Fourteen Fundamentals, Part 4

[Words in blue are from this talk.  Commentary follows in black.]

Third: The living prophet is more important to us than a dead prophet.

God’s revelation to Adam did not instruct Noah how to build the Ark. Noah needed his own revelation. Therefore the most important prophet so far as you and I are concerned is the one living in our day and age to whom the Lord is currently revealing His will for us. Therefore the most important reading we can do is any of the words of the prophet contained each month in our Church Magazines. Our instructions about what we should do for each six months are found in the General Conference addresses which are printed in the Church magazine.

Beware of those who would set up the dead prophets against the living prophets, for the living prophets always take precedence.

We have an account of Christ's visit with the Nephites following his resurrection that is instructive.

After extensively quoting Isaiah to the people Christ commanded them to study his words, and not only to study them but to search diligently into the meaning of his words.  He praised his words as "great" (3 Ne. 23:1).  Isaiah's prophecies were true concerning all the house of Israel and the Gentiles, and Christ knew those prophecies would "all" be fulfilled (3 Ne. 23:2-3).

Christ commanded the people to repent of their sins and be baptized (3 Ne. 23:5).  He explained that they should "search the prophets" to see that they've all taught these things (ibid.).  

He "expounded all the scriptures unto them," helping them to understand the words of the prophets (3 Ne. 23:6).  You see, the scriptures were precious to the Lord.  The words of His prophets are precious to him.  He was the one who gave the words that prophets preached and wrote.  There was no reason for him to contradict their words.  

The Lord wondered why the people hadn't recorded the words of his servant Samuel the Lamanite (3 Ne. 23:7-11).  Samuel spoke the words the Lord had commanded him to speak (3 Ne. 23:9).  The people were able to testify that the words of the Lord's servant had all been fulfilled (ibid.).  Christ commanded the people to record Samuel's words.

Christ continued to "expound all the scriptures in one" until they had a unified understanding of the words the prophets had spoken and written.  He went on to expound unto them the writings of the prophet Malachi (3 Ne. 24-25).  Afterwards, he explained that the Father had commanded him to give unto them these scriptures, that they might be given unto future generations (3 Ne. 26:1).   

Christ, like other prophets, does not downplay the importance of dead prophets.  If any man has a right to claim he is more important than other prophets, it is Christ.  Look at his treatment of the prophets, however.  How easily he could have downplayed the vital role of the scriptures.  Yet, see his treatment of the holy word of God.  

There are so many lessons in the scriptures.