Condescendecia de Deus Bruce r

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New Era » 1984 » December

Behold the Condescension of God

by Elder Bruce R. McConkieof te !uorum of te "wel#e

Bruce R. McConkie$ %Beold te

Conde&cen&ion of 'od$( New Era$Dec 1984$ )*

"aken from a de#otional addre&&deli#ered to te &tudent& at

Bri+am ,oun+ -ni#er&ity onDecember 1$ 199.

/f all te 0eo0le in Cri&tendom$we atter2day 3aint& are te only

one& in a 0o&ition to rea0 te fullble&&in+& of te &0irit of Cri&t inour li#e&$ to know wat actually i&in#ol#ed in i& mini&try$ to 0artakein full mea&ure of tat &0irit wic

+oe& wit ti& &ea&on of te year.

http://lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?locale=0&vgnextoid=7fcee975d2a2b010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRDhttp://lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?hideNav=1&locale=0&vgnextfmt=tab1&vgnextoid=31a1083ffe5bc010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&year=1984http://lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?locale=0&sourceId=802639e7e7a9b010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&vgnextoid=434544f8f206c010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRDhttp://lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?hideNav=1&locale=0&vgnextfmt=tab1&vgnextoid=31a1083ffe5bc010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&year=1984http://lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?locale=0&sourceId=802639e7e7a9b010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&vgnextoid=434544f8f206c010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRDhttp://lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?locale=0&vgnextoid=7fcee975d2a2b010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD


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e a#e e#erytin+ tat te worlda&5 we a#e te i&torical

account& of i& comin+ onto teeart5 we are aware of tetradition& tat a#e been wo#enaround i& birt$ many of wica#e little &ub&tance in reality andfact. But te tin+ wit wic weare 0articularly ble&&ed i& teknowled+e$ +ained by latter2dayre#elation$ of i& Di#ine 3on&i0.

e know te doctrine of teDi#ine 3on&i0 of our ord$ and iti& ti& doctrine wic 6 &allcon&ider wit you.

6 &all take my te7t from teaccount in 1 Ne0i 11. "e#i&ion& ere recorded were &eenabout year& before our ord&birt into mortality. ei ad

recei#ed mar#elou&


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"e ne7t word& in te account&ay;

%=nd e &aid unto me; Beold$ te#ir+in wom tou &ee&t i& temoter of te 3on of 'od$ afterte manner of te fle&.

%=nd it came to 0a&& tat 6 beeldtat &e wa& carried away in te30irit5 and after &e ad beencarried away in te 30irit for te

&0ace of a time te an+el &0akeunto me$ &ayin+; ook

%=nd 6 looked and beeld te#ir+in a+ain$ bearin+ a cild in er

arm&.%=nd te an+el &aid unto me;Beold te amb of 'od$ yea$e#en te 3on of te Eternalater( ?1 Ne. 11;18@1A.

http://scriptures.lds.org/1_ne/11/18-21#18http://scriptures.lds.org/1_ne/11/18-21#18


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at$ ten$ i& te conde&cen&ionof 'od> =& 6 under&tand te

definition of condescension, it i&te act of de&cendin+ to a lowerand le&& di+nified &tate5 of wai#in+te 0ri#ile+e& of one& rank and&tatu&5 of be&towin+ onor& andfa#or& u0on one of le&&er &tatureor &tatu&.

3o if we are +oin+ to &0eak of teconde&cen&ion of 'od$ meanin+

tat of our Eternal ater$ wemu&t fir&t know te nature andkind of bein+ e i&. e mu&tcome to know te di+nity and

ma:e&ty and +lory tat attend im$of te tin+& tat e ad and i&doin+ for u& and for all i&cildren and in all eternity amon+all i& creation&.


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Now we a#e ad re#ealed to u&knowled+e about 'od and i&

work and i& mini&try. eunder&tand tat e i& a 0er&onalbein+ in wo&e ima+e man i&created5 tat e i& +lorified$0erfected$ and e7alted5 tat ea& a body of fle& and bone& a&tan+ible a& man&5 tat e a&0ro+re&&ed and ad#ancedtrou+ an infinite 0eriod until e

a& become te Creator of teuni#er&e and all tin+& terein.

