October 18, 2010

I finished reading Alma 37 and came up with a question: how many times does it teach in the Book of Mormon to "keep the commandments?" I looked it up on lds.org and the search pulled up 36 references to it. I think there's a lot more. It would be a neat experience to read the Book of Mormon with that purpose of looking for just that teaching. I believe it is a foundational teaching.

In verse 32 I was struck by the power of one word. Alma says to Helaman to "teach [the people] an everlasting hatred against sin and iniquity." The word "hatred" stood out to me because I have been taught to avoid using it because it such a powerful and destructive idea. Even now, I have a difficult time imagining hating something. I think there are a lot of people who attach their identities to "sin and iniquity" and would feel (and do feel) hated as a person by someone who claims to hate sin and iniquity. So what would a disciple of Christ who has a hatred against sin and iniquity do? How would their actions and words differ from someone who claims to dislike sin and iniquity? How would a hatred of sin and iniquity be a positive thing? The only thing I can think of is that it would cause that person to stay as far away as possible from committing sin and engaging in iniquity. This would keep them worthy of the companionship of the Spirit and help them to make righteous choices. I still don't feel comfortable feeling hatred towards anything. Perhaps I am lacking in spiritual understanding in this matter.

I really love verses 33-34: "Preach unto them 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."

And I love how Alma brings up the example of the liahona and says it wouldn't work when "they were slothful and forgot to exercise their faith and diligence." He compares following the liahona to heeding the word of Christ. He says that both are just as easy, so "let us not be slothful because of the easiness of the way... the way is prepared, and if we will look we may live forever." I want to always exercise my faith and diligence and look to God because I believe in His promises of eternal life if I do so.