For those of us with occasional evil desires, this quality is noteworthy. The concept is introduced in the Book of Mormon after the sermon of king Benjamin when the people responded, we believe all the words which thou hast spoken unto us; and also, we know of their surety and truth, because of the Spirit of the Lord Omnipotent, which has wrought a mighty change in us, or in our hearts, that we have no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually (Mosiah 5:2). Once one has really made the transition from carnal to spiritual, the carnal desires leave. This is part of being born again and is the state of purity which the righteous must seek. As with all things we must become like God who cannot look upon sin with the least degree of allowance (Alma 45:16).
This purity comes through the light of God which Lamoni first tasted while under the influence of the Spirit, the light…did light up his mind, which was the light of the glory of God, which was a marvelous light of his goodness (v. 6). The Savior reminded us of the effect this light will have on our bodies if we will receive it, The light of the body is the eye; if, therefore, thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light (3 Nephi 13:22). If our hearts have evil desires, it must be because our eye is not single to the glory of God. Otherwise the light of God would have purged all the darkness from our minds, spirits, and bodies.
Delbert L. Stapley
“When the light of Christ is in one’s soul there can be no darkness which leads to temptation and sin. You cannot take darkness into a lighted room any more than one can create doubt in the heart of a person where true faith and testimony exist.” (Neal A. Maxwell, That My Family Should Partake, p. 88)