Lesson 101: Romans 8–11
Introduction
Paul taught about blessings of being spiritually reborn and
submitting to Heavenly Father’s will. He also taught about Israel’s rejection
of God’s covenant and about spreading the gospel among the Gentiles.
I. Romans 8 Paul describes blessings of being spiritually
reborn
---Begin the lesson by asking the following questions:
• What is an inheritance?
• If you could inherit anyone’s
possessions, whose possessions would you choose and why?
• Who typically inherits someone’s
possessions?
---Ask students to consider the blessings someone could receive
as an heir of all Heavenly Father possesses. Invite students to look as they
study Romans 8:1–18 for what we must do to inherit all
that Heavenly Father has.
Invite several students to take turns reading aloud from Romans 8:1, 5–7, 13. Ask the class to follow
along, looking for what Paul taught about walking “after the flesh,” or
yielding to the tendency to sin, and following “after the Spirit” (verse 5).
• What does it mean to be “carnally
minded”? (verse 6). (To be focused on satisfying the
passions and lusts of the physical body.)
• What does it mean to be “spiritually
minded”? (verse 6).
---To “mortify the deeds of the body” (verse 13) means to put to death or subdue the
weaknesses, temptations, and sins related to our mortal bodies (see verse 13, footnote b; Mosiah 3:19).
• What principle can we learn from verse 13 about what can help us overcome the
tendency of the natural man to sin? (Help students identify the following
principle: If we follow the influence of the Spirit, we
can overcome the tendency of the natural man to sin. Write this
principle on the board.)
---Invite a student to read Romans 8:14–16 aloud. Ask the class to follow
along, looking for how Paul refers to those who follow the Spirit.
• How does Paul refer to those who follow
the Spirit? (Explain that the word sons in this
context means both sons and daughters [see D&C 25:1].)
---The meaning of the phrase “Spirit of adoption”
(verse 15). is that “our spirit” (verse 16), meaning our spirit bodies, was created
by Heavenly Father, making every person literally a spirit child of Heavenly
Father. However, it is by making covenants with God through ordinances and then
keeping those covenants that people are spiritually reborn, or adopted, as His
sons and daughters in the gospel covenant. The companionship of the Holy
Ghost indicates that such people are not only God’s spirit
children by virtue of creation, but they are also His covenant children.
Invite a student to read Romans 8:17–18 aloud. Ask the class to follow
along, looking for what God’s covenant children can become.
• What can God’s covenant children become?
(Write the following principle on the board, leaving a blank in place of the
word faithful: If we are faithful covenant
children of God, we can become joint-heirs with Jesus
Christ of all Heavenly Father has.)
• What is a joint-heir? (Someone who
receives an equal inheritance with other heirs.)
• According to verse 17, what must God’s covenant children do to
become joint-heirs with Christ?
---To “suffer with [Jesus Christ]” (verse 17) does not mean that we suffer what the
Savior did as part of His atoning sacrifice. Rather, like the Savior, we are to
deny ourselves of all ungodliness, keep the commandments, and faithfully endure
opposition (seeMatthew 16:24; Joseph Smith Translation, Matthew 16:26 [in the Bible appendix]).
Add the word faithful to complete the
principle on the board. Draw a three-column chart on the board. Label the first
column Requirements, the middle column Opposition, and the third column Inheritance. List students’ responses to the
following questions in the appropriate columns.
• What are some things we are required to
do to be considered God’s faithful covenant children?
• What are examples of opposition we might
experience as we strive to live as faithful covenant children of God?
• What blessings can we inherit from
Heavenly Father if we strive to live as His faithful covenant children? (One
possible answer is that we can become like Heavenly Father [see Romans 8:17, footnote a].)
---Ask students to ponder the lists on the board.
• After reading Paul’s teachings in verse 18, how do you think the requirements of
being joint-heirs with Christ compare with the blessings? Why?
---In Romans 8:19–30, we read that Paul taught that the
Spirit helps us in our weakness and helps us know what to pray for. We also
read that Jesus Christ was called in the premortal existence to be the Savior
of God’s children (see Joseph Smith Translation, Romans 8:29–30 [in the
Bible appendix]).
