Wolves in the Flock

Peter talks about false teachers in 2 Peter 2. These are people who are members of the church, but are trying to lead people away from the truth through their words and actions. Unfortunately there are people today who do this. They try to use religion as a way to build themselves up. Fortunately for us Peter taught us how we can recognize these false teachers. They have many distinguishing characteristics:

• Deny the Lord
• Covetous
• Very persuasive in talking, but without the Holy Ghost
• Walk after the flesh - more interested in their own desires
• Immoral
• Despise leadership
• Boast of their own knowledge/accomplishments
• Self-willed and unwilling to take correction
• Speak badly about leaders of the church - including general and local leaders
• Talk badly about principles and ordinance that they don't understand
• Always seeking for pleasure
• Adulterous
• Sinful
• Vain

It is easy to see these characteristics throughout the world today. If you look at the fruits of the person - what they really do - it is easy to tell the difference between true leaders and false teachers.

This is important because once you know the truth you are responsible for living it. If you repent and then return to your previous sins, you are worse off because you are more accountable. It's the same idea as a 2 year old stealing a candy bar versus a 22 year old. If you understand that what you did is wrong, your going to be in a lot more trouble than if you didn't know better.

Lessons From Hebrews 13

Hebrews 13 has a lot of good counsel on a variety of topics:

1. Strangers in bonds should not be forgotten. Don't forget those who are in prison, elderly, or alone. Call them, write to them, be there for them.

2. Marriage is important - don't put it off, don't defile it.

3. We shouldn't covet what others have, we need to be happy with the blessings the Lord has given us.

4. Jesus Christ is the same: "yesterday, today, and forever." He won't ever change, so we can always trust him.

5. We are sanctified through the atonement of Jesus Christ. We are able to be cleansed from our sins and weaknesses as we repent and allow the Lord to cleanse us.

6. We need to be obedient to those who rule over us - including our parents, our teachers, and the leaders of our nations.

7. We need to pray for the leaders of the Church and for the missionaries.

Jesus Christ is Greater Than the Angels

In the book of Hebrews Paul explains to the Jews why Jesus Christ is so important. Many of the Christian Jews continued to hold on to the Law of Moses as more important than the Savior. Paul goes about explaining why Jesus Christ is the greatest and most important aspect of our faith.

Paul explains that Jesus Christ is greater than the angels, because they are servants while he is the Son. He is greater than Moses because while Moses was a faithful servant, he is a faithful Son. He is greater than the High Priests of the Law of Moses because while they were High Priests of the Aaronic (or preparatory) Priesthood, he is the Great High Priest of the Melchizedek, (or higher) Priesthood.

In Hebrews 1, Paul gives us three great truths about Jesus Christ.

1. Under the direction of God the Father, he created the world. (verse 2)

2. Jesus Christ paid the price for our sins. (verse 3)

3. Jesus Christ is literally the Son of God. (verse 6)

Jesus Christ is the Son of God. We owe all honor, glory, respect, and allegiance to Him. He is the God of the Old Testament, the creator of the world. So why did he come to earth, be born into the most humble of circumstances, and die on a cross? There are a number of scriptures that address this very question:

Hebrews 2:7-18 teaches us that he had to be tempted like each one of us and take our sins on him so that he could be merciful to us and make salvation possible.

Hebrews 4:13-16 explains that it was necessary for the Son of God to come to this earth so that he could have the ability to understand us perfectly in order for us to feel confident in turning to him with our troubles.

Alma 7:11-15 teaches us that Christ had to take on all of our sicknesses, infirmities, temptations, and pain so that he could fully understand each of us and so that he could win victory over death not only for himself, but for all of us.

Doctrine & Covenants 122:8 teaches that he had to descend below all things in order to truly gain victory over sin and death.

I don't fully understand all of the reasons it was necessary for Jesus Christ to come to this earth and live as he did. I don't fully understand how his living a sinless life and being resurrected makes it possible for all of us to be cleansed from our sins and live again after we die. I may not understand it all, but I am eternally grateful that the Savior did come to earth and accomplished the atonement and resurrection. If it weren't for my testimony of those truths, this life would be so much harder to bear.

Finding Solutions in the Scriptures

In 2 Nephi 32:3 it talks about the importance of feasting on the words of Christ, because the words of Christ will tell us everything we should do. This means that we can look to the scriptures for answers to problems we are facing. It is important to turn to the scriptures and use them - they are tools to help us in our lives.

