Saved From What?

We live in a world that is quite accommodating when it comes to making mistakes. By and large, that is a good thing. We ought to forgive one another and have second chances. But I have realized that a world with such leniency has altered my perception of God's eternal laws of justice and mercy.

For example, I remember the first time I overdrafted my checking account. I was a teenager and had simply forgotten to check how much was in my account before making a purchase. A $35 overdraft fee was charged to my account (that even seems like a lot today, but it was monumental to a 17 year old). I felt horrible for letting my negligence lead to such a financial loss. I discussed it with my mom, who suggested I call the bank. She felt confident that, because this was my first offense and it was truly an accident, they would be willing to waive the fee.
I was skeptical. After all, this was my fault, and the fee was something I had agreed to in the contract I signed.
But I made the call, trying to sound confident because my mom was sure it would work. And I was shocked as the bank employee quickly removed the fee.

This line of thinking - I realized - was carrying over into my thoughts of spiritual justice and mercy. My experience with the bank decreased my fear of future overdrafts. I felt that their punishment was really just an empty threat.

I have found myself propagating this notion in my own children when I say things like, "if you get in your car seat right now, you can have a popsicle at home," but I give them a popsicle whether or not they comply with their part of the bargain.

If we are not careful, it is easy to believe that things would have worked out whether or not Christ had come. We may be deceived into thinking that His punishment for sin is just an "empty threat," or, as one Book of Mormon writer said, "eat, drink and be merry... and God will beat us with a few stripes.." (2 Nephi 28:8) I had a Seminary teacher who referred to this as being whipped with wet noodles.

Such a thought process may lead us to think that repentance is not truly important, and to under appreciate what Jesus Christ's life and mission truly accomplished.

So what did Christ really save us from?

"Wherefore, all mankind were in a lost and in a fallen state, and ever would be save they should rely on this Redeemer." (1 Nephi 10:6)

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"And thus we see that all mankind were fallen, and they were in the grasp of ... the justice of God, which consigned them forever to be cut off from his presence... therefore, God himself atoneth for the sins of the world..." (Alma 42:14-15)

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"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." (John 14:6)

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"O the wisdom of God, his mercy and grace! For behold, if the flesh should rise no more our spirits must become subject to ... the devil, to rise no more. And our spirits must have become like unto him, and we become devils, angels to a devil, to be shut out from the presence of our God, and to remain with the father of lies..." (2 Nephi 9:8-9)

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The consequences are real. That last verse sends shivers down my spine. These inspired verses together - and so many others - give me a true understanding of what Christ has saved me from, and all that He will save me from if I will repent and come unto Him.

He is real. He is my Savior, and He is yours. He redeemed us at the highest possible price - His own blood. I am eternally grateful to Him.

Lehi and Christ

In my study of the Book of Mormon, I came across this verse in 1 Nephi chapter 19:

"And behold [Christ] cometh, according to the words of the angel, in six hundred years from the time my father left Jerusalem."

 As I pondered why this event - Lehi leaving Jerusalem - was chosen as the reference for this most important event, I remembered another Book of Mormon scripture, and started looking for symbolism:

"all things which have been given of God from the beginning of the world, unto man, are the typifying of [Christ]."

My thoughts are only that - thoughts. I hope they will generate more thoughts of your own and invite you to share other connections you make.

Thoughts

Leaving all behind

How might Lehi be a type of Christ? And more specifically, how might Lehi's leaving Jerusalem be symbolic of Christ being born?

There is great richness in this verse when considering this question:

"And it came to pass that he departed into the wilderness. And he left his house, and the land of his inheritance, and his gold, and his silver, and his precious things, and took nothing with him, save it were his family, and provisions, and tents, and departed into the wilderness."

When Christ was born, He left His Father's glorious kingdom to be born in a lowly manger. He condescended and - though a God - was born as a helpless infant. He left royal courts above to sojourn here on earth, similar to how Lehi left all in the Holy City and wandered into the wilderness.

Journey to the Promised Land

After many years of wandering in the desert, Lehi and his family built a boat and sailed to the Promised Land. As they heeded his prophetic counsel, his family was guided through the trials of a scorched desert and a restless sea, through hunger and heartache, until they arrived in the promised land.

In a similar - yet much greater - way, our Savior left His Home above to be our guide through the heat of the desert and the waves of the sea, that He might guide us to our Promised Land. We will suffer just as Lehi's family did, but we can have the assurance that our guide - Jesus Christ - will support us in every trial as we rely on Him (see Alma 36:3).

A Stumbling Block

One final parallel that I found between Lehi and Christ is that neither one had a perfectly "loyal" following - even among their very closest associates. Lehi was commanded to flee Jerusalem because the people were angry with him for speaking the words that God delivered to him, and sought to take his life.

His own sons, Laman and Lemuel, constantly complained and questioned his authority and leadership. On more than one occasion they plotted how they might kill their foolish, visionary father and their brother Nephi.

Christ, of course, was betrayed by one of His Apostles. He was rejected by the chief priest and the Sanhedrin in general.

 On the day of His crucifixion, the crowds cried for his death. His own Apostles left Him:

"Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me."

After the thousands who were fed in the wilderness turned and "followed Him no more", the Savior asked His chief Apostle, "Will ye also go away?" (see John 6:66-69).
Peter proved faithful in the end, but even he denied the Savior on the eve of His death.

Conclusion

The scriptures truly point us to Christ. I am convinced that one day, the Lord will explain the scriptures to us as He did to the Nephite multitude, and we will be amazed at how many symbols and types of Christ were right before our eyes all along. He is our Savior. I am so grateful that He left all and descended below all things, that He might lift us above all things and guide us safely home to the Promised Land.

These thoughts are my own personal thoughts and do not represent in any way the official position of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.