Knowing By the Spirit

In today’s post, I would like to address a question asked by one of my anonymous readers:

Anonymous said...

I have heard many Mormons make the comment about the Book of Mormon: "I have read parts of this book and prayed to God if it was true and I received a warm feeling in my heart that it was. I now know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God." They sound so sure of themselves from the little that they have read.

So my question is. Can you or any other Mormon who may read this say with that same firmness and assurety "I know that I am going to be in Heaven with God for eternity without a shadow of a doubt I know I will be there with him."

I know alot of Mormons who say I hope so, or if I have lived a good enough life I will. I have yet to meet one who can answer with an assured "Yes I will go to Heaven to be with God forever."

Why is that?

Dear Anonymous-

I would like to respond to your comments/questions in sections, addressing first the comment you started out with and then the question you finished with. And, as I do so, please bear with me, as I will be discussing principles that you may not have directly addressed, but that I feel apply to the discussion. Please feel free to ask for clarification or to share any of your thoughts on any part of this discussion.

Acquiring a Knowledge of any Truth

I would first like to address your initial comment about those of our faith knowing the Book of Mormon to be the word of God. I too know many people who have acquired for themselves a knowledge of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon. Those who have read “parts of this book”, as you put it, can, indeed receive personal revelation as to the truthfulness of those parts of the Book of Mormon (see my post on personal revelation here). Through rules of deduction, one could then conclude that if “parts” of the Book of Mormon are true, then it would logically suffice to say that the entire book is true. However, I think it important to point out that we should be reading the entire book in order to assess if the entire book be true. In fact, as with any book, the more times you read it, the better you come to understand its principles.

In a similar vein, obtaining a personal witness of the truthfulness of a book can be applied to any book, not just to books of scripture. I personally want to always be seeking truth. In my mind, truth is truth. All knowledge, whether traditionally viewed as secular or spiritual is, in my mind, all spiritual. To me, there is no distinction. Either something is true or it is not. And, in my mind, all truth has depth to it. In other words, all truth can be studied and appreciated in deeper and deeper degrees of understanding as we seek more truth by applying that which we have already acquired. In other words, we build upon our working knowledge—this is what we call faith and it applies to principles traditionally seen as spiritual as well as those traditionally seen as secular (see my post on faith here).

So, as we study and search for truth, how do we filter through all the information out there to determine what is truth, what is partial truth, and what is falsehood? To me, one who thinks with an empirical mind, the scientific process is a great approach. We start with some truth we have already acquired, and use it to develop a hypothesis (an expected outcome). Then we apply the bit of information we are trying to understand to that hypothesis to see what happens. If our hypothesis is consistently confirmed, we assume that information to be truth. If our hypothesis is refuted, we accept that we have misunderstood the information and start the process over with a new hypothesis. This can be done with any principle, including those found in the Book of Mormon. We can apply them to our lives and see if they work. This is an organized way of approaching questions that appeals to my mind.

But, in the scientific community, it is said that a principle is never “proven”, only confirmed or disproven. So, in order to “prove” to myself if a principle is true, I like to combine this scientific approach with personal revelation (knowing by the Spirit)—this is the personal witness which you described as a “warm feeling”. It also has been described in many other ways including a “burning of the bosom”, a “quiet voice”, “a still small voice”, a “wave” over or through the body, as well as many other descriptions. In my mind, this kind of personal witness is additional empirical evidence to that discovered through the scientific process. It is a physical response—tactile evidence. I can use the knowledge I acquire through the scientific method to explain many things in logical language, but the spiritual witness I receive confirms those principles to me. Does that make sense?

It’s almost like when you are in school and your teacher gives you a problem to solve. You work through the problem and reason out the solution, then you ask your teacher for confirmation that your solution is correct. You teacher either confirms or refutes your answer. The “teacher” that provides us this “warm feeling” is what we call the “Holy Ghost”, also referred to as the “Holy Spirit”, “The Comforter”, as well as other names. He is quite literally a teacher to us. He confirms truth to us by giving us a personal witness through a physical response such as feeling a “warm feeling” or hearing a “still small voice”. (See *** at the end of this post for a side note on additional ways the Holy Ghost works in our lives.)

Can I Say That I “Know” I Will Live with my Father in Heaven for Eternity?

