Seeking Treasures on Earth and in Heaven

Joseph Smith was trying to be Moses AND Jesus. It appears that he took passages of the Bible and either used them as examples of ways he could shape his organization, or he stuck them in the Book of Mormon, altered, in his own words. Sometimes these words ring true. But often, they are altered in a way that distorts the real truth.

Jacob 2: 17-19: "Think of your brethren like unto yourselves, and be familiar with all and free with your substance, that they may be rich like unto you.
"But before ye seek for riches, seek ye for the kingdom of God.
"And after ye have obtained a hope in Christ ye shall obtain riches, if ye seek them; and ye will seek them for the intent to do good--to clothe the naked, and to feed the hungry, and to liberate the captive, and administer relief to the sick and the afflicted."

This sounds principled enough. Seek for the kingdom of God first. Be familiar with your brothers and sisters. Be free with your substance. Make everyone else rich, too.

If you seek riches, seek them for the intent to do good by clothing the naked, feeding the hungry, liberating the captive, and administering relief to the sick and the afflicted.

Especially when we get to verse 19, this all sounds very good. But let me think critically for a moment.

It seems that being free with your substance that all may be rich could be stretched to mean: live the United Order that Joseph Smith and Brigham Young have set up. Turn all your wealth over to us and we'll re-distribute it! This is the kind of thing the early LDS pioneers lived. Essentially, it's a form of socialism.

Also, the idea of seeking for riches for anything BUT helping others is ignored in this Book of Mormon passage. People need things as they go through life. They need to pay off debts. They need to pay for treatment of their medical conditions. They need to pay for items and help that further their vocations and callings in life. They need to feed and clothe their children. If giving all your money to charity is all you ever had to do with your money, this would be great. But money matters get complicated. Particularly in the complicated world in which we live.

Also, in the early days of the Church, Brigham Young was advising the people to avoid going prospecting in California. The time of the gold rush and the start of the wealth from that American historical period was something that threatened the status of Brigham Young and his Church, and the membership of that church.

So, what if the people had sought for the kingdom of God and could go on to seeking riches? Well, Brigham Young didn't even let them think about it. Another Book of Mormon passage disrespected by an LDS leader!

There is a Bible passage that I really like. It complements and constrasts the Jacob Book of Mormon passage. It is a passage from The Sermon on the Mount.

"This is why I tell you: Don't worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Isn't life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the sky; they don't sow or reap or gather in barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren't you worth more than they? Can any of you add a single cubit to his height by worrying? And why do you worry about clothes? Learn how the wildflowers of the field grow: they don't labor or spin thread. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was adorned like one of these! If that's how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and thrown into the furnace tomorrow, won't He do much more for you--you of little faith? So don't worry, saying 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we wear?' For the idolaters eagerly seek all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you. Therefore don't worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." (Matthew 6:25-34, Holman Bible.)

So, basically, this Biblical passage tells you to seek the kingdom of God first as well. It also says to seek "His righteousness." You are not just trying to be saved. You are also trying to be good and partake of the love that Jesus offers those who seek Him. This is a quest for a sacred life, not just the promise of a sacred afterlife, as the Book of Mormon passage might have you believe.

Basically, all the physical and material things it mentions in the passage will be provided for you if you first seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness. It does not mean that you stop seeking for the kingdom and His righteousness. It does not say that now you can go get rich. It says that as you seek Jesus and all that is right, you will be provided for. This probably means, on a very simple level, that if you plead with the Lord in prayer for a car, you might not even be listened to. But if you seek righteousness and salvation, you will be more guided in your attempts to fill the needs of this life, including your need for a car. The Lord will help provide for those who truly seek Him.

Also, there is more instruction: "Don't collect for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break through and steal. But collect for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves don't break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." (Matthew 6: 19-21, Holman Bible)

Basically, the treasures you collect should be things you can take with you. And they should be that which helps you gain reward in heaven. If you are caught up in constantly looking for material wealth and material things, you are very in danger of never looking to collect that which will nourish your soul and give you reward in heaven.

Basically, seeking for riches is something that must be balanced with seeking for the kingdom of God. The Book of Mormon says it is okay, flat out, after you have "hope in Christ," I guess maybe hope of salvation. The Bible says that it is okay only when balanced with seeking for Jesus and His righteousness and treasures in heaven. So, we must forever balance, in the Bible's approach. The Book of Mormon seriously undervalues this seeking for Christ and righteousness and reward in heaven.

It seems arrogant to me that we should have obtained "the kingdom of God," and then are able to abandon this search to get rich.

So, basically, here is one place I found today that shows that the Bible indeed has more to offer us.