1 & 2 Timothy, Titus: "I Have Finished My Course"

1 & 2 Timothy; Titus

ORDER OF THE EPISTLES

Just a little FYI here about why the epistles are the way they are in the Bible.  The early Christians who assembled the epistles into the New Testament did not have access to their chronology, so they ordered them in two other ways.  First,

"The arrangement [of the epistles of Paul] is neither chronological, geographical, nor alphabetical, but by length, in descending order from the longest (Romans) to the shortest (Philemon).  This is the case except with the epistle to the Hebrews, which was placed last because some have questioned whether or not it was written by Paul" (Bible Dictionary, p. 743). 

And a second theory,

"The epistles do not stand in the order in which they were written, but in the order of the importance of the audiences addressed.  Thus, Romans comes first because Rome was the capital of the empire.  Corinth was the next most important city, and so on.  Paul's epistles to individuals follow those to collective audiences...Hebrews appears last, because there is good reason to doubt whether it is by Paul.

"After Paul's epistles come the seven 'catholic,' or general, epistles--so called because they were addressed to Christians generally.  They appear roughly in the order of their length.

"Christians adopted this order of the epistle as early as the time of Eusebius in the beginning of the third century" (J.I Packer, M.C. Tenney, ed., Illustrated Manners and Customs of the Bible, p. 587).

(For an exhaustive article on the authorship of the Epistle to the Hebrews from an LDS viewpoint, please see proceedings from the 35th Annual Sidney B. Sperry Symposium, published online by BYU and accessible via this link.)

So...

1. To congregations--Romans through 2 Thessalonians
2. To individuals--1 Timothy through Phileman
3. Hebrews
4. General epistles (other than Pauline)

MATCHING GAME

Just for variety and to keep the class awake, on one side of the board, put up the scripture references below.  On the other side, in mixed-up order, put the names of a government leader, expectant or new parents in your congregation, your bishop or branch president, and a missionary from your ward or an exemplary youth.  Have the class read the scripture and match it to the person.  Then discuss the relevance of each today.

1. 1 Tim. 2:1-2  "I exhort therefore, that, first of all supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; for kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty."  (government leader)
2. 1 Tim. 2:15 with JST footnote  "Notwithstanding they shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety."  (expectant or new parents)
3. 1 Tim. 3:2-3  "A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach; not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous."  (your bishop or branch president)
4. 1 Tim. 4:12  "Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity."  (an examplary youth)

 DISCUSSION

1. We should pray for our political leaders, even if (or maybe especially if) we disagree with them.  We should pray at election times that those who will help us lead "a quiet and peaceable life" will be elected.
2. How is it that we are "saved through child-bearing?"  And why did the JST change it to say "they" instead of "she"?  If we "continue" and raise (or rear) those children "in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety [modesty]," we receive excellent spiritual training ourselves.  Parenthood is the practicum for godhood.  It provides great opportunities for service and for the development of all divine characteristics, if we let it.
3. The word bishop is from the Greek episkopos.  Epi means "over;" think of the epicenter of an earthquake.  (Is that what a bishop feels like sometimes?)  Skopos means "caretaker."  Put the two together and you have "head shepherd," or "chief slave."  (That's probably what a bishop feels like most of the time!  If so, he's doing the right things, according to the definition of the word.)  The Episcopalian denomination of Christians is so named because of the emphasis it places on pastors of congregations.
4. There are six checkpoints noted here for believers.  Which of these could you stand a little work on this week?  We must "be an example of the believers in...
1. Word.  Do we gossip? Are we uplifting in our speech? Do we encourage others and ourselves?
2. Conduct (the literal meaning of the word translated in the King James Version as conversation).  Our children can see our character and faith by the way we live.  It is said that when we are under stress, we reveal the most about ourselves.  This is the condition our family members can observe more readily than anyone else.  We must conduct ourselves well in crisis, small or great, as well as in ordinary daily life.
3. Charity.  Love must be our motivation for everything, and our solution to everything.
4. Spirit.  Are our daily actions guided by the Spirit?
5. Faith.  Are we easily discouraged and depressed, or do we see the Lord's hand in the details of our lives?  Do we follow through on counsel of our leaders?  Do we trust the Lord enough to obey all of His commandments as best we can?
6. Purity.  We must be very careful of the media influences we allow in our homes.  A lack of vigilance in this area will affect all of the other areas.  (Actually, that can be said of each of these six items--they are all a part of each other.)

(Note there are many JST changes in Timothy.)

THE LAST WORDS OF PAUL

The Second Epistle to Timothy contains Paul's last words.  Paul was ill at this time, and probably on "death row."  (Note he asks for his cloke, his books, and his parchments in 4:13).  Knowing this, the two-fold theme of the epistle is especially poignant:  1) God's care despite persecution of the saints, and 2)encouragement and counsel to those who suffer trials. 

The first point can be summarized in 1:12 and 4:18.

"For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day."

"And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen."

The second can be summarized in 2:3,15.

"Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ."

"Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing [meting out to others] the word of truth."

PEACE AMIDST CHAOS

How does one live in the peace of the gospel while enduring the trials of life?  The answer, and a great key to living as a Christian, is found in 1:6-7.

"Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands.  [What gift have all church members been asked to receive by the laying on of hands?  The Gift of the Holy Ghost.]  For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."

"Fear is spoken of [in the Bible] as something unworthy of a child of God, something that 'perfect love casteth out' (1 John 4:18).  The first effect of Adam's sin was that he was afraid (Gen. 3:10).  Sin destroys that feeling of confidence God's child should feel in a loving Father, and produces instead a feeling of shame and guilt.  Ever since the Fall God has been teaching men not to fear, but with penitence to ask forgiveness in full confidence of receiving it" (Bible Dictionary, Fear, p. 672).

The word spirit in verse 7 refers to "the disposition or state of mind brought by the Holy Ghost" (Harper-Collins Study Bible, p. 2239).  Do we allow our state of mind to be influenced by the Holy Ghost?  If we do, our fears should certainly diminish.  The Holy Ghost will bring power.  "Faith is a principle of action and power" and is always linked with hope.  The Holy Ghost will fill us with love, which is the opposite of and antidote to fear.  And the Holy Ghost will give us a sound mind, alternatively translated as self-discipline.  Without faith, charity, or self-discipline, we cannot have peace.  But with these three, we can overcome the fears and uncertainties of the latter-days and trust in the Lord with confidence in ourselves as His servants.

Therefore, we must heed Paul's warning in chapter 3. 

AVOIDING THE FACES OF APOSTACY

In the early days of Christ's church, apostacy crept in, and eventually all believers went astray or were killed.  Now, in the days of the Restoration we have been promised that this will never happen again collectively, but it will happen individually.  We must check ourselves against these harbingers of personal apostacy:

"This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.  For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent [without self-control], fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady [rash, reckless], highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God" (3:1-4). 

You may want to discuss as a class each one of these negative and dangerous attributes, so opposite to the Attributes of Christ in the Preach My Gospel handbook.

Brother Lynn Scoresby, a prominent LDS psychologist and family counselor and author of the blog Leading Families, identified three types of apostacy.  The First Apostacy, he said, is getting angry and leaving the Church in a huff.  The Second Apostacy is perverting the Church from within.  The Third Apostacy, or the New Apostacy, is much more subtle and very dangerous.  It's not really new, but it has experienced a resurgence in recent years.  The New Apostacy is like a virgin with not quite enough oil.  It's like a sacrifice of a lamb, but a blind one.  It's like paying 8% tithing.  It's like accepting a Church calling and never getting around to doing it.  The New Apostacy is to not do what you say you believe.  It is half-heartedness.  It is hypocrisy.  It is a lack of spiritual integrity.  If the integrity of a building is compromised, it may look fine, but in a hurricane or an earthquake, it will crumble.  So with the faith of one whose spiritual integrity is not solid.  (A. Lynn Scoresby, BYU Education Week Lecture, August 19, 1999.  For a treatise by Brother Scoresby on how to help our children avoid this apostacy, listen to his excellent lecture, "The Crisis of Unbelief", given August 17, 1999 at BYU Education Week.)

