I've been thinking a lot lately about Alma 11-13 and the ideas of priesthood and sealing, and also about the resurrection. I still don't have all the answers, but some after some intense studying of the scriptures, some communion with the Lord, and conversations with friends, I think I have a good start on understanding a few things.
We talk so much in the Church about "priesthood authority". I will say this - we, as a Church and as "priesthood holders" have a little authority, as we suppose, and generally exercise that authority with unrighteousness (D&C 121:39). But we ought to remember that the only power or influence that can be used by virtue of priesthood is persuasion, long suffering, gentleness, meekness, unfeigned love, kindness, pure knowledge, and lack of hypocrisy (D&C 121:41-42). If this is the case, what the Church call "priesthood authority" cannot possibly be right.
At the risk of sounding like an overly simple '70s song, all we need is love. The pure love of Christ, of sacrifice, of charity, to have priesthood. This is the glue that binds us together. When we speak of temple sealings, we should remember that everything that happens in the temple is ONLY a symbol. It is only a preparatory ordinance. Do you think that God will not honor agency in the eternal world? If you have been "sealed" in the temple to your spouse, do you think that is the end of what you need to do? Just continue on in church activity and then the "odds are you will be exalted?"
There is SO SO SO much more that needs to be done. You must first become cleansed within by the blood of Jesus Christ by obtaining the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost. Then you must learn to LOVE and sacrifice for your spouse, your children, your family, your friends. You "seal" yourself to them by love. True understanding of why this is comes from having an eternal perspective. I don't want to get too much into this except to say this - if you were to gain eternal life in the presence of God and your spouse and children were shut out because they did not meet the conditions, and if God were willing to give them another try at mortal life, would you give up what you have gained to help them along in their journey?
Do you love your family enough to risk everything? This is what priesthood is, it is love so great, so powerful, so everlasting, that you would give up your very soul for the betterment and progress of others. If you had such love for them, would you not be sealed to them?
The word "priest" means one who performs a sacrifice on behalf of another. The suffix -hood means group or association. So "priesthood" is a group or association of those who sacrifice for others. It isn't some magical power, some authority to be lorded over another, some exclusive club. To obtain priesthood, we must be willing to sacrifice and actually do it. We must also be pure inside in order to do it. How can we sacrifice for others if we are unclean? If we have not gained eternal life from God, we have nothing to sacrifice, and therefore cannot have priesthood.
For anyone who reads this, I urge you to reconsider your understanding of priesthood. Ask yourself if you are clean. If not, go and obtain the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost. When you are clean, then you have something to offer, and you can go forth and sacrifice. This willingness to sacrifice is the glue that holds us together, in this world and the world to come.
Monday, March 24, 2014
Tuesday, March 11, 2014
That Guy
You know that guy, the one who never shaves before he comes to church, and always wears a colored shirt. That guy who makes uncomfortable comments in Gospel Doctrine class and gives uncomfortable lessons in priesthood meeting. That guy who just can't follow the manual or read from the Ensign.
Then there's that guy who turns every discussion into a gospel discussion, who sounds critical of the leaders. That guy who doesn't attend church every week. The one who wouldn't think anything about sneaking a mild barley drink now and then when no one is looking.
And you also know that guy, the one whose relatives aren't pioneer stock, who left the church. That guy who lets his kids play on Sunday and (gasp) watch TV on Sunday, but still claims to keep the Sabbath day holy.
And who could forget that guy with the checkered past, who didn't serve a mission, who had to confess a few things to the bishop. That guy who is a spendthrift, always buying new cars and fancy stuff.
And finally, we all know that guy who just doesn't understand doctrine correctly, always spouting off funny ideas. That guy who lets slip the occasional curse word, and skips church sometimes to take his family hiking or on vacation.
We all know that guy. It's too bad about him. He just doesn't get what it is be Mormon. He doesn't follow his leaders. He doesn't look like a Mormon. That guy is going to end up in the Telestial kingdom if he doesn't follow the prophet. I would hate to be that guy.
Oh crap...
Then there's that guy who turns every discussion into a gospel discussion, who sounds critical of the leaders. That guy who doesn't attend church every week. The one who wouldn't think anything about sneaking a mild barley drink now and then when no one is looking.
And you also know that guy, the one whose relatives aren't pioneer stock, who left the church. That guy who lets his kids play on Sunday and (gasp) watch TV on Sunday, but still claims to keep the Sabbath day holy.
And who could forget that guy with the checkered past, who didn't serve a mission, who had to confess a few things to the bishop. That guy who is a spendthrift, always buying new cars and fancy stuff.
