How to know good from evil

Today's scripture mastery is found in Moroni 7:16-17.  In it, Moroni teaches us how we can tell the difference between good and evil:

16 For behold, 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.

Everybody can know for themselves what is good and what is evil--it really is as simple as Moroni teaches. . .Good can be found in many places in the earth.  There are many people and organisations that  help the sick and the needy.  There are many people that do their best to do the right thing.  They are honest, and have integrity.  We know that we don't "have the corner" on righteousness, or goodness in our church. 

In the church we are taught to seek after those things around us that are good.  In fact, one of our scriptures found the Doctrine and Covenants teaches us that we are supposed to seek after the good (D&C 88:118)

 118 And as all have not faith, seek ye diligently and teach one another words of wisdom; yea, seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom; seek learning, even by study and also by faith.

An excellent example of this is our prophet, President Monson.  He frequently quotes poems or stories that he has read from the great literature of the world.  It is not very often in a church setting that you will find someone quoting from some of these works.  A great example of that is the talk that he gave this for this past Christmas devotional.  In his talk, entitled "Because He Came", President Monson quotes from not only the scriptures, but also Charles Dicken's "A Christmas Carol", as well as "The Mansion" by Henry Van Dyke.

On the other hand though, there is much that is not good in the world. . .There is much that teaches us to do evil, and to deny Christ.  They are the things that encourage us to be mean and spiteful, or to be selfish and prideful.  They are the things that demean and belittle others.  Those things that do that are evil, and we should avoid them.  If we are able, we should courageously stand against such things.

Let us seek the good in others and in life!

Humility

Today's scripture mastery again teaches us something that is difficult for many of us. . .It is about humility (Ether 12:27)

 27 And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them.

In this verse, Christ is teaching Moroni, who was complaining to the Lord that he was not a powerful writer, and he was fearing that people would mock his words.  Christ told him why he gives us each weaknesses--and that is so that we will turn to Christ, and learn to rely on Him.

Why does the Lord want us to be humble?  One of the reasons is that we can be taught when we are humble.  When we are not "full of ourselves" and when we aren't thinking that we know better than the Lord, we are able to hear the promptings of the Holy Ghost.  We can then make the adjustments in our lives that the Lord wants us to make.  I like this verse about humility from the Doctrine and Covenants (D&C 112:10)

 10 Be thou humble; and the Lord thy God shall lead thee by the hand, and give thee answer to thy prayers.

Our weaknesses are a blessing, because they help us realise that we do need the Lord.  This promise from the Lord is a great one--if we humble ourselves because of our weaknesses, and put our faith in Christ, then over time, those same weaknesses will become our strengths! 

Faith

Moroni teaches us about faith in today's scripture mastery (Ether 12:6)

6 And now, I, Moroni, would speak somewhat concerning these things; I would show unto the world that faith is things which are hoped for and not seen; wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith.

Faith is a difficult concept for many of us.  We all want "proof" before we think we can believe.  Unfortunately, faith does not work that way.  The proof we are looking for only comes after we have tried our faith.  Often through difficult times and situations. . .But it does come though--the proof that validates our faith in Christ always comes!

Paul taught the Hebrews about faith in Hebrews 11:1.  Here is what he taught:

1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

And here is what he taught the Romans (Romans 8:24-25)

 24 For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?

 25 But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.

Alma taught this about faith (Alma 32:21)

 21 And now as I said concerning faith—faith is not to have a perfect knowledge of things; therefore if ye have faith ye hope for things which are not seen, which are true.

Some of the most amazing stories in the scriptures came about because of the faith of those involved.  Think about Moses parting the Red Sea, Or Daniel in the Lion's Den, or the Israelites crossing the River Jordan, and the river parting for them only after they  stepped foot in the river.  There are hundreds more stories of faith in the scriptures.  Not only that, but there are millions of stories of faith that could be told today by those who believe in Christ.  Miracles do happen, and are often brought about only because of the faith of those who believe. 

If you don't yet have a strong faith--read Alma chapter 32 to find out how to gain that faith.  Stay strong in that faith, as it will sustain you during the difficult times in your life.  And after you pass through those difficult times, you will have the witness for yourself that your faith is true.  You will know for yourself that Christ lives, and that He loves you!

What we should aim to be

Today's scripture mastery is 3 Nephi 27:27.  In it, Christ is talking to the 12 apostles he called here in America when he came to visit them. 

 27 And know ye that ye shall be judges of this people, according to the judgment which I shall give unto you, which shall be just. Therefore, what manner of men ought ye to be? Verily I say unto you, even as I am.

