Day 30 - 3 Nephi 1-6; D&C 117-120

[pam]

Discussion

[KeithLBrown]

What is property unto the Lord?

Scripture Reference: Doctrine and Covenants 117:4, 8

4. Let them repent of all their sins, and of all their covetous desires, before me, saith the Lord; for what is property unto me? saith the Lord.

8. Is there not room enough on the mountains of Adam-ondi-Ahman, and on the plains of Olaha Shinehah, or the land where Adam dwelt, that you should covet that which is but the drop, and neglect the more weighty matters?

Elder Neal A. Maxwell, "Put Off the Natural Man, and Come Off Conqueror," Ensign, Nov 1990, 14

By focusing on oneself, it is naturally easier to bear false witness if it serves one’s purpose. It is easier to ignore one’s parents instead of honoring them. It is easier to steal, because what one wants prevails. It is easier to covet, since the selfish conclude that nothing should be denied them.

It is easier to commit sexual sins, because to please oneself is the name of that deadly game in which others are often cruelly used. The Sabbath day is easily neglected, since one day soon becomes just like another. If selfish, it is easier to lie, because the truth is conveniently subordinated.

The selfish individual thus seeks to please not God, but himself. He will even break a covenant in order to fix an appetite.

Selfishness has little time to regard the sufferings of others seriously, hence the love of many waxes cold. (See Moses 6:27; Matt. 24:12; D&C 45:27.)

Stubborn selfishness leads otherwise good people to fight over herds, patches of sand, and strippings of milk. All this results from what the Lord calls coveting "the drop," while neglecting the "more weighty matters." (D&C 117:8.) Myopic selfishness magnifies a mess of pottage and makes thirty pieces of silver look like a treasure trove. In our intense acquisitiveness, we forget Him who once said, "What is property unto me?" (D&C 117:4.)

Whereas the natural man covets praise and riches, the men and women of Christ know such things are but the "drop." (D&C 117:8.) Human history’s happiest irony will be that the covenant-keeping, unselfish individuals will finally receive "all that [the] Father hath"! (D&C 84:38.)

President Marion G. Romney, "Living the Principles of the Law of Consecration," Ensign, Feb 1979, 3

The law of consecration was revealed early in this last dispensation. On the second day of January 1831, through the Prophet Joseph Smith, the Lord said to his infant church, not yet a year old:

"Let every man esteem his brother as himself.

"For what man among you having twelve sons, and is no respecter of them, and they serve him obediently, and he saith unto the one: Be thou clothed in robes and sit thou here; and to the other Be thou clothed in rags and sit thou there—and looketh upon his sons and saith I am just?

"Behold, this I have given unto you as a parable and it is even as I am. I say unto you, be one; and if ye are not one ye are not mine." (D&C 38:25–27)

Thirty-eight days later, 9 February 1831, the Lord revealed the law of consecration as the means by which the inequality between the rich and the poor could be removed. These are his words:

"If thou lovest me thou shalt serve the and keep all my commandments.

"And behold, thou wilt remember the poor, and consecrate of thy properties for their support that which thou hast to impart unto them, with a covenant and a deed which cannot be broken.

"And inasmuch as ye impart of your substance unto the poor, ye will do it unto me; and they shall be laid before the bishop of my church and his counselors, two of the elders, or high priests; such as he shall appoint or has appointed and set apart for that purpose.

"And it shall come to pass, that after they are laid before the bishop of my church, and after that he has received these testimonies concerning the consecration of the properties of my church, that they cannot be taken from the church, agreeable to my commandments, 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." (D&C 42:29–32)

The basic principle and the justification for the law of consecration "is that everything we have belongs to the Lord; therefore, the Lord may call upon us for any and all of the property which we have, because it belongs to Him … (D&C 104:14–17, 54–57)" (J. Reuben Clark, Jr., in Conference Report, Oct. 1942, p. 55)

[pam]

Keith why do you think the law of consecration was so important to the early Church and is spoken of so much in the Doctrine and Covenants?

[KeithLBrown]

I believe that the Lord was preparing His people to become "one" - a zion community. In order for that to happen they needed to be taught that everything that they had belonged to the Lord. Thus, the question "What is property unto the Lord?" The concept behind a Zion community is that all people would be equal as far as having their needs met. This would mean that the rich would not be able to lord it over the poor, and the poor would not be subservient to the rich. Everyone would live as one. I further believe that the law of tithing was instituted to help prepare and teach the people the higher law of consecration.

I know from my experience in two Bishoprics that there are people who struggle with paying tithing or understanding the principles of the teaching. With that thought in mind, if they cannot comprehend why we pay tithing, understanding the law of consecration would be out of their realm of comprehension. That I believe has been the case with God's children all through the ages. Thus, the principle of the higher law is taught line upon line, precept upon precept. What the Lord taught those in the days of the early Church, He is now teaching us that one day we too will become "one" - a Zion community.

[pam]

I somewhat believe also that the Law of Tithing and the opportunities to pay fast offerings as we know today is in preparation for us to live it again in the future. We are asked to give 10% of our increase and to pay generously to fast offerings.

