In order to understand the relationship between the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and the early Christian church, we need to understand three terms: apostacy, restoration, and dispensation.
An apostacy is when a group of people or an individual fall away from the true church. They reject the gospel of Jesus Christ and fail to teach it to their children.
A restoration is when God calls a new prophet to restore gospel truths that had been lost during the apostacy.
A dispensation is a period of time during which the true church is present upon the earth. The members of the church have the uncorrupted gospel of Jesus Christ and the authority to act in His name--the Priesthood.
Throughout the Bible, we become familiar with a pattern of apostacy, repentance, and restoration. God established His church through Adam, the first man. Adam taught his children to worship God and to live and obey the principles and ordinances of the gospel. His was the first dispensation. After some time, his descendents became wicked and fell away from the church. Some of them taught their own versions of the gospel, many of which included false gods and idols. And so they fell into apostacy.
Each time the people fell into apostacy, God mercifully sent prophets like Enoch and Noah to restore the gospel and set His church in order. Before Christ's ministry, the Jewish people were in a state of apostacy. They had the teachings of many prophets--Moses, Isaiah, Ezekiel, and others--but they did not understand them. The Pharisees and Sadducees bickered and argued over various points of doctrine. And so Jesus Christ restored the same church that He had established with Adam. He taught them the true gospel, called apostles to lead His disciples, and set His church in order.
As had happened so many times before, the members of the church fell into apostacy. We have evidence in the New Testament that the apostles knew this would happen:
"Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,
"That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.
"Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;" (2 Thessalonians 2:1-3)
Just as Paul prophesied, the early Christians fell into apostacy and lost many "plain and most precious" truths. Many righteous men struggled to pick up the pieces, and we enjoy the fruits of their efforts when we read the Bible. But it is apparent by the vast number of churches, all claiming to teach the gospel of Jesus Christ but unable to agree on critical points of doctrine, that the Bible is not all that is required in order to have the church of Jesus Christ. This "falling away" after the ministry of Christ is known as the Great Apostacy.
In the early 1800s, God the Father and His son Jesus Christ appeared to Joseph Smith. It was through this modern day prophet that the Church of Jesus Christ was re-established. Gospel truths and the authority to administer gospel ordinances--the Priesthood--were restored. Just as so many prophets before him, Joseph Smith was accused of being a false prophet. Jesus Christ taught:
"Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
"Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
"Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit...
"Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them." (Matthew 7:15-17, 20)
I have judged Joseph Smith by his fruits--the Book of Mormon. I have read it and I have asked God if it is true. I know that Joseph Smith was called of God, and that the Church of Jesus Christ was restored through him. In this, the Dispensation of the Fulness of Times, the church is still led by Jesus Christ through a living prophet.
Sunday, August 17, 2008
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Another Testament of Jesus Christ
"In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established." (2 Corinthians 13:1)
Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints get their nickname, the Mormons, from a book called the Book of Mormon. It is called the Book of Mormon because it was compiled, and much of it narrated, by an inspired prophet of the Lord named Mormon. And so Mormon is no different to LDS church members than Moses, in that they were both responsible for compiling and narrating scripture. And so it should be understood that any accusations that Mormons worship Mormon are completely false. Are "mainstream" Christians accused of worshipping John because they have a book of scripture called the Gospel According to John?
Just like the Bible, the Book of Mormon contains the word of God as recorded by His prophets. It is, as proclaimed in the subtitle, another testament of Jesus Christ. One description of its purpose is written in 2 Nephi 25:26: "And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins."
Many contemporary Christians teach that the Book of Mormon cannot be accepted into the canon of scripture because the Bible is the "only word of God." What the source of this teaching is I don't know, but it is not the Bible. It is a preconceived notion. Some men have cited the warning at the end of Revelation, the last book in the Bible, mistakenly using it as evidence that the Bible is the only word of God. John warns that nothing must be added or taken away from "the words of the prophecy of this book," referring to the prophecy found in Revelation, not the Bible as a whole. (The Bible as we know it did not even exist when John wrote those words.) The Lord knew that many people would reject the Book of Mormon saying, "A Bible! A Bible! We have already got a Bible, and there cannot be any more Bible." (2 Nephi 29:3) He responds:
"Know ye not that there are more nations than one? Know ye not that I, the Lord your God, have created all men, and that I remember those who are upon the isles of the sea; and that I rule in the heavens above and in the earth beneath; and I bring forth my word unto the children of men, yea, even upon all the nations of the earth?
