Judge Not

Matt. 7: 1-2 Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.

Today in church our men's group discussed the teaching of Jesus Christ to "Judge Not." Now, when Christ taught this principle, He wasn't saying never judge at all. Each day is filled with necessary little judgments about right and wrong and good and bad. The kind of judgment that Christ is referring to here is the judgment of others and whether they are deserving of our love, kindness, attention, and forgiveness.

In other places in scripture, Paul talks about righteous judgment in a different context. In a nutshell, those who are to judge are only those acting in the name and authority of God like the Bishop who acts as a high priest in determining ritual purity to participate in the ordinances of the gospel like Baptism and the Lord's Supper. The Bishop, as a Judge in Israel, may also specify the conditions of repentance and purification. (1 Cor 6:2-5; 1 Cor 11: 31)

Christ taught that if we wish to be forgiven, then me must be willing to forgive others their trespasses against us up to seven times seventy. However, many times we may fall into the trap of prejudice and justify our judgment of others for several reasons:

1. We claim that we judge ourselves to the same rigorous standard and expect that everyone should live to the same high standard.
2. We forget that more often than not we judge other based on their performance, but we judge ourselves based on our intent.
3. We think that heaping upon another person a lot of criticism and guilt, that all that negativity will help them improve and change.

The truth is that we need to remember that it is the Holy Ghost which inspires and empowers people to change and improve. This process is called "Sanctification" in the scriptures. While being careful not to be an enabler, I have found that most people are sufficiently suffering the consequences of their sins all on their own without my needing to pile on. Instead of criticism, what people really need is encouragement, support, and love to try harder, and to do better. We need to help others feel our love, and the Holy Spirit, because only the Holy Ghost can empower someone to change.

In reality, we all are sinners and none of us deserve the presence of the Holy Ghost based on our own merits. However, through the good news of the gospel, the atonement of Christ made it possible that each of us could be justified of our sins, have Christ's righteousness imputed to us, and receive the Holy Ghost based on His righteousness. That said, as the Holy Ghost strives with us, He will always empower us to change, repent, and improve.

That said, we need to realize that all of us are on different spiritual levels. While one person may have been sanctified and was empowered by the Holy Ghost to completely forsake sin in one area, that doesn't necessarily mean his neighbor has arrived at the same point in their spiritual progression, or even that the Holy Ghost is necessarily working with them in that area. It could be the Holy Ghost is continuing to strive with them in their current spiritual state and sins just fine. However, because you have already progressed in that area, if you were too sin like your neighbor the Holy Ghost would be even more grieved.

Again, we should not forget, the better we can align our lives with the will of God, and the better we can live the commandments, the more light, and joy, and spirit we will enjoy. However, we should also remember that in comparison to God's spiritual plane, when it comes to you and your neighbor, in God's eyes you are both just spiritual children. As a parent, I am reminded of this lesson any time my 6 year-old brags that she is better than the 4-year-old.

Lastly, while we are commanded not to judge. We need not endanger ourselves by putting ourselves in dangerous situations especially while someone is in the act of sin. We can follow the example of the Holy Ghost that is withdrawn for any sin. Also, according to 1 Cor 5:11, the Bishop is instructed to disfellowship members for certain severe unrepentant sins such as: fornication, covetness, idolatry, railing, drunkenness, and extortion. In the case of continual unrepentant sin, the Bible instructs us to pray for them.

Multiple Personality Disorder

Todd Hansen in the July Issue of the Ensign gave some recommendations on how to be spiritually safe while traveling alone away from our families. Thankfully, I never have to travel for my job. However, the last point Bro. Hansen made was about the harm of maintaining multiple identities. While reading this article, I had the following thoughts:

Nazi Germany experimented with terrible brainwashing and mind control experiments. These experiments involved torture, abuse, drugs, and hypnosis to fracture the personality into parts. Horrifyingly, this perverse conditioning and abuse can begin even before birth. The mind, in order to cope with the psychological and physical abuse, fractures into different personalities in order to store traumatic memory in an alternate personality that can then be repressed after the abuse stops. When these German scientists were brought over to the US via Operation Paperclip, the CIA continued these evil brainwashing practices which are referred to as the MK-Ultra and Monarch Programs.

