Christ's Commandments: The Greatest Commandment; Love

"This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you." John 15:12

"Greater love hath no man than this..."

The courts of temple were fuller than usual. People normally gathered whenever Jesus Christ was reaching, but this gathering was different. The Jews gathered together, not only to see the rumored messiah, but also to hear the furious accusations of the Pharisees, who were determined to destroy Him.

Their plan was simple, if they asked Jesus Christ some of their most controversial questions, they could get Him to offend part of the crowd and turn the people against Him. Their plan would have succeeded against any other man, but Christ was wiser than all of them. "Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites?" He asked.

Perhaps we should be thankful for their questions. Their every accusation opened the savior's store of wisdom yet again. Finally frustrated, one Pharisee asked, "Master, Which is the great commandment in the law?" Rather than study the commandments to grow closer to God, they studied to discover loopholes in them. The idea of the commandments having a hierarchy of importance where some could be ignored, appealed to the Pharisees.

Christ's answer still rings across the ages. "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets." In this thirty second sermon, Jesus Christ established the perfect summary of what God expects of us. The commandments weren't just rules anymore, they were a means to an end. That end is love.

Love is the End and the Beginning of the Commandments

Jesus Christ taught that love was the principle which upheld all of the commandments. Whoever loved God the most would obey His commandments the most. An increase in obedience to the commandments gives us greater love for God, which in turn gives us more of a desire to obey. Thus, if we increase our obedience to the commandments, we will create a self-fueling desire to improve our lives, escape destructive habits, and maintain happiness no matter what our circumstances may be.

Beyond increasing our love for God, God will fill our lives with blessings if we are obedient. The Book of Mormon teaches this principle best: "I say unto you that if ye should serve him who has created you from the beginning, and is preserving you from day to day, by lending you breath, that ye may live and move and do according to your own will, and even supporting you from one moment to another—I say, if ye should serve him with all your whole souls yet ye would be unprofitable servants. And behold, all that he requires of you is to keep his commandments; and he has promised you that if ye would keep his commandments ye should prosper in the land; and he never doth vary from that which he hath said; therefore, if ye do keep his commandments he doth bless you and prosper you." We can see from the scriptures that God rewards us far beyond what we 'earn' through obedience.

To love God with all of our effort and to love men like ourselves is difficult, but essential if we want to experience the blessings God has in store for us. The importance of charity (the pure love of Christ) is expressed by Paul in the Holy Bible. "Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing."

"Our love grows as the commandments color who we are

In short, the commandments are all about love. Our love for God and our neighbor will naturally lead us to apply the commandments to our lives. As long as we're seeking to increase in love and understanding, we will draw closer and closer to achieving all of God's commandments.

I have experienced this love in my life already. I know that God has been good to me and he has blessed me for the commandments I have already mastered. I know that He is supporting me day by day and He will continue to support me, even until the day I pass from this life and see his face, and know that He is my God and my Heavenly Father.

Commandments in the Media: Volume 6

Live, and be happy, and make others so. Justine Moritz

"The night precedes itself."

Frankenstein

I think that out of all of the different forms of media, I enjoy nothing more than reading books. When I first came out on my mission, the thing I missed most was having a book in my hand at all times. It didn't help that I had just begun reading classical literature.

When I started with the classics, Halloween was soon, so I decided to experience horror classics like Dracula and Frankenstein for myself. I was pleasantly surprised when I read these books! They were creepy, but I had never imagined that they would be so positive too. They were both full of noble heroes working to defend their loved ones from the forces of fear and darkness.

The Commandments in Frankenstein

The story of Frankenstein is about a young scientist who meddles with forces beyond his imagining and succeeds in creating a monster. However, despite this tragedy, the greater horror in my opinion is the total destruction of two families; Frankenstein's and the monster's.

