Where Did The Restoration Stop And Modern Revelation Begin?

[ged1650]

To All,

The restoration has occured with the fulness of Priesthood Blessings as found in the higher priesthood ordinances of the temple. Having stated this, the gospel is an individual walk, not collective. We need personal revelation to complete this walk along with the necessary covenants.

Ged

[thesometimesaint]

ged1560:

That seems to me to be a violation of Article of Faith #9: We believe all that God has revealed, all that He does now reveal, and we believe that He will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God.

[ged1650]

To the Sometimesaint,

I do not understand how my post runs counter to the Ninth Article of Faith. To have a complete Restoration does not, in my opinion, close the heavens. If you see that it does, please explain it to me.

Ged

[Saints Alive]

Saints Alive:

I don't see how it could be anything less that everything that God knows. IE; The perfecting of the Saints, to become like God.

The restoration of the gospel is having the keys to become like God, not the act or realization of becoming a God. That being said, we have all of the keys to be like God and have had those key "restored" to the earth since Elijah gave those keys to Joseph Smith in the Kirtland temple.

I'm not sure how you can make an argument to the contrary

Edited November 21, 2011 by Saints Alive

[Saints Alive]

To the Sometimesaint,

I do not understand how my post runs counter to the Ninth Article of Faith. To have a complete Restoration does not, in my opinion, close the heavens. If you see that it does, please explain it to me.

Ged

I agree with you Ged, I am not sure why that would prohibit future revelation. Just because you can get into the gates of heaven doesn't mean you wouldn't like to know what the furniture looks like.

[zerinus]

I am getting the feeling that the question is being evaded (either intentionally or unintentionally).

There are a lot of interesting "theories" about what the restoration is. Most of what has been suggested as a definition for the restoration is either extremely esoteric at best, or disingenuous at worst.

Let’s go to lds.org to see how the restoration is defined: http://lds.org/study...gospel?lang=eng

We learn two things: the fullness of the gospel was on the earth at Christ’s time, and; the fullness of the gospel is "the teachings and ordinances necessary for salvation"

Thus I will say restoration ends with the establishment of ordinances necessary for salvation. (http://lds.org/study...vation?lang=eng)

* * *

The idea of “restoration” or “restitution” is used in scripture with several different meanings. The doctrine of “restoration of all things” is first taught in the book of Acts as follows:

Acts 3:

21 Whom [Jesus Christ] the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.

So some kind of “restoration” needs to take place before Jesus can return. In modern revelation that doctrine is expanded upon as follows:

D&C 27:

6 And also with Elias, to whom I have committed the keys of bringing to pass the restoration of all things spoken by the mouth of all the holy prophets since the world began, concerning the last days

D&C 77:

9 Q. What are we to understand by the angel ascending from the east, Revelation 7th chapter and 2nd verse?

A. We are to understand that the angel ascending from the east is he to whom is given the seal of the living God over the twelve tribes of Israel; wherefore, he crieth unto the four angels having the everlasting gospel, saying: Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads. And, if you will receive it, this is Elias which was to come to gather together the tribes of Israel and restore all things.

* * *

14 Q. What are we to understand by the little book which was eaten by John, as mentioned in the 10th chapter of Revelation?

A. We are to understand that it was a mission, and an ordinance, for him to gather the tribes of Israel; behold, this is Elias, who, as it is written, must come and restore all things.

D&C 86:

10 Therefore your life and the priesthood have remained, and must needs remain through you and your lineage until the restoration of all things spoken by the mouths of all the holy prophets since the world began.

D&C 132:

45 For I have conferred upon you [Joseph Smith] the keys and power of the priesthood, wherein I restore all things, and make known unto you all things in due time.

This “restoration” has a broad meaning, and basically refers to the gathering of the tribes of Israel, and restoring them to the land of their inheritance, as well as to the fullness of the priesthood and the covenants from which they had fallen. In a narrower sense, and applying it specifically to us, it means what is taught in this verse:

D&C 49:

9 Wherefore, I say unto you that I have sent unto you mine everlasting covenant, even that which was from the beginning.

It is a restoration of the original covenant, with all the blessings that it entail, specifically that of the priesthood, as taught in the following verse.

D&C 124:

28 For there is not a place found on earth that he may come to and restore again that which was lost unto you, or which he hath taken away, even the fulness of the priesthood.

Where I think you are going astray is that you are thinking of it only in terms of a restoration of lost doctrine. But it shouldn't be thought of in those terms. This is a dispensation in which God is going to restore (eventually) all the knowledge, truth, and sacred records that had been previously revealed, but has now been lost. At the same time, God is going to reveal a lot of mysteries and truths that has never been revealed before. That is also an ongoing process. And there is no reason why the first should end before the latter should begin. You seem to be thinking in terms of first revealing everything that has been revealed before, followed by what has not been revealed before. There is no scripture that says that is the sequence of events that should be followed. The quote from lds.org is intended to simplify the concept of the Restoration for ordinary readers, most of whom are not well versed in scripture.

[Saints Alive]

Zerinus,

First I would like to thank you for your thought provoking post.

I agree that there are many different meanings to the word restoration. I do not believe i have restricted that definition to lost doctrine, if i were to clarify i would narrow the scope to the restoration of the things nessisary for salvation. I believe all things nessisary for salvation have been restored.

What I have learned from this post is that there are several loaded terms in our (LDS) doctrine, restoration and salvation being among them.

[Log]

Zerinus is correct. The restoration of the Melchizedek priesthood, and all covenants and ordinances thereunto appertaining, is the restoration spoken of.

Edited November 21, 2011 by Log

[DarkScythe]

Modern Revelation Begin when the Restoration began and The Restoration never truly ended.

[ged1650]

To All,

The restoration will end completely when Christ puts all of His enemies beneath his feet. This occurs after he has tread the winepress and just before every knee bows and every tongue confesses He is the Holy One of Israel. This completes the Atonement. This is a fullness of the restoration.

I am stating the restoration for each of us was completed when the higher priesthood ordinances were administered in Nauvoo. This opened the Gates to Heaven for all of us. These are the last ordinances of the Covenant to be administered. When we were able to receive a fullness of the Covenant the restoratiion was complete from our perspective.

Ged