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 When one
studies religious doctrine it may be done with encounters that
are spur of the moment where the spirit bears witness to the
truth of a particular doctrine. On the other hand the study
may take on a more methodical process that includes prayer.
The study may be of a particular theological subject, or to
compare the doctrine of their present church with that of a
different church. Whatever the case, doctrinal study is
personal and should be performed in such a way as to ensure
Christian truth is revealed and one’s testimony strengthened.
This is particularly important when studying doctrines of
various churches, where questionable outside influences can
take the unsuspecting Christian seeker off course and into
unimportant or false tangential areas.
Beware of Careless Scriptural Interpretations
The most dangerous thing about evaluating Christian religious
doctrine is that short of pure evil and without disciplined
study and interpretation, one can find scriptural support to
rationalize just about anything. For centuries man has found
ways of extracting scriptures from the Bible, applying
expansive interpretation with human philosophy, and walking
away with questionable insights that eventually turn into
“man-made doctrine.” Interpreting scriptures out of context is
a rampant exercise that has led to the justification of
murder, injustice, persecution, and all manner of sin. This
being a far cry from what scripture was meant for according to
Paul in his letter to Timothy which states: “all scripture is
given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine,
for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness”
(2 Tim. 3: 16). What is required to avoid such pitfalls in
religious doctrinal study is three fold: 1) having the Spirit
of the Lord; 2) being intellectually prepared; and 3) using
credible sources of information:
Having the Spirit of the Lord
The most important element in formulating truth from a
doctrinal perspective is to have the Spirit of the Lord to
guide the seeking individual. Paul spoke of the Spirit
educating man when he told the Corinthians: “For what man
knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is
in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the
Spirit of God” (1 Corinthians 2:11).
Dallin H. Oaks of the quorum of the twelve apostles said the
following with respect to having the Spirit of the Lord: “God
teaches His sons and daughters by the power of His Spirit,
which enlightens their minds and speaks peace to them
concerning the questions they have asked. We also learn from
these revelations that being taught by the Spirit is not a
passive thing. Often the Lord’s communication does not come
until we have studied matters out in our own minds. Then we
receive a confirmation” (Dallin H. Oaks, “Teaching and
Learning by the Spirit,” Ensign, Mar 1997, 7).
The Spirit of the Lord can transform the simplest and smallest
things into that which is mighty and awesome. The Apostle Paul
wrote “But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to
confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the
world to confound the things which are mighty” (1 Corinthians
1:27). It is often the small and unassuming things of our
world, through the spirit, that bring about great spiritual
works.
The Spirit of the Lord supersedes anything else intellectually
or academically. From as far back as there have been
scriptures available, the world has seen a vast array of
scriptural interpretations. The same scripture from the Bible
can be, and has been, interpreted many different ways, leaving
the reader confused and bewildered. The Spirit of the Lord can
break through all of that and speak directly to the individual
(spirit to spirit), providing answers to those who earnestly
seek spiritual truth. For more information on the Spirit of
the Lord see the website section and Sword Series™ essay on
the Holy Ghost.
Being Intellectually Prepared
Although the Spirit of the Lord is most critical to
understanding and reconciling doctrinal differences, one
cannot dismiss entirely the value of intellectual preparation.
The place of such knowledge in the seeking of spiritual truth
is to properly place scriptural references into context,
enable the comprehension of historical perspectives, and to
recognize when additional research is necessary—all of which
can be extremely valuable.
One need not be a theologian or scriptural scholar to be
intellectually prepared for doctrinal study. Such academic
preparation can be a blessing or a curse, depending on the
degree to which such knowledge is an accelerator or inhibitor
to the Spirit of the Lord. One must remember that spirituality
is about faith and therefore the component of intellectuality
takes a back seat to faith. If that were not the case, then
the vast majority of Christians in the world today would be
unable to participate in religion due to illiteracy and lack
of education.
Intellectual preparation without having the Spirit of the Lord
can be a hindrance in finding and understanding spiritual
truth. This can happen when individuals study doctrine and
attempt to rely on intellectual ability while overlooking the
component of faith. This is precisely the reason that the Lord
said to his disciples “Except ye be converted, and become as
little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of
heaven” (Matthew 18:3). Children are less apt to rely on their
intellect and more likely to rely on the guidance they receive
from parents—especially a Heavenly parent!
Although there are individuals who may be more intellectually
prepared than yourself to conduct serious theological study—if
you can read with average comprehension, are open to the
spirit, and desire to know the truth in Christianity, you are
prepared enough to begin such a journey and will find yourself
more and more prepared as you exercise study and prayer.
Using Credible and Authoritative Sources
It was Sir Isaac Newton who said “If I have seen a little
farther than others it is because I have stood on the
shoulders of giants.” There are many individuals and
institutions that have come before the Foundation, who have
conducted enormous amounts of research, study, and meditation
on the various doctrines explored by our theological team. All
of us Christians will greatly benefit from their hard work and
inspiration. The staff at the Foundation consider it a key
responsibility to identify and utilize the most credible and
authoritative sources of information, while employing a
disciplined and structured methodology to carry out the
doctrinal exploration performed in this study forum. To
accomplish this we utilized a variety of sources as required
and appropriate:
The Bible as a Primary Scriptural Source
Because most of the Christian world is familiar with the
Bible, the Foundation makes a concerted effort to use the
Bible as a primary source. For the vast majority of the
Foundation’s study we use the King James Version of the Bible.
Although there are other translations of the Bible that are
easier to understand and utilize a more modern language, we
have found that some of these other versions of the Bible take
liberties in their translations that can distort the writers
intended meaning.
