Saintly Living & Church Ordinances
Living the Saintly Life
The gospel embraces the harmonious development of all of man's faculties and possessions to the glory of God. If one studies Greek history, there you will find that sanctification to them was just a matter of the spirit only. Therefore what they did with the body made no difference. But Paul came to them teaching the message of I Corinthians 6:19, "What! know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?" Today, we proclaim that same message. Our bodies are a temple of the living God and not just for our own possession. Many today treat the body with shameful indifference. Doctrine & Covenants 86:Ia; 3c,d: "Given for a principle - with promise," "Behold, verily thus saith the Lord unto you,... I have warned you, and forewarn you, by giving unto you this word of wisdom by revelation, ....And all Saints who remember to keep and do these sayings, walking in obedience to the commandments, shall receive health in their navel, and marrow to their bones, and shall find wisdom and great treasures of knowledge, even hidden treasures; and shall run and not be weary, and shall walk and not faint; and I, the Lord, give unto them a promise that the destroying angel shall pass by them, as [it did] the children of Israel, and not slay them."
This practical, living expression of man's grateful response in acknowledgment of God's love and sovereignty. Man has not suffered because of a lack of resources created by God and put at his disposal. Rather, he has been the victim of his own failure to see the sacredness of God's creation, and to manage it in a purposeful way that goes beyond himself. Stewardship can never be divorced from voluntary commitment to Christ. Doctrine & Covenants 50:7d: "he that receiveth of God, let him account it of God, and let him rejoice that he is accounted of God worthy to receive".
The church is not the destination, but the vehicle Christ built (for the cause of Zion) that will bring us to our final destination (the kingdom of God on Earth). The understanding that celestial glory (the kingdom of God) was intended to be here on the Earth now is the central theme of the church. Without the church and all its distinctives, the kingdom of God, Zion, cannot be established.
God is a God of order, and his church has structure and order. It is built on and through the essence of righteousness, the very powers of heaven. It is built on the rock of revelation with a prophet as of old. It has a government: a priesthood, (executive), that are connected to the heavenly realm, a people, (legislative), that express the church in their response to the ministry of Jesus Christ, and judges, (judicial), that assure order in all things.
The kingdom of God on Earth finds expression in three realms: spiritual, temporal, and missionary.
Spiritual:
Citizenship – through faith, repentance, baptism and laying on of hands.
Attributes – meek, humble, forgiving, merciful, poor in spirit, thirsting after righteousness, compassionate, brokenhearted, pure in heart, full of charity and unified.
Ordinances – blessing of children, administration to the sick, baptism, confirmation, sacrament of the Lord’s supper, ordination, patriarchal blessing and marriage.
Temporal:
Economic System – consecration, United Order of Enoch (consecrated members, see Doctrine & Covenants 101), all things common (not a common purse), no poor among them, stewardship principles, tithing, offerings, surplus, inheritances, stewardships and storehouse.
Missionary:
As soon as the kingdom appears, it becomes missionary-oriented by its very nature. Being valiant in the testimony of Jesus Christ is a requisite to the kingdom; it is the call to preach the gospel of the kingdom to all the world.
Journey’s End – The Visible Community
Gathering – Those that hear his voice: his elect, the house of Israel, gathering of Judah to Jerusalem, gathering of Israel to Zion (with center in Jackson County, Missouri). Only in community can the kingdom of God find full expression.
Pure Love of Christ – The building of the kingdom of God cannot be accomplished unless the process of becoming complete (perfect) occurs, which will yield a people who have sacrificed all to become the “pure in heart,” being filled with charity, the pure love of Christ, the very essence of God himself.
We are seeking to become prepared mentally, physically, financially, morally and spiritually, so as to become worthy of an endowment of the Holy Ghost - a process that will be required for the fulfillment of God's purposes in these latter days. We recognize that endowment will be required of us, but note that it can only come based upon the required sanctification of our lives, as anticipated by Acts 2, “And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it rested upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.”
