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Galatians 4

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Galatians 4: Heirs of Christ

                Paul opens by explaining how a servant cannot inherit anything of their lord. However, because of the Abrahamic Covenant we all become adopted under the seed of Abraham. God sent His Son, so that we may be redeemed, for we “…were in bondage under the elements of the world:” (Galatians 4:3) Therefore Paul asks the Galatians; “…how turn ye again to the weak and beggearly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?” (Galatians 4:9) The reason Paul asks this is because he clearly points out that all those adopted under the Abrahamic Covenant are “…no more a servant, but a son… [and] heir of God through Christ.” (Galatians 4:7)

                If we turn away from the worldly things and instead turn to Christ we can be made free from the misery of the world. We learn from Alma, a Book of Mormon Prophet who lived in Ancient America, that “…wickedness never was happiness.” (Alma 41:10; The Book of Mormon) Therefore those who choose to follow God and His commandments will be made free from the bondage of the evil that oppresses the earth.

Paul urges the Galatians to be like him and follow his example, as he follows the example of Christ. Paul then explains how Abraham had two sons, one was born of a bondwoman and the other was born of a freewoman. Ishmael was born of the flesh and unto a bondwoman, which represents the old covenant. Isaac was born of the spirit and unto a freewoman, which represents the new covenant. Those who do not follow the spirit, but rather follow the flesh shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

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John 13

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John 13: Washing of the Feet

                After Supper was over; Jesus, knowing that His hour had come and that He would soon go down to take upon Himself the Sins of the World and knowing that Judas would betray Him. He put aside His garments and girded a towel around Himself and began to wash the feet of His Apostles. As Jesus was washing the feet of the Apostles, Simon Peter asks Jesus; “…Lord, dost thou wash my feet?” (John 13:6) Peter was shocked that Jesus would do such a thing, seeing that He was the Son of God! Jesus tells Peter; “…What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter.” (John 13:7) Peter is shocked that someone like Jesus would be washing his feet! After all, he felt like he was nothing in the sight of Jesus, he tells Him; “…Thou shalt never wash my feet…” (John 13:8). But Peter forgot the importance of the work of the Lord, just because Jesus was the Son of God, did not mean He couldn’t serve His Apostles. Jesus responds; “…If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.” (John 13:8) Upon hearing this statement, Peter asks God to wash also his hands and head. Jesus explains that he did not need further washing, for he was clean. However, Jesus points out that not ALL of the Apostles were clean.

After washing the feet of all the Apostles, including Judas Iscariot (who would soon betray Jesus), Jesus teaches them; “Ye call me Master and Lord and ye say well; for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you… I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him.” (John 13:13-16) Jesus taught that we should LOVE one another, and treat each other with kindness and respect. We should never take on a role of superiority that puts down others. Leaders, lead best when those they are leading are their equals. We need to follow the example of the Lord, and do as He would do.

Upon addressing the Apostles, He boldly proclaims; “…one of you shall betray me.” (John 13:21) The Apostles immediately started to question one another and themselves, they all asked who it was, Jesus responded; “…He it is, to whom I shall give a sop [morsel or mouthful], when I have dipped it…” (John 13:26), immediately Jesus dipped the morsel and gave it to Judas and said to him; “…That thou doest, do quickly.” (John 13:27) Upon receiving this, Satan entered into Judas and he immediately left. Some of the Apostle wondered why he left, but thought that maybe Jesus had commanded him to buy things for the feast.

After Judas had left, Jesus turned to the remaining Apostles and said; “…Now is the Son of man glorified, and God is glorified in him. If God be glorified in him, God shall also glorify him. Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek me: and as I said unto the Jews, Whither I go, ye cannot come; so now I say to you. A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” (John 13:31-35)

Peter asks Jesus why he cannot go with Him, and Jesus explains that he wouldn’t lay his life down for Him. He tells Peter that before the cock crows, he will deny him three times.