"Wherefore murmur ye, because that ye shall receive more of my word? Know ye not that the testimony of two nations is a witness unto you that I am God, that I remember one nation like unto another? Wherefore, I speak the same words unto one nation like unto another. And when the two nations shall run together the testimony of the two nations shall run together also.
"And I do this that I may prove unto many that I am the same yesterday, today, and forever; and that I speak forth my words according to mine own pleasure. And because that I have spoken one word ye need not suppose that I cannot speak another; for my work is not yet finished; neither shall it be until the end of man, neither from that time henceforth and forever.
"Wherefore, because that ye have a Bible ye need not suppose that it contains all my words; neither need ye suppose that I have not caused more to be written." (2 Nephi 29:7-10)
And so, how can we know whether the Book of Mormon is inspired scripture, as LDS church members claim?
"And wen ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true: and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost." (Moroni 10:4)
I have read the Book of Mormon. As I read, I felt the same sweet spirit that I felt as I read the New Testament. I prayed and asked my Heavenly Father if the Book of Mormon was true. I testify that He answered my prayer, by the power of the Holy Ghost, in the affirmative. I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God. It serves alongside the Bible as a witness of the divinity of Jesus Christ.
Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints get their nickname, the Mormons, from a book called the Book of Mormon. It is called the Book of Mormon because it was compiled, and much of it narrated, by an inspired prophet of the Lord named Mormon. And so Mormon is no different to LDS church members than Moses, in that they were both responsible for compiling and narrating scripture. And so it should be understood that any accusations that Mormons worship Mormon are completely false. Are "mainstream" Christians accused of worshipping John because they have a book of scripture called the Gospel According to John?
Just like the Bible, the Book of Mormon contains the word of God as recorded by His prophets. It is, as proclaimed in the subtitle, another testament of Jesus Christ. One description of its purpose is written in 2 Nephi 25:26: "And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins."
Many contemporary Christians teach that the Book of Mormon cannot be accepted into the canon of scripture because the Bible is the "only word of God." What the source of this teaching is I don't know, but it is not the Bible. It is a preconceived notion. Some men have cited the warning at the end of Revelation, the last book in the Bible, mistakenly using it as evidence that the Bible is the only word of God. John warns that nothing must be added or taken away from "the words of the prophecy of this book," referring to the prophecy found in Revelation, not the Bible as a whole. (The Bible as we know it did not even exist when John wrote those words.) The Lord knew that many people would reject the Book of Mormon saying, "A Bible! A Bible! We have already got a Bible, and there cannot be any more Bible." (2 Nephi 29:3) He responds:
"Know ye not that there are more nations than one? Know ye not that I, the Lord your God, have created all men, and that I remember those who are upon the isles of the sea; and that I rule in the heavens above and in the earth beneath; and I bring forth my word unto the children of men, yea, even upon all the nations of the earth?
"Wherefore murmur ye, because that ye shall receive more of my word? Know ye not that the testimony of two nations is a witness unto you that I am God, that I remember one nation like unto another? Wherefore, I speak the same words unto one nation like unto another. And when the two nations shall run together the testimony of the two nations shall run together also.
"And I do this that I may prove unto many that I am the same yesterday, today, and forever; and that I speak forth my words according to mine own pleasure. And because that I have spoken one word ye need not suppose that I cannot speak another; for my work is not yet finished; neither shall it be until the end of man, neither from that time henceforth and forever.
"Wherefore, because that ye have a Bible ye need not suppose that it contains all my words; neither need ye suppose that I have not caused more to be written." (2 Nephi 29:7-10)
And so, how can we know whether the Book of Mormon is inspired scripture, as LDS church members claim?
