Truth Suppression... What Would The Savior Want?

 

Summary:

1. History has been filled with people that felt threatened by the emergence of new groups or leaders. They exercised control over others. This is currently going on in the world!

 

2. People can be afraid of change. "What will people think of me? Will I lose my station in life?" Will I disappoint God?

 

How do people react to change or truth?   What has happened in scripture history?  What should we do today? 

Human nature in some regards has not changed a whole lot. Some people are teachable and not threatened when others have similar ideas. Others want to control those below them. The Lord did warn in D&C 121:34-37 that power tends to go to people's heads. Both Moses and Jesus/Yeshua gave examples of being non-threatened in leadership.

Moses -- people came to him: Eldad and Medad are prophecying in the camp; Stop them! Moses said, "...would God that all the Lord's people were prophets, and that the Lord would put his Spirit upon them!" Moses was meek, he didn't feel threatened by others with the Spirit. Numbers 11:25-29

People came to Jesus,

Luke 9: 49-50

49 ¶ And John answered and said, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name; and we forbad him, because he followeth not with us.

50 And Jesus said unto him, Forbid him not: for he that is not against us is for us.

Anytime that a Truth is being taught, that isn't part of the usual status quo in a house of worship, we need to remember John the Baptist (The Immerser)'s advice in Matthew 3: 1-3: "Repent and make the paths straight" (not crooked) to the Kingdom of heaven.

In Jesus'/Yeshua's day, the Pharisees were very threatened by change. In Luke 11:52: (vs. 37-54) Jesus/Yeshua had a scathing but truthful sermon addressed to the Pharisees about them "removing the key of knowledge" in order to block access to the Kingdom of Heaven.

How did the Pharisees and other leaders like them, of the day respond? They had spies, looking for Jesus and his disciples. They hounded potential converts who had been healed. They harassed, intimidated, and excommunicated people. They practiced public disinformation and disapproval. Eventually they sentenced Jesus and other followers, to death. Eusebius, an early Christian historian reported that even descendants of King David were being hunted down. 

{Eusebius' Ecclesiastical History, Transl. by CF Cruse, pg. 84}. Later on, truth was also hid by attempts to erase history.

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There is another group of people, that are arising. They are called Zion, the Pure in Heart. Later they will be called, the Church of the Firstborn and General Assembly of Heaven. JST Genesis 9:23; Hebrews 12:23; D&C 76:66-68.

To those tempted to suppress this movement: Don't be afraid of good change. Let it happen. One day this life will be over. You and I will face God. His gaze will pierce through. Public opinion will not matter then.

People are suffering spiritually and temporally in Babylon. The Lord is calling, "Depart out of her [Babylon world systems], my people." The Wise Virgins will be prepared to go out to meet Him when the servants call. 

 

Pay attention to the truth in order to avoid a spiritual wreck.