< Mosiah 26 >
v.1 Now it came to pass that there were many of the rising generation that could not understand the words of king Benjamin, being little children at the time he spake not his people; and they did not believe the tradition of their fathers.
Two opposing mindsets / forces
The rising generation / the tradition of their fathers
- You see this in society (counterculture of the 60s throwing off the 50s greatest generation morality / baby boomer generation vs. milenials).
- does it always have to be that way, is one side bad and one side good?
- Two forces that have positives and negatives
Rising Generation:
Positives: Vitality, ambition, ability to look at old problems in new ways, Willingness to embrace change.
Negatives: Overdo change (change too much), tendency to completely reject the past, diregard eternal values and doctrine.
Traditions of the Fathers:
Positives: Loyalty, stability, rooted in heritage, experience and wisdom
Negatives: Narrow-minded, tendency to dismiss the rising generation, struggle to recognize difference between cultural norms and eternal principles.
Would be nice to match the energy of the rising generation and the energy of the tradition of the fathers, we could do a lot of good.
D&C 1:30 - true and living church - the church needs to be both, core beliefs and doctrines, but adaptable and changeable.
Two opposing mindsets / forces
The rising generation / the tradition of their fathers
- You see this in society (counterculture of the 60s throwing off the 50s greatest generation morality / baby boomer generation vs. milenials).
- does it always have to be that way, is one side bad and one side good?
- Two forces that have positives and negatives
Rising Generation:
Positives: Vitality, ambition, ability to look at old problems in new ways, Willingness to embrace change.
Negatives: Overdo change (change too much), tendency to completely reject the past, diregard eternal values and doctrine.
Traditions of the Fathers:
Positives: Loyalty, stability, rooted in heritage, experience and wisdom
Negatives: Narrow-minded, tendency to dismiss the rising generation, struggle to recognize difference between cultural norms and eternal principles.
Would be nice to match the energy of the rising generation and the energy of the tradition of the fathers, we could do a lot of good.
D&C 1:30 - true and living church - the church needs to be both, core beliefs and doctrines, but adaptable and changeable.
v. 1 ... and they did not believe the tradition of their fathers.
Mosiah 26:1-4
Mormon doesn't blame the parents, he points out some issues that impacted the kids:
v. 1-2: They don't believe in traditional gospel principles
v.3: they lack understanding of the word of God
v.4: They remain in their carnal and sinful state indefinately
v.4: They seperate themselves from God's people
v.4: They refuse to make covenants
v.4: They won't call upon God
So what's a parent to do? How can parents help the rising generation to maintain their vitality but embrace and respect the traditions of the fathers?
1) When kids are young, help them do what a disciple does.
- study scriptures, pray with them, take them to church with us, let them see us pay our tithing, pray, etc.
- stacks the odds in our favor but doesn't guarantee anyhing
2) Help them make covenants, that will make them want to associate with the church
3) Teach them to pray, have a relationship with God.
Embrace the future and respect the past.
Mosiah 26:1-4
Mormon doesn't blame the parents, he points out some issues that impacted the kids:
v. 1-2: They don't believe in traditional gospel principles
v.3: they lack understanding of the word of God
v.4: They remain in their carnal and sinful state indefinately
v.4: They seperate themselves from God's people
v.4: They refuse to make covenants
v.4: They won't call upon God
So what's a parent to do? How can parents help the rising generation to maintain their vitality but embrace and respect the traditions of the fathers?
1) When kids are young, help them do what a disciple does.
- study scriptures, pray with them, take them to church with us, let them see us pay our tithing, pray, etc.
- stacks the odds in our favor but doesn't guarantee anyhing
2) Help them make covenants, that will make them want to associate with the church
3) Teach them to pray, have a relationship with God.
Embrace the future and respect the past.
The power of flattery
Flattery: excessive or insincere praise given to gain favor, influence, or advantage, rather than to express genuine admiration. Insincere, hidden motive, emotional leverage.
