Doctrine - Part 2 - True Doctrine

Have you ever heard something, like a phrase, quote, scripture, song, or poem, and instantly knew it was absolutely and unquestionably true? It is more than just a thought, its a thought with a thousand pounds of gentle force, assurance, and confirmation. It is a feeling that always accompanies true doctrine to the earnest seeker of truth, but usually only comes when the ears it falls upon are ready and sincere. It is a feeling I have had throughout my life without realizing it, and then a few years ago I looked back and realized how many times that feeling had assisted my life, but I was often insensitive to it.

In the summer of 2013, I was lead to a book by James Allen called "As a Man Thinketh". As I listened to the book in my car, I recall often having moments when my jaw literally dropped and that solid feeling of undeniable and eternally true feeling came. Part of my awe was from the facts that James Allen lived in the early part of the 19th century, on another continent, and this wasn't necessarily a book on religion. Yet, many of the principles he taught were accompanied by what I have come to refer to as that ring of truth. I truly felt edified, uplifted, instructed, and felt like rejoicing (D&C 50:21–22).

But true doctrine doesn't always have this effect on me or others. As I've shared James Allen's books with others, I've seen a range of responses from no response, to interest and respect for the author, but no one who quite had my enthusiasm. Why? Because it was the right time for me. It took Brigham Young three years before he experienced the 'ring of truth' and his convictions of Christ's gospel became unshakable. Some truths take time and perhaps a change of heart to sink in before the ring comes. At that particular time in my life, my heart and mind were ready for James Allen and his principles, each of which tie in some way to something the Savior taught.

I've come to love and seek for those types of eternally resonating experiences in learning. Like any other endeavor, hearing the ring of truth is a skill that takes practice. This concept wouldn't be fully covered unless the Holy Spirit was mentioned. I know without doubt that the feeling of a ring of truth is accompanied by the Holy Ghost. Without this influence, the experience may be compelling, but not with the same power.

Since reading nearly all of James Allen's books, my hunger for truth intensified and I was then naturally drawn to the scriptures. The teachings of Christ and his prophets and apostles throughout all scripture convey the ring of truth, and I have never felt so satisfied as when I have drunk deeply from the waters of pure doctrine found in the Lord's scriptures. If James Allen's books are like eating a vanilla bean, in terms of the concentration of truth, the scriptures are like drinking concentrated vanilla extract (apart from the bitter taste. I need a better analogy). Most doctrinal experiences from the world are like drinking a gallon of water with a single drop of vanilla - watered down and hard for me to swallow.

The Prophet Joseph Smith taught, “Those who have read [the scriptures], and who have drunk of the stream of knowledge which they convey, know how to appreciate them.” He also said, “He who reads it oftenest will like it best.” My love for scripture suggests I stand as one of those.

My last post on false doctrine was the first half of the topic of doctrine. I described the effects of absent, incomplete, and false doctrines in the lives of those who engage in it. In every case the result is apostasy, or spiritual death, to one degree or another. If false doctrine has the capacity to cause the negative spiritual movement of the soul away from God, then the study of true doctrine causes the positive movement of the soul toward God. I believe this to be as fundamentally true as the knowledge that the earth revolves around the sun, or the scientific laws of gravity. In other words, it has the ring of truth.

If false doctrine has any power at all to change hearts, true doctrine is infinitely more powerful. A number of scriptural illustrations make this point. These cases reveal people and communities who's souls struggle spiritually and nothing could lift them out of their struggles like true doctrine. Examples of this exist at both personal and community scales.

The Savior is the best example. He lived, loved, and shared true doctrine constantly. The scriptures are full of examples of prophets having some difficulty, and then addressing it with true doctrine. Classic stories include Noah, Jonah and Nineveh, Daniel, etc. Less known Book of Mormon examples are abundant. The following table shows major doctrinal campaign events in scripture, highlights the need that drove the prophets to preach, and the core doctrines focused on as treatment to those problems:

Reference	Spiritual Need for Doctrine	Doctrinal Approach
Jacob 1-2	Saints begin to be wicked, proud, unchaste, worldly	Doctrine of chastity, Abrahamic sacrifice a symbol of Christ; Men need the Atonement
Mosiah 2-5	King Benjamin wants an increase of righteousness among people	Service (God and Man); Nature of Christ and Atonement; Salvation; Judgement; Faithfulness; Consecration
Mosiah 11-17	Wickedness of King Noah and his people	Gods Commandments; Christ's Atonement; Salvation; Christ's seed; Resurrection; Redemption
Alma 1-7	Wickedness and Rebellion. Alma steps down to preach	Repentance; Atonement of Christ; Humility; Good works; Ordinances / Commandments; Post-mortality;
Alma 9-16	Wickedness among people	Repentance; The coming of Christ; Baptism / Faith; Resurrection; Purpose of mortality; Christs redemption
Alma 17-19	King Lamoni's people oblivious to truth	The Creation and redemptive power of Christ
Alma 22	Highest King and people oblivious to truth	The Creation, Fall of Adam, and Redemption of Christ
Alma 39-42	Alma's wayward son, Corianton	Retroactive nature of Christ's redemptive power; the resurrection; The afterlife and judgement; the probationary nature of mortality; the Fall of Adam and Eve; God's justice and mercy; Christ's Atonement
Helaman 5-12	Nephi / Lehi	Christ's redemption; Repentance;
Helaman 13-16	Wickedness, ripening for destruction	Saumuel prophesies concerning Christ's coming

I choose two of these to illustrate the point. When the people were wicked, Alma who was the chief ruler among the people had the capacity to organize the military and force his people into submission. Instead he used true doctrine. As the scripture states, "And now, as the preaching of the word had a great tendency to lead the people to do that which was just—yea, it had had more powerful effect upon the minds of the people than the sword, or anything else, which had happened unto them—therefore Alma thought it was expedient that they should try the virtue of the word of God"
(Alma 31:5). In short, doctrine is more powerful than the sword.

Secondly, when Alma's son, Corianton, forsook the ministry to seek a harlot, Alma took the opportunity to help steer his son in the right direction. He didn't dwell too long on Corianton's sin of immorality, but began to unfold one of the more powerful sermons on the retroactive nature of Christ's redemptive power; the resurrection including powerful doctrines on the afterlife and judgement; the probationary nature of mortality; the Fall of Adam and Eve and the fallen nature of mankind; God's justice and mercy; and most importantly, Jesus Christ's Atonement.

Alma's approach to parenting reminds me of Joseph Smith's approach to directing a large body of saints when he said "I teach them correct principles, and they govern themselves" (John Taylor, “The Organization of the Church,” Millennial Star, Nov. 15, 1851, p. 339.).

Unlike false doctrines that have sub categories, and a variety of mediums, true doctrine is simple. If something is true, it is true. If something is questionable, it is either false, or probably so lacking in truth that it is not worth engaging, and falls under the incomplete or false doctrinal categories and can lead to apostasy. The real test with regard to doctrine is to learn to recognize it by the power of the Holy Ghost, or to recognize the absence of the spirit in the absence of truth. I appreciate the tender feelings of the Holy Spirit and his capacity to comfort, but I'm infinitely grateful for his power to confirm truth. Recognizing his voice in matters of doctrine requires experience, listening, and patience. In short it requires skill. Of all the skills worth picking up and mastering, no skill is more deserving of our attention, nor more important to our salvation than the recognition of the spirit in our lives in distinguishing truth from error.

When I was seventeen, I read from the scriptures for the first time with real intent. Though a young person with a bag full of youthful sins, my doctrinally starving soul yearned for spiritual nutrition. As I read the doctrines taught by Jesus Christ in the New Testament, a miraculous change began to take place within me. My hardened heart began to melt, until at last Christ's doctrines penetrated my heart so deeply I felt the power of his Atonement reach into the darkest corners of my soul and illuminated it with his love and peace. His doctrines pointed me to him, which in turn caused healing and a soul in good health.

Such is the power of true doctrine when it is studied, feasted upon, or drunk from deeply. If there are souls in your lives who are sad, angry, bitter, confused, unsure, apostate, or otherwise spiritually starving or diseased, a good long and deep session with the true doctrines of Christ's gospel can help restore spiritual health. True doctrine points to Christ who heals hearts.

Photo courtesy of LDS church