This made me realize what I have been doing to myself, "We fuss around our spiritual houses trying to get everything in order before we will let Him in. The problem is that everywhere we go, we make things dirtier." I have some repentance to do, thank you!
Debra McCrackenDecember 29, 2019
So insightful. The little granddaughter fighting off that which she needed most struck a chord with me also. As did also the frantic do-good-er inexhaustibly trying to clean up first before allowing Christ as the visitor to enter in. I have found myself so many times falling into that trap, and forgetting that I cannot "earn" salvation. Christ gives it to me freely if I just humble myself and go to him.
Rick ChapmanDecember 29, 2019
Good comments on another wonderful article by Brother Goddard. As for Steve’s insightful comment, above, add to it the scripture found in Hebrews 20:19-20 “19 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,
20 By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;”
pamela Morgan roderDecember 27, 2019
Thank you for such a lovely article about Jesus, and His love for the unassuming and “unclean” people just like most of us.
I always enjoy your writing.
VardellDecember 26, 2019
Brother Goddard,
Thanks for another excellent article.
We LDS need to change our understanding of what it means to come unto Christ. Too many of us think that in order to come unto Christ we must do more and be more and be “worthy” of his forgiveness. But that demand for perfection is exactly the heavy yoke that Christ referred to. When we mistakenly think that we must do all that we can do before Christ will forgive us and change us, then we are demanding that heavy yoke.
Paul wrote extensively –especially in the book of Galatians– that the law, the commandments, demand perfection from us, and since none of us are ever perfect, then the law condemns us and curses us. A heavy yoke indeed.
Coming unto Christ is a come-as-you-are-party; it is desiring more righteousness than you have and taking that broken heart to him and asking for his mercy–asking him to forgive you and change you. This is what you see in all the scriptural accounts that you mention, a person who is broken-hearted about their sins and weaknesses, and who is forgiven and changed because of their faith in Christ, not because of their self-improvement.
Steve FennDecember 24, 2019
The image of Christ cleansing us as He embraces us draws my mind to our beautiful concluding experience in the endowment. We all approach the Father in our various stages of righteousness and preparation. We have all made covenants, but have kept them with varying degrees of effectiveness and devotion, yet we are covered by the Savior, even embraced by and with Him as he makes us worthy and fit to enter God’s presence. Thanks for your beautiful thoughts.
G. LambertsonDecember 24, 2019
What a terrific telling of sacred understanding in almost secular phraseology. Wonderful analogy of the frenetic grandchild. I shared it with some loved ones who would benefit from reading it. Thanks.
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J. McElprangJanuary 4, 2020
This made me realize what I have been doing to myself, "We fuss around our spiritual houses trying to get everything in order before we will let Him in. The problem is that everywhere we go, we make things dirtier." I have some repentance to do, thank you!
Debra McCrackenDecember 29, 2019
So insightful. The little granddaughter fighting off that which she needed most struck a chord with me also. As did also the frantic do-good-er inexhaustibly trying to clean up first before allowing Christ as the visitor to enter in. I have found myself so many times falling into that trap, and forgetting that I cannot "earn" salvation. Christ gives it to me freely if I just humble myself and go to him.
Rick ChapmanDecember 29, 2019
Good comments on another wonderful article by Brother Goddard. As for Steve’s insightful comment, above, add to it the scripture found in Hebrews 20:19-20 “19 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, 20 By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;”
pamela Morgan roderDecember 27, 2019
Thank you for such a lovely article about Jesus, and His love for the unassuming and “unclean” people just like most of us. I always enjoy your writing.
VardellDecember 26, 2019
Brother Goddard, Thanks for another excellent article. We LDS need to change our understanding of what it means to come unto Christ. Too many of us think that in order to come unto Christ we must do more and be more and be “worthy” of his forgiveness. But that demand for perfection is exactly the heavy yoke that Christ referred to. When we mistakenly think that we must do all that we can do before Christ will forgive us and change us, then we are demanding that heavy yoke. Paul wrote extensively –especially in the book of Galatians– that the law, the commandments, demand perfection from us, and since none of us are ever perfect, then the law condemns us and curses us. A heavy yoke indeed. Coming unto Christ is a come-as-you-are-party; it is desiring more righteousness than you have and taking that broken heart to him and asking for his mercy–asking him to forgive you and change you. This is what you see in all the scriptural accounts that you mention, a person who is broken-hearted about their sins and weaknesses, and who is forgiven and changed because of their faith in Christ, not because of their self-improvement.
Steve FennDecember 24, 2019
The image of Christ cleansing us as He embraces us draws my mind to our beautiful concluding experience in the endowment. We all approach the Father in our various stages of righteousness and preparation. We have all made covenants, but have kept them with varying degrees of effectiveness and devotion, yet we are covered by the Savior, even embraced by and with Him as he makes us worthy and fit to enter God’s presence. Thanks for your beautiful thoughts.
G. LambertsonDecember 24, 2019
What a terrific telling of sacred understanding in almost secular phraseology. Wonderful analogy of the frenetic grandchild. I shared it with some loved ones who would benefit from reading it. Thanks.
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