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Obedience and Law

"Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law. Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also: Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith. Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law." - Romans 3:20-31

All sin and are condemned by the law. It is by our faith in Jesus Christ that we can be justified. This does not make the law void. We are still required to be obedient to the law, but we should be aware that it is the atoning blood of Christ that will save us. Our obedience then is an act of love and respect for him. Obedience is also evidence of and a building block for our faith.

Faith of our Father

Earlier this year President Uchtdorf had this to say about the faith of our Father:

"I testify that the doctrine of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ is the faith of our Heavenly Father. It is His truth, revealed to His servants the prophets from the days of Father Adam until our own time. The Father and the Son appeared to Joseph Smith to restore the faith of our Father on this earth, never to be taken away again. God desires that all of His children receive it, irrespective of their background, culture, or tradition. True religion should not originate from what pleases men or the traditions of ancestors, but rather from what pleases God, our Eternal Father." - Faith of Our Father, President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, April 2008

1 Timothy 4:12

"Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity." - 1 Timothy 4:12

All on the same terms

"And we know that all men must repent and believe on the name of Jesus Christ, and worship the Father in his name, and endure in faith on his name to the end, or they cannot be saved in the kingdom of God." - D & C 20:29

We all come to God on the same terms. The way to God is centered on Christ. We must trust in him to the point that we are willing to repent and endure to the end in faith.

"But there is a possibility that man may fall from grace and depart from the living God; Therefore let the church take heed and pray always, lest they fall into temptation; Yea, and even let those who are sanctified take heed also." - D & C 20:32-34

No one is exempt from temptation and apostasy. We must constantly nourish our faith through prayer, scripture study, and following the counsel of living prophets.

Gordon Hinckley - Lessons I Learned as a Boy

What an excellent message! The world would be a much better place if we were all a little nicer.