Lessons for Our Day From the Book of Mormon Another Testament of Jesus Christ - 2024
Lesson No. Twelve

We are All Beggars Before God - Mosiah 4: 16-27

Jesus gave the Parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37), and He also taught “For ye have the poor always with you” (Matthew 26:11) – King Benjamin’s sermon is a very comprehensive scriptural instruction on how to apply the Lord’s commandment to help the poor who, as He said, will always be with us. My comments on king Benjamin’s teachings, set forth below, are italicized:

King Benjamin taught, “Ye yourselves will succor (help or relieve) those who stand in need of your succor; ye will administer your substance unto him that standeth in need…” (Mosiah 4:16, emphasis added). The question of “need” will be discussed later.

“Perhaps thou shalt say: The man has brought upon himself his misery; therefore I will stay my hand, and will not give unto him of my food, nor impart unto him of my substance that he may not suffer, for his punishments are just” (Vs 17). Most of us have had these kind of feelings which are common to the natural man.

“But I say unto you, O man, whosoever doeth this the same hath great cause to repent; and except he repenteth of that which he hath done he perisheth forever, and hath no interest in the kingdom of God” (Vs 18). The consequence that we “will perish forever, and hath no interest in the kingdom of God” if we do not care for the poor should get everyone’s undivided attention.

“For behold, are we not all beggars? Do we not all depend upon the same Being, even God, for all the substance which we have, for both food and raiment…” (Vs 19). We are all beggars for the very reasons king Benjamin describes in Vs 20-23.

“And now, for the sake of these things which I have spoken unto you – That is, for the sake of retaining a remission of your sins from day to day, that ye may walk guiltless before God – I would that ye should impart of your substance to the poor, every man according to that which he hath, such as feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, visiting the sick and administering to their relief, both spiritually and temporally, according to their wants” (Vs 26). The blessing of “retaining a remission of your sins from day to day” if we care for the poor is completely opposite of the consequence that we will “perish forever, and hath no interest in the kingdom of God” if we do not.

“And see that all these things are done in wisdom and order; for it is not requisite that a man should run faster than he has strength. And again, it is expedient that he should be diligent, and thereby he might win the prize; therefore, all things must be done in order” (Vs 27). There is wisdom and order in the Church Welfare Program, and those who both give and receive are blessed.

Today, the best way to apply of the teachings of king Benjamin to care for the poor is through the Church Welfare Program: The welfare program of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was “established by divine revelation, and there is nothing else in all the world that can so effectively take care of its members” (David O. McKay, Church website, Welfare Services Celebrates 75 Years).

The Church Welfare Program blesses those who receive – This God given program not only helps those in temporarily difficult circumstances, but it also stresses self-reliance as a way of life, including education, health, employment, family home production and storage, family finances, and spiritual strength.

The Church Welfare Program blesses those who give because it is not the donor’s responsibility to determine need: “Professional panhandlers” are common, and often it is hard to know who is truly in need. It is generally recognized that giving to people who are not in need is counterproductive. With the Church Welfare Program donors do not have to concern themselves with the question of “need”. The bishop has that responsibility, and he seeks and receives guidance from the Church and from the Lord on that question.

The Church Welfare Program further blesses those who give because they can do it anonymously, and as Jesus taught not to be seen of men: “Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. Therefore when thou does thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, they have their reward. But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly” ( Matthew 6:1-4).

Testimony – Today, the poor have many needs, and we have many opportunities to help them: “Great temporal needs of the children of Heavenly Father have come again in our time as they have and as they will in all times. The principles at the foundation of the Church Welfare Program are not only for one time or one place. They are for all times and all places," (Henry B. Eyring, April 2011 General Conference). These needs give us a wonderful opportunity to help the poor and thereby “[retain] a remission of [our] sins from day to day, that [we]may walk guiltless before God” (Mosiah 4:26).

Released on May 5th. 2024.