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Sunday, March 26, 2017

Governance, A Law Unto Itself, and Unrighteous Dominion

Structuring society so that all may prosper requires governance. We have an example of such a society in the Book of Mormon.

And it came to pass that the thirty and fourth year passed away, and also the thirty and fifth, and behold the disciples of Jesus had formed a church of Christ in all the lands round about. And as many as did come unto them and did truly repent of their sins were baptized in the name of Jesus, and they did also receive the Holy Ghost. And it came to pass in the thirty and sixth year, the people were all converted unto the Lord upon all the face of the land, both Nephites and Lamanites, and there were no contentions and disputations among them and every man did deal justly one with another and they had all things common among them. Therefore there were not rich and poor, bond and free, but they were all made free and partakers of the heavenly gift. 4 Nephi 1:1-4 

There is an order to bringing this kind of social structure into existence. The result of this order is freedom for all. “There were not rich and poor, bond and free, but they were all made free and partakers of the heavenly gift.”
  1. First, a church of Christ was formed
  2. Next, the people did truly repent of their sins, were baptized, and received the Holy Ghost
  3. Then the people were all converted unto the Lord
  4. And because of this, there were no contentions and disputations among them
  5. And so every man did deal justly one with another
  6. Which led to them having all things common among themselves

To have freedom without order and governance is impossible. When a group or individual rejects hierarchy they many times move to the other extreme of anarchy or a law unto itself; and what they get is something worse than what they left.

Anarchy is the condition of a society, entity, group of people, or a single person that rejects hierarchy. . . The word anarchy comes from the ancient Greek ἀναρχία (anarchia), which combines ἀ (a), "not, without" and ἀρχή (arkhi), "ruler, leader, authority." Thus, the term refers to a person or society "without rulers" or "without leaders.

The German philosopher Immanuel Kant treated anarchy in his Anthropology from a Pragmatic Point of View as consisting of "Law and Freedom without Force". Thus, for Kant, anarchy falls short of being a true civil state because the law is only an "empty recommendation" if force is not included to make this law efficacious ("legitimation" from "lex timere" = "fearing the law"). For there to be such a state, force must be included while law and freedom are maintained, a state which Kant calls republic.

Kant identified four kinds of government:
  1. Law and freedom without force (anarchy).
  2. Law and force without freedom (despotism).
  3. Force without freedom and law (barbarism).
  4. Force with freedom and law (republic). Wikipedia 
I would add a fifth category to Kant's list.
  1. True conversion unto the Lord with freedom and law (Zion)

As it is with earthly governments, so it is with the things of God. Many want a “free Jesus” where nothing is required of them beyond existing in whatever state they choose to remain.

In 1951, John Taylor reports remembering something Joseph Smith had said, “Some years ago, in Nauvoo, a gentleman in my hearing, a member of the Legislature, asked Joseph Smith how it was that he was enabled to govern so many people, and to preserve such perfect order; remarking at the same time that it was impossible for them to do it anywhere else. Mr. Smith remarked that it was very easy to do that. ‘How?’ responded the gentleman; ‘to us it is very difficult.’ Mr. Smith replied, ‘I teach them correct principles, and they govern themselves.’” John Taylor, “The Organization of the Church,”Millennial Star, Nov. 15, 1851, p. 339.

Yet, something remains unsaid. What if people are offered and taught correct principles, but reject those principles by not abiding by those principles? Are they fit to govern themselves? Or do they fall prey to another form of government, or in other words, those who are not governed by God will be led captive by the will of the devil.

There are three woes pronounced upon the prideful who pervert the right way of the Lord.

O the wise and the learned and the rich that are puffed up in the pride of their hearts, and all those who preach false doctrines, and all those who commit whoredoms and pervert the right way of the Lord, wo, wo, wo be unto them, saith the Lord God Almighty, for they shall be thrust down to hell.

Wo unto them that turn aside the just for a thing of naught, and revile against that which is good and say that it is of no worth, for the day shall come that the Lord God will speedily visit the inhabitants of the earth. And in that day that they are fully ripe in iniquity, they shall perish.

Why would people revile against that which is good? Why do they say the gift from God is of no worth? What will happen when they are fully ripe in this iniquity?

But behold, if the inhabitants of the earth shall repent of their wickedness and abominations, they shall not be destroyed, saith the Lord of hosts. But behold, that great and abominable church, the whore of all the earth, must tumble to the earth, and great must be the fall thereof.

Why will they be destroyed if they do not repent? How are the wicked punished? “But behold, the judgments of God will overtake the wicked, and it is by the wicked that the wicked are punished, for it is the wicked that stir up the hearts of the children of men unto bloodshed.” Mormon 2:7 If I live in a lawless society, will there be freedom? Or will the lawless self-destruct and implode on themselves?

For the kingdom of the devil must shake, and they which belong to it must needs be stirred up unto repentance or the devil will grasp them with his everlasting chains and they be stirred up to anger and perish.

Why must the kingdom of the devil shake? Why must the proud and they who do wickedly be visited with thunderings, and lightnings, and earthquakes, and all manner of destructions? Is this what will stir some up to repentance? Will others still refuse, and in their anger perish? What if I truly humble myself because of the word and do not need to be compelled to be humble? Could much destruction and heartache be avoided?

For behold, at that day shall he rage in the hearts of the children of men and stir them up to anger against that which is good.

Why will the children of men anger against that which is good?

And others will he pacify and lull them away into carnal security that they will say, All is well in Zion, yea, Zion prospereth, all is well. And thus the devil cheateth their souls and leadeth them away carefully down to hell.

How does the devil cheat their souls? Why is he careful with how he leads the children of men?

And behold, others he flattereth away and telleth them there is no hell. And he saith unto them, I am no devil, for there is none. And thus he whispereth in their ears until he grasps them with his awful chains, from whence there is no deliverance. Yea, they are grasped with death and hell, and death and hell and the devil and all that have been seized therewith must stand before the throne of God and be judged according to their works, from whence they must go into the place prepared for them, even a lake of fire and brimstone, which is endless torment.

Why does the devil use flattery to reassure people until he has them secure in his awful chains?

Therefore wo be unto him that is at ease in Zion.

Wo be unto him that crieth, All is well.

Yea, wo be unto him that hearkeneth unto the precepts of men and denieth the power of God and the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Who are these woes pronounced upon? How do men deny the power of God and the gift of the Holy Ghost?

Yea, wo be unto him that saith, We have received and we need no more.

Why don't the people want more of God's word? What have they received that makes them think they have enough?

And in fine, wo unto all those who tremble and are angry because of the truth of God. For behold, he that is built upon the rock receiveth it with gladness, and he that is built upon a sandy foundation trembleth, lest he shall fall.

