.jpg)
Over 20 Years in the Organization | Over 60 Years of Experience
FROM LOVE TO ETERNITY PART ONE
FROM LOVE TO ETERNITY
By, Samuel E. WestSenior elder in the Kingdom of God
What is the Missing Link?
The word love occurs 686 times in the New International Version of the Bible. Love is the greatest gift to man. It existed before this creation and will continue into eternity. It is the bond and the mainstay of life. “And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. GOD IS LOVE; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.” (1 John 4:16) No one can be truly happy without it. All things may pass away; but true love remains.
“And lastly, but not less important to the exercise of faith in God, is the idea that he is love; for with all the other excellencies in his character, without this one to influence them, they could not have such powerful dominion over the minds of men; but when the idea is planted in the mind that he is love, who cannot see the just ground that men of every nation, kindred and tongue, have to exercise faith in God so as to ob¬tain eternal life?” (Joseph Smith)
LOVE—in essence—is the foundation upon which we enjoy the greatest gifts. The two greatest laws given to man are “37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” (Matt. 22) If man would live by these two laws, he would enjoy the greatest happiness in life and eternity. The Ten Commandments were first given through Adam; which means he was a Prophet and Lawgiver like Moses.
The Ten Commandments are the Constitution of the law of God.“3. Many infidel writers of late years, have attempted to derive this precept, under the name of the golden rule, from heathen philosophers, and have claimed that Christ borrowed it from Zoraster, or Confucius; whereas, they, as well as he, have only copied it, with a slight change of words, from the Commandment, “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.”“4. The doctrine contained in it, is original with God, and does not even date with Moses, but was known in the days of Adam; and it was in violation of this law, as well as that which says, thou shalt not kill, that Cain lifted up his hand against Abel.“5. If all men were under the law of God, this law would introduce a universal brotherhood: a consummation most desirable. But so long as men are found in rebellion against the law of God, it is most important that those who cleave unto it should remember this thing, that they love one another.” (James J. Strang)
GOD alone has neither beginning nor end. “Who only hath immortality.” (1 Tim. 6:16) It is God’s love for creation and humanity that brought about this and other creations. Love exists with God in eternity. His work is never finished. There are worlds without end. “He that loveth not knoweth not God; for GOD IS LOVE.” (1 John 4:8) It was God’s love of humanity that was the basis for this and other creations. Few appreciate that God’s law requires marriage; which brings the greatest love and enjoyment. It was noted in the first chapter in the Bible. “God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply.”) and again in the second chapter with Adam “Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife, and they shall become one flesh [through their children]. Jesus advised us: “37 thou shalt LOVE THE LORD THY GOD with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment.” (Matt. 22)
Man can only love and enjoy the greatest happiness in life THROUGH ASSOCIATION—with God and man. When the people of God obeyed the laws of God, they flourished and enjoyed the greatest happiness. When man turns from God, worships idols, and turns to iniquity, he has--and will be again--destroyed. “Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.” (Jude 1:7)
Love is the greatest gift that God has given to us. Our first love is a mother’s love.
“And lastly, but not less important to the exercise of faith in God, is the idea that he is love; for with all the other excellencies in his character, without this one to influence them, they could not have such powerful dominion over the minds of men; but when the idea is planted in the mind that he is love, who cannot see the just ground that men of every nation, kindred and tongue, have to exercise faith in God so as to ob¬tain eternal life?” (Joseph Smith)
LOVE—in essence—is the foundation upon which we enjoy the greatest gifts. The two greatest laws given to man are “37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” (Matt. 22) If man would live by these two laws, he would enjoy the greatest happiness in life and eternity. The Ten Commandments were first given through Adam; which means he was a Prophet and Lawgiver like Moses.
The Ten Commandments are the Constitution of the law of God.“3. Many infidel writers of late years, have attempted to derive this precept, under the name of the golden rule, from heathen philosophers, and have claimed that Christ borrowed it from Zoraster, or Confucius; whereas, they, as well as he, have only copied it, with a slight change of words, from the Commandment, “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.”“4. The doctrine contained in it, is original with God, and does not even date with Moses, but was known in the days of Adam; and it was in violation of this law, as well as that which says, thou shalt not kill, that Cain lifted up his hand against Abel.“5. If all men were under the law of God, this law would introduce a universal brotherhood: a consummation most desirable. But so long as men are found in rebellion against the law of God, it is most important that those who cleave unto it should remember this thing, that they love one another.” (James J. Strang)
GOD alone has neither beginning nor end. “Who only hath immortality.” (1 Tim. 6:16) It is God’s love for creation and humanity that brought about this and other creations. Love exists with God in eternity. His work is never finished. There are worlds without end. “He that loveth not knoweth not God; for GOD IS LOVE.” (1 John 4:8) It was God’s love of humanity that was the basis for this and other creations. Few appreciate that God’s law requires marriage; which brings the greatest love and enjoyment. It was noted in the first chapter in the Bible. “God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply.”) and again in the second chapter with Adam “Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife, and they shall become one flesh [through their children]. Jesus advised us: “37 thou shalt LOVE THE LORD THY GOD with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment.” (Matt. 22)
Man can only love and enjoy the greatest happiness in life THROUGH ASSOCIATION—with God and man. When the people of God obeyed the laws of God, they flourished and enjoyed the greatest happiness. When man turns from God, worships idols, and turns to iniquity, he has--and will be again--destroyed. “Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.” (Jude 1:7)
Love is the greatest gift that God has given to us. Our first love is a mother’s love.
A Mother’s Love
Oh, conscious heart!that in the lone paths of this shadowy worldHast bless’d all light, however dimly shining.That broke upon the darkness of thy way—Number thy lamps of love, and tell me, now,How many canst thou re-light at the starAnd blush not at their burning? One—one only—Lit while your pulses by one heart kept tune,And fed with faithful fondness to your grave—(Tho’ sometimes with a hand stretched back from heaven,)Steadfast through all things—near, when most forgot-And with its finger of unerring truthPointing the lost way in thy darkest hour—One lamp—they mother’s love—amid the starsShall lift its pure flame changeless, and, beforeThe throne of God, burn through eternity—Holy—as it was lit and lent thee here. N. P. Willis.
No man is complete without woman. MARRIAGE fulfills a great love. Together, they make a whole in love with their children. The importance of marriage is noted in the first chapter of the Bible when we all lived together as spirits (see Gen. 2:5) before Adam walked on the earth. “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. 28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, BE FRUITFUL, and multiply.” (Gen. 1:27) When Eve was presented to Adam, he noted “Therefore shall a man leave his father and mother and shall cleave unto his wife; and they shall be one flesh [through their children].” Our next greatest love is our children. It is through them that our love continues to another generation.
LOVE AND LAW are like two sides of the same coin. One side of the coin is law and the other side is love. The laws of God are based on love and are intended to bring us the greatest happiness in life and eternity. Trust is a significant requirement for love. Liars can never be trusted and love breaks down. God forbids lying. “Thou shalt not bear false witness.” John in Revelation noted: “the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and ALL LIARS, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.” (Rev. 21:8)
Those who honor the True and Living God of Abraham, obey the gospel, and keep the laws of God have hope of a better resurrection and inheriting the earth when Jesus returns. Jesus advised us: “seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” (Matt. 6:33) “This is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” (Jesus, John 17:3) “I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.” (Rom. 1:16) “Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.” (Rev. 22:14)
We cannot violate God’s laws and abide in His love. Man has for some reason resisted law and sought his own evil pleasures. The result is always the same. Cain--the second son of Adam—murdered his brother Able. This is the most grievous sin any man can commit---taking away the pleasures of love and life. He was cast out to be “a vagabond in the earth” and suffer in mortal life and beyond. We are told “that NO MURDERER hath eternal life abiding in him.” (1 John 3:5) Yet, millions of men have been killed in his wars. God allows killing only under two conditions: in protection in of your life and when God declares war through His holy prophets like Moses. God ever approved a war for gentiles!
MARRIAGE in the kingdom of God is for life and eternity. There are no aliens in the kingdom. Marriage among aliens is “until death do you part.” Abraham’s grandson Jacob had two wives (Leah and Rachel) and two concubines (Zilpah and Bilhah). Leah and Rachel will be with him in eternity. Zilpah and Bilhah were married for life like gentiles outside the kingdom. How sad! All children born to him will be with him in eternity. Jacob had a total of 12 children. God changed his name to Israel; thus, the twelve tribes of Israel.
A marriage built on true love endures and brings the greatest happiness. Love is enhanced through our children. The greatest enemy of marriage is adultery. It often ends in divorce; which is like a hammer beating the love out of husband and wife. God advised us “Thou shalt not commit adultery.” (Ex. 20:14) “Whoso committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding: he that doeth it destroyeth his own soul.” (Prov. 6:32) Jesus warned us: “I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.” (Matt. 5:32) There is no divorce in the law of God. As man drifts away from the laws of God, so does love.
No man is complete without woman. MARRIAGE fulfills a great love. Together, they make a whole in love with their children. The importance of marriage is noted in the first chapter of the Bible when we all lived together as spirits (see Gen. 2:5) before Adam walked on the earth. “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. 28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, BE FRUITFUL, and multiply.” (Gen. 1:27) When Eve was presented to Adam, he noted “Therefore shall a man leave his father and mother and shall cleave unto his wife; and they shall be one flesh [through their children].” Our next greatest love is our children. It is through them that our love continues to another generation.
LOVE AND LAW are like two sides of the same coin. One side of the coin is law and the other side is love. The laws of God are based on love and are intended to bring us the greatest happiness in life and eternity. Trust is a significant requirement for love. Liars can never be trusted and love breaks down. God forbids lying. “Thou shalt not bear false witness.” John in Revelation noted: “the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and ALL LIARS, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.” (Rev. 21:8)
Those who honor the True and Living God of Abraham, obey the gospel, and keep the laws of God have hope of a better resurrection and inheriting the earth when Jesus returns. Jesus advised us: “seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” (Matt. 6:33) “This is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” (Jesus, John 17:3) “I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.” (Rom. 1:16) “Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.” (Rev. 22:14)
We cannot violate God’s laws and abide in His love. Man has for some reason resisted law and sought his own evil pleasures. The result is always the same. Cain--the second son of Adam—murdered his brother Able. This is the most grievous sin any man can commit---taking away the pleasures of love and life. He was cast out to be “a vagabond in the earth” and suffer in mortal life and beyond. We are told “that NO MURDERER hath eternal life abiding in him.” (1 John 3:5) Yet, millions of men have been killed in his wars. God allows killing only under two conditions: in protection in of your life and when God declares war through His holy prophets like Moses. God ever approved a war for gentiles!
MARRIAGE in the kingdom of God is for life and eternity. There are no aliens in the kingdom. Marriage among aliens is “until death do you part.” Abraham’s grandson Jacob had two wives (Leah and Rachel) and two concubines (Zilpah and Bilhah). Leah and Rachel will be with him in eternity. Zilpah and Bilhah were married for life like gentiles outside the kingdom. How sad! All children born to him will be with him in eternity. Jacob had a total of 12 children. God changed his name to Israel; thus, the twelve tribes of Israel.
A marriage built on true love endures and brings the greatest happiness. Love is enhanced through our children. The greatest enemy of marriage is adultery. It often ends in divorce; which is like a hammer beating the love out of husband and wife. God advised us “Thou shalt not commit adultery.” (Ex. 20:14) “Whoso committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding: he that doeth it destroyeth his own soul.” (Prov. 6:32) Jesus warned us: “I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.” (Matt. 5:32) There is no divorce in the law of God. As man drifts away from the laws of God, so does love.
IS GOD REAL?
