There's Still Hope for All of Us:
My process of repentance continues. In a public forum, I refuse to include anyone by name into any particular group. Final Judgement is the Lord's responsibility, not ours. While we are still under probation, we can still repent and still forgive, so we can choose to repent and change groups any time we want to, so long as our probation continues.
Unless our Eternal Election has been sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise, it's never too late to repent, to change course, and to decide to be better and think better. Even then, we will still have agency. Cain can still choose to do good if he actually wants to do good and be good, even though his appointment with Outer Darkness has already been sealed upon his head.
There was a time when Cain was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ, but he chose to leave that group and join another group. It was his choice. Nobody made him do it. Cain committed murder after having his Calling and Election Made Sure; therefore, Cain became a Son of Perdition and had Outer Darkness sealed upon his head instead. But, Cain can still choose to do good if he wants to.
If we can choose to leave the Church of Jesus Christ and abandon God's Apostles, then we can also choose to join the Church of Jesus Christ in our hearts and in deed, and choose to sustain the Apostles of God. Before the Final Judgment, it's never too late to repent and make that choice, unless we go so far in the hole as to have Outer Darkness sealed upon our heads instead.
There's still hope for all of us, unless some of us have already had Outer Darkness sealed upon our heads.
Callings and Elections
Tuesday, August 19, 2014
Thursday, August 14, 2014
Links to My Blogs
Callings and Elections:
http://callingsandelections.blogspot.com/
Women Ordained:
http://allwomenordained.blogspot.com/
Of God and Goddesses:
http://ofgodandgoddesses.blogspot.com/
http://callingsandelections.blogspot.com/
Women Ordained:
http://allwomenordained.blogspot.com/
Of God and Goddesses:
http://ofgodandgoddesses.blogspot.com/
Sunday, August 3, 2014
Discussing Callings and Elections
Discussing
Callings and Elections:
I
have chosen to use Strong's Concordance or Strong's Lexicon in an
attempt to get at the original meaning of these words. We talk about
them a lot in the LDS Church, but many of us don't seem to know what
they really mean.
Calling:
Strong's
G2821: A call or an invitation to a feast or to God. The
divine invitation to embrace salvation from God. A call or
invitation to return to God's presence someday.
Strong's
G2564: To invite. To give a name to. To be given a new name or a
new title.
Elect:
Strong's
G1588: Chosen by God. The
Messiah is called "elect", as appointed by God to the most
exalted office conceivable. Choice, select, i.e. the best of its
kind or class, excellence preeminent. All are called, but few are
Chosen or Elected by God for the greatest Positions, Callings,
Blessings, and Gifts.
Election:
Strong's
G1589: The
act of picking out or choosing. The act of God's free will by which
before the foundation of the world He decreed His blessings to
certain persons. This definition tells us that many Elections or
Blessings or many of His Choices or Gifts were decreed by God long
before this earth was founded. The
Elect or the Elected is a person chosen by God to receive some kind
of Gift, Calling, Position, or Blessing from God. The Chosen One
received an Election from God or was chosen by God before the
foundation of the world. There are different kinds of Elections just
as there are different kinds of Callings.
Strong's
G1586: To choose or to choose out of a group. God choosing one for
an office or a position. God setting us apart to a Holy Purpose or
making us Choice. This implies receiving a New Calling or a Higher
Calling from God. What happens when we vote and elect somebody to an
office? Well, we choose that person to assume a new exalted position
in the community; or that person is chosen by the public to serve the
public. It's the same concept, except when God elects or chooses the
Chosen One, it's meant to be an Eternal or Everlasting choice or
election. God plays for keeps.
To
Make:
Strong's
G4160: To construct, form, or fashion. To make ready or to prepare.
To produce, to bear, to shoot forth. To be fruitful or to produce
fruit. To appoint or to ordain. To do rightly, to do well, to carry
out God's plan, or to execute God's plan. To do a thing unto God.
To perform a promise unto God. To author something. To have regard
for, to care for, or to make provision for. To choose to open our
hearts and minds to God.
Sure:
Strong's
G949: Stable, fast, firm, trusty. Valid and therefore inviolable.
Unshaken and constant. If God makes something Sure, then that thing
becomes Permanent, Eternal, and Everlasting. You can count on it to
hold fast and firm.
Pass
Me the Ammunition, Please:
A
friend of mine likes to call this the Doctrine of Becoming; in other
words, the Doctrine of Becoming Like God, or the Doctrine of
Returning to God.
Hugh
Nibley says that it's all about Repentance and Forgiveness. If you
stop doing those two things, then you are in real trouble.
D&C
76: 50-70:
50
And again we bear record – for we saw and heard, and this is the
testimony of the gospel of Christ concerning them who shall come
forth in the resurrection of the just --
51
They are they who received the testimony of Jesus, and believed on
his name and were baptized after the manner of his burial, being
buried in the water in his name, and this according to the
commandment which he has given --
52
That by keeping the commandments they might be washed and cleansed
from all their sins, and receive the Holy Spirit by the laying on of
the hands of him who is ordained and sealed unto this power;
53
And who overcome by faith, and are sealed by the Holy Spirit of
promise, which the Father sheds forth upon all those who are just and
true.
54
They are they who are the church of the Firstborn.
55
They are they into whose hands the Father has given all things --
56
They are they who are priests and kings, who have received of his
fulness, and of his glory;
57
And are priests of the Most High, after the order of Melchizedek,
which was after the order of Enoch, which was after the order of the
Only Begotten Son.
58
Wherefore, as it is written, they are gods, even the sons of God --
59
Wherefore, all things are theirs, whether life or death, or things
present, or things to come, all are theirs and they are Christ's, and
Christ is God's.
60
And they shall overcome all things.
61
Wherefore, let no man glory in man, but rather let him glory in God,
who shall subdue all enemies under his feet.
62
These shall dwell in the presence of God and his Christ forever and
ever.
63
These are they whom he shall bring with him, when he shall come in
the clouds of heaven to reign on the earth over his people.
64
These are they who shall have part in the first resurrection.
65
These are they who shall come forth in the resurrection of the just.
66
These are they who are come unto Mount Zion, and unto the city of the
living God, the heavenly place, the holiest of all.
67
These are they who have come to an innumerable company of angels, to
the general assembly and church of Enoch, and of the Firstborn.
68
These are they whose names are written in heaven, where God and
Christ are the judge of all.
69
These are they who are just men made perfect through Jesus the
mediator of the new covenant, who wrought out this perfect atonement
through the shedding of his own blood.
70
These are they whose bodies are celestial, whose glory is that of the
sun, even the glory of God, the highest of all, whose glory the sun
of the firmament is written of as being typical.
