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III
The Universal Problem of Deception
Satan Will Deceive “The Whole World”
If it be true that only one half of that small group designated by the Lord as “virgins” will avoid being deceived into joining the devil’s church, deception constitutes one of the gravest risks faced in this life. However, very few seem to give the problem much thought even though the scriptures are filled with warnings against it. Of course, many never read those warnings, but those who do tend to apply them to others. Consequently, indifference to the problem is quite general. Being unaware of the danger, people take no measures to defend themselves against it, and thus fall easy victims to one of Satan’s most formidable weapons.
The scriptures concerning it are numerous. Let us consider just a few. The following passage from Revelations reveals that Satan “deceiveth the whole world:”
And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. (Revelations 12:9)
Then here are two scriptures from modern revelation which convey a similar meaning:
…for Satan is abroad in the land, and he goeth forth deceiving the nations. (D&C 52:14) Verily, verily, i say unto you, darkness covereth the earth, and gross darkness the minds of the people, and all flesh has become corrupt before my face. (D&C 112:23)
Even honorable people have reason to fear being misled, for among those who will inhabit the terrestrial kingdom are those,
who are honorable men of the earth, who were blinded by the craftiness of men. (D&C 76:75)
Specific Warnings To Members Of Christ’s Church
In many instances, the warnings are specifically directed to members of the Lord’s Church, of which the following are illustrative:
For in those days there shall also arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders, insomuch, that, if possible, they shall deceive the very elect, who are the elect according to the covenant. (Smith, 1:22)
But ye are commanded in all things to ask of God,…that ye may not be seduced by evil spirits, or doctrines of devils, or the commandments of men; for some are of men, and others of devils. Wherefore, beware lest ye are deceived.…(D&C 46:7-8)
Behold, verily i say unto you, that there are many spirits which are false spirits, which have gone forth in the earth deceiving the world.
And also Satan hath sought to deceive you, that he might overthrow you. (D&C 50:2-3)
The following scripture speaks directly to those who bear the Priesthood. Note that it states that only a “few” of the “many” ordained thereto are not “walking in darkness at noonday:”
But behold, verily i say unto you, that there are many who have been ordained among you, whom i have called but few of them are chosen.
They who are not chosen have sinned a very grievous sin, in that they are walking in darkness at noon-day. (D&C 95:5-6)
A Cause Of Deception—Inherited Lies And False Traditions
Having noted the magnitude of the danger of false beliefs, it may be of interest and profit to consider what the scriptures have, said regarding its causes. One of the chief problems is that of false traditions which are handed down from parents to children. The fact that we each enter mortality as helpless infants utterly dependent upon our parents with whom we spend so much of our early childhood, makes us highly amenable to their influence and those teachings. However, the frequency with which erroneous beliefs are perpetuated from generation to generation is indicated by the following revelation which speaks of,
the influence of that spirit which hath so strongly riveted the creeds of the fathers, who have inherited lies, upon the hearts of the children, and filled the world with confusion, and has been growing stronger and stronger, and is now the very mainspring of all corruption, and the whole earth groans under the weight of its iniquity. (D&C 123:7)
Attention is directed to the statement that this problem is “the very mainspring of all corruption.” Another scripture which speaks of the effect of false tradition is the following:
Behold, here is the agency of man, and here is the condemnation of man; because that which was from the beginning is plainly manifest unto them, and they receive not the light.
And that wicked one cometh and taketh away light and truth, through disobedience, from the children of men, and because of the tradition of their fathers. (D&C 93:3 1, 39)
The failure of parents to search the scriptures inevitably leads to erroneous beliefs which are then passed on to the children as false traditions.
