When is war justified

The just war theory dates back to Cicero and has been reiterated by the Catholic Church. Since the reason for going to war needs to be just, wars cannot be fought solely for recapturing things or punishing people. Innocent life must be in imminent danger and intervention must be to protect life. In 1993 the US Catholic Conference said: "Force may be used only to correct a grave, public evil, i.e., aggression or massive violation of the basic human rights of whole populations." (Source: Wikipedia)

This is similar to the Nephite justification for going to war described in Alma 43.  Their reason for going to war was solely defense.  In this case they were also defending the people of Ammon who, for religious reasons, would not take up arms. In addition to defense, they would also go to war to free themselves or others from bondage (a massive violation of human rights of whole populations).


45 Nevertheless, the Nephites were inspired by a better cause, for they were not fighting for monarchy nor power but they were fighting for their homes and their liberties, their wives and their children, and their all, yea, for their rites of worship and their church.

46 And they were doing that which they felt was the duty which they owed to their God; for the Lord had said unto them, and also unto their fathers, that: Inasmuch as ye are not guilty of the first offense, neither the second, ye shall not suffer yourselves to be slain by the hands of your enemies.

47 And again, the Lord has said that: Ye shall defend your families even unto bloodshed. Therefore for this cause were the Nephites contending with the Lamanites, to defend themselves, and their families, and their lands, their country, and their rights, and their religion.

Picture: Last Battle, http://plainbookofmormon.com/Alma.htm

He is justice; she is mercy

Alma 42 teaches about the relationship between justice and mercy.  If there were no laws and consequences for breaking laws, there would be no justice. Without justice God would cease to be God (verse 13). However, without mercy, we would all be in a fallen state.  Mercy comes through the grace of Jesus Christ who has atoned for our sins if we will repent and follow him.

21 And if there was no law given, if men sinned what could justice do, or mercy either, for they would have no claim upon the creature?

22 But there is a law given, and a punishment affixed, and a repentance granted; which repentance, mercy claimeth; otherwise, justice claimeth the creature and executeth the law, and the law inflicteth the punishment; if not so, the works of justice would be destroyed, and God would cease to be God.

23 But God ceaseth not to be God, and mercy claimeth the penitent, and mercy cometh because of the atonement; and the atonement bringeth to pass the resurrection of the dead; and the resurrection of the dead bringeth back men into the presence of God; and thus they are restored into his presence, to be judged according to their works, according to the law and justice.

24 For behold, justice exerciseth all his demands, and also mercy claimeth all which is her own; and thus, none but the truly penitent are saved.

The American cultural icon shows justice as blind (and so equitable).  However, we soon learn that man's justice is not fair. We are treated differently depending on social class, race, and it seems religion. Justice is also seen as female.

Alma makes justice male and mercy female (in verse 24). God is fair in meting out justice, but loving because he is merciful.

All is as one day with God

In the Book of Mormon Alma teaches his son, Corianton, about the resurrection.  God knows when the resurrection will occur, he says. It is not important that we know.  In verse 8 Alma speaks about how God measures time.  "All is one day with God," he says. Only men measure time.

"Now whether there is more than one time appointed for men to rise it mattereth not; for all do not die at once, and this mattereth not; all is as one day with God, and time only is measured unto men" (Alma 40:8).

The book of Genesis in the Bible and Abraham and Moses in the Pearl of Great Price tell about the creation. "In six days the Lord made heaven and earth" (Ex. 31: 17 ; D&C 77: 12).

The Apostle Peter taught that one day for God is like a thousand years. "But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day" (2 Pet. 3: 8).

Whether it took six days or six thousand years or millions of years to create the earth, it doesn't matter for God doesn't measure time the same way we do.  "All is as one day with God."

God loves his children in all times

In teaching his son Corianton, Alma addressed some of his concerns about the coming of Jesus Christ. Alma told Corianton that he shouldn't be surprised that God would tell before hand that his Son would come to the earth. After all, Jesus would redeem all his children.

Verse 17 Behold, you marvel why these things should be known so long beforehand. Behold, I say unto you, is not a soul at this time as precious unto God as a soul will be at the time of his coming?
18 Is it not as necessary that the plan of redemption should be made known unto this people as well as unto their children?
19 Is it not as easy at this time for the Lord to send his angel to declare these glad tidings unto us as unto our children, or as after the time of his coming?

