What is Anti-Mormon?

      What does anti-Mormon mean?  Is it someone who hates Mormons?  A young lady recently called me anti-Mormon and one who hates Mormons.  Was she right?

      Suppose two by-standers were watching a boat float down a river.  The first man said "everyone must choose the way that is right for himself.  Who am I to judge?"  So even thought he knew the people in the boat were headed to a 1,000 ft. waterfall which would be certain death on the rocks below, he put a smile on his face.  He simply said "Hope you enjoy this beautiful day on the river."  The second man appeared to be more contentious.  He was yelling at the folks enjoying their river ride.  He was jumping up and down hollering, "Get off the river.  You are going to die."  He didn't want anyone to die going over the deadly waterfall.  Which man hated the folks in the boat?  Did the nice, friendly man really care when he knew there was a dangerous water fall downstream?  Or did the loud, blunt, truthful man really care about the travelers?  Who was the real hater?  Which one really was concerned?

    Lorenzo Snow said, "As man now is, God once was; as God is now, man may become."  Stop praying to an exalted man.  This is a false god.  Turn to the true God in Moroni 8:18.  "For I know that God is not a partial God, neither a changeable being; but he is unchangeable from all eternity to all eternity."  God was never a man.  He has always been God from "all eternity to all eternity."  Does quoting Moroni make me a hater or someone who cares?

      Some say there is no hell.  It is just a mental state.  2 Nephi 28:21-23 tells us where this lie came from.  "And others will he pacify, and lull them away into carnal security, that they will say: All is well in Zion; yea, Zion prospereth, all is well - and thus the devil cheateth their souls, and leadeth them away carefully down to hell.  And behold, others he flattereth away, and telleth them there is no hell; and he saith unto them: I am no devil, for there is none - and thus he whispereth in their ears, until he grasps them with his awful chains, from whence there is no deliverance.  Yea, they are grasped with death, and hell; and death, and hell, and the devil, and all that have been seized therewith must stand before the throne of God, and be judged according to their works, from whence they must go into the place prepared for them, even a lake of fire and brimstone, which is endless torment."  If I ignore the words of Nephi, does that make me a nice, responsible neighbor?

      Some people feel like repentance is a gradual process that may take years to complete.  Some hope to make a telestial or terrestrial kingdom without complete repentance. But we are not guaranteed tomorrow.  A car accident can quickly end our life.  Alma warned against procrastinating repentance.  Alma 34:31 says, "...now is the time and the day of your salvation;..."  Verse 33 says, "...do not procrastinate the day of your repentance until the end;...if we do not improve our time while in this life, then cometh the night of darkness wherein there can be no labor performed."  Verse 35 says, "...if ye have procrastinated the day of your repentance even until death, behold, ye have become subjected to the spirit of the devil, and he doth seal you his; therefore, the Spirit of the Lord hath withdrawn from you, and hath no place in you, and the devil hath all power of you; and this is the final state of the wicked."  Is it being contentious to actually take the words of Alma seriously?

      If you have concern for someone's well being or eternal destiny, are you a hater or someone who cares?  Is it possible to be genuinely concerned, speaking the truth in love?  What say you?
      Matthew 7:13&14 says, "Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:  Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it."

      

