Prophets vs Callings
Dear Elder Peterson,
In my last letter, I provided you with Joseph Smith’s definition of a prophet and several quotes showing why he considered himself a prophet. I find that his definition of a prophet is consistent with the scriptures.
The spirit of prophecy can show us and help us to understand the past, present and future. Prophets before Jesus came learned of him and his atonement by the spirit of prophecy which foretold of future events. Nephi also learned by the same spirit of present events, (Hel. 8:27). Today, we learn of him by the same spirit which tells us of past events. The spirit of prophecy is also called the spirit of Truth.
“Ye were also in the beginning with the Father; that which is Spirit, even the Spirit of truth;
24 And truth is knowledge of things as they are, and as they were, and as they are to come;” – D&C 93:23-24
We have already experienced the spirit of prophecy when we gained a testimony of the past regarding Jesus Christ and his atonement by the spirit. When this happened for Enos and other prophets before Christ came, it was a prophecy of the future, but for us it is a prophecy of the past. BUT, it is the exact same prophecy and comes in the exact same way by the exact same spirit.
“For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” – 2 Peter 1:21
This is why Joseph Smith said that anyone who has a testimony of Christ is a prophet, and why by that definition, you and I are also prophets and have already received a prophecy by the Holy Ghost or the Spirit of Truth.
Does this mean that we are prophets like the president of the Church and the twelve apostles?
That is a good question. What we are really asking is, “What makes the President of the church and the Twelve Apostles “prophets”? Is it their positions and calling or is it their testimonies of Christ through the spirit?”
The answer is that they are prophets because they have a testimony of Christ through the spirit, not because of their position in church leadership. They were prophets before they were called to a position of leadership, just as you were a prophet before being called on a mission to minister Christ to your area of the world. Remember that Joseph Smith said,
“Salvation cannot come without revelation; it is in vain for anyone to minister without it. No man is a minister of Jesus Christ without being a Prophet. No man can be a minister of Jesus Christ except he has the testimony of Jesus; and this is the spirit of prophecy. Whenever salvation has been administered, it has been by testimony. Men of the present time testify of heaven and hell, and have never seen either; and I will say that no man knows these things without this.” – Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, Section Four 1839-42, p.160
You are a minister of Jesus Christ because you are teaching and leading others to Christ. Joseph Smith says that you can not do your job correctly without being a prophet. This statement is supported by the Lord who tells us that if we are not preaching by the spirit of truth, (spirit of prophecy), then your preaching is not of God.
“Verily I say unto you, he that is ordained of me and sent forth to preach the word of truth by the Comforter, in the Spirit of truth, doth he preach it by the Spirit of truth or some other way?
18 And if it be by some other way it is not of God.” – D&C 50:17-18
This same principle applies to every calling and leadership position in the church, from yours as a missionary all the way up to the President of the church.
In 1954, President J. Reuben Clark, Jr., of the First Presidency gave a talk to Seminary and Institute personnel titled, “When Are the Writings and Sermons of Church Leaders Entitled to the Claim of Scripture?” In that talk he pointed out that being a prophet does not mean everything you say is right, true or prophetic. His words apply to you just as much as they do to the President of the Church.
I assume the scripture behind this question is the declaration of the Lord in a revelation given through Joseph primarily to Orson Hyde, Luke S. Johnson, Lyman E. Johnson, and William E. M’Lellin, who were to engage in missionary work. After addressing a word first to Orson Hyde, the Lord continued:
“And, behold, and lo, this is an ensample unto all those who were ordained unto this priesthood, whose mission is appointed unto them to go forth—
3 And this is the ensample unto them, that they shall speak as they are moved upon by the Holy Ghost.
4 And whatsoever they shall speak when moved upon by the Holy Ghost shall be scripture, shall be the will of the Lord, shall be the mind of the Lord, shall be the word of the Lord, shall be the voice of the Lord, and the power of God unto salvation.” – D&C 68:2-4.The very words of the revelation recognize that the Brethren may speak when they are not “moved upon by the Holy Ghost”; yet only when they do speak as “moved upon” is what they say considered scripture. No exceptions are given to this rule or principle. It is universal in its application.
