(Essay on deception by SMSmith, posted in installments, from last to first; #3 of 7. © 2002)
This is the second recorded deception that says, God’s word does not have to be taken seriously. The heart of this rationale usually rests in one of three beliefs: 1) that ones uniqueness or circumstance falls outside the law; 2) that the law itself is passé, because it was given for a different age, circumstance, or people; or 3) that easy grace (or ones quick repentance) will take care of every matter in due course. Each belief carries with it a proviso that if some consequence does follow, it will be but a few stripes and then all will be well.
In Nephi’s words: “there shall also be many which shall say: Eat, drink, and be merry; nevertheless, fear God—he will justify in committing a little sin; yea, lie a little, take the advantage of one because of his words, dig a pit for thy neighbor; there is no harm in this; and do all these things, for tomorrow we die; and if it so be that we are guilty, God will beat us with a few stripes, and at last we shall be saved in the kingdom of God” (2 Ne. 28:8).
This deception excuses shortfalls in tithes and offerings; rationalizes Sunday shopping and recreation; excuses Word of Wisdom infractions, immodesty, worldliness, profane language, and dabblings in the occult. It justifies neglecting or robbing the poor (Mosiah 4:17), and of not paying what an employee’s labor is worth. It expects quick, easy repentance for moral violations and discounts flirtations at the supposed fringes of moral sin.6 In one sense, it is a contrary of Deception One by espousing nothing for something. It both denies significant consequence for sin and declassifies as many sins as it can.
But God’s word is clear. His law is to be taken seriously for “I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger, and fear not me, saith the Lord of Hosts” (3 Ne. 24:5; Mal. 3:5; see also 1 Cor. 6:9-10).
Quick repentance and easy grace are not options. They are tenets of the adversary’s theology for the Savior has said, “no unclean thing can enter into [God’s] kingdom; therefore nothing entereth into his rest save it be those who have washed their garments in my blood, because of their faith, and the repentance of all their sins, and their faithfulness unto the end” (3 Ne. 27:19, emphasis added; see also 1 Ne. 10:21; Alma 39:6). In short, faith, true repentance, baptism, obedience, and endurance to the end are still requisites.
Yet, there are alternate voices that say, “Believe it not” (Moses 5:13; 2 Ne. 28:6). And in believing not, the adversary wins at both extremes as the rebellious and disobedient disparage the reach of justice; while the suffering, downcast sinner despairs the reach of mercy.
Sometimes the alternate voices say, “I am also a son [appointed one] of God” (Moses 5:13). Paul warned of those who would set themselves in place of the Lord’s anointed: “For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works” (2 Cor. 11:13-15; see also Matt. 7:15). Additional warnings7 in these latter-days leave us without excuse for “the day cometh that they who will not hear the voice of the Lord, neither the voice of his servants, neither give heed to the words of the prophets and apostles, shall be cut off from among the people;” (D&C 1:14).
Sometimes as believers we are not even aware of our selective unbelief—an unbelief that requires long, repetitious teaching. As case in point: “Too often we bask in our comfortable complacency and rationalize that the ravages of war, economic disaster, famine, and earthquake cannot happen here. Those who believe this are either not acquainted with the revelations of the Lord, or they do not believe them. Those who smugly think these calamities will not happen, that they somehow will be set aside because of the righteousness of the Saints, are deceived and will rue the day they harbored such a delusion. The Lord has warned and forewarned us against a day of great tribulation and given us counsel, through His servants, on how we can be prepared for these difficult times. Have we heeded His counsel?” (Ezra Taft Benson, “Prepare for the Days of Tribulation,” Ensign, Nov. 1980, 34).
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6 See the remarks of Richard C. Edgley, “That Thy Confidence Wax Strong,” Ensign, Nov. 1994, at 40.
7 See Boyd K. Packer, “To Be Learned Is Good If …,” Ensign, Nov. 1992, at 73; also “Follow the Brethren,” Speeches of the Year, BYU, 23 Mar. 1965, p. 1-10 (also found in Tambuli, Sept. 1979, 53-64 and on LDS Magazines 1971-1999 CDRom); and Dallin H. Oaks, “Alternate Voices,” Ensign, May 1989, 27-30.
