How Can You Know What is True?

[seekinghim]

Have you ever read testimonies from other religions? Look at this one from an FLDS Church member (I posted it below). I believe the teachings of this religion are SO messed up, so why would this person feel such conviction and such peace? I know you may say that this person's own emotions got in the way, but in that case, how are we supposed to know what is true? How am I supposed to know that the peace and love I feel now for Jesus Christ are not just "my own emotions getting in the way"? How could God blame us for choosing the wrong path if we feel things like the following?

I came from Mormonism where we are taught that we will feel things like the following that tell us Mormonism is true, and I did as a Mormon, but the following testimony is not from a Mormon and she feels the same things I did as a Mormon. These days I feel peace and love and a strong desire to do anything Jesus Christ wants me to do and I'm glad to be free from the chains of Mormonism, but I'm still confused as to why God allows it to be so darn confusing.

"A wonderful thing happened once we arrived in Manti. I felt all of my misgivings, anxiety, mistrust just melt away as immediately as we arrived here. A calm peacefulness filled me (incidentally, filling the void I'd been trying to fill for five months) and gave me rest from the trials I had suffered through. My great mistrust of my husband (that is, of his knowledge) was replaced with trust and I allowed him to teach me, finally. I forgot all about trying to prove TLC wrong. From that point on, I discovered so much truth! I was like a sponge, soaking it all in. Choosing what to believe was not an issue, the truth just seemed to speak to my soul and I knew it was true. I didn't have an ounce of doubt in my whole body. Every fiber of my being knew and recognized the truth and I only wanted to know more. I believed it with all of my heart. I knew the Holy Ghost was bearing witness of truth and I knew the same would happen concerning the Lord's Servant, James D. Harmston.

And it did. The Holy Ghost bore witness to me that He is indeed the Lord's Servant on earth at this time, He has been divinely appointed to lead and direct the Father's elect at this time. Every time I am in the same room when Jim is teaching, I receive the witness of heaven that he is indeed who he says he is and that what he is teaching is most certainly true. I testify to you that I never had the witness of heaven telling me Gordon B. Hinckley was a true prophet. I have been full of emotion at times and at times, I have been filled with the Spirit of God and I tell you, they are two different things. That is something I didn't know before I came here.

I can and do testify that Jesus is the Christ, that He lives! I have felt the indescribable joy and love that emanates from Him. I know that any man who has been in the presence of the Savior, would declare repentance and baptism to all that would hear him, for the sole purpose of bringing those who are willing into the Savior's presence. I know that Jim is a true prophet, by the witness of heaven burned into my soul and because his works prove it. He spends his life seeking to bring others into the presence of the Savior. Anyone who has truly felt the Savior's love would seek to share it with all who will be worthy to receive it. Jim speaks, teaches, exhorts, and lives his life as one having authority. This truth has been burned into my soul over and over again. I testify to you that Gordon B. Hinckley is leading the LDS church with all of its members in a false hope of Christ. Those LDS members cannot come into the presence of the Savior in this lifetime while they continue to follow a false prophet. GBH does not teach how to come into the presence of the Savior, which requires obedience to ALL the ordinances of the House of the Lord. I know that the fullness of the gospel as restored through Joseph Smith is true with every fiber of my being. I know that the fullness of the gospel is not taught in the LDS church. I know that the ordinances offered in LDS temples have been changed despite Joseph Smith's warning to keep them the same as they ever have been. I know that Joseph Smith taught his people to receive their calling and election ordinances and that these ordinances were to be ratified by the Savior. That can no longer be accomplished in the LDS Church. I know that those who diligently study LDS Church history will find the essentials of the gospel that have been lost. And a diligent study will bring you here, if you desire truth. The truth is here and the Spirit of God will back it up."

 

[WIP]

Satan is a master at deception. The best answer I can give is "faith." Read the word of God - the Holy Bible, meditate on the message, get to know Jesus, and open your heart, mind, and soul to the Holy Spirit and He will speak to you and you will know as well as believe.

