Doctrinal Purity - How important is it?

[Gideon]

We live in the day of prophecy, in the day when even the elect will be deceived if possible. There are all kinds of voices vying for our attention, some of them are out to deliberately destroy us, while others may be well meaning but still lead us down paths that go away from the prize we all want.

How important is doctrinal purity to you? How do you go about obtaining it?

[Mark]

We live in the day of prophecy, in the day when even the elect will be deceived if possible. There are all kinds of voices vying for our attention, some of them are out to deliberately destroy us, while others may be well meaning but still lead us down paths that go away from the prize we all want.

How important is doctrinal purity to you? How do you go about obtaining it?

Thats an easy one Gideon. I just go to my favorites page and click on LDS Freedom Forum. About as close to canonized scripture as there is.

[Gideon]

)

[Original_Intent]

Doctrinal purity is critical. And the only way to get it is when "flesh and blood hath not revealed it, but Father in heaven..."

[Steve Clark]

I moved Mark's post on Charity to a new thread located HERE.

[Mark]

I moved Mark's post on Charity to a new thread located HERE.

That was very kind of you Bro. :ymhug:

[Rand]

Doctrinal purity is critical. And the only way to get it is when "flesh and blood hath not revealed it, but Father in heaven..."

OI, I agree, but isn't that how the apostasy manifested itself? What is the protection against every man proclaiming his own revealed doctrine?

[Original_Intent]

Doctrinal purity is critical. And the only way to get it is when "flesh and blood hath not revealed it, but Father in heaven..."

OI, I agree, but isn't that how the apostasy manifested itself? What is the protection against every man proclaiming his own revealed doctrine?

Only one man authorised to declare doctrine for the church. Stewardship still applies. But how many talks by general authorities have contained these or very similar words:

"If you only take notes and receive the words that I am speaking, you will have missed the message."

How much more blatant do they need to be? And yes, if you are unwise and allow yourself to be misled, that will lead to apostacy.

Aslan never claimed to be a tame lion.

Work out your salvation with fear and trembling. As a few people said in another thread and in another context "this isn't a game."

Your concern is valid. You have really only two choices: Listen only to the words and don't seek the "real message" for fear of being misled. When they themselves are openly stating "Don't do this!" I think that qualifies as an unwise and slothful servant. And the same holds true for those who wait to be told (commanded) in all things. They provide the steps, the "raw materials" we need to succeed. But they won't construct our ship, they may tell us how to fix our bow and arrow, but they are not going to put food on our table. The Lord may be willing to stretch forth his finger and touch stones that you may have light for your journey, but he is likely waiting for you to seek the inspiration to go melt the clear stones out of the mountain and then be further inspired to ask the Lord to provide the miracle.

And the other option, of course, is to take the Lord at His word and the prophets at their word. That's what active faith is. Not believing every nursery story you were told in Sunday School, it is being willing to take that step, knowing that your salvation is in the balance, and trusting that you will be guided. That's my opinion, FWIW. If you take those steps and you have serious sin in your life that has not been resolved - then indeed, I think falling into forbidden paths is a very real danger...if you are doing everything you can to be on the path and are constantly repenting "course corrections" I think you better take the Lord at His word.

I'm never going to be a follower of Denver, Pontius, "Amonhi", but as I see them pointing towards Him, I appreciate their guidance and their thoughts. Then there are those designated as special witnesses and one is the designated mouthpiece of God on earth to his church. In my personal opinion, we don;t follow them either, again just like the others it is moving in the direction that they POINT, not becoming their followers that is important. And of course, due to their calling their words have special weight and importance. But in ALL THINGS we need to seek the understanding that cannot come from flesh and blood, regardless of their calling. I am sure I am preaching to the choir, I think we all understand this.

[HeirofNumenor]

Aslan never claimed to be a tame lion.

This is GREAT!!! )

And the other option, of course, is to take the Lord at His word and the prophets at their word. That's what active faith is.

Then there are those designated as special witnesses and one is the designated mouthpiece of God on earth to his church.... And of course, due to their calling their words have special weight and importance. I think we all understand this.

And yet we see many people dismissing this fact due to something a prophet said about trust no man, in an attempt to justify their position, which on its face, is contrary to the position of the Lord's Church...

[Rand]

Aslan never claimed to be a tame lion.

