3. More Than Good
- L Rshaw
- Jul 12, 2019
- 16 min read
Updated: Mar 6, 2023
“We aren’t called to be like other Christians; We are called to be like Christ.”
--- Stacy L. Sanchez (Christian author)
A young man once approached Jesus and asked, "Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?". Jesus responds, "Keep the commandments". "Which?", the young man inquires. Jesus then recounts six of the ten commandments concluding with, "Love thy neighbor as thyself". The young man insists, "All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet?". Then Jesus said unto him, "If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me". Then does this young man go away sorrowful: for he had great possessions (Matt. 19:16-22). Whether or not he obeys this counsel despite the apparent negative attitude is unknown.
Increasingly many believe that being a decent individual is sufficient to God or that this life is all there is and that morality is insignificant or subjective. But this is an oxymoron. Don't get me wrong, being a good person obviously has its merit. But being a decent person isn't the only thing that Jesus Christ taught. He taught us that there are commandments that we must abide by, things to repent of, actions to take if we are to inherit the kingdom of heaven. And this is entirely doable if we will but strive to live the gospel of Jesus Christ as well as being a quote unquote "decent person". Beyond checking items off a to do list, the gospel of Jesus Christ strives to help us become a person that's more like Jesus Christ. While we won't live a perfect life like He did, His grace is sufficient for all who will embark on the path of discipleship, even the covenant path.
**NOTE: If you'd like to get in contact with missionaries of the Church and learn more, either online or in-person, you can do so for free at https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/comeuntochrist/requests/missionary-visit
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1.1 --- NOT JUST GOOD
Missionaries of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints are not mere motivational speakers, regurgitators of scripture, life coaches or counselors. They might dabble in the motivational, surely they will be knowledgeable of scripture, and they could offer good advice, but that's not their primary purpose, or what is literally called, Mission. As far as is possible, they strive to be good representatives of Jesus Christ. They are ambassadors of God’s kingdom endowed with divine authority to help others become clean from sin and qualify for heaven’s eternal blessings both in this life and the next (See "One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism"). Their purpose is to invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, repentance, baptism by immersion for the remission of sins, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end. God wants to forgive us. His gospel shows us how to be forgiven.
Plenty of people believe that all you need is to be a “good person” to make it to heaven, and while that certainly is a part of it, God intends for more.
Some of the focuses of this chapter are the topics of faith, works, and grace. Going forward, we're going to address questions such as whether or not religion is necessary, what our purpose in life is, and what God expects of us. I bring this up early in the narrative because I don't know what you believe. And maybe you don't know what I believe. Should we come from different places, I don't want to offend anyone. This chapter is a conversation that I feel is best established sooner than later because if you don't believe that what we do matters in the long run, then what the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints teaches, or what any number of other faiths profess and practice won't carry as much significance to you as it could. It's exactly this point that I'm trying to make: that what we do in this life does matter, both now and down the road!
Understand that proposing we aim for all that is "more than good" is not an insult to the pursuit of good things themselves. What nonsensical irony that would be! You can't arrive at the great without passing through the good on the way there. Good people are commendable; the kind who strive to be kind and to do the best that they know how. Goodness is great. But on top of goodness, we seek godliness. Goodness and kindness are along the path to godliness. These are core symbols of true discipleship, “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” (John 13:35)
One of my favorite parts of the Sermon on the Mount is the last verse of Matthew 5, “Be ye, therefore, perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect”. Is it an invitation or a commandment? Be perfect. Says the Lord too in the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ, “What manner of men ought ye to be? Verily I say unto you, even as I am.” (3 Nephi 27:27)
But now you’re thinking, “Nobody is perfect”. And you’re right! And you wouldn't be alone in that way of thinking. But we need not be discouraged by such a high standard. We're not expected to be perfect in this life. As Russell M. Nelson, prophet of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, taught, here in mortality perfection is still “pending.” It's inevitable that we'll occasionally make mistakes. But God is merciful and accepts our sincere efforts as we strive to repent and follow Him as best as we can. Heaven is not filled with people who never made mistakes; were that the case, heaven would be empty. It is filled with those who kept picking themselves up and kept pressing forward.
