Wresting ourselves free from Babylon is not for the faint-hearted. From the moment that we declare our allegiance to Zion, Babylon will cry, “Treason!” Then Babylon will withdraw its support and declare us enemies. The Lord’s promises of protection for Zion people are comforting. What is said of Zion the society could be personalized and said of a Zion person, a Zion marriage or a Zion family:
[Zion is] “a city [family] of refuge, a place [home] of safety for the saints of the Most High God; And the glory of the Lord shall be there, and the terror of the Lord also shall be there, insomuch that the wicked will not come unto it, and it shall be called Zion…And it shall be said among the wicked: Let us not go up to battle against Zion, for the inhabitants of Zion are terrible; wherefore we cannot stand.”
True Safety and Security
Clearly, God protects Zion people from the perils of the world. Other Zion scriptures that can be personalized:
“And all that fight against Zion [you and your family] shall be destroyed….”
“Verily, thus saith the Lord unto you–there is no weapon that is formed against you shall prosper; And if any man lift his voice against you he shall be confounded in mine own due time.”
The Lord has promised that the homes of latter-day Zion people will receive the same protection that he extended to the ancient Israelites: “And the Lord will create upon every dwelling-place of mount Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day and the shining of a flaming fire by night; for upon all the glory of Zion shall be a defence.”
No danger of Babylon exceeds the safety of Zion provided by the power of God: “Therefore, let your hearts be comforted concerning Zion [you and your family]; for all flesh is in mine hands; be still and know that I am God.” The bounds of Zion’s enemies “are set, they cannot pass…therefore, fear not what man can do, for God shall be with you forever and ever.”
Obtaining an Abundance in All Things
The condition of Zion is “that every man may improve upon his talent, that every man may gain other talents, yea, even an hundred fold.” Abundance, not poverty, describes Zion. But, as with other principles, abundance can be obtained in telestial, terrestrial and celestial ways–and amounts! Motivation lies at the heart of the issue. Whereas a telestial wealth is obtained through hoarding, personal genius, and self-service, celestial wealth is obtained by obedience to God’s commandments, building up his kingdom, and improving the condition of his children.
Telestial and Celestial Wealth
The Babylon and Zion (Christ and Anti-Christ) motivations for obtaining wealth are set forth in the scriptures. Nephi states the frightening situation of telestially gotten wealth:
But wo unto the rich, who are rich as to the things of the world. For because they are rich they despise the poor, and they persecute the meek, and their hearts are upon their treasures; wherefore, their treasure is their God. And behold, their treasure shall perish with them also.
Early on in his career, a telestially rich man must make a conscious decision to suppress the divinely planted urge within him to take care of his neighbor. Otherwise, he could not become and remain telestially rich. Rather, such a man must learn to sooth his conscience by dealing out comfortable portions; somehow he learns how to look himself in the mirror and declare that he has fulfilled his duty to God and his neighbors. Nevertheless, in the daily management of his affairs, he is ever vigilant to seek his interests first under the guise of providing amply for his family and applying take proper business practices. In the eyes of God, however, at the moment a man sets his heart on building his treasure, that man begins to despise the poor and persecute the meek. The sadly, God is obliged to pronounce a “wo” upon him.
On the other hand, Jacob forwards the celestial or Zion law of wealth and its motivation:
“Think of your brethren like unto yourselves, and be familiar with all and free with your substance, that they may be rich like unto you. But before ye seek for riches, seek ye for the kingdom of God. And after ye have obtained a hope in Christ ye shall obtain riches, if ye seek them; and ye will seek them for the intent to do good–to clothe the naked, and to feed the hungry, and to liberate the captive, and administer relief to the sick and the afflicted.” Clearly, celestially gotten wealth follows those who “seek…first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”
Wealth-seeking is Strictly Forbidden
These scriptures point out an important distinction between the methods of Babylon and Zion for obtaining wealth. As we are told by substantially every prophet in the Book of Mormon, celestial wealth is obtained as a result of obedience to the commandments of God and becoming a conduit through which God can funnel relief to his needy children. Few other commandments are repeated as often as to not seek for riches but rather for the kingdom of God.
Some people rationalize their seeking for riches first because they claim to have the eventual intent of blessing the Kingdom of God. But their motive is transparent; God has never authorized the sequence. The Kingdom must be our first, entire and eternal focus. We are under covenant now to use all our time, talents and resources to do God’s work, which is to save and elevate his children. By doing so, God–not Babylon–will prosper us, so that our capacity for blessing others increases and progressively we will be able to give more. By following the correct celestial sequence that governs the obtaining of wealth, we will learn to become like God, who is the most generous Giver.
God or Mammon-The Ultimate Test
Developing this attitude toward wealth is a major step away from Babylon, which we must take in order to become Zionlike and Christlike. Clearly, it is impossible to simultaneously serve God and mammon. One master or the other will eventually claim our loyalty.
President Stephen L. Richards said, “The accumulation and utilization of wealth confront the human family with some of its major challenges in determining the righteousness of goals and the correctness of behavior.” Then quoting Franklin D. Richards, he added, “‘In many respects the real test of a man is his attitude toward his earthly possessions.’ The prosperity that results from honest and intelligent work is not necessarily repugnant to the spiritual quality of life, but the Church consistently warns of the risks of selfishness and personal aggrandizement’ that lurk in accumulating wealth. President Richards went on to say that Zion people believe that “everything rightly belongs to God (Mosiah 2:21-25) and comes to man ‘in the form of trust property’ to be used for God’s purposes.”
When we lay claim to God’s property as our own and use it contrary to its intended purpose (blessing God’s children and building up of the Kingdom of God for the establishment of Zion), we are like the employee who, without permission, pillages his employer’s resources to personally profiteer. While it is true that he is entitled to a fair wage, he is not entitled to his employer’s surplus.
Abundance and Personal Righteousness
Zionlike abundance and prosperity pivot on the principle of personal righteousness: “Inasmuch as ye shall keep the commandments of God ye shall prosper in the land.” In addition, President N. Eldon Tanner outlined five principles for personal economic affairs: “pay an honest tithing, live on less than you earn, distinguish between needs and wants, develop and live within a budget, and be honest in all financial affairs.”
Abundance begins with Tithing
Consider the payment of tithes and offerings. Has anyone ever been impoverished by paying them? It would be impossible. The true Paymaster invites us to prove, or test, him on this matter, and he is a God of truth that cannot lie. Millions can attest that the windows of heaven certainly burst and spill out blessings that challenge our ability to receive.
Interestingly, it is upon the principle of tithing that we initiate our retreat from Babylon and our return to Zion: “Wherein shall we return [to Zion]?…In tithes and offerings.” Is it not interesting that tithing saves us from the devourer, ensures that the conditions of a telestial world will not destroy us, and makes of us a blessed and delightsome people? Zion indeed! Only consecration, which is manifested through offerings, exceeds tithing in the blessings of abundance, safety and security.
