Bearing False Witness

Nov. 3, 2021, Revised Jan. 31, 2022

 
 

“Another way to seek a testimony seems astonishing when compared with the methods of obtaining other knowledge. We gain or strengthen a testimony by bearing it. Someone even suggested that some testimonies are better gained on the feet bearing them than on the knees praying for them.” —Dallin H. Oaks

This phrase was spoken during the 2008 April General Conference in a talk entitled “Testimony.” And it is not a new philosophy among the brethren. Here is the same general idea shared by Boyd K. Packer in a talk entitled “Pure Testimony.”

“A testimony is to be found in the bearing of it. Somewhere in your quest for spiritual knowledge, there is that ‘leap of faith,’ as the philosophers call it. It is the moment when you have gone to the edge of the light and step into the darkness to discover that the way is lighted ahead for just a footstep or two.”

To give these brethren the benefit of the doubt, they have shared many ways in which a person can receive personal revelation and seek confirmation through the Holy Ghost. Yet, this philosophy, as shared by many church leaders, is encouraging the saints to literally bear a false witness. Stating that you know something to be true yet deep down inside you don’t know, is bearing a false witness. We can obviously hope to have a belief in many things and we may want certain things to be true, but that is simply a belief not knowledge or sure witness. How important is it that we have a knowledge of what we testify of? Well, the Lord was pretty clear when He engraved it upon stone tablets: “Thou shalt not bear false witness.”

Sharing a witness or testimony is making a declaration of what we know to be true. Let’s take a quick look at what D&C 11:21 says about learning and sharing what we know to be true:

21 Seek not to declare my word, but first seek to obtain my word, and then shall your tongue be loosed; then, if you desire, you shall have my Spirit and my word, yea, the power of God unto the convincing of men.

We gain a second witness to this doctrine as taught to us by Moroni. In the book of Ether, he expounds upon how we develop faith and hope. The witness (knowledge) we receive comes AFTER the trial of our faith. It is through the testing and trying of God’s word that we gain a testimony, not through vain repetition. (Ether 12:6)

6 And now, I, Moroni, would speak somewhat concerning these things; I would show unto the world that faith is things which are hoped for and not seen; wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith.

As we’ll explore later on, experimenting upon the word is our own personal journey of learning truth. We cannot make a declaration of our convictions if we have not yet obtained that witness ourselves. It is only when we have gained that knowledge for ourselves that we are then capable of opening our mouths and our “tongue be loosed.” That is when the Spirit and power of God convey truth to the hearts and minds of those who hear.

Anti-Christ philosophy

The Book of Mormon truly is a tool for our day to help us discern between true and false doctrine. In the 30th chapter of Alma, we read the story of an anti-Christ named Korihor. Since there was no law against sharing any belief, he taught against the doctrine of Christ and that there would be no Savior nor an atonement. He was eventually brought before the chief judge and the court. After much reviling from Korihor, Alma struck him dumb as a sign that he had sinned against God and the greater light. What’s fascinating about this story is Korihor’s response: (Alam 30:53)

53 But behold, the devil hath deceived me; for he appeared unto me in the form of an angel, and said unto me: Go and reclaim this people, for they have all gone astray after an unknown God. And he said unto me: There is no God; yea, and he taught me that which I should say. And I have taught his words; and I taught them because they were pleasing unto the carnal mind; and I taught them, even until I had much success, insomuch that I verily believed that they were true; and for this cause I withstood the truth, even until I have brought this great curse upon me.

It was only after Korihor began testifying of what this supposed “angel” had taught him that he then began to believe it. He had convinced himself that what he was saying was true. He had not received a witness of the Spirit that what he was preaching was true, but he only began to believe these philosophies after the people began to listen to him and follow him. His message was pleasing to the mind.

