Burying our Weapons of Rebellion

"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service."

~Romans 12:1

Presenting our bodies to God in this matter involves more than just an outward sacrifice, it involves giving our heart and mind and our whole souls to God. It involves giving up our weapons of rebellion.

Each of us has as part of our carnal nature some weapon of rebellion that we carry with us. Yielding this weapon hurts us and distances us from God. Yet, we yield it anyways. Why?

Why do we cling to something that causes us harm and we know is wrong but just can't get rid of? We try to throw it away and dispose of it in our closet of secrets and box of forbidden toys but it always seems to resurface again just when we think we've forgotten about it. Why?

It is because we are trying to dispose of it in the wrong way. We are trying to hide it, forget about it, and cover it up without completely letting go of it. We keep looking back, when we should be looking forward. Our heart still lingers and has not moved on yet. Outwardly we are serving God, but inwardly we are still serving mammon.

Here is the solution:

In order to truly dispose of our weapons of rebellion we must follow the example of Lot, and the Anti-Nephi-Lehies.

When Lot, his wife and daughters were commanded to leave Sodom the instructions they were given were very specific:

"Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed."

~Genesis 19:17 

Lot's wife heeded not the counsel and turned back, only to be made into a pillar of salt. Her heart was still in Sodom. She couldn't let go. Lot on the other hand, turned his back forever on the weapon of his rebellion and because of it was able to survive the destruction of Sodom.

The Anti-Nephi-Lehies were Lamanites by birth who had experienced a mighty change in their hearts that was so great they couldn't even bear the thought of having their swords stained again with blood. These people understood what it meant to have the Atonement cleanse, purify and sanctify them. As a covenant to God that they were forever giving up their weapons of rebellion, they buried all of their weapons deep in the earth. They felt that not shrinking, when faced with the temptation to again return to their weapons of rebellion, was more important than even their very lives. They understood what it meant to become converted. They presented their bodies a living sacrifice, holy, and acceptable unto God. And we must too if we are to reach our fullest potential. Instead of hiding our weapons in a secret closet, we must bury them deep in the earth and turn our backs on them forever. We must let go of them with our hearts.