The Doctrine of Christ

"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.1 In addition to these first four principles and ordinances, we might add a fifth, that of enduring to the end.2 Question: Are these principles first in the sense of "okay, I've checked those off, what's next?", or are they first in the sense of being the foundation, the basics, that to which we return over and over again? These first principles are outlined clearly three times in the Book of Mormon. (2 Nephi 31 & 32; 3 Nephi 11; and 3 Nephi 27). It is worth carefully studying these three chapters. They are not outlined as clearly in the Old or New Testaments. Nephi refers to them as the "Doctrine of Christ". In 2 Nephi 31, he refers back to his vision and adds some additional commentary that he received from the Father and the Son as explanation to the things he was seeing.3 These principles and ordinances are the "path" that Nephi saw under the rod of iron. This path leads to eternal life4 and there is no other way5. They are worth careful study, pondering and implementing in our lives.
The Doctrine of Christ
Faith in Jesus Christ
What is faith? How do we get it? How does it grow? Perhaps we understand faith intuitively better than we can put into words. Joseph Smith defined faith as a principle of power. The scriptures teach us that faith comes from hearing the word of God.6 This is how
1 Article of Faith #4 2 3 Nephi 27:16-17 3 As an interesting aside, 2 Nephi 31 is one of the few chapters that contains direct statements from the Father (see vs. 11,15, 20). It refutes a common myth among Latter-day Saints that the Father only speaks to men in introducing the Son. It should also be a red flag to us as to their importance. 4 2 Nephi 31:18 5 2 Nephi 31:21 6 Romans 10:17
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faith begins. The word of God is vital to nourishing faith and helping it grow.7 Faith is part of the power that begins to flow into our lives from a careful study of the Book of Mormon as promised by President Benson.8 Miracles come because of faith.9 Faith is how we obtain every good thing.10 And it is by faith that angels minister unto men.11 If these things have ceased it is because faith has ceased.12 Perhaps a good test for our own level of faith. So is faith just belief? Or is it something more? James teaches us that the devils also believe and tremble. And that faith without works is dead.13 To me faith is our belief put into action. Or perhaps another way to say it, faith = faithfulness. But its not just living the tenets of our religion, though doing so requires faith. It also takes faith to accept answers to our prayers and to follow the promptings we receive from the Lord. When we act in response to answers received, particularly when those answers are contrary to what we wanted or planned to do, then we move from belief to faith. The first principle of the gospel is not just faith but more specifically faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. This is different from having faith in a particular outcome or result that we may desire. Our belief / faith in Christ is two-fold: 1) faith in His promises and commandments and 2) faith that Christ will help us. The problem we immediately encounter as we begin to have faith is opposition. Our faith is tried. Nephi's life is a great illustration of this. It begins when his father comes home and tells the family to pack their bags because they're leaving town for good. I can only imagine how my teenage sons would react to this kind of news. Nephi, too, has some doubts at first. Unlike his older brothers, however, Nephi takes his question to the Lord. He records that the Lord visited him and did soften his heart so that he believed the words of this father.14 The Lord would not have sent the Spirit to "soften" Nephi's heart if he hadn't had doubts and concerns about what was happening.
7 Alma 32 8 Ezra Taft Benson, The Book of MormonKeystone of Our Religion, October 1986 General Conference Address. 9 Ether 12:12-18 10 Moroni 7:20-21 11 Moroni 7:37 12 Moroni 7:38 13 James 2:19-20 14 1 Nephi 2:16
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Our first experiences with the Holy Ghost are often the same. The Spirit may soften our hearts, speak peace to our souls, or give a calm reassurance that we are on the right path. While these experiences may be difficult to describe to others, they are nonetheless real and distinctive to those who have them.15 Following this softening of his heart experience, Nephi has the spiritual assurance that they are on the Lord's errand. Notice that the Lord doesnt reprimand Nephi for his question or for having some doubts. Nephi trusts the Lords answer. He doesnt second guess it once he has obtained it. When his father next receives instructions to return to Jerusalem for the plates, Nephi's answer is immediateI will go.16 He accepts that the commandment is from the Lord and expresses his faith that the Lord will help them. He acts in faith based upon his earlier assurance from the Lord. Now we all know how the story unfolds. The point is this. Nephi and his brothers fail twice. There is no further evidence that the Lord is with them. In fact, the Lord doesn't intervene until it is apparent that the entire mission is doomed to failure and Nephi's brothers are beating the tar out of him with a stick. But at that point, the Lord DOES help and the miracle occurs as a result of Nephi's faith. This experience undoubtedly led to a further increase in Nephi's faith. In fact, we find a pattern here: It often begins with a question, confusion or doubt. When this is taken to God, a spiritual witness or answer is received. As one moves forward acting upon the answer received, the opposition generally shows up. Often failure is apparent or imminent. This is a trial of faith. If you hold true and persevere, through the opposition the Lord intervenes, miracles occur and faith increases. You can then walk forward with increased faith. You can also expect the pattern to repeat. We could diagram it like this: Question/Confusion Spiritual Witness / Answer from God Act upon the answer Opposition Trial of Faith (often failure is imminent) Lord helps Miracle occurs Faith in the Lord grows walk forward with increased faith pattern repeats We see the same pattern in the First Vision. Joseph Smith had a question. He received a spiritual prompting while reading James. He then met opposition from Satan as he attempted to pray and all but abandoned himself to destruction before the Father and Son appeared.
16 1 Nephi 3:7 15 For a great talk on this subject see The Candle of The Lord by Boyd K. Packer, Ensign, January 1983
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New missionaries often experience the same cycle of faith. A young man may receive a witness that he should serve a mission. He may have great spiritual experiences in the MTC, but arrive in the mission field being unable to speak the language despite struggling with it for several months. He may become discouraged. But by pressing forward, eventually the miracles occur, converts are made, the language comes, the Lord intervenes with help. The missionarys faith grows. We should expect the same pattern in our own lives. We should also recognize one of the challenges is that there is always a temptation during the opposition phase to turn back or to question the prompting or witness received earlier. Elder Holland gave a masterful talk on this very issue.17 It is well worth reading. We get a glimpse into how Nephi perseveres despite the opposition once the angel departs. Laman and Lemuel immediately begin to complain again. They fear and doubt. Nephi responds by reminding them of the experience of Moses and the Israelites as they left Egypt.18 He likens the scriptures from the past to their present situation. He knows he is on the Lord's errand, and he fully expects the Lord to bless him in the same way the Lord blessed Moses and the ancient Israelites. Nephi doesnt rationalize, well Im just not like Moses and the ancient prophets. He doesnt think, that was in the past, and the Lord doesnt work that way anymore. Or if he does, at least not with me. Nephi recognizes that the Lord is the same yesterday, today and forever and that he is no respecter of persons.19 The way is prepared and open to all. We should do the same. The story of the brass plates isn't included in Nephis record so that we will know the Nephites had the scriptures with them and how they obtained them. It is included so that we can recognize this same pattern in our own life experience. As we seek to do the Lord's will, we can expect the same response when we exercise the same faith. Nephi's experience of deliverance is another witness added to that of the ancient Israelites of the Lord's power to deliver us even when death or failure is apparently the only future ahead of us. Laman and Lemuel like the ancient Israelites forgot all of the prior miracles the Lord had performed for them and could only see the immediate threat looming in front of them. Notice, however, that even after the angel appears reaffirming that the Lord is with them and promising them deliverance, Nephi still isn't given all of the answers up front. He still is required to take a few steps of faith into the dark before the way
18 1 Nephi 4:2-3 19 1 Nephi 10:18 17 Cast Not Away Therefore Your Confidence, Jeffrey R. Holland, Ensign March 2000
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becomes apparent. He states simply, "I was led by the Spirit, not knowing beforehand the things which I should do."20 He still walks by faith.
