We Believe: Doctrines of Mormonism: Scripture in General

Scripture in General

712. Written scripture is the recorded testimony of prophets who receive gospel truths by revelation from the Lord.

713. Written scriptures are preserved and made available to us because they are vital to our salvation.

714. The Lord at times commands His prophets to hide up sacred records so they can be made available at a future time.

715. Scripture is given from God to His prophets for (the blessing and judgment of) all people—not for members of His church alone.

716. The Bible, the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price (the Standard Works of the Church) are written scriptures.

717. The word of the Lord is not confined to the Bible.

718. In addition to written scripture we need continuous revelation from living prophets to guide us.

719. Revelations do not have to be published in written form to be scripture.

720. Inspired prophetic utterances, both oral and written, are scripture.

712. Written scripture is the recorded testimony of prophets who receive gospel truths by revelation from the Lord.

Mark E. Petersen
Bruce R. McConkie
Joseph Smith
Elder Wilford Woodruff
Lehi
President Spencer W. Kimball
Elder George Albert Smith
Bruce R. McConkie
Jacob, brother of Nephi
Moroni, son of Mormon
President Joseph F. Smith
Nephi, son of Lehi
Jesus

Mark E. Petersen

It is an infallible sign of the true church that it has in it divinely chosen, living prophets to guide it, men who receive current revelation from God and whose recorded works become new scripture.
It is an infallible sign of the true church also that it will produce new and additional scripture arising out of the ministrations of those prophets. This unfailing pattern of God is clearly made manifest through his dealings with his people from the beginning. CR1978Apr:95-96

Bruce R. McConkie

Prophetic utterances, both oral and written, are scripture. "To some it is given by the Holy Ghost to know that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and that he was crucified for the sins of the world." (D&C 46:13) Testimonies borne by such persons, when moved upon by the Spirit, are scripture. In fact, all the elders of the Church, by virtue of their ordination, are called "to proclaim the everlasting gospel, by the Spirit of the living God," with this promise: "Whatsoever they shall speak when moved upon by the Holy Ghost shall be scripture, shall be the will of the Lord, shall be the mind of the Lord, shall be the word of the Lord, shall be the voice of the Lord, and the power of God unto salvation." (D&C 68:1,4) And as it is with the elders on earth, so it is with their fellow servants beyond the veil. The words of the angels of God in heaven are scripture, for, "Angels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore, they speak the words of Christ." (2 Nephi 32:3)
. . . . Such scripture as is canonized—meaning, at the present moment, the Bible, the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price—comes from prophets who held positions of leadership and trust in the Lord's earthly kingdom. It is binding upon the Church and the world and is the standard by which all men shall be judged when they shall stand before the pleasing bar of the great Jehovah to receive according to their works. (The Promised Messiah, pp. 24-25) TLDP:606

Joseph Smith

And gave him power from on high, by the means which were before prepared, to translate the Book of Mormon;
9. Which contains a record of a fallen people, and the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles and to the Jews also;
10. Which was given by inspiration, and is confirmed to others by the ministering of angels, and is declared unto the world by them—
11. Proving to the world that the holy scriptures are true, and that God does inspire men and call them to his holy work in this age and generation, as well as in generations of old;
12. Thereby showing that he is the same God yesterday, today, and forever. Amen. (Revelation on Church Organization and Government, April 1830; the Book of Mormon proves the divinity of the latter-day work) D&C 20:8-12

Elder Wilford Woodruff

Here is the Bible, the record of the Jews, given by the inspiration of the Lord through Moses and the ancient Patriarchs and Prophets. Is it an imposture, and as the infidels say, the work of man? No, it is not in the power of any man who ever breathed the breath of life to make such a book without the inspiration of the Almighty. (General conference, April 1873, JD16:35) TLDP:610

Lehi,
quoted by his son Nephi

For behold, Laban hath the record of the Jews and also a genealogy of my forefathers, and they are engraven upon plates of brass.
4. Wherefore, the Lord hath commanded me that thou and thy brothers should go unto the house of Laban, and seek the records, and bring them down hither into the wilderness. . . .
19. And behold, it is wisdom in God that we should obtain these records. . . .
20. And also that we may preserve unto them the words which have been spoken by the mouth of all the holy prophets, which have been delivered unto them by the Spirit and power of God, since the world began, even down unto this present time. (Lehi instructs his son Nephi, 600-592 B.C.) 1 Nephi 3:3-4,19-20

President Spencer W. Kimball

By the power of God other books of scripture [in addition to the Bible] have come into being. Vital and priceless records of ancient America, with teachings of Christ, another testimony of his divinity, form the Book of Mormon, which we declare to be divine scripture, contemporary with and sustaining the Bible.
Since that momentous day in 1820, additional scripture has continued to come, including the numerous and vital revelations flowing in a never-ending stream from God to his prophets on the earth. Many of these revelations are recorded in another scripture called the Doctrine and Covenants. Completing our latter-day scriptures is the Pearl of Great Price, another record of revelation and translated writings of both ancient and modern prophets.
There are those who would assume that with the printing and binding of these sacred records, that would be the "end of the prophets." But again we testify to the world that revelation continues and that the vaults and files of the Church contain these revelations which come month to month and day to day. CR1977Apr:115

Elder George Albert Smith

That he [Joseph Smith] might be a witness of the living God the Lord gave to him by revelation the contents of this record that I hold in my hand, (the Doctrine and Covenants) containing over four hundred pages of instruction to the children of men. . . .
The Bible, Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and Pearl of Great Price, do not contain the wisdom of men alone, but of God. . . . [T]hey contain the word of the Lord. What matter it though we understand Homer and Shakespeare and Milton, and I might enumerate all the great writers of the world; if we have failed to read the scriptures we have missed the better part of this world's literature.
. . . . [God] called his sons one by one, and they gave their lives that we might have the Old Testament. He sent his only begotten Son into the world, and his life was sacrificed in order that we might have the teachings of the New Testament. The prophets of God recorded in the Book of Mormon laid down their lives and sealed their testimonies with their blood, in order that the children of men might know what the Father desired of them. He sent the Prophet Joseph Smith, and he gave his life together with his brother Hyrum, in order that we might have the truths contained in the sacred record known as the Doctrine and Covenants. CR1917Oct:41-44

