All Things in Common

After Jesus Christ visits the Nephites & the Lamanites in the Americas, after rising Himself from the dead, we read in the Book of Mormon that (4 Nephi 1:3): And they had all things common among them; therefore there were not rich and poor, bond and free, but they were all made free, and partakers of the heavenly gift. In other words, everyone was still studying and choosing a job and becoming a professional or artisan or laborer, but what they did with their “increase” was to live the Law of Consecration! In other words, there were no poor among them, but all shared and shared alike! When there are poor among us, in some ways, they are not free... not free to make all the choices they would make if they weren’t poor, like, whether or not to go to school, whether or not to buy that (and how large of a car/house to buy), what sort of clothes to wear, how many children to have, who to be friends with, what neighborhood to live in, how much to pay in tithing&offerings, and how much to give back to the bishop in consecration... Wealth inherently creates distinctions, leading to disparities in opportunity, lifestyle, power, and social class, which can drive people apart. Pride is created and add pride to any disparity, distinction, lifestyle, social class, or distinction of power and you have enmity between those two people or between man and god. Righteousness is the great leveler and money is the ultimate separator! Think of it, becaise we soom will be living it! JPS

Teachable & Moldable

In the sermon on the mount amd the sermon at the temple (in the Book of Mormon), we read bascally the exact same sermon of Jesus Christ. In those verses, we read about the qualifications for those that will inherit the Celestial Kingdom and that all those that inherit the Celestial Kingdom will & must be meek! Everyone who doesn’t or can’t inherit the Earth, must not be reachable/penitent (to repent is to change and those who change must be reachable), as they won’t bow before God or be baptized. Therefore, only those who are baptized will inherit the Celestial Kingdom and therefore, only the meek will inherit the Earth (Celestialized!)! JPS

Are we our own judges?

The Book of Alma, chapter 40, verse seven, says: These are they that are redeemed of the Lord; yea, these are they that are taken out, that are delivered from that endless night of darkness; and thus they stand or fall; for behold, they are their own judges, whether to do good or do evil. And, It looks, like, from this verse, that the only souls who are going to be their own judges are going to be those who have chosen righteousness--those who choose wickedness are consigned to torment and have no part in their own judgment; they are consigned to a judgment that is chosen for them—only Celestial Bodies judge themselves... So, you're your own judge, and you're righteous, so you have the mind of Christ, so who is going to be your judge? Christ--"Christ in se" or Christ's judgement coming through you... Whosoever is righteous can walk wherever they want WITHIN the path and be saved (see vs 8)... some choose to walk on the path of exaltation, others won't, but walking on the path will take you to the Celestial Kingdom! Once you're in the Celestial Kingdom and have been resurrected with a Celestial Body, then, except for an exalted body, couldn't you choose a different path? Remember, though, that there is no marrying after the resurrection… JPS