Comments on: Using The Savior As Our Guide http://blog.johnhorning.com/john-horning/using-the-savior-as-our-guide/ Mon, 21 Jun 2010 18:26:35 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc By: Gari Black http://blog.johnhorning.com/john-horning/using-the-savior-as-our-guide/comment-page-1/#comment-3 Gari Black Wed, 02 Sep 2009 20:28:37 +0000 http://blog.johnhorning.com/?p=1037#comment-3 Christ is verily the exemplar in all things; we need to understand His example so that we can take it into ourselves In the fifth chapter of John the Beloved, we learn: "The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise. For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth: and he will shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel. For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will. For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him." Here we learn Jesus' power was delegated to Him from His father, that because of the Father's love for his son He has delegated power over life and death, even over eternal life, to Him. This is the essence of holy priesthood: the delegated power of God. In this I think you are correct, but willingness to submit is not sufficient to describe the relationship. This is an example of unconditional trust. The Father knew from His own experience that the Son will do as He would, not just in repeating what His father has done but in novel circumstances. Why would this be? It is because the Son knows the Father; He knows the mind and heart of His Father. Think to your own father; could you say you knew his mind and heart in all things? I think not, I do not. We know each of our fathers imperfectly, having only common experiences to guide us. I don't know what my own father would do in new circumstances, not sufficient to entrust the power of life to him. At best, I could exert faith in the hope that I know enough. We are imperfect, but we have a perfect example in the Father and the Son. So this is not merely submission but rather a positive act, an assertion like unto what we do when we do something that we know is right despite any risk to ourselves. It is courage, sacrifice and conviction. It is love of what the Father loves: holiness. In following this example of transcendent unity of souls, we can follow Christ's exhortation in the fifth chapter of Matthew to "be perfect even as I, or your Father who is in heaven is perfect”. This is not simple mimicry but involves faith, hope, knowledge and love. It is not unquestioning obedience, it is knowing obedience. Lest we forget, Jesus had to have a real choice in order to make a real sacrifice. He had to fully know of the consequence of His choices. In this moment He had to stop following and begin to lead. His is not the obedience of simply following rules or commands, this is going beyond what we are commended. This is to "do many things of [our] own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness". It is positive, active and assertively doing. When I think of obedience the 124 section of the Doctrine and Covenants (vss 5-9) If thou art called to pass through tribulation; ... and above all, if the very jaws of hell shall gape open the mouth wide after thee, know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good. The Son of Man hath descended below them all. Art thou greater than he? Therefore, hold on thy way, and the priesthood shall remain with thee; for their bounds are set, they cannot pass. Thy days are known, and thy years shall not be numbered less; therefore, fear not what man can do, for God shall be with you forever and ever." This sort of obedience means we enter into the congregation of the chosen ones. We need to learn how to use our powers "only upon the principles of righteousness". We need to follow His words and exert ourselves as instructed by Doctrine and Covenants 121: " ... by persuasion, by long-suffering, by gentleness and meekness, and by love unfeigned; By kindness, and pure knowledge, ... without hypocrisy, and without guile— That [our] faithfulness is stronger than the cords of death. [With] bowels ... full of charity towards all men, and to the household of faith, and [with] virtue garnish[ing our] thoughts unceasingly; [ we seek for] the Holy Ghost [to] be [our] constant companion, and ... [our] scepter an unchanging scepter of righteousness and truth; and [our] dominion ... be an everlasting dominion, and without compulsory means [flowing to us] forever and ever. " Obedience by persuasion? Obedience by pure knowledge? Obedience by the companionship of the Holy Ghost? How do we do these things? The key is in the companionship of the Comforter, the great teacher and witness of the Christ. The spirit teaches, it persuades quietly, gently. It opens our mind to knowledge, to wisdom and to truth without any guile or hypocrisy. It persuades us to do likewise, to become more like the Savior through love of the Savior. In this, commandments, observances and acts become teaching exercises rather than goals. They become natural expressions of our love for the Son that we are learning to know. This is the obedience Jesus teaches. This is living holiness. Christ is verily the exemplar in all things; we need to understand His example so that we can take it into ourselves
In the fifth chapter of John the Beloved, we learn:
“The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise. For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth: and he will shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel. For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will. For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him.”

