The Danger of Infallibility, Part 4

“It is not the work of God that is frustrated, but the work of men; For although a man may have many revelations, and have power to do many mighty works, yet if he boasts in his own strength, and sets at naught the counsels of God, and follows after the dictates of his own will and carnal desires, he must fall and incur the vengeance of a just God upon him…How oft you have transgressed the commandments and the laws of God, and have gone on in the persuasions of men…Because of transgression, if thou art not aware thou wilt fall.” – The Lord to Joseph Smith (D&C 3:3-4, 6, 9)

Here is a revelation given to the head of this dispensation.  Joseph was warned by the Lord that if he was "not aware" he would fall.  The Lord taught Joseph that the "work of men" can be frustrated.  In plain language the Lord offers a few reasons that would cause a man to fall:

• Boasting in his own strength
• Setting at naught God's counsels
• Following the dictates of his own will
• Following the dictates of his carnal desires
• Going on in the persuasions of men
• Transgression

If Joseph Smith had to be "aware" lest he fall, that should tell you something about every other person who's been called to lead in this Church.  The reasons given by the Lord that a man may fall seem to me to be general problems we all face, and not problems that were specific to the Prophet.

Brigham Young described the attitude of humble diligence demonstrated by the prophet Joseph Smith:

“I recollect many times when brother Joseph, reflecting upon how many would come into the Kingdom of God and go out again, would say, ‘Brethren, I have not apostatized yet, and don't feel like doing so.’ Many of you, no doubt, can call to mind his words. Joseph had to pray all the time, exercise faith, live his religion, and magnify his calling, to obtain the manifestations of the Lord, and to keep him steadfast in the faith" (Discourse by Brigham Young, JD 2:257).


It appears times have changed since the days of the Prophet Joseph Smith.  We, at least, impose an unfair standard upon those who have been called to be leaders in the Lord's Church.  They don't deserve such an inappropriate imposition.  We've got what we wanted, however.  It's so much easier to place our trust in the arm of flesh.      

Prophets are given to the children of men to point them from the darkened, apostate mess they find themselves in back to Christ.  That is their purpose.  Repentance is their message (Moro. 7:29-32).  Their calling is to point us to Christ.


Nephi warned Latter-day Saints to beware of those that say, “All is well in Zion; yea, Zion prospereth, all is well" (2 Ne 28:21).  This doctrine is among the greatest threats of deception we face today.  This is the message that keeps us sleeping.  This doctrine leadeth souls carefully down to hell (ibid.).  This is a doctrine of the devil that will damn us if we teach it, and listeners if they believe it (2 Ne 28:21-24).  The message that we cannot be led astray only facilitates the doctrine that all is well.  We have been forewarned.

“Modern revelation is what Joseph Smith said, unless Spencer W. Kimball says otherwise" (S. Dilworth Young, BYU fireside, 5 May 1974).
  
We love what Joseph Smith said about anything and everything under the sun, unless our current leaders change it.  This pretty well typifies our attitude.  We were recently taught "not to question", or even to consider “whether it makes sense" (Bennett, supra, “Follow the Prophet," see part 1).
  
Such obedience is worse than folly.  A man of God would despise the idea (Joseph Smith, part 1).
  
All that matters now is that you can trust in man.  Those who believe such a thing are perhaps worse off than those of other Christian sects who know nothing about the restoration of the gospel in the last days, but who strive to “follow him" (John 10:4).

We will remain asleep and unredeemed believing in that flattery.  We must awake and arise to our awful situation.

The Prophet Abinadi, Part 2

The Prophet Abinadi, Part 2

“And except they repent and turn to the Lord their God, behold, I will deliver them into the hands of their enemies; yea, and they shall be brought into bondage; and they shall be afflicted by the hand of their enemies.

“And it shall come to pass that they shall know that I am the Lord their God, and am a jealous God, visiting the iniquities of my people.

“And it shall come to pass that except this people repent and turn unto the Lord their God, they shall be brought into bondage; and none shall deliver them, except it be the Lord the Almighty God.

“Yea, and it shall come to pass that when they shall cry unto me I will be slow to hear their cries; yea, and I will suffer them that they be smitten by their enemies.

“And except they repent in sackcloth and ashes, and cry mightily to the Lord their God, I will not hear their prayers, neither will I deliver them out of their afflictions; and thus saith the Lord, and thus hath he commanded me” (Mosiah 11:21-25).

