The Beginning of the dispensation of the fullness of times

In history there are certain dates with events that have a serious impact on the lives of those generations. There are men who have changed the face and spirit of the times. But there lies one important event in the lives of the 14 million plus of members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints that they are forever
grateful for. That is the rising of the Church of Christ in our dispensation.
A famous LDS hymn titled The Morning Breaks suggest to the reader the waking up from a long night of apostasy. What had caused the need from an awakening of religious slumber? Recall Christ and the Church he had set up founded upon the principalities of prophets and apostles as directed in Ephesians 4:11.
Christ the Light of the time had established the pattern. In due time all the necessary keys were passed on to the Apostle Peter who would become the chief Prophet and lead the church. Jesus had announced that the message would be rejected by men as had been with the prophets of old. And as before, even the disciples would prove unsuccessful in their ministerial charge to the world, as the hearts of men were hardened. What about the people or members of that church? Those who accepted the teachings were to suffer the same fate as the Lord and his apostles. As to the pure doctrine, it fell to the wicked man, fulll of worldly ideas and theologies, seeking to be glorified of men.
When the purposes and timings of God were ready, the time had come for the restoration of all things pure and true. What followed Joseph Smith after the solemn prayer in the year 1820 would bless the lives of many. He (Joseph) set out into a grove of trees to ask Heavenly Father which of the churches was he to join himself with. The religious climate was "that of my church was better" or the Methodist Church had a better God than the Presbyterian. Seeking light, he took the courage to pray and ask God which of those self professed religions was true. Then an answer was given. I assume he probably wanted a small feeling in his heart saying he should be a Methodist or whatever religion was there at the time. But God answered Joseph personally with His Son Jesus. Joseph recorded in his words, “I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me. When the light rested upon me I saw two personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air, one of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other- Behold This is My Beloved Son .Hear Him! (Joseph Smith History 1:16-17).
Following this event were the heavenly visits of old apostles restoring Keys and priesthood authority essential for man's exaltation. We can talk endlessly about the truths that were restored through this event. B. H. Roberts said in 1906 general conference, “This is the dispensation of the fullness of times and we see running into it, as mighty streams rush into the ocean, all the former dispensations, putting us in touch with them, putting them in touch with us; and we see the that God has had but one purpose in view from the beginning and that has been the salvation of this children. And now has come the final day, the final dispensation, when truth and light and righteousness must flood the earth.
 I know Joseph Smith was called as a prophet of God.He was the Lords instrument in raising the true church in our times. "Let zion in her beauty rise" (lds hymn book pg 49).In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen

The Dark Night

The Ministry of Jesus Christ was a miraculous time for mankind.  I, too, testify of His divine mission and know that He did all which God the Father required of Him. Having fulfilled His mission on Earth, He ascended to God's presence, leaving His chosen apostles to lead the church which He had established. In this post I wish to explore the history following the ascension of Christ. A large portion of this will be directed toward the apostasy which covered the earth for centuries. Apostasy is simply the turning away from truth by individuals, the Church, or entire nations.

The New Testament is our source as we follow Christ’s Apostles as they carried on the work which Jesus Christ had founded. Before I begin that discussion, however, I wish to point out that the apostles of the Lord could not lead the church without divine revelation. In Acts chapter 2, on the day of Pentecost, the apostles received the Holy Ghost, which was necessary for them to lead the church under the direction of God. Likewise, the gift of the Holy Ghost is necessary for any and all who in any way lead the church or the saints of God. It is also necessary to be aware that before His death, resurrection, and ascension, Christ laid His hands on the heads of the apostles and gave them the authority to perform miracles and lead His church under His direction (Matthew 10:1,7-10). With this authority, and only with this authority, were the apostles able to lead the saints of God as He directed.

In the book of the Acts of the Apostles and in all succeeding books of the New Testament are accounts of the ministry of the Lord’s apostles.  In these pages we read their teachings, which echo Christ’s teachings. They performed miracles in the name of Jesus of Nazareth (Acts 5:12), healed the sick (Acts 9:33-34), caused the lame to walk (Acts 3:2-8), and testified of Christ’s divinity (Acts 26:22-23). They taught repentance, baptism, and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost (Acts 2:38). But, as with Jesus Christ, this activity was in opposition to the leaders of the Jews. Even the Roman authorities began to take notice of this growing group of Christians. Jewish followers and Roman leaders persecuted and killed the Christian followers (Acts 7:58; 8:3). The Apostles were also individually persecuted and killed, except John. Banished to the Island of Patmos, he later wrote the book of Revelations.