Most do not care about God. Today, only about a fourth in the US seriously believe in God. That has dropped from about 80% in 1998. Our behavior is greatly affected by our belief in God. We all know that we are going to die. Do we not owe ourselves time to study to search for the truth? “To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.” (Isa. 8:20)
Knowledge of God and keeping His commandments is necessary for the best in life and eternity. From beginning to end the Bible tells the same story. “Therefore shall ye KEEP MY COMMANDMENTS, and do them: I am the LORD.” (Lev. 32:21) “Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may HAVE A RIGHT TO THE TREE OF LIFE, and may enter in through the gates into the city.” (Rev. 22:14)
CONSIDER CREATION ITSELF. Everything was perfect in its own environment. Many animals (like eagles and bears) were also given the gift of love. They will fight to the death to protect their own. It is impossible that man and all the creatures could have developed into perfection through natural selection. The perfection of our bodies is a great example. Man has lost much of his divine characteristics; but even many animals still recognize him as their superior. Natural selection can never create perfection. Without controlled evolution [by God], man would look more like the creatures in Star Wars.
CONSIDER LANGUAGE. Only a small part of the brain controls language. “Broca’s area is responsible for language production while Wernicke’s area is responsible for language comprehension.” (jackwestin.com) There is nothing in nature that would cause the brain to develop language. In addition, once a person reaches eight years old, he can no longer learn language. He can only respond like a dog. Once language has been established, he can learn another more easily. Language is a GIFT OF GOD.
GOD’S ASSOCIATION WITH MAN is a great proof of the existence of God. The story of creation from Genesis 1 to 2:5, is the story of the SPIRITUAL CREATION. All things were first organized spiritually before they could be created temporally or physically. “4 These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens, 5 And every plant of the field before it was in the earth, and every herb of the field before it grew.” (Gen. 2)
First in this creation was the spirit of Jesus. “1 In the beginning [of this creation] was the Word [JESUS], and the Word was with God [the Father], and the Word was God [of this creation]. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 ALL THINGS WERE MADE BY HIM; and without him was not any thing made that was made.” (John 1) Genesis 1:27 is the story of the SPIRITUAL CREATION of man by Jesus. “27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.” (Gen. 1;27)
We all lived together as spirits for an unknown length of time. During this time, Satan rebelled against God, thinking to stand in Jesus’ place as head of this creation. He violated one of the most important laws (second of the Ten Commandments): “Thou shalt not take the name [authority] of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.” (Ex. 20:7) He was cast down with about a third of the host of heaven that followed him to spend eternity as ghosts. “How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground.” (Isa.14:12)
USURPATION is a most grievous sin, “The Lord will not hold him guiltless.” ALL MINISTERS in the Bible were called of God and ordained—even Jesus (Heb. 5:5). The Apostles understood this law. “Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up from us, MUST ONE BE ORDAINED to be a witness with us of his resurrection.” (Acts 1:22) Paul reminded his son Timothy of this law. “Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy.” (1 Tim. 4:14) Those who think to represent God without a proper calling are in worse danger than they can imagine. What would happen to you if tried to represent a police officer? Is it not likely they would put in jail? God also has a jail called the spirits in prison.
Every civilization has recognized the existence of God; although most go astray and worship the work of hands. The Bible is a record of God and His association with man for over 4,000 years. After the fall, Adam lived 970 years to know the father of Noah. Abraham lived with Noah for 70 years. How easy it was for a correct knowledge of God and His laws to flow from Adam to Abraham and thus to Israel. The righteousness of Abraham caused God to select his seed as His own people. God “said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years.” (Gen. 15:13) How long was Israel held as slaves in Egypt? 400 years. Can any doubt the reality of Moses? The first five books in the Old Testament were written by him--by inspiration of God.
One of God’s greatest works was freeing Israel from captivity in Egypt. Pharoah resisted letting Israel go. Only because of the last plague by God, did he let Israel leave. The Jews still honor the Passover when all the first-born of Egypt died—except Israel. Moses wrote the first five books of the Old Testament. Who can deny that God selected Israel as His elect people? The gospel didn’t go to gentiles until the Jews rejected Jesus. Israel is soon to become the people of God again. “I will give them an heart to know me, that I am the LORD: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God: for they shall return unto me with their whole heart.” (Jer. 24:7)
Can any doubt the reality of Jesus? “This is LIFE ETERNAL, that they might know thee the only true God, and JESUS CHRIST, whom thou hast sent.” (John 17:3) He had to born like all other men to be the Messiah. He said: “Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.” (Heb. 2:17) “Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the SEED OF DAVID according to the flesh” (Rom. 1:3).
Once again God spoke to Israel. “We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” (John 1:45) “Hath not the scripture said, That Christ cometh of the seed of David, and out of the town of Bethlehem, where David was?” (John 7:42) “Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel.” (2 Tim. 2:8) Jesus could only be "of the seed of David" naturally through the male line. “For if through the offence of one [Adam] many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace [resurrection], which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.” (Rom. 5:15)
JESUS WAS ORDAINED UNDER THE HANDS OF GOD to the highest office in the priesthood: a Prophet like Moses (Acts 3:22); which also holds the lower office of High Priest. “4 And no man taketh this honour [of the priesthood] unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron [by revelation from God]. 5 So Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he [the Father] that said unto him, Thou art my son, to day have I begotten thee. 6 As he saith also in another place, thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.” (Heb. 5) “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He [God] hath anointed [ordained] me to preach the gospel the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised [in prison].” (Luke 4:18)
The Apostle Matthew gave us JESUS’ TRUE LINEAGE in the first chapter of the New Testament. “The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Judas [Judah]… And Jesse begat David the king… And Jacob begat Joseph [house of David] the husband of Mary.” (Matt. 1) This is “ACCORDING TO THE FLESH.”
Jesus had to OBEY THE GOSPEL. He taught: “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be BORN OF WATER AND THE OF THE SPIRIT, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” (John 3:5) He went to John the Baptist—who held the lower Levitical Priesthood—and held authority from God to baptize with water. Then He was baptized of the Spirit by God. “He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” (Matt. 3:16. 17)
Jesus could not begin His ministry until holding the priesthood of God: The Melchisedec Priesthood. He was called by revelation from God and ordained a prophet like Moses (Acts 3:22) under the hands of God. “So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto him, THOU ART MY SON, TO DAY HAVE I BEGOTTEN THEE.” (Heb. 5:5) Few understand that the term “Christ” means “anointed” or ordained. Jesus became the Christ of God through this ordination.
Jesus could only become the Messiah if he kept a perfect law. “Sin is the transgression of the law.” (1 john 3:4) “Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth.” (1 Pet. 2:22) Jesus broke Satan’s power of death and brought a resurrection for all. God had to resurrect Him. “Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom GOD RAISED FROM THE DEAD.” (Acts 4:10) "For therefore we both labor and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, specially of those that believe." (1 Tim. 4:10) Those that believe are members of the kingdom of God who keep the laws of God. “He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.” (1 John 2:6) Can any declare there is no God? EVERY PROPHECY of God has been perfectly fulfilled when the time came.
WHAT DOES GOD LOOK LIKE? Some have believed God is only a spirit. Ambrose, a Christian bishop contemporary with Constantine, wrote in The Confessions, “when God is thought of, our thoughts should dwell on no material reality whatsoever.” This would be like heat from a fire—no reality. I will grant Constantine the fact that the Trinity is a mystery. Not so the Biblical God. The whole Bible is a story of God's direct association with man. God conversed with Adam as a familiar friend (Gen. 2:3). He walked with Enoch (Gen. 5:24). He spoke with Noah (Gen. 6:14-21). He dined with Abraham who at first mistook him for a man; and invited Him into the tent to eat (Gen. 18). He wrestled with Jacob (Gen. 32:30). Abraham mistook God for a man, invited Him into his tent, and dined with Him and two angels. “8 And he took butter, and milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree, and they did eat.” (Gen. 18:8) He conversed with Moses face to face (Ex. 33:11; Deut. 5:4).
KNOWLEDGE OF GOD WAS LOST to the world by the second century. “This is LIFE ETERNAL, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” (John 17:3) They know not God and obey not His laws. A person can KNOW OF GOD; but cannot KNOW GOD without association (revelation). A mother who gives up her child at birth can know of the child; but cannot love the child. Why does God stop speaking to man? “Your INQUITIES have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.” (Isa. 59:2) Jesus is soon to return “In flaming fire taking VENGEANCE on them that KNOW NOT GOD, and that OBEY NOT THE GOSPEL of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (2 Thess. 1:8)
The God of the world is not the true and living God of Abraham. “God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: THIS IS MY NAME for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations.” (Ex. 3:15) Only part of the Jews worship God and only a very small remnant of gentiles continues to honor the true and living God of Abraham.
God never had a people that He recognized as His own WITHOUT A PROPHET to maintain association. Adam was the first Prophet and Lawgiver of God. It is evident they had the Ten Commandments—the Constitution of the law of God. Cain violated at least two: “Thou shalt not kill” and “Love thy neighbor as they self.” The result “Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth; and from thy face shall I be hid; and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth; and it shall come to pass, that every one that findeth me shall slay me.” (Gen. 4:14)
LAW, LOVE, AND CONSEQUENCES. Every parent should understand that children need to be guided in their development. There must be consequences for both obedience and disobedience. Obedience must be rewarded and disobedience punished. Jesus does the same. “Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.” (Rev. 22:14) “For which things' sake the WRATH OF GOD cometh on the children of DISOBEDIENCE.” (Col. 3:6)
Each event must match the behavior. God does the same for members of the kingdom of God that are obedient in His laws and punishes for disobedience. “19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.” These can be eternal consequences. God has provided association with man to assure they understand His will and laws. “It shall be our righteousness, if we observe to do all these commandments before the LORD our God, as he hath commanded us.” (Deut. 6:15)
Read Chapter 25. “1 And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe and to DO ALL HIS COMMANDMENTS which I command thee this day, that the LORD thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth… 15 But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee.” “Be ye therefore very courageous to keep and to do all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, that ye turn not aside therefrom to the right hand or to the left.” (Josh 23:6)
For some reason it has been the tendency of man to refuse instruction from God and live according to their own desires. Maybe most never grow up. Or, maybe they were not instructed properly as children. We must learn the laws of man and God. “Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.” (Rev. 22:14) Penalties are provided to guide man to the best in eternity.
Everyone one of us knows he is GOING TO DIE. Maybe tomorrow. This should be the subject of the utmost importance. Surely, God must have left some instruction. At DEATH “Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it [Jesus].” (Eccl. 12:7) Members of the kingdom of God (who obeyed the gospel) are taken in the spirit to the bosom of Abraham (kingdom in heaven). All others are taken to the spirits in prison. These are they who knew not God, failed to obey the gospel, and refused to obey the commandments of God.
All men will be resurrected (except the sons of perdition). It must be so for Jesus to win the war over death. “Not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by ONE MAN, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.” (Rom. 5:15) Those who know God, obey the gospel, and remain faithful and obedient to the laws of God will rise in the FIRST RESURRECTION inherit the earth with God and Jesus. “6 BLESSED AN HOLY is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.” “But the REST OF THE DEAD lived not again until the thousand years were finished.” (Rev. 20:5) There is a GREAT WARNING! Jesus will return “In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (2 Thess. 1:8)
History proves WHEN MAN TURNS FROM GOD and His laws, HE IS DESTROYED. This should be a great witness to the existence of God and the importance of His laws. The antediluvians became wicked and were destroyed. “GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” (Gen. 6:5) “And every living substance was destroyed which was upon the face of the ground, both man, and cattle, and the creeping things, and the fowl of the heaven; and they were destroyed from the earth: and NOAH ONLY REMAINED ALIVE remained alive, and they that were with him in the ark.” (Gen. 7:23) Only his family of 8 survived.
