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No man knows my story: A Thread
Why do members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints care so much about Joseph Smith?
Why do members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints care so much about Joseph Smith?
To see why we care so much about Joseph Smith we first need to step back long before he was born.
In fact we go as far back as the apostles of the early church, who warned that there was, on the horizon, a falling away.
In fact we go as far back as the apostles of the early church, who warned that there was, on the horizon, a falling away.
Is there ample evidence in scripture that a falling away from the complete and true gospel that Christ gave to His followers was coming?
It was a message heavily repeated both by the Master and by His servants:
It was a message heavily repeated both by the Master and by His servants:
There were, entering into the flock, ravenous wolves who were determined to devour Christ's doctrine - replacing it with their own worldly philosophies; false prophets who crept in, with errors and denying the Lord God.
They were a seductive group, giving heed to seducing spirits, turning aside and unable to abide sound doctrine, professing they knew God but denying Him in their works, having a form of Godliness, but denying the power of God.
They were antichrists, and they made war with the saints.
Rev 13:7
"And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations."
Rev 13:7
"And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations."
The apostles, and many of the saints were slain. Satan was given power to overcome them, John tells us, and Satan wrought many great wonders to deceive many.
John saw a vision of a woman giving birth to the child who would rule all nations with a rod of iron, and the child was caught up unto God and to his throne.
The woman? She fled into the wilderness to a place prepared by God for 1260 days.
The woman? She fled into the wilderness to a place prepared by God for 1260 days.
Daniel uses similar language:
The beast makes was with the saints and prevails against them. The saints will be 'given into his hand' until 'a time, and times and the dividing of time,' commonly understood to be three and a half years, or again, 1260 days.
The beast makes was with the saints and prevails against them. The saints will be 'given into his hand' until 'a time, and times and the dividing of time,' commonly understood to be three and a half years, or again, 1260 days.
The significance of this is laid out by Trevan Hatch in his book "When the lights came on: Joseph Smith and the Return of Heavenly Manifestations."
He writes:
He writes:
Many of the Christian reformers similarly believed that the church Christ had established was no longer present on the earth by their time:
For a more in-depth analysis of this I would again point you towards Trevan Hatch's book.
For a more in-depth analysis of this I would again point you towards Trevan Hatch's book.
An illustrative case is that of Robert Mason. Who can guess how many men and women searched far and wide for the true gospel after its fall and replacement with a lesser church following the death of the apostles?
Robert searched the scriptures to find the gospel that Christ preached. He was rewarded by God with a vision, wherein he was shown an orchard of barren trees. These trees, he was told, represented the generation in which he lived, and that there was no true church on the earth.
He related his vision to his close friend and fellow truth seeker Wilford Woodruff:
Joseph Smith's prayer was answered not just for himself, but for untold numbers of God's children before and after him who sought a restoration of the Christianity Christ taught and which had fled into the wilderness.
So now we come to the man himself, set in a community in which he had immediate or extended family in every congregation; and these congregations were at war with one another, each proclaiming they they had the truth.
He tried in vain to settle the question of who was right by turning to the scripture - but found the effort impossible, because as he said, "The Presbyterians were most decided against the Baptists and Methodists, and used all the powers of both reason and sophistry to prove/
their errors, or, at least, to make the people think they were in error. On the other hand, the Baptists and Methodists in their turn were equally zealous in endeavoring to establish their own tenets and disprove all others."
and "the teachers of religion of the different sects understood the same passages of scripture so differently as to destroy all confidence in settling the question by an appeal to the Bible."
Joseph felt convinced of his sins, and he felt a strong desire to do right before God in selecting the church God would have him attend.
He reports that the inspiration he was seeking from God came as he was again studiously reading the bible:
He reports that the inspiration he was seeking from God came as he was again studiously reading the bible:
"I was one day reading the Epistle of James, which reads: "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him."
"Never did any passage of scripture come with more power to the heart of man than this did at this time to mine. It seemed to enter with great force into every feeling of my heart. I reflected on it again and again, knowing that if any person needed wisdom from God, I did."
Joseph then retired to a wooded area near his home to make the attempt to pray vocally and ask his question:
God the Father, and His Son Jesus the Christ appeared to Joseph in answer both to his prayer, and to re-establish the kingdom of God that would fill the earth in fulfillment to ancient prophesy.
Russell M. Nelson, today's prophet, said:
Russell M. Nelson, today's prophet, said:
There's speculation from scripture that men cannot see God. Such interpretations are just that, interpretations. The reality of men speaking to God face to face, is plainly attested in scripture. God can do anything, including showing Himself when He chooses.
After his first visitation at age 14, Joseph was again visited by a heavenly messenger a few years later. In prayer to know if he was still right before God he describes the visit of an angel who told him of a sacred book of scripture, hidden to come forth in the last days.
He was to translate it, guarding it carefully as Satan would use any means possible to obtain it from him and frustrate its publication. He was visited in the same night 3 different times by this angel, and again the next morning - each time having the same message repeated.
After several years of preparation Joseph did obtain the book, which was written on metallic plates which looked like gold, and were bound together with rings like a binder.
This record was translated 'by the gift and power of God' and stands today as a testament of his calling.
This record was translated 'by the gift and power of God' and stands today as a testament of his calling.
