SECTION 11
THE EARLY APOSTLES SEND THEIR WITNESS TO THE WORLD

LESSONS

49. “Pure Religion and Undefiled” (James)

50. “For This Cause Was the Gospel Preached Also to Them That Are Dead” (1 Peter)

51. “Partakers of the Divine Nature” (2 Peter)

52. “Walk in the Light, As He Is in the Light” (1 John)

53. “For There Are Certain Men Crept In Unawares” (2 and 3 John; Jude)

THE FIERY TRIAL

“. . . ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” (Acts 1:8.)

For three decades following the ascension of the Lord, the infant church of Jesus Christ grew rapidly. Consistent with the prophecy by Jesus (Acts 1:8), the church expanded from its relative obscurity in remote Palestine to many parts of the empire.

In July, A.D. 64, a disastrous fire raged for nine days and destroyed the imperial capital of Rome. Contemporary public opinion said that Nero, seeking to cover his crimes and to appropriate a sizable area in the center of the city for a new palace, was himself the incendiary. To dispel this rumor, Nero cast the blame for the fire on the Christians. The teaching of the church that the eventual destruction of the world was to be by fire led credibility to the accusation. A general persecution against the saints followed. Tacitus, a Roman historian, chronicled the extent and severity of what became known as the first Roman persecution of the church.

“But all human efforts, all the largesses of the emperor, all the propitiations of the gods, failed to dispel the sinister belief that the conflagration had been ordered. Consequently, to scotch the rumor, Nero fastened the guilt and inflicted the most exquisite tortures upon a group hated for their abominations, whom the populace called Christians. Christus, from whom the name had its origin, had been condemned to death in the reign of Tiberius by the procurator Pontius Pilate, and the pernicious superstition, thus suppressed for the moment, was breaking out again not only in Judea, the original source of this evil, but even in Rome, where all things horrible or shameful from all parts of the world collect[ed] and became popular. First, then, those who confessed membership were arrested; then, on their information, great numbers were convicted, not so much of guilt for the conflagration as of hatred of the human race. And mockery was added to their deaths: they were covered with the skins of wild beasts and torn to death by dogs, or they were nailed to crosses and, when daylight failed, were set on fire and burned to provide light at night. Nero had offered his gardens for the spectacle, and was providing circus games, mingling with the populace in the dress of a charioteer or driving a chariot. Hence, though they were deserving of the most extreme punishment, a feeling of pity arose because of the savagery of one man.” (Naphtali Lewis and Meyer Reinhold, Roman Civilization, 3:226–27.)

The burning of Rome could be likened to a “fiery trial” about to be inflicted upon the membership of the church. Thus did Peter, the president of the church, warn the saints in Asia of the impending persecution. How literal the prophecy was is seen by the fact that both Peter and Paul fell as martyrs to the faith during these years of persecution under Nero, probably in A.D. 68.

A second fiery persecution followed during the reign of the Emperor Domitian, A.D. 81–96. During this period John the Beloved was banished to the isle of Patmos. It was alleged that thousands of saints were killed or tortured during this period.

The third of the persecutions commenced under the Emperor Trajan, who reigned from A.D. 98 to 117. By this time Christianity had been declared an illegal society in the empire; and unless the saints renounced Christ, they were executed. Trajan, determined to see the law upheld, directed that Christians not be sought out, but if they were discovered and did not renounce the faith, they were to be executed. Interestingly, the Greek word for “witness” is martyrs, and for “testimony” it is martyrion. Before the first century was concluded, bearing faithful witness of Jesus Christ led to torture, persecution, and death so often that the very word witness took on the connotation of dying for one’s belief. Our English word martyr is a direct derivative from the Greek. To deny Christ and deify Caesar, or to die was the choice given many of the early saints of the church.

BIOGRAPHIES

PETER

Following the Savior’s ascension, Peter assumed the heavy responsibilities of leading the infant church. Thus, Peter directed the apostles in their efforts to choose a successor to Judas Iscariot (Acts 1:15–26). On the day of Pentecost, it was Peter who became the spokesman for the apostles and saints (Acts 2:14). Peter received the revelation which authorized missionary efforts among the gentiles (Acts 10:1–11:18), and he it was who declared the policy regarding circumcision (Acts 15:1–29; Galatians 2:1–10). As with many of the ancient saints, Peter suffered much from persecution, first in Jerusalem (Acts 5:29–32, 40; chapter 12) and later in Rome. From ancient tradition it is learned that the apostle was arrested while he was in Rome and crucified near the end of the reign of Nero. It is said that at his own request Peter was crucified upside down because he considered himself unworthy to be crucified in the same manner as was the Savior (John 21:18, 19). (See Frederic W. Farrar, The Life and Work of St. Paul, p. 448.)

Peter became a spiritual rock of a man. He healed the lame and the sick through the power of the priesthood (Acts 3; 5:15, 16). Though at one point in his life he denied knowing the Lord, yet he later received the transforming power of the Holy Ghost. His faith in the Lord Jesus Christ became so powerful that when he was threatened, beaten, and maligned by his Sanhedrin persecutors, he boldly testified, “We ought to obey God rather than men.” (Acts 5:29.) Peter was “a man who had grown perfect through his experiences and sufferings—a man with vision, a man of revelations, a man fully trusted by his Lord Jesus Christ.” (Spencer W. Kimball, “Peter, My Brother,” Speeches of the Year, 1971, p. 1. The complete text of “Peter, My Brother,” is included in Appendix D at the end of this manual.)

JAMES

The weight of evidence indicates that the author of the letter of James is not the James who was the brother of John and a member of the presidency of the church with Peter and John. The author of the book of James was probably the brother of the Lord (Galatians 1:19) and evidently was not fully converted to the Savior until after the resurrection (John 7:5; 1 Corinthians 15:7). After his conversion he began to take a prominent position in church leadership (Acts 15:4–34; 21:18, 19; Galatians 1:18, 19; 2:1–10). Because of this it is likely that he was made an apostle, perhaps even filling the quorum vacancy left when James, the son of Zebedee, was martyred (Acts 12:1, 2). It is an interesting note on James’ humility that in his letter he does not call himself the brother of the Lord, but, rather, the servant of the Lord (James 1:1). (For further information on the author of the epistle of James see reading 49–3.)

Judas (same as Jude in later Greek and Judah in Hebrew) was the brother of James and the author of the book of Jude. (See Jude 1.) If this is the same man, he would be a brother (technically a half-brother) of the Savior (Matthew 13:55). Little else is known about his life.

Note: Though John has written three of the epistles in this section, his biographical information is included in section 12.

49
“PURE RELIGION AND UNDEFILED”

THEME

The true religion of Christ is expressed in the service of love through which perfection is obtained.

INTERPRETIVE COMMENTARY

(49-1) Theme

The letter of James does not have a theme in the usual sense, as do the letters to the Romans or Ephesians or Galatians. It does not take one central idea and then develop and expound it in some systematic way. But this letter does have an overall purpose that could be thought of as a theme. Throughout the epistle James seems to be showing that once we accept the gospel and have faith, it is expected that we will demonstrate the reality of that faith in our day-to-day living patterns. The book is characterized by a series of staccato mini-sermons showing that the saints are not only to know the word of God but are to live it as well.

(49-2) Place and Date of Writing

In the General Epistles (so-called because they had no specific location to which they were sent), of which James is one, the determination of date and place of writing is difficult. James, for example, gives no clue whatsoever as to the place from which he is writing. Many have assumed that it must have been Jerusalem, since that is where he resided, but it can only be supposition.

As to the date, we know from the historian Josephus that after many years of prominent church leadership in Jerusalem, James was taken before the Sanhedrin, sentenced to death, and executed by stoning in A.D. 62. (See Josephus, The Life and Works of Flavius Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews 20. 9. 1.) That would, of course, mean that the letter was written before then. Though it cannot be stated with certainty, the tone of the letter (for example, no mention of the Jewish-gentile controversy) might suggest that it was written early in the church’s history, perhaps around A.D. 50 or 51. This fact, if true, would make it one of the earliest of the New Testament letters.

(49-3) Authorship

There is no question about the fact that this letter was written by someone named James. The problem lies in determining which James is referred to. Some assume that the author of the letter is the brother of John and the son of Zebedee, whom the Lord called to the apostleship early in his ministry (Matthew 10:12). He, together with Peter and John, formed the first presidency of the early church. This James, however, was the first apostolic martyr of the early church. He was “killed with the sword” (probably beheaded) by Herod in a wave of persecution against the church (Acts 12:1, 2). Most scholars fix the date of his execution at A.D. 44, five or six years before the great Jerusalem Council. With these facts considered, some scholars believe that the epistle of James was written by James, the Lord’s brother.

(49-4) Background Information

As was stated above, the epistle of James is a general letter. It was not sent to a specific branch or a group of branches of the church but seems to have been intended for all saints. This feeling of generality is heightened by the lack of personal references, personal greetings, or mention of any items of news that are so typical in the letters of Paul. The introduction is very brief, and there is no formal closing. But while this would seem to be a disadvantage on the surface, actually this lack of concrete application to either time or place gives the epistle a universality that has made it one of enduring value down through the centuries.

James addressed the letter to the “twelve tribes which are scattered abroad.” (James 1:1.) Many scholars, lacking a concept of spiritual Israel as contrasted with blood-descent Israel, assume that James wrote to Jewish Christians only. Elder McConkie, however, suggests that James wrote specifically to saints who would become part of Israel even far in the future.

“James—religious by nature; schooled in the strict Judaism of the day; converted after our Lord’s resurrection; and said to have died a martyr’s death—took upon himself the awesome responsibility to write an epistle to the saints in the dispensation of the fulness of times.

