Serve God by Ministering to One Another--Obstacles

As we become more, we are acquiring God’s character traits by ministering to one another. I don't mean 'minister' as in being a good ministering teacher, but being motivated by His love found in us, and by His power given to us, to bless others both spiritually and temporally.

Beginning as infants, we as human beings progress from being totally dependent on others to acting with increasing independence within growing areas of influence. As we mature physically, we follow God’s pattern by participating in God’s creation. We “beget” or “give birth” to others as they begin new physical and spiritual cycles, thus helping their ascent on the ladder. 

Isaiah teaches that the process of ministering and being ministered to on ever-ascending levels leads to our celestial “exaltation.” By this means—by ministering to one another—we acquire God’s character traits. We learn to follow more and more the pattern of God himself as He calls us to serve others of His people in His name. Alternatively, being “damned in hell” means lapsing to the point of having one’s progress stopped or “dammed”—of being unable, or making it difficult to ascend. 

We create a hell for ourselves by our own foolish actions: we refuse to follow God’s pattern of ascent and instead deny our love and service to others and instead become self serving, like a fruit that rots from the inside out. Neither heaven nor hell wait until the next life; we create them for ourselves on the earth, and they extend right on into the next phase of our existence. 

No ones ruins our lives for us, but we destroy our own lives, as every undeserved “ruin,” in the course of complying with God’s will, leads to “rebirth” when we pass the test.

Only those higher can lift those lower spiritually. 

As God’s people ascend to the Zion/Jerusalem level, they, in turn, teach those still in the Jacob/Israel category, to assist them to ascend also: “Scale the mountain heights, O Zion, herald of good tidings. Raise your voice mightily, O Jerusalem, messenger of good news. Make yourself heard, be not afraid” (Isaiah 40:9). 

In the “last days,” when God’s people repent of transgression and return from exile, Isaiah predicts that “many peoples will go, saying, ‘Come, let us ascend to the mountain of Jehovah, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may instruct us in his ways, that we may follow in his paths.’ For out of Zion will go forth the law, and from Jerusalem the word of Jehovah” (Isaiah 2:3). 

The work of God’s endtime servant and his associates leads to many of God’s people ascending the ladder and surviving the archtyrant’s cleansing of the earth: “Then will they who are left in Zion and they who remain in Jerusalem be called holy—all who were inscribed to be among the living at Jerusalem” (Isaiah 4:3).

When you hear or read the word minister, what comes to mind? As with all words of God, minister has a specific meaning in scripture. Minister means to teach,◇ but specifically to teach His words, His truth. Isaiah describes those who obtain His words and teach them to others as ministers, as those who serve God by ministering to those below them. Because His words are powerful and most effective, His ministers or His servants teach with power and authority. His truth is found in them to the degree they are exalted to Zion/Jerusalem, to Sons and Daughters of God, to Seraphs. Isaiah calls these righteous who serve God. As His servant is described as Righteousness, so are those who assist in bringing others to God in truth and righteousness. 

As the servant will declare good tidings to the nations of the earth and the isles of the sea, so do God’s righteous servants. As he releases people from bondage and oppression, so do they. As he patiently endures shame and insult for God’s sake, so do they. As he calls on the name of God and fulfills all his will, so do they. As he trusts in God in the face of perils and opposition, so do they. As he is not disgraced but vindicated by God in the end, so are they. As he refutes the wicked who wrongfully accuse him, so do they. As he restores ancient ruins and rebuilds God’s temple, so do they. As he gains grace and honor in the eyes of God, so do they. As he joyfully celebrates God’s salvation, so do they.

To even ascend to Zion/Jerusalem level, all must pass three tests of loyalty.

By passing these tests, God’s people ascend to Zion/Jerusalem, but by failing them they descend to Babylon, where they remain until Babylon is destroyed. Fortunately there is still time to repent, for it is through repentance that we pass these tests.

Whom do we serve? Are we serving God or are we serving ourselves, while we worship others? There will be three tests of loyalty to God for God’s people. These tests also serve as trials for God’s people. 

¹The King of Assyria/Babylon— A Political Dictatorship 

²Idolaters/Idolatry—Materialism and Sensual Gratification 

³False Brethren—Ostracism by Ecclesiastical Authorities/Putting our Trust in Men

Isaiah’s three tests don’t necessarily follow a particular order, yet they are trials of God’s people in every sense. Each attempts to divert their loyalty away from the true God to a counterfeit—to itself. 

The ¹king of Assyria/Babylon represents a political dictatorship that pressures people, under pain of death, to submit to its control. 

²Idolaters seduce people by selling them Babylon’s standard of total materialism and sensual gratification. But the Lord's people have expanded idolatry to include any and all activities that cause them to waste the days of their probation.* 

And ³false brethren abuse their ecclesiastical authority and in God’s name ostracize people who don’t adopt their current religious point of view. In addition, the three tests allude to temptations such as envy, jealousy, lust, hate, anger, pride, and personal ambition.