Devil's Flattery

      Many are saying that there is no hell or that it is just a mental state.  Where does this lie originate from.  2 Nephi 28:21-23 gives us the answer.  "And others will he pacify, and lull them away into carnal security, that they will say: All is well in Zion; yea, Zion prospereth, all is well - and thus the devil cheateth their souls, and leadeth them away carefully down to hell.  And behold, others he flattereth away, and telleth them there is no hell; and he saith unto them: I am no devil, for there is none - and thus he whispereth in their ears, until he grasps them with his awful chains, from whence there is no deliverance.  Yea, they are grasped with death, and hell; and death, and hell, and the devil, and all that have been seized therewith must stand before the throne of God, and be judged according to their works, from whence they must go into the place prepared for them, even a lake of fire and brimstone, which is endless torment."
      The Book of Mormon is clear on who is destined for hell.  It is reserved for those who have procrastinated their repentance.  Alma 34:35 tells us, "For behold, if ye have procrastinated the day of your repentance even until death, behold, ye have become subjected to the spirit of the devil, and he doth seal you his; therefore, the Spirit of the Lord hath withdrawn from you, and hath no place in you, and the devil hath all power over you; and this is the final state of the wicked."
      Many feel like they will have plenty of time after this life to repent of their ways.  Alma 34:33 tells us, "...do not procrastinate the day of your repentance until the end; for after this day of life, which is given us to prepare for eternity, behold, if we do not improve our time while in this life, then cometh the night of darkness wherein there can be no labor performed."  Many say that repentance is a gradual process.  However, we are not guaranteed tomorrow.  One distracted driver could end our life.  Alma 34:32 says, "For behold, this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God; yea, behold the day of this life is the day for men to perform their labors."
      Many assume that we are all sons and daughters of God.  The Book of Mormon, however, declares that we must be born again and become sons of God.  Mosiah 27:35 says, "...Marvel not that all mankind, yea, men and women, all nations, kindreds, tongues and people must be born again; yea, born of God, changed from their carnal and fallen state, to a state of righteousness, being redeemed of God, becoming his sons and daughters; And thus they become new creatures; and unless they do this, they can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God."

Kimball Quotes from the Miracles of Forgiveness

Kimball Quotes - Miracles of Forgiveness

"For behold, this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God...."  Alma 34:32    Page 1

"...God created man to live in mortality and endowed him with the potential to perpetuate the race, to subdue the earth, to perfect himself and to become as God, omniscient and omnipotent."  Page 2

"But will one receive eternal life on the basis of his good intentions?  Can one enter a country, receive a scholastic degree, and so on, on the strength of good intent unsupported by appropriate action?  Samuel Johnson remarked that 'hell is paved with good intentions.'  The Lord will not translate one's good hopes and desires and intentions into works.  Each of us must do that for himself."  Page 8

"For behold, this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God; yea, behold the day of this life is the day for men to perform their labors."  Alma 34:32

"This life is the time to repent. That is why I presume it will take a thousand years after the first resurrection until the last group will be prepared to come forth.  It will take them a thousand years to do what it would have taken but three-score and ten to accomplish in this life."  Melvin J. Ballard, "Three Degrees of Glory."  Page 11

"No Unclean Thing Can Enter"  Heading, page 19

"But to God who is perfection, cleanliness means moral and personal cleanliness.  Less than that is, in one degree or another, uncleanliness and hence cannot dwell with God."  Page 19

"Akin to many of the other sins is that of the covenant-breaker.  The person baptized promises to keep all the laws and commandments of God.  He has partaken of the sacrament and re-pledged his allegiance and his fidelity, promising and covenanting that he will keep all God's laws.  Numerous folks have gone to the temples and have re-covenanted that they would live all the commandments of God, keep their lives clean, devoted, worthy, and serviceable.  Yet many there are who forget their covenants and break the commandments, sometimes deliberately tempting the faithful away with them."  Page 57

"But whoso breaketh this covenant after he hath received it, and altogether turneth therefrom, shall not have forgiveness of sins in this world nor in the world to come."  Doctrine and Covenants 84:41  Page 117

"When a member of the Church is adjudged guilty of murder or what seems to approach the terrible crime, consideration should be given to excommunication, which in most cases is the penalty required."  Page 131

"By this ye may know if a man repenteth of his sins - behold, he will confess them and forsake them."  Doctrine & Covenants 58:43

"The saving power does not extend to him who merely wants to change his life.  True repentance prods on to action."  Page 163

"Nor is repentance complete when one merely tries to abandon sin.  To try with a weakness of attitude and effort is to assure failure in the face of Satan's strong counteracting efforts.  What is needed is resolute action."  Page 164

"To 'try' is weak. To 'do the best I can' is not strong.  We must always do better than we can."
Page 165

"One must have the opportunity of committing wrong in order to be really repentant... That is why we should not wait for the life beyond but should abandon evil habits and weaknesses while in the flesh on the earth."  Page 168

"Thus when a man has made up his mind to change his life, there must be no turning back."
Page 170

"Nevertheless, he that repents and does the commandments of the Lord shall be forgiven."
Doctrines & Covenants 1:32   Page 201

"I the Lord cannot look upon sin with the least degree of allowance;"  D&C 132:31   Page 201

