SPIRITUALITY

"The ability, the talent, the capacity, to recognize truth."
Bruce R McConkie


1 Cor. 2: 13-15

13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s ^awisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost ^bteacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 14 But the ^anatural man ^breceiveth not the things of the ^cSpirit of God: for they are ^dfoolishness unto him: neither can he ^eknow them, because they are ^fspiritually ^gdiscerned. 15 But he that is spiritual ^ajudgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.

1 Cor. 14: 1, 12, 37

1. 1 ^aFollow after charity, and desire spiritual ^bgifts, but rather that ye may prophesy.
   • • •
   12 Even so ye, ^aforasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual ^bgifts, seek that ye may excel to the ^cedifying of the church.
   • • •
   37 If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord.
2. Col. 1: 9
   9 For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the ^aknowledge of his ^bwill in all wisdom and spiritual ^cunderstanding;
3. Col. 3: 16 16 Let the ^aword of Christ dwell in you richly in all ^bwisdom; ^cteaching and admonishing one another in psalms and ^dhymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
4. Alma 37: 43
   43 And now, my son, I would that ye should understand that these things are not without a ^ashadow; for as our fathers were slothful to give heed to this compass (now these things were temporal) they did not prosper; even so it is with things which are spiritual.
5. D&C 67: 10
   10 And again, verily I say unto you that it is your privilege, and a ^apromise I give unto you that have been ordained unto this ministry, that inasmuch as you ^bstrip yourselves from ^cjealousies and ^dfears, and ^ehumble yourselves before me, for ye are not sufficiently humble, the ^fveil shall be rent and you shall ^gsee me and know that I am—not with the carnal neither natural mind, but with the spiritual.

YOU CAN FOLLOW THE PATTERN OF CHRIST AND ACHIEVE SPIRITUALITY

Fear, suffering, worldliness, foolish speech, unbridled passion, idle speculation—each can destroy spirituality. But pursuing excellence requires more than just recognizing obstacles. You may realize you have a spiritual illness, but now you must find a cure. Positive values must replace negative influences. Confidence and endurance must replace fear and suffering; godliness must transform worldliness; self-control must conquer unrestraint. Paul understood this and provided you the key.

“I know whom I have believed ,” Paul wrote in beginning his epistle to Timothy. ( 2 Timothy 1:12 . Emphasis added.) His contrast between knowledge and belief is significant. The Savior taught that knowing God, rather than merely believing, constituted eternal life; and he listed such knowledge as the first of his spiritual gifts ( John 17:3 ; D&C 46:13 ). How can you come to know God? On this, the teaching of the former and modern prophets is plain and provides you with the key to spiritual greatness.

A. A Scriptural Overview of How You Attain Spiritual Greatness

WE MUST KNOW THE FATHER AND THE SON TO ENJOY ETERNAL LIFE

WE LEARN OF THE FATHER BY KNOWING CHRIST

WE KNOW CHRIST BY DOING HIS WORKS AND BY FOLLOWING HIS EXAMPLE

SUCH KNOWLEDGE ALLOWS US TO ENDURE TO THE END

WE MUST KNOW THE FATHER AND THE SON TO ENJOY ETERNAL LIFE

READ

John 17:3 And this is ^alife ^beternal, that they might ^cknow thee the only true ^dGod, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast ^esent.

D&C 132:24 This is ^aeternal lives—to ^bknow the only wise and true God, and Jesus Christ, whom he hath ^csent. I am he. Receive ye, therefore, my law.

WE LEARN OF THE FATHER BY KNOWING CHRIST

READ

John 5:19 Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he ^aseeth the ^bFather do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.

30 I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is ^ajust; because I seek not mine own ^bwill, but the ^cwill of the Father which hath sent me.

John 8:19, 28, 29

19 Then said they unto him, Where is thy Father? Jesus answered, Ye neither know me, nor my Father: if ye had ^aknown me, ye should have known my Father also.

28 Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do ^anothing of myself; but as my ^bFather hath ^ctaught me, I ^dspeak these things.

29 And he that ^asent me is with me: the Father hath not left me ^balone; for I ^cdo always those things that ^dplease him.

John 14:6–9

6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the ^away, the ^btruth, and the life: no man ^ccometh unto the Father, but by me.

7 If ye had ^aknown me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.

8 Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us.

9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the ^aFather; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?

WE KNOW CHRIST BY DOING HIS WORKS AND BY FOLLOWING HIS EXAMPLE

READ

1 John 2:3–6

3 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we ^akeep his commandments.

4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his ^acommandments, is a ^bliar, and the truth is not in him.