A Cause Of Deception—Failure To Hearken To The Words Of The Lord
In the following passage, the Lord seems to be saying that everyone will be deceived who will not hearken unto his voice:
And he became Satan, yea, even the devil, the father of all lies, to deceive and to blind men, and to lead them captive at his will, even as many as would not hearken unto my voice. (Moses 4:4)
The prophet Nephi explained that the unbelief, wickedness and ignorance of the people was a consequence of their refusal to search and understand the knowledge given them:
And now I, Nephi, cannot say more; the Spirit stoppeth mine utterance, and I am left to mourn because of the unbelief and the wickedness, and the ignorance, and the stiffneckedness of men; for they will not search knowledge, nor understand great knowledge, when it is given unto them in plainness, even as plain as word can be. (2 Nephi 32:7)
The foregoing scriptures have special significance to those who know that the Lord has spoken to mankind and given to them “great knowledge… in plainness.” It is the people of this class who fail to search and understand revelation who will be severely condemned as the prophet Jacob has said:
But woe unto him that has the law given, yea, that has all the commandments of God, like unto us, and that transgresseth them, and that wasteth the days of his probation, for awful is his state! (2 Nephi 9:27)
Probably the most vivid scriptural portrayal of the fact that no one can escape deception without searching the scriptures, is contained in the “tree of life” vision given to both Lehi and Nephi. The central theme of that remarkable revelation is that all who come to earth must pass through “a mist of darkness; yea, even an exceeding great mist of darkness,” and no one can avoid being lost therein unless he grasps the iron rod which is “the word of God.” The angel told Nephi that the
mists of darkness are the temptations of the devil, which blindeth the eyes, and hardeneth the hearts of the children of men, and leadeth them away into broad roads, that they perish and are lost. (I Nephi 12: 17)
Lehi was shown that even he, a prophet, was in danger; for in his vision, he became lost in a dark and dreary waste for the space of many hours and was rescued only when he fearfully pled with the Lord for guidance. The whole panorama of earth life was spread before him and he was able to see enormous multitudes pass through their entire mortal probation. He saw these great concourses of people divide themselves into four distinct groups, only one of which made it safely through the mists of darkness and stayed true to the faith. While there were actually two groups who clung to the iron rod until they reached the tree of life, one of them could not bear the mocking and taunting which is the lot of those who live righteously, and therefore, they “fell away into forbidden paths and were lost.”
A third group commenced along the pathway which led to the tree, but they faltered before reaching it because they tried to get there without holding to the iron rod. Their fate is described by Nephi in these words:
And I saw numberless concourses of people, many of whom were pressing forward, that they might obtain the path which led unto the tree by which I stood.
And it came to pass that they did come forth, and commence in the path which led to the tree.
And it came to pass that there arose a mist of darkness, insomuch that they who had commenced in the path did lose their way, that they wandered off and were lost. (1 Nephi 8:21-23)
The fourth group neither followed the path nor made any attempt to grasp the iron rod, but headed for the great and spacious building which was a representation of the wisdom and pride of the world: (1 Nephi 11:35-36)
And he [Lehi] also saw other multitudes feeling their way towards that great and spacious building.
And it came to pass that many were drowned in the depths of the fountain; [which represented the depths of hell] and many were lost from view, wandering in strange roads.
And great was the multitude that did enter into that strange building…. (1 Nephi 8:31-33)
According to this vision, Satan’s deceptions take a terrible toll. Even if it were true that the four groups were all of the same size, not more than one in four can expect to follow the paths of righteousness to the end of their lives. But we cannot even assume this, for the size of the two groups which never reach the tree of life is indicated by the terms, “numberless concourses,” and “great was the multitude.” Let us note once more that it is failure to grasp the iron rod which makes such massive deception possible.
A Cause Of Deception—Sin
We learn from D&C 93:39 that Satan is able to take “away light and truth” not only because of “the tradition of their fathers,” but also because of “disobedience” or sin. One who is wicked is quite literally spiritually blind, and it is just as impossible for him to perceive the things of God as it is for a physically blind man to see physical objects. In his first epistle to the Corinthian Saints, Paul said:
But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned (1 Cor. 2:14)
In the wisdom of God, truth is withheld from those who do wickedly because to give them additional light when they are sinning against the light they already possess would curse rather than bless. Alma explained this vital truth to the wicked people of the city of Ammonihah in these words:
It is given unto many to know the mysteries of God; nevertheless they are laid under a strict command that they shall not impart only according to the portion of his word which he doth grant unto the children of men, according to the heed and diligence which they give unto him.
And therefore, he that will harden his heart, the same receiveth the lesser portion of the word until they know nothing concerning his mysteries; and then they are taken captive by the devil, and led by his will down to destruction…(Alma 12:9-11)
Christ explained this same principle to His disciples in Jerusalem when they asked him why He taught in parables. (See Matt 13:10-15)
Certain kinds of sin are especially fatal to spiritual sight, adultery being one of them:
And verily i say unto you, as i have said before, he that looketh on a woman to lust after her, or if any shall commit adultery in their hearts, they shall not have the Spirit, but shall deny the faith and shall fear. (D&C 63:16)
Pride is another sin which renders one incapable of acquiring truths from God:
and the wise, and the learned, and they that are rich, who are puffed up because of their learning, and their wisdom, and their riches— yea, they are they whom he [God] despiseth; and save they shall cast these things away, and consider themselves fools before God, and come down in the depths of humility, he will not open unto them. (2 Nephi 9:42)
Why Salvation And Exaltation Are Impossible Without Knowledge Of God’s Laws
Let us consider why it is that ignorance of God’s laws is fatal to salvation or exaltation. These goals, like all others, may be reached only by compliance with certain immutable, inexorable laws. But no one can consciously obey a law without knowing what that law is, and no one can obtain this knowledge without going to God, the Source of all truth. There may be those who doubt the reign of inviolable law in the moral or religious realm, and because of such lack of faith and understanding, they may be deceived into assuming there is no need to learn and obey any particular commandments to attain salvation. Indeed, this may be one of the main deceptions practiced by Satan upon those who never seek to grasp the iron rod. It may be worthwhile to briefly consider a few points which argue for the existence of spiritual law.
