In Romans 13:11 Paul states that our salvation is nearer. There are things that we need to continue doing to work on our salvation. In Ezekiel 3:20 we learn that we must warn others and not turn from our righteousness. D&C 14:7 teaches us that must keep the commandments and endure to the end.
In Romans 12-13 Paul teaches the things that we need to do that will lead us to salvation.
- Romans 12:1, Self sacrifice. We must deny ourselves of all ungodliness and render all that we have and are to God.
- Romans 12:12, Self mastery. We must not be conformed to the world or worldly things. Put off the natural man.
- Romans 12:9. We must love sincerely (charity), abhor evil, and cleave to good.
- Romans 12:13. We must take care of others (service) and be kind.
- Romans 12:16. We must not be prideful. We need to be meek and humble, and not lift ourselves above another.
- Romans 12:21. Paul counsels us to not be overcome with evil, but to overcome evil with good.
- Romans 13:1. We must be submissive and obedient to God.
- Romans 13:3. We mus do good.
- Romans 13:8. We must owe no man anything, and love one another.
- Romans 13:9. Thou shalt not steal, bear false witness, or covet. Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.
In Romans 14:1-13 and Romans 15:1-3, Paul gives us some counsel in regards to judging others. He cautions that we should not judge others. We are all on different levels, and none of us are perfect. Only God can judge. Judging others can be a stumbling block to others.
People may have different opinions and practices and we may not always see eye to eye, but it is important to remember that Christ is the judge. We should all strive to edify one another. Christ suffered and died for us, it is through his atoning sacrifice that we can be forgiven. He is the only one that can judge us and we will stand before Him and God and give an account of ourselves. It is important for us to focus on ourselves and not waste time judging others. We can gain additional insight into this principle in D&C 38:25. We learn that we must treat everyone fairly. God loves all of his children the same and he will judge fairly. When we judge others, we may not know all the circumstances that surround their ideas and choices, which leads us to judge unfairly. God wants us to be united and not caught up in disputations that may arise from judging unfairly.
Paul refers to the members of the church in his day as Saints. I found this interesting as we are referred to Saints in our day as well. His counsel was just as relevant for the members of the church in their day as it is to us in our day.
I completed this assignment by reading the required verses, cross referencing scriptures to gain additional insight, and pondering my response to the questions.
I chose this assignment, because I felt that it would be a great resource for me to create a list of things that I need to work on for my own salvation.
The best thing about my assignment was the insight I gained into what things we should be doing for our own salvation. I really enjoyed making this list and pondering on these things.
I struggled a little bit with understanding all of Pauls words regarding judging of others. I did my best to understand, and if I had had more time, I could have spent more time pondering each verse. to gain a deeper understanding of Pauls counsel.
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