On Hope

    Hope, one of the three eternal virtues which never faileth, had always struck me as an oddity. To me it seemed the furthest from anything eternal, as the hope that people express in their daily lives is so often and so easily crushed. At least that had been my experience. 

    To be honest, due to my own struggles with hope or the lack thereof, I found it difficult and even felt almost hypocritical writing this entry. However, ultimately I felt that it was of greater importance that I publish this article, not only for others, but to reinforce to myself the eternal nature of true hope. 

    The hopes, dreams and wishes of men are so fleeting and so easily crushed it is hard to imagine that hope could possibly be an Eternal principle. As I have discussed before, that which is not based upon eternal principles will inevitably end up in failure.

    If I hope for a better job, a better life, a better relationship, for all manner of things that would make my life less painful, more carefree, then is it not easy for such expectations to be dashed? Does not raising hope increase the fall? Is not hope merely a precursor to greater despair? 

    This is true only if our hopes are based upon men, and our own limited time frame. By framing my desires and expectations in a certain light, we discount other possible ways wherein we may achieve happiness, the greater way which the Lord has in store for us.

    Without hope there is no impetus for action, no reason to endeavor, no attempt at a better world. This hope is key to life and living. And yet, as hopelessness and despair are the inevitable end result of all hopes that are rested upon the strength of men, what is it that we can possibly hope for? 

    What I had always thought was hope, was not at all what the Lord had defined has hope in ages past. The feelings of expectation in my own time frame, my own dreams and wishes, my fantasies and delusions, these aren't hope, but rather optimism, the same fake optimism spoken of in my last article on faith.

    See, the problem is that our worldly definition of hope has been watered down with the selfish ideas of men, putting their own desires and thoughts at the center of hope, rather than having an eternal hope spoken of in the scriptures. 

    And what is this “eternal hope”? If we turn to the Hebrew words translated as hope in the Old Testament we find various words to describe hope, however almost all of the words come from two main root words qavah and yachal, both of which are related to waiting.

    To wait, to tarry, to look eagerly for, to look forward to, the word for hope in Hebrew is not just flimsy wishful thinking, but rather demonstrates the inner tension related to a tense rope, that rope being bound to the Lord on high. 

    In 2^nd Nephi 31 we read: “Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life.”

    Here we clearly see a parallelism between “a perfect brightness of hope” and “enduring to the end”. This enduring isn't a long slow suffering wherein we must be bound down by the world, but rather the opposite, a hope that pulls us forward to him, just as a child looks forward to rejoining his father. 

    That waiting patiently for the lord, that looking forward is the key. When a father goes on a long journey, the child looks forward, patiently awaiting the day of his return. This hope is hinged upon our faithfulness to and reliance upon Him.

    This “waiting” hope sets no time-limits just like faith, it is that steadfast waiting upon Him that sets it apart from worldly hope. True eternal hope cannot be crushed for we are eagerly awaiting, and even wondering in awe and excitement as to how in the world the Lord is going to get us out of this one this time, knowing full well that He will as promised.

    Of course, that is another key, which is our awaiting upon the promises of the Lord. Obviously waiting for the day that a luxury sports car and Mansion fall into my lap is ridiculous, as such things were never promised by Him. Such false hopes will eventually end up in disappointment.

    So what is it in which we must have a “welcome anticipation”? What is it that He has pledged to us through the covenants of old? While writing about the promises of the Lord itself deserves its own article, we can boil it down to two main things. A spiritual and temporal salvation, based upon our willingness to follow Him. 

    In Jarom we read that the prophets were “persuading them to look forward unto the Messiah, and believe in him to come as though he already was.”

    This Messiah, who is The Christ, and the spiritual salvation which he has brought about is clearly spelled out in the scriptures, especially in the New Testament and the Book of Mormon. 

    Unfortunately, it is just about all we hear about Him, how someday, somehow we will not have to go to hell for our sins, but only if we're good enough. How in the end, after this world is over, after everything that matters in front of us is long gone, how after my struggles with this life are over, THEN He will help us.

    I don't know where this distant god image has come from, or why no one speaks of the here and now, for it is abundantly clear that His salvation is not such at all. 

     In Alma 32 we read “But if ye will nourish the word, yea, nourish the tree as it beginneth to grow, by your faith with great diligence, and with patience, looking forward to the fruit thereof, it shall take root; and behold it shall be a tree springing up unto everlasting life.

    And because of your diligence and your faith and your patience with the word in nourishing it, that it may take root in you, behold, by and by ye shall pluck the fruit thereof, which is most precious, which is sweet above all that is sweet, and which is white above all that is white, yea, and pure above all that is pure; and ye shall feast upon this fruit even until ye are filled, that ye hunger not, neither shall ye thirst. 

    Then, my brethren, ye shall reap the rewards of your faith, and your diligence, and patience, and long-suffering, waiting for the tree to bring forth fruit unto you.”

    Firstly the fruits of spiritual salvation spoken of above are not just about our post-mortal existence. While our eternal destination is indeed a vital part of our salvation, the fruit that we partake of is a joyous strength that buoys us up in the here and now. It is an anchor that binds us to Him, wherein we can rely upon Him and His miracles. 

    Many at this point try to fall into self-satisfaction, saying that what we receive of the Lord is “emotional” or “spiritual” support, that He will strengthen us but we must to do the everything ourselves, thinking “for the Lord and the Redeemer hath done his work, and he hath given his power unto men;” (2^nd Nephi 28:5); with nary a word of His miraculous works in times of old.

    When Moses and the Israelite were crossing the Red Sea, did they part the waters using shovels? When Daniel was in the lion's den, did he somehow beat up the Lion? When Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego were thrown into the furnace, did they survive because had acclimatised to the furnace's heat? Of course not. 

    “For do we not read that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and in him there is no variableness neither shadow of changing?

    And now, if ye have imagined up unto yourselves a god who doth vary, and in whom there is shadow of changing, then have ye imagined up unto yourselves a god who is not a God of miracles. 

    But behold, I will show unto you a God of miracles...”

    The fruit spoken of is not merely some internal fantasy. It is joy that comes from knowing of His strength and His love, that He will save us and cover for us when things go south. 

    The temporal salvation spoken of in the scriptures is a vital key to our belief. The Jews awaited a temporal and political savior, because that is what is contained in the scriptures. While it is true that they overly focused upon the temporal, ignoring his Spiritual salvation, we do just as much damage by doing the opposite.

    The clear message of the Book of Mormon is that He is here and will save us from our temporal troubles. “If ye keep my commandments ye shall prosper in the land” this line was repeated 19 times times throughout the book in different variations. We need to believe that He has power to fulfill His promises. 

    We need to trust in a savior that will straighten up the mess that is this world, a God that can save us from this filthy and broken state, one that can affect the here and now, that He can save me and my life from the impending crisis that is soon to come. This is the Lord in whom we must trust. He is Power, He is Justice, He is Salvation.

    When we finally stop bowing to Babylon, when we finally say “enough!” to the arrogance and wickedness of men, when we stop condemning and start toiling for the benefit of others, when we finally turn to Him for our salvation rather than wisdom of the world, that is when He will answer, for He is waiting for us to return to Him. 

    This doesn't mean that all our trials and tribulations will vanish, but it does mean that we need to seek and ask for salvation from our sufferings. When enough of us turn to the Lord, he will reply.

    As I mentioned before I myself have struggles with this hope, for due to my own blindness, I cannot see the path to take, the salvation to come, the way in which He will save us. It is due to my own selfishness that I need to know, that I find it difficult to welcome this Hope. 

    For Hope is the waiting despite not knowing, or rather especially because one understands their own ignorance and trusts in the omniscience and omnibenevolence of Him, it becomes possible to await with joy, feasting with gusto upon His words, enjoying and even looking forward to seeing how the plot that is our life will unfold.

    “And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the Lord; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation.” Amen.

On Faith

    Faith is the not only one of the first principles and ordinances of the gospel, but it also appears in the trio that never faileth, that of faith, hope and charity as well. Such is its importance that the word faith appears over 600 times in the scriptures, over a third of which appears in the Book of Mormon alone.

    Yet despite all this we tend to choose the easy way out. Instead of seeking to understand what faith is on a personal level we opt to simply recite what faith is as defined in various scriptures, with nary a thought as to what those words even mean. How can one be said to understand what faith is, if all one does is quote scriptures devoid of context? Obviously having a true and comprehensive understanding of faith goes far beyond reciting a line from the Bible.

    So what is faith? First we must understand that there are two sides to the word faith: the object of our faith and the practitioners of such faith. True faith only exists when both the object and practitioner of faith meet certain criteria.

