Why Personal Scripture Study is Important

Section 1 of the Doctrine and Covenants is the preface for that book of revelation. In this section the Lord declares His mission statement for the restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Included in His mission statement is the following objective:

"The weak things of the world shall come forth and break down the mighty and strong ones, that man should not counsel his fellow man, neither trust in the arm of flesh-
But that every man might speak in the name of God the Lord, even the Savior of the world;That faith might also increase in the earth; That mine everlasting covenant might be established." (D&C 1:19-21)

The Lord will do His latter-day work using the efforts of weak men. They are humble men (and women)who have faith and rely on God. Paul said to the Corinthians: "For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:
But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the mighty;" (1 Corinthians 1:26-27)

The Lord's reason for choosing the weak extends beyond the need to call people who are humble and pliable to God's will. Why would God want to confound the "wise?" Why does God want us to stop trusting in the arm of flesh? Do we seek to align our lives with God's stated objective? Is it the Lord's will that we "follow the Prophet" or is it the Lord's will that we become "Prophets?"

The Lord is not directing us to abandon the Prophet. He invites us to be like the Prophet. What does a Prophet do? The Prophet approaches the Lord, receives revelation and direction and then obeys the Lord's revelation.

What does the Lord's promise tell us this course does for the world? Faith will increase because all men and women will know and trust in the Lord. There will be harmony and unity because everyone knows the Lord's will and aligns themselves with it. No debate, no contention, no chance for deception. Zion will be established and the Lord will dwell among His people because one day those who survive the judgments of God turn to this course with more solemn resolve witnessed in modern times.

The second outcome for those who align their will with the Lord's is the establishment of the covenant. The oath and covenant of the Priesthood is what opens the door for all men and women to become Prophets and Prophetesses. This is explained in section 84 of the Doctrine & Covenants:

"And this greater priesthood administereth the gospel and holdeth the key of the mysteries of the kingdom, even the key of the knowledge of God. Therefore, in the ordinances thereof, the power of godliness is manifest.
And without the ordinances thereof, and the authority of the priesthood, the power of godliness is not manifest unto men in the flesh;
For without this no man can see the face of God, even the Father, and live." (D&C 84:19-22)

I believe the best kept secret in the Church is the purpose for the gospel. The gospel's purpose is to redeem mankind from the fall and restore him to God's presence. Man cannot return to God's presence without Priesthood keys and ordinances. Mankind is barred from accessing the knowledge of God without said keys and ordinances.

So why do we habitually turn to other people for guidance when those endowed are granted access to the knowledge of God and the mysteries of His kingdom when they make covenants and receive divine authorization when they enter the Temple? Until we understand these principles we are not living up to our privileges. We mirror the same course that led the Lord to reject His covenant with ancient Israel. That didn't end well.

So why does the Lord want us to avoid trusting in the arm of flesh? Because turning to men means we are not turning to God. When we counsel with our fellow men we turn away from the relationship building process of prayer and scripture study. The iron rod is the word God because the words of the Lord's servants are His words (D&C 1:38)and we acquaint ourselves with His voice when we study and become familiar with them, both written and spoken. (D&C 84:60) Counseling with our fellow man allows Satan time and opportunity to open his tool box of deceptive strategies of lies, half truth's, misdirection and misguided priorities, often with unaware allies.
Direct revelation closes the gap between God and man leaving Satan no avenue for deception. To ignore or minimize the importance of the covenant and the opportunity it provides to converse with God is to willingly engage in a dance with the devil.

Another reason for guiding us away from trusting in the arm of flesh is the way western society anoints its "seers." Education has become the alter and credentials the anointing for secular priests granted credibility because of credentials and tenure. Conventional wisdom assumes those who study the longest and assimilate the most information are best suited to guide the uneducated and uninitiated. How's that working? Look at Washington, the seat of our government and possibly the location of the highest collective IQ's in the country. Pick an agency or program. How easy is it to function in our society with accountants and attorney's? Layers of legislation and regulation have piled up so the Lilliputians of Washington have thrown so many ropes over the Gulliver like economy it can not get off the ground. The greatest handicap in modern society is arrogance that often accompanies academia.

The argument for not seeking counsel from our fellow man is understanding the foundation upon which that counsel is built. When one counsels with another it is presumably an effort to search for truth. Scattering amongst the bookshelves of academia are shards of truth surrounded by packs of lies and misdirection. In the 12th chapter of Revelation John sees the "dragon" (Satan)open his mouth to spew forth a flood that follows the woman (Church of Christ)to sweep her away.(Revelation 12:13-17) I have come to believe the flood that pours out of Satan's mouth is a flood of lies. The Church is not swept away in John's vision but the earth helps the woman/Church by swallowing the flood of lies. I have come to believe this is John's way of describing the "mists of darkness" that hedge the way to the tree of life. False conclusions, manufactured history and misguided research and untamed ego too often cloud the vision of scholar's in their search for truth.

