When to Follow a Fallible Prophet

Q1: If prophets are fallible (as I believe they are, same as every other imperfect mortal in this world) then how can people trust in their EVERY word as if from God?

A1:

This very question is why it is so important to learn how to gain a confirming witness of the truth via the personal witness of the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost will bear witness of truth, especially the truth of prophetic counsel. However, sometimes that witness doesn't come until after the trial of your faith. Following the prophet is not blind obedience. It's acting in faith, as informed by the spirit.

“We listen to the Lord’s prophet with the faith that his words are “from [the Lord’s] own mouth.” Is this blind faith? No, it is not. We each have a spiritual witness of the truthfulness of the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ. By our own will and choice, we raised our hand this morning, declaring our desire to sustain the Lord’s prophet with our “confidence, faith, and prayer[s]” and to follow his counsel. We have the privilege as Latter-day Saints to receive a personal witness that President Nelson’s call is from God” (Neil L. Andersen, The Prophet of God,” Ensign, May 2018, 25).

“We can tell when the speakers are ‘moved upon by the Holy Ghost’ only when we, ourselves, are ‘moved upon by the Holy Ghost.’ In a way, this completely shifts the responsibility from them to us to determine when they so speak.” (J. Reuben Clark, When Are the Writings or Sermons of Church Leaders Entitled to the Claim of Scripture? [address delivered to seminary and institute of religion personnel, 7 July 1954], p. 7).

It is true that not every word a prophet speaks comes directly from God, but their counsel and opinions often have great value. A Prophet's human failings do not mean that they do not have authority and keys that make them worth listening to and heeding. God will always use imperfect servants, because we are all He has to work with. A Prophet's fallibility does not negate the importance or the truth of his teachings.

Q2: But what a prophet teaches isn't always true...In that case, is it still wise to heed their words?

A2: Be careful not to throw the baby out with the bathwater. Just because there have been instances in which prophets have made mistakes, that doesn't automatically make it unwise "to heed their words." Fallibility does not equal or imply deception, intent to deceive, or even simple unreliability.

It does no damage to the divinity of the gospel, or the divine origin of the Church to admit that the men who lead it are fallible. However, critics of the Church often see such an admission as some kind of "Gotcha!" and conservative members of the Church tend to interpret any suggestion that the prophet isn't perfect as an apostate attack on the church. Why it is that so many Latter-day Saints are threatened by any suggestion of prophetic fallibility is beyond me. A prophet is a man, and men are imperfect. The only perfect person to ever walk the Earth was Jesus Christ.

“A common quip among Mormons of the twenty-first century claimed that Catholics said the Pope was infallible, but didn’t really believe it, whereas Mormons said their leaders were fallible, but didn’t really believe it” (Margaret Blair Young and Darius Aidan Gray, “Mormons and Race,” in The Oxford Handbook of Mormonism, eds. Terryl L. Givens and Philip L. Barlow (New York: Oxford University Press, 2015), 363-385).

A prophet is indeed only a prophet when he is acting as a prophet, otherwise he is speaking as a man (See Joseph Smith, in History of the Church, 5:265). As a man, he is mortal and therefore prone to the same mortal weakness and fallibility which afflicts all mortals. However, that doesn't mean that he is lying or mistaken when he isn't speaking by direct prophecy. A prophet is not just a puppet or a megaphone for God to use, and then nothing that the man says in his own right is of value. With this in mind, here is the principle which governs all our dealings with God:

D&C 58:26-28 For behold, it is not meet that I should command in all things; for he that is compelled in all things, the same is a slothful and not a wise servant; wherefore he receiveth no reward. Verily I say, men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness; For the power is in them, wherein they are agents unto themselves. And inasmuch as men do good they shall in nowise lose their reward.

A prophet has agency just like anyone else. Moreover, he is expected to use his agency, judgment, and abilities in his calling, just like anyone else with a calling. He isn't just a puppet for God, and one who serves no purpose otherwise. His talents and abilities, mortal though they may be, are essential in fulfilling the calling which the Lord has given him. He, like us, is expected to “do many things of [his] own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness; For the power is in [him].”

Just so, if we refuse to listen to a prophet unless he states definitively "thus saith the Lord" then we are being that wicked and slothful servant who thinks they must be commanded in all things or they will not obey.

“Sometimes there are those who argue about words. They might say the prophet gave us counsel but that we are not obliged to follow it unless he says it is a commandment. But the Lord says of the Prophet, “Thou shalt give heed unto all his words and commandments which he shall give unto you.” (D&C 21:4.)”  (Ezra Taft Benson, Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Ezra Taft Benson, (2014), 146–55).

Just because a prophet is not perfect in his understanding doesn't mean he doesn't have a greater perspective than you or I do. The prophet is Ezekiel's watchman on the tower (see Ezekiel 33:1-7). He can see things you and I can't. Just because he can ostensibly make mistakes doesn't mean you shouldn't listen to him.

“Prophets see ahead. They see the harrowing dangers the adversary has placed or will yet place in our path. Prophets also foresee the grand possibilities and privileges awaiting those who listen with the intent to obey” (Russell M. Nelson, “Stand as True Millennials,” Ensign, Oct. 2016, 31).

