Just Some Thoughts, Chapter 1: Believe, Repent, Baptism, Holy Ghost

I've gathered a bunch of notes and papers I've written over the last few years into a book. I think maybe I'll post a chapter here and there when I can. The book is called "Just Some Thoughts" because that's literally what it is: thoughts that I've had to try to make sense of the path back to God. My attempt to find peace, understanding, salvation, and community. It is still in rough form, so forgive me, reader. Maybe I'll smooth things out for later.

For now, enjoy.

Written sometime in 2019, edited for clarity in 2024.

Chapter 1: Believe, Repent, Baptism, Holy Ghost

And it came to pass that the thirty and fourth year passed away, and also the thirty and fifth, and behold, the disciples of Jesus had formed a church of Christ in all the lands round about. And as many as did come unto them and did truly repent of their sins were baptized in the name of Jesus, and they did also receive the holy ghost. And it came to pass in the thirty and sixth year, the people were all converted unto the Lord, upon all the face of the land, both Nephites and Lamanites; and there were no contentions and disputations among them, and every man did deal justly one with another. And they had all things common among them; therefore, there were not rich and poor, bond and free, but they were all made free and partakers of the Heavenly gift. (4 Nephi 1:1)

Believe

This topic is easily understood, but not commonly understood. To address it, I will quote from the Glossary of Gospel Terms in our scriptures. Regarding Belief, they say,

Understanding and accepting true doctrine (see 3 Nephi 7:4). Belief comes after mere hope (meaning “desire”) and is based upon the conviction a proposition is true. There is a difference between belief and faith and between faith and knowledge. It is a spectrum. At one end there is desire, and it is then followed by belief. By degrees this belief grows into faith, and faith can progress by degrees into knowledge. Knowledge is at the other end of the spectrum. Belief is a step toward faith. Belief can come from study and from trusting others. Belief can be very weak, or it can be a strongly held conviction. In the Book of Mormon, Jacob makes a startling promise for those who live when the destruction begins preliminary to the cleansing of the world before the Lord returns. He says, none will he destroy that believeth in him. And they that believe not in him shall be destroyed, both by fire, and by tempest, and by earthquakes, and by bloodsheds, and by pestilence, and by famine (2 Nephi 5:5). This amazing promise is predicated on “believing in Him.” This requires us to understand what the word “believe” means in the parlance of the Book of Mormon. Those who believe in Him know and accept correct doctrine — or the truth — about Him. Those who do not know and will not accept correct doctrine or the truth have dwindled in unbelief. They do not believe in Him. They may have religion, may belong to churches, may be active in all their observances, but they are not in possession of belief in Him. Instead they accept for doctrines the commandments of men and their hearts are far from Him. They teach false and vain things. As a result, they neither enter into the kingdom nor suffer those who are entering to go in. This includes those who, though they are humble followers of Christ, are nevertheless led that in many instances they do err in doctrine (see 2 Nephi 12:2). There will be many who are destroyed who will be quite surprised by it. They will complain that they have prophesied in Christ’s name, have cast out devils in His name, and done many wonderful works, but they do not know Christ, and therefore, never did believe in Him (see Matthew 3:47–48). “If you are one of those who believe in Him, and who will not dwindle in unbelief, will not accept the commandments of men as doctrine, but will take the spirit for your guide, then Jacob promises that Christ will not destroy you. The rest He will destroy.” To believe in Him is to accept, study, contemplate, and ponder His teachings. It is not to just go along with the group, but to rise up from one’s position and awaken from one’s slumber. It is to grow into knowledge about Him. Belief leads to faith and faith to knowledge. But the process is initiated by one’s belief and correct understanding of His teachings (see the Lectures on Faith).

It's probably also useful to understand the antithesis of belief - unbelief. Again, pulling from the glossary, we learn that unbelief means,

...one does not understand and has not accepted true doctrine. The word unbelief means to accept false doctrine or to have an incomplete and inaccurate understanding of correct doctrine. Unbelief is often used in conjunction with losing truth, forsaking doctrine, and “dwindling.” The phrase dwindling in unbelief is the Book of Mormon’s way to describe moving from a state of belief, with true and complete doctrine, to a state of unbelief, where the truth has been discarded. Miracles end because men dwindle in unbelief.

