Day 30 September 8 - Galations 5-Ephesians 6


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Put on the Whole Armor of God


Cross References:

Ps. 91: 4.
He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.
Rom. 13: 12.
The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.
2 Cor. 10: 4 (3-6).
(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)
1 Thes. 5: 8.
But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.

Scripture Reference: Ephesians 6:11-17

11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

Visiting Teaching Message: "Putting on the Whole Armor of God," Ensign, Jan 2001, 74

"It is time to give ourselves to the Master and allow Him to lead us into fruitful fields where we can enrich a world filled with darkness and misery," said Sister Mary Ellen Smoot, Relief Society general president. "Each of us, no matter who we are, no matter where we serve, must arise and make the most of each opportunity that comes. We must follow the counsel given by the Lord and His servants and make our homes houses of prayer and havens of security and safety. We can and must deepen our faith by increasing our obedience and sacrifice" ("Rejoice, Daughters of Zion," Ensign, Nov. 1999, 94).

Sometimes it may seem difficult to rise above the world to that level of righteousness. But as we strive to "take unto [ourselves] the whole armour of God," we will "be able to withstand in the evil day" (Eph. 6:13).

President N. Eldon Tanner (1898–1982), First Counselor in the First Presidency, observed that "those who are clothed in such armor, which means keeping all the commandments of God, are able to withstand the adversary."

He continued: "Are we studying the scriptures so that we can increase our knowledge and faith and testimony regarding the gospel? … Are we honest and truthful in our dealings? Do we keep the Sabbath day holy? Do we observe the Word of Wisdom? Do we pay an honest tithing? … Are we virtuous and clean and pure in heart and mind and deed?

"Do we fight against the evils around us … ? Do we have the courage to stand up for our convictions? Can we truly say we are not ashamed of the gospel of Christ? Do we live peaceably with our neighbors and avoid gossip and backbiting and spreading unfounded rumors? Do we truly love our neighbors as ourselves?

"If we can answer yes to these questions, then we will have on the whole armor of God, which will protect us from harm and preserve us from our enemies" (" ‘Put on the Whole Armor of God,’ " Ensign, May 1979, 44, 46).

Elder M. Russell Ballard, "Be Strong in the Lord," Ensign, Jul 2004, 8–15

From a talk given at a Church Educational System fireside at Brigham Young University on 3 March 2002.

The Doctrine and Covenants teaches, "Pray always, that you may come off conqueror; yea, that you may conquer Satan, and that you may escape the hands of the servants of Satan that do uphold his work" (D&C 10:5).

What a wonderful promise! In this spiritual warfare that rages over individual souls, that is what we want more than anything else—to conquer Satan and to escape the hands of evil men and women who carry out his work. I cannot stress too highly the protective power that comes into our lives through earnest, humble, consistent, yearning prayer.

I know you believe that, but in the hectic, pressure-filled schedules you face, I also know how easy it is to let prayer slip. Some of you hit the snooze button on your alarm clocks, thinking you can eke out just another minute or two of sleep; then jerk awake, realizing that you are going to be late for school or work. On such mornings, prayer gets pushed aside, perhaps with a feeble promise to yourself that you will do better tomorrow. Put the alarm clock where you can’t reach it from bed; that will solve this problem. Sometimes you return home late at night, exhausted and eager to collapse into bed. You may go through the motions of prayer in a perfunctory and superficial manner, but that is not the kind of prayer that helps us conquer Satan.

You need to find a time and place where you can be alone with Heavenly Father and pour out your heart to Him, that you might add strength and power to your spiritual lives. Every honest and sincere prayer adds another piece to chain-mail armor.

Perhaps there are some of you who have slipped into patterns of behavior that you know in your heart are displeasing to the Lord. "I’ll repent first," you say to yourselves, "and then I’ll begin saying my prayers again." I tell you with all soberness that those thoughts are not from the Lord but from the evil one. Nephi said it very clearly: "The evil spirit teacheth not a man to pray, but teacheth him that he must not pray" (2 Ne. 32:8).

It is when we are lost in the mists of darkness and cannot find our way that we most desperately need the influence of the Lord. Nowhere in all of the scriptural injunctions on prayer do we find the suggestion that we must first be perfect in order to communicate with God.

My friends, one of the most important ways to clothe yourselves in the armor of God is to make sure that prayer—earnest, sincere, consistent prayer—is part of your daily lives.

Doctrine and Covenants 27:15-18

15 Wherefore, lift up your hearts and rejoice, and gird up your loins, and take upon you my whole armor, that ye may be able to withstand the evil day, having done all, that ye may be able to stand.
16 Stand, therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, having on the breastplate of righteousness, and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace, which I have sent mine angels to commit unto you;
17 Taking the shield of faith wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked;
18 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of my Spirit, which I will pour out upon you, and my word which I reveal unto you, and be agreed as touching all things whatsoever ye ask of me, and be faithful until I come, and ye shall be caught up, that where I am ye shall be also. Amen. Edited by KeithLBrown
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Galatians 5:1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free

“The apostle Paul reminded the Galatians: ‘Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.’ (Gal. 5:1.)

“And Nephi pleaded with his brethren: ‘O that ye would awake; awake from a deep sleep . . . and shake off the awful chains by which ye are bound, which are the chains which bind the children of men, that they are carried away captive down to the eternal gulf of misery and woe.’ (2 Ne. 1:13.)

President Gordon B. Hinckley has counseled against surrendering to sin: ‘Today there are persons numbered in the millions, who, in a search for freedom from moral restraint and peace from submerged conscience, have opened a floodgate of practices that enslave and debauch. These practices, if left unchecked, will not only destroy these individuals but also the nations of which they are a part. . . . Nations and civilizations have flowered, then died, poisoned by their own moral sickness. As one commentator has remarked, Rome perished before the Goths poured over its walls. But it was not that the walls were low. It was that Rome itself was low.’ (Teachings of Gordon B. Hinckley, pp 380-382.)

“If we yield to sin, we are, in effect condemning not just ourselves but our communities and our countries. We may think we are merely ‘exercising our agency’ when we choose not to follow the Lord's commandments, but in reality we are worshiping the devil and giving him veto power over our souls.” (The Spirit of Freedom, LDS Church News, 1998, 07/04/98)

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Galatians 5:1 be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage

Gordon B. Hinckley

“To the Galatian Saints Paul wrote these stirring words: ‘Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.’ (Gal. 5:1.)

“I thought I witnessed something of this bondage recently while riding in the lounge of a crowded plane with three other men.

“As the jet began the fast climb to its assigned altitude, I noticed that the man across the table had his eyes fixed intently on the ‘No Smoking’ sign. The instant it went off, he reached for his cigarettes. As he began smoking, the man next to me became nervous. He clenched and opened his fists, looked out the window, turned to look at the man across the table, and his face reddened. The air was a little bumpy. I thought he might have been frightened. I took a closer look. He was a man of good physique, well-dressed immaculately groomed. He did not look the kind who would be frightened by a little bumpy air.

“Then the fourth member of our quartet took a pack of cigarettes from his pocket. He offered me one, and I declined. He then offered my seat companion one, and he replied, ‘I'm trying to quit, and it's nearly killing me.’

“I had started a conversation.

