The scriptures are filled with
examples of newness. We hear parables of
new wine in old bottles. We read of the
Lord, as God of the Old Testament, requiring the new construction of temples
and places of worship. More importantly,
we learn about the newness that comes as a result of sincere repentance
The Lord delights in newness.
O sing unto the lord a
new song; for he hath done marvelous things: his right hand, and his holy arm,
hath gotten him the victory (Psalms 98:1).
Of all the wonderful new things
that you have ever gotten, how does this compare to the greatest thing you ever
whispered in Santa’s ear or put on a wish list for your parents?
And I will give them one heart, and I will
put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their
flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh (Ezekiel 11:19).
Sometimes we resist the new because
we are just so comfortable with the old.
The council of Paul to the Romans, a group of saints who struggled
giving up the Law of Moses, speaks to what the Lord can do with us as we strive
to change and conform ourselves to the Lords will. The Saints in Rome were learning about the
blessings and covenants associated with the atonement of the Savior. The process of repentance and keeping the
higher law was new to them. Paul
expressed this newness that comes through the Savior’s atoning sacrifice in
terms of the change that could come to them as they repented and applied the
atonement in their own lives. He wrote:
Therefore we are
buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from
the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of
life (Romans 6:4).
Newness comes through
repentance and conversion
This newness is great, and like many new and great things in
our society, we often ask “how can I get one of those?” This newness is a product of the Lord
accepting our broken heart and our contrite spirit, and by our taking up our
cross. We become malleable to his will and he in turn can provide us a new
heart. We then can be transformed by the
renewing of our mind and receive his image in our countenances.
Whoso confesseth and
forsaketh [his sins] shall have mercy (Proverbs 28:13b).
Of confession and repentance, we learn that:
If we confess our
sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from
all righteousness (I John 1:9).
We seem to be very keen to change
ourselves and “turn over a new leaf.”
Plastic surgery, weight loss clinics, personal coaches, and motivational
speakers are all highly sought after in this day and age. We relish the idea of change. We desire forgiveness because we seem to be keenly
aware of our own shortcomings. We turn
to the Savior to forgive us and eagerly seek his promise to “remember them no
more.”
Extending forgiveness
In all of this seeking forgiveness
and change, are we willing to extend to others that willful forgetfulness that
we so desperately seek for ourselves?
We are no doubt familiar with the
account of Saul of Tarsus found in the book of Acts. We read about his consenting as a young man
to the murder of Stephan, a newly ordained Seventy, who was stoned for
administering the word of the Lord to the poor and the needy. A little later, we read of Saul and his
taking the lead in these types of persecution.
As for Saul, he made
havoc of the church, entering into every house, and hailing men and women
commit[ing] them to prison (Acts 8:3).
Saul (now Paul) himself recounts
this time in his life when he had a spiritually blinded and misguided devotion
to the destruction of the church:
[I] was zealous toward God, as ye all are
this day. And I persecuted this way unto
the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women (Acts 22:3-4).
After his conversion, we read about
the works and life of Saul, now Paul, throughout the New Testament. We see how he built the kingdom. He was a great man and a great apostle and
disciple of the Lord. However, an often
lost character in Paul’s story is that of Ananias.
Ananias was a disciple at
Damascus. Damascus was a bustling city
of commerce with an active branch of the church. Damascus was Saul’s destination and his most
recent target of persecution. Instead of
entering the city as the agent of havoc and mayhem for which he was infamously
known, Saul entered the city significantly wounded (both physically and
spiritually). His companions led the now
blind Saul to the home of a man named Judas, and here Saul stayed for three
days. For three days Saul neither ate
nor drank but addressed the Lord in prayer.
We do not know a lot about Ananias other than the fact that he was a
disciple worthy of revelation. Ananias
was instructed by the Lord to go to the home of this Judas and inquire after
Saul. Ananias was informed that Saul was
praying, and obviously Ananias was to be the answer to Saul’s prayer. Needless to say, He was a little troubled by
this direction. Ananias knew who this
Saul was, and what danger his journey to Damascus brought to this branch of the
church. When we realize that Ananias
very well may have been an explicit target of Saul’s persecution, we can
understand his hesitation:
Then Ananias answered,
Lord, I have heard by many of this man,
how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem: And here he hath
authority from the chief priests to bind all that call on thy name (Acts 9:13-14).