Author's Note: In contrast to the recorded testimony of prophets, it is interesting to read of the "loose writings" of men as depicted by President Harold B. Lee, as follows: "There are among us many loose writings predicting the calamities which are about to overtake us. Some of these have been publicized as though they were necessary to wake up the world to the horrors about to overtake us. Many of these are from sources upon which there cannot be unquestioned reliance.
Are you priesthood bearers aware of the fact that we need no such publications to be forewarned, if we were only conversant with what the scriptures have already spoken to us in plainness?
Let me give you the sure word of prophecy on which you should rely for your guide instead of these strange sources which may have great political implications.
Read the 24th chapter of Matthew—particularly that inspired version as contained in the Pearl of Great Price. [JS-M ]
Then read the 45th section of the Doctrine and Covenants where the Lord, not man, has documented the signs of the times.
Now turn to section 101 and section 133 of the Doctrine and Covenants and hear the step-by step recounting of events leading up to the coming of the Savior.
Finally, turn to the promises the Lord makes to those who keep the commandments when these judgments descend upon the wicked, as set forth in the Doctrine and Covenants, section 38.
Brethren, these are some of the writings with which you should concern yourselves, rather than commentaries that may come from those whose information may not be the most reliable and whose motives may be subject to question. And may I say, parenthetically, most of such writers are not handicapped by having any authentic information on their writings." (CR1972Oct:128)

Related Witnesses:

Bruce R. McConkie

We have in the Holy Scriptures—those inspired and canonized utterances of the holy prophets; those heaven-sent fragments from the records of eternity; those words and phrases spoken by the power of the Holy Ghost—we have in these sacred writings the plan and the pattern, the laws and the requirements, the gospel recitations, that will guide us to eternal life in our Father's kingdom. They chart the course we must pursue to gain peace in this life and glory and honor in the life to come. (The Mortal Messiah, 1:265) TLDP:606

Jacob, brother of Nephi

Behold, my brethren, he that prophesieth, let him prophesy to the understanding of men; for the Spirit speaketh the truth and lieth not. Wherefore, it speaketh of things as they really are, and of things as they really will be; wherefore, these things are manifested unto us plainly, for the salvation of our souls. But behold, we are not witnesses alone in these things; for God also spake them unto prophets of old. (Jacob 's scriptural writings, 544-521 B.C.) Jacob 4:13

Moroni, son of Mormon

And in the mouth of three witnesses shall these things be established; and the testimony of three, and this work, in the which shall be shown forth the power of God and also his word, of which the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost bear record—and all this shall stand as a testimony against the world at the last day. (The record of Moroni) Ether 5:4

President Joseph F. Smith

I say to my brethren that the book of Doctrine and Covenants contains some of the most glorious principles ever revealed to the world, some that have been revealed in greater fulness than they were ever revealed before to the world; and this, in fulfilment of the promises of the ancient prophets that in the latter times, the Lord would reveal things to the world that had been kept hid from the foundation thereof; and the Lord has revealed them through the Prophet Joseph Smith. CR1913Oct:9

Nephi, son of Lehi

And my brother, Jacob, also has seen him as I have seen him; wherefore, I will send their words forth unto my children to prove unto them that my words are true. Wherefore, by the words of three, God hath said, I will establish my word. Nevertheless, God sendeth more witnesses, and he proveth all his words. (Nephi testifies that he and his brother Jacob have each seen the Redeemer, 559-545 B.C.) 2 Nephi 11:3

Jesus,
quoted by Mormon

And now it came to pass that when Jesus had said these words he said unto them again, after he had expounded all the scriptures unto them which they had received, he said unto them: Behold, other scriptures I would that ye should write, that ye have not.
7. And it came to pass that he said unto Nephi: Bring forth the record which ye have kept.
8. And when Nephi had brought forth the records, and laid them before him, he cast his eyes upon them and said:
9. Verily I say unto you, I commanded my servant Samuel, the Lamanite, that he should testify unto this people, that at the day that the Father should glorify his name in me that there were many saints who should arise from the dead, and should appear unto many, and should minister unto them. And he said unto them: Was it not so?
10. And his disciples answered him and said: Yea, Lord, Samuel did prophesy according to thy words, and they were all fulfilled.
11. And Jesus said unto them: How be it that ye have not written this thing, that many saints did arise and appear unto many and did minister unto them?
12. And it came to pass that Nephi remembered that this thing had not been written.
13. And it came to pass that Jesus commanded that it should be written; therefore it was written according as he commanded.
14. And now it came to pass that when Jesus had expounded all the scriptures in one, which they had written, he commanded them that they should teach the things which he had expounded unto them. (The resurrected Jesus Christ instructs his disciples among the Nephite people, A.D. 34) 3 Nephi 23:6-14

713. Written scriptures are preserved and made available to us because they are vital to our salvation.

Bruce R. McConkie
Lehi
Elder George Albert Smith
George Q. Cannon
Mormon
Elder Joseph Fielding Smith
Nephi, son of Lehi
L. Tom Perry
Nephi, son of Lehi
George Q. Cannon
Joseph Smith
Mormon
Joseph Smith
Nephi, son of Lehi
Nephi, son of Lehi
President Harold B. Lee

Bruce R. McConkie

They [the holy scriptures] tell how all men—not the ancients only—may hear the voice of God, entertain angelic messengers, and enjoy the outpourings of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Scriptures are given to guide men to that state of spiritual enlightenment and perfection attained by those of old who worked out their salvation.
"The holy scriptures," Paul told his beloved Timothy, "are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus." The scriptures open the door; they mark the course we must pursue; they identify the strait and narrow path; they testify of Christ and his laws; they engender faith; their worth cannot be revealed, men must walk therein to gain the desired eternal reward. (The Mortal Messiah, 1:266) TLDP:608