The Reign Of Law And Its Relationship To The Use Of Intelligence
Civilized man has learned that he lives in a universe governed by unchanging physical law. If he desires to accomplish any result whatsoever, he knows that he must discover and precisely obey those laws upon which the result depends. This reign of law in the physical world is not questioned by intelligent men. Scientists, as well as others, have proven over and over again the unvarying nature of the rules which govern changes relating to energy and matter such as the laws of gravity, electricity, and thermodynamics. All reliable evidence proves the existence of immutable laws in the physical world, and nothing man has ever done or observed has disproved their existence; therefore, there is general agreement on this matter among those who are informed.
Logical minds also agree on the fact that the existence of law is indispensable to the use of intelligence. A dictionary definition of intelligence is:
The ability to apprehend the interrelationships of presented facts in such a way as to guide action toward a desired goal.
Yet no one can work toward any goal unless he can foresee the results of his actions, and no one can foresee the results of his actions unless laws exist which assure that the same results will follow the same causes. From this we must conclude that intelligent conduct is possible only in the presence of law. Only when a person can predict the consequences of what he does can he “guide action toward a desired goal.” Where law prevails and is understood, one is able to anticipate the results which will flow from any given course of conduct, and thus he can choose that course which will accomplish the goal he seeks.
It is difficult, if not impossible, to visualize an environment wherein law does not exist, but if such were possible, chaos would reign. Nothing could be depended upon to happen the same way twice. Past events and conditions would bear no relation to occurrences in the future. One could not survive under such conditions. He could not even feed and clothe himself. He could never work toward a goal because he could never know what to do to accomplish it. Knowledge, judgement, foresight, reason, memory, and all other qualities of the mind would be of no avail. In the absence of law, intelligent conduct would be impossible and intelligence unusable.
Obedience is the first law of intelligent existence. Anyone who allows himself to be deceived into assuming that there is no need to obey specific laws in some particular field such as religion or morality has in effect concluded that it is impossible for anyone to reach a goal in that field. Man is continually striving to bring about change; but every change occurs in strict accordance with natural law. Therefore, to produce any desired change, those laws which govern its occurrence must be discovered and obeyed. This constitutes the purpose of intelligent life. To attain goals in the spiritual realm, obedience to law is as necessary as in the physical. The Lord has assured us that this is so:
There is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated— And when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated (D&C 130:20-21)
We must also conclude that to obtain the full benefits of compliance, obedience must be precise and complete. If one complies only partially or imperfectly, he may expect no more than a partial or an imperfect result, because we have been told:
For i the Lord cannot look upon sin with the least degree of allowance; (D&C 1:31) Broad is the gate, and wide the way that leadeth to the deaths; and many there are that go in thereat, because they receive me not, neither do they abide in my law. (D&C 132:25)
One final comment regarding the reign of law is that it applies to all people without any exceptions. God is just; He is no respecter of persons; He will not play favorites even if He could. For anyone to attain a specific goal, exact compliance with law is essential. We are told:
For he who is not able to abide the law of a celestial kingdom cannot abide a celestial glory. And he who cannot abide the law of a terrestrial kingdom cannot abide a terrestrial glory. (D&C 88:22-23)
In reaching these hard and fast conclusions regarding the inviolable nature of laws, one should not lose sight of the fact that repentance and the atonement of Christ are among them. While every violation of the laws of God inevitably results in suffering, it is not inevitable that the violators do the suffering if there is seasonable repentance and a reliance on the atonement: In a manner which is difficult to comprehend, the law of God’s mercy operates to permit One to suffer for the transgressions of all.
