LDS Theology

In this post I am going to try and briefly summerize LDS Theology:

EXAMPLE OF MOSES
When God called Moses up into the mountain, God desired all the Elders of Israel to first purify and sanctify themselves and then ascend the mountain with Moses (Ex 19:10,22). God didn't just want one chief and a nation of indians. God wanted a royal priesthood, a kingdom of priests and a holy nation (Ex 19:6)(Num 11:29). God wanted every man to be a King and Queen, Priest and Priestess in their own homes. God wants to be the King of kings and the Lord of lords (Rev 19:16). However, the Elders of Israel refused, they told Moses that they were scared and that Moses should go alone and come back and tell them what God said (Ex 20:19).

As Israel approached the Mountain of the Lord, the top of the mountain was burning with fire, the sky was dark, and the gound shook beneath thier feet. The Elders of Israel refused to ascend the mountain because they feared what would happen if they put their life into the hands of the LORD. Similarily, many today refuse to sanctify themselves and ascent the mountain also. Many still fear what would happen if they fully give their lives into the hands of God. (ie He will ask me to do things I may not want to do)

In addition to being very afraid, the Elders of Israel didn't want to repent and change and keep the commandments. They didn't want to do what was required to have a close relationship with God and see His face as Moses had. So, while Moses was away, the people said Moses delayeth his return, they then gave all their gold/money to Aaron (anti-Christ type) who fashioned the golden calf and began worshipping it through lude and immoral behavior (type of the Last Days, false relgion, and sexual permissivness). When Moses came down from the mountain (type of Second Comming), and caught the people in their sins, he drew a line in the sand and only the Levites stood with Moses and the LORD (Moses 32:26).

Today, God again wants all believers to purify and sanctify themselves and ascend the mountain so that they can have a personal relationship with Him. But just as in Moses' time, we still must sanctify ourselves, and many of us just as the Elders of Israel choose to worship false religion that makes no such expectation of us. Many religions let us go through the motions of being Christian without giving us any of the of expectations and requirements that go along with enjoying a personal relationship with the LORD.

So, in the next sections, I will explain how God has revealed what we must do to ascend the mountain and enjoy a personal relationship with Him. This process involves 2 steps: Justification and Sanctification. (1Cor6 :11) Thankfully, God makes the first move and empowers every part of the process thereafter. We can do nothing good without Him. Joseph Smith taught that through the ordinaces of the Gospel the power of God is manifest. (D&C 84:20). So, nothing in the LDS Church is being done without the LORD.

#1 Justification: acquital, posponement of judgement, initial rescue/salvation

God makes the first move. Christ stand at our door and knocks (Rev 3:20). If we accept Christ, we become Justified and Christ's righteousness is imputed to us. We are innocent until proven guilty, thus since judgement is posponed, we can have access to the Holy Ghost through Christ's rightousenss and not our own. Justification and this innitial salvation and rescue is by grace and is a free gift from God. That said, the Bible teaches that we accept Christ by 1. Confession of Faith (Rom 10:9-10), , 2. Repentance (1Cor5:11), 3. Baptism by Immersion, 4. Gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands (1Tim 4:14)(Acts 2:38).

The Lords Supper/Sacrament is the way the Bible teaches that we renew our acceptance of Christ and our Justification. The need to examine ourselves and continually renew this convenant points us to Christ and the need of Christ's atonment and the power of the Holy Ghost to Sanctify and further change us. We promise promise to accept Christ, remember Him, and He promises to give us His Spirit.

#2 Sanctification: becoming perfected in Christ through the sanctifying presence of the Holy Ghost such that we lose all desire for sin but desire to do good continually.

Justification is only the first part of the Atonement of Christ. But not only does the Atonement of Christ have the grace and mercy to rescue us in our sins, but Christ's atonement also has the power to overcome our flesh and save us from our sins (Matt 1:21). The next step involves the Spirit-empowered process of Sanctification. Santification is so important a life-long process, Christian believers in the NT were called SANCTS or SAINTS.

Christ told the rich young ruler "If thou wilt be perfect, sell all that thou hast, give to the poor and thou shalt have treasure in heaven, and come and follow me." (Matt 19:21) Paul in Hebrews teaches that the Levitical priesthood had not the power to pefect but the higher covenant and priesthood of Melchezidek did through Christ. (Heb 7:11,19) Latter-day SANCTS or Latter-day Saints make the covenant of Consecration in the New Testament/Latter-day Temple. (Acts 2:46).

Consecration means to give all time, talents and everything to the work and kingdom of God. Allegorically, the temple symbolizes, "The MOUNTAIN OF THE LORD" (Isa 2:2) In the old testament the temple and the priesthood was only availible to one kingdom, nation, tongue and people and one tribe. But in the Last Days, John saw an angel fly with the everlasting gospel to give to all kingdoms, nations, tongues and people (Rev 14:6). In the OT God made His priesthood and covenants excluseive by limiting them to the oldest son, or only one tribe. This was done, not because God is a respecter of persons, but because He wanted man to appreciate the importance of these blessings. However, in the NT, God is promising these blessings to all people. This is what the angel on the top of LDS Temples is announcing and why LDS build temples among all nations and peoples.

While the blessings of the Temple are now inclusive and availible to all people now in the Last Days, to ascend to the Mountain of the Lord, the People of the LORD are still required to Sanctify themselves, or in other words to receive the Holy Ghost and allow the Holy Ghost to sanctify them. Paul in 1 Cor 5:11 gives us God's requirement for spiritual preparation and purification to be worthy to enter into the presence of the LORD.

1 Cor 5:11 "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".

This verse by Paul is the basis for worthiness to enter into an LDS Temple. LDS are interviewed by our Bishops who serve as the High Priest to determine ritual purity. However instead of external purity, Bishops who serve as Judges in Israel and who are not just "Preachers" verify our inward and spiritual purity. LDS demonstrate our compliance with 1 Cor 5:11 by confessing any sexual sin and living complete abstainance before marriage and fidelity within marriage. LDS demonstrate a Spirit-empowered love of God over money by paying tithing. Latter-day SANCTS are asked if they accept Christ as their Savior and are asked to confess any support or partipation with anti-Christian groups. LDS who are worthy of the temple and have the Holy Ghost would never abuse their wives or children (railer), Also, LDS would never take any chemical or substance for the purposes of getting "high" or drunk. God expects His SANCTS to turn to Him and not to drugs and alcohol when we are tired, bored, or stressed. And finally, God promises that though His Spirit, His SANCTS will be empowered to be honest in our dealings with our fellow man. God's temple-worthy people should never be found taking and offering bribes, kickbacks, or defauding our neighbors.

In the end the Temple is a beautiful allegory and symbol that teaches the follower of Christ who God is, who we are, and our relationship to God. The Temple teaches us about God's plan of happiness and Salvation and gives us an Eternal Perspective of what is really important. Through the temple, God's people come to receive the Holy Ghost more prefectly, and feel God's love and power. After receiving this Eternal Perspective about the purpose of life, God's' people are empowered and "endowed" and immunized against sin. Sin and being ruled by the passions and appetities of the flesh, just doesn't have the appeal that it used to have. The closer of a relationship a person has with God, the less he is subject to sin and temptation. Just as Christ promised the Rich young ruler, LDS make the covenant of consecration in the temple, and God in turn promises us greater sanctification.

So, why bother being sanctified? Well, in addition to being told that no unlcean thing can dwell in the presence of God (1Cor6:9). And this is more than just being "called clean". The issue is that despite being Justified, sin still has very real and very painful consequences. That is why I am grateful to Christ for His faithfullness, and the power of His Atonement that promises the power to overcome and escape my sins. (1 Cor 10:13)

However, Sanctification is not something that man can do on his own, or even part way. The Holy Ghost empowers the entire process. But when Nephi says "it is by grace we are save after all we can do" (2Ne25:23) or Moroni says "deny yourselves of all ungodliness and then is His grace sufficent for you" (Moro 10:32-33) LDS Scripture is not saying that we can meet God half-way or save oursleves by our works without Christ. What Nephi was saying was explainining why they observed the Law of Moses knowing that salvation was in Christ. What Nephi was saying was, becasue Christ gave the Law, they were going to receive the grace Christ had already given them before expecting to recieve more. So, in other words, Nephi and Moroni were saying we should "finish with the grace that Christ has already put on our plate, before asking for seconds".

Justification and Sanctification both occur at the time a believer truely accepts Christ and is Born again. The Temple is given to keep believers continuing in our Sanctification. Therefore, just like in the days of Moses, God is inviting us to receive His grace, and His Spirit and sanctify and purify ourselves and ascend into the mountain into His presence. So, for those who have accepted Christ and saved by His grace, will we allow the Holy Ghost to continue to sanctify us according to 1Cor 5:11 and ascend the mountain wth Moses, or will we stay behind and backslide into worshipping the golden calf? (2 Cor6:17)

Ezekiel 37:26-28 Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them: and I will place them, and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore. My tabernacle also shall be with them: yea, I will be their God. and they will be my people. And the heathen shall know that I the LORD do ***sanctify*** Israel, when my sanctuary shall be in the midst of them for evermore.