Exceedingly Prosperous
Zion is described as being exceedingly prosperous, which includes material wealth. This leads us to believe that telestial prosperity, as much as we are awed by it, does not compare to the abundance enjoyed by Zion people.
Of course the greatest wealth is not to be measured in terms of money: “Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God.” The Lord added, “And if a person gains more knowledge and intelligence in this life through his diligence and obedience than another, he will have so much the advantage in the world to come.” The Lord counseled, “Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven.” And in our day, “Seek not for riches but for wisdom, and behold, the mysteries of God shall be unfolded unto you, and then shall you be made rich. Behold, he that hath eternal life is rich.”
Abundance, safety, security, friends, family, wisdom and eternal life–these are true wealth. This is the condition of Zion people.
Author’s Note
This article was adapted from my new book, The Three Pillars of Zion. Click here to receive a free sample.)
Helaman 13:30-37.
Nibley, Approaching Zion, p. 32-33.
1 Nephi 22:14; see 2 Nephi 27:3; Moses 7:20.
S. Richards, Conference Report, April 1923, 31,151.
Tanner, Ensign, November 1979, 81-82.
The journey to Zion is like what Elder Maxwell called “the trek of treks.” The scriptures are filled with accounts of spiritual journeys. If we were to outline them, we would see that they follow the sequence of the Beatitudes, which are the principles of blessedness.
Before we discuss this outline, however, let us first note that in this world, we encounter two wilderness experiences. The first is the wilderness of sin. We are thrust into this wilderness by our own poor choices. When we have suffered enough, we cry to the Lord for deliverance, and he responds. To get out of the wilderness of sin, we must be delivered. That deliverance hinges on our willingness to make or renew a covenant-the new and everlasting covenant-to cease sinning and to allow Jesus to make us as he is. This transformation requires refining, molding and perfecting; therefore, we voluntarily yield to the Lord, ask him to remove us from Babylon, and allow him to drive us into another wilderness where we can be changed and perfected. This is the Lord’s wilderness.
The Lord’s Wilderness
We are faced with at least two facts when we exit Babylon and enter the Lord’s wilderness: (1) In choosing Zion, we become enemies of Babylon. Now Babylon will no longer support us. We can expect an all-out war, and attacks might be waged against our finances, our health, and our relationships. (2) Babylon is destined to fall. If we have anchored our safety and security there, we will become part of the fallout. Hence, a curse is placed upon wilderness travelers who attempt to place their trust in the “arm of flesh” rather than trusting in the arm of the Lord.
The transition from Babylon to Zion is daunting and can be frightening. We might ask ourselves, “What will become of us if we attempt to step away from Babylon and fully embrace the laws and principles of Zion?” The answer is always the same: “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.” Moreover, the guarantees of safety and security are embedded in the new and everlasting covenant: the Lord promises to support us, sustain us, stand beside us, and keep us safe. Enoch said, “Surely Zion [the people] shall dwell in safety forever.”
Safe in the Covenant, we no longer need worry as we did in Babylon. What Jesus said to his apostles could apply to anyone in the Covenant: “Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? For your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.” President Kimball said, “What are we to fear when the Lord is with us? Can we not take the Lord at his word and exercise a particle of faith in him? Our assignment is affirmative: to forsake the things of the world as ends in themselves; to leave off idolatry and press forward in faith; to carry the gospel to our enemies, that they might no longer be our enemies. We must leave off the worship of modern-day idols and a reliance on the ‘arm of flesh,’ for the Lord has said to the world in our day, ‘I will not spare any that remain in Babylon.’”
The Beatitudes Outline the Journey
That said, let us compare the Beatitudes (principles of blessedness) with the spiritual journey to Zion that we now find ourselves pursuing.
- Poor in spirit. We agree to leave the world (Babylon). We are strangers here, lacking, poor in spirit, and we want to go home to our promised land.
- Mourn. The road to Zion leads through the Lord’s wilderness, which is a harsh environment. We long for home and mourn because of the difficulties of the journey and our foreign and inhospitable surroundings.
- Meek. Along the way, we encounter frequent and essential tests of obedience, which we can only survive if we become very humble.
- Hungering and thirsting. Both physically and spiritually, we are famished and parched. We look to the Lord, who we soon discover is our only hope and our only Provider. When we cry out to him, the Lord miraculously provides manna and water on an as-needed basis. By such treatment, we come to realize that we are totally dependent upon him, which further causes us to become humble and continually prayerful. The net result is that we are now in a position to be guided and protected by the Light in the wilderness, which in Nephi’s case was the Liahona.
- Mercy. God is very merciful, and we must emulate him. When we do, he will lead us to a place of respite or a land Bountiful. This is a temple location, a place of peace where we can regroup and prepare for the last leg of our journey.
- Pure in Heart. In Bountiful, we ascend the mount (temple) to receive greater light and truth. Now our faith must increase exponentially if we are to make the hardest part of our journey. This infusion of light, truth and faith purifies us and changes our hearts. Now we are ready to be covered by grace, which is exemplified by the boat, barge or ark — a covering, which is a word associated with the Atonement. As we build our vessel, we encounter further tests of faith, hope and charity, which challenge and change our nature so that when we finally launch on the sea, which is a place of intense storms and chaos, we are pure in heart, covered by protection, and completely safe.
- Peace or peacemaker. We arrive in the promised land. We are home at last. We are at peace.
The Importance of the Temple
The journey to Zion is both spiritual and physical; in neither sense can it be made without the Lord’s help. Often, we find ourselves in an impossible situation. Having done all we can do, we survey our environment, consider our options, tally our abilities then realize our helplessness, incompetency and inadequacy. Our only choice is to look upward to God.
When Nephi arrived in Bountiful and could do no more or go no further, he received the word of the Lord to go up into the mount to receive more light and truth. Of course, the mount is symbolic of the temple: The Mountain of the Lord’s House. After Nephi climbed up into the mount, he cried unto the Lord, and “the Lord spake unto [him], saying: Thou shalt construct a ship, after the manner which I shall show thee, that I may carry thy people across these waters.” Note the word “I.” The Lord himself would reveal the exact construction so that the vessel could withstand the beating of the waves and the violence of the storms. Moreover, if Nephi was willing to create the ship as the Lord revealed, the Lord said that he would take responsibility to carry the family safely to the promised land.
Likewise, when we wilderness travelers come to a dead end and face an ocean that lies between us and our destination, we must get ourselves up into the mount of God, where we will receive further light and knowledge about how to construct a vessel to convey us safely to our blessings in Zion. In that holy setting, God will reveal marvelous things that will transcend our experience and challenge our paradigms. The instruction might lead us into uncharted territory that will press us to quickly learn skills that approximate Nephi’s having to learn to construct a ship with no prior experience.
Deliverance
We must keep in mind that the journey to Zion is unique to every traveler, but the principles are the same. One commonality is that we will be delivered multiple times to solidify our relationship with the Deliverer. Then, to arrive in the promised land, we will experience a massive deliverance that might approximate crossing the Jordan River on dry ground or traversing the ocean in an ark, barge or ship. That is, we will be delivered into the promised land by passing through the water. Of course, the symbolism does not escape us: Christ is the living water and baptism is entrance into the new and everlasting covenant.