In Isaiah’s endtime scenario, the archtyrant rises to prominence as a political power as a result of a decline in spirituality among God’s people. An outward form of worship hides an inward emptiness. Thus, Paul predicts that there will “occur a falling away first” before the “man of sin is revealed, the Son of Perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God, or that is worshiped, so that he as God sits in the temple of God, showing himself to be God.” 

Concerning this usurper’s false claims, Paul adds that God will send the wicked a “powerful delusion, so that they will believe a lie” (2 Thessalonians 2:3–4, 9–11). Having rejected the truth, they buy into his false propaganda. The king of Assyria/Babylon not only pretends to be divine, he wields unprecedented political power. He has the military capacity to realize his self-serving ambition, to wreak havoc and disaster wherever he strikes. As evil as he is, his seemingly invincible strength will sweep many people off their feet, convincing them to submit to his control. 

The temptation to “go over to the winning side” will sway masses of people as it swayed the Germans and other nationals during World War II. However, by giving the archtyrant their allegiance they dissolve any allegiance they may have had to God. Just as those who love darkness cannot comprehend light, what is evil is incompatible with what is good. The archtyrant’s charisma, too, will influence multitudes to go along with his agenda. Isaiah depicts him figuratively as a “mouth,” “tongue,” and “lips,” referring to his power of speech and oratory. Daniel describes him as “a mouth speaking great things” (Daniel 7:8, 20; emphasis added). Isaiah further characterizes him as a “rod,” “staff,” and “scourge,” reflecting his ability to enforce his rule. Ezekiel predicts mass destruction in a day when violence springs up as a “rod of wickedness” (Ezekiel 7:11; emphasis added).

If we would resist the most powerful force for evil the world has ever known, we must believe that “this too will pass”—that God will deliver those who wait for him. 

The evil influence idolaters have on God’s people may be subtler than the two other challenges, but it is equally deadly. Isaiah represents idolatry as “harlotry”—unfaithfulness to God’s covenant. People become complacent and forget about God as they immerse themselves in the pleasures of Babylon. According to Isaiah, their loving and coveting of material possessions and worldly activities is idolatry, and the effect of idolatry is spiritual blindness. When they are “blind” and “deaf,” people perceive truth as falsehood and falsehood as truth. 

Although an entire society engages in idolatry, God’s people are not justified in doing so. No matter how entrenched Babylon is, all who would ascend must learn to rise above it. 

John predicts that many in the world will worship the image of the “Beast.” Those who refuse to accept the Beast’s “mark,” he says, will be unable to buy or sell. For those who belong to Babylon, worshiping this idol will be more of what they are already doing. On the other hand, to escape Babylon’s net when it is cast over everyone, we must determine beforehand how we will survive. Although Isaiah doesn’t go into detail on this, his scenario shows how idolatry will have a tight hold on God’s people and that economic collapse will follow. 

In God’s Day of Judgment, he declares, when the wicked suffer famine and destitution, the righteous will “eat the fruits of their own labors” (Isaiah 3:10). They must choose between him and “gods who cannot save.” God warns his people to “come to their senses” and forsake their idols. He will forgive them when they grind their gods to powder, “leaving no idols of prosperity and shining images standing.” 

Moses had required this of those who worshiped the golden calf. God asks his people to “turn to me and save yourselves” from the ends of the earth. God has chosen them to be his “witnesses,” to testify that without him there is no “salvation,” that apart from him there is no God. It is God’s will that his people “magnify the law and become illustrious,” receiving all the blessings of the covenant. They must choose between him and “gods who cannot save” (Isaiah 27:9; 42:21; 43:10–12; 45:20, 22; 46:8). 

Another trial God’s people face is the tendency by some to control others’ spiritual lives. Driven by an ungodly loathing of those more zealous for God than themselves, certain “brethren”—religious leaders—misuse their authority by acting “holier than thou.” Contrary to counsel Jesus gave, they pull out the wheat with the tares, blacklisting and excommunicating those whom they deem unfit or trouble makers. These suffer the misfortune of being social outcasts, of being treated as heretics and apostates. 

They must deal with the paradox of so-called men of God—“shepherds” of the people—making a pretense of mediating God’s covenant while, in fact, persecuting them in His name (Isaiah 56:3, 10–12; 61:7; 66:5). 

Ezekiel, too, describes false brethren as “shepherds” who, instead of feeding the flock, scatter and drive it away. They feed themselves from the fattest. They don’t care for the sick to bind them up nor rescue those astray. The sheep wander wherever they can, becoming a prey to “wild beasts”—forces foreign and hostile to God. God responds by raising up his servant, who gathers the outcasts from whence they are scattered. God appoints His servant as His people’s “prince” and “shepherd,” establishing His covenant with those he gathers (Ezekiel 34). Ezekiel’s scenario thus parallels Isaiah’s, except that Ezekiel emphasizes the shepherds’ abuses whereas Isaiah highlights how people handle them. 

In the end, those who claim God’s authority in support of their unrighteous leadership see their worst fears realized—they lose their place in the kingdom of God. God brings them to judgment and releases them as shepherds. They themselves become a prey to “wild beasts.” The shame they brought on others comes on themselves in full. 

