My life is a bag of choices I dare to make,
A dream of perfection eluding me still.
I grope in darkness
Hoping my choices are pleasing to Thee;
And when I leave this weak and mortal
shell
And kneel on hallowed ground at Thy feet,
Then will I cry, my Lord and my God,
Forgive my reckless sins a thousand tears
deep.
- CATHRYNE ALLEN
(Art: Divine Faith by Greg Collins)
The value
of the Ten Commandments cannot be overstated. I have heard it said in the
Church that the Commandments were given us for our protection and I cannot
agree more. The commandments are our most valuable asset in this life and the
second is our moral agency to choose to obey. If it wasn’t for our agency we
would be subject to this world of sin and corruption and would naturally cleave
to evil.
Consider
the pull of sin and how devastating it is to our spiritual well-being:
“Whoever
said that sin was not fun? Whoever claimed that Lucifer was not handsome,
persuasive, easy, and friendly? Sin is attractive and desirable. Transgression
wears elegant gowns and sparkling apparel. It is highly perfumed; it has
attractive features, and a soft voice.
“It is
found in educated circles and sophisticated groups. It provides sweet and
comfortable luxuries. Sin is easy and has a big company of pleasant companions.
It promises immunity from restrictions and temporary freedoms. It can
momentarily satisfy hunger, thirst, desire, urges, passions, wants, without
immediately paying the price. But, it begins tiny and grows to monumental
proportions – drop by drop, inch by inch.”
-
President Spencer W. Kimball, “Faith Precedes The
Miracle” p 229)
“It is true
that the great principle of repentance is always available, but for the wicked
and rebellious there are serious reservations to this statement. For instance,
sin is intensely habit-forming and sometimes moves men to the tragic point of
no return…As the transgressor moves deeper and deeper in his sin, and the error
is entrenched more deeply and the will to change is weakened, it becomes increasingly
near-hopeless, and he skids down and down until either he does not want to
climb back or he has lost the power to do so.”
-
President Spencer W. Kimball, “The Miracle of
Forgiveness [1969] p 117)
We fought for
our spiritual freedom in pre-mortal life (Rev 12:7-11; Moses 4:1-4). It is interesting to observe the
world today and see how we have convoluted the meaning of this principle. It is
most obvious in the way people are not willing to obey the laws of the land.
The cry seems to be, “I have my rights, I can do whatever I want”. This is the
world’s definition of freedom. Pride is
corrupting us as we reject correction from any source and insist on a ‘me’
society. This is Satan’s doctrine and his path to eventual destruction.
The Ten
Commandments are as relative today as they were when they were first given and
never more needed than today. They not only offer personal freedom but they
also bring order to a society. I cannot look at one and think it is not needed.
Our obedience to them brings honour, self-respect and spiritual strength beyond
our own. The wisdom of our God is beyond understanding.
- CATHRYNE ALLEN
(Art: Keep My Commandments by B. Laura Wilson)
Some
days, Father, I cannot bear,
The
absence of Your touch.
I
cannot wait for Your embrace
That
I have missed so very much.
In
this abyss of worldly darkness
I
stumble but I fall into the arms of Him
Who
lifts me higher than I can go.
I
fly to You, Father, on my wings of faith,
I
sail through stormy skies,
Seeking
for Thy face.
Look
Father, no hands!
Only
trust in these strong arms
Of
my Saviour’s loving grace.
- CATHRYNE ALLEN
(Art: Arms of Faith by Yongsung Kim)
“I know of a great man who held his dead son in
his arms, and said, “In the name of Jesus Christ and by the power and authority
of the Holy Melchizedek Priesthood, I command you to live.” And the dead boy
opened his eyes.
“This great brother could not have possibly
done that had he been looking at a pornographic piece of material a few nights
before or if he had been involved in any other transgression of that kind. The
priesthood has to have a pure conduit to operate.” (Elder Vaugh Featherstone,
in CR April 1975, 100; or Ensign May 1975, 66)
Such is the power of the priesthood which
demands utmost obedience from the men whose privilege it is to have it.