Lehi,
quoted by his son Nephi

And it came to pass that he spake unto me, saying: Behold I have dreamed a dream, in the which the Lord hath commanded me that thou and thy brethren shall return to Jerusalem.
3. For behold, Laban hath the record of the Jews and also a genealogy of my forefathers, and they are engraven upon plates of brass.
4. Wherefore, the Lord hath commanded me that thou and thy brothers should go unto the house of Laban, and seek the records, and bring them down hither into the wilderness. . . .
19. And behold, it is wisdom in God that we should obtain these records, that we may preserve unto our children the language of our fathers;
20. And also that we may preserve unto them the words which have been spoken by the mouth of all the holy prophets, which have been delivered unto them by the Spirit and power of God, since the world began, even down unto this present time. (Lehi instructs his son Nephi, 600-592 B.C.) 1 Nephi 3:2-4,19-20

Elder George Albert Smith

Will our Father hold us guiltless when we go home, if we have failed to teach our children the importance of these sacred records? I think not. He called his sons one by one, and they gave their lives that we might have the Old Testament. He sent his only begotten Son into the world, and his life was sacrificed in order that we might have the teachings of the New Testament. The prophets of God recorded in the Book of Mormon laid down their lives and sealed their testimonies with their blood, in order that the children of men might know what the Father desired of them. He sent the Prophet Joseph Smith, and he gave His life, together with his brother Hyrum, in order that we might have the truths contained in the sacred record known as the Doctrine and Covenants. Do you suppose that after the Lord has done all this for us, has given to this world the choicest and sweetest of men and women, whose lives have been dedicated to the blessing of mankind, many of them sealing their testimony with their blood, has placed within our reach the excellent teachings contained in these holy records, that he will consider us appreciative if we fail to teach them to our families, and to impress them upon those with whom we come in contact? CR1917Oct:43-44

George Q. Cannon

It is of infinite importance that we should value and preserve these records because in them is contained the revelations of God to His children in former times. (Gospel Truth, 1:324) TLDP:612-13

Mormon

Now these things are written unto the remnant of the house of Jacob ; and they are written after this manner, because it is known of God that wickedness will not bring them forth unto them; and they are to be hid up unto the Lord that they may come forth in his own due time.
13. And this is the commandment which I have received; and behold, they shall come forth according to the commandment of the Lord, when he shall see fit, in his wisdom.
14. And behold, they shall go unto the unbelieving of the Jews; and for this intent shall they go—that they may be persuaded that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God; that the Father may bring about, through his most Beloved, his great and eternal purpose, in restoring the Jews, or all the house of Israel, to the land of their inheritance, which the Lord their God hath given them, unto the fulfilling of his covenant;
15. And also that the seed of this people may more fully believe his gospel, which shall go forth unto them from the Gentiles; . . . (Mormon's writings, A.D. 375-380; the Book of Mormon shall come forth to convince all Israel that Jesus is the Christ) Mormon 5:12-15

Elder Joseph Fielding Smith

Nephi, son of Lehi

And upon these I write the things of my soul, and many of the scriptures which are engraven upon the plates of brass. For my soul delighteth in the scriptures, and my heart pondereth them, and writeth them for the learning and the profit of my children. (Nephi writes on plates shortly after the death of his father Lehi, 588-570 B.C.) 2 Nephi 4:15

Related Witnesses:

L. Tom Perry

Oh, how I can bear witness to the value of the scriptures in my life. I am absolutely convinced that they have answers to every problem in life. When a problem develops, after praying for instruction from the Lord, you ought to turn to the scriptures to find your answer. ACR(San Jose)1977:15; TLDP:608

Nephi, son of Lehi

Behold the Lord slayeth the wicked to bring forth his righteous purposes. It is better that one man should perish than that a nation should dwindle and perish in unbelief.
14. And now, when I, Nephi, had heard these words, I remembered the words of the Lord which he spake unto me in the wilderness, saying that: Inasmuch as thy seed shall keep my commandments, they shall prosper in the land of promise.
15. Yea, and I also thought that they could not keep the commandments of the Lord according to the law of Moses, save they should have the law.
16. And I also knew that the law was engraven upon the plates of brass.
17. And again, I knew that the Lord had delivered Laban into my hands for this cause—that I might obtain the records according to his commandments.
18. Therefore I did obey the voice of the Spirit, and took Laban by the hair of the head, and I smote off his head with his own sword. (Writings of Nephi, 600-592 B.C.) 1 Nephi 4:13-18

George Q. Cannon

This book [the Bible] is of priceless worth; its value cannot be established by anything that is known among men upon which value is fixed. . . . To the Latter-day Saints it should always be a precious treasure. Beyond any people now upon the face of the earth, they should value it, for the reason that from its pages, from the doctrines set forth by its writers, the epitome of the plan of salvation which is there given unto us, we derive the highest consolation, we obtain the greatest strength. It is, as it were, a constant fountain sending forth streams of living life to satisfy the souls of all who peruse its pages. (Gospel Truth, 2:248) TLDP:610

Joseph Smith

This he forbade me, saying that I must have no other object in view in getting the plates but to glorify God, and must not be influenced by any other motive than that of building his kingdom; otherwise I could not get them. (Joseph's record of the obtaining of the Book of Mormon plates) JS-H 1:46

Mormon

And they discovered a people, who were called the people of Zarahemla. Now, there was great rejoicing among the people of Zarahemla; and also Zarahemla did rejoice exceedingly, because the Lord had sent the people of Mosiah with the plates of brass which contained the record of the Jews. . . .
17. And at the time that Mosiah discovered them, they had become exceedingly numerous. Nevertheless, they had had many wars and serious contentions, and had fallen by the sword from time to time; and their language had become corrupted; and they had brought no records with them; and they denied the being of their Creator; and Mosiah, nor the people of Mosiah, could understand them. (Mosiah and his followers discover the people of Zarahemla, the Mulekites, 279-130 B.C.) Omni 1:14,17

Joseph Smith

Whatsoever they shall speak when moved upon by the Holy Ghost shall be scripture, shall be the will of the Lord, shall be the mind of the Lord, shall be the word of the Lord, shall be the voice of the Lord, and the power of God unto salvation. (Revelation, Nov. 1831) D&C 68:4

Nephi, son of Lehi

And it mattereth not to me that I am particular to give a full account of all the things of my father, for they cannot be written upon these plates, for I desire the room that I may write of the things of God.
4. For the fulness of mine intent is that I may persuade men to come unto the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, and be saved.
5. Wherefore, the things which are pleasing unto the world I do not write, but the things which are pleasing unto God and unto those who are not of the world.
6. Wherefore, I shall give commandment unto my seed, that they shall not occupy these plates with things which are not of worth unto the children of men. (The writings of Nephi, 600-592 B.C.) 1 Nephi 6:3-6