Now that we have addressed why people can say that they “know the Book of Mormon is the Word of God” and be so sure of that statement, let’s address the next part of your question: Can I “say with that same firmness and assurety ‘I know that I am going to be in Heaven with God for eternity without a shadow of a doubt I know I will be there with him.’" My initial reaction to this question was one of understanding for the responses you have received from other Mormon acquaintances. However, when I take a moment to really ponder and consider your question in my own life, and how I really feel about it, deep down inside myself, at this time I am assured that I WILL return and live with my Father in Heaven for eternity. In fact, I feel it so strongly, that it feels like a part of my core soul. I believe that part of my feeling this way is due to the fact that the Lord is already such a large part of my life. I converse with Him consistently throughout each day, as I face the difficulties and triumphs of life. I seek His guidance when I am unsteady, I seek His comfort when I am suffering, I seek His comfort for those suffering around me, and I express to Him my most sincere gratitude for the blessing He is always bestowing upon me and those with whom I am acquainted. I do not share these things to boast, for I commune with Him daily because I need His influence in my life. But rather, I simply share them to help reveal to you what my day-to-day life is like.

In addition to the role my Father in Heaven plays in my life, His Son, Jesus Christ also plays a huge part in my life. I consistently see the workings of Christ’s atonement in my life. I recognize my imperfections and diligently work to improve and allow the Savior’s atonement to take root in my life. And, finally, I strive always to keep the Holy Ghost as my constant companion. I feel the very raw sensation when His presence withdraws from me, when I am in circumstances that would drive Him away. With all three members of the Godhead being such a core part of my existence now, I cannot imagine being without my Father in Heaven in the eternities and, because I am always striving to live as He would have me live even though I am imperfect, at this point in time, I can say that I do know, without a shadow of a doubt, that I will return to live with Him in the eternities.

What do Mormons Mean when They Respond to your Question that They “Hope So”?

But, let me now return to my initial reaction to your comment, so that you might better understand the foundation of the responses you have received by the Mormons you have asked this question of in the past, such as “I hope so” or “if I have lived a good enough life I will”. Obviously, I don’t know these individuals personally, but their responses stem from the principles of agency, choice, and accountability as taught by passages from both the Bible and the Book of Mormon; and these principles directly relate to the interplay of grace, works, and mercy.

In the book of 2^nd Nephi, found in the Book of Mormon, chapter 31, versus 17-20, Nephi, an ancient prophet, is teaching his people:

“17 Wherefore, do the things which I have told you I have seen that your Lord and your Redeemer should do; for, for this cause have they been shown unto me, that ye might know the gate by which ye should enter. For the gate by which ye should enter is repentance and baptism by water; and then cometh a remission of your sins by fire and by the Holy Ghost.

18 And then are ye in this straight and narrow path which leads to eternal life; yea, ye have entered in by the gate; ye have done according to the commandments of the Father and the Son; and ye have received the Holy Ghost, which witnesses of the Father and of the Son, unto the fulfilling of the promise which he hath made, that if ye entered in by the way ye should receive.

19 And now my beloved brethren, after ye have gotten into this strait and narrow path, I would ask if all is done? Behold, I say unto you, Nay; for ye have not come thus far save it were by the word of Christ with unshaken faith in him, relying wholly upon the merits of him who is mighty to save.

20 Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the words of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father; Ye shall have eternal life.”

In the Bible, the books of Psalms and Proverbs teach us

Proverbs 31:30-31 . . . a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.

Proverbs 24:12 . . . and he that keepeth thy soul . . . shall not he render to every man according to his works?

Pslams 62:12 Also unto thee, O Lord, belongeth mercy: for thou renderest to every man according to his work.

These sacred scriptures teach us that it is not enough to repent and be baptized. We must continue to “press forward, feasting upon the words of Christ, and endure to the end” in order to obtain eternal life with our Father in Heaven. Our “works” in this life combined with the atonement of Christ and His mercy toward us as well as God’s grace, work together to satisfy the demands of justice that determine whether or not we qualify for eternal life with our Father in Heaven.

Our Father in Heaven sacrificed His first born Son, Jesus Christ, who has atoned for our sins, so that our agency and imperfections in this life would not prevent us the opportunity to return to Him in the eternities. Our agency, allows us to become more like God, as we learn to make correct choices based on true principles. Because we are quite literally “children” of our Heavenly Father, we are still learning and we make mistakes along the way. This is why an atonement was necessary. Without an atonement, there could be no mercy to satisfy justice, and we would need to pay for our own sins. But, without repentance, the atonement cannot take effect on our salvation. So, although Christ has suffered for our sins, we are still held accountable for our own actions—for our “works” in this life. Of course, the interaction of all these principles has so much depth that it really should be a post of its own.