"And wen ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true: and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost." (Moroni 10:4)
I have read the Book of Mormon. As I read, I felt the same sweet spirit that I felt as I read the New Testament. I prayed and asked my Heavenly Father if the Book of Mormon was true. I testify that He answered my prayer, by the power of the Holy Ghost, in the affirmative. I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God. It serves alongside the Bible as a witness of the divinity of Jesus Christ.
Sunday, July 13, 2008
One True Church
"And also those to whom these commandments were given, might have power to lay the foundation of the church, and to bring it forth out of obscurity and out of darkness, the only true and living church upon the face of the whole earth, with which I, the Lord, am well pleased, speaking unto the church collectively and not individually." (Doctrine and Covenants 1:30)
On the surface, the claim of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints to be "the only true and living church upon the face of the whole earth" appears arrogant and elitist. And without an understanding of LDS doctrine, it seems to set up a terrible scenario: Mormons go to Heaven and the rest of the world goes to Hell. But this is not at all true.
First, let's take a look at why such a claim would be made. Latter-day saints believe that Jesus Christ, known as Jehovah in the Old Testament, founded His church through an ancient prophet, Adam. Adam was given the two things necessary in order to have the church--the truth (the gospel), and the authority (the priesthood). When Adam's descendents became wicked, they stopped teaching the gospel as it had been revealed from God through prophets. And they were no longer worthy of the priesthood. And so the church was lost and had to be restored when the people were again ready for it. This was done through another prophet. This happened several times throughout the Bible. Although the church was restored through different prophets in different eras, it was always the same church because Jesus Christ was at its head.
How can two churches, one founded by men and one founded by Jesus Christ, that both teach completely different doctrines both be true? If one church teaches that the priesthood is passed down by the laying on of hands and one church teaches that such an ordinance is not necessary, they can't both be right! If one church teaches that baptism is necessary for salvation and another church teaches that it is optional, they can't both be right! Any argument to the contrary is simply illogical.
We believe that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints was restored by Jesus Christ through a modern day prophet. Because the church is led by Jesus Christ, it contains the fullness of the gospel. No church that teaches doctrine contrary to that revealed by Jesus Christ can be true. And no church that is missing the authority to act in God's name can be "true and living." Many churches have in their possession the revealed word of God--the Bible. And so they teach many true principles of the gospel. But the fact that there are so many different Christian sects teaching so many different doctrines is evidence of the need for a restoration of the Church of Jesus Christ by Jesus Christ Himself.
When combining the idea that there is only one true church with the "mainstream" Christian teaching that Christians will go to Heaven and non-Christians will go to Hell, it is easy to assume that LDS church members believe Mormons will go to Heaven and non-Mormons will go to Hell. This is NOT the case. If a little boy in the jungles of Africa never hears the name of Jesus Christ, will a just and merciful God condemn him to Hell for not being a Christian? Of course not! Similarly, God will not condemn people who have not had a chance to accept the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. And yet, Jesus Christ teaches, "Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." (John 3:5) So how does a person who has never had an adequate opportunity to accept the gospel of Jesus Christ and be baptized escape Hell?
In 1 Peter 3:18-19 we read, "For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:
By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison..." And in 1 Peter 4:6 we read, "For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit." And so we learn that this life is not the only chance mankind has to hear the gospel. But what about those who accept the gospel after death? How can they be baptized?
"Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? why are they then baptized for the dead?" (1 Corinthians 15:29) Paul makes reference to an ordinance forgotten by mainstream Christianity--baptism for the dead. Latter-day saints believe that our ancestors, those that never had a chance in mortality to accept the gospel but accepted the gospel when it was preached to them after death, can be baptized by proxy. This is one of the ordinances performed in LDS temples.
In summary, we believe that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is "the only true and living church upon the face of the whole earth," and that every person will have a chance in this life or the next to accept Jesus Christ as their savior, and to exercise their faith in Him by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the gospel.
On the surface, the claim of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints to be "the only true and living church upon the face of the whole earth" appears arrogant and elitist. And without an understanding of LDS doctrine, it seems to set up a terrible scenario: Mormons go to Heaven and the rest of the world goes to Hell. But this is not at all true.