Balanced Spiritual Diet

“our relationship to living prophets is not one in which their sayings are a smorgasbord from which we may take only that which pleases us. We are to partake of all that is placed before us, including the spinach, and to leave a clean plate!” Elder Maxwell, Things As They Really Are, P.74

The Scriptures as well as modern prophets love to liken spiritual truth with food. Paul spoke of milk before meat. Christ taught that He is the "bread of life" and the "living water". In the Book of Mormon, Nephi invites us to "feast upon the word". And, a latter-day Apostle, Elder Neal A. Maxwell, loved to speak about remembering to eat our spiritual spinach. When thinking about the differences between the many Christian religions, it seems that many denominations and non-denominations serve a meal that is missing a food group or two. Only the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints offers the completely balanced spiritual diet.

Some Christian denominations have been critical of the LDS Church for following Christ in offering the Christian sacraments of water baptism by immersion, the bestowing of the Gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands, and the offering of the emblems of the Lord's Supper. Other Christians have criticized the LDS Temple and its exercise of of the sealing power to bind marriages and families for "time and all eternity" and not just "for as long as you both shall live". Those critical of the LDS sacraments, claim that confessing Christ is all that is needed for Salvation, and that ordinances and covenants are just a bunch of unnecessary "dead works". However, I will use the Bible to show that the ritual ordinances given by Christ are a integral and critical part of of a balanced Christian diet.

Christ = Bread, Justification = Milk
Paul taught that milk should come before meat, and Jesus Christ taught that He is the "bread of life." While meat and vegetables are important, we cannot forget the the “stay” and “staff” of life. Jesus Christ is the only way to Salvation and Eternal Life. When the believer becomes born again, and truly accepts Christ as his Savior and Redeemer, he is justified. Justification means that judgment is postponed. Therefore, the justified individual is given a probationary time to prepare to meet God. During this time of probation, a just God considers him innocent until proven guilty. Also, Christ's righteousness is "imputed" upon him, enabling him the opportunity to enjoy the purifying presence of the Holy Ghost.

However, the Holy Ghost is easily offended by sin. So, the process of Justification must be renewed again and again. During the days of the Law of Moses, Israel continually offered up sacrifices which reminded them of their sinful natures. In the New Testament, believers continually partook of the bread and wine of Christ's Last Supper to receive the Justification of the infinite atonement. While, a person might subsist on a diet of milk and bread, thankfully the gospel of Jesus Christ does not end with Justification. Through the restored Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, all true believers can also enjoy the real Meat and Potatoes of the gospel.

Meat = Sanctifying Covenants, Vegetables = Consecration
The New Testament tells the story of a rich young man who asked the Savior what he should to to have Eternal Life. Jesus Christ answered by asking "what saith the Law?" In response, the young man began reciting the 10 Commandments, and then declared "All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet?" Impressed, Christ taught, "If thou wilt be made perfect, sell all that thou hast, give to the poor and come and follow me." To be made "perfect" is to become "Sanctified".

While, it is wonderful to be justified and have judgment day postponed, sin still has very painful consequences. Thankfully, the Atonement of Christ possess both sufficient mercy to both forgive and overcome sin. Overcoming sin, the flesh, or "the natural man" is the power of Sanctification. Thus, through Christ, we are not just saved "in" our sins, but also saved "from" our sins. Sanctification is the purifying process whereby the Holy Ghost purges from us any desire or disposition to do evil (Mos 5:2). Therefore, as we receive the Holy Ghost more perfectly, like a refiners fire, we eventually will lose any and all desire for sin. When all desire from sin has been purged from us, we are then clean and prepared to dwell in the presence of Our Father in Heaven.

Heb 7: 11,19 If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law,) what further need was there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of Aaron?. . . 19 For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God.

Latter-Day Sancts
In case you think Sanctification is too big a concept for you, consider that all believers of Christ in the New Testament where called "Saints". Saints is derived from the Latin "Sancts" and is short for Sanctification. With this in mind, the concept of Sanctification should be a central Christian principle for any "Latter-day Sanct".

The Promise of Consecration is Sanctification
We learn in the New Testament and through latter-day revelation that after we have accepted Christ and are Justified, Christ desires us to enter into a special covenant relationship with Him.. We enter into a covenant relationship with God through ritual ordinances such as Baptism, the Lord's Supper and in the Temple. Only through the ordinances of the Latter-day temple can Christians enter into the most sacred and sublime covenant with God; the covenant of Consecration. Just like the rich young man, Christ invites all believers though the temple to be willing to devote all we possess to serving Him and building up His kingdom. In return, we are promised to be made perfect, to become sanctified, and to be prepared to receive Eternal Life. Sanctification is composed of the principles of both obedience and sacrifice. As Samuel reminded King Saul, great sacrifice didn't preclude him from also being expected to keep the Lord's commandments.

1 Sam 15:22 Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.

In the Old Testament, the temple was only built up to one kingdom, nation, tongue and people. But in the New Testament, John in Revelation saw an angel fly in the midst of heaven with the everlasting gospel to preach to all kingdoms, nations tongues and people. So, while the blessing, priesthood, and the covenants in the OT were exclusive to one tribe and one people, today in the Last Days, the blessings and covenants of the temple are inclusive and available to all people. This is the message that the angel is sounding at the top of each LDS Temple.

Saved By Grace After All We Can Do
LDS Doctrine is a Christ-Centered, Sanctification-focused doctrine. Our message is always one of how we can, through Christ, try a little harder to do a little better. Many Christians have a difficult time with LDS Theology and feel we are teaching that we can somehow save ourselves, or meet God part way. This false perspective represents an unfortunate misunderstanding of LDS theology. Some of this mistaken impression can be traced to a misunderstanding of the words of Nephi in the Book of Mormon who says "we are save by grace, after all we can do." Evangelicals correctly argue that "we can do nothing without the grace of Christ." However, this interpretation takes Nephi's words out of context. What Nephi is explaining is why they bothered to observe the Law of Moses knowing that salvation was in Christ. Nephi was not saying he could do anything without Christ. What he was saying was that Christ gave the Law of Moses and they were going to joyfully and faithfully receive and apply what grace God had already given them, before asking for more. Going back to our food analogy, what Nephi is saying is, "don't asks for seconds before finishing your firsts".

2 Ne 25:23 For we labor diligently to write, to persuade our children, and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God; for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do.

In the same sense, Moroni, at the close of the Book of Mormon, invites all men everywhere to "deny themselves of all ungodliness". Moroni then declares that if we would deny ourselves, then would "His grace be sufficient for us." Again, what Moroni means is that God has already given us the grace and power, though Christ, to overcome our sins. If we receive and apply the atonement of Jesus Christ, we can become justified by his atoning sacrifice and sanctified though His Holy Spirit. Then we can have the faith and assurance that when He appears we will be like Him and we will see Him as He is.

Moroni 10:32 Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ;

Ministry vs. Management

Elder Robert C. Gay, Area Seventy for the Southeast Area, of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, spoke to the Augusta, Georgia Stake yesterday and discussed the focus of our newest revision of the LDS Handbook of Instruction to focus on ministering to the one, and not just managing or administering to the ninety and nine.

Alma 22:23-25 Now this was done in the presence of the queen and many of the servants. And when they saw it they greatly marveled, and began to fear. And the king stood forth, and began to minister unto them. And he did minister unto them, insomuch that his whole household were converted unto the Lord. Now there was a multitude gathered together because of the commandment of the queen, and there began to be great murmurings among them because of Aaron and his brethren. But the king stood forth among them and administered unto them. And they were pacified towards Aaron and those who were with him.

Elder Gay cited this great example in the Book of Mormon where Aaron was teaching the King of the Lamanites where the King said "I will give away all my sins to know God." After the King was converted, it says that the King "ministered" to his household and they were all "converted." Not long after a crowd gathered outside alarmed that a Nephite was speaking with their Lamanite King. The King then "administers" and only "pacifies" them.

My wife and I were recently having a discussion about the difference between "ministering" and "administering." Too often it is easy to get into a rut of going to church, teaching our lesson, going to our meetings, and planning our activities and believe that we are living up to the expectations that the Lord has for us. How much "converting" are we involved in vs. how much "pacifying"? My wife is a great example of what it means to "minister." She is always working with different people one-on-one, helping them return to full activity, or to become temple worthy. Unfortunately, this can be very heart-rending work as not everyone responds to her ministering.

