Where do good things come from?
Moroni 7:12
Wherefore, all things which are good cometh of God; and that which is evil cometh of the devil; for the devil is an enemy unto God, and fighteth against him continually, and inviteth and enticeth to sin, and to do that which is evil continually.
Good things come from God because goodness is His nature, His influence, and His invitation to us. Moroni 7:12 gives us a simple but sweeping framework: goodness has a source, evil has a source, and we are always being invited by one or the other. Below is a doctrinal dissection, organized by the three numbered cross‑reference terms.
1. Good Cometh of God
Takeaway: Every genuine good in our lives traces back to God’s character, presence, and influence.
What Goodness Reveals
- When we feel a desire to lift, heal, help, reconcile, forgive, or bless, we are experiencing God’s influence moving in us.
- Goodness is not random; it is relational. It comes because God is actively working with our hearts.
- This means we never generate goodness on our own. We receive it. We respond to it.
- When we choose good, we are aligning ourselves with the God who is already persuading us toward it.
- This gives us confidence: if something is truly good, we can trust that God is near, guiding, and empowering us.
For us: We can stop doubting whether God is involved in our lives. Every good impulse is evidence that He is already present.
How the Supporting Scriptures Strengthen This Section
Below is the integrated doctrinal flow, showing how each scripture reinforces the truth that all good originates in God.
I. Creation Itself Reveals God as the Source of Good
And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.
And I, God, saw everything that I had made, and, behold, all things which I had made were very good; and the evening and the morning were the sixth day.
- God looked upon all He created and declared it “very good.”
- Creation is not morally neutral—it reflects God’s nature.
- Goodness exists because He exists.
Integrated meaning:
Every good impulse in us is consistent with the original goodness God embedded into creation. Goodness is not a human invention; it is the echo of God’s creative character.
II. Every Good Gift Comes From Above
⚓︎ Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:
For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.
Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.
- James teaches that every good gift and every perfect gift descends from the Father of lights.
- He contrasts this with human anger, impurity, and self‑generated righteousness, which cannot produce the life God desires.
Integrated meaning:
Goodness is not self-produced. It is received.
When we welcome the “engrafted word,” we are welcoming God’s goodness into our souls.
III. The Spirit of Truth Always Produces Good
⚓︎ Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:
And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.
Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them.
We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.
John teaches that the Spirit of God always leads toward truth, love, and confession of Christ. Any influence that denies Christ or leads away from love is not of God.
Integrated meaning:
Goodness is a spiritual signal.
If something draws us toward Christlike love, it is evidence of the Spirit of God working in us.
IV. Goodness in Community Is Evidence of Walking in Truth
The elder unto the wellbeloved Gaius, whom I love in the truth.
Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.
For I rejoiced greatly, when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee, even as thou walkest in the truth.
I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.
Beloved, thou doest faithfully whatsoever thou doest to the brethren, and to strangers;
Which have borne witness of thy charity before the church: whom if thou bring forward on their journey after a godly sort, thou shalt do well:
Because that for his name’s sake they went forth, taking nothing of the Gentiles.
We therefore ought to receive such, that we might be fellowhelpers to the truth.
I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not.
Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church.
⚓︎ Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God.
Demetrius hath good report of all men, and of the truth itself: yea, and we also bear record; and ye know that our record is true.
I had many things to write, but I will not with ink and pen write unto thee:
But I trust I shall shortly see thee, and we shall speak face to face. Peace be to thee. Our friends salute thee. Greet the friends by name.
John rejoices that the saints “walk in truth” and show hospitality, generosity, and faithfulness.
Integrated meaning:
Goodness is not merely personal—it is relational.
When we bless others, we are participating in God’s truth and revealing His presence in our fellowship.
V. Christ Himself Defines and Generates All Good
And whatsoever thing persuadeth men to do good is of me; for good cometh of none save it be of me. I am the same that leadeth men to all good; he that will not believe my words will not believe me—that I am; and he that will not believe me will not believe the Father who sent me. For behold, I am the Father, I am the light, and the life, and the truth of the world.
Christ declares that He is the source of all good: “He that believeth in me can do no evil… whatsoever thing persuadeth to do good is of me.”
Integrated meaning:
Goodness is Christ’s voice.
Every impulse toward mercy, repentance, truth, or reconciliation is Christ persuading us.