MK-Ultra is depicted in movies like Manchurian Candidate and Bourne Identity. Using multiple personalities, a handler can activate the alternate personality and then instruct the asset to kill, steal, or perform some act of terrorism. When the task is complete, the alternate personality and all associated memories are repressed. The victim becomes amnestic to everything that happened while the alternate personality was active. This becomes important if the CIA asset were ever caught. Monarch programing has to do with the sexual exploitation, abuse and training young girls and boys. Boys Town, NE, Finishing Schools, and Child Protective Services has served to supply victims.

While all this seems absolutely revolting, I wonder if some of us live divided lives just as tortured as victims of these mind control programs? Many of us who attend church on Sunday and spend time with our families during the day but then partake of the sins of pornography, drug use, and video games every night can be even more psychologically, and spiritually sick than an MK-Ultra or Monarch victim.

Elder Russell M. Nelson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, “Living by Scriptural Guidance,” Ensign, Nov. 2000, 17. said, “Danger lurks when we divide ourselves with expressions such as ‘my private life,’ ‘my professional life,’ or even ‘my best behavior.’ Living life in separate compartments can lead to internal conflict and exhausting tension. … Inner peace comes only as we maintain the integrity of truth in all aspects of our lives. When we covenant to follow the Lord and obey His commandments, we accept His standards in every thought, action, and deed."

Chastening: A Sign of the True Church

One sign of the true church of Christ is that the church disciplines its members for serious sin before those sins become a public scandal. Paul says that there should be grounds for righteous judgement resulting in partial disfellowshiping or excommunication. I wonder when it was the last time an Evangelical church disciplined its members for committing fornication, abortion, or adultery.

1 Cor 5:12 For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within?
1 Cor 11: 31-32 For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.

Does your church have mechanisms to receive confession and discipline its membership before a person's sins become a threat to the public and the membership. While a church should never shield and protect lawbreakers, a church is am important instrument and institution of self- government which has a duty to protect the public. Therefore, it should have active systems in place to discipline its membership and prevent sin and not only react when there is a public scandal and embarrassment. Does your church protect and enable sin, simply react to sin after the fact, or actively seek to prevent sin?

1 Cor 5:9-13 I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators: Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world. But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat. For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within? But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.

1Tim5: 19 Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses .20 Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear.

Titus 3: 10 A man that is an heretik after the first and second admonition reject;

Heb. 12: 7, 10-11 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? 10 For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.

Rev. 3: 19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.

i Cor 6:2-5 (Luke 22:30) Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? 3 Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life? If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church. 5 I speak to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? no, not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren?

John 7 :24 (1 Cor 11:31) Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment

see also 1 Cor 11:26-34, Titus 1:10-16, James 5: 16, 1 Jn 1:9

Most sins don't require confession to the bishop but to God only. But there are certain sins regarding morality, substance abuse, physical abuse, abortion, criminal law, heresy that are serious and require assistance. They are serious because they generally affect other people, are difficult to repent of, and manifest a longstanding pattern of sinful thought and behavior leading up to the serious sin. In other words, there has been a lot of water that has gone under the bridge. This is to not say that stealing candy bars is less sin than homosexuality. Both must be repented of and paid for by the blood of Christ. The reason certain sins get marked as needing discipline by Paul is the difficulty of repentance.

Depending in the seriousness of the act, and the repentant nature of the sinner, the bishop may counsel the person, withdraw rights in the church to partake of the sacrament or have certain callings for a time. If the seriousness of the seriousness of the sin requires possible excommunication, a church disciplinary council may be called so that disciple is not given without sufficient witnesses. The purpose of discipline is not vengeance but correction out of love for the sinner. Discipline is a wake-up call to the sinner, to inspire "godly sorrow" which worketh repentance, and to communicate to the sinner that certain sins cannot be tolerated in heaven or in the church and if the person really accepted Christ and His Spirit they would never have been guilty of them. Again, discipline is for the purpose of inspiring self-examination, godly sorrow, repentance, and faith in Christ.

2 Cor. 7: 9-11 Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing. For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death. For behold this selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge! In all things ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter.

Discipline and "godly sorrow" is not about inspiring guilt and shame, or a holier-than-thou attitude. Some Evangelicals I fear confuse the Spirit with a vain justification for sins. Evangelicals generally sin and vainly tell themselves "isn't God great and merciful that he justifies me in committing sin". Isn't God great who "tolerates sin and the sinner in his presence".God chastens those who he loves. God chastens and disciplines his children. God empowers his children to repentance and to forsake sin by giving us "godly sorrow". However, those who have experienced Gods chastening should not feel "holier-than-thou" but feel empathetic and sympathetic to others who are also suffering from sin and "godly sorrow". And true believers should seek to bare one another's burdens and not heap more burden upon them.