Allow me to cite Jeffrey R. Holland, an Apostle of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, who masterfully speaks comfort to all who fear they are not good enough or worse yet, fall into self loathing and disbelief. I quote from a message of his given in October 2017 entitled "Be Ye Perfect, Eventually" but I recommend you read or watch it in full if possible:
"...Have you noticed that every now and then a passage will appear that reminds us we are falling a little short? For example, the Sermon on the Mount begins with soothing, gentle beatitudes, but in the verses that follow, we are told—among other things—not only not to kill but also not even to be angry. We are told not only not to commit adultery but also not even to have impure thoughts. To those who ask for it, we are to give our coat and then give our cloak also. We are to love our enemies, bless those who curse us, and do good to them who hate us. If that is your morning scripture study, and after reading just that far you are pretty certain you are not going to get good marks on your gospel report card, then the final commandment in the chain is sure to finish the job: “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father … in heaven is perfect.” With that concluding imperative, we want to go back to bed and pull the covers over our head. Such celestial goals seem beyond our reach. Yet surely the Lord would never give us a commandment He knew we could not keep...
…Around the Church I hear many who struggle with this issue: “I am just not good enough.” “I fall so far short.” “I will never measure up.” I hear this from teenagers. I hear it from missionaries. I hear it from new converts. I hear it from lifelong members...
…I believe that Jesus did not intend His sermon on this subject to be a verbal hammer for battering us about our shortcomings. No, I believe He intended it to be a tribute to who and what God the Eternal Father is and what we can achieve with Him in eternity. In any case, I am grateful to know that in spite of my imperfections, at least God is perfect—that at least He is, for example, able to love His enemies, because too often, due to the “natural man” and woman in us, you and I are sometimes that enemy. How grateful I am that at least God can bless those who despitefully use Him because, without wanting or intending to do so, we all despitefully use Him sometimes. I am grateful that God is merciful and a peacemaker because I need mercy and the world needs peace...My brothers and sisters, except for Jesus, there have been no flawless performances on this earthly journey we are pursuing, so while in mortality let’s strive for steady improvement without obsessing over what behavioral scientists call “toxic perfectionism.”
This life is a time to prepare to return to Heavenly Father. It's one of the great reasons why we're here. But we're also on a journey through mortality to experience joy (2 Nephi 2:25). Those two purposes go hand in hand more than some people realize. Our pursuit of godliness should be a joyful journey, one that requires patience and growth, not negativity and retreat.
Not only are we not expected to be perfected by our own merits alone, but on their own, our merits would be insufficient without the divine help Jesus provides --- help and strength we call "Grace" (John 1:12–17; Acts 15:11; Eph. 2:8-9; Philip. 4:13; 2 Nephi 2:8; 31:19; Mos. 13:28; Alma 22:14; Alma 42:23). That's the central premise of Christianity -- that we all need a Savior. We all needed an infinite atonement to be performed to redeem us. Redeemed how? Through the grace of God, everyone who has lived will be resurrected—our spirits will be reunited with our bodies, never again to be separated. Through His grace, the Lord also enables those who live His gospel to repent and be forgiven. (See "The Plan of Happiness and Salvation")
3.2 --- GRACE
One of the most controversial issues in Christian theology is whether salvation comes of unmerited grace or if salvation is earned through good works. This also begs the question what is the role of faith in our salvation? C.S. Lewis wrote that this dispute “does seem to me like asking which blade in a pair of scissors is most necessary”. If I may, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints has a very similar view. Faith, works, and grace are all important. Often, different Christian denominations place such an emphasis on the one, that the others may feel forgotten in its shadow. But that should not be so. The three really are interrelated necessities that shouldn't be put in competition against each other. But if we are talking of salvation from death and sin, we are saved by grace. Grace is a free gift given to everyone (Romans 5:15-18). Likewise, salvation over death is a free gift given to everyone because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Salvation is possible only because of Jesus Christ, but that doesn't mean we won't reap the consequences of our actions, good or evil. If we have faith in Jesus Christ, and love Him and understand His commandments, we should have no issue with living accordingly with a willful heart.
"We believe that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel". (Article of Faith 3)
There is a clause at the end of a verse of scripture in the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ that is sometimes misunderstood, and because of that misunderstanding sometimes causes some to anger. “…We know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do” (2 Nephi 25:23). The misunderstanding here at face value is that this verse could suggest that grace is conditional given the clause "after all we can do". This is untrue. The grace Jesus Christ gives is freely given, the price has been paid in full with blood, even though whether or not we use that grace is up to us. Latter-Day Saint scholars such as Dan O. McClellan [1], have convincingly shown that the word "after" in this verse actually has the same meaning as "despite". The scripture therefore means, "We know it is by grace that we are saved, despite all we can do". And we've already addressed this --- that we need the Savior and are unable to redeem ourselves without Him. But it is because of Him, that we can repent and receive forgiveness for our sins.
