Friday, November 27, 2015

Obedience

Source


Commandments

Examples of commandments:
  • Live the Law of Chastity- Sexual purity in thought, word and action. Chastity includes strict abstinence from sexual relations before marriage and complete fidelity and loyalty to one's spouse after marriage.
  • Obey the Word of Wisdom- Law of health. Harmful substances, including alcohol, tobacco, tea, coffee, and illegal drugs, should not be used. 
  • Pay Tithing- We give one tenth of our increase, which is understood to mean income, to the Lord's church.
  • Keep the Sabbath Day Holy- Attend church, serve others, and strengthen family each Sunday. Avoid spending money or participating in commercial or sporting activities.
  • Be Baptized- Covenant (promise) to be willing to always remember Jesus Christ, take His name upon us, and keep His commandments.
Think about a commandment you struggle to keep during this lesson. Listen for the promptings of the Holy Ghost that will give you personal guidance as to why you should and how you can keep that commandment.

Why God Gives us Commandments
Q How does God give us commandments (where do commandments come from)? (Prophets, Holy Ghost)
Q Why does God give us commandments?

1. "There is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated—And when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated" (D&C 130:20-21).

2. "I give unto you [commandments], that you may understand my will concerning you; Or, in other words, I give unto you directions how you may act before me, that it may turn to you for your salvation. I, the Lord, am bound when ye do what I say; but when ye do not what I say, ye have no promise" (D&C 82:8-10).

3. "An axiom we all understand is that you get what you pay for. That is true for spiritual matters as well. You get what you pay for in obedience, in faith in Jesus Christ, in diligent application of the truths you learn. What you get is the molding of character, the growth in capacity, and the successful completion of your mortal purpose to be proven and to have joy" (Richard G. Scott, October 2010 General Conference).

4. "Wickedness never was happiness" (Alma 41:10)

5. "[My wife] learned in her youth... that we are free to choose but that we are not free to choose the consequences of our actions. [she said]: “When I was 15 years old, I often felt that there were too many rules and commandments. I wasn’t sure that a normal, fun-loving teenager could enjoy life with so many restrictions....

“This particular summer, one of my jobs was to ensure that the cows grazing on the mountain pasture did not break through the fence and get into the wheat field. A cow grazing on the growing wheat can bloat, causing suffocation and death. One cow in particular was always trying to stick her head through the fence. One morning, as I was riding my horse along the fence line checking on the cattle, I found that the cow had broken through the fence and gotten into the wheat field. To my dismay, I realized that she had been eating wheat for quite some time because she was already bloated and looked much like a balloon. I thought, ‘You stupid cow! That fence was there to protect you, yet you broke through it and you have eaten so much wheat that your life is in danger.’

“I raced back to the farmhouse to get my dad. However, when we returned, I found her lying dead on the ground. I was saddened by the loss of that cow. We had provided her with a beautiful mountain pasture to graze in and a fence to keep her away from the dangerous wheat, yet she foolishly broke through the fence and caused her own death.

“As I thought about the role of the fence, I realized that it was a protection, just as the commandments and my parents’ rules were a protection. The commandments and rules were for my own good. I realized that obedience to the commandments could save me from physical and spiritual death. That enlightenment was a pivotal point in my life.”

"[My wife] learned that our kind, wise, and loving Heavenly Father has given us commandments not to restrict us, as the adversary would have us believe, but to bless our lives and to protect our good name and our legacy for future generations—just as they had for Lehi and Nephi. Just like the cow that received the consequences of her choice, each one of us must learn that the grass is never greener on the other side of the fence—nor will it ever be, for “wickedness never was happiness.” Each one of us will receive the consequences of our choices when this life is over. The commandments are clear, they are protective—they are not restrictive—and the wonderful blessings of obedience are numberless!" (Mervyn B. Arnold, October 2010 General Conference).

Q How does obedience bring freedom? What are the consequences of disobedience?

Q How does satan try to deceive us about the consequences of disobedience?

