The Eight Article of Faith

We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly; we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God.

Reading through all of the standard works this year has been helpful for this, but so is going through old issues of the Ensign. 

Currently I am reading through 1982, and there is a series, "How the Bible came to be."

Sometimes I will remember old articles, but this came out when I was ten and I am pretty sure I didn't read it. I am somewhat familiar with some stages from the Reformation onward, but there are a lot of things I did not know here, even if parts of it are familiar. 

So that's what the Septuagint is! 

For an Ensign article that made a huge impression on me at the time, see "The Bible -- Only 4263 Languages to Go" by Joe Stringham, from the January 1990 Ensign: 

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/ensign/1990/01/the-bible-only-4263-languages-to-go?lang=eng

It is about translating into different languages. One example it gives is Isaiah 52:15.

In the King James Version it is translated as "So shall He sprinkle many nations." That would probably sound like a reference to the sprinkling in various sacrifices so relating to sanctification and purification, though I imagine for religions that baptize by sprinkling, it could also represent bringing these nations into the fold.

However, in other translations it translates as scattering (which is a thing that happened), astonishing or causing to recoil (also plausible), and grammatically it can also switch the subject and object.

It could make one feel hopeless about ever getting anything out of the scriptures, except that it happens all the time anyway. Sometimes it can mean different things.

There is another phrase that repeats in Isaiah, "For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still." (Isaiah 9:12, 21 and 10:4)

The first few times I read it, I thought of the hand as a punishing one, because of the anger. More recently I have read it as that even with the anger, it is still stretched out as a welcome, and plea for return.

Even though the book does not change, we do change and there is room for all manner of experience in it. 

That is one of the things that I keep seeing more, and taking more hope from. 

As imperfect as we all are, and flawed and with so much to learn, there is room for that.

There is room for us. 

One issue that came up for some translators and compilers was how much was figurative and how much was literal. 

I think that's a reasonable question, and that there is not always an easy answer, but I think that might also be the wrong question.

It seems completely possible to me that there could be times when the original author was writing something to the best of their understanding, but their understanding was limited if not actually wrong.

Sometimes this could be personal flaws, like maybe Paul was a chauvinist, but it was something that is society supported and there were nonetheless things that he did understand well, making his writings still valuable.

Actually, I will tell you one place where I thought it.

In Exodus, the King James Version refers to the Lord hardening Pharoah's heart. The Joseph Smith Translation says that Pharoah hardened his heart, meaning that the Lord was not causing Pharoah to keep breaking his promise, plague after plague.

There are definitely people who believe in predestination and that there isn't really free will, meaning you can only be saved if God lets you. While that phrasing doesn't disrupt the narrative flow, you could argue that there is doctrinal significance.

There can also be things that would be impossible to understand. For example, I have seen it suggested that the scorpions referenced in Revelation could be tanks, like the tail coming over the head could look like the barrel of the gun coming out of the turret. Maybe. From someone writing in Biblical times, looking at today would be very hard to describe. 

Then, there might just be things we don't know enough to understand. 

I firmly believe the story of the creation fits in here. Even if we could comprehend it, it's certainly not something we have responsibility for doing, or the ability to do. Therefore, I think it's weird to focus on being a Young Earther rather than studying and working on increasing in humility and charity.

We all have our hangups.

There's a lot in there, and a lot that can be found. 

I have only started getting more out of the Chronicles on my last two times through.

I am starting to really hate the poetry. I have always found the Psalms cloying, Job too long, and I am starting to be really irritated with Proverbs and Ecclesiastes. 

In the past I have considered skipping The Song of Solomon, but then I don't because I feel guilty.

It can be a struggle, but I find value in the struggle. 

And some of those issues are all the more reason that the 9th article is so important. 

 

The Seventh Article of Faith

We believe in the gift of tongues, prophecy, revelation, visions, healing, interpretation of tongues, and so forth. 

I was actually just reading in 1 Corinthians, where chapters 12 and 14 have a lot on spiritual gifts, including the gift of tongues.

I always feel a little bad reading there. It calls the gift of tongues the least of the gifts, and that is one that I have.

Except, that's not how I have it.

I am really good with language, learning and picking up on it and also using it for communication. That has been noted by me and by others, from as far back as high school.

When they reference "the gift of tongues" here, it is speaking in another language, but it is quickly added that it is not really edifying without interpretation.

I have heard of people -- mainly Pentecostal but some Catholics too -- who do have these experiences where they speak things that they don't know and don't understand, but they feel very good during it.

I don't have a problem with that. Maybe they are touching upon a concept that they are not quite ready to fully understand yet, but that experience gets them a bit closer and will make sense to them later.

We all have a lot of growing to do.

I also get Paul's point that it should generally be paired with interpretation so people do know what's going on.

I mean, on the day of the Pentecost, everyone heard the preaching in their own language. (Acts 2:6)

At least some of the speakers were not speaking in their own language. Were some speaking in tongues, but in the right language so that some already understood them, and there was a speaker representing the language of every listener? There were at least fifteen languages indicated. Or was there also some interpretation going on?