Many people know that LDS enjoy the blessings of the restored temple of God. Many people also know that not everyone can enter these temples unless that person meets minimum worthiness requirements. Many of these same people scoff and mock at the idea that anyone need be "worthy" to go anywhere. For an LDS member, a temple recommend is our ticket to admission to the temple and signifies we are members in full fellowship and standing in our church. And to get a temple recommend requires that we pass a worthiness interview with our spiritual leadership. And it turns out that in addition to confessing to our leaders our devotion and faith in Jesus Christ as our savior, the requirements of the interview are exactly the same worthiness requirements that Paul details in the Bible. Therefore, the temple recommend interview turns out to be one of our most important disciplinary mechanisms in the LDS church. And as I said before, it comes right out of the Bible.

1 Cor 5:9-13 I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators: Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world. But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat. For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within? But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.

Paul specifically says that if those among us who enjoy our fellowship at church are fornicators, covetous, idolaters, railers, drunkards, or extortioners, they should receive some type of church discipline. Here is how the temple questions in the temple recommend interview correspond to the direction of Paul in the Bible.

1. Fornication involves sexual sin. Therefore LDS members in a temple interview are asked about and invited to confess any issues and sin with regard to their sexual morality.
2. Covetous involves greed and the love of money over God. LDS members are required to pay a full 10% tithing to God and are asked to declare that they are a full tithe payer. Tithing is a demonstration that God comes first before money in the life of a believer.
3. Idolatry involves belief in and support of heretical groups and/or ideologies. LDS members are asked to confess if they have sympathies and/associations with any heretical groups.
4. Railing involves verbal and physical abuse of wife and family. LDS are specifically asked to confess any behavior related to physical, emotional or sexual abuse of wife and children.
5. Drunkenness involves abusing mind altering substances for the purposes of intoxication. The LDS have a wonderful and inspired law of health known as the Word of Wisdom that prohibits the consumption of alcohol, tobacco products, tea and coffee, and other harmful substances. LDS are specifically asked to confess that they are living Gods law of health.
6. Extortion involves issues of honesty, cheating, and fraud. Accordingly, LDS are asked to confess that they are honest in all their dealings with their fellow men.

In addition to being asked if we believe and accept Jesus Christ as our Savior and the only way to salvation we are asked specific questions about each one of these important issues that Paul specifies. If we do confess to sin, depending on the severity, and our repentant attitude, we may well be denied a temple recommend, and we will receive inspired discipline and instruction from our Bishops on what steps we must take to repent. The LDS temple recommend interview is not about stone throwing and exacting vengeance. These questions are part of church disciple that allows the person to confess and repent, to protect the public and the congregation, to judge righteously within as Paul says say so we wont be judged without.

In addition to authorizing and administering the gifts, sacrifices, sacraments, and ordinances of the church, receiving confession and determining ritual purity is the main job of an LDS bishop. LDS bishops are not "preachers." LDS membership preach the sermons and give the Sunday School lessons among ourselves. The LDS Bishop should be apt to teach, but one primary responsibility is to determine ritual purity just as priests in the Old Testament. But under the New Covenant, the Bishop is concerned with inward purity and not external purity.

Justification, Forgiveness, and Disfellowship

I was out with the missionaries the other night to see an Evangelical minister. The missionaries presented a message about the apostasy, but the Minister became a little contentious over his mistaken understanding that he is automatically and unconditionally saved and guaranteed eternal life at the moment of accepting Christ. We couldn't stay to contend the issue but I re-read the New Testament to list the many places where the Apostles teach that salvation is conditional upon our continued good works and enduring to the end.

