Lesson 3 - Obedience Brings Blessings

[marineland]

I'm into lesson 3 of the manual (Religion 275) now.  There's a question asked on page 11 - Why
do you think King Benjamin taught that no matter what we do, we are still “unprofitable servants”
of God?

Does “unprofitable” mean we are unworthy even if we do everything we are commanded
to like I found Mosiah 2:21 says?

Tony

[JLHPROF]

It means in the grand balance ledger Christ will always have given us more than we give him.  He's not exactly turning a profit on each of us.

[bOObOO]

11 minutes ago, marineland said:

I'm into lesson 3 of the manual (Religion 275) now.  There's a question asked on page 11 - Why
do you think King Benjamin taught that no matter what we do, we are still “unprofitable servants”
of God?

Does “unprofitable” mean we are unworthy even if we do everything we are commanded
to like I found Mosiah 2:21 says?

Tony

unworthy of what?  his time?  his help?  his investment in us?  Do you think there is any way we can ever be worth more to him than what he has invested in us?  That we can ever give him more than he has or will continue to put into us?

[pogi]

33 minutes ago, marineland said:

I'm into lesson 3 of the manual (Religion 275) now.  There's a question asked on page 11 - Why
do you think King Benjamin taught that no matter what we do, we are still “unprofitable servants”
of God?

Does “unprofitable” mean we are unworthy even if we do everything we are commanded
to like I found Mosiah 2:21 says?

Tony

It means that we will always be indebted to him.  We can never pay back the debt and independently earn our way into salvation.  We are completely dependent upon God.  We do not earn anything, but are bestowed grace.

Vs 23-25 explain the indebtedness/unprofitable servant well:

 

Quote

 

23 And now, in the first place, he hath created you, and granted unto you your lives, for which ye are indebted unto him.

24 And secondly, he doth ^arequire that ye should do as he hath commanded you; for which if ye do, he doth immediately ^bbless you; and therefore he hath paid you. And ye are still indebted unto him, and are, and will be, forever and ever; therefore, of what have ye to boast?

25 And now I ask, can ye say aught of yourselves? I answer you, Nay. Ye cannot say that ye are even as much as the dust of the earth; yet ye were ^acreated of the ^bdust of the earth; but behold, it ^cbelongeth to him who created you.

 

 

[ksfisher]

23 minutes ago, marineland said:

I'm into lesson 3 of the manual (Religion 275) now.  There's a question asked on page 11 - Why
do you think King Benjamin taught that no matter what we do, we are still “unprofitable servants”
of God?

Does “unprofitable” mean we are unworthy even if we do everything we are commanded
to like I found Mosiah 2:21 says?

Tony

If you continue reading Benjamin explains what he means in verses 22-24

v23 "...in the first place, he hath created you, and granted unto you your lives, for which ye are indebted unto him."

v24 "...secondly, he doth ^arequire that ye should do as he hath commanded you; for which if ye do, he doth immediately ^bbless you; and therefore he hath paid you. And ye are still indebted unto him, and are, and will be, forever"

Unprofitable in v21, as he explains, means that no matter how much you do you can never do more for God than He has done for you.

[Duncan]

It's a team effort or a covenant effort. I remember watching a Maple Leafs game one time and they had the 1967 Leafs (who were still alive and who were the last Toronto team to win the Stanley Cup) come out, never heard of 9/10 of the players but all of them contributed in some way to winning. The players I had heard of didn't do it by themselves.  The "great" players probably contributed more but they all won and could say they won the cup

[bluebell]

23 hours ago, marineland said:

I'm into lesson 3 of the manual (Religion 275) now.  There's a question asked on page 11 - Why
do you think King Benjamin taught that no matter what we do, we are still “unprofitable servants”
of God?

Does “unprofitable” mean we are unworthy even if we do everything we are commanded
to like I found Mosiah 2:21 says?

Tony

I would say that unprofitable means that we will never provide more for our Father in Heaven than we receive from Him.

Edited August 3, 2021 by bluebell

[Nofear]

17 minutes ago, bluebell said:

I would say that unprofitable means that we will never provide more from our Father in Heaven than we receive from Him.