When Sodom and Gomorrah turned away from the laws of God, they were destroyed. They cried to Lot concerning his daughters “bring them out unto us, that we may know them.” (Gen. 19:5) They also worshipped idols. “13 And they forsook the Lord and served Baal and Ashtaroth. 14 Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven.” (Gen. 19:24) Lot barely escaped.
Israel was protected and enjoyed the good things of Egypt until they turned to worshipping Egyptian gods. The result: “Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens.” (Ex. 1:11) They were made SLAVES FOR 400 YEARS even as Abraham had prophesied. “And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years.” (Gen. 15:13)
God sent Moses to restore, deliver, and take them to the land promised to Abraham. While Moses was on the mount receiving the laws of God, they returned to idolatry worshipping a golden calf. “They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them: they have made them a molten calf, and have worshipped it, and have sacrificed thereunto, and said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which have brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.” (Ex. 32:8) Only the tribe of Levi remained true to God. “The children of Levi did according to the word of Moses: and there fell of the people that day about three thousand men. (Ex. 32:28) The result: They were placed under an added temporal law that was very oppressive.
David lived about 1,000 years before Jesus. He was taken captive into Babylon. The king of Babylon—Nebuchadnezzar--had a dream of the demise of the kingdoms of man from Babylon to Rome. His conjurors could not interpret the dream. Only David was able to interpret the dream by a vision from God. In short, it explained the kingdoms that were to be destroyed beginning with Babylon. He advised the king “there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets, and maketh known to the king Nebuchadnezzar WHAT SHALL BE IN THE LATTER DAYS. Thy dream, and the visions of thy head upon thy bed, are these.” (Dan. 2:28) Daniel told him he was the head of gold—king of Babylon. But his empire would be overtaken by Medo-Persian, which would be overthrown by Macedonians, and then the Roman (his legs of iron).
Rome was to be overthrown and become “weakened and divided by the mixture of barbarous nations.” They would become "his feet part of iron and part of clay." The last to fall is to be the remnant of the Roman: the TEN KINGDOMS OF EUROPE. “In the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall BREAK IN PIECES and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.” (Dan. 2:44) “For I am with thee [Israel], saith the LORD, to save thee: though I make a FULL END OF ALL NATIONS whither I have scattered thee.” (Jer. 30:11)
"And in the days of these kings (or kingdom) shall the GOD of heaven set up a KINGDOM which shall NEVER BE DESTROYED: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever. forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain and the interpretation thereof sure." European emigrants to America are principally descendants of the ten kingdoms of Europe.
This last kingdom will be set up by the Lord for the millennium when all the kingdoms of this world are done away. Then will be fulfilled the saying of Daniel in the seventh chapter: "But the saints of the Most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom forever, even for ever and ever." (Dan. 7:18)
When Israel departed from the law of God in the days of MALACHI, He cursed upon them. “If ye will not hear, and if ye will not lay it to heart, to give glory unto my name, saith the LORD of hosts, I will even send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings: yea, I have cursed them already, because ye do not lay it to heart.” (Mal. 2:2) God did not speak to them FOR 400 YEARS until Jesus.
Jesus restored the priesthood of God and His laws. Can any deny the existence of Jesus? You cannot except Jesus and not God. “This is LIFE ETERNAL, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” (Jesus, John 17:3) Jesus said “The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do.” (John 5:19) Jesus kept a perfect law.
Through Jesus, God once again spoke to Israel. JESUS WAS ORDAINED UNDER THE HANDS OF GOD to the highest office in the priesthood: a Prophet like Moses (Acts 3:22); which also holds the lower office of High Priest. “4 And no man taketh this honour [of the priesthood] unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron [by revelation from God]. 5 So Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he [the Father] that said unto him, Thou art my son, TO DAY HAVE I BEGOTTEN THEE. 6 As he saith also in another place, thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.” (Heb. 5) “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He [God] hath anointed [ordained] me to preach the gospel the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised [in prison].” (Luke 4:18)
FROM JEW TO GENTILE. When the Jews rejected Jesus and had Him crucified by Roman Law, they suffered a most terrible curse. They were all but destroyed in 70 A.D. All were killed in Masada. “Now the number of those that were carried captive during the whole war was collected to be ninety-seven thousand; as was the number of those that perished during the whole siege, eleven hundred thousand.” (Josephus, Wars of the Jews, 9:3) The remainder were taken as slaves in Egypt and servants in Rome.
After Jesus was resurrected, “18 ALL POWER is given unto me in heaven and in earth [BY GOD]. 19 Go ye therefore, and TEACH ALL NATION [gentiles], baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.” (Matt. 28)
The gospel then went to GENTILES for the first time; but they would not give up the idols they had worshipped for 2,000 years. “7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.” (2 Thess. 2) Jesus warned the churches of the gentiles one last time in the last book of Bible. “5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent… 13 I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan’s seat is.” (Rev. 2) They had fallen so far; they were required by Jesus to repent and be rebaptized. They would not. There is no evidence of their following this admonition as they continued to fall into idolatry and false doctrines. John was the last Apostle. GOD STOPPED TALKING GENTILES.
KNOWLEDGE OF GOD AND JESUS WAS LOST. By the second century the then “so-called” Christians could not even agree on the identity of God and Jesus. “To this extent, ‘orthodoxy’ [true doctrines] in the sense of a unified group advocating an apostolic doctrine accepted by the majority of Christians everywhere, did not exist in the second and third centuries.” (The Orthodox Corruption of Scripture, Bart D. Ehrman, p. 7)
“[Page 28] First the son of an artisan, then the son of David, then the Son of God, after three centuries of impassioned debate Jesus became identified outright with God himself, in the first Ecumenical council recorded history—that of Nicaea, in 325… The first to voice doubts was Nestorius, the patriarch of Constantinople [Page 29], in a vehement quarrel with Cyril, the archbishop of Alexandria. Some theologians today are still sorely bewildered on the subject: “How can God be begot?” “How can He, who springs from Himself, without a beginning, owe His origin to a woman?” (Life of Jesus, Craveri)
The most significant event after the Apostles was when CONSTANTINE took control of Rome. His Consolidation of Rome required the establishment of a state religion. This was accomplished in 325 A.D, by this unbaptized, pagan Roman Emperor. He was not even a Christian. He assembled the bishops, stood at the head, and organized his new Catholic Church. He was a loyal follower of the sun god. “As seen in Constantine’s originating piety, that supreme deity would have been associated with the sun, and pagans would have recognized, with reason, their own solar cult in such Christian practices as orienting churches to the east, worshipping on ‘sun day,’ and celebrating the birth of the deity at the winter solstice [Dec. 25].” (Constantine’s Sword, p. 183) “In response to the emperor’s mandate, the bishops did, in fact, agree to a formulaic statement of belief, defining especially, and in explicit terms HOW JESUS IS GOD.” (Ibid. p. 189) Those who thought to refuse the edicts of Rome were either killed or banished. Even Athanasius--who composed the Trinity doctrine--was banished.
There is only ONE SABBATH and it was lost. “Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant.” (Ex. 31:16) “This man is not of God, because he keepeth not the sabbath day.” (John 9:16) Where the Sabbath is not, Christianity is not.
The Church of England in its Homily Against Peril of Idolatry, wrote that Christianity was drowned in idolatry within eight hundred years, "So that laity and clergy, learned and unlearned, all ages, sects, and degrees of men, women, and children of whole Christendom—an horrible and most dreadful thing to think—have been at once DROWNED IN ABOMINABLE IDOLATRY; of all other vices most detested of God, and most damnable to man; and that by the space of eight hundred years and more."
PEOPLE OF GOD. God never had a people that He recognized as His own without a Prophet at the head to receive instruction and guidance. The people of God began with ADAM. He was the first Prophet and Lawgiver. Cain violated the law “Thou shalt not kill” when he murdered his brother Abel. “No murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.” (1 John 3”15)
God’s people were identified through first-born sons who were High Priest and all led righteous lives. The righteousness of ENOCH (seventh from Adam) led God to translate him and take him into heaven. Adam lived 930 years to know the father of Noah. “These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.” (Gen. 6:9) Noah was a Prophet and Lawgiver. He spent 120 years trying to save the antediluvians; but, he was only able to save his own family.
ABRAHAM lived with Noah for thirty-nine years. “I will make of thee a great nation, and I WILL BLESS THEE, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing.” (Gen. 12:2) He obeyed the gospel. “And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.” (Gal. 3:8) It follows that Adam and Noah also obeyed the gospel; as did Moses. “And were all baptized unto Moses and in the sea.” (1 Cor. 10:2)
Jesus had to obey the gospel before He could begin His mission on earth. NO ONE CAN REPRESENT GOD without obeying the gospel and holding the priesthood of God. Jesus and the Apostles demonstrated that. “Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up from us, MUST BE ORDAINED to be a witness with us of his resurrection.” (Acts 1:22) Jesus had to obey the gospel and be ordained under the hands of God (Heb. 5:5) to be accepted by God.
The righteousness of ABRAHAM led God to select him as the father of all members of the kingdom of God. God told Abraham “I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing 3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.” (Gen. 12) “I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.” (Gen. 17:7)
Abraham “received the sign of circumcision [of the heart], a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised [in the flesh]: that he might be the FATHER OF ALL THEM THAT BELIEVE.” (Rom. 4:11) Jacob, the grandson of Abraham, was named Israel by God. Gentiles (non-Israelites) were never given the gospel until Israel rejected Jesus and had him killed by Roman Law. GENTILES MUST BE ADOPTED as the seed of Abraham. This is realized only by a valid baptism by one holding the Melchisedec Priesthood of God. “27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ… 29 And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according the promise.” (Gal. 3)
MOSES knew God as a familiar friend. “He LORD spake unto Moses FACE TO FACE, as a man speaketh unto his friend.” (Ex. 33:11) Moses wanted to see God in all His glory; but man cannot look upon the face of God in all His glory and live. “22 And it shall come to pass while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a clift of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand, while I pass by. 23 And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen.” (Ex. 33) Aaron and seventy elders saw God. “Then went up Moses, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel: 10 AND THEY SAW THE GOD OF ISRAEL.” (Ex. 24:9)
GENTILES ONLY RECEIVED THE GOSPEL after the Jews rejected Jesus. After Jesus’ resurrection, he called the Twelve to take the gospel to gentiles. “19 Go ye therefore, and TEACH ALL NATIONS, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.” (Matt. 28)
On the DAY OF PENTECOST when the gospel went to gentiles, Peter and the Apostles were asked: “Men and brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the holy ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.” (Acts 2:37-39) This gospel disappeared soon after the apostles.
GENTILES FAILED. God stopped speaking to them. Why? The same reason He speaks not to man at any time. “1 Behold, the LORD's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: 2 But YOUR INIQUITIES have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.” (Isa. 59:2) Gentiles would not and lost association with God. The certainty of BLESSINGS AND CURSES is strong evidence of the existence of God.
They had been raised on paganism for over 2,000 years and it is doubtful many were truly converted. During the days of the Apostles, when Jesus visited John on the Isle of Patmos (about 97 A.D.), He warned gentiles: “5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and REPENT, AND DO THE FIRST WORKS; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent… 13 I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan’s seat is.” (Rev. 2) They would not; and GOD NEVER SPOKE TO GENTILES AGAIN until the latter days.