Repent

The covenant offered by the Lord in 2017 asks four questions. They are,

First: Do you believe all the words of the Lord which have been read to you this day, and know them to be true and from the Lord Jesus Christ, who has condescended to provide them to you, and do you covenant with Him to cease to do evil and to seek to continually do good?

Second: Do you have faith in these things and receive the scriptures approved by the Lord as a standard to govern you in your daily walk in life, to accept the obligations established by the Book of Mormon as a covenant, and to use the scriptures to correct yourselves and to guide your words, thoughts, and deeds?

Third: Do you agree to assist all others — who covenant to likewise accept this standard to govern their lives — to keep the Lord’s will, to succor those who stand in need, to lighten the burdens of your brothers and sisters whenever you are able, and to help care for the poor among you?

Fourth: And do you covenant to seek to become of one heart with those who seek the Lord to establish His righteousness?

I find it interesting that, often, the first thing we are expected to do when we determine we will repent and turn to God is to search the scriptures. In Alma 10:5 we read,

And after Alma had made an end of speaking unto the people, many of them did believe on his words and began to repent and to search the scriptures. 

We have a nearly identical command in our day, 

And your minds in times past have been darkened because of unbelief, and because you have treated lightly the things you have received, which vanity and unbelief have brought the whole church under condemnation. And this condemnation rests upon the children of Zion, even all, and they shall remain under this condemnation until they repent and remember the new covenant, even the Book of Mormon, and the former commandments which I have given them, not only to say but to do according to that which I have written, that they may bring forth fruit meet for their Father’s kingdom. (T&C 82:20)

When God speaks to man and man records God’s word, the record is almost always edited by ambitious and conspiring men with agendas. (See Denver Snuffer podcast 60: Third Root. Here Denver lays out very clearly how scripture always becomes corrupt by ambitious men.)

Some examples include:

 
- The Deuteronomists (The Great High Priest, Margaret Barker pp. 9, 16, 18)

- Councils at Nicea in 325 A.D. (Bart Erman: Orthodox Corruption of Scripture)

- Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer, and Sydnes Rigdon (T&C 156:8; T&C 157:12-16)

- This was even a problem in Christ’s day. (RE Luke 8:17)

While translating the Bible, Joseph Smith stated that, "except the church receive the fulness of the Scriptures that they would yet fall.” The Lord explained that the fullness included, “the revelations which I have given unto you, and which I shall hereafter, from time to time, give unto you, for the purpose of building up my church and Kingdom on the earth, and to prepare my people for the time of my coming which is nigh at hand [...] the Books of Mormon [...] the Articles and Covenants, in which covenants all my commandments which it is my will should be printed shall be printed, as it shall be made known unto you, [...] the New Translation of the scriptures."

There are varying levels of accuracy when it comes to scripture. The Book of Mormon was translated by the gift and power of God. The interpretation of that book was given by heaven. We know it plainly and accurately conveys what the Lord intended to convey in that book in its current form. Many extra-canonical texts were found and translated by scholars. The interpretation was given to us according to their understanding of dead or nearly dead languages. We cannot be certain we understand properly what the original writers would have said in English without the gift and power of God. Despite this, the Qumran, Nag Hammadi, and other New Testament texts have not gone through a religiously or politically motivated edit by ambitious men. This makes them at least as useful as the pre-Joseph Smith translated bible, but less useful than the Book of Mormon and revelations given through Joseph.

Prayerful study alongside the “fullness of the scriptures” can help guide us to the true meaning and intention of the more mysterious passages. This is the beginning of repentance.

Baptism

The many symbols that flow from the experience of baptism should be discovered by each individual. For now, it is sufficient to state that baptism shows "ye are willing to repent of your sins, and enter into a covenant with him to keep his commandments, and witness it unto him this day by going into the waters of baptism."

