Teaching In The Savior's Way -- Questions

Discovering the types of questions asked by Jesus as an example of questions we should ask when teaching, was an enlightening experience for me. As I went through all the questions asked by the Savior in the Old and New Testament, and the Book of Mormon, it became apparent that some class members may take offense if asked some of these questions. For example if someone asked me a question and, like Christ, I answered with the question--How is it that ye do not understand? or Have ye not read the scriptures?--wouldn't some be offended? This is the norm of His questions and not the exception. 

This is the third in a series of articles on Teaching in the Savior's way, and one that was precipitated by the outline (really another manual disguised as an outline because it is used as such) on Teaching in the Savior's way. The heading "Ask Inspired Questions" led me to write every question I could find asked by Jesus. I did not include duplicate questions found in the New Testament and 3rd Nephi, opting to use the ones found in the New Testament. 

I don't know what "Ask Inspired Questions" means but I do know now what kinds of questions Jesus asked. I did discover that each of these questions was designed to cause the person(s) being asked to look at themselves and no one else. I have italicized His 'Have ye not...? questions.

How many of these questions would you ask? How many can you answer?

Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost its savor, wherewith shall it be salted? (Matt. 5:13)

For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? Do not even the publicans the same? (5:46)

Is not life more than meat, and the body than raiment? (6:25)

Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? (6:26)

Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? (6:27)

And why take ye thought for raiment? (6:28)

Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little of faith? (6:30)

And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considereth not the beam that is thine own eye? (7:3-4)

Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if ye ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him? (7:9-11)

Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? (7:16)

Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? (8:26)

Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts? For whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, arise, and walk? (9:4-5)

Can the children of the bridechamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with thee? (9:15)

Believe ye that I am able to do this? (9:28)

If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household? (10:25)

Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? (10:29)

Concerning John, What went ye out to see? (11:7-9)

He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. But whereunto shall I liken this generation? (11:15-16)

Have ye not read what David did, when he was an hungered, and they that were with him; How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the shewbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were within him, but only for the priests? (12:3-4)

Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless? (12:5) But I say unto you, That in this place is one greater than the temple. (12:6)

What man shall there be among you, that shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not lay hold of it, and lift it out? (12:11)

How much then is a man better than a sheep? (12:12)

And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand? And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? (12:26-27)

Or else how can one enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? (12:29)

O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? (12:34)

Who is my mother? and who are my brethren? (12:48)

Have ye understood all these things? (13:51)

O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? (14:31)

Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition? (15:3)

Are ye also yet without understanding? (15:16)

O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times? (16:3)

O ye of little faith, why reason ye among yourselves...? (16:8)

Do ye not yet understand, neither remember the five loaves...neither the seven loaves...? How is it that ye do not understand that I spake it not to you concerning bread, that ye should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees? (16:9-11) (leaven of Pharisees and Sadducees is the doctrine they taught)

Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? (16:13) But whom say ye that I am? (16:15)

O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I suffer you? (17:17)

What thinkest thou, Simon? of whom do the kings of the earth take custom or tribute? of their own children, or of strangers? (17:25)

How think ye? If a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray? (18:12)

Have ye not read...? (19:4-5)

Why callest thou me good? (19:17) (there is none good but one, that is, God)

Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good? (20:15)

Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? (20:22)

What will ye that I shall do unto you? (20:32)

Have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise? (21:16)

The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven, or of men? (21:25)

Did ye never read in the scriptures...? (21:42)

Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God. (22:29)

Have ye not read that which was spoken unto by God...? (22:31)

What think ye of Christ? whose son is he? (22:42)

If David then call him Lord, how is he his son? (22:43-45)

Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gift, or the alter that sanctifieth the gift? (23:19)

See ye not all these things? (24:2)

Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season? (24:45)

What, could ye not watch with me one hour? (26:40)

Why reason ye these things in your hearts? (Mark 2:8)

Can the children of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them? (2:19)

Have ye never read what David did, when he had need, and was an hungered, he, and they that were with him? (2:25)

Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath days, or to do evil? to save life, or to kill? (3:4)

How can Satan cast out Satan? (3:23)

Know ye not this parable (sower)? How then will ye know all parables? (4:13)

Is a candle brought to be put under a bushel, or under a bed? and not to be set on a candlestick? (4:21)

Whereunto shall we like the kingdom of God? or with what comparison shall we compare it? (4:30)

Why are ye so fearful? How is it that ye have no faith? (4:40)

Who touched my clothes? (5:30)

Are ye so without understanding also? Do ye not perceive...? (7:18)

Why doth this generation seek after a sign? (8:12)

Why reason ye, because ye have no bread? perceive ye not yet, neither understand? have ye your heart hardened? Having eyes, see ye not? and having ears, hear ye not? and do ye not remember? (8:17-18)

How is it that ye do not understand? (8:21)

Whom do men say that I am? But whom say ye that I am? (8:28-29)

For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? (8:36)

Or what shall a man give in exchange for his own soul? (8:37)

Why say the scribes that Elias must first come? (9:11)

What was it that ye disputed among yourselves by the way? (9:33)

Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his saltness, wherewith will ye season it? (9:50)

What did Moses command you? (when asked 'is it lawful?') (9:3)

What would ye that I should do for you? (10:36)

Can ye drink of the cup that I drink of; and with the baptism that I am baptized with? (10:38)

Is it not written...? (11:17)

The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of men? (11:30)

What shall therefore the lord of the vineyard do? (12:9)

And have ye not read this scripture; The stone which the builders rejected is become the head of the corner: This was the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes? (12:10-11)

Do ye not therefore err, because ye know not the scriptures neither the power of God? (12:24)

Have ye not read in the book of Moses? (12:26)

How say the scribes that Christ is the son of David? (12:35)

Couldest not thou watch one hour? (14:37)

How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business? (Luke 2:49)

What reason ye in your hearts? Whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Rise up and walk? (5:22-23)

Have ye not read so much of that what David did...? (6:3-4)

Is it lawful on the sabbath day? to do good, or to do evil? to save life, or to destroy it? (6:11)

Can the blind lead the blind? shall they not both fall into the ditch? (6:39)

And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but perceivest not the beam that is in thine own eye? (6:41-42)

And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? (6:46)

What went ye out in the wilderness for to see? (7:24-26)

Whereunto then shall I liken the men of this generation? and to what are they like? (7:31)

Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most? (7:42)

Whom say the people that I am? (9:18)

For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away? (9:25)

O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you, and suffer you? (9:41)

Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves? (10:36)

If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent...a scorpion? (11:11-12)

If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him? (11:13)

Ye fools, did not he that made that which is without make that which is within also? (11:40)

Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God? (12:6)

Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou has provided? (12:20)

Consider the ravens...how much more are ye better than the fowls? and which of you can add to his stature one cubit? If ye then be not able to do that thing which is least, why take ye thought for the rest? (12:24-26)

I am come to send fire on the earth; and what will I, if it be already kindled? (12:49)

Ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky and of the earth; but how it it that ye do not discern this time? (12:56)

Yea, and why even of yourselves judge ye not what is right? (12:57)

Suppose ye that these Galileans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. Or these eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, Nay: but except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. (13:2-4)

Unto what is the kingdom of God like? and whereunto shall I resemble it? (13:18-20)

What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? (15:4;8)

If ye therefore have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust true riches? And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man's, who shall give you that which is your own? (16:11-12)

Doth he thank the servant because he did the things that were commanded him? (17:8-9)

And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? (18:7)

The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of men? (20:4)

Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts? (24:38)

What seek ye? (John 1:38)

Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things? (3:10)

If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe if I tell you of heavenly things? (3:12)

How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only? (5:44)

Doth this offend you? (6:61)

Will ye also go away? (6:67)

Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. (8:43)

Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me? (8:46)

Dost thou believe on the Son of God? (9:35)

Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me? (10:32)

Jesus answered them, is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods? (10:34)

