Gospel Doctrine Lesson 24 – “Be Not Deceived, but Continue in Steadfastness”

A pint of cream
A misspelled name
No available seating at the Kirtland Temple dedication

• What do these phrases have in common?
  • These are all things that led people to apostatize from the church in the early days. Each was something small and simple, but it became so much bigger and led to a number of people leaving the church

This lesson discusses what traits can lead to apostasy and how to avoid individual apostasy.

Since the beginning of life on this earth, Satan has worked hard to get people to rebel against God. He received a measure of success during the world-wide apostasy known as the dark ages, but he had to redouble his efforts against God when the church was re-established through Joseph Smith. Unfortunately, several people who joined the church after it was re-established fell away due to Satan’s influence. Some of these people then joined those who persecuted the Saints and contributed to the wrongs that were done against them.

Today, Satan is still trying his hardest to harden our hearts and pull us away from the church. To accomplish this, he uses cunning methods to deceive us.

• Why does Satan want to deceive us?
  • To make us miserable, as he is

2 Nephi 2:27       Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and call things are given them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself.

There are several ways Satan tries to deceive us and lead us away from the church. One of the ways he does this is by trying to convince us that the prophet is not the one source of revelation for our church.

False prophets have been coming forward since the beginning of time. This is a trick Satan uses to undermine the authority of the prophet and to weaken our faith that God speaks through him. There were times the early saints had to deal with this.

Handout #1 –     In 1830, Hiram Page, one of the Eight Witnesses to the Book of Mormon, possessed a stone through which he claimed to receive revelations about the building of Zion and the order of the Church. Oliver Cowdery, the Whitmers, and others believed these claims. However, the Prophet Joseph Smith said the claims “were entirely at variance with the order of God’s house, as laid down in the New Testament, as well as in our late revelations” (History of the Church,1:110).

The Prophet prayed about the matter and received a revelation in which the Lord made clear that only the President of the Church has the right to receive revelations for the Church (D&C 28). The Lord instructed Oliver Cowdery to tell Hiram Page that the revelations that came through the stone were from Satan (D&C 28:11). After hearing the Lord’s instructions, “Brother Page, as well as the whole Church who were present, renounced the said stone, and all things connected therewith” (History of the Church, 1:115).

Thankfully, that issue did not last long at that time and there have not been many instances in our time of people who claim to know God’s will better than the prophet. If there is ever a time we come across a person who claims to know the will of the Lord better than the prophet, we should remember the words of President Joseph F. Smith.

Handout #2 –     President Joseph F. Smith and his counselors in the First Presidency taught: “The Lord has … appointed one man at a time on the earth to hold the keys of revelation to the entire body of the Church in all its organizations, authorities, ordinances and doctrines. The spirit of revelation is bestowed upon all its members for the benefit and enlightenment of each individual receiving its inspiration, and according to the sphere in which he or she is called to labor. But for the entire Church, he who stands at the head is alone appointed to receive revelations by way of commandment and as the end of controversy” (in James R. Clark, comp., Messages of the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 6 vols. [1965–75], 4:270).

Another tool Satan uses to deceive us is our own pride. Each of us has a level of pride that we are working to overcome and some do really well with this. Others, not so much. I struggle with this one at times, though this calling has helped me with it a lot because I’ve realized that I’m not quite as brilliant as I think I am sometimes.

In the early days of the church, personal pride led to the apostasy of some of the members and it started over something so simple as a pint of cream.

Handout #3 –     While living in Far West, Missouri, Sister Marsh and Sister Harris decided to exchange milk so they could each make a larger cheese than they otherwise could. They agreed to send each other both the milk and the cream from their cows. But Sister Marsh saved a pint of cream from each cow and sent Sister Harris the milk without the cream.

A quarrel arose, and the matter was referred to the bishop. When he determined that Sister Marsh had violated her agreement, she and her husband were upset and appealed the matter to the high council and then to the First Presidency. Each council approved the original decision that Sister Marsh had been in error.

Thomas B. Marsh declared that he would sustain the character of his wife. Soon afterward, he turned against the Church and went before a government official to declare that the Latter-day Saints were hostile toward the state of Missouri. (See George A. Smith, in Journal of Discourses, 3:283–84.)