Joseph
Smith, Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, selected and arranged
by Joseph Fielding Smith, p.366:
I
am going on in my progress for eternal life. It is not only
necessary that you should be baptized for your dead, but you will
have to go through all the ordinances for them, the same as you have
gone through to save yourselves. There will be 144,000 saviors on
Mount Zion, and with them an innumerable host that no man can number.
Oh! I beseech you to go forward, go forward and make your calling
and your election sure; and if any man preach any other Gospel than
that which I have preached, he shall be cursed; and some of you who
now hear me shall see it, and know that I testify the truth
concerning them.
End
of quote.
If
we try to lead a man to any other Church than the one that Joseph
Smith and Jesus Christ established, then we shall be cursed. If we
forsake the Saving Ordinances that we have received in the Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, then we shall be cursed.
Bruce
R. McConkie, Doctrinal New Testament Commentary, 3 vols., 3:, p.327,
329, 330:
What
is meant by calling? And who are the called of God?
To
be called is to be a member of the Church and kingdom of God on
earth; it is to be numbered with the saints; it is to accept the
gospel and receive the everlasting covenant; it is to have part and
lot in the earthly Zion; it is to be born again, to be a son or a
daughter of the Lord Jesus Christ; to have membership in the
household of faith; it is to be on the path leading to eternal life
and to have the hope of eternal glory; it is to have a conditional
promise of eternal life; it is to be an inheritor of all of the
blessings of the gospel, provided there is continued obedience to the
laws and ordinances thereof.
Within
this over-all framework, there are individual calls to positions of
trust and responsibility, but these are simply assignments to labor
on the Lord's errand, in particular places, for a time and a season.
The call itself is to the gospel cause; it is not reserved for
apostles and prophets or for the great and mighty in Israel; it is
for all the members of the kingdom.
The
call originates with God, is available because of his grace and
goodness, and is offered to various peoples and nations according to
his will and on his divine timetable. From the day of Jacob to the
coming of Christ the house of Israel was the called and chosen people
of the Lord. During the day of his mortal ministry our Lord limited
the call to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. (Matt. 10:5-7.)
After his resurrection he commanded his ministers to make the call
available to all men. (Mark 16:15-16.) But only those who actually
receive the gospel, who make the everlasting covenant, who cleave
unto the truth and strive to live in harmony with the revealed word,
only these are numbered among those whom the scriptures name as the
called of the Lord.
Now
what is meant by making a calling sure?
All
blessings promised in connection with the callings of God are
conditional; they are offered to men provided they obey the laws upon
which their receipt is predicated. (D. & C. 130:20-21.) "For
all who will have a blessing at my hands," the Lord says, "shall
abide the law which was appointed for that blessing, and the
conditions thereof, as were instituted from before the foundation of
the world." (D. & C. 132:5.)
It
follows, then, that when the law has been lived to the full, the
promised blessing is guaranteed. "I, the Lord, am bound when ye
do what I say; but when ye do not what I say, ye have no promise."
(D. & C. 82:10.) Accordingly, when a man lives the law that
qualifies him for eternal life, the Lord is bound by his own law to
confer that greatest of all gifts upon him. And if by a long course
of trial and obedience, while yet in this life, a man proves to the
Lord that he has and will abide in the truth, the Lord accepts the
exhibited devotion and issues his decree that the promised blessings
shall be received. The calling, which up to that time was
provisional, is then made sure. The receipt of the promised blessings
are no longer conditional; they are guaranteed. Announcement is made
that every gospel blessing shall be inherited.
End
of quote.
We
have to become and remain members of the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints in order to have our Calling Made Sure.
1
Timothy 6:12: Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal
life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good
profession before many witnesses.
The
Saints in every Gospel Dispensation are Called unto Eternal Life.
Bruce
R. McConkie, Doctrinal New Testament Commentary, 3 vols., 3:
What
is meant by election? Who are the elect of God? To what have they
been elected? And why?
Election
is akin to and synonymous with calling, and in a general sense the
elect comprise the whole house of Israel. (Isa. 45:4; 65:9.) Jesus
and Paul and Peter speak of the elect as the saints, as the faithful
believers, as those who love the Lord and are seeking righteousness.
(Matt. 24:22; Mark 13:20; Luke 18:7; Col. 3:12; 2 Tim. 2:10; Titus
1:1.) And the Lord in our day has promised to gather and save his
elect. (D. & C. 29:7; 33:6; 35:20.) Paul speaks of the elect
along with the called, setting forth that they are foreordained to be
like Christ, that their conduct here is justified, and that they
shall be glorified hereafter. (Rom. 8:28-30.) Peter specifies that
their high status is "according to the foreknowledge of God the
Father" (1 Pet. 1:2), and Isaiah assures us that great blessings
shall flow to them during the Millennial Era. (Isa. 65:22.)
But
in the most express and proper usage of terms, "The elect of God
comprise a very select group, an inner circle of faithful members of
the Church. . . . They are the portion of church members who are
striving with all their hearts to keep the fulness of the gospel law
in this life so that they can become inheritors of the fulness of
gospel rewards in the life to come.
"As
far as the male sex is concerned, they are the ones, the Lord says,
who have the Melchizedek Priesthood conferred upon them and who
thereafter magnify their callings and are sanctified by the Spirit.
In this way, 'They become the sons of Moses and of Aaron and the seed
of Abraham, and the church and kingdom, and the elect of God.' "
(Mormon Doctrine, 2nd ed., p. 217.) See Commentary II, pp. 267-269,
271-278, 283-285.
What
is meant by making an election sure?
It
is with election as with calling: the chosen of the Lord are offered
all of the blessings of the gospel on condition of obedience to the
Lord's laws; and they, having been tried and tested and found worthy
in all things, eventually have a seal placed on their election which
guarantees the receipt of the promised blessing.
What
is meant by having one's calling and election made sure?
To
have one's calling and election made sure is to be sealed up unto
eternal life; it is to have the unconditional guarantee of exaltation
in the highest heaven of the celestial world; it is to receive the
assurance of godhood; it is, in effect, to have the day of judgment
advanced, so that an inheritance of all the glory and honor of the
Father's kingdom is assured prior to the day when the faithful
actually enter into the divine presence to sit with Christ in his
throne, even as he is "set down" with his "Father in
his throne." (Rev. 3:21.)
Baptism
is the beginning of personal righteousness; it opens the door to
celestial exaltation; it puts us on the path leading to eternal life.
As Nephi expressed it, when we enter "the gate" of
"repentance and baptism" and receive "a remission"
of our sins "by fire and by the Holy Ghost," we are then on
the "straight and narrow path which leads to eternal life."
Nephi
then asks if we have thereby done all that is necessary to gain that
glorious reward, and answers with an emphatic, No! "Ye must
press forward with a steadfastness in Christ," he says, "having
a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men.
Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of
Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye
shall have eternal life." (2 Ne. 31:17-21.)
What
is the relationship between celestial marriage and having one's
calling and election made sure?
In
the same sense that baptism opens the door and starts repentant
persons traveling on the path leading to eternal life, so also does
celestial marriage. This holy order of matrimony also opens a door
leading to celestial exaltation. "In the celestial glory there
are three heavens or degrees; And in order to obtain the highest, a
man must enter into this order of the priesthood [meaning the new and
everlasting covenant of marriage]; And if he does not, he cannot
obtain it. He may enter into the other, but that is the end of his
kingdom; he cannot have an increase." (D. & C. 131:1-4.)
As
everyone who has been married in the temple knows, those so united –
by the power and authority of the holy priesthood and by virtue of
the sealing power restored by Elijah – are promised an inheritance
of glory, honor, power, and dominion in the kingdom of God. But, as
with baptism, all the promises are conditional; they are specifically
and pointedly stated as being contingent upon the subsequent
faithfulness of the participating parties. If they keep the
commandments after celestial marriage, their union continues in the
life to come; if they do not conform to the standards of personal
righteousness involved, their marriage is not of force when they die
and they revert to their separate and single status.
As
we have already seen, making one's calling and election sure comes
after and grows out of celestial marriage. Eternal life does not and
cannot exist for a man or a woman alone, because in its very nature
it consists of the continuation of the family unit in eternity. Thus
the revelation on marriage speaks both of celestial marriage (in
which the conditional promises of eternal life are given) and of
making one's calling and election sure (in which the unconditional
promise of eternal life are given) in one and the same sentence.
End
of quote.
Remember,
you do NOT step off the path or quit the Church of Jesus Christ after
having your Calling and Election Made Sure. Instead, you are given a
New Calling to go out and use your newly received gifts to help bring
people to Jesus Christ and His Church. You can't bring people to the
one without bringing them to the other.
D&C
132 tells us that we have to continue “to abide in the covenant”
after having our Calling and Election Made Sure and after having our
Celestial Marriage sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise, or we can
lose our blessings. Therefore, you have to remain a member of the
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, or your Calling and
Election are forfeited. As Hans Solo said to Luke Skywalker, “Don't
get cocky, kid.”
Getting
Ripe:
Joseph
Smith, Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, selected and arranged
by Joseph Fielding Smith, p.298:
Now
for the secret and grand key. Though they might hear the voice of God
and know that Jesus was the Son of God, this would be no evidence
that their election and calling was made sure, that they had part
with Christ, and were joint heirs with Him. They then would want that
more sure word of prophecy, that they were sealed in the heavens and
had the promise of eternal life in the kingdom of God. Then, having
this promise sealed unto them, it was an anchor to the soul, sure and
steadfast. Though the thunders might roll and lightnings flash, and
earthquakes bellow, and war gather thick around, yet this hope and
knowledge would support the soul in every hour of trial, trouble and
tribulation. Then knowledge through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ
is the grand key that unlocks the glories and mysteries of the
kingdom of heaven.
Compare
this principle once with Christendom at the present day, and where
are they, with all their boasted religion, piety and sacredness while
at the same time they are crying out against prophets, apostles,
angels, revelations, prophesying and visions, etc. Why, they are
just ripening for the damnation of hell. They will be damned, for
they reject the most glorious principle of the Gospel of Jesus Christ
and treat with disdain and trample under foot the key that unlocks
the heavens and puts in our possession the glories of the celestial
world. Yes, I say, such will be damned, with all their professed
godliness. Then I would exhort you to go on and continue to call
upon God until you make your calling and sure for yourselves, by
obtaining this more sure word of prophecy, and wait patiently for the
promise until you obtain it, etc.
End
of quote.
Beware
that some of the people who have had their Calling and Election Made
Sure or who have received the Second Comforter are in fact now crying
out against the Prophets and Apostles saying that the LDS Apostles
have fallen and are no longer receiving revelation from God. Thus,
these LDS Apostates are ripening for the damnation of hell. Such
will be damned with all of their professed godliness, according to
Joseph Smith.
Church
of the Firstborn:
Anti-Christs
can easily distort this concept in order to promote their personal
agenda. Many of the anti-Christs will tell us publicly that they are
the Davidic Servant, or a Prophet of God, or one of the 144000, or a
translated messenger from Heaven, or a member of the Church of the
Firstborn, in order to lead us away from the Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter-day Saints.
Even
among the Latter-day Saints, this concept is often seen from
different perspectives.
George
Reynolds and Janne M. Sjodahl, Commentary on the Book of Mormon,
edited and arranged by Philip C. Reynolds, 7 vols., 1:, p.228:
The
Church of the Firstborn. "Let me explain what the Church of the
Firstborn is. It is the first Church that ever was raised up upon
this earth; that is, the firstborn Church. That is what I mean; and
when God, our Father, organized that church, he organized it just as
his Father organized the church on the earth where he dwelt; and that
same order is organized here in the city of Great Salt Lake; and it
is that order that Joseph Smith, the prophet of God, organized in the
beginning in Kirtland, Ohio. Brother Brigham Young, myself, and
others were present when that was done; and when those officers
received their endowments, they were together in one place. They were
organized and received their endowments and blessings, and those keys
were placed upon them, and that kingdom will stand for ever."
(Heber C. Kimball, J. of D., vol. 5, p. 129)
End
of quote.
Hebrews
12: 22-23:
22
But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God,
the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,
23
To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are
written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of
just men made perfect.
Christ
is the Firstborn, so this “Church of the Firstborn” is Christ's
Church.
The
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is an extension of the
Church of the Firstborn and also an introduction or an initiation
into the Church of the Firstborn.
The
way I see it is that the Church of the Firstborn is the church that
we were baptized into and confirmed or sealed into while in Heaven in
the pre-mortal realms. The Church of the Firstborn is the Kingdom of
God in Heaven. Our spirit bodies would have needed baptism and
confirmation into the Church of the Firstborn while in Heaven in
prelude or preparation for the baptism and confirmation of our
physical bodies into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
while in this mortal earthly life. The LDS Church is the Kingdom of
God here on this earth right now.
While
here in this mortal life, we can receive Election or a Choosing from
God back into the Church of the Firstborn signifying that when we die
we will go to Paradise or Zion in the spirit world and signifying
that when we are resurrected from the dead we will remain and already
be members of the Heavenly Church and return to the Church of the
Firstborn in the Celestial Kingdom from whence we came.