The question is, how shall we know when the things they have spoken were said as they were “moved upon by the Holy Ghost”? I have given some thought to this question, and the answer thereto, so far as I can determine, is: We can tell when the speakers are “moved upon by the Holy Ghost” only when we, ourselves, are “moved upon by the Holy Ghost.” In a way, this completely shifts the responsibility from them to us to determine when they so speak.
– President J. Reuben Clark, Jr., of the First Presidency
This shows us a few things. First off, you are only acting as a prophet when you are speaking by the power of the Holy Ghost, and when you do, you are speaking for the Lord as much as any prophet in scripture or general conference ever has or will. This means that you, (and anyone who has the spirit), are able to prophecy as much as the president of the Church. You are also able to prophecy to any person or group that the spirit tells you to prophecy to.
Something that we do not understand well as a church is that all spiritual power and authority comes through the spirit, not by the laying on of hands, and not from our positions in the church. For example, Nephi told his brothers what gave him authority to speak to them as if he were their spiritual leader when he said,
“And the Holy Ghost giveth me authority, that I should speak these things, and deny them not.” – 1 Nephi 10:22
The Lord teaches this principle repeatedly throughout the scriptures, but no where is it more clearly taught than in D&C 132:7-14 where the Lord tells us that everything done in His name must be sealed by the Holy Spirit or it is not considered valid after men are dead. While teaching this, the Lord points out that He is not obligated to receive anything at our hands that He has not appointed, just because we have the priesthood.
“And verily I say unto you, that the conditions of this law are these: All covenants, contracts, bonds, obligations, oaths, vows, performances, connections, associations, or expectations, that are not made and entered into and sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise, … are of no efficacy, virtue, or force in and after the resurrection from the dead; for all contracts that are not made unto this end have an end when men are dead.
8 Behold, mine house is a house of order, saith the Lord God, and not a house of confusion.
9 Will I accept of an offering, saith the Lord, that is not made in my name?
10 Or will I receive at your hands that which I have not appointed?” – D&C 132:7-10
God’s house is a house of order and not confusion because every word spoken, ordinance performed, oath, covenant, expectation, etc. must be agreed to and authorized by God through His spirit to be valid.
Just as we gain authority from the spirit, we lose authority when the spirit leaves us, even if the priesthood has been conferred upon us and we have a calling in the church.
“That the rights of the priesthood are inseparably connected with the powers of heaven, and that the powers of heaven cannot be controlled nor handled only upon the principles of righteousness.
37 That they may be conferred upon us, it is true; but when we undertake to cover our sins, or to gratify our pride, our vain ambition, or to exercise control or dominion or compulsion upon the souls of the children of men, in any degree of unrighteousness, behold, the heavens withdraw themselves; the Spirit of the Lord is grieved; and when it is withdrawn, Amen to the priesthood or the authority of that man.” – D&C 121:36-37
If the spirit tells you to do it, then God has called you and given you authority to do it. There is no spiritual power and authority without the spirit and no greater authority than from God through His spirit. There is also no authority that can overrule God speaking through the spirit.
Callings and positions in the church do not guarantee power and authority from God through the spirit. An unrighteous person may have a high position in the church and not have the spirit. On this point, I am reminded of apostle Richard R. Lyman who was excommunicated because he had been secretly living as a polygamist for 18 years before he was discovered by the First Presidency and Albert Carrington who was having sex with multiple women for 10 years before the prophet and other apostles discovered him. They served as apostles in the church, giving talks in general conference and around the world for many years while “undertaking to cover their sins” before they were discovered by the First Presidency and excommunicated. They had position and power in the church, but did not have the spirit supporting them in all that they did.
And, power and authority through the spirit does not give you power and authority in the church organization. There are many people who have the spirit but are not called to positions of authority in the church. My uncle was Bishop who was having an affair for almost a year before he was caught, released and excommunicated. There were many people in his ward that had the spirit but could not assume his position as the Bishop without being called by the Stake President.
You may be a prophet, and 100% inspired by the Holy Ghost, but you are not called to make policies for the church like the President of the Church is. This does not impact your ability to speak for God to any group whom God sends you.
As you read the scriptures, pay close attention to how each prophet is called by God to be a prophet and given authority to preach. This will give you tremendous insight into how God has worked and continues to work among men. I think you will be very surprised by what you find.
In the name of my friend and Savior, Jesus Christ, Amen
With love and faith,
Uncle Philip