Co-Existing

August 2008
Co-existing

It has been said that we are an eternal spirit, and a mortal, fallen body forced to co-exist.
Pondering this statement led to even further ponderings about the relationship between the two and the ensuing struggle, and the process of change that results if the flesh is conquered.
Assuming that we all understand to some degree what our pre-mortal state consisted of, we will skip all of that and simply state that we are equipped from the onset with a knowledge, powers, gifts and fore-ordinations that we are not yet fully aware of. This said, it must be apparent that we are now running on one cylinder so to speak, in comparison to the 8 cylinder, supercharged, nitro injected pre-existence.
Now take that 8 cylinder, supercharged, nitro injected power house, pull 7 plug wires, knock off the supper charger, throw away the nitro injector and drop it into a worn out, run down, beat up 4 door sedan. Walla, there you have it, mortality, granted, some of us have better paint jobs than others.
For all it is, that engine just can’t perform like it did. And so, we find that we just aren’t what we could be. The high performance spirit in this fallen flesh is like an 8 cylinder, supercharged, nitro injected engine in a piece of junk. So what’s the point?
The point is this. We must bring the flesh up to par. It must be made ready to perform. We must get it under control and cherry.
The flesh needs a lot of work. Anyone who has built a high performance rod from the ground up (I haven’t but have had friends who have), or even just rebuilt an average car (I helped rebuild a 72 ford pickup) knows that it takes a lot of patience. Pounding out the dents in an auto body is painfully time consuming and requires a number of techniques and tools. Every dent must be worked out one at a time. Working out the problems of the flesh requires much the same approach. The flesh is stubborn just like those dents, and will require different techniques and a lot of patience.
Knowing what we are and seeing what we have to work with can be frustrating. The stubborn flesh is not easily changed. It is inherently evil with an innate tenancy if not a downright determination to fight against us. Teach it something good, it soon forgets. Push it hard to achieve some change, and the next day it’s too tired to do it again. Try to get it up early for scripture study, and it just complains and won’t wake up. Try to get it to speak kindly, treat others with gentleness and respect, and as soon as you’re not paying attention it blurts out something and feelings are hurt again. It’s like pounding out a dent just to watch it magically appear again right before your eyes.
By nature, flesh is unruly, but at the same time it affords a range of experience and possibilities that can be had in no other way. Therefore the greatest of all existence is the union of flesh and spirit. It is important that we understand its possibilities as well as its weakness, and learn how to conquer it. Glorified flesh, united with a glorified spirit is the most powerful of all existence. Such a union must be granted with great care, for to have such a being that is out of control would prove to be a great danger. Therefor, a plan was worked out by which all candidates for glorification could be tested. Thus the potential problems could be identified and isolated.
The plan calls for a short test. It’s really not all that hard either. It’s sort of an open book test actually. We come here to this earth, already in a fallen state. We make choices based upon the promptings of the spirit. All are given these promptings by which good and evil can be identified. The candidate must choose and the choice made leads to yet other choices and in this way we demonstrate our desire. It’s sort of a multiple choice test where every answer is right, but each answer reveals your desires. As the promptings of the spirit are followed we are lead to greater understanding, then greater choices, then yet greater understanding. Every candidate has the same opportunity regardless of where they live or what their conditions may be. All will be judged according to their choices and desires no matter how many questions they answer, or how far they get.
We will however, fall short no matter how hard we try, and once a sin is committed the door is forever shut. I wondered about this for a while. With the door shut because of one sin, and the only rescue being the atonement, what’s the point? Why not just apply the atonement to everyone and get ‘r done. Well, because it’s the choice making, the desire, the struggle that’s being tested. Not wether we actually get exalted while yet in the flesh. But rather, wether the desire of our hearts is to conquer, what degree of effort we are willing to make, and wether our choices bare that out. It’s the classic struggle between flesh and spirit.
The body is made up of an innumerable number of particles, all in a fallen state. Thus their very nature is to do evil. All are moving at a rapid speed toward decomposition. I like this word because it really describes the situation. Just as soon as we are born we have begun to decompose, or in other words fall apart. With every second of our lives we move swiftly toward the end. Like an hour glass turned over the sand will run out, so it is with our lives. With a frighteningly visible time line we should be highly motivated to make the right choices. We often find, however, that the influence of the flesh seems overpowering and very difficult to keep in check.
