Scripture Blog

This weblog is my personal online scripture journal. I try to read the scriptures each morning as I exercise on my cross-trainer. It has a great impact on my life and my testimony of the Savior and his restored church. The journal is really for my own benefit but I have set it up as a web log in hopes to benefit anyone else that may be interested. "For he that diligently seeketh shall find; and the mysteries of God shall be unfolded unto them, by the power of the Holy Ghost..." 1 Nephi 10:19

Thursday, November 19, 2009

D&C 70

Speaking to those responsible or stewards of the written revelations, the Lord said -

"...inasmuch as they receive more than is needful for their necessities and their wants, it shall be given into my storehouse;
8 And the benefits shall be consecrated unto the inhabitants of Zion, and unto their generations, inasmuch as they become heirs according to the laws of the kingdom.
9 Behold, this is what the Lord requires of every man in his stewardship, even as I, the Lord, have appointed or shall hereafter appoint unto any man."  (Doctrine and Covenants Section 70:7 - 9)

Of this commandment, the Lord then said -

"And behold, none are exempt from this law who belong to the church of the living God..."  (Doctrine and Covenants Section 70:10)

The Lord is making it clear that none of those who are members of the Church are exempt from living the the law of the celestial kingdom or the law of consecration and stewardship.

Though this doesn't really address that all members are bound by the law of consecration and stewardship, for my own use I wanted to include a quote by President Joseph Fielding Smith -

"It is a strange thing that there are members of the Church who cannot distinguish the difference between the law of consecration and communism. Consecration and communism have nothing in common. Communism as it is practiced relieves the individual of all his inherent rights bestowed upon him by divine agency. It makes of him a pawn of the state and removes from him his freedom. He is denied the right of independent action. Even his home life is disturbed and is controlled by the state. All freedom of expression is gone and fear takes the place of love; obedience is forced, not voluntarily given. In the Lord's plan, the inalienable rights of the individual are strictly and jealously protected. What he does he does voluntarily, not by force. His stewardship is given into his own hands and is of his own choice. His wants are carefully guarded and he is at liberty to surround himself with such comforts and conveniences as suit his fancy. His work is entirely voluntary and what he does is based on love of his fellowman. Such a plan naturally is for the salvation, temporally and spiritually, of man, and to the glory of God." (Joseph Fielding Smith, CHMR 1:306-7.)