Jesus
Christ seems to see Himself and His Church as being one and the same
thing; therefore, the Church Membership is often described as The
Body of Christ. Christ often describes His Churches or His Gospel
Dispensations as the Brides, and then describes Himself as the
Bridegroom. Jesus Christ truly sees Himself and the Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints as being one and the same thing, because
He has married the two together for all Eternity. Therefore, when a
person divorces himself from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints, he is in fact divorcing himself from Jesus Christ. These are
hard sayings for anyone who has apostatized or been excommunicated
from the LDS Church; but, they are the truth, if the LDS Scriptures
are true.
The
scary part is that it's possible before the resurrection from the
dead to apostatize from the Church of the Firstborn just as it is
possible to apostatize from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints. One has to remain true and faithful to Christ and His
Churches in order to reap the all rewards at the end. It's possible
for a person to torpedo his Calling and Election Made Sure. That's
how people become Sons of Perdition and end up in Outer Darkness.
If
a person refuses to remain loyal to the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints after having his or her Calling and Election Made
Sure, then that person is running the risk of becoming a Son of
Perdition.
I
also believe that it is fully possible for a woman to rebel against
the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints after having her
Calling and Election Made Sure; and, she will indeed become a
Daughter of Perdition if she persists in that course.
God
is no respecter of persons. If a daughter of God wants to abandon
Jesus Christ and His Church, she will be granted her wish, if that's
her heart's desire, even if she has had her Calling and Election Made
Sure, Seen Christ, or been inducted back into the Church of the
Firstborn. It doesn't matter whether she abandons the LDS Church or
abandons Jesus Christ, because in the end the net result will be the
same. Christ will say to her at the Judgment Day, “I never knew
you. Depart from me ye that work iniquity.”
If
you are a man and deliberately walk away from the Oath and Covenant
of the Priesthood in the LDS Church, Christ will say the same thing
to you at Judgment Day no matter how many miracles you might have
performed before you chose to walk away from the Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Be
Careful About Boasting and Bragging:
If
God has given you Pearls or Mysteries, be careful how you choose to
share them. If God has given you a Gift, He can also take it away.
If you have received a Testimony of the Gospel or a Testimony of the
LDS Church, you can lose that testimony if you are not careful.
Alma
12: 9-11:
9
And now Alma began to expound these things unto him, saying: It is
given unto many to know the mysteries of God; nevertheless they are
laid under a strict command that they shall not impart only according
to the portion of his word which he doth grant unto the children of
men, according to the heed and diligence which they give unto him.
10
And therefore, he that will harden his heart, the same receiveth the
lesser portion of the word; and he that will not harden his heart, to
him is given the greater portion of the word, until it is given unto
him to know the mysteries of God until he know them in full.
11
And they that will harden their hearts, to them is given the lesser
portion of the word until they know nothing concerning his mysteries;
and then they are taken captive by the devil, and led by his will
down to destruction. Now this is what is meant by the chains of hell.
Be
careful whom you share your sacred experiences with. The only
legitimate reason to share sacred experiences is to build Zion, which
at this point happens to be The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints. We know that in each Gospel Dispensation, Jesus Christ sees
Himself and His Church as being one and the same thing.
If
you are sharing your sacred experiences for any other purpose than to
build up the Kingdom of God here on this earth, then you are
committing a sin and are in need of some serious repentance. If you
are not leading people to Jesus Christ and His Church, the LDS
Church, then you are in fact leading them somewhere else instead.
You will be held accountable for your actions, especially if you have
received the Second Comforter or had your Calling and Election Made
Sure. By separating ourselves or distancing ourselves from the
Church of Jesus Christ, we are in fact separating ourselves and
distancing ourselves from Jesus Christ, the head of His Church.
Expanding
One's Mind and Understanding:
I have learned and come to know that there are many different Callings that we can receive from the Lord. Women naturally receive different Callings than the men do.
There are also many different Elections, Gifts, Blessings, or Promises that we can receive from the Lord also.
The Election or Promise from the Lord that an individual will one day enter into the Celestial Kingdom is available to every baptized and faithful Latter-day Saint, male or female.
There is every indication that the Elections or Gifts that we call the Gift of the Holy Ghost and the Second Comforter are open to every baptized and confirmed Latter-day Saint, male or female.
I have learned and come to know that there are many different Callings that we can receive from the Lord. Women naturally receive different Callings than the men do.
There are also many different Elections, Gifts, Blessings, or Promises that we can receive from the Lord also.
The Election or Promise from the Lord that an individual will one day enter into the Celestial Kingdom is available to every baptized and faithful Latter-day Saint, male or female.
There is every indication that the Elections or Gifts that we call the Gift of the Holy Ghost and the Second Comforter are open to every baptized and confirmed Latter-day Saint, male or female.
Other
Elections, such as the Sealing Power or the Oath and Covenant of the
Priesthood are available to the LDS males on an individual basis.
These kinds of Elections can be Made Sure or Made Eternal by God on
an individual basis.
The Election or Promise of having one's Celestial Marriage Made Sure or Made Eternal (and thus the Highest Degree in the Celestial Kingdom or the Highest Exaltation in the Celestial Kingdom) is ONLY available to an LDS couple, male and female, who have been sealed together by the Sealing Power in the Temple of God. This Election or Promise is only available to married LDS couples. Single individuals cannot apply for this Gift let alone receive it.
Only married LDS couples can receive this version of Eternal Life, the highest form of Exaltation. Their Temple Marriage or Celestial Marriage will have to be sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise before this married couple will receive this Gift from the Lord.
If a man or a woman has received his or her Calling and Election Made Sure, then the next logical step for the individual is to pursue that same Gift or Election for his or her own spouse, so that their Celestial Marriage can be Made Sure as well.
All things in their own proper order.
The Election or Promise of having one's Celestial Marriage Made Sure or Made Eternal (and thus the Highest Degree in the Celestial Kingdom or the Highest Exaltation in the Celestial Kingdom) is ONLY available to an LDS couple, male and female, who have been sealed together by the Sealing Power in the Temple of God. This Election or Promise is only available to married LDS couples. Single individuals cannot apply for this Gift let alone receive it.
Only married LDS couples can receive this version of Eternal Life, the highest form of Exaltation. Their Temple Marriage or Celestial Marriage will have to be sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise before this married couple will receive this Gift from the Lord.
If a man or a woman has received his or her Calling and Election Made Sure, then the next logical step for the individual is to pursue that same Gift or Election for his or her own spouse, so that their Celestial Marriage can be Made Sure as well.
All things in their own proper order.
Saturday, July 12, 2014
The Sure Thing
Multiple Callings and Multiple Elections:
It amazes me how intelligent and cunning Heavenly Father really is. He won't allow Himself to be mocked or tricked or abused.
