Pearl of Great Price - Moses 6:53-68 - January 20, 2022

 1/20/2022 - Moses 6:53-68

V 53 starts with Adam’s question: “Why is it that men must repent and be baptized in water.” That question led the Lord to then teach Adam about the importance of Christ’s atonement is to US! 

Neal A Maxwell stated: “We are not haunted with an overhanging sense of ‘original sin’ about which we can do nothing. (Moses 6:54; Moroni 8:15–16.) By revelation, we know that the Lord told Adam: ‘Behold I have forgiven thee thy transgression in the Garden of Eden.’ (Moses 6:53.) Thus, we are accountable for our ‘own sins, and not for Adam’s transgression’ (Article of Faith 2.)”

In v’s 55-56, that Lord tells us how our children can grow in knowing Him: “…when they begin to grow up, sin conceiveth in their hearts, and they taste the bitter, that they may know to prize the good. And it is given unto them to know good from evil; wherefore they are agents unto themselves, and I have given unto you another law and commandment Wherefore teach it unto your children, that all men, everywhere must repent, or they can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God….” One of the ways to true happiness and growth is to make repentance a daily thing. My daily bath is oh so warm and so refreshing...daily repentance does the same thing, but on a much higher and much more important level.   “Therefore I give unto you a commandment, to teach these things freely unto your children…” (v 58).  For by doing this, “ye might be sanctified from all sin, and enjoy the words of eternal life in this world [we find those are our scriptures], and eternal life in the world to come, even immortal glory.” (59)

He then shortens His words, making it easier, at least for me, to understand what He has just explained: “For by the water ye keep the commandment [for that is the starting point He has created for us—our first step in getting back to our heavenly home] by the Spirit ye are justified, and by the blood [His blood, and that has already been made available to us] ye are sanctified.” (v 60) That’s the combination to our gaining complete redemption. Baptism…that’s easy to mark off our to-do list. And now He has told us that His blood has already been made available to us—so what’s left for us to do: to be close and attentive to the Spirit! How do we do that? We do our best to keep the Lord’s commandments. The Lord simplified that for the Children of Israel…He gave them 10 of the most important things we must do. But by reading the scriptures—and combining that with sincere prayer—we will learn the subtle nuances of coming closer to Him. What do we think of first when we wake up---ourselves?  Our children? Our neighbors? Those people we come into contact with while we are  just be going about our daily living? The key is: all of the above! And in order to come closer to Heavenly Father, we must desire to have His spirit –if not with us, then very near to us…and we to Him. We do this by starting our day with a question like: What can I do today to help someone? How can I best reach out to them? Please help me to ask for, and then to recognize thy spirit? And then above all else: Please help me to act on those sudden thoughts—if not right then, then let me …right then…create a clear plan of how I will react. The best way I can do that is to always have a pen and paper, then right it down when it comes into my thoughts, then keep that paper and make sure I have acted on that before I go to bed that night.   Now, if only I could be consistent in doing this. That is my constant goal.

The Lord then goes on in v 61 to help us to see the gifts that are potentially ours: “Therefore it is given to abide in you; the record of heaven; the Comforter; the peaceable things of immortal glory; the truth of all things; that which quickeneth all things, which maketh alive all things; that which knoweth all things; and hath all power according to wisdom, mercy, truth, justice, and judgement.” 62. “And now, behold, I say unto you: This is the plan of salvation…”

In the Oct 1993 General Conference, Elder Russell M. Nelson explained that the plan of salvation “ is also called the plan of happiness, . . . the plan of redemption, the plan of restoration, the plan of mercy, the plan of deliverance, and the everlasting gospel. Prophets have used these terms interchangeably. “Regardless of designation, the enabling essence of the plan is the atonement of Jesus Christ” 

The has Lord worked to make it easier for us to be reminded of His plan and His commandments. In v 63 He explains that “all things are created and made to bear record of me, both things which are temporal, and things which are spiritual; things which are in the heavens above, and things which are on the earth, and things which are in the earth, and things which are under the earth, both above and beneath: all things bear record of me.” 

Enoch’s revelation came after he called upon the Lord. The work the Lord gives Enoch allows him to come nearer to perfection. WE CAN become one with God—one in purpose, one in intent, one in love. But it takes daily attention, and that will bring daily blessings!