Wednesday, April 16, 2014

WHAT IS THE DEFINITION OF THE "CHURCH" GOING ASTRAY

I got the following comment on an earlier post pontificating on 2 Nephi 28-31:

I love how everyone is so blind to the fact that yes they could actually be wrong. I have also suffered from this disease. Anyway this person is stating that there is no way that this chapter could include the LDS church or be aimed at the LDS church, or faith whatever. However in the 11th verse of this chapter it says ALL the churches have gone astray. I don't think it said all but this one. Where I come from all means ALL. I seriously questions this persons judgment across the board! Keep posting Iraq I love this blog. And I don't question your judgment. I do take everything posted on here and study it out for myself though. I would never just take another mans advice or commentary as being scripture, or doctrine unless the spirit confirms it.
I agree wholeheartedly with what the commenter had to say.....

With many things I have said, a few would freak out and think that I have "gone Snuffer", or some such a matter.  I would say they missed the boat on my meaning.  The phrase "the Church" means (to me, anyway), the body of believers that gather under one roof or doctrinal set.  I have a SOLID testimony of all core and even the outlying doctrines (other than maybe the Adam-God theory - which is one of the few I have no clue about other than what little I have read - which was enough to know that I needed to steer clear of it until I was either more mature, or I could ask Brigham myself - neither of which I have done; nor will do in this excessively long run-on sentence).  I have no doubt that God lives and that Jesus is my Savior and Redeemer.  I know this last dispensation was opened by a humble 14 year old boy asking which church he should join and that, in response to that question, he had the amazing responsibility and honor to translate the Book of Mormon.  It is the most correct (scriptural) book on the face of the earth as heaven aided those who wrote in it - and who were involved in directly translating it from one language to another; pure and undefiled.  Reading its pages will bring a man closer to God than by any other means.  Of all men, I have no better friend than Joseph Smith.  I understand him in ways I cannot even explain - though I have never met the man.  I hope some day to have an equaled relationship with Jesus - as I read more of his goings-on (as they are revealed in soon-to-be-released sealed scripture, etc) and maybe have the privilege to meet Him while in the flesh - and before I leave this phase of existence.

This I also know:  The Book of Mormon was not written for a people that would never read it.  It was written to chastise all of God's children who place eyes on it; the Jew and the Gentile (you and I).  So when it says that ALL churches have gone astray, it is not talking of the doctrinal set that the Church ascribes to, it is talking of the people that purport to subscribe to that doctrine.  WE are the ones who have gone astray and will NOT listen to our prophets, seers and revelators.  For this, largely, they have gone silent.  I do the same thing with people I know will not take me seriously - I simply clam up.  Yet, I will blab to the person right next to them in the most open terms if I think they will listen to me.

Thank you for listening.  Sometimes I just have to rant.  It is better than a couch and a $120/per hour billing rate..... :)

2 comments:

  1. One of those very humbling commentaries that hopefully keeps me in check is found in Mormon chapter 8. What appears to be a general description of the world in general seems to change to a warning to the church or believers in Christ at the end of verse 34. Only those of us who wield the restored priesthood can lay claim to devolving into "pollutions" and "hypocrites" (vs 38). At the beginning of Chapter 9 of Mormon the focus shifts yet again to those "who do not believe in Christ."
    It's not comfortable stuff. Especially for someone who is as normally mortal as I am. But the doctrine is pure that we are asked to drink of.

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  2. I, too, have reached the point of weariness from trying to discuss things of deep import with others who would seemingly welcome it but do not.

    So many in the Church are comfortable with their "I went to Church today" now I can watch the Super Bowl on the Sabbath as a free pass or shield. Its not my fault the big came occurs on the Sabbath.

    Idolatry is so subtle. "Thou shalt have NO OTHER GODS BEFORE ME."

    So many are in denial that "Upon my house it shall begin" applies to them. YES, WE will be the first ones to be cleansed and fittingly so.

    I, too, join you in the "clam-up community". I'm tired of the deer in the headlights look, treated like a radical "a wild man hath come among us", deaf ears, ALL IS WELL IN ZION, this won't happen in my lifetime so why bother with it, I'm doing as I please with my time so shut up, attitudes. I'm becoming a very lonely minority in my family/friends unit. And it's very sad indeed to be awake to the signs so apparent while others are asleep.

    God help us all. It's coming at us like a freight train.

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