I am a regular reader of a blog called Keepapitchinin run by Ardis Parshall. The blog is about Church history (with occasional personal posts from Ardis), but what I find unique about her blog is that the Church history she reports is, for the most part, more obscure stories; not the "typical" Church history stories. I have found the blog very fascinating. I came across it when the LDS Living email I receive daily at work (I'm still not completely sure how I managed to start receiving these updates, but I find some of the stories they reference interesting so I haven't "unsubscribed" myself) linked to one of her posts concerning the moving of Joseph and Hyrum Smith's burial sites by the RLDS Church (now the Community of Christ). I liked the story so much I linked it into one of my Nauvoo vacation posts from last year (you'll find it in the paragraph discussing our Community of Christ tour of the Joseph Smith home). I usually pop in on a daily basis to see what stories are available. She typically posts three stories a day. I don't read everything she posts, but when I find something intriguing, I'll click the link; very rarely am I disappointed by what I find. If you scroll down far enough in the "comments" section of the Joseph and Hyrum burial site post, you'll find I even left a comment. I'm not a regular commenter, but when I feel the inclination, I will do so. After about 3 or 4 comments, I received the title of "Keepa’ninnie" and I must confess to being quite pleased about it.
My reason for this preface has to do with the post I read last night. I commented on it, but I feel impressed to expand upon my comment in my own blog. This particular post happened to be a personal message from Ardis. She discusses her reaction to the Women's meeting held last week and one frequently used word: daughter. As she writes about seeking to come to a conclusion as to why the word bothered her, she realizes that "the status of a son or a daughter comes not from any act on the part of the son or daughter, but through an act of the parents" and being a "daughter seems to be a passive thing, not something I caused, but something I was blessed with, as a free gift. And that, I think, is what bothers me about being praised . . . for being a daughter of my Heavenly Father." She concludes by stating that she is watching Conference seeking an answer to her question: "How can I turn my status as a daughter of God from a passive gift, no matter how appreciated the gift might be, into something that calls for specific action from me, something that makes me actively a daughter of God and not merely the bearer of a stagnant title."
I found her conclusion thought provoking. Although I've never been bothered by the title, son could just as easily be inserted into her post. After reading her post and the comments that followed, I pondered my own reaction to her thoughts and found the effects of King Benjamin's final address to his people rattling around in my head. Turning to Mosiah chapter 5, I was reminded that at the conclusion of King Benjamin's address, the Nephites in attendance declared: "we are willing to enter into a covenant with our God to do his will, and to be obedient to his commandments in all things . . . all the remainder of our days" (Mosiah 5:5). King Benjamin then taught the people: "because of the covenant which ye have made ye shall be called the children of Christ, his sons and his daughters, for behold, this day he hath spiritually begotten you" (Mosiah 5:7, emphasis added).
I understand what Ardis meant by the overall passiveness of the title son or daughter in the context of receiving said title "not from any act on the part of the son or daughter, but through an act of the parents." We are Father in Heaven's children and receive our title of son or daughter through His creative act. On the other hand, King Benjamin's declaration is his affirmation that through the "covenant" the Nephites were willing to make, they would become "the children of Christ" (ibid). In this context, the title of son or daughter takes on an active meaning. We do not receive this new title just because we were born; we now become a son or daughter because we are willing to take it upon ourselves through the making of covenants with our Elder Brother (and through Him with our Father in Heaven as well).
A unique aspect of the covenant made by King Benjamin and his people is the fact that the covenant appears to be a verbal one and is not accompanied by baptism. Mormon's narrative relates Benjamin taking "the names of all those who had entered into a covenant with God" (Mosiah 6:1), but states nothing about the people being baptized after Benjamin's speech. It could have happened "off camera" (so to speak), but I find it hard to believe that Mormon would brush past such a significant moment without so much as a passing mention. Regardless, the agreement made by the Nephite people was the equivalent (as far as I'm concerned) of a baptismal covenant. When discussing covenants in a Sacrament talk or Sunday school or priesthood and relief society lesson, members (I include myself) seem to immediately use the analogy of making a promise with God or signing a contract. However, when I think of earthly contracts, I think of negotiations; lawyers on both sides offering proposals and counter-proposals. With God and Jesus Christ, there is no back and forth, no haggling, no holding out for a better deal. As Elder David A. Bednar taught: "It is important to understand that God determines the conditions of all gospel covenants. You and I do not decide the nature or elements of a covenant. Rather, exercising our moral agency, we accept the terms and requirements of a covenant as our Eternal Father has established them" (Ensign, May 2006, 28-29, emphasis added). We may not determine the conditions of the covenant, but we exercise and accept (both actions) the terms God lays out for us.
Also, when we are baptized, the symbols of death and resurrection are very much in play. In addition to those, however, the symbols of birth are also very prevalent. Concerning baptism, Adam was taught that "inasmuch as ye were born into the world by water, and blood, and the spirit, . . . even so ye must be born again into the kingdom of heaven, of water, and of the Spirit, and be cleansed by blood, even the blood of mine Only Begotten" (Moses 6:59). Baptism is only the first covenant we accept; it is followed by many others. Additionally, each time we partake of the Sacrament we take or renew the initial covenant of baptism and recommit to being "willing" to "do" all that we've been asked by Jesus Christ and Father to do (D&C 20:77, 79).
I hope these examples have served to show how our earthly test gives us a daily opportunity to claim the title of son or daughter of God through the exercising of our moral agency to follow (an action) and keep (another action) God’s commandments throughout our lives. From our baptism forward, we have the amazing opportunity to grasp the title of son or daughter every day through the choices we make and the actions we take. On those days when we fall short of our title, we have the ability to go to our Father through our Elder Brother and overcome our weaknesses through the blessing of repentance. From there we can prepare to do a better job of claiming our title the next day, if not that very moment. I am God’s son through no act of my own, but I am also God’s son through my willingness to do all that I can to show Him I take His test seriously. To me, this is what transforms a passive title into an active, vibrant part of my life on a daily basis. These acts will not save me in my Father’s kingdom (only Christ’s act can do that), but my choices and actions can show Heavenly Father that I believe on Christ’s name and desire to act in faith to receive the promised blessings (see D&C 45:3-5). To my mind, how well we all take the duality of being a son or a daughter upon us will ultimately allow us to be called a "good and faithful servant" at the judgment bar (Matthew 25:21).
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