Also how I view the scripture. We, personally, always get more from serving God's purposes that God's designs gain from our efforts to assist. So, in a weird way we can say our life's goal should be to be as unprofitable as possible.

 

Edited August 3, 2021 by Nofear

[Islander]

On 8/2/2021 at 10:52 AM, marineland said:

I'm into lesson 3 of the manual (Religion 275) now.  There's a question asked on page 11 - Why
do you think King Benjamin taught that no matter what we do, we are still “unprofitable servants”
of God?

Does “unprofitable” mean we are unworthy even if we do everything we are commanded
to like I found Mosiah 2:21 says?

Tony

Yes!!!! We are all sinful, broken, unworthy creatures, fallen short of the glory of God. A humbling and sobering fact, is it? “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” 1 John 1:8

"Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts." Isa. 6:5

"But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy [menstrual] rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away." Isa. 64:6-7

Nevertheless, notwithstanding the great goodness of the Lord, in showing me his great and marvelous works, my heart exclaimeth: O wretched man that I am! Yea, my heart sorroweth because of my flesh; my soul grieveth because of mine iniquities. I am encompassed about, because of the temptations and the sins which do so easily beset me. And when I desire to rejoice, my heart groaneth because of my sins; nevertheless, I know in whom I have trusted. 2 Ne 4:17-19

I could quote many others but I hope you see my point. Sin is part of our DNA (so to speak) and we are all sinners that have been redeemed by the Atoning blood of our Savior. The Lord in His infinite grace and mercy has provided the means for our salvation. We did not deserve it not can we earn it on account of our "works". It is simply priceless. We can never do enough, pay enough tithing, pray enough, go to the temple enough times, serve enough. That is the message of Mosiah. We sin every single day! But the grace and mercy of our Lord is infinite for endless in His Atonement. Just like Nephi, we cry: "...my heart groaneth because of my sins; nevertheless, I know in whom I have trusted..." in Christ our Redeemer. 

 

[Fether]

On 8/2/2021 at 10:52 AM, marineland said:

I'm into lesson 3 of the manual (Religion 275) now.  There's a question asked on page 11 - Why
do you think King Benjamin taught that no matter what we do, we are still “unprofitable servants”
of God?

Does “unprofitable” mean we are unworthy even if we do everything we are commanded
to like I found Mosiah 2:21 says?

Tony

This comes right after King Benjamin talks about how he spent his day serving the people and asking nothing in return. He served his people because loved them and it was his duty

We cannot be profitable to God. But beyond that, God doesn’t even need us to be profitable. profitability should not be our goal. God gives to us because he loves us, not because it benefits him. 

[CV75]

On 8/2/2021 at 12:52 PM, marineland said:

I'm into lesson 3 of the manual (Religion 275) now.  There's a question asked on page 11 - Why
do you think King Benjamin taught that no matter what we do, we are still “unprofitable servants”
of God?

Does “unprofitable” mean we are unworthy even if we do everything we are commanded
to like I found Mosiah 2:21 says?

Tony

The rest of the chapter explains it perfectly. What do you find the other verses to say about this?

[The Nehor]

It means you will be paying off your debt to God for a long time………FOREVER!

Edited August 8, 2021 by The Nehor

[Islander]

On 8/7/2021 at 9:15 AM, Fether said:

This comes right after King Benjamin talks about how he spent his day serving the people and asking nothing in return. He served his people because loved them and it was his duty

We cannot be profitable to God. But beyond that, God doesn’t even need us to be profitable. profitability should not be our goal. God gives to us because he loves us, not because it benefits him. 

Amen. 

[Eph2,8]

Short Answer, YES!!! We are absolutely unworthy no matter our own works. Unworthy of everything. God's love, His favor, His acceptance, salvation, exaltation, whatever. The only reason we have any favor in God's eyes is because Jesus intercedes for us and we can reconcile ourselves to Him. He is our worthiness, He pulls us into favor with God. He turns our negative into positive. It is 100% Jesus, 0% me. 

