The LDS members and the Kingdom of God

[_Franktalk]

Indeed, Frank. Most of humanity has not evolved so that they might follow the Lord. But God promised there would always be a remnant remaining among us, to assist us, to guide us, to carry forward God's Light in this world for the benefit of all.

This implies that there are not that many spirits that are in such a state to make the commitment to seeking and do the things required to walk the right path. I guess God has to spread them out over time. If this is true then I have to wonder what it will take in order to advance some souls. If this creation is indeed a sorting environment (sheep and goats) then the spirit children have a lot to learn.

[_Franktalk]

CFR

Spiritually bumped...

Come now Drifting. Are you not aware of Christian martyrs?

Rev 6:9 And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held:
Rev 6:10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?
Rev 6:11 And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellow servants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.

Here we read a reference to the martyrs from Christ time and still going on today. There is also mention of the expected martyrs in the end times. Notice that this group is gathered below the altar.

Rev 7:9 After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;
Rev 7:14 And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white, in the blood of the Lamb.

These may be the people Christ was talking about.

Mat 24:9 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake.

[_sheryl]

This implies that there are not that many spirits that are in such a state to make the commitment to seeking and do the things required to walk the right path. I guess God has to spread them out over time. If this is true then I have to wonder what it will take in order to advance some souls. If this creation is indeed a sorting environment (sheep and goats) then the spirit children have a lot to learn.

Many are called but few are chosen.

Indeed there are only a few incarnate upon this world who are ready to walk the path to Unity with God. Many are still developing the necessary faith. And there are some who are just beginning, who are still ruled completely by the bestial self and behave in beastly ways. We all know of countries where the majority of inhabitants are brutal, living a brutal existence, not much different than the beasts of the field - kill or be killed.

It is quite obvious in this world that each of us are on a unique journey, and are in different places in that journey. And if the plan were that we make it or break it in one life, then our Creator is mean, ruthless and without mercy. I care not to unify with such a 'God'. I care not to be in such a 'God's Presence', and encourage all to run far from such teachings.

It is this lie that causes us to polarize into thoughts such as I am right and you are wrong. I often say we are all right, and we are all wrong. We are all just where we are meant to be, for our God is a perfect God, and His Creation is good, very good. Just as it is. It is our spiritual blindness, our limited awareness (not able to see beyond our experiences in this one life, nor able to see beyond what we personally feel or think), that causes us to declare others wrong. To put it simply, in our blindness, we cannot see what they can see, what causes them to conclude as they conclude.

Shalom!

Sheryl

[_Franktalk]

Sheryl,

I suspect there is a lot more going on than I know. But for now I will concentrate on what I can learn about. I still have much to learn about scripture.

Frank

[_Tobin]

I suspect that many people that believe in God share many of the same opinions. I wish they would dwell on the things that they share instead of fight about those minor points that they differ on.

[_Drifting]

CFR

Spiritually bumped...

Come now Drifting. Are you not aware of Christian martyrs?

Rev 6:9 And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held:
Rev 6:10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?
Rev 6:11 And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellow servants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.

Here we read a reference to the martyrs from Christ time and still going on today. There is also mention of the expected martyrs in the end times. Notice that this group is gathered below the altar.

Rev 7:9 After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;
Rev 7:14 And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white, in the blood of the Lamb.

These may be the people Christ was talking about.

Mat 24:9 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake.

Frank, you said

Franktalk wrote:
Many are called to be martyrs today and many more will be called in the not too distance future.

My CFR is on the martyrs of today. Who is being called to martyrdom TODAY?

[_ludwigm]

My CFR is on the martyrs of today. Who is being called to martyrdom TODAY?

[_Franktalk]

My CFR is on the martyrs of today. Who is being called to martyrdom TODAY?

How odd that you are not aware of Christians being killed today. Do you live under a rock?

http://articles.cnn.com/2011-01-11/worl ... s=PM:WORLD

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/10/ ... Q220111010

http://www.asianews.it/news-en/At-least ... 13658.html

http://www.christiantelegraph.com/issue2771.html

http://www.jesus-is-lord.com/jihad.htm

Maybe you should book a vacation to one of these countries and check it out yourself. And to see first hand wear a big Christian cross.

[_Drifting]

My CFR is on the martyrs of today. Who is being called to martyrdom TODAY?

How odd that you are not aware of Christians being killed today. Do you live under a rock?

http://articles.cnn.com/2011-01-11/worl ... s=PM:WORLD

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/10/ ... Q220111010

http://www.asianews.it/news-en/At-least ... 13658.html

http://www.christiantelegraph.com/issue2771.html

http://www.jesus-is-lord.com/jihad.htm

Maybe you should book a vacation to one of these countries and check it out yourself. And to see first hand wear a big Christian cross.

Maybe you should read up on what constitutes martyrdom...

Martyr - Definition and More from the Free Merriam-Webster Dictionary
www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/martyr
11 Dec 2011 – a person who voluntarily suffers death as the penalty of witnessing to and refusing to renounce a religion. 2. : a person who sacrifices ...

[Guest]

Maybe you should read up on what constitutes martyrdom...

Martyr - Definition and More from the Free Merriam-Webster Dictionary
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/martyr
11 Dec 2011 – a person who voluntarily suffers death as the penalty of witnessing to and refusing to renounce a religion. 2. : a person who sacrifices ...

Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.

Surely there are many who lay down their lives for their religious beliefs- Muslims, Hindus, Christians, etc. but this is not what Jesus is talking about. And such are not the martyrs being spoken of in Revelation.

Until one's heart has been opened to encompass all beings, this is not something easily understood.

The nature of true Love is sacrifice or offering of oneself for the benefit of those whom they love, until we come to full self-offering, the laying down of one's self or one's very life for his friends, we are not able to enter into the Kingdom. It is a kingdom of Love, Divine Love, for God is Love, and until that Love manifests in us and through us, through a willingness to offer oneself fully, one cannot enter in. This is the Key!

In my childhood Jesus was of course taught as a martyr, but a story of another true martyr that also touched my heart was in The Tale of Two Cities, where love compels one to offer themselves for another. The Tale of Two Cities is not about any religious doctrine or idea, but it is about true martyrdom.

We have a lot of so-called martyrs in this world who are not Biblical martyrs, for they die for some idea about God, for their personal religious beliefs, all the while filled with hatred for other beings. This is not God. Thus they die in hate and not in love, not in God.

No where are we asked to die 'for God' or for our beliefs about God, for how will anyone benefit from us simply dying for our beliefs? Instead we are called to lay down our lives for one another. We have been taught to love and to offer ourselves fully in that love, and eventually on the path to salvation we will reach a point where we willingly offer ourselves, engage in a full self offering, purely for the benefit of others' and their journey back to God.

Something else that has been lost through the centuries is the meaning of true righteousness. The Hebrew and Greek words translated as righteous point to this something that has been lost: giving. God's righteousness is about being the perfect Giver. God so loved the world that he gave...giving. We so love that we give. To enter the Kingdom we must love as God loved, give as God gave, be adorned in the righteousness, the giving, of Christ.

There is no greater love than to give of oneself fully for the benefit of others. This is the Key to the Kingdom!

Shalom!

Sheryl