What Did Jesus Teach

[MaidservantX]

I love your words and testimony, Gabe; thank you.

[CrimsonKairos]

The only beings who may dwell with God are those who are perfectly obedient.

We can only become perfect through Christ. We must actively come to Christ and strive to let him in enough to change us into new creatures, with new desires.

Only when we are perfect in terms of obedience is it just for God to blot out or remit the record of our past sins for Christ's sake and because of his sacrifice on the cross.

At that point, we are perfect in our desires and obedience thanks to Christ's grace...and thanks to God's mercy, the record of our past disobedience is erased...and so we are worthy of dwelling with God since it's as if we never sinned.

The point is, the ordinances and obedience Christ requires comprise the effort necessary to access Christ's grace, and it is Christ's grace which facilitates our rebirth, makes us new creatures who have crucified our natural man, that we no longer sin.

So we are changed by and pardoned because of grace, but we access that grace through our obedience.

Grace and obedience/works are two blades of the same pair of scissors.

[Traveler]

The great objection I have with most definitions of salvation is when one puts themselves on the salvation side and others on the non-salvation side. I do not see such perceptions as any kind of a spiritual progression. I believe the focus of salvation is not the ME, ME, ME - I am saved, I get all I want - G-d loves Me and gives ME grace. I am reborn - look at ME! I am going to heaven - good for ME.

Even the idea "all you have to do is give yourself to Christ". Again the focus is on the Me and what you can have for focusing on your ME ego. Nor do I see salivation in the "Look everybody - be like ME! Believe like ME".

Jesus said that we should love our neighbor as yourself - but who among us is honestly disappointed in some non-believer (rotten old Samaritan) not making it as we would be if we fell short of salvation.

In the parable of the Good Samaritan the Samaritan really loved and had compassion for the man. He did not expect the guy to believe in him, he did not ask the man to accept him, his mercy was true mercy based on inner love and no outer thing. There was no thinking the man was stupid for his situation – no statements like “you need to let G-d into your life”. The focus was on the needs and “salvation” of the man in need. The Samaritan acted as G-d’s proxy, made an honest and pure sacrifice himself – and did it without any hope for any return or glory in heaven or even a place in heaven. Jesus tells us to do likewise. Not to think likewise, not to believe likewise, not to preach likewise or even to have faith. He said “Go and DO likewise”.

It is not about some event in our life or some event for us to feel good. It is not about getting to go to heaven. Even if the Samaritan was damned to hell he would still be in heaven. Not because he is worthy to go to heaven and not because G-d’s grace is going to drag him into heaven. Heaven is in his prepared for heaven heart and when G-d gives him any blessing – including salvation all around him reap the benefit.

The Traveler

The last question in the Temple Recommend interview asks are you worthy to enter the Temple - I had a Bishop who when I hummed and ahhed about the question told me to go away and pray about it decide what it ment to me, and come back when I could answer it with my head held high and a clear yes, So I did to me that question means have a grown closer to the Lord, am I better person than the last time I answered it. For me whilst the questions never change my understanding of the interview changes and the questions seem different its the same principle.

- Charley (Charlotte)

I answer that question by saying "No, I am not worthy but I am prepared."

The Traveler

[prisonchaplain]

In reality, I HAVE BEEN saved, I AM saved, and I AM BEING saved. Yes, my salvation was won at Calvary--and the Heavenly Father knew I would embrace it. So, I was saved. I AM saved, becasue my conversion was real, and I am baring the fruit of it. I am being saved, becasue, yes, I am progressing towards christlikeness.

And yes, this can all sound ego-centric and individualistic. "I'm saved ano others aren't." Yet Jesus warned that, if necessary, I must hate my mother and father, rather than sacrifice my salvation. I might lose friends, family, fame, forturne, and even my life, should I fully follow the way of Christ. And, it's my free will (or agency) to do so or not.

However, as a believer, my focus becomes "sharing the wealth." I give up MY burdens, and take HIS burdens (lighter, yet far more purposeful).

[CrimsonKairos]

I'm worthy through Christ.

I only become worthy through Christ when I deny myself of all ungodliness.

[Gabelma]

The great objection I have with most definitions of salvation is when one puts themselves on the salvation side and others on the non-salvation side. I do not see such perceptions as any kind of a spiritual progression. I believe the focus of salvation is not the ME, ME, ME - I am saved, I get all I want - G-d loves Me and gives ME grace. I am reborn - look at ME! I am going to heaven - good for ME.

Even the idea "all you have to do is give yourself to Christ". Again the focus is on the Me and what you can have for focusing on your ME ego. Nor do I see salivation in the "Look everybody - be like ME! Believe like ME".

Jesus said that we should love our neighbor as yourself - but who among us is honestly disappointed in some non-believer (rotten old Samaritan) not making it as we would be if we fell short of salvation.

