An Insight on Holiness

In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we talk a lot about things that are holy. Our doctrine includes extensive discussion of the Holy Ghost, holy temples, holy scriptures, holy priesthoods and the Holy One of Israel. We dedicate each building on our university campuses, every one of the thousands of meetinghouses around the world and even our homes as holy places. We talk about it 528 times in scripture and 89 times in the hymns of the Church. Though perhaps not frequently addressed directly, holy people, places and objects are a big deal to us.

That may seem very natural for a religion to talk so much about holy things. In at least one context, after all, 'holy' can simply indicate the person, place or thing has some association with divinity. As many religions strive to build an association with divinity in the lives of its members, it would make sense that they would integrate holy things, including people, to help pave the way.

Yet, in a subtle way, holiness in the LDS Church can take on a slightly different connotation than outside the Church. Where most other faiths talk about holiness as an inherent trait given to a person, place or thing, we refer to holiness more as a developed or earned capacity. It is one thing to have divine potential, but something else entirely to be developed into something that is actually like God.

Dozens of temples around the world are not holy because of the materials with which they are built or the spot of ground upon which they're constructed. Nor are they holy simply because they are a temple, though temples are generally considered holy places. Temples are holy because of the presence of the spirit of the Lord and the sacred ordinances that are performed inside.

This view of holiness is unique in the world. It means that temples can stop being holy if no longer used for their intended purposes. The temple in Kirtland, Ohio, is an example of exactly that. As early members of the Church were driven from the state, the Kirtland temple, despite the sacred and miraculous events that had occurred there, became just another building. It is frequently toured today as a historic site of the town.

The same is true of all other things considered holy in the Church. If the Holy Ghost were to give up his divine mission; if the testimony of Christ were removed from scripture; if the priesthood were removed of its efficacy; if the Lord were to withdraw his influence from any of these things due to unworthiness or apostasy, they would no longer be holy.

Followers of Christ are invited to 'stand in holy places'. The Church handbook instructs that 'these holy places include temples, homes, and chapels. The presence of the Spirit and the behavior of those within these physical structures are what make them 'holy places'' (Handbook 2, 1.4.1; D&C 45:32; 87:8; 101:22; 2 Chronicles 35:5; Matthew 24:15).

Consider for a moment how you act at home, in a chapel or at the temple. If it is the behavior of those inside these buildings that make them holy places, are we contributors or detractors? Do our actions on Sunday contribute to a holy day? Do we, as the handbook directs, 'invite the Spirit into [our] homes through simple means such as wholesome entertainment, good music, and inspiring artwork'?

Likewise, each of us can become holy as we invite the Spirit into our lives and through individual righteousness. Even in the appropriate context, that comes off as a little strange. World religions have historically saved that title for prophets, popes, rabbis, apostles, monks, saints and various spiritual leaders. There seems to come a certain prestige or aura when something or someone is referred to as being holy.

King Benjamin explained in 124 B.C. that being holy is nothing to be patronizing or stuck up about. In fact, those are good clues we're not quite there yet. He explained how we can all be saints-- that is, how we can all be holy-- in this favorite verse of scripture:

The natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father (Mosiah 3:19).

Being holy is simply a part of becoming a saint and a disciple of Christ. Through seeking the Spirit and righteous action, our lives may become holy as we allow the Lord to shape us into the people he intends for us to be. As I have sought more holiness in my own life, I have often echoed the prayer of Philip Paul Bliss. Perhaps it will inspire in you the courage to endure and to continue striving that it inspires from time to time in me:

More holiness give me,

More strivings within,

More patience in suff'ring,

More sorrow for sin,

More faith in my Savior,

More sense of his care,

More joy in his service,

More purpose in prayer.

More purity give me,

More strength to o'ercome,

More freedom from earthstains,

More longing for home.

More fit for the kingdom,

More used would I be,

More blessed and holy

More, Savior, like thee.

How Firm a Foundation

In Mark chapter 10, we read of a noble, rich man that inquires of Christ, "What shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?" Finding that the man had kept the commandments from his youth, the Savior instructed the rich young man to, "go thy way way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor... and come, take up the cross, and follow me." Though we do not know if or when this young man may have obeyed, at the time of his encounter with Christ he, "went away grieved: for he had great possessions."

Turning to his disciples, the Master Teacher commented, "how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God!" Then again, "With men that trust in riches, it is impossible [to enter into the kingdom of God]; but not impossible with men who trust in God and leave all for my sake, for with such all these things are possible."

Honest self-evaluation may reveal to each of us what we may have in common with the young rich man. It is easy to feel like everything will be okay because the bills are paid with money left over for groceries and maybe even some savings. Do we pray more sincerely when our cash reserves are low?

The principle behind what Christ taught the young, rich man is taught more explicitly by King Benjamin in Mosiah chapter 3: "There shall be no other name given nor any other way nor means whereby salvation can come unto the children of men, only in and through the name of Christ, the Lord Omnipotent." Faith in Christ is the first principle of the gospel and absolutely essential to salvation in the kingdom of God. When we place our trust elsewhere, we introduce false idols and false security into our lives. We become like the foolish man, who built his house upon a sandy foundation.