Even during the days of the Apostles, they held to pagan gods. “The MYSTERY OF INIQUITY doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.” (2 Thess. 2:7) Jesus gave gentiles a final warning: “REMEMBER THEREFORE from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.” (Rev. 2:5) They did not--as prophets of God had prophesied—have any more communication with God. Within 200 years, they could not even understand the identity of God and Jesus. “First the son of an artisan, then the son of David, then the Son of God, after three centuries of impassioned debate Jesus became identified outright with God himself.” (Life of Jesus, Craveri, p. 28)
The Apostle John prophesied the Church of Christ, its officers, and all members would be LOST FOR 1,260 YEARS. “5 And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months [1,260 years]. 6 And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. 7 And it was given unto him [Satan] to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him OVER ALL kindreds, and tongues, and nations.” (Rev. 13)
The 1,260 years were to begin when a man “opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.” (2 Thess. 2:4) The fulfillment of this prophecy was in 570 A.D.
The Lombards invaded Rome in 568. After the fall of Rome, the Bishop of Rome declared supremacy over the whole church. “The pretensions of the bishop of Rome to primacy over all Christian churches throughout the world, however, were to lead to a new interpretation of the word “church” itself. Catholic ecclesiology has limited its meaning to the hierarchic structure that culminates in the bishop of Rome: an absolute monarchy that claims universal dominion (theocracy) and whose sovereign wears the golden triple crown of the pope-king.” (Ibid.) "OUR LORD GOD THE POPE… The power of the pope is greater than all created power, extending itself to things celestial, terrestrial and infernal, and that the pope doeth whatsoever he listeth even things unlawful, and is MORE THAN GOD.” (Dissertation on the Prophecies, Rev. G S. Faber, Vol. 1, pp. 203, 204)
The gospel was to be restored to gentiles in the latter days one last time. “I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, HAVING THE EVERLASTING GOSPEL to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people.” (Rev. 14:6) The date the gospel was to be restored was 570 + 1,260 = 1830.
Was there anyone claiming an association with God and restoration of the kingdom of God? Only one: JOSEPH SMITH. In 1820, when he was 15 years old, he had a keen interest in religion. There was a great excitement over religion where he lived--each claiming to be right. He went into the woods and took the question to God in prayer. Two personages appeared to him and one of them said, “This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!” He was told: “they were all wrong and their creeds were an abomination in his sight… they draw near to me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me, they teach for doctrines the commandments of men, having a form of godliness, but they deny the power thereof.” They forbade him from joining any of them.
In 600 A. D, a branch of Israelites travelled to America. They soon divided into two groups. In 400 A.D., the righteous people had turned to wickedness and was destroyed by the other group. The last prophet buried records that had been brought from Jerusalem and a history of that people. He appeared and guided Joseph Smith to the location of the plates where they were recovered. Joseph translated part of the plates which became the Book of Mormon—a second testimony of the truth of much of the Bible.
In June 1829, he was ordained under the hands of angels as a prophet of God. This caused him many years of suffering. About 200,000 were baptized; but few ever lived according to the will of God. On April 6, 1830, he organized the Church of Christ—latter to become the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. The PROPHECY OF JOHN WAS FULFILLED. Joseph taught the same doctrines as all prophets before him. Prophets of God teach alike.
He received four revelations that he would die in office—the first only a year after the church was organized. In this revelation he was commanded when the time of his death was imminent to appoint his successor. (Doctrine and Covenants 43) Nine days before his death he appointed James J. Strang. In 1844, he was arrested under false charges and imprisoned in Carthage, Illinois. The Governor of Illinois gave his word he would be protected; but removed his guardians so he could be killed. On June 27, a gang intent on killing him gathered, shot, and killed him in cold blood.
The SAME HOUR that Joseph was killed, JAMES J. STRANG claimed that at 5:30 in the afternoon an angel of the Lord came to him and ordained him to the prophetic office to succeed Joseph Smith. He lived more than four hundred miles from Nauvoo. It was not possible (even if Strang had conspired with men in Nauvoo) to know of Joseph Smith’s murder--much less to the hour. There was no such means of communication. He announced this ordination to several in Burlington that night. THREE PROPHECIES BECAME A REALITY. First, Joseph was killed. Second, he wrote the Letter of Appointment knowing he was about to die. Third James was ordained as prophesied. The gospel was returned to gentiles for the last time.
James translated another part of the plates that had first been given to Joseph: the original Book of the Law of the Lord. It was lost to the books of the Bible. It is the single most important book of scripture. Here is the only place the original Ten Commandments can be found. The so called “Christian” Ten Commandments is missing the second most important given by Jesus: “And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” (Matt. 22)
He taught the same as Joseph on all points of doctrine. He provided the best discourses on the existence of God, on the true God, on the priesthood, on the Ten Commandments, and other important gospel subjects. He translated the Book of the Law of the Lord prophesied by Ezekiel that was originally given to Moses but lost to the Bible like many others. “Moreover, thou son of man, take thee one stick, and write upon it, For Judah [Book of the Law], and for the children of Israel his companions: then take another stick, and write upon it, For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim [Book of Mormon], and for all the house of Israel his companions.” (Ezek. 37:16) It is available at mormonbeliefs.com.
James provided some of the best testimonies for the True God of Abraham and against the pagan Trinity. In 1850, he wrote among other things: “24. And, as by their faith, these three gods are one and the same god, it follows that the Lord God Almighty, uncreate, incomprehensible, and eternal, became a Priest unto himself, and offered himself a sacrifice unto himself, to make propitiation unto himself for sins against himself, and became a mediator between himself and his rebellious creatures; and has risen from the dead, though he alone hath immortality, and ascended on high, where he has received all power from himself, and sat down at his own right hand; where, with his human body, flesh and bones, and all that pertains to the perfection of man’s nature, raised to immortality and everlasting life, he “is the express image of the invisible God,” (Col. i, 15. 2d Cor. iv, 4,) “and the express image of his Father’s person,” (Heb. 1, 3,) who has not any such body or any part of it, and is nevertheless the same identical person with himself.“25. This is not the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Ye shall not bow down to the God of Babylon, for the God who spoke in Sinai, said, “Thou shalt not bow down unto, nor adore anything that thy imagination conceiveth of; but the Lord thy God only.”“26. The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, was not the offspring of adultery; nor was he born of woman; he was not carried about in a nurse’s arms, nor dependent on his mother’s milk for sustenance; he never died, nor did he cry to himself, and find no helper. (Matt. xxvii, 46. Mark xv, 34.) Eternal ages are but pulsations in his lifetime, and his might is omnipotence.”
Like Joseph before him, James was destined to seal his testimony with his blood. On June 16, 1856, with the help of the captain of the U. S. Steamer Michigan, James was mortally shot. He was taken back to Voree where he died on July 9th. He did not appoint a successor. The saints were driven from their homes and their property stolen. The saints were loaded on boats, taken to Milwaukee and Chicago, dumped on the docks, and scattered. They understood the Twelve could not stand at the head. Only a Prophet has that authority.
The Bible tells us of the demise of James, the fate of the saints, and their future gathering. “8 And thou, O tower of the flock [James J. Strang], the strong hold of the daughter of Zion [church in America], unto thee shall it come, even the first dominion; the kingdom shall come to the daughter of Jerusalem [July 8, 1850, when he was ordained King in Zion]. 9 Now why dost thou cry out aloud? is there no king in thee [James is gone]? is thy counsellor perished [apostles and high priests] for pangs have taken thee as a woman in travail. 10 Be in pain, and labour to bring forth, O daughter of Zion, like a woman in travail: for now shalt thou go forth out of the city, and thou shalt dwell in the field, and thou shalt go even to [spiritual] Babylon; THERE SHALT THOU BE DELIVERED; there the LORD shall redeem thee from the hand of thine enemies.” (Micah 4) A remnant of the priesthood of God remains for those very few that are seeking the kingdom of God and the blessings that are available to the saints. Samuel E. West was ordained to the same order of priesthood as Jesus and the Apostles--the Melchisedec Priesthood—but of a lessor office: Elder.
There are only THREE PROMISES IN THE BIBLE FOR GENTILES. They were to be given two opportunities to know God and be blessed with Israel. The FIRST opportunity was when the Jews rejected Jesus and had him crucified by Roman Law. They rejected it and returned to idolatry. They had been raised on paganism for over 2,000 years and began returning even during the days of the Apostles. “For the mystery of iniquity doth already work.” (2 Thess. 2:7)
They were to have a SECOND opportunity in the latter days to know God and obey the gospel. “I saw ANOTHER ANGEL fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and TO EVERY NATION, and kindred, and tongue, and people.” (Rev. 14:6) ABRAHAM is the “FATHER OF ALL THEM THAT BELIEVE.” (Rom. 4:11) In 1830, Joseph Smith was called and ordained by angels in accordance with this prophecy as a Prophet and Lawgiver and restored the priesthood of God, the gospel, and the laws of God. The ruffians on the western front of civilization could not bear it and killed Joseph in cold blood. All was not lost. Before he died, he appointed James J. Strang in his stead. James was also ordained a Prophet and Lawgiver by angels. He continued to bring the word of God to gentiles until he was shot by gentiles in cold blood and soon died.
THIRD. Their turning to idolatry, rejection of the gospel twice, and turning against the laws of God brought the promise of destruction upon them. “16 For as ye have drunk upon my holy mountain, so shall all the heathen [goi, also translated gentile] drink continually, yea, they shall drink, and they shall swallow down, and they shall be AS THOUGH THEY HAD NOT BEEN.” (Obadiah 1) “1 Come near, ye nations [gentiles], to hear; and hearken, ye people: let the earth hear, and all that is therein; the world, and all things that come forth of it. 2 For the indignation of the LORD is upon ALL NATIONS, and his fury upon all their armies: he hath UTTERLY DESTROYED THEM, he hath delivered them to the slaughter.” (Isa. 34)
ALL OTHER PROMISES in the Bible are for ISRAEL. To be acceptable before God, gentiles must obey the same laws as Israel. Circumcision of the flesh applies only to Israel. Circumcision of the heart is for all. All must know God and Jesus, obey the gospel, and live true to the commandments of God. Gentiles were given a harsh warning. “Thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert graffed contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be graffed into their own olive tree?” (Rom. 11:24) Gentiles who are properly baptized by one holding the Melchisedec Priesthood are adopted as the seed of Abraham (Gal. 3:27-29).
ISRAEL: PEOPLE OF GOD as promised to Abraham. Jesus is not returning to Rome, London, or any gentile. “I will give them [Israel] an heart to know me, that I am the LORD: and THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE, AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD: for they shall return unto me with their whole heart.” (Jer. 24:7) “I will give them an heart to know me, that I am the LORD: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God: for they shall return unto me with their whole heart.” (Jer. 24:7) “And they shall be my people, and I will be their God.” (Jer. 32:38) “20 they shall be my people, and I will be their God… 27 My tabernacle also shall be with them: yea, I will be their God, and they shall be my people.” (Ezek. 11)
“21 And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen [goi, gentile], whither they be gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land: 22 And I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains [kingdoms] of Israel; and one king shall be king [Jesus] to them all: and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all: 23 Neither shall they defile themselves any more with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions: but I will save them out of all their dwelling places, wherein they have sinned, and will cleanse them: so shall THEY BE MY PEOPLE, AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD. 24 And David my servant shall be king over them.” (Ezek. 37)
ALL PROPHECIES in the Bible--whose time has arrived--HAVE BEEN PERFECTLY FULFILLED. “Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure.” (Isa. 46:10) Here is a great testimony on the existence of God and His love for mankind. We all know we are going to die. Only a proper baptism and living by the will of God offers hope of salvation.
Look about you today! WHEN MAN TURNS FROM GOD to live by pleasures of the flesh, God stops association with them. When Israel turned to the evils of Egypt, they had no communication with God for 400 years. In the days of Malachi when Israel turned to wickedness, God stopped communicating with them for another 400 years. Jesus restored their relationship. When the Jews turned against Jesus, God turned gentles. The so-called Christians after the Apostles turned from the true and living God of Abraham to the Trinitarian, virgin born, god of paganism. Jesus was made the bastard son of a ghost: no more association with God. When the gentile saints under Joseph Smith and James J. Strang failed to live by the laws of God, they were both taken. When man turns from God to live by evil pleasures of the flesh, God stops association with man.