What is the difference between he that is built upon the rock and he that is built upon a sandy foundation? Why would some receive God's words with anger and others receive His words with gladness? Does God still have much to reveal to those who will listen?

Wo be unto him that shall say, We have received the word of God, and we need no more of the word of God for we have enough. For behold, thus saith the Lord God, I will give unto the children of men line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little. And blessed are those who hearken unto my precepts and lend an ear unto my counsel, for they shall learn wisdom. For unto him that receiveth I will give more, and from them that shall say, We have enough, from them shall be taken away even that which they have.

What will happen to those who refuse to receive more of the word of God? What will be given to those who receive more of His word?

Cursed is he that putteth his trust in man or maketh flesh his arm or shall hearken unto the precepts of men, save their precepts shall be given by the power of the Holy Ghost. 2 Nephi 7:171 – 194 

Why is the carnal man cursed?

Hearken and hear oh my people, saith your Lord and your God, ye whom I delight to bless with the greatest of blessings: ye that hear me. And ye that hear me not will I curse, that have professed my name, with the heaviest of all cursings. Hearken, O ye elders of my church whom I have called, behold, I give unto you a commandment that ye shall assemble yourselves together to agree upon my word, and by the prayer of your faith ye shall receive my law, that ye may know how to govern my church and have all things right before me. And I will be your ruler and ye shall see that my law is kept. Doctrine and Covenants 64:1-4 

What will the Lord do for those that hear Him? What will happen to those who will not hear the Lord? Why must we assemble ourselves and agree upon His word by the prayer of our faith? Why does the Lord want me to receive His law? Can I be free and at peace if I refuse to be governed by His law? Who is the ruler of God's church? Why must I see that I keep His law?

And it came to pass that when the angel had spoken these words, he said unto me, Remember thou the covenants of the Father unto the house of Israel? I said unto him, Yea. And it came to pass that he said unto me, Look and behold that great and abominable church which is the mother of abominations, whose foundation is the devil. And he said unto me, Behold there are save two churches only: the one is the church of the Lamb of God, and the other is the church of the devil. Wherefore, whoso belongeth not to the church of the Lamb of God belongeth to that great church which is the mother of abomination, and she is the whore of all the earth. 1 Nephi 4:49-53 

Is the church of God an organization set up by men, or is it comprised of those who live His law? How do I become a member of the church of the Lamb of God? Is Jesus the keeper of the gate and the one who decides when I am ready to come into His church? Can a man or group of men franchise Jesus's church?

Many of us have experienced the oppression of unrighteous dominion. Having escaped the clutches of such control, the thought of having any law is scary to some. To them law sounds like the unrighteous dominion they just left. They don't want anyone telling them what to do, say, or think, and so become a law unto themselves. What they don't realize is, “That which is governed by law is also preserved by law.” What they will find is the anarchy of lawlessness is worse than the oppression of unrighteous dominion.

For what doth it profit a man if a gift is bestowed upon him and he receive not the gift? Behold he rejoiceth not in that which is given unto him, neither rejoice in him who is the giver of the gift.

What are the gifts offered to us at this time? Does God rejoice if we do not receive His gift? Do we receive joy in the gift if we do not receive it?

And again, verily I say unto you, That which is governed by law is also preserved by law, and perfected and sanctified by the same. That which breaketh a law and abideth not by law, but seeketh to become a law unto itself, and willeth to abide in sin and altogether abideth in sin, cannot be sanctified by law, neither of mercy, justice, or judgment.

Why do I need to be governed by law to be preserved by law?

Therefore they must remain filthy still. All kingdoms have a law given, and there are many kingdoms, for there is no space in the which there is no kingdom and there is no kingdom in which there is no space, either a greater or lesser kingdom. And unto every kingdom is given a law, and unto every law there are certain bounds also, and conditions. All beings who abide not in those conditions are not justified, for intelligence cleaveth unto intelligence, wisdom receiveth wisdom, truth embraceth truth, virtue loveth virtue, light cleaveth unto light, mercy hath compassion on mercy and claimeth her own, justice continueth its course and claimeth its own, judgment goeth before the face of him who sitteth upon the throne and governeth and executeth all things. Doctrine and Covenants 30:22-30 

Which conditions do I want to abide? Which kingdom do I choose?

What is to be done? A correct idea of God's character, perfections, and attributes is necessary for me to have faith in His laws and His ways. He knows what works and what does not.

Behold there are many called, but few are chosen, and why are they not chosen? Because their hearts are set so much upon the things of this world and aspire to the honors of men, that they do not learn this one lesson--that the rights of the Priesthood are inseparably connected with the Powers of Heaven and that the Powers of Heaven cannot be controlled nor handled, only upon the principles of righteousness.

How are the Powers of Heaven controlled? What are the principles of righteousness? Where do I learn these principles?

That they may be conferred upon us, it is true, but when we undertake to cover our sins or to gratify our pride, our vain ambition, or to exercise control or dominion or compulsion upon the souls of the children of men, in any degree of unrighteousness, behold the heavens withdraw themselves, the Spirit of the Lord is grieved, and when it has withdrawn, Amen to the Priesthood or the authority of that man. Behold, ere he is aware he is left unto himself to kick against the pricks, to persecute the Saints, and to fight against God. We have learned by sad experience that it is the nature and disposition of almost all men, as soon as they get a little authority, as they suppose, they will immediately begin to exercise unrighteous dominion. Hence many are called, but few are chosen.

What is unrighteous dominion? Does God ever exercise unrighteous dominion? Or is it the pretenders who use His name in vain that scatter His sheep?

No power or influence can or ought to be maintained by virtue of the Priesthood, only by persuasion, by long-suffering, by gentleness and meekness, and by love unfeigned, by kindness, by pure knowledge which shall greatly enlarge the soul without hypocrisy and without guile, reproving betimes with sharpness when moved upon by the Holy Ghost and then showing forth afterwards an increase of love toward him whom thou hast reproved lest he esteem thee to be his enemy, that he may know that thy faithfulness is stronger than the cords of death; thy bowels also being full of charity towards all men and to the household of faith, and virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly. Then shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence of God and the doctrines of the Priesthood shall distill upon thy soul as the dews from Heaven. The Holy Ghost shall be thy constant companion and thy sceptre an unchanging sceptre of righteousness and truth, and thy dominion shall be an everlasting dominion, and without compulsory means it shall flow unto thee for ever and ever. D&C 47:135-143 

How many would like to be governed in this way? Why is God's dominion an everlasting dominion? Why does it flow unto Him without compulsory means? Am I willing to accept and live His laws so I can escape the vicious cycle of tyranny and anarchy in my life?

