The thought of relying and studying only a couple of topics, and using that knowledge to get to heaven makes me vomit.  I cry for Zion and hope for the redemption a better society.  Perhaps the thoughts below will help us turn our ear to the type of society meant for us.

I thought you might find this interesting, and very pertinent. It is to me. The Gods of the Old testament; The Savior, along with other angels (hebr 13:2) in the New Testament; the men that Joseph spoke of, and that Brigham asked us to entertain; often come as Men, they eat with them (the servants, in other words, us), slept in their houses, conversed, sat under trees, walked with them…etc.
The Savior returned to the Disciples after His death. There he met two, and walked with them. His appearance was so normal, that they didn’t recognize Him or who he was. Later he sat with the 12 and ate with them, they felt His Hands.
The Lord and two Angels talked with Abraham (Gen 18). Ate with him, sat in his tent, went for a stroll, etc…He made a deal with Abraham considering the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. He and His two companions than went to Lot’s place in Gomorrah (Gen 19). There they conversed with : and his family, ate with them, and stayed the night at their house. Other men saw the Lord and His Two Friends, and wanted to “hang out” with them, among other things. Quite obviously they appeared to be quite normal folks, attractive even. When they tried to break in, one of the Angels grabs Lots hand and pulls him into the House. They later take and his daughters by the hand and tell them to get out of town because, well, they don’t want to be there.
There are numerous other examples of Angels visiting men, appearing and acting as normal Men do. In most cases, they aren’t even recognized by those they visit as angels, until they do something Men don’t do, like go up in the fire of a sacrifice into heaven. I put some instances of that at the bottom. They are men who can shake hands (resurrected men see D&C129), including the Lord and His friends that visit Abraham and Lot.
These are the Gods that Joseph wanted us to know, to understand, and to entertain, literally, in our homes. Remember, the keys of this type of Administration are in the preparatory priesthood. Theses visits prepare us for the Calling and Visitation of Christ within the keys of the Higher Priesthood. The ordinances aid in this, so that we may “see the Face of God and live” (D&C 84:20-22).
We are asked to do this very thing in the temple, along with much deeper examples of course, and the instructions on meeting these men, and beginning conversation, are written in section 129. Oh there is much to learn here.
Joseph and Brigham in the next two quotes give us some thoughts pertaining to this…

If any man does not know God, and inquires what kind of a being He is—if he will search diligently his own heart—if the declaration of Jesus and the apostles be true, he will realize that he has not eternal life; for there can be eternal life on no other principle. My first object is to find out the character of the only wise and true God, and what kind of a being He is; and if I am so fortunate as to be the man to comprehend God, and explain or convey the principles to your hearts, so that the Spirit seals them upon you, then let every man and woman henceforth sit in silence, put their hands on their mouths, and never lift their hands or voices, or say anything against the man of God or the servants of God again….
These ideas are incomprehensible to some, but they are simple. It is the first principle of the gospel to know for a certainty the character of God, and to know that we may converse with Him as one man converses with another, and that He was once a man like us; yea, that God himself, the Father of us all, dwelt on an earth, the same as Jesus Christ Himself did; and I will show it from the Bible.
(Brother Joseph, King Follett Discourse)

…Him who has created you (the Supreme of the universe) − who has organized and planned and executed and brought into existence − all his teachings to his people? Simply this − Son, daughter, live before me, so that I can come and visit you: order your lives with that propriety, that I will not be disgraced to come and abide with you for a season; or, when I send my angels or my minister the Holy Ghost to reveal my mind and will to you, or to bless you with abiding comfort, that they may not be disgraced in your society. I say, all revelations of God teach simply this − Son, Daughter, you are the workmanship of mine hands: walk and live before me in righteousness; let your conversation be chaste, let your daily deportment be according to my law; let your dealings one with another be in justice and equity; let my character be sacred in your mouth, and do not profane my holy name and trample upon mine authority; do not despise any of my sayings, for I will not be disgraced. I wish to send one of my servants to visit you. What for? That you may see and know as others have − that you may see as you are seen − that you may understand those principles pertaining more particularly to the kingdom you are in. I have, in my wisdom, reduced you; I have caused that you should drink of the dregs of the bitter cup. I have placed you in the depths of ignorance, and have surrounded you with weakness, to prove you. I have subjected you to all misery that can be endured. I have caused you to come upon this earth, where misery, and darkness, and every species of unbelief and wickedness reign, to prove you, that you may understand and know the good from the evil, and be capable of judging between these with a righteous judgment. I have caused all this to be done; and now, son and daughter, the inhabitants of the whole earth that have lived from the days of Adam until now, the first and the last, − the grand aim of all that I, the Lord, have revealed is to instruct you to live so that By so doing, you shall I can come and visit you, or send my angels, that they can enter into your habitations, walk and converse with you, and they not be disgraced. Be made partakers of all knowledge and wisdom, power and glory that the sanctified or glorified beings enjoy. And this is, first of all, what the Lord wishes of the people.
(JD 6:285, Brigham Young, August 15, 1852)

