Update on Blog Status

Hey all,

Reason For Absence 

I've realized I haven't been active on this blog since last May. Life has been the main reason for my absence as well as some other projects that are taking up my time (not to mention being a new dad).

However, I still plan on posting more posts in the future. My original intent was to complete the series on how the read the scriptures. However, it appears that the Lord has different plans in mind.

Besides school, work, and life (in general), I've actively been writing a book on how to read the scriptures. This is where a lot of my time and attention has gone. I'm not sure when I'll have the book completed, but it'll likely be before summer (at the latest). I'm about finished with the rough draft. Once finished, I'll do a few edits to ensure there are little to no typos. Although I can't make any promises, as no matter how hard I edit and review my work, I always discover typos. The only problem is that I'm a one-man operation. Since I'm not writing this through a publisher, but am going doing it independently, I am the writer, editor, and publisher all in one. Since there is to division of labor, this process is anything but efficient. But in the end, regardless of how polished the final product is, It will be worthwhile to read for those who are wanting to improve their scripture study or who feel that the scriptures lack richness and want to do something about it.

My intent for the book, much like my posts, is to be an introductory guide on how to read the scriptures. However, the book will be more in-depth and expansive than my blog posts. In the book, my goal is to provide tools and insights that are valuable in reading and understanding the scriptures. Many of us assume that reading the scriptures is akin to reading the newspaper or pop fiction.

However, this is not the case and instead to get the most of the scriptures requires practice and skill. The scriptures are communicating nature of God, which is complex and intricate. Accessing that information requires us to understand how language works and how grammatical rules serve to give language its meaning. It also requires us to approach with the scriptures with an open-mind, where we seek to be taught and corrected, instead of having our beliefs reinforced.

Because many of us haven't been taught how to read the scriptures or have not taken advanced literature classes, which teach how to read and interpret language, the task of teaching this to a general audience has been difficult. But my hope is to teach the skills which has taken many years to learn. The book is not comprehensive, but I hope it'll be enough to set those who are interested on the right course.

Thanks to outside help from friends and family, I'm planning on providing a free PDF copy and also selling the book on Amazon at the cost of print.

Future Plans 

With that in mind, here are my plans for the future:

Because I've decided to devote my efforts to a book, I've figured that finishing my series on how to read the scriptures would be redundant, since my book will cover everything and more. Therefore, I'm going to discontinue that series and focus my efforts elsewhere.

Although I've been busy, I've learned a lot over the past 7 months and I hope to share my insights with you all. The gospel is truly delicious and the scriptures are rich with insight and truth that'll invariably make on wiser in the knowledge of God.

I'm looking forward to sharing those insights with you all.

Reading the Scriptures Anew--Part 2: Ramifications of Misinterpreting Scriptures

Reading the Scriptures Anew--Part 2: Ramifications of Misinterpreting Scriptures 

Recap, if You Need a Refresher: 

In the previous post, I focused on how to interpret the scriptures. While the tips I provided are not hard-and-fast rules, they provide a helpful starting point in extracting valuable information from the scriptures. 

To review, I provided two basic tools: 1) Identifying the purpose of the writer and 2) Identifying the theme of the text.  Each of these tools should be viewed like tools in a mechanics toolbox. Just as a mechanic or technician uses a hammer or a screwdriver for the task at hand, the interpretative tools should be use in the same way. More importantly, some texts lend themselves better to one tool over the other. For example, tool (1) is very helpful for texts dealing with textual structure and composition.

Nevertheless, that's not to say that tool (2) is not applicable. After all, Mormon's editorial and abridgment work is done towards the end of civilization, thereby giving him a better understanding of God's interaction and workings with the Nephite nation. Mormon was able to reflect this throughout his composition, possibly arranging the existing records to create a unifying theme. In any case, the purpose of the previous post was to introduce you to possible interpretive methods. 

In this post, I would like to step-back a bit and discuss the the reason why interpreting the scriptures correctly (or at least more correctly) is important. 

Introduction 

Before we can learn about techniques for interpreting the scripture, we first need to look at what is at stake when it comes to scripture reading. Although most of us don’t think about it, reading scriptures should be a practice that is taken with solemnity and soberness. When we engage in the practice of scripture reading, we are participating in truth seeking. Therefore, when read the scriptures, we should intend to learn truth from the Lord. 

After his experience in Liberty Jail, Joseph Smith described how we connect with God. He writes, 

... The things of God are of deep import; and time, and experience, and careful and ponderous and solemn thoughts can only find them out. Thy mind, O man! if thou wilt lead a soul unto salvation, must stretch as high as the utmost heavens, and search into and contemplate the darkest abyss, and the broad expanse of eternity—thou must commune with God. How much more dignified and noble are the thoughts of God, than the vain imaginings of the human heart! (Teaching of the Prophet Joseph Smith) 

If our scripture study consists of reading out of obligation, to spend 15 or so minutes reading to read because it is expected of us, without any intent to discover truth, it is wasted time. If we haven’t gleaned some new insight, then our scripture study is not productive and should be adjusted. 

After all, to commune with God requires diligence and desire. To "lead a mind unto salvation" is not a halfhearted experience, but instead requires one to sacrifice time to learn about the things of God. Or Joseph Smith's words, it requires a searching and contemplation of the expanses of eternity. By looking up in the night sky and into the vast expanse of stars in the universe, you will get a sense of what Joseph Smith means. God's glory consists in the organizing and governing of all that your eyes can see. This is the knowledge of God. These are His mysteries. And this can't be conveyed in a bit-sized, quick 15 min reading of the scriptures. Rather, it requires time and patience, learning by precept upon precept. This is why a quick or inconsistent scripture study won't work -- it doesn't provide enough time to understand the mysteries of God. 

Losing Light 

The Lord in D&C 93 taught some important truths concerning our existence. 

He taught, 

24 And truth is knowledge of things as they are, and as they were, and as they are to come; 25 And whatsoever is more or less than this is the spirit of that wicked one who was a liar from the beginning.

... 

27 And no man receiveth a fulness [of truth] unless he keepeth his commandments. 28 He that keepeth his commandments receiveth truth and light, until he is glorified in truth and knoweth all things.

... 

37 Light and truth forsake that evil one.

... 