Thou blasphemed; because I said, I am the Son of God? (10:36)

And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this? (11:26)

That the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed? (12:38)

Know ye what I have done to you? (13:12)

Do ye inquire among yourselves of that I said, A little while, and ye shall not see me: and gain, a little while, and ye shall see me? (16:19)

Jesus answered them, Do ye now believe? (16:31)

Whom seek ye? (18:4)

Why askest thou me? ask them which heard me, what I have said unto them: behold, they know what I said. (18:21)

Jesus answered him, If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil: but if well, why smitest thou me? (18:23)

Lovest thou me? (21:15)

If I will that ye tarry till I come, what is that to thee? (21:22)

The Lord's Questions--Dennis Rasmussen

Where art thou?

Do I not fill heaven and earth?

Whom shall I send?

Fear ye not Me?

Knowest thou the condescension of God?

Wherein have I wearied thee?

Is not life more than meat?

Will ye also go away?

Whom seeketh thou?

Other questions from the Old Testament:

How long halt ye between two opinions? (1 Kings 18:21)

Responding to the Lord's Questions by John S. Tanner

Where art thou?

But whom say ye that I am? (Matt 16:15)

Will ye also go away? (John 6:68)

Lovest thou Me? (John 21:15)

Book of Mormon

Behold, what desirest thou? (1 Nephi 11:2)

Believest thou that thy father saw the tree of which he hath spoken? (1 Nephi 11:4)

And after seeing the tree of life the Lord asks again 'What desirest thou?' (1 Nephi 1:10)

I wonder how a class member would react if in response to a question, the teacher asked 'have ye not read the scriptures?' Would that be an inspired question?

Bringing Good Out of Evil

The word of God teaches us that humans are spiritually deficient and that our goodness is flawed goodness. Because God's word is light and spirit, we receive both as we receive His words. We not only learn that we 'cannot merit anything of ourselves' and that we must 'rely wholly upon the merits' of Christ, but we also experience our own lost, fallen and corrupt state. His words teach us that redemption is not a matter of legislation, moral exhortation, proper examples, rules, regulations and good education. We also learn why this is true--these methods require imperfect people to be in charge of making themselves and others perfect. Certainly there can be human goodness in such efforts, but they cannot bring about our redemption.

We must not only accept, but also experience that mankind (and each one of us) is spiritually flawed and our plight is beyond human remedy. And we experience this through His words (which are Him) which He has imparted unto us. We also, through His word, experience His goodness and greatness and come to know that our salvation does not come through our good works, but through His righteousness, and we attain this righteousness through faith in Him. Rules and regulations cannot empower us. The potential for sin can be clarified by the law, but not eliminated by it. That is why the law can only be a schoolmaster to teach us of our plight and to encourage us to look for the remedy. 

The remedy is not the law. 

Redemption comes in and through the Holy Messiah.

This we hear directly from His voice through His words: "There is no flesh that can dwell in the presence of God save it be through the merits, and mercy and grace of the Holy Messiah, for ye cannot come to him 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."

Why is it then that we insist on thinking that our performance will somehow earn a greater reward? And that we will be able to flash our outstanding report cards at the judgment and all will be well? There is only one answer to this question and that is we have not received, or 'laid hold' upon the word of God which He has so lovingly revealed to us! Instead we have bought into the gospel of performance rather than the gospel of repentance. Because we have substituted the word of God with the teachings of men--a perverted gospel--we are conditioned that we must do it with our strivings, our efforts, our doing, our goodness, our successes, our virtues, and our activity. But how do we eliminate this from our thinking? We must hear His voice in His words! We must look higher than the pulpit. There is no other way.

Important in the records of the dispensations is that when men depart from God's way and substitute their own ways in its place, they usually do not admit that is what they are doing. Often they do not deliberately or even consciously substitute their ways for God's ways. On the contrary, they easily and largely convince themselves that their way is God's way. The apostasy described by the Ephraimite Gentiles before the endtime is not a desertion of the cause, but a perversion of it, a process by which the righteous are removed and none perceives it.