Elder Gay told our Stake that the LDS Church was going to change how it measures progress. Instead of focusing on percents, the church was going to highlight numbers of individuals making and keeping covenants. To minister, Elder Gay taught, involves visiting, blessing, and teaching. He also said something that was surprising. He also spoke on Councils and that revelation will be scattered throughout our ward council members as we focus on the specific needs of specific families and individuals. Elder Gay promised us that as we focus on ministering in the church, more fully consecrating our lives to God, and loosing ourselves in the Lord's service; we will be living up the the expectations that that Lord has for us, and we will more fully experience the power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. The power of the Atonement of Christ, which Christ told Joseph Smith many churches deny, doesn't just Justify us from sin, but will sanctify us and purge us of any desire to do evil. Instead we will only be filled with love of God and the desire to do good continually.

Elder Gay also relayed a desire of President Monson that LDS members give talks focused on specifically how certain gospel principles have blessed their lives, and not just telling the congregation everything they know on that subject or what LDS leadership have said on that subject. With this in mind, if I were assigning speakers, I might ask those invited to speak to share with me how a certain principle had blessed them and ask that they include those comments in their talk.

Why Are There Requirements to Enter an LDS Temple?

In the Old Testament the Lord invited the Elders of Israel to come up into the Mountain with Moses. However, initially as he spoke with them, he caused the elders to stand at the base of the mountain and gave them the 10 Commandments and come other laws and requirements of purification that he expected they observe before coming up into the Holy Mountain. Unfortunately, while Moses was away, the people made the golden calf, and engaged in idol worship. Consequently, a preparatory Law of Moses was given to the people with additional outward rules and requirements of purification to enter the Jewish Temple.

Today, temples and the everlasting gospel are available to all kingdoms, nations, tongues, and peoples, and not just one nation. However, the rules and requirements of individual inward purification are still required. Paul in 1 Corinthians 5:11 says "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."

Now, while no one is absolutely perfect in this life, their is a minimum standard of holiness and inward purity that we can achieve and which the Lord expects. 1 Cor 5:11 is the basis for the purification requirements of the New Testament Temple:
Fornication: all moral sin is forbidden. All Christian disciples are expected to observe strict abstinence before marriage and complete fidelity within marriage.
Covetous: we are to live God more than money. A wonderful measure and gauge of this is that all Christian disciples are required to pay a full tithing or 10% of their increase to Christ's Church. In the temple we covenant to consecrate and devote all we have to God, but 10% is the minimum to enter the temple. It doesn't make sense to want to covenant to give 100%, when we can't give 10%.
Idolater: All Christian disciples should posses a love and testimony of Jesus Christ as their Savior, as well as their faith and testimony in the Restoration of the Gospel in the Last Days through Joseph Smith which continues on to the present with our current Prophet President Thomas S. Monson.
Railer: Christian disciples worthy of the Lord's House should never be guilty of any type of abuse to wife or offspring.
Drunkard: Isaiah warns us of "following after strong drink" and allowing "wine to inflame us". Similarly, the Word of Wisdom which is the Lord's Latter-day law of health which requires that we abstain from any alcohol, tobacco, coffee, tea or any other type of illicit drugs.
Extortioner: We should be honest in all our dealings with our fellow man avoiding any type of lying, cheating, or stealing.

During the time of the Law of Moses, if a Jew were to become unclean, he would have to come before the Priest and confess his uncleanliness, and submit to the requirements of purification, and return to the Priest after fulfilling these requirements and be declared ritually pure to enter into the Temple. Today, the New Testament LDS Bishop serves as a Judge in Israel in the same way the Priest did in the Old Testament. LDS Bishop's are not necessarily "preachers." Sermons and lessons on Sunday are assigned out and given by the members to members. Bishop's are tasked with receiving confession, assisting with repentance and the determination of the requirements of purification, and in determining ritual purity for a person to participate in the rites and ordinances of the gospel such as the Lord's Supper or Sacrament every Sunday and in determining worthiness to go to the LDS Temple. The Bishop also helps with the poor and needy under his stewardship.

Someone asked why the requirements to not drink beer will keep you out of the temple while the Word of Wisdom requirement to "eat food in its season" is not generally observed in America and is not required. The answer is that 1 Cor 5:11 discusses drunkenness as the requirement. Nevertheless, the American people are not immune from the grave health consequences of eating foods loaded with preservatives.

It is well recognized in scripture in D&C 1, that the people of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are far from perfect. The Lord says he is pleased with His church "collectively and not individually". And in another place, the Lord says that the church is under condemnation for neglecting the Book of Mormon. So, it can be said, that the LDS Church is under some degree of condemnation. The people of the church have not become perfected yet and therefore, we are not enjoying all the blessings me might enjoy and will one day enjoy in the Millennium when Christ's Kingdom will become perfected. In a way, we are sojourning through the Deserts of Sinai. I am sure there weren't many converts who saw Israel out in the desert and were attracted to come join God's people as they suffered through their days of chastisement.

Temple, Constitution, and Self-Government
If you really understood and loved the great Constitution of the United States, then you should immediately love the LDS Temple as a great institution and mechanism of freedom and social therapy and rehabilitation. The Money Elite who control this world are ready to destroy the American Empire they have Infiltrated, Corrupted, and Subverted and move on to China. They would like us in America, who will survive the great tribulations that they have already begun to unleash upon us, to believe that Constitutional and Representative Democracy is a failed experiment no more noteworthy than Greece or Rome.

In the mind of the Power and Money Elite, man is incapable of governing himself. According to them, man is corrupt, completely controlled by his passions, and requires some sort of monarchy, or oligarchy to rule over him. The Constitution, on the other hand, is established on the premise that all men are created equal, all men should be subject to the same laws, and that man can and should be able to govern himself. However, as Alexis De'Tocqueville commented in "Democracy in America" the Christian Churches and the peoples faith in Christ is what makes Self Government work.

However, we have seen a failure of Christianity in America. Christian Churches are no longer supporting our Constitutional Government by helping their people to govern their own behavior. While the US does not endorse any one Church over another, we do have a national faith that 1. all men will stand before God to be judged. 2. all men are subject and all laws should support and reflect natural law which is the "golden rule" that no man should do to another when he wouldn't want another to do to him. Instead the Money Elite practice a different golden rule: "he who has the gold makes the rules."

Many Christian churches make no requirements and have no expectations of their people. They do not receive confession, they do not assign punishment, and they do not provide social rehabilitation. Most Churches today allow anyone to go through the motions of Christian observance, without any expectations. You can pretty much do whatever you want, and as long as you haven't been arrested, you can be baptized, and partake of the Lord's Supper unworthily. Sure, many Christian Churches will excommunicate if a particular member commits some terrible crime out of embarrassment, but Churches rarely provide mechanisms which allow people to confess their sins before they become public scandals. Consequently, many people look at the hypocrisy of Christianity and become disillusioned with organized religion altogether.

So, I am not saying that there have never been temple-going LDS members who have never committed a terrible crime. There is nothing to prevent a person from lying to their bishop. And there is nothing about being baptized, or taking the Lord's Supper, or going to the Temple that guarantees Eternal Life by themselves. But, what the LDS Church provides is a great system which provides opportunities for all people to make confession, receive correction, receive social/spiritual rehabilitation and rewards and positively reinforces righteous self-government. The LDS Church will forever uphold the foundation principles of our Constitutional Government.

One of the many complaints against the LDS Temple and it's worthiness requirements, is that so many of the requirements are very socially acceptable behaviors. Because of this, it is very easy for people to excuse themselves and rationalize, "Drinking coffee cannot possibly be all that bad since most of good Christian people I know do it." You cannot tell me that only good little LDS people who go to the temple and refuse coffee are going to be blessed and rewarded more than everyone else. God absolutely hates this argument. In fact, this is precisely the argument that God says make a nation ripe for total destruction.

Mosiah 29: 26-27 Now it is not common that the voice of the people desireth anything contrary to that which is right; but it is common for the lesser part of the people to desire that which is not right; therefore this shall ye observe and make it your law—to do your business by the voice of the people. And if the time comes that the voice of the people doth choose iniquity (sin becomes socially acceptable), then is the time that the judgments of God will come upon you; yea, then is the time he will visit you with great destruction even as he has hitherto visited this land.

Today, America has and is further undergoing a process of Ideological Subversion and Demoralization. The Power and Money Elite want us to lose faith in the Constitution and America. To do that they need to fill our head with false ideas and propaganda. To get people to accept lies and false propaganda, they need to be corrupted and demoralized. A demoralized person cannot determine truth because truth would cause pierce their conscience and cut them to the very center. The truth tells a wicked demoralized person to change and repent. Change is difficult and painful so, the demoralized person would rather accept lies as reality.

