GUILT

There are behaviors we do that belie our knowledge of "original sin." We are guilty and we know it. We aren't worthy of the Kingdom of Heaven, and deep down inside we fear it. For this reason people feel the need to do one of six things to suppress the guilt:

1. Justify their existence by doing everything right.
2. Be better than others, always judging and comparing.
3. Blame others who caused them to sin.
4. Accept a hard life as payment.
5. Be good and do good.
6. Deny that there is justice, guilt, or even God!

When Adam and Eve were in Paradise after their creation they had no sorrow, no pain, and no suffering of any kind. However,they were given choices. They could decide to grow up, have children, move on, and become as Gods, knowing good and evil. Alma explains this concept to the people of Ammonihah, "He gave commandments unto men, they having first transgressed the first commandments as to things which were temporal, and becoming as Gods, knowing good from evil, placing themselves in a state to act, or being placed in a state to act according to their wills and pleasures, whether to do evil or to do good." (Alma 12:31)

God knows good and evil which gives Him the power to choose. Without this knowledge Adam and Eve would have remained innocent. Alma generalizes it to let us know that all men "transgressed the first commandments" and thus we caused our own fall. In other words, the story of Adam and Eve is our story. We each "took the fruit" and got kicked-out of paradise and brought suffering and death to ourselves. That's why we find ourselves here on Earth in a "probationary state," also explained by Alma: "And thus we see, that there was a time granted unto man to repent, yea, a probationary time, a time to repent and serve God." (Alma 42:4)

Ultimately, this comes down to one question: do we need Jesus Christ, or not? Knowing we have sinned and fall short of the Kingdom of God, we need to somehow find a way to justify our guilt. Those who do not desire to be humble as a little child and serve God must find another way.

Self-righteous

The Pharisees and Scribes of the New Testament felt the need to justify themselves. They were self-righteous. They didn't need Jesus because they had kept all the commandments from their youth. They assumed "the law" saved them. If they kept the law, they would be worthy, and guilty of no offense.

Compare

Many believe they are good and righteous compared to others. They compare their strengths to the weaknesses of others. They look down on the "republicans and sinners!" The comparison to others, putting themselves on a higher plane, ascending to the throne by themselves, makes them equal with God -- just like Satan, "For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. (Isaiah 14:13-14).

Blame

Some people absolve themselves of responsibility by blaming others for their sins. Parents, friends, family members, or strangers who have hurt or neglected them become the scape-goats. These only acted out of some form of self-preservation, or necessity and are therefore absolved of guilt, and don't need Jesus Christ.

Pay now

Some try to satisfy the demands of justice by telling others about their pain, loneliness, deprivation, or some other form of suffering. It feels like we could atone for ourselves if we suffer enough -- that we would pay for our own sins and not need to humble ourselves before the Lord and beg His forgiveness, take His yoke, and be His servant.

Be good

Some believe they can be as Jesus "who went about doing good." (Acts 10:38) They help others, heal the sick, win Nobel prizes, show courage, love, and all the sublime qualities of humanity. They don't need salvation because they are covered by their own goodness.

Denial

Many just deny that there is guilt. They deny their own feelings. Some of these acknowledge God, but deny His justice, and thus the need for a Savior. Others deny the existence of God altogether. There is no guilt because there is no God, and thus, they don't need Jesus.

Christians

Most human beings use one or some combination of these in an attempt to justify themselves. Ironically, as in the case of the Pharisees, it is common among Christians to use some form of self-justification to prove that they don't need Jesus Christ. They learn the law and keep it with gusto, believing the law will save them. Or, they compare their strengths to others weaknesses. Also, it is common to be as Jesus said, "Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?" (Matthew 7:22) but they don't seek Him to do His will. Christians also commonly flog themselves or blame others to justify themselves. Some even get involved in the philosophies of men, mingled with scripture, such as "New Age" religious teachings that deny the existence of guilt and sin. These are all self-serving and are not based on the Gospel.

The Gospel of Jesus Christ is actually quite simple. We don't need any of the devices above. Jesus told the Nephites, "And again I say unto you, ye must repent, and be baptized in my name, and become as a little child, or ye can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God. ...And whoso shall declare more or less than this, and establish it for my doctrine, the same cometh of evil." (3 Nephi 11:38, 40)

First we acknowledge our guilt, and impotence to resolve it. Then we turn to the Lord for salvation. Baptism is symbolic of being washed of all sin, becoming clean and free of guilt, after we have repented. We are cleansed by the blood of Christ -- or not at all. The only choice for finding peace, rest, happiness, and joy -- being guilt-free -- is the Lord. All the other means of trying to remit our natural guilt will fail -- sooner or later.