5 But whoso ^akeepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are ^bin him.

6 He that saith he ^aabideth in him ought himself also so to ^bwalk, even as he walked.

D&C 93:1 Verily, thus saith the Lord: It shall come to pass that every soul who ^aforsaketh his ^bsins and cometh unto me, and ^ccalleth on my name, and ^dobeyeth my voice, and keepeth my commandments, shall ^esee my ^fface and ^gknow that I am

SUCH KNOWLEDGE ALLOWS US TO ENDURE TO THE END

2 NEPHI 31: 16 And now, my beloved brethren, I know by this that unless a man shall ^aendure to the end, in following the ^bexample of the Son of the living God, he cannot be saved.

B. The Goal: To Know Christ in a Real, Personal, and Close Association

The first step in knowing Christ is to learn all that we can about him. President J. Reuben Clark, Jr., has offered the following advice:

“. . . I am quite a believer in studying the life of the Savior as an actual personality. That is not often done. Our students of the Bible and of the New Testament, seem to refrain from trying to build a biography of the Master. . . .

“. . . try to go along with the Savior, live with him, let him be an actual man, half divine, of course, but nevertheless moving as a man moved in those days.” ( Behold the Lamb of God, p. 8.)

Once you have begun to understand Christ’s true attributes and personality, place these characteristics into your life. When confronted by a circumstance, ask yourself, What would Jesus do? “Many of my decisions have been motivated by [this question],” Elder Marion G. Romney has testified, “Doing what I have thought He would have done has always brought satisfaction and joy.” (“Jesus Christ, Man’s Great Exemplar,” Speeches of the Year, 1967, p. 2.)

C. Spiritual Exercise Brings the Power Necessary

So that you might have the strength and sensitivity to follow Christ’s pattern, design a personal program of spiritual exercise. Notice that Paul recommended a similar course. Spirituality will never be attained merely by avoiding the negative pitfalls to its development, however important that may be. The full strength of the Spirit will come only as you make positive spiritual activity an integral part of your daily life. Such a program should at least include the following:

1. A Daily Resolve to Follow Christ’s Example. Commit yourself at the beginning of each day to emulate the Savior’s life.

   2 Timothy 1:8 . Be not thou therefore ^aashamed of the ^btestimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God;

   What did Paul mean when he warned Timothy—and you—not to be “ashamed” of a testimony of Christ?

2. An Organized Study Program. Devote at least twenty to thirty minutes daily to gospel study, especially a study of the scriptures.

   2 Timothy 3:14–16 . But ^acontinue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;

   15 And that from a ^achild thou hast known the holy ^bscriptures, which are able to make thee ^cwise unto ^dsalvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
   16 ^aAll ^bscripture is given by ^cinspiration of God, and is ^dprofitable for ^edoctrine, for ^freproof, for correction, for ^ginstruction in ^hrighteousness:

   Paul counsels that the scriptures can make you “wise unto salvation through faith.” How can you include faith in your scriptural study?

3. Daily Prayer. No less than every morning and evening “enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father . . . in secret.” ( Matthew 6:6 .) But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy ^acloset, and when thou hast ^bshut thy door, ^cpray to thy Father which is in ^dsecret; and thy Father which ^eseeth in secret shall ^freward thee openly.

   2 Timothy 1:3 . I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with pure ^aconscience, that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day;

   Paul’s counsel is by example. Why is it important that your prayers, like Paul’s, reveal a compassion toward others?

4. Daily Service. The Savior’s paradox remains the key to spiritual happiness: As you lose your life in service to others, you shall actually find it ( Matthew 10:39 ). 39 ^aHe that findeth his life shall ^blose it: and he that ^closeth his ^dlife for my sake shall find it.

   2 Timothy 3:17 17 That the man of God may be ^aperfect, throughly furnished unto all ^bgood works.
   

5. and Titus 3:8, 14 . This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good ^aworks. These things are good and profitable unto men. 14 And let ^aours also learn to maintain ^bgood works for necessary uses, that they be not unfruitful.

   Paul stresses the need for “good works” but urges that they be fruitful. In what circumstances could service be “unfruitful”? How can secrecy and selflessness enhance our works?

6. Fasting. On occasions of special importance and need, strengthen your “exercise” program with a meaningful fast.

D. Then Comes Confirmation by the Spirit

Finally and ultimately, knowledge of Christ will come through revelation ( Matthew 16:16, 17 ).( 16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the ^aChrist, the ^bSon of the ^cliving God.

17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon ^aBar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not ^brevealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.)

The whispering of the Spirit will give your soul the assurance that Jesus of Nazareth is indeed the Savior, and as you increasingly take upon yourself his example and become more spiritually attuned, such knowledge will deepen and grow more real. This is part of what the scriptures define as the “power of Godliness” ( D&C 84:21 ), ( 21 And without the ordinances thereof, and the ^aauthority of the priesthood, the power of godliness is ^bnot manifest unto men in the flesh; ) for such knowledge will give you spiritual power. Truly this conviction became the rock of Paul’s testimony and the reason that he successfully endured mortality’s trials and faced death with calm assurance.

26 October 2010

I heard this quote today by Elder Packer

from the movie That Promised Day

"We have to earn what we receive spiritually."