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How Often Do the Articles of Faith Track Sayings of Paul? #693 · Scripture Central

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  Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever
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  things are honest. Whatsoever things are just
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  whatsoever things are pure. Whatsoever things are lovely.
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  Whatsoever things are of good report.
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  If there be any virtue and if there be any praise, think on
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  these things. Hey listeners, This is Nick from
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  Scripture Central and today's podcast addresses the question.
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  How often do the Articles of Faith track sayings of Paul?
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  On March 1st, 1842, the church newspaper Times and Seasons
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  published a letter that Joseph Smith had written to a Chicago
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  newspaper reporter named John Wentworth.
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  In this letter, Joseph set forth 13 statements of beliefs of the
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  restored Church of Jesus Christ that would later become known as
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  the Articles of Faith. As people all over the world
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  read these Articles of faith today, it is inspiring to notice
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  how much of their wording is founded upon statements taught
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  by the Apostle Paul in the New Testament.
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  Significantly, it would appear that each is a central belief
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  that was held by the ancient Christian Church as well as the
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  modern restored Church. Indeed, as John Welch and John
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  Hall have detailed, the essence of each of the Articles of Faith
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  can be found, often verbatim, in the writings of Paul.
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  For example, Joseph Smith said we believe that men will be
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  punished for their own sins and not for Adam's transgression.
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  In the New Testament, several authors maintain the same view
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  of salvation, each declaring that we would be responsible for
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  our own life choices. For example, as Paul described,
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  Whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also reap.
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  During the first centuries of the Christian Church, the
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  majority of the Greek Fathers, including Origin and Clement of
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  Alexandria, agreed with Paul and believed that death has passed
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  on all mankind because all had sinned.
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  In later centuries this doctrine was lost or marginalized as
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  prominent theologians promulgated the notion that
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  there was an original sin passed on to mankind through the fall
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  of Adam and Eve, largely on the basis of a mistranslation of
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  Romans chapter 5, verse 12 into Latin in the 4th century,
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  Augustine of Hippo would formulate the clearest statement
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  of original sin based on mistranslation, mis, exegesis,
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  ET all. Joseph Smith's statement that we
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  are to be punished for our own sins then serves as a well
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  needed restoration of this important doctrine.
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  Another aspect of the Articles of Faith involves priesthood
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  authority to act in God's name. According to Joseph Smith, we
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  believe that a man must be called of God by prophecy and by
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  the laying on of hands by those who are in authority to preach
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  the gospel and administer in the ordinances thereof.
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  Much of this article of faith appears to have been drawn from
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  Paul's first epistle to Timothy, as Paul tells Timothy that his
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  calling was given thee by prophecy with the laying on of
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  the hands of the presbytery. That is, as noted by John W
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  Welch, each element of a proper priesthood ordination is
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  included in the steps described by both Joseph Smith and Paul.
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  This pattern would match the description of the actual
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  ordinations of various individuals throughout the New
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  Testament as well. When seven men were called to
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  assist the 12 apostles, they were told when they had prayed,
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  they laid their hands on them. Similarly, Barnabas and Saul
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  were sent on missions only after the apostles had prayed and laid
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  their hands upon them. Furthermore, the author of the
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  Epistle to the Hebrews makes it clear that no man taketh this
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  honor of the priesthood unto himself, but he that is called
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  of God, as was Aaron, making it clear that only authorized
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  representatives of the Lord could call anyone to a
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  priesthood office. Another worthwhile comparison
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  can be found in the final article of faith, which mentions
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  the Apostle Paul by name. We believe in being honest,
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  true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to
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  all men. Indeed, we may say that we
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  follow the admonition of Paul. We believe all things, we hope
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  all things. We have endured many things and
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  hope to be able to endure all things.
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  If there's anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report, or
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  praiseworthy, we seek after these things.
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  The admonition of Paul mentioned by Joseph Smith is drawn from 2
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  verses of scripture authored by Paul in First Corinthians
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  chapter 13, verse 7. Paul declares that charity, the
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  greatest spiritual gift that Saints should seek, beareth all
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  things, believeth, all things, hopeth all things, endureth all
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  things. According to both Joseph Smith
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  and Paul, Saints filled with this love would then be able to
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  perform these very actions. The last sentence of this
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  article of faith is similarly drawn from Philippians chapter
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  4, verse 8, which states that whatsoever things are true,
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  whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just,
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  whatsoever things are pure. Whatsoever things are lovely,
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  whatsoever things are of good report.
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  If there be any virtue and if there be any praise, think on
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  these things. In so doing, we can enjoy the
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  presence and gifts of the God of peace in our daily lives.
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  The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is a
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  restoration of the Church established by Jesus Christ in
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  ancient times. As such, it believes in the same
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  fundamental doctrines as was taught anciently, and the basis
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  of the Church can be found throughout the Bible.
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  These teachings were then identified and condensed by the
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  Prophet Joseph Smith to offer an easily accessible statement of
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  fundamental doctrines of the faith in Jesus Christ still
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  taught today in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day
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  Saints, as summarized by John W Welch.
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  The masterful job which Joseph Smith accomplished by condensing
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  the teachings of Paul into one single page deeply reflects his
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  inspiration and articulate faith in the gospel.
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  Thus we have the articles of faith of the early Apostolic
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  Church restored in the latter day experiences of a modern
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  prophet. Moreover, although we have only
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  considered Articles of Faith 25 and 13 in this brief
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  explanation, all of the other ten articles of faith also find
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  strong counterparts in the various letters of Paul.
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  Latter Day Saints believe in following the whole truth, not
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  just a few favorite or convenient doctrines.
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  Readers are encouraged to study each of the Articles of Faith
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  and their counterparts in the New Testament to see in overview
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  the expansive view of the gospel of Jesus Christ that was shared
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  by the Apostle Paul and the Prophet Joseph Smith.
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  True Christianity desires to receive the fullness of God's
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  infinite and eternal blessings. All that the Father has is
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  promised to the diligent, loving, and loyal followers of
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  Jesus Christ. Joseph Smith sought for the
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  fullness of the gospel, and he included in these 13 basic
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  articles the Word All seven times all mankind may be saved.
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  All that God has revealed, all that He does now reveal, allow
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  all men the same privilege, believe all things, hope all
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  things, and endure all things seven times.
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  All is to say, all to the total power.
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  After comparing the Articles of faith with Paul's epistles, it
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  is clear that the congruence between the teachings of Joseph
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  Smith and Paul shows them to be of one mind and one will as
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  apostles of Jesus Christ. These brief statements of faith
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  is found in the New Testament, and the writings of Joseph Smith
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  can then be seen as treasure doctrines for all Christians
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  everywhere, both ancient and modern, both young and old, both
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  male and female, both personal and as a body of believers in
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  the gospel of Jesus Christ. Thank you for listening to this
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  presentation from Scripture Central.
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  For more information, please visit scripturecentral.org.