It is as if Pres. Holland made his talk to work with Elder Holland's devotional from the Sunday before (discussed in the 15th September post of this blog). He spoke primarily on the theme he stated to be "fighting the good fight," which is very interesting considering that just last Sunday Elder Holland spoke on standing for what we believe in. The two worked together to give me a far greater understanding as to what should be my immediate focus, which I have been wondering about for a while now. Between the two addresses, I see that we are to be more involved in the world around us, holding high the banner of the Gospel of Christ.
Pres. Holland began by asking why there is so much war depicted in the Book of Mormon. The Book of Mormon has a little over 500 pages, and over 80 of them describe warfare. There is even an infamously-long section in the Book of Alma (a book within the Book of Mormon) that is termed, "the War Chapters", and many have asked the same question that Pres. Holland did. But before we answer that question, let's explore the other portions of his talk.
He began by relating the message Jesus Christ preached while on the Earth. Christ taught, "But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you" (Matt. 5: 44). This is a very important preface to the subject, as pointed out with Elder Holland, for what is the world's way of gathering followers? Hateful remarks that are more focused on tearing their enemies down rather than building others up. Just look at the U.S. Elections; both the Democratic and the Republican parties are heavily guilty of this. I don't know about you, but when somebody calls me stupid, religious bigot, or so forth, I am not very inclined to listen to them, even if they have a good point. Plus, it is entirely contrary and counterproductive to spread faith-destroying seeds of hate in the hopes of planting the Gospel of love! Christ never tore others down; He rarely even criticized, and when He did, it was in the intention to build them up. So, first and foremost, remember that we are to love our enemies as our brothers and sisters, for do we not all have the same Father?
But, if we are to be kind and merciful, how are we to fight for what we believe in, you might ask? Well, Pres. Holland stated that we lack mercy if we do not enforce justice. Think about it; if one steals from another, let us suppose we are "merciful" and let him free from punishment. How does that help either the perpetrator or the victim? The perpetrator does not learn his sin in theft, and the victim is never justified. So, we condemn the thief for his crime. But, isn't that lacking mercy? Not if we do it for the right reasons. If we punish him in a manner and with an attitude that he will recognize his faults and change for the better, he will lead a better life, so he has been blessed; and, of course, the victim had his goods restored. We must remember this as we strive to be just and merciful; too often are the two values put at odds with each other, but the truth is you cannot have one in its fulness without the other. Anytime someone is doing wrong, they are hurting themselves automatically by inhibiting their progression in becoming more like God and enjoying life, and they are most likely hurting those around them, especially any victims involved.
Pres. Holland specifically mentioned the example of Ammon, from the Book of Alma earlier mentioned. Ammon was of one civilization, the Nephites, the group normally associated as God's followers (not always though). He was a sinner himself, but he eventually repented of his ways and embraced the Gospel of Christ. However, once he had it, that was not good enough. What about those that did not know of the Gospel or the sweet joy living it brings? Ammon decided that he would take the Gospel to the neighboring, usually heathen (but again, not always), nation of the Lamanites. He ventured forth, and when he arrived, the king had Ammon brought before him to inquire why he had come. Ammon stated that foremost, his desire was to serve the king. The king was taken aback, but he accepted Ammon's offer. Eventually, Ammon impressed the king with his selfless service, and the king asked what Ammon hoped to accomplish. Ammon shared the Gospel with him, and the king, with his whole house, accepted. Amazing experience; Ammon did not condemn the Lamanites. He didn't even preach in the beginning. Ammon first ensured that they understood first and foremost that he was their friend; thus, as a friend, he desired them to enjoy the life he loved and held dear.
Unfortunately, the world will not always be a bed of roses to frolic through. While we must love those around us, we need to arm ourselves for the conflicts ahead. We are not to let our values slide. We are not to decline with the world. We are to stand firm in the Light of our God. We are in a war right now. We have been even before we were born. We fought against the devil for our freedom before this life (Rev. 12: 7-9; Doctrine and Covenants 76: 25-29). We are not done fighting yet. The war for our salvation is more dire than ever before. So, we do not fight with swords of steel and perish physically, but that makes the war all the more serious. This war is for our eternal salvation, the endless state of our soul. With physical wars, the consequences will be healed over time, but in this war, the consequences never fade.
Now to answer the initial question: why in the Book of Mormon is there so much war? According to Pres. Holland, and this is the best theory I've heard yet, it is to prove to the world and God's children that God will fight our battles! As you read of the battles in that Book, you see that God's people may get into some sticky situations, but as they always rely on Him, they will overcome! Is that not comforting? The world scares me today. It really does; a whole lot is going on that I find deplorable, and it does not seem to be stopping anytime soon. But, this time I read through the Book of Mormon, I will ponderfully review how God protected His children in the past and have hope that God will not abandon us for this great battle.
The devotional closed with the hymn, "Onward, Christian Soldiers". Now, after this event, it is one of my favorites. Here is the chorus:
"Onward, Christian soldiers, marching as to war,
With the cross of Jesus going on before."
God will fight our battles. It is our job to have faith and "be steadfast [and] immovable" (1 Cor. 15: 58). With all the remarkable examples around us and in the scriptures, how can we lose faith in Him? Let us be strong as we press forward!
God bless y'all!
Patrick
No comments:
Post a Comment