But this is what happens when we neglect the word of God. Our minds, like a land neglected by the cultivator (us) necessarily produces thorns and thistles, so our sense, by long neglect, produces a plentiful crop of noxious opinions, dogmas, tenets and perverted teachings. There is need now for much care in cultivating the field of our minds, that the word of truth, which is the true and diligent husbandman of the heart (His word is what nourishes us), may cultivate our minds and hearts with continual light and truth.

We do not like to think of ourselves or our minds as being corrupt, and yet that is the word the Lord uses to describe us, for when we take strength unto ourselves and boast in our own strength, then we are left to our own strength, and we will not prosper. Our 'own strength' is a state of corruption and we cannot overcome this corruption by our goodness, our virtues and our activity. When the Lord asked His servant "Who is it that has corrupted my vineyard?" the servant answers that the vineyard becomes corrupted by corrupted people who take strength unto themselves, or rely on their own strength: "...is not this the cause that the trees of thy vineyard have become corrupted?" And a corrupt people brings forth wild fruit.

As a result of the fall we are all corrupted and do not merit anything of ourselves. So the problem does not lie solely in the fact that people take strength unto themselves, but that corrupt people take strength unto themselves, and we all are, everyone of us, corrupted as a result of the fall. Again a corrupt tree cannot bring forth good fruit.

The Lord also said that men who set themselves up as a light unto the world have corrupt minds, because their minds are filled with corrupt teachings, ideas and opinions. We have all gone out of the way (are not in the way) and have become corrupted.  Because of pride and because of false teachers and false doctrines, even our churches have become corrupted. Why? Again it is corrupt people (the fall) with corrupt minds (the false teachings and false doctrines). Add to this the desire for the things of the world (all corruptible), and we are in a very sorry state indeed.

Of course Christ is the remedy, but how do we come to Christ? How exactly do we partake of His goodness, His incorruptible state of righteousness, and His promise to make us incorruptible like He is? 

The answer is through His words and the truthfulness of His words being revealed by Him to us. When we are born we are neither good nor evil, we are innocent, but are "conceived in sin, even so when (we) begin to grow up, sin conceiveth in (our) hearts, and (we) taste the bitter, that (we) may know to prize the good." (Moses 6:55) And "it is given unto (us) to know good from evil, wherefore (we) are agents unto (ourselves)..." (Moses 6:56) 

So with these competing influences--good and evil--how do we learn to prize the good? Before leaving the Garden, Eve told Adam that it was better for them to pass through sorrow so that they could learn to prize the good. In D&C 84, the Lord makes it clear that we come unto Him through His words, and that "whoso receiveth not my voice (His words) is not acquainted with my voice, and is not of me." 

So we experience the darkness within ourselves and in the world. But we should not deny the darkness within or avoid the darkness of the world. We should acknowledge it, accept it, but transcend it by seeking God's light shining in the darkness! And that light is His word!

This plan for us which offers both good and evil requires that we learn to recognize the difference and understand exactly what is good and what is evil. Again we turn to His words which tell us that good is the righteousness of God, and evil is everything else. One way is narrow and the other broad. The Lord tells us that we get in the right way because of His words and we stay in the right way because of His words. We see this by virtue of the word of God being identified as the Rod of Iron, with the word being compared to the Liahona and with the word of God being truth, light, spirit, even the Spirit of Jesus Christ. Why? Because the word of God leads us to the fountain of living waters, the love of God and to the righteousness of God. While ignoring and not receiving His words keeps us in darkness and leads us to wander in strange paths and eventually being captured by the chains of hell. And when we shine the light of His words upon ourselves, we see the corruption, the flawed goodness, the evil. And yet at the same time we see His goodness and righteousness, and willingly rely wholly upon His merits.

Ask yourself this question: Is my faith so little that I cling to the deeds that I do, calling them good, because I am afraid to see the evil in myself? Yet it is only through seeing the evil in us that we can exercise the faith to see the good in Him.

