“Chasing Darkness Away!” GET TO THE POINT™ Come Follow Me: D&C 49-50

Get a copy of my book: https://www.amazon.com/Consider-Servant-Kendal-Brian-Hunter/dp/1555177522

Cedar Fort Affiliate Link: https://www.cedarfort.com?sca_ref=8708076.JbqjgSURggaFb

(I get commissions. Thank you for support!)

Opening Hymn:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BT-5M_grTcU

         Intro
i. You're looking good today and it feels good to be with you.
II. Theme: "Chasing Darkness Away!"
III. Sister I minister to, at her funeral, one daughter said that she would occasionally ask, "So what did you learn in Church today that wasn't true?"
IV. Point I 49
i. Background
1. Old and news heading, good life-skill of tightening text
2. Revelations in context, Leman Copley member of Shakers, left and joined our faith, then relapsed
3. Joseph Smith got revelation for members of another faith. Prophet to RC, Eastern Orthodox, Southern Baptist Convention, Dali Lama
4. This clashes with two ideas, and a phantom third
a. Egalitarianism. Universalism, universal reconciliation everyone eventually be saved. Order of Nehor
b. Agnostic.
i. "I won't worry about things, live a good life, and let God sort it out"
ii. JEF Nov 1995. "We please the devil if we argue that all roads lead to heaven and therefore it does not matter which road we take, for we will all end up in God’s presence. And we also please the devil if we contend that since we are all God’s children, it makes no difference to which church a person belongs, for we are all working for the same place."
iii. Denial about God has spoken.
iv. Avoiding moral issues
v. Strain of denialism.
c. Soft ecumenism. Changing things to get along with other faiths.
5. This is an anti-articles of faith, what we don't believe.
ii. Part one:
1. Don't mess with the message.
a. preach my gospel which ye have received, even as ye have received it, unto the Shakers.
b. Leman shall be ordained unto this work, that he may reason with them, not according to that which he has received of them, but according to that which shall be taught him by you my servants; and by so doing I will bless him, otherwise he shall not prosper. 49:4
c. Teach our message "as received" nor incorporate ideas from church you left. You left for a reason. Don't preach their message back to them
d. Dangers of converts
i. TPJS, 242 "it is often the case that young members of this Church for want of better information, carry along with them their old notions of things, and sometimes fall into egregious errors. We have lately had some information concerning a few members that are in this dilemma, and for their information make a few remarks upon the subject."
ii. Account of Meetings, Revelation, and Blessing, 5-6 December 1834 JS History, 1834-1846, pp. 17-20
1. https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/account-of-meetings-revelation-and-blessing-5-6-december-1834/1#full-transcript
2. Many, on hearing the fullness of the gospel, embraced it with eagerness; yet, at the same time were unwilling to forego their former opinions and notions relative to church government, and the rules and habits proper for the good order, harmony, peace, and beauty of a people destined, with the protecting care of the Lord, to be an example and light of the world. They did not despise government; but there was a dis position to organize that government according to their own notions, or feelings.
iii. danger of "Christian cousins"
2. Christ
3. Atonement
4. Second Coming
5. Gospel principles
6. Covenant
iii. Part two: Specific doctrines
1. Baptism
2. Marriage
a. One wife and procreation
b. Purpose of earth is procreation
3. Eating meat
4. Possessions/inequality
5. Christ
a. Not a woman
i. Irvingites: "The church was organized by women, and God placed in the Church (first apostles, secondarily prophets,) and not first women; but Mr. Irving placed in his church first women (secondarily apostles,) and the church was founded and organized by them. A woman has no right to found or organize a church-God never sent them to do it. " TPJS, 212
ii. Misplaced egalitarianism
iii. Ordain vs set apart.
b. Not a grey pilgrim
6. Second coming
iv. Part three specific counsel
V. Point II D&C 50
i. Introduction:
1. First learned about this section in MTC, what I learned was worth the time an expense. Laid foundation for frequent visit and revisits. BYU professor who I do not remember.
2. Title "Words of wisdom"
3. Problem is evil spirits. How many teacher development lessons or talks have ever brought this up: Ouija board territory? Acts 16.
ii. Part 1: Evils in church
1. evil spirits
2. abominations (false idols)
3. deceivers and hypocrites
4. "there are so many fools in the world for the devil to operate upon, it gives him the advantage oftentimes. " TPJS 330
iii. Part 2: Charge to Teachers
1. How Lord Reasons with us, place of reason
2. Wherefore, I the Lord ask you this question—unto what were ye ordained? To preach my gospel by the Spirit, even the Comforter which was sent forth to teach the truth.
a. But received false spirits
b. 2 Nephi 28, false doctrine of other church, own learning, churches unto themselves
3. how to teach
a. HG teaches
b. Preach "word of truth" by comforter
c. Hear "word of truth" by comforter
d. Both rejoice
i. Edified
ii. Grows brighter
iii. Chase darkness from you
e. BRM Teacher’s Divine Commission: "if you teach the word of truth-now note, you are saying what is true, everything you say is accurate and right-by some other way than the Spirit, it is not of God."
iv. How to detect and cast out false spirit. D&C 129.