Why it works:
Flattery lowers skepticism
When someone praises us, our brain subtly shifts from evaluation mode to reward mode.
Flattery works best when it:
It short-circuits social threat detection
Praise signals alliance, not danger. Evolutionarily:
It exploits self-esteem gaps
Flattery is most effective when it:
Why it still works even when we know it’s flattery
This part is key:
Knowing you’re being flattered doesn’t fully protect you.
Because:
Ancient wisdom noticed this long ago, Scripture calls this out directly:
“A flattering mouth worketh ruin.”
— Proverbs 26:28
And:
“They speak vanity every one with his neighbour: with flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak.”
— Psalm 12:2
Flattery isn’t just false praise—it’s manipulated affection.
Flattery: excessive or insincere praise given to gain favor, influence, or advantage, rather than to express genuine admiration. Insincere, hidden motive, emotional leverage.
Why it works:
Flattery lowers skepticism
When someone praises us, our brain subtly shifts from evaluation mode to reward mode.
- Compliments trigger dopamine. Dopamine reduces critical thinking. We unconsciously assume: “People who like me are safe.”
Flattery works best when it:
- Aligns with how we already see ourselves, or validates how we want to be seen.
- That’s why effective flattery isn’t random—it’s targeted: “You’re the kind of person who really thinks deeply about this.” Now rejecting the flatterer feels like rejecting our own identity.
It short-circuits social threat detection
Praise signals alliance, not danger. Evolutionarily:
- Criticism = potential threat
- Flattery = potential ally
It exploits self-esteem gaps
Flattery is most effective when it:
- Fills an insecurity
- Touches a sensitive pride
- Arrives when someone is tired, stressed, or uncertain
- Sales
- Cult recruitment
- Political manipulation
- Spiritual abuse contexts
Why it still works even when we know it’s flattery
This part is key:
Knowing you’re being flattered doesn’t fully protect you.
Because:
- Emotional responses fire before conscious reasoning
- The compliment still lands
- The goodwill still forms
Ancient wisdom noticed this long ago, Scripture calls this out directly:
“A flattering mouth worketh ruin.”
— Proverbs 26:28
And:
“They speak vanity every one with his neighbour: with flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak.”
— Psalm 12:2
Flattery isn’t just false praise—it’s manipulated affection.
v. 22 For behold, this is my church; whosoever is baptized shall be baptized unto repentance. And whomsoever ye receive shall believe in my name; and him will I freely forgive.
Fundamental Forgiveness Phrases
1) Mosiah 25:10 - the immediate goodness of God - He never leaves us, we walk away from Him. Like in the progidal son, the father's love is immediate. Repentance is not immediate or easy, but forgiveness is.
2) Mosiah 26:22 - freely forgive (quickly, readily, willingly, unreservadely) - we don't earn forgiveness, it is given freely or willingly. The real work of repentance isn't convincing God to forgive us, it is changing our hearts
3) Mosiah 26:30 - as often as they repent will I forgive them. We have to fogive till 70 x 7, God will forgive often and repeatedly.
4) Mosiah 26:31- forgive one another. If there is a prerequesite to forgiveness, then maybe forgiving our fellow man could be argued, but in the end, that is about changing our will.
Truth: God's forgiveness is immediate - near and swift. God freely and willingly forgives his children. God will forgive us as often as we sincerely repent. If we refuse to forgive others, God will not forgive us.
When have you seen the power of fogiveness in your life?
Mosiah 27 is a real life example of these principles in action with the story of Alma the Younger
Fundamental Forgiveness Phrases
1) Mosiah 25:10 - the immediate goodness of God - He never leaves us, we walk away from Him. Like in the progidal son, the father's love is immediate. Repentance is not immediate or easy, but forgiveness is.
2) Mosiah 26:22 - freely forgive (quickly, readily, willingly, unreservadely) - we don't earn forgiveness, it is given freely or willingly. The real work of repentance isn't convincing God to forgive us, it is changing our hearts
3) Mosiah 26:30 - as often as they repent will I forgive them. We have to fogive till 70 x 7, God will forgive often and repeatedly.
