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Committed To The Church Or To The Gospel

Please read the following quote by Elder Packer and share your thoughts:

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Gospel To Church To Committed

Is there a place for both? Can one commit to build the Kingdom of God (the church?) as well as building and fostering the Kingdom of heaven (The Gospel?)

It seems that we should focus first and foremost on building up individuals in the Gospel, and the Church will grow naturally from the strength found in the members.

Committed To The Church Or To The Gospel Studies Doctrine Mormon

Elder Packer brings up a very good point. A mother with six young children (like my wife) who attends Church faithfully, but who may not hold a church calling (mine does), could not possibly be considered inactive. The Church is an earthly organization from which God administers the ordinances of exaltation. The family is what the Church serves and upholds.

Raising a family IS serving in the Church. As for these widows, who can say why they have no calling? Perhaps with some gentle persuasion and some creativity, they can be called to help in "official" ways with which they feel more comfortable. It would be a start.

I served in my ward's bishopric four years ago, and there were maybe four people I can recall who would not accept any calling. It truly is sad, because they are only depriving themselves of blessings and progression, but I would never have gone so far as to call them inactive. They were active in many other ways.

Let's leave the labeling up to God, who is the only true just judge.

Gospel To Church To Committed

Are they? I think the Lord knows the circumstances of each person but to say not accepting a calling in the Church is a way to deprive themselves from "blessings" and "progression", I am not sure if I agree with that. A young mother of 6 children may not be able to hold a calling due to her responsibilities and needs few people may be aware of, but daily she teaches her kids the ways of the Lord and tries her best to be a good mom and wife. Is she depriving herself when she puts her family first? (as it is supposed to be, in my opinion). Isn't she receiving blessings and progressing while she magnifies her most important callings? Church callings are not the only way to receive blessings and progress, if we magnify the callings we already have as parents and spouses then we will see it in a total different perspective.

A young mother of 6 who decides to accept a calling that will take away a lot of her time from the home or the attention that her kids and husband need, is truly being faithful?

A friend of mine (mother of many) years ago told me laughing how she was leaving her house to do some visits (she held a leadership position), her husband stopped her and asked her whether the family will continue not having breakfast during the morning since he had to go to work. For me, it was sad to hear that. In my opinion, any leader who give a calling of big responsibility to a mother of young kids is not being sensitive. A young mother who accepts a calling knowing it will take away a great time out of her home and away from her kids, is not being sensitive either.

It seems like in the end is a matter of perspective and priorities. Being committed and active in the Gospel is in my view, what Heavenly Father expects of each one of us...and being active in the Gospel is not necessarily link to a calling or with the Church but having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and try to emulate his divine example.

I read stories daily of people being committed to Christ by wonderful deeds and acts of service they perform, many are not even Church members.

So I would never feel sad for people who may not accept a calling, imagine if some of them are like the story of this Lady Was she depriving herself of blessings and progression, too? As members of the Church, I think most times we assume too much and take little time to "listen".

Gospel To Church To Committed

I agree that the Lord knows the circumstances of every member. I also believe that his called and annointed servants are entitled to know his will concerning all callings to members. It is not my place to judge as right or wrong when a bishop has called a young mother to a weighty calling-or a widow, or an infirm.

So when I am asked to sustain such a calling, I do so. Not because I agree that young mothers with many children should be engaged in this calling or that, but that I have faith that my bishop is extending the right call at the right time to the right person.

How can rejecting a call from the Lord ever result in anything other than a loss of (as in never received) blessings? How do we not know the Lord is just testing our willingness to serve him? If a young mother accepts a call, does her best (even though that means missing 50% or more of her expected meetings and such in favor of her calling as a mother), and is released when she has done all that the Lord expected (whatever that may be), how could it be said that she made the wrong choice? Would she not have received blessings and progressed in ways that would have otherwise been forfeit?

No mortal ever had more asked of him than Abraham, and look at the blessings he received (and we as well) from his obedience. He was willing to accept the call of the Lord, and the Lord accepted his offering without Abraham ever having to carry out the ultimate particulars of that call.

