Below are the quotes that were used in the video.
One of my favorite scriptures is found in Jude. This verse has reminded me how to make a difference in the world. Jude wrote that we should have compassion, and that would make a difference. This week, we also studied three of John's letters emphasizing love. John taught that God is love and how we can show our love for God. John's invitation is to be a part of "the fellowship" with Christ and our Heavenly Father.
“John, "the disciple whom Jesus loved," is thought to have written three letters, possibly from Ephesus, sometime between A.D. 70 and 100. These letters were composed, especially the first epistle, in response to Gnosticism, the set of ideas in the early Church that regarded the body as evil and the spirit as the ultimate good. That was an attitude and philosophy that was anti Christ (see v. 18). John emphasized that Jesus came in the flesh (see 1 John 4:3), countering those who espoused the dogma perpetuated for many centuries thereafter that God is without body, parts, or passions.
“As in his Gospel account of Jesus' life, John's letters also emphasized love. "Nothing is so much calculated to lead people to forsake sin," wrote Joseph Smith, "as to take them by the hand, and watch over them with tenderness. When persons manifest the least kindness and love to me, 0 what power it has over my mind, while the opposite course has a tendency to harrow up all the harsh feelings and depress the human mind" (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 240). John wrote with tenderness and with the love and light of God (see Bible Dictionary, "John" and "John, Epistles of"). (D. Kelly Ogden and Andrew C. Skinner, New Testament Apostles Testify of Christ Salt Lake City; Deseret Book, 1998, p. 293).
Overview of John
1 John 1:1-4 Words of Introduction
1 John 1:5-2:11 5 ways to recognize disciples
1 John 2:12-17 Words of Warning
1 John 2:28-3:14 5 recognizable attributes
1 John 4:1-6 Words of Counsel
1 John 4:7-5:5 5 qualities of God’s Love
1 John 5:6-21 Words of Testimony
John gives five ways to recognize Christ's followers. His disciples are those who:
Elder Von G. Keetch: “As the American surfers became more animated, my attention was drawn to another nearby surfer—an older man and obviously a local. He seemed to be growing impatient as he listened to the ever-increasing complaints about the barrier.
“Finally he rose and walked over to the group. Without saying anything, he pulled a pair of binoculars from his backpack and handed them to one of the surfers, pointing out toward the barrier. Each of the surfers looked through the binoculars. When my turn came, with the help of magnification, I could see something that I had not been able to see before: dorsal fins—large sharks feeding near the reef on the other side of the barrier.
The group quickly became subdued. The old surfer retrieved his binoculars and turned to walk away. As he did, he said words I will never forget: “Don’t be too critical of the barrier,” he said. “It’s the only thing that’s keeping you from being devoured.”
As we stood on that beautiful beach, our perspective had suddenly changed. A barrier that had seemed rigid and restrictive—that seemed to curtail the fun and excitement of riding the really big waves—had become something very different. With our new understanding of the danger that lurked just below the surface, the barrier now offered protection, safety, and peace. (Von G. Keetch, “Blessed and Happy Are Those Who Keep the Commandments of God,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2015, 115–16)
Words of Warning
Elder Robert C. Gay: “His love is greater than our fears, our wounds, our addictions, our doubts, our temptations, our sins, our broken families, our depression and anxieties, our chronic illness, our poverty, our abuse, our despair, and our loneliness. He wants all to know there is nothing and no one He is unable to heal and deliver to enduring joy.” (Robert C. Gay, “Taking upon Ourselves the Name of Jesus Christ,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2018, 99)
How can recognizing and feeling God’s love influence our lives?
Elder John H. Groberg: “When filled with God’s love, we can do and see and understand things that we could not otherwise do or see or understand. Filled with His love, we can endure pain, quell fear, forgive freely, avoid contention, renew strength, and bless and help others in ways surprising even to us.