The book of Philippians has a lot of great counsel, and provides a lot of answers to problems that we face in the everyday world. Here are a few examples:

1. People sometimes argue over petty matters in church meetings and throughout the week.

Look in Philippians 2:1-8, 14-15.

In these verses we learn that we need to esteem others better than ourselves - we need to be humble and not fight over things that don't even matter in the long run.

2. Many youth feel that their parent's testimony is sufficient for them. Since they have good parents, they rely on them for all their spiritual strength.

Look in Philippians 2:12-15.

Here we learn that we are the ones responsible for our salvation. Our parents' goodness won't allow us to return to live with God. We must learn from our parents and then gain our own testimonies.

3. An investigator is considering joining the Church, but his family will no longer associate with him if he does.

Look in Pilippians 3:7 and 4:13

Here we learn that we can do all things through Christ. He will give us the strength to be able to withstand hard times. We also learn that sometimes we have to be willing to sacrifice good things in our lives in order to gain the best things the Lord has in store for us.

Salvation and Becoming A Saint

In Romans 12-16, Paul teaches us about salvation and how members of the church should live in order to prepare for salvation.

In Romans 13:11, Paul teaches that salvation is nearer than we might suppose. Ezekiel 3:20 and D&C 14:7 shed more light on this. In order to prepare for salvation, we need to be righteous, to repent, and to help those around us to prepare as well. In order to be righteous, we must keep the commandments and endure to the end.

In Romans 12, Paul teaches us several ways that we can prepare for salvation. These include:

• being holy
• avoiding worldliness
• doing God’s will
• avoiding evil
• giving service
• being humble
• doing good
• being obedient
• choosing the right
• loving others
• keeping the commandments

As we strive to do what’s right and prepare for salvation, we need to follow Paul’s counsel in Romans 14:1-13 and 15:1-3 about judging. Paul teaches us that we need to be careful about judging others so that we don’t make things harder for them. D&C 28:25-27 also talks about judging others. We need to treat everyone fairly and be united in our faith.

By becoming members of Christ’s church and preparing for salvation, we become what Paul terms “saints.” The term saint doesn’t mean that we are perfect, only that we are members of the Lord’s church who are trying to do the best we can to return to live with Him and help others in their path.

Baptism and Becoming Truly Free

I was reading today in Romans 6 where Paul is teaching the people about baptism and serving the Lord. Baptism is essential to returning to live with God, but it can't be undertaken lightly. We have to prepare ourselves to receive this ordinance. The main way we accomplish that is through repentance. We have to do our best to put away our sins and make things right before we a baptized.

Baptism is symbolic of the death and resurrection of the Savior. When we are baptized, we go under the water completely, symbolizing the Lord's death and burial. As we are raised again out of the water, we are reminded of the Lord's resurrection on the third day. Because baptism is symbolic of of the Savior's death and resurrection, it must be done through immersion rather than sprinkling or in any other way.

When we go into the water, symbolically what King Benjamin describes as the "natural man" dies. When we come out of the water, we begin what Paul described as a "newness of life." We put aside the sins that we used to commit and do our best to follow the Savior and repent as we need to. We yield ourselves to God and follow Him to the best of our ability.

Baptism is one way that we choose who we are going to serve - whether we'll serve righteousness or sin, God or Satan. We can know who's servant we've chosen to be by the things we choose to do. If we choose to do what is right and follow the example of the Savior, then we've chosen to follow God. By choosing that route, we have found the only way to be free. Sin binds us and imprisons us, while repentance and following the Savior frees us.

Forgiveness

Forgiveness is essential if we are to return to live with God - especially since we are counting on Him forgiving us. There are a number of scriptures that speak of the need for forgiving others.

2 Corinthians 2:1-11, Matthew 6:14-15, and D&C 64:9-10 give us a small sampling of such scriptures.

In 2 Corinthians the people are commanded to forgive any who have caused them grief. It wasn't just a suggestion, but a commandment.

Matthew teaches us that if we forgive others we will also be forgiven.

In the Doctrine and Covenants we learn that if we fail to forgive others then we will stand condemned before God. If we don't forgive, we have the greater sin than the person who hurt us to begin with.

Justice is important, but it is even more important for us to forgive. That doesn't mean that those who have done wrong will be able to get away with the things that they've done. It means that we allow the Atonement to work in our lives.