|
|
Chapter Eleven
THE STATUS OF MARRIAGE
D & C 49:15 "And again, verily I say unto you, that
whoso forbiddeth to marry is not ordained of God, for
marriage is ordained of God unto man.
16 Wherefore, it is lawful that he should have ONE
WIFE. and they twain shall be one flesh, AND ALL THIS THAT
THE EARTH MIGHT ANSWER THE END OF ITS CREATION
;
17 AND THAT IT MIGHT BE FILLED WITH THE MEASURE OF
MAN , according to his creation before the world
was made."
Marriage - the union of ONE man and
ONE woman - is ordained of God for the
purpose of filling the earth with the measure of man.
This is consistent with the first marriage which took place,
NOT IN HEAVEN but in the Garden of Eden. We
all know the story. And they were commanded to multiply.
There are other scriptures that intimate that marriage as a
parent relationship is temporal.
l Cor. 7:39 "THE WIFE IS BOUND BY THE LAW AS LONG AS
HER HUSBAND LIVETH: but if her husband be dead, she is at
liberty to be married to whom she will; only in the
Lord .
40 But she is happier if she so abide, after my judgment:
and I think also that I have the Spirit of God."
RB, Ro. 7:1 "Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them
that know the law,) how that THE LAW HATH DOMINION OVER A
MAN ONLY AS LONG AS HE LIVETH?
2 For the woman which hath an husband is
bound by the law to her husband ONLY AS long as he liveth:
for if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of
her husband ."
Paul in the foregoing is telling the Romans that marriage is
a temporal law. Joseph Smith, in revising the Bible, added
the words "ONLY " in Verse 1 and
"ONLY AS " in Verse 2 of the foregoing
scripture which reinforces this fact.
This is consistent with the Gospels:
RB, St Luke 20:34 "And Jesus answering said unto them,
THE CHILDREN OF THIS WORLD MARRY, AND ARE GIVEN IN
MARRIAGE:
35 BUT THEY WHO SHALL BE ACCOUNTED WORTHY
TO OBTAIN THAT WORL~ THROUGH RESURRECTION FROM THE DEAD,
NEITHER MARRY, NOR ARE GIVE N IN
MARRIAGE:
36 Neither can they die any more
for they are equal unto the angels; and are the children of
God, being the children of the resurrection."
The foregoing has informed us that marriage is for this
world only and not for those who die no
more having been resurrected unto eternal
life AND THIS INFORMATION IS FROM JESUS
CHRIST .
St Matt. 22:23 "The same day came to him the Sadducees,
which say that there is no resurrection, and asked him,
24 Saying, Master, Moses said If a man die, having no
children, his brother shall marry his
wife, and raise up seed unto his brother.
25 Now there were with us seven brethren: and the first,
when he had married a wife, deceased, and, having no issue,
left his wife unto his brother:
26 Likewise the second also, and the third, unto the
seventh.
27 And last of all the woman died also.
28 Therefore in the resurrection whose wife shall
she be of the seven ? for they all had
her.
29 JESUS ANSWERED AND SAID UNTO THEM YE DO
ERR! NOT KNOWING THE SCRIPTURES NOR THE POWER OF GOD.
30 FOR IN THE RESURRECTION THEY NEITHER
MARRY, NOR ARE GIVEN IN MARRIAGE BUT ARE AS THE ANGELS OF
GOD IN HEAVEN ."
Doesn't the foregoing inform the Sadducees that marriage
pertains only to this earthly existence
?
In the 1835th Edition of the Doctrine and Covenants the
following on marriage was published but was
REMOVED in the 1876 Edition when the 131st
and 132nd Sections (which promote the eternity of the
marriage covenant) WERE ADDED :
JSBHW, Vol. II, Pages 251 and 252 1. "According to the
custom of all civilized nations, marriage is regulated by
laws and ceremonies: therefore we believe, that all
marriages in this church of Christ of Latter Day Saints,
should be solemnized in a public meeting, or feast, prepared
for that purpose: and that the solemnization should be
performed by a presiding high priest, high priest, bishop,
elder, or priest, not even prohibiting those persons
who are desirous to get married. of being married by other
authority . We believe that it is not right to
prohibit members of this church from marrying out of the
church, if it be their determination so to do, but such
persons will be considered weak in the faith of our Lord and
Savior Jesus Christ.
