It’s the law.
It is not a suggestion, or even a commandment, it is a law. This means it is not just expedient for now, but a law that is forever. Laws are above God. It is a law of the Universe. It is a permanent law of God to be obedient to the Lord, and to sacrifice all that I have. The Law of Moses was training wheels for the real law of obedience and sacrifice. The Law of Moses was fulfilled by Jesus Christ, and He instituted the higher law.
I sacrifice what I want.
I sacrifice what I need.
I sacrifice what I like.
The law is not just to give up things, I must sacrifice what I have in obedience to the Lord. That is the law. I cannot separate the two parts.
- Obedience is a part.
- Sacrifice is a part.
The two covenants together constitute a law. They are not two different laws, they are one law. They come together because obedience is sacrifice and sacrifice must happen in obedience.
Obedience is sacrificing the most important thing I have been given -- my will. I cannot be obedient without making a sacrifice. Jesus obeyed this law:
For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.
John 6:38
He gave up His will to do the will of the Father. In the Garden of Gethsemane He actually made the sacrifice of His will. He did not want to suffer eternal torment, but was “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 3:19) He sacrificed Himself in obedience to His Father.
And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.
Matthew 26:39
The reverse is also true. Sacrifice cannot be separated from obedience. It is not a sacrifice to flog myself, or even to give up my own life by suicide. It is not to live in poverty, or give up food or sex, but rather to sacrifice what God wants me to burn on the altar. It must be a sacrifice in obedience to Him. The Lord speaks to the leaders of the fledgling Church of Jesus Christ and explains this concept.
Verily I say unto you, all among them who know their hearts are honest, and are broken, and their spirits contrite, and are willing to observe their covenants by sacrifice—yea, every sacrifice which I, the Lord, shall command—they are accepted of me.
Doctrine and Covenants 97:8
The Lord will command what sacrifice must be made. I don’t decide what I am willing to give up. I only do it in obedience to the Lord. King Benjamin explained this to his people:
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 3:19
It is not my decision to make a sacrifice, but rather the Lord will see fit to inflict a sacrifice on me. The point of the sacrifice is that it is in obedience to the Lord. Saul was commanded to utterly destroy the Amalekites because they would not listen to the Lord, and continued to worship gods of the world. Saul did not exactly obey because he and his people kept some things as spoil. Samuel came and rebuked Saul for his disobedience and Saul said they kept the animals to sacrifice to the Lord.
And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.
1 Samuel 15:22
You cannot have a law of sacrifice separated from obedience. They must go together. Saul could not determine the sacrifice, only the Lord can command it.
Obeying the Law of Obedience and Sacrifice
I have found that I don’t have a prophet coming to me to tell me what to sacrifice. In my life I have two ways of knowing what I should sacrifice:
- The Holy Spirit whispers to my soul to make a sacrifice.
- Life takes me down a path of sacrifice.
Sometimes the Holy Ghost will tell me what to do, and I must obey and make the sacrifice. I was told to give up my girlfriend before we even met, but I did not. Then, after twenty years of marriage I was told again, and I did. Also, the Spirit sometimes whispers that I need to fast, and most of the time I do. Following the voice of the Spirit is being obedient to the commandments. Each time it is a sacrifice commanded by Him. All the commandments of God, as given to me by the Holy Ghost, are sacrifices.
Most of the time, however, life requires sacrifices just because I lose things. Having a family requires sacrifice. Marriage is a sacrifice. Work is sacrifice. People die. People change. All that I do in the world requires sacrifice of time, effort, or will. The sacrifice doesn’t need to be grievous, just doing something for someone else is giving up my time, even if I enjoy it. The Lord dictates what the sacrifice is to be by guiding my path. He puts people in front of me who need help. He closes doors to me, and opens others that may be scary, but I go through because it is the only reasonable option. Just the process of living will guide me to the sacrifices I make in obedience to Him, with understanding that whatever happens is His will.
In doing, or allowing, the will of God, I give up what I want. I am not going after my dreams of the world, but rather sacrificing them. I am not working to meet my needs, but to sacrifice them on the altar of the Lord. The only acceptable sacrifice is that of a broken heart.
A Broken Heart and a Contrite Spirit
And ye shall offer up unto me no more the shedding of blood; yea, your sacrifices and your burnt offerings shall be done away, for I will accept none of your sacrifices and your burnt offerings. And ye shall offer for a sacrifice unto me a broken heart and a contrite spirit.
3 Nephi 9:19-20
The heart is the deepest desire, it is the one thing that everyone needs -- connection with God. Being born in a wicked world, we automatically believe that we could find something of the world will fill that need. There is an emptiness inside that must be filled, and the heart is what we believe deep down that will fill that need. Not everyone believes the same or needs the same things. Some feel that marriage and family will fill the need. Others think sex, drugs, food, tobacco, alcohol, friends, wealth, fame, lands and houses, knowledge of the world, power, authority, or a business will either fill that need, or at least give a moment of relief. Our differences come from our beliefs. We are actually all the same. There is a God-sized hole in every heart that can only be filled by God, but people still believe they can fill it with something in the world.
