Our beliefs—what we really believe, not what we would like to believe or what we say we believe—dictate our actions and our feelings. They can't be separated from each other.
Our beliefs are wholly up to us. We can choose to believe whatever we wish, no matter how impossible, false, ineffectual, or unwise they may be. Our beliefs can come from many places, including society and our carnal desires.
Our natural observations and inclinations are wholly insufficient to instruct us in the ways of higher order truth:
For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father. (Mosiah 3:19)
This is why we are commanded to “Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.” (John 7:24) Recall that righteous means that which improves. God is the one and only source of truth, because everything that improves comes from him, and everything that comes from him improves.
When we choose to believe that which is contrary to what God has manifested to us, we choose to love a lie. Loving a lie is the opposite of embracing the truth. It means acting contrary to what you know, or continuing in ignorance when you have the means to learn more.
So often, we find ourselves loving a lie by choosing to remain in a belief that is contradicted by reality, whether through ignorance or willful denial. We act like children who play house on what they must realize is a fake plastic kitchen.
What are these lies? Really, they are all subsumed in one lie: that good is evil, or that evil is good. Specific manifestations of this lie include when we act in opposition to what we know is good; when we refuse to test something new that might be good; when we ignore a revealed counterexample or inadequacy in our presently held belief; when we believe we live in an unconstrained world where we can both do and receive what we please; when we focus on the symptoms of our beliefs without ever questioning or changing our beliefs.
Satan is described as a liar from the beginning. This isn’t because everything he says and does is a lie, but because everything he says and does is based on a lie—the lie that good is evil, or evil is good:
24 And truth is knowledge of things as they are, and as they were, and as they are to come;
25 And whatsoever is more or less than this is the spirit of that wicked one who was a liar from the beginning.
26 The Spirit of truth is of God. I am the Spirit of truth, and John bore record of me, saying: He received a fulness of truth, yea, even of all truth;
27 And no man receiveth a fulness unless he keepeth his commandments.
28 He that keepeth his commandments receiveth truth and light, until he is glorified in truth and knoweth all things.
29 Man was also in the beginning with God. Intelligence, or the light of truth, was not created or made, neither indeed can be. 30 All truth is independent in that sphere in which God has placed it, to act for itself, as all intelligence also; otherwise there is no existence. (D&C 93)
Satan’s modus operandi is to convince others what he believes—that outcomes can be obtained external to the law that governs all things. But this is false. It is contrary to reality—things as they really are. It is contrary to God’s word, because God embraces reality. It is contrary to the light. It is contrary to the system set up from the foundation of the world:
20 There is <u>a</u> law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world, upon which <u>all</u> blessings are predicated—
21 And when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is [all things are] predicated. (D&C 130)
11 And the light which shineth, which giveth you light, is through him who enlighteneth your eyes, which is the same light that quickeneth your understandings;
12 Which light proceedeth forth from the presence of God to fill the immensity of space—
13 The light which is in all things, which giveth life to all things, which is the law by which all things are governed, even the power <u>of God</u> who sitteth upon his throne, who is in the bosom of eternity, who is in the midst of all things. (D&C 88)
Lies cannot improve us. They are ineffectual, or vain, at best, and at worst, can cause great destruction in our lives and in the lives of others— suffering that is completely preventable if we will only listen to God.
17 This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,
18 Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:
19 Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. (Ephesians 4)
When we believe lies, we empower the devil. We waste our lives in the counterfeit pursuit of things that cannot bring us the deep satisfaction that can only be won in toiling pursuit of the truth. We are fully occupied and divert our time, energy, and talents to that which is of no worth. “Wherefore, do not spend money for that which is of no worth, nor your labor for that which cannot satisfy. Hearken diligently unto me, and remember the words which I have spoken; and come unto the Holy One of Israel, and feast upon that which perisheth not, neither can be corrupted, and let your soul delight in fatness.” (2 Nephi 9:51)
When we love lies, we deprive ourselves of what we need for spiritual, physical, and other sustenance, and end up malnourished in every sense. “O, my beloved brethren, remember the awfulness in transgressing against that Holy God, and also the awfulness of yielding to the enticings of that cunning one. Remember, to be carnally-minded is death, and to be spiritually-minded is life eternal.” (2 Nephi 9:39)
No amount of wishing something is true will make it so. Addictions, false traditions, sacred cows are all manifestations of the same underlying problem: loving a lie. When you comprehend the truth, these things lose all their power. The problem, though, is that we cling so tightly to what we wish was true, ignoring the unavoidable pain that accompanies the comprehension that they aren’t, that we will endure any evidence to the contrary—no matter how strong it is—fighting it to the death to avoid a realization of the truth.
Why do we love a lie, when the truth is by definition more fruitful? Why do we turn away from the light? Is it not because of a lack of trust in God? Is it not because we do not really believe that he knows more than we do, and loves us more than we love ourselves?
Far too many people have beliefs that do not accord with reality as they experience it. But they choose to ignore these deviations because they can. The error of their estimate is small enough to be tolerable. Small enough to ignore. Then, invariably, life hits them with something they weren't expecting. An error too big to ignore. They have a medical emergency, lose their job, catch their spouse cheating, or find out something they thought about themselves was wrong.
