Daily Thoughts

In the Old Testament I read that Isaiah saw in vision Babylon and all its graven images being destroyed. This could also represent the Babylon of the world (the wicked) being destroyed before the Second Coming of Christ in the last days. Isa. 21: 9 "And, behold, here cometh a chariot of men, with a couple of horsemen. And he answered and said, Babylon is fallen, is fallen; and all the graven images of her gods he hath broken unto the ground."

In the Book of Mormon we read that if it were not for the atonement of Christ, there would be no means to reclaim men from their fallen state which they had brought upon themselves by their disobedience. The plan of redemption can only be brought to pass on conditions of repentance and through the mercy of God who atoned for our sins. Alma 42: 11-15 "And now remember, my son, if it were not for the plan of redemption, (laying it aside) as soon as they were dead their souls were miserable, being cut off from the presence of the Lord. And now, there was no means to reclaim men from this fallen state, which man had brought upon himself because of his own disobedience; Therefore, according to justice, the plan of redemption could not be brought about, only on conditions of repentance of men in this probationary state, yea, this preparatory state; for except it were for these conditions, mercy could not take effect except it should destroy the work of justice. Now the work of justice could not be destroyed; if so, God would cease to be God. And thus we see that all mankind were fallen, and they were in the grasp of justice; yea, the justice of God, which consigned them forever to be cut off from his presence. And now, the plan of mercy could not be brought about except an atonement should be made; therefore God himself atoneth for the sins of the world, to bring about the plan of mercy, to appease the demands of justice, that God might be a perfect, just God, and a merciful God also."

Some verses with a thought booklet remind us that we need to love one another as Jesus loved us. John 13: 34-35 "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another."