    In order to more easily understand those conditions, let us take a look at a concrete example of faith that exists in our daily lives before we apply it to the more difficult to understand realm of the eternal. In fact this example is so powerful that it is used by the Lord himself to help us understand the relationship between us and Him, for in 1 Corinthians we read “But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.”

    So let us imagine a married couple where the husband (the Lord) is faithful to his wife (Israel). In this context what is his faithfulness? Would the husband ever deceive, betray, or leave his wife? Of course not, “for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”

    Thus, for our faith to be true it must be exercised in that which is faithful to us. Unlike our modern usage of the word wherein there exists negative connotations associated with certain uses of the word such as in “blind faith”, in the scriptures we find that “faith” is always used positively. A wife can only have faith in her husband if he is faithful to her, otherwise it is not faith but delusion.

    Therefore the first condition that the object of our faith must fulfill is that of being reliable and true. Of course then the Lord who is “unchangeable from all eternity to all eternity” is the most reliable and true of all. The word translated to faithful in Hebrew is emunah, which incidentally means firmness, steadfastness, and fidelity, which are the very traits that necessary.

    Interestingly enough the word faith itself hardly ever appears in the Old Testament. For a greater understanding of the conditions that need to be cleared we need to look to the New Testament. Fortunately for us the English word faith has many parallels to the Greek “pistis” as well as the Latin “fides”, which reveal much about what faith really is.

    The word pistis in Greek comes from peitho which means persuade. In other words pistis is “to be persuaded”. From this we see that faith does not exist in a vacuum. It is not belief without cause, but rather our being persuaded to believe because of the evidences that we experience.

    Then what does Alma mean where he states “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.”

    Not seeing is not the same as experiencing nothing and having no basis for belief. Rather faith is “being persuaded” through our past experiences, hoping for the future, despite not seeing how it will all work out.

    As it says in Hebrews 11 “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” This faith in the future is born of the the evidences that have been provided in the past. Whether the past experiences are thing we physically see, rationally deduce, sense in our gut, or simply feel with our heart is is immaterial. These are all means by which we are “persuaded” to have faith.

    If we continue to read in Alma (rather than quote one verse), we read that after having planted the seed and beginning to taste of its goodness, “Now behold, would not this increase your faith? I say unto you, Yea; nevertheless it hath not grown up to a perfect knowledge.”

    Here we clearly see that our faith is increased by those evidences that we receive, by the stirring of our souls. We do not know or see the result yet, but we can trust and hope for those results due to our receiving evidence that the seed is good.

    Now, faith itself is beyond mere persuasion. If we look further in the context which the word pistis is used we see that in ancient times it was used to mean a guarantee or warranty. Again this points back to the fact that the object of our faith must be reliable.

    It is the very fact that all of the Lord's promises are guaranteed that allows us to have faith in Him; for hath the Lord not said “What I the Lord have spoken, I have spoken, and I excuse not myself; and though the heavens and the earth pass away, my word shall not pass away, but shall all be fulfilled...”

    Which bring me to the next point, which is that He “persuades us” or rather grants unto us that we might have faith, we do not generate it on our own! While the Lord persuades us through various means, ultimately it hits our souls through the Holy Spirit. He grants us the experiences necessary to build that faith, and through His Spirit we are given the opportunity to accept that faith.

    Whether we accept these evidences or not is of our own free will and choice. Thus it is that we have been granted the agency to choose to be persuaded by Him or to be deceived by Babylon. Nothing of Him ever compels or forces us. Who we listen to and what we decide to look at for our evidence is in the end our own choice.

    Nevertheless our choosing to accept those evidences does not make us the source of our own faith. I say this that we might not “take strength unto [ourselves]” and always recognize that “Jesus [is] the author and finisher of our faith”. Though it may be that it is we who choose to open our eyes, it is His light that shines down on us allows us to see.

    This is exactly why we need to pray and ask Him to grant unto us that we may have the faith necessary to receive according to our desires. As we read in 1 Corinthans 12 “But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. ... To another faith by the same Spirit.”

    Furthermore once we have obtained that faith, we must continue to seek unto Him to strengthen our faith, lest we shall become complacent and lose that which we have received. For “wo be unto him that saith: We have received, and we need no more!”

    This is why simply being “persuaded” isn't enough. Faith is not passive, it is an active principle of righteousness which allows us to be “agents unto [ourselves]” and “and do many things of [our] own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness”.

    So what is faith that makes it beyond mere persuasion? Well let us return to the analogy of the husband and wife scenario. First let us imagine the wife (again Israel) whoring herself out to many men. Her adultery and unloyalty means she has abandoned her husband. Instead of relying upon him and trusting in him, she has decided to depend upon other men. Can it be said that she has faith in him? Of course not, for she had denied that faith and gone astray, even knowing that he is dependable.

    On the other hand when a wife has faith in her husband she relies upon him and trusts that he will get it done. When she says "I have faith in you" it means that she trusts that he will follow through because of his previous faithfulness. She doesn't depend upon other men to provide for her needs, she depends upon him.

    Now obviously the analogy above is a bit out-dated in this day and age as many women no longer need to depend upon their husbands for their support, but instead can rely upon Babylon and the wealth that has been temporarily flowing from her. However the fact remains that true faith, whether it is in the Lord or in our other relationships is bound to our dependence.

    Dependence and trust, reliance and loyalty are all an integral part of faith. Without it, our “faith” is a lie. This is the condition that all practitioners of faith must fulfill. The word pistis is used in the active sense to mean reliance and trust. Similarly the Latin word fides means to trust in.

    Fidelity (which comes from the Latin Fides) is not only necessary for the object of our faith, but for the practitioner as well. It is beyond mere belief, and is much much more than simply knowing.

    It is a relationship. It is a father child relationship, where the child asks his father for help. It is a husband wife relationship where she relies on him for support. It is a God man relationship, where we rely upon Him for our all.

    Looking at the negative example above, we can see what the counterfeit to faith is. It is “trusting in the arm of flesh”, and “worship[ing] the work of [our] own hands”. It is relying in that which is unreliable, depending on the undependable, trusting in the untrustworthy, and being loyal to that which will betray you. It is fraudulence, delusion, and deception

    If faith is a familial relationship, then these pseudo-faiths are broken and abusive forms of slavery, parasitic relationships which only end in misery and death. Israel's adultery is our idolatry.

    In our modern age we think that we are above this idolatry, however the moment our heart turns to and relies upon man and that which cometh of man, we have already committed idolatry in our hearts. Whether it is science and technology, the economic wizards of wall-street, or even our communities in which we live, if it is the first thing we look to to solve our problems, we are not faithful unto Him.

    This is not to say that we must never rely upon anything other than Him, for that would deny the wholesome and pure child-parent relationship. From the sound of it people may misunderstand thinking that faith is close minded. However this is not the case. Faith in Him is not anti-science or education, nor is it against using our own minds to try to solve our problems.

    Faith in Him does not deny the use of our intelligence and relying upon the intelligence of others. It does mean that first and foremost we go to Him for our answers. The fact is science only works if we do not have an absolute dependence upon it; similarly for the stock market as well as all things man-made, whether it is physical or intellectual.

    The wisdom of crowds, and that of society only functions when we each independently try to seek the truth for ourselves. Faith in Him is what allows this to function in its most powerful form. His faith is not dogmatic, nor is it coercive. It frees us of our fears, knowing we can depend upon Him to fix our mistakes when we mess up.

    When a child asks his father in faith for help to solve a problem, what does the father do? It depends on the problem.

    If the problem is completely beyond the child's ability to solve, he solves it for them (albeit in his own due time). If the problem is somewhat beyond the child's ability, he teaches the child how to solve the problem. If it is only slightly beyond the child's ability, he may only hint. If the child can do it themselves, he give them encouragement. He does what he knows is best for his child.

    In all cases he never just abandons his child, but instead encouraging growth and development. Similarly the Lord does the same with us. In Ether 2 and 3 we see the brother of Jared go to the Lord with a problem. The first problem, relating to an air supply is beyond his ability to solve so the Lord just tells him straight up what to do.

    However, the issue with darkness, the Lord knows the brother of Jared can come up with something, and thus rather than handing him an answer, encourages him to think for himself. The Lord always has our best interest in mind, and thus he gives unto us according to our abilities.

    So it is, that we must depend upon Him in all that we do. When I go to work, I have Him in my heart, knowing that He is there supporting me. When I invest, I pray that I may invest wisely, and do my best to do so. When I study I pray that I may gain a true understanding, and think critically of the veracity of that which I read.