2. Marriage should be celebrated with prayer and
thanksgiving; and at the solemnization, the persons to be
married, standing together, the man on the right, and the
woman on the left, shall be addressed, by the person
officiating, as he shall be directed by the holy Spirit; and
if there be no legal objections, he shall say, calling each
by their names: "You both mutually agree to be each other's
companion, husband and wife, observing the legal rights
belonging to this condition; that is, keeping yourselves
wholly for each other, and from all others during your
lives." And when they have answered "Yes," he shall
pronounce them "husband and wife" in the name of the Lord
lesus Christ, and by virtue of the laws of the country and
authority vested in him: "may God add his blessings and keep
you to fulfill your covenants from henceforth and forever.
Amen."
3. The clerk of every church should keep a record of all
marriages, solemnized in his branch.
4. All legal contracts of marriage made before a person is
baptized into this church, should be held sacred and
fulfilled. Inasmuch as this church of Christ has
been reproached with the crime of fornication and POLYGAMY:
we declare that we believe. that one man should have one
wife; and one woman. but one husband, except in case of
death, when either is at liberty to marry again .
It is not right to persuade a woman to be baptized contrary
to the will of her husband, neither is it lawful to
influence her to leave her husband. All children are bound
by 1aw to obey their parents; and to influence them to
embrace any religious faith, or be baptized, or leave their
parents without their consent, is unlawful and unjust. We
believe that all persons
who exercise control over their fellow beings, and prevent
them from embracing the truth, will have to answer for that
sin."
This is consistent with what is recorded in the New
Testament in St Matthew and St Luke. Surely those apostles
who were recording that which was within the New Testament
or the New Covenant would have had something to say about
marriage in relation to the eternities if marriage
were so involved but they did not. This, of course,
is completely contradictory to that which is written in the
131st and 132nd Sections of the Doctrine and Covenants.
Let us look now to what has been "added" to Joseph
Smith's original diaries and records which will be
BOLDED :
Diaries, Page 381 on Sunday, May 28th it was "added" to the
original diary that Joseph was sealed for
eternity to his
wife.51
51 It is
explained in the Introduction of Diaries,
Pages xvii and xix how to identify additions, insertions,
etc.
On the same page under the entry for Friday, May 26th, 1843
where a council of men received instructions on the
priesthood, the new and everlasting covenant, the following
words were ADDED "of celestial marriage "
to the original entry to identify the
covenant .
In the published History of the Church, Volume V, Second
Edition Revised 1949, Page 391, the Eternity of the Marriage
Covenant is purported to have been introduced by Joseph
Smith to William Clayton while at Ramus, Illinois on the
16th of May, 1843 which information became also the 131st
Section of the Doctrine and Covenants. Yet, in the
original diaries of William Clayton
recorded in the book "Words of JS," Pages 202 and 203 there
is no entry on the 16th of May, 1843 and for May 17th there
are two separate entries but neither includes
information on the eternity - of the marriage covenant nor
do any of the other diaries of other scribes on the
dates given substantiate this claim. (See Diaries, Page 377
under the dates of May 16th and 17th, 1843). This
information comes from Teachings, Pages 300 and 301 which is
taken from the History of C, Vol. 5, Pages 391-2 where we
are referred to T & S 4: 194 (May 15, 1843) for
verification. There is NO verification in
this reference.
There is nothing in Joseph Smith's diaries where he explains
the New and Everlasting Covenant as a covenant of
marriage .
