To all Mormons

[Frankie]

The Spirit of Truth that you mentioned in your post.

Ran, do you believe that the "spirit of truth" and the "Holy Spirit" are 2 different things?

 

[Rescued One]

The Spirit of Truth that you mentioned in your post.

Why would you refer to Him as "it?"

 

[Ran77]

Why would you refer to Him as "it?"

Because I did not understand that when you refer to the Spirit of Truth that you are referring to a personage. It is not a term that I use and didn't think on it very much when I made my comment.

I am guessing by the "Him" that you are referring to Christ.


Ok, if you are guided by Christ why is there so much difference in the "Truth" that is taught among the various acceptable "Christian" churches?

 

[skylark1]

Because I did not understand that when you refer to the Spirit of Truth that you are referring to a personage. It is not a term that I use and didn't think on it very much when I made my comment.

I am guessing by the "Him" that you are referring to Christ.


Ok, if you are guided by Christ why is there so much difference in the "Truth" that is taught among the various acceptable "Christian" churches?

Ran,

I realize that your comments were addressed to GWiT, so I hope that you don't mind me jumping in.

Don't you believe that the Holy Ghost/Holy Spirit is a personage?

 

[Ran77]

Ran,

I realize that your comments were addressed to GWiT, so I hope that you don't mind me jumping in.

Don't you believe that the Holy Ghost/Holy Spirit is a personage?

Yes. If Holy Ghost had been said I would have understood it to be a personage. The Spirit of Truth did not originally register in my mind as a personage. I am not accustom to using Spirit of Truth to refer to the Holy Ghost.

 

[Rescued One]

Ran77, are there any Christians outside the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints?

 

[skylark1]

Yes. If Holy Ghost had been said I would have understood it to be a personage. The Spirit of Truth did not originally register in my mind as a personage. I am not accustom to using Spirit of Truth to refer to the Holy Ghost.

Thanks, Ran.

Probably because of the following verses, I had assumed that the Holy Ghost/Holy Spirit was what was meant by the "Spirit of Truth."

John 15
26 "But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me.

John 16
13However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.

Do you agree that in these verses the "Spirit of Truth" refers to the Holy Ghost/Holy Spirit, or do LDS have a different interpretation of these verses?

 

[Ran77]

Ran77, are there any Christians outside the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints?

I notice that your last three posts to me have not answered my questions, but continue to ask new questions of your own. I have answered yours. If you are unwilling to show the same courtesy then I have no more responses for you.

 

[Ran77]

Thanks, Ran.

Probably because of the following verses, I had assumed that the Holy Ghost/Holy Spirit was what was meant by the "Spirit of Truth."

John 15
26 "But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me.

John 16
13However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.

Do you agree that in these verses the "Spirit of Truth" refers to the Holy Ghost/Holy Spirit, or do LDS have a different interpretation of these verses?

Why are you pursuing this? My last post to you admitted that I was not accustom to using Spirit of Truth to refer to the Holy Ghost. That statement explains why there was an error in communication and that I now recognize the two terms as being related.

I guess I don't see the point in going any further with it.

Unless you are just wanting to revel in the fact that I didn't know something. (Look, I used the wink thing so everyone knows that last part was a joke.)

 

[skylark1]

Why are you pursuing this? My last post to you admitted that I was not accustom to using Spirit of Truth to refer to the Holy Ghost. That statement explains why there was an error in communication and that I now recognize the two terms as being related.

I guess I don't see the point in going any further with it.

Unless you are just wanting to revel in the fact that I didn't know something. (Look, I used the wink thing so everyone knows that last part was a joke.)

I asked because I thought that LDS might interpret "The Spirit of Truth" as something other than the Holy Ghost/Holy Spirit. LDS have made reference to the "Light of Christ." I don't know if LDS believe that the Light of Christ is the Spirit of Truth, or what they believe, so I asked.

 

[Doc T]

I asked because I thought that LDS might interpret "The Spirit of Truth" as something other than the Holy Ghost/Holy Spirit. LDS have made reference to the "Light of Christ." I don't know if LDS believe that the Light of Christ is the Spirit of Truth, or what they believe, so I asked.

Since you jumped in GWiT's and Ran's discussion, I guess you won't mind me jumping into yours and Ran's discussion. No, LDS see the Spirit of Truth as the Holy Ghost, but as Ran indicated it is probably not a common usage among LDS to use the phrase Spirt of Truth when conversing, so the mis-understanding. I have to admit I did not immediately connect the two at first.

