If You Can Find 10 semi-Righteous-Adjacent People
October 25th, 2021 by G.
D&C 86 says that the “tares” aren’t rooted up because the faith of the “wheat” is weak.
For a long time I have lightly entertained the notion that the date of the Second Coming is variable. I speculated our righteousness can put it off, just like Sodom could have been saved if there were even 10 righteous people there.
But this section says the opposite. It says it is the feebleness of our righteousness that keeps putting off the Second Coming.
Model: the situation keeps getting worse until no one with weak faith is left one way or the other.
Wryly, one might say The beatings will continue until faith improves.
Ugly Mahana
October 25, 2021
I like this.
Conversely, I have contemplated Jesus’ statement that no sign would be given to a wicked and adulterous generation but the sign of Jonah.
Jonah spent three days in the belly of the whale.
Then, after he preached to Nineveh, he retired to a hillside to watch the anticipated destruction.
. . . And was surprised when God declined to destroy a repentant people.
I wonder if God would respond the same way you if the seeds planted in the restoration grew into mighty trees of faith that bore much fruit. If the stone cut out of the mountain – without hands – really did fill the whole earth. I note, with hope, that the pace and scope of temple building appears to be increasing.
And I conclude, as you, that we need more faith. Personally, I need to be a much more diligent ministering brother. And I need to become better about sharing the gospel. (Yes, Bookslinger is a hero in that regard. Among other things, I need to wind up my courage to find out how God wants me to share the gospel.)
We all need to do our bit to prepare the world to receive her King.
E.C.
October 25, 2021
Indeed, I think of Paul’s admonition to the Corinthians:
“11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;
13 Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.
14 If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
15 If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.”
– 1 Corinthians 3: 11-15
What we build now matters. It matters a lot. We are building foundationless buildings, or we are building Zion. And we cannot build Zion without faith and vision.
Eric
October 25, 2021
Talk of the Second Coming brings to mind what Elder McConkie said in 1979:
“It is one of the sad heresies of our time that peace will be gained by weary diplomats as they prepare treaties of compromise, or that the Millennium will be ushered in because men will learn to live in peace and to keep the commandments, or that the predicted plagues and promised desolations of latter days can in some way be avoided.
“We must do all we can to proclaim peace, to avoid war, to heal disease, to prepare for natural disasters—but with it all, that which is to be shall be.”