And exactly how do we know to see the good in Him? By what our Father in Heaven has revealed to us about Him and about ourselves. And how do we get this revelation? Through His words that he has spoken and caused to be recorded.

"I would that you should take upon you the name of Christ and retain His name always written in your hearts, and that you hear and know the voice by which you are called, and also, the name by which He shall call you." For "how knoweth a man the master whom he has not served, and who is a stranger unto him, and is far from the thoughts and intents of his heart."

The Lord Hastens His Work

The phrase "hastening the work" has a specific scriptural reference found in D&C 88:73 wherein the Lord says, "Behold, I will hasten my work in its time." A similar reference is found in Isaiah 60:22 where the Lord says, "I the Lord will hasten it in its time." (See also 2 Nephi 15:19 [Isaiah 5]).  

The phrase was repeated 'mantra style' by many members of the church for awhile, but is not mentioned much anymore. Mantra style means repeating a phrase without regard to its accuracy or meaning, which, in this case, means there is/was no reference to 

1) what the Lord's work is, or 

2) what our role is in preparing for the Lord's hastening of His work. 

His work as He refers to it here is His great and marvelous work, which is very specifically defined by Him.

Just as vague ideas exist about the so-called “gathering” or “gathering of Israel,” the same applies to the idea of “hastening the work.” But do we really understand what the Lord has revealed concerning the gathering of Israel and the Lord's Great and Marvelous Work? Has the meaning of 'the gathering of Israel' and 'the Lord will hasten his work' been revealed to you? Both are an integral part of the same end-time scenario, and neither has yet occurred according to their scriptural definitions. 

Our misunderstanding their prophetic context, however, may risk turning our zealous labors (zeal without knowledge) into wild fruits. It is critical that we know and teach these events accurately, and understand our role in them. Since the organized church is not and has not been teaching these events correctly, is God telling us to go and figure things out on our own?

 

First, the scriptures define “Israel” as the house of Israel, which today consists of Israel’s natural lineages—the Jews, Ten Tribes, and Lamanites or Lehi's descendants. Israel’s assimilated lineages—identified as “the fulness of the Gentiles”—consist of Ephraimite Gentiles a few of whom will serve as spiritual kings and queens in gathering remnants of the house of Israel in a new exodus to Zion in God’s worldwide Day of Judgment. Word links in the scriptures identify this end-time restoration of the house of Israel as the Lord’s great and marvelous work that will be hastened.

 

In other words, up to this point it is largely Ephraim that has been gathering so that, when that time arrives, its spiritual kings and queens can assist in performing the work of gathering the house of Israel. As the context of this gathering is God’s Day of Judgment, however, these events don’t transpire until the Ephraimite Gentiles as a whole apostatize. The scriptures make abundantly clear that it is the falling away of God’s end-time people—those who today claim to be under the covenant—that precipitates God’s Day of Judgment upon the world.

 

Isaiah and other Hebrew prophets such as Jeremiah (23:1-6) and Ezekiel (34:2-6) further predict that God does not gather the house of Israel until his people’s shepherds begin to fail in their roles and mistreat the sheep. These actions, too, form a part of the great end-time apostasy that occasions God’s Day of Judgment. He who gathers the sheep is God’s end-time servant David. With the help of God’s servants, the spiritual kings and queens of the Gentiles, he brings about the house of Israel’s restoration that constitutes God’s great and marvelous work.

 

It is the Ephraimite Gentiles’ rejection of the fulness of the gospel after they have received it that in the end causes it to turn back to the house of Israel. Indeed, this very turn of events heralds the coming of the Lord to his ancient covenant people the Jews, Ten Tribes, and Lamanites as he remembers his covenants with their ancestors and takes steps to fulfil them. His hastening of the work more fully occurs as translated beings among his servants transcend time constraints and accomplish gathering the house of Israel by supernatural means.