Be patient in afflictions and in sufferings revile not against those that revile; govern thy house in meekness and be steadfast. Doctrine and Covenants 115:9

What are the Lord's instructions to Thomas Marsh? How does the Lord govern His people? Because He is meek and patient and steadfast, He will not force His will upon me. I can refuse His offering and His gift and be a law unto myself, but some day whether in this life or in one which is to come, I will come to learn His ways really are the best ways. And I will know why I follow Him. It is because I love Him not because I fear Him.

Behold, Blessed, saith the Lord, are they who have come up unto this land with an eye single to my glory according to my commandments, for them that live shall inherit the earth, and them that die shall rest from all their labors, and their works shall follow them. They shall receive a crown in the mansions of my Father which I have prepared for them. Yea, blessed are they whose feet stand upon the land of Zion who have obeyed my gospel, for they shall receive for their reward the good things of the Earth and it shall bring forth in her strength. And they also shall be crowned with blessings from above, yea, and with commandments not a few and with revelations in their time, they that are faithful and diligent before me. Doctrine and Covenants 71:1-4 

We have been given a gift from God. He is willing to make a covenant with those who will have Him to be their God. He will crown them with blessings from above and give them commandments not a few. During the Boise Doctrine of Christ Conference in September 2017, I have an opportunity to accept by covenant the law of my God, not only to say but to do as He instructs. I invite all who desire to live His laws and be protected by His laws to do the same. In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Tuesday, March 21, 2017

