“‘That Ye May Believe’—Part 2,” That Ye May Believe (2022)

“Part 2,” That Ye May Believe

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“That Ye May Believe”—Part 2

Elder David A. Bednar

Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

Devotional Address, Brigham Young University–Idaho, October 30, 2022

Susan and I love you, and we love Brigham Young University–Idaho. We are delighted to once again be on campus to gather with you for this devotional.

I began my service as the president of Ricks College in the summer of 1997, and I frankly cannot believe that 25 years have passed by so quickly. I remember as if it were yesterday receiving a phone call in 2000 from President Gordon B. Hinckley informing me that Ricks College would become a baccalaureate degree-granting institution named Brigham Young University–Idaho. Helping to establish this university and witnessing the hand of the Lord during a demanding time of transition are some of the greatest experiences of my life. Every time Susan and I return to Rexburg, we are filled with gratitude for the people with whom we served and the lessons we learned in that remarkable season of our lives.

I pray for the assistance of the Holy Ghost for all of us as we now learn together about the Savior, His gospel, and His restored Church.

Unreasonable to Claim Our Beliefs Are Unreasonable

Two months ago, Susan and I spoke at an institute devotional at the University of Utah. I explained to those young people that my message was part 1 of a two-part series and that part 2 would be presented later in the fall in a devotional at another university. BYU–Idaho is the place, and tonight is the night. Are you ready? Buckle up!

I will briefly review the basic context and a few key points from part 1. My primary theme is quite straightforward: namely, that it is unreasonable to claim that faith in Jesus Christ is unreasonable and that the basic arguments used by our contemporary critics have not changed much since the days of the Book of Mormon prophets.

For example, recall how Korihor, the anti-Christ, ridiculed the Savior, His Atonement, and the spirit of prophecy.

“O ye that are bound down under a foolish and a vain hope, why do ye yoke yourselves with such foolish things? …

“… Behold, they are foolish traditions of your fathers.

“… Behold, ye cannot know of things which ye do not see; therefore, ye cannot know that there shall be a Christ.

“… But behold, it is the effect of a frenzied mind; and this derangement of your minds comes because of the traditions of your fathers.”¹

“Korihor … identifies an extremely restrictive methodology for coming to know what we know in his statement ‘ye cannot know of things which ye do not see’ [Alma 30:15]. That one simple assertion denigrates any means of knowing other than seeing; it … sweeps away all historical knowledge, all knowledge obtained through vicarious learning, all individual or collective intuition, all knowledge resulting from cognitive construction and dismisses the existence of objects or places not personally seen. In summary, if we do not see or experience something, we cannot know it.”²

Tonight, I repeat my complete and emphatic rejection of Korihor’s arguments that “belief in Jesus Christ and His mortal mission is the result of foolish traditions and frenzied and deranged minds. I testify that we come to know many things through means other than sight, especially spiritual things.”³

Also consider the response of the people to Samuel the Lamanite during his ministry as described in the Book of Mormon in the 16th chapter of the book of Helaman:

“Nevertheless, the people began to harden their hearts … and began to depend upon their own strength and upon their own wisdom, saying:

“Some things they may have guessed right, among so many; but behold, … it is not reasonable that such a being as a Christ shall come. …

“… We know that this is a wicked tradition, which has been handed down unto us by our fathers, to cause us that we should believe in some great and marvelous thing which should come to pass … ; therefore they can keep us in ignorance, for we cannot witness with our own eyes that they are true.”⁴

Again, we find widespread acceptance of the false assumption that we can only know if we see. Interestingly, this episode in the Book of Mormon occurs approximately 70 years after the deceptive work of Korihor, and we learn how false ideas and subtle deception can affect people negatively across many generations.

At the University of Utah, I made the following observations:

“I am fascinated by two specific elements of this scriptural account. First, ‘Some things they may have guessed right, among so many … ’ [Helaman 16:16]. The unbelievers discounted miraculous events by attributing them primarily to guesswork and random chance. And how exactly did the doubters ‘know’ that many great and marvelous works could not come to pass? What visual evidence supports their assertion? Since, according to Korihor, seeing is knowing and because the events had not yet occurred and could not have been seen, the logic among the unbelievers clearly is inconsistent and contradictory.

“The second element is ‘it is not reasonable that such a being as a Christ [should] come’ [Helaman 16:18]. It is not reasonable? This weak rationalization is used by the unbelievers because ‘[they] cannot witness with [their] own eyes that they are true’ [Helaman 16:20].”⁵

I comprehensively reject the proposition “that the believers at the time of Samuel the Lamanite ‘guessed right,’ that seeing is the best and only way of knowing, and that it is unreasonable that such a being as a Christ should come. In fact, I believe it is unreasonable to claim that faith in Jesus Christ is unreasonable.”⁶

Over the years, just like all of you, I have met and talked with many people who are critical of our Church, our doctrine, and our practices.