Although we believe that repentance precedes certain blessings, like forgiveness for a person's sin so that mercy doesn’t rob justice (Alma 42:24-25), we ultimately believe that it is through the merits of Jesus Christ that we are saved or redeemed from the fall of Adam and Eve (2 Nephi 2:26). “And since man had fallen he could not merit anything of himself; but the sufferings and death of Christ atone for their sins, though faith and repentance, and so forth…” (Alma 22:14). Said another Book of Mormon prophet named King Benjamin:
“I say unto you that if ye should serve him who has created you from the beginning, and is preserving you from day to day, by lending you breath, that ye may live and move and do according to your own will, and even supporting you from one moment to another— I say, if ye should serve him with all your whole souls yet ye would be unprofitable servants.” (Mos. 2:21)
Grace is a valuable topic worth deepening our understanding of. It's no wonder to me why it's centrality would be found in most, if not all, Christian denominations.
I would be remiss if I didn't suggest any who are able to find and review a well-known speech by Professor Brad Wilcox given at BYU Provo in 2011 called, “His Grace is Sufficient”. It just may be the most popular devotional ever given at the university and for good reason. He unfolds the subject better than I could and is far more qualified.
Grace is given freely but we are expected to pull our part of the yoke too. Grace does not automatically grant everybody entry to high heaven but it does redeem us from inevitable endless torment. It does not remove personal responsibility from us. The kingdom of God is not lawless. It's a high law, in fact, a law that succeeded the Law of Moses. It's a law that's not just based in action, but is entwined with good intentions as well. Hand and heart. We must still abandon sin, repent, and come unto Christ. Not in vocal professions alone, but in full (Matt. 7:21). The prophet Amulek in the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ plainly taught:
“…He cannot save them in their sins; for I cannot deny his word, and he hath said that no unclean thing can inherit the kingdom of heaven; therefore, how can ye be saved, except ye inherit the kingdom of heaven? Therefore, ye cannot be saved in your sins.” (Alma 11:36-37)
Verse 21 of the first chapter of Matthew further corrects what Amulek's audience misunderstood, the angel of the Lord speaks to Joseph in a dream speaking of Mary, “And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS; for he shall save his people from their sins”. Of course, Jesus has the power to deliver us from our sins, but we can't become clean if we insist on remaining in and returning to the filth of sin. The choice is laid before us how we live our lives. Opportunity is there for the taking, it's there on the table --- the choice to be clean --- but that doesn't mean everyone will choose to.
"Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and all things are given them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself." (2 Nephi 2:27)
If you play with mud, you're going to get dirty. If you want to get clean, you need to first separate yourself from the filth. Change your behavior. Stand in holy places. Seek help and supportive relationships. Substitute the bad for good. Be proactive in your pursuit to come unto Christ and leave behind what needs to be left behind. What good is soap and water if we never lather and rinse? The grace and mercy of God are there for our benefit, so we need to take advantage of them instead of letting them idle. Repent and claim what is freely given.
Grace is not earned but our actions still have a role to play in the grand scheme of things. Our actions speak volume about us. Would you disagree? There's a popular quote that I will again cite here, "Good is not a thing you are. It's a thing you do". Jesus in the New Testament taught:
"Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them." (Matt. 7:16-20)
To elect sin and still expect a free ticket goes contrary to everything He taught and stands for. It is hypocrisy and fallacy to knowingly break a rule and expect approval, let alone a reward, from the rule maker. Why would God give commandments and make no requirement to obey them? The equivalent of a God who makes no demands is the functional equivalent of a God that doesn’t exist. Given that all of mankind will stand before God one day (Mos. 27:31), what’s left to decide through our obedience is how comfortable we plan to be in God’s presence and how long we plan to stay there. Missionaries help people repent because we need repentance, yes, but also because we want to be clean and happy. Repentance is not exclusive to only those outside the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints but also to those who pertain to it. Everyone in the world is in constant need of daily repentance, even with grace given, in fact, you could even say thanks to grace given.