Here we learn Jesus’ power was delegated to Him from His father, that because of the Father’s love for his son He has delegated power over life and death, even over eternal life, to Him. This is the essence of holy priesthood: the delegated power of God. In this I think you are correct, but willingness to submit is not sufficient to describe the relationship. This is an example of unconditional trust. The Father knew from His own experience that the Son will do as He would, not just in repeating what His father has done but in novel circumstances.

Why would this be? It is because the Son knows the Father; He knows the mind and heart of His Father. Think to your own father; could you say you knew his mind and heart in all things? I think not, I do not. We know each of our fathers imperfectly, having only common experiences to guide us. I don’t know what my own father would do in new circumstances, not sufficient to entrust the power of life to him. At best, I could exert faith in the hope that I know enough. We are imperfect, but we have a perfect example in the Father and the Son.

So this is not merely submission but rather a positive act, an assertion like unto what we do when we do something that we know is right despite any risk to ourselves. It is courage, sacrifice and conviction. It is love of what the Father loves: holiness.
In following this example of transcendent unity of souls, we can follow Christ’s exhortation in the fifth chapter of Matthew to “be perfect even as I, or your Father who is in heaven is perfect”. This is not simple mimicry but involves faith, hope, knowledge and love. It is not unquestioning obedience, it is knowing obedience. Lest we forget, Jesus had to have a real choice in order to make a real sacrifice. He had to fully know of the consequence of His choices. In this moment He had to stop following and begin to lead.

His is not the obedience of simply following rules or commands, this is going beyond what we are commended. This is to “do many things of [our] own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness”. It is positive, active and assertively doing.

When I think of obedience the 124 section of the Doctrine and Covenants (vss 5-9)
If thou art called to pass through tribulation; … and above all, if the very jaws of hell shall gape open the mouth wide after thee, know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good. The Son of Man hath descended below them all. Art thou greater than he? Therefore, hold on thy way, and the priesthood shall remain with thee; for their bounds are set, they cannot pass. Thy days are known, and thy years shall not be numbered less; therefore, fear not what man can do, for God shall be with you forever and ever.”

This sort of obedience means we enter into the congregation of the chosen ones. We need to learn how to use our powers “only upon the principles of righteousness”. We need to follow His words and exert ourselves as instructed by Doctrine and Covenants 121:
” … by persuasion, by long-suffering, by gentleness and meekness, and by love unfeigned; By kindness, and pure knowledge, … without hypocrisy, and without guile— That [our] faithfulness is stronger than the cords of death. [With] bowels … full of charity towards all men, and to the household of faith, and [with] virtue garnish[ing our] thoughts unceasingly; [ we seek for] the Holy Ghost [to] be [our] constant companion, and … [our] scepter an unchanging scepter of righteousness and truth; and [our] dominion … be an everlasting dominion, and without compulsory means [flowing to us] forever and ever. ”

Obedience by persuasion? Obedience by pure knowledge? Obedience by the companionship of the Holy Ghost? How do we do these things?

The key is in the companionship of the Comforter, the great teacher and witness of the Christ. The spirit teaches, it persuades quietly, gently. It opens our mind to knowledge, to wisdom and to truth without any guile or hypocrisy. It persuades us to do likewise, to become more like the Savior through love of the Savior. In this, commandments, observances and acts become teaching exercises rather than goals. They become natural expressions of our love for the Son that we are learning to know. This is the obedience Jesus teaches. This is living holiness.

]]> By: Gari Black http://blog.johnhorning.com/john-horning/using-the-savior-as-our-guide/comment-page-1/#comment-2 Gari Black Tue, 04 Aug 2009 20:44:28 +0000 http://blog.johnhorning.com/?p=1037#comment-2 Very interesting, but what can one do to be like The Christ? How can each himself change to follow The Guide? Very interesting, but what can one do to be like The Christ? How can each himself change to follow The Guide?

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