Note: In Romans 8:29–30, the word predestinate means foreordain or call. Students
will study some of Paul’s teachings on foreordination in the lesson on Ephesians 1.
---Invite several students to take turns reading aloud from Romans 8:28, 31–39. Ask the class to follow along,
looking for truths Paul taught about God’s love as related to the opposition,
challenges, and tribulations of mortality. Point out that the Joseph
Smith Translation of Romans 8:31 replaces the phrase “be against” with
“prevail” (see verse 31, footnote a).
• What truths can we learn from these
verses? (Students may identify a variety of truths, including the following: If we love God, all things will work together for our good.
Through Jesus Christ we can overcome all the challenges and tribulations of
mortality. Nothing can separate us from God’s love, which is manifest in the
Atonement of Jesus Christ.)
• How can Jesus Christ and His teachings
help us overcome the challenges and tribulations of mortality?
• Considering the challenges and
tribulations of mortality you have experienced, which statements in these
verses stand out to you? Why?
• How have you experienced God’s love
amidst your challenges and tribulations?
---Invite students to write in their class notebooks or
scripture study journals what they feel prompted to do so that, through Jesus
Christ, they can overcome their challenges and tribulations. Encourage them to
apply what they wrote.
II. Romans 9–11 Paul teaches about
Israel’s rejection of God’s covenant and bringing the gospel to the Gentiles
---Ask students to ponder how they would respond in the
following scenarios:
1. You accompany your bishop to visit a
young man whose family is active in the Church, but he is
not. When your bishop kindly tries to help the young man understand the
consequences of not living the gospel, the young man says, “Don’t worry. I’ve
been baptized, and my parents are active. God won’t withhold any blessings from
me.”
2. You recently befriended a young woman of
another faith. She asks about the standards you live by. After you describe
some of the Lord’s standards, she says, “I don’t understand why you do all
that. All you have to do to be saved is believe in Jesus Christ.”
---Look for truths as we study Romans 9–11 that can help you understand what is
required to receive the blessings of the gospel.
---Invite a student to read the following explanation about
Paul’s teachings in Romans 9–11:
As recorded in Romans 9–11, Paul used the terms Israel and Israelites instead
of Jews in discussing choices many Jews had made.
God’s covenant children are sometimes referred to as the house of Israel. In Old
Testament times, God chose the descendants of Jacob, or Israel, to be part of
His covenant with Abraham (see Romans 9:4–5), which included great blessings such as
the gospel, priesthood authority, eternal life, eternal posterity, a land of
inheritance, and the responsibility of blessing the world with the gospel.
---Invite a student to read Romans 9:6, 8 aloud. Ask the class to follow
along, looking for what Paul taught about members of the house of Israel.
• What do you think Paul meant by “they
are not all Israel, which are of Israel”? (verse 6). (Many Jews falsely trusted that their
lineage through Abraham guaranteed them the blessings of the covenant.)
Explain that in Romans 9:25–30, we read that Paul taught that Gentiles
who joined the Church could receive all the blessings of the covenant and
become righteous by exercising faith in Jesus Christ.
---Invite several students to take turns reading aloud from Romans 9:31–33; 10:1–4. Ask the class to follow along, looking for how
some Israelites in Paul’s day sought to become righteous before God. Explain
that “the law of righteousness” (Romans 9:31) refers to the law of Moses; the “stumbling stone” (Romans 9:32, 33) is Jesus Christ; and “the
righteousness of God” (Romans 10:3) refers to Jesus Christ and His gospel.
• According to Romans 9:31–33, how had some Israelites sought to
become righteous before God? (By strictly performing the works of the law of
Moses.)
• According to Romans 10:3–4, what had these Israelites rejected?
(Jesus Christ and the righteousness made possible through Him.)
---As recorded in Romans 10:8–13, Paul expounded on how “the
righteousness which is of faith” (Romans 9:30) can be obtained. Invite several students
to take turns reading Romans 10:8–13 aloud. Ask the class to follow
along, looking for how to obtain this state of righteousness.
• What must someone do to obtain the
righteousness that comes from faith?
