Current Lessons
Lesson No. Thirty Five

Fourteen Fundamentals in Following the Prophet Revisited 44 Years Later

Introduction – President Ezra Taft Benson, then president of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles, gave a sermon at a BYU Devotional on February 26, 1980 entitled Fourteen Fundamentals in Following the Prophet. This sermon was controversial then, and it would be now. It has inspired me over the last 44 years, and I am going to share my thoughts as we prepare for General Conference this weekend. My comments are italicized, and President Benson’s message is in quotes. As you read this Lesson please study President Benson’s sermon at the link above.

“To help you pass the crucial tests which lie ahead I am going to give you today several facets of a grand key which, if you will honor them, will crown you with God’s glory and bring you out victorious in spite of Satan’s fury….Here then is the grand key—follow the prophet—and here now are fourteen fundamentals in following the prophet, the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints…”

“First: The prophet is the only man who speaks for the Lord in everything. ‘Wherefore, meaning the church, thou shalt give heed unto all his words and commandments which he shall give unto you as he receiveth them, walking in all holiness before me; For his word ye shall receive, as if from mine own mouth, in all patience and faith. For by doing these things the gates of hell shall not prevail against you’ (D&C 21:4-6)…. Did you hear what the Lord said about the words of the prophet? We are to “give heed unto all his words”—as if from the Lord’s “own mouth.” I believe it!

“Second: The living prophet is more vital to us than the standard works.” President Benson then related a story from Wilford Woodruff’s journal where Joseph Smith and Brigham Young taught this principle. If Joseph Smith, Brigham Young, Wilford Woodruff, and Ezra Taft Benson believed this doctrine, so do I.

“Third: The living prophet is more important to us than a dead prophet. The living prophet has the power of TNT. By that I mean ‘Today’s News Today.’ God’s revelations to Adam did not instruct Noah how to build the ark. Noah needed his own revelation. Therefore, the most important prophet, so far as you and I are concerned, is the one living in our day and age to whom the Lord is currently revealing His will for us…. Beware of those who would pit the dead prophets against the living prophets, for the living prophets always take precedence.” The teachings of men we sustain as Prophets, Seers, and Revelators are found in Conference Reports, Church publications, and on line. The Brethren use social media appropriately and very effectively.

“Fourth: The prophet will never lead the Church astray. President Wilford Woodruff stated: “I say to Israel, The Lord will never permit me or any other man who stands as president of the Church to lead you astray. It is not in the program. It is not in the mind of God.” This, to me, is self-evident.

“Fifth: The prophet is not required to have any particular earthly training or credentials to speak on any subject or act on any matter at any time…We encourage earthly knowledge in many areas, but remember, if there is ever a conflict between earthly knowledge and the words of the prophet, you stand with the prophet, and you’ll be blessed and time will vindicate you.” President Nelson is the first prophet to have a Ph.D. Yet in his writings he has made it clear that he has always given preference to the council and teachings of the Prophets and the Church. A good example is that in his formal schooling he was taught that a heart should never be touched by a human hand. He was inspired otherwise and became a world-famous heart surgeon.

“Sixth: The prophet does not have to say “Thus saith the Lord” to give us scripture. Sometimes there are those who haggle over words. They might say the prophet gave us counsel but that we are not obligated to follow it unless he says it is a commandment….And speaking of taking counsel from the prophet, in D&C 108:1, the Lord states: “Verily thus saith the Lord unto you, my servant Lyman: Your sins are forgiven you, because you have obeyed my voice in coming up hither this morning to receive counsel of him whom I have appointed” (emphasis added). Said Brigham Young, ‘I have never yet preached a sermon and sent it out to the children of men, that they may not call scripture.’” Many of our latter-day prophets, including President Nelson, have related how they have taken counsel from the living prophet and how it has been so important in their lives.

“Seventh: The prophet tells us what we need to know, not always what we want to know….Said President Harold B. Lee: ‘You may not like what comes from the authority of the Church. It may contradict your political views. It may contradict your social views. It may interfere with some of your social life. . . . Your safety and ours depends upon whether or not we follow. . . . Let’s keep our eye on the President of the Church.’” I sometime wish that our living prophets would speak out more on politics and current events, etc., but then I remember that prophets say what the Lord wants said. The prophet does not speak on every issue, and we are expected to use our agency and Judgment, as guided by the Holy Spirit and consistent with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, to make good choices in all of our affairs.