Repentance
Typing the word 'repent' into the search box on the scripture portion of the Church's website reveals something very interesting. The word REPENT occurs: 39 times in the Old Testament 36 times in the New Testament 221 times in the Book of Mormon 81 times in the Doctrine and Covenants. Question: If the Book of Mormon was written for our day, by authors who saw our day, is there a message for us here? "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."21 We don't simply stay static. We are either moving forwards or backwards. We are either gaining light or losing light. The default state is entropy. So how do we gain additional light? "He that keepeth his commandments receiveth truth and light, until he is glorified in truth and knoweth all things."22 "And that wicked one cometh and taketh away light and truth, through disobedience, from the children of men, and because of the tradition of their fathers."23 We gain light through obedience and lose it through disobedience and false cultural traditions. We can study these first principles and ordinances of the gospelfaith, repentance, baptism, etc.or any other gospel principle, and we can understand them intellectually or in theory, but we don't truly understand them until we actually do them. This is why Christ says if we DO his will we shall KNOW of the 20 1 Nephi 4:6 21 D&C 50:24 22 D&C 93:28 23 D&C 93:39
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doctrine.24 Obediently doing precedes fully understanding. This is one reason why faith is so critical. It requires faith to begin the process. We have to take some steps into the dark without full understanding of the end. The natural man wants to see the end from the beginning. It doesnt work that way. This is why the scriptures teach it is impossible to please God without faith.25 Eventually, as we move forward in faith, the light follows and our understanding increases. Repentance isn't just for "sinners". It is required of all of us. As we become more obedient, we gain more light and truth. We must then change to reflect what we have gained. To repent is to change. It is a lifelong process of becoming more like our Savior--of doing what He would have us do; saying what He would have us say; and thinking what He would have us think. Obedience is key to gaining light, to gaining knowledge, and to receiving the Lord's blessings. Once we realize that, the question becomes: Obedient to what? We should obey the commandments. We should obey the mission rules. We should obey the Strength of Youth guidelines. But first and foremost, we should obey the voice of the spirit. Returning to Nephi's account, he states he was led by the spirit. We must be obedient enough and clean enough to have the guidance of the Spirit in our lives. We must be seeking to follow the Lord, and we must learn to discern and follow his voice. This takes time and experience and seeking and careful attention. Nephi and his brothers have just seen an angel. Nephi knows the Lord is with them and will help them complete the assigned task. But he returns to Jerusalem not knowing how. He is still moving forward by faith. The spirit then directs Nephi to slay Laban. (If Nephi were a young man in the Church today, I'm pretty sure that would be against the For The Strength of Youth pamphlet.) Nephi initially shrinks but then does as he is commanded. Why is Nephi commanded to kill Laban, when the Ten Commandments plainly state, thou shalt not kill? Given this same situation, what would our youth today do? The Prophet Joseph stated: "That which is wrong under one circumstance, may be, and often is, right under another. God said, 'Thou shalt not kill;' at another time He said, 'Thou shalt utterly destroy.' This is the principle on which the government of heaven is conducted--by revelation adapted to the circumstances in which the children of the kingdom are place. Whatever God requires is right, no matter what it
24 John 7:17 25 Hebrews 11:6

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is, although we may not see the reason thereof till long after the events transpire."26 Laban had stolen Lehi's property. He had tried to kill Nephi and his brothers. Under the law of Moses, the penalty for these transgressions was death. The Lord was justified in his condemnation of Laban. And the "pit" which Laban had dug for others, he fell into himself.27 Returning now to repentance. Repentance is the good news of the gospel. For us, everything else hinges upon it. It is the key to opening the atonement in our lives. We waste much of the atonement if we fail to repent. Bruce Hafen observed that the atonement allows us to learn from our experiences without being condemned by them. To repent is to turn again towards Him, to chose His will in our life and to leave behind our sinful ways. Basically to repent is to change. The Savior testified: And no unclean thing can enter into his kingdom; therefore nothing entereth into his rest save it be those who have washed their garments in my blood, because of their faith, and the repentance of all their sins, and their faithfulness unto the end. Now this is the commandment: Repent, all ye ends of the earth, and come unto me and be baptized in my name, that ye may be sanctified by the reception of the Holy Ghost, that ye may stand spotless before me at the last day.28 Since we are all eventually subject to justice, we face a choice: repent or suffer for our own sins. "For behold, I God, have suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer if they would repent; But if they would not repent they must suffer even as I".29 Lehi taught that we all know good from evil.30 We all have a portion of the "law". But because we all make mistakes, we are not justified by the law but rather condemned by it. Or as Lehi states "by the law men are cut off".31 All of us are cut off; 100% of us; the best and the worst among us. Everyone falls short. None of us can ever hope to be good enough or to do enough to make it back on our own. There is only one way out of our dilemma. The Holy Messiah "offereth himself a sacrifice for sin, to answer the ends of the law, unto all those who have a broken heart and a contrite spirit; and unto none else can the ends of the law be answered."32
26 Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith (TPJS), p. 256 27 Proverbs 26:27 29 D&C 19:16-17 30 2 Nephi 2:5 31 2 Nephi 2:5 32 2 Nephi 2:7 emphasis added 28 3 Nephi 27:19-20; emphasis added.
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There is a saying I like but do not know where it came from. It is simply, "even saints have a past, and sinners have a future." In our journey through life, I'm not sure which is more important--where we are at a given point in time or which direction we are heading. Of the two the direction we are going may be the most critical. The Lord can and does forgive even very serious sins and errors.33 The scriptures are full of examples of the Lord's patience, long-suffering and willingness to forgive sins. This should be reassuring as we seek to follow Him that he will likewise be patient with us. In most cases, he probably forgives us long before we ever commit the sin. He can certainly work around our mistakes. A great example of this is His inspiring Mormon to insert the small plates of Nephi into the abridgement of the Book of Mormon to compensate for the lost 116 pages. The Lord did this about 1400 years before Joseph Smith made the mistake. Brother Hafen is correct. The atonement allows us to learn from our life's experiences without being condemned by them. Good news indeed! I don't know about you, but I choose to repent. I have a single New Years Resolution this year. It is simply to repent more fully of my sins so that I might have the Spirit in my life daily. So if repentance is the good news why does it sometimes carry a negative connotation? And if the Lord has totally compensated for our sins and is quick and willing to forgive, then why is repentance so hard at times? Change is difficult. Sin is addictive. It is habit forming. Habits gained over a lifetime can become chains that bind. It requires faith to repent. In this way the two principles are linked. Christ hath said: If ye will have faith in me ye shall have power to do whatsoever thing is expedient in me. And he hath said: Repent.34 We all struggle with bad habits at some time in our life. Some dont control their tempers or their tongues. Some struggle with bodily appetites or other weaknesses. We mess up, swear to never do it again only to find ourselves repeating the same behavior later. Some give up and concludeIll never change. Whether through our own sins or through other situations in life, we all eventually find ourselves in circumstances that are beyond our own ability to control. We may even find ourselves in some form of bondage to an addiction or other circumstance. One of the great messages from the book of Mosiah is example 33 Isaiah 1:18 34 Moroni 7:33-34; emphasis added
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after example of groups or individuals who are delivered from bondage by the Lord. It is through the atonement that we receive forgiveness for our sins. But it is also through the atonement that we receive the strength to forsake and overcome them. Our willpower alone is not enough. We will never be enough on our own! It does require all of our faith and all of our best efforts, but in the end it also requires Christ reaching down to us in grace to deliver us.35 This will never happen, however, until we really, truly want the sin out of our life more than we want it in our life and are willing to pay any price ourselves to be rid of it. Those who understand this best are perhaps those who are recovering addicts (drug, alcohol, porn, etc.). But the principle applies to all of us.36 The scriptures refer to these two different functions of the atonement as justification and sanctification. We are justified when we are forgiven and justice is satisfied. Sanctification, however, is beyond justification and involves forsaking the sin and becoming holy. It is the process of putting off the natural man and becoming a saint. The atonement is at the heart of both processes. (A criminal can "pay his debt" to society by suffering in prison. Justice can be satisfied by his prison sentence, but his behavior isn't necessarily reformed. His prison sentence satisfies justice and he is justified in society. Prison hasn't automatically made him a better person. Hence the need for reformation or sanctification as well.) Why can repentance be so difficult for us? I believe it is for a couple of reasons. One is so that we truly learn humility.37 How important is this lesson? And how difficult is it to learn? How many members of our church are still trying to save themselves? Perhaps another reason that we sometimes struggle so much before being freed from a sin is so we will value the gift that is given us and dont revert back. We read of many whose repentance was so thorough, so complete (and probably so costly and difficult to themselves) that they were sanctified and could only look upon sin with abhorrence.38 Bruce Hafen, in his book The Broken Heart, observes two common problems among the youth in the church today.39 On the one hand, some youth feel that they are entitled to a few free ones and that they can then hurry up and repent before going on a mission or going to the temple or some other event that requires them to clean up their act. On the other hand, some are striving so hard and are so hard on themselves for every mistake that they feel they will never be good enough and
35 Mosiah 7:33 36 For an excellent book on this topic, see He Did Deliver Me From Bondage by Colleen C Harrison, Windhaven, 2002 37 Ether 12:27 38 Alma 13:11-12 39 The Broken Heart: Applying the Atonement to Lifes Experiences, Bruce C. Hafen, Shadow Mountain Publishing, 1989
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never make it back. On the surface these two groups seem to be polar opposites. However, on closer examination, they may actually be two different sides to the same coin. Both groups suffer from a fundamental misunderstanding of and lack of appreciation for the atonement. The first no big deal group severely underestimates the serious nature of their sins and has no appreciation for the price the Savior has paid for them. The second group also misses the atonement by trying to save themselves or by feeling that they have to be worthy or that they have to do enough good deeds and then the Savior can step in to save them. The truth is that only the meek and lowly in heart are acceptable to God.40 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you this man went down to his house justified rather than the other.41 Which do you see around you most often?