Long Answer:

This verse, I believe, touches a concept that is foreign to a lot of Latter-day Saints - the exact depravity of humanity. Think of Isaiah 64:6 - "But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away." Even our Righteous efforts are filthy to God. It's not about trying to "put in more" ourselves than He puts in. Ultimately, Christ puts in 100%, and us 0%. Salvation is not a game of pitching coins into a pile (me, then Christ four times, then me, then Christ four times) trying to possess enough to pay a fee. Salvation is a game of binding ourselves to the one Diety - Jesus - who has the merit to save us. Another passage that helps us understand this is 2 Nephi 9:50-51:

"50 Come, my brethren, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters; and he that hath no money, come buy and eat; yea, come buy wine and milk without money and without price.

51 Wherefore, do not spend money for that which is of no worth, nor your labor for that which cannot satisfy. Hearken diligently unto me, and remember the words which I have spoken; and come unto the Holy One of Israel, and feast upon that which perisheth not, neither can be corrupted, and let your soul delight in fatness."

We see that Jesus freely offers the blessings of salvation (buy wine and milk - symbols of paradise - without price), and an interesting concept is presented of spending our money on that which is of no worth. This means that if we labor in an attempt to earn heaven, God's love, God's favor, God's acceptance, etc then we are spending "money" on that which cannot satisfy. We will never earn those things on our own merit - instead we trust in ALONE in the merit of Jesus (Moroni 6:4). If we perform our works in an effort to gain favor in God's eye, we will never be fulfilled. We will never do enough, never feel satisfied - because we will never reach whatever bar we self impose on ourselves. Rather, Jesus lifts us to this bar completely on His own merit, and we serve Him in an unencumbered effort to be like Him. In the verse you called into question, Mosiah is explaining this concept in other words.

Now, to explore one more concept. We are all familiar with Doctrine and Covenants 130: 20-21. 

"20 There is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated—

21 And when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated."

I think we, as Latter-day Saints, see this verse and believe that we can earn all of the blessings of God. I firmly believe that this verse applies more to blessing such as healing someone who is sick, or personal spiritual/temporal blessings. For example, Malachi 3: If we pay tithing, we will see blessings. However, it makes me cringe to know that some Latter-day Saints would extend this verse to the blessings of salvation and exaltation as well. Those blessings are predicated on laws that us mortals cannot fulfil in obedience. Therefore, we need intercession. If salvation was a blessing that could be wrought through obedience, then we would indeed be profitable servants. And, quite honestly, I can be some form of a profitable servant with something like tithing. But not the big ones - salvation and exaltation. Remember, the atonement was a proxy ordinance. Meaning Jesus took my place and fulfilled the laws that predicate salvation for me. (If you really want to learn something fascinating - do a deep read of Genesis 15. Abraham does not even technically enter the Abrahamic Covenant - He was asleep!! Instead a "smoking furnace and burning lamp" enter the covenant. Hmmmm, sounds proxy to me.) I am completely and utterly unprofitable when it comes to my exaltation, I must instead lean completely on the "merits, mercy, and grace" of Jesus (2 Nephi 2:8)

Hope this helps!! Great question, learning that I was unprofitable changed my life - it allowed me to fully experience and know the love of my Savior. 

 

[theplains]

On 8/13/2021 at 11:56 AM, Eph2,8 said:

Now, to explore one more concept. We are all familiar with Doctrine and Covenants 130: 20-21. 

"20 There is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated—

21 And when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated."

Hello Eph2,8,

Welcome.

Gospel Principles has a section in chapter 6 called "Great Blessings Resulted from the 
Transgression".  This would seem to indicate that God really does bless someone for 
their disobedience. 

Maybe they should change the word "blessings" to "consequences".

[Eph2,8]

3 hours ago, theplains said:

Hello Eph2,8,

Welcome.

Gospel Principles has a section in chapter 6 called "Great Blessings Resulted from the 
Transgression".  This would seem to indicate that God really does bless someone for 
their disobedience. 

Maybe they should change the word "blessings" to "consequences".

Interesting. Personally, I think sometimes we modify the story of The Fall to be more inclusive and appealing than it is in an attempt to help people feel good. I struggle with the viewpoint that eating the fruit was some sort of puzzle Eve cracked, or some sort of conscious, thought out decision. I don't see scripture supporting that. So yes, I think the proper wording should be "consequences." Frankly, good consequences often come from sin in one way or another. We gain experience, we feel the redeeming power of Jesus, or even that we learn from other's mistakes (David) and try not to repeat their folly. Interesting. 

