women as servants of light · 2016. 2. 6. · and light, until he is glorified in truth, and...
TRANSCRIPT
~Dorcas Helped A Family~
Behold, here is the agency of man, and here is the condemnation of man, because that which was from the beginning is plainly manifest unto them,
and they receive not the light. And every man whose spirit receiveth not the light is under condemnation, for man is spirit…But I have
commanded you to bring up your children in light and truth, Doctrine & Covenants 90:5c,d,6d
Lesson 7
Those who are weak.
And may the prayer
Make me a servant.
Make me a servant.
“Make Me A Servant” Chorus hhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rznoe3zKxM Maranatha! Singers, Author Kelly Willard, © Copyright 1982 Maranatha! Music, Willing Heart Music and
CCCM Music (ASCAP)(admin. by Music Services).
Lesson 7
Women as Servants of Light
Doctrine & Covenants 90:4a-6d: [4a] And now, verily I say unto you, I was in the beginning with the Father, and am the Firstborn; and all those who are begotten through me, are partakers of the glory of the same, and are the church of the Firstborn. [4b] Ye were also in the beginning with the Father; that which is Spirit, even the Spirit of truth; and truth is knowledge of things as they are, and as they were, and as they are to come; and whatsoever is more or less than this, is the spirit of that wicked one, who was a liar from the beginning. [4c] The Spirit of truth is of God. I am the Spirit of truth. [4d] And John bore record of me, saying, He received a fullness of truth; yea, even of all truth, and no man receiveth a fullness unless he keepeth his commandments. [4e] He that keepeth his commandments, receiveth truth and light, until he is glorified in truth, and knoweth all things. [5a] Man was also in the beginning with God. Intelligence, or the light of truth, was not created or made, neither indeed can be. [5b]All truth is independent in that sphere in which God has placed it, to act for itself, as all intelligence also, otherwise there is no existence. [5c] Behold, here is the agency of man, and here is the condemnation of man, because that which was from the beginning is plainly manifest unto them, and they receive not the light. [5d] And every man whose spirit receiveth not the light is under condemnation, for man is spirit. [5e] The elements are eternal, and spirit and element, inseparably connected, receiveth a fullness of joy; and when separated, man cannot receive a fullness of joy. [5f] The elements are the tabernacle of God; yea, man is the tabernacle of God, even temples; and whatsoever temple is defiled, God shall destroy that temple. [6a] The glory of God is intelligence, or, in other words, light and truth; and light and truth forsaketh that evil one. [6b] Every spirit of man was innocent in the beginning, and God having redeemed man from the fall, men became again in their infant state, innocent before God. [6c] And that wicked one cometh and taketh away light and truth, through disobedience, from the children of men, and because of the tradition of their fathers. [6d] But I have commanded you to bring up your children in light and truth,
Prayer of Meditation & Consecration: As you meditate and offer prayer, ask God to enlighten your mind to ways and people to whom you can daily be Salt & Light. Refer to the study Preface for more detailed information on “Shaking & Shedding.”
As you read the lesson and pray, record your enlightenment on the page entitled “Shaking & Shedding” found at the end of this lesson. Remember the Lord’s Prayer began and ended with “…thy kingdom come, thy will be done…for thine is the Kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever.” Continue recording as God speaks to your heart. “Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine
hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me!” 1 Chronicles 4:10
Meditate and offer prayer now before reading on.
Dorcas, a Woman who Served in the Agency of Love – Acts 9:36-4
Tabitha, or Dorcas, was an example of a woman who was anxiously engaged in the good cause of the gospel and acted to bring about much good of her own free will. She took very seriously the call to love those in the sphere in which she was placed. It is evident, given the time it took to make garments in those days, that she gave generously of her time and talents to bless the saints, the widows and those in need. The light and flavor of love with which she salted the lives of those around her would have been greatly missed. Apparently, the people of her faith community had not grown in their own faith to where they could heal her before her death, but knowing Peter was nearby, they sent for him. When he arrived, the widows who were mourning
Lesson 7
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at her bedside told him of the wonderful things that Tabitha had done. Their sorrow over her death apparently interfered with the faith needed to bless Tabitha because Peter sent them out of the room. An interesting picture is created in that Peter apparently was neither facing Tabitha, nor had his hands on her when he prayed for her restoration. When he had prayed, he turned to her body and told her to arise. She opened her eyes and sat up. Peter took her hand, helped her up, and presented her to the saints alive. Her restoration to life preserved many more to salvation when they came to believe on Christ because of it. So, while one might argue that she was not anxiously engaged in a good cause while she was dead, the results of her eager involvement in the work of the gospel while she lived became the seed for her restoration. No doubt she continued to bless those around her with even greater vigor as she acted out her agency of love for as long as she lived.