“22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools. 23 and changed the glory of the uncorruptable God into an image… 24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: 26 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men… 26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: 27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.” (Rom. 1)
“1 This know also, that in the last days PERILOUS TIMES shall come. 2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 5 Having a form of godliness, but DENYING THE POWER THEREOF [priesthood]: from such turn away.” (2 Tim. 3) “Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the WRATH OF GOD upon the children of disobedience.” (Eph. 5:6)
FROM LOVE TO ETERNITY. Love must permeate every part of our lives for the greatest happiness in life and eternity. We must love ourselves to be able to love others. We must see with our hearts. If we care not for ourselves, we will care little for others. True ministers of God put the lives of those seeking God before themselves. What would you do if your wife (or husband) was in great danger and you knew how to save them? God prepared a way for us to take our love to eternity.
“God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son [to be crucified].” Who can imagine the horror of the crucifixion? Jesus sweat blood just in anticipation. His crucifixion was a matter of hours instead of days. He could have stopped it at any time. “Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?” (Matt. 26:53) (John 3:16) “Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.” (1 John 4:11) What would you give for your loved ones? We are running out of time.
If man would abide in love and obey the laws of God, there would be no wars, no decease, and no poverty. Love is the foundation upon which happiness is built. It is like building your life on a rock instead of on sand. Marriage is required by God for all that meet the requirements; including both must be members of the kingdom of God.
Eternal marriage is available only to members of the kingdom of God. There are no aliens. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are with their families. How sad it will be for those whose marriage is “until death do you part.” This life is like a snap of the fingers compared with eternity. Children are a great blessing and should be loved and guided even as God loves and instructs man. All must learn to choose the good and refuse the evil. “STUDY to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” (2 Tim. 2:15)
Jesus told us to “SEEK YE FIRST the kingdom of God, and his righteousness [obey its laws]; and all these things [including salvation] shall be added unto you.” (Matt. 6:33) Love of God and adhering to the laws of God brings the greatest happiness. Jesus reminded us of the two greatest commandments. “37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt LOVE THE LORD THY GOD with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt LOVE THY NEIGHBOR as thyself.” (Matt. 22)
“God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son.” (John 1:18) Who can imagine the horror of the crucifixion? Jesus sweat blood just in anticipation. His crucifixion was a matter of hours instead of days. He could have stopped it at any time. “Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?” (Matt. 26:53) (John 3:16) “Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.” (1 John 4:11)
“And this is LIFE ETERNAL, that they might KNOW THEE the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” (John 17:3) Sadly, when the gospel went twice to gentiles, they rejected it twice. Almost all gentiles continue to honor the god of Babylon. True knowledge was restored with Joseph Smith and James J. Strang.
There are no gentiles in the kingdom of God. God declared Abraham to be the father of all who believe (Rom. 4:11). When the kingdom is fully organized again, it will be with Israel. “They shall be my people, and I will be their God.” (Jer. 32:38) Gentiles are adopted as the seed of Abraham through proper baptism (Gal. 3:27-29).
No one can enter the kingdom of God and have hope of salvation without obeying the gospel and the laws of God. I am not ashamed of the GOSPEL OF CHRIST: for it is the POWER OF GOD UNTO SALAVATION to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.” (Rom. 1:16) Peter told gentiles on the Day of Pentecost. “38 REPENT, AND BE BAPTIZED every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and YE SHALL RECEIVE THE GIFT OF THE HOLY GHOST. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.” (Acts 2)
The kingdom of God only exists where there are officers called of God. The Melchisedec is the only priesthood with authority from God to administer all ordinances of the gospel. No one is permitted by God to minister in His name without being properly called and ordained. Jesus advised us “the same is a usurper, and unholy: the Lord will not hold him guiltless.” “Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by PROPHECY, with the laying on of the hands of the PRESBYTERY [those holding that priesthood].” (1 Tim. 4:14) Those who fail to abide this important law will suffer serious consequences. Jesus had to obey the gospel and was ordained under the hands of God (Heb. 5:5).
“In vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the COMMANDMENTS OF MEN.” (Jesus, Matt. 15:9) “He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son,” (Rev. 21:7) “BLESSED ARE THEY that do his commandments, that they may HAVE RIGHT TO THE TREE OF LIFE and may enter in through the gates into the city.” (Rev. 22:14)
Jesus is to return “in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that KNOW NOT GOD, and that OBEY NOT THE GOSPEL of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (2 Thess. 1:8, 9) There will be TWO RESURRECTIONS. The first is when Jesus returns and the second is a thousand years later. SAINTS OF GOD RISE IN THE FIRST RESURRECTION--when Jesus returns—and INHERIT THE EARTH. “6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.” “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.” (Rev. 21:4)
Then comes the second resurrection and final judgment for those that fail to abide in the love of God. "12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the BOOK OF LIFE: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. 13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works." (Rev. 20)
“5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished.” (Rev. 20) The glory of the saints that keep the commandments is compared to the sun. Those that obey the gospel but are slothful to the moon. Those who do not obey the gospel will rise in the second resurrection in a glory compared stars.
“Strait is the gate [gospel], and narrow is the way [laws of God], which leadeth unto life, and FEW there be that find it.” (Jesus, Matt. 7:14) You could be among those few. James J. Strang—the last prophet of God--ordained L. D. Hickey one of the Twelve Apostles, who ordained Samuel Martin a high priest, who ordained Lloyd Flanders a high priest, who ordained Samuel E. West an elder on July 8, 1956. (See mormonbeliefs.com)
THE CHOICE IS YOURS. “If it seems evil unto you to serve the Lord, CHOOSE YOU THIS DAY whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” (Josh. 24:15) THE DOOR IS OPEN.
Knowledge of God and keeping His commandments is necessary for the best in life and eternity. From beginning to end the Bible tells the same story. “Therefore shall ye KEEP MY COMMANDMENTS, and do them: I am the LORD.” (Lev. 32:21) “Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may HAVE A RIGHT TO THE TREE OF LIFE, and may enter in through the gates into the city.” (Rev. 22:14)
CONSIDER CREATION ITSELF. Everything was perfect in its own environment. Many animals (like eagles and bears) were also given the gift of love. They will fight to the death to protect their own. It is impossible that man and all the creatures could have developed into perfection through natural selection. The perfection of our bodies is a great example. Man has lost much of his divine characteristics; but even many animals still recognize him as their superior. Natural selection can never create perfection. Without controlled evolution [by God], man would look more like the creatures in Star Wars.
CONSIDER LANGUAGE. Only a small part of the brain controls language. “Broca’s area is responsible for language production while Wernicke’s area is responsible for language comprehension.” (jackwestin.com) There is nothing in nature that would cause the brain to develop language. In addition, once a person reaches eight years old, he can no longer learn language. He can only respond like a dog. Once language has been established, he can learn another more easily. Language is a GIFT OF GOD.
GOD’S ASSOCIATION WITH MAN is a great proof of the existence of God. The story of creation from Genesis 1 to 2:5, is the story of the SPIRITUAL CREATION. All things were first organized spiritually before they could be created temporally or physically. “4 These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens, 5 And every plant of the field before it was in the earth, and every herb of the field before it grew.” (Gen. 2)
First in this creation was the spirit of Jesus. “1 In the beginning [of this creation] was the Word [JESUS], and the Word was with God [the Father], and the Word was God [of this creation]. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 ALL THINGS WERE MADE BY HIM; and without him was not any thing made that was made.” (John 1) Genesis 1:27 is the story of the SPIRITUAL CREATION of man by Jesus. “27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.” (Gen. 1;27)
We all lived together as spirits for an unknown length of time. During this time, Satan rebelled against God, thinking to stand in Jesus’ place as head of this creation. He violated one of the most important laws (second of the Ten Commandments): “Thou shalt not take the name [authority] of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.” (Ex. 20:7) He was cast down with about a third of the host of heaven that followed him to spend eternity as ghosts. “How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground.” (Isa.14:12)
USURPATION is a most grievous sin, “The Lord will not hold him guiltless.” ALL MINISTERS in the Bible were called of God and ordained—even Jesus (Heb. 5:5). The Apostles understood this law. “Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up from us, MUST ONE BE ORDAINED to be a witness with us of his resurrection.” (Acts 1:22) Paul reminded his son Timothy of this law. “Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy.” (1 Tim. 4:14) Those who think to represent God without a proper calling are in worse danger than they can imagine. What would happen to you if tried to represent a police officer? Is it not likely they would put in jail? God also has a jail called the spirits in prison.
Every civilization has recognized the existence of God; although most go astray and worship the work of hands. The Bible is a record of God and His association with man for over 4,000 years. After the fall, Adam lived 970 years to know the father of Noah. Abraham lived with Noah for 70 years. How easy it was for a correct knowledge of God and His laws to flow from Adam to Abraham and thus to Israel. The righteousness of Abraham caused God to select his seed as His own people. God “said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years.” (Gen. 15:13) How long was Israel held as slaves in Egypt? 400 years. Can any doubt the reality of Moses? The first five books in the Old Testament were written by him--by inspiration of God.
One of God’s greatest works was freeing Israel from captivity in Egypt. Pharoah resisted letting Israel go. Only because of the last plague by God, did he let Israel leave. The Jews still honor the Passover when all the first-born of Egypt died—except Israel. Moses wrote the first five books of the Old Testament. Who can deny that God selected Israel as His elect people? The gospel didn’t go to gentiles until the Jews rejected Jesus. Israel is soon to become the people of God again. “I will give them an heart to know me, that I am the LORD: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God: for they shall return unto me with their whole heart.” (Jer. 24:7)
Can any doubt the reality of Jesus? “This is LIFE ETERNAL, that they might know thee the only true God, and JESUS CHRIST, whom thou hast sent.” (John 17:3) He had to born like all other men to be the Messiah. He said: “Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.” (Heb. 2:17) “Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the SEED OF DAVID according to the flesh” (Rom. 1:3).
Once again God spoke to Israel. “We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” (John 1:45) “Hath not the scripture said, That Christ cometh of the seed of David, and out of the town of Bethlehem, where David was?” (John 7:42) “Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel.” (2 Tim. 2:8) Jesus could only be "of the seed of David" naturally through the male line. “For if through the offence of one [Adam] many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace [resurrection], which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.” (Rom. 5:15)
JESUS WAS ORDAINED UNDER THE HANDS OF GOD to the highest office in the priesthood: a Prophet like Moses (Acts 3:22); which also holds the lower office of High Priest. “4 And no man taketh this honour [of the priesthood] unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron [by revelation from God]. 5 So Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he [the Father] that said unto him, Thou art my son, to day have I begotten thee. 6 As he saith also in another place, thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.” (Heb. 5) “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He [God] hath anointed [ordained] me to preach the gospel the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised [in prison].” (Luke 4:18)
The Apostle Matthew gave us JESUS’ TRUE LINEAGE in the first chapter of the New Testament. “The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Judas [Judah]… And Jesse begat David the king… And Jacob begat Joseph [house of David] the husband of Mary.” (Matt. 1) This is “ACCORDING TO THE FLESH.”
Jesus had to OBEY THE GOSPEL. He taught: “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be BORN OF WATER AND THE OF THE SPIRIT, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” (John 3:5) He went to John the Baptist—who held the lower Levitical Priesthood—and held authority from God to baptize with water. Then He was baptized of the Spirit by God. “He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” (Matt. 3:16. 17)
Jesus could not begin His ministry until holding the priesthood of God: The Melchisedec Priesthood. He was called by revelation from God and ordained a prophet like Moses (Acts 3:22) under the hands of God. “So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto him, THOU ART MY SON, TO DAY HAVE I BEGOTTEN THEE.” (Heb. 5:5) Few understand that the term “Christ” means “anointed” or ordained. Jesus became the Christ of God through this ordination.