1 Cor 5:9-13 I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators: Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world. But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat. For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within? But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person
1Tim5: 19 Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses .20 Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear.
Titus 3: 10 A man that is an heretik after the first and second admonition reject;

How does this scripture fit in with the Evangelical concept of compete forgiveness?LDS teach that Justification is a forgiveness and the inputation of Christs righteousness to the believer. But we also believe that Christ will empower us and expects us to forsake certain sins to enjoy fellowship with the Saints. In fact, according to Paul, members who commit certain sins should be disfellowshipped and/or excommunicated. The LDS definition of Justification by grace in Romans is not irreversible and unconditional forgiveness. Justification means aquittal from the law, it means a judgement of "not proven". Justification is not by works but by grace alone by faith in Christ. God makes the first move. Christs grace is imputed upon the believer and the believer can enjoy the indwelling of the transformative power of the Holy Spirit. The more willing and receptive the believer is in submitting to the Holy Spirit the more the Holy Spirit will empower that person to turn away and forsake sin. Ultimately by the end of the Millennium, the Holy Spirit will empower the believer to forsake all sin. The process of Sanctification will have been completed. The believer will then be brought before God for the final judgement. Christ will confess the name of the believer and that He has paid the price of all past sin and recommend that the believer inherit eternal life because the believer has allowed Christ to compete the work of Sanctification within them.

1 Cor 11:27 Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. 28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. 29 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body.

if Justification is complete forgiveness and automatic unconditional eternal life, why would Paul tell the Saints at Corinth to "examine themselves" and not partake of the sacrament "unworthily". Knowing these saints had already confessed Christ, what more must they do each week to demonstrate worthiness to partake the Lords Supper?

2 Cor 5:9 Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
2 Cor 6:1We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.

What labor is Paul talking about here. Why would Paul be talking to the Saints about a labor that yet had to be done to be accepted by Christ at the judgement day if all this was already done at the moment of Justification? The labor is Sanctification. How could believers receive the grace of Christ in vain?

2 Cor 13: 5 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?

Why would Paul invite believers at Corinth to examine themselves whether they be in the faith, and prove it. Why would Paul seem to say that Christs Spirit would not be with them in sin? Are not believers unconditionally forgiven of all past and future sin?

Gal 5: 19-21 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, forniccation, uncleaness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies. Evyings, murders, drunkeness, revelings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
Gal 4 But let every man prove his own work . . . 7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

Seems Paul is saying that if you truely are saved your works will manifest it, and if you are not saved, the works of the flesh in you will manifest that you are not saved and never were.

Eph 4:24-32 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.25 Wherefore putting away lying speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:27 Neither give place to the devil. righteousness and true holiness.28 Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his give hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth . . . 30 And greive not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice 32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.

Many dont like the Miracle of Forgiveness becasuse Pres Kimball says it is expected that we forsake sin. But, here we seem to have Paul saying that the believer is expected to "put away lying" and forsake stealing and "put away" wrath and anger.How does a saved person "greive the Holy Spirit"?

Eph 5: 3 But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints;4 Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.5 For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.6 Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedient.7 Be not ye therefore partakers with them.. . . 11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkenss, but rather reprovethem.
Eph 5:18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;

Some here at CARM claim that Justification means a total, permenant, and unconditional forgiveness and automatic eternal life.That may be true if the person was really Justified, but Paul says that fornicaiton should not be named even once among the saints at Ephesus. And that they should avoid foolish talking and jesting "loud laugher" and not just avoided but reproved.Could it be that those who teach the CARM and Evangelical doctrine preach "vain words." According to Paul you cant have the indwelling of the Spirit while drunk.

1 Tim 6: 17 Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;18 That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate;19 Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.
2 Tim 2: 21 If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessels unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.

Why is Paul sayig the rich need to be rich in good works as to lay up in store that they "may lay hold on eternal life". This language does not seem to reflect the certainty of eternal life of many evangelicals who claim eternal life is automatic and unconditionally given at the moment of Justification. Paul says the better a man allows Christ to purge his sins from him and sanctifyy him, the better he will be for tthe masters use and prepared unto every good work.

Titus 1: 15 Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled.16 They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.

It seems Paul says that although you can profess to know and accept Christ with your words, that you can just as easily deny Christ and reject Him by your works which will manifest that you were never justified.

Titus 2:11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;14 Who gave himself or us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, an purify people,zealous of good works. unto himself a peculiar.

Paul encouages Titus to deny and forsake all ungodliness and live godly so that he could have a "hope" or assurance in faith, and "might" be redeemed by Christ. This jsut doesnt sound like the unconditional automatic eternal life of the Evangelical.

Titus 3: 4 But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, 5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;6 Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
Titus 3: 14 And let ours also learn to maintain good works for necessary uses, that they be not unfruitful.

