The Holy Spirit in Mormonism
Live from the Mecca of Mormonism, SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH. This is Heart of the Matter, where we try and get all people to walk toward the love of Jesus Christ. And I am Shawn McCraney, your host.
Let’s have a prayer.
PRAYER
Exploring Mormonism
Show 15A – The Holy Spirit – Part I. To Air Monday, November 12th, 2019. So, before I got sidetracked we were building a case in our expose about Mormonism or the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
By going to our website at HOTM.faith you can access seven years of videos that dig deeply into the History, the Book of Mormon, and all the other historical facets of the faith that make it an institutional con. Here in Redux we are not going to repeat these insights already made but are simply talking about the present day (latter-day) Saint Church and WHY and HOW it ought to be abandoned by people seeking to be free in Christ.
I put it that way because not everyone wants to experience liberty in this life and appear to enjoy religious bondage. So, go as you are lead – you will be loved along the way. However, if you are one of the few who insists on “freedom in Christ,” a freedom void of the influences of Man and the claims they make in God’s name – listen now as we talk about . . . the Holy Spirit.
Understanding the Holy Spirit
WHY the Holy Spirit?
We recall that in our study of the LDS sacrament prayer the LDS say (in part) that they:
“And witness unto thee, O God the eternal Father (which is an interesting name for a God who was once a man – but anyway) that they do always remember Him, and Keep His commandments which He has given them . . . (ready)
“THAT THEY MIGHT ALWAYS HAVE HIS SPIRIT TO BE WITH THEM – Amen.
So, this is the weekly repeated hope of the LDS member – that they “may keep the Commandments which He has given them SO THAT THEY MIGHT ALWAYS HAVE HIS SPIRIT TO BE WITH THEM.” This is a very tenuous situation relative to the Holy Spirit.
First, there is “the hope” to always have the Holy Spirit to be with them, which is based on their obedience to all of His commandments AND then the hope is to have the HOLY Spirit WITH them – not in them – but with them.
Last week we talked about how the Bible clearly states that the Holy Spirit lives in people by faith in Christ Jesus – but this is altogether ignored in Mormonism.
The LDS Perspective on the Holy Spirit
I went to the LDS website and read under the term HOLY GHOST (the LDS typically use “Ghost” in conjunction with Holy instead of “Spirit” and I think this is a nod to the popular LDS ideas of Ghosts and Spirits of the departed and the spiritual nature of all beings in the Premortal existence – including Jesus).
Anyway, the LDS website says the following:
Overview
The Holy Ghost is the third member of the Godhead. He (notice the gender) is a “personage of spirit,” without a body of flesh and bones (meaning the Holy Ghost in Mormonism is a being – a Spirit being, like any ghost or spirit, looking like a man – but without a body flesh and bones). “He is often referred to as “the Spirit,” “the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God, the Spirit of the Lord, or the Comforter.”
The article continues and says under “Roles of the Holy Ghost”
“The Holy Ghost works in “perfect unity” with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, fulfilling several roles to help us live righteously and receive the blessings of the gospel.” At this point the article begins to cite scriptures. He “witnesses of the Father and the Son” (2 Nephi 31:18) and reveals and teaches “the truth of all things” (Moroni 10:5).
Interestingly, the Bible clearly teaches that the Holy Spirit is a witness and the Spirit of Truth but the citations are all LDS specific. The article further states:
“We can receive a sure testimony of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ only by the power of the Holy Ghost. His communication to our spirit carries far more certainty than any communication we can receive through our natural senses.
These last sentences open us up to all sorts of conversations – which we will have in the weeks to come.
“As we strive to stay on the path that leads to eternal life, the Holy Ghost can guide us in our decisions and protect us from physical and spiritual danger. Through Him, we can receive gifts."
