We are given a key to not being deceived in the last days by the translation of the Bible by Joseph Smith. It reads, “whoso treasureth up my word shall not be deceived” (JS-Matthew 1:37, JST Matthew 24:39).
So what has His word taught us about establishing truth?
The Lord has made it clear we are to use the scriptures to establish the truth of what any man or woman tells us to do, think or believe. We can judge out of those things which are written and we are entitled to multiple witnesses. These things keep us in the light of truth, never to be deceived.
We read, “call on the holy prophets to prove his words, as they shall be given him [Joseph Smith]” (Doctrine and Covenants 35:23).
We are also promised by the Lord that we shall be judged according to those things which are written; “25 For behold, out of the books which have been written, and which shall be written, shall this people be judged, for by them shall their works be known unto men.
26 And behold, all things are written by the Father; therefore out of the books which shall be written shall the world be judged” (3 Nephi 27:25-26).
He tells us that by the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established (see Deut. 19:15; Matt. 18:16; 2 Cor. 13:1; Doctrine and Covenants 6:8; 128:3).
And, “whoso treasureth up my word shall not be deceived” (JS-Matthew 1:37, JST Matthew 24:39).
So, no matter who the person is, even if they are considered to be a prophet of the Lord, we must prove their words by the writings of the prophets, as stated by the Lord Himself (Doctrine and Covenants 35:23). The Lord also said there will be more than one witness to any truth in the books that are written (Deut. 19:15; Matt. 18:16; 2 Cor. 13:1; Doctrine and Covenants 6:8; 128:3). Without these checks and balances it is possible to be persuaded to believe in the philosophies of the devil. Great deceptions can put us one degree off in our quest to find and become like our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. He has told us to become even as He is (3 Nephi 27:27). That only happens as we know the truth of Him and His commandments and then be as He is.
When Jesus Christ ministered in Jerusalem He used the scriptures to combat evil. Even though He was the author of the scriptures as He revealed His word and will to prophets, He still felt the need to use them to emphasize truth. When Satan came tempting Him He said over and over again, “It is written…” (Matthew 4:4, 6-7, 10).
In the America’s when Jesus ministered to the people he expounded the scriptures (3 Nephi 23:6,14). He emphasized the need to study the words of Isaiah for “all things that he [Isaiah] spake have been and shall be” (3 Nephi 23:3). He commanded them to “search the prophets” (3 Nephi 23:5). He shares with them what Father told to Malachi (3 Nephi 24:1). These are the Old Testament prophets that He is commanding them to study even though He is coming with the new covenant and higher law. The Lord is making it clear that the words which He spake unto His servants was relevant then and now and that we ought to use them to find greater understanding and stay in the right way.
Jesus Christ labored diligently while upon the earth to destroy the false traditions and beliefs of His day. He spoke the truth in love. Joseph Smith stated, “13 Therefore, that we should waste and wear out our lives in bringing to light all the hidden things of darkness, wherein we know them; and they are truly manifest from heaven—
14 These should then be attended to with great earnestness.
15 Let no man count them as small things; for there is much which lieth in futurity, pertaining to the saints, which depends upon these things” (Doctrine & Covenants 123:13-15). Jesus Christ and Joseph Smith were both murdered because they stood for the truth and exposed the lies and deceptions. Anytime in history when men or women stand up for truth they are persecuted and many times end up as martyrs.
John shares so clearly why the truth often requires the life of the one willing to find and expose it. He said, “19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God” (John 3:19-21). A humble person is willing to discover more light and truth because they want all the truth so they can think and believe correctly and then live the truth. The proud believe they know all truth and there isn’t anything more they can learn and live (see 2 Nephi 28:24-32).
