December 31, 2010

It's New Year's Eve. I started reading Ether 4:11-12 and was caught up by the word "good." Christ says that "whatsoever thing persuadeth men to do good is of me." I looked up the footnotes to the word "good" and was most interested in Moroni 7:12-17. I know I have pondered over these verses before, but tonight I think something new struck me. And that is the reminder and realization that one of Satan's goals is to make that which is evil appear to be good and that which is good appear to be evil. I think I have encountered confusion on this point before, wondering if some things are "good." And some part of verse 16 and 17 in Moroni 7 helped to guide me in my judgements. It says that "every thing which inviteth to do good, and to persuade to believe in Christ... is of God." And "whatsoever thing persuadeth men to do evil, and believe not in Christ, and deny him, ... is of the devil." The "good" and "evil" comes to a point here: that is basically believing in Christ versus not believing in Christ. As simple as the concept seems, it is hard for me to grasp since I have close family members who absolutely do not believe in Christ. I think of them as "good" people still and am puzzled by this question: can someone be a "good" person while intentionally denying Jesus Christ? According to the way in these verses that is given me to judge, by choosing to deny Christ, it means that those I love who have chosen that path are, in fact, being led by the devil. And that is hard for me to accept, but I do because I believe the scriptures to be true. I hold so much hope that one day their hearts will be softened once again to the Spirit of Christ and they will believe in Him. But until then, I need to recognize that however well-meaning their intentions, they are not led by the Spirit of Christ, and that is the Spirit which I am choosing to follow.