OVERCOMING OUR MORTAL NATURES

The Thought I am about to write requires a few statements of my understanding of the earthly portion of our quest to gain Eternal Lives and live with our Eternal Parents everlastingly.

None of our Heavenly Parent’s children are born into equal circumstances nor do they exist is the same environments nor do they share equal mortal spans.

Because of the uniqueness of our earthly journeys, our pathway towards fulfilling the mortal portion of our Heavenly Father’s Plan will likewise be unique.

Because of the uniqueness of our earthly journeys we will have unequal opportunities during mortality to progress towards the completion of Heavenly Father’s work and glory upon us.

Because of the individual-ness of our mortal journey, the just judgements of God will also be done using an individual scale for each of His children.

All of our Heavenly Parent’s children will be rewarded with the greatest amount of glory the Justice, Mercy, Grace and Love of God can make possible.

However, I believe besides making of us complete beings by joining our spirit body with our physical body, there is one part of the earthly portion of Heavenly Father’s Plan which most of his children can at least begin. The first step in our journey to return with honor to dwell with our Heavenly Parents is to over come what the scriptures describe as the natural man who is plagued with being carnal, sensual and devilish.

One of the most complete lists of what a natural man is, is given by Nephi the Son of Helaman the Son of Helaman the Son of Alma in chapter 12 of the Book of Helaman in The Book of Mormon Another Testament of Jesus Christ.

Although I prefer to think about the positive steps of our mortal journey I feel this list of Nephi’s is useful in helping us understand the characteristics and attributes which are contrary to those of our Heavenly Parents, whose natures we will all eventually understand is our desired goal. As the Savior said in His Sermon on the Mount, we must become perfect even as our Father in Heaven is perfect.

Helaman 12

1 And thus we can behold how false, and also the unsteadiness of the hearts of the children of men; yea, we can see that the Lord in his great infinite goodness doth bless and prosper those who put their trust in him.

2 Yea, and we may see at the very time when he doth prosper his people, yea, in the increase of their fields, their flocks and their herds, and in gold, and in silver, and in all manner of precious things of every kind and art; sparing their lives, and delivering them out of the hands of their enemies; softening the hearts of their enemies that they should not declare wars against them; yea, and in fine, doing all things for the welfare and happiness of his people; yea, then is the time that they do harden their hearts, and do forget the Lord their God, and do trample under their feet the Holy One—yea, and this because of their ease, and their exceedingly great prosperity.

3 And thus we see that except the Lord doth chasten his people with many afflictions, yea, except he doth visit them with death and with terror, and with famine and with all manner of pestilence, they will not remember him.

4 O how foolish, and how vain, and how evil, and devilish, and how quick to do iniquity, and how slow to do good, are the children of men; yea, how quick to hearken unto the words of the evil one, and to set their hearts upon the vain things of the world!

5 Yea, how quick to be lifted up in pride; yea, how quick to boast, and do all manner of that which is iniquity; and how slow are they to remember the Lord their God, and to give ear unto his counsels, yea, how slow to walk in wisdom’s paths!

6 Behold,they do not desire that the Lord their God, who hath created them, should rule and reign over them; notwithstanding his great goodness and his mercy towards them, they do set at naught his counsels, and they will not that he should be their guide.

7 O how great is the nothingness of the children of men; yea, even they are bless than the dust of the earth.

Nephi goes on to emphasize the nothingness of man by testifying how the elements of the earth are obedient while we stumble along following our mortal natural-ness.

Although this list does not cover the ‘do not’ commandments such as stealing, adultery, murder and lying, I believe it is of ultimate importance because it explains the negative components of our natures which hinder our being obedient to the wisdom and guidance of our Heavenly Father.

Therefore, it seems we should be concentrating on changing our natures, rather than concentrating on certain acts and behaviors.

Elder Bruce R. McConkie when teaching about our mortal probationary journey would draw a straight upward slanted line on the board and then, just as Nephi the Son of Lehi had long ago proclaimed, explained we must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ. He would always emphasize that pace was not the essential element to our progression, but going forward and upward were the keys essential to becoming like our Heavenly Parents.

Many times our pace is halting because we fail to replace the natural man parts of our makeup with those of becoming good and honorable men. As Moroni is finishing the abridgement of the Nephite history he provides an understanding which should fill our hearts with the hope and understanding of the nature we must develop if we are to advance forward and upward in our quest to become like our Heavenly Parents.

Moroni 7

12 Wherefore, all things which are good cometh of God; and that which is evil cometh of the devil; for the devil is an enemy unto God, and fighteth against him continually, and inviteth and enticeth to sin, and to do that which is evil continually.

13 But behold, that which is of God inviteth and enticeth to do good continually; wherefore, every thing which inviteth and enticeth to do good, and to love God, and to serve him, is inspired of God.

14 Wherefore, take heed, my beloved brethren, that ye do not judge that which is evil to be of God, or that which is good and of God to be of the devil.

15 For behold, my brethren, it is given unto you to judge, that ye may know good from evil; and the way to judge is as plain, that ye may know with a perfect knowledge, as the daylight is from the dark night.

16 For behold, the Spirit of Christ is given to every man, that he may know good from evil; 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.

17 But whatsoever thing persuadeth men to do evil, and believe not in Christ, and deny him, and serve not God, then ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of the devil; for after this manner doth the devil work, for he persuadeth no man to do good, no, not one; neither do his angels; neither do they who subject themselves unto him.

18 And now, my brethren, seeing that ye know the light by which ye may judge, which light is the light of Christ, see that ye do not judge wrongfully; for with that same judgment which ye judge ye shall also be judged.

19 Wherefore, I beseech of you, brethren, that ye should search diligently in the light of Christ that ye may know good from evil; and if ye will lay hold upon every good thing, and condemn it not, ye certainly will be a child of Christ.

I pray the Lord will bless us all, that wherever we might find ourselves on our eternal journey, we might have the Light of Christ to guide us away from our mortal natural-ness and towards having a nature desirous of being counselled by the Minister of Ministers.


THOUGHTS FOR A SABBATH DAY – WILLIAM L. RILEY

EDITED BY – KATHLEEN W. RILEY

❣️THINK + PLAN + PREPARE + DO ➡️ GENTLENESS + KINDNESS + CARING + GENEROSITY ➡️ HUGS + PEACE + JOY + LOVE ➡️ INTEGRITY + FAITH + HOPE + CHARITY❣️ = 💞THE GOOD LIFE💞