Home » The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints » Sunday Preparation - Talks & Lessons » Gospel Doctrine New Testament Lesson 8 (The Sermon on the Mount: “A More Excellent Way”)
| Gospel Doctrine New Testament Lesson 8 [message #214] |
Fri, 18 February 2011 10:38  |
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Dragon
Messages: 499
Registered: June 2010
Location: Earth
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Senior Member |
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I must say, in reviewing this lesson, I am stunned at the number of huge subjects in this one lesson. Here are the concepts which could each take a full hour to expound and explore:
The Beatitudes
"Be ye therefore perfect"
Fulfillment of the Law of Moses
The Celestial law on Divorce
Lower Laws vs. Higher Laws
Laws of Performances and Ordinances vs. Laws of the Spirit and Intent
I could spend a full hour expounding on and asking questions about the specific Beatitudes given in the Sermon on the Mount. There is the definition of Beatitude vs. the English coincidence that it is similar to Be Attitudes (Jesus is teaching us about attitude). These are large concepts of Humility, Comfort in Mourning, Meekness, Merciful, Hungering and Thirsting for Righteousness, Pure in Heart, Peacemakers, Praying for or Doing Good for Your Enemies. This could be the whole lesson, spending only five minutes on each concept.
I could spend a full hour discussing the commandment to be perfect. I would compare the form of the commandment in Matthew with the same commandment in 3 Nephi. Then there is the explanation of what it means to be perfect, and how it is achieved. This would lead into the discussion of Line Upon Line, and Precept Upon Precept. I could see this leading into a lengthy discussion, involving why we aren't given all knowledge at once, and why some people progress faster than others. Also, this would create a discussion about not judging others for perceived inequalities. As a wise Bishop once told me, there are three reasons people don't get blessings/trials/callings in this life.
1. They aren't ready for them.
2. They don't need them.
3. They are too busy with other blessings/trials/callings.
How are we to know the difference? There are many things which some learned in a previous life which negates the need for that person to experience that calling/blessing/trial in this life. Or perhaps they are just busy working on some other assignment from the Lord. A person's entire reason for coming into this world may be to put one other soul on the right path, or back on the right path. Who are we to say?
Or I could spend an hour discussing how the Law of Moses was fulfilled by Jesus Christ. It was a temporary law. This could move on to an interesting discussion about whether or not God gives laws which are only temporal. How does the law of Moses stack up against D&C 29:34?
Quote:"Wherefore, verily I say unto you that all things unto me are spiritual, and not at any time have I given unto you a law which was temporal; neither any man, nor the children of men; neither Adam, your father, whom I created."
Does this scripture mean someone other than God gave the Law of Moses? This is one aspect of this lesson which I'm not sure how to answer.
Then there is the discussion of Lower Laws and Higher Laws. Currently, here in the Telestial-like Kingdom of Earth, even Sons of Perdition are allowed to be here. But, in the near future, during the Millennium of Peace, only those who are compliant with the Telestial Laws will be allowed to live during that Terrestrial-Like state. Those laws would basically be covered by the 10 commandments, or the 2 commandments which Jesus showed summed them up. Can you imagine a society which could function with only two laws? If there were no further laws required than to Love God and Love your neighbor, and every judge in the land was clear on how to interpret those laws in each individual case, would that not be paradise?
And if I were teaching the adults, rather than the teenagers, I could image a very heated debate could ensue by bringing up the Celestial Law on divorce, that being it is not allowed. There would be complaints by some that divorce is necessary in cases of abuse, or infidelity. This would be easily countered reminding them it is a Celestial Law, which requires both parties already be keeping the Telestial and Terrestrial laws of the 10 commandments and the laws of Love. It could take a full hour to explain the concepts which some would question. After all, this is Sunday School, where people come to learn.
I look forward to hearing your suggestions on this lesson. Personally, I think I will print off the list above and ask the class which concept we should dive into.
- Dragon
- Dragon
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| Re: Gospel Doctrine New Testament Lesson 8 [message #216 is a reply to message #214] |
Fri, 18 February 2011 12:14  |
Seeker
Messages: 244
Registered: June 2010
Location: Las Vegas
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Senior Member |
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Quote:Does this scripture mean someone other than God gave the Law of Moses? I know my wife would love this point... It is interesting that when Christ was given the opportunity to support the law, for example the harlot caught in the act, that he did not support the law and instead came up with a creative way to bypass the law.
~ Seeker
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| Re: Gospel Doctrine New Testament Lesson 8 [message #218 is a reply to message #216] |
Fri, 18 February 2011 13:09 |
bishop
Messages: 144
Registered: July 2010
Location: USA
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Senior Member |
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Dragon, you know your class better than I do. With my class, usually the Spirit gives me what I am supposed to cover before class day. Sometimes it doesn't come until class starts-which can be somewhat scary. Usually when the Spirit doesn't tell me what to teach before hand, the class is canceled or shortened or something that I did not for see. I only teach every other week because of a team teaching situation. So I guess I'm not much help other than to say, follow the Spirit, but you obviously do that anyway.