It is in using our agency wisely that we are able to be the spice and sparkle that God has called us to be in the lives of those with whom we come in contact—our neighbors. In this lesson, we are going to examine the agency that God has given us and then explore how it relates to being servants of light that savor and preserve the lives of those with whom we interact. Let's begin by defining what agency is. According to the dictionary, the definition of agency that applies to our discussion is that agency is the office, duty, or function of an agent. In other words, it is what the agent is assigned to do—her duties and responsibilities. Those duties will be assigned by the principal – the person for whom the agent is performing the office work. Agency involves a relationship between the agent and the principal. To have agency, one must be an agent. Agent has two meanings which apply here. The first is that an agent is one given authority to act on behalf of another in certain situations and/or within certain limits to accomplish a task. The description of their responsibilities – their office, or duty – is their assignment. The appointment of the agent gives her the authority to act. Authority is the permission and power to do the assigned task. The agent may act when they are placed in the situation in which they have been authorized to act. Those situations, or conditions, are the sphere,1a or area, in which the agent is to function. In other words, she is given the place to act when those situations arise. In this definition, the agents are appointed to serve the wishes and intents of the principal. They are not free to do as they please. For example: police officers are appointed to act as agents for the citizens within the confines of the laws the citizens have made, to enforce those laws in their jurisdiction. They are not free to make up their own laws and do as they please. They serve those who appointed them in this office, or sphere. An agent is always in service to the one who authorized them to act. To do so, they must have an assignment to serve, authority to serve, and a place to serve. The second definition is that an agent is a person or thing that causes something to happen. Abish, spoken of in Alma 12:150-179 in the Book of Mormon, was such an agent. A person may in fact be of service to a great many by what they cause to happen. Truth is an agent by this definition. Our agency is our God assigned responsibility to act for Him. By definition, our agency cannot be separated from service to God. 1a Sphere: An area of activity, interest, or expertise; a section of society or an aspect of life distinguished and unified by a particular characteristic.
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Now let's read some key scriptures on agency, then we will examine them more closely. As you read, fill in the key words below and answer the questions that follow. Genesis 7:40 And in the of gave I unto man his agency; and
unto thy brethren have I said, and also gave, that they
should ;
and that they should .
Did man have agency (power to act) before he was placed on the earth? _______Who gave man
authority to act and defined his duties and the place of his action?_________For whom are we
______________________________________________________________________________
Doctrine and Covenants 58:6c-f
[c] for, behold, it is not meet that I should _____________ in all things, for he that is compelled
in all things, the same is a ___________ and ____________servant; wherefore he receiveth no
reward. [d] Verily I say, Men should be in a good
_________, and do many things of their own , and bring to pass much
___________________; for the power is in them, wherein they are _________unto themselves.
[e] And inasmuch as men do ___________, they shall in nowise lose their ___________. [f] But
he that doeth not until he is commanded, and receiveth a commandment with
a , and keepeth it with ________________, the same
is ___________.
If we exercise this power, what are we?______________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Doctrine and Covenants 90:4d,e [see top of page 3] And John bore record of me, saying,
He received a _____________of __________; yea, even of all truth, and no man receiveth
_______________unless he keepeth his ______________.He that keepeth his _____________,
receiveth ___________________________ until he is ______________ in truth, and
______________ all things.
Lesson 7
Doctrine and Covenants 90:5a-d, 6a-d [see top of page 3]
[5a-d] Man was also in the beginning with God. _______________, or the light of truth, was not
created or made, neither indeed can be. All truth is _______________ in that ______ in which
God has placed it, to act for itself, as all ________________also, otherwise there is no existence.
Behold, here is the _____________ of man, and here is the _______________of man, because
that which was from the beginning is plainly unto them, and
they the light. And every man whose spirit _____________
the light is under , for man is spirit.
[6a-d] The glory of God is_______________, or, in other words, ;
and light and truth _______________ that evil one. Every spirit of man was innocent in the
beginning, and God having ______________man from the fall, men became again in their infant
state, before God. And that cometh and taketh
away light and truth, through , from the children of men, and because of
the ______________of their fathers. But I have commanded you to bring up your children in
light and truth,
______________________________________________________________________________
To be an agent, what must one receive______________________________________________
What do you think it means that the agency of man is in the fact that truth and intelligence are
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
What is the opposite of agency? _________________________How does Doctrine and
______________________________________________________________________________
What allows us to forsake the evil one? _______________________________ How can we lose
our intelligence? ________________________________________________________________
“The glory of God is intelligence or in other words, light and truth.” “This is my work and my glory to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.” “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent.” “God is love.”21 2 1DC 90:6a, DC 22:23b, John 17:3, 1 John 4:8
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After the fall, God restored to men the commandments to love others and choose Him.6 These two commandments have been reaffirmed to us in our day: “Wherefore I give unto them a commandment, saying thus: Thou shalt love the Lord thy God, with all thy heart, with all thy might, mind, and strength; and in the name of Jesus Christ thou shalt serve him.”7 It might appear that the love others commandment is missing from this verse. Mosiah 1:49 tells us that it is not: “And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings, ye are only in the service of your God.” From the point of view of service, they are in fact, the same commandment. Jesus also illustrated this principle in Matthew 25:41 “And the king shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” In Matthew 22:35-39, Jesus affirmed choosing God, and loving others to be the two greatest of all the commandments:
Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it; Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
In other words, everything that the prophets have said and the laws and commandments that God has given are provided to tell us how to keep these two greatest commandments. Romans 13:9- 10 affirms this. “For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not 2Genesis 1:27-30 3
Genesis 7:40, Genesis 2:18-22 4 DC 17:4b commandments, words and sayings when it refers to
keeping them to love Him. 5
John 14:21-24 Notice, that he makes no distinct ion between his commandments and our love to Him
6 Genesis 7:40
7 DC 59:2a
8
steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. Love worketh no ill to his neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.” How does seeing the commandments as directions on how to worship God through service
change your view of them? _______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
God loves us—those who are other than himself—as He loves Himself. 38 If we love others in the same way, then we are loving Him. Let's look at DC 58:6c-f again and this time, let's insert some definitions in parenthesis beside the words to deepen our understanding.
