One of my favorite scriptures describes a holy man named Moroni who lived during the year 72 B.C.:
If all men had been, and were, and ever would be, like unto Moroni, behold, the very powers of hell would have been shaken forever; yea, the devil would never have power over the hearts of the children of men. (Alma 48:8-19)
For many years I have read and pondered this scripture and tried to emulate Moroni, albeit unsuccessfully. Years ago my wife even gave me a painting of Moroni with this scripture for my office because she knew how much it meant to me.
However, though the years of focusing on this scripture, I failed to connect it with the full context of the situation in which this description of Moroni is given. Moroni was the army captain of a group of Christians named Nephites who lived in the ancient Americas shortly before Christ’s birth. Moroni’s people were ruled democratically by elected judges, yet on multiple occasions Captain Moroni had to put down revolutions from a faction of the people who wanted to appoint a king. The man who started this internal revolution, and who desired to be the king, was named Amalickiah.
When Amalickiah realized that he could not prevail against Moroni, he fled with a group of followers and joined the Lamanites, who were the eternal enemies of Moroni’s people. Amalickiah poisoned the leader of the Lamanite armies so that he (Amalickiah) could become the leader of the army. Then, he killed the Lamanite king and married that king’s wife so that he could become the king of the Lamanites. Then, with control of the Lamanite armies Amalickaiah waged a horrific war against Moroni and his people that lasted for many years.
I have often (and correctly) associated Christianity with Christ’s teaching such as “turning the other cheek”, “not returning evil for evil” and “forgiving”. So, the dichotomy of Moroni’s description as such a strong Christian that Satan had no power over his heart, shook my understanding of Christianity.
How did Moroni find peace while at war? The following verses help explain the answer to this paradox:
He was preparing to support their liberty, their lands, their wives and their children, and their peace, and that they might live unto the Lord their God, and that they might maintain that which was called by their enemies the cause of the Christians. And Moroni was a strong and a mighty man; he was a man of a perfect understanding; yea, a man that did not delight in bloodshed; a man whose soul did joy in the liberty and the freedom of his country, and his brethren from bondage and slavery; Yea a man whose heart did swell with thanksgiving to his God for the many privileges and blessings which he bestowed upon his people; a man who did labor exceedingly for the welfare and safety of his people. Yea, and he was a man who was firm in the faith of Christ. (Alma 48:10-14)
They were sorry to take up arms against the Lamanites, because they did not delight in the shedding of blood; yea, and this was not all–they were sorry to be the means of sending so many of their brethren out of this world into an eternal world, unprepared to meet their God. Nevertheless, they could not suffer to lay down their lives, that their wives and their children should be massacred by the barbarous cruelty of those who were once their brethren. (Alma 48:23-24)
Moroni wasn’t seeking revenge or to force his will upon anyone else. Instead Moroni was reluctantly fighting a battle to stand up to evil, to defend his people from oppression and abuse, and to eradicate the horrible influence of the Lamanties in their lives. He wasn’t trying to change the Lamanites, he was just trying to be free of the Lamanites, and was forced to fight to secure that freedom. Moroni didn’t hate the Lamanites, and was genuinely concerned about the enternal welfare of their souls.
War and fighting is often at odds with the way that Jesus Christ would like us to live with our fellow man. War should be a last resort. However, sometimes as Christians we have to stand and fight evil. When war does become necessary in our lives, though, it is important that our motives and hearts are right with God, and that we can find peace while at war.
Posted on November 10th, 2008 by admin
Filed under: Faith, Leadership, Life Lessons, Relationships, Self Improvement
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