WICKEDNESS NEVER WAS HAPPINESS.
[Talk given by John E. Enslen at a Sacrament Meeting of the Wetumpka Ward, Montgomery Alabama Stake, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Sunday, September 21, 2008]
I am grateful to our bishopric for the assignment to speak. I have prayed that the Holy Ghost will testify to the truthfulness of my message.
I have entitled my remarks “Wickedness Never Was Happiness.” Those words are taken directly from my assigned scripture, Alma 41:10.
When Mormon made his editorial selections of that which would be included in, and that which would be excluded from, the Book of Mormon, he was inspired to include Alma the Younger’s commandments to his son Corianton as set forth in Chapters 39-42 in the Book of Alma. Those chapters contain the words of a loving and patient father to a rebellious son. Ironically, the father himself was once a rebellious son and experienced personally the heartache that comes of such rebellion. The father only desired that his son would avoid similar heartache.
This father-to-son communication took place about 70 years before Christ and was first recorded by the father in his own lifetime. The father’s timeless instruction was re-engraved onto a new set of metal plates by Mormon almost 500 years later. Another 1400 years would pass before Alma’s words were translated into English and transferred to paper. Its relevance to the circumstances of our day, another 178 years later, is most amazing, proving that some things never really change.
Here is some relevant background. Corianton was the young-adult son of Alma the Younger. Corianton the son had become an adult priesthood holder, and he had been given important leadership responsibilities in the Church.
As a result of a series of bad choices, Corianton was in a state of personal apostasy when his father, Alma the Younger, decided to give him some pointed counsel. May I quote a few selections from Alma the Younger’s lengthy epistle to his son Corianton? These words from Alma the Younger provide the scriptural basis for my talk: [quote]
- “Now, this is what I have against thee.”(Alma 39:2)
- “Thou didst…forsake the ministry, and did go…after the harlot Isabel.” (Alma 39:3)
- “Know ye not, my son, that these things are an abomination in the sight of the Lord; yea, most abominable above all sins save it be the shedding of innocent blood or denying the Holy Ghost?” (Alma 39:5)
- “And now, my son, I would to God that ye had not been guilty of so great a crime.” (Alma 39:7)
- “[B]ehold, ye cannot hide your crimes from God; and except ye repent they will stand as a testimony against you at the last day.” (Alma 39:8)
- “Now my son, I would that ye should repent and forsake your sins, and go no more after the lusts of your eyes, but cross yourself in all these things; for except ye do this ye can in no wise inherit the kingdom of God.” (Alma 39:9)
- “[S]uffer not the devil to lead away your heart again after those wicked harlots. Behold, O my son, how great [your] iniquity…; for when they saw your conduct they would not believe in my words. “(Alma 39:11)
- “B]ehold, an awful death cometh upon the wicked; for they die as to things pertaining to…righteousness; for they are unclean, and no unclean thing can inherit the kingdom of God….” (Alma 40:26)
- “And now behold, my son, do not risk one more offense against your God….” (Alma 41:9)
- “Do not suppose…that ye shall be restored from sin to happiness. Behold, I say unto you, wickedness never was happiness.” (Alma 41:10)
- “And now, my son, all men that are in a…carnal state…are in…the bonds of iniquity; they are without God in the world, and…they are in a state contrary to the nature of happiness.” (Alma 41:11)
- “And now, my son,…let your sins trouble you, with that trouble which shall bring you down unto repentance.” (Alma 41:29)
- “O my son,…[d]o not endeavor to excuse yourself in the least point because of your sins….” (Alma 41:30)
A few years ago, I had a young friend in another state who is not known to any of you here. My young friend had decided to forsake his sacred baptismal covenants, forfeit his eternal temple blessings, and abandon his faithful wife for the carnal ways of the world. I will call him Henry, which is not his real name. I pondered sending my young friend a letter, my being cognizant of the following truth expressed by Baron De Montesquieu:
“We need very strong ears to hear ourselves judged frankly, and because there are few who can endure frank criticism without being stung by it, those who venture to criticize us perform a remarkable act of friendship….[T]o undertake to wound or offend a man for his own good is to have a healthy love for him.” (Baron De Montesquieu, Book III, Chapter 13.)