Paul warns that "evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived" (3:12).  How do we avoid being drawn into any kind of apostacy?  The answer is immediately given by Paul in his counsel to Timothy:  "But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; and that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus" (3:14-15).  Hooray!  We are doing the right thing in Sunday School class!

Why is studying the scriptures such an effective safeguard against evil?  Again we find the explanation given immediately by Peter:  "And all scripture given by inspiration of God, is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect [suited, ready, complete], thoroughly furnished unto all good works" (3:16-17 JST).  To summarize, scripture will do four things for us:

1. Teach us truth (doctrine)
2. Point out what we need to change (reproof)
3. Put us back on course (correction)
4. Keep us there (instruction in righteousness)

FOLLOWING PAUL WHO FOLLOWED CHRIST TO GLORY

"The Apostle Paul’s voice echoes through the centuries addressing us who are “called to be saints” in the latter days. He shares with us the joy he found in his glorious vision of the resurrected Lord, and his life stands as a witness of his testimony and as an example of overcoming adversity to preach the gospel. In his letters we can feel his passion for the gospel and his love and concern for the members of Christ’s Church. His words instruct us in the doctrines of the Atonement and inspire us to enjoy its blessings" (David Rolph Seeley and JoAnn H. Seeley, "Paul: Untiring Witness of Christ," Ensign, August 1999).

We all should keep Paul's final words before us as a goal for the end of our own lives--who knows when it will come?  Maybe tomorrow, maybe 80 years from now...

"For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.  I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day; and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing" (4:6-8).

Philippians, Colossians, Phileman: "I Can Do All Things Through Christ"

Philippians; Colossians; Phileman

These three epistles emphasize the importance of the Atonement in our lives, that without Christ we cannot succeed, but as we follow him, we cannot only be saved in the next life, but we can achieve peace and joy in this life, regardless of circumstances.  Several key elements of happiness are found in these three small epistles.  We'll work our way backwards from the smallest to the largest.  If you are struggling with finding joy in life right now, pay close attention to see if you can find a key that you can implement in your life that may restore your happiness.

FORGIVING OTHERS
The epistle to Philemon has one object: the welfare of a runaway slave named Onesimus.  Onesimus had been Philemon's slave.  After he ran away, he found the gospel and joined the Church.  Now he desired to return to Philemon and the fellowship of the saints in his former residence, but an escaping slave who was caught and returned to his master could, by law, be put to death.  (See Bible Dictionary.)

This seems at first like such a narrow topic, one that applied to a specific individual, and has no relevance to us today.  But everything in the New Testament has relevance to us to today, we just have to look at it through another angle, and in this case, it has tremendous importance if we view Paul as playing the Savior's role, ourselves as being Philemon, and those who have sinned against us or offended us as Onesimus.  Let us read it through this lens:

"I beseech thee for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds, which in time past was to thee unprofitable, but now profitable to thee and to me...Receive him...not now as a servant [or as someone who owes you a tremendous amount, which was what often led to slavery in those days], but above a servant, a brother beloved, specially to me, but how much more unto thee, both in the flesh and in the Lord?  If thou count me therefore partner, receive him as myself...

"If he hath wronged thee, or oweth thee [anything], put that on mine account.  I...have written it with mine own hand [think of the scars of Golgatha], I will repay it: albeit [it goes without saying] how thou owest unto me even thine own self besides.  Yea, brother, let me have joy of thee in the Lord: refresh my bowels [today we would say, my heart] in the Lord" (Phile. 1:10-21).

Truly, until we forgive, our peace and happiness is held hostage by the offenses committed against us.  Once we give that debt over to Christ, we are free to be happy, free to live in the present and for the future, unfettered by the damaging past.  (See also Col. 3:12-13.)

GIVING WHOLE-HEARTEDLY
In one little verse in Colossians, a great key to happiness is found:  "And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance; for ye serve the Lord Christ" (Col. 3:23).

My mother worked in the university library when she was attending college.  Most of the books were downstairs from the library reference desk.  If someone wanted to check out a book, they would bring the reference to my mother or one of her co-workers, and they would have to go down to the basement, look up the book, and then bring it back up to the patron.  They went down and up those stairs constantly, all day long.  They got so tired that they would just drag themselves back up.  Then they discovered an amazing thing:  If they ran down and up the stairs, they were energized, rather than exhausted!

We may experiment and find that in any endeavor in any area of our life, if we do it hesitantly, with misgivings, with resentments, holding back even a tiny bit from the Lord, we likely will get burned out.  There is too much tension in our spiritual muscles, too much earthly gravity holding us down.  But if we give it all and don't count the cost, the stress lessens, the joy increases, and we only desire to do more.

"If you are tired of walking, run!"  (Credit for that little mantra goes to my neighbor, Gail Hanson.)

LIVING IN LOVE
We don't need to worry about achieving perfection through checking off lists and meeting expectations.  We will, like the Pharisees, never succeed.  But we can achieve perfection through doing everything we do and treating everyone we meet with love.  Our goal in life should be to have love become our motivator in every instance, because charity never faileth, and charity will bring us peace. "Above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.  And let the peace of God rule in your hearts..." (Col. 3:14).

VIEWING EVERYTHING (BUT OUR SINS) IN A POSITIVE LIGHT
In the first instance, Paul points out that everything works out, even things that appear to be negative.  "But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel" (Philip. 1:12).  Because he has been imprisoned and yet continued faithful in the preaching of Christ, other missionaries have followed his example of boldness.  And although some of those have preached with "envy and strife" and "of contention, not sincerely," hoping to make things worse for Paul, others have preached in "good will" and "love."  Either way, it brought attention to Christ (1:13-18).  "What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice" (Philip. 1:18).

TRUSTING THE FUTURE TO THE LORD
Next, Paul avers that if he continues in the faith, whatevers happens to him--death or life--will be to the glory of God.  "For I know that this shall turn to my salvation...according to my earnest expectation and my hope...Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by [my] life, or by [my] death.  For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain" (Philip. 1:19-21).  He would like to leave this life and its afflictions and join Christ "which is far better," but he realizes it may be more beneficial for the saints if his life is spared.  He feels, therefore, the inspiration that he will not be taken yet, so that their "joy of faith" may be furthered, and their "rejoicing may be more abundant in Jesus Christ" (Philip. 1:22-25).

NOT COMPLAINING
"Do all things without murmuring and disputings: that ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ...for the same cause also do ye joy, and rejoice with me" (Philip. 2:14-18).

FORGIVING OURSELVES AND MOVING ON
Remember that Paul caused a great deal of damage to the early Christian church.  He caused slaughter and imprisonments, terror and scattering among the believers of Christ.  He was a Carthage mob leader, so to speak.  When Christ appeared to him on the road to Damascus, Paul did something quite remarkable.  Besides having an immediate and drastic change of heart, and besides repenting and turning whole-heartedly to Christ, he did something that many of us with lesser sins find extremely difficult to do.  Although he never gloried in himself regarding the good he did for the Church afterwards, he did give himself credit for this one difficult task:  forgiving himself.  "Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus" (Philip. 3:13-14).  Paul could not have pressed forward if he were always looking back with shattered confidence.

President Hinckley counseled, "To any who may be grieving over serious mistakes in their lives, I hold out the assurance, given anciently and in modern revelation, that where there is repentance there may be forgiveness. Do not dwell upon the tragic mistakes of the past. Rather “'look to God and live'” ("If Thou Art Faithful, March 1992 Liahona).

NOT STRESSING OUT
"Be careful for [our modern-day phrase would be stressed about] nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.  And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus" (Philip. 4:6-7).  No matter how perfectly reasonable our most intense worries are, if we want peace, we need to give our worries to the Lord in prayer, focusing not only on those requests but on gratitude for our blessings.  Sometimes it's not the big fears, but the daily anxieties that destroy our peace--being late, burning dinner, meeting deadlines.  It doesn't matter which: the principle is the same.  Trusting in the Lord removes our fear.  As I remember one of my teenage boys (Andrew) saying, "If it doesn't affect my eternal salvation, I'm not going to worry about it."  This is a great attitude.

BEING CONTENT
One of the truly great and uplifting scriptures we frequently quote from Philippians is "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me."  We use it to encourage ourselves to meet challenges, to endure, to persevere, to achieve, to take risks, to stretch beyond what we thought were our limits.  But this sentence has additional meaning if we put in in context with the verses before.

