And it came to pass that thus far I and my father had kept the commandments wherewith the Lord had commanded us. And we had obtained the record which the Lord had commanded us and searched them and found that they were desirable, yea, even of great worth unto us, insomuch that we could preserve the commandments of the Lord unto our children. Wherefore it was wisdom in the Lord that we should carry them with us as we journeyed in the wilderness towards the land of promise.
As a group we have discussed principles contained in the following statements made by the Savior in revelations to the Prophet Joseph.
And that you may not be deceived, seek earnestly the best gifts, always remembering for what they are given, for verily I say unto you, They are given for the benefit of those who love me and keep all my commandments, and him that seeks so to do,... (D&C 46:8 - 9, T&C 32 par. 4)
Keep My commandments continually, and a crown of righteousness you shall receive. And except you do this, where I am you cannot come. And verily, verily I say unto you that this is my voice unto all. Even so, Amen. (D&C 25:15 - 16, T&C 5 par. 5)
As well as the following teaching of the Prophet Joseph.
If a man gets a fullness of the priesthood of God he has to get it in the same way that Jesus
Christ obtained it, and that was by keeping all the commandments and obeying all the ordinances
of the house of the Lord. (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 308)
Remember that we have presented that our belief concerning "priesthood" is that it is an association or brotherhood. A fullness of the priesthood of God then would mean a fullness of association with Him.
Also, remember that we presented that our belief that a "house" as mentioned in scripture, unless specifically referring to a building, would represent a family. Or in other words as Joseph is speaking the family of the Lord.
Back to the post.
What did Paul teach concerning every individual except Christ?
For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23, NC Romans 1 par. 16)
Does that mean that it is impossible for anyone except Christ to gain a fullness of the priesthood of God or to receive a crown of righteousness or to have the benefits of the gifts of the Spirit?
Is Paul saying that it is impossible for anyone to keep all of God's commandments?
If there is another explanation what is it?
What does it mean to keep all of the commandments of God?
Is this principle related at all to what Nephi just declared, "And it came to pass that thus far I and my father had kept the commandments wherewith the Lord had commanded us."?
Would it apply to the scriptural declarations the Lord made through Joseph and what Joseph taught that to keep all the commandments means to obey what God reveals to you to do in your own unique life situations?
What about the commandments that are written in scripture?
How are they related to this principle?
...we cannot keep all the commandments without first knowing them, and we cannot expect to know all, or more than we now know unless we comply with or keep those we have already received. (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p.256)
If someone is willing to initially keep the commandments given in scripture by exercising faith in Christ, repenting (turning to face Him), being baptized and becoming as a little child will they find that the Lord will continue to reveal to them commandments that are His unique commandments to them based on their circumstances?
Is that an important component of righteousness?
Was Lehi commanded to leave Jerusalem?
Were Lehi's sons commanded to return to Jerusalem to get the brass plates?
Was Nephi commanded to slay Laban?
Were all these commandments from the Lord given to them based on their own peculiar circumstances?
How about Abraham?
Was Abraham commanded to offer up his son Isaac on an altar?
Were the acts of Nephi, slaying Laban, and Abraham, offering up his son Isaac on the altar, acts of righteousness in response to God's commandments to them?
Were they virtuous acts?
If Nephi and Abraham had not done these things would they have been keeping all of the commandments of God?
If someone is going to keep all of the commandments of God then do they of necessity need to have continuing revelation?
God will not acknowledge that which He has not called, ordained, and chosen. In the beginning God called Adam by His own voice. “And the Lord called unto Adam and said unto him, Where art thou? And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked, and hid myself.” (See Genesis 3:9-10.)9 Adam received commandments and instructions from God:this was the order from the beginning. That he received revelations, commandments and ordinances at the beginning is beyond the power of controversy; else how did they begin to offer sacrifices to God in an acceptable manner? And if they offered sacrifices they must be authorized by ordination. (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pgs. 168 - 169)
God gave commandments to Adam from the beginning by His own mouth.
Through these commandments God ordained that Adam should offer sacrifice in similitude of His Only Begotten by commanding Adam to do so.
The manner to offer sacrifice was revealed to Adam by God in the issuing of the commandment to offer sacrifice.
If this is the pattern from the beginning then is it necessary for each individual to obtain revelation from God pertaining to His commandments for them, ie. what He God ordains that they should do?