Alma, father of Alma states,

And it came to pass that he said unto them, Behold, here are the waters of Mormon — for thus were they called — and now, as ye are desirous to come into the fold of God and to be called his people, and are willing to bear one another’s burdens, that they may be light, yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn, yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times, and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until death, that ye may be redeemed of God and be numbered with those of the first resurrection, that ye may have eternal life, now I say unto you, if this be the desire of your hearts, what have you against being baptized in the name of the Lord, as a witness before him that ye have entered into a covenant with him that ye will serve him and keep his commandments, that he may pour out his spirit more abundantly upon you? (Mosiah 9:7)

It should be noted that this individual event is intended to turn a person into someone valuable to a community. We should ask ourselves why that is, let that thought guide the next "steps" in the progression of the person.

Holy Ghost

After being baptized, the Holy Ghost fell upon Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery. Of that experience Joseph wrote:

Immediately upon our coming up out of the water after we had been baptized, we experienced great and glorious blessings from our Heavenly Father. No sooner had I baptized Oliver Cowdery than the holy ghost fell upon him and he stood up and prophesied many things which should shortly come to pass. And again, so soon as I had been baptized by him, I also had the spirit of prophecy; when standing up I prophesied concerning the rise of this Church, and many other things connected with the Church and this generation of the children of men. We were filled with the holy ghost and rejoiced in the God of our salvation.

Our minds being now enlightened, we began to have the scriptures laid open to our understandings, and the true meaning and intention of their more mysterious passages revealed unto us in a manner which we never could attain to previously, nor ever before had thought of.

So here we find ourselves back at the scriptures. Remember all those mysterious passages you glazed over when you began to repent? Now they can be understood! Not only that, but they can be implemented! Not only that, but you can recieve revelation regarding them. 

The Holy Ghost has the power to:

- open the heavens, showing you things past, present, and future (1 Nephi 3:5; T&C 69:29)

- bringing all things to remembrance (T&C 157:32; TSJ 9:9)

- with the power to give you knowledge of all things (Moroni 10:2)

- tell you all things which you should do (2 Nephi 14:1)

The Book of Mormon was “translated” by the gift and power of God. And what is the gift and power of God? Is it not the Holy Ghost, a gift from the Father, which is His power unto salvation?

Joseph used this gift when going through the bible, using his gift and power from God to see the past present and future to understand the true meaning and intention of the more mysterious passages in a way he could never attain to previously, and has never before thought of. This is how the book of Moses was received, as well as any other revisions of the text. He did not do this for all the bible, however. It is as if he showed us the example of what to do, and left the rest for us to discover.

It's important that we also have this gift when reading texts translated by men who did not act with the gift and power of God. Even the Book of Mormon would have been lesser had a scholar, without the gift and power of God, or the power of the Holy Ghost, attempted its direct and literal translation into English. In this sense, the Book of Mormon is much more a revelation than a translation.

It is very difficult sometimes to transmit through pen and paper what has been received of God. Even when the writers are inspired, their writing can be “weak” (1 Nephi 5:35; 2 Nephi 15:1-2; Ether 5:4, 8).

We read in 2 Nephi 2:6 that,

...the Lord said unto me also, I will raise up unto the fruit of thy loins, and I will make for him a spokesman. And I, behold, I will give unto him that he shall write the writing of the fruit of thy loins unto the fruit of thy loins; and the spokesman of thy loins shall declare it. And the words which he shall write shall be the words which are expedient in my wisdom should go forth unto the fruit of thy loins. And it shall be as if the fruit of thy loins had cried unto them from the dust, for I know their faith. And they shall cry from the dust, yea, even repentance unto their brethren, even that after many generations have gone by them. And it shall come to pass that their cry shall go, even according to the simpleness of their words, because of their faith. Their words shall proceed forth out of my mouth unto their brethren who are the fruit of thy loins; and the weakness of their words will I make strong in their faith unto the remembering of my covenant which I made unto thy fathers.