Paul "rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at the last, your care of me hath flourished again" (Philip. 4:10).  The Philippians had for a while lacked opportunity to help Paul in his trials, but now they were again able.  Paul was very grateful for this, but pointed out that even if he had not received the necessities they sent, he would still have been happy because he had learned to be happy in any situation.  "Not that I speak in repect of [or, not that I give a lot of attention to] want; for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.  I know both how to abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.  I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me" (Philip. 4:11-13).

Sometimes, rather than being strengthened by Christ to conquer overwhelming odds or achieve amazing goals, we must be content to accept what is, we must be okay with giving up dreams we thought were important.  In things that might be considered disappointments, we can, like Paul, learn to be content, through Christ which strengtheneth us.

SEEKING AND SPREADING GOOD CHEER
The "admonition of Paul," to use Joseph Smith's words, was to think upon things that lift our hearts, that elevate our spirits, things that are "true," "honest," "just," "pure," "of good report," "virtuous".  We should focus on and share news stories that are uplifting and encouraging.  We should actively seek to elevate those around us with our good cheer.  We should promote happiness.  We should be positive.  As President Hinckley said, "We all worry. But the Lord has told us to lift our hearts and rejoice. I see so many people, including many women, who seem never to see the sunshine, but who constantly walk with storms under cloudy skies. Cultivate an attitude of happiness. Cultivate a spirit of optimism. Walk with faith, rejoicing in the beauties of nature, in the goodness of those you love, in the testimony which you carry in your heart concerning things divine" (ibid.)

SINGING WITH GRACE IN YOUR HEARTS
Both the epistle to the Colossians and the epistle to the Philippians were based around early Christian hymns of praise to the Savior.  Paul quoted one in Philip. 2:6-11 and the other in Col. 1:15-20 (Harper-Collins Study Bible).  Then he admonished the saints to "[teach] and [admonish] one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord" (Col. 3:16).  This is one way to spread the gospel, to uplift ourselves and others, and to share love. 

Charles Wesley did a great service to his fellow contemporary Christians and all those who followed in later years by the writing of inspiring lyrics for hymns of praise.  Altogether, he wrote over 8,000 hymns, 6,000 of which were published!  Six of these are found in our LDS hymnbook ("Jesus, Lover of My Soul;" "Ye Simple Souls Who Stray;" "Christ the Lord is Risen Today;" "Hark, the Herald Angels Sing;" "Come Let Us Anew Our Journey Pursue;" and "Rejoice! The Lord is King!").  We can share in that service by singing hymns written by him and many others.  "Rejoice! The Lord is King!" shares the encouraging tone Paul set in his three short epistles studied today to seek joy in this life through the knowledge of our Savior.

If you have a vocally talented class member with a strength and gusto, you may want to ask him/her in advance to prepare and sing the following hymn at a fast tempo.  If not, you may want to play a recording of the Tabernacle Choir singing it, or sing it together as a class.  An excellent video recording can be found on YouTube:  Women's Chorus at General Conference. 

REJOICE, THE LORD IS KING!

Charles Wesley

Rejoice, the Lord is King!

Your Lord and King adore!

Mortals, give thanks and sing and triumph evermore.

Lift up your heart!

Lift up your voice!

Rejoice,

again I say, rejoice!

The Lord, the Savior reigns,

The God of truth and love.

When he had purged our stains, he took his seat above.

Lift up your heart!

Lift up your voice!

Rejoice,

again I say, rejoice!

His kingdom cannot fail;

He rules o'er earth and heav'n.

The keys of death and hell to Christ the Lord are giv'n.

Lift up your heart!

Lift up your voice!

Rejoice,

again I say, rejoice!

Acts 21-28: "Thou Hast Testified of Me"

Acts 21-28

VIDEO SEGMENT

You may want to show the class the excellent Church video, "Paul: A Chosen Vessel," from "New Testament Video Presentations."  It is available in most church libraries, and at this link.  Begin class by showing the first 2-3 minutes, ending at the words "...bear His name before kings and rulers." 

Our reading assignment begins by telling of Paul journeying to Jerusalem, amid warnings of threats to his life there.  Remember that Luke is narrating the story. 

"Now when we had discovered Cyprus, we left it on the left hand, and sailed into Syria, and landed at Tyre: for there the ship was to unlade her burden.  And finding disciples, we tarried there seven days: who said to Paul through the Spirit, that he should not go up to Jerusalem..."  (21:3-4). 

Then they wandered around a bit, and met a prophet named Agabus, who "when he was come unto us, he took Paul's girdle, and bound his own hands and feet, and said, Thus saith the Holy Ghost, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles. 

"And when we heard these things, both we, and they of that place, besought him not go up to Jerusalem" (21:10-12).

Nevertheless, he was determined to go:  "Then Paul answered, What mean ye to weep and to break mine heart? for I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus"  (21:13).

A FINAL FAREWELL

Why was Paul so insistent that he go to Jerusalem?  To find the answer, we need to backtrack in the story.

This is a long passage, but it tells us so much about Paul and his faithful resolve, it is worth reading in its entirety.  Imagine yourself being there with Paul and the Saints and witnessing this scene, as did Luke.

Acts 20:16-38:  "For Paul had determined to sail by Ephesus, because he would not spend the time in Asia: for he hasted, if it were possible for him, to be at Jerusalem the day of Pentecost. 

"And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called the elders of the church.  And when they were come to him, he said unto them, Ye know, from the first day that I came into Asia, after what manner I have been with you at all season, serving the Lord with all humility of mind, and with many tears, and temptations, which befell me by the lying in wait of the Jews: and how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have shewed you, and have taught you publickly, and from house to house, testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. 

"And now, behold, I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there: save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me.  But none of these things move me [scare me away from my purpose], so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.

"And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, shall see my face no more.

"Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men.  For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.

"Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.  For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.  Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.  Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.

"And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.

"I have coveted no man's silver, or gold, or apparel.  Yea, ye yourselves know, that these hands have ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me.  I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring yet ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.

"And when he had thus spoken, he kneeled down, and prayed with them all.  And they all wept sore, and fell on Paul's neck, and kissed him, sorrowing most of all for the words which he spake, that they should see his face no more.  And they accompanied him unto the ship."

Paul went to Jerusalem "bound in the spirit...not knowing" what would happen--although he had a pretty good idea, thanks to the witness of the Holy Ghost "in every city" that it was not going to be pleasant.

Ask: Have you ever had to do something without knowing why, in order to follow the promptings of the Spirit?

THE LAST TESTIMONY IN JERUSALEM

Paul's testimony in Jerusalem was the last recorded apostolic witness there until 1800 years later when Orson hyde dedicated Jerusalem, also at peril of his life.  (Please see "Orson Hyde's 1841 Mission to the Holy Land," from the October 1991 Ensign.)

How did Paul have the courage to do this?  Because of his faith in the blessings he would receive for so doing:  "For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us"  (Rom. 8:18).

Ask: Has anyone here ever had to testify in a scary situation?

Paul was a truly great example of what a Christian should be.  "By learning more about Paul, we become more intimately acquainted with the Lord Jesus Christ and with those men whom the Savior has called to be his prophets and apostles" (Michael W. Middleton, "Paul Among the Prophets: Obtaining a Crown," The Apostle Paul: His Life and His Testimony, p. 112). 

"Paul endured many persecutions as he approached the time of his martyrdom; there are a number of notable parallels between his life and the Savior's.  Like the Savior, Paul was smitten by the Jews with the high priest present (John 18:22; Acts 23:2).  Like Christ, Paul was arraigned before both Jewish and Roman tribunals; both the Savior and his apostle were arraigned three times before Roman rulers as the Jews sought the death sentence their own jurisdictions could not provide.  The absence of credible witnesses against them during their trials showed both Christ and Paul to have been falsely accused (Mark 14:55-56; Acts 25:7).  And, like Pilate, Agrippa was 'almost persuaded' (Acts 26:28) and would have freed Paul had it not been for the Jews and his consideration of Caesar (John 19:12; Acts 26:32).  Although Paul was not crucified, he was stoned and left for dead outside the city.  Like Christ, who was slain outside the city gate and, though placed in a tomb, did not see corruption (Psalm 16:10), Paul also arose and continued his minstery (Acts 14:19-2)"  (Middleton, p. 127).