We have all been issued a Calling to come back to Heavenly Father. The associated Election or the Gift takes place when God grants and promises the recipient Eternal Life. It's supposed to be a comfort and a support to the individual, and it's supposed to open a New Door, New Possibilities, or New Callings that were not possible to the recipient before the Election or Gift was granted or given. It becomes truly Sure when the recipient of that particular Election actually steps into the Celestial Kingdom in the next life instead of going to Outer Darkness in the next life.
Some people are so focused on that one particular Gift or Election (the promise of Eternal Life) that they ignore all the others that God offers. They are so focused on becoming members of the Church of the Firstborn, that once they believe that they have achieved that particular Election then they think that they have graduated from the LDS Church and no longer need any of the other Blessings or Elections that God offers to us through the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I sometimes wonder if God meant for it to be that way, in order to test the people's faith, loyalty, and staying power. Most people can't see that God offers more than one Election or Gift or Blessing through membership in the Church of Jesus Christ.
So many people get the one that they want, and then they leave the LDS Church and leave all of the other Elections and Blessings on the table fully satisfied that they got the one they wanted and that they don't need any more Blessings or Callings from God. Remember, there is more than one sin or shortcoming that Jesus Christ atoned for; and thus, there is more than one blessing or Election or gift that He offers to us.
We have each heard of the people who proudly announce to their Bishop or Hometeacher that they no longer need to attend the LDS Church and no longer have to accept any more callings in the LDS Church because they have had their Calling and Election Made Sure. They can't even see the fallacy or the flaw in their logic or declaration. They are confident that they know exactly what they are talking about and have received from God all that they need to receive. These people have been tricked by Satan who has gotten them to stop looking for any more Blessings from God. Satan doesn't want them to have any more Elections or Blessings from God and will even make their Calling and Election Sure so that they will stop looking for any more blessings or gifts from God.
Notice what happens next each and every time in the LDS Scriptures whenever a Prophet has an Election Made Sure or is Given a Gift from God. God issues a New Calling to the individual. Elections open New Doors or New Possibilities. Every time God gives an individual a Gift, that newly re-made individual can now do things that were impossible for him to do before receiving the Election or Gift from God. Every time God gives a person a Gift or an Election, God expects that person and Calls that person to go and use that Gift to feed Christ's sheep. What incentive does God have to give a person a Gift if God knows that that person has no intention of using that Election or Gift to feed Christ's Sheep? Study the Parable of the Talents or the Parable of the Elections. What happens when someone refuses to use a Gift from God to feed Christ's sheep? That Election or Gift or Talent is taken away from the individual and given to another individual who will use the Talent to feed Christ's sheep.
If a person says that he has had his Calling and Election Made Sure, yet that person received no New Calling from God and refuses to accept any new callings in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, then that serves as a sign that the person either made it all up or that Satan made that person's Calling and Election Sure. Having one's Calling and Election made Sure has no value to a person if the gift came from Satan instead of God. Satan doesn't have the power to grant anyone Eternal Life or entry into the Celestial Kingdom.
Over the years, I have noticed some Latter-day Saints go public with the claim that they have received the Second Comforter. The ones that I have noticed who have gone public with such a claim are now years later making the claim that they no longer need the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, because they have received such a wonderful Gift or Election from God and have now gone further than any living LDS Apostle has gone. As I see it though, the recipients of the Second Comforter should instead be asking, “What's next?” LDS Theology makes brief mention of a Third Comforter.
Each Election or Gift from God always opens a New Door to another possible Calling or Election. The LDS Scriptures counsel us not to be satisfied with the Gifts or the Elections that we have already received, and instead, counsel us to seek for even more. We are told to increase our Talents or to increase our Elections. We are told to covet the best gifts from God. This applies not only to Spiritual Gifts but also to the Best Callings and the Best Elections. There is only one time when it is righteous to covet, and that's when we are coveting to become even more like God the Father and Jesus Christ. If you receive an Election or Gift from God, the natural question to be asking is, “What's next?”
On various LDS forums and in LDS magazines, there is ongoing talk of a Second Endowment, a Second Anointing, a Second Washing, a New Calling, a New Name, and so forth. A simple Google search brings it all up, so we can see how it is all being ridiculed and mocked and distorted. I have periodically found myself asking, “Why is God doubling up and then tripling up on all of these things?” Then I read of those who have received The Second Comforter, and they have decided to leave the LDS Church or have been excommunicated from the LDS Church. I read of others who have received the Second Endowment or Second Anointing, and then they decide to leave the LDS Church for whatever reason. Then I suddenly have my answer as to why God is tripling up on some of these things. Those who don't figure out how to properly handle or incorporate the Second One will not be around to receive the Third One.
The Holy Ghost gives us our First One, of whatever Gift or Election it is that we receive in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Our next Election in the series is given to us or sealed by Jesus Christ. The Third One in the series is handled by God the Father. It's a progression or a ladder. All throughout the process we have to remain a member of the Church of Jesus Christ, or the progression comes to an end. If you have received the First One in an Election or Gift series, you should be asking, “What's next?” If you have received the Second One in an Election series, then you should be asking, “What's next?”
It's all leading towards returning to God the Father. Until you have entered into the presence of God the Father to remain for the rest of Eternity, then you are NOT done or finished yet. What did the Resurrected Jesus Christ have to do before other people were allowed to touch Him? He had to return to the Presence of God the Father. Jesus had to be completed or finished by God the Father. In all things, we are told to do as Jesus Christ has done, including returning to the presence of God the Father one day for the final perfecting or the final completion. If that hasn't happened to you yet, then you are not done; and, you still have need for the Church of Jesus Christ. It might not need you, but you still need it.
Let me ask you a simple question. Have you stood in the presence of God the Father in a resurrected body and been completed or finished or perfected by God the Father? If not, then you are NOT done yet; and therefore, you still have need for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The truth is simple and plain. The Third Comforter, the Third Endowment, the Third Anointing, and the Third Election in any Election Series all take place in the Presence of God the Father. God the Father is the one who will complete you or finish you and make you perfect. With maybe the exception of the Third Comforter, all of these other “Third Elections” are only available after we have been resurrected from the dead. It's one thing to have the Holy Ghost or Jesus Christ promise you Eternal Life; but, it's a whole other ballgame when God the Father actually gives you Eternal Life.
My advice is not to apostatize from the LDS Church, until after you have received all of the possible Elections or Blessings from God that you can get through membership in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and know for sure that all of them are yours for the rest of Eternity. Don't jump over the cliff until you know that you have a safe place to land. You want to make Sure that you don't leave any Blessings or Elections behind when you decide to pack it all in and go someplace else. There's only one problem. How can you really be sure that you have received all of the Blessings and Gifts and Elections that God has available to give you through His Church, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints? How can you be sure that you are not leaving something valuable behind when you decide to leave the LDS Church and never come back?
