Come Unto Christ Reading Assignment No. 10 Part Two Becoming Disciples in His Kingdom

Topic: Come Unto Christ Come Unto Christ Reading Assignment No. 10 Part Two Becoming Disciples in His Kingdom Introduction To be able to return to the presence of Heavenly Father and live with Him forever, we must come unto Christ, and be perfected in him (Moroni 10:32). We first must come unto Christ through the process of spiritual rebirth, the topic of our last reading assignment. The priesthood ordinances necessary to obtain spiritual rebirth baptism by immersion and the laying on of hands for the Gift of the Holy Ghost--also initiate the one being baptized into the family of Jesus Christ. As part of the baptismal covenant is the willingness is the one be baptized to take upon them the name of Jesus Christ with a determination to serve him to the end (D&C 20:37; Moroni 6:2-3). Those who are baptized are numbered among the people of the church of Christ (Moro 6:4), an organization necessary for their growth, development and watchful care. As such, they have become disciples of Jesus Christ in an organization of disciples. This is the topic of this reading assignment. Key Concepts and Teachings We will first learn about the necessity of a divine mortal institution or government often simply referred to as the Kingdom of God. Secondly, we will discuss the importance of discipleship and its relationship to the Kingdom of God. I. The Kingdom of God on Earth The earthly kingdom as administered in the days of Adam until our day has appeared under various names and organizations. But there were always similarities. Consider the following Adam and the First Governments Joseph Fielding Smith (1876-1972) President After the creation the Lord "saw everything he had made, and, behold, it was very good." He placed man upon the earth and gave him dominion over all things upon its face and commanded him to obey his voice. Laws were given and Adam was guided by revelation and the voice of the Lord in all his temporal affairs as well as in the plan of eternal salvation. When the first government was formed on the earth, the Lord directed it by revelation and gave laws for the guidance of the people. In course of time when men began to multiply they refused to hearken to the voice of revelation and rebelled against the divine mandates that had been given them. They forgot the object of their earth existence and became a law unto themselves feeling fully capable of conducting their governments without the aid of the Eternal Father. In this manner the kingdom of God, as it was established by the Lord and intended by him to continue through all ages, came to an end. In its stead man-made governments were formed and man usurped the authority which rightfully belongs to his Maker. (Seek Ye Earnestly, [1972], 21) The Patriarchal Order Harold B. Lee (1899-1973) President Now for just a moment, let's take a hasty look at the Church organizations that have existed in each of these dispensations from the beginning. To Adam was given "... dominion... over every living thing that moveth upon the earth." (Genesis 1:28.) The government in his time was patriarchal, the priesthood ruled. Men holding the priesthood ruled by direct revelation and commandment. In Enoch's time likewise, his government was patriarchal. Zion, the City of Holiness, was established, and Enoch gave a perfect economic law, known to us as the Order of Enoch. (Conference Report, October 1953, p..25) Read D&C 107:40-52 Bruce R. McConkie (1915-85) Quorum of the Twelve Apostles When the Lord placed Adam, the first man of all men, and Eve, the mother of all living, upon the earth, he gave them dominion over all things, including their seed after them. He vested in them what we call civil power, by which they governed themselves and their children; and he revealed unto them his own pure religion, through which they could worship their Creator and, if faithful, become like him and gain the type of life he lives, which is eternal life. There was no separation of church and state; all governmental powers, whether civil or religious, centered in one Supreme Head. They came from God and were administered among men by his legal administrators who were sent and duly commissioned by him. This type of