Some find it unreasonable that the Eternal Father and His Beloved Son appeared to the boy Joseph Smith.

Some individuals believe that the account of Joseph translating the Book of Mormon by the gift and power of God is preposterous.

Some individuals firmly believe that the heavens are closed and no need exists for ongoing revelation in our day.

I could list many more such objections, but I am confident you already know them as well as I do.

My approach tonight is the same as I employed at the University of Utah:

“To support my contention that it is unreasonable to suggest the Restoration of the Lord’s gospel and Church in the latter days is unreasonable, I briefly will discuss five key doctrinal truths in the context of the theological ideas about which Joseph Smith himself spoke—those he appears to have heard circulating in the Manchester, New York, area; those which weighed upon him; and those which provoked the questions in his heart and mind.

“In addition to what he was taught in his home, Joseph’s early religious understanding was largely formed by the revival ministers associated with the Low Church Protestant Second Great Awakening (circa 1795–1835).

“… Thus, … much of what Joseph believed prior to the First Vision grew out of what the family had discussed and what he had heard various ministers of his day espouse.”⁷

At the University of Utah, I discussed five doctrinal truths: (1) the nature and character of the Godhead, (2) Heavenly Father’s plan of salvation, (3) the importance of mortality and a physical body, (4) the Creation of the earth and the Fall of Adam and Eve, and (5) the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

Tonight we will consider five additional doctrinal truths: (1) priesthood authority and keys; (2) prophets, apostles, and revelation; (3) additional latter-day scripture; (4) covenants and ordinances; and (5) temple covenants and ordinances and vicarious work for the dead.

I invite you to draw your own conclusions about whether:

Seeing is the best and only way of knowing what we know.
Joseph Smith was influenced by false traditions.
Believers have frenzied and deranged minds.
Prophets merely guessed right.
And the Restoration of the Savior’s gospel and Church is unreasonable.

Priesthood Authority and Keys

The first doctrinal truth upon which we will focus is the role and importance of priesthood authority and keys.

Low Church Protestants with whom Joseph Smith would have been familiar before the First Vision largely argued for a “priesthood of all believers.”⁸ For example, Methodist “preachers” or “pastors” in Joseph’s day were typically not ordained but often were “licensed” laymen. Likewise, Baptist “pastors” were not “ordained” but also “licensed” instead. Thus, any man in Joseph’s day who had faith in the Bible was an “apostle” or “priest” as the Bible was believed to be the ultimate source of spiritual authority.

As somewhat of an exception in Joseph’s day to a non-ordained “priesthood of all believers,” clergy in Presbyterian churches performed “ordinations” by the laying on of hands. Because Joseph had a mother and several siblings who had joined the Presbyterian church, young Joseph would have been familiar with that church’s dual approach to the priesthood—of ordaining some by the laying on of hands and having others serve under the “priesthood of all believers.”

In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, priesthood is defined as God’s eternal authority and power granted to His children to accomplish His work on the earth. “Priesthood is an everlasting principle, and existed with God from eternity, and will to eternity, without beginning of days or end of years.”⁹ This authority is necessary to act in God’s name, to teach the gospel of Jesus Christ, and to administer sacred ordinances.

“Again I say unto you, that it shall not be given to any one to go forth to preach my gospel, or to build up my church, except he be ordained by some one who has authority.”¹⁰

Conferral of priesthood authority is received only by the laying on of hands by commissioned servants of the Lord: “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.”¹¹

Although many members of Protestant churches in the 16th century and thereafter were persuaded of the need for a Reformation of the Roman Catholic Church, many other believers accepted as true the claim that apostolic authority had continued on the earth from the time of Jesus Christ into the 19th century.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints teaches that the original Church established by the Savior Himself, with its divine authority, doctrine, and covenants and ordinances, was lost from the earth during the apostasy. As part of the prophesied restoration of all things in the latter days, ancient prophets personally conferred priesthood authority upon Joseph Smith and committed priesthood keys to him.

The Prophet Joseph Smith received the Aaronic Priesthood and its keys from John the Baptist.¹² He received the Melchizedek Priesthood and its keys from the Apostles Peter, James, and John.¹³

And in the Kirtland Temple, Moses, Elias, and Elijah appeared to Joseph Smith and committed to him the additional authority necessary to accomplish God’s work in the latter days.¹⁴

Moses committed the keys of the gathering of Israel.

