Moroni 7:4-11
“What are our motives?”
It is possible to do the right thing for the wrong
reason? For example, it is right to pay our tithing or
to pray. But if a person does these things to “be seen
of men,” they are not counted as righteous acts.
Christ taught that such persons ‘have their reward’
when they achieve the recognition which they seek.
Elder Marion G. Romney shared the following
personal experience regarding our motives for doing
righteous things:
Righteous desires need to be relentless,
therefore, because, said President
Brigham Young, “the men and women,
who desire to obtain seats in the
celestial kingdom, will find that they
must battle every day” (Journal
Discourses, 11:14). Therefore, true
Christian soldiers are more than
weekend warriors (Neal A. Maxwell,
Ensign, November 1996, 22).
About a quarter of a century ago Sister Romney and I
moved into a ward in which they were just beginning to
build a meetinghouse. The size of the contribution the
Bishop thought I ought to contribute rather staggered
me. I thought it was at least twice as much as he should
have asked. However, I had just been called to a rather
high Church position, so I couldn’t very well tell him
where to go. Therefore, I said, ‘Well, I will pay it, Bishop,
but I will have to pay it in installments because I don’t
have the money.’ And so I began to pay. And I paid and
paid until I was down to about the last three payments,
when, as is my habit, I was reading the Book of Mormon,
and came to the scripture that said – Moroni 7:8 –’
“This shocked me because I was out about a thousand
dollars. Well, I went on and paid three installments I had
promised to pay, and then I paid several more
installments to convince the Lord I had done it with the
right attitude” (“Mother Eve, a Worthy Exemplar,” Relief
Society Magazine, Feb. 1968, 84-85).
Moroni 7:16-17
“The Light of Christ”
Marion G. Romney gave a talk in 1977 called “The
Light of Christ”
Light of Christ
leads to the
Holy Ghost
leads to
Jesus Christ
leads to
Heavenly Father
Moroni 7:18
“With that same judgment which ye judge ye shall also
be judged.”
“, unless we have fully repented this teaching
deserves the most careful consideration, for on
judgment day the Lord will mete out to us precisely
as we have dealt with our fellowmen. It is a
staggering thought, and yet it is an important factor
in the Lord’s method of judgment” (Mark E.
Peterson, Ensign, May 1977, 74).
Moroni 7:21-44
“How are faith and power connected?”
The Prophet Joseph Smith explained that faith is the
moving cause for all action, and “is the first great
governing principle which has power… Without it
there is no power, and without power there could be
no creation nor existence” (Joseph Smith, Lectures on
Faith, 12).
Moroni 7:27
“Rights of Mercy”
Jesus atoned for men’s sins. As our Savior, it is his
privilege to prescribe the means whereby we receive the
benefits of his atoning act, or in other words, “to claim of
the Father His rights of mercy.”
Moroni 7:33
With “faith in me ye shall have power to do whatsoever
thing.”
“More miracles have been performed in the Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints than we have any
account of in the days of the Savior and His apostles.
Today, sickness is cured by spiritual power…” The dead
have been raised. My own brother was announced to be
dead, but by the prayer of faith he lives” (Heber J. Grant,
C.R., Oct., 1910, 119).
Moroni 7:42-43
“Hope”
Daily hope is vital, since the “Winter Quarters”
of our lives are not immediately adjacent to our
promised land either. An arduous trek still
awaits, but hope spurs weary disciples on (Neal
A. Maxwell, Ensign, November 1994, 66).
Moroni 7:44-45
What is the relationship between
“charity” and “faith and hope?”
“Faith in Christ and hope in his promises
of resurrected, eternal life can come only
to the meek and lowly in heart… Only
thorough disciples of Christ… come to
understand true charity --- the pure love
of Christ… a love born of faith and hope”
(Jeffrey R. Holland, Christ and the New
Covenant, 335).
Moroni 7:47
“What is charity?”
The phrase ‘love of Christ’ might have
meaning in three dimensions:
1. Love for Christ
2. Love from Christ
3. Love like Christ”
(C. Max Caldwell, Ensign, November 1992, 29)
Charity – What is it?
It is instructive to note that the charity, or “the pure
love of Christ,” we are to cherish can be interpreted
two ways. One of its meanings is the kind of
merciful, forgiving love Christ’s disciples should
have one for another. That is, all Christians should
try to love as the Savior loved, showing pure,
redeeming compassion for all. Unfortunately, few, if
any, mortals have been entirely successful in this
endeavor, but it is an invitation that all should try to
meet.
