No Coincidences

Tag: world

  • Pride of the Gentiles

    Pride of the Gentiles

    I write this as a complement to my testimony of the Book of Mormon as the Word of God.

    For the purposes of what I’m writing I will focus on the Old Testament.  I would gladly speak on the New Testament, but for simplicity I will focus on the Old.

    Let’s look historically at the creation of the Bible.  The text of the Old Testament was preserved and handed down by the hands of the Jews.  It was protected by the Jews.  If not for the Jews, there would be no Old Testament today.

    By definition, a gentile is a person who is not Jewish.  The Gentiles received the Bible from the Jews.  Most of us are gentiles.  If you come from Europe, have Catholic, Protestant, or pretty much any other Christian ties in your ancestry, you are most likely considered a gentile.  Again, none of us would have the Bible today if it weren’t for the Jews.

    It’s those same Gentiles who today say, A Bible, a Bible, we have a Bible! (2 Nephi 29:3).  But how do you have the Bible?  You have it from the Israelites, from the Jews.  You didn’t do anything to gain it.

    When Christ was crucified and resurrected the Jews of old who believed in Christ had a difficult time moving past their traditions.  If you read about Paul and his missionary efforts, you will see that a major portion of his time was spent fighting Judaizers.  Judaizers were “Christians in the primitive church who taught it was necessary to adopt Jewish customs and practices, especially those found in the Law of Moses.”

    From History of the Christian Church, 1, 338 regarding Judaizers:

    “These men were Christians in name, but narrow-minded and narrow-hearted Jews in fact.  They were scrupulous, pedantic, slavish formalists, ritualists, and traditionalists of the malignant type.  Circumcision of the flesh was to them more important than circumcision of the heart, or at all events an indispensable condition of salvation.  Such men could, of course, not understand and appreciate Paul, but hated and feared him as a dangerous radical and rebel.  Envy and jealousy mixed with their religious prejudice.  They got alarmed at the rapid progress of the gospel among the unclean Gentiles who threatened to soil the purity of the church…”

    For just a couple of examples of Paul’s contention with Judaizers see Acts 15:23-29, Galatians chapters 3 and 4, Acts 21: 20-25.  That last example in Acts 21 would be roughly the year AD 58.  At this point, 25 years after Christ’s death, there were still thousands of Jewish Christians following the Law of Moses.

    I give this historical background to make a comparison to the Christian gentiles of today. 

    Christians who cannot accept any scripture outside of the Bible are the Jews of old.  Holding firm to their traditions, fighting to preserve what they’ve always known, refusing to see the greater blessing of the Gospel right before them.

    The Gentiles of today say, “I have a Bible.”  By what source have you gotten your Bible?

    2 Nephi 29 4-5:

    4 But thus saith the Lord God: O fools, they shall have a Bible; and it shall proceed forth from the Jews, mine ancient covenant people. And what thank they the Jews for the Bible which they receive from them? Yea, what do the Gentiles mean? Do they remember the travails, and the labors, and the pains of the Jews, and their diligence unto me, in bringing forth salvation unto the Gentiles?

    5 O ye Gentiles, have ye remembered the Jews, mine ancient covenant people? Nay; but ye have cursed them, and have hated them, and have not sought to recover them. But behold, I will return all these things upon your own heads; for I the Lord have not forgotten my people.

    The Jews couldn’t accept further revelation – that Jesus was the Christ and in Him the law was fulfilled.  Gentiles today  – who have only been shown the mercy of God by being adopted into Christ’s fold – do the same thing.  They have a Bible, they need no “other” Bible.

    What does this speak of?  It speaks of pride.  This attitude says – “God has given us all He’s going to give us and now it’s up to ME, MAN to interpret what God is saying.”  This pride removes God from the equation.  You think God has disowned us?  You think He’s given us all He can or will give us?  WHY?!?!?  God loves His children.  Has He abandoned us?

    The hard-hearted, prideful, and stubborn attitude of holding onto traditions has kept people from Christ since the start of mankind and it continues today.  Let go of pride and accept that God still speaks to man.  Pride makes us interpret the Bible how it suits us.  Let go of pride and let God guide us.

    The denial of modern revelation is the removal of God.  It is the denial of either God’s love for us or His power in redeeming His children.  How can people who can only accept the Bible not see that?  They’ve removed a living God for God’s word.  The Bible is God’s word to us, but what good is it if you don’t understand it?  What good is it if you kick against the pricks?  Let the spirit work within you and accept all truth God will give you.  He will enlighten your mind and expand your spirit, but you must let Him, and stop removing Him by saying you have the Bible and that’s all you need.

    The great apostle Paul spent his entire missionary career fighting against the Judaizers.

    Today modern-day missionaries of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints spend so much time fighting modern day Judaizers, traditionalists.  We must Bible bash, meanwhile we have a far greater message: GOD STILL LIVES, GOD STILL SPEAKS, REVELATION IS ALIVE.  He has provided a new Book of Promise – the Book of Mormon – to help and guide us. Not to replace the Bible but to supplement it.  READ IT.  And see for yourself if it speaks to your spirit. See for yourself if God still loves His children. See for yourself if Jesus is the Christ and if HE IS STILL redeeming his people.  Set aside your pride!

