In our continuing effort to honour the true way to Eternal Life, this essay will look at how to discern true and false prophets.
I used to believe that many we call Prophets truly were Prophets, but equipped with the way to Christ doctrine as the standard, I realized that how we determine true Prophets has gone off the rails.
As an example, our current prophet claims he has not had an Alma the Younger type of experience with the Lord, nor none of the quorum of 15, at the time of this recording (go to 31:10).
He also seems to express that he hasn't been in the presence of the Lord,... yet we call Oaks "The Prophet".
He also doesn't seem to be willing to at least try to ask these questions to God, by the way he has answered this question about the nature of heaven (watch the first 45 seconds).
And in this video he doesn't respond on whether God has one wife or many wives. (I've had revelation on this one, and I'm happy to share it, and you can discern it for yourself.)
But aren't these the exact reasons why we venture to call anyone a Prophet?
Part of why we call Noah a prophet is because of his experience with the Lord.
Hebrews 11
6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.7 By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.
God Appears to Noah, James Jacques Joseph Tissot (1836-1902)
Oaks' responses are all highly upsetting when the Doctrine of Christ is our standard. How dare we have a prophet who hasn't really seen God, but then at other times speaks as though he is a witness of Christ.
Something to make note of in the last video linked above is that Oaks states it's the Lord who hasn't revealed this truth. Why are we acting as though God doesn't answer questions?
Thank heavens for Joseph Smith! He had loads of questions and He asked! He confirmed to us that God is knowable. I imagine Joseph didn't get answers on everything, and so yes, sometimes the Lord might not answer. But when we have a Prophet today who has never revealed the voice of the Lord, who cannot be compared to the scriptural examples of Prophets, then talks as though it's God gatekeeping the answers, this adds insult to injury at God's expense,... while Oaks gets to preserve his high seat.
Changing qualifiers and changing definitions
Christ was brilliant with analogies and parables, but us humans usually do them badly; and I'm about to! So, please discern for yourself! I'm hoping to compare Grape Crush to modern day Prophetic appointment. No doubt, there are ways it could be a terrible analogy, but I hope it helps to save time explaining my point.
By one definition, this purple Grape Crush is food.
By another definition, it is not food at all.
And by yet another definition Grape Crush is best described as poison. It pulls nourishment from the body, puts great strain on the liver, and requires nourishing food to counteract its effect. Soda changes the pH level in the body so much that it would require 60x the amount of water to neutralize its acidity.
But somehow, it is still sitting on the grocery store shelves, marketed as a great treat!
And party hostesses (including myself in the past) are still saying, "Are you thirsty? Here's a drink of pop!"
Why are we doing this to ourselves?
Differing definitions of “Prophet”
Likewise, are our modern prophets nourishing food that belongs in the grocery store, and that quench our thirst? Here's the comparison:
We have a definition that makes Oaks a Prophet.
We have a scriptural definition of Prophet, and these descriptions give us confidence that God was working through these individuals. The titles of Prophet, Seer, and Revelator can confidently be placed on these people because of their fruits. By this definition Oaks isn't a prophet.
But if we were really honest about what makes a true and false prophet, we might best describe Oaks a false prophet. It may be that our leadership for many years has been Poison. We need living water to counteract their effect.
Assurances? Affirmations? Perhaps not.
I imagine if you ever heard someone say, "This Grape Crush has grapes on the logo, so there must be real grapes in the drink," we'd chuckle a little, and be sure to gently correct them. Because we care, we wouldn't want them thinking they were being nourished when they were not. We'd show them the ingredients, and they'd realize this drink has nothing to do with the real fruit.
"CONTAINS NO JUICE" cracks me up.
We have some passages that we use in similar fashion. They make us believe our prophets are just as they should be. And unfortunately, the way we use the following scriptures could even (in the worst case scenario) convince a people that a false prophet speaks for God. So, another look at these passages is warranted.
Amos 3
7 Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.
LDS UNDERSTANDING: "We can trust our prophets, surely are receiving revelations from God. God is actively telling them what He is doing next."
A PROPOSED HEALTHIER UNDERSTANDING: God communicates all His doings to His servants the prophets. We will need to use discernment to know for ourselves when the words of an individual are prophetic and come from God. We come to know God, then are able to discern His servants.
Ephesians 4
11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.
LDS UNDERSTANDING: "God gave us prophets to bring us to Him, so, we can follow prophets. We can trust they're leading us to Him."
A PROPOSED HEALTHIER UNDERSTANDING: Ephesians 1-4 is an excellent sermon on the Way to Christ doctrine! Near the end are these verses, we learn that God gave us apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers for the purpose of teaching this Way to Christ doctrine. We should be using these chapters to confirm whether they're teaching the doctrine and if they might qualify as a servant of God.
