Doing your best

[Vort]

All we must do, we are told, is to do our best. God requires nothing more -- but nothing less.

Serious question: What does this mean? Because I think it cannot be taken at face value.

Does anyone ever do their best for more than a few moments at a time? Ever?

I do not believe I have lived a single day of my life wherein I have done "my best" throughout the whole day. Not once, at least not since very early childhood.

If I am required to do no less than "my best", then I am already damned. I do not, and I believe cannot, maintain peak performance for more than a short period.

Now, I admit this may be just an excuse. For example, I have spoken with people who openly mock and disbelieve the idea that a person can be chaste, especially an unmarried person. They believe, as far as I can tell quite sincerely, that it is not possible for someone of normal sex drive to remain chaste past some arbitrary age (usually about 20).

Now that's pretty pathetic. You have to wonder what kind of person would actually disbelieve in the very possibility of exercising a modicum of sexual self-control. But I have met people, more than one, who believe just that.

So perhaps this is just a reflection of my own sad state. Maybe lots of people out in the world very literally live up to their potential every moment of every day, or at least most moments of most days. So I don't deny the possibility. But looking at myself and my own sad track record, I find it difficult to believe. I have a hard time going a single hour, much less an entire day, doing "my best". In every case, I always could have done at least incrementally better than I did.

Commentary welcome.

[Just_A_Guy]

One of the conveniences of Elder Oaks' paradigm--the idea that God isn't as concerned about "doing" as He is about "being"--is that I think it neatly sidesteps conundrums like this. Rather than spend hours agonizing over whether you really "did" your best, all you have to do is ask whether you "are" the kind of person who consistently does your best now--and, if not, how do you become that kind of person.

[RipplecutBuddha]

also understanding that while we are expected to seek perfection, we all know as well as God does, that no matter how hard we focus, we're gonna slip at some point. While God does expect us to do our best at all times, he knew we would never be able to be even remotely consistent.

That's why he arranged the Atonement. The little secret is that each of us will still have to suffer for some sin or another regardless of how righteous we are. The goal is to minimize it by utilizing the atonement regularly through the days of our lives and through partaking of the sacrament.

[rameumptom]

This is why we have a Savior. We have repentance to compensate for our weaknesses, sins, and less than optimal performances. As we receive the atonement, we become optimal, because we then are yoked with Christ, and share the burden, the trials, and the rewards with Him.

[applepansy]

All we must do, we are told, is to do our best. God requires nothing more -- but nothing less.

Serious question: What does this mean? Because I think it cannot be taken at face value.

Does anyone ever do their best for more than a few moments at a time? Ever?

I think yes we can be doing our best. Even if our best can only be maintained for a short time, maybe that's the best we can do at that time.

I'll use an exercise analogy. Someone who hasn't exercised (even walked up the stairs) in years will have weak muscles. (Muscles so weak that they can't walk up the stairs.) Use them or lose them. As they start to exercise or move their muscles the muscles start to strengthen. And it hurts. Each day they are able to do a little bit more, until finally they have reached their full potential (they can run up the stairs). The benefits are more than the obvious. They are happy, filled with life, more social, etc.

Now compare the anology to your question.

Does anyone every do their best for more than a few moments at a time? Ever?

The answer is yes and no. We are here to develop our ability to do our best. We are not living up to our full potential, none of us. But, if I can only walk up two stairs today and I can walk up three tomorrow, I am doing my best. First because I am doing and second because I'm trying to do more. I'm trying to be better.

Then add the spiritual to the physical.

The person who to me was the best example of this during his lifetime was Pres. Hinckley. He not only did his best spiritually but physically and he was blessed abundantly to do more.

I believe that when we align our desires with the Lord's we are blessed to be better, to do more, to be more than we could ever do or be on our own.

When we "exercise" faith we have more faith. When we exercise charity we have more charity. When we all the atonement to work for us we are more able to allow it to work the next time....or every time, every day. When we exercise our bodies we strengthen our muscles. We increase our ability to do and be.

