In Luke 14:34 Jesus says, “Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be seasoned?” In the Joseph Smith translation, he added these words, “Then certain of them came to him, saying, Good Master, we have Moses and the prophets, and whosoever shall live by them, shall he not have life?
36 And Jesus answered, saying, Ye know not Moses, neither the prophets; for if ye had known them, ye would have believed on me; for to this intent they were written. For I am sent that ye might have life. Therefore I will liken it unto salt which is good; 37 But if the salt has lost its savor, wherewith shall it be seasoned?” (JST Luke 14:35-37).
The Jews fought what Jesus was offering to them because they had a true witness in Moses and the prophets after him. They knew the law inside and out and could explain all they needed to know by Moses. Jesus told them they didn’t understand or know Moses nor the prophets, for if they had they would have recognized him and believed on him. Jesus was the author and finisher of their faith, not Moses. The whole purpose of these prophets was to receive the word from God and deliver it to his people.
Jesus reiterated this when he taught, “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me” (John 5:39). In other words, you think the scriptures give you eternal life. That’s incorrect. I, Jesus, give eternal life. To know me is eternal life (see John 17:3). Moses and the prophets’ writings in scripture are meant to bring you unto me but you have not used them for that purpose and you are still far from the thoughts and intents of my heart. You can read the context to validate this.
By the time Jesus came on the scene in Jerusalem, the learned Jews and learned enough of the scriptures to make them ignorant of the whole purpose of the law, to bring them unto Christ and know him and thus receive eternal life. They argued with Jesus by pointing to Moses. The importance of Moses was his witness of Jehovah and that all might go up the mount and enter the presence of the Lord, but they would not. They’d rather have Moses speak to God for them and stay in the world below; eating, drinking and carrying on as they may.
They were upset when others prophesied in the name of the Lord (see Numbers 11:29). They wanted to worship their idol prophet, Moses.
Could you say, in the LDS vernacular of our day, that the Jews pointed to Moses and the KEYS he held. They held up these keys and the gifts he manifested and said he passed them down from prophet to prophets until the Jewish leadership of their day. They didn’t need the true king because they had prophets and KEYS and no one could come back into the presence of God but by the ruling authorities of their church.
It sounds foolish when you put it in this light and when we look back upon history but it really is what they were saying. They couldn’t recognize Jesus because they had their leaders in their synagogues and in the chief seats of Jerusalem.
The scenario was repeated with the early Christians. The few that believed in Jesus, and were persecuted for their faith in him, eventually were organized. The history is fascinating how they eventually became politically aligned under Constantine and then branched out into the Orthodox Christian Church and the Roman Catholic Church. They were protected because of their alliances with the leadership in the world. The church and state became one. There were bickerings over doctrine and policy but UNITY was the key, NOT TRUTH. The truths taught by Jesus and held onto unto death, were replaced with smooth sayings that wouldn’t rock the boat. The christian dogma wasn’t to come back into the presence of the Lord and to KNOW him, it was simply to know about him and be kind to others. Kindness is important but the road to Jesus ruffles feathers and eventually causes one to offer up everything to become his disciple. Then he will visit his faithful son or daughter (see D&C 93:1).
These christians pointed to Peter and the KEYS, ironically, just as their predecessors had done. I was on a trip to Rome a few years back and was astounded at all the statues with Peter holding KEYS. The Catholic Church emphasized their right to governance by the KEYS passed down from Peter to their current Pope and leadership.
Fast forward several centuries and you have Joseph Smith come on the scene. The words of Jesus and the religion God had meant for Adam, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Moses had been twisted, distorted and completely adulterated. Even the heart of what Jesus brought forth during his life and ministry had been lost. He needed to get his message to his children so they wouldn’t waste their existence and wander in the wilderness for 40 years, figuratively speaking. He visited Joseph, just as he had done with the prophets before. He restored precious truths. The main truth of eternal life was to know God in this life. After all that’s been written and done, we must rise up, repent (change) and become like God. All fall short and sin but through repentance, Jesus’ blood can fulfill the demands of justice and release us from bondage. His resurrection releases us from the grave. Under Jesus Christ’s fulfillment of the laws of justice, he can extend mercy to those who come unto him.
