In Doctrine and Covenants 46 and Moroni 10 it talks about gifts of the spirit. After reading these chapters it seems we are given guidance to go after these gifts. For example:
D&C 46:8 Wherefore, beware lest ye are deceived; and that ye may not be deceived seek ye earnestly the best gifts, always remembering for what they are given;
Moroni 10:30 And again I would exhort you that ye would come unto Christ, and lay hold upon every good gift.
My question is this. How are we supposed to seek after these gifts? I mean the obvious answers are pray, fast, temple attendance etc. the standard Sunday school stuff. Does anyone out there have any guidance for this? I would really be interested in practical stories where people sought after gifts and received them.
One last question Moroni 10:14 speaks of one of the gifts of the spirit, “And again, to another, the beholding of angels and ministering spirits;” This gift isn’t mentioned in the modern scripture of D&C 46 only discerning of spirits. Why?
4 comments:
Grace for Grace (D&C 93:12). These spiritual gifts are enabling power. Here’s an example. The gift of healing. We use the priesthood to give blessings of healing. At first the healing is based on the faith of the person being blessed and to some extent our faith. But as we continue to give blessings (grace) we receive grace (power to heal). At some point, the healing is based less on the faith of the individual being blessed, but on our gift of healing. (Mark 9:24, “help thou mine unbelief”) I believe that as we give of our grace (think of it as what little portion of the “gifts of the spirit” that we might have), we will receive grace (more of a portion of those gifts), until those gifts become completely manifest in us. That is how we become. Grace for grace. That is how we receive the gifts of the spirit, for they are grace (enabling power).
I really like the idea of Grace as a starting point for gaining Gifts of the Spirit. It works great for the gift that people are familiar with, i.e. teaching by the spirit, faith, healing, tongues. But what about the others that are on the list like Moroni 10:12-14 And again, to another, that he may work mighty miracles;
13 And again, to another, that he may prophesy concerning all things;
14 And again, to another, the beholding of angels and ministering spirits;
If I want to obtain gifts like these do I just start with Grace in other areas of my life and eventually I will segue into these area's or what?
"If I want to obtain gifts like these do I just start with Grace in other areas of my life and eventually I will segue into these area's or what?"
I would say yes. One question we have to ask is why we want the gifts. It is my belief that they are to be used to help God's work, to bring to pass the eternal life of his children; or another way to say it, to enable his children (that is what grace is, enabling power). If we are not going to use the gifts to help others, I don't think God will give them to us. I really believe the only way for us to be exalted is to exalt others. That's how Christ did it. Grace for Grace. These gifts of the spirit are grace. They are enabling power. If we show God that we are willing to use these gifts to give grace or enable others, he will give us more, and we will increase from grace (gift) to grace (gift) (D&C 93:13) as we give grace for grace (D&C 93:12).
Last Sunday in priesthood we read and interesting paragraph from the Joseph Smith manual.
"Because faith is wanting, the fruits are. No man since the world was had faith without having something along with it. The ancients quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, women received their dead, etc. By faith the worlds were made. A man who has none of the gifts has no faith; and he deceives himself, if he supposes he has. Faith has been wanting, not only among the heathen, but in professed Christendom also, so that tongues, healings, prophecy, and prophets and apostles, and all the gifts and blessings have been wanting." (pg 118 of the Joseph Smith manual)
Joseph's calling us out. If we have no gifts, we have no faith. Ouch! But I like being called out once in a while. It's good for me. I better start working on these gifts of the spirit.
Post a Comment