We are imperfect humans learning to be our best. Therefore, maybe we are doing our best in any given situation/circumstance, but recognize that we can do better if we work at it.

[JudoMinja]

I believe that when we align our desires with the Lord's we are blessed to be better, to do more, to be more than we could ever do or be on our own.

I wanted to expand on this, because this is how I believe doing our "best" works. Maintaining optimal performance all the time is not necessarily the same as doing our best. We need periods of rest. Even God rested on the seventh day of the creation. So working hard, or reaching some peak level does not necessarily equate to our "best". So what does it really mean, if not that?

To do our best, I think, means we are constantly seeking to improve our current state. It takes a certain drive and energy to make change, to "move up a level". People typically maintain a certain sameness, getting stuck in ruts and never making any improvements. Doing our "best" is making a conscious effort to get out of and stay out of those ruts. And though we may get caught in future ruts, we will be further in our progression than we were before.

Think of an atom. Electrons will normally remain in their ground state and only move into an "excited" state when given some kind of "energy boost". They never stay in an excited state for very long, always returning to a ground state. The changes happen when the electrons from one atom interact with another, being given enough energy to move beyond the excited state, and thus completely separate itself from the atom it was initially attached to.

We work the same way. We move back and forth between our "ground state" and "excited state" until some kind of interaction pushes us past our excited state, and we change. It is when we are making these changes to come more into alignment with the Lord that we are doing our best. As long as you are progressing and moving forward, you are doing your best and the Lord will make up for the rest.

With each "change" that we make, we become something more, something greater, something better- and the challenges we face become harder and more advanced. We will always be growing and progressing and each time we find ourselves somewhere "new", we will be presented with the opportunity to grow even more.

[Seminarysnoozer]

I think striving to do one's best is not the same thing as doing one's best. We are mostly judged by the desires of our heart. Satan always tries to make us think that we can't do it, that was his argument before this world began. He still tries to pose the same argument.

[Jennarator]

I don't really have anything to add. Just want to echo what has been said. Out best right now, might not be our best at a differnt time or in a differnt situation.

I agree with apple's excercise alnalogy.

Doing our best, to me, means giving an honset effort at perfection. This doesn't mean we will be perfect, but the honest effort at it is our best. I can improve or even get worse at times, (depending on the situation) but if we make perfection or goal at everything we do, we will fall short, but "our best" is the result.

[Vort]

I appreciate the responses so far. I think people don't understand the seed at the core of this thread. Maybe I did a poor job of explaining it, or maybe people just aren't reading my initial post.

I suspect that no one ever does his or her best for more than a few moments at a time, perhaps a few minutes or hours. To go through an entire day, doing one's best, both in deed and in thought? Is that even possible? And if we are required to do our best to qualify for Christ's blood to cleanse us, what hope do we have?

I go to work every day, but I don't do my best. I don't concentrate as I should. I take longer on assignments than I would if I simply concentrated better. When my employer pays me for an hour's work, but I spend five minutes thinking about something else, then that's not my best, is it?

I love my wife. I try to provide for her and show her that I love her. But sometimes I feel impatient. Sometimes I don't help out as much as I should. Sometimes I stay late at work (see above), leaving the home responsibilities to her. That's not my best, not by a very long shot.

I love my children. I often say to myself that I would do anything for them that would not compromise my integrity or morality. But this is a lie. Because I don't. When I'm tired, or headachy, or crabby, I don't go play with them. When my daughter asks for the ten millionth time if someone will drive her to the store so she can buy a trinket she's been wanting forever, or at least since she got the idea for it this morning, I do not jump to volunteer.

I want to be a good Saint and brother. I do my home teaching, usually, and I try to do it before the end of the month. I love and care about my assigned families, or at least I tell myself I do. But where's the real effort? A thirty-minute visit per month, and that's my duty? I have been fortunate, both past and present, to home teach people I consider friends and that I truly care about. Yet I do not give them a substantial fraction of the service or care that I ought.