Bishop
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| Re: Gospel Doctrine New Testament Lesson 8 [message #3028 is a reply to message #214] |
Sun, 11 May 2014 11:02 |
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Celestial Law of divorce?
There is and always only has been, only one law of Christ on divorce, he taught there is no such thing as divorce, for anyone, no matter if they are righteous or wicked. Christ taught that all remarriage is adultery, just as most major christian religions understand and acknowledge (including the LDS) but do not follow because they don't want to stand for Christ and thus lose all their members, for most everyone believes in divorce and remarriage, for Christ's law is too hard.
Even Joseph Smith understood that divorce was impossible and wouldn't allow it, it was Brigham Young who led the Saints astray and the Church into apostasy and started allowing divorce and remarriage along with his whoredoms of polygamy and other abominations. Thus why the LDS Church today still allows divorce and remarriage despite what Christ and Joseph Smith taught, for it really doesn't follow Christ's laws and never did since Brigham took over.
When Christ gave the 'fornication clause' on divorce it mean't for those who were engaged who had a fiancee who was unfaithful, for back then if such happened then they had to give a bill of divorcement to their unfaithful fiancee (like Joseph was going to give Mary). Fornication is about unmarried people, not involving married persons. Christ understood the difference between the words 'fornication' and 'adultery' and used both, and would have used adultery if he had been talking about unfaithful married people. Clearly, he was referring to those who had unfaithful fiancees, for they hadn't yet consummated the marriage so they could still divorce/separate. After a couple consummates the marriage it is unbreakable, unless one was forced into the marriage and didn't really give their consent, which happens alot in some countries or religions. But God is a respecter of common consent and equality in all things and doesn't recognize forced marriages against a person's will or desire.
But if a couple both mutually agree to marry there is no such thing as divorce. It was Satan and man who came up with divorce and remarriage, as if it's legitimate. God never allows divorce ever in the history of the world. Moses led a very wicked people, it was not God's law to allow them to divorce, they just refused to follow God's/Christ's law on divorce and so Moses had no choice and couldn't make laws against divorce for the people wouldn't have followed him or them. If Moses wanted to remain their leader he had to allow them to commit adultery in divorce and remarriage, as most all countries and churches do today, even the LDS Church, for that's what the people want. No one seems to want to follow Christ.
And if a person really saw and spoke with the true Christ and not a false one, they would know and preach and practice this. This is one way to know who has really spoke with the true Christ and who has been deceived by a false Christ and false angels.
Also, if one believes Christ taught that divorce and remarriage is ok if their spouse committed adultery, as most people believe today, then that doesn't make sense, for there are a lot worse things a spouse could do to their spouse then just commit adultery. And if any wicked act by a spouse were to constitute justification for divorce and remarriage then divorce would be common place and most all couples would divorce (as they soon will with our now free divorce laws), for where are you going to find a marriage with 2 righteous people? And who will stay married for long to their hurtful, wicked, weak, boring, old, unattractive, poor or sick spouse when society and their church will allow them to dump their spouse and seek a new fresh fun easier romance and partner?
As we will soon see in society and the Church, as divorce eventually happens to most all couples, once you allow divorce for 'any' reason, it soon becomes very clear that there is 'no' reason to marry, for the marriage doesn't really mean anything and is no promise at all, or a useless promise of conditional love, one that gets broken over and over. Young people are watching and learning that marriage does not hold the protection from abandonment that it once did. And church and civil leaders instead of protecting spouses from the abuse and adultery of the other spouse, they support them in doing more of it.
If Christ had thought it was ok for couples to divorce for wickedness and remarry, then he wouldn't have even brought it up or taught what he taught, for the current laws of the Jews would have been about the same as his laws, for there was probably no marriage in his or our day that didn't deal with some degree of abuse, adultery or unrighteousness.
But Christ didn't allow divorce, for any reason once fully married, thus he really was serious about people having his Christ-like love 1st and foremost for their spouse, even and especially if their spouse is their enemy. For only then can people prove they are truly his disciples.
For as Christ taught, anyone can love those who love them, that's no test, anyone can divorce and go on to find a nice new spouse who will love them and treat them right, that's the natural man inclination, but only those who are truly Christlike can love and stay completely faithful to their 1st and only spouse, for better or for worse, in sickness and in health, even spiritual sickness and wickedness.
The light/love of Christ we posses is proven in the darkness, the bad times, not in the light or the good times or with a good spouse.
No one seems to believe in Christ's law of divorce today, for it is too hard and requires too much sacrifice and unselfish unconditional love. But only those who do preach and practice this law can be considered true disciples of Christ.
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