Fe a& ordained te law& bywic all tin+& e7i&t. Fe a&

e&tabli&ed e#erytin+ 0ertainin+to ti& world and an infinitenumber of world& tat roll in&0ace. 6n our finite and tem0oralcondition$ we a#e no way of

mea&urin+$ no way of


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under&tandin+$ no way ofcom0reendin+ te ma:e&ty and

+lory and dominion and mi+t and0ower and e7altation tat attendim. e can read te word& ofte re#elation& and +et a &li+tunder&tandin+$ a& far a& mortalman Guickened by te 30irit can$of wat i& in#ol#ed. But i& mi+tand i& dominion$ i& &tatu& andi& 0o&ition$ are &o far abo#e

anytin+ tat we can com0reendor under&tand$ tat we can buten#i&ion it &li+tly. it it all ea& acGuired te fulne&& of e#ery+ood and +odly attribute. Fe i&

te embodiment of carity andknowled+e$ of fait and 0ower$ ofinte+rity and u0ri+tne&&$ of e#eryattribute tat i& ri+teou& and

edifyin+.


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en we tink of im$ we tink ofte mo&t noble and e7alted bein+

tere i&. "en we read ti&Gue&tion$ %Hnowe&t tou teconde&cen&ion of 'od>( anddi&co#er tat &omeow it i&a&&ociated wit i& lo#e for u&$ i&cildren$ i& &0irit cildren woare now dwellin+ a& mortal& ereon eart. e di&co#er in our te7ttat e &all be te ater of a

3on born %after te manner of tefle&(5 tat i&$ e conde&cend&$ ini& infinite wi&dom$ to be teater of a oly bein+ wo &allbe born into mortality. Fe

determine& to fulfil wat edecreed and announced in te0lan of &al#ation in te 0remortallife wen$ a#in+ e70lained te

0lan$ e a&ked for a redeemer


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and a &a#ior and &aid$ %om&all 6 &end to be my 3on>( "u&

te conde&cen&ion of 'od i& tate i& te ater literally of a 3onborn in mortality$ in te lan+ua+eere$ a 3on born %after temanner of te fle&.(

Now we are all te &0irit cildrenof ti& +loriou& and omni0otentbein+. e dwelt wit im for aninfinite 0eriod of time in te

0remortal life. e were trainedand 0re0ared and made ready tocome ere for ti& mortal0robation$ and we a#e come a&

te cildren of mortal 0arent&. Buttere i& one 0er&on$ one 0er&ononlyIand tat wa& i& fir&tborn&0irit off&0rin+$ te ord Jeo#aIwo wa& de&tined to come into

mortality wit 'od our ater$ an


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&ick$ and wo were afflicted witall manner of di&ea&e&$ and wit

de#il& and unclean &0irit&5 and tean+el &0ake and &owed all te&etin+& unto me. =nd tey wereealed by te 0ower of te ambof 'od5 and te de#il& and teunclean &0irit& were ca&t out.

%=nd it came to 0a&& tat tean+el &0ake unto me a+ain$&ayin+; ook =nd 6 looked and

beeld te amb of 'od$ tat ewa& taken by te 0eo0le5 yea$ te3on of te e#erla&tin+ 'od wa&

:ud+ed of te world5 and 6 &aw

and bear record.%=nd 6$ Ne0i$ &aw tat te wa&lifted u0 u0on te cro&& and &lainfor te &in& of te world( ?1 Ne.11;$ )1@))A.

http://scriptures.lds.org/1_ne/11/27,31-33#27http://scriptures.lds.org/1_ne/11/27,31-33#27http://scriptures.lds.org/1_ne/11/27,31-33#27http://scriptures.lds.org/1_ne/11/27,31-33#27


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Now we a#e a &econd matterrelati#e to Deity& conde&cen&ion.

"i& time it i& te fact tat Cri&telected$ co&e$ and #olunteeredto come into te world and beborn a& 'od& 3on$ under+o temortal 0robation and mini&trya&&i+ned im$ and ten clima7 itwit te workin+ out of te infiniteand eternal atonin+ &acrifice.

