107: Renewal, Part 1

This is Part 1 of a special series on renewal, where Denver discusses the pattern and concept, how it appears in nature, how it appears in our lives, and how it is evident in the Restoration. Transcript The fact that Easter is in the springtime I don’t think is any accident. I think it’s intended to align with the testimony of nature about the promise of eternal life, the promise of the renewal that comes every spring, and I think the Lord intended that His death and His resurrection should associate with spring. I think it’s appropriate that that be the subject that we look at today. Look at verse 12. And it's been a discussion of what went on at the beginning: man in the Garden of Eden, God talking to him. Verse 12: From the foregoing we learn man's situation at his first creation, the knowledge [of] which he was endowed, and the high and exalted station in which he was placed—lord or governor of all things on [the] earth, and at the same time enjoying communion and intercourse with his Maker, without a veil to separate between. That's where man began. And that's why knowledge of God existed in the first place. Because in the beginning, God talked to man. And if you think, Well, yeah that was then, what about now? We will get to now. Verse 18, about halfway down: God conversed with him face to face. In his presence he was permitted to stand, and from his own mouth he was permitted to receive instruction. He heard his voice, walked before him...gazed upon his glory, while intelligence burst upon his understanding, and enabled him to give names to the vast assemblage of his Maker's works​. This was man's original condition—a condition, to which, the gospel is designed to return man. And in fact, at the Second Coming, all who remain will be in that condition once again. The earth is going to be renewed and receive its paradisiacal glory, and it's going to do so because God will come and dwell here again. And man will be able to converse Him. Beginning at verse 33 of Section 84 of the Doctrine and Covenants: For whoso is faithful unto the obtaining of these two priesthoods of which I have spoken, and the magnifying their calling, are sanctified by the Spirit unto the renewing of their bodies. They become the sons of Moses and of Aaron and the seed of Abraham, and the church and kingdom, and the elect of God. ​(See also T&C 82:16) Sons...seed—​and it’s necessary that you become that in order that you become ​the church and kingdom, ...the elect of God.​ Because as we saw in the statements made to Joseph Smith, the hearts have to be turned to the fathers because this is going to be reconstructing a Holy Family at some point. And also all they who receive this priesthood receive me, saith the Lord ​(D&C 84:35; see also T&C 82:17). ​Now, many of you read that verse 35 and you think that what that means is: If you fetch this priesthood by ordination, ​ipso facto​, you have fetched Jesus. Praise Jesus! (And by the way, Joel Olsteen is coming to the E Center—you’re not gonna want to miss that. “It's a mega church! It's a mega church in transit! It’s gonna come to the E Center! SUNDAY, SUNDAY, SUNDAY!” I'm sorry. I get worked up when the evangelicals show up on the horizon. He had some nice things to say about Mormons, though. So Joel Olsteen has kind of creeped a little more on the positive column for me of late.) I want to suggest that verse 35 can also be read exactly as D&C section 93, verse 1 (that we were reading a moment ago) is read. And that is to say, if you’re gonna receive this priesthood, you're gonna get it from Him; that is, you enter into His presence—you receive Him. ​If you have it, then ​when you have it—as a consequence ​of having it—you receive Him. Oh... ​For he that receiveth my servants receiveth me ​(ibid, vs 36). ​I want to suggest that throughout scripture, almost invariably, the word "servants" is referring to angelic ministrants. And so, angels minister—that would be Aaronic. And then Christ ministers—that would be sons of Moses. ​And he that receiveth me receiveth my Father (​ibid, vs. 37)—because it is the purpose of the Son to bear record of the Father. It is the purpose of the Son to bring others to the Father so that there might be many sons of God. Verse 38: And he that receiveth my Father receiveth my Father's kingdom—​‘cause you can’t go where the Father is without entering into and receiving an inheritance. You know, one of the things that we tend to think is that if you get something—this is based upon statements made in 132—but if you get something here (and you get it by a covenant) that you are automatically entitled to take it into the next world. But what if the covenant that you are to receive in order to obtain that inheritance in the next world doesn’t reckon merely from something handled by ordinance but that the ordinance is pointing you to something higher and more holy? What if the thing that secures for you the inheritance in the next life is not the ordinance but what the ordinance testifies to—that is, embracing the Lord through the veil? And then, having conversed with Him, entering into His presence? And then, having entered into His presence, being ministered to and taught? What if it means all that? This is according to the oath and covenant which belongeth to the priesthood. Therefore, all those who receive the priesthood, receive this oath and covenant of my Father, which he cannot break, neither can it be moved. 