Trust ye not in a friend, put ye not
confidence in a guide... (Micah 7:5)
By now most of you have heard about the
talk given by Elder M. Russell Ballard about a month ago at a
conference of the 235 stakes in the Utah South Area. In that talk, he
compared himself to Paul issuing an epistle to those members. In his
own “epistle” Elder Ballard praised them for their intense
commitment to religion, and for their temporal successes. He then, as
Paul did generations before him, gave warning of evil forces in the
world:
“I raise my warning voice, as Paul did, that there are those “that trouble you”—people that “pervert the gospel of Christ.” I would be shirking my duty if I did not raise my voice to warn you of the challenges we face today.”
He then gave some advice on how to deal
with that situation. To his credit, he suggested prayer and fasting,
reading the scriptures, and providing service as ways to stay in tune
with the Gospel.
However, he then went on to say:
“When I have a question that I cannot answer, I turn to those who can help me. The Church is blessed with trained scholars and those who have devoted a lifetime of study, who have come to know our history and the scriptures. These thoughtful men and women provide context and background so we can better understand our sacred past and our current practices.”
Additionally:
“It is hard for me to understand why anyone turns to other voices on the Internet without first turning to voices of the scriptures or the voices of the living prophets and apostles.”
And finally, he counseled to spend time
together as families, stop texting so much, and love your neighbor.
This got me thinking... about what he
did NOT say. About who he did NOT tell the members to turn to. Did
you notice as well?
Cursed is he that putteth his trust in
man, or maketh flesh his arm, or shall hearken unto the precepts of
men, save their precepts shall be given by the power of the Holy
Ghost. (2 Ne. 28:31)
Then came General Conference. This
narrative started by Elder Ballard seemed to pick up some steam...
Elder Ballard himself rehashed his “Old Ship Zion” talk, in which
he advised trust in church leaders, and reminded all of us that they
are human, make mistakes, but trust in them anyway. Sister Neill
Marriott, Elders Robert D. Hales, Bradley D. Foster, Hugo Montoya,
Vern P. Stanfill, Ronald A. Rasband, D. Todd Christofferson, Sister
Carole M. Stephens, Elder Kim B. Clark, and, of course, Elder David
A. Bednar (who recently proclaimed “I am Scripture.”) all talked
on one fashion or another about members relying on friends, trusted
scholars, parents, and general authorities to develop their
testimonies and build their own spirituality.
I have been thinking a lot about this,
and a lesson I taught in Gospel Doctrine came to my mind. I would
like to discuss with you a parable taught by our Lord and Savior
Jesus Christ that is on point.
We have all read or been taught the
Parable of the Ten Virgins. In most cases, we've been taught that
this is a parable of preparation... I have heard it used to promote
everything from reading scriptures to gathering in food storage. All
of which, of course, are incorrect.
Let us look hard at this parable. In
Jesus' time, when folks got married, the bridegroom and his friends
would escort the bride from her home to the home of the bridegroom.
Along the way, the friends of the bride waited to join them. When
they arrived at the bridegroom’s home, they all went inside for the
wedding. These weddings usually took place in the evening, so those
waiting for the bride and bridegroom carried small lamps fueled by
oil.
In this parable, ten virgins are
waiting for the Bridegroom to come to the Wedding Feast. Five brought
oil with them, and five (being foolish) did not. When the Bridegroom
came, the foolish ones asked the others for some of their oil, and
they declined to give it. Then, the foolish ones sought to buy oil,
but it was too late, and they were not able to get oil, and be
admitted to the Feast.
This oil would have been olive oil.
There is a great deal of symbolism in the use of olive oil in this
parable, which would take a great deal of reading on your part to get
through, so I won't go into it in detail here. Suffice it to say,
that olive oil is universally accepted to symbolize the Holy Spirit.
Recall that in the Garden of Gethsemane, Christ suffered the weight
of the sins and agonies of the world to the point where he bled from
every pore. The crushing weight of all that is symbolized by the way
that olive oil is made- by crushing the olive in a stone press, and
gathering that oil which comes out. The use of the olive oil in this
parable is to represent to us the necessity of preparing ourselves to
enter into the Church of the Firstborn, or in other words, to accept
Christ as our Savior and become one with Him, which is represented by
the Wedding Feast. If we have not earnestly sought to fill our lamps
with oil, or, in other words, to build our testimonies and our faith
through communion with the Holy Spirit, we will not be invited into
that Feast.
Note that the foolish virgins first
asked the others for some of their oil, and were denied. Why were
they denied? It is not possible for one person to give the messages
they have received of the Holy Spirit to another. Can I give you my
testimony? Can I increase your faith? Am I able to give you
confirmation in your soul that Jesus is the Christ? The answer is,
simply, no. You have to obtain that for yourself.
Here is an analogy for you: What if
your car doesn't start in the morning and you are late to work?
Assume that you have never worked on a car before in your life. Is it
going to be possible at that late hour to learn enough about auto
mechanics to diagnose and repair the car in time to get you to work?
I think not. Can you call your brother or friend and ask them to give
you the comprehensive knowledge of cars that you need? Or to repair
your car for you from afar? These are impossibilities. No man can
give you a conviction in your soul any more than he can teach you
auto mechanics in one short telephone call.
I cannot save you. You cannot save me.
No man can save his wife, nor can she save him. No person can save
any person, no matter how close they are or how much they love each
other. We are all responsible to gain knowledge, light and truth, for
ourselves. We read in Ezekiel, chapter 14 verse 14:
Though these three men, Noah, Daniel,
and Job, were in it, they should deliver but their own souls by their
righteousness, saith the Lord God.
These are three of the greatest
prophets of the Old Testament. And yet, the Lord states, they cannot
deliver anyone but themselves. Think back to the scripture I gave you
earlier: cursed is he that trusts in the arm of flesh (other men) and
blessed is he that trusts in the arm of the Lord.
O then, my beloved brethren, come unto
the Lord, the Holy One. Remember that his paths are righteous.
Behold, the way for man is narrow, but it lieth in a straight course
before him, and the keeper of the gate is the Holy One of Israel; and
he employeth no servant there; and there is none other way save
it be by the gate; for he cannot be deceived, for the Lord God is his
name. (2 Ne. 9:41)
And so it is that I am troubled by the
counsel of the Brethren (and Sister-ren?) to place your trust in the
arm of flesh. I think it's not correct doctrine. No learned scholar,
no YW/YM leader, no friend, parent or teacher, can save you. If Noah,
Daniel and Job cannot save you, then neither can any modern day
prophet. No, it is your own responsibility to develop your knowledge
of, your testimony of, and your relationship with Jesus Christ. Only
then can you enter His presence.
And moreover, I say unto you, that
there shall be no other name given nor any other way nor means
whereby salvation can come unto the children of men, only in and
through the name of Christ, the Lord Omnipotent. (Mosiah 3:17)
Anyone that will tell you to look in
any other place for your portion of olive oil, as it were, is not
giving you sound advice. I admonish you to carefully consider the
parable Jesus taught, and be very discerning in where you turn for
your spiritual replenishment. Turn unto Christ for your edification.
Know HIM. He can save you. You must seek after Him.
I love you all. Peace be unto you.
Until next time...
