What Are the Scriptures?

Scriptures are a great reference to the standards of the Gospel. They teach us wonderful principles about how to live. However, they do not contain all the wisdom and knowledge there is to know for each person. They are to open the mind. They are to make us ask questions. They are a gateway to all the wisdom and knowledge that lies beyond the veil.

The pattern for revelation is: first, you are doing something that causes you to have a question in your mind. Next, you ponder over that question, and seek information and resources that may help you answer it. While this is happening, you do things to bring the Spirit. At the right moment, you will receive the answer to your question.

So, you see, you need an instrument to catalyze thought and questioning. That’s what the scriptures do. So this is why scriptures to me are absolutely positively without a doubt unquestionably essential.

2 Nephi 28:30 explains a bit more about the Lord’s thoughts concerning the matter:

“For behold, thus saith the Lord God: I will give unto the children of men line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little; and blessed are those who hearken unto my precepts, and lend an ear unto my counsel, for they shall learn wisdom; for unto him that receiveth I will give more; and from them that shall say, We have enough, from them shall be taken away even that which they have.”

And this quote from Elder Dallin H. Oaks is informative:

“The idea that scripture reading can lead to inspiration and revelation opens the door to the truth that a scripture is not limited to what it meant when it was written but may also include what that scripture means to a reader today.  Even more, scripture reading may also lead to current revelation on whatever else the Lord wishes to communicate to the reader at that time.  We do not overstate the point when we say that the scriptures can be a Urim and Thummim to assist each of us to receive personal revelation” (Dallin H. Oaks, “Scripture Reading and Revelation,” Ensign, Jan. 1995, p.8)

Do we treat the scriptures with the same reverence and respect as we would the Urim and Thummim?  Because for each individual, that’s what they can be.

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