When hit with an undeniable ideological contradiction, they can’t help but wonder “if this thing that I thought was so secure is in fact not so, what else might be off?” They start to doubt the very foundations of their ideologies. Most go into a tailspin of reckless behavior and emotional instability, and few recover.
These “ego deaths” are exactly what the gospel is designed to prevent—and prevention, oddly enough, is acquired through the maintenance of that very state. The Lord said: “For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.” (Matthew 16:25) Because our perception of reality is woefully limited, clinging to what we think we know and what we carnally desire will always result in our reliance upon some aspect of life that is anything but reliable. It may be a complete illusion, or it may be something different than we think it is. Either way, by leaning upon it, we bake “ego death” into the future. We guarantee that we will “lose [our lives].” The only way to minimize those experiences—to find our lives and keep them—is to rely upon God and only God, or in other words to reconcile ourselves completely to the light that he has revealed to us.
Rebellion
The word of God is crystal clear in stating that liars are thrust down to hell. This is no arbitrary punishment. Liars by definition are those who refuse to reconcile their lives to what they know. Those in this state cut themselves off from the improvement necessary to prepare for judgment.
Awareness of truth in and of itself is not the same as our reconciliation to it. Any time our character deviates from our sincere understanding of God’s character, we are out of harmony with God, and in rebellion: “Wherefore, let every man beware lest he do that which is not in truth and righteousness before me.” (D&C 50:9)
Going against the light is rebellion against God:
5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:
7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. (1 John 1)
There is no such thing as grades of rebellion. Rebellion in even one thing makes you rebellious in all (see James 2:10).
Rebellion against God is the one and only problem in this world. Anyone who is fully reconciled to God will be saved, no matter how much light they may have. The quantity of light determines the degree of glory, not the state of salvation. You are either saved or you are not, but there are infinitely many glories, which are as diverse as the knowledge possessed by each person.
You can’t rebel against God in this life and dwell in his presence without first passing through the fires of hell, no matter how much light you have or don’t have. If we knowingly act contrary to our understanding of God’s will, we are in open rebellion against God; we are cut off from God and will be forever until we repent.
But behold, and fear, and tremble before God, for ye ought to tremble; for the Lord redeemeth none such that rebel against him and die in their sins; yea, even all those that have perished in their sins ever since the world began, that have wilfully rebelled against God, that have known the commandments of God, and would not keep them; these are they that have no part in the first resurrection. (Mosiah 15:26)
But behold, ye have rejected the truth, and rebelled against your holy God; and even at this time, instead of laying up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where nothing doth corrupt, and where nothing can come which is unclean, ye are heaping up for yourselves wrath against the day of judgment. (Helaman 8:25)
Some seek to excuse themselves in willful disobedience by claiming that the blood of Jesus will save them in spite of their sin. Jesus cannot save his people in their sins. He can only save them from their sins.
And, in fine, wo unto all those who die in their sins; for they shall return to God, and behold his face, and remain in their sins. (2 Nephi 9:38)
And I say unto you again that 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 11:37)
The importance of reconciliation to the light you have is immeasurable. Any degree of rebellion means you are under the control of Satan. He motivates you. He will use you to hurt those around you who try to turn to the light, and you won’t even notice it. You’ll just notice that you are angry at them (see 2 Nephi 4:13; 28:19-20). You will unknowingly go around tempting people to turn away from the light, and you won’t even realize it.
Escaping the lie
The Lord offers us escape from prison:
10 Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and iron;
11 Because they rebelled against the words of God, and contemned the counsel of the most High:
12 Therefore he brought down their heart with labour; they fell down, and there was none to help.
13 Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and he saved them out of their distresses.
14 He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and brake their bands in sunder.
15 Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!
16 For he hath broken the gates of brass, and cut the bars of iron in sunder. (Psalm 107)
The gospel is the light. But men turn away from it because they would rather listen to the voice of everyone else, crying with unified cacophony: there is no darkness, there is no prison, there is no light, there is nothing better:
28 And when the times of the Gentiles is come in, a light shall break forth among them that sit in darkness, and it shall be the fulness of my gospel;
29 But they receive it not; for they perceive not the light, and they turn their hearts from me because of the precepts of men. (D&C 45)
The default behavior of mankind is to turn away from the light—to turn away from something better. This is a pattern as old as time. In Moses’ day, the children of Israel constantly turned away from a blessed life far better than the Egyptian culture they came from. Perhaps no example is more succinct than that of the brass serpent.
The Lord used this example as he taught that individuals, by default, are not interested in rising above where they currently stand:
14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:
15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God. (John 3)
When the children of Israel were suffering from the poisonous snake bites, Moses crafted a brass serpent, representing Jesus, and mounted it on a staff. Those who looked up to the brass serpent lived. Those who did not died. The brass is symbolic. Brass is purified in fire. The staff is symbolic. As Jesus was lifted up, so will all mankind be lifted up to the Father.