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. ​[Oh,] ​And wo unto all those who come not unto this priesthood which ye have received, which I now confirm upon you who are present this day, by mine own voice ​out of the heavens​; and even I have given the heavenly hosts and mine angels charge concerning you. (​D&C 84:39-42; see also T&C 82:17, emphasis added) You know, that verse 42 of the oath and covenant of the priesthood—you ought to take a look at Joseph Smith Translation of Genesis chapter 14, verse 29, talking about the priesthood that was given after the Order of the Son of God. It says it was delivered unto men by the calling of His own voice, according to His own will, unto as many as believed on His name. And so we have in section 76 a testimony given—and justification for—the translation Joseph rendered of Genesis chapter 14, dealing with the priesthood and qualifying it as coming from the voice of God. Take a look at Doctrine and Covenants section 93, verse 36: ​The glory of God is intelligence, or, in other words, light and truth. Light and truth forsake that evil one (​see also T&C 93:11)​. What if, instead of repentance being related to your misdeeds—which are so plentiful and persistent and will continue—what if, instead, it is related to the acquisition of light and truth—that is, intelligence? What if repentance requires you to take whatever it is that you have that is a foolish error/a vain tradition/a false notion and replace it with the truth? My suspicion is that whatever it is that is troubling you, it will trouble you considerably less if you begin to fill yourself with light and truth, until at last you arrive at a point where you look back upon your sins and you say, “I have no more disposition for that because I, frankly, know enough not to do that anymore and because I prefer the light and because I prefer God's intelligence and glory over that which I used to trade/to substitute for it.” You see, repentance may have a whole lot more to do with your own feeble education in the things of God than it does have to do with the time you spend wasted, looking at some vile picture or other. You know, we have this Victorian sexual mores that everyone in Wall Street tacks against— like when you're in a sailboat and there's a headwind, you "tack" against it. Quite frankly, I find most of that stuff boring and not titillating. Some of it’s medical, but it's not enticing. And from a certain perspective, if you will acquire enough light and truth, you're not going to be contaminated by exposure to the things that are degrading. The Book of Mormon was abridged by a man who lived inside an environment that was filled with sex and violence. And he was untouched by it—a man of righteousness. And why is it that he could preserve himself? Because what was in him was light and truth. He had educated himself; he had learned about the things that are true so that when you minister to someone who is suffering, their sins ought not shock you. They ought to cause compassion to well up in you. People struggle with some very difficult, very challenging things. You need to try and overcome that by the light within you. The glory of God is intelligence. Be intelligent. At one point, Christ—talking to Abraham—says He is more intelligent than them all. One will be more intelligent than another. ​These two [things] exist, [if there be two beings], one [will be] more intelligent than the other… I am more intelligent than [them] all (​Abraham 3:19; see also Abraham 5:4 RE). That's what Christ said. And Joseph Smith, talking about the Holy Ghost, says, “I... know more than all the world... [or] the Holy Ghost does, anyhow, and...[it’s in] me” (​TPJS,​ 350). The fact of the matter is that you ​can f​ill yourself ​with the mind of God​. And if you fill yourself with the mind of God, you’re gonna find yourself in a position where you, like the scriptures recite, have no more disposition to do evil but to only do good continually. ​That repentance is as a consequence of the things that you know. ​That repentance comes as a consequence of the light and truth within you. ...