“The first man to light up told how he had resolved to quit after hearing in January 1964 the report of the Surgeon General of the United States. He recounted a tale of agonizing days and sleepless nights and of a final surrender to a habit that had held him for many years. He placed his cigarette between his lips, inhaled long and deeply, then lowered his head as the smoke drifted slowly from his lips and nostrils ‘I couldn't lick it,’ he said with an evident air of defeat.

“The next smoker took up the conversation. ‘I almost quit. I'd been burning two packs a day. I thought I could taper off. I cut down to one cigarette after each cup of coffee. That was my formula. It lasted for a time but I found myself drinking too much coffee. Now I'm back to a pack a day.’

“He had the manner of an educated man. He held in his hands a business journal. He said that the report of the Surgeon General had frightened him also, but then he had read counteracting statements. Perhaps, he concluded, the relationship between cigarette smoking and cancer is only coincidental the disease could just as likely come from the exhaust fumes we breathe. Then with an impulsive display of self-mastery, he crumpled his half-smoked cigarette into the ash tray, snapped shut the lid, and commented, ‘Just the same, I wish I could quit.’

“My seat companion then spoke: ‘I'm convinced there's some truth in what I've seen and read on the subject. We take the government's word for an awful lot these days, conclusions based on less convincing evidence than this I don't believe you can deny the facts. There is a hazard in smoking. But I'm having a terrible fight. I never dreamed a habit could be so tough to break.

“One of them looked at me. ‘What about you?’ he asked.

“I replied: ‘I've never used them.’

”’How lucky can you be!’ was his response. Without wishing in any way to appear self-righteous, I thought the same thing—‘How lucky can I be!’ And I thought of a day long ago when as a boy I sat in this Tabernacle and heard President Heber J. Grant speak with moving conviction on the ‘Little White Slaver,’ as he bore eloquent testimony of the Word of Wisdom as a divine law. I was greatly impressed that day, and that impression gave me resolution.

“Who could question the bondage in which these men found themselves? Our conversation indicated that all three were educated, able men who made important decisions every day. But in a matter admittedly affecting their own lives and health, two already had conceded defeat, and the third was fighting a terrible battle, the victim of a habit that would not let him go.” (Conference Report, April 1965, Afternoon Meeting 76.)

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Galatians 5:13 use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh

The truth of the gospel provides freedom from the burdens of sin. On occasion, this liberty is abused by those who know that they can be forgiven. In a pre-meditated fashion, they concede to commit sin knowing that they can always repent later. Paul calls this taking ‘liberty for an occasion to the flesh.’ Such is the damnable lie with which Satan deceives the youth of the Church. He declares, “You’re young! You will have plenty of time to repent later. Enjoy yourself now while you can!”

Carlos E. Asay

“Occasionally, I hear of some young people who rejoice when they leave home for the first time and who feel inclined to experiment with worldly influences once they are beyond the sight of parents or other authority figures. They regard their ‘freedom’ as license to stretch the commandments, test the waters of sin, and engage in questionable practices. Usually, those who use ‘liberty for an occasion to the flesh’ do so thinking, I will only do it once or twice, and I can repent later. Such misled people, however, fail to recognize the binding nature of drugs, other stimulants, and undesirable habits. They forget that fire from any source burns or destroys and leaves ugly and sometimes irreparable scars.” (In the Lord's Service: A Guide to Spiritual Development [salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1990], 51.)

M. Russell Ballard

“You must be honest with yourself and remain true to the covenants you have made with God. Do not fall into the trap of thinking you can sin a little and it will not matter. Remember, ‘the Lord cannot look upon sin with the least degree of allowance.’ (D&C 1:31.) Some young men and women in the Church talk openly about sexual transgression. They seem to forget that the Lord forbids all sexual relations before marriage, including petting, sex perversion of any kind, or preoccupation with sex in thought, speech, or action. Some youth foolishly rationalize that it is ‘no big deal’ to sin now because they can always repent later when they want to go to the temple or on a mission. Anyone who does that is breaking promises made to God both in the premortal life and in the waters of baptism. The idea of sinning a little is self-deception. Sin is sin! Sin weakens you spiritually, and it always places the sinner at eternal risk. Choosing to sin, even with the intent to repent, is simply turning away from God and violating covenants.” (“Keeping Covenants,” Ensign, May 1993, 7)

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Galatians 4:13 by love serve one another

Heber J. Grant

“I have been impressed with the fact that there is a spirit growing in the world today to avoid giving service, an unwillingness to give value received, to try to see how little we can do and how much we can get for doing it. This is all wrong. Our spirit and aim should be to do all we possibly can, in a given length of time, for the benefit of those who employ us and for the benefit of those with whom we are associated.” (Gospel Standards: Selections from the Sermons and Writings of Heber J. Grant, compiled by G. Homer Durham [salt Lake City: Improvement Era, 1981], 184.)

Ezra Taft Benson

“Do we find it a burden to give of our time to others? Did Christ not heal all those who were brought to Him, even though many a day and a night it seemed the whole city was gathered around Him? Are we sometimes asked to do for others what may seem to be beneath us, or what is tiresome and monotonous? Was not the Son of God born in a stable? Did He not make Himself a servant, even to washing the feet of His disciples, saying to them, ‘The servant is not greater than his Lord?’ (John 13:16.) Love one another. Serve your fellowman. The example has been given you.” (The Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson [salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1988], 448.)

Harold B. Lee

“I feel I would like to bear my testimony to you through an experience I had. Only four weeks ago, along in the early morning hours, I was given a glorious dream. In that dream it seemed that I was in the company of brethren being instructed by the President of the Church, and while there were others there, it seemed that everything he was saying was just for me. And if you have ever been in the presence of President [David O.] McKay when he was instructing you, it would be easy to understand the intensity with which he impressed upon me a great truth. That dream came back to me, today—came back to me with a vividness that was overwhelming, for this was the message: ‘If you want to learn to love God, you must learn to love his children and to love serving his children. No person loves God unless he loves service and unless he loves our Heavenly Father's children.’

“And then it seemed that after the President had taught that lesson which impressed itself so forcibly upon my mind, he said, ‘Brethren, let us kneel in prayer.’ And I awoke after he had prayed, with the most heavenly feeling that I think I have ever had, wondering if I could continue until I could reach the high standard of love for service and love for the children of the Lord that had [been] impressed [upon me] in that dream.” (The Teachings of Harold B. Lee, edited by Clyde J. Williams [salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1996], 178.)

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Galatians 5:22 the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace…

“The gifts of the Spirit are one thing, the fruit of the Spirit another. Patience, mercy, meekness, gentleness, longsuffering, and, of course, charity or the pure love of Christ—these are the kinds of things that characterize men and women who have begun to live in Christ. Such persons are simply more Christlike. Elder Mark E. Petersen once asked a haunting question that strikes at the core of this matter of being Christlike. He inquired: ‘If you had to prove in court that you are a Christian, what would you use as evidence?’