Jesus could only become the Messiah if he kept a perfect law. “Sin is the transgression of the law.” (1 john 3:4) “Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth.” (1 Pet. 2:22) Jesus broke Satan’s power of death and brought a resurrection for all. God had to resurrect Him. “Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom GOD RAISED FROM THE DEAD.” (Acts 4:10) "For therefore we both labor and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, specially of those that believe." (1 Tim. 4:10) Those that believe are members of the kingdom of God who keep the laws of God. “He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.” (1 John 2:6) Can any declare there is no God? EVERY PROPHECY of God has been perfectly fulfilled when the time came.
WHAT DOES GOD LOOK LIKE? Some have believed God is only a spirit. Ambrose, a Christian bishop contemporary with Constantine, wrote in The Confessions, “when God is thought of, our thoughts should dwell on no material reality whatsoever.” This would be like heat from a fire—no reality. I will grant Constantine the fact that the Trinity is a mystery. Not so the Biblical God. The whole Bible is a story of God's direct association with man. God conversed with Adam as a familiar friend (Gen. 2:3). He walked with Enoch (Gen. 5:24). He spoke with Noah (Gen. 6:14-21). He dined with Abraham who at first mistook him for a man; and invited Him into the tent to eat (Gen. 18). He wrestled with Jacob (Gen. 32:30). Abraham mistook God for a man, invited Him into his tent, and dined with Him and two angels. “8 And he took butter, and milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree, and they did eat.” (Gen. 18:8) He conversed with Moses face to face (Ex. 33:11; Deut. 5:4).
KNOWLEDGE OF GOD WAS LOST to the world by the second century. “This is LIFE ETERNAL, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” (John 17:3) They know not God and obey not His laws. A person can KNOW OF GOD; but cannot KNOW GOD without association (revelation). A mother who gives up her child at birth can know of the child; but cannot love the child. Why does God stop speaking to man? “Your INQUITIES have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.” (Isa. 59:2) Jesus is soon to return “In flaming fire taking VENGEANCE on them that KNOW NOT GOD, and that OBEY NOT THE GOSPEL of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (2 Thess. 1:8)
The God of the world is not the true and living God of Abraham. “God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: THIS IS MY NAME for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations.” (Ex. 3:15) Only part of the Jews worship God and only a very small remnant of gentiles continues to honor the true and living God of Abraham.
God never had a people that He recognized as His own WITHOUT A PROPHET to maintain association. Adam was the first Prophet and Lawgiver of God. It is evident they had the Ten Commandments—the Constitution of the law of God. Cain violated at least two: “Thou shalt not kill” and “Love thy neighbor as they self.” The result “Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth; and from thy face shall I be hid; and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth; and it shall come to pass, that every one that findeth me shall slay me.” (Gen. 4:14)
LAW, LOVE, AND CONSEQUENCES. Every parent should understand that children need to be guided in their development. There must be consequences for both obedience and disobedience. Obedience must be rewarded and disobedience punished. Jesus does the same. “Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.” (Rev. 22:14) “For which things' sake the WRATH OF GOD cometh on the children of DISOBEDIENCE.” (Col. 3:6)
Each event must match the behavior. God does the same for members of the kingdom of God that are obedient in His laws and punishes for disobedience. “19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.” These can be eternal consequences. God has provided association with man to assure they understand His will and laws. “It shall be our righteousness, if we observe to do all these commandments before the LORD our God, as he hath commanded us.” (Deut. 6:15)
Read Chapter 25. “1 And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe and to DO ALL HIS COMMANDMENTS which I command thee this day, that the LORD thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth… 15 But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee.” “Be ye therefore very courageous to keep and to do all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, that ye turn not aside therefrom to the right hand or to the left.” (Josh 23:6)
For some reason it has been the tendency of man to refuse instruction from God and live according to their own desires. Maybe most never grow up. Or, maybe they were not instructed properly as children. We must learn the laws of man and God. “Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.” (Rev. 22:14) Penalties are provided to guide man to the best in eternity.
Everyone one of us knows he is GOING TO DIE. Maybe tomorrow. This should be the subject of the utmost importance. Surely, God must have left some instruction. At DEATH “Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it [Jesus].” (Eccl. 12:7) Members of the kingdom of God (who obeyed the gospel) are taken in the spirit to the bosom of Abraham (kingdom in heaven). All others are taken to the spirits in prison. These are they who knew not God, failed to obey the gospel, and refused to obey the commandments of God.
All men will be resurrected (except the sons of perdition). It must be so for Jesus to win the war over death. “Not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by ONE MAN, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.” (Rom. 5:15) Those who know God, obey the gospel, and remain faithful and obedient to the laws of God will rise in the FIRST RESURRECTION inherit the earth with God and Jesus. “6 BLESSED AN HOLY is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.” “But the REST OF THE DEAD lived not again until the thousand years were finished.” (Rev. 20:5) There is a GREAT WARNING! Jesus will return “In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (2 Thess. 1:8)
History proves WHEN MAN TURNS FROM GOD and His laws, HE IS DESTROYED. This should be a great witness to the existence of God and the importance of His laws. The antediluvians became wicked and were destroyed. “GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” (Gen. 6:5) “And every living substance was destroyed which was upon the face of the ground, both man, and cattle, and the creeping things, and the fowl of the heaven; and they were destroyed from the earth: and NOAH ONLY REMAINED ALIVE remained alive, and they that were with him in the ark.” (Gen. 7:23) Only his family of 8 survived.
When Sodom and Gomorrah turned away from the laws of God, they were destroyed. They cried to Lot concerning his daughters “bring them out unto us, that we may know them.” (Gen. 19:5) They also worshipped idols. “13 And they forsook the Lord and served Baal and Ashtaroth. 14 Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven.” (Gen. 19:24) Lot barely escaped.
Israel was protected and enjoyed the good things of Egypt until they turned to worshipping Egyptian gods. The result: “Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens.” (Ex. 1:11) They were made SLAVES FOR 400 YEARS even as Abraham had prophesied. “And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years.” (Gen. 15:13)
God sent Moses to restore, deliver, and take them to the land promised to Abraham. While Moses was on the mount receiving the laws of God, they returned to idolatry worshipping a golden calf. “They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them: they have made them a molten calf, and have worshipped it, and have sacrificed thereunto, and said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which have brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.” (Ex. 32:8) Only the tribe of Levi remained true to God. “The children of Levi did according to the word of Moses: and there fell of the people that day about three thousand men. (Ex. 32:28) The result: They were placed under an added temporal law that was very oppressive.
David lived about 1,000 years before Jesus. He was taken captive into Babylon. The king of Babylon—Nebuchadnezzar--had a dream of the demise of the kingdoms of man from Babylon to Rome. His conjurors could not interpret the dream. Only David was able to interpret the dream by a vision from God. In short, it explained the kingdoms that were to be destroyed beginning with Babylon. He advised the king “there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets, and maketh known to the king Nebuchadnezzar WHAT SHALL BE IN THE LATTER DAYS. Thy dream, and the visions of thy head upon thy bed, are these.” (Dan. 2:28) Daniel told him he was the head of gold—king of Babylon. But his empire would be overtaken by Medo-Persian, which would be overthrown by Macedonians, and then the Roman (his legs of iron).
Rome was to be overthrown and become “weakened and divided by the mixture of barbarous nations.” They would become "his feet part of iron and part of clay." The last to fall is to be the remnant of the Roman: the TEN KINGDOMS OF EUROPE. “In the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall BREAK IN PIECES and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.” (Dan. 2:44) “For I am with thee [Israel], saith the LORD, to save thee: though I make a FULL END OF ALL NATIONS whither I have scattered thee.” (Jer. 30:11)
"And in the days of these kings (or kingdom) shall the GOD of heaven set up a KINGDOM which shall NEVER BE DESTROYED: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever. forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain and the interpretation thereof sure." European emigrants to America are principally descendants of the ten kingdoms of Europe.
This last kingdom will be set up by the Lord for the millennium when all the kingdoms of this world are done away. Then will be fulfilled the saying of Daniel in the seventh chapter: "But the saints of the Most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom forever, even for ever and ever." (Dan. 7:18)
When Israel departed from the law of God in the days of MALACHI, He cursed upon them. “If ye will not hear, and if ye will not lay it to heart, to give glory unto my name, saith the LORD of hosts, I will even send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings: yea, I have cursed them already, because ye do not lay it to heart.” (Mal. 2:2) God did not speak to them FOR 400 YEARS until Jesus.
Jesus restored the priesthood of God and His laws. Can any deny the existence of Jesus? You cannot except Jesus and not God. “This is LIFE ETERNAL, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” (Jesus, John 17:3) Jesus said “The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do.” (John 5:19) Jesus kept a perfect law.
Through Jesus, God once again spoke to Israel. JESUS WAS ORDAINED UNDER THE HANDS OF GOD to the highest office in the priesthood: a Prophet like Moses (Acts 3:22); which also holds the lower office of High Priest. “4 And no man taketh this honour [of the priesthood] unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron [by revelation from God]. 5 So Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he [the Father] that said unto him, Thou art my son, TO DAY HAVE I BEGOTTEN THEE. 6 As he saith also in another place, thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.” (Heb. 5) “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He [God] hath anointed [ordained] me to preach the gospel the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised [in prison].” (Luke 4:18)
FROM JEW TO GENTILE. When the Jews rejected Jesus and had Him crucified by Roman Law, they suffered a most terrible curse. They were all but destroyed in 70 A.D. All were killed in Masada. “Now the number of those that were carried captive during the whole war was collected to be ninety-seven thousand; as was the number of those that perished during the whole siege, eleven hundred thousand.” (Josephus, Wars of the Jews, 9:3) The remainder were taken as slaves in Egypt and servants in Rome.
After Jesus was resurrected, “18 ALL POWER is given unto me in heaven and in earth [BY GOD]. 19 Go ye therefore, and TEACH ALL NATION [gentiles], baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.” (Matt. 28)
The gospel then went to GENTILES for the first time; but they would not give up the idols they had worshipped for 2,000 years. “7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.” (2 Thess. 2) Jesus warned the churches of the gentiles one last time in the last book of Bible. “5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent… 13 I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan’s seat is.” (Rev. 2) They had fallen so far; they were required by Jesus to repent and be rebaptized. They would not. There is no evidence of their following this admonition as they continued to fall into idolatry and false doctrines. John was the last Apostle. GOD STOPPED TALKING GENTILES.
KNOWLEDGE OF GOD AND JESUS WAS LOST. By the second century the then “so-called” Christians could not even agree on the identity of God and Jesus. “To this extent, ‘orthodoxy’ [true doctrines] in the sense of a unified group advocating an apostolic doctrine accepted by the majority of Christians everywhere, did not exist in the second and third centuries.” (The Orthodox Corruption of Scripture, Bart D. Ehrman, p. 7)
“[Page 28] First the son of an artisan, then the son of David, then the Son of God, after three centuries of impassioned debate Jesus became identified outright with God himself, in the first Ecumenical council recorded history—that of Nicaea, in 325… The first to voice doubts was Nestorius, the patriarch of Constantinople [Page 29], in a vehement quarrel with Cyril, the archbishop of Alexandria. Some theologians today are still sorely bewildered on the subject: “How can God be begot?” “How can He, who springs from Himself, without a beginning, owe His origin to a woman?” (Life of Jesus, Craveri)
The most significant event after the Apostles was when CONSTANTINE took control of Rome. His Consolidation of Rome required the establishment of a state religion. This was accomplished in 325 A.D, by this unbaptized, pagan Roman Emperor. He was not even a Christian. He assembled the bishops, stood at the head, and organized his new Catholic Church. He was a loyal follower of the sun god. “As seen in Constantine’s originating piety, that supreme deity would have been associated with the sun, and pagans would have recognized, with reason, their own solar cult in such Christian practices as orienting churches to the east, worshipping on ‘sun day,’ and celebrating the birth of the deity at the winter solstice [Dec. 25].” (Constantine’s Sword, p. 183) “In response to the emperor’s mandate, the bishops did, in fact, agree to a formulaic statement of belief, defining especially, and in explicit terms HOW JESUS IS GOD.” (Ibid. p. 189) Those who thought to refuse the edicts of Rome were either killed or banished. Even Athanasius--who composed the Trinity doctrine--was banished.
