One of the unique contributions of the Gospel according to Saint Matthew is the Sermon on the Mount. No other gospel writer includes it but it was important enough that the resurrected Savior retold it to the Nephites after his resurrection. In many ways, the Sermon on the Mount contains the key teachings of Christian ethics.
Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.
I can get behind all those but I was thrown off a little by
Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
What? It’s good to be meek? I thought it was better to be strong and courageous? I’ll have to think about that. There’s more:
I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
Woah, that’s a big jump in difficulty. Love those that hate you? Now that’s tough!
Frankly, it’s hard to reconcile these teachings with the frequent battles recorded in both the Bible and Book of Mormon. The Nephites and Lamanites were often embroiled in battles resulting in many deaths and when the people of Anti-Nephi-Lehi refused to go to war, they had to depend on the Nephites for their defense.
So I have to ask the question, how can you love your enemy when he’s about to attack you with a flail and sword? I’ve thought about this a lot and just to fast forward, I think it’s a matter of balance and judgement. Often, you have to make a choice and that affects the path you are on, either towards the love of God or away from it.
Father Lehi had a dream in the desert on the way to the new lands of America. In it he saw a vision of the tree of life, the love of God and he found that it was most sweet, above all that he had ever tasted before. But that’s not the only destination along the many pathways he beheld. One was a great building, the pride of man. And some had left the path all together and wandered in mists of darkness. In that regard, nothing much has changed in the last two and a half thousand years.
We were given our agency in the Garden of Eden and we can use that agency to create or destroy, to please or displease, to oppose one another or to support one another. Each choice we make will push us further towards or away from the love of God. To help us choose, the Lord sent prophets and apostles. They teach both the spirit and the law of gospel of Jesus.
What are the two great commandments? To love God and one another as we love ourselves. We rarely need to be reproven for being too generous or too thoughtful. If we are in the struggle of our lives, it is a struggle against our own greed and selfishness. That’s why it makes a lot of sense for a teacher to tell us
Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.
The commandments are like guard rails, when we bash into the guard rails we know we’ve gone too far in the pursuit of our own interests. Sometimes, when we are on the precipice of a moral decision, it hard to tell what the right thing to do is, especially when faced with a choice between two bad outcomes. So the commandments will help as they are given as guidelines for those who hearken to the Lord.
Jesus says, “I am the way and the truth and the light.” When we look to Him, the path becomes clearer. Is that the tree of the Love of God at the end of this path or is it the great and spacious building?
Let’s consider a few of the commandments. Not everyone who strays from the Word of Wisdom is going to end up an alcoholic or addict of some kind, not everyone who strays from this path will follow it to the end but the destinations at the end of the path of abstinence vs the path of indulgence are very different.
I used to watch Drugs Inc when it was on National Geographic TV. One particularly disturbing episode was about heroin use and they focused in on a long time drug user, Pete who lives literally in a cardboard box in the streets. He’s seen both ends of the path. In his own words, he describes his predicament, his addiction which he cannot escape: “I used to sell municipal bonds, the kind of job you’re supposed to want. In reality, being college educated, the whole bit, I should have a house. I mean there’s no reason why I shouldn’t have a house. None whatsoever. It’s not that I’m lazy, anyone I’ve ever worked for will tell you I’m not lazy. The house is in my arms. I used to sail, I used to golf. I was married, had a house, nice cars. They’re all gone. I gave them all up for the drug. It’s my life and it’s my wife. How can you want something that’s killing you more than anything else? I could just stop. If I stop, I’ll get sick for only 3 days. Which isn’t bad, right? You would think that’s the smart thing to do. Then why don’t I do it? I don’t know.”
Look to the direction you are headed and consider the counsel of the Lord.
Two commandments where we as Mormons are a unique and peculiar people are Sabbath observance and the law of chastity. We still observe both. We don’t want to end up like the slaves in Egypt who had to work seven days a week, we want a day of rest. We want time to remember each other and renew the promises we made to our Creator. We want families that are happy, couples that are faithful and to be sealed with eternal vows. That’s the path we are on, the direction where we are headed. We might falter along the way but in our hearts, we long for these things.
We long to be united in spirit and trust with our fellow man. We long for peace. Our vision of a great society is described in the Book of Mormon:
And there were no envyings, nor strifes, nor tumults, nor whoredoms, nor lyings, nor murders, nor any manner of lasciviousness; and surely there could not be a happier people among all the people who had been created by the hand of God.
I don’t have to tell you how rare that is to achieve. Until we have heaven on earth, it has to be done on a small scale, at a personal level, setting examples everywhere we go, being ambassadors of Christ with a love of God and all men. It will inspire others. Not everyone I know but it’s the only way.
So we try to keep our covenants despite the recklessness we see around us. Perhaps foolishness in the eyes of man but the Lord is pleased with those who respect Him and keep His commandments. The gospel is the path to peace and happiness, the love of God. The Lord has said
- I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love. With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself.
- How often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings.
- And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spares his own son that serves him.
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