Ask Wally

Wally,

I sat through a combined Priesthood / Relief Society class held on the 5th Sunday. It was taught by a member of the Bishopric. It was about all that we must do to obtain the highest degree in the Celestial Kingdom. Class members added what they thought, and when finished the instructor had created on the whiteboard a ramp of sorts with checkpoints marking the way to the Celestial Kingdom.

Why did I feel so put off by this lesson? 

Roger

Hi Roger,

What you witnessed was the fare of church instruction, which I sum up with Nephi's statement concerning us, "...they shall teach with their learning, and deny the Holy Ghost, which giveth utterance. And they deny the power of God" (2 Nephi 28:4-5). Nephi further says, "Yea, and there shall be many which shall teach after this manner, false and vain and foolish doctrines, and shall be puffed up in their hearts, and shall seek deep to hide their counsels from the Lord; and their works shall be in the dark. ...Because of pride, and because of false teachers, and false doctrine, their churches have become corrupted..." (2 Nephi 28:9-12).

It was good that you felt, as you say, put off, because you felt the truth being corrupted as Nephi said. If you thought this was a good lesson, then I would be worried for you. You are the one who must discern whether or not you are being taught the word of God, which puts the onus on you to know the word of God. So I ask you what has the Lord revealed to us concerning the way to the Celestial Kingdom?

Best to you, Wally

Wally

When Nephi says that "After ye have repented of your sins, and witnessed unto the Father that ye are willing to keep my commandments, by the baptism of water, and have received the baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost, and can speak with a new tongue, yea, even with the tongue of angels..." What does he mean when he says that we can speak with a new tongue even the tongue of angels?

Annette 

Hi Annette,

This is often overlooked, so I am glad that this reference has caught your attention. First consider why this new tongue is overlooked. Have you ever met anyone who claims to speak with the tongue of angels? Probably not.

Because we are to be able to speak, hear and write this new tongue, it is a language, understood only by those who speak and hear it. Now, Nephi tells us that this language is the language of angels who speak by the power of the Holy Ghost, wherefore they speak the words of Christ (2 Nephi 32:3). This means that this new language are the words of Christ or the words of God (because Christ only teaches His Father's words). 

Similar to any language, a person may know some words, but is not able to put together complete sentences, phrases or ideas. They hear but don’t hear because they don't understand. This is why Nephi mourns that we do not search His words, and therefore do not know His words. Only a few will learn to speak and hear the language of God spoken by those who speak with the tongue of angels. 

Best to you, Wally