The Way of the Disciple {Palm Sunday-Mormon]

Ensign ^ | May, 2009 | Dieter F. Uchtdorf

[greyfoxx39]

The Way of the Disciple

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President Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Second Counselor in the First Presidency

 

Now is the time to embrace the gospel of Jesus Christ, become His disciples, and walk in His way.

Today is the day the Christian world traditionally calls Palm Sunday. You will remember that it was on that Sunday nearly 2,000 years ago that Jesus Christ entered the city of Jerusalem during the final week of His mortal life. ¹ In fulfillment of Zechariah’s ancient prophecy, ² He rode in on a donkey, and as He did so, a great multitude came out to greet the Master and carpeted the path before Him with palm leaves, flowering branches, and even their own garments. As He approached, they cried, “Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord” ³ and “Hosanna to the Son of David.” ⁴

Perhaps the disciples thought this was a turning point—the moment when the Jewish world would finally recognize Jesus as the long-awaited Messiah. But the Savior understood that many of the shouts of praise and acclamation would be temporary. He knew that soon He would ascend to the Mount of Olives and there, alone in Gethsemane, take upon Himself the sins of the world.

The Gospel of Jesus Christ

It is fitting that during the week from Palm Sunday to Easter morning we turn our thoughts to Jesus Christ, the source of light, life, and love. The multitudes in Jerusalem may have seen Him as a great king who would give them freedom from political oppression. But in reality He gave much more than that. He gave us His gospel, a pearl beyond price, the grand key of knowledge that, once understood and applied, unlocks a life of happiness, peace, and fulfillment.

The gospel is the good news of Christ. It is the revelation that the Son of God came to earth, lived a perfect life, atoned for our sins, and conquered death. It is the path of salvation, the way of hope and joy, and the assurance that God has a plan of redemption and happiness for His children.

The gospel is the way of discipleship. As we walk in that way, we can experience confidence and joy—even during times of peril, sorrow, and uncertainty.

The Way of the World

We live in a time when many worry about their livelihood. They are concerned about the future and doubt their ability to resolve the challenges that confront them. Many have experienced personal misfortune and sadness. They hunger for meaning and purpose in life.

Because there is such great interest in these issues, the world is not bashful in offering numerous new answers to every problem we face. People run from one new idea to the next, hoping to find something that will answer the burning questions of their souls. They attend seminars and buy books, CDs, and other products. They get caught up in the excitement of looking for something new. But inevitably, the flame of each new theory fades, only to be replaced by another “new and improved” solution that promises to do what the others before could not.

It’s not that these worldly options don’t contain elements of truth—many of them do. Nevertheless, they all fall short of the lasting change we seek in our lives. After the excitement wears off, the hollowness remains as we look for the next new idea to unlock the secrets of happiness.

In contrast, the gospel of Jesus Christ has the answers to all of our problems. The gospel is not a secret. It is not complicated or hidden. It can unlock the door to true happiness. It is not someone’s theory or proposition. It does not come from man at all. It springs from the pure and everlasting waters of the Creator of the universe, who knows truths we cannot even begin to comprehend. And with that knowledge, He has given us the gospel—a divine gift, the ultimate formula for happiness and success.

How Do We Become Disciples of Jesus Christ?

When we hear the transcendent truths of the gospel of Jesus Christ, hope and faith begin to blossom inside of us. ⁵ The more we fill our hearts and minds with the message of the risen Christ, the greater our desire is to follow Him and live His teachings. This, in turn, causes our faith to grow and allows the light of Christ to illuminate our hearts. As it does, we recognize the imperfections in our lives, and we desire to be cleansed of the depressing burdens of sin. We yearn for freedom from guilt, and this inspires us to repent.

Faith and repentance lead to the purifying waters of baptism, where we covenant to take upon us the name of Jesus Christ and walk in His footsteps.

To uphold us in the desire to lead a purified and holy life, we are endowed with the baptism of fire—the unspeakable gift of the Holy Ghost, a heavenly Comforter who accompanies and guides us as we walk in the path of righteousness.

The more we are filled with the Spirit of God, the more we extend ourselves to others. We become peacemakers in our homes and families, we help our fellowmen everywhere, and we reach out in merciful acts of kindness, forgiveness, grace, and long-suffering patience.

These are the first steps along the true way of life and fulfillment. This is the peaceable way of the follower of Jesus Christ.

The Path of Patience

Nevertheless, it is not a quick fix or an overnight cure.

