…VAN EEN VERNUFTIGE MAKELIJ…
(1 Nephi 18:1)
Belgium/Netherlands Mission
THE
LAW OF SACRIFICE – Part 3, The Sacrament
Offering the firstlings of the flocks as a similitude of
the sacrifice that would be made by the Only Begotten Son of God was offered
until the death of Jesus Christ which ended the shedding of blood as a gospel
ordinance. It is now replaced in the
Church by bringing an offering of a broken heart and contrite spirit to the
sacrament of the bread and the water, in remembrance of the offering of Jesus
Christ. Moroni taught about the covenant
that we make at baptism:
1 And now I speak concerning baptism.
Behold, elders, priests, and teachers were baptized; and they were not baptized
save they brought forth fruit meet
that they were worthy of
it.
2 Neither did they receive any unto baptism save they
came forth with a broken heart and
a contrite spirit, and witnessed unto the church that they truly repented of
all their sins.
3 And none were received unto baptism save they took upon
them the name of Christ, having a determination to serve him to the end. (Moroni 6:1-3)
The
Lord through Joseph Smith reiterated the importance of a broken heart and contrite
spirit as part of the baptismal covenant:
37 And again, by way of commandment to the church
concerning the manner of baptism—All those who humble
themselves before God, and desire to be baptized, and come forth with broken
hearts and contrite spirits,
and witness before the church that they have truly repented of all their sins,
and are willing to take upon them the name of
Jesus Christ, having a determination to serve him to the end, and truly
manifest by their works that
they have received of the Spirit of
Christ unto the remission of
their sins, shall be received by baptism into his church. (DC 20:37)
The
first principles and ordinances of the gospel are: faith in the Lord Jesus
Christ, repentance, baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost. The ordinances of baptism and receiving the
gift of the Holy Ghost occur only once in our life. However, we must repeatedly increase our
faith in Jesus Christ and the atonement and we must repeatedly repent because,
in our earthly experience, faith is perishable and we will make mistakes and
continually be in need of improvement. Also,
in lieu of re-baptism and confirmation, Jesus Christ instituted the sacrament
of the Lord’s Supper as a sacred ordinance to repeatedly renew our baptismal
covenant.
“…give
(the sacrament) unto the people of my church,
unto all those who shall believe and be baptized in my name.
6 And
this shall ye always observe to do,
even as I have done…” (3 Nephi 18:5-6)
This
then becomes a life’s pattern. We call
that in the church, “enduring to the end." In short, the law of animal blood sacrifice
was changed to a personal sacrifice of a broken heart and a contrite spirit. Each time we partake of the sacrament, we must
bring a broken heart and contrite spirit or we are bringing the wrong offering. If we bring the wrong offering, are we much
different than Cain who brought vegetables to sacrifice? Are you offering up a turnip during the
sacrament.
A
broken heart is sorrow for sin. A
contrite spirit is humble remorse and willingness to change behavior. The sacrament prayer itself tells us what
else we should be thinking about when we eat and drink the sacrament in return
for his Spirit always to be with us (DC 20:77):
- Remembrance of the body and the blood of thy Son,
- Willing to take upon them the name of thy Son,
- Always remember Him,
- Keep His commandments.
It is interesting to see we are to remember the sacrifice, the broken body and spilt blood, as well as remember His life and His example.
The sacrament is an ordinance that blesses our lives. When we are thinking of the roast beef at home, the problems of the week, our lesson, etc. during the sacrament, we might be bringing a turnip to the altar. Think about it.
President Robinson
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