12/23/2017 - Section 72:7-26

December 23, 2017

Section 72:7-26

Atonement, Law of Consecration,

This part of section 72 speaks of the role of bishop. I found the duties of the bishop in regard to caring for the “poor and the needy” very interesting. The saints are, at this point, still struggling to understand and live the law of consecration. The plan states (v 13) “he who hath not, wherewith to pay, an account shall be taken and handed over to the bishop of Zion, who shall pay the debt out of that which the Lord shall put into his hands.” This ability to pay the debts of the poor and needy comes from the fact that (v15)

“every man that cometh up to Zion must lay all things before the bishop in Zion.”

To me this is a physical description of the atonement. Christ paid for all the sins of all the people on earth. He gave all the benefit of His work to us. Those riches of forgiveness, and comfort, and aid, etc., are being held and are ready to distribute to each of us in our times of being ‘poor and needy’ in a spiritual sense IF we come and explain our needs and our desires. The only stipulation for applying for these “funds’ is that we remember and honor that fact that we previously promised (covenanted) to give the excess of our energies and profits to the bishop for the benefit of all—knowing that in hard and difficult times when we find we are not able to see to all our own needs the fund it there for us to come, ask, and be given exactly what we need. That how the united order should have worked. That is how the atonement DOES work.

The interesting thing to me is that I might use my time easily giving of my excess to this fund during a long period of personal prosperity, and I might have –during a few bad harvests—found need to apply to the bishop for help and receive that help until I could be self-sufficient once again, and contributing my excess to the fund. Yet there may come a needy time for me when I don’t feel like going to the bishop. The reasons for not going may be pride, or maybe I don’t want to put forth the effort to walk in the cold and wind to get to the bishop, or maybe I’m sick and can’t get out of bed. This analogy would be when my home or visiting teachers would come and see my need and encourage me to go to the bishop-- or if I they recognized that Iwas too weak—have the bishop come and talk with me. So there are failsafes provided in this plan. The important thing is that however the bishop and I manage to come together, I still have to recognize my needs, realizing the times I need help, make application to the bishop, and accept his help. That, to me, is the atonement. It IS a failsafe for us, unless we lock our door and close our windows, and turn off our phone.

V 23: And now, behold, this shall be an ensample for all the extensive branches of my church, in whatsoever land they shall be established….”

This view makes it easier for me to understand the law of consecration AND the gift—and laws-- of the atonement.