Being Perfect Eventually — Part 3

One member is examining the teachings of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints from a biblical perspective viewpoint when Mormonism is sponsored by Mormonism research ministry since 1979 Mormonism research ministry has been dedicated to equipping the body of Christ answers regarding the Christian faith in a manner that expresses gentleness and respect. And now, your host for today's viewpoint on Mormonism welcome to this edition viewpoint on Mormonism on your host, Bill McKeever, founder and director Mormonism research ministry with me today is Eric Johnson my colleague are more than apostle Jeffrey R.

Holland that the 187 semi annual Gen. conference on September 30, 2017 delivered a message titled, be ye therefore perfect eventually. Is that what Matthew 548 says I've never seen that word in Matthew 548 and come to think of it. Eric is many times as I've had Mormons try to pummel me with Matthew 548. I've never heard them use the word eventually when they are citing Matthew 548. To me, so where in the world is Jeffrey R.

Holland, getting this idea that somehow Matthew 548 be therefore perfect, which is where that phrase is found means that for a Latter Day Saints.

It's not something that's to be done now, but something that will be done eventually will let me just read to you. D&C 2515. If Jeffrey Holland was to edit this is what it would say keep my commandments. Eventually, and a crown of righteousness, thou shalt receive and accept thou do this eventually where I am, you cannot come in and get out.

I think you're right. I don't think any Mormon would want to read it that way.

I've never heard anymore, but do it that way. But why did Jeffrey Holland have to give a sermon like this in the past couple of broadcasts this week. We were citing various articles that have been found in the inside magazine that certainly show that a lot of Latter Day Saints are living with a huge burden of guilt. Wondering if they have done enough in order to receive the necessary forgiveness in order for exultation to be given to them as a reward for their faithfulness.

Many of these Latter Day Saints talk about the struggle they have in trying to accomplish with the church has placed on them as a requirement for exultation. In fact, Jeffrey Holland is going to talk about the very same thing in this message that he gave on September 30, 2017 though I was at that conference outside the conference center and we were doing our evangelism strategy of handing out the miracle of forgiveness by Spencer W.

Kimball the 12 present at the church that we handed out 47 copies of that during the two sessions the first two sessions on Saturday as we were handing those out. It was normal conversations with people and a lot of people don't like to look at us because they don't like that book. But we think it's a book that every Latter Day Saints ought to read because I think Spencer Kimball did a pretty good job of exegete eating the unique LDS passages found in the book of Mormon and the doctrine and covenants, and so I think every Mormon out to be familiar with that book because he does such a good job even though I disagree with what he saying, but after the morning session.

It was fascinating because in the next two hours we had several people come up to us and ask us if we had heard Jeffrey Holland's talk, be therefore perfect eventually will know we hadn't because we didn't listen to the conference and they said well this is what we really do believe and so what you're trying to give people one person told me is not accurate, it was accurate. This lady told me in 1969 but things have changed for the better and so Mormons don't have to feel guilt because as long as they are trying and doing their best. God doesn't intend perfection now. He intends it in the future and I asked her. I said will. Where do you get that idea from Jeffrey Holland because is not found. The standard work. She says it doesn't matter. Then I asked her the question will what happens in 30 years. When Jeffrey Holland is passed on and somebody else contradicts what Holland says and she says nobody is going to contradict what Holland says even though Holland contradicts what Spencer Kimball said we should mention that you talk about 1969 because that's when the book was written out.

Let's be serious folks do you really think that God's standards have changed since 1916. The hunting that is hard for me to believe, especially when you have a number of church manuals still citing the miracle of forgiveness you would counted over 60 references to the miracle of forgiveness in the manual teachings of Presidents of the church. Spencer W. Kimball in this one came out in 2006. To be specific, 69 times or 12% of all the citations in that manual, which was read by all Latter Day Saints a few years ago are from the miracle of forgiveness. In fact, the book the miracle of forgiveness sets in the church history Museum under the portrait of Spencer W. Kimball.

It still sits there today, so if this book had some kind of meaning. I'm not saying that Scripture but what he was teaching certainly seems to be what the Mormon Scriptures are teaching and I'm more interested to know what the standard work. Says rather than what an apostle says in a general conference which seems to be some way to appease the people that he's talking to and I think you're exactly right.

Spencer Kimball does seem to give a good attempt at properly explaining what Mormon verses are saying. For instance in the book of Mormon and the doctrine and covenants. I don't think Jeffrey Holland does a good job at that at all.

In fact, sometimes when I listen the hall and he is really sloppy. He doesn't even quote the verses correctly he kinda paraphrases them and then give them a meaning that he thinks it should have it. I would think.

