This week I will attempt to answer questions about the Resurrection as Paul taught in 1 Corinthians 15.

1.     Who was “the firstfruits of them that slept” and what does that phrase mean?

Jesus Christ was the firstfruits spoken of here. He was the first being that had been resurrected, the first one that rose from the sleep of death into immortality.

2.    Who are listed in these verses as being witnesses of the Lord’s Resurrection?

Cephas, one of the twelve, then over 500 men saw him, then James, one of the apostles, Paul also saw him.

3.    According to Matthew 27:52, who else have been resurrected?

Matthew says the graves were open and many of the saints that had died were resurrected.

4.    According to what Paul taught in these verses, who else will be resurrected?

In verse 22 it says, “For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.” Everyone will be resurrected, but there is an order that will be followed. According to the student manual, Christ was the first, then some of the righteous saints who had died were resurrected after him. At the second coming more of the righteous will be resurrected, those inheriting the celestial kingdom. Next will be those to inherit the terrestrial kingdom. Then at the end of the millennium those who will inherit the telestial kingdom will rise. Followed by those who are “filthy still”, the “sons of perdition.”

5.    Some of the Corinthians did not believe in the Resurrection. What did Paul use as evidence of the Resurrection that was common practice then but today is literally nonexistent in the Christian world outside the restored gospel?

Verse 29 gives us the answer: “Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? Why are they then baptized for the dead?

6.    What id Paul teach about the differences in resurrected bodies?

Paul taught that resurrected bodies differ in glory from our mortal bodies. The natural body is buried, but a spiritual body is resurrected, glorified and immortal.

7.    How does knowing this help to explain God’s justice and mercy?

To me the resurrection is the mercy, everyone will receive an immortal body and live for eternity, because of Christ’s death and resurrection. Justice is covered by our repentance and our placement in the degree of glory we have earned. If we make good choices throughout our lives and do all we can, mercy will be in place to cover what we can’t do on our own.

8.    What additional insights do you gain about the celestial kingdom from Doctrine and covenants 131: 1-4?

In order to obtain the celestial kingdom we have to enter into the new and everlasting covenant of eternal marriage. We must be sealed in the temple for time and eternity.

9.    What does 2 Nephi 9:6-9 tell us would have happened to all of us had there been no resurrection?

Nephi explains that without the resurrection our bodies would rot and crumble in the earth. Our spirits would become subject to the devil, and shout out from the presence of God, remaining with Satan.

1 Thessalonians 3-5, 2 Thessalonians 3:1-6,11 Paul's counsel for members

When the Apostle Paul visited Thessalonica he counselled them to improve in several areas, including but not limited to:

• ·         Increase and abound in love one toward another. 1Thes 3:12
• ·         Increase in spiritual strength and follow the example of the apostles. 1Thes 4:1
• ·         Abstain from fornication, or immorality. 4:3
• ·        That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter. 4:6
• ·         Increase your love for others. 4:9-10
• ·         Work hard, tend to your own business. 4:11; 2 Thes 3:11
• ·         Prayer. 2 Thes 3:1
• ·         Love God and wait patiently for Christ. 3:5
• ·         Choose your friends carefully, have good associations. 3:6

The three points that stood out to me are to increase and abound in love one toward another, Choose your friends carefully, and work hard, tend to your own business.

It is not always easy to love everyone, and sometimes I just don’t want to be around certain people which is OK, as long as I can still love those people. We can love others with Christ-like love and not be best friends with them. I think we get in trouble when we forget that everyone is a child of God. Even those we don’t really like to be around. So my plan for loving others more is to treat everyone with respect and kindness. I can’t deny someone common curtesy if I want to follow this counsel of Paul. This would include gossip and making judgments based on too little information.

In connection with loving others is the counsel to choose your friends carefully. The verse says this: “…withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received us of.” While loving others, we have to make intermediate judgments about those we will spend our time with after we have collected enough “data” to do so. If we associate regularly with those whose basic philosophies on life are far removed from the gospel then we are in danger of losing our way. Elder Dallin H. Oaks taught,

The Savior also commanded individuals to be judges, both of circumstances and of other people. Through the prophet Moses the lord commanded Israel, ‘Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment: thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honour the person of the mighty: but in righteousness shalt thou judge they neighbor’ (Leviticus 19:15).

On one occasion the Savior chided the people, ‘Judge ye not what is right?’ (Luke 12:57). On another occasion he said, ‘Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment’ (John 7:24).