“Paul wrote to the saints of his own day, and if his doctrine and counsel blesses us of later years, so much the better. But James addressed himself to those of the twelve scattered tribes of Israel who belonged to the Church; that is, to a people yet to be gathered, yet to receive the gospel, yet to come into the fold of Christ; and if his words had import to the small cluster of saints of Judah and Benjamin who joined the Church in the meridian of time, so much the better.” (McConkie, DNTC, 3:243.)

(49-5) James 1:2. Are We to Be Joyful When We Have Many Temptations?

Joseph Smith made the following important change in this verse: “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into many afflictions.” (James 1:2, Inspired Version.)

(49-6) James 1:5, 6. “If Any of You Lack Wisdom”

“. . . this single verse of scripture has had a greater impact and a more far reaching effect upon mankind than any other single sentence ever recorded by any prophet in any age. It might well be said that the crowning act of the ministry of James was not his martyrdom for the testimony of Jesus, but his recitation, as guided by the Holy Ghost, of these simple words which led to the opening of the heavens in modern times.

“And it might well be added that every investigator of revealed truth stands, at some time in the course of his search, in the place where Joseph Smith stood. He must turn to the Almighty and gain wisdom from God by revelation if he is to gain a place on that strait and narrow path which leads to eternal life.” (McConkie, DNTC, 3:246–47.)

(49-7) James 1:10. Why Should the Rich Rejoice in Being Made Low?

“‘Let wealthy saints who are stripped of their goods because of their allegiance to the gospel also rejoice, for worldly riches are fleeting and not to be compared with the riches of eternity. Or, let them rejoice when, through trials, they become lowly in spirit and no longer trust in those things which wither and die in the day’s heat.’” (McConkie, DNTC, 3:248.)

(49-8) James 1:14. The Way Satan Works

As James describes man being influenced by his own lusts, he chooses two words that are vivid and descriptive of how Satan works upon men. The first word, translated as drawn out, was used in hunting and was the word which described what the hunter did when he lured wild game out of the safety of the thick brush into an area set with snares. And the word entice came from fishing and meant “to bait, or to catch with bait.” How apt is the description, for the lusts of the flesh are designed to lure us out from the true safety of protective righteousness to become the victim of the evil hunter or fisherman.

(49-9) James 1:21. What Is a “Superfluity of Naughtiness”?

Naughtiness has come to connote petty or mischievous acts, such as the pranks of children; but this is a very inadequate translation of the word James used. Kakias not only meant evil in the general sense but, specifically, hatred or bitterness toward another. Thus malice probably comes closest to the truest meaning. The Greek word translated superfluity is used in many other places in the New Testament. Typically it is translated as abundance. This gives the true sense of James’ phrase, “an abundance of malice.”

(49-10) James 1:27. What Is Pure Religion?

“This may be interpreted as meaning that a person who is religious is thoughtful to the unfortunate, and has an inner spirit that prompts to deeds of kindness and to the leading of a blameless life; who is just, truthful; who does not, as Paul says, think more highly of himself than he ought to think; who is affectionate, patient in tribulation, diligent, cheerful, fervent in spirit, hospitable, merciful, and who abhors evil and cleaves to that which is good. The possession of such a spirit and feeling is a true sign that a person is naturally religious.

“The Church’s outward ordinances and requirements are but necessary—yet they are necessary—aids to the inner spiritual life. The Church itself, the organization, meetings, ordinances, requirements, are only helps, but very necessary helps, to the practice of true religion—schoolmasters to direct us in the way of eternal light and truth.” (Smith, Gospel Doctrine, p. 121.)

(49-11) James 2:25. Who Was Rahab?

Both James and Paul cite the harlot Rahab as an Old Testament example of true faith (Hebrews 11:31). She was an inhabitant of Jericho at the time the armies of Israel, under Joshua’s leadership, approached the Promised Land (Joshua 2:1–24). Joshua sent two men into Jericho to spy out the strength of the city. Rahab took them in, even hiding them when the king sought for them. Then she helped them to escape safely from the city. For that, she and her family were spared when the rest of Jericho was destroyed, and she dwelt in Israel for the remainder of her life. (See Joshua 6:22–25.) A Rahab is mentioned in the genealogy of the Savior. (See Matthew 1:5.) Since no other woman of that name is mentioned in the scriptures, most scholars assume it is the same woman.

(49-12) James 3:5. “How Great a Matter a Little Fire Kindleth”

The literal meaning of the word matter in this verse is “wood.” It is used as we would speak of a forest or a wooded area. The meaning of the passage is, “Behold, how great a forest fire a tiny spark can start.”

(49-13) James 3:8. The Importance of Taming the Tongue

“I think now of self-control. Many of the cases which I review started with uncontrolled appetites and tempers, leading often to cruelty, mental and physical. When in a temper the tongue may be venomous. The Apostle James said, ‘. . . it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.’ (James 3:8.) That is only potential, but it is often true. The tongue, with which we say our prayers and pledge our troth is sometimes used to wound those we love best. ‘Boys flying kites haul in their white winged birds; we can’t do that when we’re flying words.’

“A middle-aged couple on the farm had a violent quarrel at breakfast time. Later in the day they started for town in the buggy, with a fine team of horses to sell their vegetables and eggs. As the horses trotted along, Mary said, ‘John, why can’t we travel together like these horses do? They don’t quarrel and fight.’ John said, ‘Mary, we could if there was only one tongue between us.’

“Oh, the unkind things we say to those we love.

“‘We have kind words for the stranger
And smiles for the sometime guest,
While oft to our own
The bitter tone,
Though we love our own the best!’”
(Hugh B. Brown in CR, Oct. 1954, p. 16.)

(49-14) James 4:4. What Is a “Friend of the World”?

“The use of the word ‘world’ in this sense is defined in the scriptures when speaking of the ‘end of the world’ as the destruction of the wickedness that is in the world. (See [Joseph Smith—Matthew 1:4].)

“The world to which the apostles James and John and the Master make reference is that moral and spiritual system which is hostile to God and which seeks to delude us into thinking that we and mankind generally do not need God. It is a society which in every age has operated and is operating on wrong principles, from selfish desires, from improper motives, unworthy standards, and false values. Those who do not accept God’s revelation through his prophets have devised numerous philosophies from their limited human reasoning and seemingly think that they can find happiness and the satisfaction of their souls by ignoring God’s plan of salvation.” (Harold B. Lee in CR, Oct. 1968, p. 59.)

(49-15) James 4:7. How Do We Resist the Devil So That He Will Flee from Us?

“James gave a formula for conquering: ‘Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. (Jas. 4:7.) In abandoning evil, transforming lives, changing personalities, molding characters or remolding them, we need the help of the Lord, and we may be assured of it if we do our part. The man who leans heavily upon his Lord becomes the master of self and can accomplish anything he sets out to do, whether it be to secure the brass plates, build a ship, overcome a habit, or conquer a deep-seated transgression.

“He who has greater strength than Lucifer, he who is our fortress and our strength, can sustain us in times of great temptation. While the Lord will never forcibly take anyone out of sin or out of the arms of the tempters, he exerts his Spirit to induce the sinner to do it with divine assistance. And the man who yields to the sweet influence and pleadings of the Spirit and does all in his power to stay in a repentant attitude is guaranteed protection, power, freedom and joy.” (Kimball, Miracle of Forgiveness, p. 176.)

(49-16) James 4:17. “To Him That Knoweth to Do Good, and Doeth It Not”

“Sin is the transgression of divine law, as made known through the conscience or by revelation. A man sins when he violates his conscience, going contrary to light and knowledge—not the light and knowledge that has come to his neighbor, but that which has come to himself. He sins when he does the opposite of what he knows to be right. Up to that point he only blunders. One may suffer painful consequences for only blundering, but he cannot commit sin unless he knows better than to do the thing in which the sin consists. One must have a conscience before he can violate it.” (Whitney, Saturday Night Thoughts, p. 239.)

(49-17) James 5:4. “The Lord of Sabaoth”

Often that phrase is read carelessly as the “Lord of the Sabbath.” This is incorrect, for the two words are actually unrelated in meaning. Sabaoth is the Greek transliteration of the Hebrew word tsabaoth, which means “host” or “multitude.” The title is the same as that used numerous times in the Old Testament, namely, the Lord of Hosts, meaning “the Lord of the multitudes who dwell in heaven and on earth.” It is interesting to note that the Savior so characterized himself in this dispensation also. (See D&C 87:7; 88:2; 95:7; 98:2.)

(49-18) James 5:16. Are We to Confess Our Sins to One Another?

“The confession of his major sins to a proper Church authority is one of those requirements made by the Lord. These sins include adultery, fornication, other sexual transgressions, and other sins of comparable seriousness. This procedure of confession assures proper controls and protection for the Church and its people and sets the feet of the transgressor on the path of true repentance.

“Many offenders in their shame and pride have satisfied their consciences, temporarily at least, with a few silent prayers to the Lord and rationalized that this was sufficient confession of their sins. ‘But I have confessed my sin to my Heavenly Father,’ they will insist, ‘and that is all that is necessary.’ This is not true where a major sin is involved. Then two sets of forgiveness are required to bring peace to the transgressor—one from the proper authorities of the Lord’s Church, and one from the Lord himself.

“When one has wronged another in deep transgression or in injuries of lesser magnitude, he, the aggressor, who gave the offense, regardless of the attitude of the other party, should immediately make amends by confessing to the injured one and doing all in his power to clear up the matter and again establish good feelings between the two parties.” (Kimball, Miracle of Forgiveness, pp. 179, 186.)

(49-19) James 5:17. Elias or Elijah?

The name and title Elias is often confusing, since it can refer to an office, a function, or a person. (See McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, pp. 219–22.) It is further confused by the fact that the common Greek spelling for the name of the famous Old Testament prophet Elijah is also Elias. In this verse, James is obviously referring to Elijah, who had the power to stop the rains for 3½ years as a warning to Israel (1 Kings 17; 18).