Our arrival completely depends upon our faith in Jesus Christ and our faithfulness. And remarkably arrival also depends upon our charity. Let me end by stating a principle and relating an experience.
Charity–the Key to Deliverance
Interestingly, ultimate deliverance seems to pivot on our willingness to shed selfishness and summon the courage to give and extend charity. The people of Limhi tried every conceivable way to deliver themselves and could not. It appears that it was only when they began to take care of the widows and orphans that the Lord’s deliverance came.
This powerful principle–charity opens the door to deliverance–is so simple that we often miss it. As we know, giving time, talents, and resources can be manifested telestially, terrestrially, and celestially. A telestial person might not give unless he is forced to or unless he can receive something in return. A terrestrial person will give if he already has something to give. A celestial person gives, not because he is forced to or expects something in return or because he has wherewithal to give, but because he loves God and his children more than he considers his inconvenience. A celestial person gives despite his present circumstances because he knows that the Lord will compensate him “an hundredfold,” which will provide him more so that he can give again. This level and attitude of charitable giving has the power to break the bonds of captivity. Armed only with the unselfish motivation of pure love, we can literally give ourselves into freedom!
We recall that despite a lifetime of extending charity, Job was required to give yet one more time in the darkest hour of his life; he extended charity to his accusatory friends and the result liberated him: “And the Lord turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends.” Most certainly, Job’s past acts of giving contributed to his deliverance, but they did not carry as much weight as the present opportunity to give. Hence, after all that Job had suffered, the single thing that stood between him and deliverance was one last charitable act. Then, when Job was able to reach deeply within himself and find the strength to give one more time, he was set free.
When the widow chose to give to Elijah rather than to give to her son and herself, she obtained deliverance from the famine, and later she experienced another type of deliverance when the Lord mercifully restored her life from the jaws of death. Likewise, we are set free when we choose to give one last time or to place another’s needs before our own.
Fasting and Prayer without Charity is Vain
Mortality provides us ample opportunities to go to the Lord and plead for deliverance. But, according to Amulek, prayer without giving charitable service is hypocritical; moreover, such a prayer is powerless to yield blessings:
And now behold, my beloved brethren, I say unto you, do not suppose that this is all; for after ye have done all these things, if ye turn away the needy, and the naked, and visit not the sick and afflicted, and impart of your substance, if ye have, to those who stand in need-I say unto you, if ye do not any of these things, behold, your prayer is vain, and availeth you nothing, and ye are as hypocrites who do deny the faith. Therefore, if ye do not remember to be charitable, ye are as dross, which the refiners do cast out.
Prayer without extending charity is just words.
Likewise, we often fast to obtain deliverance. We should fast to “loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke.” According to Isaiah, our fast counts for nothing more than going hungry unless we “deal [our] bread to the hungry, and . . . bring the poor that are cast out to [our] house,” and when we see “the naked, that [we] cover him.” It is only after we give charitable service that deliverance comes. Notice that Isaiah’s promises begin with the word then:
Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the Lord shall be thy rereward [protector]. Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. . . . And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noonday: And the Lord shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not. And they that shall be of thee [your family] shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in.
Clearly, prayer and fasting are powerless to deliver without charity.
Charity is What We Become
Throughout our shared wilderness journey with the Lord, we have learned to love him by emulating him, and in the process we have become what he is: . If the pure love of Christ is called charity, then we, like Christ whom we love, are charity. Charity, according to Elder Oaks, is not only an act but what we become. And what we have now become holds sufficient power to deliver us. When people learn to extend charity, they become Zion.
While the world seeks safety with armies and treaties, while it looks for security in rising markets and fat portfolios, and while it tries untold numbers of options to obtain deliverance, Zion people simply keep God’s commandments and apply acts of charity. As easy as it was for the Israelites to look upon Moses’ brazen serpent to obtain healing, it is likewise easy for us to invoke the simple principle of giving to experience the Lord’s safety, security, and deliverance.
A Deliverance Experiment with Charity
As mentioned, a principle of deliverance that is widely overlooked is the simple act of charity. When times are the hardest and there seems no hope on the horizon, we might try reaching out to someone and expect, in the process, to nudge open the door of deliverance. A recent experience with the principle of generosity taught me how Zion people can save others and in the process achieve deliverance for themselves.
Last Christmas, I became aware of a family that was expecting nothing for Christmas…again! I could count three consecutive Christmas mornings on which they had awakened to nothing under the tree. Not that that should matter. Christmas, as we know, is so much more than packages and bows. But it does matter, especially when there are children.
So I checked my wallet and found it bare. Being a professional writer and working in a non-profit company, I depend on royalties and grants for the projects we support. Royalties are a few months off, and the grant we had been working on for nearly two years was once again delayed. If prayer and fasting could have landed it in our coffers, we would have had the money months ago. Now it seemed more distant than ever.
When I thought of my destitute friends, all I could do was mourn. I took my concern to the Lord, and asked, “What can I do? I have nothing to give.” A thought entered my mind, Yes you do. As I mulled over the answer, the impression of other friends came to me-some who were also struggling financially or with serious issues. Frequently, I had prayed for these people. I asked, “I should approach them?” I felt a little ashamed asking people whom had little to give. But the impression was that by giving they would be blessed. I arose and began to make calls.
I should point out that many of my friends are artists whom I have helped in my foundation. They have art and product, but not too much money. When I called them, I explained that I had a friend who was in need and would they be willing to contribute some product. What happened next was a miracle. My simple request to help one family grew within 48 hours to impact nearly thirty families! Each time I went to pick up gifts from one person, he (or she) would say, “I know of someone whom I would like to help, too.” Then I would call my network and additional commitments were made. When I finally had gathered everything for the first family, I shipped four large boxes of gifts, and I still had many more gifts to pass around. I suddenly understood why there are no poor in Zion and why Zion is always described in terms of beauty and abundance.
Then came the miracles to my giving friends. One couple received an unexpected contract for $10,000. On the same day, a husband who had lost his employment was offered a new job. Another family that had been waiting for two years for a contract finally received that one plus an additional contract. A woman who had been struggling with a serious question received an answer. And our foundation received its grant!
Becoming a Conduit
Since then I’ve learned an additional principle: When you decide that you are going to be a conduit of giving, the Lord will use you to funnel aid to his needy children. I learned that quite by coincidence. The day after we received our grant, I was contacted by a friend who had suddenly landed on hard times. He knew he could go to someone else for some temporary help, but as he prayed, my name came into his mind. He hesitated because the last thing that I had told him was that our grant had not come through. Nevertheless, he followed the prompting, and I was able to help him on the spot. He just needed a Band-Aid for a few weeks until he got paid for a job that he was completing. As he was leaving, he asked if he could help someone in return, and a person’s name came into my mind that was going to have a skimpy Christmas. He had some art that he could give that family. He readily agreed.
