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skalenfehl,

 

How do you reconcile what you're saying with D&C 20:9 and D&C 42:12. How can we have the fulness of the gospel in the scriptures but not have the fulness of the gospel?

 

Here's L. Tom Perry:

"Our message is unique. We declare to the world that the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored to the earth. We declare with boldness that the keys of the priesthood have been restored to man, with the power to seal on earth and in the heavens. The saving ordinances pronounced by the Lord as requirements for entering into eternal life with Him can now be performed with binding authority by those who worthily exercise the power of His holy priesthood. We declare to the world that this is the day referred to by biblical prophets as the latter days. It is the final time, before the coming of Jesus Christ to rule and reign over the earth."

 

More insight I've gleaned in my studying:

The fulness of the gospel is the new and everlasting covenant. (D&C 66:2) When was this taken away? Which covenant are we missing that are required for salvation?

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I've been doing some study into this topic and I'm still a bit confused. The fulness of the gospel is fairly clearly defined in a variety of places as the new and everlasting covenant that includes, baptism, gift of the holy ghost, the Sacrament, priesthood ordinance, the endowment, and eternal marriage. All of these are in the Book of Mormon except eternal marriage. Yes, as mentioned, marriage itself is mentioned. But not eternal marriage. Hmm.

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I've been doing some study into this topic and I'm still a bit confused. The fulness of the gospel is fairly clearly defined in a variety of places as the new and everlasting covenant that includes, baptism, gift of the holy ghost, the Sacrament, priesthood ordinance, the endowment, and eternal marriage. All of these are in the Book of Mormon except eternal marriage. Yes, as mentioned, marriage itself is mentioned. But not eternal marriage. Hmm.

 

 

I am curious where you find the temple endowment in the Book of Mormon?

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skalenfehl,

 

How do you reconcile what you're saying with D&C 20:9 and D&C 42:12. How can we have the fulness of the gospel in the scriptures but not have the fulness of the gospel?

 

Here's L. Tom Perry:

"Our message is unique. We declare to the world that the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored to the earth. We declare with boldness that the keys of the priesthood have been restored to man, with the power to seal on earth and in the heavens. The saving ordinances pronounced by the Lord as requirements for entering into eternal life with Him can now be performed with binding authority by those who worthily exercise the power of His holy priesthood. We declare to the world that this is the day referred to by biblical prophets as the latter days. It is the final time, before the coming of Jesus Christ to rule and reign over the earth."

 

More insight I've gleaned in my studying:

The fulness of the gospel is the new and everlasting covenant. (D&C 66:2) When was this taken away? Which covenant are we missing that are required for salvation?

 

We are not missing the covenant for salvation. That comes with the baptism of water and fire. Being saved and receiving the fullness of the gospel are not necessarily the same thing. It's important to take into consideration the timeline of events. The BoM indeed does contain the fullness of the gospel, or in other words, it is a road map to attain the fullness. A road map or a blueprint contains information to achieve an end. By holding the road map or the blueprint or the Book of Mormon does not transfer this fullness. This was so important that the Lord tasked Joseph Smith to translate the BoM before even beginning the restoration. 

 

The new and everlasting gospel is new because it is "new" to us. But it isn't new. It was first introduced to Adam. It was also introduced to other patriarchs throughout the dispensations following apostacy from the fullness. As I mentioned earlier, only Enoch succeeded in establishing the fullness over the span of 365 years, during which time the Lord ministered to his people in person. This is the whole point of obtaining the fullness. Once this was achieved, the city was taken in order to preserve its people from the judgment of the flood. It is everlasting because there is not end to it. There is no end to God or His creations for His course is one eternal round. 

 

Those ordinances are stepping stones to obtaining the fullness. One cannot be saved without being born of water and of the Spirit (baptism of fire). Christ is the keeper of the gate and He employs no servant there. Regarding the endowment, it's also important to understand the ceremony. The very first words of the endowment are that we have been washed clean, etc from the sins of the world and that we have been anointed to "hereafter" become kings/priests and queens/priestesses etc. We are very specifically told that "IF" we are true and faithful, we will some day be called up and anointed to become such. So you see, the endowment is merely a preparatory ordinance, which serves as an allegory and is only symbolic of a very real ordinance. You are not really Adam or Eve going through the real process of receiving the fullness. 