We can briefly tell the storyline of Paul's final experience in Jerusalem by reading the chapter headings to Acts 21-25:

"Paul journeys to Jerusalem.  He is persecuted, arrested, and bound.  Paul recounts the story of his conversion and also tells of seeing Jesus in a vision.  He is accorded some privileges as a Roman citizen.  Paul [is] smitten at Ananias' order.  The Lord again appears to Paul.  Forty* Jews plot his death.  He is delivered over to Felix.  Paul is accused of sedition.  He answers in defense of his life and doctrine.  He teaches Felix of righteousness, temperance, and the judgment to come.  Paul, before Festus, appeals unto Caesar.  Agrippa desires to hear Paul."  (*For the symbolic meaning of the number forty, see a previous post.)

VIDEO SEGMENT:

Show the next part of the video, which depicts Acts 26:1-29.  Stop at "...except these bonds."  This is about 7 minutes long.

This video does not well depict what Paul actually looked and sounded like, according to what Joseph Smith described (he was short, beady-eyed, dark, and had a high-pitched voice) but his spirit is well-depicted. 

If you are concerned about your class's attention wandering during the video, bring treats and ask the class to pay close attention, because you will be giving a prize for answering the trivia question at the end.  Watch the video ahead of time and choose something (or more than one thing) to be the trivia question(s).  In the end, those who answer correctly get treats.

THE JOURNEY TO ROME

Because of his appeal to Caesar, Paul was sent with an armed entourage to Rome.  He could have been freed had he not made this appeal (Acts 26:32), so why did he do it?  To obey his Savior, Jesus Christ, who had appeared to him as he was in prison.  "And the night following, the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer, Paul: for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome" (Acts 23:11). 

Have you ever noticed how the Lord issues the command to "be of good cheer" just at that point when life seems most difficult?  If it's a commandment, it must be possible to obey it, but often we discard the great blessings available to us through cheerfulness and hopefulness. 

"Your level of spirituality is...directly related to how well you fill the Lord’s commandments to 'Be of good cheer' and 'Lift up your heart and rejoice' (D&C 31:3). How many times in the scriptures did the Lord command us to be of good cheer? He didn’t say, 'Be of good cheer if everything is going well, if you have enough money to pay all your bills, if your biorhythms are up,' or whatever. No. For us to be of good cheer is a commandment and not merely a suggestion" (Joe. J. Christensen, "Ten Ideas to Increase Your Spirituality," Ensign, March 1999.)  (See also Marvin J. Ashton, "Be of Good Cheer," April 1986 General Conference;  Jeffrey R. Holland, "This, The Greatest of All Dispensations," Liahona, July 2007; Neal A. Maxwell, "Be of Good Cheer," October 1982 General Conference; ).

Ask: If Paul could be of good cheer, headed for a mission that was mostly going to be a failure, and which he knew would end in his execution, could we try a little harder to be of good cheer through our challenges?

"Paul, in a perilous voyage, travels toward Rome.  An angel comforts him.  He uses the gift of seership.  He is shipwrecked" (Acts 27 chapter heading).

Luke had been among those who begged Paul not to go, but as a faithful servant of the Lord and friend of Paul's, he traveled with him through the perilous circumstances, including the shipwreck (Ogden/Skinner, New Testament Apostles Testify of Christ, p. 109).  Of course, the Lord would have needed a witness to testify of Paul's last days, and Luke, as we know, fulfilled his calling as a witness for generations to come, still witnessing now, over two thousand years later.  He writes

"And so it came to pass, that they [the crew of the ship] escaped all safe to land.  And when they were escaped, then they knew that the island was called Melita.  And the barbarous people shewed us no little kindness: for they kindled a fire, and received us every one, because of the present rain, and because of the cold.  And when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks, and laid them on the fire, there came a viper out of the heat, and fastened on his hand.  And when the barbarians saw the venomous beast hang on his hand, they said among themselves, No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he hath escaped the sea, yet vengeance suffereth not to live.  And he shook off the beast into the fire, and felt no harm.

"Howbeit they looked when he should have swollen, or fallen down dead suddenly: but after they had looked a great while, and saw no harm come to him, they changed their minds, and said that he was a god.

"In the same quarters were possessions of the chief man of the island, whose name was Publius; who received us, and lodged us three days courteously.  And it came to pass, that the father of Publius lay sick of a fever and of a bloody flux [dysentery]: to whom Paul entered in, and prayed, and laid his hands on him, and healed him.  So when this was done, others also, which had diseases in the island, came, and were healed: who also honoured us with many honours; and when we departed, they laded us with such things as were necessary" (Acts 28:1-10).

THE FINAL TESTIMONY IN ROME

The journey eventually continued to Rome, where Paul testified to the Jewish leaders as commanded (Acts 28:16-23), fulfilling Isaiah's prophecy that only those who desired would hear and understand (Acts 28:24-28), and where he testified for two years while living under house arrest (Acts 28:29-31).

The rest of the story is not found in the Bible, however early historical documents, such as the Acts of Paul, report that Paul was released by Caesar, allowed to do more missionary work, then arrested and imprisoned again, and finally beheaded in Rome under the hand of Nero around 65-67 A.D.  Eusebius, another early historian, reported that Peter was crucified by Nero during the same time period (Ogden/Skinner, p. 224).

VIDEO SEGMENT

Show the final part of the video, which is under 2 minutes long.  If you prepared trivia questions, ask them now and reward those who answer correctly.

CONCLUSION

"Just before the end of his ministry, Paul wrote a letter to Timothy...After exhorting Timothy to the utmost of diligence, he expressed the realization that his own mission had been completed.  He said, 'For I am now ready to be offered and the time of my departure is at hand.  I have fought a good fight; I have finished my course; I have kept the faith' (2 Tim. 4:6-7).

"How inspiring are these words when they come at the end of such a life of outstanding devotion and constancy.  He was soon to go to Rome to be beheaded.  But even in his death, his determination never faltered, and the fervor of his faith shows no sign of any decrease from that first day when blinded and stunned, he said, 'Lord what wilt thou have me do?'  And I like to think of Paul on that day, when the ax of the executioner granted him the final release from his earthly labors when he should go to stand a second time before Jesus of Nazareth and I imagine that there will be very few, if any, men who will ever stand before their Maker with greater cause to rejoice than he.  And when we come to that point in our lives, and have cause to reflect on the fight we have fought and the course we have run, how insignificant will be the money we have made or the ease we have enjoyed or the affluence we have attained.

"Life was never intended to be only a pleasure trip.  It is also a mission, a conquest, a testing, and how bitter must be the final remorse of any wasted life.  May God help us to develop the courage, the industry and dedication to live his answers to the great Apostle's question 'Lord what wilt thou have me do?'"  (Sterling W. Sill, "Dedication," Church News, April 22, 1967).

Ask the class to think of one way in which they can show just a little more dedication to the Lord this week.  Remind everyone that they never know when their turn will come to stand before the Savior and declare whether they have "fought a good fight" and "kept the faith."

2 Corinthians

2 Corinthians

EPISTLES OF PAUL

Although our King James Bible was published by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, you will note on the backside of the title page (in the original 1989 printing), that it was actually printed under direction of Cambridge University Press in England, which holds the rights to the King James Translation.  When the church finished this edition with its cross-references to other LDS scriptures, and with its chapter headings written by the LDS scripture committee (principally Bruce R. McConkie), Cambridge suggested they include a Bible dictionary.  The LDS Church did not have a one prepared, so Cambridge offered theirs, and gave the committee permission to edit it to align it with our doctrine.  So we have the generosity and research of the fine Bible scholars at Cambridge University to thank for our dictionary, which is only included in the English language version of our scriptures.  (Versions translated into other languages have a merged dictionary and topical guide called "The Guide to the Scriptures," which is also available in English, but only online.  Here is a link.)  (Gary Poll, BYU Education Week Lecture, August 2011)

Cambridge University

There is an excellent and comprehensive section on the Pauline Epistles on pgs. 743-750 of the Bible Dictionary.  An outline of each epistle is included, key doctrinal points, and some historical background.  The Cambridge scholars divided the epistles into four groups and gave us a chronological order:

1. Thessalonians, written A.D. 50-51 during Paul's first visit to Europe.
2. Corinthians, Galatians, Romans, written A.D. 55, 57 from various locations of his ministry.
3. Philippians, Colossians, Ephesians, Philemon, Hebrews, written A.D. 60, 62 while Paul was in captivity in Rome.
4. Titus, Timothy, written A.D. 64, 65, known as the Pastoral Epistles, dealing with management of the church.  Titus and 1 Timothy were written while Paul was enjoying freedom and visiting friends.  When 2 Timothy was written, Paul was once again in prison and facing his impending death.