Explain that the Greek word translated as confess inverse 9 denotes an open acknowledgment of
acceptance, or covenant, and the Greek word translated as believe denotes a trusting commitment. This deep
trust in the Savior leads people to openly acknowledge their acceptance of Him
in ways He has appointed. These ordained ways include obedience to God’s
commandments, repentance, and receiving saving ordinances such as baptism and
the gift of the Holy Ghost.
• According to Paul’s teachings, what must
we do if we desire to receive the blessings of God’s covenants, including
salvation? (Help students identify the following principle: If we accept and obey Jesus Christ and His gospel, we can receive
the blessings of God’s covenants and be saved. Write this
principle on the board.)
---Point out that some people have used Romans 10:9, 13to claim that all we must do to be
saved is verbally confess our belief
in Jesus Christ. Remind students of the scenarios presented earlier
in the lesson.
• How could the truths in this lesson help
you respond in these scenarios?
---The remainder of Romans 10–11 says that Paul taught that hearing
the word of God is essential to developing faith in Christ. He used an analogy
of grafting branches from a wild olive tree into a tame olive tree to represent
the adoption of Gentiles into the house of Israel (see also Jacob 5:3–14). He also taught that the gospel will
again be offered to the Jews.
Conclude by testifying of the truths discussed in this lesson.
Commentary and
Background Information
Romans
8:14–17. “We are the children of God”
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve
Apostles testified of our divine heritage as children of God:
“Your Father in Heaven knows your name and knows your
circumstance. He hears your prayers. He knows your hopes and dreams, including
your fears and frustrations. And He knows what you can become through faith in
Him. Because of this divine heritage you, along with all of your spiritual
sisters and brothers, have full equality in His sight and are empowered through
obedience to become a rightful heir in His eternal kingdom, an “[heir] of God,
and joint-[heir] with Christ” [Romans 8:17]. Seek to comprehend the significance of
these doctrines (“To Young Women,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2005, 28).
“The scriptures speak of us as ‘children of God’ in more than
one sense (Romans 8:16). First, every human being is literally a
beloved spirit child of Heavenly Father (see Malachi 2:10; Acts 17:29; Hebrews 12:9; ‘The Family:
A Proclamation to the World,’Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2010, 129). Second, we are ‘reborn’
as children of God through a covenantal relationship when we manifest faith in Jesus
Christ, repent, are baptized, and receive the Holy
Ghost [and other ordinances] (see John 1:12; Galatians 3:26–29; Mosiah 5:7; D&C 11:30; [D&C 84:33–38;] Moses 6:65–68)” (New Testament Student Manual [Church
Educational System manual, 2014], 348).
Not only can the Spirit confirm that we are God’s covenant
children, but it can also confirm to our spirits that we are literally beloved
children of God and that we dwelt with Him before we were born.
Romans
8:15. “The Spirit of adoption”
“Adoption was common in the Roman world and would have been a
familiar concept to Paul’s readers. A person who legally adopted someone
conferred on that person all the rights and privileges that a natural-born
child would have. Therefore, when we receive ‘the Spirit of adoption’ (Romans 8:15) through entering the gospel covenant, we
become the children of God and ‘joint-heirs with Christ’ (Romans 8:17)” (New Testament Student Manual [Church
Educational System manual, 2014], 348).
In the Book
of Mormon, King Benjamin also taught how we can become “children of
Christ” (see Mosiah 5:5–10). President Joseph Fielding Smith taught
that Jesus Christ also “becomes our Father” because He “offers us life, eternal
life, through the atonement which he made for us.” President Smith explained,
“We become the children, sons and daughters of Jesus Christ, through our
covenants of obedience to him” (Doctrines of Salvation, comp.
Bruce R. McConkie, 3 vols. [1954–56], 1:29).
Romans
8:31–32. “If God be for us, who can be against us?”
“Paul taught that the Atonement of Christ shows that ‘God [is]
for us’ and is committed to us and our eternal well-being. Because God gave His
Only Begotten Son for us, we can be assured that God will continue to work for
our salvation and prepare us to be heirs of all He wants to give us. Elder
Jeffrey R. Holland similarly exhorted members of the Church:
“‘Considering the incomprehensible cost of the Crucifixion and
Atonement, I promise you He is not going to turn His back on us now. … Brothers
and sisters, whatever your distress, please don’t
give up’ (‘Broken Things to Mend,’ Ensign or Liahona, May 2006, 71)” (New Testament Student Manual [Church Educational
System manual, 2014], 350).