39 And that wicked one (Satan) cometh and taketh away light and truth, through disobedience, from the children of men, and because of the tradition of their fathers. (D&C 93: 24-39). Clarification Added. 

In seeking after the knowledge of God (light and truth), we must remember that there is opposition in all things. Therefore, the knowledge of eternal truths does not come without the Adversary trying to deceive us. This is why Paul in his letter to the Thessalonians instructed them to "Prove all things; hold fast that which is good." (1 Thess 5:21).

Sadly, losing light is a reality. And because our salvation is predicated upon obtaining light and truth, Satan wants to interfere and disrupt that process. As verse 39 points out, he can do this either by 1) getting us to be disobedient to the light and truth we have received or 2) getting us to adopt or believe in false traditions -- i.e., the traditions of our fathers. Either one of these results in the taking away of light and truth. And losing light means that our knowledge of God diminishes. Much like a muscle that atrophies after non-use.

Nevertheless, because the Lord is merciful and loving, he will provide us a way to acquire as much truth and light as we can. Alma explains,

... It is given unto many to know the mysteries of God; nevertheless they are laid under a strict command that they shall not impart [but] only according to the portion of his word which he doth grant unto the children of men, according to the heed and diligence which they give unto him. (Alma 12:9). Emphasis and annotations added. 

Based on our heed and diligence, the Lord is willing to give us light and truth (or mysteries) concerning God. This is given to use based on on the portion of the word we seek after.

The word is knowledge. It is light. We all have a portion of this by virtue of being on this earth. Some have lots, some have little. Some are adept at mining out truth, others not. But regardless of our status, like a miner, mining for gold, the Lord has provided various tools to help us extract out truth. One of these tools is the scriptures. 

Power of the Scriptures 

This is what the scriptures can do: 

In speaking to his son, Alma the Younger explained to his son the importance of the scriptures. He explains: 

8 And now, it has hitherto been wisdom in God that these things should be preserved; for behold, they have 1) enlarged the memory of this people, yea, and 2) convinced many of the error of their ways, and 3) brought them to the knowledge of their God unto the salvation of their souls.
9 Yea, I say unto you, were it not for these things that these records do contain, which are on these plates, Ammon and his brethren could not have convinced so many thousands of the Lamanites of the incorrect tradition of their fathers; yea, these records and their words brought them unto repentance; that is, they brought them to the knowledge of the Lord their God, and to rejoice in Jesus Christ their Redeemer. (Alma 37: 8-9. Emphasis and Numbering Added). 

The "these things" refers to the Brass Plates Nephi obtained from Laban. Alma is telling his son that God "preserved" those plates because of their power. They have the power to 1) enlarge one's memory, 2) reveal our errors, and 3) bring us to a knowledge of God -- a knowledge that saves us.

These are wonderful things! And each of these is helpful in gaining light and truth. However, with anything in the Gospel, where there is light there is also darkness. When used correctly, the scriptures are a wonderful tool. However, when used incorrectly, they are damaging because instead of giving us truth, they reinforce falsehoods. 

As mentioned above under the Losing Light section, Satan takes away light from us by getting us to either disobey the truth we have or to adopt false traditions. While both a problematic, I would like to focus on the the second way -- adopting false traditions. 

Defining False Traditions 

Admittedly, the term false traditions is vague. This phrase is often used in the Book of Mormon to refer to the Lamanite's traditions (aka Traditions of the Fathers). And so I imagine when we hear that word, we may limit its application, thinking that it belongs to a specific group. The term, however, is more encompassing as it is applied more broadly in the scripture. 

First, the term tradition can apply to both correct and false practices or systems of thought. (see 2 Thess 2:15 and 2 Thess 3:6 respectively. 

Second, traditions concern a system of thought that contain a set of beliefs (see Alma 9) 

Third, those set of beliefs direct our conduct towards God, and are often disseminated through religious hierarchies. (see Mark 7)

Combining all of this we come up with the following definition: false traditions of the fathers are systems of belief, often perpetuated by religious leaders/hierarchies, that falsely direct our conduct towards God.

The Consequence of Adopting False of Traditions 

While we can probably intuit the consequence of adopting false traditions, our intuition may not be able to fully grasp the scope of its negative consequences. To show what I mean, here are few consequences:

1. Cause a Loss of Light (D&C 93) 
2. Lead us to Destruction (Alma 3) 
3. Prevent Sanctification (D&C 74)
4. Cause us to Transgress God's Commandments (Matthew 15: 3) 

Because of humanity's tendency to believe what is repeated, especially by authority, false traditions serve as a seal on false beliefs. Despite being incorrect the belief is held to be true. And because of this, investigation is not made into its truthfulness. We accept what we are taught not questioning whether it's a true principle. This is important because every day we are exposed to falsehoods and truths. 

But God does not except nor wants us to sift out truth on our own. He has given us the Gift of Discernment and also scriptures to aide us discerning the light from the dark. As mentioned in the previous post, scriptures are a sacred record detailing people's experiences with God. It contains vast amounts of truth and wisdom that is extremely beneficial. 

Explaining the power of scriptures in teaching us knowledge, the Apostle Paul teaches: 

14 But continue thou [Directed to Timothy] in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; 15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. (2 Tim 3:14-17. Emphasis and Annotation Added). 

From this we learn the following about scripture: 

1. Makes us wise unto salvation 

2. Teaches us doctrine by a) reproving us; b) correcting us; and c) instructing us in righteousness

3. Perfects us

This is why God commands us to read the scriptures. Because it teaches us correct doctrine--if we allow it to.  

Being A Member of the LDS Faith Will Not Prevent Deception 

But before moving on, I need to make an important point: no matter who you are, what religion you belong to, or the truth that you think your religion has, you are not protected against deception. 

This is especially true for Latter-Day Saints. I have noticed that many Latter-Day Saints don't stop to question whether the information they believe is correct. I think we assume that because we have a prophet on the earth, that means we are immune to deception. But that kind of thinking is false. In fact, because of the truth we have, we are probably more prone to adopting falsehoods than we realize. Satan, who is the enemy of truth and light, will do whatever he can do prevent from holding on to the truth we have. By claiming to be the only true church, we place a target on our back.

