Mormon Direction

Reading the Bible, a question was posed to Jesus Christ about Caesar and the “tributes” paid to him (see Luke 20:22–25). Jesus replied, “Render therefore unto Caesar the things which be Caesar’s, and unto God the things which be God’s.”

From what principle, doctrine or spiritual law did Jesus speak from?

Paul addressed the same thing much later in his epistles to Titus (see Titus 3:1). Paul said that the Saints of God are subject to the principalities, powers and magistrates of the land. Peter the apostle said the same thing, “Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme;” (1 Peter 2:13).

The statement from Jesus Christ to render to Caesar that which is Caesar is an act of “civil obedience”. The principle shown by the scriptures is God’s will of how his Saint is to act in society. Civil obedience is a trait of a true Saint of God. Abiding in the laws of the land, with government and assigned civil authorities.

This brings to question the civil disobedience caused by those Christians in the name of God. Where in the Bible does it give these Christians the right and power to disobey the laws, or cause or create civil discord? It does not matter if a person has the right to protest, what is right is first with God, not with the way the world has taken itself.

Do these Christians disbelieve in the first commandment, to love God with all their heart and mind and the second commandment, to love our neighbor? This says that our behavior and actions must first abide in the laws, commandments and principles of God and in doing so, we will then have no need to create, encourage, support or be part of any civil disobedience (D&C 58:21).

What is more disturbing is to see a Latter-day Saint move in his or her life in a manner that is rebellious against civil order. Yet, that is something that Latter-day Saint needs to learn and overcome, an obvious shortcoming.

When we see people who claim to believe in the Bible, yet act in a manner that is civilly disobedient or rebellious are therefore not true Christians. For what ever good they may have done at some other time, the act of rebellion or civil disobedience makes them as “non-Christian”. It does not matter the self-justification, such actions or behaviour is unacceptable to God.

What matters is the manner of proper accord a person operates by. For all proper order in society, laws are in place to allow a person to dispute things and in this order shall a person carry his or her concerns. It is never carried in the act of civil disobedience against the laws or government or toward anyone else for that matter. To use any form or manner of civil disobedience to push beliefs is not of God and shall never be.

Anyone who encourages, teaches, preaches, desires or acts civil disobedience, it is best to stay true to God and stay far from his or her intended discord (Romans 13:13 ; Titus 3:9).

I read a recent August 2010 – Ensign article entitled, “Being Worthy to Enter the Temple”. It was a basic article on temple worthiness but the word “worthy” stood out in this article. As I focused on that single word, the word “exclusion” came into my mind.

I then began to pondered why many Non-Mormons attacked this LDS Church since the first day they heard the words from Joseph Smith speak about his First Vision and what God said to him. As I pondered, I began to see a pattern appear and the single word that would describe this pattern is the word “exclusion”. The word “exclusion” is to omit or to exclude.

What God said in the First Vision about other Christian churches was in fact, an act of exclusion by God and that appears to have triggered the sour resentment by others. There were others since Joseph Smith who claimed prophecy from God, but none have suffered the persecution and attacks more than this LDS Church, because none of the others have “excluded” other Christian creeds to the extent that God had in the First Vision and none received any visions equal to the First Vision by Joseph Smith.

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The Lord, through his Church, instituted long ago the need to establish and maintain “official doctrine”, a standard and measuring rod by which the Church is governed and salvation is taught to all the faithful. Official Doctrine is what the Church teaches and sustains as from God. This doctrine, as part of its official stamp, must be in harmony with all other laws and ordinances of the gospel (the four standard works).¹ This says that anything endorsed by the Church as official doctrine must harmonize with the revealed gospel. Anything that is not in harmony with the revealed gospel is rejected. The current four standard works held by this, the Lord’s Church are The Book of Mormon, Holy Bible, Doctrine and Covenants and the Pearl of Great Price. The “official doctrine” applies to everyone in the Church, no matter the authority, position or status. Therefore, even the president of the Church is subject to this rule.

“You cannot accept the books written by the authorities of the Church as standards in doctrine, only in so far as they accord with the revealed word in the standard works. ”Every man who writes is responsible, not the Church, for what he writes. If Joseph Fielding Smith writes something which is out of harmony with the revelations, then every member of the Church is duty bound to reject it. If he writes that which is in perfect harmony with the revealed word of the Lord, then it should be accepted” ²

Over the century that this Church has existed, many leaders of this Church published articles, made speeches and made some profound statements. Was it all doctrine of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints? That depends if what they said stands in harmony with “official doctrine”. Does the doctrine or principle expressed sanctify the soul or lead us closer to God? If it does, then it can be accepted as among the doctrines of the Latter-day Saints.³

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According to a recent news report at Gospel for Asia UK, a Christian denomination that professes worship of Jesus Christ is under threats of death if the pastor and followers refuse to reject Jesus for another (extremist) religion. This means people who disagree with the beliefs of this Christian group are trying to impose their will and their beliefs unto them, even using threats of death.

You can read this story here >> http://www.gfauk.org/skelapp/gfa/news-IfYouGoToChurchYouDie-Nov09.asp

This example shows religious intolerance, also showing a type of dictorship and evil, to force, impose, rule over, violate freedoms and civil liberties to worship as we choose, even threaten death. Such intolerance and actions against freedoms and liberties, in any degree, shows an evil that is becoming more prominent today.

Do Mormons know this kind of intolerance? Certainly they do and Joseph Smith suffered this intolerance to his death at the hands of evil men who violated his freedoms and liberties. Then today, this intolerance toward Mormons continue, under the guise and false label of “cult”. How many ex-Mormons and Anti-Mormons would literally take up their guns and shoot down Mormons if it were not for the laws we have in North America? How many Anti-Mormons and ex-Mormons would cheer and rally for such intolerance?

