I want to make it clear that it’s certainly not true that disobedience is better than a blind, mechanical, obedience to the law. Even without the rebirth the atonement brings, an outward, legalistic conformity to the letter of the law of chastity can prevent the heartache of sexually transmitted diseases, pregnancies out of wedlock, separation from the blessings of church fellowship, deep feelings of guilt, the loss of the spirit and (if you are being unfaithful to a spouse) the betrayal of trust and possibly the destruction of family ties. It’s just that this kind of obedience is not enough if what you aim for is Lehi’s goal of “liberty and eternal life.”
It’s also not true that the atonement releases us from obedience. Again we can look to Elder Uchtdorf’s talk for clarification—
“Sisters, it is very important that we attend our Sunday meetings, but…”
“Yes, visiting teachers need to be faithful in making their monthly visits, all without missing…”
The wording parallels that of the Savior himself—
“Woe unto you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone” (Matthew 23:23).
But in obeying, focusing on the law brings about far different results than focusing on the atonement and the development of that mentoring relationship with the Savior that is discipleship. A focus on the law can bring about pride, self-righteousness and a harsh judgment of others as shown in Jesus’s parable of the Pharisee and the Publican (Luke 18:9-14). The mechanical, legalistic attitude it brings often blinds us to the “weightier matters of the law” and we find ourselves all bound up in tithes of mint and cummin. We can find ourselves complying with the letter (sitting in a pew at church, 100 percent visiting teaching) and still completely miss the vision of the spirit of the law. We go through the outward motions but our hearts our unchanged. We wear what Elder Morrison of the Seventy once called a “mask of carnal compliance” instead of “receiving His image in our countenance.” We miss out on the fruit of the tree of life, the love of God. And ultimately, without the gift of charity, our obedience can’t save us. The weight of our own unaided efforts can lead to feeling burdened and even to a despair of ever being able to fundamentally change or fully measure up (as in the experience of Colin Douglas). As Elder Uchtdorf warned, in our carnal state we can even find ourselves questioning inspired standards and counsel. “Do we really need to obey all of God’s commandments?”
We come back again at last to Lehi’s warnings in Second Nephi 2, but perhaps we finally understand them now – “by the law men are cut off…they perish from that which is good and become miserable...”
A passage from the Tao Te Ching comes to mind, which speaks of
“…propriety and blind obedience,
which is only the husk
of commitment and faithfulness
and is, in fact, the beginning of confusion.
For even when propriety’s opinions
have blossomed from the Way
they are held in ignorance.
Thus the wise man
chooses the kernel
and not the husk,
chooses the fruit
and not the flower.
(Tao Te Ching, 38)
Lehi would say that the wise man chooses “liberty and eternal life through the great Mediator of all men.” He chooses the atonement. He looks to the great Mediator, and hearkens unto his great commandments; and is faithful unto his words, and chooses eternal life according to the will of the Holy Spirit.
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