“The interesting thing about the fruit of the Spirit is that such attitudes and such actions do not seem to be situational. In other words, a person is not just very fruitful in the Spirit while the sun shines, pleasant and kindly only when circumstances are positive. Rather, those who enjoy the fruit of the Spirit feel ‘love for those who do not love in return, joy in the midst of painful circumstances, peace when something counted upon doesn't come through, patience when things are not going fast enough, kindness towards those who treat others unkindly, goodness towards those who have been intentionally insensitive, faithfulness when friends have proven unfaithful, gentleness towards those who handle us roughly, self-control in the midst of intense temptation.’” (Robert L. Millet, Selected Writings of Robert L. Millet: Gospel Scholars Series [salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 2000], 80.)

Parley P. Pratt

“The Holy Spirit…quickens all the intellectual faculties, increases, enlarges, expands and purifies all the natural passions and affections; and adapts them, by the gift of wisdom, to their lawful use. It inspires, develops, cultivates and matures all the fine-toned sympathies, joys, tastes, kindred feelings and affections of our nature. It inspires virtue, kindness, goodness, tenderness, gentleness and charity. It develops beauty of person, form and features. It tends to health, vigor, animation and social feeling. It develops and invigorates all the faculties of the physical and intellectual man. It strengthens, invigorates, and gives tone to the nerves. In short, it is, as it were, marrow to the bone, joy to the heart, light to the eyes, music to the ears, and life to the whole being.” (Key to the Science of Theology/A Voice of Warning [salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1965], 100-101.)

B. H. Roberts

“Such are the effects of the operations of the Holy Ghost upon the nature of man. These fruits of the Spirit indicate the change that the Spirit of God may effect in human nature; by which that which is corrupted through sin may be conformed to that which is pure and holy, according to the working whereby the Spirit is able to subdue all things unto Himself, in them that give place for His indwelling in their souls. This effectual working of the Spirit in the souls of men, by which they were transformed from vileness to holiness, was the boast of the early saints. And, upon reflection, all will concede that the victories of the Spirit in reforming the lives of men and making them in their very nature conform to the likeness of Christ in righteousness, are more to be desired and more to be celebrated than those victories which are physical or intellectual merely in their nature.” (History of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, vol. 1, introduction, pp. lxxvii – lxxviii)

Gordon B. Hinckley

“You recognize the promptings of the Spirit by the fruits of the Spirit—that which enlighteneth, that which buildeth up, that which is positive and affirmative and uplifting and leads us to better thoughts and better words and better deeds is of the Spirit of God. That which tears us down, which leads us into forbidden paths—that is of the adversary. I think it is just that plain, just that simple.”(Teachings of Gordon B. Hinckley [salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1997], 261.)

Ezra Taft Benson

“Jesus…expects us to be like Him. He expects us to demonstrate the fruits of the Spirit in our lives: ‘love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance.’ (Galatians 5:22-23.)

“These Christlike traits should characterize each member of the Church and should permeate every Latter-day Saint home. It can be done and must be done if we are to honorably bear His name.” (Come unto Christ [salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1983], 54.)

Elaine L. Jack

“I know that a good mother has the Spirit of the Lord with her. I know because the ‘fruit of the Spirit is love.’ It is also ‘joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance.’ (Galatians 5:22-23.)

“When those things occur in your home, point out to your family that such wonderful feelings are the fruit of the Spirit. Sometimes when children are touched by the Spirit, they may not know what they are feeling. Don't let those moments pass without gratitude and comment. When a child feels the joy of accomplishment, or you have a peaceful Sabbath, or an older sister is longsuffering with a younger one who just destroyed her new nail polish, that's the fruit of the Spirit. Invite it. Then acknowledge it in prayers, in blessings, and at other times.” (Eye to Eye, Heart to Heart [salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1992], 55.)

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M. Russell Ballard

’If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit’ (Gal. 5:22–23, 25).

“As members of the Church, each of us needs to model what it truly means to be a believing and behaving Latter-day Saint. Our example will have a powerful effect on others, making the restored gospel become much more relevant, meaningful, convincing, and desirable to them. Let us, each one, radiate to others the joy, confidence, love, and warmth of being part of the true Church of Christ. Our discipleship is not something to be endured with long face and heavy heart. Nor is it something to be jealously clutched to our bosoms and not shared with others. As we come to understand the love of the Father and the Son for us, our spirits will soar, and we will ‘come to Zion, singing with songs of everlasting joy’ (D&C 45:71).

“Let us reach out in friendship and love to our neighbors, including those of other faiths, thus helping to build better family-to-family relationships and greater harmony in our neighborhoods. Remember, too often our behavior is a bigger deterrent to others than is our doctrine. In the spirit of love for all men, women, and children, help them to understand and to feel accepted and appreciated.” (“Beware of False Prophets and False Teachers,” Ensign, Nov. 1999, 64)

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Galatians 6:2 Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ

Harold B. Lee

“When the prophet Alma instructed those about to be baptized on the banks of the Waters of Mormon, as you will recall, he said, among other things, that those who would be called the people of God were to be ‘willing to bear one another's burdens, that they may be light’ (Mosiah 18:8). A moment's reflection will convince you that the heaviest burden a human being can have is the burden of sin. To help one such to make his burden lighter requires your teaching the way to genuine and complete repentance and to impress upon our leaders and teachers to do likewise.” (The Teachings of Harold B. Lee, edited by Clyde J. Williams [salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1996], 106.)

Jeffrey R. Holland

‘Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ,’ [Paul commands us]. (Gal. 6:2) … ‘The law of Christ, which it is our duty to fulfil, is the bearing of the cross. My brother’s burden which I must bear is not only his outward lot [and circumstance], … but quite literally his sin. And the only way to bear that sin is by forgiving it in the power of the cross of Christ in which [we] now share. Thus the call to follow Christ always means a call to share [in] the work of forgiving men their sins. Forgiveness is the Christlike suffering which it is the Christian’s duty to bear.’ (Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship, 2d ed., New York: Macmillan, 1959, p. 100.)” (“I Stand All Amazed,” Ensign, Aug. 1986, 72)

Neal A. Maxwell

“At several points the scriptures speak of bearing one another's burdens that they may be light. (Mosiah 18:8; Galatians 6:2.) Paul clearly connects this form of service with the keeping of the second commandment. (Galatians 5:13-14.) He even coaches us on how to do this so that it will be efficacious: ‘We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification.’ (Romans 15:1-2. Italics added.) Even the service we render must be so selfless that it is not self-conscious!

“The lessening of the load of another comes, in part, from our very expression of genuine concern transmitted to the burdened. Empathy expressed can do much to lift the heart of another. Objectively, in fact, the burden (the loss of health, a loved one) may remain, but the capacity to cope and to carry on is increased by our administering the adrenalin of affection.” (All These Things Shall Give Thee Experience [salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1979], 67.)

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Galatians 6:7 Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap

David O. McKay

“Some young folks say, ‘We shall sow our wild oats now while we are young, and settle down later.’ You know, as I do, that if you sow wild oats you are going to reap wild oats. ‘Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.’ (Gal. 6:7.)” (Steppingstones to an Abundant Life [salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1971], 291.)

Hugh B. Brown

“Our Father is kind and loving and forgiving, but there is an inexorable law which has not been repealed. It Is the law of the harvest. ‘As ye sow, so shall ye reap.’ (See Galatians 6:7.) We cannot sow thistles and reap figs, nor plant thorns and harvest grapes. But when we have had enough of thistles and thorns, we may have the grapes and the figs if we are willing to pay the price—and they cost less. While ours is a world governed by rigid and unwavering law, man has free agency, he may choose to obey or disobey the law, but he must of course abide the consequences of his choice.” (Conference Report, April 1955, Afternoon Meeting 81.)

