Unconditional Love
“YHVH hath appeared of old unto me, saying: ‘Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with loving kindness have I drawn thee.'” -Jeremiah 31:3
What is love? Is there a difference between God’s love and mankind’s ideas of love? Does God ever stop loving us? There is an idea out in the world that God will only love us “if.” What must we do then to earn God’s love?
What is Sin?
“By the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” -Romans 3:20-23
We have been told to abandon sin, to forsake sin, and not to sin. But what is sin? What does it mean to sin? And once we know, how do we avoid it?
Gender Identity Terms
“Membership, ordinances, callings, and fellowship are open to all, regardless of race, gender orientation, sexual orientation, or marital status.” -Doctrines of the Saints 3c Article V
In the Fellowship of Christ, all Saints are welcome. One’s gender identity is how an individual feels in relation to their physical and spiritual being. In an effort of full inclusion, the following guide is offered to help the Saints express their gender in a way that show respect and confidence to one another in Jesus Christ. While we are attempting describe these terms to the best of our understanding and ability, this list will change and grow as our understanding grows.
Women in Fellowship
In the Fellowship of Christ, we envision the ideal relationship between men, women and all genders as one of equity, equality, and partnership.
A Spiritual Movement
If you are checking out the Church of Jesus Christ in Christian Fellowship (CJCCF, the Fellowship), you may have noticed a distinct difference in how we describes ourselves compared to other religious bodies. You might people say, “We are not really as church, we’re a movement,” or “You don’t have to leave your current congregation to fellowship with us.” For those new to this path, these statements can be puzzling. In a religious landscape often defined by exclusive membership and strict boundaries, the Fellowship offers a different vision. That vision is based on unity, universalism, and the spirit of ubuntu.
Love Thy LGBTQIA+ Neighbor
“Owe no man anything, but to love one another: for they that loveth another hath fulfilled the Law… Love worketh no ill to his neighbor: therefore love is the fulfilling of the Law.” -Romans 13:8, 10
God’s Law as defined by Paul here is pretty clear. It’s my opinion that anything that doesn’t support or falls outside of ‘love one another’ is fluff, extra. It is unfortunate that some Christians today seem to be unable to look past their own discomfort to attempt to understand why the concerns of the LGBTQIA+ might be applicable or relevant to the Church. Do people think LGBTQIA+ people feel love from institutional exclusion and extreme historical and ongoing persecution?
Testimony of the Plates of Brass
The following was originally posted September 24, 2023.
I discovered an electronic copy of the Plates of Brass near the end of 2022, and read it with cautious curiosity. At the time, it contained Sefer Moses 1 through 5, Sefer Melchizedek chapters 1 through 8, and the Visions and Parables of Zenos. I found it to contain a “heretical” combination of very compelling ideas that go against various dogmas that have enslaved humanity for a few thousand years. I also found much of the content to be packed with interesting symbolism that obviously needed to be unpacked at greater depth to truly understand the scope of its teachings. In short, I found the book to be “mysterious”. All my life, I have been taught to avoid getting lost in the mysteries, and instead focus on the simplicity of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. So naturally, I was hesitant to embrace the book.
The Gospel of Jesus Christ
‘Elder Pelatiah Brown, one of the wisest old heads we have among us… was hauled up for trial before the High Council. I did not like the old man being called up for erring in doctrine; it looks too much like the Methodists, and not like the Latter Day Saints. Methodists have creeds which a man must believe or be kicked out of their church. I want the liberty of thinking and believing as I please; it feels so good not to be trammeled.” Joseph Smith Jr. History, 1838–1856 pg. 1522
As a nondenominational movement, our focus is on the divinity of Jesus Christ as our personal Savior. We believe that God meets us where we are and, being infinite, reveals that divine nature to us, finite beings, in a way we can understand on a personal level. This means that each individual will define the nature of God in their own way. What unites us in the Fellowship of Christ is our love and discipleship in Jesus.
Breaking Fear through Faith
“Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.” Deuteronomy 31:6
One of the stories my mother use to share about me from my childhood is one of my fear of the dark. I was probably about 2 years of age and apparently did not like sleeping alone. One night I asked my mother to stay with me, as I did not want to be alone. She told me I was never alone, Jesus was always with me. I am told I responded with, “but I want someone with skin on them!”
Why the Book of Mormon is True
“And [God] gave him power from on high, by the means which were before prepared, to translate the Book of Mormon; which contains a record of a fallen people, and the fullness of the gospel of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles and to the Jews also; which was given by inspiration, and is confirmed to others by the ministering of angels, and is declared unto the world by them—proving to the world that the holy scriptures are true, and that God does inspire men and call them to his holy work in this age and generation, as well as in generations of old; thereby showing that he is the same God yesterday, today, and forever. Amen.” -Doctrines of the Saints 2a:8-11
All holy books have truth and wisdom in them; yet we do not accept all holy books as scripture the way we do the Bible and Book of Mormon. We claim the Book of Mormon is “true.” We say that the Gospel is “true.” But what does this mean? What is “truth?”
The Digital Age of Missionary Work
The task of the Christian today, as in the past, is to preach and teach the Gospel of Jesus Christ. However, the methods used today are different from those of the past, as the world has changed and the tools have also changed with it.
Christ and the Spirit of Ubuntu
The following was originally posted March 17, 2018
“And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one.” -John 17:22
The early Christians were different than what people see Christians as today. They were pacifists, they enjoyed communal living, and their focus was on love. One might say they embodied the spirit of ubuntu.