I. The Why --- The Imago Dei
In Genesis, we learn about our identity. There are two components that are worth focusing on. The first is that we are created in God's image. To be created in God's image is a designation of status. This status sets us apart from all the other works of God's creation. No other work was designated as being created in God's image. To be in the image of God means that we have divine potential. And we access our divine potential by putting on the character of God.
God is who He is because of the character He has. If He were to regress in His character, He would cease to be God. Likewise, our ability to become like God is commensurate to how much of His character we've developed.
In addition to having divine potential, we are in God's image according to our stewardship. As the Genesis account explains, God gave dominion to man and the power to procreate.
28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
Thus before the beginning of earth's existence, man was placed with responsibility. And this is because in order to be like God on a macro level, he had to be like God on a micro level. The reason why responsibility is essential to human existence is because it is the way we become like God. God's acts as an agent, not an object. God is not acted upon, but He acts. God acted to create the world. And His act is so powerful that the world was formed -- order was brought out of chaos -- by His world alone.
If God were to be acted upon, then we wouldn't have much respect for Him. He also wouldn't be reliable because His action would derive from the influence of others. This would make Him a fickle God. This means that a component of who God is due to the control He has over Himself. He issues decrees and governs the world. And although humans, like Moses, can influence God, they influence Him by appealing to his character. They don't strong-arm Him. God responds to the petitions, but He isn't controlled by them.
Because God is not controlled by the outside influences, He is completely free. Despite all the carnage and wickedness He's seen throughout the course of history, God does not let that control who He is. He is able to remain happy in spite of all the evil. And given that He knows all, this would include both the good and the evil.
Acting Is Necessary To Existence
But besides helping us to put on the character of God, taking ownership over one's self is also necessary for existence. As the Lord revealed to Joseph Smith,
29 Man was also in the beginning with God. Intelligence, or the light of truth, was not created or made, neither indeed can be.
30 All truth is independent in that sphere in which God has placed it, to act for itself, as all intelligence also; otherwise there is no existence.
31 Behold, here is the agency of man, and here is the condemnation of man; because that which was from the beginning is plainly manifest unto them, and they receive not the light (Doctrine and Covenants 93)
Man is light and truth. And because he is truth, he is placed in a sphere/realm to act for himself, just like all intelligence does. To act is to exercise agency. It is to be in control of one's action and take responsibility for them. This is mainly shown by seeking out and assimilating light truth into his life. By learning true principles and letting that knowledge inform his acting, the acting for himself is what gives him existence. If man were to cease to act from himself then he ceases to exist. What I think this means is that man failing to act means that he becomes subject to the devil.
Alma made this clear when he explained to the people of Ammonihah that men are ordained to the Melchizedek priesthood "on account of their exceeding faith and good works; in the first place being left to choose good or evil" and having chosen the good. Each of us was placed into a sphere to act for ourselves. This action occurred long before we came to earth. Each of us chose to either exercise faith and perform good works or to not do these things. Some, because of their choice to exercise faith, were foreordained to the Melchizedek priesthood.
These choices determined the amount of light we brought into the world. Although passing through the veil removed our memory, our spirits did not change. They still carry the same desire they had in the pre-existence.
Nevertheless, the choices we made in the pre-existence only influence who we'll become; they are not determinative. This means that choice spirits in the pre-existence could and do spiritually regress based on the choices they make in the mortal world.
This seems to have been the case with the people of Ammonihah, who were chosen but through pride they fell from their position. Alma's statement about the pre-existence seems to have been taught to remind the people who they were and their choice position. Sadly, the people chose to reject both the light on earth and the truth taught by Alma.
Moreover, this principle is expressed in the Savior's statement about the Jews and Gentiles: the first shall be last and the last shall be first. The lineage of Israel were given the opportunity to advance in greater light by being born into the covenant. Some, like the prophets, used this position to advance themselves to receiving greater light; but most did not.
As a consequence, the gospel went to the Gentiles who were initially not part of the covenant. The New Testament details the missionary efforts of the apostles in teaching the gospel to the Gentiles. Many chose to convert.
II. Choosing to Blame Others
What stands in our way of progress, or, more correctly, what we must overcome, is the condition of the natural man. Because of the fall all of us are born into a fallen world, a world ruled by Satan. His influence permeates every sphere of this world. He can detract us from fully repenting by getting us to blame others for our condition. Or in other words, to shift responsibility away from ourselves and our actions.
This concept is presented to us in the beginning pages of Genesis, after Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit. Instead of being agents, they allowed themself to be tempted by the devil. Eve partook and then Adam. But notice what Adam said when God confronted him about his succumbing to temptation.
9 And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?
10 And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.
11 And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?
12 And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat. (Genesis 3)
Upon being confronted, Adam's instinct was to shift the blame onto Eve. Eve, unfortunately, is no better.
