Worlds Many Churches One True Church

#What of the World’s Many Churches, Christian and Non-Christian? Are We Really the Only True Church?

#Bewildering Perspective

I remember—as a young missionary having my first experience with the non-LDS world—being troubled with certain questions. I became overwhelmed with the size of the world, the smallness of the Church, and the obvious reluctance of most people to respond to the gospel message. If the Lord wants all his children home (2 Nephi

26:24), I wondered, why he has allowed so many people here on earth to live in

ignorance of knowledge of the gospel of Jesus Christ? I was a young missionary over forty-five years ago. At that time there were about two million members of the Church. While the Church had made considerable and admirable progress since its organization in 1830, that two million was a mere drop in the bucket of the world’s billions. We had a few thousand missionaries in the field then, but we were certainly not blanketing the world with the message of the restoration. Yet we believed and taught that our Church was “the only true and living church upon the face of the whole earth” (D&C 1:30).

I was uncomfortably aware of the billions of people living then on the earth who (1) were living without any religion, (2) belonged to one of the many non-Christian churches, or (3) identified with the so-called Orthodox Christian faiths (Catholic and Protestant). And what about those billions that lived during the Old Testament period of the earth’s existence or during the period of apostasy following the Savior’s crucifixion? Where was the one true church in all of those peoples’ lives? I remember thinking, “Does it make any logical sense that our Church is the only true church on earth when there are so many people, so many churches, so few members of our Church, and so few on the earth that will have the opportunity to learn of the Lord’s Church during their lives here?” And why does the chance of any one mortal’s finding the Lord’s true Church seem so infinitesimally small? To a young missionary, relatively unschooled in the gospel, our Church seemed more like a young upstart than the Lord’s very kingdom upon the earth. Our LDS perspective seemed like such a presumption!

Another perplexing issue was why the Lord has had to introduce the gospel of Jesus Christ to the earth so many times—to each prophet who stands at the head of a dispensation—and yet it has always fallen away? Why don’t people generally yearn for the one true Church and flock to it in droves? After all, is it not the very reason they were placed here on earth? Is it not the reason this very earth was created?

In this chapter, we will explore all of the questions that vexed me as a young man. Are we really the only “true and living Church” on earth, and what exactly does that mean? Why doesn’t the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints appeal to more people? Why do so few seem to respond to our message? And what is the role of the many other churches in the world, particularly the non-Christian faiths? How does the Lord see them? What role does he wish them to play in people’s lives? Does he approve of them? Does he disapprove? And what about the other Christian churches—the so-called orthodox Christian churches? How do they fit into the Lord’s scheme? Are they spiritually edifying for their members, or do they tend to lead people away from the fulness of the gospel. In addition, what about those who do not associate with any type of church? Is the earth fulfilling its purpose and providing each mortal with sufficient spiritual truths that he or she may be adequately tested spiritually during his or her mortal sojourn? Is this mortal earth providing the Lord with ample information he may use to judge each individual?

#The Spiritual Inclinations of Man

Allow me here at first to raise a most fundamental and essential issue. I warn you in advance that this is a most sensitive topic. I will introduce it by posing a question: Would all of God’s children be eternally happy in the celestial kingdom? Most of us church members are aware of being taught that not all of God’s children are suited to an eternal celestial environment. But what is the real truth?

I have been teaching a Gospel Doctrine Sunday School class for several years. I frequently tease the members of the class by asking them, referring to the Lord: “What does he want?” They always know what I’m after, and, dutifully, they humor me by answering, “He wants us all home.” And they are entirely correct. I have repeatedly had them read 2 Nephi 26:24. Listen to what that verse says: “He doeth not anything save it be for the benefit of the world; for he loveth the world, even that he layeth down his own life that he may draw all men unto him. Wherefore, he commandeth none that they shall not partake of his salvation (italics mine).” So the Lord clearly desires that each of us mortals here on earth one day returns to him.

But he has divine and perfect insight. Does he know that all will not return to him? He does. Let us also read D&C 88:22-24: “For he who is not able to abide the law of a celestial kingdom cannot abide a celestial glory. And he who cannot abide the law of a terrestrial kingdom cannot abide a terrestrial glory. And he who cannot abide the law of a telestial kingdom cannot abide a telestial glory; therefore he is not meet for a kingdom of glory. Therefore he must abide a kingdom which is not a kingdom of glory.”

So, for those who will truly be able to “abide” his celestial presence, that is what he wants for them, and that is what they will receive. What does it mean that some will not be able to “abide the law of a celestial [or a terrestrial] kingdom”? It means simply that they will not be comfortable or happy there. They will not thrive there. They would be miserable there.

What is it about the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ and the way of life it advocates that are incompatible with some of God’s children? Why doesn’t each and every child of our Father in heaven have the potential to be happy living up to that standard? Could not each one learn and progress to the point where he or she would be comfortable living the celestial life eternally?

We may define a “celestial person” as one who yearns for and will flourish in the totality of the celestial environment. But aren’t we all potentially “celestial people”? Is a desire to “go to heaven after we die” not universal in our world? Let us be assured that most all of God’s children who experience mortality here on earth will live eternally in heaven. But there isn’t just one heaven. There are three. Why wouldn’t each and every mortal thrive in the celestial heaven?

What is required there that would make some people uncomfortable? It seems clear that each of God’s offspring possesses deep and abiding inclinations that interact intimately with their eternal yearnings. It is not so much a matter of differing views of righteousness and unrighteousness. Rather it is a question of what type of eternal life each kingdom of glory (celestial, terrestrial, or telestial) will require of its inhabitants. Let me suggest three ideas or reasons why the eternal celestial experience might be uncomfortable for some:

1. It is apparent that strong character is required there. I have previously defined character as the strength, courage, and ability to do the truly difficult thing when it is the right and righteous thing to do. Celestial individuals must possess an extraordinary ability to overcome difficulties and challenges. They must possess strong character.

That character is an essential, celestial attribute should be obvious as we observe the “schooling” the Lord requires of us here on earth. Here we must, as we strive to obey each and every commandment, overcome the ever-present and nearly irresistible yearnings of our natural self. And this overcoming is achieved only with significant cost of striving and struggling.

But why is character so essential in celestial beings? Once we have finally achieved the celestial heaven—once we have been admitted through the gate—will it not then be smooth sailing forever after? Have we not then arrived? Have we not completed our striving and overcoming? Have we not proven ourselves? Have we not earned a future of glory, leisure, and pleasure? Many of us have intuitively succumbed to the myth of an eternal future of ease and rest. We harbor, in the background of our minds, the figurative notion of an eternal future spent floating on a cloud while strumming our harp. We are inclined to think we will have, by the time of our admission through the celestial door, overcome all significant challenges. Is not this true?

