Question
Gramps,
What scriptures in the Bible confirm the LDS gospel to be true?
Mindy
Answer
Mindy
I have a feeling my answer might shock you, but here it is. There aren’t any. More to the point, there aren’t any scripture verses in the Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, or Pearl of Great Price that confirm the LDS faith to be true. The Bible was written prior to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints being restored as we know it today.
None of the General Authorities can confirm the LDS faith to be true. They teach and testify of the truth they possess about the LDS Church, and more specifically, about Jesus Christ, His Atonement, and the Gospel He has given us.
You see, Mindy, only the Holy Ghost can confirm the truth of anything, whether it’s religious truth, or artistic truth, or scientific truth, etc.
Let me share a couple of scriptures to show you what I mean.
5 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.
6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.
8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.
This section is what prompted Joseph Smith to take his questions to the Lord about what church was true. I find it interesting that the verses following the promise of answered prayers indicate a need for sincerity and focus. We cannot expect the Lord to give us an answer to a question we have on a whim. When He sees that the question is important to us, then He helps us find the answers we seek.
Next let’s look at the Book of Mormon
3 Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in your hearts.
4 And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.
5 And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.
Here again, the importance of sincerity in taking questions to Heavenly Father is clear. Mindy, the interesting thing is this; if there were scriptures that absolutely proved the LDS faith to be true, we wouldn’t need to use our faith to follow what the LDS Church teaches. Using our faith is one of the many things we came into this life to learn.
By using our faith, we strengthen ourselves in realizing what we want to do, then doing what we must to achieve our goals. When we use our faith in following Jesus Christ and his Gospel, it becomes more important to us. If it were something we could just read about, I think many more people would take it for granted.
So in answering your question, in order to find out whether the LDS Church is true, we should read the Bible and the other standard works of the LDS Church, and then pray to Heavenly Father with a sincere desire to know where truth can be found. I promise you when Heavenly Father sees that it’s important to you, and that you’re ready to accept the answer, He will not only give you the answer to that question, but help you begin the journey of discovering all the truths He wants you to know.
May God be with you always.
Gramps