Baptism
We believe that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel.42 According to this Article of Faith, three things are necessary for our salvation: the atonement, laws, and ordinances. Obedience to gospel laws is essential, but, as Lehi points out, we are condemned by the law since we dont keep it perfectly.43 We need access to the Atonement. Ordinances help bridge the gap. They are the means, which the Lord has established for many of the blessings of the atonement to flow into our lives. They are crucial. We cannot be saved without them.44 By keeping the covenants associated with ordinances the power of the atonement becomes efficacious in our lives.45
40 Moroni 7:44 41 Luke 18:10-14 42 Article of Faith # 3 43 2 Nephi 2:5 45 D&C 84:20 44 see for example, John 3:5, Mark 16:16, 1 Peter 3:21, 3 Nephi 11:33, D&C 84:74
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Joseph Smith taught that being born again comes by the Spirit of God through ordinances. Sincere, heart-felt repentance prepares us to receive our first gospel ordinance: Baptism. Most gospel ordinances have the following three parts: 1 - A Blessing(s) 2 - A covenant 3 - Symbolic Teaching With baptism, the initial blessing is that of having our sins remitted. We then have the opportunity to repeat this process each week with the ordinance of the sacrament. In addition to the initial blessing, future blessings (e.g. that of receiving eternal life) are also promised as part of the ordinance. These future blessings are conditioned upon our faithfulness to the covenant made in the ordinance. The covenant we make at baptism is to take upon us the Lords name and to follow him. It is to keep his commandments, to love one another and to bear one anothers burdens. We basically agree to live the gospel. Covenants are much more than two way promises. They create sacred, binding relationships.46 It is by making and keeping covenants that we become sons and daughters of Christ.47 Ordinances are also symbolic. The Universe is built on symbols, lifting our thoughts from man to God, from earth to heaven, from time to eternityGod teaches with symbols; it is His favorite way of teaching.48 The Lord uses symbols to teach for many reasons. Symbols can make a strong, lasting impression on our minds and can teach more beautifully than words alone. They are often multi-layered or multi-faceted. Gospel symbols often have more than one meaning. They are more vast and rich than we tend to think. Symbols can also reveal and/or conceal doctrines and truths depending upon our spiritual preparation. Symbols are also more timeless and universal and can bridge differences in culture, nationalities, etc. more easily than language alone. Finally, symbols can be very personal. By using symbols, the Lord can communicate
46 Mosiah 5:6-7
Our Lifeline From Heaven 48 Orson F. Whitney, Improvement Era, August 1927, 851 The Doctrine of Christ
47 For a more detailed discussion of covenants refer to the authors article entitled, Gospel Covenants:
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with us individually and can personalize his teachings to us. Your understanding of a symbol may be different from mine, but both may be correct. Wherever symbolism is found in the scriptures and in the ordinances, there is an invitation to receive more knowledge through revelation. Besides washing and cleansing from our sins, what are some of the other symbols associated with the ordinance of baptism? 1. Baptism is a symbol of new birth or being born again. At your physical birth there was water (amniotic fluid), blood (shed by mother), and spirit (yours entering your body) so in your spiritual birth (or re-birth) there is again water (baptismal), blood (shed by Christ in the atonement) and spirit (Holy Ghost).49 The baptismal font becomes a symbol of the womb and coming forth in new birth as a new child in Christ. 2. Baptism is also a symbol of Christs death and resurrection. In this sense the font becomes a symbol of the grave and the baptism becomes a symbol again of new life as the body and spirit are re-united and come forth together from the grave in the resurrection.50 3. Baptism also symbolizes the death of the old man of sin, and the beginning of a new life in Christ.51 In immersion we are placed below the water, in the same way the dead are buried below the ground. While immersed (and while dead), the breath of life is cut off while we are under the water. Breath (and life) is again restored as we come forth out of the water (or grave). The darkness of the watery grave (our former life) is left behind as we re-open our eyes into the light of the gospel (and a new life in Christ). Baptism reminds us that some part of us may have to die before we can claim new birth. False identities we have clung to, false traditions of our families or cultures, and false patterns we have copied must be dismantled and buried before new life can take hold.52 4. Baptism also points to our own death and resurrection. We enact these events ceremonially before we experience them physically. In this sense the ordinance is not the final, real event but instead points toward it. Baptism is the gate. It is the entrance to the path. But baptism also symbolically points to the end of that path which will include our own death and eventual resurrection. As we understand and appreciate the symbols involved, the ordinances take on
49 Moses 6:59 50 Romans 6:3-6 51 Romans 6:4 52 Wendy Ulrich, The Temple Experience: Passage to Healing and Holiness, Cedar Fort Inc., 2012
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greater meaning. The location of temple fonts below ground level reinforces these symbols of the grave. Placing the font on the backs of 12 oxen (just as in Solomons temple) is symbolic of the 12 tribes of Israel. It is a reminder of the covenant status of the House of Israel and of adoption into it through the ordinance of baptism and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost. In further symbolism, the oxen are grouped in threes and face north, south, east and west. This reminds us of the scattering and subsequent gathering of the House of Israel from the four corners of the earth. Living waters are also symbolic of the Savior and the cleansing power of his atonement. The baptizer who immerses and then brings the baptized person out of the water also represents the Lord who holds the keys of death and resurrection. It is another reminder of our subjection to and dependence upon him. These symbols associated with baptism are designed by the Lord to teach us eternal truths. The ordinances embody eternal realities in their ceremonial acts. The end purpose of the gospel ordinances and their associated covenants is to prepare us to be able to receive, in reality, that which we experience ceremonially through the ordinance. In this sense the ordinances are a spiritual creation, preceding a physical creation. In other words, the ordinances become a blueprint, a map, or a liahona for our lives. This is particularly true of the ordinances of the temple. Finally, ordinances generally involve some external action, which can be witnessed and recorded. This action is an external symbol of our internal commitment.
