Mormon Comments on Effects Ofiniquity

Event 144

Reference: Hel. 12:1-26

AND thus we can behold how false, and also theunsteadiness of the hearts of the children of men; yea, wecan see that the Lord in his great infinite goodness dothbless and prosper those who put their trust in him. 2 Yea,and we may see at the very time when he doth prosper hispeople, yea, in the increase of their fields, their flocks andtheir herds, and in gold, and in silver, and in all manner ofprecious things of every kind and art; sparing their lives,and delivering them out of the hands of their enemies;softening the hearts of their enemies that they should notdeclare wars against them; yea, and in fine, doing all thingsfor the welfare and happiness of his people; yea, then is thetime that they do harden their hearts, and do forget the Lordtheir God, and do trample under their feet the Holy One—yea, and this because of their ease, and their exceedinglygreat prosperity.MormonNephite landsnear land ofZarahemla7 B.C.3 And thus we see that except the Lord doth chasten hispeople with many afflictions, yea, except he doth visit themwith death and with terror, and with famine and with allmanner of pestilence, they will not remember him. 4 O howfoolish, and how vain, and how evil, and devilish, and howquick to do iniquity, and how slow to do good, are thechildren of men; yea, how quick to hearken unto the wordsof the evil one, and to set their hearts upon the vain thingsof the world! 5 Yea, how quick to be lifted up in pride; yea,how quick to boast, and do all manner of that which isiniquity; and how slow are they to remember the Lord theirGod, and to give ear unto his counsels, yea, how slow towalk in wisdom’s paths!6 Behold, they do not desire that the Lord their God, whohath created them, should rule and reign over them;notwithstanding his great goodness and his mercy towardsthem, they do set at naught his counsels, and they will notthat he should be their guide. 7 O how great is thenothingness of the children of men; yea, even they are lessthan the dust of the earth. 8 For behold, the dust of the earthmoveth hither and thither, to the dividing asunder, at thecommand of our great and everlasting God. 9 Yea, behold at his voice do the hills and the mountainstremble and quake. 10 And by the power of his voice theyare broken up, and become smooth, yea, even like unto avalley. 11 Yea, by the power of his voice doth the wholeearth shake; 12 Yea, by the power of his voice, do thefoundations rock, even to the very center. 13 Yea, and if hesay unto the earth—Move—it is moved. 14 Yea, if he sayunto the earth—Thou shalt go back, that it lengthen out theday for many hours—it is done; 15 And thus, according tohis word the earth goeth back, and it appeareth unto manthat the sun standeth still; yea, and behold, this is so; forsurely it is the earth that moveth and not the sun. 16 Andbehold, also, if he say unto the waters of the great deep—Be thou dried up—it is done. 17 Behold, if he say unto thismountain—Be thou raised up, and come over and fall uponthat city, that it be buried up—behold it is done.MormonNephite landsnear land ofZarahemla7 B.C.18 And behold, if a man hide up a treasure in the earth, andthe Lord shall say—Let it be accursed, because of theiniquity of him who hath hid it up—behold, it shall beaccursed. 19 And if the Lord shall say—Be thou accursed,that no man shall find thee from this time henceforth andforever—behold, no man getteth it henceforth and forever.20 And behold, if the Lord shall say unto a man—Becauseof thine iniquities, thou shalt be accursed forever—it shallbe done.21 And if the Lord shall say—Because of thine iniquitiesthou shalt be cut off from my presence—he will cause thatit shall be so. 22 And wo unto him to whom he shall saythis, for it shall be unto him that will do iniquity, and hecannot be saved; therefore, for this cause, that men might besaved, hath repentance been declared.23 Therefore, blessed are they who will repent and hearkenunto the voice of the Lord their God; for these are they thatshall be saved. 24 And may God grant, in his great fulness,that men might be brought unto repentance and good works,that they might be restored unto grace for grace, accordingto their works. 25 And I would that all men might be saved.But we read that in the great and last day there are somewho shall be cast out, yea, who shall be cast off from thepresence of the Lord; 26 Yea, who shall be consigned to astate of endless misery, fulfilling the words which say:They that have done good shall have everlasting life; and they thathave done evil shall have everlasting damnation. And thus it is. Amen.MormonNephite landsnear land ofZarahemla7 B.C.