Salt that has Lost its Savor

Christ gave the appellation, "husbandmen," to the Jews in their commission to prepare for his coming among them as the Son of God. (JST-Matt. 21:35-56.) Fulfilling God's foreordained purposes in illustrating the inate weakness of humankind when they chose to rely on their own strength, they blundered in their responsibility and crucified their Messiah. Hence, to us their "husbandman" title carries a negative connotation. Yet the actual denotation of the title is one of distinction. The Jews at that time were indeed set apart from all the peoples of the whole earth as God's chosen people. This is truly what they had been commissioned to be. Had not God called them the apple of his eye? (Deut. 32:10.)

Likewise, in these latter-days, God has called upon the Christians in general, but more specifically the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the Mormons, to be his husbandmen during this "time of the Gentiles" -- of which Mormons are to be exemplary -- to prepare for his second coming. (BofM Title Page; JST-Matt. 21:53; 1 Ne. 13:42; D&C 45:28.) Hence this treatise addresses the Mormons directly, though it is intended to apply to all Christians. Like with the Jews, this office of "husbandmen" is one the Mormons gladly own, as it distinguishes them from all other people on earth. (D&C 1:30.) The Mormons, like were the Jews, truly have been called to be a light to the world, the saviors of men. (D&C 86:11.) And once again, fulfilling God's foreordained plan of holiness, now these Gentile husbandmen, called to head God's work, are blundering in their responsibility, being compared to "salt that has lost its savor." (1 Ne. 14:6; 2 Ne. 28:32; 3 Ne. 16:13,15; D&C 103:9,10.) Gratefully, there will be a subset of Gentiles who will repent and come under the covenant and be numbered among the house of Israel. (1 Ne. 14:1,2; 3 Ne. 21:22.)

For those who have eyes to see (Isa. 6:9; Ezk. 12:2), the prophecies are abundant and plain on this, both regarding those who will lift themselves up in pride to be destroyed and regarding those who will come forth with broken hearts and contrite spirits to be redeemed. But like the Jews at the time of Christ's first coming, many Mormons have a tendency to become caught up in a sense of self righteousness in their calling to be God's chosen people, so they often do not apply these foreboding prophecies to themselves. This precarious pride of exclusivity contradicts the absolute requirement of humility for inheriting the kingdom of God (Ps. 37:11; Matt. 5:5; 3 Ne. 11:38) -- especially considering that even "the humble followers of Christ, in many instances do err because they are taught by the precepts of men" (2 Ne. 28:14). Truly, this is a day that will call for us to "repent in sackcloth and ashes, and cry mightily unto the Lord [our] God." (Msh. 11:23.) As Jesus said, "For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind." (John 9:39.) Unless we always consider ourselves blind, we will never see clearly.

Hence, one of the most effective weapons used by the adversary against the people of God is to "lull them away" into a sense of false security by flattering them that "all is well in Zion." (2 Ne. 28:14,21,25,26.) Thus they suppose that the sober admonitions of prophecy could not possibly apply to them. They glibly say that though all previous dispensations have ended in apostacy, this is the only one that will not. "Thus the devil cheateth their souls," taking them off their watchful guard, "and leadeth them away carefully down to hell." (2 Ne. 28:21.) Another of his tactics is to lie, "I am no devil, for there is none," even when he is poised to "grasp them with his awful chains, from whence there is no deliverance." (2 Ne. 28:22.) "Therefore," admonished Paul, "let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober." (1 Thes. 5:6.)

One of the more poignant prophecies of the effect of Satan's lulling the saints to sleep is the sister prophecy of Daniel and John in their visions of the latter days regarding a beast that will rise to usurp control of the entire world prior to the triumph of God's kingdom. (Compare Dan. 7 and Rev. 13.) They beheld that the satanic kingdom, or "beast" "made war with the saints, and prevailed against them" for "forty and two months." (Dan. 7:21,25; Rev. 13:7,5.) This prophecy makes a powerful statement about the state of affairs of the saints of which they spoke. These "saints" could not have truly built their foundation on the gospel of Jesus Christ as they supposed, for had they done so, they would be protected under the immutable promise that "the gates of hell shall not prevail against them." (Matt. 16:18; 3 Ne. 11:39; D&C 6:34; 10:69; 18:5; 21:6; 33:13; 1 Ne. 14:2.) John's prophecy includes an allusion to those who do build on that rock, for only those "whose names are...written in the book of life of the Lamb" shall not worship this beast. (Rev. 13:8.) Paul and Isaiah likewise promise, "Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed." (Isa. 28:16; Rom. 10:11.)

The scriptures are abundantly clear that the reason for this chastisement that will come, even upon the Lord's people, is that "they were set to be a light unto the world, and to be the saviors of men; and inasmuch as they are not the saviors of men, they are as salt that has lost its savor, and is thenceforth good for nothing but to be cast out and trodden under foot of men." (D&C 103:9,10; 3 Ne. 16:10-15.) "When men are called into mine everlasting gospel, and covenant with an everlasting covenant, they are accounted as the salt of the earth and the savor of men; they are called to be the savor of men [the husbandmen]; therefore, if that salt of the earth lose its savor, behold, it is thenceforth good for nothing only to be cast out and trodden under the feet of men." (D&C 101:39,40.)

The Curse of God

Editor's Note:  This next section is yet under construction

"Shake thyself from the dust; arise, and sit down, O Jerusalem: loose thyself from the bands of thy neck, O captive daughter of Zion." (Isa. 52:2.)

"The bands of her neck are the curses of God upon her, or the remnants of Israel in their scattered condition among the Gentiles." (D&C 113:10.)

"Your minds in times past have been darkened because of unbelief, and because you have treated lightly the things you have received -- which vanity and unbelief have brought the whole church under condemnation. And this condemnation resteth upon the children of Zion, even all. And they shall remain under this condemnation until they repent and remember the new covenant, even the Book of Mormon" (D&C 84:54-57), "which contains the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ" (D&C 20:9). "And when they shall have received this, which is expedient that they should have first, to try their faith, and if it shall so be that they shall believe these things then shall the greater things be made manifest unto them. And if it so be that they will not believe these things, then shall the greater things be withheld from them, unto their condemnation." (3 Ne. 26:9,10.) "Yea, wo be unto him that saith: We have received, and we need no more! And in fine, wo unto all those who tremble, and are angry because of the truth of God! For behold, he that is built upon the rock receiveth it with gladness; and he that is built upon a sandy foundation trembleth lest he shall fall." (2 Ne. 28:27,28.) "And all they who receive the oracles of God, let them beware how they hold them lest they are accounted as a light thing, and are brought under condemnation thereby, and stumble and fall when the storms descend, and the winds blow, and the rains descend, and beat upon their house." (D&C 90:5.) "For of him unto whom much is given much is required; and he who sins against the greater light shall receive the greater condemnation." (D&C 82:3.) "Behold, here is the agency of man, and here is the condemnation of man; because that which was from the beginning is plainly manifest unto them, and they receive not the light. And every man whose spirit receiveth not the light is under condemnation." (D&C 93:31,32.) "And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light" (John 3:19.) "Yea, the Lord['s]...coming is not until after there cometh a falling away..., because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: that they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ." (JST-II Thes. 2:9-14.)

Words Around "Curse"

As a further witness of this concept, the words around "curse" in the English dictionary refer to the concept of deception as well as of glossing over something that deserves keen attention.

See also

"Would God that ALL the Lord's People Were PROPHETS"

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