Home » The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints » LDS Deep Doctrine » And Charity Suffereth Long (Importance of Charity)
| And Charity Suffereth Long [message #3419] |
Fri, 13 February 2015 02:39 |
Michael Davis
Messages: 7
Registered: January 2015
Location: Montana
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Junior Member |
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There is but one sentence that I would like everyone who reads this to remember "And Charity Suffereth Long" What is Charity"?
Let me start off with saying that it is of great benefit to us as Latter Day Saints to have multiple written works of scriptures. It can truly be a great testimony builder when we are able to use our multiple works to come to a better understanding of Jesus Christ. It is especially beneficial when we're able to utilize one book, to explain parts in the other books. It shows cohesiveness, an order, thus building not only our knowledge, but more importantly our testimonies.
For me the study of Charity and the importance of Charity for our eternal lives is one such topic.
Nephi teaches us in his vision of the "Tree of Life" that the glorious "Tree of Life" in His and His father Lehi's vision, is the Love of God. He(Nephi) states... Quote: "Wherefore it is the most desirable above all things"! Then the Angel responds saying; Quote: "Yea, and the most Joyous to the soul".
Some of the most Important Items to note here brothers and sisters, isn't what's in the Vision of the "Tree of Life", but what isn't in the Vision of the "Tree of Life". Note, at the end of the straight and narrow path and rod of iron there are No Glorious Celestial buildings, no mention of the Celestial King or Heaven. Just the Tree of Life and what "IT" represents.
In the book of Ether (12:34) Moroni states the following:
Quote:And now I know that this love which thou hast had for the children of men is charity; wherefore, except men shall have charity they cannot inherit that place which thou hast prepared in the mansions of thy Father.
Later in Moroni chapter 7 verses 45-48 Moroni states: Please remember the first line in verse 45, "And charity suffereth long". What does it suffereth long, well it goes on to state the following about what Charity is after Love.
Quote:45 And charity suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
46 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, if ye have not charity, ye are nothing, for charity never faileth. Wherefore, cleave unto charity, which is the greatest of all, for all things must fail--
47 But charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him.
48 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ; that ye may become the sons of God; that when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we may have this hope; that we may be purified even as he is pure. Amen.
So now that we've utilized the book of Mormon to come to a better understanding of what Charity is and it's importance. Let us utilize it in proving the bible and its testimony of Charity as well.
Let's look to Romans (8:16-17) This has always been one of my favorite Bible verses. First, it has always ringed true to my soul that "I am a Son of GOD". Second, it's one of the few Bible verses that draws a distinct separation between the Father and the Son. Thus supporting Joseph Smiths first vision of the Father and the Son. Last it ties the vision of Lehi and Nephi and the "Tree of Life" to the statements made a 1000 years later by Moroni.
Quote:
16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
Brothers and sisters, this is why I love having multiple works of scripture. Without the book of Mormon, I could have never come to a true understand of what Paul is saying here. "If so be that we suffer with Him, that we may be also glorified together".
When we look at the Vision of The Tree of Life. It's NOT a saga representing our mortal journey and our struggles to reach the Celestial Kingdom. It is exactly what the Angel said, in agreement with Nephi, it is the pure love of God, (Charity)that we are in search of. To Suffer with Christ there is but one way... "Charity" and there by becoming one with him. Thus heirs to the Kingdom of God. There is but only one way we come unto the Father and that is by and through Jesus Christ our Savior who lived and died with perfect Charity.
I Testify that Charity is the most important gift we are given by our Savior. Charity is what makes Christ's Atonement possible. Truly the only way we can fully partake in thee Atonement is through Christ giving and by our gaining of Charity.
I know that I am most certainly not doing justice to such an important topic. Hopefully the Spirit will fill in where my writing fails.
Michael Davis
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