Elias committed the dispensation of the gospel of Abraham, including the restoration of the Abrahamic covenant.¹⁵

Elijah committed the keys of the sealing power. These keys provide the authority that allows ordinances performed on earth to be binding in eternity.¹⁶ Priesthood keys are the authority to direct the use of the priesthood on behalf of God’s children. The use of all priesthood authority in the Church is directed by those who hold priesthood keys.¹⁷

Prophets, Apostles, and Revelation

The second doctrinal truth is the role and importance of prophets, apostles, and ongoing revelation.

None of the denominations Joseph Smith affiliated with would have accepted the existence of or need for modern prophets and apostles. Because they believed the Bible to be “complete” and that Jesus superseded the teachings and ministries of all ancient prophets, the concept of post-biblical prophetic revelation for the entire world would have been rejected by the Low Church Protestant teachings of Joseph Smith’s day.

The fact that these beliefs were known to Joseph and prevalent among the pastors with whom he interacted is evidenced in Joseph’s own words:

“Some few days after I had this vision, I happened to be in company with one of the Methodist preachers, who was very active in the before mentioned religious excitement; and, conversing with him on the subject of religion, I took occasion to give him an account of the vision which I had had. I was greatly surprised at his behavior; he treated my communication not only lightly, but with great contempt, saying it was all of the devil, that there were no such things as visions or revelations in these days; that all such things had ceased with the apostles, and that there would never be any more of them.”¹⁸

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints proclaims that the Lord calls prophets in our day to speak for Him just as He did anciently:

“And again, the duty of the President of the office of the High Priesthood is to preside over the whole church, and to be like unto Moses—

“Behold, here is wisdom; yea, to be a seer, a revelator, a translator, and a prophet, having all the gifts of God which he bestows upon the head of the church.”¹⁹

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints declares that the Lord calls apostles in our day to serve as special witnesses of His name and to administer His kingdom on the earth. As described in 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.”²⁰

Additionally, ongoing, direct revelation from God to His prophets and apostles is essential to God’s kingdom on earth: “We believe all that God has revealed, all that He does now reveal, and we believe that He will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God.”²¹

The Prophet Joseph Smith taught that the Lord has ushered in the dispensation of the fulness of times, when all knowledge, priesthood authority, covenants, and ordinances given in previous dispensations will be restored and additional truth will be revealed.

“It is necessary … that a whole and complete and perfect union, and welding together of dispensations, and keys, and powers, and glories should take place, and be revealed from the days of Adam even to the present time. And not only this, but those things which never have been revealed from the foundation of the world, but have been kept hid from the wise and prudent, shall be revealed unto babes and sucklings in this, the dispensation of the fulness of times.”²²

The Lord’s Church—The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints—was restored in fulfillment of prophecy and will fill the earth.

“The keys of the kingdom of God are committed unto man on the earth, and from thence shall the gospel roll forth unto the ends of the earth, as the stone which is cut out of the mountain without hands shall roll forth, until it has filled the whole earth.”²³

Additional Latter-day Scripture

The third doctrinal truth is the importance of additional latter-day scripture.

In Joseph’s day, Protestant churches generally taught that the Bible was the final, sufficient, and infallible word of God and that all truths needed for the salvation of humankind are found there. Consequently, they did not recognize a need for additional scripture.

Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints “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.”²⁴ We accept the Book of Mormon as another testament of Jesus Christ that confirms the truthfulness of the Bible and restores plain and precious truths that have been removed from the Bible:

“And the angel spake unto me, saying: These last records, which thou hast seen among the Gentiles, shall establish the truth of the first, which are of the twelve apostles of the Lamb, and shall make known the plain and precious things which have been taken away from them; and shall make known to all kindreds, tongues, and people, that the Lamb of God is the Son of the Eternal Father, and the Savior of the world; and that all men must come unto him, or they cannot be saved.”²⁵

Many Christian churches teach that all revelation in the form of scripture ceased with the deaths of the ancient Apostles.

In contrast, as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we believe that the Doctrine and Covenants is a sacred volume of scripture that contains the word of the Lord to His prophets in the latter days.

“Search these commandments, for they are true and faithful … .

“… Whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same.”²⁶

In the latter days, the Lord has also revealed additional sacred writings of prophets such as Enoch, Abraham, and Moses.²⁷

Intermission

Now, because I likely have put you to sleep with the content and tone of my message thus far, we will now have a brief intermission.

You undoubtedly have seen the most recent and magnificent images of the universe from the world’s most powerful telescope—the James Webb Space Telescope. The pictures are breathtakingly beautiful and awe-inspiring.