The snakes came whether the people wanted to deal with them or not. Chaos will come into your life whether you want to deal with it or not. The choice is not whether the chaos will come, but what you will do about knowing it will. Whether you are enveloped in chaos presently, or merely await its return, your best bet is to prepare yourself. As Jesus taught, you are “condemned already.” It will defeat you in your present state, no matter when it appears.
To prepare is to come to the light; to expose your deeds to be reproved; to subject yourself to the fire; to critically inspect your acts, thoughts, and desires from a more enlightened perspective.
It makes sense to turn into the light. It is the most rational thing you can do. Still, it is the least likely outcome.
Why wouldn't you want to know what is true, even if it hurts? The truth is always better than the alternative.
The only solution is to look toward God for disillusionment—to look for correction, to seek to have our perceptions tested. When we choose to believe an illusion, it makes our limited/incorrect perspective more attractive than the more correct perspective offered to us. It takes a lie to make what is wrong preferable to what is right. One exchange between Jesus and Peter is a good illustration of this principle:
23 But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.
24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
25 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.
26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
27 For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works. (Matthew 16)
It seems at first glance that the Lord was being harsh toward Peter for what seems to be an act of love: Peter implored the Lord not to travel the path he knew would end in his death. The Lord rebuked Peter sharply because he supposed that it was possible for the Lord to be the Messiah without having to go through the things that the Messiah would need to go through. He wanted the benefits without the cost. The Lord helped Peter see more clearly by stating that the achievement of God’s will requires the complete subjugation of personal will.
Jesus explained that you cannot have two masters. You must either choose to do what God wants or what you want, but not both. The reward that follows here and hereafter is subject to the objective strength of the choice—not the desire of the actor.
Choosing to seek the truth through the Lord is like building your house on a rock. Loving a lie is like building a house on sand. When the challenges come—and they will—the faults of your limited or incorrect beliefs will be undeniable, and cause you great suffering:
13 But whoso among you shall do more or less than these are not built upon my rock, but are built upon a sandy foundation; and when the rain descends, and the floods come, and the winds blow, and beat upon them, they shall fall, and the gates of hell are ready open to receive them.
14 Therefore blessed are ye if ye shall keep my commandments, which the Father hath commanded me that I should give unto you. (3 Nephi 18)
Stress comes either from fear of the unknown or fear of what you know you must do. In either case, full trust in God is the antidote to stress. Instead of relieving stress the only way it can truly be relieved, the world seeks freedom from stress through ignorance of how things really are. Most wish to remain in blissful ignorance of reality—which is fine until it shows up at your doorstep, in which case the outcome is far worse than if you knew it was coming and could at least reconcile yourself to that idea, and perhaps do something about it as well. Of course, ignoring what you know you must do leads to greater misery than facing it head on. Your lack of facing what you must do will cause you pain in terms of consequences that could have been avoided as well as pain in terms of anxiety over what you know will surely come. You forfeit the joy and peace of mind that comes to those who do the best they know how at all times and in all places.
Wickedness never was happiness. Pleasure can come from truth or illusion. Illusory pleasure always comes as a mortgaged cost. Pleasure can be encountered in falsehood, but it is mortgaged against a future realization of truth. Any pleasure based on illusion is subject to repayment with interest, and will always generate more pain than pleasure. The price for illusory pleasure may be delayed, but is always greater than what it provides. The bill always comes due, and when it does the balance is far worse than if you didn't believe the illusion in the first place. When the truth is discovered—and it has a way of forcing its way into illusions through sudden, awful snaps back to reality—it will bring with it not only a radical robbery of already-felt pleasure, but also a deep cavity where that pleasurable memory sat.
In the end, the cost of feeling illusory pleasure is much greater than reality, no matter how hard that reality is. There is no escaping from reality, only mortgaging against it, and the interest of illusory pleasure is so much greater than we can afford to pay.
The gospel is about minimizing the illusion, which means minimizing unnecessary suffering. We ought to lean on the Lord and his perfect knowledge, and seek it instead of our own preconceived notions, which are almost guaranteed to be false. For example, we are exceedingly limited in our awareness of options, risk, cost, and benefit. We are tempted by appeals to our pride, our bodies, and our emotions.
What is good is what is God, because God by definition always knows more than us about the reality that we inhabit. Your ability to choose is limited by the accuracy of your perception of reality. You are unable to choose what is ideal for you to the extent that your perception of reality is incorrect or nonexistent.
The Lord said “He that loses his life for my sake shall find it.” (Matthew 16:25) How can you find what you have given away? What the Lord is saying is that what you give away is only what you think you have, an illusion. What you think you give away, you never really had in the first place. The only way to find what you really want, deep down inside, is to find the truth. If you find the truth, you will also find what you seek, and it will be real.
It is always better to embrace reality than to hide from it. It is much better to embrace reality, turning away from what we know to be false and questioning everything that might only seem true because of our ignorance. Anything built on illusion is going to eventually break. Jesus said anything not from him will shake and crumble. Trust him. Turn to him. Learn from him.