Maybe having put the cart before the horse – I’ve taken it upon myself that all understand the simple plainness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the Plan of Salvation. This could lead many to misunderstand what I’ve written heretofore – therefore to correct this – here it is in plainness!
What is the Gospel of Jesus Christ?
Scriptures define it precisely as the way or means by which an individual can come to Christ. In all these scriptural passages, the gospel or doctrine of Christ teaches that salvation is available through his authorized servants to all who will (1) believe in Christ; (2) repent of their sins; (3) be baptized in water as a witness of their willingness to take his name upon them and keep his commandments; (4) receive the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands; and (5) endure to the end. All who obey these commandments and receive the baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost and endure in faith, hope, and charity will be found guiltless at the last day and will enter into the kingdom of heaven (Alma 7:14—16, 24—25; Heb. 6:1—2).
What is the Plan of Salvation?
"Gospel of the Son of God that has been revealed is a plan or system of laws and ordinances, by strict obedience to which the people who inhabit this earth are assured that they may return again into the presence of the Father and the Son" (JD 13:233).
How does the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the Plan of Salvation work together?
The gospel of Jesus Christ is a key part of the plan of salvation (or plan of redemption), which provides an opportunity for all people to obtain eternal life. Because of the fall of Adam, which has passed upon all individuals by inheritance, all are subject to a physical death and a spiritual death (2 Ne. 9:4—12; D&C 29:39—45; 1 Cor. 15:12—22) and cannot save themselves. God, the loving Father of all spirits, has declared that it is his work and glory "to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man" (Moses 1:39). For this purpose he provided a savior, Jesus Christ, who, because of his perfect love, his sinlessness, and his being the Only Begotten of the Father in the flesh, was both willing and able to offer himself as a sacrifice for the sins of the world (John 3:16). Through his atonement, Christ redeemed all men, women, and children unconditionally from the two deaths occasioned by the transgression of Adam and Eve, and will also redeem them from their own sins, if they accept and obey his gospel (Moses 6:62; D&C 20:17—25; 76:40—53).
Where can we learn more about the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the Plan of Salvation in the New Testament? The Epistles of John
New Testament Backgrounds: The Epistles of John
J. Lewis Taylor
First John
Written to:
The letter contains no formal greeting, though it is addressed to a group (or groups) whom John refers to as "brethren," "children," and "beloved." The letter may have been written to a group of saints somewhere in Asia, likely mainly priesthood brethren with whom John was personally acquainted.
Author:
The apostle John, an eyewitness of the Savior. (See 1 John 1:1.)
Where written:
May have been written from Ephesus, where John is reputed to have lived after his banishment to Patmos (see Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History, 3.20.8—3.23.6), though no place is mentioned in the letter.
When written:
The letter was probably written about A.D. 100.
Purpose of the letter:
The letter was written apparently to combat certain false teachings, especially concerning Christ, associated with an emerging philosophy known as Gnosticism. Gnosticism maintained that the spirit is good, the body evil; and therefore it rejected the teaching that Jesus actually experienced mortality in a physical body. Essentially, this heresy had the effect of denying the physical suffering and the very atonement of the Savior. John denounced such heretical teachings, labeling those who so taught as "antichrists." He reaffirmed in a positive way both the humanity (1 John 4:1—3) and the divinity of the Savior, and the vital importance of coming to know Christ.
Major Themes:
As a commentary on the gospel of John and an antidote for false teachings of the day, First John declares positively the divinity of Christ, and shows how we can have fellowship with him and his Father. John bears a profound and eyewitness testimony of Christ as (a) the Word of life (1 John 1:1), (b) the Only Begotten Son of God (4:9; 1:3, 7; 3:23; 4:14), (c) one who lived in the flesh upon the earth (4:1—3), (d) the Holy One (2:20), (e) our advocate with the Father (2:1), (f) the Savior (1:7; 2:2; 3:5; 4:10, 14), (g) the revelation of the Father (1:2; 5:20).
2. Above all else we are to seek fellowship with Christ (and the Father).—Jesus was sent by the Father into the world to make the atonement and to show us what the Father is like. By obtaining fellowship with Christ we also come to know the Father. As we center our lives in Christ—the true light—and continue in righteousness, we shall become the sons and daughters of God, and shall in time know him and be like him. (3:1—2.)
