Looking Beyond the Mark

As I considered this phrase " looking beyond the mark " given in Jacob 4, I desired to understand this better. What I learned is that -

 The way that a person can be in danger of " looking beyond the mark" can be different for every individual. 

Since " the mark " is representation of Jesus Christ we can see how each person would be tempted by the adversary within the realm of their own weaknesses. 

As I consider the way that I am not looking to Jesus Christ as I should, I am reminded that my weakness is - being distracted by the good, for the better and best. When I allow myself to focus more on my daily activities like my school work, caring for the ill in my employment, or even in areas of service as I take a child to a fun activity, sporting practice, or even church -  if I have not kept my Savior and being worthy of His spirit as my highest priority as I do these good things - then I am looking beyond the mark. 

For example, if I am trying to be a good mother by involving my children in sports, and fun activities but the time that this takes is hindering the amount of time that I can help my children spiritually develop through more time in my one on one scripture study with them, or the energy it takes running them from place to place is leaving less energy to have spiritual moments through one on one time, then I am not only looking beyond the mark, but I am also teaching them to look beyond the mark by not putting the Savior as number one priority. 

Another example of my looking beyond the mark can be the amount of commitment I have given to my schooling or employment. Although these are things that the spirit has prompted me to be involved in if I allow my devotion to them to take away from the devotion that I have to my Savior then I am looking beyond the mark. I must reconsider time spent to achieve a better grade, or  the amount of work that I commit to, in order that I can spend more time in daily communion with my Savior through prayer, scripture study, temple attendance, and all things that are  " daily consecration." 

Perhaps " daily consecration " is essentially saying you must have daily CONCENTRATION on the Lord and the activities that draw us closer to Him?

Quentin L. Cook stated in his talk titled, " Looking Beyond the Mark " : 

The “Mark” Is Christ

When we look beyond the mark, we are looking beyond Christ, the only name under heaven whereby we might be saved. Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said, “Jacob saw that the Jews would look ‘beyond the mark’ and stumble in their search for the Holy One of Israel, this literal Son of God to be known as Jesus Christ: ‘By the stumbling of the Jews they will reject the stone upon which they might build and have safe foundation.’” ⁹

Elder Cook states a few different forms of looking beyond the mark in his talk that I will include:

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.

Certain members have wanted to add substantially to various doctrines. An example might be when one advocates additions to the Word of Wisdom that are not authorized by the Brethren and proselytes others to adopt these interpretations. If we turn a health law or any other principle into a form of religious fanaticism, we are looking beyond the mark.

Heroic Gestures as a Substitute for Daily Consecration

In a lecture at Brigham Young University, James S. Jardine, former chairman of the board of trustees of the University of Utah, indicated that when he was a student, he thought “of consecrating [his] life in one grand, heroic gesture” but came to realize that “consecration is not a once in a lifetime event; it is a daily devotion.” ⁴

Elevating Rules over Doctrine

The Savior was concerned when others elevated rules over doctrine. In Matthew 23:23 [Matt. 23:23] we read, “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.”

Elder Bruce R. McConkie (1915–85) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles pointed out that Jacob’s teachings with respect to looking beyond the mark applied to the Jews of Jesus’ day:

“They took the plain and simple things of pure religion and added to them a host of their own interpretations; they embellished them with added rites and performances; and they took a happy, joyous way of worship and turned it into a restrictive, curtailing, depressive system of rituals and performances. The living spirit of the Lord’s law became in their hands the dead letter of Jewish ritualism.” ⁶

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. At the very least, we fall into the trap Paul described to the Corinthians: “For the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life” (2 Cor. 3:6).

Substituting the Philosophies of Men for Gospel Truths

Some people seem to be embarrassed by the simplicity of the Savior’s message. They want to add complexity and even obscurity to the truth to make it more intellectually challenging or more compatible with current academic trends.

 Jacob 4:

 14 But behold, the Jews were a stiffnecked people; and they despised the words of plainness, and killed the prophets, and sought for things that they could not understand. Wherefore, because of their blindness, which blindness came by looking beyond the mark, they must needs fall; for God hath taken away his plainness from them, and delivered unto them many things which they cannot understand, because they desired it. And because they desired it God hath done it, that they may stumble.

I hope and pray that I can do better at not " looking beyond the mark" in my own area of temptation. I am very thankful for the talks that we have been given by our leaders that help us to understand the scriptures and how they pertain to ourselves, but more importantly I am thankful for the personal revelation that I receive for myself about the ways that I personally am " looking beyond the mark " and how I need to adjust my activities and choices to be closer to Him that I love so very much. 

I say this in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.