The Commandments

The Ten Commandments (Ex. 20:8-11; Mosiah 13)

• • “Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” (Matt. 22:37-40)

  • “Behold, I have given unto you the commandments; therefore keep my commandments. And this is the law and the prophets, for they truly testify of me.” (3 Nephi 15:10)

  • “If ye love me, keep my commandments.” (John 14:15)

  • The Rich Young Ruler (Matt. 19:16-26; Mark 10:17-27; Like 18:18-27)

  • The necessity to keep the Ten Commandments.

  • “Owe no man anything, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet...” (Romans 13:8-14)

  • “And now behold, I speak unto the church...” (D&C 42:18-29)

  • Clarifications:

  • Idols: “But wo unto the rich, who are rich as to the things of the world. For because they are rich they despise the poor, and they persecute the meek, and their hearts are upon their treasures; wherefore, their treasure is their god. And behold their treasure shall perish with them also.” (2 Nephi 9:30)

  • Honour parents (Eph. 6:1-3)

  • Killing: (Matt 5:21-26)

The Sabbath Day

• • The first day of the week. (Acts 20:7; 1 Cor. 16:2)

  • Latter-day commandment. (D&C 59:9-20; D&C 68:29)

  • Jesus institutes the sacrament. (3 Nephi 18:1-25)

  • Keep away from worldly things. (Isaiah 58:13-14)

  • A perpetual covenant. (Exodus 31:12-17)

The Law of Chastity

• • “For I the Lord delight in the chastity of women.” (Jacob 2:7, 28)

  • The most serious sin next to murder. (Alma 39:3-5)

  • Thoughts. (Matt. 5:27-32; D&C 63:16)

  • “abstain from fornication” (1 Thes. 4:3)

  • homosexuality. (Romans 1:24-32)

  • Sinning against your own body. (1 Cor. 6:18-20)

Tithing

• • Abraham paid tithes. (Genesis 14:18-20; Heb. 7:1-10; Alma 13:13-16)

  • Issac covenanted to pay tithes (Genesis 28:22)

  • Children of Israel paid tithes (Num. 18:21-28)

  • The Lord's promise. (Mal 3:8-18; 3 Nephi 24)

  • “...verily it is a day of sacrifice, and a day for the tithing of my people; for he that is tithed shall not be burned at his coming.” (D&C 64:23-25)

  • “And this shall be the beginning of the tithing of my people. And after that, those who have thus been tithed shall pay one-tenth of all their interest annually; and this shall be a standing law unto them forever, for my holy priesthood, saith the Lord. (D&C 119:3-4)

  • Tithes doesn't necessarily mean money. (2 Chr. 31:5-12)

  • Pay tithing willingly. “for God loveth a cheerful giver.” (2 Cor. 9:6-8; see also D&C 64:34)

  • “But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.” (3 Nephi 13:33)

  • A council comprised of the First Presidency, the Quorum of the Twelve, and the Presiding Bishopric determines specific ways to use the sacred tithing funds. (D&C 120)

Pray Often

• • God commands us to pray to him. (2 Nephi 32:8-9; Alma 37:36-37)

  • You can pray at anytime in any setting. (Alma 34:17-28; 3 Nephi 18:21)

  • Zenos taught that men should pray and worship in all places. (Alma 33:2-11)

  • Pray sincerely and with real intent. (Moroni 10:3-5)

    • Real Intent means acting on the answer that we receive. (see Alma 22:15-18; Moroni 7:9, 48)

  • Pray with faith. (Alma 31:15-18, 26-36, 38; see also Alma 38:12-14)

  • The Lords' Prayer (3 Nephi 13:5-13)

  • The Pharisee vs. the Publican (Luke 18:9-14)

  • Brother of Jared chasten. (Ether 2:13-15)

  • Pray vocally. (D&C 19:28)

  • Listen to receive revelation. (D&C 6:22-23; 8:2-3; 9:7-9; 1 King 19:11-12)

  • Promise that prayer shall be answered. (3 Nephi 18:20; 3 Nephi 14:7-11)

Scripture Study

• • “And whatsoever they shall speak when moved upon by the Holy Ghost shall be scripture, shall be the will of the Lord, shall be the mind of the Lord, shall be the word of the Lord, shall be the voice of the Lord, and the power of God unto salvation.” (D&C 68:4)

  • “Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” (2 Peter 1:20-21)

  • “Search these commandments, for they are true and faithful, and the prophecies and promises which are in them shall all be fulfilled. What I the Lord have spoken, I have spoken, and I excuse not myself; and though the heavens and the earth pass away, my word shall not pass away, but shall all be fulfilled, whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same.” (D&C 1:37-48)

  • “...And if ye shall believe in Christ ye will believe in these words, for they are the words of Christ, and he hath given them unto me; and they teach all men that they should do good.” (2 Nephi 33:10)

  • “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

  • “This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.” (Joshua 1:8)

  • “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.” (John 5:39)

  • “For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.” (Romans 15:4)

  • “Yea, we see that whosoever will may lay hold upon the word of God, which is quick and powerful, which shall divide asunder all the cunning and the snares and the wiles of the devil, and lead the man of Christ in a strait and narrow course across that everlasting gulf of misery which is prepared to engulf the wicked – And land their souls, yea, their immortal souls, at the right hand of God in the kingdom of heaven, to sit down with Abraham, and Issac, and with Jacob, and with all our holy fathers, to go no more out.” (Helaman 3:29-30)

  • “And behold, ye do know of yourselves, for ye have witnessed it, that as many of them as are brought to the knowledge of the truth, and to know the wicked and abominable traditions of their fathers, and are led to believe the holy scriptures, yea, the prophecies of the holy prophets, which are written, which leadeth them to faith on the Lord, and unto repentance, which faith and repentance bringeth a change of heartunto them -” (Heleman 15:7-8)

  • “And as all have not faith, seek ye diligently and teach one another words of wisdom; yea, seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom; seek learning, even by study and also by faith.” (D&C 88:118)

  • “But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.” (John 20:31)

  • Apply the scriptures, “liken all scriptures unto us, that it might be for our profit and learning.” (1 Nephi 19:21-24)