Sign 68

The Lamb Shall Overcome Them

Miracles are not possible without revelation. Without revelation it is impossible to know the will of the Lord, and without knowing the will of the Lord, we cannot receive the faith necessary to perform miracles. When the wars of the world are raging, and the kingdom of Satan is at its most powerful, the sons and daughters of Christ will rely on the miraculous power of the Savior for safety, survival, and salvation from destruction. The only way that we will be able to survive is by following the voice of the Lord that comes through personal revelation. This revelation will protect us from our enemies, connect us to the fountain of all truth, and direct us in our labors to gather the elect from the four corners of the earth. President Russell M. Nelson has warned us and forewarned us that our survival will depend on our “capacity to receive revelation.” (President Russell M. Nelson, General Conference, April 2018)

Daniel says that in the latter-days, “the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits [or miracles].” (Dan. 11:32) In order to perform miracles, we must first gain access to the power of our Heavenly Father, for it is only by the power of God that miracles can be wrought. Paul explained that this access comes through Jesus Christ by the Spirit (see Eph. 2:18-20). In other words, it is through the power of the atonement of Christ and inspiration through the Holy Ghost that we are blessed with the gift of faith, which is the power to perform miracles. We learn from the Prophet Joseph Smith that without the principles of righteousness including exact obedience, thorough repentance, diligent prayer, and careful listening to the promptings of the Spirit, we cannot and could not “handle nor control” (see D&C 121:36) the powers of heaven. In addition to the principles of righteousness, we must also cultivate Christlike attributes including long-suffering, gentleness, meekness, love unfeigned, kindness, pure knowledge, faithfulness, charity, and virtue. These divine attributes will allow us to enjoy confidence in the presence of God and access the power of God.

Personal purity and righteousness are essential to gaining power from God, but they are not the only requirements to perform miracles. Miracles are performed by faith, and righteousness alone does not produce faith. We must also have a deep desire for a blessing from God that aligns with his will. When we take this desire to the Lord in prayer, fully intending to act as directed, and then receive a testimony and confirming witness through the Holy Ghost that our desire is, in fact, God’s will, God blesses us with great faith and confidence—the type of faith and confidence that produces mighty miracles. The final step is to move forward with that faith and act on the testimony we have received.

If we are living righteously and continuously following the direction that comes through the gift of the Holy Ghost, the Lord may prompt us to do many mighty miracles. Not all of these promptings will grow out of our own specific desires, but the process of acquiring sufficient faith to perform the miracle is the same. We must do as the scripture directs and “study it out in [our] mind; then [we] must ask [God] if it be right.” (D&C 9:8) This mental study will allow us to compare the prompting we have received to the doctrines and principles of the gospel, the scriptural record, the words of living prophets, and our own experience with the Lord’s pattern of revelation. If the prompting is truly from God, after asking for a testimony from the Holy Ghost we will receive a clear and powerful confirmation that we must proceed and perform the miracle as the Lord has directed us. Occasionally this process may take only a few seconds from the initial prompting to the power-filled confirmation of the Holy Ghost. Sometimes it can take years as we prepare ourselves to perform and receive miracles. Jesus, for example, healed many instantaneously and multiplied loaves and fishes with a single prayer. But he took many years to perform the miracle of turning simple fishermen into mighty Apostles who would preach the gospel in all the world. No matter the timetable, when promptings come, future revelation and power depend on our heeding these promptings and dispelling our doubts. Doubt not, but be believing.

Our own righteousness and faith, obtained through the grace of God, can produce glorious miracles in our own lives. Unfortunately, this is still not enough to perform miracles on behalf of others. Whether by his own voice or the voice of his servants, God will not do miracles among the children of men unless the children of men have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. When we fast and pray, focus our minds on Christ, and remember "his mercy and long-suffering toward us,” (Alma 9:11) all of these things increase our faith so that God can bless us. If we depart from the right way and dwindle in unbelief, we will not come to know God and we will not be able to receive miracles. We will not be able to receive the gift of faith that is given to those who trust God implicitly and unreservedly.

