Home » The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints » LDS Deep Doctrine » Q&A about the 144,000 (Answers given to questions received about who the 144,000 and how to find them.)
Q&A about the 144,000 [message #1739] |
Wed, 26 December 2012 11:13 |
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Dragon
Messages: 499 Registered: June 2010 Location: Earth
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Senior Member |
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1. How are the 144,000 called/organized?
The 144,000 are called directly by angels. There is no record in the LDS Church of who these people are. The purpose of the LDS Church is to work with people who are transitioning from the Telestial Laws to the Terrestrial Laws. That is their focus. If someone officially speaks of the transition from the Terrestrial Laws to the Celestial, it may confuse those still in the Telestial Laws. The 144,000 and the Church of the Firstborn at large help people transition from the Terrestrial Laws to the Celestial.
To put it another way, The LDS Church invites people to make covenants with Jesus. The Church of the Firstborn invites people to fulfill those covenants and meet Jesus.
2. Do the 144,000 coordinate with the LDS Church?
No. The 144,000 are barely coordinating with each other right now. The journey and the calling is very individual. There will come a day (after WW4) when the 144,000 will leave the general body of the LDS Church to build Zion. This is not to say they will denounce the LDS Church, but no one who is not a member of the Church of the Firstborn will travel from the safety of the West into the desolation of the Eastern United States to build a city.
3. Can people join the Church of the Firstborn without first joining the LDS Church?
There is some debate about whether all of the 144,000 are members of the LDS Church. Personally I believe God is not limited and confined by the rules of the LDS Church. There may have been a few people during the Dark Ages who were baptized by angels in order to join the CotFB. And some claim baptism is not required if no sin has been committed. I won't go into that debate because I firmly believe everyone must be baptized.
If you look at the vision of the Tree of Life as a map of how to get to the CotFB (the Tree) it is interesting to note those who do not hold on to the rod (Church of Jesus Christ) yet obtain the fruit. It is also interesting to note the rod does not touch the tree. At some point people must let go of the rod to grab the fruit. The rod is definitely the safest path to the tree, and the way by which the vast majority of people reached the tree. No matter what path was taken, trials and temptations came upon everyone before they could reach the tree.
4. How do you find a member of the 144,000?
The members of the 144,000 are still waking up to the calling they have accepted. Because the calling is given by an angel, there are many who have discounted the experience as a dream. But there are many others (and a growing number) who know and accept they are members of the 144,000. It is possible your Bishop or Stake President knows someone, but there is no guarantee. The Elliaison forum is the largest gathering of 144,000 I have found yet. If you want to meet one in person, you can either post a question to the Elliaison forum or pray to God and ask Him to send one of them to you, or you to them.
5. How do the 144,000 find those who are ready?
The short answer is, God puts people in their path who are ready. Personally, my path has more details which may help. I have wanted to teach since I was young, and especially since I returned from my mission. The calling of the 144,000 is that of a teacher. I have been teaching Gospel Doctrine class for most of the last 3 years. This year, as we went through the Book of Mormon, I saw more clearly than ever how Alma was inviting people to join him as a member of the CotFB. His teachings are applicable to all who seek to obtain a first hand knowledge of the divinity of the Savior above and beyond their faith in Jesus Christ.
As such, I have found a place in every lesson to bring up having one's Calling and Election Made Sure. I have called it by a dozen different names or descriptions, but I have brought up the subject every time because the Spirit has constrained me to do so. But also because the Book of Mormon is chalk full of teachings around the path to the knowledge of Jesus Christ. If there was anyone in my ward who wanted to know more, they certainly know by now I have studied the subject and have answers. I have been approached for information on a wide variety of topics, from Tesla's Death Ray, to how to pay tithing (the physical act, not the way to calculate it). But none have approached me about receiving their Calling and Election. I hope they have been praying to God for answers when I bring up the subject.
If there is someone in your ward who brings up the subject multiple times, and the Spirit testifies to you that what they say is true, I would suggest approaching them, and asking. If you do, I would love to hear how it goes.
- Dragon
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