We are now studying the second set of epistles and the same problem keeps coming up in all of them, a problem which was never satisfactorily resolved and which eventually led to the fracture of the church and its fall into apostacy.  (Gaye Strathern, BYU Education Week Lecture, August 2011)

Knowing that the New Testament was written, not just for the primitive church, but also for the latter-day church (see a previous post for more on this), we must study this problem and ask ourselves whether we are facing the same, and what we can do about it.

GOVERNING OURSELVES; COMFORTING OTHERS

Joseph Smith said, when asked how he managed the church, "I teach them correct principles and they govern themselves" (quoted by John Taylor in The Millennial Star, 13:339).  This, of course, is the ideal relationship between members of the church and their leaders.  The difficulty arises when church members prefer to govern others, which we generally do.

You may recall how many times this problem came up among the most intimate of Jesus's disciples.  Martha complained that Mary was listening at the Savior's knee while Martha did all the cooking and serving.  The Lord responded, not by saying one sister had chosen better than the other, but by reprimanding Martha for "being careful and troubled over many things," the main item of which, taken in context, was the "good" thing that her sister had chosen to do at the moment.  (See "Mary vs. Martha" in a previous post.)  Peter questioned why John would be allowed to live until Christ came.  His own request was to join the Lord in heaven quickly at the end of his life.  Jesus didn't say one request was better than the other, but answered, "If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee?  Follow thou me [in the path I have laid out for thee]" (John 21:22).

It is a mistake that mortals perpetually make:  comparing and competing with each other, when we should be encouraging and empowering each other.

This problem is evident in the second set of epistles as Paul worked to reconcile the Judaizers and the Gentiles.  (See a previous post for more on this.)  The Jerusalem Council (a special meeting of the church leaders) 15 years earlier proclaimed "the Jewish members free to continue the practice of the law of Moses if they cared to do so.  The council did not say that the Gentiles could not or must not practice the Law of Moses, but only that they need not do so for salvation." (Robert J. Matthews, "The Jerusalem Council," The Apostle Paul: His Life and Testimony, p. 107).  It was up to the individual to decided what was best for himself.  He wrote to the Jews, encouraging them to accept the Gentiles living outside the Law of Moses.  He wrote to the Gentiles, encouraging them to allow the Jews to live the Law as they were used to.

To the strong Gentile members in Rome, he advised, "Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations. [In other words, welcome new members and returning members to your congregation, but don't argue with them about personal opinions.]  "For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs. [In keeping with the vision Peter had received, declaring no animals unclean, one person would eat anything, while in order to not risk any possibility of breaking the Law of Moses, another person would be a vegetarian.]  Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him" (Rom. 14:1-3).  Who hath God received?  Both of them.  The issue is now one of culture, and it does not matter to God.

"Paul outlines his position regarding the tension between those who scrupulously observe religiously grounded regulations governing dietary matters and special days (the weak) and those who insist on their freedom in Christ to ignore those regulations (the strong).  Weak in faith or conviction is clearly not the self-designation of a group but an epithet used by its opponents, the strong, to whom this exhortation is addressed" (Harper-Collins Study Bible). 

With strong words he condemned such comparing, counseling, and criticizing:  "Who art thou that judgest another man's [i.e., God's] servant?  to his own master he standeth or falleth. [Each man is accountable before his God for himself.]  Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand" (Rom. 14:4).  Christ's atonement is what saves us individually, as we individually keep our covenants with him, live by the Spirit, and help each other along the way with charity.

Second Corinthians, written to a different group but dealing with the same issue, opens with Paul's salutation, followed by his vision of how the saints ought to be knit together in love.  "Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God" (2 Cor. 1:3-4).

What we need in order to live in unity without so much concern regarding detailed rules is a deep trust in the Lord and a confident ability to comprehend the spirit of the law.  "Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God; who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit; for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life" (2 Cor. 3:5-6).  Simply following regulations without thought as to their purpose is not acceptable, particularly now that Christ has fulfilled the law, making it merely a tradition to keep it.  "In these doubtful things [or differences of opinions] every one not only may, but must, walk according to the light that God hath given him" (Matthew Henry's Commentary on the New Testament, p. 204).

JUDGERS AND DESPISERS IN THE LATTER-DAY CHURCH

(The following comparison comes from a BYU Education Week lecture given by Michael Wilcox, August 2011.)

Okay, so we don't really have much of a problem with people arguing about whether to live the Law of Moses in the church today, so is this really relevant to us? 

It most certainly is.  We have our absolute commandments, the principles of the gospel, that we must keep.  We have essential covenants that we must qualify to make.  Every member of the church should be doing his best to keep the ten commandments, exercise faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, keep or work towards making temple covenants, and renewing all covenants at the sacrament table regularly.  These are some of the essentials.  Some commandments can only be obeyed one way:  tithing, for example.  It's always 10%.  Alcohol consumption, for another example, should always be zero.

But many of the ideas about how a Latter-day Saint ought to live are matters of culture, upbringing, or personal opinion.  In these matters, the decisions about what to do in day-to-day life are up to, not the preference of the individual or the dictates of the culture but the guidance of the Spirit. 

• One person may feel that it is okay to drink a cola drink, and another may abhor the idea. 
• One person may eat a diet heavy in meat, while another feels that he should severely restrict meat. 
• Each individual must seek the advice of the Spirit as to how to keep the Sabbath day holy.  A grocery store owner may feel it is in keeping with the Sabbath to close his store on Sunday, and the Brethren certainly encourage that.  But a doctor may feel that if he were not available to his patients on the Sabbath, he would not be serving his neighbor. 
• One person may feel that knee-length shorts are fine to wear with temple garments; another may think the knee should never be uncovered. 
• One family may have a child every year, another may have only one or two, and another may not be able to have any at all. 

You get the idea.  It is easy to become a judger or a despiser.

But every observance not specifically noted in the temple recommend interview is up to the individual to decide for himself, based upon the guidance of the Spirit.  That guidance may change and increase as he progresses along the path to perfection in Christ.  If our church leaders advise one way, even in such a small matter as to whether to wear hose to church or a white shirt to bless the sacrament, we would be very wise to prayerfully follow their counsel.  But as to how to judge one another, it's easy: if you don't have stewardship over that person, you don't judge--you love.

Tattoos:  Get Used to Them

Matters of dress and appearance often divide us because they are so obvious.  While the Brethren wisely advise against such permanent ornaments as tattoos, and we would certainly want to counsel our youth accordingly, about 40% of young adults in America today have tattoos and the number is rising.  Rather than being a statement about a particular wild lifestyle, tattoos have become a common fashion trend.  Of course, God wants all those young people to join the church or return to the church.  Whether they do, do not, or cannot remove their tattoos, our goal must be to have the temples filled with these young people.  If we make a judgment as to a person's lifestyle or worthiness based on something that is only skin-deep, rather than getting to know the heart underneath, we become what Paul refered to as "judgers" and we give that person reason to become a "despiser."  We lock each other up in the prison walls of bigotry, where no spiritual progress can be made.

But if we follow the Spirit's counsel in the conduct of our own lives, while allowing others the same according to their own spiritual progression, we are free to love all.  For "where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.  [This is the liberty to progress towards perfection and become like God.]  But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass [or mirror] the glory of the Lord [we realize that everyone bears the reflection of the Divine nature], are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord" (2 Cor. 3:17-18).  We must see in everyone, no matter their outward appearance or demeanor, the child of God within.

