Over the years, I've had people ask me questions about what I believe as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, so I decided to lay out some basic doctrines of what we believe. Although I deleted the original sources from quotes, they are easily searchable on the Church's website. Almost everything was pulled from student manuals. There will be 13 posts on this topic total. Enjoy! 7. We believe in the gift of tongues, prophecy, revelation, visions, healing, interpretation of tongues, and so forth. Gifts of the SpiritThe Prophet Joseph Smith (1805–44) taught: “Paul says, ‘To one is given the gift of tongues, to another the gift of prophecy, and to another the gift of healing’—and again, ‘Do all prophesy? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?’ evidently showing that all did not possess these several gifts; but that one received one gift and another received another gift—all did not prophesy; all did not speak in tongues; all did not work miracles; but all did receive the gift of the Holy Ghost; sometimes they spake in tongues and prophesied in the Apostles’ days, and sometimes they did not. The same is the case with us also.” Elder Bruce R. McConkie wrote: “By the grace of God—following devotion, faith, and obedience on man’s part—certain special spiritual blessings called gifts of the Spirit are bestowed upon men. Their receipt is always predicated upon obedience to law, but because they are freely available to all the obedient, they are called gifts… “Their purpose is to enlighten, encourage, and edify the faithful so that they will inherit peace in this life and be guided toward eternal life in the world to come. Their presence is proof of the divinity of the Lord’s work.” ProphecyElder James E. Talmage (1862–1933) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles explained: “To prophesy is to receive and declare the word of God, and the statement of His will to the people. The function of prediction, often regarded as the sole essential of prophecy, is but one among many characteristics of this divinely given power. The prophet may have as much concern with the past as with the present or the future; he may use his gift in teaching through the experience of preceding events as in foretelling occurrences. The prophets of God are entrusted with His confidences, being privileged to learn of His will and designs.” Elder LeGrand Richards said: “The prophet Amos said, ‘Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.’ (Amos 3:7.) Now if we understand that, no one can look for a work here upon this earth that isn’t headed by a prophet. The Lord has never done a work that he has recognized without a prophet at its head.” HealingPresident James E. Faust (1920–2007) of the First Presidency said: “We believe in the gift of healing. To me, this gift extends to the healing of both the body and the spirit. The Spirit speaks peace to the soul. This spiritual solace comes by invoking spiritual gifts, which are claimed and manifested in many ways. They are rich, and full, and abundant in the Church today. They flow from the proper and humble use of a testimony. They also come through the administering to the sick following an anointing with consecrated oil. Christ is the great Physician, who rose from the dead ‘with healing in his wings’ (2 Nephi 25:13), while the Comforter is the agency of healing.” In Church History Topics we find: “During His mortal ministry, Jesus Christ healed the sick and afflicted. He gave His disciples power and authority to heal and taught that the gift of healing is one of the ‘signs [that] shall follow them that believe.’ Modern revelation to Joseph Smith reaffirmed these principles and identified both the ‘faith to be healed’ and the ‘faith to heal’ as gifts of the Spirit.” VisionsIn Guide to the Scriptures we read: A vision is “A visual revelation of some event, person, or thing through the power of the Holy Ghost…Where the is no vision, the people perish (Prov. 29:18). Young men shall see visions (Joel 2:28).” RevelationThe Prophet Joseph Smith said: “God hath not revealed anything to Joseph, but what He will make known unto the Twelve, and even the least Saint may know all things as fast as he is able to bear them, for the day must come when no man need say to his neighbor, Know ye the Lord; for all shall know Him (who remain) from the least to the greatest.” The Prophet Joseph Smith also said: “The Spirit of Revelation is in connection with these blessings. A person may profit by noticing the first intimation of the spirit of revelation; for instance, when you feel pure intelligence flowing into you, it may give you sudden strokes of ideas, so that by noticing it, you may find it fulfilled the same day or soon; (i.e.) those things that were presented unto your minds by the Spirit of God, will come to pass; and thus by learning the Spirit of God and understanding it, you may grow into the principle of revelation, until you become perfect in Christ Jesus.” Elder Bruce R. McConkie said: “Inspiration is a form and degree of revelation. It is revelation that comes from the still small voice, from the whisperings of the Spirit, from the promptings of the Holy Ghost. All inspiration is revelation.” Doctrinal points on revelation:God gives truth to His children through revelation.
God reveals truth in a variety of ways.
We must be worthy in order to receive revelation.
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AuthorI am a proud member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I am not a gospel scholar, but I hope to be one someday. While I’m learning and growing, I hope you join me on my journey for further light and knowledge. Archives
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