We face a similar situation today. People say that we do not need prophets to teach us about Jesus Christ. We have all we need in the Bible.  Yet, God loves his children today like in old times. We also are blessed because of the Savior's atonement. Jesus died for us like he died for people of olden times. So would God not be as concerned about his children today as in times past? Would he not reveal his secrets as he did in the past to his servants, the prophets? See Amos 3:7.

God has called living prophets, beginning with Joseph Smith.  Through Joseph Smith, God restored the gospel of Jesus Christ and the priesthood authority that allows us to take upon us the name of Christ, repent of our sins, and be redeemed by Christ as were people that lived in his day and that of the ancient apostles.

Don't turn back

Since working with Elder Boyd K. Packer on my mission 40 years ago, I
have had great admiration for the man. His teachings and example have
influenced my life for good. In his conference talk this month he
talked about the power of repentance and forgiveness. This is what I
found most profound in his talk.

He quoted Mosiah 26:30: "As often as my people repent will I forgive
them their trespasses against me."

Then he told the following story.

President Joseph Fielding Smith told me of a repentant woman
struggling to find her way out of a very immoral life. She asked him
what she should do now.

In turn, he asked her to read to him from the Old Testament the
account of Lot's wife, who was turned to a pillar of salt. Then he
asked her, "What lesson do you gain from those verses?"

She answered, "The Lord will destroy the wicked."

"Not so!" President Smith said that the lesson for this repentant
woman and for you is "Don't look back!"

"Strangely enough, ... the simplest and most powerful prevention and
cure for pornography, or any unclean act," President Packer said, "is
to ignore and avoid it. Delete from the mind any unworthy thought that
tries to take root. Once you have decided to remain clean, you are
asserting your God-given agency. And then, as President Smith
counseled, 'Don't look back.'"

Lehi taught that men are free and must be "free . . . to act for
themselves and not to be acted upon, save it be by the punishment of
the law at the great and last day" (2 Nephi 2:26).

"The old saying "The Lord is voting for me, and Lucifer is voting
against me, but it is my vote that counts" describes a doctrinal
certainty that our agency is more powerful than the adversary's will.
Agency is precious. We can foolishly, blindly give it away, but it
cannot be forcibly taken from us," President Packer said.

Read his complete talk at
http://lds.org/conference/talk/display/0,5232,23-1-1298-23,00.html.
Or listen at http://tinyurl.com/34569h5.

Picture of Boyd K. Packer and Russell M. Nelson from Mormon Times.

Why scriptures are important

Alma gave the records of the Nephite nation to his son, Helaman, with
the command that he add to the record of the people.

"Behold, it has been prophesied by our fathers, that they should be
kept and handed down from one generation to another, and be kept and
preserved by the hand of the Lord until they should go forth unto
every nation, kindred, tongue, and people, that they shall know of the
mysteries contained thereon" (Alma 37:4)

Alma said further that "by small and simple things are great things
brought to pass; and small means in many instances doth confound the
wise" (verse 6).

It is wisdom "in God that these things should be preserved; for
behold, they have enlarged the memory of this people, yea, and
convinced many of the error of their ways, and brought them to the
knowledge of their God unto the salvation of their souls" (verse 8).

Read more at http://scriptures.lds.org/en/alma/37

Alma born of God

Alma tells his son Helaman of his conversion and being born of God.

He heard a voice and saw an angel. The voice said to him: "If thou wilt of thyself be destroyed, seek no more to destroy the church of God." For three days and three nights he could not open his mouth nor use of his limbs. He suffered the pains of a damned soul, but before succumbing, he remembered what his father had taught him about the coming of Jesus Christ. He called upon the name of Jesus, and was then born of God. A sweet joy filled his soul.

16: And now, for three days and for three nights was I racked, even with the pains of a damned soul.
17 And it came to pass that as I was thus racked with torment, while I was harrowed up by the memory of my many sins, behold, I remembered also to have heard my father prophesy unto the people concerning the coming of one Jesus Christ, a Son of God, to atone for the sins of the world.
18 Now, as my mind caught hold upon this thought, I cried within my heart: O Jesus, thou Son of God, have mercy on me, who am in the gall of bitterness, and am encircled about by the everlasting chains of death.
19 And now, behold, when I thought this, I could remember my pains no more; yea, I was harrowed up by the memory of my sins no more.
20 And oh, what joy, and what marvelous light I did behold; yea, my soul was filled with joy as exceeding as was my pain!

Picture: "Alma arise" by Walter Rane

Prophets witness of Christ

The prophets of old testified of the coming of the Son of God.

Alma in witnessing of Christ's coming, told about three others: Moses,
Zenos and Zenock.