Nephi, son of Lehi

For we labor diligently to write, to persuade our children, and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God; for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do. (The writings of Nephi, 559-545 B.C.) 2 Nephi 25:23

President Harold B. Lee

We need to make sure, that so far as lies in our power, we don't leave the homes of our people without . . . copies of the Book of Mormon, the Bible, the Doctrine and Covenants, the Pearl of Great Price. We ought to see to it, somehow, that they have these precious scriptures, not just dissertations from the scriptures, but the scriptures themselves and read from what's in those precious books. (At Sunday School session of general conference, Oct. 5, 1973) MPSG84:2

714. The Lord at times commands His prophets to hide up sacred records so they can be made available at a future time.

Mormon
Oliver Cowdery
Nephi, son of Lehi
Moroni, son of Mormon
Moroni, son of Mormon
Moroni, son of Mormon

Mormon

And it came to pass that when three hundred and twenty years had passed away, Ammaron, being constrained by the Holy Ghost, did hide up the records which were sacred—yea, even all the sacred records which had been handed down from generation to generation, which were sacred—even until the three hundred and twentieth year from the coming of Christ.
49. And he did hide them up unto the Lord that they might come again unto the remnant of the house of Jacob according to the prophecies and the promises of the Lord. And thus is the end of the record of Ammaron. (Mormon abridges the account of Nephi, son of Nephi, one of the disciples of Christ, A.D. 36-60) 4 Nephi 1:48-49

Oliver Cowdery

This Book was written on plates of gold and handed down from father to son for many ages and generations.
It was then that the people prospered and were strong and mighty; they cultivated the earth, built buildings and cities, and abounded in all good things, as the palefaces now do.
But they became wicked; they killed one another and shed much blood; they killed their prophets and wise men, and sought to destroy the Book. The Great Spirit became angry and would speak to them no more; they had no more good and wise dreams; no more visions, no more angels sent among them by the Great Spirit; and the Lord commanded Mormon and Moroni, their last wise men and prophets to hide the Book in the earth that it might be preserved in safety and be found and made known in the latter-day to the palefaces who should possess the land that they might again make it known to the red men, in order to restore them to the knowledge of the will of the Great Spirit and to His favor. (Speech to the Delaware Indians near Buffalo, N.Y., 1831) HC1:183-84 (Footnote)

Nephi, son of Lehi

Wherefore, when thou hast read the words which I have commanded thee, and obtained the witnesses which I have promised unto thee, then shalt thou seal up the book again, and hide it up unto me, that I may preserve the words which thou hast not read, until I shall see fit in mine own wisdom to reveal all things unto the children of men.
23. For behold, I am God; and I am a God of miracles; and I will show unto the world that I am the same yesterday, today, and forever; and I work not among the children of men save it be according to their faith. (Nephi prophesies of the coming forth of the Book of Mormon and records the words of the Lord foretelling the time when Joseph Smith would be instructed to hide up the plates from which he has translated the Book of Mormon, 599-545 B.C.) 2 Nephi 27:22-23

Moroni, son of Mormon

And now, after that, they have all dwindled in unbelief; and there is none save it be the Lamanites, and they have rejected the gospel of Christ; therefore I am commanded that I should hide them up again in the earth.
4. Behold, I have written upon these plates the very things which the brother of Jared saw; and there never were greater things made manifest than those which were made manifest unto the brother of Jared.
5. Wherefore the Lord hath commanded me to write them; and I have written them. And he commanded me that I should seal them up; and he also hath commanded that I should seal up the interpretation thereof; wherefore I have sealed up the interpreters, according to the commandment of the Lord.
6. For the Lord said unto me: They shall not go forth unto the Gentiles until the day that they shall repent of their iniquity, and become clean before the Lord.
7. And in that day that they shall exercise faith in me, saith the Lord, even as the brother of Jared did, that they may become sanctified in me, then will I manifest unto them the things which the brother of Jared saw, even to the unfolding unto them all my revelations, saith Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Father of the heavens and of the earth, and all things that in them are. (Moroni writes the word of the Lord, A.D. 384-421) Ether 4:3-7

Moroni, son of Mormon

Therefore I will write and hide up the records in the earth; and whither I go it mattereth not. (Mormon writes to his son Moroni, prior to A.D. 384) Mormon 8:4

Related Witnesses:

Moroni, son of Mormon

And it came to pass that the army of Coriantumr did pitch their tents by the hill Ramah; and it was that same hill where my father Mormon did hide up the records unto the Lord, which were sacred. (Moroni's abridgement of the writings of Ether, who wrote about 550 B.C.) Ether 15:11

Author's Note: John, the beloved disciple, wrote on parchment which he hid and which came into the hands of Joseph Smith, who translated it.
Hugh Nibley writes the following about hiding up holy documents: "At any rate, we now have proof [referencing to the "Assumption of Moses ," apocryphal document and the Dead Sea Scrolls] both of the tradition and practice in Israel of hiding up holy documents as the only means of conveying them in their purity to the men of another and a distant age." ("The Prophetic Book of Mormon," p.75)

715. Scripture is given from God to His prophets for (the blessing and judgment of) all people—not for members of His church alone.