    2 Nephi 29: 6-9

    6 Thou fool, that shall say: A Bible, we have got a Bible, and we need no more Bible. Have ye obtained a Bible save it were by the Jews?

    7 Know ye not that there are more nations than one? Know ye not that I, the Lord your God, have created all men, and that I remember those who are upon the isles of the sea; and that I rule in the heavens above and in the earth beneath; and I bring forth my word unto the children of men, yea, even upon all the nations of the earth?

    8 Wherefore murmur ye, because that ye shall receive more of my word? Know ye not that the testimony of two nations is a witness unto you that I am God, that I remember one nation like unto another? Wherefore, I speak the same words unto one nation like unto another. And when the two nations shall run together the testimony of the two nations shall run together also.

    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.

    How accurate are those words written nearly 2600 years ago?  Inspired writing.  It is my testimony that the Book of Mormon can only bring a person closer to the Savior of the world, Jesus Christ.  I wish we could all remove our pride and stop being like the Judaizers of the primitive Church.  Accept that Christ is as interested in us today as He was when He walked the earth 2000 years ago.  Read His word.  Hear His word.  Feel his word.  Accept his words. All of them.

    Jesus Teaching in the Western Hemisphere (Jesus Christ Visits the Americas)

  • How Do We Change The World?

    How do we change the world?

    I often get overwhelmed by how messed up the time we live in can be.  Where do we start in fixing things?  The environment, abuse, hunger, racism, hatred, war, and so on.  Where to begin?

    I once listened to a well-known podcast.  The topic came up:  How do we really make the world better?  They were talking about a person in a run-down county, in a run-down town that is addicted to drugs and whose family has lived in squalor for generations.  How do we pull that person out?  He has a family history of substance abuse and physical abuse.  He has grown up in a poisonous way.  How do we help him?  How do we help so many people out there who are stuck? 

    It hit me as I was listening to this, I know how we fix this.  I know how we solve hunger, and hate, and war.  I know how we drag that person out of his tough life.  I know how we make the world a better place.  It’s a plan that the world will never get behind but, unbeknownst to the world, the plan is already in motion.

    Look at the truly amazing organization of Christ’s Church, in the most simplistic way.

    Every member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is asked to give 10% of their increase (income) to the Church for the purpose of building up the Church by constructing church buildings, building temples, maintaining these buildings, producing printed materials, running websites and all other ways the Church spreads its message.

    How does that help the poor?  Each month every member of the Church is asked to fast one day.  We are asked to take the money we would have spent on food that day and donate it to the church.  This donation is called a “fast offering” and is used by the local church to help those in the area in need.  Examples include meals for a young single mother, rent for a young person tough on their luck, or money to purchase furniture for a family who lost everything in a fire.  It’s up to the discretion of the bishop in that area how fast offerings are used.  This is a simple program that would revolutionize the world if everyone followed it: fasting and helping the needy.

    These are principles God has given us to live by and one is to help the poor and needy.  Now, just imagine.  Imagine a world where EVERY PERSON gave 10% of what they make.  Now consider if every person fasted one time per month and donated that money to someone who could distribute it around the world to those who need a meal every day?  First, with 10% of the world income going to one place, there would be a great increase.  That money could be used to spread messages of peace and love.  Then, the excess could be used to help communities and people in need.  The fast offerings would go to help all those who need food, housing, and security.

    Communities need to change.  There needs to be a focus on giving, not taking.

    What about addiction?  The answer is The Word of Wisdom.  This is the policy handed down to the people by Christ Himself.  It is the seemingly unbelievable advice to (GASP) not poison yourself.  This means no alcohol, which has destroyed so many families.  This means no tobacco, which kills so many.  This means no drugs, which cause crime and desperation.  What if the world stopped drinking coffee?  (Woah, too far!)  But think about it for a moment… A world where people don’t need a beverage in the morning just to feel enough energy to get through the day.  If people didn’t use any of these substances, wouldn’t the world be a better place?  Surely, no one can argue that point.

    This comes down to something many people are not willing to accept.  People, in general, are too selfish to give up 10% of the money they worked hard to earn.  Many people in prosperous countries are unwilling to sacrifice two meals in a day, once a month.  People refuse to give up alcohol because it’s how they have fun!  They refuse to give up coffee because it’s how they get through the day.  The last and ultimate thing people seem unwilling to do:  Truly embrace Jesus Christ. 

    It’s amazing how the secular world espouses Christian values while devaluing where those values come from: Jesus Christ.

    Christ is love (1 John 4:8).  Christ is light (John 8:12).  Christ is truth (John 14:6).  Charity is the pure love of Christ (Moroni 7:47).

    With a focus on Christ, comes a focus on others.  He is the light of the world and without Him there is darkness.  Why are we surprised by the darkness in the world when we have collectively turned from His light?  The structure of Christ’s Church is meant to help us to help others.  It’s meant to provide ways to get people out of their negative circumstances.  It’s meant to help us collectively elevate to a higher plane.

    If we tithe, fast, meditate, pray, and serve more, we could be better.  This is all Christ asks of us. 

    “The gospel of Jesus Christ is the greatest cause in the world”

    Douglas D. Holmes

    “Only the gospel will save the world from the calamity of its own self destruction.  Only the gospel will unite men and women of all races and nationalities in peace.  Only the gospel will bring joy, happiness, and salvation to the human family.”

    Ezra Taft Benson