3. Overcome the world.—John declares that we must not walk in darkness or sin, nor love the things of the world. (2:15—16.) Those who do are strangers to God. Rather, we are to follow the light and do righteousness, for by so doing we are "born of God." (2:29). Those who are born of God have greater power in them than is in the world (4:4), and they can thus overcome the world (5:4).
4. God is love.—The love of God is the foundation of all personal righteousness. We are enjoined to love God "because he first loved us" (4:19) by sending his Only Begotten Son (4:9). Love is of God; thus, if we would know him, we must love him and love what he loves. (4:7—8.) Our love for God is to be expressed by keeping his commandments (2:3—6; 3:23—24) and by loving one another (4:7—21). John makes very clear that if one loves God he will love his brother; and inversely, that if one says he loves God but hates his brother, he is a liar. (4:20—21.) As we personify the love of God and our fellow beings in our lives, we become like the Lord himself and have eternal life with him.
5. To know God is to have eternal life. - To John, eternal life is a quality of life. It is God's life. It is synonymous with becoming the sons and daughters of God in the fullest spiritual sense (3:13); it is to be born of God and to have his light and love within oneself; it is equated with overcoming the world; it is to know and to be like our Heavenly Father and his Son Jesus Christ (5:20).
Second and Third John
Written to:
Second John is addressed to "the elect lady and her children." (2 John 1.) Who is the elect lady? The answer cannot be given conclusively. She may be an actual person—a female member of the Church, perhaps even the wife of John, who has qualified through her faithfulness to receive the fulness of gospel blessings. The children may be John's own family. (See Bruce R. McConkie, Doctrinal New Testament Commentary, Bookcraft, 1973, 3:410.) Or, "the elect lady and her children" may be a salutation intended spiritually to refer to an individual branch of the church, possibly in Asia. Frequently the term "woman" is intended as a symbol of the people of God, Israel, or the church. (Rev. 12:1.) And John earlier referred to faithful saints as "my beloved children," (1 John 2:1, 3:18.) Thus, he may be writing to a faithful branch of the church.
Third John is addressed simply to "the well beloved Gaius, whom I love in the truth." (3 John 1.) Was Gaius a faithful saint, a presiding elder of a local branch? Perhaps so. Or was Gaius possibly a female member or even John's wife? (See Doctrinal New Testament 'Commentary, 3:413.) There is insufficient evidence to draw final conclusions.
Author:
Neither of the two letters gives the author's name, but refers to him simply as "the elder." (2 John 1; 3 John 1.) Tradition ascribes both letters to John, who is apparently at this time the only living apostle and the presiding authority in the church.
Where written:
The most likely place is Ephesus, though no place is mentioned in the letter.
When written:
About the same time as First John, possibly A.D. 100.
Purpose of the letter:
Second and Third John, although more personal and much briefer than First John, were apparently written with a similar purpose in mind, namely, to warn against false Gnostic teachings of the day. Second John warns especially against false teachers ("deceivers," "antichrist") who denied Christ's physical nature; whereas Third John warns against a false leader.
Major Themes:
1. Walk in love and keep the commandments.—John urges the saints, as in First John, to love one another. (2 John 5.) He then reiterates the fact that we show love for God when we keep his commandments. (2 John 6.) One aspect of expressing love for God is to abide in the true doctrine of Christ and avoid false teachings. (2 John 9.)
2. John warns the saints against the growing threat of "deceivers" and antichrists. (2 John 7.)—He warns specifically against those who would deny the divinity of Christ's mission by declaring that he did not come in the flesh. (2 John 7.) The saints are admonished not to receive any such deceivers. (2 John 10—11.)
3. John warns against the sin of insubordination to Church leaders.—Specifically, John denounced a false leader in the church named Diotrephes, who has (1) rejected church leadership and instruction even by "prating against us with malicious words," (2) refused Church representatives sent to him, (3) refused to let others in the congregation care for or give heed to church authorities, and (4) cast out faithful members of the church. (3 John 9—10.)
The Lord’s Prayer:
Most have heard or been exposed to the Lord’s Prayer - “Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.” (3 Nephi 13:9–13)
Four versions of the Lord’s Prayer are found in scripture, in Matthew 6, Matthew 6 JST, Luke 11, and 3 Nephi 13. Recent research enhances our appreciation of the words that Jesus chose to use.