    If we seek it, the Lord will tell us when and how much to trust in man. He is the first and only one in which we can place our absolute trust. With this trust and reliance comes an ability to trust in everything else, because we know that He has our back. Thus it is that we are able to critically evaluate that which we can and cannot trust, for he grants unto us discernment if we exercise faith in Him.

    This is the balance we need, between the things of this world and the Lord. If the weather forecaster says it's going to be sunny, but you get a distinct impression to take your umbrella, follow it. If the world's economists tells you that Enron stock is the best, but you get the impression that something's off, don't invest.

    They that seek for His light will be guided by Him and frees us from the fear of the world. A wonderful example of this powerful faith was given in the talk “But If Not …” by Elder Dennis E. Simmons. In that talk he mentions the faith of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, who when confronted by King Nebuchadnezzar about their refusal to worship the Idol that he had built said:

    “If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king.

    But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.”

    Those words, “but if not” signify an absolute abiding trust in Him. Even should they die they know that it is for their good. It is the key to a true and abiding faith, where our trust in Him is such that we are able to be grateful to Him even in apparent failure.

    If a child wants a certain toy and asks his father to get it, but the father knows that they toy is a cheap, easily broken and potentially dangerous object that will certainly cause his child grief, he will initially refuse the child's request. He may suggest other toys, or get the child to try to name alternative toys that they want.

    Similarly, The Lord wants nothing but the best for us, and thus if we continue to ask Him with faith, we can be assured that “he granteth unto [us] according to [our] desire”. He always gives us what we want, or something better. Therefore, if we trust in Him, we must be open to that option of something better.

    Too often we are blinded by what we think we want, due to our inability to see not only the future, but even the here and now. Our wants and desires are important to Him, just as a child's wants are important to their parents, no matter how small and foolish it looks in the long run. In the same token, because they are important to Him, He may not give into our immediate wants, but rather try to help us that we may receive according to our true desires.

    This is why true faith also does not constrain the Lord to our schedule. As I mentioned before, asking, seeking and knocking are in the present imperative tense in Greek, meaning that we need to keep on asking, seeking and knocking.

    This world in which we now live is not truly subordinate to the Lord's will. Otherwise there would be no need for Christ to pray “Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.” as it would be a given. There are other more sinister forces at work, which contend with Him. As he has granted unto men their agency, such it is that the will of men and devils interfere with ours.

    Thus it must be our will to continue to seek, that we may prove by our agency that it is our desire. Only through this can the Lord grant it unto us, without impinging upon our agency. This continual seeking asking and knocking is the means whereby we exercise our faith in Him.

    This is why we must not ever place time limits to when the Lord grants unto us what we seek. In the book, “Good to Great” by Jim Collins mentions a story about an Admiral Jim Stockdale who became a POW during the Vietnam war. He was faced with horrifying conditions, suffering inhumane treatment at the hands of his merciless captors, unsure of his future and not knowing if and when he would escape.

    In this situation, how did he survive? “I never lost faith in the end of the story, I never doubted not only that I would get out, but also that I would prevail in the end and turn the experience into the defining event of my life, which, in retrospect, I would not trade.” This is the sort of faith that we need when we rely upon the Lord.

    No matter what happens we need to have the faith that we will prevail, because of Him. Yet this faith is not devoid of reality, as I mentioned above He “persuades” us. Thus an interesting paradox arises.

    When the admiral was asked who didn't make it he responded “Oh, that's easy, the optimists... Oh, they were the ones who said, 'We're going to be out by Christmas.' And Christmas would come, and Christmas would go. Then they'd say, 'We're going to be out by Easter.' And Easter would come, and Easter would go. And then Thanksgiving, and then it would be Christmas again. And they died of a broken heart.

    ...This is a very important lesson. You must never confuse faith that you will prevail in the end-which you can never afford to lose-with the discipline to confront the most brutal facts of your current reality, whatever they might be.”

    Faith is not to be confused with Pollyanna syndrome! True faith is relying upon him, not only in spite of, but because of the brutal reality which we now face.

    In John we read “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” Obviously He encourages us to look around, rather than blind ourselves to the reality of the situation, because we trust that He can and will deal with it.

    Those that need to blind themselves and ignore reality are in fact those that are devoid of faith. They cannot believe unless the close their eyes, which means they do not believe in His power. Even if you can't answer all the questions, knowing the depth of His love, and the power that He wields is enough to bolster an undying confidence in anyone, for has not the Lord said “Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them.”

    If we never give up on Him, He will never give us up, even should our mortal bodies perish. He will answer! The results of us standing by our faith in Him are plain as day, for as we read more fully in the scriptures we behold the great and mighty miracles He has in store for us.

    In Moroni 7 we read “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, have miracles ceased... Or have angels ceased to appear unto the children of men? Or has he withheld the power of the Holy Ghost from them? Or will he, so long as time shall last, or the earth shall stand, or there shall be one man upon the face thereof to be saved?

    Behold I say unto you, Nay; for it is by faith that miracles are wrought; and it is by faith that angels appear and minister unto men; wherefore, if these things have ceased wo be unto the children of men, for it is because of unbelief, and all is vain.”

    From this we see that the fruits of true faith are miracles, for Jesus has said “If ye will have faith in me ye shall have power to do whatsoever thing is expedient in me.” Only when we continue forward in our never ending quest of asking, seeking and knocking can we inevitably see his divine hand in our lives, miracles beyond our wildest imaginations.

    This is because faith compels us to move forward, seeking for those miracles as in times of old. Those with faith cannot fathom sitting still for “Wherefore, whoso believeth in God might with surety hope for a better world, yea, even a place at the right hand of God, which hope cometh of faith, maketh an anchor to the souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast, always abounding in good works, being led to glorify God.”

    If we rely upon Him, and continue to seek to Him for answers, do we not do everything in our power to get those answers, as did Joseph Smith, when seeking after which church was true? Indeed have not all the holy prophets, from Adam to Abraham, from Moses to Isaiah, from Lehi to Moroni see and receive that inspiration and calling from on high, due to their exercising their faith?

    Likewise, we must never be complacent for that is the snare of the adversary. In 2 Nephi it is written “And others will he pacify, and lull them away into carnal security, that they will say: All is well in Zion; yea, Zion prospereth, all is well—and thus the devil cheateth their souls, and leadeth them away carefully down to hell.”

    As faith is a relationship, the strength of our faith is directly proportional to the depth of our trust and devotion to Him. As a result, the more rely upon Him, the greater miracles we see.

    Likewise, how can we say that we have faith in Him if we do not know Him? Thus as in any relationship, we can either foster and deepen our bonds, come unto Christ and know Him better, or our relationship will atrophy and whither away till the day cometh that we have rejected Him.

    This is why we must follow these words: “choose you this day whom ye will serve” lest the curses written of old fall upon us: “Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD.”

    This curse is the curse of facing the world alone, for we have rejected Him, wherein our weaknesses only serve to drag us down and that which we rely upon ultimately fail us when we need it the most, which we see here in Heleman 4:

    “And they saw that they had become weak, like unto their brethren, the Lamanites, and that the Spirit of the Lord did no more preserve them... and they saw that the Lamanites were exceedingly more numerous than they, and except they should cleave unto the Lord their God they must unavoidably perish. For behold, they saw that the strength of the Lamanites was as great as their strength, even man for man... yea, thus had they become weak, because of their transgression.”

    On the other hand if we take upon us His name and become His children, He will protect us and guide us, granting us the strength to move forward and overcome all things, which se see in Heleman 5:

    “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.”

    Building upon this foundation is the faith spoken of, and we clearly see that this is the power that serves as an anchor to our souls, allowing us to withstand anything that the adversary throws at us. In this uncertain and unpredictable world of doubt, evil and despair, it is only His rock that serves to protect us from the mists of darkness and the waters of filthiness.

    Can we not behold what a wondrous blessing this is? What more can one hope for than to live with the certain knowledge that it will all work out in the end? I know that if we rely upon Him and are faithful unto Him, that “he [who] is mighty to save” shall be there for us at all times and in all things, and that “all these things shall give [us] experience, and shall be for [our] good”. Of this I testify, Amen.

On Testimonies

    In D&C 76 it says concerning those that receive of a Terrestrial Glory, “These are they who are not valiant in the testimony of Jesus; wherefore, they obtain not the crown over the kingdom of our God.” In other words being valiant in one's testimony of Jesus is a key to entering into the Celestial kingdom.

    Obviously one cannot be valiant in the testimony of Jesus if they don't even have one, which is why we need to obtain that testimony. However, before we can do so we need to come to an understanding of what qualifies as a testimony.

