"Thou art the Christ" - Knowlede Does Not insure Salvation.

From James E. Talmage's "Jesus the Christ"
(Note 6 to Chapter 13)

"6. Knowlede Does Not Insure Salvation. -- James of old chided his bretheren for certain empty professions (James 2:19). Said he in effect: you take pride and satisfaction in declaring your belief in God; you boast of being distinguished from the idolaters and the heathen because you accept one God; you do well to profess, and to believe; but, remember others do likewise; even the devils believe; and, we may add, so firmly that they tremble at the thought of the fate whith that belief makes sure. Those confessions of the devils, that Christ was the Son of God, were founded on knowledge; yet their knowledge of the great truth did not change their evil natures.

How different was their acknowledgement of the Savior from that of Peter, who, to the Master's question "Whom Say ye that I am?" replied in practically the words used by the unclean spirits before cited, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God" (Matt. 16:15-16; See also Mark 8:29; Like 9:20). Peter's faith had already shown its vital power; it had caused him to forsake much that had been dear, to follow his Lord through persecution and suffering, and to put away worldliness with all its fascination, the sacraficing godliness which his faith made so desirable. His knowledge of God as the Father, and the Son as the Redeemer, was perhaps no greater than that of the unclean spirits; but while to them that knowledge was but an added cause of condemnation, to him it was a means of salvation. -- Abridged from Articles of Faith, pp. 97-98.

An interesting and alarming point by Brother Talmage one that has caused me, and should cause all, to ponder as to where and how we declare our testimony of The Christ and its center....

Another post on my all to growing son, Spencer

Kids are wonderful! A little loud and not wanting to nap, when they desperatly (according to the parents) need to, but they are FUN to watch and discover in the process of childhood. Here are pictures of Spencer discovering light



















And pondering the depths of his relationship in the cosmos to this puddle of light on the floor and also what that might meen to him 37 years from now...


















And now going to tell mom what great insite he has discovered in his pondering















And what did he learn from his pondering? Well He seems to have learned that he can actually stand up in his crib without help from a parent...






Well next step, I guess, is learning to climb :D

Come Come ye saints

HERE

I have been, in the back of my mind, singing this song a lot of late... and it occurred to me how much this song is true to life. I have noted below a few of the thoughts that I've had while singing it.

Come, come, ye Saints, (the invitation to all persons that claim to be 'saints of God' to come to Him.)
no toil nor labor fear; (why fear when Jesus has already WON the fight all we need to do is be on His team, or side, or His corporation, or whatever you want to liken being with Him?)
But with joy wend your way. (again, why not be happy? We obviously made a correct choice somewhere as we're here in mortality learning to get back to Heaven and our God... why not be happy?)
Though hard to you this journey may appear, (Life always seems harder when we are in the middle of a test, or put on the spot, but in actuality if we see life as a whole we're already at least one step closer and Jesus will be there to help, with His Grace, as long as we are trying and we ASK Him.)
Grace shall be as your day. (see above)
’Tis better far for us to strive (life is soooo much easier and simpler when you are working on something good, especially for another being.)
Our useless cares from us to drive; (really what small and simple cares/mole-hills do we make into mountains?)
Do this, and joy your hearts will swell— All is well! All is well! (A BIG key to lasting happiness.)
Why should we mourn or think our lot is hard? ’Tis not so; all is right. (We came down here to be tested so why are we upset, sad, or angry when we actually have a trial that will make us stronger? I watch my baby get SO mad and frustrated while attempting to crawl, but I see that I can't do it for him, HE needs to grow the muscle, coordination, and brain capacity TO crawl. In the end it will be worth it.)
Why should we think to earn a great reward If we now shun the fight? (Same as above... why do we think to walk without having learned how? How do we expect to be exalted without learning how? Granted no one can make it by themselves, but we still need to at least work at it.)
Gird up your loins; fresh courage take. Our God will never us forsake; (self explanatory. He'll always be there if we call out to Him.
And soon we’ll have this tale to tell— All is well! All is well! (What a happy song)
We’ll find the place which God for us prepared,
Far away in the West,
Where none shall come to hurt or make afraid;
There the Saints will be blessed.
We’ll make the air with music ring,
Shout praises to our God and King;
Above the rest these words we’ll tell— All is well! All is well! (This whole verse was accomplished and in looking at the Salt Lake Area All is Well and still continues to be well where most other places in the U.S., if not the world, aren't quite as blessed.)
And should we die before our journey’s through,
Happy day! All is well!
We then are free from toil and sorrow, too;
With the just we shall dwell! (Ahhhh... to die in the Lord. In His service to be taken into His presence to dwell there forever. It's a vacation from this life at times.)
But if our lives are spared again To see the Saints their rest obtain, Oh, how we’ll make this chorus swell— All is well! All is well! (And we will forget ourselves and get to work and be happy more.)


Sorry for poor lighting