Because God loves his children and desires to save them, the message of repentance has been sent from God from the beginning.  Adam and his family were taught the gospel of repentance by the Lord and angels sent by Him (Moses 5:58; 6:1, 23,57).  All other righteous patriarchs and prophets received and taught the gospel of repentance (Moses7:10-12; 8:19-20; Ezek. 14:6; 1 Ne. 1:4; Alma 5:32-33, among many others).  The opposite of a message of repentance would be the message of flattery delivered by king Noah and his priests.  Flattery is not borne of love, but of lies.  It is the anti-Christ that will use flattery as a tool (Jacob 7:2).

Helaman 12 is an excellent sermon on the “unsteadiness of the hearts of the children of men” (Hel. 12:1).  The sermon is true of men and women from the beginning of the earth until the end.  Men tend to “forget the Lord their God…and this is because of their ease, and their exceeding great prosperity” (v. 2).  Things haven’t changed.  We remain the same.  While in this telestial world there is a persistent need to combat the decaying force of entropy that is ever-present.  Men not only lose hair and muscle with the advance of time, but are always losing “light and truth” (D&C 93:39). 

Consistent with that truth therefore, is that the message men need to hear has never changed.  The message required to bring men to the Son of God 6000 years ago, was the same message required to bring men to the Son of God 2000 years ago, and is the same today.  In a revelation given to the Prophet in 1833 this is verified:

“Verily, thus saith the Lord: It shall come to pass that every soul who forsaketh his sins and cometh unto me, and calleth on me name, and obeyeth my voice, and keepeth me commandments, shall see my face and know that I am” (D&C 93:1).

In our day the Lord commanded Joseph Smith to share the message of repentance.  Those who repent can be reconciled to Christ and “know that [He is]” while in the flesh. 

In order to combat the constant decay of light and truth, prophets reveal and restore lost truths, and always preach repentance, pointing people to Christ.  If the message “inviteth to do good, and to persuade to believe in Christ” you may know “with a perfect knowledge it is of God” (Moro. 7:16).   

Whether it is sooner or later, the Lord does visit “the iniquities of [His] people.”  This he has spoken, and he excuses not himself.  But before the house comes crashing down, the Lord always gives fair warning by the voice of “his servants the prophets” (Amos 3:7).  This is why Abinadi was sent to the people.  It seems only one man received the message.  Though wolves in sheep’s clothing will flatter you, prophets warn of God’s judgment.  Look to the scriptures for the pattern.  It is unmistakable.  The only message that will not be compromised in the unfolding of the Lord’s “strange” work is the message of repentance (D&C 101:95).      

King Noah and His Kingdom, Part 4

King Noah and His Kingdom, Part 4

“For he put down all the priests that had been consecrated by his father, and consecrated new ones in their stead, such as were lifted up in the pride of their hearts.

“Yea, and thus they were supported in their laziness, and in their idolatry, and in their whoredoms, by the taxes which king Noah had put upon his people; thus did the people labor exceedingly to support iniquity.

“Yea, and they also became idolatrous, because they were deceived by the vain and flattering words of the king and priests; for they did speak flattering things unto them” (Mosiah 11:5-7).

Noah called and ordained priests to replace those priests who had been ordained by his righteous father, Zeniff.  You see, Noah had priesthood; at least he thought he did.  We would say he “held priesthood.”  These new priests were lifted up in pride, were lazy, practiced idolatry, and indulged in the same whoredoms as Noah.  They were men after his heart.  Alma, about whom we read later in the story, was among them.

The leaders of the people quickly became victims of inappropriate adoration (though they themselves victimized the people), and whether or not it was something they sought after, it appears that they became quite comfortable in their positions of high status and even fed on the envious and adoring lay mass.  This happens swiftly when the king decides to let incessant, man-worship go unchecked.  Only a meek man can combat the temptation of the praise of men, especially those who fancy the idea of claiming a following.  The leader then takes delight in that attention, and indulges in priestcraft (2 Ne. 26:29). 

King Noah set himself up as a light to the people, instead of pointing to Christ who is the only true light.    He and his priests had their own distinct seats that were “above all the other seats.”  They built a comfortable breastwork from which they could speak lying and vain words to their people (Mosiah 11:11). 

What kind of a message is chocked full of lies and vanity that a body of religious people is willing to accept?   There is only one – the people love to hear that they are good, and that all is well.  “Yea, Zion prospereth.  All is well.”