But, the key here is that the real threat to the US is our demoralization and that for the past decades, fornication, pornography, drunkenness, use of other illicit psychoactive substances and drugs is commonplace. The sins of abortion, and same-sex marriage have become false civil rights issues totally neglecting the rights of the child to live and to be raised in a home with both a father and a mother when possible. And if you speak out against the behavior of homosexuality, you are labeled a "homophob" and a "bigot." All these are grave sins, that the true and living God has clearly stated are sinful and are forbidden. While there will aways be a minority of people who struggle with sin and addiction, the problem for America is that we have allowed ourselves to become Demoralized to the point where all these things are now socially acceptable and are not any longer even considered sin.

Why is using any type of psychotropic drug wrong. The brain develops via positive and negative feelings and reinforcement. We are emotional creatures, therefore, good feelings and negative feelings reinforce certain connections in the brain and therefore certain behaviors that lead to better health and better survival fitness. Buy taking psychoactive substances for the purposes of getting "high", this totally short-circuits these mechanisms. In a very real sense, Doing drugs is stealing. You didn't earn that "high" feeling. The feelings of elation should be reserved for moments of accomplishment, discovery, and natural social interactions with family and friends.

Even if you don't believe in God, if you are any student of history, you must recognize that the Power and Money Elite of this world have used the importation of drugs to demoralize, economically drain, and then destroy one empire after another. The economic drain of a nation requires a massive expansion of territory via a military industrial complex to keep an advanced economy going and keep pace with the economic drain from the trade deficit. However, eventually the cost to maintain the trade deficit and the empire becomes to great and the entire Ponzi scheme comes crashing down.

S0, if you love freedom, and you love the Constitution of the United States, come join in the cause to save America by preaching repentance, supporting the re-moralization, and Social and Spiritual Rehabilitation of this country. Many Christians ask why LDS Missionaries preach to other Christians. One main reason is because many Christians require the social and spiritual rehabilitation. LDS Missionaries and Members alike could be considered trained Social and Spiritual Therapist. And we do it all free of charge.

Remember the purpose of the New Testament Temple is inscribed on each one "Holiness to the Lord." The purpose of the LDS Temple is to help reward and reinforce righteous behavior and habits. The covenants and promises of the temple are to consecrate your life to Christ, and to help the poor and needy in exchange for the promise of sanctification or a decrease in the desire for sin. Christ taught the rich young man to have eternal life, "'if thou wilt be made perfect, sell all that thou hast, give to the poor, and come and follow me." Consecration is the covenant of the temple, and Sanctification is the blessing.

Sanctification and Consecration

Bishop David H. Burton, the Presiding Bishop of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints gave an excellent talk in LDS General Conference about the Sanctifying effect of helping the needy and poor. In my opinion, this talk is the meat of the gospel of Jesus Christ. You will remember that in the New Testament a rich young man asked Jesus Christ, "What shall I do to obtain Eternal Life." Christ responded, "What saith the Law?" After running down the 10 Commandments, the young man replied, "all these I have kept since I was a boy. What lack I yet?" Then Christ gave one of the most important sayings in all of scripture, "If thou wilt be made perfect, sell all that thou hast, give to the poor, and come and follow me." This covenant and commitment is referred to as "Consecration". For LDS, this covenant is the higher covenant of the New Testament, and it is covenant that is made in the LDS Temple. In return for this devotion, Christ promises us that we can become sanctified and perfected from our sins.

Consecration is not a vow of poverty. That is going beyond the mark. God does not require that anyone "run faster than they have strength." Consecration means that after your righteous wants and needs are satisfied, that you devote all your excess time, talents, and resources to Him, His Church, and to helping the poor and needy. For some, who have little, we are taught in the Book of Mormon "I give not because I have not, but if I had, I would give".

Sanctification is much different than Justification. Justification is what occurs when a person is baptized by water and then born again by fire and the Holy Ghost. Justification is the continual forgiveness of sins by Christ's atonement and the imputing of His righteousness upon the believer. However, while it's nice to be forgiven, Sin still has serious and painful consequences. Let's say I smoke. I can believe in Christ and ask for forgiveness each night, but if I continue to smoke, Christ will not save me from the consequences of COPD and possibly Lung Cancer. We reap what we sow. However, the promise of Sanctification means that if we make the higher covenant of consecration and keep this covenant, we are promised that Christ's atonement not only has the mercy to forgive us, but it has the power to strengthen us against all sin. While, according to Paul, initial justification occurs by faith and not by works, Sanctification is absolutely all about works.

(Justification= initial condescension of the Holy Ghost to dwell with an imperfect individual to inspire them to repent, follow Christ, and be baptized, e.g. God makes the first move. Without this justifying condescension, the Holy Ghost could never dwell in fallen man at all and man could never be turned from His path of sin. However, after this initial "rescue"; good works, ordinances, and covenants are then required to keep that Spirit as a constant companion leading to Sanctification).

Priesthood and Temple
In the Old Testament, the Priesthood of God was not freely available to all. In the days or dispensation of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, only the oldest son received this honor. In the case of Jacob and his 12 sons, the oldest son(Reuben, Simeon) lost out because of serious moral sin. The honor of the priesthood and birthright was then given to Joseph, who was the oldest son of Jacob's 2nd wife Rachel. This honor was symbolized by Joseph receiving the fabled "coat of many colors." The other brothers were so jealous that they sold their brother as a slave into Egypt, tore up the coat into pieces, dipping a small piece of the coat in animal blood. They then delivered the bloody remnant to Jacob telling him some wild animal killed and ate Joseph. However, it turned out that in the end, Joseph in Egypt ended up saving his family from the great famine. In the last days, the tribe of Joseph in America (symbolic of Egypt) will serve to save the rest of the house of Israel from a spiritual famine which was the Great Apostasy during the Dark Ages through the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ through Joseph Smith in this the Dispensation of the Fullness of Times.

During another Dispensation in the day of Moses, God initially wanted all the Elders of Israel to come with Moses up into the Mountain to make covenants with the Lord, and become a Kingdom of Priests and a Holy Nation. However, we read that the people where afraid and responded to the invitation, to have Moses go alone and speak with the Lord himself and come back and tell them what the Lord said. Ex 20:19 "And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die." However, while they were gone, we know they claimed Moses delays coming down from the mountain so they made the golden calf and engaged in the idol worship of the Egyptians (type of the Last Days).

Consequently, the higher covenant of Abraham was not given at this time, but a lesser and preparatory Law of Moses was given to the people. (Gal 3:17, Heb 7:11) And the priesthood was not given to all the men of Israel, but only to the tribe of Levi and the Sons of Aaron who stood with Moses after coming down from the mountain. During the time of the Law of Moses, only the Levites and the Sons of Aaron were washed, anointed, and clothed in the robes of the priesthood to serve in the temple. And like Joseph's coat, their robes were of made of many colors to represent their sins and need for the future atonement of Jesus Christ. Only once a year, did the High Priest, representing Jesus Christ, dress in all white and pass through the Veil into the Holy of Holies of the Temple's inner sanctum.

However, now that Christ has performed the Atonement and died and has been resurrected and the fullness of the everlasting gospel of Jesus Christ and the higher Abrahamic Covenant has been restored, the veil of the temple had been torn. The Bible does not say the Veil fell down, but only was torn allowing the righteous in Christ to pass through. John in Revelation was shown the Saints in the Latter-days in the Temple and commented why everyone was wearing white in the Temple. Priests in the temple usually didn't all wear white, only the High Priest wore white. But the angel said in Revelation was told that "these are they who have washed their garments white in the blood of the Lamb". So, the white clothing in the temple represents that disciples of Christ have been washed clean of their sins by His atoning blood.

New Testament Temple
And now in the New Testament Temple, John in Revelation said he saw "another angel fly in the midst of heaven with the everlasting gospel to preach to all kingdoms, nations, tongues, and peoples." Also, John comments that this angel says "hurt not the Earth, nor the trees until we have sealed the servants of God in their forehead". So, now today, the higher covenant and priesthood is not just available to the oldest son, or only one single tribe, but today, this honor is available to every kingdom, nation, tongue and people. In the Old Testament, the temple was only available to one tribe, one family, one language, one nation, one kingdom, one land, one people. Today, these blessing are available to everyone. This is why the angel appears sounding his horn on the top of every LDS Temple. This is the message that the gospel is sounding, that this great covenant, and priesthood, and blessing, and honor is available to all. Accordingly, we see new testament temples being built all over the world to every kingdom, nation, tongue and people.

