no more evil – Ammon Shepherd

No More Evil 6

This is the last in a series of scriptures that discuss how to get evil out of heart, mind and soul, and thereby out of our actions, which is a process for perfection.

Romans 7 – Paul talks about a persons desire to do evil even though he knows the spiritual law from God requires to be good. Verses 15-21 talk about Paul wanting to do good, but finding that he continually does evil. There is a battle within himself. He knows what he should do, but ends up not doing it. He is on par with Nephi, it seems in verse 24. (see the Joseph Smith Translation of Romans 7: 5-27 for a more correct and understandable version. Here Paul is contending the law of Christ against the law of Moses, it seems, and the law of Christ is what should be followed, but habitually he follows the law of Moses. This he laments, knowing that he should be following the higher law of Christ.)

Romans 8 – This chapter is Paul’s words about the natrual versus the spiritual man, the contention within ourselves to denegrate and become as beasts following natural desires and appetites, or to elevate and desire only the welfare of others and become more like Christ.

Romans 8: 5 – If you are focused on worldly, natural, carnal things, then that is what you are. If you want to be more spiritual, then focus on those things.

Romans 8: 6 – Paul and Nephi were on the same wavelength (well, literally, they received their knowledge from the same source, see 2 Nephi 9: 38).

Romans 8: 11 – The power used for the Resurrection has power to chane our mortal bodies. Our physical bodies can be changed, as well as our desires and hearts.

Romans 8: 13-14 – Following the desires of the flesh, the carnal, sensual, bodily appetites, leads to spiritual death. Following the Spirit leads to spiritual life.

Some Closing Thoughts:

Some closing thoughts on how to have no disposition to do eil and have virtue garnish your thoughts.

Firstly, rely on the Savior. Have an AHA! moment. Apply His Atonement. Desire and plead for His grace (which is the enabling power).
Something good must replace the bad. Memorize scriptures, sing hymns, think about missionary work, say a prayer, etc.
Remember the consequences of evil actions
Have a sincere desire in your heart to overcome. Do this by: trusting in the Lord and acknowledging His part in your life; pay tithing; take the counsel of God.
Mercy and truth are anathema to iniquity.
Focus on the thing you want most.

No More Evil 4

Proverbs 3: 1-13 – Indirectly, these scriptures show how to replace the evil with good. The idea is that you can’t just get rid of evil. That just leaves a void. Instead you must replace it with good. So, looking at these verses will show you how to replace evil (in heart, mind and action) with good.

Let’s look at these verses more closely:

Proverbs 3: 1 “My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments:”

First you need to remember the law! You can’t keep it if you don’t remember it. Next, it’s one thing for your brain to know, it’s another for your heart to know. It’s kind of like people who smoke. They know that it’s harmful and is literally killing them, but they are so addicted to the nicotene that thir personal desires and self-control are rendered almost useless. The heart, or spirit of a person, must be given power, and the desire to do righteousness.

Proverbs 3: 3 “Let not mercy and ^atruth forsake thee: ^bbind them about thy neck; write them upon the ^ctable of thine ^dheart:”

This invokes similar thoughts. Once you have the law in your heart, do the same with truth and righteous motives. Let them be close to you, and part of you. “Write it on the table of your heart.” How to do that, of course, is the purpose of this study!

Proverbs 3: 5-6 “^aTrust in the Lord with all thine ^bheart; and lean not unto thine ^cown ^dunderstanding. In all thy ways ^aacknowledge him, and he shall ^bdirect thy ^cpaths.”

These verses give the ideas on how to bind about your neck and write in your heart the truth and the law. Trust in the Lord, don’t just believe in Him, but believe Him (see “Believing Christ” by Stephen E. Robinson). Always acknowledge God’s part in your life; your blessings, your existence, your stature, your possessions, etc. When you acknowledge Him, He will lead you.

Proverbs 3: 7-8 “Be not ^awise in thine own eyes: ^bfear the Lord, and depart from evil. It shall be ^ahealth to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.”

More of the same. Trust in God, in His wisdom, not your own.

Proverbs 3: 9-10 “^aHonour the Lord with thy ^bsubstance, and with the ^cfirstfruits of all thine increase: So shall thy barns be filled with ^aplenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.”

Give back to God your best. Pay tithing.

