Confounding False Doctrine
Today, I will focus on 2 Nephi 3:12, which is a prophecy given by Lehi to his youngest son, Joseph. It reads, “Wherefore, the fruit of thy loins shall write; and the fruit of the loins of Judah shall write; and that which shall be written by the fruit of thy loins, and also that which shall be written by the fruit of the loins of Judah, shall grow together, unto the confounding of false doctrines and laying down of contentions, and establishing peace among the fruit of thy loins, and bringing them to the knowledge of their fathers in the latter days, and also to the knowledge of my covenants, saith the Lord.”
I want to lay some groundwork for my commentary by supplying some definitions and explanations of what constitutes false doctrine and what it means to confound it. ChatGPT supplies these definitions. They are lengthy but worth reading and understanding because they provide context for my arguments. But remember that these references are computer-generated, do not necessarily reflect reality, and may be incorrect or incomplete. However, they reflect a relatively comprehensive body of information and accepted knowledge.
“The word “confound” is a verb that means to cause surprise or confusion, often by acting against expectations or by mixing up or intertwining elements. It can also mean to prove something wrong or to refute it convincingly”.
“False doctrine refers to teachings or beliefs that deviate from the core truths of a particular religious tradition, especially those grounded in scripture, tradition, and authoritative teachings. These teachings may distort or misrepresent essential aspects of faith, leading individuals away from the truth and potentially causing harm to their spiritual well-being and the unity of the faith community.
Consequences of false doctrine can vary depending on the specific beliefs and their impact on individuals and communities. Some potential consequences include:
- Spiritual Misguidance: False doctrine can lead individuals away from a correct understanding of God, salvation, and the moral life, causing confusion, doubt, and spiritual harm.
- Division and Disunity: False doctrine can sow discord and division within religious communities, as individuals may adopt conflicting beliefs and interpretations, leading to theological disputes and schisms.
- Loss of Authenticity: Embracing false doctrine can undermine the integrity and authenticity of a religious tradition, as teachings and practices become disconnected from the foundational truths and values that define the faith.
- Harm to Individuals: False doctrine can have detrimental effects on individuals’ psychological, emotional, and relational well-being, as they may struggle with guilt, fear, or uncertainty resulting from misguided beliefs.
- Diminished Witness: Embracing false doctrine can weaken the credibility and effectiveness of a religious community’s witness to the world, as it may be perceived as lacking coherence, consistency, or relevance in its beliefs and practices.
It’s important for religious communities to remain vigilant in discerning and confronting false doctrine, grounded in a commitment to upholding the truth and promoting spiritual growth and flourishing among their members. This often involves a combination of theological education, pastoral care, discernment of spirits, and adherence to authoritative teachings and traditions within the faith community.”
Having the Book of Mormon is essential to refuting centuries of misguided doctrine. Whether the doctrine was intentionally or innocently distorted, misinterpreted, or misunderstood is irrelevant to its erroneous nature. What is essential is that it is corrected.
So, who is to say what is true or false? It is not a matter of opinion in either case, “Ye shall know them by their fruits.” (3 Nephi 14:16)
Often, we observe good fruits where some truth is present. In fact, one of Satan’s most effective tactics is to lead people along with perceived miracles or a sense of satisfaction by allowing actual life-changing events to happen to make them comfortable with the incomplete doctrine that falls short of the glory of God. Miracles can cause people to stop looking for what lies beyond them. I know of someone who was not a believer who had an incurable cancer and started praying with a devout Catholic and was healed. In short, a believer was born. You can’t fault someone for recognizing a miracle and settling into the church that provided enough faith for it to happen. The problem comes when someone stops looking for more.
Another of Satan’s diabolical methods is to appeal to the intellect of the individual rather than the spirit. The problem with relying on logic and evidence is that sophisticated arguments appeal to our vanity. “When they are learned they think they are wise, and they hearken not unto the counsel of God, for they set it aside, supposing they know of themselves, wherefore, their wisdom is foolishness and it profiteth them not. And they shall perish” (2 Ne. 9:28). Making simple doctrine overly complicated is unnecessary and causes us to come to incomplete conclusions.
An endless number of people attempt to describe God in terms of the Trinity who come close to the truth but can’t quite get there because the basis of their explanation is contradictory. They are trying to reconcile the unreconcilable. Jesus made distinctions between himself and the Father all the time but then taught that he only did the will of the Father, making them one in purpose. When asked by Philip to show the disciples the Father, Jesus rebuked him by saying, “Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip?”. He followed up with this, “Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works’ sake.” Jesus did not say, I am the Father, he said, “I am in the Father, and the Father in me.” Jesus enjoyed a connection with his Father that no one else on this earth has or will have. That connection is what gave Jesus access to miraculous power.
I recently watched a Catholic priest explain the Trinity as he understands it. To boil it down, he describes God as an infinite power with three self-consciousnesses who share a bond of reciprocal love. He used these terms to try to relate these ideas in a way we could understand. Instead, he made something straightforward and simple into a complex doctrine.
Oversimplification of the doctrine of salvation is another problem. Evangelicals get it right when they say that salvation is a free gift Jesus offers us but fail to understand the extent of the treasure of eternal life with God. Their description of eternal life is this; “Salvation brings the promise of eternal life in communion with God, where believers will experience the fullness of His love, joy, and presence for all eternity.” (ChatGPT). The words are all there, but the understanding is not. The evidence for that statement comes in the lack of preparation for salvation as they define it. We cannot enter into the presence of God in our current state of being. It does not matter whether we are in a state of mortality or immortality; it has everything to do with being Christlike. It takes a tremendous amount of effort and work on our part to become like Christ. This idea is what is missing in the Evangelical doctrine. Works do not save us; they prepare us for salvation.
Bending doctrine to fit an ideology or lifestyle is another problem. In arguing with AI, it is clear that doctrines were changed to adapt them to a changing world. I questioned doctrines as taught by the Catholic church. Here is an excerpt, “The evolution of Catholic doctrine and practices over time can be understood within the context of the Church’s historical development, cultural influences, theological reflection, and attempts to adapt to changing circumstances. While some practices may appear to have originated outside of the teachings of Christ and the apostles, they often developed organically within the Christian community and were influenced by various factors.” Keep in mind that I have a lot of respect for Catholic teachings compared to other churches in that they apply a tremendous amount of rigor and thought into defining a doctrine, even though I consider most of it incomplete or outright false.
To be fair, every religion faces the challenge of adapting to changing world conditions. It has been that way since the beginning of time. God’s plan never changes, but his implementation of the plan does. Think of the Old and New Testaments as the model. The problem is when false doctrine creeps into churches and changes the principles of the plan and not the way it is implemented. Hence, there is a need for prophets and priesthood authority. Nearly all churches today deny the existence of living prophets while acknowledging the need for ongoing spiritual guidance. When pressed, ChatGPT could only come up with one church that has prophets, seers, and revelators. It is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
As for apostolic priesthood authority as part of the doctrinal foundation of churches, I discovered this, again from AI, “While efforts have been made by scholars and historians to reconstruct lists of episcopal ordinations and trace lines of apostolic succession, such endeavors are often hindered by the challenges mentioned earlier, including gaps in historical records and disagreements over the interpretation of certain events. As a result, there is no universally accepted or comprehensive list of all ordinations that demonstrates an unbroken line of authority back to the apostles across all Christian traditions. Obviously, the restoration of priesthood keys to Joseph Smith is not mentioned.
Many of these topics are open to debate, but in my opinion, many of these debates are between false choices. All I can say is thanks to a loving Father in Heaven who provided us with an additional witness of Christ that helps to set the record straight and keep the doctrine pure.