Baptism and Salvation

Unit I
Choice 3: Romans 6. Baptism

1.    Review Romans 6:1–13 and answer the following questions in writing:

o       What must be done with sin before baptism can occur?

Before entering the waters of baptism, it is necessary to repent of our sins. It is true that we are cleansed during baptism, and symbolically, those sins stay in the water, however, it is important to present ourselves cleaned by repentance.

o       What events from Christ’s life are symbolized in baptism?

Baptism by immersion is the way Christ taught to be the correct way to do it. In it, we find different symbolisms that represent different events from Christ’s life: His death, burial, and resurrection.

o       Considering this symbolism, why couldn’t someone be baptized by

sprinkling?

When we are baptized, we are complete immersion in water symbolizing His death and burial. Sprinkling water on the head does not reflect in any way what He taught us with His example.

o       What do these verses teach us about how we can maintain the “newness of life”?

As it is true that the baptism cleanse us from sin, it is also true that we are going to make mistakes and sin again. To keep ourselves clean, we have to repent from any sin so we can partake of the sacraments and renew the covenants we made with Him when we were baptized.

o       According to Mosiah 3:19, what part of us would ideally die at baptism?

Ideally, the natural man in us would die at baptism letting a true follower of Christ take place. 

2.    Study Romans 6:14–23. Write a paragraph that describes how we know whose servant we are. Then write a statement identifying the true source of freedom.

We can know whose servants we are by analyzing the things we do daily. If instead of turning the TV or cell phone first thing in the morning, we say our prayer, we then are servants to righteousness. If no televised game on Sunday, for import it has been announced, keep us from going to church to renew our baptism covenant, we then are servants to righteousness. Doing the contrary to the two examples above will tell us that we are, sadly, servants to sin.

Freedom comes from being able to obey the commandments and living the gospel and its principles. 


Unit II

Choice 1: Romans 12-16. Live as Saints Should Live

1.    Review Romans 13:11 and look for what is “nearer.” Read Ezekiel 3:20; Doctrine and Covenants 14:7; and explain in writing what we must continue doing to work

out our salvation.

We have to learn how to die well by obeying God’s commandments and keeping our covenants. Enduring to the end is a phrase we hear many times. It means to have a continuous desire to follow Christs and His teachings. Joseph B. Wirthlin taught the following, “The gospel of Jesus Christ includes enduring to the end as one of its bedrock doctrines. Jesus taught, “He that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.” And, “If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed.”” General Conference, October 2004. Enduring to the end has the greatest reward of all, eternal life.

2.    In Romans 12-13 Paul gave much counsel that leads to salvation. Read each of the following verses and list what Paul taught would help lead to salvation:

·            Romans 12:1 -Live a life of service, and becoming holy by obeying His commandments and becoming His disciples.  

·            Romans 12:2 -Not be adapted to the world, but converted to do the right.

·            Romans 12:9 -Love without pretense and avoid the evil.

·            Romans 12:13 -Help and serve others.

·            Romans 12:16 -Treat others with equality. Not judge. Not to feel more important than others.

·            Romans 12:21 -Turn away from evil. Overcome evil with good.

·            Romans 13:1 -Recognize that there is aw to obey.

·            Romans 13:3 -Obey the law to stay away from trouble.

·            Romans 13:8 –Stay away from debt.

·            Romans 13:9 –Obey the commandments. Love one another.

3.    Review Romans 14:1-13; 15:1-3. Then write answers to the following questions:

·            What cautions did Paul give about judging?

Paul teaches that is not for us to judge others, but only God. If we do it, instead of helping them we become a stumbling block for them.

·            People may have different opinions and practices, but what is most important to remember?

It is important to remember that everyone is different and the way one person serves the Lord in not necessary the only way or correct way to do it. At the end, the only one who can judge us is God, and we are here to serve our neighbor and seeks for their wellness.

·            What additional insight comes from reading Doctrine and Covenants 38:25-27?

When we see others, our brothers and sisters, with love, we become one and it is what the Lord wants to be, one with Him.

4.    Review Romans 15:25-26, 31; 16:2, 15. Write the term Paul frequently used to refer to members of the Church in his day.

In his day, Paul referred to the members of the church as Saints. We are also called Saint, but to differentiate us from the, we are Latter-Day Saints.  

The Sacrament, and the Importance of Forgiveness

Lesson 2

Unit 1 – Choice 6 - The Sacrament

1 Corinthians 10:16-21; 11:20-29; 3 Nephi 18:6-11. 28-29

In these scriptures, three personages are talking about the administration of the sacrament, Paul, Luke, and Nephi. The three prophets mention that the bread and cup represent His body and blood respectably. We also learn that when we partake of them, we do it to remember Him. It is interesting that Luke and Nephi used the word “give.” This word present us a better understanding about that moment and its importance. He did not only teach them about what the bread and cup meant, He also serve them by giving and serving them the Sacrament. In a way, He was also teaching them that when the time come, they will need to minister the members of the church, by giving them the opportunity to participate of this sacred covenant.

