Questions: Members of the Restored Church say ancient Israel was
offered the gospel of Christ but lost the gift of forgiveness of sins by
breaking their covenant to follow God. What caused ancient Israel to break
their covenant with God? What do Members of the Restored Church
believe is the result of the law of God?
“For behold, verily I say unto you, this is the most expedient in me,
that my word should go forth unto the children of men, for the purpose of subduing the hearts of the children of
men for your good.” Doctrine and Covenants 96:5
“[T]hey shall believe on his words, which are given him through me by
the Comforter, which manifesteth that Jesus was crucified by sinful men for the
sins of the world, yea, for the remission of sins unto the contrite heart.” Doctrine and Covenants 21:9
Members of the Restored Church believe that ancient Israel lacked
faith as there was something lacking in their hearts, and that the end of the
law results in a change of the heart.
“It is a people that do err in
their heart, and they have not known my ways.” Psalms 95:10
There was something wrong with the hearts of
ancient Israel that prevented them from seeking and understanding God. Their
hearts condemned them.
“For if our heart condemn us,
God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.” 1 John 3:20
The love in the hearts of the children of
ancient Israel was insufficient, they did not love God. They were left with the
Law of Moses. The Law of Moses included guidelines to help the Israelis to
simply not harm each other, to not lie, steal, murder, to not follow pagan
practices, and so forth, with the most important beginning step to love God and
others as well as you might love yourself. Christ’s law was the fulness of the
Law of Moses, or a higher law for a higher love.
“A new commandment I give unto
you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one
another.” John 13:34
This new commandment, to love as Christ loves,
was much more than the Law of Moses, to love others as well as you might love
yourself, but to love in a divine manner.
Christ’s love is like Heavenly Father’s love.
“As the Father hath loved me, so
have I loved you: continue ye in my love. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love: even as I
have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love. These things have I
spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be
full. This is my commandment, That ye
love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that
a man lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:9-13
We see from that verse that within divine love
are the principles of obedience to Christ and Heavenly Father and being willing
to sacrifice for others. We must keep His commandments and be willing to
sacrifice to abide in his love. The principles of perfection and divine love
found through obedience and sacrifice are also found in this next portion.
“Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour
and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that
curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully
use you, and persecute you; That ye may
be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to
rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the
unjust. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even
the publicans the same?
And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do
not even the publicans the same? Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father
which is in heaven is perfect.” Matthew 5:43-46, 48
Being willing to love others, to sacrifice
your own self- to not withhold your love, despite what they may say or do to
you, is divine love. It is a love of action.
“[W]hoever doeth not
righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.” 1
John 3:10
“Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for
us: and we ought to lay down our lives
for the brethren. But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother
have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the
love of God in him?” 1 John 3:16-17
“Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent
his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.” 1
John 4:10-11
Divine
love can only be found by obeying God in doing what he would have you do, to
give your love to others as God would have you. This is because a divine person
is the only one able to fully teach how to love divinely. To love as God loves,
and to do as God does, is the seal of perfection.
“And above all these things put on charity
[which is Christ’s love], which is the bond of perfectness.” Colossians
3:14
“If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.” 1 John 4:12
“There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because
fear hath torment. He that feareth is not
made perfect in love.” 1 John 4:18
With charity being the bond of perfection, it
makes sense that the end of God’s command is this result, charity (divine love)
from a pure heart.
“For this is the love of God,
that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.” 1
John 5:3
“Now the end of the commandment
is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith
unfeigned.” 1 Timothy 1:5
Christ himself was perfected physically by his
love though his obedience and sacrifice to God the Father.
“Though he were a Son, yet learned
he obedience by the things which he suffered; And
being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey
him.” Hebrews 5:8-9
Finding this perfection through divine love in
pure hearts, this is Zion, or oneness with God. It is how we gain God’s glory.
It is how we know God.
“Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God;
and every one that loveth is born of God,
and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. In this was manifested the love of God toward
us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might
live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us,
and sent his Son to be propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us,
we ought also to love one another.” 1 John 4:7-11
“And we have known and believed
the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love
dwelleth in God, and God in him. Herein is our love made perfect, that we
may have boldness in the day of judgment: because
as he is, so are we in this world.” 1 John 4:16-17
“That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that
the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be
one, even as we are one: I in them, and
thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may
know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.
Father, I will that they also whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am;
that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before
the foundation of the world. O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee:
but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me. And I have
declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.”
John 17:21-26
“But ye are come unto mount Sion
[Zion], and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an
innumerable company of angels, 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.”