So, when Mormons say they “hope” they will return to live with God for eternity or that they will “if they have lived a good enough life”, they are simply expressing their understanding that living with God for eternity is conditional upon their own choices and actions, not that they don’t actually “expect” to live with God for eternity. This, however, does not take away from the fact that the atonement, mercy, and grace all also play crucial parts in our salvation. They are all part of our Father’s Plan of Salvation for us that allows us the agency necessary for our growth and learning in this life. For, without growth, what would be the purpose of our life here on earth? So, we see that the above responses to your question are not a condition of despair, but one of hope. Those individuals know that they, themselves, have agency in the matter. Our loving Father in Heaven wants us to return to Him and has prepared a way for us to do so, but He will not force us to, if we choose not to.

I know that this information is rooted in many principles that should be discussed in further detail, but I didn’t want to overwhelm you with too much information. Please feel free to ask any questions about any topic I have addressed today (or in past posts). I hope that I have answered your questions completely. Please let me know if I have not. Thank you for initiating this discussion.

*** In addition to confirming truth, this kind of physical evidence can also guide and direct you to act when you otherwise would not have, due to your limited knowledge. For example, someone you may know may be in need of your service or assistance, but you may be completely unaware of that person’s need. The Spirit can put thoughts in your mind that you should help that person in some given way, just as your teacher may initially tell you how to solve a problem, before leaving you to solve more on your own. This personal witness may be the only evidence you have of that person’s need. This has happened to me many times throughout my life. The Spirit tells me I need to call a certain friend, or stop by someone’s house or drop off dinner, or offer to babysit, whatever. And, when I act on those feelings, that person tells me something to the effect of, “I was just praying for the Lord to help me figure out how to get dinner on the table today” or “I was so depressed and your call helped me realize someone loves me” or “I am so sick, the Lord must have sent you here to help.” As we receive and heed these promptings, we become better able to recognize them, more attune to them, just as a musician becomes more attune to his instrument the more he plays it.

The Love of God

In this post I wanted to share a talk given by Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf in our latest General Conference Address. I love Elder Uchtdorf for his ability to always focus on the "basics" of the gospel, which, in my mind are where the real meat is. I feel that the most basic, core principles of the gospel are also the depth of the gospel. They are the principles from which we gain greater and greater degrees of understanding as we seek knowledge. I love focusing on our core beliefs, and consequently so enjoy the talks given by Elder Uchtdorf. I love how his title for this talk, "The Love of God", is a play on words as it means not only the love of God for us (His love for us), but the love of God that we have (our love for Him). Really, what is the most fundamental principle of knowledge of any kind? Similarly, what is the most fundamental principle of happiness? Love. From love springs all knowledge and all happiness. The more I study, the more I understand this principle. Anyway, I wanted to share his talk with you. You can read it below, or go to the talk directly by clicking here. Enjoy!



The Love of God
President Dieter F. Uchtdorf Second Counselor in the First Presidency
Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “The Love of God,” Ensign, Nov 2009, 21–24

Love is the measure of our faith, the inspiration for our obedience, and the true altitude of our discipleship.



The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is continually growing and becoming better known throughout the world. Although there will always be those who stereotype the Church and its members in a negative way, most people think of us as honest, helpful, and hardworking. Some have images of clean-cut missionaries, loving families, and friendly neighbors who don’t smoke or drink. We might also be known as a people who attend church every Sunday for three hours, in a place where everyone is a brother or a sister, where the children sing songs about streams that talk, trees that produce popcorn, and children who want to become sunbeams.

Brothers and sisters, of all the things we want to be known for, are there attributes above all others that should define us as members of His Church, even as disciples of Jesus Christ? Since our last general conference six months ago, I have pondered this and similar questions. Today I would like to share with you some thoughts and impressions that have come as a result of that inquiry. The first question is:

How Do We Become True Disciples of Jesus Christ?
The Savior Himself provided the answer with this profound declaration: “If ye love me, keep my commandments.”1 This is the essence of what it means to be a true disciple: those who receive Christ Jesus walk with Him.2

But this may present a problem for some because there are so many “shoulds” and “should nots” that merely keeping track of them can be a challenge. Sometimes, well-meaning amplifications of divine principles—many coming from uninspired sources—complicate matters further, diluting the purity of divine truth with man-made addenda. One person’s good idea—something that may work for him or her—takes root and becomes an expectation. And gradually, eternal principles can get lost within the labyrinth of “good ideas.”

