When the Body Was Divided . . .

 “Before making you all kings and queens with me, I needed to have a people who would live in peace together. Immortality without peace among us would be a great punishment and not a great prize.

“All of us who remain in this kingdom have lost friends, family members and others whom we love. However, all who remain will be able to live in peace, forever.”

The King did as he planned from the beginning. He and his counselors were able to find those who could live in peace, and for whom life would endure in peace forever.

There is not now, and never has been, a kingdom more stable, more happy, more at peace, and more enduring than this King’s. Though he ceased to reign as a king, he continued to be loved above all others. For he was the one who brought to life the happiest people of all.

The Great Competition

Six Things Hated, Seven Abominable!

"A naughty person, a wicked man, walks with a froward mouth. He winks with his eyes, he speaks with his feet, he teaches with his fingers. Frowardness is in his heart, he devises mischief continually; he sows discord. Therefore shall his calamity come suddenly; suddenly shall he be broken without remedy.

These six things does the Lord hate, yea, seven are an abomination unto him: a proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, a false witness that speaks lies, and he that sows discord among brethren." (Proverbs 1:25-26 RE)

Adultery, murder, lying, stealing are the big (4) four that appear throughout the scriptures and have been recently revealed specifically for us on August 8, 2022. This most definitely applies to us in our day. (Answer on Forgiveness): 

“How can you be one if you gather together with another who has been the adulterer again after being forgiven? And how can a man love his wife with all his heart and cleave unto her and none else if he commit adultery again after being forgiven?

You did not ask, but remember that I have said also that, You shall not kill, and he that kills shall not have forgiveness, neither in this world nor in the world to come. And again, you shall not kill; he that kills shall die. You shall not steal, and he that steals and will not repent shall be cast out. You shall not lie; he that lies and will not repent shall be cast out. How can you be one with he who murders, with the liar who deceives, and with the thief who steals? I say to you that you cannot be one when you are fractured and your little ones threatened by the disobedience of the adulterer, murderer, liar and thief who will not repent. (Bold emphasis)

Here is part of God’s covenant (September 2017) with His people and specifies the requirements of the people He is talking to:

“All you who have turned from your wicked ways and repented of your evil doings, of lying and deceiving, and of all whoredoms, and of secret abominations, idolatries, murders, priestcrafts, envying, and strife, and from all wickedness and abominations, and have come unto me, and been baptized in my name, and have received a remission of your sins, and received the holy ghost, are now numbered with my people who are of the house of Israel. I say to you:” (T&C 158:10 RE)

 

It may be beneficial to be aware of these requirements, characteristics, and attributes so we can recognize them when we see them, both the good and the bad. We need to be attentive and take notice whenever we begin observing the bad, unacceptable traits either in ourselves or others. If they are found in me, I have the ability with Christ to root them out and repent and move on. If it comes to my attention that they are found in others, at least I need to be aware and be wise about it. Being more familiar with these features, we will be better at accurately identifying and properly handling such individuals when they appear and wicked groups of people as they are manifested. 

Both history and common sense suggest at any time God sends a servant with a message of repentance to a people, on any occasion a new dispensation begins, or whenever society finds itself in the process of restoration with revelations given from heaven, the adversary takes notice. Naughty people and wicked men, who walk with a froward mouth, almost always crawl out of the woodworks and make themselves known to cause confusion, contention, and damage. Sadly, the ones most determined and lethal come from within. Be alert, pay attention, and act accordingly!

“And then shall the heathen nations be redeemed, and they which knew no law shall have part in the first resurrection, and it shall be tolerable for them. And Satan shall be bound, that he shall have no place in the hearts of the children of men. And at that day when I shall come in my glory shall the parable be fulfilled which I spoke concerning the ten virgins, for they that are wise and have received the truth, and have taken the holy spirit for their guide and have not been deceived, verily I say unto you, they shall not be hewn down and cast into the fire, but shall abide the day, and the earth shall be given unto them for an inheritance. And they shall multiply and wax strong, and their children shall grow up without sin unto salvation, for the Lord shall be in their midst and his glory shall be upon them, and he will be their king and their lawgiver.” (T&C 31:12 RE)

