Posted on 07/28/2009 10:54:46 AM PDT by greyfoxx39
Forward: (Added by Greyfoxx) The Gospel and the Church
The gospel of Jesus Christ is a divine and perfect plan. It is composed of eternal, unchanging principles, laws, and ordinances which are universally applicable to every individual regardless of time, place, or circumstance. Gospel principles never change.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the kingdom of God on earth, administered by the priesthood of God. The Church has authority to teach correctly the principles and doctrines of the gospel and to administer its essential ordinances.
The gospel is the divine plan for personal, individual salvation and exaltation. The Church is divinely commissioned to provide the means and resources that implement this plan in each individual’s life.
Procedures, programs, and policies are developed within the Church to help us realize gospel blessings according to our individual capacity and circumstances. Under divine direction, these policies, programs, and procedures may be changed from time to time as necessary to fulfill gospel purposes.
Underlying every aspect of Church administration and activity are the revealed eternal principles contained in the scriptures. As individually and collectively we increase our knowledge, acceptance, and application of gospel principles, we can more effectively utilize the Church to make our lives increasingly gospel centered.
Changes to Gospel Principles
Compiled by Aaron Shafovaloff 2009
The following are some notables changes between editions of Gospel Principles. The editions published are as follows: 1978, 1979, 1981, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1992, 1995, 1997, and 2009.
Underlined text marks something as new. The most salient changes were apparently made in 2009 to chapter 47.
Just like Gospel Principles, this compilation is a work in progress.
God is the one Supreme and Absolute Being in whom we believe and whom we worship. He is the Creator, Ruler, and Preserver of all things (see Discourses of Brigham Young, pp. 18–23) "the Great Parent of the universe," and He "looks upon the whole of the human family with a fatherly care and paternal regard" (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith [2007], 39)...
Because we are made in His image (see Moses 2:26; 6:9), we know that God has a body that looks our bodies are like ours His body. His eternal spirit is housed in a tangible body of flesh and bones (see D&C 130:22). God's body, however, is perfected and glorified, with a glory beyond all description.
God is perfect. He is a God of righteousness, with attributes such as love, mercy, charity, truth, power, faith, knowledge, and judgment. He has all power. He knows all things. He is full of goodness.
All good things come from God. Everything that He does is to help His children become like Him—a god. He has said, "Behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man" (Moses 1:39)...
Joseph Smith—History 1:17 (Father and Son are separate beings)
Every person who was ever born on earth was
is our spirit brother or sister in heaven. The first spirit born to our heavenly parents was Jesus Christ (see D&C 93:21), so he is literally our elder brother (see Discourses of Brigham Young, p. 26). Because we are the spiritual
spirit children of our heavenly parents
God, we have inherited the potential to develop their
His divine qualities. If we choose to do so Through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, we can become perfect, just as they are like our Heavenly Father and receive a fulness of joy.
We were not all alike in heaven. We know, for example, that we were given
sons and daughters of heavenly parents—males and females (see "The Family: A Proclamation to the World," Ensign, Nov. 1995, 102). We possessed different talents and abilities, and we were called to do different things on earth. (See Discourses of Brigham Young, p. 51.) We can learn more about our talents and callings
"eternal possibilities" when we receive our patriarchal blessings (see Harold B. Lee, Stand Ye Thomas S. Monson, in Holy Places, p. 117). Conference Report, Oct. 1986, 82; or Ensign, Nov. 1986, 66).
Even though we have forgotten, A veil covers our memories of our premortal life, but our Father in Heaven remembers
knows who we are and what we did before we came here (see Discourses of Brigham Young, p. 50)...
Our heavenly parents provided us with a celestial home more glorious and beautiful than any place on earth. We were happy there. Yet they Heavenly Father knew we could not progress beyond a certain point unless we left them
Him for a time. They
He wanted us to develop the godlike qualities that they have
He has. To do this, we needed to leave our celestial
premortal home to be tested and to gain experience. We needed to choose good over evil. Our spirits needed to be clothed with physical bodies. We would need to leave our physical bodies at death and reunite with them in the Resurrection. Then we would receive immortal bodies like those
that of our heavenly parents
Heavenly Father. If we passed our tests, we would receive the fulness of joy that our heavenly parents have
Heavenly Father has received. (See D&C 93:30-34.)...
Since we could not progress further in heaven, Our Heavenly Father called a Grand Council to present His plan for our progression...