It is more likely the Lord requires uncommon strength of character in his celestial people because that attribute will be essential there. Real and substantial challenges await those who aspire to the track of becoming like him.

What about God himself? Has he not arrived? Has he not reached a state of absolute perfection? He certainly has perfect character! What situation could possibly pose a challenge for him? While we are taught to acknowledge that even God is continuing to grow and will do so for all eternity, we assume it is a growth for which he has already qualified. It is growth he can accomplish passively. We say he is growing in “dominions” and “eternal offspring.” Surely, there is no more “overcoming” that he must yet achieve. Or is there?

We must first reaffirm that God is indeed continuing to grow and will do so for all eternity. Also, it is important to admit that we have no idea of all the ways in which God is growing. It is highly possible that his eternal growth is anything but a passive endeavor. We should not be surprised to learn that there are truly astounding challenges ahead for him. Very possibly, his own character does not simply lie dormant. We may well learn that eternal growth is a proactive and not a passive endeavor. God himself may well still be encountering increasing challenges and growing even in his own strength of character!

It seems unwise to regard celestial life as easy. Celestially-inclined individuals are likely in for a vigorous, exciting, and challenging ride. It will also be an experience that offers joy beyond compare. Here on earth celestial candidates must demonstrate promise and potential in their ability to thrive on challenges and the need to overcome.

One need only consider the experiences our Father in heaven has had and is having with our own earth to get an idea of what might be required of an earth’s divine administrator. Has the history of events on our earth ever provided the Father with reasons for discouragement? Has he ever had doubts to overcome? Have there been anxieties, worries, and ringing of hands? Then multiply these challenges to accommodate the “worlds without number” that function under the divine supervision of our Father.

Is this type of eternal life the wont of every mortal? Is it a given that all individuals would opt for obligations of this sort? Would all of God’s children thrive in this type of environment? Might there be some that would prefer another, more leisurely—more comfortable—path?

2. Another, closely related characteristic of the celestial individual is a taste for hard work—a good work ethic. Here on earth, the Lord seems to teach that much satisfaction comes from being disciplined and productive. We need not doubt that much will need be done in the eternities. It is obvious that the appetite for and capacity for work varies widely among God’s children here on earth. Even among honorable, righteous, and noble individuals there is a widely ranging work ethic.

Might it be that the celestial environment would be eschewed by some because of what is required of them there? Celestial qualification is certainly a matter of obedience versus disobedience—righteousness versus unrighteousness. But might it also be, importantly, a matter of preference and inclination?

3. Character and an outstanding work ethic alone are not sufficient to qualify one for a celestial reward. Proper motivation is vital. Here on earth we have all seen much character and hard work manifested by various kinds of people. It is the way a man “gets ahead” in this world. Men and woman are busily and vigorously involved in earning a living, and building upon their own fortunes. Often they are prominently motivated by the desire to benefit themselves.

But in the celestial kingdom, the motivation must be fundamentally different. There, the celestial beings must vigorously face challenges and work hard, but they will have no thought of self aggrandizement. All of their labors will be expended on behalf of others. How many of God’s offspring are inclined to give over all of the benefits of their labors for the benefit of others? This is a matter of fundamental priority. It must be deeply rooted—indeed, built into the individual. How many possess this type of motivation? Salvation is not a matter of stated preference. It is what the individual truly is in his heart.

When people are made aware of the celestial kingdom and its requirements for entrance, I believe there will be some who will choose to say “No thank you. I think I will opt for another type of opportunity.” They may even willingly acknowledge that the celestial way is the noblest way, but they would prefer a less complicated eternal life.

What are the numbers? What percentage will truly qualify for and be truly happy and fulfilled with celestial glory? A tenth? A third? A Half? Two-thirds? The fact is, we don’t know. Perhaps the “few there be” phrase has applicability here (3 Nephi 27:33, Matthew 7:13-14).

Might the inhabitants of individual nations share common spiritual inclinations? Let us first consider a most basic question. Are God’s spirit children foreordained to be born to specific nations or races here on earth? Teaching the Athenian intellectuals on Mars’ hill, the apostle Paul suggested they were: “God that made the world and all things therein . . . hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation” (Acts 17:24, 26). Elder Bruce R. McConkie also seemed to teach that men were foreordained to be born among a specific and predesignated race of people:

All men are the spirit children of the Eternal Father; all dwelt in his presence, awaiting the day of their mortal probation; all have come or will come to earth at an appointed time, in a specified place, to live among a designated people. In all of this there is no chance. A divine providence rules over the nations and governs in the affairs of men. Birth alone determines where and when and among what people his spirit children shall undergo their mortal probations (A New witness for the Articles of Faith, 512-13).

What might be the basis of this type of group foreordination? Elder McConkie further suggested there may have been separate groups, boundaries, and preferences in the premortal world:

God sends his spirit children to earth on a regular, organized schedule. There is nothing haphazard or accidental about the peopling of the earth or the assignment of various land areas to the races of men. The race and nation in which men are born in this world is a direct result of their pre-existent life. All the spirit hosts of heaven deemed worthy to receive mortal bodies were foreordained to pass through this earthly probation in the particular race and nation suited to their needs, circumstances, and talents (Doctrinal New Testament Commentary, 2:159-60; see also Alvin R. Dyer, The Meaning of Truth, 33-36).

There is ample reason in our gospel doctrine to relate the circumstances of one’s mortal birth to one’s performance in the premortal world. Our first estate, the premortal world, was an important testing period to see if we would “choose good or evil.” Those who chose good qualified to become foreordained to receive the higher priesthood and other privileges here on earth. Joseph Smith wrote: “Every man who has a calling to minister to the inhabitants of the world was ordained to that very purpose in the Grand Council of heaven before this world was.” Then, referring to his own leadership role in directing the latter-day restoration of the gospel, he wrote, “I suppose I was ordained to this very office in that Grand Council” (TPJS, 365). Referring to this statement of the prophet’s, J. Reuben Clark, Jr. said:

I do not know whether we have a right to interpret the prophet’s statement . . . but I like to think that it does include those of us of lesser calling and lesser stature. . . . I like to think that perhaps in the Grand Council something at least was said to us indicating what would be expected of us, and empowering us, subject to the re-confirmation here, to do certain things in building up the kingdom of God on earth (CR, October 1950, 170-71).

