Ultimate Independence Day
This week is the 4th of July, Independence Day for those of us living in the United States of America. It is the day the colonists declared their independence from the rule of the British Empire, from the essential slavery and tyranny and lack of freedom that came with being colonies that were subject to the British rule.
It was interesting that the primary classes talked about the Savior's atonement yesterday.
We had a little discussion and comparison between the atonement and Independence Day.
Before the Savior's resurrection, all of us would be subject to the bonds of death, forever keeping our spirits separated from the physical body upon the death and separation of the physical and spiritual bodies. The Savior's resurrection broke those bonds and gave us all the gift of (eventual) resurrection.
But the Savior's atonement is more than the resurrection. It is the gift to freely "choose liberty and eternal life" or "captivity and death."
Prior to the atonement, justice was the only power to have any force on us. Sin, which we all commit, makes us unclean and unworthy to return to the presence of our Heavenly Father.
But, the atonement brought into effect the power of mercy, which comes from the love of God. Apostles and prophets have given full discourses on how justice and mercy interact, and how mercy can fully satisfy the demands of justice while also showing the full love of God towards his children.
The United States of America was founded on the basic beliefs that all men are created equal and have certain rights. Among those rights are the right to choose to worship God, along with the freedom to do so. We have the right to choose how we will build, or even destroy, our lives.
With freedom comes the real, even guaranteed, likelihood that there will be some who will abuse their right to choose, and that abuse will affect the freedoms and rights of others.
But, if the rights to choose are infringed upon, restricted, or regulated in any way, then freedoms become restricted and eventually lost.
There are those who, under the guise of safety and protection, want to take away the rights and liberties we gained on Independence Day, and with the subsequent Revolutionary Way and establishment of the Constitution, with its Bill of Rights. And those people are very clever, and manipulative into convincing many people that the path of increased government intervention and regulations are the best way to establish peace, safety, and protection for all.
However, any loss of freedom of choice is another chain of captivity wrapped around us.
Safety and protection from evil through the loss of freedoms and forced control by those in power is an illusion. It has never happened in all of history. The illusion is convincing for a few years, but it is an illusion.
Until Zion is established, and the Savior returns to rule and reign over the earth in righteousness, the best course of action is to maintain full equal rights, with the freedoms and liberties established by the founding documents of America.
It was because of the freedoms established with the founding of the country that the United States was where the Lord's church could be restored.
Think of it, the Declaration of Independence was signed on July 4, 1776.
The 14-year old Joseph Smith received his First Vision in the spring of 1820, just about 44 years later, or the equivalent of a little more than a generation (assuming 20-25 years, or even 40 years, for a "generation"). The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was organized less than 10 years later on April 6, 1830.
That means many of those first members of the Church either remember the Revolutionary War period, or had parents who did.
I believe it is very likely that we are in the final generation before the Lord's Second Coming. That Great Day could be a few years away, or as much as 38 years, or more.
Whenever the Second Coming is, the Lord's first coming, with his atoning sacrifice, is what gave us the ultimate independence and freedom to choose whether we will "liberty and eternal life" or to reject the great Mediator and choose "captivity and death" which death is a spiritual death (Alma 12) where, even though the person will receive a resurrected body, the person cannot return to Heavenly Father, is unable to further progress, and doesn't receive what is referred to as eternal life.
It was interesting that the primary classes talked about the Savior's atonement yesterday.
We had a little discussion and comparison between the atonement and Independence Day.
And the Messiah cometh in the fulness of time, that he may redeem the children of men from the fall. And because that they are redeemed from the fall they have become free forever, knowing good from evil; to act for themselves and not to be acted upon, save it be by the punishment of the law at the great and last day, according to the commandments which God hath given.
Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and all things are given them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself. (2 Nephi 2:26-27).In past posts I've discussed how the Jubilee was representative of the Lord freeing the captives.
Before the Savior's resurrection, all of us would be subject to the bonds of death, forever keeping our spirits separated from the physical body upon the death and separation of the physical and spiritual bodies. The Savior's resurrection broke those bonds and gave us all the gift of (eventual) resurrection.
But the Savior's atonement is more than the resurrection. It is the gift to freely "choose liberty and eternal life" or "captivity and death."
Prior to the atonement, justice was the only power to have any force on us. Sin, which we all commit, makes us unclean and unworthy to return to the presence of our Heavenly Father.
But, the atonement brought into effect the power of mercy, which comes from the love of God. Apostles and prophets have given full discourses on how justice and mercy interact, and how mercy can fully satisfy the demands of justice while also showing the full love of God towards his children.
The United States of America was founded on the basic beliefs that all men are created equal and have certain rights. Among those rights are the right to choose to worship God, along with the freedom to do so. We have the right to choose how we will build, or even destroy, our lives.
With freedom comes the real, even guaranteed, likelihood that there will be some who will abuse their right to choose, and that abuse will affect the freedoms and rights of others.
But, if the rights to choose are infringed upon, restricted, or regulated in any way, then freedoms become restricted and eventually lost.
There are those who, under the guise of safety and protection, want to take away the rights and liberties we gained on Independence Day, and with the subsequent Revolutionary Way and establishment of the Constitution, with its Bill of Rights. And those people are very clever, and manipulative into convincing many people that the path of increased government intervention and regulations are the best way to establish peace, safety, and protection for all.
However, any loss of freedom of choice is another chain of captivity wrapped around us.
Safety and protection from evil through the loss of freedoms and forced control by those in power is an illusion. It has never happened in all of history. The illusion is convincing for a few years, but it is an illusion.
Until Zion is established, and the Savior returns to rule and reign over the earth in righteousness, the best course of action is to maintain full equal rights, with the freedoms and liberties established by the founding documents of America.
It was because of the freedoms established with the founding of the country that the United States was where the Lord's church could be restored.
Think of it, the Declaration of Independence was signed on July 4, 1776.
The 14-year old Joseph Smith received his First Vision in the spring of 1820, just about 44 years later, or the equivalent of a little more than a generation (assuming 20-25 years, or even 40 years, for a "generation"). The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was organized less than 10 years later on April 6, 1830.
That means many of those first members of the Church either remember the Revolutionary War period, or had parents who did.
I believe it is very likely that we are in the final generation before the Lord's Second Coming. That Great Day could be a few years away, or as much as 38 years, or more.
Whenever the Second Coming is, the Lord's first coming, with his atoning sacrifice, is what gave us the ultimate independence and freedom to choose whether we will "liberty and eternal life" or to reject the great Mediator and choose "captivity and death" which death is a spiritual death (Alma 12) where, even though the person will receive a resurrected body, the person cannot return to Heavenly Father, is unable to further progress, and doesn't receive what is referred to as eternal life.
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