Part 1: "Striving" in the Book of Mormon
Part 2: "Striving" in the other books of scripture
In part 2, we ended in Moses 8, where Noah is ordained to the order of the Lord and given a commandment to "go forth and declare his Gospel unto the children of men, even as it was given to Enoch. (Moses 8:19.)
This comes right after the Lord tells Noah (see verse 17) that "[His] Spirit shall not always strive with man."
I couldn't help but compare this passage to Moroni 9, where Mormon encourages his son Moroni:
6 And now, my beloved son, notwithstanding their hardness, let us labor ; for if we should cease to , we should be brought under condemnation; for we have a labor to perform whilst in this tabernacle of clay, that we may conquer the enemy of all righteousness, and rest our souls in the kingdom of God. (Moroni 9)
Even if this dire situation, where the Nephites have hardened to the point of "seeking to put down all power and authority which cometh from God" and "denying the Holy Ghost," (see Moroni 8:28) Mormon reminds his son of their duty to continue in faith to preach to them and minister unto them.
Why continue in hope even when things seem so far gone?
I realize that the answer is found in the office of their calling, which Mormon explains in great detail is Moroni 7:
31 And the office of their ministry is to call men unto repentance, and to fulfil and to do the work of the covenants of the Father, which he hath made unto the children of men, to prepare the way among the children of men, by declaring the word of Christ unto the vessels of the Lord, that they may bear testimony of him.
32 And by so doing, the Lord God prepareth the way that the of men may have in Christ, that the Holy Ghost may have place in their hearts, according to the power thereof; and after this manner bringeth to pass the Father, the covenants which he hath made unto the children of men.
33 And Christ hath said: ye will have in me ye shall have power to do whatsoever thing is in me.
34 And he hath said: all ye ends of the earth, and come unto me, and be baptized in my name, and have faith in me, that ye may be saved.
35 And now, my beloved brethren, if this be the case that these things are true which I have spoken unto you, and God will show unto you, with and great glory at the last , that they are true, and if they are true has the day of miracles ceased?
36 Or have angels ceased to appear unto the children of men? Or has he the power of the Holy Ghost from them? Or will he, so long as time shall last, or the earth shall stand, or there shall be one man upon the face thereof to be saved?
37 Behold I say unto you, Nay; for it is by faith that are wrought; and it is by faith that angels appear and minister unto men; wherefore, if these things have ceased wo be unto the children of men, for it is because of , and all is vain.
38 For no man can be saved, according to the words of Christ, save they shall have faith in his name; wherefore, if these things have ceased, then has faith ceased also; and awful is the state of man, for they are as though there had been no redemption made.
Putting it all together
- The Spirit strives with the natural man in order to give each of us a choice between good and evil.
- The Spirit is capable of creating within us a "new creature" -- "born of God, changed from their carnal and fallen state, to a state of righteousness, being redeemed of God, becoming his sons and daughters." (See Mosiah 27:25-26.)
- The work of conversion is helped along by those who have embraced the covenant and are called to the work. They become "chosen vessels of the Lord, that they may bear testimony of him. And by so doing, the Lord God prepareth the way that the residue of men may have faith in Christ, that the Holy Ghost may have place in their hearts, according to the power thereof; and after this manner bringeth to pass the Father, the covenants which he hath made unto the children of men." (Moroni 7:31-32.)
- If we strive against this work and against the Spirit, it has no place in us and we become the carnal captives of the adversary.
- If we have once embraced the covenant but later reject it to the point that the Spirit no longer strives with us, we invite "speedy destruction" upon ourselves. (2 Nephi 26:11)