Why Acts?

As I’ve been studying this New Testament, we’ve learned that the Book of Acts was written by Luke. It is actually a continuation of his gospel. This is important to know because when we take the two books together we learn more about the ministry of Jesus Christ and his apostles. We can easily see that the purpose of Luke’s gospel is to testify of Jesus Christ. He focuses on what Christ did and said. But what is the purpose of the Book of Acts? How does it work with the Gospel of Luke?

In Acts chapter 9, we read of Paul’s conversion. The Lord Jesus Christ appears to him on the road to Damascus, and he is struck blind. Shortly after, the Lord appears to Ananias in a vision telling him of Paul. The Lord commands Ananias to seek Paul, and says “Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentile and kings and the children of Israel: for I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake (15, 16).” Ananias was afraid of Paul because Paul had power to through him in prison. But he goes to seek Paul anyway.

In these few words, I believe we get the purpose of why Luke is writing the Acts of the Apostles. Luke wanted people to know of this prophesy concerning Paul. He was a vessel of the Lord, and he was to bear Christ’s name to the Gentiles, kings and the children of Israel. The Book of Acts shows how Christ spread his gospel and how Christ prophesied of Paul’s mission. I believe Luke is pointing out that this was no accident.

Later in the Book of Acts we read of Paul teaching the gospel in Macedonia. He preached to the Gentiles, people who were not Jewish. In Acts, we also read of Paul preaching to the Jews throughout the western Mediterranean in places like Ephesus. When Paul was coming back to Jerusalem, he is arrested. After sometime, he was taken to Caesarea and preached to King Agrippa. As can be plainly seen, prophesy about Paul came true, and Luke wanted people to know how it came true.

Paul was a powerful missionary for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Luke writes about Christ’s life and then how it spread throughout the ancient world. As it says in Act 28:30-31“Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house, and received all that came in unto him, preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him.” He spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ his entire life.

What is the Apostasy?

As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saint, I believe in something called the Apostasy. This is something that can be easily misunderstood. In fact, I don’t know a lot about the subject. I feel early Christianity is a very difficult subject which many people don’t know about. I’ve tried to learn more about it as I’ve been attending Brigham Young University but I still have much more.
LDS church doctrine states that God always calls prophets and apostles through whom He talks to man. We have many examples of this such as Moses, Abraham, and Isaiah. There have been periods of time when mankind listened to God’s prophets and time when mankind has not listened to them. When people don’t listen to God’s apostles and prophets, they reject them. This act of rejecting God’s messengers is called an Apostasy or a turning away from truth. Just like other periods of time when God’s children turned from the God, we believe that there was a great Apostasy after the death of Jesus Christ.

In Acts 20: 25, Paul is talking to the elders of Ephesus. He says, “And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I have done preaching the Kingdom of God, shall see my face no more.” Paul knew that he was not going to be preaching the gospel any more to people in the Eastern Mediterranean. Shortly after Paul talked to the elders of Ephesus, enemies of Paul framed him and he was arrested and never preached the gospel among the people in the Eastern Roman Empire. However what is more startling than Paul’s confession is what he says in verses 28 through 31.
He says, “Take heed therefore unto yourselves and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall me arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. Therefore watch and remember that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.”

Paul says that wolves will enter the flock meaning evil men will enter the church “speaking perverse things to draw away disciples after them.” Paul had even been teaching this for three years “night and day with tears.” Paul understood that the church would crumble in the first century. One may argue that this was only in Ephesus and not the entire church which the Apostles were directing. There were many more people throughout the empire who believed in “the Way” or in Jesus Christ.
If we look more carefully at the passage it says, “wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves…” What gives me pause is the “also.” It seems that one of the Elders stated, “No not us.” And Paul replied, “Also your own selves.”

But also in 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3 Paul wrote about the same apostasy. “Now I beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, that ye be not soon shaken in mind or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, no by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition.”
The people of Thessalonica worried about the second coming of Jesus Christ. They wanted to know when it was going to happen. They wanted it to happen. Paul corrects them and says that it will not happen “except there come a falling away first.” This is the same apostasy that Paul taught later to the Ephesians. He really had told people night and day what was going to happen.