A friend of mine recently wrote to me, confiding that he was having a difficult time keeping his testimony strong and vibrant. He asked for counsel.

I wrote back to him and lovingly suggested a few specific things he could do that would align his life more closely with the teachings of the restored gospel. To my surprise, I heard back from him only a week later. The essence of his letter was this: “I tried what you suggested. It didn’t work. What else have you got?”

Brothers and sisters, we have to stay with it. We don’t acquire eternal life in a sprint—this is a race of endurance. We have to apply and reapply the divine gospel principles. Day after day we need to make them part of our normal life.

Too often we approach the gospel like a farmer who places a seed in the ground in the morning and expects corn on the cob by the afternoon. When Alma compared the word of God to a seed, he explained that the seed grows into a fruit-bearing tree gradually, as a result of our “faith, and [our] diligence, and patience, and long-suffering.” ⁶ It’s true that some blessings come right away: soon after we plant the seed in our hearts, it begins to swell and sprout and grow, and by this we know that the seed is good. From the very moment we set foot upon the pathway of discipleship, seen and unseen blessings from God begin to attend us.

But we cannot receive the fulness of those blessings if we “neglect the tree, and take no thought for its nourishment.” ⁷

Knowing that the seed is good is not enough. We must “nourish it with great care, that it may get root.” ⁸ Only then can we partake of the fruit that is “sweet above all that is sweet, and … pure above all that is pure” and “feast upon this fruit even until [we] are filled, that [we] hunger not, neither shall [we] thirst.” ⁹

Discipleship is a journey. We need the refining lessons of the journey to craft our character and purify our hearts. By patiently walking in the path of discipleship, we demonstrate to ourselves the measure of our faith and our willingness to accept God’s will rather than ours.

It is not enough merely to speak of Jesus Christ or proclaim that we are His disciples. It is not enough to surround ourselves with symbols of our religion. Discipleship is not a spectator sport. We cannot expect to experience the blessings of faith by standing inactive on the sidelines any more than we can experience the benefits of health by sitting on a sofa watching sporting events on television and giving advice to the athletes. And yet for some, “spectator discipleship” is a preferred if not a primary way of worshipping.

Ours is not a secondhand religion. We cannot receive the blessings of the gospel merely by observing the good that others do. We need to get off the sidelines and practice what we preach.

The Way Is Open to All

The first step on the path of discipleship begins, luckily enough, in the exact place where we stand! We do not have to prequalify to take that first step. It doesn’t matter if we are rich or poor. There is no requirement to be educated, eloquent, or intellectual. We do not have to be perfect or well-spoken or even well-mannered.

You and I can walk in the path of discipleship today. Let us be humble; let us pray to our Father in Heaven with all our heart and express our desire to draw close to Him and learn of Him.

Have faith. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and the door will be opened. ¹⁰ Serve the Lord by serving others. Become an active participant in your ward or branch. Strengthen your family by committing to live the principles of the gospel. Be of one heart and of one mind in your marriage and in your family.

Now is the time to adjust your lives to be able to have a temple recommend and use it. Now is the time to have meaningful family home evenings, to read the word of God, and to speak to our Heavenly Father in earnest prayer. Now is the time to fill our hearts with gratitude for the Restoration of His Church, for living prophets, the Book of Mormon, and the priesthood power that blesses our lives. Now is the time to embrace the gospel of Jesus Christ, become His disciples, and walk in His way.

There are some who believe that because they have made mistakes, they can no longer fully partake of the blessings of the gospel. How little they understand the purposes of the Lord. One of the great blessings of living the gospel is that it refines us and helps us learn from our mistakes. We “all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God,” ¹¹ yet the Atonement of Jesus Christ has the power to make us whole when we repent.

Our beloved friend Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin taught us this principle with clarity when he said:

“Oh, it is wonderful to know that our Heavenly Father loves us—even with all our flaws! His love is such that even should we give up on ourselves, He never will.

“We [might] see ourselves in terms of yesterday and today. Our Heavenly Father sees us in terms of forever. …

“The gospel of Jesus Christ is a gospel of transformation. It takes us as men and women of the earth and refines us into men and women for the eternities.” ¹²

To those who have left the path of discipleship for whatever reason, I invite you to start where you are and come to the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. Walk again in the way of the Lord. I testify that the Lord will bless your life, endow you with knowledge and joy beyond comprehension, and distill upon you the supernal gifts of the Spirit. It is always the right time to walk in His way. It is never too late.

