“…all Saints! profit by this important Key—that in all your trials, troubles, temptations, afflictions, bonds, imprisonments, and death, see to it, that you do not betray heaven; that you do not betray Jesus Christ; that you do not betray the brethren…in all your kicking and floundering, see to it that you do not this thing, lest innocent blood be found upon you skirts, and you go down to hell…and [prove] a traitor to the brethren.
“I will give you one of the Keys of the mysteries of the Kingdom…That man who rises up to condemn others, finding fault with the Church, saying that they are out of the way, while he himself is righteous, then know assuredly, that man is in the high road to apostasy; and if he does not repent, will apostatize, as God lives” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 156-157).
Who are “the brethren?” They are the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve.
For some it is easy to criticize local and general Church leaders. They habitually emphasize that the men in these callings are “only human,” and look for loopholes in the scriptures to justify both their criticism of leaders, and any bad behavior they may wish to persist in.
Occasionally, I will hear or see news of fatal car accidents in which one or more of the occupants of a vehicle were ejected. How can people be ejected from a vehicle in a car wreck? Were they not securely belted into their seats? During the pleasant part of the drive, before the accident, the person wearing a seatbelt and the person not strapped in appear equally safe. They are both comfortable. In fact, the one without a belt on might seem unrestricted and freer, more comfortable as a result. Until an accident.
Part of a robust testimony includes a personal confirmation through the Holy Ghost that the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve are called of God. During pleasant times, Church membership might seem equally pleasant for those who have a personal witness about the callings of the brethren and their local leaders, and those who do not.
During moments when one must choose between the tide of popular opinion and the teachings of the Church, however, those who do not have a firm testimony are likely to be ejected from the Church, or to let go of their covenants. Trying to hold onto the world and the Church at the same time is becoming increasingly difficult, and as the gap between worldly expectations and God’s direction widens, those without personal revelation and a glowing, vibrant testimony will be more likely to become embittered and apostatize.
Nicodemus
Those who are spiritually reborn are far more likely to accept new revelations when they come. Because of their reassurance from God, they can move forward and act on stronger faith, rather than hesitating and waiting for some obvious confirmation through their five senses or logic.
On the other hand, the natural man says, “show me, and I’ll keep on disobeying anyway.” The correlation between evidence and changed behavior is far smaller than we often care to admit. Why do donuts and cigarettes exist? Everyone knows these are unhealthy, but we humans continue to indulge in destructive behaviors long after the results and evidence against them have piled up. The natural man is an enemy to God, as well as himself, and often his neighbor.
When Nicodemus came to Jesus by night, he said, “…we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him” (John 3:2). This was not good enough, and so Jesus taught:
“Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God…
“Except a man be born of water, and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God” (v. 3, 5).
This confuses Nicodemus. Jesus continues,
“If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?” (v. 12).
Nicodemus was double-minded. He came to Jesus AT NIGHT, trying to hide the interview from his friends and protect his social status. Jesus gently rebukes him for this contradictory behavior:
“But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God” (v. 21).
A good way for us to gauge how we would respond to a personal appearance by Jesus to us is to look at how we receive the brethren, the First Presidency, the Twelve, and their messages to us today. We tend to cast Jesus as benevolent and convenient. But the scriptures call Him “a refiner’s fire and…a fuller’s soap” (Mal. 3:2). Like Nicodemus, when we come to Him (or His authorized representatives on earth today) we can expect to be invited to repent and stretch ourselves. Uncomfortably.
If we bring nothing but our own logic and understanding, what currently makes sense to us, to the table when we set out to do the Lord’s work and get to know Him, we will be disappointed. Nicodemus brought only this equipment, and his resulting behavior was timid and hesitant (hiding his meeting with Jesus to protect his reputation). It takes more than the five senses and logic to approach the Lord. It requires divine interaction, spiritual rebirth, to “see” and “enter” the kingdom.