(Knowing the doctrine made me begin to see how they were not teaching it. Maybe we should determine if they're actually teaching the doctrine, and we can use these passages as a measuring tool to determine true servants. Christ says anyone teaching more or less than the Doctrine of Christ is against Him and "cometh of evil."
I don't think these verses were ever meant to be the affirmation we LDS have made it to be.)
D&C 1
38 What I the Lord have spoken, I have spoken, and I excuse not myself; and though the heavens and the earth pass away, my word shall not pass away, but shall all be fulfilled, whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same.
LDS UNDERSTANDING: "God is firmly declaring that we ought to trust whatever the prophet says. The prophet speaks for God."
A PROPOSED HEALTHIER UNDERSTANDING: God is knowable, and we should know His voice and his nature, and use this to judge servants. Servants should be speaking the same words that God would.
(We're not supposed to define God by His servants,... instead we're supposed to determine servants by our understanding of God.
Otherwise we're no better than the Israelites that sent Moses up the mountain, and actually, we're much worse off, because we do not have a prophet who is manifesting anything equivalent to what Moses manifested. It was evident God was with Moses and working through Moses, but we're very badly redefining what it is to be a prophet.)
Cart before Horse
Prophets are meant to direct us to God, and reveal God to us, but how do we know when they're revealing the true God or a false one?
I'm not sure, but knowing God for ourselves is the cure!
Why are we using these passages above to suggest that this is why we can trust prophets? Is that really the message?
What if it's the opposite, instead? We will know true prophets by the way they teach God's word.
God's word shouldn't be defined by prophets, instead prophets should be determined by God's word.
Why are we pretending God is unknowable without a prophet?
The whole message of the Doctrine of Christ is that God is very much knowable, and wants to be known by YOU! He intends to show up in your life in wondrous ways! He wants to put His spirit in you so He is always with you, and then guess what, prophecy and all other gifts of the spirit are possible because of Christ in you!
I love the example of Moses! He taught the people then hid in his tent. He wished that all his people were prophets. He showed them the way, but they wanted him to become their way, and God was deeply offended by the people's choice.
I wonder if there's a message for us here? Sure, prophets can be schoolmasters, but sheesh! Eventually you need to become the prophet! If you're 60 years into your walk with God and still expecting Moses to go up the mountain for you, you have an idol!
Galatians 3
24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.
26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
1 John 2
27 But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.28 And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.
29 If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him.
The Lectures of Faith is a masterpiece on the character of God, and the brilliance of His plan! Spend some time there! God is knowable to you personally! A prophet is only helpful as they direct you to Christ for yourself.
A prophet is not meant to be forever higher than you. That's the message in Ephesians 1-4. YOU can fully come to Christ, and God gives us people who have travelled The Way to testify of The Way to encourage you to the same full, revelatory relationship with Christ.
If Oaks cannot testify of a Born of God experience, and cannot testify that he is a witness of Christ, why would we follow him?
If he's not even born of God, he cannot be the pastor, evangelist, apostle nor prophet God sent to support us on our way to Christ.
Please consider if there's anything here that can be likened to ourselves:
Helaman 13
27 But behold, if a man shall come among you and shall say: Do this, and there is no iniquity; do that and ye shall not suffer; yea, he will say: Walk after the pride of your own hearts; yea, walk after the pride of your eyes, and do whatsoever your heart desireth—and if a man shall come among you and say this, ye will receive him, and say that he is a prophet.28 Yea, ye will lift him up, and ye will give unto him of your substance; ye will give unto him of your gold, and of your silver, and ye will clothe him with costly apparel; and because he speaketh flattering words unto you, and he saith that all is well, then ye will not find fault with him.
29 O ye wicked and ye perverse generation; ye hardened and ye stiffnecked people, how long will ye suppose that the Lord will suffer you? Yea, how long will ye suffer yourselves to be led by foolish and blind guides? Yea, how long will ye choose darkness rather than light?
Vomit
I'm very sorry to use such an uncomfortable word! I'd rather not think about it. I was sick over 4000 times during my five pregnancies so I'm especially hesitant about addressing this imagery in Isaiah, but let's honour what God's word says nonetheless.
Isaiah has a message about prophets from the tribe of Ephraim in the last days:
Isaiah 28
1 Woe to the crown of pride, to the drunkards of Ephraim, whose glorious beauty is a fading flower, which are on the head of the fat valleys of them that are overcome with wine!2 Behold, the Lord hath a mighty and strong one, which as a tempest of hail and a destroying storm, as a flood of mighty waters overflowing, shall cast down to the earth with the hand.