Thankfully, God and Jesus Christ established their church once again on the earth. They called a new prophet and more apostles to testify of Jesus Christ and to direct the church. I know that They called Joseph Smith to be a prophet and we can know that he was Their prophet by reading the Book of Mormon which Smith translated by the power of God. We can also know this is true by praying and asking God for ourselves what He did to save His children.

Faith hope and charity are like the bread, butter, and jam of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. O.k., I know it's a terrible analogy, but why are these virtues so essential?

When we truly believe these virtues, they cause us to live differently. For example, when we have faith in Jesus Christ, we want to be baptized because of his commandment. When we have hope, we live life joyfully. When we have charity, we treat others kindly. These three virtues govern how we live our lives. If they don’t, we aren’t truly living the gospel of Jesus Christ.

In 1 Corinthians chapter 13 we read this
"Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels,
and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass,
or a tinkling cymbal.

And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries,
and all knowledge; and though I have all faith,
so that I could remove mountains,
and have not charity, I am nothing.

And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor,
and though I give my body to be burned,
and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.

Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not;
charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,

Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own,
is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;

Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;

Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail;
whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge,
it shall vanish away.

For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.

But when that which is perfect is come,
then that which is in part shall be done away.

When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child,
I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face:
now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

And now bideth faith, hope, charity, these three;
but the greatest of these is charity."

Since faith, hope and charity are the bread and butter of the Gospel, why does Paul praise charity more than faith or hope? Are they not just as important?
In the Book of Mormon, a second testimony of Jesus Christ which we believe to be divinely given scripture, says “But charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him (Moroni 7:41).”

According to Moroni, Charity is the ‘pure love of Christ’ and it endures forever. This makes me reflect on the mission of the Savior of the World. Jesus Christ came to earth, he lived among men; preformed many miracles; completed the Atonement; died; resurrected; and lives again. In my mind, Christ’s greatest love was to perform the Atonement. The Atonement was when Christ took upon himself the sins of the world. It caused him so much pain that he dripped blood from every pour as we read in the bible. I’ve always wondered how it worked. Somehow, some way, he experienced pain—the pain that I would have to had suffered had I not believed in his Atonement.

This act freed men from the consequences of sin. When we have faith in Jesus Christ, we can repent and his pain makes up for our mistakes. Maybe this is why Charity greater than Faith and Hope. If Charity, the pure love of Christ or the Atonement had not happened, there would be nothing to have faith in. I’m grateful for my Savior—grateful He suffered for my sins that I may be saved.

Circumcision or Not? That is the Question

I have been continued to read the second half of the New Testament. One of the issues at divided the early Christians centered on the conversion of Jews and non-Jews. The question was this: should a non-Jew before converting to Christianity first have to become a Jew by circumcision or can a gentile directly become a Christian bypassing circumcision?

In Acts 15:1-2 it says, “And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren and said, except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved. When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas and certain other of them should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question.” Why were Paul and Barnabas so upset?

We can find the answer in Galatians. In this epistle, Paul is writing about this very question. Other Christian proselytizers had come to the people or place of Galatia after Paul had already taught them. These other Christians, as Paul writes, “pervert the gospel of Christ” and “called... unto another gospel (Galatians 1:6-7).” Later Paul writes in chapter 4, “God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons, and because ye are sons, God hath sent forth his Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying Abba, Father. Wherefore, thou are no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.”

The other Christians were teaching that Christ was not powerful enough to make a gentile a Christian. Rather, converts first had to become a Jew then a Christian to be saved. This angered Paul. These Christians in a sense were saying that the Atonement of Jesus Christ had only power to save Jews. This is completely untrue! These teachers were cheapening and lowering the sacrifice of Christ. Paul taught that God sent forth his Son, Jesus Christ, who saves men and makes them sons of God. Paul testified and knew the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

How is this important in our lives? Do we forgive others? If we don’t, are we not in a sense saying that the Atonement of Christ is not powerful enough to make someone perfect? Do we forgive ourselves? If we don’t, are we not in a sense saying that the Atonement of Christ is not powerful enough to make us perfect? How do we feel about the Savior of the World?

How do you see?

Art. What is it?

There are so many different mediums, writing, music, clothing, paint, gardening, the list could go on. Sometimes I wish I was a more traditional artist expressing an idea through paint and sculpture. True art seems to convey an idea more poignantly than words. But in the end, words, music, or art all do the same thing. These things communicate a feeling, a thought, a deed that should be remembered.

