Posted on by Abe Austin

What Sort of Disciple Are You?- 2 Kings 5:10-13

And Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, Go and wash in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean.
But Naaman was wroth, and went away, and said, Behold, I thought, He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the Lord his God, and strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper.
Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? may I not wash in them, and be clean? So he turned and went away in a rage.
And his servants came near, and spake unto him, and said, My father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? how much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash, and be clean?

COMMENTARY

My father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it?
Yesterday we examined Peter, who felt he was ready to lay down his life for Jesus, but stumbled when the actual danger arose. Peter had something in common with Naaman: both believed that they were ready to undertake some “great thing,” and openly invited a test of their resolve. Where their paths diverge is that Peter was actually invited to risk his life, whereas Naaman was only asked to do something small and basic.
Peter fell short of the great sacrifice, but even Naaman almost failed to do the small and simple thing! The fact that he was almost tripped up by the little thing makes me suspect that he, like Peter, may not have been as ready for the greater sacrifice that he thought he was. I once had a missionary who firmly avowed that he would gladly die for Christ’s gospel. At the time I couldn’t help thinking “but you and I are struggling with even the basic missionary rules right now, so why would either of us be ready for a sacrifice like that?”
I love the scene from the Karate Kid, where Daniel expresses his frustration at his teacher. He came to him to learn martial arts, but instead he has been assigned many menial chores. He does not yet realize that it is in the small, repetitive tasks that the reflexes of a warrior are being developed within him.
It is easy to view scripture study, prayer, acts of service, and obedience to the commandments as meaningless chores, things which have no bearing on one’s ability to undertake great spiritual causes. But in truth these practices are absolutely essential and fundamental, the little things that make all the difference.

Posted on by Abe Austin

What Sort of Disciple Are You?- Matthew 26:33-35, 73-75

Peter answered and said unto him, Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended.
Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.
Peter said unto him, Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. Likewise also said all the disciples.
…
And after a while came unto him they that stood by, and said to Peter, Surely thou also art one of them; for thy speech bewrayeth thee.
Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man. And immediately the cock crew.
And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly.

COMMENTARY

Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee
Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man
My general assumption is that Peter was not lying when he avowed he would follow Jesus to death. I think it is perfectly believable that he really thought he would be faithful to the end. But as he learned, the imagination of martyrdom is far different from actually being faced with it. It is easy to be a hero in one’s imagination.
Not all things in life are worth dying for, but some are. Liberty, truth, and the lives of others to name a few. It is good to be willing to sacrifice anything for these virtues, and those that can do so are extremely noble.
But when we say that an action is commendable, it does not necessarily mean that the inability to perform that action is condemnable. We should not be too hard on Peter for shirking when his great test came. Yes, he was lacking, but he was not bad. He was simply a work in progress.
Being willing to do all things for God’s cause only comes after years of exercising our faith. If we are not there yet, if we are still lacking in any way, if there are commitments we are not yet ready to make, then we can attest that we are still a work in progress, too. And yes, hopefully we are authentically working to make that progress, but if so, then it is alright to not be perfect just yet!

Posted on by Abe Austin

Respect in Our Differences- Summary

When I first began this blog, I did have a list of specific topics to cover with it. I never had any intention of stressing the need for unity so heavily, but over the months it has certainly become a recurring theme for me. My studies just keep coming back to this idea over and over. Perhaps it is a message I really need to share, or perhaps it is a message I really need to hear.

I certainly haven’t grown tired of promoting it, though. The more I think about it, the more I see the gospel as a vehicle of unity. Unity between us and God, unity between each other. If we could remove our divisions from our fellowman, we would no longer sin against each other. And if we could remove our divisions from God, we would no longer sin against Him either.

In this study I wanted to focus on a specific division that so often falls between us: that of different religious beliefs. I wanted to advocate for holding to your own beliefs, for maintaining your confidence in your own truth, but also for being gracious to those that disagree. Here are a few of the main points from this study.

