Mormon Direction

The Church has said many times that our mortal life was to dwell in the flesh and prove ourselves worthy by keeping the commandments so we can return to the presence of Heavenly Father.

How many members may have bucked at such a statement, feeling that phrase “prove ourselves worthy” seems to suggest we are currently worthless or have lost something before? It does seem to suggest a daunting task when looking at it in terms of something lost by coming into mortality from the spiritual realm. Of course, some other Christians believe the worthless concept. They believe we never had a spiritual life before mortality because we were made from the lowly dust of the earth and become spiritual on our resurrection, which is a belief that contradicts the very example set by the birth of Jesus Christ, born of spiritual origins. Bearing thoughts of unworthiness, then maybe feelings of despair to a seemingly hopeless task of proving oneself that can, for some, lead to forms of self-retribution,… if Satan got his way.

The basic tenet here is the belief that we are not worthy, devalued, even diminished in importance. It is a despair style of perception. I hear it in the cry from other Christians with their constant calls and reminders that we are worthless sinners. This is a hard thing to endure after being continually basted with it. Pretty much like the Christmas turkey, you’ll eventually get quite cooked by it.

I do not denounce what the Church teaches or how they phrase their words, but the problem arises from our human and mortal tendancies to take a negative view of what God actually means. That is why I write these blog entries, to present more of God’s meaning to his gospel and teachings. To share “God’s” angle to it, so to speak.

As it stands, we are required to prove ourselves as worthy, so what does this really mean?

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The words of God always speak truthfully and with clarity. When properly understood and applied, God’s word brings wisdom, understanding and even grace and compassion into our hearts.

For these characteristics of God’s word to live inside us, requires proper faith. It requires a sincere willingness to place aside personal issues to seek truth and to experience what God deems necessary to teach us. Believing is not enough because by belief alone, God’s word does not reside inside us, but belief alone provides the needed catalyst to obtain God’s word spiritually.

Having said this, how does the above quote apply or how is it understood? It applies as follows, “How can you have respect for something when you hold issue against it?”

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To pass through the eye of a needle is a metaphor that has troubled me for sometime, trying to understand the meaning and reference used by Jesus Christ, until one day when I was reading a book entitled, “What the Scriptures Teach us about Prosperity” (by S. Micheal Wilcox). The author wrote the book to relate the scriptural teachings about wealth and prosperity. How the enticements of worldly wealth can cause us to fall from grace and loose faith. His book came to a place where he spoke of Jesus Christ using a metaphor of the camel passing through the eye of a needle to reference the burden of riches and condemning aspects of worldly wealth.

Previously I understood that the camel and needle reference speaks of a great difficulty in reference to wealth, but the actual understanding eluded me, despite all the scripture reading I had done. It was not until the camel-needle reference was matched to my own spiritual experiences that I arrived at an understanding of what Jesus meant. To pass through the eye of the needle refers to the trials and tribulations of spiritual life with Jesus Christ. Jesus told the rich prince to give away his wealth to charity and take up the cross and follow him, that was the trial. As the story goes, the rich prince could not do this and he walked away disappointed and that was the tribulation, the prince could not bring himself to accept and endure this sacriface.

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Some believe that all they need is their personal relationship with God as being sufficient for salvation. This of course, is not true.

A personal relationship is to maintain faith and focus to God, yet a personal relationship with God does not, in itself, establish sanctity and holiness just because a person declares it so. A relationship with God must include God as the partner. The head of the relationship is not you, it is God himself. This means he leads and declares what is required for this relationship to work. Thus, a relationship with God will require the fulfillment of important elements, else this relationship will fail.

Any relationship, even that of a marriage, requires both partners to contribute and do their parts into and for the relationship. This is exactly the same for a relationship with God. Without us doing our part, the relationship with God will fail, it will not be spiritual and cannot be sanctified and accepted.

Look into the Bible about the parable of the ten virgins ( Matthew 25:1–12 ). All of them declared a relationship with God as indicated in verse one where all ten were to meet with the bridegroom. This denotes that each believed they had or have a relationship with the bridegroom who is Jesus Christ. The bridegroom required the virgins to prepare themselves with oil in their lamps so they can prepare to meet him. Five did not fulfill this element or requirement of the relationship and because of this, their belief of having a relationship with the bridegroom failed and were called strangers who were shut out or excluded from the kingdom of the bridegroom.

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It was said by Brigham Young that we should endeavour to find truth where ever it is found. In that prophetic counsel, Brigham Young did not mean to blind discernment and judgement as to whether the information found is actually truth or not. Brigham Young gave that counsel to encourage us to seek truth, not grab anything we like, disregarding any discernment if the information is true and consistent with God’s teachings.