4) Mosiah 26:31- forgive one another. If there is a prerequesite to forgiveness, then maybe forgiving our fellow man could be argued, but in the end, that is about changing our will.
Truth: God's forgiveness is immediate - near and swift. God freely and willingly forgives his children. God will forgive us as often as we sincerely repent. If we refuse to forgive others, God will not forgive us.
When have you seen the power of fogiveness in your life?
Mosiah 27 is a real life example of these principles in action with the story of Alma the Younger
v. 25 And it shall come to pass that when the second trump shall sound then shall they that never knew me come froth and shall stand before me.
Second trump
Revelation 8:8–9:
“And the second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea: and the third part of the sea became blood;
And the third part of the creatures which were in the sea, and had life, died; and the third part of the ships were destroyed.”
The second of seven trumpets, comes after the seventh seal is opened. The second trumpet is early in the judgment cycle, not at the end.
Second trump
Revelation 8:8–9:
“And the second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea: and the third part of the sea became blood;
And the third part of the creatures which were in the sea, and had life, died; and the third part of the ships were destroyed.”
The second of seven trumpets, comes after the seventh seal is opened. The second trumpet is early in the judgment cycle, not at the end.
v. 31 And ye shall also forgive one another your trespasses; for verily I say unto you, he that forgiveth not his neighbor's trespasses when he says that he repents, the same hath brought himself under condemnation.
Forgive our neighbors
Luke 17:3-4
3 Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.
4 And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.
Forgiveness is not about excusing or forgetting the offense; rather, it's a conscious decision to release the grip of resentment and anger from our hearts. It looks like a conscious choice to release the emotional grip the offense has on you, prioritizing your own peace and well-being over dwelling on past pain, which involves acknowledging hurt, accepting what happened, setting boundaries, and freeing yourself from the need for revenge or the offender's change, allowing you to move forward without carrying resentment. It's an internal act of self-liberation, not necessarily reconciliation or forgetting.
What it looks like in action:
Ultimately, it's a personal, internal decision to stop being a prisoner of past hurts, giving yourself the gift of freedom.
Mayo Clinic article about forgiveness: Forgiveness: Letting go of grudges and bitterness.
Seven = completeness, wholeness, fullness. As often as repentence is complete, forgiveness must also be complete.
Verse 4 is brutal, its past the breaking point of natural patience, that's why in the next verse the apostles ask the Lord to increase their fiath...this is going to be hard, doing this will require divine help.
Matthew 18:21-22
v. 21 Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?
v. 22 Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.
Then Jesus shares the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant.
Forgive our neighbors
Luke 17:3-4
3 Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.
4 And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.
Forgiveness is not about excusing or forgetting the offense; rather, it's a conscious decision to release the grip of resentment and anger from our hearts. It looks like a conscious choice to release the emotional grip the offense has on you, prioritizing your own peace and well-being over dwelling on past pain, which involves acknowledging hurt, accepting what happened, setting boundaries, and freeing yourself from the need for revenge or the offender's change, allowing you to move forward without carrying resentment. It's an internal act of self-liberation, not necessarily reconciliation or forgetting.
What it looks like in action:
- Acceptance: Accepting the reality that the harmful event occurred, without condoning it.
- Releasing Control: Choosing not to let the offender's actions continue to control your emotional state and daily life.
- Self-Focus: Shifting energy from the past wrong to your present and future well-being.
- Setting Boundaries: Deciding if the person is safe to have in your life, which might mean limiting contact or ending the relationship, even after forgiving them.
- Emotional Processing: Acknowledging your pain, grief, and anger, then consciously choosing to release them as they no longer serve you.
- Inner Peace: Finding a sense of quiet, internal freedom and peace, even if external circumstances haven't changed.
- Forgetting: You can remember the event to learn from it, but without the emotional sting.
- Excusing: You don't have to say the behavior was okay or condone it.
- Reconciliation: It doesn't require you to trust or re-engage with the person who hurt you.
