The Dangers of Riches and Inequality

PART 7–ACTIONS–BREAKING DOWN THE RAMEUMPTOM

Just a few months after the saints were given the Lord's law in Kirtland, including the law of consecration (see D&C 42), Joseph Smith was given a revelation in which the saints are told:

"And remember in all things the poor and the needy, the sick and the afflicted, for he that doeth not these things, the same is not my disciple." (D&C 52:40)

In PART 4, I shared some of Mormon's words regarding the people that Alma "the younger" taught. If you can recall, he talked of the "great inequality" that was among the people, and how the "church began to fail in its progress" because of the pride and inequality among them. But Mormon also talked about how some of the people did as they were taught by Nephi, Jacob, King Benjamin, Alma, his son Alma, and others. He says:

"...others were abasing themselves, succoring those who stood in need of their succor, such as imparting their substance to the poor and the needy, feeding the hungry, and suffering all manner of afflictions, for Christ’s sake, who should come according to the spirit of prophecy;

"Looking forward to that day, thus retaining a remission of their sins; being filled with great joy because of the resurrection of the dead, according to the will and power and deliverance of Jesus Christ from the bands of death." (Alma 4:13-14)

This word "abase" is an interesting choice here for Mormon to use. I don't find it anywhere else in the Book of Mormon. If using this word in connection with one person's treatment of another person, then it has quite a negative meaning: to bring low, degrade, or to humiliate. But in reference to a person abasing themselves, as it is used in this verse, it can become a positive thing as there is a deep humility involved. I think a perfect definition of abasing oneself is found somewhere in the words of King Benjamin's speech that I have already shared, in how we should consider ourselves "unprofitable servants" and "beggars…(that) depend upon…God" for all that we have, including our very "breath" (see Mosiah 2:20-21; 4:19-20). When we truthfully see who we are before God and honestly acknowledge our dependance upon Him, imparting of our substance to those who stand in need becomes natural, almost second nature. And when our hearts are upon our riches and we withhold our substance from those in need, we are basically saying that we know better than God. We are pitting our will against his. And this is pride, pure and simple.

Also, it is worth noting that verse 14 contains some wonderful blessings that are shared by those who do help the poor and needy. They "retain a remission of their sins" and are "filled with great joy". These seem like fitting rewards for casting away one's pride.

In the book of Alma in the Book of Mormon, we read of the Zoramites, who had once lived by the word of God but had fallen into apostasy, because their "hearts were lifted up unto great boasting, in their pride" (Alma 31:25). And why were they falling into wickedness and being "swallowed up in their pride"? (Alma 31:27) That's right, because of their riches. Alma, in crying to the Lord in prayer on behalf of the Zoramites says:

"Behold, O God, they cry unto thee, and yet their hearts are swallowed up in their pride. Behold, O God, they cry unto thee with their mouths, while they are puffed up, even to greatness, with the vain things of the world.

"Behold, O my God, their costly apparel, and their ringlets, and their bracelets, and their ornaments of gold, and all their precious things which they are ornamented with; and behold, their hearts are set upon them, and yet they cry unto thee and say—We thank thee, O God, for we are a chosen people unto thee, while others shall perish." (Alma 31:27-28)

Alma taught the Zoramites the importance of faith in Jesus Christ and in the word of God, and Amulek taught them about repentance, and crying unto the Lord for mercy and assistance through trials, both spiritual and temporal. But then he tells them:

"And now behold, my beloved brethren, I say unto you, do not suppose that this is all; for after ye have done all these things, if ye turn away the needy, and the naked, and visit not the sick and afflicted, and impart of your substance, if ye have, to those who stand in need—I say unto you, if ye do not any of these things, behold, your prayer is vain, and availeth you nothing, and ye are as hypocrites who do deny the faith.