Once again, if you are in tune with the spirit the problem of prophetic fallibility isn't really much of a problem. We are given the tools we need to put a prophet's words to the test. They rest on the assumption that we are in tune with the Holy Ghost, and that we are humble and sincere seekers of truth.

1) By their fruits you shall know them (Matthew 7:15-20)
2) Prove every spirit (1 John 4:1-3)
3) Prove me now herewith (Malachi 3:10)

These principles are about more than passing judgment on the particular character of a particular prophet. They are about tasting the fruit of his prophetic calling by putting his words to the test.

If you honestly and faithfully follow prophetic counsel, you will see and experience the blessings and approval of the Lord for yourself. The witness of the spirit will also testify to you of the truth of the principle in question once you are willing to live it. However, it is a true axiom that you cannot expect to gain a testimony of any principle you are not willing to obey.

John 7:17 If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.

At any rate, once you have obtained this witness it won't matter if the prophet in question was serving as a direct mouthpiece for the Lord, or if he was exercising his agency in the righteous fulfillment of his calling. In either case, he will have been demonstrated to be a true prophet who speaks on behalf of the Lord.

D&C 1:38 What I the Lord have spoken, I have spoken, and I excuse not myself; and though the heavens and the earth pass away, my word shall not pass away, but shall all be fulfilled, whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same.

It is a false dichotomy to suggest that whenever a prophet speaks of his own accord that what he is saying must automatically be false, or not worth heeding. While a prophet is indeed a mortal, fallible man, a true prophet would nevertheless strive to preach the truth to the best of his ability. While his understanding may be limited, that doesn't change the important principles which have been in place since the beginning (well before the current prophet was called): Faith to obey the Lord, and to listen to his servants even when they are not perfect is still required. We must still repent of our sins, and make and keep covenants with the Lord to forsake our sins and take His name upon us. We must still endure to the end in faith and righteousness. These principles are true, and they are eternal, which means their truth does not depend on whomsoever happens to be prophet at the moment, and they cannot be tarnished by errors made by the Lord’s human servants.

“To be perfectly frank, there have been times when members or leaders in the Church have simply made mistakes. There may have been things said or done that were not in harmony with our values, principles, or doctrine. I suppose the Church would be perfect only if it were run by perfect beings. God is perfect, and His doctrine is pure. But He works through us—His imperfect children—and imperfect people make mistakes.

In the title page of the Book of Mormon we read, “And now, if there are faults they are the mistakes of men; wherefore, condemn not the things of God, that ye may be found spotless at the judgment-seat of Christ.” This is the way it has always been and will be until the perfect day when Christ Himself reigns personally upon the earth.

It is unfortunate that some have stumbled because of mistakes made by men. But in spite of this, the eternal truth of the restored gospel found in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is not tarnished, diminished, or destroyed.” (Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “Come, Join with Us,” Ensign, Nov. 2013).

It therefore falls to you to do the work necessary to gain your own testimony that the men who lead this church are indeed true prophets. If they are not, then nothing they say is worth listening to, so it would not matter whether they are fallible or not. If they are true prophets, then they are truly worth listening to, but it would still matter little whether they are speaking directly for the Lord or according to their capacity as a flawed human being, because a true prophet would not knowingly lead you astray, and they would never willingly preach contrary to the basic principles of the gospel, even if they do occasionally speak from a limited or flawed understanding when giving their opinions.

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It is true that some prophets have purportedly made statements which appear to contradict our current understanding of the gospel, however these instances of errors of understanding do not undermine or negate the validity of their calling, or the many good fruits which bear witness to the truth of that calling.

We are all learning and growing. Our understanding is incomplete, and we make mistakes, we can misspeak, and we can make errors in judgment. Yet most of us would insist that we are, by and large, trustworthy. The same is true of any prophet, and if you do believe they are prophets of the Lord, then their words and counsel have value, even when they may not have spoken perfectly in all things. This imperfection is one of the reasons why we have the blessing of continuing revelation, which grants us the ability to increase in understanding line upon line, here a little and there a little.

Prophets may not be perfect, but neither are we. That's because we are human, and we are still learning and growing and making mistakes. After all, imperfect humans are all God has to work with.

“Joseph Smith was quite young when he received these revelations. Most of them came before he was 30 years old. He lacked experience, and to some people, he probably seemed underqualified to be the Lord’s prophet. And yet the Lord called him anyway—following a pattern we find throughout the holy scriptures.
 God didn’t wait to find a perfect person to restore His gospel. If He had, He would still be waiting. Joseph was a lot like you and me. Though Joseph made mistakes, God used him to accomplish His great purposes. President Thomas S. Monson often repeated these words of advice: “Whom the Lord calls, the Lord qualifies.”
 The Apostle Paul reasoned with the Saints in Corinth: ‘Consider your own call, brothers and sisters: not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth.’
 God uses the weak and the plain to bring about His purposes. This truth stands as a testimony that it is God’s power, not man’s, that accomplishes His work on the earth” (Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “Come and Belong,” Ensign, May 2020, churchofjesuschrist.org).

