D&C 50:10-24

50:10-21 - The Lord explains that they will “reason together, that ye may understand; Let us reason even as a man reasoneth one with another face to face. Now, when a man reasoneth he is understood of man, because he reasoneth as a man; even so will I, the Lord, reason with you that you may understand.”  The IM says, “the Lord sometimes reasons with us in the same way we reason with each other. His purpose in reasoning with us is the same as His reason for speaking to us in our own language: He wants them to ‘come to understanding.’” The Lord does a question and answer forum for the next several verses, asking “unto what were ye ordained? To preach my gospel by the Spirit, even the Comforter which was sent forth to teach the truth.” He asks them is they were “justified”  in believing that the “spirits which  ye could not understand” came from God. He answers that they can answer this question for themselves, “nevertheless, I will be merciful unto you; he that is weak among you hereafter shall be made strong.” I think that the Lord understands that they are new to this religion and are doing their best, and he is indeed merciful to them. The Lord asks is the gospel is preached “by the Spirit of truth or some other way?” DJR comments “Perhaps you’ve noticed that when the Holy Ghost is present, testifying of the truthfulness of the gospel, helping you understand gospel principles, and so forth, there is a sweet feeling of peace, calm, and assurance that attends it. This is opposite the unsettling, jangling, and boisterous spirit that attends the types of ‘spiritual’ manifestations these brethren were concerned about.” I had an interesting experience with this today, I was having a really hard time, was struggling with some serious self-loathing today, like really bad, worse than I have had in a really long time. But I was able to work it out with the help of the Spirit, my testimony, and the mercies of God. When I was thinking some of these things, I actually told myself, “this is making you feel bad, it’s Satan saying these things, they are NOT true.” I had to repeat this to myself several times but finally I was able to put those thoughts and feelings away because I knew they weren’t true. Even though here the Lord is talking about preaching the gospel to others, I think that it still applies to my brain teaching the gospel to my heart, the truth is peaceful, calm, and assuring, whereas Satan was loud, hurtful, and unsettling. The Lord answers his question about the Spirit of truth teaching the gospel, saying, “And if it be by some other way it is not of God.” The Lord asks if the hearer of the truth by the Spirit receives the truth is “it by the Spirit of truth or some other way?” This is an interesting question, what does it mean? DJR interprets the question as meaning “is the truth received with a feeling of “peace and calm that attend the testifying of the Holy Ghost?” I try to think of the other ways the truth can be received and I can think of logically, like if someone accepts the gospel because it makes logical sense to them, then that testimony is shallow, not rooted in the spiritual aspect of testimony. The Lord answers, if the truth is not accepted “by the Spirit of truth” then “it is not of God.” Finally the Lord asks, “Why is it that ye cannot understand and know, that he that receiveth the word by the Spirit of truth receiveth it as it is preached by the Spirit of truth.” DJR interprets this to mean, “In other words, the Holy Ghost does not do wild and weird things like umping on stumps and shouting, twisting grotesquely, rolling and uttering strange sounds, and so forth.” The IM teaches, “Some of the early Saints had fallen victim to excessive spiritual displays, ‘receiving them to be of God.’ The Lord indicated that these displays are not justified. The Prophet Joseph Smith explained: ‘One great evil is, that men are ignorant of the nature of spirits; their power, laws, government, intelligence, etc., and imagine that when there is anything like power, revelation, or vision manifested, that it must be of God… who can drag into daylight and develop the hidden mysteries of the false spirits that so frequently are made manifest among the Latter-day Saints? We answer that no man can do this without the Priesthood, and having a knowledge of the laws by which spirits are governed; for as ‘no man knows the things of God,’ but by the Spirit of God, so no man knows the spirit of the devil, and his power and influence, but by possessing intelligence which is more than human, and having unfolded through the medium of the Priesthood the mysterious operations of his devices; without knowing the angelic form, the sanctified look and gesture, and the zeal that is frequently manifested by him for the glory of God, together with the prophetic spirit, the gracious influence, the godly appearance, and the holy garb, which are so characteristic of his proceedings and his mysterious windings. A man must have the discerning of spirits because he can drag into daylight this hellish influence and unfold it unto the world in all its soul-destroying, diabolical, and horrid colors… The great difficulty lies in the ignorance of the nature of spirits, of the laws by which they are governed, and the signs by which they may be known;… it requires the Spirit of God to know the things of God; and the spirit of the devil can only be unmasked through that medium.’” This is definitely what I encountered today, Satan’s “soul-destroying, diabolical, and horrid colors.” I also think that it’s interesting that JS talked about the laws, government, power, and intelligence that spirits must operate under. I think one of the biggest lies that Satan tells us is that he has no rules, that this life is just a free for all, and that’s not true.

50:22-24 - The Lord begins teaching again, and uses language that is very straightforward, saying, “Wherefore, he that preacheth and he that receiveth, understand one another, and both are edified and rejoice together.” DJR gives 3 points that should be learned here, “Point 1: When the Holy Ghost is involved, gospel understanding is the result (as opposed to not understanding the meaning and messages of strange manifestations.) Point 2: When the Holy Ghost is involved, both the preacher and the hearer are edified (built up, strengthened in personal righteousness and understanding of the gospel.) Point 3: When the Holy Ghost is involved, there is rejoicing and harmony.” These are pretty incredible points. Let’s think about my experience today, is what I was  hearing about myself compatible with the gospel? No, it was completely contrary. Was I edified by what was being said? No, it was the exact opposite, I felt terrible. Was there rejoicing and harmony felt? No, only self-loathing and hate and bitterness. It’s really a miracle because when this used to happen, I would not only believe what was being said, but I would somehow think that it was God’s way of “humbling” me. I know that it doesn’t make any sense, but it’s true. The Lord continues, “That which is of God is light; and he that receiveth light, and continueth in God, receiveth more light; and that light growth brighter and brighter until the perfect day.” This is the line upon line concept, the milk before meat idea. The Lord continues, “I say it that you may know the truth, that you may chase darkness from among you.” Was I able to use this principle today to help me escape Satan’s tirade? Yes. The IM teaches, “The things of God edify: they spiritually support and life us toward a better life. They bring us closer to our Father in Heaven. The thins of Satan do the opposite. No spiritual growth occurs, no intelligence is communicated, we are not edified. The Prophet Joseph Smith observed: ‘Others frequently possess a spirit that will cause them to lie down, and during its operation, animation is frequently entirely suspended; they consider it to be the power of God, and a glorious manifestation from God- a manifestation of what? Is there any intelligence communicated? Are the curtains of heaven withdrawn, or the purposes of God developed? Have they seen and conversed with an angel- or have the glories of futurity burse upon their view? No! but their body has been inanimate, the operation of their spirit suspended, and all the intelligence that can be obtained from them when they arise, is a shout of ‘glory,’ or ‘hallelujah,’ or some incoherent expression; but they have had ‘the power.’ The Shaker will whirl around on his heel, impelled by a supernatural agency or spirit, and think that he is governed by the Spirit of God; and the Jumper will jump and enter into all kinds of extravagances. A Primitive Methodist will shout under the influence of that spirit, until he will rend the heavens with his cries; while the Quakers (or Friends) move as they think, by the Spirit of God, will sit still and say nothing. Is God the author of all this? If not of all of it, which does He recognize? Surely, such a heterogeneous mass of confusion never can enter into the kingdom of heaven.’ President Joseph Fielding Smith taught> ‘There is no saying of great truth than ‘what which doth not edify is not of God.’ And that which is not of God is darkness, it matters not whether it comes in the guise of religion, ethics, philosophy or revelation. No revelation from God will fail to edify.’”