Chapter 18—"Never Be Weary of Good Works"
When the Father and Son appeared to Joseph in 1820, They forbid Joseph to join any church that had only a form of godliness. He also said, “The world at this time lieth in sin, and there is none that doeth good, no not one,” a message repeated in the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine & Covenants, Old Testament, and New Testament. “The godly has perished from the earth and there is no one upright among mankind” (Micah 7:2, ESV), for the Spirit had departed.
At the time of Joseph’s vision, there was “not one” who did good, including Joseph. How could someone whose faithful prayer opened the heavens not be called good? Because the Restoration was not underway, but about to begin, no one could become or do good with a corrupted gospel and form of godliness without power. To do good, His gospel had to be restored, lost truths recovered, and ordinances revealed to lay the foundation needed to do the Father’s work.
If we chronologically examine the phrase ‘doing good’ in the D&C, an interesting picture emerges. In 1820, none were doing good for the restoration had not been revealed. In April 1829, the Lord encouraged the saints to “be the means of doing much good in this generation” by seeking not riches, but wisdom and knowledge of “the mysteries of God.” He promised, “If thou wilt do good, yea, and hold out faithful to the end, thou shalt be saved in the kingdom of God” (D&C 6:8, 7, 13).
A month later God said, “Put your trust in that Spirit which leadeth to do good—yea, to do justly, to walk humbly, to judge righteously; and this is my Spirit” (D&C 11:12). In October 1830 the Book of Mormon was published. “The coming forth of the Book of Mormon was the means of doing much good.” Taking it lightly would inhibit goodness. Still, at this time there were “none which doeth good, save it be a few” (D&C 33:4) who erred at times because of iniquity, priestcraft, or corrupt traditions. None were good although a few were being prepared. To be good, we must receive the fulness of His gospel, even the everlasting covenant.
In April 1832, the Lord again said, speaking of the inhabitants of the world, that “none doeth good, for all have gone out of the way” (D&C 82:6). Inhabitants of the world have not separated from it to become holy. In November 1832, the LDS church “even all” were condemned for not doing what He required, a condemnation only God can lift.
Have we obtained the fulness? Has He lifted our condemnation? Are His power and gifts actively found among those who make covenants? Have we become “a light unto the Gentiles” and “a savior to my people Israel”? While we may hope for it, these conditional blessings are only given if we come to the Lord. If good works are not performed,
Physical temples offer a dramatic way to learn of ordinances when people are not spiritually prepared to be taught by God Himself. Words, measurements, symbols, materials, and gestures are designed to teach us how we can become a temple where His spirit dwells. If prayerfully studied, ordinances can be a roadmap to converse with Him face to face, but if we alter details or their manner of administration, they can hinder our journey to God. Because ordinances are to be experienced and ratified, ideally in mortality, the endowment is portrayed as a drama where we should consider ourselves as the actors. We are to live the endowment, not merely attend it. To believe participation alone validates ordinances trusts in the arm of flesh. The “endowment [was] intended to be a one-time event only, not to be repeated.” The LDS were told
God will “endow those whom I have chosen with power from on high” if we “build a house unto me” (D&C 95:8, 124:31). His house is defined in spiritual terms. “Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing; and establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God” (D&C 88:119). A temple provides bearings on the universe, teaching our proper place relative to God. Template (‘model’) and temporal (‘time’) relate to temple, a place of learning and observation of the heavens. It represents earthly contact with the powers above.
We must “be organized according to [His] laws” to establish “a house of glory and of God” (D&C 109:15–16). We will miss His glorious purpose if we think physical buildings fulfill this commandment.
While many sacrifice time, talents, and substance to build a temple, the Lord desires a sacrifice of our heart. Even while attending a temple, hearts can remain hard, unchanged, and unwilling to seek higher things.
A physical temple is a type of the spiritual journey we are to experience. Yet some believe a temple is a sign of divine favor, so much that the temple is worshipped instead of the God who desires to be there. His temple cannot be holy if the unholy are there. Joseph knew building a physical temple would not assure its holiness. He “petitioned” God to accept it by putting His name on both temple and church, even six years after its organization (D&C 109:78–79).