Peter
Contrast Nicodemus with the impetuous Peter. Nicodemus was a learned doctor of the scriptures. Peter was a less-educated, humble fisherman. Hear the contrast between Nicodemus’ confession of Jesus’ power, and Peter’s rock-solid testimony when Jesus asks His Twelve about His identity:
“…But whom say ye that I am?
“And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.
“And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven” (Matt. 16:15-17).
It is not enough to know through logic that Jesus is the Christ, or that His living representatives are true prophets because of the natural five senses. If we are to be firmly anchored to the Church, that connection must include sturdy fibers of divine interaction, personal revelation and confirmation by the Spirit that Jesus is the Christ, and that He has living, authorized representatives on the earth.
“And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church…
“And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven” (Matt. 16:18-19).
Nicodemus was so insecure that he arranged to meet secretly with Jesus by night; Peter was so bold he was willing to jump out of a boat into a stormy, raging sea and try to walk on water toward Jesus because He invited him. This is the difference between a testimony based on logic, and a testimony based on revelation. Revelation is the sure rock, and a better source of confidence.
Many Christians accuse the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints of teaching that we are saved by men because we teach what Jesus taught—that He delegates authority (“keys of the kingdom”) to mortals, who then act in His name. We are saved by Christ, but, as in Peter’s day, Jesus calls representatives who act and speak and perform ordinances in His name.
Jesus told His Twelve, “He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me” (Matt. 10:40). In other words, if we want to receive God and Christ, at some point we must receive their chosen representatives.
It is vital that we know for ourselves, through personal revelation (just like Peter) who these representatives actually are.
When President Hinckley passed away and President Monson was called as the new Church President, I remember thinking, “I’m just going to accept the new leader without question.” But the prompting came to me, No, get your own spiritual witness that President Monson really is called of God.
Shortly afterward, I was reading something simple and clear President Monson had written, and it addressed a concern of mine at the time. The Spirit testified to me that, yes, President Monson was in fact called of God.
I think that, like Peter, we will be invited to join Jesus in tumultuous circumstances, and we therefore need more than a worldly understanding; we need a testimony resulting from personal revelation.
(As with Peter, God chooses good followers as leaders today. If you see a man called as an Apostle in the Church of Christ, you can be sure he is obedient to, and follows directions from, the Lord.)
Against the Tide
What does following God’s current servants entail today?
Following Church leaders today means adopting a traditional definition of the family that includes a man and a woman married to each other, living in total fidelity, raising the children they beget. Men are primarily charged with provided the basic necessities of life; women are charged with rearing their children. Men and women help each other in these roles.
Newly-adopted definitions of marriage and family might make adults feel good about themselves, but they are not designed with the benefit of children as a primary goal. By contrast, the purpose of marriage in the Lord’s plan is primarily creating and fostering the next generation. Love between man and woman might be enjoyable, but the purpose of that joy is to create a stable relationship where it is emotionally safe for children to land.
To protect children with same-sex guardians from emotional turmoil and confusion, and to protect the legal status of the Church, it is safer to prohibit children raised by same sex couples from attending Church meetings. (When those children reach adulthood and then decide on their own to join the Church, they are totally welcome.)
Offended
These are Church positions on current grand, sweeping social issues. It seems the trend in America has been toward making people’s feelings more important than the truth. While offending people by itself is not virtuous, risking such offense by standing firm in beliefs that reflect the truth is consistent with everything in Christianity generally, and in the LDS Church specifically.
What about moments when the flaws of local leaders make them reprehensible to the members they guide?
Again, only a testimony built on revelation from God is adequate in some cases to make such negative experiences endurable. Are we in the Church because the members make us feel good? Or are we in the Church because we feel God directing us, feel His Spirit as we participate and keep our covenants? Whether accidentally or intentionally, we will get our toes stepped on at some point if we stay in the Church long enough.
“And at that day, when I shall come in my glory, shall the parable be fulfilled which I spake concerning the ten virgins.