Understanding the Holy Spirit in LDS Doctrine
The concept of the Holy Spirit in LDS doctrine emphasizes the Spirit's influence and gifts for personal growth and assistance. As outlined in Doctrine and Covenants 46:9-11, the Spirit provides benefits not only for individual edification but also for the support of loved ones. The Holy Ghost is described as the Comforter (John 14:26), imparting peace and consolation akin to a parent's soothing voice. By whispering to us, the Spirit alleviates fears, calms anxieties, and offers solace in times of grief. Furthermore, the Holy Ghost enriches us with hope and love and teaches us the peaceful principles of the kingdom (Moroni 8:26; Doctrine and Covenants 36:2).
The Role of the Holy Spirit in Sanctification
Through the Holy Spirit's power, we achieve sanctification by:
- Repenting
- Receiving ordinances of baptism and confirmation
- Remaining true to covenants (see Mosiah 5:1-6; 3 Nephi 27:20; Moses 6:64-68)
The Holy Spirit of Promise (Ephesians 1:13; Doctrine and Covenants 132:7, 18-19, 26) is crucial for confirming the acceptance of priesthood ordinances and covenants by God, contingent upon continued faithfulness.
The Gift of the Holy Ghost
All truth-seekers can feel the Holy Ghost's influence, guiding them toward Jesus Christ and His gospel. However, the full blessings of the Holy Ghost are reserved for those who receive its gift and stay worthy. Baptized members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are confirmed and receive the gift of the Holy Ghost through a sacred priesthood ordinance involving the laying on of hands by Melchizedek Priesthood holders. This gift differs from merely feeling the Holy Ghost's influence; it grants the recipient a right to its constant companionship, provided they obey the commandments.
Perspectives on the Holy Spirit
From the LDS perspective, the Holy Ghost is the third Godhead member, a spirit personage without a physical body. Contrarily, some views hold that the Holy Spirit is God's Spirit, not a distinct person, and attribute feminine qualities to it due to its comforting role. The LDS and Trinitarian portrayals of the Holy Spirit as a person are challenged, focusing instead on the Holy Spirit as God's Spirit. Further, communication from the Holy Ghost to individuals' spirits reportedly carries more certainty than natural sensory communication, prompting a discussion on discerning heavenly truths through the Spirit's interaction with our souls.
The Challenge of Discerning the Holy Spirit's Communication
Are we STILL left with the WAY an individual can TELL that the HOLY SPIRIT has communicated with them? How can we tell, what is the WAY? To make matters more complex, there are ten thousand religious truth-claims out in the world today and MANY of them suggest that the Holy Spirit has or will confirm their claim (to those who are sincerely seeking the truth- with a capital T). What are we to do? It seems to me that we need to first establish some ground rules for discerning heavenly truth. Some, like the Mormons, believe the Spirit will communicate to their spirit the Truth and they will “feel,” for instance, that God lives near a planet called, Kolob. Others believe that the Holy Spirit has communicated with them to say, kill their children – and they do it. Some maintain that the Holy Spirit confirms a correct interpretation of the Bible to them, and believe that Jesus is coming back and coming back soon! How to tell, and why has God himself left the world in such a mess of inspirations, ideas, and spirit-led views relative to almost every subject under the sun?
Religious Interpretations and Authority
Mormonism pleads to the authority of Men (via their priesthood) as having the correct and/or inspired interpretation of all things – beginning with their prophet Joseph Smith. Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy look to the scripture and their traditions as confirmed by their Popes and Patriarchs. Of course, Protestantism embraces scripture alone and suggests that it – along with the Spirit – confirms all heavenly truths – and that it confirms the end results for all (even though all disagree). So how to tell? What to do? Of all the questions I have been asked by people over the years, this one is in the top five. So, I will cite scripture to sustain my reply.
First of all, there is “a fruit of the Spirit” that Scripture talks about. When the Spirit is present and speaking to us, its fruit is manifest. What are its fruits?
