The Only Gospel Doctrine:
Fire and the Holy Ghost
by Joseph Warren Grammer
Fire and the Holy Ghost
by Joseph Warren Grammer
There are some requirements to be fulfilled before the fulness of Christ can be received and we enter into His rest. The main requirement considered in this chapter is the central theme of the Book of Mormon. It is also touched upon in the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price. The evil one has all but obliterated this subject from the Old Testament, with the New Testament giving it but scant acknowledgment. It is a truth that Latter-day Saints have been commanded to preach, yet have neglected as have past dispensations. And there can be no establishment of a true Zion without it.
The basic doctrine of Christ which is most neglected, is receiving a remission of our sins through baptism and the fire and the Holy Ghost. Yes, we Latter-day Saints believe in baptism for the remission of sin, but we have basically forgotten that baptism, alone, is of no value without the other part: the “baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost.”
It is the baptism of the fire and the Holy Ghost that brings about a regeneration of both body and spirit. It is what changes our human nature from being a natural man to that of being a creature in Christ which despises all sin and is filled with the pure love of Christ. It IS what cleanses us from all sin. It is the only way back to the Father. Merely being baptized by water and having hands laid upon our heads to receive the Holy Ghost does not assure a remission of sin. We must go further. We must be born again by fire and the Holy Ghost.
The Pentecostal Experience
As Peter was preaching Jesus to the men of Judah, the scriptures record: “Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” (Acts 2:37-38.)
This Holy Ghost to which Peter referred, was not just to be the spirit of inspiration which influences most everyone. It is a special spiritual endowment known as fire and the Holy Ghost, which was demonstrated at Pentecost.
The first part of Acts 2 reads, “And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” (Acts 2:1-4.)
To the Nephites the resurrected Lord said that no unclean thing can enter into His kingdom, and then He commanded all to have faith in Him, wash their garments in His blood, repent, come unto Him, be baptized, and be sanctified by the Holy Ghost. (3 Ne. 27:19-20.)
Sanctify means to hallow or cleanse. Some call it the new birth, born again, born of God, born of the Spirit, experiencing the mighty change, baptism of fire, a mighty change of heart, becoming a new creature in Christ, being as a little child, conversion, regeneration, and remission of sin, among other things. To become sanctified and filled with the Holy Ghost, as described here, should be the spiritual quest for those claiming to be true followers of Christ. Anything short of this provides no remission of sin, as we shall soon learn. To truly be born of God, to have that mighty change of heart, to experience the real gift and fire of the Holy Ghost, is what is known by many as a Pentecostal experience. It is THE doctrine of Christ.
Ye Are the Temple of the Living God
There are two temples spoken of in the scriptures, one is a physical architectural structure made of stone, wood, etc., but the other temple is you. The Apostle Paul wrote: “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.” (1 Cor. 3:16-17.)
After telling us that we should not be unequally yoked together with unrighteousness and darkness, Paul said, “And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.” (2 Cor. 6:14-16.) Then through Paul the Lord said, “... Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.” (2 Cor. 6:14-18.)
Before the Lord can receive us, we must give up the world as the Lord commanded: “Go ye out of Babylon; gather ye out from among the nations.” (D&C 133:7.) Through John the Revelator the Lord said, “... Come out of her, my people.... (Rev. 18:4.) And from Alma: “And now I say unto you, all you that are desirous to follow the voice of the good shepherd, come ye out from the wicked, and be ye separate,... The names of the wicked shall not be mingled with the names of my people;...” (Alma 5:57.)
Malachi wrote, “... and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple,... But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner's fire, and like fullers' soap:” (Mal. 3:1-2.) To be able to stand and abide the day of His coming, we must go through a refining, strengthening and cleansing process. Coming out of the world will certainly help do that. Those who do not come out will inevitably persecute those who do.
To the Thessalonians Paul wrote, “BUT of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.” (1 Thes. 5:1-2.) Now many know that this scripture is usually interpreted as meaning that the Lord will come as a thief in the night and bring sudden destruction upon the world, as indicated in 2 Peter 3:10, D&C 45:19, and such. Yet, there is still another and deeper meaning for those who have ears to hear and hearts that understand. Not only will the Lord come as a thief in the night (unexpectedly)to the world at large, but He will also come as a thief in the night to His temple, “which temple ye are.”
Check out verse one of 1 Thessalonians 5. You will notice that it begins with the word, “But.” Chapter five is a continuation of chapter four. At the conclusion of that chapter, Paul was speaking of the righteous in Christ being caught up with the Lord at His coming. (1 Thes. 4:16-18.) Jesus will gather His people by suddenly coming to His temple.
We are the temples of God. As such, we are not to partake of the world but be separate from it. In so doing, we lay all that we have upon the alter of God and trust in His providential care and keeping. Without such trusting faith, He cannot receive us nor dwell in us. And as Paul said, if we are defiled with the world, we shall be destroyed. We need to be prepared in all things to receive Him when He is ready to come suddenly to His temple.
Differing Sources of Inspiration
There are differing sources of spiritual prompting: There is the Spirit of God, the Spirit of the Lord, the Spirit of truth, the divine light, the Holy Spirit, the Holy Ghost, and the gift of the Holy Ghost, and so on. Writing on this subject, Elder Bruce R. McConkie said, “To gain a sound gospel understanding, the truth seeker must determine in each scriptural passage what is meant by such titles as Spirit, Holy spirit, Spirit of the Lord, Spirit of God, Spirit of truth. In many instances this is not difficult; in some cases, however, abbreviated scriptural accounts leave so much room for doubt that nothing short of direct revelation can identify precisely what is meant..” (Mormon Doctrine, p. 752.) Concerning the Holy Ghost, President Joseph F. Smith stated:
“...the Holy Ghost is a personage of spirit, he constitutes the third person in the Trinity, the Godhead. The gift or presentation of the Holy Ghost is the authoritative act of conferring him upon man. The Holy Ghost in person may visit men and will visit those who are worthy and bear witness to their spirit of God and Christ, but may not tarry with them. The Spirit of God which emanates from Deity may be likened to electricity, or the universal ether, as explained in our manual, which fills the earth and the air, and is everywhere present.... By means of this Spirit every man is enlightened, the wicked as well as the good, the intelligent and the ignorant, the high and the low, each in accordance with his capacity to receive the light; and this Spirit or influence which emanates from God may be said to constitute man's consciousness, and will never cease to strive with man, until man is brought to the possession of the higher intelligence which can only come through faith, repentance, baptism for the remission of sins, and the gift or the presentation of the Holy Ghost by one having authority.” (Gospel Doctrine, p. 61; see also Mormon Doctrine, p. 752; Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph F. Smith, pp. 67-75.)
After baptism in water, the individual has hands laid on his or her head and is confirmed a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They are then told to, essentially, “Receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” The one performing the confirmation does not say, “You have the gift of the Holy Ghost.” He says, “Receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” It is the new member’s duty to seek that divine gift, it does not come automatically.
Many believe they have that gift just because they were confirmed into the Church. That is not necessarily true. They may have the influence of the Spirit of God, to which all people are entitled, and they can be influenced by the Holy Ghost at differing times in their lives, as can most anyone else who is seeking truth. However, just because they receive obvious inspiration and spiritual direction in their lives, that does not mean that influence is the “gift” of the Holy Ghost. Just because the Church teaches that confirmation can provide the constant companionship of that gift, people often confuse spiritual promptings from other sources as being from the Holy Ghost. We know that the Holy Spirit prompted Christopher Columbus in the discovery of America (1 Ne. 13:12), but that does not mean he was endowed with the gift of the Holy Ghost—only temporarily influenced.
There are righteous spirits on the other side of the veil who help us in time of need, and some of them are guardian angels. People are often directed and protected by departed spirits from the other side of the veil, but that does not necessarily mean they are blessed with the gift of the Holy Ghost.
I know that many do not want to believe in guardian angels, or that other righteous spirits from the other side can visit and direct those in mortality, but, nevertheless, it is still true. Not only have I spoken to many people who testify of that truth, but I have my own personal experience as a witness. Of course there are the influences of the evil one, and his unclean and devilish spirits which try and prompt us. But our discussion here concerns the Holy Ghost—specifically, the gift of the Holy Ghost.
The Only Gospel Doctrine
When Alma the younger had his great conversion experience, he said, “... I have repented of my sins, and have been redeemed of the Lord; behold I am born of the Spirit.” (Mosiah 27:24.) Without being born of the Spirit into the new birth (something similar to a Pentecostal experience), we are no better off when it comes to salvation in the celestial kingdom, than the rest of the world. The Prophet Joseph said, “You might as well baptize a bag of sand as a man, if not done in view of the remission of sins and getting of the Holy Ghost. Baptism by water is but half a baptism, and is good for nothing without the other half—that is, the baptism of the Holy Ghost.” (TPJS, p. 314.)
When Nicodemus inquired of the Lord concerning being born again, “Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” (John 3:5.) Being born of the Spirit is receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, which is the fire and the Holy Ghost, the new birth. This is the essence of our Savior’s message, and the basic doctrine of latter-day scripture.
To have the Holy Ghost as a constant companion is to have the gift that only comes after the Holy Ghost ratifies (approves or seals) the individual’s baptism by water. Then, and only then, does that individual receive a remission of sin. Being born again of the Spirit (not just having hands laid upon the head to receive the gift) is the central doctrine, or gospel theme, of the New Testament, Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and Pearl of Great Price.
Let’s take a few scriptures for verification. Notice that in every case, the four basic principles of the gospel are included in the gospel and doctrine of Christ— nothing else. And even though the principle of faith is not specifically mentioned in every case, it is implied.