Furthermore, the scriptures show that even the church of God can adopt false traditions. For example, in speaking to his son Coronation, Alma corrects a false understanding that his son and others had about the resurrection. Many during Alma's time had the false belief (tradition) that the restoration of the body and spirit meant the restoring of a person to a state of good regardless of their behavior. Alma corrects this by explaining that the restoration of the body means reunification of the body and soul, not the restoring of the person to a state of happiness. (see Alma 41-42). 

Another example is found in Ezekiel. Although Ezekiel is addressing the Jews, his message is still relevant today. The Jews anciently were set up to be the light of nations, just like the LDS church is today. Furthermore, God called and established both. Anciently, he called Moses. Modernly, he called Joseph Smith. And both are marked by their covenant making with God. Therefore, studying their beliefs and behavior gives an insight into how God's people can adopt false traditions. Viewed from this lens, one will realize how often it happens.  

Ezekiel's (as well as the other prophets') depictions is candid about how Jews strayed. More specifically, the Lord, through Ezekiel, uses allegories and metaphors to illustrate how incorrect their traditions and beliefs were. One major example is how the Jews thought that because of their covenant with God, they would never be exiled. Of course, this was false. But nevertheless, it was a tradition they adopted which caused them to ignore Ezekiel's message. 

Reading Practices that Cause Loss of Light 

While scriptures contain truth and wisdom, they should be treated like fire. Why is that? Because fire can be both beneficial and dangerous. For instance, it can warm a home, smelt iron ore into to steel that is used for buildings and structures. But conversely it can cause massive damage. The smelted iron used to erect a building can turned into steel to create weapons used for destruction and killing. Scriptures are the same: if you used correctly, they are a precious resource in coming to know God. However, if you used incorrectly, they can lead to a loss of light (and if you think this is hyperbole, just look back in history to see the scriptures some people used to justify their attacks against others). 

1. Proof-Texting 

Proof-texting is the practice of using the scriptures to support what you believe instead of using them to correct understanding. This is a problem because it can reinforces our misunderstanding. This is a common practice by many people. When they read the scriptures, or even literature of any kind, they go in with a preconceived notion, interpreting from the text what they want it to say instead of what it really says.  Because it is all too common, it is sometimes hard to tell if we engage in it. However, there are a few ways to tell. 

When having a discussion or disagreement with someone about a theological principle, when the person presents a scripture, do you discount it with another one or do you either 1) pause to see if interpretation is correct or 2) address their verse with yours and show how they are consistent?

After all, “battling” verse against verse undermines the validity of the scriptures, as it pits the scriptures against themselves. Despite possible mistranslations in the Bible, the scriptures contain vast amounts of truths. In fact, they contain more truths than falsehoods. Therefore, when placed in a situation of discussion/disagreement, I suggest honestly considering whether the person's interpretation of the verse is true. Also consider whether it is incomplete or supersedes your knowledge.  

Another way to determine whether you proof-text, ask yourself the following: when you read scriptures, do you go in with an attitude of wanting to be taught (and often corrected) or wanting to have your belief reinforced? For example, when it comes to politics, people often use news and media as resources to support their view, instead of resources to challenge it. This same attitude exists when it comes to reading scripture. Unfortunately, this mentality of wanting to be right is so ubiquitous in society that many miss out on truth. 

To see this in action, let's look at an example. 

Example of proof-texting 

Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord (Deut 6:4) 

I hear this one a lot from people who believe that God and Jesus are the same being. And while they believe that this is evidence for their belief, they ignore other passages that suggest the opposite, as well as evidence outside the scriptures. For example, In the Egyptian Hymn to Amun Re, we find the similar lines as that in Deuteronomy  (...exalted, alone, without likeness). Yet we know historically that that the Egyptians believed in more than one God. By using those words of "exalted," "alone," "without likeness," the Egyptians were making claims about their god’s uniqueness. Therefore, it is possible that the Israelites were meaning the same thing.  

But for people committed to proof-texting, the chose to ignore other passages instead of evaluating evidences or even passages from the scripture to see if they have the wrong belief. Thus, the scriptures become a way to reinforce their view instead of challenging it. The consequence leaves them adopting an incorrect understanding about God, which limits how much they can know him, thus limiting their knowledge. 

2. Interpreting from Current Cultural Context 

Another dangerous practice is interpreting the scriptures from our cultural and historic viewpoint.  Yet, this is not the same as likening the scriptures. To liken the scriptures to ourselves, as Nephi says, is to apply examples of righteous behavior into our own lives. He is not saying to interpret the scriptures according to our worldview. To interpret scriptures from our cultural and historic worldview means to interpret based on our cultural understanding and not the writer's. This is probably the reason why Joseph, before translating the plates, meet with and interacted with Nephite culture. By interacting with it, he had a different cultural framework by which to view and translate the plates.  

When we read the scriptures, we need to try and put ourselves in the mindset or cultural context of its writers. This is not an easy thing, but it must be done. Otherwise, we end up not extracting the truths that the writers sought to teach. After all, the scriptures come from a certain time period. A time period different than ours. Therefore, what they’re writing and the language they use has a certain meaning, a meaning that is intended to convey a truth. By glossing over this, we remove the depth and power of the scriptures. 

Failing to take into account the cultural and historic viewpoint happens all too often. One example was in Sunday school where a person interpreted Christ saying that he is the living water to how our body is mostly water and therefore he is part of us. Though a interesting interpretation, it’s highly unlikely that is what Christ meant. Why? Well for starters, the Jews didn’t have the understanding of biology like we do today. And since Christ is teaching them, he would't have used a reference that they didn’t understand. Instead, the reference to "living water" is tied to a cultural understanding. 

I encourage you to research what it could mean. 

But besides creating misinformation, the practice of  interpreting the scriptures from our viewpoint.  may also cause us to neglect certain scriptures entirely. For instance, many people find the Old Testament difficult to read because of how harsh God appears to be. But the problem is that they are viewing God from their understanding. We have to remember that God teaches according to our understanding. The Old Testament takes place in a violent time period. Many different civilizations fought against each other constantly. God is coming into that, and trying to teach a people, who are accustomed to that the way of life, a better one. And while the Law of Moses may seem harsh, it is actually very merciful compared to the laws of other civilizations at that time. For instance, women were treated far better in the Mosaic law than any other civilization at that time and the Mosaic law is radically progressive in they way it cares for the poor. 