Bruce R. McConkie
Elder Joseph Fielding Smith
Joseph Smith
Elder Ezra Taft Benson
President Brigham Young
Joseph Smith
Joseph Smith

Bruce R. McConkie

Such scripture as is canonized—meaning, at the present moment, the Bible, the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price—comes from prophets who held positions of leadership and trust in the Lord's earthly kingdom. It is binding upon the Church and the world and is the standard by which all men shall be judged when they shall stand before the pleasing bar of the great Jehovah to receive according to their works. (The Promised Messiah, pp. 24-25) TLDP:606

Elder Joseph Fielding Smith

The Lord has given so many revelations in our own day. We have this Doctrine and Covenants full of them, all pertaining unto the Latter-day Saints and to the world. For this is not our book alone. This Doctrine and Covenants is my book and your book; but more than that, it belongs to all the world; to the Catholics, to the Presbyterians, to the Methodists, to the infidel, to the non-believer. It is his book if he will accept it, if he will receive it. The Lord has given it unto the world for their salvation. If you do not believe it, you read the first section in this book, the preface, and you will find that the Lord has sent this book and the things which it contains unto the people afar off, on the islands of the sea, in foreign lands, and his voice is unto all people, that all may hear. And so I say it belongs to all the world, not only to the Latter-day Saints, and they will be judged by it, and you will be judged by it. We will all be judged by it, by the things which this book contains and by the things which the other books contain which are holy scripture, which the Lord has given unto us; and if we fail to comprehend these things, if we will not search, if we will not study, if we will not take hold on the things which the Lord has revealed unto us, then his condemnation shall rest upon us, and we shall be removed from his presence and from his kingdom. And I say that in all soberness, because it is true. CR1919Oct:146

Joseph Smith,
receiving the Word of the Lord

Hearken, O ye people of my church, saith the voice of him who dwells on high, and whose eyes are upon all men; yea, verily I say: Hearken ye people from afar; and ye that are upon the islands of the sea, listen together.
2. For verily the voice of the Lord is unto all men, and there is none to escape; and there is no eye that shall not see, neither ear that shall not hear, neither heart that shall not be penetrated. . . .
4. And the voice of warning shall be unto all people, by the mouths of my disciples, whom I have chosen in these last days. (Revelation received during conference of elders of the Church, Nov. 1, 1831; preface to the doctrines given to the Church) D&C 1:1-2,4

Elder Ezra Taft Benson

A hundred and thirty years ago, when the elders were assembled in conference to determine whether the revelations should be published to the world, the Lord saw fit to give revelation to his Church, which was also directed to the world. He referred to it as his "Preface" or his "Introduction to his Book of Commandments," and it is the first section of the Doctrine and Covenants. . . .
So our message is a world message. It is intended for all of our Father's children. When God the Father and his Son Jesus Christ saw fit to come here to earth and appear to a boy prophet, surely such a visitation was intended to bless all of our Father's children. CR1961Apr:113-14

President Brigham Young,
quoted by John A. Widtsoe

The revelations of the Lord to his creatures are adapted to the lowest capacity, and they bring life and salvation to all who are willing to receive them. (In Tabernacle, May 21, 1871, JD14:136) DBY:124

Related Witnesses:

Joseph Smith,
receiving the Word of the Lord

Behold, this is mine authority, and the authority of my servants, and my preface unto the book of my commandments, which I have given them to publish unto you, O inhabitants of the earth. (Revelation received during conference of elders of the Church, Nov. 1, 1831; preface to the doctrines given to the Church) D&C 1:6

Joseph Smith,
receiving the Word of the Lord

Wherefore the voice of the Lord is unto the ends of the earth, that all that will hear may hear: (Revelation received during conference of elders of the Church, Nov. 1, 1831; preface to the doctrines given to the Church) D&C 1:11

716. The Bible, the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price (the Standard Works of the Church) are written scriptures.

Bruce R. McConkie
Elder George Albert Smith
Elder George Albert Smith
President Harold B. Lee
Mark E. Petersen
Joseph Smith

Bruce R. McConkie

Elder George Albert Smith

My brethren and sisters, all the truth that is advocated in all the teachings of men, necessary for our salvation, is contained within the lids of the books that I have already mentioned (i.e. Bible, Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and Pearl of Great Price). CR1917Oct:43

Elder George Albert Smith

President Harold B. Lee

Related Witnesses:

Mark E. Petersen

The chief reason we have the Book of Mormon is that in the mouth of two or three witnesses shall all things be established. (See 1 Corinthians 13:1.) We have the Bible; we also have the Book of Mormon. They constitute two voices—two volumes of scripture—from two widely separated ancient peoples, both bearing testimony to the divinity of the Lord Jesus Christ.
But we also have two other scriptural witnesses also, making four altogether. They are the modern scriptures given as revelations through the Prophet Joseph Smith, and they, too, declare that Jesus is the Christ, the Savior, the Creator, the long-promised Messiah. CR1978Apr:98

Joseph Smith,
receiving the Word of the Lord

And now, behold, I give unto you, and also unto my servant Joseph, the keys of this gift, which shall bring to light this ministry; and in the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established. (Revelation for Oliver Cowdery, April 1829) D&C 6:28

Author's Note: In the Gospel Principles manual published by the Church and distributed broadly throughout the Church for generations (and hence published and re-published by the prophets of the Church) the following statement appears: "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints accepts four books as scripture: the Bible, the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price. These books are called the standard works of the Church. . . ." (Gospel Principles, pp. 51-52.)

717. The word of the Lord is not confined to the Bible.

James E. Talmage
Nephi, son of Lehi
Elder Joseph Fielding Smith
President Brigham Young
Lehi
Mark E. Petersen
President Spencer W. Kimball
Nephi, son of Lehi

James E. Talmage

In the respect and sanctity with which the Latter-day Saints regard the Bible they are of like profession with Christian denominations in general, but differ from them in the additional acknowledgment of certain other scriptures as authentic and holy, which others are in harmony with the Bible, and serve to support and emphasize its facts and doctrines. AF:214

Nephi, son of Lehi

For I command all men, both in the east and in the west, and in the north, and in the south, and in the islands of the sea, that they shall write the words which I speak unto them; for out of the books which shall be written I will judge the world, every man according to their works, according to that which is written.
12. For behold, I shall speak unto the Jews and they shall write it; and I shall also speak unto the Nephites and they shall write it; and I shall also speak unto the other tribes of the house of Israel, which I have led away, and they shall write it; and I shall also speak unto all nations of the earth and they shall write it.
13. And it shall come to pass that the Jews shall have the words of the Nephites, and the Nephites shall have the words of the Jews; and the Nephites and the Jews shall have the words of the lost tribes of Israel; and the lost tribes of Israel shall have the words of the Nephites and the Jews. (The Lord speaks to Nephi about the latter-day gentiles, many of whom shall reject the Book of Mormon, 559-545 B.C.) 2 Nephi 29:11-13