Jeffrey R. Holland

“If we sow thistles, we shouldn't plan to get strawberries. If we sow hate, we must not expect to reap an abundance of love. We get back, in kind, that which we reap, but we reap, somehow, always in greater quantity. We sow a little thistle, and we get a lot of thistle—years and years of it, big bushes and branches of it. We never get rid of it unless we cut it out. If we sow a little bit of hate, before we know it we've reaped a lot of hate—smoldering and festering and belligerent and finally warring and malicious hate.

“A prophet of the Old Testament, Hosea, warned all of us to be careful lest we learn personally something that I think my friends at the state institution understood more fully than I had: ‘They have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind.’ (Hosea 8:7.) God is just. We really do reap what we sow.” (However Long and Hard the Road [salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1985], 55.)

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Galatians 6:8 he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting

Milton R. Hunter

“The ancient statement, ‘As [a man] thinketh in his heart, so is he,’ (Proverbs 23:7) is a divine, sublime, and eternal truth. Every act that we have committed and every word that we have spoken have come about as a result of our thoughts. Your character and my character today are the results of the complete sum of all our thoughts. Thus a man is literally what he thinks. Every plant springs forth from its seed. So it is with the deeds of man. Every one of his acts springs forth from the hidden seeds of thought. Our minds are as fertile gardens. If we plant in these gardens seeds of impure and unholy thoughts, these seeds grow as weeds and crowd out that which is pure and noble. Under these conditions, our lives become filled with filthy, ungodly, and immoral actions. Paul, the ancient Christian apostle to the Gentiles, warned humanity against sowing evil thoughts which always result in wicked deeds.

Be not deceived; God is not mocked; for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.’ (Galatians 6:7,"Gal. 6:8 8.)

“In my humble opinion, there is no single passage of scripture that would do more toward saving the world from misery and destruction if the human family would heed its injunction. If all the holy scriptures were suddenly taken from mortal beings but one single passage, and if I were asked to select the passage which I thought would be of most benefit to the human family, I believe I would choose that statement made by Paul. Furthermore, I would print that statement indelibly on a large placard and hold it before the eyes of the people continuously.” (Conference Report, October 1946, Afternoon Meeting 40.)

James E. Faust

“The oppressive fog that beclouds the tortuous lanes and passages of your lives will disappear in the spiritual sunlight that comes only from God. This spiritual sunlight will not shine unless we diligently and humbly seek to enjoy His Spirit, for ‘the Lord requireth the heart and a willing mind’ (D&C 64:34)

“…May there be found in our thoughts and actions the manifestation of an inward, spiritual peace and strength. May we have an absolute faith that all things are possible to God and hold in our remembrance that through our obedience all things may be made known to us by His Holy Spirit. ‘He that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting’ (Galatians 6:8)

“And in sowing to our spirits, may we be strengthened in our inner selves with might by His Spirit, for spirituality is like sunlight: it passes into the unclean and is not tainted. May our lives be such that the spiritual within us may ascend up through the common, the sordid, and the evil and sanctify our souls.” (“Strengthening the Inner Self”, Ensign, Feb. 2003, p. 6)

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Ephesians 1 Introduction

“Sent from: Paul, probably at Rome.

Sent to: Members at Ephesus, chief commercial city in the Roman province of Asia.

Date: About A.D. 61.

Purpose: To strengthen the Saints with a doctrinal review of the gospel.

Main themes: Pre-earth life and foreordination; the last dispensation; grace and works; church organization; ‘perfecting of the saints’; family life.

“Background: The City

“Paul's messengers from Rome evidently landed at Ephesus on their way up to the Colossian area with letters. The cities on the western coast of Asia Minor were heavily Greek because of earlier migrations across the Aegean, and they were wealthy both in money and in religious tradition. On his third mission Paul picked populous Ephesus as the hub for spreading the gospel through the province of Asia…"Eph. 3:1The geographer Strabo called Ephesus the greatest ‘emporium’ or trade center of Roman Asia, which comprised the western third of Asia Minor. Ephesus was a third-magnitude city, its population estimated at as large as a quarter of a million. Today it stretches in magnificent ruins from its silted-up harbor across flats and coastal hills. "Acts 19 tells the story of Paul's mission there with geographical precision…

“Reason for Writing

“Ephesians pictures the converts there as heavily Gentile, which would be expected from the record of Acts. Possibly through the coming of Tychicus, Paul had ‘heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints’ (Eph. 1:15). His letter addressed no crisis. Was the real issue lack of total conversion? Paul repreached the entire gospel to the Ephesians, showing them the relationships between salvation through Christ and the need of the Church, between the premortal heritage of the Saints and the strict duty of righteous works for salvation, including gospel living in the home. No New Testament letter so beautifully relates the parts of the gospel to the whole. In the words of a capable Protestant conservative, ‘Among Paul's epistles there is none more sublime and profound.’ …A recent conservative evaluation [also] makes that point: ‘It is generally conceded that Ephesians is the deepest book in the New Testament. Its vision of the purpose of God stretches from eternity to eternity.’ Members of the restored Church will find in that letter a checklist of characteristics of Christ's true Church. Not tied to particular problems, Ephesians vividly challenges Latter-day Saints to be worthy of their high calling.” (Richard Lloyd Anderson, Understanding Paul [salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1983], 262.)

“Perhaps no other New Testament book contains so many doctrines that today are thought of as being distinctively Latter-day Saint as does Ephesians. In it we find reference to the doctrine of foreordination, the dispensation of the fullness of times, the importance of apostles and prophets in the church, the idea that there is only one true and unified church, and the doctrine that the organization of the church is essential. In this letter we find some of the most sublime teachings on the role of the family and the importance of proper family life that are found anywhere in scripture.” (Institute Manual, The Life and Teachings of Jesus & his Apostles, 2nd ed., p. 350)

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Ephesians 1:4 he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world

Howard W. Hunter

“God said to Jeremiah, ‘Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.’ (Jer. 1:5.) At another time God reminded Job that ‘all the sons of God shouted for joy’ (Job 38:7) before there was yet any man or woman on the earth God was creating. The Apostle Paul taught that God the Father chose us ‘before the foundation of the world.’ (Eph. 1:4.)

“Where and when did all of this happen? Well, it happened long before man’s mortal birth. It happened in a great premortal existence where we developed our identities and increased our spiritual capabilities by exercising our agency and making important choices. We developed our intelligence and learned to love the truth, and we prepared to come to earth to continue our progress.” (“The Golden Thread of Choice,” Ensign, Nov. 1989, 17)

Theodore M. Burton

“From the time the earth was originally planned, God the Eternal Father knew that in the last days Satan would become desperate. As the second coming of Jesus Christ approaches, Satan is doing everything in his power to destroy the work of God. He is using every artifice he can imagine to destroy the plan of salvation. He is raging in blood and horror on the earth. But God knew what Satan would attempt to do in these days and devised a plan to meet that challenge.