"One of the most fallacious doctrines originated by Satan and propounded by man is that man is saved alone by the grace of God; that belief in Jesus Christ alone is all that is needed for salvation.  Along with all the other works necessary for man's exaltation in the kingdom of God this could rule out the need for repentance."  Page 206

"This progress toward eternal life is a matter of achieving perfection.  Living all the commandments guarantees total forgiveness of sins and assures one of exaltation through that perfection which comes by complying with the formula the Lord gave us.  In his Sermon on the Mount he made the command to all men: 'Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.'  (Matt. 5:48)  Being perfect means to triumph over sin.  This is a mandate from the Lord.  He is just and wise and kind.  He would never require anything from his children which was not for their benefit and which was not attainable..  Perfection therefore is an achievable goal."  Page 209

"Advancement to perfection can nevertheless be rapid if one resolutely strides toward the goal."
Page 210

"Numerous members of the Church will be disappointed.  All will fail of these blessings who fail to live worthy lives, even though the temple ordinances have been done for them."  Page 246

"While in this probation and in this life certainly mean the period of our mortal lives."  Page 248

"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."
"The Lord's program is unchangeable.  His laws are immutable.  They will not be modified. Your opinion or mine does not alter the laws.  Many in the world, and even some in the Church, seem to think that eventually the Lord will be merciful and give them the unearned blessing.  But the Lord cannot be merciful at the expense of justice."  Page 249

"There must be works - many works - and an all-out, total surrender, with a great humility and 'a broken heart and a contrite spirit.'  It depends upon you whether or not you are forgiven, and when.  It could be weeks, it could be years, it could be centuries before that happy day when you have the positive assurance that the Lord has forgiven you.  That depends on your humility, your sincerity, your works, your attitudes."  Page 325

"It is that the former transgressor must have reached a 'point of no return' to sin wherein there is not merely a renunciation but also a deep abhorrence of the sin - where the sin becomes most distasteful to him and where the  desire or urge to sin is cleared out of his life."  Page 355

Former Sins Return

     

 "And now, verily I say unto you, I, the Lord, will not lay any sin to your charge; go your ways and sin no more; but unto that soul who sinneth shall the former sins return, saith the Lord your God."  (D&C 82:7)  

This verse can be misused.  Here is an example of misuse:

      If a person had a problem with lying, repented of this sin, and stopped lying for 10 years, it would be quite an accomplishment.  If, however, he again told a lie, then all of their previous lies would be added back onto him.  Therefore he would be guilty of the previous lies plus the new lie.  This view probably misses the intention of the verse.  The verse does not categorize sins.  It speaks of sins in a general sense.  It simply says all former sins.  When a sin is committed, the guilt of all the former sins has returned.
      Spencer W. Kimball emphasized this verse in his book Miracles of Forgiveness.  In chapter 12, he also quoted D&C 58:43: "By this ye know if a man repenteth of his sins - behold, he will confess them and forsake them." pg. 163  On this page he wrote this subtitle: "Desire is not sufficient."  He also said, "True repentance prods one to action."  His next subtitle was "Trying is Not Sufficient."  He said, "To 'try' is weak.  To 'do the best I can' is not strong.  We must always do better than we can." pg. 165  On page 169, he had this subtitle, "Forgiveness Cancelled on Reversion to Sin".  On page 170 he described the situation like this:  "To return to sin is most destructive to the morale of the individual and gives Satan another hand-hold on his victim.  Those who feel that they can sin and be forgiven and then return to sin and be forgiven again and again must straighten out their thinking.  Each previously forgiven sin is added to the new one and the whole gets to be a heavy load."  The words "heavy load" accurately describe the circumstances.  On the same page he stated, "...those who try to taper off find it an impossible task.

      Jesus had these words to say about carrying a heavy load:  "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden , and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."  Matthew 12:28-30

