Our "orthodoxy"

[JLHPROF]

I think it is significant that the revelation (we must remember this is a revelation not a policy or tradition) goes out of it's way to say it isn't a commandment. I can't recall any other revelation that does that. It's as if the Lord was anticipating what some would do with it.

 

I have said before and I'll say it again. I choose to obey the WoW because it is good advice, and is even described as a "greeting" sent from the Lord. But it is not, and never has been, a commandment. Men, no matter who they are, do not have the authority to make something a commandment in the absence of revelation. 

 

On the other hand, emphasis of the WoW is a good thing in the church. The experience of the RLDS, who didn't emphasis it, is a sobering lesson.

 

I completely agree with this, but I especially like "I choose to obey the WoW because it is good advice, and is even described as a "greeting" sent from the Lord."

 

So, if God suggests something but doesn't actually command it, is there anything lost by failing to follow the suggestion?  We know we lose out if we don't follow a commandment or law (D&C 130:20-21) but what about a suggestion from God.

And why would we NOT want to follow a suggestion from God, he is the creator of the Universe, Us and Everything and has all knowledge pertaining to this creation.  In what scenario would we want to say "God thinks this is a good idea but since he didn't command it I'm not going to bother?"  Seems a bit foolish.

[Ahab]

Thank you. This is the kind of response I was hoping for. I sometimes wonder if it's just me that has accepted a particular teaching that has been in the Church forever and has been taught by numerous prophets of God. There are always so many people ready to disagree with almost anything, even among the faithful members.

Yeah, that's kinda what prompted me to start my "What is missing?" thread, hoping people would at least be able to pinpoint the problem. We have to identify problems before we can think about fixing them, and at heart I am a fixer. I like to fix things, at least when I see that something needs to be fixed and I know how to fix it.