v. Assignments
VI. Point III Comment on teaching
i. The Truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.
1. "the truth in part, but not all, for they are not right before me and must needs repent."49:2
a. Gospel hobby horses, pet doctrine, speculation. opining.
b. Socializing aspects of doctrine of Christ
2. Want warm fuzzies, no hard sayings; all grace, no truth; all mercy, no justice. Put community first, soft and soggy sermons: tear-jerking with no crucifying spikes and no agony in Gethsemane.
3. Softening hard doctrine
a. JEF
i. I wonder how much we offend Satan if the proclamation of our faith is limited only to the great humanitarian work this church does throughout the world, marvelous as these activities are. When we preach the gospel of social justice, no doubt the devil is not troubled. But I believe the devil is terribly offended when we boldly declare by personal testimony that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God and that he saw the Father and the Son; when we preach that the Book of Mormon is another witness for Christ; when we declare that there has been a restoration of the fullness of the gospel in its simplicity and power in order to fulfill the great plan of happiness.
ii. We challenge the powers of darkness when we speak of the perfect life of the Savior and of his sublime work for all mankind through the Atonement. This supernal gift permits us, through repentance, to break away from Satan’s grasping tentacles.
b. Elder Delbert L Stapley https://scriptures.byu.edu/#:t3ad:g80
i. Idea"We are all God's children; therefore, it makes no difference to which church a person belongs; we are all working for the same place." Then, apparently without profound thinking, they add: "There are many roads to get to heaven; therefore, it does not matter which road we take, we will all end up in God's presence."
ii. This man-made philosophy—for such it is—sounds good, but the scriptures do not support it. I assure each of you that the road to God's presence is not that easy. I feel certain that the devil chuckles whenever this false opinion is expressed, for it pleases him that the minds of men have been so blinded to revealed truth by his cunning craftiness and deceit that they will believe any religion to be acceptable to God regardless of its tenets and ordinances or how or by whom those ordinances are administered.
ii. Teaching
1. Two section affect teaching
a. Contrast of beliefs. Not all teaching same thing: 13 A of F of Jews, 5 Pillars Islam, 4 truths 8fold.
b. Specific heresies that are alive and well today
c. Role of teachers
2. Debate about which is more important: student or teacher
a. Mixed:
i. Teacher development vs student development
ii. If all student, then teacher make barnyard noises, or go off topic or off the wall, it's our fault?
3. SWK
a. We do not go to Sabbath meetings to be entertained or even solely to be instructed. We go to worship the Lord. It is an individual responsibility, and regardless of what is said from the pulpit, if one wishes to worship the Lord in spirit and in truth, he may do so by attending his meetings, partaking of the sacrament, and contemplating the beauties of the gospel. If the service is a failure to you, you have failed. No one can worship for you; you must do your own waiting upon the Lord. SWK ch 16, DHO O 2021
b. D&C 50 preacheth and heareth
c. BRM 7 Deadly
i. We come into these congregations, and sometimes a speaker brings a jug of living water that has in it many gallons. And when he pours it out on the congregation, all the members have brought is a single cup and so that’s all they take away. Or maybe they have their hands over the cups, and they don’t get anything to speak of.
ii. On other occasions we have meetings where the speaker comes and all he brings is a little cup of eternal truth, and the members of the congregation come with a large jug, and all they get in their jugs is the little dribble that came from a man who should have known better and who should have prepared himself and talked from the revelations and spoken by the power of the Holy Spirit.
iii. Milquetoast missionaries, and timid teachers
1. Revelations in context: SRigdon timid, PPP bold and forcible
2. Put it bluntly, PPP was doing his job. Stepped on toes and ruffled feathers, but he got the word out
3. Leaders want me to reign in things. But other respond to courage. Someone takes the first step.
VII. Christ Quotient
i. Atonement Quotient
1. False doctrines and false churches are barriers to Christ's work
2. think of work for the dead being neglected, not in Mere Christianity, or Basic Christianity
3. requiems partial credit, but not enough
ii. Teaching
1. One tithing declaration, bishop asked me about teaching in the ward
a. I said class members not reading lesson beforehand
b. he said he never read ahead, before retirement
c. that's the problem
2. discussing this framework
a. Evil spirits, abominations, deceivers and hypocrites in church
b. This hasn't worked it way into teacher development manuals--and is that what's holding us back.
3. Bad and false teaching holds us back from Christ, and embracing and being consume by Christ--that's the point.
 
 X: @kendalbhunter
Truth Social: @kendalbhunter
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kendal-hunter-38249617/
Instagram: @kendal.brian.hunter
BlueSky:@kendalbhunter.bsky.social
YouTube: @kendalbhunter
Rumble: https://rumble.com/user/KendalBHunter
Good Reads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/2176272-kendal-hunter
Hashtag: #Encycloids
#comefollowme