A Chosen Generation
  
    Purpose
    To help class members live in holiness and be a chosen generation.
      
      
      Attention Activity
      As appropriate, use the following activity or one of your own to begin
      the lesson.
      Share the following story told by Bishop Vaughn J. Featherstone:
      “Many years ago I heard the story of the son of King Louis XVI of France.
      King Louis had been taken from his throne and imprisoned. His young son,
      the prince, was taken by those who dethroned the king. They thought that
      inasmuch as the king’s son was heir to the throne, if they could destroy
      him morally, he would never realize the great and grand destiny that life
      had bestowed upon him.
      “They took him to a community far away, and there they exposed the lad
      to every filthy and vile thing that life could offer. … For over six months
      he had this treatment—but not once did the young lad buckle under pressure.
      Finally, after intensive temptation, they questioned him. Why had he not
      submitted himself to these things—why had he not partaken? These things
      would provide pleasure, satisfy his lusts, and were desirable; they were
      all his. The boy said, ‘I cannot do what you ask for I was born to be a
      king’” (“The King’s son,” New Era, Nov. 1975, 35).
      Bishop Featherstone commented:
      “Our Father is a king, and just as the king’s son was exposed to every
      vile and perverted thing in this life, so you will be exposed to much of
      the filth and degradation of our generation. But you … are also born to
      be kings and queens, priests and priestesses” (New Era, Nov. 1975, 35).
  
    
      As spirit children of our Heavenly Father, what is our potential? 
      How
        should the knowledge of our divine potential influence the way we live?
      What thoughts come to your mind when you hear
          that you are a chosen generation? 
      Setting
      [Theme of Peter’s First Letter How
            the saints ought to react to suffering and persecution is
            the theme of the letter. The
          president of the church was forewarning the members that there was
          yet to be a “fiery trial” wherein they would be classed with murderers,
          thieves, and evil doers. The letter constituted
          a warning and a preparation for ominous days ahead. (50-2)
          Place and Date of Writing of First Peter This letter was probably
          written at Rome, inasmuch as “Babylon” (5:13)
          is a scriptural designation for the wickedest city in the empire (Revelation
          18:10, 21). The date of writing was sometime before
          the Neronian persecutions in A.D. 62 or 63. (50-3) Background
          Information for First Peter As noted in chapter 1, the Roman
          government displayed a general tolerance toward all religions,
          Christianity not excepted. As long as the church posed no threat to
          Rome, the state ignored the church. The priesthood
          leadership of the church, however, was under divine commission to preach
          the gospel “unto all the world” (Mark 16:15). This
          meant, of course,
          a peaceful penetration of the gospel message into
          and throughout the Roman Empire. It was not a message that
          could or would long remain ignored by the Roman government, for the gospel
          messengers were making bold assertions that Jesus of Nazareth, who
          was rejected by his own nation and crucified under Roman edict, was
          now risen from the dead.
          A message that proclaimed a risen Christ, a coming
          judgment, and an eventual return of Christ to establish his universal
          kingdom on earth was not a message to be favorably regarded by power-obsessed
          earthly monarchs. Under the emperor Nero,
          misunderstanding, hatred, and accusations toward the saints in Rome
          and throughout the empire were actively fostered.
          There is some evidence to  suggest that Nero burned part of
          Rome so that he could expand his palace, and then would blame the fires
          on the saints. The change
          from tolerance to hostility toward the church provoked apprehension
          among the saints throughout Asia. What should be their attitude, in
          turn, toward the state? How ought they to regard this unjust persecution?
          They looked to the prophet for answers.]
      Read 1 Peter 2:9 - Live in faith and holiness as a chosen
      generation.
       9 But ye are a chosen generation, [so
            who is this letter addressed to? The
            Saints in the days of Peter. Wait
            a minute here how can they - the saints in Peters time be a chosen
            generation - so who is the chosen generation? That
          is a trick question because it does not mean a generation of time but
          rather the entire progeny of Jacob in all ages Isa 41:8-9 Elder Bruce
          R. McConkie defined a chosen generation as “not those living in a particular
          period or age, but … the house of Israel both anciently, in the meridian
          of time, and now in these latter-days. … [It includes] faithful members
          of the Church who have taken upon themselves the name of Christ and
          been adopted into his family” (Doctrinal New Testament Commentary,
          3 vols. [1966–73], 3:294)] a royal priesthood,[ What
          Is a Royal Priesthood? or Royal
          because you have the priesthood of God - Royality above earthly royality.
          “Whenever
          the Lord has a people on earth he offers to make them a nation of kings
          and priests—not a congregation of lay members with a priest or a minister
          at the head—but a whole Church in which every man is his own minister,
          in which every man stands as a king in his own right, reigning over
          his own family-kingdom. The priesthood which makes a man a king and
          a priest is thus a royal priesthood.” (McConkie, DNTC, 3:294.)
          Christ is the king of all those kings who he calls his own—those who
          are made royal by virtue of holding and honoring his priesthood. or
          what Moses calls a kingdom of priests, Exod. xix. 6, taken collectively;
          the order of men set apart for sacred offices - when the Lord has a
          people on the earth that are his he offers to make them a nation of
          Kings and prietss - not a congregration of lay members with a priest
          or minister at the head. Each man stands then as a king in his own
          right, reigning over his own family-kingdom Doc NT Comm pg 294] an holy nation, [
          What makes them a holy nation? separated
          from all the people of the earth, that they might worship the one only
          true God, and abstain from the abominations that were in the heathen
          world ] a peculiar people; [ What
          Is the Meaning of the Phrase “a Peculiar People”? Each
          of the titles used here by Peter is a title formerly
          used to refer to the covenant people, the house of Israel.
          He therefore seeks to call to their minds that by virtue of their embracing
          the gospel they are now the new Israel. They are the chosen nation
          (see Isaiah 43:20), a royal “kingdom of priests” and a “holy nation”
          (Exodus 19:6) and a peculiar people. The word peculiar as used
          in the King James Version comes from the Latin peculium, meaning “private
          property.”  Though
          today it has come to mean “strange or unusual,” it really carries the
          same idea—a characteristic or quality belonging to something. The
          marginal reading is “purchased” and means that the saints are God’s
          own, private people, a people for God’s own possession. How
          does the understanding that you are private property of God make you
          feel? This
          title too is suggested in the Old Testament when Isaiah says, “This
          people have I formed for myself.” (Isaiah 43:21.) President Joseph
          Fielding Smith added this: “And we will be peculiar because we will
          not be like other people who do not live up to these standards.” (CR,
          Apr. 1971, p. 47.) markedly different from the usual, a purchased people,
          those who have become faithful members of the church who have taken
          upon themselves the name of Christ and hence have been adopted into
          his family.] that
          ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called
          you out of darkness [
          so who are the called? The
          saints What have they been
          called to do? every
          person who accepts the gospel has accepted the call out of the darkness
          that they found themselves in ] into his
          marvellous light: [
          Accept the truth, live his laws, the light that shows the way that
          we might return to live with him, The light of Christ, the light of
          truth, the light of the gospel ] 
      What is our responsibility as a chosen generation?
      How can we fulfill this responsibility? (See Matthew
        5:16.)      
      