Restoration Scriptures Announcement - A New Covenant

We have been given a gift this last general conference. God still speaks to men and women, and there is continuing revelation. The Restoration Scriptures are now available for our review. Over time, other revelations will be added to the Pearls of Great Price.  All these scriptures are to be accepted by common consent after we have had a chance to review the submitted material and have our voice heard.  Everyone can be part of this project.  We get five months to read, study, examine the revelations, and give feedback before we accept this New Covenant.  We get to have a real vote where our vote counts. We get to use gentleness, meekness, love, kindness, and pure knowledge to persuade and make sure we have the most correct and complete version of the scriptures possible.  I am so excited and only wish there were more hours in the day to study the Words of God!   
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RESTORATION SCRIPTURES ANNOUNCEMENT
March 18, 2017
Although what is to be announced may be viewed by most people as a modest achievement, I think history will eventually reflect this as one of the greatest steps forward after the deaths of Joseph and Hyrum.
What I’m about to announce will generate a considerable number of questions. To reasonably manage them, we’ve set up an email address where you can send your questions & suggestions. That address is:
RESTORATIONSCRIPTURES2017@GMAIL.COM.
Your questions will be reviewed this evening, and then tomorrow, a number of the major questions will be answered in front of this body. Any that aren’t answered immediately will be replied to after the conference ends.
One of the first ways a dispensation becomes corrupted is by compromising the scriptures used by believers in that dispensation. Therefore when a new dispensation begins, one of the first orders of business for believers is to adopt a new set of scriptures which restore, insofar as it is possible, a correct version of the material they regard as scripture.
Just like the saints of the New Testament adopted a new body of teachings, the Book of Mormon people preserved and added to sacred writings. And while Joseph Smith lived, there were both corrections to old scripture and new scripture was added. Likewise for us, there is a need to remove errors, correct texts, and add to the body of scripture to guide us. This assembly – that is, this worldwide body of believers – must also decide what we accept as scripture. It is our right and sacred responsibility to address this need.
To that end, a new edition of the scriptures is proposed. They are divided into three volumes that have been produced through a unified effort by two independent bodies of volunteers, separately driven to approach the scriptures anew.
Initially the members of these two groups felt individually inspired to revisit the scriptures in an effort to prune away some of the uninspired alterations of man so that they might have a more correct version of scripture for their study. Over time, these individuals were led to one another, combining and harmonizing their efforts. What began as two wholly separate groups, each forming at the same time, both unknown to one another, resulted in separate projects that were completed at the same time, and what was learned from their independent efforts identified issues that needed to be addressed.
On the last day of 2016, less than 2 weeks after discovering each other, these two groups held a meeting, facilitated by Denver Snuffer, and determined to unify their efforts, each bringing to the table differing components for a greater outcome than either project possessed alone. On the first day of the new year, the two became one as work began, preparing what would become this Restoration Edition of the scriptures.
Moving forward, the united team has worked closely with each other, with the Lord, and with His servant, to produce a more accurate record that is true to the Lord’s intent and to the Restoration. We are on His errand, not our own.
In September 1832, the Saints were condemned by the Lord and commanded to “repent and remember the new covenant, even the Book of Mormon and the former commandments which I have given them, not only to say, but to do according to that which I have written.”
We often see this as the Lord rebuking the Saints for failing to do according to that which He had written, yet assume that the Saints had been correctly saying what He had written. But the Saints did not say, and have failed to accurately preserve, what the revelations God provided to them said, because their texts became corrupted. This means that the first step towards emerging from condemnation is to try and do exactly what is being accomplished through this scriptural work now underway. While the full purpose of this project was initially unknown, it has begun a best effort to “repent and remember the new covenant.” If done right, we will at least accomplish the first step: recovering what the Lord provided so we can “say” what He has revealed. Then the challenges increase as we are called upon “to do according to that” which God has revealed.
A future conference must then be held with the intent of approving the final content of the Restoration Edition and sustaining that edition as canon for this assembly.
The following is a summary of what is contained in this Restoration Edition of the scriptures:
ALL THE SCRIPTURAL WORKS SHARE THE FOLLOWING CHANGES:
  • Verse numbers have been eliminated and the text has been formatted into paragraphs. This provides greater context for individual passages and removes the isolation of a statement that is caused by restricting it to a verse. The only exception to individual numbering is in Proverbs where each proverb has been numbered.
  • The chapters have been regrouped based on contextual themes rather than staying as they have existed historically. Our team recognized that since chapters were originally organized by man and not by God, we were free to reorganize them. Some paragraphs in some of the books have been combined or divided as well, based on their context. However, in the Book of Mormon, chapters were designated by Joseph Smith himself and those have been preserved.
  • Very minor standardization and spelling correction has taken place. Care was taken to respect the text.
  • Punctuation can clarify, but it can also restrict. Therefore punctuation has been significantly reduced in all of the volumes in order to free up the text for greater possible interpretation.
INDIVIDUALLY
VOLUME 1 IS THE OLD TESTAMENT
  • Joseph Smith’s New Translation of the Bible (the JST) is the base text.
  • The Song of Solomon had been removed since Joseph indicated that it is not an inspired text.
  • Proverbs now includes Proverbs of Joseph Smith, Jr. and Proverbs of Denver Snuffer,
VOLUME 2 CONSISTS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT AND THE BOOK OF MORMON
  • In a letter to the “brethren in Zion” on 21 April, 1833, Joseph Smith stated, “…it is not the will of the Lord to print any of the new translation in the Star, but when it is published it will all go to the world together in a volume by itself, and the New Testament and The Book of Mormon will be printed together.”
  • Joseph Smith’s New Translation of the Bible is the base text for the New Testament.
  • The 1840 edition of The Book of Mormon is used as the base text and was already formatted into paragraphs. This version was chosen because it contains corrections given by Joseph Smith to what was originally published in 1830 and 1837.
VOLUME 3 CONSISTS OF THE DOCTRINE AND COVENANTS & PEARLS OF GREAT PRICE
  • The new D&C returns the Lectures on Faith to its original place, along with those sections and revelations identified as coming through Joseph Smith. These have been painstakingly compared to the manuscripts found in the Joseph Smith Papers Project:
    • The order of the sections has been restored to thematic groupings rather than simply being presented chronologically. These groupings are: Restoration, Organization and Worship, and Revelations to Individuals.
    • Several LDS sections have been removed for the following reasons:
      • Sections 2 & 13 are extracts from JS-History and are therefore redundant.
      • Section 20 was written by Oliver Cowdery and constitutes church articles and covenants used to begin to structure the early church organization. They no longer apply.
      • Section 101 on Marriage, from the original 1835 Kirtland Edition, is not being reintroduced because it is not a product of either Joseph or Hyrum. However, pertinent points are included in another area.
      • Section 110 is completely unverifiable as a true revelation/vision. The three individuals with some information about the section, Joseph Smith, Oliver Cowdery and Warren Cowdery, left no statement or explanation about Section 110. Further, in listing those who visited with them in their respective testimonies, neither Joseph Smith nor Oliver Cowdery mention Elijah as having come. Finally throughout the Nauvoo time frame, including a month before his death, Joseph Smith spoke of Elijah’s return as a future and not a past event.
      • Section 129 was a struggle. Initially it was revised by taking the shorthand notes from Joseph Smith’s journal and fleshing them out with bridge words and phrases to make them into comprehensible sentences. However, once attempted, that effort was abandoned and the section was completely removed for the following reasons:
        1. The shorthand is just sketchy enough that some of the bridge wording is clearly debatable.
        2. The instruction we have through the Book of Mormon is sufficient on its own to allow us to discern evil spirits.
        3. This section, if relied upon alone, is apparently not sufficient to defend against lying spirits.
      • Section 134 is a declaration on laws & government written by either Oliver Cowdery or Sidney Rigdon, not Joseph Smith.
      • Section 135 is simply the announcement of the martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum.
      • Section 136 is from Brigham Young.
      • Section 138, Joseph F. Smith’s vision of the dead, is restricted by copyright and cannot be used.
      • Official Declarations 1 & 2 are declarations made by a different church.
  • Several LDS sections have been revised for the following reasons:
    • Section 107 was an amalgamation of content, with only one portion traceable to a revelation before the 1835 publication of the D&C. That portion has been preserved. The 1835 published version bears hallmarks of revisions by the hand of man. Therefore only a portion has been extracted, and then added to by revelation, to explain the establishment of dispensations and reflect the direction of this current dispensation. It is placed as the last section in the new D&C.
    • Sections 121, 122 and123 came from a letter written from Liberty Jail and are presented within the context of the entire letter written by Joseph Smith.
    • Section 132 on celestial marriage is now represented as it is posted by Denver Snuffer on his blog, containing the redactions suggested there to make the document internally consistent and reflect the earliest descriptions of the original.
  • More than 40 new sections have been added for the following reasons:
    • Nearly all of these new sections are verified revelations given through Joseph Smith that simply were never sustained as scripture.
    • Restoration Edition Section 98 is President Hyrum Smith’s epistle to the church.
  • The new D&C also includes an insert in the Appendix called A PROPHET’S PREROGATIVE, an example of an extremely valuable method of comparative study that can significantly help your understanding. The example used is Isaiah 29, and includes an introductory explanation.
  • The Pearl of Great Price – has had its name changed to Pearls of Great Price, reflecting and implying further expansion, and the following portions have been removed, revised or added for the following reasons:
    • (A Proposed Set of) Governing Principles is a rewritten statement of principles and practices – similar to LDS Section 20 – that reflects this assembly’s efforts to preserve the Restoration. This statement is not yet completed. It requires additional inspired input from you.
    • The Articles of Faith have been replaced by The Wentworth Letter that they were copied from, in order to provide context to those articles.
    • Joseph Smith – History has been slightly expanded to the same extent as it was originally published in the Times and Seasons.
    • The Book of Moses and Joseph Smith – Matthew have been removed because they already exist in the New Translation of the Bible and are redundant.
    • The Book of Abraham remains as is.
    • The Revelation of the Testimony of St. John – as given through Denver Snuffer, Jr. – has been added. It will not replace the existing Testimony of St. John found in the New Testament, but will stand as it’s own book.
    • Continuing Revelation – is a section which consists of visions and revelations given through Denver Snuffer, Jr. to be made public. This portion of the Pearls of Great Price is expected to be the place where new revelation will be added as it is received, which, you will see, has already happened.
    • Glossary of Fundamental Terms is at the end of the final volume. Currently it’s blank, except for a single sample definition. We encourage all of you to consider emailing us terms for the glossary using the following criteria:
  1. The definition must be scriptural, not your opinion.
  2. The terms need to be those that are critical to seeing things correctly. LDS and Christian culture have so skewed many religious terms as to render them not just wrong, but spiritually dangerous in that they point people in the wrong direction. This will not become a “bible dictionary,” but is an attempt to explain words as the Lord has intended, not “Gospel speak” or Mormonese.
Given that this body must declare to the Lord what records they intend to hold sacred, a Preview copy of these volumes of the Restoration Edition are available as of right now for download, in PDF, ebook and other requested formats, from www.scriptures.info, an online library that has been established for materials pertinent to the Restoration. There are a number of interesting tools and features that have been developed for this site, but now is not the time to go into them. However, I will say that scriptures.info is specifically built with tools to aid in comparative study. That’s why the Isaiah 29 example is at the back of the D&C – to kickstart you. So take a tour of that important site on your own. Those of you who may have content pertinent to the scriptures that you wish to contribute, those of you who are looking for research material or tools, and those of you who are just curious, be sure to visit the ABOUT page on that site for direction.
A hard copy of each volume is already available for purchase on Amazon.com and Amazon Europe. Search Restoration Scriptures Preview or the title of each work and you should find Vol. 1, 2 and 3. This copy is NOT formatted completely – it still has minor flaws in it. In fact, if you are happy to use the electronic copies that are available, you may want to wait until the scriptures have been sustained and scrubbed before buying a copy, as they may change. A final version will be produced that incorporates any changes sustained by this assembly and has been scrubbed of formatting errors.
Additionally, since Amazon won’t allow us to sell the copies at cost, the minimal royalties from the copies sold will be donated to the temple fund.
A quick side note: The reason the Creative Commons copyright for these scriptures is in my name is only because I am acting as the public face of this project. There are dozens of people that have contributed to it besides me.
A Research version of these scriptures is partially completed and available for download on www.scriptures.info as well. Unlike the printed scriptures, this Research version will remain in electronic form – at least for now – and will differ in the following ways from the print copies:
  • Though retaining the new chapter groupings, all of the books have LDS chapter and verse numbers inserted to allow for easier research and for comparison with other versions of scripture.
  • The JST and D&C include both strikethroughs and additions visible in their original manuscripts.
  • The Book of Mormon footnotes all significant changes from the editions that were published during Joseph Smith’s lifetime. Any editions after his death were not approved by him and therefore have been ignored.
  • Items removed from the printed copy can be preserved in this copy for research purposes, including, for example, section 129.
  • Items of historical or educational significance deemed helpful may be added to this version. Recognize that the Research version is intended to expand details of the sustained scriptures, not supplant them.
We do have plans for a fancier set of scriptures being produced with bible stock paper, leather or faux leather covers, and so forth. That process is already underway, but anyone familiar with the process is invited to email us and lend a hand. I’m not sure of a time frame other than we’d like to have those available by the end of the year. But we won’t print any until after the sustaining conference.
For those who honestly can’t afford around $40 to purchase a set of these scriptures and can’t use electronic copies for now, if you have a local fellowship you meet with, ask them if they can provide you with a set. If they can’t meet your need, please use the email address given to request a set. We have several free sets available for the truly needy that are here at the conference. If there are those in need who could not attend, but would like a copy, please place a request at that same email address and a copy can be sent to you or your local fellowship.
THE NEXT CONFERENCE, which has been mentioned during this announcement, will be held in Boise, ID, Labor Day weekend, September 2-3, with the intent of approving the final content for the Restoration Edition of the scriptures and sustaining that edition as canon for this assembly. Today is the “open to public view” step of the process. Our team simply got the ball rolling. You will now have approximately 6 months to digest, critique and react to what the Lord has offered.
Please carefully consider what is being offered to us. Zion is the Lord’s work. So getting it will not depend on the goodness or desires of men and women, but on their submission to the Lord, who intends to accomplish it. WE can’t force it, cause it, bring it, or hope it into existence. What we can do is submit to the Lord in a way that encourages Him to continue to use us for His purposes. There is no need for an immediate, knee-jerk reaction to this announcement. You will have time to consider all of it before making a decision.
No sustaining or debate of the scriptures will take place during this conference. But your input is necessary and required. An email address has been provided specifically for that purpose. Please use RESTORATIONSCRIPTURES2017@GMAIL.COM to send in questions you have about what has been announced and provided. There likely won’t be enough time tomorrow to answer all the questions that get sent in, but any that aren’t addressed during tomorrow’s Q&A session will be replied to. But there’s no rush. If you have an immediate, burning question, please send it in quickly so that we have time this evening to prepare responses for tomorrow. Also, this same email address will be used over the next 6 months for additional questions and ongoing feedback in preparation for a sustaining conference. So if you don’t have a question or suggestion until June, you can still submit it and it will be addressed. But please refrain from pointing out formatting issues unless it is alarming. We will be combing through the books again to find them all.
If there’s a particular issue in these scriptures that is critical, in your opinion, email your concern and your reasoning to support your argument. It will be posted for others to view and consider. If you think that there is something else that belongs in this edition, feel free to email that suggestion as well. For example you might feel inspired about a principle that needs to be added to the Governing Principles statement. However, realize that what this edition now contains has been under the Lord’s direction for the past year and a half and He has provided, at times, direct input. And there is a rigorous set of questions to assist you in determining whether you should submit new material.
The PRELIMINARY SUBMISSION & CRITIQUE PROCESS works like this:
  1. Questions, suggestions, criticism and requests get submitted to restorationscriptures2017@gmail.com.
  2. From the end of the St. George conference until the 4th of July, a SUBMISSIONS list will be maintained on scriptures.info.
    1. The items on the list will come from emails submitted.
    2. That document will list the specific items that have been pointed out as concerns to be removed, modified or added to the Restoration Edition. The points made by the submitter will also be given. Please be aware that your reasoning will be significantly refined if you submit a long explanation, so keep things brief. And make sure that what you submit is scriptural, not simply personal opinion.
    3. If you have very strong feelings about any of the items on the list, email us and let us know. If you’re fine with what has been proposed today or if you don’t care one way or the other about the items on the list, don’t email us. Only those who are strongly opposed to an existing item or strongly in favor of adding or amending an item should email us during those first few months.
    4. The SUBMISSIONS document will be updated as needed.
  3. As of the 4th of July, a final SUBMISSIONS list will be posted which also includes the total number of emails for/against an item. We will then wipe the slate clean.
    1. From then on, no new items will be added to the list.
    2. People who are strongly advocating or opposing can again email their vote about the item(s).
  4. That new voting period runs from the 4th of July to the end of August.
    1. A final tally will then be taken.
    2. If there is no significant number of emails in opposition of an existing item or advocating a missing item or amendment, that item will be dropped.
    3. And if you email us 6 times, it still only counts as one vote for any item.
Benefits of this process are:
  1. We are using simple, easy to reach technology. Anyone can go online to do this – even if they have to go to a library or a friend to do so. And this can be done from anywhere in the world.
  2. By providing the reason why an item is listed, opposing voices get the chance to be heard and perhaps to persuade.
  3. Doing 2 rounds of voting gives everyone the chance to be persuaded over time and therefore find confidence of their final decision.
  4. Everyone gets an opportunity to be involved if they feel so inclined.
2 CRITICAL POINTS:
  1. Remember that what is important is the message, not the messenger, so focus on the content of this gift, not how it’s delivered.
  2. The most important lesson for our group was expressed in the course of our emailing back and forth. Someone said this: I would rather submit to the decision of the group than insist that my view be followed. For me harmony between brethren is more important than getting what I think best to be followed. I believe harmony can lead to much greater things than can merely enforcement of even a correct view. I know how difficult it is to have a correct view, because of how often I have been corrected by the Lord. Sometimes I am humiliated by my foolishness when the Lord reproves me. Humiliation can lead to humility, but my experience is that the humiliation is accompanied by shame, whereas humility can proceed with a clear conscience. My experience with others leads me to conclude that if we can have one heart first, eventually we can likewise come to have one mind. But if we insist on having one mind at the outset, we may never obtain one heart together.
So I make a request to all of you – from all of us: Kaai sent the team an email 3 weeks ago, just after we had submitted the final volume to our formatter. We had begun to consider this next step. So he wrote: One of the ways to hopefully mitigate the sheer volume of emails will be to encourage fellowships to meet together and come up with a consolidated list of questions/suggestions/ concerns/etc… If there are individuals not associated with a fellowship, then they’ll follow the standard process [on their own]. If they make it a matter of prayer and forethought, first as individuals, then families, then fellowships, and submit in that manner, we may be able to keep the volume manageable. It will allow fellowships to meet together for a directed purpose and importune the Lord for revelation. It will draw them closer together in the bonds of love as indicated in the General Principles preamble and make them accountable to each other for the questions raised. I think it also reinforces the manner in which the Lord would want us to approach any challenge or issue presented.
Please consider these points as you consider what you choose to advocate in the scriptures.
Given the experiences many have had with organized religion, it’s only natural for some people to have an aversion to “official” scriptures. But these volumes are not set in stone; rather, they are presented to you in the appropriate manner, and with sufficient time for the group’s collective review, critique, support, and, possible sustaining. The Lord deals with His people by covenant; accepting these scriptures as comprising the history, teachings, doctrine, and covenants of our faith represents another step in our collective journey towards having our hearts bound together. And this should remain a labor of love and devotion to God. Those involved in this work do not present these volumes with any other expectation than that we are to be called to answer to every principle advanced, and we hope and pray that this continued effort to preserve and honor the word of the Lord will be accepted by Him, and by you.
In closing, I’d like to read a journal entry from one of our team members from Feb 18th:
I checked the scripture email and saw that volume 2 had been formatted and is now ready to print. Upon opening the file and viewing the document I was filled with joy and with the Spirit and was given a prophecy by the spirit saying,
“These scriptures will go to all the world and teach every nation, kindred, tongue, and people, to bring in the children of Israel from the four corners of the earth.”