The scriptures say that “it is by faith that miracles are wrought” (Moro. 7:37), but it is the faith of the one who receives the miracle that is required to perform the miracle. God, of course, has all power, but he will not work among the children of men if they do not have faith.

We see this pattern in the ministry of the Savior himself. When Jesus Christ visited the Nephites, he told them that he was able to heal them because they had sufficient faith.

Notice that he said, “I see that your faith is sufficient that I should heal you.” Even Christ himself will not perform miracles for those who do not have sufficient faith. To emphasize the point, he later told his Nephite disciples that he could not show such great miracles to the Jews because of their unbelief.

The world needs more miracles, but faith in Jesus Christ is becoming more and more rare among the people of the world. If we have been blessed with strong faith, we have a duty to assist others in their spiritual journey. If someone desires a miracle from God and their faith is weak, we should not abandon them to wallow in their faithlessness and to dwindle hopelessly in unbelief. We should help them “exercise a particle of faith... even if [they] can no more than desire to believe.” (Alma 32:27) Remind them of the life and power of Jesus Christ. Share his words with them. Teach them his doctrine. Persuade them to believe.

In his mortal ministry, when Jesus came across those whose faith was weak, he would do certain things to help their faith become sufficiently strong to receive a miracle. He would anoint the eyes of the blind, take the hand of the lame, or send lepers to wash in the river. These rituals were not necessary for Jesus, but were designed to help the faith of those whom Jesus was blessing. Likewise, our ordinances, prayers, blessings, and teachings, when centered on Christ, can have great impact on the faith of others.

The ordinances of the gospel especially are designed to build our faith in Jesus Christ. They point our minds to him. The typify him. They memorialize his life and ministry. They also provide prophetic witnesses of his second coming. It is for that reason that we, for example, administer to the sick and afflicted by anointing with oil, sealing the anointing, invoking the authority of the holy priesthood, and pronouncing words of blessing—all in the name of Jesus Christ. Although this pattern is not always necessary for divine healing, the symbolic and holy nature of the ordinance arouses the faculties and directs the mind toward the true source of all healing, the Savior Jesus Christ.

We must remember that if we want to perform miracles on behalf of others our faith is required to receive a witness and testimony of God’s will, but their faith is required to receive the miracle from God.

Again, the Lord has said, “I work not among the children of men save it be according to their faith.” (2 Ne. 27:23) This principle will not suddenly change because Satan is powerful, the world is ending, or the second coming is near. It will still be the faith of the children of men that will allow Jesus Christ to gather Israel, build Zion, defeat Babylon, resurrect the righteous, and overcome those who make war with Him.

Called

The Lord describes those who will be with him at the end of the world as “called, chosen, and faithful.” (Rev. 17:14) Those who will be against him will be overcome by devastating plagues, self-destruction, and consuming fire. How, then, can we be among those who are with Christ?

Those with Christ are “called.” In the church, we often refer to our particular assignments as being called or receiving a calling. That is not what is meant here. Sometimes we think of our purpose in life as our calling. That is not what is meant here. We may even think that the Lord has spoken to us and commanded us to do a great work. While that may be the case, that is not what is meant here. We learn what it means to be called from King Benjamin in the Book of Mormon.

In the latter-days, those who make the covenant of baptism are “called by the name of Christ.” In other words, we become members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and take upon us his name. If we choose not to be baptized, we will not be with Christ when he appears with his saints and all his holy angels in the clouds of heaven.

It is not enough to be baptized. We must also keep the covenant we made at baptism to be obedient to the commandments of God. If we transgress the commandments of God, the name of Christ will be blotted out of our hearts and we will be found at the last day with the wicked on the left hand of God. Although our name may appear on rolls of the church or we call ourselves Christians, those things will not matter if the name of Christ is not written in our hearts; for as the ancient prophet Samuel observed, “the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart” (1 Sam. 16:7).

