Looking for Cause-and-Effect Relationships in the Scriptures

Define

You might display the words cause and effect. Explain that in the scriptures we can see many cause-and-effect relationships. A cause can be any action or event that produces an effect—a result or outcome. Looking for cause-and-effect relationships in the scriptures can help us identify gospel principles. Searching for cause-and-effect relationships can also help us identify the Lord’s promises, blessings, warnings, and reasons for His punishments.

Share the following tips for identifying cause-and-effect relationships in the scriptures:

• Identify choices, attitudes, and actions (causes) and the results or consequences (effects) that follow.

• Look for words and phrases that point to cause-and-effect relationships such as inasmuch, thus we see, because, therefore, and if … then.

Model

Use one of the following examples or one of your own to model this skill.

• Read Matthew 14:14 as a class. Identify the cause that led the Savior to heal the sick:

  Jesus “saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them” (cause), “and he healed their sick” (effect).

  Identifying this cause-and-effect relationship can help us understand that the Savior blesses us with His healing power because of His compassion toward us.

• Read 2 Nephi 1:9 as a class. You might point out the word inasmuch and explain that this word can signal a cause-and-effect relationship. Then identify the actions (causes) that would result in receiving the Lord’s promised blessings (effects):

  “Inasmuch as those whom the Lord God shall bring out of the land of Jerusalem shall keep his commandments” (cause), “they shall prosper … [and] be blessed upon the face of this land” (effect).

  Identifying this cause-and-effect relationship can help us see that as we keep the Lord’s commandments, He will prosper us and bless us.

Practice

Select a passage from this week’s scripture reading, or choose from the passages below. Invite students to study the passage, looking for cause-and-effect relationships. After sufficient time, ask students to share the following in pairs or small groups: (1) a cause-and-effect relationship they discovered and (2) what insight they gain or principle they can learn from it.

Additional passages for practice:

• Isaiah 58:13–14

• Luke 5:18–25

• Alma 5:11–12

• Doctrine and Covenants 76:15–20

Invite and Follow Up

Encourage students to practice looking for cause-and-effect relationships in the scriptures during their personal study. Remember to follow up and allow time for students to share what they discover and how this skill helps them better understand the scriptures. Look for opportunities to continue practicing this skill in class.