Jerusalem’s temples are evidence that nothing men build is secure. That “which ye call the house of God” is believed to “never fall. But, verily I say unto you, that desolation shall come upon this generation as a thief in the night and this people shall be destroyed and scattered among all nations” (D&C 45:18–19). Those having a temple are rebuked for taking advantage of others, mistreating people, being dishonest, and being caught up in materialistic endeavors. As the antithesis of godliness, such works cannot be excused.
The Lord curses fools who believe words of those whom He has not called. Their priests “violated my instructions and defiled my holy things. They make no distinction between what is holy and what is not. And they do not teach my people the difference between what is ceremonially clean and unclean. They disregard my Sabbath days . . . I am dishonored among them” (Ezekiel 22:26, NLT).
God warns a temple is susceptible to perversion and sin. In the last days, vengeance “as a whirlwind . . . shall come upon all the face of the earth . . . upon my house shall it begin, and from my house shall it go forth, saith the Lord. First among those among you, saith the Lord, who have professed to know my name and have not known me, and have blasphemed against me in the midst of my house” (D&C 112:24–26).
We cannot bring forth good works without God’s power and authority. Our works will be rejected if not done in His power and for His glory. Even if we consider ourselves good or chosen by virtue of the covenant, by not walking up to our covenants we “swear not in truth nor in righteousness” (1 Nephi 20:1). “They call themselves of the holy city but they do not stay themselves upon the God of Israel” (1 Nephi 20:2). “Thou art the land that is not cleansed” (Ezekiel 22:24). Forsaking Him brings “the heaviest of all cursings” (D&C 41:1).
“Wo unto the wicked! It shall be ill with him, for the reward of his hands shall be given him” (Isaiah 3:11). For such a sin only a century before He destroyed Shiloh, which housed the Ark of the Covenant. “Therefore will I do unto this house which is called by my name, wherein ye trust . . . I will cast you out of my sight” (Jeremiah 7:14–15).
Because the apostasy involves almost everyone, so will the destruction. Calamity comes when good works cease, but “inasmuch as they do repent and receive the fulness of my gospel, and become sanctified, I will stay mine hand in judgment” (D&C 39:18).
We cannot worship on our own terms and still expect the Lord to bless us. We must turn to Him, fulfill our covenant responsibilities, seek a good report, and in time receive the fulness. “Now the great and grand secret of the whole matter, and the summum bonum (which in Latin means ‘the highest good’) of the whole subject that is lying before us consists in obtaining the powers of the Holy Priesthood. For him to whom these keys are given there is no difficulty in obtaining a knowledge of facts in relation to the salvation of the children of men, both as well for the dead as for the living” (D&C 128:11), among other glorious blessings.
Nothing will be withheld if we trust the Lord to be our teacher, but “because of wickedness, [much truth] is not had among the children of men” (Moses 1:23). Portions of His gospel that are lost or forsaken must be discovered again. He promises a “restoration of all things” (D&C 86:10), including truths the world will not, and cannot, comprehend.
Without Christ we would remain in our fallen condition and “there could no good thing come . . . [for] in Christ there should come every good thing” (Moroni 7:22, 24). Moroni promises to “tell you the way whereby ye may lay hold on every good thing” (Moroni 7:21) then gives us the requirements for Christ to come. We should not limit our interpretation to only Christ’s formal condescension, for Moroni lived almost four hundred years after His earthly ministry. The coming of Christ also refers to the Lord’s promise to reveal Himself to all who rend the veil by faith. In other words, the “coming of Christ” also includes the Second Comforter, even the personal manifestation of Jesus Christ to the worthy.
The doctrine of Christ prepares us for this glorious ordinance. “God, knowing all things, being from everlasting to everlasting, behold, he sent angels to minister unto the children of men . . . to make manifest concerning the coming of Christ” (Moroni 7:22). Patience is required. “The people of the Lord are they who wait for Him” (2 Nephi 6:13). “They shall not be ashamed that wait” (Isaiah 49:23).
Holy prophets receive revelation “by His own mouth” and testify that “Christ should come” (Moroni 7:23) not only in His mortal life, but also in ours. Had the Nephites believed this precious doctrine, they would not have been in the very throes of utter destruction as Moroni wrote these final words, hoping we too would not suffer the same fate by rejecting knowledge of God, “that ye may learn to be more wise than we have been” (Mormon 9:31).