    The Oxford English Dictionary of English Etymology defines the root of the word testimony to be testis which means witness in Latin. The meaning of the word has been changed by incorrect ideas amongst the different Christian faiths demoting it to become a mere declaration of faith, rather than a true witness.

    During the time of Joseph Smith however, the meaning was still that of a witness and not of a mere declaration of feeling. As such when reading the scriptures we must take that definition into account to gain a better understanding of what the scriptures intend.

    Now in order to receive that witness or testimony of which has been spoken, there are two conditions that we must fulfill. What are those conditions you may ask? Let us first turn to the scriptures.

    In 3 Nephi it says “Ask, and it shall be given unto you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh, receiveth; and he that seeketh, findeth; and to him that knocketh, it shall be opened.” Also in James it reads “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.”

    While I have mentioned this seeking and asking before many times, this is especially important when it comes to receiving a testimony. I mentioned previously that this seeking is not a singular occurrence, but rather a continual never-ending quest for further light and knowledge.

    Joseph Smith did not receive that witness, the testimony of God’s plan, until he sought out and asked god, for months on end. He questioned what others were teaching, and did not accept the status quo, the philosophies of men, for face value. Seeking for knowledge, questioning what we see and hear, and desiring for wisdom, is an integral part of finding for oneself a testimony of god.

    Some are afraid to question as they say that it leads to doubt. But they do not realize that doubt is actually the opposite of seeking. As mentioned before here, true growth comes when when one is seeking for knowledge and questioning the status quo. His light only comes to those that don't rely upon the arm of flesh, and upon an imperfect society.

    Only when they realize their own imperfection and their own ignorance and have faith in an omniscient god to guide them to the correct answers, can they begin to find the answers that they seek. For those that seek for the truth and question the authority of man, god is the final and only authority. Every man must witness the truth for themselves, which testimony only god can grant.

    On the other hand, while those that doubt may rebel against the status quo, they do not seek for knowledge. Cynics may say “If god existed, such and such would not have happened.” or “I cannot believe in a god that allows such and such to happen” At that time one is jumping to the conclusion that they have all the available data to make an eternal judgment of the situation.

    Instead of humbly seeking why, and trusting in the Lord, they are setting themselves up as god, and as the final authority on the matter. They are not seeking, and trusting in god. Instead of seeking and knocking, they that doubt close the door to further inquiry, and thus as a consequence, they can never find the truth in and of themselves. Doubt is the polar opposite of faith.

    A second and more devious way that Satan uses to prevent us from receiving a testimony is complacency. In 2 Nephi 28 we read “And others will he pacify, and lull them away into carnal security, that they will say: All is well in Zion; yea, Zion prospereth, all is well—and thus the devil cheateth their souls, and leadeth them away carefully down to hell.

    And behold, others he flattereth away, and telleth them there is no hell; and he saith unto them: I am no devil, for there is none—and thus he whispereth in their ears, until he grasps them with his awful chains, from whence there is no deliverance...

    ...Therefore, wo be unto him that is at ease in Zion!

    Wo be unto him that crieth: All is well!

    Yea, wo be unto him that hearkeneth unto the precepts of men, and denieth the power of God, and the gift of the Holy Ghost!

    Yea, wo be unto him that saith: We have received, and we need no more!

    And in fine, wo unto all those who tremble, and are angry because of the truth of God!  For behold, he that is built upon the rock receiveth it with gladness; and he that is built upon a sandy foundation trembleth lest he shall fall.

    Wo be unto him that shall say: We have received the word of God, and we need no more of the word of God, for we have enough!

    For behold, thus saith the Lord God: I will give unto the children of men line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little; and blessed are those who hearken unto my precepts, and lend an ear unto my counsel, for they shall learn wisdom; for unto him that receiveth I will give more; and from them that shall say, We have enough, from them shall be taken away even that which they have.

    Cursed is he that putteth his trust in man, or maketh flesh his arm, or shall hearken unto the precepts of men, save their precepts shall be given by the power of the Holy Ghost.”

    This is a trap that many good men and women fall into. By saying they already know and that they have received enough, they deny the power of god, and as a consequence they cannot receive a testimony of his great plan. This is one trick that Satan especially likes to use upon those that profess to be christian.

    Upon unbelievers he uses doubt and cynicism, and upon those that claim to be his disciples, he uses complacency and self-satisfaction. We have so much that god has given to us that it is easy to fall into the trap of not desiring for more. But we have been expressly commanded to seek, and to never say that we have enough, lest that which we have be taken away. This is where our trial of faith comes in, which is the second condition of receiving a testimony.

    In Ether 12:6 it says “Wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith.” As we can see here the second and most important step in receiving our own witness is to test our faith. Our trust in him is the only thing that allows us to be able to find the answers that we seek.

    Without this faith we are left in the dark and instead of seeking and questioning, we become doubters and cynics. Joseph Smith is the perfect example of this process of seeking in faith. He desired for true knowledge, and did not find it in the world. Instead of becoming bitter, or denying god, he sought for wisdom by reading the scriptures.

    If we read his account, we can clearly see that he struggled with this question for not a short while. Instead of giving up, he kept on seeking, looking forward with an eye of faith that he will eventually find the answer.

    In so doing he finally realized that he must pray to god, and seek knowledge directly from Him. He put his desires into action, and prayed to god in the sacred grove, where Satan tried to stop him in a final effort. Through Joseph’s faith he was able to endure that trial, and finally receive the light and knowledge that he sought. This is the same pattern that we must follow.

    Let us look at the parable of the seed in Alma 32, where Alma compares the seed to the word of God, and that through our faith in planting that seed we see the fruits thereof.

    I quote: “But if ye neglect the tree, and take no thought for its nourishment, behold it will not get any root; and when the heat of the sun cometh and scorcheth it, because it hath no root it withers away, and ye pluck it up and cast it out...

    And thus, if ye will not nourish the word, looking forward with an eye of faith to the fruit thereof, ye can never pluck of the fruit of the tree of life.

    But if ye will nourish the word, yea, nourish the tree as it beginneth to grow, by your faith with great diligence, and with patience, looking forward to the fruit thereof, it shall take root; and behold it shall be a tree springing up unto everlasting life.

    And because of your diligence and your faith and your patience with the word in nourishing it, that it may take root in you, behold, by and by ye shall pluck the fruit thereof, which is most precious, which is sweet above all that is sweet, and which is white above all that is white, yea, and pure above all that is pure; and ye shall feast upon this fruit even until ye are filled, that ye hunger not, neither shall ye thirst.

    Then, my brethren, ye shall reap the rewards of your faith, and your diligence, and patience, and long-suffering, waiting for the tree to bring forth fruit unto you.”

    We see that even if we initially receive the word within ourselves, if we do not continue to seek after the fruit it will wither and die. This comes from the doubts and complacency spoken of above.

    We must continue to nurture and grow the word of god in our souls until it sprouts into a tree, and by continually exercising that faith we are able to reap the fruit of that tree. Now just as a tree doesn't spring forth in a day, so too do we need to nourish the word within our souls day by day, looking forward with an eye of faith to the fruit that will come.

    This is the faith necessary, the never-ending, forever enduring faith, the trust in Him that we will eventually receive according to our desires in His own good time. This wrestling and struggling with the spirit is the trial that we all need to pass through before we can receive a true witness from Him.

    If we do these things and pass the trial of our faith, as it says we will receive a witness of His love, which love is physically manifested to us through Christ Jesus. This great gift of our personally tasting of the overwhelming power of the atonement changes our souls, for we are cleansed by His love for us.

    I testify of Him and of His love, for I have tasted of it. I know that only through this continual seeking can we obtain this witness, this testimony of His great light, love, and power. This is the means whereby we can be valiant, wherein we struggle for and finally receive a testimony of Him. And it is only by our knowing these things that we can know ourselves, of this I testify Amen.

On Sacrifice

    When I wrote before about Eternal Laws and the necessity of sacrifice relating to them, I neglected to fully explain the reasoning behind this. The fact is the sacrifices that He requires of us, not only in this life, but in the world to come can be very difficult at times to accept. So in order to more easily sacrifice those things that are dear to us, we need to know why it is necessary.

    The word sacrifice is defined as “the surrender or destruction of something prized or desirable for the sake of something considered as having a higher or more pressing claim.” To supplement this definition I like to think of sacrifice as giving up something to which we have a person connection, which makes it difficult to give up.