To God’s dismay, many would, as intolerance is not a Christian trait or belief. So how many Anti’s and Ex’s are not Christian? – Many.

A prayer is appropriate for these Christians who are suffering threats to their right to worship God as to what their conscience dictates, an article of faith that Mormons believe and follow.

I pray for the well being, safety and support for these Christians in Uttar Pradesh India.

Amen

( Always a bad apple somewhere)

Remember the Mountain Meadows Massacre in 1857, where some Church members killed many innocent souls? Now, jump to these current days, where on occasion there is a member who committed serious crimes.

These events can be discouraging to members, to see some foolish or outright wrongs committed by a small few and how it reflects on the Church as a whole. These wrongs and foolish actions, when found by ex-members and Anti-Mormons, play up the bad image upon all good members and the Church. It is wrong by them to do this, unethical and even unfair, but because they desire to discredit, they will make any opportunity they can.

Many members know this already, so this not news, why then is this entry important? The importance is for those members who are questioning their faith and membership in the Church because of these events that have happened, who make the interpretation that something is wrong with the Church.

When I view these unsavoury events, I keep in mind a fact that some members seem to ignore. This fact is that God’s true Church invites all people to his salvation. Everyone is to be given this opportunity to accept the restored gospel and this acceptance is one of faith and belief. The problem that occurs are people who join this Church with questionable characteristics and ethics and make no effort to change them. These are people from the world, the converts, who were born and raised in worldly ideas. We all know the tendency of the world to love corruption so people (converts) who join the Church carry this corruption within them.

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Most of us have seen this literature, where people have claimed Mormonism is false, accusing the Mormon Church of cover-ups, lies, false doctrine, and the sort. They have quoted leaders of this Church and even LDS scholars and from these quotes they made claims and accusations against the Church and its doctrines, sometimes against the membership as a whole. Some members of the Church found themselves swayed by Anti-Mormon literature, where their testimony and belief in the Church has fallen or crumbled, but of course, this is not true for all members.

My testimony was challenged, even degraded by some Anti-Mormons, but in the face of all the Anti’s, I continued steadfast with the Church and relied heavily on the Holy Spirit to offset the Anti deluge. In the past, I wondered why some members quit the Church when the availability of the Holy Spirit was (to me) so easy, but over time I saw that these members did not have any spiritual testimony from the Spirit or they failed to maintain their spiritual testimony and fell to the wilds of the world.

I have also read a book or two from other (Anti-Mormon) Christians, I was not impressed, especially with how they have misrepresented statements from Church leaders, made ludricous claims and misused the Bible, even using the Bible to justify their attacks and false claims, which is why I wrote this article.

It is not the intention of the Church (or myself) to force censor onto fellow members of the Church as many will read Anti-Mormon literature. Some will throw it in the trash bin while others will consider the claims and some will take it as gospel.

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The “Judas Syndrome”, as I named it, refers to the act of betrayal to the faith of God and perpetuating lies or falsehoods against the Lord and his followers. The act of betrayal occurs within the faithful group as Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus Christ.

This syndrome is quite prevalent today. Anti-Mormon’s use the errors or apostate acts by certain members to declare the doctrine of this Church as false or declare this Church and it’s members as evil.

How easily the Anti-Mormon’s forget the story of Judas, an apostle chosen by Jesus himself, brought into the fold of God. Judas betrayed Jesus by taking a bribe to turn Jesus over to the Romans. This story and example of Judas is what we see today. How some members have betrayed their faith in God to partake of sin. Of course Satan wants this. By leading some members to fall to sin, he knows that the ignorance of others will use that as an example against the Church and spread rumours and lies. This is why God called Satan as the “father of all lies”.  

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Scanning some of the testimonies of anti-Mormons, some have become atheist, others joined other churches, but all of these have proclaimed that they are now “free”.

Free from what? When reading their “testimonies” of their proclaimed freedom(s), they do not speak of spiritual freedom as Jesus Christ promises, they show their freedoms to be at a temporal base; a relative & personal freedom based on personal likes and dislikes.

The question that remains is, “what kind of freedom and from what?”

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There are countless blogs, stories and claims from numerous disbelievers and contenders to our faith. In their ranks are some ex-Mormons, who through their discontentment and impatience, joined their ranks. (As I write this I keep getting the thoughts of the “large spacious building” in Nephi’s vision, 1 Nephi 12:18, and how these people who attack Mormons now live within that structure. )What I would like to do is provide to those who seek understanding, information on a method to detect and understand the true spiritual nature of these complainers. This so you can know by their fruits, who they are.

Complaining is one trait that these contenders use. It is a common trait used by everyone when they are upset about something and wish some answers, action or even justice. This trait is common among people in the world who rally the governments to change policies. There are complaint oriented commissions, complaint departments, complaint forms, etc. The practice of complaint is considered by the world as a “normal” thing and, in general, something that good people use. Despite how some evil people also use this method, it is still considered an acceptable thing.

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Prayer does work and when done properly it works very well. The workings of prayer are rather simple, but despite this simplicity, so many fail to understand how prayer works and many find that prayer works only sometimes if at all. The scriptures tell us that we are to pray often and diligently. This is not an idle direction from God neither is it contingent on personal preference. A person who prays rightly and often will find that his/her state of mind and heart will abide in the first commandment. Their faith will receive support and direction.

All faith that is not focused into proper works is a dead faith, but rather than getting into the doctrinal support and reason for proper and frequent prayer, I wish to write here a personal aspect of proper prayer.

Prayer has worked well for me, despite experiences where it appeared at times that what help I had asked for seemed to never come.

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