1 Nephi 8:28

28  And after they had ^atasted of the fruit they were ^bashamed, because of those that were ^cscoffing at them; and they ^dfell away into forbidden paths and were lost.

            -listening to the world

             basing your self-esteem on others

             danger or going after the glory of the world

     “they were ashamed”

            -because they were so concerned with the esteem of other people they were not only ashamed but did not enjoy the peace/joy that partaking of the fruit brought.  Some Latter-day Saints fall away and, in complete honesty, declare that the church did not provide them with anything special, that the manifestation of the Holy Ghost was no more profound than what is experienced in other religions.  For lack of a better words, these did not recognize the “fruits” of the restored gospel to be remarkable in any way.  This may at first appear to be worrisome to us who have been impressed with the delicious fruits of the gospel but the insight provided by Lehi’s vision provides an answer.  Our concern over or focus on the “sacrifices” required by the gospel and our subsequent shame (which comes as a result of comparing the worlds liberal ways with the gospel’s restraint) can diminish impact of the sweet taste of the fruit.  The cost, for some, is too high and the product is not sufficient for the work required.  These were never fully given to the gospel, they were gospel instrumentalists  -pursuing the gospel as an answer to their short term (i.e. temporal) search for success or satisfaction.  Even the gospel with it’s plentiful answers for happiness, meaning and prosperity is not complete if viewed in the narrow parameters of this life only.  It is, at its core, an eternal program and it does not have its full power or provide complete understanding to the vital questions of life  until it is placed in an eternal context.  We cannot understand the gospel within the narrow confines of a strictly mortal existence.  It is like trying to understand relativity with only algebraic constructs.

     “because of ________”

            -the shame created when the listener gives substance to those mocking.

            -listening to the world.

            -basing self-esteem on others/anything but God.

            -the danger of going after the glory of the world is that it is a confederate mass consciousness.

     “because of those that were scoffing at them”

            -what form does this scoffing take?  Qualitatively, what is the mockery, the teasing, the derogatory communication, the derision of any shade or gradation in our day?  Why do we care?

    “fell away into forbidden paths”

            -the “falling away” is the behavioral manifestation of the internal attitude (feeling ashamed due to the estimation of mankind).  To feel ashamed is no sin of itself BUT it seems rare that one who is ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ (Romans 1:16) could remain true in actions and behavior.  Indulgence in forbidden paths is the end result of internal psycho-spiritual processes.

            -shame leads to falling away.  Falling away leads to forbidden paths.  Forbidden paths leads to being lost.

    “were lost”

            -there are not many phrases that strike me with a profound sadness, but this one has a way of creeping into my heart.  These are souls that are gone… lost.  Almost as certain as the sun follows the emerging dawn, does a soul who “falls away” then become lost.