 

[Deborah13]

When I studied with the Mormon missionaries over a period of about three months, I was able to show them from comparing the Book of Mormon to the Old Testament that what they were being taught did not agree. Then I gave them the Gospel from the New Testament scriptures and that really confused them when compared to what they had been taught.
They did not have an answer to what I showed them. They went back to the elders. They elders forbid them to come to my house anymore and sent an elder from another town to my house. I showed him the same things. He told me that he had been raised Baptist and if I could prove to him that the Rapture would happen before the Tribulation, he would return to the Baptist church. Now I was confused because I had never said anything at all about end times doctrine.
He could not provide answers either. I never heard from any of them again and it's been almost 30 yrs. now.
Their teachings are not supported by the very KJV of the Bible that they say they use.

So forget about feelings and search the Word of God for your answers.

 

[Doulos Iesou]

Satan is a master at deception. The best answer I can give is "faith." Read the word of God - the Holy Bible, meditate on the message, get to know Jesus, and open your heart, mind, and soul to the Holy Spirit and He will speak to you and you will know as well as believe.

The struggle for someone who comes from Mormonism, is the question of "why not just have faith that Mormonism is true?"

A person needs to have a justification for their faith, as it isn't just blind belief, but absolute trust in a God who has proven his faithfulness.

 

[WIP]

I might not have been clear enough but I did say the following....Read and meditate on the word of God and open your mind and heart to the Holy Spirit. As Deborah pointed out, the heresy will become apparent. So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Romans 10:17

 

[Malachi]

If you have not done so already, read The Changing World of Mormonism by Jerald and Sandra Tanner (former Mormons and descendants of Brigham Young), published by Moody Press.

 

[Kathi]

Read the Bible literally and for what it is intended.Know Jesus Christ.Many of the cults deny Jesus Christ as the Son of God.

 

[Chopper]

Whenever I talk with a cultist, I center my questions and remarks around the Blood of Jesus Christ. The blood of a created being is not acceptable for the remission of sin, only the Blood of the Christ is acceptable because it is perfect Blood.

 

[seekinghim]

I may be answering my own question with this post, because I've been thinking a lot about it. In Mormonism I occasionally felt the love of God which I know now I mistook for a witness that Mormonism was true. Now that the cobwebs of Mormonism are gone I feel the love of God much stronger and much more steady. I think He meets us where we are at to a point, but can only do so much when we are stuck in the wrong place, unwilling to move.

He has given us a way to know the truth, His Word, which is more reliable than feelings that come and go, just like many of you have said already and has even warned against false prophets. But I believe He will still reveal His love to those who seek Him, even if they are in a cloudy place at the moment.

Thank you all for getting me thinking!

 

[Shimshon]

Yes Lord! I think he's getting it!

 

[seekinghim]

Yes Lord! I think he's getting it!

Thanks for your support! I'm a woman btw ;) guess it is time to upload a pic.

 

[Shimshon]

Thanks for your support! I'm a woman btw ;) guess it is time to upload a pic.

Did I say I was blind? I'm sorry. Wow, I actually heard the Lord tell me to check that when I typed that. I forgot to. Sigh......still learning after all these years! No need for a pic, the female symbol is displayed as your avatar........ did I say I was blind? :D

 

[YosefHayim]

Satan masquerades as light 2 Corinthians 11:14

Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. 1 John 4:1

Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son. 1 John 2:22

For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Romans 1:20

The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. Revelation 19:10

 

[Nintentacle]

Read the Bible, and study the claims of people of other beliefs from an evidence stand-point (Both from the perspective of proof and disproof)/

 

[Edward]

Have you ever read testimonies from other religions? Look at this one from an FLDS Church member (I posted it below). I believe the teachings of this religion are SO messed up, so why would this person feel such conviction and such peace? I know you may say that this person's own emotions got in the way, but in that case, how are we supposed to know what is true? How am I supposed to know that the peace and love I feel now for Jesus Christ are not just "my own emotions getting in the way"? How could God blame us for choosing the wrong path if we feel things like the following?

I came from Mormonism where we are taught that we will feel things like the following...

Nowhere in scripture are we instructed to seek the truth through feelings.
If we cannot know right from wrong by following our feelings, how can we know? It was exactly to meet this need that God gave us the Bible, the Scriptures.

