Well, for all three of my followers; I'm putting in a new thread of thought. I was pondering currently the reality that so many people believe so many different things and in so many different ways, how can you know what is true? Is it arrogant to say you know something is true?
My personal thought on the first question is that the only way to know if something is true is to ask the author of all truth and have him confirm to you that it is so or not so. This being revealed through the Holy Spirit to us.
For the second question, it would I think, be dishonest to say you really didn't know something for sure when you did. It would also be dishonest to cover up things you don't know, by saying something you don't or or not sure of, as if you did believe they were absolute truth.
Open for other thoughts.
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Friday, September 19, 2008
The Next Step
We have the apostate church, a need for restoration, and a situation that only God himself could clear up. What happens? God chooses at the right time and place a person to work through to restore the church. In 1820 He and Jesus Christ show themselves to a teenage boy, named Joseph Smith, who was looking to know which church is true. He tells him to not join any of them as they were all astray and taught as doctrine the ideas of men. A few years later when this young man was praying to God for forgiveness of his sins and desiring to know how he stood before God, God sent Moroni to speak with him. Moroni told him about many things that would come about, but specifically told him about the book written on golden plates that had been hid in the ground many hundreds of years ago by Moroni himself. The book told the history of a people group descended from some of the Israelites of Joseph's line who were led to come to the american continents after escaping the overthrow of Jerusalem by the Babylonians. Moroni visited him three times that night saying the same things and then visited him again the next day. He was shown a vision of where the plates were hidden and he was to meet with Moroni there. When he did, he uncovered the hole where the plates were hidden along with a breastplate and the urim and thummim. He was not allowed to take them at this time, but was to come back and meet with Moroni at the same time every year until the time was right to take them.
When the time was right, God allowed him to take the book and the breastplate and urim and thummim, these two stones of which gave Joseph Smith the ability to translate the book, by God's power. During this time God sent a man, Oliver Cowdery, to help with the work by being the scribe that Joseph dictated to. During this time, they both saw and received the Aaronic priesthood from John the Baptist, and were then able to baptize each other and many after them. Also, Peter, James and John came to these two also and bestowed the Melchizedek priesthood, the priesthood after the order of the Son of God. After much work and persecution, also people trying to steal the plates, the traslation was done and printed. Shortly after this God established his church anew and gave many instructions.
This is obviously a very brief overview. There is so much to be said I get overwhelmed with it all. :)
When the time was right, God allowed him to take the book and the breastplate and urim and thummim, these two stones of which gave Joseph Smith the ability to translate the book, by God's power. During this time God sent a man, Oliver Cowdery, to help with the work by being the scribe that Joseph dictated to. During this time, they both saw and received the Aaronic priesthood from John the Baptist, and were then able to baptize each other and many after them. Also, Peter, James and John came to these two also and bestowed the Melchizedek priesthood, the priesthood after the order of the Son of God. After much work and persecution, also people trying to steal the plates, the traslation was done and printed. Shortly after this God established his church anew and gave many instructions.
This is obviously a very brief overview. There is so much to be said I get overwhelmed with it all. :)
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Where to begin.
I pondered to myself what the best place to begin was. I'm not sure I know, so I'll just start. My first thought on this was the question: Why the need for a restoration of the gospel? Perhaps prior to that is what is the gospel and what does it entail? The word gospel means good news. What is the good news? Primarily, that God the Father sent his son Jesus Christ to set us free from the bondage of sin and the condemnation accompanying it. It is also that we can now have the ability to return to live with Heavenly Father. Along with these, there is also the priesthood which is the power of God on earth. The priesthood carrying with it revelations, signs, wonders, healing, tongues, etc.
What happened to the gospel? After Jesus accomplished his earthly ministry and the work breaking the bonds of sin and death, he sent out his disciples (who became apostles) with the priesthood power given by the Holy Spirit to spread the good news throughout the world. It wasn't long after the death of the apostles that the church started to fall away from the truth and with it came the loss of the priesthood and of revelation. The teachings of men came into the church and eventually truth was decided by vote rather than by revelation through the Holy Spirit. I won't get into great detail of the history of the church, but it's decline can well be seen by the actions brought forth. Persecution of those who disagree, even to extremes of torture and extermination; popes, supposedly the voice of God on earth, steeped in corruption and sin, giving decrees based on expediency rather than revelation from God; the crusades; the inquisitions; and Martin Luther's favorite the selling of indulgences, which were basically permission to go out and sin as long as you contribute the right amount to the church; and much more. (Note: For those not familiar with Martin Luther, the selling of indulgences was one of his issues against the Catholic church and the one most cited.)
What about the reformation? It was led by men like Martin Luther, John Calvin and so forth who were perceptive enough to see lies in the doctrine of the church at that time and courageous enough to stand up for what they saw as truth. My question is, by whose authority did they make these stands? From God? or from man? You may decide for yourself. I personally believe from man. My reasons for that belief are as follows: 1. They came to different and sometimes completely contrary beliefs. God is a God of order and not confusion. If God had inspired all these men, they would have all known the same truth. 2. Also, they practiced the persecution of those who disagreed with their doctrine; taking from the sludge they were attempting to move away from, they persecuted through torture and sometimes extermination. This is the way of man and not of God. God is Love and the God of mercy and longsuffering. The result of the Reformation: Not only was the church fallen away from the truth, but it was splintered in many fragments, following the teachings of men. Well-meaning men perhaps, but men nevertheless.
How could the church return to the truth? Through God's intervention only.
What happened to the gospel? After Jesus accomplished his earthly ministry and the work breaking the bonds of sin and death, he sent out his disciples (who became apostles) with the priesthood power given by the Holy Spirit to spread the good news throughout the world. It wasn't long after the death of the apostles that the church started to fall away from the truth and with it came the loss of the priesthood and of revelation. The teachings of men came into the church and eventually truth was decided by vote rather than by revelation through the Holy Spirit. I won't get into great detail of the history of the church, but it's decline can well be seen by the actions brought forth. Persecution of those who disagree, even to extremes of torture and extermination; popes, supposedly the voice of God on earth, steeped in corruption and sin, giving decrees based on expediency rather than revelation from God; the crusades; the inquisitions; and Martin Luther's favorite the selling of indulgences, which were basically permission to go out and sin as long as you contribute the right amount to the church; and much more. (Note: For those not familiar with Martin Luther, the selling of indulgences was one of his issues against the Catholic church and the one most cited.)
What about the reformation? It was led by men like Martin Luther, John Calvin and so forth who were perceptive enough to see lies in the doctrine of the church at that time and courageous enough to stand up for what they saw as truth. My question is, by whose authority did they make these stands? From God? or from man? You may decide for yourself. I personally believe from man. My reasons for that belief are as follows: 1. They came to different and sometimes completely contrary beliefs. God is a God of order and not confusion. If God had inspired all these men, they would have all known the same truth. 2. Also, they practiced the persecution of those who disagreed with their doctrine; taking from the sludge they were attempting to move away from, they persecuted through torture and sometimes extermination. This is the way of man and not of God. God is Love and the God of mercy and longsuffering. The result of the Reformation: Not only was the church fallen away from the truth, but it was splintered in many fragments, following the teachings of men. Well-meaning men perhaps, but men nevertheless.
How could the church return to the truth? Through God's intervention only.
Please read this before you add any comments
I said in the description of this blog that it is to be for presentation and friendly discussion. If you are wanting to get into fruitless debates, throw insults, or make snide comments; please take your thoughts elsewhere.
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