Romans
8:29–30; 9:11; 11:2, 5, 7, 28. Predestination, foreordination,
and election
“In Romans 8:29–30, the Greek term translated as predestinatemeans ‘to appoint or determine beforehand’
and refers to the foreordination some people receive, based on God’s
foreknowledge, to follow Jesus Christ and become like Him (see also Ephesians 1:3–4; 1 Peter 1:2). ‘Foreordination does not guarantee
that individuals will receive certain callings or responsibilities. Such
opportunities come in this life as a result of the righteous exercise of agency,
just as foreordination came as a result of righteousness in the premortal
existence’ (‘Foreordination,’ True to the Faith: A Gospel Reference [2004],
69; see also Alma 13:3–4)” (New Testament Student Manual [Church
Educational System manual, 2014], 350).
The Bible Dictionary explains that election is “a theological term primarily denoting
God’s choice of the house of Israel to be the covenant people with privileges
and responsibilities, that they might become a means of blessing to the whole
world. …
“The elect are chosen even ‘before the foundation of the world,’
yet no one is unconditionally elected to eternal life. Each must, for himself,
hearken to the gospel and receive its ordinances and covenants from the hands
of the servants of the Lord in order to obtain salvation. If one is elected but
does not serve, his election could be said to have been in vain, as Paul
expressed in2 Cor. 6:1.
“… An ‘election of grace’ spoken of in … Rom. 11:1–5 has reference to one’s situation in
mortality; that is, being born at a time, at a place, and in circumstances
where one will come in favorable contact with the gospel. This election took
place in the premortal existence. Those who are faithful and diligent in the
gospel in mortality receive an even more desirable election in this life and
become the elect of God. These receive the promise of a fulness of God’s glory
in eternity (D&C 84:33–41)” (Bible Dictionary, “Election”; see also Alma 13:3–4).
The Prophet Joseph
Smith explained that “unconditional election of individuals to
eternal life [predestination] was not taught by the Apostles. God did elect or
predestinate, that all those who would be saved, should be saved in Christ
Jesus, and through obedience to the Gospel” (in History
of the Church, 4:360). That is, all people who will be saved
will receive salvation through the Atonement of Jesus Christ and in no other
way.
Romans
11:25. “The fulness of the Gentiles”
Elder Bruce R. McConkie of the Quorum of the Twelve
Apostles explained what is meant by “the fulness of the Gentiles”:
“There was a period or time appointed for the Jews to hear the
word, and then a period of time for the Gentiles to take precedence. The times
of the Gentiles is the period during which the gospel goes to them on a
preferential basis, and this will continue until they have had a full
opportunity to accept the truth, or in other words until the fulness of the
Gentiles. Then the message will go again to the Jews, meaning to the Jews as a
nation and as a people” (Doctrinal New Testament
Commentary,3 vols. [1965–73], 2:290).
Centuries before Paul wrote his epistles, Nephi taught his
brothers that it would be through the fulness of the Gentiles in the latter
days that the gospel would be taken to his posterity and the posterity of his
brothers. This would enable them to “come to the knowledge of their Redeemer
and the very points of his doctrine, that they may know how to come unto him
and be saved” (1 Nephi 15:14). This gathering of Lehi’s seed is part
of the latter-day grafting of the natural branches back into the olive tree as
prophesied of by Paul and Zenos (see Romans 11:23–25;Jacob 5:52, 60, 63, 67–68).
When the angel Moroni appeared to the Prophet Joseph Smith in
1823, Moroni said that “the fulness of the Gentiles was soon to come in” (Joseph Smith—History 1:41).
© 2016 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc.
All rights reserved.
Right margin extras:
Ask
questions and make invitations that encourage application
Ultimately, the aim of gospel teaching is to help students apply
the doctrines and principles found in the scriptures, become converted, and
receive the blessings promised to those who are faithful and obedient to God.
Questions that encourage application can play a vital role in helping students
see how they can apply these principles in their lives.