        
        2. Partake of the divine nature and strive to make
        your calling and election sure.
      When you hear the words make your calling and election sure what thoughts
        come to your mind? 
      Are these principles that we should really concern
        ourselves with? Why or why not? 
      2 Peter 1:3-4 
      3 According as his [Christs] divine
        power hath given unto us all things
        that pertain unto life and godliness, [
        What kind of life is he referring
        to here? Eternal
        life. In other words this is a summation doctrine, a crowning doctrine.
        This is the thing that leads to life - meaning eternal life, and and
        involves what we must do through all phases of godliness. ] through
        the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory
        and virtue: [Our
        calling here is to glory; the glory of God] 
       
        4 Whereby are given unto
        us exceeding great and precious promises:
        [ What are the great
        and precious promises that our father in heaven has given us? We
        can live with him, inherit all that he has ] that
        by these ye might be bpartakers of
          the divine nature, [ What
            Does It Mean to Be “Partakers of the Divine Nature”? Peter            himself goes
            on to say it is escaping “the corruption that is in the world
            through lust.” (vs.
            4.) President David O. McKay, commenting on verse
            4, said it means “to rise above the temporal,
            the sensual, and partake of the divine Spirit of God.” (CR,
            Oct. 1961, p. 90.) He becomes like God having developed the characters,
            and atributes that deity has. ] having escaped the corruption that
          is in the world through lust. [
            We have foresaken the world, we now have the
            goal and direction to receive all of the great and precious promises
            that await us. so
              how do we do that - become partakers of divine nature? the
        next verse teach us exactly how, or what we must do.] 
        Discuss The Qualities Of Divine Nature In 2 Peter
            1:5-7
        What are the attributes that Peter describes
            as part of divine nature? list on chalk board all 9
        diligence, faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness,
          brotherly kindness, charity  
         Why is it important
        that we develop these qualities? 
        How have you seen
          these attributes demonstrated by others?
       
       5 
And
          beside this, 
[so we get this council,
          addresses to all members of the church] giving
          all diligence, 
[ What
          does it mean giving all diligence? Diligence
          means to do something with intense effort and motivation, with quick
          movement and is in opposition to the attitude of slothfulness. The
          individual who is diligent is eager to do something and ready to expend
          the necessary energy and effort. Diligence in hearkening to the voice
          of the Lord, diligence in keeping the commandments.] add
          to your faith virtue; 
[ What
          does it mean to be add virtue? Chastity; Cleanliness;
          Goodness; Holiness; Modesty; Purity; Sacred. Why is virtue important? Because
          God does not dwell in unclean things. ] and
          to virtue knowledge; 
[ Knowledge
          of what? That there is a God, That he lives, that we
          are his children, that he has a plan for us. What
          is it important to have this knowledge? This knowledge
          propells us forwrd to continue to make the rest of the effort required.
          ]  
       6 And to knowledge 
temperance; 
[ What
          is temperance? Self mastery,
          self control Why
          is it important? Gody temperence
          allowed him to let his son suffer and die on the cross and not interceed,
          even though he could, he has the self mastery to let the plan go forward
          as planned. ] and
          to temperance 
patience; 
[ Patience
          in what? Affliction, forebear,
          wait on the Lord, slow to wrath How
          does the Lord teach us through requiring us to use patience? Line
          upon line The son showed patience the recical of temperance when he
          sub mitted totally to the will of the father, allowing himself to be
          nailed to the cross as it was partof the fathers plan] and
          to patience 
godliness; 
[
          What is Godliness? reverence
          for the sacred, emulation of the characteristics of God]  
       
