I’m sorry it’s been so long since I posted last. Every day I get all these ideas of things I want to share with you, but I haven’t been able to. I have a mitochondrial disease and muscular dystrophy, and the past month has been especially difficult. But when I read an Ensign article yesterday, I became so distressed by what was written that my fingers simply couldn’t stay away from my keyboard. Compelled by the Spirit, I have slowly put my thoughts into written word.
What distressed me was that an LDS apostle made a serious mistake when he read a Bible verse, and I wanted to warn you. The General Conference talk was given by the LDS apostle Russell Nelson in last months Ensign. In speaking about the importance of our bodies, Nelson quotes part of the Bible verse: “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God“. Because of how Nelson responded, we can see that he doesn’t actually believe Paul’s revelation. In fact, he changes the scriptures intended meaning. Nelson states that in this passage, Paul is merely “describing your body as a “temple of God.””
“With your body being such a vital part of God’s eternal plan, it is little wonder that the Apostle Paul described it as a “temple of God.”14 Each time you look in the mirror, see your body as your temple. That truth—refreshed gratefully each day—can positively influence your decisions about how you will care for your body and how you will use it. And those decisions will determine your destiny. How could this be? Because your body is the temple for your spirit. And how you use your body affects your spirit.” (Ensign, Nov. 2013 Decisions for Eternity, p. 106)
Paul did not “describe” your body “as” a “temple of God.” He says something much more profound, because he testifies that your body is the temple of God. Simply read these passages in First Corinthians if you want to know the truth, to know what Paul actually revealed. Paul was not describing anything. He was stating a fact. All those with faith in Christ are God’s temple. Through faith, God the Father dwells inside of you:
“Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are. Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.” (1 Corinthians 3:16-19)
Don’t you see the difference? It’s an amazing revelation to know that God the Father lives inside of you. “That truth—refreshed gratefully each day—can positively influence your decisions about how you will care for your body and how you will use it.”
I loved it when I learned a valuable tool in reading God’s love letters to us. It’s important to read in context; and to discern whether what we are reading is descriptive or prescriptive. Here are the definitions of descriptive/prescriptive, to help you in your studies:
de•scrip•tive adjective \di-ˈskrip-tiv\
:giving information about how something or someone looks, sounds, etc. : using words to describe what something or someone is like
pre•scrip•tive adjective \pri-ˈskrip-tiv\
:giving exact rules, directions, or instructions about how you should do something (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prescriptive
Why is all this important? Simply look at all the false teachings that Nelson derives from his mistake. Mormons miss out on learning a very important revelation; the reason God can dwell in our hearts is because Christ has perfected us with His righteousness (Hebrews 10:10-18). No unclean thing can dwell in God’s presence, so Jesus lived His life and fulfilled all of God’s commands perfectly—for us, in our place. Our Savior is our substitute for righteousness; like Abraham, through faith we get credit for His righteous works. In fact, every person with a living faith in Jesus has been made holy and blameless in God’s sight.
Which do you think would affect you more when you look in the mirror? Knowing that your spirit lives inside of you, or that God Himself lives in you and dwells in your heart:
Mormonism: “Each time you look in the mirror, see your body as your temple. That truth—refreshed gratefully each day—can positively influence your decisions about how you will care for your body and how you will use it. And those decisions will determine your destiny. How could this be? Because your body is the temple for your spirit. And how you use your body affects your spirit.” (Ensign, Nov. 2013 Decisions for Eternity, p. 106)
Christianity: “Each time you look in the mirror, see your body as God’s temple, because it is! That truth—refreshed gratefully each day—can positively influence your decisions about how you will care for your body and how you will use it. How could this be? Because your body is the temple of God the Father, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. And how you use your body affects your relationship with your Holy Lord and Savior and God the Father! And, the most amazing is having the Lord right here with you always, until the end of the age.”
I’m out of energy, so I will end here. God-willing, I will write more: “He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.” (John 7:38)
Please click here to go read the many Bible passages which reveal that God the Father and Jesus Christ dwell in the hearts of believers: https://latterdaysaintwoman.wordpress.com/heavenly-father-and-jesus-christ-dwell-in-the-hearts-of-believers/
In October I wrote a Post about the truth that God lives in us, if you want to read it: https://latterdaysaintwoman.wordpress.com/2013/10/12/
Link to General Conferance talk at lds.org:
http://www.lds.org/ensign/2013/11/sunday-afternoon-session/decisions-for-eternity?lang=eng
Latter-day Saint Woman 