3.3 --- PERFECT IN CHRIST
Let's talk about perfection for a moment and our pursuit of such. What does that look like? As timeless as the scriptures are as we find applications to ourselves in them, reading them through different lenses can help add layers of meaning to them. Some of these layers come as we consider the age and culture they were originally written for. For example, the New Testament was written in Greek (as opposed to the Hebrew Old Testament). Our English translation "perfect" in the New Testament comes from the Greek word, Teleios, which actually means “a wholeness or completeness”. In the context of the Sermon on the Mount then, “be ye perfect” does not mean “never make mistakes” like we prematurely interpret it to be. As the old adage goes, "Practice makes perfect". Perfection is a process. You could even say that perfection is the process of becoming more like Christ. Repentance is part of the process. The last chapter of the Book of Mormon elaborates this concept of perfection beautifully:
“Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind, and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God.” (Moroni 10:32)
Notice how the scripture doesn’t say, “Be perfected before coming unto Christ”. The gospel of Jesus Christ helps us become perfected, completed, or made whole, in Him and by Him.
"And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ." (Eph. 4:11-13)
The gospel of Jesus Christ does more than help “bad” people become good; it takes good people and makes them better. That’s what our Heavenly Father wants for us—improvement towards completion, and eventually, eternal life.
3.4 --- FAITH & WORKS
The first principle of the gospel is faith in Jesus Christ. It's a topic that this book will discuss thoroughly as we learn of faith through scripture and contemporary examples of folk who show their faith through their actions. To have faith in Jesus Christ is to trust and have confidence in Him. It's to believe that He is the son of God. It is also to believe what He taught. Faith is where it all begins. Faith includes a hope for things which are not seen, but which are true (Heb. 11:1; Alma 32:21; Ether 12:6). If we have faith, if we really believe in the gospel, that's going to influence the choices we make and what we do. This is what we mean by "works". Works are actions, good and bad. Faith should lead to good actions.
The scriptures are rich with examples of individuals who had faith in Jesus Christ, and came to Him for help. Other times, Jesus came to them. The woman with the issue of blood reached out and touched Jesus' garment, "And he said unto her, Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace" (Luke 8:43-48). On various occasions, Jesus repeated this, “Thy faith hath made thee whole” (Matt. 9:22; Mark 10:52; Luke 17:19). The blind man whose eyes were anointed with clay, he went as Jesus said and washed in the pool of Siloam and received sight (John 9). An act of faith can be a simple yet powerful thing. As we exercise faith in Jesus Christ, and trust and do as He says, we will be blessed. Word and deed. Heart and hand. Not opponents, but kindred spirits they are, faith and works.
3.5 --- THE PATH TO ETERNAL LIFE
So I suppose the question boils down to: Are good works simply that, good for the sake of good, or are they necessary to our eternal outcome? Or are they both? The short answer is: they are both good and necessary to our eternal life. There are innumerous ways that we can do good in the world, and we might categorize them under the umbrella of virtues like love and service. Other good works are specific commandments that can't be substituted or left undone, like baptism by immersion, for example. These kinds of good works are needed in order to achieve eternal life -- the highest quality of afterlife that Heavenly Father lives. Eternal life is a big topic, the culmination of everything we strive for, and is something that this book will naturally discuss throughout. It's a little different from salvation. Whereas all are saved or "redeemed" from the Fall of Adam and Eve, eternal life takes it one step further. Salvation is good, but eternal life is more than good. Eternal life is salvation elevated, if you will. All good people on this Earth will be rewarded accordingly, but the best reward is for those who embark on and continue on what is called, "The Covenant Path". For this reason, missionaries of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints go throughout the world and share the restored gospel of Jesus Christ (See "Apostasy and Restoration"). While Christianity among other many good religious and non-religious organizations exist throughout the world, and deserve respect, recognition, and fellowship for such, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints invites all to embark on the covenant path that leads to eternal life.
Seek after the good and work to be better continuously. That is what the restored gospel of Jesus Christ is all about --- improvement and progression. This is the purpose of repentance. And repentance is a gift made possible by the Atonement of Jesus Christ. The grace Jesus offers is extended to all freely, and if we so desire, we can embark on the covenant path towards even greater blessings. What is good is good. But let us endeavor for that which is even more than good. To cite the last of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints' 13 Articles of Faith:
"We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men; indeed, we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul—We believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things. If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things".
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