Trust the Anchor, Trust God!

          My missionary gave me another topic to study and write about.  The topic she gave me is trusting in God and aligning our will to His.  I don’t know what it is about this topic that is giving me difficulty.  I mean it is pretty darn straight forward.  You either trust God or you don’t, you either align your will with His or you don’t.  I have attempted to write out a few things on trust but I keep erasing it.  It seems that the topic is so straight forward that all I am writing is the cookie-cutter Sunday school answer.  That doesn’t work for me, because I like to research and look at things on a deeper level.  So obviously I am missing something.  I am not discovering what I should discover.  Or maybe the problem is I am not looking at myself and my relationship to trust and aligning my will with Gods in the equation.  Maybe I don’t want to.  It’s easy to write about trust, like I said above it is pretty straightforward, but in my case it is harder to put it in to practice.

So let me get out the cliché Sunday school stuff first.  This mortal life is in essence a test of trust.  We are given two places to put our trust: 1) ourselves and/or others which is the arm of flesh or 2) our Savior Jesus Christ. Which of these we choose is in actuality the supreme test and will ultimately determine our lot at judgment day.  So what is trust?  Trust is the assured reliance on the character, ability, strength or truth of someone or something.  Trust is a dependence on something future. Trust is not the same as faith.  Trust is what we do with the faith we have gained. 

The Bible, especially the Old Testament is full of the word and concept of trust.  In Psalms alone the word trust or the concept of trust is mentioned 39 times.  However, when I think of a scripture about trust, the first one that comes to my mind is Proverbs 3:5 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not unto your own understanding.”  We are directed to trust in the Lord because he knows all.  He has overcome all.  His view is boundless.  We are told to not place our trust in ourselves or other men because our view is so limited and incomplete.  We are mortal men and women with an imperfect and lacking view due to our nature.  “For the natural man is an enemy to God and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man….”  I like how it was stated this way in a BYU Devotional given by Nora Nyland in 1997:

Trust in the Lord leads to a more mature perspective.  Implicit in the instruction to lean not unto our own understanding is the possibility that we will never, in this sphere, possess the full perspective of eternity.  With trust, however, we may be willing to acknowledge that there is another, more accurate perspective. 

Trust is not a passive action.  Trust requires action.  Trust necessitates us to move, to act.  The more we exercise trust the better we become at it.  Now is the time for the cliché analogy: 

Let me use an analogy from rock climbing.  The type of climbing I do is called sport climbing.  In sport climbing permanent anchors have been drilled in to the side of the rock along the route.  A climber places a harness on themselves and the rope is attached to the harness.  As the climber ascends the wall he or she attaches the rope to the anchor with gear called a quick draw.  If this is done correctly and the climber falls the harness, rope, quick draw, and anchor all work together to keep the climber from falling to the ground.  All the gear is important and must be in top working condition for the climber’s safety to be ensured.  I would argue though that the central piece is the anchor.  If the anchor is faulty from the beginning no amount of preparation the climber does in preparing his own gear and attaching himself to the anchor will do any good if the anchor fails.  So ultimately after the climber does all he can to ensure his gear is proper he is placing all of his trust solely in the anchor. 

That is a big test of trust! In fact it is so big you either have to be completely insane to climb or wholly trust the anchor on the wall, which to add another level of trust was more than likely placed there by someone you do not know.   Now this analogy is abounding in gospel comparisons:  The anchor is God, the rope is the iron rod (the word of God), the quick draw is our actions, choices and covenants which attach us or detach us from God, the harness is the foundation of the gospel and the climbing route is the straight and narrow path.  But in limiting this to the topic of trust, the only way I have been able to “blindly” trust the anchor is through practice, through action, through putting it to the test if you will.  I trust the anchor because of prior research of the climbing area and inspection of the route before the climb begins.  If an anchor looks old, or the rock is crumbly around the anchor I do not attempt that route.  I move on to better more sure routes.  Climbing is scary, you have to place your trust soley on the anchor and also on your own preparation and abilities. 

