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I’ve been working on some basic gospel question for a book I’m writing. This is the first draft of the questions. I hope you will take the quiz and then provide your thoughts on it.
After taking the quiz, if you think of a question that should be included in this quiz or any other suggestion, please let me know. My email address to cut and paste is: diligentlyseek@gmail.com
Click the following link to get started.
I enjoyed the quiz. It got me to thinking about the plain and simple things of th egospel. One thing often overlooked as it pertains to the importance of baptism is what it is for. The main aspect of baptism is that it is only through making a covenant relationship with the Father, that we can claim to be numbered with Him. That covenant relationship begins at baptism. This is why Christ too had to be baptised. Even Christ had to be baptized (not to wash any sins away) so that he would show to us the absolute requirement of the rules of the Kingdom and the most important being entering into a covenant relationship with the Father.
A lot of people do not understand this principle. Honestly, LDS believe that baptism is merely for the washing away of ones sins and being reborn. First and foremost, baptism is the means whereby we enter into the covenant with the Father. As this happens, it unlocks, or gives one access to the father and the atonement. This new covenant relationship allows us to get the remission of sins needed that is secondary or a part of the agreement that God promises to us now being brought into the covenant relationship.
The baptism of Christy thus shows us first and foremost the first reason of baptism, it being the very ordinance that establishes the covenant relationship which from there, unlocks all physical and spiritual blessings of eternity.
What is the difference between “forgiveness of sins” and “remission of sins”?
Rob wrote: “it unlocks, or gives one access to the father and the atonement”
Thanks for your comment. I think your understanding is right on. Well put, brother.
Rich asked: What is the difference between “forgiveness of sins” and “remission of sins”?
This is the key question I had hoped everyone would ask after completing the quiz.
As I write this, 54 people have taken the quiz, 5 answered the question about remission of sins correctly.
I plan on writing more on this, but for now I hope you will read a three part series beginning Here
If you read it, I hope you will let me know what you think.
Jared, I took your quiz and scored 70%. The three questions which were marked wrong were…
Q.2 The ordinance of baptism is for past and future sin.
I chose “False” and you said the answer was “True.” How do you figure that the baptism I had years ago is for the sins I commit today?
Q.4 When do baptized members receive a remission of sins?
I chose “When they repent with real intent” and you said the answer was “When they receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” Receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost is the ordinance of confirmation. When we are confirmed, we are told to “Receive the Holy Ghost!” We are not told to “Receive the gift of the Holy Ghost!” You need to re-word this quiz question to state “When we receive the Holy Ghost” and get rid of the gift part. A baptized member who has not been confirmed can still receive the Holy Ghost and thus a remission of their sins because of their repentance with real intent, without having had hands laid on them for the gift of the Holy Ghost. The gift is a right to have the Holy Ghost always with us, which we receive through confirmation. It does not mean we have received the Holy Ghost.
Q.5 According to the prophets, what is the most important thing a church member can do in this life?
I chose “Give Christ like service” and you said the answer was “Receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” Again, receiving the “gift” of the Holy Ghost refers to the ordinance of confirmation, not to receiving the Holy Ghost. A person can have hands laid on them and be told to receive the Holy Ghost and may still not have done what is necessary, nor do what is necessary, to receive the Holy Ghost. Confirmation, then, may have no effect. However, anyone who does Christ-like service, which is charity, will be lifted up at the last day.
LDS Anarchist-
I just read your comment. I’m leaving town until next week in 10 minutes. I’ll look forward to responding to you when I return.
LDS Anarchist–
Thanks for taking the quiz. Also, a big high five for having what it takes to ask questions about your results. A 151 people took the quiz so far, one other person sent me an email asking a question. You are only the second person interested enough to find out why I scored the test as I did.
To your questions.
Q.2 The ordinance of baptism is for past and future sin.
Can a person repent who hasn’t been baptized? According to the Book of Mormon they can’t. It requires both repentance and baptism for sins to be remitted (3 Nephi 27:20).
Can a person take the sacrament who hasn’t been baptized? No, one must be baptized to take the sacrament.
“When converted persons are baptized for the remission of sins, the sacred baptismal ordinance is designed to free them from past and future sins. Those sins committed after baptism are forgiven whenever members of the Church, by full compliance with the law of forgiveness, again get themselves in the same state of righteousness and purity previously attained in connection with their baptisms.” Mormon Doctrine, p. 296.
Q.4 When do baptized members receive a remission of sins?
The answer to this question requires a little more time and space so I’ll refer you to a three part post I wrote to answer this question.
A short answer is that “there is but one baptism; it takes the baptism of water, of the Holy Ghost, and of fire to constitute one full baptism”.
The three part post begins here:
http://www.ldsaliveinchrist.com/2010/07/what-does-it-mean-to-be-baptized-by-fire-and-the-holy-ghost/
Q.5 According to the prophets, what is the most important thing a church member can do in this life?