Lead us not. An article by James H. Charlesworth argues that although the New Testament was written originally in Greek, one must consider “the Aramaic substratum of the gospels and the Semitic milieu in which earliest Christianity came to life.”1 As an example, Charlesworth explains that the Greek phraseology in the line “lead us not into temptation” (Luke 11:4) “looks suspiciously like an erroneous rendering” of the Semitic expression found in the Syriac manuscripts of this passage. That expression uses the Aph’el form of the Semitic verb, which may have two meanings: (1) a causative meaning, “lead us not into temptation,” or (2) a permissive sense, “do not permit (or allow) us to enter into temptation.”2 Both are possible understandings of the Semitic construction, but Charlesworth favors the permissive sense (compare James 1:13).
Charlesworth’s analysis is compatible with Matthew 6:14 JST: “And suffer us not to be led into temptation.” As the footnote to Matthew 6:13 in the LDS Edition of the scriptures indeed notes, the Syriac version reads “do not let us enter into temptation.”
The ambiguity that Charlesworth points out may have been welcomed by Jesus, who may have wanted his disciples to understand both senses of this verb. He may have wanted them to pray, in effect, “do not lead us into temptation, but lead us some other way,” and at the same time to pray “do not permit us to enter into temptation.” Thus, both English translations capture part of the richness of what the Savior may have intended.
For thine is the kingdom. On several occasions Jesus taught people how to pray. Nothing demands that he said precisely the same thing each time. In fact, his counsel against vain repetitions (see Matthew 6:7) might suggest that he did not use the same words each time he prayed or spoke about prayer, which would explain in part why the texts of the Lord’s Prayer differ.3
The differences in audiences may shed light on these variations. For example, generally speaking, the more sacred the setting, the more profound the ending of the prayer. Prayers in the temple at Jerusalem did not end simply with “Amen” but with “Praised be the name of his glorious kingdom forever and eternally.”4 Thus, in 3 Nephi 13, when Jesus spoke at the temple in Bountiful, he concluded his prayer with more than “Amen.”
On other occasions, Jesus spoke more informally. In Luke 11:1, one of the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray. In this intimate setting, probably in the wilderness where he often went to pray, Jesus reviewed the basic steps of prayer (see Luke 11:2–4). But he cut short that instruction to talk about two related subjects: asking God and being generous (see Luke 11:5–13). In that instructional setting he did not need to give his words on prayer a formal conclusion and simply ended with “Amen.”
The longest ending for the Lord’s Prayer is found in Matthew 6:15 JST: “forever and ever, amen.” Here Jesus speaks to his apostles as he sends them into the mission field to testify of eternal truths (see Matthew 5:3–4; 6:25–27; 7:1 JST). In this priesthood setting, the ending emphasizes the everlasting nature of the kingdom of God.
Thus, variations between the four scriptural versions of the Lord’s prayer are understandable. Rather than being problematic, the differences each bespeak authenticity through the authority of actual experiences.
Research by John W. Welch, originally published as a FARMS Update in Insights (June 1996): 2.
Notes
1. James H. Charlesworth, “Semitisms in the New Testament and the Need to Clarify the Importance of the Syriac New Testament,” in Salvación en la Palabra (n.p., 1986), 633.
2. Ibid., 637.
3. See John W. Welch, Illuminating the Sermon at the Temple and Sermon on the Mount (Provo, Utah: FARMS, 1999), 206–8.
4. Ibid., 81, 207.
Summary:
When one agrees on what was and has been taught throughout all of the dispensations which the Gospel of Jesus Christ has been on this earth and through all generations of time in its fulness – then one simplifies the prism through which they look. There have been six dispensations before the present one which we’re now in extending from Adam to our modern day. Each dispensation has taught exactly the same truths without wavering from the Savior, the Prophet’s or the Apostles then or now. There is no conflict found in any of these teachings.
Simple to understand – common sense – and without the rhetoric of philosophy mixed with the Scriptures used by men/women to confuse and confound. What we accept will depend on how we choose to live our lives – in accordance with all of the Teachings of the Savior and his Prophet’s and Apostles or in the justifications of men/women. This is an easy choice for all – regardless of which way they choose. Therefore few will choose the road to Zion and many will travel any road to Babylon. c/ork
“Clarifications”
cji
7/12/10
Back to the basics
simple truths to feel
concepts and teachings
nothing difficult to know;
Carefully enumerated
without false doctrines
simple truths to heed
clarifications made!