What is our role in the Lord hastening His work? He gives us detailed instructions in D&C 88 as to what we are to do before the Lord hastens His great and marvelous work. It all has to do with our being prepared so our "souls will escape the wrath of God" and be prepared to assist in the Lord's great and marvelous work, i.e. to be found on one hand or the other (1 Nephi 14:7).

We begin in D&C 88:73 wherein the Lord says, "Behold, I will hasten my work in its time." Like all His words it is essential in searching and hearing them that we know His definitions of the words he uses, in this case "my work." 

"And I give unto you, who are the first laborers in this last kingdom, a commandment that you assemble yourselves together, and organize yourselves, and prepare yourselves, and sanctify yourselves; yea, purify your hearts, and cleanse your hands and your feet before me, that I may make you clean" (vs 74).

In other words repent, turn to Him and rely wholly upon His merits, so that He can make us clean.

"That I may testify unto your Father, and your God, and my God, that you are clean from the blood of this wicked generation; that I may fulfil this promise, this great and last promise, which I have made unto you, when I will" (vs 75).

As we become His, we become our Father's. It is through His goodness, His righteousness and His merits that we are saved.

"Also, I give unto you a commandment that ye shall continue in prayer and fasting from this time forth" (vs 76).

Validate your repentance by enduring in Faith in Him.

"And I give unto you a commandment that you shall teach one another the doctrine of the kingdom" (vs 77).

His doctrine as He teaches in 3 Nephi 11.

"Teach ye diligently and my grace shall attend you, that you may be instructed more perfectly in theory, in principle, in doctrine, in the law of the gospel, in all things that pertain unto the kingdom of God, that are expedient for you to understand" (vs 78).

So critical is our preparation, but treated so lightly by us. Note phrase "more perfectly" and yet we do nothing to seek out those with the gift of knowledge of the word of God to teach us.

"Of things both in heaven and in the earth, and under the earth; things which have been, things which are, things which must shortly come to pass; things which are at home, things which are abroad; the wars and the perplexities of the nations, and the judgments which are on the land; and a knowledge also of countries and of kingdoms" (vs 79).

Not just doctrine, but everything including prophecy, which of course requires that we seek out those with the gift of prophecy.

"That ye may be prepared in all things when I shall send you again to magnify the calling whereunto I have called you, and the mission with which I have commissioned you" (vs 80).

Prepared in ALL things before being sent to magnify (teach word of God [Jacob 1:19]).

"Behold, I sent you out to testify and warn the people, and it becometh every man who hath been warned to warn his neighbor" (vs 81).

Of course this requires that we know what to warn of. See blog post entitled "An Awful State of Blindness--Wild Fruit."

"Therefore, they are left without excuse, and their sins are upon their own heads" (vs 82).

No excuse when we have it all.

"He that seeketh me early shall find me, and shall not be forsaken" (vs 83).

Don't wait until it is too late so you are not caught unprepared. 

"Therefore, tarry ye, and labor diligently, that you may be perfected in your ministry to go forth among the Gentiles for the last time, as many as the mouth of the Lord shall name, to bind up the law and seal up the testimony, and to prepare the saints for the hour of judgment which is to come" (vs 84).

Are you "perfected in your ministry" that you may go forth for the last time, and then be prepared to "assist" in the gathering of Israel? 

The Lamb’s great and marvelous work, therefore, constitutes an ultimatum to humanity at large—to “the children of men”—that possesses irreversible and irrevocable consequences of life or death as time runs out. From events leading up to this great and marvelous work, we observe that many Mormon Gentiles to whom the gospel was restored begin to “harden their hearts” before the Lamb’s great and marvelous work (1 Nephi 14:6)—that being a primary reason for the great and marvelous work. Evidently, the idea behind the great and marvelous work is to separate those who harden their hearts from those who don’t (1 Nephi 14:7).

I repeat: The Lamb’s great and marvelous work, therefore, constitutes an ultimatum to humanity at large—to “the children of men”—that possesses irreversible and irrevocable consequences of life or death as time runs out.

The Truman Show

From owlofthedeseret.com/blog

We've all been living in a sort of Truman Show, haven't we?