Elder Joseph Fielding Smith

The canon of scripture is not full. There are many books of scripture mentioned in the Bible which we do not have. There are numerous prophecies in the scriptures where the Lord has promised to speak again, even in these latter days. (The Restoration of All Things, p. 72) TLDP:613

President Brigham Young,
quoted by John A. Widtsoe

The Bible is true. It may not all have been translated aright, and many precious things may have been rejected in the compilation and translation of the Bible; but we understand, from the writings of one of the Apostles, that if all the sayings and doings of the Savior had been written, the world could not contain them. I will say that the world could not understand them. They do not understand what we have on record, nor the character of the Savior, as delineated in the Scriptures; and yet it is one of the simplest things in the world, and the Bible, when it is understood, is one of the simplest books in the world, for, as far as it is translated correctly, it is nothing but truth, and in truth there is no mystery save to the ignorant. The revelations of the Lord to his creatures are adapted to the lowest capacity, and they bring life and salvation to all who are willing to receive them. (In Tabernacle, May 21, 1871, JD14:135) DBY:124

Lehi,
quoted by his son Nephi

And it came to pass that he spake unto me, saying: Behold I have dreamed a dream, in the which the Lord hath commanded me that thou and thy brethren shall return to Jerusalem.
3. For behold, Laban hath the record of the Jews and also a genealogy of my forefathers, and they are engraven upon plates of brass.
4. Wherefore, the Lord hath commanded me that thou and thy brothers should go unto the house of Laban, and seek the records, and bring them down hither into the wilderness. . . .
19. And behold, it is wisdom in God that we should obtain these records, that we may preserve unto our children the language of our fathers;
20. And also that we may preserve unto them the words which have been spoken by the mouth of all the holy prophets, which have been delivered unto them by the Spirit and power of God, since the world began, even down unto this present time. (Lehi's instructions to his son Nephi, 600-592 B.C.) 1 Nephi 3:2-4,19-20

Mark E. Petersen

President Spencer W. Kimball

By the power of God other books of scripture [in addition to the Bible] have come into being. Vital and priceless records of ancient America, with teachings of Christ, another testimony of his divinity, form the Book of Mormon, which we declare to be divine scripture, contemporary with and sustaining the Bible.
Since that momentous day in 1820, additional scripture has continued to come, including the numerous and vital revelations flowing in a never-ending stream from God to his prophets on the earth. Many of these revelations are recorded in another scripture called the Doctrine and Covenants. Completing our Latter-day scriptures is the Pearl of Great Price, another record of revelation and translated writings of both ancient and modern prophets.
There are those who would assume that with the printing and binding of these sacred records, that would be the "end of the prophets." But again we testify to the world that revelation continues and that the vaults and files of the Church contain these revelations which come month to month and day to day. CR1977Apr:115

Related Witnesses:

Nephi, son of Lehi

Yea, and I also thought that they could not keep the commandments of the Lord according to the law of Moses, save they should have the law.
16. And I also knew that the law was engraven upon the plates of brass.
17. And again, I knew that the Lord had delivered Laban into my hands for this cause—that I might obtain the records according to his commandments. (Writings of Nephi in the Book of Mormon, 600-592 B.C.) 1 Nephi 4:15-17

718. In addition to written scripture we need continuous revelation from living prophets to guide us.

Elder John Taylor
George Q. Cannon
Mark E. Petersen
Bruce R. McConkie
Orson F. Whitney
Joseph Smith

Elder John Taylor

Those books [the scriptures] are good for example, precedent, and investigation, and for developing certain laws and principles; but they do not, they cannot touch every case required to be adjudicated and set in order; we require a living tree—a living fountain—living intelligence, proceeding from the living priesthood in heaven, through the living priesthood on earth. ("On Priesthood," Millennial Star, Nov. 1, 1847, p. 323) TLDP:612

George Q. Cannon

As Latter-day Saints, we need constantly the guidance of Jehovah. We have the Bible, the Book of Mormon and the Book of Doctrine and Covenants; but all these books, without the living oracles and a constant stream of revelation from the Lord, would not lead any people into the Celestial Kingdom of God. This may seem a strange declaration to make, but strange as it may sound, it is nevertheless true.
Of course, these records are all of infinite value. They cannot be too highly prized, nor can they be too closely studied. But in and of themselves, with all the light that they give, they are insufficient to guide the children of men and to lead them into the presence of God. To be thus led requires a living Priesthood and constant revelation from God to the people according to the circumstances in which they may be placed.
A great many people fall into error very frequently by quoting and seeking to apply to present conditions revelation which were given to the Church in early days and which were especially adapted to the circumstances then existing. Of course, it is appropriate to quote from the revelations concerning principle; but in many instances the revelations that are contained in the Book of Doctrine and Covenants are not, I may say—and I say it with some degree of care—suited to the circumstances and conditions in which we are placed. They were given to the Church at a time when just such revelations were required. Nor must we fall into the idea that the world has adopted, that the Bible is all that is necessary for man's salvation. . . .
It is of infinite importance that we should value and preserve these records because in them is contained the revelations of God to His children in former times. But with all these there is still something more needed for our salvation, and that is the living word of God. We need the revelations of Jesus adapted to our condition and circumstances day by day and for the guidance and control of the Church of Christ in the various circumstances in which it is from time to time placed. . . .
There are revelations in that book concerning counsel and the management of affairs that are not binding upon us only so far as they are applicable to us. When, however, it comes to the revelations concerning principle, then those revelations are unalterable and they will stand as long as heaven and earth will endure, because they are true. (Gospel Truth, 1:323-24) TLDP:612-13

Mark E. Petersen

Bruce R. McConkie

Further, there is the practical matter of interpretation and of equating and of comparing the written word with the continuing stream of oral utterances that, because the speaking voice has been inspired from on high, are themselves also scripture. Principles revealed in one day must be applied to new situations in another time; the ancient scriptures must tell what the word of God, given anciently, means today.
It takes an inspired man to understand and interpret an inspired utterance. No one but a prophet can envision the true and full meaning of prophetic words. Any person of normal mentality can absorb some of the intended meaning from the scriptures, but no one can plumb the depths unless enlightened by the same power that gave the revealed truths in the first instance. Hence, "no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation," as Peter said. Why? Because "the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." (2 Peter 1:20-21)Similarly, holy men of God, as moved upon by the Holy Ghost, are the only ones who can make authoritative and complete statements as to the meaning and application of revealed truth. (The Mortal Messiah, 1:267-68) TLDP:613-14