We learned that He would provide an earth for us where we would be tested
prove ourselves (see Abraham 3:24-26). A veil would cover our memories, and we would forget our heavenly home. This would be necessary so we could exercise our agency to choose good or evil without being influenced by the memory of living with our Heavenly Father...
At the Grand Council we also learned the purpose for our progression: to have a fulness of joy. However, we also learned that not all of our Father’s children would want to receive a fulness of joy. Some of us some would be deceived, choose other paths, and lose their way...
At this council we also learned that because of our weakness, all of us except little children would sin (see D&C 29:46-47). We learned that a Savior would be provided for us so we could overcome our sins and overcome death with resurrection. We learned that if we placed our faith in Him, obeying His word and following His example, we would be exalted and become like our heavenly parents
Heavenly Father. We would receive a fulness of joy.
When we lived with our Heavenly Father, he explained a plan for progression to us, his spirit children
our progression. We could become like him, an exalted being. The plan required that we be separated from him and come to earth. This separation was necessary to prove whether we would obey our Father's commandments even though we were no longer in his presence. The plan provided that when earth life ended, we would be judged and rewarded according to the degree of our faith and obedience. We would then be assigned to the place for which we had earned for our eternal home
prepared.
Jesus taught, "In my Father's house are many mansions" (John 14:2). From the scriptures we learn that there are three degrees or kingdoms of glory in heaven...
Exaltation is eternal life, the kind of life God lives. He lives in great glory. He is perfect. He possesses all knowledge and all wisdom. He is the Father of spirit children. He is a creator. We can become Gods like our Heavenly Father. This is exaltation.
If we prove faithful and obedient to all the commandments of the Lord, we will live in the highest degree of the celestial kingdom of heaven. We will become exalted, just like our Heavenly Father. Exaltation is the highest reward
greatest gift that our Heavenly Father can give his The Lord has said that exaltation is the greatest gift of all the gifts of God children (see D&C 14:7)...
Those who live the commandments of the Lord and receive eternal life (exaltation)
exaltation in the celestial kingdom through faith in Jesus Christ will receive special blessings. The Lord has said:
promised, "All things are theirs" (D&C 76:59). These are some of the special blessings given to exalted people...
List some of the blessings that will be given to those who earn exaltation. List some of the blessings that will be given to those who are exalted...
There are specific ordinances we must have received to be exalted: To be exalted, we first must place our faith in Jesus Christ and then endure in that faith to the end of our lives. Our faith in him must be such that we repent of our sins and obey his commandments.
He commands us all to receive certain ordinances:...
We must receive the laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost...
In addition to receiving the required ordinances, there are also many laws we have to obey the Lord commands all of us to qualify for exaltation. We must...
In other words, each person must endure in faithfulness, keeping all the Lord's commandments until the end of his life on earth. Finally, each of us needs to receive the Holy Ghost and learn to follow his direction in our individual lives...
What happens when we have endured to the end and have been faithful? in faithful discipleship to Christ?...
This is the way our Heavenly Father became a God...
Our Heavenly Father knows our trials, our weaknesses, and mistakes
our sins.
When we lived with our Heavenly Father, He explained a plan for our progression. We could become like Him, an exalted being. The plan required that we be separated from Him and come to earth. This separation was necessary to prove whether we would obey our Father's commandments even though we were no longer in His presence. The plan provided that when earth life ended, we would be judged and rewarded according to the degree of our faith and obedience. We would then be assigned to the place for which we had prepared.
Jesus taught, "In my Father's house are many mansions" (John 14:2). From the scriptures we learn that there are three kingdoms of glory in heaven. The Apostle Paul mentioned that he knew a man who was "caught up to the third heaven" (2 Corinthians 12:2). Paul named two of the kingdoms in heaven: the celestial and the terrestrial (see 1 Corinthians 15:40-42). The celestial is the highest, and the terrestrial is second. Through latter-day revelation we learn that the third kingdom is the telestial kingdom (see D&C 76:81). We also learn that there are three heavens or degrees within the celestial kingdom (see D&C 131:1)...
Exaltation is eternal life, the kind of life God lives. He lives in great glory. He is perfect. He possesses all knowledge and all wisdom. He is the Father of spirit children. He is a creator. We can become like our Heavenly Father. This is exaltation. If we prove faithful to the Lord, we will live in the highest degree of the celestial kingdom of heaven. We will become exalted, just like our Heavenly Father to live with our Heavenly Father in eternal families. Exaltation is the greatest gift that Heavenly Father can give His children (see D&C 14:7)...