3o wen we tink of Cri&t&

conde&cen&ion in ti& matter$ wemu&t tink of te +lory anddominion and e7altation tat e0o&&e&&ed. e read in te

re#elation& tat e wa& %like unto'od( ? =br. );4A. e read telan+ua+e of te ater were e&ay&$ %world& witout numbera#e 6 created5 K and by te 3on

6 created tem$ wic i& mine only

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Be+otten( ?&ee Mo&e& 1;))A. edi&co#er tat Cri&t wa& like te

ater5 tat e wa& co2creator$tat e ad te mi+t and 0owerand dominion and omni0otence of te ater and tat e actedunder i& direction in tere+ulatin+ and te creatin+ of teuni#er&e.

e read te word& wic anan+el &0ake to Hin+ Ben:amin$ in

wic te an+el de&cribed im a&%te ord /mni0otent worei+net$ wo wa&$ and i& from alleternity to all eternity$( and ten

&aid tat e would come downand tabernacle in a body of clayand mini&ter amon+ men5 tat ewould be te 3on of 'od and tatMary would be i& moter ?&ee

Mo&ia );*$ 8A.

http://scriptures.lds.org/moses/1/33#33http://scriptures.lds.org/mosiah/3/5,8#5http://scriptures.lds.org/moses/1/33#33http://scriptures.lds.org/mosiah/3/5,8#5


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Fere we a#e a +loriou& tin+.Fere we a#e e7alted$ noble

bein+& on a 0lane and &tatu& &ofar abo#e our 0re&entcircum&tance tat we a#e noway of com0reendin+ teirdominion and +lory$ and we a#eone of tem$ 'od our Eternalater$ trou+ teconde&cen&ion and infinite lo#eand mercy tat e a& for u&$

&te00in+ down from i& noble&tatu& and becomin+ te ater of a 3on after te manner of tefle&. e a#e tat 3on bein+born$ tat 3on wo wa& i&

fir&tborn in te &0irit$ wo ad like0ower and omni0otence wit teater. e a#e eac of tem0erformin+ a work tat tere i& no

way for u& to under&tand a& far a&


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ma+nitude and +lory andim0ortance i& concerned.

Now te +reate&t and mo&tim0ortant &in+le tin+ tere i& inall eternityIte tin+ tattran&cend& all oter& &ince te

time of te creation of man and ofte world&Ii& te fact of teatonin+ &acrifice of Cri&t teord. Fe came into te world toli#e and to dieIto li#e te 0erfect

life and be te 0attern$ te&imilitude$ te 0rototy0e for allmen$ and to crown i& mini&try indeat$ in te workin+ out of te

infinite and eternal atonin+&acrifice. =nd by #irtue of ti&atonement$ all tin+& 0ertainin+ tolife and immortality$ to e7i&tence$to +lory and &al#ation$ to onor

and reward& ereafter$ all tin+&


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are +i#en full force and efficacyand #irtue. "e =tonement i& te

central tin+ in te wole +o&0el&y&tem. "e Lro0et &aid tat alloter tin+& 0ertainin+ to ourreli+ion are only a00enda+e& to it.

ell$ ti& atonement i& made0o&&ible becau&e of te doctrine&of te Di#ine 3on&i05 and ifCri&t ad not been born into teworld in te e70re&& and

0articular manner in wic ewa&$ e would not a#e ineritedfrom i& ater te 0ower to workout ti& infinite and eternal

atonin+ &acrifice$ in con&eGuenceof wic te wole 0lan of&al#ation would a#e been #oidand we ne#er would a#einerited or 0o&&e&&ed te


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ble&&in+& of immortality or te+lorie& of eternal life.

=nd &o ere we a#e a doctrine of te Di#ine 3on&i0. e a#e oneman out of all eternityIone manamon+ te infinite o&t& of te

&0irit cildren of 'od our aterIwo i& born into te world$ineritin+ from an immortale7alted ater te 0ower ofimmortality and ineritin+$ on te

oter and$ from a mortal womanIte be&t and mo&t +raciou& andmo&t noble mortal woman witoutGue&tionIineritin+ from er te

