“The Law of Liberty and Us” cji 9/8/14
(“Yes or no are decisions, choices or answers –
anything else is not!” cji 9/7/14)
“In his refutation of the Gnostics, Irenaeus in
the middle of the second century set forth what he called the "Ancient Law of Liberty." Plainly, it does not originate with him. The law is
illustrated, he says, by the scripture "How often would I have gathered
thy children together ... and ye would not!" (Matthew 23:37.) God wants
men to do right, but he does not coerce them to it. "For," says
Irenaeus, "God made man free from the beginning. . . . For God
never uses force. . . . He placed in man the power of election even
as in the angels. . . . Glory and honor, he says, to all who do good,
and it is due them because they could have done evil. . . . Now if
God made some men good and some bad simply by nature, there would be nothing
praiseworthy in their virtue or blameworthy in their vice, for that being their
nature they could not do otherwise. But since to all is given equally the power
of doing good or bad exactly as they choose, they are rightly praised or blamed
for what they do. . . . That is why the prophets appeal to men to do good and eschew evil."1 Irenaeus further explains that "God
wants men to do good, but even the Gospel allows anyone who does not want to do
good to do evil. To obey or disobey is in every man's power. . . .
God forcing no man. . . . There is a godlike power of judgment in all
men, making them envied by angels."2 The
ancient law of liberty is that God trusts men while on
this earth to make their own choices, while they trust him alone to judge
whether those choices have been good or bad.
1. Irenaeus, Contra
Haereses IV, 37, 1, in PG 7:1099—1100.
2. Ibid.,
37, 3—6, in PG 7:1101—3.
” Hugh W. Nibley “Time Vindicates the Prophets,
Chapter 21” 1954
It is mindful to consider that throughout all
of recorded history that this single law has been refuted, pushed aside,
ignored and abused by those minions of the adversary seeking to malign God and
his eternal wisdom! Man and woman – Kings and Queens – Dictators and Demi-gods
all seek to explain away this law in their decrees, writings, and demands
through unrighteous dominion upon the masses of humanity. Unwittingly or maybe
in collusion those who proclaim to be priests, ministers, deacons, rabbis,
clerics, and any other name by which a teacher of religion professes to be
without authority teach in accordance with political correctness the philosophy
of the day in which they can gain the most and lose the least.
While men and women go to confession, rituals
of cleansing or other means to justify the demands of men – believing that to
repeats this endless cycle permits sinning or justification for not following
the various commandments (of which there are many more than 10) presented by
the Father, Savior and their Prophets and Apostles over the similar generations
of recorded history. Introduced in the philosophies of men/women are ideas both
strange and diffused to be unrecognizable by any common sense when applied.
To be very clear there is only right and wrong!
As referenced by Dr. Nibley – two ways – one to choose right and the other to
choose wrong. This is called the ‘two ways’ in which men and women live out
their lives. Too many are found playing the role of Simon Magnus to the Apostle
Peter in denouncing God as cruel to allow evil or too weak to do away with it.
Neither is the case for in the eternities men/women choose for themselves to do
wickedly or not.
Wickedness is not of God – but it is of
men/women for they’ve the choice given and too many succumb to the enticing’s
of the adversary to choose wrong – for the wrong reason – believing two wrongs
makes a right. And by the worldly reasoning soon the wrongs become the accepted
and thus justified by ‘others are doing the same thing’ and no harm is done and
therefore it is okay or even right to do.
What is the result is that the first two
commandments become violated and thus making meaningless all of the others.
Blame is then put upon the Father and the Son – even the Apostles and Prophets
for teaching one must stay on the straight and narrow way or be damned. How
easy to disregard such teachings and revelations – and therefore most of the
worldly population is in lockstep with those who choose to ignore the
commandments. When one understands not the literal meaning of the Scriptures
they have chosen not too. This is their right under the ‘law of liberty’ to
ignore truth. They choose to be disobedient rather than obedient to Heavenly
Father or his Only Begotten Son. Let there be no misunderstanding each
man/woman choose of their own accord – they can blame no one else. They cannot
blame those they pay to teach or those who they choose blindly to follow. They
choose their friends over truth in its simplest forms because it is easier.
Peer pressure becomes the byword and nations
fall and many lose their eternal progressions to the moments of only today.
Blaming others is easy to do – having been learned well as children who go
uncorrected for their own choices or wrongs. Our society (which we’re most concerned
with) those with the most influence: media, television, games, Internet, movies
and politicians – have all chosen to go for the wealth, fame, power and
fulfilling the lusts of the world rather than to engage in teaching or
presenting truth unsullied by their filthy hands and minds.
If it is found everyone else is doing what they
want – why not then they (men/women) to do the same? Sex, drugs, drinking,
profanity, immodest dress, lack of integrity, lack of honor, lack of virtue and
of any sanity to do the right thing for the right reason at the right time is
not in keeping with the presentation of how things really are. Evil then begins
to rule the roost and since evil is present it must be Father’s fault and not
those who are found as the partakers, presenters and gaining from the evil.
It in reality takes a most unique person to
turn away from the worldly and be found in full obedience to the Commandments,
Statutes, Laws and teachings of the Apostles and Prophets – indeed doing what
is right and choosing willingly to do the right thing for the right reason all
of the time (even when none else are watching). Therefore very few are found –
and since so few are found most feel all alone and laughed at by those found to
be around them on a daily basis.
This
then is the understanding of the ‘law of liberty’ which is the law of God! The
Founding Fathers of the United States full well understood this law as did and
do all of the Prophets and Apostles. Alfred the Great understood it – as did
many since the recorded history of Adam and Eve. One might only review the
Scriptures to glean the importance of this ‘law of liberty’ as found in James.
James 2:12 So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall
be judged by the law of liberty.
James 1:25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of
liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of
the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
Over recorded history of which has been written
and is being written are going to be the judgments of God – for silently taking
notes are the angels on high regardless of what we write – what they write will
be the evidence submitted when we each stand in front of the judgment bar. (see Hymn 239 ‘Choose the
Right’ and Hymn 237 ‘Do What is Right’ The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints Hymn Book. One might also review the Father and the Son’s comments on
the ‘least amount of sin’ and other references to the differences between what
is right and wrong.
We must each understand there is no tolerance when making
choices while in our mortal probation – while we’ve the choice to make on our
own – excuses with be of no avail when our probation is over – either we’ve
learned to obey willingly or we’ve not!
2 Nephi 33: 13 And now, my beloved brethren, all those who are of
the house of Israel, and all ye ends of the earth, I speak unto you as the
voice of one crying from the dust: Farewell until that great day
shall come.
14 And you that will not partake of the goodness of God,
and respect the words of the Jews, and also my words, and the words
which shall proceed forth out of the mouth of the Lamb of God, behold, I bid
you an everlasting farewell, for these words shall condemn you at the last
day.
15 For what I seal on earth, shall be brought against
you at the judgment bar; for thus hath the Lord commanded me, and I must
obey. Amen.
I leave these thoughts with each of you and
myself – for all will be found accountable and responsible for their own
choices – in the name of Jesus Christ – amen – c/ork
“Choices
to be Made”
(or not)
cji
9/8/14
What
should I choose to do
what are
my eternal goals
what
brings me closer to them
what
diminishes by wisdom
what
holds me back from light
what
truths are going to be lost
choices
to be made or not
clearly
only mind to make or not
excuses
unacceptable nor blame
for
given the ‘law of liberty’
clearly
there is right or wrong
I’ve to
always to choose right
when
asking within myself
what
should I choose to do!
Copyright
© 2014 – cji
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