This week I went to the BYU Museum of Art to look at the religious collection exhibition entitled “Types and Shadows” I want to share three paintings that I saw.



This first one is entitled “Man of Sorrows” by Chris Young. I like the picture because it explains that the perfect man, Jesus Christ has carried us, the very imperfect cross. This painting seems to embody the mission of Jesus Christ. It produces gratitude in the viewer because we notice that the most perfect person has born our grief.



This second painting by Trevor Southey entitled “After Jesus and Mary. This is the moment after the resurrection of Christ. I like the colors of the painting because they give the painting an feeling that it has been placed somewhere between the living and the dead but also between the heavenly and the mundane. What would it have been like to really see Jesus after his resurrection? Have you ever truly thought about what it would have been like for Mary to see Jesus living? Even after she saw him die? I believe this painting captures this moment of unbelief and awkwardness. What a odd feeling Mary must have experienced.



This third piece is a sculpture entitled “Christ Bearing the Cross” by Sledz a polish folk artist. I like it number one, because it is from Poland, but I also like the simplicity of the folk art. It is not sophisticated. It is a snapshot of time, when all of heaven must have been watching Christ carrying his cross. How difficult it must have been to watch as he struggled and strained to finish that which God had commanded. I know that Jesus Christ suffered, died, and resurrected that we might live.

Moses and Brigham Young: Exoduses

When you look at the world, what do you see first? Water, the continents, your favorite country, or the ice caps? I've started thinking and I've noticed how similar Utah, in the United States is similar to Israel in geography and climate. Both of these places have a saltwater lake connected to a fresh water lake with a river in between. Here are some pictures.






Can you tell which one is the Great Salt Lake in Utah? They look so similar. After studying for a semester in Israel, at the BYU Jerusalem Center for Near Eastern Studies, I've come to realize how simliar the regions are. Both are deserts; both receive snow; both have a salty lake.

That is what brings me to the next similarity. God led his people to both regions by a prophet. In my last post, I mentioned how Brigham Young and Moses were similar. American Historians even call Brigham Young the American Moses because he led thousands of people across the plains into the Great Salt Lake Valley and settled many place in the intermountain west. Las Vegas even started as a Mormon settlement.

Why is this important? What is the coincidence that a man in America, who claimed to be a prophet, would lead his people to a similar place as the promised land in the Bible? Either God works in patterns, or Brigham Young studied the Bible and American geography really well.

There are certain parallelisms between the two narratives that are hard to ignore. A Prophet, receiving the law on a mountain or temple, an exodus, a journey, a salt water lake, a river, a promised land.

But what does it represent? That we can be saved from our bondage or sin and led to the promised land by Christ our Savior. He lived on the earth, he died for our sins, and he was resurrected with a body. It is great to know the truths of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Revelation of God

The story of the Children of Israel is filled with symbolism. Moses delivered the Children of Israel from Egypt and brought them to the Promised Land, literally showing that Jesus liberates those who believe in him from the captivity of sin allowing those who believe in him, his children, to reach the Promised Land or heaven. Along the way, Moses received the law of God in Mount Sinai, they traveled in the wilderness for 40 days, and then Joshua, which means Jehovah saves and the Hebrew equivalent of the Greek name Jesus, brought them across the Jordan River and into the Promised Land, just as Jesus helps us cross into heaven.

This theme is also present in the New Testament, except, prophets aren’t symbolizing Jesus, but rather He was on the Earth. But it is important to note, that fifty days after the resurrection of Christ, the Pentecost occurred just as it was represented by Moses, after he lead the Children of Israel from Egypt for fifty days.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has much of the same symbolism. After the restoration of the Church of Jesus Christ, a temple was built, the modern equivalent of a mountain, and there the Lord gave his law. After this, the early saints were driven from Kirkland, Ohio then to Nauvoo and finally on to Salt Lake City. They were lead by Brigham Young who some call the American Moses.

I bring up this symbolism because section 42 of the Doctrine and Covenants is sometimes called the Law. Just as Moses received the Law on Mount Sinai, just as the Pentecost in the New Testament, section 42 of the Doctrine and Covenants was given to the members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This revelation is significant because it establishes rules and commandments that Latter-Day Saints are to live by. Such as verse 22 which says, “Thou shalt love thy wife with all they heart, and cleave unto her and none else” or verse 30 that says, “thou wilt remember the poor.”