It is not uncommon to see changes. additions and
deletions in Joseph Smith's original records. The
following is an example:
Diaries, Page 417 "Thursday, October 5 (1843) Morning rode
out with Esqu Butterfield to farm &. P.M. rode on
prairie to shew some brethren some land. Eve at home. Walked
up and down St with Scribe and gave instructions to try
those who were preaching, teaching, or practicing
(practicing is crossed out) the doctrine of plurality of
wives on this Law . Joseph forbids
it and the practice thereof. No man shall have but one
wife ."
The foregoing Bolded was changed to the
fallowing (changes are in capital letters )
when printed in the History of the Church:
History of C, Vol. 6, Page 46, Oct. 5, 1843 ""In the
afternoon, rode to the prairie to show some of the brethren
some land. Evening, at home, and walked up and down the
streets with my scribe. Gave instructions to try those
persons who were preaching, teaching, or
PRACTICING the doctrine of plurality of
wives; FOR, ACCORDING TO THE LAW, I HOLD THE KEYS OF
THIS POWER IN THE LAST DAYS; FOR THERE IS NEVER BUT ONE ON
THE EARTH AT A TIME ON WHOM THE POWER AND ITS KEYS ARE
CONFERRED; AND I HAVE CONSTANTLY SAID NO MAN SHALL HAVE BUT
ONE WIFE AT A TIME, UNLESS THE LORD DIRECTS
OTHERWISE ."
Note: Where "practicing" was crossed out in Joseph's diary
it was left in in the History of the Church.
The ONLY sections of the Doctrine and
Covenants that promote the New and Everlasting Covenant
being eternal marriage are the 131st and 132nd Sections
which were not added to the Doctrine and Covenants
until 1876 and are contradictory to all other information on
the New and Everlasting Covenant which covenant is God's
Plan of Salvation . I can not conceive of marriage
continuing in the eternities to create spirit children since
Joseph Smith has already informed us that spirits can not be
created - they being eternal, and even in creating an
earthly tabernacle for the Savior the earthly system was not
used by God for when Mary conceived by the Holy Spirit she
was still a virgin:
St Matt. 1:23 "Behold, a VIRGIN shall be
with child , and shall bring forth a son, and they
shall call his name Emmanuel,"
If she had conceived by way of the earthly system she would
have lost her virginity.
Joseph Smith presents an interesting point that should be
considered as follows:
Teachings, Page 213 "The Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints has also had its false spirits: and as it
is made up of all those different sects professing every
variety of opinion, having been under the influence of so
many kinds of spirits, it is not to be wondered at if there
should be found among us false spirits.
Soon after the Gospel was established in Kirtland, and
during the absence of the authorities of the Church, many
false spirits were introduced, many strange visions were
seen, and wild, enthusiastic notions were
entertained;.......
Pages 214 & 215 There have also been ministering angels
in the Church which were of Satan appearing as an angel of
light. A sister .... had a vision, who said it was told her
that if she would go to a certain place in the woods, an
angel would appear to her. She went at the appointed time,
and saw a glorious personage descending, arrayed in white,
with sandy colored hair;......How .....it
may be asked, was this known to be a bad
angel ? By the color of his hair; that is one of
the signs that he can be known by, and BY HIS
CONTRADICTING A FORMER REVELATION ........We have
also had brethren and sisters who have written revelations,
and who have started forward to lead this Church."
Note the bolded "How was this known to be a bad
angel? " and, "by his contradicting a
former revelation " for any information received by
anyone that would contradict not only Joseph Smith but all
of the prophets that preceded him would have to come from
the wrong source.
There is also another point one must consider and that is
that Joseph restored this new dispensation of
enlightenment in fourteen years. We have pictured
these earliest converts as completely understanding this
newly restored gospel. Yet, Brigham Young made the following
statement on December 14, 1845, less than two years after
the martyrdom:
".........Joseph left the people in the dark on many
subjects of importance and they still remain in the
dark. (History of C, Vol VII, Page 545)
The scripture states:
D & C 93:29 "Man was also in the
beginning with God. INTELLIGENCE, or the light of truth, WAS
NOT CREATED OR MADE, NEITHER INDEED CAN BE .