Paul says we are initially rescued and justified and "saved" by the grace alone of Christ and not our righteousness. But I dont think this "hope" of eternal life is the unconditional, irreversible automatic kind of process the Evangelicals describe.It seems that Paul is concerned that the Saints not be unfruitful. Since Christ said of the gentiles that there would be both bad and good invited to the marriage supper and that only those wearing the wedding garment would be accepted. God said that there would be sheep and goats, wheat and tares, unwise virgins, and lukewarmers in the church, that it was the good works and fruit that would be a manifestation that that person was in the grace of Christ. Remember that John says in Revelations that the white clothing was the "rightousness of the saints" or the good works of the saints not necessarily absolute sinlessness since we are all sinners.

Gal. 6: 9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
2 Tim. 4: 7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith

Remember the parable of the workers in the field. The ones that worked one hour received the same reward as the workers who worked through the heat of the day. The important thing was that they were all found working when the Lord of the vineyard arrived.

Heb 2:1 Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.2 For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward; 3 How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;

What is this that Hebrews is saying about giving earnest heed, and a warning about not letting our obedience slip and about our disobedience being recompenced upon us. Hebrews seems to be saying that disobedience puts our "escape" and "great salvation" into jeapardy.

Heb 3: 12 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.13 But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.14 For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end;15 While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation.

Heb 6:4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, 5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, 6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God fresh, and put him to an open shame.

Heb 6:10,15 For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.11 And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end:. .. . so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.

Heb 10: 26 For if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowdge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,

Here Hebrews says that some who are called brethren could depart form the living God and have their heart hardened by sin after it was softened. But Hebrews says we need to hold stedfast unto the end and not procrastinate the day of our provocation or probation while it is yet today. Here Hebrews says that it is possible to be enlightened and taste of the heavenly gift and the Holy Ghost and have fallen away. Also, Hebews says the promise is dependent on diligence, endurance, patience, faith and a work and labor of love.

Heb 10: 29 Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace ... 38 Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.39 But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.

Hebrews seems to warn those who sin knowingly and willfully after receiving the Spirit of grace, Hebrews calls this falling away to "draw back" unto perdition instead of having patience in faith unto salvation of the soul.Heb 11:1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us Chrsit is the author and finisher of our faith but Accepting Christ and being born again is not the end of the race but the beginning. And after being Justified we must endure the chastening and purifying process of sanctification.

Definition of Acquittal and Justification

Recently, I was in a discussion with some Evangelical Christian friends of mine focused on the LDS vs. Evangelical concept of Justification, Acquittal, and Forgiveness. A synopsis on the Evangelical criticism of the LDS view on this issue can be found at the following link: http://www.mrm.org/grace-works.

One friend seemed to find fault with President Spencer W Kimball's book "Miracle of Forgiveness" for giving concrete steps to completely forsake sin. Those steps would be to acknowledge the sin, feel sorrow for sin, confess to God, make restitution if possible, and forsake the sin. His contention was that there are no 6 steps or 12-step program required to be forgiven of sin. All a person has to do is accept the real Christ and they are fully forgiven at that moment. At the very moment a person receives Christ, they are receiving the free gift of Eternal Life and the highest reward of exaltation with no further expectations or requirements.

2 Cor. 7: 9-11 Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing. to repentance: for ye were made. For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.
James 5:16 confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed.
1 John 1:9 if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Furthermore, this friend seemed to say that it was wrong for President Kimball to teach that God forgives only after complete forsaking of the sin. And only fully forgiven when we have completely forsaken all of our sins. My friend seemed to disagree saying that by accepting Christ they are already fully and completely forgiven from the start which includes all future sins and well as past sins.

Now we all agreed that eventually we would all need to have been empowered by Christ to overcome all sin. And that Christ would have the power to empower us to spinelessness and perfection eventually. But the disagreement seemed to be on how you get there. We also agree that there is no peace in sin so that it is advantageous for Christ to begin empowering us to forsake sin as much as possible here in this world because regardless of the eternal consequences, sin still has very real and painful temporal consequences.

It seems many Evangelicals feel they are empowered to forsake sin and be a better person because God had fully forgiven them and guaranteed their future forgiveness. It seems the pressure of the future judgement being off their shoulders in Christ was motivation enough for them alone to want to be better. It seems, to them, that removing the consequences of sin would inspire and empower greater humility and obedience by itself.

