A Kingdom that will not be Left to Other People
When local members or leaders stray or apostatise from gospel teachings, we need not worry. God's Church and Kingdom, and his Apostles and Prophets, will never again fall into general apostasy. We can rely on God and his anointed servants.
The original Mormon Stories thumbnail that’s since been removed from their episode.
With the recent exposing of Charlie Bird and Ryan’s private ward life—that they purportedly have callings and are taking the sacrament in their ward—some prominent anti-Mormon influencers have used this revelation as supposed “proof” that the “inevitable” change of Church doctrine on the gay issue is right around the corner. They say, “It’s just a matter of time!”
Conversely, this story has been worrying to many. Some faithful, orthodox members of the Church pick up on this and are alarmed that something like this could ever be allowed in the Church. Some ask, “How could a bishop or stake president knowingly allow a married same-sex couple—who are clearly in personal apostasy and in grievous sin—to hold callings and serve in the Church?” Some may worry that this is a sign of some wider moral rot in the Church that’s somehow permeating even up among the general authorities. Some may worry that there’s some policy change being implemented that undermines former Church teaching on gay marriage, and by implication, a sign of the Church eventually changing gospel doctrine and policy to allow for gay sealings in the temple. Some of these members have come to me asking my opinion on the matter, because it can be deeply confusing hearing one message over the pulpit but then seeing another thing being actually applied on a local ward or stake level in some areas.
Aaron Sherinian, current Church communications hire, and former stake president and bishop, openly supported gay marriage and attended Pride parades on his social media account
Admittedly, I’ve been worried about these things at times myself, because these stories often affect many individuals to whom I minister. I worry about the state of the Church, and that so many, including some in major leadership roles, seem to be caving to and even adopting the pernicious philosophies of men, and are mingling them with scripture, and then teaching them to and implementing them with those within their spheres of influence and under their stewardships. These current and former Church leaders and officials use their influence on social media and podcasts to perpetuate LGBT activist slogans and ideologies. I truly feel that these individuals are doing these things out of compassion and a sincere desire to love and minister to those on the margins, but they have been deceived into believing that being loving means supporting and advocating for beliefs and choices that contradict gospel teachings. Regardless of their intentions, they are leading more members in personal apostasy and spiritual destruction than they are inspiring faith and spiritual progress.
I spoke with my stake president and a friend (who’s a bishop) about this. My conversations with them reminded me of the following: It’s important to remember that we simply do not know all the details in this case. It is possible to hold an unofficial calling even if not a member yet or if undergoing Church discipline. (I had an unofficial calling before I was baptised.) We don’t know fully what Charlie and his partner’s membership statuses are nor what their bishop and stake president are or are not allowing. Frankly, this may also be an instance where their leaders are wrong in how they’re handling the situation. We simply do not know. There’s too much conjecture floating around regarding this story.
Regardless of the reason, seeing these things transpiring in the Church has been deeply distressing to some; but, we need not worry nor lose faith in the Church and its trajectory! As long as we place our faith in the Lord and sustain his chosen servants, the Apostles and Prophets, everything will work out according to the Lord’s will. The grain will be harvested for the feast and the tares will be separated and burned.
In relation to his prophet about the stone being cut from the mountain without hands and filling the whole earth, the Prophet Daniel said this: “And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall the kingdom be left to another people” (see Daniel 2:44 ESV & D&C 138:44). This is a clear prophecy regarding the latter-day Church of Jesus Christ, the Lord’s earthly kingdom, being established during the “restoration of all things,” which church or kingdom will fill the whole earth and will never fall to other sovereignty. It will remain under the direction of the Lord and his appointed servants.
The Prophet Joseph Smith taught the following, as recollected by a few early Latter-day Saints (Excerpts from Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith: Beware the Bitter Fruits of Apostasy):
Orson Hyde, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve, reported: “Joseph the Prophet … said, ‘Brethren, remember that the majority of this people will never go astray; and as long as you keep with the majority you are sure to enter the celestial kingdom.’”
William G. Nelson reported: “I have heard the Prophet speak in public on many occasions. In one meeting I heard him say: ‘I will give you a key that will never rust,—if you will stay with the majority of the Twelve Apostles, and the records of the Church, you will never be led astray.’ The history of the Church has proven this to be true.”
Ezra T. Clark remembered: “I heard the Prophet Joseph say that he would give the Saints a key whereby they would never be led away or deceived, and that was: The Lord would never suffer a majority of this people to be led away or deceived by imposters, nor would He allow the records of this Church to fall into the hands of the enemy.”
Thus, the general body of the Saints as led by a majority of the Brethren will never be led astray. We must trust in the Lord’s servants: the Prophets and Apostles!
In conclusion: Jesus taught, “in [the last] days there shall also arise … false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders, insomuch, that, if possible, they shall deceive the very elect” (Matthew 1:22 JST). Though many members of the Church, even leaders, may be deceived and fall into personal apostasy—there will always be the apostate Judases, Sherems, John C Bennetts, and Sidney Rigdons of the Church—but it’s crucial to note that never again will there be a general apostasy as there was after the death of the original Apostles. We should feel concerned with false doctrines creeping into and deceiving members of the Church, and we should do everything in our power to stand or truth and refute these spiritually dangerous ideas, but, we should not lose faith in the kingdom the Lord has established just because some influential members and leaders may be corrupted.
As we place our faith in Christ, standing in holy places, and follow his ordained Prophets and Apostles, we will not be destroyed by the adversary’s storms; we will have security and a firm foundation to withstand the spiritual storms from the adversary.
