REL A 250 2/26/2107 Prayer

I was really inspired by our discussion in class this week. I loved Brother Griffin’s interpretation of the Beatitudes and how they apply in the process and journey of repentance. Brother Griffin mentioned that he believes that the beatitudes are less about the “why” and more of the “how” we can repent. I loved that. And I wish to take that way of thinking and apply it to another one of Christ’s teachings in the following chapter.

In Matthew 6:9-13 it says, “After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.”

The Savior’s teaching of “the Lord’s Prayer” is another great example of Christ taking the time to teach “how” to be a disciple. Personally I love the Lord’s Prayer because it serves as a great example of the attitude that we should have as we approach our Heavenly Father in prayer.

If we dissect the prayer and look at each individual part we will notice some unique characteristics.

“Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be they name.”—We begin by addressing our Heavenly Father with respect and reverence.

“They kingdom come. They will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.”—We recognize that it is not our will but the Father’s that will be done.

“Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil:”­—We should recognize that we are reliant on Heavenly Father for our sustenance (both physical and spiritual), and we should be willing to grant the same mercy to others that we have been granted. And lastly we pray for the strength and guidance to overcome the temptation that Heavenly Father allows us to have.

”For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen”—we give all glory to him and don’t think to take any for ourselves (and we pray in the name of Jesus Christ because he is our advocate with the Father – for obvious reasons the Savior did not do this).

Christ showed us the attitude that we should have as we pray—he taught us how we should pray. I think it is interesting that even as the Only Begotten of the Father that he still approached Heavenly Father in reverence and submissiveness. If the Creator had need to submit himself to the Father, how much greater is our need to submit ourselves to His will?

I feel that if we take the time to recognize who we are talking to and take time to think about how we can more humbly approach Heavenly Father in prayer, our prayers will become more meaningful.

REL A 250 - 2/17/2017 Doing vs Becoming

Doing Versus Being

This week in our religion class Brother Griffin shared with us his understanding of the Beatitudes. The perspective he provided us was that each of the Beatitudes that Christ taught were steps or characteristics that we needed to take in our journey of repentance and quest for eternal perfection (perfection not being a sinless life, but a completeness of person – see Greek translation and Matt 5:48). It is on the idea of perfection being a quest that I want to build the following paradigm:

The old Mosaic Law was built on actions and works that needed to be completed, but Christ had come to fulfill the law and teach a higher way (Matt 5:17).

In D&C 29:34 we read, “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.”

Heavenly Father has never given us a law that was wholly temporal. He has always given us laws that are spiritual. Spiritual laws require internal obedience rather than just outwardly action. I believe that Heavenly Father is much less concerned with what we do in our lives than He is with whom we become.  He gives us commandments that dictate our outwardly actions because our actions will affect who we are. When one lies, cheats, or steals, he/she is not only committing a violation of a temporal law, but is becoming something less perfect or less whole spiritually.

The same concept applies to all the commandments that God has given us. The Word of Wisdom helps us spiritually to be self-reliant and clean of addictions. The Law of Chasity helps us to maintain good thoughts and be pure in heart and mind. The list goes on.

So in application of this principle, I think it is important that when we are considering questions like, “what is appropriate to do on the Sabbath? Or should I, as a disciple of Jesus Christ, drink caffeine?” we remember what the purpose of the commandments are. There is no definite answer to these questions, but we can know what we are to do if we ask ourselves, “will this help me in my journey to become more perfected (whole) like Christ?”

REL A 250 2/13/2017 Insight into John 1

I have had a few experiences this week that have made me think more about Christ’s role in my life, and how central and necessary it is. I just want to share a scripture that summarizes some of the thoughts that I have had this past week. In John 1: 12-13 it reads,

“But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”

These two verses are so deep that it could take me hours to dissect them completely; I don’t feel like my following analysis does them full justice, but I do want to share what my initial thoughts are. John mentions some criteria in verse 12, to “as many as receive him” he will give power to become the “sons of God”. I used the Online Greek Bible to understand some of the original meaning of “sons of God” and it mentions that son (or offspring in this case) refers to a Greek word that generally denoted discipleship. A disciple was considered an offspring of a teacher because it was the potential of a disciple to become like their teacher.

The second verse has profound implications as well. The “birth” or “son-hood” of these disciples cannot be of blood (we are not physically sons/daughters of God like Christ), or of will of flesh or man (we cannot will ourselves into becoming like Christ); rather the birth is of God.

What this means to me is the following (this may seem simple, but it is profound and important). We cannot become like God on our own. Christ is the only own who can give us the power to reach our potential as children of God. We have the ability to become like Him, just as a child becomes like a parent, or a willing disciple becomes like their teacher. BUT that transformation is NOT (1) a physical transformation, (2) a transformation we can do on our own (will of flesh), or (3) a transformation that someone other than Christ (will of man) can do for us.

So the question then is how we qualify ourselves for this blessing. Going back to the beginning John says “But as many as receive him” he will give power to. I personally we receive Christ by living his doctrine and teachings. His doctrine being to (1) have faith in him, (2) repent, (3) be baptized, (4) receive a remission of our sins, (5) receive the Holy Ghost and endure to the end. 

Sacrificing Our Hearts to the Lord

I have thought a lot about the nature of sacrifice over the past week – what it meant anciently, and what it means in these latter-days.

In Moses chapter 5, we read about the first sacrifices that man (Adam) offered to the Lord. The nature of those sacrifices was more than many of us could probably stomach today. In class we discussed how hard it must have been for a good shepherd to carefully observe and wait for a first born lamb, without blemish, and then take its life and offer its flesh as a burning sacrifice on the alter. While the emotional attachment to that lamb would be real—and the sacrifice difficult—the true offering up to the Lord is the heart of the servant.

In Moses 5:6 it says, “And after many days an angel of the Lord appeared unto Adam, saying: Why dost thou offer sacrifices unto the Lord? And Adam said unto him: I know not, save the Lord commanded me.” I am incredibly overwhelmed by Adam’s humility. He obeyed the Lord solely to be obedient; and he did so multiple times.

The angel then taught Adam and Eve about the mission of the Savior and his role in redeeming them from their fallen state.

In 2 Nephi 11:17 we read Nephi’s response to the angels question about understanding the condescension of God, he says, “I know that he loveth his children; nevertheless, I do not know the meaning of all things.” Like Adam, Nephi was not acting on a complete knowledge, but rather demonstrated great faith—which was followed by an increase of knowledge about the Savior and his plan.

I believe that as we accept that we do not know all things, rather trust in the savior and offer our hearts as a sacrifice to him, we will gain greater spiritual insight like Adam and Nephi. Our knowledge will grow, and Heavenly Father will bless us to understand the power of the atoning sacrifice of His Beloved Son to a greater degree than we had before. Just as Nephi and Adam rejoiced and were blessed by the greater knowledge of their Savior’s redeeming sacrifice, so will we as we offer our hearts to Him.