At any rate, it is not fair to expect the men who lead the church to live up to a standard of perfection that we are not willing to apply to ourselves and our own imperfections. We are all flawed human beings who are trying to be better by following the Savior, and we ought to extend the same compassion and patience to our fellow flawed brothers and sisters that we expect others to grant us.

“Be kind regarding human frailty—your own as well as that of those who serve with you in a Church led by volunteer, mortal men and women. Except in the case of His only perfect Begotten Son, imperfect people are all God has ever had to work with. That must be terribly frustrating to Him, but He deals with it. So should we. And when you see imperfection, remember that the limitation is not in the divinity of the work. As one gifted writer has suggested, when the infinite fulness is poured forth, it is not the oil’s fault if there is some loss because finite vessels can’t quite contain it all. Those finite vessels include you and me, so be patient and kind and forgiving.” (Jeffrey R. Holland, “Lord, I Believe,” Ensign, May 2013).

That said, the fact that the Lord can only choose from among imperfect people in calling His servants is one of the reasons why almost everything in this church is done in councils and quorums.

“It should be remembered that not every statement made by a Church leader, past or present, necessarily constitutes doctrine. It is commonly understood in the Church that a statement made by one leader on a single occasion often represents a personal, though well-considered, opinion, not meant to be official or binding for the whole Church.” (D. Todd Christofferson, “The Doctrine of Christ,” Ensign, May 2012).

However, this is not to imply that the church is led by consensus or majority vote. The Lord’s church is still directed by revelation through the Holy Ghost. Leaders in the church come together in councils and quorums as directed by the Lord in order to seek that revelation concerning “the mind and will of the Lord.”

“The President of the Church may announce or interpret doctrines based on revelation to him (see, for example, D&C 138). Doctrinal exposition may also come through the combined council of the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (see, for example, Official Declaration 2). Council deliberations will often include a weighing of canonized scriptures, the teachings of Church leaders, and past practice. But in the end, just as in the New Testament Church, the objective is not simply consensus among council members but revelation from God. It is a process involving both reason and faith for obtaining the mind and will of the Lord.” (D. Todd Christofferson, “The Doctrine of Christ,” Ensign, May 2012).

When a group of the Lord’s ordained servants (such as the quorum of the twelve apostles) works together (and as individuals) to seek the guidance of the Lord through the revelation of the Spirit, great things happen. This system also has a practical benefit, because this way we don’t have to rely solely on the limited or flawed understanding of one person in order to establish official doctrine, practice, or policy. If you are worried about being led astray by one flawed man, this system of spiritual checks and balances ought to reassure you.

"There is an important principle that governs the doctrine of the Church. The doctrine is taught by all 15 members of the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve. It is not hidden in an obscure paragraph of one talk. True principles are taught frequently and by many. Our doctrine is not difficult to find" (Neil L. Andersen, "Trial of Your Faith," Ensign, Nov. 2012, 41).

“As an Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ and as one who has seen firsthand the councils and workings of this Church, I bear solemn witness that no decision of significance affecting this Church or its members is ever made without earnestly seeking the inspiration, guidance, and approbation of our Eternal Father. This is the Church of Jesus Christ. God will not allow His Church to drift from its appointed course or fail to fulfill its divine destiny” (Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “Come, Join with Us,” Ensign, Nov. 2013).

“I know, better than anyone else, that not every thought I have is inspired of heaven. I still need to work to clarify revelation and inspiration…As an ordained Apostle, holding the keys of prophet, seer, and revelator to be shared with the others who are similarly ordained, I am grateful for the clarifications and constraints that have been revealed over the decades. These provide the protections God intended in this, the only true and living Church on the face of the earth.

In the Lord’s living Church, the standard is very high. God’s will is not revealed to just one individual. It must be revealed to all fifteen prophets, seers, and revelators. All so ordained must labor to receive the revelation and achieve the unity God requires. Additionally, all Church members can, if they will, receive confirmatory revelation of the will of God as it has been revealed through His servants.” (Dale G. Renlund & Ruth Lybbert Renlund, The Melchizedek Priesthood: Understanding the doctrine, living the principles, 2018, Salt Lake City, Utah: Deseret Book).

This places the burden on you and me to develop a relationship with the Holy Ghost which is sufficiently deep to enable us to seek and obtain that confirmatory revelation which will help us to discern truth from error. No amount of human reasoning or sophistry has the power to match the Holy Ghost in his ability to convince and convict you of the truth. He will witness to you that we are led by a prophet and apostles who have been chosen and called by God, and ordained to serve in that role. They, like the primitive apostles, are led by Jesus Christ. This is His church, and He directs the apostles who lead it here on earth through the Holy Ghost (see Acts 1:2). If you are willing to ask the Lord with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost (See Moroni 10:3-5). Then you can know for yourself what the truth is, and you will have your own witness of the divine calling of the prophet and apostles who lead this church, and you won’t have to worry anymore about being led astray.

For more on the role and importance of prophets in the Lord’s church, see my article:

What Does A Prophet ACTUALLY Do? You may think you know what’s in a prophet’s job description, but you might be surprised by what the scriptures have to say.