Personal Righteousness

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Rose Garden
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Personal Righteousness

Post by Rose Garden »

I would like to talk a bit about the need for personal righteousness in our efforts to strengthen our country. I know there is some criticism over the idea that righteousness is the saving point for the nation. I have heard that righteousness itself is not enough. I say that personal righteousness is the only thing that will save our nation and that those who do not believe it is enough do not know what righteousness truly is.

Doctrine & Covenants 105
14 For behold, I do not require at their hands to fight the battles of Zion; for, as I said in a former commandment, even so will I fulfil—I will fight your battles.
3 Nephi 21
29 And they shall go out from all nations; and they shall not go out in haste, nor go by flight, for I will go before them, saith the Father, and I will be their rearward.
Rearward : rear; especially : the rear division (as of an army)

Alma 5
4 And behold, I say unto you, they were delivered out of the hands of the people of king Noah, by the mercy and power of God.

5 And behold, after that, they were brought into bondage by the hands of the Lamanites in the wilderness; yea, I say unto you, they were in captivity, and again the Lord did deliver them out of bondage by the power of his word; and we were brought into this land, and here we began to establish the church of God throughout this land also.
The Lord promises to deliver his people out of bondage. And he has kept his promise in the past. If we expect our nation to be saved from tyranny, then we must adhere to the laws set forth by God to accomplish that. It will only be through the power of God that any real change will occur.

The trespasses of the government are only possible because of the wickedness of the people. The government is allowed to steal away children, rob the poor, torture and kill people, jail people unjustly, and so forth, because of the wickedness of the whole nation. While we have not yet been overrun militarily, we will be. It is the inevitable consequence of our overrunning other counties. More importantly, it is the inevitable consequence of our internal unrest. We cannot oppress our own people and remain strong. We're rotting on the inside, regardless of how we look from the outside.

We have not been overrun militarily because we are the strongest nation on Earth. Unfortunately, we are relying on our own strength, not on the Lord's​. We win because we are strong but our strength is being depleted even as we continue to make war. There will come a time when our forces are not strong enough to defend ourselves and then we will experience the fruits of our actions.

Each individual person is responsible for their personal righteousness. It is only when individuals take responsibility for their own behavior that the tide of change will occur. How can you know if you personally are righteous? The same way you can know that the whole nation is righteous. The Lord will fight your battles.

If in your personal life you are robbed of power over your circumstances, it is because you are not relying wholly on the Lord. The Lord is more powerful than the government. The whole U.S. army could come against you and you would be safe if your faith in the Lord was sufficient.

If you are married to an abusive spouse, you have need to turn to the Lord.
If you are unable to provide for your needs, you have need to turn to the Lord.
If you have been jailed on false charges, you have need to turn to the Lord.
If your landlord is cheating you, you have need to turn to the Lord.
If your children are misbehaving, you have need to turn to the Lord.
If you have a mortgage, you have need to turn to the Lord.

Your personal struggles are given to you to help you understand where you stand before the Lord. If you had perfect faith and had repented of all your sins, the Lord would have power to resolve all your problems for you. Because you still have problems, you still have need to repent. You still have need to become more righteous than you are.

The time will come when the nation will no longer be supported in its wickedness. At that time, only the righteous will be spared. They will be the only ones with faith enough in the Lord to qualify for the blessing of having him fight their battles. This is the message of the scriptures, again and again and again. Let us repent now and retain a remission of our sins before it is too late. There are signs enough to tell you this is necessary for you in your personal life. Listen to them and be saved. Ignore them at your peril.

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Silver Pie
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Re: Personal Righteousness

Post by Silver Pie »

I would say that if I want to have personal righteousness, the first thing I need to do is humble myself to the dust, realize that I don't know it all (or really much of anything). The next thing would be to turn to face Christ, to pray to God in mighty prayer that he might forgive me and lead me to greater Light, and that I might be able to let go of any and all untruths I believe.

simpleton
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Re: Personal Righteousness

Post by simpleton »

The United States of America made war against the saints and prevailed. This country, yes America, stripped its most patrotic citizens to the status of aliens. This country America murdered it's Prophet, actually 2 Prophets, that only had the desire to save mankind. This country also murdered, raped, burned, pillaged, stole etc. From their fellow American citizens and when these same citizens appealed to the Congress, the Senate , and ultimately to the President of the United States for redress and for their claims of their property rights, what was the reply? "Gentlemen your cause is just but I can do nothing for you" and what was the Senate's reply? It was voted down. (The memorial petition to the Congress and Senate asking for reparations) It may seem strange but America has the blood of innocence on its hands to thus day and when God comes out of His hiding place He will fight the battles of Zion and execute vengeance and fury like the heathen have never heard. And a remnant, ( the children of the ones that were faithful in Zion, ie: Missouri ) Will return and redeem that land that is rightfully theirs as it was purchased legally with money's put into the treasuries of those authorized to receive.
The prediction upon America is that if they do not redress the wrongs perpetuated upon the LDS people, America will be broken up from one end to the other and have mobs to their hearts content..
But before that, "judgement begins on my house first saith the Lord"...

But that is speaking collectively, not individually...

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Rose Garden
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Re: Personal Righteousness

Post by Rose Garden »

Yes, exactly. That is speaking collectively. And each of us individually can do nothing collectively. We only can make decisions about how our individual person will think and act.

The early saints predicament was not unique. Again and again through the history of the world innocent souls have been oppressed. The Lord allows it and does not intervene until there is a group of people who qualifies for his intervention. Thus far, despite the prophesies surrounding the early saints, that circumstance has not taken place.

lundbaek
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Re: Personal Righteousness

Post by lundbaek »

It seems to me that few people realize that righteousness includes obedience to those commandments that were given specifically to help us preserve liberty. Specifically:

Why did President Benson tell us that "We must learn to principles of the Constitution in the tradition of the Founding Fathers."? Why did he say that "We must become involved in civic affairs..."? Why did he say that "We must become accurately informed and then let others know how we feel."? Why did he, while the Prophet, say these things multiple times ?

On the subject of secret combinations that would exist in our day, Why did Moroni tell us that "...the Lord commandeth you, when ye shall see these things come among you that ye shall awake to a sense of your awful situation, because of this secret combination which shall be among you."? and that "it is wisdom in God that these things should be shown unto you, that thereby ye may repent of your sins, and suffer not that these murderous combinations shall get above you."?

And why would President Boyd K. Packer, in a 2007 speech and again in the August 2010 Ensign, Pg. 23 tell us "We live in a time of war, that spiritual war that will never end. Moroni warned us that the secret combinations begun by Gadianton ‘are had among all people. . . . Wherefore, O ye Gentiles [and the term gentile in that place in the Book of Mormon refers to us in our generation], it is wisdom in God that these things should be shown unto you, that thereby ye may repent of your sins, and suffer not that these murderous combinations shall get above you. . . . Wherefore, the Lord commandeth you, when ye shall see these things come among you that ye shall awake to a sense of your awful situation, because of this secret combination which shall be among you. [Ether 8:20, 23–24]

Why would President Uchtdorf tell us in 2009 that "For members of the Church, education is not merely a good idea,it is a commandment. We are to learn of...things that have been, things that are..."

Why do we read in D&C 93:53 that we should "...obtain a knowledge of history, and of countries, and of kingdoms, of laws of God and man, and all this for the salvation of Zion.", and in D&C 88:79 that we should learn of "things which have been, things which are, things which must shortly come to pass; things which are at home, things which are abroad; the wars and the perplexities of the nations..."?

I believe that if a person were to abide by these commandments he/she would better recognize the dangers to our liberty and what can be done to protect it.

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