God and His Family

Blog #27 May 3, 2022



Christianity in the world today is engaged in a battle against itself. It strives on two fronts to destroy the strength of God in the world. It seems as if all have forgotten the basic values that are foundational in building a fellowship worthy to be called God's Church.    


Mosiah 9:39-41
9:39 And now, as ye are desirous to come into the fold of God, and to be called his people, and are willing to bear one another's burdens, that they may be light;
9:40 Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times, and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until death, that ye may be redeemed of God, and be numbered with those of the first resurrection, that ye may have eternal life:
9:41 Now I say unto you, If this be the desire of your hearts, what have you against being baptized in the name of the Lord, as a witness before him that ye have entered into a covenant with him that ye will serve him and keep his commandments, that he may pour out his Spirit more abundantly upon you?


God through Jesus Christ seeks to create a family of man that recognize Him as their Father and His ways as the light of truth that guides them. To do that we must grow in our understanding of just what a family is and what in God through Christ it can be.


Genesis 7:40 And in the garden of Eden gave I unto man his agency; and unto thy brethren have I said, and also gave commandment, that they should love one another; and that they should choose me their Father.


Throughout history family has been based on the shared blood of a common ancestor. In God, family is based on the shared blood of Jesus Christ's. His blood cleansed me. It also cleansed them. In that unity we become family. This bond becomes greater and more real when I realize that any who reach out with a broken heart and contrite spirit can repent before God, be baptized before man, and receive both absolution and a place in God's Family. The challenge faced by all who seek this new family is the realization of how completely we need to be connected.


Ephesians 4:3-6
4:3 Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace,
4:4 In one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;
4:5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism,
4:6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.


Foundational to our membership within the family of God is the presence of God's Holy Spirit. This Comforter is the mind of God placed within the heart of all who seek to claim God as their Father. The Holy Ghost within us opens our eyes to the unity of oneness we call family. The Spirit teaches us how to allow that unity to create a testimony before the world of God at work in the life of His children. It is the greatest trial/blessing we live with.


Genesis 6:64 Therefore it is given to abide in you, the record of heaven, the Comforter, the peaceable things of immortal glory, the truth of all things, that which quickeneth all things which maketh alive all things, that which knoweth all things, and hath all power according to wisdom, mercy, truth, justice and judgment.



Why is this seemingly inexhaustible source of holy growth a challenge? Because, to utilize the Spirit fully and to have it be a viable part of our life in God's family, we must grow. We must seek growth. We must accept growth. For our strength in the Spirit to remain viable and effective we must be growing in the knowledge of God, in the ways of God, and in the sharing of God with all those that don't know Him. In fact, the minute we cease growing......we begin to die.


2 Nephi 12:35-38
12:35 Wo be unto him that shall say, We have received the word of God, and we need no more of the word of God, for we have enough.
12:36 For behold, thus saith the Lord God: I will give unto the children of men line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little:
12:37 And blessed are those who hearken unto my precepts, and lend an ear unto my counsel, for they shall learn wisdom;
12:38 For unto him that receiveth, I will give more: and from them that shall say, We have enough, shall be taken away even that which they have.


Despite this warning from God we have in the world today those who refuse to grow. They think that their growth is complete and their virtue is without question, but they are wrong. They replace growth with tradition and choose ritual over willing obedience. Brethren, this ignorant rebellion is based on a fear that destroys the light of God that is fellowship, family, and the unity of oneness. We must help them.


Psalms 78:7-8
78:7 That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments;
78:8 And might not be as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation; a generation that set not their heart aright, and whose spirit was not steadfast with God.



Christianity in the world today suffers from fear. Now, isn't that crazy. A people endowed with gifts such as immortality, eternal purpose, and God's Holy Spirit should fear nothing, but they do. Some fear the people of the world and the corruption they bring with them into their church and their worship. On the other hand, some fear organized religion and the condemnation they face from the "holier-than-thou" attitudes that seem to comprise church and church settings. Whether they live within the church setting or choose to honor God outside of organized religion, both groups are led by a fear that expresses itself to the world as pride. Pride makes us blind to all that could be if we would trust God and reach out to others in a humble spirit of trust in the God we serve. Humility to God and the ways of God is the foundation of hope that pride destroys. In fear we let our pride destroy all that God seeks for us to accomplish. Jacob the brother of Nephi spoke to the people of Nephi concerning the pride that had taken hold of the people of the congregation.


Jacob 2:16 And because some of you have obtained more abundantly than that of your brethren, ye are lifted up in the pride of your hearts, and wear stiff necks, and high heads, because of the costliness of your apparel, and persecute your brethren, because ye suppose that ye are better than they.


He admonished them by pointing out to them that they had skewed their priorities. He also told them that God is watching and He is not happy with their behavior.