Copyright © 2010 – cji
What is the Gospel of Jesus Christ?
Scriptures define it precisely as the way or means by which an individual can come to Christ. In all these scriptural passages, the gospel or doctrine of Christ teaches that salvation is available through his authorized servants to all who will (1) believe in Christ; (2) repent of their sins; (3) be baptized in water as a witness of their willingness to take his name upon them and keep his commandments; (4) receive the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands; and (5) endure to the end. All who obey these commandments and receive the baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost and endure in faith, hope, and charity will be found guiltless at the last day and will enter into the kingdom of heaven (Alma 7:14—16, 24—25; Heb. 6:1—2).
What is the Plan of Salvation?
"Gospel of the Son of God that has been revealed is a plan or system of laws and ordinances, by strict obedience to which the people who inhabit this earth are assured that they may return again into the presence of the Father and the Son" (JD 13:233).
How does the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the Plan of Salvation work together?
The gospel of Jesus Christ is a key part of the plan of salvation (or plan of redemption), which provides an opportunity for all people to obtain eternal life. Because of the fall of Adam, which has passed upon all individuals by inheritance, all are subject to a physical death and a spiritual death (2 Ne. 9:4—12; D&C 29:39—45; 1 Cor. 15:12—22) and cannot save themselves. God, the loving Father of all spirits, has declared that it is his work and glory "to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man" (Moses 1:39). For this purpose he provided a savior, Jesus Christ, who, because of his perfect love, his sinlessness, and his being the Only Begotten of the Father in the flesh, was both willing and able to offer himself as a sacrifice for the sins of the world (John 3:16). Through his atonement, Christ redeemed all men, women, and children unconditionally from the two deaths occasioned by the transgression of Adam and Eve, and will also redeem them from their own sins, if they accept and obey his gospel (Moses 6:62; D&C 20:17—25; 76:40—53).
Where can we learn more about the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the Plan of Salvation in the New Testament? The Epistles of John
New Testament Backgrounds: The Epistles of John
J. Lewis Taylor
First John
Written to:
The letter contains no formal greeting, though it is addressed to a group (or groups) whom John refers to as "brethren," "children," and "beloved." The letter may have been written to a group of saints somewhere in Asia, likely mainly priesthood brethren with whom John was personally acquainted.
Author:
The apostle John, an eyewitness of the Savior. (See 1 John 1:1.)
Where written:
May have been written from Ephesus, where John is reputed to have lived after his banishment to Patmos (see Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History, 3.20.8—3.23.6), though no place is mentioned in the letter.
When written:
The letter was probably written about A.D. 100.
Purpose of the letter:
The letter was written apparently to combat certain false teachings, especially concerning Christ, associated with an emerging philosophy known as Gnosticism. Gnosticism maintained that the spirit is good, the body evil; and therefore it rejected the teaching that Jesus actually experienced mortality in a physical body. Essentially, this heresy had the effect of denying the physical suffering and the very atonement of the Savior. John denounced such heretical teachings, labeling those who so taught as "antichrists." He reaffirmed in a positive way both the humanity (1 John 4:1—3) and the divinity of the Savior, and the vital importance of coming to know Christ.
Major Themes:
As a commentary on the gospel of John and an antidote for false teachings of the day, First John declares positively the divinity of Christ, and shows how we can have fellowship with him and his Father. John bears a profound and eyewitness testimony of Christ as (a) the Word of life (1 John 1:1), (b) the Only Begotten Son of God (4:9; 1:3, 7; 3:23; 4:14), (c) one who lived in the flesh upon the earth (4:1—3), (d) the Holy One (2:20), (e) our advocate with the Father (2:1), (f) the Savior (1:7; 2:2; 3:5; 4:10, 14), (g) the revelation of the Father (1:2; 5:20).
2. Above all else we are to seek fellowship with Christ (and the Father).—Jesus was sent by the Father into the world to make the atonement and to show us what the Father is like. By obtaining fellowship with Christ we also come to know the Father. As we center our lives in Christ—the true light—and continue in righteousness, we shall become the sons and daughters of God, and shall in time know him and be like him. (3:1—2.)