[Calm]

23 minutes ago, Eph2,8 said:

Interesting. Personally, I think sometimes we modify the story of The Fall to be more inclusive and appealing than it is in an attempt to help people feel good. I struggle with the viewpoint that eating the fruit was some sort of puzzle Eve cracked, or some sort of conscious, thought out decision. I don't see scripture supporting that. So yes, I think the proper wording should be "consequences." Frankly, good consequences often come from sin in one way or another. We gain experience, we feel the redeeming power of Jesus, or even that we learn from other's mistakes (David) and try not to repeat their folly. Interesting. 

If we truly believe God can turn everything into something good for us, then I don’t see any issue with believing great blessings followed the Fall.  I don’t necessarily see it as a result of the transgression, but rather God’s grace and the behaviour of Adam and Eve that came later, repentance and obedience. Without those two choices, we couldn’t begin to make use of any blessings God provides, imo. At least not in an eternal sense. 

[JLHPROF]

On 8/13/2021 at 9:56 AM, Eph2,8 said:

Now, to explore one more concept. We are all familiar with Doctrine and Covenants 130: 20-21. 

"20 There is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated—

21 And when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated."

I think we, as Latter-day Saints, see this verse and believe that we can earn all of the blessings of God. I firmly believe that this verse applies more to blessing such as healing someone who is sick, or personal spiritual/temporal blessings. For example, Malachi 3: If we pay tithing, we will see blessings. However, it makes me cringe to know that some Latter-day Saints would extend this verse to the blessings of salvation and exaltation as well. Those blessings are predicated on laws that us mortals cannot fulfil in obedience. Therefore, we need intercession. If salvation was a blessing that could be wrought through obedience, then we would indeed be profitable servants. And, quite honestly, I can be some form of a profitable servant with something like tithing. But not the big ones - salvation and exaltation.

You are incorrectly conflating salvation and exaltation.  You might want to check that.

[Eph2,8]

5 minutes ago, JLHPROF said:

You are incorrectly conflating salvation and exaltation.  You might want to check that.

Am I? So Jesus won my salvation... but not my exaltation? What laws must I obey perfectly and exactly to be exalted... or maybe not exactly, just good enough? I don't mean to sound accusatory, just hope to make use of the Socratic Method. 

Here is an explanation of what I mean when I say salvation, written by Gerald N. Lund, "Salvation: By Grace or by Works?"

"...In warning the Ephesians about concluding that a man is saved by works, he makes no reference to the law: “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourself: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” (Eph. 2:8–9.)...

The second typical explanation goes something like this: The fall of Adam brought two kinds of death into the world—physical death, which is the separation of body and spirit, and spiritual death, which is separation of man from God. The atonement of Christ overcame physical death through the Resurrection. This is salvation by grace because it comes to all men automatically and does not depend on what kinds of lives they have lived. But, if we wish to overcome spiritual death and enter back into God’s presence, we must be obedient to laws and principles. This is exaltation by works. Thus, according to this explanation, we are saved by grace and exalted by works.

This is an appealing explanation because it seems to provide a logical argument that fits the statements of Paul neatly into it. However, there is a doctrinal error involved here. While the resurrection of the dead is certainly an integral part of the plan of salvation, and is unconditional and independent of men’s works, the term salvation as used in the scriptures does not mean physical resurrection alone. As Elder Bruce R. McConkie has pointed out, salvation is synonymous with exaltation:

'Salvation in its true and full meaning is synonymous with exaltation or eternal life and consists in gaining an inheritance in the highest of the three heavens within the celestial kingdom. With few exceptions this is the salvation of which the scriptures speak. It is the salvation which the saints seek." END

Conflating salvation and exaltation? Perhaps they are more interlocked than we give them credit. We seem to tightly box "salvation" into only the resurrection and exaltation into deification. I will always defend the claim that my exaltation was bought, won, and merited by Jesus. I am credited righteousness through faith in and loyalty to Him. 