5. And verily, verily, I say unto you, he that receiveth my gospel receiveth me; and he that receiveth NOT my gospel RECEIVETH NOT ME.
6. And THIS IS MY GOSPEL — repentance and baptism by water, and then cometh the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost, even the Comforter, which showeth all things, and teacheth the peaceable things of the kingdom. (D&C 39:5-6.)
11. Yea, repent and be baptized, every one of you, for a remission of your sins; yea, be baptized even by water, and then cometh the baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost.
12. Behold, verily, verily, I say unto you, THIS IS MY GOSPEL; and remember that they shall have faith in me or they can in nowise be saved; (D&C 33:11-12.)
Notice that the Lord is quite specific when He tells of what His doctrine consists. It consists of repentance, baptism by water, and the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost. Nephi tells us how plain this doctrine should be. Observe also that, those who do NOT receive His gospel will NOT receive Him. If our quest is not to receive sanctification by fire and the Holy Ghost, we are not truly of Christ. We will not receive a remission of our sins, nor the fulness of His glory. Let’s continue with 2 Nephi 31:
2. Wherefore, the things which I have written sufficeth me, save it be a few words which I must speak concerning the DOCTRINE OF CHRIST; wherefore, I shall speak unto you plainly, according to the plainness of my prophesying.
3. For my soul delighteth in plainness;...
11. And the Father said: Repent ye, repent ye, and be baptized in the name of my Beloved Son.
12. ... He that is baptized in my name, to him will the Father give the Holy Ghost, like unto me; wherefore, follow me, and do the things which ye have seen me do.
13. Wherefore, my beloved brethren, I know that if ye shall follow the Son, with full purpose of heart, acting no hypocrisy and no deception before God, but with real intent, repenting of your sins, witnessing unto the Father that ye are willing to take upon you the name of Christ, by baptism — yea, by following your Lord and your Savior down into the water, according to his word, behold, then shall ye receive the Holy Ghost; yea, then cometh the baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost; and then can ye speak with the tongue of angels, and shout praises unto the Holy One of Israel.
17. Wherefore, do the things which I have told you I have seen that your Lord and your Redeemer should do; for, for this cause have they been shown unto me, that ye might know the gate by which ye should enter. For the gate by which ye should enter is repentance and baptism by water; and then cometh a remission of your sins by fire and by the Holy Ghost.
21. And now, behold, my beloved brethren, this is the way; and there is none other way nor name given under heaven whereby man can be saved in the kingdom of God. And now, behold, THIS IS THE DOCTRINE OF CHRIST, and the only and true doctrine of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, which is one God, without end. Amen. (See 2 Ne. 31.)
6. Behold, this is the DOCTRINE OF CHRIST, and there will be no more doctrine given until after he shall manifest himself unto you in the flesh. And when he shall manifest himself unto you in the flesh, the things which he shall say unto you shall ye observe to do.
7. And now I, Nephi, cannot say more; the Spirit stoppeth mine utterance, and I am left to mourn because of the unbelief, and the wickedness, and the ignorance, and the stiffneckedness of men; for they will not search knowledge, nor understand great knowledge, when it is given unto them in plainness, even as plain as word can be. (2 Ne. 32:6-7.)
The teachings of 2 Nephi 32 are a continuation of 2 Nephi 31, and should be considered the same subject matter. Nephi starts out in 2 Nephi 31 by saying that he is going to discuss the doctrine of Christ, and he was going to do so “plainly”; for his soul delighted in plainness. And he ends his subject saying it is “even as plain as word can be.” So, when we study what Nephi had to say about the doctrine of Christ, just keep it simple. This plainness is exhibited in the Lord’s words as found in 3 Nephi:
31. Behold, verily, verily, I say unto you, I will declare unto you my doctrine.
32. And THIS IS MY DOCTRINE, and it is the doctrine which the Father hath given unto me;... and I bear record that the Father commandeth all men, everywhere, to repent and believe in me.
33. And whoso believeth in me, and is baptized, the same shall be saved; and they are they who shall inherit the kingdom of God.
34. And whoso believeth not in me, and is not baptized, shall be damned.
35. Verily, verily, I say unto you, that THIS IS MY DOCTRINE, and I bear record of it from the Father; and whoso believeth in me believeth in the Father also; and unto him will the Father bear record of me, for he will visit him with fire and the Holy Ghost.
37. And again I say unto you, ye must repent, and become as a little child, and be baptized in my name, or ye can in nowise receive these things.
38. And again I say unto you, ye must repent, and be baptized in my name, and become as a little child, or ye can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God.
39. Verily, verily, I say unto you, THIS IS MY DOCTRINE, and whoso buildeth upon this buildeth upon my rock, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against them.
40. And whoso shall declare more or less than this, and establish it for my doctrine, the same cometh of evil, and is not built upon my rock; but he buildeth upon a sandy foundation, and the gates of hell stand open to receive such when the floods come and the winds beat upon them.
41. Therefore, go forth unto this people, and declare the words which I have spoken, unto the ends of the earth. (See 3 Ne. 11:31-41; see also 3 Ne. 27:13-29.)
Notice in 3 Nephi Chapter 11 that the Lord explained THREE times His gospel doctrine. And in all of the scriptures just quoted, Jesus told us His gospel consists of: (1) believing in Him, or having faith; (2) repentance from sins; (3) baptism by water; then (4) comes the baptism of Fire and the Holy Ghost. And in ALL cases just quoted, it is not just the Holy Ghost, but FIRE and the Holy Ghost. There is a difference. The doctrine of Christ, the gift of the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost, is fire and the Holy Ghost. It is this fire and the Holy Ghost which is referred to in the Sacrament prayer when it says, “... that they may always have his Spirit to be with them. Amen,” not just an intermittent influence of the Holy Ghost which non-members can obtain also.
In Doctrine and Covenants, Section 10, we get the same message. Although the Lord does not specifically mention the four basic principles of the gospel in the verses below, we know they are implied in His wording because of what we just read above.
62. Yea, and I will also bring to light my gospel which was ministered unto them (His other sheep), and, behold, they shall not deny that which you have received, but they shall build it up, and shall bring to light the TRUE POINTS OF MY DOCTRINE, yea, and the ONLY DOCTRINE which is in me.
63. And this I do that I may establish my gospel, that there may not be so much contention; yea, Satan doth stir up the hearts of the people to contention concerning the points of my doctrine; and in these things they do err, for they do wrest the scriptures and do not understand them.
64. Therefore, I will unfold unto them this great mystery;
67. Behold, THIS IS MY DOCTRINE — whosoever repenteth and cometh unto me, the same is my church.
68. Whosoever declareth more or less than this, the same is not of me, but is against me; therefore he is not of my church. (See D&C 10:57-69.)
We find in these verses what constitutes the Lord’s Church. It is made up of those who repent, come unto Christ through the baptisms of water and fire and the Holy Ghost. President Benson wrote something interesting pertaining to this scripture and Church membership. As a Prophet of God, he said,
“In the usual sense of the term, Church membership means that a person has his or her name officially recorded on the membership records of the Church. By that definition, we have more than six million members of the Church.
“But the Lord defines a member of His kingdom in quite a different way. In 1828, through the Prophet Joseph Smith, He said, ‘Behold, this is my doctrine — whosoever repenteth and cometh unto me, the same is my church.’ To Him whose Church this is, membership involves far more than simply being a member of record...
“Therefore, repentance means more than simply a reformation of behavior...
“Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is the foundation upon which sincere and meaningful repentance must be built. If we truly seek to put away sin, we must first look to Him who is the Author of our salvation.” (The Ensign, October 1989, p. 2.)
From the foregoing, should there be any question as to what the doctrine of Christ consists? It consists of faith in Jesus Christ, repentance from sin, baptism by water for the remission of sin, and baptism by FIRE and the Holy Ghost. And it is only by way of the Holy Ghost that we obtain a remission of our sins. The Holy Ghost ratifies, approves of, or seals the water baptism. That ratification only comes, though, when we humbly, as a little child, truly repent. When our hearts are sufficiently changed, remorseful and contrite, the Holy Ghost gives his seal of approval. Then we are born again. But not before. This IS the doctrine of Christ. Only then are we of HIS Church.
Preach No Other Gospel
The Lord plainly taught what was to be preached: “thou shalt declare repentance and faith on the Savior, and remission of sins by baptism, and by fire, yea, even the Holy Ghost.” (D&C 19:3.) Then there are other times when He was absolutely specific, not only what to preach, but what not to preach: “Say NOTHING but repentance unto this generation; keep my commandments, and assist to bring forth my work, according to my commandments, and you shall be blessed” (D&C 6:9); “Say NOTHING but repentance unto this generation. Keep my commandments, and assist to bring forth my work, according to my commandments, and you shall be blessed” (D&C 11:9); “And I command you that you preach NAUGHT but repentance, and show not these things unto the world until it is wisdom in me” (D&C 19:21); and “of tenets thou shalt NOT talk, but thou shalt declare repentance and faith on the Savior, and remission of sins by baptism, and by fire, yea, even the Holy Ghost. (D&C 19:31.)
When we read the last of these verses properly (D&C 19:31), we can see that the Lord equates remission of sins with fire and the Holy Ghost. Without the baptism of fire, or receiving the new birth, there is no remission of sins. This is what is to be taught, for the Lord said it is the rock upon which we are to build: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, that this is my doctrine, and whoso buildeth upon this buildeth upon my ROCK, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against them.” (3 Ne. 11:39.) And again: “Yea, repent and be baptized, every one of you, for a remission of your sins; yea, be baptized even by water, and then cometh the baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost. Behold, verily, verily, I say unto you, this is my gospel; and remember that they shall have faith in me or they can in nowise be saved; And upon this ROCK I will build my church.” (D&C 33:11-13.)