This was one of the Savior’s criticisms of the religious “experts” of His day, whom He chastised for attending to the hundreds of minor details of the law while neglecting the weightier matters.3

So how do we stay aligned with these weightier matters? Is there a constant compass that can help us prioritize our lives, thoughts, and actions?

Once again the Savior revealed the way. When asked to name the greatest commandment, He did not hesitate. “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind,” He said. “This is the first and great commandment.”4 Coupled with the second great commandment—to love our neighbor as ourselves5—we have a compass that provides direction not only for our lives but also for the Lord’s Church on both sides of the veil.

Because love is the great commandment, it ought to be at the center of all and everything we do in our own family, in our Church callings, and in our livelihood. Love is the healing balm that repairs rifts in personal and family relationships. It is the bond that unites families, communities, and nations. Love is the power that initiates friendship, tolerance, civility, and respect. It is the source that overcomes divisiveness and hate. Love is the fire that warms our lives with unparalleled joy and divine hope. Love should be our walk and our talk.

When we truly understand what it means to love as Jesus Christ loves us, the confusion clears and our priorities align. Our walk as disciples of Christ becomes more joyful. Our lives take on new meaning. Our relationship with our Heavenly Father becomes more profound. Obedience becomes a joy rather than a burden.

Why Should We Love God?
God the Eternal Father did not give that first great commandment because He needs us to love Him. His power and glory are not diminished should we disregard, deny, or even defile His name. His influence and dominion extend through time and space independent of our acceptance, approval, or admiration.

No, God does not need us to love Him. But oh, how we need to love God!
For what we love determines what we seek.
What we seek determines what we think and do.
What we think and do determines who we are—and who we will become.

We are created in the image of our heavenly parents; we are God’s spirit children. Therefore, we have a vast capacity for love—it is part of our spiritual heritage. What and how we love not only defines us as individuals; it also defines us as a church. Love is the defining characteristic of a disciple of Christ.

Since the beginning of time, love has been the source of both the highest bliss and the heaviest burdens. At the heart of misery from the days of Adam until today, you will find the love of wrong things. And at the heart of joy, you will find the love of good things.

And the greatest of all good things is God.

Our Father in Heaven has given us, His children, much more than any mortal mind can comprehend. Under His direction the Great Jehovah created this wondrous world we live in. God the Father watches over us, fills our hearts with breathtaking joy, brightens our darkest hours with blessed peace, distills upon our minds precious truths, shepherds us through times of distress, rejoices when we rejoice, and answers our righteous petitions.

He offers to His children the promise of a glorious and infinite existence and has provided a way for us to progress in knowledge and glory until we receive a fulness of joy. He has promised us all that He has.

If all that is not enough reason to love our Heavenly Father, perhaps we can learn from the words of the Apostle John, who said, “We love him, because he first loved us.”6

Why Does Heavenly Father Love Us?
Think of the purest, most all-consuming love you can imagine. Now multiply that love by an infinite amount—that is the measure of God’s love for you.7

God does not look on the outward appearance.8 I believe that He doesn’t care one bit if we live in a castle or a cottage, if we are handsome or homely, if we are famous or forgotten. Though we are incomplete, God loves us completely. Though we are imperfect, He loves us perfectly. Though we may feel lost and without compass, God’s love encompasses us completely.

He loves us because He is filled with an infinite measure of holy, pure, and indescribable love. We are important to God not because of our résumé but because we are His children. He loves every one of us, even those who are flawed, rejected, awkward, sorrowful, or broken. God’s love is so great that He loves even the proud, the selfish, the arrogant, and the wicked.

What this means is that, regardless of our current state, there is hope for us. No matter our distress, no matter our sorrow, no matter our mistakes, our infinitely compassionate Heavenly Father desires that we draw near to Him so that He can draw near to us.9

How Can We Increase Our Love of God?
Since “God is love,”10 the closer we approach Him, the more profoundly we experience love.11 But because a veil separates this mortality from our heavenly home, we must seek in the Spirit that which is imperceptible to mortal eyes.