Proverbs 3: 11-13 “My son, despise not the ^achastening of the Lord; neither be weary of his correction: For whom the Lord loveth he ^acorrecteth; even as a ^bfather the son in whom he delighteth. ^aHappy is the man that findeth ^bwisdom, and the man that getteth ^cunderstanding.”

Take the counsel of God. Don’t be upset when he corrects and reproves. It is a sign of His love for you when he corrects.

No More Evil 3

More scriptures to help me get rid of evil tendencies.

Alma 37: 29 – Alma teaches Helaman to keep the secret plans and oaths of the devil from the people, but teach the people their wickedness so that they will abhor such wickedness. Helaman is instructed to help the people remember the wickedness they and others have done, so that they will not want to do it themselves. So we should not focus on, or try to learn how wicked things are done, but instead focus on the consequences of wicked actions. With a knowledge of the true consequences of participating in an action, it is more likely that a wise choice will be made.

2 Nephi 4: 31 – Nephi, the righteous prophet, seer of all that God has to show, asks that his soul be redeemed, that he be caused to shake at the appearance of sin.

2 Nephi 9: 49 – Nephi’s soul abhors sin by praising Gd and delighting in righteousness. How do we delight in righteousness? It is what we focus on, what we are entertained by, etc.

Alma 37: 32-33 – Helaman is to teach the people to hate sin and iniquity, but not to hate the people who do it. To teach them to hate sin, Helaman is to focus on teaching the people about repentance, faith in Jesus Christ, humility, meekness, and to face temptations with faith in Jesus Christ.

3 Nephi 20:26 – Christ is sent by Heavenly Father to bless us in our turning away from iniquities.

No More Evil 2

[Study from May 5, 2008]

Here are a few scriptures pertaining to the desire to have no more disposition to do evil.

Mosiah 5: 2 – “no more disposition to do evil, but to do good…” You can’t just get rid of something, but it must be replaced. So, to get rid of bad thoughts, they must be replaced with good. To get rid of evil actions and intents, they must be replaced with righteous ones. Bad habits can not just be stopped, but must be replaced with good habits. The people that King Benjamin spoke to first heard the Gospel, then they believed it. The Spirit bore testimony and changed them, or the Spirit was a catalyst in their changing.

Alma 19: 33 – Ammon teaches Lamoni and his people. They experience an overpowering of the Spirit, through which their hearts are changed and they desire evil no more. So studying the Gospel, listening to the prophets, and letting the Spirit work in us helps us to have a change of heart.

Alma 13:12 – Alma speaks to the people in Ammoniahah after the episode with Zeezrom. He explains about those who have the higher priesthood. They were first sanctified by the Spirit, then they saw sin with abhorance.

Alma 5: 14 – Alma preaches in Zarahemla. He preaches about having God’s countenance in ours and asks if we have had that mighty change.

Alma 5: 12 – Alma shows that a change of heart comes through faith.

So far we see that the Holy Spirit has a great part in our having no more disposition to do evil. We hear and study the word of God and the Spirit works in us a mighty change.

No More Disposition to do Evil

Back in May of this year I started to search through the scriptures about what it means and how to obtain a state where I no longer have a disposition to do evil. One definition of “disposition” is “an inclination or tendency.” Much too often my disposition is to give in to temptations. I’m no where near the level of Nephi, and I all too often must cry out “O wretched man that I am! Yea, my heart sorroweth because of my flesh; my soul grieveth because of mine iniquities. I am encompassed about, because of the temptations and the sins which do so easily beset me. And when I desire to rejoice, my heart groaneth because of my sins…” [2 Nephi 4: 17-19].

King Benjamin preaches about the Gospel of Jesus Christ to his people.

I was reading in Mosiah and came across the people who have been taught by King Benjamin. After hearing the Gospel of Jesus Christ in such plainness they desire to be baptised, and covenant to follow Jesus. They exclaim great joy at their “mighty change within [them], or in [their] hearts, that [they] have no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually.” [Mosiah 5: 2]

So, taking that phrase as a theme for gospel study (no more disposition to do evil), I set about finding scriptures to enlighten and help me learn how I can have such a change in my heart. I found over two dozen scriptures and came away with six points to creating such a change in myself. I’ll go through them and my thoughts about them this week.