Something that we ought to ask ourselves and wonder about is this: Was Noah “worthy” to consecrate new priests?  At what point does somebody’s character or behavior disqualify them from ordaining others to the priesthood?  We’ve already established that Noah was unable to please heaven.  He had already forfeited the “rights of the priesthood” (D&C 121:36).  But does a man from whom “the heavens withdraw” and who has “grieved the Spirit of the Lord” have authority to pass priesthood to others?  If yes, then what about the children of those “others?”  Can it be passed, as would a family heirloom, from one generation to the next by men who take no delight in “persuasion,” “longsuffering,” or “gentleness and meekness?”  Who have not charity and whose thoughts are filled with many things beside that which is virtuous (ibid, v. 41)?  At what point does this break down?   

Sadly, this class of priests was supported in their persistent idolatry, laziness, and whoredoms by the money of the people of the kingdom.  And thus, the lay population supported these leaders in their iniquity, so much that they too became idolatrous.  This has been Satan’s plan from the beginning – he buys things with money.  His disciples believe they can have anything in this world for it.  They really believe it! 

The root cause of this shift is pride, but also trusting in the arm of flesh.  The gradual descent downhill was so insidious that nobody from top to bottom was able to clearly perceive their own wretched state. 

Noah’s subjects are a great reminder to us of how quickly we tend to forget the messages of the prophets.  Because they forgot, they thrived on vain and flattering words that were given to them by their new leaders.  Though the scriptures taught that flattery was of the devil, they nevertheless loved to be praised in their present course, and trod down the path of iniquity, and idolatry.

“It is the mark of a false message that it relies on flattery. (See Alma 46:5; 61:4; Jacob 7:4; Mosiah 27:8; 2 Ne. 28:22)

“It is the mark of a true message that it calls for repentance. (D&C 6:9; 11:9; Mosiah 18:20; 25:22)

“Christ's message is always to "repent" and then to "come to Him." (Moroni 7:34)

“If you only need to listen to the voices of praise, and adulation which speak to you that "all is well in Zion" then you can never recognize an authentic call from the Lord to repent. Instead, like Laman and Lemuel, you will erroneously think any message that condemns your misbehavior is "sharp" or "angry" (2 Nephi 1: 26).  Yet Nephi's only intention was to seek "the eternal welfare" of Laman and Lemuel. (2 Nephi 1: 25)

“When we will only listen to vanity and praise, we are not much different than those who only wanted "smooth things" anciently. (Isa. 30: 10)

“The cure for some illness requires a knife to be used first before healing can begin. The purpose is not to injure, but only to heal” (Denver Snuffer).

The people became idolatrous.  They were placing their trust in the arm of flesh, and therefore put men between them and God.  This is a status wholly unacceptable to the Lord.  Those who trust in men are damned (D&C 76:98-101). 

Next we will look at the message that God had for Noah and his kingdom.  God sent them a message of repentance by the mouth of Abinadi, his messenger.  Hearing Abinadi’s word was the same as hearing God’s own word, for “it is the same” (D&C1:38).  He was a servant who came in the name of the Lord to declare repentance.  He preached to Noah and his people during the time of Pentecost.

King Noah and His Kingdom, Part 3

King Noah and His Kingdom, Part 3

“And he laid a tax of one fifth part of all they possessed, a fifth part of their gold and of their silver, and a fifth part of their ziff, and of their copper, and of their brass and their iron; and a fifth part of their fatlings; and also a fifth part of all their grain.

“And all this did he take to support himself, and his wives and his concubines; and also his priests, and their wives and their concubines; thus he had changed the affairs of the kingdom” (Mosiah 11:3-4).

Noah laid a heavy tax on his people of all they possessed, and did not use those moneys collected for a righteous purpose, but to support his own endeavors (vv. 3-4).  With that money he built many “elegant and spacious buildings,” made of the very finest materials and crafted with the finest workmanship to beautify his kingdom, including the temple and the land “near” it (vv. 8-10, 12).  King Noah loved money and things more than he loved God and people.  

It was for this very reason that the early saints were unable to secure Zion.  Lorenzo Snow said Latter-day Saints' early failure to secure Zion was "because of their love of money," and that "the Lord could have sustained the people against the encroachments of their enemies had they placed themselves in a condition where He would have been justified in doing so" (The Teachings of Lorenzo Snow, p. 159).  You cannot serve God and Mammon (Matt. 6:24).  We are blind if we believe that we would do any better than the early saints at such a heavenly endeavor.  The early saints at least made the attempt.  We don't know where to begin in our competitive society.    

