Christ Will Lead You

by Autumn Dickson

As we prepare for this week, understanding the context for what we’re reading can help us understand what the Lord is saying and why He is saying it. It becomes a conversation with God rather than commandments and doctrines loosely tied together without much rhyme or reason. It also helps us connect to those who were receiving these revelations so that we can receive those same messages more effectively.

One of the background pieces for this week is the fact that Joseph and his associates are looking to officially create the church. A prophet has been called, and the Lord has revealed more of His word, but there is no organization to help keep doctrines correct and believers supported. A church creates a home to carry the gospel, and Joseph and Oliver wanted to do it correctly. The Lord encouraged them to study The Book of Mormon and what it taught about having a church.

The portion of this section that I want to focus on today revolves more closely around a few specific verses that have helped me in my relationship with Jesus Christ. It starts with some of the words He shared with Oliver specifically.

Doctrine and Covenants 18:2-3

2 Behold, I have manifested unto you, by my Spirit in many instances, that the things which you have written are true; wherefore you know that they are true.

3 And if you know that they are true, behold, I give unto you a commandment, that you rely upon the things which are written;

Here, the Lord is tenderly reminding Oliver that he has been given knowledge of the truth through the Spirit. He is encouraging Oliver to trust that.

As I’ve been pondering some of these early supporters, specifically Oliver Cowdery and Martin Harris, I’ve been thinking about just how difficult it would have been to lean into the restoration. Joseph’s story was quite miraculous, and it already had plenty of opposition. I don’t know if I would have been brave enough to place my weight on it or to even give it a chance to be true. I likely would have scoffed if someone told me they had plates but couldn’t show them to anyone.

Apparently, that was the case for many of the early believers as well. There are many times where the Lord encourages Oliver and specifically tells him that he has received revelation. As I read these sentiments from the Lord, I see that Oliver was exercising faith and getting involved, but that it was also likely difficult for him when he wondered if he was being deceived. I’m sure these moments of extra encouragement from the Lord were helpful.

I think of Martin. I feel like there were a couple of times in Martin’s history where he seems to be saying, “Okay. This is it. I know now. I know it’s true.” For example, I think of how Martin was given the privilege of seeing the plates. He cried out, “Tis enough! Tis enough! Mine eyes have beheld! Mine eyes have beheld!” This is completely my own opinion, but I feel like Martin was looking for this ultimate moment where he would no longer have to fight off doubts. He wanted to have this experience that he couldn’t question, almost as if he didn’t want to have to exercise faith anymore. I don’t blame him. I don’t think he was necessarily opposed to faith; he just wanted to feel secure that he’s moving in the right direction (especially since it was so new and small and different).

I think each of us know how these men feel.

I don’t know that I would have called Oliver and Martin faithless for needing encouragement or wanting security in their belief. Rather, I would describe them as people who wanted to avoid being deceived. This is actually a wonderful trait to have. We should all seek to avoid deception, but it’s a fine line to walk. We’re trying to allow enough room for faith that the Lord can help it grow, but we’re trying to avoid being led down paths that will take us away from Him. But the very basis of faith means we don’t know if we’re on the right path. We don’t want to open ourselves up if we’re on the wrong path, but we also don’t want to close ourselves off if we did happen to pick the right one. As you can see, it can feel messy.

The Lord is in a tricky position here. He has to require faith. Faith is the only avenue by which He is able to help us grow into exaltation. Acting by faith was necessary, but the Lord knew that the other side of this coin meant that there would be some fear and missteps. Sure, perhaps your path feels good, but is it truly the only true and right path?

Tricky, tricky.

Context of the church

This paradox is even more interesting in the context of the church where we’re taught that we have the correct path. In many other denominations, it’s much more acceptable to sway between preachers and differing interpretations of the bible. If you decide to be Methodist after growing up in a non-denominational home, you likely won’t get as much kickback from home. You also probably won’t feel a ton of fear that you’re moving in the wrong direction because a portion of your beliefs rests in the fact that you’re saved so long as you believe in Christ.

The stakes rise in a church that claims to be Christ’s true church on the earth. This can create more fear which is hugely counterproductive to faith, and that fear often gets multiplied when outside pressure argues that you’re no longer following the true Christ.

So how do we cope?

How do we face the mounting pressure with faith? How do we reconcile unknowns when the church is teaching us that we need to follow the correct truth but we have to coexist with the fact that faith is required? How do we seek to follow the correct truth and be content with faith at the same time?

I’ll give you my favorite answer. Develop a relationship with Jesus Christ.

