An Organized God with a Plan
Posted: Sun Jan 09, 2022 9:39 pm
by Navigator
I am done with Holiday activities and have some more time to write, and I have wanted to continue on this theme:
That God is organized, has a plan, and oversees that plan.
As I have written before, I believe that substantial portions of Gospel truth were lost during the dark ages. I believe that this was a result of apostacy in the church set up by Christ.
I believe that God fully anticipated this, as the consequences of the apostacy were warned about by the Apostles.
I also believe that not only were Gospel truths lost, but the authority to act in God’s name (his priesthood) was also taken away as a result of the apostacy.
I do not believe that God has just left us on our own, especially as we approach the times of the return of his Son, Jesus Christ.
I believe that God is organized and has a plan. I believe the history of the world is following the plan God laid out for it.
Part of God the Father’s plan would be to put things in place to assist the world during the crises that presage the return of his Son.
First would be the restoration of much of the knowledge lost as a result of the apostacy. I have written concerning what some of that lost knowledge was in this particular thread. This restored knowledge would come to us both in the form of scripture, and through prophetic revelation. Just as it had throughout biblical times.
Second, I believe that authority to act in Christ’s name would also be restored. Part of this restoration of authority would involve the restoration of an ecumenical structure that would mirror that of the one set up by Christ. This structure would include Apostles, Prophets (Peter acted as one following Christ’s ascension), Seventies, Bishops, and Teachers. Christ, being perfect, would have established a perfect organizational structure to administer to his flock, and to spread the gospel. Christ would call, through revelation, people to positions in this structure. It would not be based on elections or popularity or money or politics.
Third, the restored knowledge would be spread through missionary work to the world by those that had received and accepted it. This would enable God to re-assemble his flock in modern times, to warn the world of the consequences of their actions, to call the sinners to repentance, and to aid and protect the righteous and repentant during the prophesied “end times”.
Restoration of Gospel Truth
Posted: Mon Jan 17, 2022 12:10 am
by Navigator
I believe that a restoration of much of the lost Gospel Truth I have alluded to in previous posts has in fact been restored, and is available to those searching for additional truth and knowledge concerning God, his plan, and his purposes.
The following is an excerpt of some of that material, and I believe it dovetails very well with the topics discussed on this site.
This is from the writings of someone named Nephi (pronounced Knee-Fi), whose descendants included the original inhabitants of the Americas:
Chapter 13
1 And it came to pass that the angel spake unto me, saying:
Look! And I looked and beheld many nations and kingdoms.
2 And the angel said unto me: What beholdest thou? And I said:
I behold many nations and kingdoms.
3 And he said unto me: These are the nations and kingdoms of the
Gentiles.
4 And it came to pass that I saw among the nations of the
Gentiles the formation of a great church.
5 And the angel said unto me: Behold the formation of a church
which is most abominable above all other churches, which slayeth
the saints of God, yea, and tortureth them and bindeth them down,
and yoketh them with a yoke of iron, and bringeth them down into
captivity.
6 And it came to pass that I beheld this great and abominable
church; and I saw the devil that he was the founder of it.
7 And I also saw gold, and silver, and silks, and scarlets, and
fine-twined linen, and all manner of precious clothing; and I saw
many harlots.
8 And the angel spake unto me, saying: Behold the gold, and the
silver, and the silks, and the scarlets, and the fine-twined
linen, and the precious clothing, and the harlots, are the
desires of this great and abominable church.
9 And also for the praise of the world do they destroy the
saints of God, and bring them down into captivity.
10 And it came to pass that I looked and beheld many waters; and
they divided the Gentiles from the seed of my brethren.
11 And it came to pass that the angel said unto me: Behold the
wrath of God is upon the seed of thy brethren.
12 And I looked and beheld a man among the Gentiles, who was
separated from the seed of my brethren by the many waters; and I
beheld the Spirit of God, that it came down and wrought upon the
man; and he went forth upon the many waters, even unto the seed
of my brethren, who were in the promised land.
13 And it came to pass that I beheld the Spirit of God, that it
wrought upon other Gentiles; and they went forth out of
captivity, upon the many waters.
