The "true and living church"

Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints believe that they belong to the only true church on the earth. That is a bold position to take, and one for which they often take a lot of criticism. They are viewed as being presumptuous and as thinking themselves superior to others. Certainly we hope and try not to be self righteous, though we are not always successful in that endeavor (the author included). We are wisely counseled by our leaders to look for all the good in other religions and churches and to praise them for that. We are counseled to stand together with the people of those religions to fight for good causes based on common ground. We seek to respect the beliefs of others, despite the differences between us, and we are not always perfect at that either.

However, at the end of the day we still affirm that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is "the only true and living church upon the face of the whole earth" (D&C 1:30). Sometimes members of the Church, understandably, are not quite comfortable making that affirmation in public and to their friends and neighbors. Sometimes they aren't quite sure if it is true, or they don't want to offend anyone. But coming to possess a strong personal witness that it, in fact, is the only true church is crucial to our continuing on the path to exaltation, for which purpose the Church is designed. Returning to the verse sited earlier, the way to know that the Church really is the "only true church" is through the very thing that makes it "living."

The sciptural accounts of the creation teach that God created Adam and Eve's bodies, then "breathed into [them]" their spirits. It was only when the body was animated by the spirit that they became "living souls" (Gen 2:7). Likewise, the thing that makes "the body of Christ" (Eph 4:12), or the Church, "living" is that it is built upon the "rock" of revelation through the Holy Spirit (Matt 16:15-19). Both revelation through the Spirit to apostles and prophets to lead the Church and personal revelation to each member are indespensible to the "living" nature of the Church.

Ongoing revelation to the leaders of the Church to guide it through the troubles of the day has been a hallmark of Christ's church in every dispensation. But just as vital is the role of personal revelation to the members of the Church. The pattern is, God speaks to prophets and apostles to reveal to them both the doctrines of the gospel and the daily direction needed to guide the Church as it passes through the challenges of each specific time. Then the members are entitled to get personal confirmation of the truths and direction given to the prophets by the Spirit through the very same channels of revelation; in fact, we are encouraged to do this. This is not a Church of blind obedience, but rather of clear and confident obedience through revelation. We each have the responsibility to learn for ourselves whether or not the people that lead the Church in our time really are chosen and called by God and if the things they say and the course they take really represent the "mind of the Lord" (D&C 68:4). God does not promise that we will immediately understand the doctrines He reveals nor the reasons He directs the Church in a certain path (Isaiah 55:9-13), but He does promise to confirm to each individual that He is indeed at the helm and that the prophets' words are truly His  (Mormon 9:25-27).

Thus, it is by revelation through the Holy Spirit that the "true church" of Christ becomes "living." It speaks by the Spirit, sees by the Spirit, moves by the Spirit, and its members are infused with the life blood of testimony by the Spirit.