Wednesday, May 9, 2018

The Lord's Supper and Utter Unawareness

Administering "the flesh and blood of Christ" (NC Moroni 4:1) in the days of Joseph Smith and Book of Mormon was very different than the modern LDS ordinance. Consider how history contrasts with what things have evolved into today:

Ordinance of "the flesh and blood of Christ"
Modern LDS Sacrament Ordinance
Administered by elders (meaning apostles, at the time) and priests. Administered by young men in the LDS Church offices of deacon, teacher, priest, and those in the congregation, who help pass the sacrament trays.
Administered in homes, outdoor locations, during conferences, and in the Kirtland temple. No meetinghouses existed. Administered in meetinghouses, not in temples, homes, stake or general conferences.
Administered on any day of the week. Administered only on Sundays.
Administered by one having authority directly from Christ but also having been sustained and ordained. Administered by one having current authorization from appointed LDS Church leaders, according to chain of command.
As commanded by Christ, done whenever and wherever saints were gathered and felt moved upon by the Holy Spirit to do so together. ("oft" in NC Moroni 6:2) Performed only when and where authorized by a local LDS leader.
All participants (congregation, etc.) knelt during the prayers offered by the priest. (NC Mormon 4:1) Only the person offering the prayer kneels. All others sit or stand.
One or more loaves of bread were broken by the priest before offering the prayer. Typically slices of processed bread are broken into almost crumb-sized pieces by the young men priests before giving the prayer.
The priest offered the prayer on the bread as found in the Book of Mormon (NC Mormon 4:1) or the Book of Commandments (BoC 24:57), which are identical. The modified prayer in D&C 20:77 is used.
The priest prayed with eyes open, looking upward, and with either both arms upstretched or with the right arm raised to the square. The priest prays with arms folded across the body and head tipped downward (bowed), and eyes closed, if the prayer is memorized.
Participants typically ate bread until filled. (NC 3 Nephi 8:6) Participants each take one small piece of bread.
Used actual wine (i.e., fermented, alcoholic) as the emblem, given by Jesus Christ Himself and as He commanded in the Word of Wisdom. (D&C 89:5-6) Always use water. (as 'miraculously' changed from wine in the 20th century) Use of wine for any purpose at any time is now strictly forbidden and considered sinful.
Priest held the cup of wine while offering the blessing on the wine. Priest overlooks the many small cups of water while blessing them.
The priest offered the prayer on the wine as found in the Book of Mormon (NC Mormon 5:1) or the Book of Commandments (BoC 24:59) or D&C 20:79, which are all identical. A modified prayer is used, where the word "wine" is changed to "water". (Note that the Lord in D&C 27:2 only permits the changing of the emblems as needed, not the changing of the prayers.)
One of several "sacraments". (T&C 89:2) Called "the Sacrament"

Not to Be Altered or Changed

Given such a list of changes to the ordinance, it is curious that LDS teachings can today declare those changes inconsequential. Particularly given that their claimed founder, Joseph Smith, taught that:
"Ordinances instituted in the heavens before the foundation of the world, in the priesthood, for the salvation of men, are not to be altered or changed." (TPJS, p. 308)
This teaching is easily overcome, however, by simply ignoring it in the modern LDS Church, even though earlier in my own lifetime it was heavily emphasized. (and Catholics derided for their changed ordinances!) The modern teaching that a current LDS Church president can somehow override, contradict, and change what Joseph Smith (or even other previous Church presidents) have taught as unchanging doctrine continues to propel the progressive collective memory loss among its members.

Ere He is Aware

In fact, the two columns above are so different that it is hard to imagine how modern LDS Church leaders could imagine themselves important enough not only to "exercise control, or dominion, or compulsion" (T&C 139:5) in unrighteousness upon their own members for their own heavily altered LDS ordinances, but then go beyond that to attempt to control any other non-LDS religious practice (such as the above ancient and older practices). If you believe LDS scripture, the result for such persons claiming to use priesthood for exercise of control, dominion, or compulsion (in any degree) is as the Lord has stated:
"the Heavens withdraw themselves, the Spirit of the Lord is grieved, and when it is withdrawn, Amen to the Priesthood or the authority of that man. Behold, ere he is aware, he is left unto himself to kick against the pricks, to persecute theSaints, and to fight against God." (T&C139:5)
The pattern is fascinating.

"Ere he is aware" refers to the fact that such individuals are, at that point, unable to detect that the Heavens have withdrawn--they are simply not aware of it. They have long since been acting on feelings and emotions (helpfully provided by a different source as a means of manipulation), rather than acting on the light and intelligence that comes from the Holy Spirit of God.

"He is left unto himself" refers to the Lord's willingness to allow that man to proceed with his own agenda, without further guidance or interference from Heaven.

By definition, "persecuting the Saints" can only be done by one actually in a position where he can "exercise control." This can only refer to LDS Church leaders, who rule over the "Saints" in the synagogues they occupy.

"Kicking against the pricks" refers to their unwitting fight against what God is attempting to accomplish, so much so that He then refers to it as "fighting against God."

There is a certain irony in all of this that seems to have been anticipated:

"Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil, that put darkness for light, and light for darkness, that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter. Woe unto the wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight." (NC 2 Nephi 8:14-15)

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