The things of the world are not evil, bad, or wicked. They are just things, toys, or means that allow us to function. We need food. We need other people. We need sex. We need business and money. These only become wicked when they are objects of worship. When I believe something will fill my heart and satisfy my true need then I worship that object. People become objects when I believe they could fill my need. I worship them as objects, I don’t see them as people. Thus, the evil of the things of the world is not their existence, but in my belief. Those who do not need alcohol may drink and not be wicked. Those who do not feel sex will bring satisfaction may indulge with their spouse ad libidum. Those who do not need money to fill them may have great amounts and not be wicked. The need is the problem. Wickedness is not from having the things of the world, but rather from worshipping them.
When I sacrifice my deepest desire, the belief that something of the world is going to fill the emptiness inside me, I will necessarily have a broken heart. The one thing that I worship of the world, that I believe will fill my heart, is the one thing I must sacrifice. The oblation must be a willing sacrifice. I don’t have to enjoy it, but I must willingly give up what I desire. I can give it up in my heart no matter how the sacrifice is given. There are two ways to have a broken heart:
- I get what I want, but it doesn’t fill my need as I expected.
- I never get what I want.
Either way, my heart is broken. My mom told me, “Life is perfectly fair, sooner or later it breaks everyone’s heart.”
The people of the world tell me that nobody should have a broken heart. One of my patients came in with a program for spiritual enlightenment where people remember their epiphanies and theophanies to keep them in mind, instead of their problems. I said that was great, but to see the hand of God is one thing, but to be obedient is quite another. Spiritual growth requires sacrifice and obedience, not just acknowledging the existence of God. He did not believe a sacrifice was needed to be spiritually elevated. We are sad for those who have a broken heart. We mourn with them. We hope for peace and love, good roads and good weather, happiness and joy, without any speed bumps or red lights.
The Lord, however is different. Everyone must have a broken heart or they will not be able to be with God. They can't. They won't. They won't find Him because they don't seek Him. They are looking for something else. Only when the heart is seeking God will anyone be able to find Him.
Becoming Bitter
Some achieve their desires only to find it doesn’t work. Their heart is broken. They then either become bitter, angry, and depressed, or they soften and seek the Lord. Those who let go easily have a contrite spirit. The sacrifice of a broken heart must come with the contrite spirit to avoid anger. Anger is of the devil. Lucifer was not chosen to be the savior of the world; he wanted to rule over all, but his plan was rejected, so he got angry. That’s why he had to leave Heaven.
And the Lord said: Whom shall I send? And one answered like unto the Son of Man: Here am I, send me. And another answered and said: Here am I, send me. And the Lord said: I will send the first. And the second was angry, and kept not his first estate; and, at that day, many followed after him.
Abraham 3:27-28
Others become bitter and angry when they don’t get what they want in life. They never have enough money because they are always poor. They get married but are not able to have children. They are disabled or otherwise afflicted. They don’t have friends or family to fill them. Never getting what I wanted has been a hard sacrifice to make, willingly. The point of a sacrifice is not to give up something I have, but rather to give up the belief that it could fill my need for connection. The heart can be broken when I realize that I cannot get what I want in life.
When my heart is broken I must have a contrite spirit and submit willingly to the sacrifice commanded by God. If not, if I become angry, get depressed, suicidal, or walk around heartbroken, then I will not receive the Lord and worship Him to fill the void in my heart. My heart is still on the things of the world. My beliefs, desires, needs, still revolve around that thing I lost, didn’t get, or found unfulfilling.
The Fantasy does not die easily
The discovery that my fantasy is unfulfilling does not automatically lead to a contrite spirit and seeking the Lord. For example, when a person wants power or authority, and they get it and find it doesn’t fill the need, they often want more. A little power doesn’t work, maybe more will. Also, men and women get married hoping for a connection that the other can fill, but when they find it doesn’t work they may go outside seeking others to fill their needs; it feels like the right person could do fill them. Those who find food does not fill them up often eat more and hate themselves as they get fatter. Many feel that money will fill the need, but find it will never be enough, even as they continue to seek more. They do not have a contrite spirit. They do not submit, but continue to believe a lie that they could be filled by something of the world.
