Say Nothing But Repentance

This was prepared as a talk to be given in a Sacrament meeting at our ward in Metz, France, but because of time constraints, I gave another. See French translation. This is a condensed version of a previous post.

Several years ago when I was released as a Bishop in our ward in Sandy, Utah, in 1985, I was thinking what my church experience would be going forward, and turned in my scriptures to D&C 11. I was not looking for this particular section, but that is where I found myself when I opened my scriptures. I began reading, and as I did I was enveloped in His Spirit. I had never before nor after, experienced anything like this. I began reading, or more accurately listening to the words I was seeing. 

1. "A great and marvelous work is about to come forth among the children of men. 

2. Behold, I am God; give heed to my word, which is quick and powerful, sharper than a two-edged sword, to the dividing asunder of both joints and marrow; therefore give heed unto my word.

I had read these words before, but this time I was hearing His voice in His words as if He was reading them to me!

3. Behold, the field is white already to harvest; therefore, whoso desireth to reap let him thrust in his sickle with his might and reap while the day lasts, that he may treasure up for his soul everlasting salvation in the Kingdom of God.

4. Yea, whosoever will thrust in his sickle and reap, the same is called of God.

As I listened I was overcome with the desire to thrust in my sickle, and to be called of God, but I did not understand what He meant.

5. Therefore, if you will ask of me you shall receive; if you will knock it shall be opened unto you.

At this point it was even clearer that He was speaking to me, and as I was caught up in His spirit, I could hear His voice in these words:

6. Now, as you have asked, behold, I say unto you, keep my commandments, and seek to bring forth and establish the cause of Zion.

I was not mindful of asking, but perhaps my wondering what I was to do going forward, was the reason for being directed to these verses. He asked me to keep His commandments and seek to bring forth and establish the cause of Zion. It would take me years to fully comprehend and be prepared to be called by Him. I had thought that His commandments were the outward things that I had been doing, but I was wrong.

7. Seek not for riches but for wisdom; and behold, the mysteries of God shall be unfolded unto you, and then shall you be made rich. Behold he that hath eternal life is rich.

The light was now more discernable. My mind was enlightened by the truth, the light and His spirit as I saw and heard His words! I was excited, but also fearful to hear more. 

8. Verily, verily, I say unto you, even as you desire of me so it shall be done unto you; and, if you desire, you shall be the means of doing much good in this generation.

As I look back on this verse I have come to realize that the next words I heard were the link to what He meant by 'doing much good in this generation.'

9. Say nothing but repentance unto this generation. Keep my commandments, and assist to bring forth my work, according to my commandments, and you shall be blessed.

His specific call to say nothing but repentance meant that I needed to know what He meant by repentance, not what I thought it meant. I was impressed that it would mainly be to members of the church to whom I would say nothing but repentance, but it would be years before I would learn why. 

At the time of this revelation to me, I did not know all that the call entailed, but the experience was so powerful that I could not deny that I was to be called by God. I knew that He would tell me exactly what I was to do. 

The next words caused me to know that I was receiving this as a personal revelation!

10. Behold, thou has a gift, or thou shall have a gift if thou wilt desire of me in faith, with an honest heart, believing in the power of Jesus Christ, or in my power which speaketh unto thee; 

11. For behold, it is I that speak; behold, I am the light which shineth in darkness, and by my power I give these words unto thee. 

He was speaking to me! It was His voice I was hearing! It was very personal. And the instructions were getting more specific, but there were admonitions to ensure that I did not take this lightly.

12. And now, verily, verily, I say unto thee, put your trust in that Spirit which leadeth to do good--yea, to do justly, to walk humbly, to judge righteously; and this is my Spirit.

I knew it was His spirit that I was to trust, and I was experiencing His spirit at that moment! He then promised me the fruits of His Spirit, and at the same time admonished me to put my faith in Him.

13. Verily, verily, I say unto you, I will impart unto you of my Spirit, which shall enlighten your mind, which shall fill your soul with joy; 

14. And then shall ye know all things whatsoever you desire of me, which are pertaining unto things of righteousness, in faith believing in me that you shall receive.

It was then that He told me the tools I would need in order to do His works of righteousness, and how I was to use the tools.

15. Behold, I command you that you need not suppose that you are called to preach until you are called. 

16. Wait a little longer, until you shall have my word, my rock, my church, and my gospel, that you may know of a surety my doctrine. 

