1 Nephi 19:13
Choice and consequences
What
13 And
as for those who are at Jerusalem, saith the prophet, they shall
be ascourged by
all people, because they crucify the God of Israel, and turn their
hearts aside, rejecting signs and wonders, and the power and glory of
the God of Israel.
The Jews would be scourged by all
people as prophesied.
Why
because
they crucify the God of Israel, and turn their hearts aside,
rejecting signs and wonders, and the power and glory of the God of
Israel.
Pattern
Matt.
23:38 (37–39)
37
O Jerusalem,
Jerusalem, thou
that killest the
prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how
often would I
have gathered thy
children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens
under her wings,
and ye would
not!
38 Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.
39 For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.
38 Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.
39 For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.
Luke
23:28 (27–30)
27
¶And there followed him a great company of people, and of women,
which also bewailed and lamented him.
28 But Jesus turning unto them said, Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children.
29 For, behold, the days are coming, in the which they shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the paps which never gave suck.
30 Then shall they begin to say to the mountains, Fall on us; and to the hills, Cover us.
28 But Jesus turning unto them said, Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children.
29 For, behold, the days are coming, in the which they shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the paps which never gave suck.
30 Then shall they begin to say to the mountains, Fall on us; and to the hills, Cover us.
Christ
The Jews would be
scourged because they crucified Jesus and rejected the signs and
wonders of Him.
Conference
10/92 Richard G.
Scott
Healing Your
Damaged Life
...Even
though you publicly defend strongly your actions, privately in
moments of sober contemplation you may have recognized that you are
in trouble. While outwardly you may blame others for your problems,
inside you may have already discovered that indulgence in violation
of trust and denial of truth leads to ever-diminishing options. One
backs himself ever farther into a corner. Finally there seems to be
no way out, and a sense of hopelessness sets in.
I
have no interest but to help you. Will you listen? I may challenge
some of your fixed ideas, but please listen for a few minutes.
You
may be tired of others trying to run your life—always telling you
what to do. After all, you have the right to make your own choices.
That is correct. You have that right. It is your agency. The secret
to solve problems in your life will be found in understanding and
using the eternally beneficial interaction of your agency and
His truth.
“And
that wicked one cometh and taketh away light and truth, through
disobedience, from the children of men.” (D&C
93:28, 37, 39;
emphasis added.)
He
also declared, “Every man may act in doctrine and principle, …
according to the moral
agency which
I have given unto him, that every man may be accountable … in the
day of judgment” (D&C
101:78;
italics added).
These
scriptures teach how to overcome the effects of wrong choices,
whether they be lying, stealing, gambling, addiction to alcohol or
drugs, immorality, inflicting abuse, or anything like it. Simply
stated, one must use his agency
to obey truth.
When
others give you advice, have you ever said, “I just don’t believe
the way you do. Those are your standards and your principles. I have
my own”? Please understand that no one can change truth.
Rationalization, overpowering self-interest, all of the arguments of
men, anger, or self-will cannot change truth. Satan knows that, so he
tries to create an atmosphere where one unwittingly begins to feel
that he can not only choose what to do, but can determine what is
right to do. Satan strives to persuade us to live outside truth by
rationalizing our actions as the
right of choice.
But
our Eternal Father defined truth and established what is right and
wrong before the creation of this earth. He also fixed the
consequences of obedience and disobedience to those truths. He
defended our right to choose our path in life so that we would grow,
develop, and be happy, but we
do not have the right to choose the consequences of our acts. Those
who willfully, consistently disobey His commandments will inevitably
learn that truth. Joseph Smith was inspired to record, “When we
obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon
which it is predicated.” (D&C
130:21.)
Please
understand, no one has the privilege to choose what is right. God
reserved that prerogative to Himself. Our agency does allow us to
choose among alternate paths, but then we are bound to the
consequence God has decreed. Later, if we don’t like where the path
takes us, the only out is through repentance.
Our
Heavenly Father gave us truth, some as statements of cause and
effect. We call them commandments. They guide our life to happiness.
He knew that Satan would try to persuade some to live without fixed
standards in life so that decisions would be based on current
circumstances, what appears convenient, or what provides the greatest
personal return. In this way, Satan removes the power of truth from
one’s life so he can take that soul captive.
If
you are trapped and there seems to be no way out, remember If
you are trapped and there seems to be no way out, remember what
Robert Frost taught, “The best way out is always through.” (From
“A Servant to Servants.”) You must face the challenge and conquer
it. The way through is based on faith in Jesus Christ and obedience
to His commandments. It is the only way to permanently cure damage to
mind and spirit caused by unrighteous acts. It also provides healing,
within the bounds of eternal law, to a body devastated by the effects
of transgression.
It
may be hard in your state of mind to understand that. Please believe
me. He will help you when you do it His way. A prophet said, “For
how knoweth a man the master whom he has not served, and who is a
stranger unto him, and is far
from the thoughts and intents of his heart?”
(Mosiah
5:13;
emphasis added.) Read and learn about the Savior until you know Him,
then trust Him.
You
may have found that change is hard. But know you can do
it. You may wonder why you are not believed when you decide to change
from a life of disobedience to one of integrity and compliance to
truth. Recognize that it takes time to build a reputation that
overcomes the effects of past deliberate decisions to deceive and to
take advantage of others—but it is worth it.
You
can fool others who want to believe you, but you cannot deceive the
Lord. Because of His justice, He will one day have to confront you
with the consequences of your unrepented acts. No one wants that to
happen. Some transgressions are so powerful that it is unlikely that
you will begin to overcome them without another’s help. Seek that
help. In time, with the strength that comes from continued use of
agency to live truth, you will be healed through the Savior. Please
find someone you trust who is trustworthy, who understands agency and
truth. You can begin anywhere—with a friend, a loved one, a
competent professional, or a solid member. As you gain confidence,
see your bishop. He has priesthood keys that will help you. Begin now
and don’t stop until you understand and obey the teachings of the
Savior and receive His healing power in your life. Otherwise, the
cure will be incomplete.
Apply
We can choose our
actions but we cannot chose the consequences. The best way to heal
ourselves is to face up to our errors and repent. We have a loving
Savior and Father in Heaven and they will help us through to healing.
They will help us heal from the sins of loved ones who make wrong
choices and cause us much sorrow. The gift of the Holy Ghost as a
comforter and guide and protector is one of the most choice gifts we
can ever receive along with the atonement of Jesus Christ.
Be strong, be
faithful and let the healing begin.
Hymns
237-Do What Is Right
Children
158- Dare To Do
Right
160-Choose The Right
Way
No comments:
Post a Comment