Just as our behavior in the mortal and spirit world phase of our existence (our “second estate”) influences our condition in the eternities (our “third estate”), so did our behavior in our pre-existent phase (our “first estate”) influenced our condition here in mortality.

Mary, the mortal mother of Jesus, is an example of one who was surely foredesignated or foreordained to a significant, sacred mission in life (see 1 Nephi 11:18). This type of foreordination may also apply to many people with vital non-priesthood abilities. I believe Cyrus the Persian, Columbus, other great explorers, the pilgrim founders of America, the framers of the American constitution, John Adams, George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, other great national and world governmental leaders, the reformers, inventors, scientists, academicians, philosophers, and musical composers have all been foreordained to important works because of good works and the resultant excellent attributes they acquired in the premortal world.

There is also a precedent in the Church for an individual to be foreordained to a certain ethnic group here on earth. Sometimes an entire nation is foreordained to a particular work and consequent blessings. An example of the foreordination of a nation is the posterity of Jacob, the house of Israel. President Harold B. Lee wrote:

It would seem very clear . . . that . . . Jacob, who was later to be called Israel, and his posterity, who were known as the children of Israel, were born into the most illustrious lineage of any of those who came upon the earth as mortal beings.

All these rewards were seemingly promised, or foreordained, before the world was. Surely these matters must have been determined by the kind of lives we had lived in that premortal spirit world. Some may question these assumptions, but at the same time they will accept without any question the belief that each one of us will be judged when we leave this earth according to his or her deeds during our lives here in mortality. Isn’t it just as reasonable to believe that what we have received here in this earth life was given to each of us according to the merits of our conduct before we came here? (“Understanding Who We Are Brings Self-

Respect,” Ensign, January 1974, 5).

Election of this sort is a type of collective foreordination. It is a selection of spirits to form an entire favored group or lineage. But what of the individuals within that collective group? How does each individual relate to the collective foreordination of the entire nation? Although it is a collective foreordination, the eventual judgment of one’s stewardship is nonetheless based on individual premortal and mortal faithfulness and spiritual capacity. Through the lineage of Israel were to come the true and tried souls who had demonstrated their righteousness in the premortal world. In spite of this group foreordination, the promised blessings to individuals in this favored lineage depend on each individual’s obedience and valiance to the Lord and his gospel here in mortality. Paul taught, “They are not all Israel, which are of Israel” (Romans 9:6). Lineage does not ensure one’s salvation.

Is being born into a favored lineage an advantage? It may or may not be. It may afford the individual earthly associations and opportunities that are helpful. But it is important to remember that “of him unto whom much is given much is required” (D&C 82:3). The Lord will surely be more demanding of them in his judgments of them. Those of a less favored lineage may be judged more mercifully. Certainly, those not of the House of Israel also have ample opportunity for exaltation. By accepting the gospel here in mortality, they are received, as Paul taught, “by adoption” into the favored lineage. They thus receive all the blessings and responsibilities to which they are entitled. Their apparent lack of a premortal “favored” foreordination is overcome when they become as though they had been foreordained.

Apparently there are criteria for foreordination other than premortal righteousness and ability. President David O. McKay, in reference to the peopling of the nations of the earth, suggested that another criterion is a spirit’s attraction to other spirits or groups of spirits of “like character.” This view and its relationship to foreordination to specific lineages and nations is based on the principle of “spiritual attraction” (Llewelyn R. McKay, Home Memories of President David O. McKay, 229).

Herein lies another, most sensitive, issue. Might it be that some nations on the earth are peopled by those foreordained to live among individuals with less-thancelestial inclinations? And might this foreordination also be based upon premortal performance and the Lord’s intimate knowledge of them? Might we even speculate that some nations are inhabited by people more likely to prefer an eternal terrestrial environment than a celestial one? However, let us hasten to reiterate that individual salvation is ultimately not a group matter. The quality of each individual’s salvation depends not on their race but their individual spiritual responsiveness.

The placement into certain nations, times, or circumstances is done by an infinitely wise and compassionate Father. By the principle of foreordination, he “staffs” the earth for the good of each of his children. Apparently, each spirit child is assigned to such a nation as would be best for his or her own growth and development. Great spirits have come to all nations and races to render service to humanity and contribute to the enlightenment of others. “The great religious leaders of the world,” wrote the First Presidency, “such as Mohammed, Confucius, and the Reformers, as well as philosophers including Socrates, Plato, and others received a portion of God’s light. Moral truths were given to them by God to enlighten whole nations and to bring a higher level of understanding to individuals” (“God’s Love for All Mankind,” Statement of the First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, February 15, 1978, cited in Spencer J. Palmer, The Expanding Church, 5).

#What Else Does He Want?

Now, let me ask you another question—a truly important one. I have pointed out that the Lord yearns for all of his children to return home to him. But what else does he want? Realistically and practically, what yearning does he have for each and every one of his children? He desires eternal happiness for each. For those who will fit better and be happiest in a terrestrial or telestial environment, that is where they will be placed. The Lord wishes for all of his children to thrive in the eternities. He would have each of his offspring spend eternity where they will be happy, comfortable, accepted, and fulfilled.

Each will be placed in the highest degree of glory suited to the “desires of their hearts” (Alma 29:4). The most important criterion for where you will end up in the eternities is the “desires of [your] heart.” What does this phrase actually mean? Does it mean that you will have the opportunity to state your preference? And does it mean that you will have the final say in the nature of your eternal reward?

It does not. The phrase “desires of [your] heart” means, simply, what you truly are. It has nothing to do with stated preferences. It has everything to do with your very essence—your true identity according to the Lord’s divine and perfect perceptions of you.

Now, you must keep in mind that this mortal experience is no casual walk in the park. There are laws of God—spiritual laws—that must be obeyed. If they are obeyed, they lead to spiritual growth. If they are not obeyed, the “sin” leads to spiritual deterioration and a failure to qualify for a particular state of eternal glory. It’s not so much a matter of a divine report card with certain grades or cumulative scores being kept to get you into this or that eternal kingdom of glory. It is more a matter of what you are becoming and what you have become. Keeping the Lord’s commandments or living according to his spiritual laws actually causes real growth. It changes who you are. Relative to God’s law, you can grow (and become more like him) or deteriorate (and become less like him). It’s “who you are” and where you will be happiest that determines your eternal reward.