Lesson 102: Romans
12–16
Introduction
Paul
taught Church members in Rome to present their bodies as living sacrifices to
God and to obey God’s commandments. Paul also taught the Saints how to promote
peace when differences arose because of personal preference. When concluding
this epistle, Paul warned of those who seek to deceive.
I. Romans 12–13 Paul teaches the Saints to
present their bodies as living sacrifices to God and to obey God’s commandments
---Bring
to class two containers of different shapes and a cup of water. Display the
water and one container.
•If I pour the water into this container, how
will the shape of the water change? (It will conform to the shape of the
container.)
---Pour
the water into the container. Then pour the water into the second container and
point out how the water again conforms to the shape of the container.
---In
this demonstration the water represents people and the containers represent
different worldly beliefs and practices.
• What dangers can come from continually
conforming to worldly beliefs and practices?
---Invite
a student to read Romans 12:1–2 aloud. Ask the class to follow
along, looking for what Paul exhorted Church members in Rome to do.
• What did Paul exhort these Church members
to do?
---Explain
that in entreating Church members to give their bodies as “a living sacrifice”
(verse 1), Paul was drawing a parallel to the Old
Testament practice of sacrificing animals. These animals were dedicated
offerings to God.
• What do you think Paul meant when he
wrote “present your bodies a living sacrifice … unto God”? (verse 1). (Church members are to dedicate
themselves completely to God by giving up sinful desires.)
• Based on Paul’s exhortation in verses 1–2, what does God expect of us? (Help students
identify the following truth: God expects us to dedicate our
lives to Him and refrain from conforming to the world. Write this
truth on the board.)
---Throughout Romans 12–13, Paul taught Church members many
principles that would help them dedicate their lives to God and refrain from
conforming to the world. To help students explore some of these principles,
divide students into groups of three. Provide each student with a full sheet of
paper that includes the following instructions at the top. (Before class,
circle one of the three scripture references on each paper. Make sure that each
student in each group receives a paper with a different scripture reference
circled.)
1. Read the scripture
passage circled at the top of this paper.
2. Select one of Paul’s
teachings in the verses you read, and write it in the space below. Also write
how living this teaching can help us dedicate our lives to God and refrain from
conforming to the world. (If you are not the first person to receive this
paper, either add your thoughts to what previous writers have written below or
write about another teaching in the circled verses.)
© 2015
by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.
---Explain
to students that they will have three minutes to complete the activity as
instructed on their paper. At the end of the three minutes, invite them to pass
their paper to another student in their group. Repeat this activity so that
each student reads and comments on all three scripture passages. Be sure that
students receive their original paper back.
---Give
students time to review the comments on their papers. Invite several students
to report something they learned about how we can dedicate our lives to God and
refrain from conforming to the world.
---Invite
a student to read Romans 13:14 aloud. Ask the class to follow along
and look for what Paul counseled the Saints to do.
• What do you think Paul meant by the
phrase “put ye on the Lord Jesus
Christ”?
• How can the teachings we have studied in Romans 12–13 help us become like Jesus Christ?
(After students respond, revise the truth previously written on the board so it
reads as follows: If we dedicate our lives to God and refrain
from conforming to the world, we can become more like Jesus Christ.)
• How is the Savior an example of
dedicating one’s life to God and refraining from conforming to the world?
• How can we refrain from conforming to the
world’s standards? (You might want to give some specific examples such as
Sabbath day observance, dress styles, or perhaps views on cultural or social
issues that run counter to gospel principles.)
---Ask
students to think about someone they know who strives to dedicate his or her
life to God and refrain from conforming to the world.
• Whom did you think of? Why?
• In what ways has this person become more
like the Savior?
Invite
students to write in their scripture study journals or class notebooks one way
they can dedicate their lives to God and refrain from conforming to the world.
Encourage students to apply what they wrote.
II. Romans 14:1–15:3
Paul
counsels Church members to avoid conflicts in matters of personal preference
---Ask
students to raise their hands if they would answer yes to any of the following
questions. You might change some of these questions so that they better reflect
the culture in which you live. If you do so, select examples that are matters
of personal choice, not matters of obedience to clearly defined commandments.