And finally, we all know that guy who just doesn't understand doctrine correctly, always spouting off funny ideas. That guy who lets slip the occasional curse word, and skips church sometimes to take his family hiking or on vacation.
We all know that guy. It's too bad about him. He just doesn't get what it is be Mormon. He doesn't follow his leaders. He doesn't look like a Mormon. That guy is going to end up in the Telestial kingdom if he doesn't follow the prophet. I would hate to be that guy.
Oh crap...
Thursday, March 6, 2014
A Sure Foundation
I've been thinking a lot lately about faith, church, repentance, and coming to the Lord. Actually, I think about these things a LOT (just ask my wife). I feel compelled to write about my faith and how it ties into the Church, repentance, and Christ Himself.
If you haven't read it, my first blog post gives a little background about how I was converted to the Lord. In essence, it was my story of the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost (BFHG). This mighty change in me marks the day that my eyes began to be opened.
I'm not going to rehash the whole story here, but suffice it say that many things have happened since July 2010 when I had my BFHG. Members of my family have had crises of faith, some have left the Church altogether, and I have begun to critically examine my own faith. I do not believe it was an accident that me, my sister, and my mother all began our awakening at around the same time, independently of one another.
As I have progressed spiritually, I have been able to see the utter foolishness in which I lived. I always thought in the back of my mind I was "saved" in the Celestial Kingdom because I had done the ordinances and been "sealed." But when I looked with eyes to see at who and what I was, it brought upon me the horror talked about, as we ponder what it would be like to be cut off from God eternally. That is what truly motivated me to seek repentance.
After the Lord granted me a remission of my sins, I was DRIVEN, I hungered for knowledge of God. Not long after this led me to discover the idea that I could see Jesus Christ in this life. This is not something that I should be content to defer into eternity. NOW is the time for men to come unto God. I was so taken by this idea that I started looking everywhere for accounts of those who had received such a gift in this life. I knew that this was discussed in the scriptures, but I was looking for accounts from here and now. Why didn't this stuff happen now? Why didn't our Church leaders talk about this?
In my studies, I came across the accounts of Iohanni Wolfgramm and several of the early Saints from the modern LDS church. Then I found the writings of John Pontius, and things really began to take shape. I was sure that Brother John had seen the Lord, and up until just a few months ago, I took as fact the idea that John had seen Jesus Christ. However, as I go back and look at his writings, I can no longer see where he clearly says that he is a true witness of Christ. Nevertheless, John was a good man, and I owe him a lot for writing what he did.
John Pontius's writings set the stage for me to discover the writings of Denver Snuffer. At first, I would not read his accounts because I did not like the critical tone he occasionally took of the leaders of the church. Then one day, I decided to ask God if Denver had really seen Jesus as he has testified of in The Second Comforter. I knelt down and asked, and received a witness of the Spirit that Denver did indeed see Christ. What a great motivation that was! Even so, I was still not sure about him because of the criticisms I had read.
In September of 2012, I had several promptings in short period of time that I should read Passing the Heavenly Gift. The Spirit told me that I had nothing to fear from truth, because God is a God of truth, and all truth comes from Him, and my faith is rooted in Jesus Christ and nothing and no one else. And thank God it is, because I'm not sure I would have survived intact without that faith.
I read PTHG in two weeks. There were a couple of parts that I had trouble accepting and those took me a few months to digest and understand. But my paradigm of Heaven flipped upside down in those two weeks. I was astounded at what I read. But the Spirit testified to me so strongly that what I had read was true. And it changed everything. My entire understanding of Church history, of significant points and principles of doctrine, and of the scriptures, changed almost overnight.
Unlike many people I know, I did not have a sense of betrayal or anger associated with my paradigm shift in faith. I am thankful for this. On occasion I get frustrated and even get a flash of anger here or there, but I remind myself that the men who have led and now lead the Church are stuck with the same issues that confused me my whole life.
As I have embraced truth, I find myself quite far from the LDS mainstream in my beliefs and views. I don't publicly trumpet this (at least not in person or at church), but I have a far different understanding of things than most people that I know. I still love the church and want to continue affiliating with it, preaching repentance and Jesus Christ to all that will listen. My greatest desire would be that my family, friends, and neighbors would come to know Jesus Christ and be baptized with fire and the Holy Ghost so that they can be part of God's kingdom. Without this vital change, they can in nowise inherit the kingdom of heaven because there is no other gate.
The more I try to follow the promptings of the Spirit, the more resolve I feel to cast away false traditions, traditions of men, and any and all things that hedge up the way between me and the Lord. I feel like I'm trying to construct a mansion on a property that originally held a small cabin and still maintain a place to live while the home is under construction. It is messy and uncomfortable. Part of me would like to un-know everything I have learned. A bigger part of me wants to step away from the church altogether for a time, just to have time to learn on my own. I am determined to construct a mansion of truth and nothing else. At some point, all of our false traditions have to be put away.