        7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; [ What
          is brotherly kindness? show benevolence
          to your brothers and sisters - humanity Why is brotherly kindness
          important to learn? ] and
          to brotherly kindness charity. [ Why
          is charity last? It kind of encompasses
          everything. If you have true charity you are doing the rest! Almsgiving;
          Benevolence; Compassion; Generosity; God, Love of; Love; Mercy; Poor;
          Welfare. ] 
        Read and Discuss 2 Peter 1:8-11
       
       8 
For
          if these things be in you, 
[ so
          if after you have joined the church, since this is who he
          is speaking to (the saints); and then have sought to aquire these previously
          mentioned atributes of God ] and abound,
          they make 
you that ye shall neither 
be barren nor unfruitful in
          the 
knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 
[
          Which is life eternal to know God and Christ whom he has sent. ]  
       9 
But
          he that lacketh these things is blind, 
[ How
          is one blind that dose not posess the characteristics of divine nature?
          Or what does one see when he does posess the charistics of divine nature? or
          in otherwords people even though they are in the church are blind unless
          they have acquired the attributes of Godliness as mentioned above.
          So the more of these attributes that each of us posess, the more acurate
          our views on spiritual things. And the less blindness exists in their
          lives. ] and
          cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was 
purged
          from his old sins.
[ And how do
          we do that? through baptism ]  
       10 Wherefore the rather, 
brethren [ Who
          is he talking to here? ], 
give
          diligence [ What
          do you think he is trying to say when he says give diligence to the
          process? ] to
          make your calling [ What
          is meant by calling? To be called
          is to be a member of the Church of Jesus Christ, to be numbered amoung
          his saints. It is to accept the gospel and receive the everlasting
          covenant. Who
          are the called of God? remember
          we read in 1 Pet 2:9 They were called out of darkness, they
          are a chosen generation (Lineage), they hold a royal priesthood.
          (also D&C
          53:1; 55:1; 101:39; ) What is
          their calling to? Eternal
          glory 1 Pet 5:10
                        "10 But the God of all grace, who hath called
                        us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that
                        ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish,
                        strengthen, settle you. " ] and election sure: 
[ Who
                        are the elect? Those
                        who have made the charastics of Divine nature part of
                        their life. “The elect of God comprise a very select
                        group, an inner circle of faithful members of The Church
                        of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They are the portion
                        of church members who are striving with all their hearts
                        to keep the fulness of the gospel law in this life so
                        that they can become inheritors of the fulness of gospel
                        rewards in the life to come” (McConkie, Mormon Doctrine,
                        217) What
                        Is Meant by Having One’s Calling and Election Made Sure? “To
                        have one’s calling and election made sure is to be sealed
                        up unto eternal life; it is to have the unconditional
                        guarantee of exaltation in the highest heaven of the
                        celestial world; it is to receive the assurance of godhood;
                        it is, in effect, to have the day of judgment advanced,
                        so that an inheritance of all the glory and honor of
                        the Father’s kingdom is assured prior to the day when
                        the faithful actually enter into the divine presence
                        to sit with Christ in his throne, even as he is ‘set
                        down’ with his ‘Father in his throne.’ (Rev.
                        3:21.)” (McConkie, DNTC, 3:330–31.) Was
                        this only for the saints in the days of Peter?  so
                        what
                        then is he saying that we must do to have
                        our calling and election made sure? develop
                        the charastics of divine nature. 
                                        The Prophet Joseph
                                        Smith taught: “After a person has faith
                                        in Christ, repents of his sins, and is
                                        baptized for the remission of his sins
                                        and receives the Holy Ghost (by the laying
                                        on of hands), … then let him continue
                                        to humble himself before God, hungering
                                        and thirsting after righteousness, and
                                        living by every word of God, and the
                                        Lord will soon say unto him, son, thou
                                        shalt be exalted. When the Lord has thoroughly
                                        proved him, and finds that the man is
                                        determined to serve Him at all hazards,
                                        then the man will find his calling and
                                        his election made sure” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph
                                        Smith, sel. Joseph Fielding Smith [1976],
                                        150).] for
                                        if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: 
[
                                        Or Greg; when you have done these things
                                        you will have proven to yourself, and
                                        God that you will serve him at all costs,
                                        and hence your salvation is made sure
      ]  
       11 
For
          so an entrance shall be ministered unto you [
          You will have earned your admission ] abundantly [
          When the Lord promises abundance
          what does he mean? means
          an enterance into the highest heaven in the celestial kingdom (B.R.
          McConkie
            "Making our Calling And Election Sure" 1969 BYU devotional
            ] into the everlasting kingdom of
            our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. 
[
            You will be permitted into his kindgom, to sit on his throne to be
            a joint heir, with the son, of all that the father has. see Rev 3:21
            ]  
      3 Paul Expressed A Simuliar Message In Ephesains
          6:10-18 Where he instructed the saints
      to put on the armor or god. 
      As you go through your daily life  do you really
          consider you are in battle with Satan?
        How do you know that you are in a battle? 
   