I had not climbed for many years when I started back up two years ago.  I met a great partner who I trusted implicitly.  He would be analogous to a stronger friend in the gospel.  He retaught me a very important skill which is called cleaning the anchor.  After you complete a climb and reach the top anchors you have to remove your gear from the top of the climb, in order to rappel back down.  To accomplish this you have to literally untie yourself from the rope, your safety net, and hook only in to the anchors through gear you bring with you on the climb.  If you mess up, if you skip a step, you can fall.  We practiced this over and over on the solid ground.  I felt comfortable on the ground, I knew I had all the steps.  In practicing we would verbalize out loud each step I did to ensure nothing was missed and that it was engrained into my brain.  The time came for me to put what I had practiced to the test.  I climbed the route with no problem, I was on the straight and narrow way.  When I got to the top I was safe, I was attached to the rope and the rope was attached to the anchor.  Now was the time for me to put my faith to the test.  To put what I had learned and practiced below to test.  Practicing would be analogous to reading the scriptures, to living the gospel, to doing all you can to prepare.  Now I had to put my trust in the anchor, in God, solely. I had to remove my own protection, I had to take the “natural man” if you will out of the picture.  You can see where this is going.  That is scary.  That is a lot of trust in the anchor, in all of the gear and in the preparation you have done, which includes the fact that the person who prepared you knows what they are talking about to begin with.  In other words are you getting your gospel from the right source to begin with, are you building on a secure foundation?  Well obviously the anchor did not fail and I did all the steps correctly and was able to safely clean the route.  The more I have done this the more it has become second nature.  The more I trust myself because of the preparation I have done and the more I trust the anchor.  However, this does not imply that I become lax in any of the steps required.  Because the moment I do, it could be the last moment for me.  This is just as in life.  We build a secure foundation, we do all we are supposed to do, we study, pray, obey the commandments and we trust the anchor, God!  But if we become lax in one of those areas due to the natural man we fall.  A true anchor never fails.  It’s not God who fails us, it is us failing to do one of the required steps.  

This was a difficult task at first.  I didn’t want to trust the anchor, I didn’t want to trust all my gear and my preparation.  I questioned it all, I was scared.  Do I do this in my personal life towards God?  Yes, yes I do.  Do I question the anchor of God, do I question the foundation, ie: the harness, do I question the rope, ie: the word of God, do I question the teacher, ie: my climbing partner?  Maybe that is why I had difficulty at first writing about this topic.  Because it is scary to put your trust in an unseen thing.  To trust that the counsel and direction I am being given through my Bishop, through the Prophet, and through the scriptures are correct and true.  The only way to gain that trust as I mentioned above is through action.  Trust is not a passive action.  Trust requires action.  Trust necessitates us to move, to act.  The more we exercise trust the better we become at it.   

I must learn to place my personal trust firmly in God.  This should be easy to do, for he is omniscient and omnipotent. But I struggle, I am reluctant.  Through writing this though I have discovered that the key is practice.  Once concept at a time, line upon line.  Building faith and practicing trust provides a sure foundation for life.   A good source in the scriptures to see this is 2 Nephi Chapter 4.  Specifically verses 16-35.

16 Behold, my soul delighteth in the things of the Lord; and my heart pondereth continually upon the things which I have seen and heard.

 17 Nevertheless, notwithstanding the great goodness of the Lord, in showing me his great and marvelous works, my heart exclaimeth: O wretched man that I am! Yea, my heart sorroweth because of my flesh; my soul grieveth because of mine iniquities.

 18 I am encompassed about, because of the temptations and the sins which do so easily beset me.

19 And when I desire to rejoice, my heart groaneth because of my sins; nevertheless, I know in whom I have trusted.

 20 My God hath been my support; he hath led me through mine afflictions in the wilderness; and he hath preserved me upon the waters of the great deep.

