God's Truth Is The Truth, Even If You Disagree With It

I have noticed lately that there are many in and around the church who expect that everything that comes from God should be something with which they agree, and if they do not already agree with a teaching or doctrine of the church, then they assume that it must not come from God.  There are those who reject Christianity and/or a belief in God, because they cannot reconcile their own beliefs with those which are taught in the scriptures or by church leaders.  There are members that persist in disobedience to prophetic counsel because they cannot bring themselves to listen to counsel with which they do not agree.  Many insist that they would obey a given commandment if only they understood it, or they claim that they will live it just as soon as they gain a testimony confirming that such a commandment is true.

Answers to Hard Questions About The Fall of Adam

Why does the Fall matter?

I have noticed that many people find the story of Adam and Eve, and their fall from the Garden of Eden, to be a puzzling chapter in the story of our shared Judeo-Christian faith.  Many find it hard to account for because it doesn’t seem to fit with modern notions of the origin of our species.  Others struggle with the difficulties that arise over what seem to be difficult doctrinal issues surrounding the fall.  I have even heard Mormons refer to certain aspects of the fall of Adam and Eve as “deep doctrine” as if it is some incomprehensible mystery which cannot fully be understood or explained.  Even those who accept the importance of the Fall of Adam and Eve sometimes struggle with the full significance and meaning of the fall, because the fall is so complex in its ramifications, and the full meaning of the events and symbols used in the accounts of the fall can be confusing and may even be perceived as contradictory to our limited understanding.

Due to these and other difficulties, some are tempted to dismiss the fall as a mere fable, and one that is no longer relevant to us today.  However, this could not be further from the truth.  As modern day prophets have repeatedly pointed out, it is crucial that each of us gain a good understanding of the events and significance of the fall of Adam and Eve, and to do so is actually fundamental to fully celebrating one’s faith.

“Just as a man does not really desire food until he is hungry, so he does not desire the salvation of Christ until he knows why he needs Christ.

No one adequately and properly knows why he needs Christ until he understands and accepts the doctrine of the Fall and its effect upon all mankind.”  (Ezra Taft Benson, “The Book of Mormon and the Doctrine and Covenants,” Ensign, May 1987, 85).

“The simple truth is that we cannot fully comprehend the Atonement and Resurrection of Christ and we will not adequately appreciate the unique purpose of His birth or His death—in other words, there is no way to truly celebrate Christmas or Easter—without understanding that there was an actual Adam and Eve who fell from an actual Eden, with all the consequences that fall carried with it.”  (Jeffrey R. Holland, “Where Justice, Love, and Mercy Meet,” Ensign, May 2015, lds.org).

How the Jewish Festivals are connected to Christ in the New Testament

Jewish Feast Days Associated With Important Events in the Gospel of John

What follows is a copy of my collection of quotes on the subject (along with a few of my own notes), and as such, there is very little original content included here.  Nevertheless, I thought that it might be of interest to my readers.

“One evangelist, the author of the Fourth Gospel, stands out as having a special interest in the Temple…As is so often the case in this text, what this evangelist seeks to provide is a radical rethinking of early Christian affirmations.  In the process, he appropriates imagery connected with the temple as a way of affirming his understanding of the significance of Jesus.

“A major vehicle for further connecting Jesus with the temple is the evocation of Israel’s sacred calendar, invoked at key points in the first half of the gospel” (Attridge, 2014).

Attridge, H. W., (2014). The temple and jesus the high priest in the new testament.  In Charleswoth, J. H. (Ed.), Jesus and temple: Textual and archaeological explorations. Minneapolis: Fortress Press.)

John 2:  Passover #1 Turning of water into wine at Cana & the first cleansing of the temple immediately precede Passover

“Four cups of wine mixed with water were drunk at different stages of the [Passover] feast (compare Luke 22:17, 20; 1 Cor. 10:16, the cup of blessing)” (LDS Bible Dictionary, “Feasts,” https://www.lds.org/scriptures/bd/feasts).

The Parable of the Talents and Predestination

“No one is predestined to receive less than all that the Father has for His children.” (D. Todd Christofferson, “Why Marriage, Why Family,” Ensign, May 2015, lds.org).

The Parable of the Talents which Jesus taught to His disciples in Matthew chapter 25 can be fairly instructive when considering the question of foreordination and election, and how it governs our placement in this world and our relationship to each other.

The Parable of the Talents teaches the importance of exercising righteous stewardship with those things that the Lord gives to us while we are in our second estate.  Even though each servant in the parable received differing amounts to start with, they were each expected to wisely manage the talents with which they had been entrusted, in order that the wealth could grow and increase in their care before they had to return what they had been given to the master.

We all start out with differing gifts in life, and some are seemingly given greater advantages and blessings in this life than others, such as being born into the covenant, or living in a country where freedom and prosperity reign instead of tyranny and strife.  We also come into life with certain abilities and talents which are innate, or which we developed during our life before we came here, and it may seem that some have received more natural talent or advantageous opportunity than others.

How Gospel Legalism is Holding Latter-day Saints Back

WARNING:  This post contains several mentions of a word and subject which is probably unsuitable for children.

