Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Moral Discipline

". . . We all possess the God-given gift of moral agency—the right to make choices and the obligation to account for those choices (see D&C 101:78) [, and] for positive outcomes, moral agency must be accompanied by moral discipline.
"By 'moral discipline,' I mean self-discipline based on moral standards. Moral discipline is the consistent exercise of agency to choose the right because it is right, even when it is hard. It rejects the self-absorbed life in favor of developing character worthy of respect and true greatness through Christlike service (see Mark 10:42–45). The root of the word discipline is shared by the word disciple, suggesting to the mind the fact that conformity to the example and teachings of Jesus Christ is the ideal discipline that, coupled with His grace, forms a virtuous and morally excellent person.
"Jesus’s own moral discipline was rooted in His discipleship to the Father. To His disciples He explained, 'My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work' (John 4:34). By this same pattern, our moral discipline is rooted in loyalty and devotion to the Father and the Son."
- D. Todd Christofferson, “Moral Discipline,” Ensign, Nov 2009, 105–8

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