Definitions of Church Activity
Elder Packer recently asked a Stake President what the biggest problem in his Stake was. The Stake President replied, "Programs and activities of the church are becoming a substitute for testimonies."When I heard Elder Packer relate this story I immediately thought of an old saying, "active in the church but not the gospel" (another thought quickly followed about the parable of the 10 Virgins).
How is it possible to be active in the church, and yet, somehow be inactive in the gospel?
To answer this question a few definitions might be useful. First, to be a member of the church is to have your name officially on record with church headquarters. Based on this kind of record keeping there are over thirteen million members today.
The Lord defines His church in a different way:
...whosoever repenteth and cometh unto me, the same is my church. D&C 10:67
I think this definition will do nicely to determine who is "active in the gospel".
I have an idea that what the Stake President was telling Elder Packer is-he sees many members in his Stake being more dedicated to the programs and activities of the church than they are to the gospel of repentance.
When we get right down to the nuts and blots of the question at hand-the main difference between the two groups is, one group has access to the sanctifying influence of the Holy Ghost, and the other group doesn't[1], just like the parable of the 10 virgins dramatically illustrates.
[1] However, it is my judgment that there are many members of this Church who have been baptized for the remission of their sins, who have had hands laid upon their heads for the gift of the Holy Ghost, who have never received that gift, that is, the manifestations of it. Why? Because they have never put themselves in order to receive these manifestations. They have never humbled themselves. They have never taken the steps that would prepare them for the companionship of the Holy Ghost. Therefore they go through life without that knowledge, and they have not the understanding. Joseph Fielding Smith, Conference Report, October 1958, p.21 - p.22
October 25th, 2007 - 08:45
Jared,
Nice concept for a blog!
You may also appreciate:
http://wetestifyofchrist.blogspot.com/
This an unfolding compilation of testimonies of our Savior from the Book of Mormon — showing the world that the Book of Mormon is Another Testament of Jesus Christ, and that Latter-day Saints are indeed very Christian.