3. Overcome the world.—John declares that we must not walk in darkness or sin, nor love the things of the world. (2:15—16.) Those who do are strangers to God. Rather, we are to follow the light and do righteousness, for by so doing we are "born of God." (2:29). Those who are born of God have greater power in them than is in the world (4:4), and they can thus overcome the world (5:4).
4. God is love.—The love of God is the foundation of all personal righteousness. We are enjoined to love God "because he first loved us" (4:19) by sending his Only Begotten Son (4:9). Love is of God; thus, if we would know him, we must love him and love what he loves. (4:7—8.) Our love for God is to be expressed by keeping his commandments (2:3—6; 3:23—24) and by loving one another (4:7—21). John makes very clear that if one loves God he will love his brother; and inversely, that if one says he loves God but hates his brother, he is a liar. (4:20—21.) As we personify the love of God and our fellow beings in our lives, we become like the Lord himself and have eternal life with him.
5. To know God is to have eternal life. - To John, eternal life is a quality of life. It is God's life. It is synonymous with becoming the sons and daughters of God in the fullest spiritual sense (3:13); it is to be born of God and to have his light and love within oneself; it is equated with overcoming the world; it is to know and to be like our Heavenly Father and his Son Jesus Christ (5:20).
Second and Third John
Written to:
Second John is addressed to "the elect lady and her children." (2 John 1.) Who is the elect lady? The answer cannot be given conclusively. She may be an actual person—a female member of the Church, perhaps even the wife of John, who has qualified through her faithfulness to receive the fulness of gospel blessings. The children may be John's own family. (See Bruce R. McConkie, Doctrinal New Testament Commentary, Bookcraft, 1973, 3:410.) Or, "the elect lady and her children" may be a salutation intended spiritually to refer to an individual branch of the church, possibly in Asia. Frequently the term "woman" is intended as a symbol of the people of God, Israel, or the church. (Rev. 12:1.) And John earlier referred to faithful saints as "my beloved children," (1 John 2:1, 3:18.) Thus, he may be writing to a faithful branch of the church.
Third John is addressed simply to "the well beloved Gaius, whom I love in the truth." (3 John 1.) Was Gaius a faithful saint, a presiding elder of a local branch? Perhaps so. Or was Gaius possibly a female member or even John's wife? (See Doctrinal New Testament 'Commentary, 3:413.) There is insufficient evidence to draw final conclusions.
Author:
Neither of the two letters gives the author's name, but refers to him simply as "the elder." (2 John 1; 3 John 1.) Tradition ascribes both letters to John, who is apparently at this time the only living apostle and the presiding authority in the church.
Where written:
The most likely place is Ephesus, though no place is mentioned in the letter.
When written:
About the same time as First John, possibly A.D. 100.
Purpose of the letter:
Second and Third John, although more personal and much briefer than First John, were apparently written with a similar purpose in mind, namely, to warn against false Gnostic teachings of the day. Second John warns especially against false teachers ("deceivers," "antichrist") who denied Christ's physical nature; whereas Third John warns against a false leader.
Major Themes:
1. Walk in love and keep the commandments.—John urges the saints, as in First John, to love one another. (2 John 5.) He then reiterates the fact that we show love for God when we keep his commandments. (2 John 6.) One aspect of expressing love for God is to abide in the true doctrine of Christ and avoid false teachings. (2 John 9.)
2. John warns the saints against the growing threat of "deceivers" and antichrists. (2 John 7.)—He warns specifically against those who would deny the divinity of Christ's mission by declaring that he did not come in the flesh. (2 John 7.) The saints are admonished not to receive any such deceivers. (2 John 10—11.)
3. John warns against the sin of insubordination to Church leaders.—Specifically, John denounced a false leader in the church named Diotrephes, who has (1) rejected church leadership and instruction even by "prating against us with malicious words," (2) refused Church representatives sent to him, (3) refused to let others in the congregation care for or give heed to church authorities, and (4) cast out faithful members of the church. (3 John 9—10.)
The Lord’s Prayer:
Most have heard or been exposed to the Lord’s Prayer - “Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.” (3 Nephi 13:9–13)
Four versions of the Lord’s Prayer are found in scripture, in Matthew 6, Matthew 6 JST, Luke 11, and 3 Nephi 13. Recent research enhances our appreciation of the words that Jesus chose to use.