LDS would agree that witnessing Christs love would spiritually motivate to forsake sin, but we also recognize that the concrete physical steps of Pres Kimball's forgiveness paradigm also helps forsake sin. LDS are not making a dichotomy here. We are not trying to make a mutually exclusive argument. Yes, witnessing Christs love by His grace is motivating for us to forsake sin, but at the same time, the concrete steps of godly sorrow working repentance, confession, restitution, and ultimately prayer for divine assistance does help to forsake sin. And it works. I have personally experienced it work in my life and seen it work in others lives.

Pres. Kimball giving concrete skills to help us forsake sin is not with the expectation that we will die a completely perfect person having completed the process of sanctification. We have the rest of the Millennium to compete sanctification. But although we wont necessarily be perfect in all things now, we can be empowered to forsake some sins and vices. I have done it with a few. We can also be empowered to start doing certain good things consistently, like paying tithing for instance.

What does Pres Kimball want by writing this book? He wants youth of the church to not excuse themselves in committing sexual sin and experimenting with drugs. He wants new members coming into the church to know that while no one is perfect, that God will empower us in Christ to give up and forsake alcoholism and other substance abuse vices.

My friends also object to when Pres Kimball says that if you recommit a sin, after you have repented you really didn't repent and you really were not forgiven. It is like the initial forgiveness never occurred. The evidence of this is an alcoholic or meth abuser. They cannot touch it after giving it up. One drop or one time is too much, If they do it again, they cannot just stop halfway but more often than not relapse back into the same hole just as deep or deeper then they were before. And it can be harder to repent and forsake again, but obviously possible in Christ.

My friends contended that Pres. Kimball's paradigm denied the Justification and all-sufficient grace of Christ that a believer received when He becomes born again because he says that God does not forgive until a person completely forsakes all sin. What I tried to point out is that Pres Kimball's repentance paradigm does not deny grace or Justification. But it turns out that LDS and Evangelicals do differ in how we interpret Justification.

Some Evangelicals rightly understand that Justification is a legal term. However, it seems that some in our conversation would say that it means that a person is declared innocent and clean from the start. LDS would say that justification is acquittal for the law. But according to British Common Law there were two kinds of acquittal. And that one was "not proven." If Justified and received the verdict of "not proven" you could still be tried again and is not covered under "double jeopardy" where you cannot be tried twice for the same crime. If you are acquitted or justified under a ruling of "not proven" then you can be tried again when new evidence is obtained.

This second kind of acquittal, is how the LDS view the meaning of Justification. By the grace of Christ the believer who has faith in Christ is acquitted from the law, and given a grace period, a probationary state and time to prepare to meet God and repent or allow Christ to empower us to repentance. Christ's righteousness in imputed unto us and because we are innocent until proven guilty, according to God although we are guilty, we are viewed as innocent in Christ. Therefore we can enjoy the indwelling of the Holy Ghost which will empower us to sanctification, greater obedience, and to receive the sanctifying ordinances that LDS believe that God desires we receive.

My friends would say this does not sound like a very forgiving God if he does not really permanently forgiving but just temporarily forgiving and withholding judgement until He has collected further evidence against us. But LDS say that in that time and on into the Millennium, Christ will empower us to overcome all sin, and that process can begin here and now in this world.

LDS are encouraged to repent daily, but the point is to not be endlessly repenting for the same sins, but to focus on one area, allow Christ to sanctify us in that thing, forsake that sin, and then move on to another area. This is the process of Sanctification. It is not continually backsliding, or wheel-spinning, or a dog returning to its own vomit and a sow to its wallowing in the mire. The beauty of LDS theology on forgiveness is that God can overcome and sanctify our flesh, transform us, and purify us, give us a perfect heart, and help us begin to overcome sin. Who wants to be plagued by our sins all the time. The atonement is not just grace but also power to begin to overcome and escape sin because God is faithful and promises to make or weaknesses strengths.

[from Wiki]
In the Scottish common law tradition, an acquittal formally certifies the innocence of the accused, as far as the criminal law is concerned. This is so even where the prosecution is abandoned nolle prosequi. Under the rules of double jeopardy and autrefois acquit, an acquittal operates to bar the retrial of the accused for the same offense, even if new evidence surfaces that further implicates the accused. The effect of an acquittal on criminal proceedings is the same whether it results from a jury verdict, or whether it results from the operation of some other rule that discharges the accused. Scots law has two acquittal verdicts: not guilty and not proven. However a verdict of "not proven" does not give rise to the double jeopardy rule.