Desiring knowledge of good and evil began mankind’s mortal experience so knowledge of eternal life is needed to reverse the Fall. We do not need (nor can we afford) to wait for “this life is the time to prepare to meet God” and “perform their labors” (Alma 34:32). Faith in Christ cannot coexist with unbelief, so “choose ye this day whom ye will serve” (Alma 30:8). We can serve the Lord or remain in wickedness with hearts set on idols and false traditions.
“There is none other way” (2 Nephi 9:41) except to “repent . . . and come unto me” (3 Nephi 12:19). He promises greater things when we do. We must endure to Him so we can preach His gospel of
For footnotes and references, click HERE.
At the time of Joseph’s vision, there was “not one” who did good, including Joseph. How could someone whose faithful prayer opened the heavens not be called good? Because the Restoration was not underway, but about to begin, no one could become or do good with a corrupted gospel and form of godliness without power. To do good, His gospel had to be restored, lost truths recovered, and ordinances revealed to lay the foundation needed to do the Father’s work.
If we chronologically examine the phrase ‘doing good’ in the D&C, an interesting picture emerges. In 1820, none were doing good for the restoration had not been revealed. In April 1829, the Lord encouraged the saints to “be the means of doing much good in this generation” by seeking not riches, but wisdom and knowledge of “the mysteries of God.” He promised, “If thou wilt do good, yea, and hold out faithful to the end, thou shalt be saved in the kingdom of God” (D&C 6:8, 7, 13).
A month later God said, “Put your trust in that Spirit which leadeth to do good—yea, to do justly, to walk humbly, to judge righteously; and this is my Spirit” (D&C 11:12). In October 1830 the Book of Mormon was published. “The coming forth of the Book of Mormon was the means of doing much good.” Taking it lightly would inhibit goodness. Still, at this time there were “none which doeth good, save it be a few” (D&C 33:4) who erred at times because of iniquity, priestcraft, or corrupt traditions. None were good although a few were being prepared. To be good, we must receive the fulness of His gospel, even the everlasting covenant.
There are none that doeth good except those who are ready to receive the fulness of my gospel which I have sent forth unto this generation. (D&C 35:12)In 1831, the Lord said, “Men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause . . . and bring to pass much righteousness. For the power is in them . . . and inasmuch as men do good they shall in nowise lose their reward” (D&C 58:27–28). Those who receive the good part “have obeyed my gospel; for they shall receive for their reward the good things of the earth, and it shall bring forth in its strength” (D&C 59:3). “They who have done good” will come forth “in the resurrection of the just” (D&C 76:17).
In April 1832, the Lord again said, speaking of the inhabitants of the world, that “none doeth good, for all have gone out of the way” (D&C 82:6). Inhabitants of the world have not separated from it to become holy. In November 1832, the LDS church “even all” were condemned for not doing what He required, a condemnation only God can lift.
Have we obtained the fulness? Has He lifted our condemnation? Are His power and gifts actively found among those who make covenants? Have we become “a light unto the Gentiles” and “a savior to my people Israel”? While we may hope for it, these conditional blessings are only given if we come to the Lord. If good works are not performed,
ye must needs be in despair [which] cometh because of iniquity. And Christ truly said unto our fathers: If ye have faith ye can do all things which are expedient unto me. And now I speak unto all the ends of the earth—that if the day cometh that the power and gifts of God shall be done away among you, it shall be because of unbelief. And wo be unto the children of men if this be the case; for there shall be none that doeth good among you, no not one. For if there be one among you that doeth good, he shall work by the power and gifts of God. (Moroni 10:22–25)In 1833, Joseph linked goodness to the covenant, which is the fulness of His gospel. The Father’s work brings the covenant to the Gentiles, Lamanites, Jews, and the lost tribes. It reveals additional scripture, exposes error, restores truth, performs miracles, and bestows divine power. Only if we are built on Christ’s gospel can the Father’s works be manifested—all other works are dead. If we neglect this responsibility, we forfeit eternal life.
The Gentiles received the covenant and were grafted in from whence the chosen family were broken off; but the Gentiles have not continued in the goodness of God, but have departed from the faith that was once delivered to the Saints and have broken the covenant in which their fathers were established.”In January 1831, He spoke of His law and endowment to be given “with power from on high” (D&C 38:32). In December 1832, only a month after the LDS were condemned, He commanded they “build a house of God and establish a school for the prophets,” and teach the doctrine of faith. This school was described in terms used for a temple:
He that is found unworthy of this salutation shall not have place among you; for ye shall not suffer that mine house shall be polluted by him . . . This is an ensample unto you for a salutation to one another in the house of God, in the school of the prophets.