With the death of the apostles, no one held the authority to lead the saints as one called of God. But even before the deaths or banishment of these great men, people had begun to stray from the truths which Christ and His followers taught (Galatians 1:6-7). The apostles saw this and prophesied that general apostasy would increase (1 Timothy 4:1-3; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3).The simple doctrines and ordinances which were taught by the Savior were altered to fit worldly philosophies (Isaiah 24:5). With the death of the apostles, the foundation was lost (Ephesians 2:19-20), as was the priesthood authority to lead the church. Without a prophet of God to maintain the pure doctrine of Christ and teach men and women the true nature of God, these early Christians were left to their own understanding. They worshipped according to the light that they possessed, but through the process of time the simple truths and ordinances of the gospel were changed and corrupted. Ordinances like baptism and the Sacrament were altered according to the philosophies of corrupt or ignorant church authorities. These leaders often sought for power or wealth, rather than seeking divine guidance or following the example Christ gave by His life. In an effort to unite the people, councils were formed and creeds written to do away with contention and disagreement. Men sought to define such fundamental truths as the character of God and the nature of the Godhead. These councils, lacking divine authority, altered practices, like repentance, to accumulate wealth.

After centuries of corruption and ignorance, enlightened men such as John Huss, John Wycliffe, Martin Luther, and William Tyndale tried to reform the church to follow the original and correct teachings of Christ. They attempted to provide the common man with the Holy Bible, and by so doing, prevent common men and women from ignorantly following the interpretations of biased or unlearned priests. With the Bible written in language they could understand, these men and women were able to come out of blind ignorance and find for themselves the truths written by the apostles and prophets.  These reformers were also persecuted and some killed for their actions. Though inspired, these great men were not and never proclaimed to be called of God to restore the simple truths of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, nor did they claim to possess His priesthood authority. But their faith and actions helped to lay the groundwork for what was to come.

Centuries more passed without divine guidance for the Church of Jesus Christ and those honest seekers of truth. The prophet Amos of the Old Testament prophesied of this time: “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst of water, but of hearing the words of the Lord: And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the Lord, and shall not find it” (Amos 8:11-12). Christian denominations multiplied when men and women incorporated their own philosophies and splintered from the church as they sought for truth, for God has granted all men and women the gift of agency: the ability to choose.  

Apostasy occurs when people disobey God’s commandments, using their agency poorly. But God’s purposes, to bring about the salvation of His children, will not be frustrated. In an effort to find religious freedom, the God-fearing men and women sailed to North America. Years later, God-inspired men, laying the foundation of a new government, penned a document to grant unalienable rights to all citizens of this new nation. Religious freedom was established for all citizens. With the granted freedom, more religious groups formed, causing more confusion and strife. But this time of religious turmoil and confusion was according to God’s plan to bring about the salvation of His children. This proved to be the soil where seeds of restoration would be sown.

I testify that God has a plan for His children. I know that He loves us, His children, and He will not leave us to search in the dark with no end. The Great Apostasy, that period of time without priesthood authority on Earth, has an end.

That I say in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

The Mortal Ministry of the Messiah

The life and ministry of Jesus Christ has been the most discussed, analyzed, and intriguing periods of history. Indeed, many sermons of Christians and volumes upon volumes of books have been in existence both looking forward to and reflecting back upon the meridian of time in which our Lord lived. While a full analysis of the life of the Lord Jesus Christ is not fully possible, we will discuss the key important details of the life and ministry of our Lord and Savior.

It must be understood that all prophets before Christ testified of His mortal ministry. The Book of Mormon clearly and plainly prophecies of the Christ's mortal ministry. King Benjamin, a prophet-king who lived about 125 years before Christ's birth, prophecied to his people about the Son of God's ministry,

 "For behold, the time cometh, and is not far distant, that with power, the Lord Omnipotent who reigneth, who was, and is from all eternity to all eternity, shall come down from heaven among the children of men, and shall dwell in a tabernacle of clay, and shall go forth amongst men, working mighty miracles, such as healing the sick, raising the dead, causing the lame to walk, the blind to receive their sight, and the deaf to hear, and curing all manner of diseases.