Fire & The Holy Ghost
Wherefore, my beloved brethren, I know that if ye shall follow the Son, with full purpose of heart, acting no hypocrisy and no deception before God, but with real intent, repenting of your sins, witnessing unto the Father that ye are willing to take upon you the name of Christ, by baptismyea, by following your Lord and your Savior down into the water, according to his word, behold, then shall ye receive the Holy Ghost; yea, then cometh the baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost; and then can ye speak with the tongue of angels, and shout praises unto the Holy One of Israel. (2 Nephi 31:13) After real repentance and being baptized by water, then we are promised the
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baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost. Does this automatically occur? Does it happen when we are confirmed and given the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands? Or might it happen at some other time? Was your confirmation the same thing as the baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost? Or is Nephi speaking of something more? Is this an event or a process or both? Why is it by FIRE and by the Holy Ghost? Why not simply baptism by the Holy Ghost? Are they the same thing? Have you received the baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost? If youre unsure, have you studied it out and inquired of the Lord? Fire is often associated with the opening of the heavens or with heavenly manifestations (e.g. Lehi and the pillar of fire on the rock, pillar of fire in Josephs First Vision, tongues of fire on the day of Pentecost, Moses and the burning bush, Kirtland temple, etc.). God dwells on a globe like a sea of glass and fire (D&C 130:7). Christ gives us a key to receiving this baptism. He said, And ye shall offer for a sacrifice unto me a broken heart and a contrite spirit. And whoso cometh unto me with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, him will I baptize with fire and with the Holy Ghost...53 In Old Testament times, fire consumed (accepted) the sacrifice offered to the Lord. Part of our receiving the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost likewise requires us to make an acceptable offering unto the Lord, that of a broken heart and a contrite spirit. Christ continues, even as the Lamanites, because of their faith in me at the time of their conversion, were baptized with fire and with the Holy Ghost, and they knew it not.54 How is this possible? How could the Lamanites be baptized with fire and with the Holy Ghost and know it not? Were they unaware of the experience? Or were they aware but didnt understand what it was? And which group of Lamanite converts is Christ referring to? The Lamanites who were in the prison with Nephi and Lehi who were literally encircled about by a pillar of fire55 about 60 years prior to Christs statement? Or is it the other Lamanites who were subsequently converted through their testimonies? Or is He speaking of both groups? Is this baptism of fire a process or an event or both? Is it a process that is highlighted and punctuated along the way by specific spiritual events? When Christ visited the Nephites, he called twelve disciples and gave them power to baptize. He then promised the multitude that after they were baptized by water,
53 3 Nephi 9:20 54 3 Nephi 9:20 55 Helaman 5:43
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that He (Christ) would baptize them with fire and the Holy Ghost.56 Undoubtedly, most if not all of the audience had previously been baptized.57 Why the need for re- baptism? Was it simply part of a new gospel dispensation? Was it also to renew their covenants and re-dedicate themselves to the Lord? To cleanse them once again in preparation for the baptism of fire? Were there multiple purposes for the Lords command? After Christ departed, the disciples followed his instructions. They first prayed for that which they most desired which was the Holy Ghost. Following this prayer, they entered the water and were baptized. And it came to pass when they were all baptized and had come up out of the water, the Holy Ghost did fall upon them, and they were filled with the Holy Ghost and with fire. And behold, they were encircled about as if it were by fire; and it came down from heaven.58 Why is fire literally present on this occasion? Can there be a baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost without it? Why or why not? A comparison of these two Book of Mormon accounts reveals some interesting parallels. (See Helaman Chapter 5 for the Lamanite conversion and 3 Nephi 11 & 17 for the later experience with the Savior.) Common elements between the two events include darkness/destruction, repentance, a voice that pierces them to their souls, the voice repeats three times, pillars of fire, ministering of angels, communication and understanding of great and marvelous things, and unspeakable joy. Have you experienced these things? These Book of Mormon accounts are dramatic and sudden. Perhaps, most often the process of receiving the Holy Ghost in our lives grows and unfolds over time. Clearly, however, there is much more that can be associated with this baptism than we generally recognize or expect. It is certainly more than merely an ordinance. In Doctrine and Covenants section 109 we learn that one of the purposes of the temple is that we may grow up in thee, and receive a fullness of the Holy Ghost.59 Are these Book of Mormon events descriptive of receiving a fullness of the Holy Ghost? Are you engaged in the process of growing up in the Lord and receiving the Holy Ghost in your life? Are you experiencing the power of godliness in your life?60 It is this lack of power that leaves historic Christianity an abomination in the Lords sight.61 If we receive the gospel but do not also receive power from on high then are we too an abomination in the Lords sight? Do we become as salt, which has lost its savor?62 56 3 Nephi 12:1
57 3 Nephi 7:23-26 59 D&C 109:15 60 D&C 84:20 58 3 Nephi 19:13-14
61 Joseph Smith History 1:19 62 3 Nephi 12:13
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We speak often of the Holy Ghosts role as a comforter. Equally, and perhaps more important, is the Holy Ghosts role as a sanctifier. To sanctify means to set apart, to make holy, to purify and to free from sin. Now this is the commandment: Repent, all ye ends of the earth, and come unto me and be baptized in my name, that ye may be sanctified by the reception of the Holy Ghost, that ye may stand spotless before me at the last day.63 We need the sanctifying and purifying influence of the Spirit in our lives daily. The Holy Ghost is also a revelator. Joseph Smith recorded that after he and Oliver Cowdery were baptized, the Holy Ghost fell upon them. Their minds were enlightened and the Holy Ghost began to open the scriptures to their understandings.64 Joseph later taught This first Comforter or Holy Ghost has no other effect than pure intelligence.65 Nephi taught that one purpose of the Holy Ghost is to show unto us all things that we should do.66 What does all things include? How personal is the involvement of the Holy Ghost in our daily lives? Is the Lord concerned with the details of your life? Are you led by the spirit not knowing beforehand the things you should do?67 How often will the Spirits direction be something other than what you had planned? How do we recognize the voice of the spirit in our lives? Can we receive it and recognize it, if we have not paid attention to the pre-requisites outlined in the scriptures? How do you respond when the Spirits direction is something you dont expect and maybe dont want to do? I share the following personal experience in the hopes that the lesson learned will be helpful to you. My current job in the temple is working with those who come to receive their own ordinances. It is an assignment I enjoy very much. Some time ago, a new missionary came through with his father to receive his own endowment. As I visited with his father, I learned that this young man had lost his mother while he was a young teenager. Since that time his single father had raised him alone. Im sure it had not been easy for this young man or his father. As we were concluding our discussion and the young man joined us, the spirit prompted me to share a scripture with him. Regrettably, I ignored the prompting. In doing so, I missed an opportunity to bless this young mans life in a way that the Lord wanted him blessed and that I believe would have helped him on
63 3 Nephi 27:20 64 Joseph Smith History 1:73-74 65 TPJS 66 2 Nephi 32:5 67 1 Nephi 4:6
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his mission. I didnt do it, because doing so would have been against the rules and the training we receive as ordinance workers. I have deeply regretted it since that day. Pondering on this experience has taught me something valuable. The promptings we receive from the Spirit are often for something we are not planning to do. If we were going to do such and such anyway, the Spirit would have no need to prompt us. Many promptings will be to do something we are not considering or may even be something we dont want to do. Perhaps this is why it is often easy to ignore or argue with the promptings we receive. They require us to alter our plans or what we are doing. Understanding this, however, may also help us to recognize and respond to these promptings especially when they are subtle. We had a good discussion in our teachers quorum about how the Spirit operates in our lives. I believe this is something we all must learn and experience for ourselves. It probably varies somewhat from individual to individual. It grows and expands over time as we give heed to that which we receive from the Lord. It is a little difficult to describe adequately to another person. Elder Packer once described it as trying to explain what salt tastes like. You know it, but how do you explain it to someone else who maybe had never tasted salt.68 If you seek it; if you follow the pre-requisite steps with full purpose of heart, you will receive the Holy Ghost. You will recognize it. This experience often begins very humbly. As we nurture its influence in our lives, follow the direction we receive, our ability to recognize and respond increases. As we continue to follow this path, the influence increases in our lives and we begin to grow up in the Lord. This requires diligence and effort on our part. Nephis experience is again instructive. His first experiences with the Holy Ghost were simply feelings that softened his heart and allowed him to believe. Later he was able to hear the voice of the Lord in the quiet promptings he received. After being true to these promptings and after further development, he eventually saw visions, entertained angels and was ministered to by the Savior. If thou shalt ask, thou shalt receive revelation upon revelation, knowledge upon knowledge, that thou mayest know the mysteries and peacable thingsthat which bringeth joy, that which bringeth life eternal.69
68 His talk The Candle of the Lord (Ensign Jan 1983 or search on church website) is one of the best I
have read on how the Spirit works in our lives. 69 D&C 42:61 The Doctrine of Christ Page 17 of 34
Endure to the End
Returning to the Doctrine of Christ, Nephi asks And now, my beloved brethren, after ye have gotten into this strait and narrow path, I would ask if all is done?70 Great question. Once one has properly arrived at this pointmeaning they have shown great faith in Christ, have repented of their sins with full purpose of heart, have begun obeying the commandments, and have received baptism by water and the Holy Ghostwhat else is required? Is everything done? The answer from Nephi is no. He continues, for ye have not come thus far save it were by the word of Christ with unshaken faith in him, relying wholly upon the merits of him who is mighty to save. Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life.71 According to Nephi, unshaken faith in Christ has brought you to this point. What is unshaken faith? Can we have unshaken faith at one point in our lives and then have our faith shaken later? What does it mean to rely wholly upon the merits of Christ? What role do our own efforts play in the process? What is the role of grace and works? What is steadfastness in Christ? What is a perfect brightness of hope? Where does this kind of hope come from? Is it related to meekness and humility? To our being accepted of the Lord? Is it internal to us? Or something that comes from God? Can our hope, like our faith, grow over time until it is perfect and sure? Why must we love God and ALL men? What about our enemies? Those who are difficult to love? Once again, here in this verse from Nephi we find the two great commandments of the gospel. What does it mean to feast upon the word of Christ? Is showing up at gospel doctrine class and a few hours of church once a week enough? Does the word of Christ refer to the scriptures? Or to his word to us delivered by the Spirit (as individual guidance in our lives)? Is it both? Why does Nephi point out that angels speak the words of Christ?72 Are you feasting upon his word? What does it mean to endure to the end? This is a critical question. The promise is that by so doing, we shall have eternal life. Is it merely surviving or something more?
