And of Tenets Thou Shalt Not Talk #2

Tenet is defined as any opinion, principle, belief, creed, precept or dogma, especially one held in common by members of an organization. If this is true why then did the Lord say "of tenets that shalt not talk" (D&C 19:31)? Looking at the definition of dogma may give us some hint as to why we are not to talk of tenets. Dogma is often applied to statements put forward by someone who has 'not searched knowledge" (2 Nephi 32:7), (meaning, in this case, the knowledge revealed by God through His word), and believes that the statements should be accepted without proof just because they are spoken and repeated by others especially by those in authority.

This is one reason why I have a problem with talks in church that are made up of lists of things we are supposed to do or to be doing. Lists are tenets. And the problem is that everyone has their own list, and each list is usually preceded by the statement that if you do these four (or five, or six or seven) things you will be in the right path. Also associated with lists is that the speaker generally tells you that this list works for him or her (translation: I am on the right path because I do these things).

Another problem I have with these lists is that they are associated with a slogan such as 'follow the living prophet,' or 'read the Book of Mormon,' and (according to the person who made the list) why it is best for us to do each item on the list. There is seldom any explanation of the slogan which is repeated mantra style as if it is the gospel. Mantra is any repeated word of phrase, and is often without definition. These catch phrases are almost always on everyone's list, as if just the repeating of them makes them true.

But the biggest problem I have with lists is that they lead others astray by making the gospel of Jesus Christ into a 'to do' list, and cause people to seek after righteousness by their performance of the items on the list, rather than by faith in Jesus Christ. (Romans 9:30-32), and most importantly they ignore the Lord's way: "And of tenets thou shalt not talk, but thou shalt declare repentance and faith on the Savior, and remission of sins by baptism, and by fire, yea, even the Holy Ghost" (D&C 19:31 emphasis added). There is a reason why He has commanded us to "say nothing but repentance unto this generation" (D&C 11:9; 14:8; 19:21).

Repentance is the main message of the Book of Mormon, and the first commandment He has given the human race. "But God hath made known unto our fathers that all men must repent" (Moses 6:50). The very purpose of our being here is to repent.  It is number one on our Saviors list where "God did call on men, in the name of his Son, (this being the plan of redemption which was laid) saying: If ye will repent and harden not your hearts, then will I have mercy upon you, through mine Only Begotten Son" (Alma 12:33-34 emphasis added).

Lists of things to do are almost always the product of the person making the list, and I ask why do we need someone's list when we have the Lord telling us what He does for us when we repent and come unto him?  And He makes it clear that repentance is a life long process. Hugh Nibley has said:

The fatal symptom of our day is not that men do wrong--they always have--and commit crimes, and even recognize their wrongdoing as foolish and unfortunate, but that they have no intention of repenting, while God has told us that the first rule that he has given the human race is that all men everywhere must repent. (Of All Things! Classic Quotations from Hugh Nibley, p. 189)

And every list I have ever heard spoken ignores this first rule.

The Lord has told us that strongly riveted creeds, which have been inherited upon the heads of the children, fill the world with confusion and are the "very mainspring of all corruption" (D&C 123:7-14). He describes these as lies and as "an iron yoke, ...a strong band...the very handcuffs, and chains and shackles, and fetters of hell" (Vs. 8).

Important in the records of the dispensations is that when men depart from God's way and substitute their own ways (lists) in its place, they usually do not admit that that is what they are doing. Often they do not deliberately or even consciously substitute their ways for God's ways. On the contrary, they easily and largely convince themselves that their way is God's way.

No list can come close to what the Lord has said and what our prophets (both dead and living) have always reminded us: that it is through our faith in Christ that we tap into His power. The Lord's Prophets have always reminded us that He is the vine and we are the branches and as branches we cannot bring forth the fruit--the fruit being becoming celestial persons--which all begins and ends with Him, and it is through planting His word (the seed) that we will, with continual nourishment from Him and His word, grow into celestial persons. That fruit will not be the result of our works, but because we are repenting and putting our faith in Him, and through Him, that is through His grace, we will be made perfect in Him. We are His fruit.

And that is another reason why I don't like lists, even if they are mingled with scripture.