Scripture Thought
1 Nephi 4:12-13
So we continue with this conflict Nephi seems to be having within. He is wrestling with what the Lord wants him to do. It seems that he is trying to justify it to make himself feel better.
However, the Spirit speaks directly and to the point, "Slay him, the Lord has delivered him into thy hands."
The Lord does a couple of things here. He does not justify what or why, he just says, Do it. He also does not follow Nephi's thinking. He does not stop Nephi from talking his way out of it. He does not tell him to stop thinking as the natural man thinks. He leaves the agency in there. Why?
He knows that Nephi is going to have to first recognize the whisperings and promptings of the spirit. He is going to have to be able to distinguish between the voice of the Lord and the....how do I say this, it is not the thoughts, but maybe the teachings of man or the adversary that has corrupted our way of thinking, acting, and reacting just by the fact that we live in the world. Each of us have to learn this as well.
The Lord also knows that Nephi is going to have to make a choice. To obey or not to obey. We all have to make that choice. When we recognize and hear the word of the Lord, do we or don't we, even when it conflicts what the world would have us do?
I wonder how long Nephi stood there holding that sword, wrestling with the spirit.
When Nephi has made this choice for himself, when the Lord knew the true intent of Nephi's heart, when Nephi began to think as the Lord thinks; then did the Lord soften it a little.
Can you see that Nephi realized, from what he had learned about the Lord and how he had worked with his children, that he lets them make choices for themselves? When they get to a point that their works, actions, or wickedness completely blocks or prohibits the righteous advancement of others, then he steps in and stops it. He may remind us to stop, tell us to stop, warn us that if we don't stop there will be consequences, and then he serves the consequence.
After Nephi was thinking this way, seeing as the Lord sees, the Lord started explaining and showing to Nephi why. First Nephi was tested. When he proved himself, he was given further light and knowledge. This is the way it works for all of us.
As we read to the end of verse 13, the Lord explains his work. Basically, to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man. We have heard that before. Laban was not using the teachings of this record to help God's children grow or progress in this manner. Because of that, he turned to Lehi. In order for Lehi to help the Lord fulfill this purpose, he had to have this record.
Ponder it. What choice have you made?
So we continue with this conflict Nephi seems to be having within. He is wrestling with what the Lord wants him to do. It seems that he is trying to justify it to make himself feel better.
However, the Spirit speaks directly and to the point, "Slay him, the Lord has delivered him into thy hands."
The Lord does a couple of things here. He does not justify what or why, he just says, Do it. He also does not follow Nephi's thinking. He does not stop Nephi from talking his way out of it. He does not tell him to stop thinking as the natural man thinks. He leaves the agency in there. Why?
He knows that Nephi is going to have to first recognize the whisperings and promptings of the spirit. He is going to have to be able to distinguish between the voice of the Lord and the....how do I say this, it is not the thoughts, but maybe the teachings of man or the adversary that has corrupted our way of thinking, acting, and reacting just by the fact that we live in the world. Each of us have to learn this as well.
The Lord also knows that Nephi is going to have to make a choice. To obey or not to obey. We all have to make that choice. When we recognize and hear the word of the Lord, do we or don't we, even when it conflicts what the world would have us do?
I wonder how long Nephi stood there holding that sword, wrestling with the spirit.
When Nephi has made this choice for himself, when the Lord knew the true intent of Nephi's heart, when Nephi began to think as the Lord thinks; then did the Lord soften it a little.
Can you see that Nephi realized, from what he had learned about the Lord and how he had worked with his children, that he lets them make choices for themselves? When they get to a point that their works, actions, or wickedness completely blocks or prohibits the righteous advancement of others, then he steps in and stops it. He may remind us to stop, tell us to stop, warn us that if we don't stop there will be consequences, and then he serves the consequence.
After Nephi was thinking this way, seeing as the Lord sees, the Lord started explaining and showing to Nephi why. First Nephi was tested. When he proved himself, he was given further light and knowledge. This is the way it works for all of us.
As we read to the end of verse 13, the Lord explains his work. Basically, to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man. We have heard that before. Laban was not using the teachings of this record to help God's children grow or progress in this manner. Because of that, he turned to Lehi. In order for Lehi to help the Lord fulfill this purpose, he had to have this record.
Ponder it. What choice have you made?
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