The flesh is by nature evil, devilish and carnal and will remain that way unless it undergoes some changes. No flesh can change in nature without an act of atonement. This effectively eliminates all possibility of any unruly flesh being exalted. This test is not to prove wether we can exalt ourselves, for that’s impossible from the onset. But rather, wether we will choose to follow guidance contrary to the nature of the flesh.
The process of transformation from evil, carnal and devilish to righteous, sanctified and holy is described by Nephi. First we must repent. Then we must follow the example of the Savior and enter into the waters of baptism. Then cometh the remission of sins by the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost. Nephi taught that it is after the baptism of fire that one receives the Holy Ghost. Thus, spiritual re-birth is the key to changing the nature of the flesh, bringing it into a condition prepared to receive instruction and guidance.
The baptism of fire is the refiners fire, the fullers soap, the cleansing and purifying of the flesh which is required prior to its becoming the resting place of the Holy Spirit. For the spirit of God cannot dwell in an unholy tabernacle. Thus, the flesh must be cleansed before the candidate can receive the unspeakable gift of the Holy Ghost, or in other words, with the vessel, or tabernacle cleansed (by fire) the Holy Ghost can now dwell within it. It is in this condition that real change can take place.
King Benjamin’s people, King Lamoni and his people, Alma the younger, Saul and many others underwent a change in which their very nature was transformed. This new creature, re-born and changed no longer has a disposition to do evil. This mighty change in the nature of the flesh makes governing it possible. The Savior taught the Nephites that this was accomplish by the baptism of fire, performed by the Father in which the record of the Son was placed in them.
In the book of Mormon there is a wonderful analogy made between the flesh and a garment, the flesh being the garment, or covering of the spirit. Sin in effect stains our garment with blood. What this means is that we are identified as accomplices to a crime. The proof is on the garment. The crime was a murder, and the victim is the only truly innocent person that has ever lived. Being thus identified and convicted we cannot return to live with Father. Think about it. We want to go home and live with Father even though our clothes are stained with the blood of His only Begotten Son. How would we feel as fathers or mothers if someone wanted to move in and live with us who had murdered one of our children. This is, how be it symbolic, what the situation is. Ironically, the way to get free of the conviction is to go to the victim himself and ask him to wash his blood off of our clothes so that we might be found innocent of the crime. Seems like tampering with evidence. But, in fact, it is the most just of all acquittals, that the victim himself should be the one to forgive.
After one is cleansed and made holy, or becomes a saint, and receives the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost they are able to make choices that will lead to exaltation. The new nature is one of love, charity, kindness, longsuffering, obedience and devotion. The disposition to satisfy the unruly flesh is taken away, and one has a desire to live peaceably with his fellow men and to do good continually. The warring nature of the flesh is subdued and a truce is made between the spirit and the flesh. The struggle of co-existence is removed as the flesh through cleansing and spiritual infusion becomes in nature like the glorified spirit within it. Thus, as Abinidi explained, the will of the Son being swallowed up in the will of the Father, or in other words the will of the flesh being swallowed up in the will of the spirit, they becoming one.
In conclusion, the successful co-existence of spirit and flesh is achieved by repentance, baptism in water (partaking of the sacrament), followed by the baptism of fire (the record of the Father and the Son, the cleansing of the garment) and the baptism of the Holy Ghost (constant companionship).
There are two great battles fought on the battlefield Earth. One is the battle with the flesh. The other is a battle of relationships with others. It is not possible to win the second until the first has been won. We cannot expect to succeed in our relationships with others until we have conquered our own unruly flesh and subjected it to the will of the Father. Living peaceably with others under the cloak of charity cannot be accomplished until our own nature is changed. Until this change is effected, the very purpose of our relationships with others is for gain, as the flesh seeks unchecked to gratify its lustful desires. No matter how hard we try to live in harmony with others we will fail if our own natures have not been changed. Thus the command, "Marvel not that all mankind, yea, men and women, all nations, kindreds, tongues and people, must be born again; yea, born of God, change from their carnal and fallen state, to a state of righteousness, being redeemed of God, becoming his sons and daughters; And thus they become new creatures; and unless they do this, they can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God."(Mosiah 27:25,26)