“God reserved for these days some of his most valiant sons and daughters. He held back for our day proved and trusted children, who he knew from their premortal behavior would hear the voice of the Shepherd and would accept the gospel of Jesus Christ. He knew they would qualify themselves to receive the priesthood, that they would use the holy priesthood to limit Satan’s destructiveness and make it possible for God to complete the work he had planned for the saving of his children.” (“Salvation for the Dead—A Missionary Activity,” Ensign, May 1975, 69)

Alvin R. Dyer

“…many of the noble and valiant spirits of the pre-existence have been withheld as to birth into mortality until this particular time that they may be here upon the earth, either born under the covenant or converted to the gospel of Jesus Christ, that there will be strength within the Church to fulfill the divine commitments which the Lord has placed upon us as a people. These choice spirits so withheld, as could be expected, respond more readily to the gospel message here in life when they hear it.” (Conference Report, April 1962, First Day—Morning Meeting 10.)

Neal A. Maxwell

“The foreseeing of those who will accept the gospel in mortality, gladly and with alacrity, is based upon their parallel responsiveness in the premortal world…The Lord, who was able to say to his disciples, ‘Cast the net on the right side of the ship’ (John 21:6), knew beforehand that there was a multitude of fishes there. If he knew beforehand the movements and whereabouts of fishes in the little Sea of Tiberias, should it offend us that he knows beforehand which mortals will come into the gospel net?

“It does no violence even to our frail human logic to observe that there cannot be a grand plan of salvation for all mankind, unless there is also a plan for each individual. The salvational sum will reflect all its parts.

“Once the believer acknowledges that the past, present, and future are before God simultaneously—even though we do not understand how—then the doctrine of foreordination may be seen somewhat more clearly. For instance, it was necessary for God to know how the economic difficulties and crop failures of the Joseph Smith, Sr. family in New England would move this special family to the Cumorah vicinity where the Book of Mormon plates were buried. God’s plans could scarcely have so unfolded if—willy-nilly—the Smiths had been born Manchurians and if, meanwhile, the plates had been buried in Belgium!” (“A More Determined Discipleship,” Ensign, Feb. 1979, 71)

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Ephesians 1:5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ

“When used by the King James translators, the word predestination did not have the same connotation as it does today. Most modern versions translate the Greek word as ‘foreordain.’” (Institute Manual, The Life and Teachings of Jesus & his Apostles, 2nd ed., p. 350)

Bruce R. McConkie

“Predestination is a sectarian substitute for the true doctrine of foreordination. Just as Lucifer ‘sought to destroy the agency of man’ in pre-existence (Moses 4:3), so through his ministers here he has taught a doctrine, based on scriptural distortions, of salvation and damnation without choice on the part of the individual. Predestination is the false doctrine that from all eternity God has ordered whatever comes to pass, having especial and particular reference to the salvation or damnation of souls. Some souls, according to this false concept, are irrevocably chosen for salvation, others for damnation; and there is said to be nothing any individual can do to escape his predestined inheritance in heaven or in hell as the case may be.” (Mormon Doctrine, 2d ed. [salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1966], 588.)

Joseph Fielding Smith

“It is very evident from a thorough study of the gospel and the plan of salvation that a conclusion that those who accepted the Savior were predestined to be saved no matter what the nature of their lives, must be an error. The gospel of salvation based on faithfulness and obedience to the covenants and laws of the gospel is definitely clear in the doctrines of our Lord and his inspired servants. Surely Paul never intended to convey such a thought that in the pre-existence many were destined by divine decree to be saved no matter what the nature of their mortal lives might be.” (Answers to Gospel Questions, 5 vols. [salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1957-1966], 4: 149.)

Bruce R. McConkie

“…it is clear that people do not all have the same talent for recognizing truth and believing the doctrines of salvation. Some heed the warning voice and believe the gospel; others do not. Some would give all they possess if they could but touch the hem of the garment of him who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life; others find fault with every word that falls from prophetic lips. Some forsake lands and riches, friends and families, to gather with the true saints; others choose to walk in the ways of the world and to deride the humble followers of Christ. Why? Why this difference in people?

“To this problem there is no easy answer. Every person stands alone in choosing his beliefs and electing the course he will pursue… But in the final sense the answer stems back to premortality. We all lived as spirit beings, as children of the Eternal Father, for an infinitely long period of time in the premortal existence. There we developed talents, gifts, and aptitudes; there our capacities and abilities took form; there, by obedience to law, we were endowed with the power, in one degree or another, to believe the truth and follow the promptings of the Spirit. And the talent of greatest worth was that of spirituality, for it enables us to hearken to the Holy Spirit and accept that gospel which prepares us for eternal life.” (A New Witness for the Articles of Faith [salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1985], 33.)

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Ephesians 1:10 the Dispensation of the Fullness of Times is a combination of all the dispensations from Adam to Joseph Smith

Elder David W. Patten

“The dispensation of the fullness of times is made up of all the dispensations that ever have been given since the world began, until this time … in the which all things shall be fulfilled that have been spoken of since the earth was made…

“Joseph Smith, the leader of this dispensation must be clothed with the power of all other dispensations, or his dispensation could not be called dispensation of the fullness of times…

“Therefore, brethren, beware concerning yourselves, that you sin not against the authority of this dispensation, nor think lightly of those whom God has counted worthy for so great a calling. (In History of the Church, 3:51–53.)” (as quoted in “The Fulness of Times” by Robert J. Matthews, Ensign, Dec. 1989, 49)

Joseph Smith

‘…it is necessary in the ushering in of the dispensation of the fulness of times, which dispensation is now beginning to usher in, that a whole and complete and perfect union, and welding together of dispensations, and keys, and powers, and glories should take place, and be revealed from the days of Adam even to the present time. And not only this, but those things which never have been revealed from the foundation of the world, but have been kept hid from the wise and prudent, shall be revealed unto babes and sucklings in this, the dispensation of the fulness of times.’ (DC 128:18)

Joseph Smith

“Adam holds the keys of the Dispensation of the Fulness of Times; i.e., the dispensation of all the times have been and will be revealed through him from the beginning to Christ, and from Christ to the end of all the dispensations that are to be revealed. ‘Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: that in the Dispensation of the Fulness of Times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him.’ (Eph. 1:9-10.)

“Now the purpose in himself in the winding up scene of the last dispensation is that all things pertaining to that dispensation should be conducted precisely in accordance with the preceding dispensations.

“And again, God purposed in himself that there should not be an eternal fulness until every dispensation should be fulfilled and gathered together in one, and that all things whatsoever, that should be gathered together in one in those dispensations unto the same fulness and eternal glory, should be in Christ Jesus; therefore he set the ordinances to be the same forever and ever, and set Adam to watch over them, to reveal them from heaven to man, or to send angels to reveal them.” (Discourses of the Prophet Joseph Smith, compiled by Alma P. Burton [salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1977], 53.)