First, let's take a look at why such a claim would be made. Latter-day saints believe that Jesus Christ, known as Jehovah in the Old Testament, founded His church through an ancient prophet, Adam. Adam was given the two things necessary in order to have the church--the truth (the gospel), and the authority (the priesthood). When Adam's descendents became wicked, they stopped teaching the gospel as it had been revealed from God through prophets. And they were no longer worthy of the priesthood. And so the church was lost and had to be restored when the people were again ready for it. This was done through another prophet. This happened several times throughout the Bible. Although the church was restored through different prophets in different eras, it was always the same church because Jesus Christ was at its head.
How can two churches, one founded by men and one founded by Jesus Christ, that both teach completely different doctrines both be true? If one church teaches that the priesthood is passed down by the laying on of hands and one church teaches that such an ordinance is not necessary, they can't both be right! If one church teaches that baptism is necessary for salvation and another church teaches that it is optional, they can't both be right! Any argument to the contrary is simply illogical.
We believe that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints was restored by Jesus Christ through a modern day prophet. Because the church is led by Jesus Christ, it contains the fullness of the gospel. No church that teaches doctrine contrary to that revealed by Jesus Christ can be true. And no church that is missing the authority to act in God's name can be "true and living." Many churches have in their possession the revealed word of God--the Bible. And so they teach many true principles of the gospel. But the fact that there are so many different Christian sects teaching so many different doctrines is evidence of the need for a restoration of the Church of Jesus Christ by Jesus Christ Himself.
When combining the idea that there is only one true church with the "mainstream" Christian teaching that Christians will go to Heaven and non-Christians will go to Hell, it is easy to assume that LDS church members believe Mormons will go to Heaven and non-Mormons will go to Hell. This is NOT the case. If a little boy in the jungles of Africa never hears the name of Jesus Christ, will a just and merciful God condemn him to Hell for not being a Christian? Of course not! Similarly, God will not condemn people who have not had a chance to accept the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. And yet, Jesus Christ teaches, "Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." (John 3:5) So how does a person who has never had an adequate opportunity to accept the gospel of Jesus Christ and be baptized escape Hell?
In 1 Peter 3:18-19 we read, "For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:
By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison..." And in 1 Peter 4:6 we read, "For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit." And so we learn that this life is not the only chance mankind has to hear the gospel. But what about those who accept the gospel after death? How can they be baptized?
"Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? why are they then baptized for the dead?" (1 Corinthians 15:29) Paul makes reference to an ordinance forgotten by mainstream Christianity--baptism for the dead. Latter-day saints believe that our ancestors, those that never had a chance in mortality to accept the gospel but accepted the gospel when it was preached to them after death, can be baptized by proxy. This is one of the ordinances performed in LDS temples.
In summary, we believe that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is "the only true and living church upon the face of the whole earth," and that every person will have a chance in this life or the next to accept Jesus Christ as their savior, and to exercise their faith in Him by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the gospel.
Saturday, July 12, 2008
Grace and Works
"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God:
Not of works, lest any man should boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9)
It has been suggested that the doctrine of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is not compatible with the preceeding scripture. This is not true. LDS church members agree that we are saved by grace through faith and not by our own works. What is true, is that LDS doctrine is incompatible with contemporary Christianity's interpretation of the scripture. We do not believe that a simple confession, whether spoken, written, or thought, is an adequate demonstration of faith. Instead, we believe that the following biblical scripture is completely compatible with Paul's statement to the Ephesians.
"Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.
Thou believest that there is one God, thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?" (James 2:17-21)
Paul, being an apostle of Jesus Christ, had some understanding of the Atonement and the laws of justice and mercy. He understood that, because God is just, men had to pay the price for breaking the law--for disobeying His commandments. He also understood that, because God is merciful, He paid that price for us. No matter how hard we try, we will fall short of perfection. And so none of us can be saved by our own works. We are saved by a merciful God when we accept the Atonement of Christ--we are saved by grace. And so in this principle we are fully in agreement with contemporary, mainstream Christianity. The confusion arises when we interpret how we go about accepting the Atonement of Christ. When we accept the Atonement of Christ, when we are saved by grace, we are "born again."