AMBASSADORS FOR CHRIST

The New Revised Standard Version of the Bible makes it a little easier to understand the next few verses.  (You may want your class to read along in the KJV while you read the NRSV.)

"Therefore, since it is by God's mercy that we are engaged in this ministry, we do not lose heart.  We have renounced the shameful things that one hides; we refuse to practice cunning or to falsify God's word; but by the open statement of the truth we commend ourselves to the conscience of everyone in the sight of God. 

"And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing.  In their case the god of this world [Satan] has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.  For we do not proclaim ourselves; we proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your slaves for Jesus' sake" (2 Cor. 4:1-5). 

Then, these beautiful words about what it means to be a missionary or a member missionary from the King James Version: "For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ."  If we are "judgers" or "despisers" we may miss seeing this light, because "we have this treasure in earthen vessels [unpolished human beings], that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us" (2 Cor. 4:6-7).

Because of the fallen state we are in, as "earthen vessels," and the "darkness" that surrounds our "light," "we are troubled [afflicted] on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; always bearing about in the body [that earthen vessel] the dying of the Lord Jesus [the power of his Atonement], that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body [that others may see Jesus Christ through our actions] (2 Cor. 4:8-10).

"He died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again...Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us; we pray in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God." (2 Cor. 5:15, 20).

So, as Christ died for us, we must live for him.  And what exactly is involved?  Paul gives us an enormous list by which to measure ourselves, and none of it has to do with outward observances.

1. "Giving no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed..."  First off, we must be accutely aware that although we must not judge others, our own conduct may give offence to someone else and cause them to harbor resentment against the church.
2. "But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities [hardships], in distresses [calamities], in stripes [beatings], in imprisonments, in tumults [riots], in labours, in watchings [sleepless nights], in fastings [hunger]..."  Nothing that happens to us should free us from the obligation to be a light to others, an example of the believers.
3. "By pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned..."  Wait!  Where have we read this before?  In D&C 121:41-42.  It is the doctrine of the Priesthood (yes, it applies to women, too--we are all part of the Priesthood, men actively, women passively), "which greatly enlarges our souls without hypocrisy and without guile" and which will show others that our "faithfulness [to them] is stronger than the bonds of death" (v. 44). 
4. "By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left..."  The armour of God is described in Eph. 6:13-17 and includes working only with truth ("loins girt about" refers to tying up one's long robes in order to get to work), protecting one's life from the attacks of temptations by godly living (breastplate of righteousness), an expectation to share the gospel (feet shod with the gospel of peace), an active defense of faith which can meet any angle of attack (shield of faith), an eternal vision (helmet of salvation), and the weapon of the word of God, even his daily and hourly personal direction to you as well as the revelations given to the church through the prophets (sword of the Spirit).
5. "By honour and dishonour, by evil report and good report, as deceivers, and yet true; as unknown, and yet well known..."  It doesn't matter what the world thinks of the believers, whether it admires them one day or despises them another day.
6. "As dying, and behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed..."  We may come close, but if our mission is not complete, we will not be taken.
7. "As sorrowful, yet alway[s] rejoicing..."  We may be surrounded by troubles and sadnesses, or the sorrow of sin, but through repentance and hope in Christ, we can and will be filled with joy.
8. "As poor, yet making many rich..."  Of course, the gospel is the greatest treasure there can be.
9. "As having nothing [in the way of material blessings], and yet possessing all things [the things of eternal significance].  (2 Cor. 6:3-10)

THE IMPORTANCE OF THORNS

Being "earthen vessels" with "light shining in our hearts" makes for an interesting paradox:  We see perfection and glory and eternity, but we must live in imperfection and trouble and mortality.  This paradox is the subject of Chapter 12.

Paul wrote of the amazing vision he had in which he was "caught up to the third heaven."  (Scholars agree that he was writing about himself.)  One would think that such a person who beheld such a vision would be glorious himself.  Paul said, "For [if] I would desire to glory, I shall not be a fool; for I will say the truth: but now I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be, or that he heareth of me" (2 Cor. 12:6).  It is true that a recount of his vision would be glorious, but if he told it, he would be viewed as being much holier than anyone else (a good reason to keep any glorious spiritual experiences to ourselves, except at the prompting of the Spirit). 

"And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure" (2 Cor. 12:7).  Even the greatest of apostles is not meant to live on earth wrinkle-free.

The gorgeous Barbara Bush Rose in my backyard

is incredibly thorny.

"The exact nature of the thorn is unknown; suggestions include physical or mental illness, spiritual trials, persecution, and opposition by adversaries" (Harper-Collins Study Bible). 

"Much has been written about Paul's 'thorn in the flesh.'  Numerous hypotheses have been advanced by way of identifying the 'thorn,' including stuttering, epilepsy, a shrewish wife, an eye affliction, malaria, some mortal antagonist, or some spiritual weakness" (D. Kelly Ogden & Andrew C. Skinner, New Testament Apostles Testify of Christ, p. 157).

Isn't it interesting that everyone is fascinated by Paul's "thorn"?  Maybe we all want to know if it is one of the same ones we have.  Or maybe it's even worse!  But this curiousity only proves Paul's point:  It is Paul's imperfection that makes us feel that we might be like him, whereas his glorious visions seem completely above us.  Such a great spiritual hero as Paul had a problem which his great faith was not sufficient to solve because it was God's will that he have the problem.  Whatever it was, seemed to "get in the way" of Paul's service and logically ought to have been removed.  But herein is an even greater and yet more down-to-earth lesson in faith than that of great visions: the acceptance of God's will.

"For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.  [Clearly, it was very troublesome.]  And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.  Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.  Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong" (2 Cor. 12:8-10).

Sometimes the Lord wants us to use our faith to move mountains, sometimes to climb them, and sometimes to go around them the long way.  It is his choice, not ours.

Another great spiritual leader whose "thorns" really seemed to cause major problems in his ministry was President Spencer W. Kimball.  Wouldn't it have been logical for the Lord to want his future prophet to be able to speak?  Yet he was afflicted with recurring throat cancer.  Those who are old enough remember his gravelly whisper amplified through a miniature personal microphone attached to his eyeglasses, a necessity after having his voicebox removed. 

President Kimball's miniature microphone

can be seen next to his mouth in this photo

Wouldn't it have been logical for the Lord to want his future prophet to be hale and hearty and able to travel the world without any physical impairments?  But Elder Kimball had a heart attack in his early 50s and as his heart continued to fail, his work slowed.  At the age of 77, with a very weak heart, he underwent life-threatening surgery at the hands of now-Elder Russell M. Nelson.  (For the story, click here.)

But the Lord's ways are not our ways, as Elder Kimball discovered long before he became the President of the Church.  "Being human, we would expel from our lives physical pain and mental anguish and assure ourselves of continual ease and comfort, but if we were to close the doors upon sorrow and distress, we might be excluding our greatest friends and benefactors.  Suffering can make saints of people as they learn patience, long-suffering, and self-mastery" (Kimball, Faith Precedes the Miracle, p. 98).

A PARTING REMINDER

Paul's 2nd letter to the Corinthians was very important to him.  Paul advised the Corinthians to "examine yourselves, whether you be in the faith" (2 Cor. 13:5). As he closed the letter, he stated, "I write these things being absent, lest being present I should use sharpness, according to the power which the Lord hath given me to edification, and not to destruction" (2 Cor. 13:10).  Say what?  He meant that it was better that he send a letter than that he be there in person using his great gift of preaching, because he might speak so harshly that it would not edify them as the Lord would have intended, but discourage them. 

And in order that he might encourage and not destroy, Paul left his readers (both the early Saints and us) with words of encouragement, as he did at the end of every epistle, building us up to hope that we could do what was asked of us.  (We also must always employ this technique when reproving someone over whom we have stewardship.)

"Finally, brethren, farewell. 

• "Be perfect..." This word in scripture refers to being complete, rather than to being flawless.  Harper-Collins suggests that "put things in order," a related Greek phrase, might be the meaning expressed here.
• "Be of good comfort..." NRS Version translates this "listen to my appeal."  Either way, allowing God and his word to govern our lives brings us comfort.
• "Be of one mind, live in peace..."  It is so very important that the saints be united in love!

