Christianity has become a huge and diverse religion in the world since the days that Paul set out, by commission, to teach the citizens of Rome and many others the gospel of Jesus Christ. Christianity most certainly has increased in stature and diversity since Jesus walked the earth and turned the heads of the Sadducees and the Pharisees charged with reforming a unified doctrinal practice in Judaism. History truly reveals mankind's struggle to hang on to a unified doctrine regarding God. Is it a wonder that the Savior Jesus Christ reveals, in great unifying wisdom, the intercessory prayer to his Father? Praying for his apostles, he says, " That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.
And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one" (John 17: 21,22 KJV). Of all the things that Jesus could have prayed for in that canonized prayer, he asks his father for unity in his disciples. I would say that he prophetically saw an onslaught of diverse paths coming. And, at the same time that I recognize the need for apologetics, I would blame the heavy emphasis of apologetics for the doctrinal faux pas in Christendom today. Even a few thousand years of debates and councils to form unifying creedalisms to unite Christianity after the death of the master Jesus Christ. For example:
The Nicene Creed:
"We believe in one God,
the Father almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all things visible and invisible.
And in one Lord Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
begotten from the Father before all ages,
God from God,
Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made;
of the same essence as the Father.
Through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation
he came down from heaven;
he became incarnate by the Holy Spirit and the virgin Mary,
and was made human.
He was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered and was buried.
The third day he rose again, according to the Scriptures.
He ascended to heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again with glory
to judge the living and the dead.
His kingdom will never end.
And we believe in the Holy Spirit,
the Lord, the giver of life.
He proceeds from the Father and the Son,
and with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified.
He spoke through the prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic church.
We affirm one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look forward to the resurrection of the dead,
and to life in the world to come. Amen.
ih addition many protestant reformers layed down creeds, confessions and policies declaring the unification of a particular type of Christianity, followed by a particular group. Or, in other words, by the demise of apologetics, a divided Christendom, was left to the wind as it blows and to be tossed to and fro, and declaring in all of this wrangling, in the "name of Jesus Christ". Did we never wonder, where is the servant? Where is the admonition of Amos? who said, "Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets." (Amos 3:7). For sure, in the formation of such creedalism, you would think there was a claim of prophetic authority. Yet, there was not, to profess such a claim would invite heavy scrutiny, pointing to the idea of a false prophet. I suppose that if God did not call me as a prophet, neither would I make such a claim. After all, these early reformers where men of faith and knew that someday they would reach the bar of judgement, and yet followers yield these ideas with the same authority as if a prophet declared them, adhering to these creeds as if a prophet has laid them down. Surely these reformers did not intend to be hailed as prophets. If they did then they would have made the claim. I am sure that by mankind's standards this was a valiant effort for unity throughout the ages. However, it strays from the formula that James set forth in James 1:5. "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him." In this small verse of scripture there are many wonders revealed. Who is James speaking to? Two hints: "any of you" and "all men". What is the formula? "ask" for "wisdom". Wait, how much wisdom do you get? a huge abundance, even a "liberal" amount. In fact, it is so much that you cannot deny the source. And, as you recieve it, in that small moment of pure intelligence you will not be able to contain the entirety of the wisdom that you have been given. This I have learned by personal experience. Now you have something very special. You have now received revelation. With a lot of practice you may even get good at retaining such great wisdom. Indeed it will make your soul enlarge.
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| Michelangelo painting in the Sistine Chapel |
The open door of communication between God and man is the very essence of a solid discipleship with Jesus Christ. The notion that a group of writings from the past, compiled and translated by people of the past, being the last thing that God has to help you in this marvelous journey is not of God. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. God has revealed, he does now reveal, and He will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God. It is a good thing that Adam, while at the altar didn't subscribe to the godless idea that it has all been written down already and there is no more. Nor did Moses subscribe to this at the burning bush. Instead, they both stepped up to the plate to receive wisdom and instruction from God in very confusing times; Adam receiving instruction for his children and Moses restoring the principles in the similitude of a coming Messiah with Jesus Christ fulfilling that law as the Messiah. Whether you are preparing for the birth of the Messiah, or you are laying the foundation of his impending return, the formula is the same. Your discipleship is dependant upon personal revelation.
