Visiting Teaching Message January 2015

02 January

Visiting Teaching MsgThe Attributes of Jesus Christ: Obedient Son’ is the title given to the January 2014 Visiting Teaching Message which is one part of a series the Church is doing on the attributes of Christ.

This should be interesting so let’s take a look at what the Bible and the Church has to say about Jesus and obedience. BibleGateway.composted the following about Jesus’ obedience;

“Obedience was central to Jesus Christ’s life and thought Jn 4:34Heb 10:9

Jesus Christ’s obedience meant ultimate personal cost Mt 26:39 pp Mk 14:36 pp Lk 22:42 Php 2:8

Jesus Christ’s obedience was necessary for God’s salvation plan Ro 5:18-19

The scriptures above are only a small example of the numerous passages they listed about Jesus’ obedience, but if you’d like the exhaustive list they provided be sure to check them out! The key element in each of those examples is the focus on what Jesus did, who He was, what He was doing, and His mission, not ours. Again, the gospel is about Jesus, not us.

The Church’s message about the attributes of Jesus was to emphasize the importance of being obedient to the commandments the Mormon god gave. Here’s a few of the things they had to say – remember, the theme is about the attributes of Christ;

“Following Jesus Christ’s example of obedience increases our faith in Him. “Is it any wonder,” said Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, “that Christ chooses first and foremost to define himself in relation to his father—that he loved him and obeyed him and submitted to him like the loyal son he was? … Obedience is the first law of heaven.”1

There’s one definition on the attributes of Jesus in this example.

“The scriptures teach “when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated” (D&C 130:21). Our spiritual growth takes place as we draw close to God through obedience and invite the power of the Savior’s Atonement into our lives.”

No descriptions about Jesus are given in the statement above.

“As we walk in obedience to the principles and commandments of the gospel of Jesus Christ,” said Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, “we enjoy a continual flow of blessings promised by God in His covenant with us. Those blessings provide the resources we need to act rather than simply be acted upon as we go through life. … Obedience gives us greater control over our lives, greater capacity to come and go, to work and create.”2

Again, the attributes of Jesus aren’t found anywhere in this statement either.

The last two sentences in their lesson said;

“Consider This…What are some examples of obedience in the scriptures?”

I know that when I was LDS I wouldn’t have been able to pinpoint a verse or even know where to look to find other examples. The Church’s emphasis is always on their teachings, not the Bible.

Synopsis

Who are they fooling with this Visiting Teaching Message? Hopefully, it won’t be those who follow the instruction of these men. This wasn’t about Jesus. This teaching was just another message to members on the importance of obeying their counsel and had nothing to do with who Jesus Christ is.

Please, don’t forget to pray for those who go out and teach this message as well as for those receiving it.

With Love in Christ;

Michelle

1 Cor 1:18

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