We Are a Bigoted People

To our society’s credit, we have made great strides in breaking down some of the walls that divide us. It is generally accepted that I should not look at another person’s skin color, gender, income level, or educational degree, and judge them as inferior.
These are wonderful developments, ones that break down the mentality of “us” and “them.” It allows us to truly view one another as brothers and sisters, and to work together for our common good.
Unfortunately, the same progress can’t be claimed when it comes to differences of opinion. People might be accepting of outward appearance, but they cannot tolerate someone that thinks differently from themselves. Once you call yourself a conservative or a liberal, you have made enemies. Once you disclose that you are spiritual or atheistic, people start labeling you as an idiot. Once you speak for or against any social clause, you are recognized as fundamentally flawed forever.
3 Nephi 11:29-30- For verily, verily I say unto you, he that hath the spirit of contention is not of me, but is of the devil, who is the father of contention, and he stirreth up the hearts of men to contend with anger, one with another.
Behold, this is not my doctrine, to stir up the hearts of men with anger, one against another; but this is my doctrine, that such things should be done away.

We Are on the Same Side

To be clear, I absolutely believe that there are forces of evil in this world. I see wolves in sheep’s clothing, trying to lead flocks astray. I fear that certain social movements have the express intention of undermining the foundation of good that Christ has given us.
But I see all this, and still believe that we are far too quick to label our brothers and sisters as servants of the devil. The fact is, most of those that disagree with you also want the exact same things as you: to spread good through the world. Just because another ideology does not use the right name, or emphasize the right focus, or worship on the right day, does not mean that it is a force of pure evil!
Human beings are basically good. They are all born with the mark of divinity within them. Yes, they are all flawed, but they are also all tended towards good by default. Take any person off the street, and it is almost a certainty that that person is your true brother or sister in their heart. Yes you have a few differences, but you also have so much more in common.
2 Kings 6:16- They that be with us are more than they that be with them.
Luke 9:50- And Jesus said unto him, Forbid him not: for he that is not against us is for us.

Who Are You Fighting?

I believe that all of Satan’s attacks fall into one of two categories. The first is to challenge our belief that we are truly sons and daughters of God. The second is to challenge our belief that our brothers and sisters are also sons and daughters of God. He breaks many of us with the first assault, and catches many of the rest with the second. Those that fall to the first assault will sin against God. Those that fall to the second will sin against their fellowman.
When the young ruler came to Jesus, he attested that all his life he had kept the commandments, and had done his due diligence to God. Jesus did not dispute this, but pointed out that the man could do better by his fellowman.
Peter tried to diminish his obligation to his fellowman when he asked Jesus whether seven times was not enough to forgive one that had wronged him. Jesus immediately suggested that Peter try 490 times instead.
A lawyer asked Jesus what was necessary to obtain eternal life. Jesus said to love God and love one’s neighbor. The lawyer did not dispute the first half, but trying “to justify himself,” asked for clarification as to what qualified another as his neighbor. Jesus gave the parable of the Good Samaritan, by which he meant that all others are our neighbor.
So which side are we on when we condemn our fellowman? Whose war are we championing? What way would Jesus have you treat your brother or sister, even one that is flawed? The same way that he has treated you.
Luke 11:17- But he, knowing their thoughts, said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and a house divided against a house falleth.
John 13:35- By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

Posted on by Abe Austin

Respect in Our Differences- John 4:9-10, 19-21, 23

Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans.
Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.
The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet.
Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.
Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.
But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.

COMMENTARY

For the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans
The Father seeketh such to worship him
When Jesus attempted to travel through Samaria, they denied him entrance into their village. His disciples then asked him if they should call down fire to destroy that nation and he rebuked them for such a suggestion (Luke 9:51-56).
In the encounter between Jesus and the Samaritan woman, we see that Jesus still retains thoughtful concern for these children, and looks forward to a day that the boundaries between them can be broken. He makes clear that the Father still seeks for people like her to share in the riches of heaven.
I am convinced that the highest courts of heaven will be populated by Christians and Jews and Muslims and Hindus and Buddhists, and all other manner of sincere seekers for truth. If we try our best, but are somewhat misaligned, our trying is not going to be discounted because of it. Let us never forget, that in the end, “the LORD looketh on the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7).

