Sacred Truths from Believing and Doing from Paul

Unit Two:

Choice 6: Hebrews 3-4. Entering into the Lord's Rest

Read Hebrews 3:8–4:16 and the institute student manual commentary for Hebrews 3:11, “What Does It Mean to Enter into the ‘Rest’ of the Lord?” (p. 383). Write answers to the following questions:

·      What group of people was refused entrance into the Lord’s rest?

The people that followed Moses out of Egypt but did not follow the commandments and wandered in the wilderness for forty years.

·      What sins caused them to forfeit this privilege?

They had evil hearts and unbelief toward God. They were also stuck on the ways of their people more than they were concerned about the doctrine. This made God uncomfortable to let them into His rest. They were sinning and God could not allow for it to continue.

·      How does Doctrine and Covenants 84:23–24 help define what is the Lord’s rest?

Two things stand out here as I went through these verses. First that we need to be worthy of the rest of the lord before we will obtain it and second the rest of the Lord is also referred to as the fullness of his glory, speaking of God’s glory.

·      What sins did Paul repeatedly warn against so as not to incur the same punishment?

He warned that we needed to make sure not to harden our hearts against the things of God as well as be obedient to the things that he has given. These two things summarize the most of what we were told. As well as having a place in our hearts to were God can dwell with us.

·      How do you think the warnings in Hebrews 3:12–15 apply to us?

One of the things that I think stood out to me today as I was reading was that we are not supposed to harden our hearts or we will place ourselves in situations not to believe in. I often think that we feel like we are above the law or that it does not apply to us exactly. We feel like we are safe and sound in the world when in actuality we are in more danger for not following the counsel that Christ taught and God teaches.

·      List the counsel found in Hebrews 4 that will help a person enter into the rest of the Lord.

We need to be believing in what the Lord has promised and do as he asks, such as resting one day like the Lord showed. We also need to make sure that we are not lazy but productive in doing all that the Lord has asked as well as our role in the lives around us, weather father, son, or brother even baker or butcher.

·      How do Matthew 7:21–23; John 7:17; James 1:22 help in understanding how the word needs to be “mixed with faith”? (Hebrews 4:2–3).

 We cannot expect the gospel to be something that we keep to ourselves by only hearing what we are supposed to do. We need to be willing to go out and do the things that the Lord expects. I know that every day that there is something that we can do better for the Lord, but we have to be willing to work for it.

Solutions in the Scriptures to Life’s Challenges

Unit One:

Choice 1: Philippians 1–4. Find Solutions in the Scriptures to Life’s Challenges

For each of the following common challenges, write the counsel from Philippians that you would use to resolve it:

·      People sometimes argue and complain over petty matters in church meetings or throughout the week (see Philippians 2:1–8, 14–15).

            Do not let these things get in the way of the things that actually matter most of all. This can be seen in the last two verses we see that we need to do them and not murmur. We also need to find ways to come together and give the benefit of the doubt to those that we might have complaints against. One of the most important things to remember is that we are not Christ or God and do not have the right to judge. We need to turn to one another and be willing to serve each other. We need to find ways to humble ourselves and become more obedient, trusting in the lord without mumbling. This will bring us together and allow for us to get all things done that we need to become more like Christ and be the church that he would want us to have.

·      Many youth feel that their parents’ testimony is sufficient for them. Since they have good parents, they rely on them for all their spiritual strength (see Philippians 2:12–15 and institute student manual commentary for Philippians 2:12, “Work out Your Own Salvation with Fear and Trembling” [pp. 361–62]).

            One of the things that is talked about in the reading and in the chapter is that we all need to work out our own salvation and do all things that the Lord has asked us to. I know that this means that there are things that we will need to do in-order to get done but it is also great because it puts the efforts on the person held accountable. We will not be able to simply blame our parents for the things that happen in our lives but will be held accountable. We need to build our own testimony of the Savior and all that he has done for us. I know that this is the only way that we will be able to get through this life and enjoy exhalation. We cannot rely on the testimony of those that have helped us in the church, missionary or parent or leader of any kind. It is up to us and will be what we have faith in that will be the deciding factor.