Families can be the greatest source of happiness in our lives, but Victor Frankenstein neglects his in the creation of the monster (sometimes named Adam). He had never considered that what he was doing could impact his family, but it did. And it destroyed them. We will never create a living monster in the way that Frankenstein did, but we may create a spiritual or emotional monster. Let us be wary of delving into dark places and experimenting with things we shouldn't; drugs and pornography just to name a few.

While Frankenstein physically created Adam, it was ultimately Adam who made himself into a monster. From the moment he is created, he wants companionship, either with his maker or with a wife. Early in his story, Adam is a very noble character. He wants to do good and be good. He is hideous physically, but he only becomes truly vile once he commits the vile sin of murder. When he kills a family who were disgusted at his appearance, he loses his good nature. His feelings warp and twist until he begins to hate his creator. Adam kills his entire family and in return, Frankenstein destroys his wife. In the end, everything that was good about Adam was destroyed by the black hole of murder and death until all that was left was the mindless instrument of death we are familiar with. There is no condition so vile, so awful, that violence won't make it worse.

As we enjoy the costumes and treats of this Halloween, never overlook that the family is the greatest source of our happiness in life. Have fun, enjoy the company of your family, and avoid the dark diversions that bring real evil into the holiday.

Commandments in the Media: Volume 5

"Believe in your strengths...Believe..." Happy Mask Salesman

"Be thankful our moon isn't trying to kill us."

The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask

Sometimes I think that out of all of the media in the world, video-games often get the short end of the stick. They are often pointed out as an inferior art form, a dangerous time-waster, and medium for experimenting with illegal or violent actions. In many cases, these are valid concerns. However, to be completely fair, these concerns can really be extended to all forms of media.

As I thought about what would make a good addition to Commandments in the Media, my thoughts were drawn to one of my favorite games of all time. I am thinking of the abstract video-game classic, The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask.

The Commandments in The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask

Something that makes finding the commandments in video-games different from finding them in movies or books is that video-games can have different rules for how the fictional world works. This can be obviously bad. However, whenever the mechanics of the game revolve around the commandments themselves, this can create a very positive, uplifting experience. That is why Majora's Mask is the first video-game to get a post. The central goal of the game is to save and improve people's lives! Majora's Mask takes place in the very dark world of Termina. The main villain is the Skull Kid, a childish imp who is determined to crush Termina with the moon as a cruel joke. Even if Termina wasn't already doomed to destruction, its inhabitants are lost and miserable people. That's where you come in. Through acts of service like tending to the wounded,  finding lost children, protecting the innocent, and even visiting the lonely, you slowly make Termina a better place. Your final goal may be the most noble of all, to give the people of Termina a future.

One of the first areas you explore is the Deku Swamp. In the swamp, you discover both a forest of intelligent apes and the secluded kingdom of the deku, a race of plant people. You quickly discover that one of the apes has been imprisoned for poisoning the swamp. It becomes obvious early on that that this accusation was founded on racial tension rather than actual evidence. Instead of resolving the problem, this false accusation drives a wedge in between the only two parties who could actually solve the problem. This situation would be laughable if it wasn't completely true to life. Sometimes, instead of acknowledging our problems, we point fingers and look for someone else to solve the problem. This behaviors wastes valuable time, of which we have so little in this life, and often makes it more difficult for us to be able to overcome difficulties.

One of the most desperate areas in the game is the eastward oriented land of Ikana. During your early exploration, Ikana seems like nothing more than a desert wasteland. However, as your exploration deepens, you discover the ancient ruins of a destroyed civilization and the sin that lead to their destruction, Idolatry. The people of Ikana turned away from their (fictional) God, preferring their own ways and ideas. They built the Stone Tower (of Babel) and indulged in blasphemy and evil ritual. The result was the destruction of Ikana and the creation of the evil threatening Termina. Remember this land! Like them and like the Israelites, if we turn our backs on the true and living God, we turn our backs on our only hope for salvation.

The Ten Commandments: No Other Gods (Revised)

"Thou shalt have no other gods before me."  Exodus 20:3

"Exodus, the original Mission Impossible."

