Today's Favorite Verse: Acts 10:12-15

Today's Favorite Verse: Acts 10:12-15
"Wherein were all manner of fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air.
And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill, and eat.
But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean.
And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common."

Jesus fulfilled the law of Moses but it appears that some of his Jewish followers still followed it, at least in what was considered clean and unclean to eat. I know later I will also read when other questions come up. Is it the changing of culture at that point? It made me think of how we are told the restoration is ongoing and not complete, there is more to come. It was after President Nelson was called as prophet that first heard the phrase "ongoing restoration". Up to that point I could not recall it being said like that. I decide to search the general conference talks for when that phrase was first used.

I found it in the Oct 2019 General Conference by a talk given by Elder Quentin L. Cook. He used the phrase "ongoing Restoration" in reference to President Russell M. Nelson's earlier talk. That talk was about changes in policy regarding who may serve as witnesses to baptism and sealing ordinances. It also went over changes in the Young Women and Young Men classes. After that General Conference it was used more and more. So interesting to review that tonight when we are in preparation for another change to take place in a couple weeks.There has been so many changes in the last seven years. I am so grateful I have a heart that loves and embraces change.

Day 4152

Today's Favorite Verse: Mark 7:8-9

Today's Favorite Verse: Mark 7:8-9
"For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do.
And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition."

This made me think of culture and traditions that we may assume are commandments but are not. The example of washing of pots and hands were not part of the law of Moses or commandments. They maybe good things to do for cleanliness sake, but not something you sin over. Many times I've told my children that something was a cultural tradition, and not an official position of the church.

For example it's a cultural tradition that deacons wear a white shirt when passing the sacrament. President David O. McKay taught that a white shirt contributes to the sacredness of the holy sacrament, but was never a requirement. While I was pondering over this, one of my children sent me a picture of a supposed new design for our chapels. The sacrament table was in the front beneath the pulpit. To me the source looked questionable so I don't give it much value. What was more important for me to note to my child is that there is nothing special in the layout of the chapel. I would call it tradition. I've attended sacrament in many interesting locations. We had sacrament for several months in the middle of the field where our chapel was going to be built. That winter we met in an auction barn. The important thing is meeting together and partaking of the sacrament. The building is just fluff. If moving the sacrament table helps members focus more intently on what it represents then its fine with me. I keep my eyes closed the whole time anyways.

Day 4088

Today's Favorite Verse: Galatians 2:12, 16

Today's Favorite Verse: Galatians 2:12, 16

"But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?

Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified."

Paul is speaking to the Church members who are straying because they are listening to false teachers. One issue was those that were Jews telling the Gentile converts they needed to practice the dead law of Moses, and the ritual of circumcision. I noticed that whenever I hear that discussion I remove myself from it. I feel it's a dead law and concern, and can just move on. This time I stopped. The thought I had is that today we may not have these discussions between church members, but it's very possible this discussion may return. What about the Jews of today that convert to the gospel of Jesus Christ? The situation then will be in reverse. Also the restoration of the gospel is on-going. What may change in the future that will cause us to pause like the early church members? The lesson is so important, we live by faith in Jesus Christ, and not by outward signs and rituals in what was once dead laws. Policies, procedures, traditions and culture may vary or change but not the requirement for faith in Jesus Christ universal to us all.

Day 3252

Today's Favorite Verse: Acts 15:1, 5

Today's Favorite Verse: Acts 15:1, 5

"And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved.

But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses."

This chapter covers what is called the Jerusalem conference. The question being if the gentiles needed to be circumcised and if they still practiced the law of Moses. Ultimately, the church leaders were unanimous in this was not a requirement. What I wondered about is why it was a question in the first place when Jesus said he fulfilled the law of Moses. This is what I found.

"Jehovah instituted the practice of circumcision among Abraham and his descendants as a token of their covenant with Jehovah. The token reminded them of their obligations and of the sacred and eternal blessings given to all who served the Lord in righteousness (see Abraham 2:8–11; Genesis 17). The law of Moses directed that every male child was to be circumcised when he was eight days old (see Leviticus 12:3) “that thou mayest know forever that children are not accountable before me [the Lord] until they are eight years old” (Joseph Smith Translation, Genesis 17:11 [in the Bible appendix]). In New Testament times it was common to refer to Jews as being of the circumcision and to Gentiles as being of the uncircumcision.

In the new covenant instituted by Jesus Christ, the token of circumcision was replaced by the ordinance of baptism. In a revelation given to Mormon and recorded in the Book of Mormon, Jesus Christ said: “The law of circumcision is done away in me” (Moroni 8:8). The debate over circumcision concerned not only the interpretation and application of doctrine, but also the accepting of new revelation through Church leaders."

(New Testament Student Manual, Chapter 32: Acts 13-15, "Circumcised after the Manner of Moses")

It seems it didn't put the whole matter to rest. The gentile converts didn't need to be circumcised but culturally and traditionally it was still being practiced. I have to say we still have some issues today with what is doctrine and what is cultural.

"Despite Church leaders’ unanimous resolution to not require Gentiles to be circumcised prior to baptism, many Church members did not readily understand or accept the decision. Robert J. Matthews taught: “The action of the Jerusalem council involved a significant policy decision. … Peter’s unmistakable experience with Cornelius makes it clear that the Brethren understood that the law of Moses was fulfilled in Christ, but evidently many members of the church did not understand. It was a matter of doctrine, tradition, culture, and emotion. Even though the Brethren had settled the matter doctrinally a decade before, considerable time passed before the matter was settled culturally and emotionally in the minds of some Jewish Christians. Furthermore, at least ten years after the council, many Jewish Christians in Jerusalem were still following the law of Moses. (Acts 21:17–25.)

“The decision of the Jerusalem council was not definitive and did not forthrightly say that the law of Moses should be discontinued. Although it declared that Gentiles did not need circumcision for salvation, it did not say that Jewish members of the church need not circumcise their sons” (“Unto All Nations,” in Studies in Scripture, Volume Six: Acts to Revelation, ed. Robert L. Millet [1987], 39).

In the years following the Jerusalem conference, Paul still found it necessary to combat contrary teachings and attitudes wherever he went"

(New Testament Student Manual, Chapter 32: Acts 13-15, "Decisions of the Jerusalem Conference")

Day 3192