23 Now do ye remember, my brethren, that we said unto our brethren in the land of Zarahemla, we go up to the land of Nephi, to preach unto our brethren, the Lamanites, and they laughed us to scorn? 24 For they said unto us: Do ye suppose that ye can bring the Lamanites to the knowledge of the truth? Do ye suppose that ye can convince the Lamanites of the incorrectness of the traditions of their fathers, as stiffnecked a people as they are; whose hearts delight in the shedding of blood; whose days have been spent in the grossest iniquity; whose ways have been the ways of a transgressor from the beginning? Now my brethren, ye remember that this was their language. The members of Christ's church laughed these good men to scorn. That is more than just laughing at them. It is, according to Webster, "to hold in extreme contempt; to despise; to contemn; to disdain." It is extremely disrespectful mocking, even possibly containing angry contempt. In the sense of thinking you know better, and thinking someone a complete and utter fool and actually despising them. This is not someone laughing and thinking, "Oh that silly person for thinking so and so...". And can you blame them for doing so? On the surface, using man's logic and reason, they were right! And they supported their argument with many examples, as listed in verse 24. It was crazy to think they could convert a Lamanite and bring them to Christ, when all they have ever known since "the transgressor from the beginning", Laman and Lemuel, was evil, bloodshed, and sins of the darkest hue. But God's ways are not man's ways! Even if the men are supposedly men of God, as were these mocking Nephite brothers- at least by profession. As the heavens are above the earth, so are God's ways above man's ways. And Ammon and his brothers proved that in a marvelous way through their success. They just did it! For not only were thousands converted, but those Lamanites and soon to become Anti-Nephi-Lehis were more faithful and unshakable than their Nephite brothers who would take a life to preserve their own, and who thought to destroy the Lamanites rather than try the power of the word of God to redeem them. Once again, I do not blame them for thinking and feeling and speaking as they did. It was such a "crazy" idea that even the prophet said no at the idea- not unless the Lord gave his divine approval. But Ammon and his brothers were not using their own knowledge and wisdom. They were being inspired by a higher power, and were motivated by a greater love. They had been in a similar sinful state as the Lamanites, even if not to quite the same degree. But does degree of sin matter if we do not repent of our sins, no matter how big or small? The smallest unrepented sin makes us unclean, and therefore would keep us out of the kingdom of God. So does it matter that our neighbor sins differently or seemingly worse than we do? Without knowing another person's heart nor his degree of knowledge of right and wrong or good and evil, can we judge? Perhaps our "smaller" sins are greater than our neighbor's "greater" sins because we may have a greater knowledge of the truth than our neighbor. For surely we are only accountable individually according to our knowledge of right and wrong, and we are not accountable for sinning in ignorance- just as little children are not accountable because they do not as yet have a knowledge of right and wrong. Just as Adam and Eve, before the fall, were ignorant and therefore innocent, and freely walked and talked with God in the Garden. They were not separated from God because they were not unclean, and the were not unclean because they could not sin, and they could not sin because as yet they had not a knowledge of good and evil. Truly, who are we to judge another when we walk imperfectly! Inside the quiet heart is hidden sorrow that we the eye can't see. Nor do we have an understanding of another's degree of knowledge of right and wrong. That is why judgement is best left to God, who does not look on the outer man, but on the heart.
Alma 3: 11-12
11 For behold, and also his blood atoneth for the sins of those who have fallen by the transgression of Adam, who have died not knowing the will of God concerning them, or who have ignorantly sinned.
12 But wo, wo unto him who knoweth that he rebelleth against God! For salvation cometh to none such except it be through repentance and faith on the Lord Jesus Christ.
So we see that our merciful God will not judge and condemn those who sin in ignorance- even if they are above the age of accountability. For the same principle applies to both the adult and the child under 8 years of age- ignorance. Lack of knowledge of good and evil. The Atonement of Jesus Christ covers them both in that infinite blanket of mercy. How loving and kind and great and fair is our God! But, to those who know the truth and rebel against it, oh my- it is not good. We must be very careful and not treat lightly our knowledge of right and wrong, for we are more accountable the more we know. But what a wonderful and divine and perfect Sliding Scale of justice and mercy that our Wonderful and Divine and Perfect Creator has made!
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