“Jesus Christ was filled with unfathomable love as He endured incomprehensible pain, cruelty, and injustice for us. Through His love for us, He rose above otherwise insurmountable barriers. His love knows no barriers. He invites us to follow Him and partake of His unlimited love so we too may rise above the pain and cruelty and injustice of this world and help and forgive and bless.” (John H. Groberg, “The Power of God’s Love,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2004, 11)
President Thomas S. Monson: “God’s commandments are not given to frustrate us or to become obstacles to our happiness. Just the opposite is true. He who created us and who loves us perfectly knows just how we need to live our lives in order to obtain the greatest happiness possible. He has provided us with guidelines which, if we follow them, will see us safely through this often treacherous mortal journey. …
“… He understands that when we keep the commandments, our lives will be happier, more fulfilling, and less complicated. Our challenges and problems will be easier to bear, and we will receive His promised blessings.” (Thomas S. Monson, “Keep the Commandments,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2015, 83)
Elder Von G. Keetch: “We show our love for God—and our faith in Him—by doing our very best every day to follow the course that He has laid out for us and by keeping the commandments that He has given to us. We especially manifest that faith and love in situations where we don’t fully understand the reason for God’s commands or the particular path He is telling us to take.” (Von G. Keetch, “Blessed and Happy Are Those Who Keep the Commandments of God,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2015, 116)
How can I increase my love for God?
President Dieter F. Uchtdorf: “We increase our love for our Heavenly Father and demonstrate that love by aligning our thoughts and actions with God’s word. His pure love directs and encourages us to become more pure and holy. It inspires us to walk in righteousness—not out of fear or obligation but out of an earnest desire to become even more like Him because we love Him.” (Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “The Love of God,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2009, 23)
Ponder the blessings of loving others. Think about
1 John 4:12 - “The Joseph Smith Translation of this verse clarifies the misconception that mortals are unable to see God: ‘No man hath seen God at any time, except them who believe’ (in 1 John 4:12, footnote a). John continued by teaching: ‘If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us’ (1 John 4:12). John himself had seen God the Father (see Revelation 5:1; D&C 67:11). To read more about mortals being able to see God, see John 14:23; Acts 7:56; D&C 93:1; Joseph Smith—History 1:16–17” (New Testament Student Manual [2014], 517).
“Second and Third John are more personal. Where and when they were written is unknown, though possibly they were written sometime near the turn of the century. It is possible they were written to John's own immediate family.
“These two letters are brief and less significant than John's other writings. The second epistle was written to counter the influence of false teachers. Some of the missionaries traveling among the Saints were true representatives of the Apostles. Others, however, came from apostate groups who were trying to win followers for their particular philosophies. John cautioned the Saints not to house apostates unintentionally and thus contribute to the propagation of their heresies.
John's third letter addresses a congregation having trouble with a local leader. John first commends Gaius, a concerned member, for his hospitality to John's messengers. Then he chastises Diotrephes, the abusive leader, for his arrogance, inhospitality, slanderings, and dictatorial practices.
“Like those persons originally addressed, most Latter day Saints have also struggled to distinguish the Lord's teachings from worldly philosophies. John's letters can help us separate light from darkness and better emulate the Son of God.” (Victor L. Ludlow, "John: The Once and Future Witness," Ensign, Dec. 1991, 54)
“Jude was another half brother of Jesus (see Eusebius, History of the Church) In Jude 1:1, he is identified as the "brother of James“… Jude is mentioned in Mark 6:3 and Matthew 13:55 and is included with "his brethren" in John 7:5; Acts 1:14; and 1 Corinthians 9:5. We have no indication of his office or calling; he does not claim to be one of the Twelve.
“No date or location is suggested in the letter. His audience is those who were "sanctified" (Jude 1:1). The problem on which Jude focuses is apostasy. Important biblical material is exclusive to this general letter and includes the premortal life as "the first estate," the disputation between Michael and Satan over Moses' body, and Enoch's prophecy of the Second Coming. Though short, the book of Jude is a gem, a powerful witness to the truth of Restoration scripture (see Bible Dictionary, "Jude, Epistle of"; "Enoch"; "Apocrypha"; and "Pseudepigrapha"). (D. Kelly Ogden and Andrew C. Skinner, New Testament Apostles Testify of Christ Salt Lake City; Deseret Book, 1998, 274)
“By the time the epistle of Jude was written, the apostasy was well underway, as Jude's words attest. He exhorted his readers to "earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints." (Jude 1:3.) As Elder James E. Talmage wrote, "It is plain that Jude considered 'the faith which was once delivered unto the saints' as in danger; and he urges the faithful to contend for it and openly defend it." A translation of the Greek original of verse 4 shows the cause for Jude's concern: "Certain people have infiltrated among you; and they are the ones you had a warning about, in writing, long ago."
