By Greg Christiansen
It is informative to read how Moroni described the Nephites in their final years as a civilization. “For so exceedingly do they anger that it seemeth me that they have no fear of death; and they have lost their love, one towards another; and they thirst after blood and revenge continually” (Moroni 9:5). While their civilization was plagued with many sins, it was their anger and their loss of love one towards another that would become the fuel to drive their vehicle of destruction.
I cannot help but consider that this same loss of love has been slowly infecting us as a people. Indeed, it can often be difficult for us to discuss controversial issues without one person or the other losing their temper, to the point that many of us choose to avoid such discussions altogether. More than that, there seems to be a general rage that increasingly manifests itself almost at random in our society. A woman physically attacking a McDonald’s clerk over a messed up order. Youth who have popularized the indiscriminate punching of strangers to the point that the trend has a name, being called “the knockout game.” The fatal shooting of someone because of a dispute over a parking space at a busy shopping center. Examples materialize every day in abundance.
Surely, the ultimate war to be fought in our day is the war of love versus hatred. Nephi forewarned the wicked people of the last days that we would have two choices. “For the kingdom of the devil must shake, and they which belong to it must needs be stirred up unto repentance, or the devil will grasp them with his everlasting chains, and they be stirred up to anger, and perish” (2 Nephi 28:19). Either we repent, or we will be stirred up to anger and perish. I find that second option interesting, as Nephi seems to be telling us that just like the great nation of the Nephites, the destruction of the unrepentant in the last days will be the result of anger.
Indeed, Nephi then identifies three ways in which the devil will ensnare us before the Savior’s coming. The foremost of these is that he will “rage in the hearts of the children of men, and stir them up to anger against that which is good.” Others he will “pacify, and lull them away into carnal security, that they will say: All is well in Zion.” And lastly, “others he flattereth away, and telleth them there is no hell; and he saith unto them: I am no devil, for there is none.”
Perhaps we might find wisdom in inverting these strategies, by convincing ourselves of three truths. First, that anger and rage are not the way, but instead there is a better way. Second, that all is not well in Zion, which means that we must learn to recognize the wrongs which are around us and within us, rather than ignoring them. Third, we must recognize that we are in a battle against unseen forces of darkness. The enemy is real, and he has a strategy to take us down.
We should have a strategy too, and at the center of that strategy should be the most important weapon against evil which our Savior taught us to use. He taught us by word and by deed what it means to love, which perfect love was able to overcome both sin and death. Let us defend all things that are good, and let us resist evil in all of its forms. And let us do these things always with love in our hearts, that we might not give the devil place to rage within us.
Anyway, here is a video message inspired by this topic, which topic has been heavily on my mind as of late.
Thanks this is a second witness for I was praying to Heavenly Father and he told me basically to love and forgive and then I read this thank you for this message say hi to Eric for me
This is truth we may not want to admit. Yours is the third message of similar content I’ve been confronted with this week.
I believe I may be missing a component of this approach to peaceful and prayerful resulution, because I saw Gandhi cited twice in the video. He was infamous for bringing thousands of people together in marchs, etc. He believed it was important to “demonstrate” opposition to unrighteous laws.
NO, I AM NOT A SUPPORTER OF BLM, ANTIFA etc.
Thank you for this. Love is always the answer
Thank you Greg. Yes, so much, yes.
I agree whole heartedly! Thank you!
I am thankful for the book of mormon and testify of its words and the truthfulness of them. I love and testify of our Lord and Savior and thank God every day for His atoning sacrifice. We will need Him by our side every day to make it through.
Such an important message.
Love is the answer.
Thanks.
My wife and I, both work in the public arena.
We both comment on how crazy, and down right evil, people in general have become.
It’s sad to see!! But, it means we are getting closer to (A Better Tomorrow).
Thankyou! For your amazing gifts!
And graciously sharing them with us.
Truly inspired words…
Thank You Greg, “Love is the key that opens the door to the heart. It brings for all other changes that the spirit of God imparts” Charlotte Coleman.
As I was pondering this message reflecting back on my life, There has been a lot of trauma, sorrow, and heartache. Why? Because I was creating it by my stinking thinking. Playing the victim, thinking its everybody else’s fault. But when I discovered that I was the cause of most of my pain I became empowered to repent and change.
Using the Savior as my guide, trying to see as he sees, serve as he serves, forgive as he forgives, and LOVE as he loves has given me such peace, even in the midst of the hatred and the turmoil that surrounds us. I try constantly to stay in the eye of the hurricane, or the fiery furnace with the Savior by my side. Thank you for speaking the Truth!
Beautiful words. Thank you for that quote!
Correction- brings forth
We believe that the Holy Spirit is the power (Acts 1:8) sent by the Father in the name of Christ, to teach and remind His messengers of all things that Christ said (John 14:26). Christ also sends the Holy Spirit to help us in our weaknesses and infirmities (John 15:26; Rom. 8:26). The Holy Spirit strengthens, edifies, and comforts the Church Of Christ (Eph. 3:16-17; John 14:26). And although the Holy Spirit is a spirit, never does the Scriptures refer to it as “God the Holy Spirit” because it is not God but one of the spirits being sent by God. We believe that the Bible is the sole basis of faith and service to God. The Gospel is the power of God unto salvation to those who believe, for in it the righteousness of God is revealed (Rom. 1:16-17). The Holy Scriptures is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished for all good works (II Tim. 3:15-17). God has purposely hidden His words in mystery (Rom. 16:25), so that men who strive to understand the Scripture through their own worldly knowledge can never come to know the truth (II Tim. 3:7). The gospel preached by those who are not sent by God is called by the Apostles “another gospel” (Gal. 1:6-7). And the use of the Gospel which deviates from the truth or from its true meaning will ineluctably lead to perdition (II Pet. 3:15-16).
I am glad you brought this up because just challenges this week and a few weeks back made me reflect that I was not being kind to others but having a fit for what others were doing that I didn’t like. So being full of patience and charity like I usually try to strive to do is better. Life is a challenge and I do not do some of those challenges well. My husband is away and I have water in my basement taking the sheet rock off the wall shows it is the outside line that comes into the wall of the foundation. Yesterday my grandson ran the air conditioning while he sat in the car without it running. It wiped out my battery. Try doing door openings and such with a keyless entry vehicle. Soda bottle dropped and squirted all over the family room. So I have not been in the best of moods. I try but it gets so hard to keep your temper and patience when the battle is coming from others. And life. So yes it is a great reminder that Heavenly Father is there it is a nice thing to think of when life is calm but when it is not do we automatically think we need not get angry. Even Christ got mad in the temple with the money changers. We have emotions but we do need to keep them in check it makes us who we are. But our moral guide should be that we harm no one intentionally, ask forgiveness from others, and repent and then go out and live again through life and it’s conditions. Love you guys keep it up.