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And, finding there was greater happiness and peace and rest for me, I sought for the blessings of the fathers, and the right whereunto I should be ordained to administer the same (Abraham, vs 2)

Friday, April 19, 2019

Character of God Revisited: The Character We Believe In - By the actions or beliefs we choose to act upon

I have come to learn that the character attributes and perfections we believe in God isn't only in the "saying" part but the "doing". We can talk all day about what we "say" we believe in for His character. But until we show forth what we believe in by what we do, accept, or act upon it means nothing.

We can say we believe in a God that cannot lie but in the other hand do we believe in doctrines, revelations, teachings, or other things that make Him out to be a liar?

We can say we believe in a unchangeable god but do we believe in those in doctrines, revelations, teachings, or other things that make Him into a changeable God?

We can believe that he is the same today, yesterday, and forever but do we again accept those things that make Him into a changeable God or requirements for salvation that would make him "different" one day than the prior generations?

Taking Lords Name In Vain
What a better way to distinguish between truth and light or darkness, God and false spirits, than to judge the things we receive against the character of God the scriptures teach us to believe in. As Joseph said one way to tell a false revelation is whether it contradicts a prior revelation. Likewise a false messenger will "take the lords name in vain" or "Wherefore, let all men beware how they take my name in their lips, for behold, verily I say that many there be who are under this condemnation, who use the name of the Lord and use it in vain, having not authority" (T&C 50 : 14) Attributing something to God without His authority or authorization; not swearing, but rather, when one claims to speak for the Lord when they do not; whenever someone proclaims their own agenda in the name of the Lord.

Character of God:

As reminded we must have a correct character of God to be saved. The Lecture on Faith state:

Let us here observe that three things are necessary in order that any rational and intelligent being may exercise faith in God unto life and salvation. 
  1. First, the idea that he actually exists. 
  2. Secondly, a correct idea of his character, perfections, and attributes. 
  3. Thirdly, an actual knowledge that the course of life which he is pursuing is according to his will. For without an acquaintance with these three important facts, the faith of every rational being must be imperfect and unproductive, but with this understanding it can become perfect and fruitful, abounding in righteousness unto the praise and glory of God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (Lectures on Faith, Lecutre 3, link)
First Principle of the Gospel:
As Joseph reminded us what the first principle of the gospel was. In the articles of faith of LDS scripture it is "Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ". But what does that really in-tell? In the king follet discourse he expanded upon it as follows.
It is the first principle of the gospel to know for a certainty the character of God, and to know that we may converse with Him as one man converses with another, and that He was once a man like us; yea, that God himself, the Father of us all, dwelt on an earth, the same as Jesus Christ Himself did; and I will show it from the Bible.
It is the first principle that we may know for certainty the character of God. Because without that we could not be saved. And it is the first principle that we may converse with God as one man does to another. Without that we could not have faith. Faith requires correct belief and action according to those correct beliefs. We can have a personal, intimate, relationship with the Lord as the Lord had with the two disciples on the road to Emmaus. He talked to them as one man to another that they didn't even recognize him until after the event had occurred. This is one of the characters of God. He invites, persuades, but never controls or uses fear (as false spirits often do with a "sense of urgency" like preparing food storage for end times).

For those that are LDS they are taught to seek for "further light and knowledge" through the veil. It was always meant to be a mortal endeavor as they are asked to be as Adam and eve in the parable of the creation story. In the Book of Mormon every single messenger (aka prophet) in the book likewise was taught in the ways of the Lord, rose up and obtained their own witness and became messengers. They all conversed with the Lord as one man does with another. Nephi desired to see what his father had obtained and received it. Do we likewise desire or rather believe by our actions or beliefs we don't need to converse with the Lord as one man does with another and ask that "moses (your messenger) speak to god for us".