30 All truth is INDEPENDENT in that sphere
in which God has placed it, to act for itself, AS
ALL INTELLIGENCE ALSO ; otherwise there is no
existence."
According to the foregoing scripture spirit (intelligence),
not a created entity, is its own "being"
independent of others without beginning or
end.
God VIEWS us as his offspring (Teachings,
Page 218) through Christ Jesus, through whom we "live, and
move, and have our being" (Acts 17:24-28) because he was the
creator (organizer) of all in this heaven and earth.
Therefore, -only through righteous endeavor can we LITERALLY
become the "sons of God:"
Gal: 3:26 "For ye are all the children of God BY
FAITH IN CHRIST JESUS. "
RB, John 1: 12 "But as many as received him, to them gave he
power TO BECOME THE SONS OF GOD, only to
them who believe on his name:"
Mosiah 27:25 "And the Lord said unto me: Marvel not that all
mankind, yea, men and women, all nations, kindreds, tongues
and people, must be born again; yea, born of God changed
from their carnal and fallen state, to a state of
righteousness, being redeemed of God, BECOMING HIS SONS AND
DAUGHTERS;" (Also: Ro. 8: 14, Eph. 2: 18-20, 2 Cor. 6:17
& 18, Gal. 4:4-7, 1 Jn. 3:1 & 2, Matt. 5:9, 44 &
45, Luke 20:35 & 36, Rev. 21:7, 3 Ne. 9:17, Mosiah
15:10-13, Ether 3:14, Moro. 7:26, D & C 11:30; 25:1,
34:3, 35:2; 39:4; 42:52; 45:8, Moses 6:64-68; 7:1)
The desire to own something or someone is a characteristic
of the flesh and the more this earthly attribute is
dominant, the less likely is LOVE a reality. But in the
Celestial realm where perfection encompuses ALL -
LOVE IS REALITY .
We will study next the Manifesto.
Chapter Eleven
THF STATUS OF MARRIAGE
D & C 49:15 "And again, verily I say unto you, that
whoso forbiddeth to marry is not ordained of God, for
marriage is ordained of God unto man.
16 Wherefore, it is lawful that he should have ONE
WIFE. and they twain shall be one flesh, AND ALL THIS THAT
THE EARTH MIGHT ANSWER THE END OF ITS CREATION
;
17 AND THAT IT MIGHT BE FILLED WITH THE MEASURE OF
MAN , according to his creation before the world
was made."
Marriage - the union of ONE man and
ONE woman - is ordained of God for the
purpose of filling the earth with the measure of man.
This is consistent with the first marriage which took place,
NOT IN HEAVEN but in the Garden of Eden. We
all know the story. And they were commanded to multiply.
There are other scriptures that intimate that marriage as a
parent relationship is temporal.
l Cor. 7:39 "THE WIFE IS BOUND BY THE LAW AS LONG AS
HER HUSBAND LIVETH: but if her husband be dead, she is at
liberty to be married to whom she will; only in the
Lord .
40 But she is happier if she so abide, after my judgment:
and I think also that I have the Spirit of God."
RB, Ro. 7:1 "Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them
that know the law,) how that THE LAW HATH DOMINION OVER A
MAN ONLY AS LONG AS HE LIVETH?
2 For the woman which hath an husband is
bound by the law to her husband ONLY AS long as he liveth:
for if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of
her husband ."
Paul in the foregoing is telling the Romans that marriage is
a temporal law. Joseph Smith, in revising the Bible, added
the words "ONLY " in Verse 1 and
"ONLY AS " in Verse 2 of the foregoing
scripture which reinforces this fact.
