Elder McConkie regarding those who transgress after having Calling and Election made sure:
[11] What if those
whose calling and election has been made sure thereafter commit
grievous sins? Suppose they backslide and walk in the ways of
wickedness? Or fight the truth and rebel against God--what then?
That all men commit sin, before and after
baptism, and for that matter, before and after their calling and
election is made sure, is self-evident. There has been only one
Sinless One--the Lord Jesus who was God's own Son.
Thus in the revelation announcing the
setting up of the restored church in this day, the Lord says:
"There is a possibility that man may fall from grace and
depart from the living God; Therefore let the church take heed
and pray always, lest they fall into temptation; Yea, and even
let those who are sanctified take heed also." (D&C 20:32-34.)
The prophets and apostles from Adam and
Enoch down, and all men, whether cleansed and sanctified from
sin or not, are yet subject to and do in fact commit sin. This
is the case even after men have seen the visions of eternity and
been sealed by that Holy Spirit of Promise which makes their calling
and election sure. Since these chosen ones have the sure promise
of eternal life, and since "no unclean thing can enter into"
the Father's "kingdom" (3 Ne 27:19), "or dwell
in his presence" (Moses 6:57), what of sins committed after
being sealed up into eternal life?
Obviously the laws of repentance still
apply, and the more enlightened a person is, the more he seeks
the gift of repentance, and the harder he strives to free himself
from sin as often as he falls short of the divine will and becomes
subject in any degree to the Master of Sin who is Lucifer. It
follows that the sins of the godfearing and the righteous are
continually remitted because they repent and seek the Lord anew
every day and every hour.
And as a matter of fact, the added blessing
of having one's calling and election made sure is itself an encouragement
to avoid sin and a hedge against its further commission. By that
long course of obedience and trial which enabled them to gain
so great a blessing the sanctified saints have charted a course
and developed a pattern of living which avoids sin and encourages
righteousness. Thus the Lord said: "I give unto you Hyrum
Smith to be a patriarch unto you, to hold the sealing blessings
of my church, even the Holy Spirit of promise, whereby ye are
sealed up unto the day of redemption, that ye may not fall notwithstanding
the hour of temptation that may come upon you." (D&C
124:124.)
But suppose such persons become disaffected
and the spirit of repentance leaves them--which is a seldom and
almost unheard of eventuality--still, what then? The answer is--and
the revelations and teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith so recite!--they
must then pay the penalty of their own sins, for the blood of
Christ will not cleanse them. Or if they commit murder or adultery,
they lose their promised inheritance because these sins are exempt
from the sealing promises. Or if they commit the unpardonable
sin, they become sons of perdition.
Bruce
R. McConkie, Doctrinal New Testament Commentary, 3:325-353.
Sunday, December 6, 2015
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