"Therefore, if ye do not remember to be charitable, ye are as dross, which the refiners do cast out, (it being of no worth) and is trodden under foot of men." (Alma 34:28-29)

First, lets add a couple new warnings to our already comprehensive list of warnings for the rich that we developed in PARTS 3 and 4. Here Amulek says that if we are not charitable and impart of our substance to the poor, our prayers to God are in "vain" and will "availeth (us) nothing". Also he says that we will be "as dross". Dross is basically scum formed on the bottom of molten metal. In a general sense, it is something that is worthless or rubbish, or as Amulek put it, "of no worth". Of all the labels in the scriptures, given to the wicked and proud, this one takes the cake–to basically say that someone is worthless and garbage. These might sound like hard words. But turn back to chapter 32, and we find out how the rich among the Zoramites felt about the poor among them. It says that the poor "were esteemed by their brethren as dross", and were "despised of all men because of their poverty" (see Alma 32:3,5). Ironic, isn't it? They felt that the poor and destitute in their society were worthless, and then a representative of the Lord comes along and says, "Guess what? Because of your pride and persecution of the poor, the equivalent of garbage is actually about the sum of your worth." Ok, maybe Amulek didn't put it that directly. But regardless, needless to say they didn't take it well. Certainly, as Nephi said, "…the guilty taketh the truth to be hard, for it cutteth them to the very center." (1 Nephi 16:2)

Secondly, I want to draw attention to three more words in these scriptures. Amulek says to impart of your substance, "if ye have…", similar to King Benjamin telling the people to give, "every man according to that which he hath" (Mosiah 4:26). There is definitely more responsibility with regards to these commandments as one finds that they are more able to share with their fellowmen. And as the level of prosperity increases, so does the responsibility and the potential condemnation.

Finally, as I read these scriptures in Alma 34, I think of the words of Mormon that echo the words of Paul, regarding charity. Moroni records his fathers words for us:

"...none is acceptable before God, save the meek and lowly in heart; and if a man be meek and lowly in heart, and confesses by the power of the Holy Ghost that Jesus is the Christ, he must needs have charity; for if he have not charity he is nothing; wherefore he must needs have charity.

"And charity suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

"Wherefore, my beloved brethren, if ye have not charity, ye are nothing, for charity never faileth. Wherefore, cleave unto charity, which is the greatest of all, for all things must fail—

"But charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him." (Moroni 7:44-47)

And Paul tells us:

"Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.

"And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.

"And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing." (1 Corinthians 13:1-3)

Paul goes on to describe the characteristics of one that has charity, very similarly to how Mormon did (almost word for word). Mormon and Paul both say that if you don't have charity you are "nothing". Mormon says that charity is "the greatest of all" and that if you have charity at the last day, "it will be well with (you)." Certainly, charity is the most important characteristic we can hope to attain in our life.

 At first thought, I had believed that the "charity" spoken of by Mormon and Paul entailed much more than simply being "charitable" as mentioned by Amulek to the Zoramites (see Alma 34:29). I understand that the charity spoken of by Mormon and Paul represents the "pure love of Christ" (Moroni 7:47). And I had assumed that when Amulek was talking about being charitable, in regards to the items mentioned in the previous verse, such as helping the needy and visiting the sick and the afflicted (see Alma 34:28), that this was only a small part of the charity spoken of by Mormon and Paul. But I now speculate that they are closer to being one and the same thing. I see the similarity in Mormon's and Paul's words regarding being "nothing" if you don't have charity, and Amulek's words saying that you are "dross" or "of no worth" if you are not charitable. If the definitions are slightly different, at the very least, it appears you cannot have true "charity" (Mormon and Paul's definition) without being "charitable" (Amulek's definition).

Perhaps that is what Paul meant when he suggested that one could potentially "have the gift of prophecy", "have all faith", "bestow all (their) goods to feed the poor", etc. and still not have charity. Based on the characteristic description of charity by both Mormon and Paul, it seems that charity runs deeper than mere actions. It is also a state of mind, hence words like "seeketh", "thinketh", "believeth", and "hopeth" are used. So the action portion, or being "charitable", is a necessary part of having true charity, but it isn't the only part. Pure charity requires the proof (or action) as well as the heart. But this also implies that you cannot have charity without the action part of being charitable, which is the element discussed in this article. Therefore, as Amulek says, if you are not charitable, you are of "no worth" because you cannot have charity without being charitable, and if you don't have charity, you are nothing. So it is like saying, "You don't have charity because you are not charitable, therefore, you are nothing because you are as dross or of no worth." I hope that makes sense. It would appear then that there is a strong and direct connection between being "charitable" and having "charity".

Based on the words of Amulek, Paul, and Mormon, it certainly seems that amid all we might hope to accomplish or become with regards to our level of spirituality or righteousness, the clincher is the ability to be charitable in our actions and our thoughts. If we fail in this, what else really matters? Should this come as a surprise to us at all, as we learn of the kind of life Jesus lived and the principles he taught? He was the epitome of charity.