Thus, having a healthy love for my young friend, I ventured.
“Dear Henry:
May I be so bold as to give you some unsolicited advice? I love you and would expect to receive the same caring advice from you were our roles reversed.
I will not preach principles to you. From your youth you have been adequately taught correct principles by your father and mother. Instead, I have a pep talk on the subject of our being in control of our appetites.
I am sure that you remember the Cookie Monster, a slave to his appetite for cookies. Well, it seems that Cookie Monster was the winner of a television game show. As the final winner for that day’s program, he was given the right to choose one, but only one, of the following three guaranteed prizes:
1. He could receive a $500,000 fully furnished mansion in Happy Valley one year from that day.
2. Or, he could receive a new $50,000 luxury vehicle one month from that day.
3. Or, he could receive, immediately, right then and there, one hot, sweet smelling, beautifully decorated, freshly baked cookie, which was being held close to his face by the hand of the game show announcer.
We all know the unfortunate choice which Cookie Monster made. It was the ‘obey your hunger’ choice that the world promotes.”
My letter concluded with the following:
“Now I bear solemn witness, plain and simple, as seriously as I am capable of communicating. If you do not totally forsake the “hot cookie,” and determine within yourself to regain the confidence of your wife, no matter how long a time it may take, eternal regret will be your lot. How exquisitely painful your regret and remorse and anguish cannot be known by any mortal man.
Please know that I will love you and be your friend regardless of the choice you make. But frankly, I cannot be very proud of you except your choice be the honorable one.”
As we ponder the meaning of Alma the Younger’s words “wickedness never was happiness,” here are ten simple, one-sentence truths for us to consider:
1. The law of chastity is for our spiritual and temporal protection.
2. There is no joy to be found in breaking the law of chastity.
3. We keep the law of chastity when we use the powers of procreation only within the bonds of marriage, and we think and speak of those powers with reverence.
4. We demonstrate our true love for God and others when we are obedient to His law of chastity.
5. We are guilty of encouraging others to violate the law of chastity when we wear immodest, revealing, or suggestive clothing.
6. We are not wearing the whole armor of God unless we are clothed in chastity and virtue.
7. Violation of the law of chastity is an impenetrable barrier to happiness.
8. Satan uses his most sophisticated arguments to convince us to violate the law of chastity.
9. Misery and sorrow will follow those who violate the law of chastity.
10. And finally, our personal chastity is our most priceless possession.
The penalties and consequences for the violation of the law of chastity are dreadful. People who violate the law of chastity lose the respect of others and they lose respect for themselves. Members who break this commandment cause harm to the good name of the Church and will be held accountable for thwarting the growth of the Church.
Disobedience can result in a lifetime of psychological damage that adversely affects the transgressor’s personality, self-esteem, and character. Violators of this commandment are exposed to diseases, some of which are deadly.
Breaking the law of chastity can result in an undesired pregnancy which tempts the embarrassed transgressors to compound their sinful behavior with the tragic sin of abortion. Through the violation of this sacred law, unwanted, unparented, high risk children are brought into the world to most often perpetuate the cycle. Rampant immorality is a fundamental element in Satan’s “Great Plan of Misery.”
Nothing will drive away the influence of the Holy Ghost in our lives more quickly than violating, or thinking about violating, the law of chastity. For instance, one who prays to know if another is to be his or her eternal companion, while violating the law of chastity with that other person, has already disqualified himself or herself from receiving an answer to that most important question. True love flourishes when we “bridle all [our] passions, that [we] may be filled with love….” (Alma 38:12)
Keeping the law of chastity is the foundation for wholesome family life, and thus the foundation for a civilized society, a fact which the world will never understand or accept. The world would have us believe that chastity is a type of unnatural sexual perversion.
A substantial amount of correct gospel knowledge and faithful gospel living are needed if we are to successfully overcome the natural man or woman within us. The lusty appetites of the flesh are not easily subdued, overcome, conquered, or even controlled. For good reason, these appetites are some of the most powerful motivating forces on planet earth. Satan is adept at enticing us to misuse this sacred power. Almost all producers and advertisers of all types of media use illicit sex to sell their productions and products. We are continuously bombarded with cleverly crafted appeals to our baser selves.
