Sacrament Meeting Talk On Freedom

[mirkwood]

Good morning brothers and sisters.  Brother _______ asked me to speak on a topic that is near to my heart.  I draw heavily today on the words of the prophets, the apostles and the scriptures.  Most of the thoughts I share today come from them and I wholeheartedly agree with and sustain their statements.

On June 26, we hold the primary election for the State of Utah.  On November 8, we hold the general election for the United States.

I love America.  I thank our Heavenly Father for our freedom.  I am grateful for this great nation in which we meet.  I am thankful to live in a nation that recognizes my God given right to free agency; the right to choose for myself.  I am grateful for the freedom to worship how I please.  The Constitution of this land is a part of every Latter-day Saint’s religious faith.

I am thankful that God saw fit to put his stamp of approval upon the Constitution and to indicate that it had come into being through wise men whom he raised up unto this very purpose. He made this most impressive declaration in the Doctrine and Covenants:

And for this purpose have I established the Constitution of this land, by the hands of wise men whom I raised up unto this very purpose, and redeemed the land by the shedding of blood. (D&C 101:80.)

Joseph Smith, referring to the Constitution, said,

It is a glorious standard; it is founded in the wisdom of God. It is a heavenly banner. (TPJS pg 147.)

The United States is not just another nation of the world.  The United States has a divine mission and prophetic history and future.  The United States was created under the inspiration of heaven.

As Latter-day Saints, we believe that the Constitution of this land was established by men whom the God of Heaven raised up unto that very purpose. It is our conviction also that the God of Heaven guided the founding fathers in establishing it for this particular purpose. 

The Constitution and the freedoms it protects provided the means for the restoration of the Gospel and the freedom to worship as we see fit.

Our heritage of freedom is as precious as life itself. It is truly a God-given gift to man. Since the time of the Council in Heaven, the fight of liberty-loving people for freedom has continued.

Free agency is an eternal principle vouchsafed to us in the perfect law of liberty–the gospel of Jesus Christ. Freedom of choice is to be treasured more than any earthly possession. It is guaranteed in our heaven-inspired Constitution.

Yes, freedom is an inherited, inalienable, divine gift to mankind.

When the Savior of mankind wished to impress on his hearers the fruits of his teaching, he used these words: ”…the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:32.)

In the New Testament the apostle James tells us that The Gospel of Christ is the Perfect Law of Liberty.   James 2:12

The Gospel is a great system of laws, a code of eternal principles, whereby our all-wise Creator, our Father in Heaven, proposes to lift fallen mankind, his sons and daughters, and not only save them, but exalt them to his glorious presence, and so far as they prove worthy and capable, share with them the empire of the universe.

Freedom is an integral part of the Gospel.  Tyranny has no place therein. There is no room in all the Government of God for the exercise of unrighteous dominion.

Man’s free agency, his right to worship as his conscience dictates, and to act in all things willingly and without compulsion – a principle handed down from the eternal past, where Lucifer was overthrown for seeking to destroy it – is an integral part of Liberty’s Perfect Law.

The war in heaven was fought over this very issue.  Freedom.  Lucifer’s plan was to take that agency away from us and compel us to do as he saw fit.  Our Heavenly Father’s plan was to allow us to make our own choices.  Compulsion was never a part of the plan.  Lucifer was the introducer of the idea of using force and was cast out of God’s presence for this rebellion. 

The central issue in the premortal council was: Shall the children of God have unrestricted agency to choose the course they should follow, whether good or evil, or shall they be coerced and forced to be obedient? Christ and all who followed him stood for the former proposition-freedom of choice; Satan stood for the latter-coercion and force. The war that began in heaven over this issue is not yet over. The conflict continues on the battlefield of mortality. And one of Lucifer’s primary strategies has been to restrict our agency through the power of earthly governments.

Every person on the earth today chose the right side during the war in heaven.  Be on the right side now.”

This war continues to rage on earth today.  The adversary has never given up on his plan of compulsion.  He wants to overthrow our agency and make us miserable like unto himself. 

President John Taylor said: “Besides the preaching of the Gospel, we have another mission, namely, the perpetuation of the free agency of man and the maintenance of liberty, freedom, and the rights of man.” (General Conference April 1882)

Man is in the earth to be tested. The issue as to whether he succeeds or fails will be determined by how he uses his agency. His whole future, through all eternity, is at stake. Abridge man’s agency, and the whole purpose of his mortality is thwarted. Without it, the Lord says, there is no existence. (See D&C 93:30.)

 

 

The Lord so valued our agency that he designed and dictated “the laws and Constitution” required to guarantee it.