·      An investigator is considering joining the Church, but his family will no longer associate with him if he does (see Philippians 3:7–16; 4:13).

            Some of the things that are talked about in these chapters are things that mention that we should focus on the things that we gain from the Lord as Paul did. There are things that are lost but the Lord promises to let us be a light to those who do not have it and will also help us show that there can be strength found in him. One of my favorite things was the verse in chapter 4 that says that through Christ I can do all things. This is so true and I would encourage the person that the Lord would help them through all these things.  

·      How is this writing assignment an example of the principle taught in 2 Nephi 32:3?

            This assignment helps us see that the Lord really will give us all things that we might need to do. In other words we can find the answers in the scriptures. Here are a few different scriptures that give us the answers to situations that we or others we might know might go through and then they give us the answers that will help the person through these times. I know that the scriptures are filled with this sort of knowledge but we need to continue to speak the words of truth through them.

To find other scriptures or questions to other answers feel free to visit lds.org or mormon.org.

Choice 1: Romans 12-16. Live as Saints Should Live

1.    Review Romans 13:11 and look for what is “nearer.” Read Ezekiel 3:20; Doctrine and Covenants 14:7; and explain in writing what we must continue doing to work out our salvation.

In Romans 13 the thing that is nearer is the salvation of those that have come unto Christ. Two of the things that we need to make sure to do can be found in Ezekiel. First we need to make sure that we do not die in sin because if we do then we will spiritually die also and not be able to recover, but only and this is where the second one starts to come into place, if we had been warned about it before. See we can only be held accountable for what we have done and not what we might not understand because someone that was supposed to teach us about it did not teach us the principle. This means that the person who does not teach is also responsible for the blood of that man. In other words we need to make sure that we are sharing the gospel and all that we know to be true or the Lord will hold us accountable for those actions. This is not all but we need to obey and follow the commandments that God has given. We need to do this while still enduring to the end and receive a confirmation of the Holy Ghost. These are the things that we need to continue to do in order to work out our salvation.

2.    In Romans 12-13 Paul gave much counsel that leads to salvation. Read each of the following verses and list what Paul taught would help lead to salvation:

o       Romans 12:1 – we are to give service, keep our bodies clean and healthy so that we can offer them up for service of others to the best of our ability to which s one of the mercies of God that we should recognize.

o       Romans 12:2 – Do not follow the world but instead we need to be transformed and stand out from the world by showing in appropriate ways the things that are good and acceptable and perfect from the will of God.

o       Romans 12:9 – Dismiss anything that is evil and hold tight to the things that are good loving without holding back.

o       Romans 12:13 – Give of the things that you have to those saints that are in need even if they need a place to stay if you can

o       Romans 12:16 – Do not be proud but be the same in religion and doctrine from one to another and use the other knowledge to help each other out.

o       Romans 12:21 – Do not let evil things overcome us, but rather use good things to overcome those evil things.

o       Romans 13:1 – allow the priesthood to be felt in every home (Home teachers and worthy fathers)

o       Romans 13:3 – do not be afraid of leadership or of the power that will come with it because it is for good and people will praise you for it

o       Romans 13:8 – do not live in debt, only owe another man your love and to fulfill the second greatest commandment

o       Romans 13:9 – Do not steal, commit adultery, kill, lie, covet or envy, but instead love our neighbor as much as we love ourselves.

3.    Review Romans 14:1-13; 15:1-3. Then write answers to the following questions:

o       What cautions did Paul give about judging?