70 2 Nephi 31:19 72 2 Nephi 32:3 71 2 Nephi 31:19-20
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The obstacles we encounter to our endurance are many, but I believe they fall into four general categoriesthe four enemies of endurance: 1 Trials 2 Deception 3 Sin/Iniquity 4 Apathy Interestingly, the gift of the Holy Ghost is key in overcoming these obstacles and in enduring to the end. Lets examine them individually.
Trials
Carbon is the fourth most common element in the universe after hydrogen, helium and oxygen. It is abundant in our sun, stars, and in the atmosphere of most planets. Our bodies are composed partly of carbon (about 18% of our mass). Because carbon bonds easily with other molecules it forms the chemical basis of all known life on earth. Carbon occurs in different forms depending upon the arrangement of the carbon molecules. Consider for a moment two different forms of carbondiamonds and coal. Both diamonds and coal are formed from the same element, carbon. One is rare and very valuable. The other is ordinary and commonplace. Diamonds are only formed by just the right combination of heat, pressure and time. Trials help provide the same conditions for us. They are a necessary part of putting off the natural man (coal) and becoming a saint (diamond). Yet in the furnace of affliction some allow their trials to cause them to question Gods justice or his love and mercy. To their limited view, life is just not fair. Rather than turning to god in their suffering and receiving strength, support and comfort from Him, they turn away from Him. Alma notes that as a result of a lengthy war between the Nephites and Lamanites that many were hardened while others were softened because of their afflictions and humbled themselves before God.73 Same circumstances for both groups but very different responses. Likewise Laman, Lemuel, Sam and Nephi went through roughly the same experiences (leaving their home, travel in the wilderness, etc.) but again experienced very different results in their lives based upon their responses and their faith. Likewise, our trials can be a great blessing to us and bring us closer to God, or they can be a great hindrance depending upon our choices and actions.
73 Alma 62:41
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Sometimes this is seen in marriage as well. Under stress marriage partners can chose to turn TO each other for comfort, support, etc. or they can choose to turn ON each other in a spirit of blame, criticism and fault-finding. The marriage may be strengthened by the challenges or weakened and perhaps destroyed. This becomes even more difficult when one or both of the parties are partially or fully to blame for the problem. Perhaps with greater perspective, we would recognize our trials to be among the greatest blessings the Lord can give us. I, the Lord, have suffered the affliction to come upon them, wherewith they have been afflictedYet I will own them, and they shall be mine in that day when I shall come to make up my jewels. Therefore, they must needs be chastened and tried, even as Abraham, who was commanded to offer up his only son. For all those who will not endure chastening, but deny me, cannot be sanctified. (D&C 101:2-5)
Deception
And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world.74 And he became Satan, yea even the devil, the father of all lies, to deceive and to blind men, and to lead them captive at his will.75 To lie and deceive is one of Satans greatest tools. One he uses very effectively. We see examples all around us today. It requires obedience to God, the Spirit, the word of God and discernment to cut through the lies and find the truth that makes us free. Satan presents himself as the God of this world and as the only Begotten76 whenever he can. It is interesting that the serpent is actually a true symbol for the Savior.77 (Numbers 21:8). One wonders if Satan usurped this symbol in approaching Eve in an attempt to pass himself off as the only Begotten. We live in a world filled with deceptions from the blackest of lies to all shades of gray to almost white. It is the latter ones that are more difficult to detect, those which contain a lie amidst much truth. It is in this category that we often find the philosophies of men mingled with scripture. Recently an LDS friend recommended a book to me called Its Your Time: Activate your Faith, Achieve your Dreams, Increase in Gods Favor by Joel Osteen. The internet reviews I checked gave an average of 4.5 of 5 stars on over 300,000 reader reviews. Joel boasts he is Americas #1 preacher with an audience of 45,000 weekly at his church in Houston. He preaches a gospel of success. His
74 Revelation 12:9 75 Moses 4:4 76 Moses 1:19 77 Numbers 21:8

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book is full of false doctrine. Sure it sounds good and has some inspiring stories and has a form of godliness, but it is full of the philosophies of men mingled with scripture. Mr. Osteen brings a message from God in the name of Christ, but it is a false message. I cannot think of a more serious way to take the name of the Lord in vain. Unless, he repents I believe he will be among those at the last day who cry Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name done many wonderful works?78 Nor is this problem limited to those outside the LDS church. This problem finds its way into the LDS church as well. I recently found on the internet a fireside given by Dr. David Cohen to a group in St. George in 2007. The fireside was about the Second Coming. Dr. Cohen claims to be a descendant of Aaron who was raised by his father, a Jewish Rabbi who later converted to the Church. I want to quote to you a portion of the fireside from the beginning: Were going to feast on the word of God tonight. And youre going to be blessed. I promise you, youre going to leave this fireside and you are going to be glad you attended it. The Lord is going to bless you for your faith. He then gives a talk about the Adamic language, the Lords calendar and why our dates are wrong, and the events that will lead up to the second coming. (He has also published an expanded book upon these topics in 2009) By the second or third page of this fireside talk, I was thinking to myself this guy is full of crap. The spirit did NOT witness that it was true, to the contrary, while some of it seemed reasonable, it also contains false doctrine. Towards the end of the talk, he makes a wild prophecy. Again, I quote: On September 22nd 2011 there is going to be a Betel Jeuce Super Nova.It just so happens that Orion, on the Fall Equinox, rises at midnight. Can you imagine what the world is going to say, when on September 22nd, at midnight, 2011, it lights up at midnight as if it is dawn. They are going to think it is the Second Coming. Oops, sorry Dr. Cohen looks like that one didnt happen! Keep in mind though this fireside was given in 2007. If you had been in the audience you should have known in 2007 that it wasnt going to happen because of all of the false doctrine he taught before these outrageous claims and by the absence of the spirit from that meeting. The absence of the Spirit didn't seem to slow or impede Dr. Cohen, however, in the least. He finishes by stating, Now if you havent been filled tonight, I dont know what else to talk about. The spirit has been very strong tonight. Im really impressed with your responses. I can tell that youre in tune and that youre following the promptings of the spirit. Hopefully those present were not deceived. The admonition that we should not teach if we don't have the Spirit79 does not deter those guilty of priestcraft and those who attempt to build themselves up rather than
78 Matthew 7:22 79 D&C 42:14
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lead souls to Christ. Obviously the Cohen example is an extreme, but there are false doctrines taught in the church frequently and at all levels of the church. The book of Mormon uses the word unbelief to refer to everything ranging from disbelief to belief in incorrect doctrines, principles and traditions. As we grow in our gospel understanding, we all have unbeliefs (incorrect beliefs, false traditions and cultural influences) that need to be discarded for truth. So where is the harm in all of this? We act and make decisions based upon our beliefs. To be deceived is to believe something is true that is not true. Herein lies the rub and why deception is so dangerous. We generally dont know that we are deceived. We dont know that the truth we believe is actually false and in error. We then base our actions upon this belief, causing our actions to be in error as well. Consequences follow. If Satan can blind us with his lies, he can lead us to destruction.80 This is why lying and deceiving is one of his primary tools. He and his minions are very practiced and very skilled. Wherein is our hope? In obtaining truth for ourselves. Wherefore, all things which have been revealed unto the children of men shall at that day be revealed; and Satan shall have power over the hearts of the children of men no more81 In a future, millennial day truth will be commonplace and cover the earth. It will all be revealed, and Satan will have no more power. His lies will have no more influence in the face of this truth. He will be cast out because he can no longer deceive. We needn't wait, in fact we cannot wait, for that future millennial day. This can happen for us individually much sooner. As we gather enough truth and light and conform our lives to it, Satans influence over us ends. Once we rise above the telestial world that surrounds us and reach a terrestrial state, Satan will be cast out of our lives. We can join the ranks of those who are sanctified enough that they can only look upon sin with abhorrence. It has no power over their hearts and no appeal to them. God has given us two great tools to avoid being deceived. The first is the scriptures. It is the rod against which all else should be measured. If we hearken and hold fast to the word of God we will not be blinded or overcome.82 The second part of the measuring rod is the Holy Ghost. By its power we may know the truth of