    Giving up money to receive goods is not a sacrifice. In the case where we are coerced into paying money, it's not the money that is the sacrifice, but rather our freedom that has been taken. Unless we have a personal stake in that thing which we are asked to relinquish, it cannot be called a sacrifice, but it is rather a simple transaction.

    So why must we make this painful and difficult decision to cut off a part of ourselves? Why did Joseph Smith say “a religion that does not require the sacrifice of all things never has power sufficient to produce the faith necessary unto life and salvation”.

    As I mentioned previously, when the lord judges us, He does so according to who we serve. The fact is that we all serve something or another. It is in our nature to find a purpose behind all that we will, which purpose comes from that which commands us.

    I will touch more deeply upon the subject later, but one of the fundamental purposes of our life is to find our own eternal purpose, or rather to find that master whom we are willing to serve. This is precisely why we struggle throughout our lives with the choices that we do.

    It is who we serve that is the key to what we need to sacrifice, and it is this struggle that explains why. I have mentioned before many times what it is that we need to sacrifice, and even the why of the individual sacrifices. So now the question becomes why sacrifice is necessary as a general principle.

    Behind the purposes of our life, and who it is we choose to serve lies a fundamental truth. The fact is that due to our free will, ultimately we only really serve that which we truly desire. Again it says “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.”

    Even if we serve various masters in this life, in the long run we will throw off the yoke of one master or another. We only choose to remain yoked down to that which satisfies our cravings. Only that which fulfills our inner desires will remain our masters at the last day. So it is that we are basically ruled by whatever our souls desire.

    To quote Sydney Losstarot from Vagrant Story “Those who crave the Dark cannot control the Dark.” It should go without saying that it is impossible to command or control that which rules over us. So it is that we become unable to control that which we hunger after, whatever that might be.

    The Telestial who hunger after the lusts of the flesh cannot control the flesh. Thus it is that they are not fit to receive a perfected body. They are not worthy of ruling over such, as they cannot even rule over what they are given now. Thus in mercy God grants to them a body that is free from lust and filthiness, that they can at least be preserved and live a life free from darkness.

    The Terrestrial who serve after the will of society and the philosophies of man can never govern over many, for they are forever slaves to the mind and will of their peers. Thus it is that they cannot be entrusted with the power to create worlds or lives, for they proved unable to set aside the concerns of the world, and live for Him while in this probationary state. Thus the Lord in His mercy grants that they may serve as angels, forever in the service of a perfected society, without the burden of lordship.

    Most alarming are the Perditious, who serve the darkness within, to set themselves up as a Law unto themselves, for they crave for power and dominion and hunger after glory by ruling over those around them with an iron fist. They try to sate themselves by looking for happiness in misery, parasitically sucking the life and light of those around them, living only to satisfy their pride, and as such they are not fit to rule even over themselves. Thus it is that they cannot even be preserved, for they will not.

    Finally the Celestial, they of whom it has been spoken that they have overcome all, they are they that seek after the light and love of God. They seek after the yoke spoken of by Jesus who said “For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Obviously they cannot rule over their Eternal Father, but that is an entirely meaningless point as none are able to do so.

    While God does technically rule over them, He in his goodness never dominates or controls, never imposes His will, but rather allows them to be “agents unto themselves” and act by their own volition. For in D&C it is said: “Verily I say, men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness;”

    That is the way He rules, and it is through our being solely subservient to Him, that we are able to overcome all things. That is why His yoke is easy. The word yoke is always linked to bondage and subservience. By submitting to Him as our Lord, we take his yoke which is infinitely easier than any other yoke, for this is the only yoke where we are truly ourselves.

    Thus it is that if we are a slave to the desire, we can never rise above it. The desire and craving itself holds us back. When we sacrifice those things unto the Lord, he empowers us to rule over them. It is only they that are in complete control of themselves that are worthy of ruling over all.

    Obviously if we are to become the Fathers and Mothers of our own spiritual progeny, we need that perfection and holiness, that we might provide a perfect place to raise our own spirit children. However we can only attain that glory if we make the sacrifices necessary, by throwing away that which hinders our ability to rule in righteousness.

    That is why the Lord has written in Luke: “For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.” We need to fill our souls with the bread and water of Christ, for that is the only thing that truly fulfills, for all else binds us down.

    So it is that the Lord provides this probationary time for us to choose how much we wish to sacrifice, and what we wish to accomplish. He doesn't forcefully demand that we all become as Him. He grants us the privilege of choosing for ourselves, that we need not give up what we cannot part with.

    He loves all of us as His children, and thus gives us the tools to choose and empowers us to rise up as high as we wish. This is not some meaningless test of how much pain we can endure, but rather, it is a means whereby we can climb up the ladder to the eternities to the greatest happiness possible. It is only through our rendering unto Him what is in His image that we are able to become like Him. Of this I testify amen.

In Defense of Eternal Increase

    When I covered eternal progression last time, I didn't cover any possible alternative interpretations of the term. I did this with the intent of having my article as straight forward and clear as possible. I didn't wish to clutter it with all sorts of defenses against the philosophies of men.

    That said, sometimes it is necessary to look at those ideas, and see what they offer. The main opposing viewpoint to eternal increase is the idea of progression between the kingdoms. This idea is supposedly more fair and merciful, appealing to god's goodness and mercy, suggesting that He would not allow his children to be damned to a lesser kingdom for eternity.

    One article supporting this viewpoint by J.J. Dewey can be found here. If we take a look at his article on eternal progress it seems to offer various proofs to a plan that allows people to cross over and grow from one kingdom to another. However if we take a closer look at the so-called proofs we find that they take a very mortal view on eternal principles.

    First Dewey makes an analogy which likens progression to three cars, each going at differing speeds. However he is unable to grasp the true and glorious nature of how the Kingdoms truly operate. As I have explained more thoroughly before it is impossible for anyone of a lower kingdom to catch up with those of a higher kingdom.

    If we continue to read, we see that Dewey misconstrues Joseph Smith's words “if it had a beginning, it will have an end”. Again, if we take a correct reading of this doctrine, we can see that the most important thing is whether the principle is eternal, not the instance.

    We know that the eternal laws which govern the Kingdoms of God are without beginning of days or end of years and thus it is that any specific instance of an individual entering into these Kingdoms is bound to them for eternity.

    What a gift this is! There is no doubt as to our status before god, for as our state is eternal there is no fear of a fall. What Dewey failed to realize is that if there is the freedom of progressing upwards, then so too by necessity is there the option of falling down. God could not be unchangeable, for if he is growing, so too is there a possibility of degeneration, and as a consequence he is an undependable and unreliable god.

    Dewey goes on to say that it would be unfair or unmerciful for a person do be doomed to a lesser kingdom because of mistakes made in mortality. This shows an unmistakable lack of knowing Him and His Final Judgment.

    As I stated before, the fact is that those that receive a kingdom of Glory are empowered by it. No one is “doomed” to any kingdom, as Dewey states. This word doomed implies that it is somehow a punishment, or that those so consigned are unsatisfied in some aspect.

    Firstly, it wouldn't be a kingdom of glory if the people there were all miserable. Does it not say that the glory of Telestial kingdom does “surpass all understanding”. Obviously the Telestial Kingdom is far more wonderful than we can imagine.

    The final and greatest flaw in Dewey's argument is his lack of understanding of agency which I have covered here. According to Dewey's teachings even the most wicked and filthy will eventually get to the Celestial kingdom.

    Did Dewey not say “Will there ever be a permanent end to man's union with God? Could he ever be eternally separated from him? No.” Also “Water vapor in the air may condense and fall on the earth, but sooner or later it will evaporate and return to its source, but all the molecules do not return at the same time, each returns in its order.”

    Both of these passages make it abundantly clear that there is no choice in this scenario. The first passage states that it is impossible to get away from god, no matter how much we wish it. Even if we despise God from the bottom of our blackened hearts, there is no way to escape from Him. This makes God an arch tyrant which leaves us with no escape from His grasp!

    In the second, it puts us on equal level with water molecules which do not have the ability to choose to return to heaven. They do so because of natural laws acting upon them, and if we are no different than them, then we too have no choice in the matter of our returning to God. Our Agency and Will are in vain, mere illusions of the mind, without substance or meaning.

    Is this not the exact plan that Satan himself advocated? The illusion of choice to pacify us, which allows us to be herded mindlessly back up to Lucifer's presence, without any real decision in the matter.

    If the only difference in the kingdoms, is the speed with which you progress, then what is wrong with taking a more relaxed route? I personally don't like driving fast, I'd rather take in and see the sights, as I'm in no hurry. If the consequences of our choices are not eternal then that doctrine is no different than the doctrine of the world spoken of in 2nd Nephi.

