One of the things that has become self evident in my studying people of descent from the church is how overwhelmingly they believe that our church should be infallible along with our Prophets that are believed by them should be infallible as well. In other words the brethren never make mistakes in directing the affairs of the church or in their personal lives. Along with that is that the church should never change or go back on teachings that have been revealed. In short, change is error among the brethren and the church and supposedly are not allowed. So when we change the temple endowment or change the most correct book "The Book Of Mormon" they think that this is a sign that this is not really the true church as we purport. The dissenters couldn't be more wrong. This is living proof that the church continues to receive revelation and is being led by someone on high that is guiding us every day that it exists for our changing times. Is the church perfect? No! Or we would not need more revelation. Are the brethren perfect? no! Or we would not have the need for disciplinary councils. So why all the grief?
Now before everyone gets ready to jump ship because of our fallibility, let me share something that I learned from Martin Luther in his paper entitled "Freedom Of A Christian". Leave it to the old reformer to help us through this troubled time. Martin reads from Ephesians 5:31-32 "For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and they shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the Church." Martin then goes on to compare Christ, the bridegroom, and the Church, the bride. In the marriage covenant he points out that when married everything that the bridegroom posses is the brides and everything the bride posses is the bridegrooms. He then points out again and I quote, "Let us compare these and we shall see the inestimable benefits. Christ is full of grace, life and salvation. The soul (us or the church) is full of sins, death and damnation (or our imperfections cause this condition)............for if Christ is a bridegroom, he must take upon himself the things which are his bride's and bestow upon her the things that are his. If he gives her his body and very self, how shall he not give her all that is his? And if he takes the body of the bride, how shall he not take all that is hers?" end of quote.
In short, Christ is perfect, has overcome the world and obtained all that his father has. We give all of our sins and imperfections that are absorbed in our future marriage to the Savior of mankind and become perfect in Him and obtain all that our Father in Heaven has. That is how we, as the body. of the true and living church "The Bride" are able to be fallible and still remain the only true and living church waiting for our Bridegroom to come. We prepare for the wedding every week by partaking the sacred emblems of our Bridegroom.
I am so pleased to know that I don't have to be perfect to be a part of this church. I am so pleased that as I STRIVE for perfection that my knowledge and faith in Christ sets me free in the sense that I know that my sins will be forgiven upon the merits of true repentance. With this faith and knowledge for the future I can not help but STRIVE to follow all of the commandments and work unceasingly to bring forth that glorious day when Zion the Bride will be received and take her place along side the Savior of Mankind, our Bridegroom.
God love you all as we continue on life's journey while we build this great and marvelous work.
Mom (The mean old G'Ma) and Dad (The G'Paaaaa)
"Missionaries In The Making"
Monday, March 23, 2009
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