Jesus Christ -- Teachings; Latter Day Saint churches -- Doctrines
It is only natural that you should want to pause now, and review some
of the teachings that have been considered in these pages. Jesus
came to the earth to attend to His Father's business. That business
consisted of learning, Himself, to know God the Father, of teaching
all other men to know Him, and of bringing about the salvation of the
children of God. To accomplish His wonderful mission, Jesus taught
clearly what men should know about the Father and about Himself and
about the Holy Ghost; what men should know about the pre-existent life,
and why they are now upon the earth; and how they should worship God,
cultivate childlike faith in Him, and do the things that success in
worship requires. All these teachings, as we have seen, and all the
requirements, too, are in perfect harmony with natural law. To succeed
in any kind of endeavor one must follow just such steps as are outlined
by Jesus for attaining success in the struggle for exaltation. And,
certainly, we cannot rightfully hope to drift into the success of
eternal life, any more than we can hope to drift into the presidency of
the United States of America. Successful achievement is the crown of
persistent effort.
[Sidenote: A few questions.]
Now, as it is natural that you should want to pause at this point and
review these teachings, so it is natural that you should ask yourselves
such questions as these: Did Jesus intend that His disciples should
associate themselves in an organized community? Did He have in mind
the {146} organizing of a Church? Did He organize a Church? How did He
expect those who accepted His teachings to retain their devotion, and
to grow in their knowledge of God and His requirements of the faithful?
If He did establish a Church, how shall we recognize it? In this lesson
we shall discover what Jesus taught in answer to these questions.
[Sidenote: Parables by the sea.]
One day Jesus went "out of the house, and sat by the sea side. And
great multitudes were gathered unto Him, so that He went into a ship,
and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore."
Teaching the multitude in parables, Jesus said, "The kingdom of heaven
is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: but while men
slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his
way. But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then
appeared the tares also. So the servants of the householder came and
said unto him. Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from
whence then hath it tares? He said unto them, An enemy hath done this.
The servants said unto him. Wilt thou then that we go and gather them
up? But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up
also the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest: and
in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together
first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the
wheat into my barn."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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