The scholar performs research and then engages in various forms of peer review. The process essentially anoints certain conclusions to be "true" through social negotiation and reconciliation of personal bias. The veracity of conclusions are limited to the collective body of knowledge in the peer group. There is no way of policing subjective bias nor accounting for errors in judging prior research.

We are all aware of academic bias, particular at the collegiate level. The question is, "How does the academic approach influence scholarship in the Church? Can a person spend a lifetime in academia trying to balance the scholarly approach with divine instruction? Intellectually an argument can be made in favor of the Church scholar but my experience suggests balancing the two disciplines is extremely difficult to do and often blinds the scholar from seeing the weakness of their conclusions and bias. In some ways they become blind guides because they close their minds to when "What they know, just ain't so." (Will Rogers)

Case in point: My son has a mission companion to whom he recommended the book, "Second Comforter, Conversing with the Lord through the Veil" by Denver Snuffer. I am currently reading the book for the fourth time. In my opinion it may be the best practical explanation of basic doctrine ever written. My son's companion attends Brigham Young University and sought an opinion about the book from the professor of his religion class. The professor claimed to have read the book but discouraged the student from reading it with the powerful caveat that "The brethren don't approve of it." When my son informed me of this response I inquired, "Does the religion professor subscribe to a special e-mail list? Is there an exclusive newsletter for religion professors?" This young man has denied himself the opportunity of reading one of the most powerful doctrinal books ever written because of the personal bias of a religion professor.

Another one of my personal favorites is when someone says "It has not been revealed" in response to questions of doctrine or prophecy. What is really being said is: "It has not been revealed to me" or "If I don't know it, it has not been revealed."

Personal bias, political correctness, self appointment as a guardian of the orthodoxy often stand in the way of doctrinal discourse in the search for truth. Too often religion professor's in the church become as much an obstacle to truth as a source of truth because they assume the role of arbiter of what you should or should not be known. The scholar is justified because He knows what is best for you and only seeks to protect you from your own ignorance. That is a role better suited for the Lord.

The bottom line: you cannot trust anyone with your salvation or your search for truth. It should only be done in the Lord's way. That way is expressed in the following quotation from Denver Snuffer's book, "Second Comforter, Conversing with the Lord through the Veil":

"Rather than using the theologians tools, the Comforter can guide us to a clearer view of what the inspired writer was saying. It is as if the writer was attuned to and writing about music but using only words to describe the harmony. Without that tune in the mind of the reader, the music cannot be heard and the harmony is lost. The Holy Ghost allows you to resonate with the same frequency as the writer and to "hear" what he is writing about. The process is far more abstract than logic, reason, rhetoric and historic precedent will uncover. Capturing the thought of the inspired fisherman requires an inspired reader. The Holy Ghost is a guide to speak to you as you study the scriptures. It will lead you to understanding, harmony, clarity and truth. If you have not experienced this kind of awareness while studying the scriptures, then you need to attempt it. The scriptures are a great source of inspiration and revelation. Through them you can gain experience in listening to the Spirit. They tutor us, not just in doctrine, but they tutor us in hearing the voice of inspiration as well. Through scripture study you can develop a greater spiritual sensitivity. If you have not begun to do that, you will need to start.
Find time to be alone. Take the time to study, not just read, the scriptures. Pray before you begin. Think about the phrases used, and don't try to digest whole chapters at once. Be silent, so that you can hear the still small voice. If there is some serious sin in your life, repent of it. Let the Lord know you are doing so because you want the Spirit as a guide in your life. He will respond. You will find He is no respecter of persons. He will send His Spirit to any sincere seeker of truth. And when He does, it will be as a result of you seeking the light and obeying the commandments. The Comforters purpose is to guide you to greater truths. There is a library of truth waiting to be discovered inside the scriptures. Use this library and experience the inspiration it offers." (pgs.49-50)

My son's companion will likely never read those words because a religion professor whom he trusted not only turned him away from this book, but probably against it. Is that not Pharisaic? Does that not reflect the same attitude to lead scholars to persecute and crucify the Son of God?

Will we live up to our privileges? Only if we stop turning to the arm of flesh and turn to the Lord and begin building our relationship with Him.That is what I hope to do. The words of those who write about those who "do" are not of interest to me. Give me counsel from those who know for themselves and already walk the path. That is why Deseret Book sees very little of my money.