VI. God Commands Good Because He Is Good
Verily I say, that inasmuch as ye do this, the fulness of the earth is yours, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the air, and that which climbeth upon the trees and walketh upon the earth;
⚓︎ Yea, and the herb, and the good things which come of the earth, whether for food or for raiment, or for houses, or for barns, or for orchards, or for gardens, or for vineyards;
Yea, all things which come of the earth, in the season thereof, are made for the benefit and the use of man, both to please the eye and to gladden the heart;
Yea, for food and for raiment, for taste and for smell, to strengthen the body and to enliven the soul.
And it pleaseth God that he hath given all these things unto man; for unto this end were they made to be used, with judgment, not to excess, neither by extortion.
- God promises that those who live in gratitude and righteousness will receive the good of the earth.
- He explains that all things were created “for the benefit and the use of man,” to please the eye and gladden the heart.
Integrated meaning:
Goodness is woven into the world as a gift from God.
When we receive good with gratitude, we are aligning with His character and purposes.
Unified Principle for the Section
All genuine good originates in God. Creation reveals it. The Spirit confirms it. Christ defines it. The word implants it. Community expresses it. Gratitude receives it.
Whenever we feel drawn toward compassion, integrity, mercy, repentance, reconciliation, or truth, we are experiencing God’s own influence. Goodness is not self-generated—it is God-generated. To follow good is to follow Him.
2. Evil Cometh of the Devil
Takeaway: Evil has a source too—and it is never God.
What Evil Actually Reveals
- Moroni draws a sharp line: God persuades to good; the devil persuades to evil. There is no overlap.
- This helps us discern our thoughts and motivations. If something pulls us toward resentment, pride, cruelty, or selfishness, it is not coming from God.
- The devil’s influence is described as continual—meaning we live in a world of constant spiritual persuasion.
- Recognizing the source of evil frees us from shame. Evil thoughts do not mean we are evil; they mean we are being tempted.
- Our job is not to generate goodness but to choose the good God is already offering us.
For us: We can stop confusing temptation with identity. Evil influences are external; goodness is the divine invitation we are capable of choosing.
How the Supporting Scriptures Strengthen This Section
I. God Forms Light, Not Moral Evil
I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the Lord do all these things.
Isaiah records God saying He “forms the light and creates darkness,” “makes peace and creates calamity.” This passage is often misunderstood. Isaiah is not teaching that God authors moral evil; he is teaching that God governs cosmic order, judgment, and consequence—not sin.
Integrated meaning:
God is sovereign over creation, but He is not the source of moral corruption.
Moral evil does not originate in God’s nature; it originates in rebellion against Him.
This reinforces Moroni’s clarity:
If it persuades to evil, it cannot come from God.
II. The Devil Blinds Minds and Persuades to Evil
In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
Paul teaches that “the god of this world” (Satan) blinds the minds of people so they cannot see the light of Christ.
Integrated meaning:
Evil is not merely the absence of good—it is the active persuasion of the adversary.
The devil works to darken, distort, and deceive, pulling hearts away from Christ.
This perfectly aligns with Moroni’s doctrine:
The devil persuades to evil continually.
Unified Principle for the Section
Evil has a source—and it is never God. God persuades to good. The devil persuades to evil. There is no overlap, no blending, no ambiguity.
- Temptation is not identity.
- Evil thoughts are not self‑generated—they are externally suggested.
- Discernment becomes simple:
• If it leads toward Christ, it is of God.
• If it leads away from Christ, it is of the devil.
And because goodness is God’s invitation, our role is not to manufacture righteousness but to choose the good God is already placing before us.
Introduction to the Supporting Scriptures on Evil
The following scriptures were carefully selected from the Topical Guide: Evil to reinforce Moroni’s teaching that evil has a source, and it is never God. The Topical Guide gathers every passage in scripture that touches the nature, origin, and operation of evil, and from that extensive list, this section draws the most poignant, doctrinally clarifying, and spiritually diagnostic verses. These passages were chosen because they reveal three essential truths: evil arises from rebellion, not from God; evil is actively persuaded by the adversary; and the righteous reject evil because it is foreign to God’s nature. Together, these witnesses strengthen the section’s core principle—temptation is external, identity is divine, and discernment becomes simple when we understand the true source of evil.
I. Evil Is a Chosen Rebellion, Not a Divine Attribute
These passages show that evil arises when humans or spirits turn away from God’s nature—not from anything God authors.
- Genesis 6:5 — Human hearts became “only evil continually,” revealing evil as a humanly embraced corruption, not a divine creation.
- Isaiah 5:20 — Woe to those who “call evil good.” Evil is a moral inversion, not a divine attribute.