[c-e]“for, behold, it is not meet [necessary] that I should command in all things, for he that is compelled (made to obey) in all things, the same is a slothful (lazy) and not a wise servant; wherefore he receiveth no reward. Verily I say, Men should be anxiously [eagerly] engaged [involved] in a good [invites to come to Christ] cause [reason for doing something; something a group of people will support or fight for], and do many things of their own free [independent] will, and bring to pass much righteousness [ the commandments, the condition of being right]; for the power [strength, ability] is in them, wherein [in these things] they are agents [a person that causes something to come about, or person who acts on behalf of another for specific purpose] unto themselves. And inasmuch as [to the extent that] men do good, they shall in nowise [not in any way or by any means] lose their reward [blessing]. [f] But he that doeth not anything until he is commanded, and receiveth a commandment with doubtful heart, and keepeth it with slothfulness, the same is damned.
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As we grow in knowledge of how God is and what He expects of us, we eagerly set out to please Him. We don't need Him to give us a commandment about every detail of our lives. We will have a sense of His desires and know when the things we want to do are consistent with His will. We will take the responsibility of independently serving others to bring about righteous things as gifts to honor God. Doctrine & Covenants 58:6f makes it clear that we cannot act independently of God and be agents for Him. We are agents for Him when, motivated by our love for God, we act to add savor to the lives of those we serve with the salt of the love He has shared with us. We also become agents to ourselves because we give a witness that we have accepted the responsibility of choosing for ourselves to do the actions which will allow God to give us eternal life. We show that we understand that He can't appoint someone else to do them for us. It is through our agency—our choosing Him through obedience—that His work and glory of
3 8John 17:22-23
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bringing us immortality and eternal life comes about.9 In serving God as our Lord and trusting His commandments, or directions how to act for our salvation,10 we are agents of light to the world around us. As we shall soon see, the independence with which we are free to act is the independence of Truth. Doctrine &Covenants 90:5a-c says that our agency (duties, office work) is in the independence of Truth and Intelligence to act in that sphere in which they were placed to act, otherwise there is no existence.” We need to understand what that means if it is to have any real value to how we conduct our lives. It doesn't take much reason to figure out that Truth and Intelligence are not separate entities which can do as they please once they are sent into a place to act. Intelligence is the light of truth. It may be used interchangeably with light in the scriptures. We often describe a moment when we understand something by saying, “the light went on.” That is what intelligence does for us. It is the understanding that comes with the truth to make the truth available for our use. Intelligence and Truth cannot be created or made because the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are not/were not/cannot be created or made. Truth and light are the definition of God's word. Jesus, in praying to the Father, said “Sanctify them through thy truth; thy word is truth.” 411 Psalm 119:151 says: “...and all thy commandments are truth.” John testified that Jesus was the Word made flesh.12 In John 14:6 Jesus stated, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” The following quotes support this truth: “For the word of the Lord is truth, and whatsoever is truth is light, and whatsoever is light is Spirit, even the Spirit of Jesus Christ; and the Spirit giveth light to every man that cometh into the world; and the Spirit enlighteneth every man through the world, that hearkeneth to the voice of the Spirit; and everyone that hearkeneth to the voice of the Spirit, cometh unto God, even the Father;” “For the word of the Lord is given to the upright, and all his works are done in truth.” “The glory of God is intelligence, or, in other words, light and truth; and light and truth forsaketh that evil one.”13
God declares Himself, His love through His word. Everything that He has ever done, does, and will do has been done through His Word. John testifies: “...I saw his glory that he was in the beginning before the world was; therefore, in the beginning the Word was; for he was the Word, even the messenger of salvation, the light and the Redeemer of the world; the Spirit of truth, who came into the world because the world was made by him; and in him was the life of men and the light of men. The worlds were made by him. Men were made by him. All things were made by him, and through him, and of him.14 Listen to the voice of Jesus Christ, your Lord, your God, and your Redeemer, whose word is quick and powerful.”15 Quick means alive in this context. When God speaks, He sends His Word (Jesus) into a situation. Because Jesus is quick and powerful, He acts to accomplish what He was sent to do. If that were not true, we would not exist.16 There is no force or influence that can alter what God has said, or what is to be done. Because intelligence and truth forsake the evil one, they cannot be influenced by him, nor is there any darkness that can change their purpose. They are free to act independently of those things in the place or sphere into which they are sent. They can't return or come back to God without doing so but first must accomplish what they are sent to do.17 4 9Helaman 5:85-86
10 DC 81:3a
11 John 17:17
12John 1:16 13 John 14:6, DC 83:7b-d, Psalm 33:4, DC 90:6a
14 DC
90:1d-f 15
10
Because God is love, and all that He says is an expression of His love, and His word is light and truth, we can conclude that Love is the sphere in which intelligence and truth are free to act. Now, what does that have to do with our service? We are told that our agency is in the fact that Truth and Intelligence are independent to act where they are sent to act. What does that mean? God speaks. If we receive His Word by hearing and obeying, then truth and intelligence have been sent into us. We receive Love. We become the sphere in which they are free to go to work to accomplish bringing us to eternal life. Read Doctrine Covenants 90:4de again on page 3. Once again, our continued, willing obedience—our love—brings us more love, more light, more truth and more intelligence, until we know the Father and Jesus Christ whom He has sent.518
