Coming Closer to Christ Love

Jude. “Keep Yourselves in the Love of God”

1. Read Jude 1:1–3 and explain in writing how you can multiply mercy, peace, and love. How can you appropriately “contend for the faith”?
• From this reading I felt like we get a strong Idea that in order to receive all these things multiplied then we admit to being followers of Christ standing not only for what he stood for but also living a lifestyle that shows us this. This allows for us to be living lives capable of receiving Christ mercy and this blessing allows for us to forgive others in our lives with more peace and love.
• We can appropriately contend for the faith by sharing the things that we know to be true always. We need to be able to stand up for the things that we know are true and that we know that God would have us do.  We need to tell everyone about the gospel and then just like above need to be living examples where people can ask about us and our believes. Even if they don’t ask we should tell them about the things we know to be true.
2. Read Jude 1:4–19 and complete the following tasks in writing:
• Using the Bible footnotes and Jeremiah 1:5, identify the doctrine referred to in the phrase “first estate” from Jude 1:6.

                                         i.    Our First estate is that we lived with God as Spirit Children in the life before this and according the manner of how our spirit progressed in that life also allowed for different callings and responsibilities in this Earth Life. Our first estate is that humble submissive spirits before we came down to gain a body.  

• Read the institute student manual commentary for Jude 9, “What Do We Know Concerning the Dispute Which Michael the Archangel Had with the Devil About the Body of Moses?” (p. 439); Article of Faith 1:8. How would you explain this odd disputation between Satan and Michael?

                                         i.    In simple language this was a dispute over the body of Moses and was also a reference to a story from the assumptions of Moses. They are not actually to be found anywhere else in the scriptures because they are thought to be an Apocryphal material. This material though may have some great doctrine also was decided that many of the materials had been tampered with and had lost much of the message of what really happened. It could be things like letters from different apostles to each other asking and writing their own thoughts to try to understand but not being quite sure. Then someone taking one of those letters and publishing them as doctrine. This argument over what should happen to Moses’ body should be left as is.

• What does Jude 1:14 say about who will accompany the Savior at the Second Coming?

                                         i.    Ten Thousands of saints, or in other words many different saints will be there next to Christ for His second coming arrival.

3. Study Jude 1:17, 20–25. Write one or two paragraphs explaining how we can avoid the evils that often come from false teachers. 
• If things are to change then the changes would come from the apostles who would speak on behalf of the Lord. The Lord is the one who would make the needed changes to the gospel because he rules and reigns over all the creatures of the Earth. Those who teach that He is any less than the supreme ruler are false teachers because they do not know this essential and important truth. Anyone who tries to lead a person away from this message is a false teacher. We need to be able to trust on the Holy Spirit as well as he will guide us to know of the things that are true and that will truly save us in the latter days. He has the ways of building our “holy faith.”
• Another way to avoid teachers of false doctrine is if they are those that go against the gospel principles. People who try to teach that mercy is not a part of the gospel, or that we will always be falling short and never make it or even won’t be held accountable for our sins, these are also false teachers because Christ paid a price for each of us and we owe a debt to follow him and should be willing to accept this sacrifice. We do not need to fear or hate the clothes that will set us apart because as followers of Christ but rather should be grateful and realize that because of Christ we are made clean before Him. It truly is a miracle and anyone that teaches otherwise is truly a false teacher.

False Teaching in the Early Years after Christ Death

2 John. Abide “in the Doctrine of Christ”

1.    Read 2 John 1:7 and the institute student manual commentary for 2 John 7, “For Many Deceivers Are Entered into the World” (p. 437). Summarize in one or two ​paragraphs the false doctrine John warned against, where it came from, and what effect it would have if it were believed.

The Docetists were a group a of people at this time that were saying that Christ did not really come into the world but rather that he only appeared to be there and only appeared to be the one who died for our sins but did not because then he would have been made from matter. They believed that the natter was evil and thus Christ would have been evil. So they used this to justify the fact that Christ was not really ever there.

The problem with this belief is that then we start to lose the core beliefs that Christ taught. Things like the fact that we are able to live again in the flesh just as Christ did. We all have the opportunity to be raised from the dead. We will not be able to live in eternity but would have ceased with the death of our bodies. If this teaching were true we would also lose the fact that Christ DID pay for our sins and DID take the pain and suffering on Himself so that we wouldn’t have to. If it was only a thought to be that is not the real thing and we would still be held accountable and because we have sinned be unworthy to repent for them. There would be no other way and we would all be damned and our progression haltered.

2.    Read 2 John 1:8–13. Write one or two sentences explaining what counsel John gave that could help avoid this and other false doctrines generally.

One of the things that I felt like John was really saying here was to hold close to those who do believe and teach the same things that we know are correct and then avoid completely those that do not. Not letting them in our homes or even wishing them well in their work so that they are not cursing the others around them.

Ways to Live Closer to Christ Taught From James

James 1. “Be Ye Doers of the Word and Not Hearers Only”

​1.    Read James 1 and respond in writing to the following items:

·                     What words or phrases encourage you to look for direction from God?

o   Count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptation – the only way we can do that as he goes on it because of Christ and his patients with us and we need to be with ourselves as we try to grow on faith

o   If you lack wisdom let him ask of God, that Giveth to all men Liberally and upbraidith not – If we don’t know something we can ask God because he will give us and not reprimand or scold us.

o   God cannot be tempted with evil – we know that when we are tempted it is not of God

o   Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above – that whole verse screams the love that God gives as he gives us all blessings in our lives.

