Sunday, June 25, 2017

Ether 12

(June 25, 2017)
                Sometimes, for me, the best way for me to learn from reading the scriptures is to identify the apparent contradictions that exist and then work to determine how they can both still be true.  It is by doing this that I am able to be protected from going too far into the extremes in one direction or another, because I am forced to confront those things that sit in opposition to how I might see an issue at any particular time.  Other times, it just helps me get a better understanding of how two principles interact.

                I had that in this chapter today.  On the one hand, we had the statement that because of Nephi and Lehi’s faith, the Lamanites were converted.  On the other hand, we have the statement from the Lord that if Moroni has been faithful, what happens to the world around him shouldn’t matter to him.  On their face, these two things seem to contradict.


I think the resolution is that the two statements aren’t from equivalent sources.  The first statement that it was because of the faith of Nephi and Lehi that the Lamanites converted comes from Moroni, so it is not inerrant.  There is some indication that both Moroni is particularly concerned he didn’t measure up because the world turned wicked on his watch and the Lord doesn’t agree with Moroni’s assessment (indeed, the second statement from the Lord seems to in part be given to contradict the first).