To those who feel inadequate because they have not been members of the Church all their lives, to those who feel that they can never make up for the time they have lost, I testify that the Lord needs your specific abilities, talents, and skills. The Church needs you; we need you. It is always the right time to walk in His way. It is never too late.

The Blessings of Discipleship

Let us remember on this Palm Sunday, during this Easter season, and always that the restored gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ has the power to fill any emptiness, heal any wound, and bridge any vale of sorrow. It is the way of hope, faith, and trust in the Lord. The gospel of Jesus Christ is taught in its fulness in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This Church is led by a living prophet, authorized by the Lord Jesus Christ to provide direction and guidance to help us face the challenges of our day, as serious as they may be.

I bear my solemn witness that Jesus the Christ lives. He is the Savior and Redeemer of the world. He is the promised Messiah. He lived a perfect life and atoned for our sins. He will ever be at our side. He will fight our battles. He is our hope; He is our salvation; He is the way. Of this I testify in the sacred name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Show References 

Notes

1. 1.

   See Matthew 21:6–11.

2. 2.

   See Zechariah 9:9.

3. 3.

   Luke 19:38.

4. 4.

   Matthew 21:9.

5. 5.

   See Romans 10:17.

6. 6.

   Alma 32:43.

7. 7.

   Alma 32:38.

8. 8.

   Alma 32:37.

9. 9.

   Alma 32:42.

10. 10.

    See Matthew 7:7.

11. 11.

    Romans 3:23.

12. 12.

    Joseph B. Wirthlin, “The Great Commandment,” Liahona and Ensign, Nov. 2007, 29–30.

   

[K-Ben-K]

Some say I am not a Christian because I believe the definition of the Trinity is a man made addition to God’s word.

This addition was created by reformers who did not have authority from God to add to and take away from His word.

By translating God’s word through this man made definition many plan and precious truths have been lost.

Ben

[aMorePerfectUnion]

What your post accuses the Coucil of - adding to God’s Word- the mormonic church does by perverting every teaching of the Bible.

Nicea codified what was already believed in order to guard against the perversion of truth - like the Mormon church does.

Ampu

[Godzilla]

You are repeating yourself here kbk - a sign of a shallow faith.

The Apostle Paul rebuked works-based religious beliefs like mormonism - so why are you not following Paul?

Nicean Creed is not scripture, but a summation of what scripture teaches regarding the nature of God. If someone has taught you it was scripture they are wrong. It was totally based upon scripture. How do you know smith had the appropriate “authority” to “translate” new scripture?

And please specify which of these ‘plan and precious truths’ have been lost. Do you have manuscript evidence to back your claim up? Typical, one has to tear the bible down in order to insert man-made ‘scriptures’ in its place.

There is no manuscript support for the 4000+ changes to the bom. Please tell us where the bom lands were in the new world? Or is it in asia (malaysian peninsula) or even Africa as some mormon scholars have indicated.

[Elsie]

I do not believe the reformers in the Council of Nicaea had authority from God to add the Nicene Creed to His word.

I have many a BIBLE, and NONE of them have the NC in them.

[Elsie]

I do not believe the reformers in the Council of Nicaea had authority from God to add the Nicene Creed to His word.

Since we are on the subject of ADDING things to Scripture; you may find the following quite interesting.

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Let's compare KJV to JST:

 

 

 

 

King James Version   John 1    1.  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  2.  The same was in the beginning with God.  3.  All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.  4.  In him was life; and the life was the light of men.  5.  And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.  6.  There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.  7.  The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.  8.  He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.  9.  That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.  10.  He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.  11.  He came unto his own, and his own received him not.  12.  But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:  13.  Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.  14.  And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.  15.  John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me.  16.  And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.  17.  For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.  18.  No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.  19.  And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou?  20.  And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ.  21.  And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No.  22.  Then said they unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself?  23.  He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias.  24.  And they which were sent were of the Pharisees.  25.  And they asked him, and said unto him, Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet?  26.  John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not;  27.  He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe's latchet I am not worthy to unloose.  28.  These things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing.  29.  The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.  30.  This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me.  31.  And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water.  32.  And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him.  33.  And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.  34.  And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God.