14 And it came to pass that I beheld many multitudes of the
Gentiles upon the land of promise; and I beheld the wrath of God,
that it was upon the seed of my brethren; and they were scattered
before the Gentiles and were smitten.
15 And I beheld the Spirit of the Lord, that it was upon the
Gentiles, and they did prosper and obtain the land for their
inheritance; and I beheld that they were white, and exceedingly
fair and beautiful, like unto my people before they were slain.
16 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, beheld that the Gentiles
who had gone forth out of captivity did humble themselves before
the Lord; and the power of the Lord was with them.
17 And I beheld that their mother Gentiles were gathered
together upon the waters, and upon the land also, to battle
against them.
18 And I beheld that the power of God was with them, and also
that the wrath of God was upon all those that were gathered
together against them to battle.
19 And I, Nephi, beheld that the Gentiles that had gone out of
captivity were delivered by the power of God out of the hands of
all other nations.
20 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, beheld that they did
prosper in the land; and I beheld a book, and it was carried
forth among them.
21 And the angel said unto me: Knowest thou the meaning of the
book?
22 And I said unto him: I know not.
23 And he said: Behold it proceedeth out of the mouth of a Jew.
And I, Nephi, beheld it; and he said unto me: The book that thou
beholdest is a record of the Jews, which contains the covenants
of the Lord, which he hath made unto the house of Israel; and it
also containeth many of the prophecies of the holy prophets; and
it is a record like unto the engravings which are upon the plates
of brass, save there are not so many; nevertheless, they contain
the covenants of the Lord, which he hath made unto the house of
Israel; wherefore, they are of great worth unto the Gentiles.
24 And the angel of the Lord said unto me: Thou hast beheld that
the book proceeded forth from the mouth of a Jew; and when it
proceeded forth from the mouth of a Jew it contained the fulness
of the gospel of the Lord, of whom the twelve apostles bear
record; and they bear record according to the truth which is in
the Lamb of God.
25 Wherefore, these things go forth from the Jews in purity unto
the Gentiles, according to the truth which is in God.
26 And after they go forth by the hand of the twelve apostles of
the Lamb, from the Jews unto the Gentiles, thou seest the
formation of a great and abominable church, which is most
abominable above all other churches; for behold, they have taken
away from the gospel of the Lamb many parts which are plain and
most precious; and also many covenants of the Lord have they
taken away.
27 And all this have they done that they might pervert the right
ways of the Lord, that they might blind the eyes and harden the
hearts of the children of men.
28 Wherefore, thou seest that after the book hath gone forth
through the hands of the great and abominable church, that there
are many plain and precious things taken away from the book,
which is the book of the Lamb of God.
29 And after these plain and precious things were taken away it
goeth forth unto all the nations of the Gentiles; and after it
goeth forth unto all the nations of the Gentiles, yea, even
across the many waters which thou hast seen with the Gentiles
which have gone forth out of captivity, thou seest--because of
the many plain and precious things which have been taken out of
the book, which were plain unto the understanding of the children
of men, according to the plainness which is in the Lamb of
God--because of these things which are taken away out of the
gospel of the Lamb, an exceedingly great many do stumble, yea,
insomuch that Satan hath great power over them.
30 Nevertheless, thou beholdest that the Gentiles who have gone
forth out of captivity, and have been lifted up by the power of
God above all other nations, upon the face of the land which is
choice above all other lands, which is the land that the Lord God
hath covenanted with thy father that his seed should have for the
land of their inheritance; wherefore, thou seest that the Lord
God will not suffer that the Gentiles will utterly destroy the
mixture of thy seed, which are among thy brethren.
31 Neither will he suffer that the Gentiles shall destroy the
seed of thy brethren.
32 Neither will the Lord God suffer that the Gentiles shall
forever remain in that awful state of blindness, which thou
beholdest they are in, because of the plain and most precious
parts of the gospel of the Lamb which have been kept back by that
abominable church, whose formation thou hast seen.
33 Wherefore saith the Lamb of God: I will be merciful unto the
Gentiles, unto the visiting of the remnant of the house of Israel
in great judgment.