I spend a great deal of time writing, speaking, and answering questions about religion, so I tend to encounter the whole spectrum of doubts and problems (as well as the best that we have to offer) as I get to know people across the world and the church.  As I have interacted with other Latter-day Saints on questions of religion, I have noticed a certain tendency that I find especially disturbing.  Specifically, I have noticed that some Latter-day Saints like to ask some variation of the “Is [blank] a sin?” question, which is usually accompanied by phrases like “It isn’t expressly forbidden by the general authorities,” or, “it isn’t spelled out in the scriptures (or the policy or manuals of the Church),” with the implication that unless it is spelled out explicitly as a sin, then it must be OK to do.  I have also noticed that the same people often also ask about what the minimum requirements are for any given commandment in order to get into heaven, or avoid hell. These individuals tend to be preoccupied with what exactly constitutes a sin in the eyes of God and the church. This attitude can only be called legalism, and it can be very dangerous.

“Legalism:  Noun.  usage: strict conformity to the letter of the law rather than its spirit.”  (http://thesaurus.infoplease.com/legalism, n. d.)

Case in point, the following question was posted in a Facebook discussion group for Latter-day Saints in order to solicit responses for a podcast:

“I got into a downright weird conversation with someone on whether or not the LDS Church teaches masturbation as breaking the Law of Chastity.

His defense was that there isn't a section in the Aaronic Priesthood Manual or some such work (you know - the Fifth Standard Work) about masturbation and so it isn't a sin” (Joe Rawlins, Facebook post, April 9, 2015).

In response, one person stated that she has never viewed a proscription against masturbation to be part of the law growing up, and that she still doesn’t, and then she posted a link to the Wikipedia definition of the Law of Chastity (as taught by the LDS church).

Another person posted a talk from President Spencer W. Kimball which specifically stated that the law of chastity forbids “all sexual relations outside marriage,” including masturbation, to which the first person replied that she did not see anything expressly forbidding the practice in the youth booklet.

Several individuals argued back and forth about whether or not pornography addiction is an actual or fictional condition, and others made statements criticizing the church’s stance on the subject as being a relic of Victorian era hang-ups about sex, and/or misconceptions about the sin of Onan (as it is often referred to) in the Bible, even going so far as to post a link to an article from Wiktionary defining onanism (see Genesis chapter 38 if you really care to know more).  There was also a protracted argument among several individuals concerning the severity of the sin, and its ranking in comparison to the severity of certain other sins.  Of course the crux of the entire argument had to do with the fact that teachings forbidding the practice of masturbation are not clearly spelled out in scripture.

This whole argument is an example of the irritating legalism that has crept into the attitude of many church members:  "If it isn't specifically spelled out, then I don't have to do it, and if it isn't expressly forbidden then I can do as I please."  Or, more subtly, ranking or defining sins so that some seem less severe than others, or finding ways to fulfill the bare letter of the law without concern for the spirit of the law.  Legalism is a problem for members of the church because it can cause us to miss the whole point of the gospel (and commandment keeping) and the atonement of Jesus Christ, and cause us to become lost in a maze of petty bickering over tiny points of the law. Worse, "by looking beyond the mark" (see Jacob 4:14) we may cause ourselves (and others) to "stumble" and "fall" because of confusion over what is and isn't sin.

Why Did Jesus Have to Die on the Cross?

 
This post is actually a response to two questions, and as such it is organized into two parts:  First, why did Jesus have to die for the atonement to work? Second, why did Jesus have to die on the cross, as opposed to some other way? 

Q1: Did Jesus need to die on the cross? Had he already paid for our sins at this point or was it part of the atonement? And in what way?

A1:  Jesus did indeed need to die for our sins.  While Christ had made an atonement offering in the garden by His suffering and by shedding his own blood (acting in his capacity as the great high priest), the atonement was not yet finished.

The law of justice says that if a man sins somebody has to pay the price.  Fortunately, Christ paid the price for us, but the price is very high.

Alma 34: 9-12  For it is expedient that an atonement should be made; for according to the great plan of the Eternal God there must be an atonement made, or else all mankind must unavoidably perish; yea, all are hardened; yea, all are fallen and are lost, and must perish except it be through the atonement which it is expedient should be made.  For it is expedient that there should be a great and last sacrifice; yea, not a sacrifice of man, neither of beast, neither of any manner of fowl; for it shall not be a human sacrifice; but it must be an infinite and eternal sacrifice.  Now there is not any man that can sacrifice his own blood which will atone for the sins of another.  Now, if a man murdereth, behold will our law, which is just, take the life of his brother?  I say unto you, Nay.  But the law requireth the life of him who hath murdered; therefore there can be nothing which is short of an infinite atonement which will suffice for the sins of the world.

How Does Foreordination Work?

Q:  If someone is preordained to do something...does this mean that they can still choose not to?  Or will they just do it regardless? Also, are people preordained to do good things as well as bad? Or is it the same concept as destiny?

A:  When speaking about this principle, I think "foreordained" is a better word to use when it comes to gaining a full understanding of the concept. I choose to stress the importance of the terms we use, because misunderstandings concerning the doctrine of foreordination have caused much confusion and disagreement among Christians in all ages, and even among members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  However, foreordination is a doctrine which must be understood and taught correctly (and in the proper context), because it concerns where we came from, and what our purpose was in coming here.

“The combined doctrine of God’s foreordination is one of the doctrinal roads “least traveled by.” Yet it clearly underlines how very long and how perfectly God has loved us and known us with our individual needs and capacities. Isolated from other doctrines, or mishandled, these truths can stoke the fires of fatalism, impact adversely upon agency, cause us to focus on status rather than service, and carry us over into predestination.