The answer to all these questions should be yes.
• Is it acceptable for a Latter-day Saint
to (1) follow a vegetarian diet? (2) eat chocolate? (3) wear
shorts in public? (4) use technology on the Sabbath? (5) participate
in holiday celebrations that are rooted in other religious or cultural
traditions?
---While
some behaviors are clearly required or forbidden by commandments from the Lord,
others are left to the preference or discretion of individual Church members.
These matters can include some choices in areas like entertainment, clothing,
diet, Sabbath day observance, and parental rules for children. The Lord has
provided standards and commandments to guide our choices in some of these
matters, such as wearing shorts that are modest, but some decisions are left to
personal discretion. Members may sometimes base decisions in such areas on
inspiration for their specific situations or needs.
---Invite
students as they study Romans 14:1–15:3 to look for truths Paul teaches
about how we should handle matters of personal preference in the Church.
---Romans 14:1–5 says that one matter of personal
preference that Church members in Paul’s day faced regarded a person’s diet.
Some people observed no dietary restrictions. Others abstained from meat and
ate only vegetables as a continuation of dietary laws under the law of Moses,
even though
these restrictions were no longer required (see verse 2, footnote a). In addition, some
Church members chose to continue to observe Jewish customs, practices, and
holidays.
• What problems do you think could have
arisen within the Church as members made different personal decisions in these
matters?
---Invite
students to read Romans 14:3 silently, looking for what the
personal preferences in diet may have led some Church members to do.
• What problems were Church members
experiencing? (Some Church members were despising and judging other members
whose choices differed from theirs.)
• Why do you think this would have
happened?
---Write
the following scripture reference on the board: Romans 14:10–13, 15, 21. Invite
several students to take turns reading aloud from these verses. Ask the class
to follow along, looking for what Paul taught Church members to refrain from
doing in this matter of personal preference. Direct the student who will read verse 15 to also read the excerpt of the Joseph
SmithTranslation of Romans 14:15 (in Romans 14:15, footnote a).
• Based on what Paul taught in verse 13, what truth can we learn about what we
should refrain from doing in matters not addressed by specific commandments?
(Students’ answers should reflect the following truth: In matters not addressed by specific commandments, we are to
refrain from judging others’ choices.)
• Why is it a problem when Church members
look down on or condemn other Church members who make different choices in
matters where no commandment requires or forbids a certain behavior?
---Point
out the phrase “put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall” in verse 13. Explain that this refers to influencing
someone else to spiritually stumble or fall in their efforts to believe in
Jesus Christ and live His gospel.
• How might Church members eating certain
foods influence others to spiritually stumble or fall?
• What did Paul counsel Church members to
do if their personal choice of diet could spiritually harm someone else? (Paul
counseled the Saints to be considerate of the effect of their personal
practices on others and be willing to forgo actions that could influence others
to stumble spiritually.)
• What truth can we learn from Paul’s
instruction regarding our actions in matters not addressed by specific
commandments? (Help students identify the following truth: In matters not addressed by specific commandments, we are to be
considerate of how our choices affect others.Note: A similar truth will be discussed in greater
depth in 1 Corinthians 8.)
---Invite
a student to read Romans 14:19 aloud. Ask the class to follow along
and look for what Paul encouraged Church members to pursue.
• How can following Paul’s counsel
regarding matters of personal preference influence the peace and edification
Church members experience together?
---Remind
students of the matters of personal preference listed earlier. Ask students to
describe how Church members could follow the counsel of Paul in matters such as
these.
III. Romans 15:4–16:27
Paul
concludes his epistle to the Romans
---As
Paul moved toward the conclusion of his epistle, he provided additional counsel
to Church members in Rome. Invite a student to read Romans 15:4 aloud. Ask the class to follow along,
looking for what Paul taught about why the scriptures were written.
• What truth can we learn from verse 4 about why the scriptures were
written? (Students’ answers should reflect the following truth: The scriptures were written to teach us and to give us hope.)
---Paul
then illustrated this truth by quoting several Old Testament scriptures to
reassure the Saints that missionary work among
the Gentiles was in accordance with God’s plan (see Romans 15:9–12).