I encourage you to compare the Law of Moses to other Ancient Near Eastern laws and you will find that it is a beautiful law, designed to bring people to Lord, but tailored to a specific time.  

Example 

Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.

We read this verse and think that God only reveals his secrets to his prophets. While we read, we define the word secrets in our terminology; communicating private information. And while there may be some truth, this interpretation is very shallow. Instead, Amos is communicating something deeper. The Hebrew word translated as “secret” is sod. It/s literal definition means secret or confidential plan. However, it is often used in the scriptures to refer to God’s divine council. A council consisting of angels who work and counsel with God. Consequently what Amos really means is that God does nothing unless he reveals his council to the prophet. Thus, a prophet is one who is involved in God’s council.

Having this understand of a cooperate body of rulers assisting God begins to open up the scriptures and God’s nature. It also reveals the characteristic of a prophet. He is one who has participated in God's divine council. By pondering on this and also reading other scriptures which reference the same concept, we begin to understand that God works with prophets by having them engage with him in his plans. We begin to learn more about his nature and how he works among his children on earth. We also realize what being a prophet entails.

Reading in Isolation 


The last counter-productive practice is reading scripture verses in isolation. Just like only watching the middle segment of a movie will distort your full understanding, the same applies to the scriptures — confining your scripture study to verses, without seeing the bigger picture, will severely distort your understanding because it will cause you to reach erroneous conclusions. Let’s look at a common example.

Example

38 What I the Lord have spoken, I have spoken, and I excuse not myself; and though the heavens and the earth pass away, my word shall not pass away, but shall all be fulfilled, whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same. (D&C 1:38) 

This verse is used by many to show that a prophet always speaks the will of the Lord. However, before we come to that conclusion, we need to look at the section as a whole.

To do that, lets first focus on some key phrases to point us in the right direction. We tend to focus on the last phrase, "whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same." But let’s start from the beginning of the verse. In the verse, the Lord is telling us that he has spoken. At this point, a good question to ask is what has he spoken in this section? Looking at the beginning of the section we learn that the Lord is foretelling the future, that the end is nigh, and in response he is sending out his servants for the last time. He then goes on to list all the things that his servants will do and why they are sent. I encourage you to go back and study what he foretells will happen.

So, going back to verse 38, what the Lord has spoken is involving the end-times (broadly). The next thing he says is that his word shall be fulfilled. A question to ask is what does his “word” mean? The scriptures use the “word” to refer to the sayings of the Lord. So the Lord is saying that what he has spoken in the preceding verses (his word), will be fulfilled. Reading the last clause, he then explains how it will be fulfilled — by his own voice or by the voice of his servants.

Therefore, the Lord is not saying that whenever a prophet speaks he is speaking the will of the Lord, instead he is saying that what he has stated in beginning of section 1 will be brought to pass either by his voice of the voice of his servants. And this is because they will have the same will as His.

While this may seem minor, it is not. Often the incorrect interpretation of this verse is used to justify following the prophet and trusting him no matter what. This leads to passively accepting what is taught from the “pulpit” because, using this verse, we reason that what is being said is coming from God and that the prophet always speaks God's will. But as you can see, that is not what the Lord is saying. Section 1 doesn’t come close to permitting us to blindly accept what is taught. Moreover, the scriptures are clear that we are test all things, instead of accepting things blindly.

Conclusion

While truth comes to us in many ways, as discussed in the previous post, scriptures are one important medium truth is disseminated. As discussed, the writer of scripture wrote them to detail his experiences with God. Because of this, we need to work our hardest at trying to uncover what the original writers sought to convey. If not, we are losing light.

Hopefully from these examples we can see why the scriptures need to be read carefully. A misreading could lead us to adopt false beliefs. And when we do so, we lose light and truth. Each of the given practices are common among us today. And as seen, while they may convenient, they can lead to a loss of light and truth. We should therefore be careful in how we approach and read the scriptures. 

Sacrament Talk -- Revelation -- 04/14/19

Introduction 

Toward the mid-point of his ministry, the Savior raised an important question to his disciples. The account records: 

 He asked them, “... whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered  and said Thou art Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.” 

We later read that he “charged his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ.” The prompting of this question and answers seems to be in response to a larger issues -- people were not sure who Jesus Christ was. This may seem surprising for us today, as it is almost clear to us that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. But some historical context is needed before moving on. 

During Christ’s life and before, there were many claiming to be the messiah. In fact, it would not be uncommon for a person living in Jerusalem to see messianic claimants crucified to the cross. It was a common thing. This is the world into which Christ comes. A world where many are claiming to be the messiah of prophecy. Thus, for many, Jesus’ teaching of the coming of the Kingdom of God was probably something all too common. The message may have been new in some areas, but the central claim of Christ being the Son of God, the deliverer of Israel, would have had an all too familiar and common tone. Thus, Christ began His ministry against this backdrop, seeking to call repentance to a world whose ears had probably grown deaf to such a call. 

With that in mind, let’s turn back to the verse quoted earlier. Based on the context just provided, we make the following observations: One, despite all that Christ did, many still did not know who he truly was. Two, God is willing to reveal to us what our eyes can’t discern. 

It is the second observation that I would like to focus on -- the idea of revelation. We learn after Christ’s asking, he charged his disciples to not tell anyone. This is odd. If Christ’s mission is to deliver the captives and preach repentance, why wouldn’t he want his disciples to tell anyone? 

The answer, I believe, lays in the need for personal revelation. In finding for ourselves, through the spirit, the truth of the thing in question, instead of relying on what others say. 

Importance of Revelation 

However, before proceeding any further, it important to understand why revelation is important. To do this, we need to go back to Genesis and humanity’s expulsion from God’s presence. When Adam and Eve were expelled, they had to learn a new way of communicating with God. Unlike their experience in the garden, where God talked with them face-to-face, Adam and Eve were cast into the world, where God’s physical presence was gone. However, Adam and Eve were still able to call upon him by spirit. And through this they received commandments. Such commandments allowed them to begin working their way back toward God. 

