Several lights went on in my
head as I read the following excerpt from a blog:
“On why I continually say
"I'm nothing and nobody" there are doctrinal reasons. Those who are
religious, and follow a converted disciple of Christ, are still damned if they substitute
a man in the place that belongs only to Christ. Sincere, but deluded people who
claim they are disciples of Paul, Apollos, Peter, Moses, Isaiah, even Thomas
Monson, but who do not receive a testimony of Christ, are damned. They suffer
the vengeance of eternal fire. (D&C
76: 99-106.) They are consigned to hell, and are resurrected as Telestial
beings. This is because they followed a man. It is a grave mistake and
salvation is lost when that mistake is made. Those who invite people to follow
them, and deliberately seek devotees are anti-Christ and bringing souls to
destruction. These religious Pied Pipers will incur the greater damnation. If
someone is going to make that mistake by claiming they are following me, they
will not do so without being told by me unequivocally and with some frequency
that they are mistaken. I am nothing, and I have not ever attempted to become
an anti-Christ. I point to Christ, for He alone can rescue you from the pains
of hell and eternal torment. Those who put themselves up for adoration and
worship are mistaken, are practicing priestcraft, are anti-Christ, and in the
employ of the enemy to our souls.” From
the desk of Denver Snuffer
While reading the post, I
remembered two distinct occasions when I have felt like a complete idiot for
trying to look to another mortal as a source of divine enlightenment. In
both situations I was treated kindly, but my efforts to put a mortal on a
pedestal were completely rejected. The first time I had this feeling was
with an institute teacher who I highly respect for his knowledge of the gospel.
The second time I had this feeling was with Denver Snuffer.
Other men seem to accept my
idolatry and praises with open arms, but not these two. I doubt either one of
them knew what was going on in my heart. I was feeling God's
reprimand. I knew I had done something that was not appropriate. I didn’t
understand my mistake, but I felt it. I was embarrassed and didn’t want to make
that kind of mistake again.
I'm a little slow, but I
finally get it. Both of these men understood something I did not.
They were more interested in my eternal exaltation than in being honored,
praised, adored, and put up on a pedestal. Both of them have powerful
testimonies of Jesus Christ. I desire the same kind of testimony, so I
attempted to follow them. That's when they quickly corrected me. I
will be damned even if I follow a converted disciple of Christ. If I want to have a testimony of Christ, I need to follow Christ.
I have been so deeply
indoctrinated with the false belief that I should follow somebody, who is
superior to me in gospel knowledge and privilege, that I have acted foolishly.
I have found it is very easy to get caught up in: Who is the most admired among
us? Having a calling from God gives us status. I’m important
because I know so and so. Look at me, aren’t I great? etc.
Those who led the church of
God in the days of Christ did not understand their damning influence upon the
Jewish people, and if they did, they intentionally rebelled against God. Christ
wisely counseled his followers.
“Saying, The scribes and the
Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat: All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe,
that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do
not.” Even though the church belongs to God, Christ does not try to supplant
the Scribes and Pharisees in their callings. It is important that we follow
Christ’s example when we see hypocrisy among us?
“For they bind heavy burdens
and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves
will not move them with one of their fingers. But all their works they do for
to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders
of their garments, And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats
in the synagogues,” Why do they toot their own horns? Why are they the heroes in
their own stories? Why do they love the best seats? Does it make them
feel superior to their fellow mortals? Does it hide their insecurities?
“And greetings in the
markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.” Why do they want others
to call them Rabbi, Lord, and Master? Do they really think they have a
superior status to other men?
“But be not ye called Rabbi:
for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren. And call no man
your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven. Neither
be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ. But he that is
greatest among you shall be your servant. And whosoever shall exalt
himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.”
What advice does Christ give
His followers? What happens in the heart of the abased servant? If
we are abased, should we despise the experience? Do we need recognition
for our service, like the Jewish church leadership who so desperately demanded
it?
“But woe unto you, scribes
and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men:
for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go
in.” How does the perverse doctrine of the scribes and Pharisees prevent
mankind from entering the kingdom of heaven? Can we find Christ when
we're worshiping men? Did Jesus receive any fruit from His vineyard when
religious people bowed to other humans? Matthew 21:41
After seeing the Jews blindly
and foolishly follow church leaders, are we going to make the same mistake? Is
there a difference between respecting the order that is established in the
church and following the hierarchy? How would you describe the difference? Matt.