And ye are called to do this by prayer and thanksgiving, as the Spirit shall give utterance in all your doings in the house of the Lord, in the school of the prophets, that it may become a sanctuary, a tabernacle of the Holy Spirit to your edification. (D&C 88:134, 136–137)The school of prophets was to be the first house of God in this dispensation, built on a foundation of restoration and faith. Only a few months later, in June 1833, they committed “a very grievous sin” by not building a house for God to dwell.
Contentions arose in the school of the prophets, which was very grievous unto me . . . It is my will that you should build a house. If you keep my commandments you shall have power to build it. If you keep not my commandments, the love of the Father shall not continue with you, therefore you shall walk in darkness. Now here is wisdom, and the mind of the Lord—let the house be built, not after the manner of the world, for I give not unto you that ye shall live after the manner of the world. (D&C 95:10–13)Having the Bible, Book of Mormon, Book of Moses, Lectures on Faith, a school of prophets, and many revelations did not change their hearts so the Lord concluded the 1833 revelation by giving directions to build a physical temple. Four days later, preparations for the Kirtland temple began. Completed in 1836, it had to be abandoned shortly after. In 1841, the Lord still admonished the saints to “build a house unto me.”
I command you, all ye my saints, to build a house unto me; and I grant unto you a sufficient time to build a house unto me; and during this time your baptisms shall be acceptable unto me. But behold, at the end of this appointment your baptisms for your dead shall not be acceptable unto me; and if you do not these things at the end of the appointment ye shall be rejected as a church, with your dead, saith the Lord your God. (D&C 124:31–32)Rejection is assured if terms are not met regardless of how many temples exist. With over 170 LDS temples today, condemnation has not been lifted. Physical temples can exist in times of apostasy and unbelief: Herod’s temple that Jesus cleansed twice, a wilderness tabernacle among disbelieving Israelites, and a temple in Bountiful existed at the time the Nephites rejected Samuel the Lamanite. Israel was rebuked because he “hath forgotten his Maker and buildeth temples” still (Hosea 8:14).
Physical temples offer a dramatic way to learn of ordinances when people are not spiritually prepared to be taught by God Himself. Words, measurements, symbols, materials, and gestures are designed to teach us how we can become a temple where His spirit dwells. If prayerfully studied, ordinances can be a roadmap to converse with Him face to face, but if we alter details or their manner of administration, they can hinder our journey to God. Because ordinances are to be experienced and ratified, ideally in mortality, the endowment is portrayed as a drama where we should consider ourselves as the actors. We are to live the endowment, not merely attend it. To believe participation alone validates ordinances trusts in the arm of flesh. The “endowment [was] intended to be a one-time event only, not to be repeated.” The LDS were told
not to go to other nations till you receive your endowments, [to tarry] until you are endowed with power from on high. You need a fountain of wisdom, knowledge, and intelligence such as you never had . . . The world cannot receive the things of God. He can endow you without worldly pomp or great parade. He can give you that wisdom, that intelligence, and that power which characterized the ancient saints and now characterizes the inhabitants of the upper world.Participation may be a sign of our willingness, but receiving our endowment requires spiritual transformation and power from His hand. “A man can receive nothing except it be given him from heaven” (John 3:27).
God will “endow those whom I have chosen with power from on high” if we “build a house unto me” (D&C 95:8, 124:31). His house is defined in spiritual terms. “Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing; and establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God” (D&C 88:119). A temple provides bearings on the universe, teaching our proper place relative to God. Template (‘model’) and temporal (‘time’) relate to temple, a place of learning and observation of the heavens. It represents earthly contact with the powers above.
Though in time it became the dwelling of the divinity, according to Contenau, originally it may have had the aspect of a temple of passage, a place of arrival . . . [where] the gods transversed to pass from their celestial habitation to their earthly residence . . . the stairway that leads between the upper and lower worlds. In this respect, it resembled a mountain, for the mountain itself was originally such a place of contact between this and the upper world.“Who may ascend the mountain of the Lord? Who may stand in his holy place? The one who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not trust in an idol or swear by a false god” (Psalm 24:3–4, NIV). We are warned, “There shall come a falling away” and the great deceiver will sit “in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God” by receiving people’s adoration and worship (JST 2 Thessalonians 2:3–4).
