Bazooka wrote:sock puppet wrote:Hi, NL. Not SB, but could you give, in point by point listing, each aspect of the gospel of JC that is different in the Book of Mormon than already existed in the readily available New Testament?
To add: These aspects need to be in the lines of the Book of Mormon, not written between them and discernible only by you.
It is more hidden in plain sight in the New Testament. Regardless how apparent it is in the New Testament twern't nobody doing it that way.
Acts chapter one and two put together with the odd saying found in the Sermon on the Mount and Christ telling Nicademus that a man must be born again of water and of the spirit is sufficient. But then we got the Old Testament witnessing that the sign of circumcision in the flesh is suppose to remind them to circumcise the foreskin of their heart unto God that he may give them a new heart filled with the love of God. You can key word search that. Paul certainly peppers his letters with a familiarity with the real gospel.
Like I said, regardless that the real gospel of Jesus Christ is found in the New Testament, nobody was preaching anything but McGospel lite since the Reformation and nothing from the Catholic Fathers. Non of them spoke to it. Meaning that nobody was doing it such that they got the real deal and knew the difference between getting it and not. It was not taught competently in any of the sects of Christianity in the 1800s, not even in the Restored Church. The Mormons were lousy at it even though they spoke to it at a glance like a ricochet, ''what was that?". Christ condemned the entire LDS church for taking it lightly and NOT getting it done. (D&C 84:50-59)
All that IS in the Book of Mormon did not seem to help. As if it were still hiddenin plain sight. I have a theory that Joseph did not realize his first vision was his born again experience. Hence he was not expert at discerning it. If so it was truly overwritten by the vision of God more than just given a new heart filled with the love of God and the power of the Holy Ghost.
Is it you, Basooka, that harps on about Joseph never preaching from the Book of Mormon? True enough. Perhaps on purpose so not to drive away the flock, he did not bear down upon them like a King Benjamin and see to it that they got the gospel right. Perhaps Joseph knew more than he let on about how he was only setting up the Gentiles to fail in the modern age of wonders.
Okay then:
We have the Psalm of Nephi who had extraordinary experience but relates perfectly the struggles even the saints have to keep all that they have......so how did Joseph know this?
2 Nephi 4
17 Nevertheless, notwithstanding the great goodness of the Lord, in showing me his great and marvelous works, my heart exclaimeth: O wretched man that I am! Yea, my heart sorroweth because of my flesh; my soul grieveth because of mine iniquities.
18 I am encompassed about, because of the temptations and the sins which do so easily beset me.
19 And when I desire to rejoice, my heart groaneth because of my sins; nevertheless, I know in whom I have trusted.
20 My God hath been my support; he hath led me through mine afflictions in the wilderness; and he hath preserved me upon the waters of the great deep.
21 He hath filled me with his love, even unto the consuming of my flesh.
22 He hath confounded mine enemies, unto the causing of them to quake before me.
23 Behold, he hath heard my cry by day, and he hath given me knowledge by visions in the night-time.
24 And by day have I waxed bold in mighty prayer before him; yea, my voice have I sent up on high; and angels came down and ministered unto me.
25 And upon the wings of his Spirit hath my body been carried away upon exceedingly high mountains. And mine eyes have beheld great things, yea, even too great for man; therefore I was bidden that I should not write them.
26 O then, if I have seen so great things, if the Lord in his condescension unto the children of men hath visited men in so much mercy, why should my heart weep and my soul linger in the valley of sorrow, and my flesh waste away, and my strength slacken, because of mine afflictions?
27 And why should I yield to sin, because of my flesh? Yea, why should I give way to temptations, that the evil one have place in my heart to destroy my peace and afflict my soul? Why am I angry because of mine enemy?
28 Awake, my soul! No longer droop in sin. Rejoice, O my heart, and give place no more for the enemy of my soul.
29 Do not anger again because of mine enemies. Do not slacken my strength because of mine afflictions.
30 Rejoice, O my heart, and cry unto the Lord, and say: O Lord, I will praise thee forever; yea, my soul will rejoice in thee, my God, and the rock of my salvation.
31 O Lord, wilt thou redeem my soul? Wilt thou deliver me out of the hands of mine enemies? Wilt thou make me that I may shake at the appearance of sin?
32 May the gates of hell be shut continually before me, because that my heart is broken and my spirit is contrite! O Lord, wilt thou not shut the gates of thy righteousness before me, that I may walk in the path of the low valley, that I may be strict in the plain road!
33 O Lord, wilt thou encircle me around in the robe of thy righteousness! O Lord, wilt thou make a way for mine escape before mine enemies! Wilt thou make my path straight before me! Wilt thou not place a stumbling block in my way—but that thou wouldst clear my way before me, and hedge not up my way, but the ways of mine enemy.
34 O Lord, I have trusted in thee, and I will trust in thee forever. I will not put my trust in the arm of flesh; for I know that cursed is he that putteth his trust in the arm of flesh. Yea, cursed is he that putteth his trust in man or maketh flesh his arm.
35 Yea, I know that God will give liberally to him that asketh. Yea, my God will give me, if I ask not amiss; therefore I will lift up my voice unto thee; yea, I will cry unto thee, my God, the rock of my righteousness. Behold, my voice shall forever ascend up unto thee, my rock and mine everlasting God. Amen.