Latter-Day Saints believe that being born again is a powerful and personal spiritual experience. Being "saved" is not simply an event that takes place when one announces that they have accepted Christ as their savior, guaranteeing their place in the kingdom of God. It is an ongoing process of progression and refinement. One who has not been compelled by faith to obey the principles and ordinances of the gospel does not have faith sufficient for the grace of Christ to take hold on their hearts.
"Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven." (Matthew 7:21)
"For we labor diligently to write, to persuade our children, and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God; for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do." (2 Nephi 25:23)
"And the Lord said unto me: Marvel not that all mankind, yea, men and women, all nations, kindreds, tongues and people, must be born again; yea, born of God, changed from their carnal and fallen state, to a state of righteousness, being redeemed of God, becoming his sons and daughters;
And thus they become new creatures; and unless they do this, they can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God." (Mosiah 27:25)
"We believe that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel." (Articles of Faith, v. 3)
Many mainstream Christians attempt to nullify the place of works in our salvation, preaching that if one believes in Christ he will be saved despite his disregard for the ordinances and commandments that Christ gave us. They attempt to prove this false and vain claim with an incorrect interpretation of Paul's words in Romans 3:26-28: "To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.
Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.
Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law."
As explained previously, men are commanded to do certain things. All will fall short. Justice demands that a price be paid for our sins--a price we are unable to pay. And so by the law of works, no man can be saved. But Christ paid the price for us. And so we are saved by grace through the law of faith. Does this mean that works don't matter? Some would have us think so. But they forget that "faith without works is dead." They put emphasis on the phrase "man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law." The word "without" is translated from a Greek word meaning "apart from" or "without intervention of." Paul is telling us that if our salvation were left up to our works, none of us could be saved. But the Atonement satisfies the demands of justice when we accept it through faith. What does faith consist of ? Belief, repentence, and works. For "faith without works is dead."
Either way, members of the LDS church are in great shape, for they profess to believe in Jesus Christ and in His saving grace, and they demonstrate that faith through repentence, baptism, and obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel.
"The fundamental principles of our religion are the testimony of the Apostles and Prophets, concerning Jesus Christ, that He died, was buried, and rose again the third day, and ascended into heaven; and all other things which pertain to our religion are only appendages to it." --Jospeh Smith, Sr.
Not of works, lest any man should boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9)
It has been suggested that the doctrine of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is not compatible with the preceeding scripture. This is not true. LDS church members agree that we are saved by grace through faith and not by our own works. What is true, is that LDS doctrine is incompatible with contemporary Christianity's interpretation of the scripture. We do not believe that a simple confession, whether spoken, written, or thought, is an adequate demonstration of faith. Instead, we believe that the following biblical scripture is completely compatible with Paul's statement to the Ephesians.
"Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.
Thou believest that there is one God, thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?" (James 2:17-21)
Paul, being an apostle of Jesus Christ, had some understanding of the Atonement and the laws of justice and mercy. He understood that, because God is just, men had to pay the price for breaking the law--for disobeying His commandments. He also understood that, because God is merciful, He paid that price for us. No matter how hard we try, we will fall short of perfection. And so none of us can be saved by our own works. We are saved by a merciful God when we accept the Atonement of Christ--we are saved by grace. And so in this principle we are fully in agreement with contemporary, mainstream Christianity. The confusion arises when we interpret how we go about accepting the Atonement of Christ. When we accept the Atonement of Christ, when we are saved by grace, we are "born again."
Latter-Day Saints believe that being born again is a powerful and personal spiritual experience. Being "saved" is not simply an event that takes place when one announces that they have accepted Christ as their savior, guaranteeing their place in the kingdom of God. It is an ongoing process of progression and refinement. One who has not been compelled by faith to obey the principles and ordinances of the gospel does not have faith sufficient for the grace of Christ to take hold on their hearts.
"Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven." (Matthew 7:21)
"For we labor diligently to write, to persuade our children, and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God; for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do." (2 Nephi 25:23)
"And the Lord said unto me: Marvel not that all mankind, yea, men and women, all nations, kindreds, tongues and people, must be born again; yea, born of God, changed from their carnal and fallen state, to a state of righteousness, being redeemed of God, becoming his sons and daughters;
And thus they become new creatures; and unless they do this, they can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God." (Mosiah 27:25)
"We believe that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel." (Articles of Faith, v. 3)
Many mainstream Christians attempt to nullify the place of works in our salvation, preaching that if one believes in Christ he will be saved despite his disregard for the ordinances and commandments that Christ gave us. They attempt to prove this false and vain claim with an incorrect interpretation of Paul's words in Romans 3:26-28: "To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.
Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.
Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law."
As explained previously, men are commanded to do certain things. All will fall short. Justice demands that a price be paid for our sins--a price we are unable to pay. And so by the law of works, no man can be saved. But Christ paid the price for us. And so we are saved by grace through the law of faith. Does this mean that works don't matter? Some would have us think so. But they forget that "faith without works is dead." They put emphasis on the phrase "man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law." The word "without" is translated from a Greek word meaning "apart from" or "without intervention of." Paul is telling us that if our salvation were left up to our works, none of us could be saved. But the Atonement satisfies the demands of justice when we accept it through faith. What does faith consist of ? Belief, repentence, and works. For "faith without works is dead."
Either way, members of the LDS church are in great shape, for they profess to believe in Jesus Christ and in His saving grace, and they demonstrate that faith through repentence, baptism, and obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel.
"The fundamental principles of our religion are the testimony of the Apostles and Prophets, concerning Jesus Christ, that He died, was buried, and rose again the third day, and ascended into heaven; and all other things which pertain to our religion are only appendages to it." --Jospeh Smith, Sr.
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Good and Evil
"Why does God allow so much evil in the world?"
It's a question that has been raised time and time again. For some Christians it has been a source of bewilderment or even doubt. I recently heard the question come from the mouth of a comedian who has made it very clear that he is opposed to organized religion. He points out that, although God is all-powerful and good, Satan remains free to spread his evil influence. This, the comedian believes, is proof of the inconsistencies of organized religion. If there is an all-powerful, benevolent Judeo-Christian God, he wonders, then why doesn't he just crush Satan and rid the world of evil. The Christian he is interviewing assures him that Satan will eventually be crushed. The comedian asks, "Why doesn't He do it right now? What's He waiting for?"
From an LDS perspective, such a question is easy to answer.
Our mortal life has meaning and purpose. What is the purpose? Our Heavenly Father has said, "For behold, this is my work and my glory--to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man." (Moses 1:39) How does He accomplish this great work? In order to partake of eternal life, we must become like our Heavenly Father. What is our Heavenly Father like? He is good and perfect and all-powerful. But can there be good without evil? Of course not. If there was no evil, nothing would be good, it would just be. God is perfect not because he cannot make evil choices but because he does not and will not. If he could not then he wouldn't be all powerful. Men, on the other hand, often make evil choices. We all do. And so we see that we must grow spiritually--we must progress--in order to become like our Father in Heaven. And like any good father, God wants us to be the best that we can be. And so He provided a plan--a plan of salvation.
"We will go down, for there is space there, and we will take of these materials, and we will make an earth whereon these will dwell; And we will prove them herewith, to see if they will do all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them;" (Abraham 3:24-25).
Much as children mature and learn to be responsible adults (some of them) through trial and error, men can progress spiritually until they "put off the natural man" and become like our Heavenly Father. This is accomplished by learning to choose good in the face of opposition. And this is where Satan comes in.
"For it must needs be, that there is an opposition in all things...and to bring about his eternal purposes in the end of man, after [God] had created our first parents...it must needs be that there was an opposition; even the forbidden fruit in opposition to the tree of life; the one being sweet and the other bitter. Wherefore, the Lord God gave unto man that he should act for himself. Wherefore, man could not act for himself save it should be that he was enticed by the one or the other." (2 Nephi 2:11-16)
Satan provides much of the opposition that allows men to choose between good and evil and progress spiritually. This is not to say that Satan is "essential." Men would still have the ability to choose whether or not to obey the Lord.