The Lord will make what was written in weakness, strong to the readers because He took their true meaning and intention and phrased it in a strong way. If the Book of Mormon had been translated by a scholar, we would have gotten what they wrote in weakness. But we didn’t. Gratefully, we received the Lord’s strength.

A simple case study, bringing all texts of scripture and lessons from the prophets that are available, can help guide one way to aid our reading, using the Holy Ghost to bring all things to our remembrance. One key and example to aid our reading of these texts is given with the newly revealed Testimony of John, given through Denver Snuffer. The original scholarly translators rejected the spiritual, the eternal, the mystical, in favor of the earthly, temporal, and finite. The original scholarly translation appears thus:

As soon then as they had come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid thereon, and bread. Jesus says unto them, Bring of the fish which you have now caught. Simon Peter went up and drew the net to land, full of great fishes, a hundred fifty-three. And for all there were, so many, yet was not the net broken. (RE John 11:7l KJV John 21:9-10)

Denver’s newly revealed account reads this way:

As they ascended, they saw a fire burning at the offering place and the Flesh Offering was upon it, who is also the Bread of Life. Jesus said to them, Rise above the flesh you now occupy, and Simon Peter ascended, and drew the veil open, and there were ministering a hundred, and then fifty, and then three; and for these many who they beheld, yet the veil remained open. (RE T&C 171:12:16)

As we can see, the two take very different approaches to interpreting the text. One using only scholarly tools and earthly ideas, the other the gift and power of God.

We will use the Infancy Gospel of James for our case study. Speaking of Mary, the mother of the Lord, we read in chapter six first paragraph:

“And day by day, the child grew stronger. When she was six months old, her mother stood her on the ground to test whether she could stand. And walking seven steps, she came to her mother’s breast, and her mother caught her up.

If we take on Denver’s example, and take all we have been taught through the scriptures, and all the prophets have said, and allow all these things to be brought to our remembrance to inform us of the true meaning and intention of these mysterious passages, we might read the former text more like this:

And through the aeons, the female spirit progressed. When she had ascended six rungs of Jacob’s ladder, her Divine Mother sent her to the Earth to try whether she would do all things she was commanded. And, ascending seven rungs, she was taken up to her Mother’s bosom. 

It behooves us to exercise this same gift and power as we read the bible (even the JST, since he did not fix all of it), and other sacred texts which were translated by scholars.

The Lord says in T&C 157:45 that, 

I have given to you my doctrine, and have also revealed teachings, commandments, precepts, and principles to guide you, and it is not meet that I command you in all things — reason together and apply what I have given you, and it will be enough.

The scriptures play a central role in our development as a person of God. The new Restoration Edition of the scriptures will be essential in the establishment of New Jerusalem.

OOF.

Man, sorry I haven't written here in so long. I've thought of this blog several times lately. Maybe it's a sign. 

It's not that I haven't been writing. I have. Just not here. Maybe I should just post the things I have written elsewhere to make up for slacking here. 

But really, who am I benefitting anyway? No one reads here. It is therapeutic to write out some thoughts though. And helps me converse with more clarity. 

Well, more to come. Probably. 

Which Should Take Away the Sins of the World

2 Nephi 13:1 says,

"Wherefore, I would that ye should remember that I have spoken unto you concerning that prophet which the Lord shewed unto me that should baptize the Lamb of God, which should take away the sin of the world."

If you go through and do a word usage search of "who" and "which" in the book of Mormon, they are generally used correctly (even though the first "which" in this passage seems to have been used incorrectly... *face palm*). I think the same is true here.

It's true that the Lamb of God took away the sins of the world (Alma 5:4). I think, however, that Nephi might be speaking with a little more precision than Alma was speaking with. He's speaking about that thing/event/ordinance WHICH should take away the sins of the world. I think if you want to speak very precisely, you would say the Lord took upon himself the sins of the world (3 Nephi 5:4) and that the baptism of the Lamb took away the sins.

The idea offers more of an explanation of why Christ, a perfect being, had to be baptized to fulfill all righteousness. Nephi explains that it was to show us the right way, and to show the Lord's humility to the Father by keeping His commandments (2 Nephi 13:2). Those are obviously true and valid explanations. It appears there may be a practical application as well.

