Wednesday, March 16, 2011

The Law

2 Nephi 2

v. 5 "And men are instructed sufficiently that they aknow good from evil."

All men know the difference between good and evil instinctively.  A child knows it's wrong to steal a candy bar or hit a sibling.  A business man knows it's wrong to lie to close the deal.  A housewife knows it's wrong to gossip about a neighbor.  Everyone is born with the light of Christ, or a conscience.

"...And the blaw is given unto men."  What is the law?  The knowledge of good from evil.

"... And by the law no flesh is cjustified; or, by the law men are dcut off."

We are cut off because we transgress the law, or rather we all sometimes choose evil over good.  We all sin.

"... Yea, by the temporal law they were cut off; and also, by the spiritual law they perish from that which is good, and become miserable forever."

Temporal refers to the physical.  We are physically cut off from God because in this life, we are not in His presence.  Death is the physical barrier that keeps us from God.  It is a barrier that we cannot overcome on our own.

We are also cut off from God by the spiritual law when we sin.  Sin is a spiritual barrier that keeps us from God.  It too is a barrier that we cannot overcome on our own.

 v. 6 "Wherefore, aredemption cometh in and through the bHoly cMessiah; for he is full of dgrace and truth.

Redemption from both the consequences of temporal and spiritual law comes through our Savior, Jesus Christ.  He overcame both death and sin.

grace–noun
1. elegance or beauty of form, manner, motion, or action.
2. a pleasing or attractive quality or endowment.
3. favor or good will.
4. a manifestation of favor, especially by a superior: It was only through the dean's grace that I wasn't expelled from school.
5. mercy; clemency; pardon: an act of grace.
6. favor shown in granting a delay or temporary immunity.
7. an allowance of time after a debt or bill has become payable granted to the debtor before suit can be brought against him or her or a penalty applied: The life insurance premium is due today, but we have 31 days' grace before the policy lapses. Compare grace period.
8.Theology .
a. the freely given, unmerited favor and love of god.
b. the influence or spirit of God operating in humans to regenerate or strengthen them.
c. a virtue or excellence of divine origin: the Christian graces.
d. Also called state of grace. the condition of being in God's favor or one of the elect.
9. moral strength: the grace to perform a duty.
 
v. 7 "Behold, he offereth himself a asacrifice for sin, to answer the ends of the law, unto all those who have a broken heart and a contrite spirit; and unto bnone else can the cends of the law be answered.

2 comments:

  1. Thank you for posting your insights. It's amazing, knowing these things, how many times I forget or doubt, as my children make mistakes, that they really know the same things instinctually that I do. It's just a matter of listening and following what we know is right. Sometimes listening is so hard and following is even harder.

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  2. Thank you, Julie. I think it's also helpful to remember how much more practice we've had making right choices than our children have. It's reassuring to know that as we guide them to make good decisions, it will eventually get easier for them. Or... they'll learn the hard way. :( Hm, being a mom is hard, isn't it?

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