Of course, no one achieves perfection in this life. And, while men attempt to choose good over evil, all of us falter. Because God is just, a price must be paid for our sins. Because God is merciful, He paid that price himself.
"And no, the plan of mercy could not be brought about except an atonement should be made; therefore God himself atoneth for the sins of the world, to bring about the plan of mercy, to appease the demands of justice, that God might be a perfect, just God, and a merciful God also." (Alma 42:15)
It's a question that has been raised time and time again. For some Christians it has been a source of bewilderment or even doubt. I recently heard the question come from the mouth of a comedian who has made it very clear that he is opposed to organized religion. He points out that, although God is all-powerful and good, Satan remains free to spread his evil influence. This, the comedian believes, is proof of the inconsistencies of organized religion. If there is an all-powerful, benevolent Judeo-Christian God, he wonders, then why doesn't he just crush Satan and rid the world of evil. The Christian he is interviewing assures him that Satan will eventually be crushed. The comedian asks, "Why doesn't He do it right now? What's He waiting for?"
From an LDS perspective, such a question is easy to answer.
Our mortal life has meaning and purpose. What is the purpose? Our Heavenly Father has said, "For behold, this is my work and my glory--to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man." (Moses 1:39) How does He accomplish this great work? In order to partake of eternal life, we must become like our Heavenly Father. What is our Heavenly Father like? He is good and perfect and all-powerful. But can there be good without evil? Of course not. If there was no evil, nothing would be good, it would just be. God is perfect not because he cannot make evil choices but because he does not and will not. If he could not then he wouldn't be all powerful. Men, on the other hand, often make evil choices. We all do. And so we see that we must grow spiritually--we must progress--in order to become like our Father in Heaven. And like any good father, God wants us to be the best that we can be. And so He provided a plan--a plan of salvation.
"We will go down, for there is space there, and we will take of these materials, and we will make an earth whereon these will dwell; And we will prove them herewith, to see if they will do all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them;" (Abraham 3:24-25).
Much as children mature and learn to be responsible adults (some of them) through trial and error, men can progress spiritually until they "put off the natural man" and become like our Heavenly Father. This is accomplished by learning to choose good in the face of opposition. And this is where Satan comes in.
"For it must needs be, that there is an opposition in all things...and to bring about his eternal purposes in the end of man, after [God] had created our first parents...it must needs be that there was an opposition; even the forbidden fruit in opposition to the tree of life; the one being sweet and the other bitter. Wherefore, the Lord God gave unto man that he should act for himself. Wherefore, man could not act for himself save it should be that he was enticed by the one or the other." (2 Nephi 2:11-16)
Satan provides much of the opposition that allows men to choose between good and evil and progress spiritually. This is not to say that Satan is "essential." Men would still have the ability to choose whether or not to obey the Lord.
Of course, no one achieves perfection in this life. And, while men attempt to choose good over evil, all of us falter. Because God is just, a price must be paid for our sins. Because God is merciful, He paid that price himself.
"And no, the plan of mercy could not be brought about except an atonement should be made; therefore God himself atoneth for the sins of the world, to bring about the plan of mercy, to appease the demands of justice, that God might be a perfect, just God, and a merciful God also." (Alma 42:15)
Sunday, July 6, 2008
Testimony of Christ
Elder M. Russell Ballard recently suggested that members of the church could use the internet to share the gospel. And so I created a seperate blog with the sole purpose of sharing my understanding of, and thoughts and feelings toward, the gospel of Jesus Christ. I think it appropriate to use my first entry to explain how I know that the gospel is true--how I know that Jesus Christ is my Savior.
My parents are faithful members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. I was raised to believe in God and in the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. I suppose I accepted what they taught me about the church just as I accepted what they taught me about washing my hands after using the restroom, always saying "please" and "thank you," and looking both ways before crossing the street. But there came a time when I realized that religious beliefs were different. My friends at school did not share them. Neither did my teachers. Religion, I learned, was a matter of faith.
