“God Has Said That the Inward Vessel Shall Be Cleansed First”

"As I read the scriptures, I often reflect upon the chilling implications of what the Apostle Peter meant when he said, ’Judgment must begin at the house of God.’ (1 Pet. 4:17.) In our own day, the Lord has said, ’Vengeance cometh speedily upon the inhabitants of the earth. … And upon my house shall it begin.’ (D&C 112:24-25; italics added.) What kind of judgments does the Lord have in mind? Why do the scriptures say that the cleansing will begin with the Church, rather than with the wicked?

"The scriptures reveal that the Lord will save his greatest wrath and condemnation for those who outwardly appear religious but who are actually full of evil within. Speaking to Jewish religious leaders, the Savior said, ’Cleanse first that which is within the cup. … Ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness.’ (Matt. 23:26-27.) Similarly, the great Book of Mormon leader, Moroni, wrote, ’God has said that the inward vessel shall be cleansed first.’ (Alma 60:23.)

"President Ezra Taft Benson left little room for doubt that these warnings apply to us. He declared, ’All is not well in Zion. … We must cleanse the inner vessel, beginning first with ourselves, then with our families, and finally with the Church.’ (Ensign, May 1986, p. 4.)

“There are two methods of cleansing the inner vessel. The first is repentance. But if we do not repent, the Lord will invoke the second method of cleansing—from without. One way or another, the vessel will be cleansed.” (Larry Tippetts, Ensign, Oct. 1992, p. 21)