“Yet, though foreordination is a difficult doctrine, it has been given to us by the living God, through living prophets, for a purpose. It can actually increase our understanding of how crucial this mortal second estate is and can further encourage us in good works. This precious doctrine can also help us go the second mile because we are doubly called.”  (Neal A. Maxwell, "A More Determined Discipleship," Ensign, Feb. 1979, lds.org).

Making the Sacrament More Sacred

Why we Need to Understand the Whys and the Wherefores

The words we use matter.  We, as Mormons, often tend to use our own special definitions for gospel terms without always giving much thought to the reasons for using those specific terms, or to the particular meanings which may be contained in those terms.  Sometimes we as members even participate in certain church activities without giving much thought to the reasons why we are doing them.  This is especially true of the sacrament, which is one of our most sacred ordinances, and yet we tend to take it for granted because we observe it almost every week.

“The ordinance of the sacrament has been called “one of the most holy and sacred ordinances in the Church.” It needs to become more holy and sacred to each of us” (Hamula, 2014).

“Since we can partake of the sacrament every week, many take the ordinance for granted or fail to prepare properly for it each time. External disturbances may prevent complete concentration on spiritual things during the sacrament. Some do not understand the true nature of the sacrament.

Almost all Latter-day Saints could better use the ordinance of the sacrament to help purge their souls in preparation for eternal life. President David O. McKay stated: “The partaking of the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper is one of the most sacred ordinances of the Church of Jesus Christ. Associated with it are principles fundamental in character building and essential to man’s advancement and exaltation in the kingdom of God. Too few communicants attach to this simple though sublime rite the importance and significance that it merits. Unfortunately, the form of worship is frequently an outward compliance without the true soul acknowledgment of its deep spiritual significance”” (Doctrines of the Gospel Teacher Manual, 2011, 71).

To the end that we might more fully appreciate and understand the deep significance of one of the most important parts of our worship, it might be helpful to break the term “the sacrament” down to examine its roots and to glimpse its full meaning.

All About Armageddon

In the five years that I have maintained this blog, I have studiously avoided posting anything about the end times, the second coming, or the battle of Armageddon, for at least two reasons.  First, these topics tend to bring out the crazies on the internet, which I find incredibly tiresome.  Second, I have found that focusing too much on these subjects can cause everyday Christians to “look beyond the mark” (see Jacob 4:14).  By this I mean that it can often seem more exciting and interesting to speculate about the great and terrible events of the end of the world, which can seem safely removed from our everyday experience, than it does to contemplate the need to apply the simple principles of the gospel in our everyday lives.

On the surface, the simple and basic principles of the gospel, like faith, and repentance, and enduring to the end, can seem mundane and small when compared to the terrible glory of the end times.  It is also my opinion that these principles are often overlooked because the principles of the gospel require daily transformation, and self-evaluation, which can be difficult and uncomfortable, and therefore much less fun to consider in a priest quorum meeting than the “exciting” events leading up to the second coming of Christ.

I therefore preface this post by declaring that learning to live the gospel, and developing a relationship with God through the Holy Ghost, is more important than knowing the particulars of the events of the end times, or becoming an eschatological expert.  It is important to know "the signs of the times," but not at the expense of the "weightier matters," like justice, mercy, faith, and faithfulness.  If we are truly converted, through faithful obedience to the gospel of Jesus Christ, then the last days need hold no fear for us.  If we have truly become converted as a disciple of Christ, we can look forward with anticipation, and without trepidation, for the day of His return, and there is no need to continually pore over and dwell on the accounts of the suffering and bloodshed that will come in the days leading up to His coming, especially if doing so causes us to lose sight of the truly important study and application of the gospel.

“The latter days are not a time to fear and tremble. They are a time to be believing and remember our covenants” (Jeffrey R. Holland, “The Ministry of Angels,” Ensign, Nov. 2008).

With that said, I chose to publish this post about Armageddon because I found that there is an everyday spiritual application which we can gain from a study of the terrible fighting that will usher in the coming of Christ.  While I spend most of this post outlining the events and conditions during the battle of Armageddon, I conclude it with advice concerning how best to fight the everyday spiritual battle which each of us must fight in order to stay true to the Lord and His gospel, and ultimately, to prepare for His coming.

My friend Shari asked me this question in an effort to deepen her knowledge so that she could answer some questions that her friends had concerning the end times.  What follows is an expanded version of my original answer.

Q:  Is the battle at the end of the world (Armageddon) going to be a physical or spiritual battle?

Scripture Master Tip #21: Improve Your Reading Skills Overall

Improve Your Reading Skills Overall.

Practice reading more, as well as more often. Branch out in your reading habits. Read better books. Reading the scriptures is a good way to make yourself stretch and to improve your reading skills, but it isn’t the only way.  We are even counseled twice in the scriptures to “seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom; seek learning, even by study and also by faith” (See D&C 88:118 and D&C 109:7).

Seek out things of beauty and nobility like the works of Shakespeare. I would tell you to do that anyway, but I chose to emphasize the works of Shakespeare because Shakespeare uses language that is very close to the language used in the King James Bible, and his works will help you to get used to the language outside of a Gospel context.  Many of the greatest classics of literature can also do much to help you to improve your grasp of scripture by helping you to recognize and appreciate certain literary devices such as the use of metaphor, symbolism, allegory, foreshadowing, archetypes, aphorisms, allusion, and so on.  As you learn to appreciate these and the countless other literary devices which you will encounter as you read some of the best books, you will discover that the scriptures are great literature and that the prophets who wrote these inspired books regularly employed incredibly sophisticated literary devices in order to help us to better grasp the sublime truths they were attempting to communicate.  The scriptures will become so much easier to understand when you have developed the tools to fully grasp the many levels on which they were meant to be understood.