[JLHPROF]

2 minutes ago, Eph2,8 said:

Here is an explanation of what I mean when I say salvation, written by Gerald N. Lund, "Salvation: By Grace or by Works?"
"...In warning the Ephesians about concluding that a man is saved by works, he makes no reference to the law: “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourself: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” (Eph. 2:8–9.)...

If we're quoting non-authoritative gospel books I prefer Stephen Robinson's take:

• For centuries theologians have argued pointlessly over whether individuals are saved by faith or saved by works. A pox on both their houses, for neither by faith alone (defining faith as mere passive belief) nor by works alone are we saved. Salvation comes through a covenant relationship in which both faith and works play their parts. To insist that salvation comes by works alone, that we can earn it ourselves without needing the grace of God, insults the mercy of God and mocks the sacrifice of Jesus Christ in our behalf. On the other hand, to insist that salvation comes by belief alone and that God places no other obligations upon the believer insults the justice of God and makes Christ the minister of sin.

Quote

This is an appealing explanation because it seems to provide a logical argument that fits the statements of Paul neatly into it. However, there is a doctrinal error involved here. While the resurrection of the dead is certainly an integral part of the plan of salvation, and is unconditional and independent of men’s works, the term salvation as used in the scriptures does not mean physical resurrection alone.

Sometimes salvation is used to describe exaltation it's true.  Just as all thumbs are fingers but not all fingers are thumbs, so all exalted people are saved but not all saved people are exalted.

Quote

As Elder Bruce R. McConkie has pointed out, salvation is synonymous with exaltation:
'Salvation in its true and full meaning is synonymous with exaltation or eternal life and consists in gaining an inheritance in the highest of the three heavens within the celestial kingdom. With few exceptions this is the salvation of which the scriptures speak. It is the salvation which the saints seek."

McConkie was wrong (no surprise there).  They are not synonymous at all.  Being saved and being crowned with glory are two entirely different things.  All will be saved in some kingdom of glory.  Christ made sure of that.  The fact that there are differing kingdoms of glory requires a difference between the inhabitants exclusive of Christ's sacrifice.

Yes, your exaltation was paid for by Christ - ie, you'd never get there without him.  But the level of exaltation you receive will be based on your works.  Christ didn't choose to save you more than your neighbor.

[Eph2,8]

7 hours ago, JLHPROF said:

If we're quoting non-authoritative gospel books I prefer Stephen Robinson's take:

• For centuries theologians have argued pointlessly over whether individuals are saved by faith or saved by works. A pox on both their houses, for neither by faith alone (defining faith as mere passive belief) nor by works alone are we saved. Salvation comes through a covenant relationship in which both faith and works play their parts. To insist that salvation comes by works alone, that we can earn it ourselves without needing the grace of God, insults the mercy of God and mocks the sacrifice of Jesus Christ in our behalf. On the other hand, to insist that salvation comes by belief alone and that God places no other obligations upon the believer insults the justice of God and makes Christ the minister of sin.

My original comments (and the core of this topic) deal with grace vs works, not faith vs works. Faith vs works is a silly debate, the two are inseparable in any true senses of the words. Brother Robinson acknowledges this by saying that one must define faith as mere passive belief to even begin a faith vs works argument. In my previous response, I mentioned the word "loyal" in conjunction with faith. I think showing our faith through loyalty to God is more than a passive belief. Nonetheless, it does not change the fact that we are saved by grace. 

Also, interesting side note. Brother Robinson seems to use salvation here in the sense where you told me I was wrong. In referencing covenants, he is clearly using salvation to mean something closer to exaltation than physical resurrection. 

7 hours ago, JLHPROF said:

Sometimes salvation is used to describe exaltation it's true.  Just as all thumbs are fingers but not all fingers are thumbs, so all exalted people are saved but not all saved people are exalted.

McConkie was wrong (no surprise there).  They are not synonymous at all.  Being saved and being crowned with glory are two entirely different things.  All will be saved in some kingdom of glory.  Christ made sure of that.  The fact that there are differing kingdoms of glory requires a difference between the inhabitants exclusive of Christ's sacrifice.

I think we may just be discussing semantics at this point - futile and headache ensuing. Of course the principle of a physical salvation and being crowned with glory are different. McConkie wasn't saying they are the same thing, he was saying that the word salvation is used freely to describe all forms of salvation. 