Isaiah likens persecution by false brethren to the Woman Zion, God’s spouse, going into labor, also called the “birthpangs of the Messiah.” She gives birth to God’s “son” or servant, and to a “nation” of God’s children. This nation consists of those whom the servant gathers, who ascend to Zion/Jerusalem (Isaiah 55:4–5; 56:8–11; 61:1–3; 66:5–9).

Such challenges can present huge difficulties for God’s people. Through these trials, they learn to let God fight their battles while they maintain their personal integrity. As they repudiate every power that rivals God’s, they conquer their fear of death, deprivation, and rejection. They face the worst and realize that God sustains them, thus passing the test of their loyalty. To those who fear him—who loathe to offend him—God is a “sanctuary” in the midst of trouble. As they overcome opposition, God transforms their state of weakness into one of strength. The adversity they endured for being loyal to God—for being different from the rest of society—was the very thing that propelled them upward. 

Those who fail these tests suffer a similar fate as the people who challenge them. Siding with evil may momentarily satisfy worldly lusts or personal ambition but may permanently distance a person from God. At the last, all that was gained is lost. God’s justice requires that He brings the wicked to judgment. The archtyrant makes an end of idolaters and false brethren, but God’s servant makes an end of the archtyrant. The oppressors’ anti-God attitude causes God to intervene. 

Those who seize God’s power, who ingratiate themselves into His position, end up disinherited and humiliated. Those who unjustly suffer humiliation at the hands of evil authorities, God moves up the ladder. 

So, simply calling ourselves God’s covenant people will not decide our destiny at the end of the world. A person may confess that he is committed to God but at the same time pursue antichrist endeavors. He may claim to be a Jew, Christian, Moslem, or member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but in reality be an idolater. He may be a professor of religion but irreligiously tyrannize God’s people, believing that they are in error. 

What people do, and what they desire in their hearts, determines what level of the ladder they are on. ¹Do they trust in God or the arm of flesh? ²Do they love God or the lusts of Babylon? ³Do they observe God’s law and word or the commandments of men? Do they release others from oppression or oppress others? Do they minister to one another ◇the greatest good or some other good?

*See That Which We Work For We Worship. 

-----------------------------------

Some ideas and narrative I captured from Isaiah Decoded: Ascending the Ladder to Heaven by Avraham Gileadi, which helped me make connections to the obstacles we face in serving God and ministering to one another.

Wasting The Days of Our Probation

"...nevertheless there was a ¹space granted unto man ²in which he might repent; therefore this life became a ³probationary state; a ⁴time to prepare to meet God; a ⁵time to prepare for that endless state which has been spoken of by us, which is after the resurrection of the dead (Alma 12:24)

It is never too late until it is too late. There are countless ways that we can live our lives here and many things that we can do. I want to share some examples of how people have lived full, rich lives, and then ask if they have or have not wasted the days of their probation? I will let you answer after reading what the Lord has said.

And by wasting the days of their probation, I mean, as Nephi said: "But wo unto him that ¹has the law given, yea, that ²has all the commandments of God, ³like unto us, and ⁴that transgresseth them, and ⁵that wasteth the days of his probation, for ⁶awful is his state" (2 Nephi 9:27 emphasis added)! 

The names have been changed to protect their identity. Assume that each of their lives were also full of love, caring, positive memories, church and family. They also experienced illness, death and sorrow.

Harlin and Catherine have been married for over 50 years. They raised three children, achieved financial independence, and travel extensively. They surround themselves with numerous friends. They are creating a lifetime of cherished memories. Their hobbies, however, are different. 

Catherine was a talented writer and chose to create family histories and family photo books. They were priceless and enjoyed by family and friends. Harlin was into success stories, reading and learning how some of America's most prominent businessmen had achieved their success. He was a business graduate from a prestigious university. He shared these stories with others, including his children and grandchildren. Later in his life he added podcasts as a method of learning more about these principles, and the successful individuals who applied them. People, however, were his real passion. Their home was often filled with friends, family and good food. Catherine died recently, leaving Harlin with many wonderful memories, but also fears about what was next for them. 

A man of many talents and hobbies, Brad is never at a loss for something to do. Gardening, golf, photography, guitar, boating on Bear Lake, leatherwork, senior softball in his 70's, collecting old vinyl records and music, antiques, gems, reading, yo-yo's, watercolor painting, house painting, and family history are just some of his loves. He enjoys sharing his time, skills and resources with others. His children welcome his painting skills and services in their homes, drop by yard-clean up with his self-owned chain saw, and consultant advice on home beautification projects. He is still able to spend more time at beloved Bear Lake, a place that connects generations, and a place where his creativity, work, love of Denise, family, music, and nature all come together.

Robin has built a legacy of faith, family, learning, service, compassion, and unwavering love. She is a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, sister, cousin, aunt, teacher, mentor, and friend. Robin and her husband have spent more than 50 years building a life together. They helped establish and continue to operate the first Better Fried Chicken takeout location in San Francisco. Robin's communication skills and gift for teaching led her to write the companies first training manual and later contribute to the Better Fried Chicken Management Guidebook. Deeply rooted in her faith, she also devotes time to learning about other religions and spiritual traditions, believing that understanding others fosters compassion, respect, and connection. She always seeks to understand her divine purpose.

