Alma’s son, Corianton, committed serious
sexual sin while serving as a missionary.
Alma said to his son, “I would that ye should
repent and forsake your sins,
and go no more after the lusts of your eyes, but cross yourself in all these things”
There are three things that can help us understand what it means to “cross yourself”.
First, the 1830 definition “to cross”
meant “to erase, cancel, hinder, or interfere with”.
Second, when Christ visited the people in
ancient America Jesus said concerning lust,
“It is better that ye should deny yourselves
of these things wherein ye will take up your cross”
Third, at an earlier moment in the
Book of Mormon, King Noah’s priests
questioned Abinadi, “That they might cross him”.
This is similar to a prosecuting attorney’s
cross-examination.
Based on these three things, we learn what
it means to “cross yourself”:
“to erase, cancel, hinder, or interfere” with the temptation
to commit sin.
To deny yourself of sexual misconduct, especially
lusting.
Or to self-examine, question, or challenge
oneself, to make sure your desires are in check.
The Book of Mormon can serve as a guide to
avoid sexual immorality in all its forms.
The Book of Mormon also teaches that the Atonement
is available to all those who struggle.
Christ himself suffered on the cross that
we all might be clean again.
And now you know why.
