Teaching the Truth by the Spirit of Truth
- These thoughts were prepared by Brother Tom Tyler of the Provo Utah Grandview Stake.
- “Verily I say unto you, he that is ordained of me and sent forth to preach the word of truth by the Comforter, in the Spirit of truth, doth he preach it by the Spirit of truth or some other way? (Doctrine and Covenants 50:13-23)
- The Lord has given us in the scriptures clear instruction how we are to teach and preach the gospel.
- “By the Spirit of Truth”, with the proper attitude –
- “With an eye single to the glory of God.” (Doctrine and Covenants 4:5)
- “The laborer in Zion should labor for Zion.” (2 Nephi 26:31)
- “The priest, not esteeming himself above his hearers, for the preacher was no better than the hearer, neither was the teacher any better than the learner, and thus they were all equal.” (Alma 1:26)
- “…or by some other way…”
- In 2 Nephi 26:29 we have been warned and cautioned against:
- “Set themselves up for a light.”
- “That they may get gain…”
- “And the praise of the world…”
- “They seek not the welfare of Zion…”
- In Doctrine and Covenants 121:34-37 we learn of “Hearts are set so much on the things of this world…”
- “Aspire to the honors of men”
- “To cover our sins,”
- “To gratify our pride.”
- To gratify our vain ambitions…”
- “To exercise control of dominion.”
- In 2 Nephi 26:29 we have been warned and cautioned against:
- “Teach the truth by the Spirit of truth” (Doctrine and Covenants 50:9-25)
- The truth is emphasized 10 times in this passage.
- “Teach one another the doctrines fo the kingdom” (Doctrine and Covenants 88:77-78)
- Teach what the prophets say (Doctrine and Covenants 21:4-9, 42:13, 52:9, Acts 2:24)
- Teach from the scriptures (Doctrine and Covenants 42:12, 33:16, 3 Nephi 23:14)
- “By some other way…”
- “The humble followers of Christ…in many instances do err because they are taught the precepts of men.” (2Nephi 28:14)
- “Of tenets thou shalt not talk.” (Doctrine and Covenants 19:31). Tenets are beliefs generally held to be true by members of a group. The Apostle Paul gave similar counsel to Timothy: “But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strife.” (2 Timothy 2:23-24)
- “There shall be many which shall teach…false and vain and foolish doctrines.” (2 Nephi 28:9)
- We are given gifts of the spirit “that ye may not be seduced by evil spirits, or doctrines of devils, or the commandments of men.” (Doctrine and Covenants 46:7, JSH 1:19)
- “Teach the truth by the Spirit of truth” (Doctrine and Covenants 50:9-25)
- :Let all things be done unto edifying.” (1 Corinthians 14:26, Doctrine and Covenants 50:22-23)
- “By some other way…”
- “Not with railing accusation.” (Doctrine and Covenants 50:33)
- “…doth make a mockery of his brother.” (Alma 5:30)
- “Teach the truth by the Spirit of truth” (Doctrine and Covenants 50:9-25)
- When teaching, we should not be a ‘sage on a stage’ but rather ‘a guide on the side’.
- Keep the doctrine and your teachings PURE!
- Teach your students to teach, and bear testimony!
- “Teach the truth by the Spirit of truth” (Doctrine and Covenants 50:9-25)
- “Thou shalt declare glad tidings…” (Doctrine and Covenants 19:30)
- “A voice of gladness…” (Doctrine and Covenants 128:19-22)
- “Let us cheerfully do all things…” (Doctrine and Covenants 123:17)
- “With a glad heart and cheerful countenance.” (Doctrine and Covenants 59:15)
- “Rejoice together…” (Doctrine and Covenants 50:22)
- “Thou shalt declare glad tidings…” (Doctrine and Covenants 19:30)
- “By some other way…”
- “Cast away…your excess of laughter from all your light speeches…and lightmindedness” (Doctrine and Covenants 88:69, 88:121)
- In 1832 a ‘light speech’ was what we call today an off-color joke.
- We are careful not to be using methods just to entertain students.