Let's put some more pieces of the puzzle together here. Remember Jacob's words to the Nephites:

"Think of your brethren like unto yourselves, and be familiar with all and free with your substance, that they may be rich like unto you.

"But before ye seek for riches, seek ye for the kingdom of God.

"And after ye have obtained a hope in Christ ye shall obtain riches, if ye seek them; and ye will seek them for the intent to do good—to clothe the naked, and to feed the hungry, and to liberate the captive, and administer relief to the sick and the afflicted." (Jacob 2:17-19)

Remember the words of King Benjamin:

"...for the sake of retaining a remission of your sins from day to day, that ye may walk guiltless before God—I would that ye should impart of your substance to the poor, every man according to that which he hath, such as feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, visiting the sick and administering to their relief, both spiritually and temporally, according to their wants." (Mosiah 4:26)

Remember what Mormon said about some of the righteous people who lived during the ministry of Alma "the younger":

"...others were abasing themselves, succoring those who stood in need of their succor, such as imparting their substance to the poor and the needy, feeding the hungry, and suffering all manner of afflictions, for Christ’s sake, who should come according to the spirit of prophecy;

"Looking forward to that day, thus retaining a remission of their sins; being filled with great joy because of the resurrection of the dead, according to the will and power and deliverance of Jesus Christ from the bands of death." (Alma 4:13-14)

Remember  Amulek's words to the Zoramites:

"And now behold, my beloved brethren, I say unto you, do not suppose that this is all; for after ye have done all these things, if ye turn away the needy, and the naked, and visit not the sick and afflicted, and impart of your substance, if ye have, to those who stand in need—I say unto you, if ye do not any of these things, behold, your prayer is vain, and availeth you nothing, and ye are as hypocrites who do deny the faith.

"Therefore, if ye do not remember to be charitable, ye are as dross, which the refiners do cast out, (it being of no worth) and is trodden under foot of men." (Alma 34:28-29)

Time to put the pieces together. All of these men seem to be referring to a profile that is almost identical. And this profile is of individuals who basically live as Christ taught. All these men mentioned the importance of being "free with your substance" or "imparting of your substance" to the "poor" or "those who stand in need". Some of the other actions they mentioned: "feeding the hungry", "visiting the sick", "clothing the naked". Mormon and King Benjamin also mentioned some of the blessings that are a result of living such a life: "retaining a remission of your sins", "walk guiltless before God", "looking forward to that day (when Christ will come)", "being filled with great joy."

Now think of the parable the Lord gave regarding the sheep and the goats. The Lord explained that when he returns he will separate the people, "…as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left." (Matthew 25:32-33) The Lord goes on to say:

"Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

"For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:

"Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.

"Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?

"When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?

"Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?

"And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me." (Matthew 25:34-40)

Do the things that Christ says the "sheep" have done sound familiar? They are almost identical to the things mentioned by Jacob, King Benjamin, Mormon, and Amulek. And what is the reward for the sheep? They "inherit the kingdom". This makes sense, as we are taught that they were "retaining a remission of their sins"  by Mormon and King Benjamin. It also makes sense then that these people would be "looking forward to that day (when Christ will come)" as Mormon stated. If these men were describing those things that make a person "charitable" and they are the same things that allow a person to "inherit the kingdom", are these injunctions ones that we can afford to ignore or take lightly?

It would seem that one of the greatest things we can learn here on earth is how to put others needs before our own needs, or at least before our own wants. And it appears that the almost sure-fire way to fail in learning and applying such a principle, is to attain wealth AND then retain that wealth.

An additional thought–if it truly is extremely difficult to be "blessed" with riches, and yet not allow them to corrupt one's soul, which according to all the scriptures I have shared so far, this seems to be the case, then are these riches really a blessing at all, or are they more appropriately a cursing (at least for the overwhelming majority of people that find themselves in such a situation)? In Jacob 2:17-19, he presents us with the ONLY way that one can hope to escape from the destructive nature of riches, and that is to give them away to help others. But looking around the world at the overwhelming greed in the hearts of men, it seems like a near impossible task. Yes, I truly believe as the Lord said, that "it is easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God." (Luke 18:25)

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