1/9/2018 - Section 76:31-35

January 9, 2018

Section 76:31-35

Holy Ghost, Sons of Perdition, Draw Near Unto Me,

V 31 is about sons of perdition, but the student manual includes a quote from Elder Joseph Fielding Smith about the power of the Holy Ghost that I loved: “The Spirit of God speaking to the spirit of man has power to impart truth with greater effect and understanding than the truth can be imparted by personal contact even with heavenly beings. Through the Holy Ghost the truth is woven into the very fiber and sinews of the body so that it cannot be forgotten.” Instructor, Oct 1935, p 431

But now to authoritative quotes concerning the Sons of Perdition and what someone must do to become a son of perdition: “He must receive the Holy Ghost, have the heavens opened unto him, and know God, and then sin against Him. After a man has sinned against the Holy Ghost. There is no repentance for him. He has got to say that the sun does not shine while he sees it; he has got to deny Jesus Christ when the heavens have been opened unto him, and to deny the plan of salvation with his eyes open to the truth of it; and from that time he begins to be an enemy. This is the case with many apostates of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.” Teachings ,p 358.

And then there is Spencer W Kimball’s quote from the Miracle of Forgiveness: “ The sin against the Holy Ghost requires such knowledge that it is manifestly impossible for the rank and file to commit such a sin.”

There are many more very interesting quotes in the student manual, p 161-62. The thing that struck me most is that whether we are speaking of those who have seen and known God and then deny Him and fight against him become sons of perdition, or those of us who have felt the sweetness of the Spirit and then fail to do those things that bring us closer to the Lord bit by bit—change does not come all at once. Our daily steps and habits are taking us closer to Heavenly Father bit by bit, or further from His help bit by bit. We may not see much progress in a day or a week or a month. But I think it’s important—maybe imperative-- for us to sit down and take stock of where we are and where we want to be, and then follow our scriptural map of how to get to that place where we really desire to live. I know the Lord helps us in our efforts. He can help us more when we include Him in our plans by talking deeply with Him every single day.