Isn’t it wonderful! The helped become the helpers and everyone is leveled up. What a powerful principle is a simple act of charity!
Conclusion
This, then, is the journey to Zion. It begins with and ends with deliverance episodes. It is fueled by a covenant. The path resembles the Beatitudes. Despite our occasional feelings to the contrary, God has not set us on this path to lead us over a cliff. To successfully navigate our journey to Zion, we must humbly go up into the mount of the Lord often to learn to employ Zion principles that make little sense in a telestial world. There we might learn that God will require great things of us; but we will also learn that small acts of faith and charity can move massive obstacles. In the end, after we have done all we can do, a simple act of charity might convey us the final distance. What a discovery it will be that we have loved our way to Zion!
Author’s Note:
This article was adapted from my new book, The Three Pillars of Zion. Click here to receive a free sample.
Maxwell, The Promise of Discipleship, i.
Maxwell, The Promise of Discipleship, i.
Matthew 5:1-11; 3 Nephi 12:1-12.
Kimball, The Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, 417.
Note: This connection was made by Patrick D. Degn in a 2009 BYU Education Week lesson.
Oaks, “The Challenge to Become,” Ensign, Nov. 2000, 32-33.
For a possible answer, we refer to Abraham, who was not content with living the gospel superficially, but desired to be “a greater follower of righteousness, desiring also to be one who possessed great knowledge, and to be a greater follower of righteousness, and to possess a greater knowledge, and to be a father of many nations, a prince of peace, and desiring to receive [greater] instructions, and to keep the [greater] commandments of God.”
We are commanded to “do the works of Abraham,” so what did he do? He entered into the law of Christ, which is the new and everlasting covenant that culminates with the new and everlasting covenant of marriage. Thereafter, he abode in the Covenant in faithfulness, and diligently sought the face of the Lord. Then, after Abraham had found the Lord, who manifested himself unto Abraham “in the flesh,” Abraham received more doctrine and commandments, as the book of Abraham testifies. The fact does not escape us that all of this plays out in a temple setting. The greater doctrine and commandments are temple doctrine and commandments, which lead us to see him, whereupon we would receive more doctrine and commandments.
When we consider that commandments are really revelations of the pattern of the divine lifestyle, and when we further remember that obedience to commandments unlocks the door to blessings, we realize that it is no wonder that Abraham and other noble people actively sought to receive greater commandments and more doctrine. Such revelations are events of great joy. Ammon exulted, “I know that which the Lord hath commanded me, and I glory in it. I do not glory of myself, but I glory in that which the Lord hath commanded me; yea, and this is my glory, that perhaps I may be an instrument in the hands of God to bring some soul to repentance; and this is my joy.”
Zion people are they who qualify to receive more doctrine and greater commandments: “Yea, blessed are they whose feet stand upon the land of Zion, who have obeyed my gospel; for they shall receive for their reward the good things of the earth, and it shall bring forth in its strength. And they shall also be crowned with blessings from above, yea, and with commandments not a few, and with revelations in their time-they that are faithful and diligent before me.”
Nephi revealed what will happen when the Lord manifests himself unto us in the flesh: “And when he shall manifest himself unto you in the flesh, the things which he shall say unto you shall ye observe to do.” On that occasion, Jesus will reveal to us much more of his doctrine, and he will ask us to do some things for him that will stretch us and bless us. Until then, he will work with us, and when he knows that we will do everything that he will command and that we will not retreat from the things that he will tell us, he will manifest himself unto us “in the flesh.”
Receiving More Doctrine by Choice
The pure in heart begin their quest to seek the face of the Lord by first making a choice; that choice is to abandon the telestial and embrace the celestial, even when the celestial does not make immediate sense. The choice is formalized at an altar in a temple setting where covenants are made, ordinances are given, and tokens are exchanged. Altars are the only place where legitimizing our choice can take place. Altars are where we make sacrifices and exchange gifts-the more the better. Such sacrifices and gifts are intended to be the best that we have to give.
At the altar we sacrifice the life of our natural man (the wild, untamed part of us) to the Lord, and in return, the Lord sacrifices his life for us. At the altar we give him the gift of our heart and he gives us the gift of his atonement. From that point forward, our covenant relationship with the Lord is defined by a broken heart: “not my will”; and a contrite spirit: “but thine be done.”
Brigham Young taught that our choice to become Zionlike and to seek the face of the Lord colors everything in our lives: “If you want to make Zion in your families and be happy in your homes, you must retain the Spirit of the Lord in your own hearts; and let it be the first and the last, the Alpha and Omega of your lives. Then you will have Zion; and the little difficulties, losses, crosses, and changing scenes of this mortal life will not disturb the equanimity of your lives; but they will appear frivolous things of no moment.”
Receiving More Doctrine by Desire
Our choice to seek the Lord’s face emerges from our desire. Alma noted that our longing summons the Lord’s “unalterable decree,” his absolute promise that we shall obtain our wish: “For I know that he granteth unto men according to their desire, . . . yea, I know that he allotteth unto men, yea, decreeth unto them decrees which are unalterable, according to their wills.”
Receiving More Doctrine by Faith
Our desire motivates us to obey the Lord and follow him on faith alone. This attitude is essential to our progress, because usually in this telestial world we do not immediately comprehend celestial laws and their principles.
President Boyd K. Packer wrote, “Somewhere in your quest for spiritual knowledge, there is that ‘leap of faith,’ as the philosophers call it. It is the moment when you have gone to the edge of the light and step into the darkness to discover that the way is lighted ahead for just a footstep or two.” The process of faith is also the process of receiving more doctrine. We are required to travel the path to the presence of the Lord by conviction and trust, and by allowing him “from time to time . . . to unfold the mysteries of the kingdom,” as if he were carefully opening up the petals of a beautiful flower until it is fully displayed.
Receiving More Doctrine by Persistence and Improvement
Our experiment with faith in the word of God always yields a harvest of blessings. The evidence of growth encourages us to persevere. Blaine Yorgason wrote:
To obtain the ultimate blessing of seeing the face of Christ and partaking of His divine love and approbation, righteous individuals must progress steadily forward in the spirit, clinging steadfastly to every word that proceeds forth from the mouth of God, and fulfilling the other requirements outlined by the Lord: “Strip yourselves from jealousies and fears, and humble yourselves before me, . . . let[ting] not your minds turn back” (D&C 67:10, 14); “seek the face of the Lord always, that in patience ye may possess your souls, and ye shall have eternal life” (D&C 101:38). Then, “in mine own due time, . . . ” the Lord promises, “the veil shall be rent and you shall see me and know that I am” (D&C 64:114, 10).
Joseph Smith asked, “How do men obtain a knowledge of the glory of God, his perfections and attributes?” Then, answering the question, he said, “By devoting themselves to his service, through prayer and supplication incessantly strengthening their faith in him, until, like Enoch, the brother of Jared, and Moses, they obtain a manifestation of God to themselves.”