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Ephesians 1:10 The final glory and destiny of this ultimate dispensation

While the dispensation in question began in 1820, the final glory of this dispensation has not yet been realized. The church’s inauspicious beginning—with only six members in a small log cabin—will be contrasted to a great worldwide organization. The little stone ‘cut without hands’ may be a large boulder now but it has yet to become ‘a great mountain [which fills] the whole earth‘ (Dan. 2:34-35). We have not yet seen all that the Lord has in mind to restore, for the restoration of the city of Enoch, the restoration of the continents to their original positions (DC 133:23), and the purity of the Garden of Eden (2 Ne. 8:3), must all be restored (see commentary for Acts 3:21). As Elder McConkie put it: “It should be noted that Peter (Acts 3:21) does not say that all things must be restored before Christ comes, but that the age, era, period, or times in the earth's history in which restoration is to take place must itself commence. That era did begin in the spring of 1820, but all things will not be revealed until after Christ comes. (D. & C. 101: 32-34.)” (Mormon Doctrine, 2nd ed., p. 796.)

Joseph Smith

“The heavenly priesthood will unite with the earthly to bring about those great purposes. And whilst we are thus united in the one common cause to roll forth the kingdom of God, the heavenly priesthood are not idle spectators. The spirit of God will be showered down from above; it will dwell in our midst. The blessings of the Most High will rest upon our tabernacles, and our name will be handed down to future ages. Our children will rise up and call us blessed, and generations yet unborn will dwell with peculiar delight upon the scenes that we have passed through, the privations that we have endured, the untiring zeal that we have manifested, the insurmountable difficulties that we have overcome in laying the foundation of a work that brought about the glory and blessings which they will realize, a work that God and angels have contemplated with delight for generations past, that fired the souls of the ancient patriarchs and prophets, a work that is destined to bring about the destruction of the powers of darkness, the renovation of the earth, the glory of God, and the salvation of the human family.” (Kent P. Jackson, From Apostasy to Restoration [salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1996], 258.)

Joseph Smith

“The work of the Lord in these last days is one of vast magnitude and almost beyond the comprehension of mortals. Its glories are past description and its grandeur unsurpassable. It has been the theme which has animated the bosom of prophets and righteous men from the creation of this world down through every succeeding generation to the present time. And it is truly the dispensation of the fulness of times, when all things which are in Christ Jesus, whether in heaven or on the earth, shall be gathered together in him, and when all things shall be restored, as spoken of by all the holy prophets since the world began. For in it will take place the glorious fulfillment of the promises made to the fathers, while the displays of the power of the Most High will be great, glorious, and sublime. . . .

“Here, then, beloved brethren, is a work to engage in worthy of archangels—a work which will cast into the shade the things which have heretofore been accomplished, a work which kings and prophets and righteous men in former ages have sought, expected, and earnestly desired to see, but died without the sight. And well will it be for those who shall aid in carrying into effect the mighty operations of Jehovah.” (Kent P. Jackson, comp. and ed., Joseph Smith's Commentary on the Bible [salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1994], 175.)

Joseph Smith

“We are the favored people that God has made choice of to bring about the latter-day glory. It is left for us to see, participate in, and help to roll forward the latter-day glory.” (Kent P. Jackson, From Apostasy to Restoration [salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1996], 258.)

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Ephesians 2:19 ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints

Boyd K. Packer

"To be a fellowcitizen with the Saints has great meaning. All can receive that citizenship through the ordinance of baptism, if they will repent and prepare themselves. Then, as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, they never need be alone.

In this church the individual is regarded as a son or daughter of God. Family members are taught to sustain one another. In such families there is some fulfillment of the statement, "The Saints securely dwell." Then the family structure is marvelously fitted into the setting of Church organization." (Let Not Your Heart Be Troubled [salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1991], 183.)

James M. Paramore

"Members say they have never been a stranger anywhere they have gone,Italy, Oslo, Mexico City, Portland, or Orem, Utah. They belonged the minute it was known they were members of the church of Jesus Christ. Everyone who lives upon this earth needs this feeling of acceptance, and the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and His church bring it about. Even though a member lives alone, he is never alone. He belongs; he contributes; he is never forgotten." (The Gospel of Jesus Christ and Basic Needs of People, Ensign, May 1983, 28)

Gordon B. Hinckley

'We all look upon one another as brothers and sisters, regardless of the land we call home. We belong to what may be regarded as the greatest society of friends on the face of the earth.

'When the emperor of Japan was in the United States some few years ago, I attended a luncheon for him in San Francisco. We sat at a table with three other couples who had had extensive experience in Japan and who had resided there at one time or another while working in government, business, or educational employment. One of the gentlemen said to me, "I have never seen anything like your people. We had many Americans come to Japan while we were there, and most of them experienced a severe cultural adjustment and much loneliness and homesickness. But whenever we had a Mormon family come, they had many instant friends. Members of your church in Japan seemed to know when they were expected and were there to welcome them. They and their children were immediately integrated socially as well as into your religious community. There seemed to be no culture shock and no loneliness. My wife and I talked about it many times."

That is the way it should be. We must be friends. We must love and honor and respect and assist one another. Wherever Latter-day Saints go, they are made welcome, because Latter-day Saints are mutual believers in the divinity of the Lord Jesus Christ and are engaged together in his great cause.

We speak of the fellowship of the Saints. This is and must be a very real thing. We must never permit this spirit of brotherhood and sisterhood to weaken. We must constantly cultivate it. It is an important aspect of the gospel. (Fear Not to Do Good, Ensign, May 1983, pp. 79-80.) (Teachings of Gordon B. Hinckley [salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1997], 223.)

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Ephesians 3:15 of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named

“Paul said, ‘I bow my knees,’ as do we all, ‘unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named’ (Eph. 3:14-15). In a manifestation to Brigham Young after his death, Joseph Smith told his successor to be sure to instruct the Saints to keep the Spirit of the Lord, promising that if they would do so, ‘they will find themselves just as they were organized by our Father in Heaven before they came into the world. Our Father in Heaven organized the human family, but they are all disorganized and in great confusion.’ Brigham also said that Joseph showed him the pattern, ‘how they were in the beginning.’ He said that he could not describe it but that there must yet be ‘a perfect chain from Father Adam to his latest posterity.’

“During an illness, Jedediah M. Grant visited the spirit world two nights in succession. He reported a perfect order and government that existed there, saying that the ‘righteous gathered together,’ that there were ‘no wicked spirits among them,’ and that they were ‘organized in family capacities.’ ‘To my astonishment,’ he said, ‘when I looked at families there was a deficiency in some, there was a lack, for I saw families that would not be permitted to come and dwell together, because they had not honored their calling here.’” (Robert L. Millet and Joseph Fielding McConkie, The Life Beyond [salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1986], 101.)

Joseph Fielding Smith

“Is there a family in heaven and in earth? Yes. That family is composed of those who go to the temple of the Lord and there are sealed or married for time and for all eternity according to the law of the Lord. Marriage is to be eternal, just as the Lord declares here in the words that I have read, and when a man and a woman go to the house of the Lord and are married for time and for all eternity, they take upon them certain covenants that they will be true and faithful in that union… Children born in that union will be the children of that father and mother not only in mortal life but in all eternity, and they become members of the family of God in heaven and on earth, as spoken of by Paul, and that family order should never be broken.”(Conference Report, April 1961, Second Day—Morning Meeting 49.)

Hugh B. Brown

“The family organization is patriarchal in nature and is patterned after the one in heaven itself, as referred to by the Apostle Paul in Ephesians 3:14-15: ‘For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named.’