Doctrine Covenants 50:6b says it this way: “ and that which doth not edify, is not of God, and is darkness: that which is of God is light, and he that receiveth light and continueth in God, receiveth more light, and that light groweth brighter and brighter, until the perfect day.” Jesus put this into more concrete terms when he said, “...If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”19 If we are followers of Jesus, we will act as He acts. The Truth (Christ) will make us free from the influence of the adversary and those who choose him as their god. This is the intent of the gospel of Jesus Christ: to give us the light and truth we need to know how to act in this sphere (on the earth), to forsake evil and to receive eternal life. When we come to Christ, our willing obedience witnesses that we have received the Truth, and it brings us out of condemnation and into the sphere of love where truth is free to act. We accept the agency that was assigned to us in Adam to choose God as Lord and serve others as His commandments direct. Jesus showed us how to live in love by showing us how to walk in submission to the will of the Father. Doing so made Him free to act within the will of the Father. That is His agency. He chooses in every moment to act in harmony with the will of the Father. He is independent of the evil one. He was tempted as all men are, but those temptations had no effect on His decisions or actions.20 In the Garden of Gethsemane, He became the servant of all when He received into His body the sin of all mankind and set in motion the completion of the atonement through His death and resurrection.21 Continuing in the word of God makes us His disciples and His disciples are to be known by their love: “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. John 13:35”
If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you; continue ye in my love. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. John 15:7-12
How do we abide (stay) in His love?________________________________________________
How does Jesus love us?_________________________________________ How should we love
others?________________________________________________________________________
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Jesus loves us by serving us. Our agency is the agency of service in love. We must love as Christ loved.23 That means that we will be eagerly engaged in finding and doing ways to bring the ministry of Christ to bear in the lives of those around us. We will use the command of God to love as He loves as the authority to decide what activities to engage in and how to bring light into the darkness around us. If His light is in us, we are commissioned agents for salvation to the world. As we salt their lives with His word, it is His light of truth shining in us that draws them to know more, to be more, and to receive Jesus as their savior. This is the fruit the Father seeks from us. We have seen that the Word is what provides the assignment and authority (permission and power) to act in love. We also noted at the beginning that the power to act includes having everything supplied to accomplish the task assigned. Where do we get all of that? Nephi tells us:
“Wherefore, I said unto you, Feast upon the words of Christ; for behold the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do.”24
Paul further counseled: “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, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.25
In other words, everything we need to serve the Lord is supplied by His word. Nephi testified of this as well: “...I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them.”26 God does not work among the children of men—not directly and not through others—unless faith is present.627 Romans 10:16 tells us that “Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” The Word and faith are a package deal. Faith does not exist independently of the word of God. When the Word is preached by one sent by God to do so, faith comes. The word of God paints the picture of what can be and faith, if received, goes to work to create that picture. If we receive the Word of God as true and are willing to obey His directions, then we also receive the faith, or power to do them. Willing obedience sets faith in motion to complete the commandment and bring the blessing the commandment was given to provide. Faith in Christ allows him to supply all of our needs.28 He has a world to reach with love. He will equip His agents to perform that task. Everything that we are, that we have, that we are able to do, has been invested in us to equip us for the assignment He has given us to perform on His behalf. The love light of the gospel shines through our service to illuminate the way so others may be enticed to come and be partakers of the glorious banquet that Love has provided. It is only by exercising our agency in receiving the word of God – His commandments and counsel for our lives – that we are able to receive the light and truth which moves us toward eternal life and empowers us to act as agents to ourselves and for God in service to Him through our service to others. We will also be agents for good because our love will be the cause of righteousness coming about in the areas where we are placed to act. Love is the sphere in which truth operates independently of all other forces. Love is the authority by which we act and Love is the office to which we are assigned. Love casts out fear and the torment that comes with it 6 23
Mark 10: 24
12
making us free of the adversary. “Therefore owe no man anything, but to love one another; for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.”29 29
Romans 13:8 Use the following page titled “Shaking & Shinning” and considering the
lesson you have just read, ask God:
where you have been called to carry out your service of love (agency) for
God at this time in your life.
how might you more effectively serve in light in these areas?
to enlighten your mind as to:
specific people and activities you might undertake to become a better agent
for Him.
what activities or situations in your life limit the quality of ministry you are
able to give
what to do to lessen those limits.
Follow through on the enlightenment and record how your service is enhanced.
In like manner of Dorcas, choose to live as a relevant witness of the gospel of Jesus
Christ and be…Women as Servants of Light
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~ Shaking & Shedding ~ Living as a relevant witness of the gospel of Jesus Christ
As you work your lesson, ask God to enlighten your mind to ways you can daily be Salt & Light and to guide you to people who will respond to the testimony of Jesus Christ. Below record what God reveals to you. Also, record how the Lord worked through you & always give glory to God. Remember, because Jabez knew the word of the Lord and prayed according to God’s word Jabez called on the God of Israel…God granted him that which he requested [vs. 10 beginning & end]. Now act upon it. PRAYER OF MEDITATION & CONSECRATION:
Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! 1 Chronicles 4:10
Date: God Revealed to Me To: God Worked Through Me to Be Salt & Light: Date:
Lesson 7
Behold, here is the agency of man, and here is the condemnation of man, because that which was from the beginning is plainly manifest unto them,
and they receive not the light. And every man whose spirit receiveth not the light is under condemnation, for man is spirit…But I have
commanded you to bring up your children in light and truth, Doctrine & Covenants 90:5c,d,6d
Lesson 7
Those who are weak.