Katherine (Kaye) brings immense joy and laughter to those around her. Known for her wonderful sense of humor, she laughs easily and often. She is an avid sports enthusiast who loves both playing and watching games. In her younger years, she enjoyed playing softball and bowling, and she remains a passionate sports fan throughout her life. Some of her other loves in life include Diet Dr Pepper and watching her favorite soap opera, General Hospital. She is also exceptionally talented in crocheting, embroidery, and knitting. She channels her creative passions into charity work, crafting thousands of beautiful blankets that are donated to local organizations throughout the valley to comfort those in need.

Jack married his high school sweetheart and eternal companion, Rosella Lynne Barkley on June 20, 1959. Their marriage was later solemnized for time and all eternity in the Salt Lake Temple. Together, they have built a beautiful life centered around faith, hard work, and family-with many cherished days spent camping on the shores of Echo Reservoir and Lake Powell and many holiday traditions at their home -until Lynne's heartbreaking passing in August 1999. Jack is a proud and loving father to his six children. He takes immense pride in his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, watching them grow.

John is a man of simple pleasures. At home, he takes tremendous pride in keeping his yard immaculate, famously spending hours meticulously manicuring his lawn and hedges while wearing his signature train suit. When it comes to relaxing, he doesn’t need anything fancy; he is happiest winding down watching a game, enjoying a few of his favorite snacks: potato chips, fresh apples, or a simple slice of white bread. He and his wife are currently serving their third mission together.

I know I have given but a fraction about their lives, so let's make an assumption. Assume that the brief glimpse I've given you mirrors their lifetime activities, what they value, enjoy and spend the bulk of their time doing. What do we love and worship?

Plug your life activities in here, and ask "am I wasting the days" of my probation? Afterall wasting our days of probation is more about what we are not doing than about what we are doing.

"And the ¹days of the children of men were prolonged, ²according to the will of God, ³that they might repent while in the flesh; wherefore, ⁴their state became a state of probation, and ⁵their time was lengthened, ⁶according to the commandments which the Lord God gave unto the children of men. For ⁷he gave commandment that ⁸all men must repent; for ⁹he showed unto all men that they were lost, ¹⁰because of the transgression of their parents" (2 Nephi 2:21 emphasis added).

 Do you believe this?

How about this one?

"I also have charity for the Gentiles. But behold, for none of these can I hope except they shall be reconciled unto Christ, and enter into the narrow gate, and walk in the strait path which leads to life, and continue in the path until the end of the day of probation" (2 Nephi 33:9 emphasis added).

Or this one?

"Wherefore, if ye have sought to do wickedly in the days of your probation, then ye are found unclean before the judgment-seat of God; and no unclean thing can dwell with God; wherefore, ye must be cast off forever" (1 Nephi 10:21 emphasis added).

And another?

"Be wise in the days of your probation; strip yourselves of all uncleanness; ask not, that ye may consume it on your lusts, but ask with a firmness unshaken, that ye will yield to no temptation, but that ye will serve the true and living God" (Mormon 9:28 emphasis added).

A tough one?

"But behold, your days of probation are past; ye have procrastinated the day of your salvation until it is everlastingly too late, and your destruction is made sure; yea, for ye have sought all the days of your lives for that which ye could not obtain; and ye have sought for happiness in doing iniquity, which thing is contrary to the nature of that righteousness which is in our great and Eternal Head" (Helaman 13:38 emphasis added).

"And thus we see, that there was a time granted unto man to repent, yea, a probationary time, a time to repent and serve God" (Alma 42:4 emphasis added).

"If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth." (Colossians 3:1-2 emphasis added).

Perhaps it is as simple as asking, are we spending our lives preparing to meet God? Are we taking advantage of this "space granted unto man in which they might repent" this... "probationary state" this ...time to prepare to meet God" (Alma 12:24)? 

Are we, while in this life, bringing forth fruit meet for repentance? Or are we wasting the days of our probation? As no one will be left standing on the sidelines, what certainty do we have who disregard these things? Of what part will they play?

A Higher Law--I Finally Understand

This is the fourth of four posts about going on unto perfection. If you have not already, first read Leave First Principles and Go On Unto Perfection. The link to the next post is at the end of each post. 

As I have been learning more about Isaiah's ladder to heaven, or about how God exalts us, or does not exalt us, I keep seeing references to living higher laws. To me, being under the law has been something that we should want to avoid, because being under grace is preferred. When He revealed to me the answer, I was astonished because it was right there all the time! So obvious, and yet I had missed it for years.

Q. What is a higher law? 

A. As Isaiah teaches it, the higher law is nothing but an expression of God’s love in its purest form, demonstrating God’s design, and desire, to lift us up.

Q. What Does it mean to live a higher law? 

A. As He lifts us up, we become more loving, and live a higher law each time we are lifted up. Being exalted means acquiring more and more of His attributes, including receiving more of His love. 