“The very essence of divine government is fatherhood and the recognition of the family relationship. The Church itself exists to exalt the family, and the family concept is one of the major and most important of the whole theological doctrine. In fact, our very concept of heaven itself is the projection of the home into eternity. Salvation, then, is essentially a family affair, and full participation in the plan of salvation can be had only in family units.” (Conference Report, October 1966, Third Day—Morning Meeting 103.)

Joseph Fielding Smith

“So we see that there is a family organization in heaven, and part of it on earth, but in both places it is named after God the Father of Jesus Christ. And why not, since those in heaven and all on earth who have made the covenant are his heirs?” (The Way to Perfection [salt Lake City: Genealogical Society of Utah, 1949], 256.)

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Ephesians 4: 5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism

“Joseph Smith's criticisms of Christianity in the nineteenth century are remarkably like Christian self-criticisms of the twentieth. [Joseph Smith as a] youth was confused by multiplying churches and conflicting claims. Christian leaders in recent decades have also repeated their frustration at ‘the scandal of the divided church.’ After long inquiry young Joseph found no answers among quarreling leaders, so he turned to God alone. In past decades world councils and international committees have also sought the ‘renewal of the spirit.’ But the results are less than convincing. Creeds have softened, inter-faith negotiations continue, but competitive Christianity remains. Its tragedy is the confusion of human systems that inadequately direct the faith of innumerable men and women of great commitment. Early Christians were ‘of one heart and of one soul’ (Acts 4:32), but Christianity now better resembles the early world confounded after Babylonian pride ‘that they may not understand one another's speech.’ (Gen. 11:7.) Religious leaders can quote past prophets, but who can divinely lead God's people out of the bondage of confusion today?” (Richard L. Anderson, Investigating the Book of Mormon Witnesses [salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1981], 1.)

Sterling W. Sill

“…out of over two billion people who presently occupy the earth, only one-third even bear the name of Christian. And this one-third is divided into some 250 contending sects, all claiming to accept the Bible as the inspired word of God and the only authoritative rule of faith and doctrine. Their confusion on even the most simple points of doctrine is indicated by the report that some seventy-eight of these baptize by immersion, many sprinkle, sixty-eight have optional forms, sixty-seven practice infant baptism, many have no baptism. Thirty-nine require no adherent to creed or doctrine of any kind.

“Almost every Protestant church came into existence because of ‘a protest’ or an ‘argument.’ The division of opinion caused by the Civil War was responsible for the formation of many new churches. The Church of England was organized because the Pope refused to give Henry VIII a divorce. There are many ‘state churches.’ It was Emperor Constantine, not the servants of the Lord, that made Christianity the church of the Roman Empire.

“And as this famine has run its long, destructive course, many of the truths that Jesus came to give to the world have been lost.” (Conference Report, April 1956, First Day—Morning Meeting 16.)

LeGrand Richards

“I just completed reading the New Testament, and I have been impressed with the words of the Savior and the apostle Paul and others of the brethren as I read the teachings of their day. The apostle Paul said there is ‘one Lord, one faith, one baptism.’ (Eph. 4:5.) Then I thought, I wonder what Paul would say if he were here today and knew how many churches there are.

“My secretary checked for me the other day and she learned that last year in May a census was taken and it was found that there were 697 different churches here in the United States alone. If Paul were here, to which church would he go, for he said there is ‘one Lord, one faith, one baptism.’ And so we have to look for divine guidance to know where to go to find that true church if there is only to be one church, and that is our testimony.

“Our message to the world today is the restoration of the gospel…I bear witness to you today that we have the only true, living church upon the face of the earth that the Lord recognizes that has divine authority to administer the saving ordinances of the gospel.” (“One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism,” Ensign, May 1975, 95)

Boyd K. Packer

“Now, others may insist that this is not the true church. That is their privilege. But to claim that it does not exist anywhere, that it does not even need to exist, is to deny the scriptures.

“The New Testament teaches of ‘one Lord, one faith, one baptism’ and speaks of ‘ [all coming] in the unity of the faith’ (Eph. 4:5, 13) and of a ‘restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began’ (Acts 3:21.)

“We did not invent the doctrine of the only true church. It came from the Lord. Whatever perception others have of us, however presumptuous we appear to be, whatever criticism is directed to us, we must teach it to all who will listen.” (“The Only True Church,” Ensign, Nov. 1985, 82)

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Ephesians 4:12 For the perfecting of the saints

Mark E. Petersen

“Is there ever a time when the members can stop working toward perfection, when they no longer are benefited by activity in the Church, or when they do not require teaching and edifying?

“Paul said that these officers who teach and edify are needed in the Church until we become perfect, until we reach the fulness of the measure of the stature of Christ. Heaven knows that none of us has achieved that distinction.

“But what was another reason these officers should remain in the Church? Paul says they were given to us as a protection ‘that we henceforth be no more [as] children tossed to and fro … with every wind of doctrine.’ (Eph. 4:14.)

“They will protect you from the false teachings of cultists and splinter groups and from the misleading philosophies of men.

“The Church of Jesus Christ, then, should always be led by living apostles and prophets who would receive the constant guidance of heaven. They would continue always in the Church as seers and revelators for the people.” (“Evidence of Things Not Seen,” Ensign, May 1978, 61–62)

Neal A. Maxwell

“Quickly forgotten by those who are offended is the fact that the Church is ‘for the perfecting of the saints’ (Eph. 4:12); it is not a well-provisioned rest home for the already perfected.” (“A Brother Offended,” Ensign, May 1982, 38)

Ephesians 4:14 be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine

Joseph B. Wirthlin

“We should follow Paul’s counsel to the Ephesians: ‘Be no more … tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine.’ The winds of false doctrine that are blowing today both outside and a few within the Church are far more dangerous to the ultimate salvation of mankind than are earthquakes, hurricanes, typhoons, volcanic eruptions, and other natural disasters. These winds can uproot people if their roots are not firmly anchored to the Rock of our salvation, which is the teachings and the gospel of Jesus Christ.

“We, as a people, are to live our religion and its principles and follow the leadership of our prophet, seer, and revelator regardless of what the world does.” (“Deep Roots,” Ensign, Nov. 1994, 77)

Spencer W. Kimball

“The authorities which the Lord has placed in his Church constitute for the people of the Church a harbor, a place of refuge, a hitching post, as it were. No one in this Church will ever go far astray who ties himself securely to the Church Authorities whom the Lord has placed in his Church. This Church will never go astray; the Quorum of the Twelve will never lead you into bypaths: it never has and never will. There could be individuals who would falter; there will never be a majority of the Council of the Twelve on the wrong side at any time The Lord has chosen them; he has given them specific responsibilities. And those people who stand close to them will be safe.” (Conference Report, April 1951, Morning Session 104.)

Mark E. Petersen

“So if you really desire to avoid deceptions, if you really desire to do that which is right and proper, then you take advantage of the safeguard that the Lord has given you in the organization of this Church. And you remember that if you will follow the teachings of your inspired prophets, seers, and revelators, of your apostles, of your pastors and teachers, your bishops and your stake presidents, you won't need to wonder whether or not such and such a doctrine is a deception, whether it is false or whether it is true, because those authorized servants of the Lord will lead you into paths of righteousness, and they will keep you on the right track.

