Revelation, Prophecy & The Fulness of the Gospel
“Behold, you have my gospel before you, and my rock, and my salvation." - D&C 18:17
The best way to know the Fulness of the Gospel is to live it. How can we truly know that which we do not live? The Lord counseled,
“24. Build upon my rock, which is my gospel;
25. Deny not the spirit of revelation, nor the spirit of prophecy, for wo unto him that denieth these things;” - D&C 11:24-25
Living this Fulness of the Gospel is how we build on the Rock from which we cannot fall. If we cannot fall, then we qualify to receive our Calling and Election made sure which is the promise of Eternal Life. This promise is only given to those who cannot fall because they have built on the rock.
So, we must:
- Build on the rock or gospel
- deny not the Spirit of Revelation nor
- the Spirit of Prophecy.
Although these 3 points seem to be unrelated, they are actually one and the same. The question is, “How do we deny the spirit of Revelation and the spirit of Prophecy?”
As expressed in the first chapter, The Fulness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is achieved when we receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost which teaches us all things which we should do.
This is the objective of all the other principles of the gospel. And as, expressed earlier in this book, this gift has not been received unless we receive revelations. And also expressed is that these personal revelations have no limits, even to knowing everything known by any other prophet or Angel of God living or dead.
Denying the spirit of revelation does not mean that we refuse to believe that others have received revelation, it means that we deny ourselves the spirit of revelation. The spirit of revelation which makes us Revelators.
If we deny the spirit of revelation, then we deny the gift of the Holy Ghost in our life. It means that we have rejected the gift or place the gift on the shelf to sit unused. Remember that Joseph Smith said,
"No man can receive the Holy Ghost without receiving revelations. The Holy Ghost is a revelator." (TPJS, p. 328).
When we receive the Holy Ghost, we receive the spirit of revelation by which we cannot help but receive revelation. Not just over the scriptures or spiritual matters, but over every aspect of life that we desire guidance or teaching. The same is true of the Spirit of Prophecy which comes of the Testimony of Christ. John learned this while talking to an angel as recorded in his revelation.
“And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellow servant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” - Rev. 19:10
Notice that the angel speaking to John made himself equal to John in testimony and therefore equal in prophecy. Joseph Smith reiterated this by stating that anyone with a testimony of Christ is a Prophet equal to himself. Joseph Smith explained multiple times, that anyone who DOES NOT claim to be a prophet and to have the spirit of prophecy CANNOT be a true teacher or even a true witness of righteousness.
“If any person should ask me if I were a prophet, I should not deny it, as that would give me the lie; for, according to John, the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy; therefore, if I profess to be a witness or teacher, and have not the spirit of prophecy, which is the testimony of Jesus, I must be a false witness; but if I be a true teacher and witness, I must possess the spirit of prophecy, and that constitutes a prophet; and any man who says he is a teacher or a preacher of righteousness, and denies the spirit of prophecy, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; and by this key false teachers and impostors may be detected.” (Dec. 30, 1842.) DHC 5:215-216. - TPJS, p.269
"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." - TPJS, p.160
"Faith comes by hearing the word of god, through the testimony of the servants of God; that testimony is always attended by the Spirit of prophecy and revelation." - TPJS, p.148
"Fifth--"Do you believe Joseph Smith, Jun., to be a Prophet?"
"Yes, and every other man who has the testimony of Jesus. For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.--Revelation, 19:10th verse." - TPJS, p.119
Here is the quote from John that Joseph keeps referring to above:
“And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” - Rev. 19:10
Here is a Book of Mormon quote making a similar connection:
“And Alma went and began to declare the word of God unto the church which was established in the valley of Gideon, according to the revelation of the truth of the word which had been spoken by his fathers, and according to the spirit of prophecy which was in him, according to the testimony of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who should come to redeem his people from their sins, and the holy order by which he was called. And thus it is written. Amen.” - Alma 6:8
The reason that the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy is because we receive a testimony by the same means that we receive prophecies. If we have not received a testimony of Christ, then we do not know the method by which we receive prophecies. Because all prophecies are received via the same experience as gaining a testimony, if we have gained a testimony of Christ, we have experienced the spirit of prophecy.
Prophecy is a subset of the spirit of Revelation. Prophecy is generally the revelation of what will happen or what could happen. There are 4 time frames regarding revelation. They are:
- The Past
- The Present
- The Future
- The Eternal
Prophecy is considered revelation regarding the future. Testimony is generally considered revelation regarding the Eternal. All revelation regardless of the time frame is received in the same way.
So the testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of Prophecy, and the Holy Ghost is the Spirit of Revelation. Let’s look at the Testimony of Christ which is the Spirit of Prophecy. This may be new information to some and so we will look at exactly what it means.
To do this we will compare the various levels of testimony and knowledge regarding Jesus Christ and how they are obtained.
- No Testimony – No witness of Jesus Christ by the Power of the Holy Ghost. (Not a Prophet of Jesus Christ.)
- Testimony of Jesus – Comes by the Witness of the Power of the Holy Ghost. A testimony of Jesus Christ is a basic criteria for membership into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This testimony constitutes a Prophet of Jesus Christ. This gift comes by the Power of the Holy Ghost and a testifying witness of Christ. This gift is known as “the Spirit of Prophecy”, (Rev. 19:10).