We are now going to listen to several passages of scripture accompanied by recent space images from the Webb telescope. After we listen to the verses, I will then ask you to consider three basic questions.

“I am the Lord God Almighty, and Endless is my name. …

“And worlds without number have I created; … and by the Son I created them, which is mine Only Begotten.”²⁸

“He … ascended up on high, as also he descended below all things, in that he comprehended all things, that he might be in all and through all things, the light of truth. …

“Which light proceedeth forth from the presence of God to fill the immensity of space—

“The light which is in all things, which giveth life to all things, which is the law by which all things are governed, even the power of God.”²⁹

“All kingdoms have a law given;

“And there are many kingdoms; for there is no space in the which there is no kingdom; and there is no kingdom in which there is no space, either a greater or a lesser kingdom.

“And unto every kingdom is given a law; and unto every law there are certain bounds also and conditions.”³⁰

“If there be bounds set to the heavens or to the seas, or to the dry land, or to the sun, moon, or stars—

“All the times of their revolutions, all the appointed days, months, and years, and … all their glories, laws, and set times, shall be revealed in the days of the dispensation of the fulness of times.”³¹

Now for my three questions. As you bask in the indescribable beauty of God’s endless creations and listen to the words that were revealed through the Prophet Joseph Smith:

Was Joseph Smith influenced by the false traditions of his day?
Are the concepts and ideas expressed in these revelations the product of a frenzied and deranged mind?
Did the Prophet Joseph Smith merely guess right?

The only way any person at any time anywhere in the world could have done what young Joseph Smith did and think what young Joseph thought is with God’s help and inspiration. In my judgment, to believe that he accomplished all that he accomplished with his limited mortal capacity is unreasonable.

Now our intermission is over, and we will consider two additional doctrinal truths.

Covenants and Ordinances

The fourth doctrinal truth is the role and importance of sacred covenants and ordinances.

The understanding of what covenants and priesthood ordinances are, whether they are necessary, and how they are to be performed varied greatly among the various Christian churches of Joseph’s day. Most Christian denominations thought less in terms of “covenants” and more in terms of “sacraments” or, in some cases, “ordinances.”

When Latter-day Saints speak of covenants, we understand that God sets the conditions of a covenant and promises blessings to those who accept and honor that covenant. However, the Low Church Protestant denominations of Joseph’s day traditionally were not inclined to such specificity when it came to identifying the conditions and blessings associated with the sacraments in which their parishioners engaged.

As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we believe priesthood ordinances are essential, were established from the beginning, and must be performed in the way God has appointed.

Joseph Smith declared:

“[God] set the ordinances to be the same forever and ever, and set Adam to watch over them, to reveal them from heaven to man, or to send angels to reveal them. …

“… The ordinances must be kept in the very way God has appointed; otherwise their Priesthood will prove a cursing instead of a blessing.”³²

The doctrine of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints forthrightly teaches that baptism by immersion for the remission of sins and the laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost³³ are necessary for salvation and exaltation.

“Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.”³⁴

“Baptism is to be administered in the following manner unto all those who repent—

“The person who is called of God and has authority from Jesus Christ to baptize, shall go down into the water with the person who has presented himself or herself for baptism, and shall say, calling him or her by name: Having been commissioned of Jesus Christ, I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.

“Then shall he immerse him or her in the water, and come forth again out of the water.”³⁵

Baptism is to be done by immersion, in likeness of death, burial, and resurrection. This point of doctrine was known and embraced by some of Christianity at the time of the Restoration, but other forms of baptism, such as pouring and sprinkling, were also practiced.

The gift of the Holy Ghost is conferred by the laying on of hands. As the Savior gave to His twelve Nephite disciples the power to bestow the gift of the Holy Ghost, He described the proper pattern for doing so.

“Ye shall call on the Father in my name, in mighty prayer; and after ye have done this ye shall have power that to him upon whom ye shall lay your hands, ye shall give the Holy Ghost; and in my name shall ye give it, for thus do mine apostles.”³⁶

The ordinances of baptism and conferring the gift of the Holy Ghost are performed after a person has become accountable; little children do not need these ordinances to be saved.

“And their little children need no repentance, neither baptism. Behold, baptism is unto repentance to the fulfilling the commandments unto the remission of sins.

“But little children are alive in Christ, even from the foundation of the world; if not so, God is a partial God, and also a changeable God, and a respecter to persons; for how many little children have died without baptism!”³⁷

Temple Covenants and Ordinances and Vicarious Work for the Dead

The fifth doctrinal truth is the role and importance of sacred temple covenants and ordinances and vicarious work for the dead.

