tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8665085267750808287.post9013159954572458265..comments2024-03-26T14:29:25.921-06:00Comments on To The Remnant: Ask, Seek, Knock, Part 6: As a Little ChildAdrian Larsenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17173995703995901609noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8665085267750808287.post-91280217262997645652018-01-15T06:38:16.330-07:002018-01-15T06:38:16.330-07:00Thanks for this clear explanation of our fallen st...Thanks for this clear explanation of our fallen state and our blindness to it, as well as the remedy (Christ). “Good” church-going folk often have the most difficulty in humbling themselves, because they may feel they’re already doing pretty well and just need to keep trying a little harder, relying on their own power & abilities to make themselves better & better. I think D&C 1:16 might describe how we each tend to walk in our “own way”, in our own viewpoints, understanding, efforts, & so forth, and trust in ourSELF (arm of flesh), that we are righteous or right, or can make ourselves righteous, instead of trusting wholly in the merits and grace and righteousness of Christ. In a way, our self-image or self-esteem can become a false “idol” or image that we worship & serve (we serve this false “self” rather than serving others/God), and we continually try to strengthen and justify ourselves (our FALSE self) but these false images will all crumble to the dust according to D&C 1:16. Becoming as a little child, or “putting off” the “natural man” & humbling one’s self to the dust voluntarily, seeing clearly our own nothingness, is described so well in King Benjamin’s sermon in chapters 2-5 of Mosiah. Closely related: Colossians chapter 3 (first putting off, or killing, the “old man” — only after this happens we are enabled to “put on” Christ and his virtues and attributes instead, through the “mind of Christ” which comes into us by the baptism of fire and holy Spirit). His virtues and attributes are likened to garments, robes, breastplates, etc. that we must put on. Alma ch. 5, Mormon ch. 9, and D&C 67:10 speak of stripping ourselves first. As you said, we have to be desperate and 100% sincere. Our “natural man” (false ego-self that we have each invented as a covering for ourself in mortality, & continually try to justify and build up and strengthen) is actually less than the dust of the earth even though we may think it’s a great self-image, so we need to cast it off and humble ourselves before God and realize our nakedness and nothingness before him, and humble ourselves to the dust (Mosiah 21:13-14, Alma 34:38, Alma 42:29-30, Helaman 12:7). The Lord can remake us in his image only after our false ego-self dies and our True Self (which is in the exact image of God) is re-awakened within the core of our inner being.Seekerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12685088836076155573noreply@blogger.com