Monday, April 02, 2018

Timeline Prediction Muddies Observable Truth Dispensation

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I'm looking for scriptures or prophets' teachings that express the idea that God will unfold the Restoration as fast as the Church is willing to receive it. I believe I've read something like that, but I can't find where.

Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith (2009) p. 149 has "Even the least Saint may know all things as fast as he is able to bear them," and that might be extrapolated to the Church as a whole. p.9 (ibid) has "Could we all come together with one heart and one mind in perfect faith the veil might as well be rent today as next week, or any other time."

There are all the versions of "unto him that receiveth it shall be given more abundantly" (D&C 71:6; 2 Ne. 28:30; etc.)

In Ether 4:6, the Lord speaks about the full writings of the brother of Jared: "They shall not go forth unto the Gentiles until the day that they shall repent of their iniquity, and become clean before the Lord." So that's kind of what I'm thinking of, but this verse is very specific to that book being revealed, not the revelation of principles or policies in general.

In D&C 71 the Lord commands Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon to go on a preaching mission for a while to "prepare the way for the commandments and revelations which are to come." (v. 4). But that doesn't really say anything like, "the revelation won't come until they're ready" which is the gist I remember.

Similarly, in D&C 109:14-15, it's written, "those who shall worship in this house may be taught words of wisdom out of the best books, and that they may seek learning even by study, and also by faith, as thou hast said; And that they may grow up in thee, and receive a fulness of the Holy Ghost, and be organized according to thy laws, and be prepared to obtain every needful thing". But again, it doesn't explicitly say they won't obtain the needful things until they are prepared.

1 Nephi 3:7 read in this context could be interpreted as "God won't give the church a commandment unless he prepares a way for them to accomplish it" and perhaps waiting until we are ready to receive the commandment is a part of his preparation. And Alma 16:16-17 supports that interpretation: "the Lord did pour out his Spirit on all the face of the land to prepare the minds of the children of men, or to prepare their hearts to receive the word which should be taught among them at the time of his coming— That they might not be hardened against the word, that they might not be unbelieving, and go on to destruction, but that they might receive the word with joy".

In 3 Nephi 17:2-3, the Savior says "I perceive that ye are weak, that ye cannot understand all my words which I am commanded of the Father to speak unto you at this time. Therefore, go ye unto your homes, and ponder upon the things which I have said, and ask of the Father, in my name, that ye may understand, and prepare your minds for the morrow, and I come unto you again." But this is on a very short time scale, and I'm thinking of the process of the Church changing over years, due not only to size and geography of the church (like changes in quorums of the 70 organization), but spiritual readiness of its membership.

I've been thinking about this because of the major announcements at General Conference. I think the members' preparation to receive new things is an important limiting factor to how often new things are revealed. Certainly the preparation of the hearts and minds of the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve is also a limiting factor, but I'm inclined to believe that they're more ready to receive greater truths than the church as a whole, and that the membership really are the greater limiting factor. In this light, the work of becoming united with one another as a church appears to be a way for us to speed along the Restoration.

On the other hand, there's the danger of believing we or the church leadership are the ones in charge of the time table for revelation. The Lord has said, "Behold, I will hasten my work in its time." (D&C 88:73) Demanding that this or that change should happen in the church just when we think it should could result in looking beyond the mark: "But behold, the Jews were a stiffnecked people; and they despised the words of plainness, and killed the prophets, and sought for things that they could not understand. Wherefore, because of their blindness, which blindness came by looking beyond the mark, they must needs fall; for God hath taken away his plainness from them, and delivered unto them many things which they cannot understand, because they desired it. And because they desired it God hath done it, that they may stumble." (Jacob 4:14).

I do believe that members talking with each other and with the media about difficult issues influences the timing of major changes, and that it should continue to happen. But I don't think it's working in the same way that grassroots political movements do, influencing policy makers through lobbying or voter pressure. Instead, I see those discussions as preparing people's minds, digging and pruning and dunging (a lot of dunging!) so that the growth can happen at the pace that natural growth happens -- sometimes in spurts like my kids are doing right now, but usually imperceptibly slowly.

Lots of people are saying things like "Wow, President Nelson sure is making a lot of changes!", but none of these changes developed in the time since President Monson died. He wasn't holding all this back or standing it its way. There weren't secret meetings between all the other 14 planning to do all these things once he wasn't around to veto them anymore. They've been working together on this stuff for a long time. And the Lord decided when the time was right for it to happen.

3 comments:

Unknown said...

I don't have any insight for you, I am just so glad that's where your thoughts went and you are looking and sharing what you have studied so far!

Steve said...

Steeeeeeeeeve!

Maybe this?

“God hath not revealed anything to Joseph, but what He will make known unto the Twelve, and even the least Saint may know all things as fast as he is able to bear them, for the day must come when no man need say to his neighbor, Know ye the Lord; for all shall know Him … from the least to the greatest [see Jeremiah 31:34].”
https://www.lds.org/manual/teachings-joseph-smith/chapter-22

Not exactly I suppose, it's saying that anyone can know as much as the prophet does, "as fast as he is able to bear them".

tpmotd said...

Ooo, good one! Thanks, Steveca!