I can avoid Spiritual Blindness by Focusing on the Savior

The prophet Jacob taught that the Jew’ spiritual blindness came from “looking beyond the mark” (Jacob 4:14). What is the Mark? What does it mean to look beyond the Mark?

Elder Neal A. Maxwell (1926 – 2004) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught that in this verse, “the mark is Christ” in his talk, “Jesus of Nazareth, Savior and King”.

To look beyond the Mark means that to centre our lives on anything other than the Savior and His gospel. If we center our lives on anything other than the Savior and His gospel, then we will become blind to the truth and we will stumble and fall spiritually.

According to Jacob 4:8-18, what can we do to focus on the Savior and avoid spiritual blindness?

We can focus on the Savior and avoid spiritual blindness by choosing to believe in Him and by worshipping the Father in His name. We can choose to search the words of the prophets. We can choose to take counsel from His hand. We can choose to be reconciled to God through the Atonement of Christ.

“Today there is a tendency among some of us to “look beyond the mark” rather than to maintain a testimony of gospel basics. We do this when we substitute the philosophies of men for gospel truths, engage in gospel extremism, seek heroic gestures at the expense of daily consecration, or elevate rules over doctrine. Avoiding these behaviors will help us avoid the theological blindness and stumbling that Jacob described.

Substituting the Philosophies of Men for Gospel Truths

Some in their spiritual immaturity attempt to appear sophisticated and intellectual. Instead of accepting revelation, they want to dissect it and add dimensions and variations of meaning that distort its beautiful truths.

We look beyond the mark when we refuse to accept simple gospel truths for what they are.

Gospel Extremism

Another sign of spiritual immaturity and sometimes apostasy is when one focuses on certain gospel principles or pursues “gospel hobbies” with excess zeal. Almost any virtue taken to excess can become a vice.

The Lord said regarding important doctrine, “Whosoever declareth more or less than this, the same is not of me” (D&C 10:68) and “That which is more or less than this cometh of evil” (D&C 124:120).

We are looking beyond the mark when we elevate any one principle, no matter how worthwhile it may be, to a prominence that lessens our commitment to other equally important principles or when we take a position that is contrary to the teachings of the Brethren.

Heroic Gestures as a Substitute for Daily Consecration

Some members profess that they would commit themselves with enthusiasm if given some great calling, but they do not find home teaching or visiting teaching worthy of or sufficiently heroic for their sustained effort.

God uses us “not according to our works, but according to his own purpose” (2 Tim. 1:9). We are looking beyond the mark if our consecration is conditional or does not involve daily devotion.

Elevating Rules over Doctrine

Doctrine usually answers the question “why?” Principles usually answer the question “what?” Whenever we emphasize how to do something without reference to why we do it or what we do, we risk looking beyond the mark.

In many areas we are guided only by doctrines and principles rather than rules. The Prophet Joseph Smith taught, “I teach them correct principles, and they govern themselves.” We are responsible to the Lord for how we respond in such situations.

Those who are committed to following rules without reference to doctrine and principle are particularly susceptible to looking beyond the mark. Equally dangerous are those who get mired in rules and are thus less willing to accept change resulting from continuous revelation.”

I found there is an article by Elder Quentin L. Cook, “Looking beyond the Mark” Ensign March 2003, is very useful and he had provided some guidelines to me to ‘not looking beyond the mark’.