The Second Comforter:
The return to Christ’s presence. The term comes from Christ’s reference to “another Comforter” in John 9 : 8. The concept involves Christ appearing to His disciples, as well as His ministry. The holy ghost has a ministry to bring a believer to receive angels and then to Christ. Christ, in turn, has a ministry to take the faithful servant and bring him to the Father. “Now what is this other Comforter? It is no more nor less than the Lord Jesus Christ himself.... When any man obtains this last Comforter he will have the personage of Jesus Christ to attend him or appear unto him from time to time (tpjs150 – 151; wjs, 5). John 14:23 [kjv; see also John 9:8] The appearing of the Father and the Son, in that verse, is a personal appearance; and the idea that the Father and the Son dwell in a man’s heart is an old sectarian notion, and is false.Christ's ministry is to bring you to the point at which you can receive the promise of eternal life, membership in the Church of the Firstborn, and the promise of the Celestial Kingdom as your eternal inheritance.

Its really just the beginning. For His work is to make us "precisely like" Him, the prototype of the saved man. 
"And when he shall manifest himself unto you in the flesh, the things which he shall say unto you shall ye observe to do." (RE 2nd Nephi 14:1)

Scriptures: New Covenants: A Witness Unto the World

    FOREWORD TO THE NEW COVENANTS

    Joseph Smith warned in 1831 that “except the church receive the fullness of the Scriptures that they would yet fall.” The “fullness” was defined as the Book of Mormon, the revelations, and the new, inspired Bible revisions (see Teachings and Commandments 105:13–14). Less than one year later, in September 1832, the saints of God were condemned by the Lord and commanded to repent and remember the new covenant, even the Book of Mormon and the former commandments which I have given them, not only to say, but to do according to that which I have written (T&C 82:20). This is often interpreted as the Lord rebuking the saints for failing to do according to that which He had written, while the assumption is made that the saints had been correctly saying what He had written. But the saints did not say; they failed to accurately preserve the revelations that God provided to them, and their texts became corrupted.
    This volume of scripture is one of three that together constitute a unified effort to recover what the scriptures originally said and to prune away the uninspired alterations of man. This endeavor began with individuals who were separately directed by God to begin this work and were then inspired to find one another. Eventually two groups were formed, each unknown to the other. As they faced the completion of their respective projects in mid-December of 2016, they became aware of one another, and on December 31, 2016, Denver Snuffer Jr. facilitated a meeting between the two groups, in which they determined to unify their efforts. Each group brought different components to the endeavor that provided for a greater outcome than either project had possessed alone. Moving forward, the united team worked closely with one another, with the Lord, and with the Lord’s servant, and produced a record that is more accurate and more true to the Lord’s intent and to the Restoration.
    These scriptures are a sign foretold by Christ to stand as a witness of His gospel to all the world and that the moment has arrived when the things that have been prophesied of in scripture will now occur within a single generation. Mankind doesn’t have to accept the witness; they don’t even have to notice the witness; it’s only required that God send the witness. If He sends the witness, God has done His part. These scriptures are a new witness of Him and a sign of His invitation to renew communication with mankind.
    Joseph Smith Jr. always intended to publish the New Testament and the Book of Mormon in a single volume, and that has been accomplished, for the first time, within this Restoration Edition. Joseph stated: “It is not the will of the Lord to print any of the new Translation in the [Evening and Morning] Star; but when it is published, it will all go to the world together, in a volume by itself; and the New Testament and the Book of Mormon will be printed together” (js Letter 21 April 1833; see also 1 Nephi 3:24). And again, “At no very distant period, we shall print the book of Mormon and the Testament, and bind them in one volume” (July 1833, Evening and Morning Star).
    The name of this volume, which includes both the New Testament and the Book of Mormon, is The New Covenants; it reflects the covenants that were established by Jesus Christ at Jerusalem, as well as in the New World at Bountiful, and it came forth through Joseph Smith as the covenant at the beginning of the modern-day Restoration.
    The hand of the Lord has been present in the process of preparing these scriptures. May His Spirit guide you and testify to you as you receive them.
    http://scriptures.info/scriptures/nc/ncforeword