Joseph Smith Translation   John 1 1 In the beginning was the gospel preached through the Son. And the gospel was the word, and the word was with the Son, and the Son was with God, and the Son was of God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made which was made. 4 In him was the gospel, and the gospel was the life, and the life was the light of men; 5 And the light shineth in the world, and the world perceiveth it not. 6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 The same came into the world for a witness, to bear witness of the light, to bear record of the gospel through the Son, unto all, that through him men might believe. 8 He was not that light, but came to bear witness of that light, 9 Which was the true light, which lighteth every man who cometh into the world; 10 Even the Son of God. He who was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. 11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not. 12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God; only to them who believe on his name. 13 He was born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. 14 And the same word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the Only Begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. 15 John bear witness of him, and cried, saying, This is he of whom I spake; He who cometh after me, is preferred before me; for he was before me. 16 For in the beginning was the Word, even the Son, who is made flesh, and sent unto us by the will of the Father, And as many as believe on his name shall receive of his fulness. And of his fullness have all we received, even immortality and eternal life, through his grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses, but life and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 For the law was after a carnal commandment, to the administration of death; but the gospel was after the power of an endless life, through Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father. 19 And no man hath seen God at any time, except he hath borne record of the Son; for except it is through him no man can be saved. 20 And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem, to ask him; Who art thou? 21 And he confessed, and denied not that he was Elias; but confessed, saying; I am not the Christ. 22 And they asked him, saying; How then art thou Elias? And he said, I am not that Elias who was to restore all things. And they asked him, saying, Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No. 23 Then said they unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself? 24 He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as saith the prophet Esaias. 25 And they who were sent were of the Pharisees. 26 And they asked him, and said unto him; Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not the Christ, nor Elias who was to restore all things, neither that prophet? 27 John answered them, saying; I baptize with water, but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not; 28 He it is of whom I bear record. He is that prophet, even Elias, who, coming after me, is preferred before me, whose shoe's latchet I am not worthy to unloose, or whose place I am not able to fill; for he shall baptize, not only with water, but with fire, and with the Holy Ghost. 29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and said; Behold the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sin of the world! 30 And John bare record of him unto the people, saying, This is he of whom I said; After me cometh a man who is preferred before me; for he was before me, and I knew him, and that he should be made manifest to Israel; therefore am I come baptizing with water. 31 And John bare record, saying; When he was baptized of me, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him. 32 And I knew him; for he who sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me; Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he who baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. 33  And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God.  34 These things were done in Bethabara, beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing.

[Elsie]

I do not believe the reformers in the Council of Nicaea had authority from God to add the Nicene Creed to His word.

Oh; since we are on the subject of a CREED being ADDED to SCRIPTURE; you may find the following quite interesting as well...

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Here is MORMONism's own creed:

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Articles of Faith

The Articles of Faith outline 13 basic points of belief of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
The Prophet Joseph Smith first wrote them in a letter to John Wentworth, a newspaper editor,
in response to Mr. Wentworth's request to know what members of the Church believed.
They were subsequently published in Church periodicals.
They are now regarded as scripture and included in the Pearl of Great Price.

 

THE ARTICLES OF FAITH
OF THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS
History of the Church, Vol. 4, pp. 535—541

 

 

1. We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost.
   
2. We believe that men will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam's transgression.
   
3. We believe that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel.
   
4. We believe that the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel are: first, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, Repentance; third, Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; fourth, Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost.
   
5. We believe that a man must be called of God, by prophecy, and by the laying on of hands by those who are in authority, to preach the Gospel and administer in the ordinances thereof.
   
6. We believe in the same organization that existed in the Primitive Church, namely, apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, evangelists, and so forth.
   
7. We believe in the gift of tongues, prophecy, revelation, visions, healing, interpretation of tongues, and so forth.
   
8. We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly; we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God.
   
9. We believe all that God has revealed, all that He does now reveal, and we believe that He will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God.
   
10. We believe in the literal gathering of Israel and in the restoration of the Ten Tribes; that Zion (the New Jerusalem) will be built upon the American continent; that Christ will reign personally upon the earth; and, that the earth will be renewed and receive its paradisiacal glory.
    
11. We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may.
    
12. We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law.
    
13. We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men; indeed, we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul—We believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things. If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things.

Joseph Smith

 

[Godzilla]

Some say I am not a Christian because I believe the definition of the Trinity is a man made addition to God’s word. This addition was created by reformers who did not have authority from God to add to and take away from His word. By translating God’s word through this man made definition many plan and precious truths have been lost.