 21 He hath filled me with his love, even unto the consuming of my flesh.

 22 He hath confounded mine enemies, unto the causing of them to quake before me.

 23 Behold, he hath heard my cry by day, and he hath given me knowledge by visions in the night-time.

 24 And by day have I waxed bold in mighty prayer before him; yea, my voice have I sent up on high; and angels came down and ministered unto me.

 25 And upon the wings of his Spirit hath my body been carried away upon exceedingly high mountains. And mine eyes have beheld great things, yea, even too great for man; therefore I was bidden that I should not write them.

 26 O then, if I have seen so great things, if the Lord in his condescension unto the children of men hath visited men in so much mercy, why should my heart weep and my soul linger in the valley of sorrow, and my flesh waste away, and my strength slacken, because of mine afflictions?

 27 And why should I yield to sin, because of my flesh? Yea, why should I give way to temptations, that the evil one have place in my heart to destroy my peace and afflict my soul? Why am I angry because of mine enemy?

 28 Awake, my soul! No longer droop in sin. Rejoice, O my heart, and give place no more for the enemy of my soul.

 29 Do not anger again because of mine enemies. Do not slacken my strength because of mine afflictions.

 30 Rejoice, O my heart, and cry unto the Lord, and say: O Lord, I will praise thee forever; yea, my soul will rejoice in thee, my God, and the rock of my salvation.

 31 O Lord, wilt thou redeem my soul? Wilt thou deliver me out of the hands of mine enemies? Wilt thou make me that I may shake at the appearance of sin?

 32 May the gates of hell be shut continually before me, because that my heart is broken and my spirit is contrite! O Lord, wilt thou not shut the gates of thy righteousness before me, that I may walk in the path of the low valley, that I may be strict in the plain road!

 33 O Lord, wilt thou encircle me around in the robe of thy righteousness! O Lord, wilt thou make a way for mine escape before mine enemies! Wilt thou make my path straight before me! Wilt thou not place a stumbling block in my way—but that thou wouldst clear my way before me, and hedge not up my way, but the ways of mine enemy.

 34 O Lord, I have trusted in thee, and I will trust in thee forever. I will not put my trust in the arm of flesh; for I know that cursed is he that putteth his trust in the arm of flesh. Yea, cursed is he that putteth his trust in man or maketh flesh his arm. 

35 Yea, I know that God will give liberally to him that asketh. Yea, my God will give me, if I ask not amiss; therefore I will lift up my voice unto thee; yea, I will cry unto thee, my God, the rock of my righteousness. Behold, my voice shall forever ascend up unto thee, my rock and mine everlasting God. Amen.

Elder Stephen Nadauld in a 1997 devotional stated: 

My dear young brothers and sisters, put away your fears, put your away your anxieties, put away your sins and your pettiness.  Believe in his plan, trust in God.  Put not your trust in the arm of flesh.  Lean not on your own understanding.  But be believing; come desiring that the Lord will encircle you about in the robe of his righteousness.  Study to increase your faith, study the Atonement, study the Resurrection, study the plan of redemption, study the relationships between faith and trust and humility. With faith and trust in place, a wonderful thing can happen.  You can set aside your self-absorption, quiet your anxieties and fears and fill your souls with love.  The Savior’s message is clear, understanding the doctrine should lead to practical application.  Practice service, practice lifting and building and strengthening others, provide assurances, rehearse the evidence one to another.  What a remarkable transformation takes place when we allow our faith to lead to trust. 

My Thoughts and Discoveries on Sanctification

One of the missionaries who helped bring me back into the church was transferred six months ago out of my area.  However, we have been able to maintain a relationship and I have been able to continue to grow in the gospel through her.  Recently she gave me the topic of Sanctification to study and to write back to her on. 

My Thoughts and Discoveries on Sanctification

Sanctify: 

• To make holy; set apart as sacred; consecrate
• To purify or free from sin
• To impart religious sanction; to render legitimate or binding
• To entitle to reverence or respect
• To make productive of or conducive to spiritual blessing

Origin:

• from Late Latin sanctificare "to make holy," from sanctus "holy" + root of facere "to make"
• from Greek hagios.  Hagios means being holy in the sense of superior moral qualities and possessing essential divine qualities in contrast with what is human.