- Suppressing Anger: It involves working through anger, not ignoring it.
Ultimately, it's a personal, internal decision to stop being a prisoner of past hurts, giving yourself the gift of freedom.
Mayo Clinic article about forgiveness: Forgiveness: Letting go of grudges and bitterness.
Seven = completeness, wholeness, fullness. As often as repentence is complete, forgiveness must also be complete.
Verse 4 is brutal, its past the breaking point of natural patience, that's why in the next verse the apostles ask the Lord to increase their fiath...this is going to be hard, doing this will require divine help.
Matthew 18:21-22
v. 21 Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?
v. 22 Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.
Then Jesus shares the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant.
v. 31 And ye shall also forgive one another your trespasses; for verily I say unto you, he that forgiveth not his neighbor's trespasses when he says that he repents, the same hath brought himself under condemnation.
The Peacegiver - James Ferrell - a book about forgiveness.
The biblical story (1 Samuel 25)
And blessed be thy advice… that thou hast kept me this day from coming to shed blood.”
— 1 Samuel 25:32–33
How The Peacegiver uses Abigail
In the book, Abigail is not just a peacemaker — she is a type of Christ. Her role teaches what forgiveness actually is (and isn’t).
Forgiveness is not excusing wrongdoing
Abigail never says Nabal was right.
She says: “Let this iniquity be upon me” (v. 24). That’s crucial.
Forgiveness acknowledges wrong but refuses retaliation. Forgiveness absorbs cost instead of demanding payment.
This is the heart of the book’s message.
David wanted:
The Peacegiver argues: Every conflict continues because someone insists the other person pay. Peace comes when someone absorbs the cost instead.
Unforgiveness puts us under condemnation
David was the wronged party — but he was the one about to sin gravely.
Abigail helps him see:
Forgiveness restores moral clarity
Abigail reminds David who he really is:
“The LORD will certainly make my lord a sure house… and my lord fighteth the battles of the LORD.”
She anchors him to:
Why Abigail = “The Peacegiver”
In the book’s framing:
Forgiveness is choosing to bear the cost of another’s sin so that you do not become enslaved by it. But we don't have to bear that cost, Christ already did. We just have to accept that He did.
That’s why:
When we refuse to forgive others, we are essentially saying that the Atonement of Christ was insufficient to pay for that person's sin. By "holding out for more" or demanding that the offender suffer further, we are finding fault with Christ's sacrifice.
When someone offends us, we have to be willing to let Christ take that burden as payment and recognize that justice is served and we can move on, free from our personal prison. The miracle of Christ's atonement is that it provides forgiveness for the sinner but also for the one sinned against. It's mercy is truly universal.
The Peacegiver - James Ferrell - a book about forgiveness.
The biblical story (1 Samuel 25)
- Nabal insults and refuses David
- David is justified, angry, and on his way to shed blood
- Abigail, Nabal’s wife, intercepts David
- She: takes responsibility she didn’t personally deserve then speaks truth without accusation. Appeals to David’s future identity, not his present rage.
- David repents, spares Nabal’s household, and later says:
And blessed be thy advice… that thou hast kept me this day from coming to shed blood.”
— 1 Samuel 25:32–33
How The Peacegiver uses Abigail
In the book, Abigail is not just a peacemaker — she is a type of Christ. Her role teaches what forgiveness actually is (and isn’t).
Forgiveness is not excusing wrongdoing
Abigail never says Nabal was right.
She says: “Let this iniquity be upon me” (v. 24). That’s crucial.
Forgiveness acknowledges wrong but refuses retaliation. Forgiveness absorbs cost instead of demanding payment.
This is the heart of the book’s message.
David wanted:
- Justice
- Vindication
- Payment in blood
- Provision
- Humility
- Intercession
The Peacegiver argues: Every conflict continues because someone insists the other person pay. Peace comes when someone absorbs the cost instead.
Unforgiveness puts us under condemnation
David was the wronged party — but he was the one about to sin gravely.