I will have another thread in more detail, but the Book of Mormon in short is a second witness that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God and Savior of the world.
In the course of translation, John the Baptist, now resurrected, appeared to restore the Aaronic Priesthood, giving Joseph and one of his scribes the authority to baptize.
Later in the same year, Peter, James and John the beloved appeared and gave Joseph and Oliver the higher or Melchizedek Priesthood - the power given to Peter to seal in heaven what he sealed on earth - the same authority Peter held to lead the church formerly.
As the church grew, the Lord commanded that a temple be built. Upon its completion Christ appeared and accepted the temple.
Additional keys were given to Joseph and Oliver for the work of preparing the world for the second coming.
Additional keys were given to Joseph and Oliver for the work of preparing the world for the second coming.
It was said that by the measure of the widows mite - there was no more expensive building constructed in our modern era to offer sacrifice to the Lord:
In Nauvoo, additional doctrines matured, and mysteries of the kingdom were revealed. Perhaps there was no doctrine that shook the world more than the teaching the the Father desires for us to become like Him, and really means what He says in the bible.
Said Joseph:
That last line above is to me perhaps the even greater message of Joseph Smith:
"Adam was created in the very fashion, image and likeness of God, and received instruction from, and walked, talked and conversed with Him, as one man talks and communes with another."
"Adam was created in the very fashion, image and likeness of God, and received instruction from, and walked, talked and conversed with Him, as one man talks and communes with another."
This was Joseph's experience. From the first visitation to the end of his life, this is Joseph's message - that man can talk to God - and that God will answer. He doesn't give us a serpent when we ask for a loaf of bread. He loves us because we're His children.
What is eternal life? It is to know - to actually KNOW God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ.
I've heard it speculated all my life that Joseph added to the scriptures in opposition to the instruction given in Revelation. If Revelation must be read that way, all of the bible past Deuteronomy has to be thrown out:
The book of Revelations states plainly that it can't be added to or taken away from. But this cannot refer to the entire bible as the bible as a single book didn't exist. Men without authority are never justified in altering scripture - but God can add to His canon at His will.
I've also heard it speculated just as long that Paul saw the appearance of Moroni and added a warning for just such an event in Galatians. But, let's look at the full context of that verse:
What is the gospel Paul has preached to them?
"Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ,
Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father"
"Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ,
Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father"
The gospel Paul taught was that Christ suffered and died for us so that we might be able to be resurrected and return to dwell in God's glory, and to rule and reign with Him.
Joseph Smith did not teach a different gospel - even if, like Paul, he at times expanded on the depth.
Joseph Smith did not teach a different gospel - even if, like Paul, he at times expanded on the depth.
Personally I find it laughable that Paul would mean that the gospel he was teaching was the same as the gospel of the later creeds - which conflict with scripture - and whose concepts were completely unknown in Paul's day, which is why they aren't in the scriptures.
No, Joseph's doctrine was not a departure from Christ or Paul, but a return.
No testament is of force without the death of the testator. Joseph Smith was no exception. Joseph told friends in 1939 that the Lord had granted him about 5 more years to complete his work. In the spring of 1844 he reached near frantic levels, meeting daily with the 12 apostles/
to review with them every doctrine and teaching restored by God through him. He passed on the Priesthood and keys which had been passed on to him by numerous angels, and told them then that they alone held they keys to lead the church.
What he said next was truly prophetic:
In just a few short months he would join others who had given their lives to honor their master.
In just a few short months he would join others who had given their lives to honor their master.
"I am going like a lamb to the slaughter; but I am calm as a summer’s morning; I have a conscience void of offense towards God, and towards all men."
I've heard it said that Joseph can't really be called a martyr because when a mob broke into the prison to murder him, his brother, and two men who were with them they fought back.
Joseph didn't expect justice, but he and his fellows did hope for it.
What's more telling to me is that in Nauvoo, the city had created a militia of 2,500 troops to protect them from the mobs that had plagued them in Missouri. By comparison the entire US Army in 1845 had 8,500.
What's more telling to me is that in Nauvoo, the city had created a militia of 2,500 troops to protect them from the mobs that had plagued them in Missouri. By comparison the entire US Army in 1845 had 8,500.
If Joseph had wanted he could have started a civil war that would have leveled half the state of Illinois. He did not have to submit, but he did, and he did so knowing that he was going to be killed.
I testify that Joseph Smith was a prophet called by God to do a divine work.
A longer feature telling part of Joseph's story:
For the first of an 8 part lecture on his prophetic calling by Truman G Madsen:
It is true that Joseph Smith instituted the limited practice of plural marriage by himself and others. To better understand what that constituted and what it didn't this is a good lecture on the subject by Brian Hales.
Brian Hales, with the help of Don Bradley and others have done the most comprehensive and exhaustive study on Joseph's polygamy - and those who want to cast Joseph as a deviant seeking to expand his sexual opportunities must move past a mountain of evidence to the contrary:
I would encourage you to look into the life of this chosen servant to God, and to do as Joseph did - pray. Ask God if this work is a work that He began.
“You don't know me; you never knew my heart. No man knows my history. I cannot tell it: I shall never undertake it. I don't blame any one for not believing my history. If I had not experienced what I have, I would not have believed it myself."
~Joseph Smith
~Joseph Smith
For more about our beliefs see my other threads: https://twitter.com/ptspentax/status/1339459395449618434
