Among the great doctrines restored by Joseph is the doctrine of the soul. The spirit and the body are the soul of man (D&C 88:15) without both we cannot have a fullness of joy (D&C 93:33-34). Joseph further taught, “We came to this earth that we might have a body and present it pure before God in the celestial kingdom. The great principle of happiness consists in having a body.” (TPJS 181, emphasis added)
The problem is that we live in a fallen, telestial state. When Adam fell, he fell physically, spiritually, emotionally and mentally. We know that each of us are subject to the fall, but maybe we don’t appreciate the extent to which it affects us. Our bodies and minds aren’t perfect. We are afflicted and live with conditions over which we have absolutely no control (e.g. hereditary conditions, acne, baldness, loss of memory, mental illness, etc.).
In addition, the scriptures teach that after the fall men became carnal, sensual and devilish by nature. The dictionary defines carnal as relating to physical, particularly sexual, needs and desires. Sensual is related to gratification of the physical senses and seeking pleasure. Our bodies are pretty well programmed to seek pleasure and avoid pain.
There is much in all of this that is desirable and a great blessing to us, provided that we keep our desires, appetites and passions within boundaries defined by the Lord. When we are outside those boundaries we are off track and Satan has greater influence over us.
“I should like to say to you, my brethren and sisters, that all the assaults that the enemy of our souls will make to capture us will be through the flesh, because it is made up of the unredeemed earth, and he has power over the elements of the earth. The approach he makes to us will be through the lusts, the appetites, the ambitions of the flesh. All the help that comes to us from the Lord to aid us in this struggle will come to us through the spirit that dwells within this mortal body. So these two mighty forces are operating upon us through these two channels. How is the battle going with you?...The greatest conflict that any man or woman will ever have…will be the battle that is had with self.” (The Struggle for the Soul, address given in SL Tabernacle May 5, 1928 by Elder Melvin J. Ballard)
Our spirits and bodies are interconnected to a greater extent than we probably realize. Our spirits are intended to master our bodies. When we commit physical sins such as breaking the word of wisdom, we damage our spirits and lessen our sensitivity to spiritual communications. He that committeth adultery destroyeth his soul (Proverbs 6:32). Gratifying physical urges outside of the Lord’s bounds turns something that should be a great blessing to us into something that can severely damage our spirits. When we allow ourselves to become addicted to such behaviors then Satan has truly grasped us in the chains of hell. Deliverance from these chains is possible but not easy. Addictions can advance to a point of consuming all else in a person’s life. How many have sacrificed family, friends, loved ones, careers and every good thing in seeking to feed their addictions?
It is not just “the world” that struggles with these problems. I recently read that an estimated 60% of adult males in the church regularly view pornography. Hopefully this estimate is higher than the real statistic, but regardless of the number it is certainly a huge problem, one which destroys marriages and leaves a trail of innocent lives damaged in its wake.
In addition to physical passions, we must watch emotional ones as well. We struggle with pride, anger, jealousy, fear, apathy, pessimism and a host of negative emotions. These too must be controlled or eliminated from our lives.
I love this quote from Sheri Dew: “Sin is just plain stupid. And the cost is off the charts…Obedience, on the other hand, is brilliant and its fruits are endless—one of which is happiness. The only way I know to be happy is to live the gospel. It is not possible to sin enough to be happy. It is not possible to buy enough to be happy or to entertain or indulge yourself enough to be happy. Happiness and joy come only when you are living up to who you are.”
Jacob sums it up in these words: “Remember, to be carnally-minded is death, and to be spiritually-minded is life eternal.” (2 Ne. 9:39)
After baptism, we are given a great aid in this battle. It is the Holy Ghost. We speak often of the Holy Ghost’s role as a comforter. Equally important is the Holy Ghost’s role as a sanctifier (3 Nephi 27:20). The more we have the Holy Ghost in our life, the less appeal and hold sin has upon us.
How goes the battle within you?
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