8 hours ago, JLHPROF said:

Yes, your exaltation was paid for by Christ - ie, you'd never get there without him.  But the level of exaltation you receive will be based on your works.  Christ didn't choose to save you more than your neighbor.

I never said Christ was "choosing to save" anyone in particular, I am very aware that there are various levels of salvation. However, this comes from relying on the "merits of Christ", not on my own merit. 

2 Nephi "8 Wherefore, how great the importance to make these things known unto the inhabitants of the earth, that they may know that there is no flesh that can dwell in the presence of God, save it be through the merits, and mercy, and grace of the Holy Messiah, who layeth down his life according to the flesh, and taketh it again by the power of the Spirit, that he may bring to pass the resurrection of the dead, being the first that should rise.

9 Wherefore, he is the firstfruits unto God, inasmuch as he shall make intercession for all the children of men; and they that believe in him shall be saved." (Note how "saved" is used here!)

Moroni 6: "relying alone upon the merits of Christ, who was the author and the finisher of their faith."

 

 

[Eph2,8]

8 hours ago, JLHPROF said:

Yes, your exaltation was paid for by Christ - ie, you'd never get there without him.  But the level of exaltation you receive will be based on your works.  Christ didn't choose to save you more than your neighbor.

My last comment posted before I was finished. 

Anyways, how can I ever merit my own exaltation?? The Apostles spend practically half of the new testament warning us that we could never attain righteousness through our works. The Book of Mormon urges us against "laboring for that which cannot satisfy" (trying to earn heaven through our works). What laws do I need to follow, and how well do I need to follow them in order to meet the height requirement for exaltation?

An exaltation strictly by works seems a little unscriptural and logically flawed. Are we not all sinners? If I stand on trial for a robbery, no amount of service, charity, or begging can erase what I did as I stand to be judged. I don't often see in scripture something of "trust ye in your own merit" 

[JLHPROF]

10 hours ago, Eph2,8 said:

I never said Christ was "choosing to save" anyone in particular, I am very aware that there are various levels of salvation. However, this comes from relying on the "merits of Christ", not on my own merit. 

2 Nephi "8 Wherefore, how great the importance to make these things known unto the inhabitants of the earth, that they may know that there is no flesh that can dwell in the presence of God, save it be through the merits, and mercy, and grace of the Holy Messiah, who layeth down his life according to the flesh, and taketh it again by the power of the Spirit, that he may bring to pass the resurrection of the dead, being the first that should rise.
9 Wherefore, he is the firstfruits unto God, inasmuch as he shall make intercession for all the children of men; and they that believe in him shall be saved." (Note how "saved" is used here!)

All levels of salvation rely on the merits of Christ to be redeemed from the dead and enter whichever kingdom of glory they receive.
I don't see that Christ's work makes a difference as to whether I keep my temple and marriage covenants necessary for exaltation or choose to never make them in the first place.
I think you are expanding Christ's grace beyond its definition.
But we can agree to disagree on this.

[JLHPROF]

10 hours ago, Eph2,8 said:

An exaltation strictly by works seems a little unscriptural and logically flawed. Are we not all sinners? If I stand on trial for a robbery, no amount of service, charity, or begging can erase what I did as I stand to be judged. I don't often see in scripture something of "trust ye in your own merit" 

Who was suggesting an exaltation strictly by works?
Grace and the work of Christ are required to get us into the assembly.  Works determine which chair we get to sit in.
Doesn't matter which chair we work towards if we aren't allowed in the assembly room.  So yes, nobody can be exalted on their own merits alone.
But the idea that exaltation requires Christ alone is not scriptural either.

[bOObOO]

On 8/13/2021 at 8:56 AM, Eph2,8 said:

Short Answer, YES!!! We are absolutely unworthy no matter our own works. Unworthy of everything. God's love, His favor, His acceptance, salvation, exaltation, whatever. The only reason we have any favor in God's eyes is because Jesus intercedes for us and we can reconcile ourselves to Him. He is our worthiness, He pulls us into favor with God. He turns our negative into positive. It is 100% Jesus, 0% me. 