The exodus was already in progress. The Israelite nation had been freed from the slavery of Egypt, their cruel masters had been drowned in the depths of the red sea, and now they were being lead to Canaan, the land of their inheritance.

Their leader was a man named Moses. In the past, he had been a mere shepherd, but God had bigger plans in store for him. He saw the presence of God within the burning bush, he talked to God face to face, like one man speaks to another, and he unleashed God's wonders on the land of Egypt. His mission was simple, he was supposed to bring the children of Israel home.

Then one day, Moses received an incredible message from God Himself. "I come unto thee in a thick cloud," He said. "...that the people may hear when I speak with thee, and believe thee forever." This news must have excited Moses. Finally, they would know for certain that he had seen God. "I will visit them in three days." God continued. "Go unto the people, and sanctify them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their clothes. And be ready against the third day: for the third day the Lord will come down in the sight of all the people upon mount Sinai."

And He sure did. On the third day, God descended on the mountain and it caught fire. Moses brought his people to the base of Mount Sinai, where they saw God's eternal glory. They knew now, without a doubt, that God was their leader. "I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage." He said. "Thou shalt have no other gods before me."

And so it began. God wanted to transform a congregation of slaves into a nation worthy of representing His name. That change could only come from new-found wisdom, and so, God revealed The Ten Commandments. These Commandments were designed to uplift and strengthen mankind, to lead their civilizations, and guide them home to God's presence.

Who is God exactly?

God, very simply, is the Father of all Mankind. He created man in His own image and He views us with a paternal regard. He is unchanging and trustworthy, and His objective on this earth is "to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man."

One belief that is fairly common is the belief in the Trinity, which is that God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost are the same being, just with separate roles and forms. I find this doctrine hard to relate to. If God and Jesus Christ are the same being, why is Christ always praying to Himself? How can The Holy Ghost descend upon Himself while the voice of God the Father declares that He is His Own Begotten Son? Either God is a incomprehensible being with no sort of relation to mankind or we should trust the words of God Himself when he declares that Jesus Christ is His Son.

The commandment to have no other Gods before Him, means to place our loyalties in God. When He appeared to Moses and the Israelites on Mount Sinai, they knew without a doubt that their God was The True and Living God. From that point on, God made a promise with His people. If they would obey His Commandments and worship Him, He would make them a holy nation and give them eternal life. In essence He said, "Follow Me, and I will make you my children." Later on, when Jesus Christ, the Son of God, came to the earth, He repeated that same Commandment, "Follow Me." The Holy Ghost also gives us that same commandment, "Follow Me." Having no other Gods before Him, means to follow His example and dedicate ourselves to Him.

How Should We View Other World Religions?

I believe that the worship of God the Father, His Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost is the center source of truth in this world. Through Jesus Christ and His teachings we can enjoy all of the attributes of godliness, happiness, and peace. In addition to Jesus Christ and His servants, there are many other religious figures on this earth who taught their people principles of love and godliness. They wanted to bring brighter color to their cultures. I believe that these men were taught true principles directly from God himself. I believe that any serious differences between faiths were started by men long after these leaders had lived and died. 

Once we have gained a testimony of Jesus Christ, we are expected to devote ourselves to him. I believe that in the last days, many people of all nations, cultures, and faiths will be brought to Jesus Christ by the principles of righteousness that they already follow. This is what I feel that God expects us to do concerning other beliefs. He wants us to befriend them, honor and defend their true principles, and invite them to learn of Jesus Christ. Perhaps the biggest blessing from following this commandment is that we won't have to compromise either our faith or our learning. We will be able to learn of other faiths and consider their truths from a perspective founded on Jesus Christ and his Atonement. We will understand how these religions fit into God's plan for His Children and we will be able to coexist with them.

"Looking for God? Maybe he's in His house!"