Here are some scriptures in the Book of Mormon that emphasis the FULL PURPOSE OF HEART key element to getting the gospel right. According to my key word search the phrase, FULL PURPOSE OF HEART does not occur in the Bible. Neither does the flippant...THANK YOU JESUS. Just sayin'
2 Ne. 31: 13
13 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, I know that if ye shall follow the Son, with full purpose of heart, acting no hypocrisy and no deception before God, but with real intent, repenting of your sins, witnessing unto the Father that ye are willing to take upon you the name of Christ, by baptism—yea, by following your Lord and your Savior down into the water, according to his word, behold, then shall ye receive the Holy Ghost; yea, then cometh the baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost; and then can ye speak with the tongue of angels, and shout praises unto the Holy One of Israel.
Jacob 6: 5
5 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, I beseech of you in words of soberness that ye would repent, and come with full purpose of heart, and cleave unto God as he cleaveth unto you. And while his arm of mercy is extended towards you in the light of the day, harden not your hearts.
Mosiah 7: 33
33 But if ye will turn to the Lord with full purpose of heart, and put your trust in him, and serve him with all diligence of mind, if ye do this, he will, according to his own will and pleasure, deliver you out of bondage.
3 Ne. 10: 6
6 O ye house of Israel whom I have spared, how oft will I gather you as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, if ye will repent and return unto me with full purpose of heart.
3 Ne. 12: 24
24 Go thy way unto thy brother, and first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come unto me with full purpose of heart, and I will receive you.
3 Ne. 18: 32
32 Nevertheless, ye shall not cast him out of your synagogues, or your places of worship, for unto such shall ye continue to minister; for ye know not but what they will return and repent, and come unto me with full purpose of heart, and I shall heal them; and ye shall be the means of bringing salvation unto them.
Then we got King Benjamin's classic sermon:
Mosiah 4
1 And now, it came to pass that when king Benjamin had made an end of speaking the words which had been delivered unto him by the angel of the Lord, that he cast his eyes round about on the multitude, and behold they had fallen to the earth, for the fear of the Lord had come upon them.
2 And they had viewed themselves in their own carnal state, even less than the dust of the earth. And they all cried aloud with one voice, saying: O have mercy, and apply the atoning blood of Christ that we may receive forgiveness of our sins, and our hearts may be purified; for we believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who created heaven and earth, and all things; who shall come down among the children of men.
3 And it came to pass that after they had spoken these words the Spirit of the Lord came upon them, and they were filled with joy, having received a remission of their sins, and having peace of conscience, because of the exceeding faith which they had in Jesus Christ who should come, according to the words which king Benjamin had spoken unto them.
There is all of Alam the Younger striving to have the people get the gospel right in his born again campaign. And how wonderfully changed were the kings of the Lamanites when the sons of Mosiah converted them unto true repentance. These people were quickened and enlivened and given an expansive mind that could prophecy and knew God from the experience of being made new creatures.
NOT THE COMMON 'GET RELIGION' OF THE EARLY 1800s. Were you take the name of Jesus as if it were a get of jail free card or a pawn ticket to redeem your soul because you simply accepted the grace of his shed blood offered to all for the asking without cost. And they all went about their lives in sin regardless knowing that they trust in Jesus. Nothing has changed except their relief at not having to worry about it any more. Just send in that blessing offering so we can seduce more of mankind with it's aid and comfort to our ministry.....Praise God!
When the people in the Book of Mormon rejected the gospel and the Holy Ghost no longer fell upon any as Mormon and Moroni lamented it was because there was no more faith accepting that they were less than the dust of the earth and unworthy creatures. No full purpose of heart desire in taking the name of Christ, or taking no thought for their lives as they sought earnestly a new heart from God.
No just pride all the day long knowing how much they and all mankind deserves only the best from God regardless as if a basic human right. Oh, well, maybe that more like it today. Whatev.
Does this suffice or do I need to get into the minutia of every jot and tittle?
Perhaps what Christ himself spoke to it:
3 nephi 11
35 Verily, verily, I say unto you, that this is my doctrine, and I bear record of it from the Father; and whoso believeth in me believeth in the Father also; and unto him will the Father bear record of me, for he will visit him with fire and with the Holy Ghost.
36 And thus will the Father bear record of me, and the Holy Ghost will bear record unto him of the Father and me; for the Father, and I, and the Holy Ghost are one.
37 And again I say unto you, ye must repent, and become as a little child, and be baptized in my name, or ye can in nowise receive these things.
38 And again I say unto you, ye must repent, and be baptized in my name, and become as a little child, or ye can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God.
39 Verily, verily, I say unto you, that this is my doctrine, and whoso buildeth upon this buildeth upon my rock, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against them.
40 And whoso shall declare more or less than this, and establish it for my doctrine, the same cometh of evil, and is not built upon my rock; but he buildeth upon a sandy foundation, and the gates of hell stand open to receive such when the floods come and the winds beat upon them.
So according to Christ you do not really believe in him if you fail to become meek as a little child before him and are visited by fire and the Holy Ghost bearing witness that you have come unto him acceptably.
Only the Puritan got close to purposefully seeking the kingdom of God. I suppose IF Satan had not sent in amongst them so many vile witches to spoil their game a Joseph Smith may have sooner came up among them.
Then the tares were again sent in among the early Mormons, mostly from England, to spoil the field that was ripe and ready to harvest.