Exam 1 Reading questions RelA250

As God shows Enoch all "the residue of the people"—all those who were not living in righteousness and safety in Zion—what do they see Satan doing (v. 26)? As God continues to look upon these people, what is His reaction?

Satan had a chain in his hand, was casting the world into darkness, and was laughing. God wept as he looks upon these people

This article is brief but contains several basic and important ideas about what Latter-day Saints believe about God. Which of these ideas is the most meaningful to you and why?

The idea that as children of God, we are unique among his creations and particularly special to him

God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, do not just react to the sorrow we experience, but also our what?

joy

In this part of 2 Nephi, the prophet Nephi has been prophesying about the destruction of the wicked in the last days. In this passage, Nephi wants to be clear that God's judgments respond to people's faithfulness to His commandments, not on other factors like race, economic status, gender, or lineage ("black and white, bond and free, male and female; ... Jew and Gentile"). The Lord, Nephi insists, is not trying to find excuses to exclude or punish people; to the contrary, He "loveth the world" so much that He was even willing to do what?

layeth down his own life

In his testimony, Elder Gong shares at least four insights about God's love. Pick your favorite and write it down here. Why is that insight striking to you?

my favorite insight was that God's love is intimate and infinite

"While many Christian theologians have expressed the magnitude of the Savior's Atonement by emphasizing human depravity, Latter-day Saints understand the magnitude of the Atonement of Christ in terms of the vast human __________ it makes possible. Christ's Atonement not only provides forgiveness from sin and victory over death, it also redeems imperfect relationships, heals the spiritual wounds that stifle growth, and strengthens and enables individuals to develop the attributes of Christ."

potential

Many early Christian teachers approved of the idea that humans can become divine. Although these beliefs remain a part of Eastern Orthodoxy, why did they fade from prominence in Western Christianity?

prominence of creation ex nihilo: out of nothing. God had to start completely alone. increased emphasis on gap between god and humans

President M. Russell Ballard taught that we need to "eliminate any prejudice" as we embrace all of God's children compassionately. What three prejudices did he identify as examples? What are the dictionary definitions of these prejudices?

racism: a belief that race is a fundamental determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race sexism: prejudice or discrimination based on sex nationalism: loyalty and devotion to a nation

Dr. Huntsman suggests that when we encounter things we have not understood and pain we have not felt, we sometimes need to resist the temptation to come up with answers or defenses. What does he suggest we should we do instead?

sit with them, listen, and try to understand

When Satan comes to Moses, he calls him a "son of man," an Old Testament title referring to a mortal human being (in contrast to deity). How does this compare with the title God had given Moses (in v. 4)? What do you think Satan is up to by using this different title?

son of God. Separating him from God

In a BYU devotional, President M. Russell Ballard taught that "we need to listen to and understand what our LGBT brothers and sisters are feeling and experiencing." We must do better, he continued, so that all members of the Church feel what?

that they have a spiritual home where their brothers and sisters love them and they have a place to worship god

God teaches Moses that he (Moses) was created "in the similitude [likeness or image] of mine Only Begotten," and that this "Only Begotten" has and will have what role?

the role of the savior

Moses 1:39 famously contains God's own description of His "work" and "glory"—a mission statement for what He does and why He does it. What is it that He works for and glorifies in?

to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man

Tom Christofferson is a gay member of the Church (and brother of Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles). In 2017 he published a memoir, "That We May Be One": A Gay Mormon's Perspective on Faith and Family, describing his experience leaving the Church and being re-baptized decades later. Brother Christofferson writes, "Accepting others does not mean that we condone, agree with, or conform to their beliefs or choices, but simply that we allow the realities of their lives to be different from our own." Have you had any experiences in your life when you had to exercise this kind of love and acceptance? What do you think are the challenges and opportunities of accepting people for who they are?

Answer if I have to. No memorized answer

"Prophets have taught that our heavenly parents work ____________ for the salvation of the human family." President M. Russell Ballard taught that both of our heavenly parents "designed" the plan of salvation and that both of Them love us.

together

It seems obvious that most people would prefer to believe in a merciful God. According to Terryl and Fiona Givens, why then have so many Christians been uncomfortable with the idea of a God who actively loves humanity?

If He loves us, that means that God suffers and is vulnerable to humanity.

Through His mortal experiences and His atoning sacrifice, Jesus Christ willingly made Himself vulnerable to experiencing our pains and sorrows. How did His experiences give Him genuine empathy for us? How did His sufferings enable us to come unto Him?

