One of our children said to me the other day, ‘But, if they loved me, they wouldn’t ______!’ I remember trying to explain that it’s just not that simple. This morning as I opened my journal to read a section for today, as I do each morning; I read the message written on the image of the Savior on the first page of the book, as I do each morning, which promises, ‘Through thy love for Me, ye shall have the ability to refrain from thy weakness and iniquities…’ in that moment I heard my child’s voice, and remembered that earlier conversation, and feel I believe that what the Lord is saying to me is: ‘If you really love Me, you wouldn’t follow through on those moments of weakness and iniquity.’ Is it that simple? Is that right? Is that a true interpretation of the message/principle/doctrine Christ is expressing here? No.
Why? Why is it not the same?
- For one thing, our love for another human being may have the power to change behavior, but it will never have the power sufficient to change my heart or who I am – my nature or character. Only the power of the Savior, and His pure love for me, can do that.
- Can I really love Father and Christ, and still sin? Yes. Will I always make mistakes and sin while I am on this earth? Even when I am sanctified His and my calling and election are made sure? Yes, for the very reason that I am still upon the earth and separated from Him physically. The nature of my sin, my ability to quickly ‘course correct,’ and my very nature will change as I become more and more His upon this earth, thus becoming more and more like Him. I will have no more disposition to sin, but because of our mortal condition, I will, and then will repent and re-turn to Him continually.
I do not ‘earn’ this endowment of capacity and power by loving Him, as in being entitled to a reward; but in a sense of knowing there is power in a light switch, going to it in the darkness, and flipping the switch on to receive light – as I acknowledge the existence and availability of His power and exercise my faith in looking to It (Him – children of Israel and the serpent on the staff), moving toward It and accessing It’s power through prayer/remembering/asking/covenanting, I receive access to His power; and I receive His light to see and His power to do.
Thus, because of my love, devotion, respect, loyalty, etc. to and for the Savior I will remember Him always, in every moment, including those moments of temptation, distraction, weakness, and iniquity which will allow Him to instill in me, or even activate, the capacity, through His grace (the enabling power of the Atonement), to refrain from following through on moments of temptation, distraction, weakness and iniquity. And also, because of my love, devotion, respect, loyalty, etc. to and for the Savior I will remember Him always, in every moment, including those moments of accomplishment, happiness, and gratitude which will allow Him to enrich and deepen my capacity for joy and fulfillment in these moments.
Moroni 10:29 And God shall show unto you, that that which I have written is atrue.
30 And again I would exhort you that ye would acome unto Christ, and lay hold upon every good bgift, and ctouch not the evil gift, nor the dunclean thing.
31 And aawake, and arise from the dust, O Jerusalem; yea, and put on thy beautiful garments, O daughter of bZion; and cstrengthen thy dstakes and enlarge thy borders forever, that thou mayest eno more be confounded, that the covenants of the Eternal Father which he hath made unto thee, O house of Israel, may be fulfilled.
32 Yea, acome unto Christ, and be bperfected in him, and cdeny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and dlove God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be eperfect 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 asanctified in Christ by the grace of God, through the shedding of the bblood of Christ, which is in the covenant of the Father unto the remission of your csins, that ye become dholy, without spot.
Words are inadequate to express my gratitude for this knowledge, and His mercy and grace…His LOVE for me. I bear my witness that these things are true, in His holy name, even Jesus Christ, my Savior and Redeemer. Amen.
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