For those of you who haven't seen the movie, ​here's a recap (SPOILER ALERT):

At birth, Truman is legally adopted by a major television network to be the unknowing star of a television series, in which his entire life is watched by an audience of millions through an intricate series of hidden cameras.

Everyone participating in this created world is an actor except for Truman himself. Truman is the only “authentic” person in this constructed world; even his mother, father, and wife are paid actors/actresses.

Throughout his entire life, the television network is on a continual mission to keep Truman in ignorance of his situation through the manipulation of his environment.

The film follows Truman’s eventual realization of the true nature of his reality and his dramatic escape from the artificial world.

(http://www.philfilms.utm.edu/1/truman.htm)

Fake News

Years ago I stumbled across something that flipped my paradigm. It was life-altering (kind of like when Truman realized he was living in a Studio Set rather than the real world).

You see, during my youth and my missionary years, I had been told that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was going to build Zion. 

. . . I had been taught that the Church was the "stone cut out of the mountain" and that "no unhallowed hand" could stop the work from progressing.  

. . . People said we'd follow the Prophet's call when it was time to return to Jackson County.  

. . . I understood that the early saints had missed their chance to see the New Jerusalem, but maybe this generation of members would succeed where our ancestors had not. 

Well, guess what?  

Not the Main Show?

So, you're probably wondering what I learned that changed my outlook so dramatically.

I was reading in 3 Nephi and . . . well, I'll let the Savior speak for Himself:

​But if they [the Gentiles] will repent

and hearken unto my words,

and harden not their hearts,

I will establish my church

among them, and they shall come

in unto the covenant

and be numbered among this

the remnant of Jacob,

unto whom I have given this land

for their inheritance;

And they [the Gentiles]

shall assist my people,

the remnant of Jacob,

and also as many of the house of Israel

as shall come, that they may build

a city, which shall be called

the New Jerusalem.

And then shall they assist my people

that they may be gathered in,

who are scattered

upon all the face of the land,

in unto the New Jerusalem.

(3 Nephi 21:22-24)

Did we catch that?!

  

Q No. 1:  Who does the Lord call "my people?"

A:  The remnant of Jacob (not the Latter-day Saints).

Q No. 2:  Are the Latter-day Saint Gentiles in charge of building the New Jerusalem?

A:  No, the Lord promised that the New Jerusalem will be built by the remnant of Jacob.

Q No. 3:  So what is the role of the Latter-day Gentiles in the building of Zion?

A:  Our role is to "assist" the remnant of Jacob.   

Q No. 4:  Will all Latter-day Gentiles be able to assist

A:  No, only those who have:

1. Hearkened to the voice of the Lord; and
2. Not hardened their hearts; and
3. Been numbered among the remnant of Jacob

What Does This All Mean?

​1.  We're not the main show. We're the opening act. We're playing on stage warming up the crowd. That's right ― the crowd that came to see the headlining band play (which is not going to be us!).

2.  It was never the job of the Church to build Zion (which explains a lot, since we haven't been able to).

3.  The mission of the Church was to bring the gospel to the "remnant of Jacob" (i.e., Lamanites). They're the ones who will build the New Jerusalem.

4.  Everything that has occurred since 1820 in the Restoration has been prelude to the main event. We're the stage hands.

5.  The Latter-day Gentiles, for all of our money, status, and keys, will not be in charge. The irony!  If we're "numbered among the remnant of Jacob" we'll get to "assist." 

(So we better humble ourselves because we're going to be second string, the junior varsity, the water boys, the assistants to the president.)

And I would ask: how are we doing? Not very well since we don't even understand our role even though Joseph Smith did. And why? "...for they will not search knowledge, nor understand great knowledge, when it is given unto them in plainness, even as plain as word can be" (2 Nephi 32:7). So not only will most of us be unprepared to "assist" His people, our children and grandchildren will also be unprepared because we don't (perhaps can't is a better word) teach them!

Gratefully there are those like Tim Merrill who love enough to teach us.