80 1 Nephi 15:24 81 2 Nephi 30:18
82 1 Nephi 15:24
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all things.83 Anything that contradicts the scriptures or the Holy Ghost is not a true message regardless of its source. Recently, I learned that a good friend and his wife have left the church. These two both served missions, have a wonderful family, and are very good people whom I highly respect, admire and love. Their decision saddens me greatly. It is one I believe they will regret and if not corrected may have far reaching effects, particularly in the lives of their children. The problem began when they learned that some of the Churchs history is different than what they had believed it to be. This caused a crisis in their faith and led to them eventually throwing out the baby with the bath, so to speak. They didnt reach their decision overnight nor without considerable distress and struggle. The past few years have probably been one of the greatest trials of their lives. Yet ultimately, they reached the wrong conclusion. Hopefully, they will repent and return. They are not alone. Marlin Jensen, recently released as the Churchs Historian, stated speaking of the First Presidency and Quorum of Twelve, They realize that maybe since Kirtland, we never have had a period of, Ill call it apostasy, like were having right now; largely over these issues.84 The explosion of information available via the internet has resulted in many people leaving the Church in a similar manner to my friends. This problem stems from a couple of sources: 1) When we learn math or biology or any other subject, we first learn the basics and then move on to more advanced applications. You cant do calculus without first understanding algebra and geometry. Otherwise, calculus is gibberish. It is the same in the gospel. (It is one reason that the temple is kept sacred.) The problem that we encounter as we move from the milk of the gospel to the meat is that we inevitably run into things that dont make sense or that even seem wrong. Sometimes we must set these things aside for a time, perhaps even for years, until we have more context and framework to finally understand them. A wise religion instructor used to admonish his classes to, never lose faith in the things you do know, because of the things you dont know. This obviously applies to truths testified to our souls by the spirit and by spiritual communications. We all have mistaken beliefs and ideas which we need to discard over time as we gain additional light and knowledge. One reason the Savior taught in parables was to not give his hearers more information than they were prepared for. Nowadays, with the information availability of the internet, this precaution is gone and it is relatively easy to find things out of proper sequence.
83 Moroni 10:5 84 Dr. Phillip Barlow interview of Marlin K. Jensen, January 18, 2012 at Utah State University
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Our testimonies should be based not upon our intellectual understanding, but upon personal revelation and interaction with Heaven. This requires effort on our part. We must first ask before heaven can respond. That is one of the keys. There must be a stirring on earth below before there can be a stirring in heaven above. Otherwise the heavens are generally silent.85 Even Alma who had been raised with the gospel and called to repentance by an angel from heaven, declared that his testimony came by the Holy Spirit and that he had fasted and prayed many days to know for himself.86 That is how we gain a testimony. These spiritual communications may not be frequent in our lives at first, but they are real and unmistakable when they occur. They are private and individually tailored to us, and like the oil in the lamps, cant be given to others. We should treasure and cling to these witnesses from heaven, particularly in moments of doubt and confusion. Oliver Cowdery was admonished by the Savior to cast your mind upon the night that you cried unto me in your heart, that you might know concerning the truth of these things. Did I not speak peace to your mind concerning the matter? What greater witness can you have than from God?87 2) Church leaders have generally portrayed Church history in the most positive light possible. Sometimes this is as simple as only telling one side of a given story (e.g. how the Saints were wronged or praising their virtues, but not mentioning their errors, mistakes, sins and/or actions that may have stirred the pot and contributed to their problems). Other times in a Paul Dunn style, stories have been embellished or changed to be more faith promoting. Whether this occurred intentionally in all cases or not, I dont know, nor do I wish to presume to judge those leaders. However, today this veneer is rapidly coming off. Growing up in the Church, to me Joseph Smith was a hero set upon a pedestal. In my limited view, he was beyond reproach and infinitely far above me and everyone else I knew. I gained a testimony of Joseph as a prophet, of his first vision and some of the experiences he had. They are true! Joseph was a great prophet! In many ways, He was a hero and deserves our respect. However, he was also a man who struggled with his temper, who often didnt receive answers from God when he felt he needed them and was sometimes left on his own to muddle along, who made mistakes and did some stupid things, who trusted people he shouldnt have, and who had to learn many things line upon line just as we do. God also used many of the circumstances of Josephs environment to prepare and lead him along naturally and almost imperceptibly to where God wanted him to
85 Mormon 9:19-21 86 Alma 5:46 87 D&C 6:22-23
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be. Joseph often didnt know the end from the beginning. In other words, Joseph was very human in ways that we all can relate to. Despite his weakness, he was a great servant and the Lord used him to restore the gospel. Despite our weakness, the Lord can also use us to accomplish His work. Richard Bushmans work Joseph Smith: Rough Stone Rolling was the first book on Joseph that for me ever gave this added perspective. Contrary to damaging what I believed about Joseph, he is that much more relatable and dear to me. 3) Joseph recorded an incident where he visited with a brother and sister who thought that a prophet is always a prophet. Josephs response is that a prophet was a prophet only when he was acting as such.88 To a large extent, weve lost sight of that in the Church today. On another occasion, a man expressed disappointment that Joseph was only a man. He supposed that a person to whom the Lord revealed his will must be something more than a man. Joseph reminded him that Elias was also a man subject to like passions as we are, yet had such power with God as to shut the heavens from rain.89 These mistaken assumptions are common in the church today. Some accept as gospel truth anything spoken by any past prophet, Spencer W. Kimball or Brigham Young for example, without concern for whether the statement was given early in their life or later after they were called as a prophet. Even if spoken later, were they giving an opinion or speaking prophetically? Some saints accept everything without discernment. Brigham Young often gave his opinion and was influenced by social circumstances and prevailing sentiments of his day in many areas just as we are today. Not all of his statements are gospel truth or accurate. Likewise, not everything taught by Bruce R. McConkie, Joseph Fielding Smith or others is completely without error. I am not saying they werent great leaders or werent inspired. I am saying that the Lord gives all of us agency; that sometimes we make mistakes even when acting with the best of intentions; that this applies even to the leaders of the church (from bishops to the President); and that all of us grow in our understanding over time. Im sure I taught things ten years ago in Elders quorum, which I would not agree with today. Another great example is found in D&C 74 which clarifies some of Pauls teachings in the New Testament which were not of the Lord, but of himself.90 Paul gave his opinion and it ended up recorded and believed as scripture. We need to rely upon the Spirit and upon the Lord, and we should live so that the Spirit can confirm or deny what we are being taught. The point in all of this is simple. There are answers, even to the very difficult questions. There are problematic issues in Church history. These can be reconciled. There are answers. Over time, everything will fit into its proper place. As you learn
89 HC 2:302 90 D&C 74:5 88 History of the Church (HC) 5:265
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and grow in the gospel, you may encounter new truths that require you to learn, adapt and grow and to leave behind old errors and wrong beliefs. You may also have to deal with uncertainty, ambiguity, or even contradictory information. But let the Lord help you through these times. And dont lose faith in the experiences and witnesses that you have had and the things that you do know, because of the things that you dont yet understand. You need the scriptures. You need the Spirit. And you need oil in your own lamp. You need a relationship with the Lord. He is standing at the door of your life and knocking.91 Will you open up? Are you listening? Do you feel unworthy? Are you trying to do it all on your own? Or have you opened the door? His work today is YOUR eternal life.92 He will work with you wherever you are at.
