Gospel Essentials class notes December 16 2000

(See Also Paper on Ten Facts about Jesus Church)

Prayers For:

Spirit
President-Elect Bush (FYI has not touched a drop of alcohol in 13 years, first ‘act’ as president elect was to have/attend a prayer service on the nation’s behalf).
Souls who don’t know Christ—that we may be effective

Announcement: As we finish Book of Mormon Study in coming weeks, will transition into outreach material—Bible study in sharing the Gospel according to ‘The Call at Evening.’

Tangible Book of Mormon evidence: “Mysteries from Forgotten worlds” Has accounts of many sunken cities off the coasts of the Americas—one structure found off Bahamas, exactly matches temple found in Yucatan peninsula (“Temple of the Turtles”). What does this suggest?:

1. Obviously, must have been land at one time, perhaps much of the Gulf areas were above sea level.

2. People who lived in Mexico must have lived at same time as people in (now) undersea city.

3. People must have communicated, or been the same group of people.

Last week looked at baptism. Was occurring up to Christ—rebaptized because ‘I make all things new.’

(mention that the discussion after class raised question whether people living & dieing under Mosiac times would be rebaptized during millennium. No, because the law we are judged by is the law that was present during the time we lived.)

(3 N 5:1 Why was great multitude gathered together around temple in Bountiful? Passover and feast of unleavened bread required the gathering of males.

Deuteronomy 16:16 Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before the Lord thy God in the place which he shall choose; in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles; and they shall not appear before the Lord empty;

Since Passover had been a couple days ago, the time was now feast of Unleavened Bread! All males to appear. Sacrifices are done away. Lord shows that this is the way to remember Him, the sacrifice.

Deuteronomy 16
Intro Of feasts -- Every male must offer -- Of judges and justice -- Groves and images forbidden.
1 Observe the month of Abib, and keep the passover unto the Lord thy God; for in the month of Abib the Lord thy God brought thee forth out of Egypt by night.
2 Thou shalt therefore sacrifice the passover unto the Lord thy God, of the flock and the herd, in the place where the Lord shall choose to place his name there.
3 Thou shalt eat no leavened bread with it; seven days shalt thou eat unleavened bread therewith, even the bread of affliction; for thou camest forth out of the land of Egypt in haste; that thou mayest remember the day when thou camest forth out of the land of Egypt all the days of thy life.

People would have been gathered to the temple in accordance with the commandment. The males were to carry it out, although the multitudes were present. (3 N 9:1—all men took their wives and children home).

Above is another big historical proof of the truth.

What is worthiness?

Speaks to the Nephites about how to administer this in the future to those who are worthy.

To partake of communion:

Baptized by water and the Holy Ghost. Both were true of the people at first communion in 3 N 8:28-40. Had been baptized in 3 N 3, and circling of fire is representative of the Holy Ghost.

God’s church is the one who has authority to bestow the Holy Ghost.

3 N 8:40 do this among those who repent and are baptized in My name

Who is ‘The Church?’

Mosiah 9:49 And they were called the church of God, or the church of Christ, from that time forward. ('The Church' was used before Jesus' time, to designate those who had been repentant and baptized).

Mosiah 11:103 And it came to pass that whosoever were desirous to take upon them the name of Christ, or of God, they did join the churches of God; and they were called the people of God.

Mosiah 11:129 For behold, this is my church: whosoever is baptized, shall be baptized unto repentance.

3 Nephi 13:36 And they were converted unto the Lord, and were united unto the church of Christ, and thus the people of that generation were blessed, according to the word of Jesus.

3 Nephi 8:48 And as I have prayed among you, even so shall ye pray in my church, among my people who do repent and are baptized in my name.

3 Nephi 12:13 And they who were baptized in the name of Jesus, were called the church of Christ.

Moroni 6:4 And after they had been received in baptism, and were wrought upon and cleansed by the power of the Holy Ghost, they were numbered among the people of the church of Christ,

3 Nephi 12:22 And if it so be that the church is built upon my gospel, then will the Father shew forth his own works in it;

(The Church are people who have repented, been baptized, received the Holy Ghost and are built upon Jesus' gospel.)

If these then, are the church, who is eligible to partake of communion?

Moroni 6:6 And the church did met together oft, to fast and to pray, and to speak one with another concerning the welfare of their souls: and they did meet together oft to partake of bread and wine, in remembrance of the Lord Jesus;

Can we receive the blessings spoken by Jesus without baptism and repentance?

3 Nephi 5:39 And again I say unto you, Ye must repent, and become as a little child, and be baptized in my name, or ye can in no wise receive these things.

What then, defined ‘worthiness’ to receive the sacrament?

3 Nephi 8:60 And now behold, this is the commandment which I give unto you, that ye shall not suffer any one knowingly, to partake of my flesh and blood unworthily, when ye shall minister it, for whoso eateth and drinketh my flesh and blood unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to his soul;

3 Nephi 8:61 Therefore if ye know that a man is unworthy to eat and drink of my flesh and blood, ye shall forbid him; nevertheless ye shall not cast him out from among you, but ye shall minister unto him, and shall pray for him unto the Father, in my name,

3 Nephi 8:62 And if it so be that he repenteth, and is baptized in my name, then shall ye receive him, and shall minister unto him of my flesh and blood;

Does only the Book of Mormon teach this regarding worthiness?

I Corinthians 11:27 Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.

I Corinthians 11:29 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh condemnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.

What then, was the cause of the church’s demise, as spoken hundreds of years later?

4 Nephi 1:29 And it came to pass that when two hundred and ten years had passed away, there were many churches in the land; yea, there were many churches which professed to know the Christ, and yet they did deny the more part of his gospel, insomuch that they did receive all manner of wickedness, and did administer that which was sacred unto him to whom it had been forbidden, because of unworthiness. (i.e. no repentance and no baptism).

Mosiah 11:166 For the Lord hath said, This is my church, and I will establish it; and nothing shall overthrow it, save it is the transgression of my people.

More on worthiness

Mormon 4:95 See that ye are not baptized unworthily; see that ye partake not of the sacrament of Christ unworthily; but see that ye do all things in worthiness, and do it in the name of Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God: and if ye do this, and endure to the end, ye will in no wise be cast out.

Moroni 6:2 Behold, elders, priests, and teachers were baptized; and they were not baptized, save they brought forth fruit meet that they were worthy of it; neither did they receive any unto baptism, save they came forth with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, and witnessed unto the church that they truly repented of all their sins.

What are the promises spoken by Jesus to those who repent?

3 Nephi 10:31 And whosoever will hearken unto my words, and repenteth, and is baptized, the same shall be saved.

3 Nephi 12:29 And it shall come to pass, that whoso repenteth and is baptized in my name, shall be filled; and if he endureth to the end, behold, him will I hold guiltless before my Father, at that day when I shall stand to judge the world.

3 Nephi 12:33 Now this is the commandment, Repent, all ye ends of the earth, and come unto me and be baptized in my name, that ye may be sanctified by the reception of the Holy Ghost, that ye may stand spotless before me at the last day.