Extended Revelation
What could possibly be extended revelation? Extended revelation has everything to do with authority. An authorization given by he who is in authority. God being the authority to give that to whom he will. Hebrews 5:4 gives us a hint on "extended revelation" that is commissioned of God for he is in authority. It reads, "And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron. So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten thee. As he saith also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec." There are three people mentioned here that have received authority. Jesus Christ as mentioned in these verses received his authority from his Father, God himself. Melchisedec who lived in Abraham's day and was a high priest and the king of Salem (early JeruSALEM). We have no record of how exactly he received his authority (try personal revelation (James 1:5)), and Aaron who received his authority from Moses who was called as a prophet. Extending beyond this passage of scripture there are many others that have received authority in a like manner. Jesus Christ organized a church and gave people positions of authority, he called apostles, priests, teachers, evangelists, and more, each having a limited scope of authority to act in the churches name or the name of Jesus Christ within their scope of practice. These all have a right to extended revelation within their scope of practice. Some have been given special commissions such as Paul who was commanded to take the Gospel of Jesus Christ to Gentiles. He therefore had an expanded scope. Since we are talking about extended revelation I would be remiss if I did not talk about the expanded scope given to John, who is the author of the book of Revelation. It was given to him by commision to write down those revelations given to him by God. These passages of scripture may be the most unique writings of any passage of scripture. I have heard about every stange translation of those verses that a man can hear. You can see how much temptation there would be for a person to rewrite those passages. But John left this to help ensure the survival of his prophetic message, "For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book." (Revelation 22:18,19 KJV). Having been commissioned by Jesus Christ to write these things it was well within his scope to issue such a warning. I might add that John was not the first to issue such warnings. The author of Deuteronomy had also issued a similar warning in Deuteronomy 4:2 that reads, "Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you." Because of warnings like these, the recording and canonization of past revelations can be serious business. First, it should be within your scope of practice and second it better be right. Mystery solved as to why ancient Rabbis had a culture of exactness and discipline in Torah scribing. We truly have a loving God who requires exactness so that all can benefit from past recordings. No other history written carries the same high demands as the canonization of today's scripture. A history of past dealings, revelation and prophecy in a stamped approval by those who have been commissioned by the author of our being.
Restoration
There have been "fix its" and restorations in Christianity since the very foundation and beginnings of human existence on the earth. Adam surely marveled, as we do, at what a glorious and marvelous creation, called the earth, means to him and all his children. Like Adam we can view what is surrounding us and observe all the planetary motion in the sky. I often refer to my birthdays as missions around the sun. What will I accomplish on this next great and glorious mission? Like the ancients we share the view of celestial bodies in motion. Who can resist the beauty of a breathtaking sunset? Or, who can deny the seasons, or the motion of the stars and other celestial bodies? Adam and Eve truly maveled together as they communed with God and laid down the foundation and plan for their children's eternal existence with the creator of this holy sphere. Adam walked with God in the Garden of Eden and conveyed to his children the plan including a prophetic Savior springing forth from his posterity for the salvation of all mankind. Christianity truly began long before secular history gives credit. And apostasy, straying from the plan of salvation that is, began in the earliest times of the ancients.
Adam had an immense work to do and so did his early children. They all had to gain a personal relationship with God. There is no doubt in my mind that they were as skeptical as the children of Adam are today. And, just like today they saw and witnessed the very sphere that they walk on, the planets in motion, times and seasons, and the beautiful scent of a spring flower or the sea breeze. All these things testify of God. Surely it is enough to stop from our busy day and ask just as James and many other good disciples have prescribed to do. Adam lived beyond 900 years old as recorded in the Old Testament. It was not long after his death that a major restoration was about to take place. So great was this restoration that it could be considered a cleansing of the earth. Salvation from the waters of the great flood belong to eight human souls. A restoration and new beginning in the plan of salvation. I can only imagine the heavy yoke placed on the necks of Shem, Japheth, Ham and there respective wives as they took the role of a new Adam and Eve in the three families of the earth. They had just witnessed an incredibly destructive restoration of the plan of salvation. They must have known how important it was to teach their children correctly. How incredible it would be to have the records of those early families. For now you just have to ask (James 1:5). Family seems to be the key in all of this. Another great restoration takes place later in a man named Abram. Abram establishes his relationship with God by keeping the commandments. He was tried and tested and molded into a great man of God. So great was Abram that God called him Abraham (meaning, father of many nations). God made a covenant with Abraham and his posterity, a covenant of discipleship. Through the posterity of Abraham came Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Who came to restore truth and give salvation. No person spoken of in this writing or ever in history, has done more for the salvation of man than Jesus Christ.
We are nearing 2000 years since the happenings of Jesus Christ's mortal ministry. There are huge divisions in Christianity. We have seen apostasy (a falling away) throughout the ages of mankind. Without a doubt we are no different than our predecessors. Much like the Sadducees and the Pharisees of Jesus' day we have forgot the formula of James the Apostle. I leave my testimony of the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. Through a divine atonement he is my Savior, and through that atoning sacrifice he has proven his love to all. God has once again in accordance to the guidelines recorded by Amos the prophet. That God will do nothing except he reveal his secrets unto his servants the prophets.
(Amos 3:7). Not by man's council nor in man's time. But rather, in God's own time and in his own way he has restored the gospel of Jesus Christ by calling a prophet and setting his servant to work. One of the great things that a prophet has done as a servant of God is he has been lead to and translated an ancient record written for these last days before the return of the Savior Jesus Christ. An ancient record written for the convincing of both Jew and Gentile that Jesus is the Christ. Today it is known as The Book of Mormon. Things that have been restored again are temples and God's authority to act in his name as by he who has authority to give it. Not by man's certifications but rather he has called what looks like common fisherman and has made them whole and great. I invite everyone to read the Book of Mormon and apply the admonition of James. That is to Ask. Then prepare for blessings in such abundance that you will not be able to contain them, that you may know that Jesus is the Christ.