And he shall cast out devils, or the evil spirits which dwell in the hearts of the children of men.

And lo, he shall suffer temptations, and pain of body, hunger, thirst, and fatigue, even more than man can suffer, except it be unto death; for behold, blood cometh from every pore, so great shall be his anguish for the wickedness and the abominations of his people.

And he shall be called Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Father of heaven and earth, the Creator of all things from the beginning; and his mother shall be called Mary.

And lo, he cometh unto his own, that salvation might come unto the children of men even through faith on his name; and even after all this they shall consider him a man, and say that he hath a devil, and shall scourge him, and shall crucify him.

And he shall rise the third day from the dead; and behold, he standeth to judge the world; and behold, all these things are done that a righteous judgment might come upon the children of men." (Mosiah 3:5-10)

 

This prophecy is not alone in the Book of Mormon. Nephi, the leader of the first Nephites and a prophet who lived 600 years before Christ, had a vision of the tree of life. He desired to understand what it meant, so an angel of God showed him what the love of God meant. Nephi later wrote,

"And I looked, and I beheld the Son of God going forth among the children of men; and I saw many fall down at his feet and worship him....
And I looked [again] and beheld the Redeemer of the world, of whom my father had spoken; and I also beheld the prophet who should prepare the way before him. And the Lamb of God went forth and was baptized of him; and after he was baptized, I beheld the heavens open, and the Holy Ghost come down out of heaven and abide upon him in the form of a dove.
And I beheld that he went forth ministering unto the people, in power and great glory; and the multitudes were gathered together to hear him; and I beheld that they cast him out from among them.
And I also beheld twelve others following him. And it came to pass that they were carried away in the Spirit from before my face, and I saw them not.
And it came to pass that the angel spake unto me again, saying: Look! And I looked, and I beheld the heavens open again, and I saw angels descending upon the children of men; and they did minister unto them.
And he spake unto me again, saying: Look! And I looked, and I beheld the Lamb of God going forth among the children of men. And I beheld multitudes of people who were sick, and who were afflicted with all manner of diseases, and with devils and unclean spirits; and the angel spake and showed all these things unto me. And they were healed by the power of the Lamb of God; and the devils and the unclean spirits were cast out.
And it came to pass that the angel spake unto me again, saying: Look! And I looked and beheld the Lamb of God, that he was taken by the people; yea, the Son of the everlasting God was judged of the world; and I saw and bear record.
And I, Nephi, saw that he was lifted up upon the cross and slain for the sins of the world." (1 Nephi 11:24, 27-33)

Though the Old Testament again and again testifies of the coming of the Messiah, the Book of Mormon makes very plain what the Messiah would do in the meridian of time during his mortal ministry. The testimony of these ancient prophets, though carefully recorded, were rejected by men who refused to believe and did not want to know of redemption or the path back to our Father. Indeed, all prophets have testified of Christ, and their testimonies were eventually rejected.

While I will not recount the entire New Testament at this point, I will highlight some very important points as if we had been there and witnessed these acts for ourselves.

We would behold and bear witness that He performed mighty miracles, such as we have never seen before, and all this was due to the faith of those being healed.

We would hear his mighty sermons concerning what we should do in our lives to live His Gospel and these would cause our hearts to burn within us and utter, "Never spake any man like this!"

We would see Him submit to the will of the Father in all things and "leaving us an example, that [we] should follow his steps" (1 Peter 2:21).

We would see Him have the experiences of mortality and see the great Jehovah as a man, walking on the dusty roads of the Holy Land, hungering and thirsting as a mortal, and truly marvel that the God of Israel would desire to have such common experiences.

We would behold that those twelve men Nephi saw were called to be apostles of the Lamb and were given authority to preach the Gospel and perform the saving ordinances of the Gospel. (see Matthew 10:1-10)

We would behold that Christ further promised the keys of the Kingdom to the Apostles and testify that the rock of revelation would be the foundation upon which His Church is built and see that promised fulfilled by angels and by Christ being transfigured (Matthew 16:13-20; Matthew 17:1-13).

We would see Christ showing compassion on the weak and poor in spirit, showing mercy to those who were without hope, being an light to those who were in darkness and marvel, "Surely this must be the promised Messiah".