 

 

President George Albert Smith stated: "I am saying to you that to me the Constitution of the United States of America is just as much from my Heavenly Father as the Ten Commandments."  (April 1948 General Conference)

 

 

Reiterating the importance of the Constitution, President David O. McKay said, and then Elder L. Tom Perry repeated:

“Next to being one in worshiping God there is nothing in this world upon which this Church should be more united than in upholding and defending the Constitution of the United States.” (Truth and Liberty. BYU, Sept. 1987)

Unfortunately, sometimes we think this is engaging in politics. President Joseph F. Smith had something to say in those regards:

There has been a tendency among some Latter-day Saints, even when the Constitution is mentioned, to say, ‘There he goes talking politics.’ I am not talking politics. I am quoting the words of the Lord.” (Joseph F. Smith CR April 1946)

This is not about politics, its about Agency and Freedom; it is about God’s plan of salvation and the building up of His kingdom on the earth.

We have established that the War in Heaven certainly does continue on earth today. In what ways does Lucifer go about this?

Joseph Fielding Smith said:

Satan has control now. No matter where you look, he is in control, even in our own land. He is guiding the governments as far as the Lord will permit him. That is why there is so much strife, turmoil, confusion all over the earth. One master mind is governing the nations. It is not the President of the United States…it is not the king or government of England or any other land; it is Satan himself.” (Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, Vol. 3, pp.314-315)

Expounding on this, President Benson said: “Joseph Smith said that the Book of Mormon was the ‘keystone of our religion’ and the ‘most correct’ book on earth. (DHC, vol. 6, p. 56.) This most correct book on earth states that the downfall of two great American civilizations came as a result of secret conspiracies whose desire was to overthrow the freedom of the people. 

Now undoubtedly Moroni could have pointed out many factors that led to the destruction of the people, but notice how he singled out the secret combinations, just as the Church today could point out many threats to peace, prosperity, and the spread of God’s work, but it has singled out as the greatest threat the Godless conspiracy. There is no conspiracy theory in the Book of Mormon—it is a conspiracy fact. (Civic Standards for the Faithful Saints. Gen. Conf. April, 1972)

President Benson told us that the Book of Mormon is, “one of the most significant gifts given to the world in modern time.

He went on to say, “The Book of Mormon is the keystone of our religion—the keystone of our testimony, the keystone of our doctrine, and the keystone in the witness of our Lord and Savior.”

Each of the major writers of the Book of Mormon testified that he wrote for future generations.

Nephi said: “The Lord God promised unto me that these things which I write shall be kept and preserved, and handed down unto my seed, from generation to generation” (2 Ne. 25:21).

His brother Jacob, who succeeded him, wrote similar words: “For [Nephi] said that the history of his people should be engraven upon his other plates, and that I should preserve these plates and hand them down unto my seed, from generation to generation” (Jacob 1:3).

Enos and Jarom both indicated that they too were writing not for their own peoples but for future generations (see Enos 1:15–16, Jarom 1:2).

Mormon himself said, “Yea, I speak unto you, ye remnant of the house of Israel” (Morm. 7:1).

And Moroni, the last of the inspired writers, actually saw our day and time.  “Behold,” he said, “the Lord hath shown unto me great and marvelous things concerning that which must shortly come, at that day when these things shall come forth among you.

“Behold, I speak unto you as if ye were present, and yet ye are not. But behold, Jesus Christ hath shown you unto me, and I know your doing” (Morm. 8:34–35).

If they saw our day and chose those things which would be of greatest worth to us, is not that how we should study the Book of Mormon? We should constantly ask ourselves, “Why did the Lord inspire Mormon (or Moroni or Alma) to include that in his record? What lesson can I learn from that to help me live in this day and age?”

From the Book of Mormon we see the evils of secret combinations portrayed in graphic and chilling reality.

The Book Of Mormon describes this latter-day conspiracy that seeks to destroy the freedoms of all lands, nations and countries.

Wherefore, O ye Gentiles, it is wisdom in God that these things should be shown unto you, that thereby ye may repent of your sins, and suffer not that these murderous combinations shall get above you, which are built up to get power and gain...

Wherefore, the Lord commandeth you, when ye shall see these things come among you that ye shall awake to a sense of your awful situation, because of this secret combination which shall be among you…

For it cometh to pass that whoso buildeth it up seeketh to overthrow the freedom of all lands, nations, and countries; and it bringeth to pass the destruction of all people, for it is built up by the devil, who is the father of all lies…

Wherefore, I, Moroni, am commanded to write these things…

(Ether 8: 23-26)

The Lords prophets have admonished us to “do all we can to preserve freedom”.  Moroni pleads for the same here as well.  He says that when we “awake to our awful situation,” that we must repent of our sins and not allow this conspiracy to get above us.

Satan tries to trick Latter-day Saints not to “get involved” in the freedom battle.  In 2014 the state of Utah had a 30% turnout to vote.  In 2016 the state of Utah was 39^th out of 50^th in turnout to vote.  Brothers and Sisters, we must do better.

