Gospel Doctrine: The Worth of Souls

The Worth of Souls
By John A. Tvedtnes

[Supplement to Gospel Doctrine New Testament lesson 18]

When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, [1] and hast crowned him with glory and honour. Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet. (Psalms 8:3-6).

Jesus’ parables of the lost coin, the lost sheep, and the prodigal son illustrate the value of each of God’s children (Luke 15:3-32). Of the lost coin, he said, “joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance” (Luke 15:7), while of the lost sheep he declared, “Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth” (Luke 15:10; cf. D&C 106:6).

On another occasion, Christ told his disciples, “Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows” (Matthew 10:29-31; see also Luke 12:6). To illustrate the importance of the individual, the Savior used a parable:

For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. (Matthew 25:35-40)

The Savior was often criticized because he associated with sinners and publicans (e.g., Matthew 9:10-11). Knowing the real value of souls, he sought to reclaim them and bring them into the kingdom. Similarly, he took pity in the sick and healed them. Indeed, he compared repentant sinners with the sick when he declared that “They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick ... I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance” (Matthew 9:12-13). [2]

On one occasion, he healed a man by telling him that his sins were forgiven (Matthew 9:2-6; Mark 2:5-12; Luke 5:18-25). James 5:14-15 informs us that anyone who calls on the elders of the Church to be healed of sickness also receives forgiveness of his or her sins.

Also illustrative of the value the Lord places on human beings are the apostle Paul’s comments regarding the importance of each member of the body of Christ, a term he used to denote the Church (1 Corinthians 12:12-28). In a modern revelation, the Lord has declared, “Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God” (D&C 18:10).

In a very real sense, this is an understatement, for everything God does and says is for our benefit. “For behold, this is my work and my glory — to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man” (Moses 1:39).

Ancient Jewish texts also declare the value of the human soul. In Midrash Rabbah Numbers 23:6, we read that “Any man who preserves one life in Israel is as though he had preserved the entire world.” The same idea is expressed in the Talmud: “Thou hast said that he who preserves one soul of Israel is considered as if he had preserved the whole world” (TB Baba Batra 11a). On the other hand, “Whosoever destroys a single soul of Israel, scripture imputes [guilt] to him as though he had destroyed a complete world; and whosoever preserves a single soul of Israel, scripture ascribes [merit] to him as though he had preserved a complete world” (TB Sanhedrin 37a).

At the very beginning of the latter-day restoration of the Church, the Lord declared that “the thing which will be of the most worth unto you will be to declare repentance unto this people, that you may bring souls unto me, that you may rest with them in the kingdom of my Father” (D&C 15:6; also 16:6). As Church members share the gospel message with others in word and in deed, they become part of God’s work and glory.

An early revelation addressed to the twelve apostles who had not yet been chosen reads:

And how great is his joy in the soul that repenteth! [3] Wherefore, you are called to cry repentance unto this people. And if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father! And now, if your joy will be great with one soul that you have brought unto me into the kingdom of my Father, how great will be your joy if you should bring many souls unto me! (D&C 18:13-16) [4]

Christ spent his mortal ministry healing both physical and spiritual illness. He expects no less of his followers. While going to the temple in Jerusalem, the apostles Peter and John encountered a lame man asking alms. “Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk” (A cts 3:6).

In our day, we can employ priesthood power in blessings, faithful missionary and home teaching endeavors, and personal service to others. Like the Savior, we can give of our time, talents, and means, including fast offerings and contributions to the missionary funds, perpetual education fund, and humanitarian and welfare services.

“And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God” (Mosiah 2:17).

For an introduction to the books of the New Testament and in-depth discussions of each verse in the New Testament, see Kevin L. Barney (ed.), John H. Jenkins, and John A. Tvedtnes, “Footnotes to the New Testament for Latter-day Saints,” go to: http://feastupontheword.org/Site:NTFootnotes

[1] The Hebrew text says “gods.”

[2] Cf. Moroni 8:8, “Listen to the words of Christ, your Redeemer, your Lord and your God. Behold, I came into the world not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance; the whole need no physician, but they that are sick; wherefore, little children are whole, for they are not capable of committing sin.”

[3] To the Corinthians, the apostle Paul wrote, “Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner . . . For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death” (2 Corinthians 7:9-10).

[4] In the Book of Mormon, we read of the missionary success achieved by the sons of Mosiah among the Lamanites. One of them, Ammon, felt to rejoice in the divine assistance that had allowed them to be a part of the Lord’s work. He explained that “he that repenteth and exerciseth faith, and bringeth forth good works, and prayeth continually without ceasing—unto such it is given to know the mysteries of God; yea, unto such it shall be given to reveal things which never have been revealed; yea, and it shall be given unto such to bring thousands of souls to repentance, even as it has been given unto us to bring these our brethren to repentance” (Alma 26:22). See the entire chapter, Alma 26, and note how often he refers to the joy and rejoicing he shared with his fellow missionaries and his gratitude for the Lord’s blessings.