Our Heavenly Father is perfect However, he is not jealous of his wisdom and perfection, and He glories in the fact that it is possible for His children to become like Him. His work and glory is "to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man" (Moses 1:39)...
3. They will have
be united eternally with their righteous family members with them and will be able to have spirit children also. These spirit children will have the same relationship to them as we do to our Heavenly Father. They will be an eternal family eternal increase...
He commands us all to receive certain ordinances...
3. Brethren must receive the Melchizedek Priesthood and magnify their callings in the priesthood.
4. We must receive the temple endowment.
5. We must be married for time and eternity, either in this life or in the next...
In addition to receiving the required ordinances, the Lord commands all of us to...
2. Keep the commandments...
4. Live the law of chastity.
5. Pay honest tithes and offerings.
6. Be honest in our dealings with others and with the Lord.7. Speak the truth always.
8. Obey the Word of Wisdom...
10. Keep the Sabbath day holy...
14. Honor our parents...
Why are faith in and obedience to Jesus Christ necessary to become exalted?
What ordinances must we accept in order to become exalted?
What laws does the Lord give us that we must obey to become exalted?How do ordinances and covenants prepare us for exaltation?
How does faith in Jesus Christ help us obey the commandments?...
This is the way our Heavenly Father became God. Joseph Smith taught: "It is the first principle of the Gospel to know for a certainty the Character of God. . . . He was once a man like us; . . . God himself, the Father of us all, dwelt on an earth, the same as Jesus Christ himself did" (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, sel. Joseph Fielding Smith [1976], 345-46).
Our Heavenly Father knows our trials, our weaknesses, and our sins. He has compassion and mercy on us. He wants us to succeed even as he did.
Imagine what joy each of us will have when we return to our Heavenly Father if we can say: "Father, I did what you wanted me to do I lived according to Thy will. I have been faithful and have kept Thy commandments. I am happy to be home again." Then we will hear Him say, "Well done . . . ; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord" (Matthew 25:23).
THE
DOCTRINE AND COVENANTS
OF THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS
SECTION 71
Revelation given to Joseph Smith the Prophet and Sidney Rigdon, at Hiram, Ohio, December 1, 1831. HC 1: 238–239. The Prophet had continued to translate the Bible with Sidney Rigdon as his scribe until this revelation was received, at which time it was temporarily laid aside so as to enable them to fulfill the instruction given herein. The brethren were to go forth to preach in order to allay the unfriendly feelings that had developed against the Church as a result of the publication of some newspaper articles by Ezra Booth, who had apostatized.
1–4, Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon are sent forth to proclaim the gospel; 5–11, Enemies of the saints shall be confounded.
1 Behold, thus saith the Lord unto you my servants Joseph Smith, Jun., and Sidney Rigdon, that the time has verily come that it is necessary and expedient in me that you should open your mouths in proclaiming my gospel, the things of the kingdom, expounding the mysteries thereof out of the scriptures, according to that portion of Spirit and power which shall be given unto you, even as I will.
2 Verily I say unto you, proclaim unto the world in the regions round about, and in the church also, for the space of a season, even until it shall be made known unto you.
3 Verily this is a mission for a season, which I give unto you.
4 Wherefore, labor ye in my vineyard. Call upon the inhabitants of the earth, and bear record, and prepare the way for the commandments and revelations which are to come.
5 Now, behold this is wisdom; whoso readeth, let him understand and receive also;
6 For unto him that receiveth it shall be given more abundantly, even power.
7 Wherefore, confound your enemies; call upon them to meet you both in public and in private; and inasmuch as ye are faithful their shame shall be made manifest.
8 Wherefore, let them bring forth their strong reasons against the Lord.
9 Verily, thus saith the Lord unto you—there is no weapon that is formed against you shall prosper;
10 And if any man lift his voice against you he shall be confounded in mine own due time.
11 Wherefore, keep my commandments; they are true and faithful. Even so. Amen.
WHO on GOD's green earth are thery trying to FOOL?
Thanks to restornu for re-activating this thread.
???
No trouble knock your self out....
Are you watching “Sister Wives”, Resty? Quite interesting.
Kisses...
Shockingly enough, GOD!
Well thanks Resty. You ran off so fast yesterday we didn't get much chance to chat :-)
She may have a CAUCUS thread to monitor, with it’s 6-7 posts...
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