13 And the Lord God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.
Although Satan is punished for his action, so too are Adam and Eve. Both chose to be acted upon and as a result must face the consequences. This meant expulsion and suffering.
Likewise, Cain, who grew envious over his brother's success and favor with the Lord was not excused in his attitude. He warned Cain that "sin was crouching at the door." Thus the concern for the Lord was Cain's attitude and this was determined by the choice he made. Cain chose to become envious and as a result, sin crouched at his door. Sadly Cain thought that he could be free by killing his brother. But alas, this proved incorrect.
Throughout Genesis we are introduced to people who chose to act or who chose to be acted upon. Joseph of Egypt chose to act. Despite being sold into Egypt as a slave, he continually acted according to his character. Never once did he shift the blame for his condition onto his brothers or Potiphar's wife. Conversely, his brothers did the opposite. They allowed their envy of Joseph to control them to the result of selling their brother into Egypt. Judah faired no better, as he continually made bad decision after bad decision, which ultimately resulted in him having sex with his daughter in-law and fathering two sons.
Although we can't save ourselves and must rely upon the grace of God, we are responsible for taking the first step. Both Paul and Moroni exhort us to work out of salvation with fear and trembling. This means that we are responsible for our salvation. We show our responsibility by following the gospel. This means that we exercise faith and repent. None of these things can be done for us.
In simple terms, to exercise faith means to trust in God. It starts within the heart and mind of the individual. The individual has to make the conscious choice of whether he/she will trust. As James taught, "Faith without works is dead."
Those who recognize they lack faith have the responsibility to seek out more. For instance, the father of the demon possessed boy recognized that he lacked sufficient faith for his son to be healed. In response, he cried to the Lord and asked, with tears "help thou my unbelief." The Lord acceded to his plea.
Although the Lord made up the difference, the man had to take the first step. He recognized that his faith was insufficient and asked for more. He took the ownership upon himself. This same principle is illustrated in the group who sought for Jesus to heal the palsied man.
1 And again he entered into Capernaum after some days; and it was noised that he was in the house.
2 And straightway many were gathered together, insomuch that there was no room to receive them, no, not so much as about the door: and he preached the word unto them.
3 And they come unto him, bringing one sick of the palsy, which was borne of four.
4 And when they could not come nigh unto him for the press, they uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay.
5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee. (Mark 2)
Despite the obstacles that laid in their way, the group was undeterred and proceeded forward. They acted and took on the responsibility for getting the palsied man healed. The Lord rewarded their faith by healing the man.
Likewise with faith, we take it upon ourselves to repent. To repent requires that one recognize that they are at fault and then to correct it. The light of Christ will serve to tell us our standing, but we decide whether to heed its communication. We decide whether we want to change.
King David recognized this. Although he was guilty and could not be forgiven for the killing of Uriah, David recognized his error and took upon the responsibility of seeking forgiveness and guidance from the Lord. David did not give up. When the Lord took his son and his kingdom as a consequence for his sin, David continued to plead for mercy. His pleas were eventually answered, resulting in him having his kingdom restored and Bathsheba giving birth to Solomon. David also received the promise that his spirit would not be left in hell. What happened to David was a result of grace, but David had to initiate the process ("We are saved by grace after all that we can do").
In fact, the scriptures suggest that the power of the Lord is proportional to our faith in him. The gospel records that Christ was unable to perform any mighty works in his hometown due to their unbelief (see Mark 6: 1-5). Moroni also teaches this truth:
20 And the reason why he ceaseth to do miracles among the children of men is because that they dwindle in unbelief, and depart from the right way, and know not the God in whom they should trust.
21 Behold, I say unto you that whoso believeth in Christ, doubting nothing, whatsoever he shall ask the Father in the name of Christ it shall be granted him; and this promise is unto all, even unto the ends of the earth.
Sometimes the reasons why our prayer, despite how noble it was, was not answered, is because we didn't have the faith to receive the answer.
Again, this is why the Lord is after the heart. Because it is the seat of all action. And it's also the nexus of how God can work among us. We decide what kind of heart we'll have. And by deciding, we determine the kind of relationship we'll have with God.
The Exodus account shows what happens to a people who are delivered without first changing their hearts. The Israelites plead for deliverance, yet they failed to change their hearts. As a result, their sins and weak character did not remain in Egypt after the Israelites departed from the land, but instead were carried with them into the wilderness. This resulted in them being shut out of God's presence and being left to wander the wilderness for 40 years. The Israelites were only able to enter the promised land once the wicked generation died off. For those that didn't enter, it was because they chose to act contrary to God's commands.
The Psalmist provides a helpful summary of the mistakes made by the Israelites (see Psalm 106). The Psalmist is clear to note that the judgments they experienced by God were the result of their actions and conduct.
Like King Josiah, who, in order to re-establish righteousness purged Judah of pagan practices, we too, must be willing to make that purge. Existence requires us to do so.
