CONTINUAL SCRIPTURE
~ Dare I State It? ~
We are often asked if the Chruch has received any 'new' scripture or revelations.
Our answer, though perhaps not too surprising, ought to be, "Yes, we receive addtional
scripture/revelation in the Chruch Daily." Daily? Of course, even hourly, every minute and
continuously. We teach and believe that when one speaks as moved upon by the Holy
Ghost it is scripture (D&C 68:3-4). Thus from personal individual scripture, to any taught word
of God delivered under and according to the Spirit of God, to the impressions and
guidance of the spirit upon the Church authorities, and even to and including such
so inspired statements, addresses, publications and so on and so forth that come from
the Chruch may in deed be considered as the Lord's word to man and as 'scripture'.
But carefulness is the watchword. None such are to be of 'personal interpretation.'
That means you cannot take what some anti-mormon critic makes of such themselves of
their own innovative mind and slanderous interpretations nor just anyone's word upon it.
They have no authorization from God to do so. Only through the Holy Mind of the Lord as inspired by the Holy
Spirit are such to be read and interpreted. Do you receive that continuous revelatory
comforter yourself?
It just isn't functional to record and cannonize all such as the consumption of time
and effort to do so would be prohibitive. And there is a decided proper 'order' that
one is only so authorized to speak in the name of God to that point over which is
that person's proper domain. What does that mean? Well you do not have a member of
the church in some remote location telling the whole of the church what to do and what
not to do, now do you? That would be chaos and daily apostasy in motion. But there
are 'publications' that may be reviewed and read to gain 'scriptural' type guidance
from them on a near daily basis in the Chruch.
One of the more reliable sources of such information is the published talks of the
various Church Leaders as long as you are welling to understand that they often
speak of themselves as well as being led by the Spirit of Truth. Further the hearer
must be able and willing to be led by the Spirit of Truth, that is
the Holy Ghost, in determining proper application to one's own self. And just to
note here, 'It is not appropriate to follow any particular line or avenue that is
not in harmony with the general teachings and doctrines of the Chruch.' That would
be 'out of order' and counter productive. But certainly daily member of the church
pray to God to receive his daily guidance and direction in their lives and they
so do receive such from God. They live by the Spirit and in accord with the teachings
and doctrines of the Church of Jesus Christ.
Now if the Apostle Paul were to come to your town and deliever a surmon or write a
letter to the people of the church would you not want to read it? Would you not
want to print it? And would you not want to 'canonize it' as scripture? So it
is with our modern Apostles, Prophets, General Authorities and Leaders in the Church.
But as previously stated such a process of 'daily official scripturization' would
be prohibitive and counter productive. Yet, to this end I would like to list here a
number of such 'authoritative talks' that are on my list of favorites, if I may:
Current List of Favorites
Return to Virtue - Elaine S. Dalton
Unwritten Order of Things - Boyd K. Packer
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