1. Faith in Jesus Christ
2. Guiding Principles
3. Prayer
4. Scriptures
5. Temple Worship
6. Moral Cleanliness
7. Consistent Hard Work
8. Good Music

1. "The message of Christ and His gospel became subject, soon after His resurrection, to various, extremely controversial interpretations; and the question, What is truth? has continued to be controversial up to this day."
2. "Over a period of centuries there were only those interpretations of the gospel prevailing which were linked with the strongest literal political powers, and it is easy to see that these powers of leadership in Christianity could not be kept free from wickedness, injustice, and unrighteousness."
3. "There is a long history in Christianity of intolerance toward those holding different opinions, of defaming them as 'devilish heretics,' of persecuting them, and even to literally putting them to death."

To put these ideas on a more personal level, we are on a guaranteed road to apostasy if we (1) engage in controversy about the truth; (2) adhere to only those doctrines that are consistent with our own ideology or aspirations to power, or, alternatively, corrupt doctrines to conform with our own ambitions; and (3) reject or become intolerant of those who continue to believe the pure doctrine -- that which is different from the corrupted doctrine we might espouse.

For examples of this pattern of personal apostasy, consider the story of the Amlicites, or Nehor, in the Book of Mormon. Alma 1-2.

To avoid this fate, we, of course must seek to cultivate good fruits. Recall that the most desirable fruits found in the scriptures required intense cultivation. See, for example, Jacob 5. These desirable fruits are fruits of the spirit, not the fruit of traditional Christianity or the natural man. Galatians 5:19-23.


Brother Rogers recommended reading this article:

"Mormon Scholarship, Apologetics, and Evangelical Neglect:
Losing the Battle and Not Knowing It?" by Carl Mosser and Paul Owen

As Marc Bohn pointed out, this article was written in 1998. Since then, some Evangelicals have responded. Those responses have led to an on-going discussions between BYU Professor Robert Millet and Pastor Greg Johnson.

• James 4:4

• Revelation 3: 15, 16

• 1 Nephi 14: 9, 10

After class, he furnished this quote by the Prophet Joseph Smith:

We have reproved in the gate, and men have laid snares for us. We have spoken words, and men have made us offenders. And notwithstanding all this, our minds are not yet darkened, but feel strong in the Lord. But behold the words of the Savior: "If the light which is in you become darkness, behold how great is that darkness." Look at the dissenters. Again, "If you were of the world the world would love its own."

(Joseph Smith, Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, selected and arranged by Joseph Fielding Smith [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1976], 124.)

Unfortunately, we as a nation have apostatized in various degrees from different Constitutional principles as proclaimed by the inspired founders. We are fast approaching that moment prophesied by Joseph Smith when he said: "Even this nation will be on the very verge of crumbling to pieces and tumbling to the ground, and when the Constitution is upon the brink of ruin, this people will be the staff upon which the nation shall lean, and they shall bear the Constitution away from the very verge of destruction" (19 July 1840, as recorded by Martha Jane Knowlton Coray; ms. in Church Historian’s Office, Salt Lake City).

Although President Benson outlined four things we must to do help "secure the blessings of liberty" and preserve the Constitution, I want to focus on his second admonition:

Have we read The Federalist papers? Are we reading the Constitution and pondering it? Are we aware of its principles? Are we abiding by these principles and teaching them to others? Could we defend the Constitution? Can we recognize when a law is constitutionally unsound? Do we know what the prophets have said about the Constitution and the threats to it?

As Jefferson said, "If a nation expects to be ignorant and free … it expects what never was and never will be" (Letter to Colonel Charles Yancey, 6 Jan. 1816).