Ideas To Live This Commandment

Pray for a Testimony of Jesus Christ
Once we know that Jesus Christ is the savior, we receive direct access to the source of all truth. We can receive that testimony through prayer. I personally feel that The Book of Mormon explains the process best, "I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost. And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things." (Moroni 10:4-5)

Commandments in the Media: Volume 4

"Take my hand, I'll lead you to Salvation!" Fantine

"This bench is fairly miserable."

Les Misérables

As I've served my mission, I didn't expect was become familiar with several musicals, one of them being Les Misérables. One of my missionary friends is an Elder from France named Elder Fourtina. He was a huge fan of Les Mis, so he had the original broadway soundtrack with him. I've also heard about it from several other missionaries who have served around me. In short, I don't have any direct experience with Les Misérables, however, I've heard enough bits and pieces that I know the basic story.

And what a story it is. I've never experienced a story so emotionally stretching. It presents all of the sorrows and joys of life on a single slice of history, the French Revolution. What impresses me the most about Les Misérables is that while it depicts the dark reality of sin, it also depicts the shining light of redemption. The challenge here isn't to find the commandments in Les Misérables, but to decide which ones to include in this post.

The Commandments in Les Misérables

The main themes of the story are repentance and forgiveness. From the very beginning, when the main character, Jean Valjean is freed from his nineteen years of imprisonment, he is convinced that nothing can redeem him from his past. In order to escape his hopeless situation, he attempts to rob the bishop who had taken him in. When the bishop not only forgave Valjean for his robbery, but gave him two silver candlesticks to become an honest man, the darkened world of Jean Valjean begins to brighten. Could his soul have really been bought for God? In response to this single act of forgiveness, Valjean turns his entire life around. His new-found faith drives him to save several lost souls, including Cosette and Marius.

On the flipside of the story, Javert, a cunning policeman, does everything in his power to capture Valjean, whom he considers unredeemable. However, when Valjean shows mercy to him, proving that he has truly changed, Javert is forced to make a decision. He has to choose between forgiving Valjean and giving up his own life. Tragically, he chooses the latter and dies a miserable suicide. The good that he may have done in the world is lost, because he simply could not forgive. The burden of sin is miserable, but it may not be as heavy as the grudges we can bear when we don't forgive.

One of the most tragic characters in Les Misérables is Fantine, Valjean's sister. Her tragedy begins from having an illegitimate daughter with her lover. Her lover quickly abandons her, leaving her alone with her daughter, shattered dreams, and a burning sense of guilt. In her desperate circumstances, she makes a fatal mistake of going into prostitution to provide for her daughter. The scriptures teach that sexual sin is spiritually and emotionally destructive (even in desperate circumstances and she suffers and eventually dies from it.

Finally, how could any of us forget Valjean's heart-tugging prayer in "Bring Him Home." I am always astonished at how inspired this song is. From this prayer, Jean Valjean demonstrates absolute faith that God knows him and will answer his prayers. In the climax of the song, Valjean cries out, "If I die, let me die! Let him live! Bring him home!" In essence, it reminds me of the Savior's prayer in Gethsemane, where he valued his father's will over his own. "O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt." In the end, Valjean's prayer is granted. Marius is protected.

Overall, I like to believe that Les Misérables is such an impressive story because it shows so many angles of life. We can observe how the commandments protect us from sorrow and also how disobeying them leads to suffering.

The Apostles and Les Misérables?

During the process of making this post, I made a surprising discovery. During this past General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, one of counselors to the presiding bishop cited Les Misérables in his talk. Interested, I wanted to see if there were any other years where Les Mis was referenced by our apostles. I was very surprised.

Here are some talks by modern day prophets and apostles that show how they see the commandments in Les Misérables.

Ye Are No More Strangers- 2013
Redemption- 2013
Bring Him Home- 2003

The Color of Ourselves?

"Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God." 1 John 4:7

"I want to be the best blue pencil I can be!"

I learned something really interesting today about myself and other people. I'm currently living with three other missionaries and we spend a lot of our lunch and evening time socializing in our apartment. This morning, one of the other Elders pulled out an interesting book. I imagine that it's well known. It was called "The Color Code."

