Gifts (Discerning between good and bad)

There are so many "gifts" in our lives, how do we determine which ones are from God and which ones are not?

Another way to ask this is, how do we judge between what is good and bad? In this confusing time where many say "Lo, here ! or Lo there!" knowing how to recognize and "prize the good" becomes essential.

The Savior taught us in the New Testament to "Judge not" but in context of the overwhelming scriptural accounts of the necessity to distinguish between good and evil ever since Eve's wise choice in Eden and the need to choose wisely, we must judge... The Book of Mormon helps clarify when the Savior visited the Nephites in the Book of Mormon, by giving the injunction to judge "righteously".

How are we to use this judgement? Do we use it to condemn? Do we use it to criticize others with no hope in our hearts for their improvement or progression? Or do we use it to learn to distinguish what should be prized and what should not?

Moses 6:55-56

".....sin conceiveth in their hearts, and they taste the bitter that they may know to prize the good. And it is given unto them to know good from evil; wherefore they are agents unto themselves..."

Moroni teaches us how to judge. Moroni 7:3 (I summarize below, but I've included the whole scrip at the end since who can say it better than Moroni, the depth, the order, the wisdom of what Moroni teaches and how he teaches is incredible; if someone takes the time to unpack it. I cannot do this chapter justice and there is no way anyone but Moroni wrote that.)

- We should judge based on a persons peaceable walk with other people

- Does not stir up contention or strife

- Eventually people's true colors will come out

- What comes out of the heart is good, if the heart is good and vice vs. there is no faking the heart.

- Good comes from God, Evil comes from the Devil

- The Devil, stirs up contention, he is the opposite of peaceable, and he invites others to create contention, resentment and bitterness in their lives and the lives of others. He creates walls and barriers in our hearts.

- God invites others to do that which is good. To Love others and to Love God, to be a peacemaker, to seek after truth, to develop healing and faith in their lives and in the lives of others. To have soft, teachable hearts towards Him.

Moroni goes on to talk about in practical fashion- how to lay hold on every good thing? Once someone can see the good from the bad, what gives us the power to hold on to these good things?

- Faith to hold on to these things

- Teaches us that God who "knows all things" sent angels to teach His children about Christ

- In Christ we have power to lay hold on all good things

- He declared from His own mouth to prophets about Christ

- By the ministering of Angels and every word that came from the mouth of God, people began to exercise faith.

- By the power of this faith they became true Sons and Daughters of God, and had power to obtain every good thing.

As a quick note Moroni teaches (Faith, Revelation, Christ, Revelation, Faith - In that order) I don't think that is by accident :) Christ is the center! The Book of Mormon is a gift from God in so many ways.

As we judge between friends and social media influencers, we ask does this person truly feel love for us, and want us to feel love for those around us? Do they desire us to come closer to Christ?

Do they help us develop trust in God, and hope in His word? Or do they plant seeds of a different kind in our hearts?

Do they help empower us by helping us lay hold on every good thing? Moroni taught how we can have power, do they lead towards or away from the sources of power Moroni talked about. 

Do they help us recognize the voice of angels, tune our hearts to the words of the scriptures and prophets, and learn to become more like Christ?

Do they help us view life in a way that brings peace and gratitude, and hope and humility into our lives?

The scriptures with their ageless wisdom, teach us about matters of the spirit. In todays age there is a sickness, not always mental, or emotional, or physical, but spiritual. The scriptures and the principles contained in them are as ancient and relevant today as ever, as we strive for spiritual healing and growth.

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Moroni says it so well I will quote from him and leave my thoughts in-line. My thoughts are in parentheses.

Moroni 7:3

3 Wherefore, I would speak unto you that are of the ^achurch, that are the ^bpeaceable followers of Christ, and that have obtained a sufficient ^chope by which ye can enter into the ^drest of the Lord, from this time henceforth until ye shall rest with him in heaven. (It's interesting he refers to it as having obtained or worked for a sufficient hope to enter into the Lords rest.)

4 And now my brethren, I judge these things of you because of your peaceable ^awalk with the children of men. (He is able to judge this thing because of a persons peaceable walk with others, they do not stir up contention or strife )

5 For I remember the word of God which saith by their ^aworks ye shall know them; for if their works be good, then they are good also.

6 For behold, God hath said a man being ^aevil cannot do that which is good; for if he ^boffereth a gift, or ^cprayeth unto God, except he shall do it with real ^dintent it profiteth him nothing. 