- James 1:13 — “God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man.” This is the clearest New Testament statement that evil never originates in God.
- Habakkuk 1:13 — God is “of purer eyes than to behold evil,” meaning He cannot be the source of what He cannot even approve.
Integrated meaning:
Evil is always a departure from God’s nature, never an expression of it.
II. Evil Is the Work and Persuasion of the Devil
These scriptures directly reinforce Moroni’s doctrine that evil is actively persuaded by the adversary.
- Omni 1:25 — “That which is evil cometh of the devil.” This is the Book of Mormon’s most concise doctrinal statement on the source of evil.
- Alma 5:40 — “The devil is the father of all lies.” Evil is generated, not merely permitted, by the adversary.
- Mosiah 2:32 — Yielding to contention means we “list to obey the evil spirit.” Evil is an external persuasion, not an internal identity.
- 2 Nephi 32:8 — The evil spirit “teacheth not a man to pray.” Evil always pulls away from God’s presence.
Integrated meaning:
Evil is not a neutral force—it is the intentional influence of the adversary working against Christ.
III. The Righteous Reject Evil Because They Belong to God
These passages show that evil is something the righteous eschew, depart from, and overcome—because it is foreign to God’s nature.
- Psalm 34:13 — “Keep thy tongue from evil.” Evil is something to avoid, not something inherent in us.
- Proverbs 8:13 — “The fear of the Lord is to hate evil.” Loving God naturally produces rejection of evil.
- Romans 12:21 — “Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.” Evil is defeated by choosing the good God provides.
- 1 Peter 3:11 — “Let him eschew evil, and do good.” Evil is something we turn from, not something we are.
Integrated meaning:
Because evil is external and foreign to God’s nature, the righteous can reject it without shame and choose the good God offers.
How This Sub‑Section Fits Our Section
- Showing evil as chosen rebellion, not divine authorship
- Identifying the devil as the active persuader of evil
- Affirming that the righteous reject evil because they belong to God
- Reinforcing your core principle: temptation is not identity
It integrates seamlessly after your “How the Supporting Scriptures Strengthen This Section” and before your “Unified Principle.”
3. Sin Cometh from the Natural Man
Takeaway: Sin is the devil’s invitation, just as goodness is God’s invitation.
What Sin Actually Reveals
- Moroni frames sin not as a random mistake but as the result of accepting the wrong invitation.
- The devil “enticeth” us—meaning sin is always presented as appealing, convenient, or self‑justifying.
- But sin always leads us away from who we truly are and who God is shaping us to become.
- Understanding sin as an invitation helps us respond differently: we don’t need to fear it; we just need to decline it.
- Every time we resist sin, we are not merely avoiding wrong—we are choosing God’s goodness instead.
For us: We can see our daily choices as spiritual alignment. Every “no” to sin is a “yes” to God’s goodness working in us.
How the Supporting Scriptures Strengthen This Section
I. Sin Reveals Which Shepherd We Are Following
And now if ye are not the sheep of the good shepherd, of what fold are ye? Behold, I say unto you, that the devil is your shepherd, and ye are of his fold; and now, who can deny this? Behold, I say unto you, whosoever denieth this is a liar and a child of the devil.
⚓︎ For I say unto you that whatsoever is good cometh from God, and whatsoever is evil cometh from the devil.
Therefore, if a man bringeth forth good works he hearkeneth unto the voice of the good shepherd, and he doth follow him; but whosoever bringeth forth evil works, the same becometh a child of the devil, for he hearkeneth unto his voice, and doth follow him.
And whosoever doeth this must receive his wages of him; therefore, for his wages he receiveth death, as to things pertaining unto righteousness, being dead unto all good works.
Alma teaches that every soul is following one of two shepherds:"
• Christ, who leads to life
• or the devil, who leads to destruction
He declares plainly:
“Whatsoever is good cometh from God, and whatsoever is evil cometh from the devil.”
He then describes the natural man as spiritually blind, wandering in “forbidden paths,” and unable to stand in God’s presence unless changed through Christ.
Integrated meaning:
Sin is not an accident—it is the result of following the wrong voice.
The natural man is simply the self that listens to the wrong shepherd.
This reinforces Moroni’s doctrine:
Sin is the devil’s persuasion, not God’s.
II. Sin Begins With Secret Enticement
And behold, it is he who is the author of all sin. And behold, he doth carry on his works of darkness and secret murder, and doth hand down their plots, and their oaths, and their covenants, and their plans of awful wickedness, from generation to generation according as he can get hold upon the hearts of the children of men.