What he revealed to Joseph, again, was that all can rise up. God is no respecter of persons. In other words, ALL can know God.
But who really wants to know God. When one is in his presence you feel your nakedness. You feel his love but there is also no place to hide. In the popular vernacular of our day, you are vulnerable. When Jesus taught to come unto him, he did so, in part, because as we come unto him, his light reveals the darkness in us. At that point we decide if we are going to clean up our mind, heart and actions or continue away from him. If we choose to change, we continue closer to the light and this inevitably leads to another decision to clean up our mind, heart and actions again. This process repeats until the perfect day when we see as we are seen and know as he knows. We know we need him and without him we are nothing. Without him our repentance will be fruitless. But, as we continue forward we know his word is truth because he fulfills his word and comes unto us. Draw near unto me and I will draw near unto you, he taught. As you sanctify yourself and your mind becomes single to his glory, he will eventually unveil his face unto you and you shall see him and know that he is (D&C 88:63-68; D&C 93:1; John 14:21, 23).
What has happened today with the church that claims KEYS back to Joseph Smith? As they get further from the truth and unite more politically with the world, as the pattern set by the orthodox and catholic churches, they lose the simple truths brought forward to all men and women. Instead of seeking the Lord and coming unto God and then helping others do the same, they shut themselves out of his presence and become a stumbling block to others entering his presence. They praise and honor the name of all the prophets and point to the miraculous experiences of Joseph and all the prophets and claim them as their own. “We have KEYS and sealing power,” they proclaim. Trying to blind the minds of the people into following them for salvation rather than coming unto Christ themselves. The masses will always do what’s comfortable. Only the few will take the journey up the mountain. In every age and every generation the pattern is set. The journey is just as difficult and the conditions are the same. God is the same yesterday, today and forever. It should be this way. God knows how to put the proper price on heaven’s goods. He knows our hearts and he will test us to the core.
The personal journey of his children to KNOW him doesn’t have much to do with KEYS. Moses didn’t have any authority to go see God and receive him. Amos was a farmer. Isaiah was in the political scene. Lehi wasn’t anyone special in the world’s view. Joseph was an ignorant farmhand. But each one came to know God. Each one tried to help others do the same.
Jesus wasn't part of an organization or institution. He wasn't part of a church, in fact, he was kicked out of the church. Why would it be any less for the humble followers of Christ in our day. Doesn't that seem a little too easy if all we had to do was find the right club to join and follow what they said? Who's got the KEYS?
Institutions, organizations and churches will continue to hold up KEYS and worship the Father and Son in voice and create the steps needed for salvation when the reality is God is the keeper of the gate. He is the one who chooses who he visits. He is the one who shares his knowledge, glory and power. In fact, when Jesus comes again, he will destroy the kingdoms of the world and the churches thereof, unless they’ve already self-destructed, as we see happening today. The world is falling. Babylon is falling and those churches that have aligned themselves with Babylon are falling too.
Hopefully we find ourselves with those in the ancient americas of whom Jesus said had been spared because they were “more righteous” (3 Nephi 9:13). He gave them the chance to continue to repent. Why? Because the goal of this life isn’t to be “more righteous,” it’s to come to KNOW Jesus and eventually Father (see John 17:3; Moses 1:39; Lectures on Faith).
The only way to really know someone is to walk the path they have trod. As we do, we know what it feels like to stand alone for truth and light. We know what it is to reflect the light of Jesus Christ and be misunderstood for doing so. Jesus had the Pharisees shake their fists at him, pointing to their KEYS that Moses had passed down to them. The disciples of Jesus had the same thing happen to them. They were kicked out of the synagogues, yet they knew whom they trusted. They continued on in the path of discipleship, forsaking all to know him. Jesus knows how and when to bless his children, those that rise up to call him Father.
So, the point of this blog today is don’t let anyone from General Conference or any other institution/church try to persuade and intimidate you to leave the path of discipleship to follow them and their KEYS. They are losing their grip on thousands and they desperately try to present a false front of carefree assurance that they have the KEYS and all is well in Zion.
Zion will not come to an institution. It will be found amongst the people of god who have climbed the mountain alone only to find that they aren’t alone. They will discover that others have climbed as well, just on the other side of the mountain to the same destination.
