tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7307305968564854073.post411648326001593633..comments2008-10-23T19:50:16.759-06:00Comments on Strong Reasons: Saved by Grace After All We Can doAndrew I. Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13119240321588754796noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7307305968564854073.post-61992794991154340072008-08-06T13:27:00.000-06:002008-08-06T13:27:00.000-06:00aaron,It's unfortunate that I just now saw your co...aaron,<BR/><BR/>It's unfortunate that I just now saw your comment. Thanks for it.<BR/><BR/>As you know, LDS believe canonized scripture over any teaching of the general authorities. This is the position of the church. Since the Book of Mormon so clearly contradicts the idea that we must do everything we can before grace is applied, I reject any such interpretation whether by Thomas S. Monson or Bishop John Doe.<BR/><BR/>“It makes no difference what is written or what anyone has said, if what has been said is in conflict with what the Lord has revealed, we can set it aside. My words, and the teachings of any other member of the Church, high or low, if they do not square with the revelations, we need not accept them. Let us have this matter clear. We have accepted the four standard works as the measuring yardsticks, or balances, by which we measure every man’s doctrine. You cannot accept the books written by the authorities of the Church as standards in doctrine, only in so far as they accord with the revealed word in the standard works.” (Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, 3:203)<BR/><BR/>“If anyone, regardless of his position in the Church, were to advance a doctrine that is not substantiated by the standard Church works, meaning the Bible, the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price, you may know that his statement is merely his private opinion. The only one authorized to bring forth any new doctrine is the President of the Church, who, when he does, will declare it as revelation from God, and it will be so accepted by the Council of the Twelve and sustained by the body of the Church. And if any man speak a doctrine which contradicts what is in the standard Church works, you may know by that same token that it is false and you are not bound to accept it as truth.” (Harold B. Lee, European Area Conference of the Church, Munich, Germany, 1973)<BR/><BR/>“If it is not in the standard works, we may well assume that it is speculation, man’s own personal opinion; and if it contradicts what is in the scripture, it is not true. This is the standard by which we measure all truth.” (Harold B. Lee, Improvement Era, January 1969 p.13)<BR/><BR/>“The Church has confined the sources of doctrine by which it is willing to be bound before the world to the things that God has revealed, and which the Church has officially accepted, and those alone. These would include the Bible, the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, the Pearl of Great Price; these have been repeatedly accepted and endorsed by the Church in general conference assembled, and are the only sources of absolute appeal for our doctrine.” (B. H. Roberts, Deseret News (23 July 1921) sec. 4:7.)<BR/><BR/>“One of the reasons we call our scriptures The Standard Works [is that] they are the standard of judgement and the measuring rod against which doctrines and views are weighed, and it does not make one particle of difference whose views are involved. The scriptures always take precedence.” (Bruce R McConkie, “Finding Answers to Gospel Questions,” an open letter to all “honest truth seekers,” dated 30 October 1980)Andrew I. Millerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13119240321588754796noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7307305968564854073.post-86315300777831020462008-05-02T17:09:00.000-06:002008-05-02T17:09:00.000-06:00Unfortunately, LDS leaders have, in Mormonism, far...Unfortunately, LDS leaders have, in Mormonism, far more authority to interpret scripture than you do, and the last 50 or so years of LDS interpretative tradition coming from the Salt Lake hierarchy <A HREF="http://www.mrm.org/topics/salvation/2-nephi-25-23-a-distinctive-mormon-passage-salvation" REL="nofollow">doesn't support the Robinsonian revisionism</A>.Aaron Shttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03385127979306952044noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7307305968564854073.post-9006560320550317482008-02-09T14:37:00.000-07:002008-02-09T14:37:00.000-07:00Thanks for stopping by, James!Thanks for stopping by, James!Andrew I. Millerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13119240321588754796noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7307305968564854073.post-53596582692583209112008-02-09T14:31:00.000-07:002008-02-09T14:31:00.000-07:00Andrew,Great post. This is an important issue, and...Andrew,<BR/><BR/>Great post. This is an important issue, and I agree with your approach. <BR/><BR/>Your blog is looking good, congradulations on the traffic you are getting. I am not very worried about getting lots of traffic right now at my blog. I simply don't have lots of time to devote to my blog this semester, and so I couldn't keep up with much traffic anyway. For now, in it's infancy, my blog serves mainly as a place for me to consolidate some of the work I have done and am slowly doing. I use it as a resource for myself. One day when time is my friend I plan on expanding my blog or perhaps ditching the blog and making a bona-fide website!<BR/><BR/>Thanks alot!<BR/><BR/>JamesAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com