What are the Laws? (Discussion)

[gwozz]

What about the 2 great laws? It is great to learn and understand the laws. Trying to make a checklist using laws to dictate our actions is a burden though. The best law, which encompasses all laws, and is the only one you really need to learn, is to "come follow me." ie do what jesus would do. And how do we know? "Angels speak by the power of the holy ghost, wherefore they speak the words of Christ." Learn what Christ is like, and the holy ghost will teach you how. Listen to it and obey it, coupling it with study, fasting, and prayer, and you're set. In other words, obedience is the first law of the heavens, because if we'll be obedient to the word of God, which come by the holy ghost, which we as members have the gift of, everything else will fall in place.

[Guest Username-Removed]

A person could spend a lot of time understanding laws. I suppose that’s why the 10 commandments are so basic to our core beliefs. But I've always wondered what was on the first tablet before we got the 10 commandments... could it have been simply...

......Love.

Love Heavenly Father, Love Christ, Love your brother, love yourself... Love. Perhaps this is even more of a core belief the 10 commandments. And quite possibly was the one thing that they simply could not understand. How many commandments does it take for us to understand that?

If you think about it, all one has to do is truly understand the concept of love and everything else falls into place. In fact, in situations where there are no commandments, love will be your guide.

That being said, I’m not against commandments. I’m just letting everyone know that in my opinion where all these commandments are coming from. Once you understand that, keeping a commandment is a lot easier!

[VisionOfLehi]

Well, that's exactly true. Christ even tells us that.

[gwozz]

A person could spend a lot of time understanding laws. I suppose that’s why the 10 commandments are so basic to our core beliefs. But I've always wondered what was on the first tablet before we got the 10 commandments... could it have been simply...

......Love.

Love Heavenly Father, Love Christ, Love your brother, love yourself... Love. Perhaps this is even more of a core belief the 10 commandments. And quite possibly was the one thing that they simply could not understand. How many commandments does it take for us to understand that?

If you think about it, all one has to do is truly understand the concept of love and everything else falls into place. In fact, in situations where there are no commandments, love will be your guide.

That being said, I’m not against commandments. I’m just letting everyone know that in my opinion where all these commandments are coming from. Once you understand that, keeping a commandment is a lot easier!

I agree. That and the laws of associated with the higher priesthood which we now have too I'm sure (which go right along with love=d&C121)

[Abraham]

Hi,

Brother Babel in his book on Faith said if we properly read the scirpture about "There is a law irrevocably decreed ... and so forth," refers to A LAW not a million that we have to figure out, and that law is the law of the harvest in the vernacular. Arguably, it means that if we are willing to sow we will reap. We don't have to find the law upon which every blessing is predicated. Otherwise we'd get lost in the mire of the Mosaic of it all. Just a thought.

Abraham

[VisionOfLehi]

When I enter into covenants, I'd like to know exactly what that means I have to do.

There ARE other laws. The first two and great commandments are the FIRST and GREATEST, meaning there are more after and below them.

We are told to keep His commandments.

I think as anyone strives to keep his Law they will study and find more ways to do that.

Me, I'm finding other Laws. They point out exact ways I can be obedient to the Lord.

They're guiding posts.

[rameumptom]

The Celestial Kingdom is ruled by only a few laws: The law of Celestial Love, and the Law of Priesthood. Nothing else is required, as those who live by these Celestial laws need no others. Those in lower kingdoms require more laws, as they are not ready to live these two laws in their fullness.

Edited July 16, 2008 by rameumptom

[VisionOfLehi]

I would think the Celestial Law encompasses all of the others. Just as the Melchizedek Priesthood encompasses the Aaronic Priesthood.

Right?

[aliasgeorge]

I think the law of exaltation is "be one with God" meaning, be like him in every way. As such you will do what he would do, think what he would think, act as he would act, rule as he would rule, judge as he would judge, etc. b/c your mind becomes one with God, and your thought process and rational is the same. It won't be about "following the laws," it will be doing what we think we should, becasue what we think we should will be what God would do.

[VisionOfLehi]

Yup, pretty much.

Yet, just as we learn line upon line, precept upon precept, we must grow line upon line, precept upon precept, Law upon Law. :)

Also, these Laws help us learn the nature of GOD that we may be like HIM.

[rameumptom]

The core Laws of God are the following:

The Law of Sacrifice - under the Aaronic Priesthood it is sacrifice of animals, under the Melchizedek Priesthood it is the sacrifice of a broken heart and contrite spirit (3 Ne 9-10), which humbles us enough to receive the higher laws and ordinances of God.

The Law of the Gospel - this includes the restored teachings of Christ as found in the New Testament, particularly IMO, the teachings from the Sermon on the Mount. It can also include the concept of the two great commandments: Love God and Love thy Neighbor.

The Law of Chastity - this represents our becoming faithful to a familial relationship. If we cannot be faithful with a spouse we are with, how can we be faithful to the unseen God? The scriptures are filled with warnings to be chaste, and avoiding all sexual sin.

The Law of Consecration - As we see in Acts 5, 4 Nephi, and D&C 82 (etc) it is the concept of devoting our whole lives to God. We are to develop talents and then place them in the bishop's storehouse for the benefit of the family/community. "Each seeking the welfare of his neighbor" and the concept that all are to be equal in temporal things if we ever wish to be equal in spiritual and eternal things.

[brother01]

John 14:23,24; "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father's who sent Me."

Mt 23:8-12; "But you, do not be called 'Rabbi'; for One is your Teacher, the Christ, and you are all brethren."

John 15:9,10; "As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you, abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love."

One Disciple to Another

The words of Jesus are the commandment of God. He also commanded not to swear/vow at all, but to let our yes be yes and our no be no.

If we have well over 200 direct commandments/teachings of Jesus, would there be more? Or is it a fact that we need to pay attention to those first?

I'm still wondering about what some claim Paul was saying in Ephesians about setting the law aside. I just don't see how this is in any way compatible with the teachings of Jesus Christ. I believe the law of scrifice (blood of an animal) has been set aside due to the true sacrifice for sin having now taken place, but don't see how that should nullify so many of the commandments of God - especially as they relate to living a godly life. Surely we must obey the commandments of God and not man.

Edited August 23, 2008 by brother01
link commandments and teachings, not just teachings

[VisionOfLehi]

Can you quote that Eph. verse, please?

[brother01]

Ephesians 2:14-16 could be taken to say as much:

"For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, having abolished in His flesh the emnity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, this making peace, and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the emnity."

In reading this it seems Paul is saying the emnity is the law of commandments. I see it as about our belief in Jesus and our love towards Jesus that brings us to want to do as He said, that we keep His words, which incidentally Jesus seems to clearly have said are our commandments and the very "God came down teaching" of Genesis 5. Jesus said it is about doing what He said, or at the beginnings of faith, that we will to do what He said.

Edited August 23, 2008 by brother01
it's 'peace' not 'peache':-)