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Throughout His ministry Jesus gave commandments. And He…

“Throughout His ministry Jesus gave commandments. And He taught, “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15; see also verses 21, 23). He affirmed that keeping His commandments would require His followers to leave what He called “that which is highly esteemed among men” (Luke 16:15) and “the…” quote by Dallin H. Oaks
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““Throughout His ministry Jesus gave commandments. And He taught, “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15; see also verses 21, 23). He affirmed that keeping His commandments would require His followers to leave what He called “that which is highly esteemed among men” (Luke 16:15) and “the tradition of men” (Mark 7:8; see also verse 13). He also warned, “If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you” (John 15:19). As the Apostle Peter later declared, the followers of Jesus were to be “a peculiar people” (1 Peter 2:9). Latter-day Saints understand that we should not be “of the world” or bound to “the tradition of men,” but like other followers of Christ, we sometimes find it difficult to separate ourselves from the world and its traditions. Some model themselves after worldly ways because, as Jesus said of some whom He taught, “they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God” (John 12:43). These failures to follow Christ are too numerous and too sensitive to list here. They range all the way from worldly practices like political correctness and extremes in dress and grooming to deviations from basic values like the eternal nature and function of the family. Jesus’s teachings were not meant to be theoretical. . . . Following Christ is not a casual or occasional practice but a continuous commitment and way of life that applies at all times and in all places.””

Dallin H. Oaks

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Jesus teaches that true discipleship requires rejecting worldly values and traditions, embracing a continuous, all‑encompassing commitment to divine commandments.

In simple terms: Follow Christ, not worldly praise.

Key Takeaway

Prioritize divine over cultural expectations.

Themes

faith obedience identity worldliness commitment

Mood

reflective determined hopeful

Type

scriptural inspirational

When to use this quote

  • church service
  • family decisions
  • political activism
  • personal style choices

Key Concepts

Christian discipleship counter‑cultural living spiritual integrity

Questions to Reflect On

  • How do you discern when a cultural norm conflicts with your faith?
  • What steps can you take to live distinctively in a secular world?
A Different Perspective

Balancing societal participation with spiritual distinctiveness can be difficult.

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