This is GREAT!!! )

And the other option, of course, is to take the Lord at His word and the prophets at their word. That's what active faith is.

Then there are those designated as special witnesses and one is the designated mouthpiece of God on earth to his church.... And of course, due to their calling their words have special weight and importance. I think we all understand this.

And yet we see many people dismissing this fact due to something a prophet said about trust no man, in an attempt to justify their position, which on its face, is contrary to the position of the Lord's Church...

This has been my concern also. It seems that some can use the principle of following the spirit to free them from following the Prophets, Seers and Revelators God has chosen to lead and guide in our times. Yet, as OI mentioned, they ask you to write not what they say, but what the Spirit teaches about what they say. Good point OI.

[buffalo_girl]

I think your answer is in Mosiah 5.

King Benjamin called the people of Zarahemla together to hear the message he had personally received from an angel of the Lord, which message was expressly to be shared with them (see Mosiah 3).

3 And he (the angel to Benjamin) said unto me: Awake, and hear the words which I shall tell thee; for behold, I am come to declare unto you the glad tidings of great joy.

4 For the Lord hath heard thy prayers, and hath judged of thy righteousness, and hath sent me to declare unto thee that thou mayest rejoice; and that thou mayest declare unto thy people, that they may also be filled with joy.

After hearing king Benjamin's message the people KNEW the truthfulness of the word conveyed to them 'because of the Spirit of the Lord Omnipotent, which wrought a mighty change in [them]'.

(Please note, these people were ALL temple worthy and were gathered together 'up to the temple' as united families to hear their Prophet king's message from God.)

Mosiah 5

1 And now, it came to pass that when king Benjamin had thus spoken to his people, he sent among them, desiring to know of his people if they believed the words which he had spoken unto them.

2 And they all cried with one voice, saying: Yea, we believe all the words which thou hast spoken unto us; and also, we know of their surety and truth, because of the Spirit of the Lord Omnipotent, which has wrought a mighty change in us, or in our hearts, that we have no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually.

3 And we, ourselves, also, through the infinite goodness of God, and the manifestations of his Spirit, have great views of that which is to come; and were it expedient, we could prophesy of all things.

4 And it is the faith which we have had on the things which our king has spoken unto us that has brought us to this great knowledge, whereby we do rejoice with such exceedingly great joy.

5 And we are willing to enter into a covenant with our God to do his will, and to be obedient to his commandments in all things that he shall command us, all the remainder of our days...

It takes a people righteous enough to KNOW when the TRUTH is conveyed and are ready to have 'the Spirit of the Lord Omnipotent' bring about 'a mighty change in their hearts, that they have no more dispositon to do evil, but to do good continually'. They had also received the power and gift of prophecy.

Perhaps we need to believe that the Lord God is REAL and that He wants us to have JOY in the knowledge of our Redeemer and Savior.

"...look forward unto the Messiah, and believe in him to come as though he already was." Jarom

[Gideon]

Thanks buffalo_girl. (Is that Buffalo NY?).

In 1837 the Twelve sent an epistle to all the saints and the elders of the church. Here is an excerpt I try to apply to my teaching:

“Study the word of God, and preach it and not your opinions, for no man's opinion is worth a straw. Advance no principle but what you can prove, for one scriptural proof is worth ten thousand opinions.”

[buffalo_girl]

Thanks buffalo_girl. (Is that Buffalo NY?).

In 1837 the Twelve sent an epistle to all the saints and the elders of the church. Here is an excerpt I try to apply to my teaching:

“Study the word of God, and preach it and not your opinions, for no man's opinion is worth a straw. Advance no principle but what you can prove, for one scriptural proof is worth ten thousand opinions.”

That is a wonderful quote! It goes in my journal!! It is indeed a principle we should all "apply to our teaching".

Doctrinal 'opinions' have never served me well - either those of others or those I may have conjured up before I realized the Lord expects me to actually 'study' His word by asking questions and finding answers in the scriptures.

"buffalo_girl" is the name of one of my favorite 'bottle lambs'. She is a grown-up sheep now, but she has kept her scrapy personality and still has the shaggy wool and coloring of a real buffalo. We live in North Dakota, 60 miles south of Bismarck on the east side of the Missouri River. I suppose that forum name could be retired. I don't post all that much anymore so I've kept it going for those 'lurkers' who knew me from when I first registered.