Day 2: Mosiah 4:1–21 — Joy After Repentance?

Day 2: Mosiah 4:1–21 — Joy After Repentance?

Scripture Focus: Mosiah 4:1–21

LDS Quote: “The joy we feel has little to do with the circumstances of our lives and everything to do with the focus of our lives.” — Russell M. Nelson, Joy and Spiritual Survival

This reading centres around King Benjamin’s powerful speech. In it, his people feel deep guilt after hearing the message of Christ’s coming. They fall to the ground and sincerely plead for mercy through Christ's atonement, even though He has not yet been born. The people experience joy, receive forgiveness, and commit to following God.

On the surface, this is a moving account of repentance and salvation. Similar to Day 1, it initially appears biblical. Joy after repentance is a classic Christian theme. However, we must look beyond the emotional language and test the doctrine beneath it. It’s essential to recognize that while the Book of Mormon cites itself as Scripture, it claims to be a “confirming” revelation—distinct from the Bible. This distinction is crucial in understanding the nature of joy described herein.

The Nature of Joy

Ask a Christian about joy, and they might reference verses such as “The joy of the Lord is your strength” or “Rejoice in the Lord always.” These passages, while familiar, do not provide a strict definition. Instead, they emphasize joy's presence in the life of a believer. To grasp joy biblically, we must delve deeper and explore its spiritual significance.

Joy, in this biblical context, is not synonymous with happiness or momentary pleasure. It signifies something far more enduring—something that does not rely on external situations but rests in spiritual reality. Joy is a profound gladness that arises from what has been done for us, what has been promised to us, and Who holds our future. It represents the lasting outcomes of restoration, hope, and communion with God.

C.S. Lewis, in his book Surprised by Joy, provides a thought-provoking insight:

“I call it Joy, which is here a technical term and must be sharply distinguished both from Happiness and from Pleasure. Joy (in my sense) has indeed one characteristic, and one only, in common with them; the fact that anyone who has experienced it will want it again... But then Joy is never in our power and pleasure often is.”

Lewis's understanding of joy sharply contrasts with modern concepts. Joy is not merely comfort or excitement; it embodies a holy longing for the transcendent. This desire, while often accompanied by pain, is an invaluable experience we wouldn’t exchange for anything. Unlike pleasure, which we can easily pursue, true joy arrives unexpectedly. It is a holy longing, not a spiritual pay-cheque. Paul writes in Romans 4:4, “Now to the one who works, the wages are not counted as a gift, but as what is due.”

Misunderstanding Joy in LDS Theology

When one searches for “joy” in the official LDS Gospel Topics, the result leads to an entry on Happiness. This entry frames joy not as an unchanging gift rooted in God's presence, but as a by product of obedience within the LDS plan of salvation. According to the Church:

“Our happiness is the design of all the blessings He gives us—gospel teachings, commandments, priesthood ordinances, family relationships, prophets, temples... His plan for our salvation is often called ‘the great plan of happiness.’”

In this framework, joy becomes transactional. It arises not from a reconciled relationship with God through grace but from adhering to a list of LDS-specific mandates. These include priesthood ordinances, temple rituals, commandment-keeping, and personal righteousness. Even Christ’s Atonement is portrayed as a means to achieve happiness rather than as the ultimate act that secures everlasting joy for the redeemed.

President Russell M. Nelson’s statement claims, “joy has everything to do with the focus of our lives.” While the sentiment appears commendable, the LDS interpretation of “focus” is bound to effort, adherence to commandments, and religious duties. In stark contrast, Scripture calls us to lift our eyes to the One who has already accomplished the work.

LDS doctrine continuously links joy to both temporal and eternal performance, suggesting that adversity, hard work, and moral behaviour are necessary paths to spiritual fulfilment. This view reduces joy to something that must be earned rather than received. Their assertion, “We will find peaceful, eternal happiness as we strive to keep the commandments…” reflects a meritocratic world view, deviating from biblical teachings about joy. Joy, according to biblical truth, is a fruit of union with Christ.

Even the well-known quote from 2 Nephi 2:25 — “Men are, that they might have joy” — is reframed through this moralistic lens. What could be a profound truth is turned into a slogan that conditions joy upon the success of human effort. Yet, true joy, as C.S. Lewis observed, is not within our power.

True Biblical Joy

Biblical joy emerges not from personal achievements but rather from what we’ve been generously given. It is a gift—an outpouring of our genuine knowledge and trust in God. This joy doesn’t serve as the reward for religious performance; it manifests in our hearts, thoughts, and praises as a response to who God is and what He has accomplished.

It is through this lens that we understand joy as our strength in overcoming adversities (“the joy of the Lord is your strength” – Nehemiah 8:10), as our comfort during times of affliction, and as our peace in knowing we are saved. The Holy Spirit sustains this joy within us (Galatians 5:22). Thus, joy is not a mere transaction; it is the spiritual fragrance that emanates from a soul anchored in grace. It springs not from striving to fulfil religious obligations, but from resting in the God who saves us and rejoicing in His faithfulness.

Repentance and the Promise of Joy

While Mosiah 4:1–21 may initially present as a touching moment of true repentance and joy, it should be perceived within the distinct framework of Latter-day Saint doctrine. A Christian might observe echoes of Psalm 51 in King Benjamin’s people—a cry for mercy and the joy that arises from forgiveness.

However, a critical contradiction exists: according to Doctrine and Covenants 132:39, King David—the author of Psalm 51—lost his exaltation* due to his sins. Thus, the LDS framework asserts that even his repentance was insufficient. This inconsistency undermines the very joy described in Mosiah 4, suggesting that repentance alone is not enough—for David, and certainly not for the present Latter-day Saint.

In contrast to the biblical gospel, which proclaims that the blood of Christ upon the cross cleanses us from all sin, the LDS theological position links joy and forgiveness to temple worthiness, personal righteousness, and religious observance. Yes, discovering God’s goodness brings joy—but in the LDS view, this joy is conditional.

Therefore, it is vital to read this passage not solely through a Christian lens but as a Latter-day Saint does, with a gospel that lacks the power to save entirely and with joy that only persists through one's personal performance. True joy, founded in grace, should not be entwined with performance-based ideologies. It is a gift meant to be received and cherished.