It is possible for any of God’s children to fail to live up to their true potential. And that is the real tragedy of mortality. For example, a person with true celestial potential, through his interacting with the world and God’s laws, may deteriorate and become more of a terrestrial person. Or, an individual with true terrestrial leanings and potentials may, at the final judgment, may be found to have slipped from that level and may have become a person who will only be happy in a telestial environment. Can you even imagine a greater tragedy than a person with celestial or terrestrial potential living a mortal life that causes him to become one who would not even be able to abide a telestial glory. He would then be relegated to a kingdom of no glory—outer darkness.

On the other hand, an individual on entering mortality may be inclined toward a terrestrial reward, but he may begin to obey the commandments and thereby grow and become a true celestial person. He will then be welcomed into that kingdom for all eternity.

#The Purpose of a Church

Now let us address another important question. From the Lord’s perspective, what is the purpose of a church? Why does he not just provide each person with a book of scripture and let each go home and try to live according to the book? It is apparent that, regardless of a man’s spiritual inclinations, the Lord is wont to gather him to a church.

What is the purpose of gathering, and why does the Lord wish to gather his people together in a church? Perhaps we can best understand his divine yearning by examining an analogous phenomenon. One of the compelling instincts earthly mothers possess is the need to gather their children about them. A mother is happiest when her sons and daughters are gathered near. Then she can reassure herself that they are safe. She can make certain their needs are fulfilled. She can nurture and teach each one personally and individually. By contemplating this powerful maternal drive, we may come to understand something of the desire the Lord has to gather his children about him. It is clear that the Savior’s desire is shared equally by the Father. On one occasion during his mortal ministry, the Savior looked over Jerusalem and wistfully pined: “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, [thou] that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under [her] wings, and ye would not!” (Matthew 23:37).

A church is intended to teach its members spiritual truths and how they ought to live their lives in accordance with those truths. In a church the Lord provides inspired teachers (“prophets”) to teach, administer, succor, and encourage. The Lord’s intent is to keep its members united with one another and separated from the sins of the world (spiritual Babylon). It is to gather them to a safe refuge where they can be safely taught and nurtured and where they can grow spiritually. This mortal existence presents to each individual, on a readily-available platter, myriad worldly influences that will try to pull the individual down spiritually. The Lord gathers his people to a church so that the church’s members can love, encourage, and succor one another and enjoy some degree of protection against these worldly influences.

Now, let me try to make an important point by considering two hypothetical individuals. Let us first consider a hypothetical individual with genuine celestial potential. The Lord knows this individual’s heart and knows that realistically, he is a candidate for celestial glory. If you were in charge of the world, would you think it best if he were gathered to a church? Also, with whom would you like to see him gathered? Do think he would be best served in a church where there are other members who also had real and practical celestial potential? I would hope, as you thoughtfully contemplate these questions, you would agree that each mortal would benefit from being gathered to a church with others with similar eternal inclinations.

Do you suppose these same principles apply to all those not inclined to gather to the Lord’s very kingdom—to his one true Church? Let us consider another hypothetical individual. This individual lacks celestial potential but would thrive in terrestrial glory. It would be a tragedy if he did not realize his potential as a terrestrial individual. Should he also be gathered to a church here on earth? And should it be the same church as our first hypothetical individual? Why not simply expose each and every mortal to the fulness of the Lord’s gospel in a single church and then let each individual be judged based upon his response to that gospel? Again, you are in charge. What do you think? The obvious danger is that many would blow off religion of any kind if the only standard they were taught was that of the fulness of Christ’s gospel. They would become discouraged by and lose interest in church and religion. Those who lack celestial inclinations seem best served by a simpler version of the gospel. The gospel in its simpler or lesser forms will, in part, function to lift its adherents out of wickedness and save them from a telestial resurrection. It will also provide them the essential socialization and succoring among people with common spiritual inclinations.

The natural self of the “terrestrial souls” will surely try to pull them down to a telestial level or even lower. The Lord desires the highest possible state of glory for these individuals. He yearns for them to receive a terrestrial reward, and not a telestial one. How does he hope to achieve this? Has he provided the opportunity for them to be gathered to a church suited particularly for them? We will return to this question in a few moments.

#Are We Really the “Only True Church”?

Let us now address the question: What does it mean that we are the only true church on the face of the earth? that we are the very kingdom of God upon the earth? First, is it true, in fact, that we are that one true church? The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is, in fact, the only true celestial church on the earth. I testify to you that this is true. But what exactly does that mean? Practically, it means at least four fundamental things:

1. We are the only church with the proper divine sanction or authorization. We call this authorization the priesthood.

2. It also means that we are the only Church with men called prophets of God. These are also called apostles. They direct us. And that is a unique blessing, since they have a communication link with God that is more direct than any other religious leader on the earth.

3. Members of the Lord’s one true Church have greater access to personal revelation from God. This occurs since we are blessed to receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. This supernal gift can only be bestowed by a male holding the proper priesthood authority.

4. Finally, it means that we have available more spiritual truths than any other people or religion on earth. We are blessed to be able to understand our eternal situation better than anyone else. We have access to additional scripture that is a treasure trove of spiritual truths. We are blessed with what the Lord calls the “fulness of the gospel” (1 Nephi 10:14; 15:13; D&C 20:9; 42:12; 76:14; 90:11). We are not given to know all spiritual truth, but, in this regard, we are surely the “truest” Church on earth.

What is the purpose of the celestial church? It is to set the celestial standard, to gather the celestial people, and to allow them to begin to grow more rapidly toward their celestial resurrection. Celestial individuals naturally have a hunger for spiritual truths— not only to learn them but to live them. The Lord mercifully allows this need to be filled by his having restored the fulness of his gospel. Again, that uncomfortable reminder: Being gathered to the celestial church by itself does not guarantee celestial salvation. Once must inculcate the fulness of the gospel into one’s life and become, in fact, a true celestial being.

What are our missionaries accomplishing? The Church today appeals to those who are celestial people in their hearts. The missionaries are gathering these to the fold of God’s people.

#What Are the World’s Churches?

We now come to a consideration of the many churches—Christian and non-Christian—on the earth. What is their exact role in the future salvation of each of their members? How should we regard these churches? How can we put them in proper perspective? Are they good? Are they bad? Are they spiritual blessings to their adherents? Or, are they all apostate and a curse to spiritual lives and spiritual progress? What is their net effect in the lives of their members? How does God regard these myriad churches? Does he love them or hate them? Did he have a role in their inceptions? Or, are they merely the creations of men?