The Lord also said, “And I give unto you a commandment that you shall teach one another the doctrine of the kingdom.” (D&C 88:77.) Verse 79 does mention other subject matter to be learned. However, it appears that such is only to be learned by those who are ministers of the gospel, as the Lord feels it “expedient” for them. This is so that such ministers will be prepared in all things. (vv. 78, 80.) However, it is only the doctrine of Christ that is to be taught as a warning. (vv. 81-82.)
We have been commanded to preach nothing but the four principles of the gospel; the fourth being born again of God through fire and the Holy Ghost. This is the rock upon which the Church is to be built, not upon any other tenets. (See D&C 49:11-14.) To the Galatians, the Apostle Paul wrote: “But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.” (Gal. 1:8.)
The Fourth Article of Faith is the rock of Christian doctrine. It should be obvious that the only thing to be preached is nothing but faith on the Lord Jesus Christ, repentance, baptism by immersion for the remission of sin, and the laying on of hands for the gift and fire of the Holy Ghost. Anything more or less, becomes evil.
We Latter-day Saints appear to get caught up with the uniqueness of our position as being a restored Church. It has been my experience among missionaries — having served six proselyting missions within the past four decades, plus other ward, stake and other Church callings — that even when repentance is preached, it is preached only as a matter of course to help a person qualify for baptism, and not as a matter of conversion to Jesus Christ and an urgency to receive the joy of being cleansed from sin and sanctified by the Holy Ghost. When baptism is preached, it is usually the necessity of being baptized into the Church instead of being baptized unto Christ.
The Book of Mormon was given for the following specific purpose: “... to the convincing of the Jew and Gentile that Jesus is the Christ....” It was not given to gather in everyone who can be convinced that this is the “true Church,” without demonstrating the prerequisites of baptism as discussed in a previous chapter. We are not to preach the created, but only the Creator and His true doctrine. If I am to preach no other doctrine, as the Lord commanded so many times, then that means to me that when I bear my testimony or teach a class, it is to be to the glorification of my God, bearing witness of His redeeming love and the hope of salvation through the true points of His doctrine — nothing more and nothing less.
Is there any surprise that most converts know so little about the true nature of the gift of the Holy Ghost, and that even most seasoned Church members do not have a true concept of what the gift of the Holy Ghost is really all about? They often mistake general spiritual prompting, even their consciences, as being that gift. Is there any wonder then, that most of us do not have a clue as to what the fulness is all about? And some people wonder why the Church is still under condemnation. The reason appears obvious to me: so few have an eye single to God’s glory, and they lack faith in His doctrine. They have not had a Pentecostal experience of their own. The unfortunate thing these days is that very little is mentioned in our Church teachings concerning the root of our Savior’s message — becoming sanctified by way of fire and the Holy Ghost.
There are those who might say something like: If we are to understand this, then the Brethren will teach us. Well, we can’t keep placing that proverbial monkey on the backs of the Brethren. It is not the Brethren of the Church who are responsible for this neglect. It solely rests upon the shoulders of the Church membership at large. We have a responsibility to develop pure hearts and gather our own knowledge. Besides, it isn’t a Brethren thing, anyway. Salvation is a personal thing. We cannot blame another for our neglect in searching out truth and embracing its principles. When we change our worldly focus to that of having an eye single to God’s glory and the salvation of His children, we will be on the right path to becoming truly born of God.
Now, it is not my purpose to be contentious here, for the Lord also said, “And this I do that I may establish my gospel, that there may not be so much contention; yea, Satan doth stir up the hearts of the people to contention concerning the points of my doctrine; and in these things they do err, for they do wrest the scriptures and do not understand them.” (D&C 10:63.) And again He said, “Behold, this is NOT my doctrine, to stir up the hearts of men with anger, one against another; but this is my doctrine, that such things should be done away.” (3 Ne. 11:30.) I personally believe, though, that as long as members of the Church continue to hold to only what the Brethren say, without lengthening their personal spiritual stride, the Church will stay under Condemnation.
Mighty Change Necessary for the Fulness
The mighty change of heart must take place before we can expect to experience the fulness. “For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father.” (Mosiah 3:19.) And from the account of Adam’s baptism, we learn the following: “For by the water ye keep the commandment; by the Spirit ye are justified, and by the blood ye are sanctified;... And thus [Adam] was baptized, and the Spirit of God descended upon him, and thus he was born of the Spirit, and became quickened in the inner man. And he heard a voice out of heaven, saying: Thou art baptized with fire, and with the Holy Ghost. This is the record of the Father, and the Son, from henceforth and forever;” (Moses 6:60, 65-66.)
From Moses 6:60 we learn three essential things pertaining to our salvation: (1) The baptism by water shows we are willing to keep the commandments; (2) it is the Spirit, or Holy Ghost, that justifies our act; but (3) it is by the blood of Christ we are sanctified. Justification only occurs when the Holy Ghost recognizes within us a contrite, child-like and submissive spirit. Sanctification does not come automatically just because of baptism. We are only sanctified by the blood after the Holy Ghost ratifies, or justifies the act of baptism and the intent of our hearts. Thus, we can say that it is the Spirit that sanctifies. This justification and sanctification must take place before the fulness of the gospel can be realized.
From The Book of Mormon we read: “Now they, after being sanctified by the Holy Ghost, having their garments made white, being pure and spotless before God, could not look upon sin save it were with abhorrence; and there were many, exceedingly great many, who were made pure and entered into the rest of the Lord their God. And now, my brethren, I would that ye should humble yourselves before God, and bring forth fruit meet for repentance, that ye may also enter into that rest.” (Alma 13:12-13.)
Notice that it is only after being sanctified, being “pure and spotless before God,” that we can enter into the rest of the Lord, because, “neither can any natural man abide the presence of God, neither after the carnal mind.” (D&C 67:12.) And as pointed out earlier, His rest is synonymous to His fulness.
We learn from 3 Nephi 9:20 that the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost, or the mighty change, is obtained by way of a broken heart and contrite spirit: “And ye shall offer for a sacrifice unto me a broken heart and a contrite spirit. And whoso cometh unto me with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, him will I baptize with fire and with the Holy Ghost,...” (3 Ne. 9:20.) Such are willing to follow Christ with full purpose of heart, without hypocrisy or deception, with real intent, with true repentance, and witness to the Father. (2 Ne. 31.13.)
In June of 1831, W. W. Phelps was told what it would take for him to receive a remission of his sins. It was necessary for him to be “baptized by water.” However, that baptism was to be done with an “eye single to [God’s] glory,” or in other words, have a contrite spirit, be submissive as a small child, and put God before anything else in life. (See D&C 55:1-3.) Go back and read the 3 Ne. 11:31-41 scripture we referred to earlier. See how many times the Lord told the Nephites that His doctrine included being humble and submissive as a little child. That’s the faith part of His doctrine.
His Image in Your Countenance
There is a lot of darkness in the world today. Even as we go to Church we can see darkness in the faces of many of our friends. Why is this? What is in their troubled minds and hearts that shows in their faces? Could it be they have lost the joy of hope, lost the faith to give their lives to Christ by trusting that He will carry their burdens? Perhaps they have lost sight of the fact that because of what He endured, He is able to bear their afflictions. Perhaps they have not committed to give their lives over to Him, trusting Him with those cares. Perhaps they are not converted and abiding in Christ.
When you give your life to Jesus, you covenant to go where He wants you to go, say what He wants you to say, do what He wants you to do, and be what He wants you to be. When you are willing to do these things, and you feel it in your heart with the Spirit moving upon you, there will be a light about you that testifies of your faith and hope in Christ. Alma asked his people a most important question: “And now behold, I ask of you, my brethren of the church, have ye spiritually been born of God? Have ye received his image in your countenances? Have ye experienced this mighty change in your hearts?” (Alma 5:14, see also vv 15-19.)
Here Alma is asking the brethren of the church if they have “spiritually been born of God.” This points out that not everyone baptized into the Church is spiritually born again, which also means every person hasn’t totally given his life to Christ. However, when you do give your life to Him, trusting in Him in all things and accepting and trusting Him as your Lord and Savior, you shall experience a mighty change in your heart and have the image of God engraved upon your countenance. When you seek to partake of the divine nature of Christ, by seeking His face and being in His presence, that hope brightens your spirit and radiates from your countenance.
Where is the light that is to shine forth to lighten the world? Jesus said, “Therefore, hold up your light that it may shine unto the world. Behold, I am the light which ye shall hold up....” (3 Ne. 18:24.) You are to have Jesus in your heart. He is to be the light, and that love will radiate to help brighten those who sit in darkness. You will then be a light, for Jesus said, “Ye are the light of the world.... Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your father which is in heaven.” (See Matt. 5:14-16.)
Recognizing the Mighty Change
There is an interesting statement by the Resurrected Lord to the Nephites. “And ye shall offer for a sacrifice unto me a broken heart and a contrite spirit. And whoso cometh unto me with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, him will I baptize with fire and with the Holy Ghost, even as the Lamanites, because of their faith in me at the time of their conversion, were baptized with fire and with the Holy Ghost, and they knew it not.” (3 Ne. 9:20.) Apparently some of the earlier converted Lamanites were born of the Spirit, but did not realize it.
Everyone will experience the baptism of fire a little differently. The closer you are to the Lord and perfection, the less you are going to notice it. But the further away you are, the more dramatic the change is going to be. Alma the younger experienced a very dramatic change, and it put him down for three days. (Mosiah 27:8-31.) So, when you are rather close to God, how is such a change recognized, if at all?