---The
remainder of Romans 15–16 says that Paul concluded his epistle
by describing his efforts to preach the gospel. He also warned about those who
cause divisions, teach false doctrines, and seek to deceive others (see Romans 16:17–18).
---Conclude
by testifying of the truths discussed in this lesson.
Commentary
and Background Information
Romans
12:1. “Present your bodies a living sacrifice”
President
Russell M. Nelson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught about the
kind of sacrifice we can offer to God:
“We are
still commanded to sacrifice, but not by shedding blood of animals. Our highest
sense of sacrifice is achieved as we make ourselves more sacred or holy. This
we do by our obedience to the commandments of God. Thus, the laws of obedience
and sacrifice are indelibly intertwined. … As we comply with these and other
commandments, something wonderful happens to us. We become disciplined! We
become disciples! We become more sacred and holy—like our Lord!” (“Lessons from Eve,” Ensign, Nov.
1987, 88).
Romans
13:1–7. “Be subject unto the higher powers”
The Joseph
Smith Translation of Romans 13:1–7 indicates that Paul’s statements in
these verses apply to following not only civic authorities but also Church
authorities. For example, in Joseph Smith Translation, Romans 13:1, the Prophet
Joseph Smith added the words “in the church”: “There is no power in the church but of God.”
In
Joseph Smith Translation, Romans 13:4, “sword” was changed to “rod.” And in
Joseph Smith Translation, Romans 13:6, “tribute” (taxes) was changed to “your
consecrations.”
Paul’s
counsel to “be subject unto the higher powers” (Romans 13:1) reflects the principle of the twelfth
article of faith: “We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers,
and magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law.” By describing
civil authorities as being “ordained of God” and “God’s ministers” (Romans 13:1, 6), Paul acknowledged that all who
hold positions of power are accountable to God, and they hold power only to the
extent that God allows (see John 19:11). Paul also reminded the Saints that by
bringing forth good works, they would not need to be afraid of the power of the
leaders they were subject to. Rather, by doing “that which is good,” the Saints
would receive the leaders’ praise (see Romans 13:2–4).
Romans
14:1–15:3. Matters for which specific commandments have not been given
Elder
Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles stated that rather
than teaching specific rules in some matters, Church leaders and teachers teach
doctrines and principles of the gospel. He then said the following:
“Teachers
… should generally forgo teaching specific rules or applications. For example,
they would not teach any rules for determining what is a full tithing,
and they would not provide a list of dos and don’ts for keeping the Sabbath day holy. Once a
teacher has taught the doctrine and the associated principles from the
scriptures and the living prophets, such specific applications or rules are
generally the responsibility of individuals and families” (“Gospel Teaching,” Ensign, Nov.
1999, 79).
President
Dieter F. Uchtdorf of the First Presidency warned about the dangers of
allowing individual amplifications of gospel principles to become expectations
for others:
“Sometimes,
well-meaning amplifications of divine principles—many coming from uninspired
sources—complicate matters further, diluting the purity of divine truth with
man-made addenda. One person’s good idea—something that may work for him or
her—takes root and becomes an expectation. And gradually, eternal principles
can get lost within the labyrinth of ‘good ideas’” (“The Love of God,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2009, 21).
© 2016 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All
rights reserved.
Right margin extras:
Emphasize
the Fundamentals of Gospel Teaching and Learning
As you
teach, emphasize the Fundamentals of Gospel Teaching and Learning, such as
understanding the context and content of the scriptures; identifying,
understanding, and feeling the truth and importance of doctrines and
principles; and applying doctrines and principles. These fundamentals are not
methods to use but are outcomes to achieve. They establish a pattern to follow
to instill the gospel within students’ minds and hearts.
Right margin extras:
Emphasize
the Fundamentals of Gospel Teaching and Learning
As you
teach, emphasize the Fundamentals of Gospel Teaching and Learning, such as
understanding the context and content of the scriptures; identifying,
understanding, and feeling the truth and importance of doctrines and
principles; and applying doctrines and principles. These fundamentals are not
methods to use but are outcomes to achieve. They establish a pattern to follow
to instill the gospel within students’ minds and hearts.
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