Brother V & Veggies and Ice Cream

If

Photo by Hermes Rivera on Unsplash

Then

                                                        Photo by Alex Shu on Unsplash
      

Can you think of three people that have denied themselves of ALL UNGODLINESS?  We are not talking of 90%, 95%  or even 99% of ungodliness.  All means 100% of ungodliness.  Are there three people that you can think of that qualify?  Do you know three people who love God with ALL their might, mind and strength?  Again, we are not talking of those who love God with 50%, 80% or even 98%  of their might, mind and strength.  The word ALL means 100%.  If you are thinking of those three people, you can put them into Moroni 10:32.  It includes an if-then statement.  Keith Walker from Evidence Ministries compares this to an if-then statement about dinner: "If you finish your vegetables, then you can have some dessert.")  With your three, 100%, people in mind, we can read from Moroni 10:32, "...if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you,..."   When do you get the grace?  You get it after denying yourself of all ungodliness and loving God with all your might, mind and strength.  So who gets the needed grace?  Only the three people you thought of get the grace.  You may not have been able to think of anyone.
      This is the verse that Brother V. used with his revelation about grace in sacrament meeting.  In his grace revelation he learned that we cannot meet God half way.  It is not 50 - 50.  We cannot be saved by the law.  It is all about grace.  This is why Jesus was so hard on the pharasees.  They were keeping the law and trusting in their righteous works.  It was not about the law.  Jesus was accused of hanging out with sinners, gluttons and drunkards.  Obviously, they were the ones that realized they needed God's grace and mercy.  It was easy for Brother V. to find New Testament examples of God's grace and mercy.  It was harder for him to find them in the Book of Mormon.  But if you water down this verse in Moroni and twist it some, you can apply it to everyone.

Free Grace

      

Mormons have a better example of grace.  It is baptism for the dead.  The dead man or woman cannot do much.  They cannot pay tithes, pray, attend church, love others, speak kind words or show empathy.  They cannot even repent.  They can do nothing since they are dead.  When someone is baptized for them, it is simply a gift.  It is not earned in any way.  The worker does it for free for the dead person.  This is an act of pure grace.
      Brother V. had another revelation that we are not under the curse.  Now we know that you only have to kill one person to be a murderer.  You only have to steal once to be a thief.  You only have to sin one time to be a sinner.  If God is going to look into the dark motives of our heart, we are all in trouble.  Galatians 3:13 says, "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, 'Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree.'"  When Jesus hung on the cross, he hung there in our place.  We should have died on the cross for our many sins.  Again the Book of Mormon does not offer this to everyone.  In Alma 34, it is only for those who repent.  In Alma 34:35, an individual can choose to procrastinate repentance and wind up in hell as their "final state" of existence.
      Grace and freedom from the curse were two fine revelations by Brother V. in sacrament meeting.

Repentance

Is hell a reality?  The devil says it is not a reality.

2 Nephi 28:21-23  "And others will he (the devil) pacify, and loll them away into carnal security, that they will say: all is well in Zion; yea, Zion prospereth, all is well - and thus the devil cheateth their souls, and leadeth them away carefully down to hell.  And behold, others he flattereth away, and telleth them there is no hell; and he saith unto them: I am no devil, for there is none - and thus he whispereth in their ears, until he grasps them with his awful chains, from whence there is no deliverance.  Ye, they are grasped with death, and hell; and death, and hell, and the devil, and all that have been seized therewith must stand before the throne of God, and be judged according to their works, from whence they must go into the place prepared for them, even a lake of fire and brimstone, which is endless torment."

Is hell a place for people who have procrastinated in repenting?

Alma 34:35  "For behold, if ye have procrastinated the day of your repentance even until death, behold, ye have become subjected to the spirit of the devil, and he doth seal you his; therefore, the spirit of the Lord hath withdrawn from you, and hath no place in you, and the devil hath all power over you; and this is the final state of the wicked."

Is this really the final state of repentance procrastinators?  Isn't there some kind of work that can be done for them?

Alma 34:33  "And now, as I said unto you before, as ye have had so many witnesses, therefore, I beseech of you that ye do not procrastinate the day of your repentance until the end; for after this day of life, which is given us to prepare for eternity, behold, if we do not improve our time while in this life, then cometh the night of darkness wherein there can be no labor performed."

Obviously a person in such a situation would want a chance to escape.

Alma 34:34  "You cannot say, when ye are brought to that awful crisis, that I will repent, that I will return to my God.  Nay, ye cannot say this;..."

Many people say that repentance is a "gradual process" - it takes time.  However, we are not guaranteed tomorrow.  We may not have time for a gradual process.  We could die in a car wreck.  We could be hit by a drunk driver or a texting driver.  Some people will die of heart attacks and strokes.  It is best to repent right now!