In the Pearl of Great Price we learn of a great deception. It is a classic way in which the evil one deceives men and women. He sets up a counterfeit truth in opposition to the truth. Many times it is a lie that closely resembles the truth, but is a partial truth or a lie mixed in with truth. In the days of Cain two cities were created. One city practices all manner of evil and the other lives the gospel of Jesus Christ, to the point that Jesus comes and dwells amongst them and takes their city into heaven. One is called the City of Enoch and the other is called the City of Zion, or the City of Enoch. One is founded by Cain and the other by Enoch who was translated into heaven (Moses 5:42; Moses 7:18-21). Cain had a son named Enoch and he called the city after the name of his son. In the footnote to verse 42 it reads, “There was a man named Enoch in Cain’s lineage, and a city by that name among his people. Do not confuse these with the Enoch of the righteous line of Seth and with his city, Zion, also called the “City of Enoch.”
We have the scriptures that tell us what things were taking place in the City of Enoch and the City of Zion.
In the counterfeit City of Enoch we learn they practiced secret oaths between Satan and men. They swore their very lives in these oaths. They bound themselves to secrecy. They swore by the living God. They did these things to get gain. The Book of Moses states,
“...they loved Satan more than God.
And Satan said unto Cain: Swear unto me by thy throat, and if thou tell it thou shalt die; and swear thy brethren by their heads, and by the living God, that they tell it not; for if they tell it, they shall surely die; and this that thy father may not know it; and this day I will deliver thy brother Abel into thine hands.
And Satan sware unto Cain that he would do according to his commands. And all these things were done in secret.
And Cain said: Truly I am Mahan, the master of this great secret, that I may murder and get gain. Wherefore Cain was called Master Mahan, and he gloried in his wickedness” (Moses 5:28-31).
And Satan sware unto Cain that he would do according to his commands. And all these things were done in secret.
And Cain said: Truly I am Mahan, the master of this great secret, that I may murder and get gain. Wherefore Cain was called Master Mahan, and he gloried in his wickedness” (Moses 5:28-31).
I’ve always wondered why a person who loves Satan more than God would swear by the living God. We also see in these verses how Satan’s way is force, manipulation, intimidation, fear and coercion. If you break the oath, then you will die physically.
We also read that in the wicked city of Enoch plural wives were being taken and homosexuality practiced. We read,
“And Lamech took unto himself two wives; the name of one being Adah, and the name of the other, Zillah.
And Lamech said unto his wives, Adah and Zillah: Hear my voice, ye wives of Lamech, hearken unto my speech; for I have slain a man to my wounding, and a young man to my hurt.
If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech shall be seventy and seven fold;
For Lamech having entered into a covenant with Satan, after the manner of Cain, wherein he became Master Mahan, master of that great secret which was administered unto Cain by Satan; and Irad, the son of Enoch, having known their secret, began to reveal it unto the sons of Adam;
Wherefore Lamech, being angry, slew him, not like unto Cain, his brother Abel, for the sake of getting gain, but he slew him for the oath’s sake.
For, from the days of Cain, there was a secret combination, and their works were in the dark, and they knew every man his brother.
Wherefore the Lord cursed Lamech, and his house, and all them that had covenanted with Satan; for they kept not the commandments of God, and it displeased God, and he ministered not unto them, and their works were abominations, and began to spread among all the sons of men. And it was among the sons of men” (Moses 5:44, 47-52).
If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech shall be seventy and seven fold;
For Lamech having entered into a covenant with Satan, after the manner of Cain, wherein he became Master Mahan, master of that great secret which was administered unto Cain by Satan; and Irad, the son of Enoch, having known their secret, began to reveal it unto the sons of Adam;
Wherefore Lamech, being angry, slew him, not like unto Cain, his brother Abel, for the sake of getting gain, but he slew him for the oath’s sake.
For, from the days of Cain, there was a secret combination, and their works were in the dark, and they knew every man his brother.
Wherefore the Lord cursed Lamech, and his house, and all them that had covenanted with Satan; for they kept not the commandments of God, and it displeased God, and he ministered not unto them, and their works were abominations, and began to spread among all the sons of men. And it was among the sons of men” (Moses 5:44, 47-52).