"...and the God of love and peace shall be with you."

1 Corinthians 1-6

1 Corinthians 1-6

BEING UNITEDLY FOCUSED ON CHRIST

It's amazing how mankind can take the gospel of Jesus Christ, which is set up to be the great equalizer, and distort it into some sort of caste system.  It is a part of our fallen nature to be continually tempted by competition and comparison.  In the city of Corinth, this was a particular problem.  "Corinth was a large and prospering urban center with an ethnically, culturally, and religiously diverse population" (Harper-Collins Study Bible, p. 2139).  "The Jewish community in Corinth has been estimated to have numbered as many as 20,000" (Ogden/Skinner, New Testament Apostles Testify of Christ, p. 128).

Paul follows his typical pattern of praising the good in a congregation or region before bringing up the points upon which they need to improve or change.  1 Cor. 1:1-9 are this pleasant salutation.

But then he immediately delivers the blow.  The people are not unified in Christ, but have divided themselves into converts of the various missionaries.  I love the sardonic way he drives the point home: 

"Every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollo; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ.  Is Christ divided?  was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?  I thank God that I baptized none of you, but Crispus and Baius; Let any should say that I had baptized in mine own name...For Christ sent me not to baptize [or not to gather up a following of my own converts], but to preach the gospel [to simply tell them about Christ]; not with wisdom of words [or not because I'm so incredibly clever] lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect" [lest the real message of the gospel would not get through to the listeners] (1 Cor. 1:12-17).

Paul itemizes how the humble preaching of the gospel affects three groups of people: the Jews, the Greeks, and the true believers whichever ethnic group they may come from.  (See 1 Cor. 21-24.)

1. The Jews "require a sign."  They want definitive proof of Christ's atonement, and don't acknowledge that they have already received it.  For them, the preaching of the gospel is a "stumblingblock."  This word is translated from the Greek word scandalon, which refers not simply to a big rock that is sitting in the road, but actually to the trigger mechanism of a trap (Ogden/Skinner, p. 130).  A stumblingblock can ensnare, completely halting any forward progression, and in addition, causing great pain.
2. The Greeks "seek after wisdom."  It is ironic that the Greeks who, despite their great philosophers, artists, and academicians, had created a huge and ridiculous mythological system of gods, and yet would consider the story of Christ's Atonement to be "foolishness."
3. The believers (see footnote to verse 24), whether they are Jews or Greeks, see in "Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God."  They perceive truth through the Holy Ghost, and acknowledge that it comes from God.

Paul was one of "the believers," a great missionary who gave all the honor for his success to Christ.  He taught the Corinthians that true Christians also should not glory of themselves (v. 29), or place themselves above or below others in the church, but "He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord" (v. 31).

GIVING GOD THE GLORY

Another believer, Johann Sebastian Bach, arguably the greatest composer of all time, followed this counsel all of his life.  During his mortal existence, which began in 1650 A.D., he achieved no fame or glory, but fame and glory were not his aim.  "Music's only purpose should be for the glory of God and the recreation of the human spirit," he said.  As he began a new piece of music, he would frequently write initials at the top of the page which stood for Jesu Juva, or "help me, Jesus," or In Nomine Jesu, "in the name of Jesus."  "At the manuscript's end, Bach routinely initialed the letters S.D.G. (Soli Deo Gloria--"To God alone, the glory...Often his compositions would contain chiastic structures, such as A B C D E D C B A.  The visual equivalent of the resulting musical form appears as a cross" (Patrick Kavanaugh, Spiritual Lives of the Great Composers, p. 19-20).

Beethoven, writing 100 years later, said that Bach's name "ought not to be Bach [the German word for brook], but ocean, because of his infinite and inexhaustible wealth of combinations and harmonies." When Mozart first heard one of Bach's works, he said, "What is this?  Now there is something we can learn from."  But although Bach has been hailed as one of the greatest musical geniuses, he never considered himself to be anything more than others were.  He very generously stated to a student that there was no secret to his success. "I was made to work; if you are equally industrious you will be equally successful."   When his fabulous skill as an organist was praised, he replied humorously, "There is nothing very wonderful about it.  You have only to hit the right notes at the right moment and the instrument does the rest" (Kavanaugh, p. 19, 23).

We should exercise similar humility with any gifts and opportunities God gives us:  use them for the benefit of others, while giving God the glory.  Paul, the greatest missionary of all, knew that he did not convert one person: it is the Spirit who converts.  He acknowledged that many people in various ways nourish the spiritual growth of a single soul:  "I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase...Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one [or united in purpose]: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.  For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry [or farm], ye are God's building.  According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon.  But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.  For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ" (1 Cor. 3:6-11).

THE BODY OF THE CHURCH IS THE TEMPLE OF GOD

It is within this context that Paul posed the question, "Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?  If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are" (1 Cor. 3:16-17). 

This scripture is often interpreted to mean the physical body is a temple, but "Paul's teaching here has another meaning.  In a place where several temples were dedicated to Apollo, Aphrodite, and others, Paul taught about the temple of the true God, which is the Church of Jesus Christ.  The temple of God spoken of in these verses is the body of believers in Christ, that is, his Church, and 'the Spirit of God dwelleth among or within you [the you being plural].'  If any man defiles the temple of God--meaning an apostate who distorts the doctrine and draws away disciples after him--he will be destroyed by God...Paul teaches about Christ as cornerstone, apostles as foundation, and members fitting into their places as a 'holy temple in the Lord' (Eph. 2:21)" (Ogden/Skinner, p. 132).  (Harper-Collins agrees.)

And this leads right into the next issue:

THE LEAVEN OF MALICE

Apparently there was a member of the congregation who had taken his father's wife (his stepmother, not his mother) as his own.  Everyone was winking at this, letting it go unaddressed, as if it wasn't a problem.  They had not "mourned" this sin.  They had not "delivered such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh [put him out of the congregation so that he could repent], that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus" (1 Cor. 5:2, 5).  "Critics who find this prescription too severe should note that the excommunication is not permanent, and that it has two positive purposes.  The first is that his spirit may be saved in the Day of the Lord...The object of depriving the offender of fellowship with other believers (v. 11) and exposing him to the afflictions that God will permit Satan to cause him because of his sin, is to bring him to his senses, so that he will repent.  When he does, giving up his immoral behavior, he should be accepted again...The second purpose is to protect others in the [church] from being drawn into sin" (David H. Stern, Jewish New Testament Commentary, p. 447).

"Your glorying is not good.  Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump [or batch of dough]?  (1 Cor. 5:6). 

Today we have different kinds of leavening agents such as soda, baking powder, eggs, or commercial yeast, but the leaven of the Israelites was a natural leaven, drawn from the impurities in the air, much like sourdough.  The flour and water were allowed to sit for a few days.  Microorganisms in the flour and in the surrounding environment would begin to grow and ferment the dough, producing bubbles, and eventually causing the bread to rise when baked.  The flavor of the bread would be altered by the natural yeast; in fact, the character of the entire loaf would be changed.

"Purge out therefore the old leaven..." (1 Cor. 5:7). 

The evening before the Passover, every Jewish family had to clean every bit of leaven from their home, getting rid of every crust of leavened bread, every drop of grain liquor. "That evening the special meal during which the Haggadah (the liturgy recalling the Exodus from Egypt) is read.  At this meal and throughout the week...the only kind of bread that may be eaten is matzah (unleavened bread)..."

"It may be significant that the prescribed punishment for violating this ordinance is the same as that for sexual misbehavior with one's stepmother...In the New Testament, chametz (leaven) often symbolizes wickedness and evil, with matzah representing purity and truth" (Stern, p. 447).  The word chametz literally means sour.  Something that had been leavened according to the leaven available in that day had fermented or gone sour and was therefore impure.

The eating of unleavened bread was a reminder of the speed of the Exodus--that there was not time for bread to rise before following the prophet of the Lord to freedom.  But there is another meaning as well.  "Some Jewish thinkers see chametz, that which rises and becomes leaven, as symbolically representing those tendencies in a man which arouse him to evil.  They see the whole process of searching for the chametz and eliminating it as a reminder to man that he should search through his deeds and purify his actions.  Mere renunciation of the imperfect past, one's own chametz, is not sufficient; it must be destroyed" (Mordell Klein, Passover, quoted in Stern, p. 448).