Abigail helps him see:
- His anger would cost him his integrity
- Violence would contradict his calling
- He would regret it later
Forgiveness restores moral clarity
Abigail reminds David who he really is:
“The LORD will certainly make my lord a sure house… and my lord fighteth the battles of the LORD.”
She anchors him to:
- His covenant identity
- His future kingship
- God’s justice, not his own
Why Abigail = “The Peacegiver”
In the book’s framing:
- Abigail steps into danger
- Takes responsibility
- Intercedes
- Prevents judgment
- Brings peace through humility
- Absorbs sins He didn’t commit
- Stops cycles of violence
- Saves both offender and offended
- Frees us from self-condemnation
Forgiveness is choosing to bear the cost of another’s sin so that you do not become enslaved by it. But we don't have to bear that cost, Christ already did. We just have to accept that He did.
That’s why:
- Refusing to forgive keeps us trapped
- Forgiveness frees us first
- Peace comes not by winning, but by laying down the demand for payment
When we refuse to forgive others, we are essentially saying that the Atonement of Christ was insufficient to pay for that person's sin. By "holding out for more" or demanding that the offender suffer further, we are finding fault with Christ's sacrifice.
When someone offends us, we have to be willing to let Christ take that burden as payment and recognize that justice is served and we can move on, free from our personal prison. The miracle of Christ's atonement is that it provides forgiveness for the sinner but also for the one sinned against. It's mercy is truly universal.
v. 39 ... being commanded of God to pray without ceasing, and to give thanks in all things.
Give thanks
1 Thessalonians 5:18: In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
It's a call to maintain a grateful hearth not just in good times but in all circumstances. Not for everything but in everything.
Why give thanks in all things?
1) It's God's will - He wants us to trust Him above our circumstances.
2) It's about perspective - it's not about being happy in suffering, but finding reasons to thank God in the midst of it, seeing beyond the immediate pain to a greater purpose
3) It builds character - DIfficulties, when met with gratitude, can build perserverance and character, leading to a grater hope.
4) It's counter-cultural - Chosing gratitude is a powerful way to resist negativity and turst in God's provision and plan.
5) It takes practice - It takes constant effort to be grateful, but transfroms how we see life and it's details.
6) It breaks the illusion of entitlement - gratitude reminds us that life is received, not owed. Without it, we become resentful, focus on fairness, injustice.
7) It keeps suffering from becoming identity - pain is inevitable, bitterness is optional.
8) Preserves humility during success - keeps us from pride, ackonwoledges God as our source of unseen help, keeps joy from becoming self-importance.
9) It is a sign of trust - I don't understand this, but I trust God more than my understanding.
10) It tranforms us - gratitude rarely changes the circumstance, it changes the person. And a changed person responds to the same world in a different way.
Give thanks
1 Thessalonians 5:18: In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
It's a call to maintain a grateful hearth not just in good times but in all circumstances. Not for everything but in everything.
Why give thanks in all things?
1) It's God's will - He wants us to trust Him above our circumstances.
2) It's about perspective - it's not about being happy in suffering, but finding reasons to thank God in the midst of it, seeing beyond the immediate pain to a greater purpose
3) It builds character - DIfficulties, when met with gratitude, can build perserverance and character, leading to a grater hope.
4) It's counter-cultural - Chosing gratitude is a powerful way to resist negativity and turst in God's provision and plan.
5) It takes practice - It takes constant effort to be grateful, but transfroms how we see life and it's details.
6) It breaks the illusion of entitlement - gratitude reminds us that life is received, not owed. Without it, we become resentful, focus on fairness, injustice.
7) It keeps suffering from becoming identity - pain is inevitable, bitterness is optional.
8) Preserves humility during success - keeps us from pride, ackonwoledges God as our source of unseen help, keeps joy from becoming self-importance.
9) It is a sign of trust - I don't understand this, but I trust God more than my understanding.
10) It tranforms us - gratitude rarely changes the circumstance, it changes the person. And a changed person responds to the same world in a different way.