This story is actually pretty sad. By being dishonest and then denying she had done anything wrong, Sister Marsh defamed her own character. And when the church leaders made an official ruling that she had been dishonest in her dealings, she still could not let go of her pride and admit that she had done the wrong thing. He husband was also unable to admit that his wife had done anything wrong and took a course of action that had repercussions on all of the saints.

President Hinckley shared his thoughts on this incident in his 1984 General Conference talk.

Handout #4 –     President Gordon B. Hinckley said of this incident: “What a very small and trivial thing—a little cream over which two women quarreled. But it led to, or at least was a factor in, Governor Boggs’ cruel exterminating order which drove the Saints from the state of Missouri, with all of the terrible suffering and consequent death that followed. The man who should have settled this little quarrel, but who, rather, pursued it, … lost his standing in the Church. He lost his testimony of the gospel” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1984, 111; or Ensign, May 1984, 83).

Both the resultant suffering of the saints and the loss of both Brother and Sister Marsh’s testimonies is unfortunate and heartbreaking. That something so simple and small could become something so catastrophic is a common theme when it comes to pride. We must all be careful that our own pride does not lead us to make choices that will cause pain and suffering, whether it be someone else’s or our own.

When we let pride take over and pull us away from God, we are the ones who suffer and miss out on something wonderful. Years after this incident, Brother Marsh expressed how the situation had affected him over the years he was away from the church.

Handout #5 –     After 19 years of darkness and bitterness, Thomas B. Marsh painfully made his way to the Salt Lake Valley and asked Brigham Young to forgive him and permit his rebaptism into the Church. He wrote to Heber C. Kimball, First Counselor in the First Presidency: “I began to awake to a sense of my situation; … I know that I have sinned against Heaven and in thy sight.” He then described the lesson he had learned: “The Lord could get along very well without me and He has lost nothing by my falling out of the ranks; But O what have I lost?! Riches, greater riches than all this world or many planets like this could afford” (quoted by James E. Faust, in Conference Report, Apr. 1996, 6; or Ensign, May 1996, 7).

This story is a great caution against pride and a reminder of the importance of humility. When we are humble, we are teachable and open to the promptings and guiding of the Spirit. Being humble also allows us to receive blessings from the Lord.

Another way Satan chips away at our testimonies is when we are critical of our church leaders. The only person to have ever walked this earth and been perfect is Jesus Christ. Our church leaders are imperfect being just like the rest of us and they do the best we can. When we subscribe to the notion that when someone is called to a church position that they will automatically be perfect at the calling and everything involved with it, we are letting Satan deceive us. Being human, church leaders do make mistakes. Here is an example of how Satan used a simple mistake to lead a young man from the truth of the gospel.

Handout #6 –     Simonds Ryder was converted to the Church in 1831. Later he received a letter signed by the Prophet Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon, informing him that it was the Lord’s will, made manifest by the Spirit, that he preach the gospel. Both in the letter he received and in the official commission to preach, his name was spelled Rider instead of Ryder. Simonds Ryder “thought if the ‘Spirit’ through which he had been called to preach could err in the matter of spelling his name, it might have erred in calling him to the ministry as well; or, in other words, he was led to doubt if he were called at all by the Spirit of God, because of the error in spelling his name!” (History of the Church, 1:261). Simonds Ryder later apostatized from the Church.

It may seem silly that such a small error could result in someone leaving the church, but that is a typical result when we criticize the people the Lord has chosen to lead us. The Lord only has imperfect people to work with and we all do the best we can. It is better to focus on our own imperfections and how we can fix them than to dwell on unrealistic expectations of perfection for other people.

Hand-in-hand with being critical of leaders’ imperfections is becoming offended by the actions of other ward members or situations that arise. Sometimes the actions are unintentional and sometimes there is no control over the situation. An example of that is as follows.

Handout #7 –     When the Kirtland Temple was completed, many Saints gathered for the dedication. The seats in the temple filled quickly, and many people were allowed to stand, but still not everyone could be accommodated inside the building. Elder Frazier Eaton, who had given $700 for the building of the temple, arrived after it had been filled, so he was not allowed inside for the dedication. The dedication was repeated the next day for those who could not be accommodated the first day, but this did not satisfy Frazier Eaton, and he apostatized. (See George A. Smith, in Journal of Discourses, 11:9.)