I came across two talks on the subject that I felt explained the topic best:  D. Todd Christofferson in the June 2001 Ensign: Justification and Sanctification and David Bednar, April 2007 Conference: Ye Must Be Born Again. 

I have discovered there are two states of sanctification.  The first is the process of sanctification one undergoes here in this mortal life and the second is the state of sanctity or rather holiness that exists in the celestial realm of God the Father.  The process of sanctification in this mortal life is ongoing.  It is neither a state that is immediately achieved nor one that will be fully realized until the next life when we enter the presence of our Father in the Celestial kingdom.

What is sanctification?  Well the definition from the dictionary sums it up very nicely and leaves little to be argued with.  To make holy, to set apart or make sacred.  So the next question I had was: Where does sanctification come from?

In Elder Christofferson’s talk he discusses Justification and Sanctification.  “Justification and Sanctification are at the center of God’s gracious plan of salvation and are the essence of our witness of the Lord Jesus Christ…..Justification and Sanctification are the fruit of the Atonements infinite virtue of mercy and grace.”  So where does sanctification come from?  It comes from the Atonement.    

Moroni 10: 32-33

32 Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God.

 33 And again, if ye by the grace of God are perfect in Christ, and deny not his power, then are ye sanctified in Christ by the grace of God, through the shedding of the blood of Christ, which is in the covenant of the Father unto the remission of your sins, that ye become holy, without spot.

Therefore, to be sanctified through the blood of Christ is to become clean, pure and holy.  Justification (which I am not covering here) “removes the punishment for past sin” and “sanctification removes the stain or effects of sin.” In essence washing a person white through the blood of Christ and making them holy and pure.

D&C 76: 10-42

40 And this is the gospel, the glad tidings, which the voice out of the heavens bore record unto us—

41 That he came into the world, even Jesus, to be crucified for the world, and to bear the sins of the world, and to sanctify the world, and to cleanse it from all unrighteousness;

Alma 13: 11-12

11 Therefore they were called after this holy order, and were sanctified, and their garments were washed white through the blood of the Lamb.

 12 Now they, after being sanctified by the Holy Ghost, having their garments made white, being pure and spotless before God, could not look upon sin save it were with abhorrence; and there were many, exceedingly great many, who were made pure and entered into the rest of the Lord their God.

Hebrews 13:12

Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate.

So now we understand where sanctification comes from.  The next logical question I have is: how do I become sanctified, how do I access this power? This is plainly and simply answered in:

3 Nephi 27:19-20

19 And no unclean thing can enter into his kingdom; therefore nothing entereth into his rest save it be those who have washed their garments in my blood, because of their faith, and the repentance of all their sins, and their faithfulness unto the end.

 20 Now this is the commandment: Repent, all ye ends of the earth, and come unto me and be baptized in my name, that ye may be sanctified by the reception of the Holy Ghost, that ye may stand spotless before me at the last day.

Moses Chapter 6 Verse 66

And he heard a voice out of heaven, saying: Thou art baptized with fire, and with the Holy Ghost. This is the record of the Father, and the Son, from henceforth and forever;

John 3:3-5

3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

 4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?

 5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

So the foundation to sanctification is the atonement, faith, repentance and baptism by water and by the Holy Ghost.  This is only the beginning of the process to reaching the end state of full sanctification or full holiness with the Father in the Celestial kingdom.  As I mentioned earlier sanctification is not a one time event.  One simply cannot be baptized or state that they are “born again” and expect to be sanctified on the spot.  Sanctification is “both a life long process and a final state- a state of being pure, clean and holy and free from sin.”

So what do I have to do in order to maintain this process of sanctification after baptism? 

In 2 Timothy 2:21, Paul compares sanctification to the purifying of a vessel.

21 If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.

To walk the path of sanctification in this mortal life we must choose righteousness or rather be born again.  Going back a little to touch on Justification, D. Todd Christofferson mentions this in his talk. 