government is a theocracy; it is the government of God. Under it there is no need for a civil power on the one hand and a religious arm on the other. All the affairs of government are intertwined into one with direction coming from God himself, by revelation, to those whom he commissions to represent him on earth. (A New Witness For the Articles of Faith [1985], 657) Worship the Father in the Name of Jesus Christ The purpose of the earthly organization is help the disciples of Jesus Christ to appropriately worship Heavenly Father. Read the following verses of scripture: Read D&C 20:17-19, 29 Joseph Fielding Smith (1876-1973) President It is the Savior who stands between mankind and our Heavenly Father. The Son is the mediator between mankind and the Eternal Father. You seldom hear a prayer that isn t offered to our Heavenly Father in the name of His Beloved Son, and that s right. Christ came into this world to represent His Father. He came into this world to teach mankind who His Father is, why we should worship Him, how we should worship Him. ( Adam s Role in Bringing Us Mortality, Ensign, Jan. 2006, 52-53) Brief History of the Lord s Earthly Organization D. Todd Christofferson Quorum of the Twelve Apostles Beginning with Adam, the gospel of Jesus Christ was preached, and the essential ordinances of salvation, such as baptism, were administered through a family-based priesthood order. As societies grew more complex than simply extended families, God also called other prophets, messengers, and teachers. In Moses s time, we read of a more formal structure, including elders, priests, and judges. In Book of Mormon history, Alma established a church with priests and teachers. Then, in the meridian of time, Jesus organized His work in such a way that the gospel could be established simultaneously in multiple nations and among diverse peoples. That organization, the Church of Jesus Christ, was founded on apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone (Ephesians 2:20). It included additional officers, such as seventies, elders, bishops, priests, teachers, and deacons. Jesus similarly established the Church in the Western Hemisphere after His Resurrection. Following the apostasy and disintegration of the Church He had organized while on the earth, the Lord reestablished the Church of Jesus Christ once again through the Prophet Joseph Smith. The ancient purpose remains: that is, to preach the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ and administer the ordinances of salvation in other words, to bring people to Christ. And now, through the instrumentality of this restored Church, the promise of redemption is placed within reach even of the spirits of the dead who in their mortal lifetime knew little or nothing of the Savior s grace.( Why the Church, Ensign, Nov. 2015,?) The Purpose of the Lord s Earthly Kingdom D. Todd Christofferson Quorum of the Twelve Apostles How does His Church accomplish the Lord s purposes?... And [Christ] gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ (Eph. 4:11-14). Jesus Christ is the author and the finisher of [our] faith (Moroni 6:4). Uniting ourselves to the body of Christ the Church is an important part of taking His name upon us (see 3 Nephi 27:5 7). We are told that the ancient Church did meet together oft, to fast and to pray, and to speak one with another concerning the welfare of their souls (Moroni 6:5) and to hear the word of the Lord (4 Ne. 1:12). So it is in the Church today. Joined in faith, we teach and edify one another and strive to approach the full measure of discipleship, the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ. We strive to help one another come to the knowledge of the Son of God, (Eph. 4:13) until that day when they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, saying, Know the Lord: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord (Jeremiah 31:34; see also Hebrews 8:11). In the Church we not only learn divine doctrine; we also experience its application. As the body of Christ, the members of the Church minister to one another in the reality of day-to-day life. All of us are imperfect; we may offend and be offended. We often test one another with our personal idiosyncrasies. In the body of Christ, we have to go beyond concepts and exalted words and have a real hands-on experience as we learn to live together in love (D&C 45:45). ( Why the Church, Ensign, Nov. 2015) Book of Mormon Teachings of Church Organization The Book of Mormon contains important teachings regarding church organization. We will consider two separate accounts. Mosiah 18 This account is about the church established by Alma the Elder. Briefly describe what each set of verses teach about the church: 18:18-20 18:21

18:22 18:23 18:23-26 18:27-29 Moroni 6-- The second account comes from Moroni 6 and is Moroni s remembrance of the church organization after Jesus Christ s appearance to the Nephites. What is taught in each of the following set of verses about the church: 6:1-3 6:4 6:5 6:6 6:7-8 6:9 II. Discipleship When one takes upon him or herself the name of Jesus Christ, they become His disciples. What is discipleship? How is it achieved? The following will aid you in your understanding of discipleship. What is a Disciple of Jesus Christ? From the following, what is taught about what a disciple is and how acquire it? Robert D. Hales (1932-2017) Quorum of the Twelve Apostles What does it mean to be a disciple of our Lord Jesus Christ? A disciple is one who has been baptized and is willing to take upon him or her the name of the Savior and follow Him. A disciple strives to become as He is by keeping His commandments in mortality, much the same as an apprentice seeks to become like his or her master. Many people hear the word disciple and think it means only follower. But genuine discipleship is a state of being. This suggests more than studying and applying a list of individual attributes. Disciples live so that the characteristics of Christ are woven into the fiber of their beings, as into a spiritual tapestry. ( Becoming a Disciples of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Ensign, May, 2017). L. Tom Perry (1922-2015) Quorum of the Twelve Apostles The central purpose of our mortal probation is to prepare to meet God and inherit the blessings He has promised to His worthy children. The Savior set the pattern during His earthly ministry and encouraged those who followed Him to become His disciples. The following has been written about discipleship: The word disciple comes from the Latin [meaning] a learner. A disciple of Christ is one who is learning to be like Christ learning to think, to feel, and to act [like] he does. To be a true disciple, to fulfill that learning task, is the most demanding regimen known to man. No other discipline compares in either requirements or rewards. It involves the total transformation of a person from the state of the natural man to that of [a] saint, one who loves the Lord and serves with all of his heart, might, mind, and strength (Chauncey C. Riddle, Becoming a Disciple, Ensign, Sept. 1974, 81). The Savior instructed those that would follow Him about the essence of discipleship when He said: If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. And now for a man to take up his cross, is to deny himself of all ungodliness, and every worldly lust, and keep my commandments (Matt. 16:24, JST in footnote d). ( Discipleship, Ensign, Nov. 2000) Discipleship Requires Learning and Doing Neal A. Maxwell (1926-2004) Quorum of the Twelve Apostltes One mistake we can make during this mortal experience is to value knowledge apart from the other qualities to be developed in submissive discipleship. Knowledge discovery, its preservation, its perpetuation is very important. Yet, being knowledgeable while leaving undeveloped the virtues of love, mercy, meekness, and patience is not enough for full discipleship. Mere intellectual assent to a truth deprives us of the relevant, personal experiences that come from applying what we profess to believe.... Thus, while knowledge is clearly very important, standing alone it cannot save us. I worry sometimes that we get so busy discussing the doctrines in various Church classes that talking about them almost becomes a substitute for applying them. One cannot improve upon the sobering words of King Benjamin, who said, Now, if