Very robotic kbk - I'm sure you can do better. Mormonism is not Christian, but for a far deeper reason than you've apparently received from seminary. Mormonism is not Christian for starters because it is polytheistic - a term you may not be familiar with. It means you believe that there are more than one true god. Christianity is that there is only One TRUE God composed of three Persons.

Your posts are by rote, try a living relationship with Jesus instead.

[Elsie]

It appears that GOD doesn’t worry too much about whether a person uses BARE or BEAR when CORRECTING the possibly mistranslated BIBLE.

[Veritas01]

Joseph Smith has been shown many times to be a liar. Why is it Archeology can not back up the book of mormon? where is the evidence of ancient wars: bodies, chariots, etc?

[Veritas01]

Mosiah 15: 1-4

God himself shall come down among the children of men...’
being the Father and the Son...’
they are one God, yea the very Eternal Father of Heaven and Earth...

This passage from the book of mormon points to the trinity. there is a contradiction in mormon doctrine and the book of mormon.

[Veritas01]

Chapter 15

How Christ is both the Father and the Son—He will make intercession and bear the transgressions of his people—They and all the holy prophets are his seed—He brings to pass the Resurrection—Little children have eternal life. About 148 B.C.

1And now Abinadi said unto them: I would that ye should understand that God himself shall come down among the children of men, and shall redeem his people.

2And because he dwelleth in flesh he shall be called the cSon of God, and having subjected the flesh to the will of the Father, being the Father and the Son—

3The Father, because he was conceived by the power of God; and the Son, because of the flesh; thus becoming the Father and Son—

4And they are one God, yea, the very be eternal Father of heaven and of earth.

5And thus the flesh becoming subject to the Spirit, or the Son to the Father, being one God, suffereth temptation, and yieldeth not to the temptation, but suffereth himself to be mocked, and scourged, and cast out, and disowned by his people.

source
http://lds.org/scriptures/bofm/mosiah/15?lang=eng

did your prophet joseph smith and other prophet of the church contradict themselves with the book of mormon?

[Cronos]

This addition was created by reformers who did not have authority from God to add to and take away from His word.

uhh.. ok.. so this happened just after the Apostolic times or during the Apostolic times? and it was only restored by J. Smith in the 1800s, I guess, right?

[Elsie]

D&C 132:4

For behold, I reveal unto you a new and an everlasting covenant; and if ye abide not that covenant, then are ye damned; for no one can reject this covenant and be permitted to enter into my glory.

Ooops!

Looks like only the FUNDAMENTALIST lds folks get all the goodies!

[Elsie]

Doctrine and Covenants

Section 131

Instructions by Joseph Smith the Prophet, given at Ramus, Illinois, 16 and 17 May 1843 (see History of the Church, 5:392–93).

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1–4, Celestial marriage is essential to exaltation in the highest heaven; 5–6, How men are sealed up unto eternal life is explained; 7–8, All spirit is matter.

 1 In the ^acelestial glory there are three ^bheavens or degrees;

 2 And in order to obtain the ^ahighest, a man must enter into this ^border of the ^cpriesthood [meaning the new and ^deverlasting covenant of ^emarriage];

 3 And if he does not, he cannot obtain it.

 4 He may enter into the other, but that is the end of his kingdom; he cannot have an ^aincrease.

 5 (May 17th, 1843.) The more sure word of ^aprophecy means a man’s knowing that he is ^bsealed up unto ^ceternal life, by revelation and the spirit of prophecy, through the power of the Holy Priesthood.

 6 It is impossible for a man to be ^asaved in ^bignorance.

 7 There is no such thing as immaterial matter. All ^aspirit is matter, but it is more fine or pure, and can only be discerned by ^bpurer eyes;

 8 We cannot ^asee it; but when our bodies are purified we shall see that it is all ^bmatter.

[Elsie]

Remember, LDS Brothers and Sister: if, in reading of our own scriptures, we come across things that seem to be confusing or they make us doubt, we can always go to our leaders for an explanation.

If THEY can't answer satifactorily, we can always appeal to Headquarters for clarification.

--MormonDude(If they have the time; of course. They are busy men.)

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Acts 25:11c
... I appeal to Caesar!”

[greyfoxx39]

This NC argument is a favorite hobby horse of another mormon FReeper. Perhaps you have met.

The plain and precious truth is that your mormon leaders for over a century have proclaimed that mormonism is not Christian, until someone in the PR department decided there was much to gain in changing the brand.