I have included a list of words that came to my mind and helps me reflect on what may further describe portions of a naughty person or a wicked man that walks around with a froward mouth. They tend to accumulate and manifest some of following characteristics and traits:

Disobedient, bad perspectives, mischievous, poor behavior, unacceptable language, indecent, obscene, risque, suggestive, unfaithful, adulterous, disloyal, contrary, contumacious, disorderly, rude, rebellious, selfish, childish, wild, wicked, unpleasant, headstrong, obstinate, alienated, disaffected, factious, disagreeable, argumentative, froward, haughty, inflexible, insubordinate, irreconcilable, mutinous, obdurate, perverse, pig-headed, rebellious, recalcitrant, unmanageable, untrustworthy, willful, stubborn, unyielding, contentious, belligerent, quarrelsome, turbulent, unruly, upsetting, lying, dishonest, deceptive, deceiving, bears false witness, double-dealing, under-handed, sneaky, two-faced, unreliable, disrespectful, discordant, conflicted, at odds, off-key, contradictory, harsh, out of harmony, angry,  with “jarrings, and contentions, and envyings, and strifes, and lustful and covetous desires”, deals “unkindly as if they were the opponents, accusers, and adversaries”, hard hearted, closed mind, blind eyes, deaf ears, unwilling to change, immature, display temper tantrums, lack of clear boundaries, emotional distress, ache, concern, disappointment, affliction, grief, headache, anguish,

irritation, anxiety, shame, sorrow, discomfort, embarrassment, humiliation, mortification, ordeal, heartache, misery, confusion, awkwardness, unhappiness, perplexity, trouble, sadness, tribulation, suffering, worry, complexity, depression, wretchedness, despair, defiant, obstinate, undisciplined, malicious, evil, injurious, arrogant, self-important, overbearing, know-it-all, self-righteous, aloof, bossy, imperious, pompous, presumptuous, pretentious, smug, vain, prideful, demands attention, seeks acceptance and appreciation, wants a high and envied seat with a bonafide high ranking position, sets one's heart on the chief seats seeking wealth, power, status, recognition, authority, right to preside, oversee, control, exploit, rob, cheat, swindle, defraud, outwit, devious, unethical, stratagems, slander, defame, discredit,

belittle, denigrate, maneuver, in it for themselves, self-absorbed, egotistical, corrupt, dishonorable, unscrupulous, shameful, wayward, spiteful, manipulates, cruel, bitter, mean, hurtful, unkind, ill-natured, unfriendly, revengeful, unforgiving, resentful, vindictive, brutal, traitorous, back-stabbing, double-crossing, intrigue, villainous scheming, wicked conspiracy, harmful motives, malevolent purposes, wretched intents, treacherous, violent, fierce, vicious, lethal, deadly, murderous, bloodthirsty, savage, and homicidal, making war with the saints, rebelling against God, seeking to take the kingdom, denying the truth, and defying My power.

Everybody, Somebody, Anybody and Nobody

Here’s a short story I read the other day about four people named Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, and Nobody.

There was an important job to be done and Everybody was sure that Somebody would do it.

Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did it.

Somebody got angry about that because it was Everybody’s job.

Everybody thought that Anybody could do it, but Nobody realized that Everybody wouldn’t do it.

It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody could have done.

- Charles R. Swindoll -

Virtue Yields to Righteousness

“The Gospel of Jesus Christ is a great whole.  It requires an overall harmony between all its parts to be understood.  Without that overall harmony it is jarring and discordant.

The problem with apostasy is that it forfeits truths which are necessary in order to comprehend the majesty of Christ’s teachings.  Those truths which get retained are not kept in balance with the rest.  Simple virtues are kept while overall righteousness is forfeited.

No one can argue with the virtue of tolerance.  But it is constrained and governed inside a larger context that prevents permissiveness and sloth.

No one can argue with the virtue of obedience.  Indeed, obedience is itself one of the bedrock requirements of the Gospel.  But divorced from the other virtues inside of which it is regulated, obedience can become a terrible weapon used to separate people from God’s Holy Spirit and drive them into submission to “Popes and Priests.”  (Any man believed to be incapable of leading you into error is a “Pope.”)