I want to be a son of Christ, so I pray and read my scriptures. But I don't converse with God as if he's in the room with me. I try, but it's very hard, and my prayers often end up perfunctory, or else more like a meditation session. I hear of people spending an hour at a time in prayer. I would be surprised if I spend an hour praying in an entire week.

And on and on and on and on and on. As a husband, father, son, brother, Saint, employee, leader, teacher, student, member -- you name it -- I never, ever, ever do my best consistently. Not in a single thing. Never. Yet I am told there is hope for salvation even for such as I am, and I cling to that hope.

So what does it mean to "Do your best always"? Because apparently it doesn't mean to do your best always.

[Traveler]

I appreciate the responses so far. I think people don't understand the seed at the core of this thread. Maybe I did a poor job of explaining it, or maybe people just aren't reading my initial post.

I suspect that no one ever does his or her best for more than a few moments at a time, perhaps a few minutes or hours. To go through an entire day, doing one's best, both in deed and in thought? Is that even possible? And if we are required to do our best to qualify for Christ's blood to cleanse us, what hope do we have?

I go to work every day, but I don't do my best. I don't concentrate as I should. I take longer on assignments than I would if I simply concentrated better. When my employer pays me for an hour's work, but I spend five minutes thinking about something else, then that's not my best, is it?

I love my wife. I try to provide for her and show her that I love her. But sometimes I feel impatient. Sometimes I don't help out as much as I should. Sometimes I stay late at work (see above), leaving the home responsibilities to her. That's not my best, not by a very long shot.

I love my children. I often say to myself that I would do anything for them that would not compromise my integrity or morality. But this is a lie. Because I don't. When I'm tired, or headachy, or crabby, I don't go play with them. When my daughter asks for the ten millionth time if someone will drive her to the store so she can buy a trinket she's been wanting forever, or at least since she got the idea for it this morning, I do not jump to volunteer.

I want to be a good Saint and brother. I do my home teaching, usually, and I try to do it before the end of the month. I love and care about my assigned families, or at least I tell myself I do. But where's the real effort? A thirty-minute visit per month, and that's my duty? I have been fortunate, both past and present, to home teach people I consider friends and that I truly care about. Yet I do not give them a substantial fraction of the service or care that I ought.

I want to be a son of Christ, so I pray and read my scriptures. But I don't converse with God as if he's in the room with me. I try, but it's very hard, and my prayers often end up perfunctory, or else more like a meditation session. I hear of people spending an hour at a time in prayer. I would be surprised if I spend an hour praying in an entire week.

And on and on and on and on and on. As a husband, father, son, brother, Saint, employee, leader, teacher, student, member -- you name it -- I never, ever, ever do my best consistently. Not in a single thing. Never. Yet I am told there is hope for salvation even for such as I am, and I cling to that hope.

So what does it mean to "Do your best always"? Because apparently it doesn't mean to do your best always.

My first mission president (Ivan J Barrett) was a wonderful man and over saw one of the most successful missions of the church from my generation - example the mission record for baptisms for one month by a set of elders was eighty baptisms.

In our efforts to serve G-d and our fellow man he had a saying that he often used:

“Your best simply is not good enough but good enough is never your best.”

I think this is perhaps in part what you are trying to say?

The Traveler

[JudoMinja]

I appreciate the responses so far. I think people don't understand the seed at the core of this thread. Maybe I did a poor job of explaining it, or maybe people just aren't reading my initial post.

I suspect that no one ever does his or her best for more than a few moments at a time, perhaps a few minutes or hours. To go through an entire day, doing one's best, both in deed and in thought? Is that even possible? And if we are required to do our best to qualify for Christ's blood to cleanse us, what hope do we have?