- “By the Spirit of Truth”, with the proper attitude –
- “Teach the truth by the Spirit of truth” (Doctrine and Covenants 50:9-25)
- “seek learning, even by study and also by faith.” (Doctrine and Covenants 88:118)
- “The Lord sent forth the fulness of his gospel…reasoning in plainness and simplicity.” (Doctrine and Covenants 133:57)
- “By small and simple things are great things brought to pass…and by very small means the Lord doth confound the wise and bringeth about the salvation of many souls.” (Alma 37:6-7)
- “I have spoken plainly that ye cannot err.” (2 Nephi 25:20, 32:7)
- “By some other way…”
- “They shall teach with their learning, and deny the Holy Ghost.” (2 Nephi 28:4-5)
- Elder Robert L. Simpson taught a principle that aptly applies to our teaching. “As we complicate our lives we discourage the gifts of the Spirit.” (New Era, 1977)
- The instruction Nephi gave to those who would write thereafter on the sacred gold plates is a principle important in teaching and speaking in the Church. “I shall give commandment unto my seed, that they shall not occupy these plates [or our classes and meetings] with thing which are not of worth unto the children of men.” (1 Nephi 6:6)
- “seek learning, even by study and also by faith.” (Doctrine and Covenants 88:118)
- “Teach the truth by the Spirit of truth” (Doctrine and Covenants 50:9-25)
- “And again, the elders, priests, and teachers of this church shall teach the principles of my gospel, which are in the Bible and the Book of Mormon, in the which is the fulness of the gospel.” (Doctrine and Covenants 42:12)
- Teachers are to say “none other thing than that which the prophets and apostles have written and that which is taught them by the Comforter through the prayer of faith.” (Doctrine and Covenants 52:9)
- “You can tell how spiritual a person is or is becoming by how much they use the language of the scriptures to express themselves.” (Elder Rex D. Pinegar)
- “I send you out to testify.” (Doctrine and Covenants 88:81)
- “Only by persuasion, by long-suffering, by gentleness and meekness, and by love unfeigned, by kindness and pure knowledge.” (Doctrine and Covenants 121:41-42)
- Young David David with King Saul about Goliath, and Nephi with Laman and Lemuel, teach us how to righteously persuade by seeing issues spiritually. They referred to the scriptures and bore strong personal testimony. They encouraged others to obedience and trust in the Lord. (See 1 Samuel 17:20-50 and 1 Nephi 3:14 to 4:5)
- “And again, the elders, priests, and teachers of this church shall teach the principles of my gospel, which are in the Bible and the Book of Mormon, in the which is the fulness of the gospel.” (Doctrine and Covenants 42:12)
- “By some other way…”
- They “preach up unto themselves their own wisdom and their own learning.” (2 Nephi 26:20)
- “O the vainness, and the frailties, and the foolishness of men. When they are learned they thing they are wise, and they hearken not unto the counsel of God, for they set it aside, supposing they know for themselves, wherefore their wisdom is foolishness and it profiteth them not, but to be learned is good if they hearken to the counsel of God.” (2 Nephi 9:28-29)
- “See that ye are not lifted up unto pride, yea, see that ye do not boast in your won wisdom.” (Alma 38:11)
- “When we undertake to exercise control of dominion or compulsion upon the souls of the children of me, in any degree of unrighteousness, behold, the heavens withdraw themselves.” (Doctrine and Covenants 121:37-39)
- We must be careful how we maintain our classes as “a house of order”. The word ‘discipline’ comes from the word ‘disciple’, one who chooses to follow a great teacher.
- “Teach the truth by the Spirit of truth” (Doctrine and Covenants 50:9-25)
- Being temperate in all things.” (Doctrine and Covenants 12:8 and Alma 38:10) Temperate means to be moderate, not extreme or excessive, keeping within limits of wisdom and prudence.
- “Use boldness, but not overbearance.” (Alma 38:12)
- “And let your preaching be the warning voice, in mildness and meekness. (Doctrine and Covenants 38:41) Meekness means to be gentle, not easily provoked or irritated.
- “He that speaker, whose spirit is contrite, whose language is meek and edifieth…” (Doctrine and Covenants 52:16)
- “Appoint yourself a teacher, and let not all be spokesman at once, but let one speak at a time and let all listen unto his sayings, that when all have spoken that all may be edified of all, and that every man may have an equal privilege.” (Doctrine and Covenants 88:122)
- We covenant in baptism to “comfort those that stand in need of comfort” by standing “as witnesses of God at all times and in all places. (Mosiah 18:8-9)
- “By some other way…”
- “Being overzealous…therefore being deceived.” (Mosiah 7:21 and 9:3)
- We must be careful in gospel teaching to avoid modern media methods used to try to influence and manipulate people by emotionalism, sensationalism, shock and hype, and an appeal to the baser nature.
- “There shall be no more disputations among you concerning my points of doctrine…he that hath the spirit of contention is not of me.” (3 Nephi 11:28-30)
- Such methods that foster debate, argumentation, and playing the ‘devil’s advocate’ are inappropriate in teaching the gospel.
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