17. And then, behold, according to your desires, yea, even according to your faith shall it be done unto you.

This was what I was supposed to do--search, treasure up and receive His words and know of a surety His word, His Church, His Gospel and His doctrine. He was to be my Rock. But then again for the third time He said.

18. Keep my commandments; hold your peace; appeal unto my Spirit;

19. Yea, cleave unto me with all your heart, that you may assist in bringing to light those things (words) of which have been spoken--yea, the translation of my work (the Book of Mormon); be patient until you shall accomplish it.

Obviously I was not being asked to assist in the translation since that had been completed, but to assist in teaching what I would learn of His words in the Book of Mormon. He again tells me that is my work.

20. Behold, this is your work, to keep my commandments, yea, with all your might, mind and strength.

This was the fourth time He told me to keep His commandments, but then He said, and this became my work.

21. Seek not to declare my word, but first seek to obtain my word, and then shall your tongue be loosed, then if you desire, you shall have my spirit and my word, yea, the power of God unto the convincing of men.

But...?

22. But now hold your peace; study my word which hath gone forth among the children of men, and also study my word which shall come forth among the children of men, or that which is now translating, yea, until you have obtained all which I shall grant unto the children of men in this generation, and then shall all things be added thereto.

I did not comprehend all that He was telling me, but I knew that it would take me many years to obtain "all" that He had revealed to us, with the promise that more would be added. 

23. Behold thou art Hyrum, my son; seek the kingdom of God, and all things shall be added according to that which is just."

24. Build upon my rock, which is my gospel; 

25. Deny not the spirit of revelation, nor the spirit of prophecy, for wo unto him that denieth these things; 

26. Therefore, treasure up in your heart until the time which in my wisdom that you shall go forth.

The verse about Hyrum caused me to pause. If He was speaking to Hyrum why did I feel that he was speaking to me? Because he was!

27. Behold, I speak unto all who have good desires, and have thrust in their sickle to reap.

As I recount this experience, it is colored now by the fact that I have done and continue to do what He asked of me. I have spent the latter part of my life obtaining His words, teaching them and doing what I was called to do in this revelation to me. And He has blessed me with the spirit of revelation and the spirit of prophecy. As I write this and see all that I have learned, His last few words of this Section are a sweet testimony of the promises He kept.

28. Behold I am Jesus Christ, the Son of God. I am the life and the light of the world. 

29. I am the same who came unto mine own and mine own received me not; 

30. But verily, verily, I say unto you, that as many as receive me, to them will I give power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe in my name, Amen."

I want to say that as soon as I had this experience I went home and began immediately to more consciously seek to obtain His words, but I did not. In fact, it would be many years before I really caught the vision of what D&C 11 was all about for me personally.

I needed to recognize this revelatory experience as my Road to Damascus experience and hear God's voice telling me to "give heed to [His] word" and to experience my own lost and fallen state and my need to repent or to turn to Him. 

And I needed to quit searching for riches. Only then could I be prepared to teach others as I obtained His words. Without experiencing my own lost, fallen and sinful state, and my redemption through Him and His atonement, I would be as sounding brass and tinkling cymbals trying to say nothing but repentance to others without experiencing and receiving His gift of repentance.  

I would re-read D&C 11 many times after this experience, but without the same effect, and I wondered why. I learned later that it was because I had not yet kept His commandments, and had not yet quit searching for riches.

"Now this is the commandment: Repent, all ye ends of the earth, and come unto me and be baptized in my name, that ye may be sanctified by the reception of the Holy Ghost, that ye may stand spotless before me at the last day" (3 Nephi 27:20). He had to teach me that to repent means to turn to him and rely wholly upon His merits and righteousness, not my own, and then validate that repentance by enduring in faith in Him to the end. 

I also learned that it was not necessary to repeat the same feelings every time I read D&C 11. He had spoken to me and I had heard His voice in His words. I could not deny it, and the more I did what He called me to do, the more fully did D&C 11 open up to me. He also reminded me that I need not ask again. "Behold, thou knowest that thou hast inquired of me and I did enlighten your mind; and now I tell thee these things that thou mayest know that thou has been enlightened by the Spirit of Truth.... Did I not speak peace to your mind concerning the matter? What greater witness can you have than from God?Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not" (D&C 6:15;23;36).