I go to work every day, but I don't do my best. I don't concentrate as I should. I take longer on assignments than I would if I simply concentrated better. When my employer pays me for an hour's work, but I spend five minutes thinking about something else, then that's not my best, is it?

I love my wife. I try to provide for her and show her that I love her. But sometimes I feel impatient. Sometimes I don't help out as much as I should. Sometimes I stay late at work (see above), leaving the home responsibilities to her. That's not my best, not by a very long shot.

I love my children. I often say to myself that I would do anything for them that would not compromise my integrity or morality. But this is a lie. Because I don't. When I'm tired, or headachy, or crabby, I don't go play with them. When my daughter asks for the ten millionth time if someone will drive her to the store so she can buy a trinket she's been wanting forever, or at least since she got the idea for it this morning, I do not jump to volunteer.

I want to be a good Saint and brother. I do my home teaching, usually, and I try to do it before the end of the month. I love and care about my assigned families, or at least I tell myself I do. But where's the real effort? A thirty-minute visit per month, and that's my duty? I have been fortunate, both past and present, to home teach people I consider friends and that I truly care about. Yet I do not give them a substantial fraction of the service or care that I ought.

I want to be a son of Christ, so I pray and read my scriptures. But I don't converse with God as if he's in the room with me. I try, but it's very hard, and my prayers often end up perfunctory, or else more like a meditation session. I hear of people spending an hour at a time in prayer. I would be surprised if I spend an hour praying in an entire week.

And on and on and on and on and on. As a husband, father, son, brother, Saint, employee, leader, teacher, student, member -- you name it -- I never, ever, ever do my best consistently. Not in a single thing. Never. Yet I am told there is hope for salvation even for such as I am, and I cling to that hope.

So what does it mean to "Do your best always"? Because apparently it doesn't mean to do your best always.

This sounds like you are stuck in one of those "ruts" of life, and part of this happens when we try to divide our efforts too much. When we do that, it becomes harder to do our best, because we are trying to do too many things and focus on too many things. Of course, we are all expected to juggle our responsibilities between church, family, work, schooling (or personal learning if not in school), and play- so dividing our efforts is always going to be a part of life. But we tend to stop giving things real effort when we become comfortable in our "ground state" and feel too divided between our responsibilities.

To really know whether or not you are doing your best, you have to look at the progression, not the constant. Yes, nobody will ever be consistently giving everything their "top" effort. In fact, I am right now avoiding my classwork because I cannot get myself to focus on it. When it gets closer to my deadline and I feel the pressure to get it done, I will be able to focus better. Could I be doing something more constructive while I wait to do that school work? Certainly, but I have also become temporarily comfortable in a "ground state". So really, at this very moment in time, I am not doing my best- but how have I progressed?

If I look at the big picture of my life, I have made leaps and bounds forward, and though I am in a temporary moment of reprieve, I am still moving forward. Though I am not giving my studies my greatest effort, I am giving them every amount of effort needed to take the next step forward. Though I do not always give my son my undivided effort and attention when we are home, my ability to care for him has improved.

We can only handle so much change before we need a break and we return to our ruts of sameness. It then takes some added effort to break out of that rut again and continue moving forward. So, I don't believe the Lord expects us to be consistently doing our best every moment of every day in everything we do. That would negate the need for rest and recooperation. We still have to sleep, we need "me" time, we need opportunities to relax and reflect. It is only when we become truly "stuck" in our ruts that we have a problem, because it is then that our progression becomes halted. It sounds like you are about ready to step out of your rut and take the next step forward, whatever that may be. You just need to look for the energy or motivation that will help you push yourself into an "excited state".

When we stop making the effort to change and improve, when we allow ourselves to become consistently stuck in our sameness and our habits, when we stop making a forward progression- we are no longer doing our best. Temporary reprieves are okay- but we are expected to be always striving to be better than we are now. Sometimes it is little changes over long periods of time, and sometimes it is big changes. Part of the reason we are asked to keep journals and set goals is because this helps us better see the progress we have made and realize that we have been making changes and are not as stuck as we think we are.

