12/30/2018 - Section 131:1-8

12/30/2018

Section 131:1-8

Calling and Election Made Sure, Three degrees of glory, Eternal Marriage,

Evidently this section came from a time when Joseph Smith and William Clayton were visiting about 22 miles from Nauvoo, at the home of Brother and Sister Benjamin F Johnson. At one point in the evening, Joseph put his hand on William Clayton’s knee and said, “Your life is hid with Christ in God and so are many others. Nothing but the unpardonable sin can prevent you from inheriting eternal life for you are sealed up by the power of the priesthood unto eternal life, having taken the step necessary for that purpose.” After saying that, Joseph when on to speak about the priesthood. I think maybe that it might be relaxing to know that your calling and election is made sure. But for most of us, I think that our route back to Heavenly Father is to stay close to Him through daily prayer and scripture study, and do our very best to keep his commandments. The Lord has told us that he would like all of his children to be able to come back to Him and to enjoy being invited into the highest degree of the celestial kingdom. He has also let us know that when we come back to Him, we will be in the place in which we will be the most comfortable. I’m sure I’ve mentioned this before, but until I was well into my 50’s, I always thought I would be better suited for a mid-range celestial assignment. I didn’t think I was really cut out to help create and rule a world. I didn’t want to endure the sadness I would feel if my spirit children sent to earth made eternal mistakes without ever realizing what they had done. But I DID think I could be a pretty good ‘ministering angel’. I am organized and I’m good at getting assignments completed, and I thought that would be the very best place for me. But then I was teaching a gospel doctrine lesson on the three degrees of glory, and I suddenly realized that Heavenly Father would not want us to be anywhere where we would be unhappy, and if He most wanted us in the highest part of the celestial kingdom, then it would probably be best for me not to try for anything below where he wants us all to be. I look at things fairly simply: I work to stay close to Heavenly Father while I’m here on earth, so that after this earth life, I can stay close to Him forever!

11/10/2021 – D&C 131

I found a time-line in my study guide on eternal marriage:

 

        Nov 24, 1835: While performing a marriage ceremony, Joseph taught that marriage is “an institution of heaven first solemnized in the garden of Eden by God himself, by the authority of the everlasting priesthood”

April 3, 1836: The Prophet Elijah appeared to Joseph and Oliver Cowdery in the Kirtland Temple and restored the priesthood keys that make it possible for families to be sealed together for eternity.

Early 1840: The Prophet Joseph Smith taught Parley P. Pratt about eternal marriage.

        Early1840: Joseph Smith began privately teaching the doctrine of plural marriage in Nauvoo, Illinois.

        May 16–17, 1843: The teachings recorded in Doctrine and Covenants 131 were given.

        May 28, 1843: Joseph and Emma Smith were sealed in marriage for eternity.

        May–July 1843: Emma Smith consented to several of Joseph Smith’s plural marriages but struggled to accept the practice.

        July 12, 1843: Doctrine and Covenants 132 was dictated.

It was touching to me as I read that Joseph stayed with Benjamin and Melissa Johnson on May 16-17 while he was in Ramus Illinois. While he was in the Johnson’s home, he taught them the Lord’s law of marriage and sealed them for eternity. They had been married since Christmas Day 1841, but Joseph told them he intended to marry them according to the law of the Lord. He taught that men and women needed to enter into the new and everlasting covenant of marriage in order to obtain God’s highest blessings. This was also the date that D&C 131 was given. Joseph shared his revelations with all. What we would be missing much if we didn’t have the Doctrine and Covenants! 

This is a short section with deep truths. I am happy that our latter-day prophets have added to what Joseph revealed:

President Joseph Fielding Smith: “There is no ordinance connected with the Gospel of Jesus Christ of greater importance, of more solemn and sacred nature, and more necessary to [our] eternal joy … than marriage… .The fullness and blessings of the Priesthood and Gospel grow out of Celestial marriage. This is the crowning ordinance of the Gospel and crowning ordinance of the temple”

President Russell M. Nelson: “Men and women receive the highest ordinance in the house of the Lord together and equally, or not at all.”   At another time President Nelson explained: “Marriage between a man and a woman is fundamental to the Lord’s doctrine and crucial to God’s eternal plan. Marriage between a man and a woman is God’s pattern for a fulness of life on earth and in heaven. God’s marriage pattern cannot be abused, misunderstood, or misconstrued Not if you want true joy. …”  And at that time he referred us to Matthew 19:4–6; Mosiah 29:26–27; and Helaman 5:2.

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf: “The brief span of this life is nothing in comparison with eternity. And if only we can hope and exercise faith, and joyfully endure to the end, … there, in that great heavenly future, we will have the fulfillment of the righteous desires of our heart, and so very much more that we can scarcely comprehend now”

V 6 explains to us that “it is impossible for a man to be saved in ignorance.” Joseph also taught: “A man is saved no faster than he gets knowledge, for if he does not get knowledge, he will be brought into captivity by some evil power in the other world, as evil spirits will have more knowledge, and consequently more power, than many men who are on the earth. Hence [we need] revelation to assist us, and give us knowledge of the things of God” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith [2007], 265–66). He also explained that gospel knowledge would be “as an anchor to the Soul sure and steadfast, though the thunders might roll, and lightnings flash, and earthquakes bellow, and war gather thick around, yet this hope and knowledge would support the soul in every hour of trial, trouble and tribulation.” In this quote Joseph was talking about our asking the Lord to have our calling and election made sure. I have not asked the Lord for that. I think I feel that would be presumptuous of me. But I have always thought, and have proven it through my difficult times, that the Lord is always there for comfort and for direction. When I am close to Him, I never feel afraid.