It is not difficult to observe that many in the Lord’s Church have an unmistakable bias in this regard. We have a tendency to view all other churches as the enemy of righteousness. Why is this so?

The First Vision. In 1820 Joseph Smith asked the Father and the Son in the sacred grove which church he should join. The Savior told him that, “[He] must join none of them, for they [are] all wrong.” Further, the Lord referred to their creeds as “an abomination in his sight” and said of their professors, “[They are] all corrupt” and “they draw near to me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me, they teach for doctrines the commandments of men, having a form of godliness, but they deny the power thereof” (JS-H 1:19).

This First Vision account is canonized scripture. It has resulted in some members’ of the Church having a tendency to look down upon other churches and their members. Many, if not most, of us in the Church have a tendency to label all other churches and their members as “apostate.” One Evangelical scholar, Craig L. Blomberg, sensed this and wrote: “The ‘Personage’ who spoke to Joseph Smith told him to join no existing Christian denomination, ‘for they were all wrong’ and ‘all their creeds were an abomination in his sight,’ their ‘professors were all corrupt,’ and their religious worship all a hypocritical pretense (Joseph Smith History 2:19 [sic])” (How Wide the Divide?, 184). Blomberg also said, “Mormons think we [Evangelicals] belong to a church that is ‘most abominable above all other churches’ . . . They refer to us as part of the ‘great and abominable church’ and the ‘whore of all the earth’ (1 Nephi 13:5- 6; D&C 29:21). They interpret their scriptures as prophesying that our church ‘shall be cast down by devouring fire’ (cf. D&C 1; 10:69; 88:94)” (Ibid.). Our negative impressions of these churches have been further sharpened by the antagonism that has existed between them and us, both in the early Church and now.

So, just how are we to regard all of the other churches in the world, including the orthodox Christian churches which are the many, many Protestant churches and the

Roman and Greek Catholic Churches? And what about the non Christian churches— Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Shintoism, Jainism, Zoroastrianism, and all of the nearly countless other churches in the world? Are they a spiritual force in the world, or an evil one? Do they provide spiritual blessings to their adherents? Or, are they all apostate and a curse to spiritual lives and spiritual progress? What is their net effect in the lives of their members? Do they spiritually nourish? Or, do they actually lead their followers away from the one true Church? Might they satisfy the spiritual hungers of their members to the point where they become dulled to any additional spiritual yearnings or deficiencies that ought to prick their consciences from time to time? How does God regard these myriad churches? Does he love them or hate them? Did he have a role in their inceptions? Or, are they merely the creations of men? Does he take an active role in trying to preserve them, or has he given up on them as irretrievably lost churches of men?

Joseph Smith’s experience in the sacred grove has led some to an unfortunate misapprehension. The Lord’s condemnation there was directed against some of their incomplete and altered doctrines and not against their lay members or ministers. What the Lord was really saying was that in 1820 there was no celestial church on the earth, and that he intended to restore that church through Joseph. While all of the several world churches might be considered to be “apostate” in the sense they lack the fulness of the gospel, they should not be considered “apostate” (with all the negative trappings we usually attach to the word) in the sense that they are purely corrupt churches of men.

“Lesser” or “terrestrial” churches. So, it seems probable there are “lesser” or “terrestrial” churches here on earth. Each is intended by the Lord to lift its members toward the highest possible level of eternal glory they can abide. For many, or even most, this may be the terrestrial glory. Is it possible the Lord actually condones churches in the world that teach righteous principles but not the fulness of the gospel? Do you think he is willing to approve of churches that teach incomplete, and sometimes even flawed, versions of his gospel doctrine?

There is only one truly celestial church. It is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints. All others are terrestrial churches. There is actually a strong precedent for this idea. For those ancient Israelites under the leadership of Moses, the Lord seems to have decided they were not ready for the complete, “celestial” church version of the gospel. Apparently, they would not abide the fullness of the everlasting gospel. It seems likely he determined that significant numbers of them were not suited to celestial living and that they would not be happy in an eternal celestial setting. They would find a church with celestial standards to be too daunting and discouraging. Some of the sacred truths taught in the celestial church would be lost on them. Hence, he gave them a more “terrestrial” or simpler version of the church and gospel. Might it be that among the several world churches we are simply seeing simplified versions of the

Lord’s gospel—each adapted to the setting and culture and spiritual inclinations of its people?

This applies to the many non-Christian churches in the world. But what about the many so-called “orthodox” Christian churches in the world today—the Protestant and Catholic churches? How might we categorize these? I believe these, also, are terrestrial churches.

There also obviously exist “religions” that, in fact are not God-inspired. These include atheism, agnosticism, or institutions that are purely organizations of men and variably evil. These include Wicca, Voodoo, Spiritualism, Satanism, and others.

#The Implications of Terrestrial Churches

For a few moments, let us consider the implications of this idea. What of the several different aspects of the world’s terrestrial churches?

Their ministers. Does this mean that those who minister in these churches— their priests, popes, pastors, imams, rabbis, etc.—are God inspired? Or, are they merely dangerous apostates teaching apostate doctrines? They are obviously divinely inspired and have access to the Spirit of God to prompt them in their thoughts, words, and acts. Most of what they teach is valid spiritual truth.

Their origins. Another interesting question concerns the origin of these churches. I believe we may postulate two possible explanations or mechanisms for their existence:

1. They are lesser or apostate versions of the gospel in its fulness. We know God first revealed the gospel of Jesus Christ in its fulness to the man/prophet Adam who established the Lord’s Church in his day. Subsequently, due to repeated apostasy, it had to be re-revealed to the heads of each dispensation including Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Moses, and Jesus Christ.

One possible explanation for all of the world’s churches, then, might be that each is simply the result of apostate alteration and adulteration of the Lord’s Church and gospel. Each has its origins in one or another of the pure dispensational churches at the onset of the several dispensations. Man, then, altered the fulness of the gospel to suit his own individual and cultural biases. Thus, these “apostate” churches have assumed many different forms.

2. Another—and I believe more likely—explanation is that they are deliberately simplified, lesser versions of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Might it be that in addition to God’s revealing his gospel in its fulness to Adam and the other biblical prophets, he also revealed variations of his gospel through inspired men or “prophets” in several different cultures in several different places. Each variation was adapted by God specifically to the particular setting and culture in which it was placed. It was also adapted to the spiritual inclinations of the people in that setting. God loves all his children in all nations, and it is not surprising that God would call wise men or “prophets” from among several of them and communicate spiritual truths to them.