Posted on by Abe Austin

Respect in Our Differences- Philippians 4:8, Articles of Faith 1:11, Matthew 7:12

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may.

Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.

COMMENTARY

If there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things
Allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may
I have spent some time advocating for holding to your sincere beliefs, while also allowing all others the same privilege. So long as a religion genuinely improves the morality and spirituality of its patrons, then it should be recognized as a worthy vessel for good.
Perhaps you see some ideologies that are flawed, but which are still accomplishing far more good than harm. Would you want to risk destroying the 90% that is good, just to expunge the 10% that is flawed?

Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them
Of course not all ideologies really are 90% good. I do not claim that all beliefs are valid. I have no patience for ideologies that call for the eradication of human life, and declare war on a specific demographic.
Creeds like these are logically self-defeating. One way to tell truth from error is whether the principle destroys itself when held in the hands of another. Consider religious intolerance. To wish to destroy another religious sect is to support a principle that would destroy you if held in the hands of another. Thus the notion is crushed under its own weight.
I also reject those that use spiritual trappings for predatory or manipulative purposes. There are ministries that promise blessings and healings…but only if one calls in and provides their credit card number.

In the end, I believe there is much that is good in this world, more good than we often realize. And I believe every source of good should be supported and celebrated. But I also believe that one must be cautious, for while many things are good, certainly not all things are.

Posted on by Abe Austin

Respect in Our Differences- John 13:35, Romans 12:5, Mark 9:33-35

By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.

And he came to Capernaum: and being in the house he asked them, What was it that ye disputed among yourselves by the way?
But they held their peace: for by the way they had disputed among themselves, who should be the greatest.
And he sat down, and called the twelve, and saith unto them, If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all.

COMMENTARY

By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another
So we, being many, are one body in Christ
I believe Christians sometimes believe that the body of Christ refers to their particular sect only, and not to any of the others. But why can it not be referring to all Christians?
Christ, himself, gave the definition for being one of his followers, and he did not say it was by being only a Catholic, or only a Lutheran, or only a Mormon. He said “men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” So if I have love for a Methodist and a Jehovah’s Witness, then what am I? A disciple of Christ. And if a Protestant and a Presbyterian have love for me, then what are they? Disciples of Christ. And if we do not have love for one another, then what are we? Not disciples.

They had disputed among themselves, who should be the greatest
And he saith unto them, If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all
I believe many Christians also have a mistaken fantasy that when Christ comes again he will point to their church and say “This. This was the right one, and all the rest of you are wrong.” In essence, we, like the disciples of old, are hoping that Jesus will choose us as the greatest above all others. But Jesus cautions us that desires to be the greatest debase us to the lowest.
Let us suppose that your own religion teaches the absolute truth and mine is somewhat amiss. Yes, when Jesus comes He would need to then correct all of the misconceptions that I hold. But I am certain that he would not do this by wagging his finger and telling me just how wrong I am. Rather he would accept that I am striving for rightness, and lovingly show me how to be even more so.
It would be like a servant washing the feet of the disciples that still have a little dirt on them.

Posted on by Abe Austin

Respect in Our Differences- Luke 11:17

But he, knowing their thoughts, said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and a house divided against a house falleth

COMMENTARY

A house divided against a house falleth
Yesterday I told about a positive experience I had when another Christian and I shared our different beliefs, but it would be dishonest of me to pretend that all of my interactions with other Christians have been so positive. During my mission I would meet missionaries from other sects, who sometimes would approach me and challenge my beliefs. I would answer them defensively, and then I would try to point out flaws in their own beliefs. I was never gracious enough to just let the challenge go.
While these moment left me flushed with an intoxicating adrenaline, they absolutely did not make me feel closer to my Savior. I did not feel that I had nobly defended the truth against an enemy, I felt that I had dirtied myself in a petty squabble. A squabble with one who ought to be my friend.
It was infighting among the ranks of fellow Christians, and our line was weaker against the assaults of Satan because of it. The more we fight with each other, the more we do the adversary’s work for him. Are we then truly Christian? As Christ, himself, warned: a house divided against itself cannot stand.