I don't want to sound unfeeling here, but I have sat opposite members of the Church-good members-who said they "just couldn't do that," when being called to serve, or to say a prayer in sacrament meeting, or to speak. And I can tell you that in every one of those cases, the individual did not receive the blessings that the Lord had in store for the small service he asked. Do I think less of those individuals? Not in the least.

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About the story about Irma. I believe I understand what you're getting at-not judging others. I agree wholeheartedly that we should not judge others for innumerable reasons, like those highlighted in that story. I also believe, that the story perefctly re-states my point. Irma did the best with what she was given. And nothing more was ever expected of her by the Lord. So when the Lord calls us to serve in any capacity, he likewise expects us to accept and do our best-whatever that best may be.

The doctrine is "many are called, but few are chosen." It is also, "I, the Lord, am bound when ye do what I say, but when ye do not what I say, ye have no promise." That's the doctrine-I let the Lord judge who is deserving of what.

Edited: TheQuietMan on 23rd Mar, 2009 - 6:35am

Committed To The Church Or To The Gospel

We know through Prayer. Hence it is VITAL for any Church member to pray about the calling that is being extended, even more those who are under special circumstances. The Lord in several occasions in the Scriptures chastise his people when they willing serve the Church but their families are in chaos. In the Doctrine and Covenants he even commanded them to see about their family first. The Lord is a Lord of simply common sense as well. Makes no sense for Him (in these examples given in the scriptures) that someone may serve a mission or work in a calling but his/her family is falling apart.

It depends. Is she neglecting her family in order to fulfill these responsibilities? If she is, then is obviously not the right choice. A balance of both is what the Lord may expect from us, always...always putting our families first and the Church second. Many people think the Church comes first and the families second. Nothing further from the Truth. God comes first and your personal relationship with him is not necessarily linked to a Church calling.

If the reason is one the Lord understands, it is so irrelevant what "men" may think. If is not one the Lord understands, then yes, the person won't receive the blessing.

Actually not. "Let's not judge" statement is one of my pet peeves because what we are told is not to judge unrighteously. The story about Irma is about assuming. Just like assuming those who reject a calling won't receive blessings from the Lord. Assuming that the only way to give service IS through the Church and through callings. I met members who did not have any callings because they could hardly attend Church due to health issues but they were great followers of Christ by giving service to those in need at all times. Members who were not aware of their situation, assumed all sort of things. They did not know. The Lord knew and that it was all that matter in the end. Did the Lord bless them based on their deeds? I have no doubt he did.

As a member of the Church I like to believe and identity myself as a Christian. My personal relationship with the Savior goes beyond a calling in the Church, a meeting, how many baptisms we had in the month or who is coming to the next potluck. I want to believe is the same for each member of the Church. My relationship with the Savior is hoping I may be able to follow his example in the best way I can, give of my food to the hungry, comfort the sick and the afflicted and try to do the things He did while he was in the Earth. I believe that's all He requires of us, we can complicate it by adding extra things but that's what he asks to us through the Scriptures. If we are doing ALL these things and can take more, why not? But if we are not visiting the sick and the afflicted, given to our substance to the hungry... Attending a meeting to plan the next meeting or discussing statistics or the next fun activity will *truly* (in my opinion) reap no blessings.

Committed To Church To Gospel

I feel like we're going in circles somewhat. I don't fundamentally disagree with anything you've said. Your original question was about Elder Packer's statement about members who are considered "inactive" merely on the basis of their not holding an official calling. I support what I understand to be the meaning of his statement-that members ARE serving in the church regardless of holding an official calling.

At the same time, however, I believe that we each individually grow and progress as we accept callings to serve. Those who choose not to serve, for whatever reason, cannot receive the blessings and personal spiritual progress that would otherwise accompany their service. It is that simple. Please don't extrapolate that statement to go further than I intend.

Committed To Church To Gospel Mormon Doctrine Studies

Well, all I can is that I am fully aware of the original topic. We are definetely in two different pages on some points on this issue. You seem to try to be technical, I do not. I did not extrapolate anything really but debate a point (that you made) which I thought/think is fallacy.