AofF and Dec 1,2 - Come Follow Me with Sam

 Welcome! its article of faith time! I break up the articles of faith as 1-4 is about first beliefs and principles, 5-9 as two part organizational structure, 10-13 as key portals to understanding the greater things. Here's my take on each one. We've also got declarations 1 and 2

Articles of Faith

1. Being like God is to what everything points to. Christ is the author and finisher of our faith, and, as we will see, also the author and finisher of these articles of faith in terms of the subject focus

2. countering a sectarian notion, also emphasizing the key role the fall had in the plan of God, in our own lives, and the terrible responsibility we take as a consequence.

3. An answer to the question raised in 2, pointing to the atonement as the way to become one again from this great fall.

4. A follow-up to 3, describing the method of this answer.

5. a segway into what the church organization should look like, starting with the more physical aspects, starting first to the pattern of someone who can administer the method (4), of the answer (3) of the question (2) of our purpose (1).

6. continuing the physical description, a broadening description of what the people in 5 look like when organized into a body, the body of Christ

7. moving on to the spiritual description of what the church looks like, the gifts of God should be plainly manifest to the members.

8. continuing the spiritual description of where to find Gods word to guide the church both publicly and privately.

9. an important addendum to 8 affirming how those scriptures came to be and how future scripture will be written.

10. moving on to some of the greater things. A key promise of the Book of Mormon is the gathering of Israel, and Isaiah's prophecies, which we are to search, speak of these events. The understanding of these things is come by keys of knowledge not readily apparent with out sincere, diligent, continued searching.

11. A bold claim with numerous implications both temporal and spiritual that freedom of conscience should not be violated, and cannot under God's will.

12. An affirmation of following the temporal law of the land as well, with the presumption (mine) that that law is overall based on justice. There was significant pressure for the church to make statements affirming that the church supported the government (gee, I wonder why, probably because the government kept abusing them and then wanted their confirmation they weren't going to be abused back). There is an emphasis on this though (may be my own opinion) that, like in the declaration of independence, every possible means of obtaining justice should be exhausted, and significant injustice should have passed before a people, even one such as the early latter-day saints who were driven from place to place and finally from the country, should attempt to dismantle the law of the land.

13. Bringing it back to Christ, the 13th article of faith describes our renewed commitment to following Him in every word and act as described in the new testament by Paul the apostle of this same Jesus.

Official Declaration 1

Both official declarations are hot-button issues of the past of the church. I would like to tackle those some time, but not here, not at this time.

One simple finding I learned this last month is that in Official Declaration 1, note that the emphasis is on intentionally leading the church astray. WW says if he were to attempt it, or if another man would attempt it, God would take him out of his place. That may help resolve questions some members have, or possibly the misunderstanding that since God won't allow this, He also won't allow a prophet to ever make a mistake, which is patently false.

Official Declaration 2

No comment for time being