I am not sure that living a higher law is the right verb. Perhaps abiding* or accepting a higher law is more accurate. I also like the verb receiving, as in receiving a higher law, or receiving what is offered and abiding in it. But even better, because it changes the emphasis to Him, we are enveloped in that portion of His love that we are willing to receive. The more we are willing to receive, the more we do receive. We can, if we desire, receive of His fulness. We receive grace for grace "that [we] may come unto the Father in my name, and in due time receive of his fulness" (D&C 93:19 emphasis added). 

*Ryan J added this scripture in his comment and it fits perfectly:  "If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love" (John 15:10 emphasis added). See also D&C 88:22-25.

At the center of Isaiah’s prophecy, for all who have “eyes to see and ears to hear,” we discover God’s eternal plan to exalt His children, which is motivated by love. The more love we receive, the more loving we become, and thereby become more like Him, exalted as His sons and daughters. We can then be in His presence and abide with Him.

Isaiah’s theology embraces all people born on the earth, no matter how good or evil they turn out to be. In the process, Isaiah describes different ways of living that people choose for themselves, some drawing them nearer to God, others distancing them from Him. Each way has a place on the ladder to heaven. Where we find ourselves in this divine scheme depends on us, on what law we abide—higher or lesser laws.

Again, what is the higher law? "Jesus said..., Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself" (Matthew 22:37-39; Mark 29:29-31; Luke 10:27; Deuteronomy 6:5). 

On these hang "all the law and the prophets" (Matthew 22:40 emphasis added).

By yielding to a wisdom higher than our own, we also show our loyalty to God, whose wisdom it is that we give heed. The same is true for believing His words, and desiring more.

The biggest part of life’s test lies in what we love and worship—God or idols like success, money, things, even family. The bottom line is, are we self-serving or do we serve God?

Only when we love Him more than we love ourselves—when we do what He desires and become more like Him—do we finally see God. But this is the very law we cannot live. We cannot love God more than we love ourselves until we are changed by Him and become more like Him!

Another way of saying this is that we are becoming more capable of living the truth, not because it is something we can do, but because of who we are becoming!

In the very act of desiring to give up our own will in order to do God’s will, we will begin, through the various stages of exaltation, to achieve our highest goal, which is also His highest goal for us. As I have said many times, when we want for ourselves and others, what He wants for us, then our will is aligned with His.

What Moroni taught about charity or the pure love of Christ, now has greater meaning for me. After saying that charity is not self serving and rejoiceth in truth, he says:

"Wherefore, my beloved brethren, ¹if ye have not charity, ²ye are nothing, for ³charity never faileth. Wherefore, ⁴cleave unto charity, which is ⁵the greatest of all, for ⁶all things must fail. But ⁷charity is the pure love of Christ, and it ⁸endureth forever; and whoso is ⁹found possessed of it at the last day, it ¹⁰shall be well with him. 

Wherefore, my beloved brethren, ¹pray unto the Father ²with all the energy of heart, that ye may ³be filled with this love, which ⁴he hath bestowed upon all ⁵who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ; that ye ⁶may become the sons (and daughters) of God; that when he shall appear ⁷we shall be like him, for we shall ⁸see him as he is; that we may ⁹have this hope; that we ¹⁰may be purified even ¹¹as he is pure. Amen"(Moroni 7:46-48 emphasis added). Note the link: charity is the pure love of Christ and through His love we can be purified even as He is pure.

Living or abiding in His love means that we serve others as God has served them, both temporarily and spiritually. The motivation being our love for them, or more accurately, the degree of His love found in us. Our commitment to serving God by serving our fellow human beings goes beyond just being good neighbors. God himself is the highest example of service toward his creatures, great and small. Isaiah describes him as the “Holy One” (Saint) and “Valiant One” (Hero) of Israel, emphasizing the attributes that will get God’s people up the ladder. It is no accident that those whom God delivers at the end of the world are also described as “holy ones” (saints) and “valiant ones” (heroes). These and other godlike traits have qualified them as God’s elect (Isaiah 10:20; 13:3; 60:16). And these godlike traits are the result of His doing, not our own.

The prophet Malachi identifies “righteous” people in God’s Day of Judgment not as those who profess a particular creed or repeat religious slogans but as those who “serve God,” while the “wicked” are those who “don’t serve him” (Malachi 3:18). 

Noah wasn’t born “a righteous man, perfect in his generation,” but he became this ¹by loving and serving God (Genesis 6:9). God directed Abraham to ²attain the same perfection (Genesis 17:1). Those who knew God anciently didn’t know Him all at once, but God revealed Himself to them to the degree that they sought Him. As it was in the past so it is in the future: “You will seek me and find [me] when you seek me with *all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13).

*Note the link between 'all your heart,' and Moroni's 'all the energy of heart.'

