Meeting in Reverence Before the Lord
“And [Raphael] said unto them, in the temple of the Lord: Behold eight tasks shall I give unto thee, teach thy people to do these each in their proper order.” -Book of Remembrance 25:2
As we meet together as Saints, some have asked the proper way to organize services. The correct answer of course is, by the Spirit. That said, the Lord has given us instructions on this topic through Raphael, as he spoke to Adam and Eve. These instructions should be used in our home temples, in our Synagogues, Tabernacles, and Temples for personal and group worship. And these may be used by seekers, disciples, and ministers. They are given to the world to be received in the spirit.
Called of God
In the Latter Day Saint movement people of all walks of life are called of God as “apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, evangelists, and so forth” to help move individuals, congregations, churches, and the kingdom forward in Christ.
Lo Here, and Lo There
“I was answered that I must join none of them, for they were all wrong, and the personage who addressed me said that all their creeds were an abomination in His sight: that those professors were all corrupt; He said: They draw near to me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me; they teach for doctrines the commandments of men: having a form of godliness, but they deny the power thereof.” -Avahr 6:33-36
When Joseph Smith Jr. walked into the grove to pray, after reading James 1:5, he had a miraculous experience. We do not know exactly what occurred, but we do know that he had a revelation. The different versions of this vision or revelation may be studied in Appendix 1 of the Book of Avahr. The thing they all have in common is that he was told not to join any of the denominations he had explored. Why not? And does this revelation mean that all churches were evil? And if they were, are they still today?
Why We Worship Together as Saints
“And Moses made haste, and bowed his head toward the earth, and worshiped.” -Exodus 34:8
Speaking to a friend recently, I was told that while she saw much value in the Church of Jesus Christ in Christian Fellowship as a place for those seeking a spiritual home, rejected by the world and the worldly, she didn’t understand many of the things we allow for or do. She called our observance of the Holy Days as found in the Torah to be “moon worship,” and called the tallit, robes of the priesthood, etc, “silly costumes.” She didn’t understand why we needed to do much more beyond accepting one another. She saw worship, classes, services, and the rest, as something silly from a long ago and forgotten time.
Latter Day Sisterhood
The Sisterhood of Christ is doing more than give women a voice in the Lord’s Fellowship; it is extending the keys of the priesthood of God to any woman who feels called of God to do His works.
Statement of Inclusion
The Fellowship of Christ is a community of Christians worshipping God, loving all, and fostering a welcoming, safe space where all of God’s children can grow a personal relationship with their Creator
The Future of the Fellowship (Video)
“Is the Fellowship of Christ a church? a religious movement? an idea? or is it something else all together? Behold, O man, the will of your God: The Church of Jesus Christ in Christian Fellowship is all these and more, for it is the very Kingdom of God.” -Doctrines of the Saints 125:2-3
Fellowshipping as Saints (Video)
“God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.” -1 Corinthians 1:9
You are not alone! (Video)
God has a place for you!
You are Worthy of God’s Love
Note: This article was originally posted August 10, 2018
“God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.” -1 John 4:16b
Humanity seems to be searching for something. In general, people feel lost. As we accumulate more material wealth, it seems that the hole we are trying to fill just gets bigger. How do we fill this hole in our lives? These feelings of loss, of emptiness, of loneliness; they come from the depth of our souls.
Baptism as a Part of Rebirth
“Therefore, come and be baptized unto repentance, that ye may be washed from your sins, that ye may have faith on the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sins of the world, who is mighty to save and to cleanse from all unrighteousness.” -Alma 5:25 RAV, 7:14b RAV
When Nicodemus came to Jesus to learn about salvation, he was told he would need to be born again (John 3:1-8). Baptism is a Sacrament offered to those that have covenanted with God to be His people. When we were born again we were washed clean and made members of God’s one true Heavenly church through this covenant. When moved by the Holy Spirit, we will wish to be baptized as a symbol of this covenant, thus it is called the baptismal covenant. As above, so below; as below, so above.
The Wide and Narrow Paths
“Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” -Matthew 7:13-14 KJV
With our conversations on grace and works, and in mitzvah and the sacraments, there is likely still some confusion. As human beings we tend to separate then regroup things. Yet God asks us to bring things together (see John 17). And so many ask themselves, how can we rely fully on grace if we do good works? How can we do good works if we rely on grace? And most importantly, if the path is that narrow, how can we know if we are truly saved? The answers are simple: we receive what we receive, do what we do and know what we believe is true because we are on the path of teshuvah. We know because we know.