(49-20) James 5:19, 20. The Saving Power of Missionary Work

“Every person who is beginning the long journey of emancipating himself from the thralldom of sin and evil will find comfort in the thought expressed by James. We could expand it somewhat and remind the transgressor that every testimony he bears, every prayer he offers, every sermon he preaches, every scripture he reads, every help he gives to stimulate and raise others—all these strengthen him and raise him to higher levels.

“The proper motivation for missionary work of any kind, as for all Church service, is of course love for fellowmen, but always such work has its by-product effect on one’s own life. Thus as we become instruments in God’s hands in changing the lives of others our own lives cannot help being lifted. One can hardly help another to the top of the hill without climbing there himself.” (Kimball, Miracle of Forgiveness, p. 205.)

POINTS TO PONDER

JAMES IDENTIFIED MANY PRACTICAL ASPECTS OF GOSPEL LIVING

(49-21) If You Lack Wisdom, Ask God in Faith (James 1:5–7)

It is significant that the Prophet Joseph followed the advice of James and received the great foundation of his testimony from God himself. He laid the book down and went to the source. You should have similar experiences in life in that you should go to God to receive the ultimate testimony and answers. It is well to accept the testimony of others—parents, teachers, friends, and even prophets—but it is your privilege to know for yourself. Then your witness will be based on the solid rock of personal revelation, and this is the great strength of the Church.

“. . . perhaps the most important reason of all for the growth of the Church is the individual testimonies of the divinity of this work, as would be multiplied in the hearts of the individual members of the Church. . . . in the hearts of faithful members of the Church is the conviction that this is indeed the church and kingdom of God on the earth.” (Harold B. Lee in CR, Apr. 1973, p. 9.)

(49-22) “A Double Minded Man Is Unstable in All His Ways” (James 1:8)

There are many in the Church who have not yet made a full commitment to the Lord and his church. They seek to be in the world and of the world and also in the Church. Such a course is unwise. “Choose you this day” are the words of Joshua. (Joshua 24:15.) Jesus said, “Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” (Matthew 6:24.) There comes a time when we must count the cost of discipleship; the cost is full dedication and consecration, and there is no other way. If, with the major decisions of life, we constantly waver between alternatives and make and unmake decisions only according to the expediency of the moment, our lives will be rocked with compromise and we will be unstable in all our ways.

(49-23) Individual Lust Is the Source of Temptation (James 1:13–15)

In these modern times many evade responsibility for their own actions and blame heredity, society, or the devil for their problems. As significant as these factors are, James identifies the root cause of sin as individual lust or unhealthy, intense desire for that which is unlawful. Nothing is a temptation unless there is a desire for it. It is not that our desires are necessarily evil in and of themselves, but it is our responsibility to bridle our own passions lest they devolve to lusts which will invariably lead to sin (Alma 38:12). Thus we exercise our agency and must accept the responsibility if our decisions lead to sin.

(49-24) Show Not Partiality in Unrighteousness (James 2:4)

From time immemorial men have shown partiality in unrighteousness. The only aristocracy that counts with the Lord is that of righteousness. He who does His will is favored of God (1 Nephi 17:35). Men often have much less lofty reasons for their partiality. If you show partiality for any of the following reasons, you need to examine your life (read the scriptures for elucidation):

• Color of skin (2 Nephi 26:33)
• Opportunities for learning (see 3 Nephi 6:12)
• Expensiveness of clothes (see James 2:2–5)
• Economic standing (Alma 32:5)
• National heritage—origin (Matthew 3:8–10; 2 Nephi 26:33)
• Religious exclusiveness (Alma 31:12–18)

These are only a few of the unworthy things men show partiality for. Can you think of others?

(49-25) The Sin of Levity (James 4:9)

The Saints have been informed to “let the solemnities of eternity rest upon your minds.” (D&C 43:34.) The Prophet Joseph stated that levity is inconsistent to those called of God (Joseph Smith—History 1:28). This should not be interpreted to mean that there is no place for amusement or laughter, for Brigham Young said that “the people must have amusement as well as religion,” and that “every pure enjoyment was from heaven and was for the Saints.” (Clarissa Young Spencer, Brigham Young at Home, pp. 148–49.) But uncontrolled loud laughter or excessive frivolity are offensive to God (D&C 88:69).

(49-26) Be Doers of the Word, Not Hearers Only (James 1:22)

Some of the Savior’s most severe denunciations were aimed at hypocrites—those who profess but do not. As members of the Lord’s true church our professions are lofty. We are “called to be saints.” (Romans 1:7.) We should be the light of the world—a city set on a hill so that men will see our good works and glorify God (Matthew 5:14, 16). Sometimes the opposite is the case: we are recognized by what we don’t do rather than by what we do. The revelations indicate that the Saints will become such a positive force for good that those in the world will be constrained to acknowledge the power of God in us (D&C 105:32). This can come only as we do as we hear. “Not every one that saith unto me Lord, Lord shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.” (Matthew 7:21.)

THE TEACHINGS OF JAMES MAY BE PARALLELED WITH THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT AS A PATTERN FOR PERFECTION

Elder Bruce R. McConkie has written that James set forth “the practical operation of the doctrines taught by his Elder Brother [Jesus Christ].” (DNTC, 3:243.) Celestial living is practical for the reborn Saint because the gospel of Christ is “the power of God unto salvation.” (Romans 1:16.) The disciple is, indeed, through the grace of the Savior and his own will, “thoroughly furnished unto all good works” that the “man of God may be perfect.” (2 Timothy 3:17.)

“The Lord said, ‘Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.’ (Matt. 5:48.) This terse sentence epitomizes all that Jesus taught about the mission and life and destiny of man. It seems on its face a hard saying, and many have felt that it sets a task beyond all possibility of accomplishing, and there is no use trying; that it projects an ideal so utterly unrealistic as to make it of little value. There might be some validity to this objection, if life is to be thought of only in terms of mortal probation. To get full value of the admonition we need a broader understanding of the work of life.

“President Brigham Young let some light in on that in one of his sermons. After quoting the saying, he remarked: ‘If the . . . passage I have quoted is not worded to our understanding, we can alter the phraseology of the sentence, and say: “Be ye perfect as ye can,” for that is all we can do.

“‘When we are doing as well as we know how in the sphere and station which we occupy here, we are justified in the justice, righteousness, mercy, and judgment that go before the Lord of heaven and earth. We are as justified as the angels who go before the throne of God. The sin that will cleave to all the posterity of Adam and Eve is that they have not done as well as they know how.’ (JD, 21:129.)

“That puts the admonition to be perfect on a practical working basis. It is within the range of the possibility of attainment. . . .

“This interpretation introduces the principle that it is not intended that we shall accomplish everything in this life, but that we are expected to be progressive beings, growing toward our final destiny. But that principle in no way excuses us from doing the best we can or from acquiring all the knowledge that we have capacity and opportunity to assimilate as we go along.” (Albert E. Bowen in CR, Apr. 1951, pp. 122–23.)

In his exposition of “pure religion and undefiled” James establishes a pattern for perfection remarkably similar to that given by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount; in fact, it is so similar that one wonders if he may have been present when the Savior gave it.

Examine this chart and evaluate your own progress toward perfection through application of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

And so, indeed, the gospel of Christ is “pure religion and undefiled.” It has as its goal the perfection of all who will follow in its way.

50
“FOR THIS CAUSE WAS THE GOSPEL PREACHED ALSO TO THEM THAT ARE DEAD”

THEME

Latter-day Saints have a responsibility to their dead.

INTERPRETIVE COMMENTARY

(50-1) Theme of Peter’s First Letter

How the saints ought to react to suffering and persecution is the theme of the letter. The president of the church was forewarning the members that there was yet to be a “fiery trial” wherein they would be classed with murderers, thieves, and evil doers. The letter constituted a warning and a preparation for ominous days ahead.

(50-2) Place and Date of Writing of First Peter

This letter was probably written at Rome, inasmuch as “Babylon” (5:13) is a scriptural designation for the wickedest city in the empire (Revelation 18:10, 21).

The date of writing was sometime before the Neronian persecutions in A.D. 62 or 63.

(50-3) Background Information for First Peter

As noted in chapter 1, the Roman government displayed a general tolerance toward all religions, Christianity not excepted. As long as the church posed no threat to Rome, the state ignored the church.

The priesthood leadership of the church, however, was under divine commission to preach the gospel “unto all the world” (Mark 16:15). This meant, of course, a peaceful penetration of the gospel message into and throughout the Roman Empire. It was not a message that could or would long remain ignored by the Roman government, for the gospel messengers were making bold assertions that Jesus of Nazareth, who was rejected by his own nation and crucified under Roman edict, was now risen from the dead. A message that proclaimed a risen Christ, a coming judgment, and an eventual return of Christ to establish his universal kingdom on earth was not a message to be favorably regarded by power-obsessed earthly monarchs.

Under the emperor Nero, misunderstanding, hatred, and accusations toward the saints in Rome and throughout the empire were actively fostered. The change from tolerance to hostility toward the church provoked apprehension among the saints throughout Asia. What should be their attitude, in turn, toward the state? How ought they to regard this unjust persecution? They looked to the prophet for answers.

(50-4) 1 Peter 1:2. Who Are the “Elect According to the Foreknowledge of God”?

“To bring to pass the salvation of the greatest possible number of his spirit children the Lord, in general, sends the most righteous and worthy spirits to earth through the lineage of Abraham and Jacob. This course is a manifestation of his grace or in other words his love, mercy, and condescension toward his children.