When we “give diligence to make our calling... sure” (2 Pet. 1:10), it means that we “know the voice by which [we] shall be called” in the day of judgment “and also, the name by which he shall call [us].” (Mosiah 5:12) As Peter explained, if we do this, “[we] shall never fall.” (2 Pet. 1:10) A person who desires to make his or her calling sure will be steadfast and immovable, always abounding in good works, acting just as Christ would act. To all those who truly take upon themselves the name of Christ, and always retain his name written in their hearts, the promise is “that Christ, the Lord Omnipotent, will seal you his, that you may be brought to heaven.” (Mosiah 5:15) It will be these people that will be “caught up together... in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air.” (1 Thes. 4:17)

Long before the destruction of Armageddon, the Lord will call after all of us. As Alma said, the “good shepherd [will] call you; yea, and in his own name doth he call you, which is the name of Christ.” (Alma 5:38) Although we may be members of his true church, if we do not know his voice, or he is a stranger to us because we do not hearken to his calling, we take the name of the Lord in vain, and “the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.” (Ex. 20:7) When we finally do respond at the judgment bar of God, “he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity” (Luke 13:27).

Let us, therefore, be diligent to make our calling sure.

Chosen

Those with Christ are “chosen.” Another scriptural term for chosen is elect, and in the scriptures there are two types of people who are described as elect. The first group of people are part of what Paul calls the “election of grace.” (Rom. 11:5) In ancient times, these people were literal descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Before Abraham’s time, they were descendants of Enoch, Noah, and Shem. These chosen races, or families, were “chosen... in [Christ] before the foundation of the world, that [they] should be holy and without blame before him in love.” (Eph. 1:4) To the Thessalonians, Paul said, “God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth.” (2 Thes. 2:13) Alma clarifies this by explaining that these chosen families were “called and prepared from the foundation of the world according to the foreknowledge of God, on account of their exceeding faith and good works.” (Alma 13:3) They had proven themselves in their pre-mortal lives by “being left to choose good or evil” and “[choosing] good.” Because of their faithfulness before the foundation of the world, they were sent to families that enjoyed the blessings of the gospel and the priesthood. These were the families, or tribes, of Israel.

While it may seem unfair that only a certain race of people would be considered elect, those who were born under the covenant of Israel were not the winners of some sort of elitist ovarian lottery. They were called and chosen on account of their faith to help save all of God’s children.

The purpose of the election of grace is to select those from among the pre-mortal spirit children of God who would be most likely to exercise faith, receive the Spirit of God, and “harden not their hearts,” and send them into families where they might be called by a holy calling (the calling of Christ—as we discussed above) and ordained unto the high priesthood. If they exercised faith and received the gospel and the priesthood in mortality, they would also receive the sacred responsibility to teach the commandments of God and the gospel of Jesus Christ to all the other families of the earth so that they, too, might enter into the rest of God.

The scriptures also make it clear that the “election of grace” (D&C 84:99) does not unconditionally predestine anyone to eternal life. We must be “faithful unto the obtaining of these two priesthoods of which I have spoken, and the magnifying [our] calling” in order to receive the “Father’s kingdom... [and] all that [the] Father hath.” (D&C 84:33-38) Alma, however, explained that those whom the Lord Jesus Christ has “chosen... in him before the foundation of the world” (Eph. 1:4) were “called... with that holy calling which was prepared with, and according to, a preparatory redemption for such.” (Alma 13:3) In other words, if we are born into the covenant because of our Abrahamic ancestry, or we are put in circumstances to receive the gospel of Jesus Christ, a marvelous redemption has already been prepared to accompany our calling as ministers of Jesus Christ. We will be redeemed if we magnify our calling. Eternal life is the reward for faithful laborers in the vineyard of the Lord.