First off, let’s just say, “by their fruits ye shall know them.” (Matt. 7:20.) It should be obvious that those who have received a remission of sin, experienced the mighty change, been born again of the Spirit, will possess the fruits of the gospel — not necessarily the gifts as discussed earlier, but the fruits. (Alma 13:13.)
In Joseph Smith’s translation of John 3:9, he wrote: “Whosoever is born of God doth not continue in sin; for the Spirit of God remaineth in him; and he cannot continue in sin, because he is born of God, having received that holy Spirit of promise.” (JST, John 3:9.) Here we learn that receiving the “holy Spirit of promise” is part of being born of God. Another thing we learn is that they who are born of God do not continue in sin, and they cannot look upon sin “save it were with abhorrence.” (Alma 13:12.) They will also have “no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually,” because of a mighty change of heart. (Mosiah 5:2; Alma 19:33.)
We learn from Nephi that those born of God could speak with the tongue of angels, and shout praises unto the Holy One of Israel. (2 Ne. 31:13, 32:2.) Such will also consider the things of the Spirit, because they are not carnal minded. (Rom. 8:5-9.) They will be led to do good, be just, walk humbly, judge righteously, their minds will be enlightened, and their souls full of joy. (D&C 11:12-13.) The people of King Benjamin who were born of God had great views of that which is to come; and were it expedient, could prophesy of all things. And they did rejoice with such exceedingly great joy. (See Mosiah 5:2-7.)
In a previous chapter we covered the subject of charity. The display of true charity is the “pure love of Christ,” as we discussed earlier. One of the signs that we have been born of God is our deep yearning for the welfare of the souls of others. In Jacob we read: “But before ye seek for riches, seek ye for the kingdom of God. And after ye have obtained a HOPE in Christ ye shall obtain riches, if ye seek them; and ye will seek them for the intent to do good—to clothe the naked, and to feed the hungry, and to liberate the captive, and administer relief to the sick and the afflicted.” (Jacob 2:18-19.) AFTER a hope in Christ, only then are we to seek riches, and only then for the purpose of blessing the lives of others.
Speaking of a hope in Christ, let’s turn to Enos and his experience. In Enos we read a similar account. Most of us know the story of how he went hunting, and while in the forest his “soul hungered” to know where he stood before the Lord. Enos records that as he prayed all day and into the night, “there came a voice unto me, saying: Enos, thy sins are forgiven thee, and thou shalt be blessed.” (v. 1-5.) Then, as he enquired how his sins were forgiven, the voice again said to him: “because of thy faith in Christ, whom thou hast never before heard nor seen.” (v. 6-8.) Then Enos said that as he was struggling in the spirit, “the voice of the Lord came into my mind again.” (v. 10.) Now here is the important point: the witness that he received was not a vision nor a dream, it was not a big booming voice from the heavens, nor a burning fiery finger writing on stone or touching rocks to make them glow. No! It was a voice that “came into [his] mind again.” The word, “again,” means that it was also a voice that came into his mind the first time as well. Many want to have what some called the “Pentecostal experience,” where the Holy Ghost appears as “cloven tongues like as of fire,” and they speaks in tongues. But this may not always be the case. In fact it may be the exception than the rule. As stated above, everyone may experience the baptism of fire a little differently.
Now, after Enos had received a remission of his sins and a hope in Christ, his heart went out for the welfare of his brethren. “Now, it came to pass that when I had heard these words I began to feel a desire for the welfare of my brethren, the Nephites; wherefore, I did pour out my whole soul into God for them. ... And after I, Enos, had heard these words, my faith began to be unshaken in the Lord; and I prayed unto him with many long strugglings for my brethren, the Lamanites. And it came to pass that after I had prayed and labored with all diligence, the Lord said unto me: I will grant unto thee according to thy desires, because of thy faith.” (Enos 9, 11.)
When we know that we truly long for the welfare of the souls of others, and we do what we can to see that they are taken care of, temporally as well as spiritually, and we feel a deep love for Christ above all else, then we can know that we have had an Enos experience. (Enos1-8.) When we experience the rebirth, we will be blessed with the spirit of charity, which grows and increases until we eventually become even like unto Christ.
When one feels that he or she is blessed with the following attributes, they should give praise and thank unto their Father; for they have, most likely, been born of the Spirit, and like the Lamanites, did not know it. (The numbering is for convenience only, not to indicate rank of importance.) Taken from the scriptures cited above, those born again of the Spirit:
1. Bring forth fruits of the Spirit. (Alma 13:13.)
2. Do not continue in sin, and cannot even look upon it except with detest. (Alma 13:12; JST, John 3:9.)
3. Have no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually. (Mosiah 5:2; Alma 19:33.)
4. Consider Spiritual things because they are not sensually minded. (Rom. 8:5-9.)
5. Rejoice with exceeding great joy. (Mosiah 5:4.)
6. Desire to shout praises to the Father and the Son. (2 Ne. 31:13.)
7. Desire to do good, be just, walk humbly, judge righteously, and have minds enlightened and their souls full of joy. (D&C 11:12-13.)
8. Speak with the tongue of angels as the Holy Ghost give utterance. (2 Ne. 31:13.)
9. Have great visions, dreams, spiritual impressions of that which is to come, and could prophesy of the same if called upon. (Mosiah 5:3.)
10. Having true charity, the pure love of Christ, for the welfare of others. (Jacob 2:18-19; Enos 1-12.)
11. Have no desire for the things of the world, but seek only the kingdom and righteousness of God. (Matt. 6:19-21, 33.)
12. Have an eye and heart focused to God glory above all else. (D&C 4:5.)
This summary list is, of course, not all-inclusive, but it does throw some light upon factors which might show who has experienced the mighty change. However, to say the least, all of these things put together promise those who are born again some extraordinary blessings.
Putting off the Natural Man
Many of us have read the wonderful words of King Benjamin, who said, “For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord,...” (Mosiah 3:19.) But just about as many of us have misunderstood the real importance of those words. Putting off the natural man cannot be done in any other way except by becoming an un-natural man. That process involves being born of God through fire and the Holy Ghost—experiencing the mighty change.
We are all carnal minded, and that needs to be changed. Paul said, “For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.” (See Rom. 8:5, 7.) In putting off the natural or carnal-minded man, we must be quickened in the inner man. Moses wrote of Adam: “And thus [Adam] was baptized, and the Spirit of God descended upon him, and thus he was born of the Spirit, and became quickened in the inner man.” (Moses 6:65.) This quickening, which only comes through the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost, is the key to receiving the fulness of the Father.
To put off the “natural man,” and not be carnal-minded with “enmity against God,” we must understand the true points of His doctrine. Believing in Him, or having faith, is that total surrendering of self to the Master’s will. It is having perfect trust in Him with all our hearts, mights, minds and strengths. It is complete assurance that He will provide all things, that He is the only one who can heal our wounds, and that we desire to rely upon no other person but Jesus Christ for our daily needs.
Repentance is the faith that Jesus will provide something better than that which we must give up, that He can replace the desire for corrupt things with that which never dies, and that He will fill our hunger and thirst with living waters and the bread of life.
Baptism by water is the outward sign that we have shown faith and have brought forth fruits of repentance. It is symbolic of being born again of water, of burying the old way of life and rising forth to a newness of life, of washing away our sins, and of becoming clean before God and man. This outward sign tell the world that, we are not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ and its power unto salvation; we let the world know that we are willing to give all that we have for the cause of Zion, even our very lives if need be.
And the fire and the Holy Ghost ratifies and sanctifies that which has been guilelessly done. Through the fire and the Holy Ghost, we become born again of the Spirit and become new creatures in Christ Jesus—experiencing the mighty change of heart.
When the Lord said, “he that receiveth my gospel receiveth me; and he that receiveth NOT my gospel receiveth NOT me” (D&C 39:5), He was basically saying, “If you reject my gospel you reject Me and my fulness.” This will be because “neither can any natural man abide the presence of God, neither after the carnal mind.” (D&C 67:12.) Consequently, it is impossible to receive the fulness of the gospel without first receiving the fire and the Holy Ghost, for the Holy Ghost witnesses of Jesus Christ and the Father. (3 Ne. 11:32.)
President Joseph Fielding Smith made an interesting statement on this subject. In a Melchizedek Priesthood manual, he says, “We have a great many members of this Church who have never reached a manifestation through the Holy Ghost. Why? Because they have not made their lives conform to the truth.” (Melchizedek Priesthood Personal Study Guide 2, p. 57; Church News, 4 November 1961, p. 14.)
As the scriptures seem to indicate (D&C 10:57-69), and with President Benson as a second witness as we read earlier, if we have not been born again, experienced that mighty change of heart, been baptized by fire and the Holy Ghost, had our personal day of Pentecost, then we are not of the Church of Christ, even though we might have our names temporarily listed on the rolls of a church.
When the Prophet Joseph was once asked what made the “Mormon” Church different from other churches, he said in effect, “We have the Holy Ghost.” With this answer, Joseph Smith was not referring to having hands laid upon the head to receive the Holy Ghost. What he was referring to was the fire and the Holy Ghost. Without it, Latter-day Saints are no better off than the rest of the world, even though we sometimes proudly boast of so being.
Can we become as earnest about being born again as did the father of Lamoni who said to Aaron, “What shall I do that I may have this eternal life of which thou has spoken? Yea, what shall I do that I may be born of God, having this wicked spirit rooted out of my breast, and receive his Spirit, that I may be filled with joy...?” (See Alma 22:15-16.) Alma declared, “I have repented of my sins, and have been redeemed of the Lord; behold I am born of the Spirit.” (Mosiah 27:24.) Can we get excited about the idea of being born again? If there is no spark within us, then there can be no fire—no fire and the Holy Ghost.