0ower of mortality. Now te 0ower of immortality i& te 0ower to li#e.6t i& te 0ower to elect to continueto li#e. "e 0ower of mortality i&te 0ower to die. =nd &o ere i&

one bein+ wo ad a dual nature$


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wo could elect to li#e or elect todie5 and a#in+ made te election

in accordance wit te 0lan of teater$ a#in+ elected to &e0aratebody and &0irit$ ten by te 0ower of te ater$ wic i& te 0owerof immortality$ e could elect toli#e a+ain. =& a con&eGuence wea#e te redem0tion from deat$te ran&om from te +ra#e5 wea#e immortality for im and for

u& and for all men.Now we cannot com0reend$ wedo not under&tand$ we do notknow nor can we in our 0re&ent

&tate$ ow te effect& of ti&infinite and eternal atonin+&acrifice 0a&&ed u0on all men.e cannot com0reend andunder&tand ow creation work&$

were 'od came from$ or ow we


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came into bein+. 3omeday te&etin+& will be witin te

com0reen&ion andunder&tandin+ of to&e wo +aine7altation. But te fact tat wecannot com0reend tem doe&not le&&en te fact tat we a#ebeen created$ tat we do e7i&t$tat tere i& a re&urrection$ tat indue cour&e all men will be rai&edin immortality$ and tat to&e wo

a#e belie#ed and obeyed te+o&0el law will be rai&ed inaddition unto eternal life in ourater& kin+dom. =nd all of ti&i& 0o&&ible becau&e of te di#ine

3on&i0 of Cri&t te ord$becau&e e inerited in i& birtIin tat day wen e wa& bornafter te manner of te fle&Ie


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inerited te 0ower of immortalityfrom 'od i& ater.

Now it i& our cu&tom and our0ractice to read in uke and inMattew te account& tatattended Cri&t& comin+ to eart.

"e&e are i&torical e#ent&.o#en into tem i& &omee70re&&ion of te doctrine tat i&in#ol#ed5 but te i&torical e#ent&are of le&&er im0ort. 6t i& te

doctrine tat i& of tran&cendent#alue and wort to u&5 out of itcome& te +reat ble&&in+& tat 6a#e indicated. Fow +loriou& it i&

tat Cri&t wa& born into te worlda& te 3on of 'od.

6 indicated tat we$ a& atter2day3aint&$ are te only 0eo0le woa#e te full under&tandin+ and


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knowled+e of te doctrine of teDi#ine 3on&i0. e alone a#e

te &ure knowled+e of 'od&0er&onal$ yet e7alted nature. ewor&i0 im a& an e7alted andoly bein+ of tabernacle wo ad0ower to be+et a 3on and woal&o i& te Creator and u0olderof all tin+&. =nd our knowled+ecome& trou+ latter2dayre#elation. e a#e recei#ed from

'od in our day te knowled+etat &a#e&. "e ea#en& a#ebeen o0ened and 'od a&&0oken a+ain to u&. =ltou+ wea#e e#erytin+ tat te world

a& relati#e to Cri&t& birt andi& mini&try$ and we are +ratefulbeyond mea&ure for it$ in realityte ble&&in+& tat a#e come to

u& in ti& re&0ect a#e come by


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latter2day re#elation$ wicre#elation& a#e clarified and

e70anded te ancient account&and enabled u& to a#e a clear0er&0ecti#e of wat i& in#ol#ed.

= Book of Mormon 0ro0et$ for

in&tance$ &ortly before te ord&birt +a#e ti& 0ro0ecy;

%Re0ent ye$ and 0re0are te wayof te ord$ and walk in i& 0at&$

wic are &trai+t5 for beold$ tekin+dom of ea#en i& at and$and te 3on of 'od comet u0onte face of te eart.

%=nd beold$ e &all be born ofMary$ at Jeru&alem wic i& teland of our forefater&$ &e bein+a #ir+in$ a 0reciou& and co&en#e&&el$ wo &all be

o#er&adowed and concei#e by


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te 0ower of te Foly 'o&t$ andbrin+ fort a &on$ yea$ e#en te

3on of 'od( ? =lma ;9@1A.

