A primary benefit and drawback of rules is that you do not need to understand their intent in order to follow them. While this enables more people to follow the rule if greater understanding were required, it also makes possible the exercise of the rule against the intended outcome.
The greatest example of using rules to argue against their intent is the treatment Jesus received at the hands of ruling Jews. The crimes they charged him with and most of the arguments they offered against his teaching and works were stipulated in the law of Moses, whose rules he indeed broke, but whose purpose he perfectly fulfilled.
Once people forget that the purpose of God’s commandments is to instruct them in becoming more like him,1 it becomes all too easy for religious practice to corrupt to the point that it turns the hearts of people away from God rather than towards him,2 makes them less like him rather than more like him,3 and makes them hate rather than love those who are more like him.4 The Lord chastised the Pharisees for developing traditions so obviously against his purpose, but many Christians do the same or worse today.5
It is possible to keep God’s rules without ever learning his purpose, and this is precisely what happens most of the time, even in the rare case that people actually keep the rules at all. God’s rules are meant to teach you about his principles,6 but this will only happen inasmuch as you actively question the reasons for his rules7 and pay attention to their consequences (see John 7:17).
God does not want you to be an animal8 that unthinkingly follows his rules.9 He wants you to learn how he is and choose to be like him.10 As you live by the rules you receive and pay attention to their consequences, you will develop a greater understanding of God’s principles in ways you can’t when you are already satisfied with judgment based on the unthinking acceptance of rules alone.
Footnotes
- 1. But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness. Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone; As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. (Romans 9:31-33) ↩
- 2. Forasmuch as this people draw near unto me with their mouth, and with their lips do honor me, but have removed their hearts far from me, and their fear towards me is taught by the precepts of men— (2 Nephi 27:25) ↩
- 3. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves (Matthew 23:15) ↩
- 4. They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service. (John 16:2) ↩
- 5. But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition? For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death. But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition. Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. (Matthew 15:3-9) ↩
- 6. Teach me good judgment and knowledge: for I have believed thy commandments. (Psalm 119:66) ↩
- 7. Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way. (Psalm 119:104) ↩
- 8. Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding: whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they come near unto thee (Psalm 32:9) ↩
- 9. For behold, it is not meet that I should command in all things; for he that is compelled in all things, the same is a slothful and not a wise servant; wherefore he receiveth no reward. Verily I say, men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness; For the power is in them, wherein they are agents unto themselves. And inasmuch as men do good they shall in nowise lose their reward. But he that doeth not anything until he is commanded, and receiveth a commandment with doubtful heart, and keepeth it with slothfulness, the same is damned. (D&C 58:26-29) ↩
- 10. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. (Matthew 6:21) A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. (Matthew 12:35) ↩