When partaking of the sacrament, one has to be worthy of doing it. Elder Robert D. Hales said, “For the Sacrament to be a spiritually cleansing experience each week, we need to prepare ourselves before coming to the sacrament meeting.” Paul teaches us that the members need to examine themselves to see if they are worthy of partaking. Nephi, on the other hand, teaches, “Ye shall forbid him.” In the church, nobody has the authority to forbid others to partake of the sacrament, only the bishop can do it, however, only when the person has confessed a transgression that requires time to repent. Now, when we know someone is not doing well, we can, if the circumstances are appropriate, give them advice and counsel them. We need to invite them to go to their bishop, he and other leaders have the help they need to repent and come back to Christ with a clean life.

If a member partake of the sacrament unworthily, he or she might think that the bishop or nobody will ever know. However, Paul teaches that in doing so; they can bring damnation to them. Besides, it also prevents us from coming together with Christ and fulfilling our part of the covenant.

If there is nothing we need to confess to the correspondent leaders, there are many things that we can do to participate every week of the sacrament, and make it the most meaningful reunion of our week. Prayer and scripture reading is always on top of the list. We also can also avoid any distraction, like putting away any electronic device. Paying close attention to the sacrament prayers and ponder their meaning. We can also say a silent prayer. However, and this is my personal thing to do, we can also auto analyze ourselves. It is a good time to see how well or bad we are doing in keeping the commandments and our covenants with God. It is very important to have a weekly goal: coming to church on Sunday, ready and worthy of partaking of the bread and water that represent or Savior. 

Unit 2 – Choice 2

2 Corinthians 2: 1-11; Matthew 6:14-15; D&C 64: 9-10

Forgiveness

Paul commanded the Corinthians to be forgive one another. He goes even further, telling them that they need to comfort those who caused them grief, and reaffirm their love to them.

However, what do we gain by following Pauls’ counsel? The Lord has told us, that as we forgive others, He will forgive us as well. How could we ask for forgiveness when in our heart we have feeling of resentment against others? By disobeying this commandment, we bring condemnation to ourselves. We remain in sin, and as I mentioned before, the Lord will not forgive us.

“I, the Lord, will forgive whom I will forgive, but of you it is required to forgive all men.” D&C 64:10

The Vision of Peter and The Resurrection

I have created this blog as part of my assignments for an BYU-Idaho online religion class that  I am taking  We are studying the second part of the New Testament.

The first part of my post is about the vision of Peter as found in Acts 10:1-27; 11:1-18 The second part is about the Resurrection as found in 1 Thessalonians 4:14-17; D&C 88:96-102; 45:54

The Vision of Peter

An Angel Appeared to Cornelius telling him that his prayers and alms had been heard by God. He then told him to send his men to Joppa and look for Peter. Peter also received a vision while he was praying upon the housetop. He saw “heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending unto him, as it had been a great sheet knit at the four corners, and let down to the earth. Wherein were all manner of four footed beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air. And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill, and eat. (Acts 10:11-13). Peter didn’t understand the meaning of the vision and his first reaction was to tell the Lord that he could not eat something “common or unclean.” But the voice told him “What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common.” (Acts 10:15) This was repeated three times, and was necessary so the message could penetrate Peter’s heart. Peter was still debating about the vision when Cornelius’s men came looking for him. When they arrived at Cornelius’s house, he told Peter about the vision he had. Peter then understood the meaning of his vision: the time had come for the Gentiles to receive the gospel and baptism. He understood that the Lord had “clean” these people to receive the blessing of the gospel.   


The Resurrection

We believe in a resurrected Savior. Jesus Christ dies but conquering death rose again. We also have the promise that we can live again.

When the time comes, at the sound of the trump of the Angel of God, the righteous dead will rise from the tombs and among with those faithful children of God who are alive by the second coming of the Lord will meet with Him. In 1 Thessalonians 4:17 (JST footnotes), says that they will caught up together in the clouds to meet Him in the air. D&C 88:97 gives us more details and says that they meet “in the midst of the pillar of heaven.” These righteous Saints will be the first fruits, the participants of the first resurrection. They will have the blessing of descending from the midst of heaven alongside Christ.

A second trump will sound and “and then cometh the redemption of those who are Christ’s at his coming; who have received their part in that prison which is prepared for them, that they might receive the gospel, and be judged according to men in the flesh.”  Sadly, “the spirits of men who are to be judged, and are found under condemnation” (D&C 88:100) will remain in their tombs until after the Millennium has passed.

We don’t know the time of the second coming, and it is not important to know the exact date. What it is important is the way we live faithful to the covenants.