Alma 34:31-32  "Yea, I would that ye would come forth and harden not your hearts any longer; for behold, now is the time and the day of your salvation; and therefore, if ye will repent and harden not your hearts, immediately shall the great plan of redemption be brought about unto you.  For behold, this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God; yea, behold the day of this life is the day for men to perform their labors."

Does it sound too easy?

2 Nephi 25:23  "..;for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do."

For those of us who are hard-headed, it is after we try and do all we can do that we realize it is NOT enough.  We actually do have to depend on God's grace, not ourselves, to save us.

The self-righteous Jews stated that Abraham was their father and God was their father. They were irate when Jesus said their father was the devil.

John 8:44  "Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do...."

The Book of Mormon claims that we must be "born again" and "become His sons and daughters".

Mosiah 27:25-26  "And the Lord said unto me: Marvel not that all mankind, yea, men and women, all nations, kindreds, tongues and people, must be born again; yea, born of God, changed from their carnal and fallen state, to a state of righteousness, being redeemed of God, becoming his sons and daughters;  And thus they become new creatures; and unless they do this, they can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God."

It is a miracle of God to be changed from a "carnal and fallen state" to a state of "righteousness" - where good deeds are flowing out of you naturally.

My friend, do not procrastinate your repentance.  Turn to the God who is the unchangeable being in Moroni 8:18 and who is the only "true and living God" in Alma 11:27-39.  Be reborn.  Become a new creation.  May God be with you.

Choose your God this day

    President Lorenzo Snow

 "As man is, God once was; as God is man can become".  These were the words of Mormon prophet and president Lorenzo Snow.  Moroni 8:18 speaks of another God who is not a changeable being:  "For I know that God is not a partial God, neither a changeable being; but he is unchangeable from all eternity to all eternity." This God did not begin as a spirit being.  He was not required to take on the form of a man.  He did not have to ascend into exaltation.   He definitely did not have to become God.  He always HAS BEEN God and will always BE God.

      Have you been praying to an exalted man or the eternal God found in Moroni 8:18?  If you have been worshiping an exalted man, he is not the God found in Moroni 8:18.  It is a big temptation to seek our own glory and exaltation!   It is tempting to focus on a goddess wife.  It is very tempting to try to ascend to godhood over our own world.  REPENT, REPENT, REPENT!!!  Let us bend our knee to the great God that always was, always is and always will be God!  Let us submit ourselves to His will.  Let us only worship Him in all of His majesty!!!

"...and I will not give my glory unto another."  Isaiah 48:11

"Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me,"  Isaiah 46:9

"Hearken unto me, O Jacob and Israel, my called; I am he; I am the first, I also am the last."  Isaiah 48:12

"I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded the, though thou hast not known me: That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside me, I am the LORD, and there is none else."  Isaiah 45:5-6

"For thus saith the LORD that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the LORD; and there is none else."  Isaiah 45:18

"...there is no God else beside me; a just God and a Saviour; there is none beside me.  Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else."  Isaiah 45:21-22

"To whom will ye liken me, and make me equal, and compare me, that we may be like?"  Isaiah 46:5

"Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God."  Isaiah 44:6

"Fear ye not, neither be afraid: have not I told thee from that time, and have declared it?  ye are even my witnesses,  Is there a God beside me? yea, there is no God; I know not any."  Isaiah 44:8

"I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images."  Isaiah 42:8

"To whom then will ye liken me, or shall I be equal? saith the Holy One?"  Isaiah 40:25

"...I am the LORD, the first, and with the last; I am he."  Isaiah 41:4

"And Zeezrom said unto him: Thou sayest there is a true and living God.  And Amulek said: yea, there is a true and living God.  Now Zeezrom said: Is there more than one God?  And he answered, No."  Alma 11:26-29

Global Warming & Climate Change?

