Lessons on the Life and Ministry of Jesus Christ and His Apostles
Lesson No. Twenty-Eight

Diversity Matters But Righteous Unity Is The Goal

Diversity in the ancient Church took time  – The Church at the time of the Lord’s mortal ministry was not diverse. His disciples were Jewish men and women from Galilee and Judea.  His personal ministry was only to the house of Israel in both the old and the new worlds.  

After His resurrection the Lord commanded:  “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:  Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have command you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world” (Matthew 28:19-20).  But it took several years for this to happen.

Diversity in the ancient Church did not come easily or quickly.  Cultural traditions and up bringing are not easily overcome.  It took a direct revelation to Peter, the chief apostle, and to Cornelius, a prominent Roman, to bring non-Jews into the Church.  (See Acts 10, 11, 15)

According to the divine order, gentiles were to be converted through the preaching of His disciples, and Jesus would manifest Himself to them by the power of the Holy Ghost  (See 3 Nephi 15:16-24).  Thousands of gentiles were converted in this way as recorded in Acts and in the Epistles.

“Unity in Diversity” (see attached video) is an essential part of the worldwide Church, and the Lord is directing it – For many decades a great majority of the members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints were Caucasians from Eastern United States and Western Europe.  This changed when the Lord revealed His will and people were moved upon by the power of the Holy Ghost. Conversions began to increase in Central and South America, in the islands of the Pacific, in Africa, in Asia, and throughout the earth.

“Throughout the history of the Church, people of every race and ethnicity in many countries have been baptized and have lived as faithful members of the Church.  During Joseph Smith’s life-time, a few black male members of the Church were ordained to the priesthood.  Early in its history, Church leaders stopped conferring the priesthood on black males of African descent.  Church records offer no clear insights into the origins of this practice.  Church leaders belied that a revelation from God was needed to alter this practice and prayerfully sought guidance.  The revelation came to Church President Spencer W. Kimball and was affirmed to other Church leaders in the Salt Lake Temple on June 1, 1978.  The revelation removed all restrictions with regard to race that once applied to the priesthood” (Official Declaration 2 – Head Note, see also Gospel Topics Essays, Race and the Priesthood).

Jesus taught the importance doing away with contention, and being one, united in righteousness –

1. “every city or house divided against itself shall not stand” (Matthew 12:25).

2. “This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you” (John 15:12).

3. “These things I command you, that ye love one another” (John 15:17).

4. “Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou has given me, that they may be one, as we are…Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us…that they may be one, even as we are one.  I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one” (John 17:11, 20-23; see also 3 Nephi 19:23, 28-29).

5. “For verily, verily I say unto you, he that hath the spirit of contention is not of me, but is of the devil, who is the father of contention, and he stirreth up the hearts of men to contend with anger, one with another.  Behold, this is not my doctrine, to stir up the hearts of men with anger, one against another; but this is my doctrine, that such things should be done away” (3 Nephi 11:29-30).

Church members will prosper, temporally and spiritually, and the Church will fulfill its mission –  Regardless of the confusion and contention in the world the Lord requires unity in His Church.  The Lord said:  “Be one; and if ye are not one ye are not mine”  (D&C 38:27).  As faithful members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints strive to be unified in righteousness the Church will grow and becomes more and more diverse.  The Church will fulfill its mission to take the gospel of Jesus Christ to the world because there is and will be unity among faithful members who are in harmony with the leaders of the Church and the counsel and direction they give.