No one can argue against the virtue of patience.  But when it is urged to prevent necessary action to develop a god-like people, then it has become a tool for deception and error and not a virtue at all.

Take any virtue and remove it from its overall context within the great Gospel whole and you see how apostasy can warp a people.  They retain the conviction that they are still God’s chosen disciples, because the virtues they practice are, in fact, godly.  However, they have become distorted, bloated and swollen.  They are without harmony, capable of great evil or neglect, all the while celebrating their fidelity to the “truth” as they understand it.

You MUST understand doctrine.  You MUST study the scriptures.  But more important than anything else, you MUST seek to gain further light and knowledge by conversing with the Lord directly…” (Philosophies of men)

“Virtue is almost always passive, constraining from abrupt and improper behavior. It contains and limits. It is a strong barrier against misconduct. It has protocols and expects behavior to be mild. It is not the same as righteousness. Righteousness will often require or impose action — sometimes action that exceeds mere virtue. Nephi was constrained to kill Laban. Elijah mocked the false priests. Christ rebuked the Scribes and Pharisees as unclean “whited sepulchers” filled with rot and decay. These kinds of righteous actions are not ungoverned or spontaneous. They are carefully controlled and are undertaken only when the priesthood holder, whose thoughts are virtuous and disciplined, is led by the power of the holy ghost to rebuke sharply. Virtue can be offended by righteousness. Righteousness controls, and virtue surrenders. Whenever it is necessary to do so, virtue yields every time to righteousness.” (Glossary Virtue)

"Conformity to the Divine Law. God measures differently than does man. Being “righteous before God” may not mean the same thing one thinks “righteousness” means. Man wants outward signs, symbols, dress, grooming, and conformity. God looks at the intent of the heart. Righteousness comes by obedience. Obedience requires action. Without conforming conduct to the Lord’s commandments, it is impossible to enter into the kingdom of heaven." (Glossary Righteousness) 

“... And yet, we look sometimes at righteousness, and we say it can never be so because it is not virtuous. Because we overlay virtue atop righteousness—and it does not work and never has worked that way. Righteousness controls, and virtue surrenders. And virtue yields every time to righteousness—else Abraham could never have been commanded to slay his son. Because that was not virtuous. Therefore,

 

Melchizedek was a man of righteousness; …when a child he feared God [not man], …stopped the mouths of lions, …quenched the violence of fire. …thus, having been approved of God [not man]… (JST Genesis 14:26-27) 

In fact, to be approved of God, in many cases, will make you offensive to man. But the opinions, and the vagaries, and the fashions of men, the opinion-polling and the drifts of what is and what is not popular at one point or another are damnable. They ought not even be considered. Righteousness does not give any regard to such things. And yet, it may be virtuous… It may be virtuous to be a limp-wristed, weepy, happy-go-lucky, “have a nice day” kind of chap… But righteousness will kick his ass everyday.

…having been approved of God… (Ibid)

It is God—and God’s approval alone—that matters. It is what God regards of you. It is what is in your heart, because God can detect what is in your heart. God knows why you do what you do. God knows why you say what you say. God knows what is in your thoughts. Therefore, to be approved of God is to be weighed against the standard of righteousness and not the whims of fashion. Fashion will come and go. Ideas will be popular or unpopular. Righteousness will endure forever. This. This. This is the kind of man upon whom the words get spoken, “My Son.”” (Virtue yields to righteousness)

“There is a difference between virtue and righteousness. Virtue is laudable, required and necessary, but righteousness has priority. Virtue surrenders to righteousness, not vice-versa. 

The point can be illustrated from scripture:

It is not virtuous to kill. Nephi was repulsed at the idea, but the Lord required it, and Nephi complied. The doctrinal reasons justifying the killing are set out in The Second Comforter, and there were sufficient reasons both under the Law of Moses and the Lord’s standards of judgment to vindicate the Lord’s decision to kill Laban. The killing was offensive to virtue, but it was righteous.

It is not virtuous to mockingly taunt others. Yet Elijah was pursuing a righteous course against the priests of Baal when he did just that: “And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, Cry aloud: for he is a god; either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth, and must be awaked.” (1 Kings 18: 27.) Mocking is both unvirtuous and uncouth, and in this context would qualify only as righteous.