Think about it, if I told you that all you had to do was tell yourself that something was true for that thing to actually become valid, how amazing that would be? Yet, it is still a false and lazy doctrine. Alma told Korihor that all things denote that there is a God and that he had the scriptures and the words of the prophets laid out before him. Korihor was ignorant and unwilling to gain a testimony of the truth through the arduous task of receiving personal revelation. How is this example of Korihor any different than “A testimony is found in the bearing of it”?

And to be fair, the brethren today are encouraging people to believe in Christ and His atoning sacrifice. But, they are also inserting false doctrines and beliefs. They’ve changed God’s word and taught some very concerning philosophies. Recently Russel Nelson taught the following to the saints in Europe: "There are 15 on the earth today, you can trust them completely." (Jan. 2022, European Area Devotional) This promotes blind obedience. The LDS church beats this drum incessantly. “Trust the brethren, we cannot lead you astray.” Add to this the conditioning that happens to little children when they sing the familiar tune of “follow the prophet, don’t go astray. Follow the prophet, he knows the way.” What they fail to include is the idea that we are ONLY to follow man, the arm of flesh, when the Spirit adds a confirming witness of their words to us personally. (2 Nephi 28:30-31) What President Nelson just taught the saints is an anti-Christian philosophy and a twisting of Christ’s doctrine.

We could discuss at great length the idea of belief vs. testimony, but I find one of the best examples of how to gain a witness of truth for ourselves, even a knowledge of all things, was taught by Alma in the Book of Mormon. (Alma 32:27-43) He makes a comparison between experimenting upon the word and allowing it to grow. If it is a good seed, and we nourish it, the seed will grow so that we may have a sure witness, even a perfect knowledge, in that thing. We can know that our Heavenly Parents love us. We can know that Jesus Christ is our Savior and that he redeemed all of mankind and all of creation. We can know that repentance and forgiveness are possible and that lasting peace and happiness are a reality.

My intentions here are to help you understand that not everything pronounced by man, however well-intentioned, is correct, even if spoken by a church leader. I also want you to understand that it is ok to state that you believe something to be true, and that you have great hope in that belief. It’s ok that we may not have full knowledge that a principle is true. And lastly, I want to witness that a path has been provided for us so that we may know the truthfulness of all things. Just because a man says he speaks for God, doesn’t always mean that God approves. Hence the invitation to experiment upon the word to prove all things.

I know that blessings will come as we diligently seek the word of God. Through this process of experimentation, I have come to know many things to be true for myself. I also have many questions that I continue to experiment upon. And here we all are in mortality, being given a splendid opportunity to test and try, to learn and to grow. Any effort we make will be rewarded. And it is our hope in the end that we are the recipients of the blessings as shared by Alma:

41 But if ye will nourish the word, yea, nourish the tree as it beginneth to grow, by your faith with great diligence, and with patience, looking forward to the fruit thereof, it shall take root; and behold it shall be a tree springing up unto everlasting life.

42 And because of your diligence and your faith and your patience with the word in nourishing it, that it may take root in you, behold, by and by ye shall pluck the fruit thereof, which is most precious, which is sweet above all that is sweet, and which is white above all that is white, yea, and pure above all that is pure; and ye shall feast upon this fruit even until ye are filled, that ye hunger not, neither shall ye thirst.

43 Then, my brethren, ye shall reap the rewards of your faith, and your diligence, and patience, and long-suffering, waiting for the tree to bring forth fruit unto you.

May the Lord bless us with strength and patience. May He guide our feet upon the Way, and lead us to truth and righteousness, so that we may be the recipients of His love.

Shalom

Disclaimer: Only a small portion of my thoughts and feelings are contained within this essay. It is nearly impossible to condense a lifetime of study, thoughts, and impressions, into a few paragraphs. I value and encourage the need for altering perspective as new light and knowledge is acquired. One of the best ways to know a person’s heart is to sit down and talk face-to-face, perhaps while consuming a mild barley drink.

If you’d like to explore this topic further please see the linked resources below.

Disclaimer #2: I may agree with all, some, or maybe just a few words of the content listed below. I may also strongly disagree with elements that are shared. Take the Spirit as your guide as you study all things.