Romans 13:11
11And that, knowing the time, that now it is high atime to awake out of bsleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.
What is nearer?
Our salvation is nearer than we believe - I take this to think that the day we will be judged for our works will come more quickly than we anticipate.
What must we continue doing to work out our salvation?
Ezekiel 3:20
20Again, When a arighteous man doth bturn from hiscrighteousness, and commit iniquity, and I lay a dstumblingblockbefore him, he shall die: because thou hast not given him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he hath done shall not be remembered; but his blood will I require at thine hand.
As this scripture says we must continually be righteous. Even if were at one point righteous and did many great and important things for the kingdom of God it will count for nothing if we turn away from that path. I would say that how righteous you are today has more to do with your salvation that with your behavior any other day.
Doctrine and Covenants 14:7
7And, if you akeep my commandments and bendure to the end you shall have ceternal life, which gift is the greatest of all the gifts of God.
This scripture tells us to endure to the end - meaning being righteous until the very end. I kind of thought about fad diets here randomly haha. I was thinking many people go on a diet just to do it for a short period of time - and as a result usually get short term results. But those who go on a healthy eating plan and eat good every day - although they may occasionally mess up by eating more ice cream than they should have - they have a constant flood of good nourishment to their body. Those are the people who are healthy and maintain long time results it's a habit of healthy eating and making healthy choices consistently. Like eating the righteousness that counts for the most is constant over time with a plan to always be that way - a habit of righteous living. And when you make a change you plan on it being a forever one.
So as we can see from these two scriptures that to have salvation you must be continually righteous or continually striving to be so. Being righteous is not something we do today and forget tomorrow, but it is something we try and do each and every day. And you can't say - I was good last week so that should count for something, I'll be a little more selfish, unkind, and relaxed because I deserve it from last week (I sometimes have this attitude) . The righteousness - or the unrighteousness - that counts is what you are doing right now! This also helps you forget past mistakes and focus on what you are doing currently to be the best person you can be.
What did Paul teach would lead us to salvation?
Romans 12
"1I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your abodies a living bsacrifice, holy, cacceptable unto God, which is your reasonable dservice."
My first thought was that we need to give all that we have to Lord - Our time and talents. I also thought that you need to treat your body with respects - Meaning follow the word of wisdom (Doctrine and Covenants section 89) and dress modestly so you can use your body more effectively in his service because we ow all we have to our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ - The Son who gave his very perfect life so that you may live.
I looked up the footnotes as well to get further light and knowledge on this subject. The first bodies - Leads you to the topic "sanctity of the body" in the topical guide. So I would say that leads us to know that God wants our bodies to be kept sacred - following the law of chastity, keeping bad images our of minds, thinking good thoughts towards others, and keeping them healthy and respected.
The second footnote lead to a very good scripture - Mosiah 2:34. I will quote the part I felt was most applicable here "...but what knoweth that ye are eternally indebted to your heavenly Father, to render to him all that you have and are..." This is pretty straight forward - Like I said we owe every particle of everything we have to our wonderful loving Heavenly Father. Another scripture listed was Doctrine and Covenants 93:1 "Verily, thus saith the Lord: It shall come to pass that every soul who forsaketh his sins and cometh unto me, and calleth on my name, and obeyeth my voice, and keepeth my commandments, shall see my face and know that I am;" This leads me believe that sacrifice is also forsaking your sins.
When it says that the service is "acceptable" unto God it tells me that God will except your service and your sacrifices if you do your best to make yourself a good person and give service unto his children like he has asked us all to do.
2And be not conformed to this aworld: but be ye btransformed by the crenewing of your dmind, that ye may eprove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, fwill of God.
Right off the bat I would say that this means you should not follow the fads of the world - but the commandments of God. Listen to Heavenly Father to tell you what is right and what is wrong and not to the wisdom of men, for they are often wrong. And by doing this Heavenly Father will help you understand and lead and guide you by the Holy Ghost to know the right things to do and you can be an example of what the true meaning of "good" is, even in this confusing world.
The footnote under transformed also leads you to the topic of self-mastery. So being transformed might mean that you have control over the natural man - or your earthly passions.