Sin & Iniquity
Among the great doctrines restored by Joseph is the doctrine of the soul. The spirit and the body are the soul of man.93 Without both we cannot have a fullness of joy.94 Joseph further taught, We came to this earth that we might have a body and present it pure before God in the celestial kingdom. The great principle of happiness consists in having a body.95 The problem is that we live in a fallen, telestial state. When Adam fell, he fell physically, spiritually, emotionally and mentally. We know we are subject to the Fall, but maybe we dont appreciate the extent to which it affects us. Our bodies and minds arent perfect. We are afflicted and live with many conditions over which we have absolutely no control. In addition, the scriptures teach that after the Fall men became carnal, sensual and devilish by nature. The dictionary defines carnal as relating to physical, particularly sexual, needs and desires. Sensual is related to gratification of the physical senses and seeking pleasure. Our bodies are pretty well programmed to seek pleasure and avoid pain. There is much in all of this that is desirable and a great blessing to us, provided that
92 Moses 1:39. In D&C 19, Christ describes his sufferingswhat we usually consider to be the atonement. He then states that he finished his preparations. Thats interesting. His work isnt done. What is his work today? You are. All that he went through prepared him to help you today. I used to think he had done his part and was now waiting for me to get my act together and do mine. I couldnt have been more wrong. It does require all that we can do. But we dont walk alone. He will be with you each step of the way, if you will let Him. 93 D&C 88:15 94 D&C 93:33-34 95 TPJS 181, emphasis added 91 Revelation 3:20
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we keep our desires, appetites and passions within boundaries defined by the Lord. When we are outside those boundaries we are off track and Satan has greater influence over us. I should like to say to you, my brethren and sisters, that all the assaults that the enemy of our souls will make to capture us will be through the flesh, because it is made up of the unredeemed earth, and he has power over the elements of the earth. The approach he makes to us will be through the lusts, the appetites, the ambitions of the flesh. All the help that comes to us from the Lord to aid us in this struggle will come to us through the spirit that dwells within this mortal body. So these two mighty forces are operating upon us through these two channels. How is the battle going with you?...The greatest conflict that any man or woman will ever havewill be the battle that is had with self.96 We all have a dual naturea physical side and a spiritual side. Our spirits and bodies are interconnected to a greater extent than we probably realize. Our spirits are intended to master our bodies. When we commit physical sins, we damage our spirits and lessen our sensitivity to spiritual communications. The scriptures teach that he that committeth adultery destroyeth his own soul.97 Gratifying physical urges outside of the Lords bounds turns something that should be a great blessing to us into something that can severely damage our spirits. When we allow ourselves to become addicted to such behaviors then Satan has truly grasped us in the chains of hell. Deliverance from these chains is possible but not easy. Addictions can advance to a point of consuming all else in a persons life. How many have sacrificed family, friends, loved ones, careers and other good things in seeking to feed their addictions? It is not just the world that struggles with these problems. I recently read that an estimated 60% of adult males in the church regularly view pornography. Hopefully that estimate is much higher than the real statistic, but regardless of the actual number it is certainly a huge problem, which destroys marriages and leaves a trail of innocent lives damaged in its wake. In addition to physical passions, we must watch emotional ones as well. We struggle with pride, anger, jealousy, fear, apathy, pessimism and a host of negative emotions. These too must be controlled or eliminated from our lives. I love this quote from Sheri Dew: Sin is just plain stupid. And the cost is off the chartsObedience, on the other hand, is brilliant and its fruits are endlessone of which is happiness. The only way I know to be happy is to live the gospel. It is not possible to sin enough to be happy. It is not possible to buy enough to be happy or to entertain or indulge yourself enough to be happy. Happiness and joy come only
97 Proverbs 6:32 96 The Struggle for the Soul, address given in SL Tabernacle May 5, 1928 by Elder Melvin J. Ballard
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when you are living up to who you are. Jacob sums it up in these words: Remember, to be carnally-minded is death, and to be spiritually-minded is life eternal.98 In one sentence, Jacob captures the great battle of life. After baptism, we are given a great aid in this battle. It is the Holy Ghost. We speak often of the Holy Ghosts role as a comforter. Equally important is the Holy Ghosts role as a sanctifier.99 To sanctify is to make holy. The more we have the Holy Ghost in our life, the less appeal and hold sin has upon us. How goes the battle within you?
Apathy
In our endurance, Mosiah gives us wise counsel to do all things in wisdom and in order; not running faster than we have strength but being diligent.100 There are many, many demands upon our time and attention. Keeping balance in life is something I struggle with. In a training meeting, President Hinckley once observed that we have four main areas of focus: our families, our employment, our church callings and ourselves. He counseled us not to neglect any of them. It is easy to get too caught up in the things of the world and become somewhat apathetic towards the church. We can show up to our meetings each Sunday and then forget about the gospel until the following Sunday. To the extent we fall into this trap, we become like the apostate Zoramites101 and need to repent. Some Latter-day Saints are more concerned about appearing good than actually being good. Others become overly engaged rather than anxiously engaged. These souls sprint but soon tire and sometimes fall by the wayside. They run faster than they have strength and burn out. Each of us needs rather to press diligently forward. Im inspired by the story of Cliff Young. Every year in Australia, world-class athletes assemble to compete in a grueling 543.7 mile (875 kilometer) endurance race from Sydney to Melbourne. It is one of the worlds toughest ultra-marathons. In 1983, a 61 year old farmer named Cliff Young showed up at the start of the race in overalls and work boots. To everyones shock, Cliff wasnt there as a spectator but picked up a race number and joined the other runners, most of whom were under 30 and sponsored by big name companies like Nike.
98 2 Nephi 9:39 99 3 Nephi 27:20 100 Mosiah 4:27-28 101 Alma 31
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Cliff was told, Youre crazy. There is no way you can finish this race. His response was simply, Yes I can. I grew up on a farm where we couldnt afford horses or tractors, and the whole time I was growing up, whenever the storms would roll in, Id have to go out and round up the sheep. We had 2,000 sheep on 2,000 acres. Sometimes I would have to run those sheep for two or three days. It took a long time, but Id always catch them. Well no one took him very seriously, and as the race started Cliff was quickly left behind by the pros. Some mocked him because Cliff didnt even run properly. He shuffled along in an awkward gait. Others feared for his safety. The runners ran all day long, about 18 hours before stopping for 6 hours of sleep. When dawn came on the second day, everyone was in for a surprise. Not only was Cliff still in the race, but he had continued jogging all through the night without sleeping. Cliff kept running. Each night he continued to run without stopping while the others slept, gradually moving up the ranks of the runners. Cliff ended up finishing the race in 5 days 15 hours and 4 minutes. Not only had he won, but he beat the prior course record by 2 full days. When he was awarded the winning prize of $10,000, he gave it away to some of the other runners whom he had met and felt needed it more than he did. He stated that he hadnt known there was a prize, he just wanted to see if he could do it. Today, the Young-shuffle has been adopted by many ultra-marathon runners because it is considered more energy-efficient than a more traditional gait. Furthermore, competitors since Cliff do not sleep. Winning the race requires runners to go all night as well as all day, just as Cliff Young first did. Whereforelet us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.102 In eternal life, the race is not to the swift but to those who persevere. We are capable of more than we sometimes believe.

