What is the "Fulness of the Gospel"?

Today I went to my Uncle's funeral. He was dear to me and always told me he loved me and gave me big hugs. I felt I was his favorite yet, by the end of the funeral today I could see most everyone felt that from him. I saw him last about 7 years ago at another family funeral. His face was bright with the spirit and I was in awe of the change of his countenance. I asked him, "What is it like getting older?". That was the only question that came tumbling out of my mouth when what I really wanted to say was, "Why are you so bright with the spirit?!". He grasped my forearm and said, "There's visions and dreams...even on the shores of Galilee."

Those words pierced my heart and our conversation came to a quick end as we had to file in for the funeral. I couldn't get his words out of my mind and so, a year later, I called and reminded him of what he had said to me and asked him if he had seen the Savior. He confirmed that he had. I asked him how he learned he could do such a thing as I was seeking to know how to do that myself. He said he learned it from, "that great book." Standing up and moving across the room to get a paper and pencil I said, "What book is that?" He replied, "The Book of Mormon."

He was right. It's all there.

Reading 3 Nephi 16 rattles my bones. Christ speaks of America and the LDS people who are in possession of the fulness of the Gospel. He prophesies of the time when we will have the fulness of the Gospel taken from us. In this post I am going to use a lot of scriptures. Please don't skim them but really take a minute to read them anew. 

Before we look at what verses I'm talking about, it's important to understand - you are a Gentile. Joseph Smith acknowledged that fact in his Kirtland Temple dedicatory prayer when he said: 

"Now these words, O Lord, we have spoken before thee, concerning the revelations and commandments which thou hast given unto us, who are identified with the Gentiles." (Joseph Smith, 1836)

The title page of the Book of Mormon also states it:

Wherefore, it is an abridgment of the record of the people of Nephi, and also of the Lamanites—Written to the Lamanites, who are a remnant of the house of Israel; and also to Jew and Gentile—Written by way of commandment, and also by the spirit of prophecy and of revelation—Written and sealed up, and hid up unto the Lord, that they might not be destroyed—To come forth by the gift and power of God unto the interpretation thereof—Sealed by the hand of Moroni, and hid up unto the Lord, to come forth in due time by way of the Gentile (by way of Joseph Smith...a Gentile)—The interpretation thereof by the gift of God.

If you, like Joseph Smith, Nephi, Mormon, and all the writers of the Book of Mormon, recognize that you are a Gentile, the Book of Mormon will become more powerful than you can yet imagine. It's message will become more clear, beautiful and fearsome than you had ever noticed before. To deny being a Gentile will only lead to great pride and stumbling.

With the Gentile view in mind, let's look at those fearsome verses in 3 Nephi 16 where the Savior is prophesying of us:

10 And thus commandeth the Father that I should say unto you: At that day when the Gentiles shall sin against my gospel, and shall reject the fulness of my gospel, and shall be lifted up in the pride of their hearts above all nations, and above all the people of the whole earth (believing that, "unless you are a member, you aren't eligible to be exalted like us"), and shall be filled with all manner of lyings, and of deceits, and of mischiefs, and all manner of hypocrisy, and murders (Alma 36:14), and priestcrafts (Alma 1:16), and whoredoms, and of secret abominations; and if they shall do all those things, and shall reject the fulness of my gospel, behold, saith the Father, I will bring the fulness of my gospel from among them. 

11 And then will I remember my covenant which I have made unto my people, O house of Israel, and I will bring my gospel unto them. 

12 And I will show unto thee, O house of Israel, that the Gentiles shall not have power over you; but I will remember my covenant unto you, O house of Israel, and ye shall come unto the knowledge of the fulness of my gospel. 

13 But if the Gentiles will repent and return unto me, saith the Father, behold they shall be numbered among my people, O house of Israel.

I used to read these verses and believe that Jesus must be prophesying about all the other "Christians" who reject the missionaries and the Book of Mormon. Believing that the "Gentiles" spoken of by Book of Mormon prophets are non-Latter-day Saints is unsound. If that were the case, then the Book of Mormon warns only non-readers of their impending doom. This perspective would mean that Nephi, Mormon, and Moroni foresaw and painstakingly recorded a warning to a people who will never see or read it. This belief can cause saints to be greatly lifted up in their pride because it would mean they are more special and chosen. The Book of Mormon attacks pride. It does not encourage it. I have come to the inescapable conclusion that the church is identified in prophecy as comprising Gentiles. 

The Book of Mormon is a voice of warning to the people who have had it published to them: the Latter-day Saints. It is critical that we understand who the "Gentiles" are so that we can understand what was prophesied concerning them rejecting the fulness of the Gospel.

And what is the fulness of the Gospel Christ prophesied would be rejected by us? Look at D&C 76:

12 By the power of the Spirit our eyes were opened and our understandings were enlightened, so as to see and understand the things of God— 

13 Even those things which were from the beginning before the world was, which were ordained of the Father, through his Only Begotten Son, who was in the bosom of the Father, even from the beginning; 

14 Of whom we bear record; and the record which we bear is the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ, who is the Son, whom we saw and with whom we conversed in the heavenly vision. 

In D&C 76 Joseph received the fulness of Christ, he received the fulness of the Father, he received visions of the entire plan of salvation and personally understood the New and Everlasting Covenant. The entire D&C 76 shows what it is like to receive the fulness of the Gospel. The Lord desires all to receive it and know for themselves. 

19 And while we meditated upon these things, the Lord touched the eyes of our understandings and they were opened, and the glory of the Lord shone round about. 