The footnote for renewing tells you to look up topics under spiritual rebirth. We know that through the atonement of Jesus Christ that we can truly become a new person. As Paul did - He was a mean man that allowed/encouraged/took part in persecuting the saints, and therefore Christ himself, when he was Saul. But because of his repentance he became a new person - an apostle and missionary for Jesus Christ. We can all become a new and better person by repenting of our sins. Christ's power is real and if you have a broken heart and a contrite spirit he will cleanse you of your sins and your old self.
9Let love be awithout dissimulation. Abhor that which is bevil; cleave to that which is good.
I thought this would be a good verse where I could turn to the wonderful dictionary to help shed some understanding on it! Sometimes if I even think I know the meaning of words I can find more insight by looking up the actual definition.
Let - to allow or permit
dissimulation- feigning; hypocrisy, to conceal one's true motives, thoughts
Abhor- to regard with extreme repugnance or aversion; detest utterly;loathe; abominate
cleave - to adhere closely; stick; cling; to remain faithful
With that said we can see that we are to love without any other motive other than to love - meaning we don't love others to get things back from them. Love isn't something that we should want a reward for. Avoid evil like the plague - that doesn't mean treat people who do sin like the plague - but remove evil from your life and almost fear sinning or when you think of sinning you should get a feeling of disgust. Which I do not always get as I am not perfect and I often think of some sins as something I wish I could do or it would be interesting - They sometimes excite and entice me. But this is not how we should feel about any sin. I think we can learn to have a better attitude towards sin if we follow the next part - Which is to adhere closely to anything that is good. I think that if we do this eventually our desire for sin will wain - Even if it does seem slow :P.
13Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to ahospitality.
So a saint is friendly and generous!
16Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but acondescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own bconceits.
condescend is conforming willingly with the humble
conciets showed the topic Pride
I would say a saint doesn't put themselves above others but makes other feel comfortable around them by being loving and willing to learn - not conceded.
21Be not overcome of evil, but aovercome evil with good.
I think this means treat those who are mean to you with kindness :).
Romans 13
1 Let every soul abe subject unto the higher bpowers. For there is no cpower dbut of God: the epowers that be are ordained of God.
Saints know that all things come from Heavenly Father and are obedient to him. They also know that he is the only one with power - We can have his power in our lives by prayer and the priesthood.
3For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the apower? do that which is bgood, and thou shalt have praise of the same:
Saints are not afraid or resentful of God's good power that brings about good?
8aOwe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he thatbloveth another hath fulfilled the law.
The footnote on Owe says "debt" so I would say saints try to stay out of debt whenever possible like we have been instructed by our living Prophet.
9For this, Thou shalt not commit aadultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not bsteal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not ccovet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thydneighbour as thyself.
A Saint keep the commandments and love his neighbor - loving others leads us to follow the other commandments. We wouldn't steal, lie, or covet if we truly loved, and we certainty wouldn't commit adultery.
What cautions did Paul give about judging?
Romans 14
10But why dost thou ajudge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the bjudgmentseat of Christ.
Basically Paul said - We all do stuff wrong and we will have to be judged of those things we are not perfect in one day. It won't be fun, but none of us do everything right, so don't judge your fellow man.
Many people have different opinions and practices - which is the most important to remember?
The Lord's - of coarse.
This is to give further insight on the last two questions.
Doctrine and Covenants 38
25And again I say unto you, let every man esteem his abrother as himself.
26For what man among you having twelve sons, and is no respecter of them, and they serve him obediently, and he saith unto the one: Be thou clothed in robes and sit thou here; and to the other: Be thou clothed in rags and sit thou there—and looketh upon his sons and saith I am ajust?
27Behold, this I have given unto you as a parable, and it is even as I am. I say unto you, be aone; and if ye are not one ye are not mine.
What Term did Paul often refer to the members of his church in his time?
25But now I go unto Jerusalem to minister unto the saints.
26For it hath pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain acontribution for the poor saints which are at Jerusalem.
31That I may be delivered from them that ado not believe in Judæa; and that my service which I have for Jerusalem may be accepted of the saints;
2That ye receive her in the Lord, as becometh saints, and that ye assist her in whatsoever business she hath need of you: for she hath been a succourer of many, and of myself also.
15Salute Philologus, and Julia, Nereus, and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints which are with them.
Obviously he called them Saints!
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