From the LDS perspective of the Bible, we all are sinners, fallen and lost, but because of Christ we are forgiven. This forgiveness is Justification. This justification is acquittal. This acquittal is a verdict of "not proven", this verdict of "not proven" puts us on probation. This probationary grace period allows us time to allow Christ to complete the work of sanctification in us so that when we do stand before God at the final judgement we will be like Him. Then we can expect the ultimate forgiveness and be received into eternal life. It is possible to receive this ultimate forgiveness in this life. This is called having you calling and election sure and it is ultimately a personal experience between a person and God.

Christ makes it so that we can have the indwelling of the Holy Ghost. But it is not like we become like Enoch who walked with God or Elijah who was taken up to heaven at the moment we accept Christ and are justified. That's not the end of the process but the beginning. So, the point about acquittal and probation is that we know we are going to still be judged again. we are not saved by "double jeopardy" and Christ will still need to confess our names before the Father and the angels.

Yes, Christ paid for the sins of His people. To others who are not Christ's he will say "I know you not". Although the price has been paid in full already, we still sin and are still adding daily to His burden. All believers or those invited to the marriage, who are all guilty, have been justified, acquitted and given the verdict of "not proven." When we stand before God to be judged and Christ confesses us before his Father and the angels, then we know that Christ had taken upon himself our sins, because he knows us.

That's how He will know us, but He will not make mention of our sins. At the final judgement we will be judged guilty officially and Christ will say that He has paid our penalty for all past sins. And since we will be perfected by that point, we can then dwell in the presence of God. But others who were also justified and acquitted will not have allowed Christ to compete the work of sanctification in them. So, these unwise virgins, "lukewarmers", are those invited to the wedding feast who are not wearing the wedding garment and will find out that Christ never paid for their sins, and that He didn't and doesnt know them.

The Miracle of forgiveness is focused on vice kinds of sin. People want to know that Christ will help them completely forsake alcohol or tobacco or meth or porn or whatever so they can move on. People dont want to endlessly backslide, and spin their wheels. This paradigm is the basis for the 12-step program. This can apply to loosing your temper. I know people who I have never seen loose their temper and have mastered that aspect. I have seen them being seriously provoked and respond in a kind and soft voice and diffuse tense situations. There is no sin that this paradigm cant ultimately apply too. The 6 step paradigm comes from scripture: recognize your sin and that you are a sinner, godly sorrow, confess, make restitution, forsake. Christ had the power to heal us and treat the source of the sickness and not just the symptoms.

Evangelicals seem to focus on motivation and not just doing it. According to the Bible. God says obey because you fear God, obey because you desire reward, and ultimately obey because God loves you. God's love is the highest motivation, but God will not blame you if you obeyed because of fear but he does hope that we obey with a cheerful heart and with thanksgiving.

Evangelicals say that being completely forgiven without fear, or seeking reward makes you better able to repent. You think that God is the ideal parent because it is going to motivate us to remove any concern about a future judgment. Putting our mind at ease is supposed to motivate us. Our whole society is based on personal accountability that we will stand before God and be judged of our works. This is the basis of self government. No , a loving God is not going to remove that motivation. We have a deadline. God is knows we are weak and sinful and that we need time to learn and will empower us to learn. That is His great love. The Real God is a loving but responsible parent and not a "sugardaddy."

The Purpose of Repentance

A friend of mine questioned the LDS concept and understanding of repentance. He misunderstood our doctrine to mean that we somehow thought we could pay for our own sins. This is absolutely incorrect. Only Jesus Christ can pay for sins in this world which will result in Eternal Life.

Repentance involves 5 steps:
1. acknowledging sin
2. feeling godly sorrow for sin
3. making restitution if possible
4. asking God for forgiveness
5. forsaking the sin.

Again, the steps of repentance are not about paying for your own sins. Repentance is the process of accepting Christ after you knowingly rejected Him by your sinful actions.

2 Cor. 13: 5-7 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?
Titus 1: 16 They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.

Examine yourself, is Christ in you? Do your works deny Him?