When Moses ascended Mt Sainai for the second
time to intercede for Israel’s sin of breaking the covenant they entered into,
he was given another set of plates which contained the same thing, with one
exception. The Lord told him: “And I
will write on the tables the words that were on the first tables, save the
words of the everlasting covenant of the holy priesthood…..” (JST Deut
10:2)
Israel was forgiven and given another chance to
live the law but the everlasting covenant of the priesthood was denied to the
congregation because of their wickedness. But there was mercy, always mercy
from the merciful Jehovah, and the Levitical law and priesthood was given to
Aaron for the benefit of the House of Israel (“Teachings of the Prophet Joseph
Smith”, p 60)
Consider these powers of the priesthood to
better understand the relative worthiness that is required:
“We have power to govern all things, both
temporal and spiritual, both the kingdoms of the world, and the elements and
storms and powers of the earth: “For God having sworn unto Enoch and unto his
seed with an oath by himself; that everyone being ordained after this order and
calling should have power, by faith, to break mountains, to divide the seas, to
dry up waters, to turn them out of their course;
“To put at defiance the armies of nations, to
divide the earth, to break every band, to stand in the presence of God; to do
all things according to his will, according to his command, subdue
principalities and powers; and this by the will of the Son of God which was
from before the foundation of the world.” (JST Gen 14:30-31; Bruce R. McConkie,
“The Ten Blessings of the Priesthood” GC October 1977)
And here is the origin of the everlasting
covenant of the priesthood which “was made between three personages before the
organisation of the earth, and relates to the dispensation of things to men on
the earth; these personages, according to Abraham’s record, are called God the
first, the Creator; God the second, the Redeemer, and God the third, the
witness or Testator”. (“Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith”, p 190)
I am in no way an expert on this subject but I
am in awe of the priesthood, the backbone of the Plan of Salvation: its origin
and its power of creation, eternal life and resurrection. Such power in the
hands of man…..
- CATHRYNE ALLEN
(Art: My Father's Work by Chris Brazelton)
I lift and I float in this vast
Universal space,
Seeking and hoping to see Your face.
Angels are near me,
They beckon and call
Ensuring I find a soft place to fall.
I fly in night’s dreams above
The earth below,
Seeking my heavenly home.
I think I am high but really I am low.
You meet me at dawn,
In sacred prayer we have often met,
I hear You say:
My Beloved, it is not time yet.
- CATHRYNE ALLEN
(Artist Unknown)
“We have
the power – and it is our privilege – so to live, that becoming pure in heart,
we shall see the face of God while we yet dwell as mortals in a world of sin
and sorrow. This is the crowning blessing of mortality. It is offered by that
God who is no respecter of persons to all the faithful in his kingdom.” (Bruce
R. McConkie, In CR Oct 1977, p 52 or Ensign Nov 1977 p 34)
“We read
that Abraham talked with God face to face, and he also talked with Enoch and
others. The modern world, however, will have none of it and have rejected the
living God for one who cannot be seen or heard. (Joseph Fielding Smith, “Answers
to Gospel Questions”, 2:162-63)
The question
of whether we can see God in this life would have to be one of the biggest
contradictions in the scriptures, Chapter 33 of Exodus being the biggest. Verse
11 states that “the Lord spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto
his friend” yet verse 20 contradicts this by stating: “Thou canst not see my
face: for there shall no man see me, and live.” Also, Exodus 24:9-11 states that
Moses and seventy of the elders of Israel saw God.
This
contradiction is a classic example of mistranslation or “more likely due to the
fact that a translator in more recent years did not believe that God was a
Personage and therefore could not be seen. This notion has come down to us
since the introduction of the Athanasian Creed in 325 A.D.” (Old Testament
Student Manual Book 1 p 142)
Thankfully,
Joseph Smith made many corrections to such conflicting scriptures adding
clarification such as: “And no man hath seen God at any time, except he hath
borne record of the Son….” (JST John 1:19) and, “No man hath seen God at any
time, except them who believe….Not that any man hath seen the Father, save he
which is of God….(John 6:45-46).
So a person
who has seen God has to be one who believes, has to be of God and has to bear
witness of such. Joseph Smith comes to mind here.
So now that
we know who CAN see God, it’s important we know who CAN’T. Genesis 33:20 states
that whosoever sees Him would not be able to live. Obviously that is a
reference to those who do not meet the criteria for such a privilege. And this is why:
“Christ is
a glorified celestial being, and the glory of such beings is comparable to that
of the sun (see D&C 76:70). The presence of Christ when He comes in His
glory will be as a consuming fire. The mountains will flow down at His
presence, the elements will melt with fervent heat, and the waters will boil.
