Surely someone, perhaps one of the spiritual masochists among us (or
spiritual sadists—we have both in the Church), is going to object, "But what
about 'the mighty change?' Did not the Spirit work a mighty change within the
people of Benjamin so that they had 'no more disposition to do evil, but to
do good continually'?" (Mosiah 5:2). That is true, but
what is being described there is a change in disposition, a change of desire, a
change in our compass headings. From the moment of their conversion (or
reconversion), the people of Benjamin changed their orientation and wanted
righteousness rather than wickedness. It became their one goal. But that does
not mean they achieved their goal instantaneously! It does not
mean they never had another carnal thought or that they never subsequently lost
any struggle against their carnal natures. At that moment, filled with the
Spirit and clearly seeing the two paths before them, the people of Benjamin lost
all desire to follow the path of evil. I feel the same way when I feel the
Spirit, but I do not always feel the Spirit. And as with Moses, when the
epiphany (divine appearance) is over, Satan sometimes takes his best shot (Moses 1:9-12). Therefore we
must recharge our spiritual batteries regularly.
Great spiritual damage can be done by teaching the Saints that "the
mighty change" means once truly converted we are never again tempted to sin. For
if the Saints believe that the truly converted are never subsequently
tempted, then when they are tempted—and they will be—they will conclude they are
not really converted. However, being truly converted does not end the tests of
mortality, for we will continue to be tested and tempted as long as we are in
the flesh. Even as covenant members of the church of Jesus Christ, we will
continue to be subject to the carnal impulses and other weaknesses that are a
consequence of the Fall.
Since my own conversion, if at any time an angel had somehow presented me
with two options and said, "Push button A and you will never sin again; push
button B and you will," I'd have pushed button A—without hesitation and hard
enough to break my thumb! Imperfect as I am, since my conversion I in fact "have
no more disposition to do evil but to do good continually," and most of us feel
that way. It's just that we have difficulty overcoming our carnal natures and
the effects of the Fall at all times in order to act according to our
predisposition. That our disposition is good is proven by the fact
that when we occasionally act otherwise, we feel bad about it, repent, and
return to our previous heading toward righteousness. Like a compass needle that
may swing this way or that but always comes again to point north, so are the
believers who may make this or that temporary misstep but always correct their
course and return to their original heading. That is a clear disposition to do
good. "The mighty change" is a change of heart, a change of desires, and a
change of disposition concerning our goals. It is not a complete victory over
the Fall or over our carnal natures all at once.
(Stephen E. Robinson, Following Christ: The Parable of the Divers and
More Good News [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1995], 41.)