Those who are part of the “election of grace” are the first group in the scriptures to be described as elect, but this election is by far inferior to the second group. Peter calls this second group “a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people.” This group, he says, are chosen so that they “should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” (1 Pet. 2:9) The Jews during the time of Jesus were so convinced that they were superior to all other races because of the “election of grace” that they forfeited their birthright because they would not accept and proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ, their Messiah. As Paul explained, “they are not all Israel, which are of Israel.” (Rom. 9:6)

In his covenant with Abraham, the Lord explained that “as many as receive this gospel shall be called after thy name, and shall be accounted thy seed, and shall rise up and bless thee as their father.” (Abr. 2:10) Thus, Abraham came to be known as “the father of the faithful.” (D&C 138:41) Those who receive the gospel through baptism are counted as the “seed of Abraham” whether they are literal descendants of Abraham or receive the promises through “the Spirit of adoption.” (Rom. 8:15) As such, they receive both the blessings of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and also the responsibility to “bear this ministry and Priesthood unto all nations... [that] all the families of the earth [shall] be blessed, even with the blessings of the Gospel, which are the blessings of salvation, even of life eternal.” (Abr. 2:9-11) Thus we see that eternal life is not reserved for the literal posterity of Abraham alone, but for “every soul who foresaketh his sins and cometh unto [Christ].” (D&C 93:1)

The Lord says that the elect “hear my voice and harden not their hearts” (D&C 29:7), and Alma says that “others would reject the Spirit of God on account of the hardness of their hearts and the blindness of their minds, while, if it had not been for this they might have had as great privilege as their brethren.” (D&C 13:4) Jesus further taught that although the Jews “are of the covenant which the Father made with [their] fathers, saying unto Abraham: And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed” (3 Ne. 20:25), the latter-day work would commence among the Gentiles, and the marvelous Book of Mormon would “come forth from the Gentiles” unto the House of Israel. (3 Ne. 21:5).

Although many have called themselves “the seed of Abraham” and would fain claim the rights and blessings of Abraham’s seed, far fewer are willing to bear the ministry and preach the gospel of Christ in all the world. We are therefore left with many who minister in the name of Christ without authority, many who are literal descendants of Abraham but unwilling to receive the gospel of Abraham through baptism, and many who have been properly called, but who are not chosen, because they will not accept and bear the responsibility to truly bless the families of the earth.

How few there are who come unto Christ in faith, receive his gospel through baptism, and magnify their calling in the priesthood by truly blessing the families of the earth in the name of Jesus Christ.

Just as we can make our calling sure, we can also make our election sure. In other words, the “preparatory redemption” that has been prepared for those who “exercise exceedingly great faith” and “good works,” (Alma 13:3) can be confirmed and sealed upon us by the Lord. When we have been redeemed from the fall of Adam and also our own fallen state, we are “brought back into the presence of the Lord” (Morm. 9:13) and promised that we will inherit his kingdom. Because eternal life is “the greatest of all the gifts of God,” (D&C 14:7; see also 1 Ne. 15:36) this promise is not given except to those who have been thoroughly proven by the Lord and who are determined to serve him through all hazards. The Prophet Joseph Smith explained:

Notice that having your calling and election made sure precedes the privilege of seeing the Lord and having communion with him face to face. We can therefore deduce that all those who have followed this pattern and seen the Lord face to face have also had their calling and election made sure. The Prophet continues:

Peter also spoke at length concerning the requirements to make our calling and election sure. He himself received this “more sure word of prophecy” with James and John “when [they] were with [Jesus] in the holy mount.” (2 Pet. 1:18-19) This “exceeding great and precious promise” in which we may know that we are “sealed up unto eternal life” (D&C 131:5) comes through the knowledge of Christ who has called us to glory and virtue. This promise of eternal life, in addition to the many other great and precious promises of the Lord, allows us to partake of the divine nature and escape the corruption that is in the world through lust.

