Freedom to Become Like God

2 Nephi 2:26 - "And the Messiah cometh in the fulness of time, that he may redeem the children of men from the fall. And because that they are redeemed from the fall they have become free forever, knowing good from evil; to act for themselves and not to be acted upon, save it be by the punishment of the law at the great and last day, according to the commandments which God hath given."

Elder D. Todd Christofferson - “It is God’s will that we be free men and women enabled to rise to our full potential both temporally and spiritually, that we be free from the humiliating limitations of poverty and the bondage of sin, that we enjoy self-respect and independence, that we be prepared in all things to join Him in His celestial kingdom.” 

President David O. McKay - "God could not make men like himself without making them free."

President David O. McKay - The third element of freedom is the availability of choices. "Only to the human being did the Creator say: 'thou mayest choose for thyself, for it is given unto thee' (Moses 3:17). As God intended man to become as he, it was necessary that He should first make him free"

Seek this Jesus - A Book of Mormon Daily Podcast invites you to discover the joy and guidance that comes from studying the Book of Mormon everyday. This podcast would hope to just be a supplement to your studies. 

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Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:12

Welcome to Seek This Jesus, a daily podcast dedicated to drawing closer to the Savior through the powerful truths found in the Book of Mormon. Each episode, we focus on one verse that helps us walk more faithfully in His footsteps. One of the great truths of the gospel is that freedom is not something God allows. It is something God desires for us. He does not want us trapped by sin, fear, weakness, addiction, pride, or anything else that limits what we can become. True freedom is not simply the ability to do whatever we want. It is the ability to choose what is right, to grow spiritually, and to move toward our divine potential. Because of the fall we live in a world filled with opposition, temptation, and difficult choices. But because of Jesus Christ, we are not trapped by that fallen condition. Through his atonement, we are given the ability to choose, repent, improve, and become more like our Father in heaven. Freedom is one of the great gifts Christ restored to us. Second Nephi two twenty six declares And the Messiah cometh in the fullness of time, that he may redeem the children of men from the fall, and because that they are redeemed from the fall they have become free forever, knowing good from evil, to act for themselves and not to be acted upon. Save it be by the punishment of the law at the great and last day, according to the commandments which God hath given. As we study this verse today, along with teachings from Elder D. Tod Christopher and President David O'May, we will consider what it means to be free forever and how that freedom helps us become more like God and live with purpose in Jesus Christ. Welcome to part one for verse twenty six. When Lehi taught that we have become free forever, he was teaching something much deeper than political freedom or personal independence. He was teaching that through Jesus Christ we are no longer permanently trapped by the effects of the fall. Without Christ, mankind would have remained separated from God forever. We would have had no power to overcome death, no way to repent of sin, and no opportunity to change. But because the Messiah came, every person is placed in a condition where choices matter. Lehi explains that we are free because we are redeemed from the fall. Redemption comes before freedom. That is important. We are not free because we are naturally strong enough or wise enough on our own. We are free because Jesus Christ broke the chains that would have held us forever. This freedom includes the ability to know good from evil. We are not left in confusion or darkness. God gives commandments, conscience, scripture, prophets, and the Holy Ghost that we can recognize truth. Then once truth is known, we can choose whether to follow it. Freedom is one of the clearest signs of God's love. He does not force righteousness, he invites it. He teaches us, warns us, blesses us, and encourages us. But he still allows us to choose. That gift of choice is essential because God's purpose is not merely to have obedient children, his purpose is to help us become like Him. President David O'Maye taught God cannot make men like himself without making them free. That statement teaches us that agency is not just part of mortality, it is part of becoming divine. If we are going to become like God, we must learn to choose righteousness willingly, not because we are forced. President David O. McKay also taught The third element of freedom is the availability of choices. Only to the human being did the Creator say, Thou mayest choose for thyself, for it is given unto thee. As God intended man to become as he, it was necessary that he should first make him free. God does not intend for us to remain spiritually immature. He wants us to grow in wisdom, character, faith, and holiness. That growth only happens when we are given real choices and real consequences. Agency gives meaning to obedience, it gives meaning to repentance, it gives meaning to sacrifice. If there were no choice, there could be no righteousness. There could also be no love because love must be freely given. This is why Satan's plan was so destructive. He wanted to remove agency. He wanted salvation without choice, glory without growth, and obedience without willingness. But Heavenly Father's plan preserved freedom because freedom is necessary for transformation. The Lord wants us to become people who choose honesty when lying would be easier, purity when temptation is stronger, patience when frustration rises, and faith when answers do not come quickly. Those daily choices shape who we become. Many people today think freedom means having no rules, no limits, and no expectations. The world often teaches that commandments restrict us, and that obedience takes away happiness, but the gospel teaches the opposite. Sin creates bondage. Righteousness creates freedom. Elder D Todd Christopherson taught it is God's will that we be free men and women enabled to rise to our full potential, both temporally and spiritually, that we be free from the humiliating limitations of poverty and the bondage of sin, that we enjoy self respect and independence, that we be prepared in all things to join him in his celestial kingdom. That kind of freedom is much greater than simply being able to do whatever we want in the moment. It is the freedom to become what God created us to become. We may think we are free when we ignore commandments, delay repentance or follow worldly trends, but those choices eventually limit us. Sin narrows freedom. Pride narrows freedom. Addictions narrow freedom. Spiritual laziness narrows freedom. By contrast, obedience expands freedom. Repentance expands freedom. Scripture study, prayer, temple worship, and covenant keeping all expand our ability to receive revelation, resist temptation, act with confidence, and expands our freedom. Every day we are becoming something. We are either learning to govern ourselves through Christ, or we are allowing outside influences to govern us. Lehi reminds us that we are meant to act for themselves and not to be acted upon. That means we do not have to let habits, fears, media, culture, or temptation decide our lives for us. So here is today's challenge. Identify one area of life where we may be giving away freedom by allowing habits, distractions, temptations, or outside pressures to control us. Then choose one specific action this week that will help us act more deliberately and become more like the person God wants us to be. Thank you for listening to Seek This Jesus. I hope this message helps you draw a little closer to the Savior Jesus Christ. Please, don't let this podcast be your only scripture time today. I encourage you to open your scriptures, because when you study God's Word personally, the Spirit will teach you things no podcast ever could. I invite you to come back tomorrow for another verse and message to help you keep focused on Jesus Christ. Until next time, keep seeking this Jesus.