It is not virtuous to rail against the religious leaders of any faith. Yet John the Baptist rebuked the Scribes and Pharisees as a generation of vipers: “Then said he to the multitude that came forth to be baptized of him, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?” (Luke 3: 7.) This term of derision, “generation of vipers” is graphic and in context it is both offensive and uncouth. Yet he was a righteous man, moreso than any other apart from Christ. (Luke 7: 28.)

It was not virtuous for Christ to rebuke His accusers: “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! … for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves. Woe unto you, ye blind guides, … ye fools and blind…” (Matt. 23: 14-17.) The language of the Lord here is quite blunt, uncouth and in the context of that language, gutteral. It was righteous, but not an example of virtuous language.

It was worse still for Christ to call Herod “that fox.” This is a term of derision comparable in our own language to calling someone a “son of a bitch.” (Luke 13: 32.) Yet it was righteous, justified and appropriate.

It was blunt and threatening for Joseph to tell his guards in Liberty Jail: “SILENCE, ye fiends of the infernal pit. In the name of Jesus Christ I rebuke you, and command you to be still; I will not live another minute and hear such language. Cease such talk, or you or I die THIS INSTANT!” (Taken from The Autobiography of Parley P. Pratt, emphasis in original.) Calling another a “fiend of the infernal pit” is quite abrasive and offensive; it was intended to be so.

Those who prefer virtue to righteousness will handicap their ability to work for the Lord’s ends. He will always require righteousness to be done. When someone prefers virtue and neglects righteousness, or condemns the righteous for their lack of virtue, their inappropriate standard serves only one purpose. It gets applied against the one proposing to use it. They get to be measured by the standard they apply. (Matt. 7: 22.)

I choose to look at Elijah, John the Baptist, Christ and Joseph Smith, as well as any other person moved to rebuke me or anyone else by the power of the Holy Ghost as fully justified and Christlike. I do not resist the challenge of a righteous rebuke. I welcome them. No one should feel they cannot “damn” me. I’ll consider it important and will respond with my defense, or an apology if I think it is warranted.

It is important for you to know that I do not think Christ is a limp-wristed, lisping chap who dotes on us and has nothing but bouquets of flowers to dispense to us. I think He’s about to return in judgment, dressed in red to burn the wicked. He has said that is who He is and I believe Him. I would like to have as many people take that seriously and consider repenting. We are mistaken in our belief that we are chosen. We are mistaken when we think we are too good to be in need of continual repentance. We are nothing before God. We are about to see His judgments. I know these ideas make me irritating.

As Hugh Nibley put it, “there is nothing so irritating as being awakened from a sound sleep.” But my hope is to awaken some few. Therefore, it is worth offending a great number if the result benefit a few. That is the way things work here and I am quite realistic about it all…”  (Virtue and Righteousness) 

Hugh Nibley had this to say about repentance, “Who is righteous? Anyone who is repenting. No matter how bad he has been, if he is repenting he is a righteous man. There is hope for him. And no matter how good he has been all his life, if he is not repenting, he is a wicked man. The difference is which way you are facing. The man on the top of the stairs facing down is much worse off than the man on the bottom step who is facing up. The direction we are facing, that is repentance; and that is what determines whether we are good or bad.”

“Whoever desires life must travel on the road of righteousness.” 

“Without any of us saying a word, righteousness will come from Jesus Christ.”

“Lies are oxygen to the wicked as truth is to the righteous.”

“Respond only to the righteous criticism from righteous people in a righteous way.”

Virtuous Woman … Righteous Woman

Recently, I found myself pondering about the qualities of a virtuous woman and then wondered to myself, “How often is a virtuous woman found in this fallen world?” I thought to myself, “Probably not as high a percentage as we prefer.” But then the question came to me, “Well, how about men?” I reasoned this question in my mind and concluded from my perspective, I think we would likely find a higher percentage of virtuous women than men.

I did a little research and here are a few descriptions I found regarding a virtuous woman:

• A virtuous woman is one who shows high moral standards and is morally excellent.

• She possesses qualities such as wisdom, faith, and compassion. 

• She is a leader who is active, dependable, and trustworthy. 