Orson F. Whitney

My Greek Catholic friend, whether he knew it or not, had hit upon the great distinguishing feature that differentiates God's Church from all other churches under the sun—in this, that while they are founded upon books and traditions and the precepts of men, this Church is built upon the rock of Christ, upon the principle of immediate and continuous revelation. The Latter-day Saints do not do things because they happen to be printed in a book. They do not do things because God told the Jews to do them; nor do they do or leave undone anything because of instructions that Christ gave to the Nephites. Whatever is done by this Church is because God, speaking from heaven in our day, has commanded this Church to do it. No book presides over this Church, and no book lies at its foundation. You cannot pile up books enough to take the place of God's priesthood, inspired by the power of the Holy Ghost. . . . Divine revelation adapts itself to the circumstances and conditions of men, and change ensues as God's progressive work goes on to its destiny. There is no book big enough or good enough to preside over this Church.
In saying this, I speak with all due reverence of the written word of God. . . . (Elder Whitney's "Greek Catholic friend" had said that it "made him shudder when he saw people sipping the water" instead of wine for sacrament—his church does not recognize the principle of continuous revelation) CR1916Oct:55

Related Witnesses:

Joseph Smith

719. Revelations do not have to be published in written form to be scripture.

President Joseph F. Smith
Joseph Smith
James E. Talmage
President Wilford Woodruff
George Q. Cannon

President Joseph F. Smith

We are blest with revelation; the Church is built upon that foundation. All the revelations given do not have to be written. The inspiration may come as the Lord directs them. It does not have to be printed in a book. We have revelations that have been given that have been written; some of them have been published, some of them have not. CR1910Oct:41

Joseph Smith

James E. Talmage

We believe that God is as willing today as He ever has been to reveal His mind and will to man, and that He does so through His appointed servants—prophets, seers, and revelators—invested through ordination with the authority of the Holy Priesthood. We rely therefore on the teachings of the living oracles of God as of equal validity with the doctrines of the written word. AF:6

President Wilford Woodruff

I will refer to a certain meeting I attended in the town of Kirtland in my early days. At that meeting some remarks were made . . . with regard to the living oracles and with regard to the written word of God. . . . [A] leading man in the church . . . talked upon the subject, and said: "You have got the word of God before you here in the Bible, Book of Mormon, and Doctrine and Covenants; you have the written word of God, and you who give revelations should give revelations according to those books, as what is written in those books is the word of God. We should confine ourselves to them." When he concluded, Brother Joseph turned to Brother Brigham Young and said, "Brother Brigham, I want you to take the stand, and tell us your views with regard to the written word of God." Brother Brigham took the stand, and he took the Bible, and laid it down; he took the Book of Mormon, and laid it down; and he took the Book of Doctrine and Covenants, and laid it down before him, and he said: "There is the written word of God to us, concerning the work of God from the beginning of the world, almost, to our day." "And now," said he, "when compared with the living oracles those books are nothing to me; those books do not convey the word of God direct to us now, as do the words of a Prophet or a man bearing the Holy Priesthood, in our day and generation. I would rather have the living oracles than all the writing in the books." That was the course he pursued. When he was through, Brother Joseph said to the congregation. "Brother Brigham has told you the word of the Lord, and he has told you the truth."
. . . . The Bible is all right, the Book of Mormon is all right, the Doctrine and Covenants is all right, and they proclaim the work of God and the word of God in the earth in this day and generation until the coming of the Son of Man; but the Holy Priesthood is not confined particularly to those books, that is, it did not cease when those books were made. CR1897Oct:22-23

Related Witnesses:

George Q. Cannon

I want to teach you not to go to the book alone but beyond it—to the fountain whence it emanated—to Him who has filled us with noble and lofty aspirations, Who has brought us into intimate connection with Himself by revealing unto us His Gospel. We ought not to depend for our salvation and exaltation upon books but upon the Creator of the world, Who inspired the men who wrote this book [the Bible]. Possession of God's Spirit enables us to know whether this book is what it professes to be, and exalts us to the same level as the men whose narratives are here found.
In making these remarks it is not my wish to weaken your love for this book, but it is to give you to understand that it alone is not all that is necessary to build up the Kingdom of God. It is to induce you to look beyond it to the Being Who is the fountain of revelation and Who is the true source of all intelligence, so that if this book were burned and destroyed—if the millions of other books were all destroyed—there would still be a fountain of intelligence accessible to you from the life-giving stream, of which you might eternally drink.
It was not books alone that directed the ancients; the law of God was written in their hearts. They drank at the fountain of knowledge which God had opened up unto them as it flowed forth pure from himself and thus were enabled to write the records which we now so much venerate. It is our privilege to receive and enjoy this same Spirit and knowledge. (Gospel Truth, 2:250-51) TLDP:613

720. Inspired prophetic utterances, both oral and written, are scripture.

Bruce R. McConkie
Elder Ezra Taft Benson
Henry D. Moyle
George Q. Cannon
James E. Talmage
Elder Joseph Fielding Smith
President Harold B. Lee
Jacob, brother of Nephi
Mark E. Petersen
Joseph Smith
Peter

Bruce R. McConkie

Prophetic utterances, both oral and written, are scripture. "To some it is given by the Holy Ghost to know that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and that he was crucified for the sins of the world." (D&C 46:13) Testimonies borne by such persons, when moved upon by the Spirit, are scripture. In fact, all the elders of the Church, by virtue of their ordination, are called "to proclaim the everlasting gospel, by the Spirit of the living God," with this promise: "Whatsoever they shall speak when moved upon by the Holy Ghost shall be scripture, shall be the will of the Lord, shall be the mind of the Lord, shall be the word of the Lord, shall be the voice of the Lord, and the power of God unto salvation." (D&C 68:1,4) And as it is with the elders on earth, so it is with their fellow servants beyond the veil. The words of the angels of God in heaven are scripture, for, "Angels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore, they speak the words of Christ." (2 Nephi 32:3). . . .
. . . . In our day the First Presidency and the Twelve are sustained as prophets, seers, and revelators to the whole Church, with the revealed provision that the President of the Church, who is the senior apostle of God on earth at any given time, shall "preside over the whole church" and "be like unto Moses ," being "a seer, a revelator, a translator, and a prophet, having all the gifts of God which he bestows upon the head of the Church." (D&C 107:91-92)
Such scripture as is canonized—meaning, at the present moment, the Bible, the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price—comes from prophets who held positions of leadership and trust in the Lord's earthly kingdom. It is binding upon the Church and the world and is the standard by which all men shall be judged when they shall stand before the pleasing bar of the great Jehovah to receive according to their works. (The Promised Messiah, pp. 24-25) TLDP:606