you believe all these things see that ye do them (Mosiah 4:10). Such is still the test. Deeds, not words and becoming, not describing are dominant in true discipleship. Of necessity, of course, we are to teach and learn the doctrines. We would be spiritually stranded without them and, likewise, without the saving and exalting gospel ordinances, because in the ordinances thereof, the power of godliness is manifest. And without the ordinances thereof, and the authority of the priesthood, the power of godliness is not manifest unto men in the flesh (D&C 84:20 21). So it is that discipleship requires all of us to translate doctrines, covenants, ordinances, and teachings into improved personal behavior. Otherwise we may be doctrinally rich but end up developmentally poor.... Any serious disciple yearns to go home to Heavenly Father and to be welcomed there by Jesus. But the Prophet Joseph Smith declared we cannot go where They are unless we become more like Them in the principles and attributes and character They possess. ( Becoming a Disciple, Ensign, June 1996, 12-15) What is the Price of Discipleship? The cost of discipleship is well illustrated in the story of the rich, young, ruler. Closely read one of the following versions of this story and examine all that the Savior taught the rich, young, ruler, about becoming a disciple. What was he asked to do and why didn t he do it? Matt 19:16-26 Mark 10:17-27 Luke 18:18-27 The following is not required reading but these teachings are very-- James E. Faust (1920-2007) First Presidency The price of discipleship is obedience. In many languages, the word disciple has the same root as the word discipline. Self-discipline and self-control are consistent and permanent characteristics of the followers of Jesus. The disciples of Christ receive a call not only to forsake the pursuit of worldly things but also to carry the cross. To carry the cross means to follow His commandments and to build up His Church upon the earth. If any man will come after me, said Jesus of Nazareth, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me (Luke 9:23). And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple (Luke 14:27). True followers of the Savior should be prepared to lay down their lives, and some have been privileged to do so. Dietrich Bonhoeffer said, When Christ calls a man, He bids him to come and die. The Doctrine and Covenants counsels us: Let no man be afraid to lay down his life for my sake; for whoso layeth down his life for my sake shall find it again. And whoso is not willing to lay down his life for my sake is not my disciple (D&C 103:27 28). For most of us, however, what is required is not to die for the Church but to live for it. The price of discipleship may mean leaving behind many things. Some have learned how dear a price it is to leave loved ones in order to be baptized. Yet Jesus taught, Every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life (Matt. 19:29). Living a Christlike life every day may for many be even more difficult than laying down one s life. We learned during wartime that many men were capable of great acts of selflessness, heroism, and nobility with regard to life. But when the war was over and they came home, they could not bear up under the burdens of living the eternal every day and became enslaved by tobacco, alcohol, drugs, and debauchery that in the end caused them to forfeit their lives. The price of discipleship is to forsake evil transgression and enjoy what President Spencer W. Kimball has called the miracle of forgiveness.... Most of us think that the price of discipleship is too costly and too burdensome. For many it involves the giving up of too much. But the cross is not as heavy as it appears to be because we acquire through obedience a much greater strength to carry it: Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light (Matt. 11:28 30). What is the cost of discipleship? It is primarily obedience. It is the forsaking of many things. But since everything in life has a price, it is a price worth paying, considering that the great promise of the Savior is for peace in this life and eternal life in the life to come. It is a price we cannot afford not to pay. ( The Price of Discipleship, Ensign, Apr 1999) What is the Work of a Disciple? What is the work of the Lord, Jesus Christ? What is the work of a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ? His work is to assist Heavenly Father in fulfilling His eternal plan of bringing to pass the immortality and eternal life of man? In this capacity, the Savior taught that He was the servant of all. As His disciples, the twelve apostles, were getting ready for what turned out to be the Lord s last supper, there was also a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest,, something

that bothered the Savior very much. Please turn to the Gospel of Luke and read how the Lord kindly taught the twelve of their great role as His disciples Please read Luke 22:24-27. What did the Lord declare His role to be as a member of the Godhead? Please read D&C 50:26. What has the Lord said of all of us who have received the Gospel of Jesus Christ and have taken upon us the name of Jesus Christ? Consider the following statement made by President Henry B. Eyring of the First Presidency-- Henry B. Eyring First Presidency In every sacrament meeting, we have the privilege of promising Heavenly Father that we will always remember the Savior and keep His commandments so that we may have His Spirit to be with us (see Moroni 4:3; 5:2; D&C 20:77, 79). Remembering Him will always come to us naturally as we take His name upon us. We do so in many ways but especially when we serve others in His name, read His holy words, and pray to know what He would have us do. ( Becoming True Disciples, Ensign, Oct. 2017, ) As you have had experience in the Church to be taught about service, do you have a favorite scripture or quotation from a Church leader that you like or that motivates you in your role as a disciple-servant of Jesus Christ that you would like to share with the class? If so, please be ready to share it including the source of the quotation.