What do Babel-onians and Covenant Christians have in common?

Well for starters, it would appear that despite our common language, in many cases we don't understand each other very well. As a Covenant Christian, I find the account of the Tower of Babel (OC Genesis 6:6) profoundly relevant. The story of humanity’s hubris—building a tower to the heavens, only to be scattered by divine judgment—mirrors both the ideological fractures of our world and the internal struggles of our community, as Denver described in his talk, God’s Covenant People (April 13, 2025). The Babel builders’ shared a common language and energy which fueled ambition but that ambition led to division, much like modern technology amplifies societal polarization and our own disputes threaten our divine calling. Named by revelation as Covenant Christians, we risk becoming Babel-onians through pride and discord. Yet, this tale and our faith reveal a timeless truth: unity, rooted in humility and love, is the antidote to the scattering caused by arrogance.

 

In the Old Covenants, the builders’ unity was potent but perilous. As the Lord noted, their shared language made no plan impossible (OC Genesis 6:6). Seemingly a cautionary observation rather than an overt condemnation. The context of the Tower of Babel story suggests that the Lord is acknowledging the immense potential of human unity and shared purpose, but He is concerned about how that potential is being directed—toward prideful rebellion rather than divine alignment. Eventually He comes to this conclusion -- “And now nothing will be restrained from them which they have imagined, except I, the Lord, confound their language that they may not understand one another’s speech.”

 

Their purpose bred ambition, but their rebellion invited confusion and dispersal. Today, I see society’s ideological towers—progressives championing new norms, conservatives defending tradition—each claiming supremacy, amplified by social media’s echo chambers. Trust in institutions and neighbors erodes as we fail to understand one another. Similarly, Denver warns that we Covenant Christians, despite our covenant to be “of one heart and one mind” (T&C 31:14), fracture over personality clashes, doctrinal disputes, the Guide and Standard controversy and potentially “other works that I will require at your hands.” Our “us vs. them” mentality and failure to reason together (T&C 157:45) echo the Babel-onians’ pride, risking divine discipline akin to their scattering (T&C 158:19).

 

This fragmentation reflects Babel’s consequences. Polarization stalls governance and turns shared narratives into battlegrounds. Within our community, parallel risks—infighting and unrepentant egos undermine our divine purpose. Denver laments that our flaws are akin to the Babel-onians’ rebellion, noting our group mirrors modern Babylon’s upheavals. The Guide and Standard, intended to unify, became divisive due to disparate feelings and ego, much like the Babel builders’ rush without God’s guidance. Both society and our community risk collapse from internal incomprehension, as Jesus warned about a divided house (NC Mark 2:8).

Scripture lights the path to unity. Jesus prayed for oneness, mirroring divine harmony (NC John 9:21), emphasizing shared purpose, not uniformity. Paul urges speaking truth in love and keeping the Spirit’s unity (NC Ephesians 1:12-13), while Peter advises defending faith with meekness (NC 1 Peter 1:13). The early church lived this, resolving conflicts through Spirit-led dialogue (NC Acts 9:6-10). Denver echoes these, urging humility, love, and reasoning together to counter our Babel-like pride (NC Philippians 1:7; T&C 171: TSJ 10:7; T&C 157:55). He warns that without honoring God and caring for the poor, we may face sad experiences like ancient Israel or the Nephites (OC Deuteronomy 8:6; NC Alma 8:5).

Humility is our cornerstone. Babel teaches that claiming sole truth leads to scattering; in society, this appears as demonizing opponents, and in our community, as condemning peers. Denver’s debate analogy—suspending judgment for patience—aligns with Peter’s call for respect. Society can rebuild through dialogues and projects, forging shared values. For us, embracing divine correction and loving engagement mirrors the early church’s unity (NC Hebrews 1:52). Denver’s hope, born of revelation, assures us God’s charity will refine some into a harmonious body, fulfilling Zion’s prophecy (T&C 58:3).

Our world and community seemingly stand at crossroads. Without humility and love, our towers will fall, scattering us. Yet, by heeding Jesus’ call to love, Paul’s plea for peace, and Peter’s gentle witness, we can overcome Babel-like tendencies. Society needs empathy-driven understanding, while we must reason together, embracing divine discipline to become one heart and mind. Denver warns of a Babel-onian fate—fractured by pride—but I trust that through unity grounded in God’s glory, we can restore the harmony our world and community need, reflecting the divine oneness of an enduring Zion.

Signed

John The Not-So-Beloved

Where in the 'Hell’ are you?

When Adam and Eve were cast out of the Garden of Eden, they were not merely expelled from a place of abundance—they were severed from the immediate presence of the Lord. There, they walked with God, their lives always in His light and love. But with their transgression came exile, a step beyond the divine veil, and in that separation, the seeds of hell were sown. Scripture and theological thought suggest a profound truth: to be out of the Lord’s presence is itself a form of hell, and the further one drifts—or is driven—away, the deeper the torment grows.

 

Since the presence of the Lord is the source of peace, joy, and wholeness, Eden was not just a physical paradise but a spiritual communion, where humanity stood unashamed before its Creator. Cast out, Adam and his posterity entered a world of toil and estrangement, a state of existence diminished by the absence of that divine nearness. This initial separation marks the baseline of hell—not fiery pits or gnashing teeth, but the aching void where God once was. It is a condition of being unmoored, a soul adrift without its anchor.

 

Yet, this is only the beginning. Sin, like a relentless wind, pushes us further from that lost shore. Each act of rebellion, each choice to defy the Lord’s will, widens the gulf. The further we stray, the greater the hell we inhabit—not merely as a future punishment, but as a present reality. To live in sin is to pile distance upon distance, layering darkness over the faint memory of light. A lie might nudge us a step away; malice or pride might hurl us miles. The degree of hell corresponds to the degree of removal—nearness to God brings life, while remoteness breeds despair.

 

This is not just a matter of geography, but of the soul’s orientation. Hell deepens not because God withdraws, but because we do. Out of His presence, we are already in a state of loss; sin amplifies that loss, turning exile into agony. The scriptures warn of this trajectory: to be “to be shut out from God's presence” (2 Nephi 6:3 CE) is torment enough, but to persist in wickedness is to dig deeper into the abyss. The further we flee, the more we feel the weight of our own making—a hell measured not by flames, but by the fading echo of divine love we once knew.

 

Thus, the story of Adam’s fall is a mirror for us all. Out of the Lord’s presence, we taste the bitterness of hell; through sin, we carve its depths. Redemption lies not in erasing the distance overnight, but in turning back, step by repentant step, toward the One whose presence alone can heal the hell we’ve wrought.

So, where in the 'Hell' are you? Think about it--just for the Hell of it.

Signed

John The-Not-So-Beloved