    “Eat, drink, and be merry; nevertheless, fear God—he will justify in committing a little sin; yea, lie a little, take the advantage of one because of his words, dig a pit for thy neighbor; there is no harm in this; and do all these things, for tomorrow we die; and if it so be that we are guilty, God will beat us with a few stripes, and at last we shall be saved in the kingdom of God.”

    Take in the Sights! Experience all there is to life! Even if you screw up, and murder and rape your neighbors, you'll eventually make it back, its guaranteed! Sure you'll go through hell to do so, but that's okay, ultimately it doesn't matter! Right?

    Clearly at its core, this doctrine does not lead a man to Christ. In essence, this doctrine is based upon trying to understand the Divine things of God, by the things of this world. That however is the opposite of God's way, for one can only understand the things of this world by understanding God, not vice versa. Man cannot know himself until he knows God, not the other way around. To perceive the things of God, one must build upon His Rock.

    And what is His Rock you may ask? It is His Atonement. When you truly know the atonement, you know of his grace and power, and as such you know that it can cover for all contingencies. That is why one can have the faith to believe in Him, and His plan.

    His eternal sacrifice is what allows us to not be afraid or be bound down by our mistakes for He already has them covered. There is no fear of not being able to make it, or any doubt as to His judgments, as His plan already has all of that accounted for.

    And so I ask of you to judge between these two scenarios. In the case I have laid out in further detail here, progression is a selfless journey of creation and raising up new progeny to fill the universe with glory.

    On the other hand if we take a thorough look at Dewey's interpretation of Progression there are two possibilities neither of them pleasant. Either there is no agency, and as such it is no different than Satan's plan, OR if the path to progression is two way, allowing for both an increase and a deterioration, it results in a unstable, unreliable and undependable universe where one is never free from sin and temptation, where God himself cannot be relied upon for even He has the potential to fall.

    On top of which, in either case progression is basically about eternally being selfishly involved in trying to better yourself, with nary a mention about helping others. How can one be a perfect source of light to others, when one still has room to improve? Did not Christ say “first cast out the beam out of thine own eye”. Is it not said that “the inward vessel shall be cleansed first”?

    If you stop and think further, this even includes God himself in such a rat race, where there are things greater than He! Does this not profane Him? Does this not deny His power, perfection, holiness, and His unchanging and Eternal nature. It belittles Him, and drops Him down to our level, rather than raise us up to His.

    We read “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.”

    And so I ask, which scenario “inviteth to do good, and to persuade to believe in Christ”? Which one shows a greater faith in Him, and his plan? Rather than trying to change his plan to save everyone like unto Lucifer, we must have Faith in him and his ability to judge us properly and do as Jesus did, saying “thy will be done”. That requires trust in Him.

    I trust that God knows me and all of his children. I know that he will give us what we truly desire, as evidenced by what we seek after. And I know that if one prays with a sincere heart as spoken of in Moroni 10, anyone can know the embrace of His love and find the trust necessary to believe in His plan for us. Amen.

On Eternal Progression

    In my previous article on Growth, I mentioned that God was perfect, and as such did not grow, unlike us. This raises the question, what does eternal progression mean?

    Far too often, we misunderstand the relationship between growth in this mortal life, and eternal increase. As pointed out previously, our bodies are not necessary for, and even interfere with our mental and spiritual growth. God grants us growth and perfects us. Thus because of this, divine growth is neither slow nor gradual; it is immediate and complete.

    An example of this is when a man first finds Christ in his life. Anyone who as been truly converted can say without a doubt, that the Lord freed them from their sins. When one is freed from the bondage of sin, it is not a slow gradual thing. One is either free or in bondage, there is no state of half bondage. One is either clean or unclean, there is no such thing as partially filthy.

    Likewise God cleanses, perfects, and sanctifies all of his children in an instant, as soon as they accept the prerequisite conditions to become so. It is a quantum leap in change, not a gradual increase. Perfection is not a long sought out eventual goal. It is granted, as stated in Moroni 7, through Christ. While true perfection is not possible in this life, it is easily granted in the resurrection.

    In fact as stated before, the prerequisites for living in the Kingdoms of glory are cleanliness, perfection, and holiness. We need to be in that state prior to receiving our final inheritance.

    Now if we look to the scriptures, neither the words “eternal progress” nor the words “eternal increase” are found anywhere in the standard works. In fact, the word progress itself is used only six times simply to denote a moving forward in a journey, or the growth of the church. It has nothing to do with the eternal.

    So where does this idea come from? What does it mean, and who does it apply to? These are all very important and serious questions. The term “eternal progression” appears to have been originally coined by Brigham Young. But regardless of where the term comes from we can look at the words themselves to understand how and to who it applies.

    As stated before, Eternal is the name of god. As such, one can in replace the word Eternal with “Divine” or “God-like” to gain a greater understanding of what it means. For example Eternal marriage is a divine marriage, or a marriage that is the same as His. Eternal Life is a life similar to His, and so on and so forth. Thus Eternal progression, is to progress as He does.

    Thus it clearly applies to those that are on the same level as Him, namely those of a Celestial glory. Likewise since He is perfect and holy, there is no issue of growing or gaining, as he has all knowledge, power and also owns the universe. How He progresses is fundamentally an issue of progressing in one's journey towards a goal, the goal of raising progeny and creating worlds without end. As Joseph Smith himself taught “...God is thus glorified and exalted in the salvation and exaltation of all his children.”

    President Joseph Fielding Smith put it aptly “Do you not see that it is in this manner that our Eternal Father is progressing? Not by seeking knowledge which he does not have, for such a thought cannot be maintained in the light of scripture. It is not through ignorance and learning hidden truth that he progresses, for if there are truths which he does not know, then these things are greater than he, and this cannot be. Why can't we learn wisdom and believe what the Lord has revealed?”

    Here we can clearly see that there is no focus on personal growth, as that is fundamentally a selfish thing. Is not my studying and becoming smarter simply about self? God has moved beyond such trifles, and instead is a source of light to all.

    So too must we move past this mentality of eternally trying to get better. While it is important for us to try to better ourselves in this world, it is not the focus of the eternities and as such should not be our focus here as well. That is a Telestial mindset at best. As stated before those of a celestial mindset live for others and forget themselves as Jesus did.

    Doing as He did is an important key to understand Eternal increase. Joseph Smith stated further “What did Jesus do? Why I do the things I saw my Father do when worlds came rolling into existence. My Father worked out his kingdom with fear and trembling, and I must do the same; and when I get my kingdom, I shall present it to my Father, so that he may obtain kingdom upon kingdom, and it will exalt him in glory. He will then take a higher exaltation, and I will take his place, and thereby become exalted myself.”

    From this we clearly see that our raising up a kingdom via the increase of our progeny is the key to progression. We raise up seed unto Him, and commit our kingdom unto Him. Progress in this fashion, is no different than the progress of generations. The son becomes the father, and the father becomes the grandfather who is then glorified by the posterity of his sons and daughters.

    Thus it is that we are able to achieve these higher exaltations, which exaltations are subsets of the Celestial Glory, continuing to infinity, each patterned after the last, but greater and more glorious.

    It is a fractal pattern, each individual in the Celestial glory being unique and different despite following after the same pattern. This glory is not something we can comprehend without seeing the eternities for ourselves.

    What He has in store for us is so great that it cannot be uttered by man, but we can see even the smallest beginnings of that glory in our own homes. It is in the home where love is born. It is there that purpose is found. It is there that the eternities are mirrored.

    Eternal progression or Eternal Increase can also be stated to be the only true and Eternal purpose. Beyond salvation and perfection, it is the holy and sacred crown of All. Thus we need to take responsibility and treat the home with the the reverence and respect that it deserves.

    All too often we get caught up in whatever activities that we have in our lives that distracts from the real purposes that are right in front of our face. If we cannot take care of our families now, and if we do not seek after the welfare of our own seed, then how could we possibly care for progeny in the world to come?

    The Lord is there for us, and seeks to raise us up to Him. But we must do as He does and lose ourselves in the service to our family. For he that is greatest of all is the servant of all. If we do these things and use the powers and dominions granted to us to protect and serve those for whom we are responsible, then I know that we can have the joy of having posterity in the eternities to follow, of this I testify, Amen.

On the Nature of the Kingdoms

    To truly know Him and have faith in Him, we need to have a correct understanding of His plan for us. If we are misled or have an incomplete understanding our faith will remain incomplete and weak. Thus it is that we need correct doctrine to open our eyes to the gloriousness of His plan.