The greater definition of “the pure love of
Christ,” however, is not what we as Christians
try but largely fail to demonstrate toward
others but rather what Christ totally
succeeded in demonstrating toward us. True
charity has been known only once. It is shown
perfectly and purely in Christ’s unfailing,
ultimate, and atoning love for us. It is
Christ’s love for us that “suffereth long, and
is kind, and envieth not.” It is his love for us
that is not “puffed up . . . , not easily
provoked, thinketh no evil.” It is Christ’s love
for us that “beareth all things, believeth all
things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.”
It is as demonstrated in Christ that
“charity never faileth.” It is that
charity—his pure love for us—
without which we would be nothing,
hopeless, of all men and women
most miserable. Truly, those found
possessed of the blessings of his
love at the last day—the
Atonement, the Resurrection,
eternal life, eternal promise—surely
it shall be well with them.
This does not in any way minimize the
commandment that we are to try to
acquire this kind of love for one
another... But the “pure love of Christ”
Mormon spoke of is precisely that --Christ’s love. With that divine gift, that
redeeming bestowal, we have
everything; without it we have nothing
and ultimately are nothing, except in the
end “devils [and] angels to a devil” (2
Nephi 9:9). (Jeffrey R. Holland, Christ
And The New Covenant, 336-37).
It is instructive to note that the charity, or “the pure
love of Christ,” we are to cherish can be interpreted
two ways.
The greater definition of “the pure love of Christ,”
however, is not what we as Christians try but largely
fail to demonstrate towards others but rather what
Christ totally succeeded in demonstrating toward us.
True charity has been known only once. It is shown
perfectly and purely in Christ’s love for us that
“suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth not (Jeffrey
R. Holland, Christ and the New Covenant, 336).
Moroni 7:48
“Faith and Charity”
“Above all the attributes of godliness and perfection,
charity is the one most devoutly to be desired. Charity is
more than love, far more; it is everlasting love, perfect
love, the pure love of Christ which endureth forever. It is
love so centered in righteousness that the possessor has
no aim or desire except for the eternal welfare of his own
soul and for the souls of those around him” (M.D., 121).
Moroni 8:9, 22-24
It is solemn mockery to baptize little children (D&C
137:10).
Those who never enjoy the powers of their mind and
who are mentally handicapped need no baptism. They
too die without law, and, like little children, they “are
alive in Christ” (Moroni 8:12).
President Joseph Fielding Smith said:
“The Lord has made it known by revelation that
children born with retarded minds shall receive
blessings just like children who die in infancy. They
are free from sin, because their minds are not capable
of correct understanding of right and wrong.
Mormon, when writing to his son Moroni on the
subject of baptism places deficient children in the
same category with little children who are under the
age of accountability, they do not require baptism,
for the atonement of Jesus Christ takes care of them
equally with little children who die before the age of
accountability. They are redeemed without baptism
and will go to the celestial kingdom of God, there,
we believe, to have their faculties or other
deficiencies restored according to the Father’s mercy
and justice” (Answers to Gospel Questions, 3:20-21).
Charles Buck wrote c.1825 about infant salvation in his
Buck’s Theological Dictionary.
Infants:
Salvation of. “Various opinions,” says an acute writer,
“concerning the future state of infants have been
adopted. Some think, all dying in infancy are
annihilated; for, say they, infants, being incapable of
moral god or evil, are not proper objects of reward or
punishment. Others think that they share a fate similar
to adults; a part saved, and a part perish. Others affirm
all are saved because all are immortal and all are
innocent. Others, perplexed with these diverse
sentiments, think better to leave the subject untouched.
Cold comfort to parents who bury their families in infancy! The
most probable opinion seems to be, that they are all saved,
through the merits of the Mediator, with an everlasting salvation.
This has nothing in it contrary to the perfections of God, or to
any declaration of the Holy Scriptures; and it is highly agreeable
to all those passages which affirm where sin hath abounded,
grace hath much more abounded. On these principles, the death
of Christ saves more than the fall of Adam lost.” If the reader be
desirous of examining the subject, we refer him to p. 415, vol. ii,
Robinson’s Claude; Gillard and William’s Essays of Infant
Salvation; An Attempt to elucidate Rom. v. 12, by an anonymous
writer; Watt’s Ruin and Recovery, p. 324, 327; Edwards on
Original Sin, p. 431, 434; Doddridge’s Lect. Lect. 168; Ridgley’s
Body of Div. vol. i. 330-36).