So, just as in the Old Testament, only the sons of Aaron were washed and anointed and ordained kings and priests unto God, today all worthy disciples of Christ can make these similar preparations and covenants with God just has the Sons of Aaron did in the Old Testament unto God who is the King of kings and Lord of lords. However, the ritual in the temple is a metaphor for life, and is teaching a lesson about who God is, who we are, our relationship with God, and the purpose of life. The endowment of power occurs as we understand and keep the covenant of consecration we make in the New Testament Temple. As we ponder these lessons and "measure the pattern" of the Temple as Ezekiel was instructed to do; and the better we understand and keep these things, the more immune to Satan's temptations we become. We are promised that we will eventually lose all desire for sin. As the covenant of the mountain of the lord's House rolls forth and grows to fill the whole Earth, Satan will be bound.

Grace and Sanctification

ITS ALL GRACE
The whole gospel is grace. Everything is by grace. But here here is where we differ with the Evangelicals. There is the lesser law and the higher law. The lesser law deals with Justification by grace and not by works. This initial salvation or "rescue" is God condescending and snatching us from the jaws of death and hell. The "saved" by grace and not by works "lest we boast" is talking about our initial justification or rescue. I like to replace the word "saved" with "rescue" to clarify what Paul is taking about.

FREE FALL RESCUE
In another sense, all of us when we leave our eternal home and step into this fallen world; take a step off the cliff into spiritual free fall headed straight to hell. Whether we realize we are falling from a cliff or not, the ground is approaching. God is like an Eagle and dive bomb us and in his condescension match our position and speed, and tap us on the shoulder and inform us of our dreadful condition. We are promised that Christ will even bare us up on Eagles wings so that we can stop our free fall. But even though we are no longer falling, we are still a long way from where we started.

JUSTIFICATION (NO WORKS NECESSARY)
After Justification, Christ's righteousness is "imputed" to us and we are "called" clean such that we are enable to receive the holy ghost through the merits of Christ. But just because we are justified and "called" clean doesn't really mean we are clear and ready to return into the presence of the Father. Sure, Christ condescends and hangs out with sinners and publicans and accepts us how we are. But not the Father. The Father is the Man of Holiness, and he permits no unclean thing into his presence. This is why it is imperative to understand the distinctness between the Father and the Son.

HIGHER LAW, COVENANT, PRIESTHOOD
But now that the believer in Christ, can enjoy the presence of "a portion" of the Holy Ghost, if he allows it, the Holy Ghost will work within that person to purify them, and perfect them. This is the higher covenant and higher law and higher gospel. Remember that Paul said in Hebrews that the Levitical Priesthood didn't have the power to make one perfect. (sanctified).

Heb. 7: 11 If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law,) what further need was there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of Aaron?

SANCTIFICATION (LIFETIME OF WORKS REQUIRED)
And remember the words of Christ to the rich young man who asked what he needed to do to gain eternal life. After reviewing the law and confessing that he had kept the law since he was a boy. The young man asked "what lack I yet" Christ responded, "If thou wilt be perfect" (sanctified) then accept the law of Consecration. (Matt 19;21). So, here the young man had to make a choice, enter into a covenant, and keep that covenant in exchange for the promise of sanctification. Yes, its the power and grace of Christ that empowers the keeping of the covenant and blesses the keeper with the promised sanctification or eventual disposition never to do evil but to do good continually. However, there are a whole lot of consecrating works between here and there which may not end until the end of the Millennium when Christ presents the Sanctified Earth and His sanctified people on it, to His Father.

THE LDS MESSAGE
Unless a person understands the difference between Justification (called clean) and Sanctification (made clean), then I can see why the LDS message may seem peculiar. All LDS who have been baptized have already been rescued. LDS members have already been justified and enjoy the reception of the Holy Ghost. We are already "called clean" through the merits, and mercy, and grace of Jesus Christ. That is water under the bridge. Now the whole LDS message is focused on Sanctification and preparing to receive and keeping the Law of Consecration. The whole focus of the New Testament, Higher Covenant is about "trying a little harder to be a little better." The focus is not trying to save ourselves, or even meet God half way. The focus is on receiving and exercising the grace, spirit, and power that God has already extended to us, and then asking to be added upon--- Grace upon grace and not a fullness at first (John 1).

AFTER ALL WE CAN DO
Again, "Being saved by grace after all we can do" is not talking about meeting God half way or even taking one step toward God by our own power. Nephi is talking about why they bother to keep the Law of Moses knowing salvation is in Christ. But Christ gave the Law, so therefore, Nephi's conclusion is that they will receive what Christ has already given them (1sts) until the time that he gives more (2nds).

GAINING ALTITUDE
After we are Justified and Christ breaks our free fall descent and bares us up on eagles wings. We still have much work to do to get back to our heavenly home. We have lost a lot of altitude. Christ gives us wings to bare us home. Christ teaches us how to fly. Some will look up at the cliff from which we fell, and fix our gaze on a lower perch and settle for a lesser reward. Although, others who put our faith in Christ's flying lessons and the wings we have been given will diligently, persistently, patiently use those wings to return us home again into the presence of the Father from whence we came.

Power of Christ and Sanctification

Rescued by Jesus Christ
Many Christians understand the mercy and Justification of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. But many could speak more of the transforming and sanctifying power of Christ's Atonement. The basic doctrine begins understanding that all mankind are fallen and lost as a consequence of living in a fallen world. Therefore, none of us could even take one step towards God without His mercy and condescension to reach down and "rescue" or "save" us from our "spiritual free-fall" from glory to eternal damnation. This rescue is by virtue of Christ's grace and mercy alone and not any works of our own as Paul explained in the Bible. To sum up, this means, "God makes the first move" and empowers every move toward heaven thereafter.

Justification by Grace
But what happens after we have been saved. Obviously, there isn't a person alive that has not sinned, nor does a believer gain the ability to live a sinless life immediately. Some Christians believe that living sinless is not the point. However, we both agree that Christ's righteousness is imputed to the believer who is then empowered to receive the Holy Ghost by virtue of Christ's righteousness and not their own. The Holy Ghost makes any righteousness possible, and because even one little sin breaks the whole law, even one sin would make receiving the Holy Ghost impossible forever. So, because Christ's righteousness if imputed unto the believer, the sanctifying and perfecting and purifying influence of the Holy Ghost can begin to operate in our lives as though we were righteous. This "declared righteousness" is what is known as "Justification."

The issue here is that the initial reception of the Holy Ghost through the grace and merits of Christ is not the end but only the beginning of a new life, and new walk as a disciple of Christ. The path of Christian discipleship still remains ahead. The straight and narrow path of Christian discipleship lasts a lifetime. This is why Paul gloried God before His death "I have finished the course, kept the faith, and endured to the end."

Sanctification by Grace
Many Christians just don't get what LDS doctrine is all about. Many errantly claim that LDS believe that we "save ourselves" or "meet God part way". Any idea even close to this is categorically false. What people don't realize is that when LDS leaders are speaking to LDS members, they are focused on the message of "sanctification", "repentance" and "becoming better in Christ" and not necessarily on the initial Justification by grace and mercy, which has already happened. So, to outsiders and even some insiders, it may seem all this talk about "trying a little harder to be a little better" sounds like LDS are leaving Jesus Christ out of the equation. Again, nothing could be further from the truth.

Will and Agency
According to LDS salvation theology, the mercy and grace of Jesus Christ empowers every move of the believer. The grace and mercy and power of Christ doesn't end at the first move, but continues on until the work of purification, sanctification, and perfections is complete. The power of Jesus Christ's atonement empowers every step back into His presence, but the believer is still an active participant. God does not force his will upon us, therefore, while Christ empowers each step, the believer must choose to receive the empowerment. Man's will is our essence, our mind, our sentience. But just because man is sentience, doesn't mean he has a choice. Agency, freely given through and by Jesus Christ, gives man a choice to choose something better than a guaranteed eternal death and hell. But we still must choose.

Not a Fullness at First
What some believers are not taught well is that when a person is "Born Again" and they receive Christ through their faith, that the person does not receive the fullness of the Holy Ghost at first. Upon accepting Christ, we receive a certain portion of light and spirit which is proportional to our faith and personal righteousness at the time. While this righteousness is not the basis of our receiving the Holy Ghost at all, the fact of the matter is, the more we receive Christ, the more we align our lives with His will, the more light and spirit we will receive in our life. This is what is meant when the scriptures teach that we "do not receive a fullness at first, but grace to grace."

Remembering and Enduring
Look at it this way. Have you committed sin today? If your like me, then yes. So, ask yourself the following? How could you possibly have sinned at all if you have been "Born Again" and had become a "new creature." What did the Holy Ghost do while you were committing that sin? Was the Holy Ghost still with you while you were in the act of sinning? Where did the Holy Spirit go while you where sinning? How could you possibly sin after you have experienced the love of Jesus Christ? Is Christ's love and power and spirit not powerful enough to overcome your flesh? Isn't the power and love of Christ more powerful then whatever urges or appetites or habits you have? The answer is an obvious "YES." The issue at hand, is that after the initial Justification, and Rescue and being "Spiritually Born Again" comes the life-long process of sanctification, repentance, remembering and enduring to the end.