      Read Ephesains 6:10-18
       10 Finally, my brethren,
        be strong in the Lord,
        and in the power of his might. 
 
       11 
Put
          on the whole armour of
          God, 
[ What
          Does It Mean for a Latter-day Saint to Put On the Whole Armour of God? Now
          there we have the four parts of the body that the apostle Paul saw
          to be the most vulnerable to the powers of darkness. What
          are the 4 principal parts that we need to protect against? 1) The
          loins, Symbolic reprentation? typifying virtue, chastity. 2)
          The heart Symbolic reprentation? typifying
          our conduct, our desires, emotions, spiritual capacity - the place
          were real conversion takes place. 3) Our feet, Symbolic
          reprentation? our goals or objectives in life, 4) our
          head, Symbolic reprentation? our
          thoughts, the ruler of our body. “Now let's look at the kind of armor
          we need to guard against attack for each...the kind of armour that
          will protect us is even more interesting. . . .] that ye may
          be 
able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 
 
       12 For 
we wrestle not against flesh and
          blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of
          the darkness of this
          world, 
[ listen to the remarks
          of Jeffrey R. Holland - We Are All Enlisted - Oct 2011 Priesthood session. 
          
          "We don’t talk about the adversary any more
            than we have to, and I don’t like talking about him at all, but the
            experience of young Joseph reminds us of what every man, including
            every young man, in this audience needs to remember.
          Number one, Satan, or Lucifer, or the father
            of lies—call him what you will—is real, the very personification
            of evil. His motives are in every case malicious, and he convulses
            at the appearance of redeeming light, at the very thought of truth.
            Number two, he is eternally opposed to the love of God, the Atonement
            of Jesus Christ, and the work of peace and salvation. He will fight
            against these whenever and wherever he can. He knows he will be defeated
            and cast out in the end, but he is determined to take down with him
            as many others as he possibly can."
          so
          who or what exactly are we fighting ourselves against? In battle do
          we ever need to change our tactics based on the enemy? Does a football
          team change its defense based on the opponent? Why is it important
          to understand who the opponenet is in this case? If
          we don't understand the opponent then it is easier to be fooled as
          we are not sure who the enemy is.] against spiritual wickedness in
          high 
places.  
       13 Wherefore take
        unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in
        the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 
 
      
        14 Stand therefore, having
            your loins girt about
            with truth, [
            “Now notice the nature of the armour that [Paul]
            puts on the man whom he is now preparing to withstand the
            powers of darkness. He said, ‘Therefore stand, having your
            loins girt about with truth.’ Now the loins is
            that part of the body between the lower rib and the hip in
            which you will recognize are the vital organs which have
            to do with reproduction . . . he was saying that that part
            of the body was one of the most vulnerable. We should have
            our loins girt about with armour. 
        We should have our loins girt about with truth. What
              is truth, how do we as latter day saints define truth? Truth,
              the Lord said, was knowledge of things as they are, things as they
              were and things as they are to come. . . . What
              is going to guide us along the path of proper morals or proper
              choices? It will be the knowledge
              of truth. There must be a standard by which we measure our conduct,
              else how shall we know which is right? And how shall we know which
              is wrong? . . . ‘Our loins shall be girt about with truth,’ the
              prophet said.] and having on the breastplate of righteousness; [
              And then the next we would have a breastplate over the
              heart. Now in the scriptures you will remember that the
              heart has always been used to typify our conduct. . . . And so
              we would have a breastplate over the heart.
        “And the heart, what
              would we need to do to protect our heart? We shall
              have over our hearts a breastplate of righteousness.
              Well, having learned truth we have a measure
              by which we can judge between right and wrong and so
              our conduct will always be gauged by that thing which we know to
              be true. With this breastplate in place we will
              always choose to do that which is right. Our breastplate
              to cover our conduct shall be the breastplate of righteousness.] 
       
      
        15 And your feet shod with
            the preparation of the gospel of peace; [“And
            then he said we would have the feet shod with the kind of armour
            that would protect our feet, suggesting the feet as the objectives,
            the goals of life which we should have [guarded] by some kind of
            armour and protected from getting off on the wrong foot.
        “With
              what shall we protect our feet, or by what shall we gauge our objectives
              or our goals in life? All
              through the scriptures there runs a phrase suggested by the kind
              of armour the Apostle Paul would put upon the feet. Listen to what
              he says: ‘Your feet should be shod with the preparation of the
              gospel of peace.’ (Ephesians 6:15.) Interesting?
              What is the preparation of the gospel of peace? The
              whole core and center of the gospel of peace was built around the
              person of Him who was cradled in the manger. . . . How
              fortunate are you if in your childhood in the
              home of your father and mother you were taught the
              doctrine of repentance, faith in Christ,
              the son of the living God; the meaning of baptism and
              what you gain by the laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy
              Ghost. Fortunate is the child who has been taught to pray and
              who has been given those steps to take on through life. Feet shod
              with the preparation of the gospel of peace! . .]
       
