THE LIVING WORD

 

I did some research on why the scriptures are called ‘the living word of God’ and here is what I have found: they are given by revelation and understood by revelation and revelation cannot be dead for as long as God lives; they are given to men by a living God; they possess a dynamic and the transformative power that continues to speak to men from every time and culture to convince, inspire and guide; they possess a power to penetrate to the core of a person’s being to induce personal transformation.

I have a close friend who has told me more than once that if it wasn’t for the Book of Mormon, she would no longer be alive. I assume the Book of Mormon gave her the will to live in her darkest moments. I can relate to this and I can testify of the power of the entire sacred canon of scripture to help us survive the darkness. This is what the living word of God means to me.

There was a time 30 years ago when I thought my life was over. I was in the darkest abyss and wanted to end it. Then I made a decision that liberated me from the most painful situation I have ever been in and I turned to the scriptures to understand how to come to God who could deliver me from the excruciating pain I was in.

In my searching of the scriptures, I found the Christ, of whom they testify, at a much deeper level than ever before (John 5:39; 3 Nephi 23:5). I learnt who He really is as the Saviour of our souls and what power He has to restore us to life. I learnt all about the Atonement and how it can save us from adverse situations in mortality and how through it we can be raised to immortality through the power of the resurrection.  I learnt that my life was not over but that it was just beginning. The scriptures gave me life.

The more I studied, the more I craved the power to live that it gave me. It is a life line I still cannot do without. Not only did it give me a desire to live but it brought me to one person I now cannot live without. In my 30 years of scripture study, I have seen the Saviour on every page. I have seen who He is and what He is like.

In the Old Testament I see the merciful Jehovah; in the New Testament I see the loving Saviour; in the Book of Mormon I see the promised Messiah; in the Doctrine and Covenants I see the powerful God and in the Pearl of Great Price I see the dutiful Son and Redeemer of all mankind. And in all this I see life……given by the living Christ.

 

I stand in awe of Your sacrifice

And Your soul’s pain;

The body freely given

For nothing of You to remain.

 

I ache, I ache,

Knowing the cost;

Then I hear Your living word

And I am comforted

Knowing nothing is lost. 

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Living Word by Danny Hahlbohm)

MINISTERING ANGEL

 

 

When the Saviour granted John’s wish to remain on earth until the Second Coming, He said He would make him ‘a ministering angel’ for the heirs of salvation who live on the earth (D&C 7:6).

I have often wondered what form of service that ministering would take and then I discovered something which has had a far wider influence in the world than anything else The Beloved could have done in person:

“Five of the books of the Bible were written by John: the Gospel of John, three epistles, and the book of Revelation. The world’s most widely distributed book is the Bible, portions of which have been translated into 2,233 languages as of 2000. It has been estimated that between 1815 and 1999 some 3.88 billion Bibles were printed (see Guinness World Records 2002, p 138). Certainly, John’s written prophecy has gone forth among the nations” (Doctrine & Covenants Student Manual, p 17).

The Bible is the best-selling book in the world, with an estimated 5 billion copies sold so far. Imagine what John the Beloved has done and continues to do for Christianity throughout the world. His writing continues to influence, uplift, inspire and teach Christians everywhere.

A couple of years ago I had a sister in the Church comment on one of my posts telling me that I should stop preaching to the choir and get out to teach the unconverted. I reminded her that even the choir needs converting from time to time.

It gives me comfort that John’s writing ministers for ‘the heirs of salvation’. I consider myself one of those heirs having accepted Christ as my Saviour and Redeemer. I can tell you that I need to be comforted, inspired and taught by the word of God just as much as those who are yet not converted.

The word of God does not discriminate between the children of God. We are all equally in need of spiritual nourishment. I find that in the scriptures. I don’t know where I would be if the prophets and scribes of old did not keep records of prophecies and accounts of inspiring events and men and women of valour.

I could go on and on about the importance and purpose of scriptures. They that are given by inspiration from God make us wise unto salvation, they are profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction and instruction in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:15,16, JST 16a). But I suspect you know all this because you are the converted……

This, however, is what I consider John’s ministering amounting to: “…..the scriptures shall be given, even as they are in my own bosom, to the salvation of mine own elect. For they will hear my voice, and shall see me, and shall not be asleep; and shall abide the day of my coming; for they shall be purified, even as I am pure.” (D&C 35:20,21).

Who are the elect? They are the heirs of salvation, they are those who know Christ, they are those who love Him and obey Him, they are the ones who will be saved and they are the ones who are preparing for His appearing.

I am certain this was the Beloved’s intent every time he sat down to write. I am certain he wanted to bring to us the Christ that he knew and loved…..to bolster our faith, to keep us believing and hoping, to help us look forward to that day when He shall come in His glory to gather us in the arms of His love….to save us….to take us home.

Cherish the scriptures, feast upon the words of Christ and feel ministered to……

Daily I stand in my holy place

As I feast upon Thy word,

Ever hopeful I will meet You there,

Thy Spirit to embrace

And the cares of this world to arrest.

I reach for You in darkness

And step up to heaven’s door;

I am bathed in light

And am granted entrance to Your heart.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Uplift the World by Eva Koleva Timothy)