“Jude continued by likening the apostates of his day to several from more ancient times. Among other charges with which he condemned them was the assertion that they "despise dominion and speak evil of dignities" (Jude 1:8), an overt act of rebellion similar to that described in 3 John.
“Near the end of the letter, Jude reminded the readers, "Remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; how that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts." He emphasized that this day had now arrived: "These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit." (Jude 1:17 19.) Elder Talmage commented, "clearly he is referring to the apostates of the time." (Kent P. Jackson, "Early Signs of the Apostasy," Ensign, Dec. 1984, 14)
“Jude was apparently quoting an apocryphal work then in circulation, The Assumption of Moses, which teaches that Moses was translated at the end of his mortal life. The text indicates that before his translation, "Michael was commissioned to bury Moses. Satan opposed the burial on the ground (a) that he was the lord of matter and that accordingly the body should be rightfully handed over to him; (b) that Moses was a murderer, having slain the Egyptian. Michael having rebutted Satan's accusations proceeded to charge Satan with having instigated the serpent to tempt Eve. Finally, all opposition having been overcome, the assumption took place in the presence of Joshua and Caleb."
“Another "Hebrew Apocalypse tells of Moses' transformation into the form of a fiery angel and his ascent through the seven heavens." And yet another deals with "the temporary translation of Moses before his death into heaven. . . . When translated into heaven the heavenly Jerusalem and the Temple were revealed to him, and he was told these would descend to earth after God had gathered Israel a second time from the ends of the earth" (Charles, Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha of the Old Testament) 2:408 9). (D. Kelly Ogden and Andrew C. Skinner, New Testament Apostles Testify of Christ Salt Lake City; Deseret Book, 1998, 275)
Teaching Thoughts:
“John, "the disciple whom Jesus loved," is thought to have written three letters, possibly from Ephesus, sometime between A.D. 70 and 100. These letters were composed, especially the first epistle, in response to Gnosticism, the set of ideas in the early Church that regarded the body as evil and the spirit as the ultimate good. That was an attitude and philosophy that was anti Christ (see v. 18). John emphasized that Jesus came in the flesh (see 1 John 4:3), countering those who espoused the dogma perpetuated for many centuries thereafter that God is without body, parts, or passions.
“As in his Gospel account of Jesus' life, John's letters also emphasized love. "Nothing is so much calculated to lead people to forsake sin," wrote Joseph Smith, "as to take them by the hand, and watch over them with tenderness. When persons manifest the least kindness and love to me, 0 what power it has over my mind, while the opposite course has a tendency to harrow up all the harsh feelings and depress the human mind" (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 240). John wrote with tenderness and with the love and light of God (see Bible Dictionary, "John" and "John, Epistles of"). (D. Kelly Ogden and Andrew C. Skinner, New Testament Apostles Testify of Christ Salt Lake City; Deseret Book, 1998, p. 293).
Overview of John
1 John 1:1-4 Words of Introduction
1 John 1:5-2:11 5 ways to recognize disciples
1 John 2:12-17 Words of Warning
1 John 2:28-3:14 5 recognizable attributes
1 John 4:1-6 Words of Counsel
1 John 4:7-5:5 5 qualities of God’s Love
1 John 5:6-21 Words of Testimony
John gives five ways to recognize Christ's followers. His disciples are those who:
- Walk in the light (1 John 1:5-7)
- Confess their sins (1 John 1:8-10)
- Repent of their sins (JST 1 John. 2:1-2)
- Keep the commandments (1 John 2:3 -6)
- Love each other (1 John 2: 7-11).
Elder Von G. Keetch: “As the American surfers became more animated, my attention was drawn to another nearby surfer—an older man and obviously a local. He seemed to be growing impatient as he listened to the ever-increasing complaints about the barrier.
“Finally he rose and walked over to the group. Without saying anything, he pulled a pair of binoculars from his backpack and handed them to one of the surfers, pointing out toward the barrier. Each of the surfers looked through the binoculars. When my turn came, with the help of magnification, I could see something that I had not been able to see before: dorsal fins—large sharks feeding near the reef on the other side of the barrier.