Even the sun will hide its face in shame (see Hebrews 12:29; D&C
133:40-44,49) (Doctrine & Covenants Student Manual p 61)
“Incident
to the commencement of the millennial era, the earth will be burned. Every
corruptible thing will be consumed (D&C 101:24); all the proud and they
that do wickedly shall be burned as stubble (Malachi 4:1; D&C 29:9; 63:34;
64:23-25; 133:63-64); and there will be an entire separation of the righteous
and the wicked (D&C 63:54).” (Bruce R. McConkie, “Mormon Doctrine” p 494)
I once had
a reader question Joseph Smith’s claim that He saw God the Father and the Son.
She reasoned Joseph would have been burnt alive if he truly saw such celestial
beings. In my opinion, Joseph qualified to abide their glory as sure as Moses
and Abraham.
It is only
those who are not worthy to see God that would be consumed, even as those who
will be so at Christ’s coming…..while the righteous will be transfigured to
withstand His glory (see Journal of Discourses, 16:328). It’s a startling
choice isn’t it? To be burnt alive or to be privileged to see the face of the
Son of God.
- CATHRYNE ALLEN
(Artist Unknown)
I have heard
it said that the most important of the Ten Commandments is the one you are
struggling with the most. There is a lot of wisdom in that. In reality though, there
are only two real commandments because they underlie all others.
The Saviour
was asked during His earthly ministry which is the greatest of all the
commandments. The Saviour replied: to love God and to love your neighbour….on
these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets (Matthew 22:37-40). If
we obeyed these two commandments, there would be no need for any other and here
is why:
“Any person
who truly understands the implications for daily living that are part of the
commandment to love God with all his heart, might, mind, and strength and to
love his neighbour as himself, can function well with no additional laws. One
does not need to warn a person who loves God properly about idolatry, for any
act of worship not devoted to God would be naturally offensive to him.
“The
prohibitions against stealing, adultery, murder, and so on are not required if
a person truly loves his neighbour as himself, for to injure his neighbour in
such ways would be unthinkable. But, of course, the vast majority of men fail
to understand and keep these two commandments, and so the Lord has revealed
many additional laws and rules to show specifically what the commandments
require……. all such commandmnets do nothing more than define and support the
two basic principles: all the law and the prophets are summarized in the two
great commandments.” (The Old Testament
Student Manul p 186)
Moses spent
40 days on Mt Sinai receiving the Ten Commandments. Before he went he entered
the children of Israel into a covenant of obedience. The covenant bound God to
support, defend, and save them and the people were bound to God to fear, love,
and serve him.
This covenant
was written in the book of the covenant, a sacrifice was offered, half the
blood was sprinkled on the people and the other half on the altar. The covenant
was binding when the people proclaimed: “All that the Lord hath said will we
do, and be obedient” (Exodus 24:1-7).
You can
only imagine the outrage Moses felt when he descended the mountain 40 days
later to find the Israelites breaking the very first command by worshipping a
golden calf. It is no wonder he broke the tablets of stone containing the
commandments written by the finger of the Lord (Exodus 32:19).
Historians
have speculated why the people turned away from the covenant so quickly. There
is no scriptural explanation for this or Aaron’s seemingly unobjected
fulfilment of the camp’s request for other gods to worship (ibid v 1-5). Their
idolatry was a metaphorical ‘return’ to Egypt by worshipping an Egyptian highly
revered idol of a cow but their greatest sin was giving the golden calf credit
for bringing them out of Egypt (ibid v 4).
The
Israelites paid a heavy price for breaking the covenant. Jehovah’s punishment
caused 3,000 men to be slain (ibid v 27,28). Aaron also was nearly destroyed
and was saved only through Moses’ intercession in his behalf (see Deuteronomy
9:20).
And Moses?
He proved he truly was a prototype of Christ. He returned to the Lord and
begged for Israel’s forgiveness, and if the forgiveness was not granted, he
asked the Lord to blot out his name from the book of the covenant instead as
intercession for the people’s sin (ibid v 31,32). The weight this man carried
on his shoulders is astounding. But not nearly as heavy as the weight of the
God of Israel.
- CATHRYNE ALLEN
(Artist Unknown)