Keeping the Sabbath (drop down arrow reveals below text)
Doctrine & Covenants 68:4d says - ''And the inhabitants of Zion shall also observe the Sabbath day to keep it holy." There is a lot that can be said about how we keep the Sabbath day holy. It is desirable for each of us to ponder this command in our hearts, to discuss it in our homes - to really search it out in our souls and minds - asking what does it mean for me as an individual to keep the Sabbath day holy? What does "holy" mean? . Doctrine & Covenants 119:7b gives a hint: "the Saints are to observe the first day of the week commonly called the Lord's day, as a day of rest: as a day of worship, as given in the covenants and commandments. " The very character and quality of our response to keeping the Lord's Day holy can best be understood in terms of a covenant relationship. The eyes of the disciple need to be pointed toward God, and not toward activities and things. Doctrine & Covenants 59:2f: "And that thou mayest more fully keep thyself unspotted from the world, thou shalt go to the house of prayer and offer up thy sacraments upon my holy day; for verily this is a day appointed unto thee to rest from thy labors, and to pay thy devotions unto the Most High;"
The Gospel of the Kingdom (drop down arrow reveals below text)
Today we hear much about the gospel of salvation, but this Remnant Church is called and commissioned to take into all the world the "Gospel of the Kingdom." “For thou art a holy people unto the Lord thy God, and the Lord hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto himself, above all the nations that are upon the earth." (Deuteronomy 14:2). We are called, especially in this day, to stand apart from the world – not in pride, but in humility. We must not take pride in our distinctives; we must not think that we are better than any other person walking upon the face of this earth. If anything, we must come to the same conclusion that Paul finally came to in the latter part of his ministry, when he said, "I Paul, chief of all sinners. " We are called to this kind of humility as we think in terms of taking the Gospel of the Kingdom into all the world. Consider I Peter 2:9: "...ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light;" Recognize, as you think in terms of our distinctives, that you (personally) have been called out of darkness into the marvelous light of the "Gospel of the Kingdom."
Matthew 24:32: "And again, this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world, for a witness unto all nations, and then shall the end come, or the destruction of the wicked."
Holy Ordinances and Covenants
All of the church ordinances relate to a special time of commitment - those times when an eternal decision is made, one not just for today, or for our life on this earth. Those ordinances that are performed through the Remnant Church are the distinctive things that impact our eternal existence. In the ordinances lives are changed, redirected, and empowered. In the ordinances, He meets the committing one with assurance. All of this is made possible because God is willing to confront mankind in the ordinances of His Church, to the end that they are divinely provided for our benefit and our salvation.
The most sacred point in Church experience is where God and mankind are consciously and mutually brought together and find agreement. Covenant is agreement! . Doctrine & Covenants 45:2d: ''And even so I have sent mine everlasting covenant into the world, to be a light to the world, and to be a standard for my people and for the Gentiles to seek to it, and to be a messenger before my face to prepare the way before me." Our Lord God has made covenant with us! In no manner, in no degree, and at no time will He break that covenant. He will not withdraw it or alter it; He has decreed it, and it is His will to fulfill it. The only aspect of that covenant that now remains uncertain, or in some form of un-fulfillment, is our response. To "hear" the word of the Lord is not merely to listen to spoken sentences. To "hear" the word of the Lord in the Scriptural sense is to respond in faith with one's whole being.
As individuals join the Church through baptism, they covenant to take upon themselves the name of Jesus Christ. We believe in supporting the Kingdom of God on earth through an unbreakable covenant of stewardship.
Doctrine & Covenants 17:7b-d All those who humble themselves before God and desire to be baptized, and come forth with broken hearts and contrite spirits, and witness before the church that they have truly repented of all their sins, and are willing to take upon them the name of Jesus Christ, having a determination to serve him to the end, and truly manifest by their works that they have received of the Spirit of Christ unto the remission of their sins, shall be received by baptism into his church.
Doctrine & Covenants 32:2g yea, repent and be baptized every one of you, for the remission of your sins; yea, be baptized even by water, and then cometh the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost.
Membership is complete after receiving baptism of water and of the Holy Ghost. A Confirmation prayer is said over the individual establishing them as a member of the Remnant Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
Doctrine & Covenants 32:2g yea, repent and be baptized every one of you, for the remission of your sins; yea, be baptized even by water, and then cometh the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost.
