ARE PROPHETS
TRUE OR FALSE?

It is reasonable to assume that there have been millions, of people throughout history who have claimed to receive messages from God. We have probably all heard someone say “God told me,” or even said it ourselves. Most people do not claim to have heard an audible voice, but many claim to have had dreams, visions, impressions that they believe came from God. The majority of these “revelations” have likely been personal and unshared, but there have been many that claim to be messages that God wants to be widely shared. These "revelations" are shared by “prophets,” individuals through whom God delivers His truth to others. It is this kind of prophecy or revelation upon which religious movements are built.

Not very many people are bold enough to claim that their own ideas and writings have innate authority worthy of wide allegiance, but “prophets” either legitimately or illegitimately claim that their ideas come from God. And so our challenge is not to just believe or disbelieve a prophets’ revelations but to find some ways to determine the validity of their claims.

If it is true that believing something is true makes it true we are caught in the middle of a world of mad chaos, a world full of people going everywhere and nowhere at the same time. If believing could create reality there would be a whole lot more lottery winners.

Whenever I go through a Bible study guide I must admit that if I am going to consider the study to have authority in my life I must recognize that the authority of the Bible rests on the validity of it’s often repeated claim to be revelations from God, given by people who claim to be prophets of God. If any of the prophets or any of their revelations fail the tests of absolute accuracy then there is significant reason to doubt their validity and their authority.

I am not capable of exhaustive research into the accuracy of the Bible, (no one person is) but I am (and everyone is) capable of some investigation. I am prone to do the very thing I criticize, simply believe something because I feel like it is believable. However, I ought to recognize that my present and eternal relationship with God rests on the validity of the source from which I get my religious authority.

I have proven time and again throughout my life that to trust my feelings or the advice of others can be a big mistake. The validity, accuracy, authenticity, indeed the reality of my sources of truth are crucial factors in deciding what to believe or disbelieve in life. It may not be life altering in what I believe about the best car to buy, or how to vote, but it absolutely matters in my choice of who and what to believe regarding my relationship with God.

Coming to “Come Follow Me” study guides I am challenged to consider three different sources that claim to be truth. 1. The Bible. 2. LDS Scriptures (The Book of Mormon / The Pearl of Great Price / The Book of Mormon / The Doctrine and Covenants) and 3. the continuing revelations of LDS Apostles and Prophets.
Remembering the fact that simply believing (even convinced believing) cannot change something that is false into something that is true, there must be some things that can best guide my choices to truth. How can I evaluate the Bible, and LDS Scriptures most appropriately? Surely there are some questions I can investigate.

How accurately have the messages been transmitted from what the original prophets claimed to have received from God? Is what I can read true to the original text? Does the content of the text accurately portray the real world’s history and geography? While there are people who argue that the present texts of the Bible are far removed from the original writings, there are many many textual critics who have concluded that in evaluating the thousands upon thousands of texts copied in the original languages it is reasonable to believe that there is more than 95% certainty that we are able to read the original texts accurately. It is both valid and important to put anything that claims to be “Prophetic Scripture” to similar tests.

The primary appeal for the authenticity and authority of the Book of Mormon is written in the Introduction to the text: “We invite all men everywhere to read the Book of Mormon, to ponder in their hearts the message it contains, and then to ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ if the book is true. Those who pursue this course and ask in faith will gain a testimony of its truth and divinity by the power of the Holy Ghost. (See Moroni 10:3–5.)” There is no appeal to faithfulness to ancient texts because there are none to evaluate. There is no appeal to history or geography because there are no matches to investigate. LDS "Scriptures" claim to restore and correct lost Biblical texts rests on the testimony of LDS prophets. This is important to recognize because much of the Come, Follow Me study guide appeals to LDS Authorities to guide their interpretation of the Bible.

If there were no real earthly evidence of a people called Israelites, no country called Judea, or no cities called Jerusalem, or Bethlehem, or no Roman persecution of the followers of a Jesus Christ, could the Bible be really true? Could praying and believing make all those non-existent things really true?

Of course the testimony that Neil Evans believes the Bible to be true ought not be the foundation for anyone else to believe it. Believing is a personal choice, but it seems to me that the choosing ought to involve continual and serious evaluation of the available evidence.

The Apostle Thomas is often called “Doubting Thomas” because he questioned the resurrection of Jesus. He said: “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.” Eight days later Jesus appeared to the disciples when Thomas was with them. Jesus said to Thomas: “put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” Jesus gave Thomas tangible evidence of His resurrection. Jesus gave tangible evidence to hundreds of people that He is alive. Thomas was not wrong to seek evidence. He would have been wrong to not believe the evidence he found.

I look forward to reading the Bible and studying again the Justice and Grace of God as He faithfully rescues people from their sin. I hope you will read and ponder the Bible too.