There is only ONE SABBATH and it was lost. “Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant.” (Ex. 31:16) “This man is not of God, because he keepeth not the sabbath day.” (John 9:16) Where the Sabbath is not, Christianity is not.
The Church of England in its Homily Against Peril of Idolatry, wrote that Christianity was drowned in idolatry within eight hundred years, "So that laity and clergy, learned and unlearned, all ages, sects, and degrees of men, women, and children of whole Christendom—an horrible and most dreadful thing to think—have been at once DROWNED IN ABOMINABLE IDOLATRY; of all other vices most detested of God, and most damnable to man; and that by the space of eight hundred years and more."
PEOPLE OF GOD. God never had a people that He recognized as His own without a Prophet at the head to receive instruction and guidance. The people of God began with ADAM. He was the first Prophet and Lawgiver. Cain violated the law “Thou shalt not kill” when he murdered his brother Abel. “No murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.” (1 John 3”15)
God’s people were identified through first-born sons who were High Priest and all led righteous lives. The righteousness of ENOCH (seventh from Adam) led God to translate him and take him into heaven. Adam lived 930 years to know the father of Noah. “These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.” (Gen. 6:9) Noah was a Prophet and Lawgiver. He spent 120 years trying to save the antediluvians; but, he was only able to save his own family.
ABRAHAM lived with Noah for thirty-nine years. “I will make of thee a great nation, and I WILL BLESS THEE, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing.” (Gen. 12:2) He obeyed the gospel. “And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.” (Gal. 3:8) It follows that Adam and Noah also obeyed the gospel; as did Moses. “And were all baptized unto Moses and in the sea.” (1 Cor. 10:2)
Jesus had to obey the gospel before He could begin His mission on earth. NO ONE CAN REPRESENT GOD without obeying the gospel and holding the priesthood of God. Jesus and the Apostles demonstrated that. “Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up from us, MUST BE ORDAINED to be a witness with us of his resurrection.” (Acts 1:22) Jesus had to obey the gospel and be ordained under the hands of God (Heb. 5:5) to be accepted by God.
The righteousness of ABRAHAM led God to select him as the father of all members of the kingdom of God. God told Abraham “I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing 3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.” (Gen. 12) “I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.” (Gen. 17:7)
Abraham “received the sign of circumcision [of the heart], a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised [in the flesh]: that he might be the FATHER OF ALL THEM THAT BELIEVE.” (Rom. 4:11) Jacob, the grandson of Abraham, was named Israel by God. Gentiles (non-Israelites) were never given the gospel until Israel rejected Jesus and had him killed by Roman Law. GENTILES MUST BE ADOPTED as the seed of Abraham. This is realized only by a valid baptism by one holding the Melchisedec Priesthood of God. “27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ… 29 And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according the promise.” (Gal. 3)
MOSES knew God as a familiar friend. “He LORD spake unto Moses FACE TO FACE, as a man speaketh unto his friend.” (Ex. 33:11) Moses wanted to see God in all His glory; but man cannot look upon the face of God in all His glory and live. “22 And it shall come to pass while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a clift of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand, while I pass by. 23 And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen.” (Ex. 33) Aaron and seventy elders saw God. “Then went up Moses, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel: 10 AND THEY SAW THE GOD OF ISRAEL.” (Ex. 24:9)
GENTILES ONLY RECEIVED THE GOSPEL after the Jews rejected Jesus. After Jesus’ resurrection, he called the Twelve to take the gospel to gentiles. “19 Go ye therefore, and TEACH ALL NATIONS, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.” (Matt. 28)
On the DAY OF PENTECOST when the gospel went to gentiles, Peter and the Apostles were asked: “Men and brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the holy ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.” (Acts 2:37-39) This gospel disappeared soon after the apostles.
GENTILES FAILED. God stopped speaking to them. Why? The same reason He speaks not to man at any time. “1 Behold, the LORD's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: 2 But YOUR INIQUITIES have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.” (Isa. 59:2) Gentiles would not and lost association with God. The certainty of BLESSINGS AND CURSES is strong evidence of the existence of God.
They had been raised on paganism for over 2,000 years and it is doubtful many were truly converted. During the days of the Apostles, when Jesus visited John on the Isle of Patmos (about 97 A.D.), He warned gentiles: “5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and REPENT, AND DO THE FIRST WORKS; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent… 13 I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan’s seat is.” (Rev. 2) They would not; and GOD NEVER SPOKE TO GENTILES AGAIN until the latter days.
Even during the days of the Apostles, they held to pagan gods. “The MYSTERY OF INIQUITY doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.” (2 Thess. 2:7) Jesus gave gentiles a final warning: “REMEMBER THEREFORE from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.” (Rev. 2:5) They did not--as prophets of God had prophesied—have any more communication with God. Within 200 years, they could not even understand the identity of God and Jesus. “First the son of an artisan, then the son of David, then the Son of God, after three centuries of impassioned debate Jesus became identified outright with God himself.” (Life of Jesus, Craveri, p. 28)
The Apostle John prophesied the Church of Christ, its officers, and all members would be LOST FOR 1,260 YEARS. “5 And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months [1,260 years]. 6 And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. 7 And it was given unto him [Satan] to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him OVER ALL kindreds, and tongues, and nations.” (Rev. 13)
The 1,260 years were to begin when a man “opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.” (2 Thess. 2:4) The fulfillment of this prophecy was in 570 A.D.
The Lombards invaded Rome in 568. After the fall of Rome, the Bishop of Rome declared supremacy over the whole church. “The pretensions of the bishop of Rome to primacy over all Christian churches throughout the world, however, were to lead to a new interpretation of the word “church” itself. Catholic ecclesiology has limited its meaning to the hierarchic structure that culminates in the bishop of Rome: an absolute monarchy that claims universal dominion (theocracy) and whose sovereign wears the golden triple crown of the pope-king.” (Ibid.) "OUR LORD GOD THE POPE… The power of the pope is greater than all created power, extending itself to things celestial, terrestrial and infernal, and that the pope doeth whatsoever he listeth even things unlawful, and is MORE THAN GOD.” (Dissertation on the Prophecies, Rev. G S. Faber, Vol. 1, pp. 203, 204)
The gospel was to be restored to gentiles in the latter days one last time. “I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, HAVING THE EVERLASTING GOSPEL to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people.” (Rev. 14:6) The date the gospel was to be restored was 570 + 1,260 = 1830.
Was there anyone claiming an association with God and restoration of the kingdom of God? Only one: JOSEPH SMITH. In 1820, when he was 15 years old, he had a keen interest in religion. There was a great excitement over religion where he lived--each claiming to be right. He went into the woods and took the question to God in prayer. Two personages appeared to him and one of them said, “This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!” He was told: “they were all wrong and their creeds were an abomination in his sight… they draw near to me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me, they teach for doctrines the commandments of men, having a form of godliness, but they deny the power thereof.” They forbade him from joining any of them.
In 600 A. D, a branch of Israelites travelled to America. They soon divided into two groups. In 400 A.D., the righteous people had turned to wickedness and was destroyed by the other group. The last prophet buried records that had been brought from Jerusalem and a history of that people. He appeared and guided Joseph Smith to the location of the plates where they were recovered. Joseph translated part of the plates which became the Book of Mormon—a second testimony of the truth of much of the Bible.
In June 1829, he was ordained under the hands of angels as a prophet of God. This caused him many years of suffering. About 200,000 were baptized; but few ever lived according to the will of God. On April 6, 1830, he organized the Church of Christ—latter to become the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. The PROPHECY OF JOHN WAS FULFILLED. Joseph taught the same doctrines as all prophets before him. Prophets of God teach alike.
He received four revelations that he would die in office—the first only a year after the church was organized. In this revelation he was commanded when the time of his death was imminent to appoint his successor. (Doctrine and Covenants 43) Nine days before his death he appointed James J. Strang. In 1844, he was arrested under false charges and imprisoned in Carthage, Illinois. The Governor of Illinois gave his word he would be protected; but removed his guardians so he could be killed. On June 27, a gang intent on killing him gathered, shot, and killed him in cold blood.
The SAME HOUR that Joseph was killed, JAMES J. STRANG claimed that at 5:30 in the afternoon an angel of the Lord came to him and ordained him to the prophetic office to succeed Joseph Smith. He lived more than four hundred miles from Nauvoo. It was not possible (even if Strang had conspired with men in Nauvoo) to know of Joseph Smith’s murder--much less to the hour. There was no such means of communication. He announced this ordination to several in Burlington that night. THREE PROPHECIES BECAME A REALITY. First, Joseph was killed. Second, he wrote the Letter of Appointment knowing he was about to die. Third James was ordained as prophesied. The gospel was returned to gentiles for the last time.
James translated another part of the plates that had first been given to Joseph: the original Book of the Law of the Lord. It was lost to the books of the Bible. It is the single most important book of scripture. Here is the only place the original Ten Commandments can be found. The so called “Christian” Ten Commandments is missing the second most important given by Jesus: “And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” (Matt. 22)
He taught the same as Joseph on all points of doctrine. He provided the best discourses on the existence of God, on the true God, on the priesthood, on the Ten Commandments, and other important gospel subjects. He translated the Book of the Law of the Lord prophesied by Ezekiel that was originally given to Moses but lost to the Bible like many others. “Moreover, thou son of man, take thee one stick, and write upon it, For Judah [Book of the Law], and for the children of Israel his companions: then take another stick, and write upon it, For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim [Book of Mormon], and for all the house of Israel his companions.” (Ezek. 37:16) It is available at mormonbeliefs.com.
James provided some of the best testimonies for the True God of Abraham and against the pagan Trinity. In 1850, he wrote among other things: “24. And, as by their faith, these three gods are one and the same god, it follows that the Lord God Almighty, uncreate, incomprehensible, and eternal, became a Priest unto himself, and offered himself a sacrifice unto himself, to make propitiation unto himself for sins against himself, and became a mediator between himself and his rebellious creatures; and has risen from the dead, though he alone hath immortality, and ascended on high, where he has received all power from himself, and sat down at his own right hand; where, with his human body, flesh and bones, and all that pertains to the perfection of man’s nature, raised to immortality and everlasting life, he “is the express image of the invisible God,” (Col. i, 15. 2d Cor. iv, 4,) “and the express image of his Father’s person,” (Heb. 1, 3,) who has not any such body or any part of it, and is nevertheless the same identical person with himself.“25. This is not the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Ye shall not bow down to the God of Babylon, for the God who spoke in Sinai, said, “Thou shalt not bow down unto, nor adore anything that thy imagination conceiveth of; but the Lord thy God only.”“26. The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, was not the offspring of adultery; nor was he born of woman; he was not carried about in a nurse’s arms, nor dependent on his mother’s milk for sustenance; he never died, nor did he cry to himself, and find no helper. (Matt. xxvii, 46. Mark xv, 34.) Eternal ages are but pulsations in his lifetime, and his might is omnipotence.”