Without service, we have learned, prayers are just words and fasts are just going hungry.
Receiving More Doctrine by Seeking
Blaine Yorgason wrote, “Diligent seeking . . . permits qualified, pure-hearted men and women to ‘have the privilege of receiving the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, to have the heavens opened unto them, to commune with the general assembly and Church of the Firstborn, and to enjoy the communion and presence of God the Father, and Jesus the mediator of the new covenant’ (D&C 107:19).”
Elder McConkie taught similarly: “The attainment of such a state of righteousness and perfection is the object and end toward which all of the Lord’s people are striving. We seek to see the face of the Lord while we yet dwell in mortality, and we seek to dwell with him everlastingly in the eternal kingdoms that are prepared.” Of these and other promises, we might apply the Lord’s counsel, “Treasure up these words in thy heart.”
Receiving More Doctrine by Treasuring Up
The Lord has repeatedly commanded that we “treasure up in [our] minds continually the words of life.” “Wherefore, ye shall treasure up the things which ye have seen and heard.” To treasure up is like finding something valuable and placing it in a safe and secure place so that we never lose it.
In this world, we “enjoy the words of eternal life” and treasure them up so that one day we might achieve “eternal life in the world to come, even immortal glory.” For now, we are to treasure up and “give diligent heed to the words of eternal life.”
When a great division came among the disciples of Jesus, and many who had once believed now abandoned him, he turned to his apostles and asked poignantly, “Will ye also go away? Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.” Peter answered for all of us: there is nowhere else to go. Only through the Word of God can we receive the words of God; and only by treasuring them up can we obtain eternal life. “Therefore treasure up these words in thy heart.”
So much depends on our desiring, seeking, and treasuring up more doctrine. The Lord piqued our interest when he revealed, “Now, as touching the law of the priesthood, there are many things pertaining thereunto.” Upon the foundation of the atonement stands the doctrine of Zion, which comprises three pillars: (1) The New and Everlasting Covenant; (2) The Oath and Covenant of the Priesthood; and (3) The Law of Consecration. Beyond receiving these covenants, we must seek to understand the doctrine so that we might better live it. Therein lies our opportunity to become Zion people.
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This article was adapted from my new book, The Three Pillars of Zion. Click here to receive a free sample.
2 Nephi 32:6.
Young, Millennial Star 16:674-75.
Packer, That All May Be Edified, 340.
Yorgason, I Need Thee Every Hour, 431.
Smith, Lectures on Faith, 2:55.
Yorgason, I Need Thee Every Hour, 432.
McConkie, The Promised Messiah, 578.
It is a favorite satanic strategy to zero in on an errant comment or action then assign the event to the Church as a whole. If a spiritually fragile child steps into that snare, Satan will attempt to convince him that the child finally has evidence that Mormonism is faulty at the core. We parents must keep in mind that we are dealing with the same being who deftly explained away the shocking day, night and day that attended the Savior’s birth.
And it came to pass that from this time forth there began to be lyings sent forth among the people, by Satan, to harden their hearts, to the intent that they might not believe in those signs and wonders which they had seen….
If Satan could render the Nephites blind, he is certainly capable of causing a child who is on the verge of decision to misinterpret poorly phrased words or to see the world-wide Church through the filter of hypocrisy.
A Father’s Counsel
A daughter told her father that she was afraid to return to the Church because she had been hurt so badly in her youth. At a time when she was dabbling with sin, she had received harsh judgment instead of love and encouragement. She was certain that returning would expose her to more ridicule. In her mind, the Church was filled with self-righteous people, who wore the pretense of perfection and demeaned people who did not measure up. Despite her desire to return, she could not get past the hurt.
“I’m afraid someone will offend me,” she told her father.
The father gazed at her and said, “You can count on it. Because Satan knows this is a tender point for you, he will try to exploit it.”
His statement surprised her, but it laid the groundwork for her hoped-for return. The father explained that Church members are not perfect, but they share a common desire for perfection. The challenge is to tolerate and help each other while we mutually strive to arrive. In the process, we are going to hear, and say, some stupid things, and worse, we are going to observe some hypocrisy. He continued, saying, “I have had numerous occasions to throw in the towel because of someone’s offensive statements or actions.” He gave examples, but manifested no malice.
“Why have you stayed?” his daughter asked.
“Because my wife and my children-you—are more important that my wounded pride. I will not risk my eternal marriage and family for something someone said or did.”
The daughter decided to give the Church another chance, knowing that she was going to take her place among other imperfect journeyers, who would likely disappoint her from time to time.
An Astonishing Doctrine of Reclamation
To the Prophet Joseph Smith, the Lord revealed an astonishing doctrine that speaks to the far-reaching effects of the Atonement. It also hints that our wayward children’s premortal righteousness will be taken into account when judgments are pronounced. This doctrine seems to make allowance for those who have been deceived by the doctrines of man or who have been offended by hypocritical members of the Church.
“Behold, verily I say unto you, there are hypocrites among you, who have deceived some, which has given the adversary power; but behold such shall be reclaimed.”
We learn an important truth here: Eternal judgments are not issued on the basis of deception. Not one of Satan’s followers was cast out because they were deceived. Judgments are based on full light, knowledge and choice. Without making excuses for our children’s present behavior, we nevertheless might ask ourselves, Have our children gone wayward because they have been deceived or offended? Do they have full light and knowledge so that they can accurately choose between God and Satan? According to the Lord’s promise, if they are laboring under any degree of deception or offense, he will reach out to them and reclaim them.
Wo Unto the Deceivers and Hypocrites
But to the self-righteous and mean-spirited, the Lord pronounces a wo: “But wo unto them that are deceivers and hypocrites, for, thus saith the Lord, I will bring them to judgment…But the hypocrites shall be detected and shall be cut off, either in life or in death, even as I will; and wo unto them who are cut off from my church, for the same are overcome of the world.”
Then the Lord cautions the offenders, hypocrites and us against such behavior: “Wherefore, let every man beware lest he do that which is not in truth and righteousness before me.” Plainly, we are not justified in holding grudges against those who have offended us or our children.
Judgment based on the Sum of Existence
Regarding our children’s premortal righteousness, which we have learned was very great, eternal judgment seems to take into account the sum of their existence. In this same revelation, the Lord says, “Behold, ye are little children and ye cannot bear all things now; ye must grow in grace and in the knowledge of the truth. Fear not, little children, for you are mine, and I have overcome the world, and you are of them that my Father hath given me; and none of them that my Father hath given me shall be lost.”
Imagine! None that the Father has given the Savior shall be lost! But we ask ourselves, Is our child one of those whom the Father has given to the Son? An answer might lie in the fact that this revelation was given to weak members of the Church, whom the Lord was calling to repentance and yet was offering mercy. He knew them better than they knew themselves, and therefore he was offering to take pity on them and methodically work with them until he had brought them home.
No One can take Our Children from the Savior
For further evidence, we turn to Jesus’ words to his apostles concerning his sheep: “And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.”