…there will be strangers in your midst, walking with you, talking with you: they will enter into your houses and eat and drink with you, go to meeting with you, and begin to open your minds, as the Saviour did the two disciples who walked out in the country in days of old. About the time the Temples are ready, the strangers will be along and will converse with you, and will inquire of you, probably, if you understand the resurrection of the dead. You might say you have heard and read a great deal about it, but you do not properly understand it; and they will then open your minds and tell you the principles of the resurrection of the dead and how to save your friends: they will point out Scriptures in the Old and New Testament, in the Book of Mormon, and other revelations of God, saying, “don’t you recollect reading so and so, that saviors should come up on Mount Zion?” &c.; and they will expound the Scriptures to you….They will expound the Scriptures to you, and open your minds, and teach you of the resurrection of the just and the unjust, of the doctrine of salvation: they will use the keys of the holy Priesthood, and unlock the door of knowledge, to let you look into the palace of truth. You will exclaim, That is all plain: why did I not understand it before? and you will begin to feel your hearts burn within you as they walk and talk with you.
(JD 6:295, Brigham Young, August 15, 1852)

The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob longs to Come to your home, to send angels to teach you concerning Resurrection, and all the keys and appendages and types therein. They long to show us the Mysteries, for they are only mysteries to those who cannot see them. They long to speak and to converse. But, most importantly, to prepare us. They will prepare us to withstand the burning. They will prepare us in knowing the future in relation to the past. They will come, as they did to Abraham and lot, and teach us where to go, and lead us by the hand in that direction. They will more excellently prepare the way, by giving us the knowledge we need to get there. As one did for Elijah, they can prepare food for us that will in enable our bodies to withstand incredible trials, and sustain us for long periods. They will awake us in the morning, and give us direction. They will literally be our friends, our guardian Angels to watch over us.

People persecuted Joseph because he thought our God to be as close as a man. But he repeatedly testified that until we are willing to accept Him in this fashion, as well as the Glorious nature of His fullness, we would never understand Him, and could not entertain Him nor His servants in our homes, or in eternity. In my estimation, there is much here for us to learn from, and to change our lives around. Our homes must literally be temples, with places for worship and contemplation. Our minds clear of worldly substance and pride. Lets discuss this. To me it means a lot about who I am, Who my God is, and what I need to become. God speed….Dan

I wrote a long post on this idea, but I didn’t save it, so here is a brief one.  On my mind for a long time has been the issue of Priestcraft.  In 3 Nephi 16 and 21 the Lord points priestcraft out as being one of the main stumbling blocks of the Latter-Day Gentiles.  The same group who receives the priesthood and fullness of the gospel and eventually has it taken away by sinning against it, thus becoming salt that has lost its savor.   The Utopian 4 Nephites lost their Utopia because of Priestcraft.  Nephi explains in 2 Nephi 10 that the reason the Jews crucified the savior was due to the priestcraft amongst them.  Alma confronted Gideon and was sorely grieved because of this introduction of priestcraft and he then testified that it would prove the destruction of the people, as it did.   The Book of Mormon is about us.  The Lord uses it to prophesy of us.  Nephi and Alma present types of it for us to compare to…us.

Realizing the seriousness of our penchant for priestcraft, its incredibly destructive capability, etc…we simultaneously must realize that those who fall to the snares of priestcraft uniformly believe themselves in the right.  Sheep who believe the wolves and follow them, only see sheep and are still sheep themselves.

Finally, in 2 Nephi 26 Nephi defines Priestcraft for us;

He commandeth that there shall be no priestcrafts; for, behold, priestcrafts are that men preach and set themselves up for a light unto the world, that they may get gain and praise of the world; but they seek not the welfare of Zion.