This is illustrated in the first commandment that Adam and Eve received which involved the sacrifice of animals. God, from the garden told Adam and Eve to sacrifice. They did so. Later, we read in the Book of Moses that an angel appeared to them and explained the purpose. The account records: 

6 And after many days an angel of the Lord appeared unto Adam, saying: Why dost thou offer sacrifices unto the Lord? And Adam said unto him: I know not, save the Lord commanded me. 7 And then the angel spake, saying: This thing is a similitude of the sacrifice of the Only Begotten of the Father, which is full of grace and truth. 8 Wherefore, thou shalt do all that thou doest in the name of the Son, and thou shalt repent and call upon God in the name of the Son forevermore. (Moses 5: 6-8) 

Both hearing God’s voice and seeing angels are forms of revelation. From this account, we learn that after God revealed the ordinance and an angel appeared to explain the purpose, thereby giving Adam and Eve and an understanding of not only what they were doing, but the plan of redemption. Thus, the revelation served to teach them eternal truths that they couldn't have learned any other way. And this is the one key point: revelation is important because it reveals to us truths, truths that we wouldn’t be able to discover any other way. 

Moreover, it provides guidance. Besides accounting what happened immediately after Adam and Eve, the Book of Moses details how revelation guided Adam and Eve. The account shows that Adam and Eve “ceased not to call upon God.” And because they didn’t, they were guided throughout their life. This is the same for Adam’s posterity that obeyed the Lord, the chapter concludes: 

58 And thus the Gospel began to be preached, from the beginning, being declared by holy angels sent forth from the presence of God, and by his own voice, and by the gift of the Holy Ghost. 59 And thus all things were confirmed unto Adam, by an holy ordinance, and the Gospel preached, and a decree sent forth, that it should be in the world, until the end thereof; and thus it was. Amen.

Revelation was designed so that all could learn of the gospel and their way back to God. 

Definition

The Doctrine and Covenants is a useful starting point in getting a definition. In speaking to Oliver Cowdery, the Lord taught: “Yea, behold, I will tell you in your mind and in your heart, by the Holy Ghost, which shall come upon you and which shall dwell in your heart.” This is verse helpful because it reveals that channels in which revelation is given: the mind and heart. Furthermore, in reading that verse, notice that the Lord does not just say heart or mind separately. Instead revelation occurs to both of these facilities. This is important to note because when we often talk about revelation, we describe it as a feeling. For instance, we say we “felt” the spirit. Or we “felt” that that we should do something. 

Now, I’m aware that for some, when they say “felt”, they may be meaning both feeling and thought. However, for many I believe they associate the spirit with a feeling separate from information communicated to the mind. This is problematic for two reasons: First, God’s knowledge is vast and endless, restricting what he wants to communicate to feelings limits what God can reveal. Second, Because feelings can be manipulated, they are not a reliable way of receiving communication from God. This is not to say, however, that God does not communicate by feelings. I think, at times, he does. Instead, it is to stress that relying on feelings as a way to receive revelation is limiting what God can reveal.

For some this may be shocking, but a quick study of the scriptures reveals the truth of this principle. Let’s look at a few: 

1) Enos

In the Book of Enos, we read of Enos’ desire to receive a remission of his sins. We read his desire was so great that he spent the entire day and night in prayer, crying to the Lord for a remission of his sins. Eventually, the Lord responded. But how did he? By speaking to him. The account states: “And there came a voice unto me, saying: Enos, thy sins are forgiven thee, and thou shalt be blessed.” Yet, instead of stopping there, Enos continues asking the Lord questions, and, in the process learns. If the Lord were to communicate this through feeling alone, than it most likely would have been difficult for Enos to learn what he needed to learn. He learned about how his sins were forgiven. He learned, like Nephi, about the the American land and how it was given to the Nephites. 

Notably, after asking and receiving answers to questions, Enos writes, “And after I, Enos, had heard these words, my faith began to be unshaken in the Lord;” The words communicated to him made his faith unshakable. 

2) Acts

Acts 26 accounts the conversion of Paul. We read that as Paul is making his way to Damascus, he sees a bright light above his head. In the middle of the light, is Christ. Christ calls Paul to repentance and Paul follows. This revelation involved both audible and visual elements. Furthermore, it is unlikely that Paul would have repent if the revelation was merely through feelings. 

3) Nephi 

In seeking to understand his father’s dream, Nephi asked for revelation. The Lord responded. And what resulted was a revelation that spanned the time from his family to the end of times. If Nephi did not have this type of revelation it would have been hard to learn the things that he did. This vision is probably one event that motivated Nephi to keep a record of his people; he knew the reason. If it were by feelings, Nephi would not have learned those truths. 

4) Daniel 

Unlike Nephi or Paul, the majority of Daniel’s revelations came through dreams. 

While the examples may seem to be the out of the norm, the opposite is true -- they are the norm in scriptures.  

Degrees of Revelation 

Besides showing that revelation frequently communicated through words, the examples above also reveal that revelation comes into degrees. An analogy I like to use is that of TVs. For instance, throughout time the resolution has increased in TV’s making the picture clearer. With each successive invention, the resolution is improved , making the image on the screen clearer and more vibrant. 

This same idea applies to revelation. There are different types of revelation, ranging from low to high resolution. Our goal as Christians is to seek out the higher resolution because it gives a clearer picture. Some of the different types of revelation are as follows: 

1. Communication to the Heart
2. Distinct Impressions or Thoughts
3. Speaking to the mind
4. Dreams
5. Visions
6. Ministration by Angels
7. Ministration by Christ 

However, before moving on, I would like to make a quick clarification to what I said earlier.  While there is definitely a difference of clarity between feelings and visions, the line between dreams and visions or dreams and angelic ministration is not as clear.  In other words, some revelation is clearly that of a lower form, whereas others forms are not. For example, most of Daniel’s revelation came from dreams. Also, Lehi had a vision before he had a dream about the tree of life. 

Therefore, the main point is to seek after revelation that makes the information you receive clearer and easier to understand. Additionally, seeking revelation beyond feelings is helpful because it can convey more information that is helpful in First, understanding the mind and will of God and, Second, accumulating knowledge that is essential for salvation. 

How to Receive Greater Revelation

Now having established what revelation is and its various levels or degrees, I would like to dedicate the remainder of my talk to how to receive revelation and also how to improve the level of revelation we receive. 