 

I love L. Tom Perry and all our current apostles and prophets. I reconcile what I posted with the Parable of the Nobleman, which I explained in my blog. Jesus Christ told the Nephites and Lamanites that the Gentiles would reject the fullness. Joseph Smith labored intensively to prepare their minds, but they fell to pieces like glass every time he tried to teach them. I place what Jesus Christ said in the Book of Mormon and in D&C above what you quoted.

 

We can be sealed, etc in ordinance, but one must carefully pay attention to the ceremony to understand that being anointed to become something "some day" is not the same as being anointed to something now. One must, as Adam did, prove oneself true and faithful in all things when one "knocks" if one wants Jesus Christ to open. This is what Nephi taught and why he quoted Isaiah so much. It is what Jesus Christ taught at Bountiful, which I quoted and what Joseph Smith tirelessly tried to teach the early saints, when he exhorted them to continually all upon the Lord until they make their calling and election sure and so on. 

 

So by virtue of having the Book of Mormon as scripture, we do have the fullness of the gospel. Or in other words, we have the blueprint or the road map. But because the early saints treated it lightly, the Lord placed them under condemnation and since then has not lifted this condemnation from the saints. President Bension declared that it had not been lifted and Elder Oaks later reaffirmed this truth. 

 

D&C 84:54 And your minds in times past have been darkened because of unbelief, and because you have treated lightly the things you have received—

 55 Which vanity and unbelief have brought the whole church under condemnation.

 56 And this condemnation resteth upon the children of Zion, even all.

 57 And they shall remain under this condemnation until they repent and remember the new covenant, even the Book of Mormon and the former commandments which I have given them, not only to say, but to do according to that which I have written—

 58 That they may bring forth fruit meet for their Father’s kingdom; otherwise there remaineth a scourge and judgment to be poured out upon the children of Zion.

 

Once we understand the condemnation under which we are operating, we can begin to search the scriptures and come unto Christ to lift it. Thus the Parable of the Nobleman in D&C 101 where the Lord tells us that Zion is yet to be redeemed. But this will not happen until He has sent a scourge to cleanse the gentile nation. 

 

No apostle or prophet since President Benson's declaration has received or declared revelation otherwise. When this redemption does occur, the City of Enoch will return and THEN we will have OBTAINED the fullness of the gospel, which I have taken the time to explain by using the scriptures including and especially the Book of Mormon.

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I am curious where you find the temple endowment in the Book of Mormon?

 

All of First Nephi is an "endowment." The endowment ceremony is symbolic of the real process. It is allegorical of the process, which Adam and Even underwent. Thus it is the reason each of us are either as Adam or Eve throughout the ceremony. Nephi's life from the time he was ejected from his home and into the wilderness was a series of receiving "tokens" and proving himself "true and faithful" until he parted the veil and talked with Christ. By the end of his second book, he had received the fullness of the priesthood. The Book of Mormon shows many examples of the endowment path. A careful study of the events at Bountiful shows the Savior as an "officiator" at the temple. Pay attention to 3 Nephi chapter 19.

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If Christ appeared before you now, you could not endure His presence without being consumed. No man can see the face of God and live. You have to be transfigured as Joseph was in the grove so that he could see God and Jesus Christ. When you reach the point where you can see God in the flesh, it will be because you have been changed. Enoch's people had been changed. In other words, they received the "fullness" of His glory. Their translation had become their "rest." This is why Christ could openly walk among them, whereas with Moses, he could not, but instead go before them shrouded in a cloud or a pillar of fire. The Brother of Jared's story is an excellent example of this process, too. Once he had obtained the "fullness," Christ could no longer withhold His presence. 

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Skalen Gets it.

 

The gospel of Jesus Christ, or the Doctrine of Christ includes baptism by water, by fire and the holy ghost, gift of the holy ghost, and all the ordinances. Teh fulness of the gospel is to converse with the Lord through the veil. This is just what is required to receive the fulness, does not mean our progression is finished.

 

D&C 76 shows Joseph Smith receive a fulness.

 

 

 

14 Of whom we bear record; and the record which we bear is the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ, who is the Son, whom we saw and with whom we conversed in the heavenly vision.

It Jesus Christ Himself to re-ascend back to God.

 

 

 20 And we beheld the glory of the Son, on the right hand of theFather, and received of his fulness;

 21 And saw the holy angels, and them who are sanctified before his throne, worshiping God, and the Lamb, who worship him forever and ever.

 22 And now, after the many testimonies which have been given of him, this is the testimony, last of all, which we give of him: That helives!

