2.93 All Things Unto Me are Spiritual

In Matthew 5:13, Jesus calls us the salt of the earth, a bold reminder that our lives are meant to carry his flavor, his truth, and his love to the world. Join me each day to explore one verse of scripture and one thought, striving to stay full of savor and truly live as savory salt. Hello, my friends.

Great to have you with me. Today, let's be anxiously engaged in a good cause and bring to pass much righteousness. Wow!

Did I warn you about Doctrine and Covenants section 29, or did I warn you? There is some great stuff inside of here, and we're going to continue looking inside of Doctrine and Covenants section 29. But keep in mind that your reading this week includes 2 Nephi 33 and the front end of Jacob in Jacob 1–4.

We're going to dive straight into our verse for today, because it's probably going to be a short episode and some time for you to reflect, dive in, investigate, look, ponder all the things outside of the podcast. We're going to look at Doctrine and Covenants section 29, verse 34. Know that when I say 34, we're going to actually think 34 and 35 together.

And honestly, it comes with some verses before that as well, and a couple of verses right after, but really 34 is where we're going to be focused. It says, "Wherefore, verily I say unto you that all things unto me are spiritual. And not at any time have I given unto you a law, which was temporal, neither any—" Now, this one has definitely had some space to bring in debate.

I'm trying to think about the nice way to say this. There are different laws, commandments that we have inside The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints that can become controversial for those on the outside looking in, and even controversial for those on the inside looking in. There are laws, commandments, whatever you want to call them, that we follow that, I think, get lost in the lens of temporal lens.

And we forget this direct comment from the Lord: "Nothing, not at any time have I given you a law which was temporal," all the way from Adam until today. And so whether it be what members of the Church do with how they choose to wear their garments, right? The Word of Wisdom, the Law of Tithing—like, I'm just naming ones that seemingly appear to just be temporal in nature.

Like, did you put them on or not? Did you drink the thing or not? Did you take the drug or not?

Did you pay the 10 or not? Like, these things look like they're very, very temporal. And yet we learn from the Lord here that he does nothing temporally—like, not at any time, never.

And then we learn in 35, it says, "And you get to be an agent for yourself to decide whether these are temporal or spiritual, but I'm going to let you know they're spiritual." My friends, what does it take and what do we need to do to see the things in our lives through a spiritual lens at all times? I would love for you to take some time and do some research around Doctrine and Covenants section 29, verses 34 and 35. Look into it in conference talks.

Look into it in what prophets and apostles have spoken on. See what research you can find inside of those verses and see what the Lord can teach you personally. As you lean into it, you will see things through a spiritual lens.

If you will ask the Lord for direction and for guidance, he too can open your spiritual eyes so that we begin to realize that when we sit down and try to explain to someone or justify to someone why we choose to live the Word of Wisdom, you know, I know what I do: I try to temporally explain it, and it just doesn't work. And the reason it doesn't work is because I'm not explaining a temporal law; it's spiritual. What does it take for you and I to explain it?

And that's why the episode is short, sweet, and to the point. That's all for today, my friends. Lift up your hearts and rejoice.

Cleave unto the covenants you have made—the spiritual ones, not just the temporal ones, the spiritual ones. And together we will be savory salt.