“This election to a chosen lineage is based on pre-existent worthiness and is thus made ‘according to the foreknowledge of God.’ (1 Pet. 1:2.) Those so grouped together during their mortal probation have more abundant opportunities to make and keep the covenants of salvation, a right which they earned by pre-existent devotion to the cause of righteousness. As part of this election, Abraham and others of the noble and great spirits were chosen before they were born for the particular missions assigned them in this life. (Abra. 3:22–24; Rom. 9.) . . .

“Actually, if the full blessings of salvation are to follow, the doctrine of election must operate twice. First, righteous spirits are elected or chosen to come to mortality as heirs of special blessings. Then, they must be called and elected again in this life, an occurrence which takes place when they join the true Church. (D. & C. 53:1.) Finally, in order to reap eternal salvation, they must press forward in obedient devotion to the truth until they make their ‘calling and election sure’ (2 Pet. 1), that is, are ‘sealed up unto eternal life.’ (D. & C. 131:5.)” (McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, pp. 216–17.)

(50-5) 1 Peter 1:9. What Is Salvation?

“Salvation is nothing more nor less than to triumph over all our enemies and put them under our feet. And when we have power to put all enemies under our feet in this world, and a knowledge to triumph over all evil spirits in the world to come, then we are saved, as in the case of Jesus, who was to reign until He had put all enemies under His feet, and the last enemy was death.” (Smith, Teachings, p. 297.)

(50-6) 1 Peter 2:9. What Is the Meaning of the Phrase “a Peculiar People”?

Each of the titles used here by Peter is a title formerly used to refer to the covenant people, the house of Israel. He therefore seeks to call to their minds that by virtue of their embracing the gospel they are now the new Israel. They are the chosen nation (see Isaiah 43:20), a royal “kingdom of priests” and a “holy nation” (Exodus 19:6) and a peculiar people. The word peculiar as used in the King James Version comes from the Latin peculium, meaning “private property.” Though today it has come to mean “strange or unusual,” it really carries the same idea—a characteristic or quality belonging to something. The marginal reading is “purchased” and means that the saints are God’s own, private people, a people for God’s own possession. This title too is suggested in the Old Testament when Isaiah says, “This people have I formed for myself.” (Isaiah 43:21.)

President Joseph Fielding Smith added this: “And we will be peculiar because we will not be like other people who do not live up to these standards.” (CR, Apr. 1971, p. 47.)

(50-7) 1 Peter 2:9. What Is a Royal Priesthood?

“Whenever the Lord has a people on earth he offers to make them a nation of kings and priests—not a congregation of lay members with a priest or a minister at the head—but a whole Church in which every man is his own minister, in which every man stands as a king in his own right, reigning over his own family-kingdom. The priesthood which makes a man a king and a priest is thus a royal priesthood.” (McConkie, DNTC, 3:294.)

Christ is the king of all those kings who he calls his own—those who are made royal by virtue of holding and honoring his priesthood.

(50-8) 1 Peter 2:18–26. Patience in Suffering—Peter’s Profound and Beautiful Analogy

In this section, Peter addresses specifically those who are in servitude. The Greek word means “household servant,” which in the Roman Empire were almost always slaves. Peter encourages them to remember the suffering of their Savior during his period of trial and execution as they seek to endure patiently their own trials and sufferings. The whole passage carries a vividness and peculiarity of language that suggests Peter was remembering in all of its clarity the night he was an eyewitness to the Savior’s hour of trial. He uses the word buffeted (vs. 20), which means literally “to be struck with fists” and is the term used by both Matthew (Matthew 26:67) and Mark (Mark 14:65) to describe the treatment of the Master. He hints at the contemptuous scorn of the high priest and Christ’s silent acceptance of it (vs. 23). Peter mentions the stripes, using the word which means “bruise” or the “bloody welt which results from lashing with a whip,” exactly the result of a Roman scourging.

Also remarkable in this passage are the parallels between it and Isaiah 53.

(50-9) 1 Peter 3:15. “Be Ready Always to Give an Answer”

Members of the church should be prepared at all times to give their testimony “with meekness and fear” to every person who asks them. (1 Peter 3:15, Inspired Version.)

(50-10) 1 Peter 3:18–20. What Was the Fate of the People Who Ignored Noah’s Warning?

“They were drowned in their sins. Their marriages were for time. They reveled in worldliness. They were possibly like many in the world today who place no curb upon their eating, drinking and licentiousness. Their ignoring the laws of God and the warning of the prophets continued until the very day when Noah and his family entered the ark. Then it was too late. Too late! What finality in that phrase! Following their eternal history, we find Peter telling of them more than two millennia later: (Read 1 Peter 3:18–20.)

“And last, they had a chance in the spirit world to hear the voice of missionaries and prophets again. But so late! What sad words! Nearly a further two millennia passed into history and we hear of them again in modern revelation. Of the vision given to Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon in 1832, the Prophet writes:

“‘And again, we saw the terrestrial world, and behold and lo, these are they who are of the terrestrial. . . .

“‘. . . They who are the spirits of men kept in prison, whom the Son visited, and preached the gospel unto them, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh;

“‘Who received not the testimony of Jesus in the flesh, but afterwards received it.’ (D&C 76:71, 73–74.)

“Too late! The terrestrial for them! It could have been the celestial, and it could have been exaltation! But they procrastinated the day of their preparation. The same lamentable cry of ‘Too late!’ will apply to many of today’s Church members who did not heed the warning but who proceeded—sometimes carelessly, sometimes defiantly—to bind themselves through mortality to those who could not or would not prepare for the blessings which were in reserve for them.” (Kimball, Miracle of Forgiveness, pp. 248–49.)

(50-11) 1 Peter 4:1. How Do You “Arm Yourselves . . . with the Same Mind”?

“Gain the mind of Christ (1 Cor. 2:16), thereby thinking what he thought, saying what he said, and doing what he did—which course of life will stand as a defense against the evils of the world.” (McConkie, DNTC, 3:315.)

(50-12) 1 Peter 4:6. Is Salvation for the Dead Intended for All Who Did Not Accept the Gospel in Mortality?

“Salvation for the dead is limited expressly to those who do not have opportunity in this life to accept the gospel but who would have taken the opportunity had it come to them.

“‘All who have died without a knowledge of this gospel,’ the Lord said to the Prophet, ‘who would have received it if they had been permitted to tarry, shall be heirs of the celestial kingdom of God; also all that shall die henceforth without a knowledge of it, who would have received it with all their hearts, shall be heirs of that kingdom, for I, the Lord, will judge all men according to their works, according to the desire of their hearts.’ (Teachings, p. 107.)” (McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, p. 686. Italics added.)

(50-13) 1 Peter 4:8. “Charity Shall Cover the Multitude of Sins”

The Prophet revised this verse to read: “And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves; for charity preventeth a multitude of sins.” (Inspired Version.)

It is clear that only repentance truly covers or takes away sin because of Christ’s atoning sacrifice.

(50-14) 1 Peter 4:11. What Is Meant by the Injunction to “Speak as the Oracles of God”?

The Inspired Version renders this as “speak as an oracle of God.” Elder McConkie said:

“‘Speak by inspiration, not of yourself, but simply as a medium through whom the mind and will of the Lord is revealed.’ This is an absolute requisite of a true minister. They must preach by the power of the Spirit. . . . Unless they do so they cannot minister life and salvation to the children of men. Hence the divine counsel that the Lord’s servants are to treasure up in their minds continually the words of life; to rely upon the Holy Spirit; and then, without taking thought beforehand, to speak forth what the Lord wants them to say, at the very moment of their preaching. (D. & C. 84:85.)” (McConkie, DNTC, 3:317.)

(50-15) 1 Peter 4:12. What Was the “Fiery Trial”?

The “fiery trial” probably refers to the Neronian persecutions against the church. Every saint, however, faces his own “fiery trial” as a part of his experience in the second estate.

“. . . the greatest trials of life are reserved for the saints. They are the ones whom the world hates (Matt. 10:22), and they must overcome the world, if they are to gain the Lord’s approval. They face all that the world faces in the way of mortal difficulties—sickness, disease, calamities, famine, pain, sorrow, death—and in addition their faith in Christ and his work is tested to see if they will serve the Lord at all hazards.” (McConkie, DNTC, 3:318.)

(50-16) 1 Peter 4:17. Judgments to Begin at the House of God

Notice the close relationship between Peter’s comment and a revelation given for Thomas B. Marsh, president of the Quorum of the Twelve, in 1837. (See D&C 112:24–26.)

POINTS TO PONDER

JESUS CHRIST BEGAN THE GLORIOUS WORK FOR THE DEAD DURING HIS VISIT TO THE SPIRIT WORLD

(50-17) Jesus Made Available to the Dead the Blessings of the Gospel

“Why did he [Jesus] preach to these disobedient spirits? Surely not to increase their torments, to taunt them for not accepting of his truth in the days of the prophets! . . .

“. . . He took the glorious message of the gospel and proclaimed it to the dead with the promise that they, if they would obey it, should partake of its blessings.” (Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, 2:159–60.)

IT TAKES LOVE TO DO WORK FOR THE DEAD

51
“PARTAKERS OF THE DIVINE NATURE”

THEME

The purpose of the gospel is to assist man in overcoming sin so that he might become a partaker of the divine nature of Jesus Christ.

INTERPRETIVE COMMENTARY

(51-1) What Is the Theme of Second Peter?

The dominant theme in this letter is how one comes to a knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. As shown by the outline, it may be divided into three main sections. The first tells how one comes to a knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ by becoming “a partaker of his divine nature” and having his “calling and election made sure.” In the second section this true knowledge of Christ is contrasted to false knowledge—heresies perpetrated by apostates. The third section calls attention to the hope that the true knowledge of the Lord brings: the promise of his glorious return to the earth.