Posted on by Abe Austin

Respect in Our Differences- Luke 9:49-50

And John answered and said, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name; and we forbad him, because he followeth not with us.
And Jesus said unto him, Forbid him not: for he that is not against us is for us.

COMMENTARY

And John answered and said, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name
And Jesus said unto him, Forbid him not: for he that is not against us is for us
During my mission I met a Christian of another sect. We had a brief conversation, and each of us expressed a curiosity to know how the other had come to follow the sect that they belonged to. We each shared our conversion experience, how we had felt God manifest to us the right path to follow. We congratulated one another on their discovery, and parted amicably.
And in the end, both of us still believed in the rightness of our own path. It is extremely easy for us to jump to the conclusion “if God told me to follow this path, then no other path can truly be following Him.” This line of thought leads one to judge others as foolish or deceived by evil.
For a moment, let us suppose that your particular niche of faith, whatever it might be, is the single, penultimate truth that God wishes for all of us to follow. Under this scenario, then yes, the variations in my belief would be detrimental, and they would be limiting me from my full potential. And yes, you would be well-justified in inviting me to a higher truth.
But that would not be the same as saying that I am against you. Because in the end, I am still trying to cast out devils. I am fighting against the forces of violence, lust, greed, and selfishness. And I am doing this in the name of Jesus Christ. I attest that he is the only one with power to defeat these evils and reclaim our souls.
Therefore, even if you think I am somewhat misaligned, Jesus has affirmed that I am misaligned in his general direction. He has recognized that I am for him. And even if I think you are a little misaligned, I do also appreciate that you are for him, too.

Posted on by Abe Austin

Evolving Your Beliefs- John 3:1-3

There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:
The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.
Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

COMMENTARY

There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews
Let us consider the example of Nicodemus. The man was a ruler in the Jewish faith, which faith had been God’s covenant gospel for more than a millennium before the coming of Jesus.
Nicodemus also seems to have been a sincere seeker of truth. Though many of his peers were only going through the motions, he was able to recognize and pursue the Son of God on earth. He therefore seems to have been about as ideal a follower of God as one could ever hope to find.

Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God
Even to this sincere follower, Jesus indicated that there was a reformation that he needed to embrace. Good as Nicodemus was, he still required a rebirth before he would be able to see the kingdom of God. Of course that rebirth is a reference to baptism, but baptism itself suggests an internal rebirth of the soul, a fundamental change of beliefs and perspectives.
Jesus’s prescription of rebirth is not limited to Nicodemus either. By his own words, he applied it to us all. The fact that Nicodemus was born a Jew and I was born a Christian makes no difference. For though my name has always been listed on a church record, that is not the same thing as having actually awoken to the reality of Christ. Not a one of us have that awakening by default, it is something that we must pursue with earnest.
Between birth and rebirth, we will undoubtedly develop a few misconceptions along the way. When at last we gain enlightenment, we will finally be able to start correcting them.

Posted on by Abe Austin

Divided from God- Romans 6:23, John 14:6

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

COMMENTARY

For the wages of sin is death
Previously we examined how we are all cut off from direct connection with God. This sort of severance is called a spiritual death in the scriptures. It falls on us universally, both because of the Fall of Adam and Eve, and also because of our own failure to keep God’s commandments perfectly. Thus, twice-fold, the wages of sin truly are death, and we would forever be cast off from God if there was no intervention.

But the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me
I am a Christian, because I believe that this separation from God can only be overcome through Jesus Christ. I therefore call him my Savior. There is a more generic term that can be used, though, that of the Messiah. Messiah is a title which means one who saves or reclaims a people, and it turns out that belief in a Messiah is present in many world religions.
The Jews are waiting for a yet-unnamed Messiah, one who will be king of Israel, born from the royal line of David. Several branches of Islam await the coming of one Mahdi, who will finally reunite all people under one faith. Maitreya is a figure in Buddhist teaching, who will come and renew the teaching of pure dharma after the world has forgotten it.
Thus the major world religions might respectfully disagree on the exact identity of the Messiah, but they do agree that one exists. I find it very telling that this idea is so universally accepted. We all agree that we have come to a darkness, and that someone will come to bring us the light. Someone must close the divide and bring us back to the throne of God.