III. Choosing What We'll See and Believe
In addition to the spiritual truths, the natural world also testifies to the truth that humans control their lives. Every action we take corresponds to a thought we make. Moreover, the thoughts we have determine what we'll see. The human eye, as remarkable as it is, is selective in what it sees. Most of our vision is low resolution. The parts of our vision that are high resolution are what we choose to focus on.
Humans deal with the complexity of the world by selectively choosing what they will focus their eyes on. And our eyes focus on that which is of the most immediate concern, which is dictated by our desires.
And if your eye be single to my glory, your whole bodies shall be filled with light, and there shall be no darkness in you; and that body which is filled with light comprehendeth all things. (Doctrine and Covenants 88:67)
This is what the Lord means for our eyes to be single to his glory. Our aim determines what we'll see. And our aim is shaped by our desires. Thus our eye becomes single to God's glory when we desire it. And only we can do this.
Additionally, our thoughts affect our neurochemistry. Those who believe themselves to be superior have increased levels of serotonin. These people generally live longer and get sick less often. More serotonin renders these individuals confident and calm.
Conversely, those who believe themselves to be inferior (by taking upon the victim mentality), are those who have increased levels of octopamine, which restricts serotonin availability. This makes a person more physically and psychologically reactive to any circumstance or events that might produce emotion, particularly if it is negative. The secretion of octopamine can be a benefit in emergency situations, but over time, it burns up a lot of precious energy and physical resources overtime. For these people, their immune system will shut down and they become impulsive. They will get sicker easier and be more easily subject to disease.
This idea is further supported in studies related to kinesiology (the study of the effects of feelings and emotions on the well-being of your body). David R. Hawkins conducted a 29-year long study demonstrating that the human body becomes stronger or weaker based on the person's mental state. These results are further supported by other studies. One study discovered that patients who feel grateful and positive about life post-heart attacks have a reduced risk for further attacks. Furthermore, Duke University Medical Center encourages its patients dealing with arterial blockage to practice more intentional gratitude of way of handling their situation.
Additional empirical evidence shows the power of our brains and the mind-body connection. For instance, a University of Wisconsin study published in 2004 shows that the mind can alter its physical circuitry based on new stimuli. The study involved eight Buddhist monks and ten volunteers. Both the monks and volunteers were asked to meditate on the subject of compassion. The results show that for both participants there was an increased level of gamma brain waves, which are linked to awareness, perception, intelligence, focus, and memory. Thus the greater the increase of gamma waves, leads to greater increase of the said skills.
Although our external environment may cause us to believe certain things about ourselves and thus either take on the position of the victor or loser, the important fact is that we can change the neurochemistry of our brain by changing how we present ourselves to others and ourselves. This means we have the power to decide what kind of hormones our brain releases. Furthermore, neuroscientists have reached a general consensus that the brain remains plastic, able to grow and change given the proper stimulus.
In addition to altering the neurochemistry and circuity of our brain. We gain control over our lives by monitoring how we think, as seen in Cognitive Behavior Therapy ("CBT"). The core focus of CBT is teaching people to recognize gross distortions in their thinking that led to depression and anxiety, making it a widely accepted psychological approach for helping people combat depression and anxiety. Interestingly enough, a lot (if not all) depression and anxiety comes from how one interprets a situation. People who suffer from depression tend to draw irrational conclusions from events. For instance, a person prone to depression may conclude that he will never find a girlfriend because his current one broke up with him. Moreover, this person might also reach other (unfounded) conclusions as well, such as "I'm ugly"; "dating never works out for me"; "girls just don't like me and never will."
You can see how thoughts, like this, told over and over again, can really bring down the esteem of the person. And because they have a low opinion about themselves, their actions reflect it. They will limit what they are capable of because of what they wrongly believe about themselves. But they're limiting themselves. They are in control of how to respond. And if they started by monitoring their distorted thinking, they could adjust their behavior.
IV. We Are Master's Of Our Ship
What all of this means is quite simple: the responsibility -- fortunately or unfortunately -- is up to us. And this is because existence is based upon action. Our progression into different (spiritual) estates only occurs when we've acted. This is what it means to be free. Freedom is a burden and responsibility. Freedom means that we accept the choices we made while also seeking to learn and improve.
We are all the virgins seeking to attend the wedding feast of the groom. The wedding feast represents the union of Christ with his church. The invitation is extended to all. To be accepted, however, requires that one obtain enough oil for his lamp. The oil represents knowledge. We choose how much we accumulate and we also choose whether we'll accept the invitation. On the day of judgment, we'll have to account for whether we choose to accept it or not.
Mind is the Master power that moulds and makes, And Man is Mind, and evermore he takes The tool of Thought, and, shaping what he wills, Brings forth a thousand joys, a thousand ills: — He thinks in secret, and it comes to pass: Environment is but his looking-glass.
-- James Allen, As A Man Thinketh