Spiritually Born Again
Let me clarify that LDS recognize that a sign of being Spritually Born Again doesn't mean sinlessness or perfection, but it means a deep desire and longing to be follow Christ and hope and faith that He will perfect us. Being Born Again means we wish we were perfect. Being a disciple of Christ means that we wish we could never forget, wish we never would falter, wish that we would loose all desire or disposition for evil forever.

Active Participants and Free Agents
So, how does the process of Sanctification happen and upon what conditions? First, Christ empowers each and every step. But as active participants in the process as we "work out our salvation with fear and trembling", believers are expected to participate. What believers are expected to do is to choose. Christ gives us the ability to choose. He give us the choice, and then He empowers our ability to make the correct choice. But, remember, Christ makes us free, we are not slaves. Therefore, as free agents, we must make the many right choices we are given. So, as George Bush would say, knowing that Christ is the empowerer, we are still the deciderers.

Heavenly Father is Holy
The Bible clearly teaches that "No unclean thing can dwell in the Kingdom of God." God is holy, and therefore, those that dwell in His presence must also be holy and not just "called holy." So, if we realize and accept that we are not perfect at first, but that eventual perfection and sanctification is necessary, required, and possible in order to dwell in the presence of God, then we need to understand how sanctification works. And when we understand how sanctification works, then we can begin to receive, apply, and enjoy the sanctifying power of Christ's atonement right now.

The Father and the Son
Much of the doctrinal disagreement on the need for sanctification I think stems from confusion about the nature of God. When Joseph Smith received the First Vision, He saw Jesus Christ standing on the right hand of Heavenly Father. They were 2 numerically distinct persons, individuals, and beings, who are 1 God, just as Stephen witnessed prior to his martyrdom and just as Justin Martyr explained to Trypho the Jew.

Saved From Our Sins
Because Jesus Christ, the Son of Our Heavenly Father, condescended to come to Earth and associated with sinners and publicans during his life, many Christians may not believe sanctification or becoming sin free is necessary. Many believe that being "called clean" or "declared righteous" is good enough and sufficient. However, when you realize who God the Father is and who the Son Jesus Christ is, then you realize that the scriptures refer to God the Father as "The Man of Holiness" and Jesus Christ as "The Son of Man."' The scriptures teach that, because of our unholiness, Man has been separated from the presence of God the Father since the Fall in the Garden of Eden and that God the Father has not dealt directly with man since that time (not even to Joseph Smith). Therefore, just because we feel that Jesus Christ accepts us as we are, "in our sins." We must realize that the power of Christ's Atonement and His mission is for the precise purpose to "save us from our sins." Therefore, at some point, when Christ has finished His work in us, He may present us perfect, and clean, and holy, and sinless to enter into the presence of The Father forever. In this way we understand that Jesus Christ was begotten from the beginning to perfect and complete mankind, and not to complete and perfect God the Father. God the Son is not a piece or part of God that if removed would detract from the perfection or completeness of God the Father who is perfect alone.

Not All Sin From Satan
In order to return holy, purified, and sanctified into the presence of God the Father, man must become sinless. Some may think that sin is impossible in the presence of God. Some may think that with Satan cast out that there would be no more tendency at all to do evil. But this view that sin would necessarily be impossible in heaven is based on an incorrect assumption that all sin is Satan's fault. The truth is that man can sin all on His own. Think about it, if it were impossible to sin in heaven, then Lucifer could never have rebelled in heaven, and would never been able to lure a 1/3-part of the hosts of heaven to his side before being cast out.

Growing Light and Grace
So, knowing that sanctification is necessary, required, and possible in Christ, here is the process. In order to receive more power, spirit, light, and grace that empowers righteousness, you have to be fully receiving the power, spirit, light,and grace that Christ has already given you. In other words, if you want seconds, you have to finish the food that is already on your plate. And that is what growing from grace to grace is all about. And in this way, the LDS focus and the Higher and New and Everlasting Covenant which is sanctification-centered, is fully and entirely grace dependent and not at all about saving ourselves or even taking one step towards heaven without Christ. Trying a little harder to be a little better is about receiving and applying the grace and gifts that Christ has already given us. Why ask for more, if we have cast aside what we have already been given?

Why Change?
So, why do LDS bother talking about sanctification and repentance. Why do we discuss ways to avoid this or that sin, or ways to have a good attitude in doing this duty or that duty? The reason is, that while it's nice to be forgiven, sin still has very real consequences. Sin is painful, and sin hurts and injures ourselves, and others. And the reality is that we can do all the praying we want, but if we have a serious sin or habit or addiction, Jesus Christ is not going to save us from the painful consequences of that sin. In reality, it is the good news of the gospel that Christ's atonement is not just mercy to forgive us our sins, but also empower us to stop the sinning. That is the beauty of the Atonement. Christ can overcome any addiction and empower you to escape it. And only when you put that sin or addiction behind you, then the guilt, and pain, and consequences go as well.

LDS 12-Step Program
I was part of a family discussion the other night about how the LDS Church has successfully implemented and utilized the 12-Step Program" for behavior modification and overcoming addiction. LDS considered the 12-Step Program to be inspired by God. However, there is a small but very important addition that LDS give to the 12-Steps that illustrates just what I have been discussing here.

First, here is the LDS version of the 12 Steps:
1. Honesty-most sin involves lying and making excused to others and to ourselves.
2. Hope-you must believe that change is possible.
3. Trust in God-you must recognize you cannot overcome sin or do anything good without God.
4. Truth-knowing is half the battle. In all cases, when we realize God's way really is better, and that we had been missing out all this time, then we wish we had never sinned in the first place.
5. Confession-we will confess to God and to those we have injured.
6. Change of Heart-we will desire to change and be sinless.
7. Humility-we will recognize our weakness.
8. Seeking Forgiveness-we will forgive ourselves, seek forgiveness, and forgive others.
9. Restitution and Reconciliation- where possible, we will make right what we made wrong.
10. Daily Accountability- we will set goals and systems to monitor our progress daily.
11. Personal Revelation- we will seek revelation from God to know what we are to do.
12. Service- we will actively serve others and help others in the same way we have been helped.

Power of Christ's Atonement
Above are the LDS-version of the 12-Step Program. These steps are very typical to those that are presented at a typical AA meeting. These steps are also very akin to the traditional 5-steps of repentance that are routinely taught in the LDS Church which includes: Recognition, Sorrow for Sin, Confession, Restitution, and Service.

Change of Heart
Now, here is the twist I was talking about before. When you join with an AA group, it is taught that you are an alcoholic and that you will be an alcoholic forever. Therefore, according to the traditional 12-Step programs, you can never have a drop of alcohol again. Alcohol will always be a temptation for you the rest of your life, and that there is always the risk of slipping back into the addiction.

However, according to LDS Doctrine and according to personal experience, the Atonement of Jesus Christ goes further that just helping us deny ourselves of our ever-present, wicked, evil and destructive appetites and desires. According to the gospel of Jesus Christ is the promise that if we exercise faith in Christ through first applying His grace and denying ourselves, then is the great promise that Christ, through His grace and mercy, will take that desire from us completely. Jesus Christ promises us that it is possible that He can remove any disposition or desire for evil in this life. Now that is the greatest miracle of all.

Now, critics may say, that they do not know any Christian believers, that are perfect, so actually becoming sinless cannot possibly be expected. However, I do now know what the purpose of arguing this point is. Sin causes suffering and pain, and real consequences. Righteousness, on the other hand, brings joy and happiness. I cannot understand why anyone who believes Christ, would have a problem with believing that Christ's has the power to overcome our flesh and can help root out of us any addiction or sin, or bad habit, if we desire and allow Him too.

Resurrection of Just and Unjust
I think the issue here is a misunderstanding of God's time line. As I see it, Adam and Eve had nearly 1000 years to work on their sins and repentance and sanctification after the garden. For us today, we have hardly 85 years or less during a time when more wickedness exists on the Earth than at any time in Earth's history. The good news however, is the promise of the Millennium. During the Millennium, the believers in Christ are promised to be resurrected to dwell on Earth with Christ for 1000 years. During that time we are told Satan will be bound and have no power. Therefore, I look forward to this period when we can complete our sanctification and be prepared for Jesus Christ to present us and this Earth as holy to Our Heavenly Father. However, the work we allow Christ to do in us here and now, will make sure we are physically resurrected in the morning of the first resurrection clothed with glory and immortality and not resurrected with the unjust near the end after spending the majority of the Millennium in spirit prison.