Would it be in the receiving of such revelations that an individual would receive their authority to do what the Lord had commanded them to do?
Is this why Nephi was able to declare,
I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them. (1 Nephi 3:1-8, NC 1 Nephi 1 par. 10)
Did Nephi comprehend at that time that the revelation giving them the command to return to Jerusalem to get the brass plates gave them authority to do so because it was what God had ordained should happen?
In Nephi's statement here, is he extending this teaching to us to let us understand where authority from God comes for an individual to accomplish a task; through His, Gods, commands to us?
What would keep us from getting revelation from God that would allow us to receive His commands?
This is what the Prophet Joseph said concerning the church even during his day.
If the Church knew all the commandments, one-half they would condemn through prejudice and ignorance. (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 112)
I have tried for a number of years to get the minds of the Saints prepared to receive the things
of God; but we frequently see some of them, after suffering all they have for the work of God, will
fly to pieces like glass as soon as anything comes that is contrary to their traditions: they cannot
stand the fire at all. How many will be able to abide a celestial law, and go through and receive
their exaltation, I am unable to say, as many are called, but few are chosen. (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pg. 331)
Do we find generally that we are in any better situation today than the saints were during Joseph's day?
Do our traditions and ignorance and prejudices continue to prevent us from receiving the gift of God's commandments to us through revelation?
Do we still lack authority to accomplish what He, God, ordained by covenant to the Fathers because our ignorance, tradition and prejudice keep us from receiving the revelation of His commandments that will bring about His purposes?
The Lord revealed to the Prophet Joseph concerning those who would come up to Zion, who would be faithful.
Behold, Blessed, says the Lord, are they who have come up unto this land with an eye single to my glory, according to my commandments, for they that live shall inherit the Earth, and they that die shall rest from all their labors, and their works shall follow them. And they shall receive a crown in the mansions of my Father, which I have prepared for them. Yea, blessed are they whose feet stand upon the land of Zion, who have obeyed my gospel, for they shall receive for their reward the good things of the Earth, and it shall bring forth in its strength. And they also shall be crowned with blessings from above, yea, and with commandments not a few, and with revelations in their time, they that are faithful and diligent before me. (D&C 59:1 - 4, T&C 46 par. 1)
In Joseph's day the people polluted their inheritance and did not receive the blessings from above; the commandments not a few and the revelations in their time.
Will we do likewise and suffer the consequences or will we repent of our ignorance and our tradition and our prejudice?
What glorious light is God waiting to send down among men through His commandments if they will with an eye single to His glory be faithful and diligent before Him?
There is so much more contained in the scriptures concerning this subject.
We would invite everyone to seriously study and consider these things.
In a very recent revelation we have the words of the Lord as recorded in the full Testimony of St John that teaches us how Christ's statement to His Disciples "If you love me, keep my commandments." (John 14:15, NC John 9 par. 8) applies very much to what we are discussing here.
If you love me, stand ready, watching for every communication I will send to you...If a man loves me, he will stand ready, watching for every communication I will send to him; and my Father will also love him, and we will come visit him, and continually abide by his side. Whoever claims to love me but does not stand ready, watching for every communication I will send, indeed does not love me. These teachings are not from me, but come from the Father who sent me. (T&C 171 Testimony of St John, part 10 pars. 11 - 14)
A prophetic interpretation of this is found in the Teachings and Commandments Glossary.
If You Love Me
Christ’s words If you love me, keep my commandments appear several times in the Gospel of John. The words could be better translated to mean : “If you love me, act as a sentinel (or guard), ready to receive further instructions from me.” The current King James translation was based on the recognition that the canon of scripture had closed and revelation had ended. Therefore, they took those things into account as they rendered their translation. 1But recent revelation indicates that the canon of scripture is not closed; God is sending further instructions, and man must stand ready to receive it (see T&C 156–174).
Could we say that Abraham was always standing ready, as a sentinel, to receive further instruction from the Lord?
Could we say that Abraham was blessed with commandments not a few and revelations in their time?
Could we say that Abraham became righteous because he stood ready and received and obeyed commandments that came by revelation from God?
What blessings would come to us if we could truly report "Thus far we have kept the commandments wherewith the Lord has commanded us?"
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