Testing the words of LDS leaders with Biblical Truth:
February 2010
Aaronic Priesthood Manual 2
* Spirituality is the consciousness of victory over self (pages 25-26):
Explain that to begin the lesson you would like to give the young men a quiz… This quiz should lead the young men from obvious to more reflective thought about their self-control.
1. Can you make your body walk?…
9. Can you make your body kneel to pray and read the scriptures daily?
10. Can you keep your body from reacting to evil thoughts?
11. Can you make your body respond properly to anger, greed, hate, jealousy, envy, and pride?
12. Can you make your body respond positively to the promptings of the Holy Ghost?
What is spirituality? … (Page 26): President David O. McKay defined spirituality as “the consciousness of victory over self, and of communion with the Infinite”…
• What do you think President McKay meant? Have the young men silently read Doctrine and Covenants 88:15. [15 And the spirit and the body are the soul of man.]
• What two things make up the “soul” of man?
• If a person is truly spiritual, which of the two will be in control, his spirit or his body?
Page 27: “As I grew into manhood, I had many opportunities to observe others… As I studied these men, I saw that each was really a team—a team of two. Just as I and the horse, as a team working together, could accomplish great things, a man who listened to his spirit and insisted that his body and his spirit work together could accomplish great things. I determined in my youth that this was the kind of person I wanted to become.”
• How much effort does it take to get our bodies to take directions from our spirits? Help the young men understand that we must work hard to achieve this kind of mastery.
Test these LDS Words with Biblical Truth:
The LDS belief that a person can obtain victory over self through self-mastery is false. The prophets and apostles of the Bible are emphatic about man’s inability to overcome sin or, self-mastery.
“What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin; As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: Their feet are swift to shed blood: Destruction and misery are in their ways: And the way of peace have they not known: There is no fear of God before their eyes.” Romans 3:9-18
Anyone who believes that they can reach self-mastery of their body with their spirit are in error. In fact, believing in this actually leads you away from your Savior. The truth is that Jesus came to save those who are weak and full of sin:
“For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence. But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.” 1 Corinthians 1:26-31
If you would like to read more on this, go to this blog Page “Do You Have An Eternal Family?” written on April 24, 2009; or, Click here:
Also, here is an amazing article showing the false thinking of those who think that “God helps those who help themselves”. The article is called “God Helps Those Who Cry Out for Help.” Click here:
Latter-day Saint Woman 