PROTECTING YOURSELF AGAINST THE FALSE DOCTRINES OF THE DAY:
There are so many great blessings we receive from the Book of Mormon we’re studying this year. In addition to teaching “the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ” (D&C 20:9), the Book of Mormon fortifies followers of Christ against the false teachings and ideas prevalent in the last days. One way it accomplishes this is by exposing the enemies of Christ and identifying the false doctrines they spread. As students study accounts of false teachers in the Book of Mormon, they will learn to discern between the truths of the gospel and the false concepts of the world.
- Think of the great advantages of studying Satan’s strategies before encountering them. How could this help your children and grandchildren?
The Book of Mormon:
1) exposes the enemies of Christ
2 Nephi 3:12:
“The fruit of thy loins shall write (the Book of Mormon), and the fruit of the loins of Judah shall write (the Bible) . . . shall grow together, unto the confounding (stopping) of false doctrines and laying down of contentions, and establishing peace . . . and bringing them to the knowledge of their fathers in the latter days, and also to the knowledge of my covenants).
2) fortifies the humble followers of Christ against evil designs
Pres Ezra Taft Benson wisely prophesized many years ago:
“The Book of Mormon exposes the enemies of Christ. It confounds false doctrines and lays down contention. (See 2 Ne. 3:12.) It fortifies the humble followers of Christ against the evil designs, strategies, and doctrines of the devil in our day. The type of apostates in the Book of Mormon are similar to the type we have today. God, with his infinite foreknowledge, so molded the Book of Mormon that we might see the error and know how to combat false educational, political, religious, and philosophical concepts of our time” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Ezra Taft Benson[2014], 132).
Examples of teaching false doctrine in the Book of Mormon:
Jacob and Sherem:
Sherem is the first of three anti-christs in the Book of Mormon. Sherem is typical of many who oppose the Church today-well educated (too smart for the church), full of self importance, skilled speaker and debater, appeals to popular ideas, flatters the people (teaching things they wanted to hear).
- 7: call good evil and evil good
no man can know of things to come (denying the existence of true prophets)
asked for a sign -struck down
gathered people together and confessed he was deceived by the power of the devil
died—Jacob’s prayers answered—many reconverted
- 23: read key to avoiding personal apostasy
Nehor: Alma 1: 2-
Nehor who was large and very strong-bearing down on church
Teaching only things that were popular (politically correct)
Read verses 3-5
Killed old Gideon—righteous man who fought King Noah—brought to judgment for crime
V 12 read: Introduced priestcraft: preaching what people want to hear instead of what they need to hear in order to make money
*In a broad sense, it applies to Hollywood, tv, music, advertising, and any media producers who study what people want to hear, which is opposite God’s laws, and then produce and sell their wares in order to become popular and gain wealth.
(imagine if our prophets just tried to be popular—their words are not popular—this is in line with God’s way)
Told people what he taught was wrong–put to death
- 16. But still influenced many people for the sake of riches and honor—loved the vain things of the world
Did a lot of damage—like those today on the internet
Alma 30: 31
Korihor-anti-Christ: Satan’s methods are the same
Review quickly to v 31
Called the teachings of the gospel—silly traditions of their fathers
Foolish and a vain hope/foolish traditions of your fathers
“ye cannot know of things which ye do not see”
“ye cannot know of their surety?”
v 42—Satan does his work through you
asked for a sign—v 44—earth is a sign-struck dumb
Korihor now admits he was lying—admits he was deceives by the devil & taught, no God, w about begging from house to house begging for food/trodden down and killed
Alma 30:60:
“And thus we see the end of him who perverteth the ways of the Lord; and thus we see that the devil will not support his children (followers) at the last day (when they desperately need his help), but doth speedily drag them down to hell.”
“Wicked one takes away light and truth,” D&C 93:39
- How? Through disobedience and traditions of their fathers.”
Alma 47: “Come down, just a little closer”
Amalickiah by treachery becomes king of the Lamanites—
Lehonti received message from Amalickiah to come down from the mount and talk with him four times. Amalickiah is like unto Satan—attempts through secrecy and trickery. He tries to casually come into our hearts and minds without us realizing it; we start to justify things we start to descend.
Read paper:
The Book of Mormon is definitely and specifically “scriptures for our time.”
- What similarities do you see that was taught in the Book of Mormon times, that is taught today, in the last days? Amazingly, it is very similar—Satan’s methods and trickery are the same—learn mistakes of B of M.
Scriptures for our time:
2 Nephi 28:3-15: in Last Days
Alma 47: “Come down, just a little closer”
Amalickiah by treachery becomes king of the Lamanites—
Lehonti received message from Amalickiah to come down from the mount and talk with him four times. Amalickiah is like unto Satan—attempts through secrecy and trickery. He tries to casually come into our hearts and minds without us realizing it; we start to justify things we start to descend.
President Monson’s video on Maka Feke’s in our Lives
President Monson:
“The world can at times be a frightening place in which to live. The moral fabric of society seems to be unraveling at an alarming speed. None—whether young or old or in-between-ois exempt from exposure to those things which have the potential to drag us down and destroy us . . .
But we need not despair . . . We are waging a war with sin . . . It is a war we can and will win. Our Father in Heaven has given us the tools we need in order to do so.”
Elder Soares:
“All of us, young and old, are faced daily with the war mentioned by President Monson. The enemy and his angels are trying to distract us. Their purpose is to encourage us to deviate from the covenants that we have made with the Lord, causing us to lose sight of our eternal inheritance.