    Paul cautioned the people to remember that they are not perfect either. In the beginning he talked about how there are those in the church and those not but we are all sick and do not have the right to judge over the different things that they have decided to do. We do not have the right and need to leave to the brethren that have different ideals to not be judged for only the Lord knows were there hearts are at and can judge them accurately. One of the things that he confirms is that there are other ways to save the souls and that this would not be possible if we had been judging them. This is done so that we can help bear one another’s burdens and be able to bear in completeness the power of the Holy Ghost.

o       People may have different opinions and practices, but what is most important to remember?

One of the most important things that we can remember is that we do not have the same power that God does and do not fully understand the things that are going on in that person’s life. This can only be done by god and so we need to not only not judge them but help them that suffer and are weak. This will allow for us to help share the gospel light and strengthen and renew the teachings of the families.

o       What additional insight comes from reading Doctrine and Covenants 38:25-27?

The Lord says that we are to become like him in all ways and here in this scripture we can see that the Lord has treated all those that keep the commandments the same and will reward them the same. For this reason we need to be kind to others around us and treat them in the ways that we would want to be treated.

4.    Review Romans 15:25-26, 31; 16:2, 15. Write the term Paul frequently used to refer to members of the Church in his day.

Paul refers to the Members in His times as saints. Just as with the member of the Church today do. I believe that this is setting us up in a way that the Lord would want us to do what is expected of us in His name. We are saints in the terms that we follow Christ.

Order of Baptism & Only Place to Find True Freedom

Romans 6. Baptism

1.    Review Romans 6:1–13 and answer the following questions in writing: 

o       What must be done with sin before baptism can occur?

We must “burry” the sin from our lives. We need to place it behind us and move forward with a new life in Christ, leaving behind all those things that are impure in the sight of Christ. It says to let no mortal sin reign in our bodies.

o       What events from Christ’s life are symbolized in baptism?

During baptism we see that the symbols of being placed down into the water are being taken down unto death like Christ did and was crucified for our sins so that we might be able to be resurrected clean just as he was resurrected. So we use the death and resurrection of Christ to bury our old sinful self in the water and be raised in the new life and hope of Christ as we come out of the water like Christ came out of the tomb.

o       Considering this symbolism, why couldn’t someone be baptized by sprinkling?

I was actually talking to my wife about this and how sometimes other churches think that they can be baptized by sprinkling when there is no symbolic way of representing the giving of our old sinful selves and rising again like Paul is suggesting here in these scriptures. We need to be able to go down under something and then be raised up again.

o       What do these verses teach us about how we can maintain the “newness of life”?

We do not let sin enter into our bodies. We are to follow Christ and not let the sin enter into our bodies. If we do then we start to work for the devil and are not able to have the spirit to be with us as strong. The thing that really caught my attention was that was that we should also encourage the members around us to not fall into Satan’s trap but rather that we look out for one another and help God’s work move forward and not be halted by our temptations.

o       According to Mosiah 3:19, what part of us would ideally die at baptism?

In Mosiah we learn that we need to put off the natural man so that we can become a saint in the sight of God. So this is the part of us that would die when we are baptized so that we can take the attributes of Christ which are not the same as the natural man. The natural man tendencies would be things similar to what selfish reason might say or what would be for our benefit no matter what the cost. Since this is not the way of Christ this is not the way that the Lord would have us act and therefore we need to put of these selfish ways as well as any other natural desire that are opposite the will of God.

2.    Study Romans 6:14–23. Write a paragraph that describes how we know whose servant we are. Then write a statement identifying the true source of freedom.

One of the things that we are taught in theses scriptures is that we will follow that influence that we are under. This can be seen as we either turn to the Lord and what he did as either a saving grace or as a law that will cover our sins. This can be seen as we are the product of what we do. Therefore if we follow in sin then we are following to death of the spirit. The opposite is also true we can see that when we follow obedience plays unto righteousness and we become the product of Christ. This means that when we are following the commandments and being obedient then we are following Christ but when not obeying or in other words when we are sinning then we are following the Satan. By what we decided to choose to do we also decide on who we are following in during that time.