There wasn't absolute clarity for those around. Some of the onlookers thought it was drunkenness. Maybe a Parthian heard his own language and thought that was great, but also heard some Cappadocian and Arabian, didn't recognize them, and thought those speakers were drunk.

It doesn't even matter. The point is that those who were willing to learn had the opportunity to learn. 

What we also don't know is whether there was an other outpouring like that. We know Peter preached many times, but maybe after that it was always in Aramaic, and maybe Hebrew and Greek, but maybe only those and if someone else needed to understand they just used a person who knew the right languages.

I don't know, but I know that there are lots of ways in which we can help each other if we will be open to truth and to love for each other.

Miracles can happen if we let them.

The Sixth Article of Faith

We believe in the same organization that existed in the Primitive Church, namely, apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, evangelists, and so forth.

Thinking about this one, I was tempted to treat it with the 9th; some of my first thoughts related more to the ninth. 

They should all kind of go together anyway, but I decided it would be more productive to focus on the differences. 

Perhaps it helps that I was reading in Acts not too long ago, with the first calling of bishops (pastors). There were physical needs. Maybe those needs were unusually pressing so it was noticed sooner, but leaving the apostles in charge of everything took time away from those things that only they could do. Hence, you call people whose chief responsibility is "serving tables". (See Acts 6:2.)

The thing is, we adapt organizations all the time to the specific needs. There is much that was not in the primitive church.

We have a Sunday school, and that is not just for children but also for youth and adults (though they do have different classes), because everyone can stand to learn more about the scriptures and there is a lot to learn that you don't get on the first pass.

We do have an organization for children, the primary, because children need to learn and will do better with lessons adapted for them (and with singing time and chances to wiggle more).

We have Relief Society, which started as women sewing shirts for men working on constructing the temple, and did not operate continuously, but then was restarted because it filled a purpose that was good for that time and place.

Under different circumstances there are different needs, and different ways of meeting those needs.

However, the callings that are mentioned in the article are on one level very basic and very important.

Apostles are special witnesses of Christ, and a church that is following Christ needs those witnesses.

Without prophets and prophesy, it is apostasy. That doesn't mean that faith can't exist or matter, but there would be a lot missing.

As much as that spiritual guidance matters, it is hard for people to focus on spiritual matters when their needs for shelter and food and safety are not being met, so having pastors to focus on that (even if they end up providing some spiritual guidance too) is important.

There is always more that we can know, so there must always be teachers, even if often we are learning together. 

There is still someone working on it.

Those callings focus on the believers, but there will be people who could believe but do not know; evangelists spread the gospel, and this is also necessary.

It makes sense that those parts of the organization were listed, even if there is a lot of room for more. 

The Fifth Article of Faith

We believe that a man must be called of God, by prophecy, and by the laying on of hands by those who are in authority, to preach the Gospel and administer in the ordinances thereof.

One of the expressions that confuses people who aren't members the most is probably when we talk about our callings.

When people talk about callings outside of the church, they usually mean something that they feel called to do as a life's work. That can happen to church members as well, but it is pretty normal to have callings that are temporary and that don't have to start out with soul searching and that is really good.

Let me back up.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints has no professional clergy. There are paid professions in the church educational system with the schools; those are not volunteer positions. Some of the professional buildings have paid custodial staff (though we also take turns cleaning the regular meeting houses)... for most things that happen, it is someone volunteering their time where the only compensation is spiritual.

You don't decide what you are going to do. When you get asked you can say "no", but generally you are saying "yes".

I have written many posts about speaking in church, and also about giving lessons. Those are things that people do without pay, taking turns, but getting asked. 

It can work out differently, depending on the thing. For example, you may be called to be a Sunday school teacher. Probably you will not be the only one, and you will rotate giving lessons, working out a schedule with the other teachers. For speaking on Sunday, members are asked to give talks. Maybe they ask you for a time when you will be out of town, and you say that... they may ask you to speak the following week then contact someone else for that day.

People are supposed to pray and carefully consider the needs before extending a calling. Then, obviously prayer and pondering would be a part of doing your calling. 

That being said, I remember more than once hearing jokes from people about it being desperation rather than inspiration.

I think some of that comes from not wanting to brag, maybe, and often people have doubts about how good of a job they can do.

It generally works out. I was just talking to one teacher who is very insecure about teaching, but I know she does a good job. If she was more confident, maybe she would not do as well.

I know I have at times thought there were callings that I would never be able to do; later on I ended up doing them and it worked out. 

I have loved teaching Sunday school, but I have also been very happy as a ward librarian (helping people with copies and lesson supplies), in the nursery (children 18 months to three years old), working with youth, organizing activities, and being in charge of emergency preparedness.

I get different things from different callings, which I think makes it good that we change things up periodically. 

Currently, as a counselor in the Relief Society presidency, I find myself having more love and appreciation for the women in the ward. I am grateful for that. 

Even with the calling where I did my worst job ever, Relief Society accompanist, well, I learned things from doing it, if mostly humility. I don't regret doing it, but I am also glad it didn't last for that long.

The Fourth Article of Faith

We believe that the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel are: first, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, Repentance; third, Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; fourth, Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost.

