There is a saying that, ‘It is better to light a candle than curse the darkness’. Yet mankind, generally, has cursed the darkness for centuries, refusing to seek light and inspiration as the scriptures have been instructing them from the very beginning. “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. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.” (James 1:5-6) If those, who were and are, considered to be the world’s spiritual leaders, since the apostasy, would have sought the truth in faith, the truth would have been revealed unto them by the power of the Holy Ghost.
God seeks out the humble and faithful to reveal Himself and His Plan of Salvation. Many of those selected to represent the Lord, over the centuries, were merely youth, possibly they were chosen because their minds had not already been compromised by the philosophies of men. A few of those include: Jacob, Joseph, Samuel, David, Daniel and another Joseph, in these the latter days.
For “Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.” (Amos 3:7) and (Luke 12: 2) “For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known.” Those scriptures, tell us that the Lord is willing to share His plans and that He has no secrets. He will only do so to those who have prepared themselves spiritually to receive His instruction.
The Apostasy, or falling away, started in earnest just a few decades after the resurrection of the Lord and the establishment of His Church on the earth. For example, Paul chastised the Corinthians, even during his time, for questioning whether Christ had, in reality, resurrected from the grave. Man, over the centuries have built up literally hundreds of church’s on the foundation of their own wisdom and they have concocted doctrines based on their own philosophies, mingled with scriptures, for the appearance of truth. They have failed to come to a unity of the faith because God has made their wisdom foolishness. “Where is the wise? … hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?… For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God.” (1 Cor. 1: 20)
I often pause to thank God for the restoration of the Gospel because of the awe I feel for it’s simple but penetrating truths, truths that have been revealed in these last days through the Holy Ghost to good, simple and humble men.
Parley P. Pratt voiced his emotions, regarding the light given, in song:
The morning breaks; the shadows flee;
Lo, Zion’s standard is unfurled!
The dawning of a brighter day,
Majestic rises on the world.
The clouds of error disappear
Before the rays of truth divine;
The glory bursting from afar,
Wide o’er the nations soon will shine.
Many religious leaders of the world have, apparently, never understood many scriptural truths though they glaringly stand out in the scriptures. For example, (1 Cor 15:29) where Paul talks of baptism for the dead and: “Bible scholars have never found a satisfactory explanation for the practice.” (Brown, Jerome Biblical Commentary 2:273). The following interview supports that Bible Commentary.
Dr. Paul R Cheesman, a BYU professor of ancient scripture, in 1945, interviewed Dr. Edward J. Goodspeed, of UCLA, a renowned Bible translator and scholar, regarding Baptism for the dead. The interview went as follows:
Cheesman: “Is the scripture found in (1 Cor 15:29) translated properly as found in the King James Translation?”
Goodspeed: “Basically, yes.”
Cheesman: “Do you believe that baptism for the dead was practiced in Paul’s time?”
Goodspeed: “Definitely, yes.”
Cheesman: “Does the church to which you belong practice it today?”
Goodspeed: “No.”
Cheesman: “Do you think it should be practiced today?”
Goodspeed: “This is the reason we do not practice it today. We do not know enough about it. If we did, we would practice it.”
Cheesman: “May I quote you as a result of this interview?”
Goodspeed: “Yes.”
Yes, There is continued and regular revelation from God and members of the LDS faith are not the only ones who believe in it. Elder Jeffery Holland quoted one such Protestant scholar who has inquired tellingly into the erroneous doctrine of a closed canon. He writes: “On what biblical or historical grounds has the inspiration of God been limited to the written documents that the church now calls its Bible? … If the Spirit inspired only the written documents of the first century, does that mean that the same Spirit does not speak today in the church about matters that are of significant concern?” We humbly ask those same questions. We must be grateful to our God for revealing to Latter Day Prophets, who were humble and faithful and ready to receive the truth from on high in regards to baptism for the dead. Because of revelation, “We know enough! “