As I grew older, I developed a desire to know whether the church was really true--if for no other reason than to find out whether there really would be consequences for doing forbidden things like lying, stealing, and skipping church. That desire matured into a desire to know why I was born, where I came from, where I was going after death, and if life really had a purpose. The way I chose to live my life and a very sense of identity depended on that knowledge. And so I prayed. I asked God, Himself, if the gospel principles my parents had taught me were true. In a very personal and powerful way, I received an answer. Yes.
Years later, as I was serving as a full-time missionary in Long Beach, California, my faith was tried. I came face to face almost daily with people that passionately disagreed with my beliefs. They accosted me with one reason after another for why they believed the LDS church to be false. My first instinct was to make an appeal to intellectualism. I wanted to prove to myself intellectually and philosophically that the church was true. But such an approach is contradictory to the nature of the gospel. The first principle of the gospel is faith, and faith would not be necessary if gospel truths could be proven with logic. I learned that "...your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God" (1 Corinthians 2:5), and that "...the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirits of God; for they are foolishness unto him; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned" (1 Corinthians 2:14). This seemed almost like an emperor's new clothes ploy. As if Paul was saying, "Don't use your intellects or you might find out that I'm not telling the truth." But I remembered the powerful feelings I had experienced that told me the gospel was a good and important part of my life. And I read other scriptures that told me how to go about finding out if the gospel was true.
"If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God..." (James 1:5)
"Behold, I say unto you they are made known unto me by the Holy Spirit of God. Behold, I have fasted and pryed many days that I might know these things of myself..." (Alma 5:46)
"And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost." (Moroni 10:4)
After a great deal of pondering, scripture study, fasting, and prayer, I recieved a powerful spiritual witness of the truthfulness of the gospel. I knew, by something much greater than the finite logic of humankind, that Jesus Christ lives, that He is my Savior, and that He has restored the fullness of the gospel through a prophet in our time.
My parents are faithful members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. I was raised to believe in God and in the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. I suppose I accepted what they taught me about the church just as I accepted what they taught me about washing my hands after using the restroom, always saying "please" and "thank you," and looking both ways before crossing the street. But there came a time when I realized that religious beliefs were different. My friends at school did not share them. Neither did my teachers. Religion, I learned, was a matter of faith.
As I grew older, I developed a desire to know whether the church was really true--if for no other reason than to find out whether there really would be consequences for doing forbidden things like lying, stealing, and skipping church. That desire matured into a desire to know why I was born, where I came from, where I was going after death, and if life really had a purpose. The way I chose to live my life and a very sense of identity depended on that knowledge. And so I prayed. I asked God, Himself, if the gospel principles my parents had taught me were true. In a very personal and powerful way, I received an answer. Yes.
Years later, as I was serving as a full-time missionary in Long Beach, California, my faith was tried. I came face to face almost daily with people that passionately disagreed with my beliefs. They accosted me with one reason after another for why they believed the LDS church to be false. My first instinct was to make an appeal to intellectualism. I wanted to prove to myself intellectually and philosophically that the church was true. But such an approach is contradictory to the nature of the gospel. The first principle of the gospel is faith, and faith would not be necessary if gospel truths could be proven with logic. I learned that "...your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God" (1 Corinthians 2:5), and that "...the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirits of God; for they are foolishness unto him; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned" (1 Corinthians 2:14). This seemed almost like an emperor's new clothes ploy. As if Paul was saying, "Don't use your intellects or you might find out that I'm not telling the truth." But I remembered the powerful feelings I had experienced that told me the gospel was a good and important part of my life. And I read other scriptures that told me how to go about finding out if the gospel was true.
"If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God..." (James 1:5)
"Behold, I say unto you they are made known unto me by the Holy Spirit of God. Behold, I have fasted and pryed many days that I might know these things of myself..." (Alma 5:46)
"And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost." (Moroni 10:4)
After a great deal of pondering, scripture study, fasting, and prayer, I recieved a powerful spiritual witness of the truthfulness of the gospel. I knew, by something much greater than the finite logic of humankind, that Jesus Christ lives, that He is my Savior, and that He has restored the fullness of the gospel through a prophet in our time.
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