VernPorter.com

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The purpose of the Savior’s atonement is to bring us forgiveness of sins and place us out of the reach of our past sinful natures. The transformation from sinner to sanctified individual must be proceeded by sorrow for sin, confession of sins, and righting the wrongs we did. The confession must include confession to God and anyone affected by our sin. We don’t believe in “once saved always saved”. If our sin was committed openly then our confessing must be done openly. I have had trouble with a respected member of my ward openly attacking my reputation in front of the High Priest group.

The first time I confronted him about it he denied it. I told him that I wasn’t going to argue with him about what he said or what he meant by what he said.  He was happy to hear that and we got along fine until he started talking about me again. This time I insisted on a public apology, but the best I could get was, “I’m sorry your feelings were hurt.” He didn’t ask me to forgive him for hurting my feelings and he didn’t do it in public.  Instead we had a private conversation wherein he recited a long list of things he had accomplished and callings he had been given. It was as though his accomplishments made it unnecessary for him to admit to any wrongdoing.

Perhaps I should blame some of our general authorities for the bad examples they have given him. I have studied every speech given by Brigham Young in conference talks and I couldn’t find one wherein he didn’t state that blacks would ever obtain the priesthood without dying first. At a speech before the territorial legislature he said blacks would eventually obtain the priesthood, but he did not say when. Yet, in the letter announcing the revelation on the availability of the priesthood to men of all races it is inferred that it is in accord with the teachings of the past prophets and presidents of the church. The fact is that in every year until the revelation it was taught that African blacks would never obtain the priesthood during their mortality. I believe that all of Brigham Young’s heresies, and they are many, have been covered up by every general authority who commented on them.  David O. McKay is the only exception I have found. He was quoted by a reporter as saying that the withholding of the priesthood from blacks was not a doctrine but that it was merely a practice and it would change. The quote did not come out in a book until his biography was published about fifteen years ago. President McKay tried for most of his 20 years as the prophet to obtain a revelation allowing men of all races to hold the priesthood. One of his counselors eventually told him that his lack of success at that endeavor was because the members of he church were not ready for it.

I fear that we have added so many things to the gospel of Jesus Christ that some of us imagine we are in a contest to see who gets the most wives, biggest mansion, or some sign of glory or authority in the Kingdom.