Stake Conference

I was fortunate enough to be able to speak at Stake Conference during the Saturday night session this past weekend----for the 3rd time----but who's counting!! I keep messing it up and so keep getting asked! I thought I would post my talk here so I can have it in my book when i print it. Sorry, if it is that boring. It was interesting to research, though.

I have been asked to speak about the difference between the “letter of the law” and the “spirit of the law”. I have quizzed many people and done much research on the topic. When I mention the letter of the law most people reference the Mosaic Law. The Mosaic Law was given to the people of Moses at a time when they needed something strict to hold on to. They needed an exact cause and effect type principle so they could begin to understand that their actions would have consequences. Although this Law has been referred to as the “preparatory” law it did have much value. If lived as intended it would teach the people obedience. But while the Mosaic Law provided a basis from which to begin to come to Christ, it wasn’t and isn’t enough.
In an Ensign article from 1983 Stephen E Robinson, an assistant professor of religion, wrote…… The Savior himself in the Sermon on the Mount had shown that the old rules were no longer adequate and that those who wished to enter the kingdom of heaven must subscribe to a new standard of righteousness. (See Matt. 5:20.) Even the Ten Commandments, the ethical heart of the Law, were represented by Jesus as insufficient for salvation except as encompassed within the higher principles of the gospel.
For example, the Savior expanded the commandments “Thou shalt not kill” and “Thou shalt not commit ery,” by now commanding Christians to avoid even hatred or . (Matt. 5:28, 44.) Merely abstaining from ery and murder was no longer sufficient. Christians must now change their very hearts, and this was more than the old Law had required.
In other words, we must now be willing to follow the Spirit of the Law and the Letter of the Law. Of course we know that some of the exact practices of the Mosaic Law were fulfilled in Jesus Christ and were no longer necessary to perform. But some incorrectly assumed then that we had no reason to follow any law with exactness. President Boyd K. Packer has said, “The commandments found in the scriptures, both the positive counsel and the “shalt nots,” form the letter of the law. There is also the spirit of the law. We are responsible for both.” As before living the Letter of the Law becomes the basis from which we begin to come to Christ. I understand that it is by living the law with a degree of exactness that our Spirits are prepared to receive the inspiration needed to live the Spirit of the Law, too. Now, sometimes, we like to think that by living the Spirit of the Law we are somehow above the letter of the Law. We say to ourselves, “well, I am going to the store on this Sunday because I am living the Spirit of the Law and so am not strictly bound by exactness to live the Sabbath Day.” We allow ourselves to use the Spirit as an excuse to do what we want to do. Just as the Mosaic Law was to prepare the people for the coming of Christ, living the commandments today prepares our hearts for Christ. It prepares us to enjoy the blessing s of the Spirit and to be led by the Spirit. I know in my own life as I have learned to live a principle of the gospel and do so regularly, the Spirit is opened up to me and I am able to feel the Spirit of the Law, the reason for the Law, and to find ways in which I can improve. The Spirit of the law allows for much progression in the gospel. It provides for a “glass ceiling”, in other words---a glass ceiling in understanding and receiving all the blessings the Lord has in store for us. As I live the commandments I am blessed. As I am blessed I have an increase of the Spirit. As I have an increase of the Spirit I can receive inspiration. Inspiration helps me to see more ways in which I can strengthen my Spirit and bring me closer to my Savior. Inspiration is used to do the work of the Lord here on the Earth. It brings a sensitivity to the Spirit that allows me to act differently. President Monson said, “In his second epistle to the Corinthians, Paul the Apostle urges that we turn from the narrow confinement of the letter of the law and seek the open vista of opportunity that the Spirit provides. I love and cherish his statement: “The letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life” (2 Cor. 3:6). I would not imagine this open vista that President Monson is speaking of to be attained by living the commandments less strictly. But, that there is so much more to be gained than just living the commandment. We have the opportunity through the gospel of Jesus Christ for so much more than just the letter of the law. If we stop there and just focus on the letter, than we miss out on the beauty of the Spirit that can be invited into our hearts and guide us to higher principles. President Newton, in talking about temple attendance, said that we could assign people to attend the temple “2 or 4 or 6” times a week or month. But, if we asked them to attend the temple as much as they can, they can seek the Spirit for guidance, will judge for themselves and probably attend more than the original assignment.
I find it interesting when I think of the progression of the church today to see a move from being told exactly what to do to learning to be guided by the Spirit more. We see it in the lessons we are provided to teach. The missionaries used to memorize the discussions and teach them in a very exact way. It left little room for being moved by the Spirit and teaching by the Spirit. Today, they are given an outline and are to use the Spirit to guide them in their teaching. To do this, they have to learn to be sensitive to the Spirit and in living their lives with exactness to the commandments the Spirit is able to flow through them.
Now living the Spirit of the Law also opens us up to doing the will of the Lord. Sometimes the will of the Lord supersedes the Letter of the Law. It was a desire to live the Spirit of the Law and being in tuned to the Spirit that allow Nephi to know that he was to kill Laban. The Lord’s will overcame the Law that said, “thou shall not kill”. But, it was only Nephi’s dedication to living correct principles that prepared him for receiving the Spirit and making such a decision and one that he surely wrestled with greatly. I have always been amazed at how much he must have understood the Spirit to be able to do that.
One of the beautiful aspects of the gospel of Jesus Christ is that we are all able to begin this process of coming unto Him at different places, yet His grace is sufficient to save us all. After all that we can do, He will do the rest and for each of us that amount the He did will be different but no less amazing and wonderful. I am so grateful that I have this opportunity to continue to come unto Christ and that He will help me to see MY weaknesses as I humble myself and submit to His will. I hope to be led by the Spirit in the manner in which President Monson is. There have been many times in his life where he was redirected from an assignment or a meeting to bless the life of someone and be about his Father’s work. He tells the story of being re-assigned to attend the Shreveport Stake Conference. He was told of a young gravely ill with cancer who had requested that he give her a blessing. There seemed to be no time in the schedule for him to go see her and she was too ill to come to him. He thought he would not be able to see her. As the meeting began, he felt the prompting to go to her…to make the drive to visit her and bless her. Having learned to follow such promptings he got up and left the meeting in the hands of the stake president. He had someone take him to their home where he went into her room while she lay in the bed near death. The little , Crystal Methvin, told him that she knew he would come. He gave her a blessing and she died a few days later, peacefully and ready. I have heard this story all my life and then later heard President Monson tell it several times in conferences. Crystal was a relative of mine and I was and am still touched by how much Heavenly Father loves each of his children and that this little was more important than a meeting. Learning to live by the Spirit can provide us with these kinds of opportunities. I hope that I can learn to listen to the Spirit and do the work that Heavenly Father wants me to do And to reach the full potential that he wants me to achieve.