LDS Doctrine and Covenants Slideshow 06: D&C 20-24, 26

7/31/2019 LDS Doctrine and Covenants Slideshow 06: D&C 20-24, 26

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DOCTRINE andCOVENANTS

Hurricane Utah Adult Religion Class

Sections

2024, 26


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Organizing the restored Church

In the First Vision, a promise that thefulness of the gospel should at some futuretime be made known unto me.

Promises of things to come:

The rising up and the coming forth of my churchout of the wilderness (D&C 5:14).

I will establish my church (D&C 10:53). Wait a little longer, until you shall have my word,

my rock, my church, and my gospel (D&C 11:16).


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1829 Articles of the Church of Christ

josephsmithpapers.org


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Organization of the Church

6 April 1830 at the Peter Whitmer, Sr.home in Fayette, New York.


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Name of the Church

1830: The Church of Christ.

1834: The Church of the Latter DaySaints.

1838: The Church of Jesus Christ ofLatter-day Saints (D&C 115:4).


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Section 20

First revelation sustained by the membersof the Church (June 1830).

Revised and expanded, 18301835.

Church handbook.


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Section 20

D&C 20:1.Being one thousand eighthundred and thirty years in the fourthmonth, and on the sixth day of the month

which is called April.

Literal count or flowery introduction?


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Section 20

D&C 20:5. It was truly manifested unto thisfirst elder [Joseph Smith] that he hadreceived a remission of his sins.

Indirect reference to the First Vision.


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Section 20

D&C 20:89. The Book of Mormoncontainsthe fulness of the gospel of JesusChrist.

Definition of fulness of the gospel?

D&C 33:1012a.

3 Nephi 27:2021a.


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Section 20

D&C 20:17. Godis infinite and eternal,from everlasting to everlasting the sameunchangeable God.

We have imagined and supposed thatGod was God from all eternity. I will refutethat idea.Joseph Smith, April 1844

Compare Mormon 9:729;Moroni 8:1018.


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The Lord is the same yesterday, to-day andforever. This is the corner-stone, it may be said, ofour faith. It is upon this foundation we have built;that he is an unchangeable God; that he does notmanifest his mind and his will in plainness and

simplicity to one people, and hide the same from asucceeding people who are equally faithful. But the great truthhas been impressed upon us; the great truth that runs throughall the writings of every man of God concerning whom we have

any account from the beginning down to the last revelation thathas been given, that God is no respecter of persons, that he isto-day as he was yesterday and as he ever was, and that he willcontinue to be the same being as long as time endures oreternity continues. Elder George Q. Cannon, October 1879

Eternal nature of God


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Section 20

D&C 20:3031.We know thatjustification[and]sanctificationthrough the grace of our Lord and Savior

Jesus Christ is just and true.

What isjustification?

What is sanctification?


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Section 20

D&C 20:32. Man may fall from gracethereforetake heed.

Contra John Calvin:

Total depravity.

Unconditional election.

Limited atonement.

Irresistible grace.

Perseverance of the saints.


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Section 20

D&C 20:37. Six requirements for those whoare received by baptism into his church.

1.Humble

2.Desire

3.Come forth

4.Witness

5.Are willing6.Truly manifest


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Section 20

D&C 20:3867. The duty of the elders,priests, teachers, deaconsof the churchof Christ.

Priesthood revealed in stages. In 1830

Only 4 priesthood offices.

No Aaronic/Melchizedek division.

Assumes adults would fill all priesthood offices.

Transformation of the Aaronic Priesthood,1829present.


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Aaronic Priesthood development

Stage 1: 18291846.

Adult males ordained to AaronicPriesthood offices.

Stake-level Aaronic Priesthood quorums.


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Aaronic priesthood development

Stage 2: 18471877.

Adult Melchizedek Priesthood holders asacting deacons, teachers, priests.

Few Aaronic Priesthood holders; lowactivity rates.


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Stage 3: 18771908.

August 1877: Priesthood reorganization.

Aaronic Priesthood quorums moved from stake toward level.

Young men encouraged to accept AaronicPriesthood ordination.

Deacons pass the sacrament. Melchizedek Priesthood still responsible

for sacrament & block teaching.


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Stage 4: 1908present.

President Joseph F. Smith, April 1908:Young men should be given something todo.

Priesthood Movement reforms:

Boys move through Aaronic Priesthood offices by

age group, given specific responsibilities.

Block teaching becomes ward teaching,bishops put in charge, Melchizedek Priesthoodholders carry it out.


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Section 21

D&C 21:1, 46. There shall be a record keptamong you; and in it thou shalt be called

a seer,

a translator,

aprophet,

an apostle of Jesus Christ, an elder of the church.

What are the meanings and implications

of these titles?


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In the early days of this Church there were certainpersons, belonging to the Baptist denomination,very moral and no doubt as good people as youcould find anywhere, who came, saying theybelieved in the Book of Mormon, and that they had

been baptized into the Baptist Church, and theywished to come into our Church. The Prophet Joseph had not,at that time, particularly inquired in relation to this matter, buthe did inquire, and received a revelation from the Lord

something like this,that although a man had been baptized ahundred times under these old institutions, it would avail himnothing. These Baptists had to be re-baptized: there was noother way to get into this Church.

Elder Orson Pratt, November 1873

Section 22


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Section 22

22:1. This is a new and an everlastingcovenant.

The new and everlasting covenant vs.a new and everlasting covenant.

D&C 66:2.

D&C 132:4, 6.


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Section 23

23:3. [To Hyrum:] Thy heart is opened,and thy tongue loosed; and thy calling is toexhortation, and to strengthen the church

continually.

Compare D&C 11:21.


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Section 24

John Hamer bycommonconsent.com/author/johnhamer


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Section 24

24:1. Thou hast been delivered from all thineenemies, and thou hast been delivered from thepowers of Satan and from darkness!

Compare D&C 128:20.24:8.Be patient in afflictions, for thou shalt have

many.

24:15.They [who] receive you not in my name, yeshall leave a cursingby casting off the dust ofyour feet against them as a testimony.


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Shaking the dust from ones feet

To ceremonially shake the dust from ones feet asa testimony against another was understood by theJews to symbolize a cessation of fellowship and arenunciation of all responsibility for consequencesthat might follow. It became an ordinance of

accusation and testimony by the Lords instructionsto His apostles. In the current dispensation, the Lord hassimilarly directed His authorized servants to so testify againstthose who wilfully and maliciously oppose the truth when

authoritatively presented. The responsibility of testifyingbefore the Lord by this accusing symbol is so great that themeans may be employed only under unusual and extremeconditions, as the Spirit of the Lord may direct.

Elder James E. Talmage, 1915


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Section 26

26:2. All things shall be done by commonconsent in the church.


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The priesthood selects, under the inspiration of ourFather in heaven, and then it is the duty of the Latter-day Saints, as they are assembled in conference, orother capacity, by the uplifted hand, to sustain or toreject; and I take it that no man has the right to raise

his hand in opposition, or with contrary vote, unlesshe has a reason for doing so that would be valid if presented

before those who stand at the head. In other words, I have noright to raise my hand in opposition to a man who is appointed toany position in this Church, simply because I may not like him, or

because of some personal disagreement or feeling I may have, butonly on the grounds that he is guilty of wrong doing, oftransgression of the laws of the Church which would disqualifyhim for the position which he is called to hold.

Elder Joseph Fielding Smith, 1919

Common consent


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DOCTRINE andCOVENANTS

Hurricane Utah Adult Religion Class

Next week:

D&C 25, 2728

Documents

LDS Doctrine and Covenants Slideshow 06: D&C 20-24, 26