AS I HAVE LOVED YOU

 

Section 45 of the Doctrine and Covenants gives us the Olivet Discourse which the Saviour gave to His disciples during the last week of His life in A.D. 33. It describes in detail the signs of His coming and also the state of the world prior to His appearing.

One of the most correct descriptions of our present world is summarized thus: “And the love of men shall wax cold, and iniquity shall abound” (v 27). Never in the history of this world has hatred run so rampant as it is now, and this is the reason: lawlessness, immorality, wickedness, distortion or what is good and right, a violation of God’s law. This is what iniquity means.

In our day of self-interest which has led to so much crime and hatred toward one another, “we seem to be lacking genuine Christian love, unity and harmony….its absence in the majority of men is one of the signs of the end.” (Smith and Sjodahl, Doctrine and Covenants Commentary, p 262). That lack of brotherly love in the world is a sign of the end is a very sobering thought.

There has been a lot of emphasis on the Saviour’s Second Coming by the leaders of the Church. Among their admonition for preparation has been the mandate to stop the tide of hate. President Nelson, in particular has advised us that we must love one another in preparation for the Saviour’s coming so that “when He appears, we shall be like Him” (Moroni 7:48).  This will be the proof of our discipleship and our claim on His mercy.

I read an interesting book recently called “Children of the Covenant: What Christians Should Know About Jews” by Marshall D. Isaacson, a Jewish convert to Christianity. In his outline of Jewish beliefs, the author discusses the Jewish attitudes toward sin and highlights that the Jews do not believe in “original sin”. They believe that man is born innocent and good and therefore there is no need for redemption from “inherited sin from Adam”. We of course know that Christ’s redemption covers The Fall which is the reason we are born innocent into a world of evil (see Moroni 8:10-21). Because of this, all of us, as children of God, are born on equal footing.

The Jewish belief that everyone is born good strikes a chord though. It is impossible to be an offspring of God and not be born without seeds of deity in us. Therefore, we all have a redeeming feature whether big or small. This will be taken into account on Judgment Day. The Saviour knows those redeeming features because of His personal access to each of us during the Atonement. Because of this He will be willing to extend forgiveness and mercy to the worst of us.

It is easy to love the ‘lovelies’. Those who are not loveable are here to help us overcome our propensity to hate. That, I believe, is one of the reasons why evil people are allowed to exist. We live in a world of opposition without which growth is impossible hence Christ’s admonition to ‘love our enemies and to do good to them who hate us’ (Matthew 5:43-48)

May we ‘be the light of the world for a city that is set on a hill cannot be hid…..(Matthew 5:16). The brighter we shine, and the more love we spread, the less hate there will be.

And then there is this: “…love one another, as I have loved you….by this shall all men know that ye are my disciples…..(John 13:34,5)

Tread softly on my tender heart;

Even though in likeness

We are miles apart.

Though we are separate

In both body and mind;

We are linked together on humanity’s path.

Tread softly on my tender heart.....

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: As I Have Loved You by B. Laura Wilson)