Questions for the Members

My last post featured some questions for the priesthood. If those were considered privately and with sincerity, they could result in a level of serious introspection which could only improve their service to the Lord. I also suggested that the members of the Restored Church of Jesus Christ might also benefit from self evaluation as well. Often, lost in the comfort of the social experience, is the reminder of who we are, whom we represent with His name, and whom we serve.

As a reminder of that precious day you (and I) made a decision to give our lives and very being over to pursue Jesus Christ I have posed the following questions:

1. When you were baptized into the church of Jesus Christ, did you really understand the commitment you had made?

2. After baptism, did you recognize the need for continued education and understanding?

3. When was the last time you opened the Scriptures, and were they dog-eared, worn and margin noted?

4. Is your attendance at a sacrament service accompanied by sorrow and regret for past sins and with fasting and prayers asking forgiveness and seeking atonement through repentance?

5. For the older members, have you reviewed your actions and attitudes during the apostasy a few decades ago and discovered what you might have done differently and how it has a bearing on your life in the church today?

6. For the younger members, have you willingly become educated in the history of the church to the point where you can make reasoned decisions about today’s church?

7. Are you eager to accept the various responsibilities of membership regarding casual labor (building committee, women’s department, Sunday school, etc.) in service to all the other members and in cooperation with the priesthood?

8. Are you ever mindful of the financial law?

9. Are you ever ready to share with your brother that which he needs whether it is temporal or spiritual?

10. Are you prepared to speak or act to defend Jesus Christ in any and all endeavors?

11. Do we actually believe in the various gifts of the Holy Spirit?

12. Have you ever made excuses for your faith?

These in no way attempt to ask all the questions which we as members often need to ask ourselves. They do hint at some aspects of the faith which might benefit from strengthening. They may also suggest the level of seriousness we attach to our faith. We are asked as individuals (not necessarily priesthood) to carry the message forward and proclaim His name from the housetops. It is my prayer that each one will take an objective look and evaluate his response to Jesus Christ and His church.

I am certain that each reader has a question which he feels should be included on the list. I apologize for omitting it and encourage you to add it in the comments section. Criticisms are always welcome.

In His abiding love,

Cecil Moon