During the last moments with His disciples before the agony of the Atonement, Jesus Christ instructed and comforted them. John records many of these teachings.
“Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John 14:27). They were about to see their beloved Teacher and Friend betrayed and murdered by a mob misled by conspiring political and religious leaders. They needed this kind of consolation in the dark hours ahead.
“These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). How is that consoling? It sounds as though Jesus is saying, “You are stuck in the mud, but that’s alright, because I’m not.”
Why should we “be of good cheer” because HE has succeeded in overcoming the world, especially when we still struggle?
Merits
Merit refers to what we have earned or deserve because of our choices. Nephi speaks of “relying wholly (completely, exclusively, absolutely) upon the merits of him who is mighty to save” (1Ne. 31:19). Why must we rely so totally upon what Jesus has earned?
“And since man had fallen he could not merit anything of himself; but the sufferings and death of Christ atone for their sins…” (Alma 22:14). The moment we commit any sin at all, we lose the option of meriting salvation through works alone. One who falls into a deep pit with no handholds cannot fetch a rope and pull himself out; it requires help from someone else. When Jesus says “be of good cheer; I have overcome the world,” He is not bragging; He is saying that we should not worry since He is not trapped in the pit, and is therefore able to help us.
Because of sin, we merit spiritual death, but all this was foreseen and planned against. We need a Savior (Rescuer) to get us out of the mess we created, and so we should not spend an inordinate amount of time moping about being “fallen,” “lost,” “nothing,” “unworthy creatures” or any other unflattering terms the scriptures apply. As long as we trust the Lord, and act on that trust, we will be alright.
(True repentance includes more than sorrow for sin; it should generate joy. If we continue feeling bad for our sins after we have repented, have we really repented?)
No one is exempt: “…no flesh…can dwell in the presence of God, save it be through the merits, and mercy, and grace of the Messiah, who layeth down his life according to the flesh, and taketh it again by the power of the Spirit, that he may bring to pass the resurrection of the dead, being the first that should rise” (2Ne. 2:8). How sad if we assume that we must save ourselves. True repentance includes the recognition that we cannot fix everything ourselves. Our sins cause damage that only the Savior can repair.
A Lamanite king rejoices at the discovery of God’s mercy:
“And I also thank my God, yea, my great God, that he hath granted unto us that we might repent of these things, and also that he hath forgiven us of those our many sins…which we have committed, and taken away the guilt from our hearts, through the merits of his Son” (Alma 24:10).
Does our behavior still matter if Jesus saves us from our sins? Yes. Our attempts at obedience (successful or otherwise, as long as they are genuine and sincere) demonstrate that we believe in Christ and love Him. Our faith, love, and willing obedience bind us to Christ. The more thoroughly attached we are to Him, the more power we receive to obey.
“And if ye believe on his name ye will repent of all your sins, that thereby ye may have a remission of them through his merits” (Hel. 14:13). He does not just save us in the next life; He participates in our salvation from beginning to end.
“And after they had been received unto baptism, and were wrought upon and cleansed by the power of the Holy Ghost, they were numbered among the people of the church of Christ; and their names were taken, that they might be remembered and nourished by the good word of God, to keep them in the right way, to keep them continually watchful unto prayer, relying alone upon the merits of Christ, who was the author and finisher of their faith” (Moroni 6:4).
Obedience makes it easier for Jesus to perform His work in us. Following His instructions makes us receptive to His sanctification. (Think of a mother trying to put clothing on her child. When the child follows instructions (“hold still, raise your arms”) it is easier to clothe him.)
Change of Heart
I have heard some people misconstrue the phrase, “mighty change of heart,” in various Church settings.
The enthusiasm and renewed determination we feel after listening to a powerful talk are good things, but they are not what the scriptures are referring to when they say “mighty change of heart.” We can humble ourselves, but this is a precursor to the mighty change, not the change itself.
What is it, then? King Benjamin’s people experienced it together:
“And they all cried with one voice, saying: Yea, we believe all the words which thou hast spoken unto us; and also, we know of their surety and truth, because of the Spirit of the Lord Omnipotent, which has wrought (worked) a mighty change in us, or in our hearts, that we have no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually” (Mosiah 5:2).
This is not a change of emotion, or mindset; the Spirit of the Lord changed them. This is far greater than renewed determination; their natures have been changed by God, that they “have no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually.” This is describing spiritual rebirth.
“…behold, I am born of the Spirit.