       16 Above all, 
taking
          the shield of faith, 
[ the
          shield of faith in what/who? Jesus
          Christ. READ -> “Well, now, the apostle Paul went one step
          further. He didn’t leave the man just with the armour on and expect
          him to cope against an army, seen or unseen. He had his armoured man
          holding in his hand a shield and in his other hand a sword, which were
          the weapons of those days. That shield was the shield of faith, and
          the sword was the sword of the spirit which is the Word of God. I can’t
          think of any more powerful weapons than faith and a knowledge of the
          scriptures in the which are contained the Word of God. One so armoured
          and one so prepared with those weapons is prepared to go out against
          the enemy [and] is more to be feared than the enemies of the light.”
          (Harold B. Lee, “Feet Shod with the Preparation of the Gospel of Peace,” Speeches
          of the Year, 1954, pp. 2–4, 6–7.)] wherewith ye shall be able
          to quench all the fiery darts of
          the wicked. 
 
       17 And take the 
helmet
          of salvation, 
[
          And finally we should have a helmet on our heads. “And then finally
          the helmet of salvation. Did
          you ever hear of that kind of helmet? The
          helmet of salvation. What is
          salvation? Salvation is to be
          saved. Saved from what? Saved from death and saved from sin. . . .
          “. . . When those two things are missing from this earth and when it
          has been sanctified and cleansed of its impurity, this shall be the
          place of salvation. On this earth will be the celestial kingdom, for
          there will be no more sin, no more death, no more crying, for all the
          former things are done away. By whom? By
          the atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ. The apostle Paul said, in effect,
          ‘A helmet of salvation shall guide our thinking all through our days.’
          . . . so how then or what do
          we do when we have put on the helmet of salvation? Our
          thoughts are turned to God,our blessings, that we can live with him...How
          does that guard against the evil one? ] and
          the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: 
 
       18 Praying always
        with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto
        with all perseverance and
        supplication for all saints; 
 
       
      4 Peter speaks of the Saviors preaching the gospel
          to the dead 
      What did Peter teach about the work of preaching the gospel to the dead?
      (See 1 Peter 3:18–20; 4:6.)
      Read 1 Pet 4:5-6 
      5 Who shall give account to
          him that is ready to judge [Jesus
        Christ is our judge] the quick [
        the living ] and the dead. 
       6 For 
for
          this cause was the gospel preached also
          to them that are dead, 
[ Is
          Salvation for the Dead Intended for All Who Did Not Accept the Gospel
          in Mortality? “Salvation for
          the dead is limited expressly to those who do not have opportunity
          in this life to accept the gospel but who would have taken the opportunity
          had it come to them. “‘All who have died without a knowledge of this
          gospel,’ the Lord said to the Prophet, ‘who would have received it
          if they had been permitted to tarry, shall be heirs of the celestial
          kingdom of God; also all that shall die henceforth without a knowledge
          of it, who would have received it with all their hearts, shall be heirs
          of that kingdom, for I, the Lord, will judge all men according to their
          works, according to the desire of their hearts.’ (Teachings, p. 107.)”
          (McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, p. 686. Italics added.)] that
          they might be judged according
          to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.
          
[ How is one judged according to men in
          the flesh but live according to God in the spirit? What does he mean? We
          will all be judged the same way, only God knows what these people would
          have done if they had known of the gospel. So they will be judged as
          if they had heard the gospel in this life and how they would have lived
          if they gad done so. ]  
      Read 1 Pet 3:18-20 
       18 For Christ also hath
        once suffered for sins,
        the just for the unjust,
        that he might bring us to God, being put to death in
        the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: 
 
       19 By which also 
he [Jesus
          Christ] went and preached [ “Why
          did he [Jesus] preach to these disobedient spirits? Surely
          not to increase their torments, to taunt them for not accepting of
          his truth in the days of the prophets! . . .“. . . He took the glorious
          message of the gospel and proclaimed it to the dead with the promise
          that they, if they would obey it, should partake of its blessings.”
          (Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, 2:159–60.) One of the most important
          teachings of the gospel is that of work for the dead. ] unto
          the 
spirits in prison; 
[Spirits
          in prison has 2 different meanings hell -
          which is prison proper and the whole spirit world,
          which in sense that all who are therein are restricted and cannot enjoy
          their fullest state until after they are resurrected. The Savior
          taught the righteous in prison - set them up to do missionary work
          to the un-righteous Gospel
          Doctrine 5th Ed pp 472-276. He did not go to the evil ones because
          of his love for them - refer to my Dream...] 
   