Members regularly remember their baptismal covenant and the sacrifice Jesus Christ made as they partake of the sacrament. We are practicing closed communionists, but permit all to partake who claim authoritative baptism.
This ordinance may be administered by Melchizedec priesthood offices using consecrated oil. It involves two priesthood members, one anointing and one confirming. The individual seeking a prayer of administration should request this ordinance.
Luke 4:40 Now, when the sun was setting, all they who had any sick, with divers diseases, brought them unto him, and he laid his hands on every one of them, and healed them.
3 Nephi 8:6 And he said unto them, Behold, my bowels are filled with compassion towards you: Have ye any that are sick among you, bring them hither.
3 Nephi 8:9 And it came to pass that when he had thus spoken, all the multitude, with one accord, did go forth, with their sick, and their afflicted, and their lame, and with their blind, and with their dumb, and with all they that were afflicted in any manner; and he did heal them every one as they were brought forth unto him;
Ordination takes place through laying on of hands. This ordinance confers the priesthood, or new office, upon the individual and enables them to minister in Jesus Christ’s name and act as a authorized minister of the Remnant Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
Exodus 40:15 And thou shalt anoint them, as thou didst anoint their father, that they may minister unto me in the priest's office, for their anointing shall surely be an everlasting priesthood throughout their generations.
Doctrine & Covenants 68:1b And, behold and lo, this is an ensample unto all those who were ordained unto this priesthood, whose mission is appointed unto them to go forth; and this is the ensample unto them, that they shall speak as they are moved upon by the Holy Ghost;
Doctrine & Covenants 17
This special ordinance is reserved for the youngest among us, those up until the age of accountability (8 years of age). Young children may receive a prayer of blessing over their lives, as performed by the Melchizedec priesthood of the church through the laying on of hands and spoken prayer.
Mark 10: 12-14 But when Jesus saw and heard them, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not; for of such is the kingdom of God. Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein. And he took them up in his arms, and put his hands upon them, and blessed them.
Doctrine & Covenants 17:19 Every member of the church of Christ having children, is to bring them unto the elders before the church, who are to lay their hands upon them in the name of Jesus Christ, and bless them in his name.
Marriage is ordained of God; a divinely authorized covenant between one man and one woman only. It should be broken only because of death, fornication or adultery.
As a fundamental principle of the gospel of Jesus Christ, our commitment to the sanctity of marriage based upon the divine plan, that one man shall have one wife, and one woman, one husband, in harmony with the creation of, and commission to, Adam and Eve our first parents.
We conduct premarital counseling for all engaged couples, regardless of age.
The act of Consecration applies to our total stewardship and is accomplished by “laying all” before the Bishop, making all temporal activities sacred. This accounting of our total Stewardship, not to be confused with the annual Tithing Accounting, is required by all who would come to Zion (including those who currently reside in the Center Place).
This once in a lifetime prayer of blessing is performed solely by the Patriarch office. In the Restoration, Joseph Smith, Sr., the first patriarch, adopted the idea presented in the Bible and the Book of Mormon of the father of the family giving a blessing to each of his children and gave a father’s blessing to his son, Joseph Smith, Jr. He then adapted it in giving fatherly spiritual blessings to members of his extended family and the faithful church members. Since then, there has been development in the understanding of the nature and purpose of the ministry of the patriarchal blessing.
Unlike baptism, a patriarchal blessing is not a requirement; it is a gift made available for the benefit of church members. Like baptism, it is participated in by the church member’s own choosing. In both of the ordinances, participation is meaningful only if the church member senses a need for it and believes it is the right thing to do.
The basic requirements for receiving a patriarchal blessing are: 1) the person is a member of the Remnant Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and 2) the person is at least 16 years of age. A purpose of the blessing is to help the person see where they are and give guidance as to where they should be, and what they can become. The person should be concerned about their spiritual life, working toward becoming what they may understand the Lord is calling them to be.
- See Doctrine and Covenants 125:3 and R-157:4
- Link to brochure
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