Gospel Doctrine Commentary
Lesson No. Twenty-Two
How Well Do You See with Your Eye of Faith?
“Do you look forward with an eye of faith” (Alma 5:15) – The ability to look forward with the eye of faith is essential because, as Alma explained to the people of Zarahemla, it will determine if we will “sit down in the kingdom of God, with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob, and all the holy prophets, or if will we “be cast out [as] “children of the kingdom of the devil” (Alma 5:24-25).
The phrase “an eye of faith” is used three times in the scriptures, all in the Book of Mormon. (See Alma 5:15; Alma 32:40; Ether 12:19) To “look forward with an eye of faith” is the ability to see into the future, and make connections between choices and consequences. The ability to see with the eye of faith is necessary in order to grow spiritually because it is at the heart of the “just and holy principles” of agency and accountability. (See D&C 101:77-78)
Many people are blind and don’t see with an eye of faith – They do not connect choices today with the consequences of tomorrow, let alone in the next life. Spiritual blindness is the result of personal spiritual abuse and neglect. The ability to look forward with the eye of faith is greatly limited by addiction to the appetites of the flesh such as alcohol, drugs, sex, pornography, tobacco, and anger.
Alcohol is spiritually blinding, especially with young people – In 2003 during my ten year tenure as chairman/vice chairman of the Utah Alcohol Beverage Control Commission, a voluntary nonpaid position, the American Medical Association published the following fact sheet:
“The latest scientific research indicates that alcohol damages and interferes with critical brain development during the teen years – development that is critical to becoming mature, thoughtful, responsible adults.
“During the teen years and even into the early 20’s, the brain is going through dynamic change with respect to its “wiring” neural connections. According to the research, alcohol affects two important brain areas – the prefrontal cortex (frontal lobe) and the hippocampus. The frontal lobe area of the brain develops last and is called the boss or CEO of the brain. It governs good judgment, complex thinking, decision making, planning, impulse control, etc. The hippocampus is the key part of the brain responsible for learning and memory.
“Damage from alcohol at this time of brain development can be long-term and irreversible…”
In short, alcohol makes it very difficult for youth to connect choices and consequences. Clearly, science has vindicated the warning against alcohol in the Word of Wisdom. (See D&C 89:5) (The state of Utah sponsors an excellent web site against underage drinking at “Parents Empowered”)
We can increase our ability to look forward with an eye of faith – This is done by developing habits of personal worship such as obedience, prayer, scripture study, and temple worship. An extraordinary blessing in our day is the increasing number of temples, and that many of our youth are worthy of their own temple recommend, and they use it regularly.
There is reason for confidence in the future as temple baptisteries are busy, and because our youth are drawn to the temple for their safety and protection against the wickedness of our day.
The temple is referred to as “a house of faith” D&C 109:16). Temple worship gives us an endowment of power “to look forward with an eye of faith” (Alma 5:15). Everything done in the temple looks to the future and into the next life for both ourselves and others. Temple worship greatly increases our ability to connect actions of today with consequences of tomorrow.