Statements by Mormon Leaders about Christian churches (made by many of the LDS Prophet-Presidents):

 

Joseph Smith stated that God told him: "they [other churches] were all wrong; and the Personage who addressed me said that their creeds were an abomination in his sight; that those professors were all corrupt" (from Pearl of Great Price, Joseph Smith-History 1:19).

 

Joseph Smith continues: "for the teachers of religion of the different sects understood the same passages of scripture so differently as to destroy all confidence in settling the question by an appeal to the Bible" (from Pearl of Great Price, Joseph Smith-History 1:12). "What is it that inspires professors of Christianity generally with a hope of salvation? It is that smooth, sophisticated influence of the devil, by which he deceives the whole world" (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p.270).

 

Questions put to Joseph Smith: "'Do you believe the Bible?' [Smith:]'If we do, we are the only people under heaven that does, for there are none of the religious sects of the day that do'. When asked 'Will everybody be damned, but Mormons'? [Smith replied] 'Yes, and a great portion of them, unless they repent, and work righteousness." (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 119).

 

Brigham Young stated this repeatedly: "When the light came to me I saw that all the so-called Christian world was grovelling in darkness" (Journal of Discourses 5:73); "The Christian world, so-called, are heathens as to the knowledge of the salvation of God" (Journal of Discourses 8:171); "With a regard to true theology, a more ignorant people never lived than the present so-called Christian world" (Journal of Discourses 8:199); "And who is there that acknowledges [God's] hand? ...You may wander east, west, north, and south, and you cannot find it in any church or government on the earth, except the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints" (Journal of Discourses, vol. 6, p.24); "Should you ask why we differ from other Christians, as they are called, it is simply because they are not Christians as the New Testament defines Christianity" (Journal of Discourses 10:230).

 

Orson Pratt proclaimed: "Both Catholics and Protestants are nothing less than the 'whore of Babylon' whom the Lord denounces by the mouth of John the Revelator as having corrupted all the earth by their fornications and wickedness. Any person who shall be so corrupt as to receive a holy ordinance of the Gospel from the ministers of any of these apostate churches will be sent down to hell with them, unless they repent" (The Seer, p. 255).

 

Pratt also said: "This great apostasy commenced about the close of the first century of the Christian era, and it has been waxing worse and worse from then until now" (Journal of Discourses, vol.18, p.44) and: "But as there has been no Christian Church on the earth for a great many centuries past, until the present century, the people have lost sight of the pattern that God has given according to which the Christian Church should be established, and they have denominated a great variety of people Christian Churches, because they profess to be ...But there has been a long apostasy, during which the nations have been cursed with apostate churches in great abundance" (Journal of Discourses, 18:172).

 

President John Taylor stated: "Christianity...is a perfect pack of nonsense...the devil could not invent a better engine to spread his work than the Christianity of the nineteenth century." (Journal of Discourses, vol. 6, p.167); "Where shall we look for the true order or authority of God? It cannot be found in any nation of Christendom." (Journal of Discourses, 10:127).

James Talmage said: "A self-suggesting interpretation of history indicates that there has been a great departure from the way of salvation as laid down by the Savior, a universal apostasy from the Church of Christ". (A Study of the Articles of Faith, p.182).

 

President Joseph Fielding Smith said: "Doctrines were corrupted, authority lost, and a false order of religion took the place of the gospel of Jesus Christ, just as it had been the case in former dispensations, and the people were left in spiritual darkness." (Doctrines of Salvation, p.266). "For hundreds of years the world was wrapped in a veil of spiritual darkness, until there was not one fundamental truth belonging to the place of salvation ...Joseph Smith declared that in the year 1820 the Lord revealed to him that all the 'Christian' churches were in error, teaching for commandments the doctrines of men" (Doctrines of Salvation, vol. 3, p.282).

 

More recent statements by apostle Bruce McConkie are also very clear: "Apostasy was universal...And this darkness still prevails except among those who have come to a knowledge of the restored gospel" (Doctrines of Salvation, vol 3, p.265); "Thus the signs of the times include the prevailing apostate darkness in the sects of Christendom and in the religious world in general" (The Millennial Messiah, p.403); "a perverted Christianity holds sway among the so-called Christians of apostate Christendom" (Mormon Doctrine, p.132); "virtually all the millions of apostate Christendom have abased themselves before the mythical throne of a mythical Christ whom they vainly suppose to be a spirit essence who is incorporeal uncreated, immaterial and three-in-one with the Father and Holy Spirit" (Mormon Doctrine, p.269); "Gnosticism is one of the great pagan philosophies which antedated Christ and the Christian Era and which was later commingled with pure Christianity to form the apostate religion that has prevailed in the world since the early days of that era." (Mormon Doctrine, p.316).