Living or receiving a higher law, then, may not mean just more or greater blessings from God. It is the path that literally brings us into God’s presence, enabling us to interact directly with God. We see in the Bible that specifics of this higher law were the privilege of prophets and others to whom God appeared and gave instructions. It makes sense that such a law would follow a personalized script, not written down but rather revealed by God through His holy Spirit. Thus, Abraham didn’t see God until he had acted on faith (see Moroni's comments on faith in Moroni 7:41-44 and how it relates to receiving of the fulness of His love), and followed God’s word to him personally (Genesis 12:1–7). Moses didn’t see God until he had valiantly defended the rights of the oppressed (Exodus 2:11–3:6).

God called the Israelites in Moses' time to be a “royal priesthood,” to minister His love and salvation to the rest of humanity. For them, it was an opportunity for spiritual service, not a bid for elitism. But instead of accepting God’s call, they hardened their hearts and turned down their mission of ministering to the world. Thus, Isaiah laments that God’s people, then and now, “have not wrought salvation in the earth” to the extent they should have, neither anciently or even in this last dispensation (Isaiah 26:18).

They refused to receive of His fulness. And the result? "And thus commandeth the Father that I should say unto you: At that day when the Gentiles shall sin against my gospel, and shall reject the fulness of my gospel...behold, saith the Father, I will bring the fulness of my gospel from among them" (3 Nephi 16:10 emphasis added).

But in Moses’ day, seventy elders of the congregation of Israel “went up” or “ascended” to that ministering level. They saw God on Mount Sinai and ate and drank in His presence (Exodus 24:9–11).

We often pass by the Old Testament as if it doesn’t relate to us, as if its “sacred history” is no longer sacred. And yet, who today can match the spiritual heights those ancients attained? The law they kept went beyond not sinning. Their lives were models of love and service. In comparison to the higher law, the lesser law centers around becoming clean of sin and spiritually pure. The higher law puts us on a path to attaining perfection by loving others as God loves us, so that we can enjoy the company of God and angels. Those who loved God and neighbor so as to attain this perfection also truly loved themselves, as we do justice to ourselves only when we love God first and foremost.

The fact that Israel’s God Jehovah met with people anciently shows that a higher law existed before New Testament times. Keeping that law of love led to the extraordinary blessings those persons received, as God called them to be patriarchs, prophets, and kings to his people. Some of those “men of God” wrote down the things God revealed in words and visions, which became the Bible. Like Moses, they may have hidden in their writings things they considered sacred or ahead of their time—knowing that people exposed to the higher law who rejected it would come under condemnation. But to their disciples, and to all willing to search their writings for deeper meanings, they left a profound spiritual legacy.

We should not be fooled by the fact that the individuality of illustrious Old Testament figures and their diverse personalities have been succeeded by today’s group psyche. Our different religious and cultural values cultivate stereotypes that tell us we must believe and perform the same sorts of things. 

Clearly, those personalities from millennia past were beloved of God and were privileged to see and know more about God and angels than many of us can comprehend. That isn’t because we are inferior but because we consider ourselves and our love superior, though we have little to show for ourselves by comparison. If we allow those men of God to speak to us there might be a lot we can learn. But perhaps we lack the motivation that can only come from the pure love of God?

According to Isaiah, for people to be born on the earth is but half of life’s equation. Ascending the ladder to heaven completes the process. It is therefore a comforting thing to know that God accommodates everyone born on the earth, equipping each of us with a script that is individualized according to our needs and desires. That way, we aren’t in competition with anyone, but work out our salvation at the pace we choose. As God comes from a position of infinite love, He knows that the circumstances into which we are thrown in life are the best for us personally, that from them we are potentially able to gain the most growth. Ask anyone who has “gone through it” and they will tell you it is so.

Those being exalted leave no one behind. By the very nature of becoming more like God, they continue to minister to those below, so those may also receive more. Those ministering below are continually being ministered to by those above them. And it is all motivated by love, and is a measure of how much of the love of God is found in us.

Next: Serve God by Ministering to One Another

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Some ideas and narrative I captured from Isaiah Decoded: Ascending the Ladder to Heaven by Avraham Gileadi, which helped me make many connections to how the Lord exalts us.

What is Truth? Do We Even Care?

When Pilate asked Christ "What is truth?" he didn't really want an answer. Do you? I don't ask this question to be glib, but in the hope you that will ask yourself if you really want to know the truth?

There was a time in my life when truth was not central to my thoughts. Sure I gave lip service but I was just pretending that I knew the truth. But I really didn't. When the lights were out, my so called religious practice was just a superficial version of the truth. I lived what I had been taught was the gospel, but really did not comprehend how much truth I really possessed and had access to. I was still at that stage where family and job were the greatest focus of my time and energies. 

'Lip Service' is such an apt term to describe my devotion to Christ. I was able to mingle it with scriptures and pretend I knew the truth, but again I didn't. I was one of those who was ever learning, but never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. It's simple really. I could not know truth if I was not even searching for it. And I would not search for it if I had little or no desire to search. There is nothing worse than to pretend we know the truth when we have no desire to know it.

I was of those described by the Lord "who have professed to know my name and have not known me," or "who swear by the name of the Lord, and make mention of the God of Israel, yet they swear not in truth nor in righteousness." That was me. 