The group quickly became subdued. The old surfer retrieved his binoculars and turned to walk away. As he did, he said words I will never forget: “Don’t be too critical of the barrier,” he said. “It’s the only thing that’s keeping you from being devoured.”
As we stood on that beautiful beach, our perspective had suddenly changed. A barrier that had seemed rigid and restrictive—that seemed to curtail the fun and excitement of riding the really big waves—had become something very different. With our new understanding of the danger that lurked just below the surface, the barrier now offered protection, safety, and peace. (Von G. Keetch, “Blessed and Happy Are Those Who Keep the Commandments of God,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2015, 115–16)
Words of Warning
- 1 John 2:12-17
- 1 John 2:3–6
- 1 John 3:18–24
- 2 John 1:6, 8–9
- John 14:15, 23–24
Elder Robert C. Gay: “His love is greater than our fears, our wounds, our addictions, our doubts, our temptations, our sins, our broken families, our depression and anxieties, our chronic illness, our poverty, our abuse, our despair, and our loneliness. He wants all to know there is nothing and no one He is unable to heal and deliver to enduring joy.” (Robert C. Gay, “Taking upon Ourselves the Name of Jesus Christ,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2018, 99)
How can recognizing and feeling God’s love influence our lives?
Elder John H. Groberg: “When filled with God’s love, we can do and see and understand things that we could not otherwise do or see or understand. Filled with His love, we can endure pain, quell fear, forgive freely, avoid contention, renew strength, and bless and help others in ways surprising even to us.
“Jesus Christ was filled with unfathomable love as He endured incomprehensible pain, cruelty, and injustice for us. Through His love for us, He rose above otherwise insurmountable barriers. His love knows no barriers. He invites us to follow Him and partake of His unlimited love so we too may rise above the pain and cruelty and injustice of this world and help and forgive and bless.” (John H. Groberg, “The Power of God’s Love,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2004, 11)
President Thomas S. Monson: “God’s commandments are not given to frustrate us or to become obstacles to our happiness. Just the opposite is true. He who created us and who loves us perfectly knows just how we need to live our lives in order to obtain the greatest happiness possible. He has provided us with guidelines which, if we follow them, will see us safely through this often treacherous mortal journey. …
“… He understands that when we keep the commandments, our lives will be happier, more fulfilling, and less complicated. Our challenges and problems will be easier to bear, and we will receive His promised blessings.” (Thomas S. Monson, “Keep the Commandments,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2015, 83)
Elder Von G. Keetch: “We show our love for God—and our faith in Him—by doing our very best every day to follow the course that He has laid out for us and by keeping the commandments that He has given to us. We especially manifest that faith and love in situations where we don’t fully understand the reason for God’s commands or the particular path He is telling us to take.” (Von G. Keetch, “Blessed and Happy Are Those Who Keep the Commandments of God,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2015, 116)
How can I increase my love for God?
President Dieter F. Uchtdorf: “We increase our love for our Heavenly Father and demonstrate that love by aligning our thoughts and actions with God’s word. His pure love directs and encourages us to become more pure and holy. It inspires us to walk in righteousness—not out of fear or obligation but out of an earnest desire to become even more like Him because we love Him.” (Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “The Love of God,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2009, 23)
Ponder the blessings of loving others. Think about
- An example from the Savior’s life when He showed love for others
- Someone you know who is a consistent example of loving others
- Your own experiences striving to love others, or experiences in which others have shown love to you
- Examples of showing love for others from general conference addresses.
1 John 4:12 - “The Joseph Smith Translation of this verse clarifies the misconception that mortals are unable to see God: ‘No man hath seen God at any time, except them who believe’ (in 1 John 4:12, footnote a). John continued by teaching: ‘If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us’ (1 John 4:12). John himself had seen God the Father (see Revelation 5:1; D&C 67:11). To read more about mortals being able to see God, see John 14:23; Acts 7:56; D&C 93:1; Joseph Smith—History 1:16–17” (New Testament Student Manual [2014], 517).
“Second and Third John are more personal. Where and when they were written is unknown, though possibly they were written sometime near the turn of the century. It is possible they were written to John's own immediate family.