Remember, every day in the spirit world, people willingly and eagerly join the Church of Jesus Christ so that they can move from Spirit Prison into Paradise. Even they have a need for membership in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, even though they are no longer mortal. Remember, you are still going to have a need for your LDS Ordinances, LDS Temple Blessings, LDS Priesthood, and LDS Covenants long after you are dead and have found yourself in the spirit world. Any other Elections or Gifts from God that you have received from God will come in handy too, while you are in the spirit world, unless you have deliberately walked away from them in this life.
Scriptures to Consider:
2 Nephi 29: 9: And I do this that I may prove unto many that I am the same yesterday, today, and forever; and that I speak forth my words according to mine own pleasure. And because that I have spoken one word ye need not suppose that I cannot speak another; for my work is not yet finished; neither shall it be until the end of man, neither from that time henceforth and forever.
Likening this Scripture unto This Topic:
2 Nephi 29: 9: And I do this that I may prove unto many that I am the same yesterday, today, and forever; and that I give forth my Gifts and Elections according to mine own pleasure. And because that I have given one Election ye need not suppose that I cannot give another Election; for my work is not yet finished; neither shall it be until the end of man when he is no longer a mortal man but a Resurrected God, neither from that time henceforth and forever.
The Summation:
2 Nephi 31: 15-21:
15 And I heard a voice from the Father, saying: Yea, the words of my Beloved are true and faithful. He that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved.
16 And now, my beloved brethren, I know by this that unless a man shall endure to the end, in following the example of the Son of the living God, he cannot be saved.
17 Wherefore, do the things which I have told you I have seen that your Lord and your Redeemer should do; for, for this cause have they been shown unto me, that ye might know the gate by which ye should enter. For the gate by which ye should enter is repentance and baptism by water; and then cometh a remission of your sins by fire and by the Holy Ghost.
18 And then are ye in this strait and narrow path which leads to eternal life; yea, ye have entered in by the gate; ye have done according to the commandments of the Father and the Son; and ye have received the Holy Ghost, which witnesses of the Father and the Son, unto the fulfilling of the promise which he hath made, that if ye entered in by the way ye should receive.
19 And now, my beloved brethren, after ye have gotten into this strait and narrow path, I would ask if all is done? Behold, I say unto you, Nay; for ye have not come thus far 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.
20 Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life.
21 And now, behold, my beloved brethren, this is the way; and there is none other way nor name given under heaven whereby man can be saved in the kingdom of God. And now, behold, this is the doctrine of Christ, and the only and true doctrine of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, which is one God, without end. Amen.
It's one thing when the Holy Ghost tells you that you are going to have Eternal Life. It's another thing when Jesus Christ tells you that you are going to have Eternal Life. It's a Third Thing when God the Father tells you that you are going to have Eternal Life. But, it's a Sure Thing when God the Father actually gives you Eternal Life.
Best wishes to all of you,
Mark My Words
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Doubling and Tripling Elections:
Whenever God the Father starts doubling up on and then tripling up on a single Election, then we know that God is trying to make that Election Sure. God is trying to perfect it. God is trying to perfect it in our lives. God is trying to make that Election an integral part of who and what we really are.
There's a progression going on here, like climbing a ladder to Heaven. One Election leads to the Next One, which leads to the Next One. And, all the Elections or Gifts from God lead to God the Father. You have to choose to climb the ladder to the Celestial Kingdom, and choose to keep climbing, or you will never reach the top of the ladder.
The Elections build upon each other. The current Election builds upon the previous Election, which builds upon the previous Election. You start with a proper foundation, and then you keep building until you have built your own Mansion in Heaven. The sad truth is that you can choose to stop building anywhere along the way, and thus your Mansion in the Celestial Kingdom will never be built.
There's nothing strange or new about any of this. This is the way God has been operating all along. Jesus Christ has told us all about it in the LDS Scriptures. It's there for those who are willing to look and see. The only thing strange is that people are unable to see it, mostly because they don't want to see it.
It seems to me that half of the Latter-day Saints are trying to figure out how to get excommunicated from the LDS Church rather than trying to figure out how to make their next Election Sure.
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Links to my other blogs:
Callings and Elections: http://callingsandelections.blogspot.com/
Women Ordained: http://allwomenordained.blogspot.com/
God and Goddesses: http://ofgodandgoddesses.blogspot.com/
I created this "Callings and Elections" blog in response to the LDS apostates on LDS Freedom Forum who seem to be distorting the Calling and Election made Sure in an attempt to justify their apostasy or excommunication from the LDS Church.
Thursday, July 10, 2014
Revisiting the Calling and Election Made Sure
Revisiting
the Calling and Election Made Sure:
The
Disturbing Introduction:
The
subject of making one's Calling and Election Sure keeps coming up
over and over again, because it is an integral part of the Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the Gospel of Christ. Day
after day all across the globe, Latter-day Saints and LDS General
Authorities are having their Calling and Election Made Sure.
There
are a couple of things about this process that disturb me though,
things that are being misapplied or done incorrectly by some.
It
bothers me on so many different levels whenever someone comes online
or goes public and says, “I just made my Calling and Election
Sure”.
Why
does it disturb me?
These
are things that are between the person and the Lord, and the person
is only permitted by the Lord to reveal the details of the situation
to a few that the Lord directs the person to speak to about it –
NEVER to the general public. Whenever the LDS General Authorities
have their Calling and Election Made Sure or receive the Second
Comforter or receive the Second Endowment, the Lord commands them not
to speak about it in public. They can talk about it in private to a
few members of their family and to a few LDS friends that they have
been given permission to speak to them about it. That's it.
The
True Pattern is that the Lord will command the individual who has
received these things to reveal it in private to only certain people,
and only one on one. The Lord seldom gives the command to reveal
these things in public, unless the Lord is trying to establish a new
dispensation of the Gospel.
I
Did It:
It
seriously bothers me whenever a person says, “I made my Calling and
Election Sure.” Why? Well, that mortal fallen person did NO such
thing at all. What does it mean for something to be Sure? It means
that it is permanent, Eternal, and Everlasting. Is there a mortal
fallen person on this earth who can make anything permanent, Eternal,
and Everlasting? Is there a mortal fallen person who can make
anything Sure? NO!
So,
who is the one who is making the Calling and Election Sure? It is
God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost. They are One.
They are united in the decision. They are the ones who can make a
Calling and Election permanent or Sure. No mortal man can do it.
There
are many different callings that God the Father can give. When is
the calling completed or made sure? When God the Father, Jesus
Christ, and the Holy Ghost declare that the calling has been
completed, finished, or made sure. They become Sure when they are
sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise. There are many different
Elections that God the Father can give. These Elections become sure
when God, Christ, and the Holy Ghost make them Sure, and not a moment
sooner.