(51-2) Place and Date of Writing

We cannot say with certainty the place from which Peter wrote the letter, though some suppose it was Rome. Because the threat of persecution seems past (there is no mention in this letter of persecution or suffering), it is assumed that the letter falls between the Nero persecutions and the alleged date of Peter’s death, perhaps about A.D. 68.

(51-3) Authorship

Though some scholars have challenged the genuineness of this letter, the weight of evidence favors Peter as the author. Joseph Smith noted in a discussion on First Peter, “Peter penned the most sublime language of any of the apostles.” (Teachings, p. 301.) The Prophet Joseph frequently quoted Peter.

(51-4) Background Information

Peter, president of the church in his day, addressed this letter to the saints who had “obtained like precious faith with us.” (1:1.) New problems seem to have arisen in the church. Where before the threat to the church was persecution from without, the danger now seems to be apostasy from within. “There shall be false teachers among you,” wrote the chief apostle, “who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord. . . .” (2:1). The great danger to the church was that many in the future would follow after these teachers out of ignorance and uncertainty. The letter twice reminds the saints of the things they had been taught (1:12–15; 3:1, 2): first, that if they go on to make their calling and election sure, they will not fall (1:10, 11); and second, that the second coming of the Lord was certain and sure, even though scoffers, as prophesied, would deny the fact because of what seemed to them an unreasonable delay. Peter wrote the letter, therefore, to warn of an impending apostasy within the church and to exhort the saints to continue to grow in knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. This counsel if followed would lead them to make their callings and elections sure.

(51-5) 2 Peter 1:1–19. What Are the Three Grand Keys to Obtaining the True Knowledge of God?

“There are three grand secrets lying in this chapter, . . . which no man can dig out, unless by the light of revelation, and which unlocks the whole chapter. . . .

“1st key: Knowledge is the power of salvation. 2nd key: Make your calling and election sure. 3rd key: It is one thing to be on the mount and hear the excellent voice, etc., and another to hear the voice declare to you, You have a part and lot in that kingdom.” (Smith, Teachings, pp. 304, 306.)

Concerning the three grand keys to the knowledge of God, we learn three concepts:

1. The knowledge of Christ which brings salvation is obtained a little at a time.

“It is not wisdom that we should have all knowledge at once presented before us; but that we should have a little at a time; then we can comprehend it. . . .

“. . . The principle of knowledge is the principle of salvation. This principle can be comprehended by the faithful and diligent; and every one that does not obtain knowledge sufficient to be saved will be condemned. The principle of salvation is given us through the knowledge of Jesus Christ.” (Smith, Teachings, p. 297. Italics added.)

2. As one acquires knowledge of Christ’s divine attributes and incorporates them into his own life, he makes his calling and election sure.

“None can comprehend the knowledge of God, of Christ, and of the gospel unless he himself possesses the attributes of godliness, for the knowledge of spiritual things comes only by revelation, and until a person gains godly attributes he cannot receive the Spirit from whom revelation comes.” (McConkie, DNTC, 3:354.) (The process of having one’s calling and election made sure is discussed in the interpretive commentary for 2 Peter 1:10.)

3. The more sure word of prophecy—the Lord’s promise that a person will be exalted and come to know God fully (John 17:3)—comes as a result of making one’s calling and election sure.

“Now for the secret and grand key. Though they might hear the voice of God and know that Jesus was the Son of God, this would be no evidence that their election and calling was made sure, that they had part with Christ, and were joint-heirs with him. They then would want that more sure word of prophecy, that they were sealed in the heavens and had the promise of eternal life in the kingdom of God. Then, having this promise sealed unto them, it was an anchor to the soul, sure and steadfast. Though the thunders might roll and lightnings flash, and earthquakes bellow, and war gather thick around, yet this hope and knowledge would support the soul in every hour of trial, trouble and tribulation. Then knowledge through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is the grand key that unlocks the glories and mysteries of the kingdom of heaven.” (Smith, Teachings, p. 298.)

(51-6) 2 Peter 1:4–8. What Does It Mean to Be “Partakers of the Divine Nature”?

Peter himself said it is escaping “the corruption that is in the world through lust.” (vs. 4.)

President David O. McKay, commenting on verse 4, said it means “to rise above the temporal, the sensual, and partake of the divine Spirit of God.” (CR, Oct. 1961, p. 90.)

(51-7) 2 Peter 1:10. What Is Meant by Having One’s Calling and Election Made Sure?

“To have one’s calling and election made sure is to be sealed up unto eternal life; it is to have the unconditional guarantee of exaltation in the highest heaven of the celestial world; it is to receive the assurance of godhood; it is, in effect, to have the day of judgment advanced, so that an inheritance of all the glory and honor of the Father’s kingdom is assured prior to the day when the faithful actually enter into the divine presence to sit with Christ in his throne, even as he is ‘set down’ with his ‘Father in his throne.’ (Rev. 3:21.)” (McConkie, DNTC, 3:330–31.)

(51-8) 2 Peter 1:10. Must an Individual Be Married for Eternity to Have His Calling and Election Made Sure?

“. . . making one’s calling and election sure comes after and grows out of celestial marriage. Eternal life does not and cannot exist for a man or a woman alone, because in its very nature it consists of the continuation of the family unit in eternity.” (McConkie, DNTC, 3:343.)

(51-9) 2 Peter 1:21. How Does One Correctly Interpret Scripture?

“If prophets speak by the power of the Holy Ghost, then the Holy Ghost is required to interpret correctly the teachings of holy men. Therefore, those who do not possess the Spirit of God cannot comprehend the things of God.” (Delbert L. Stapley in CR, Oct. 1966, p. 113.)

(51-10) 2 Peter 2:1. Are There Heresies in the True Church of Christ?

“Heresies abound in the sectarian world. False doctrines are manifest on every hand. . . .

“But what of the true Church? Are there heresies within even that divine institution? Paul says such was the case among the Corinthians, and it is apparent that the same thing prevails in the modern kingdom of God on earth. Speaking of our day, Nephi said that ‘because of pride, and wickedness, and abominations, and whoredoms,’ all men have ‘gone astray save it be a few, who are the humble followers of Christ.’ Then pointing to these true saints, he added: ‘Nevertheless, they are led, that in many instances they do err because they are taught by the precepts of men.’ (2 Ne. 28:14.) That is, heresies are found in the Church today, even as in the meridian of time.” (McConkie, DNTC, 2:362–63.)

(51-11) 2 Peter 2:13. What Was the Meaning of the Word Riot?

Actually there is no word in English that carries the exact meaning of the Greek word truphay. The actual meaning is “to live delicately, live luxuriously, be given to a soft and luxurious life.” (See Thayer, Lexicon of the New Testament, p. 631.) The picture is not one of wild rebellion and disorder, but of soft, self-indulgent pampering of the desires of the flesh.

(51-12) 2 Peter 2:20–22. Can Immorality and Rebellion Lead to the Unpardonable Sin?

“It is important for all men that they do not even approach the tragic point of the unpardonable sin. Numerous people have lost the Spirit through immorality and through rebellion brought about by the sophistry and philosophy of men, and sometimes through fancied offenses. Bitterness has a way of poisoning the mind and killing the spirit. One should take no chances of permitting such situations to become sore and gangrenous, for who can tell when one might slip across the line? To do so rather than enduring to the end is perhaps to be in the category Peter described.” (Kimball, Miracle of Forgiveness, pp. 121–22.)

(51-13) 2 Peter 3:3. “There Shall Come in the Last Days Scoffers”

“In ‘this second epistle,’ the Chief Apostle both assumes and announces the literal nature of the Second Coming of the Son of Man, with this added proclamation: In the last days, in so-called Christendom (for the doctrine is not so much as an issue in other circles) the fact of our Lord’s literal return shall be challenged; false ministers shall mock at such an antiquated view; and the scientists shall scoff at the idea of the burning of the earth as a prelude to a Millennial era when none but the righteous shall dwell on the new earth thus cleansed from its wicked inhabitants. All history, all experience, and all reason, they shall say, negate these old-fashioned doctrines about the Lord living again among men. Surely the scriptures must mean that he shall come as a power or influence to dwell in the hearts of men whenever they gain oneness with him, shall be their cry. “But Peter, whose views came not from reason but by revelation, replies: Which is easier, to believe in a creation (which fact is self-evident) or a Second Coming? To believe in the destruction of the world by water in Noah’s day (of which fact there is ample evidence) or the burning of the vineyard in that day when ‘as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man’? (Luke 17:26.)” (McConkie, DNTC, 3:364–65.)

(51-14) 2 Peter 3:10–13. What Is Meant by the Expression “Look for New Heavens and a New Earth”?

“Let us not misunderstand this expression. The new heaven and new earth will be the same heaven and the same earth on which we now sojourn, for this earth is to receive the resurrection after this day of mortality and be the abode of the righteous in eternity. Without the revelations of the Lord given to men, this truth would not be made known. Neither would we have knowledge of the final glory to which this earth will be assigned. Even now, where men are without the divine guidance and revelation, this truth would not be known.” (Smith, Seek Ye Earnestly . . . , p. 262.)

POINTS TO PONDER

IN EVERY AGE THERE HAVE BEEN THOSE WHO HAVE SOUGHT TO LEAD PEOPLE ASTRAY

(51-15) There Are False Teachings Today as in Peter’s Day

“Apparently there were in the early church those who taught for doctrines the sophistries of men. There are those today who seem to take pride in disagreeing with the orthodox teachings of the Church and who present their own opinions which are at variance with the revealed truth. Some may be partially innocent in the matter; others are feeding their own egotism; and some seem to be deliberate. Men may think as they please, but they have no right to impose upon others their unorthodox views. Such persons should realize that their own souls are in jeopardy.” (Spencer W. Kimball in CR, Apr. 1948, p. 109.)