      Did Jesus preached about "Global Warming" and "Climate Change"?  Here is an example of Jesus preaching about global warming and a permanent climate change in Luke 16:22-24  "...the rich man also died, and was buried;  And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.  And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame."   In Matthew 10:28 Jesus said,  "And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell."  Apparently this warming and permanent climate change is going to affect a lot of people.   In Matthew 7:13&14, Jesus said, "Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:  Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it."  You only have to murder one person to be a murderer.  You only have to steal one time to be a thief.  You only have to tell one lie to be a liar.  You only have to sin one time to be a sinner.  James 2:10 says, "For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all."  Have you ever coveted your neighbors property?  Exodus 20:17 says, "Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's."   Matthew 5:28 says, "...whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart."  Matthew 5:22 says, "...whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment":.."whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire."  Romans 3:23 says, "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;..."   Romans 6:23 says, "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."  Is there any hope for the repentant sinner who wants to avoid this inclusive "hell"?  John 14:6 says, "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."   Romans 5:8 expresses God's love for sinners, "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."  Romans 10:13 says, "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."  Romans 10:9&10 says, "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.  For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."  
      Please take the time to read for yourself Jesus' many messages on hell or global warming and permanent climate change.  Repent and turn to God that He may save your soul.

Sharing God's GLORY???

1 Nephi 20:11 says, "...I will not give my glory unto another."  Some people try to rationalize this away by saying God will not give His glory to people who go about it the wrong way.  They say that God wants everyone to be like Him.  However the context is not about overly ambitious people who go about it the wrong way.  We see in verse 9 that he is talking about people who are not cut off.  Verse 10 says, "...I have refined thee, I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction."  He is speaking to these people when He says He will not give His glory to another.  In verse 12 He speaks to Israel and says, "...I am the first, and I also am the last."  There was no God before Him that He had to share His glory with. And there is no god after Him that he will have to share his glory with. Isaiah 42:8 says, "I am the Lord: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images."  Isaiah 44:8 says, "...Is there a God beside me?  yea, there is no God; I know not any."  Isaiah 44:6 says, "...I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God."  Isaiah 45:5 says, "I am the Lord, and there is none else, there is no God beside me:..."

All Religions Have Truth????

Can truth be found everywhere?  Do all roads lead to Rome?  Do all religions have truth?  If you study the Jews and Israelis in the Old Testament, you will see that they believed this.  They were involved in all the religions of their time. In the Old Testament, the Israeli's relationship with God was often compared to the relationship between a man and wife. The prophets many times referred to Judah and Israel as "harlot" sisters. Instead of being loyal to their God, they went after other gods like an unfaithful wife goes after other men.  Jeremiah 3:11 says, "And the Lord said unto me, The backsliding Israel hath justified herself more that treacherous Judah." That was the KJV.  The NIV paraphrases the verse this way: "The Lord said unto me, "Faithless Israel is more righteous than unfaithful Judah. In other words, it is better to just follow other gods than to follow Jehovah God and other gods. It is better for a woman not to marry than it is for her to marry and follow after other men. Israel stopped following God from King Jeroboam on through their history. Judah had some righteous and some unrighteous kings. John 14:6 says, "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." What a powerful verse. Not MY way - Jesus is the way.  Not my truth or what is relatively right for me - Jesus is the truth.

D&C 1:31 Least Degree of Allowance

     Suppose you are doing the "best you can do."  Does God make up the rest?  We always say that "nobody is perfect."  If we have repented and stopped most of our lying, coveting and stealing, is it good enough to get us by?  Is it a gradual process of repentance and gradually forsaking sin?  If we are looking to our goodness, how good is good enough?  If you are married, you try to overlook some of your partners faults.  Does God do the same for us?
     D&C 1:31 says,  "For I the Lord cannot look upon sin with the least degree of allowance;"  This verse tells us how much sin God overlooks.  Helaman 4:24 say, "...the Spirit of the Lord doth not dwell in unholy temples."  Many people describe repentance as a gradual process.  But D&C 58:43 says, "By this ye may know if a man repenteth of his sins - behold, he will confess them and forsake them."  Alma 11:37 is a strong verse:  "And I say unto you again that he cannot save them in their sins; for I cannot deny his word, and he hath said that no unclean thing can inherit the kingdom of heaven; therefore, how can ye be saved, except ye inherit the kingdom of heaven?  Therefore, ye cannot be saved in your sins."
     The Book of Mormon  and Doctrine and Covenants do not describe a gradual process of repentance or of doing the "best you can."  These scriptures do not speak about us doing a portion and God coming along to make up the rest.  Repentance is tied to forsaking sin.  Forsaking sin is tied to being saved.  In spite of what people say and think, it is clear what these scriptures say about repentance and salvation.  If we are looking to our works and the law, it is clear what the expectation is - perfection.