Why do we sing Come, Come Ye Saints if the scriptures warn us about saying all is well?

Question

Gramps,

I know we can, otherwise the First Presidency and the 12 wouldn’t keep the hymn “Come, Come ye Saints” in the hymn book. But many times in the scriptures it explicitly says to not say “all is well”. I just want to know how this is explained. Thanks!

Elliot

Answer

Dear Elliot,

When Nephi said, Wo be unto him that crieth: All is well!  (2 Nephi 28:25)  He was warning us about complacency.  The dictionary defines complacency as showing smug or uncritical satisfaction with oneself or one’s accomplishments.  This is a problem for two reasons, first it’s prideful and we are counseled to beware of pride and second it is dangerous.

It dangerous because complacency is the opposite of the Savior’s counsel to us.  He said: Be ye therefore perfect even as your Father which is in Heaven is perfect (Matthew 5:48). We cannot achieve perfection in this life, or without the Savior, but we should always be striving for it.  When we go out of this life, we should be doing everything we can to keep the commandments and reach toward this goal.

The hymn, Come, Come Ye Saints, is meant to comfort us in our trials, encouraging us to continue striving, admonishing that our troubles will help us in our goal to become perfect and reminding us that if we endure well, , in a future day we will be able to say “all is well”.  This is the antithesis of the complacency about which Nephi warns.

Gramps