President Russell M. Nelson has been trying to turn us to the Lord. I am convinced he would be disappointed in many of our fast and testimony meetings because of our continuous praising of him instead of praising the Lord, Jesus Christ or our Father in heaven. Some well-meaning saints may be trying to praise the Lord by expressing their love and devotion to the president of the church but we need to make sure that this mantra doesn’t derail us from the path to coming unto the Savior of the world, even Jesus Christ.
Listen to several paragraphs from the past general conferences of the church:
“In a coming day, only those men who have taken their priesthood seriously, by diligently seeking to be taught by the Lord Himself, will be able to bless, guide, protect, strengthen, and heal others. Only a man who has paid the price for priesthood power will be able to bring miracles to those he loves and keep his marriage and family safe, now and throughout eternity” (“The Price of Priesthood Power,” Russell M. Nelson, General Conference, April 2016).
“It is doctrinally incomplete to speak of the Lord’s atoning sacrifice by shortcut phrases, such as “the Atonement” or “the enabling power of the Atonement” or “applying the Atonement” or “being strengthened by the Atonement.” These expressions present a real risk of misdirecting faith by treating the event as if it had living existence and capabilities independent of our Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ.
Under the Father’s great eternal plan, it is the Savior who suffered. It is the Savior who broke the bands of death. It is the Savior who paid the price for our sins and transgressions and blots them out on condition of our repentance. It is the Savior who delivers us from physical and spiritual death.
There is no amorphous entity called “the Atonement” upon which we may call for succor, healing, forgiveness, or power. Jesus Christ is the source. Sacred terms such as Atonement and Resurrection describe what the Savior did, according to the Father’s plan, so that we may live with hope in this life and gain eternal life in the world to come. The Savior’s atoning sacrifice--the central act of all human history--is best understood and appreciated when we expressly and clearly connect it to Him.
The importance of the Savior’s mission was emphasized by the Prophet Joseph Smith, who declared emphatically that “the fundamental principles of our religion are the testimony of the Apostles and Prophets, concerning Jesus Christ, that He died, was buried, and rose again the third day, and ascended into heaven; and all other things which pertain to our religion are only appendages to it” (Drawing the Power of Jesus Christ Into Our Lives,” Russell M. Nelson, General Conference, April 2017).
Under the Father’s great eternal plan, it is the Savior who suffered. It is the Savior who broke the bands of death. It is the Savior who paid the price for our sins and transgressions and blots them out on condition of our repentance. It is the Savior who delivers us from physical and spiritual death.
There is no amorphous entity called “the Atonement” upon which we may call for succor, healing, forgiveness, or power. Jesus Christ is the source. Sacred terms such as Atonement and Resurrection describe what the Savior did, according to the Father’s plan, so that we may live with hope in this life and gain eternal life in the world to come. The Savior’s atoning sacrifice--the central act of all human history--is best understood and appreciated when we expressly and clearly connect it to Him.
The importance of the Savior’s mission was emphasized by the Prophet Joseph Smith, who declared emphatically that “the fundamental principles of our religion are the testimony of the Apostles and Prophets, concerning Jesus Christ, that He died, was buried, and rose again the third day, and ascended into heaven; and all other things which pertain to our religion are only appendages to it” (Drawing the Power of Jesus Christ Into Our Lives,” Russell M. Nelson, General Conference, April 2017).
Elder Larry Y. Wilson said this, “Some may think we shouldn’t expect daily guidance from the Spirit because “it is not meet that [God] should command in all things,” lest we become slothful servants. This scripture, however, was given to some early missionaries who asked Joseph Smith to obtain revelation they should have received for themselves. In a preceding verse, the Lord told them to come to the mission field “as they shall counsel between themselves and me.”
These missionaries wanted a specific revelation about their travel plans. They hadn’t yet learned to seek their own direction in personal matters. The Lord called this attitude what it is: slothful. Early Church members may have been so happy to have a true prophet that they were in danger of failing to learn how to receive revelation themselves. Being spiritually self-reliant is hearing the Lord’s voice through His Spirit for one’s own life” (“Take the Holy Spirit as Your Guide,” Larry Y. Wilson, General Conference, April 2018).
These missionaries wanted a specific revelation about their travel plans. They hadn’t yet learned to seek their own direction in personal matters. The Lord called this attitude what it is: slothful. Early Church members may have been so happy to have a true prophet that they were in danger of failing to learn how to receive revelation themselves. Being spiritually self-reliant is hearing the Lord’s voice through His Spirit for one’s own life” (“Take the Holy Spirit as Your Guide,” Larry Y. Wilson, General Conference, April 2018).
Elder Neil L. Andersen said this, “A prophet does not stand between you and the Savior. Rather, he stands beside you and points the way to the Savior” (“The Prophet of God,” Neil L. Andersen, General Conference, April 2018).
President Nelson says something very powerful right after indicating the Lord is leading this church. He says, “But in coming days, it will not be possible to survive spiritually without the guiding, directing, comforting, and constant influence of the Holy Ghost” (“Revelation for the Church, Revelation for Our Lives,” Russell M. Nelson, General Conference, April 2018). In other words, the Lord is guiding His church but if you don’t know how to communicate with Him, you will fall.
And then from last general conference, October 2018, “For much of the world, the Lord’s Church is presently disguised as the “Mormon Church.” But we as members of the Lord’s Church know who stands at its head: Jesus Christ Himself. Unfortunately, many who hear the term Mormon may think that we worship Mormon. Not so! We honor and respect that great ancient American prophet. But we are not Mormon’s disciples. We are the Lord’s disciples” (“The Correct Name of the Church,” Russell M. Nelson, General Conference, October 2018).
Go through and replace “Mormon” with “President Nelson”.
“For much of the world, the Lord’s Church is presently disguised as [President Nelson’s Church]. But we as members of the Lord’s Church know who stands at its head: Jesus Christ Himself. Unfortunately, many who hear the term [Follow the Prophet] may think that we worship [President Nelson]. Not so! We honor and respect [President Nelson, our current prophet]. But we are not [President Nelson’s] disciples. We are the Lord’s disciples.”
Let us be ever diligent in emphasizing the absolute necessity to follow the Lord, Jesus Christ. Anyone or anything that leads us to Jesus Christ will be of benefit to us, but we follow no man or woman. We must never put our trust in the arm of the flesh. Nephi said, “O Lord, I have trusted in thee, and I will trust in thee forever. I will not put my trust in the arm of flesh; for I know that cursed is he that putteth his trust in the arm of flesh. Yea, cursed is he that putteth his trust in man or maketh flesh his arm” (2 Nephi 4:34).
Notes:
Some great talks to emphasize this important distinction and powerful doctrine are found in President Henry B. Eyring’s talk where a young man came to him when he was bishop and was wise enough to not trust the bishop over the Lord. (“The Lord Leads His Church,” Henry B. Eyring, General Conference, October 2017). Another talk is by Elder D. Todd Christofferson, “The Doctrine of Christ,” General Conference, April 2012. He emphasizes the need for us to take our own spiritual responsibility in seeking our own witness about every word that cometh from the prophets of the Lord to make sure that the Holy Ghost ratifies the truth of what has been said. “By the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things,” (Moroni 10:5).
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