Doc

~

 

[Ran77]

I asked because I thought that LDS might interpret "The Spirit of Truth" as something other than the Holy Ghost/Holy Spirit. LDS have made reference to the "Light of Christ." I don't know if LDS believe that the Light of Christ is the Spirit of Truth, or what they believe, so I asked.

Ok, thanks for responding.

Maybe that is worthy of a thread: Light of Christ - Is it the Holy Ghost?

 

[skylark1]

Ok, thanks for responding.

Maybe that is worthy of a thread: Light of Christ - Is it the Holy Ghost?

That could be interesting. Why don't you start it? It would probably help if you first explained what LDS believe that the Light of Christ is.

 

[Rescued One]

Since you jumped in GWiT's and Ran's discussion, I guess you won't mind me jumping into yours and Ran's discussion. No, LDS see the Spirit of Truth as the Holy Ghost, but as Ran indicated it is probably not a common usage among LDS to use the phrase Spirt of Truth when conversing, so the mis-understanding. I have to admit I did not immediately connect the two at first.

Doc

~

I thought LDS would be more familiar with the Bible.

 

[Ran77]

That could be interesting. Why don't you start it? It would probably help if you first explained what LDS believe that the Light of Christ is.

I finally took some time to look at this matter.

The first thing I noticed is that "Light of Christ" is not mentioned in the Bible. I feel that there is little to be gained by discussing a term on a "Christian" forum that is not found in the Bible. So perhaps it was a poor topic choice on my part.


Secondly, I have the LDS belief on what the Light of Christ is:

The Light of Christ is enlightenment and knowledge that comes upon mankind because of Jesus Christ. It is the influence that comes from God. It quickens a man's understanding. It fills the immensity of space and is in, around, and through all things. Because of this all of us are born with the natural capacity to know right from wrong.

However, it is not a personage. It is not the Holy Ghost.

* Note: these explanations are taken from the LDS website. They are not mine and I want to give credit where it is due.

 

[skylark1]

I finally took some time to look at this matter.

The first thing I noticed is that "Light of Christ" is not mentioned in the Bible. I feel that there is little to be gained by discussing a term on a "Christian" forum that is not found in the Bible. So perhaps it was a poor topic choice on my part.


Secondly, I have the LDS belief on what the Light of Christ is:

The Light of Christ is enlightenment and knowledge that comes upon mankind because of Jesus Christ. It is the influence that comes from God. It quickens a man's understanding. It fills the immensity of space and is in, around, and through all things. Because of this all of us are born with the natural capacity to know right from wrong.

However, it is not a personage. It is not the Holy Ghost.

* Note: these explanations are taken from the LDS website. They are not mine and I want to give credit where it is due.

After reading your explanation of the Light of Christ, I am more confused. Do you believe that Adam and Eve were born with the Light of Christ? They did not know good from evil until they ate of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil.

 

[fatboys]

After reading your explanation of the Light of Christ, I am more confused. Do you believe that Adam and Eve were born with the Light of Christ? They did not know good from evil until they ate of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil.

FB: Sky, you know sometimes I think I have heard every question ever asked about the church, and then you ask one I have never even thought of. Thank you, very insightful. There is an answer to this question. The Light of Christ is given to mortal man to know good from Evil. Adam and Eve were immortal perfect creations of God. Not until they partook of the knowledge of Good and Evil did they know Good from Evil. Also Adam and Eve were as little children, that is they had no experience in knowing good from evil.

Let me think some more about this. I hope this explains a little bit. Got to go. Really good question.

 

[Visage of Glory]

Ran77, are there any Christians outside the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints?

I am not Ran, but I will give my opinion anyway. Of course there are Christians outside of the Church. However, they do not have the fullness of the Truth and are confounded by the craftiness of men.

 

[Rescued One]

I am not Ran, but I will give my opinion anyway. Of course there are Christians outside of the Church. However, they do not have the fullness of the Truth and are confounded by the craftiness of men.

I appreciate your input, VoG.

How can there be Christians both in the LDS and outside of it? MormonFriend seems to think we are listening to different Spirits. Would God lead some Christians to believe in Joseph Smith and others to not believe in him?

When you say we are confounded by the craftiness of men, are you referring to our belief in a Triune God and salvation without requirements of the laws and ordinances that you follow?

 

[Ran77]

After reading your explanation of the Light of Christ, I am more confused. Do you believe that Adam and Eve were born with the Light of Christ? They did not know good from evil until they ate of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil.

Wouldn't you agree that Adam and Eve fall into a different category than the rest of us? They started out immortal and in the presence of God.

However, to answer your question: I do not believe that Adam and Eve were born - they were created and I don't believe when they were created they had the Light of Christ as we know it.

Do you feel the situation with Adam and Eve impacts the explanation I have given?