Doctrina lui Hristos (2 Nefi 31-33)

 Ce este doctrina lui Hristos? Profetul Nefi expune:

• "POARTA" inseamna botezul, urmarind exemplu Hristosului, marturisind umilinta si supunere fata lui Dumnezeu, cu vointa de a lua numele lui Hristos asupra noi (31:4-13)
•  DUHUL SFANT este promis lui cine intra prin poarta (31:13, 18). Botezul focului, inclusiv iertarea pacatelor (31:17) urmeaza. 
• Inaintam cu fermitate in Hristos, cu credinta, speranta, si dragoste (31:20)
• Invatam sa vorbim cu limba ingerilor (32:2-3)
• Ospatam din cuvantul lui HRISTOS (31:20)
• Spune TATAL, "voi veti avea viata vesnica." (31:20)
• "SFARSITUL" inseamna indeplinire, sau scop care trebuie sa fie implinite. Este o destinatie concreta, nu ceva departe, abstract, sau de neinteles.

Mi se apara interesant ca tot trei din sfantul Treime sunt implicati in procesul. In primul rand, DUHUL SFANT este promis lui cei care intra in poarta, si "el va arata toate lucrurile pe care trebuie sa le faci" (32:5). Asta este doctrina, si nu primesti mai mult pana cand HRISTOS "insusi ti se va arata in carne," si atunci "va trebui sa faceti lucrurile pe care El vi le va spune" (32:6). Atunci Nefi nu are voie sa continue, dar a facut deja aluzie in 31:20: trebuie sa urmarim Hristos si sa pretuim cuvintele lui pana cand TATAL spune, "ai viata vesnica." Cu alte cuvinte: scopul lui Duhul Sfant este sa te duce la Hristos (in carne!). Scopul lui Hristos este sa te duce la Tatal. Scop lui Tatal este sa ne da viata vesnica. Oare avem mers sa facem mai mult decat primul pas? Avem mers sa lasam Duhul Sfant sa ne duce la Hristos in carne?

De obicei, nu vrem sa intelegem sau sa cautam aceste lucruri, pentru ca nu vrem sa stim mai mult (32:7), si incepem sa credem ca nu avem voie sa intrebam (sa ne rugam despre anumite lucruri, 32:8). Dar musai sa intrebam, fara sa ne descurajam sau sa adormim (32:9). Duhul Sfant o sa ne ajuta sa ramanem pe calea dreapta, si o sa avem si ajutorul ingerilor (31:13, 32:2-3).

Preotie

Ce este preotie? Este puterea lui Dumnezeu. Mi se apara ciudat ca zicem cineva "are preotie." Noi dam unu altuia chemarii, titluri, etc, dar putere preotiei vine numai de la Dumnezeu direct. Am vorbit despre preotie astazi la societate alinare, despre juramantul si legamantul preotiei. De obicei ignoram faptul ca cand preoti isi pun mana pe capul unui barbat sa-l "da" preotie, nu se face niciun legamant. Legamantul se face personal intre persoana respectiva si Dumnezeu, si prin legamantul vine puterea preotiei.

D&L 84 explica ca preotie Melchizedek iti da puterea de a sta fata in fata cu Dumnezeu (D&L 84:19-24). Cat de des se intampla asa ceva? Cum rezolvam diferenta dintre descriere preotiei in scripturi, cu ce este realitate in biserica astazi?

Inca ceva: mi se apara necorrect ca zicem ca "si surori poate primi binecuvantari preotiei." Puterea este al Dumnezeului, nu al lui preoti ordinati. Ar trebui sa zicem ca "si noi oameni, barbati si femei, putem avea aces la preotie si binecuvantarile preotiei."

In the end...

I came across this comment on another blog I follow, and it expressed what I feel so beautifully, I want to save it somewhere.

The link: http://latterdaycommentary.com/2014/06/27/dont-blame-me-i-just-report-the-news/#comment-27252

"In the end, I am seeking Zion – a community of saints, those upon whom the Lord has put his spirit, where all are of one heart and of one mind.