Again, these several variations of the Lord’s gospel need not include a fulness. Generally, the Lord reveals simpler versions of the gospel as he did with Moses and the Israelites.

Thoughtful church leaders and scholars have addressed this concept. Elder Orson F. Whitney observed that God “is using not only his covenant people, but other peoples as well, to consummate a work, stupendous, magnificent, and altogether too arduous for this little handful of Saints to accomplish by and of themselves” (CR, April 1921, 32-33). Elder B. H. Roberts observed: “While the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is established for the instruction of men; and it is one of God’s instrumentalities for making known the truth, yet he is not limited to that institution for such purposes, neither in time nor place. God raises up wise men and prophets here and there among all the children of men, of their own tongue and nationality, speaking to them through means that they can comprehend. . . . All the great teachers are servants of God; among all nations and in all ages. They are inspired men, appointed to instruct God’s children according to the conditions in the midst of which he finds them” (Defense of the Faith and the Saints, 2 volumes, 1907, 1:512-13).

A particularly interesting example is the prophet Muhammad. Was he a prophet of God? Several years ago, James A. Toronto, an associate professor of Islamic studies and comparative religion at Brigham Young University, wrote an excellent and thoughtful article on Muhammad and Islam (“A Latter-day Saint Perspective on Muhammad,” Ensign, Aug 2000, 51). Brother Toronto pointed out that our church leaders over the years have repeatedly accorded Muhammad the status of “prophet.”

In 1855, at a time when Christian literature generally ridiculed Muhammad as the Antichrist and accused him of being the archenemy of Western civilization, Elders George A. Smith and Parley P. Pratt delivered lengthy sermons demonstrating an accurate and balanced understanding of Islamic history. They spoke highly of Muhammad’s leadership. Elder Smith observed that Muhammad was “descended from Abraham and was no doubt raised up by God on purpose” to preach against idolatry. Elder Pratt expressed his admiration for Muhammad’s teachings, asserting that “upon the whole, [Muslims] have better morals and better institutions than many Christian nations” (Deseret News, 10 October 1855, 242, 245). Latter-day Saint appreciation of Muhammad’s role in history can also be found in the 1978 statement of the First Presidency regarding God’s love for all mankind. This declaration specifically mentions Muhammad as one of “the great religious leaders of the world” who received “a portion of God’s light” and affirms that “moral truths were given to [these leaders] by God to enlighten whole nations and to bring a higher level of understanding to individuals” (Messages of the First Presidency, 15 February 1978).

Does God preserve all his churches and guard them against further apostasy? Why don’t the lesser churches drift into complete apostasy? It is a given that in each of the lesser or “terrestrial” churches there exists some inaccurate or false doctrines. There are also spiritual truths. Intuitively, one may suppose, and I think rightly so, that if they were purely “churches of men”—that is, devoid of divine stabilizing influences—they would inevitably drift further and further into apostasy with the passage of time. Without the intervention of God, through his Spirit, what is there to prevent such deterioration? Do you suppose the world’s major religions—both Christian and non-Christian—are preserved and prevented from inevitable apostasy by God?

It seems likely that not only did the Lord have a role in the inception of all of the world’s major religions, but he intervenes to prevent spiritual deterioration. Those who administer and lead in these religions are generally men blessed with God’s inspiration. Most all of them have their own scripture that was God inspired when it was written, and it functions as a spiritual anchor for its adherents. Examples, among others, include the Old Testament, the New Testament, the Talmud, and the Qur’an. All of these afford stabilizing influences that prevent further apostasy. They allow their believers to continue to hold to some false or partially true doctrines, and some true doctrines, and they allow their belief systems to remain stable.

Will lesser churches lead some of their adherents to celestial glory? We have discussed previously that at death, each of us is subjected to what Joseph F. Smith taught is a “partial judgment.” That is, at death each of us is placed in a state called paradise or in another state in the spiritual world sometimes called “spirit prison.” For those privileged to be assigned to paradise, their probationary state is over. This is not to say they are perfect—exactly like the Savior. They will continue to progress both in paradise and in the celestial heaven. “And then shall it come to pass, that the spirits of those who are righteous are received into a state of happiness, which is called paradise, a state of rest, a state of peace, where they shall rest from all their troubles and from all care, and sorrow” (Alma 40:12). They will not, however, fall to a lower state. They will inherit a celestial body at the resurrection. It is obvious that the righteous, departed spirits in paradise are free of worldly troubles, the vicissitudes of life, and the shackles of a corrupt and infirm body. These spirits will enjoy the vigor and enthusiasm characteristic of them in their prime of life. Their mortal trial is over. They are sealed up to inherit eternal life in the celestial kingdom. They will not simply rest, however. Rather, they will be involved in the work of the Lord, particularly in bringing succor to those souls in spirit prison.

Robert L. Millet and Joseph Fielding McConkie wrote:

The time of testing and trial is not without its limits and bounds; the day of probation must end. The pre-earth life was a time of schooling, of trials, and of tests. Its inhabitants had agency, and were required to “choose good or evil.” Those choosing good found it necessary to exercise “exceedingly great faith” to survive the challenges of that existence (Alma 13:3-4). It was a probationary estate, one in which “a third part of the hosts of heaven” were cast out and became perdition, or hopelessly lost. These will not be born into mortality, will never clothe their spirits in bodies, and will never obtain any degree of glory.

Those who kept their first estate will be born into mortality, where trials and tests will continue. Of their number, those who have the privilege of accepting the gospel, and who do so—honoring their covenants and enduring in faith—will at death be escorted into the paradise of God, the day of their probation being complete. None such can fall, none such can lose the sure promises of eternal life which are now theirs, the day of their probation being past. They departed “mortal life, firm in the hope of a glorious resurrection, through the grace of God the Father and his Only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ” (D&C 138:14). Abraham taught these principles in this language: “And they who keep their first estate shall be added upon and they who keep not their first estate shall not have glory in the same kingdom with those who keep their first estate; and they who keep their second estate shall have glory added upon their heads for ever and ever” (Abraham 3:26) (The Life Beyond, 62).

But how is the Lord able to render this “partial judgment” to each and every individual? Most have not had an opportunity to receive the message of Jesus Christ. Many have not even heard mention of his name. By what criteria is the Lord able to adequately judge each individual? Does this mortal experience actually provide the Lord with sufficient “evidence” or information he can use to adequately and fairly judge each person?