God’s Laws Are Of Two Kinds—Thou Shalt, And Thou Shalt Not
When Satan fails to deceive a person into believing that there are no specific laws governing salvation and exaltation, we then might expect him to try to mislead concerning what those laws are. As a starting point in our discussion of the Lord’s laws, let us observe that they are of two distinct kinds:
1. Those things we must do to obtain salvation and exaltation, and
2. Those things we must not do.
The things we are commanded not to do, Satan urges us to do. It is just as essential for us to learn and obey God’s negative commandments forbidding evil, as it is to learn and obey His affirmative commandments to do good. The stated purpose of the fall was that men might become as Gods knowing “good and evil.” (Moses 4:11, 28) Had Adam and Eve not partaken of the forbidden fruit,
they would have remained in a state of innocence, having no joy, for they knew no misery; doing no good, for they knew no sin. (2 Nephi 2:23)
This scripture appears to state that it is impossible for one to know good unless he also knows evil, and that man would be incapable of either understanding or doing good unless he also understood the nature of evil and the necessity of avoiding it.
Let us observe that the Lord’s commandments have always dealt with the commission of evil as well as good. The plates given to Moses on Sinai contained not only the affirmative commandments to worship God, keep the Sabbath, and honor parents; but also the negative commandments to refrain from murder, adultery, theft, falsehood, and envy. In the Sermon on the Mount, the Lord told us not only to love our fellow man, pray, forgive, and be charitable; but he also forbade anger, lustful desires, hypocrisy, and laying up treasures on earth. The Word of Wisdom specifies not only some of those physical substances which are good for the body, but also some which are harmful.
The Necessity Of Knowing Satan’s Plan As Well As The Lord’s
The scriptures contain numerous statements concerning Satan and evil which we are under obligation to study and learn if we obey the commandment to “live by every word which proceedeth forth out of the mouth of God.” (D&C 98:11) Since God is omniscient, He knows evil as well as good, and if we are going to become “as gods knowing good and evil,” we must be instructed in both.
A failure to learn about Satan’s plan for man here on earth would be fatal to the full exercise of free agency. The reason for this lies in the fact that in the final analysis free agency is the opportunity to choose between good and evil. To intelligently make such a choice one must understand the alternatives—both of them. To the extent one is ignorant of these alternatives, to that same extent he has not made a complete choice. Until a person understands Satan’s plan, he can never be certain he does not believe in it and is not helping to carry it out.
Satan Undertakes To Keep Himself And His Plan Hidden From
Everyone who has been permitted to come to earth and partake of mortality has presumably rejected Satan’s plan in the pre-earth life. If he is able to get us to accept it here, he must use deception. His great success among men lies in keeping himself and his plan hidden. That he would succeed in doing this in these latter days was predicted by Nephi who wrote:
And behold, others he [Satan] flattereth away, and telleth them there is no hell; and he saith unto them: i am no devil, for there is none—and thus he whispereth in their ears, until he grasps them with his awful chains, from whence there is no deliverance. (2 Nephi 28:22)
Specific instances of his attempts to keep himself and his works hidden are recorded in the scriptures. One such case involved the removal from the Bible of the record of an encounter between Moses and Satan. We know of this from the Pearl of Great Price which tells us of the event:
And it came to pass that Moses began to fear exceedingly; and as he began to fear, he saw the bitterness of hell. Nevertheless, calling upon God, he received strength, and he commanded saying: Depart from me, Satan,… (Moses 1:20)
This account was originally included in Moses’ writings, but as the following verse indicates, through Satan’s influence it was removed:
And now of this thing Moses bore record; but because of wickedness it is not had among the children of men. (Ibid., v. 23)
It will also be remembered that Satan had a hand in corrupting the records which disclosed the nature of his Great and Abominable Church.
On a number of occasions, the Lord has permitted His prophets to have personal contacts with the Adversary and then bear record of such. The prophet Joseph Smith experienced Satan’s awful power and described it for us in detail. (Smith 2:15-16) A record of Lucifer’s efforts to tempt the Lord is also provided us. In the tremendous vision of the three degrees of glory, the Lord showed Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon a vision of Satan and “the sufferings of those with whom he made war and overcame.” Thus, while the Lord has consistently undertaken to acquaint men with the existence of Satan and his terrible power, the evil one has just as consistently tried to destroy those records which testify of him, and keep himself concealed.
The Lord’s Promise To Make Known Satan’s Operations
Right from the beginning, Satan has tried to keep his plan hidden from view also. Thus, we learn from the Pearl of Great Price, (but not from the Bible which has been tampered with and many plain and precious things removed therefrom), that Satan had secret combinations among the antediluvians. The Book of Mormon, which has also come to us in its purity, testifies most extensively of Satan’s secret operations among both the Jaredites and the Nephites. The Lord has always disclosed to his people who serve Him the nature of Satan’s works, so that they need not be deceived into accepting his doctrines. And let us note that the scriptures contain a promise—at least to those who come upon this chosen land—that God will reveal Satan’s operations to those of His people who are righteous. This promise is contained in the Book of Mormon. Let us consider it.
