Know the Gospel

The scriptures and Church handbooks contain well-kept secrets -- not because the Lord intends that these treasures be reserved for just a privileged few, but because so few make the effort to discover what’s actually in them. Many Latter-day Saints proudly declare, “I know the gospel is true.” Far fewer can say, “I know the gospel.”

President Harold B. Lee described the situation this way: “I say that we need to teach our people to find their answers in the scriptures. If only each of us would be wise enough to say that we aren’t able to answer any question unless we can find a doctrinal answer in the scriptures! And if we hear someone teaching something that is contrary to what is in the scriptures each of us may know whether the things spoken of are false – it is as simple as that. But the unfortunate thing is that so many of us are not reading the scriptures. We do not know what is in them, and therefore we speculate about the things we ought to have found in the scriptures themselves. I think that therein is one of our biggest dangers today.” (“Finding the Answers in the Scriptures,” Ensign, December 1972, 2.)

As a gospel doctrine instructor I must deal with two related issues every week. First, it is my duty to take seriously the counsel that President Ezra Taft Benson gave to teachers: “Always remember, there is no satisfactory substitute for the scriptures and the words of the living prophets. These should be your original sources. Read and ponder more what the Lord has said, and less about what others have written concerning what the Lord has said.”

President Gordon B. Hinckley taught: “I have spoken before about the importance of keeping our doctrine pure, and seeing that it is taught in all of our meetings. I worry about this. Small aberrations in gospel teaching can lead to large and evil falsehoods.”

Faithfully following this counsel as I teach means I am to avoid speculation, quoting from commentaries, using entertaining or sensational stories, and inserting personal interpretation into my teaching.

While those things are within my control, there is a second issue with which I have greater difficulty: How to deal with Brother X, a very vocal fellow whose comments are often without any doctrinal foundation. Not only are some of his views untrue, but what amazes me even more is that when he makes these false statements, the members of the class sit there either in silent agreement or too afraid to counter what’s been said.

This past Sunday, while discussing the restoration of the priesthood, I stated that although the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve hold all priesthood keys, only one person, the President of the Church – senior Apostle -- is authorized to use them in their fulness (see D&C 132:7). This elicited the following comment from Brother X: “I’ve always been told that the Presidents of the Seventy also have all priesthood keys. This is a way of ensuring that the leadership of the Church will continue should something happen to the First Presidency and the Twelve.”

Nobody in the room said a word – not even two former bishops. [This reminded me of the time when a class member said that when a new Apostle is being selected, all it takes is the approval of the majority of the Twelve, not a unanimous vote. Nobody said a word then either, and the instructor just went right on. I wasn’t there, but a friend told me about this.]

Well, this time the instructor didn’t “go right on.” If I had, everyone would have assumed that what Brother X had said was true, and I could not allow that to happen. Taking care to not embarrass or offend, I said that his view was incorrect – that the information in the lesson manual and other sources I’d studied in my preparation indicated that only the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve possess all priesthood keys.

Fast-forward thirty minutes to priesthood meeting. The high priests were discussing what God is like. Predictably, Brother X, after stating that “God is omnipotent and omniscient [all-knowing]” said, twice, “God is continually learning.” I waited for the instructor to correct this false statement. He did not. I waited to see if one of the three ex-bishops in the room would do it. They did not. Along with everyone else in the room, they were silent.

I was torn. I knew that what Brother X had said was not true. I was even holding in my hand (on my iPad) the following statement by Elder Bruce R. McConkie:

“There are those who say that God is progressing in knowledge and is learning new truths. This is false--utterly, totally, and completely. There is not one sliver of truth in it. It grows out of a wholly twisted and incorrect view of the King Follett Sermon and of what is meant by eternal progression. God progresses in the sense that his kingdoms increase and his dominions multiply--not in the sense that he learns new truths and discovers new laws. God is not a student. He is not a laboratory technician. He is not postulating new theories on the basis of past experiences. He has indeed graduated to that state of exaltation that consists of knowing all things and having all power” (“The Seven Deadly Heresies,” BYU fireside, 1 June 1980).

Even though I was armed with a correct response, I did not speak. Why? Well, there I was, having just corrected Brother X’s incorrect view in front of everybody in the Gospel Doctrine class, and I was very concerned about how he would feel if I did it again. So I kept silent, for now. But somehow, in some way, I will explain the situation to our group leader or instructor and suggest that they clarify this matter in a future meeting. Brother X’s comment cannot stand.

I conclude where I began. Too many members are declaring that they know the gospel is true but, sadly, they don’t know the gospel. They state things that are simply not true – not because of any evil intent to lead others astray but because they don’t know any better. Instructors may provide occasional remedies, but the real solution will not be found in the classroom. It is found in serious, personal gospel study.

To paraphrase the prophet, Moses, “Would God that all God’s people knew the gospel” (see Numbers 11:25-29).