{"id":141,"date":"2005-05-30T21:28:00","date_gmt":"2005-05-31T03:28:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.ourthoughts.ca\/?p=141"},"modified":"-0001-11-30T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"-0001-11-30T07:00:00","slug":"linking-scriptures-part-i","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ourthoughts.ca\/2005\/05\/30\/linking-scriptures-part-i\/","title":{"rendered":"Linking Scriptures – Part I"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>\n

For some time now I have been pondering on some of the comments I have been reading on other blog sites regarding scripture, their relevance, and what purposes they really serve.<\/p>\n

It seems that to some, they are not reliable in terms of doctrine for one reason or another. It seems that what the Lord said, or the prophet recorded, was not really what was meant – at least as it pertains to the understanding of the ignorant masses in the Church today.<\/p>\n

I challenge this approach to the scriptures. As one of the ignorant masses, let me share what the writings of the Prophet Joseph and the scriptures have taught me.<\/p>\n

A number of years ago, I read in the Teachings p121 the following statement: ” The fundamental principles of our religion are the testimony of the Apostles and Prophets, concerning Jesus Christ, that He died, was buried, and rose again the third day, and ascended into heaven; and all other things which pertain to our religion are only appendages to it”<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

I understood this to mean that the axis around which the Gospel revolved was the atonement, and everything else had to tie back into the atonement or it wasn’t true. This seemed an awesome task, but as I studied the scriptures and pondered them, some interesting things began to unfold.<\/p>\n

Rather than being disparate pieces of information handed down from time to time by the Lord, the scriptures actually enlarge each other, and what one prophet said at one point in time, can actually fuel what another said at another point in time, and the two together add further light and knowledge.<\/p>\n

Let me illustrate.<\/p>\n

2 Ne. 2:5-7 says: ” And men are instructed sufficiently that they know good from evil. And the law is given unto men… Behold he offereth himself a sacrifice for sin, to answer the ends of the law…”<\/p>\n

In 3 Ne. 15:9 the Saviour says: “Behold, I am the law and the light…”<\/p>\n

Now most people might take that reference to mean He is the fulfillment of the law of Moses.<\/p>\n

I take a deeper meaning from 3 Ne. based on what was said in 2 Ne. Why?<\/p>\n

Since the law spoken of in 2 Ne. has to do with the atonement and the introduction of opposition, then further reading of 2 Ne. tells me that if there were no opposition there would be no God and we would not exist. Of course D&C93:30 concurs with this as well. But hold on, there is another scripture that adds even more to my understanding. In 2 Ne. 11:7 it says: ” For if there be no Christ there be no God; and if there be no God we are not, for there could have been no creation…”<\/p>\n

D&C 88:13 tells us (speaking of the light of Christ):” The light <\/strong>which is in all things, which giveth life to all things, which is the law by which all things are governed, even the power of God who sitteth upon his throne, …”<\/strong> Therefore, the law spoken of in 3Ne. to me represents far more than the Law of Moses.<\/p>\n

Pondering on these scriptures tells me a few things:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Opposition is necessary for existence;<\/li>\n

    <\/p>\n

  2. the atonement thru Christ is what brought opposition into existence;<\/li>\n

    <\/p>\n

  3. without Christ there is no God and we are not;<\/li>\n

    <\/p>\n

  4. since opposition was required for agency to exist in the premortal world, then the atonement had to be in effect in that premortal existence (Moses 4:3);<\/li>\n

    <\/p>\n

  5. the light of Christ is the law by which all things are governed;<\/li>\n

    <\/p>\n

  6. therefore, the office of Christ is an eternal principle upon which all creation takes place;<\/li>\n

    <\/p>\n

  7. the office of Christ is the office of sacrifice as explained in Mosiah 15:1-12 _ and some things began to make sense.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    In Moses 1:6 the Lord appears to Moses and speaks as though He were the Father. He says: “And I have a work for thee, Moses, my son; and thou art in the similitude of mine Only Begotten; and mine Only Begotten is and shall be the Saviour,<\/strong> for He is full of grace and truth…”<\/p>\n

    Given the time frame in which the revelation occurred – 2000 years before the atonement – guess what? – the atonement was a foregone conclusion – not a maybe, let’s hope, oh gosh type of event.<\/p>\n

    This also is confirmed in D&C 93:38 if we read it carefully.<\/p>\n

    Since that is the case then other scriptures began to make sense.<\/p>\n

    D&C 50:24 says: ” That which is of God is light…”<\/p>\n

    D&C 84:45 says: ” For the word of the Lord is truth, and whatsoever is truth is light, and whatsoever is light is Spirit, even the Spirit of Jesus Christ.”<\/p>\n

    So, now we know that the office of Christ is responsible for everything that makes God God, since “that which is of God is light” and “whatsoever is light is Spirit, even the Spirit of Jesus Christ” and the light that proceeds from Christ is the “law” by which all things are governed – even the power of God.<\/p>\n

    This confirms 2 Ne 2 and 2 Ne 11.<\/p>\n

    Let’s leave it there for now. I am curious to see how others view these scriptures and the conclusions I have drawn so far.<\/p>\n

    <\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    For some time now I have been pondering on some of the comments I have been reading on other blog … Continue reading Linking Scriptures – Part I<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-141","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\nLinking Scriptures - Part I<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ourthoughts.ca\/2005\/05\/30\/linking-scriptures-part-i\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Linking Scriptures - Part I\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"For some time now I have been pondering on some of the comments I have been reading on other blog …\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.ourthoughts.ca\/2005\/05\/30\/linking-scriptures-part-i\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Our Thoughts\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"-0001-11-30T00:00:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Larry Bates\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Larry Bates\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ourthoughts.ca\/2005\/05\/30\/linking-scriptures-part-i\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.ourthoughts.ca\/2005\/05\/30\/linking-scriptures-part-i\/\",\"name\":\"Linking Scriptures - Part I\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ourthoughts.ca\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"-0001-11-30T00:00:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"-0001-11-30T00:00:00+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ourthoughts.ca\/#\/schema\/person\/3c42bfc1380d229c0fe8a65e6b7bbd6e\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.ourthoughts.ca\/2005\/05\/30\/linking-scriptures-part-i\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ourthoughts.ca\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.ourthoughts.ca\/\",\"name\":\"Our Thoughts\",\"description\":\"Thought-provoking commentary on life, politics, religion and social issues.\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.ourthoughts.ca\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ourthoughts.ca\/#\/schema\/person\/3c42bfc1380d229c0fe8a65e6b7bbd6e\",\"name\":\"Larry Bates\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ourthoughts.ca\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/7d894c73faaf89236d281a6ddd776c15?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/7d894c73faaf89236d281a6ddd776c15?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Larry Bates\"},\"description\":\"My bio should probably read: Larry was born and raised in Calgary. Attended Haultain elementary, where a teacher, Miss Christine McInnis, taught him Alberta and Canadian history in grades 4 and 5 and made him appreciate our heritage. He also attended Connaught Jr. High and Western Canada High School, which everyone knows is the premier school in Alberta. He is the proud father of six grown children, and the grandfather of five. 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