Now 6 tink becau&e of ti&re#elation and a o&t of relatedone& tat a#e come to u&$ tellin+

u& in 0lainne&& and in 0erfectionwat i& in#ol#ed in te doctrine ofour ord& birt$ 6 tink we a#ean e&0ecial and 0articularobli+ation to &tand a& witne&&e&

to te world in ti& day of te trutof ti& fact. e a00en to li#e in a#ery 0erilou&$ treacerou& era ofte eart& i&toryIan era wen

iniGuity abound&$ wen te lo#etat men &ould a#e for 'od a&wa7ed cold in te eart& of 0eo0le+enerally. e li#e in te +reat eraof darkne&&$ &0iritual darkne&&

and a0o&ta&y$ tat i& to 0recede

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day$ and we are attem0tin+ to doti& to te be&t of our ability. e

are e70ected to be witne&&e& ofte trut5 to bear record of tedoctrine of te Di#ine 3on&i05 to&tand #aliantly and coura+eou&lyon te ord& &ide of te line indefen&e of trut andri+teou&ne&& and in 0roclaimin+te +o&0el to i& oter cildren inte world.

6 am 0roud and +ratified to be amember of i& kin+dom and toa#e in my eart wat i& calledte te&timony of Je&u&. "e

te&timony of Je&u& in it& natureand by definition i& to know by tere#elation& of te Foly 30irit toone& &oul tat Cri&t i& in fact teord5 tat e wa& born in te way

e te&tified e wa& born5 tat e


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inerited from i& ater te0ower of immortality5 tat e

walked amon+ men a& a mortal0erformin+ te miracle&$ doin+ temini&try and te tin+& tat te0ro0et& &aid e would do andtat te New "e&tament &ay& tate did do. "i& te&timony al&o i&to know tat e wa& lifted u0 u0onte cro&&5 tat e died for te &in&of te world5 tat e took u0on

im&elf te &in& of all men oncondition of re0entance$ doin+ti& 0rimarily in te 'arden of'et&emane5 and tat finally ea& ri&en a+ain in +loriou&

immortality and returned to inerittat &tatu& and dominion wicwa& i& before te world wa&.

"i& i& not &ometin+ tat we are

0articularly concerned wit


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debatin+. e a#e am0lee#idence. "e re#elation& are

before u& and te world. e can0oint to tem. e can e70laintem. e can e70ound tedoctrine tat i& in#ol#ed. But teord a& &aid tat ti& i& a day ofwarnin+ and not a day of manyword&5 e a& &aid tat we woare in te Curc are called to bewitne&&e& of i& name and tat it

becomet e#ery man wo atbeen warned to warn i& nei+bor ?&ee DC 88;81A.

3o 6 &ay$ we a#e an obli+ation to

te&tify of Cri&t$ to a#e in oureart& at ti& &ea&on and at alltime& te &0irit tat +oe& wit imand i& work. 6 for one de&ire tat&0irit and in &ome mea&ure a#e

it$ and a& a con&eGuence 6 bear

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witne&& to you$ a& we a00roacte Cri&tma& &ea&on$ tat 'od

a&$ in fact$ re&tored i&e#erla&tin+ +o&0el$ tat te trut&of ea#en and te trut& of&al#ation are ere$ tat tere arele+al admini&trator& on eart atti& our wo a#e te 0ower tobind on eart and a#e it &ealedeternally in te ea#en&. "ework of 'od i& ere. "e 0lan of

&al#ation a&$ in fact$ beenre#ealed. e know te doctrine of te Di#ine 3on&i0. e a#e teobli+ation accordin+ly$ becau&e of te li+t and knowled+e tat a&

been 0oured out u0on u&$ to walka& becomet &aint&$ to ri&e abo#ete world$ to o#ercome te world$to be li#in+ witne&&e& of te trut

and te di#inity of te work. Ju&t


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a& &urely a& we are$ we &all rea0for our&el#e& 0eace and :oy and

a00ine&& in ti& life. e &alla#e te true &0irit of Cri&tma&at ti& &ea&on and at all &ea&on&$and ten in due cour&e we &all+o on to te fulne&& of tekin+dom of our ater ereafter.

illu&trationO 'od$ in i& wi&dom$conde&cended to be te literalater of a 3on born %after te

manner of te fle&.( ?Laintin+ byFeinric Fofmann.A

illu&trationO Cri&t conde&cendedto come into te world$ to mini&ter

to to&e %afflicted wit all mannerof di&ea&e&.( ?Laintin+ by J.Jame& "i&&ot.A

Condescendecia de Deus Bruce r

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