We would behold him exercise His mighty power over the elements in calming the raging seas, feeding of the multitudes and walking upon His footstool here and marvel, "What manner of man is this; that even the winds and seas obey him?"

We would behold Him institute the sacrament, in remembrance of his Atonement. In that sacred garden of Gethsemane, we would see our Lord suffer under a burden far greater than we could fathom. We would silently weep as we see him sweat great gouts of blood from every pore for our sins so we might live with God on conditions of repentance.

We would see a man despised and rejected of men as the rulers of the day unlawfully try him and find him worthy of death. We would see Him sent to Roman leaders to be scourged and mutter, "By His stripes, we are healed," as we watch Him suffer from pain and agony. Finally on the cross, we would see a God die and give His life willingly. We would mourn as He suffered, bled and died.

We would see Him rise from the grave on the third day and rejoice in the messianic word that our Lord would rise from the tomb and live again. We would shed tears of gratitude in knowing His resurrection grants each man the chance to live again. We would feel the nail marks in his hands and in his feet and cry, "My Lord and my God!" as we bathe His feet in our tears.

 

Finally, we would behold Him ascend into Heaven and hear the angel bear record that He would return again in like manner and we would pray that day would be soon.

 

I know that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. His ministry and life are unlike anything else that has occurred in history. He cannot be a mere moral philosopher nor a great moral man. We must come to know that He our Messiah, our Savior and Redeemer and He desires us to follow after Him in the paths of righteousness. I know that God so loved the world, that he sent His only begotten Son, that whoso believeth on him, should not perish, but have everlasting life. May God grant that we might be able to better study the life of our Lord and be inspired to follow Him is my plea, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.

 

For further and for more in depth reading on Christ's life from an LDS persepective, refer to Jesus the Christ by James E. Talmage and to The Messiah series by Bruce R. McConkie

The Role of a Prophet

Suppose for a moment you and your family were on a hiking trail enjoying the beauties of nature. And suddenly you recognize that you have been walking for a while without reaching your destination. Only to find out that the foot trails you were suppose to follow were nowhere to be found, what would you learn from such an experience?

I will seek to use the above story as a basis for my discussion. We all know how delightful nature can be hence we take time out of out our hectic lives to go to these places that soothes the human mind. So in our journey here in this mortal probation Heavenly Father has placed us in a similar journey. Our mortal probation is for us to grow and experience as much as we can before our final destination, which is the joy of residing with our Father in Heaven in his kingdom.

I believe that none of us would want to be lost in unfamiliar paths, direction given to us by prophets is one of the vital blessings that we could receive to help us in the journey of life. A prophet is a man called and chosen by God. He may be a poor man with nothing he may be a well educated individual but non of these a qualification for the Lord looketh upon the hearts of men and not their social standings or popularity amongst the people.

The prophets of God have been part of the plan of God in leading us back home. Adam the first man also fulfilled the role of a prophet. He received the gospel from God in its purest state then he taught it to his family. He received the priesthood power (the power and authority to act in Gods name, the same power that parted the Red Sea in Moses time)

Elder John a Widstoe in defining what some of the role or gifts given to the One called to be the Lords prophet.

“Seer is one who sees with the spiritual eyes. He perceives the meaning of that which seems obscure to others. He is an interpreter of and clarifier of eternal truth. He foresees the future from the past and the present.

Translator may refer to one who has received two blessings given a prophet by the spirit of God.
The Power to convert the written or spoken word into another language
The power to give a clearer meaning to a given language
Through the gift of interpretation the prophet does not merely convey the language of the reader the words that were recorded by the writer but by revelation preserves for the reader the thoughts or intent of the original writer
He (prophet) is a teacher. That is essential meaning of the word. He teaches the body of truth, the gospel, revealed by the Lord to man, and under the inspiration explains to it the understanding of the people. He is an expounder of truth”. (Book of Mormon, Mosiah 8:15-17, Evidences of Reconciliations 1:205-6, Moses 6:36)