You don't necessarily have to be that ambitious at first though, especially if you struggle with reading.  What matters is that you learn to love to read, and that you read the best and most uplifting things, in order so you might come to more fully love and enjoy what you read in the scriptures.

Basically, if you want to improve your ability to read and understand the scriptures, you ought to spend more time improving your ability to read and understand everything.  This is best accomplished by reading the best books, but it is impossible to accomplish without reading.  What does improved literacy have to do with learning to love the scriptures?  Everything:

“Study after study in the last quarter-century has revealed that American Christians increasingly don't read their Bibles, don't engage their Bibles, and don't know their Bibles. It's obvious: We are living in a post-biblically literate culture.

Just as critical is the second word of the Bible literacy problem: literacy. Pew Research tells us that 23 percent of us didn't read a single book in the last year. That's three times the number who didn't read a book in 1978. Whether it's the Internet, video games, the TV or increased time spent on entertainment and sports, Americans are spending less time between the pages of any book, not just the Good Book” (Stetzer, 2014).

If you don’t like reading, you are going to have to get over it if you want to learn to understand the scriptures, because God chose to have his Prophets write his word down, which means that we’re stuck with reading. I’m sure that there must be a good reason behind God’s choice of format, because if you think about it, God could have easily made it possible for the scriptures to be recorded in the form of a movie (for instance) if he had wanted to, but he didn’t.

However, if reading is truly an obstacle for you, you may want to start in another format, such as audio recordings of the scriptures.

"Introducing elements of scripture stories through videos or pictures before reading can help readers who struggle with comprehension. Then, as they begin reading, they can concentrate on understanding principles or themes instead of tracking characters and plot lines.

"In addition, listening to audio recordings of scriptures or conference talks offers some readers focused support as they follow along in the printed text. Listening to a fluent reader can increase a struggling reader’s ability to comprehend unfamiliar texts and vocabulary. Church resources, such as LDS.org, offer scriptures and conference addresses as downloadable audio files that facilitate these kinds of reading experiences" (Coombs, 2014, pp. 63-64).

I have made several of my own suggestions for creative alternatives which you can use to approach the scriptures in Scripture Master Tip #7: Get Creative!

Even if reading is a chore for you, you need to make the effort to carefully and even lovingly study the scriptures.  "Learning to read takes practice, which includes taking risks" (Coombs, 2014, p. 63). Your spiritual well-being depends on your willingness to overcome your difficulty or discomfort with reading so you can reap the blessings of the knowledge, wisdom, and truth that are contained in the scriptures.  "reading struggles inhibit spiritual growth when they prevent individuals from studying the gospel" (Coombs, 2014, p. 62).

Don't be afraid to ask others for help to read and understand; it may be embarrassing, but it beats remaining ignorant of the most important truths known to man.  Also, remember to ask the Lord in prayer to help you to read and understand.  Even the greatest prophets and the wisest men need to ask for help if they truly wish to get the most out of what they read in the scriptures.  For more on this subject please read my article Scripture Master Tip #4: It's OK to Ask Questions!

If you do not have a particular difficulty with reading, but you have allowed yourself to fall out of the habit because you spend too much time watching television, or playing video games, or even just working, then you need to refocus your priorities.

“Don’t yield to Satan’s lie that you don’t have time to study the scriptures. Choose to take time to study them. Feasting on the word of God each day is more important than sleep, school, work, television shows, video games, or social media. You may need to reorganize your priorities to provide time for the study of the word of God. If so, do it!”  (Richard G. Scott, “Make the Exercise of Faith Your First Priority,” General Conference Address, Oct. 5, 2014, lds.org).

For those of us who live in the western world, there is no excuse for us if we choose to allow ourselves to remain scripturally illiterate.  Literacy overall is so high in our countries, and the availability of books, and ease by which we can access them today, is unprecedented in the history of the world.  It makes no sense for us to neglect these incredible resources, and it makes even less sense for us to neglect the scriptures, especially in light of the great sacrifices that groups and individuals have made to bring us the scriptures, or to bring us a version of the scriptures that we can read in our own language.

“In Tyndale’s day, scriptural ignorance abounded because people lacked access to the Bible, especially in a language they could understand. Today the Bible and other scripture are readily at hand, yet there is a growing scriptural illiteracy because people will not open the books. Consequently they have forgotten things their grandparents knew.”  (D. Todd Christofferson, “The Blessing of Scripture,” Ensign, May 2010, 33).

“There is no excuse. It's not as if we don't have access. The average American—Christian or not—owns at least three Bibles. Even those who don't have one in their home can download it free to their smartphone or "steal" a Gideon Bible from a hotel room. The Word of God is more available than ever. People have died to bring us what has led to modern translations of Scripture, yet we are dying from lack of knowledge” (Stetzer, 2014).

Don’t die of thirst while lying next to a well of sweet water.  All you have to do is to reach for it, and the scriptures can come alive in your hands.  Don’t be afraid to do a little bit of work in order to unearth the unspeakable treasures that are available to all sincere seekers who choose to immerse themselves in the sweet truths of the scriptures. 