Matthew 548. In this particular instance is a perfect example of that, because the word eventually is not found in Matthew 548.

But listen to what Spencer Kimball said this is cited in teachings of Presidents of the church. This is a vetted correlated manual put out by the LDS church that the Mormon people were supposed to study after this came out in 2006 on page 39.

He says there is one crucial test of repentance. This is a random meant of the sin providing that a person discontinues his sin with the right motives because of a growing consciousness of the gravity of the sin and a willingness to comply with the laws of the Lord. He is genuinely repenting. This criterion has been set by the Lord, by this you may know, if a man repented of his sins, behold, he will confess them and forsake them and forsake them is in italics, and of course he citing from D&C doctrine and covenants 5843. He goes on to say. In other words, it is not real repentance until one has abandoned the error of his way and started on a The saving power does not extend to him who merely wants to change his life. True repentance prods one to action. He says also in abandoning sin. One cannot merely wish for better conditions but yet Jeffrey Holland gives the impression in the sermon that your desire to change that. Your desire to want to do what is right is good enough and that you won't receive it in this life, but you will eventually in the next life let us play for you.

The first two paragraphs of Jeffrey Holland's message Scriptures were written to bless and encourage us and surely they do that we do. Thank heaven for every chapter and verse we've ever been given. But have you noticed that every now and then a passage will appear that reminds us were falling a little short. For example, the sermon on the Mount begins with soothing, beautiful, gentle Beatitudes within in the verses that follow. We are told, among other things, not only not to kill.

Also, not even to be angry were told not only not to commit adultery but also not even have impure thoughts to those who ask for it were to give our coat and then give our cloak also were to love our enemies, bless those who curse us and do good to them that hate us. If that's your morning scripture study and after reading just that far. You're pretty certain you're not going to get good marks on your gospel report card, then the final commandment in the chain is sure to finish the job be a therefore perfect, even as your father in heaven for with that concluding imperative we want to go back to bed and pull the covers over our head. Such celestial goals seem beyond our reach. Yet surely the Lord would never give us a commandment he knew we could not keep. Let's see where this quandary takes us that if you're familiar with your book of Mormon. You probably noticed that Jeffrey Holland is paraphrasing from first Nephi, 37 when he talks about.

Surely the Lord would never give us a commandment he knew we could not keep that there is a manual that the Mormon church put out called the life and teachings of Jesus and his apostles at the correlated manual that came out in 1979. This is what it says on page 57. Perfection is a word that causes different reactions. For many people.

Some people say perfection. Why that is impossible. Others say perfection.

I get discouraged just thinking about it yet with the Lord. Give us a commandment that was impossible for us to keep and when he gives a commandment doesn't he, as Nephi said prepare a way for us to accomplish what he commands the sermon on the Mount is the Lord's blueprint for perfection of the sermon. Elder Harold Bailey said Christ came not only into the world to make an atonement for the sins of mankind, but to set an example before the world of the standard of perfection of God's law and of obedience to the father in his sermon on the Mount, the master has given us somewhat of a revelation of his own character, which was perfect, or what might be said to be an autobiography every syllable, of which he had written down in deeds and in so doing has given us a blueprint for our own lives has given us a blueprint for our own lives. Now that particular portion sites Harold B. Lee, Carol Bailey was the 11th president of the Mormon church in a more recent manual that came out in the year 2000. It was Harold Beasley teachings of Presidents of the church, Harold B.

Lee on page 33.

It said any member of the church who was learning to live perfectly. Each of the laws that are in the kingdom is learning the way to become perfect. There is no member of this church who cannot live the law every law of the gospel perfectly. He seems to be accurate when you take a look at first Nephi, three, seven, and what it meant. The problem that I see with Jeffrey Holland sermon here is he is going to somehow undermine the statements that we have just read. Not only from the 11th president, Harold B.

Lee in a manual that came out in the year 2000 and also for manual that came out in 1979 that gives the Mormon the impression that according to first Nephi, 37 that God would never give you a commandment you can't keep with Jeffrey Holland in this message is going to give the impression that a Latter Day Saints shouldn't worry about that. We are not in our fallen state able to live every single commandment the law the Mosaic law was meant to illuminate our sin and show us our shortcomings. The only remedy for the law is the New Testament understanding of grace, which is unfortunately for the Mormons, something that Mormonism does not teach, and I don't think Jeffrey Holland in this message is going to sue them in that area of their pay. Thank you for listening you would like new information is research ministry. We encourage you to visit our website www.mrm.org you can request a free newsletter Mormonism research. We hope you will join us again as we look at another viewpoint is