Modern scripture provides us a plausible formula by which the Lord may issue the partial judgment to each and every individual with complete fairness. The prophet Joseph Smith was blessed by the Lord with a vision of the celestial kingdom. Joseph was surprised to find there his older brother Alvin who had died prior to the restoration of the Aaronic priesthood, and thus prior to any authorized baptism and prior to having an opportunity to become a member of the Lord’s earthly kingdom:

I saw Father Adam and Abraham; and my father and my mother; my brother Alvin, that has long since slept; And marveled how it was that he had obtained an inheritance in that kingdom, seeing that he had departed this life before the Lord had set his hand to gather Israel the second time, and had not been baptized for the remission of sins. Thus came the voice of the Lord unto me, saying: All who have died without a knowledge of this gospel, who would have received it if they had been permitted to tarry, shall be heirs of the celestial kingdom of God; Also all that shall die henceforth without a knowledge of it, who would have received it with all their hearts, shall be heirs of that kingdom; For I, the Lord, will judge all men according to their works, according to the desire of their hearts (D&C 137:5-9).

It is entirely plausible that the Lord may judge all of humankind at the end of their mortal life regardless of their experience, the duration of their stay in mortality, and whether or not they heard or accepted the gospel. He knows all things. In particular he knows each of us intimately. He can judge mankind, because he knows perfectly the thoughts and intentions of the human heart: “Yea, I tell thee, that thou mayest know that there is none else save God that knowest thy thoughts and the intents of thy heart” (D&C 6:16). As stated previously, the phrases “desire of their hearts” and “the intents of thy heart” do not refer to a man’s preferences. Rather, they refer to what the man truly is in his heart.

This mortal life is the probationary state. “For behold, this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God; yea, behold the day of this life is the day for men to perform their labors” (Alma 34:32). But is this fair? Can each and every mortal really be expected to present to the Lord evidence of his or her inclination to recognize and adhere to spiritual truth? After all, it is not the inclination of any man to act without reason or behave in a certain way without some motive or rationale. Are there influences in this world that might provide each and every individual some motivation to seek spiritual truth? Let me suggest three:

1. The most basic source of motivation is the light or Spirit of Christ (see Moroni 7:16 and D&C 93:2). This small amount of light or responsiveness to the Spirit of God accompanies every man into this world. It is an “entitlement.” It doesn’t have to be earned. The Spirit of Christ engenders, within the breast of each man, a subtle yearning for something beyond this life, something more soul-satisfying than the events and accomplishments of this world. More specifically, the Spirit of Christ produces a longing for and responsiveness to Jesus Christ and his teachings. The Lord’s teachings ring true, though that ringing may be soft and distant. This influence within each of us may be thought of as a small gift of the Spirit given freely, lovingly, and optimistically to every man. It is indeed a free gift of belief. It may serve us as our initial inclination, and perhaps our only inclination, to obey righteous principles.

There is yet another important aspect of the Spirit of Christ within each individual. The Spirit of Christ possessed by each child of God is different from that of all other individuals. The reason is that each person was a unique individual in the preexistence, primarily because of the differing levels of spiritual progress he achieved there. The Spirit of Christ is a reminder to each child of God who he was and the attributes he came to possess in premortality. It encourages each mortal to remain true to his premortal self. It functions for each soul as a standard of behavior. Each person here on earth is inclined to seek after the level of spiritual performance we achieved in the pre-existence. Each has a unique inclination toward righteous behavior.

Let us also be reminded that the blessing of the Spirit of Christ is also a potential cursing. The light of Christ is a stewardship for which each individual will be held responsible. If we find ourselves inclined toward spiritual things, then we had better seek for them! “For of him unto whom much is given much is required; and he who sins against the greater light shall receive the greater condemnation” (D&C 82:3).

2. To the Spirit of Christ, we may add the testimonies, written or spoken, of the Lord’s inspired servants as they bear witness of spiritual truths. Their testimonies are powerful, potential motivators of others. A particular servant may know all or only part of the Lord’s gospel. He may or may not be associated with the Lord’s earthly kingdom. Spiritual truths may be spoken by leaders of all religious persuasions, Christian or non- Christian. Each will provide leadership and spiritual succor to a segment of earth’s mortals.

3. Testimonies of truth may also come in non-verbal forms. A man’s curiosity and interest may be piqued as he contemplates the universe, as he ponders the unmistakable order found in the nature of things, or as he senses the hand of God in the affairs of men. The Lord said unto Adam, “all things are created and made to bear record of me, both things which are temporal, and things which are spiritual” (Moses 6:63).

Regardless of their form, testimonies of truth and the associated influence of the Spirit may resonate with the Spirit of Christ within the hearer. We may refer to the subtle promptings available to every man from these three sources as “whispered testimonies,” as they serve as subtle influences on the soul of every man. Collectively, these enable every individual to “hear” the word of God.

Clearly, the Lord expects these whispered testimonies to arouse at least the spiritual curiosity of every man. While their effects may be subtle, the Lord expects them to produce some positive response that can be built upon.

If an individual who reaches the end of his mortal sojourn has accepted Christ and his gospel and has diligently strived to keep the commandments, he will be assigned, at the partial judgment, to paradise. If he would have accepted Christ and his gospel had he been given sufficient opportunity, and if he has made maximum use of the resources available to him, he will also be assigned to paradise. At this vital partial judgment the Lord sees perfectly. He will judge each according to his individual mortal experience. If the Lord judges an individual’s heart and finds him deficient in celestial qualities, he will be assigned to spirit prison. From there, he will eventually receive that eternal reward befitting who he really is. He will spend eternity where he will everlastingly fit in and be comfortable and happy. It is clear, then, that the Lord’s perfect perception of the “heart” and “desires” of each individual allows him to judge each of us with perfect accuracy and fairness, regardless of our experiences here on earth. For a more complete discussion of the Lord’s partial judgment, see “Precisely Who Will Be Found Worthy of Paradise” in The Spirit World, volume 2, chapter 13 of Ye Shall Know of the Doctrine.

Do you suppose there are some among the many non-Christian churches of the world and among the Protestants or Catholics that are sealed up to eternal life at their deaths? Are there some among them who have lived such dedicated and charitable lives that they will be judged worthy of paradise? Of course there are, and of course there have been. I have no doubt that many individuals in all religions of the world, and perhaps some outside any organized religion, will be judged, at their deaths, worthy of celestial glory. These will have lived out their lives guided only by their own particular religions and by the other spiritual influences, including the spirit of Christ, available to all mankind. The Lord will look into their hearts and judge them as if they had heard the fulness of the gospel. If they are truly celestial individuals, then they will be exalted (D&C 137:5-9).

