Guard Your Hearts: Keeping Our Faith Rooted in Scripture, Not Self-Will

Brothers and sisters, as we gather together—whether in a physical meetinghouse, on a virtual study session, or just wrestling with a scripture passage alone—the Spirit is our most precious guide. But sometimes, the currents of the world, or even some teachings within the Church, can pull us toward doctrines that *feel* powerful, doctrines that promise immediate answers, but ultimately pull us away from the Savior. It takes a returned missionary's heart to recognize a good spirit when it's genuinely from the Spirit, and a disciple’s humility to question it when it sounds too good to be true.

Recently, I was doing some deep reading, looking at what separates genuine revelation from mere philosophy. We were looking at the concept of the "Word of Faith" movement, and it really struck a chord regarding the importance of anchoring our theology in what the Prophet taught and what the scriptures record. It’s a powerful reminder that while we are called to be Internet missionaries who share the gospel everywhere, we must first be diligent students of the gospel itself.

Testing the Teachings: Faith vs. Divine Sovereignty

The core danger I saw discussed in the source material was the elevation of human will—the "faith-force"—to a point where it seems to operate independently of God’s sovereign will. The idea that we can manipulate the universe simply by 'claiming' promises, treating our faith as a law-making mechanism, is deeply concerning. It risks turning the glorious, sovereign Creator into a mere object of our personal, self-generated faith.

Think about it through the lens of our restored gospel. We know that God is the Sovereign Creator. He doesn't need our faith to exist; He *is* the object of our faith (Mark 11:22). Our power comes not from our own declarations, but from the Atonement of Jesus Christ. He didn't just *suggest* we could become little gods; He *is* the fullness of the Godhead, and His sacrifice was the ultimate act of divine power, not a mere suggestion we could replicate through sheer willpower.

This isn't meant to discourage us in our efforts to share the gospel. Quite the opposite! If we are to be effective disciples anywhere, all the time, we must be *more* sure of the foundation we stand on. Our hope, our power, our sustenance—it all points back to the Savior. Our faith comes from God in the first place (Ephesians 2:8). That’s the truth we need to carry into every missionary discussion and every home visit.

Scripture: Our Unshakeable Anchor

When the teachings get murky, when the focus shifts from the Savior’s grace to our own potential might, the remedy is always the same: return to the Book of Mormon, the Bible, and the words of modern prophets. Scripture isn't just a suggestion; it's the divine record that guards our hearts and minds. It teaches us that God is Spirit, and He is the ultimate authority. We are disciples *of* Him, not co-creators *with* Him.

This is a perfect example of why we need to keep up with our studies. If you're looking for a solid resource to deepen your understanding of doctrinal purity, I highly recommend checking out Hank Hanegraaff's Christianity in Crisis: 21st Century. It’s a sobering read, but it sharpens your ability to discern truth from error.

Remember, every member can be an Internet missionary, every member can be a disciple anywhere, all the time. Let’s commit to making sure that every word we share, every question we ask, and every doctrine we hold is built upon the solid rock of revealed scripture and the living example of Christ.

If this discussion helped clarify some doctrinal fog, please take a moment to share it with a friend who might be wrestling with similar questions. For those of you who want to dive deeper into doctrinal questions using the tools we have, I encourage you to check out the AI Investigator role with Davee. He’s fantastic at walking through the 'hard questions' an investigator might ask!