“These two letters are brief and less significant than John's other writings. The second epistle was written to counter the influence of false teachers. Some of the missionaries traveling among the Saints were true representatives of the Apostles. Others, however, came from apostate groups who were trying to win followers for their particular philosophies. John cautioned the Saints not to house apostates unintentionally and thus contribute to the propagation of their heresies.
John's third letter addresses a congregation having trouble with a local leader. John first commends Gaius, a concerned member, for his hospitality to John's messengers. Then he chastises Diotrephes, the abusive leader, for his arrogance, inhospitality, slanderings, and dictatorial practices.
“Like those persons originally addressed, most Latter day Saints have also struggled to distinguish the Lord's teachings from worldly philosophies. John's letters can help us separate light from darkness and better emulate the Son of God.” (Victor L. Ludlow, "John: The Once and Future Witness," Ensign, Dec. 1991, 54)
“Jude was another half brother of Jesus (see Eusebius, History of the Church) In Jude 1:1, he is identified as the "brother of James“… Jude is mentioned in Mark 6:3 and Matthew 13:55 and is included with "his brethren" in John 7:5; Acts 1:14; and 1 Corinthians 9:5. We have no indication of his office or calling; he does not claim to be one of the Twelve.
“No date or location is suggested in the letter. His audience is those who were "sanctified" (Jude 1:1). The problem on which Jude focuses is apostasy. Important biblical material is exclusive to this general letter and includes the premortal life as "the first estate," the disputation between Michael and Satan over Moses' body, and Enoch's prophecy of the Second Coming. Though short, the book of Jude is a gem, a powerful witness to the truth of Restoration scripture (see Bible Dictionary, "Jude, Epistle of"; "Enoch"; "Apocrypha"; and "Pseudepigrapha"). (D. Kelly Ogden and Andrew C. Skinner, New Testament Apostles Testify of Christ Salt Lake City; Deseret Book, 1998, 274)
“By the time the epistle of Jude was written, the apostasy was well underway, as Jude's words attest. He exhorted his readers to "earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints." (Jude 1:3.) As Elder James E. Talmage wrote, "It is plain that Jude considered 'the faith which was once delivered unto the saints' as in danger; and he urges the faithful to contend for it and openly defend it." A translation of the Greek original of verse 4 shows the cause for Jude's concern: "Certain people have infiltrated among you; and they are the ones you had a warning about, in writing, long ago."
“Jude continued by likening the apostates of his day to several from more ancient times. Among other charges with which he condemned them was the assertion that they "despise dominion and speak evil of dignities" (Jude 1:8), an overt act of rebellion similar to that described in 3 John.
“Near the end of the letter, Jude reminded the readers, "Remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; how that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts." He emphasized that this day had now arrived: "These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit." (Jude 1:17 19.) Elder Talmage commented, "clearly he is referring to the apostates of the time." (Kent P. Jackson, "Early Signs of the Apostasy," Ensign, Dec. 1984, 14)
“Jude was apparently quoting an apocryphal work then in circulation, The Assumption of Moses, which teaches that Moses was translated at the end of his mortal life. The text indicates that before his translation, "Michael was commissioned to bury Moses. Satan opposed the burial on the ground (a) that he was the lord of matter and that accordingly the body should be rightfully handed over to him; (b) that Moses was a murderer, having slain the Egyptian. Michael having rebutted Satan's accusations proceeded to charge Satan with having instigated the serpent to tempt Eve. Finally, all opposition having been overcome, the assumption took place in the presence of Joshua and Caleb."
“Another "Hebrew Apocalypse tells of Moses' transformation into the form of a fiery angel and his ascent through the seven heavens." And yet another deals with "the temporary translation of Moses before his death into heaven. . . . When translated into heaven the heavenly Jerusalem and the Temple were revealed to him, and he was told these would descend to earth after God had gathered Israel a second time from the ends of the earth" (Charles, Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha of the Old Testament) 2:408 9). (D. Kelly Ogden and Andrew C. Skinner, New Testament Apostles Testify of Christ Salt Lake City; Deseret Book, 1998, 275)
Teaching Thoughts:
- How can you identify a disciple of God?
- What are you bringing to “the fellowship?”
- God is …
- How can I increase my love for God?
- Have compassion and make a difference.