The Holy Ghost can and does speak to
everyone, Baptists, Lutherans, and Catholics included. C.S. Lewis could not
have written and comprehended what he wrote and understood, unless the light of
the Holy Ghost shown upon his mind. He declares the light of eternal truths in
his writings. This is one of the manifestations of the Holy Ghost, or
Comforter.
Therefore it is given to abide in you;
the record of heaven; the Comforter; the peaceable things of immortal glory;
the truth of all things; that which quickeneth all things, which maketh alive
all things; that which knoweth all things, and hath all power according to
wisdom, mercy, truth, justice and judgment. (Moses 6:61)
This is in contrast to the power given
by Christ to lay on hands for the Holy Ghost. For power to do that, Christ
touched (and must touch) the man given that power. When Christ
actually gave power to give the Holy Ghost, the Book of Mormon account stresses
repeatedly that He touched them: There is a difference between a visit by
the Holy Ghost and having its presence always to be with you. "A man may receive the Holy
Ghost, and it may descend upon him and not tarry with him." (D&C 130:23.) This difference
accounts for the Holy Ghost being available to all, on the one hand, and the
power to lay on hands to confer the gift given by those upon whom Christ has
laid His hands, on the other hand.
Many people believe they have the Holy
Ghost with them when their emotions are stirred, or they are thrilled by some
appealing talk, comment, praise or flattery. However these incidents do not
increase light and truth, comprehension or intelligence and are not the Holy
Ghost. They are only emotional experiences. Emotional experiences can be
replicated in a number of ways. Music, movies, television commercials, general
conference talks, books, testimonies, prayers and any number of physical
experiences can create tears, goosebumps, or other things that we have
incorrectly associated with the Holy Ghost.
Very often the truth conveyed by the
Holy Ghost is hard to hear, difficult to follow, and breaks your heart.
Sometimes the truth is bitter. But bitter truth is better than pleasing lies
and flattery. It is a profound misunderstanding of the "Holy
Ghost" when a person concludes it can never convey a message that
condemns, convicts or challenges you. Much of what the Holy Ghost will convey -
light and truth - causes pain, provokes change and repentance because you are
convicted of errors.
Alma was tutored by the Holy Ghost and
it convicted him of his sins. He described it as "my God did rack my soul with
inexpressible horror." (Alma 36:14.) "For three days and for three
nights was I racked, even with the pains of a damned soul." (Id., v. 16.) He said "I was thus
racked with torment, while I was harrowed up by the memory of my many
sins." (Id., v.
17.) He repented because he received accurate information by the power of
the Holy Ghost showing him exactly where he stood before God. This enabled him
to repent and return to God.
It is a mistake to conclude that only
good feelings, reassurance and praise comes through the Holy Ghost. It is
likewise a profound error to assume a message that challenges you, tells you
bad news about your present mistakes, and warns you to change course is dark,
evil or cannot be from God.
There is no organization controlling the
Holy Ghost.
Missionaries quote Moroni 10:4, and
admonish everyone to pray and ask God if the Book of Mormon is true.
Investigators are promised that God will manifest the truth of it unto them
"by the power of the Holy Ghost." These are unbaptized, unwashed, and
uninitiated investigators who are told they can hear the Holy Ghost speak truth
to them. The Holy Ghost does, can, and will speak to anyone.
The claim an organization has a
franchise over the Holy Ghost is hollow. The idea the Holy Ghost can be
controlled is false. The fact LDS Mormons are acquainted with the Holy Ghost
means very little. That acquaintance does not distinguish Latter-day Saints,
and it does not separate others from the Holy Ghost and its ministrations, no
matter who they are.
The Holy Ghost does not thrill, it
informs. It gives understanding. Thrilling music can rouse you. A great TV show
can give you goose bumps. That is not the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost enlightens
minds, it enlivens senses, it brings light and new and more complete
understanding.
"The first Comforter, or Holy
Ghost has no other effect than pure intelligence." TPJS,
p. 149.
"No man can receive the Holy Ghost
without receiving revelations. The Holy Ghost is a revelator." TPJS,
p. 328.
There are some people who have the
Spirit with them in such abundance, that to be in their presence is to
understand things better. Understanding, comprehension, light and truth—these
are the effects of the Holy Ghost.
The word "apostle" means
someone sent. An apostle of Jesus Christ must be sent by Him to claim to be His apostle.
Christ gave the power to baptize in 3
Nephi 11:19-21 by telling Nephi (and later others) He empowered them: "And
Nephi arose and went forth, and bowed himself before the Lord and did kiss his
feet. And the Lord commanded him that he should arise. And he arose and stood before him. And
the Lord said unto him: I give unto you power that ye shall baptize this people
when I am again ascended into heaven. And again the Lord called others, and
said unto them likewise; and he gave unto them power to baptize." Christ did not
touch them because it is not required for this authority to be given by Him. He
only said to them, "I give you power to
baptize."
