There's talk about whether or not we should cast off those pesky dissenters.
From Mark 5:
"And whoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name, because you belong to Christ, truly I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward. And whoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hung about his neck, and he were cast into the sea.
Therefore if your hand offends you, cut it off. Or if your brother offends you, and confess not and forsake not, he shall be cut off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell. For it is better for you to enter into life without your brother, than for you and your brother to be cast into hell; into the fire that never shall be quenched, where their worm dies not, and the fire is not quenched.
And again, if your foot offends you, cut it off. For he that is your standard, by whom you walk, if he become a transgressor, he shall be cut off. It is better for you to enter lame into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched. Therefore, let every man stand or fall by himself, and not for another, or not trusting another.
Seek unto my Father and it shall be done in that very moment what you shall ask, if you ask in faith, believing that you shall receive. And if your eye which sees for you, him who is appointed to watch over you to show you light, become a transgressor and offends you, pluck him out. It is better for you to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire; for it is better that you should be saved, than to be cast into hell with your brother, where their worm dies not and where the fire is not quenched." (Mark 5)
Pairing that with an Alma scripture:
"For it came to pass that they did deceive many with their flattering words which were in the church and did cause them to commit many sins. Therefore, it became expedient that those who committed sin that were in the church should be admonished by the church.
And it came to pass that they were brought before the priests and delivered up unto the priests by the teachers, and the priests brought them before Alma, who was the high priest — now king Mosiah had given Alma the authority over the church. And it came to pass that Alma did know concerning them, for there were many witnesses against them; yea, the people stood and testified of their iniquity in abundance. Now there had not any such thing happened before in the church.
Therefore, Alma was troubled in his spirit, and he caused that they should be brought before the king. And he said unto the king, Behold, here are many whom we have brought before thee who are accused of their brethren. Yea, and they have been taken in divers iniquities, and they do not repent of their iniquities. Therefore, we have brought them before thee, that thou mayest judge them according to their crimes. But king Mosiah said unto Alma, Behold, I judge them not, therefore I deliver them into thy hands to be judged. And now the spirit of Alma was again troubled. And he went and inquired of the Lord what he should do concerning this matter, for he feared that he should do wrong in the sight of God.
And it came to pass that after he had poured out his whole soul to God, the voice of the Lord came to him, saying, Blessed art thou Alma, and blessed are they who were baptized in the waters of Mormon. Thou art blessed because of thy exceeding faith in the words alone of my servant Abinadi. And blessed are they because of their exceeding faith in the words alone which thou hast spoken unto them. And Blessed art thou because thou hast established a church among this people. And they shall be established, and they shall be my people. Yea, blessed is this people, who are willing to bear my name; for in my name shall they be called, and they are mine. And because thou hast inquired of me concerning the transgressor, thou art Blessed. Thou art my servant, and I covenant with thee that thou shalt have Eternal life.
And thou shalt serve me and go forth in my name and shall gather together my sheep. And he that will hear my voice shall be my sheep, and him shall ye receive into the church, and him will I also receive. For behold, this is my church, whosoever is baptized shall be baptized unto repentance; and whosoever ye receive shall believe in my name, and him will I freely forgive. For it is I that taketh upon me the sins of the world, for it is I that hath created them. And it is I that granteth unto him that believeth unto the end a place at my right hand. For behold, in my name are they called, and if they know me, they shall come forth and shall have a place eternally at my right hand. And it shall come to pass that when the second trump shall sound, then shall they that never knew me come forth and shall stand before me. And then shall they know that I am the Lord their God, that I am their Redeemer, but they would not be redeemed. And then will I confess unto them that I never knew them, and they shall depart into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his angels. Therefore, I say unto you that he that will not hear my voice, the same shall ye not receive into my church, for him will I not receive at the last day.
Therefore, I say unto you, Go, and whosoever transgresseth against me, him shall ye judge according to the sins which he has committed. And if he confesses his sins before thee and me and repenteth in the sincerity of his heart, him shall ye forgive, and I will forgive him also. Yea, and as often as my people repent will I forgive them their trespasses against me. And ye shall also forgive one another your trespasses. For verily I say unto you, He that forgiveth not his neighbor’s trespasses when he says that he repents, the same hath brought himself under condemnation. Now I say unto you, Go, and whosoever will not repent of his sins, the same shall not be numbered among my people. And this shall be observed from this time forward.
Other thoughts:
The Lord has given people sealing power because he knows they'll petition him to use it. He says, "Yeah if you want to make it rain, you can do that." and the only reason he says that is because he knows they will ask him first. They have the right. They have the power. They still ask him if it's ok.