We do not need special powers of discernment to realize that we live in a society saturated and submerged in sex. Elder Neal A. Maxwell observed: “Take away regard for [the law of chastity] and behold the current celebration of sex, the secular religion, with its own liturgy of lust and supporting music. Its theology focuses on self, its hereafter is now. Its chief ritual is [physical] sensation—though the irony is that it finally desensitizes its obsessed adherents, who become ‘past feeling.’” (Neal A. Maxwell, Men and Women, pp. 12-13)
In the face of such constant bombardment, our youth fall prey to perverted propaganda and peer pressure. Many youth in the Church begin to plan their prodigalism. It is as if they feign a prayer which petitions: “Help me to be a chaste and pure person-—but not yet.”
A satanic sea of filth will swallow almost every youth who is not fortified by a family of faith. Those youth in our day who successfully make their way through this sea of filth which surrounds us will receive the deserved praise of God. They certainly have my admiration.
For the spiritual survival of our children, it is vitally important that our children be plainly taught these principles by parents in a home where the spirit is felt. This teaching process should begin much earlier than some may realize. A discussion by analogy to the “birds and the bees” in mid-teen years will not get the job done.
Every prophet, ancient and modern, has had much to say about the importance of living the law of chastity. Time permits a short quote from only two. President Spencer W. Kimball said:
“At the hour of indulgence, pure love is pushed out one door while lust sneaks in the other.” Chastity will never be outdated. “When the sun grows cold and the stars no longer shine, the law of chastity will still be basic in God’s world.”
The First Presidency has solemnly proclaimed to the world:
“We declare that God has commanded that the sacred powers of procreation are to be employed only between man and woman, lawfully wedded as husband and wife.” (The Family, A Proclamation to the World)
It seems to me that God’s world will be restricted to those who can be trusted with power, those who have proven on earth that they can live the law of chastity. The law of chastity is lived by those who have learned to control their thoughts. If we don’t learn to control our thoughts, Satan will keep tempting us until we act out our thoughts.
Thought control, or lack thereof, can be observed in the scriptures. Joseph of Egypt eventually rose from a low to a high position in society after he kept the law of chastity. On the other hand, King David eventually fell from a high to a low position in society after he violated the law of chastity. Job wisely said: “I made a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I think upon a maid?” (Job 31:1)
“Wickedness never was happiness” means, at least in part, if not in whole, that the temporary sensations derived from carnal, lustful, pleasures of the flesh in violation of the law of chastity never were, and never will be, lasting joy and happiness. The scriptural evidence for this truism is replete. I will read only one, short, politically incorrect, scripture from each of the four standard works dealing with this subject:
1. From the Bible: “I beseech you…, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul.” (1 Peter 2:11)
2. From the Book of Mormon: “Remember, to be carnally-minded is death, and to be spiritually-minded is life eternal.” (2 Nephi 9:39)
3. From the Doctrine and Covenants: “For although a man may have many revelations, and have power to do many mighty works, yet if he…follows after the dictates of his own will and carnal desires, he must fall and incur the vengeance of a just God upon him.” (D & C 3:4)
4. From the Pearl of Great Price: “Behold, Satan hath come among the children of men, and tempteth them to worship him; and men have become carnal [and] sensual, and are shut out from the presence of God.” (Moses 6:49)
In closing, I wish to mention a most important principle in regard to all of this. Forgiveness and peace can come to those who have broken the law of chastity. Satan would have us believe that all is lost once forbidden fruit is tasted. To the contrary, “though your sins be as scarlet, they [can] be as white as snow….” (Isaiah 1:18) But the journey back from the dead-end detour of carnal mindedness is just as far as the distance traveled since the first wrong turn was made, and the journey back is a one-way street that begins with a full confession to the Bishop, else real progress is procrastinated.
May we each be fully committed to living, and understanding why we need to live, the law of chastity, so that we may know for a surety that “wickedness never was happiness,” I pray, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
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