To be classed among the truly penitent, random acts of obedience will not be adequate. We must properly enter into the covenants and persist in keeping them to the point that our expectation of salvation is affirmed by the Holy Spirit of Promise (see D&C 132:7, 19). It is not simply the promise of obedience in our contracts with Deity that brings grace, but the performance of our promises: “For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified” (Rom. 2:13).

As I continued to read on the subject of sanctification, I honestly began to feel a bit inadequate to the task as I felt that sanctification was in reality perfection.  Yes, sanctification and perfection are closely linked.  However, it is impossible for me to achieve a state of perfection in this mortal life because I will always sin at some point, so does that disqualify me from the path of sanctification?  No, it does not.  Again Elder Chrisoffersons talk addressed this seemingly glaring obstacle. 

None of us, of course, is perfectly obedient, and thus we rely on our baptismal covenant to bring a remission of sins after baptism just as it has done for our lives before baptism. We rely on repentance to reinvigorate that covenant, to bring the Holy Spirit and, with it, atoning grace. The process of cleansing and sanctifying through the baptisms of water and of the Holy Ghost can be continued weekly as we worthily partake of the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper. The tokens of the Atonement, the bread and water, become symbolic cleansing agents and the sign of our renewed covenant, similar to the symbolism of the water in which we were immersed at baptism. It is as if we were being baptized afresh and the door once again opened for the Holy Spirit to enter, “that [we] may always have his Spirit to be with [us]” (D&C 20:77). Thus, we need not fear judgment. Having our sins remitted or pardoned and our garments spotless through the blood of Christ, we can imagine we hear the voice of the Lord in the Day of Judgment saying, “Come unto me ye blessed, for behold, your works have been the works of righteousness upon the face of the earth” (Alma 5:16).

He goes on to mention “Perfection is not a prerequisite for justification and sanctification.  It is just the opposite.  Justification (being pardoned) and sanctification (being purified) are the prerequisites for perfection.  We only become perfect “in Christ” (see Moro. 10:32), not independently of Him. Thus, what is required of us in order to obtain mercy in the day of judgment is simple diligence. As the Prophet Joseph Smith counseled from the dank prison of Liberty, Missouri: “Let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power; and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of God, and for his arm to be revealed” (D&C 123:17; see also Mosiah 4:27).”

I don’t believe that this process can be summed up better than by how Bruce R. Mckonie described.

“Everyone in the Church who is on the straight and narrow path, who is striving and struggling and desiring to do what is right, though far from perfect in this life; if he passes out of this life while he’s on the straight and narrow, he’s going to go on to eternal reward in his Father’s kingdom.

“We don’t need to get a complex or get a feeling that you have to be perfect to be saved. … The way it operates is this: you get on the path that’s named the ‘straight and narrow.’ You do it by entering the gate of repentance and baptism. The straight and narrow path leads from the gate of repentance and baptism, a very great distance, to a reward that’s called eternal life. … Now is the time and the day of your salvation, so if you’re working zealously in this life—though you haven’t fully overcome the world and you haven’t done all you hoped you might do—you’re still going to be saved” (“The Probationary Test of Mortality,” Salt Lake Institute of Religion devotional, 10 Jan. 1982, 12).

Remember that the Saviors power to sanctify us is commemorated in the ordinance of the sacrament.  Just a side note, the English word sacrament literally means “to make holy” or “to consecrate”.

To sum up so far:  Sanctification is to become holy and pure.  This is done through baptism, repentance, diligence and maintaining access to the power of the atonement and sanctification through partaking of the sacrament.

Now I will take a look at how once I am on the straight and narrow, how I can continue to be sanctified in this life, or literally set apart in this life?  This requires a mighty change of heart.  The following section I will use several quotes and thoughts from David Bednar’s conference address.  To begin I use this from his talk:

The Lord’s authorized servants repeatedly teach that one of the principal purposes of our mortal existence is to be spiritually changed and transformed through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Alma declared:

“Marvel not that all mankind, yea, men and women, all nations, kindreds, tongues and people, must be born again; yea, born of God, changed from their carnal and fallen state, to a state of righteousness, being redeemed of God, becoming his sons and daughters;

“And thus they become new creatures; and unless they do this, they can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God” (Mosiah 27:25–26).