No one can take our children from Jesus, and our children simply cannot break free from the Savior’s embrace. The Father gave them to him, and Jesus holds them in his hands as pearls of great price.
Despite their present choices, they have a past that will be taken into account at the time of judgment. In the meantime, Jesus will carefully draw them to him until the deceptions are stripped away, the offenses are healed, and until our children finally have enough light and knowledge to choose between God and Satan. If their premortal choices are any indication, we have every hope that they will choose right, which is more in their character than their present actions.
Author’s Note
Note: This article is adapted from Rescuing Wayward Children. Follow this link to learn more.
Also, get a sample of my new 5-book series on Zion: The Three Pillars of Zion. Click here.
3 Nephi 1:22
In the vocabulary of consecration, an agent is a steward. The trust extended to a steward is a stewardship, which, according to the Encyclopedia of Mormonism, is a “responsibility given through the Lord to act in behalf of others.”
The concept of stewardship reminds us of the principle that “all things ultimately belong to the Lord, whether property, time, talents, families, or capacity for service within the Church organization. An individual acts in a Church calling as a trustee for the Lord, not out of personal ownership or privilege.” When we receive a stewardship, whether as a calling, a trust, or an inheritance, we are “expected to sacrifice time and talent in the service of others,” which builds “a sense of community. When all serve, all may partake of the blessings of service. The ideal attitude toward stewardship suggests that it is not the position held but how well the work is done that counts.” One can readily see why stewardship is central to Zion and the law of consecration.
The Riches of the Earth Are the Lord’s
When a Zion person exercises his agency to live the law of consecration, he makes a conscious choice to become a steward of the Lord’s property. His approach to ownership is that “the earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof.” Elder Bruce R. McConkie said, “that all things belong to the Lord. ‘I, the Lord, stretched out the heavens, and built the earth, my very handiwork; and all things therein are mine. . . . Behold, all these properties are mine. . . . And if the properties are mine, then ye are stewards; otherwise ye are no stewards.’” There can be no mistake about who owns what; the Lord states emphatically, “the riches of the earth are mine.”
Even in a telestial setting, we encounter the concept of stewardship constantly. For example, a business owner will enter into an agreement to hand over the management of his company to a trusted employee, provided the employee gives his best effort, pursues the mission of the company, is committed to increasing the company’s profitability, and is accountable to his employer. In return, the employer pays the employee a fair wage, with which the employee takes care of his family. The employee has no right to divide his attention with another interest, change the purpose of the company, use its resources outside his employer’s desire, or take the profits for himself. We might ask ourselves, If we understand these principles on a telestial level, why can we not apply them to a celestial situation?
Let us examine the law of consecration in this light. By agreeing to take upon us this covenant, we agree that everything belongs to the Lord and we are stewards. From that point forward, we cease to lay claim to our time, talents, and possessions. Rather, we essentially enter into a management agreement with the Lord, in which we agree to give him our best and undivided effort as we administer the affairs of the stewardship that he places in our hands. We agree to pursue the ordained purpose of that stewardship, the core issue of which is always to assist in bringing to pass the immortality (the quality of immortality, i.e. telestial, terrestrial or celestial) and the eternal life of man. Moreover, we agree to use and disseminate the stewardship’s resources as the stewardship’s Owner directs. We agree to magnify the stewardship, to take no more of the surplus than we are entitled to, and to be accountable to the Owner for our management of his resources. For the Lord’s part, he agrees to allow us our agency in managing his resources, and he agrees to take care of us and keep us safe while we are on his errand.
In no uncertain terms, we are expressly forbidden to hoard the Lord’s property or claim it as our own. Martin Harris learned this lesson: “I command thee that thou shalt not covet thine own property, but impart it freely to the printing of the Book of Mormon.” At another time, the Lord commanded William E. McLellin to focus on proclaiming the gospel and to “think not of thy property.” Clearly, a Zion person’s claim to his property is subordinate to the Lord’s claim. But if we view our property as our own and not as a stewardship, we break the law of consecration and step into sin: “Let them repent of all their sins, and of all their covetous desires, before me, saith the Lord; for what is property unto me?” Who can lay claim to property or tempt the Lord with it, especially when we know that everything belongs to him in the first place? We recall that Satan tried to entice Jesus with property and was soundly condemned: “Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; and saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan.”
On the other hand, as Martin Harris and William E. McLellin learned, our property is a stewardship that must be consecrated for the building up of the kingdom of God and the establishment of Zion. The law of consecration provides that no poor should exist among us. Ultimately we will be held accountable for the diligence we pay to living this law and for the discharge of our stewardships.
God Becomes Our Paymaster
An early attempt to implement the law of consecration required members to deed over their property to the Church. Today, we are asked to figuratively deed over our hearts. We recognize that ultimately our time, talents, and property belong to the Lord, and we are stewards assigned to manage his resources under his direction. To appropriately fulfill our assignment, we agree to “live by every word that proceedeth forth from the mouth of God.” Furthermore, we agree to become “submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love,” and “willing to submit” to the Lord. Then a remarkable thing happens: God helps us to depart from Babylon, and he becomes our Paymaster in Zion. Of course, this miracle is individualized for each person, but it occurs nevertheless.
The Lord takes care of those in his household; he supports the stewards in his employ, and “the laborer is worthy of his hire.” What the Lord said to Warren A. Cowdery could be said to every steward in Zion: “[My steward shall] devote his whole time to this high and holy calling, which I now give unto him, seeking diligently the kingdom of heaven and its righteousness, and all things necessary shall be added thereunto.”
Now that the steward has been extracted and insulated from Babylon, he resides in the safety of his Lord, allowing him to devote his entire effort to his stewardships. In the transition, he ceases to labor for the cause of money and he begins to labor for the cause of Zion: “But the laborer in Zion shall labor for Zion; for if they labor for money they shall perish.” This does not mean that the steward does not need money or to receive monetary compensation for his labor; rather, it means that the cause of Zion and managing his stewardship are his focus. The moment he views the stewardship as his own or attempts to accumulate the resources of the stewardship to himself, he is in conflict with the interests of his Paymaster. Even in Babylon, such an employee would be considered dishonest and an extortionist; he would be summarily dismissed and cast out. Any employee knows that the surpluses derived from his labor belong to the owner to do with as he pleases. The employee errs when he judges the employer’s use and distribution of profits.
The righteous steward discovers that his Lord is a very generous Paymaster. What Elder Carlos E. Asay said of missionaries’ meriting blessings for their labor could be said of any steward:
The word merit is defined as “reward . . . just deserts” (Webster’s Third New International Dictionary). Such a definition often turns our minds to temporal gains received for service rendered. It also suggests a dollar return on a dollar invested and nothing more. Another definition, however, refers to merit as “spiritual credit or stored moral surplusage regarded as earned by performance of righteous acts and as ensuring future benefits” (ibid.). This latter definition appeals to me and seems to apply to missionary service because the process of sharing the gospel with others is centered in “righteous acts” and carries “future benefits” for both the giver and the receiver. In fact, the list of spiritual credits or by-products received by those who seek to save souls is endless. Those who engage in missionary service soon learn that God is a very generous paymaster. We can never place him in our debt (see Mosiah 2:22-24).
