D&C 76 - These are my personal notes and insights taken while I read over this section.
As God now is, man once was, as God now is man may become.
76:13 We are commanded to write in spirit. Write out all your promptings and insights while you are reading the scriptures. Record it as soon as you receive the revelation. We also write so that our children may know who they can look to for their salvation.
What is Godly fear? The Hebrew and Greek lexicon on blueletterbible.org states that “fear” is having honour, reverence, respect, or to stand in awe.
Its said that we can’t have faith with fear, but fear can also be faith when it is fear of God. There is nothing else that we need to fear. Being afraid of anything else is wicked, because it doesn’t really matter. For example, being afraid of a spider, isn’t God more powerful than a spider?
We should invest our faith in things that will have increasing return, because it will be mre worthwhile in the end. When we have patience in our life the things we are waiting for become more gratifying and long lasting. For example with some crops, when you harvest early you may have instant gratification, but the crops that are harvested later in the season that you have to work harder and longer for have better long term rewards, and are more enduring.
Malachi 13:15-17 Those who serve the Lord shall be his. This life is the test, this life isn’t the reward! Don’t make a foolish investment and be like a foolish rich man who says “My 3 million dollars is worth more than all the treasures in heaven the Father has to offer me after this life!” Fail!!!
We are in the veil. We don’t remember all that we once knew. We have limited knowledge. So how much more careful do we need to be to make sure we are on the right track and don’t slip up?
The test is now! You cant invest more work after the harvest. The test isn’t over till our time is finished. We need to have a pure and clean heart.
1. Obey to the death
2. No work after the harvest
3. Pure and clean heart
Faith is a decision, it is up to us if we choose to do these 3 things.
In each one of us there is a white wolf, and a black wolf, fighting to win the territory of your spirit. Which one will win? The one you feed!
If you are not doing those things that he asked you, your house will crumble. If you follow him your house will not be shaken and you will stand through the winds and rains and all the hardships that come your way. Take things out f the realm of Satans ability to inflict them upon you. Adversity may come, but don’t give way to sin.
The stumbling block and stepping stone are one in the same. The difference is what you do with it.
Be valiant in your testimony. Having one doesn’t secure celestial glory. You need to strive to be there. Be doers of the word!
Bridle your passions, control your appetites, and rise above carnal and evil things.
Take the Lords side on every issue, be one with him as he is with the Father. Like the primary song, “do as I’m doing, follow, follow me! Do as I’m doing, follow, follow me!”
Be valiant in the testimony of Jesus!
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Oh boy! That's a tall order as you go through life. When you are young and have tons of energy and support, you think that's how you will feel throughout your life. But, when trials sore afflict you as they will, and your mortal body begins to decay, as you approach 60, while you are still residing in it, and you have encountered the poundings of evil from others who would tear you down, it is increasingly difficult to have that same zeal to get out there. Not saying impossible, but be aware, it is not easy, it is way harder than we thought it would be. It does require both diligence and discipline throughout your life to rein in the mortal body and overcome pain or afflictions or mental attitudes that we are surrounded by - outside the BYU bubble....If we could just get all our youth to chant this song to young and old alike, we could all make it though. You keep us lifted on your shoulders, just as the prophecy says. There's a lot of truth in what you say....just fix the top line - should be "As man now is, God once was.....as God now is, man may become". I'm going to read that section now.
ReplyDeleteSo I had an interesting discovery about Section 76 as well. I went back and re-read it with your comments in mind, Roselanni. I especially liked what you said about overcoming. The Book of Revelation is full of the promises to those who overcome. Thank you for pointing out the importance of overcoming. Regarding my earlier question about Section 76 (see earliest post) --
ReplyDeleteIn referring to those who inherit the "terrestrial kingdom", verse 72 mentions those "who died without law" - it does not say "those who died without the gospel", as many have inferred. It may mean something entirely different, especially as the next verse says "AND those who are the spirits of men kept in prison.....who received not the testimony of Jesus in the flesh". So if the text is separating those two types of folks, then what exactly is meant by those who died without law? And, what is the "law"? In cross referencing to D & C 88 - 89, there is a lot more said about the law of the celestial kingdom, so is Section 76 meaning those who gain the terrestrial are the ones who died without keeping the law of the celestial? Check this -
Section 88:21 says, "And they who are not sanctified through the law which I have given unto you, even the law of Christ, must inherit another kingdom, even that of a terrestrial kingdom, or that of a telestial kingdom. For he who is not able to abide the law of a celestial kingdom cannot abide a celestial glory."
So it would seem that the "law" in Section 76 also includes "members" who did receive the gospel, but cannot abide the celestial law...NOT those who receive it later, as in the case of Joseph Smith's deceased brother, as long as those who receive it later abide the celestial law.
Now this is the gospel according to me, but it seems like if we are to be "sealed" to all our dead, they too must be able to be celestialized. For the sealing power only affects those int he celestial kingdom.
Also, Section 76:74, states, "Who received not the testimony of Jesus in the flesh, but afterwards received it." Funny how so many people blindly read that as "received not the testimony of the CHURCH..." It says, "the testimony of Jesus", and there are millions who were not yet baptized members (but who will get to have that ordinance done by proxy) who in fact did die with a very strong testimony of JESUS. And that includes millions from many religions. And one G.A. once stated we should be grateful for all the churches who teach of Christ because we simply do not have the manpower to reach all the population of the world at this time. The Lord is careful with words, if He meant "testimony of the restored church", He would have said that, but "testimony of Jesus" is said.
Another humbling lesson for us as Saints is section 101. Verses 7, 8, 39, 40, and 78 make us think of our responsibilities and the Lord's expectations of us who have been so very greatly blessed. I shake in my boots some times. I really do, it is scary to think how rapidly that final day will come, and how little time I have to do all that He sent me here to do. I hate wasting time. It really is our only commodity. It also seems so overwhelming a task too, to "love our neighbor/everyone" the way the Lord does, to share the gospel with all those who do not have it, to do our very specific, individual mission with our whole heart, might, mind and strength. But it is also an exciting thing to look forward to the great and terrible day. To have all things revealed will be amazing and mind expanding. To see the history of the world as the Lord's hand worked through the travels of Israel and through our lives and all the Saints. Roselanni wants to continue this blog, so let us share our spiritual thoughts.