Jacob 2:17-18
2:17 And now my brethren, do ye suppose that God justifieth you in this thing? Behold, I say unto you, Nay.
2:18 But he condemneth you, and if ye persist in these things, his judgments must speedily come unto you.


Years later the High Priest Alma saw the state of affairs within the people of God and he gave up his position as a judge over the people of Nephi to address the problem of pride that had infected the people of his time. In his ministry he had to deal with the other side of the spiritual infection of pride within those who had been turned away by the organized church.  


Alma 16:125-126
16:125 And they came unto Alma; and the one who was the foremost among them, said unto him, Behold, what shall these my brethren do, for they are despised of all men, because of their poverty; yea, and more especially by our priests;
16:126 For they have cast us out of our synagogues, which we have labored abundantly to build, with our own hands; and they have cast us out because of our exceeding poverty, and we have no place to worship our God; and behold, what shall we do?



Alma recognized that the sin of pride is not exclusive to those who possess much. Victims of poverty when not ministered to properly suffer from pride that is in every way as destructive to the soul as their wealthy brethren. Alma dealt directly with their pride.


Alma 16:129-133

16:129 Behold thy brother hath said, What shall we do? for we are cast out of our synagogues, that we cannot worship our God.
16:130 Behold, I say unto you, Do ye suppose that ye can not worship God, save it be in your synagogues only?
16:131 And moreover, I would ask, Do ye suppose that ye must not worship God only once in a week?
16:132 I say unto you, It is well that ye are cast out of your synagogues, that ye may be humble, and that ye may learn wisdom; for it is necessary that ye should learn wisdom;
16:133 For it is because that ye are cast out, that ye are despised for your brethren, because of your exceeding poverty that ye are brought to a lowliness of heart; for ye are necessarily brought to be humble.


Pride is a two-sided coin. Each side represents a people who have forgotten the true nature of God. God is not clothing. God is not a building. God is not of this earth. God is not a condition of our temporal selves unless we do His will. He lives in our heart at the center of our spiritual selves and directs us that when we leave this temporal life we might spend eternity with Him. We fall short of His efforts each time we allow pride to obscure from our hearts the light of God's truth. Understand in your hearts the ministry of desperation offered by Jacob. I am convinced that through Jacob, God is offering a way that all might leave behind their pride and join together in humility to all God seeks for His children.  



Jacob 2:19-21

2:19 O that he would shew you that he can pierce you, and with one glance of his eye, he can smite you to the dust.
2:20 O that he would rid you from this iniquity and abomination.
2:21 And, O that ye would listen unto the word of his commands, and let not this pride of your hearts destroy your souls.


Pride afflicts the soul that allows no humility to live within, but we need to understand the true nature of pride. Pride is not a building. Pride is not clothing. Pride is not even the ability to possess nor is it the absence of possessions. Pride is ignoring God. Pride is the thought that who you are today is more worthy of God than someone else. All are worthy to choose the ways of God. The butcher, the baker, and even that kid on the corner with three tattoos and half a dozen piercings, all can come to God in a spirit of repentance seeking the true light of God, and they will be accepted. In the final accounting, all are worthy of God, but all are capable of pride. Pride is an affliction that can infect any who think this world and their condition in this world is more than the unity of oneness God seeks for His children.


Jacob 2:22-24
2:22 Think of your brethren, like unto yourselves, and be familiar with all, and free with your substance, that they may be rich like unto you.
2:23 But before ye seek for riches, seek ye for the kingdom of God.
2:24 And after ye have obtained a hope in Christ, ye shall obtain riches, if ye seek them; and ye will seek them, for the intent to do good; to clothe the naked, and to feed the hungry, and to liberate the captive, and administer relief to the sick, and the afflicted.



Read the words of Jacob and grow. Read those words together and grow as a people. Share these words with others who labor for God's purpose and create a common understanding on which unity can grow. Allow that understanding to create a bond within that is stronger than misdirected doctrines, oppressive traditions, and rituals that destroy our need for willing obedience. Take a delight in all that God offers and allow family to become the shared joy that is our labor in God. 


Psalms 1:1-2
1:1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
1:2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.

Psalms 

37:3-5
37:3 Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.
37:4 Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.
37:5 Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.


Imagine the work of reconciliation that is to bring together all those that seek God. This is our labor in the world. We seek to rid the world of all those who are poor in spirit. We seek to end the plight of all those needy and in fear for their souls. In the ways of Christ the word of God becomes much more than scripture. The word becomes deeds of virtue. It becomes a fullness of compassion with works of charity that create among the people testimonies of growth and righteousness. The Word of God creates a common understanding of the true nature of God and a unity of oneness as His children consent to His ways together. It is then that we allow Him the leadership in our lives we need and He deserves. Together we become a people one with God. His purpose will become ours, and all that we feared; all that we doubted will be no more. That which is left is our labor with Him.


Praise God for all that He has given.

Praise Him more for those things yet to come.


FRED