Part 1 of 4
I know, I know….it’s a book. How can I wrap up what I have learned in three years in a short post?
Update for those who remember me. I am “jo”---who used to post here to defend the LDS Church. I have left the Church, as has my husband, Frank, who used to post here as “Franktalk”. In fact, we have left “religion” entirely. You may find it interesting to know that I/we still believe that Joseph Smith was a “True” prophet---though we now prefer to call him a True Messenger. We still believe that the Book of Mormon is the word of “God”---though we now believe in a different definition of “God”. We still believe in “Christ”---though now understand His position and “calling” differently than is generally accepted by the world. We believe that He will indeed return and the mysteries of God will be revealed---in fact, the mysteries of God have already been revealed for those with the eyes to see and the ears to hear. However, when He returns, the need for “belief” will no longer exist because we will then “know”; as His presence and what He does in His administration of His office will be made manifest…leaving no doubt as to His identity, to OUR identity, and to the REAL purpose why human beings experience mortality.
Instead of believing about Christ what the world and the traditions of our fathers have taught us about Him, we now believe what Christ Himself taught; as well as what “Prophets” of scripture have taught about Him. BTW, “prophets” and Christ teach mankind in accordance with man’s already existing belief systems; so it is that these individuals will use religious beliefs to teach within---though their message is not actually about religion….
Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
This reign will take place when He returns. When He was here in the flesh, He taught and lived the principle of what will bring Earth the Peace it is seeking. THAT is what He taught us to believe when He said we needed to believe in Him---to believe in what He was teaching. Without living the principles He taught, we can never find Peace here on Earth. Our actions toward each other ever since man first appeared on this Earth, is proof that we aren’t able to live that “way”. We never will be able to live that way without submitting to someone else’s authority over us; i.e., submitting to a Christ/Savior/King of Kings/Governor who we know can rule over us with complete righteousness and fairness.
When He returns and presents the form of Government which is the only form which can ever afford Peace, we will accept His “way” in order to be able to participate inside of mortality and be able to find Peace here. That is what is meant when we read how every knee shall bow. It is the same Government that has always been used, worlds without end.
We enter mortality for a wise purpose; which purpose Joseph tried to teach but which he could not because the people rejected the simple Gospel message. We are immortal; we have always existed. Mortality is a phase of the eternal rounds of eternity we participate inside of during our eternal existence.
Jesus taught BEFORE He was crucified that He had finished the work Father sent Him to do!!
John 17:4 I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.
5 And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.
6 I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word.
7 Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee.
8 For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me.
What were the things He taught? The “way” to live in Peace; see Matthew 5, 6, and 7 AND 3 Nephi 12, 13 and 14. THAT is the work which the Father gave Christ to do. Christ’s test, though, was not only to perform this work; it was also to see if He would continue to live that example/”way” even when faced with physical death---especially the type of death which His enemies would inflict upon Him. He was able to live exactly what He preached; even forgiving those who killed Him---even though they did not seek His forgiveness or accept Him in the manner that Christianity believes a person must accept Him in order to be “saved”. As such, He was able to prove that He can be trusted in the position of authority as Christ/Savior/King of Kings/Governor.
I know, I know….it’s a book. How can I wrap up what I have learned in three years in a short post?
Update for those who remember me. I am “jo”---who used to post here to defend the LDS Church. I have left the Church, as has my husband, Frank, who used to post here as “Franktalk”. In fact, we have left “religion” entirely. You may find it interesting to know that I/we still believe that Joseph Smith was a “True” prophet---though we now prefer to call him a True Messenger. We still believe that the Book of Mormon is the word of “God”---though we now believe in a different definition of “God”. We still believe in “Christ”---though now understand His position and “calling” differently than is generally accepted by the world. We believe that He will indeed return and the mysteries of God will be revealed---in fact, the mysteries of God have already been revealed for those with the eyes to see and the ears to hear. However, when He returns, the need for “belief” will no longer exist because we will then “know”; as His presence and what He does in His administration of His office will be made manifest…leaving no doubt as to His identity, to OUR identity, and to the REAL purpose why human beings experience mortality.
Instead of believing about Christ what the world and the traditions of our fathers have taught us about Him, we now believe what Christ Himself taught; as well as what “Prophets” of scripture have taught about Him. BTW, “prophets” and Christ teach mankind in accordance with man’s already existing belief systems; so it is that these individuals will use religious beliefs to teach within---though their message is not actually about religion….
Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
This reign will take place when He returns. When He was here in the flesh, He taught and lived the principle of what will bring Earth the Peace it is seeking. THAT is what He taught us to believe when He said we needed to believe in Him---to believe in what He was teaching. Without living the principles He taught, we can never find Peace here on Earth. Our actions toward each other ever since man first appeared on this Earth, is proof that we aren’t able to live that “way”. We never will be able to live that way without submitting to someone else’s authority over us; i.e., submitting to a Christ/Savior/King of Kings/Governor who we know can rule over us with complete righteousness and fairness.
When He returns and presents the form of Government which is the only form which can ever afford Peace, we will accept His “way” in order to be able to participate inside of mortality and be able to find Peace here. That is what is meant when we read how every knee shall bow. It is the same Government that has always been used, worlds without end.
We enter mortality for a wise purpose; which purpose Joseph tried to teach but which he could not because the people rejected the simple Gospel message. We are immortal; we have always existed. Mortality is a phase of the eternal rounds of eternity we participate inside of during our eternal existence.
Jesus taught BEFORE He was crucified that He had finished the work Father sent Him to do!!
John 17:4 I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.
5 And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.
6 I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word.
7 Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee.
8 For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me.
What were the things He taught? The “way” to live in Peace; see Matthew 5, 6, and 7 AND 3 Nephi 12, 13 and 14. THAT is the work which the Father gave Christ to do. Christ’s test, though, was not only to perform this work; it was also to see if He would continue to live that example/”way” even when faced with physical death---especially the type of death which His enemies would inflict upon Him. He was able to live exactly what He preached; even forgiving those who killed Him---even though they did not seek His forgiveness or accept Him in the manner that Christianity believes a person must accept Him in order to be “saved”. As such, He was able to prove that He can be trusted in the position of authority as Christ/Savior/King of Kings/Governor.
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