As I hope to listen to much of the spring LDS conference, I am curious to see what the LDS prophet and apostles say about the Lord Jesus Christ and Yahweh, the all consuming Subject of scriptures. Everything else, including us, is backdrop.
On this beautiful, spring weekend in April, I am camped out in John 8.
Jesus says,
I am (ego eimi) the light of the world.
He points to himself exclusively. Jesus is unique among us. Jesus is Yahweh.
Jesus says,
Though I bear record of myself, yet my record is true: for I know whence I came, and whither I go;
Though the Father is acknowledged in the next phrases, Jesus makes clear that he is outside the rules for testimony, for no other human can describe fully in detail all of heaven. There is no earthly prophet, or apostle, or religious authority that knows heaven like Jesus. Why? Because humans don’t come from heaven. Jesus is unique among us. Jesus is Yahweh.
Jesus says,
for if ye believe not that I AM, ye shall die in your sins.
I don’t think the focus on the “I AM” is peripheral to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Salvation depends on the one and only, I AM. Is God the only I was, I am, and I will be? Should ten thousands upon ten thousands bow down before the great “I Am” or should ten thousands upon ten thousands acknowledge and be encouraged that they too were and are and will be, just as the I AM?
This is what I long to discuss during this weekend.
Jesus in Idaho Falls 
I am new to this, please bear with me:
I believe both can true, here is why.
Paul writes:
ROM. 8:16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
When my wife and I look at our children we try to see what features they received (heir) from each of us (the good looks and brains come from their mother, and the big ears and skinny legs they get from me, I in turn got them from my dad) my parents said they did this too. My father has already given to me a few other things: the eagerness to help and a slip of the tongue now and then to name two. I understand, from the scriptures and the spirit, I am a child of God. He has given me life, and thus I can be, according to Paul, “glorified” and an “heir” to what God has. That is what He has promised me. Jesus Christ, my Savior, has made this possible through his suffering and resurrection.
Alma recorded Abinidi who spoke:
Mosiah 15:11 Behold I say unto you, that whosoever has heard the words of the prophets, yea, all the holy prophets who have prophesied concerning the coming of the Lord—I say unto you, that all those who have hearkened unto their words, and believed that the Lord would redeem his people, and have looked forward to that day for a remission of their sins, I say unto you, that these are his seed, or they are the heirs of the kingdom of God.
“There is no earthly prophet, or apostle, or religious authority that knows heaven like Jesus. Why? Because humans don’t come from heaven.”
How did you arrive at this conclusion Todd? As far as I can tell, you’re making it up out of thin air.
Seth, tell me.
Do you know a friend that can sit down with you and me?
Hey, you pick the restaurant. The meal will be my treat.
We can ask this person every question we have about heaven, and where this person can describe in exact detail every nuance, every corridor, every color, every sensation, every joy, etc. of the heavenly home.
Does any human have that kind of knowledge outside of Jesus Christ?
Could even Rowe in the LDS hit video, Return With Honor (2007)?
And if there is no one else, does the Bible give me pointers on the why for this?
John 1-8 is a good start.
Btw, welcome Roger to HI4LDS. Glad for you to join us.
Todd, I was responding to your conclusion “because humans don’t come from heaven.” I was not disputing your assertion that we can’t describe heaven (which I happen to agree with). I see no biblical basis for asserting that humans do not come from heaven.
Thanks! It is good to be here. I always see your sign on the side of the road and wondered what it was like but not being too blog/internet savvy I stayed away.
But I after hearing the council from the living Apostles this weekend, as you probably did as well, I decided to check it out.
This seems like a great place to help people understand what I, a local member of The Church of JESUS CHRIST of Latter-day Saints, believes about the Savior Jesus Christ and our Fathers plan for us.
By the way, what’s with the name? It’s catchy don’t get me wrong but, what’s the story?
One more question, that little website box under the name and mail box. What do I put in there?
Thanks again for the welcome. Hope you enjoyed conference.
Hi Roger, welcome to the community.
The website slot beneath is for your own website, if you have one. I’m involved in a website, so when I comment, I add my web address in there. So when you click on my name, it takes you to the website. That’s what it’s for. If you don’t have your own website (or a website you want to promote), leave it blank.
Have you done much with internet Mormonism before? Todd’s got a bunch of links running down the right-hand side of the website that can direct you to other interesting websites and resources.
Thanks for the information on the website box and the links on the right hand of Todd’s page. I have been clicking on a few and I am impressed, he has a lot of cool stuff! There is some stuff I have never even thought of before like, New Order Mormons, who would have thought?
I know there are a lot of people confused about if Mormons are Christians. The name of the Church aught to give it away, The Church of JESUS CHRIST of Latter-Day Saints but that nickname Mormon still confuses people.
Do you think I would help maybe if instead of using the name Mormon or LDS to describe everything that maybe using the actual name of the Church would help? I know it’s a mouthful but accuracy is important to me, especially in talking about such important things.
Just a thought! Mr. Wood
I don’t use it because it’s too long.
Roger, using the full name of the Church rather than the nickname “Mormons” won’t make the slightest bit of difference in whether Todd or his co-religionists think that Mormons are Christians.
They know how much emphasis we put on Christ and how we see ourselves but they will never accept us as followers of Jesus Christ based on how they judge our ability to measure up to abstract philosophical constructs such as the one substance Trinity (in which the New Testament descriptions of the unity between God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit are interpreted to mean that they are the same substance as well) as an arbitrary, Catholic standard by which to exclude certain individuals from the family of Jesus Christ.
By the way, what’s with the name? It’s catchy don’t get me wrong but, what’s the story?
Roger, about 6 to 7 years ago, I started sending out emails entitled, “Issues of the Heart.” The email list grew from a little group in my church family to an intermountain group of pastors to eventually brothers and sisters scattered nationally and globally.
I wanted to explore spiritual issues of the mind, will, and emotions that just go beyond the superficial or ordinary. Basically, they are my daily, random musings, whether on personal (humorous or agonizing) happenings or some remote theological edge. Sometimes, my writings deeply connect with a heart and at other times, my readers will tell me that they don’t know what in the world I am talking about.
It’s fun. Chiefly, I seek to pursue and glorify the Lord with my computer keyboard.
About a year and a half ago, I decided to jump into the internet scene with “Heart Issues For LDS”.
Today, besides my almost daily “Issues of the Heart” emails (in a more private way, revealing the closest treasures and struggles in my heart), I interact with three blogs:
LDS: http://www.heartissuesforlds.org
Church: http://www.alwaystheword.org
S.E. Idaho: http://Idaho4HisGlory.wordpress.com
Again, Roger, spread the word. Invite your friends to hop on board for the interaction.
There is so much in the Scripture that God is sharing with us. I feel like I am only on the first page of discovery in this grand adventure.
I feel like I am only on the first page of discovery in this grand adventure.
Well, if you are limiting yourself to the Bible, then you are truly truncating your scriptural experience.
How dare the Author (authors) of the Bible claim beautiful sufficiency and unending soul satisfaction in hearing God’s Word!
The majority all around me say amen to your words, John f.