Satan combines all His forces to prevent the word of God from being found in us. He uses lies, half-truths, traditional teachings, deceptions, and he uses the ignorance of others to perpetuate his lies, even those who claim to have priesthood and authority. He encourages us to put our trust in others, especially the prophet, and Satan encourages us not to question what is taught from the pulpit. He does not want us to search the scriptures for ourselves, and he certainly does not want us to use the word of God as the basis for knowing all truth. He does not want us to know that the word of the Lord is truth!
Alma said that "if our hearts have been hardened, yea, if we have hardened our hearts against the word, insomuch that it has not been found in us, then will our state be awful, for then we shall be condemned" (Alma 12:13).
What does it mean for the word of God to be found in us? Having His word found in us is more than just knowing some or all of His words. Because His words are truth, light and spirit, even the spirit of Christ, His words are the light we live by, the light which sustains us. His words are Him. Without His light, our state will be awful.
Let's find out. I am going to use Alma 12 and the Lord's plan of redemption as taught by Alma to test whether the word of God is found in you. Because this chapter on the Lord's plan of redemption is so important, it behooves us to know both the what and the why. It was so important that we know of His plan of redemption that he sent messengers to tell us. Spend some time searching it and then take this test to see if the word of God is beginning to be found in you.
As you read and take the test look for words and phrases that are not found in Alma 12 because they have nothing to do with the Lord's plan of redemption. Keep in mind that it is not just a matter of memorizing and testing. There is so much more to it. The test is only the beginning. If His word is beginning to be found in you, you should have no problem with this test. Knowing which questions are true and which are false is not just about learning and regurgitating what we learned. It is about experiencing the truth, light and spirit of His words and then experiencing our own condition with respect to His words.
If you answer each question correctly there is a chance that the word of God may be found in you. But if you miss one question, His word is not yet found in you. Keep in mind that perhaps if we have not yet experienced our own redemption, the word may not be found in us until we do.
1) True or False. By Adam's fall, all mankind became a lost and fallen people, including you.
2) True or False. There was a space granted unto man in which they (you) might repent.
3) True or False. This life became a probationary state to see if men (you) would repent and live the gospel.
4) True or False. There was a plan of redemption laid and it had nothing to do with living the gospel.
5) True or False. God conversed with men, and made known unto them the plan of redemption.
6) True or False. He made known unto them His plan of redemption only according to their faith and repentance and their holy works, which followed their repentance.
7) True or False. He gave commandments unto men, they having first transgressed the first commandments as to things which were temporal, and becoming as gods, knowing good from evil.
8) True or False. They then had only two choices--good or evil, and were placed in a state to act according to their wills and pleasures, whether to do evil or to do good, according to the living prophet's definitions of good and evil.
9) True or False. Mankind (you) could not merit anything of themselves.
10) True or False. We are to do everything we can, and then rely upon Christ's merits for the difference.
11) True or False. Mankind can choose good but cannot be good.
12) True or False. Therefore God gave unto them commandments, after having made known unto them the plan of redemption.
13) True or False. The penalty for doing evil is a second death, which is an everlasting death as to things pertaining unto righteousness.
14) True or False. Whosoever dieth in his sins, as to a temporal death, shall also die a spiritual death.
15) True or False. The plan of redemption could have no power over this second death, for the works of justice could not be destroyed, according to the supreme goodness of God.
16) True or False. God did call on men, in the name of his Son, (this being the plan of redemption which was laid) saying: If ye will repent, and harden not your hearts, then will I have mercy upon you, through mine Only Begotten Son.
17) True or False. Therefore, only those who repent, harden not their heart, and live the gospel, shall have claim on His mercy through His Only Begotten Son, unto a remission of their sins; and only these shall enter into His rest.
18) True or False. Christ saves us in our sins.
19) True or False. Those who insist on being justified by their works will be subject to Satan, bound by the chains of hell, and shall not enter into His rest.
20) True or False. These His 'second commandments' include tithing.
And now, my brethren, seeing we know these things, and they are true, let us repent, and harden not our hearts, that we provoke not the Lord our God to pull down his wrath upon us in these his second commandments which he has given unto us; but let us enter into the rest of God, which is prepared according to his word.
Answers
1) T
2) T
3) F
(Has nothing to do with living the Gospel.)
4) T
5) T
6) T
7) T
8) F
(The Lord's definition of Good and Evil.)
9) T
10) F
(We rely wholly upon the merits of Christ. We do not merit anything of ourselves.)
11) T
12) T
13) T
14) T
15) T
16) T
17) F
(Again has nothing to do with living the Gospel.)
18) F
(Christ saves us from our sins.)
19) T
20) F
(Repent and be baptized) See Who Needs to Repent
I scored 85%. A "B" isn't too bad, I guess! It shows I better study harder for the final exam! (Or I'll have to enroll in summer school.) The way you quizzed these things was creative because it made me puzzle through each one.
ReplyDeleteSo the three I got "incorrect" were:
No. 6: "He made known unto them His plan of redemption only according to their faith and repentance and their holy works, which followed their repentance."
I went back and forth on this (always go with your first instinct they told me in college) because of the sequence of God making His plan of redemption known. I wondered, "How can they have faith and repent if they haven't had the plan made known to them?" So something I learned from this was that the Plan remains a mystery until we come unto God and it is unveiled more and more as we repent?
No. 8: "They then had only two choices--good or evil, and were placed in a state to act according to their wills and pleasures, whether to do evil or to do good, according to the living prophet's definitions of good and evil."
I put "false" on this because I might have over-thought it. I was thinking the two choices are justice or mercy, but of course good and evil is correct.
No. 15: "The plan of redemption could have no power over this second death, for the works of justice could not be destroyed, according to the supreme goodness of God."
I probably got turned around with all the deaths mentioned in scripture; but I was thinking that the plan (Christ) has power to redeem all from the second death except the sons of perdition.
Now time for me to do some more homework!
No 8 is false because of 'living prophet's' definition of good and evil. Should be God's definition of good and evil.
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