1. Believe in Revelations 

In order to receive revelation we have to believe in it. God only works according to our belief and trust in him and what he can do. 

On this, Moroni writes: 

13 Come unto me, O ye Gentiles, and I will show unto you the greater things, the knowledge which is hid up because of unbelief. 14 Come unto me, O ye house of Israel, and it shall be made manifest unto you how great things the Father hath laid up for you, from the foundation of the world; and it hath not come unto you, because of unbelief.

Also, 

18 And I would exhort you, my beloved brethren, that ye remember that every good gift cometh of Christ. 19 And I would exhort you, my beloved brethren, that ye remember that he is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and that all these gifts of which I have spoken, which are spiritual, never will be done away, even as long as the world shall stand, only according to the unbelief of the children of men…. 23 And Christ truly said unto our fathers: aIf ye have faith ye can do all things which are expedient unto me.

2. Ask Questions

James 1: 5 states,  

“If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.” Christ promised, 7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; dknock, and it shall be opened unto you: 8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

God is willing to teach us what we don’t know. Sometimes the reason for God’s silence is that we don’t ask enough questions. If you read Doctrine and Covenants, many of Joseph Smith's revelations came as a response to questions he had about a particular scripture. In fact, the restoration came about because Joseph Smith asked God which church to join. 

3. Read and Study the Scriptures 

One helpful tool is knowing what to ask God are the scriptures. The scriptures contain accounts of people who interacted with God. They also contain accounts of those who failed to interact with him. Study the characteristics of the righteous versus those of the wicked. While doing this, ask the Lord to guide you. Another tip is identifying contradictions. God places apparent contradictions in the scriptures so that it prompts us to ask. 

4. Ponder 

As you read the scriptures, ponder them. Read them slowly and pay attention to what words or phrases stick out. Think deeply about the words. The scriptures are different than other types of books because they are meant to be read slowly and carefully. 

On this Joseph Smith taught, 

It is a great thing to inquire at the hands of God, or to come into His presence; and we feel fearful to approach Him on subjects that are of little or no consequence, to satisfy the queries of individuals, especially about things the knowledge of which men ought to obtain in all sincerity, before God, for themselves, in humility by the prayer of faith; (DHC 1:338-339)

5. Be Observant and Test and Filter Revelation 

Besides asking questions, another helpful way is being observant to communications by the Spirit. Carry a notepad with you and write down impressions you get. Ponder on them to see if they are from the Lord. For me, I have a notepad in my car and use my phone to record impressions. 

Furthermore, Elder Richard G. Scott gave some suggestions about how to process and examine revelations. He accounted what he does. They are as follows: 

1. Record
2. Seek for accuracy by pondering (make sure the interpretation is correct)
3. Studying meaning and application
4. Express to Lord my understanding
5. Wait for further confirmation
6. Check with Lord
7. Ask if there is more
8. Repeat 

While the process may be different for each person, I have found Elder Scott’s approach very helpful. On my phone, I have two categories for revelation: 1) Possible Revelation and 2) Confirmed Revelation. When I receive an impression, I record it in my Possible Revelation category. I then follow Elder Scott’s steps to determine whether the revelation is true. Also, because not all impressions come from God, I also put my impressions through another filter to determine whether they are from God or the Devil. The steps I use are as follows: 

Does it testify of Christ? 

Is my faith/trust/belief in Christ increased? 

Does it lead me to good or does it build up my pride? 

Does it cause me to seek after attention and fame based on the experiences I’ve received? 

Does it cause me to be judgmental of others failings 
 

Do I think I’m better? 

Does it lead me to repentance? 

Does it align with scripture 

Does it give me desire to bring others to the same light? 

Do I have more love? 

Does it leave me to rejoice? 

Does it cause me confusion?

After having run through this, if I notice that I’ve answered yes to the negatives and few to the positive, I reject the revelation and ask the the Lord for true revelation. And repeat the same process until I sure. I then place it in the Possible Revelation category until I am certain that it came from God. 

6. Sacrifice time 

Because the mind of God is far above what we can comprehend, we need to sacrifice time for study and prayer. The Gospel is rooted in sacrifice. One type of sacrifice is time. Take a quick account of your day. Take note of time that you have available and time you don’t. Take advantage of the available time. Use that time for scripture study, prayer, and/or service. As you begin doing this, you will receive more light. After some time, you will realize that you need more time to learn about God. This is where the real sacrifice comes in. You will have to look at giving up some of the things you enjoy in order to learn more from God. For me, I have stopped watching TV and have chosen to sacrifice sleep. But I can say that it has been worth it. 

7. Gain knowledge from the resources you already have

The Lord teachers according to our understanding. Therefore the more we know, the more God is able to communicate to us. Therefore, we should spend our time learning as much as we can. This can come from scripture study or it can come from people. 

On this, Joseph Smith taught: 

We consider that God has created man with a mind capable of instruction, and a faculty which may be enlarged in proportion to the heed and diligence given to the light communicated from heaven to the intellect.

Our ability to understand the things of God will increase based on the level of effort we put into it. God is not a respecter of persons. This means that God will reward anyone with knowledge so long as the put effort into getting it. Otherwise if obtaining spiritual truths were based on intelligence alone, many wouldn’t be saved. God is merciful. He has given us a mind that can grow in receiving spiritual knowledge. 

6. Obey the Commandments 

Besides being diligent, we also need to keep the commandments of God. Commandments come in two forms: 1) Universal; and 2) Personal. Universal commandments are those that apply to the church. Personal are those that apply to you. Another way to think about personal commandment is your conscience. What you know is right. Following that. As you do, more commandments will be given to you. Follow those. Don’t give up. If you fall, repent and press forward. It is challenging, but the reward is better than any treasure of the world. 

Yea, he that repenteth and exerciseth faith, and bringeth forth good bworks, and prayeth continually without ceasing—unto such it is given to know the mysteries of God; (Alma 26:22) 

And, 

If thou shalt ask, thou shalt receive revelation upon revelation, knowledge upon knowledge, that thou mayest know the mysteries and peaceable things—that which bringeth joy, that which bringeth life eternal. (D&C 42:61) 

To mysteries of God bring joy and life eternal. There is nothing greater. 

