The Gate, the Path, the Fruit.

[marc]

The gate into the strait and narrow path is repentance and baptism.

2 Nephi 31:17 Wherefore, do the things which I have told you I have seen that your Lord and your Redeemer should do; for, for this cause have they been shown unto me, that ye might know the gate by which ye should enter. For the gate by which ye should enter is repentance and baptism by water; and then cometh a remission of your sins by fire and by the Holy Ghost.

The Hebrew word for repentance is Teshuvah, which literally interpreted means "return." One forsakes the world and enters in at the way. Once you have received the Comforter by Jesus Christ who employs no servant at the gate, you are now entered into the strait and narrow path.

18 And then are ye in this strait and narrow path which leads to eternal life; yea, ye have entered in by the gate; ye have done according to the commandments of the Father and the Son; and ye have received the Holy Ghost, which witnesses of the Father and the Son, unto the fulfilling of the promise which he hath made, that if ye entered in by the way ye should receive.

Now that you have set foot along this path, which does not turn to the right or to the left, is all done? How do you find yourself at the end of the path, which is eternal life? The Lord has not left you comfortless as you navigate the mists of darkness.

2 Nephi 32: 2 Do ye not remember that I said unto you that after ye had received the Holy Ghost ye could speak with the tongue of angels? And now, how could ye speak with the tongue of angels save it were by the Holy Ghost?

3 Angels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore, they speak the words of Christ. Wherefore, I said unto you, feast upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do.

The iron rod is the word of God. It is eternal and true. It never deviates. Angels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost, which tell you what to do. In the endowment ceremony, Adam waited upon the Lord, anticipating a visit from true messengers from Father. Angels are true messengers, which bring us further light and knowledge and bring us to the veil to converse with Father. One must press forward continually enduring to the end.

1 Nephi 8:30 But, to be short in writing, behold, he saw other multitudes pressing forward; and they came and caught hold of the end of the rod of iron; and they did press their way forward, continually holding fast to the rod of iron, until they came forth and fell down and partook of the fruit of the tree.

After persevering with longsuffering, there may come a point when one after so much enduring and laboring to press forward in darkness, finally falls to the ground, perhaps to one's knees as one is brought to the veil, or in other words, eternal life.

D&C 6:13 If thou wilt do good, yea, and hold out faithful to the end, thou shalt be saved in the kingdom of God, which is the greatest of all the gifts of God; for there is no gift greater than the gift of salvation.

D&C 14:7 And, if you keep my commandments and endure to the end you shall have eternal life, which gift is the greatest of all the gifts of God.

1 Nephi 15:36 Wherefore, the wicked are rejected from the righteous, and also from that tree of life, whose fruit is most precious and most desirable above all other fruits; yea, and it is the greatest of all the gifts of God. And thus I spake unto my brethren. Amen

One finally falls to the ground to partake of salvation. This greatest gift of God, to be brought back into Christ's presence is the other Comforter and no greater gift exists than to be encircled about in His embrace after having conversed with Him through the veil and partaken of this most joyous fruit. It is to know Him. It is to know pure love. It is to be sealed up to eternal life. It is to find rest.

Moroni 7:3 Wherefore, I would speak unto you that are of the church, that are the peaceable followers of Christ, and that have obtained a sufficient hope by which ye can enter into the rest of the Lord, from this time henceforth until ye shall rest with him in heaven.

D&C 84:18 And the Lord confirmed a priesthood also upon Aaron and his seed, throughout all their generations, which priesthood also continueth and abideth forever with the priesthood which is after the holiest order of God.

19 And this greater priesthood administereth the gospel and holdeth the key of the mysteries of the kingdom, even the key of the knowledge of God.

20 Therefore, in the ordinances thereof, the power of godliness is manifest.

21 And without the ordinances thereof, and the authority of the priesthood, the power of godliness is not manifest unto men in the flesh;

22 For without this no man can see the face of God, even the Father, and live.

23 Now this Moses plainly taught to the children of Israel in the wilderness, and sought diligently to sanctify his people that they might behold the face of God;

24 But they hardened their hearts and could not endure his presence; therefore, the Lord in his wrath, for his anger was kindled against them, swore that they should not enter into his rest while in the wilderness, which rest is the fulness of his glory.

25 Therefore, he took Moses out of their midst, and the Holy Priesthood also

D&C 76:51 They are they who received the testimony of Jesus, and believed on his name and were baptized after the manner of his burial, being buried in the water in his name, and this according to the commandment which he has given—

52 That by keeping the commandments they might be washed and cleansed from all their sins, and receive the Holy Spirit by the laying on of the hands of him who is ordained and sealed unto this power;

53 And who overcome by faith, and are sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise, which the Father sheds forth upon all those who are just and true.