34 And it came to pass that the angel of the Lord spake unto me,
saying: Behold, saith the Lamb of God, after I have visited the
remnant of the house of Israel--and this remnant of whom I speak
is the seed of thy father--wherefore, after I have visited them
in judgment, and smitten them by the hand of the Gentiles, and
after the Gentiles do stumble exceedingly, because of the most
plain and precious parts of the gospel of the Lamb which have
been kept back by that abominable church, which is the mother of
harlots, saith the Lamb--I will be merciful unto the Gentiles in
that day, insomuch that I will bring forth unto them, in mine own
power, much of my gospel, which shall be plain and precious,
saith the Lamb.
35 For, behold, saith the Lamb: I will manifest myself unto thy
seed, that they shall write many things which I shall minister
unto them, which shall be plain and precious; and after thy seed
shall be destroyed, and dwindle in unbelief, and also the seed of
thy brethren, behold, these things shall be hid up, to come forth
unto the Gentiles, by the gift and power of the Lamb.
36 And in them shall be written my gospel, saith the Lamb, and
my rock and my salvation.
37 And blessed are they who shall seek to bring forth my Zion at
that day, for they shall have the gift and the power of the Holy
Ghost; and if they endure unto the end they shall be lifted up at
the last day, and shall be saved in the everlasting kingdom of
the Lamb; and whoso shall publish peace, yea, tidings of great
joy, how beautiful upon the mountains shall they be.
38 And it came to pass that I beheld the remnant of the seed of
my brethren, and also the book of the Lamb of God, which had
proceeded forth from the mouth of the Jew, that it came forth
from the Gentiles unto the remnant of the seed of my brethren.
39 And after it had come forth unto them I beheld other books,
which came forth by the power of the Lamb, from the Gentiles unto
them, unto the convincing of the Gentiles and the remnant of the
seed of my brethren, and also the Jews who were scattered upon
all the face of the earth, that the records of the prophets and
of the twelve apostles of the Lamb are true.
40 And the angel spake unto me, saying: These last records,
which thou hast seen among the Gentiles, shall establish the
truth of the first, which are of the twelve apostles of the Lamb,
and shall make known the plain and precious things which have
been taken away from them; and shall make known to all kindreds,
tongues, and people, that the Lamb of God is the Son of the
Eternal Father, and the Savior of the world; and that all men
must come unto him, or they cannot be saved.
41 And they must come according to the words which shall be
established by the mouth of the Lamb; and the words of the Lamb
shall be made known in the records of thy seed, as well as in the
records of the twelve apostles of the Lamb; wherefore they both
shall be established in one; for there is one God and one
Shepherd over all the earth.
42 And the time cometh that he shall manifest himself unto all
nations, both unto the Jews and also unto the Gentiles; and after
he has manifested himself unto the Jews and also unto the
Gentiles, then he shall manifest himself unto the Gentiles and
also unto the Jews, and the last shall be first, and the first
shall be last.
Chapter 14
1 And it shall come to pass, that if the Gentiles shall hearken
unto the Lamb of God in that day that he shall manifest himself
unto them in word, and also in power, in very deed, unto the
taking away of their stumbling blocks--
2 And harden not their hearts against the Lamb of God, they
shall be numbered among the seed of thy father; yea, they shall
be numbered among the house of Israel; and they shall be a
blessed people upon the promised land forever; they shall be no
more brought down into captivity; and the house of Israel shall
no more be confounded.
3 And that great pit, which hath been digged for them by that
great and abominable church, which was founded by the devil and
his children, that he might lead away the souls of men down to
hell--yea, that great pit which hath been digged for the
destruction of men shall be filled by those who digged it, unto
their utter destruction, saith the Lamb of God; not the
destruction of the soul, save it be the casting of it into that
hell which hath no end.
4 For behold, this is according to the captivity of the devil,
and also according to the justice of God, upon all those who will
work wickedness and abomination before him.
5 And it came to pass that the angel spake unto me, Nephi,
saying: Thou hast beheld that if the Gentiles repent it shall be
well with them; and thou also knowest concerning the covenants of
the Lord unto the house of Israel; and thou also hast heard that
whoso repenteth not must perish.
6 Therefore, wo be unto the Gentiles if it so be that they
harden their hearts against the Lamb of God.