 
       20 Which sometime
        were disobedient, when
        once 
the longsuffering of
        God waited in the days of Noah, 
[ What
        Was the Fate of the People Who Ignored Noah’s Warning? “They
        were drowned in their sins. Their marriages were for time. They reveled
        in worldliness. They were possibly like many in the world today who place
        no curb upon their eating, drinking and licentiousness. Their ignoring
        the laws of God and the warning of the prophets continued until the very
        day when Noah and his family entered the ark. Then it was too late. Too
        late! What finality in that phrase! Following their eternal history,
        we find Peter telling of them more than two millennia later: (Read 1
        Peter 3:18–20.) “And last, they had a chance in the spirit world to hear
        the voice of missionaries and prophets again. But so late! What sad words!
        Nearly a further two millennia passed into history and we hear of them
        again in modern revelation. Of the vision given to Joseph Smith and Sidney
        Rigdon in 1832, the Prophet writes: “‘And again, we saw the terrestrial
        world, and behold and lo, these are they who are of the terrestrial.
        . . .“‘. . . They who are the spirits of men kept in prison, whom the
        son visited, and preached the gospel unto them, that they might be judged
        according to men in the flesh; “‘Who received not the testimony of Jesus
        in the flesh, but afterwards received it.’ (D&C 76:71, 73–74.) “Too
        late! The terrestrial for them! It could have been the celestial, and
        it could have been exaltation! But they procrastinated the day of their
        preparation. The same lamentable cry of ‘Too late!’ will apply to many
        of today’s Church members who did not heed the warning but who proceeded—sometimes
        carelessly, sometimes defiantly—to bind themselves through mortality
        to those who could not or would not prepare for the blessings which were
        in reserve for them.” (Kimball, Miracle of Forgiveness, pp. 248–49.)] while
        the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water. 
 
      When did Jesus go to the spirit world to
        organize the preaching of the gospel among the dead? (See D&C 138:27.)      
      
       Here that promise
          is being fulfilled. What did Jesus do
          during his visit to the spirit world? Joseph
          F. Smith, Vision of the Redemption of the Dead, D&C 138:verses
          1–19 (Pearl of Great Price). 
       6 I opened the Bible
        and read the third and fourth chapters of the first epistle of Peter,
        and as I read I was greatly impressed,
        more than I had ever been before, with the following passages: 
 
       7 For Christ
        also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might
        bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the
        Spirit: 
 
       8 By which also
        he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; 
 
       9 Which sometime
        were disobedient, when once the long-suffering of God waited in the days
        of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls
        were saved by water. (
1 Peter 3:18—20.) 
 
       10 For for this
        cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might
        be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in
        the spirit. (
1 Peter 4:6.) 
 
       11 As I pondered over
        these things which are written,
        the eyes of my understanding were
        opened, and the Spirit of the Lord rested upon
        me, and I saw the hosts of the dead,
        both small and great. 
 
       12 And there were 
gathered
          together [they were called to a meeting. Where
          was the meeting held? Who took the minutes of the meeting?] in
          one place an 
innumerable company [large
          number so big the you cannot count them – this shows that our
          Father in Heavens’ plan works. ] of the spirits of the just,
          who had been
 faithful in
          the testimony of Jesus
          while they lived in mortality; 
[righteous
          members of the church]  
      
        13 And who had offered sacrifice [root:
            sacer: sacred, holy + facere: to make or to do | So it means to make
            or to do something holy or sacred] in
            the similitude of
            the great sacrifice of the son of God, and had suffered tribulation [members
            of the church that have sufferred heartaches, trials and tests in
            mortality and had remainded faithful.] in
            their Redeemer’s name. [Did
            you note that there were three attributes or accomplishments?
                    1) They had been faithful in the testimony of Jesus while
                    they lived in this life. 
                    2) They had offered sacrifice in the similitude of the great
                    sacrifice of the son of God. 
                    3) And they had suffered tribulation in their Redeemer's
                    name.
                    
                    
                    How could anyone offer sacrifice
                    that would be in similitude of His great sacrifice? Could
                    they have survived Gethsemane as He did? They could not!
                    Were they crucified? Certainly not. Then how could they offer
                    a sacrifice that would be in similitude of His great sacrifice? See
                    Mosiah 15:6-7 ] 
       
       14 All these had departed
        the mortal life, firm in the hope of
        a glorious resurrection,
        through the grace of
        God the Father and his Only Begotten
        son, Jesus Christ. 
 
       15 I beheld that they
        were filled with joy and
        gladness, and were rejoicing together because the 
day
        of their deliverance was
        at hand. 
[the resurrection]  
       16 They were assembled 
awaiting
          the advent of the son of God into the spirit world, 
[they
          have gathered in the spirit world - and the atonement is under way.
          it has started and they are there to watch. Can
          you imagine?  Not that Jesus is suffering but the anticipation
          that he will shortly come to the world of spirits] to declare
          their redemption from
          the bands of death. 
 