"I look for those who have known the Lord, who have been baptized by fire and the Holy Ghost because they repented from all their sins and called upon the Lord until they had unfeigned faith in Christ. I look for honest souls who do not pretend to knowledge they do not possess, and who recognize the limitations of what they actually know, and who are seeking the Lord according to his commandments. I look for those who do not look outward and accuse and condemn, but rather who look inward and repent.

What Abinadi taught

Noah's priests argued that they were righteous, and as proof, they quoted Isaiah's "how beautiful upon the mountains are the feet" passage (Mosiah 12). I think the point they were trying to make was that they believed themselves to be happy and rich and successful, so therefore they believed God must approve of them.

Abinadi was there to set them straight. As I pointed out in my previous post, he taught them that the system of worship they claimed to subscribe to was not going to save them. Only faith in the true God of Israel, un distracted by idols and false worship, could save them. 

And in Mosiah 13:35, Abinadi explains what a truly righteous and divinely approved person's life looks like from the outside: OPPRESSED AND AFFLICTED. What follows is an explanation of what and how we should worship, instead of the Law of Moses/ LDS Church. The Law/Church has its uses, but it is not the objective, nor the gatekeeper. Only Christ holds that position. Teaching or behaving as if anyone else or any institution holds that authority is idolatry, as Abinadi explains.

An alternate interpretation of Mosiah 13:27-32; 16:13-15

Nephi taught that we should liken the scriptures to ourselves. One way I do this is when I come across something that clearly doesn't apply to me (like the Law of Moses), I look for modern-day equivalents in my life, or parallel or similar tendencies, and then I reread the passage of scripture, substituting what I have been inspired to feel does apply to me. Like so:

And now ye have said that salvation cometh by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I say unto you that it is expedient that ye should keep your membership in the Church as yet; but I say unto you, that the time shall come when the it shall no more be expedient to keep your membership in the Church. And moreover, I say unto you, that salvation doth not come by the Church alone; and were it not for the atonement, which God himself shall make for the sins and iniquities of his people, that they must unavoidably perish, notwithstanding their membership in the Church.

"Every word that proceedeth forth out of the mouth of God"

Recently I've been wondering what's next for me--spiritually, anyway. What is it that holds me back in my relationship with God? The answer came to me several days ago, although with my memory, I couldn't tell you exactly when or where: I need to do better at keeping all the commandments I've been given so far. It makes sense--why would God give me more if I haven't internalized what I've already been given? D&C 98:11 came to mind, "that ye shall live by every word which proceedeth forth out of the mouth of God."

Lectie 32: Moartea lui Joseph Smith

DOCUMENTE
Protejarea Sufletelor, Jeffrey R. Holland
Discursul "King Follett"

Istorie: cum a ajuns Joseph in inchisoare in Carthage?

• Istorie lui Nauvoo recent: dupa zece ani de persecutii, sfinti au ajuns in sfarsit la un loc unde putea sa stau in pace. In New York, Ohio, si Missouri, au incercat sa gasesc loc printre altii, unde existat deja comunitatea si oras, si dusmanii bisericii l-au izgonit din toate locurile. Dar in Illinois, sfinti au fondat propriu lor oras. In sfarsit, s-au simtit ca sunt in siguranta, pentru au controlat guvernul, si constitutie orasului i-a ingaduit sa aiba militia lor pentru protectie. 
• Biserica inca a avut dusmanii, inclusiv oamenii din Ohio si Missouri, care au incercat sa aduca Joseph in judecata. In 1844 a venit un ziar nou, the Nauvoo Expositor, care a scris lucruri foarte urate despre biserica si despre Joseph. Consiliul Primariei a facut o decizie sa inchide ziarul. Joseph s-a dus si a distrus tiparul. (S-a temut de banda, care a vrut sa le faca rau la sfintii, si a crezut ca daca lasa ziarul, ziarul incita mania impotriva biserica. Dar distrugerea tiparului a incitat mania mai bine.)
• Joseph s-a dus la Carthage din propria vointa lui, nu pentru ca a fost arestat. A vrut sa rezolva treaba la judecata, dar a fost aproape precis, ca nu vine inapoi.

Nu vorbim despre detalii, ce s-a intamplat in Carthage, pentru ca este descriere in manuale bisericii, si in D&L 135. Vezi, de asemenea, Jeffrey R. Holland: 2009 octombrie, despre moartea lui Joseph si Hyrum.