We Have the Book! But Do We Believe The Words?

"And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word" (1 Kings 18:21).

The Savior taught by asking self reflecting questions; difficult and pointed questions.* Unlike the typical questions asked in most of our teaching and learning classes. I went through the scriptures several years ago and wrote down all the questions asked by the Savior which are recorded in scripture. His questions were designed to cause the person(s) being asked to look at themselves and no one else. As I asked His questions of myself, He revealed my ignorance to me. 

This post is a list of questions. Each question, with a few exceptions, can be answered with a yes or a no. But by answering one question with a yes and then answering a subsequent one with a no, you may expose a deception. They are intended as a measure for you, not as an indictment, even though your answers may expose you. So be honest with yourself and use this exercise as a means to know where you really are, and not where you think or believe you are with respect to His words. He did, afterall, tell us that we shall be judged by and found on one side or the other of His words.

Also pay close attention to the words in the question--they matter and will expose your ignorance if answered incorrectly. Questions will begin with ¹do you believe, ²do you know, ³did you know, ⁴have you, ⁵have you ever, ⁶are you, ⁷ were you, ⁸do you, or ⁹what? When you have answered all the questions ask yourself: "do I really have the desire to seek the truth?" 

Let's begin.

1. Do you feast upon the words of Christ? 
2. Have you ever feasted upon the words of Christ?
3. Do you know why we have been asked to feast upon the words of Christ?
4. Do you believe Christ when He says "except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish?"
5. Are you repenting?
6. Do you know all that Christ says about repentance?
7. Were you ever taught to understand the doctrine of baptism and repentance? 
8. Do you now understand the doctrine of baptism and repentance? 
9. Do you know how to teach a child to understand the doctrine of repentance before the age of accountability? 
10. Do you know what Christ means by His great and marvelous work? 
11. Can you name one event associated with His prophesied great and marvelous work? Two events? Five events? More?
12. Do you know what the Lord says truth is?
13. Do you know the fruits meet for repentance?
14. Can you know whether or not someone is under the bondage of sin?
15. If yes, how can you know?
16. Do you know what the Lord describes as the greatest good? The most worth?
17. Do you seek for riches or for wisdom? 
18. Do you know that the following are antithetical? Good and Evil? Zion and Babylon? Judgment and Mercy?
19. Do you know why they are antithetical? 
20. Do you believe Christ when He says that "great are the words of Isaiah" and commands us to search them?
21. Do you search the words of Isaiah? 
22. Do you know what Christ meant when He said that all things Isaiah said have been and shall be?
23. Can you name one historical event that Isaiah says will be repeated as part of the endtime? 
24. Do you know what Christ means when He says My gospel? My doctrine? 
25. Do you believe Christ when He says that it is not given that one man should possess that which is above another, and therefore the whole world lieth in sin?
26. Do you believe all the words of Christ? Or do you pretend that you believe Him? 
27. Can you speak with the tongue of angels? 
28. For example, do you believe Him when He prophesied that His gospel would be taken from us and given to the House of Israel?
29. Did you know that only the Jews, 10 Tribes and Lehi’s descendants are of the House of Israel?
30. Did you know that you are identified with the Gentiles?
31. Do you believe that when a person’s reality or life’s view isn’t based entirely on God’s truth, then what isn’t based on God's truth must be grounded in things that aren’t true, even though they may be believed and substituted for God’s truth?
32. Do you know that apostasy is not a falling away from, but a perversion of the truth?
33. Do you understand what it means to transfigure the word of God?
34. Do you realize that we, the Lord's latter-day people, are the ones who will transfigure His words?
35. Were you taught that only those who are repenting are of His church, and that many active members of record of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are not of His church because they are not repenting?
36. "Behold, will ye reject these words? Will ye reject the words of the prophets; and will ye reject all the words which have been spoken concerning Christ, after so many have spoken concerning him; and deny the good word of Christ, and the power of God, and the gift of the Holy Ghost, and quench the Holy Spirit, and make a mock of the great plan of redemption, which hath been laid for you?"
37. Do you imagine that without being tried in all things you will simply drift into a glorious millennial age of peace through the great goodness of our God because you dutifully attend church and show kindness to friendly neighbors?
38. Do you believe that the apostasy of God’s covenant people is a major end-time event?
39. Do you believe that God stands ready to bless and deliver every soul who truly turns to Him?
40. What does He mean by "truly turn" to Him?
41. Are you a blind guide?
42. Are you wasting the days of your probation instead of preparing to meet God?
43. Do you know the difference between being under the law and being under grace?
44. Do you know how to obtain the pure love of Christ?
45. Do you know God’s definition of Good? Of Evil?
46. Do you believe there are only two choices, Good or Evil?
47. Is the word of God found in you?
48. Do you see with your eyes, hear with your ears and understand with your heart?
49. Do you know why and to whom Christ taught in parables?
50. Do you know why the Lord told Isaiah "Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not. Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed?"

I've asked only fifty or so questions, which are just a small fraction of the questions that could have been asked, but enough, hopefully, to cause you to question your beliefs as you compare what you believe with the truth. How wide is the gap between what you believe and what is truth?

Each of these questions states a revealed truth. Because they are mostly yes or no questions, you can quickly go through them. But now change the form of each question by asking why, how or what. For example instead of asking 'do you know God’s definition of Good and Evil' ask what is God's definition of Good and Evil? 

There are two, three, or maybe more questions though. ¹Do you desire to know the truth? And ²is knowing the truth part of your preparation in this life to meet God? Which leads to another question: ³are you wasting the days of your probation by not receiving and living His truth?

Reading about truth (see link below⁰) is a good place to start, and as you read it and the included links ask yourself ⁴can you "run about longer as a blind guide?" Or ⁵is your heart fat, your ears heavy, your eyes shut or can you see with your eyes, hear with your ears and understand with your heart? 

So many questions. But just a few more. ⁶How do you answer Ezekiel's question? In practice this is our answer: We claim the worship of the true God. But, we worship the true God alongside our false gods. We maintain a careful equilibrium in order to preserve an identity with the God of Israel. At the same time we follow our own gods as we please. This compromise enables us to satisfy both our carnal instincts and our spiritual aspirations. And our response causes the Lord's prophets to cry, "Choose you this day whom ye will serve" (Josh. 24:15) and "How long will ye halt between two opinions?" (1 Kings 18:21).

Let's close by reciting a poignant and detailed question asked of us by the Lord.

"How oft have I called upon you...

¹by the mouth of my servants, 

and ²by the ministering of angels, 

and ³by mine own voice, 

and ⁴by the voice of thunderings, 

and ⁵by the voice of lightnings, 

and ⁶by the voice of tempests, 

and ⁷by the voice of earthquakes, 

and ⁸great hailstorms, 

and ⁹by the voice of famines 

and ¹⁰pestilences of every kind, 

and ¹¹by the great sound of a trump, 

and ¹²by the voice of judgment, 

and ¹³by the voice of mercy 

all the day long, 

and ¹⁴by the voice of glory and honor 

and ¹⁵the riches of eternal life, 

and ¹⁶would have saved you with an everlasting salvation,

¹⁷but ye would not!

Behold, the day has come, 

when the cup of the wrath 

of mine indignation is full.

Behold, verily I say unto you, 

that these are the words 

of the Lord your God.

Hearken ye to these words. 

Behold, I am Jesus Christ, 

the Savior of the world"

(D&C 43:25-27;34 emphasis added).

*Teach In The Savior's Way: Questions

⁰What is Truth?

Next: But We Have The Book! We Don't Need Anymore Books!