(51-16) Our Test Today Is the Philosophies of the World Versus the Living Prophets

“During the early days of the Church we passed through a period of slander and misrepresentation, and we came through. It drove us together because of enemies from the outside. And we survived it. We passed through a period of mobbing and driving, when lives were taken and blood was shed, and somehow the place of the martyr gave us strength. We passed through poverty, and we gained strength from the test of it. Then we passed through an age of what we might call apostasy, or betrayal from the inside—one of the severest tests through which we have passed. We are now going through another test—a period of what we might call sophistication. This is a time when there are many clever people who are not willing to listen to the humble prophets of the Lord. And we have suffered from that. It is rather a severe test.” (Harold B. Lee, Instructor, June 1965, p. 217.)

(51-17) We Ought to Live So That We May Know the Will of the Father Respecting All Our Circumstances

“The one thing now that I desire to impress upon the minds of my brethren bearing the Holy Priesthood is that we should live so near to the Lord, be so humble in our spirits, so tractable and pliable, under the influence of the Holy Spirit, that we will be able to know the mind and will of the Father concerning us as individuals and as officers in the Church of Christ under all circumstances.” (Smith, Gospel Doctrine, pp. 58–59.)

(51-18) Righteousness Comes by Revelation

“Ever remember, dear brethren, that if you would be righteous like your heavenly Father, His righteousness comes by REVELATION, through your faith. Be content with nothing short of the revealed will of your heavenly Father; for being built upon this foundation, the floods of error and temptation that must come upon all them that dwell upon the earth, will not be able to overthrow you.” (Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball and Willard Richards, as cited in James R. Clark, comp., Messages of the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 2:124.)

(51-19) We Should So Live That The Revelations of Jesus Can Be with Us Constantly

“Latter-day Saints should so live that they will know the voice of the True Shepherd, and not be deceived by pretenders. . . . The Latter-day Saint who does not live so as to have the revelations of Jesus constantly with him, stands in great danger of being deceived and falling away.” (Harold B. Lee in CR, Oct. 1967, p. 103.)

TO PARTAKE OF THE DIVINE NATURE OF GOD IS TO PARTAKE OF THE POWER OF GOD THROUGH THE HOLY SPIRIT

52
“WALK IN THE LIGHT, AS HE IS IN THE LIGHT”

THEME

Those who walk in the light receive the love of Christ and enjoy fellowship with the Father and the Son and with the children of God.

INTERPRETIVE COMMENTARY

(52-1) What Is the Theme of 1 John?

“Written by the Disciple whom Jesus loved, and who in turn had such great love for his Lord and his fellowmen that he gained permission to remain on earth and seek to save souls until the Second Coming—this Epistle has as its essential theme:

“That God is love;

“That love is the foundation upon which all personal righteousness rests;

“That all the purposes and plans of Deity are based on his infinite and eternal love; and

“That if men will personify that love in their lives, they will become like the Lord himself and have eternal life with him.

“The doctrines expounded include how to gain fellowship with God; how to know God and Christ; how to become the sons of God; how to abide in the light and love the brethren; how to dwell in God and have him dwell in us; how to be born again and gain eternal life.” (McConkie, DNTC, 3:371.)

(52-2) Where and When Was It Written?

As with the other general epistles, so with 1 John: the letter provides us with little or no evidence on which to fix a place of writing. If the tradition regarding John’s long residence in Ephesus is correct, the letter could have been written from there. Although John spent the major portion of his life in the Holy Land, Christians as well as Jews were unwelcome there following the destruction of Jerusalem and its temple in A.D. 70.

The letter seems to belong to a period in which the so-called Gnostic philosophy was on the rise. It also bears a close relationship to the fourth Gospel, which is dated about A.D. 90 or 95.

The book of 1 John was probably written sometime around A.D. 96 and almost certainly between A.D. 70 and 100.

(52-3) 1 John 1:1. “We Have Seen with Our Eyes . . . and Our Hands Have Handled, of the Word of Life”

To Jesus’ apostles, John being one, was given the sacred privilege following the Savior’s resurrection of seeing the resurrected Lord in the flesh. “Behold my hands and my feet,” the Savior said, “that it is I myself.” But that is not all. They were also privileged to feel his wounds: “Handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.” (Luke 24:39). John wishes it clearly understood that it is he, a personal witness of the resurrected Christ, who is writing this letter.

(52-4) 1 John 1:3. “Our Fellowship Is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ”

“To have fellowship with the Lord in this life is to enjoy the companionship of his Holy Spirit, which makes us one with him; and to have fellowship with him in eternity is to be like him, having that eternal life of which he is the possessor and originator.” (McConkie, DNTC, 3:374.)

(52-5) 1 John 2:1. “We Have an Advocate with the Father”

An advocate is one who pleads on behalf of another. Jesus Christ is our advocate with the Father. God is a god of justice, and his law requires that every sin be paid for. If it were not for the Atonement, all men would stand condemned because of the law, because all men sin. But Jesus Christ suffered the punishment and thereby paid the price for the sins of all mankind. Therefore, he can plead on our behalf before the Father. (See D&C 45:3–5.)

(52-6) 1 John 2:2. “He Is the Propitiation for Our Sins” and “Also for the Sins of the Whole World”

God’s divine justice cannot simply wave sins away; payment must be made. Propitiation means just that. Because Jesus was totally righteous and had no sins for which to answer personally, he can propitiate, or pay, for our sins through atonement. This righteous act satisfies the demands of justice and makes mercy, or forgiveness, possible (Alma 42:12–25).

But Christ’s atonement is universal. It is extended to all who will accept it by faith in Christ and repentance from sin. The Savior suffered “the pain of all men,” the suffering due for the accumulated sins of the “whole world.” Only those who will truly repent, however, are made its beneficiaries. (Read D&C 18:10–12.) The rest must live without full benefits of the Atonement. (Read Alma 11:40, 42.)

(52-7) 1 John 2:3. “Hereby We Do Know That We Know Him, If We Keep His Commandments”

It was this same John who quotes our Savior as saying, “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” (John 17:3.) Now he tells us how it is possible to know God.

“It is by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the gospel! and in no other way! . . .

“Since the very fact of knowing God, in the ultimate and full sense, consists of thinking what he thinks, saying what he says, doing what he does, and of being like him, thus having exaltation or godhood—it follows that saved souls must advance and progress until they acquire his character, perfections, and attributes, until they gain his eternal power, until they themselves become gods.” (McConkie, DNTC, 3:377.)

(52-8) 1 John 2:6. “Walk Even As He Walked”

“Merely saying, accepting, believing are not enough. They are incomplete until that which they imply is translated into the dynamic action of daily living. This, then, is the finest source of personal testimony. One knows because he has experienced. He does not have to say, ‘Brother Jones says it is true, and I believe him.’ He can say, ‘I have lived this principle in my own life, and I know through personal experience that it works. I have felt its influence, tested its practical usefulness, and know that it is good. I can testify of my own knowledge that it is a true principle.’” (Howard W. Hunter in CR, Apr. 1967, p. 116.)

(52-9) John 2:18, 19. What Is an Anti-Christ?

The prefix anti means exactly the same in Greek as it does in English, namely, that which is against something else. An anti-Christ is one who stands in opposition to Christ, or seeks to amend, change, add to, or undermine his doctrine. The devil is the best example, for he “opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped. . . .” (2 Thessalonians 2:4.) John speaks not of the devil, however, but of those men in his day who followed the devil in opposition to Jesus Christ. These apostates, though they had once been in the church, “went out from us, but they were not of us; for had they been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us.” Examples of anti-Christs would be men like Sherem (Jacob 7:1–23), Nehor (Alma 1:2–16), and Korihor (Alma 30:6–60).

(52-10) 1 John 2:20, 27. What Is the “Unction,” or “Anointing,” of Which John Speaks?

“This unction, this holy anointing, is the gift of the Holy Ghost, which gives them access to the infinite wisdom of the Father and the Son so that they may know all things as fast as they are able to bear them.” (McConkie, DNTC, 3:383.)

(52-11) 1 John 3:9. What Does John Mean by “Whosoever Is Born of God Doth Not Commit Sin”?

In the Inspired Version, Joseph Smith translates the passage as follows:

“Whosoever is born of God doth not continue in sin; for the Spirit of God remaineth in him; and he cannot continue in sin, because he is born of God, having received that holy spirit of promise.”

Elder Bruce R. McConkie explains:

“All men sin, before and after baptism, but those saints who strive to keep the commandments, and are continually repenting and returning to the Lord, no longer continue in that course of sinful rebellion against God and his laws which was their lot before they were baptized for the remission of sins. Church members who do so continue in sin are members in name only; they do not receive the companionship of the Holy Ghost, through whose revelations alone can the Lord be ‘known’” (DNTC, 3:386)

(52-12) 1 John 3:21. “Beloved, If Our Heart Condemn Us Not, Then Have We Confidence Toward God”

“An actual knowledge to any person, that the course of life which he pursues is according to the will of God, is essentially necessary to enable him to have that confidence in God without which no person can obtain eternal life. It was this that enabled the ancient saints to endure all their afflictions and persecutions, and to take joyfully the spoiling of their goods, knowing (not believing merely) that they had a more enduring substance.” [Hebrews 10:34.] (Lectures on Faith, Lecture Sixth, vs. 2.)

(52-13) 1 John 4:8. What Does John Mean by “God Is Love”?

“‘Our God is a consuming fire.’ (Heb. 12:29.) ‘God is light.’ (1 John 1:5.) Similarly, God is also faith, hope, charity, righteousness, truth, virtue, temperance, patience, humility, and so forth. That is, God is the embodiment and personification of every good grace and godly attribute—all of which dwell in his person in perfection and in fulness.” (McConkie, DNTC, 3:398.)