Righteous stewards earn temporal and spiritual credits, which may be redeemed in the storehouse of their most generous Paymaster for many times their original value.
Never Turn Back
We must become a righteous steward. Once the Lord has separated us from Babylon, as is exemplified in the temple initiatory ordinances, and when he has placed within our care a stewardship in his kingdom, we must discharge our duty faithfully and never turn back.
Peter taught, “For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.”
The implications are sobering. If we have cried unto the Lord to help us escape Babylon, and then he rescues us and gives us a stewardship and employment in his kingdom-if, after all that, we weaken and return to Babylon and again become entangled in its charms, our situation will be worse than the first. We will find ourselves left alone with no further claim on the Lord’s resources or on him as our Paymaster.
Nephi explained that the journey from Babylon to Zion is the most significant journey in time or eternity. Nothing could be more important than arriving at the tree of life and partaking of its fruit, both of which are symbolic of the love of God. When we finally reach our destination, we must stay. Otherwise, according to Nephi, every person who arrived at the tree and thereafter gave heed to Babylon “had fallen away.” Here, then, is the safety and the condemnation of the law of stewardship.
The Law of Stewardship and the Oath and Covenant of the Priesthood
When righteous men (and later righteous men and women at the time of temple marriage) take upon them the oath and covenant of the priesthood, they agree to receive the blessings and obligations of the priesthood “for your sakes, and not for your sakes only, but for the sake of the world.” That is, we are under covenant to exercise the priesthood to gain our salvation by helping to save others. Therefore, to fulfill this part of the priesthood covenant, we approach our stewardships with the attitude of caring for our families, caring for others, and caring for the Lord’s purposes. Consider the Lord’s admonition to the elders, who had taken upon them the oath and covenant of the priesthood:
And behold, thou wilt remember the poor, and consecrate of thy properties for their support that which thou hast to impart unto them. . . . And inasmuch as ye impart of your substance unto the poor, ye will do it unto me; . . . every man shall be made accountable unto me, a steward over his own property, or that which he has received by consecration, as much as is sufficient for himself and family. And again, if there shall be properties in the hands of the church, or any individuals of it, more than is necessary for their support after this first consecration, which is a residue to be consecrated unto the bishop, it shall be kept to administer to those who have not, from time to time, that every man who has need may be amply supplied and receive according to his wants. Therefore, the residue shall be kept in my storehouse, to administer to the poor and the needy, . . . that my covenant people may be gathered in one in that day when I shall come to my temple. And this I do for the salvation of my people. . . . For inasmuch as ye do it unto the least of these, ye do it unto me. For it shall come to pass, that which I spake by the mouths of my prophets shall be fulfilled; for I will consecrate of the riches of those who embrace my gospel among the Gentiles unto the poor of my people who are of the house of Israel.
Stewardship and Equality
The law of stewardship is the law upon which Zion’s equality is achieved. As we have mentioned, equality is defined as having equal access. In Zion, each person must have equal opportunity to receive a stewardship, to develop it, and to have equal access to the Lord and the Lord’s resources. To qualify for the celestial kingdom, we must live the foundational law of stewardship, which stipulates that “every man [must be made] equal according to his family, according to his circumstances and his wants and needs.”
Inequality is wholly telestial in nature; inequality cannot exist in a celestial atmosphere. As we recall, the Lord has stated emphatically that we must become “equal in the bonds of heavenly things, yea, and earthly things also, for the obtaining of heavenly things. For if ye are not equal in earthly things ye cannot be equal in obtaining heavenly things; for if you will that I give unto you a place in the celestial world, you must prepare yourselves by doing the things which I have commanded you and required of you.”
Failing to live the law of stewardship and turning a blind eye to inequality are classified as sins: “But it is not given that one man should possess that which is above another, wherefore the world lieth in sin.” We need only look at the world condition to see the consequences of selfishness, greed, and using the resources entrusted to us without accountability to God: “And the whole world lieth in sin, and groaneth under darkness and under the bondage of sin.” How can we escape this darkness and bondage? The answer separates righteous Zion people from the wicked people of Babylon: “And by this you may know they [the people of Babylon] are under the bondage of sin, because they come not unto me. For whoso cometh not unto me is under the bondage of sin. And whoso receiveth not my voice is not acquainted with my voice, and is not of me. And by this you may know the righteous from the wicked, and that the whole world groaneth under sin and darkness even now.”
We might ask ourselves this question: Could it be possible to make the covenant of consecration, then ignore the law of stewardship with its injunction to equalize people-and still claim that we are acquainted with the voice of the Lord and that we have come unto him?
Zion people come unto Christ and hearken to his voice by seeking to purify their hearts; by seeking to equalize the condition of the Lord’s children through the giving of their means; by striving to heal the Lord’s children, bolster their faith, and love them. The pure in heart view themselves as stewards rather than owners, and they seek to bless the Lord’s children with their stewardships, which is the sum of everything that they have and are.
Part 2
We will conclude our study of the law of stewardship with Part 2. These articles are adapted from The Three Pillars of Zion. You can download a free sample of this new Zion series at www.PillarsOfZion.com.
D&C 104:17.
Encyclopedia of Mormonism, 1418.
McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, 767, quoting D&C 104:14, 55-56.
D&C 51:19; 72:3-4; 78:22, 82:3, 11; Luke 16:2; 19:17; Matthew 25:14-30.
Asay, The Seven M’s of Missionary Service, 9; emphasis added.
2 Peter 2:20-21; emphasis added.
(Note: This article is adapted from The Three Pillars of Zion, a series of books on becoming a Zion person. This series of books will be released in August.)
Jesus said we cannot serve God and mammon. Mammon is “the standard Hebrew word for any kind of financial dealing.” Serving both God and mammon is as impossible as simultaneously walking east and west. The two are polar opposites like love and hate. To the degree that we give our affection to one, we withhold our affection from the other: “either [we] will hate the one, and love the other; or else [we] will hold to the one, and despise the other.” Neither can we choose to participate in both God’s and Satan’s economies: Zion and mammon. According to Hugh Nibley, “Every step in the direction of increasing one’s personal holdings is a step away from Zion.”
The test of riches
The harsh reality is this: life is a test. At the center of that test is money. Our attitude toward our financial dealings serves to prove the condition of our heart, loyalty, character, willingness to sacrifice, and trustworthiness. We can no more avoid this financial test than we can avoid choosing between the relentless opposing forces that try to influence our financial dealings. But choose we must. If we fool ourselves into believing that we can succeed in choosing both God and mammon, we are deceived. But that has not deterred people from trying. Most of humanity has attempted to combine God and mammon, but not one person has ever succeeded-and we will not be the first. From the first moment that we make the attempt, we have already chosen Satan and his economy. Jesus’ words are perennially true: “no man can serve two masters.”