I knew that this was a direct revelation to me, which is the purest form of the word of God! There is no doubt!

But the paradox was that I would have to search His words to know what it meant to repent and then 'keep His commandment' by repenting. I then realized why he told me multiple times to keep His commandments. He knew I needed to repent and turn to Him before I could do the work He was preparing me to do. He knew that I did not completely understand the doctrine of repentance. It was only after having taken a path that many said would take me off the strait and narrow way, that I began in earnest to follow the admonition I had received on that day when I was released as a Bishop. I needed to be repenting, and no longer be under the bondage of sin. I needed to be redeemed and under grace. 

Only then could I spend the rest of my life obtaining, giving heed and teaching His words and saying nothing but repentance unto this generation. However, by searching to find how I could avoid the justice of God and receive His mercy, I was doing the searching and treasuring up of His words.

As I have sought to obtain His word,  He has blessed me as He promised. He did give me more than one gift, and I received these gifts, and rejoice in them, and in Him who is the giver of these gifts. I continue to experience His light, His spirit and His voice in His words. I share His gifts to me with others. My mind has been enlightened and my soul has been filled with joy. I know of a surety His doctrine, His gospel, His rock. I know of a surety that His church is made up of only those who are repenting. I put my faith in Him and rely alone upon His merits. 

He is the sole source of light and knowledge in my life.

I know of the darkness within me and the darkness that is in the world, and yet I follow His light which shines in the darkness. 

I realized that He has hidden many things as a test for us to see if we are willing to search out His words like the treasures they are.

I now know that as part of the Lord's Great and Marvelous work, He will bring forth additional records, and that the bringing forth of these records will cause an irrevocable division among the Ephraimite Gentiles. Those who have feasted upon His words will gladly receive more, but those who have not, will not believe His words.

As Joseph Smith said a man is saved no faster than he gains knowledge, and that we must receive personal revelation. Keep in mind that when we search and hear His words we are being taught by Him. His words are truth, light, spirit, even the spirit of Jesus Christ, and we can hear His voice in His words (D&C 18:33-36). 

And I say unto you, 'Hear ye Him!'

Whatsoever is Not of Faith is Sin

And finally, I cannot tell you all the things whereby ye may commit sin; for there are divers ways and means, even so many that I cannot number them.

But this much I can tell you, that if ye do not watch yourselves, and your thoughts, and your words, and your deeds, and observe the commandments of God, and continue in the faith of what ye have heard concerning the coming of our Lord, even unto the end of your lives, ye must perish. And now, O man, remember, and perish not 

(Mosiah 4:29-30).

This is one of the many ways, and one we may not think of as sin.

Paul exclamation in Romans 14:23 seems at first glance unlike any statement he made concerning faith. It is true that he speaks of faith in Christ most often as the way to obtain the righteousness of God, as opposed to the works of the law, which if done without faith do not account for righteousness. 

But to go so far as to say that whatsoever is not of faith is sin, seems at first glance to be rather harsh. Certainly our good works should count for something even if done without faith! But there is an order where works are either used to ¹justify ourselves, ²benefit others, or ³where works follow after being changed from our "carnal and fallen state, to a state of righteousness" (Mosiah 27:23). The latter works are only done with faith, otherwise they would not be counted as works of righteousness, and according to Paul, if done without faith in Christ, would be sin.

See: The Cart Before the Horse

But will our human acts of kindness count for anything at the judgment? They will, but if we are still under the bondage of sin at the judgment, we will first pay for our own transgressions, but after paying for our sins, all our good works will be considered and we will receive a "reward according to our works" (D&C 138:59). 

See Repentance: Bondage of Sin After Death.

“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. But he that doeth not anything until he is commanded, and receiveth a commandment with doubtful heart, and keepeth it with slothfulness, the same is damned” (Doctrine & Covenants 58:26–29).

There are several truths we can take from this scripture. Besides receiving no reward if we must be compelled in all things, the good cause spoken here refers to bringing to pass righteous works, which are works that follow and are the fruits of our repentance. Righteousness is consistently used in scripture to define the righteousness of God and Christ, not our own human goodness. The power comes from Him changing us, and for those who do anything with a doubtful heart, in other words without faith, they are damned. They do not ascend to higher degrees, are not recreated.

A careful reading of Romans makes it clear that it is faith in Christ and only faith in Christ that counts for righteousness. And if anything other than faith in Christ does not count for righteousness, then it must be that it counts for unrighteousness and is therefore sin. 