We have another witness in the Book of Mormon, testifying of the wickedness and abominations of these secret oaths. These were entered into the same way. Here is the account that Moroni gives us in the Book of Ether, “And it came to pass that they all sware unto him, by the God of heaven, and also by the heavens, and also by the earth, and by their heads, that whoso should vary from the assistance which Akish desired should lose his head; and whoso should divulge whatsoever thing Akish made known unto them, the same should lose his life” (Ether 8:14).
Moroni gives us additional light upon why these secret oaths are entered into and how God feels about it and what we should do about it. “
In contrast to the City of Enoch, the Lord created Zion through Enoch, the son of Jared. In contrast to doing things in secret, Enoch spoke in plainness to the people. He shared he saw a vision, that the Lord spoke with him and commanded him to share these things (Moses 6:40-42).
In contrast to secret oaths, swearing by their throats and by the living God, they entered covenants with God in the open sight of all people. The baptismal covenant was entered into in the light, not in secret (Moses 6:52).
Enoch taught them to use their agency to choose to repent and keep the commandments (Moses 6:50-52, 56). He taught repentance freely to all their children (Moses 6:57-62).
As you read about Enoch and those things practiced there that were passed down from the righteous fathers, note those things that are in contrast to the wicked city of Enoch and those things that are done the same.
27 And he heard a voice from heaven, saying: Enoch, my son, prophesy unto this people, and say unto them—Repent, for thus saith the Lord: I am angry with this people, and my fierce anger is kindled against them; for their hearts have waxed hard, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes cannot see afar off;
28 And for these many generations, ever since the day that I created them, have they gone astray, and have denied me, and have sought their own counsels in the dark; and in their own abominations have they devised murder, and have not kept the commandments, which I gave unto their father, Adam.
29 Wherefore, they have foresworn themselves, and, by their oaths, they have brought upon themselves death; and a hell I have prepared for them, if they repent not;
30 And this is a decree, which I have sent forth in the beginning of the world, from my own mouth, from the foundation thereof, and by the mouths of my servants, thy fathers, have I decreed it, even as it shall be sent forth in the world, unto the ends thereof.
31 And when Enoch had heard these words, he bowed himself to the earth, before the Lord, and spake before the Lord, saying: Why is it that I have found favor in thy sight, and am but a lad, and all the people hate me; for I am slow of speech; wherefore am I thy servant?
32 And the Lord said unto Enoch: Go forth and do as I have commanded thee, and no man shall pierce thee. Open thy mouth, and it shall be filled, and I will give thee utterance, for all flesh is in my hands, and I will do as seemeth me good.
33 Say unto this people: Choose ye this day, to serve the Lord God who made you.
34 Behold my Spirit is upon you, wherefore all thy words will I justify; and the mountains shall flee before you, and the rivers shall turn from their course; and thou shalt abide in me, and I in you; therefore walk with me.
35 And the Lord spake unto Enoch, and said unto him: Anoint thine eyes with clay, and wash them, and thou shalt see. And he did so.
36 And he beheld the spirits that God had created; and he beheld also things which were not visible to the natural eye; and from thenceforth came the saying abroad in the land: A seer hath the Lord raised up unto his people.
37 And it came to pass that Enoch went forth in the land, among the people, standing upon the hills and the high places, and cried with a loud voice, testifying against their works; and all men were offended because of him.
38 And they came forth to hear him, upon the high places, saying unto the tent-keepers: Tarry ye here and keep the tents, while we go yonder to behold the seer, for he prophesieth, and there is a strange thing in the land; a wild man hath come among us.
39 And it came to pass when they heard him, no man laid hands on him; for fear came on all them that heard him; for he walked with God.
40 And there came a man unto him, whose name was Mahijah, and said unto him: Tell us plainly who thou art, and from whence thou comest?
