BLOG von mir » Questions Answered http://blog.mwholt.com Thoughtful writings, curious notes, and LDS doctrinal commentaries of Matthew W. Holt. Sat, 29 Aug 2009 22:55:44 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 en hourly 1 Bad Things for Good People? http://blog.mwholt.com/bad-things-for-good-people/ http://blog.mwholt.com/bad-things-for-good-people/#comments Sun, 26 Jul 2009 19:19:27 +0000 Matt http://blog.mwholt.com/?p=348 Why do bad things happen to good/covenant people? Doesn’t God love His children?

Yes, of course God loves His children. The Lord reminds us in D&C 121, 122, and 123 why afflictions are allowed on good people by our loving and devoted God. From these sections, I can conclude at least six main reasons for them.

  1. Sin — Transgressing God’s law will bring negative consequences.
  2. Experience — Trials bring to our spirits vital experiences through which we learn new things.
  3. Agency — Man has the freedom to choose, and God must allow it, and He cannot forbid it. It was decided upon in the Counsel of Heaven before the world was.
  4. Covenants — The righteous are rewarded for keeping them, and those who falter are offered the way to make it right through trials.
  5. Trust — Trials build a relationship between the Godhead (our Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost) and an individual.
  6. To condemn the wicked — Tribulation caused by wicked men who persecute the righteous dominion can then be judged accordingly.

Items 2, 5, and 6 are particularly interesting. Many non-members, or those who are unfamiliar with the Gospel are frustrated or mad at a god that could send destruction and other bad things to righteous or innocent people. The Gospel of Jesus Christ, as proclaimed by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, answers these types of questions.

What other questions have the teachings, doctrine, and scriptures of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints answered for you? Or, if you are not a member, what questions might you have?

]]> http://blog.mwholt.com/bad-things-for-good-people/feed/ 3 Matthew 5:48 http://blog.mwholt.com/matthew-548/ http://blog.mwholt.com/matthew-548/#comments Wed, 22 Jul 2009 21:29:56 +0000 Matt http://blog.mwholt.com/?p=335 What manner of men ought we to be?

“Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.”

Matthew 5:48

That seems like a rather demanding and impossible calling; but the Lord knew what he was talking about. What does this passage mean to you?

]]> http://blog.mwholt.com/matthew-548/feed/ 4 Caffeination http://blog.mwholt.com/caffeination/ http://blog.mwholt.com/caffeination/#comments Tue, 21 Jul 2009 14:27:41 +0000 Matt http://blog.mwholt.com/?p=331 Is the consumption of caffeinated beverages a violation of God’s commandments (or, the Word of Wisdom)?

“With reference to the cola drinks, the Church has never officially taken any attitude on this matter…but I personally do not put them in the class as with the tea and coffee because the Lord specifically mentioned them [the hot drinks]…

I might say also that strychnine and sleeping pills and opium and heroin are not mentioned in the Word of Wisdom and yet I would discourage them will all my power…”

Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, page 202

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