We know that the order in which ordinances are received doesn't always matter. Joseph Smith stood in the presence of God and angels and was forgiven of his sins years before he was baptized. So it doesn't necessarily matter that the Lord took our sins upon himself three years after his baptism. It still had the effect. 

I could be wrong about this, but it tastes good. There's at least something to this thought. 

And Babes Shall Rule Over Them

NC 2 Nephi 8:6 reads,

"For behold, the Lord, the Lord of Hosts doth take away from Jerusalem and from Judah the stay and the staff, the whole staff of bread and the whole stay of water, the mighty man, and the man of war, the judge, and the prophet, and the prudent, and the ancient, the captain of fifty, and the honorable man, and the counsellor, and t he cunning artificer, and the eloquent orator. And I will give children unto them to be their princes, and babes shall rule over them."

On my LDS mission, there was a young autistic man in the branch named Casey. He was very high functioning. He lived on his own. He would have us come over every Tuesday and we would read the book of Mormon to him.

When we came to these complicated Nephi/Isaiah chapters and stumbled upon these words, Casey stopped us and asked, quite seriously, "When it says 'babes shall rule over them', is it talking about women or children?"

It was almost too much to bear, but we managed to hold our laughter in behind ear-to-ear smiles.

Well...

We've learned that to "rule" really only means to teach. Any "ruler" sent by Christ is sent to kneel, serve and elevate others by teaching correct principles. So, if I understand this correctly, the young will teach the elderly? What kind of twisted place is this end of times world that the elderly have to be taught by the young? Doesn't age bring wisdom? What gives?

My wife found this in OC Job 11:2 the other day and shared it with me:

"I am young and you are very old; wherefore I was afraid and dared not show you my opinion. I said, Days should speak, and multitude of years should teach wisdom. But there is a spirit in man, and the inspiration of the Almighty gives them understanding. Great men are not always wise, neither do the aged understand judgment."

Hm.

If things are somewhat of a mirror, or chiasm, the beginning reflecting the end, then I suppose there is room for Enoch's insecurities to play out again. When the Lord called him at the green age of 65 (I mean, there were 600, 700, 800 year olds running around) he asked the Lord, "Why is it that I have found favor in your sight, and am but a lad, and all the people hate me for I am slow of speech; wherefore, am I your servant?" (OC Gen. 4:2)

Why indeed, Enoch.

Enoch's story is really quite interesting. He was ordained to the Holy Order before both his father and grandfather, and was blessed before his father, and his father ordained before his father (Timeline of the Fathers). I have to wonder if these two generations were not saved by the ministry of their youth.

It sheds more light on the passage from NC Acts 1:9. Notice the direction in which the gifts flow:

"But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice and said unto them, You men of Judea, and all that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you and listen to my words; for these are not drunk as you suppose, seeing it is the third hour of the day. But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel, And it shall come to pass in the last days, declares God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit, and they shall prophesy, and I will show wonders in heaven above and signs in the earth beneath: blood and fire and vapor of smoke; the sun shall be turned into darkness and the moon into blood before that great and notable day of the Lord come. And it shall come to pass that whoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved."

Interesting things to consider. Can truth really come from any source God chooses? Are the elderly too wise to be taught?

The times, they are a changin'

The very last two paragraphs of Daniel's last vision say,

"And I heard the man clothed in linen who was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and swore by him that lives for ever that it shall be for a time, times, and a half. And when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished.

And I heard, but I understood not. Then I said, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things? And he said, Go your way, Daniel, for the words are closed up and sealed until the time of the end. Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly. And none of the wicked shall understand, but the wise shall understand. And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that makes desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days. Blessed is he that waits, and comes to the thousand three hundred and thirty-five days. But go your way until the end be, for you shall rest, and stand in your lot at the end of the days."

After the daily sacrifice is taken away there is a 1,290 day period. After the time is fulfilled, the abomination that makes desolate is set up. We learn earlier in the chapter that it is set up in the "sanctuary of strength" where the daily sacrifice takes place. Well, apparently the wicked won't understand this, but the "wise" will. Thanks to Denver's past explanation, it's possible for us to understand what this all means.