Noah had not abandoned the temple as we might suppose of someone who is “abominable in the sight of the Lord” and full of “all manner of wickedness,” but he and his priests considered themselves worthy to continue worship within it.  He even did occasional renovations of fine work “within the walls of the temple” to beautify it (v. 10).  Mormon points out that the people supported the king and his priests in their iniquity (v.6).  Not because they sought iniquity, but because of their trust in the arm of flesh.   They acted as enablers in a vain cause. 

They only wanted to hear “smooth things” preached unto them.  This was “a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the law of the Lord: Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits…Wherefore thus saith the Holy One of Israel, Because ye despise this word, and trust in oppression and perverseness, and stay thereon: Therefore this iniquity shall be to you as a breach ready to fall, swelling out in a high wall, whose breaking cometh suddenly at an instant” (Isa. 30:9-13). 

Noah and his kingdom sought not “the welfare of Zion,” but rather to further the cause of Babylon, that they “may get gain and praise of the world” (2 Ne. 26:29).  Their practice of priestcraft was to them priesthood and authority.  But it was to the Lord nothing more than men who sought to gratify their pride, and who exercised “control or dominion or compulsion upon the souls of the children of men” (D&C 121:37).           

Through his example, teachings, and policy, Noah changed the affairs of the kingdom.  It’s actually much easier to do than we might suppose, and even one man can do it.   Because he cared more about himself, and his “vain ambition,” Noah was unable to do any good thing with his kingdom because the heavens had withdrawn themselves (Ibid.).  He was therefore left to kick against the pricks, and to “fight against God” (v. 38).  

King Noah and His Kingdom, Part 2

King Noah and His Kingdom, Part 2

“For behold, he did not keep the commandments of God, but he did walk after the desires of his own heart.  And he had many wives and concubines.  And he did cause his people to commit sin, and do that which was abominable in the sight of the Lord.  Yea, and they did commit whoredoms and all manner of wickedness” (Mosiah 11:2).

Noah was a polygamist who walked after the desires of his own heart.  There have been times when the practice of plural marriage has been authorized by revelation and commandment, and at other times received God’s censure (D&C 132:29, 34-35; Jacob 2:23-24).  Noah and his priests weren’t the first, or the only people in history that sought to excuse themselves in committing whoredoms, because of the things which are written about ancient kings (ibid.).  His example and teachings caused his people to commit sin, though neither he nor his people believed they were living in sin (Mosiah 12:13-14). 

Like the Pharisees’ reaction to the Lord, Noah and his people were surprised “that we should be condemned of God or judged of this man (ibid.).  They were surprised that somebody would challenge their righteousness.  The wicked priestly class of Christ’s day was surprised at His message of admonition and repentance.  In their view, they were the only people actually keeping all of the commandments.  To them, even Christ and his disciples transgressed “the tradition of the elders” (Matt.15:1-3).  Christ taught them that it was precisely by way of their tradition that they “transgressed the commandment of God” (ibid.).  Their pride had blinded them. 

Remember, this story is being told to us in retrospect through the lens of a righteous prophet-writer.  It is that prophet-writer who makes it clear to us that Noah and his people were wicked.  Prophets have a very different view of history, and of the unfolding current events than do those who belong to or sympathize with Babylon.  Because prophets commune with God, they are able to see things as God sees them. 

If we were to read a history about Noah and his people written by their own hand it would, of course, be highly complimentary.  Conspicuously absent from the record would be any details about human failure and weakness, especially of the king.  Their record would tout their accomplishments.  It would tell us about what great progress they made in the kingdom by way of building projects, for example.  They certainly kept and preserved records.  Otherwise, how would Mormon know so much about them. 

Since the king and his priests spoke “flattering,” and “lying and vain words” unto the people we shouldn’t expect that their record would reflect a greater degree of honesty (Mosiah 11:7, 11).   The ultra-religious always think they’re better than they really are, and they’re happy to talk about it. 

The wickedness and abominations of Noah and his priests led them to pride.  Their pride led them to boast in their own strength.  They believed that it was not possible that they should be brought into captivity, or into bondage.  They thought that because they had “prospered in the land,” they would always prosper (Mosiah 12:15).  But it was not to be so.