Lead us not. An article by James H. Charlesworth argues that although the New Testament was written originally in Greek, one must consider “the Aramaic substratum of the gospels and the Semitic milieu in which earliest Christianity came to life.”1 As an example, Charlesworth explains that the Greek phraseology in the line “lead us not into temptation” (Luke 11:4) “looks suspiciously like an erroneous rendering” of the Semitic expression found in the Syriac manuscripts of this passage. That expression uses the Aph’el form of the Semitic verb, which may have two meanings: (1) a causative meaning, “lead us not into temptation,” or (2) a permissive sense, “do not permit (or allow) us to enter into temptation.”2 Both are possible understandings of the Semitic construction, but Charlesworth favors the permissive sense (compare James 1:13).
Charlesworth’s analysis is compatible with Matthew 6:14 JST: “And suffer us not to be led into temptation.” As the footnote to Matthew 6:13 in the LDS Edition of the scriptures indeed notes, the Syriac version reads “do not let us enter into temptation.”
The ambiguity that Charlesworth points out may have been welcomed by Jesus, who may have wanted his disciples to understand both senses of this verb. He may have wanted them to pray, in effect, “do not lead us into temptation, but lead us some other way,” and at the same time to pray “do not permit us to enter into temptation.” Thus, both English translations capture part of the richness of what the Savior may have intended.
For thine is the kingdom. On several occasions Jesus taught people how to pray. Nothing demands that he said precisely the same thing each time. In fact, his counsel against vain repetitions (see Matthew 6:7) might suggest that he did not use the same words each time he prayed or spoke about prayer, which would explain in part why the texts of the Lord’s Prayer differ.3
The differences in audiences may shed light on these variations. For example, generally speaking, the more sacred the setting, the more profound the ending of the prayer. Prayers in the temple at Jerusalem did not end simply with “Amen” but with “Praised be the name of his glorious kingdom forever and eternally.”4 Thus, in 3 Nephi 13, when Jesus spoke at the temple in Bountiful, he concluded his prayer with more than “Amen.”
On other occasions, Jesus spoke more informally. In Luke 11:1, one of the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray. In this intimate setting, probably in the wilderness where he often went to pray, Jesus reviewed the basic steps of prayer (see Luke 11:2–4). But he cut short that instruction to talk about two related subjects: asking God and being generous (see Luke 11:5–13). In that instructional setting he did not need to give his words on prayer a formal conclusion and simply ended with “Amen.”
The longest ending for the Lord’s Prayer is found in Matthew 6:15 JST: “forever and ever, amen.” Here Jesus speaks to his apostles as he sends them into the mission field to testify of eternal truths (see Matthew 5:3–4; 6:25–27; 7:1 JST). In this priesthood setting, the ending emphasizes the everlasting nature of the kingdom of God.
Thus, variations between the four scriptural versions of the Lord’s prayer are understandable. Rather than being problematic, the differences each bespeak authenticity through the authority of actual experiences.
Research by John W. Welch, originally published as a FARMS Update in Insights (June 1996): 2.
Notes
1. James H. Charlesworth, “Semitisms in the New Testament and the Need to Clarify the Importance of the Syriac New Testament,” in Salvación en la Palabra (n.p., 1986), 633.
2. Ibid., 637.
3. See John W. Welch, Illuminating the Sermon at the Temple and Sermon on the Mount (Provo, Utah: FARMS, 1999), 206–8.
4. Ibid., 81, 207.
Summary:
When one agrees on what was and has been taught throughout all of the dispensations which the Gospel of Jesus Christ has been on this earth and through all generations of time in its fulness – then one simplifies the prism through which they look. There have been six dispensations before the present one which we’re now in extending from Adam to our modern day. Each dispensation has taught exactly the same truths without wavering from the Savior, the Prophet’s or the Apostles then or now. There is no conflict found in any of these teachings.
Simple to understand – common sense – and without the rhetoric of philosophy mixed with the Scriptures used by men/women to confuse and confound. What we accept will depend on how we choose to live our lives – in accordance with all of the Teachings of the Savior and his Prophet’s and Apostles or in the justifications of men/women. This is an easy choice for all – regardless of which way they choose. Therefore few will choose the road to Zion and many will travel any road to Babylon. c/ork
“Clarifications”
cji
7/12/10
Back to the basics
simple truths to feel
concepts and teachings
nothing difficult to know;
Carefully enumerated
without false doctrines
simple truths to heed
clarifications made!
Copyright © 2010 – cji
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