You have written a lot and said very little—just rehashing the same old things. You seem to be of the persuasion that you shall be “heard for your much speaking” (Matt 6:7). The weaker your arguments get, the longer your posts become! Well, I am not going to respond in kind, otherwise I should be writing a “term paper” every time. But I will briefly highlight the main points—which are not many:
So now we see the new standard of belief: “Because the Holy Ghost told me so.” Yet although Jesus blessed those who believed without evidence, he also offered evidence for those who needed it, and ensured we had eye-witness testimony carefully recorded, safeguarded, and accurately transmitted through the ages.
He performed His miracles for the benefit of those who believed, not those that believed not. When he was among those that believed not, He performed no or few miracles; and He only did it for the benefit of the few among them that did believe:
Mark 6:
4 But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house.
5 And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them.
6 And he marvelled because of their unbelief. And he went round about the villages, teaching.
This has now become your new mantra—demanding signs to believe! I am not going to fulfil that demand for you, because it is actually a sin to demand signs to believe. It is a sin for those who demand it, and an even bigger sin for anyone who tries to supply it. As I told you before, there
were miracles; and if you are genuinely interested, you can study the early history of the Church, and life of Joseph Smith, and find that for yourself. But the Lord has commanded us not to seek signs to believe:
D&C 63:
7 And he that seeketh signs shall see signs, but not unto salvation.
8 Verily, I say unto you, there are those among you who seek signs, and there have been such even from the beginning;
9 But, behold, faith cometh not by signs, but signs follow those that believe.
10 Yea, signs come by faith, not by the will of men, nor as they please, but by the will of God.
11 Yea, signs come by faith, unto mighty works, for without faith no man pleaseth God; and with whom God is angry he is not well pleased; wherefore, unto such he showeth no signs, only in wrath unto their condemnation.
12 Wherefore, I, the Lord, am not pleased with those among you who have sought after signs and wonders for faith, and not for the good of men unto my glory.
All I am asking for from the Mormons is some corroborating evidence that the “warm fuzzy” you wish I would accept is from the warmth of heaven and not the fires of Gehenna. You have answered by saying that I have to receive the “warm fuzzy” first. The reason I won’t is not because I won’t accept God’s authority, but because I fear for the security of my immortal soul.
You call it a “warm fuzzy,” I call it the testimony of the Holy Ghost. It is another sin to deny the efficacy of the Holy Ghost, and call it a “warm fuzzy”. The scriptures testify to us that it is by the Holy Spirit of God that we can know the truth:
John 16:
13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
John 14:
26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
Paul writes:
1 Corinthians 12:
3 Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.
By the last clause I understand to mean that no one can
know that Jesus is Lord, but by the Holy Ghost; because anybody can
say that Jesus is Lord, even if he is an unbeliever. Knowledge that Jesus is the Christ can only come by the Holy Ghost, and in no other way:
Acts 1:
8 But ye shall receive power,
after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be
witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judæa, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
Divine truth can only be known by the power of the Spirit of God:
Hebrews 10:
14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.
15
Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: . . .
zerinus