Even the mention of idol worship conjures up ideas of gold calves made thousands of years ago or the neighbor that is always out in his front yard washing his new car. Yet when tragedy strikes or stress mounts, where do you and I turn? If we look for comfort in a batch of freshly baked cookies or retreat to the chocolate stash in our dresser drawers, we may well find that sweet treats have hindered or even replaced the deepest, most sincere trust in God that is required to return to Him.

Riches of cash or of calories are not alone in their ability to replace our faith with false security. Some create idols of intimacy, of drugs or alcohol, and still others trust most in their own education, their favorite sports team, the power of their preferred political party or their ability to control or influence those around them. When we put our trust in these things more than God-- when we turn to them in our difficult moments rather than to our Heavenly Father who waits to teach us and to bless us-- it is as though each of us were departing from the Savior just as the young rich man.

Victory over this form of idolatry requires a healthy dose of humility. We must change our thinking from, "What do I want to do?" to "What would the Lord have me do?" We recognize that the comfort we find in idolatrous trust of money or food or whatever allows the natural man to gain strength; so we strive to "yield to the enticings of the Holy Spirit" that put off the natural man as they help us become, "submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, [and] willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon [us]" (Mosiah 3:19). In other words, as we find success and refinement in humility, we will also develop a deep and abiding faith in our Savior, Jesus Christ.

The Lord has promised that he will care for our needs, "for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things" (3 Nephi 13:32). Our job is to believe him-- believe he will do what he says he will do-- then take up our cross and build upon his firm foundation.

How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord,

is laid for your faith in his excellent word.

What more can he say than to you he hath said,

who unto the Savior for refuge hath fled?

In every condition, in sickness, in health, 

in poverty's vale or abounding in wealth,

at home or abroad, on the land or the sea

as thy days may demand so thy succor shall be.

Fear not, I am with thee; oh, be not dismayed,

for I am thy God and will still give thee aid.

I'll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand,

upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand.

When through the deep waters I call thee to go,

the rivers of sorrow shall not thee o'erflow,

for I will be with thee, thy troubles to bless

and sanctify to thee thy deepest distress.

When through fiery trials thy pathway shall lie,

my grace, all sufficient, shall be thy supply.

The flame shall not hurt thee; I only design

thy dross to consume and thy gold to refine.

E'en down to old age, all my people shall prove

my sov'reign, eternal, unchangable love;

and then when gray hair shall their temples adorn,

like lambs shall they still in my bosom be borne.

The soul that on Jesus hath leaned for repose

I will not, I cannot, desert to his foes;

that soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,

I'll never, no never, no never forsake.

(How Firm a Foundation, attr. to Robert Keen, 1787)

Why Sacrifice?

The gospel reference True to the Faith teaches that sacrifice is giving up something we value for the sake of something of greater worth. This is a vital practice, law, principle and covenant in the Church. President Gordon B. Hinckley taught, "Without sacrifice there is no true worship of God. … ‘The Father gave his Son, and the Son gave his life,’ and we do not worship unless we give—give of our substance, … our time, … strength, … talent, … faith, … [and] testimonies” (Teachings of Gordon B. Hinckley [1997], 565).

It is worth noting here that sacrifice, by definition, must be giving up something we value. The ten percent of annual increase to be paid in tithing each year carries very different values for a rich man and a poor man. Though the dollar amount may be higher for a rich man's contribution, that rich man may value money less than a poor man because he has more of it. So, while the poor man may be missing meals to pay tithing, the rich man, who recovers much of his contribution in his tax return anyway, may hardly notice the transfer of money to the Church.

On the other hand, time for the wealthy man may be much more valuable than for the poor man. Certainly the rich man has more to lose for every hour of work missed than the poor man, for example.

The Church helps each of us to sacrifice things that we value in order to make our worship more true and our blessings more plentiful. She may ask a poor man to donate to fast offering, humanitarian aid and missionary programs in addition to his tithing to reach this objective. Similarly, she may ask the rich man to serve in a time-intensive calling such as a bishopric or as a scoutmaster. One thing the Lord has asked all members to sacrifice is a broken heart and a contrite spirit (D&C 59:8).

The Church has pushed its members to sacrifice worldly things for the greater blessings of full activity in the Church. For the earliest Saints, this meant conversion despite the persecution of mobs. In the next generation came leaving civilization for a trek across the prairie and starting new settlements in the West. Soon came the end of polygamy (not particularly worldly, but a difficulty at the time that even led to the excommunication of a member of the First Presidency), then the emphasis on tithing, then enforcement of the Word of Wisdom. Currently, the Church's emphasis on chastity issues provides a significant opportunity for the members of the Church to sacrifice the things of the world around them for the greater blessings of God. Additional sub-emphases, including missionary service for men, temple attendance, daily scripture study and a long list of others have been brought up from time to time as well. Sacrificing in these ways helps each of us to become more unified Saints and more worthy of a life with God.

The blessings of sacrifice to the individual and to the Church are tremendous. Secular studies on religion show that high demand of church members increases attendance, growth, donations, health and marital stability while reducing free-riding and juvenile delinquency (all sources cited in Iannaccone's Introduction to the Economics of Religion, 1998, pp. 8-9). If that short-but-action-packed list isn't enough, countless, less measurable blessings remain including humility, sociality and perspective.

In short, sacrifice is a gospel practice and covenant that assists in the perfecting of the Saints. The Church has always encouraged sacrifice from its members to motivate true worship, full conversion and individual health and happiness. Living the law of sacrifice brings tremendous blessings upon the Church and the individual.