[applepansy]

I appreciate the responses so far. I think people don't understand the seed at the core of this thread. Maybe I did a poor job of explaining it, or maybe people just aren't reading my initial post.

I suspect that no one ever does his or her best for more than a few moments at a time, perhaps a few minutes or hours. To go through an entire day, doing one's best, both in deed and in thought? Is that even possible? And if we are required to do our best to qualify for Christ's blood to cleanse us, what hope do we have?

I go to work every day, but I don't do my best. I don't concentrate as I should. I take longer on assignments than I would if I simply concentrated better. When my employer pays me for an hour's work, but I spend five minutes thinking about something else, then that's not my best, is it?

I love my wife. I try to provide for her and show her that I love her. But sometimes I feel impatient. Sometimes I don't help out as much as I should. Sometimes I stay late at work (see above), leaving the home responsibilities to her. That's not my best, not by a very long shot.

I love my children. I often say to myself that I would do anything for them that would not compromise my integrity or morality. But this is a lie. Because I don't. When I'm tired, or headachy, or crabby, I don't go play with them. When my daughter asks for the ten millionth time if someone will drive her to the store so she can buy a trinket she's been wanting forever, or at least since she got the idea for it this morning, I do not jump to volunteer.

I want to be a good Saint and brother. I do my home teaching, usually, and I try to do it before the end of the month. I love and care about my assigned families, or at least I tell myself I do. But where's the real effort? A thirty-minute visit per month, and that's my duty? I have been fortunate, both past and present, to home teach people I consider friends and that I truly care about. Yet I do not give them a substantial fraction of the service or care that I ought.

I want to be a son of Christ, so I pray and read my scriptures. But I don't converse with God as if he's in the room with me. I try, but it's very hard, and my prayers often end up perfunctory, or else more like a meditation session. I hear of people spending an hour at a time in prayer. I would be surprised if I spend an hour praying in an entire week.

And on and on and on and on and on. As a husband, father, son, brother, Saint, employee, leader, teacher, student, member -- you name it -- I never, ever, ever do my best consistently. Not in a single thing. Never. Yet I am told there is hope for salvation even for such as I am, and I cling to that hope.

So what does it mean to "Do your best always"? Because apparently it doesn't mean to do your best always.

Of course we aren't doing our very best!!! How can we? We aren't perfect. But that was my point. Its a process. Our Heavenly Father and our Savior do not expect perfection.

You recognize that you aren't "doing your best" whatever aspect in life you're talking about (wife, children, job).... so what is your responsibility? Do better!

We are required to recognize our short coming and repent. Christ makes up the difference. If we're doing that...well, I believe that is our best.

EDIT: It is only when we stop repenting that we aren't doing our best.

Edited June 9, 2011 by applepansy

[applepansy]

This sounds like you are stuck in one of those "ruts" of life, and part of this happens when we try to divide our efforts too much. When we do that, it becomes harder to do our best, because we are trying to do too many things and focus on too many things. Of course, we are all expected to juggle our responsibilities between church, family, work, schooling (or personal learning if not in school), and play- so dividing our efforts is always going to be a part of life. But we tend to stop giving things real effort when we become comfortable in our "ground state" and feel too divided between our responsibilities.

To really know whether or not you are doing your best, you have to look at the progression, not the constant. Yes, nobody will ever be consistently giving everything their "top" effort. In fact, I am right now avoiding my classwork because I cannot get myself to focus on it. When it gets closer to my deadline and I feel the pressure to get it done, I will be able to focus better. Could I be doing something more constructive while I wait to do that school work? Certainly, but I have also become temporarily comfortable in a "ground state". So really, at this very moment in time, I am not doing my best- but how have I progressed?