And may the prayer
Make me a servant.
Make me a servant.
“Make Me A Servant” Chorus hhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rznoe3zKxM Maranatha! Singers, Author Kelly Willard, © Copyright 1982 Maranatha! Music, Willing Heart Music and
CCCM Music (ASCAP)(admin. by Music Services).
Lesson 7
Women as Servants of Light
Doctrine & Covenants 90:4a-6d: [4a] And now, verily I say unto you, I was in the beginning with the Father, and am the Firstborn; and all those who are begotten through me, are partakers of the glory of the same, and are the church of the Firstborn. [4b] Ye were also in the beginning with the Father; that which is Spirit, even the Spirit of truth; and truth is knowledge of things as they are, and as they were, and as they are to come; and whatsoever is more or less than this, is the spirit of that wicked one, who was a liar from the beginning. [4c] The Spirit of truth is of God. I am the Spirit of truth. [4d] And John bore record of me, saying, He received a fullness of truth; yea, even of all truth, and no man receiveth a fullness unless he keepeth his commandments. [4e] He that keepeth his commandments, receiveth truth and light, until he is glorified in truth, and knoweth all things. [5a] Man was also in the beginning with God. Intelligence, or the light of truth, was not created or made, neither indeed can be. [5b]All truth is independent in that sphere in which God has placed it, to act for itself, as all intelligence also, otherwise there is no existence. [5c] Behold, here is the agency of man, and here is the condemnation of man, because that which was from the beginning is plainly manifest unto them, and they receive not the light. [5d] And every man whose spirit receiveth not the light is under condemnation, for man is spirit. [5e] The elements are eternal, and spirit and element, inseparably connected, receiveth a fullness of joy; and when separated, man cannot receive a fullness of joy. [5f] The elements are the tabernacle of God; yea, man is the tabernacle of God, even temples; and whatsoever temple is defiled, God shall destroy that temple. [6a] The glory of God is intelligence, or, in other words, light and truth; and light and truth forsaketh that evil one. [6b] Every spirit of man was innocent in the beginning, and God having redeemed man from the fall, men became again in their infant state, innocent before God. [6c] And that wicked one cometh and taketh away light and truth, through disobedience, from the children of men, and because of the tradition of their fathers. [6d] But I have commanded you to bring up your children in light and truth,
Prayer of Meditation & Consecration: As you meditate and offer prayer, ask God to enlighten your mind to ways and people to whom you can daily be Salt & Light. Refer to the study Preface for more detailed information on “Shaking & Shedding.”
As you read the lesson and pray, record your enlightenment on the page entitled “Shaking & Shedding” found at the end of this lesson. Remember the Lord’s Prayer began and ended with “…thy kingdom come, thy will be done…for thine is the Kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever.” Continue recording as God speaks to your heart. “Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine
hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me!” 1 Chronicles 4:10
Meditate and offer prayer now before reading on.
Dorcas, a Woman who Served in the Agency of Love – Acts 9:36-4
Tabitha, or Dorcas, was an example of a woman who was anxiously engaged in the good cause of the gospel and acted to bring about much good of her own free will. She took very seriously the call to love those in the sphere in which she was placed. It is evident, given the time it took to make garments in those days, that she gave generously of her time and talents to bless the saints, the widows and those in need. The light and flavor of love with which she salted the lives of those around her would have been greatly missed. Apparently, the people of her faith community had not grown in their own faith to where they could heal her before her death, but knowing Peter was nearby, they sent for him. When he arrived, the widows who were mourning
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at her bedside told him of the wonderful things that Tabitha had done. Their sorrow over her death apparently interfered with the faith needed to bless Tabitha because Peter sent them out of the room. An interesting picture is created in that Peter apparently was neither facing Tabitha, nor had his hands on her when he prayed for her restoration. When he had prayed, he turned to her body and told her to arise. She opened her eyes and sat up. Peter took her hand, helped her up, and presented her to the saints alive. Her restoration to life preserved many more to salvation when they came to believe on Christ because of it. So, while one might argue that she was not anxiously engaged in a good cause while she was dead, the results of her eager involvement in the work of the gospel while she lived became the seed for her restoration. No doubt she continued to bless those around her with even greater vigor as she acted out her agency of love for as long as she lived.