Although the record does not mention any
prior ordination, these disciples in all likelihood had been previously
ordained. But when Christ came to the Nephites, He was renewing His church. All
that was needed for Him to convey the power to baptize was (and is) for Christ
to tell the recipient of the power that it is given.
"And it came to pass that when
Jesus had made an end of these sayings, he touched with his hand the disciples whom he
had chosen, one by one, even until he had touched them all, and spake unto them as he touched them. And the multitude heard not the
words which he spake, therefore they did not bear record; but the disciples
bare record that he gave them power to give the Holy Ghost. And I will show
unto you hereafter that this record is true." (3 Ne.
18:36-37.)
The Book of Mormon does show how it was
given:
"And he called them by name,
saying: Ye shall call on the Father in my name, in mighty prayer; and after ye
have done this ye shall have power that to him upon whom ye shall lay your
hands, ye shall give the Holy Ghost; and in my name shall ye give it, for thus
do mine apostles." (Moro. 2:2.)
Laying on hands for the Holy Ghost is an
ordinance belonging to an "apostle" or witness to whom Christ has
ministered and empowered. Acts 1:22; see also Oliver Cowdery’s February 1835
charge to the twelve found at DHC 2:192-198, reproduced in part below.
In our own dispensation the laying on of
hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost was likewise an ordinance to be performed
only by an "apostle" upon whom Christ laid hands:
"An apostle is an
elder, and it is his calling to baptize; …And to confirm those who are baptized
into the church, by the laying on of hands for the baptism of fire and the Holy
Ghost, according to the scriptures…" (D&C 20:38, 41.)
Section 20 was given in April 1830 when
the term "apostles" was not associated with an organized church
administrative body. At the time the revelation was given, the likely
candidates for properly claiming the title of “apostle” were Joseph Smith,
Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer and Martin Harris. These four previously had the
heavens opened to them. They had seen the plates of the Book of Mormon, and
heard the voice of God declaring a message to them. However, there were many
others in the earliest days who claimed to be "apostles," and the
term had no settled meaning in April 1830.
Today many Latter-day Saints associate
the term “apostles” with a quorum that did not exist in 1830. Reference to this
"quorum" could not have been the meaning used in Section 20. When
this revelation was given, all the elders in the church called themselves
“apostles” of Jesus Christ. That practice gradually changed after the quorum of
twelve had been organized. Reinterpreting the term used in Section 20
because in 1835 there was an organization of a church quorum of twelve is not
justifiable.
Arguably members of an administrative
body, even if given the honorific title "Apostles," would still need
to qualify as "apostles" to have the power to confer the gift of the
Holy Ghost.
The quorum of twelve were chosen by the
Three Witnesses and ordained as Apostles by them. Oliver Cowdery gave them
a charge that imposed the same obligation on the quorum as would be expected of
any “apostle.” Cowdery’s charge told them it was necessary to have Christ lay
hands on them to complete their ordination:
"It is necessary that you
receive a testimony from heaven to yourselves; so that you can bear testimony
to the truth of the Book of Mormon, and that you have seen the face of
God. That is more than the testimony of an angel. When the proper time arrives,
you shall be able to bear this testimony to the world. When you bear testimony
that you have seen God, this testimony God will never suffer to fall, but will
bear you out; although many will not give heed, yet others will. You will
therefore see the necessity of getting this testimony from
heaven. Never cease striving until you have seen God face to face.
Strengthen your faith; cast off your doubts, your sins, and all your unbelief;
and nothing can prevent you from coming to God. Your ordination is not full and
complete till God has laid his hand upon you. We require as much to qualify us
as did those who have gone before us; God is the same. If the Savior in former
days laid his hands upon his disciples, why not in latter days? . . .
The time is coming when you will be perfectly familiar with the things of God.
. . . You have our best wishes, you have our most fervent prayers, that you may
be able to bear this testimony, that you have seen the face of
God. Therefore call upon him in faith in mighty prayer till you prevail,
for it is your duty and your privilege to bear such a testimony for yourselves." (DHC, 2:192-96, emphasis
added.)
LDS practice does not limit laying on
hands to an apostle Christ has touched and given power. Nor do members of the
quorum of the twelve receive the charge given by Oliver Cowdery to the first
apostles called by the Three Witnesses.
Many people foolishly conclude that the
Holy Ghost is telling them something is "dark" or "evil" if
it causes discomfort, pain or disappointment. The emotional response should be
separated from deciding whether it comes from the Holy Ghost, or if the message
is truthful. Does it enlighten?
Does it impart knowledge? Does it cause a desire to change? Repent?
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