The Lord had promised this revelation earlier in section 39 of the Doctrine and Covenants. In verse 32 He says, “Wherefore, for this cause I gave unto the commandment that ye should go to the Ohio; and there I will give unto you my law; and there you shall be endowed with power from on high.” We declare that God reveals commandments and counsel concerning man through a living prophet. Section 42is the supreme example.

Marvelous Work

“Now behold, a marvelous work is about to come forth among the children of men.” Doctrine and Covenants 4:1.

In the revelations to Joseph Smith, the Lord repeats this sentence many times. At a glance, I saw four different sections that started with this sentence. Why is it so important?

As we’ve been discussing in one of my religion classes, “the marvelous work which” was “about to come forth” was the Book of Mormon. Many people find it wrong that we, being Christians, read the Book of Mormon. They feel that since we have the Book of Mormon, we ignore the Bible, but that simply isn’t true. We read both of them. Here are some reasons why I read and cherish the Book of Mormon along with the Bible.

1. The Book of Mormon testifies of Christ.

a. Have you ever wondered if Christ really lived? Was he really the Son of God? When you read the Book of Mormon along with the Bible, you discover that Christ really lived. You learn that He is the Savior of the World. You come to understand His Atonement, and it allows you to feel it in your life today. The Book of Mormon as I have read it with the Bible has strengthened my personal testimony of Jesus Christ. It has helped me understand him and his mission. If you are struggling to understand Jesus Christ, his mission, or if we even need him, read the Book of Mormon and you will discover that he truly lives.

2. The Book of Mormon helps us determine if Joseph Smith was a prophet.

a. If God were to have a man on the earth that filled the role of a prophet like Moses, or Isaiah, or Jeremiah, would it not be important to have a way to determine if he was true or not? Luckily, God has provided such a way to determine if Joseph Smith was a prophet. If we read the Book of Mormon, with “real intent” meaning with sincere desire to understand its message of Christ, and if we pray sincerely asking God if it is true, he will tell us if it is a true book. If it is a true book, Joseph Smith was a true prophet and God established His church through him. It is imperative that people read for themselves with sincerity the Book of Mormon in order to discover if Joseph Smith was a prophet. Without true intent reading the Book of Mormon is wasted energy. But if you truly want to know, if you sincerely ask God, you will get an answer. Also if Joseph Smith was a prophet, it means that we have a prophet today. It means that God speaks to men today, just as he spoke to Moses. If that isn’t important, I don’t know what is.

3. The Book of Mormon helps me see what is important.

a. Just as there are many stories in the Bible from which we can gain personal application, the Book of Mormon too contains stories that help us in our lives today. One of my favorite may be Abinadai. He was chosen by God, to preach to a wicked King. He testified of Christ and of the King’s need to repent. The king burned him at the stake for his words. I like this story because of Abinadi’s personal character. It has taught me to be faithful to God and my morals in any situation. I’m thankful for the Bible and the Book of Mormon stories.

God in Everyday Life

I had an interesting week this past week. A lot happened which I knew was going to happen but I wasn't quiet prepared for it to happen. And yes, I am trying to be ambiguous as possible. I just want to say that it was such a week that you feel that three months were packed into three days. But I survived and I feel stronger for it.

I want to write about this because I felt the power of God in my life during the last couple of days. He gave me little presents for which I'm very grateful. You know, those things that happen and they only happen because there is a God. It is unmistakable where such little things come from because they just don't happen. Something greater than us mortals on Earth has to make them happen. I hadn't talked to anyone about what was thinking or going through and yet God sent people to me that helped me through the last couple of days.

All that I can say is that God knows who I am. He has told me that I am of great worth. He cared enough about me to sent me people to me to help me because I prayed and asked for help. It is that simple!

The semester is going to end soon. I have about three weeks left. It is incredible how quickly time goes. I feel just yesterday, I was complaining because it was the middle of the semester and I had so much time left. Everyday is a new day. We can have a new beginning every day. We just have to wake up and say, it is a new day, lets see what I cam make of it. There is hope because God sent his son Jesus Christ. What a perfect plan.