7 For behold, it is not counted unto him for righteousness. (The Lord looks on the heart)

8 For behold, if a man being ^aevil giveth a gift, he doeth it ^bgrudgingly; wherefore it is counted unto him the same as if he had retained the gift; wherefore he is counted evil before God.

9 And likewise also is it counted evil unto a man, if he shall pray and not with ^areal intent of heart; yea, and it profiteth him nothing, for God receiveth none such.

10 Wherefore, a man being evil cannot do that which is good; neither will he give a good gift. (He is speaking of matters of the heart, its possible to fake something for awhile but not forever, since the true feelings of the heart will come out)

11 For behold, a bitter ^afountain cannot bring forth good water; neither can a good fountain bring forth bitter water; wherefore, a man being a servant of the devil cannot follow Christ; and if he ^bfollow Christ he cannot be a ^cservant of the devil. 

12 Wherefore, all things which are ^agood cometh of God; and that which is ^bevil cometh of the devil; for the devil is an enemy unto God, and fighteth against him continually, and inviteth and enticeth to ^csin, and to do that which is evil continually. (Lots to unpack here, good comes from God, evil comes from the devil. The devil fights against God, he stirs up contention and anger, he is the opposite of "peacable", he invites others to sin, to join him in this contention. He does this all the time and is consistent in his approach)

13 But behold, that which is of God inviteth and enticeth to do ^agood continually; wherefore, every thing which inviteth and ^benticeth to do ^cgood, and to love God, and to serve him, is ^dinspired of God. (The things of God are continually peacable, they are not full of anger, resentment or bitterness, they inspire people to Love god)

14 Wherefore, take heed, my beloved brethren, that ye do not judge that which is ^aevil to be of God, or that which is good and of God to be of the devil.

15 For behold, my brethren, it is given unto you to ^ajudge, that ye may know good from evil; and the way to judge is as plain, that ye may know with a perfect knowledge, as the daylight is from the dark night.

16 For behold, the ^aSpirit of Christ is given to every ^bman, that he may ^cknow good from evil; wherefore, I show unto you the way to judge; for every thing which inviteth to do good, and to persuade to believe in Christ, is sent forth by the power and gift of Christ; wherefore ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of God.

17 But whatsoever thing persuadeth men to do ^aevil, and believe not in Christ, and deny him, and serve not God, then ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of the devil; for after this manner doth the devil work, for he persuadeth no man to do good, no, not one; neither do his angels; neither do they who subject themselves unto him.

18 And now, my brethren, seeing that ye know the ^alight by which ye may judge, which light is the light of Christ, see that ye do not judge wrongfully; for with that same ^bjudgment which ye judge ye shall also be judged.

19 Wherefore, I beseech of you, brethren, that ye should search diligently in the ^alight of Christ that ye may know good from evil; and if ye will lay hold upon every good thing, and condemn it not, ye certainly will be a ^bchild of Christ.

20 And now, my brethren, how is it possible that ye can lay hold upon every good thing?

21 And now I come to that faith, of which I said I would speak; and I will tell you the way whereby ye may lay hold on every good thing.

22 For behold, God ^aknowing all things, being from ^beverlasting to everlasting, behold, he sent ^cangels to minister unto the children of men, to make manifest concerning the coming of Christ; and in Christ there should come every good thing.

23 And God also declared unto prophets, by his own mouth, that Christ should come.

24 And behold, there were divers ways that he did manifest things unto the children of men, which were good; and all things which are good cometh of Christ; otherwise men were ^afallen, and there could no good thing come unto them.

25 Wherefore, by the ministering of ^aangels, and by every word which proceeded forth out of the mouth of God, men began to exercise faith in Christ; and thus by faith, they did lay hold upon every good thing; and thus it was until the coming of Christ.

26 And after that he came men also were ^asaved by faith in his name; and by faith, they become the ^bsons of God. And as surely as Christ liveth he spake these words unto our fathers, saying: ^cWhatsoever thing ye shall ask the Father in my name, which is good, in faith believing that ye shall receive, behold, it shall be done unto you.

27 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, have ^amiracles ceased because Christ hath ascended into heaven, and hath sat down on the right hand of God, to ^bclaim of the Father his rights of mercy which he hath upon the children of men?

28 For he hath answered the ends of the law, and he claimeth all those who have faith in him; and they who have faith in him will ^acleave unto every good thing; wherefore he ^badvocateth the cause of the children of men; and he dwelleth eternally in the heavens.