The Path To Discipleship
37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
38 This is the first and great commandment.
39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints we believe that in The Lord, the offering and covenant unto Moses – a lesser law, even that of “sacrifice” – as a “rite” and its efficacy of “manner,” was ultimately redefined. The resultant of “The Fall” required of Adam & Eve a “secular” offering as The Holy Priesthood withheld relative Adam’s transgression. This required ritual consecration of “animals” in similitude of Golgotha, for as the recompense of the first documented “murder” relative to Abel. In short, if The Garden and The Fall requires recompense, likewise the death of Abel. During a tenure where God require “offering,” within Genesis – The murder of Abel – was in effect – viewed by God as a blemished offering – in effect prior to Abrahamic covenant must be made whole – Jesus Christ, in the meridian fulfilling the messianic covenant paying the price for Adam, and Cain: In the eyes of God, a noble and worthy offering. A personal insight is that this ensured the “Abrahamic covenant” be effectually in full-force: accepting the hidden knowledge that Isaac was offered as a sacrifice: becoming “Israel.” Likewise it should be mentioned: Likewise the offering of Laban, he who stood at the altar of Nephi.
In layman terms – The Lord does not require sacrifice in rites as it pertains to flesh. Metaphorically, the burning of flesh – was the disintegration of the physical body or natural man and the soul or smoke being released heavenward into the cosmos. This has manifested within Judaism and the offering of a “worthy” animal prepared carefully within orthodoxic law as within Deuteronomy as more exclusively in the Torah or books attributed to the authorship of Moses himself.
Instead: The Lord brought with him a higher law: That of “The New & Everlasting Covenant” which included the key to bind on earth in heaven.
Within the New & Everlasting he later instituted The Law of Consecration which within is the redefinition of “offering” as it directly applies to the Covenant of The New & Everlasting. In short, in judgment The Law of Moses is done or finished – with efficacy of Mormon canon entitles of heaven to a “telestial” degree. The Church of Jesus Christ does not deny anyone heaven: only the Gate to The Highest Degrees.
Centering on families – The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints teaches its members how to live “holy lives.” In conjunction with priesthood rites and ordinances, members are taught how to align themselves within the principle values of God – to live a life of discipleship, a life as defined within “The Law of Consecration.”
The Law of Consecration in layman terms is the practical application of time and labor to The Lord God: Family Home Evenings, Temple Worship, Sacrament Meetings, Full Tithe & Declaration and so forth are an “offering” of time and labor which had replace “animal sacrifice.”
This is in ritual effect “the washing of the feet” where metaphorically we walk or “labor” with our feet, following in the footsteps of The Lord. If being a “disciple” was easy, everyone would be one: In short, being a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is not about what we get, but what we give – in essence living a life in debt to God: We do not believe in Grace alone; which a telestial glory is guaranteed: But as members we are willing to consecrate “Everything” we have for goals of “Celestial glories,” a lofty and higher goal, where in faith we believe – That Families Can Be Together Forever.
In summary: Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints live life with a fond respect of The 10 Commandments as outlined and recorded by Moses; subject to modern interpretation and implementation of Modern Seers, and Prophets. We do not believe “an eye for an eye,” or in “stone casting” relative to any “sin” grievous or otherwise: Our respect for human life is unparalleled and our respect of the consumption of “meat” is within the suggestion of “moderation.” As Members of The Church instead we are everyday disciples of Jesus Christ: Offering our love and compassion by ministering to others: Consecrating our time and labor as an “offering” to God.