    Now, I have discussed in depth the laws of each of the kingdoms (here, here and here), and so the next step is to delve further and begin to gain an understanding of the nature of each kingdom. Knowing this will give us confidence in His plan and will allow us to trust in His judgments, that they are just and true, and leads to a deeper appreciation of all that He has done for us.

    Let us first recap what we have learned about the laws of the kingdoms. In Moses 6 we read  “... ye must be born again into the kingdom of heaven, of water, and of the Spirit, and be cleansed by blood, even the blood of mine Only Begotten; that ye might be sanctified from all sin, and enjoy the words of eternal life in this world, and eternal life in the world to come, even immortal glory;

    For by the water ye keep the commandment; by the Spirit ye are justified, and by the blood ye are sanctified.”

    This short passage passage contains the Eternities. His plan is expressed in such a simple and yet profound manner that it just leaves one awestruck. His ways are all one. There is a pattern and an order, the first and the last, the greatest and the least, all mirroring each other, forming one great whole.

    By the rebirth of water we first sacrifice our life and are reborn anew. This “life” that we sacrifice is our superficial agency which makes us who we are. By sacrificing our corrupt agency, we gain a true perfect agency from Him, and by so doing are able to keep the commandment. This is the first gate we must all pass on the way to Him, which allows entry into the Telestial kingdom.

    By the rebirth of fire or the spirit we yet again sacrifice our life and are reborn to an even  higher state. Again this “life” that we sacrifice is yet another part of our self, which is our independence and individuality. By relying upon Him and throwing away our pride, we are able to finally become innocent and pure before Him, and by so doing we are able to be justified. Again this is another gate we must all pass to return to Him, which allows entry into the Terrestrial kingdom.

    Finally our being cleansed in His blood is the means whereby we are re-inherited as His children, wherein we do as He did. And what did He do? He sacrificed his life and will to the Father, which is what we must do to return to Him, and only then can we become holy like He is.

    Again in Revelations 22 when Christ speaks to John of the Final Judgment He divides those that are judged into four camps saying: “He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.”

    Clearly we can see that these four groups are the perditious i.e. the filthy, the Telestial i.e. the unjust, the Terrestrial i.e. the righteous, and the Celestial i.e. the holy.

    Now by looking at these differences in the nature of those that enter each kingdom we can see that the Kingdoms are not mere different editions of the same thing. Just as there are fundamental differences in the nature of those that inhabit each kingdom, the the kingdom's nature is also different in like manner.

    I am not going to cover the perditious as they are not a kingdom of glory, and so instead let us cover Telestial kingdom in more detail, a kingdom which is often likened unto this mortal world in which we now live. Unfortunately, due to this likening, some mistakenly assume that this mortal world is the same as a Telestial world.

    While there are indeed many similarities between the Telestial and us, one simple change makes all the difference in the world, namely a lack of filthiness. There is no death, disease, sin or wickedness in this kingdom, and as such there cannot be any comparison as to our state versus theirs. It is a kingdom of glory and immortality, with no corruption or sorrows.

    That said, the individual that enters this kingdom is not special or spectacular in any way, relative to this world. As evidenced in the Bible passage where Christ meets Mary after his resurrection, a person with a Telestial body can be mistaken for a mortal. Now this is not to say that they are the same, as evidenced by the inability to get sick and die. However from this we can discern that there is not a fundamental difference in degrees of power or freedom between the mortal and the Telestial.

    Again, they that remain in their Telestial state are they that are slaves to the natural man. As such, they remain forever imperfect and thus, forever common. Even Isaiah compares this group to common stones, i.e. not of particular worth or value, which is interesting, as they are the very people who refuse to throw away their pride, and thus end up becoming common and worthless.

    However those that fulfill the conditions set forth by Christ are they that rise from a mere Telestial state to a Terrestrial one. This state is often compared to the millennium. However again people do understand that this similarity is not not the same as an equivalence. There will still be imperfection and death during the Millennium, it is just that the hearts of the people during that time will be comparable and in like manner to a higher kingdom, wherein they live by that higher law.

    Again Isaiah likens the Terrestrial to semi-precious stones and metals. They are perfected in Christ, and as such wield power beyond our mortal comprehension. There is a visible difference between mortal men and those that are Terrestrial, or like unto angels of God. When Christ first appeared to the Nephites, the people mistook him for an angel of god, as he was in a Terrestrial state.

    In Joseph Smith's description of the angel Moroni we see that there is an unfathomable gulf that separates us from the angels of God. To quote: “... his whole person was glorious beyond description, and his countenance truly like lightning. The room was exceedingly light, but not so very bright as immediately around his person. When I first looked upon him, I was afraid; but the fear soon left me.”

    Interestingly even the wicked do not attempt to raise their hands against terrestrial beings as evidenced by Paul and Alma, Laman and Lemuel, and any of the wicked that have seen angels face to face. Though they may deny it years down the road when the memories have faded, while in a personal confrontation against the powers of heaven, even the wicked bow their heads.

    In any normal circumstances the wicked would in no way bow down to a righteous authority figure. Imagine if you will if a glowy person in a robe simply appeared in front of a wicked person today, don't you think that they would doubt the veracity of the angel's power unless it was overwhelmingly obvious? There is no way that a wicked man will listen to someone simply because they are sparkly. More than likely they would just give any mortal person the finger and simply continue sinning.

    This alone is a testament to the unmistakable level of power which they possess which even the wicked cannot deny. When Alma was faced with such an angelic messenger the angel spoke saying  “And now behold, can ye dispute the power of God? For behold, doth not my voice shake the earth? And can ye not also behold me before you?”

    It was sufficient that Alma behold the angel to know that he was sent of God. That is the power that the Terrestrial have. They are conduits of His light. Even their voice shakes the earth. There is no denying them, unlike how we can deny the holy prophets.

    Next and finally we come to the Celestial. While there is not a great deal of evidence in the scriptures as to the nature of the celestial, we can see from what is written that it is far beyond even what the terrestrial possess.

    First, there is no doubt that a divine personage is God. His whispers pierce the souls of any and all who hear as shown in Helaman and 3rd Nephi. His words are such that only those that have their hearts opened can understand them.

    In D&C 110 it describes Christ as a Celestial being saying “His eyes were as a flame of fire; the hair of his head was white like the pure snow; his countenance shone above the brightness of the sun; and his voice was as the sound of the rushing of great waters, even the voice of Jehovah”

    As Joseph Smith said in another account “God Almighty Himself dwells in eternal fire; flesh and blood cannot go there, for all corruption is devoured by the fire” In yet another account the pillar of light that Joseph Smith saw is described as a pillar of fire. Moses consistently describes god as being in the “midst of the fire”.

    Now this isn't a literal fire, but rather the closest description that can be given of Him and His glory is that of a flaming fire or a pillar of light. It is beyond mortal words to describe. Every word that is uttered by the Lord is truth, and thus his words alter or fixate reality itself. That is His eternal and enormous power.

    It is for this very reason that we can read in Psalms the following “And the heavens shall praise thy wonders, O LORD: thy faithfulness also in the congregation of the saints.

    For who in the heaven can be compared unto the LORD?  who among the sons of the mighty can be likened unto the LORD?”

    Unfortunately we live in a day and age where we have forgotten awe and worship. We tread lightly the things of God, and treat Him as but a friend or some backup guy we go to for help only if things are getting a bit nasty. There is no praise or being awestruck at his majesty, and as a consequence we know nothing of Him.

    Thus we see that the gap between the kingdoms shows us that it is not merely a difference in speed of progression, but rather we see each degree of glory gains powers untouchable by those below. As the fundamental nature of their personality changes as they rise, so too does the fundamental nature of their abilities change with them.

    If we were to use vehicles as an analogy, it wouldn't be three cars going at various speeds but rather three entirely different vehicles. If we were to symbolize the Telestial glory by a car, then we would need to symbolize the Terrestrial with an airplane, and the Celestial with a spaceship. Even this imperfect analogy cannot capture the infinite gulf between the kingdoms of god.

    A Telestial car can never hope to fly where the Terrestrial airplanes are capable of going, and the same goes for the difference between the Terrestrial airplanes and Celestial spaceships. There is no catching up, as there is no contest between them.

    Each degree of heaven separates us from Him by infinite gulfs which we cannot cross. From mortality to immortality, from imperfection to perfection, from the common and profane to the sacred and holy, these are chasms that we cannot fully comprehend, let alone cross. No amount of effort can overcome the natural limits that are ingrained in our souls. Only God can overcome those limits.

