D&C 98:1-10
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Summary[edit]
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Discussion[edit]
This section is for detailed discussion such as the meaning of a symbol, how a doctrinal point is developed throughout a passage, or insights that can be further developed in the future. Contributions may range from polished paragraphs down to a single bullet point. The focus, however, should always be on understanding the scriptural text consistent with LDS doctrine. Click the link above and to the right to edit or add content to this heading. →
- D&C 98. After suffering extreme persecutions in Missouri, the Lord gives this remarkable revelation to the Saints providing guidance on matters of civil government as well as personal and national defense. The standards set out here are peculiar and seem to stand in sharp contrast to the standards of the world, providing both challenges and opportunities for Latter-day Saints.
- D&C 98:1. The Lord starts by calling the Saints his friends, telling them not to be afraid, and offering them peace. Peace is the main theme of this revelation--how to obtain and maintain it. It is fitting that the revelations starts out with the Lord offering peace to his friends, reminding us that peace is a gift from God. As a gift from God, receipt of peace is conditional upon obedience to certain principles (cf. D&C 130:21). Section 98 outlines the principles we need to follow to obtain peace.
- One of the first things we are to do to maintain peace after it is given to us, is to maintain a spirit of rejoicing and thanksgiving "evermore". By concentrating on the gifts we have been given from the Lord, our minds and hearts can be settled and we can maintain the peace that we have been given.
- D&C 98:2. We are told that we should wait patiently, even when we might be suffering, if we are to maintain peace in our hearts. We need to have faith that even though things may look bleak, our "prayers have entered into the ears of the Lord".
- D&C 98:3. The Lord promises to fulfill his promises to us, so that no matter how difficult our situation may appear, we can have faith in what he has promised us—and rejoice and give thanks for it. Not only will he fulfill his words to us, but he will take the afflictions that we bear, and make them "work together for [our] good."
- D&C 98:4. Here the Lord outlines his standard for good laws and government. Apparently, it is most important to the Lord that people be able to "do all things whatsoever [he] commands them."
- D&C 98:5. After declaring that his primary concern is that people be able to obey him, the Lord here decrees that any constitutional law that allows people to be able to fully obey the Lord "belongs to all mankind, and is justifiable." Sometimes, we may be tempted to read this as stating that all constitutional laws are justifiable, but that isn't what this verse says. It clearly states that only constitutional laws that allow people to freely obey God are justified.
- D&C 98:7. Having declared constitutional laws that uphold our ability to obey the Lord as the only ones that are justifiable, here the Lord goes further in stating that any law that does more or less than this "cometh of evil." While it might seem apparent that any law that doesn't uphold this freedom would be less than justifiable, it may be harder to determine how a law might not be justifiable if it does "more...than this."
- D&C 98:8. The Lord shows us here that while we are created to be free, it is the exercise of just laws that helps maintain our freedom. We are not radically free to do whatever we wish, but need to obey laws that sustain the ability of all to be free.
- D&C 98:9-10. In continuing his revelation of peaceful government and self defense, the Lord uses these verses to outline the importance of choosing righteous leaders.
- D&C 98:9. Here the Lord repeats the counsel from Prov 29:2 about wicked rulers. In order to maintain peace, it is important to avoid wicked rulers.
- D&C 98:10. In order to avoid wicked rulers, here the Lord counsels us to choose rulers that are honest and wise. The Lord does not put a higher standard of righteousness here on the ruler, only specifying that a ruler be honest and wise. We are to "uphold" or sustain our honest and wise rulers, but reminded that any ruler that is not honest and wise, or anyone who does not support honest and wise rulers "cometh of evil".
- This standard of honesty and wisdom seems to fly in the face of the normal standards, even within "enlightened" democratic societies, where we expect our leaders to be politicians and to dissemble the truth in order to obtain and maintain office. Modern electoral politics often emphasizes political party loyalty and promises of political favors, neither of which are supported here by the Lord, who clearly states that standards above or below those of honesty and wisdom "cometh of evil".
Unanswered questions[edit]
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Prompts for life application[edit]
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Prompts for further study[edit]
This section is for prompts that invite us to think about a passage more deeply or in a new way. These are not necessarily questions that beg for answers, but rather prompts along the lines of "Have you ever thought about ..." Prompts are most helpful when they are developed individually, thoughtfully, and with enough background information to clearly indicate a particular direction for further study or thought. Click the link above and to the right to edit or add content to this heading. →
- D&C 98:1. Why shouldn't Latter-day Saints be afraid of our enemies? What application might this have for Saints living in a world filled with wars and terrorism?
- D&C 98:2. Why shouldn't Latter-day Saints be afraid of our enemies? What application might this have for Saints living in a world filled with wars and terrorism?
- D&C 98:4-5. How can we judge whether a law is justifiable before the Lord? Are there constitutional laws that are not justifiable?
- D&C 98:7. How might a law fail to be justified by seeking to do more or less than the Lord desires?
- D&C 98:10. How does the Lord's standard of "honest and wise" differ from modern political standards for elected leaders?
- D&C 98:10. How might a failure to personally uphold "honest and wise" leaders come of evil?
Resources[edit]
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Notes[edit]
Footnotes are not required but are encouraged for factual assertions that average readers cannot easily evaluate for themselves (such as the date of King Solomon’s death or the nuanced definition of a Greek word). In contrast, insights rarely benefit from footnoting, and the focus of this page should always remain on the scriptures themselves rather than what someone has said about them. Links are actively encouraged on all sections of this page, and links to authoritative sources (such as Strong's Bible Concordance or the Joseph Smith Papers) are preferable to footnotes.