This is consistent with the Gospels:
RB, St Luke 20:34 "And Jesus answering said unto them,
THE CHILDREN OF THIS WORLD MARRY, AND ARE GIVEN IN
MARRIAGE:
35 BUT THEY WHO SHALL BE ACCOUNTED WORTHY
TO OBTAIN THAT WORL~ THROUGH RESURRECTION FROM THE DEAD,
NEITHER MARRY, NOR ARE GIVE N IN
MARRIAGE:
36 Neither can they die any more
for they are equal unto the angels; and are the children of
God, being the children of the resurrection."
The foregoing has informed us that marriage is for this
world only and not for those who die no
more having been resurrected unto eternal
life AND THIS INFORMATION IS FROM JESUS
CHRIST .
St Matt. 22:23 "The same day came to him the Sadducees,
which say that there is no resurrection, and asked him,
24 Saying, Master, Moses said If a man die, having no
children, his brother shall marry his
wife, and raise up seed unto his brother.
25 Now there were with us seven brethren: and the first,
when he had married a wife, deceased, and, having no issue,
left his wife unto his brother:
26 Likewise the second also, and the third, unto the
seventh.
27 And last of all the woman died also.
28 Therefore in the resurrection whose wife shall
she be of the seven ? for they all had
her.
29 JESUS ANSWERED AND SAID UNTO THEM YE DO
ERR! NOT KNOWING THE SCRIPTURES NOR THE POWER OF GOD.
30 FOR IN THE RESURRECTION THEY NEITHER
MARRY, NOR ARE GIVEN IN MARRIAGE BUT ARE AS THE ANGELS OF
GOD IN HEAVEN ."
Doesn't the foregoing inform the Sadducees that marriage
pertains only to this earthly existence
?
In the 1835th Edition of the Doctrine and Covenants the
following on marriage was published but was
REMOVED in the 1876 Edition when the 131st
and 132nd Sections (which promote the eternity of the
marriage covenant) WERE ADDED :
JSBHW, Vol. II, Pages 251 and 252 1. "According to the
custom of all civilized nations, marriage is regulated by
laws and ceremonies: therefore we believe, that all
marriages in this church of Christ of Latter Day Saints,
should be solemnized in a public meeting, or feast, prepared
for that purpose: and that the solemnization should be
performed by a presiding high priest, high priest, bishop,
elder, or priest, not even prohibiting those persons
who are desirous to get married. of being married by other
authority . We believe that it is not right to
prohibit members of this church from marrying out of the
church, if it be their determination so to do, but such
persons will be considered weak in the faith of our Lord and
Savior Jesus Christ.
2. Marriage should be celebrated with prayer and
thanksgiving; and at the solemnization, the persons to be
married, standing together, the man on the right, and the
woman on the left, shall be addressed, by the person
officiating, as he shall be directed by the holy Spirit; and
if there be no legal objections, he shall say, calling each
by their names: "You both mutually agree to be each other's
companion, husband and wife, observing the legal rights
belonging to this condition; that is, keeping yourselves
wholly for each other, and from all others during your
lives." And when they have answered "Yes," he shall
pronounce them "husband and wife" in the name of the Lord
lesus Christ, and by virtue of the laws of the country and
authority vested in him: "may God add his blessings and keep
you to fulfill your covenants from henceforth and forever.
Amen."
3. The clerk of every church should keep a record of all
marriages, solemnized in his branch.
4. All legal contracts of marriage made before a person is
baptized into this church, should be held sacred and
fulfilled. Inasmuch as this church of Christ has
been reproached with the crime of fornication and POLYGAMY:
we declare that we believe. that one man should have one
wife; and one woman. but one husband, except in case of
death, when either is at liberty to marry again .
It is not right to persuade a woman to be baptized contrary
to the will of her husband, neither is it lawful to
influence her to leave her husband. All children are bound
by 1aw to obey their parents; and to influence them to
embrace any religious faith, or be baptized, or leave their
parents without their consent, is unlawful and unjust. We
believe that all persons
who exercise control over their fellow beings, and prevent
them from embracing the truth, will have to answer for that
sin."