If I look at the big picture of my life, I have made leaps and bounds forward, and though I am in a temporary moment of reprieve, I am still moving forward. Though I am not giving my studies my greatest effort, I am giving them every amount of effort needed to take the next step forward. Though I do not always give my son my undivided effort and attention when we are home, my ability to care for him has improved.

We can only handle so much change before we need a break and we return to our ruts of sameness. It then takes some added effort to break out of that rut again and continue moving forward. So, I don't believe the Lord expects us to be consistently doing our best every moment of every day in everything we do. That would negate the need for rest and recooperation. We still have to sleep, we need "me" time, we need opportunities to relax and reflect. It is only when we become truly "stuck" in our ruts that we have a problem, because it is then that our progression becomes halted. It sounds like you are about ready to step out of your rut and take the next step forward, whatever that may be. You just need to look for the energy or motivation that will help you push yourself into an "excited state".

When we stop making the effort to change and improve, when we allow ourselves to become consistently stuck in our sameness and our habits, when we stop making a forward progression- we are no longer doing our best. Temporary reprieves are okay- but we are expected to be always striving to be better than we are now. Sometimes it is little changes over long periods of time, and sometimes it is big changes. Part of the reason we are asked to keep journals and set goals is because this helps us better see the progress we have made and realize that we have been making changes and are not as stuck as we think we are.

I think this scripture applies to what you're saying:

Mosiah 4:27

And see that all these things are done in wisdom and order; for it is not requisite that a man should run faster than he has strength. And again, it is expedient that he should be diligent, that thereby he might win the prize; therefore, all things must be done in order.

Vort, this applies to doing our best. If we are continually pushing to do more, better, faster are we really being diligent? We as imperfect humans do not have the ability to "run faster than [we] have strength." Strength isn't just physical. Its spiritual too. Its mental and emotional and all those things that make up us as humans. We have to juggle them all and we can't do it all at once. So if we're trying...we're doing our best.

Are you trying?

[Backroads]

I think this scripture applies to what you're saying:

Mosiah 4:27

And see that all these things are done in wisdom and order; for it is not requisite that a man should run faster than he has strength. And again, it is expedient that he should be diligent, that thereby he might win the prize; therefore, all things must be done in order.

Vort, this applies to doing our best. If we are continually pushing to do more, better, faster are we really being diligent? We as imperfect humans do not have the ability to "run faster than [we] have strength." Strength isn't just physical. Its spiritual too. Its mental and emotional and all those things that make up us as humans. We have to juggle them all and we can't do it all at once. So if we're trying...we're doing our best.

Are you trying?

So are we focusing on doing our best, or being the best?

[applepansy]

So are we focusing on doing our best, or being the best?

"this applies to doing our best. If we are continually pushing to do more, better, faster are we really being diligent? We as imperfect humans do not have the ability to "run faster than [we] have strength." Strength isn't just physical. Its spiritual too. Its mental and emotional and all those things that make up us as humans. We have to juggle them all and we can't do it all at once. So if we're trying...we're doing our best."

Edited June 9, 2011 by applepansy

[Backroads]

Indeed. I was referring to your quote in general. I think that incorrect focus on doing our best can lead to issues of pride.

[slamjet]

I hope I'm not too far off topic, but my thoughts and experience:

A while back I was frustrated because I couldn't get a handle on what the High Council wanted when I go in for my next hearing. I was reading the Scriptures when I got hit by a particular passage in Alma 41:

4 And if their works are evil they shall be restored unto them for evil. Therefore, all things shall be restored to their proper order, every thing to its natural frame—mortality raised to immortality, corruption to incorruption—raised to endless happiness to inherit the kingdom of God, or to endless misery to inherit the kingdom of the devil, the one on one hand, the other on the other—

5 The one raised to happiness according to his desires of happiness, or good according to his desires of good; and the other to evil according to his desires of evil; for as he has desired to do evil all the day long even so shall he have his reward of evil when the night cometh.