The Color Code is part personality quiz, part social essay. The basic premise was that our personalities can be gauged by one of four types; red, blue, white, or yellow. It isn't surprising that my unique personality was clearly labeled as blue, which was the emotional, intimate type. I listened as that Elder read what felt like my life story, but was actually the book's description of a blue personality. I was fairly impressed. As I listened to more of what the book had to say, I had an interesting insight, which I would like to share.

As we talk about the commandments and their colors, I think we sometimes forget to think about the color within people. We are all children of God, but that does not make us the same. All of us have different appearances, strengths, struggles, and personalities. We can sometimes struggle when we are surrounded by people who think or act differently than we do. We can sometimes mistake differences for sin, when the person they are trying to become doesn't match up with ours. God does not ask us to become Jesus Christ. He asks us to become more like Him, because He knows that following Christ's example will improve anyone.

As I've thought more about The Color Code, I remember that none of us is rooted in a certain personality. Through Jesus Christ, all of us can bring out the best in ourselves and gain greater hope. I love my savior and I want Him to know how much I love Him and wish I was more like Him. Even so, I know that He loves me and is helping me along every step of the way.

Elder Cockrum

Commandments in the Media: Volume 3

"May the Force be with you, Always." Han Solo

The resemblance is amazing...

A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away... 

Star Wars: Episodes 4-6

To this day, I still don't know how George Lucas did it. He created a film which single-handedly changed the way we look at movies forever. Everything about Star Wars was and still is incredible. Whether it was the Jedi, the Death Star, or even the famous plot twist which shocked even the actors, everything about Star Wars seems inspired.

Funny thing though, where does this inspiration come from? The Book of Mormon teaches that "...all things which are good cometh of God." I would presume in that case, that parts of Star Wars itself may have been direct inspiration from God! "But wait!" You may say. "Star Wars has nothing to do with Jesus Christ! There are no light-sabers or force wielding Jedi in The Bible!" Well that's true, all of the light-sabers are in The Book of Mormon.

No, I'm just kidding. But you know what you can find in The Book of Mormon? God's Commandments. And those Commandments are absolutely interwoven into Star Wars.

The Commandments in Star Wars

As we all know, Luke Skywalker is the immature, arrogant hero of the movie. He spends the first few minutes of the movie complaining about power converters (or his lack thereof) and having to do his sand chores, on his sand planet, with his sand speeder... He has to grow up really fast when he finds his uncle and aunt's bodies roasted on his front lawn (dune?). From that moment on, he has to pick up the slack by accepting the awesome responsibility of the Priesthood. Oh wait, I mean the Force... or do I? 

If you watch carefully, nearly every time the Force is being used, its effects are straight out of the Scriptures.  The Force is power and authority recognized by the entire universe, but it's useless without discipline and focus (like the Priesthood). It allows the Jedi to move and organize matter (like God does with the Priesthood). Even people without the Force itself can feel inspiration from it (The Gift of The Holy Ghost), but they need to exercise faith in those promptings (The Holy Ghost). My friends back at home have joked about this numerous times, but despite the jokes, the resemblance really is incredible.

Star Wars is a story about redemption and repentance. Every single main character changes as the story progresses. Luke starts out as a rebellious teen who wants to kill Vader, and becomes a (more) disciplined Jedi Knight capable of not just defeating Darth Vader, but sparing him. Princess Leia makes a similar change, becoming more responsible as time goes on. Han Solo starts out as a cold blooded mercenary (who shoots first), and ends the series as a (more) honest man who is willing to sacrifice everything for the good of the universe. In the end, even Vader redeems himself by fixing the mistake he made 3 movies later (in the prequels which aren't as inspired). The only main character that doesn't really change is C3P0. Likewise, all of us have incredible potential in our galaxy. With the help of Jesus Christ, all of us can receive inspiration to make that incredible change in hearts. No one is outside of the changing power of Christ.