       17 Their sleeping dust was
        to be restored unto
        its perfect frame, bone to
        his bone, and the sinews and the flesh upon them, the spirit and
        the body to be united never again to be divided, that 
they
        might receive a fulness of joy. 
[to
        have a fullness of joy you must be a resurrected being]  
       18 While this vast
        multitude waited and conversed, rejoicing in the hour of their deliverance from
        the chains of death, the son of God appeared, 
declaring liberty to
        the captives who had
        been faithful; [
              
              Isaiah 61:1 So what does that mean?
              That he would appear to the righteous members of his church. Notice
              they are not prisoners they are captives. They are held in the
              spirit world until Christ works out the resurrection.]  
       19 And there he preached to
        them the everlasting gospel,
        the 
doctrine of the resurrection [He
        has just completed the atonement and the ressurrection, and now he is
        there telling them about it. Can you imagine the
        experience?] and the redemption of mankind from the fall,
        and from individual sins on conditions of repentance. 
 
       
      Did Jesus visit the wicked spirits? D&V
          138:20–32. 
      D&C 138:20 
       20 But unto the wicked he [Christ] did
        not go, and among the ungodly and the unrepentant who had defiled themselves
        while in the flesh, his voice was not raised;
      How did the Lord go about teaching the gospel
          in the spirit world?
      D&C 138:29-30
       29 And as I wondered,
        my eyes were opened, and my understanding quickened,
        and I perceived that the 
Lord went not in person [he
        could not go because in doing so he would cause them to burn up - be
        consumed by his power, he did not go- out of his love, so that they would
        not be caused to shrink at his persence] among the wicked and
        the disobedient who had rejected the truth, to teach them; 
 
       30 But behold, from 
among
          the righteous, 
[who are the righteous? They
          are those who have entered into a covenant with him. New and everlasting
          covenant - Temple ordinances; Joseph Smith said only those who have
          had their temple work done will be doing the work.] he [Christ] organized his
          forces [What does he do? How
          does he organize them?] and 
appointed messengers, 
[Authorized
          them - they had the priesthood if they were going to preach] clothed with 
power [priesthood] and 
authority, 
[under
          the direction of Jesus Christ] and 
commissioned them
          to go forth [What
          does commissioned mean? he gave them a charge with the authority
          to carry it out] and carry the light of the gospel to them that
          were in darkness,
          even to all the spirits
          of men; and 
thus was the gospel preached to the
          dead. 
[What would
          it have been like at the point where these men first entered the spirit
          prison? Virgin territory for those missionaries. ]  
       
      What exactly is being taught in the spirit world?
      D&C 138:33-37 
       33 
These
          were taught faith in
        God, 
repentance from sin, 
[The
        first two are not so different from what the missionaries teach today] vicarious baptism
        for the remission of
        sins, 
[ Why do you suppose that this
        needs to be taught them? Do you suppose that some
        wonder why they were not born in a different place or time? How important
        is vicarious baptism to them? Do you suppose that some have been taught
        and are waiting? How does this reflect on our responsibilities as a chosen
        generation? ] the gift of
        the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands, 
 
       34 And all other principles
        of the gospel that were necessary for them to know in order to qualify
        themselves 
that they might be judged according
        to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.
        
[ Here we have that phrase again. Judged according
        to what they would have done, how they would have lived- if they would
        have received the gospel in this life. Have you
        ever sit back and reflected on just how blessed you are to have the knowledge
        that you have about the plan of salvation, the knowledge of God and everything that the gospel
        brings. What are some of the simple things that we kind of take
        for granted - that the rest of the world does not have? the
        priesthood, ...] 
      What does the Savior’s ministry
        in the spirit world reveal about God’s work? (Answers could include that
        because of God’s perfect justice and mercy, all people who have lived
        on earth will have an opportunity to accept the gospel and enjoy its
        full blessings.)
       
      5. Follow the Savior’s example in enduring trials
      and persecution.
      What role
      do trials play in us developing our divine nature and becoming like him?
        
       12 Beloved, think it
        not strange concerning 
the fiery trial [ What
        Was the “Fiery Trial”? The “fiery
        trial” probably refers to the Neronian persecutions against the church.
        Nero Claudius Caesar. a.d. 37-68 n 64, most of Rome was destroyed in
        the Great Fire of Rome, which many Romans believed Nero himself had started
        in order to clear land for his planned palatial complex - then he blamed
        the fire on the Christians so he could then persecute the saints. Every
        saint, however, faces his own “fiery trial” as a part of his experience
        in the second estate. “. . . the greatest trials of life are reserved
        for the saints. They are the ones whom the world hates (Matt. 10:22),
        and they must overcome the world, if they are to gain the Lord’s approval.
        They face all that the world faces in the way of mortal difficulties—
        sickness, disease, calamities, famine, pain, sorrow, death—and in addition
        their faith in Christ and his work is tested to see if they will serve
        the Lord at all hazards.” (McConkie, DNTC, 3:318.) ] which
        is to try you, 
[ What
        kind of trails is he primarly referring to here? clues
        are found in v14; 16; The trails of persecution for being members of
        the church, saints. to prove you, for you to buid your own strength and
        conviction ] as
        though some strange thing happened unto you: 
[ What
        does this mean? That our trials should not
        be looked at as why did this happen to me, but that they have a purpose]  
       13 
But rejoice, 
[be
          glad for your trials, be glad because you understand there purpose] inasmuch
          as ye are partakers of
          Christ’s sufferings; 
[
          the idea that Christ suffered for our sins, that we could be free from
          them; so should it be too much to ask that we have a few trials in
          our life, be persecuted as saints to prove worthy of that suffering? Have
          you ever thought about your trials in that light?] that,
          when his glory shall be revealed,
          ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. 
 