20 And we beheld the glory of the Son, on the right hand of the Father, and received of his fulness; 

21 And saw the holy angels, and them who are sanctified before his throne, worshiping God, and the Lamb, who worship him forever and ever. 

22 And now, after the many testimonies which have been given of him, this is the testimony, last of all, which we give of him: That he lives! 

23 For we saw him, even on the right hand of God; and we heard the voice bearing record that he is the Only Begotten of the Father— 

24 That by him, and through him, and of him, the worlds are and were created, and the inhabitants thereof are begotten sons and daughters unto God.

Joseph then goes on to describe as much of the plan of salvation as he is permitted. He describes what happens to the sons of perdition. And then he bears testimony of the gospel...which he has SEEN and KNOWS for himself:

40 And this is the gospel, the glad tidings, which the voice out of the heavens bore record unto us— 

41 That he came into the world, even Jesus, to be crucified for the world, and to bear the sins of the world, and to sanctify the world, and to cleanse it from all unrighteousness; 

42 That through him all might be saved whom the Father had put into his power and made by him; 

43 Who glorifies the Father, and saves all the works of his hands, except those sons of perdition who deny the Son after the Father has revealed him. 

44 Wherefore, he saves all except them—they shall go away into everlasting punishment... 

50 And again we bear record—for we saw and heard, and this is the testimony of the gospel of Christ concerning them who shall come forth in the resurrection of the just— 

51 They are they who received the testimony of Jesus, and believed on his name and were baptized after the manner of his burial, being buried in the water in his name, and this according to the commandment which he has given— 

52 That by keeping the commandments they might be washed and cleansed from all their sins, and receive the Holy Spirit by the laying on of the hands of him who is ordained and sealed unto this power; 

53 And who overcome by faith, and are sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise, which the Father sheds forth upon all those who are just and true. 

54 They are they who are the church of the Firstborn. 

55 They are they into whose hands the Father has given all things— 

56 They are they who are priests and kings, who have received of his fulness, and of his glory; 

57 And are priests of the Most High, after the order of Melchizedek, which was after the order of Enoch, which was after the order of the Only Begotten Son. 

58 Wherefore, as it is written, they are gods, even the sons of God— 

59 Wherefore, all things are theirs, whether life or death, or things present, or things to come, all are theirs and they are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s. 

60 And they shall overcome all things. 

61 Wherefore, let no man glory in man, but rather let him glory in God, who shall subdue all enemies under his feet. 

62 These shall dwell in the presence of God and his Christ forever and ever. 

63 These are they whom he shall bring with him, when he shall come in the clouds of heaven to reign on the earth over his people. 

64 These are they who shall have part in the first resurrection. 

65 These are they who shall come forth in the resurrection of the just. 

66 These are they who are come unto Mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly place, the holiest of all. 

67 These are they who have come to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of Enoch, and of the Firstborn. 

68 These are they whose names are written in heaven, where God and Christ are the judge of all. 

69 These are they who are just men made perfect through Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, who wrought out this perfect atonement through the shedding of his own blood. 

70 These are they whose bodies are celestial, whose glory is that of the sun, even the glory of God, the highest of all, whose glory the sun of the firmament is written of as being typical. 

92 And thus we saw the glory of the celestial, which excels in all things—where God, even the Father, reigns upon his throne forever and ever; 

93 Before whose throne all things bow in humble reverence, and give him glory forever and ever. 

94 They who dwell in his presence are the church of the Firstborn; and they see as they are seen, and know as they are known, having received of his fulness and of his grace; 

95 And he makes them equal in power, and in might, and in dominion. 

96 And the glory of the celestial is one, even as the glory of the sun is one.

114 But great and marvelous are the works of the Lord, and the mysteries of his kingdom which he showed unto us, which surpass all understanding in glory, and in might, and in dominion; 

115 Which he commanded us we should not write while we were yet in the Spirit, and are not lawful for man to utter; 

116 Neither is man capable to make them known, for they are only to be seen and understood by the power of the Holy Spirit, which God bestows on those who love him, and purify themselves before him; 

117 To whom he grants this privilege of seeing and knowing for themselves; 

118 That through the power and manifestation of the Spirit, while in the flesh, they may be able to bear his presence in the world of glory. 

119 And to God and the Lamb be glory, and honor, and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Verse 117-118 shows the fulness of the Gospel. Have you rejected the fulness of the Gospel? It is no wonder the Lord said the entire church is under condemnation for not taking the message of the Book of Mormon seriously. Christ in 3 Nephi 16 prophesied this would happen.

The fulfillment of Christ's prophecy of the fulness of the Gospel being rejected by the Gentiles is happening. We are now able to see the fulness of the Gospel returning to the House of Israel - people who are seeing and experiencing Christ as He was meant to be known.

I will link three video's of people who have been born again...who have been chosen and claimed by the Lord. These are just three videos of many people who are receiving Christ. And those videos are just the ones we know about. Christ is personally preaching His gospel to all the nations. All my life I kept waiting for "countries to open up so the gospel could be preached there," not realizing - He is already preaching there...personally. The Lord fulfills all His promises to mankind.

At first when watching these videos it is easy to say, "Now all they need is to join the church." But wait...aren't they living examples of the fulfillment of what the Temple teaches? The entire temple endowment is to teach you the journey back to God, in the flesh, where he can claim you His. These people have received their endowment. Have you?

From the concluding paragraph on the title page of the Book of Mormon: 

...And also to the convincing of the Jew and Gentile that Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God, manifesting himself unto all nations...

 

The Tree of Life

In the Book of Mormon, Lehi has a spectacular dream of the Tree of Life. We are all familiar with that dream. There are