This means that really the only true source of freedom that we can have is in Christ, because he is the only source that will lead to freedom. Satan leads to the captivity. We know this from the scriptures of especially the Book of Mormon. The works that will lead us to true freedom are the things that will also bring us unto Christ.

If We Want to be Forgiven From Sin We MUST Forgive!

Unit Two:

 

Choice 2: 2 Corinthians 2:1–11. Forgiveness

Review 2 Corinthians 2:1–11; Matthew 6:14–15; Doctrine and Covenants 64:9–10. Then respond to the following questions:

·      What were the people of Corinth commanded to do “if any have caused grief”?

The people were commanded to forgive the person that might have caused the grief and then also that they needed to go out and comfort that person that was grieving from the things they had done wrong. As they comfort the person they also need to show forth a great deal of love afterward, enough so that they know it is true and heartfelt.

·      What blessings do we see if we forgive?

    One of the best blessings that come from this is getting rid of the grief out of our system and anything else that might be holding us back from moving and progressing forward. This also allows for Heavenly Father to forgive us of our sins. We have forgiven and are acceptable to forgive another’s wrongs. I know that this also brings peace into our hearts and allows for us to be healed through the Lord.

·      What is the danger in failing to forgive?

        Not being forgiven of our sins and having a greater sin on us

The opposite is also true and is a warning given to us specifically in the Doctrine and Covenants. This means that if we do not forgive those that have wronged us then we will not be able to have the spirit to be with us as strong and in the worse part of it, the Lord will hold us accountable for all the sins and wrongs that we have done. I know that the Lord would not want any person especially those that are trying to repent and come live with Him to have this. If we want repentance then it is required for us to forgive all others. We don’t have to think that they will get away with it but rather that the Lord will hold them accountable, but since we are not God and do not have all the knowledge and will probably not see what happens to that person, so we need to make sure to forgive them, and trust in the Lord to hold them accountable in His own way.

Corruption of New Testament Time can Protect From Sin

1 Corinthians 5. Avoiding Sin

1.    Read the institute student manual commentary for 1 Corinthians 5:1, 11, “Did Paul Use the Word Fornication As We Use It Today?” (p. 288). Write a few sentences comparing the moral condition of ancient Corinth with the moral condition of our day.

        Fornication in Paul’s time though similar to what we understand about it was different in the fact that this was any extramarital intercourse. We usually only see this as sexual intercourse between an unmarried couple. It using the proper terminology we can see that this actually means that we are not supposed to have any sexual interactions outside of the bonds of marriage like the Law of Chasity states. We need to keep ourselves chase from the rest of the world except for after we are married. One thing that we can see in comparison from Corinth and life today is that there seems to be a lot of promiscuity in both. Corinth was in the center of two major nationalities and was a large city and just as with larger cities today there was a lot of promiscuity. I even thought that it was interesting that in the temple of Aphrodite there were people called priestesses that were more like prostitutes. I think about in all major cities in most areas of the country, if not all, there are some kind of place that could be comparable. A woman dressing in fancy clothes that are risqué and unfortunately in some places it leads to more than that. These are only a few things that compare the world to the time that Paul was there. This is something that we should take into consideration as we read these chapters.

2.    Read 1 Corinthians 5:7–13. Describe in writing what Paul suggested the saints do to be protected against sin. How do the Savior’s teachings in Matthew 5:29–30 apply to these principles?

Paul suggested that the person who is sinning be held accountable to the Law by what they have done. If it be something temporal then they suffer that temporal law and if it be something spiritual then let them be held accountable by the spiritual law. This is done to make sure that the person recognizes just how wrong the sin was as well as protecting others in the church. Paul calls for the excommunication of one man and just like Christ stated it is so that the rest will not go down into Hell. This goes to the basic principle that we hold people responsible for what they have done, and will not risk the life of the rest of the church on one person’s wrong decisions.