The coming lunar eclipse (blood moon) on Sunday will be the last one until May 16, 2022. Approximately 3.5 years (1,290 days, 42 months) from now.

It's possible that the recent temple changes marked the removal of the daily sacrifice from the sanctuary of strength. If the heavens actually do correlate with what's happening on the ground, this blood moon is a sign of the Mother's judgement of that removal. This is especially pertinent because the recent changes have a lot to do with the woman's role. This means it's possible that 3.5 years from now, around the same time as the next lunar eclipse, the abomination of desolation will be set up.

Mark 6:7 NC says,

"And again shall the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, be fulfilled. And immediately after the tribulation of those days, the sun shall be darkened and the moon shall not give her light and the stars shall fall from heaven and the powers of heaven shall be shaken. Truly I say unto you, this generation in the which these things shall be shown forth, shall not pass away, until all I have told you shall be fulfilled. Although the days will come that heaven and earth shall pass away, yet my words shall not pass away, but all shall be fulfilled."

Matt. 11: 7, 10:

"And again, this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world, for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come, or the destruction of the wicked. And again shall the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, be fulfilled [...] Now learn a parable of the fig tree. When its branches are yet tender and it begins to put forth leaves, you know that summer is near at hand. So likewise, my elect, when they shall see all these things, they shall know that he is near, even at the doors. But of that day and hour no one knows; no, not the angels of God in heaven, but my Father only. But as it was in the days of Noah, so it shall be also at the coming of the Son of Man..."

The fig leaves, they grow, and summer is nigh (read with a pirate accent).

https://www.nst.com.my/world/2019/01/450986/total-lunar-eclipse-jan-20-21-will-be-last-until-2022

About Jack and Diane

Here's a little ditty I wrote 2/11/18 with edits to the last couplet. Enjoy.


For the last few months I’ve had this thorn in my side,
People setting themselves up as a standard to guide,
But with their eyes so darkened they’re just blind leading the blind,
And I cry out in my heart every time
Someone decides to speak out of line
Adding to the cacophony and it’s blowing my mind that
We just keep talking about who’s wrong and who’s right
Is his idea better, or mine?
But we’re all just fools who should shut up and find
The will of the One who enlightens our eyes
And be patient in love ‘til we start to see Zion
And sing to Him praises for loosing that which doth bind
And satan is bound for that great length of time
And peace is had and confusion unwinds to
Show us the truth of all things throughout time
And when it’s just natural for us to be kind
But enough of that now, there’s this problem in sight
And no one around knows the answer
But they think they’re all right
So until there is someone who can shed some light
Everyone please shut up and let’s stop this fight
Things like this take experience and time

Just be still, and know He is God
And do some praying to Father above
And then we’ll agree on what to do next
This is, and was, and always will be the test
And that is the truth
From He that knows best
If we follow His will we’ll be blessed with the Blest

No doubt there will be cries that
“he’s stopping free speech!
please sir, you are not thought police!”
But remember the Christ when He could not even preach
To the hard-hearted Nephites
'Cause they needed to pray
And go to their homes
At the end of that day
When the Lord came to teach, but they’d only be heal’d
And had withheld from them great things unrevealed
Or the time He told Hyrum “do not go preach,
but first learn my word, then in Spirit you’ll teach”
I guess when we’re learned we think we are wise
And we want to be heard so we get this disguise
Of sheep’s clothing
And with good intentions speak forth the lies
That darken the souls and dim the eyes
And finally when we’re all so tired,
Nothing can be done except to be burned with fire

But...
There is hope still...

Let’s listen to God
And start walking that path he so painfully trod
To show us the way to eternal life
Where none will engage in this envy and strife
And we will have joy in that wondrous state
And all there have ceased long ago from all hate
Let’s go to that place
Everyone, PLEASE
And the Truth will then flow with the greatest of ease

Yerrrrr Out!

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.

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: 

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.