From Mark 5:
"And whoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name, because you belong to Christ, truly I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward. And whoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hung about his neck, and he were cast into the sea.
Therefore if your hand offends you, cut it off. Or if your brother offends you, and confess not and forsake not, he shall be cut off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell. For it is better for you to enter into life without your brother, than for you and your brother to be cast into hell; into the fire that never shall be quenched, where their worm dies not, and the fire is not quenched.
And again, if your foot offends you, cut it off. For he that is your standard, by whom you walk, if he become a transgressor, he shall be cut off. It is better for you to enter lame into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched. Therefore, let every man stand or fall by himself, and not for another, or not trusting another.
Seek unto my Father and it shall be done in that very moment what you shall ask, if you ask in faith, believing that you shall receive. And if your eye which sees for you, him who is appointed to watch over you to show you light, become a transgressor and offends you, pluck him out. It is better for you to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire; for it is better that you should be saved, than to be cast into hell with your brother, where their worm dies not and where the fire is not quenched." (Mark 5)
Pairing that with an Alma scripture:
"For it came to pass that they did deceive many with their flattering words which were in the church and did cause them to commit many sins. Therefore, it became expedient that those who committed sin that were in the church should be admonished by the church.
And it came to pass that they were brought before the priests and delivered up unto the priests by the teachers, and the priests brought them before Alma, who was the high priest — now king Mosiah had given Alma the authority over the church. And it came to pass that Alma did know concerning them, for there were many witnesses against them; yea, the people stood and testified of their iniquity in abundance. Now there had not any such thing happened before in the church.
Therefore, Alma was troubled in his spirit, and he caused that they should be brought before the king. And he said unto the king, Behold, here are many whom we have brought before thee who are accused of their brethren. Yea, and they have been taken in divers iniquities, and they do not repent of their iniquities. Therefore, we have brought them before thee, that thou mayest judge them according to their crimes. But king Mosiah said unto Alma, Behold, I judge them not, therefore I deliver them into thy hands to be judged. And now the spirit of Alma was again troubled. And he went and inquired of the Lord what he should do concerning this matter, for he feared that he should do wrong in the sight of God.
And it came to pass that after he had poured out his whole soul to God, the voice of the Lord came to him, saying, Blessed art thou Alma, and blessed are they who were baptized in the waters of Mormon. Thou art blessed because of thy exceeding faith in the words alone of my servant Abinadi. And blessed are they because of their exceeding faith in the words alone which thou hast spoken unto them. And Blessed art thou because thou hast established a church among this people. And they shall be established, and they shall be my people. Yea, blessed is this people, who are willing to bear my name; for in my name shall they be called, and they are mine. And because thou hast inquired of me concerning the transgressor, thou art Blessed. Thou art my servant, and I covenant with thee that thou shalt have Eternal life.
And thou shalt serve me and go forth in my name and shall gather together my sheep. And he that will hear my voice shall be my sheep, and him shall ye receive into the church, and him will I also receive. For behold, this is my church, whosoever is baptized shall be baptized unto repentance; and whosoever ye receive shall believe in my name, and him will I freely forgive. For it is I that taketh upon me the sins of the world, for it is I that hath created them. And it is I that granteth unto him that believeth unto the end a place at my right hand. For behold, in my name are they called, and if they know me, they shall come forth and shall have a place eternally at my right hand. And it shall come to pass that when the second trump shall sound, then shall they that never knew me come forth and shall stand before me. And then shall they know that I am the Lord their God, that I am their Redeemer, but they would not be redeemed. And then will I confess unto them that I never knew them, and they shall depart into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his angels. Therefore, I say unto you that he that will not hear my voice, the same shall ye not receive into my church, for him will I not receive at the last day.
Therefore, I say unto you, Go, and whosoever transgresseth against me, him shall ye judge according to the sins which he has committed. And if he confesses his sins before thee and me and repenteth in the sincerity of his heart, him shall ye forgive, and I will forgive him also. Yea, and as often as my people repent will I forgive them their trespasses against me. And ye shall also forgive one another your trespasses. For verily I say unto you, He that forgiveth not his neighbor’s trespasses when he says that he repents, the same hath brought himself under condemnation. Now I say unto you, Go, and whosoever will not repent of his sins, the same shall not be numbered among my people. And this shall be observed from this time forward.
And it came to pass when Alma had heard these words, he wrote them down that he might have them and that he might judge the people of that church according to the commandments of God. And it came to pass that Alma went and judged those that had been taken in iniquity, according to the word of the Lord." (Mosiah 11)
Other thoughts:
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