Moroni 10:32-34 Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God. And again, if ye by the grace of God are perfect in Christ, and deny not his power, then are ye sanctified in Christ by the grace of God, through the shedding of the blood of Christ, which is in the covenant of the Father unto the remission of your sins, that ye become holy, without spot. And now I bid unto all, farewell. I soon go to rest in the paradise of God, until my spirit and body shall again reunite, and I am brought forth triumphant through the air, to meet you before the pleasing bar of the great Jehovah, the Eternal Judge of both quick and dead. Amen.

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.

OT vs. NT Temple

A friend of mine was questioning the purpose of the LDS Temple. To him, believing in Jesus Christ should be enough without needing anything else for salvation. For my friend, if Christ is our only mediator with God the Father, then what purpose is a temple?

In response, I told him he was being too concrete about the NT temple ceremony. Christ said he would reveal the mysteries of the kingdom in parables. Consequently, being concrete about the temple demonstrates how you easily many look past the spiritual significance and meaning behind the ritual.

According to Acts 2, the temple as well the Lords Supper remained a central part of Early Christian worship. In fact, Acts 2:44-47 says that it is a benefit of temple attendance and regular observance of the Lord's Supper that empowers the Early Christian Saints in their ability to eat their meat with gladness, and singleness of heart, praise God, find favour with all the people, and add to the church daily. After the temple was destroyed in AD 79, we see the church begin to go into decline and Apostasy. How can I prove the Apostasy? We no longer live with all things in common. The covenant of consecration/sanctification is the NT temple covenant that Christ revealed to the rich young man when He said, "If thou wilt be perfect, sell all that thou hast, give to the poor, and come and follow me." The Story of communalism is the story of Thanksgiving and also big part of the Early days of the LDS Church.

Acts 2:44-47 And all that believed were together, and had all things common; And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all as every man had need. And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.

Yes, Joseph Smith did borrow or was inspired by a few elements of the Masonic Ritual. He was impressed by how the ritual symbolism placed the most educated and uneducated on an equal level. The man plowing the field could learn truth along with the most educated.

The endowment ceremony is represented in scripture in other forms such as the vision of Lehi/Nephi, the vision of Moses, King Benjamin's speech, and Christ's covenant people speech among others. The symbol and ritual used may be different, but what is being taught is the same.

But most make the mistake of thinking that Masonic and LDS ritual teach the same thing. They do not. Equating them other than superficially would be like saying a powerpoint presentation on Biology was teaching the same thing as a powerpoint on Art History.

In the OT temple, only the high priest representing Christ was able to pass through the veil once a year. That priest dressed in white and passed through a thick 3-4 inch veil with embroidered angels representing the angels who guard the way of the tree of life.

In the NT temple, the veil is thin and almost see through. The veil has perforations which allow people to pass representing the torn veil at Christ's death. FYI, the Bible said the veil was torn, it does not say the veil fell down as it was hanging up like a curtain.

A person representing Jesus Christ is the only one that stands on the other side of the veil representing that Christ has been the only one who was able to pass through the veil. The true believers are washed, anointed, and clothed in white clothing (sanctification) as the OT high priest, and they are brought through the veil by Christ who was the first. The other assistants at the veil on our side of the veil represent the embroidered angels who stand in the way of the tree of life. Except now they help us and present us at the veil instead of impede our access to it.

But it is only Christ alone that has bridged the gulf between God the Father and Man that brings us through the veil into the presence of the Father.

Other Notes

Many Evangelicals rejection of priesthood, church organization, and gifts of God come down to a reactionary response and rejection of the authority of the Roman Catholic Church. Because they do not accept Papal authority, they interpret the Bible to say anything having to do with hierarchy, authority, and gifts has been done away. This includes the temple.

Acts 2:44-47 And all that believed were together, and had all things common; And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all as every man had need. And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.

The Bible contains many details about the temple such as the OT veil was 4in thick with embroidered seriphs representing the angels who guard the way of the tree of life after the Fall 0f Adam and Eve.

We know the temple will be rebuilt but in the Last Days unto every nation, kindred, tongue, and people instead of only one nation, kindred, tongue and people.

The NT veil is white, thin, and has partitions representing the torn veil and that the atonement of Christ has bridged the chasm between God and man. Now all Gods children can become sanctified and pass through the veil and past the angels into the presence of God and partake of the tree of life.

Remember Rev 1-3 and the promises of John to those that have have overcome the world have have not themselves been overcome: they are promised to be made kings and priests unto God, to eat of the tree of life, to be given "hidden manna", to be given a new name, and to be blessed to sit with Christ in His throne with Him. These promises are realized in the NT Temple.

In the OT temple the priests wore multicolored robes and undergarments and only the high priest once a year was permitted to be washed and annointed to pass into the holie of holies. Now through Christ and the higher covenant, all of Gods children are blessed to wear white robes, and pass through the veil into Gods presence through Christ.

John asks who are all these people dressed in white robes. The angel said, these are they who have sanctified themselves and washed their garments white in the blood of the lamb and serve day and night in His temple.

The veil doesn't separate. There are partitions. But obviously, you aren't in the presence of the Father at this moment. The temple symbolically represents the promise and process of actuually entering into heaven into the presence of the Father.
You are being too concrete. The temple is a parable. The veil represents the actual reality that you and I are not in heaven with the Father right now. A person representing the Lord Jesus Christ at the veil represents that only Jesus Christ can bring us through the veil into the presence of God.

1. Christ said he would reveal the mysteries of the kingdom in parables is the wicked would not understand them because they don't pay enough attention to the meaning behind the story. The LDS temple is a parable. 1. Matt 13:11. Luke 8:10

2. You are not literally in heaven seeing the Father in the flesh with your natural eyes. So, therefore there is a veil present currently in this sense.

3. The person at the veil represents the Lord Jesus Christ at the veil at the Final Judgement. What happens is all symbolic. Don't get so concrete about it. The symbolic meaning of what is happening is what is important over the concrete symbols themselves.

You miss the whole point of the OT temple. The shortcoming of the OT temple was that only one person per year was able to pass into the Holy of Holies.

Now in the NT temple everyone can be washed and annointed, dressed in white priesthood robes like the priests and be brought through the veil by Christ who was the first, and who tore the veil to make a way for the rest of us to pass through.

Remember Paul said the Levitical Priesthood had not the power to make one perfect else why would another priest arise after the Order of Melchesidek. Ie Christ.

Therefore Christ was the first to pass into the presence of the Father and has made a way for the rest of us to become sanctified and pass as He has done.

As far as the oaths associated with the temple covenants, they were a reminder of the example of Annanias and Sopphira who broke the higher covenant of sanctification/consecration by withholding a portion and were struck dead by God. That's kind of a OT thing for God to do in Acts. But this part of the older temple ritual just reminds us of the spiritual consequences of breaking our covenants. Again these are just ritual symbolism teaching something symbolically.

Joseph Smith confessed he was impressed by the Masonic ritual and how it taught abstract truth using ritual symbolism to the learned and refined as well as the unlearned and illiterate. So, yes Joseph Smith felt inspired to barrow the system the same way your preacher may give a lecture using Microsoft Powerpoint. If you were to see a lecture on Biology and History, you may assume the same thing was being taught if you only focused in the laser pointer dark room and slides. Conversely, the message of the Masonic ritual and the LDS temple is totally different.

The LDS temple is about Jesus Christ and tells the story of creation, fall, our separation from God and the Tree of Life, and the plan of salvation by which through Christs atonement we can receive the higher covenant and become prepared and sanctified, to again enter I to the presence of the Father through Christ. Realizing Gods love for you through His plan gives you an eternal perspective that empowers that person to resist sin better.

The message of the Masonic ritual is about Hyrim Abiff and becoming a better man, citizen by learning about Gods charactistics as a creator, how God brings order to chaos, and by contemplating ones death to acheive a higher perspective.

Christ stands at the veil and makes us worthy. Those who follow Christ are washed and anointed and clothed in beautiful white robes. We are then brought through the partitioned veil by Christ. Again, the temple is a parable, don't get too concrete about it. It's symbolically teaching this.

How welcome are the poor, the fatherless and the widow without means to travel around the world to the temple. In the Last Days, the NT Temple is being made available to all people, nations kindreds and tongues, and even the poor, fatherless, widows, etc. Everyone is invited and if they have faith in Christ, He will empower anyone to forsake the sins listed in 1 Cor 5

Paul says is any man be called a brother who is guilty of: Fornication, Covetness, Idolatry, Railing, Drunkenness, Extortion

These should receive correction, disipline and assistance by the Church or be cast out. False religion speaks nothing of these sins and continues to serve the flesh and blood of the Lords Supper to those who are unworthy or unrepentant.

This sin is called priestcraft, or gainsaying and is represented by Aaron who took the gold of the Israelites and made them a false God so they could defile themselves.

