Good and Evil

In Mormon’s words to the “peaceable followers of Christ” he taught about how we can judge between good and evil.  He suggested there are things that we “may know with a perfect knowledge” whether they are of God.  He also said that the things that persuade men to do evil we also “may know with a perfect knowledge it is of the devil.”  He further said that “the way to judge is as plain, that ye may know with a perfect knowledge, as the daylight is from the dark night” (Moroni 7:15-17).  In the past I think I have taken that language to mean that it is easy to judge between right and wrong, and that everything falls conveniently in the two categories of “evil” and “good,” but as I considered these words from Mormon again today I’ve realized that he does not suggest either of these.  

While the langue of Mormon does suggest that we can have a level of certainly about right and wrong, he does not say that it is always easy to differentiate.  He told them, “Wherefore, take heed, my beloved brethren, that ye do not judge that which is evil to be of God, or that which is good and of God to be of the devil” (Moroni 7:14).  Clearly he was suggesting that it took effort to not judge wrongfully—to “take heed” implies a serious devotion to the task.  A few verses later he said, “See that ye do not judge wrongfully; for with that same judgment which ye judge ye shall also be judged” Again the language here suggests that there is some level of work associated with making correct judgments—if we don’t we might easily “judge wrongfully.”  Mormon continued with this exhortation: “Wherefore, I beseech of you, brethren, that ye should search diligently in the light of Christ that ye may know good from evil” (Moroni 7:29).  Even though we can know with a surety about right and wrong, we may have to “search diligently” in order to find that out.  It may not be obvious to us what is right and wrong, but if we spend the effort to search sincerely for answers and understanding, we can come to a “perfect knowledge” about whether something is right or wrong.  

The other thing that stands out to me in these words of Mormon is the absence of language that would suggest that all choices we are faced with will fall into the “evil” or “good” category.  He did tell us that for “everything which inviteth to do good” we can know for certainty that it is of God, and he also said that that which “persuadeth men to do evil” can be known with certainty also.  But he did not say that we are going to be able to get all answers with certainly.  We often face competing good choices that we have to wrestle with, and if it is not a question of right or wrong, then we very well may not get the kind of certainty in an answer that we are hoping for.  Mormon’s words clearly give us confidence that we can know right from wrong, but not of our choices are being was is good and what is evil.  I think that Mormon’s words should inspire us to seek and search and pray over important decisions, and if clear answers don’t come as we hope then perhaps the issue at hand is neither good nor evil and we must do our best to choose.