“Eighth: The prophet is not limited by men’s reasoning. There will be times when you will have to choose between the revelations of God and the reasoning of men—between the prophet and the politician or professor. Said the Prophet Joseph Smith, “Whatever God requires is right, no matter what it is, although we may not see the reason thereof until long after the events transpire.” The Lord said: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:8-9).

“Ninth: The prophet can receive revelation on any matter—temporal or spiritual. Said Brigham Young: Some of the leading men in Kirtland were much opposed to Joseph the Prophet, meddling with temporal affairs. . . .In a public meeting of the Saints, I said, “Ye Elders of Israel, . . . will some of you draw the line of demarcation, between the spiritual and temporal in the Kingdom of God, so that I may understand it?” Not one of them could do it. . . .I defy any man on earth to point out the path a Prophet of God should walk in, or point out his duty, and just how far he must go, in dictating temporal or spiritual things. Temporal and spiritual things are inseparably connected, and ever will be.” I repeat my comments at the end of paragraph Seventh.

“Tenth: The prophet may be involved in civic matters. When a people are righteous they want the best to lead them in government. Alma was the head of the Church and of the government in the Book of Mormon, Joseph Smith was mayor of Nauvoo, and Brigham Young was governor of Utah. Isaiah was deeply involved in giving counsel on political matters and of his words the Lord Himself said, “Great are the words of Isaiah” (3 Nephi 23:1). Those who would remove prophets from politics would take God out of government.” I repeat my comments at the end of paragraph Seventh.

“Eleventh: The two groups who have the greatest difficulty in following the prophet are the proud who are learned and the proud who are rich. The learned may feel the prophet is only inspired when he agrees with them; otherwise, the prophet is just giving his opinion—speaking as a man. The rich may feel they have no need to take counsel of a lowly prophet.” I am reminded of the teachings of Jacob on the pride that often afflicts the rich and the leaned. (See 2 Nephi 9:28-29, 42)

“Twelfth: The prophet will not necessarily be popular with the world or the worldly. As a prophet reveals the truth it divides the people….Popularity is never a test of truth. Many a prophet has been killed or cast out. As we come closer to the Lord’s second coming, you can expect that as the people of the world become more wicked, the prophet will be less popular with them.” We are 44 years closer to the Lord’s second coming, and we see that President Benson’s words are true.

“Thirteenth: The prophet and his counselors make up the First Presidency—the highest quorum in the Church. In the Doctrine and Covenants, the Lord refers to the First Presidency as ‘the highest council of the Church’ (107:80 and says, ‘whosoever receiveth me, receiveth those, the First Presidency, whom I have sent’ (112:20).” I know that the First Presidency is “at one” as a quorum, and they are “at one” with the Lord. It is my great desire to be “at one” with the First Presidency and with the Lord.

“Fourteenth: The prophet and the presidency—the living prophet and the first presidency—follow them and be blessed; reject them and suffer. President Harold B. Lee relates this incident from Church history: The story is told in the early days of the Church—particularly, I think, at Kirtland—where some of the leading brethren in the presiding councils of the Church met secretly and tried to scheme as to how they could get rid of the Prophet Joseph’s leadership. They made the mistake of inviting Brigham Young to one of these secret meetings. He rebuked them, after he had heard the purpose of their meeting. This is part of what he said: “You cannot destroy the appointment of a prophet of God, but you can cut the thread that binds you to the prophet of God and sink yourselves to hell.” The way apostates go about their work today is different than with Joseph Smith but they have the same purpose now as then. If we follow apostates, as Brigham Yong said, we will sink ourselves to hell.

Testimony: Members of the Restored Church who are familiar with the temple will remember that there we are taught the great importance of messengers from God to mortal men on earth. The messengers God sends today are living prophets and apostles. I know that our happiness in this life and in the next is insured if we stay in the mainstream of the Church. We will be blessed eternally if we: “Follow the prophet, Follow the prophet; don’t go astray. Follow the prophet, Follow the prophet; he knows the way” (Children’s Song Book, p. 110).

Released on April 7th. 2024.