“For they that are wise and have received the truth, and have taken the Holy Spirit for their guide, and have not been deceived—verily I say unto you, they shall not be hewn down and cast into the fire, but shall abide the day” (D&C 45:56-57).
Trying to cling to the world and please others while trying to love God and keep His commandments will only get harder as time passes. The mutual exclusivity of the world’s values and God’s direction is becoming stronger and more visible. Flawed as these mortal men might be, the brethren who lead the Church follow the Lord first and foremost; those who want to follow the Lord should not be surprised when He prompts them to follow His living servants who are already doing so.
I know from the whisperings of the Spirit to me that President Monson is a living oracle of God, and that his counselors and the Twelve are also legitimate representatives of God. The peace and other good feelings that come as they teach and instruct are evidence to all that this is true. Anyone can receive revelation confirming their status as true messengers from God, if only we ask for it with a determination to act on the revelation we receive.
In the past, following the prophets was often a matter of physical survival. Today God also has chosen witnesses who speak on His behalf. It may well become a matter of physical and spiritual survival to follow those the Lord has set as leaders in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Danger has never been more attractively packaged; identifying and unraveling such smoke-screens is the duty of the Lord’s representatives today.
Against the Tide
What does following God’s current servants entail today?
Following Church leaders today means adopting a traditional definition of the family that includes a man and a woman married to each other, living in total fidelity, raising the children they beget. Men are primarily charged with provided the basic necessities of life; women are charged with rearing their children. Men and women help each other in these roles.
Newly-adopted definitions of marriage and family might make adults feel good about themselves, but they are not designed with the benefit of children as a primary goal. By contrast, the purpose of marriage in the Lord’s plan is primarily creating and fostering the next generation. Love between man and woman might be enjoyable, but the purpose of that joy is to create a stable relationship where it is emotionally safe for children to land.
To protect children with same-sex guardians from emotional turmoil and confusion, and to protect the legal status of the Church, it is safer to prohibit children raised by same sex couples from attending Church meetings. (When those children reach adulthood and then decide on their own to join the Church, they are totally welcome.)
Offended
These are Church positions on current grand, sweeping social issues. It seems the trend in America has been toward making people’s feelings more important than the truth. While offending people by itself is not virtuous, risking such offense by standing firm in beliefs that reflect the truth is consistent with everything in Christianity generally, and in the LDS Church specifically.
What about moments when the flaws of local leaders make them reprehensible to the members they guide?
Again, only a testimony built on revelation from God is adequate in some cases to make such negative experiences endurable. Are we in the Church because the members make us feel good? Or are we in the Church because we feel God directing us, feel His Spirit as we participate and keep our covenants? Whether accidentally or intentionally, we will get our toes stepped on at some point if we stay in the Church long enough.
“And at that day, when I shall come in my glory, shall the parable be fulfilled which I spake concerning the ten virgins.
“For they that are wise and have received the truth, and have taken the Holy Spirit for their guide, and have not been deceived—verily I say unto you, they shall not be hewn down and cast into the fire, but shall abide the day” (D&C 45:56-57).
Trying to cling to the world and please others while trying to love God and keep His commandments will only get harder as time passes. The mutual exclusivity of the world’s values and God’s direction is becoming stronger and more visible. Flawed as these mortal men might be, the brethren who lead the Church follow the Lord first and foremost; those who want to follow the Lord should not be surprised when He prompts them to follow His living servants who are already doing so.
I know from the whisperings of the Spirit to me that President Monson is a living oracle of God, and that his counselors and the Twelve are also legitimate representatives of God. The peace and other good feelings that come as they teach and instruct are evidence to all that this is true. Anyone can receive revelation confirming their status as true messengers from God, if only we ask for it with a determination to act on the revelation we receive.
In the past, following the prophets was often a matter of physical survival. Today God also has chosen witnesses who speak on His behalf. It may well become a matter of physical and spiritual survival to follow those the Lord has set as leaders in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Danger has never been more attractively packaged; identifying and unraveling such smoke-screens is the duty of the Lord’s representatives today.
