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Lectures on Faith Lectures on Faith From the School of the Prophets at Kirtland, Ohio Lectures on Faith Junius Merrill [email protected] Office: 795-4001 Let us here observe , that three things are necessary in order that any rational and intelligent being may exercise faith unto salvation. First, the idea that he actually exists. Secondly, a correct idea of his character, perfections, and attributes. Thirdly, an actual knowledge that the course of life which he is pursuing is according to his will. (Lectures on Faith, 3:2-5) Date Topics Week 1: Sept. 1, Aug. 27 Introduction; Historical Backgroud Weeks 2-3: Sept. 8,15, Sept. 3,10 Lecture 1: What Faith Is Weeks 3-5: Sept. 22,29 Sept. 17,24 Lecture 2: The object of faith Weeks 5-6 Oct. 6,20 Oct. 1,8 Lecture 3: Attributes of God Weeks 7-8: Oct. 27, 11/3 Oct. 15, 29 Lecture 4: Character of God Weeks 9: Nov. 10 Oct. 22 Lecture 5: The Godhead Weeks 10-11 Nov. 17, 24 Nov. 5, 12 Lecture 6: Sacrifice Weeks 12-13: Dec. 1,8 Nov. 19, Dec. Lecture 7: Effects of faith Introduction/Historical Background ASeek Learning by Faith,@ David A. Bednar; AAuthorship and History of the Lectures on Faith,@ Larry Dahl Lecture 1 Topical Guide: AFaith Faith BD,@ AAssurance,@ ABelieve@ AConfidence,@ ATrust in God@ AFaith in God,@ Bruce R. McConkie; AFaith in the Lord Jesus Christ,@ Gerald N. Lund (attachment); “Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ,” Kevin W. Pearson Lecture 2 Topical Guide: Prophets; Revelation; Witness, Witnesses Bible Dictionary: Prophet; Revelation True to the Faith: AProphets,@ ARevelation@; Moroni 7:29-32 E-mail articles: AChosen Vessels and the Order of Priesthood,@ Joseph Fielding McConkie AThe Grandeur of God,@ Jeffrey R. Holland, Ensign, Nov. 2003,70-72; AFaith and Keys,@ Henry B. Eyring, Ensign, Nov. 2004, 26-29 Lecture 3 Lecture 4 Topical Guide: God, Creator; Mercy, Merciful; God, Eternal Nature of; Truth; God, Access to; God, Love of; God, Omniscience of; God, Power of; God, Justice of; Justice; Judgment; God, Mercy of Bible Dictionary: Faith True to the Faith: AAtonement of Jesus Christ,@ AFaith@ E-mail articles: AFaith and the Nature of God,@ Bruce R. McConkie; AThe Character of Christ,@ David A. Bednar; AThe Nature and Character of God,@ Andrew Skinner Lecture 5 Topical Guide: Godhead; God the Father B Elohim/Eloheim; Jesus Christ; Jesus Christ, Atonement through; Holy Ghost; Holy Ghost, Mission of; Holy Ghost, Source of Testimony. E-mail articles: ADoctrinal Exposition on the Father and the Son,@ Ensign, April 2002, 13-18; AThe Supreme Power over All Things: The Doctrine of the Godhead in the Lectures on Faith,@ Robert L. Millet; AThe Eternal Godhead,@ Bruce R. McConkie Lecture 6 Topical Guide: Agency; God, Will of; Humility; Obedience; Reconciliation; Sacrifice; Test, Try, Prove; Will True to the Faith: AHumility,@ AObedience,@ ASacrifice@ E-mail articles: Neal A. Maxwell, ASwallowed Up in the Will of the Father,@ Ensign, Nov. 1995, 22-24; Richard G. Scott, ATrust in the Lord,@ Ensign, Nov. 1995, 16-18; AGreat Faith Obtained Only Through Personal Sacrifice,@ Robert J. Matthews; AFaith in the Lord Jesus Christ,@ Bruce R. McConkie Lecture 7 Topical Guide: AGrace,@ AJesus Christ, Exemplar,@ Jesus Christ, Atonement through; Jesus Christ, Mission of; Jesus Christ, Relationships with the Father; Salvation Bible Dictionary: Grace True to the Faith: AAtonement of Jesus Christ,@ AGrace,@ ASalvation@ E-mail articles: AThe Challenge to Become,@ Dallin H. Oaks, Ensign, Nov. 2000, 32-34; AIn the Strength of the Lord,@ David A. Bednar, BYU Speeches; AThe Fruits of Faith,@ AFaith and Salvation,@ Bruce R. McConkie Table of Contents Lectures on Faith 1 Syllabus 2 Table of Contents Introduction -- DAB Seek Learning by Faith 4 Background Readings 10 LED -- Authoriship and History 10 Lecture 1 17 BRM Faith in God 20 GNL Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ 23 Faith Diagrams from GNL 29 KWP Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ 31 Lecture 2 34 JFM Chosen Vessels and the Order of the Priesthood 40 JRH The Grandeur of God 48 HBE Faith and Keys 52 Lecture 3 56 Lecture 4 58 BRM Faith and the Nature of God 61 DAB The Character of Christ 66 ACS The Nature and Character of God 72 Lecture 5 77 The Father and the Son 78 BRM The Eternal Godhead 84 RLM The Supreme Power Over All Things 87 Lecture 6 96 BRM Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ 98 NAM Swallowed Up in the Will of the Father 102 RGS Trust in the Lord 106 RJM Great Faith Obtained Only Through Personal Sacrifice 109 Lecture 7 120 BRM The Fruits of Faith 124 BRM Faith and Salvation 128 DAB In the Strength of the Lord 133 DHO The Challenge to Become 141 AN EVENING WITH ELDER DAVID A. BEDNAR