The Kingdom of Heaven is Within: Part I
The Kingdom of Heaven is Within: Part II
I. The Greatest Command(s)
During Christ's ministry, a scribe asked him what were the greatest commands. Christ responded:
...The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. (Mark 12: 29 - 31) (Emphasis added).
This series has addressed both of these commands.
We love God by taking the time and effort to improve our character to become like him. No greater love can be shown to God than by taking advantage of the opportunities to improve ourselves to become like him.
When Enoch saw God weep, Enos learned that God's weeping was in response to fact that many people would be cut off from God due to their wickedness and rebellion.
God's great desire, as expressed through Jesus, is that we be one with him and the Father (see 3 Nephi 19:29)
God desires that we cling to him, like a belt does to a person (see Jeremiah 13:11).
And part of loving God is to love our neighbor
He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him (1 John 2:10).
For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another (1 John 3:11).
If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us (1 John 4:12).
And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also (1 John 4: 21)
All commandments are designed to cause our improvement in having and showing love; to facilitate our becoming a Zion people -- a people who are full of love. The greater our improvement, the greater our ability to "walk in love."
By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous (1 John 5: 2-3).
In other words, the degree of our love is proportional to the degree of our godliness.
This is what the Gospel is all about: LOVE. Love of God and love of our neighbor. If we lack in these, then the fruit we bear is rotten and corrupted. Failing to love is the result of neglecting the weightier things of the gospel (see Matthew 23:23).
The Pharisees' emphasis on strict obedience to the letter of law, while failing to abound in love, caused the Law of Moses to become tainted. It also caused them to reject the message of love delivered by Christ. And their failure ultimately prevented them for establishing the kingdom of God.
But the Pharisees are not alone in their failure. Despite the Lord's strict intentions of establishing Zion, the early latter-day saints failed to achieve this objective because they were not united in love. Instead, when the time came to build the temple, they were caught in boasting and contention with each other (see D&C: 101: 1 - 6 ).
Likewise, the Lord's efforts to establish Zion remain in abeyance until the Lord can find a people who are united in love.
II. Delaying God's Work
A common criticism of God is why He allows suffering to happen. The answer to this is multifaceted. [1] Nevertheless, one reason suffering exists is because His people fail to relieve the suffering of others.
The scriptures are clear that God works through people to bring about his purposes.
God operates within his divine council to conduct his work. In the heavenly realm, he sends messengers to teach people about him, to warn of coming judgments, and to protect his people. In the earthly realm, he uses us to do the same thing -- thereby mirroring the pattern set forth in heaven.
Just think if Moses rejected God's call to free the Israelites from bondage. God, of course, would have found another person, but physical liberation for the Israelites would have been delayed, and suffering by the hands of the Egyptians would have continued for an indeterminate time.
Thus, although God's decreed purposes will not be frustrated, his purposes can be delayed if his people on earth fail to do their part. Hence why the Lord, in Isaiah, bemoans his inability to find people who will seek justice and relive the oppression of others. [2]
III. Doing Our Part
One reason we fail to act is because we haven't tasted of his love and been infused by his Spirit. When we are animated by His Spirit, it will move us to act in ways we had never considered. And the Lord's grace will attend to us every step of the way.
Yet, getting to the point, where we are truly born again, may take time as it requires us to be consecrated to the Lord. But, as the proverbial saying goes, "Rome wasn't built in a day." Today, then, is the day, where, like a child learning to walk, we take our first steps towards a brighter day.
It begins by working from the inner to the outward. As Christian theologian and philosopher astutely pointed out: "The outer work can never be small if the inner work is great. And the outer work can never be great if the inner work is small."
Making the inner work great begins by seeking the Lord in prayer, asking for him to conform our heart to his. It begins by setting time aside to study the scriptures. It begins by heeding our conscience and identifying and improving upon our weak points.[3]
In short, it begins, in the words of Alma the Younger, as a desire to know the truth; a desire to want to trust the Lord. A desire to plant the seed of faith and act accordingly.
Even though, at first blush, these steps may seem inconsequential. If they are continued with steady diligence and steady perseverance, they will lead to exponential growth in the long run. Our character will improve; we'll be happier; we'll avoid unnecessary suffering; and we'll grow in the knowledge of the Lord, ultimately yielding glorious fruit, leading us to find his kingdom -- which is within us and others.
22 And this is mine everlasting covenant, that when thy posterity shall embrace the truth, and look upward, then shall Zion look downward, and all the heavens shall shake with gladness, and the earth shall tremble with joy; 23 And the general assembly of the church of the firstborn shall come down out of heaven, and possess the earth, and shall have place until the end come. And this is mine everlasting covenant, which I made with thy father Enoch. (Genesis 9: 21-23, JST)
[1] Lest you think I will leave you in suspense, I am currently working on a series addressing why God allows suffering to occur. I hope it will allow you to make better sense of mortality, our purpose, and how God works. In the meantime, I did address this topic a couple years ago. http://teshuvahareturn.blogspot.com/search?q=why+trials+exist. However, I have learned a lot more since then and have a better understanding on how it fits together.
[2] Isaiah 5: 3-7: 3
And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard. 4 What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it? wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes? 5 And now go to; I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard: I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up; and break down the wall thereof, and it shall be trodden down: 6 And I will lay it waste: it shall not be pruned, nor digged; but there shall come up briers and thorns: I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it. 7 For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant: and he looked for judgment [justice], but behold oppression; for righteousness, but behold a cry.
[3] For those who want to learn more about how to grow so you are able to receive the complete gift of the Holy Ghost I recommend reading "Putting on Christ" by Steven Bishop. The book is robust -- both in scope and depth -- but it will give you a comprehensive understanding to empower you to become the person Christ wants you to be. What Steven Bishop has written in 424 pages took me years to learn. It is a tremendous blessing to have the intricacies of the gospel laid out and being able to acquire this in a short time, without spending years to do so.