Hosea 3-4

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Hosea 3-4

Scripture Thought (What I Learned):

The general theme of these two chapters seems to be; follow the Lord and be blessed OR Don’t follow the Lord and be cursed! “…I will punish them for their ways, and reward them for their doings.” (Hosea 4:9)

Essentially we need to understand that there is good and evil, right and wrong, righteous and un-righteous. We will NOT be saved by faith alone, but also by our good works! Jesus Christ died for our sins, this is a fact. But it doesn’t mean that we get a free pass back to our Heavenly Father. Jesus Christ simply opened the door to salvation for us, through the shedding of His blood. He atoned for our sins, because we were incapable of paying the price of Salvation alone! The door is open, and that is FREE. We have to choose for ourselves whether or not we want make the appropriate decisions to make it to that doorway and then finally pass through. This part of the journey through life is OUR doing, we have power and control over our own lives to make it to and pass through that doorway. This is where our good works help us to make it there and then through Jesus Christ he grants us the ability to be saved.

Chapter 3: Israel shall seek God

The Lord commands Hosea to go back and love Gomer. Hosea buys Gomer with fifteen pieces of silver, and one and a half a homer of barley. The children of Israel will be deprived of their sacrifices and without their king, but then return to seek the Lord. Essentially the message here is that we can be deprived of the Lord in our own lives, but we need to return to Him. If we do return to the Lord we will be blessed in the Last Days.

Chapter 4: Israel loves all truth

Israel loses all truth, mercy and the knowledge of God. “…because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the Land.” (Hosea 4:1) The people of Israel have rejected knowledge and have forgotten the law of God; “…because thou hast rejected knowledge… seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.” (Hosea 4:6. People of ancient Israel and the people of the last days and through all generations have forgotten the Lord and have gone away from His word. Why? Because they pass through periods known as Apostasy. Apostasy occurs when people forget, pervert or change the ways of God, His commandments and teachings!

In the last days the Lord has revealed new WORD, known simply as the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ! When presented the New Testament, the Old Testament does not lose favor or position in our eyes, both Old and New Testaments compliment each other, so does the Book of Mormon compliment the Bible.  Because of the evil in Israel… the land will mourn, and all who dwell there shall waste away. The priests are corrupt and ineffective. The Lord condemns idolatry and harlotry.  Israel is compared to a stubborn calf, which will be left to forage in open country. So will we be left in the last days if we do not accept his teachings and follow his commandments.

Deuteronomy 17-18

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Deuteronomy 17-18

Chapter 17: Laws of God

God warns about sacrificing animals that are not perfect or are found to have blemishes or evil. He also warns about worshiping false gods. Anyone who does worship false gods shall be stoned to death.

Any time a case is difficult to be easily judged, the people shall take it before the priests to decide the sentence of the wrongdoer.

Chapter 18: A Prophet Will Arise

The Lord explains why the tribe of Levi shall not receive the same inheritance as the rest of the tribes of Israel. The reason for this, is that the tribe of Levi will receive the Lord as their inheritance, they have been chosen by him to minister for his people. They are sustained by the people and must abide by all of the commandments, just like the rest of the tribes of Israel.

God speaks of a prophet that will arise like Moses. This prophet is a prophecy of Jesus. See verses 9-18. The Lord says that he will put words in his mouth, and that just like Moses and future prophets the people of the Lord should hearken unto the voice of the prophet, because the prophet is the mouth piece of the Lord.

So here is a question which the Lord knew the Israelites would ask; “…How shall we know the word which the Lord hath spoken?” (Deuteronomy 18:21) and the Lord responds by saying;

“When a prophet speaketh in the name of the Lord, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that the thing which the Lord hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him” (Deuteronomy 18:22)

                So what does that mean? I take it like this… A prophet is only a prophet when he is speaking as one. A prophet is just another person, only he is called of God to be his mouth piece. So that means that he has times when he speaks as himself (with his own personality and everything) and then there are times when he speaks as a prophet, with the power and authority of God. We need to understand the two differences, and know when something said is actually “word of God” vs “the words of man”. Not to discredit what prophets of old and modern prophets say. But we must understand that they are only the mouth piece of God.