In the talk by President Romney that you posted earlier he also states:

Considering that we are not now required to live the law of consecration and that we have the welfare program which, as President Clark said, if put “thoroughly into operation … we shall not be … far from carrying out the great fundamentals of the United Order,” I suppose the best way to live the principles of the law of consecration is to live the principles and practices of the welfare program.

These principles and practices include avoiding idleness and greed, contributing liberal fast offerings and other welfare donations, paying a full tithing, and complying with the purpose for which the First Presidency organized the program, which they thus stated:

“Our primary purpose was to set up, in so far as it might be possible, a system under which the curse of idleness would be done away with, the evils of a dole abolished, and independence, industry, thrift and self-respect be once more established amongst our people. The aim of the Church is to help the people to help themselves. Work is to be reenthroned as the ruling principle of the lives of our Church membership.” (In Conference Report, October 1936, p. 3.)

While some might consider the welfare system of the Church a handout..that is not it's purpose at all.

[pam]

3 Ne 1:6-7 your joy and your faith concerning this thing hath been vain

How disappointing would it be after years of faithful service to find out that the Church wasn’t true after all, that it was all a masterful hoax and a waste of time? We rarely consider such questions because the Spirit immediately demonstrates their ludicrousness. Yet, the faithless Nephites are just waiting for the opportunity to say, “I told you so! You’ve been wasting your time all along! Your efforts have been in vain!” It seems that their jeering was beginning to have some effect for some began to be very sorrowful, lest by any means those things which had been spoken might not come to pass. But the saints of God need not fear. There is no reason to lack faith. The Lord has promised not to let one jot or tittle go unfulfilled (Matt 5:18). In the end, it will be the unbelievers, not the believers who will be disappointed.

George F. Richards
“There is always a satisfaction, my brethren and sisters, in having been right on any question that has engaged our attention, especially if the wisdom and judgment of others have been brought to bear upon that question and we have not all agreed. You know how prone we are to say, ‘I told you so.’ The more important the question that is involved in a consideration of this kind, the greater satisfaction there will be in the end when we find that we have been right; but if on the other hand it is found that we have been wrong there will be correspondingly great disappointment…The greatest question that man has ever considered, according to my judgment, is that of religion, or salvation, of what it consists and how it may be attained. There is no other question I suppose that has engaged the attention of so many people or upon which there has been such diversity of opinion…Those of us who know the truth of the Gospel as it has been revealed in these last days through the instrumentality of the Prophet Joseph Smith, know that there are millions of people who, in the end, [when] it shall be universally known of what salvation consists [and] how it may attained, will be tremendously disappointed.” (Conference Report, Apr. 1932, p. 39)

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3 Ne 2:8 the Nephites began to reckon their time from…the coming of Christ

“The Nephites used three systems of reckoning time:

(1) The first method was to determine the number of years since father Lehi left Jerusalem; this system was used from 600 B.C. to 92 B.C. (Mosiah 29:44-47; Alma 1:1.)
(2) The second method was to calculate the number of years from the beginning of the reign of the judges; this system was used for about 100 years, from 91 B.C. to A.D. 9. (3 Nephi 2:5-7.)
(3) The last method was to ‘reckon their time from this period when the sign was given, or from the coming of Christ’ (3 Nephi 2:7-8); this system was used for the remainder of their record.” (Daniel Ludlow, A Companion to Your Study of the Book of Mormon, p. 254)

[pam]

3 Ne 4:4 having reserved for themselves provisions…that they might subsist for the space of seven years

Nowhere in the Book of Mormon does it explicitly say that the Nephites had a regular practice of storing up food for times of emergencies. Famines occurred amongst them, but their land was productive and the famines were relatively rare (Alma 53:7, 62:35,39, Hel 11:4). Therefore, their ability to gather together provisions on which they could survive for seven years is rather amazing. They must have learned the value of food storage and developed a sophisticated system large enough to supply their needs and starve out the Gadianton robbers. If the Nephites could subsist on their food supply for seven years, you would think that we could gather enough food storage to last us one year.

“Bishop Vaughn J. Featherstone, second counselor in the Presiding Bishopric, spoke on food storage, and the concern the General Authorities have concerning those Church members who won't heed the counsel of the leaders on this subject.

“Bishop Featherstone first chided members for not following counsel to have a year's reserve of food to sustain life. He told the leaders attending the meeting to ‘not only keep teaching the principle but let's also teach our people how.’

“He suggested a few things everyone can do. First, he said, take an inventory—a physical count of all reserves.

“’This would be a great family home evening project if you're prepared, if not, it may be terribly embarrassing to you in front of your family. Imagine how the powerful testimony you bear concerning a living prophet must sound to your children who know that as a family head, you have been counseled by the Brethren for 38 years to have a year's supply reserve of food on hand. We need to know where we are.

“’Second, decide what is needed to bring your present reserve levels to a year's supply Then make a list and prepare a plan. Consider first the basics. What are the basics—wheat or grain from your locale, sugar or honey, dried milk, salt and water. Most of us can afford such basics. Buy them from your monthly food budget allowance. The Church discourages going into debt to buy for storage.