They try to take advantage of our weakness and frailties, deceiving us with “mists of darkness . . . , which blindeth the eyes, and hardeneth the hearts of the children of men, and leadeth them away into broad roads, that they perish and are lost.”
Despite the oppostion we face, as President Monson has taught, this is a war that we can and will win. The Lord trusts in our capacity and determination to do so. The scriptures contain countless examples of those who have won their wars even in the midst of very hostile enemies.
Elder Soares taught that Satan uses false doctrine to justify sin.
“We cannot allow ourselves to be confused by popular messages that are easily accepted by the world and that contradict the doctrine and true principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Many of these worldly messages represent nothing more than an attempt of our society to justify sin.” (Yes, We can and will win!” Ensign May 2015, 75.
Here are other messages that contradict the doctrine and true principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ:
Family proclamation-marriage between a man and a woman (gap is huge and is widening)
President Thomas S. Monson has said,
“Where once the standards of the Church and the standards of society were mostly compatible, now there is a wide chasm between us, and it’s growing ever wider.”6 This chasm, for some, stirs strong spiritual whirlwinds.
This past month the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve published a letter to leaders of the Church across the world. In part it read:
“Changes in the civil law do not, indeed cannot, change the moral law that God has established. God expects us to uphold and keep His commandments regardless of divergent opinions or trends in society. His law of chastity is clear: sexual relations are proper only between a man and a woman who are legally and lawfully wedded as husband and wife. We urge you to review … the doctrine contained in ‘The Family: A Proclamation to the World.’”7
Importance of parenthood/motherhood
The difficulties faced by gospel teachers—parents or those called or employed—are magnified by the modern technology to which their young students have instant access. As Sister Julie B. Beck, former Relief Society general president, described a few years ago: “There are media messages everywhere that are antifamily, and our young people are very connected with media. … Increasingly, our youth are seeing no reason to form a family or get married in spite of all the teaching you give them. They are being desensitized about the need to form eternal families.”5
Abortion (ex of calling good evil and evil good).
Papa’s example: proud of 9 kids/ didn’t want to put how many on his books, when they introduce him, etc.
On elevator during Zero Population era—overpopulate the world. “Are these all your children, sir?” “Oh, no, they’re not.” “Thank heavens. I was going to say . . . “ “No, we couldn’t bring them all with us today, so we had to leave the big kids home to tend the little kids!” Not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Alcohol and drug use (take agency)
Philosophies of men
Dallin Oaks: (“As He Thinketh in His Heart”)
Here is another illustration:
“A powerful and influential modern school of thought is “moral relativism,” the idea that there is no absolute right or wrong. Behind that idea is the assumption that there is no God or, if there is a God, that He has given no commandments that apply to us today. That idea puts its adherents in the same position as the unfortunate people the prophet Mormon described as “without Christ and God in the world; … driven about as chaff before the wind” (Mormon 5:16).
Call good evil and evil good
(study 2 Nephi 28)
2 Nephi 28—speaking to members of the church
- 21:
“Others will he lull into carnal security . . . all is well in Zion, yea Zion prospereth, all is well—and thus the devil cheateth their souls, and leadeth them carefully down to hell.”
No belief in prophets—no one can know of things to come
No more revelation—Bible is the word of God and Book of Mormon is not scripture/fraud
False prophets
Elder Ballard:
“For in those days there shall also arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders, insomuch, that, if possible, they shall deceive the very elect, who are the elect according to the covenant.”
“False prophets and false teachers are those who declare that the Prophet Joseph Smith was a duplicitous deceiver; they challenge the First Vision as an authentic experience. They declare that the Book of Mormon and other canonical works are not ancient records of scripture. They also attempt to redefine the nature of the Godhead, and they deny that God has given and continues to give revelation today to His ordained and sustained prophets. …
“Perhaps most damningly, they deny Christ’s Resurrection and Atonement, arguing that no God can save us. They reject the need for a Savior. In short, these detractors attempt to reinterpret the doctrines of the Church to fit their own preconceived views, and in the process deny Christ and His messianic role.
“False prophets and false teachers are also those who attempt to change the God-given and scripturally based doctrines that protect the sanctity of marriage, the divine nature of the family, and the essential doctrine of personal morality. They advocate a redefinition of morality to justify fornication, adultery, and homosexual relationships” (“Beware of False Prophets and False Teachers,” Ensign, Nov. 1999, 63–64).
2 Nephi 9: 28, 29: “For when they are learned, they think they are wise and they heaken not to the counsels of God, for they set it aside, supposing they know of themselves, wherefore, their wisdom is foolishness and it profiteth them nothing.
But to be learned is good if they hearken to the counsels of God.”
After the parable of the 10 virgins, the Lord reveals the source of our protection from the adversary.
“For they that are wise and have received the truth, and have taken the Holy Spirit for their guide, and have not been deceived—verily I say unto you, they shall not be hewn down . . . and shall abide the day.” D & C 45:57
- How do we do this?
Repent of our sins each week by partaking of the sacrament
Follow the promptings of the spirit—whose mission it is to teach us, lead us to truth, and to testify of the Father and Son
Obtain the various gifts of the spirit:
“Wherefore, beware lest ye are deceived; and that ye may not be deceived seek ye earnestly the best gifts, always remembering for what they are given.”
Keep the commandments—do not do anything that will drive away the spirit
“Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.” James 1:22
“And now, if you believe all these things, see that ye do them.” Mosiah 4:10