3 The crown of pride, the drunkards of Ephraim, shall be trodden under feet:
Our prophets are drunk. A messenger needs to come and set them straight, such as Abinadi to King Noah. Our prophets are proud, and behave as royalty, but they will fall.
4 And the glorious beauty, which is on the head of the fat valley, shall be a fading flower, and as the hasty fruit before the summer; which when he that looketh upon it seeth, while it is yet in his hand he eateth it up.
5 ¶ In that day shall the Lord of hosts be for a crown of glory, and for a diadem of beauty, unto the residue of his people,
6 And for a spirit of judgment to him that sitteth in judgment, and for strength to them that turn the battle to the gate.
But thankfully when this kingdom falls, the remnant of the people will have Christ as their king. Christ will be beautiful to them. There will be wise discernment. I love this because Christ does become more and more beautiful to those who have realized they need to turn away from the drunkards and towards Him.
7 ¶ But they also have erred through wine, and through strong drink are out of the way; the priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink, they are swallowed up of wine, they are out of the way through strong drink; they err in vision, they stumble in judgment.
8 For all tables are full of vomit and filthiness, so that there is no place clean.
I find this passage deeply meaningful. The drunkards are out of the way. Or, more clearly stated, they are out of The Way, meaning the doctrine of Christ.
Most all essays on this site address how The Way has been dishonoured by the LDS teachings. I've presented the stumbling, fumbling changes they have done to the doctrine of Christ. The true way to Christ would have made them true witnesses of the doctrine, and they would have been steadily planted with their feet on the firm foundation.
But (like vomit) they say all the gospel words in this mix of truth and falsehood. Sometimes I've listened to a conference talk and thought "I can't tell what he's saying. He's using gospel words but it's mixed with such confusion, it's a mess."
9 ¶ Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts.
10 For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:
11 For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people.
12 To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear.
13 But the word of the Lord was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.
Goodness, I feel the ache in verse 9! Knowledge is a reference to true relationship with Christ! Who can be convinced of the true relationship made through following the true doctrine?
The true rest for the weary is the true Doctrine.
The refreshing seems to reference the Born of God experience; elsewhere this is described as a spiritual resurrection, receiving a new heart, and becoming alive in Christ,...
14 ¶ Wherefore hear the word of the Lord, ye scornful men, that rule this people which is in Jerusalem.
15 Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves:
There's one way to Christ. There's no other way nor means nor conditions whereby men can be saved. Teaching a changed gospel as the one true way is insane, or as it's described here, incredibly drunk. Teaching a changed gospel is against Christ and is therefore in agreement with hell.
16 ¶ Therefore thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.
Goodness! We all know what this is, right?
The "stone" is Christ and His doctrine.
The "tried stone"= we have SO MANY who have testified that this is the TRUE way that's actually producing a changed life, and creating a people who are receiving the promise of Eternal Life with Christ. This doctrine is proven trustworthy by the many witnesses in scripture!
Yes! It's "precious"! How dare we be drunken and stumbling in our treatment of it!
The "sure foundation," is Christ and His doctrine.
In contrast, we have prophets consuming at a table, drinking to inhibition and stumbling drunkenness and vomiting, until there is no place that's clean.
17 Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet: and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place.
18 ¶ And your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden down by it.
I have this real weariness for any teaching that undoes Christ's true doctrine. Times of trial, discomfort and losing our idols does help to pivot believers more toward Christ. But, I pray we wake up before this desolation.
But I will add, I fear it's already happened. Sometimes I feel like I'm mourning a destroyed church. I hope I'm wrong.
(Another thing I'd like to note. I know I have heard valuable words from LDS church leaders. I have felt encouraged. I'm aware that they are able to say things that have been positive in my life. But, I believe they're teaching a foolish virgin gospel; one that makes you devoted to Christ, and expecting the feast, but not at all ready in the ways that really matter. That's why Alma 5 is such a great chapter. It's a message to the people of the church. Are you born of God? If no, then that's your next step. If yes, then can you feel it now? THIS will lead us to be the wise virgins, who have truly taken the spirit to be their guide. And also this is why I feel it is fair to suggest our church leaders (who can be a positive influence) are also drunk and have gone out of The Way.)
By their Fruits
We're called to discern. We can't say "God will take care of anything that needs to be corrected" as though Christ didn't command you to discern for yourself.
I love how the Doctrine of Christ is the standard by which we judge here! These good fruits are also defined in scripture! You can find them in 3 places, I have all three in this spreadsheet. These good fruit are assurance to us that Christ is in them and working through them.
3 Nephi 14
13 Enter ye in at the strait gate; for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, which leadeth to destruction, and many there be who go in thereat;14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
15 Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
20 Wherefore, by their fruits ye shall know them.