The glory of God is intelligence. Intelligence is light and truth. Therefore, I must search into truth, no matter how difficult, unpleasant, or ugly it may be. I realize that this search may result in perceived offenses, deception, or anger from others. That is as it must be. But I MUST find Jesus Christ, in this mortal life, if I want to lay claim to the blessings that are offered through Him, the Firstborn. I have no part of those blessings if I don't have knowledge. And the knowledge I seek is the knowledge that I may have a claim on those blessings. That is the knowledge one must obtain when they are saved in the kingdom of God. I am sure I am still a total fool. I am a mortal, and I see through the glass darkly. But a small sliver of light has penetrated my heart and given me to see just a bit more clearly.
For those who know me who may find this blog, I say with authority that I know where I stand before God. I have a testimony of Jesus Christ as my savior. I know it because I am a firsthand witness to His power to forgive sins, namely mine. I have seen the Lord in vision and have tasted a very small portion of His love for the people of this world. He loves us more than we can imagine, and He loves perfectly. I hope to use the understanding I have received from Him to bring others to Him. That is all I want from life, to bring souls to Christ. I desire to have a place in the establishment of Zion in these last days, but I am willing to give it up if it will help others come unto Christ. This is my testimony. I say it in the name of Jesus Christ, with power and authority from the Holy Ghost. Amen.
If you haven't read it, my first blog post gives a little background about how I was converted to the Lord. In essence, it was my story of the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost (BFHG). This mighty change in me marks the day that my eyes began to be opened.
I'm not going to rehash the whole story here, but suffice it say that many things have happened since July 2010 when I had my BFHG. Members of my family have had crises of faith, some have left the Church altogether, and I have begun to critically examine my own faith. I do not believe it was an accident that me, my sister, and my mother all began our awakening at around the same time, independently of one another.
As I have progressed spiritually, I have been able to see the utter foolishness in which I lived. I always thought in the back of my mind I was "saved" in the Celestial Kingdom because I had done the ordinances and been "sealed." But when I looked with eyes to see at who and what I was, it brought upon me the horror talked about, as we ponder what it would be like to be cut off from God eternally. That is what truly motivated me to seek repentance.
After the Lord granted me a remission of my sins, I was DRIVEN, I hungered for knowledge of God. Not long after this led me to discover the idea that I could see Jesus Christ in this life. This is not something that I should be content to defer into eternity. NOW is the time for men to come unto God. I was so taken by this idea that I started looking everywhere for accounts of those who had received such a gift in this life. I knew that this was discussed in the scriptures, but I was looking for accounts from here and now. Why didn't this stuff happen now? Why didn't our Church leaders talk about this?
In my studies, I came across the accounts of Iohanni Wolfgramm and several of the early Saints from the modern LDS church. Then I found the writings of John Pontius, and things really began to take shape. I was sure that Brother John had seen the Lord, and up until just a few months ago, I took as fact the idea that John had seen Jesus Christ. However, as I go back and look at his writings, I can no longer see where he clearly says that he is a true witness of Christ. Nevertheless, John was a good man, and I owe him a lot for writing what he did.
John Pontius's writings set the stage for me to discover the writings of Denver Snuffer. At first, I would not read his accounts because I did not like the critical tone he occasionally took of the leaders of the church. Then one day, I decided to ask God if Denver had really seen Jesus as he has testified of in The Second Comforter. I knelt down and asked, and received a witness of the Spirit that Denver did indeed see Christ. What a great motivation that was! Even so, I was still not sure about him because of the criticisms I had read.
In September of 2012, I had several promptings in short period of time that I should read Passing the Heavenly Gift. The Spirit told me that I had nothing to fear from truth, because God is a God of truth, and all truth comes from Him, and my faith is rooted in Jesus Christ and nothing and no one else. And thank God it is, because I'm not sure I would have survived intact without that faith.
I read PTHG in two weeks. There were a couple of parts that I had trouble accepting and those took me a few months to digest and understand. But my paradigm of Heaven flipped upside down in those two weeks. I was astounded at what I read. But the Spirit testified to me so strongly that what I had read was true. And it changed everything. My entire understanding of Church history, of significant points and principles of doctrine, and of the scriptures, changed almost overnight.
Unlike many people I know, I did not have a sense of betrayal or anger associated with my paradigm shift in faith. I am thankful for this. On occasion I get frustrated and even get a flash of anger here or there, but I remind myself that the men who have led and now lead the Church are stuck with the same issues that confused me my whole life.