Long Answer:

This verse, I believe, touches a concept that is foreign to a lot of Latter-day Saints - the exact depravity of humanity. Think of Isaiah 64:6 - "But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away." Even our Righteous efforts are filthy to God. It's not about trying to "put in more" ourselves than He puts in. Ultimately, Christ puts in 100%, and us 0%. Salvation is not a game of pitching coins into a pile (me, then Christ four times, then me, then Christ four times) trying to possess enough to pay a fee. Salvation is a game of binding ourselves to the one Diety - Jesus - who has the merit to save us. Another passage that helps us understand this is 2 Nephi 9:50-51:

"50 Come, my brethren, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters; and he that hath no money, come buy and eat; yea, come buy wine and milk without money and without price.

51 Wherefore, do not spend money for that which is of no worth, nor your labor for that which cannot satisfy. Hearken diligently unto me, and remember the words which I have spoken; and come unto the Holy One of Israel, and feast upon that which perisheth not, neither can be corrupted, and let your soul delight in fatness."

We see that Jesus freely offers the blessings of salvation (buy wine and milk - symbols of paradise - without price), and an interesting concept is presented of spending our money on that which is of no worth. This means that if we labor in an attempt to earn heaven, God's love, God's favor, God's acceptance, etc then we are spending "money" on that which cannot satisfy. We will never earn those things on our own merit - instead we trust in ALONE in the merit of Jesus (Moroni 6:4). If we perform our works in an effort to gain favor in God's eye, we will never be fulfilled. We will never do enough, never feel satisfied - because we will never reach whatever bar we self impose on ourselves. Rather, Jesus lifts us to this bar completely on His own merit, and we serve Him in an unencumbered effort to be like Him. In the verse you called into question, Mosiah is explaining this concept in other words.

Now, to explore one more concept. We are all familiar with Doctrine and Covenants 130: 20-21. 

"20 There is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated—

21 And when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated."

I think we, as Latter-day Saints, see this verse and believe that we can earn all of the blessings of God. I firmly believe that this verse applies more to blessing such as healing someone who is sick, or personal spiritual/temporal blessings. For example, Malachi 3: If we pay tithing, we will see blessings. However, it makes me cringe to know that some Latter-day Saints would extend this verse to the blessings of salvation and exaltation as well. Those blessings are predicated on laws that us mortals cannot fulfil in obedience. Therefore, we need intercession. If salvation was a blessing that could be wrought through obedience, then we would indeed be profitable servants. And, quite honestly, I can be some form of a profitable servant with something like tithing. But not the big ones - salvation and exaltation. Remember, the atonement was a proxy ordinance. Meaning Jesus took my place and fulfilled the laws that predicate salvation for me. (If you really want to learn something fascinating - do a deep read of Genesis 15. Abraham does not even technically enter the Abrahamic Covenant - He was asleep!! Instead a "smoking furnace and burning lamp" enter the covenant. Hmmmm, sounds proxy to me.) I am completely and utterly unprofitable when it comes to my exaltation, I must instead lean completely on the "merits, mercy, and grace" of Jesus (2 Nephi 2:8)

Hope this helps!! Great question, learning that I was unprofitable changed my life - it allowed me to fully experience and know the love of my Savior. 

 

I think I understand your point and I think I once saw things that way too, but as I understand how it works now there is another factor at work which you didn't mention and may not be considering.  How do we get to be like Jesus.  Yes I believe he forgives us and cleanses us from all of our sins at the moment we accept him as our Savior, if we are then doing our best to do what we feel certain he wants us to do.  We believe in him when we feel certain he wants us to believe in him.  We repent from our sins, at least the sins we are aware of, when we feel certain he wants us to repent from our sins, when feeling certain that something we do is a sin.  And we obey his command to be baptized when we feel certain he wants us to be baptized.  We call all of that following him, doing what we feel certain he wants us to do.  ,And then eventually we become like Jesus in every particular.  We do what he would do if he were in our situation.  We think and believe as he does.,  We become like him, as he is like our Father.  Isn't that what you would call doing something?  Is it not all some form of work, requiring some effort, the physical acts of doing and being like Jesus?  That is how we become exalted like he is. It isn't just a matter of believing.  It is putting our beliefs into action with the goal of becoming like Jesus as he is like our Father in heaven.