 “No one knows anything about Christ’s work simply by being born a member of the Church, and often he knows little about it after years of unmotivated exposure in meetings or classes. He must learn. And learning involves self-investment and effort. The gospel should be studied ‘as carefully as any science.’ The ‘literature of the Church’ must be ‘acquired and read.’ Our learning should be increased in our spare time ‘day by day.’ Then as we put the gospel truth to work in daily life, we will never find it wanting. We will be literate in the most important field of knowledge in the universe, knowledge for lack of which men and nations perish, in the light of which men and nations may be saved” (Hanks, 1969).

If you know someone who struggles with reading, and it is interfering with  their ability to build a strong testimony of the truths taught in the scriptures, these suggestions from the church magazines will be extremely helpful in finding ways to nurture and help them so that they too can experience the joy and satisfaction of studying God's word.

**There are 22 Scripture Master Tips in total!  You can find them all HERE.
You can start at the beginning with Scripture Master Tip #1: Just Do It! or you can work your way backwards from here and start with Scripture Master Tip # 20: Search, Ponder, and Pray .

References

Coombs, D. (2014). Nurturing testimonies by nurturing readers. Ensign. 44(12). p. 63  Retrieved from https://www.lds.org/ensign/2014/12/nurturing-testimonies-by-nurturing-readers?lang=eng\

Hanks, M. (September, 1969). Theological illiterates. Improvement Era. 72(9). p. 42.

Stetzer, E. (October, 2014). Biblical illiteracy by the numbers part 1: The challenge. Christianity Today. Retrieved from http://www.christianitytoday.com/edstetzer/2014/october/biblical-illiteracy-by-numbers.html

*Photo credit: Yurii Efremov, used under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License

Why Did They Light Incense in the Temple in Bible Times?

 Q:  In Sunday school someone asked, "Why did they light incense in the temple in Bible times?" and not even the teacher knew.  Do you know?

A:  Most sources will tell you something along these lines:

"The smoke from burnt offerings rose into the heavens, representing our dedication to God. The incense represented people’s prayers rising up to God" (“Then Will I Go unto the Altar of God,” Ensign, February 2014, 66).

This is the symbolism that is used in Psalms 141:2 and Revelation 8:3-4:

"Lord, I cry unto thee: make haste unto me; give ear unto my voice, when I cry unto thee.  Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice."

"And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne.  And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel's hand."

The symbolism whereby the smoke of the incense represents the prayers of the saints is a powerful one, and should help us to understand the importance of prayer in our relationship with God, but there is deeper symbolism which should not be ignored.  The burning of the incense to accompany an offering in the temple also had an important symbolic function that relates to the Savior and the cleansing and purifying effect (sanctification) of His atonement.

In Leviticus, the Israelites were commanded to add incense (along with salt and some other things) to their burnt offerings in order that their offerings might be "of a sweet savour unto the Lord" (see Leviticus Ch. 2).  This had the symbolic effect of sanctifying the offering and making it acceptable to God.

This symbolism was understood by the people anciently, as it was part of the prayer which was offered by the priests and the people during the portion of the service in which the incense was lit.

"Be graciously pleased, Jehovah our God, with Thy people Israel, and with their prayer.  Restore the service to the oracle of Thy house; and the burnt-offerings of Israel and their prayer accept graciously and in love; and let the service of Thy people Israel be ever well-pleasing unto Thee" (Alfred Edersheim, The Temple: Its Ministry and Services, 129).

How Can I Get My Testimony Back?

Q:  I was baptized a little over a year ago. I was baptized because I knew for a fact all of the things most people do: Jesus Christ is our Savior, Thomas S. Monson is a prophet, the church is true, etc... But now, I just don't. I'm no longer sure if the Book of Mormon is true. I can't read any scriptures. I don't even know if they are true. I'm not sure Thomas S. Monson is a prophet. But I want to be sure. I want to be like I was a year ago. But I don't know how.

A:  When you first got baptized no doubt you were on a spiritual high, and your emotions were probably running high as well. Now that time has passed, your emotions have cooled somewhat, and you have had to face the relatively mundane task of maintaining (and nurturing) your testimony from day to day. C. S. Lewis declared that such a change in mood is natural, and that it is precisely in moments such as these that faith is most useful:

"Now faith, in the sense in which I am here using the word, is the art of holding on to things your reason has once accepted, in spite of your changing moods. For moods will change, whatever view your reason takes. I know that by experience. Now that I am a Christian I do have moods in which the whole thing looks very improbable: but when I was an atheist I had moods in which Christianity looked terribly probable. This rebellion of your moods against your real self is going to come anyway. That is why Faith is such a necessary virtue: unless you teach your moods “where they get off,” you can never be either a sound Christian or even a sound atheist, but just a creature dithering to and fro, with its beliefs really dependent on the weather and the state of its digestion. Consequently one must train the habit of Faith.

The first step is to recognize [sic] the fact that your moods change. The next is to make sure that, if you have once accepted Christianity, then some of its main doctrines shall be deliberately held before your mind for some time every day. That is why daily prayers and religious reading and church-going are necessary parts of the Christian life. We have to be continually reminded of what we believe. Neither this belief nor any other will automatically remain alive in the mind. It must be fed. And as a matter of fact, if you examined a hundred people who had lost their faith in Christianity, I wonder how many of them would turn out to have been reasoned out of it by honest argument? Do not most people simply drift away?" (Mere Christianity, 140-141)

C. S. Lewis lists three things which he tells us are "necessary parts of Christian life," if we are to keep our faith "fed" and nurtured. I call these things "the three pillars of personal testimony," because they are essential in the maintenance and development of a healthy testimony and a robust faith.