23:1-13
Did the Pharisees realize
they were causing the people to violate the first two commandments? “Thou
shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any
graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is
in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt
not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a
jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the
third and fourth generation of them that hate me;” Exodus 20:3-5
Have God's commandments been
rewritten to say, “Don’t worship anything except God and church leaders who
represent God?” Why, in our right mind, would we look to another human for
divine guidance? Prophets come with a message, but that’s it! They
don’t want to be worshiped. “And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said
unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that
have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the
spirit of prophecy.” Revelation 19:10
True prophets will forbid others to worship them because they know of its
damning consequences.
Satan wants to be worshiped.
“And now, when Moses had said these words, Satan cried with a loud voice, and
ranted upon the earth, and commanded, saying: I am the Only Begotten, worship
me” Moses
1:19. Do we want to follow Satan in his desire to be worshiped? Do we
want to be disciples of humans who want to be worshiped and followed? Should we
follow anyone except the Lord?
Claiming “the privilege of
worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience” may
require great sacrifice Articles of
Faith 1:11.
Daniel was cast into
the den of lions for refusing to put his good friend, King Darius, above the
true and living God Daniel
6.
When the lives of Shadrach,
Meshach, and Abed-nego were threatened because they refused to bow down to the
King’s golden image, they “answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we
are not careful to answer thee in this matter. If it be so, our God whom we
serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver
us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king,
that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast
set up.” The King didn’t like their answer and disciplined them Daniel 3.
These stories have been an
inspiration to me. They are more than just Bible stories; they have become my
living reality. Do I have the same kind of courage as Daniel, Shadrach,
Meshach, and Abed-nego?
Last September, some friends
reported me to church leaders because of my beliefs. I believe church
leaders can make mistakes and are human just like the rest of us. This created
no small stir. I was promptly called in for an interview. During the
course of the conversation, I let my interviewer know that I am willing to
support, sustain, and help others do the best they can in the calling that has
been assigned to them, but I am not willing to follow and worship anyone except
God. If someone claims to speak for God, I will take the message to the
Lord and ask for a witness from the Holy Ghost.
My interviewer was also
concerned about my quest to receive the Second Comforter. He told me that
it was not right to seek for such a thing. I was informed that I am out
of line and need to change my attitude. Well, I'm still only going to worship
God. It's taken me a long time to discover my abomination before the
Lord. I've been a human follower most of my life, and I'm not going back
to my idolatry.
My belief in worshiping only
God and seeking His face is perceived as dangerous. I was told that I was not
to ask questions and make comments during church meetings. I asked if I could
say something if the comments and questions are based in the scriptures.
The answer was no. I am only allowed to quote the manual or the opinion
of my local leader. I’ve honored this request. I just keep my mouth
shut.
I would have had a hard time
believing my experience if it wasn’t happening to me. Is this for
real? You mean the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints allows
church members to be condemned for only worshiping God and seeking His face? I
do not despise my experiences because they have been so good for my heart, but
I do have great concern about the path we are taking.
We have serious problems in
the church. Compelling people to worship the hierarchy is wrong. It
damns people and is the doctrine of the anti-Christ. This doctrine is
polluting the Holy Church of God. “O ye pollutions, ye hypocrites, ye teachers,
who sell yourselves for that which will canker, why have ye polluted the holy
church of God? Why are ye ashamed to take upon you the name of Christ? Why do
ye not think that greater is the value of an endless happiness than that misery
which never dies—because of the praise of the world?” Mormon 8:38
A few weeks ago, a friend
asked if she could send me something in the mail. I said sure. When I
opened the package, I discovered that it was anti-Mormon literature. I've
never read anything like this before and probably wouldn't spend much time with
it, except my friend seemed really concerned about my Mormon beliefs. I wanted
to understand her worries. After spending several hours reading and watching
everything that was sent to me, I said to myself, “That’s it? People leave
the Mormon Church over this? I was expecting something shocking and
alarming. Haven't these people inquired of God and obtained their own
witness?”
I know the church has
problems; some of the problems are big problems. I am not naive to what
many of those problems are, but we still have the greatest collection of
written revelations from God. Joseph Smith saw God face to face and
invited us to do the same. We are to teach the principles of Christ’s gospel,
which are in the Bible and the Book of Mormon, in the which is the fulness of
the gospel D&C
42:12. We have also been given the Doctrine and Covenants,
Pearl of Great Price, and the teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith. So
many truths to study, ponder, and pray about.
The heavens are open to
anyone who is willing to come. God is asking us to come. “Come unto
me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my
yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall
find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Matt 11:28-30