(52-14) 1 John 4:12. “No Man Hath Seen God at Any Time”

“No man hath seen God at any time, except them who believe. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.” (Inspired Version.)

(52-15) 1 John 5:8. “There Are Three That Bear Witness in Earth, the Spirit, and the Water, and the Blood”

“. . . just as there can be no mortal birth without:

“Water (the viable fetus being immersed in such in its mother’s womb); and

“Blood (the life of the mortal body is in the blood, without which there is immediate death; and there can be no mortal birth as such without the loss of blood by the mother); and

“Spirit (the offspring of God which comes from pre-existence to dwell in the tabernacle of clay formed from the dust of the earth in the womb of the mother);

“So there can be no spiritual birth into the kingdom of heaven without:

“Water (baptism by immersion under the hands of a legal administrator); and

“Spirit (the cleansing power of the Holy Spirit which burns sin and iniquity out of the human soul as though by fire, thus making the soul fit to dwell with holy and pure beings in God’s kingdom); and

“Blood (the shed blood of Him who poured out his soul unto death so that all of the terms and conditions of the plan of salvation would have force and validity and so that mortal man might be ransomed from the temporal and spiritual death brought into the world by the fall of Adam). . . .

“Also: The symbolism here used helps center our attention in the atoning sacrifice of the Son. The same elements were then present:

“Spirit (in that our Lord voluntarily gave up the Ghost, permitting his spirit to leave the body);

“Blood (in that he there completed the act, commenced in Gethsemane, of shedding his own blood for the sins of men); and

“Water (in that when ‘one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, . . . forthwith came there out blood and water. And he that saw it [John himself] bare record, and his record is true: and he knoweth that he saith true, that ye might believe.’) (John 19:34–35.)” (McConkie, DNTC, 3:403–5.)

POINTS TO PONDER

THE SAINTS ENJOY A UNIQUE KIND OF FRIENDSHIP

Membership in the Church exists, in part, to further one’s spiritual condition. Fellowship is the principle means by which this is to be accomplished. Through fellowship, men and women with common goals and aspirations are given an opportunity to uplift and strengthen one another. This kind of fellowship far transcends that found in social groups or political parties. John knew that this fellowship is the distinguishing mark of the true Church, for it is not found anywhere else.

(52-16) When We Love God and Our Fellow Men, We Cannot Be Deceived by Those Who Profess Love for Humanity but Work Against Man’s True Welfare

“The world largely ignores the first and great commandment—to love God—but talks a lot about loving their brother. They worship at the altar of man. Would Nephi have slain Laban if he had put the love of neighbor above the love of God? Would Abraham have taken Isaac up for a sacrifice if he had put the second commandment first?

“The attitude of the world is reflected in a phrase of falsehood that reads, ‘Presume not God to scan, the proper study of mankind is man.’ But only those who know and love God can best love and serve his children, for only God fully understands his children and knows what is best for their welfare. Therefore, one needs to be in tune with God to best help his children. That’s why the Church, under the inspiration of the Lord, encourages its members to first look to themselves, then their family, then the Church and if need be to other voluntary agencies to help solve the problems of poverty, unemployment, hunger, sickness, and distress. Those who are not moved by that same inspiration turn instead to government. Such man-made course of action does little good compared to the Lord’s approach and often results in doing great harm to our Father’s children, even though the intentions may seem to have been noble.

“Therefore, if you desire to help your fellowmen the most, then you must put the first commandment first.

“When we fail to put the love of God first, we are easily deceived by crafty men who profess a great love of humanity, while advocating programs that are not of the Lord.” (Ezra Taft Benson in CR, Oct. 1967, p. 35.)

TRUE FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD AND MAN IS ENJOYED ONLY BY THOSE WHO WALK IN THE LIGHT OF CHRIST

53
“FOR THERE ARE CERTAIN MEN CREPT IN UNAWARES”

THEME

Latter-day Saints must be aware of false ideas and unrighteous behavior so that they might actively “contend for the faith.”

INTERPRETIVE COMMENTARY

SECOND AND THIRD JOHN

(53-1) Place and Date of Writing

All the evidence, and it is very scanty, suggests a date and place identical to that for First John somewhere near the turn of the first century at an unknown place in the Roman Empire. Indications in the letters suggest that Gnosticism is still the apostle’s dominant concern. While we cannot be certain as to the exact order in which the three letters of John were written, there is no solid evidence for accepting them in any other sequence than that in which they presently appear in the New Testament.

(53-2) Background Information

The background of Second and Third John is much like that for John’s first letter. Second and Third John, however, are more intimate, for they are addressed to “the elect lady and her children” (2 John 1) and to “the well-beloved Gaius, whom I love in the truth.” (3 John 1.) Who is this elect lady? Is she a person of John’s close acquaintance, such as a wife or sister? Are the children his own flesh and blood offspring? Or are these designations to be interpreted spiritually? Is the “elect lady” an individual branch of the church whose members are her “children”? Is she an individual in whose home (2 John 10) the faithful saints, her “children,” gather for weekly worship? Is Gaius a presiding elder of a local branch? Who are Diotrephes and Demetrius?

Unfortunately these questions cannot be answered conclusively from the evidence that is available. What is apparent, however, is that Second and Third John seem to have been written to warn the faithful saints against the Gnostic philosophy of the day, to beware of those “many deceivers . . . who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh.” (2 John 7.) John urges those confronted by this and other heresies to “follow not that which is evil, but that which is good.” (3 John 11.)

(53-3) Significant Contributions

Elder Bruce R. McConkie, who believes that these two epistles may have been personal letters written to members of John’s own immediate family, summarizes the contributions of the two writings as follows:

“Why these two brief, personal epistles?

“Their doctrinal content and historical recitations are, of course, minimal. But they do add a unique contribution to the revealed word which well pays for their preservation. . . .

“Brief, less significant than some portions of Holy Writ, these two lesser epistles of the Beloved John are yet of eternal worth, and the saints rejoice in the added perspective they give to the Bible as a whole.” (McConkie, DNTC, 3:409.)

(53-4) 2 John 1. Was John an Elder in the Priesthood?

The word elder is a title applied to all holders of the Melchizedek Priesthood, whether they be ordained to the specific office of elder or not (D&C 20:38). The priesthood is greater than any of its ordained offices. Peter, an apostle and president of the high priesthood, referred to himself as an elder (1 Peter 1:5). John and Peter were elders in the same sense that any holder of the Melchizedek Priesthood, regardless of his ordained position, is an elder.

(53-5) 2 John 1. What or Who Is an “Elect Lady”?

If we assume that the “elect lady” to whom John wrote was an actual person rather than a figurative designation for a branch of the church, as some maintain, what does the term mean? Elder McConkie has written:

“An elect lady is a female member of the Church who has already received, or who through obedience is qualified to receive, the fulness of gospel blessings. This includes temple endowments, celestial marriage, and the fulness of the sealing power. She is one who has been elected or chosen by faithfulness as a daughter of God in this life, an heir of God, a member of his household. Her position is comparable to that of the elders who magnify their callings in the priesthood and thereby receive all that the Father hath. (D. & C. 84:38.)” (McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, p. 217.)

(53-6) 2 John 7. “For Many Deceivers Are Entered into the World”

From the beginning of this earth’s history, Satan and his emissaries have engaged in works of deception. For this reason, prophets of God have constantly warned the followers of Christ to beware of those who seek to beguile the unwary away from the truths revealed by God.

John’s day, as formerly shown, was no exception, for there were “many deceivers” in his day. John specifically warned of those “who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh.” These were the Docetists, Gnostic heretics who insisted that Christ was a phantom and ministered in appearance only. Matter is evil, and Christ could not have been a material being, for that would make him evil by association. Christ did not suffer for men’s sins in the Garden of Gethsemane and on the cross; he only seemed to suffer. (Dokein in the Greek means “to seem or appear,” hence Docetism.)

Such a teaching, if accepted, would have undermined the entire structure of the gospel of Christ. If Jesus had not suffered for our sins through the shedding of his blood, our sins would have remained unremitted. If Jesus had not conquered death by resurrecting his physical body, we and all before us would have remained dead forever and ever. All of our expectations for eternal life would have been shattered. There would have been no “good news,” or gospel of Jesus Christ, to place confidence in. Small wonder that John warned his readers to beware of the “many deceivers” abroad in the world who “confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh.” Latter-day Saints know he has, and that knowledge opens the doors to a more purposeful life.

(53-7) 2 John 10, 11. What Is So Serious About Bidding a Bearer of False Doctrine “Godspeed”?

“Godspeed” was a common form of greeting and of farewell in the 1600s when the King James Version was produced. It was, at that time, a good translation of the Greek. John was actually telling his readers to refrain from wishing prosperity and success to those whose lives and teachings were not in harmony with gospel truth. John is not suggesting that common courtesy cannot be extended to those who teach contrary doctrines. But in his time, the phrase he used also meant to welcome one into the home, to accept him as a guest. It was this kind of hospitality that enabled the itinerant preachers to exist and carry on their work. Thus, extending greeting was akin to supporting the work of these teachers. John is saying that saints should support only those who come teaching the gospel doctrine that Christ actually came in the flesh, suffered for mankind, brought about the Resurrection, and will judge each of us in the final day.

(53-8) 3 John 5–8. For What Is Gaius Commended by John in These Verses?

Even as John urged his readers not to provide lodging for teachers of false doctrine, so he commends Gaius for his kindness to the true ministers of God’s word. It was a custom in the early church that members of the branch would take Christian missionaries into their homes and provide for their needs. Such an act, as formerly noted, implied acceptance of the missionaries and their message. Even if the inns of that day had not had the evil reputation that they did, it is unlikely that very many of the brethren would have been wealthy enough to stay in them. Gaius is praised for his unselfish devotion to the cause of Christ in providing accommodations for God’s traveling servants.