This is consistent with what is recorded in the New
Testament in St Matthew and St Luke. Surely those apostles
who were recording that which was within the New Testament
or the New Covenant would have had something to say about
marriage in relation to the eternities if marriage
were so involved but they did not. This, of course,
is completely contradictory to that which is written in the
131st and 132nd Sections of the Doctrine and Covenants.
Let us look now to what has been "added" to Joseph
Smith's original diaries and records which will be
BOLDED :
Diaries, Page 381 on Sunday, May 28th it was "added" to the
original diary that Joseph was sealed for
eternity to his
wife.51
51 It is explained in the
Introduction of Diaries, Pages xvii and xix
how to identify additions, insertions, etc.
On the same page under the entry for Friday, May 26th, 1843
where a council of men received instructions on the
priesthood, the new and everlasting covenant, the following
words were ADDED "of celestial marriage "
to the original entry to identify the
covenant .
In the published History of the Church, Volume V, Second
Edition Revised 1949, Page 391, the Eternity of the Marriage
Covenant is purported to have been introduced by Joseph
Smith to William Clayton while at Ramus, Illinois on the
16th of May, 1843 which information became also the 131st
Section of the Doctrine and Covenants. Yet, in the
original diaries of William Clayton
recorded in the book "Words of JS," Pages 202 and 203 there
is no entry on the 16th of May, 1843 and for May 17th there
are two separate entries but neither includes
information on the eternity - of the marriage covenant nor
do any of the other diaries of other scribes on the
dates given substantiate this claim. (See Diaries, Page 377
under the dates of May 16th and 17th, 1843). This
information comes from Teachings, Pages 300 and 301 which is
taken from the History of C, Vol. 5, Pages 391-2 where we
are referred to T & S 4: 194 (May 15, 1843) for
verification. There is NO verification in
this reference.
There is nothing in Joseph Smith's diaries where he explains
the New and Everlasting Covenant as a covenant of
marriage .
It is not uncommon to see changes. additions and
deletions in Joseph Smith's original records. The
following is an example:
Diaries, Page 417 "Thursday, October 5 (1843) Morning rode
out with Esqu Butterfield to farm &. P.M. rode on
prairie to shew some brethren some land. Eve at home. Walked
up and down St with Scribe and gave instructions to try
those who were preaching, teaching, or practicing
(practicing is crossed out) the doctrine of plurality of
wives on this Law . Joseph forbids
it and the practice thereof. No man shall have but one
wife ."
The foregoing Bolded was changed to the
fallowing (changes are in capital letters )
when printed in the History of the Church:
History of C, Vol. 6, Page 46, Oct. 5, 1843 ""In the
afternoon, rode to the prairie to show some of the brethren
some land. Evening, at home, and walked up and down the
streets with my scribe. Gave instructions to try those
persons who were preaching, teaching, or
PRACTICING the doctrine of plurality of
wives; FOR, ACCORDING TO THE LAW, I HOLD THE KEYS OF
THIS POWER IN THE LAST DAYS; FOR THERE IS NEVER BUT ONE ON
THE EARTH AT A TIME ON WHOM THE POWER AND ITS KEYS ARE
CONFERRED; AND I HAVE CONSTANTLY SAID NO MAN SHALL HAVE BUT
ONE WIFE AT A TIME, UNLESS THE LORD DIRECTS
OTHERWISE ."
Note: Where "practicing" was crossed out in Joseph's diary
it was left in in the History of the Church.
The ONLY sections of the Doctrine and
Covenants that promote the New and Everlasting Covenant
being eternal marriage are the 131st and 132nd Sections
which were not added to the Doctrine and Covenants
until 1876 and are contradictory to all other information on
the New and Everlasting Covenant which covenant is God's
Plan of Salvation . I can not conceive of marriage
continuing in the eternities to create spirit children since
Joseph Smith has already informed us that spirits can not be
created - they being eternal, and even in creating an
earthly tabernacle for the Savior the earthly system was not
used by God for when Mary conceived by the Holy Spirit she
was still a virgin:
St Matt. 1:23 "Behold, a VIRGIN shall be
with child , and shall bring forth a son, and they
shall call his name Emmanuel,"
If she had conceived by way of the earthly system she would
have lost her virginity.