We are instructed over and over in the scriptures to change our state.

Moroni 10:32

32 Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God.

2 Corinthians 5:17

17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

Mosiah 3:19

19 For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father.

Mosiah 5:2

2 And they all cried with one voice, saying: Yea, we believe all the words which thou hast spoken unto us; and also, we know of their surety and truth, because of the Spirit of the Lord Omnipotent, which has wrought a mighty change in us, or in our hearts, that we have no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually.

Elder Bednar notes: “Please note that the conversion described in these verses is mighty, not minor—a spiritual rebirth and fundamental change of what we feel and desire, what we think and do, and what we are. Indeed, the essence of the gospel of Jesus Christ entails a fundamental and permanent change in our very nature made possible through our reliance upon “the merits, and mercy, and grace of the Holy Messiah” (2 Nephi 2:8). As we choose to follow the Master, we choose to be changed—to be spiritually reborn.”

The steps to being spiritually reborn or rather the process of sanctification in this mortal life are: Immersing and Saturating and Purifying and Sealing. 

Immersing and Saturating:  We become born again or sanctified through saturating ourselves in the gospel and absorbing the doctrine and abiding by the covenants we have made. Again borrowing from Elder Bednar:

As we honor and “observe the covenants” (D&C 42:13) into which we have entered, as we “feast upon the words of Christ” (2 Nephi 32:3), as we “pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart” (Moroni 7:48), and as we “serve [God] with all [of our] heart, might, mind and strength” (D&C 4:2), then:

“Because of the covenant which ye have made ye shall be called the children of Christ, his sons, and his daughters; for behold, this day he hath spiritually begotten you; for ye say that your hearts are changed through faith on his name; therefore, ye are born of him and have become his sons and his daughters” (Mosiah 5:7).

The spiritual rebirth described in this verse typically does not occur quickly or all at once; it is an ongoing process—not a single event. Line upon line and precept upon precept, gradually and almost imperceptibly, our motives, our thoughts, our words, and our deeds become aligned with the will of God. This phase of the transformation process requires time, persistence, and patience.

I love how Elder Bednar stated in the last paragraph that this process is slow; it will not occur all at once.  It is important to note that in order to obtain sanctification we must be “continuously immersed in and saturated with the truth and the light of the Savior’s gospel”  A mighty change of heart, changing into a new creature, setting yourself apart unto holiness cannot be done through only “partial participation” in His gospel. In order to reach the state of final sanctification these practices mentioned above of repentance, diligence and renewing our covenants must be done daily and in respect to the sacrament, weekly.  Or as Eldner Bednar puts it concisely: fidelity to covenants, constancy of commitment, and offering our whole soul unto God are required if we are to receive the blessings of eternity.

Omni 1:26

26 And now, my beloved brethren, I would that ye should come unto Christ, who is the Holy One of Israel, and partake of his salvation, and the power of his redemption. Yea, come unto him, and offer your whole souls as an offering unto him, and continue in fasting and praying, and endure to the end; and as the Lord liveth ye will be saved.

Purifying and Sealing:

As you progress along the straight and narrow and the path of sanctification the result will be a purifying of your soul. 

Alma 13:12

12 Now they, after being sanctified by the Holy Ghost, having their garments made white, being pure and spotless before God, could not look upon sin save it were with abhorrence; and there were many, exceedingly great many, who were made pure and entered into the rest of the Lord their God.

Alma 19:33

33 And it came to pass that when Ammon arose he also administered unto them, and also did all the servants of Lamoni; and they did all declare unto the people the selfsame thing—that their hearts had been changed; that they had no more desire to do evil.