Let’s go back to what we were talking about in the beginning. Oliver and Joseph were trying to form a church. They had already been given a lot of doctrine, and a prophet had been called, but the Lord wanted to organize a church. Why? The church was always meant to support the gospel; it’s not the gospel. Don’t get me wrong; the church is very important. However, it is the gospel and proper authority that are necessary for salvation.

Perhaps separating the two may seem nuanced and silly, but Satan loves to distract us from the gospel by using the church. He wants us so caught up in the commandments that we forget the commandments were meant to bring us to Christ and his gospel. Christ gets cut from the equation, and we end up dissatisfied and fearful.

We wonder if we’re in the right church. We wonder if all of the extra stuff we follow is necessary or superfluous. We wonder if we’re on the right path. This is actually just another manifestation of hyperfocusing on the church rather than allowing the church to bring us to Christ.

Let’s step away from the church aspect of it and look specifically at Christ. Let’s temporarily step away from the question of whether we’re in the right church and on the right path.

Who is Christ? He is the source of our salvation. That doesn’t just mean He lets us into heaven. It means that drawing closer to Christ naturally brings us into a state of salvation. We experience aspects of salvation regardless of whether we’ve been freed from mortal constraints yet. Perhaps our church is His church on the earth, but let’s not explore that specific concept too closely as of yet.

What else do we know of Christ? We know He is perfectly fair and loving. We know that He seeks our salvation. We know He is immensely powerful, that He knows us so well, and that wants to help us come home.

If we truly believe these things about Christ, the fear dissipates. If you get to know Christ as He is, you know that He can lead you along. You feel that He won’t abandon you for missteps. You can feel that He is not the type of Being to cast you off in impatience. He stands ready to walk you through nuanced lessons that clarify truths about Him. As you draw closer to Him, you feel salvation more and more in your life.

Now let’s bring in this portion about church.

Everything we find in church was simply meant to facilitate that relationship. The Word of Wisdom keeps us free from potential addictions that make it really, really hard to hear Him. Going to the temple, taking the sacrament, all of these things were meant to point us to Christ where we find freedom from hell and its associated aspects of fear.

We wonder and worry whether we’re in the right place. We stress about our salvation. These feelings often come from focusing on church as our salvation rather than as a facilitator of a relationship with Jesus Christ who is the true author of salvation.

You find heaven with Jesus Christ because He is heavenly to be around. If He was truly the type of Being to cast off spirits into eternal fiery pits because they were born into circumstances that kept them from the truth, then I’m not so sure I would feel heaven around Him. I’d probably just be afraid of Him. Which is ironic. Because fear is associated with hell.

Back to our previous context…

Let’s put it back into the context of Oliver and Martin. They were afraid of being deceived. Awesome. We don’t want to be deceived. But place that fear in the context of Christ. If those men had understood and trusted in the Lord as He is, they would have known that God doesn’t just say He is loving. He doesn’t just profess to be fair and to seek our salvation. He actually does so. They didn’t have to be scared if their hearts were truly seeking Him without guile; He has the power and desire to lead us.

If they had truly misstepped by following Joseph, they merely needed to cling to Him and He would have led them along where they were supposed to go.

I believe in a Savior who actually saves. I believe that He seeks us out and leads us along. I believe that as we seek Him back, He can usher us in the right direction and we don’t have to live in fear of missteps.

I also believe that as we cling to Christ, we are drawn towards this church. If we are utilizing the church to get closer to Christ and to feel Him, we will find Him.

The Book of Mormon has brought me closer to Christ. My temple covenants have brought me closer to Christ. Priesthood blessings, listening to prophets, and all sorts of church-specific things have brought me closer to Christ. And it is in Christ that I have found Someone who knows me perfectly. He knows how I want to do the right thing and follow Him. He knows my desire to be obedient to what He wants, and I know He doesn’t want to cast me off when I don’t have everything right. Rather, I trust Him to keep leading me. If He is as perfect and fair and loving as He says He is, He’s not going to abandon me. I seek Him, and He will lead me. Thus far, I have felt that I’m headed in the right path and I trust Him to help me continue on towards Him.

I personally testify that this is Christ’s church. As I have leaned closer to Christ, I have felt drawn closer to the covenants I’ve made here. I have come to deeply appreciate all the support systems He has given me to remain close to Him. I have found answers that make sense, and I have found assurance when I don’t understand. I have found so many aspects of salvation today; I don’t have to wait to experience that goodness.

 

 

Autumn Dickson was born and raised in a small town in Texas. She served a mission in the Indianapolis Indiana mission. She studied elementary education but has found a particular passion in teaching the gospel. Her desire for her content is to inspire people to feel confident, peaceful, and joyful about their relationship with Jesus Christ and to allow that relationship to touch every aspect of their lives. Autumn was the recipient of FAIR’s 2024 John Taylor Defender of the Faith Award.

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