Thats it. Do we use our position in Priesthood to gain power or influence over other men.  Do we seek for the seat in the high place in the synagogue, the vain things of the world. Do we use that position to get gain, to make money etc…Do we use our Gospel knowledge to get gain or influence over another.   Do we use our Gospel knowledge as something to sell to others in order to profit?  Does our position or knowledge of the Gospel enable us to get worldly gain in some way?  Moving On with the definition Nephi tells us;

30 Behold, the Lord hath forbidden this thing; wherefore, the Lord God hath given a commandment that all men should have charity, which charity is love. And except they should have charity they were nothing. Wherefore, if they should have charity they would not suffer the laborer in Zion to perish. 31 But the laborer in Zion shall labor for Zion; for if they labor for money they shall perish.
Seems like an odd jump, no?  What does priestcraft have to do with Charity, with Love?  Its all about the economy stupid.  By using your power, knowledge or influence to profit monetarily, for money (vs 31) we make another man labor in Babylon in order to obtain it.  This is wholly lacking charity.

The Gifts you have been given of Knowledge and Priesthood postion are meant to build Zion and the Children of God.  However, by using them to get gain in the marketplace, Babylon is built on the backs of men and charity is thrown to the wayside.

So then, Repent!  Repent of seeking the High seat of the synagogue.  Repent of using that high seat to wield your influence.  Repent of using that position to sell your books or seminars in .  Repent of using your gospel knowledge to sell in the market place.  Stand for Something, sell free living water to those who thirst, not for money which cankers and is corrupted by moths.  Receive not a daily stipend or living expense no matter how modest, from the tax of the people, so that you might preach and organize.  Don’t use your position in the Priesthood to hold positions on various boards and committees in Babylon, for money and influence.  Don’t teach people that they must follow you, the arm of flesh, or be damned.   Repent of your priestcraft, so prevalent today.    You have the gifts of God, they have been given you.  et they are sold to get gain.

You have them I presume?  Do you sell them for money?

We do not sell them for money…we hold them sacred.

Point made, nothing of a sacred nature should be sold in a marketplace for money, as Babylon is built by the labor and gifts of Zion.

A quick thought on the first two verses of 1 Timothy 4: 1-2

1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;

2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared as with a hot iron;

First, I realize wholly that this likely refers to mostly to the ‘latter-times’ of the church Paul was commissioned to watch over. We know that they eventually celebrated celibacy and incredibly incredulous doctrines. But as in all scripture, it offers a great description of our own ‘latter-times’, those in which we now live.

I would like to take this backward from the last analogy, to paint color on the first. Martin Luther offered an intriguing thought on this verse, in reflecting on the apostasy he observed in religious circles of the times. Luther offered this insight as a portion of a ten part paper in which he analyzes 10 texts and gives commentary with the aim of “Avoiding the Doctrines of Men”. This is significant, in light of the following definition;

“They have a seared conscience. that is, their conscience is unnatural. For as said above, where there is neither sin nor matter of conscience, they make things out to be sin and a matter of conscience. This is as unnatural as the scar of a burn is on the body.” (Luther’s Works, Volume 35: Word and Sacrament I)

In thinking about this odd word choice, “sear”, one is first brought to the idea of a burnt or scarred portion of meat or skin. In thought the Cowboys branding Iron comes to my mind first, making a lasting symbol of what has happened, forever changed. That skin is then dead, all the area and muscle around it enflamed an incredibly sensitive. This thought will come in in a bit.

However, looking at the Olde English definition of the word seared we see a definition of to cause to dry up or whither. All of these thoughts are immediately apparent as to their effect on our conscience, as Paul described.

We of the faith in the Latter-Times are subject to the same whims and desires of our hearts as those of old. We have the same enticements tempting our feet and pulling us down, the doctrines of men every one.

But perhaps this Searing is worth a moment of thought, considering us in this day. As described above, Luther believed it to mean changing the conscience to something unnatural as either sin or a matter of conscience. His thoughts are especially poignant for us as he was one of the few who could look out side of dogmatic religious dictate and observance and search for truth in the spirit as a Child of God. Quite rare at the time and even for today.