Helaman 3:35

Nevertheless they did fast and pray oft, and did wax stronger and stronger in their humility, and firmer and firmer in the faith of Christ, unto the filling their souls with joy and consolation, yea, even to the purifying and the sanctification of their hearts, which sanctification cometh because of their yielding their hearts unto God”

As I personally have progressed back into the gospel I have found this occurring within me.  I do not want to sound boastful, that is not my intention.  I merely state this to show that this process of sanctification is real in the way that it is described in the scriptures.  When I started meeting with the missionaries I did not want to give up a lot of my vices.  I did not want to give up drinking or going out with my friends.  I did not want to give up my Sunday which was a day of recreation for me.  I did not want to give up my gutter humor.  These were things I actually nearly traded for the restored gospel.  It sounds crazy to me now to think that, for as I progressed more and more into studying the gospel I felt a mighty hunger come upon me to hear more and more of the word, it got to the point that all I wanted to do was be surrounded by the gospel of Jesus Christ.  In turn those things I mentioned and others that I have not, lessened and some diminished all together.  I testify that honestly and humbly saturating yourself with the gospel will result in the sealing of a change of heart upon you.  This does not mean that I still do not err, but as mentioned above when I do find myself heading off the path by a poor choice I must then follow the steps of sanctification: repentance, diligence and renewing my covenant through the sacrament.

Elder Bednar explained at the end of his talk regarding the sealing process of sanctification.

The word sealing in my message today does not refer exclusively to the ordinance of eternal marriage performed in the house of the Lord. Rather, I am using this particular word as explained in the 76th section of the Doctrine and Covenants:

“This is the testimony of the gospel of Christ concerning them who shall come forth in the resurrection of the just—

“They are they who received the testimony of Jesus, and believed on his name and were baptized after the manner of his burial, being buried in the water in his name, and this according to the commandment which he has given—

“That by keeping the commandments they might be washed and cleansed from all their sins, and receive the Holy Spirit by the laying on of the hands of him who is ordained and sealed unto this power;

“And who overcome by faith, and are sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise, which the Father sheds forth upon all those who are just and true” (vv. 50–53).

He goes on:

The Holy Spirit of Promise is the ratifying power of the Holy Ghost. When sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise, an ordinance, vow, or covenant is binding on earth and in heaven. (See D&C 132:7.) Receiving this “stamp of approval” from the Holy Ghost is the result of faithfulness, integrity, and steadfastness in honoring gospel covenants “in [the] process of time” (Moses 7:21). However, this sealing can be forfeited through unrighteousness and transgression.

Purifying and sealing by the Holy Spirit of Promise constitute the culminating steps in the process of being born again.

In my study of sanctification what I have learned is that is not perfection in this life, but rather the steps necessary to be able to abide in the perfect state in the next life with our Father.  Sanctification is setting apart your life unto holiness.  This is achieved through the Atonement of Jesus Christ and through baptism by water and the Holy Ghost.  Through immersing yourself diligently in the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Through having faith, repenting when necessary and partaking of the sacrament and renewing your covenants with the Father. It is a life long process that will require one to make adjustments and correct their behavior along the way; however, the reward for walking this path is far greater than we can possibly imagine.  Quoting from Elder Christofferson. “It will seem natural for those who have been sanctified to enter into the rest or kingdom of God, for they will have become like him.”

1 John 3:2

2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

Moroni 7:48

48 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ; that ye may become the sons of God; that when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we may have this hope; that we may be purified even as he is pure. Amen.

Eliminating Negative or Toxic People From Your Life- Part 1

What is a person who believes in forgiveness to do when they have a toxic person in their life?  I do not use the term “toxic” loosely.  Toxic to me is a person who causes you emotional pain purposefully, who tears you down, one who uses and/or abuses you.  This is not a one time incident for a toxic person, this is ongoing behavior.

What is a person to do who feels guilt over removing a toxic person from their life? Usually a toxic person is someone you have a very significant relationship with; a spouse, a sibling, a parent or in-law. 