22 But the fruit (singular) of the Spirit is love . . . joy . . . peace . . . longsuffering . . . gentleness . . . goodness . . . faith . . . meekness . . . self-control . . . against such there is no law. – Galatians 5:22
When Man says, “we need to have multiple wives,” the Fruit of the Spirit which is true agape love would automatically say, “in the face of real, sacrificial, holy selfless love, this cannot be true.” And so even though polygamy is mentioned in the Bible, it is in conflict with the biblical command for agape love. When Brigham Young talks about throwing Javelins in the hearts of people mixing blood, the fruit of the Spirit says “not so – not loving – not good.” And when Black people are excluded from religious rites and rituals the Spirit (of course) says not so. All those former things are therefore proven to be from the Spirit of Man because the Fruit of God’s spirit only endorses fruits of? That’s right – selfless agape love. So, there is one way to know if something is of Heavenly Origin or not – if it bears the Fruit of agape love. Why agape love? Because GOD IS AGAPE LOVE.
The Role of Love in Discernment
So, when we are presented with a teaching that says: “Gossip is necessary in the church.” OR “God sends people He created and chooses not to save to hell forever” OR “Unbaptized children are unsaved” all we have to do in the face of such man-made teachings is to ask, “Does such sound selfless and loving?” And we have our answer.
And this leads us to the second way to discover heavenly truth – which we will end here in part I tonight – “Is the thing presented or seconded in a reasonable, contextual, rightly exegeted interpretation of scripture.” Of course, this forces us to first ask: What is scripture?
If you’re looking for justification for taking on many wives and you consider the Doctrine and Covenants as viable scripture then you can use your scripture to support the practice. But if you take the first rule and ask: Is the practice for taking on wives “loving” (as scripture defines love as a fruit of the Spirit) then one of your witnesses fails to support the teaching presented. Get it?
But let’s say for arguments sake that the scripture is only the Bible. And we are asking about taking on other wives? The Fruit of the Spirit says no.
Examination of Scriptural Inspiration
So we look to the Bible reasonably and contextually, and with a sound exegesis, and discover what it actually has to say and present about taking on wives (biases removed) and most people – taking the two rules of thumb, would realize that Joseph Smith’s commandment in Doctrine and Covenants 132 is lacking.
So, first – does the teaching bear the Fruit of the Spirit and Second, can a teaching be supported by a reasonable, contextual exegetical analysis of scripture?
Understanding Scriptural Authenticity
One final point on scripture: Paul supplies us with the Protestant Sola Scriptura mantra found in 2nd Timothy 3:16 which says:
“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.”
This does NOT mean every word in the Bible is scripture despite what many people believe. First of all, there are some 177,000 plus Greek words that make up our New Testament. And there are some 800,000 plus English words that make up the same New Testament by translation from the Greek. Every word is NOT inspired folks.
Then, when Paul writes:
“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.”
He was talking about the contents of the Tanahk. The Old Testament. Also, when he writes, “All scripture is given by inspiritation of God it should be translated:
“Every scripture inspired of God is also profitable” AND/OR “Whatever scripture, inspired by God, is profitable . . .
This leaves the question open for all to ask themselves, “Is this set of writings that I am reading inspired by God?” The zealous answer is YES YES YES YES – EVERYWORD in the Bible that is inspired by God can be trusted, but even Paul rejects this fanatical notion when he admits that some things that he writes is of himself and NOT inspired.
Confusing? A bit. The Bible is inspired, and it is the living word. Read by the Spirit and in context it can supply the seeker with insights and information that reflect heavenly answers. But be ready to change your mind on things as God often leads us toward ultimate truth line upon line and precept upon precept.
The Role of the Holy Ghost
We’ll continue this discussion tomorrow night with your calls and comments AND then next Monday night with Part III – here on Heart of the Matter.
GRAPHICS
“The Holy Ghost is the third member of the Godhead. He (notice the gender) is a “personage of spirit,” without a body of flesh and bones.”
“We can receive a sure testimony of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ only by the power of the Holy Ghost. His communication to our spirit carries far more certainty than any communication we can receive through our natural senses.”