SEEK LEARNING BY FAITH Elder David A. Bednar Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles Address to CES Religious Educators • February 3, 2006 • Jordan Institute of Religion I express my love to and for children of men” (2 Nephi 33:1). Please notice how you—and the gratitude of the the power of the Spirit carries the message unto but Brethren for the righteous not necessarily into the heart. A teacher can explain, influence you have upon the demonstrate, persuade, and testify, and do so with youth of the Church through- great spiritual power and effectiveness. Ultimately, out the world. Thank you for however, the content of a message and the witness blessing and strengthening the of the Holy Ghost penetrate into the heart only if a rising generation. receiver allows them to enter. I pray that the Holy Ghost will Brothers and sisters, learning by faith opens the bless and edify us as we share pathway into the heart. Tonight we will focus upon this special time together. the individual responsibility each of us has to seek learning by faith. We also will consider the Companion Principles: Preaching by the implications of this principle for us as teachers. Spirit and Learning by Faith The Principle of Action: Faith in the Lord We are admonished repeatedly in the scriptures to Jesus Christ preach the truths of the gospel by the power of the Spirit (see D&C 50:14). I believe the vast majority of The Apostle Paul defined faith as “the substance of us as parents and teachers in the Church are aware of things hoped for, [and] the evidence of things not this principle and generally strive appropriately to seen” (Hebrews 11:1). Alma declared that faith is apply it. As important as this principle is, however, it not a perfect knowledge; rather, if we have faith, is only one element of a much larger spiritual pattern. we “hope for things which are not seen, [but] are We also frequently are taught to seek learning by true” (Alma 32:21). Additionally, we learn in the faith (see D&C 88:118). Preaching by the spirit and Lectures on Faith that faith is “the first principle learning by faith are companion principles that we in revealed religion, and the foundation of all should strive to understand and apply concurrently righteousness” and that it is also “the principle of and consistently. action in all intelligent beings” (Joseph Smith, comp., Lectures on Faith [1985], 1). I suspect we emphasize and know much more about a teacher teaching by the Spirit than we do about a These teachings of Paul and of Alma and from the learner learning by faith. Clearly, the principles and Lectures on Faith highlight three basic elements of processes of both teaching and learning are spiritually faith: (1) faith as the assurance of things hoped for essential. However, as we look to the future and which are true, (2) faith as the evidence of things not anticipate the ever more confused and turbulent world seen, and (3) faith as the principle of action in all in which we will live, I believe it will be essential for intelligent beings. I describe these three components all of us to increase our capacity to seek learning by of faith in the Savior as simultaneously facing the faith. In our personal lives, in our families, and in future, looking to the past, and initiating action in the Church, we can and will receive the blessings of the present. spiritual strength, direction, and protection as we Faith as the assurance of things hoped for looks to seek by faith to obtain and apply spiritual knowledge. the future. This assurance is founded upon a correct Nephi teaches us, “When a man speaketh by the understanding about and trust in God and enables us power of the Holy Ghost the power of the Holy to “press forward” (2 Nephi 31:20) into uncertain and Ghost carrieth [the message] unto the hearts of the often challenging situations in the service of the Savior. 1 Address to CES Religious Educators • February 3, 2006 • Elder David A. Bednar For example, Nephi relied upon precisely this type of that they walked into the water before it parted. They future-facing spiritual assurance as he returned to walked into the river Jordan with a future-facing Jerusalem to obtain the plates of brass—“not knowing assurance of things hoped for. As the Israelites moved beforehand the things which [he] should do. forward, the water parted, and as they crossed over on Nevertheless [he] went forth” (1 Nephi 4:6–7). dry land, they looked back and beheld the evidence of things not seen. In this episode, faith as assurance Faith in Christ is inextricably tied to and results in led to action and produced the evidence of things not hope in Christ for our redemption and exaltation.
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