3 John 1

As John appears to be writing to his family, he comments -

"I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth."  (3 John 1:4)

I feel the same!

1 John 5

For those that believe that only by confessing Jesus they are saved, John corrects -

"Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.
2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.
3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments..."  (1 John 5:1–3)

Obviously, His grace or love is conditional up striving to keep His commandments.

2 Peter 3

As he and past prophets had testified, Peter warns -

"Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,
4 And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation."  (2 Peter 3:3–4)

Adding -

"But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up."  (2 Peter 3:10)

Thus -

"Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless."  (2 Peter 3:14)

Being holy was much of the same message given by an Apostle, Elder Gary E. Stevenson in the temple yesterday.

2 Peter 1

As we develop faith, Peter teaches how we become partakers of divine nature or godliness -

"...that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;
6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;
7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.
8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ."  (2 Peter 1:4–8)

It all begins with meekness and lowliness of heart, which leads to faith.  Obviously, faith then leads to action.

1 Peter 5

This morning, I had two thoughts concerning Peter's counsel to the saints.  The first is that he spoke directly to those that held the Melchizedek priesthood or -

"The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed:
2 Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;
3 Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock."  (1 Peter 5:1–3)

Basically, elders are to feed the flock, or teach and minister too.  As well as being humble examples.

The second thought was concerning, in my mind, qualifying for  justification -

"...all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.
6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time..."  (1 Peter 5:5–6)

This says to me that His grace has conditions

Peter 3

As Peter teaches that husband and wife should honor each other, he teaches -

"...and if ye suffer for righteousness’ sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled;
15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear..."  (1 Peter 3:14–15)

Meekness and fear seems to be the principles that lead to faith.

1 Peter 1

With greater threats of persecution, Peter teaches the saints that an eternal perspective of promised blessings will bring far greater benefits than the wealth of the world.  As that I am getting older and watching many of earlier generations pass away, I was touched with the words -

"For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away:
25 But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you."  (1 Peter 1:24–25)

James 5

Of priesthood blessings, James taught -

"Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord..."  (James 5:14)

Then adding -

"And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him."  (James 5:15)

It is the prayer of faith that I find to be essential.  It seems to me that James is considering more than physical sickness.  One could be raised to good health as well as spiritual health and salvation.  Obviously, being forgiven would include a prayer of faith unto repentance.

James 4

James, speaking of the Savior -

"...he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble."  (James 4:6)

Adding -

"Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up."  (James 4:10)

In my mind, it is humility, lowliness of heart, and meekness that develops faith and qualifies one for the grace of the Savior.  It is the law of justification or the very power of godliness.

James 2

James writes that -

"Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world."  (James 1:27)

Explaining -

"What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?
15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?
17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.
19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?
(James 2:14–22)

For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also."  (James 2:26)

Obviously, faith and works go hand in hand.  The Prophet Joseph Smith taught that faith was a word of action.

It becomes clear to me that the grace of our Savior has conditions...faith and works.

Hebrews 12

Teaching the Jews, Paul compares our relationship with our Heavenly Father to that of our earthly father -

"...despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:
6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?
8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.
9 Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?
10 For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.
11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
12 Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees..."  (Hebrews 12:5–12)

Several points of doctrine:

• If we are chastened, we are loved so much that He wants us to live eternally with Him.
• Our Father is Heaven is the father of our spirits.  Thus we lived with Heavenly Parents before we came to earth.
• To avoid chastisement, we have an obligation to minister to others.

Hebrews 11

As Paul reflects and teaches of faith of those that had come before -

He teaches and essential doctrine -

"But without faith it is impossible to please him..."  (Hebrews 11:6)

It becomes apparent that one of the main reasons of this life of mortality is to learn, develop, and demonstrate faith, essential for exaltation.

Hebrews 10

As Paul teaches the difference between the Old Testament or covenant and the New Testament or covenant, and the difference between the sacrifice of animals and the sacrifice and atonement of Jesus Christ, he mentioned a little thought that touched me -

"Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law..."  (Hebrews 10:8)

Which suggests to me the our Father in Heaven does not find pleasure in the sacrifice of animals, but does rejoice in obedience looking forward to the Infinite Atonement.

Hebrew 7

Paul teaches the Jews that the Levites were subordinate to Moses or Aaronic priesthood.  Moses was under Abraham, the father of many nation.  And Abraham was subordinate to Melchisedek for -

"...he whose descent is not counted from them received tithes of Abraham, and blessed him that had the promises.
7 And without all contradiction the less is blessed of the better."  (Hebrews 7:6–7)

And Melchisedek was subordinate to Christ for -

"...this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood.
25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.
26 For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens..."   (Hebrews 7:24–26)

Thus making clear that the law of Moses does not bring salvation.

Hebrew 3

Speaking to fellow Hebrews or those that are priesthood leaders in Israel, Paul taught -

"But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin."  (Hebrews 3:13)

"For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.
13 For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.
14 But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil."  (Hebrews 5:12–14)

I see this as an obligation of modern day Elders with their families and ministering to their neighbors.

Hebrews 1

Paul writing concerning the righteous -

"...to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool?
14 Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?"  (Hebrews 1:13–14)

Which suggest to me that those that are not righteous will eventually be ministering spirits to those that are heirs of salvation.

Titus 3

As you can probably tell in my recent blogs that I've been focused on the doctrine of justification and the Lord's grace.   Paul writes Titus -

"That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life."  (Titus 3:7)

Though the Savior's grace is much broader, I consider His grace is also the "power of godliness" or that though His grace, we can be justified or become like Him.

Titus 2

Paul taught Titus -

"For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world."  (Titus 2:11–12)

In my mind, it becomes obvious that His grace has conditions to be justified.