We must, of course, make judgments every day in the exercise of our moral agency, but we must be careful that our judgments of people are intermediate and not final (Judge Not and Judging, speeches.byu.edu).

We must allow others the use of the atonement and offer forgiveness as we’ve been commanded. Choosing who you will spend time with should be done with these ideas in mind.

Work hard and tend to your business. I took this literally and plan to work hard in my business. I am starting a company that needs a lot of hard work and time to get rolling. I am making moderate progress, but if I want to reach my goal of not working outside the home for someone else, and working full time in my own business, I need to commit time and effort so that I might be able to contribute to the welfare of our family in partnership with my husband. Eventually we will both be full time in our own company and that will be a day we will celebrate.

Acts 13-14 Paul's First Mission

Acts 13-14 Paul’s First Mission

Paul started his first mission journey in Antioch(in Syria) and traveled to Iconium, Lystra, Antioch (in Pisidia), and Paphos.

I’m sure along the way they had times when they felt discouraged. Especially when their lives were being threatened. However, they pressed on and did what they were asked to do. In Acts 13:1-5 there are three points that could help discouraged missionaries to be lifted up and keep going.

       1.   Fasting

       2.   Prayer

       3.   Doing the work

Paul and Barnabas started with fasting and prayer, and then they got busy. When we are engaged in a good work, it is hard to be discouraged. Faith replaces fear and we can more easily be led by the Holy Ghost.

Barnabas was a faithful, stalwart man. He sold all his possessions and gave the money to the apostles. He was not one of the 12 but was regarded very highly and had many responsibilities in the church including ministering to the saints in Antioch. He was Paul’s first mission companion. Why does the Lord send missionaries two by two? Companionships, especially in these times were helpful in protecting one another, and to lend credibility to the message they present. If one person says something you can easily dismiss it, but if two people testify and have the same message it is harder to deny. Priesthood blessings also need two to administer.

In one instance when Paul and Barnabas issued a priesthood blessing to a crippled man and he was healed, the people lifted up their voices and called the two missionaries Gods and tried to worship them. Paul and Barnabas rent their clothing and shouted to the people to stop. They focused the praise to the Lord and tried to teach the people to recognize God as the only living God.

In contrast to being called gods, Paul was next stoned by the people of Antioch and Iconium and left for dead. They drug him out of the city and left his body there. When he arose amid the disciples they took him back in the city for the night and the next day Paul and Barnabas departed. Paul stated that we would enter the kingdom of God through much tribulation. These contrasting examples are both tribulations to Paul. In the first, it was so heartbreaking to have the people so idolatrous that they would be blind to the real power that was at work. In the second example, the physical tribulation of stoning had to have not only physical, but emotional pain attached to it as well. Through tribulation we are refined and sanctified so that we may be worthy to enter the kingdom of God. 

Acts 10: 1-17, 11:1-18; 10:18-36, 44.

This week I read about the experience of Cornelius and Peter. Cornelius was a Gentile and centurion in the Italian Band, and Peter of course was an Apostle.

While Cornelius was praying, an angel of the Lord appeared to him. The angel told him that his prayers and alms were a memorial before God. He then told him to send for Peter in Joppa and Peter would tell him what to do.

Peter received a vision three times one night. His first reaction to the vision of animals being lowered down from heaven in a great sheet and being told to kill and eat, was one of disbelief because he had never eaten an unclean beast before. He didn’t understand why he would be commanded to do such a thing being a Jew. He didn’t understand what the vision meant. Just as Joseph Smith received an angel three times in one night with the same message, Peter likewise had this vision three times. I think it was so the message would be driven deep into his heart and mind, and that he would understand more fully the message the Lord was sending. Even though he still didn’t understand the meaning, I’m sure he had an unforgettable recollection of the details of the vision, so when he was able to understand he would be able to recall it correctly. I know it takes me more than on viewing to get the details of anything I’m watching or looking at.

When Peter had come to Cornelius and had been told of Cornelius’s visit with the angel, Peter declared that “God is no respecter of persons” (Acts 10:34). This means that he holds no one nation above the other, and doesn’t withhold blessings from some because of their nationality, in this case he was telling Peter to spread the word of Christ to the Gentile nation. Those Jewish saints who were with Peter had a witness from the Holy Ghost that what Peter was saying was true, and they also saw that the Holy Ghost was being given to the Gentiles. When this happened none denied these people the waters of baptism. How could they after the Holy Ghost had testified to all of them that this should be done.