“Salvation comes not by being tossed about by every wind of doctrine but by learning the truth as it is taught by the inspired, authorized leaders of the Church, and then having learned that truth, by living up to it and enduring in faithfulness unto the very end.” (Conference Report, October 1945, Afternoon Meeting 92.)

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JST Ephesians 4:26 Can ye be angry, and not sin?

Lynn G. Robbins

“Anger is a yielding to Satan’s influence by surrendering our self-control. It is the thought-sin that leads to hostile feelings or behavior. It is the detonator of road rage on the freeway, flare-ups in the sports arena, and domestic violence in homes.

“Unchecked, anger can quickly trigger an explosion of cruel words and other forms of emotional abuse that can scar a tender heart. It is ‘that which cometh out of the mouth,’ the Savior said; ‘this defileth a man’ (Matt. 15:11). David O. McKay said, ‘Let husband and wife never speak in loud tones to each other, unless the house is on fire‘ (Stepping Stones to an Abundant Life, comp. Llewelyn R. McKay [1971], 294).” (“Agency and Anger,” Ensign, May 1998, 80-81)

Ezra Taft Benson

“A priesthood holder who would curse his wife, abuse her with words or actions, or do the same to one of his own children is guilty of grievous sin. ‘Can ye be angry, and not sin?’ asked the Apostle Paul (JST Eph. 4:26).

“If a man does not control his temper, it is a sad admission that he is not in control of his thoughts. He then becomes a victim of his own passions and emotions, which lead him to actions that are totally unfit for civilized behavior, let alone behavior for a priesthood holder.

President David O. McKay once said, ‘A man who cannot control his temper is not very likely to control his passion, and no matter what his pretensions in religion, he moves in daily life very close to the animal plane’ (Improvement Era, June 1958, p. 407).” (“Godly Characteristics of the Master,” Ensign, Nov. 1986, 47)

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Ephesians 4:27 Neither give place to the devil

James E. Faust

“…we need not become paralyzed with fear of Satan's power. He can have no power over us unless we permit it. He is really a coward, and if we stand firm, he will retreat. The Apostle James counseled: ‘Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.’ (James 4:7.) He cannot know our thoughts unless we speak them.

“We have heard comedians and others justify or explain their misdeeds by saying, ‘The devil made me do it.’ I do not really think the devil can make us do anything. Certainly he can tempt and he can deceive, but he has no authority over us that we do not give him.

“The power to resist Satan may be stronger than we realize. The Prophet Joseph Smith taught: ‘All beings who have bodies have power over those who have not. The devil has no power over us only as we permit him. The moment we revolt at anything which comes from God, the devil takes

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Ephesians 5:19 hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord

Brigham Young

“There is no music in hell, for all good music belongs to heaven. Sweet harmonious sounds give exquisite joy to human beings capable of appreciating music. I delight in hearing harmonious tones made by the human voice, by musical instruments, and by both combined. Every sweet musical sound that can be made belongs to the Saints and is for the Saints. Every flower, shrub and tree to beautify, and to gratify the taste and smell, and every sensation that gives to man joy and felicity are for the Saints who receive them from the Most High.” (Discourses of Brigham Young, selected and arranged by John A. Widtsoe [salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1954], 242.)

John Taylor

“Some people object to music. Why, music prevails in the heavens, and among the birds! God has filled them with it. There is nothing more pleasing and delightful than it is to go into the woods or among the bushes early in the morning and listen to the warbling and rich melody of the birds, and it is strictly in accordance with the sympathies of our nature. We have no idea of the excellence of the music we shall have in heaven. It may be said of that, as the apostle Paul has said in relation to something else—‘Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.’ (I Corinthians 2:9.) We have no idea of the excellency, beauty, harmony and symphony of the music in the heavens.” (The Gospel Kingdom: Selections from the Writings and Discourses of John Taylor, selected, arranged, and edited, with an introduction by G. Homer Durham [salt Lake City: Improvement Era, 1941], 62.)

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Ephesians 6:11 Put on the whole armour of God

N. Eldon Tanner

“The great unrest in the world today and the wars and rumors of wars are affecting us greatly; but as Paul says, our greatest and most deadly struggle will be ‘not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, [and] against spiritual wickedness in high places.’

“Do we fight against the evils around us—pornography, abortion, tobacco, alcohol, drugs? Do we have the courage to stand up for our convictions? Can we truly say we are not ashamed of the gospel of Christ? Do we live peaceably with our neighbors and avoid gossip and backbiting and spreading unfounded rumors? Do we truly love our neighbors as ourselves?

“If we can answer yes to these questions, then we will have on the whole armor of God, which will protect us from harm and preserve us from our enemies. If we must answer no to these questions, then our armor is weak, there is an unshielded place which can be found, a vulnerable area for attack, and we will be subject to injury or destruction by Satan, who will search until he finds our weaknesses, if we have them.

“Examine your armor. Is there an unguarded or unprotected place? Determine now to add whatever part is missing. No matter how antiquated or lacking in parts your armor may be, always remember that it is within your power to make the necessary adjustments to complete your armor.

“Through the great principle of repentance you can turn your life about and begin now clothing yourself with the armor of God through study, prayer, and a determination to serve God and keep his commandments.” (“Put on the Whole Armour of God,” Ensign, May 1979, 44-46)

Carlos E. Asay

“There is, however, another piece of armor worthy of our consideration. It is the special underclothing known as the temple garment, or garment of the holy priesthood, worn by members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who have received their temple endowment. This garment, worn day and night, serves three important purposes: it is a reminder of the sacred covenants made with the Lord in His holy house, a protective covering for the body, and a symbol of the modesty of dress and living that should characterize the lives of all the humble followers of Christ.

“It is written that ‘the white garment symbolizes purity and helps assure modesty, respect for the attributes of God, and, to the degree it is honored, a token of what Paul regarded as taking upon one the whole armor of God (Eph. 6:13; cf. D&C 27:15)’” (“The Temple Garment: ‘An Outward Expression of an Inward Commitment,’ ” Ensign, Aug. 1997, 20)

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Ephesians 6:12 we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but…against spiritual wickedness in high places

Harold B. Lee

“Note carefully that the Apostle Paul's declaration implies that our most deadly contest in life is not with human enemies which may come with guns, with army tanks, or bombing planes to destroy us, but that our eternal struggle is with enemies which strike out of darkness and may not be perceived by human senses.” (Stand Ye in Holy Places [salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1974], 330.)

Hugh B. Brown

“Even more than in Paul's day you will wrestle against principalities, powers, the rulers of darkness in this world, and spiritual wickedness in high places. The enemy is well organized, numerous and militant and has fiendish and cunning leadership; of this you should BE AWARE and of this you must BEWARE.” (The Abundant Life [salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1965], 47.)

Gordon B. Hinckley

“The tide of evil flows. It has become a veritable flood. Most of us, living somewhat sheltered lives, have little idea of the vast dimensions of it. Billions of dollars are involved for those who pour out pornography, for those who peddle lasciviousness, for those who deal in bestiality, in perversion, in sex and violence. God give us the strength, the wisdom, the faith, the courage as citizens to stand in opposition to these and to let our voices be heard in defense of those virtues which, when practiced in the past, made men and nations strong, and which, when neglected, brought them to decay.” (Be Thou an Example [salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1981], 58.)

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