So often we hear stories of people becoming offended because someone didn’t say hi to them, someone sat in “their” seat, someone said something insensitive, nobody called to check up on their family when they were absent for a week or two or other similar reasons. Sometimes we get offended because another ward member has said something rude, whether it is intentional or unintentional. Being offended, though, is not something that is forced upon us. When we are offended, we are making a choice to be so. Elder Bednar gave a great talk where he expressed his thoughts on this.

Handout #8 –     When we believe or say we have been offended, we usually mean we feel insulted, mistreated, snubbed, or disrespected. And certainly clumsy, embarrassing, unprincipled, and mean-spirited things do occur in our interactions with other people that would allow us to take offense. However, it ultimately is impossible for another person to offend you or to offend me. Indeed, believing that another person offended us is fundamentally false. To be offended is a choice we make; it is not a condition inflicted or imposed upon us by someone or something else. (in Conference Report, Oct. 2006; or Ensign, Nov 2006).

When we choose to be offended and let that offence fester and lead us to walking away from the church, we lose and miss out on some wonderful blessings. Elder Bednar also gave some good insight on the consequences we face when we choose to be offended and leave the church.

Handout #9 –     “Let me make sure I understand what has happened to you. Because someone at church offended you, you have not been blessed by the ordinance of the sacrament. You have withdrawn yourself from the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost. Because someone at church offended you, you have cut yourself off from priesthood ordinances and the holy temple. You have discontinued your opportunity to serve others and to learn and grow. And you are leaving barriers that will impede the spiritual progress of your children, your children’s children, and the generations that will follow.” (in Conference Report, Oct. 2006; or Ensign, Nov 2006).

These are some unfortunate consequences that can lead to much unhappiness. The church is filled with imperfect people who will, at one point or another, say or do something that will make someone unhappy.

• What is the best thing we can do when someone does something to offend us?
  • Forgive them

D&C 64:8-11      

8 My disciples, in days of old, sought occasion against one another and forgave not one another in their hearts; and for this evil they were afflicted and sorely chastened.

9 Wherefore, I say unto you, that ye ought to forgive one another; for he that forgiveth not his brother his trespasses standeth condemned before the Lord; for there remaineth in him the greater sin.

10 I, the Lord, will forgive whom I will forgive, but of you it is required to forgive all men.

11 And ye ought to say in your hearts—let God judge between me and thee, and reward thee according to thy deeds.       

• In this scripture, whom does the Lord require us to forgive? 
  • Everyone
• Why is it sometimes hard to forgive?
  • Our own pride
  • The offense is a serious one and has caused much hurt.
  • Sometimes we feel like forgiving is condoning what the other person said or did.
• What are some of the consequences of not forgiving?
  • The Lord has said he will withhold forgiveness from us if we will not forgive others
  • The anger and hurt we feel festers and becomes much larger
  • We develop a negative attitude
  • We resent people and things related to the people or thing we aren’t forgiving
• What can we do to help us forgive someone we have not forgiven?
  • Pray for help from the Lord
  • Go to a church leader for guidance
  • Speak with the person who caused the offense and work things out with them

Forgiving people can sometimes be hard, especially if you have held onto an anger or a hurt for a long time. If the offense has been held onto long enough, the person who caused the offense may no longer be around to talk to about it. Even if that is the case, they need to be forgiven. By holding onto anger and offenses, we are only hurting ourselves and denying the Holy Ghost entry into our hearts. Forgiving others for their actions, words and imperfections allows the Lord to bring peace and love into our hearts.

Handout #10 –   “You cannot erase what has been done, but you can forgive. (See D&C 64:10.) Forgiveness heals terrible, tragic wounds, for it allows the love of God to purge your heart and mind of the poison of hate. It cleanses your consciousness of the desire for revenge. It makes place for the purifying, healing, restoring love of the Lord. (Richard G. Scott, Conference Report April 1992)

On the flip side, if we know that we have offended someone or hurt someone in some way, it is our responsibility to apologize and try to make amends. Regardless of whether or not our actions were intended to cause hurt, we should still apologize. When we apologize for intentionally or accidentally hurtful actions, we are showing humility and love. Those attributes go a long way in assisting others to forgive.

One of the other ways Satan goes about deceiving us is by helping us to rationalize disobedience. When we rationalize, we make an excuse for or defend things we know to be wrong. Rationalizing is something we all use from time to time to ease our consciences about the behaviors we know we shouldn’t be doing.