I didn't give ear to His words. I did not hearken to His voice. I did not hear His voice in His words. I didn't pay attention to my Father in Heaven when He commanded me to Hear the words of His Son! In fact I hardly focused on His words. They remained in the scriptures which I would read occasionally, but never connected His words to the truth. My pursuit of earthly things was the very thing that clouded my knowledge of heavenly things. And yet I considered myself blessed.

It now intrigues me, after years spent obtaining His words and knowing the truth, how differently believers in God respond to the same truth. I can see myself in most of them. While some reject it, others assume that salvation is theirs, although their idea of the truth is mistaken or incomplete. I can relate, however, because I was one of those who 'claimed' to know, but had no idea what I did not know! The best boost for me came at General Conference when a speaker would speak about fathers because I thought I was a good one, and that was sufficient, wasn't it? Or another would speak about attending meetings and the temple. And another about repenting of committing grievous sins, none of which I had committed. Or another about how much Christ loves me. I was home free. Or so I thought. Or better yet, I wanted to think. I had become very good at deceiving myself, and even better at decieving others. I was a member of the "true church," which had the right organization with twelve apostles, the priesthood, and the temple ordinances. And we had the Book of Mormon. I was of the House of Israel and was one of those righteous spirits held back to come forth in this last dispensation. 

Keep in mind that during this time I had served a mission, taught, been an elders quorum president, a counselor in two bishoprics and a bishop. Don't be fooled by the office. No one, all of a sudden, by virtue of a calling, local or general, knows the truth. One must put in the work ¹to acquire and then come ²to know, the truth. And both require a lot of searching and praying. But it begins with an overwhelming desire to know the truth. A desire I did not have. I was still at that point where I was measuring my actions by my beliefs, rather than recognizing the gap between my beliefs and the truth. 

Note the red highlights are links to posts which expand on the truth.

I have come to understand that each of us should have our own Road to Damascus experience, where we are stopped on our journey through life, and with the clarity of an angel, told to hearken unto the words of God. To stop what we are doing and hear His voice! Or at least have an experience that causes us to quit conversing among ourselves and look to the source of His words, and hear Him say to us, "This is my beloved son. Hear ye him." 

Following several life changing experiences, I began to unlearn my limited view-point of a fixed set of beliefs, and my mind was opened to all the possibilities the word of God could contain. It was then that scriptural insights came so fast I had to completely reevaluate what I had learned before. My limited view-point was quickly changing and becoming unlimited.

My own Road to Damascus experience came in 1984 when I was released as a Bishop, where I was overwhelmed by His spirit, and did hear His voice in His words telling me: "Behold, I am God; give heed to my word, which is quick and powerful, sharper than a two-edged sword, to the dividing asunder of both joints and marrow; therefore give heed unto my word." He also told me to "Wait a little longer, until you shall have my word, my rock, my church, and my gospel, that you may know of a surety my doctrine. Seek not to declare my word, but first seek to obtain my word, and then shall your tongue be loosed; then, if you desire, you shall have my Spirit and my word, yea, the power of god unto the convincing of men" (D&C 11:16,21 emphasis added).

It was because of this experience that I began to really focus on His words, actually on the word word! And His words led me to His definition of truth, which by the way, is the word of the Lord (D&C 84:45). It also led me to ask if truth is being taught today in the Church? I confess that it was only after concentrating on the scriptures that I discovered that only a watered-down version of His word is being taught in the Church. Having obtained His words, I could clearly tell the difference.

I also saw that it wasn't so much that people read the same word of God differently, but that many were not reading at all, or not searching--the scripture itself--at least not in a manner that allowed them to fit every piece of it into one cohesive picture of the truth. Instead people were reading materials the church published for study. Often these were selective--preserving some threads of truth while excluding others--so that the total picture was so incomplete it becomes a distortion of the truth, a transfiguration of His words. I also discovered that the more truth I discovered, the more my knowledge of the truth kept growing exponentially.

That was unsettling at first because what I started to learn turned many of my former beliefs upside down. But I was not tempted to call off my quest for truth. I recognized the danger of a self-sufficiency acted out in the lives of people who practice a religion that lacks substance, which substance is the truth of the word of God. But the irony is, Joseph's religion does not lack the substance, but it's people do.

Another problem is that the truth is not easily discovered. I had to exert myself to find it. I discovered that presuming to know something prevented me from knowing more, that lesser truths become a trap. Also believing something is not the same as knowing it. We may believe whatever we want, whether it is true or false. But we can't know something unless it is true! The truth is also light because it has the capacity to guide us and enlighten us, until we know for ourselves whether something is true or not. That light also shines upon ourselves and with it, we can see and experience our nothingness and His goodness.

This learning process is built into our very existence, as it teaches us an important thing about ourselves: for each of us, life is a personal journey in which we can advance at whatever pace we want toward a more intelligent condition than we started from. "Advance' being the operative word, for if we are not advancing we are going backward. And if we become more intelligent, then we become more useful to the Lord, influential, and powerful in the service of the very truth that makes us so. 