Ananias, a man marked for prison
and maybe even death, was being asked by the Lord to visit the very man who
would tear him away from his home and his family. What would have been your reaction? Would you have set sail to a proverbial
Nineveh? Would you have denied the gift
of revelation?
Ananias was assured of the Lord that Saul was a “chosen
vessel” and that he would be an instrument in bearing the gospel to the
Gentiles and even testify before kings. (v15) Then the Lord said a curious
thing:
“For I will shew him
how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake” (Acts 9:16).
Saul did suffer. In fact, he gave his very life for the
testimony he gained on that road to Damascus.
In hindsight, after all we know about Paul, we can see that Ananias had
nothing to worry about. Ananias however had foresight and the gift of
revelation. After some natural human
doubts, Ananias “went his way and entered into the house.” Now I am touched by Ananias’ response to
Saul.
He put his hand on Saul and said “Brother Saul.” Brother Saul?
Think about that a moment.
”Brother Saul.” Think
of those in your life who have offended you.
I would be willing to say that most of those offenders were not looking
to cast you into prison or see you crucified.
Have any of these offenders come to you and you put your hand on them
and said “Brother or Sister?” That
grace, forgiveness, and even forgetfulness that we so eagerly seek for
ourselves is sometimes not so readily extended to others.
I would ask us to learn to forgive
and remember no more the offenses that we suffer. I would ask that we extend the mercy we seek
to those around us. Ananias, doubted
yes, but he did not set sail to Nineveh.
Ananias did not deny the gift that was in him, he followed the Lord’s
revelation.
Saul received his sight at the
hands of the priesthood and was baptized.
Now you may say, well that’s
great. Ananias a leader in the church
with priesthood authority was able to overcome the fear and threat of
persecution. “But he received
revelation,” you say. It’s fine for my
Bishop or Pastor or Corp Officer to get out there and find those lost
sheep. But Saul did not just ride off
into the sunset a changed man. He
tarried “certain days with the disciples
which were at Damascus” (Acts 9:19). Saul
stayed and came to church. Saul was
brought into the fold and I am willing to bet that the saints followed the
admonishment of a prophet in our day who said that every new convert needs
three things: a friend, a responsibility, and to be nourished by the good word
of God.
The scriptures tell us that he “increased the more in strength” (v. 22). Saul began to become the great missionary
that we all know he did. He did it in a
little branch of the church in the town of Damascus where he was nourished and
fed both physically and temporally. Paul
was who he became because a man named Ananias obeyed the spirit of
revelation. Ananias and his congregation
extended the very grace and forgiveness to Saul that they sought so eagerly for
themselves.
Can you put your arms around a
prodigal who may have hurt you? Can you
look him in the eye and say “Brother” or “Sister?” We know we need to repent, but do you allow
others to repent?
The Lord instructed Saints in our day that:
“Wherefore I say unto
you, that ye ought to forgive one another; for he that forgiveth not his
brother his trespasses standeth condemned before the Lord; for there remaineth
in him the greater sin. I, the Lord,
will forgive whom I will forgive, but of you it is required to forgive all men”
(D&C 64:9-10).
In life and business
This council to be forgiving is of
primary efficacy in our families and congregations, but it extends beyond
that. We need to become a gracious and
forgiving people in life and business.
Now that does not mean that we don’t maintain standards and that we do
not hold each other accountable, but rather we discipline with love then
forgive and move on. “Love you say in
business?” Yes, love in business! Eternal principles are principles that work
in all facets of life. I assure you that
as you apply this principle in all areas of your life, your life will change
for the better. The Lord’s promises are
sure and his principles eternal.
As you increase in grace,
benevolence, and forgiveness in all areas of your life, you will have greater
access to the spirit and be able to make wise decisions in your church
responsibilities, your family, and your business.
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