    When we begin to understand these fundamentals when it comes to the unquantifiably vast differences in the Kingdoms and how they operate, it elevates us and empowers us to put that much more trust in the Lord. If a mere angel's power is beyond our comprehension, then how much greater is the Lord's! If mere prophets can discern what is in the hearts of the children of men, how much more does He understand us!

    I testify that He is, and that He is all powerful, all seeing, all knowing, all good, for He is God. Then let us put our trust in Him, the God of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, He who has freed all of His people from Bondage, and has his arms stretched out still, just waiting for us to seek Him out. If we do this, we will become like Him of this I testify, Amen.

On the Highest Law

    As I have written, through the first law of justice we are cleansed and through the higher law of mercy we are justified. This then leaves us with questions concerning that which is Celestial. What more can we sacrifice than our independence? What law could exist above mercy? What could be greater than perfection?

    First to understand why perfection isn't the end, we need to know what perfection is. Every word in the Hebrew Old Testament for perfect are also the same words which mean finished, complete or whole. His definition of perfection is different from our westernized perception of it, and is not a state where one is all powerful or all knowing. Rather it is a state of complete lack of weakness or flaws within its sphere and element.

    When we describe a perfect diamond, it doesn't mean that the diamond has all possible properties of beauty, rather it is used to describe the crystal itself, that is has no blemishes and its crystal matrix is without flaw. Similarly and quite obviously, the perfect man is not the same as the perfect woman. They still need each other to fulfill the measure of their creation. So too, is the perfect man meaningless without God.

    Thus when we are perfected we become whole and complete in and of ourselves without any weakness or lack as to our own nature. However this does not mean that we have “received of his fulness”, as we still need His Kingdoms and His light to sustain us. We can see from this that perfection is merely a preparatory state, a state we need to reach before we are able to return to Him.

    So if our being perfect is insufficient, then what is? If the first law separates the clean from the unclean, and the higher law divides the just from the unjust, then what is the Highest law, and how does it differentiate between the Terrestrial and the Celestial?

    Interestingly there is not much which is detailed when it comes to the Terrestrial Kingdom and its laws. The differences between the two kingdoms are rarely spelled out in the scriptures. Yes there are some indications in what the Kingdoms stand for such as whether they were “valiant in the testimony of Jesus”, but even that isn't strictly defined.

    God however does have a strict definition as to what that means, and what we need to do to inherit Eternal Life. There is no subjective judgment; it is clear cut and without exception. Thus we need to find out that law as He defines it.

    We can find at least a preliminary definition in D&C 88 where we read “they who are not sanctified through the law which I have given unto you, even the law of Christ, must inherit another kingdom, even that of a terrestrial kingdom, or that of a telestial kingdom.”

    The law of Christ is the law which separates us, wherein it separates the sanctified from the unsanctified, or in other words the holy from the unholy. This holiness and sanctification is the necessary condition which we need to fulfill in order to finally inherit Eternal Life.

    Some have mistakenly believe that this Law of Christ is doing what Jesus did in a literal sense, wherein we atone the for the sins of another world. However as I have written before, this literal way of interpretation of His word is a very Gentile and wrong way to understand His will. It is in this way that the philosophies of man are mingled with scripture.

    Besides being mathematically unfeasible, this belief belittles what Christ did for us, and undoes the foundations of salvation. It raises us up in our pride and arrogance, supposing that we could possibly do what Jesus did, for we are not the Father's first born nor His Only Begotten, which name becomes meaningless if we believe in this doctrine. How can we die and live again, if we have already received incorruption, or do ye suppose that there is some form of trans-migration, which doctrine Joseph Smith denounced as the doctrine of the devil?

    No, obviously the Law of Christ is not to do what He did in a literal sense, but rather to follow Him in a more abstract manner, or in other words to follow the example and principles that He laid down for us.

    So what exactly are these principles? What exactly is this law of Christ? To answer this let us take a brief look at sacrificial animals in the Law of Moses, as well as the general law of the people prior to the coming of Christ.

    First of all these animals needed to be ritually clean, strong and healthy specimens, and physically unblemished. All sacrifices were then salted or purified, before finally offered upon the altar. Only then were they “korban” or sanctified as a sacrifice unto the Lord. The animal that was sacrificed was considered holy and sacred and belonged to Him.

    We can see from this that anything that we sacrifice unto Him must abide by those conditions. We don't sacrifice that which is unclean or worthless to Him, we sacrifice that which is of great worth to Him. Thus cleanliness and perfection are mere prerequisites to something greater. The first sacrifice of our agency, and the higher sacrifice of our independence are the preparatory sacrifices which lead to the ultimate sacrifice, the sacrifice of self or will.

    This is the final example of that which is written “For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.” This is the ultimate and utter surrender, and thus the greatest humiliation, wherein we sacrifice the only thing that is left: ourselves.

    This is exactly what He did for us. He was the final sacrifice for all the world, wherein “the will of the Son [was] swallowed up in the will of the Father.” This is the final example that Jesus showed us, on what to do to follow Him. For has He not said “wherefore, follow me, and do the things which ye have seen me do.”

    Neal A Maxwell explained “The submission of one’s will is really the only uniquely personal thing we have to place on God’s altar. The many other things we “give,” brothers and sisters, are actually the things He has already given or loaned to us. However, when you and I finally submit ourselves, by letting our individual wills be swallowed up in God’s will, then we are really giving something to Him! It is the only possession which is truly ours to give!”

    So it is that our wills must in like manner be swallowed up in God's will. In Helaman 3 it reads “Nevertheless they did fast and pray oft, and did wax stronger and stronger in their humility, and firmer and firmer in the faith of Christ, unto the filling their souls with joy and consolation, yea, even to the purifying and the sanctification of their hearts, which sanctification cometh because of their yielding their hearts unto God.”

    The word heart in Hebrew is “leb” which can also be translated as the inner man, or will. It is the core of our souls that we must sacrifice unto Him, and only then can we say “That [our] garments have been cleansed and made white through the blood of Christ, who will come to redeem his people from their sins”.

    Moroni expounds upon this saying “And again, if ye by the grace of God are perfect in Christ, and deny not his power, then are ye sanctified in Christ by the grace of God, through the shedding of the blood of Christ, which is in the covenant of the Father unto the remission of your sins, that ye become holy, without spot.”

    This is the ordinance that we need to enter into, which is our being re-inherited as children of the Father, receiving that patriarchal priesthood which is necessary for us to become joint heirs with Christ through the Blood of his perfect atonement, for “by the blood ye are sanctified”. It is through this that we are endowed with power from on High to pass through the impenetrable veil which protects us from the Kingdom of everlasting burnings.

    If we submit to Him, we lose our unholy wills, wherein we receive a Holy will. This is how “[we] shall overcome all things”. Can any man in and of himself overcome all? Of course not. He empowers us with the ability to do so, in and through our sacrifice of our wills to Him.

    Again the irony rears its ugly head, for they that are unwilling to sacrifice their will, are they whose wills becomes meaningless. For how can God expect us to become Eternal Fathers, if our wills are not like His, omniscient, omnipotent, and omnibenevolent?

    Thus it is that they who cannot take that last step are they that are condemning themselves to be forever unholy, their wills becoming dead ends. They die the “eternal deaths”, in that they cut off the possibility of posterity from themselves, for this is their covenantal curse, a curse of damnation, without the possibility of increase in glory or meaning, worlds without end.

    Likewise they that follow Christ's example are inheritors of the patriarchal order, the covenental blessing of “eternal lives”, wherein they become a light upon high, becoming a source of creation, raining down eternal life upon an innumerable host of like children.

    How glorious and wonderful the blessings He has in store for us! We cannot comprehend what He has in store for us, for so great are they “that they cannot be written, neither can they be uttered by man.”

    As Neal A Maxwell so eloquently stated “In striving for ultimate submission, our wills constitute all we really have to give God anyway. The usual gifts and their derivatives we give to Him could be stamped justifiably “Return to Sender,” with a capital S. Even when God receives this one gift in return, the fully faithful will receive “all that [He] hath” (D&C 84:38). What an exchange rate!”

    Then if that is the case what have we to lose? If we have already sacrificed our agency and independence, why not go just a little further, and sacrifice the little that remains, and gain the whole world in exchange.

    Let us follow the words of Moroni who counseled “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ; that ye may become the sons of God; that when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we may have this hope; that we may be purified even as he is pure.”

    Let us be those true followers, where we do as He did, submit as He did, and love as He loves. If we do these things, I can promise that we will finally inherit all as He has and be filled with that joy the eternal joy that only comes to those that are like Him, which is beyond measure. Amen.