Obedience
1.Laws are given for our protectionA. Example on chalk board of a mountain and cars crashing, but the helicopter saw what was to happen.
B. Leviticus 13:45 - 46 People with infectious diseases like Leprosy were commanded to live away from the rest of the people. Modern times reveal this law protected the disease from spreading.
C. Numbers 19: 11-19 If a person handled a dead body then he was seen as being unclean. As a result he had to be quarantined for seven days, and then go through a washing procedure before he could mix with society again. Before the twentieth century surgeons used to handle the dead and the dying, and without washing their hands many patients lost their lives through infection.
D. By following the laws of Moses, the Jews , down through the ages managed to keep themselves a lot healthier than the surrounding nations.
2.God having a prophet to reveal changes in laws is a pattern after which God works, and LAWS CAN CHANGE depending on the people's needs, and capacities to follow.
A. The laws of the gospel that Jesus Christ gave are higher, but because the Israelite s could not keep the law of the gospel they were given a lesser law.
I .JST, EXODUS 34:1-2 , D&C 84:21-26
1.And the Lord said unto Moses hew thee two other tables of stone like unto the first and I will write upon them also, the words of the law according as they were written at the first on the tables which thou breakest;
but it shall not be according to the first , for I will take away the Priesthood out of their midst therefore my holy order and the ordinances thereof shall not go before them for my presence shall not go up in their midst lest I destroy them.
2.But I will give them the law as the first but it shall be after the carnal commandment for I have sworn in my wrath they shall not enter into my rest in the days of their pilgrimage. Therefore do as I have commanded the and be ready in the morning and come up in the morning unto Mount Sinai and present thyself there to me in the top of the mount.
B.Examples of laws changing are Jesus Christ coming to fulfill the law, and give the law of the gospel, the law of consecration, plural marriage, and word of wisdom
3.Laws are preparatory - The prepare us to live with God and Jesus Christ- If you can not follow God's laws you would not want to live with him.
A.Alma 12:14- For our words will condemn us, yea all our works will condemn us , we will not be found spotless; and our thoughts will also condemn us; and in this awful state we shall not dare to look up to our God:and we would fain be glad if we could command the rocks to fall upon us and to hide us from his presence.
B. What do living these laws help us to be more prepared for?
I.Love thy God with all thy heart- then you will love your neighbor
II. Keep the Sabbath day holy- Giving all of your time and talents to God
III. Pay your tithing- The Law of Consecration
C. laws prepare us to enter into the presence of God. In the lectures on Faith written by Joseph Smith he states that Faith is the first required principle that is required to obtain salvation, and that all other principles hinge upon our faith.
I.Lecture Six- We next proceed to treat of the knowledge which persons must have that the course of life which they persue is according to the will of God, in order that they may be enabled to exercise faith in him unto life and salvation; this knowledge supplies an important place in revealed religion; for it was by reason that those of the ancients, were enabled to endure seeing him who is invisible. An actual knowledge to any person, that the course of life which he is on, is according to the will of God, is absolutely necessary to enable him to have that confidence in God, in which no person can obtain eternal life without this.
II. Now how could we have faith in knowing we are on the path God would like us to be on with out laws? Our abiding God's laws give us faith and help us to have his spirit, which them strengthens our testimony.
4.When we love God it is our greatest desire to obey him.
A. "Our love of the Savior is key to Savior-like obedience , as we strive to be obedient in today's world we declare our love and respect for all of Heavenly Father's children.Yet it is impossible for this love to modify God's commandments, which we given for our good." Robert D. Hales