With a better understanding of what the real gift of the Holy Ghost is all about, and what being born of God really means, we start to get a better idea of what it will take to receive the real fulness of the gospel, and what is meant by the high cost of discipleship.
The basic doctrine of Christ which is most neglected, is receiving a remission of our sins through baptism and the fire and the Holy Ghost. Yes, we Latter-day Saints believe in baptism for the remission of sin, but we have basically forgotten that baptism, alone, is of no value without the other part: the “baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost.”
It is the baptism of the fire and the Holy Ghost that brings about a regeneration of both body and spirit. It is what changes our human nature from being a natural man to that of being a creature in Christ which despises all sin and is filled with the pure love of Christ. It IS what cleanses us from all sin. It is the only way back to the Father. Merely being baptized by water and having hands laid upon our heads to receive the Holy Ghost does not assure a remission of sin. We must go further. We must be born again by fire and the Holy Ghost.
The Pentecostal Experience
As Peter was preaching Jesus to the men of Judah, the scriptures record: “Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” (Acts 2:37-38.)
This Holy Ghost to which Peter referred, was not just to be the spirit of inspiration which influences most everyone. It is a special spiritual endowment known as fire and the Holy Ghost, which was demonstrated at Pentecost.
The first part of Acts 2 reads, “And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” (Acts 2:1-4.)
To the Nephites the resurrected Lord said that no unclean thing can enter into His kingdom, and then He commanded all to have faith in Him, wash their garments in His blood, repent, come unto Him, be baptized, and be sanctified by the Holy Ghost. (3 Ne. 27:19-20.)
Sanctify means to hallow or cleanse. Some call it the new birth, born again, born of God, born of the Spirit, experiencing the mighty change, baptism of fire, a mighty change of heart, becoming a new creature in Christ, being as a little child, conversion, regeneration, and remission of sin, among other things. To become sanctified and filled with the Holy Ghost, as described here, should be the spiritual quest for those claiming to be true followers of Christ. Anything short of this provides no remission of sin, as we shall soon learn. To truly be born of God, to have that mighty change of heart, to experience the real gift and fire of the Holy Ghost, is what is known by many as a Pentecostal experience. It is THE doctrine of Christ.
Ye Are the Temple of the Living God
There are two temples spoken of in the scriptures, one is a physical architectural structure made of stone, wood, etc., but the other temple is you. The Apostle Paul wrote: “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.” (1 Cor. 3:16-17.)
After telling us that we should not be unequally yoked together with unrighteousness and darkness, Paul said, “And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.” (2 Cor. 6:14-16.) Then through Paul the Lord said, “... Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.” (2 Cor. 6:14-18.)
Before the Lord can receive us, we must give up the world as the Lord commanded: “Go ye out of Babylon; gather ye out from among the nations.” (D&C 133:7.) Through John the Revelator the Lord said, “... Come out of her, my people.... (Rev. 18:4.) And from Alma: “And now I say unto you, all you that are desirous to follow the voice of the good shepherd, come ye out from the wicked, and be ye separate,... The names of the wicked shall not be mingled with the names of my people;...” (Alma 5:57.)
Malachi wrote, “... and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple,... But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner's fire, and like fullers' soap:” (Mal. 3:1-2.) To be able to stand and abide the day of His coming, we must go through a refining, strengthening and cleansing process. Coming out of the world will certainly help do that. Those who do not come out will inevitably persecute those who do.
To the Thessalonians Paul wrote, “BUT of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.” (1 Thes. 5:1-2.) Now many know that this scripture is usually interpreted as meaning that the Lord will come as a thief in the night and bring sudden destruction upon the world, as indicated in 2 Peter 3:10, D&C 45:19, and such. Yet, there is still another and deeper meaning for those who have ears to hear and hearts that understand. Not only will the Lord come as a thief in the night (unexpectedly)to the world at large, but He will also come as a thief in the night to His temple, “which temple ye are.”
Check out verse one of 1 Thessalonians 5. You will notice that it begins with the word, “But.” Chapter five is a continuation of chapter four. At the conclusion of that chapter, Paul was speaking of the righteous in Christ being caught up with the Lord at His coming. (1 Thes. 4:16-18.) Jesus will gather His people by suddenly coming to His temple.
We are the temples of God. As such, we are not to partake of the world but be separate from it. In so doing, we lay all that we have upon the alter of God and trust in His providential care and keeping. Without such trusting faith, He cannot receive us nor dwell in us. And as Paul said, if we are defiled with the world, we shall be destroyed. We need to be prepared in all things to receive Him when He is ready to come suddenly to His temple.
Differing Sources of Inspiration
There are differing sources of spiritual prompting: There is the Spirit of God, the Spirit of the Lord, the Spirit of truth, the divine light, the Holy Spirit, the Holy Ghost, and the gift of the Holy Ghost, and so on. Writing on this subject, Elder Bruce R. McConkie said, “To gain a sound gospel understanding, the truth seeker must determine in each scriptural passage what is meant by such titles as Spirit, Holy spirit, Spirit of the Lord, Spirit of God, Spirit of truth. In many instances this is not difficult; in some cases, however, abbreviated scriptural accounts leave so much room for doubt that nothing short of direct revelation can identify precisely what is meant..” (Mormon Doctrine, p. 752.) Concerning the Holy Ghost, President Joseph F. Smith stated:
“...the Holy Ghost is a personage of spirit, he constitutes the third person in the Trinity, the Godhead. The gift or presentation of the Holy Ghost is the authoritative act of conferring him upon man. The Holy Ghost in person may visit men and will visit those who are worthy and bear witness to their spirit of God and Christ, but may not tarry with them. The Spirit of God which emanates from Deity may be likened to electricity, or the universal ether, as explained in our manual, which fills the earth and the air, and is everywhere present.... By means of this Spirit every man is enlightened, the wicked as well as the good, the intelligent and the ignorant, the high and the low, each in accordance with his capacity to receive the light; and this Spirit or influence which emanates from God may be said to constitute man's consciousness, and will never cease to strive with man, until man is brought to the possession of the higher intelligence which can only come through faith, repentance, baptism for the remission of sins, and the gift or the presentation of the Holy Ghost by one having authority.” (Gospel Doctrine, p. 61; see also Mormon Doctrine, p. 752; Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph F. Smith, pp. 67-75.)
After baptism in water, the individual has hands laid on his or her head and is confirmed a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They are then told to, essentially, “Receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” The one performing the confirmation does not say, “You have the gift of the Holy Ghost.” He says, “Receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” It is the new member’s duty to seek that divine gift, it does not come automatically.
Many believe they have that gift just because they were confirmed into the Church. That is not necessarily true. They may have the influence of the Spirit of God, to which all people are entitled, and they can be influenced by the Holy Ghost at differing times in their lives, as can most anyone else who is seeking truth. However, just because they receive obvious inspiration and spiritual direction in their lives, that does not mean that influence is the “gift” of the Holy Ghost. Just because the Church teaches that confirmation can provide the constant companionship of that gift, people often confuse spiritual promptings from other sources as being from the Holy Ghost. We know that the Holy Spirit prompted Christopher Columbus in the discovery of America (1 Ne. 13:12), but that does not mean he was endowed with the gift of the Holy Ghost—only temporarily influenced.
There are righteous spirits on the other side of the veil who help us in time of need, and some of them are guardian angels. People are often directed and protected by departed spirits from the other side of the veil, but that does not necessarily mean they are blessed with the gift of the Holy Ghost.
I know that many do not want to believe in guardian angels, or that other righteous spirits from the other side can visit and direct those in mortality, but, nevertheless, it is still true. Not only have I spoken to many people who testify of that truth, but I have my own personal experience as a witness. Of course there are the influences of the evil one, and his unclean and devilish spirits which try and prompt us. But our discussion here concerns the Holy Ghost—specifically, the gift of the Holy Ghost.
The Only Gospel Doctrine
When Alma the younger had his great conversion experience, he said, “... I have repented of my sins, and have been redeemed of the Lord; behold I am born of the Spirit.” (Mosiah 27:24.) Without being born of the Spirit into the new birth (something similar to a Pentecostal experience), we are no better off when it comes to salvation in the celestial kingdom, than the rest of the world. The Prophet Joseph said, “You might as well baptize a bag of sand as a man, if not done in view of the remission of sins and getting of the Holy Ghost. Baptism by water is but half a baptism, and is good for nothing without the other half—that is, the baptism of the Holy Ghost.” (TPJS, p. 314.)
When Nicodemus inquired of the Lord concerning being born again, “Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” (John 3:5.) Being born of the Spirit is receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, which is the fire and the Holy Ghost, the new birth. This is the essence of our Savior’s message, and the basic doctrine of latter-day scripture.
To have the Holy Ghost as a constant companion is to have the gift that only comes after the Holy Ghost ratifies (approves or seals) the individual’s baptism by water. Then, and only then, does that individual receive a remission of sin. Being born again of the Spirit (not just having hands laid upon the head to receive the gift) is the central doctrine, or gospel theme, of the New Testament, Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and Pearl of Great Price.
Let’s take a few scriptures for verification. Notice that in every case, the four basic principles of the gospel are included in the gospel and doctrine of Christ— nothing else. And even though the principle of faith is not specifically mentioned in every case, it is implied.
5. And verily, verily, I say unto you, he that receiveth my gospel receiveth me; and he that receiveth NOT my gospel RECEIVETH NOT ME.
6. And THIS IS MY GOSPEL — repentance and baptism by water, and then cometh the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost, even the Comforter, which showeth all things, and teacheth the peaceable things of the kingdom. (D&C 39:5-6.)