It is not about some event in our life or some event for us to feel good. It is not about getting to go to heaven. Even if the Samaritan was damned to hell he would still be in heaven. Not because he is worthy to go to heaven and not because G-d’s grace is going to drag him into heaven. Heaven is in his prepared for heaven heart and when G-d gives him any blessing – including salvation all around him reap the benefit.

The Traveler

Salvation is selfish by necessity. Think it is a Taoist principle that you always start with yourself and then you can achieve more for others. The clearest example is as a Mum - if I get up an hour earlier, I spend time alone with my God pray, meditate, maybe do some exercise, take a shower and get dressed, my kids get a much better Mum throughout the day, I then don't resent my Velcro Boy who needs to spend hours strapped to my back or sleeping next to me in bed, my daughter gets the attention she needs a 3 year olds whining becomes much less irritating and I can find fun ways of dealing with it instead of screaming lol. If I don't we can still be in PJs at midday and I am screaming and shouting, probably in more pain etc Same goes with my religious beliefs if I start with prayer, my own baptism, scripture reading etc I am going to be as Christlike as I am able to be at that point in my life. The Saviour talks about thejoy of us bringing just one soul back to him, personally Ithink that means to start by taking our own soul back. When it comes to my relationship with my God, the atonement ect it is very personal so yes I am selfish about that. As a result Idon't get disappointed the same with others. When it comes to Religion at least for me everything is Me, or I because its Mybeliefs. Personally I don't think you even need to be Christian to recognise Christ and start on the road to Salvation

The last question in the Temple Recommend interview asks are you worthy to enter the Temple - I had a Bishop who when I hummed and ahhed about the question told me to go away and pray about it decide what it ment to me, and come back when I could answer it with my head held high and a clear yes, So I did to me that question means have a grown closer to the Lord, am I better person than the last time I answered it. For me whilst the questions never change my understanding of the interview changes and the questions seem different its the same principle.

- Charley (Charlotte)

I answer that question by saying "No, I am not worthy but I am prepared."

The Traveler

I am very greatful to my Bishop lol as I am noqw able to say yes to that question with my head held high, I don't make the appointment until I know I can answer that question looking straight at my Branch President/Bishop/Stake President. When I enter the templeI now hear myself say very loudly and confidently in myhead Yes, I am worthy to behere, I am ready to learn lol Funny despite answering no to twoother questions on the interview have always got my recommend (I can't pretend Ialways treat my family with respect and no I am not always honest lol)it also changed my relationship with the Saviour, gave me even more confidence approaching him

Charley

[Guest TheLordSaves]

The great objection I have with most definitions of salvation is when one puts themselves on the salvation side and others on the non-salvation side. I do not see such perceptions as any kind of a spiritual progression. I believe the focus of salvation is not the ME, ME, ME - I am saved, I get all I want - G-d loves Me and gives ME grace. I am reborn - look at ME! I am going to heaven - good for ME.

Even the idea "all you have to do is give yourself to Christ". Again the focus is on the Me and what you can have for focusing on your ME ego. Nor do I see salivation in the "Look everybody - be like ME! Believe like ME

If someone chose to pay your parking ticket with the only string attached is that was his car or something, and if you had no money and were looking at jail time, would you not come to him and and wash his car so that you can excape your punishment? It is the same with Christ, to be saved is to obey Him. If you don't believe in Him, how can he help you? It's not a "believe what I believe," don't believe what I believe. Believe the Bible and what God says through it, and it clearly states that Jesus is the only way. It's harsh, but God as provided a way, and if one rejects that way, there is no way to Heaven. I'm not talking about religion, but a way of life. Don't believe what I say, but what God says. And if it is spoken from God, then it must be followed, no matter if is perceived to be harsh or not. NO one has any excuse, none, for not following Christ. He is the only sacrifice that is Holy and Pure enough to cover all our sins once for all. The reason is that God demands a sacrifice in our place for our sins, in the days of the Old Covenant, the Israelites would sacrifice a bull for their sins. This they had to do every year. But in Jesus is the way to have your sins forgiven once for all and have your heart changed. Because God has provided this better sacrifice, he will accept no other sacrifice for sin, if one comes beofre Him with His sacrifice, then he must be cast into Hell, for who has covered his sins before the Almighty, Holy, and Pure God? It's not what I would have liked, but it is the sad state of man, that we first forsook Him, and all we deserve because of sin is Hell.

It is not about getting to go to heaven. Even if the Samaritan was damned to hell he would still be in heaven. Not because he is worthy to go to heaven and not because G-d’s grace is going to drag him into heaven. Heaven is in his prepared for heaven heart and when G-d gives him any blessing – including salvation all around him reap the benefit.

Heaven is a real place, no one is worthy to go there, but that is why God is so merciful to provide His Son as a covering of our unworthiness. All of us, because we have sinned (the equivilant of murder in God's eyes, all sin is that bad), do not, even in our own righteousness, deserve to go to Heaven, but God has provided a way, and to spend eternity with Him, we must take His way.