Mormon Direction

A new update to Mormon Messages entitled, Book of Mormon: An Introduction, narrated by Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles, spoke about the authenticity of the Book of Mormon, stating that this book are the words of ancient prophets of God, spoken by the Spirit of Prophecy and Revelation.

Can we believe this?- The answer is Yes, it is believable, as it is also believable that the Bible is the word of God.

The Book of Mormon is as believable as the Bible.

Many outside the Church, even those who disaffected from the Church would deny my statement that the Book of Mormon is as believable as the Bible. Those that doubt or deny will claim that the Bible is clearly the word of God, but not the Book of Mormon, but have they really thought about it?

Many who read and believe the Bible do so by their personal choice. Many have not researched the Bible or read history or seek historic evidence of its existence in past centuries, but they still believe. They have not sought out physical proof that Jesus lived on this earth and died on the cross, yet they simply believed it when they read it. They may believe the words spoken by others, by a local pastor or friend who speaks to them about their local Christian church. For a large number of these people, what it comes down to for them, is they simply believe. An act of mind and heart that is no different for those who simply believe the Book of Mormon.

Some may claim that the Bible is backed up by historic fact, proven that it was written by ancient people, but none of these temporal claims can prove it is the word of God.

Please read that last sentence again, it said that no historic evidence can prove the Bible to be the word of God and no historic evidence can prove the Book of Mormon to be the word of God.

For anything to be the word of God must be proven by the Holy Spirit, not by historic evidence.

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When researching the word “adultery” in the scriptures a person will normally see that the word is associated with sex outside the union of marriage. Other scriptures that do not specifically refer to adultery against marriage, speak in a more general sense as to the nature of some people, as the reference, “adulterous people”, such as what is found in Jeremiah 9:2 and Mosiah 1:13. In reading these references, one wonders if God speaks of these people as all having sexual affairs. Since that does not show a sensible application of the word “adulterous”, then God must be applying that word to mean something else. So what does he mean?

We know that sexual adultery corrupts marriages and in turn, families. It is the affect of the act carried into a marriage or relationship that causes the corruption. As easily as the children suffer the sins of the parents without having committed the sin themselves, so shall the sin of adultery bear onto the members of the family in the same way.

What then can be the definition of adultery in order to understand its application in life and spirit?

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I have read the Bible, the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants and the Pearl of Great Price. I learned the importance of their content and what it means for my spiritual life with God. How I came to realize this was over time, through many experiences with the scriptures and in life.

I experienced positive changes when I properly studied the word of God. I have found that the key to gaining spiritual awareness, a heightened state of heart and mind, depends on whether I am sincere and humble when reading and studying the word of God. When I leave these books and stop reading them, the heightened change slowly diminishes and I begin to feel “less spiritual”. This showed me that a spiritual state, a “heightened state” (and peaceful) state of mind depends on my focus and involvement with the word of God. It showed me that things in this world are temporary and to maintain something, requires continued attention and diligence. It is just like staying fit, exercise must continue else the “fit state” diminishes.  

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With the array of differing doctrines in the general Christian community among the many Christian denominations, one wonders who is true and who is not. I say this from the perspective of a new convert or one who is investigating which church to join.

When I researched the many beliefs of the many Christian denominations, I began to find a consistent pattern among all of them. This pattern refers to “perspective”. The thing within each person that determines how he/she will view and comprehend God’s word. It is “perspective” that will either serve a person well or mislead them.

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 “Cannot be saved in ignorance” refers to the Word of God and his Law having no affect within you to quicken you. When there is no affect, it amounts to separation and outer darkness, which is a separation from God’s word. Such a person ”has no light within him”.

God’s word and law having no effect within occurs when a person chooses not to learn and grow spiritually, where the word of God and his laws are ignored or made unimportant.

To read his gospel is only part of how we overcome ignorance. To overcome ignorance requires the “tilling by the Spirit” upon our inner ground, so the word (seed) can take root and grow. Else ignorance prevails and this is liken to barren ground where no fruit can manifest.

When there is no fruit, is it not true that the Lord will burn those unfruitful trees as he said within the scriptures? Is it not true that some of those who advocate Christ but have insufficent light within them, will be told by him that he does not know them? This will occur because they refuse or fail to overcome their spiritual ignorance and as a result, “cannot be saved in ignorance”.