 23 For we saw him, even on the right hand of God; and we heard the voice bearing record that he is the Only Begotten of the Father

 

I think Skalen used the word "heard the voice" above in JST Gen. That is how the fulness is received. As Joseph Smith said, this priesthood is not given by descent of man but by God Himself.

 

“The power of the Melchizedek Priesthood is to have the power of ‘endless lives;’ for the everlasting covenant cannot be broken. … What was the power of Melchizedek? ‘Twas not the Priesthood of Aaron which administers in outward ordinances, and the offering of sacrifices. Those holding the fullness of the Melchizedek Priesthood are kings and priests of the Most High God, holding the keys of power and blessings. In fact, that priesthood is a perfect law of theocracy, and stands as God to give laws to the people, administering endless lives to the sons and daughters of Adam.  (Teachings of Joseph Smith, Chapter 8)

“Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like unto the Son of God, abideth a priest continually.’ [Hebrews 7:3.] The Melchizedek Priesthood holds the right from the eternal God, and not by descent from father and mother; and that priesthood is as eternal as God Himself, having neither beginning of days nor end of life. …(ibid)

This is the spirit of Elijah, that we redeem our dead, and 

connect ourselves with our fathers which are in heaven

, and seal up our dead to come forth in the first resurrection; and here we want the power of Elijah to seal those who dwell on earth 

to those who dwell in heaven. 

History of the Church, 6:252. (also 

here

)

And behold, the heavens were opened, and they 

were caught up into heaven

, and saw and heard unspeakable things. And it was 

forbidden

 them that they 

should utter

; neither was it given unto them power that they could utter the things 

which they saw and heard

; (

3 Nephi 28:13-14

)

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For digestion by those interested:

 

M. Russell Ballard

"I testify to you that this is true and that the Father and the Son appeared in wondrous vision to young Joseph as a step in the restoring of the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ to the earth."

 

"Through subsequent, equally miraculous experiences, Joseph Smith was God’s instrument in...establishing the restored church of Jesus Christ in these latter days with the fulness of the gospel as taught in the meridian of time by the Savior and His Apostles,"

 

"The Book of Mormon is another testament of Jesus Christ or it is not. Either the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ was restored to earth through God’s chosen latter-day prophet or it was not."

 

James E. Faust

"This prophecy has been fulfilled. Because we believe the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored in our time by the Prophet Joseph Smith, we wish to give all people an opportunity to know and accept this message."

 

"I am grateful that the Restoration of the fulness of the gospel has taken place in our time."

 

Joseph B. Wirthlin

"Today more than 44,000 missionaries are working to fulfill the divine mandate to preach the gospel. They bless the people they teach by acquainting them with the fulness of the restored gospel." 

 

Richard G. Scott

"[Missionaries] will skillfully unfold the subsequent events that restored the fulness of the gospel, with the authority to act in the name of God, on earth again." 

 

Russell M Nelson

"This unique mortal mission of the Lord—the gospel as He defined it—we know as the Atonement. The fulness of the gospel, therefore, connotes a fuller comprehension of the Atonement. This we do not obtain from the Bible alone. The word atonement, in any of its forms, is mentioned only once in the King James Version of the New Testament. In the Book of Mormon, it appears 39 times! 24 The Book of Mormon also contains more references to the Resurrection than does the Bible."

 

Harold B Lee

"On the day the Church was organized, and shortly thereafter, the word of the Lord came to the prophet-leader of this dispensation. After the announcement of the establishment of the church of Christ in these latter days, the Lord gave to the President of the Church commandments and “gave him power from on high,” first, to bring forth “a record of a fallen people, and the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ” (D&C 20:8–9); then, to be a light to the world and a standard for Church members and for those who are not members to seek for it (D&C 45:9); third, to prepare a people ready to receive the coming of the Lord; and finally, to teach the fullness of the gospel with power unto all nations (see Documentary History of the Church, vol. 4, p. 537)."

 

Boyd K Packer

"We, as members of the Church, have the fullness of the gospel."

 

"How disappointing when the fullness of the gospel, the whole keyboard, is here upon the earth, that many churches tap on a single key. The note they stress may be essential to a complete harmony of religious experience, but it is, nonetheless, not all there is. It isn’t the fullness."

 

"Now we do not say they are wrong so much as we say they are incomplete. The fullness of the gospel has been restored. The power and the authority to act for Him is present with us. The power and the authority of the priesthood rests upon this church."

 

"It is not unusual to find people who take an interest in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints but give only casual attention to the ideal that the fullness of the gospel is here."

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