Being
baptized into the LDS Church is an Election. When we are baptized
into the LDS Church, we receive an election or an offer or an
ordinance granting us the right to enter into the Celestial Kingdom
of God. So later on during our journey, God the Father, Jesus
Christ, and the Holy Ghost can reveal to us that we will receive
Eternal Life in the Celestial Kingdom. But, when does this promise
really, truly, and honestly become Sure? It becomes Sure the moment
we enter into the Celestial Kingdom, and not a moment before. If you
have already entered into the Celestial Kingdom, then it's a Sure
thing.
Misdirection:
The
next thing that bothers me about all of this is that the ones who are
out there in public telling us that they have had their Calling and
Election Made Sure are also telling us that we will no longer need
the LDS Church, the LDS General Authorities, and the LDS Ordinances
once we have had our Calling and Election made Sure. NO SO!
Nevertheless, these people are out there trying to build a following
and trying to convert people to their personal cause, while at the
same time telling us that the LDS General Authorities have lost their
way and have been rejected by Christ.
The
Latter-day Saints I have met (and the former Saints I have read
about) who have had their Calling and Election Made Sure are still in
the LDS Church while they are also in the Church of the Firstborn.
They work through the LDS Church to bring people into the Church of
the Firstborn.
You
might notice that I don't quote scripture all that much. Have you
ever wondered why? It's because all of the LDS apostates and all
those who have been excommunicated from the LDS Church quote the Book
of Mormon, D&C, Bible, and other LDS Scriptures; and then, they
twist the words, distort the ideas, and change the meaning so that
none of what they say matches with the Official LDS Church Doctrines
or the interpretations of the LDS Scriptures that we have received
from the LDS Apostles over the decades. What good is it to quote the
LDS Scriptures if the only intention is to distort or change their
true meaning?
What
good is it to have one's Calling and Election Made Sure if it is
Satan who making it Sure? Can Satan make any of these sacred things
permanent, Eternal, and Everlasting?
Quoting
Scripture:
Now,
I am going to quote a scripture with the intent of revealing its true
meaning rather than with the intent of distorting or changing its
meaning.
Ephesians
4: 9-15:
9
Now that he ascended (Jesus Christ), what is it but that he also
descended first into the lower parts of the earth?
10
He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all
heavens, that he might fill all things.
11
And he (Jesus Christ) gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and
some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
12
For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for
the edifying of the body of Christ:
13
Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of
the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature
of the fulness of Christ:
14
That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and
carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and
cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
15
But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things,
which is the head, even Christ.
Who
is the one who gave us Apostles, Prophets, Missionaries, Bishops,
Teachers, and Deacons?
Jesus
Christ is the one who gave us these people.
When
did Jesus Christ give us these people?
Well,
we know for certain that Jesus Christ gave us Apostles, Prophets, and
a First Presidency during the time of Christ, during Christ's mortal
ministry.
When
else did Jesus Christ give us Apostles and Prophets and Bishops?
Well, Jesus Christ gave us these people once again during the
Restoration of the Gospel of Christ in 1830.
Who
gave us Moses?
Christ
Jehovah.
Did
Moses have a First Presidency? Who might have been Moses' counselors
in the First Presidency at the time? Did Moses have a Quorum of
Seventy or Seventy Melchizedek Priesthood holders or Seventy Ordained
Elders at his disposal at the time of his Gospel Dispensation? Yes.
What happened to those Seventy Elders? They were taken up Mount
Sinai and introduced to the Lord face-to-face.
We
know that Enoch was the President of the Church of Christ during his
lifetime. We know that Enoch finished or completed a City of Zion, a
full completion of the Gospel of Christ or the Church of the
Firstborn. So, let me ask you some questions. Did the City of Enoch
have Temples? Did the City of Zion have Melchizedek Priesthood
holders? Did the City of Enoch have a First Presidency of the
Church? Did the City of Zion have a quorum of Twelve Apostles? Did
the City of Zion have a quorum of the Seventy?
If
the City of Zion had any of these things, then who would have given
these things to them?
Christ
Jehovah.
Over
and over again, Jesus Christ gives us Apostles, Prophets, Bishops,
Missionaries, Teachers, Patriarchs, and so forth.
Why?
Ephesians
4: 12 says first of all, “For the Perfecting or the Completing of
the Saints.”
Now
wait a minute here! How can a bunch of mortal, fallen, imperfect men
ever Perfect the Saints? How's that even possible?
It
becomes possible on the merits and the grace and the power of the One
who gave the Apostles and Prophets to us.
Don't
ever let the fact that the Apostles and Prophets are fallen, mortal,
and imperfect men drive you away from the One who gave them or the
Church of the One who gave them.
So
many Latter-day Saints get hung up on the fact that their Bishop is
imperfect or the LDS Apostles are imperfect, so much so, that they
willingly and deliberately walk away from the One who gave us the
Apostles and Prophets.
Jesus
Christ's Atonement is powerful enough to compensate for the
inadequacies and imperfections of the LDS General Authorities. Trust
that it is so. This is what it means to have Faith in Christ. Trust
and believe that Christ can perfect us and save us and exalt us
through the guidance of our LDS Leaders and despite the imperfections
of our LDS Leaders. This is what it means to have Faith in Christ.
Trust that Christ is powerful to save.
The
Example:
I
once ran into a person who claimed to have had his Calling and
Election made Sure. I believed that he was the Real Deal, the
Genuine Item, until that person started mocking and ridiculing the
testimony, witnesses, assistance, and love that I had received from
my local Ward Leaders and the local Latter-day Saints. When that
person told me that is was relying upon the arm of flesh and trusting
in the arm of flesh whenever I was sustaining my local LDS Ward
Leaders or sustaining the LDS General Authorities, I knew for a fact
that that person was also mocking the One who had given me the
Apostles, Prophets, Bishops, and LDS Missionaries. The person had
revealed to me his true nature and his true mission. His goal was
NOT the perfecting of the Saints. His goal was NOT to complete or
finish the Saints. His goal was NOT to build my testimony of the LDS
Prophets and the LDS Church. His goal was NOT to convert anyone to
the LDS Church. He had something else in mind.
Let
me share another useful tidbit. Whenever a Stake President and the
High Council of the Stake excommunicates a member of the LDS Church,
what do they tell that person after the event? To they tell that
person to shut up, go away, and never come back? Or do they tell the
person to come to church next Sunday? There is a whole revelation
right there for those who are willing to look and see.
Building
the Church of Jesus Christ:
So
why else did Jesus Christ give us LDS Apostles, LDS Prophets, LDS
Bishops, LDS Missionaries, and LDS Church Members?
Well,
what's next on the list in Ephesians 4: 12?
The
work of the ministry and the edifying of the body of Christ.
