Wickedness
We are "born in sin" because we have wants, needs, and desires which are not in accordance with the will of our Father in Heaven. "The natural man is an enemy to God..." (Mosiah 3:19) As we seek to fulfill these we are living in sin. Wickedness is not always evil, it is merely doing what comes naturally and trying to get what we want. Any sort of selfish or self-seeking behavior is wickedness. Our parents do things a certain way; we grow up with these traditions as if they are the right way to do things. Often, however, they aren't the will of God so they are "the wicked traditions of our fathers." (Alma 23:3) Our society has norms that we follow because we want to be accepted by them, but any behaviors that go against God's will are also "wicked traditions."
Remaining in our wickedness is not limited to "evil" things. It's true that we must give up all our evil, such as lying, cheating, stealing, killing, and so forth, but we may also be asked to sacrifice that which we consider to be "good." Having a family is good, generally, but not if it is not the Lord's will for us. Many people go against the will of the Lord because they don't want to give up their own desires. The Pharisees felt that they kept the Law of Moses with exactness and therefore had no sin. The Rich Young Ruler told Jesus, "All these I have kept from my youth!" But they still remained in wickedness because they weren't actually doing the will of God -- they were seeking after their own desires.
People often follow the Lord as long as they get what they want, but as soon as their own needs aren't being filled, they quit. They think that life is all about getting their needs met. They believe in God, but see Him as a filler of needs. Many pray sincerely for God to give them what they want, in essence asking Him to keep them in wickedness. At some point, though, He may say, "No" to help them out of their lost and fallen state, and they get angry and bitter that they didn't get what they wanted, thus remaining in wickedness.
Repentance
I have lived my life as a Pharisee, not understanding the meaning of "repentance." I sinned such as lying, cheating, and stealing to get what I wanted. I thought repentance was simply to stop doing these. I thought I was to obey the "Thou shalt not..." commandments. It was understood that I could, or should, continue to seek my own desires, but without lying or killing. However, I was wrong. Living the Ten Commandments, of course, is an imperative part of repentance, but is only half. The other half is to actually give up my selfishness. Repenting of all my sins means that I no longer do my own will at all. My dreams, wants, desires, appetites, and passions must all be sacrificed on the altar of God.
The story of Jonah is about a servant of God who decided not to do as the Lord asked. The consequence of his wickedness was to be thrown overboard into the water, and swallowed by a fish. But the Lord had mercy on him and he was still chosen to do that work, if he was willing. He did, and was blessed. He was a prophet, he was a servant of God, he had received a calling from the Lord so he knew the language of the Spirit and the Gospel. He was able to teach. His only need was to repent of doing his own will.
I have found that my feelings tell me when I am against the will of God. If I am angry, frustrated, scared, confused, depressed or anxious, I need to repent. Anger comes from unmet expectations, but rather than pray for what I want, repentance tells me to accept the will of the Lord and ask Him what He wants. I have to continually and consciously let go of what I want. The Lord helps by telling me what is important and what I can let go of.
For example, a large family has a certain amount of disorganization. People, especially children, are individuals and are inherently self-centered so bringing them together is difficult. As I cleaned the kitchen after people had left their dirty dishes all over I was getting frustrated. I wanted to yell at everyone to clean up after themselves, but the Lord softened my heart, telling me that I would damage relationships which are more important so I let go of my need for order, justice, and predictability. I don't believe anyone can repent without the help of the Lord.
Righteousness
After we have repented of all our sins and wickedness we are on "the straight and narrow path." We must be guided by the Holy Ghost in all things. Because we are no longer seeking what we want, we have to know the will of God in all things. This is the definition of a "righteous man." Living in righteousness is doing all things according to the Spirit of God. We must be able to know the will of God by studying the words of Christ. Nephi tells us that "the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do." (2 Nephi 32:3)The second thing a righteous man must do is pray. Nephi explains: "But behold, I say unto you that ye must pray always, and not faint; that ye must not perform any thing unto the Lord save in the first place ye shall pray unto the Father in the name of Christ, that he will consecrate thy performance unto thee, that thy performance may be for the welfare of thy soul." (2 Nephi 32:9) Prayer is how we come to know God's will for us.
Our righteous desires are those things God wants us to do. When we have fully repented of all our sins our will matches that of the Lord. He is our guide and stay. He gives us all things, and we simply do His will, no matter what it is. There are many examples in the Scriptures of commandments given that go against other commandments. "Thou shalt not kill" Is one of the Ten Commandments given to Moses, but the Lord makes exceptions. Abraham was commanded to kill his son, Isaac. The Children of Israel were commanded to kill every living thing as they conquered the Land of Canaan. Nephi was commanded to kill Laban with his own sword. The point is, whatever the Lord commands is righteousness, and everything else is wickedness. Living a righteous life is simply living "by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." (Matthew 4:4)
Happiness
The world of the wicked is narrowly defined by their needs, but they always find that getting what they want in life does not make them happy, in fact, on the contrary, they become bitter and angry. Parents who indulge their children in all their wants create very unhappy children, who often become indulgent and unhappy adults. Happiness is found in getting more than you want, which can only come by giving it up and becoming righteous.
Since they give up their own needs, the righteous are free from worry; they have no insecurity, anger, malice, or fear to cloud their enjoyment. They can love fully. Their hearts are pure. They can enjoy a connection with others and with God. They have all power because He does, and they are connected to Him by a bond that cannot be broken because they obey Him in all things. They can enjoy the light of day fully and completely. As David said, "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever." (Psalm 23:6)
This happens to all those who love the Lord, doing His will instead of their own, "If ye love me, keep my commandments." (John 14:15) The Apostle Paul quotes Isaiah: "But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him." (1 Corinthians 2:9) The consequence of loving God is so good we couldn't even know what to ask for; it's better than anything we can even imagine -- happiness beyond compare. Those who remain in wickedness can never know this degree of happiness.
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