Friday, March 17, 2017

The Record of Three - Heavenly Fathers (Part 6 of 6)

Heavenly Fathers

Joseph Smith taught that there are Fathers in Heaven. A friend of ours showed me this card. I asked him if I could have a copy of the card. Here is part of the email he sent me. [used with permission]


Joseph knew what he was saying. The LDS church used to give (and maybe still does) church office building employees a nicely bound gospel book each year. My step-father would pass along many of these to me as he was not too interested. Many years ago I kept the card that was included with one of the books because I liked the picture on the front and the quote within. It’s a quote of quotes:

My heart swells with gratitude inexpressible when I realize the great condescention of my heavenly Fathers, in opening the hearts of these, my beloved brethren to administer so liberally, to my wants and I ask God in the name of Jesus Christ, to multiply, blessings, without number upon their heads, and bless me with much wisdom and understanding, and dispose of me, to the best advantage, for my brethren, and the advancement of thy cause and Kingdom, and whether my days are many or few whether in life or in death I say in my heart, O Lord let me enjoy the society of such brethren. [emphasis added]

This quote can be found in the pen of Joseph Smith in his 1835-1836 Journal, as preserved in the JSP project here. Joseph wrote this verse after a number of brethren had come forward to pay off some of his debts (the ledger is included above the quote in the journal). All the LDS church references to this quote make Fathers singular, but you can clearly see JS wrote this word in the plural form when he originally wrote it. I’ve attached a photo of the card — impressively, the church history department stuck with the original “Fathers".

Original Version


  1. That quote, the original version, was an entry in the JS Journal from Dec 9th, 1835. You can find it on page 118 of the JSP Journals Vol 1: 1832-1839.
  2. That quote is NOT SEARCHABLE in the JSP project using the term “my heavenly Fathers” (or any variation of it using CAPS or lower case, with and without the comma, etc), try it here and see if it comes up…it doesn’t. You get 21 other references to “my heavenly father”. The only reason I knew of the existence of that quote was because of that card the Church History department gave to my step-dad. I honestly think, regardless of intent, that someone in the church has blocked the term “my heavenly fathers” from being searchable.
  3. I don’t know all the details of how the Manuscript History of the Church was compiled, but I do know that there were 6 volumes and volume A-1 was completed prior to the death of JS and it is claimed he edited/reviewed it. However, that volume only went up through Aug 1834, over a year before this quote. Volume B-1 commenced in Oct 1843 and took several years to complete, I believe….and JS wasn’t around to oversee: "Though JS did not dictate or revise any of the text recorded in B-1, Willard Richards and Thomas Bullock chose to maintain the first-person, chronological narrative format established in A-1 as if JS were the author. They drew from a variety of primary and secondary sources including JS’s diaries and letters, minutes of meetings, the first edition of the Doctrine and Covenants, church and other periodicals, reports of JS’s discourses, and the reminiscences and recollections of church members. As was the case with A-1, after JS’s death, Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball, George A. Smith, and others modified and corrected the manuscript as they reviewed material before its eventual publication.”
  4. Now, look at this quote (just the first part) in the History B-1: "My heart swells with gratitude inexpressible, when I realize the great condesentions of my heavenly Father in opening the hearts of these my beloved brethren to administer so liberally to my wants…” There it is…changed!

I just find this to be an incredibly interesting quote that was either deliberately or carelessly changed by editors within a couple of years after the death of JS…one of many I’m sure. I wonder for every one gem like this how many others have been totally lost?

Anyway, the original quote conveys both Joseph's close relationships with his Fathers in Heaven and Christ, as well as the beautiful affections he had for his brethren….a fellowship above and a fellowship below. It’s a treasure.

Conclusion

I believe the Doctrine of Christ is the path of ascension. It teaches me who I am and how to follow in the footsteps of my Father. The Father bears record of the Son and the Son bears record of the Father; but they do not bear record of the Holy Ghost because it is still in a state of probation. The Holy Ghost bears record of the Father and the Son by following in the footsteps of the Son, doing His works, thus glorifying the Father and the Son.

I see there is still much for me to learn about the eleven verses in 3 Nephi 11:31-41.

Wednesday, March 15, 2017

The Record of Three - Sons of God (Part 5 of 6)

Sons of God

Verily, thus saith the Lord: It shall come to pass that every soul who forsaketh his sins and cometh unto me, and calleth on my name, and obeyeth my voice, and keepeth my commandments, shall see my face and know that I am; And that I am the true light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world; And that I am in the Father, and the Father in me, and the Father and I are one— D&C 93:1-3

What are we to understand by these verses?

The Father because he gave me of his fulness, and the Son because I was in the world and made flesh my tabernacle, and dwelt among the sons of men. D&C 93:4

Why is the Lord called the Father? Why is the Lord called the Son? Who are the sons of men?

For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. Romans 8:14

. . . the testimony of the gospel of Christ concerning them who shall come forth in the resurrection of the just . . Wherefore, as it is written, they are gods, even the sons of God— D&C 76:50,58

Who are the sons of God?