7 For the time cometh, saith the Lamb of God, that I will work a
great and a marvelous work among the children of men; a work
which shall be everlasting, either on the one hand or on the
other--either to the convincing of them unto peace and life
eternal, or unto the deliverance of them to the hardness of their
hearts and the blindness of their minds unto their being brought
down into captivity, and also into destruction, both temporally
and spiritually, according to the captivity of the devil, of
which I have spoken.
8 And it came to pass that when the angel had spoken these
words, he said unto me: Rememberest thou the covenants of the
Father unto the house of Israel? I said unto him, Yea.
9 And it came to pass that he said unto me: Look, and behold
that great and abominable church, which is the mother of
abominations, whose founder is the devil.
10 And he said unto me: Behold there are save two churches only;
the one is the church of the Lamb of God, and the other is the
church of the devil; wherefore, whoso belongeth not to the church
of the Lamb of God belongeth to that great church, which is the
mother of abominations; and she is the whore of all the earth.
11 And it came to pass that I looked and beheld the whore of all
the earth, and she sat upon many waters; and she had dominion
over all the earth, among all nations, kindreds, tongues, and
people.
12 And it came to pass that I beheld the church of the Lamb of
God, and its numbers were few, because of the wickedness and
abominations of the whore who sat upon many waters; nevertheless,
I beheld that the church of the Lamb, who were the saints of God,
were also upon all the face of the earth; and their dominions
upon the face of the earth were small, because of the wickedness
of the great whore whom I saw.
13 And it came to pass that I beheld that the great mother of
abominations did gather together multitudes upon the face of all
the earth, among all the nations of the Gentiles, to fight
against the Lamb of God.
14 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, beheld the power of the
Lamb of God, that it descended upon the saints of the church of
the Lamb, and upon the covenant people of the Lord, who were
scattered upon all the face of the earth; and they were armed
with righteousness and with the power of God in great glory.
15 And it came to pass that I beheld that the wrath of God was
poured out upon that great and abominable church, insomuch that
there were wars and rumors of wars among all the nations and
kindreds of the earth.
16 And as there began to be wars and rumors of wars among all
the nations which belonged to the mother of abominations, the
angel spake unto me, saying: Behold, the wrath of God is upon the
mother of harlots; and behold, thou seest all these things--
17 And when the day cometh that the wrath of God is poured out
upon the mother of harlots, which is the great and abominable
church of all the earth, whose founder is the devil, then, at
that day, the work of the Father shall commence, in preparing the
way for the fulfilling of his covenants, which he hath made to
his people who are of the house of Israel.
18 And it came to pass that the angel spake unto me, saying:
Look!
19 And I looked and beheld a man, and he was dressed in a white
robe.
20 And the angel said unto me: Behold one of the twelve apostles
of the Lamb.
21 Behold, he shall see and write the remainder of these things;
yea, and also many things which have been.
22 And he shall also write concerning the end of the world.
23 Wherefore, the things which he shall write are just and true;
and behold they are written in the book which thou beheld
proceeding out of the mouth of the Jew; and at the time they
proceeded out of the mouth of the Jew, or, at the time the book
proceeded out of the mouth of the Jew, the things which were
written were plain and pure, and most precious and easy to the
understanding of all men.
24 And behold, the things which this apostle of the Lamb shall
write are many things which thou hast seen; and behold, the
remainder shalt thou see.
25 But the things which thou shalt see hereafter thou shalt not
write; for the Lord God hath ordained the apostle of the Lamb of
God that he should write them.
26 And also others who have been, to them hath he shown all
things, and they have written them; and they are sealed up to
come forth in their purity, according to the truth which is in
the Lamb, in the own due time of the Lord, unto the house of
Israel.
27 And I, Nephi, heard and bear record, that the name of the
apostle of the Lamb was John, according to the word of the angel.
28 And behold, I, Nephi, am forbidden that I should write the
remainder of the things which I saw and heard; wherefore the
things which I have written sufficeth me; and I have written but
a small part of the things which I saw.
29 And I bear record that I saw the things which my father saw,
and the angel of the Lord did make them known unto me.
30 And now I make an end of speaking concerning the things which
I saw while I was carried away in the spirit; and if all the
things which I saw are not written, the things which I have
written are true. And thus it is. Amen.