       
      
        Read and discuss 1 Peter 2:19–24; 3:13–17; 4:12–19.
        Peter wrote that “Christ … suffered for us, leaving us an example”
        (1 Peter 2:21). 
      What can we do to follow the Savior’s example in responding to trials
        and persecution? (See 1 Peter 2:19–23.) 
      What examples have you seen of people who are Christlike in enduring
        trials? 
      How are we blessed as we follow the Savior’s example in responding to
        trials?
      
        When have you (or someone you know) been persecuted for doing the
          Lord’s will? 
      How did Peter counsel us to respond in such circumstances? (See 1 Peter
        3:13–17; 4:12–19. You may want to list class members’ responses on the
        chalkboard.) 
      In what ways do trials give us an opportunity to draw closer to the
        Lord and to glorify him?
      
      Discuss 1 Peter 1 and 2:1–10. Invite class members to read selected
        verses.
• • What did Peter teach in chapter 1 about the mission of Jesus Christ? (See
1 Peter 1:3–4, 18–21.) 
      How should knowing of the Savior’s mission and sacrifice affect our
        daily actions? (See 1 Peter 1:8, 13–16, 22–23; 2:5. You may want to list
        class members’ responses on the chalkboard.)
        • • Why is faith “much more precious than … gold,” as Peter stated? (See
        1 Peter 1:7; Hebrews 11:6; 1 Nephi 7:12.) 
      What do you think it means to have our faith tried with fire? What is
        the ultimate purpose of our faith? (See 1 Peter 1:5, 9.)
        • • Peter taught that the prophets who testify of Jesus Christ have “enquired
        and searched diligently” (1 Peter 1:10; see also verse 1 Peter 1:11).
        How can diligent prayer and scripture study strengthen our testimonies
        of the Savior?
       
      
        4. Resist false teachers and those who deny the Second Coming.
        Read and discuss selected verses from 2 Peter 2–3 and Jude. Explain that
      Jude was a son of Joseph and Mary and a brother of Jesus.
      • • Peter and Jude warned that there would be false teachers among the
      members of the Church. What did they say were some characteristics of false
      teachers? (See 2 Peter 2:1–3, 10, 12–19; Jude 1:4, 8, 10–13, 16, 18–19.)
      How can we recognize false teachers today?
      • • What counsel did Peter and Jude give that can help us avoid false teachings
      and remain faithful as we prepare for the Second Coming? (See 2 Peter 3:11–14,
      17–18; Jude 1:3, 20–21; see also Moroni 7:12–17; D&C 45:57; 46:7–8.)
      
      Conclusion
      Testify of the truths you have discussed. Encourage class members to follow
      the teachings of Peter and Jude as they strive to live in faith and holiness.
      
        Additional Teaching Ideas
        The following material supplements the suggested lesson outline. You
        may want to use one or both of these ideas as part of the lesson.
      1. Additional discussion of 1 Peter
      • • In 1 Peter 1, what contrasts did Peter make between what is corruptible
      or perishable and what is incorruptible or everlasting? (See 1 Peter 1:4,
      7, 18–19, 23–25. List class members’ responses on the chalkboard under
      two headings: Corruptible or Perishable and Incorruptible or Everlasting.)
      What can we learn from these contrasts?
      • • Peter taught that Jesus was “foreordained before the foundation of
      the world” to be the Savior (1 Peter 1:20; see also Revelation 13:8). Why
      is this truth important? What do scriptures revealed in the latter days
      add to our understanding of the Savior’s foreordination? (See Moses 4:1–4;
      Abraham 3:27–28.)
      • • What counsel did Peter give about the laws of the land? (See 1 Peter
      2:13–15.) What counsel has the Lord revealed in the latter days about the
      laws of the land? (See D&C 58:21–22; 98:4–10; 134:5; Articles of Faith
      1:12.)
      • • 
      • • What counsel did Peter give Church leaders in 1 Peter 5:1–4? How can
      Church leaders “feed the flock of God”? (1 Peter 5:2; see 2 Peter 1:12–15;
      D&C 42:12–14). How have you been blessed by Church leaders who have
      followed this counsel?
      2. “No … scripture is of any private interpretation” (2 Peter 1:20)
      • • Read 2 Peter 1:20–21. What did Peter teach in these verses about the
      source of the scriptures? What did Peter teach about interpreting the scriptures?
      How can we ensure that we interpret scriptures correctly? (Answers may
      include by seeking out the inspired interpretations of Church leaders and
      by seeking the guidance of the Holy Ghost.) How have the teachings of Church
      leaders or the guidance of the Spirit helped you understand a particular
    scripture?