Jesus Christ: My Foundation

This is another blog I follow. I felt inspired to share it: (I underlined what especially spoke to me)
 

Humble Followers of Christ

June 25, 2013 by John Pontius

2 Nephi 28 is a blistering commentary on the latter days. Reading it with the Holy Spirit convicts the humble soul that it is speaking of our times, of our day, of our situation. We live in a wicked world, one ruled by those who are corrupt (v 19) in the most vile ways. They have killed the innocent (v 10) become fully lifted up in pride such that they rob the poor to building fine buildings and to array themselves in fine clothing. They persecute the meek and poor in heart. (V 13) by outlawing that which is good, making war on religious freedom, mocking moral values and making it politically incorrect to be a Christian.

They are swilling in pride, wickedness, abominations and whoredoms. According to the holy word, they have all gone astray save it be a few, who are the “humble followers of Christ”. (v14)
It is tempting to step into the self-adulation of pride ourselves and point out that “they” whose crimes are listed above, is everybody else, and “we” are the humble followers of Christ. To think such a simplistic thing is surely part of what the divine word means when it accuses: “Others he will pacify, and lull them away into carnal security, that they will say: All is well in Zion; yea, Zion prospereth, all is well—and thus the devil cheateth their souls and leadeth them away carefully down to hell.” (v21).

I believe there are three great indicators of someone who is a “humble follower of Christ”.
First, Jesus Christ is their shepherd. He leads them. They follow Him. They hear His voice and are counted among His sheep. (Mosiah 26:21, Alma 5:37-38, Alma 5:57, Helaman 7:18). They have taken Him and His voice as their guide and have dedicated themselves to obedience. They will do anything for Him – anything.

Secondarily, they have received the truth. “And at that day, when I shall come in my glory, shall the parable be fulfilled which I spake concerning the ten virgins. For they that are wise and have received the truth, and have taken the Holy Spirit for their guide . . . shall not be hewn down and cast into the fire, but shall abide the day.” (D&C 45:56-57)

Lest we prematurely pat ourselves on the back, one must continually remind ourselves that truth is eternal, and the Lord reveals truth to mankind as He deems necessary to the completion of their life’s work. The truth the Founding Fathers knew was different from you and I, but it was ordained to their mission, and they received it and gave their lives for it, and accomplished their mortal journey. Many people, millions of people, live in the light they are given. Many more live in darkness. The point isn’t that they have received “the whole truth and nothing but the truth” but that they have received (embraced, loved and lived) that which they have been given.

Third, they have not been deceived. The full quote of D&C 45:56-57 is: “And at that day, when I shall come in my glory, shall the parable be fulfilled which I spake concerning the ten virgins. For they that are wise and have received the truth, and have taken the Holy Spirit for their guide, and have not been deceived—verily I say unto you, they shall not be hewn down and cast into the fire, but shall abide the day.”

Since we are speaking of humble followers of Christ both in and outside of the church, it is probable that the range of possible deceptions is vast. But, they can be summarized into a single sentence. A deception is when you persist in believing something after the Holy Spirit has taught you otherwise.
A common deception outside of the church is that Mormons are not Christians. When our Christian brethren take the Holy Spirit to be their guide, and they do, many of them are marvelously dedicated to Christ, and their discipleship exceeds our own in many cases. But, when the Holy Spirit whispers to them the truth about Mormon Christianity, they will either embrace and believe that truth, or they will endure in a deception.

A common deception inside the church is that being an active member alone will save and exalt you. Why will it not? Because the formula is: Take Christ as your shepherd, Take the Holy Spirit as your guide, receive the truth, and do not be deceived.

Membership alone doesn’t make you a disciple of Christ, nor does it compel us to take Him as our shepherd. Discipleship is a personal quest and personal relationship with Jesus Christ developed through desire, obedience and hungering and thirsting after Him. Membership surrounds us with truths, but doesn’t make us receive them, or even believe every truth we possess. To “receive the truth” we must seek out the truth through study, prayer and obedience.

Membership doesn’t mean we have not been deceived as well. The greatest evidence of this is the verse noted above: “Others he will pacify, and lull them away into carnal security, that they will say: All is well in Zion; yea, Zion prospereth, all is well—and thus the devil cheateth their souls and leadeth them away carefully down to hell.” (v21).

But, membership does spread all these things as a banquet before us. It gives us the greatest opportunity the world has ever known to become a “humble follower of Christ”. We have the fullness of the gospel, living prophets, the priesthood, temples and the privilege of seeking and building Zion. All of these things empower us, but they also have the potential to condemn us if we fail to live up to our privileges.

Brother John


My thoughts:

I used to think that the parable of the Ten Virgins was about members of the church vs. non members of the church.

No. It is about those who are preparing to see Jesus Christ who are recognizing the signs of His coming and those who simply are not preparing . Being "ready" is not about going through the motions, checking off our list: prayers, scriptures, fasting, temple, etc. Those who are progressing in order to see Jesus Christ will understand what they need to do to "make his paths straight". What we do must ALWAYS be in accordance to the spirit. Through yielding, we will have knowledge revealed unto us.

Something I have learned being a convert to the Church is that if my testimony is not based on Jesus Christ, my testimony will shake. I won't be ready to meet my Savior, unless my testimony is based on Jesus Christ.

3 Nephi 14:

24 Therefore, whoso heareth these sayings of mine and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, who built his house upon a ^arock—

25 And the ^arain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it ^bfell not, for it was founded upon a rock.

26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine and doeth them not shall be likened unto a ^afoolish man, who built his house upon the ^bsand—

27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell, and great was the fall of it.

I have allowed the precepts of men to shake my testimony. I have had times where I did not want to presue my faith. I was frustrated with men, and blamed God for their imperfection. The spirit withdrew and I eventually began to miss God. I had to refind my testimony, and I had to give my testimony a strong foundation. Jesus Christ is my Savior, and that is what I come back to when my I find myself unsure of ANYTHING. I testify that Jesus Christ lives, and that He is the only begotten son of my Father in Heaven.

I also used to think that one day that Jesus would just be here. I thought I might be at my house or at work.

No. I do NOT want to be at my house. I want to be building the New Jerusalem.  I have to keep establishing my relationship with Jesus Christ if I want to be among the elect. I need to know to Him, and know the spirit so it can take me where I need to go.