- Knowledge of Jesus Christ through the Second Comforter – After receiving your calling and election made sure it is your privilege to visit with Christ. The Second Comforter is the constant presence of Christ in spirit. This still constitutes a Prophet but with more experience and certain knowledge that you have walked the correct path and therefore you can lead others accurately. This is known as “The more sure word of Prophecy” (2Pet. 16-21, D&C 131:5.)
As most of us have the testimony of Christ, we have the Spirit of Prophecy. This very same spirit is more important in our daily lives than many would think. When we deny the Spirit of Revelation and the Spirit of Prophecy in ourselves, which come from the Holy Ghost, we deny the Holy Ghost and thus we are not built on the Rock of the Gospel.
It is imperative that we do not deny the Holy Ghost from working fully in our lives. This is why the Lord pronounced “wo unto him that denieth these things”, (D&C. 11:24-25). We cannot be built on the rock which is the gospel if we deny the spirit of revelation and the spirit of prophecy in ourselves!
It is no wonder that of all the sins a person can commit, denying the Holy Ghost from working in our lives is the greatest. According to Alma, it is even greater than sexual deviance and murder. Speaking to his son Corianton, Alma said,
“3. And this is not all, my son. Thou didst do that which was grievous unto me; for thou didst forsake the ministry, and did go over into the land of Siron among the borders of the Lamanites, after the harlot Isabel.
4. Yea, she did steal away the hearts of many; but this was no excuse for thee, my son. Thou shouldst have tended to the ministry wherewith thou wast entrusted.
5. Know ye not, my son, that these things are an abomination in the sight of the Lord; yea, most abominable above all sins save it be the shedding of innocent blood or denying the Holy Ghost?
6. For behold, if ye deny the Holy Ghost when it once has had place in you, and ye know that ye deny it, behold, this is a sin which is unpardonable; yea, and whosoever murdereth against the light and knowledge of God, it is not easy for him to obtain forgiveness; yea, I say unto you, my son, that it is not easy for him to obtain a forgiveness.” - Alma 39:3-6
Christ taught this same principle among the ancient Jews. He even pointed out that it was better to speak against Christ than to speak against the Holy Ghost. He taught:
“Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men. And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.” - Matt. 12:31
It is also not surprising that if the Gospel, (which brings us to the Holy Ghost), is the way to build on the Rock from which we cannot fall, and so merit Calling and Election, then blaspheming that very same spirit is the only way to fall or loose our Calling and Election, (See D&C 132 especially verse 27 and 26).
Additional Scriptures and Quotes
Prophets were prophets because they spake as they were moved on by the Holy Ghost. It was true then and it remains true now.
“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 Pet. 1:21
“And moreover, I say unto you that it has thus been revealed unto me, that the words which have been spoken by our fathers are true, even so according to the spirit of prophecy which is in me, which is also by the manifestation of the Spirit of God.” - Alma 5:47
Here are some examples of people prophesying as they were moved on by the Holy Ghost.
“Now this prophecy Adam spake, as he was moved upon by the Holy Ghost, and a genealogy was kept of the children of God. And this was the book of the generations of Adam, saying: In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him;” - Moses 6:8
Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery prophesy when the Holy Ghost falls on them.
“Immediately on our coming up out of the water after we had been baptized, we experienced great and glorious blessings from our Heavenly Father. No sooner had I baptized Oliver Cowdery, than the Holy Ghost fell upon him, and he stood up and prophesied many things which should shortly come to pass. And again, so soon as I had been baptized by him, I also had the spirit of prophecy, when, standing up, I prophesied concerning the rise of this Church, and many other things connected with the Church, and this generation of the children of men. We were filled with the Holy Ghost, and rejoiced in the God of our salvation.” - JS-H 1:73
“And I, Nephi, said unto them: Behold they were manifest unto the prophet by the voice of the Spirit; for by the Spirit are all things made known unto the prophets, which shall come upon the children of men according to the flesh.” - 1 Nephi 22:2
The Lord says that the Doctrine and Covenants was given so that everyone can speak in the name of the Lord. This mean you...
“The weak things of the world shall come forth and break down the mighty and strong ones, that man should not counsel his fellow man, neither trust in the arm of flesh—But that every man might speak in the name of God the Lord, even the Savior of the world;” - D&C 1:19
There are some amazing benefits to having the spirit of prophecy and revelation.
“Wherefore, we search the prophets, and we have many revelations and the spirit of prophecy; and having all these witnesses we obtain a hope, and our faith becometh unshaken, insomuch that we truly can command in the name of Jesus and the very trees obey us, or the mountains, or the waves of the sea.” - Jacob 4:6
“But this is not all; they had given themselves to much prayer, and fasting; therefore they had the spirit of prophecy, and the spirit of revelation, and when they taught, they taught with power and authority of God.” - Alma 17:3
One of the key points we hope you take from this book are that the blessings of the spirit are available to all who have the spirit. Not just men or those in authority. Anyone who has the spirit has the ability to receive revelations and prophesy. This means you!