The OT Temple was given to one nation=Israel
The OT Temple was given to one kindred=Abraham,Isaac, Jacob
The OT Temple was given to one tongue=Hebrew
The OT Temple was given to one people=Israelites
John saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven with the seal of God and everlasting gospel to give to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people.

The NT Temple is given to All Nations
The NT Temple is given to All Kindreds
The NT Temple is given to All Tongues
The NT Temple is given to All Peoples

and the Last shall be first and the first shall be Last. After the NT temple has been built to all nations, it will finally be rebuilt in Jerusalem to the Jews.

Borne Upon Eagles’ Wings

Ex. 19: 4 Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles’ wings, and brought you unto myself.
Isa. 40: 31 But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

I believe that all little children who have not arrived at the age of accountability are innocent of sin and are alive in Christ. However, the Bible teaches that Adam fell and consequently all men need saving. Therefore, using this analogy, I think it can be said that coming into a fallen world from the presence of God is like falling off a cliff into a free fall with the ground (death and hell) accelerating towards us with each passing moment. Ignorant or not, gravity is in operation and the consequences of the fall are imminent.

Alma 34: 9 For it is expedient that an atonement should be made; for according to the great plan of the Eternal God there must be an atonement made, or else all mankind must unavoidably perish; yea, all are hardened; yea, all are fallen and are lost, and must perish except it be through the atonement which it is expedient should be made.

But the Bible says the there is Hope in Christ. That by the Grace of Christ we can be initially saved and rescued by faith alone. The Bible says that no one commeth unto the Son save the Father draweth Him. Therefore the Father reaches down to rescue us from our fall and the impending impact. God promises that eventually all men will be drawn unto Christ. But while all men will eventually accept the saving embrace of Christ, some will later turn away. Christ says none will be lost save the Sons of Perdition.

John 12:32 "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me"
John 6: 44. "No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day"
John 6: 39 "And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day."
John 17: 12 "While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled."
Rom 14:10-12 But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.

Before God reached down to offer us rescue, we were not free. We had no agency and no choice. But God says that The Father lifted up the Son on the Cross to draw "all men" unto Christ. So, nothing we could do caused God to reach down towards us but His loving kindness and infinite mercy. But after being given a choice (impact or rescue), we then are free to choose at that point. Moral agency requires: 1. free will, 2. knowledge of good and evil, 3. enticement by good and evil 4. Atonement of Christ.

After accepting rescue, we are borne up as if on eagles wings. God gives us a set of wings and the first thing we learn to do is stop the fall and maintain altitude. The is termed Justification. But after our drop in altitude has ceased, is everything done?

2 Ne. 31: 19-20 And now, my beloved brethren, after ye have gotten into this strait and narrow path, I would ask if all is done? Behold, I say unto you, Nay; for ye have not come thus far save it were by the word of Christ with unshaken faith in him, relying wholly upon the merits of him who is mighty to save. Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of bhope, and a clove of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life.

No, not everything is done after being rescued and justified. We still have fallen a long way, some more than others. So, Christ promises to empower us and teach us to use the wings we have been given to gain altitude.. Some people might say, Wow, Im sure glad I was rescued before hitting the ground, but gee, that is a long way back up there to the top of the cliff. Maybe instead of allowing Christ (wings) to empower by assent back to the top of the cliff, maybe ill just settle for one of these lesser perches and outcroppings. The one there looks like a nice comfortable spot.

Using wings that we have been given determines the degree of Sanctification we allow Christ to do in us. Christ said that none which the Father have given Him will be lost, except the Sons of Perdition, but again although we are saved from hitting the ground, this is no guarantee that we will necessarily get back all the way from where we have fallen and receive the same gift/reward/mansion/glory/kingdom/world/seat/crown. But if we will give our whole will: heart, might, mind and strength to God, then Christ will sanctify, perfect, and exalt us and carry us back to the very top again.

The Evidence of My Faith

Some people confuse faith with hope and hope with speculation. But the scriptures tell us the true meaning of faith. According to the Bible, "Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Therefore, hope is the assurance, but faith is the substance of that assurance. A song I learned growing up equated faith with "knowing the sun would rise, brightening each new day." Equating religious faith with the reality of the sun rising each morning is a fascinating comparison. In the same way there is proof of the earth in its regular orbit around the sun, there is evidence that God's word is faithful and true. The difference between each type of evidence, is that the sun can be measured with scientific instruments and described with equations. God's word can be experimented upon, but it is measured by living it and personal and collective experience. But, just as I set my alarm clock the night before counting on the sun rising the next morning, I can arrange my life around the commandments and promised blessings of God.

John 7: 17 If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.

[Lec 1:24a] Faith then, is the first great governing principle which has power, dominion, and authority over all things; by it they exist, by it they are upheld, by it they are changed, or by it they remain, agreeable to the will of God.

Alma 34:4 Yea, even that ye would have so much faith as even to plant the word in your hearts, that ye may try the experiment of its goodness.

Some Evangelical Christians have charged that because there is no archaeological and scientific evidence that the Nephites described in the Book of Mormon existed, that I exercise faith in a vain hope. However, I don't believe in God because I scientifically measured Him. I do not believe that Jesus Christ came back from the dead and ascended to heaven because some archaeologist found ancient video tape of the events. Therefore, I don't base my belief in the Book of Mormon based on what archeologist's have yet to find.

First off, it is impossible to scientifically prove or disprove the existence of God. To do either would require that the person be God. Accordingly, I believe in God not because I can scientifically measure Him, but because He has revealed Himself to me. In the same way, I believe in Christ, and in Joseph Smith, and in the Bible and Book of Mormon because God has revealed in the same way that these things are true and of Him.

While emotions are subjective by definition, I also have objective evidence of my faith? I believe in the LDS faith because the Bible says that the New and Everlasting Covenant carries the promise of a more perfect sanctification as well as future salvation. Therefore, this more perfect sanctification which is a more complete mastery over the appetites of the flesh, becomes a testable proof of God and His word. I have experimented upon God's word and the LDS faith and I have found that it has proved to produce the promised increase in sanctification and self control. behavior is measurable and objective. Therefore, by objective as well as subjective evidence, I have hope in a future salvation as well.

Subjectively, my evidence of God and the LDS religion is based on the fruit that the LDS gospel produces in my life. This is something that Satan cannot duplicate or falsify. "The fruit of the spirit is love, peace, joy, happiness, temperance, patience, father; against such there is no law" Objectively, the LDS doctrine focused on sanctification in Christ inspires and encourages and empowers men to bridle their appetites and master their flesh. Remember, the higher covenant is all about sanctification. If you do not understand what the word of Christ means when Christ said "If thou wilt be perfect" and what Heb says about the NT vs the OT having power to make us perfect then you have missed the whole meaning and purpose of the NT and the atonement of Christ who came to save us from our sins.

The LDS gospel helps me and others around me be better. I see that the people I associate with who keep their covenants, can be depend on, can be trusted, and they exemplify better mastery of their flesh and appetites and this is what Zion is all about. Zion is the "pure in heart"

I respect many Christians who have confessed and forsaken serious sins through Christ. LDS don't deny this but carry the promise to the next level. LDS teach a message of eternal progression and encourage our members to never stand still, because when it comes to spirituality, if you are not progressing your are backsliding. The Scriptures promise that after coming to Christ, Christ will bring us to the Father through a more perfect Sanctification. Therefore, the message of the New Covenant and the LDS gospel is sanctification and striving through Christ to be better as Pres Hinkley said "try a little harder to be a little better"

I am careful not to confuse peace with prosperity. God said he would cause it to rain on the just and the unjust. Therefore, temporal prosperity is not necessarily a sign of God's favor. But the Bible and the Book of Mormon do clearly state that what does differentiate the righteous in Christ with the wicked is peace and happiness. Isaiah said, "There is no peace, saith the Lord, unto the wicked." Alma in the Book of Mormon taught his son, "Wickedness never was happiness." Therefore, the fruit of my faith is not only prosperity but primarily peace, temperance, patience and a more perfect sanctification "against such there is no law."

Some Evangelicals vilify LDS doctrine because it is focused on trying to inspire people to be better? Why call good evil and evil good? Why say, "LDS are trying to be better and focus on sanctification because they think they are better than everyone else? Or, LDS focus on being better is because they think they can save themselves?" The simple truth is that the higher covenant of the NT is about being empowered by Christ to enjoy a greater more perfect sanctification. Therefore, the evidence of my faith in the LDS religion is the fruit of better self-mastery over the appetites of the flesh that I have experienced as a member of this church. The evidence of my faith in Christ is that His atonement is not just mercy to save me in my sins, but also power to help me overcome, escape, and forsake them. I have witnessed this power, and have witnessed this power in the lives of others.