By making things sin that not menat to be such, we become focused more and more on rote observance of set rules and less inclined to follow the spirit for direction. As in the Jews of Christs time and the Catholic of Luthers, around us today we have a people who want all the commandments lined out. All the times of religious practice planned and even the means for repentance are spelled out.

However, Luther saw these things as a personal quest. He saw Religion as the same. Christ too acted independently of the Church structure he was born into, the wicked traditions of his fathers. He taught us that through his mercy and Grace we could be forgiven of our sins, and move to a higher plateau of existence, a happier state. However our strict observance of rote command does the opposite, tending to tell the repentant soul that he is such a loser, so eveil, with so much to overcome that it cannot be done in this life. That he will never reach that blessed state of Abraham Isaac and Jacob.

By looking at this seared conscience as a withered, over sensitive thing as explained by Webster, Paul and Luther, a brilliant image of how our propensity for creating sin out of nothing or calling good evil is illustrated. As we become more and more desensitized to reliance on Christ and an understanding of true doctrine we tend to list things a good person can do. This is readily observed in the Jewish and catholic traditions wherein the further religion was removed from an individual race and given to the hands of an organization the more rote observance and strictly defined lifestyle were needed. We take things that are not commandments and make them so, like the word of wisdom, church attendance, manner of dress, rote 10% of income tithe (without consecration), searching for the mysteries of God, discussing openly gospel thought and theory, etc… We take the ideas like Covenants at baptism and continue to broaden them and redefine them if only in our minds as the church broadens and is redifined, though those covenants are personl between God and man without the church. However, in our withered state of conscience and since that state has caused us to make lists of commandments, we have things not on the list which we ignore, though they are very much “sin”, i.e. Idolatry, costly apparel, Priestcraft (ever intriguing to me as the BoM defintion brings all those who preach their words of the Gospel for money. This would include books and lectures, though All of our most cherished exemplars in church service are grossly in bondage of this form of preistcraft), seeking for honor and riches, seeking the learning of the world, etc…  All would recognize them upon study as sin, though we do not study and inspect ourselves, but the church and those in leadership above us, as such we see these things as fine though they are definately ‘sins’.

Worrying therefore about whether or not the list defined by ‘the brethren’ and the collective conscience of zealously ‘active’ Mormonism includes things that we are now doing brings about a lif of fear and trembling.  A person in that thought line, though they seem to be living upright lives, is ever judgmental of his peers, ever fearful of his action and regularly anxious or depressed.  No wonder Mormon women are so prone to depression.

Joseph however took a much more liberal stance on what is and is not sin, imploring us that;

What many people call sin is not sin; I do many things to break
down superstition, and I will break it down”; I referred to the curse of
Ham for laughing at Noah, while in his wine, but doing no harm. Noah was
righteous man, and yet he drank wine and became intoxicated; the Lord did
not forsake him in consequence thereof, for he retained all the power of
his Priesthood, and when he was accused by Canaan, he cursed him by the
Priesthood which he held, and the Lord had respect to his word, and the
Priesthood which he held, notwithstanding he was drunk, and the curse
remains upon the posterity of Canaan until the present day. (November 7,
1841.) DHC 4:445-446.

This type of conscience, living free in the grace and mercy of Christ, is more apt to do good while enjoying life.  More apt to do as the Lord commands, despite the whims of men.  More apt to have compassion on those around him, realizing that their individual ‘list’ isn’t quite the same as our own.  They are more apt to see truth in the doctrines of other sects, to recognize good doctrine no matter the source.  More apt to accept inactive angels full of with beards and bad breath.

Now, in light of our seared state, it obvious how we “lie in hypocrisy”.  Having a misguided list we call eveil good and good evil.  We study the scriptures together in sunday school and collectively ignore the reprimands that are so constantly damming us as a people.  We don’t see the words of Isaiah and our blind guides, the vomint we ingest, to speak of us.  The list goes on.  We are thus, as the Jews and Catholics, desensitized to the doctrines of devils and indoctrinated into rote lives and systems of belief and seduced by the doctrines of men that teach us to rely on their words for belief and seek for the vain things of the world, the high seats in the tabernacle and the riches of men.  In doing so we have ‘departed from the faith’ with error being given us rather than truth, since we seek it as something we can understand.

We are selves can no longer ‘see’, and we have replaced the ‘seers’ with our own seared consciences.