Jeremiah 31:3) He has opened our eyes to behold the wonders of His Creation, and our minds to discern the glory of His works. But, notwithstanding His goodness and grace, we must realize that He has placed us here upon Earth, and enjoined to do His bidding. Sometimes we forget God's mighty works. Too often in pursuit of life's vanities we follow the evil inclinations with which Satan has filled our hearts, and therein transgress God's holy laws. The enticements of the devil, and his invitation to us that we partake with his servants of the pseudo-joys and follies of the world-if we fall to his allurements-leaves us shackled by the bonds of sin, and lettered, both hands and feet, by the chains of hell.
Little by little, we are bound by Satan; little by little, we become his slaves-the victims of corruption. Our desires for the higher things of life become dulled, and our judgment of what is right, and what is wrong, warped. The Spirit of Christ is crowded from our hearts. The fears of Mormon expressed in verse 14, then become real. "Wherefore," he says, "take heed, my brethren, that ye do not judge that which is evil to be of God, or that which is good and of God to be of the devil."
The Spirit of Christ is given to every man. The Spirit of Christ is truth and light. "A light which is endless, that can never be darkened." (Abinadi, Psalm 36:9) Again, Mormon says: "Wherefore, I beseech of you, brethren, that ye should search diligently in the light of Christ that ye may know good from evil; and if ye will lay hold upon every good thing, and condemn it not, ye certainly will be a child of Christ." (v. 19) The Spirit giveth light; the admonishment of Mormon differs only in words from the reasoned judgment of the Jewish Elders. "That which is of God is light"; the prophets and teachers of Israel, in every age of the Gospel, have likened light to knowledge and truth; darkness to superstition and evil. All truth is of God.
The Lord Jesus, Himself, when instructing the Nephites upon His visit to them in the Land Bountiful, said: "Therefore it shall come to pass that whosoever will not believe My words, Who am Jesus Christ...shall be cut off from among My people who are of the Covenant" (Ether 4:11-12)
"And I know that the Lord God will consecrate my prayers for the gain of my people. And the words which I have written in weakness will be made strong unto them; for it persuadeth them to do good; it maketh known unto them of their fathers; and it speaketh of Jesus, and persuadeth them to believe in Him, and to endure to the end, which is Eternal Life." (II Nephi 33:4)
In the development of the subject of his sermon, the theme of which he announced as "Faith, Hope, and Charity," Mormon now gives the key by which all may know for a surety the things of God, and the things of the devil. He says, "But behold, that which is of God inviteth and enticeth to do good continually; wherefore, everything which inviteth and encticeth to do good, and to love God, and to serve Him, is inspired of God" (v. 13) That is the truth upon which all things depend.
They knowing that all good things come from God, Mormon's brethren were urged by him to "lay hold upon every good thing." The weakness of the flesh in spite of the urging of a willing spirit, proposed to their minds a solemn inquiry: "How is it possible that ye can lay hold upon every good thing?" Mormon, perceiving their quandary, was quick to answer: "I will tell you the way whereby ye may lay hold on every good thing." Faith, that force or power by which all things are done, was Mormon's first assault on the dilemma they posed. It was the first part of his promised text, Faith, Hope, and Charity.