How is Satan lulling Latter-day Saints into not getting involved?  How does he keep us asleep to the awful situation we have been warned about?

President Benson exposed the tactics of the adversary:

 

 

“We really haven’t received much instruction about freedom,” the devil says.

 

 

This is a lie, for we have been warned time and again…

 

 

“Don’t worry,” says the devil “the Lord will protect you…

 

 

Well to begin with, the Lord will not protect us unless we do our part. But many of the prophecies referring to America’s preservation are conditional. That is, if we do our duty we can be preserved, and if not then we shall be destroyed. This means that a good deal of the responsibility lies with the priesthood of this Church as to what happens to America and as to how much tragedy can be avoided if we do act now.

 

 

 

 

“There is no need to get involved in the fight for freedom – all you need to do is live the gospel.” Of course, this is a contradiction, because we cannot fully live the gospel and not be involved in the fight for freedom. (Our Immediate Responsibility. BYU Devotional, October 25, 1966.)

 

 

“Don’t do anything in the fight for freedom until the Church sets up its own specific program to save the Constitution.”

 

 

To those slothful servants who will not do anything until they are “compelled in all things.” Maybe the Lord will never set up a specific church program for the purpose of saving the Constitution.

 

 

The Prophet Joseph Smith declared it will be the elders of Israel who will step forward to help save the Constitution, not the Church. (General Conference Talk – April 1965. Not Commanded in All Things.)

 

 

Elder L. Tom Perry had this to say regarding the Constitution:

 

 

“[There are]... prophecies concerning our great responsibilities to preserve that which we have been blessed with by God.

I will point out to you special witnesses who have indicated our responsibilities to this land.

“First from Brigham Young, second president of the Church: “Will the Constitution be destroyed? No: it will be held inviolate (meaning intact or kept sacred) by this people; and, as Joseph Smith said, ‘The time will come when the destiny of this nation will hang upon a single thread. At that critical juncture, this people will step forth and save it from the threatened destruction.” (Journal of Discourses, 7:15)

 

 

John Taylor, third president of the Church said, “When the people shall have torn to shreds the Constitution of the United States, the elders of Israel will be found holding it up to the nations of the earth, and proclaiming liberty and equal rights to all men, and extending the hand of fellowship to the oppressed of all nations.” (The Gospel Kingdom, Deseret Book Co., 1943, p. 219.)

 

 

 

“A final witness is from George Q. Cannon, former member of the First Presidency, who said that “the day will come when the Constitution and free government under it will be sustained and preserved by this people.” (JD, 23:104.)

 

 

Elder Perry concluded with this statement, “Now, I declare to you that if we are not in the beginning stages of the fulfillment of this prophecy, we are at least in the stages where we are preparing for its fulfillment.”

(L. Tom Perry, “God’s Hand in the Founding of America,” New Era, Jul 1976, 45 Adapted from an address delivered on February 24, 1976, at BYU)

 

 

It is very clear that we need to be actively engaged in the civic process of this great country.   

President Benson laid out several steps on how we are to do this:

First, we must be righteous and moral. We must live the gospel principles – all of them.

 

 

Second, we must learn the principles of the Constitution and then abide by its precepts.

 

 

Third, we must become involved in civic affairs. As citizens of this republic, we cannot do our duty and be idle spectators.

 

 

Fourth, we must make our influence felt by our vote, our letters, and our advice. We must be wisely informed and let others know how we feel. 

(General Conference, October 1987, President Ezra Taft Benson)

Elder Shirley D. Christensen, emphasized this as well when he said: “What a sacred privilege and responsibility is ours to participate with other like-minded people to ensure that basic freedoms are preserved wherever we reside.”  (February 2006 Ensign)

 

 

President Hinckley told us, “That war (the War in Heaven), so bitter, so intense, has never ceased. It is the war… between agency and compulsion, between the followers of Christ and those who have denied Him. His enemies have used every stratagem in that conflict. They’ve indulged in lying and deceit. They’ve employed money and wealth. They’ve tricked the minds of men. They’ve murdered and destroyed and engaged in every kind of evil practice to thwart the work of Christ.” (June 2007 Ensign)

 

 

Brothers and sisters, every person on the earth today chose the right side during the war in heaven.  Every one of us chose agency over compulsion.  Be on the right side now. Stand up and be counted.  It is our responsibility to study the candidates and issues presented to us before each election and prayerfully consider who and what our Heavenly Father would have us support.

I testify that it is our God given right AND responsibility to be active in the political process of our great Nation, and be involved in the cause of freedom.

In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

 

Edited June 24, 2018 by mirkwood

[anatess2]

What an awesome talk.  Thank you for sharing, @mirkwood. 

I vote anybody who gives you flak for your musical tastes and your ballpoint use this week be banned for the rest of the week.