The Christian churches of Joseph’s day had no understanding of the temple covenants and ordinances that provide access to the fulness of God’s blessings.

The Prophet Joseph Smith stated clearly, “All men who become heirs of God and joint-heirs with Jesus Christ will have to receive the fulness of the ordinances of his kingdom; and those who will not receive all the ordinances will come short of the fulness of that glory.”³⁸

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints teaches that a man and a woman who enter into the new and everlasting covenant of marriage can be sealed together for this life and for all eternity. This ordinance received on earth is bound in heaven if performed by one holding the sealing authority restored through Elijah and through the couple’s faithfulness.

The Prophet Joseph Smith explained, “And I will send Elijah the Prophet before the great and terrible day of the Lord,’ etc., etc. [see Malachi 4:5]. Why send Elijah? Because he holds the keys of the authority to administer in all the ordinances of the Priesthood; and [unless] the authority is given, the ordinances could not be administered in righteousness.”³⁹

Individuals who die without receiving essential covenants and ordinances in this life can receive them through proxy work performed in temples:

“The earth will be smitten with a curse unless there is a welding link of some kind or other between the fathers and the children, upon some subject or other— and behold what is that subject? It is the baptism for the dead. For we without them cannot be made perfect; neither can they without us be made perfect.”⁴⁰

Most Christians have no knowledge about the ordinance of baptism for the dead and other vicarious ordinances. And because not all Christians believe that gospel ordinances are essential, they do not acknowledge a need for ordinances on behalf of those who have died.

Therefore What?

In my messages tonight and two months ago at the University of Utah, I have attempted to highlight the vast scope, depth, breadth, and eternal importance of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.

The 10 fundamental doctrinal truths discussed at the University of Utah and at Brigham Young University–Idaho differentiate The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from all other Christian denominations. But we have only addressed a small sample of the eternally important subjects about which the Prophet Joseph Smith taught and testified. Precisely because the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ is ongoing, the list of additional topics that warrant our attention is without end.

I began our review of doctrinal truths by inviting you to use five basic criteria to draw your own conclusions about the contrast between basic Christian beliefs and the doctrine of the restored gospel as revealed through the Prophet Joseph Smith:

Is seeing the best and only way of knowing what we know?
Was Joseph Smith influenced by false traditions?
Do believers have frenzied and deranged minds?
Have the prophets merely guessed right?
And is the concept of the Restoration of the Savior’s gospel and Church unreasonable?

I now invite you to accept Alma’s invitation to “awake and arouse your faculties” and to “exercise a particle of faith.”⁴¹ Though you cannot see or touch it, does the “word” of truth “begin to swell within your breasts,” and do these restored truths “enlarge [your] soul”?⁴² Can you feel by the power of the Holy Ghost the truth of these doctrinal foundations which cannot be touched or seen, but which begin to “enlighten [your] understanding” and “increase your faith”?⁴³

Promise and Testimony

May your asking, seeking, and knocking continue with increased focus, sincere hearts, and real intent. As you do so, I promise you will be blessed by the power of the Holy Ghost to know the truth of all things that are essential to your salvation and exaltation.

Brothers and sisters, if all you know about the gospel of Jesus Christ is what others have told you, then you will never know enough. If all you know is what you have read in commentaries written by others, then you will never know enough. An individual price must be paid to learn for yourselves. You cannot live on borrowed light.

Immerse yourself in the scriptures, and ask, seek, and knock. You need to have an individual knowledge of these eternal truths. The covenants into which you enter are personal and specific. They are administered one by one. Each of us needs and can have an individual and personal covenant connection with the resurrected and living Lord Jesus Christ.

Reason is important and useful; however, it is neither the best nor the only way of knowing. A witness of truth by the power of the Holy Ghost that we invite into our soul produces a spiritual knowledge, an illumination, and a conviction more sure, more powerful, and more enduring than can be received through seeing, hearing, touching, or rational argument alone.

The sacred and personal testimony I now declare to you is independent of any other person and transcends the five physical senses. I witness that God, the Eternal Father, is our Father and He is the author of the plan of happiness. I further testify and witness that Jesus Christ is the Father’s Only Begotten and Beloved Son; He is our Savior and our Redeemer. His atoning sacrifice is central in and essential to the Father’s plan.

I witness that the Father and the Son appeared to Joseph Smith, thus initiating the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ in the latter days. And I witness that the Restoration is ongoing. The heavens are not closed, and the Savior continues to reveal His mind and will to His servants the prophets. The covenants and ordinances of the gospel yoke us to and with the resurrected and living Lord.

With all the energy of my soul, I witness that these things are true. I so testify in the sacred name of the Lord Jesus Christ, amen.