When Jesus said "The truth will make you free," He tells us that the more truth that is in us, the more we become our own agents. By living the truth--by living the laws of God* that are grounded in truth--we become increasingly independent. The opposite is also true: the more we live a lie, the more we are bound by lies and become less free, captured even-- by the chains of hell. Because God is the source of truth, He is also the source of freedom--not the freedom to do what we want, but to live the truth, which makes us free.

For most of us, our spiritual side has barely been tapped. We have not asked the right questions but have simply assumed that things are so. We have not lived the truth we could have lived, and so we are still less than what we can be.

I recognized this in myself and others, and desired to share the truth with others at every opportunity I could find. It became the purpose of this blog to share the truth with others, and as an aid to help them come to the knowledge of the truth. I also had been called to say nothing but repentance unto this generation and could not ignore His leading me to the truth. I could do the same and lead others to the truth--to Him! Every post in this blog is about His truth, and reflects my journey in learning and knowing His words. 

I cannot help but share what I know. And I understand your resistance to what I have written because I was once where you are. I share with you my journey to repentance as the Lord defines it, and my discovery of the standard by which I can compare everything--His truth. I share with you my coming to know of a surety His doctrine and His gospel, not a watered-down version of it. I share with you how I came to discover His righteousness and to rely wholly upon His merits. 

I have come to know personally what the prophet Malachi taught: that the “righteous” people in God’s Day of Judgment are not those who profess a particular creed or repeat religious slogans but are those who “serve God,” while the “wicked” are those who “don’t serve him” (Malachi 3:18). Associated with this is the Lord's definition of the righteous and the wicked.

I share with you how we can avoid His justice, and how we can be found guiltless and spotless at the judgment when we stand before Him to be judged. I share with you the Book of Mormon and how important it is to you, your children and grandchildren. You are living in the last days, and the Book of Mormon was given to us to help us avoid the endtime judgments and destruction. It describes the Lord's Great and Marvelous Work, and how that work will divide us. I share with you Nephi's and Christ's prophecies concerning us who are identified with the Gentiles.

I share with you Isaiah's remarkable endtime prophecy concerning America and the world, the destruction of those who are not repenting and the deliverance of those who are. I share with you how the Book of Mormon is the link between us and the prophecy of Isaiah, and how the Lord commanded us to search the words of Isaiah, for, as He said, "great are the words of Isaiah," and all that Isaiah said "have been and shall be." The mystery Isaiah conceals and reveals is the knowledge of God.

As Isaiah teaches it, *the higher law is nothing but an expression of God’s love in its purest form, demonstrating God’s design, and desire, to lift us up. At the center of Isaiah’s prophecy, for all who have “eyes to see and ears to hear,” we discover God’s eternal plan to exalt his children.

I share with you the discovery of how we are exalted and become like him, and how we are sanctified by the truth. I share with you His words as I have come to know them as the truth. I share with you my sorrow for those who do not desire to know His truth, my worries for them, my suffering for them. I share with you my testimony of Jesus, the Spirit of Prophecy, and that I can clearly see that which is to come. I share with you all that He has revealed to me, as another witness of Him in all places and at all times. And because what I share is truth, His words which have now become my words, will live on long after I am gone.

I share with you His gifts of the Spirit given to me. I know that we only do good through the gifts and power of God. I share with you how and why we are identified with the Gentiles, and that the Lord's endtime judgments come about because of the failure to repent of those of us who have entered into the Lord's covenant, and will be as the salt that has lost its savor, good for nothing but to be hewn down and cast into the fire. There will be those few who do repent and become nursing fathers and mothers in helping to gather the house of Israel. 

I share with you a series of posts on repentance and how repentance is linked to everything in the scriptures, and why only those who are repenting will be numbered among the house of Israel when the Lord gathers them as they are protected from the endtime judgments. 

I share with you the obstacles to hearing and receiving the truth.

I share with you that many personalities from millennia past were beloved of God and were privileged to see and know more about God and angels than many of us can comprehend. That is not because we are inferior, but because we consider ourselves superior, although we have little to show for ourselves in comparison. In reality, if we allow these men of God to speak to us, there is a lot we can learn.

I share with you that I can speak with the tongue of angels, and recognize immediately those who were like me, who pretended to know the language, but who did not. I know the difference between the Church and His gospel. 

I plead with you to seek the truth. I pray that you will. Why? Because I desire for you all that the Lord desires for you. Remember that you are saved no faster than you gain knowledge of the truth.

Although I am sharing these insights with you, I will understand if you treat them as fiction. Compared to today’s well-worn pulpit narrative, some of these views may seem radical indeed. But I have found them easy to support with hard scriptural evidence. I have not written anything that I have not been able to show you.

I invite you to put them to the test, to see if they are not enlightening, empowering, and freeing to your spirit for that flight to heaven which God has invited every one of us to make.

Keep in mind that Christ had told Pilate what truth is before he even asked when he said to him: "To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice" (John 18:37). How grateful I am that I now hear His voice, and can bear witness of the truth! 

Read here what Peter said about truth and ignorance.