We must “be organized according to [His] laws” to establish “a house of glory and of God” (D&C 109:15–16). We will miss His glorious purpose if we think physical buildings fulfill this commandment.
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:10)We become a holy sanctified temple as we receive truth, light, and knowledge. Christ became “the high priest of good things” by obtaining “a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands” (Hebrews 9:11). So too will we, if we “come to him” be “built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 2:4–5, ESV).
While many sacrifice time, talents, and substance to build a temple, the Lord desires a sacrifice of our heart. Even while attending a temple, hearts can remain hard, unchanged, and unwilling to seek higher things.
A physical temple is a type of the spiritual journey we are to experience. Yet some believe a temple is a sign of divine favor, so much that the temple is worshipped instead of the God who desires to be there. His temple cannot be holy if the unholy are there. Joseph knew building a physical temple would not assure its holiness. He “petitioned” God to accept it by putting His name on both temple and church, even six years after its organization (D&C 109:78–79).
Jerusalem’s temples are evidence that nothing men build is secure. That “which ye call the house of God” is believed to “never fall. But, verily I say unto you, that desolation shall come upon this generation as a thief in the night and this people shall be destroyed and scattered among all nations” (D&C 45:18–19). Those having a temple are rebuked for taking advantage of others, mistreating people, being dishonest, and being caught up in materialistic endeavors. As the antithesis of godliness, such works cannot be excused.
Do you come and stand before Me in this house called by My name and say, We are delivered so we can continue doing all these detestable acts? Has this house, which is called by My name, become a den of robbers . . . [I] have seen it. (Jeremiah 7:10–11, HCSB)Jeremiah 7 describes God’s abhorrence of religions that thrive at the expense of spirituality. For decades, Jeremiah told wayward Israel that their nation had turned from God and must repent. Holding to perverse forms of worship masks the reality that they had become apostate while claiming His name and authority. They must return to what He decreed or forfeit the promised land.
Hear the word of the Lord, all you people of Judah who come through these gates to worship the Lord. This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says, Reform your ways and your actions, and I will let you live in this place. Do not trust in deceptive words [that] say, This is the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord! (Jeremiah 7:1–4, NIV)The triple repetition of their claim to have the Lord’s temple while remaining condemned emphasizes their falsely-founded confidence and presumption of divine favor. They multiply their temples but do not seek His face. Viewing temple service and their charge over it as “a charm sufficient to avert all evil, [they] put their trust in the material buildings” instead of God and believed their temple could never be destroyed. Ceremonial participation is not equivalent to holiness.
The Lord curses fools who believe words of those whom He has not called. Their priests “violated my instructions and defiled my holy things. They make no distinction between what is holy and what is not. And they do not teach my people the difference between what is ceremonially clean and unclean. They disregard my Sabbath days . . . I am dishonored among them” (Ezekiel 22:26, NLT).
God warns a temple is susceptible to perversion and sin. In the last days, vengeance “as a whirlwind . . . shall come upon all the face of the earth . . . upon my house shall it begin, and from my house shall it go forth, saith the Lord. First among those among you, saith the Lord, who have professed to know my name and have not known me, and have blasphemed against me in the midst of my house” (D&C 112:24–26).
Because this was God’s house wherein he had promised to dwell . . . they flattered themselves that he could dwell nowhere else, and would not depart, and certainly would not suffer the [enemy] to destroy this, and therefore that no evil could befall them, as they promised themselves.
Therefore the prophet cautions them not to deceive themselves in trusting to the temple and its buildings . . . which these hypocrites looked upon themselves secured by . . . Neither these, nor the services belonging to them, will be able to secure them, and it is likely their false prophets did thus persuade them, whose prophecies he calls here these lying words . . . The emphasis that may be in this threefold repetition seems rather to relate to the confident and often reiterated brags and boasts of the temple that were in their mouths than the worth and excellency of it, in regard of God’s owning it.“Behold, ye trust in lying words that cannot profit” (Jeremiah 7:8) so “wash thine heart from wickedness that thou mayest be saved. How long shall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee?” (Jeremiah 4:14). “You have strayed from the holy deeds” (1 Enoch 100:9). Enoch said “all its deeds will be perverse” in the latter day generation (1 Enoch 93:9). Because of it, “truth is perished and is cut off from their mouth” (Jeremiah 7:28).