As I have embraced truth, I find myself quite far from the LDS mainstream in my beliefs and views. I don't publicly trumpet this (at least not in person or at church), but I have a far different understanding of things than most people that I know. I still love the church and want to continue affiliating with it, preaching repentance and Jesus Christ to all that will listen. My greatest desire would be that my family, friends, and neighbors would come to know Jesus Christ and be baptized with fire and the Holy Ghost so that they can be part of God's kingdom. Without this vital change, they can in nowise inherit the kingdom of heaven because there is no other gate.
The more I try to follow the promptings of the Spirit, the more resolve I feel to cast away false traditions, traditions of men, and any and all things that hedge up the way between me and the Lord. I feel like I'm trying to construct a mansion on a property that originally held a small cabin and still maintain a place to live while the home is under construction. It is messy and uncomfortable. Part of me would like to un-know everything I have learned. A bigger part of me wants to step away from the church altogether for a time, just to have time to learn on my own. I am determined to construct a mansion of truth and nothing else. At some point, all of our false traditions have to be put away.
The glory of God is intelligence. Intelligence is light and truth. Therefore, I must search into truth, no matter how difficult, unpleasant, or ugly it may be. I realize that this search may result in perceived offenses, deception, or anger from others. That is as it must be. But I MUST find Jesus Christ, in this mortal life, if I want to lay claim to the blessings that are offered through Him, the Firstborn. I have no part of those blessings if I don't have knowledge. And the knowledge I seek is the knowledge that I may have a claim on those blessings. That is the knowledge one must obtain when they are saved in the kingdom of God. I am sure I am still a total fool. I am a mortal, and I see through the glass darkly. But a small sliver of light has penetrated my heart and given me to see just a bit more clearly.
For those who know me who may find this blog, I say with authority that I know where I stand before God. I have a testimony of Jesus Christ as my savior. I know it because I am a firsthand witness to His power to forgive sins, namely mine. I have seen the Lord in vision and have tasted a very small portion of His love for the people of this world. He loves us more than we can imagine, and He loves perfectly. I hope to use the understanding I have received from Him to bring others to Him. That is all I want from life, to bring souls to Christ. I desire to have a place in the establishment of Zion in these last days, but I am willing to give it up if it will help others come unto Christ. This is my testimony. I say it in the name of Jesus Christ, with power and authority from the Holy Ghost. Amen.
Thursday, February 20, 2014
Testimony
The dictionary defines testimony as:
1. a declaration of truth or fact
2. (Law) law evidence given by a witness, esp orally in court under oath or
affirmation
We in the LDS church often are told we ought to bear our testimonies. Most of the time, you probably hear something like “I’d like to bear my testimony. I know this church is true. I know that [insert current church president] is a prophet of God. I know that Jesus died for us. I love my family and I’m so grateful for all the tender mercies the Lord has shown me.” This is occasionally emphasized with the shedding of tears and a quavering voice.
While such testimonies can lift us up when we are down and remind us that God loves us, they don’t really increase our faith. Why not? Something is missing - Evidence. Where are the faith-promoting experiences? How do you know that “the church is true?” How do you know Jesus died for you? How do you know that so and so is a prophet? What is your evidence?
We learn from Hebrews 11:1 that “…faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” And what is that evidence? It is your own experiences. It is the fruits of your labors coupled with the grace of Jesus Christ.
More than three years ago, while I knelt in prayer, begging the Lord for a remission of my sins, He answered me in a most miraculous way. The Holy Ghost came upon me with a power and glory that defy all description. I KNEW with all my soul that the Lord had heard my prayer and had forgiven me of all my sins. The love I felt was indescribably glorious and powerful. I never wanted the experience to end. And the Lord spoke to me and told me that I had been baptized with fire.
I relate this experience only because I believe that if you ponder it and ask God if I’m telling the truth, and if you seek such an experience for yourself, that you may taste of the goodness and love of God, from the Tree of Life.
This is my testimony. Our God, our Redeemer, Jesus Christ, forgives repentant sinners. He lives! I know it, for no power on earth could have given me such an experience. No man, by virtue of laying his hands on my head, could have given me the Holy Ghost in such a manner. This is evidence indeed.
The purpose of testimony is to convince others of truth. That’s it. It is not a recitation of one’s beliefs, or a travelogue, or a declaration of gratitude. It is EVIDENCE, from one’s own life. I invite you to consider the evidence you have to offer the next time you feel inclined to bear your testimony. So the question for you to ponder is this – if evidence is required for one to bear testimony, how do you obtain a testimony of Jesus?
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