How Can We Maintain the High Ground?

 My Come Follow Me studies for this week took me to Alma 43-52 in a lesson titled “Stand Fast in the Faith of Christ.” The lesson was introduced by the following information. 

When we read these words at the beginning of Alma chapter 43 – “And now I return to an account of the wars between the Nephites and the Lamanites” – it’s natural to wonder why Mormon included these war stories when he had limited space on the plates (see Words of Mormon 1:5). It’s true that we have our share of wars in the latter days, but there is value in his words beyond the descriptions of the strategy and tragedy of war. His words also prepare us for the war in which “we are all enlisted” (Hymns, no. 250), the war we are fighting each day against the forces of evil. This war is very real, and the outcome affects our eternal lives. Like the Nephites, we are inspired by a holy cause – “our God, our religion, and freedom and our peace, our wives, and our children” – what Moroni called “the cause of the Christians” (Alma 46:12, 16).

Since many people wonder why Mormon included the stories of war, I thought that I would give some reasons that I have discovered.

·         My first reason for Mormon including the war stories is that war was his background. He was put in charge of the Nephite armies when he was fifteen years old. Therefore, he had been a soldier for at least twenty-five or more years by the time that he summarized the material that he found on the Large Plates of Nephi. He used his firsthand experiences to teach important principles.

§  Examples of latter-day prophets and apostles using personal experiences from their background are Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf (aviation – He was an airline pilot.), President Russell M. Nelson (medicine – He was a famous heart doctor.), President Dallin H. Oaks (law – He was an attorney and a judge.), President Henry B. Eyring (education – He was president of BYU-Idaho.), and the late President M. Russell Ballard (He was a business man.).

·         My second reason that these war chapters are important is that we fought a war in heaven. That war was to determine whether humankind should be compelled to obey or whether he should be taught correct principles and then be allowed to choose for himself.

We know that we were on the winning side in heaven because we are here on earth with physical bodies and with moral agency or the freedom to choose our course here on earth and into eternity.

·         My third reason is that the war in heaven continues on earth today. It is a war between good and evil. Satan is still trying to gain control over humankind. This spiritual war – this battle between compulsion and conversion – rages in our hearts, homes, and society.

·         My fourth reason is that there is physical war in our world. We have war between Ukraine and Russia in Europe and between Israel and various groups in the Middle East. We could also be on the precipice of World War III depending on the decisions made by the leaders of the United States and the other nations.

·         My fifth reason is that we are currently in a political war to determine who will lead our nation for the next four years. The two chief candidates want to take the United States in opposing directions. Donald Trump wants to keep America and its Constitution strong. Kamala Harris wants America to move toward socialism and communism. One candidate is offering freedom financially, national security, and respect in the world. The other candidate seeks to make Americans more dependent on the government – financial bondage – as well as problems with national security, lack of respect from world leaders.

·         My sixth reason is that the war chapters teach us how righteous people act during times of war. War causes various people to have diverse reactions to their circumstances. Some people harden their hearts and become more wicked, while other people soften their hearts and draw closer to God. An example of how the same circumstance can have diverse effects on people and things is what happens when a potato is boiled in water and what happens when an egg is boiled in water. The potato becomes soft from boiling, but the egg becomes firmer.

The principle that I wish to discuss comes from Alma 47 “Satan tempts and deceives little by little, but we know some of the tricks that he uses.” First, Satan never tempts us to suddenly commit big sins or to believe obvious lies. He uses subtle lies and small temptations – as many as he thinks we will accept – to lead us away from the safety of righteous living. Other tools that Satan uses to gain power over us is anger, hate, cunningness, treachery, arguments, flattering words, and lies.

Alma 47 tells a story about the leader of the Lamanite army (Lehonti) who was safely tucked away with his army in the top of a mountain because the army refused to go to war with the Nephites. Amalickiah (a Nephite) wanted to become the leader of the Lamanite army in order to battle the Nephites. The Lamanites had a rule that the second in command would become first in command if something happened to the first in command. In other words, Amalickiah would be elevated to commander if he were second to Lehonti and something happened to Lehonti. Amalickiah persuaded Lehonti to come down from his safe area in the mountains and then arranged to have him poisoned a little at a time.

Elder Robert D. Hales gave the following insights about the story of Amalickiah and Lehonti as well as how Satan tries to deceive you and me.

The traitorous Amalickiah urged Lehonti to “come down” and meet him in the valley. But when Lehonti left the high ground, he was poisoned “by degrees” until he died, and his army fell into Amalickiah’s hands (see Alma 47). By arguments and accusations, some people bait us to leave the high ground. The high ground is where the light is…. It is the safe ground” (“Christian Courage: The Price of Discipleship,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2008, 74).