Faith, Hope and Charity... a closer look at Hope

I’m trying to understand the need for hope. In the Book of Mormon we read we can’t be saved without it. I remember reading in Survivors’ Club the rule of threes: You can live without food for three weeks. Water for three days. Air for three minutes. Hope for three seconds. It's essential to our existence and lives.

I’ve written in the past that faith is the great motivator and in one way it is. Our faith in an effect for something we do, the cause, which motivates our actions. A simple example: I have faith that by working and submitting my time sheets I’ll get paid. And I do. But getting paid isn’t why I work. I want the money because it supports a lifestyle I desire. The end is what I hope for. That’s really “why” I do what I do… there are things I hope for and my faith in a cause-effect relationship with others is how I go about attaining them.

Apart from that is charity. It is the great motivating force of Heaven: it’s why God does what He does. His love for us is why He set all this up, that we can become as Him, which is what He hopes for. It is an approach to things we desire from a position of strength and capacity. But it is focused on the needs of others. It is God-like because that’s how God is.

It’s a mini-chiasmus. One leg is faith, the apex is hope and the other leg is charity. We hope to become like God, to live with Him, to be saved. Where we are powerless to do for ourselves, we have faith in Christ that He will make up the difference in our behalf. But where we do have power to act, Charity governs our actions for that is how we best be like God.

This is why the scriptures say to be saved, to become like God, we need all three. Hope is our vision, it’s what we aspire to be. Faith is how we get there when the demands of the moment are beyond our abilities. And Charity is for those times when we have the power to act… it’s where we practice being like God.

Mosiah 4 - The Great Sermons

While the Book of Mormon is filled with many truths, there are within it, sermons which rise above the rest. Benjamin's sermon on charity is one. I’m also pretty certain, Mosiah 4 is on your list too. What makes it great? For me, it’s Benjamin explaining God’s definition of charitable giving. “What is it?” you ask.

This: Give according to the need. Don’t judge the recipient. Especially don’t withhold your help because you think they deserve the problems they have. Give according to your means. This is how God helps us. To be like Him, do it the same way with the same intent.

For what t’s worth, here’s my list: (Listed in the order in which they appear)

The Coming of Jesus Christ - Nephi’s vision in 1 Nephi 11

The Role of Agency and Opposition - Lehi’s benedictory admonitions to his sons  in 2 Nephi 2-3

The Evils of Pride and the Proper Role of Fathers - Jacob’s exhortation to the Nephites in Jacob 2-4

The Future History of the World, a recitation of Zeno’s prophecy by Jacob - Jacob 5.

The Power of Prayer - Enos

The Meaning of Charity, King Benjamin’s benedictory address - Mosiah 4

The Coming of Christ by Abinadi to King Noah’s court - Mosiah 13

The Proper Role of Government: an essay by King Mosiah II - Mosiah 29

The Saint’s Checklist for a Christ-like Life, a sermon by Alma the Younger - Alma 5

An Exposition on Faith, a sermon by Alma the Younger to the humble Zoramites - Alma 32

Who Is God, a dissertation by Ammon to King Lamoni - Alma 18

Repentance and Forgiveness and the Plan of Salvation, Alma the Younger’s letter to his son Corianton - Alma 39-42

Man’s role in defending Liberty. A letter to Pahoran by Captain Moroni - Alma 60

Faith, Hope and Charity. A sermon to the righteous Nephites of Mormon’s day - Moroni 7.

Moroni 7B - Faith, Hope and Charity

Understanding the principles defined by faith, hope and charity and then using them is the best way to happiness and true success in this life. They are principles by which even Heavenly Father lives by. Consequently, they are principles which we will benefit greatly by mastering in this life. They are simple to express, but they will take lifetimes of effort to learn.

In the simplest form, faith in the Lord Jesus Christ becomes the motivation for what we choose to do. It gives us confidence not in our abilities, but in God's grace to help us do whatever He asks of us... especially repenting and becoming like Him.

Hope is the vision we have of ourselves… what we can become.

Charity is THE motivating emotion of Heaven. It’s putting the needs of others before our own because their happiness means more to us than our own.

Moroni chapter seven is the summary chapter. Alma 32 is the great chapter on faith. 1 Nephi has powerful examples of hope, of vision of what we can become. The Saviors visit to the Nephites is all about charity. We see these lessons repeated throughout the Book of Mormon. They are in the temple endowment ceremony and ordinances. They define the Gospel of Jesus Christ. They are why the Prophet Joseph Smith correctly said abiding by the teachings of this book will bring a man closer to God than any other.

Amen!

Charity Never Faileth - Meaning of...

This is slightly off topic, but the idea came with such force, I wanted to share it with you all. While preparing for my lesson in High Priests, I came across the expression "charity never faileth." Normally, I would have blown right past that and not given it any more thought, but the question came to me... "what does it mean?"

For me, I'd always thought it meant that charity is an eternal virtue, as in, it's what motivates all who are citizens of the Celestial Kingdom. Because that's how they live and act, then charity is a concept, a behavior or attitude that is eternal.. it never faileth. And then the question came to mind... but what does the word "fail" mean?

So, to the dictionary I went, wondering if there was some obscure meaning which may provide a new nuance to the expression. Instead I was drawn to the very first definition: to be unsuccessful in achieving a goal. And then the ah-hah moment. Charity will always work! If you want to touch or raise or improve someone else, use charity: it always works!