 

President George Q. Cannon said: "After the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was organized, there were only two churches upon the earth. They were known respectively as the Church of the Lamb of God and Babylon. The various organizations which are called churches throughout Christendom, though differing in their creeds and organizations, have one common origin. They all belong to Babylon" (Gospel Truth, p.324).

 

President Wilford Woodruff stated: "the Gospel of modern Christendom shuts up the Lord, and stops all communication with Him. I want nothing to do with such a Gospel, I would rather prefer the Gospel of the dark ages, so called" (Journal of Discourses, vol. 2, p.196).

--------------------

It is mormonism that has set itself out of Christianity from the day that Joseph Smith conceived of his scam. Attempts of the mormon church to change the facade fool no one but the brainwashed members.

[ejonesie22]

The Nicene Creed was not added to “Gods Word”, typical LDS obfuscation and twisting.

The creed was a simple statement of Biblical truth put together under the leadership of Saint Constantine who was blessed by God and came into the light despite what it might have cost him in power and position. There was need in order to continue Paul's work so that followers of Christ could recognize false teachings more readily and is fully supported biblical as all truly inspired works are.

Now as for the “Companion to the Bible” and the “Joseph Smith translation” there of, what was your statement about adding to God's word?

Hum...

[Godzilla]

By translating God’s word through this man made document many plan and precious truths have been lost.

An examination of this claim is in order today - particularly since 'ol kbk isn't answering posts to him.

While this distorted view of Bible transmission may seem plausible, its erroneous conclusions become apparent when one considers the overwhelming manuscript evidence that proves the Bible has been preserved to 99.5% accuracy. Although many “translations” of the Biblical manuscripts have been made over the years, the vast majority of these modern “translations” have relied upon copies made from the original language manuscripts. Thus, “translations” made into other languages were only considered as a secondary source for understanding the meaning of difficult passages.

Quotations of the New Testament Scriptures from seven early church fathers 19. starting with Justin Martyr (100 A.D.) to Eusebius of Caesarea (339 A.D.) number 36,289 by the time period of the Council of Nicea. As if this number of early church father quotations of the New Testament were not impressive enough, one could add the quotations of church fathers contemporary with Augustine of Hippo (354 A.D) and many subsequent fathers to come up with a total of 86,489 quotations. 20. Josh McDowell notes:

“…the quotations are so numerous and widespread that if no manuscripts of the New Testament were extant, the New Testament could be reproduced from the writings of the early Father alone. (Geisler, GIB, 430) In brief, J. Harold Greenlee was right when he wrote, ‘These quotations are so extensive that the New Testament could virtually be reconstructed from them without the use of New Testament Manuscripts.’ (Greenlee, INTTC, 54)” —The New Evidence That Demands A Verdict, p. 43

Indeed, manuscript support for the New Testament Scriptures leaves no doubt of the fact that we posses today all of the content in the original Scriptures dictated by the Prophets and Apostles of our first century faith.

Extracted from http://4mormon.org/mormon-view-bible.php

Perhaps people like kbh should REALLY evaluate what they are told about the bible and put away the disparaging teaching of those who by rote try to bolster their effort to maintain that the mormon church is true rather than seek after the TRUTH.

[Colofornian]

Some say I am not a Christian because I believe the definition of the Trinity is a man made addition to God’s word. This addition was created by reformers who did not have authority from God to add to and take away from His word.

(But you're telling us how Mormons stray from talking one God as Godhead to three gods as Godhead aligns with God's Word? Tell us. Show us any Biblical pasage -- or even a Book a Mormon passage or D&C passage -- wheree ANY phrase include "three gods.")

No? Can't point out even one verse? (Yeah. We already knew)

[Colofornian]

By translating God’s word through this man made definition many plan and precious truths have been lost.

(Oh, you mean like "mom God?" But then again. No Mormon "scripture" covers her, either. Who "lost" that 'truth?')

(Oh, you mean like "becoming a god?" But then again. No Mormon "scripture" covers that, either. Who "lost" that 'truth?')