What Does It Mean to Be Cleansed from the Blood and Sins of This Generation?
Scriptures About Being Clean From the Blood and Sins of This Generation
- “And we did magnify our office unto the Lord, taking upon us the responsibility, answering the sins of the people upon our own heads if we did not teach them the word of God with all diligence; wherefore, by laboring with our might their blood might not come upon our garments; otherwise their blood would come upon our garments, and we would not be found spotless at the last day.” Jacob 1:9
- “O, my beloved brethren, remember my words. Behold, I take off my garments, and I shake them before you; I pray the God of my salvation that he view me with his all-searching eye; wherefore, ye shall know at the last day, when all men shall be judged of their works, that the God of Israel did witness that I shook your iniquities from my soul, and that I stand with brightness before him, and am rid of your blood.” 2 Nephi 9:44
- “Now, my beloved brethren, I, Jacob, according to the responsibility which I am under to God, to magnify mine office with soberness, and that I might rid my garments of your sins, I come up into the temple this day that I might declare unto you the word of God.” Jacob 2:2
- “Behold, my brethren, do ye suppose that such an one can have a place to sit down in the kingdom of God, with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob, and also all the holy prophets, whose garments are cleansed and are spotless, pure and white?” Alma 5:24
- Therefore, as I said unto you that I had served you, walking with a clear conscience before God, even so I at this time have caused that ye should assemble yourselves together, that I might be found blameless, and that your blood should not come upon me, when I shall stand to be judged of God of the things whereof he hath commanded me concerning you. I say unto you that I have caused that ye should assemble yourselves together that I might rid my garments of your blood, at this period of time when I am about to go down to my grave, that I might go down in peace, and my immortal spirit may join the choirs above in singing the praises of a just God.” Mosiah 2:27-28
- “And it came to pass that the Lord said unto me: If they have not charity it mattereth not unto thee, thou hast been faithful; wherefore, thy garments shall be made clean. And because thou hast seen thy weakness thou shalt be made strong, even unto the sitting down in the place which I have prepared in the mansions of my Father. And now I, Moroni, bid farewell unto the Gentiles, yea, and also unto my brethren whom I love, until we shall meet before the judgement-seat of Christ, where all men shall know that my garments are not spotted with your blood. And then shall ye know that I have seen Jesus, and that he hath talked with me face to face, and that he told me in plain humility, even as a man telleth another in mine own language, concerning these things.” Ether 12: 37-39
How Can I Better Sustain My Church Leaders?
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Have I thought or spoken of human weakness in the people I have pledged to sustain?
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Have I looked for evidence that the Lord is leading them?
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Have I conscientiously and loyally followed their leadership?
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Have I spoken about the evidence I can see that they are God’s servants?
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Do I pray for them regularly by name and with feelings of love?
I have always loved the exercise of looking inside yourself and truly being honest. To be free of anger, resentment, jealousy, pride, and to become more Christ-like is beyond important to me. Being spiritually clean will keep me primed for future revelation from God, which I so desperately want and need. Life is hard and I have no desire to live it without God’s constant presence. Taking a look at your internal self is a great way to notice where a little work needs to be done.
As the Relief Society President in my ward, I have loved having a front row seat to the workings of our bishopric. Of course, they are not perfect, as nobody is, but they are GOOD. The countless hours that they spend serving our ward and neighborhood, thinking about them, praying for them… so much of it goes unnoticed, but I love my inside view. It has truly opened my eyes to the weight that is on their shoulders and all the good that they do, despite their imperfections and mistakes. They press forward and summon all the Christ-like thoughts they can when they are rejected by their own people… the people they serve. As a woman, I have no desire for the burden they carry, having a priesthood office. I want to be their cheerleader. I want to say ‘yes’ when I have any opportunity to help them. I want to stand up for them and encourage others to sustain them. I want to see the MAGIC happen as the ward members sustain them, as they magnify their calling, and God magnifies their efforts. I want to be on the list of who God can count on to help build His kingdom on earth.
Both men and women have heavy burdens to bear with what has been delegated to us, even with God’s help. So, the best thing we can do for each other is sustain, support, encourage, inspire, assist, love… all of those good things. This is an important work that is going on and any effort we give to God will bless and save us, not to mention other people.
President George Albert Smith said, “The obligation that we make when we raise our hands … is a most sacred one. It does not mean that we will go quietly on our way and be willing that the prophet of the Lord shall direct this work, but it means … that we will stand behind him; we will pray for him; we will defend his good name, and we will strive to carry out his instructions as the Lord shall direct.”
If you liked this post, check out:
- A Simple Way to Share the Gospel —> This post allows me to send out so many copies of The Book of Mormon. Please spread it around!
- Understanding Polygamy ~ Great Resources for Building Your Faith
- Unique Calling Ideas for Latter-day Saint Wards
- Why Do I Have to Confess My Serious Sins to the Bishop?
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