I was brought up in a religion that taught me to follow men to obtain salvation. Perhaps this was not intentional, but, nevertheless that is how the message plays out in church member’s minds. I believe the authorities of the church are afraid of losing control if people are allowed to encounter God in a personalized way. It may lead to a freewheeling, anything goes environment that could not be controlled. Acting as they do in the best interests of the church, protecting what they perceive as the Lord’s charge to protect the church’s reputation and enforce what they believe are the Lord’s standards, personal initiative is curtailed in one very important area. That area is in experiencing God in a direct and personal manner. One way the authorities do this is by explaining that it is wrong to study “mysteries” or to take any side roads in studying anything that isn’t on the approved list of topics. Unfortunately, some of the topics that are “forbidden”, are the nature of God and Godliness, coming to Christ and having a relationship with Him, and receiving your calling and election. If you read the scriptures with any degree of objectivity you will find that these topics are the ones that really matter! Everything written in the scriptures is to point us to discover these mysteries.
When I was younger I used to wonder what made me so special that I was “chosen”; born into the true church of God. I would never have to worry about making tough decisions regarding how to obtain salvation. I was saved, unless I committed a serious transgression. After all, I had served a two-year mission, married in the temple, raised my children in the church, attended the temple regularly, served in all the church callings I was asked to serve, read scriptures and prayed regularly. I was assured that if I kept the commandments, followed whatever the authorities admonished me to do, I was pretty much guaranteed a spot in the highest kingdom in heaven and live with Jesus and the Father. I had all the right boxes checked on the salvation checklist. What I had been taught in the LDS church was a system of performances and ordinances; obedience and commandments; works and judgement. These were all produced outward evidences that really weren’t all that difficult to replicate. I have learned that as soon as people believe they have been “called” they presume they are “chosen”. Being called and chosen are not the same thing.
Later in my life, I realized that there was something missing in my worship. I began to wonder, “where is the power of the Holy Ghost manifested? Where is the power of God experienced? Where are the healings and raising from the dead? Where is the ministering of angels?” These are all evidences that the Lord is active and involved in our lives. In fact, scriptures point out that if these are missing in our lives, it may indicate a distinct lack of God’s approval. I have seen miracles performed and experienced the gifts of the Spirit in action, but they have been isolated and rare events. I have observed that there is just as much or more miraculous activity among people who are not of my faith, which led me to believe that Mormons may not be so special. So why are we not seeing the same density of spirit in action as is described in the Book of Mormon, or in the New Testament, or even in Joseph Smith’s day?
I began to realize the system of LDS religion tends to emphasize the “works” aspect and down play the “faith” aspect of worship, even though authorities may not admit that this is what the doctrine of the church does. Works and obedience does not produce salvation and godly power by itself. Works accompanied by faith and knowledge, however, can produce miracles. Faith is, after all, “the moving cause of all action” (works). As I grew older I became more aware that I was making some big leaps of logic and some whopper assumptions in my approach to salvation and worship. Many of those miss-calculations were encouraged by the words of some leaders in the church who have meant well, but didn’t really understand the Lord’s program. I believed that these men were telling me truth and they were receiving it directly from Heavenly Father. I looked to them for my salvation instead of going directly to God for answers. I was taught, indirectly, it may be dangerous to ask certain things of God because God speaks to prophets, not to normal people like me. The Lord might even be a little miffed that I would question anything I had been taught. Even if I did receive answers from God to doctrinal questions, it might actually be from a bad source. It is better to rely on the words of “modern” prophets and leaders. They will tell me what to do to get to heaven. By accepting this premise, I was placing my salvation in the hands of men. The very thing the scriptures warn us not to do.
This is the case for people in all religions, whether it is Mormons, which was the church I was brought up in, or Catholics, Baptists, Islamist, Hindu, etc. Humans tend to take the easy road and attach themselves to a guru, pastor, bishop or spiritual leader who can provide the answers. This way the person they look up to does all the hard thinking and we just have to follow what they say to do. Humans are always looking for the “easy” button.
By looking to men exclusively rather than God to inform and teach us correct principles, we miss out on all those things that God promises to the faithful who know him. Things like miraculous healings, ministration of angels, gifts of the spirit. These things should be experienced every day. I am not saying don’t listen to prophets and authorities who are generally wise and have some good advice, but look to the author of all righteousness for personal direction in your life. He is anxious to talk to us.