PURGE OUT THE OLD LEAVEN

But "purging out the old leaven" both in oneself and in the congregation is only the first step.  The next step is to become "a new lump, as ye are unleavened.  For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us" (1 Cor. 5:7-8).  What is meant by "old leaven"?  David Stern translates it as leftover leaven, and interprets the passage to mean that once we have repented of our former sinful behaviors, it is not right for us to dwell upon them. 

Musicians who perform well know how to leave the past behind.  If they make a mistake while they are performing (which they will do--no performance is perfect), they must immediately leave it behind and continue with the music.  The beat marches on and they cannot go back.  If  they try to replay the missed note, the error is made worse.  If they fret about the mistake as they perform the remainder of the piece, they cannot focus on what is coming up and more mistakes are sure to follow.  A great performer must forgive himself continually.

When we repent, we become a "new lump," unleavened, made holy through Christ's sacrifice.  It is not right for us to dwell upon the past sins of ourselves, or of one in our congregation.  Once repentance has been completed, we let it go, we do not bring it up again, we do not continually judge them, or bring attention to that person's past.  We let people move on.  As individuals or as congregations, we are to become a new lump, without any leftover leaven.

"Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth" (1 Cor. 5:8).

COMPANYING WITH FORNICATORS

Paul advised the saints "not to company with fornicators" but we must read this passage carefully.  He specifically notes that we can't (and shouldn't) get entirely away from the company of sinners in the world, because we have to live there (1 Cor. 5:10).  Since it is our job to lead others to Christ, of a necessity then, we must be associating with people who have not found him yet.  But we must not allow a blatant sinner to continue in fellowship within the church, "a man that is called a brother" (1 Cor. 5:11).  The problem must be addressed appropriately by the leadership.

In case you want to know the specific sins Paul is condemning in 1 Cor. 6:9-10, here is a present-day translation:  "Do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God?  Do not be deceived!  Fornicators, idolaters, adulterers, male prostitutes [effeminate in the KJV] , sodomites [abusers of themselves with mankind in the KJV], thieves, the greedy, drunkards, revilers, robbers--none of these will inherit the kingdom of God" (1 Cor. 6:9-10, New Revised Standard Version).  Harper-Collins Study Bible commentates:  "Fornicators are persons who engage in sexual conduct regarded as immoral.  Male prostitutes [were] adolescent boys who sold sexual favors to older males; or, if the term is being used generally, the more passive male in a homosexual act.  The Greek word translated sodomites is a term that seems to be used of the more active male in a homosexual act." 

But in the very next verse is the rescue of Christ's atonement once again:  "And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God" (1 Cor. 6:11).  Wow!  The atonement is amazing.

(Note the Joseph Smith Translation change in the footnote to verse 12, which completely reverses the verse's meaning.)

THE PHYSICAL BODY IS ALSO THE TEMPLE OF GOD

At the end of Chapter 6 we find the real reference to the physical body as the temple of God.  "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?  For ye are bought with a price [the great Atonement]: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's" (1 Cor. 6:19-20).

Elder Bednar expounded wonderfully upon this small scripture in the Sept. 2001 Ensign:

"Our physical bodies indeed are temples of God. Consequently, you and I must carefully consider what we take into our temple, what we put on our temple, what we do to our temple, and what we do with our temple. And we can learn a number of important lessons by comparing the Church’s temples to our physical bodies as temples:  (You may want to post a picture of your temple as you read through these.  A picture of every temple is available at http://www.lds.org/.  Ask your class to comment on each heading; they may come up with great ideas which you can then supplement with Elder Bednar's.)

(This is a decopage/painting made by Jhesua Arias 

of the Logan temple on an old LP record.)

1. "What we take into our temples.  A member of the Church who desires to enter a dedicated temple must be worthy to do so. The requirement of worthiness for all who enter the house of the Lord preserves the sacred nature of these special buildings and permits the ongoing presence of the Lord’s Spirit."  President Boyd K. Packer said, "If we abuse our body with habit-forming substances, or misuse prescription drugs, we draw curtains which close off the light of spiritual communication."
2. "What we put on our temples.  The Church’s temples are recognized throughout the world for their beauty. The buildings themselves are made of the finest materials and constructed with true craftsmanship. And the areas immediately surrounding a temple are always neat and well maintained."  President Harold B. Lee said, “Do not underestimate the important symbolic and actual effect of appearance. Persons who are well groomed and modestly dressed invite the companionship of the Spirit of our Father in Heaven and are able to exercise a wholesome influence upon those around them."
3. "What we do to our temple.  Imagine the reaction you or I might have if we saw defacing graffiti on the exterior of one of our Church’s temples."  President Spencer W. Kimball said, “How far, we wonder, will men and women go to pay ovations to the god of style? Will men wear rings in their noses when style dictates? Will young people still fall prey to their god of style, which they worship?”
4. "What we do with our temple.  The temples of our Church are built and dedicated to accomplish righteous purposes." President Packer counseled, “Please, never say: ‘Who does it hurt? Why not a little freedom? I can transgress now and repent later.’ Please don’t be so foolish and so cruel. You cannot with impunity ‘crucify Christ afresh’ (see Heb. 6:6). "  (All of the quotes above are found in Elder Bednar's article.)

But the holiness of the temple is not just in what we do not take into it, put on it, do to it or with it, but in what we do.  So it is with the purity of the body.  The Word of Wisdom has 8 verses about what we should put into our bodies, compared to 5 verses about what we should not  (See D&C 89).  The brain is the director of the entire body, and therefore what we put into our minds is of great importance.  Besides avoiding evil and worldly images and ideas, we should enlighten ourselves with the great truths of the gospel, and with uplifting and encouraging media.  Rather than just avoiding sin as we go throughout our daily activities, we should be seeking righteousness, as our body-temples are also "built and dedicated to accomplish righteous purposes." The things we choose to do--whether they be service, family events, recreation, educational pursuits, travel, athletics, etc.--should all be for the glory of God and the improvement of our personal temples, under the direction of the Spirit.

If we fill our body-temples and our congregation-temples with light, we will enjoy the peace, love and joy that the gospel brings and present ourselves holy through Christ in the judgment.

CONCLUSION

The gospel of Jesus Christ, although it seems foolishness to some, unfashionable to some, politically incorrect to some, is even greater, more merciful, and more joyous than anyone can comprehend.  "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him" (1 Cor. 2:9).  Living the gospel will definitely be worthwhile.

Earth life is a community effort.  The only way to obtain Zion is to help each other, as Paul counseled:  "Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment" (1 Cor. 1:10). 

We are all on the same team, building Zion (the temple in 3:16), and building individuals (the temples in 6:19), and none of it can be done without Christ.  "For who makes you different from another?  What do you have that you did not receive [from God]?  And if you received it [from God], why do you boast as if it were not a gift?  Already you have all you want!  Already you have become rich!"  (1 Cor. 4:7-8, New Revised Standard Version).

We would do well to follow the examples of great believers such as Johann Sebastian Bach.  "Bach's devotion to God and his drive to express that devotion musically gave the world a gift for all to appreciate."  Bach was completely blind by the age of 65.  Only 10 compositions out of the 60 volumes he wrote were published in his lifetime.  He died in relative obscurity to be buried in an unmarked grave.  But he did not care: he exited this life confident in his standing before the Lord.  His last work, "dictated from his bed, was a chorale entitled Before Thy Throne I Come" (Kavanaugh, p. 22).

If we live our lives and share our gifts in humility for the glory of God, we may say at life's end as did Paul, "I have fought the good fight; I have kept the faith," and we may be confident and peaceful like Bach as "before God's throne we come."


(It might be nice to end the lesson with one of Bach's worship pieces, "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring."  The words begin:  "Jesu, joy of man's desiring, holy wisdom, love most bright; Drawn by thee, our souls aspiring, soar to uncreated light."  There is a lovely version of it by Celtic Woman on YouTube at this link.  It is also available on more than a half-dozen Mormon Tabernacle Choir CDs.  In fact, there are 50 versions of this chorale on I-tunes!  With just this one work, Bach indeed "gave the world a gift for all to appreciate.")