*Daily prayers (Constant prayer)

*Religious readings (Consistent scripture study)

*Church-going (Regular & worthy observance of the sacrament)

Why Gethsemane is as Important as Calvary

Q:  Do you really think Jesus bled from every pore, or do you think it’s symbolic?

A:  I believe that Christ DID, in fact, literally bleed from every pore. The reality of this event has been confirmed by the Book of Mormon and other Latter-day scriptures, and modern prophets have also borne witness to the truth of Christ’s bleeding from every pore in the Garden of Gethsemane.

Mosiah 3:7  And lo, he shall suffer temptations, and pain of body, hunger, thirst, and fatigue, even more than man can suffer, except it be unto death; for behold, blood cometh from every pore, so great shall be his anguish for the wickedness and the abominations of his people.

Even Christ himself is recorded bearing witness to the reality of His suffering in the garden:

D&C 19:17-19  For behold, I, God, have suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer if they would repent; But if they would not repent they must suffer even as I;  Which suffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body and spirit—and would that I might not drink the bitter cup, and shrink—Nevertheless, glory be to the Father, and I partook and finished my preparations unto the children of men.

It has also been demonstrated scientifically that the human body can indeed bleed from the pores when subjected to enough stress, as evidenced by these medical references:

"Those who assert that it is impossible for a body to sweat blood are not acquainted with the facts. The possibility of this phenomenon was known to the ancients...And if one will take the trouble to consult a modern medical dictionary under hemathidrosis or hematidrosis, reference will be found to the phenomenon. Thus in The American Illustrated Medical Dictionary (1947, Phila.) we find this entry:  'Hematidrosis—The sweating of blood or of fluid mixed with blood. In Taber's Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary (1955, Phila.) occurs this reference:  Hemathidrosis, hematidrosis—Condition of sweating blood.'  In a much older medical work we find this interesting note: 'Haematidrosis is a functional disturbance of the sweat apparatus whereby blood, through diapedesis into the coils and ducts from their surrounding vascular plexus, becomes mingled with the sweat and appears with it upon the normal skin, producing the phenomenon of so-called "bloody sweat." It is an exceedingly rare occurrence, ....' (C. T. Dade in Reference Handbook of the Medical Sciences, IV, 466. 1902.)  Thus it is clear that the sweating of blood can occur, even if rarely" (Dr. Sydney B. Sperry, Answers to Book of Mormon Questions, 139-140).

However, physical suffering was only part of what the Savior experienced during His sojourn in Gethsemane.

“It was not physical pain, nor mental anguish alone, that caused Him to suffer such torture as to produce an extrusion of blood from every pore; but a spiritual agony of soul such as only God was capable of experiencing. No other man, however great his powers of physical or mental endurance, could have suffered so; for his human organism would have succumbed, [producing] unconsciousness and welcome oblivion. In that hour of anguish Christ met and overcame all the horrors that Satan, ‘the prince of this world’ could inflict…In some manner, actual and terribly real though to man incomprehensible, the Savior took upon Himself the burden of the sins of mankind from Adam to the end of the world” (James E. Talmage, Jesus the Christ, 3rd ed. [1916], 613).

The Truth About Faith

Ask any young person in the church to explain the principle of faith and odds are they will recite Alma 32:21 to you and leave it at that.

“And now as I said concerning faith—faith is not to have a perfect knowledge of things; therefore if ye have faith ye hope for things which are not seen, which are true.”

This is a wonderful scripture, and it is a good one to have memorized, but I feel that if you depend on this verse alone for your understanding of the principle of faith you will find that your ability to understand and apply it in your life will be somewhat lacking.

I find that the apostle Paul provides another description of faith which at first sounds similar to the one which Alma gave, but upon closer examination you will see that Paul is teaching us much more deeply about the nature and uses of faith.

Hebrews 11:1  Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

When all you have is Alma’s definition of faith as rendered in Alma 32:21, you might think that faith is a rather passive principle in which one holds a vague hope in unseen forces which seem largely beyond your control.  Faith in this scenario seems to be an ill-defined hope, based on vague and even insubstantial evidence, in something that happens to be true.

If this is how you understand faith as a principle, it is no wonder that enemies of religion accuse Christians of blind faith, and enemies of the LDS church accuse its members of blindly following the prophet and their leaders.

Paul’s description of faith which he gave to the Hebrews shows us that faith does not need to be, nor should it be, blind or passive.  His teachings help us to understand that faith, rather than being a vague hope in an unseen truth, is in itself the concrete evidence and the substance upon which we can rely for the foundation of our belief in said truth.  With the assurance provided by such reliable evidence we can make decisions with confidence and take concrete action.

Fasting 101: How to Fast and Why it Matters

Q:  Alright guys, I'm 18 and I don't know how to properly fast. Now after you're done laughing, can somebody give me a step by step list of how to start it, end it and anything else that I need to know?

A:  I applaud you for your desire to learn how to fast properly.  When done correctly, fasting is an opportunity to grow closer to the Lord and to grow stronger spiritually.

How to fast

As a matter of custom, the Church typically designates the first Sunday of every month as a day of fasting.  In order to properly observe ‘fast Sunday’ you should “go without food and drink for two consecutive meals, [attend] fast and testimony meeting, and [give] a fast offering to help care for those in need” (Gospel Topics:  Fasting and Fast Offerings, lds.org).

However, health concerns may prevent you from observing the customary fast, and you may have to adjust your fast in order to accommodate those restrictions.