It is in using our agency wisely that we are able to be the spice and sparkle that God has called us to be in the lives of those with whom we come in contact—our neighbors. In this lesson, we are going to examine the agency that God has given us and then explore how it relates to being servants of light that savor and preserve the lives of those with whom we interact. Let's begin by defining what agency is. According to the dictionary, the definition of agency that applies to our discussion is that agency is the office, duty, or function of an agent. In other words, it is what the agent is assigned to do—her duties and responsibilities. Those duties will be assigned by the principal – the person for whom the agent is performing the office work. Agency involves a relationship between the agent and the principal. To have agency, one must be an agent. Agent has two meanings which apply here. The first is that an agent is one given authority to act on behalf of another in certain situations and/or within certain limits to accomplish a task. The description of their responsibilities – their office, or duty – is their assignment. The appointment of the agent gives her the authority to act. Authority is the permission and power to do the assigned task. The agent may act when they are placed in the situation in which they have been authorized to act. Those situations, or conditions, are the sphere,1a or area, in which the agent is to function. In other words, she is given the place to act when those situations arise. In this definition, the agents are appointed to serve the wishes and intents of the principal. They are not free to do as they please. For example: police officers are appointed to act as agents for the citizens within the confines of the laws the citizens have made, to enforce those laws in their jurisdiction. They are not free to make up their own laws and do as they please. They serve those who appointed them in this office, or sphere. An agent is always in service to the one who authorized them to act. To do so, they must have an assignment to serve, authority to serve, and a place to serve. The second definition is that an agent is a person or thing that causes something to happen. Abish, spoken of in Alma 12:150-179 in the Book of Mormon, was such an agent. A person may in fact be of service to a great many by what they cause to happen. Truth is an agent by this definition. Our agency is our God assigned responsibility to act for Him. By definition, our agency cannot be separated from service to God. 1a Sphere: An area of activity, interest, or expertise; a section of society or an aspect of life distinguished and unified by a particular characteristic.
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Now let's read some key scriptures on agency, then we will examine them more closely. As you read, fill in the key words below and answer the questions that follow. Genesis 7:40 And in the of gave I unto man his agency; and
unto thy brethren have I said, and also gave, that they
should ;
and that they should .
Did man have agency (power to act) before he was placed on the earth? _______Who gave man
authority to act and defined his duties and the place of his action?_________For whom are we
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Doctrine and Covenants 58:6c-f
[c] for, behold, it is not meet that I should _____________ in all things, for he that is compelled
in all things, the same is a ___________ and ____________servant; wherefore he receiveth no
reward. [d] Verily I say, Men should be in a good
_________, and do many things of their own , and bring to pass much
___________________; for the power is in them, wherein they are _________unto themselves.
[e] And inasmuch as men do ___________, they shall in nowise lose their ___________. [f] But
he that doeth not until he is commanded, and receiveth a commandment with
a , and keepeth it with ________________, the same
is ___________.
If we exercise this power, what are we?______________________________________________
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Doctrine and Covenants 90:4d,e [see top of page 3] And John bore record of me, saying,
He received a _____________of __________; yea, even of all truth, and no man receiveth
_______________unless he keepeth his ______________.He that keepeth his _____________,
receiveth ___________________________ until he is ______________ in truth, and
______________ all things.
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Doctrine and Covenants 90:5a-d, 6a-d [see top of page 3]
[5a-d] Man was also in the beginning with God. _______________, or the light of truth, was not
created or made, neither indeed can be. All truth is _______________ in that ______ in which
God has placed it, to act for itself, as all ________________also, otherwise there is no existence.
Behold, here is the _____________ of man, and here is the _______________of man, because
that which was from the beginning is plainly unto them, and
they the light. And every man whose spirit _____________
the light is under , for man is spirit.
[6a-d] The glory of God is_______________, or, in other words, ;
and light and truth _______________ that evil one. Every spirit of man was innocent in the
beginning, and God having ______________man from the fall, men became again in their infant
state, before God. And that cometh and taketh
away light and truth, through , from the children of men, and because of
the ______________of their fathers. But I have commanded you to bring up your children in
light and truth,
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To be an agent, what must one receive______________________________________________
What do you think it means that the agency of man is in the fact that truth and intelligence are
______________________________________________________________________________
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What is the opposite of agency? _________________________How does Doctrine and
______________________________________________________________________________
What allows us to forsake the evil one? _______________________________ How can we lose
our intelligence? ________________________________________________________________
“The glory of God is intelligence or in other words, light and truth.” “This is my work and my glory to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.” “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent.” “God is love.”21 2 1DC 90:6a, DC 22:23b, John 17:3, 1 John 4:8
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After the fall, God restored to men the commandments to love others and choose Him.6 These two commandments have been reaffirmed to us in our day: “Wherefore I give unto them a commandment, saying thus: Thou shalt love the Lord thy God, with all thy heart, with all thy might, mind, and strength; and in the name of Jesus Christ thou shalt serve him.”7 It might appear that the love others commandment is missing from this verse. Mosiah 1:49 tells us that it is not: “And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings, ye are only in the service of your God.” From the point of view of service, they are in fact, the same commandment. Jesus also illustrated this principle in Matthew 25:41 “And the king shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” In Matthew 22:35-39, Jesus affirmed choosing God, and loving others to be the two greatest of all the commandments:
Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it; Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
In other words, everything that the prophets have said and the laws and commandments that God has given are provided to tell us how to keep these two greatest commandments. Romans 13:9- 10 affirms this. “For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not 2Genesis 1:27-30 3
Genesis 7:40, Genesis 2:18-22 4 DC 17:4b commandments, words and sayings when it refers to
keeping them to love Him. 5
John 14:21-24 Notice, that he makes no distinct ion between his commandments and our love to Him
6 Genesis 7:40
7 DC 59:2a
8
steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. Love worketh no ill to his neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.” How does seeing the commandments as directions on how to worship God through service
change your view of them? _______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
God loves us—those who are other than himself—as He loves Himself. 38 If we love others in the same way, then we are loving Him. Let's look at DC 58:6c-f again and this time, let's insert some definitions in parenthesis beside the words to deepen our understanding.