41 And he said unto them: I came out from the land of Cainan, the land of my fathers, a land of righteousness unto this day. And my father taught me in all the ways of God.
42 And it came to pass, as I journeyed from the land of Cainan, by the sea east, I beheld a vision; and lo, the heavens I saw, and the Lord spake with me, and gave me commandment; wherefore, for this cause, to keep the commandment, I speak forth these words.
43 And Enoch continued his speech, saying: The Lord which spake with me, the same is the God of heaven, and he is my God, and your God, and ye are my brethren, and why counsel ye yourselves, and deny the God of heaven?
44 The heavens he made; the earth is his footstool; and the foundation thereof is his. Behold, he laid it, an host of men hath he brought in upon the face thereof.
45 And death hath come upon our fathers; nevertheless we know them, and cannot deny, and even the first of all we know, even Adam.
46 For a book of remembrance we have written among us, according to the pattern given by the finger of God; and it is given in our own language.
47 And as Enoch spake forth the words of God, the people trembled, and could not stand in his presence.
48 And he said unto them: Because that Adam fell, we are; and by his fall came death; and we are made partakers of misery and woe.
49 Behold Satan hath come among the children of men, and tempteth them to worship him; and men have become carnal, sensual, and devilish, and are shut out from the presence of God.
50 But God hath made known unto our fathers that all men must repent.
51 And he called upon our father Adam by his own voice, saying: I am God; I made the world, and men before they were in the flesh.
52 And he also said unto him: If thou wilt turn unto me, and hearken unto my voice, and believe, and repent of all thy transgressions, and be baptized, even in water, in the name of mine Only Begotten Son, who is full of grace and truth, which is Jesus Christ, the only name which shall be given under heaven, whereby salvation shall come unto the children of men, ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, asking all things in his name, and whatsoever ye shall ask, it shall be given you.
53 And our father Adam spake unto the Lord, and said: Why is it that men must repent and be baptized in water? And the Lord said unto Adam: Behold I have forgiven thee thy transgression in the Garden of Eden.
54 Hence came the saying abroad among the people, that the Son of God hath atoned for original guilt, wherein the sins of the parents cannot be answered upon the heads of the children, for they are whole from the foundation of the world.
55 And the Lord spake unto Adam, saying: Inasmuch as thy children are conceived in sin, even so when they begin to grow up, sin conceiveth in their hearts, and they taste the bitter, that they may know to prize the good.
56 And it is given unto them to know good from evil; wherefore they are agents unto themselves, and I have given unto you another law and commandment.
57 Wherefore teach it unto your children, that all men, everywhere, must repent, or they can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God, for no unclean thing can dwell there, or dwell in his presence; for, in the language of Adam, Man of Holiness is his name, and the name of his Only Begotten is the Son of Man, even Jesus Christ, a righteous Judge, who shall come in the meridian of time.
58 Therefore I give unto you a commandment, to teach these things freely unto your children, saying:
59 That by reason of transgression cometh the fall, which fall bringeth death, and inasmuch as ye were born into the world by water, and blood, and the spirit, which I have made, and so became of dust a living soul, even so ye must be born again into the kingdom of heaven, of water, and of the Spirit, and be cleansed by blood, even the blood of mine Only Begotten; that ye 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;
60 For by the water ye keep the commandment; by the Spirit ye are justified, and by the blood ye are sanctified;
61 Therefore it is given to abide in you; the record of heaven; the Comforter; the peaceable things of immortal glory; the truth of all things; that which quickeneth all things, which maketh alive all things; that which knoweth all things, and hath all power according to wisdom, mercy, truth, justice, and judgment.
62 And now, behold, I say unto you: This is the plan of salvation unto all men, through the blood of mine Only Begotten, who shall come in the meridian of time.