11. Yea, repent and be baptized, every one of you, for a remission of your sins; yea, be baptized even by water, and then cometh the baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost.
12. Behold, verily, verily, I say unto you, THIS IS MY GOSPEL; and remember that they shall have faith in me or they can in nowise be saved; (D&C 33:11-12.)
Notice that the Lord is quite specific when He tells of what His doctrine consists. It consists of repentance, baptism by water, and the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost. Nephi tells us how plain this doctrine should be. Observe also that, those who do NOT receive His gospel will NOT receive Him. If our quest is not to receive sanctification by fire and the Holy Ghost, we are not truly of Christ. We will not receive a remission of our sins, nor the fulness of His glory. Let’s continue with 2 Nephi 31:
2. Wherefore, the things which I have written sufficeth me, save it be a few words which I must speak concerning the DOCTRINE OF CHRIST; wherefore, I shall speak unto you plainly, according to the plainness of my prophesying.
3. For my soul delighteth in plainness;...
11. And the Father said: Repent ye, repent ye, and be baptized in the name of my Beloved Son.
12. ... He that is baptized in my name, to him will the Father give the Holy Ghost, like unto me; wherefore, follow me, and do the things which ye have seen me do.
13. Wherefore, my beloved brethren, I know that if ye shall follow the Son, with full purpose of heart, acting no hypocrisy and no deception before God, but with real intent, repenting of your sins, witnessing unto the Father that ye are willing to take upon you the name of Christ, by baptism — yea, by following your Lord and your Savior down into the water, according to his word, behold, then shall ye receive the Holy Ghost; yea, then cometh the baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost; and then can ye speak with the tongue of angels, and shout praises unto the Holy One of Israel.
17. Wherefore, do the things which I have told you I have seen that your Lord and your Redeemer should do; for, for this cause have they been shown unto me, that ye might know the gate by which ye should enter. For the gate by which ye should enter is repentance and baptism by water; and then cometh a remission of your sins by fire and by the Holy Ghost.
21. And now, behold, my beloved brethren, this is the way; and there is none other way nor name given under heaven whereby man can be saved in the kingdom of God. And now, behold, THIS IS THE DOCTRINE OF CHRIST, and the only and true doctrine of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, which is one God, without end. Amen. (See 2 Ne. 31.)
6. Behold, this is the DOCTRINE OF CHRIST, and there will be no more doctrine given until after he shall manifest himself unto you in the flesh. And when he shall manifest himself unto you in the flesh, the things which he shall say unto you shall ye observe to do.
7. And now I, Nephi, cannot say more; the Spirit stoppeth mine utterance, and I am left to mourn because of the unbelief, and the wickedness, and the ignorance, and the stiffneckedness of men; for they will not search knowledge, nor understand great knowledge, when it is given unto them in plainness, even as plain as word can be. (2 Ne. 32:6-7.)
The teachings of 2 Nephi 32 are a continuation of 2 Nephi 31, and should be considered the same subject matter. Nephi starts out in 2 Nephi 31 by saying that he is going to discuss the doctrine of Christ, and he was going to do so “plainly”; for his soul delighted in plainness. And he ends his subject saying it is “even as plain as word can be.” So, when we study what Nephi had to say about the doctrine of Christ, just keep it simple. This plainness is exhibited in the Lord’s words as found in 3 Nephi:
31. Behold, verily, verily, I say unto you, I will declare unto you my doctrine.
32. And THIS IS MY DOCTRINE, and it is the doctrine which the Father hath given unto me;... and I bear record that the Father commandeth all men, everywhere, to repent and believe in me.
33. And whoso believeth in me, and is baptized, the same shall be saved; and they are they who shall inherit the kingdom of God.
34. And whoso believeth not in me, and is not baptized, shall be damned.
35. Verily, verily, I say unto you, that THIS IS MY DOCTRINE, and I bear record of it from the Father; and whoso believeth in me believeth in the Father also; and unto him will the Father bear record of me, for he will visit him with fire and the Holy Ghost.
37. And again I say unto you, ye must repent, and become as a little child, and be baptized in my name, or ye can in nowise receive these things.
38. And again I say unto you, ye must repent, and be baptized in my name, and become as a little child, or ye can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God.
39. Verily, verily, I say unto you, THIS IS MY DOCTRINE, and whoso buildeth upon this buildeth upon my rock, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against them.
40. And whoso shall declare more or less than this, and establish it for my doctrine, the same cometh of evil, and is not built upon my rock; but he buildeth upon a sandy foundation, and the gates of hell stand open to receive such when the floods come and the winds beat upon them.
41. Therefore, go forth unto this people, and declare the words which I have spoken, unto the ends of the earth. (See 3 Ne. 11:31-41; see also 3 Ne. 27:13-29.)
Notice in 3 Nephi Chapter 11 that the Lord explained THREE times His gospel doctrine. And in all of the scriptures just quoted, Jesus told us His gospel consists of: (1) believing in Him, or having faith; (2) repentance from sins; (3) baptism by water; then (4) comes the baptism of Fire and the Holy Ghost. And in ALL cases just quoted, it is not just the Holy Ghost, but FIRE and the Holy Ghost. There is a difference. The doctrine of Christ, the gift of the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost, is fire and the Holy Ghost. It is this fire and the Holy Ghost which is referred to in the Sacrament prayer when it says, “... that they may always have his Spirit to be with them. Amen,” not just an intermittent influence of the Holy Ghost which non-members can obtain also.
In Doctrine and Covenants, Section 10, we get the same message. Although the Lord does not specifically mention the four basic principles of the gospel in the verses below, we know they are implied in His wording because of what we just read above.
62. Yea, and I will also bring to light my gospel which was ministered unto them (His other sheep), and, behold, they shall not deny that which you have received, but they shall build it up, and shall bring to light the TRUE POINTS OF MY DOCTRINE, yea, and the ONLY DOCTRINE which is in me.
63. And this I do that I may establish my gospel, that there may not be so much contention; yea, Satan doth stir up the hearts of the people to contention concerning the points of my doctrine; and in these things they do err, for they do wrest the scriptures and do not understand them.
64. Therefore, I will unfold unto them this great mystery;
67. Behold, THIS IS MY DOCTRINE — whosoever repenteth and cometh unto me, the same is my church.
68. Whosoever declareth more or less than this, the same is not of me, but is against me; therefore he is not of my church. (See D&C 10:57-69.)
We find in these verses what constitutes the Lord’s Church. It is made up of those who repent, come unto Christ through the baptisms of water and fire and the Holy Ghost. President Benson wrote something interesting pertaining to this scripture and Church membership. As a Prophet of God, he said,
“In the usual sense of the term, Church membership means that a person has his or her name officially recorded on the membership records of the Church. By that definition, we have more than six million members of the Church.
“But the Lord defines a member of His kingdom in quite a different way. In 1828, through the Prophet Joseph Smith, He said, ‘Behold, this is my doctrine — whosoever repenteth and cometh unto me, the same is my church.’ To Him whose Church this is, membership involves far more than simply being a member of record...
“Therefore, repentance means more than simply a reformation of behavior...
“Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is the foundation upon which sincere and meaningful repentance must be built. If we truly seek to put away sin, we must first look to Him who is the Author of our salvation.” (The Ensign, October 1989, p. 2.)
From the foregoing, should there be any question as to what the doctrine of Christ consists? It consists of faith in Jesus Christ, repentance from sin, baptism by water for the remission of sin, and baptism by FIRE and the Holy Ghost. And it is only by way of the Holy Ghost that we obtain a remission of our sins. The Holy Ghost ratifies, approves of, or seals the water baptism. That ratification only comes, though, when we humbly, as a little child, truly repent. When our hearts are sufficiently changed, remorseful and contrite, the Holy Ghost gives his seal of approval. Then we are born again. But not before. This IS the doctrine of Christ. Only then are we of HIS Church.
Preach No Other Gospel
The Lord plainly taught what was to be preached: “thou shalt declare repentance and faith on the Savior, and remission of sins by baptism, and by fire, yea, even the Holy Ghost.” (D&C 19:3.) Then there are other times when He was absolutely specific, not only what to preach, but what not to preach: “Say NOTHING but repentance unto this generation; keep my commandments, and assist to bring forth my work, according to my commandments, and you shall be blessed” (D&C 6:9); “Say NOTHING but repentance unto this generation. Keep my commandments, and assist to bring forth my work, according to my commandments, and you shall be blessed” (D&C 11:9); “And I command you that you preach NAUGHT but repentance, and show not these things unto the world until it is wisdom in me” (D&C 19:21); and “of tenets thou shalt NOT talk, but thou shalt declare repentance and faith on the Savior, and remission of sins by baptism, and by fire, yea, even the Holy Ghost. (D&C 19:31.)
When we read the last of these verses properly (D&C 19:31), we can see that the Lord equates remission of sins with fire and the Holy Ghost. Without the baptism of fire, or receiving the new birth, there is no remission of sins. This is what is to be taught, for the Lord said it is the rock upon which we are to build: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, that this is my doctrine, and whoso buildeth upon this buildeth upon my ROCK, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against them.” (3 Ne. 11:39.) And again: “Yea, repent and be baptized, every one of you, for a remission of your sins; yea, be baptized even by water, and then cometh the baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost. Behold, verily, verily, I say unto you, this is my gospel; and remember that they shall have faith in me or they can in nowise be saved; And upon this ROCK I will build my church.” (D&C 33:11-13.)
