LDS Freedom Forum

How do we know what voices are really leading us towards truth?

This will become ever increasingly important especially as those leading us away from the truth start to perform what appear to be miracles or provide what many will buy into as evidence of their philosophies.

-- Do they create division or are the attempting to unite all good people to God and his his causes?

-- How do they respond to those who disagree with them? Is there love, charity, and a sense of kindness or is there bitterness, frustration, anger, and malice? (This becomes especially obvious by those who take issues with the church but a clear answer as to the fruits of there message and messengers)

-- Do they invite, entice, and encourage goodness by persuasion, long suffering, and gentleness? D&C 121 the true litmus test of those who have the spirit and powers of heaven.

Many claim to be true disciples, born again, or even having calling and election sure or have met the Lord but are missing these simple things.

To me this is also a great indicator that those who lead the church are still true servants and mouthpieces for Christ. I see no evidence of anything but the simple truths mentioned above in their teachings, in there voices, and in their actions. I also see others that go to great lengths to put words in their mouths or advertise their own false interpretations about decisions they have made of which they really have absolutely no idea the wisdom, motives, and discussions behind those decisions.

Look for the simple tests.

President Nelson in this last conference:

When we choose to repent, we choose to change! We allow the Savior to transform us into the best version of ourselves. We choose to grow spiritually and receive joy—the joy of redemption in Him.8 When we choose to repent, we choose to become more like Jesus Christ!9

Brethren, we need to do better and be better because we are in a battle. The battle with sin is real. The adversary is quadrupling his efforts to disrupt testimonies and impede the work of the Lord. He is arming his minions with potent weapons to keep us from partaking of the joy and love of the Lord.10

Repentance is the key to avoiding misery inflicted by traps of the adversary. The Lord does not expect perfection from us at this point in our eternal progression. But He does expect us to become increasingly pure. Daily repentance is the pathway to purity, and purity brings power. Personal purity can make us powerful tools in the hands of God. Our repentance—our purity—will empower us to help in the gathering of Israel.

The Lord taught the Prophet Joseph Smith “that the rights of the priesthood are inseparably connected with the powers of heaven, and that the powers of heaven cannot be controlled nor handled only upon the principles of righteousness.”

drtanner wrote: ↑April 15th, 2019, 8:41 am How do we know what voices are really leading us towards truth?

This will become ever increasingly important especially as those leading us away from the truth start to perform what appear to be miracles or provide what many will buy into as evidence of their philosophies.

-- Do they create division or are the attempting to unite all good people to God and his his causes?

-- How do they respond to those who disagree with them? Is there love, charity, and a sense of kindness or is there bitterness, frustration, anger, and malice? (This becomes especially obvious by those who take issues with the church but a clear answer as to the fruits of there message and messengers)

-- Do they invite, entice, and encourage goodness by persuasion, long suffering, and gentleness? D&C 121 the true litmus test of those who have the spirit and powers of heaven.

Many claim to be true disciples, born again, or even having calling and election sure or have met the Lord but are missing these simple things.

To me this is also a great indicator that those who lead the church are still true servants and mouthpieces for Christ. I see no evidence of anything but the simple truths mentioned above in their teachings, in there voices, and in their actions. I also see others that go to great lengths to put words in their mouths or advertise their own false interpretations about decisions they have made of which they really have absolutely no idea the wisdom, motives, and discussions behind those decisions.

Look for the simple tests.

President Nelson in this last conference:

When we choose to repent, we choose to change! We allow the Savior to transform us into the best version of ourselves. We choose to grow spiritually and receive joy—the joy of redemption in Him.8 When we choose to repent, we choose to become more like Jesus Christ!9

Brethren, we need to do better and be better because we are in a battle. The battle with sin is real. The adversary is quadrupling his efforts to disrupt testimonies and impede the work of the Lord. He is arming his minions with potent weapons to keep us from partaking of the joy and love of the Lord.10

Repentance is the key to avoiding misery inflicted by traps of the adversary. The Lord does not expect perfection from us at this point in our eternal progression. But He does expect us to become increasingly pure. Daily repentance is the pathway to purity, and purity brings power. Personal purity can make us powerful tools in the hands of God. Our repentance—our purity—will empower us to help in the gathering of Israel.

The Lord taught the Prophet Joseph Smith “that the rights of the priesthood are inseparably connected with the powers of heaven, and that the powers of heaven cannot be controlled nor handled only upon the principles of righteousness.”

You nailed it brother. Those who have spiritually been born again and have done as Alma suggested of having the Lords image engraved in their countenance and having experienced this mighty change of heart will do as King Benjamin taught in Mosiah 3 and yield themselves to the enticings of the Holy Sprit by putting off the natural man and becoming as a child: submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, and willing to submit to all things the Lord sees fit to Inflct upon him.

I was thinking about this yesterday in my Elders quorum discussion about taking upon oneself the name of Christ. We know that Satan is the great counterfeiter. He will counterfeit every good and righteous principle in order to deceive.

If I claim to be a disciple of Jesus Christ and claim all assortment of spiritual manifestations and spiritual status yet my thoughts and discussions and actions pull me toward those natural man tendencies King Benjamin warns against which you outline consisting of bitterness and anger and frustration and malice and disunity I really am just part of that counterfeit system and have rejected Christs invitation to come and follow Him. I am following a different master.

In all honesty I have a long way to go in my quest of becoming truly born again. I must follow and exhibit a daily pattern of consistency and change and it will manifest itself in my daily interactions with others and in how I live my life. Sometimes forums like this one can really test that resolve. That is why Pres. Nelsons call for repentance is so critically important. We are all in need of that message no matter where we find ourselves on the spiritual scale. I hope to do better.