As a child I only wanted to connect with my mom, but she was not able due to an autistic personality. So, in my young mind I reasoned that I would be able to finally fill that need in the future when I was married. I just wanted a woman. As an adolescent that easily translated into sexual needs so I thought unlimited sex would fill the need. I waited to find the right girl, and then waited to get married, as I had been taught. But it didn’t work out as I expected. She was not on board, even though she indicated she was before we were married. I was angry. I got depressed. I had been taught traditional morals so I would not go outside the marriage to seek my needs. I was stuck. I hoped she would “come around,” but that never happened. Instead, she filed for divorce after twenty years of marriage. I had no problem letting her go. I was hoping to finally find the right woman to fill my needs. Then I re-married and found the same issues. Other men did not have this problem. Again, I became angry and depressed. I was getting bitter. I tried not to, but my heart was broken. All my dreams were dashed. I didn’t have a connection with anyone, and no hope of finding one. I prayed faithfully, but it took a long time. Gradually, the Lord guided me through the thorny path back onto the path of eternal life. Instead of seeking a wife to fill the need, I seek the Lord. Instead of worshipping my wife, I worship the Lord.
In spite of this, the dream does not die easily. While I am able to “put off the natural man” I find the dream is still there. I still look at women with hope to fill my need. I still judge them by their looks. I still find I am attracted to certain women based on that hope -- that she could fill my needs. It’s like an addiction that will not go away. I can put it off as long as I want, but I’m always going to want it. The same is true with all my likes. I haven’t had ice cream in years, but I still want it. I suppose this is the “thorn in my side” that I will live with as long as I am mortal. Meanwhile, I will continuously sacrifice that desire until the end of my life, having a broken heart. I have a weakness which will help me. I will glory in my weakness, like Paul.
And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.
2 Corinthians 12:7-10
Obey the Law
If I obey the law, I receive the blessing.
There is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated—And when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated.
Doctrine and Covenants 130:20-21
If I don’t obey the law then I am cursed, I must suffer the consequences. If I don’t make the sacrifice of a broken heart and a contrite spirit then I must suffer with the desires of the world for eternity where I can never even fulfill them. Not even a second of relief. There is nothing around to even temporarily fill the need. The need, want, desire, and emptiness are there with the belief that something of the world can fill it, but the world is gone, and all things in it are gone so there is nothing. It is hopeless -- forever! The world is going to go away, and when it’s gone, all those things I use to fill my needs are gone as well. Gone forever. I am left with eternal hopelessness and despair. Nothing.
...their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched, which is their torment—
Doctrine and Covenants 76:44
Jesus tells a parable of a man who was rich and had everything, while Lazarus, at his gate, suffered hunger and poor health. They both died and the man found himself in hell.
And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.
Luke 16:23-24
It is interesting to note the cause of his suffering. Abraham explains why he was suffering in hell, and Lazarus was in heaven, and that it was perfectly fair and just:
But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.
Luke 16:25
In the world, the rich man had all his needs filled. He did not need God to fill his needs so he didn’t seek Him. I wonder if the rich man was tormented because he could no longer have what he had before to comfort him. All he depended on was gone, and now he had nothing, whereas Lazarus had nothing and could only depend on God while in the world, so he continued to have that comfort in the next life.
The Ultimate Sacrifice
The sacrifice is not the broken heart, but a broken heart and a contrite spirit. Both are required to enter the kingdom of God. He will determine what sacrifice is to be made. Not everyone has the same sacrifice because everyone has a different belief of what will save them. For example, Jesus said to the rich, young ruler who wanted to know what it would take to be saved:
Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.
Matthew 19:21
Does that mean everyone who is rich must sell all? I don’t think so. I suspect only those who depend on their wealth to save them will need to make such a sacrifice. Jesus "loved him" and discerned his need. This particular young man needed just one sacrifice to be perfect. He knew the man's heart, and how he trusted in his wealth, even though he kept the commandments.
Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them, Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God!
Mark 10:24
Those who think they are good, or saved, having everything they need in the world because of their affluence, will need to repent. Nephi spells this out explicitly:
But wo unto the rich, who are rich as to the things of the world. For because they are rich they despise the poor, and they persecute the meek, and their hearts are upon their treasures; wherefore, their treasure is their god. And behold, their treasure shall perish with them also.
2 Nephi 9:30
Either through the Holy Ghost or through the vicissitudes of life, the rich man who trusts in riches will need to give up, not necessarily the wealth, but the trust. Either he will be told to “sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor” or his fortune will be lost through misfortune. Either way he will need to let go of the world and turn to the Lord. On the other hand, there is another option, the rich man may not need to lose his money at all, but just seek to obtain a hope in Christ.
But before ye seek for riches, seek ye for the kingdom of God. And after ye have obtained a hope in Christ ye shall obtain riches, if ye seek them; and ye will seek them for the intent to do good—to clothe the naked, and to feed the hungry, and to liberate the captive, and administer relief to the sick and the afflicted.
Jacob 2:18-19
I use riches here as a metaphor for all the things of the world. No matter what I have of the world that I think will save me from my loneliness, or that will fill my needs must be sacrificed. Not necessarily the idol, but the trust in it to save. It is only after having a broken heart and a contrite spirit that I can learn to trust in the Lord, as the Proverb says, “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart;” (Proverbs 3:5) This is the only sacrifice that will satisfy the demands of the law of obedience and sacrifice. It's the law!
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