63 And behold, all things have their likeness, and all things are created and made to bear record of me, both things which are temporal, and things which are spiritual; things which are in the heavens above, and things which are on the earth, and things which are in the earth, and things which are under the earth, both above and beneath: all things bear record of me.
64 And it came to pass, when the Lord had spoken with Adam, our father, that Adam cried unto the Lord, and he was caught away by the Spirit of the Lord, and was carried down into the water, and was laid under the water, and was brought forth out of the water.
65 And thus he was baptized, and the Spirit of God descended upon him, and thus he was born of the Spirit, and became quickened in the inner man.
66 And he heard a voice out of heaven, saying: Thou art baptized with fire, and with the Holy Ghost. This is the record of the Father, and the Son, from henceforth and forever;
67 And thou art after the order of him who was without beginning of days or end of years, from all eternity to all eternity.
68 Behold, thou art one in me, a son of God; and thus may all become my sons. Amen” (Moses 6:27-68).
Moroni gives us additional light as to why these secret oaths arise, how God feels about them and what we are to do about them when we discover them amongst us in our day.
“15 And it came to pass that thus they did agree with Akish. And Akish did administer unto them the oaths which were given by them of old who also sought power, which had been handed down even from Cain, who was a murderer from the beginning.
16 And they were kept up by the power of the devil to administer these oaths unto the people, to keep them in darkness, to help such as sought power to gain power, and to murder, and to plunder, and to lie, and to commit all manner of wickedness and whoredoms.
17 And it was the daughter of Jared who put it into his heart to search up these things of old; and Jared put it into the heart of Akish; wherefore, Akish administered it unto his kindred and friends, leading them away by fair promises to do whatsoever thing he desired.
18 And it came to pass that they formed a secret combination, even as they of old; which combination is most abominable and wicked above all, in the sight of God;
19 For the Lord worketh not in secret combinations, neither doth he will that man should shed blood, but in all things hath forbidden it, from the beginning of man.
20 And now I, Moroni, do not write the manner of their oaths and combinations, for it hath been made known unto me that they are had among all people, and they are had among the Lamanites.
21 And they have caused the destruction of this people of whom I am now speaking, and also the destruction of the people of Nephi.
22 And whatsoever nation shall uphold such secret combinations, to get power and gain, until they shall spread over the nation, behold, they shall be destroyed; for the Lord will not suffer that the blood of his saints, which shall be shed by them, shall always cry unto him from the ground for vengeance upon them and yet he avenge them not.
23 Wherefore, O ye Gentiles, it is wisdom in God that these things should be shown unto you, that thereby ye may repent of your sins, and suffer not that these murderous combinations shall get above you, which are built up to get power and gain—and the work, yea, even the work of destruction come upon you, yea, even the sword of the justice of the Eternal God shall fall upon you, to your overthrow and destruction if ye shall suffer these things to be.
24 Wherefore, the Lord commandeth you, when ye shall see these things come among you that ye shall awake to a sense of your awful situation, because of this secret combination which shall be among you; or wo be unto it, because of the blood of them who have been slain; for they cry from the dust for vengeance upon it, and also upon those who built it up.
25 For it cometh to pass that whoso buildeth it up seeketh to overthrow the freedom of all lands, nations, and countries; and it bringeth to pass the destruction of all people, for it is built up by the devil, who is the father of all lies; even that same liar who beguiled our first parents, yea, even that same liar who hath caused man to commit murder from the beginning; who hath hardened the hearts of men that they have murdered the prophets, and stoned them, and cast them out from the beginning.
26 Wherefore, I, Moroni, am commanded to write these things that evil may be done away, and that the time may come that Satan may have no power upon the hearts of the children of men, but that they may be persuaded to do good continually, that they may come unto the fountain of all righteousness and be saved” (Ether 8:15-26).
In our quest to come to know God and become like Him, we will have questions come to our minds and hearts. As we go to the source of truth we may come to know the truth of all things by the power of the Holy Ghost (Moroni 10:5).