Consider these passages:
Romans 10:17 - Faith comes from hearing and hearing by the Word of God. Faith does not come by feelings or by praying for emotional experiences.

Psalms 119:105 - God'sword is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. The Bible (not feelings) shows to us the proper way to go. (Cf. Psalm 19:7-11.)

Acts 17:2,3 - How did the apostles convince people what is right or wrong? Did they say to pray for a feeling of peace and assurance? Did they arrange emotional meetings with exciting music, shouting, clapping, and prayers at the mourners' bench? No. They just reasoned with people from the Scriptures! (See also Acts 28:23; 18:28; 17:17; 18:4,19; 19:8,9; 24:25.)

1 Peter 3:15- We too should persuade people, not by telling them to follow their emotions, but by giving them reasons: evidence from God's word.

John 20:29-31 -The Scriptures were written to provide the evidence people need in order to believe and be saved. Bible writers did miracles to prove their message was from God, but now their message and eyewitness testimony of their miracles is recorded in Scripture. So we do not need to see miracles today; we believe on the basis of the testimony in the written word.

Acts 17:11 - To know whether or not some teaching is true, we should search the Scriptures daily, not pray for an emotional experience.

Galatians 1:8,9; 1 John 4:1,6; 2 John 9-11 - Many false prophets are in the world. How do we know who speaks the truth? Not by feelings, but by comparing what men teach to the true gospel recorded in the New Testament.

2 Timothy 3:13-17- The Scriptures are the guide God provided so we can avoid being deceived. What we need is, not an emotional experience, but a knowledge of the Scriptures that teach, correct, instruct, and provide us to all good works. (Cf. 4:1-4.)

1 John 2:3-6- How can we know whether we know God and are in fellowship with Him? Not by emotions, but by whether or not we keep His commands. And the commands are recorded in the Scriptures - 1 Corinthians14:37 (cf. 1John 3:7-10).

This is why the Bible so frequently tells us to study diligently and meditate on God's word - 2 Timothy 2:15; Joshua 1:7,8; John 8:31,32; Psalm 1:1,2; 119:11,42-48,97-99. People go into error, not because they lack an emotional experience, but because they lack knowledge of the Scriptures (Matthew 22:29; Romans 10:1-3; Hosea 4:6).

 

[Doulos Iesou]

I may be answering my own question with this post, because I've been thinking a lot about it. In Mormonism I occasionally felt the love of God which I know now I mistook for a witness that Mormonism was true. Now that the cobwebs of Mormonism are gone I feel the love of God much stronger and much more steady. I think He meets us where we are at to a point, but can only do so much when we are stuck in the wrong place, unwilling to move.

He has given us a way to know the truth, His Word, which is more reliable than feelings that come and go, just like many of you have said already and has even warned against false prophets. But I believe He will still reveal His love to those who seek Him, even if they are in a cloudy place at the moment.

Thank you all for getting me thinking!

Special Revelation (Scripture) and Natural Revelation (God's Universe), are both great ways to find out truth, when rightfully observed and interpreted.

 

[smaller]

Special Revelation (Scripture) and Natural Revelation (God's Universe), are both great ways to find out truth, when rightfully observed and interpreted.

When it comes to imaginations I do rather prefer my own than those of others...:yes

 

[Chopper]

I may be answering my own question with this post, because I've been thinking a lot about it. In Mormonism I occasionally felt the love of God which I know now I mistook for a witness that Mormonism was true. Now that the cobwebs of Mormonism are gone I feel the love of God much stronger and much more steady. I think He meets us where we are at to a point, but can only do so much when we are stuck in the wrong place, unwilling to move.

He has given us a way to know the truth, His Word, which is more reliable than feelings that come and go, just like many of you have said already and has even warned against false prophets. But I believe He will still reveal His love to those who seek Him, even if they are in a cloudy place at the moment.

Thank you all for getting me thinking!

seekinghim, I for one am so blessed by your experience. Coming out of a cult religion is no little matter to overcome. Bravo, Friend Bravo!