Elder Ezra Taft Benson

The most important prophet, so far as we are concerned, is the one who is living in our day and age. This is the prophet who has today's instructions from God to us today. God's revelation to Adam did not instruct Noah how to build the ark. Every generation has need of the ancient scripture plus the current scripture from the living prophet. Therefore, the most crucial reading and pondering which you should do is of the latest inspired words from the Lord's mouthpiece. ACR(Seoul)1975:52; MPSG1989:58-59

Henry D. Moyle

The older I get and the closer the contact I have with the President of the Church, the more I realize that the greatest of all scriptures which we have in the world today is current scripture. What the mouthpiece of God says to his children is scripture. ("Beware of Temptation," Brigham Young University tri-stake fireside, Jan. 6, 1963, p. 7) TLDP:606

George Q. Cannon

We have been blessed as a people with an abundance of revelation. Some have deceived themselves with the idea that because revelations have not been written and published, therefore there has been a lessening of power in the Church of Christ. This is a very great mistake, as we will find out sooner or later. This Church has been continually led by the spirit of revelation. The spirit of revelation has been here in our conference. The addresses that have been delivered have been made under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, and they are the word of God unto this people, binding upon them, and they will be judged by these words that we have heard. CR1900Oct:64

James E. Talmage

To become an authorized minister of the Gospel, "a man must be called of God, by prophecy, and by the laying on of hands, by those who are in authority," and those in authority must have been similarly called. When thus commissioned, he speaks by a power greater than his own in preaching the Gospel and in administering the ordinances thereof; he may verily become a prophet unto the people. The Lord has consistently recognized and honored his servants so appointed. He has magnified their office in proportion to their worthiness, making them living oracles of the divine will. . . .
It is a privilege of the Holy Priesthood to commune with the heavens, and to learn the immediate will of the Lord; this communion may be effected through the medium of dreams and visions, by Urim and Thummim, through the visitation of angels, or by the higher endowment of face to face communication with the Lord. The inspired utterances of men who speak by the power of the Holy Ghost are scripture unto the people. In specific terms the promise was made in olden times that the Lord would recognize the medium of prophecy through which to make His will and purposes known to man: "Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets." Not all men may attain the position of special revelators: "The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him; and he will show them his covenant." Such men are oracles of truth, privileged counselors, friends of God. AF:270-71

Elder Joseph Fielding Smith

[W]hen the brethren, the authorities of the church, the elders of Israel, speak unto the people, and they have the Spirit of the Lord, they speak by inspiration, and, as we read in Section 1 of the Doctrine and Covenants, when they so speak, that which they say is scripture, and the Lord will recognize it as such, and it is binding upon the people when they so speak as if he himself spoke unto them; but when they speak unto the people by inspiration, as they do from time to time, it will be in order and according to the doctrines and the revelations which have been given to the Church, so that all who hear may understand. CR1918Oct:56

Related Witnesses:

President Harold B. Lee

If you want to know what the Lord would have the Saints know and to have his guidance and direction for the next six months, get a copy of the proceedings of this conference, and you will have the latest word of the Lord as far as the Saints are concerned. CR1973Oct:168

Jacob, brother of Nephi

Mark E. Petersen

Joseph Smith

And, behold, and lo, this is an ensample unto all those who were ordained unto this priesthood, whose mission is appointed unto them to go forth—
3. And this is the ensample unto them, that they shall speak as they are moved upon by the Holy Ghost.
4. And whatsoever they shall speak when moved upon by the Holy Ghost shall be scripture, shall be the will of the Lord, shall be the mind of the Lord, shall be the word of the Lord, shall be the voice of the Lord, and the power of God unto salvation.
5. Behold, this is the promise of the Lord unto you, O ye my servants. 6. Wherefore, be of good cheer, and do not fear, for I the Lord am with you, and will stand by you: and ye shall bear record of me, even Jesus Christ, that I am the Son of the living God, that I was, that I am, and that I am to come. (Revelation at the request of several elders, Nov. 1831) D&C 68:2-6

Peter

Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.
21. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. (Letter to members of the Church, about A.D. 60-64) 2 Peter 1:20-21

Author's Note: In the Gospel Principles manual published by the Church and distributed broadly throughout the Church (and hence published and re-published by the prophets of the Church) the following pertinent statement appears: "In addition to these four books of scripture, [the Standard Works] the inspired words of our living prophets become scripture to us. Their words come to us through conferences, Church publications, and instructions to local priesthood leaders." (Gospel Principles, pp. 51-52)

We Believe: Doctrines and Principles

Wednesday, December 11, 2013

Scripture in General

712. Written scripture is the recorded testimony of prophets who receive gospel truths by revelation from the Lord.

Related Witnesses:

713. Written scriptures are preserved and made available to us because they are vital to our salvation.

Related Witnesses:

714. The Lord at times commands His prophets to hide up sacred records so they can be made available at a future time.

Related Witnesses:

715. Scripture is given from God to His prophets for (the blessing and judgment of) all people—not for members of His church alone.

Related Witnesses:

716. The Bible, the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price (the Standard Works of the Church) are written scriptures.

Related Witnesses:

717. The word of the Lord is not confined to the Bible.

Related Witnesses:

718. In addition to written scripture we need continuous revelation from living prophets to guide us.

Related Witnesses:

719. Revelations do not have to be published in written form to be scripture.

Related Witnesses:

720. Inspired prophetic utterances, both oral and written, are scripture.

Related Witnesses: