Avoiding Sin

Let's see what Helaman taught to his sons, Nephi and Lehi, in the Book of Mormon. Specifically, I'll study this from the passage Helaman 5:5-13 to see how Helaman taught his sons to avoid sin.

First we must have a firm testimony of Jesus Christ as our Savior and Redeemer. Helaman lived before the Savior came. He taught his sons: "remember that there is no other way nor means whereby man can be saved, only through the atoning blood of Jesus Christ, who shall come; yea, remember that he cometh to redeem the world" (Helaman 5:9).

Then comes the powerful teaching that we should apply into our lives to avoid sin:

"12 And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall." (Helaman 5:12)

We must build our testimonies on the rock of Jesus Christ because the storms of temptations and sin will without doubt attack us. The promise is that if we build our foundation on Christ, we cannot fall. This is the message that Heleman sought to instil within his sons. I believe it is a recipe for success in life and freedom from sin.

How Can I Avoid the Evils that Threaten my Family?

I am going to study the words of Alma to his son Corianton in Alma 39 to see what answers to this question I can find.

Alma gives this counsel to his son, but it applies to everyone in regards to how we need to develop self-mastery or self-control:

"9 Now my son, I would that ye should repent and forsake your sins, and go no more after the lusts of your eyes, but cross yourself in all these things; for except ye do this ye can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God. Oh, remember, and take it upon you, and cross yourself in these things." (Alma 39:9)

When he says cross yourself it's like we say "check yourself" today. Exercise self-mastery, self-discipline, and self-control. Teach your family to do the same, just as Alma is teaching his son. Alma tells Corianton to hang out with his brothers and follow their examples since they're living righteously. I think it's always easier to avoid evils when you put yourself with a good crowd that is striving for the same thing.

Alma tells him to "turn to the Lord" and to "acknowledge [his] faults" in verse 13. And some great advice for us to remember: "Seek not after riches nor the vain things of this world; for behold, you cannot carry them with you" (Alma 39:14).

Strengthening Your Marriage Through the Teachings of Jesus Christ

As I've been trying to show with some of the most recent posts, the Book of Mormon answers the questions of the soul. To learn about strengthening relationships - even with our spouse, we can turn to the Book of Mormon. Let's see what the Savior taught in 3 Nephi 14:

"3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
4 Or how wilt thou say to thy brother: Let me pull the mote out of thine eye—and behold, a beam is in thine own eye?
5 Thou hypocrite, first cast the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast the mote out of thy brother’s eye." (3 Nephi 14:3-5)

Marriages go sour when husband and/or wife are selfish and prideful. What the Savior describes above often results from both selfishness and pride. It's easy super easy to see the faults in others, especially those we know best, and who do we know better than our spouse? We can get caught up in a little flaw our spouse may have without realizing that it's small compared to our own flaws (which are many). So here is one way to interpret this: "Once you're perfect, then go ahead and try to fix your spouse's problems." This will definitely help any marriage.

Here's a tip I'm sure you've never heard, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you!" Or as the Savior taught: "Therefore, all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them, for this is the law and the prophets" (3 Nephi 14:12). If you want your spouse to respect you, then you better show respect first. I'm sure you get the idea.

Lastly, I believe this applies well to the counsel here about strengthening your marriage:

"24 Therefore, whoso heareth these sayings of mine and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, who built his house upon a rock—
25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not, for it was founded upon a rock.
26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine and doeth them not shall be likened unto a foolish man, who built his house upon the bsand—
27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell, and great was the fall of it." (3 Nephi 14:24-27)

If your marriage isn't built upon the rock, then how do you expect to withstand the tempests that are sure to come? For more about strengthening family relationships, visit http://mormon.org/family/.

Balancing Family and Career

This is an interesting dilemma faced by millions of the world's working men and women. Jesus Christ gave some great instruction that can be prayerfully applied to this dilemma. It's found in the New Testament and also in the Book of Mormon. In fact, it is one of the first things the Savior taught to the Nephites when he visited them after his resurrection. I'm referring to his teachings in 3 Nephi 13.

Jesus taught:

"19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and thieves break through and steal;
20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal.
21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." 3 Nephi 13:19-21

What do you treasure? For what treasure do you pursue your career? Is it something that can be corrupted or stolen? Or is your treasure of an eternal nature? Remember that status, riches, fame, and everything the world offers is just temporary while our families can be together eternally (see http://mormon.org/family). Wherever you place your treasure, or whatever you value most, that's where your heart will be. From personal experience, the greatest happiness and peace comes from putting God and family first.

"24 No man can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will hold to the one and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and Mammon." 3 Nephi 13:24

Who is your master? Who do you chose to serve? I have a feeling this question can be answered by how you spend your time and resources. Serving God and making him your master will place your family at the forefront of your life. Other master's are not so generous.

Jesus talks about the lilies and the birds and how they are provided for without worrying. His point is not that we shouldn't need to work, but rather that we should do the best we can, and he will provide for us (3 Nephi 13:25-32). Too many people fear that they will suffer financial hardships if they do not have their career as top priority. The opposite is true- when you put God and family first, your career improves (as does every other aspect of your life).

Remember: "But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you" (3 Nephi 13:34). As I said before, put God and family first and the rest will fall into place. That's a promise from God.

Finding Peace and Joy

What does the Book of Mormon teach us about how we can find peace and joy in our lives? I'm going to study some of the words of the prophet and king, Benjamin in Mosiah 2 and Mosiah 4.

King Benjamin taught his people "to keep the commandments of God, that they might rejoice and be filled with love towards God and all men" (Mosiah 2:4). This shows the connection between obedience to God's commandments and joy (rejoicing). Remember the greatest commandments, according to Jesus Christ, are to love God and to love our fellow-man. This creates an interesting cycle: we must love God and all men to keep the commandments, and keeping the commandments will fill us "with love towards God and all men." We here a lot about sin and pride cycles, so it's refreshing to see a righteousness and love cycle where the more obedient we are the more we'll love God and others, and the more our love increases, the more obedient we will become. That's a joyful cycle that will lead us to become more like our perfect exemplar, the Savior.

King Benjamin tells his people, "as ye have come to the knowledge of the glory of God, or if ye have known of his goodness and have tasted of his love, and have received a remission of your sins, which causeth such exceedingly great joy in your souls" (Mosiah 4:11). So what caused the "exceedingly great joy" in their souls? Coming to know God, knowing His goodness, tasting of his love, receiving forgiveness (repenting) of our sins. That is an inspired recipe for "exceedingly great joy."

He then gives his people another formula for joy and peace in Mosiah 4:11-13. To summarize:
If

• We remember the greatness and goodness of God and his patience towards us
• We humble ourselves into the "depths of humility"
• Pray daily to God
• Stand steadfastly in the faith of that which is to come

Then

• We shall always rejoice,
• Be filled with the love of God
• Be forgiven of our sins
• Grow in the knowledge of the glory of God and that which is just and true
• We will not injure one another
• We will live peaceably
• We shall treat everyone fairly

In connection with this if/then promise, King Benjamin tells parents to provide for their children, teach them to keep the commandments, not quarrel, and not worship/follow Satan. Parents should "teach them to walk in the ways of truth and soberness; ye will teach them to love one another, and to serve one another" (Mosiah 4:14-15).

This verse is one of my favorite scriptures and powerful wisdom shared by Benjamin:

"And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness. O remember, remember that these things are true; for the Lord God hath spoken it." (Mosiah 2:41)  

Those who obey God's commandments are blessed and happy; in fact, they are "blessed in all things." If they endure to the end faithfully, then they receive a state of never-ending happiness. Who in this world does not desire happiness in this life and in the life to come? The way to achieve it is obedience to the laws and ordinances of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Find out more about God's plan of happiness here: http://mormon.org/plan-of-happiness/.