D&C 35:1-3

35:1-3 - The Lord begins by introducing himself to SR as “Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, whose course is one eternal round, the same today as yesterday, and forever. I am Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who was crucified for the sins of the world, even as many as will believe on my name, that they may become the sons of God, even one in me as I am one in the Father, as the Father in one in me, that we may be one.” It’s interesting to me that the Lord’s introduction of himself includes his role to us, to me that might indicate how much of his identity is rolled up into our success and salvation, just an interesting insight. There are a couple other interesting insights these first few verses, the first one is the phrase “one eternal round.” The IM teaches, “God governs by law- wholly, completely, invaryingly, and always. He has ordained that identical results always flow from the same causes. There is no respect of persons with him, and he is a Being ‘with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.’ Hence, the Lord’s ‘course in one eternal round, the same today as yesterday, and forever.’” DJR comments that this phrase might mean, “He always uses the same gospel to bring salvation to people; the same principles of faith, repentance, baptism, gift of the Holy Ghost, ordinances, etc.” I thought that this was an interesting point because it seems like there is such a disconnect between the gospel in the Bible and the gospel today. Even the New Testament, which is the record of Christ’s mortal ministry, it sometimes seem like that gospel and our gospel is so far removed from each other. But what this tells us and what we can learn by an in depth study of the scriptures is that the gospel was the same in the days of Adam as it was in the days of Moses as it was in the days of Jesus as it is in these days now, it’s the interpretations of men that make it appear different. Another point of this phrase seems, when I picture what the phrase “one eternal round” looks like, I see a circular track, the end and the beginning next to each other. If we think about a good television show, or a good movie series, one of the elements that they have in common is that all the loose ends are tied up, all the questions are answered and everything is laid to rest. I imagine that to be similar to our experience in the next life, I think that when this adventure is over and the settlement is made, all the unfinished business will be taken care of, all the tears will be dried and all the broken hearts will be mended. To me, that’s what “one eternal round” means, that in the end, the beginning will make sense. Another concept portrayed here is that of a “oneness.” The IM quotes President Brigham Young as teaching, “How is it that the Latter-day Saints feel and understand alike, are of one heart and one mind, no matter where they may be when the receive the Gospel?... They receive that which was promised by the Savior when he was about to leave the earth, namely the Comforter, that holy unction from on high which recognizes one God, one faith and one baptism, whose mind is the will of God the Father, in whom there dwelleth unity of faith and action, and in whom there cannot be division or confusion; when they received thus further light, it matters not whether they have seen each other or not, they at once become brothers and sisters, having been adopted into the family of Christ through the bonds of the everlasting covenant, and all can then exclaim, in the beautiful language of Ruth, ‘Thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God!’” Finally, the last phrase of these verses commented on is that of “Even as many as will believe on my name,” on which the IM teaches, “In Doctrine and Covenants 11:30, believing on the name of the Savior is equated with believing in Him, or in other words, receiving Him as the Savior. Believing on His name is demonstrated by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the gospel.” No super long today, I’m short on time and long on the list of things to do.