·                     How did James further define the phrase to “ask in faith”?

o   Nothing wavering- if ask something but don’t have the faith to follow through with it then maybe God can’t give it to us because we are not yet ready to receive such direction.

·                     How do Matthew 6:24 and 1 Kings 18:21 add to your understanding of James 1:8?

o   We learn from here that if we do not choose who to serve then we really are not serving either. Or if we are we are serving one more than the other and this lead us to hate one or despise one over the other. This is like when people are doing wrong and then they try to also do right they either start feeling overwhelmed and hate God or their friends that they are doing this with and stop talking to them. Where we can stop from doing wrong and though our friends may reject us we have not rejected them but the practice that we do not follow.

·                     From James 1:13–15, 19–27, make an outline of how we can better live the gospel of Jesus Christ.

o   First we need to make sure not to blame God for sin

o   Another thing we need to do is not give into our enticings and lust because this leads to sin and death.

o   We need to listen and be slow to speak and slow to get angry

o   Replace filthiness and naughtiness with meekness the gospel

o   When we hear something we need to do it which will lead us along the path of Christ

o   We need to be careful and not defile the things that we say

·                     Give a few modern examples of how you have recently seen individuals exemplify James 1:22.

o   I have a friend who would go to church on Sunday and then participate in sacred ordinances even after breaking the law the night before.

o   People who say that they know the church is true but go out shopping on Sundays

o   A person changes their life for another person and then when they break up or get married go back to the lifestyle they had before

2.    Read the institute student manual commentary for James 1:5–6, “If Any of You Lack Wisdom” (p. 409). Make a list of reasons why Elder Bruce R. McConkie (1915–1985) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said these verses have “had a greater impact ... upon mankind than any other” scripture.

This is the scripture that Joseph Smith Jr. read when he was trying to find which church was correct. He had been searching out the scriptures and all the churches around the area at age 14, just trying to pick God’s true church. Each had some truths but from what he had learned, he could not find one with all the truths. So he went and prayed and then miracles happened. Since that time missionaries are taught to do this same thing, go and ask the Lord is this is true. Hundreds of people have found out in very similar ways that the Church was true and that what has been taught is simply Christ original church on the earth today. Below is a link to a video that describes it even more in detail. Or if you have any questions I would go to: http://www.mormon.org/beliefs/restoration and chat with some missionaries on there that can answer even more of the truths.

https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2008-06-01-the-restoration?lang=eng

Faith is Where it all Begins and Were it all Ends

Hebrews 11–12. Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ

1.    In Hebrews 11, Paul recounted the faith of many ancient men and women. Read Hebrews 11 and fill in the chart below listing eight other people and how each person demonstrated his or her faith and what blessings the Lord gave each of them.

Name	Verse	How They Demonstrated Faith	Blessings They Received
Abel	4	Offered a “more excellent sacrifice”	A witness from God that he was righteous
Enoch ​	5	He had an overly strong testimony of the Lord	Was translated and never knew death
Noah	7	Did as the lord asked and made the ark	His family was saved and became heir of faith & righteousness
Abraham	8&17	1)   Left the Land he desired 2)   Willing to sacrifice his son	1)   Found a land of promise 2)   Blessed the lives of His family
Sara	11	Had faith that the Lord would not lie and then conceived son	Was blessed with a son who was righteous and given strength to give birth.
Joseph	22	Prophesied of the departure of the children of Israel	Bones buried in the promise land.
Moses	23	Basically forsake everything to be with his people	Was able to lead the people out of bondage and many others
Joshua	30	Trusted the promise of the Lord	The walls of Jericho came down
Rahab	31	Received the spies of Children of Israel in Peace	She did not die with the others in the city

2.    Give at least three examples of other individuals found in scriptures or whom you know who could be included in this chapter.

Nephi as he showed great faith time and time again and was blessed by his people being saved for a time is one example.

Abinadi, following the commandments of the Lord even after being persecuted and died for the cause had his Spirit taken up and was blessed by the life of Alma and all those that Alma was able to convert.

Alma who not only left his rank and position for the gospel but taught and defended it many years later, after which the Lord heard his prayers and blessed His sons.

Joseph Smith who knew he saw a vision and despite all odds translated the book of Mormon, and just as with Abinadi all converts to the church owe him a debt of gratitude for the work he did.

Mormon Pioneers held the faith during all the moving even traveling across the plans in which finally they were given the freedom of their religion and to practice without as much, persecution.

3.    Read Hebrews 12:1–2 and write what Paul encouraged the Saints to do to show their faith.

We need to as saint lay down the lives of rebellion against the commandments and anything that causes us to sin. We need to have faith in Jesus Christ to deliver us and to make us stronger as a body of Christ then as individuals. We need to lay our lives down for the Lord just as he was willing to do so and was also willing to bear the cross for us and those sins we do commit.

4.    Read the institute student manual Points to Ponder sections, “Developing Faith Is Active Belief, Which Is More than Just Belief” (p. 400) and “Fully Developed Faith Is Power” (pp. 400–401). Describe in writing how faith is different than belief.

 Faith is something that will have an outcome or a benefit that can be seen. It also requires the action of another. Where belief is more of a passive and for some optional thing, that does not require those that are involved with it to do much more then have a little more then something. When we belief something enough then we will use faith to do something about it. Faith is also the force of power. It was by the word and faith of an all loving God that everything was created and still is. It is something that causes men to change their life styles and become something more. This is one of the reasons that we refer to faith as being the first principle in the gospel. Without faith then there is not a whole lot to believe in or change in our lives. This is also why we can say by faith all things truly are possible.