Moroni 7:12–20 The Light of Christ helps me know truth from error.
READ Moroni 7:12-13
“12 Wherefore, all things which are good
cometh of God; and that which is evil cometh of the devil; for the devil is an
enemy unto God, and fighteth against him continually, and inviteth and enticeth
to sin, and to do that which is evil continually.13 But behold, that which is
of God inviteth and enticeth to do good continually; wherefore, every thing
which inviteth and enticeth to do good, and to love God, and to serve him, is
inspired of God.
??? How do we know truth from error?
[God thinks in
terms of long-term eternal outcomes.]
READ Moroni 7:16 (up to the semicolon)
“16 For behold, the Spirit of Christ is
given to every man, that he may know good from evil;” ...
??? What are other ways to describe The Spirit of Christ?
[Light of Christ,
conscience, knowing right from wrong ...)
??? Everyone is given the Spirit of Christ, how is it
that some people don’t seem to have a conscience?
Object
lesson – Three-legged magazine holder
??? What happens if one leg is broken off?
??? How does a 3-legged magazine holder relate to faith,
hope, and charity?
We talked about faith and hope two weeks ago. Today we
will continue to discuss faith, hope and add charity.
Listen to Elder Massimo De Feo’s message
“Pure Love: The True Sign of Every True Disciple of Jesus Christ”
Moroni
7:20–48, Because of
Jesus Christ, I can “lay hold upon every good thing.” and Charity is the pure love of Christ”
READ Moroni 7:20
“20 And now, my brethren, how is it
possible that ye can lay hold upon every good thing? 21 And now I come to that
faith, of which I said I would speak; and I will tell you the way whereby ye
may lay hold on every good thing.”
ASK
class members to look up the following verses and indicate how the verse(s) you
read teaches us how to “lay hold on every good thing.”
Moroni 7:25 “25
Wherefore, by the ministering of angels, and by every word which proceeded
forth out of the mouth of God, men began to exercise faith in Christ; and thus
by faith, they did lay hold upon every good thing; and thus it was until the
coming of Christ.”
Moroni 7:26 “26
And after that he came men also were saved by faith in his name; and by faith,
they become the sons of God. And as surely as Christ liveth he spake these
words unto our fathers, saying: Whatsoever thing ye shall ask the Father in my
name, which is good, in faith believing that ye shall receive, behold, it shall
be done unto you.”
???
What if we ask for a good and righteous thing and don’t get the answer we want?
Moroni 7:28 “28 For he hath answered the
ends of the law, and he claimeth all those who have faith in him; and they who
have faith in him will cleave unto every good thing; wherefore he advocateth
the cause of the children of men; and he dwelleth eternally in the heavens.”
Moroni 7:33 “33 And Christ hath said: If
ye will have faith in me ye shall have power to do whatsoever thing is
expedient in me.”
Moroni 7:34 “34 And he hath said: Repent
all ye ends of the earth, and come unto me, and be baptized in my name, and
have faith in me, that ye may be saved.”
Moroni 7:36 “36 Or have angels ceased to
appear unto the children of men? Or has he withheld the power of the Holy Ghost
from them? Or will he, so long as time shall last, or the earth shall stand, or
there shall be one man upon the face thereof to be saved?”
Moroni 7:40-42 “40
And again, my beloved brethren, I would speak unto you concerning hope. How is
it that ye can attain unto faith, save ye shall have hope? 41 And what is it that ye shall hope for?
Behold I say unto you that ye shall have hope through the atonement of Christ
and the power of his resurrection, to be raised unto life eternal, and this
because of your faith in him according to the promise. 42 Wherefore, if a man
have faith he must needs have hope; for without faith there cannot be any
hope.”
Moroni 7:44 “44 If so, his faith and hope
is vain, for none is acceptable before God, save the meek and lowly in heart;
and if a man be meek and lowly in heart, and confesses by the power of the Holy
Ghost that Jesus is the Christ, he must needs have charity; for if he have not
charity he is nothing; wherefore he must needs have charity.”
Moroni 7:45 “45 And charity suffereth
long, and is kind, and envieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own,
is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity but
rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all
things, endureth all things.”
Moroni 7:47 “47 But charity is the pure
love of Christ, and it endureth forever; and whoso is found possessed of it at
the last day, it shall be well with him.”
Moroni 7:48 “48 Wherefore, my beloved
brethren, pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be
filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers
of his Son, Jesus Christ; that ye may become the sons of God; that when he
shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we may
have this hope; that we may be purified even as he is pure. Amen.”
Handout # 1 – Ask a class member to read a
quote by President Dallin H. Oaks.
President Dallin H. Oaks observed: “The
reason charity never fails and the reason charity is greater than even the most
significant acts of goodness … is that charity, ‘the pure love of Christ’
[Moroni 7:47], is not an act but a condition or state of being. … Charity is
something one becomes” (“The Challenge to Become,” Ensign, Nov. 2000, 34).
??? How do we develop charity in our own
character? (Discuss)
The Need
for a Church – Some
Latter-day Saints are stepping back from the Church.
READ Ephesians 2:19-21
“19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers
and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of
God; 20 And are built upon the foundation of
the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner
stone; 21 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an
holy temple in the Lord.”
READ Ephesians 4:11-15
“11 And he gave some, apostles; and some,
prophets; and some, evangelists (patriarch); and some, pastors (bishops) and
teachers; 12 For the perfecting of the saints, for
the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 13 Till we
all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God,
unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about
with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness,
whereby they lie in wait to deceive; 15 But speaking the truth in love, may
grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ.”
??? According to these scriptures, what should the
organization of the Church of Jesus Christ be like?
??? How long should the Church of Jesus Christ last?
??? Are we there
yet?
??? What benefits does Paul suggest for having a Church?
READ D&C 115:4
“4 For thus shall my church be called in
the last days, even The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.”
??? Why is this the name of the Church?
??? In your mind what are the essential doctrines of the
Church?
??? What is the difference between doctrine and policy?
??? What blessings have you realized by being a member of
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints?
[Community,
essential ordinance for the living and the dead, opportunities for
service, knowing God’s will from living
prophets, etc.]