Like Joseph before him, James was destined to seal his testimony with his blood. On June 16, 1856, with the help of the captain of the U. S. Steamer Michigan, James was mortally shot. He was taken back to Voree where he died on July 9th. He did not appoint a successor. The saints were driven from their homes and their property stolen. The saints were loaded on boats, taken to Milwaukee and Chicago, dumped on the docks, and scattered. They understood the Twelve could not stand at the head. Only a Prophet has that authority.
The Bible tells us of the demise of James, the fate of the saints, and their future gathering. “8 And thou, O tower of the flock [James J. Strang], the strong hold of the daughter of Zion [church in America], unto thee shall it come, even the first dominion; the kingdom shall come to the daughter of Jerusalem [July 8, 1850, when he was ordained King in Zion]. 9 Now why dost thou cry out aloud? is there no king in thee [James is gone]? is thy counsellor perished [apostles and high priests] for pangs have taken thee as a woman in travail. 10 Be in pain, and labour to bring forth, O daughter of Zion, like a woman in travail: for now shalt thou go forth out of the city, and thou shalt dwell in the field, and thou shalt go even to [spiritual] Babylon; THERE SHALT THOU BE DELIVERED; there the LORD shall redeem thee from the hand of thine enemies.” (Micah 4) A remnant of the priesthood of God remains for those very few that are seeking the kingdom of God and the blessings that are available to the saints. Samuel E. West was ordained to the same order of priesthood as Jesus and the Apostles--the Melchisedec Priesthood—but of a lessor office: Elder.
There are only THREE PROMISES IN THE BIBLE FOR GENTILES. They were to be given two opportunities to know God and be blessed with Israel. The FIRST opportunity was when the Jews rejected Jesus and had him crucified by Roman Law. They rejected it and returned to idolatry. They had been raised on paganism for over 2,000 years and began returning even during the days of the Apostles. “For the mystery of iniquity doth already work.” (2 Thess. 2:7)
They were to have a SECOND opportunity in the latter days to know God and obey the gospel. “I saw ANOTHER ANGEL fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and TO EVERY NATION, and kindred, and tongue, and people.” (Rev. 14:6) ABRAHAM is the “FATHER OF ALL THEM THAT BELIEVE.” (Rom. 4:11) In 1830, Joseph Smith was called and ordained by angels in accordance with this prophecy as a Prophet and Lawgiver and restored the priesthood of God, the gospel, and the laws of God. The ruffians on the western front of civilization could not bear it and killed Joseph in cold blood. All was not lost. Before he died, he appointed James J. Strang in his stead. James was also ordained a Prophet and Lawgiver by angels. He continued to bring the word of God to gentiles until he was shot by gentiles in cold blood and soon died.
THIRD. Their turning to idolatry, rejection of the gospel twice, and turning against the laws of God brought the promise of destruction upon them. “16 For as ye have drunk upon my holy mountain, so shall all the heathen [goi, also translated gentile] drink continually, yea, they shall drink, and they shall swallow down, and they shall be AS THOUGH THEY HAD NOT BEEN.” (Obadiah 1) “1 Come near, ye nations [gentiles], to hear; and hearken, ye people: let the earth hear, and all that is therein; the world, and all things that come forth of it. 2 For the indignation of the LORD is upon ALL NATIONS, and his fury upon all their armies: he hath UTTERLY DESTROYED THEM, he hath delivered them to the slaughter.” (Isa. 34)
ALL OTHER PROMISES in the Bible are for ISRAEL. To be acceptable before God, gentiles must obey the same laws as Israel. Circumcision of the flesh applies only to Israel. Circumcision of the heart is for all. All must know God and Jesus, obey the gospel, and live true to the commandments of God. Gentiles were given a harsh warning. “Thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert graffed contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be graffed into their own olive tree?” (Rom. 11:24) Gentiles who are properly baptized by one holding the Melchisedec Priesthood are adopted as the seed of Abraham (Gal. 3:27-29).
ISRAEL: PEOPLE OF GOD as promised to Abraham. Jesus is not returning to Rome, London, or any gentile. “I will give them [Israel] an heart to know me, that I am the LORD: and THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE, AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD: for they shall return unto me with their whole heart.” (Jer. 24:7) “I will give them an heart to know me, that I am the LORD: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God: for they shall return unto me with their whole heart.” (Jer. 24:7) “And they shall be my people, and I will be their God.” (Jer. 32:38) “20 they shall be my people, and I will be their God… 27 My tabernacle also shall be with them: yea, I will be their God, and they shall be my people.” (Ezek. 11)
“21 And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen [goi, gentile], whither they be gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land: 22 And I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains [kingdoms] of Israel; and one king shall be king [Jesus] to them all: and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all: 23 Neither shall they defile themselves any more with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions: but I will save them out of all their dwelling places, wherein they have sinned, and will cleanse them: so shall THEY BE MY PEOPLE, AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD. 24 And David my servant shall be king over them.” (Ezek. 37)
ALL PROPHECIES in the Bible--whose time has arrived--HAVE BEEN PERFECTLY FULFILLED. “Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure.” (Isa. 46:10) Here is a great testimony on the existence of God and His love for mankind. We all know we are going to die. Only a proper baptism and living by the will of God offers hope of salvation.
Look about you today! WHEN MAN TURNS FROM GOD to live by pleasures of the flesh, God stops association with them. When Israel turned to the evils of Egypt, they had no communication with God for 400 years. In the days of Malachi when Israel turned to wickedness, God stopped communicating with them for another 400 years. Jesus restored their relationship. When the Jews turned against Jesus, God turned gentles. The so-called Christians after the Apostles turned from the true and living God of Abraham to the Trinitarian, virgin born, god of paganism. Jesus was made the bastard son of a ghost: no more association with God. When the gentile saints under Joseph Smith and James J. Strang failed to live by the laws of God, they were both taken. When man turns from God to live by evil pleasures of the flesh, God stops association with man.
“22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools. 23 and changed the glory of the uncorruptable God into an image… 24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: 26 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men… 26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: 27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.” (Rom. 1)
“1 This know also, that in the last days PERILOUS TIMES shall come. 2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 5 Having a form of godliness, but DENYING THE POWER THEREOF [priesthood]: from such turn away.” (2 Tim. 3) “Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the WRATH OF GOD upon the children of disobedience.” (Eph. 5:6)
FROM LOVE TO ETERNITY. Love must permeate every part of our lives for the greatest happiness in life and eternity. We must love ourselves to be able to love others. We must see with our hearts. If we care not for ourselves, we will care little for others. True ministers of God put the lives of those seeking God before themselves. What would you do if your wife (or husband) was in great danger and you knew how to save them? God prepared a way for us to take our love to eternity.
“God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son [to be crucified].” Who can imagine the horror of the crucifixion? Jesus sweat blood just in anticipation. His crucifixion was a matter of hours instead of days. He could have stopped it at any time. “Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?” (Matt. 26:53) (John 3:16) “Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.” (1 John 4:11) What would you give for your loved ones? We are running out of time.
If man would abide in love and obey the laws of God, there would be no wars, no decease, and no poverty. Love is the foundation upon which happiness is built. It is like building your life on a rock instead of on sand. Marriage is required by God for all that meet the requirements; including both must be members of the kingdom of God.
Eternal marriage is available only to members of the kingdom of God. There are no aliens. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are with their families. How sad it will be for those whose marriage is “until death do you part.” This life is like a snap of the fingers compared with eternity. Children are a great blessing and should be loved and guided even as God loves and instructs man. All must learn to choose the good and refuse the evil. “STUDY to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” (2 Tim. 2:15)
Jesus told us to “SEEK YE FIRST the kingdom of God, and his righteousness [obey its laws]; and all these things [including salvation] shall be added unto you.” (Matt. 6:33) Love of God and adhering to the laws of God brings the greatest happiness. Jesus reminded us of the two greatest commandments. “37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt LOVE THE LORD THY GOD with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt LOVE THY NEIGHBOR as thyself.” (Matt. 22)
“God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son.” (John 1:18) Who can imagine the horror of the crucifixion? Jesus sweat blood just in anticipation. His crucifixion was a matter of hours instead of days. He could have stopped it at any time. “Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?” (Matt. 26:53) (John 3:16) “Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.” (1 John 4:11)
“And this is LIFE ETERNAL, that they might KNOW THEE the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” (John 17:3) Sadly, when the gospel went twice to gentiles, they rejected it twice. Almost all gentiles continue to honor the god of Babylon. True knowledge was restored with Joseph Smith and James J. Strang.
There are no gentiles in the kingdom of God. God declared Abraham to be the father of all who believe (Rom. 4:11). When the kingdom is fully organized again, it will be with Israel. “They shall be my people, and I will be their God.” (Jer. 32:38) Gentiles are adopted as the seed of Abraham through proper baptism (Gal. 3:27-29).
No one can enter the kingdom of God and have hope of salvation without obeying the gospel and the laws of God. I am not ashamed of the GOSPEL OF CHRIST: for it is the POWER OF GOD UNTO SALAVATION to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.” (Rom. 1:16) Peter told gentiles on the Day of Pentecost. “38 REPENT, AND BE BAPTIZED every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and YE SHALL RECEIVE THE GIFT OF THE HOLY GHOST. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.” (Acts 2)
The kingdom of God only exists where there are officers called of God. The Melchisedec is the only priesthood with authority from God to administer all ordinances of the gospel. No one is permitted by God to minister in His name without being properly called and ordained. Jesus advised us “the same is a usurper, and unholy: the Lord will not hold him guiltless.” “Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by PROPHECY, with the laying on of the hands of the PRESBYTERY [those holding that priesthood].” (1 Tim. 4:14) Those who fail to abide this important law will suffer serious consequences. Jesus had to obey the gospel and was ordained under the hands of God (Heb. 5:5).
“In vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the COMMANDMENTS OF MEN.” (Jesus, Matt. 15:9) “He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son,” (Rev. 21:7) “BLESSED ARE THEY that do his commandments, that they may HAVE RIGHT TO THE TREE OF LIFE and may enter in through the gates into the city.” (Rev. 22:14)
Jesus is to return “in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that KNOW NOT GOD, and that OBEY NOT THE GOSPEL of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (2 Thess. 1:8, 9) There will be TWO RESURRECTIONS. The first is when Jesus returns and the second is a thousand years later. SAINTS OF GOD RISE IN THE FIRST RESURRECTION--when Jesus returns—and INHERIT THE EARTH. “6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.” “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.” (Rev. 21:4)
Then comes the second resurrection and final judgment for those that fail to abide in the love of God. "12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the BOOK OF LIFE: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. 13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works." (Rev. 20)
“5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished.” (Rev. 20) The glory of the saints that keep the commandments is compared to the sun. Those that obey the gospel but are slothful to the moon. Those who do not obey the gospel will rise in the second resurrection in a glory compared stars.
“Strait is the gate [gospel], and narrow is the way [laws of God], which leadeth unto life, and FEW there be that find it.” (Jesus, Matt. 7:14) You could be among those few. James J. Strang—the last prophet of God--ordained L. D. Hickey one of the Twelve Apostles, who ordained Samuel Martin a high priest, who ordained Lloyd Flanders a high priest, who ordained Samuel E. West an elder on July 8, 1956. (See mormonbeliefs.com)
THE CHOICE IS YOURS. “If it seems evil unto you to serve the Lord, CHOOSE YOU THIS DAY whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” (Josh. 24:15) THE DOOR IS OPEN.
Samuel E. WestSenior elder in Kingdom of GodJune, 2023Samuel270@aol.commormonbeliefs.com