54 They are they who are the church of the Firstborn.

55 They are they into whose hands the Father has given all things—

56 They are they who are priests and kings, who have received of his fulness, and of his glory;

57 And are priests of the Most High, after the order of Melchizedek, which was after the order of Enoch, which was after the order of the Only Begotten Son.

58 Wherefore, as it is written, they are gods, even the sons of God

The vision of the tree of life is a tale of two Comforters.

Luke 11:9 And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.

10 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

John 14: 18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you...

23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.

[Robert Sinclair]

A most pleasing post.

Wonderful counsel to feast upon the words of Jesus Christ.

For if you feast upon his words until you have memorized all the things he had said to do, and all the ways he has said to be, and all the things he has said to know, it shall be difficult for the beast of ignorance to blind you and bind you, and drag you away captive.

Doing a personal book report of all the things he said to do, be, and know can help with this, as you read these things over and over and over again. I did this many, many years ago.

Every leader of Israel was required to write a copy of his law in a book, and "read therein all the days of his life" see Deut 17:18.

Also audio scriptures, listened to when ever you can, during the day, and even all night long while you sleep on low, can help your mind and heart remember his sayings.
I have also done this also, for many, many years.

Constantly reflecting upon his words, will help guide you into wisdoms paths, and into understanding.

Doing what Jesus Christ says to do, such as written in Luke 6:30----

"and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again"

When you do this, over and over again, your faith will be strengthened, where at first you may not understand, why should I just let someone steal away my goods, and just let them go? After reading all his words, of turn the other cheek, and if someone takes away your cloke, forbid not to take thy coat also, precept by precept and line by line, you will begin to see what being like Jesus Christ is all about. You will know that he sees you, when you just let things go because he said to, or give to the poor because he said to, and you can come to know, at his judgement bar he will remember all these things. This too has helped me to have understanding of Jesus Christ.

Yes, a wonderful thing to do, to remove ignorance of his words, so that you come to know and understand them all, feasting upon them all, again and again, over and over.

Submersed in his words, of living water, without even a toe sticking out, of his words you have not come to know.

This will help you endure to the end, and not be overcome, by the precepts of men, many, which oppose the teachings of Jesus Christ.

Yes, to get to the tree of life, partake if its fruit, and have your name written in the Lamb of God's Book of Life. ♡

♡ ♡

[Robert Sinclair]

Yes as it is written----

"Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city."

(See Revelation 22:14.)

Good to know and understand "all" the things Jesus Christ has said to do, and "all" the ways Jesus Christ has said to be like, and "all' the things Jesus Christ has said to know.

Do a personal book report, and memorize, as written to do, ready to complete all of his words 100%.

Then because you know and understand, you can do them, even as Peter did, following Jesus Christ.

♡ ♡

[marc]

Bump.

[Arenera]

2 Nephi 31
13 Wherefore, my beloved brethren,

I know that if ye shall follow the Son, with full purpose of heart,

acting no hypocrisy and no deception before God,

but with real intent,

repenting of your sins,

witnessing unto the Father that ye are willing to take upon you the name of Christ, by baptism--yea, by following your Lord and your Savior down into the water, according to his word,

behold,

then shall ye receive the Holy Ghost; yea, then cometh the baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost;

and then can ye speak with the tongue of angels,

and shout praises unto the Holy One of Israel.

[marc]

2 Nephi 31:20 Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life.

There is so much happening with this imagery. If you have exercised faith, entering in at the way, you might understand what it means to have hope, even a "perfect brightness of hope." Along the way, you learn to develop a "love of God" and of "all men," which are the two greatest commandments, upon which all the law and the prophets hang. If you learn to love perfectly, then you don't need to trifle with commandments because if you love God completely, you will not idolize anything or anyone else and if you love all men completely, then you will never envy them or covet what is theirs or lust after what is theirs, all of which is God's anyway.

Finally, after feeling like you're endlessly stuck in a cycle of backsliding and repenting in the mists of darkness, you may reach a point of utter helplessness and anguish. That is when you might realize that you were never meant to "fix" yourself. And if your heart is properly broken and your spirit contrite, you will finally let Jesus Christ bring you in and heal you. Because that is HIS job. Yours is to experience ALL the oppositions life has to offer. And when you are so overcome by His perfect love, you can't help but give it away. Thus, faith, hope and charity perfects you, or in other words, that perfect love of Jesus Christ completes you. And you have found rest.

Moroni 7:3 Wherefore, I would speak unto you that are of the church, that are the peaceable followers of Christ, and that have obtained a sufficient hope by which ye can enter into the rest of the Lord, from this time henceforth until ye shall rest with him in heaven.

A peaceable follower of Jesus Christ does not feel the need to judge others or to correct them or to control or to compel them or to correlate or even be right in an "argument." A peaceable follower of Jesus simply allows others to believe and do as they will and to govern themselves and learn by their own mistakes just as he or she has as a "peaceable" follower of Jesus Christ. It is no wonder that Jesus Christ expressly and explicitly commanded us to do away with disputations and contentions. It is why he explicitly taught to turn the other cheek and to love your enemies and pray for them who despitefully use you. A peaceable follower of Jesus Christ just is. He/she follows Jesus Christ.