Helaman reveals the pattern of sin:
• The devil “stirreth up the hearts of men to iniquity.”
• He works “in darkness,” enticing through secrecy and flattering lies.
• His goal is always the same: to lead the heart away from God.
Integrated meaning:
Sin begins long before the outward act.
It begins with enticement—a whispered invitation that appeals to pride, appetite, or self‑justification.
This aligns perfectly with your section’s core idea:
Sin is an invitation we can decline.
Unified Principle for the Section
Sin comes from the natural man responding to the devil’s invitation. God invites to goodness. The devil invites to sin. The natural man is simply the self that listens to the wrong invitation.
- Sin is not identity—it is misalignment.
- Temptation is not failure—it is a crossroads.
- Declining sin is not merely avoiding wrong—it is choosing God.
- Every righteous choice is a return to who we truly are: children of God being shaped into celestial beings.
Because goodness is God’s continual invitation, our role is not to manufacture righteousness but to accept the good He is already offering.
Introduction to the Supporting Scriptures on Sin
The following scriptures were carefully drawn from the Topical Guide: Sin, which gathers every passage across the Standard Works that teaches how sin begins, how it operates, and how it is overcome. From that extensive list, this sub‑section selects the most poignant, identity‑clarifying, and invitation‑focused verses—those that reveal sin as something that approaches, entices, and enslaves only when the natural man accepts the devil’s persuasion. These passages were chosen because they reinforce the core truth of this section: sin is not who we are; it is the wrong invitation we are capable of declining. Together, they show that sin lies at the door, grows through enticement, originates in the adversary, and loses its power when the heart is reborn in Christ.
I. Sin Begins at the Door—Before the Act
“If thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door.”
This is the earliest scriptural description of sin as something that approaches, invites, and waits—not something inherent within us.
Integrated meaning:
Sin is not identity; it is an approaching influence.
It lies at the door, but it does not enter unless we open to it.
This directly supports your section’s teaching:
Sin is an invitation we can decline.
II. Sin Enslaves the Natural Man Who Accepts the Wrong Invitation
“Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.”
Jesus describes sin as a master—meaning sin is not merely a behavior but a bondage that forms when the natural man accepts the devil’s enticement.
Integrated meaning:
Sin is not random; it is relational.
To sin is to yield to the wrong master, the wrong shepherd, the wrong invitation.
This reinforces Alma 5’s imagery:
We follow the shepherd we listen to.
III. Sin Is Conceived Through Enticement and Desire
“When lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin.”
James reveals the inner process of sin:
• Temptation enters
• Desire responds
• Sin is conceived
This matches Helaman 6:30 perfectly: sin begins in secret enticement, long before the outward act.
Integrated meaning:
Sin is a process of persuasion, not an instant identity shift.
It grows where the natural man entertains the devil’s invitation.
IV. Sin Is the Devil’s Work, Not God’s
“He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning.”
John is not condemning humanity—he is identifying the source of sin. Sin originates in the adversary, not in God and not in our divine identity.
Integrated meaning:
Sin is the devil’s pattern, not ours.
When we sin, we are stepping into his influence, not expressing who we truly are.
This aligns with your section’s core truth:
Sin is the devil’s invitation, not our nature.
V. The Spiritually Reborn Lose the Desire to Sin
“They had no more desire to do evil.”
This is one of the clearest Book of Mormon witnesses that sin is not an identity but a desire pattern—and desires can be changed by Christ.
Integrated meaning:
When the natural man yields to God instead of the devil, the very desire for sin dissolves.
This proves sin is not who we are—it is who we listen to.
How This Sub‑Section Strengthens Section 3
- Sin approaches like an invitation (Genesis 4:7)
- Sin enslaves only those who accept it (John 8:34)
- Sin is conceived through enticement (James 1:15)
- Sin originates in the devil, not in God or our divine identity (1 John 3:8)
- Sin loses its power when we are reborn in Christ (Alma 19:33)
Together, these witnesses deepen your section’s central principle:
Sin is not identity—it is alignment. The natural man accepts the devil’s invitation. The spiritual man accepts God’s.
Principle for Us
All genuine good comes from God, and every good desire in us is evidence that He is already working with our hearts. Evil comes from the adversary, who continually invites us to sin. Our discipleship is the daily practice of recognizing the source of each influence and choosing the One who leads us to goodness.
No comments:
Post a Comment