Wherefore teach it unto your children, that all men, everywhere, must repent, or they can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God, for no unclean thing can dwell there, or dwell in his presence; for, in the language of Adam, Man of Holiness is his name, and the name of his Only Begotten is the Son of Man, even Jesus Christ, a righteous Judge, who shall come in the meridian of time. Moses 6:57

Why the name of his Only Begotten the Son of Man? Can I be a son of God and a son of Man?

I've color coded the next several verses to show the connection between God's path and my path. [emphasis added throughout this entire post]

Eternal Joy

What is the Father? He is a personage of spirit, glory, and power. What is man? Man is spirit. What is eternal? The Father is eternal. The elements are also eternal. Why does God raise up man? For the enjoyment of himself. Why are the spirit and element inseparably connected? To receive a fulness of joy. What is a fulness of joy? What does this say about me? How am I receiving joy?

They are the Father and the Son: The Father being a personage of spirit, glory and power: possessing all perfection and fulness: Lecture 5:2

We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost. Articles of Faith 1:1

For man is spirit. The elements are eternal, and spirit and element, inseparably connected, receive a fulness of joy; And when separated, man cannot receive a fulness of joy. D&C 93:33-34

and that when God would undertake to raise up men for the enjoyment of himself Lecture 7:6

Personage of Tabernacle

What is the Son? First, he is a personage of tabernacle. Secondly, he was made or fashioned like unto man. Thirdly, he is also in the likeness of the personage of the Father. What is man? The tabernacle of God. Since the elements are the tabernacle of God and man is the tabernacle of God, what is the relationship between the elements and man and God?

The Son, who was in the bosom of the Father, a personage of tabernacle, made, or fashioned like unto man, or being in the form and likeness of man, or, rather, man was formed after his likeness, and in his image;—he is also the express image and likeness of the personage of the Father: Lecture 5:2

The elements are the tabernacle of God; yea, man is the tabernacle of God, even temples; and whatsoever temple is defiled, God shall destroy that temple. D&C 93:35
Spirit of Truth

The Lord is the spirit of truth. But He tells me that I am also that which is Spirit, even the spirit of truth. Truth is knowledge of things as they are, and as they were, and as they are to come. The Holy Ghost knows more than the whole world, and it dwells in me. How does the Holy Ghost manifest the works of the Father and the Son? How does the Holy Ghost bear record of the Father and the Son?

I [Lord] was in the world and received of my Father, and the works of him were plainly manifest. And John saw and bore record of the fulness of my glory, and the fulness of John’s record is hereafter to be revealed. And he bore record, saying: I saw his glory, that he was in the beginning, before the world was; Therefore, in the beginning the Word was, for he was the Word, even the messenger of salvation— The light and the Redeemer of the world; the Spirit of truth, who came into the world, because the world was made by him, and in him was the life of men and the light of men. The worlds were made by him; men were made by him; all things were made by him, and through him, and of him. D&C 93:5-10

What does it mean “all things were made by him, and through him, and of him”? What is given to abide in me that gives me all truth, knowledge, and power?

Ye were also in the beginning with the Father; that which is Spirit, even the Spirit of truth; And truth is knowledge of things as they are, and as they were, and as they are to come; And whatsoever is more or less than this is the spirit of that wicked one who was a liar from the beginning. D&C 93:23-25

But I am learned & know more than the whole world, the Holy Ghost does any how, & I will associate myself with it. The Words of Joseph Smith compiled and edited by Andrew F. Ehat and Lyndon W. Cook, p 345

Therefore it is given to abide in you; the record of heaven; the Comforter; the peaceable things of immortal glory; the truth of all things; that which quickeneth all things, which maketh alive all things; that which knoweth all things, and hath all power according to wisdom, mercy, truth, justice, and judgment. Moses 6:61

The Lord received not of a fulness at first but continued from grace for grace and until he received a fulness of the glory of the Father. If I keep His commandments, I shall also continue from grace for grace until I receive of a fulness of the glory of the Father. Because sons receive not of a fulness at the first is why they are called sons of God.

And I, John, saw that he received not of the fulness at the first, but received grace for grace; And he received not of the fulness at first, but continued from grace to grace, until he received a fulness; And thus he was called the Son of God, because he received not of the fulness at the first. And I, John, bear record, and lo, the heavens were opened, and the Holy Ghost descended upon him in the form of a dove, and sat upon him, and there came a voice out of heaven saying: This is my beloved Son. And I, John, bear record that he received a fulness of the glory of the Father; And he received all power, both in heaven and on earth, and the glory of the Father was with him, for he dwelt in him. And it shall come to pass, that if you are faithful you shall receive the fulness of the record of John. D&C 93:11-18

If I am faithful, will I see what John saw? Will I see the heavens opened?

I give unto you these sayings that you may understand and know how to worship, and know what you worship, that you may come unto the Father in my name, and in due time receive of his fulness. For if you keep my commandments you shall receive of his fulness, and be glorified in me as I am in the Father; therefore, I say unto you, you shall receive grace for grace. D&C 93:19-20

Firstborns, Begotten Sons, and Glory

By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called: Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure. Hebrews 11:17-19 [emphasis added]

Begotten: Procreated; generated.

Now these are the generations of Ishmael, Abraham’s son, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah’s handmaid, bare unto Abraham:And these are the names of the sons of Ishmael, by their names, according to their generations . . . Genesis 25:12-13

Is Isaac Abraham's only son born to him in the flesh? What does it mean to be begotten? Why is Isaac Abraham's only begotten son? Why isn't Ishmael a begotten son?

For we saw him, even on the right hand of God; and we heard the voice bearing record that he is the Only Begotten of the Father— That by him, and through him, and of him, the worlds are and were created, and the inhabitants thereof are begotten sons and daughters unto God. D&C 76:23-24

What does it mean to be an only begotten? The Lord is the only begotten and the Firstborn; there is also a whole church of Firstborns and begotten sons, and they are partakers of the same glory as the only begotten, firstborn son. The Lord was in the beginning with the Father. I was also in the beginning with the Father.

And I, John, bear record that I beheld his glory, as the glory of the Only Begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth, even the Spirit of truth, which came and dwelt in the flesh, and dwelt among us. D&C 93:11

And now, verily I say unto you, I was in the beginning with the Father, and am the Firstborn; And all those who are begotten through me are partakers of the glory of the same, and are the church of the Firstborn. Ye were also in the beginning with the Father; that which is Spirit, even the Spirit of truth; D&C 93:21-23

Truth, Light, and Intelligence

The Lord is the Spirit of truth. But He tells me that I am also the Spirit of truth. How do I receive a fulness of truth? How am I glorified in truth? How can I know all things?