• She is also a woman who is kind, humble, and prayerful. 

• A virtuous woman is compassionate and caring. 

• She is a good mother and wife.  “A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband; but she that makes ashamed is as rottenness in his bones.” (Proverbs 2:67 RE)

• She cares for her family and community. 

• A virtuous woman is hardworking and diligent. 

• She is willing to put forth the effort to do what is right. 

• A virtuous woman has faith in God and His plans. 

• She is prayerful and turns to God for strength. 

• She gives glory to God and praises Jesus for His sacrifice. 

But then the thought came to mind: From the perspective of many people, perhaps including the virtuous woman herself, it seems like she has nearly reached sainthood, right? It appears this virtuous woman must surely be in good standing with God and certainly, by peer-review, mankind unanimously votes on her behalf regarding her compassion, caring, hardworking, diligence, dependability, and trustworthiness. People validate her, but what is God’s perspective?

• As this virtuous woman continues to talk to God, what if God starts talking back? 

• Then what?

• What if she starts receiving the strength and help she has been asking for? 

• What if the prayers of this virtuous woman become like they never have been before? 

• What if her prayers start being clearly answered in a manner she has not previously experienced?

• What if God has something to say to her and declares it.

• What if she, who is an active, dependable, and trustworthy leader among her peers, is clearly asked by God to do something both uncomfortable and almost unimaginable for her to do? 

• What if God’s request of her is the polar opposite of her current way of thinking, being, and acting? 

• What if His request will be offensive to her valued peers and cause serious negative feedback for her?

• What if it threatens some of her prominent virtues she has been living and safeguarding for years?

• What if the instructions she has received from God precisely contradicts the virtuous and righteous life she believes she has been and is living?

• What if God explains to the woman the difference between virtue and righteousness and makes it clear they are not the same thing?

• What if on one hand virtue is a quality that is considered morally good or desirable in a person and helps keep one from “bad behavior” as perceived by society, whereas on the other hand, a person is considered righteous in God's eyes when they live in accordance with God's will and demonstrate obedience to His word?

• What if conforming to God’s laws can be and often are different than conforming to man's laws?

• After conversing with the Lord through the veil for a while, learning these things, and receiving a clear request from God that contradicts “a lot of stuff within her”, she gets to make a decision and act. 

• What will she choose to do? 

• How will she choose to act? 

• After so many years of faith and work and doing the best she knew, why is her world now changing? 

• Even falling apart?  

• Why do the things God is asking of her now seem so contradictory to her past? 

• Why would God ask her to do things contrary to what she would normally do? 

• Why is she asked to do things so embarrassing to her and greatly offensive and disturbing to others? 

• This is a hard and difficult task to even think about. She is well aware that if she follows through with God’s request, her life will never be the same. There will be no turning back and no reasonable chance to recover what will be lost. On the other hand, by simply hearing what God clearly shared with her, she knows her life will never be the same anyway, whether she follows God’s plan or not. What should she do? What would you do?

Assuming she ends up choosing God over man and everything else, by definition, I think she becomes a righteous woman, who is wise and alert with acute awareness. As she continues and follows God (Not man), she becomes more intelligent, informed, and clever. She acquires further light and knowledge and is enlightened with a sage perspective and outlook. A righteous woman possesses wisdom and has the ability to make wise choices. She knows what to take in and embrace and she also knows what to reject and ignore. She carefully “clues in”, observes what is happening, and follows her conscience. She has greater discernment each day and receives better views behind the curtains of deceit and secrecy. She more clearly sees preconceived and hidden agendas and addresses it all with wisdom and care.

She lives what she believes, walks her talk, and makes righteous decisions. A righteous woman honors the agency of others and manifests charity and love to all. She submits to the word of God, acts in Divine timing, and understands that is a key to success. By doing so, everything tends to work out better. She is now taking notice of something new to her where occasionally she offends people, but pleases God. This phenomenon (the woman choosing God’s will and fulfilling His righteousness causes a social perception of the woman performing unvirtuous acts) seems to be increasing in both magnitude and frequency. She views a transformation occurring within her and she is strangely happier than ever before. 

I think she knows what she is doing in choosing God over everything else!