Declaring vs. Doing

Unfortunately for Michael Scott, declaring bankruptcy is not as easy as merely yelling the word "bankruptcy." He probably was confused when someone told him that if he would only declare bankruptcy, his problems would go away. The real problem, though, arose in Michael's misunderstanding of what it meant to "declare" bankruptcy. In reality, declaring bankruptcy is a lengthy process, requiring dozens of forms, consultations, and court hearings. It is something that takes a lot of work and is hardly a passive or easy process.

The same principle applies in our spiritual lives as well. There are some in the world that would say all that is necessary is to say that you believe and that will suffice. Christ spoke against this lack of responsibility when he said, "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven (Matthew 7:21)." In addition to "declaring" our willingness, we also have to "do" the will of the Father. So what is the will of the Father? When speaking to the people in the Americas, Christ said, "And no unclean thing can enter into his kingdom; therefore nothing entereth into his rest save it be those who have washed their garments in my blood, because of their faith, and the repentance of all their sins, and their faithfulness unto the end. Now this is the commandment: Repent, all ye ends of the earth, and come unto me and be baptized in my name, that ye may be sanctified by the reception of the Holy Ghost, that ye may stand spotless before me at the last day (3 Nephi 27:19-20)." There is a way to become clean and it is through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. He has asked that we but have faith, repent, be baptized, receive and follow the Holy Ghost, and follow his commandments to the end. Or in other words, "the will of the Father." At times it may not seem like the easiest process, but the gift of becoming clean and pure is worth any sacrifice we may have to make in our lives.