By Knowing These Things

One of the messages of Helaman 14 is that we are responsible for what we know. Samuel the Lamanite taught the people what they were going to know of a surety when the signs came of the Savior’s coming: “Therefore, there shall be one day and a night and a day, as if it were one day and there were no night; and this shall be unto you for a sign; for ye shall know of the rising of the sun and also of its setting; therefore they shall know of a surety that there shall be two days and a night; nevertheless the night shall not be darkened; and it shall be the night before he is born” (v4). When they saw the signs, they would know not just that the light had lasted through the night but, more importantly, that Christ had been born. Samuel also said, “And ye shall hear my words, for, for this intent have I come up upon the walls of this city, that ye might hear and know of the judgments of God which do await you because of your iniquities, and also that ye might know the conditions of repentance; And also that ye might know of the coming of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Father of heaven and of earth, the Creator of all things from the beginning; and that ye might know of the signs of his coming, to the intent that ye might believe on his name” (v11-12). As they came to know of the fulfillment of the prophecies, they would know that Christ had come. And that knowledge would be given to them so they would believe on Him and repent. With a knowledge of the truth they had a responsibility to act accordingly: “Therefore repent ye, repent ye, lest by knowing these things and not doing them ye shall suffer yourselves to come under condemnation, and ye are brought down unto this second death” (v19). His warning to them is a warning to all of us who have come to know the Savior and His gospel: we must strive to act in accordance with what we know. As Elder Bednar once commented, “What we know is not always reflected in what we do.” This certainly proved true for many of the Nephites in Samuel’s day, and our goal should be that this not be the case for us.  

            Of course, this does not mean that we should avoid seeking knowledge in order to be less responsible. The attitude prescribed in these lyrics from the Wicked soundtrack should not be our mantra: 

Life's more painless
For the brainless
Why think too hard?
When it's so soothing
Dancing through life
No need to tough it
When you can slough it off as I do
Nothing matters

…

Life is fraught-less
When you're thoughtless
Those who don't try
Never look foolish
Dancing through life
Mindless and careless
Make sure you're where less trouble is rife

No, ignorance is not bliss; if we seek to “remain in a state of innocence” like Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden then we will “[have] no joy” (2 Nephi 2:23). Indeed, we know that “the glory of God is intelligence” and we must seek knowledge if we are to seek happiness in Him (Doctrine and Covenants 93:36). The Prophet Joseph taught, “Whatever principle of intelligence we attain unto in this life, it will rise with us in the resurrection. And if a person gains more knowledge and intelligence in this life through his diligence and obedience than another, he will have so much the advantage in the world to come” (Doctrine and Covenants 130:18-19). The Lord instructed us to “seek learning, even by study and also by faith” (Doctrine and Covenants 88:118). And with that learning, we must not set aside the commandments of God but rather “hearken unto the counsels of God” (2 Nephi 9:28-29). Samuel the Lamanite summed it up this way in his message in Helaman 14: “And now remember, remember, my brethren, that whosoever perisheth, perisheth unto himself; and whosoever doeth iniquity, doeth it unto himself; for behold, ye are free; ye are permitted to act for yourselves; for behold, God hath given unto you a knowledge and he hath made you free” (v30). God has given His Saints great knowledge, and we must learn to act in accordance with what we know.