JUDE

(53-9) Theme

Jude’s announced purpose in his letter was to urge his readers to “earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.” (Vs. 3.) The problem is one of apostasy, for he tells us “there are certain men” crept into the church unnoticed, “ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Vs. 4.)

(53-10) Authorship

Although the question of authorship has been much debated, no solid evidence has been produced to show that anyone other than Jude, brother of Jesus and James, wrote the letter.

Peter was president of the church of Jesus Christ in his day. We have no indication that Jude held any office of importance in the early church, but the epistle seems to suggest that he eventually attained to a position wherein a letter from him would carry some weight.

(53-11) Background Information

Next to Second and Third John, Jude is the shortest letter in the New Testament. Like the other general epistles, little is known concerning the group or groups to which the epistle was directed. Jude merely addresses his writing “to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called.” (Vs. 1.)

Jude’s words are sharp and incisive against the particular form of apostasy with which he was concerned. In graphic style, he cites three scriptural precedents to show how God has dealt in times past with disbelievers: the destruction of those who came out of Egypt and were not permitted to enter the Promised Land, the angels “who kept not their first estate,” and the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah. These Jude likens to apostates of his own day, and he predicts that the same fateful calamity which befell those in other eras will come to modern apostates as well. They err, he contends, in the same way that Cain, Balaam, and Korah of old erred—they trust in themselves rather than God. The only solution for those who would avoid such calamities is to call to mind the source of their blessings and to continue in prayer and good works. (See vss. 20, 21.) Having preserved themselves from apostasy, faithful members should be active in helping to avoid a similar fate (vss. 22, 23).

(53-12) Significant Contributions

“In the whole Bible, it is Jude only who preserves for us the concept that pre-existence was our first estate and that certain angels failed to pass its tests.

“It is to him that we turn for our meager knowledge of the disputation between Michael and Lucifer about the body of Moses.

“He alone records Enoch’s glorious prophecy about the Second Coming of the Son of Man.

“And he is the only inspired writer to express the counsel that the saints should hate even the garments spotted with the flesh.” (McConkie, DNTC, 3:415.)

(53-13) Jude 4. What of Jude’s Description of False Teachers in His Day?

Jude describes the false teachers in the church as having “crept in unawares.” The Greek here is very vivid, being derived from a compound word which means “to slip in through a side door.” Rarely do apostate members openly challenge the principles of the gospel. Rather, they employ subtle, deceitful, and secret methods to lure the unwary away from the truth. Jude uses the image of someone slipping surreptitiously through the side door to mingle quietly with the congregation until there is an opportunity to cloak false teachings beneath his membership in the church.

The second term Jude uses, translated as lasciviousness by the King James translators, is also a very powerful one in Greek. It does not imply simply a condition of mental or spiritual immorality but highly visible and improper sexual behavior—unbridled lust and passion, as it were. Jude is probably referring to a group of members who are attempting to clothe their adultery with religious sanction.

(53-14) Jude 6. “The Angels Which Kept Not Their First Estate”

Both Abraham and Jude speak of the premortal world as our “first estate” (Abraham 3:26). Those spirits who were faithful in that initial stage of eternal progression qualified for the privilege of coming into mortality, our second estate, while those who rebelled against God and followed Lucifer are they of whom Jude speaks, “angels which kept not their first estate.’’ The Prophet Joseph Smith explains their condition:

“The spirits in the eternal world are like the spirits in this world. When those have come into this world and received tabernacles, then died and again have risen and received glorified bodies, they will have an ascendancy over the spirits who have received no bodies, or kept not their first estate, like the devil. The punishment of the devil was that he should not have a habitation like men.” (Smith, Teachings, pp. 305–6.)

(53-15) Jude 6. What Are the “Everlasting Chains Under Darkness” of Which Jude Speaks?

Outer darkness is the habitation of those “angels which kept not their first estate” but rebelled against God and joined forces with Lucifer. Here they will be joined by sons of perdition: those who, in this life, having known the ways of righteousness unto perfection, consciously chose a course that leads to hell (D&C 76:32, 33, 44). Since there is no progression, no spiritual growth, no advancement in light and truth in this state, those who inherit this condition are grasped with “everlasting chains” of darkness from which there is no return. Hell will end for all others.

(53-16) Jude 7. What Do We Know About the Cities of Sodom and Gomorrah?

Sodom and Gomorrah were twin cities that existed somewhere near the Dead Sea, probably at its southern end. They were destroyed because of their great wickedness, principally homosexuality, from which we derive the term sodomy. Both cities and their inhabitants were destroyed by fire from heaven (Genesis 19:24, 25). Their fate, as well as the practices known to have existed there, suggest that perhaps Jude’s reference to “lasciviousness” by “certain men crept in unawares” is intended to connote the practice of homosexuality. This evil practice has been condemned by the prophets of God in all ages. (See Kimball, Miracle of Forgiveness, chapter 6.)

(53-17) Jude 9. Who Is “Michael he Archangel”?

Michael the archangel is the great patriarch Adam (D&C 107:54).

(53-18) Jude 9. What Do We Know Concerning the Dispute Which Michael the Archangel Had with the Devil About the Body of Moses?

“Commentators assume, and it surely must have been so, that Jude had before him and was quoting from a then current apocryphal book, ‘The Assumption of Moses,’ which has been preserved to us in fragmentary form only. This non-canonical work presents the doctrine that Moses was translated and taken up into heaven without tasting death. It appears to deal ‘with certain revelations made by Moses,’ and ‘with his disappearance in a cloud, so that his death was hid from human sight . . . Michael was commissioned to bury Moses. Satan opposed the burial on the ground (a) that he was the lord of matter and that accordingly the body should be rightfully handed over to him; (b) that Moses was a murderer, having slain the Egyptian. Michael having rebutted Satan’s accusations proceeded to charge Satan with having instigated the serpent to tempt Eve. Finally, all opposition having been overcome, the assumption took place in the presence of Joshua and Caleb.’” (McConkie, DNTC, 3:421.)

It should be noted that, as Elder McConkie points out, “The Assumption of Moses” is an apocryphal book. Apocryphal means of dubious authenticity or validity. In other words, such books were not included in the Bible because they were not felt to be correct in every particular, even though they may have contained some things of value. (See, for example, what the Lord said about other apocryphal works in D&C 91.)

(53-19) Jude 11. “The Way of Cain . . . the Error of Balaam . . . and . . . the Gainsaying of Core”

Each of these men made a grievous mistake in the eyes of the Lord. Cain murdered his brother Abel in order to gain his brother’s flocks (Moses 5:32, 33); Balaam used his God-given gift of prophecy to enhance himself with riches and the honors of men (Numbers 22:5; 25); and Core (or Korah, as it is spelled in the Old Testament) rebelled against Moses, the Lord’s prophet, because of his exclusion from priesthood office (Numbers 16:1–3, 31–35). In each instance these men were cursed of the Lord for their evil: Cain was made a “fugitive and a vagabond . . . in the earth” (Moses 5:37); Balaam was slain by the sword (Numbers 31:8); and Korah and those who sided with him were swallowed up alive in the earth (Numbers 16:31–35). Jude wishes it understood that the evil men of his day, having “gone in the way” of Cain, Balaam, and Core, shall also meet a similar fate.

(53-20) Jude 14. What Do We Know Concerning Enoch’s Prophecy of the Second Coming of Christ?

See Moses 7:62–66.

(53-21) Jude 20. What Does It Mean to Pray “in the Holy Ghost”?

“Praying by the power of the Holy Ghost, so that all requested petitions are granted, because ‘it shall be given you what you shall ask.’ (D. & C. 50:29–30; 101:27.)” (McConkie, DNTC, 3:427.)

(53-22) Jude 23. “Pulling Them Out of the Fire”

“In the day of judgment, every corruptible thing will be consumed (D. & C. 101:24), and the wicked shall be burned with unquenchable fire. (Mal. 4:1.) If the erring saints are to be saved, they must be pulled, as it were, from the coming fire, even as God said of Israel: ‘Ye were as a firebrand plucked out of the burning.’ (Amos 4:11.)” (McConkie, DNTC, 3:427–28.)

(53-23) Jude 23. “The Garment Spotted by the Flesh”

“To stay the spread of disease in ancient Israel, clothing spotted by contagious diseases was destroyed by burning. (Lev. 13:47–49; 15:4–17.) And so with sin in the Church, the saints are to avoid the remotest contact with it; the very garments, as it were, of the sinners are to be burned with fire, meaning that anything which has had contact with the pollutions of the wicked must be shunned. And so also with those yet in the world who are invited to join the kingdom. To them the call is: Repent, ‘Save yourselves from this untoward generation, and come forth out of the fire, hating even the garments spotted with the flesh.’ (D. & C. 36:6.)” (McConkie, DNTC, 3:428.)

POINTS TO PONDER

ONE OF THE GREATEST CHALLENGES FOR LATTER-DAY SAINTS IS TO BE AWARE OF FALSE IDEAS AND UNRIGHTEOUS BEHAVIOR

YOU CAN APPROPRIATELY AND EARNESTLY CONTEND FOR THE FAITH

(53-24) We Can Avoid Individual Apostasy by Maintaining an Unshakable Testimony of Jesus Christ

The characteristics of apostasy clearly have changed but little in 2,000 years. Today, as in the early church, those who have failed to control ambition, appetite, and speech have become subject to the tempter’s snare. Characteristically, they have neglected to build and nourish an unshakable testimony in Christ and his church. Consequently, their works have become like unto clouds without water (Jude 12). They have turned away from God’s learning and instead “read by the lamp of their own conceit.” (Smith, Gospel Doctrine, p. 373.)