Recently my brother-in-law posted a picture on Facebook of a sign at a church that read "don't pray about the Book of Mormon that's how they get you!" Though I have seen and laughed at this sign many times before, this time I felt a need to address this topic. Even if the sign had been photo-shopped, the sentiment has been expressed in my conversations with critics and pastors of other churches in the past.
The reason this topic even comes up, is because the Book of Mormon gives this promise in it, "I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things,...and ponder it in your hearts...I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost"(Moroni 10:3-4). What problem could the critic possibly have with this statement? If something claims to come from God and you don't know if it does or not, praying to God would be the right choice to find your answer.
The problem for the critics of the LDS church, is that this promise has been fulfilled so many times by the Lord. These critics try to discourage people from joining the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by teaching them not to pray to know the truth!
Should we Read, Study, and Pray to know Gods truth?
James 1:5-6 states "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering." That seems very straight forward, if you are seeking to know what God’s word is, then ask him! Paul also taught "Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. Quench not the Spirit. Prove all things; hold fast that which is good"(1 Thes 5:17-19, 21). Prove all things? Like the Book of Mormon? How would one quench the spirit? If you didn't pray and seek God for an answer then the spirit would surely be quenched.
Why do we need to Pray to know God’s truths?
Paul informs us why it would be important to pray to God to know his truth, "but we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the world unto our glory. But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: For the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God"(1 Cor 2:7, 9-10). According to Paul, God’s wisdom is hidden in mystery and since they are given by the Spirit, the Spirit is needed to search out these truths. Paul continued to teach in this chapter, "We speak, not in words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned"(1 Cor 2:13-14). The critics seems to be fulfilling Paul's warning by convincing others that it is foolishness to pray for the Spirit to reveal Gods truth.
In 2 Chr 15:3-4 the Prophet Azariah warns the house of Israel. "The Lord is with you, while ye be with him; and if ye seek him, he will be found of you; but if ye forsake him, he will forsake you. Now for a long season Israel hath been without the true God, and without a teaching priest, and without law. But when they in their trouble did turn unto the Lord God of Israel, and sought him, he was found of them." Here we can see how important seeking the Lord was in Israel search for the truth. When they were without the true God, without a teaching priest, and even without the law, how could they seek the Lord??? They would find him in prayer! In Jeremiah the Lord explains the important role prayer would play in their search for truth, "Then shall ye call upon me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart"(Jer 29:12-13).
If Christ promises to answer our prayers, would that include knowing if the Book of Mormon is truth?
During Christ’s ministry, he repeatedly told his disciples he would answer all their prayer requests! A few examples are listed below:
"And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive"(Matt 22:21).
"And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it"(John 14:13-14).
"If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you"(John 15:7).
"Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them"(Mark 11:24).
“And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight” (1 Jn 3:22).
"And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily,verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full"(John 16:23-24).
“And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him”(1 John 5: 14-15)
For what kinds of things could we ask? The Lord informs us,” Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? (or if you pray to know the Book of Mormon is true, will God say that is a dumb question ask me something else?) If ye then, being evil know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?"(Matt 7:7-11)
Paul teaches the Philippians "Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus"(Phil 4:6-7).
From where does the idea that we should not pray come?
Truly the critics of the LDS church believe it is foolishness for the Spirit of God to answer our prayers to know if the Book of Mormon is true. They would rather have you believe that you could just know for yourself that the Book of Mormon is false without ever having read it for yourself or praying! Really!!!
The Book of Mormon prophets foresaw the hearts of the critics and wrote to them, "feast upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do. Wherefore, now after I have spoken these words, if ye cannot understand them it will be because ye ask not, neither do ye knock"(2 Ne 32:3-4). Then Nephi informs the critic which spirit leads men not to pray to the Lord, "it grieveth me that I must speak concerning this thing. For if ye would hearken unto the Spirit which teacheth a man to pray ye would know that ye must pray; for the evil spirit teacheth not a man to pray, but teacheth him that he must not pray"(2 Ne 32:8).
Despite the Scriptures given above, what scriptural argument does the critic have for not praying to know the truth? None!
The choice seems very clear: We could listen to the Lord and pray to know his truth and hearken to the Spirit of the Lord….or we could trust the critic and refuse to pray and be led by that spirit which teacheth a man not to pray! The choice is yours!
Could not have said it better myself. Satan teaches people not to pray!
ReplyDeleteHere's an interesting update. The Church just published some new Institute manuals. In the lesson on polygamy, teachers are given this instruction:
ReplyDeleteBefore concluding the lesson, it may be wise to tell students that some people who have apostatized from the Church are practicing plural marriage today. They urge people to pray and ponder about whether it is right to practice plural marriage today. We should not seek to receive revelation that is contrary to what the Lord has revealed through His prophets. The Lord has revealed through His prophet that the practice of plural marriage has ceased in the Church. Anyone who advocates the practice of plural marriage today is not a servant of the Lord.
https://www.lds.org/manual/foundations-of-the-restoration-teacher-manual?lang=eng
So it looks like even we Mormons now have things we're not supposed to pray about. Weird how that worked out.
@Jonathan That is a good question you ask, I have not read that part of the manual and I wouldn't be surprise to find it the way you quote it.
DeleteI remember somewhere in the D&C says not to pray for things we already know are contrary to the will of God, it is impossible for somebody to know if the book of Mormon is false without prayer, but once we know the Book of Mormon is true many aspects fall into place, including the revelations given to Prophets, quoting from the same source you used.
"We should not seek to receive revelation that is contrary to what the Lord has revealed through His prophets. The Lord has revealed through His prophet that the practice of plural marriage has ceased in the Church."
We can (and should) pray to receive a personal testimony of our current Prophet being guided by God, once we receive that testimony we can know that everything said by them in their Prophetic calling comes from God, including Poligamy. In short, it is a waste of time praying for something we know the answer to, and our time here on Earth is so precious that we should pray for that which we know not of and will enable us to come closer to Christ :)
Hope that answers your question.
Great post from Sword of the Spirit; excellent comment from Kevin. Remember, even Joseph Smith occasionally found himself praying about things on which the Lord had already given instruction. For example, when Martin Harris kept requesting permission to take Book of Mormon manuscript pages to show his wife, Joseph went back to the Lord to ask again after Joseph had already received a "no." from Him. (D&C 10).
ReplyDeleteAlso, when Joseph asked the Lord if he (Joseph) would live to see the Second Coming of the Savior in mortality - a question the Lord had already answered ("But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no , not the angels of heaven, but my Father only" Matthew 24:36), the Lord responded with an indecipherable riddle (D&C 130).