us and God, we can and must overcome that gap by coming unto Christ and relying on His grace and mercy.
They that Mourn
"Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted" (Matthew 5:4). As with the other attributes listed in the Sermon on the Mount, this instruction comes with a specifically paired blessing. I can't tell if Jesus is implying that it is good to mourn and instructing us to do so, or if he is merely promising that the heartache and disappointment of this world will all be recompensed by the power of His atonement, or both. I choose to interpret this paradox in Christ's blessing on those who mourn as both a promise to heal our heartache, and an invitation to experience Godly sorrow.
A Promise
Part of Christ's redeeming mission as the Savior is to banish sorrow. Job's friends correctly testified that God will do "marvellous things without number: Who giveth rain upon the earth, and sendeth waters upon the fields: To set up on high those that be low; that those which mourn may be exalted to safety" (Job 5:9-11). Isaiah testified that at the coming of the Messiah "Thy sun shall no more go down; neither shall thy moon withdraw itself: for the Lord shall be thine everlasting light, and the days of thy mourning shall be ended" (Isaiah 60:20). Speaking Messianically, Isaiah also proclaimed "he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn" (Isaiah 61:1-2). Jeremiah made similar prophesies that the Lord "will turn their mourning into joy, and will comfort them, and make them rejoice from their sorrow" (Jeremiah 31:13). Modern prophet Joseph Smith echoed this assurance that "all they who have mourned shall be comforted. And all they who have given their lives for my name shall be crowned" (D&C 101:13-15).
Mourning is an inevitable part of our mortal condition, and we can meet times of mourning with confidence and hope that every emotional and spiritual wound we suffer in mortality will ultimately be bound up and comforted by the Savior.
An Invitation
Not only is mourning inevitable in mortality, it can be a healthy and ennobling emotion that we should seek out. Solomon taught in Ecclesiastes that there is "a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance" (Ecclesiastes 3:4). Christ, our perfect example, experienced such a time when His friend Lazarus passed away; moments before He raised him from the dead, "Jesus wept" (John 11:35). An arguably perfect prophet, Enoch, "when [he] heard the earth mourn, he wept, and cried unto the Lord, saying: O Lord, wilt thou not have compassion upon the earth? Wilt thou not bless the children of Noah?" (Moses 7:49). In Jacob's extended allegory of a vineyard we read that “the Lord of the vineyard wept, and said unto the servant: What could I have done more for my vineyard?" (Jacob 5:41). The ability to mourning is not a feature of our fallen world, but a divine attribute that is part of the eternal nature of God. Even in a perfect exalted state after this life, we will still mourn, but our mourning will be inspired by concern and directed toward the needs of others.
Mourning is a commandment that is part of our baptismal covenant. When we are baptized we promise to be "willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort" (Mosiah 18:9). In modern times God has drawn a connection between mourning and fasting as a way to entreat the guidance and revelation from God: "And for this cause I gave unto you a commandment that you should call your solemn assembly, that your fastings and your mourning might come up into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth" (D&D 95:7).
Lastly, righteous mourning can motivate us to improve ourselves and to serve others. We mourn when we recognize the gap between our circumstances and a perfect ideal. When divinely inspired, this awareness leads to hope and energy for positive change "For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death" (2 Corinthians 7:10).
The Meek
"Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth" (Matthew 5:5). The Guide to the Scriptures defines meek as "godfearing, righteous, humble, teachable, and patient under suffering. The meek are willing to follow gospel teachings." This seems like a very broad definition, but ultimately all of these attributes have to do with submitting to the will of the Father. While being poor in spirit implies a recognition that we are nothing in comparison to the glory of God, meekness is a willingness to heed His will, even at great personal cost. Meekness, a willingness to submit to the will of the Father, is perhaps Christ's most important and defining attribute, and He invites us to do the same: "Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls" (Matthew 11:29). Meekness is associated with being "lowly in heart" again in Moroni, and identified as a key to developing charity "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" (Moroni 7:44). When we submit to God's will, we become like Him, filled with charity, and are adopted as His sons and daughters to inherit all that He has.
They Which Do Hunger and Thirst After Righteousness
"Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled" (Matthew 5:6). I love food analogies and think that our temporal bodies are one of our most powerful metaphors for understanding our spirits and our spiritual lives. Our bodies need constant nourishment, grow stronger with exercise, grow fatigued with over exertion, and are influenced by the things we ingest. Christ teaches that we should not only seek good things, but the pursuit of righteousness should be pursued as an existential endeavor, with an understanding that we will spiritually perish if we are unsuccessful in living righteously.
The record of Christ's ministry to the people of the Americas in 3 Nephi 12:6 clarifies that those who hunger and thirst after righteousness shall be filled "with the Holy Ghost." Being righteous may not necessarily pay world dividends or assure that our temporal needs are met. Instead, it comes with the promise of the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost is the lifeblood of our spiritual lives, and our only means of truly knowing, feeling, or changing. The Holy Ghost gives us new life through the process of the Baptism by Fire in which our spirits are sanctified and changed.
The Merciful
"Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy"(Matthew 5:7). Here God is not talking about exercising a double standard of justice at the time of judgment in which those who are nice to others get off easy. I think what this promise from the Savior is getting at is that mercy is a divine attribute, and those who develop this divine attribute will have their natures changed to become more like God. Because of their changed natures, they will be able to stand with confidence before God, having already received the mercy of Christ's atonement in their lives to be cleansed and forgiven. We should show mercy because it is how God is, and how it will transform us, not because it will reduce our sin liability like a tax credit at the final judgment.
The Pure in Heart
"Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God" (Matthew 5:8). This statement is true in the present and the future tense. The pure in heart see God's goodness in the experiences of every day and in all the details of the world around them. Because they are virtuous an upstanding they are less burdened with the remorse and worry that sin can bring. They are confident in the face of the worlds evils, calamities and imperfections. Ultimately, this teaching of the Savior is a promise that as we develop sincere intentions and virtuous desires we will have the privilege of being reunited with our Heavenly Father and to dwell with Him eternally.
The Peacemakers
"Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God" (Matthew 5:9). I'm curious to know by whom "they shall be called the children of God." Peacemakers may not always enjoy praise or acclamation in this life. Some who try to make peace may be criticized, steam-rolled, or perceived as weak. This may be especially true when we consider the definition of a peacemaker offered by the Guide to the Scriptures that "a peacemaker may also be someone who proclaims the gospel," those who have or are still "publishing peace" (Mosiah 15:11–18). The reward for being a peacemaker is not that others will recognize us as such, but that God will claim us as His own. We will be adopted into His kingdom.
They Which Are Persecuted for Righteousness’ Sake
"Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you,and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you" (Matthew 5:10-12).
Franklin D. Roosevelt is often credited with coining the phrase "I ask you to judge me by the enemies I have made." I love the implication that defending and investing deeply in your values is guaranteed to draw criticism and opposition. The more vehemently you push against the powers of evil, the more forcefully evil will push back. To me this promise is not only intended to comfort those who are criticized or persecuted for doing the right thing, but an instruction to go out and get your hands dirty in the defense of truth. If everyone likes me, I am probably not showing up fully as myself or sufficiently investing in causes that matter.
This is not to say that Christ is telling me to draw fire or take a combative approach. It is fitting that the instruction He gives that immediately precedes this is about being a peacemaker. Christ was unambiguous in teaching His followers to endure unjust abuse and bless and serve their enemies. The assurance Christ offers in the beatitudes should empower us to simultaneously strike out in the defense of truth, and endure injustice with curiosity and serenity.
Image Credit: Sermon on the Mount, Henrik Olrik
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