102 Hebrews 12:1
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The Doctrine of Christ, Conclusion
Nephi concludes his ministry with important counsel and pleading. He states: Wherefore, I said unto you, feast upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do.103 We shouldn't be confused or deceived. We have the words of Christ to guide us. Behold, again I say unto you that if ye will enter in by the way, and receive the Holy Ghost, it will show unto you all things what ye should do.104 What a marvelous promise! What a glorious gift we are given after baptism! Of all the things the Father could give us, he chooses to give us the gift of the Holy Ghost. The right to have its companionship with us always. How do you experience this gift in your life? We need guidance in our lives. We need the Spirit. Avoid things that offend or drive the spirit from your life. "Pray always and I will pour out my spirit upon you."105
103 2 Nephi 32:3 104 2 Nephi 32:5 105 D&C 19:38
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Nephi continues: Behold, this is the doctrine of Christ, and there will be no more doctrine given until after he shall manifest himself unto you in the flesh. And when he shall manifest himself unto you in the flesh, the things which he shall say unto you shall ye observe to do.106 Is Nephi here referring to the appearance of the Savior to the Nephites? Or is he referring to a personal appearance? Or is it both? And now I, Nephi, cannot say more; the Spirit stoppeth mine utterance, and I am left to mourn because of the unbelief, and the wickedness, and the ignorance, and the stiffneckedness of men.107 Nephi has reached the end of what he is allowed to say. He understands much more. He knows what unbelief, ignorance and wickedness cause us to miss and he mourns. He gives us one last clue, however: If ye would hearken unto the Spirit which teacheth a man to pray ye would know that ye must pray.108 We need to have contact with heaven ourselves. This is established through prayer. If we read books like the Book of Enos and see only what happened to Enos we miss the point. We each need to have our own experiences like Enos. Where does this path, outlined by Nephi, ultimately lead? To the tree of life. It will lead us to the Savior. Joseph Smith taught: After a person has faith in Christ, repents of his sins, and is baptized for the remission of his sins, and receives the Holy Ghost, (by the laying on of hands), which is the first Comforter, then let him continue to humble himself before God, hungering and thirsting after righteousness, and living by every word of God, and the Lord will soon say unto him, Son, thou shalt be exalted. When the Lord has thoroughly proved him, and finds that the man [or woman] is determined to serve Him at all hazards, then the man [or woman] will find his [or her] calling and election made sure, then it will be his [her] privilege to receive the other Comforter, which the Lord hath promised the Saints....Now what is this other
106 2 Nephi 32:6 107 2 Nephi 32:7 108 2 Nephi 32:8

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Comforter? It is no more nor less than the Lord Jesus Christ Himself; and this is the sum and substance of the whole matter; that when any man obtains this last Comforter, he will have the personage of Jesus Christ to attend him, or appear unto him from time to time, and even He will manifest the Father unto him, and they will take up their abode with him, and the Lord will teach him face to face.109 In D&C 19, the Savior recounts his sufferings in accomplishing the atonement. He then states that he has "finished [his] preparations unto the children of men."110 It is interesting that he categorizes his atonement as his "preparations". The Savior's work with and for us is not finished. He has a ministry which he reserves to himself. That ministry involves preparing us to be re-introduced to the Father. How do we grow in our relationship with the Savior? How do we increase our ability to hear his voice? We find a formula in section 93 of the Doctrine and Covenants. We are given this section to know how to worship and to know what we worship.111 Verse one contains the formula. 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.112 Verily, thus saith the Lord: That should catch our attention. What follows is something you can absolutely rely on. Gods word cannot return unfulfilled.113 His word becomes the law upon which the universe operates. Every Soul This includes everyone, young or old, male or female. It includes you. What follows is not limited to prophets, apostles, men, or any other category. It is open to all of our Fathers children. All are alike unto God. Who Forsaketh His Sins When we are young, we often see this backwards. We may see commandments as restrictions. In reality, it is our sins, which hold us back. And Cometh Unto Me There is a spark of the Divine in each of us that longs for home. Christ descended to make that return possible. We come unto him through the laws and ordinances of his gospel. This path is the Doctrine of Christ, which we have been discussingfaith, repentance, baptism, Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end. Note how ordinances are associated with the steps. Repentance is associated
109 TPJS 150-151 110 D&C 19:19 111 D&C 93:19 112 D&C 93:1
113 Isaiah 55:11
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with baptism; confirmation and the sacrament with receiving the Holy Ghost; and the ordinances of the endowment with enduring to the end. And Calleth On My Name Prayer is essential. You must connect with Heaven. We are given the Holy Ghost as a guide. One of the keys to receiving revelation is asking for it. If you dont ask, most often you wont receive. This is why the scriptures repeatedly admonish us to ask, seek, and knock. Even in something as crucial as the restoration of the gospel, most of the revelations came to Joseph AFTER he went to the Lord with a question. Take your questions to the Lord. Let him teach you. Learn to receive revelation. Learn to recognize his voicehow he speaks to you. And Obeyeth My Voice In response to your earnest prayers, youll receive direction. Follow it. As you act upon the answers you receive, your belief becomes faith. Especially when the answers arent what you want to hear or arent what you expect. Have the faith to follow them anyway, even when those answers dont make sense to you. It is crucial for us to have the guidance of the spirit in our lives. Joseph Smith taught, That which is wrong under one circumstance, may be, and often is, right under another. God said, Thou shalt not kill; at another time He said, Thou shalt utterly destroy. This is the principle on which the government of heaven is conducted revelation adapted to the circumstances in which the children of the kingdom are placed. Whatever God requires is right, no matter what it is, although we may not see the reason thereof till long after the events transpire.114 As you step into the dark and move from belief to faith by your obedience, confirmation that you are doing Gods will and understanding of the purpose eventually follows. And Keepeth My Commandments The commandments are given to bless, protect and to elevate us. Obedience is key to our growth and receiving additional light. Later in section 93 we read He that keepeth his commandments receiveth truth and light, until he is glorified in truth and knoweth all things115, and also, that wicked one cometh and taketh away light and truth through disobedience from the children of men116 . Obedience doesnt require us to become a new, rigid form of latter-Day Pharisees. It is ironic that while many of them kept their Word of Wisdom, paid tithing on herbs and spices, and kept the Sabbath day Holy to the point of counting how many steps they took, they missed the Savior and rejected him. Their obedience left them arrogant, proud and judgmental of others.
114 TPJS 115 D&C 93:28 116 D&C 93:39

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We can never DO enough but we can BE enough. As we humble ourselves, repent, love, serve and sincerely try to follow the will of our Savior we are keeping his commandments. As you continue working on the 5 parts of this formula, you will grow in light and truth, in your relationship with the Savior, and in your ability to recognize and receive revelation, until the day the promise is that you Shall See My Face and Know That I Am Again this isnt to satisfy some curiosity. The Savior has a ministry, which he reserves to himself. It is about your redemption from the Fall and preparing you to be reintroduced to the Father. We are meant to move from unbelief to belief to increasing levels of faith until we at last arrive at knowledge. Moses sought diligently to bring his people to this point.117 So did Nephi and Jacob.118 So did Moroni.119 So did Joseph. And virtually all others who received this blessing during their lives. Their invitation is to Come Unto Christ. The Doctrine of Christ is all about our return to Him. And now, behold, my beloved brethren, this is the way; and there is none other way nor name given under heaven whereby man can be saved in the kingdom of God. And now, behold, this is the doctrine of Christ, and the only and true doctrine of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, which is one God, without end. Amen. (2 Nephi 31:21) In the sacred name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

117 D&C 84:23-24 119 Ether 12:41 118 1 Nephi 6:4, Jacob 1:7
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The Doctrine of Christ

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