6 And so it is on the other hand. If he hath repented of his sins, and desired righteousness until the end of his days, even so he shall be rewarded unto righteousness.

7 These are they that are redeemed of the Lord; yea, these are they that are taken out, that are delivered from that endless night of darkness; and thus they stand or fall; for behold, they are their own judges, whether to do good or do evil.

Believe it or not, I could not understand that scripture, but I was stuck on it. The next day, after a fireside, I sat down with the Stake First Counselor to ask about these verses and what the High Council wanted. I came to the following understanding:

We will reach exaltation not by completing a series of check-lists, but by our attitude. In this life, the righteous progress(ed) from needing to, to wanting to, to it becomes our nature to do good and keep the commandments from God.

The Spirit World is an extension of mortality and who we are when we die is who we are when we walk through the veil. If we are full of addictions, lack compassion, no charity or a degree of those, then that's what we will be restored to. If we have repented of our sins, exercised charity and actively strive to do good and keep God's word as best we can, then that's what we will be restored to.

I've come into agreement with Bruce R. McConkie when he said that (paraphrasing) those who die in the faith, having charted a course to Eternal Life, if we are in line with our duties, if we are doing what we ought to be doing, although we will not be perfect, when we die our probationary state will be over and thereafter will not depart from that path and our Calling and Election will be made sure.

[applepansy]

Indeed. I was referring to your quote in general. I think that incorrect focus on doing our best can lead to issues of pride.

You lost me.

[rameumptom]

Vort, I do not accept the Bruce R. McConkie theology of atonement and salvation, which it seems your post is based on. Obedience is NOT the first law of heaven. Faith is.

We are saved by grace after all we can do. And what is it that we can do? Believe and repent. Then, we are exalted by continually progressing. As with Christ, we move from grace to grace, receiving grace for grace (D&C 93). Herein lies the secret. It is a process. And we do not do the process alone. We yoke ourselves to Christ. It becomes a joint venture: his perfection and our imperfection. As Stephen Robinson noted it is like your little bankrupt company merging with a large corporation. After the merger is over, the debts are all gone, and the merged company is stronger than ever.

[Vort]

Vort, I do not accept the Bruce R. McConkie theology of atonement and salvation, which it seems your post is based on. Obedience is NOT the first law of heaven. Faith is.

We are saved by grace after all we can do. And what is it that we can do? Believe and repent. Then, we are exalted by continually progressing. As with Christ, we move from grace to grace, receiving grace for grace (D&C 93). Herein lies the secret. It is a process. And we do not do the process alone. We yoke ourselves to Christ. It becomes a joint venture: his perfection and our imperfection. As Stephen Robinson noted it is like your little bankrupt company merging with a large corporation. After the merger is over, the debts are all gone, and the merged company is stronger than ever.

I don't disbelieve you, but I am not convinced. Or perhaps more correctly, I don't understand. I know many "Christians" who maintain that they are "saved" because they "believe in Jesus". I find such proclamations ignorant and, truth be told, more than a little insulting. Merely crying out "Lord, save me!" is not sufficient to gain Christ's grace.

It is a bedrock principle of LDS theology that Christ extends salvation to all who will accept it, but accepting Christ's grace is not a matter of words alone. We have been taught, repeatedly and by the highest authorities, that we must do our best. Taking those words at face value, I don't believe it's possible. Therefore, the words must mean something else. What do they mean?

For many years, I chafed at those who talked of "unconditional love". It was perfectly obvious to me that no such thing as "unconditional love" exists. Even God's love is conditional, if "love" means anything. It is only quite recently that I have learned that "unconditional love", like "eternal punishment", is not necessarily meant to be understood literally. Rather, it points the way to a concept that we need to understand and accept. It worketh upon the hearts of men, altogether for God's glory (which, as we know, is our immortality and eternal life).

