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!

Say Nothing But Repentance

This is a talk to be given in a Sacrament meeting in our ward in Metz, France. My assigned topic was The Testimony of the Apostles. It is good that we know that they know, but much better that we know for ourselves. This personal experience is an example to just how close God is to us through His words. See French translation. 

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 ¹my word, ²my rock, ³my church, and ⁴my gospel, that you ⁵may 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.

I knew then that the same words that He had spoken to Hyrum, He was saying to me and... 

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 us, the Ephraimite Gentiles. Those who have feasted upon His words will gladly receive more, but those who have not, will not believe His additional 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). 

He is as close as His words, 'Hear ye Him!'

This is a condensed version of a previous post.

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 (Mosiah 4:29).

For our words will condemn us, yea, all our works will condemn us; we shall not be found spotless; and our thoughts will also condemn us; and in this awful state we shall not dare to look up to our God; and we would fain be glad if we could command the rocks and the mountains to fall upon us to hide us from his presence (Alma 12:14).

This is one of the many ways and means by which we sin, but maybe not one we 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