Heaven may seem distant at times, but the scriptures offer hope: “Ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.”12

However, seeking God with all our hearts implies much more than simply offering a prayer or pronouncing a few words inviting God into our lives. “For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments.”13 We can make a great production of saying that we know God. We can proclaim publicly that we love Him. Nevertheless, if we don’t obey Him, all is in vain, for “he that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.”14

We increase our love for our Heavenly Father and demonstrate that love by aligning our thoughts and actions with God’s word. His pure love directs and encourages us to become more pure and holy. It inspires us to walk in righteousness—not out of fear or obligation but out of an earnest desire to become even more like Him because we love Him. By doing so, we can become “born again … [and] cleansed by blood, even the blood of [the] Only Begotten; that [we] might be sanctified from all sin, and enjoy the words of eternal life in this world, and eternal life in the world to come, even immortal glory.”15

My dear brothers and sisters, don’t get discouraged if you stumble at times. Don’t feel downcast or despair if you don’t feel worthy to be a disciple of Christ at all times. The first step to walking in righteousness is simply to try. We must try to believe. Try to learn of God: read the scriptures; study the words of His latter-day prophets; choose to listen to the Father, and do the things He asks of us. Try and keep on trying until that which seems difficult becomes possible—and that which seems only possible becomes habit and a real part of you.

How Can We Hear the Father’s Voice?
As you reach out to your Heavenly Father, as you pray to Him in the name of Christ, He will answer you. He speaks to us everywhere.
As you read God’s word recorded in the scriptures, listen for His voice.
During this general conference and later as you study the words spoken here, listen for His voice.
As you visit the temple and attend Church meetings, listen for His voice.
Listen for the voice of the Father in the bounties and beauties of nature, in the gentle whisperings of the Spirit.
In your daily interactions with others, in the words of a hymn, in the laughter of a child, listen for His voice.
If you listen for the voice of the Father, He will lead you on a course that will allow you to experience the pure love of Christ.

As we draw near to Heavenly Father, we become more holy. And as we become more holy, we will overcome disbelief and our souls will be filled with His blessed light. As we align our lives with this supernal light, it leads us out of darkness and toward greater light. This greater light leads to the unspeakable ministerings of the Holy Spirit, and the veil between heaven and earth can become thin.

Why Is Love the Great Commandment?
Heavenly Father’s love for His children is the core message of the plan of happiness, which plan is made active through the Atonement of Jesus Christ—the greatest expression of love the world has ever known.16

How clearly the Savior spoke when He said that every other commandment hangs upon the principle of love.17 If we do not neglect the great laws—if we truly learn to love our Heavenly Father and our fellowman with all our heart, soul, and mind—all else will fall into place.

The divine love of God turns ordinary acts into extraordinary service. Divine love is the motive that transports simple words into sacred scripture. Divine love is the factor that transforms reluctant compliance with God’s commandments into blessed dedication and consecration.

Love is the guiding light that illuminates the disciple’s path and fills our daily walk with life, meaning, and wonder.

Love is the measure of our faith, the inspiration for our obedience, and the true altitude of our discipleship.

Love is the way of the disciple.

I testify that God is in His heaven. He lives. He knows and loves you. He is mindful of you. He hears your prayers and knows the desires of your heart. He is filled with infinite love for you.

Let me conclude as I began, my dear brothers and sisters: what attribute should define us as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints?

Let us be known as a people who love God with all our heart, soul, and mind and who love our neighbor as ourselves. When we understand and practice these two great commandments in our families, in our wards and branches, in our nations, and in our daily lives, we will begin to understand what it means to be a true disciple of Jesus the Christ. Of this I testify in the sacred name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Notes
1. John 14:15.
2. See Colossians 2:6.
3. See Matthew 23:23.
4. Matthew 22:37, 38.
5. See Matthew 22:39.
6. 1 John 4:19.
7. See Isaiah 54:10; Jeremiah 31:3.
8. See 1 Samuel 16:7.
9. See D&C 88:63.
10. 1 John 4:8.
11. See Romans 5:5; 1 John 4:7, 16.
12. Jeremiah 29:13.
13. 1 John 5:3; see also 2 John 1:6.
14. 1 John 2:4; see also Isaiah 29:13.
15. Moses 6:59.
16. See John 15:13.
17. See Matthew 22:40.