Hebrews 12:22-23
“Therefore, verily, thus saith the Lord, let Zion rejoice, for this is
Zion-THE PURE IN HEART; therefore let Zion rejoice.” Doctrine and Covenants
97:21
This is the fulness of Christ and the
fulfilment of the law. This is spiritual
perfection. This is His rest. This is the prerequisite to eternal life.
“And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts
by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.” Romans 5:5
“And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might
be filled with all the fulness of God.” Ephesians 3:19
“Be still, and know that I am God. …” Psalms 46:10
"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden,
and I will give you rest. Take my
yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I
am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall
find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is
light." Matthew 11:28-30
“In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in
confidence shall be your strength. …” Isaiah 30:15
“That their hearts
might be comforted, being knit together
in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God,
and of the Father, and of Christ; In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and
knowledge.” Colossians 2:2
“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.”
Ephesians 4:13
“But they hardened their hearts and could not
endure his presence; therefore, the Lord in his wrath, for his anger was
kindled against them, swore that they
should not enter into his rest while in the wilderness, which rest is the
fulness of his glory.” Doctrine and Covenants 84:24
There is a reason why priesthood authority is
required to teach the law. For a man to teach heavenly mysteries requires
spiritual authority. No man can know of
the things of heaven except that they have the Spirit to teach them.
“But ye [the apostles] shall
receive power, after that they Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be
witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and
unto the uttermost part of the earth.” Acts 1:8
“[T]he things of God knoweth no man, but the
Spirit of God.” 1 Corinthians 2:11
Without the guidance of the Spirit which
Christ gave His apostles, there is danger of being taught by the precepts of
man.
“Wherefore the LORD said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with
their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far
from me, and their fear toward me is
taught by the precept of men.” Isaiah 29:13
The Aaronic Priesthood is a lesser priesthood,
unable to teach the principles of obedience and sacrifice needed for divine
love. It is the beginning priesthood that teaches to love others as well as
yourself, preparatory to becoming one who can sacrifice for others. It is an
important process in personal development, but does not in itself offer the
promise of perfection. Consider the story of the wealthy young man.
“And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing
shall I do, that I may have eternal life? And he said unto him, Why callest
thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter
into life, keep the commandments. He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou
shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou
shalt not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt
love thy neighbour as thyself. The young man saith unto him, All these things
have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet? Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that
thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and
come and follow me.” Matthew 19:16-21
The wealthy young man was instructed by Christ
to sacrifice and be obedient to find perfection.
Being the preparatory priesthood, the Aaronic Priesthood
gives us milk and herbs of doctrine to eat.
The Melchizedek gives us doctrine of meat to eat.
“For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first
principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk,
and not of strong meat. For every one
that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a
babe. But strong meat belongeth to them
that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses
exercised to discern both good and evil.”
Hebrews 5:12-14
Partaking of meat before you are ready, before
your faith is strong, will not be beneficial to you.
“For it is a good thing that the
heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited
them that have been occupied therein.” Hebrews 13:9
“For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs.” Romans 14:2
In the meat of the doctrine of perfection we
must be willing to sacrifice for others and to obey and follow God. If we do not have this love, nothing else we
may do or have will be worth anything to us.
The point of our mortal experience is to gain this love. It is spiritual
maturity.
“Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not
charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have
the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and
though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my
goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me
nothing. Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity
vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh
not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in
iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things,
hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall
fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge,
it shall vanish away. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then
that which is in part shall be done away. When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I
thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
For now we see through a glass, darkly; but
then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am
known. And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest
of these is charity.” 1 Corinthians 13:1-13
By gaining divine love, by changing the
conditions of your heart in this manner, you can know God. Charity is
undoubtedly the love of God, truly felt, and is manifested (and learned) in
good works done through obedience to God and willingness to give of one’s self
in sacrifice.
“Make you perfect in every good
work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his
sight, through Jesus Christ…” Hebrews 13:21
“Offer the sacrifices of
righteousness, and put your trust in the LORD. There be many that say, Who
will shew us any good? LORD, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us.
Thou hast put gladness in my heart. …” Psalms 4:5-7
“How much more shall the blood
of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to
God, purge your conscience from dead
works to serve the living God?” Hebrews 9:14
The sacrifices of righteousness are not good
works to purchase a place in heaven, but love for love’s own sake, to love and
serve another person in a truly heart-felt manner.
“What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and
have not works?
can faith save him? If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of
daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and
filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the
body; what doth it profit? Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being
alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast
faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works and I will shew
thee my faith my by works.” James 2: 14-18
Next Chapter
Watch- Love Your Enemies