Should Not Mormons Have A Connection With God That Goes Beyond The Church?

[3DOP]

When Christ appeared to Saul on the Damascus Road, he inquired about why Saul was persecuting Him. "...falling on the ground, he heard a voice saying to him: Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? Who said: Who art thou, Lord? And he: I am Jesus whom thou persecutest."  (Acts 9:4, 5)

 

Following are the pertinent texts of Scripture which describe Saul's activity of "persecuting Jesus":

 

"And at that time there was raised a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all dispersed through the countries of Judea, and Samaria, except the apostles.  And devout men took order for Stephen' s funeral, and made great mourning over him. But Saul made havock of the church, entering in from house to house, and dragging away men and women, committed them to prison." (Acts 8: 1 and 3)

 

"And Saul, as yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest,  And asked of him letters to Damascus, to the synagogues: that if he found any men and women of this way, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem." (Acts 9:1 and 2)

 

Note how Saul "made havock of the church", and threatened "the disciples of the Lord". At first, it might seem more to the point if Jesus had asked why Saul was persecuting "His people," His friends", or "His children." But Saul is already learning his catechism before his baptism! Instead our Lord, after questioning Saul about his activities, affirms the inseparable bond that binds Christ, the Head, to His Body, the Church. Because He is in Heaven and the Church is on earth makes no difference. The Head is mystically connected to the Body and therefore Jesus identifies Himself to Saul by saying, "I am Jesus whom thou persecutest." No wonder that Saul, as St. Paul, later writes of the bond uniting Jesus with His Church in the same terms that we use for uniting a husband and wife.   

 

Would those of you are married care to entertain those who do not wish to recognize the spouse who you have chosen? What would you say if they express willingness to come to your banquet but request only your presence apart from your spouse? I ask this question because I believe those who want to draw a sharp distinction between Christ and His Church are perhaps failing to see the intimate bond which links Jesus Christ with His visible Church. In my Tradition there is a teaching which alludes to the analogy made by St. Paul wherein he identifies Christ as the "last Adam", or "second Adam". I believe this teaching further illustrates the truth that it is with difficulty that Christ might show Himself to those who reject His spouse. According to my tradition, and possibly others, it is difficult to imagine how some seem to want to admire and adore Christ the Head, apart from His living Body.

 

The Council of Vienne was held in 1311 and 1312. It affirmed the traditional teaching about the intimate relationship between Christ and His Holy Church by speaking of how the Church started:

"...for working out the salvation of all, [Christ] wished not only to be fastened to the Cross and to die on it, but also, after His Spirit had been given up, permitted His side to be pierced with a lance, that in the streams of water and blood which flowed from it there might be formed the one and only immaculate virgin, holy Mother Church, the Spouse of Christ, just as from the side of the first man asleep Eve was formed into a marriage with him, that so truth should respond to a certain figure of the first and ancient Adam, "who", according to the Apostle, "is a figure for Him who was to come" (Ro. 5:14), in our new Adam, that is, Christ."

 

 

Assuredly, non-Catholics will not feel themselves bound to accept Catholic tradition. Indeed, they may find it more comfortable to reject it. But look at Rom 5:14 before you decide that it is too much of a stretch to compare Adam and Christ. There are amazing parallels, as there also are for Eve and the Blessed Mother of Jesus Christ. Anyway, I say this not to try to affirm that non-Catholics necessarily have the same views of the Church as Catholics. Of course not. But neither do I see why the Catholic views would necessarily be incompatible.

 

Just so that no one might think that 3DOP, who can sometimes appear to be stuck in the Middle Ages, is preaching an arcane and even obsolete teaching, see below:

"The origin and growth of the Church are symbolized by the blood and water which flowed from the open side of the crucified Jesus. For it was from the side of Christ as he slept the sleep of death upon the cross that there came forth the wondrous sacrament of the whole Church. As Eve was formed from the sleeping Adam's side, so the Church was born from the pierced heart of Christ hanging dead on the Cross."

 

Catechism of the Catholic Church, #766, published by the authority of His Holiness Pope John Paul II in 1994

 

I would suggest that as Adam and Eve are together as man and wife, "for better or for worse, etc.", so Is Jesus Christ and His Church.   

Edited July 25, 2015 by 3DOP

[PeterPear]

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints exists in the Spirit World - which is "the beyond."

Anyone who participates in Temple Ordinances knows that.

[drums12]

I see a big need to concentrate on Christ in the church.  Jesus is always in the background, don't get me wrong.  But not in the forefront.  My Sacrament meeting yesterday was totally on the BoM being true.  And then on Joseph Smith and then on temples.  I didn't hear much about Jesus.  But again I know he is the reason for all of what I mentioned.  But do we understand the ties?  He is the foundation, so why not talk more on that too?  We do, but we don't.  Not enough.   

Perhaps you need to occasionally attend another ward...maybe not on the Wasatch front.  I don't know??

[Tacenda]

Perhaps you need to occasionally attend another ward...maybe not on the Wasatch front. I don't know??

Do you have good experiences with this in your ward you'd like to share?