The words from Paul the Apostle should always prevail along side of Brigham Young’s counsel. Paul taught that we must “spiritually discern” matters of a spiritual concern, comparing spiritual with spiritual. Sadly to say that the majority of Christians have grossly twisted and undermined that divine counsel from Paul, misunderstanding the meaning of the word spiritual and “spiritual words” as declared by Jesus Christ in John 6:63. Failing to realize that there is a difference in worldly information versus spiritual information, and differences in spiritual information. If there were no differences, then Satan would have no tools to use to misinform and mislead.

Paul’s counsel was to teach us that we must learn the ability and power of spiritual discernment, a skill which will keep us from falling to false worldly information which affects our ability to exercise faith. Remember the words from Jesus Christ, where he said, “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 7:21–23), this because they do works of iniquity despite their claim to believe in Christ. The importance to spiritually discern, especially in these last days, is imperative and crucial to our spiritual survival and our first defence against false information.

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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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God directs us to perform good works. He warned us that we should not fool ourselves, that what we sow so shall we reap. We find these teachings in the Bible and Book of Mormon (Alma 5:41 / Alma 7:24, 27 / Titus 2:7 / Titus 3:8 ). Yet, we see so many Christians preach, complain and debate against this Church that salvation is not by works, but only by faith and this Church in turn shows the same Bible others preach from to show that faith is dead without works and so also, works is dead without faith ( James 2: 17, 20, 26 ), both must coexist for salvation.

We know, at least most of us, that God always promotes good things as this is what draws us closer to him and all good things glorifies him. Of course, all good works cannot manifest unless the person performs them with integrity, honesty, sincerity and humbleness. This says, for example, when a person chooses to give money for  a charity only as a tax break, but otherwise does not care for the charity, is not performing good works. There is no sincerity, honesty, integrity or humbleness in his or her act (2 Corinthians 9:7 ).

What God speaks of here in good works is the spirit of it. The sincere and cheerful act of good works promotes a good spirit. Applied generally to all things we do, says that quality work, with honesty, sincerity, diligence, care, produces good results. These good results are usually seen immediately and these good results, that bear the seal of quality good work, which is also the spirit of good work, will continue to reveal itself in value and goodness for sometime after. As a result, many can benefit from this value and goodness long after the work was done. A standard of good works serves all, even to serve as a beacon for those who need guidance and light in their works as well.

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Yesterday, as I finished paying for some groceries at the cash till, another lady behind me went next. The lady asked for some cigarettes and the cash till clerk asked the lady for some identification, since she looked young. As the lady was getting her identification to prove her age, the cash till clerk stated in a guilty type of tone as she tried to excuse herself, saying, “Sorry, but I have to cover my butt“.

This struck me as very interesting and odd.

In Canada, it is law in most of the provinces that a person must be 19 years of age to purchase cigarettes and all merchants are under law to confirm that age by proper identification or risk a hefty fine. The purpose of this law is to reduce the use of tobacco by younger persons. Since it is law, where is the reason to be guilty or feel bad to ask another for proper identification when the there is legal right and authority to do so?

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We all know of what God said about faith and what diminishes it. The most common thing is sin, or to be wicked, to abide in Satan’s rule or influence and so forth, but what many people do not realize is there are other things that also diminishes faith, such as the act of remaining in fear or fear based thoughts, choices and actions. Allow me to explain.

Everyone has shortcomings, personal faults that affect their life. God gave us shortcomings so that we may be made humble by them (Ether 12:27), but also by them, through faith and enduring, God can help us make these weaknesses into a strength when these shortcomings or faults are overcome in the right way (2 Nephi 3:13 / 2 Corinthians 12:10 / Hebrews 11:34).

What many do not realize is that by these inward personal faults, a person can easily diminish his or her faith instead of increasing it and this is all by their own doing, in how they use free will and choice and the manner of beliefs they carry and choose to live. This speaks of two sides, the good and the bad.

When a person chooses to overcome their shortcomings or personal faults, this is the good side, but only if they choose the help of the Holy Spirit and that person allows the Spirit to humble them. Then that person’s faith is increased, made deeper and more rooted and he or she gains an inner spiritual strength that withstands negative spiritual influences. This is a process that takes time if a person perseveres, abides in the Spirit, journals, prays, repents, remains obedient, that person will overcome their fault, made stronger and faith surer.

When a person chooses not to overcome their shortcomings or personal faults, ignores the Holy Spirit, whether or not they pray, chooses to forsake humbleness as part of the process, gives in to their faults or justifies them in any way to keep them, ignore them or both, that person’s faith is diminished, and the scriptures say so.

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