Other Canonized Scriptures
Despite the fact that many Christians don’t accept, nor
embrace scriptures outside of the Bible, the Foundation does
and will utilize the Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants,
and Pearl of Great Price when it is believed the reader can
benefit from the added insight that these remarkable modern
day scriptures can bring.
Other Sources
Because the Foundation largely embraces the Christian belief
system of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, our
forum will utilize additional sources that have been produced
by the Church or General Authorities within the Church such
as: Gospel Principles, copyright 1997, published by the Church
of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; Mormon Doctrine,
copyright 1966 by Bruce R. McConkie; and articles and talks
written by past and present General Authorities of the Church
(generally printed in Church sponsored magazines).
Belief versus True Doctrine
There are times when we as Christians may sometimes believe in
something that may not be a part of our present church’s
doctrine or teachings. For instance, you may have spoken to
Christians who believe in reincarnation, Catholics who believe
in birth control, Evangelicals who are pro-choice, and
Latter-day Saints who drink a little coffee every now and
then. In each case, the belief system of the individual on a
particular principle is in contrast to the teachings of their
faith community.
It’s common for someone studying Christianity to come across
teachings that are in contrast to the teachings of their
current faith community to which they ascribe to. This
contradiction in belief versus doctrine can come about for
three reasons:
-
The Holy
Spirit can bear witness to an individual from an early age
of the truth of certain principles and doctrines. This
typically happens when someone is seeking the truth from the
Lord and is ready to receive such revelation, regardless of
their religious affiliation.
-
An
individual can come across a true principle which fits with
their way of thinking and therefore they quickly embrace it.
-
An
individual can come across a false principle and is deceived
into believing its authenticity, usually by another deceived
individual with reinforcement by Satan. Such is the case
with reincarnation, which has absolutely no scriptural
foundation and is completely out-of-step with Christian
doctrine.
When such
a doctrinal contradiction arises the seeking Christian can
reject the teaching, they may already believe in the doctrine,
or they may eventually embrace the teaching through study and
prayer. Some of the doctrines discussed by the Foundation may
ring familiar and align with the beliefs of the reader
immediately. Some of the doctrines discussed may be foreign to
the reader and inspire additional study and meditation.
Aligning Belief to True Christian Doctrine
Even though an individual doesn’t believe in a certain
doctrine, if the doctrine is a true doctrine of the gospel of
Jesus Christ then that individual must find a way to align
their belief to that doctrine. Some doctrines will be
challenging because they don’t align with what you have been
previously taught. When that happens the Foundation recommends
that you take the Savior’s advice and “become like a child.”
In a state of child like faith you should pray, read the
scriptures, and ponder the doctrine more fully through the
spirit. Keep in mind that you should never allow yourself to
be “convinced” of a doctrine, but rather you come to embrace a
doctrine through faith. Always rely on the Lord to guide your
study and allow the Holy Ghost to help you discern what is
true.
Understanding Simple Doctrine before Advanced
The apostle Paul admonished the early Christians to learn
simple doctrines first, followed by more advanced doctrines
later. In his first letter to the Corinthians he wrote: “I
have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye
were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able” (1 Cor.
3:2). Paul wrote a similar passage in his letter to the
Hebrews (Heb. 5:12). Jesus Christ counseled the Pharisee
Nicodemus on this same issue as recorded in John 3:12 when he
said: “If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not,
how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?” When
one desires to understand the deep spiritual doctrines of
Christianity they must be prepared to exercise faith and
understanding in the more basic doctrines of the gospel of
Jesus Christ first.
In a forum such as this, which explores a variety of
doctrines, many of them advanced in spiritual nature, it is
prudent to point out that care must be taken and preparations
made to understand simple doctrines first and then to progress
on to the more advanced doctrines. For this reason the
Foundation has organized its website in such a way that each
section is somewhat preparatory to the next in logical
succession. You can use the website as a reference to skip
from one section to another in random fashion, but in doing so
you may find yourself trying to digest meat when you have
skipped the milk of earlier sections.
If you come across a doctrinal concept you don’t understand
the Foundation recommends prayer, earnest study, and the
exercising of as much faith as you can muster. By doing so you
will have the opportunity to receive personal revelation
through the Holy Ghost that will answer your prayer and
provide the understanding you are looking for. Be cautious
when counseling with individuals, preachers, or pastors about
doctrinal issues if you feel they may have an ulterior motive,
or if you feel they may not be prepared themselves to
participate in earnest and objective study on the doctrines of
Christianity. Remember, the Spirit of the Lord is the best
teacher you can have when studying Christian doctrine.
Prepare to be challenged
There may be instances where through the explanation of
doctrines or the sharing of experiences you may find yourself
spiritually challenged. When this happens it can be
uncomfortable, even distressing. If you experience this we
suggest that you turn to God in prayer and seek the guidance
of the Holy Ghost (who brings the Spirit of the Lord) for
direction and understanding.
CAUTION: Remember that the battle for souls is real in
our modern day and there will be many people who will
passionately assert themselves to discourage you from studying
a form of Christianity that is different from their own. They
may do this out of ignorance, out of a need to justify their
own religious decisions, out of the pride of their own hearts,
or perhaps even greed. Don’t be led away by pamphlets,
derogatory websites, or even the misguided concern of friends
and family; find the truth yourself using the tools God gave
all of his children: the scriptures, prayer, and the Holy
Ghost. As Jesus Christ told his disciples: “Ask, and it shall
be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be
opened unto you” (Matt. 7:7).
Doctrinal Study:
Preparation: Studying Gospel Doctrine
Download the
Sword Series™ essay on Studying Gospel Doctrine |