The role of these beloved men has a serious impact on the human family at large. We find ourselves in this trail of life amidst some of the hardest times faced by man. Immorality, the love of evil things, and downgrading of the fear of God. Will eventually lead us to forbidden paths and eternal torment. Our Heavenly Fathers plan and purpose is to reunite all of us back to him. Satan will try to destroy that and will try and mimic the plan of rescues (prophets) by introducing false prophets. Remember by their fruits ye shall know them. And I know as a member of the Lords church today they exist. Magnifying the role of a true prophet they teach what Christ would in our times. The world may ridicule them or think of them as outdated, but I with every depth of my soul know they are man called of God I know that God has opened heaven and called 15 who are called unto this holy calling, to warn the world and prepare us for the Lord second coming. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

The Godhead

The concept of God has been a primary thought for mankind since the beginning of its existence. As we have separately examined the nature of God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost, I intend to explore their combined natures. These three Beings compose what is known as the Godhead or, as known by some religions, the Holy Trinity. 

Paul, one of Christ’s followers, taught the nature of the Godhead while preaching on Mars’ Hill. His words are recorded in Acts chapter 17. In verse 29 he recorded, “Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by the art and man’s device.” In previous entries we have discussed man’s relationship with God, and again we see that we are indeed children of a Heavenly Father. We are His offspring. It only would make sense, then, if we have physical bodies, that God, our Heavenly Father, would also have a body. Paul also makes the point that the Godhead consists of actual beings. They are not imagined, created, nor changed by philosophies of mankind.  As we have taught in previous posts, God and Jesus Christ have bodies, the Holy Ghost is a being of spirit (Doctrine and Covenants 130:22). 

Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost are three separate and distinct beings. On several occasions Christ speaks with God, His Father (see Matthew 26:39, John 17:31, John 11:41, 3 Nephi 17:15). We also see in the book of Matthew, chapter three, verses 16 and 17, that as Jesus was baptized, the Spirit in the form of a dove came upon Him, and God spoke from Heaven. In Acts chapter seven, verses 55 and 56 Stephen’s account is recorded: “But [Stephen], being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, and said, Behold, I see the heavens open, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.” Again, we see that God and Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost are separate beings.  Joseph Smith recorded his vision of God the Father and Jesus Christ, which again shows that they are separate beings. “When the light rested upon me I saw two personages…One of them spake unto me…and said, pointing to the other—This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him” (Joseph Smith History 1:17).

The Holy Trinity Column in Olomouc, Czech Republic. Wikipedia.

 What then, did Jesus Christ intend to explain when He stated “I and my Father are one” (John 10:30)? ( See also John 17:21 and John 10:38.)  In the Book of Mormon Jesus Christ tells the people, “I bear record of the Father, and the Father beareth record of me, and the Holy Ghost beareth record of the Father and me” (3 Nephi 11: 32).  We can glean a little more from John chapter 17, verse 11 as Jesus Christ again speaks to God. “Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou has given me, that they may be one, as we are.”  We might re-phrase this verse to say “that they may be united, as we are.”  Gordon B. Hinckley explained further: “They are distinct beings, but they are one in purpose and effort. They are united as one in bringing to pass the grand, divine plan for the salvation and exaltation of the children of God” (“In These Three I Believe,” Liahona and Ensign, July 2006, 8). 

Indeed, they are united in bringing about the exaltation of God’s children, each with His distinct role. God wishes all of us to return to live in His presence. That is one of His greatest desires. He has created a plan which allows us to learn, gain experience, and receive all that He has. (See 2 Nephi 9:10 and Romans 8:16-17.)  Jesus Christ also wishes us to return to live with God the Father, therefore He came to earth to do His Father’s will and allow an opportunity to repent and stand clean before God through the Christ's Atonement. The Atonement of Jesus Christ is central to God’s plan, for without it, we could not overcome sin or death, and God’s plan would be frustrated (Alma 34:9). Jesus Christ lived a perfect life and was perfectly obedient to Heavenly Father, giving us the perfect example. The Holy Ghost’s role is to testify of truth and lead us in the right way which leads us to God.  He prompts us to do right and keep the commandments, following the example of Jesus Christ. He also warns us of danger and sin. These promptings come as impressions to the mind and feelings to the heart. But we must earnestly seek to discern His quiet promptings, and then we must follow those promptings.  

I know that as we study to better understand the nature of each of these Beings, we will better understand what we must do to follow them.  I know that God, Christ, and the Holy Ghost are perfectly united in effort and purpose. I invite all who read this to study and pray to better understand the roles and natures of each member of the Godhead. Of this I testify in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

---