There is specific council here for the leaders of Christ's church--and that is to judge righteously.  They must look to Christ for the judgement (i.e. use the Holy Ghost to help discern the correct judgement--but to do that the leader must be living the commandments, and must strive to be Christlike)

The council beyond the judging applies to all of us though.  Christ taught on more than one occasion that we should strive to be as He is.  He taught that we should do the things that we see Him do (3 Nephi 27:21):

21 Verily, verily, I say unto you, this is my gospel; and ye know the things that ye must do in my church; for the works which ye have seen me do that shall ye also do; for that which ye have seen me do even that shall ye do;

In other words, we must feed the hungry.  We must help those who suffer and are in need.  We must serve others.  We must strive to be like Christ.  Let us strive to keep His commandments, and serve others the same way Christ served us.

Contention

Today's scripture mastery comes from 3 Nephi 11:29.  This verse is among some of the first things that Christ taught the people in the Book of Mormon when he came to teach them personally after his Resurrection:

29 For verily, verily I say unto you, he that hath the spirit of ^acontention is not of me, but is of the ^bdevil, who is the father of contention, and he stirreth up the hearts of men to contend with anger, one with another.

This can be a difficult thing for many of us.  We live in a culture where people love to contend with each other.  Turn on the TV or the radio, and there will be people contending with each other.  Read the comments left by others on just about any website, and you will find people who love to call names and insult one another.  Road Rage is very common--if somebody cuts us off, or drives too slowly for our taste, we lash out at them.

That type of behavior is definitely not Christlike behavior.  If we truly want to follow Christ, we must master ourselves.  We must not say those things that are only to raise contention.  We must "bite our tounge," rather than lashing out at someone who has offended us.

The apostle James taught about the importance of mastering our tongues in James 3:2-6.  He said this:

 2 For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.

 3 Behold, we put bits in the horses’ mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body.

 4 Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth.

 5 Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!

 6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.

 Rather than letting our tongue set us on the "fire of hell," as James said--let us do as Christ taught instead (Matthew 5:44 or 3 Nephi 12:44):

 44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

Let us strive to be the peacemaker, rather than one who brings contention and strife.  As we do so, we will be more like Christ.

Where to build your foundation

Helaman 5:12 is today's scripture mastery:

 12 And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall.

This verse goes very well with the parable taught by Christ in the New Testament, about the foolish man and the wise man (Matthew 7:24-27)

 24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:

 25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.

 26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:

 27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.

If we choose to build our foundation on Christ--the only solid and safe foundation, we will be able to weather the storms of life.  However, if we choose to build our foundation on anything else, the storms of life will be able to overpower us, and our "house" will fall.

How do we build upon the Rock?  We must both hear and do the commandments of the Lord.  Hearing only is not enough--and we can't keep the commandments if we don't know what they are. . .So it is very important to read and study the scriptures.  It is important to go to church and listen to the word of God.  It is important to pray daily, both in our families, as well as privately.  But then we must go out and do those things that we have heard and read about.  There is a well known quote that goes something like this "Pray as though everything depends upon God, and then work as though everything depends upon you"  That is true doctrine.  We must DO those things that are right.  We must FOLLOW the example of Christ, and DO his works.  We must help the sick and the afflicted.  We must relieve suffering whenever possible (and not cause it ourselves).  We must KEEP the commandments.  If we do these things, we will be securely founded on the Rock--The Rock of our Redeemer--and when the storms of life and temptation come, we will be able to withstand them.

Wickedness never was happiness

Alma 41:10 is today's scripture mastery:

 10 Do not suppose, because it has been spoken concerning restoration, that ye shall be restored from sin to happiness. Behold, I say unto you, wickedness never was happiness.

This verse was originally spoken by Alma to his son Corianton.  Corianton had done some things that were against the commandments of God.  He was attempting to find reasons in the scriptures to excuse himself and to convince himself that what He did wasn't bad.  Alma was teaching him the correct doctrine.  He boiled it down to the statement "wickedness never was happiness."

There is a saying that my father taught me that goes well with what Corianton was trying to do.  When I would do something growing up that I knew to be wrong, my father would say to me "Justification by rationalisation. . ."  In other words, many try to justify the things that they think or do by rationalising that they really aren't bad, or that no one will know, or many other reasons.  They try to convince themselves that whatever they do is right.

That just is not so.  We can try to rationalise all we want, but that does not change the fact that wickedness never was happiness.  When we do things that are contrary to the commandments of God, we are not happy--the reason is that the Holy Ghost will not stay with us when we break the commandments of God.

Let me finish by quoting the remainder of what Alma taught his son Corianton
 (Alma 41:12-15):

 12 And now behold, is the meaning of the word restoration to take a thing of a natural state and place it in an unnatural state, or to place it in a state opposite to its nature?

 13 O, my son, this is not the case; but 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.

 14 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 justice restored unto you again; ye shall have a righteous judgment restored unto you again; and ye shall have good rewarded unto you again.

 15 For that which ye do send out shall return unto you again, and be restored; therefore, the word restoration more fully condemneth the sinner, and justifieth him not at all.

 Let us all repent and keep the commandments, and be happy!