If we look at the scriptures we find verses that seem to give differing views regarding our enemies.  For example: Matthew 5:44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitfully use you and persecute you.  Also Matthew 5: 39 But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. However; you will find that upon closer examination they do not.  The Lord wants us to be happy, he wants us to be in the best position in our life to bless others, to come closer to him, and eventually to return to him.  The Lord knows that at times in order to do this we have to remove ourselves from certain people.

I first want to address Matthew 5: 38-42

38 Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:

39 But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.

40 And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also.

41 And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.

42 Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.

Our first inclination upon reading this, especially verse 39, is to assume it says that if someone mistreats us we are to not retaliate and let them continue the behavior.  However, after researching these verses, because I too had made this initial inference, I discovered that is not what the Savior was teaching us to do. You must read this verse in the context of the historical setting.  The verse states that the person smites you on the right cheek.  In order to smite someone on the right cheek what must one do, they must turn their hand over, in other words, back hand someone.  When you back hand someone it is different than a punch or even a slap.  A back hand slap is an insulting slap, it is meant to humiliate. The reference of smiting on the cheek is a reference to a Jewish law.  According to Jewish Law if you slapped a person with the palm of your hand you would be fined 200 zuzims.  However, if you slapped a person with the back of your hand the fine would double to 400 zuzims.  Under Jewish law to backhand a person is considered an insult and humiliation worthy of double the fine.

            During this time period remember the Jews were ruled by the Romans and were subjects to them.  Physical revolt against Roman rule was not an option and would only make the situation worse for the Jews.  So, what does Jesus say to do, he counsels people to take initiative and turn the other cheek to allow the Roman to slap the other cheek. What does this achieve?  First off the victim does not passively accept the wrong done to them but actively responds by challenging the offender to inflict more wrongs.  By doing this the victim achieves two things.  First, it restores the dignity to the victim, in that he is refusing to be humiliated.  Second, by turning the cheek the victim is causing the perpetrator to think about his actions.  If he slaps him on the left cheek with his open palm, under custom, he is treating him as an equal with the second slap, as the backhand slap is the slap which designates humiliation upon someone viewed as less equal.  Imagine if you back handed someone that you deemed inferior to you and the person stood there without a word then turned the other cheek so you could strike them again.  What would this cause the perpetrator to do?  In some cases it would cause them to rethink the injustice they are inflicting on the person and in other cases it would provoke them to strike you again.  In the later case the person brings a greater condemnation upon themselves. Romans 12:19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath; for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.

In verse 40: And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also.

This illustrates an impoverished debtor whose coat, or undergarment, is taken by the creditor as payment.  Under Jewish Law and found in Exodus 22: 25-27 one could not seize the outer garment of a person past sunset. So what does it mean when the Lord says to the one who owes a debt in a legal proceeding to give his cloak also?  It seems that an inference of a wrong was done to the debtor, so I am assuming that the collecting of the debt was done as an act of humiliation upon the subject of Roman rule.  In the example the Lord says to give up your cloak also.  In other words give up your outer garment.  This once again causes the perpetrator to rethink his actions.  If the creditor takes the outer garment he is violating Jewish law and exposes himself in plain view as an oppressor who exploits his subjects until they are impoverished. 

Verse 41: And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.

Under Roman rule a Roman soldier could compel a citizen to carry his equipment for one mile.  Forced labor was humiliating and resented by the ruled population.  Jesus tells the person to comply as it is law, but to take it further and go with him one more mile.  What does this achieve?  Once again it causes the perpetrator to rethink his actions and empowers the victim.

In these situations the response of the victims enables them to address wrongs done to them that they otherwise have no legal remedy to address.  It enables them to restore their dignity and by submitting to more wrong doings it exposes the injustices done upon them and heaps a greater condemnation upon the perpetrator.   

When we read these verses with the historical context in mind we remove our present day interpretation that we are simply to be passive and let others take advantage of us.  This is not what Jesus was teaching.  This is especially evident when you read Matthew 10: 34-38. Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.  For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.  And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.  He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.  And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.

Part 2 to follow