If you exercise your faith in Christ and diligently add virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness, and charity—and humility (see D&C 4:6)—to your very nature, you are promised that an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. “...and it shall be in his own time, and in his own way, and according to his own will.” (D&C 88:68)

There are many ways that we may receive an assurance of eternal life. The most common way is to walk in the covenant path and “continue in the faith of what ye have heard concerning the coming of our Lord, even until the end of your lives.” (Mosiah 4:30) If we die in the covenant path, we will “be received into a state of happiness, which is called paradise,” (Alma 40:12) or the state of the righteous in the Spirit World. Those who go to paradise cannot fall from grace, because the scriptures explain that “they remain in this state... until the time of their resurrection.” (Alma 40:14) We also learn that the righteous who are resurrected with “celestial bodies” will “shine forth in the kingdom of God.” (Alma 40:25) Therefore, those who die on the covenant path will “rest from all their troubles and from all care, and sorrow” (Alma 40:12) until they are all at last saved in the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

The second way we may receive the assurance of eternal life is “by revelation and the spirit of prophecy, through the power of the Holy Priesthood.” (D&C 131:5) In other words, we receive an ordinance of the priesthood by which we are promised and assured the blessings of eternal life. This ordinance is not given with conditional promises that are based upon our faithfulness, but instead the ordinance seals upon us promises from the Lord by revelation and the spirit of prophecy that are sure, steadfast, and immutable by the Lord after our faithfulness has already been thoroughly proven by Him.

In the book of Revelation, John speaks of this sealing ordinance that he received from the Lord. The same ordinance that seals our exaltation upon us also makes us kings and priests, or queens and priestesses, unto God the Father.

Although the servants of God can receive revelation and prophecy on our behalf to give us an assurance of eternal life, we may also receive this promise directly from the Lord. This is the third way we can know that our calling and election is made sure. We have seen occasionally in the scriptures that the Lord himself bears witness to chosen and faithful people through the power of revelation and prophecy that they are sealed up unto eternal life.

An example of this was the prophet Alma who was converted through the preaching of Abinadi. After repenting of his sins, establishing the Church of God among the Nephites, enduring severe trials, and sincerely seeking the will of the Lord in how to deal with unrepentant sinners, he heard the voice of the Lord and received a covenant from the Lord that he would have eternal life.

The prophet Joseph Smith received a similar promise by revelation (see D&C 132:49) as have many other members of the latter-day church (see D&C 88:3-4). In his powerful last sermon, King Benjamin explained that this promise is not for a select few, but for all those who have taken upon themselves the name of Christ by covenant and who are “steadfast and immovable, always abounding in good works.”

We do not have many examples in the scriptures where the Lord is quoted directly promising someone eternal life. Indirectly, however, we know that many were assured of their exaltation in this manner, which assurance was “an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast.” (Heb. 6:19) Because the sealing power is the power to seal up unto eternal life, we know that all those who had the sealing power would have received this promise and assurance including Elijah, Peter, and Nephi the son of Helaman. As we saw before all those who received the second comforter would have also had their calling and election made sure. Included in that number were many of “the ancient Saints... when they had such glorious visions—Isaiah, Ezekiel, John upon the Isle of Patmos, St. Paul in the three heavens, and all the Saints who held communion with the general assembly and Church of the Firstborn.” (TPJS, p.151) To this list we might also add Adam and his righteous posterity at Adam-ondi Ahman, Enoch and his city, Noah, Melchizedek and the people of Salem, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Aaron, Lehi and his sons, Nephi and Jacob, Mormon, Moroni, and countless other faithful saints and prophets throughout scriptural history. We may also rest assured that this promise is sought for and obtained regularly in our day.

Most importantly, we should remember that all those who have been sufficiently sanctified, purified, and prepared will receive the promise of eternal life when Jesus Christ comes again. Those who will be with him will be called, chosen, and faithful, and they will enter into his rest “from this time henceforth until [they] shall rest with him in heaven.” (Moro. 7:3)

Let us, therefore, be diligent to make our calling and election sure.