[c-e]“for, behold, it is not meet [necessary] that I should command in all things, for he that is compelled (made to obey) in all things, the same is a slothful (lazy) and not a wise servant; wherefore he receiveth no reward. Verily I say, Men should be anxiously [eagerly] engaged [involved] in a good [invites to come to Christ] cause [reason for doing something; something a group of people will support or fight for], and do many things of their own free [independent] will, and bring to pass much righteousness [ the commandments, the condition of being right]; for the power [strength, ability] is in them, wherein [in these things] they are agents [a person that causes something to come about, or person who acts on behalf of another for specific purpose] unto themselves. And inasmuch as [to the extent that] men do good, they shall in nowise [not in any way or by any means] lose their reward [blessing]. [f] But he that doeth not anything until he is commanded, and receiveth a commandment with doubtful heart, and keepeth it with slothfulness, the same is damned.
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As we grow in knowledge of how God is and what He expects of us, we eagerly set out to please Him. We don't need Him to give us a commandment about every detail of our lives. We will have a sense of His desires and know when the things we want to do are consistent with His will. We will take the responsibility of independently serving others to bring about righteous things as gifts to honor God. Doctrine & Covenants 58:6f makes it clear that we cannot act independently of God and be agents for Him. We are agents for Him when, motivated by our love for God, we act to add savor to the lives of those we serve with the salt of the love He has shared with us. We also become agents to ourselves because we give a witness that we have accepted the responsibility of choosing for ourselves to do the actions which will allow God to give us eternal life. We show that we understand that He can't appoint someone else to do them for us. It is through our agency—our choosing Him through obedience—that His work and glory of
3 8John 17:22-23
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bringing us immortality and eternal life comes about.9 In serving God as our Lord and trusting His commandments, or directions how to act for our salvation,10 we are agents of light to the world around us. As we shall soon see, the independence with which we are free to act is the independence of Truth. Doctrine &Covenants 90:5a-c says that our agency (duties, office work) is in the independence of Truth and Intelligence to act in that sphere in which they were placed to act, otherwise there is no existence.” We need to understand what that means if it is to have any real value to how we conduct our lives. It doesn't take much reason to figure out that Truth and Intelligence are not separate entities which can do as they please once they are sent into a place to act. Intelligence is the light of truth. It may be used interchangeably with light in the scriptures. We often describe a moment when we understand something by saying, “the light went on.” That is what intelligence does for us. It is the understanding that comes with the truth to make the truth available for our use. Intelligence and Truth cannot be created or made because the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are not/were not/cannot be created or made. Truth and light are the definition of God's word. Jesus, in praying to the Father, said “Sanctify them through thy truth; thy word is truth.” 411 Psalm 119:151 says: “...and all thy commandments are truth.” John testified that Jesus was the Word made flesh.12 In John 14:6 Jesus stated, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” The following quotes support this truth: “For the word of the Lord is truth, and whatsoever is truth is light, and whatsoever is light is Spirit, even the Spirit of Jesus Christ; and the Spirit giveth light to every man that cometh into the world; and the Spirit enlighteneth every man through the world, that hearkeneth to the voice of the Spirit; and everyone that hearkeneth to the voice of the Spirit, cometh unto God, even the Father;” “For the word of the Lord is given to the upright, and all his works are done in truth.” “The glory of God is intelligence, or, in other words, light and truth; and light and truth forsaketh that evil one.”13
God declares Himself, His love through His word. Everything that He has ever done, does, and will do has been done through His Word. John testifies: “...I saw his glory that he was in the beginning before the world was; therefore, in the beginning the Word was; for he was the Word, even the messenger of salvation, the light and the Redeemer of the world; the Spirit of truth, who came into the world because the world was made by him; and in him was the life of men and the light of men. The worlds were made by him. Men were made by him. All things were made by him, and through him, and of him.14 Listen to the voice of Jesus Christ, your Lord, your God, and your Redeemer, whose word is quick and powerful.”15 Quick means alive in this context. When God speaks, He sends His Word (Jesus) into a situation. Because Jesus is quick and powerful, He acts to accomplish what He was sent to do. If that were not true, we would not exist.16 There is no force or influence that can alter what God has said, or what is to be done. Because intelligence and truth forsake the evil one, they cannot be influenced by him, nor is there any darkness that can change their purpose. They are free to act independently of those things in the place or sphere into which they are sent. They can't return or come back to God without doing so but first must accomplish what they are sent to do.17 4 9Helaman 5:85-86
10 DC 81:3a
11 John 17:17
12John 1:16 13 John 14:6, DC 83:7b-d, Psalm 33:4, DC 90:6a
14 DC
90:1d-f 15
10
Because God is love, and all that He says is an expression of His love, and His word is light and truth, we can conclude that Love is the sphere in which intelligence and truth are free to act. Now, what does that have to do with our service? We are told that our agency is in the fact that Truth and Intelligence are independent to act where they are sent to act. What does that mean? God speaks. If we receive His Word by hearing and obeying, then truth and intelligence have been sent into us. We receive Love. We become the sphere in which they are free to go to work to accomplish bringing us to eternal life. Read Doctrine Covenants 90:4de again on page 3. Once again, our continued, willing obedience—our love—brings us more love, more light, more truth and more intelligence, until we know the Father and Jesus Christ whom He has sent.518
