Scripture Sunday

I still wanted to share a scripture even though it's now Monday morning. This is another verse from the BOM. It's part of what the prophet Lehi taught to his son Jacob.

2 Nephi 2:11

For it must needs be, that there is an opposition in all things. If not so, my first-born in the wilderness, righteousness could not be brought to pass, neither wickedness, neither holiness nor misery, neither good nor bad. Wherefore, all things must needs be a compound in one; wherefore, if it should be one body it must needs remain as dead, having no life neither death, nor corruption nor incorruption, happiness nor misery, neither sense nor insensibility.


Like Jacob, I know "the greatness of God" and that He has and "shall consecrate [my] afflictions for [my] gain" (see verse 2). I think we can gain humility and learn other things when we go through hard times.

Verse 13 talks more about the need for opposites:

If ye shall say there is no sin, ye shall also say there is no righteousness. And if there be no righteousness there be no happiness. And if there be no righteousness nor happiness there be no punishment nor misery. And if these things are not there is no God. And if there is no God we are not, neither the earth; for there could have been no creation of things, neither to act nor to be acted upon; wherefore, all things must have vanished away.

I like these verses because I think everyone, no matter what their religious beliefs, would agree that these things make sense and are true (especially verse 11). Everyone appreciates their good health after they have been sick, and without ever getting sick it wouldn't feel so good to be normal. There would be no comparison. Doesn't everyone like it when gray and rainy skies become sunny and clear? And as the chapter heading says, freedom of choice (agency) is essential to existence and progression. I know this is an eternal principle.