Now, remember that some of these may never have even heard the name Jesus Christ. They will not associate the spiritual truths they espouse with the name Jesus Christ. How, then, could they possibly be exalted? We are judged not so much on how much we have avowed the name of Jesus Christ but on how intimately our hearts, our souls, our very lives align with his. Each of us will be judged on exactly who and what we are, not on who we say we are or think we are. On being exposed to Jesus Christ and his teachings, those who have intuitively espoused his doctrines will immediately recognize him, acknowledge him as God, and fall on their knees and worship him.

It is also logical that most members of the “terrestrial churches” will live true to their deeply ingrained inclinations—their terrestrial dispositions. If they diligently obey the commandments they learn in their churches, they will inherit at least the terrestrial glory. There, they will be happy for all eternity. They will live in a magnificent heaven that will exceed that which was taught by their churches. They will be ministered to by one member of the Godhead—even Jesus Christ—the one God they had always imagined would be there.

The prophet Joseph taught:

While one portion of the human race is judging and condemning the other without mercy, the Great Parent of the universe looks upon the whole of the human family with a fatherly care and paternal regard; He views them as His offspring, and without any of the contracted feelings that influence the children of men, causes “His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.” He holds the reins of judgment in His hands; He is a wise Lawgiver, and will judge all men, not according to the narrow, contracted notions of men, but, “according to the deeds done in the body whether they be good or evil,” or whether these deeds were done in England, America, Spain, Turkey, or

India. He will judge them, “not according to what they have not, but according to what they have,” those who have lived without law, will be judged without law, and those who have a law, will be judged by that law. We need not doubt the wisdom and intelligence of the Great Jehovah; He will award judgment or mercy to all nations according to their several deserts, their means of obtaining intelligence, the laws by which they are governed, the facilities afforded them of obtaining correct information, and His inscrutable designs in relation to the human family; and when the designs of God shall be made manifest, and the curtain of futurity be withdrawn, we shall all of us eventually have to confess that the Judge of all the earth has done right” (TPJS, 218).

We all understand the role of apostasy in the establishment of Catholic and Protestant churches. We must also readily acknowledge the influences of the Lord in the past and present of all of these churches including the inspired reformers. There are many good and inspired men who adhere to and lead these religions. It is worth repeating that many good Catholics and Protestants are fully of celestial ilk and will be so judged by the Lord. They will be exalted.

#Ecumenism

A substantial faction of religionists in the world today suggests that all churches lead to heaven. These claim that no one church is better than any another. Churches are just different. Eventually all religious paths will converge. Therefore, any one individual is quite as eternally safe in any one church as in any other. We may refer to this philosophy as ecumenism. The movement is ecumenical. It is also the “parallel-” or “converging-path-to-heaven” philosophy.

The reader is now armed to view and understand this concept in its proper perspective. We may conclude that there is real substance in this belief. Indeed, this religious philosophy is entirely correct when the object of eternal striving is the terrestrial heaven.

Some ecumenicals reject non-Christian religions as qualifying for the “converging-path” concept. They maintain the absolute necessity of acknowledging Jesus Christ and his atoning sacrifice. They hold to such biblical passages as “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned” (Mark 16:16). We LDS do acknowledge that each and every individual who qualifies for any degree of salvation—whether they have lived out their mortal life in a Christian or non-Christian church—will, in the spirit world, be taught of Christ and will unqualifiedly accept him, his atonement, and his doctrines. In other words, they will be converted to Jesus Christ and his gospel. Eventually, all will be judged and placed in that eternal glory where they belong and where they will be happy. All those who spend mortality worshipping in a non-Christian church will participate fully in this process. All God’s children will be ultimately judged based upon the same criteria.

The notion that all churches are equal presupposes that the one true church of Jesus Christ actually does not exist anywhere. However, the New Testament teaches of “one Lord, one faith, one baptism” and speaks of “[all coming] in the unity of the faith” (Ephesians 4:5, 13). Paul also taught in 1 Corinthians 1:10: “Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.” Peter taught the same principle when he said in 1 Peter 3:8, “Finally, be ye all of one mind.” Peter also taught of a “restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began” (Acts 3:21).

Latter-day Saints have been bitterly persecuted for holding to the doctrine of “only [one] true and living church upon the face of the whole earth” (D&C 1:30). We did not invent the doctrine of the only true church. It came from the Lord. Whatever perception others have of us, however presumptuous we appear to be, whatever criticism may be directed to us, we must teach it to all who will listen. The position, that our Church is the only true and living Church upon the face of the earth, is fundamental. It is not merely an admission, it is a positive declaration. It is so fundamental that we cannot yield on this point. Perhaps it would be more convenient or palatable or popular to avoid it. Because it is the truth we are under an obligation, a sacred obligation, to hold to it. To those who think us uncharitable, we say that this truth was not devised by us, but declared by him.

#Need for Mutual Respect in Interfaith Relations

We in the Church have been repeatedly counseled that kindness and mutual respect ought to characterize all our relationships with people in other churches. There is obviously much spiritual truth in all faiths. President Gordon B. Hinckley has consistently advocated dialogue and mutual respect in interfaith relations. He admonished members of the Church to cultivate “a spirit of affirmative gratitude” for those of differing religious, political, and philosophical persuasions, adding that “we do not in any way have to compromise our theology” in the process. He gave this counsel: “Be respectful of the opinions and feelings of other people. Recognize their virtues; don’t look for their faults. Look for their strengths and their virtues, and you will find strength and virtues that will be helpful in your own life” (in Sheri Dew’s Go Forward with Faith: The Biography of Gordon B. Hinckley, 536, 576). The prophet Joseph exhorted Church members to “gather all the good and true principles in the world and treasure them” (TPJS, 316).

While we have concluded that we LDS are blessed to possess the most complete version of the gospel of Jesus Christ available on the earth today, it is vital to keep in mind that most all other religions teach many spiritual truths beneficial to their adherents. They are not evil and can rightly claim divine influences in their origins and current administrations. Doubtless, all of these religions are capable of spiritually lifting their adherents—even some to the celestial heaven.

This conclusion comes with a vital caveat. We must never smugly claim we have the “only true Church” without being reminded that this great blessing comes with a solemn obligation. “For of him unto whom much is given much is required; and he who sins against the greater light shall receive the greater condemnation” (D&C 82:3). The “fulness” of the gospel to which we have access can spiritually lift us farther and faster than others. But the Lord will surely expect more of us than he does of others.