We cannot bring forth good works without God’s power and authority. Our works will be rejected if not done in His power and for His glory. Even if we consider ourselves good or chosen by virtue of the covenant, by not walking up to our covenants we “swear not in truth nor in righteousness” (1 Nephi 20:1). “They call themselves of the holy city but they do not stay themselves upon the God of Israel” (1 Nephi 20:2). “Thou art the land that is not cleansed” (Ezekiel 22:24). Forsaking Him brings “the heaviest of all cursings” (D&C 41:1).
Woe to this filthy, polluted, and oppressive city! She obeyed not the voice; she received not correction; she trusted not in the Lord; she drew not near to her God . . . Its prophets are arrogant and treacherous. Its priests have contaminated the sanctuary. They give perverse interpretations of the Law. (Zephaniah 3:1–2, 4, ISV, KJV)He cannot overlook such sin. “Woe to those who reject the foundation and everlasting inheritance of their fathers. A spirit of error pursues you; you will have no rest” (1 Enoch 99:14). Deceived “by the mouths of lying prophets, those corrupted by error” adore and follow false prophets but reject true messengers. “They have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?” (Romans 10:16).
“Wo unto the wicked! It shall be ill with him, for the reward of his hands shall be given him” (Isaiah 3:11). For such a sin only a century before He destroyed Shiloh, which housed the Ark of the Covenant. “Therefore will I do unto this house which is called by my name, wherein ye trust . . . I will cast you out of my sight” (Jeremiah 7:14–15).
They have set their abominations in the house which is called by my name to pollute it . . . The Lord hath rejected and forsaken the generation of his wrath, for [they] have done evil in my sight. (Jeremiah 7:29–30)In spite of their many temples, the reality is that no amount of ritual or service can reconcile us to God if our heart is not changed and pure. “You have not stood firm nor acted according to his commandments, but you have turned aside” (1 Enoch 5:4). His Spirit must withdraw.
O that cunning plan of the evil one! O the vainness, and the frailties, and the foolishness of men! When they are learned they think they are wise and they hearken not unto the counsel of God, for they set it aside, supposing they know of themselves, wherefore, their wisdom is foolishness and it profiteth them not. And they shall perish . . .
O the wise, and the learned, and the rich that are puffed up in the pride of their hearts, and all those who preach false doctrines . . . and pervert the right way of the Lord. Wo, wo, wo be unto them, saith the Lord God Almighty, for they shall be thrust down to hell! (2 Nephi 9:28, 28:15)God “looked for someone who might rebuild the wall of righteousness that guards the land. I searched for someone to stand in the gap in the wall so I wouldn’t have to destroy the land but I found no one” (Ezekiel 22:30, NLT). A targum clarifies, the “priests misinterpret” and “have closed their eyes . . . I sought among them, before Me, a man possessed of good deeds who would stand in the breach before Me and pray for mercy for the people of the land not to suffer destruction but I found none.” The righteous will not intervene when iniquity is full because they know judgment is justified and necessary.
Because the apostasy involves almost everyone, so will the destruction. Calamity comes when good works cease, but “inasmuch as they do repent and receive the fulness of my gospel, and become sanctified, I will stay mine hand in judgment” (D&C 39:18).
We cannot worship on our own terms and still expect the Lord to bless us. We must turn to Him, fulfill our covenant responsibilities, seek a good report, and in time receive the fulness. “Now the great and grand secret of the whole matter, and the summum bonum (which in Latin means ‘the highest good’) of the whole subject that is lying before us consists in obtaining the powers of the Holy Priesthood. For him to whom these keys are given there is no difficulty in obtaining a knowledge of facts in relation to the salvation of the children of men, both as well for the dead as for the living” (D&C 128:11), among other glorious blessings.
Nothing will be withheld if we trust the Lord to be our teacher, but “because of wickedness, [much truth] is not had among the children of men” (Moses 1:23). Portions of His gospel that are lost or forsaken must be discovered again. He promises a “restoration of all things” (D&C 86:10), including truths the world will not, and cannot, comprehend.
