Every teacher should read and understand this commission - what a glorious summary of the duties and responsibilities of teachers.
“The teacher’s divine commission” is summarized under five headings:
1. We are commanded—it is something on which we have no choice; there are no alternative courses open to us—we are commanded to teach the principles of the gospel.
In
the revelation known as “the law of the Church,” the Lord says: “The
elders, priests and teachers of this church shall teach the principles
of my gospel” (D&C 42:12).
Numerous revelations say: Preach my gospel and teach my word, “saying
none other things than that which the prophets and apostles have
written, and that which is taught them by the Comforter through the
prayer of faith” (D&C 52:9).
Manifestly
we cannot teach that which is unknown to us. A prerequisite to teaching
the gospel is studying the gospel. Hence such divine decrees as:
“Search the scriptures” (John 5:39).
“Search these commandments” (D&C 1:37).
“Treasure up my word” JS—H 1:37.
“Study my word” (D&C 11:22).
“Search the prophets” (3 Ne. 23:5).
“Ye
ought to search these things. Yea, a commandment I give unto you that
ye search these things diligently; for great are the words of Isaiah.” (3 Ne. 23:1.)
“Seek
not to declare my word, but seek first to obtain my word, and then
shall your tongue be loosed; then, if you desire, you shall have my
Spirit and my word, yea, the power of God unto the convincing of men” (D&C 11:21).
We
can read all of the standard works of the Church in one year if we
proceed at the rate of about six pages a day. To do the sincere
searching and the solemn pondering required will take more time.
There
is knowledge and there are spiritual experiences to be gained from
reading, pondering, and praying about the scriptures which can be gained
in no other way. No matter how devoted and active members of the Church
are in administrative matters, they will never gain the great blessings
which come from scriptural study unless they pay the price of that
study and thus make the written word a part of their lives.
2. We are to teach the principles of the gospel as they are found in the standard works of the Church.
In
the law of the Church the Lord says: “The elders, priests and teachers
of this church shall teach the principles of my gospel”—and now note
this restriction—“which are in the Bible and the Book of Mormon, in the which is the fulness of the gospel” (D&C 42:12).
Then
the Lord speaks of the need to be guided by the Spirit, but comes back
to the scriptural source of gospel truth in these words: “And all this
ye shall observe to do as I have commanded concerning your teaching,
until the fulness of my scriptures is given” (D&C 42:15).
When
this revelation was given, the Bible and the Book of Mormon were the
only scriptures available to the Latter-day Saints. Now we also have the
Doctrine and Covenants and the Pearl of Great Price, and there are, of course, other revelations which shall be given in due course.
3. We are to teach by the power of the Holy Ghost.
Having
commanded all teachers to teach the principles of the gospel as found
in the standard works, the Lord says: “These shall be their teachings,
as they shall be directed by the Spirit.”
Then
he gives the great directive: “And the Spirit shall be given unto you
by the prayer of faith; and if ye receive not the Spirit ye shall not
teach.”
Along with this instruction, he gives this promise:
“As ye shall lift up your voices by the Comforter, ye shall speak and prophesy as seemeth me good;
“For, behold, the Comforter knoweth all things, and beareth record of the Father and of the Son.” (D&C 42:13–14, 16–17.)
Every teacher in every teaching situation might well reason along this line:
If the Lord Jesus were here, what he would say in this situation would be perfect.
But he is not here. Instead he has sent me to represent him.
I should say what he would say if he were here; I should say what he wants said.
The only way I can do this is to have him tell me what to say.
This revealed direction can come to me only by the power of his Spirit.
Therefore I must be guided by the Spirit if I am to teach in my capacity as an agent of the Lord.
These
principles of teaching gospel truths by the power of the Spirit are
further expounded in another revelation by means of revealed questions
and answers in this way:
Question: “I the Lord ask you this question—unto what were ye ordained?”
That is, what is your commission? What have I empowered you to do? What authorization have you received from me?
Answer: “To preach my gospel by the Spirit, even the Comforter which was sent forth to teach the truth.” (D&C 50:13–14.)
That
is, your commission, your authorization, the thing you have been
ordained to do is to teach my gospel, not any private views, not the
philosophies of the world, but my everlasting gospel, and to do it by
the power of my Spirit, all in harmony with the commandment I have
heretofore given: “If ye receive not the Spirit ye shall not teach” (D&C 42:14).
