1
Nephi 20:12
Jesus
Christ, the Creator
What
12 Hearken
unto me, O Jacob, and Israel my called, for I am he; I am the afirst,
and I am also the last.
You have a calling as a chosen people. You are called to serve. I am
Jesus Christ, I was there at the creation and will be there at the
final judgement.
Why
Jesus
is identifying himself as the God of the Old Testament and a member
of the Godhead and the final judge.
Pattern
Rev.
1:17
17
And when I saw him,
I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me,
saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:
22:13
Ps.
89:27
Isa.
41:14
14
Fear not, thou worm Jacob, andye
men of Israel; I will help thee, saith the Lord,
and thy redeemer,
the Holy
One of
Israel.
Ps.
96:13
13
Before the Lord:
for he cometh, for he cometh to judge the earth: he shall judge the
world with righteousness, and the people with his truth.
D&C
29:1
1
Listen to the voice of Jesus Christ, your Redeemer, the Great I
Am,
whose arm of mercy hath atoned for
your sins;
D&C
39:1
1
Hearken and listen to the voice of him who is from all eternity to
all eternity, the Great I
Am,
even Jesus Christ—
3 Ne.
11:14
14
Arise and come forth unto me, that ye may thrust your
hands into my side, and also that ye may feel the
prints of the nails in my hands and in my feet, that ye may know that
I am the Godof
Israel, and the God of the whole earth,
and have been slain for the sins of the world.
Christ
Jesus
Christ is the God of this earth , the creator and the final judge. He
did it with the direction of God the Father.
Conference
10/16
Cook
Valiant
in The Testimony of Jesus Christ
A
stumbling block is “an impediment to belief or understanding” or
“an obstacle to progress.”4 To
stumble spiritually is “to fall into sin or waywardness.”5 A
stumbling block can be anything that distracts us from achieving
righteous goals.
We
cannot afford to have our testimonies of the Father and the Son
become confused and complicated by stumbling blocks. We cannot fall
into that trap. Our testimonies of Them need to remain pure and
simple like my father’s simple defense of the power pole on the
ranch where he grew up.
What
are some of the stumbling blocks that confuse and complicate our pure
and simple testimony of the Father and the Son and keep us from being
valiant in that testimony?
One Stumbling Block Is the Philosophies of Men
We
are committed to knowledge of every kind and believe “the glory of
God is intelligence.”6 But
we also know that the preferred strategy of the adversary is to lead
people away from God and cause them to stumble by emphasizing the
philosophies of men over the Savior and His teachings.
The
Apostle Paul was a sure witness of Jesus Christ because of a
miraculous and life-changing experience with the Savior.7 Paul’s
unique background prepared him to relate to people of many cultures.
He loved the “frank simplicity” of the Thessalonians and the
“tender sympathy” of the Philippians.8 He
initially found it more difficult to relate to the intellectual and
sophisticated Greeks. In Athens on Mars’ Hill, he attempted a
philosophical approach and was rejected. To the Corinthians he
determined to simply teach “the doctrine of Christ crucified.”9 To
use the Apostle Paul’s own words:
“And
my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s
wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:
Heber C.
Kimball was one of the original Twelve Apostles of this dispensation
and First Counselor to President Brigham Young. He warned: “The
time is coming when … it will be difficult to tell the face of a
Saint from the face of an enemy to the people of God. Then … look
out for the great sieve, for there will be a great sifting time, and
many will fall.” He concluded that there is “a TEST coming.”14
In
our day, the influence of Christianity in many countries, including
the United States, is significantly reduced. Without religious
beliefs, there is no feeling of accountability to God. Accordingly,
it is hard to establish universal values about how to live.
Philosophies which are deeply held often conflict with each other.
Unfortunately,
this also happens with some members of the Church who lose their
bearings and become influenced by the cause of the moment—many of
which are clearly not righteous.
In
line with Heber C. Kimball’s prophecy, Elder Neal A.
Maxwell said in 1982: “Much sifting will occur because of lapses in
righteous behavior which go unrepented of. A few will give up instead
of holding out to the end. A few will be deceived by defectors.
Likewise, others will be offended, for sufficient unto each
dispensation are the stumbling blocks thereof!”15
Another Stumbling Block Is Refusing to See Sin in Its True Light
One
of the unique and troubling aspects of our day is that many people
engage in sinful conduct but refuse to consider it sinful. They have
no remorse or willingness to acknowledge their conduct as being
morally wrong. Even some who profess a belief in the Father and the
Son wrongfully take the position that a loving Father in Heaven
should exact no consequences for conduct that is contrary to His
commandments.
Looking beyond the Mark Is a Stumbling Block
The
prophet Jacob referred to ancient Jews as “a stiffnecked people
[who] despised … plainness, … killed the prophets, and sought for
things that they could not understand. Wherefore, because of their
blindness, which blindness came by looking beyond the mark, they must
needs fall.”24
While
there are many examples of looking beyond the mark,25 a
significant one in our day is extremism. Gospel extremism is when one
elevates any gospel principle above other equally important
principles and takes a position that is beyond or contrary to the
teachings of Church leaders. One example is when one advocates for
additions, changes, or primary emphasis to one part of the Word of
Wisdom. Another is expensive preparation for end-of-days scenarios.
In both examples, others are encouraged to accept private
interpretations. “If we turn a health law or any other principle
into a form of religious fanaticism, we are looking beyond the
mark.”26
Conclusion
If
we are to be valiant in our testimony of Jesus, we must avoid the
stumbling blocks that entrap and impede the progress of many
otherwise honorable men and women. Let us determine to always be in
His service. While seeking knowledge, we need to avoid the
philosophies of men that lessen our commitment to the Savior. We must
see sin in its true light and accept the Savior’s Atonement through
repentance. We need to avoid looking beyond the mark and focus on
Jesus Christ, our Savior and Redeemer, and follow His doctrine.
One
writer suggests that stumbling blocks may be made into
“stepping-stones to a noble character and to Heaven.”31
For
us, being valiant in our testimony of Jesus is a stepping-stone
toward qualifying for the Savior’s grace and the celestial kingdom.
Jesus Christ is the only name under heaven by which we may be
saved.32 I
bear my sure witness of both His divinity and His supernal role in
the Father’s plan. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Apply
Never
stop praying, Never stop studying His words, Never stop repenting.
In
other words. Keep praying and studying and obeying the commandments.
Some
people say that there is no God because they cannot see Him. That is
like saying here is no internet because we can't see it. Or there
is no wind because we can't see it.
Keep
the commandments, learn of Him every day so you can feel of His
spirit and know Him. Remember who you are. A son or daughter of
God. Love the Lord the God.
The
following scriptures give us great counsel.
Hymns
87-God
Is Love
62-All
Creatures of Our God And King
86-
How Great thou Art
Children
231
All Things Bright and Beautiful
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