Charity - The Pure Love of Christ

Like Paul in Corinthians, Moroni discusses faith, hope and charity.  While Paul spends almost no space on faith or hope, Moroni discusses them all in some depth.  It is interesting that much of the language Joseph Smith uses in the interpretation of this chapter is very similar to 1Cor. 13 and 1John 3:2.  Since the inspiration comes from the same source and since Joseph Smith was very familiar with the passages of the bible, it should not be surprising that they come out to be very similar.  The important thing is what we are taught here, whether it is the parts that are unique to Moroni (which is most of the chapter) or those that are similar to Paul's writings.

It is the combination of the three that allows us to receive of the grace of Christ and receive eternal life.  That is we must have faith in Christ, a hope borne of the power of the Holy Ghost through our personal meekness and lowliness of heart, and then add to that charity towards our fellow beings.

Moroni defines charity as the pure love of Christ.  That is a very apt definition and unique to the Book of Mormon.  In discussing the concept of charity with a friend who is an evangelical, I mentioned that charity was the pure love of Christ and he was very enthusiastic about that definition.  Who can argue with that?  As Christ loved us without guile, so we should love others with that same guilelessness.  It is sometimes rewarding to think of a comeback that will put someone in his place, but is that practicing what Christ would have us do?  We win, but we have done little to persuade or advance the cause of Christ in most cases.  If we are inspired to do so, we must be prepared to show forth afterward an increase of love as directed in D&C 121:43.

Such things will fail to bring us satisfaction in the end and they fail to bring another person closer to Christ, but charity never fails.  When our loving heart is expressed in our actions towards others, they are touched in a way that leads them to the source of pure love.  It has to be motivated by pure love, however, and not a mixed motive such as manipulation, desiring to win approval of a person who could be a good referral source, getting approval of someone we consider our superior or any other mixed motive.  It must be only for the pure motive of just loving and serving for the sake of lifting and empowering that person.

Moroni suggests that the only way to achieve that level of purity is to pray for it with all the energy of our heart.  Then, when we have achieved this level of love, when our heart is pure and our love is without a hidden agenda, we are so Christlike that when we see Him, as we are promised in D&C 93:1 that we will, we will be like Him.  Our hope in him will be perfected for we will be purified to become as pure as He is.  Simple, huh?  Yes, except for that natural man that keeps tugging us back to be less that we ought to be.  It cannot be done without our constant striving, repenting and totally relying on Christ.