GOD OR NOT-GOD

In Chris Heimerdinger's book, Gadiantons and the Silver Sword (Tennis Shoes series, book 2), there is a scene where Jim Hawkins, the main character, gets in a tough situation and reaches out for help from an evil sword.  His friend, Garth Plimpton notices and tells Jim, "When you reach out for help, the blessing hand is either God or it's not-God.  You asked for help from something that is not-God."  When it comes right down to it, it is as simple as that.  God is very clear cut; only people are grey. In the book, Jim has to learn that one cannot compromise with evil and expect God's blessing and guidance.

King Benjamin* taught his people carefully that they should love and serve others because, when they do, they are loving and serving God. He knows that because he has done so faithfully, his hands are clean of their sins and he can go to his grave with a clear conscience.  He then calls his son, Mosiah, to stand before them.  He tells the people that he can no longer serve them as their king; in fact, he is physically trembling with age and only God's support keeps him standing. (I can relate!) He acknowledges that they have kept the commandments he had taught and request that they now do the same for his son, who will be king. 

Then he warns them: there are two spirits in the world, a Holy Spirit that draws us toward Christ and an evil spirit that draws us away from Christ.  He reminds the people that he has taught them God's law and, with the possible exception of their littlest children, they all know right from wrong. He outlines a simple truth:

• If they choose right, they shall continue to be blessed and they will have a place in you to guide you in wisdom's paths that ye may be blessed, prospered, and preserved. 
• But if, after ye have known and have been taught all these things, if y should transgress and go contrary to that which has been spoken, that ye withdraw yourselves from the Spirit of the Lord . . . the man that  doeth this, the same comes out in open rebellion against God; therefore he listeth to obey the evil spirit, and becometh an enemy to all righteousness;
• Therefore, the Lord has no place in him, for He dwelleth not in unholy temples. (Mosiah 2: 36-37)  

The King goes on to say that those who make such choices and do not repent are subject to the demands of justice without a claim on Christ's mercy. He describes what they can expect without the mercy and grace of Jesus Christ. Choose good.  Stay on the Covent Path.  If you stray, repent quickly, and return.

Too many today look at that simple truth and think, no way!  God is merciful.  He will save me no matter what.  He knows I'm only human. Yes, He is, and He wants to be. He will take into account our circumstances and opportunities when He judges us.  But here, we are talking about a people that know right but consciously choose wrong. Therein lies the problem. Benjamin taught that this point clearly in one of my favorite scriptures:

For the natural man is an enemy of 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. . . as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit . . . even as a child doth submit to his father. (Mosiah 3: 19)

As a child in Primary, all those years ago, I learned that the first step to repentance is to admit that you have sinned.  I remember thinking, "Well, of course you'd know.  Everyone knows when they have done something naughty." Ah, the naïvety of youth! People probably do know, but knowing it at some level and admitting it to yourself consciously are two different things.  I think King Benjamin is telling his people to live so close to the Holy Spirit that they will know before hand what to do in any given situation (Remember: He dwelleth not in unholy temples.) If you feel uncomfortable in a given situation, chances are you are uncomfortable for a reason. Listen!

I'd like to share one story before I sign off for today. (I hope my sister will be okay with this!) Many years ago, my sister was out shopping with a friend who was not of our faith.  They passed a store that sold items of the occult - Ouija boards, tarot cards, etc. The friend wanted to go in, just out of curiosity.  My sister refused.  He teased her by saying that her God would protect her from the big, bad spirits.  She told him that her God expected her to have enough sense to avoid a place that made her feel so uncomfortable - a place that she knew was evil in and of itself.  She would not tempt God by willing entering that store and expecting Him to save her.  I don't know if her friend understood, but I certainly do. She did not enter. I think King Benjamin would have been proud of her.

© Dr. Kathleen Rawlings Buntin Danielson April 2020

* King Benjamin's name, in Hebrew, means son - ben - of the right hand - jamin.  Jesus Christ, we know, is the Father's Son of the right hand, so Benjamin is a type of Christ, one whose example we would do well to follow.

A link for comments on King Benjamin's Sermon.
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