Apostates must Suffer
Ensign, “Dear are the Sheep that have Wandered”, June 2013; “My dear brothers and sisters and friends, my message this morning is one of hope and solace to heartbroken parents who have done their best to rear their children in righteousness with love and devotion but have despaired because their child has rebelled or been led astray to follow the path of evil and destruction…Successful parents are those who have sacrificed and struggled to do the best they can in their own family circumstances.”
Those of us who’ve left the Church have chosen to follow the Jesus of the Bible. When/if your Mormon loved one says something to you about this (or maybe you can bring it up!) share with them what Jesus said in John 10:27-29;
“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: 28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. 29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.”
“The depth of the love of parents for their children cannot be measured. It is like no other relationship. It exceeds concern for life itself…But what if the children who have been taught by faithful, loving parents have rebelled or been led astray? Is there hope?”
I had the opportunity to share the gospel again with my mother not long ago and told her how much I appreciated her kindness towards me as a child. I then let her know how much I loved the Jesus of the Bible and how grateful I was that she always encouraged me to read the Bible as a child. It instilled in me the desire to find the truth as an adult.
“…Though some of the sheep may wander, the eye of the Shepherd is upon them, and sooner or later they will feel the tentacles of Divine Providence reaching out after them and drawing them back to the fold. Either in this life or the life to come, they will return. They will have to pay their debt to justice; they will suffer for their sins; and may tread a thorny path; but if it leads them at last, like the penitent Prodigal, to a loving and forgiving father’s heart and home, the painful experience will not have been in vain…”
The paragraph above was Mr. Faust quoting Joseph Smith and he’s quoting from a man who had nothing but disdain for the word of God. Nowhere in the Bible does it describe our loving God as having tentacles! This sounds like a Jules Verne novel gone bad.
The Bible tells us when the prodigal son returned to his father the best robe was given to him and a feast was prepared in his honor – Luke 15:32. Jesus came so we’d avoid the penalty of our sins – thus the whole sacrifice on the cross scenario…
A principle in this statement that is often overlooked is that they must fully repent and “suffer for their sins” and “pay their debt to justice.”… If the repentance of the wayward children does not happen in this life, is it still possible for the cords of the sealing to be strong enough for them yet to work out their repentance? In the Doctrine and Covenants we are told:
“The dead who repent will be redeemed, through obedience to the ordinances of the house of God…“And after they have paid the penalty of their transgressions, and are washed clean, shall receive a reward according to their works, for they are heirs of salvation.”
Let’s pray the lesson from Doctrine and Covenants will continue to be overlooked! The repentant are forgiven as it says in 1 John 1:9. If we have to pay the price then Christ died in vain! Galatians 2:19-21!
“…To those brokenhearted parents who have been righteous, diligent, and prayerful in the teaching of their disobedient children, we say to you, the Good Shepherd is watching over them. God knows and understands your deep sorrow. There is hope…The prodigal son was welcomed back into the family, but his inheritance was spent.
Not true! He was give a pardon by his father and a fatted calf was killed for a feast in his honor!
“Mercy will not rob justice, and the sealing power of faithful parents will only claim wayward children upon the condition of their repentance and Christ’s Atonement…” – James Faust
This isn’t true either! There are no forever families. Jesus told the Sadducees there are no marriages in heaven. After this we’ll be like angels – Mark 12:25.
1 John 1:9; “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
John 20:30-31; “And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: 31 But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.”
Today’s dilemma was a little long, but I point these things out as a tool you can use with your loved ones for the messages they’re hearing right now from the Church. I know that my mother has her Ensign sitting on a table right next to her recliner in the living room.
For us who’ve “strayed” I am sure our Mormon loved ones hone in on articles and speeches like this one to find comfort in their dismay.
What’s sad is how those who’ve left are being referred to by leaders in the Church. While Faust has since passed away it’s obvious from his inclusion of this month’s Ensign he’s still looked upon as trustworthy.
The text said we’ve broken their hearts, we’re on an evil path, and successful parents sacrifice everything…so I suppose the text means the parents who have inactive kids are unsuccessful? The words of wisdom from these leaders are filled with nothing but guilt trips!