▪ the pleading1 bar of God2 suggests that the Judgment may involve an adversarial proceeding with an accuser3 and an advocate;4therefore, it might profit those who have heard or read Denver Snuffer's teachings to read the two-part work of Gregory L. Smith entitled:
▪ Joseph Smith said:
I preached to the Saints, setting forth the evils that existed, and that would exist, by reason of hasty judgment, or decisions upon any subject given by any people, or in judging before they had heard both sides of a question;5▪ the Apostle Paul recommended that we
Prove all things; hold fast that which is good;6▪ the Almighty may ask us at the Judgment why we didn't follow the advice of His servants Joseph and Paul in ANY and ALL things;
"Passing Up the Heavenly Gift" (Part One)7This is not to say that Gregory Smith should be accepted without further study and discernment, but how can we prove all things if we have a mind set to hear only one-side of a case? As a lawyer, Snuffer knows well that even hearing both sides may not reveal the full truth. He even invites us to test his teachings and so we should, which will require us to make judgments, hopefully following the Savior's counsel:
"Passing Up the Heavenly Gift" (Part Two)8
Judge not unrighteously, that ye be not judged; but judge righteous judgment. (New Testament | JST Matthew 7:2)The reason I have been belaboring Denver Snuffer recently is that some of his teachings and interpretations seem to contradict the gestalt of scripture and Joseph Smith's own teachings. Yes, some of Snuffer's writing is insightful, faith-promoting, and uplifting, but for me there are too many jack-in-the-box flags that spring up amongst the truths—some of which I have discussed in previous posts.9 His influence seems to be growing and I wonder if too many are content to believe and follow without "proving all things."
Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment. (New Testament | John 7:24)
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1. From The Book of Mormon: The Earliest Text, edited by Royal Skousen (2009) where he corrects “pleasing bar” to “pleading bar” in both Jacob 6:13 and Moroni 10:34.
» Finally, I bid you farewell, until I shall meet you before the plea[d]ing bar of God, which bar striketh the wicked with awful dread and fear. Amen. (Jacob 6:13)
» And now I bid unto all, farewell. I soon go to rest in the paradise of God, until my spirit and body shall again reunite, and I am brought forth triumphant through the air, to meet you before the plea[d]ing bar of the great Jehovah, the Eternal Judge of both quick and dead. Amen. (Moroni 10:34)
2. (Bold emphasis added:)
Book of Mormon | Jacob 6:9 ~ Know ye not that if ye will do these things, that the power of the redemption and the resurrection, which is in Christ, will bring you to stand with shame and awful guilt before the bar of God?
Book of Mormon | Mosiah 16:10 ~ Even this mortal shall put on immortality, and this corruption shall put on incorruption, and shall be brought to stand before the bar of God, to be judged of him according to their works whether they be good or whether they be evil—
Book of Mormon | Alma 5:22 ~ And now I ask of you, my brethren, how will any of you feel, if ye shall stand before the bar of God, having your garments stained with blood and all manner of filthiness? Behold, what will these things testify against you?
Book of Mormon | Alma 12:12 ~ And Amulek hath spoken plainly concerning death, and being raised from this mortality to a state of immortality, and being brought before the bar of God, to be judged according to our works.
Book of Mormon | Moroni 10:27 ~ And I exhort you to remember these things; for the time speedily cometh that ye shall know that I lie not, for ye shall see me at the bar of God; and the Lord God will say unto you: Did I not declare my words unto you, which were written by this man, like as one crying from the dead, yea, even as one speaking out of the dust?
3. Is this one of the reasons Lucifer (aka Satan) is called the accuser of the brethren? New Testament | Revelation JST, 12:10 ~ "For the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night." Have we not, on occasion, experienced the whisperings of the adversary accusing us of being worthless, unlovable, unforgivable, a perpetual failure, etc., etc. Why would he not raise every instance of sinful commission and omission that he could, right to the very end of time, in order to stretch his torments out to the nth degree?
4. Book of Mormon | Moroni 7:28 ~ For he [Christ] hath answered the ends of the law, and he claimeth all those who have faith in him; and they who have faith in him will cleave unto every good thing; wherefore he advocateth the cause of the children of men; and he dwelleth eternally in the heavens.
New Testament | 1 John 2:1 ~ My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
Doctrine and Covenants 29:5 ~ Lift up your hearts and be glad, for I am in your midst, and am your advocate with the Father; and it is his good will to give you the kingdom.
Doctrine and Covenants 32:3 ~ ... I am their advocate with the Father ...
Doctrine and Covenants 45:3 ~ Listen to him who is the advocate with the Father, who is pleading your cause before him—
Doctrine and Covenants 62:1 ~ Behold, and hearken, O ye elders of my church, saith the Lord your God, even Jesus Christ, your advocate, who knoweth the weakness of man and how to succor them who are tempted.
Doctrine and Covenants 110:4 ~ I am the first and the last; I am he who liveth, I am he who was slain; I am your advocate with the Father.
5. Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, 118.
6. New Testament | 1 Thessalonians 5:21
7. http://www.mormoninterpreter.com/passing-up-the-heavenly-gift-part-one-of-two/
8. http://www.mormoninterpreter.com/passing-up-the-heavenly-gift-part-two-of-two/
9. See the posts at http://dejavu-timestwo.blogspot.ca/search/label/Snuffer