“And the Lord said unto me: Marvel not that all mankind, yea, men and women, all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people, must be born again; yea, born of God, changed from their carnal and fallen state, to a state of righteousness, being redeemed of God, becoming his sons and daughters;
“And thus they become new creatures; and unless they do this, they can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God.
“I say unto you, unless this be the case, they must be cast off; and this I know, because I was like to be cast off.
“Nevertheless, after wading through much tribulation, repenting nigh unto death, the Lord in mercy hath seen fit to snatch me out of an everlasting burning, and I am born of God” (Mosiah 27:24-28).
This mighty change is something God does to us, or performs in us; our efforts position us to better-receive it, but do not cause it.
Works
“Pray like everything depends on God, and work like everything depends on you.”
This phrase contradicts itself. Things do depend on God, and we are living a lie if we believe or act like everything depends on us. The Savior does for us that which we cannot do for ourselves.
“And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him.
“And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep.
“And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish.
“And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm” (Matthew 8:23-26).
They were doing as the misguided aphorism suggests—acting like everything depended on them. Would they have been able to bail water fast enough if everything HAD depended on them? We Latter-day Saints often say that “faith is a verb,” implying action on our part. This is true; perhaps it is good to remember that faith is also an internal state.
If we are frantic, fearful, grouchy, despondent, etc., do we have any faith? Jesus did not ask, “Why are you not bailing water faster?” He was also not bothered by the storm. He was concerned that their frantic behavior and demeanor displayed a lack of trust in God.
It is easy to forget in the midst of our own tempest-tossed lives that the Lord is often the One sending the winds and waves our way, and what comes from other sources is under His control as well. We are here in mortality to be tried, as well as to have joy, peace, love, and all those pleasant things we prize. It is much harder to see the value of difficulty. “…know thou…that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good” (D&C 122:7).
Yes, we are to “cheerfully do all things that lie in our power,” but at some point, we must release our death-grip on mortal resources and “stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of God, and for his arm to be revealed” (D&C 123:17).
“Be not afraid” is consolation and a commandment. Elder Richard G. Scott once lamented that the frequency with which we disregard this instruction must pain our Father in heaven. We want deliverance; God wants us to demonstrate our trust Him.
Alma’s people were captured by the Lamanites and turned into slaves (after they had repented, left a wicked community, created a Church, and begun living righteously).
The preface to the account of their captivity is, “Nevertheless the Lord seeth fit to chasten his people; yea, he trieth their patience and their faith” (Mosiah 23:21).
Slavery is undesirable, and so they prayed for deliverance. Guards curtailed even this religious freedom, “that whosoever should be found calling upon God should be put to death” (Mosiah 24:11). The people pray in secret, and “pour out their hearts to him; and he did know the thoughts of their hearts” (Mosiah 24:12).
“And it came to pass that the voice of the Lord came to them in their afflictions, saying, Lift up your heads and be of good comfort (that same commandment again!), for I know of the covenant which ye have made unto me; and I will covenant with my people and deliver them out of bondage” (Mosiah 24:13).
“And I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even ye cannot feel them upon your backs, even while you are in bondage; and this will I do that ye may stand as witnesses for me hereafter, and this will I do that ye may know of a surety that I, the Lord God, do visit my people in their afflictions” (Mosiah 24:14).
He is looking further down the road, leaving them in captivity for a time to create a group of saints who can bear witness to His power to lighten burdens and deliver captives.
When does He deliver them from bondage?
“And now it came to pass that the burdens which were laid upon Alma and his brethren were made light; yea, the Lord did strengthen them that they could bear up their burdens with ease, and they did submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord.
“And it came to pass that so great was their faith and their patience that the voice of the Lord came unto them again, saying: Be of good comfort, for on the morrow I will deliver you out of bondage” (Mosiah 24:15-16). As their silent, internal qualities of faith and patience increased, the Lord saw fit to take them out of the oven—they were done. They had obeyed the commandment, “be not afraid.”
That is usually the Lord’s way—we want relief from problems before we stop griping, but He wants us to stop complaining before He delivers us. If we can “be of good cheer” with His help, even at the bottom of a pit, then there is no reason to leave us down there—we have learned what we need from the experience, and can move on to bigger things.
I have learned for myself that God and Christ visit their people in their afflictions. Tender mercies, promptings of the Spirit, sweet
consolation, DO come to those who are faithful, even when the Lord
decides to allow us to remain in our problems and grief a little longer.
Everyone experiences hard times—it is far better to enter those painful episodes holding onto the Lord’s hand. He can make us strong enough to
bear those burdens, and the strength stays with us after they are gone.