“How do we fast? Two meals or a period of 24 hours is customary. But you decide what would constitute a sacrifice for you, as you remember the supreme sacrifice the Savior made for you” (Russell M. Nelson, “Opening the Heavens for Help,” Ensign, May 2020, churchofjesuschrist.org).

 “Let it be remembered that the observance of the fast day by abstaining twenty-four hours from food and drink is not an absolute rule, it is no iron-clad law to us, but it is left with the people as a matter of conscience, to exercise wisdom and discretion. Many are subject to weakness, others are delicate in health, and others have nursing babies; of such it should not be required to fast” (Joseph F. Smith, Gospel Doctrine, pp. 243–44).

You are not restricted to fasting only on ‘fast Sundays’ however.  In fact, it is perfectly appropriate to fast on other days, as long as you do not “fast too frequently or for excessive periods of time” (Gospel Topics:  Fasting and Fast Offerings, lds.org).  In addition, Church leaders may call for a collective fast in certain special cases of need or crisis, or as a sign of special gratitude to the Lord.

The actual process of observing a fast is a relatively simple one; however I feel I should point out that, if you want to do it properly, there is a little more to fasting than just a step-by-step process.

 Fasting and prayer

First, it’s important to remember that proper fasting is always accompanied by sincere prayer.  In a way you could say that fasting is not a standalone principle, but that it depends on the related principle of heartfelt prayer in order to function properly.  Prayer is not always accompanied by fasting, but fasting should always be coupled with prayer.  I think that people too often forget that fasting (when coupled with prayer) is a profound way to worship God and to express our devotion and gratitude to Him.  We have also been instructed to “begin and end our fasting with prayer” (Gospel Principles, (2011), 144–48).

Fasting with a purpose

We have also been instructed to “fast with a purpose,” which means that “We can overcome weaknesses or problems by fasting and praying. Sometimes we may wish to fast and pray for help or guidance for others, such as a family member who is ill and needs a blessing (see Mosiah 27:22–23)” (Gospel Principles, (2011), 144–48).

Fasting is a powerful means by which we can seek for the welfare of others and not just for our own needs.

Alma 6:6  Nevertheless the children of God were commanded that they should gather themselves together oft, and join in fasting and mighty prayer in behalf of the welfare of the souls of those who knew not God.

While we may choose to fast for many purposes, Elder L. Tom Perry, of The Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, taught that there are three main purposes behind the law of the fast itself: “The law of the fast has three great purposes. First, it provides assistance to the needy through the contribution of fast offerings, consisting of the value of meals from which we abstain. Second, a fast is beneficial to us physically. Third, it is to increase humility and spirituality on the part of each individual” (L. Tom Perry, “The Law of the Fast,” Ensign, May 1986).

The Living Christ: The Scriptural Basis for Latter-day Saint Beliefs About Christ

On January 1, 2000 the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints issued a document which contained their special witness of the reality and divinity of the life, ministry, and atonement of Jesus Christ entitled The Living Christ: The Testimony of the Apostles. (Read it in its entirety HERE).

 

When this remarkable declaration was issued to the world, the First Presidency (President Gordon B. Hinckley and his two counselors, James E. Faust and Thomas S. Monson) sent a letter of introduction to church leaders around the world which stated:

“The Prophet Joseph Smith declared: ‘The fundamental principles of our religion are the testimony of the Apostles and Prophets, concerning Jesus Christ, that He died, was buried, and rose again the third day, and ascended into heaven; and all other things which pertain to our religion are only appendages to it.’ In that spirit, we add our witness to that of our predecessors...We encourage you to use this written testimony in helping to build the faith of our Heavenly Father’s children” (First Presidency letter, Dec. 10, 1999).

The mere existence of this document is powerful evidence that we do indeed have a living prophet and living apostles once more in our day.  Much like the apostles and prophets of old, these modern day apostles have been called to be special witnesses that Jesus is the Christ and that He died for our sins and was resurrected on the third day.

Acts 10:39-43  And we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they slew and hanged on a tree: Him God raised up the third day, and shewed him openly; Not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before of God, even to us, who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead.  And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead.  To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.

If you are willing to study the remarkable claims and statements of belief made in The Living Christ, it will become clear to you that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has an understanding of Jesus Christ, His nature, His mission, and His atonement that is unique in the history of this world for its clarity and simplicity. Moreover, there are aspects of Christ's nature that ONLY the Latter-day Saints fully grasp and teach. Not only that, but The Living Christ helps to establish that Latter-day Saints truly do believe in the Christ of the Bible, and not "another Jesus." It also helps to show that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints truly is Christ's Church in the latter days, and that it is led by a living and active Savior who directs the work for the good of the whole world.

If The Living Christ proves anything, it is that the Latter-day Saint case for Christ is stronger than even most Latter-Day Saints understand. All of the scriptures testify of the truths taught in it, and it bears the testimony of prophets and apostles of God. The Living Christ is special (in part) because it is NOT another creed or formulation which tries to parse dry semantics or technical distinctions concerning Christ and his nature. It is powerful truth, derived from continuing revelation given to living prophets directly by God.

If we truly grasped the unique power and clarity of what we Latter-day Saints believe and teach and know about Jesus Christ we would realize that what we have is truly a "pearl of great price." To those many skeptics in this modern world, we know and can testify that Jesus did indeed live, and die, and then rise again, and we can explain why that matters. Our knowledge that He lives and that He is active in the world today has the power to change the world. The world needs to know that Christ's mission and ministry wasn't limited to a few years in Judea two thousand years ago. Instead, we know that His power (and His work) extends for all eternity; past, present, and future. On a more personal level, we know that each one of us can develop our own real, meaningful, and personal relationship with Jesus Christ. He is interested in our individual welfare and happiness, and He involves Himself in the lives of all those who will let Him in. Christ is not an incomprehensible mystery, or a remote and formless spirit. He lives, and He loves us, and we can know him for ourselves in a very real, and deeply profound way.