“‘Now that you know where you are and where you need to be, the third step is to work out a time schedule when you will reach your goal. I suggest one year from today we ought to have a year's supply of food in every active and many inactive member's homes in the Church,’ said Bishop [Featherstone].” (Church News, 04/03/76)

Ezra Taft Benson
“For years we have been counseled to have on hand a year's supply of food. Yet there are some today who will not start storing until the Church comes out with a detailed monthly home storage program. Now, suppose that never happens. We still cannot say we have not been warned.

“Should the Lord decide at this time to cleanse the Church-and the need for that cleansing seems to be increasing-a famine in this land of one year's duration could wipe out a large percentage of slothful members, including some ward and stake officers. Yet we cannot say we have not been warned.

“You do not need to go into debt to obtain a year's supply. Plan to build up your food supply just as you would a savings account. Save a little for storage each paycheck…I speak with a feeling of great urgency…The revelation to produce and store food may be as essential to our temporal welfare today as boarding the ark was to the people in the days of Noah.” (Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson, p. 265-6 as taken from Latter-day Commentary on the Book of Mormon compiled by K. Douglas Bassett, p. 398-9)

[pam]

3 Ne 5:1 there was not a living soul…who did doubt in the least

Conversion by crisis is the theme among the Nephites. Only when disaster strikes are they willing to repent and call upon the Lord, but it is always a last ditch effort to avoid extinction. This procrastinated repentance saved society in every situation but one—the one time they failed to repent was the last time they had the chance (Mormon 6:22).

Neal A. Maxwell
“…changing circumstances can like wise affect nearly a whole people's faith…Listen to this verse: ‘There was not a living soul among all the people of the Nephites who did doubt in the least the words of all the holy prophets who had spoken; for they knew that it must needs be that they must be fulfilled.’ (3 Nephi 5:1.)

“Now, listen to this: ‘There began to be great doubtings and disputations among the people, notwithstanding so many signs had been given.’ (3 Nephi 8:4.)

“As I check the years of these two verses, I note that this decline happened in the space of a mere ten years or less! Circumstances changed from one in which ‘not a living soul’ doubted the prophecies to a time in which there were ‘great doubtings.’ It isn't very confidence inspiring, is it?” (We Talk Of Christ, We Rejoice In Christ, p. 64)

[pam]

3 Ne 6:12 the people began to be distinguished by ranks

We live in a day in which the opportunity to attain riches and the chances for learning are unparalleled. Such a condition places us at risk to do what the Nephites did in seeking to be distinguished by ranks. Yet there is a simple custom in the Church which is designed to thwart this tendency. When we refer to each other as “brothers and sisters” in the Church, we are avoiding the tendency to distinguish based on position or education. Thus the doctor, lawyer, professor, c. e. o., and executive vice-president are all “brothers and sisters.” This is the way it should be. If not, the resulting inequality might be enough to break up the Church as it did among the Nephites (v. 14).

Joseph Smith had been careful to avoid emphasis on rank among the members of the Church. Although he was the greatest prophet of this dispensation and arguably the greatest prophet ever, excepting Jesus Christ, he was known simply as “Brother Joseph.”

“Some of us may mock our brother because he has a ‘lesser’ occupational, civic, or ecclesiastical standing. King Benjamin got to the core of the matter when he observed: ‘And I, even I, whom ye call your king, am no better than ye yourselves are; for I am also of the dust.’ (Mosiah 2:26.)

“If King Benjamin were clear with respect to the occupational and civic areas, Joseph Smith was crystal clear about ecclesiastical condescension: ‘If a high priest comes along, and goes to snub either of them in their presidency, because they are Seventies, let them knock the man’s teeth down his throat—I mean spiritually.’ (History of the Church 5:368.)

“He even applied the same standard to himself:

‘Many persons think a prophet must be a great deal better than anybody else. Suppose I would condescend—yes, I will call it condescend, to be a great deal better than any of you, I would be raised up to the highest heaven; and who should I have to accompany me? …

‘I do not want you to think that I am very righteous, for I am not. God judges men according to the use they make of the light which He gives them.’ (History of the Church 5:401.)

“…Men are not chosen for privilege but for their capacity to bless others. The Spirit moved President John Taylor to write:

“Our Heavenly Father is desirous to promote the happiness and welfare of the whole of the human family; and if we, any of us, hold any Priesthood, it is simply for that same purpose, and not for our personal aggrandizement, or for our own honor, or pomp, or position; but we hold it in the interest of God and for the salvation of the people, that through it we may promote their happiness, blessing and prosperity, temporal and spiritual, both here and in the world to come.” (Journal of Discourses 22:230.)” (Gary L. Bunker, “Mocking Our Brother,” Ensign, Apr. 1975, 36)

Boyd K. Packer
“The Lord does not, and the Church cannot, admit to favoritism toward those who are able to obtain professional degrees as compared to those who seek training in a practical field or those who have little or no schooling at all.” (Ensign, Nov. 1992, p. 72 as taken from Latter-day Commentary on the Book of Mormon compiled by K. Douglas Bassett, p. 400-1)