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| Re: The Fastest Way to Make Your Calling and Election Sure [message #3618 is a reply to message #3616] |
Mon, 23 July 2018 18:50   |
Seeker
Messages: 244
Registered: June 2010
Location: Las Vegas
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Senior Member |
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Excellent question!
The baptism of fire is a major step toward Calling and election. If fact, it is the gate by which we enter the path that leads to eternal life. If we have not received the baptism of fire, then we aren't even on the path that leads to eternal life. (For more detail on this statement, read The Path to Eternal Life - Part 1. Several times in the scriptures we are told that few find this gate that leads to eternal life.
Quote:3 Nephi 27:33
33 And it came to pass that when Jesus had ended these sayings he said unto his disciples: Enter ye in at the strait gate; for strait is the gate, and narrow is the way that leads to life, and few there be that find it; but wide is the gate, and broad the way which leads to death, and many there be that travel therein, until the night cometh, wherein no man can work.
Doctrine and Covenants 132:22
22 For strait is the gate, and narrow the way that leadeth unto the exaltation and continuation of the lives, and few there be that find it, because ye receive me not in the world neither do ye know me.
3 Nephi 14:14
14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
Matthew 7:14
14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
This means that it is elusive and not easy to come by. There is no shame in not having found the gate. It generally means that you are looking for the wrong thing. We also learn that those who have it might not recognize they have it.
Quote:3 Nephi 9:20
20 And ye shall offer for a sacrifice unto me a broken heart and a contrite spirit. And whoso cometh unto me with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, him will I baptize with fire and with the Holy Ghost, even as the Lamanites, because of their faith in me at the time of their conversion, were baptized with fire and with the Holy Ghost, and they knew it not.
For this reason, asking the three questions is still useful. if you've had the baptism of fire, and don't know it, then question 3 will help you to get the next step. if you have not, then question 3 will give you instructions needed to help you get the baptism of fire.
Some people say that the baptism of fire feels like fire from your head to your toe. This is not always the case. Look at Alma the Younger for example. See if you can find his baptism of fire experience. He doesn't mention feeling fire at all. But he tells us his experience in great detail so that we can understand and relate to his experience.
There are several other examples of the baptism of fire in the scriptures showing that it isn't always "fire" that is felt. Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery didn't mention feeling fire either. Fire is a symbol of purification that must happen prior to receiving the Holy Ghost. Fire kills impurities and is the symbol of the remission of sins or the removing of sinful impurity that prevents us from receiving the Holy Ghost that can only dwell in clean temples. If you received the Holy Ghost, or a remission of sins, then you have received the baptism of fire.
Peace and love,
Seeker
~ Seeker
[Updated on: Mon, 23 July 2018 19:29] Report message to a moderator |
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| Re: The Fastest Way to Make Your Calling and Election Sure [message #3619 is a reply to message #3618] |
Mon, 23 July 2018 21:01 |
loveoverbooks
Messages: 2
Registered: October 2017
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Junior Member |
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Thanks, Seeker.
The idea of receiving your C&E by just asking for it, without having some major trial first, contradicts a lot of what I've read elsewhere. Even the temple mentions being "true and faithful in all things," which I always thought implied testing. Why do we have this common idea of needing an Abrahamic test first if it's not true?
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