Consider the following quotes:
“We worship the Father, in the name of the Son, by the power of the Holy Ghost.”
The Promised Messiah, Bruce R. McConkie, p. 13
Now, if you have the Holy Ghost with you—and every one ought to have—I can say unto you that there is no greater gift, there is no greater blessing, there is no greater testimony given to any man on earth. Wilford Woodruff, Deseret Weekly, April 6, 1889, 451.
The greatest gift that a person can have in mortality, without any exception, is the gift of the Holy Ghost… Sermons and Writings of Bruce R. McConkie, Page 350.
Fundamentally, all gospel teachings and activities are centered on coming unto Christ by receiving the Holy Ghost in our lives. David A. Bednar, “Receive the Holy Ghost”, Ensign, Nov. 2010, 94–98
“There is no greater blessing that can come into our lives than … the companionship of the Holy Spirit” Gordon B Hinckley, (Boston Massachusetts Regional Conference, 22 Apr. 1995;).”
I got a 70%, based on your scoring. I wonder what the score means? Marginally acceptable?
In your book, I hope you will not try to give definitive answers for particular questions. Every member of the Church is entitled to his or her own answers, and those answers will often change as time passes and their perspectives and learnings change. In some matters, I have a differing thought today than I did ten years ago, but I won’t say that either today’s or yesterday’s thought is right or wrong in an absolute sense — both thoughts served me well at the time and place and circumstance, and are true in that sense.
Our God gives us inspiration and revelation based on our needs and our circumstances at the time. Such inspiration most often is not complete — but it is adequate for the time, and it is truth, and it may be added to later.
I hope you will allow for these realities in your book. Please don’t write a book saying that the ONLY way to believe is your way and that all good Mormons, as a matter of definition, must get a 100% on your test in order to be “right.” We can both be right on a particular matter even if we differ — or we can both be wrong.
ji–
Thanks for visiting, taking the quiz, and providing feedback.
The purpose of the quiz is to help those who take it to think more deeply about the basic principles of the gospel. There is no level of acceptability or meaning intended.
I didn’t provide answers (other than right or wrong) to the questions except to those who were interested enough to ask. So far, 155 people have taken the quiz, a few people, about 5 or 6, wrote me an email or asked in their comment wanting more information.
I’ve found that some very spiritual people don’t do well on the quiz. The inverse is also true, some who do well on the quiz don’t even have a testimony.
Heavenly Father teaches that we should “feast on the words of Christ”, so I am trying to do that, thus the reason for the quiz, with the hope it will help me and others stay as close to the Lord as possible.
I agree with much of what you said in your comment.
Re: comment from Oct. 16, 2011 @6:20 pm,
“Can a person take the sacrament who hasn’t been baptized? No, one must be baptized to take the sacrament. ”
The current handbook (red) in section 20.4.1 says nothing should be done to prevent nonmembers from partaking of the sacrament and children under 8 also participate.
Alan-
Thanks for the clarification. It should read, “Can a person take the sacrament who hasn’t been baptized. No, one must be baptized to take the sacrament with the prospect of receiving a remission of sins. Should an unbaptized person take the sacrament, which happens often in our meetings, it would have no meaning for them because they are not under covenant.”
I’m not sure about the linkage between the sacrament and baptism; i.e., that the sacrament is a renewal of baptismal covenants. I know it is the common belief or folklore among us, but that’s all I know.
I tend to believe an unbaptized member can sometimes partake of the ordinance of the sacrament with some efficacious result. Imagine a woman who is believing but unbaptized because her husband won’t allow it, or a teenager who is believing but unbaptized because his or her parents won’t allow it. I cannot reach so far as to say that their partaking of the sacrament, should they do so, would “have no meaning for them because they are not under covenant.” Their partaking may have great sanctifying effect on their souls, and such is surely meaningful.
I tend to look on the sacrament as an ordinance, not as a covenant. It works better for me. I also tend to look on baptism as an ordinance rather than a covenant.
Jared,
The 4th article of faith says: baptism by emersion for the remission of sins. I am just wondering about that since you said that remission of sins comes upon the receipt of the Holy Ghost.
K-Jo–
Good question. I hope the following info helps answer your question.
“We sometimes speak of baptism for the remission of sins. The remission, if you will read the scriptures carefully, comes through the baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost.” Boyd K. Packer, “The Gift of the Holy Ghost: What Every Member Should Know”, Ensign, Aug. 2006, 46-52.
There are several places in the Book of Mormon that help answer this question.
Enos was the son of a prophet, Jacob, Nephi’s brother. He didn’t receive a remission of sins until many years after his baptism. He wrote:
And I will tell you of the wrestle which I had before God, before I received a remission of my sins. (Book of Mormon | Enos 1:2)