Doctrine Covenants 50:6b says it this way: “ and that which doth not edify, is not of God, and is darkness: that which is of God is light, and he that receiveth light and continueth in God, receiveth more light, and that light groweth brighter and brighter, until the perfect day.” Jesus put this into more concrete terms when he said, “...If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”19 If we are followers of Jesus, we will act as He acts. The Truth (Christ) will make us free from the influence of the adversary and those who choose him as their god. This is the intent of the gospel of Jesus Christ: to give us the light and truth we need to know how to act in this sphere (on the earth), to forsake evil and to receive eternal life. When we come to Christ, our willing obedience witnesses that we have received the Truth, and it brings us out of condemnation and into the sphere of love where truth is free to act. We accept the agency that was assigned to us in Adam to choose God as Lord and serve others as His commandments direct. Jesus showed us how to live in love by showing us how to walk in submission to the will of the Father. Doing so made Him free to act within the will of the Father. That is His agency. He chooses in every moment to act in harmony with the will of the Father. He is independent of the evil one. He was tempted as all men are, but those temptations had no effect on His decisions or actions.20 In the Garden of Gethsemane, He became the servant of all when He received into His body the sin of all mankind and set in motion the completion of the atonement through His death and resurrection.21 Continuing in the word of God makes us His disciples and His disciples are to be known by their love: “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. John 13:35”
If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you; continue ye in my love. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. John 15:7-12
How do we abide (stay) in His love?________________________________________________
How does Jesus love us?_________________________________________ How should we love
others?________________________________________________________________________
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Jesus loves us by serving us. Our agency is the agency of service in love. We must love as Christ loved.23 That means that we will be eagerly engaged in finding and doing ways to bring the ministry of Christ to bear in the lives of those around us. We will use the command of God to love as He loves as the authority to decide what activities to engage in and how to bring light into the darkness around us. If His light is in us, we are commissioned agents for salvation to the world. As we salt their lives with His word, it is His light of truth shining in us that draws them to know more, to be more, and to receive Jesus as their savior. This is the fruit the Father seeks from us. We have seen that the Word is what provides the assignment and authority (permission and power) to act in love. We also noted at the beginning that the power to act includes having everything supplied to accomplish the task assigned. Where do we get all of that? Nephi tells us:
“Wherefore, I said unto you, Feast upon the words of Christ; for behold the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do.”24
Paul further counseled: “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, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.25
In other words, everything we need to serve the Lord is supplied by His word. Nephi testified of this as well: “...I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them.”26 God does not work among the children of men—not directly and not through others—unless faith is present.627 Romans 10:16 tells us that “Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” The Word and faith are a package deal. Faith does not exist independently of the word of God. When the Word is preached by one sent by God to do so, faith comes. The word of God paints the picture of what can be and faith, if received, goes to work to create that picture. If we receive the Word of God as true and are willing to obey His directions, then we also receive the faith, or power to do them. Willing obedience sets faith in motion to complete the commandment and bring the blessing the commandment was given to provide. Faith in Christ allows him to supply all of our needs.28 He has a world to reach with love. He will equip His agents to perform that task. Everything that we are, that we have, that we are able to do, has been invested in us to equip us for the assignment He has given us to perform on His behalf. The love light of the gospel shines through our service to illuminate the way so others may be enticed to come and be partakers of the glorious banquet that Love has provided. It is only by exercising our agency in receiving the word of God – His commandments and counsel for our lives – that we are able to receive the light and truth which moves us toward eternal life and empowers us to act as agents to ourselves and for God in service to Him through our service to others. We will also be agents for good because our love will be the cause of righteousness coming about in the areas where we are placed to act. Love is the sphere in which truth operates independently of all other forces. Love is the authority by which we act and Love is the office to which we are assigned. Love casts out fear and the torment that comes with it 6 23
Mark 10: 24
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making us free of the adversary. “Therefore owe no man anything, but to love one another; for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.”29 29
Romans 13:8 Use the following page titled “Shaking & Shinning” and considering the
lesson you have just read, ask God:
where you have been called to carry out your service of love (agency) for
God at this time in your life.
how might you more effectively serve in light in these areas?
to enlighten your mind as to:
specific people and activities you might undertake to become a better agent
for Him.
what activities or situations in your life limit the quality of ministry you are
able to give
what to do to lessen those limits.
Follow through on the enlightenment and record how your service is enhanced.
In like manner of Dorcas, choose to live as a relevant witness of the gospel of Jesus
Christ and be…Women as Servants of Light
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~ Shaking & Shedding ~ Living as a relevant witness of the gospel of Jesus Christ
As you work your lesson, ask God to enlighten your mind to ways you can daily be Salt & Light and to guide you to people who will respond to the testimony of Jesus Christ. Below record what God reveals to you. Also, record how the Lord worked through you & always give glory to God. Remember, because Jabez knew the word of the Lord and prayed according to God’s word Jabez called on the God of Israel…God granted him that which he requested [vs. 10 beginning & end]. Now act upon it. PRAYER OF MEDITATION & CONSECRATION:
Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! 1 Chronicles 4:10
Date: God Revealed to Me To: God Worked Through Me to Be Salt & Light: Date:
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