The Lord also said, “And I give unto you a commandment that you shall teach one another the doctrine of the kingdom.” (D&C 88:77.) Verse 79 does mention other subject matter to be learned. However, it appears that such is only to be learned by those who are ministers of the gospel, as the Lord feels it “expedient” for them. This is so that such ministers will be prepared in all things. (vv. 78, 80.) However, it is only the doctrine of Christ that is to be taught as a warning. (vv. 81-82.)
We have been commanded to preach nothing but the four principles of the gospel; the fourth being born again of God through fire and the Holy Ghost. This is the rock upon which the Church is to be built, not upon any other tenets. (See D&C 49:11-14.) To the Galatians, the Apostle Paul wrote: “But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.” (Gal. 1:8.)
The Fourth Article of Faith is the rock of Christian doctrine. It should be obvious that the only thing to be preached is nothing but faith on the Lord Jesus Christ, repentance, baptism by immersion for the remission of sin, and the laying on of hands for the gift and fire of the Holy Ghost. Anything more or less, becomes evil.
We Latter-day Saints appear to get caught up with the uniqueness of our position as being a restored Church. It has been my experience among missionaries — having served six proselyting missions within the past four decades, plus other ward, stake and other Church callings — that even when repentance is preached, it is preached only as a matter of course to help a person qualify for baptism, and not as a matter of conversion to Jesus Christ and an urgency to receive the joy of being cleansed from sin and sanctified by the Holy Ghost. When baptism is preached, it is usually the necessity of being baptized into the Church instead of being baptized unto Christ.
The Book of Mormon was given for the following specific purpose: “... to the convincing of the Jew and Gentile that Jesus is the Christ....” It was not given to gather in everyone who can be convinced that this is the “true Church,” without demonstrating the prerequisites of baptism as discussed in a previous chapter. We are not to preach the created, but only the Creator and His true doctrine. If I am to preach no other doctrine, as the Lord commanded so many times, then that means to me that when I bear my testimony or teach a class, it is to be to the glorification of my God, bearing witness of His redeeming love and the hope of salvation through the true points of His doctrine — nothing more and nothing less.
Is there any surprise that most converts know so little about the true nature of the gift of the Holy Ghost, and that even most seasoned Church members do not have a true concept of what the gift of the Holy Ghost is really all about? They often mistake general spiritual prompting, even their consciences, as being that gift. Is there any wonder then, that most of us do not have a clue as to what the fulness is all about? And some people wonder why the Church is still under condemnation. The reason appears obvious to me: so few have an eye single to God’s glory, and they lack faith in His doctrine. They have not had a Pentecostal experience of their own. The unfortunate thing these days is that very little is mentioned in our Church teachings concerning the root of our Savior’s message — becoming sanctified by way of fire and the Holy Ghost.
There are those who might say something like: If we are to understand this, then the Brethren will teach us. Well, we can’t keep placing that proverbial monkey on the backs of the Brethren. It is not the Brethren of the Church who are responsible for this neglect. It solely rests upon the shoulders of the Church membership at large. We have a responsibility to develop pure hearts and gather our own knowledge. Besides, it isn’t a Brethren thing, anyway. Salvation is a personal thing. We cannot blame another for our neglect in searching out truth and embracing its principles. When we change our worldly focus to that of having an eye single to God’s glory and the salvation of His children, we will be on the right path to becoming truly born of God.
Now, it is not my purpose to be contentious here, for the Lord also said, “And this I do that I may establish my gospel, that there may not be so much contention; yea, Satan doth stir up the hearts of the people to contention concerning the points of my doctrine; and in these things they do err, for they do wrest the scriptures and do not understand them.” (D&C 10:63.) And again He said, “Behold, this is NOT my doctrine, to stir up the hearts of men with anger, one against another; but this is my doctrine, that such things should be done away.” (3 Ne. 11:30.) I personally believe, though, that as long as members of the Church continue to hold to only what the Brethren say, without lengthening their personal spiritual stride, the Church will stay under Condemnation.
Mighty Change Necessary for the Fulness
The mighty change of heart must take place before we can expect to experience the fulness. “For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father.” (Mosiah 3:19.) And from the account of Adam’s baptism, we learn the following: “For by the water ye keep the commandment; by the Spirit ye are justified, and by the blood ye are sanctified;... And thus [Adam] was baptized, and the Spirit of God descended upon him, and thus he was born of the Spirit, and became quickened in the inner man. And he heard a voice out of heaven, saying: Thou art baptized with fire, and with the Holy Ghost. This is the record of the Father, and the Son, from henceforth and forever;” (Moses 6:60, 65-66.)
From Moses 6:60 we learn three essential things pertaining to our salvation: (1) The baptism by water shows we are willing to keep the commandments; (2) it is the Spirit, or Holy Ghost, that justifies our act; but (3) it is by the blood of Christ we are sanctified. Justification only occurs when the Holy Ghost recognizes within us a contrite, child-like and submissive spirit. Sanctification does not come automatically just because of baptism. We are only sanctified by the blood after the Holy Ghost ratifies, or justifies the act of baptism and the intent of our hearts. Thus, we can say that it is the Spirit that sanctifies. This justification and sanctification must take place before the fulness of the gospel can be realized.
From The Book of Mormon we read: “Now they, after being sanctified by the Holy Ghost, having their garments made white, being pure and spotless before God, could not look upon sin save it were with abhorrence; and there were many, exceedingly great many, who were made pure and entered into the rest of the Lord their God. And now, my brethren, I would that ye should humble yourselves before God, and bring forth fruit meet for repentance, that ye may also enter into that rest.” (Alma 13:12-13.)
Notice that it is only after being sanctified, being “pure and spotless before God,” that we can enter into the rest of the Lord, because, “neither can any natural man abide the presence of God, neither after the carnal mind.” (D&C 67:12.) And as pointed out earlier, His rest is synonymous to His fulness.
We learn from 3 Nephi 9:20 that the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost, or the mighty change, is obtained by way of a broken heart and contrite spirit: “And ye shall offer for a sacrifice unto me a broken heart and a contrite spirit. And whoso cometh unto me with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, him will I baptize with fire and with the Holy Ghost,...” (3 Ne. 9:20.) Such are willing to follow Christ with full purpose of heart, without hypocrisy or deception, with real intent, with true repentance, and witness to the Father. (2 Ne. 31.13.)
In June of 1831, W. W. Phelps was told what it would take for him to receive a remission of his sins. It was necessary for him to be “baptized by water.” However, that baptism was to be done with an “eye single to [God’s] glory,” or in other words, have a contrite spirit, be submissive as a small child, and put God before anything else in life. (See D&C 55:1-3.) Go back and read the 3 Ne. 11:31-41 scripture we referred to earlier. See how many times the Lord told the Nephites that His doctrine included being humble and submissive as a little child. That’s the faith part of His doctrine.
His Image in Your Countenance
There is a lot of darkness in the world today. Even as we go to Church we can see darkness in the faces of many of our friends. Why is this? What is in their troubled minds and hearts that shows in their faces? Could it be they have lost the joy of hope, lost the faith to give their lives to Christ by trusting that He will carry their burdens? Perhaps they have lost sight of the fact that because of what He endured, He is able to bear their afflictions. Perhaps they have not committed to give their lives over to Him, trusting Him with those cares. Perhaps they are not converted and abiding in Christ.
When you give your life to Jesus, you covenant to go where He wants you to go, say what He wants you to say, do what He wants you to do, and be what He wants you to be. When you are willing to do these things, and you feel it in your heart with the Spirit moving upon you, there will be a light about you that testifies of your faith and hope in Christ. Alma asked his people a most important question: “And now behold, I ask of you, my brethren of the church, have ye spiritually been born of God? Have ye received his image in your countenances? Have ye experienced this mighty change in your hearts?” (Alma 5:14, see also vv 15-19.)
Here Alma is asking the brethren of the church if they have “spiritually been born of God.” This points out that not everyone baptized into the Church is spiritually born again, which also means every person hasn’t totally given his life to Christ. However, when you do give your life to Him, trusting in Him in all things and accepting and trusting Him as your Lord and Savior, you shall experience a mighty change in your heart and have the image of God engraved upon your countenance. When you seek to partake of the divine nature of Christ, by seeking His face and being in His presence, that hope brightens your spirit and radiates from your countenance.
Where is the light that is to shine forth to lighten the world? Jesus said, “Therefore, hold up your light that it may shine unto the world. Behold, I am the light which ye shall hold up....” (3 Ne. 18:24.) You are to have Jesus in your heart. He is to be the light, and that love will radiate to help brighten those who sit in darkness. You will then be a light, for Jesus said, “Ye are the light of the world.... Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your father which is in heaven.” (See Matt. 5:14-16.)
Recognizing the Mighty Change
There is an interesting statement by the Resurrected Lord to the Nephites. “And ye shall offer for a sacrifice unto me a broken heart and a contrite spirit. And whoso cometh unto me with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, him will I baptize with fire and with the Holy Ghost, even as the Lamanites, because of their faith in me at the time of their conversion, were baptized with fire and with the Holy Ghost, and they knew it not.” (3 Ne. 9:20.) Apparently some of the earlier converted Lamanites were born of the Spirit, but did not realize it.
Everyone will experience the baptism of fire a little differently. The closer you are to the Lord and perfection, the less you are going to notice it. But the further away you are, the more dramatic the change is going to be. Alma the younger experienced a very dramatic change, and it put him down for three days. (Mosiah 27:8-31.) So, when you are rather close to God, how is such a change recognized, if at all?
First off, let’s just say, “by their fruits ye shall know them.” (Matt. 7:20.) It should be obvious that those who have received a remission of sin, experienced the mighty change, been born again of the Spirit, will possess the fruits of the gospel — not necessarily the gifts as discussed earlier, but the fruits. (Alma 13:13.)
