Which suffering caused myself

He left no doubt in the mind of anyone that he was against sin. To minimize misunderstanding, I will give some illustrations of the kinds of things I mean when I refer to sin or transgression.

In its widest application, sin includes every irregularity of behavior, every source of uncleanliness. But many things that are sins under this widest definition are just grains of sand or specks of dirt that come out in the weekly wash and do not block our progress on the path toward eternal life. When I speak of sin in this message, I refer to serious transgressions, the boulder-size obstacles that block the path and cannot be removed without prolonged repentance.

During one week last month, a knowledgeable observer listed some of the crimes reported in a Utah newspaper and then struck off those where the accused was not a member of this Church. The remaining list provides some illustrations of the kinds of sins in which Latter-day Saints were involved.

Fraud Sale of illegal drugs Aggravated assault Aggravated kidnapping Sexual abuse by a woman upon a child Sexual abuse by a man upon a child A professional having sexual relations with a client. Church disciplinary records make us aware of other serious transgressions rarely reported in the press: adultery, fornication, polygamy, and apostasy. When the Savior appeared to the people of this continent, he spoke of the final judgment.

One of the principal purposes of this life is to test the children of God, to see whether we will keep his commandments see Abraham This is the essence of the gospel of Jesus Christ. What do these basic principles mean in the case of a lax Latter-day Saint who deliberately commits a serious transgression in the expectation that he or she will enjoy the effects or benefits of the sin now and then make a speedy and relatively painless repentance and soon be as good as new?

One of those conditions of repentance is faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, including faith in and reliance upon his atoning sacrifice. As Amulek taught:. He that exercises no faith unto repentance is exposed to the whole law of the demands of justice; therefore only unto him that has faith unto repentance is brought about the great and eternal plan of redemption. Another condition of repentance is suffering or punishment for the sin. Where there has been sin, there must be suffering.

In this setting, the Savior of the world commands us to repent and keep his commandments. For behold, I, God, have suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer if they would repent;.

Which suffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body and spirit—and would that I might not drink the bitter cup, and shrink—. Nevertheless, glory be to the Father, and I partook and finished my preparations unto the children of men.

Wherefore, I command you again to repent, lest I humble you with my almighty power; and that you confess your sins, lest you suffer these punishments of which I have spoken. I will illustrate the peculiarity of this attitude with two analogies. Picture a father who labors tirelessly to support a large family.

He denies himself many things in order to provide their urgent needs: food, clothing, housing, health care, and education. He works every waking hour, scrapes, saves, and prays that there will be enough to go around. The children see his tireless work and his sacrifices for them. Finally, a day comes when the family gathers for a celebration.

They go to a restaurant where the father, with carefully saved resources, plans to treat everyone to a nice meal. Mindful of their financial circumstances and the sacrifices the father has made to bring them to this place, most of the children are very considerate about what they order. Second example. The mother of a large family is burdened almost past the point of endurance.

Every waking hour is spent serving the needs of her large family: meals, mending, transporting, counseling, caring for those who are sick, comforting those who mourn, and administering to every other need a mother can understand.

She has committed herself to do everything within her power to serve the needs of her children. She is giving her life for them. The children know she will attempt to carry whatever load is placed upon her. Most of them are considerate and do all that they can to minimize her burden. But some, knowing of her willingness to serve, heedlessly pile more and more tasks on the weary mother.

She said she would. In these two analogies, I am obviously likening the heedless children to those who sin in the expectation that someone else will bear the burden of suffering. I can even see how some of the most painful events of my life have been ultimately some of the most redemptive. Thank you for being a God who works together in all things for good, including my good.

The memory of my suffering and homelessness is bitterness and poison. Paul contrasts life in the Spirit with life under the Jewish law. Every resource on our site was made possible through the financial support of people like you. If you like reading the Theology of Work Bible Commentary free online, you might enjoy it in print! By Mark D. Published by The High Calling, January 19, Used with Permission. You are free to share to copy, distribute and transmit the work , and remix to adapt the work , under the condition that you must give appropriate credit to The High Calling, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made.

You should not suggest in any way that The High Calling or Theology of Work endorses you or your use of the work. I pray in the name of Jesus, who suffered for me. Therefore, they must needs be chastened and tried, even as Abraham, who was commanded to offer up his only son.

This beautiful perspective on the purpose of suffering was augmented by further revelation to Joseph Smith five years later as he sat destitute in Liberty Jail.

O, my father, what are the men going to do with you? Both passages teach us that we are never alone. God is always with us—even in the midst of our greatest suffering. Art thou greater than he? We all must suffer in order to grow, progress, and have experience.

Yet if we repent, none of us will ever have to endure what the Lord suffered for us. What happens if we say no? There are varying opinions, thoughts, and theories surrounding the possibility of progression between kingdoms; however, scriptures from our standard works appear to state that there will be no progression between heavenly kingdoms Telestial, Terrestrial, and Celestial.

What then does this accomplish? The first aspect this would accomplish is honoring heavenly laws. There is an eternal law which is fixed, which acted upon the sons and daughters of God the moment Adam and Eve partook of the forbidden fruit. In correlation with this law, a law of justice, mercy was granted unto man if they would accept it. Mercy can only come in and through the atonement of Jesus Christ.