This is consistent with the Doctrine of the Two Ways: either the righteousness of God, which is obtained through faith in Jesus Christ, or any alternative to the righteousness of God, which includes works without faith, and which, according to Paul, is sin.

Paul makes it clear that man is justified only through the righteousness of God, which comes through faith in Christ. He says that "There is none righteous, no, not one... (and) ...there is none that doeth good, no, not one" (Romans 3:10-12). It is faith in Christ that is counted for righteousness (Romans 4:2-5). He makes it clear that it was not because of Abraham's obedience to the law of Moses that was counted for righteousness, but because of Abraham's faith.

He tells us that the Gentiles "attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith" but that "Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness" because "they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law" (Romans 9:30-33).

It is not always easy to develop faith 

If it is true that whatsoever is not of faith is sin, then are the works we do without faith in Christ, sin? Can it be that doing our duty in our Church callings, if done without faith, is sin? Given the Lord's definition of Good and Evil, we are either doing one or the other, and He makes it quite clear that unless we work by the power and gifts of God, we do not do good (Moroni 10:25). And since there is only one other alternative, we must be doing what is not righteous, and therefore sinning.

Searchers or Hearers Only

"For you ought not to seek a foreign and extraneous sense, which you have brought from without, which you may confirm from the authority of the Scriptures, but to take the sense of truth from the Scriptures themselves; and therefore it behooves you to learn the meaning of the Scriptures from Him who keeps it according to the truth handed down to Him from His Father, so that He can authoritatively declare what He has rightly received" (Spoken by Peter from Clement of Rome). 

Paul and Silas’ missionary experience with the Jews in the synagogue at Berea reveals a telling contrast between the early saints who searched the scriptures daily to determine what God was saying in his Word and those who remained content to listen to the brethren’s preaching: “These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. Therefore many of them believed; also of honorable women who were Greeks, and of men, not a few” (Acts 17:11–12). 

If searching the scriptures daily to see what they said—not only what Paul and Silas preached—defined saints as “more noble” before God, then wouldn’t it profit saints today to follow their example, especially in a day when those scriptures are beginning to be fulfilled? Certainly, the early saints had full-time professions like the saints do today, that perhaps required the bulk of their daytime hours to sustain life. 

Yet, the scriptures they had and searched—most likely the words of Isaiah that predict the first and second comings of Jesus Christ—set their faith on fire. Religious Jewish traditions to this day focus on searching the Torah to elicit the truths of God that sustain them through life’s challenges. Jews have traditionally eschewed the practices of the Gentiles such as the games and circuses these loved to attend. Even though Jews were scattered around the world, and were judged and persecuted by non-Jews for being different, God was still the center of their lives. 

But isn’t being different also what characterizes church members today, and within the body of the church what characterizes persons who search the words of Isaiah? Isn’t the spirit of inquiry shared by saints and Jews ancient and modern what sets them apart from secular Jews and saints-in-name only? Wasn’t that what distinguished Nephi, who inquired of the Lord, from his brothers, who didn’t? 

The same can be said of the Sons of Mosiah who were "men of a sound understanding and they had searched the scriptures diligently, that they might know the word of God" (Alma 17:2).

Do we realize that the gap between searchers and listeners-only has so widened that in just one generation almost the entire church has moved into a non-searching mode? This is exasperated by the emphasis and almost mandate to use conference talks in almost all our meetings. I must say, however, that the Handbook does not say that the talks must be the instruction material for Priesthood and Relief Society, but that topics must come from General Conference talks. A difference maybe, but can we discern between searching the word of God and parroting Conference talks? Only in this generation will we hear the phrase, "have a good General Conference."

Isn't this non-searching mode and reliance on quotes from General Authorities also manifested in the majority of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Facebook posts?

Don't we create an illusion of knowledge by referring to the books which contain the truth, not by searching the truth within the books?

When prophecy fails—as Isaiah says—where will the saints turn who have never exercised these spiritual skills but relied instead on what non-searchers told them?

We cannot pretend that the casual believer who relies primarily on what is said from the pulpit can perceive the things of God just as well as one who diligently searches God’s Word and lives it until it permeates his/her whole being.