Fellow travelers in misery can understand each other. Suffering allowed him to understand us and our experiences. We can understand each other. It gives him empathy. Without vulnerability, there cannot be empathy.

Elder Gong's talk centers on relationships and community—our relationship with Christ, our relationships with our brothers and sisters, and the relationships that Christ and all of us form when we come together as a community of disciples. What principle or advice did Elder Gong share that most impressed you? Why did that stand out?

My favorite principle was that perfection is from Jesus Christ, not the world's perfectionism. Etc etc perfectionism. Improvement is through him, and we can be more forgiving of ourselves, which perfectionism doesn't encourage

The Logos Hymn opens with the phrase En archē (Ἐν ἀρχῇ), meaning, "In the beginning ..." This opening line is meant to invoke the opening line of what other biblical book? (If you don't know, read the first line of every book in the Bible until you find it. It shouldn't take very long.)

Genesis

In this revelation to the Prophet Joseph Smith, the Lord teaches using a parable about a man with several sons. All of them are obedient, but the man honors and blesses some while mistreating others. What does this parable teach about God? What does its message have to do with our need for unity ("be one")?

God expects us to make ourselves equal by giving freely to one each other. Inspire unity by helping another and giving them equal gifts. About law of consecration.

Enoch is perplexed by God's reaction to the wickedness and suffering of the people. What does God explain to try to help Enoch understand? What does this tell you about the nature of God?

God explains how these are his creations, who will be suffering due to their own wickedness. Satan shall be their father and misery shall be their doom. He weeps because they will suffer and this shows that he cares for his creations

The God of love and vulnerability revealed in Enoch's vision is the kind of being who really does deserve our love and loyalty in return. Terryl and Fiona Givens explain, "That is why a gesture of belief in His direction, a decision to acknowledge His virtues..., is a response to the best in us, the best and noblest of which the human soul is capable.... In the vision of Enoch, we find ourselves drawn to a God who prevents all the pain He can, assumes all the suffering He can, and weeps over the misery He can neither prevent nor assume." What difference has it made in your life, or what difference could it make, to believe in a God who is so completely devoted to your growth and happiness—even at the expense of His own comfort?

It means I can better empathize with someone so far above me

In "The Living Christ," the apostles identify Jesus Christ as "the Great _______ of the Old Testament."

Jehovah

Some early Latter-day Saint women recalled that they learned about a Mother in Heaven from whom?

Joseph Smith

Sister Browning writes that "God's love for His children is not exclusive, but rather all-inclusive." He knows and cherishes those among us who are divorced, questioning, mentally ill, Black, single, physically disabled, gay, less active, or in whatever other circumstances. "No circumstance," she observes, "no situation, no individual is forgotten" by Heavenly Father. What does she suggest we can do so that we likewise do not forget anyone?

Make efforts to approach people, make invitations, pray to know who to talk to

Leviticus 19 contains a command from the law of Moses that people are to love others. However, during His last supper with His disciples, Jesus said He was giving them a "new commandment" to love one another. Compare the passage in Leviticus with Jesus's explanation in John. What is different or "new" about Jesus's command as compared with Leviticus?

New because it's loving people as God loves them, not as you love yourself

Terryl and Fiona Givens point out that many people in our modern world find atheism (the belief that there is no God) to be an attractive option. In two or three sentences, summarize one or two of the reasons the Givens suggest to explain why they believe in God.

One reason that Givens suggests to believe in God is because it would take so many coincidences to get humans here as we are right now. We have to be at the right distance from the sun, have an atmosphere, a nearby moon, water that expands when it freezes and many other things. Another reason given was how our brains strive so much for something above ourselves when it doesn't seem evolutionarily necessary

What did President Jean B. Bingham teach about how we can follow the Savior's example and engage in "true ministering"?

Only by learning to follow the Lord's example of testifying to, compassionately mourning with, and persistently loving people in a variety of circumstances

Terryl and Fiona Givens point out that believing that God exists doesn't automatically mean believing that He is good. People in many cultures have believed in gods that don't care about humans or are even cruel to them. Even many Christians have historically believed in a God who is unmoved by human suffering. In one or two sentences, summarize why the Givens say we can assume that God really is kind and good.

We can assume that He has the same idea of good, because he was the one to give it to us. Why would he endow us with a different moral compass than his own? And the story of the fall, where they can see good and evil, made Adam and Eve in line with God.

