I belong to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
What is a 'saint'?
And how does a 'saint' live?
Elder Quentin L Cook said, "In the Lord’s Church, the members are Latter-day Saints, and they attempt to emulate the Savior, follow His teachings, and receive saving ordinances in order to live in the celestial kingdom with God the Father and our Savior Jesus Christ. (See 2 Ne. 9:18). The Savior said, “This is my gospel; and ye know the things that ye must do in my church; for the works which ye have seen me do that shall ye also do” (3 Ne. 27:21).
In the New Testament, the apostle Paul explains that a saint is someone that follows and emulates Jesus Christ. In Romans he teaches many attributes that should characterize the life of a 'saint.' This week in my New Testament religion class we are studying how to live as Paul taught.
SALVATION
1. Review Romans 13:11 and look for what is “nearer.”
Salvation - our salvation is nearer than we realize.
What is a 'saint'?
And how does a 'saint' live?
Elder Quentin L Cook said, "In the Lord’s Church, the members are Latter-day Saints, and they attempt to emulate the Savior, follow His teachings, and receive saving ordinances in order to live in the celestial kingdom with God the Father and our Savior Jesus Christ. (See 2 Ne. 9:18). The Savior said, “This is my gospel; and ye know the things that ye must do in my church; for the works which ye have seen me do that shall ye also do” (3 Ne. 27:21).
In the New Testament, the apostle Paul explains that a saint is someone that follows and emulates Jesus Christ. In Romans he teaches many attributes that should characterize the life of a 'saint.' This week in my New Testament religion class we are studying how to live as Paul taught.
SALVATION
1. Review Romans 13:11 and look for what is “nearer.”
Salvation - our salvation is nearer than we realize.
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| Ezekiel, in The Sistine Chapel, by Michelangelo |
Ezekiel 3:20 “Again, When a righteous man doth turn from his righteousness, and commit iniquity, and I lay a stumbling block before him, he shall die: because thou hast not given him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he hath done shall not be remembered; but his blood will I require at thine hand.”
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| The Prophet Ezekiel (close-up of a woodcut by Gustav Doré) |
Doctrine and Covenants 14:7 “And, if you keep my commandments and endure to the end you shall have eternal life, which gift is the greatest of all the gifts of God.”
Like Ezekiel, Paul taught that we each must keep the commandments all of our lives to obtain salvation, God’s gift to us. And we must not only be careful to be obedient to the commandments given to us by God (and to the prophets he provides to teach us his word), but we must also help others to understand God’s love and mercy, and warn them about the strictness by which the blessings of enduring happiness are obtained.
Jesus Christ, the only begotten son of God the Father, and as a man without sin, died as a sacrifice so that in spite of justice we may overcome our sins because of his grace. We must choose to help others, or be accountable to Him for not having accepted his invitation to help them as he has helped us.
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| He Is Not Here, Walter Rane |
PAUL'S COUNSEL
2. In Romans 12-13 Paul gave much counsel that leads to salvation. Read each of the following verses and list what Paul taught would help lead to salvation:
a. Romans 12:1 “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.”
At the end of chapter 11, Paul has expounded and praised the greatness and mercy of God in His blessings to His children—each of us—and testified of his power and glory. He now, starting chapter 12, pleads for each of us to let our bodies, symbolizing our mortal lives, become more holy and like our Father in Heaven. He ends his pleading by reminding us that because of the great goodness, gifts and blessings he has so carefully outlined for multiple chapters (and most of this epistle) that this is our “reasonable service,” our duty in other words.
Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught: “As our body is the instrument of our spirit, it is vital that we care for it as best we can. We should consecrate its powers to serve and further the work of Christ. Said Paul, ‘I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God’ (Romans 12:1)” (“Reflections on a Consecrated Life,”Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2010, 17).
b. Romans 12:2 “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”
BE TRANSFORMED
Paul continues his plea to become more holy—“transformed”—so we can prove the veracity of his teachings and further praise the “good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God.”
c. Romans 12:9 “Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.”
Dissimulation, our institute manual teaches (p. 357), means “without hypocrisy; it is ‘love unfeigned.’” D&C 121:41 teaches, “No power or influence can or ought to be maintained by virtue of the priesthood, only by persuasion, by long-suffering, by gentleness and meekness, and by love unfeigned.” Can we learn to love like this, without coercion and withholding; loving as our exemplar, Jesus Christ, loves?
d. Romans 12:13 “Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to
a. hospitality.
a. TG hospitality: See also Kindness; Neighbor
Hebrews 13:2 Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for
thereby some have entertained angels unawares.
1 Peter 4:9 Use hospitality one to another without grudging.
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| Jesus Washing the Apostles’ Feet, by Del Parson |
Paul gives a lengthy list, in these chapters, of ways we can live as saints. Being kind to others, “without grudging,” and showing a willingness to serve and help others (even strangers), follows the example of Jesus Christ to serve and help our fellow men.