• In what ways do we rationalize our behavior?
  • By saying that someone else did it, so it’s okay for us to do it, too
  • By saying the action will only occur ‘just this once’
  • By convincing ourselves that the action is only just a little bad and therefore not really bad
  • By thinking that our actions are only bad if others see us do it
  • By saying that our actions are not hurting anyone other than ourselves
• How is rationalization a form of deception?
  • The reasons we use for rationalizing our behaviors are usually wrong. By continuing to rationalize and twist the reasons behind our actions, we start to believe that we really are justified in what we are doing. Over time, we begin to believe the lies we are telling ourselves. Satan has then succeeded in deceiving us.
• Why is rationalization dangerous?
  • When we rationalize, we are inching our way down the path that leads us away from the Lord. The more we rationalize and convince ourselves that doing wrong really is okay, the further we go down that path and before we know it, we are fully invested in making wrong choices and no long making excuses for why we are doing wrong.
• How can we recognize and overcome rationalization?
  • To overcome rationalization, we have to be honest with ourselves. We have to admit that we are making excuses to justify our behaviors and make a real effort to get back to following the truth. Elder Richard G. Scott spoke about this in his April 1990 Conference address.

Handout #11 –   Satan would have you rationalize—that is, twist something you know to be true into a pattern that appears to support your deviation from truth. Rationalization leads you down blind alleys in life. It drains spiritual power. It barricades the path to happiness because it distorts your understanding of truth. Overcome rationalization with truth and positive decisions. In time, they will form character resistant to the eroding influence you are striving to overcome. (April 1990 Conference Report)

Overcoming rationalizations can be difficult, but with the Lord’s help, it can be done. Pray to him for guidance in recognizing the truth and strength to make the correct decisions and it will be much easier to overcome.

Another way Satan seeks to deceive us is by the false teachings of the world. The world would have us believe that religion is confining and that the commandments of God are out-dated. Many people believe and want other to believe that immorality is acceptable; that as long as you believe in God, you don’t have to follow His teachings; that gaining wealth and standing in this life is more important than making time for your spiritual salvation. Bishop Burton gave a talk in the 1993 conference about what the world would have us believe.

Handout #12 –   Presiding Bishop H. David Burton taught: “One of [Satan’s] insidious strategies is to progressively soften our senses regarding what is right and wrong. Satan would have us convinced that it is fashionable to lie and cheat. He encourages us to view pornography by suggesting that it prepares us for the real world. He would have us believe that immorality is an attractive way of life and that obedience to the commandments of our Father in Heaven is old-fashioned. Satan constantly bombards us with deceptive propaganda desirably packaged and carefully disguised” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1993, 60; or Ensign, May 1993, 46).

We must constantly be on guard against what Satan would have us believe is right. If we become confused about something or wonder whether or not something is okay, we should pray about it. God will let us know what the correct action is if we have a sincere desire to know.

There are many ways Satan has for deceiving us and leading us astray. We can protect ourselves by using the tools the Lord has given us for strength and guidance. The greatest protection against making incorrect choices is by praying. Whenever we are unsure about the truthfulness of something or whether or not a certain action is correct, we should pray to the Lord for guidance and inspiration.

Another tool the Lord has given us to withstand Satan is the scriptures and other gospel doctrines.

• How can reading the scriptures and the words of latter-day prophets help us avoid being deceived?
  • We can better know the truth of what someone is saying if it lines up with what the Lord and the prophets teach

Handout #13 –   President Harold B. Lee taught: “If [someone] writes something or speaks something that goes beyond anything that you can find in the standard Church works, unless that one be the prophet, seer, and revelator—please note that one exception—you may immediately say, ‘Well, that is his own idea.’ And if he says something that contradicts what is found in the standard Church works, you may know by that same token that it is false” (The Teachings of Harold B. Lee, ed. Clyde J. Williams [1996], 540–41).

Another way we can protect ourselves from Satan is by remembering that the things of the Lord will always uplift and edify us. If a certain action is something we don’t wish others to know about, chances are it is not an action the Lord would have us do.

Satan is very cunning and has many ways in which to try to deceive us. The Lord has given us tools to withstand Satan’s influences. As we use these tools to protect ourselves, the Lord will guide us in the paths of truth and righteousness.