Can we honestly say that Nephi was not speaking about us when he says that "there are many...who cast many things away which are written," who "will not search" His words, who will not believe them because they are ignorant of what He has caused to be written (2 Nephi 32-33)? Do we really believe Christ when He says that we will be judged by His words (John 12:47-48)?

How do we search His words? See: Let Us Search Them: One Effective way to Search

The Apostasy of God’s Latter-day People

​"The thing that hath been, 

it is that which shall be; 

and that which is done 

is that which shall be done: 

and there is no new thing 

under the sun" 

(Ecclesiastes 1;9).

In view of the Mormon Gentiles’ sliding into apostasy that Isaiah and Book of Mormon prophets predict, one might expect God to provide yet a third witness—one from their own latter-day scriptures and prophets. 

Didn’t Moses also predict Israel’s apostasy and its calamitous consequence even as he had barely succeeded in schooling his people to the point that all Israel kept God’s law and could inherit the Promised Land as a covenant blessing (Deuteronomy 31:29)? 

And didn't Jesus' apostles, even as they had hardly established the church in their day, predict an endtime apostasy and its disastrous aftermath, including the coming of a Son of Perdition and other perdition types (2 Thessalonians 2:3–12; 2 Timothy 3:1–9; 1 Peter 4:17; 2 Peter 3:3–10; Jude 1:5–19)? 

And didn't Christ himself say that when the Gentiles reject the fulness of His Gospel, "I will bring the fulness of my gospel from among them...and I will bring my gospel unto" the house of Israel (3 Nephi 16:10-11)?

And didn't the Lord say in our time,

"Behold, vengeance cometh speedily upon the inhabitants of the earth, a day of wrath, a day of burning, a day of desolation, of weeping, of mourning, and of lamentation; and as a whirlwind it shall come upon all the face of the earth, saith the Lord. 

"And upon my house shall it begin, and from my house shall it go forth, saith the Lord;

First among those among you, saith the Lord, who have professed to know my name and have not known me, and have blasphemed against me in the midst of my house, saith the Lord" (D&C 112:25-26 emphasis added)?

Perhaps that kind of last-days ending for those who profess to be God’s people today isn’t what many envision if they haven’t read those scriptures. Or, if they have read them, they don’t believe them or don’t apply them to themselves. Will God forever put off the end of the world with its anticipated tribulations for His elect because they happen to  inconvenience you and me? 

Do we imagine that without being tried in all things we will simply drift into a glorious millennial age of peace through the great goodness of our God because we dutifully attend church and show kindness to friendly neighbors? 

Shall we inherit everlasting thrones, dominions, principalities, and powers because our prosperous circumstances have enabled us to out-do even Solomon in all his glory and dwell in quite large houses that testify of our good fortune even as we employ inequitable standards in the workplace? Speaking of hypocrites, Jesus said, “They have their reward.” 

What need have they of a heavenly mansion or of treasures in heaven? Man’s rationale for clinging to his idols can’t alter God’s eternal decrees. “All is well in Zion” may not be words spoken from the pulpit, but they typify those who attempt to serve both God and mammon (2 Nephi 28:15). As Nephi predicts, the Mormon Gentiles’ apostasy doesn’t occur all at once but over time when people “in Zion” progressively resist the truth of God—first, ¹scriptural truths had among them that aren’t perceived for what they are; and, second, ²a full-blown rejection of additional records that God brings forth (2 Nephi 28:24–32; 29:3). 

Isaiah traces this falling away from one generation to the next: “Alas, a nation astray, a people weighed down by sin, the offspring of wrongdoers, perverse children: they have forsaken Jehovah, they have spurned the Holy One of Israel, they have lapsed into apostasy” (Isaiah 1:4). He likens God’s people and their leaders in that day to Sodom and Gomorrah: “Hear the word of Jehovah, O leaders of Sodom; give heed to the law of our God, you people of Gomorrah!” (Isaiah 1:10). 

The increasing loss of light that follows the Mormon Gentiles’ spurning of one disconcerting truth after another leads to their ultimately rejecting the great outpouring of truth God promised to send. 

Paradoxically, however, that same outpouring of truth—which occurs “in the own due time of the Lord” (1 Nephi 14:26)—is made possible because at least some Mormon Gentiles incorporate all truth in their lives that God has revealed and exercise faith in Him that He will reveal more (2 Nephi 28:30; 29:8; 3 Nephi 26:9–11; Mormon 8:12; Ether 4:13). These are they who are not “blinded by the craftiness of men” (cf. Doctrine & Covenants 76:75), who differentiate between “the truth of God” and “precepts of men” (cf. 2 Nephi 28:26–31), and who love God who embodies all truth (John 14:6) more than they love the person of men (cf. James 2:1–9). 

Even as Joseph Smith and Brigham Young had barely established the church among the Mormon Gentiles, they too warned of the apostasy of many from the truth because of their depending on men instead of on God. Although these leaders offered their all in the cause of Zion, many Mormon Gentiles who have made no such sacrifices repudiate their words. 

Brigham Young pointed church members to the scriptures for a knowledge of the truth rather than to himself: “I do not want men to come to me or my brethren for testimony as to the truth of this work; but let them take the Scriptures of divine truth, and there the path is pointed out to them as plainly as ever a guidebook indicated the right path to the weary traveler. There they are directed to go, not to Brothers Brigham, Heber, or Daniel, or to any apostle or elder in Israel, but to the Father in the name of Jesus, and ask for the information they need” (Journal of Discourses, 12:96 emphasis added). 

Brigham Young “dreaded the time when the saints would become popular with the world; for he had seen in sorrow, in a dream, or in dreams, this people clothed in the fashions of Babylon and drinking in the spirit of Babylon until one could hardly tell a saint from a black-leg. And he felt like shouting, ‘To your tents, O Israel!’ because it was the only thing that could keep the people pure” (Mosiah Hancock Journal, 73). 

A revelation the prophet Joseph Smith received likens the church to a vineyard whose master commands his servants to plant twelve olive trees and build a hedge, set watchmen, and construct a tower to overlook the land. But even as they are laying the tower’s foundation, their desire to make money supersedes their obedience to their lord: “They began to say among themselves: And what need hath my lord of this tower? And consulted for a long time, saying among themselves: What need hath my lord of this tower, seeing this is a time of peace? Might not this money be given to the exchangers? For there is no need of these things. And while they were at variance one with another they became very slothful, and they hearkened not unto the commandments of their lord. And the enemy came by night, and broke down the hedge; and the servants of the nobleman arose and were affrighted, and fled; and the enemy destroyed their works, and broke down the olive-trees” (Doctrine & Covenants 101:47–51 emphasis added). 

At the ruin of his vineyard—upon his servants’ having fallen “asleep”—the master appoints one of his servants to “Go and gather together the residue of my servants, and take all the strength of mine house, which are my warriors, my young men, and they that are of middle age also among all my servants, who are the strength of mine house, save those only whom I have appointed to tarry; And go ye straightway unto the land of my vineyard, and redeem my vineyard; for it is mine; I have bought it with money. Therefore, get ye straightway unto my land; break down the walls of mine enemies; throw down their tower, and scatter their watchmen. And inasmuch as they gather together against you, avenge me of mine enemies, that by and by I may come with the residue of mine house and possess the land.” That endtime servant—who is “a faithful and wise steward in the midst of mine house”—God makes “a ruler in my kingdom” (Doctrine & Covenants 101:53–58, 61; cf. Matthew 24:45–47). 

A further revelation Joseph Smith received foresees the Mormon Gentiles’ apostasy that precipitates God’s Day of Judgment on a wicked world, the same as Israel’s apostasy did in the past: “Vengeance cometh speedily upon the inhabitants of the earth, a day of wrath, a day of burning, a day of desolation, of weeping, of mourning, and of lamentation; and as a whirlwind it shall come upon all the face of the earth, saith the Lord. And upon my house shall it begin, and from my house shall it go forth, saith the Lord; First among those among you, saith the Lord, who have professed to know my name and have not known me, and have blasphemed against me in the midst of my house, saith the Lord” (Doctrine & Covenants 112:24–26; cf. Ezekiel 9:1–11 emphasis added). 

While “blasphemy” applies to those who profess knowing God but who preach things not of God, its ultimate form is “blasphemy against the Holy Ghost,” for which there is no forgiveness in this world or the next (cf. Matthew 12:31–32; Doctrine & Covenants 132:27). The scriptures define both types of blasphemy: “The godless utter blasphemy; their heart ponders impiety: how to practice hypocrisy and preach perverse things concerning Jehovah, leaving the hungry soul empty, depriving the thirsty [soul] of drink” (Isaiah 32:6); 

“Thus saith the Lord concerning all those who know my power, and have been made partakers thereof, and suffered themselves through the power of the devil to be overcome, and to deny the truth and defy my power—They are they who are the sons of perdition, of whom I say that it had been better for them never to have been born; For they are vessels of wrath, doomed to suffer the wrath of God, with the devil and his angels in eternity; Concerning whom I have said there is no forgiveness in this world nor in the world to come—Having denied the Holy Spirit after having received it, and having denied the Only Begotten Son of the Father, having crucified him unto themselves and put him to an open shame” (Doctrine & Covenants 76:31–35). 

To John, Jesus declared, “To the angel of the church in Smyrna write, ‘These things says the First and the Last, he who was dead but is alive: “I know your works and tribulations and poverty, though you are rich, and the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews, and are not, but who are the synagogue of Satan. Fear none of the things you will suffer. See, the Devil will cast some of you into prison so that you may be tried, and you will have tribulation for ten days. But be faithful to death and I will give you a crown of life” (Revelation 2:8–10). 

Reading the term “Jews” in this endtime context as a codename for endtime believers, those of God’s people who metamorphose into a “synagogue of Satan” will in the end be made to “worship before your feet and know that I have loved you” (Revelation 3:9). Isaiah concurs: “They will bow down before you, their faces to the ground; they will lick the dust of your feet. Then shall you know that I am Jehovah, and that they who hope in me are not disappointed” (Isaiah 49:23). 

Warned Joseph Smith, “You will live to see men rise in power in the church who will seek to put down your friends and the friends of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Many will be hoisted because of their money and the worldly learning which they seem to be in possession of; and many who are the true followers of our Lord and Savior will be cast down because of their poverty” (MHJ, 19); “Those who cry transgression do it because they are the servants of sin, and are the children of disobedience themselves. And those who swear falsely against my servants, that they might bring them into bondage and death—Wo unto them; because they have offended my little ones they shall be severed from the ordinances of mine house. Their basket shall not be full, their houses and their barns shall perish, and they themselves shall be despised by those that flattered them. They shall not have right to the priesthood, nor their posterity after them from generation to generation” (Doctrine & Covenants 121:17–21). 

Other latter-day prophets have given similar such warnings to the Mormon Gentiles: “Six of the original Twelve Apostles selected by Joseph Smith were excommunicated. The Three Witnesses to the Book of Mormon left the Church. Three of Joseph Smith’s counselors fell. One even helped plot his death. A natural question that might arise would be that if the Lord knew in advance that these men would fall, as He undoubtedly did, why did He have His prophet call them to such high office? The answer is: to fill the Lord’s purposes. For even the Master followed the will of the Father by selecting Judas.

The apostasy of God’s covenant people is a major end-time event. 

In the last days, the falling away of those who claim to be the Lord’s covenant people sets the stage for the world’s final tumultuous events. Isaiah helps us understand that our materialism, apostasy, rebellion, not searching the words of God, ignorance of the purpose of the temple, its ordinances, and including failure to understand the blessing and protection associated with the putting on and wearing the temple garment, and failure to repent of these serve as a forewarning of the judgments that follow. 

When ancient Israel turned away from the Lord, destruction came upon the world. Unfortunately, many who profess to follow the Lord will grow comfortable, worldly, and careless. They will say in their hearts, “All is well in Zion; yea, Zion prospereth” (2 Nephi 28:21). They will trust in the arm of flesh, follow precepts of men, and reject the greater truth and light.

These are recognizable in our worship as indications of our apostasy: 

Among the Lord's people, the worship of the true God is rarely done away. Rather, we often worship the true God alongside the 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. It 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).

In fact in some instances the worship of the true God and false gods becomes fused. Then the concept of the true God gets distorted, while the false gods assume the authenticity and endorsement that belongs to the true God. It epitomizes the idea of "philosophies of men mingled with scripture." For the Lord's people this type of syncretism lies but one step away from severing spiritual roots. It forms the final stage of apostasy before the Lord brings on His judgment.

Yet, the Lord always provides, until it is too late, a way of escape and deliverance for the righteous. He pleads with us to repent, to seek His face and hearken to His voice while there is still time. 

God stands ready to bless and deliver every soul who truly turns to Him.

I add my own voice of warning: An Awful State of Blindness

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Credit Avraham Gileadi for the scriptural account of the Mormon Gentiles prophesied apostacy.