Elder Christofferson (Sunday Morning Session April 2019)

...the Spirit made clear to me that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is uniquely empowered and commissioned to accomplish the necessary preparations for the Lord’s Second Coming; indeed, it was restored for that purpose. Can you find anywhere else a people who embrace the present era as the prophesied “dispensation of the fulness of times,” in which God has purposed to “gather together in one all things in Christ”? If you don’t find here a community intent on accomplishing what needs to be accomplished for both the living and the dead to prepare for that day, if you don’t find here an organization willing to commit vast amounts of time and funds to the gathering and preparation of a covenant people ready to receive the Lord, you won’t find it anywhere.

Easy answer...based on many of the posts on this site, the way to find voices leading to spiritual truth is to listen to anyone so long as they are outside the established LDS Church hierarchy. Don’t listen to the fifteen men the Lord has established as Prophets, Seers and Revelators. No...go chasing after an excommunicated member in Brazil who claims Moroni appeared to him...go listen to an energy healer who makes “prophesies” that continually are wrong. The list goes on and on. But certainly don’t listen to modern day Prophets.

Sorry...feeling a little sarcastic today!

jsk wrote: ↑April 16th, 2019, 4:08 am Easy answer...based on many of the posts on this site, the way to find voices leading to spiritual truth is to listen to anyone so long as they are outside the established LDS Church hierarchy. Don’t listen to the fifteen men the Lord has established as Prophets, Seers and Revelators. No...go chasing after an excommunicated member in Brazil who claims Moroni appeared to him...go listen to an energy healer who makes “prophesies” that continually are wrong. The list goes on and on. But certainly don’t listen to modern day Prophets.

Sorry...feeling a little sarcastic today!

Maybe chase after Jesus Christ even! Obviously, they should listen to one of the 15 chosen ones instead.

harakim wrote: ↑April 18th, 2019, 10:29 am

jsk wrote: ↑April 16th, 2019, 4:08 am Easy answer...based on many of the posts on this site, the way to find voices leading to spiritual truth is to listen to anyone so long as they are outside the established LDS Church hierarchy. Don’t listen to the fifteen men the Lord has established as Prophets, Seers and Revelators. No...go chasing after an excommunicated member in Brazil who claims Moroni appeared to him...go listen to an energy healer who makes “prophesies” that continually are wrong. The list goes on and on. But certainly don’t listen to modern day Prophets.

Sorry...feeling a little sarcastic today!

Maybe chase after Jesus Christ even! Obviously, they should listen to one of the 15 chosen ones instead.

I have never found anything inconsistent in “chasing” after the Savior as well as listening to the counsel of His Prophets. They are “Special Witnesses of Jesus Christ” after all.

jsk wrote: ↑April 18th, 2019, 1:06 pm

harakim wrote: ↑April 18th, 2019, 10:29 am

jsk wrote: ↑April 16th, 2019, 4:08 am Easy answer...based on many of the posts on this site, the way to find voices leading to spiritual truth is to listen to anyone so long as they are outside the established LDS Church hierarchy. Don’t listen to the fifteen men the Lord has established as Prophets, Seers and Revelators. No...go chasing after an excommunicated member in Brazil who claims Moroni appeared to him...go listen to an energy healer who makes “prophesies” that continually are wrong. The list goes on and on. But certainly don’t listen to modern day Prophets.

Sorry...feeling a little sarcastic today!

Maybe chase after Jesus Christ even! Obviously, they should listen to one of the 15 chosen ones instead.

Oh boy...another hater!

I have never found anything inconsistent in “chasing” after the Savior as well as listening to the counsel of His Prophets. They are “Special Witnesses of Jesus Christ” after all.

What if other people have?

Have what? Found the two inconsistent with one another? Then I truly feel sorry for them and respectfully suggest they need to examine their life and their choices.

drtanner wrote: ↑April 15th, 2019, 8:41 am How do we know what voices are really leading us towards truth?

-- Do they create division or are the attempting to unite all good people to God and his his causes?

Depends on your definition of "do they create divison". It seems you view something as creating division if someone says something you disagree with.

From Ezra Taft Benson - Stand Up For Freedom:

Another recent development has been the call for national unity. I believe there needs to be a unity in our land. But it must not be blind, senseless, irresponsible unity. It should not be a unity just for the sake of unity. It needs to be a unity built on sound principles.

Division is a common result of truth being spoken. The whole plan of salvation is about division between light and darkness.

B. wrote: ↑April 18th, 2019, 1:40 pm

drtanner wrote: ↑April 15th, 2019, 8:41 am How do we know what voices are really leading us towards truth?

-- Do they create division or are the attempting to unite all good people to God and his his causes?

Depends on your definition of "do they create divison". It seems you view something as creating division if someone says something you disagree with.

From Ezra Taft Benson - Stand Up For Freedom:

Another recent development has been the call for national unity. I believe there needs to be a unity in our land. But it must not be blind, senseless, irresponsible unity. It should not be a unity just for the sake of unity. It needs to be a unity built on sound principles.

Division is a common result of truth being spoken. The whole plan of salvation is about division between light and darkness.

Unity should be built on sound principles, which is why I never once said division is created by something I disagree with, rather by public enmity with those who speak for the Lord and are called to build unity culminating with zion.

one " voice of truth "
can cause more division than anything.
They crucified Christ for it.

34 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.

35 For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.

36 And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household.

37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.

38 And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.

39 He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.