Without Christ we would remain in our fallen condition and “there could no good thing come . . . [for] in Christ there should come every good thing” (Moroni 7:22, 24). Moroni promises to “tell you the way whereby ye may lay hold on every good thing” (Moroni 7:21) then gives us the requirements for Christ to come. We should not limit our interpretation to only Christ’s formal condescension, for Moroni lived almost four hundred years after His earthly ministry. The coming of Christ also refers to the Lord’s promise to reveal Himself to all who rend the veil by faith. In other words, the “coming of Christ” also includes the Second Comforter, even the personal manifestation of Jesus Christ to the worthy.
The doctrine of Christ prepares us for this glorious ordinance. “God, knowing all things, being from everlasting to everlasting, behold, he sent angels to minister unto the children of men . . . to make manifest concerning the coming of Christ” (Moroni 7:22). Patience is required. “The people of the Lord are they who wait for Him” (2 Nephi 6:13). “They shall not be ashamed that wait” (Isaiah 49:23).
God’s processes are not always rapid. His greatest works rise slowly. Swiftness of growth has been one of man’s tests of greatness; not so is it with God. His trees grow slowly; the stateliest are the slowest. His flowers grow slowly; the brightest are the slowest. His creatures grow slowly, year by year; man, the noblest, grows the most slowly of all. God can afford to take His time. Man cannot. He is hasty and impatient . . . He forgets how slowly the palm tree and the cedar grow. They neither spring up nor perish in a night.“They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint” (Isaiah 40:31). In other words, those who wait on Him are enabled to pass by angelic sentinels with strength and power. When our faith is sufficient, He will reveal Himself.
Therefore, sanctify yourselves that your minds become single to God, and the days will come that you shall see him; for he will unveil his face unto you, and it shall be in his own time, and in his own way, and according to his own will. (D&C 88:68)The Aaronic priesthood with its ministering angels prepares us for this. So does strict obedience to every word of God; knowing His voice; receiving revelation; exercising faith in the Lord; and seeking all that is good. “By the ministering of angels and by every word which proceeded forth out of the mouth of God, men began to exercise faith in Christ; and thus by faith they did lay hold upon every good thing; and thus it was until the coming of Christ” (Moroni 7:25).
Holy prophets receive revelation “by His own mouth” and testify that “Christ should come” (Moroni 7:23) not only in His mortal life, but also in ours. Had the Nephites believed this precious doctrine, they would not have been in the very throes of utter destruction as Moroni wrote these final words, hoping we too would not suffer the same fate by rejecting knowledge of God, “that ye may learn to be more wise than we have been” (Mormon 9:31).
Desiring knowledge of good and evil began mankind’s mortal experience so knowledge of eternal life is needed to reverse the Fall. We do not need (nor can we afford) to wait for “this life is the time to prepare to meet God” and “perform their labors” (Alma 34:32). Faith in Christ cannot coexist with unbelief, so “choose ye this day whom ye will serve” (Alma 30:8). We can serve the Lord or remain in wickedness with hearts set on idols and false traditions.
For none of these iniquities come of the Lord; for he doeth that which is good among the children of men; and he doeth nothing save it be plain unto the children of men; and he inviteth them all to come unto him and partake of his goodness; and he denieth none that come unto him. (2 Nephi 26:33)So “do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect” (Romans 12:2, NASB). “Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us” (Romans 12:3, NLT).
“There is none other way” (2 Nephi 9:41) except to “repent . . . and come unto me” (3 Nephi 12:19). He promises greater things when we do. We must endure to Him so we can preach His gospel of
repentance and faith on the Lord Jesus Christ. Teach them to humble themselves and to be meek and lowly in heart; teach them to withstand every temptation of the devil, with their faith on the Lord Jesus Christ. Teach them to never be weary of good works, but to be meek and lowly in heart; for such shall find rest to their souls. (Alma 37:33–34)“They who have faith in him will cleave unto every good thing” (Moroni 7:28). “Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good” (Romans 12:9). Give place for the good things of salvation. We are “created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in” (Ephesians 2:10). Those who exhibit “faithfulness unto the end” (3 Nephi 27:19) can declare as Paul,
I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith. (2 Timothy 4:7)Because the Father accepts all that is good, we understand more fully of the joy that comes from hearing Him say, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25:21).
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