There is a level at which all of the articles build upon each other, but I think that is especially striking with the first four; first there is that God exists, then that sin does, but also that there is atonement.

This article then puts them together. 

Faith has to come first because without it there is no motivation for anything else.

There are two scriptures I want to reference for that...

Hebrews 11:1 -- Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. 

It is not just belief, because it is in something true and there are signs and things that come and make it grow. 

Alma 32:28 --  Now, we will compare the word unto a seed. Now, if ye give place, that a seed may be planted in your heart, behold, if it be a true seed, or a good seed, if ye do not cast it out by your unbelief, that ye will resist the Spirit of the Lord, behold, it will begin to swell within your breasts; and when you feel these swelling motions, ye will begin to say within yourselves—It must needs be that this is a good seed, or that the word is good, for it beginneth to enlarge my soul; yea, it beginneth to enlighten my understanding, yea, it beginneth to be delicious to me.

It takes some openness, but it is not happening without input and thought.

It does change you, and part of that is caring about things and people more, and wanting to be good, which is why it must lead to repentance.

Repentance is a whole topic on its own, but there is commitment that is signaled by baptism and that baptism cleanses and then the Holy Ghost sanctifies.

Again, there could easily be multiple subtopics here. I am not going to get into all of that now, but there is information out there.

None of the articles mention baptism for the dead, but that is something we do, and is something I have written about before:

https://preparedspork.blogspot.com/2024/03/ordinances-for-everyone.html 

I will reaffirm here what I wrote about there; one of the keys to my faith is that I find mercy and justice through the entire system.

If there were people who did not have access to salvation because of the time and place where they were born, or how short their life was, or anything else that they could not control, how could we trust God?

Of course, many people don't. 

What I understand is that God is better than fair, and better than people. 

I am not saying you have to believe that. 

My beliefs bring me hope and joy, and I do want to share that.

I also want to suggest leaving some room for belief. 

If you were to learn that healing and reparation would come for everything, would that be enough, or would you still be angry? If there were meaning in the prior suffering that you could understand, would that help?

Leave room for a seed.  

The Third Article of Faith

We believe that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel.

The balance of justice and mercy may be the most important part of my faith, and here is where we get to it.

I know people who have had trouble forgiving someone who wronged them because they felt like that would make it right.

It doesn't; the wrong is still wrong.

(Forgiveness can be a part of healing, but don't try and abridge the healing because someone else is demanding forgiveness; that's a different problem.)

The wrongs that are done and the pain that is caused must be paid for and they have, by Jesus Christ, if you repent.

(This will take us a little into the Fourth Article as well.)

People get hung up on not having the same chances, so life isn't fair, or that none of it really matters or that there is no choice. 

I love L.M. Montgomery but she has Presbyterians saying, at least semi-seriously, that there's no point worrying over things because they're all foreordained.

That is how some people justified that other people would not have the chance to be baptized or that the righteous should be blessed... foreordination and so every thing is the way it should be, even if it seems horrible to look at.

No. We have choices, as do the people around us, and some of those choices are bad.

The wicked may prosper and the righteous may suffer. 

(It is more flagrant for some; I've noticed.)

However, Christ has conquered both death and sin, so all of that can be healed. Even though it takes time and even though everyone will not repent, they will get the chance.

I have not been a huge sinner. Sometimes in the scriptures there are people who feel great suffering for sins that probably aren't that bad. (For the Book of Mormon, 2nd Nephi 4 and Enos come to mind.)

I am not good enough to be like that. Maybe someday I will. 

I have at times had suffering spiritually healed. It feels like a miracle.

Someone has already felt your pain and paid the price for it. 

I also sometimes live with pain. I have become a more compassionate, tender person because of that.

I'm not saying any of that is easy, or even easy comprehend, but I have complete faith that the plan works and that there is room in it for everyone, with everyone still having choice.

That faith gives me joy. 

  

The Second Article of Faith

We believe that men will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam's transgression.

Doctinally, perhaps the most interesting thing here is that we don't believe in original sin, where everyone is tainted just being born into this world. That means you don't need something like "immaculate conception" where somehow Mary's conception was different so she could be a fit vessel for the virgin birth.

For years when people talked about immaculate conception, I assumed that was about the conception of Jesus, not Mary. 

This is important to me because there can be a tendency to look down on flesh and humanity and all of those things. I admit that they are flawed, but also that they are good.

For our faith, the Fall was necessary to allow us this flawed growth.  

I am glad to have a body, even though I am very aware of its weaknesses (even more as I age).

I am glad to have knowledge of good and evil, even though a world where everyone has that knowledge and has the ability to choose means that bad things happen to me and because of me.

Good things happen too, and they have meaning. They can be hard won.

There is a scripture in the Book of Mormon, "Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy."  (2nd Nephi 2:25)

There is messiness to life, but there is also meaning and beauty and depth.

I know that for some people who have issues with religion, this is where it comes in. How can God allow such things to happen?

I had said in the first post that I would get more into my relationship with Christ in the third article, and I will get more into this as well.

Those parts all go together.