In the wilderness Moses raised the symbol of Christ which was a
serpent of brass. Those who looked at the symbol were healed and
those who didn't died (verses 19-20).

Zenos bore testimony of the atonement of the Savior in his own life
when he said, "Thou hast turned away thy judgments because of thy Son"
(verse 13).

And Zenock spoke of the mercies of God bestowed upon his children
because of Jesus Christ (verse 16).

Finally, Alma bore his own witness in verse 22: "If so, wo shall come
upon you; but if not so, then cast about your eyes and begin to
believe in the Son of God, that he will come to redeem his people, and
that he shall suffer and die to atone for their sins; and that he
shall rise again from the dead, which shall bring to pass the
resurrection, that all men shall stand before him, to be judged at the
last and judgment day, according to their works."

Source: Alma 33 in the Book of Mormon (http://scriptures.lds.org/en/alma/33)

About Baptism

Question

This Saturday I get to give a talk on Baptism at the baptism of a friend. Do you have any suggestions of something I could say for her?
Thanks, Heather


Answer

This is my favorite scripture about baptism. The story is good, but more importantly it explains the commitments we make at baptism and renew when we take the sacrament. It also describes the Lord's promises to us.


See Mosiah 18:8-10 (http://scriptures.lds.org/en/mosiah/18)

8 And it came to pass that he said unto them: Behold, here are the waters of Mormon (for thus were they called) and now, as ye are desirous to come into the fold of God, and to be called his people, and are willing to bear one another's burdens, that they may be light;
9 Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until death, that ye may be redeemed of God, and be numbered with those of the first resurrection, that ye may have eternal life—
10 Now I say unto you, if this be the desire of your hearts, what have you against being baptized in the name of the Lord, as a witness before him that ye have entered into a covenant with him, that ye will serve him and keep his commandments, that he may pour out his Spirit more abundantly upon you?


Baptism serves as a witness before Christ that
1. we desire to come into the fold of God (v. 8)
2. we want to be called his people (v. 8)
3. we are willing to bear each other's burdens (v. 8)
4. we are willing to mourn with those that mourn (v. 9)
5. we will comfort those who need comfort (v. 9)
6. we will stand as witnesses to God at all times in all things and places all our lives (v. 9)
7. we will serve him and (v. 10)
8. we will keep his commandments (v. 10)


In return God promises
1. that we will be redeemed (v. 9)
2. rise in the first resurrection (v. 9)
3. receive eternal life (v. 9)
4. and he will pour out his Spirit more abundantly upon us (v. 10)

Word stronger than sword

Alma and his companions went to preach among the wicked Zoramites,
because as he wrote the word had greater power in changing people than
anything else. This is a lesson we could learn from and apply today.
However, it is as important in our day as in Alma's that our words be
honest and sincere.

Alma 31:5 And now, as the preaching of the word had a great tendency
to lead the people to do that which was just—yea, it had had more
powerful effect upon the minds of the people than the sword, or
anything else, which had happened unto them—therefore Alma thought it
was expedient that they should try the virtue of the word of God.

See http://scriptures.lds.org/en/alma/31

Picture: Thomas Monson speaking at a General Conference of the Church
of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Evidence of God

In Alma 30 (http://scriptures.lds.org/en/alma/30) the prophet Alma
provides evidence of God.  He confronts Korihor who has been teaching
that God does not exist and that Christ will not come.  In verse 44
Alma says to Korihor:

Will ye say, Show unto me a sign, when ye have the testimony of all
these thy brethren, and also all the holy prophets? The scriptures are
laid before thee, yea, and all things denote there is a God; yea, even
the earth, and all things that are upon the face of it, yea, and its
motion, yea, and also all the planets which move in their regular form
do witness that there is a Supreme Creator.

In addition, if this is not enough, we can pray to God and ask for a
witness to our souls.  Here is what the prophet Moroni
(http://scriptures.lds.org/en/moro/10) counseled:
 4 And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye
would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these
things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with
real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it
unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.
 5 And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.

As I have read the scriptures and prayed about them, I have received a
confirmation from the Holy Ghost that they are true. In fact each time
I read the scriptures I get a feeling that confirms to my soul that
they are true witnesses of God's existence and of the divinity of
Jesus Christ.  I use the same process when I do scholarly studies. I
read as much as I can.  I ponder (or think) about what I'm studying.
I may draw a word map. Or write about what I'm reading.  Things fit
together. And then my mind confirms this is true. I believe that is
how the Holy Ghost inspires and bears witness.

Picture: Astronomy Picture of the Day, Pinwheel Galaxy