The Way to Judge

Moving right along in the New Testament - I was reading 2 Corinthians 12.  Verse 20 is the one that inspired me today.  It seems to me there are a lot of references in 2 Corinthians to signs of apostasy occurring in the church.  After some discussion of one of those signs, Paul expresses concern that if he were to come to them in person, things might not go so well.  He fears he would be disappointed in them and they would be disappointed in him.  He is concerned there would be debates (disputations and contentions), envyings (resentful, grudging, covetous feelings towards others who are seemingly more fortunate), wraths (exhibitions of violent anger and rage), strifes (altercations, conflicts, fights), backbitings (slanderous and evil speaking about absent people), whisperings (gossip, speaking ill in secret, conspiring, criticizing), swellings (being puffed up or inflated with pride), tumults (violent outbursts, violent agitations of mind or feelings; also commotions involving multitudes, usually attended by great uproars and much confusion). (Definitions come from DNTC vol 2, p 450-451).  Paul says that some are even involved in fornication and lasciviousness (lustfulness, lewdness, wantonness).

This is a list of qualities that begin to creep in and can lead to apostasy or are signs that apostasy has already happened.  And this because the spirit of God leaves when we engage in these things.  3 Nephi 11:29-30 says " . . . he that hath the spirit of contention is not of me, but is of the devil, who is the father of contention, and he stirreth up the hearts of men to contend with anger, one with another.  Behold this is not my doctrine, to stir up the hearts of men with anger, one against another; but this is my doctrine that such things should be done away."  "True ministers of Christ always preach against all lyings, and deceivings, and envyings, and strifes, and malice, and revilings, and stealing, robbing, plundering, murdering, committing adultery, and all manner of lasciviousnesss, crying that these things ought not so to be. "  (Alma 16:18, quoted by Bruce R McConkie, DNTC, v 2, p 451).

This is a list of qualities that can be used to do what Moroni tells us we must do in Moroni 7:14-19.  "Take heed my brethren . . . It is given unto to you to judge . . . wherefore I show unto you the way to judge; . . But whatsoever thing persuadeth men to do evil, and believe not in Christ and deny him, and serve not God, then ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of the devil; . . see that ye do not judge wrongfully; . . .search diligently in the light of Christ that ye may know good from evil;"

We cannot judge a movement or a person by their words because people always cloak their words in pleasing ways to sound just the way we like them.  We have to look at a deeper level, on a personal level does this person or movement condone or participate in the things listed above?  Those things are evil and "whatsoever thing persuadeth men to do evil . . . is of the devil."  You may know that with a perfect knowledge.

Paul goes on in 2 Cor 13:5 to say "Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. ."  How often do we do any of the things listed?  Do the people we associate with do any of them - how often?  Hopefully we try to move away from and not toward such activities because having the Spirit with us is an "unspeakable gift" from God - the greatest gift we can receive in mortality.  "Thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift." !!!  (see 2 Cor 9:15 and D&C 121:26-46)  And I say AMEN to that!!!