In Joseph Smith’s translation of John 3:9, he wrote: “Whosoever is born of God doth not continue in sin; for the Spirit of God remaineth in him; and he cannot continue in sin, because he is born of God, having received that holy Spirit of promise.” (JST, John 3:9.) Here we learn that receiving the “holy Spirit of promise” is part of being born of God. Another thing we learn is that they who are born of God do not continue in sin, and they cannot look upon sin “save it were with abhorrence.” (Alma 13:12.) They will also have “no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually,” because of a mighty change of heart. (Mosiah 5:2; Alma 19:33.)
We learn from Nephi that those born of God could speak with the tongue of angels, and shout praises unto the Holy One of Israel. (2 Ne. 31:13, 32:2.) Such will also consider the things of the Spirit, because they are not carnal minded. (Rom. 8:5-9.) They will be led to do good, be just, walk humbly, judge righteously, their minds will be enlightened, and their souls full of joy. (D&C 11:12-13.) The people of King Benjamin who were born of God had great views of that which is to come; and were it expedient, could prophesy of all things. And they did rejoice with such exceedingly great joy. (See Mosiah 5:2-7.)
In a previous chapter we covered the subject of charity. The display of true charity is the “pure love of Christ,” as we discussed earlier. One of the signs that we have been born of God is our deep yearning for the welfare of the souls of others. In Jacob we read: “But before ye seek for riches, seek ye for the kingdom of God. And after ye have obtained a HOPE in Christ ye shall obtain riches, if ye seek them; and ye will seek them for the intent to do good—to clothe the naked, and to feed the hungry, and to liberate the captive, and administer relief to the sick and the afflicted.” (Jacob 2:18-19.) AFTER a hope in Christ, only then are we to seek riches, and only then for the purpose of blessing the lives of others.
Speaking of a hope in Christ, let’s turn to Enos and his experience. In Enos we read a similar account. Most of us know the story of how he went hunting, and while in the forest his “soul hungered” to know where he stood before the Lord. Enos records that as he prayed all day and into the night, “there came a voice unto me, saying: Enos, thy sins are forgiven thee, and thou shalt be blessed.” (v. 1-5.) Then, as he enquired how his sins were forgiven, the voice again said to him: “because of thy faith in Christ, whom thou hast never before heard nor seen.” (v. 6-8.) Then Enos said that as he was struggling in the spirit, “the voice of the Lord came into my mind again.” (v. 10.) Now here is the important point: the witness that he received was not a vision nor a dream, it was not a big booming voice from the heavens, nor a burning fiery finger writing on stone or touching rocks to make them glow. No! It was a voice that “came into [his] mind again.” The word, “again,” means that it was also a voice that came into his mind the first time as well. Many want to have what some called the “Pentecostal experience,” where the Holy Ghost appears as “cloven tongues like as of fire,” and they speaks in tongues. But this may not always be the case. In fact it may be the exception than the rule. As stated above, everyone may experience the baptism of fire a little differently.
Now, after Enos had received a remission of his sins and a hope in Christ, his heart went out for the welfare of his brethren. “Now, it came to pass that when I had heard these words I began to feel a desire for the welfare of my brethren, the Nephites; wherefore, I did pour out my whole soul into God for them. ... And after I, Enos, had heard these words, my faith began to be unshaken in the Lord; and I prayed unto him with many long strugglings for my brethren, the Lamanites. And it came to pass that after I had prayed and labored with all diligence, the Lord said unto me: I will grant unto thee according to thy desires, because of thy faith.” (Enos 9, 11.)
When we know that we truly long for the welfare of the souls of others, and we do what we can to see that they are taken care of, temporally as well as spiritually, and we feel a deep love for Christ above all else, then we can know that we have had an Enos experience. (Enos1-8.) When we experience the rebirth, we will be blessed with the spirit of charity, which grows and increases until we eventually become even like unto Christ.
When one feels that he or she is blessed with the following attributes, they should give praise and thank unto their Father; for they have, most likely, been born of the Spirit, and like the Lamanites, did not know it. (The numbering is for convenience only, not to indicate rank of importance.) Taken from the scriptures cited above, those born again of the Spirit:
1. Bring forth fruits of the Spirit. (Alma 13:13.)
2. Do not continue in sin, and cannot even look upon it except with detest. (Alma 13:12; JST, John 3:9.)
3. Have no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually. (Mosiah 5:2; Alma 19:33.)
4. Consider Spiritual things because they are not sensually minded. (Rom. 8:5-9.)
5. Rejoice with exceeding great joy. (Mosiah 5:4.)
6. Desire to shout praises to the Father and the Son. (2 Ne. 31:13.)
7. Desire to do good, be just, walk humbly, judge righteously, and have minds enlightened and their souls full of joy. (D&C 11:12-13.)
8. Speak with the tongue of angels as the Holy Ghost give utterance. (2 Ne. 31:13.)
9. Have great visions, dreams, spiritual impressions of that which is to come, and could prophesy of the same if called upon. (Mosiah 5:3.)
10. Having true charity, the pure love of Christ, for the welfare of others. (Jacob 2:18-19; Enos 1-12.)
11. Have no desire for the things of the world, but seek only the kingdom and righteousness of God. (Matt. 6:19-21, 33.)
12. Have an eye and heart focused to God glory above all else. (D&C 4:5.)
This summary list is, of course, not all-inclusive, but it does throw some light upon factors which might show who has experienced the mighty change. However, to say the least, all of these things put together promise those who are born again some extraordinary blessings.
Putting off the Natural Man
Many of us have read the wonderful words of King Benjamin, who said, “For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord,...” (Mosiah 3:19.) But just about as many of us have misunderstood the real importance of those words. Putting off the natural man cannot be done in any other way except by becoming an un-natural man. That process involves being born of God through fire and the Holy Ghost—experiencing the mighty change.
We are all carnal minded, and that needs to be changed. Paul said, “For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.” (See Rom. 8:5, 7.) In putting off the natural or carnal-minded man, we must be quickened in the inner man. Moses wrote of Adam: “And thus [Adam] was baptized, and the Spirit of God descended upon him, and thus he was born of the Spirit, and became quickened in the inner man.” (Moses 6:65.) This quickening, which only comes through the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost, is the key to receiving the fulness of the Father.
To put off the “natural man,” and not be carnal-minded with “enmity against God,” we must understand the true points of His doctrine. Believing in Him, or having faith, is that total surrendering of self to the Master’s will. It is having perfect trust in Him with all our hearts, mights, minds and strengths. It is complete assurance that He will provide all things, that He is the only one who can heal our wounds, and that we desire to rely upon no other person but Jesus Christ for our daily needs.
Repentance is the faith that Jesus will provide something better than that which we must give up, that He can replace the desire for corrupt things with that which never dies, and that He will fill our hunger and thirst with living waters and the bread of life.
Baptism by water is the outward sign that we have shown faith and have brought forth fruits of repentance. It is symbolic of being born again of water, of burying the old way of life and rising forth to a newness of life, of washing away our sins, and of becoming clean before God and man. This outward sign tell the world that, we are not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ and its power unto salvation; we let the world know that we are willing to give all that we have for the cause of Zion, even our very lives if need be.
And the fire and the Holy Ghost ratifies and sanctifies that which has been guilelessly done. Through the fire and the Holy Ghost, we become born again of the Spirit and become new creatures in Christ Jesus—experiencing the mighty change of heart.
When the Lord said, “he that receiveth my gospel receiveth me; and he that receiveth NOT my gospel receiveth NOT me” (D&C 39:5), He was basically saying, “If you reject my gospel you reject Me and my fulness.” This will be because “neither can any natural man abide the presence of God, neither after the carnal mind.” (D&C 67:12.) Consequently, it is impossible to receive the fulness of the gospel without first receiving the fire and the Holy Ghost, for the Holy Ghost witnesses of Jesus Christ and the Father. (3 Ne. 11:32.)
President Joseph Fielding Smith made an interesting statement on this subject. In a Melchizedek Priesthood manual, he says, “We have a great many members of this Church who have never reached a manifestation through the Holy Ghost. Why? Because they have not made their lives conform to the truth.” (Melchizedek Priesthood Personal Study Guide 2, p. 57; Church News, 4 November 1961, p. 14.)
As the scriptures seem to indicate (D&C 10:57-69), and with President Benson as a second witness as we read earlier, if we have not been born again, experienced that mighty change of heart, been baptized by fire and the Holy Ghost, had our personal day of Pentecost, then we are not of the Church of Christ, even though we might have our names temporarily listed on the rolls of a church.
When the Prophet Joseph was once asked what made the “Mormon” Church different from other churches, he said in effect, “We have the Holy Ghost.” With this answer, Joseph Smith was not referring to having hands laid upon the head to receive the Holy Ghost. What he was referring to was the fire and the Holy Ghost. Without it, Latter-day Saints are no better off than the rest of the world, even though we sometimes proudly boast of so being.
Can we become as earnest about being born again as did the father of Lamoni who said to Aaron, “What shall I do that I may have this eternal life of which thou has spoken? Yea, what shall I do that I may be born of God, having this wicked spirit rooted out of my breast, and receive his Spirit, that I may be filled with joy...?” (See Alma 22:15-16.) Alma declared, “I have repented of my sins, and have been redeemed of the Lord; behold I am born of the Spirit.” (Mosiah 27:24.) Can we get excited about the idea of being born again? If there is no spark within us, then there can be no fire—no fire and the Holy Ghost.
With a better understanding of what the real gift of the Holy Ghost is all about, and what being born of God really means, we start to get a better idea of what it will take to receive the real fulness of the gospel, and what is meant by the high cost of discipleship.