Joseph Smith presents an interesting point that should be
considered as follows:
Teachings, Page 213 "The Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints has also had its false spirits: and as it
is made up of all those different sects professing every
variety of opinion, having been under the influence of so
many kinds of spirits, it is not to be wondered at if there
should be found among us false spirits.
Soon after the Gospel was established in Kirtland, and
during the absence of the authorities of the Church, many
false spirits were introduced, many strange visions were
seen, and wild, enthusiastic notions were
entertained;.......
Pages 214 & 215 There have also been ministering angels
in the Church which were of Satan appearing as an angel of
light. A sister .... had a vision, who said it was told her
that if she would go to a certain place in the woods, an
angel would appear to her. She went at the appointed time,
and saw a glorious personage descending, arrayed in white,
with sandy colored hair;......How .....it
may be asked, was this known to be a bad
angel ? By the color of his hair; that is one of
the signs that he can be known by, and BY HIS
CONTRADICTING A FORMER REVELATION ........We have
also had brethren and sisters who have written revelations,
and who have started forward to lead this Church."
Note the bolded "How was this known to be a bad
angel? " and, "by his contradicting a
former revelation " for any information received by
anyone that would contradict not only Joseph Smith but all
of the prophets that preceded him would have to come from
the wrong source.
There is also another point one must consider and that is
that Joseph restored this new dispensation of
enlightenment in fourteen years. We have pictured
these earliest converts as completely understanding this
newly restored gospel. Yet, Brigham Young made the following
statement on December 14, 1845, less than two years after
the martyrdom:
".........Joseph left the people in the dark on many
subjects of importance and they still remain in the
dark. (History of C, Vol VII, Page 545)
The scripture states:
D & C 93:29 "Man was also in the
beginning with God. INTELLIGENCE, or the light of truth, WAS
NOT CREATED OR MADE, NEITHER INDEED CAN BE .
30 All truth is INDEPENDENT in that sphere
in which God has placed it, to act for itself, AS
ALL INTELLIGENCE ALSO ; otherwise there is no
existence."
According to the foregoing scripture spirit (intelligence),
not a created entity, is its own "being"
independent of others without beginning or
end.
God VIEWS us as his offspring (Teachings,
Page 218) through Christ Jesus, through whom we "live, and
move, and have our being" (Acts 17:24-28) because he was the
creator (organizer) of all in this heaven and earth.
Therefore, -only through righteous endeavor can we LITERALLY
become the "sons of God:"
Gal: 3:26 "For ye are all the children of God BY
FAITH IN CHRIST JESUS. "
RB, John 1: 12 "But as many as received him, to them gave he
power TO BECOME THE SONS OF GOD, only to
them who believe on his name:"
Mosiah 27:25 "And the Lord said unto me: Marvel not that all
mankind, yea, men and women, all nations, kindreds, tongues
and people, must be born again; yea, born of God changed
from their carnal and fallen state, to a state of
righteousness, being redeemed of God, BECOMING HIS SONS AND
DAUGHTERS;" (Also: Ro. 8: 14, Eph. 2: 18-20, 2 Cor. 6:17
& 18, Gal. 4:4-7, 1 Jn. 3:1 & 2, Matt. 5:9, 44 &
45, Luke 20:35 & 36, Rev. 21:7, 3 Ne. 9:17, Mosiah
15:10-13, Ether 3:14, Moro. 7:26, D & C 11:30; 25:1,
34:3, 35:2; 39:4; 42:52; 45:8, Moses 6:64-68; 7:1)
The desire to own something or someone is a characteristic
of the flesh and the more this earthly attribute is
dominant, the less likely is LOVE a reality. But in the
Celestial realm where perfection encompuses ALL -
LOVE IS REALITY .
We will study next the Manifesto.
|