Question:
“He that is ordained of me and sent forth to preach the word of truth
by the Comforter, in the Spirit of truth, doth he preach it by the
Spirit of truth or some other way?” (D&C 50:17.)
Before
hearing the revealed answer, let us note that the Lord is here talking
about teaching the gospel, the word of truth, the principles of
salvation. He is not talking about the doctrines of the world and the
commandments of men, the adherence to which is vain and does not lead to
salvation.
The
question is, when we preach the gospel, when we teach the word of
truth, when we set forth the true doctrines of salvation, do we do so by
the power of the Holy Ghost or in some other way? Obviously, the “other
way” to teach the truth is by the power of the intellect.
Now the revealed answer: “If it be by some other way it is not of God” (D&C 50:18).
Let
us make this clear. Even though what we teach is true, it is not of God
unless it is taught by the power of the Spirit. There is no conversion,
no spiritual experience, unless the Spirit of the Lord is involved.
Question: “And again, he that receiveth the word of truth, doth he receive it by the Spirit of truth or some other way?”
Answer: “If it be some other way it is not of God.” (D&C 50:19–20)
This
is why I said at the beginning that if this presentation was to have
converting power, I must present it by the power of the Spirit and you
must hear and receive by that same power. Only then can “he that
preacheth and he that receiveth, understand one another,” so that “both
are edified and rejoice together” (D&C 50:22).
4. We are to apply the gospel principles taught to the needs and circumstances of our hearers.
The
gospel principles never change. They are the same in all ages. And in
general the needs of people are the same in all ages. There are no
problems which have befallen us except those which have been the common
lot of men from the beginning. And so it is not difficult to take the
principles of the everlasting word and apply them to our specific needs.
The abstract truth must live in the lives of men if they are to bear
fruit.
Nephi quoted from the Book of Moses and the writings of Isaiah and then said: “I did liken all scriptures unto us, that it might be for our profit and learning” (1 Ne. 19:23)—meaning he applied the teachings of Moses and Isaiah to the needs of the Nephites.
5. We must testify that what we teach is true.
We
are a testimony bearing people, as we should be. Our meetings abound in
the solemn assurances that the work in which we are engaged is true. We
certify with fervor and conviction that Jesus is the Lord, that Joseph Smith
is his prophet, and 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).
In
all of this we do well. But we ought to do more. The inspired teacher,
the one who teaches by the power of the Spirit, is expected to bear
testimony that the doctrine he teaches is true.
Alma
set us an example in this respect. He preached a mighty sermon on being
born again. Then he said he had spoken plainly, had been commissioned
so to do, had quoted the scriptures, and had taught the truth.
“And
this is not all,” he added. “Do ye not suppose that I know of these
things myself? Behold, I testify unto you that I do know that these
things whereof I have spoken are true.” (Alma 5:45.)
This is the crowning seal placed on gospel—teaching the personal witness of the teacher that the doctrine he has taught is true!
Who
can argue with a testimony? Unbelievers may contend about our doctrine.
They may wrest the scriptures to their destruction. They may explain
away this or that from a purely intellectual standpoint, but they cannot
overpower a testimony.
If
I say, this or that messianic prophecy of Isaiah was fulfilled in this
or that event in the life of our Lord, many voices are waiting to debate
the issue and show that the wise men of the world think otherwise.
But
if I say I know by the revelations of the Holy Spirit to my soul that
the messianic utterances refer to Jesus of Nazareth who was God’s Son,
what is there to debate?
I
have then borne personal testimony on the doctrinal point being taught,
and every hearer who is in tune with the same Spirit knows in his heart
that what I have said is true.
Alma,
having borne testimony that the things he had taught are true, then
asked: “And how do ye suppose that I know of their surety?”
His
answer, which sets a pattern for all teachers, is: “Behold, I say unto
you they are made known unto me by the Holy Spirit of God. Behold, I
have fasted and prayed many days that I might know these things of
myself. And now I do know of myself that they are true; for the Lord God
hath made them manifest unto me by his Holy Spirit; and this is the
spirit of revelation which is in me.” (Alma 5:45–46.)
And so we have now before us an exposition of our status
as the Lord’s agents and of the teacher’s divine commission.
We are appointed—
1. To teach the principles of the gospel,
2. Out of the standard works,
3. By the power of the Holy Ghost,
4. Always applying the teachings to our needs, and
5. To testify that what we have taught is true.