It is my theory that "do your best" is like "unconditional love" and "eternal punishment", and means something beyond what the mere words denote. My question is: What does "do your best" mean? Because it clearly does not mean "do your best", and more than Godly love is truly "unconditional".

[Backroads]

Perhaps I shouldn't have quoted you, then. Your post simply inspired me, and pieces of it made me thinking.

We obviously want to try our best, but the argument is that we should constantly push for our best. YOu responded that we should not run faster than we have strength.

If we are pushing ourselves beyong our limits, are we desiring to shine our light, so to speak, or let the world know just how wonderful and hardworking we are. The former strikes me as heartfelt, the former prideful.

[applepansy]

I don't disbelieve you, but I am not convinced. Or perhaps more correctly, I don't understand. I know many "Christians" who maintain that they are "saved" because they "believe in Jesus". I find such proclamations ignorant and, truth be told, more than a little insulting. Merely crying out "Lord, save me!" is not sufficient to gain Christ's grace.

It is a bedrock principle of LDS theology that Christ extends salvation to all who will accept it, but accepting Christ's grace is not a matter of words alone. We have been taught, repeatedly and by the highest authorities, that we must do our best. Taking those words at face value, I don't believe it's possible. Therefore, the words must mean something else. What do they mean?

For many years, I chafed at those who talked of "unconditional love". It was perfectly obvious to me that no such thing as "unconditional love" exists. Even God's love is conditional, if "love" means anything. It is only quite recently that I have learned that "unconditional love", like "eternal punishment", is not necessarily meant to be understood literally. Rather, it points the way to a concept that we need to understand and accept. It worketh upon the hearts of men, altogether for God's glory (which, as we know, is our immortality and eternal life).

It is my theory that "do your best" is like "unconditional love" and "eternal punishment", and means something beyond what the mere words denote. My question is: What does "do your best" mean? Because it clearly does not mean "do your best", and more than Godly love is truly "unconditional".

I think this talk by Elder Oaks might help you with the definition of saved: Have You Been Saved? - Ensign May 1998

There is another talk that might help you. Its called "Jesus Knows I'm a Christian" by John Bytheway.

Just believing in Christ is sufficient to attain Christ's grace. We can't do anything else but believe. Nothing else we can do is going to save us. It is only through Christ that we can be saved. Do your best is the works part that only LDS Christians believe is important. Its the part that helps us become more like Christ. I really think you would benefit by hearing John Bytheway talk about these concepts. He quotes Elder Holland a lot.

Maybe their words will help you with this concept. I know I gained a greater understanding of what is expected of us. I understand Endure to the End better too. :)

[applepansy]

Perhaps I shouldn't have quoted you, then. Your post simply inspired me, and pieces of it made me thinking.

We obviously want to try our best, but the argument is that we should constantly push for our best. YOu responded that we should not run faster than we have strength.

If we are pushing ourselves beyong our limits, are we desiring to shine our light, so to speak, or let the world know just how wonderful and hardworking we are. The former strikes me as heartfelt, the former prideful.

I understand where you are coming from now. Yes I think sometimes it can be true that if someone is pushing beyond their limits that there might be a desire to shine above others. But I don't think that's always the case. I think sometimes it can just be the thought "I'm not doing my best." This is an area where we can't see into the hearts of others to determine their intent.

[Vort]

I think this talk by Elder Oaks might help you with the definition of saved: Have You Been Saved? - Ensign May 1998

Thank you for the link. I am quite familiar with that talk having listened to it at least half a dozen times. It is one of the bases for my understanding on the topic, and a foundation for the question I pose: What does it mean to "do one's best"?

[applepansy]

Thank you for the link. I am quite familiar with that talk having listened to it at least half a dozen times. It is one of the bases for my understanding on the topic, and a foundation for the question I pose: What does it mean to "do one's best"?

I apologize. I guess I'm comfortable enough with my understanding of "do your best always" that I do not understand what you're asking.