"They speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh... While they promise... liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage" (2 Peter 2:18-19).

"Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth [plants], that shall he also reap [harvest]. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap" (Galatians 6:7-9).

Conditional Blessings of the Atonement of Jesus Christ: Forgiveness, salvation, exaltation, eternal families, hope, overcome weaknesses, godly character/divine attributes, self control, guidance, comfort, joy, peace, strength, healing, etc.

To receive the conditional blessings of the atonement, we must live the Gospel of Jesus Christ:
             ·         Faith- belief in, trust in, and commitment to obey Christ
          ·         Repent- submit will to Christ and change behavior to follow Him; seek forgiveness and a change of heart
          ·         Covenants- make/keep promises by priesthood authority to follow the example of Jesus Christ, such as baptism.
          ·         Holy Ghost- receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost, invite and follow His guidance
          ·         Endure to the end- consistently grow our faith, repent, keep our covenants, and receive the Holy Ghost

Q How does obedience help us to live the gospel and receive the blessings of the atonement of Jesus Christ? How have you been blessed for being obedient?

6. "Consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God.  For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness" (Mosiah 2:41).

7. "If ye keep my commandments, ye shall aide in my love" (John 15:10).

8. "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it" (Matthew 7:21, 24-27).

Q How has obeying God's commandments helped you during times of trail?

Q How has obeying God's commandments strengthened your family?

Q How can we grow our commitment to obey God?

We Can Obey without Understanding Why

9. "Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths" (Proverbs 3:5-6).

10. "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts" (Isaiah 55:8-9).

11. "Sometimes we try to [gain a testimony] backward. For example, we may take this approach: I will be happy to live the law of tithing, but first I need to know that it’s true. Maybe we even pray to gain a testimony of the law of tithing and hope the Lord will bless us with that testimony before we have ever filled out a tithing slip. It just doesn’t work that way. The Lord expects us to exercise faith. We have to consistently pay a full and honest tithe in order to gain a testimony of tithing. This same pattern applies to all the principles of the gospel, whether it is the law of chastity, the principle of modesty, the Word of Wisdom, or the law of the fast" (Bonnie L. Oscarson, October 2013 General Conference).

Q Why do we not always need to understand the Lord's purposes in order to be obedient? How has this blessed you?

No Commandment is too small

12. "Sometimes we may think a commandment is not very important. The scriptures tell of a man named Naaman who thought that way. Naaman had a dreadful disease and traveled from Syria to Israel to ask the prophet Elisha to heal him. Naaman was an important man in his own country, so he was offended when Elisha did not greet him in person but sent his servant instead. Naaman was even more offended when he received Elisha’s message: wash seven times in the river Jordan. “Are not [the] rivers of Damascus better than all the waters of Israel? may I not wash in them, and be clean?” he demanded. He went away in a rage. But his servants asked him: “If the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? how much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash, and be clean?” Naaman was wise enough to understand that it was important to obey the prophet of God, even if it seemed a small matter. So he washed in the Jordan and was healed (See 2 Kings 5:1–14.)" (Gospel Principles).

No Commandment is too big

13. "I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them" (1 Nephi 3:7).

We cannot be perfectly obedient all at once. However, as we are committed to obeying Him, Christ will increase our capacity to be obedient.

"And thus we see that the commandments of God must be fulfilled. And if it so be that the children of men keep the commandments of God he doth nourish them, and strengthen them, and provide means whereby they can accomplish the thing which he has commanded them" (1 Nephi 17:3).

Initiative

14. "For behold, it is not meet that I should command in all things; for he that is compelled in all things, the same is a slothful and not a wise servant; wherefore he receiveth no reward. Verily I say, men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness; For the power is in them, wherein they are agents unto themselves.  And inasmuch as men do good they shall in nowise lose their reward" (D&C 58:26-28).

Q Think about a commandment you are not keeping. What does the Lord want you to know about why you should keep it or how you can keep it? 


Please share your testimony of the principles covered in this lesson or share a favorite scripture or quote that wasn't included.

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