So what should we do? Should we take the concept to extremes, take a vow of poverty, shun money, and live lean like medieval monks? Of course not. “You always do have to handle things,” Hugh Nibley says. “But in what spirit do we do it? Not…by renunciation, for example…. If you refuse to be concerned with these things at all, and say, ‘I’m above all that,’ that’s as great a fault. The things of the world have got to be administered; they must be taken care of, they are to be considered. We have to keep things clean, and in order. That’s required of us. This is a test by which we are being proven. This is the way by which we prepare, always showing that these things will never captivate our hearts, that they will never become our principal concern. That takes a bit of doing, and that is why we have the formula ‘with an eye single to his glory’ (Mormon 8:15). Keep first your eye on the star, then on all the other considerations of the ship. You will have all sorts of problems on the ship, but unless you steer by the star, forget the ship. Sink it. You won’t go anywhere.”
The test of wealth determines if we can we be trusted with God’s resources-those things that he has placed in our hands for safekeeping and prudent management. As accountable stewards, some pointed questions are always before us: Will we choose to remain within the guidelines of stewardship? Will we manage the stewardship according to God’s desires or will we “cheat the Lord?” Will we redefine the terms of stewardship, claim ownership of the Lord’s property then enlarge and indulge ourselves with the proceeds rather than use the surplus for its intended use: to take care of God’s children and build up the Kingdom of God for the establishment of Zion? Our answers to these questions determine our passing or failing the mortal test of riches.
Only the pure in heart can pass this test
Without divine intervention, we could not have the power to choose God over mammon. Babylon simply has too great a hold on the hearts of men. Consequently, only the pure in heart who receive a spiritual endowment can make this choice and thereafter live the Law of Consecration. The pure in heart alone receive the spiritual help to view money for what it is and put it in its proper place. They are children of Zion who do not venture into Babylon and partake of its philosophies. Rather, they enter the temple and make an informed, resolute covenant to receive and manage the Lord’s property in an ordered way; then they return to the world and implement that covenant as the Lord directs. Clearly, this test is too hard for the natural man. Only those who know and love God can do it. Hence, God or mammon is the ultimate test that determines the condition of the heart and lands us in or out of the Celestial Kingdom. Nibley writes:
God has always given his people the same choice of either living up to the covenants made with him or being in Satan’s power; there is no middle ground (Moses 4:4). True, we spend this time of probation in a no-man’s-land between the two camps of salvation and damnation, but at every moment of the day and night we must be moving toward the one or the other. Progressive testing takes place along the way in either direction; the same tests in every dispensation and generation mark the progress of the people of God.
(1) Do you, first of all, agree to do things his way rather than your way-to follow the law of God? (2) If so, will you be obedient to him, no matter what he asks of you? (3) Will you, specifically, be willing to sacrifice anything he asks you for? (4) Will you at all times behave morally and soberly? (5) Finally, if God asks you to part with your worldly possessions by consecrating them all to his work, will you give his own back to him to be distributed as he sees fit, not as you think wise?
That last test has been by far the hardest of all, and few indeed have chosen that strait and narrow way. The rich young man was careful and correct in observing every point of the law-up to that one; but that was too much for him, and the Savior, who refused to compromise or make a deal, could only send him off sorrowing, observing to the apostles that passing that test was so difficult to those possessing the things of the world that only a special dispensation from God could get them by.
The Lord’s willingness to be tested
Perhaps because this test requires so much faith, the Lord both promises and offers evidence that if we will live the Law of Consecration, he will take care of us and even prosper us. The law of tithing, as we have observed, is one of his proofs: “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.” Paying tithing is always an act of faith. The math doesn’t make sense. Ten minus one is supposed to equal nine, but somehow the product is always more than ten. Clearly, celestial math is baffling in a telestial setting, and only faith can urge us on. But if we will persevere and apply the principle of tithing then experience the pouring out of blessings, we will be prepared to employ that principle to other consecrated offerings, which will require even greater faith.
Alma taught that faith grows like a seed. First, faith takes root in our hearts by hearing the word of God. Then it sprouts and blossoms by continual nourishing, which we are willing to do because we observe incremental proofs that the plant is growing. Over time, the seed becomes a great, fruit-bearing tree. Tithing is such a tree, and it provides us a way to test the Lord on the principle of consecration; tithing allows us to get to know each other. Once we discover that the Lord will not let us down and that he will prosper us, we are willing to take the next step and pay offerings. Once again we discover the Lord’s care and abundance, and as we do, we grow in our appreciation of consecration until we can live the law according to its ideal. But every step of the way, between initial tithing and eventual total consecration, requires our venturing into the darkness hoping and anticipating that the light will appear. Each step demands giving before we receive, and every time we take another step, it will make absolutely no mathematical sense. The laws in Babylon that govern finance will scream at us to hold back: “It won’t work!” Only our testimony of the celestial laws of tithing and consecrated offerings can provide us the confidence that all will be well and that the outcome will result in safety and abundance. Nibley writes,
In giving his children the law, God repeatedly specifies that he is placing before them two ways, the ways of life and death, light and darkness. For parallel to the one law runs another. It is part of the plan that Satan should be allowed to try us and to tempt us to see whether we would prove faithful in all things: Who does not live up to every covenant made with the Lord will be in his power (cf. Moses 4:4, 5:23). So we find ourselves drawn in two directions (Moroni 7:11-13). Thus this life becomes a special test of probation set before us in this world-it is an economic one. If the law of consecration is the supreme test of virtue-the final one-money is to be the supreme temptation to vice; sex runs a poor second, but on both counts, this is the time and place for us to meet the challenge of the flesh. It is the weakness of the flesh in both cases to prove our spirits stronger than the pull of matter, to assert our command over the new medium of physical bodies before proceeding onward to another state of existence. As Brigham Young often repeats, “God has given us the things of this world to see what we will do with them.” The test will be whether we will set our hearts on the four things that lead to destruction. Whoever seeks for (1) wealth, (2) power, (3) popularity, and (4) the pleasures of the flesh-anyone who seeks those will be destroyed, says the Book of Mormon (1 Nephi 22:23; 3 Nephi 6:15). Need we point out that those four things compose the whole substance of success in the present-day world. They are the things that money will get you.
Tithing, therefore, is the preparation to become Zionlike; offerings are the opportunity to become Zionlike. In each case, God is willing to be put to the test. The only question remaining is are we? Do we really want to become Zion people or not?
See Matthew 6:24; Luke 16:13; 3 Nephi 13:24
Hugh Nibley, Approaching Zion, p.37
See Howard W. Hunter, Conference Report, April 1964, p.35
Hugh Nibley, Approaching Zion, p.37
See Marion G. Romney, Conference Report, October 1962, p.94, quoting Matthew 6:24
Hugh Nibley, Approaching Zion, p.336
Hugh Nibley, Approaching Zion, p.426
Hugh Nibley, Approaching Zion, p.342
Hugh Nibley, Approaching Zion, p.434-35, emphasis added