Jesus
Christ gave us Apostles and Prophets to work the ministry, to run the
missionary work, and to build the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints. The body of Christ is the Church of Christ. What
does it mean to edify? It means to build. Jesus Christ gave us
Apostle and Prophets to build the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints and to organize and lead the missionary work to all
the world. That's one of the reasons Jesus Christ gave the Apostles,
Prophets, and Bishops to us.
To
Bring Us to God the Father:
Why
else did Jesus Christ give us the LDS Apostles and the LDS Prophets?
Well,
Ephesians 4: 13 gets into the very sacred reasons why Jesus Christ
gave us these men and commanded us to sustain them. In this verse,
we see things like becoming One with God the Father, being completed
or perfected or finished by Christ, having our Calling and Election
Made Sure by the Holy Spirit of Promise, receiving the Second
Comforter and the Second Endowment, and returning home to the
Celestial Kingdom?
How
do all of these things become possible?
They
become possible through the Apostles and Prophets and the LDS Church
that Jesus Christ gave us.
To
Keep the Doctrine of Christ Clean, Pure, and True:
Why
else did Jesus Christ give us Apostles and Prophets?
Ephesians
4: 14 tells us that Christ gives us the LDS Apostles and the LDS
Prophets to keep the Doctrine pure and sound. The Apostles and
Prophets are periodically commanded to correlate or to organize and
expound on the Doctrine of Christ so that these Prophets form a
united front, so that the Saints are not exposed to false doctrines
or easily deceived. Thus, you will see correlation taking place
among the Apostles and Prophets, an attempt to keep the Doctrine of
Christ clean, united, pure, and true. The Apostles and Prophets will
often give us inspired interpretations or explanations of the LDS
Scriptures.
Therefore,
whenever you encounter anyone who is claiming to have had his Calling
and Election Made Sure or claiming to have received the Second
Comforter, and then that person starts mocking and ridiculing the LDS
General Authorities, then you know with a surety (it is a sure sign)
that that person's current message is NOT coming from the One who
gave us the Apostles and Prophets in the first place.
It
is NOT a pure message, clean message, or true message, if the message
is telling us to reject the Apostles and Prophets that Jesus Christ
gave us.
The
Divinely Established Pattern:
I
have periodically stated that I have encountered Latter-day Saints
who I believe have had their Calling and Election Made Sure, have
received the Second Endowment, and have received the Second
Comforter. I think it would be helpful to discuss the pattern or the
way in which these various discussions have taken place.
My
missionary companion and I were visiting with an elderly LDS sister
who had never been married and had never had children; but, she had
received her Temple Endowment. While my companion was in the other
room talking on the phone with his family, this lady came up to me
and said to me, “The Lord has told me to reveal some things to
you.” She then told me about some of the visions, revelations,
manifestations, and experiences she had had throughout her life.
What
was the pattern or the key? First of all, this sister was commanded
by God to tell me her story. Second of all, this whole conversation
took place in private. There was nobody else there besides me and
her. Third, there was an implied understanding that none of this
would be spoken of in public until after she was dead; and most
certainly, I would never mention her name in public should I ever
discuss or mention what she told me. This lady should be dead by
now, and I will never mention her name in public; but now, I feel
guardedly free to talk about this experience whenever I am impressed
upon that I should do so. Notice what I did here. I didn't go into
all the details of the discussion. Instead, I used the discussion to
serve as notice or guidance of the pattern or the key that was
involved in it all.
Notice
the Pattern:
Another
example. I periodically converse with a Latter-day Saint who has had
some of these kinds of sacred experiences, like a Calling and
Election Made Sure, or the Second Endowment, or the Second Comforter.
These conversations are very interesting in that this person will
periodically take a break to pray and ask the Lord what he or she can
reveal to me and what should be kept private for now. What is
revealed to me is very detailed and very informative and extremely
inspirational. Every one of these conversations takes place in
private. It's just between me and this person. It's for nobody
else.
Another
very important thing to notice is that I have no proof and have never
been told whether this person has in fact had the Calling and
Election Made Sure or received the Second Comfort or any of that.
Why? Over and over again during our conversations over the weeks,
months, and years, the Spirit of God commands me NOT to ask this
person if any of these things have happened to this person. The
person does not have a right or the permission to even tell me if any
of these things have happened; and, the Spirit of God tells me not to
even ask. So, I never ask.
I
might ask God some questions; but, I never ask the person to confirm
or deny any of these sacred things, because those things are between
the person and the Lord, and they are none of my business. Instead,
I patiently wait for God to command the person to tell me what God
wants that person to tell me; and, I am satisfied with that. I trust
that there will be more told to me when I am ready to receive more.
Notice
that I refuse to mention this person's name. I will never mention
this person's name in public. That's just simply understood.
Furthermore, notice that I never went into any of the details of what
was said to me, because what was said to me was for me alone. What I
am wanting to show here is the True Pattern of it.
Every
time anything like this happens to me, and it has happened quite a
bit, the person will come up to me in private and say, “The Lord
told me that I'm supposed to tell you something.” Then the person
delivers the message; and then, the person and the Spirit confirm to
me that the message is for me alone. I'm to never mention the name
of the person; and, I'm to take the message to the grave with me,
unless God commands me to do otherwise. Whenever I have been
commanded to reveal the sacred message(s) in detail to someone else,
it has typically been after the story-teller was dead and it is
ALWAYS person to person in person.
Whenever
I do mention it in public, it is usually to show the Pattern of it,
or the way God intends for this to work. I don't go into much detail
about what was actually revealed to me, certainly not while the
person is still alive.
Conclusion:
The
thing I can tell you is that to this very day there are Latter-day
Saints and LDS General Authorities who are having their Calling and
Election Made Sure, have received the Second Endowment, and have
received the Second Comforter because I have read some of their
writings or have met them in person.
It
is also very useful to note that I have no problem discussing in
public the things that I have NOT received from the Lord and His
Saints. However, I refuse to reveal in detail the sacred things that
I have received from the Lord and His Saints. It's a learning
process, and it's an extremely important lesson to learn.
I
have given you some life-saving keys, patterns, types, and signs here
in this essay; but, they will only have value to you if you choose to
make them your own. Be wise as serpents, or be as wise as the
serpents.
When
it comes to the things that have been revealed to me, this is very
important and very sacred material, but it is for me alone. You have
to go get your own. All good things in their own due time according
to the Lord's Timing!
Please
don't let anyone lead you away from the LDS Church and the LDS
General Authorities. Be wiser than that, please! I have been there
already, and trust me, it is no place that you want to go. Let the
Apostles and Prophets lead you to the One who gave the Apostles and
Prophets to us. Trust that the Lord Jesus Christ knows exactly what
He is doing and why He is doing it.
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