BE KIND
e. Romans 12:16 “Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.”
Jesus taught us to be kind to all people, even those that do not always seem to deserve kindness. Thinking someone doesn’t deserve kindness is to judge that we think we are better in some way than they are. Paul warns us to remember to not think we are better or wiser than anyone else. We all rely on the atonement of Jesus Christ.
f. Romans 12:21 “Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.”
Salvation, overcoming the natural evils inherent in this mortal world, comes through continued diligence in following Christ’s example. We overcome evil, as Paul reminds us so succinctly, with good—every time we do “good,” as Jesus showed and taught, evil is diminished.
BE AT PEACE
g. Romans 13:1“Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.”
The New Testament Institute Student Manual (p. 357), teaches, “The Joseph Smith Translation of Romans 13:1–7 indicates that Paul’s statements in these verses apply to following not only civic authorities but also Church authorities. For example, in Joseph Smith Translation, Romans 13:1, the Prophet Joseph Smith added the words ‘in the church’: ‘There is no power in the church but of God.’ . . .
“By describing civil authorities as being 'ordained of God' and 'God’s ministers' (Romans 13:1, 6), Paul acknowledged that all who hold positions of power are accountable to God, and they hold power only to the extent that God allows (see John 19:11).”
The footnotes for this verse teach that the concept of being subject is translated from the Greek word meaning to be ‘submissive,’ or ‘render obedience, and refers us to Doctrine and Covenants 58:21-22, and further study in the Topical Guide for Citizenship; and Governments.
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Photograph by James Jeffery. Masada, the final stronghold and battle where the Jewish rebellion was crushed. "Less than a decade after Paul counseled the Saints to be subject to government authorities, Jews in Palestine revolted against Rome, resulting in the destruction of the temple of Jerusalem. The last zealot holdouts retreated to the mountaintop fortress of Masada (shown here) near the Dead Sea and were finally conquered by Roman forces in A.D. 73.
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We learn we should pray for those in authority, and while striving to effect positive change, should be at peace until “he reigns whose right it is to reign, and subdues all enemies under his feet.” Paul’s instructions to be subject to civil authority help saints in his day to live amidst the turmoil of foreign rule, and should remind saints now of the 12th Article of Faith, given for our day, “We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law.”
h. Romans 13:3 “For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same:”
As described above, in item g. we must remember that God is omniscient and allows those in power to hold their authority (New Testament Student Manual, p. 357). Meanwhile we can do good and follow the plan for happiness while we wait for Christ to reign.
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| The Second Coming, by Harry Anderson |
LOVE ONE ANOTHER
i. Romans 13:8 “Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.”
Christ’s teaching to “love one another” pervades almost all scripture. We find examples of it in Leviticus 19:18; Matthew 5:43; 19:19; 22:39; Mark 12:31; Luke 10:27; Galatians 5:14; James 2:8; Mosiah 23:15; 3 Nephi 12:43; and Doctrine and Covenants 59:6. Being kind to others, especially our own family members, is one of the fundamental ways Jesus taught and demonstrated as a way to obtain salvation.
j. Romans 13:9 “For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.”
Three of the 10 commandments, number 7, 8, 10 are specified in this verse from Paul’s teachings, and the others are referenced as belonging to the teachings of verse 8 to “love one another.” Clearly, every person has many ways to improve their ability to live as a saint.
CAUTION
3. Review Romans 14:1-13; 15:1-3. Then write answers to the following questions:
a. What cautions did Paul give about judging?
Paul cautions us to remember that all men are God’s children and are redeemed through the atonement of Jesus Christ, who is the only rightful judge.
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| Brotherhood, by Roger Loveless |
b. People may have different opinions and practices, but what is most important to remember?
Paul reminds us that whatever opinions and practices someone has that ultimately “we are the Lord’s” (Romans 14:8). Every person belongs to Christ because his blood has paid the price for their redemption from death.
AVOID DISTINCTIONS
c. What additional insight comes from reading Doctrine and Covenants 38:25-27?
25 And again I say unto you, let every man esteem his brother as himself.
26 For what man among you having twelve sons, and is no respecter of them, and they serve him obediently, and he saith unto the one: Be thou clothed in robes and sit thou here; and to the other: Be thou clothed in rags and sit thou there—and looketh upon his sons and saith I am just?
27 Behold, this I have given unto you as a parable, and it is even as I am. I say unto you, be one; and if ye are not one ye are not mine.
We are reminded once more that we are to love each other as Christ loved us, and not make distinctions of station and value, but to be united as one.
4. Review Romans 15:25-26, 31; 16:2, 15.
Write the term Paul frequently used to refer to members of the Church in his day.
Saints.
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