We All Have the Privilege to Receive Wonderful Knowledge from God 

Before closing, I want to stress one last point: No matter who you are, your position in the church, in society, you are not blocked from receiving great revelations from God. God does not reward a person because of his appearance, status, or wealth, but upon his or her heart. If you heart is pure and you exercise faith and diligence, then all things will be made known. That is a promise for the Lord. Take it to the bank. It is a promise worth more than any assurity you can find in this world. Read the scriptures, God is reliable. Trust him. As you seek to follow him, you will make mistakes. Count on it. Learning involves mistake. But push forward. The fruits are worth it. And while change might not happen in a instant, God will feel after you and deliver you. It might temporal or spiritual or both, but it will be a deliverance that matters, and will leave you in rejoicing the Lord.  

Reading the Scriptures Anew--Part 1: Intro to Interpreting Scriptures and the Writer's Purpose

Introduction

Each time we open the scriptures read from them, we are engaging in an act of interpretation. In fact, interpretation is a constant activity done outside of reading. We interpret language throughout our daily life. Some interpretation is direct while other types are inferred. For example, if I were to tell someone to take out the trash before 6pm, that person, in order to accomplish the task, would have to be able to interpret what I meant. Since the taking out instructions are fairly straightforward, the person shouldn't have too much difficult in interpreting what I want done.

However, the task becomes more difficult if I said, "Take out the trash before the garbage truck arrives." To the person to whom the task is directed, they would understand the general meaning, but their interpretation, that is the conclusion of meaning drawn from the language, might not match up. For instance, while I said that the trash needs to be taken out before the garbage truck arrives, I still might have meant for the garbage to be taken out earlier than the morning of. Such an interpretation would occur if the person knew what I preferred from previous incidences.

Different Theories of Interpretation 

While the act of reading and interpreting language may be taken for granted, there are varying theories about what is the appropriate method of interpretation. Some argue that an understanding of the context and history is important for one to correctly interpret the text. Others argue that the only thing needed for interpreting is what the text says, and that outside knowledge is not necessary. Others go further to assert that there is no inherent meaning that can be accessed and that the role of the reader to create the meaning for himself.

This dispute over the correct method of interpretation is typified in legal analysis. For those who follow legal news, or remember your college government class, you may be familiar with the question about how to interpret the constitution. In essence, the debate is about whether the constitution should be interpreted according to its original meaning or whether it should be interpreted based according to society's understanding. The former advocates a fixed meaning, while the later advances a fluid and challengeable meaning. While people have differing opinion, the point is that there is a divergence about how a text should be interpreted. This divergence also exists when it comes to the scriptures.

When it comes to interpreting the scriptures, some readers adopt a static and fixed approach, believing that there is a fixed meaning to the text that can be discovered. While others, probably the majority, read and interpret scriptures according to their understanding, approaching the scriptures as a changeable document.

While the specifics are not important at this point, I bring up this point to illustrate the challenge that a reader faces when it comes to interpreting the text. And that this challenge is pervasive but also also ramification when it comes to our connection with God.

Interpreting the Scriptures 

For most of us, we do not think about how we are interpreting the scriptures. We often read along, maybe highlighting something that sticks out, and continue reading and interpreting the text. These interpretations usually derive from the culture to which we associate. For example, we learn the meaning of a verse and then that meaning becomes the predominant meaning. We then use that understanding as a tool to interpret other verses. 

Sometimes this is not a problem. But most of the time, the meaning we are extracting for our interpretation is too simplified, incorrect, or distorted. When this happens, our ability to access truth is severely limited.

Recording the Truth--Identify the Writer's Purpose 

To see why incorrect interpretation is a problem, we first need to determine the writer's purpose. This can come through two ways: 1) identify the purpose of the writer by what the writer says about the topic (e.g., Book of Mormon); 2) identify the theme of the text. Both are effective tools, but they have their strengths and weaknesses.

Because the circumstances of the Book of Mormon are unique in that the writers were aware of a future audience, approach (1) is applicable. The Bible is a bit different. It is not clear that the writers were directly aware of a future audience. This is made evident by the way the text is structured and arranged. The Old Testament assumes that the reader is Jewish. It takes no effort to clarify historical context and linguistic structure. This is similar with the New Testament. While future readers can read from it, it appears that the writers were communicating their understanding to the current world.  Because we don't have the same circumstance as the Book of Mormon, wherein having a writer speaking his purpose is readily ascertainable, approach (2) is the best approach.

To see how this is done, let's explore the Book of Mormon and Bible, while applying the two tools used to identify the writer's purpose or message.

Book of Mormon 

Since the Book of Mormon is unique in that its writers were aware of a future audience and prepared the record based on the understanding, it will be easier to identify the writers' purpose. So let's start there. To do this, we will take approach (1) from above-- identifying what the writer says about the topic.


Nephi writes,

...we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins. 

For Nephi, he states that one of his purpose and others who write about Christ is to point their children to the Savior and the source of their remitted sins. In an earlier verse, however, Nephi is commanded to write a record of his people (see 1 Nephi 13:35), thereby showing that he is aware of future audience/reader. Thus, the statements he writes can also apply to us. That is, he is telling us how to source we can look to for a remission of our sins.

Likewise, Moroni is clear in his intentions. He states,

Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God. (Moroni 10:32) (Emphasis added). 

Moroni's intention is clear from the first clause: he is recording the scriptures for the readers to come unto Christ. Moreover, in earlier verses he makes it clear that he is writing to a future audience --sometimes specifically stating the sub-group (see Moroni 7:3).

Furthermore, the fact that Mormon is abridging the records to preserve therm reveals he had a future audience in mind. Also, Mormon's tone throughout his abridgment also reveals that he is aware of a future audience. He often shows this by adding his commentary to certain events so that the reader come to a certain understanding.

Alma the Younger also shows this understanding (Alma 37:14).

From this, we can broadly conclude that the writer's in the Book of Mormon wrote the things they did to convey the nature of God and their experiences with Him, with the hope that we may have the same experience or relationship with God.

Now, let's look at the Bible.

