Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.3 alpha 4/15/85; site sdcc6.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!unc!mcnc!decvax!ittvax!dcdwest!sdcsvax!sdcc3!sdcc6!ix415 From: ix415@sdcc6.UUCP (Rick Frey) Newsgroups: net.religion Subject: Re: Orphaned Response Message-ID: <2036@sdcc6.UUCP> Date: Sun, 28-Apr-85 04:56:34 EDT Article-I.D.: sdcc6.2036 Posted: Sun Apr 28 04:56:34 1985 Date-Received: Tue, 30-Apr-85 07:19:25 EDT References: <-442300@ucla-cs.UUCP> <7600009@hpfcly.UUCP> <1928@sdcrdcf.UUCP> Organization: U.C. San Diego, Academic Computer Center Lines: 71 Summary: The discernment of truth In article <1928@sdcrdcf.UUCP>, tonym@sdcrdcf.UUCP (Tony Martinez) writes: > > You seem to expect that I (as a latter-day-saint), or any other person > can recieve a witness of truth through thier study of books. (Bible, > Book of Mormon, Church History, Etc.) This is simply not the case. A > knowledge of the truth comes ONLY by revelation from God which comes > by the Holy Ghost. Prayer, Obedience, and Study are all essential. Study > by ITSELF can assure nobody of truth. My testimony of God has come through > prayer and personal revelation. Only after this can I now know that God > has restored his Kingdom on earth through the instrument of a modern > prophet. All of the scripture bashing in the world can never convince you > or I to change our convictions. Don't ask your books, ask your Father in > Heaven. This is one of the dangerous errors that the Bible warns of when it refers to false teachers. The Bible clearly commands believers to "test the spirits to see whether they are from God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world." You are right in saying that the Holy Spirit gives wisdom and guidance, but that is not man's only means to enlightnment. Throughout the Bible, there are examples and commands to seek God with ones mind and to discern for ourself truth. "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all unrighteousness in men who *supress* the truth in unrighteousness. For that which is known about God is evident within them for God made it evident to them." (Romans 1:18,19) Here the Bible clearly says that we are a source of knowledge of good and evil. In Acts 17, the writer commends the church at Thessalonica because "they received the word with great eagerness, examining the scriptures daily to see whether these things were so." Here believers are being commended for taking an active part in the procurement of truth. They don't just sit around, reading and waiting for the Holy Spirit to hit them on the head, they "examined" the scriptures for themselves. The Bible definitely talks about people being hard to God's word and the Spirit's ability to bring understanding, but these need to be taken in conjunction with the fact that God created us in His own or re, alinghe ability to tell right from wrong. If God's only method fro revealing devine truth were to be the Holy Spirit than why do we have the Bible? Is it just a history text? If we can make no good out of it ourselves then what purpose does it serve? One last point I want to hit on is the idea that no amount of scripture bashing can have any effect on a person's convictions. In Romans 1:14, Paul says, "For I am not ashamed of the Gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation." The Bible also says, "the Word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart." I'm not sure what you claim for the teachings of Joseph Smith, but the Bible claims to be a book that shows "the power of God for salvation." In your post you made the statement that truth comes only from a revalation from God and *not* from books. But how do you deal with a book that claims to be a revalation from God? "Sanctify them in truth Lord, thy word is truth." (John 17:17) "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God ... And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us." (John 1:1,12) "The grass withers and the flower fades but the word of our Lord shall stand forever." (Isaiah 40:8) > We must continue in faith, prayer, study of the revealed word, and > obedience to the commandments that are contained therein. "Study to show thyself approved to God, a workman that need not be ashamed, handling accurately the WORD OF TRUTH." (II Timothy 2:15) Rick Frey (ix415@sdcc6.UUCP)