The Living Christ is a remarkable document for many reasons, and not least because the doctrines set forth within it do not depend, wholly or even substantially, on the so-called restoration scriptures (such as the Book of Mormon, The Doctrine and Covenants, or The Pearl of Great Price).  In fact, as I studied “The Living Christ,” I was pleased to find that the major doctrinal points in it can be amply supported by scripture contained in the Bible.  The Living Christ goes a long way towards demonstrating that members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believe in and teach of the genuine Christ of the Bible. What I mean by this is that Latter-day Saint beliefs and teachings concerning Christ can be supported wholly and directly from the Bible, with the added caveat that Latter-day Saints reject the innovations made in the creeds and councils that took place in the centuries since the death of the last of the Apostles. 

Due to our rejection of the creeds, Latter-day Saints are often accused of “preaching a different Jesus” (see 2 Cor. 11:4) than the rest of Christianity.  Further, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are often informed that their beliefs are not biblical because they depart from the standards established by the creeds (rather than the Bible alone). That is why this document is so valuable--even though we can rely on the "more sure word of prophecy" as the source for our claims about the Living Christ--it demonstrates that we can also confidently point to the Bible to lend additional strength to those claims, and that while we may choose to reject the creeds, this does not make our beliefs any less “biblical” (in fact I would argue that our rejection of the creeds makes our beliefs more biblical in nature, also See 2 Peter 1:19).

It is true that we have (or rather God has) added several books to the scriptural canon that most Christians do not accept, and so those who accuse us of not being Christian might well suspect that any declaration that we may make concerning Jesus Christ must depend largely upon our own scriptures for substantiation, because surely we cannot support our beliefs biblically.  On occasion I have noted that some Latter-day Saints also tend to assume that we rely on the Book of Mormon (or other scriptures unique to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) in order to establish our version of things, and that the Bible is only a secondary source for those beliefs.  In this regard The Living Christ is important because it demonstrates these various assumptions to be entirely false, while simultaneously illustrating the central role that the Bible plays in establishing our most basic doctrines and beliefs.

The Living Christ has great value as a missionary tool, and the truths contained within it have the power to change hearts and minds throughout the world, and to bring many to a personal knowledge of (and relationship with) their Savior. However, The Living Christ has equal value as a teaching tool for each member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to use to learn exactly what it is that we believe and teach concerning Jesus Christ. It is not enough that we know that we know these things. We need to be able to explain our doctrine to the rest of the world in a way that is meaningful, and which they can understand. That is why a deeper study of The Living Christ is important and necessary.

To the end of fostering a deeper study of this landmark document, as well as demonstrating the centrality of Jesus Christ and His atonement in Latter-day Saint beliefs, and demonstrating the importance of the Bible in establishing those beliefs, I have included my own breakdown of The Living Christ which highlights some of the more important statements contained in the document and presents a number of scriptures that can be used to support each assertion.  Most of these scriptures, as you will see, come from the Bible but I have included scriptures from the Book of Mormon and the Doctrine and Covenants in order to further establish the truth of the statements made in The Living Christ as well as to show how well these scriptures harmonize with what is taught in the Bible.

The rest of this article focuses mainly on tying scripture references to the principles taught by the Prophet and the Apostles in The Living Christ. However, I have written extensively (and in great detail) elsewhere about practically every aspect of Jesus Christ, His nature, and His atonement. If you are interested in learning more about what Latter-day Saints believe and teach about the Savior and His atonement, I invite you to check out the following series of articles:

Why Only Jesus Could Be The Christ

Why Did Jesus Have to Die on the Cross?

Why Gethsemane is as Important as Calvary

Are You A Christian If You Don't Believe In The Trinity?

Is the Atonement of Jesus Christ Enough for All of Us?

Christ and the Healing Power of the Atonement

He is Risen! The Case For the Resurrection of Christ

The Atonement Defined I: Justification

The Atonement Defined II: Sanctification

You Are Never Beyond The Reach of God's Love

The Living Christ

1    1)      “He was the Great Jehovah of the Old Testament, the Messiah of the New.”

Isaiah 43:1, 3, 10-12  But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.  For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee.  Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me.  I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour.  I have declared, and have saved, and I have shewed, when there was no strange god among you: therefore ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, that I am God.

Daniel 3:25  He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.

1 Corinthians 10:1-4 Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; And did all eat the same spiritual meat; And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.

John 8:56-59  Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad.  Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham?  Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.  Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.

I included the last verse about the people’s attempt to stone Christ after His declaration that “Before Abraham was, I am” because it shows that the people understood exactly what He was telling them; namely that He was the God of the Old Testament, which statement they considered to be blasphemy and a thus a stoning offense.

D&C 110:2-4  We saw the Lord standing upon the breastwork of the pulpit, before us; and under his feet was a paved work of pure gold, in color like amber.  His eyes were as a flame of fire; the hair of his head was white like the pure snow; his countenance shone above the brightness of the sun; and his voice was as the sound of the rushing of great waters, even the voice of Jehovah, saying: am the first and the last; I am he who liveth, I am he who was slain; I am your advocate with the Father.