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Who doeth Good Among Men? [message #749] Sun, 29 July 2012 02:16 Go to next message
dimiwill
Messages: 6
Registered: July 2012
Location: Utah County
Junior Member
Okay, while I have not yet received the book, I would certainly be interested in everyone's interpretation of a few issues about the "Fullness of the Gospel". All responses and opinions are welcome.

The scriptures rightly emphasize the "Fulness" of the Gospel.

But - What does the following verse really suggest?
"D&C 35:12"
And there are none that doeth good except those who are ready to receive the fulness of my gospel, which I have sent forth unto this generation.


For me, it seems to suggest that until we are prepared to "receive the fulness", we are incapable of doing good, regardless of our "good intentions".

If my interpretation is correct, then what does "ready to receive the fulness" mean? What must we do to be ready to "receive"?



BTW - I did not actually link to the scripture on LDS dot Org because I am not permitted to link at this time.

Re: Who doeth Good Among Men? [message #753 is a reply to message #749] Sun, 29 July 2012 10:49 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Dragon is currently offline  Dragon
Messages: 499
Registered: June 2010
Location: Earth
Senior Member
The first step in the fulness of the Gospel is Repentance. Therefore, those who are unwilling to repent, and follow ALL the steps of repentance do NO good.

This seems to have recently been applied to the legacy of a certain coach, erasing all the good he did because he did not repent of his one evil act. Whether that decision was right or not, so it will be with us. If we refuse to repent of a sin we knowingly commit, all our good deeds avail us nothing.


- Dragon
Re: Who doeth Good Among Men? [message #757 is a reply to message #749] Sun, 29 July 2012 12:04 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Amonhi is currently offline  Amonhi
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Registered: June 2010
Location: Las Vegas, NV.
Senior Member
dimiwill wrote on Sun, 29 July 2012 01:16
Okay, while I have not yet received the book, I would certainly be interested in everyone's interpretation of a few issues about the "Fullness of the Gospel". All responses and opinions are welcome.

The scriptures rightly emphasize the "Fulness" of the Gospel.

But - What does the following verse really suggest?
"D&C 35:12"
And there are none that doeth good except those who are ready to receive the fulness of my gospel, which I have sent forth unto this generation.


What a great scripture find dimiwill! This is not covered in the book from this view point. And Dragon is, IMO, correct or on the right track without the details.

This is directly connected to the following scriptures:
Quote:
5 For I remember the word of God which saith by their works ye shall know them; for if their works be good, then they are good also.
6 For behold, God hath said a man being evil cannot do that which is good; for if he offereth a gift, or prayeth unto God, except he shall do it with real intent it profiteth him nothing.
7 For behold, it is not counted unto him for righteousness.
8 For behold, if a man being evil giveth a gift, he doeth it grudgingly; wherefore it is counted unto him the same as if he had retained the gift; wherefore he is counted evil before God.
9 And likewise also is it counted evil unto a man, if he shall pray and not with real intent of heart; yea, and it profiteth him nothing, for God receiveth none such.
10 Wherefore, a man being evil cannot do that which is good; neither will he give a good gift.- Moro. 7:6-10

Do you notice the poor communication Moroni used? He said, "y their works ye shall know them[/b]; for if their works be good, then they are good also." Then he begins to demonstrate by illustrating how 2 people doing the same "outer works" are judged differently. One being judged evil and the other good. But they DID the same Works outwardly! He is saying, 2 people pray, one is good and the other evil. 2 people give the same gift. One is good the other is evil. Did that remind you of what Christ once said,
Quote:
34 I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left.

35 Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

36 Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left." - Luke 17:34-36

So, 2 people can do exactly the same thing and one is doing good and the other is doing evil. The one doing good is ready to receive the fulness of the gospel. Those who do evil are only ready to receive the preparatory Gospel.

What is the "Preparatory Gospel" as compared with the "Fulness of the Gospel"?

We cannot receive the Fulness of the Gospel until we can do good. So, what makes an act good and also means we are prepared to receive the Fulness of the Gospel?
Re: Who doeth Good Among Men? [message #759 is a reply to message #757] Sun, 29 July 2012 13:40 Go to previous message
Dragon is currently offline  Dragon
Messages: 499
Registered: June 2010
Location: Earth
Senior Member
Amonhi,
Your reply certainly added the details I left out. The reasons for my intentional omission are not relevant. However, there is one aspect of this which is not covered. Someone might mistakenly interpret these things to mean those who are good will be saved, and the evil cannot become good. I think it is instructive to look at what happens when someone decides to improve themselves.

For a random example, let's say a person is being promiscuous because they were never taught not to. There is a little voice in their head which bugs them at first, but they learn to ignore it. At some point, an event happens. Perhaps someone they love dies, or they see how their actions hurt someone else, or they hear a sermon in Church which finally gets through to their heart. They, being evil, cannot do that which is good, because they are not ready for the fulness. But something happens and they are ready for a part, or as you said, preparatory gospel. It's not the whole thing, just enough to help them find their way from sin to sorrow for sin.

It is here where a second turning point must come. In order to accept the fulness of the gospel they must be willing to cast aside their desires to do evil and desire from that day forth to do good continually. Then, and only then, can they be truly good and no longer evil.

It has been said General Conference is fairly repetitive. The Prophets keep saying the same things. The answer why is found in a flippant reply: "The Prophets will keep saying the same old thing until the same old sinners stop sinning the same old sins." This tells me there are many in the LDS Church who still desire to do evil at some level or another. Otherwise, the Prophets would change their tune.


- Dragon
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