Is there a phrase or a line from "The Living Christ" that most stands out to you?

We testify that He will someday return to earth

When Jesus Christ appeared in the Kirtland Temple in 1836, He declared, "I am your advocate with the Father" (Doctrine and Covenants 110:4). What does the word "advocate" mean? (See a dictionary if you need help.) How does this title help you understand Jesus's nature and mission?

a person who publicly supports or recommends a particular cause or policy. This title reminds me that Christ is intended to be our representative with god who personally recommends us to him

In the Logos Hymn, what does the Word (logos) create?

all things

The scriptures indicate that Jesus Christ was not only the Creator of this world, but of what else?

all things, both seen and unseen. Other worlds as well

Dr. Huntsman asks his BYU students what are "hard sayings" (see John 6:60) for them. Many speak of "life's challenges ... that seem to call into question God's love for them or struggles that they often feel they must endure alone, without the love and understanding of their fellow Saints. Such hard sayings include gender disparities, sexual and other identities, and racial and ethnic discrimination," as well as "the pain of loss and disappointment, whether that comes from the death of a loved one; poor physical, mental, or emotional health; or lost dreams." While some struggles in life are necessary for us to grow and progress, Dr. Huntsman submits that these "are not struggles that we should ever face __________."

alone

According to "The Living Christ," why did Jesus Christ institute the sacrament?

as a reminder of his great atoning sacrifice

President Dallin H. Oaks taught, "Our theology beings with heavenly parents. Our highest aspiration is to ____________________ [3 words]."

be like them

The apostles could have used any number of words to describe Christ in the title of this document ("The __________ Christ"). Why do you think they picked "living"?

because he is still with us, and not just a person who died 2000 years ago

A "paradigm" is a way of thinking about or viewing the world. God's plan of happiness, as revealed in the restored gospel, provides a paradigm for understanding all our lives' events, both individually and globally. According to Elder Oaks's description, we lived with Heavenly Father before this earth life, and He provided a plan for us to do what?

become like him

According to Sister Browning, "Creating __________ for everyone is part of our covenant keeping.... Creating __________ is part of our Church. We are to include everyone in our worship.... Creating __________ is an essential part of our journey to become like the Savior."

belonging

Dr. Huntsman concludes, "We need to love one another as Jesus loves us! Without diluting the doctrine or compromising our standards, we must open our hearts wider, reach out farther, and love more loudly. We must make space for struggle and faith as we await the final victory, which is assured if we" do what?

come to Jesus Christ

Once we understand the overall plan, it is easier to understand and obey the commandments. Without that larger clarifying paradigm, commandments can too often be seen as arbitrary rules or regulations that confine and restrict us. With that framework in place, however, we see more clearly and come to understand that God's commandments are designed to do what?

enable us to expand our souls and become like him

The final verse of the Logos Hymn says that no one has ever seen God. The Joseph Smith Translation clarifies that God is not seen except when He is appearing to do what? (See the footnote in either the Latter-day Saint edition or the Wayment study Bible.)

except he hath born record of the son

According to Alma 13 and other scriptures, did we exercise agency in the premortal life, or does that come after we are born? During the "war in heaven," everyone had a perfect knowledge that God exists, so what was it that the righteous had to exercise faith in?

faith in the word of the father and faith that christ would perform the atonement. Faith that jesus would not fail

According to President Worthen, how can viewing events through the lens of the gospel paradigm help us respond more positively to the ups and downs of daily life? How can it help us when life's challenges seem overwhelming?

find joy in unexpected ways. see that we're in an onion patch and not there for the weeds

People of different faiths understand the parent-child relationship between God and humans in significantly different ways. How do Latter-day Saints understand the idea of humans being "children of God"?

in a full and complete sense. Divine in origin nature and potential

Moses commands Satan to "get thee hence" or "depart" a total of four times (see Moses 1:16, 18, 20, 21). It only works the final time. What does Moses say that makes a difference that time?

in the name of the only begotten

As described above, John 1:1-18 is known as the Logos Hymn because it opens (in the New Testament's original Greek) by saying that "In the beginning was the logos, and the logos was with God, and the logos was God." What does the word logos mean in Greek? Why did John choose this word to describe the premortal Christ?

it can mean the account, discussion, debate, reason, intelligence. Could also mean word, thought, idea, cause. Logos is something that can affect something. He used this because it has such a rich meaning