The Spirit of truth is of God. I am the Spirit of truth, and John bore record of me, saying: He received a fulness of truth, yea, even of all truth; And no man receiveth a fulness unless he keepeth his commandments. He that keepeth his commandments receiveth truth and light, until he is glorified in truth and knoweth all things. D&C 93:26-28

Whatever principle of intelligence we attain unto in this life, it will rise with us in the resurrection. And if a person gains more knowledge and intelligence in this life through his diligence and obedience than another, he will have so much the advantage in the world to come. There is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated— D&C 130:18-20

How is man coequal with God?

Man was also in the beginning with God. Intelligence, or the light of truth, was not created or made, neither indeed can be. All truth is independent in that sphere in which God has placed it, to act for itself, as all intelligence also; otherwise there is no existence. Behold, here is the agency of man, and here is the condemnation of man; because that which was from the beginning is plainly manifest unto them, and they receive not the light. And every man whose spirit receiveth not the light is under condemnation. D&C 93:29-32

The soul the mind of man, whare did it come from? The learned says God made it in the beginning, but it is not so, I know better God has told me so. If you don’t believe it, it wont make the truth without effect, God was a self exhisting being, man exhists upon the same principle. God made a tabernacle & put a spirit in it and it became a Human soul, man exhisted in spirit & mind coequal with God himself The Words of Joseph Smith: compiled and edited by Andrew F. Ehat and Lyndon W. Cook, p. 345- 346

I might say God never had power to create the spirit of man, God himself could not create himself. Intelligence is Eternal & it is self exhisting, All mind that is susseptible of improvement, the relationship we have with God places us in a situation to advance in knowledge. God has power to institute laws to instruct the weaker intelligences that thay may be exhalted with himself this is good d doctrin, it taste good, I can taste the principles of eternal life,so can you, they are given to me by the revelations of Jesus Christ and I know you believe it. All things that God sees fit to reveal to us in relation to us, reveals his commandments to our spirits,and in saving our spirits we save the body, the same as though we had no Body. ibid

How do I grow in intelligence? How do I receive more light? Why am I under condemnation if my spirit does not receive greater light?

That which is of God is light; and he that receiveth light, and continueth in God, receiveth more light; and that light groweth brighter and brighter until the perfect day. Doctrine and Covenants 50:24

Why is the glory of God light and truth? How is God glorified through His sons? How does God grow in light and truth? How do sons of God grow in light and truth? Why is God more intelligent than they all?

For behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man. Moses 1:39

The glory of God is intelligence, or, in other words, light and truth. Light and truth forsake that evil one. Every spirit of man was innocent in the beginning; and God having redeemed man from the fall, men became again, in their infant state, innocent before God. D&C 93:36-38

Howbeit that he made the greater star; as, also, if there be two spirits, and one shall be more intelligent than the other, yet these two spirits, notwithstanding one is more intelligent than the other, have no beginning; they existed before, they shall have no end, they shall exist after, for they are gnolaum, or eternal. And the Lord said unto me: These two facts do exist, that there are two spirits, one being more intelligent than the other; there shall be another more intelligent than they; I am the Lord thy God, I am more intelligent than they all. Abraham 3:18-19

Light of the World

I am the light and the life of the world. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. 3 Nephi 9:18

Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. Matthew 5:13-16

Saviors of Men

For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe. 1 Timothy 4:10

But verily I say unto you, that I have decreed a decree which my people shall realize, inasmuch as they hearken from this very hour unto the counsel which I, the Lord their God, shall give unto them. Behold they shall, for I have decreed it, begin to prevail against mine enemies from this very hour. And by hearkening to observe all the words which I, the Lord their God, shall speak unto them, they shall never cease to prevail until the kingdoms of the world are subdued under my feet, and the earth is given unto the saints, to possess it forever and ever. But inasmuch as they keep not my commandments, and hearken not to observe all my words, the kingdoms of the world shall prevail against them. For they were set to be a light unto the world, and to be the saviors of men; And inasmuch as they are not the saviors of men, they are as salt that has lost its savor, and is thenceforth good for nothing but to be cast out and trodden under foot of men. D&C 103:5-10[emphasis added]

What does it mean when God decrees a degree? What am I to realize? Why must I hearken to the counsel of my Lord my God? If I hearken to God what will begin to happen? Whose enemies? Do I glorify my God by prevailing against His enemies? If I hearken to observe all the words which the Lord speaks to me, what will happen to the kingdoms of the world? When the Lord decrees it, is there anything except my disobedience that can stop it? How can I be a light unto the world? How can I be a savior of men?

Yea, and from that time even until now, I have labored without ceasing, that I might bring souls unto repentance; that I might bring them to taste of the exceeding joy of which I did taste; that they might also be born of God, and be filled with the Holy Ghost. Yea, and now behold, O my son, the Lord doth give me exceedingly great joy in the fruit of my labors; For because of the word which he has imparted unto me, behold, many have been born of God, and have tasted as I have tasted, and have seen eye to eye as I have seen; therefore they do know of these things of which I have spoken, as I do know; and the knowledge which I have is of God. Alma 36:24-26

Christs

What is another name for Christ? When the Lord anoints me, do I become a Christ? Is this what it means to take upon me the name of Christ?

CHRIST: THE ANOINTED; an appellation given to the Savior of the World, and synonymous with the Hebrew Messiah. It was a custom of antiquity to consecrate persons to the sacerdotal and regal offices by anointing them with oil.

What does it mean to called by the name of Christ? Are the children of Christ also Christ's or Christs? Am I born again when I become His daughter? Am I willing to enter into a covenant with our God to do his will, and to be obedient to his commandments in all things that he shall command me, all the remainder of my days? Is this part of being endowed with power from on high? Where is the name of Christ written?

And now, because of the covenant which ye have made ye shall be called the children of Christ, his sons, and his daughters; for behold, this day he hath spiritually begotten you; for ye say that your hearts are changed through faith on his name; therefore, ye are born of him and have become his sons and his daughters. And under this head ye are made free, and there is no other head whereby ye can be made free. There is no other name given whereby salvation cometh; therefore, I would that ye should take upon you the name of Christ, all you that have entered into the covenant with God that ye should be obedient unto the end of your lives.

And it shall come to pass that whosoever doeth this shall be found at the right hand of God, for he shall know the name by which he is called; for he shall be called by the name of Christ. And now it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall not take upon him the name of Christ must be called by some other name; therefore, he findeth himself on the left hand of God

And I would that ye should remember also, that this is the name that I said I should give unto you that never should be blotted out, except it be through transgression; therefore, take heed that ye do not transgress, that the name be not blotted out of your hearts. I say unto you, I would that ye should remember to retain the name written always in your hearts, that ye are not found on the left hand of God, but that ye hear and know the voice by which ye shall be called, and also, the name by which he shall call you. Mosiah 5:7-12 [emphasis added]

What does all this say about those who follow their Lord and Savior?