[Arenera]

Jacob 4
3 Now in this thing we do rejoice; and we labor diligently to engraven these words upon plates, hoping that our beloved brethren and our children will receive them with thankful hearts, and look upon them that they may learn with joy and not with sorrow, neither with contempt, concerning their first parents.

6 Wherefore, we search the prophets,
and we have many revelations and the spirit of prophecy;
and having all these witnesses we obtain a hope, and our faith becometh unshaken, insomuch that we truly can command in the name of Jesus
and the very trees obey us,
or the mountains,
or the waves of the sea.

10 Wherefore, brethren, seek not to counsel the Lord, but to take counsel from his hand. For behold, ye yourselves know that he counseleth in wisdom, and in justice, and in great mercy, over all his works.

12 And now, beloved, marvel not that I tell you these things; for why not speak of the atonement of Christ, and attain to a perfect knowledge of him, as to attain to the knowledge of a resurrection and the world to come?

[marc]

There were many "peaceable followers" of Jesus Christ at Bountiful for many, many years--so much so that the abundance of the manifestations of the Spirit were made. It is significant to note the types of blessings they received because they lived in perfect harmony. It is mentioned at least three or four times that there were no contentions in all the land. They had all things common among them, etc. because of their perfect love toward one another.

4 Nephi 1:1 And it came to pass that the thirty and fourth year passed away, and also the thirty and fifth, and behold the disciples of Jesus had formed a church of Christ in all the lands round about. And as many as did come unto them, and did truly repent of their sins, were baptized in the name of Jesus; and they did also receive the Holy Ghost.

2 And it came to pass in the thirty and sixth year, the people were all converted unto the Lord, upon all the face of the land, both Nephites and Lamanites, and there were no contentions and disputations among them, and every man did deal justly one with another.

3 And they had all things common among them; therefore there were not rich and poor, bond and free, but they were all made free, and partakers of the heavenly gift.

4 And it came to pass that the thirty and seventh year passed away also, and there still continued to be peace in the land.

5 And there were great and marvelous works wrought by the disciples of Jesus, insomuch that they did heal the sick, and raise the dead, and cause the lame to walk, and the blind to receive their sight, and the deaf to hear; and all manner of miracles did they work among the children of men; and in nothing did they work miracles save it were in the name of Jesus.

6 And thus did the thirty and eighth year pass away, and also the thirty and ninth, and forty and first, and the forty and second, yea, even until forty and nine years had passed away, and also the fifty and first, and the fifty and second; yea, and even until fifty and nine years had passed away.

7 And the Lord did prosper them exceedingly in the land; yea, insomuch that they did build cities again where there had been cities burned.

8 Yea, even that great city Zarahemla did they cause to be built again.

9 But there were many cities which had been sunk, and waters came up in the stead thereof; therefore these cities could not be renewed.

10 And now, behold, it came to pass that the people of Nephi did wax strong, and did multiply exceedingly fast, and became an exceedingly fair and delightsome people.

11 And they were married, and given in marriage, and were blessed according to the multitude of the promises which the Lord had made unto them.

12 And they did not walk any more after the performances and ordinances of the law of Moses; but they did walk after the commandments which they had received from their Lord and their God, continuing in fasting and prayer, and in meeting together oft both to pray and to hear the word of the Lord.

13 And it came to pass that there was no contention among all the people, in all the land; but there were mighty miracles wrought among the disciples of Jesus.

14 And it came to pass that the seventy and first year passed away, and also the seventy and second year, yea, and in fine, till the seventy and ninth year had passed away; yea, even an hundred years had passed away, and the disciples of Jesus, whom he had chosen, had all gone to the paradise of God, save it were the three who should tarry; and there were other disciples ordained in their stead; and also many of that generation had passed away.

15 And it came to pass that there was no contention in the land, because of the love of God which did dwell in the hearts of the people.

16 And there were no envyings, nor strifes, nor tumults, nor whoredoms, nor lyings, nor murders, nor any manner of lasciviousness; and surely there could not be a happier people among all the people who had been created by the hand of God.

17 There were no robbers, nor murderers, neither were there Lamanites, nor any manner of -ites; but they were in one, the children of Christ, and heirs to the kingdom of God.

18 And how blessed were they! For the Lord did bless them in all their doings; yea, even they were blessed and prospered until an hundred and ten years had passed away; and the first generation from Christ had passed away, and there was no contention in all the land.

We get a glimpse of what it was like with Enoch before they were "taken up." Perhaps if the love of the people at Bountiful had endured a little longer, they might have been taken up, too. It's important to note why they eventually failed. We can then see why we in the latter-day church similarly fail, at least so far.