The Bible 

The Old Testament

Unlike the the Book of Mormon, where the writers were given understanding about a future audience, the Old Testament doesn't. One characterization of the Book of Mormon is that some of the writers communicate with the reader. 1 Nephi 1 is the prime example. "I Nephi..." In the first verse, Nephi establishes the purpose of his record and in doing this is directs his writings to the reader. This, however, is absent in the Old Testament. Instead, the Old Testament structure is not directed towards a reader specifically, but is structured to provide an account of the Israelite's interactions with God -- whether it be through historical accounts, poetry, or warning from the prophets.

Nevertheless, there are still clues we can use to the purpose. We use approach (2) --identifying the theme.  To begin, we look at page 1 -- Genesis.

26 ¶ And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

The general meaning is God creating Adam and Eve in His image. However, there is more to "imaging" than we realize. To understand the significance of these verses, it's important to understand the concept of image. On this point, Michael Heiser remarks:

Humankind was created as God's image. If we think of imaging as verb or function, that translation makes sense. We are created to image God, to be his imagers. It is what we are by definition. The image is not an ability we have, but a status. We are God' representatives on earth. To be human is to image God.  

Thus, Genesis starts us with information about who we are. We are not merely a copy of God (whatever that means) but we came to this earth carrying a status. And because we have a certain status, different form other creatures, we have a purpose -- a purpose of working with God to bring about God's work. This is what the Old Testament is largely about: accounting humanity's mandate and purpose, while at the same time charting how often we failed to live up to our role.

Piggy-backing off this idea of status and its implication John H. Walton states:

...The primary theme that progresses throughout the Old Testament...is the establishment of God's presence among his people ('I will put my dwelling place among you," e.g., Lev., 26:11) with the explicit intention of being in relationship with them/us ('I will...be your God, and you will be my people' e.g., Ex 6:7; Lev 26:12; Jer 11:4; Ezek 36:28)...It is the covenant that gives formal articulation to the stages off the relationship between God and his people; it is the promise of God that he will make such a relationship possible; it is the Torah that govern how people may live in the presence of God and sustain relationship with him; and it is the kingdom of God the expresses his role in the cosmos and in which we participate as we live out our relationship with him.

Besides this, the books of the prophets also have the restoration of a covenant relationship with God. Jeremiah mentions a New and Everlasting Covenant that will be established among the righteous; Isaiah details the dispersion and gathering or Israel; and Ezekiel prophesies the future establishment of a temple in Jerusalem. All of this carrying the central theme of humanity's relationship with God.

Thus, like the Book of Mormon, the Old Testament is also rooted in developing a closer relationship with God. And we can develop this relationship because of the status we have. We are children of God and because of this have the privilege of seeking his face-- of coming closer to Him.

The New Testament 

When it comes to the New Testament, much of the theme of the Old is carried on. However, instead of being rooted in an abstract concept of salvation and redemption, the New Testament is concrete -- it shows the way to God through the example of Christ. The synoptics (i.e., Matthew, Mark, and Luke) provide accounts of the Savior's ministry from different perspectives, the Gospel of John focuses on love, and the letters (epistles) deal with Christ's mission after his death and resurrection. While they place emphasis on different aspects of the Savior's ministry, they all share a common thread -- the preaching of the Gospel, that is, the news of the kingdom. This ultimately means that coming to know  Christ is central. Let me explain.

The majority of the Old Testament was framed around a messiah figure who would come to save Israel. The New Testament no longer talks about the coming messiah, but instead focuses on carrying on the messiah's work -- through kingdom building. In order for the messiah to save, the world needs to be changed and the Kingdom of God established. People need to be given new hearts and changed from sinners to disciples. Hence the reason why Christ stressed the need to be born again. A person can have no part in the kingdom if they have not received a new spirit.

The Synoptics and the Gospel of John 

How do we do this? We follow the teaching of Christ as laid out in the New Testament. Almost from the first synoptical gospel, we are given the blueprint of heavenly conduct. In Matthew 5 we are taught the Sermon on the Mount, the quintessential framework for receiving a new heart. Afterwards, we read of Christ practicing what he preached. Albeit different perspectives an emphases by the different gospel writers, this is the general sequence in the synoptics. And this is what the writers want their readers to know: the kingdom is approaching and we better get ready. To do this, we need to come unto Him. Matthew records,

21 ¶ Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. (Matthew 7) 

Quoting the Lord, Matthew links knowing the Lord with doing the Lord's will. Therefore, like the other scriptures, coming unto the Lord, knowing Him is imperative. Luke likewise expresses this when he quotes the Savior's command to "take up [our] cross, and follow [Him.]

The gospel of John follows the same path, but seeks to give us a broader understanding of who Christ is by rooting the message in love and in personal, intimate knowledge with the Lord. Reading the gospel, Christ becomes more than a Savior, but he comes off as a friend -- a person eager to extend the knowledge he has to others, and eager to be known. John records, "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." (John 14:6). A chapter later he records,

4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. 5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. 6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. 7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.

And to cap it off, John pens: "And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

With this, John shows that eternal life is predicated upon knowing God and Jesus Christ. And since our goal is to have eternal life, we are to know God and His Son.

The Epistles

The letters of the apostles track the gospels. They letters tell about the Good News, inviting the Gentiles and unbelieving Jews to accept and believe in Christ. While the audience is different for each writer (Paul focuses on the Gentiles, John the Jews) the message is still the same: come unto Christ. This evident by Paul's letter to the Romans where he discusses heirship and stresses our dependence on Christ. Peter conceptualizes this more, by encouraging the members to seek after one's calling and election by putting the "divine nature." He records,

4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. 5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; 6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; 7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. 8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. 10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: 11 For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. 2 Peter 1 (Emphasis and paragraphs added) 

Using both approaches, we can safely conclude that the New Testament writers' purpose is the same as the other scriptures: to invite us to come unto God.

Conclusion

Although an analysis of Doctrine and Covenants and Pearl of Great Price is due, I will stop here because I think the point has been made. The writers of the scriptures wrote what they did to teach us how to come unto God. This is important to realize. The writers meant to provide a blueprint their readers could use to experience God. Thus, our misunderstanding of the text can reduce our effectiveness at coming unto God.

Having established that there are different methods of interpretation and that the scriptures, varying in explicitness, reveal the writers' purpose and intention, we can see the importance of seeking the correct interpretation. But before we can learn of some methods to aide us in this, we first must look at the implications for incorrect interpretation. That is the focus of the next part: Part 2--Implications of Erroneous Interpretation.