When Alma was turning over to his son, Helaman, custody of the Nephite and Jaredite records, he gave him some special instructions concerning the twenty-four plates containing the Jaredite history. Regarding them, he said:
And now, I will speak unto you concerning those twenty-four plates, that ye keep them, that the mysteries and the works of darkness, and their secret works, or the secret works of those people who have been destroyed, may be made manifest unto this people; yea, all their murders, and robbings, and their plunderings, and all their wickedness and abominations, may be made manifest unto this people; yea, and that ye preserve these interpreters. (Alma 37:21)
Alma also explained that the Lord had made special provision for disclosing to his prophets the secret operations of Satan:
For behold, the Lord saw that his people began to work in darkness, yea, work secret murders and abominations…
And the Lord said: I will prepare unto my servant Gazelem, a stone, which shall shine forth in darkness unto light, that I may discover unto my people who serve me, that I may discover unto them the works of their brethren, yea, their secret works, their works of darkness, and their wickedness and abominations. (Ibid., v. 22-23)
And then, through this great prophet, Alma, the Lord made this promise to all who should thereafter come upon this land:
I will bring forth out of darkness unto light all their secret works and their abominations; and except they repent I will destroy them from off the face of the earth; and I will bring to light all their secrets and abominations, unto every nation that shall hereafter possess the land (Ibid., v. 25)
This promise recalls to mind a modern day scriptural injunction which reads as follows:
Therefore, that we should waste and wear out our lives in bringing to light all the hidden things of darkness, wherein we know them; and they are truly manifest from heaven— These should then be attended to with great earnestness.
Let no man count them as small things…. (D&C 123:13-15)
There is also the latter-day commandment to the Lord’s servants to enlighten the people regarding the desolation of abominations:
And verily I say unto you, the rest of my servants, go ye forth as your circumstances shall permit…setting forth clearly and understandingly the desolation of abomination in the last days. (D&C 84:117)
It is easy to conclude from these instructions that the Lord desires that His people of this dispensation have an understanding of Satan’s works among them. Still another scripture from the Doctrine and Covenants tells us to:
Contend against no church save it be the church of the devil. (D&C 18:20)
One can obey the above directives only by gaining an understanding of Satan’s organized activities on earth today.
Let us note in passing that there are certain things about Satan’s operations and methods which the Lord has commanded His prophets not to make known to the people. In the following verse, Alma tells Helaman the nature of the information which was for the eyes of the prophets only:
And now, my son, i command you that ye retain all their oaths, and their covenants, and their agreements in their secret abominations; yea, and all their signs and their wonders ye shall keep from this people, that they know them not, lest peradventure they should fall into darkness also and be destroyed (Alma 37:27)
We might also observe that while it is essential that man learn of evil, he must beware that such knowledge fills him only with abhorrence, disgust, and sorrow. He should learn of it in order that he may reject and oppose it. If one ponders wickedness with pleasure, savors it and derives satisfaction therefrom, he is subjecting himself to the influence of Satan. The Savior has recommended in the Sermon on the Mount that we include within our prayers this petition: “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” This would suggest that we continually try to remove ourselves from evil influences and from tempting circumstances.
Satan’s Overwhelming Success In Keeping Himself And His Operations Hidden
The fact that so very few seem to have any fear of being deceived into believing in Satan’s plan or belonging to his organization is in itself evidence of his overwhelming success in keeping himself and his operations secret. Those who do interest themselves in the prophecies of John and Nephi have difficulty agreeing among themselves upon the identity of the devil’s church or even finding a “church” which fits the description given of it in the scriptures. One of the names used by John to describe Satan’s organization was “Mystery,” perhaps to indicate that its identity would not be known.
But whether the great deception being practiced is due to inherited lies, wickedness and unbelief, or a failure to search the scriptures, the Lord still has promised those who serve Him that He will,
bring to light all their secrets and abominations, unto every nation that shall here after possess the land (Alma 37:25)
In reliance on this promise, the members of the Lord’s Church should be justified in assuming that if they live worthily the Lord will reveal through His living prophets that knowledge which will enable them to identify the devil’s church.
Before turning to the words of the living prophets for information regarding organized evil today, let us consider the Lord’s plan of providing free agency for His children and note the organizations which He uses to accomplish this purpose—the family, the Church, and government. Then let us consider those organizations Satan might most effectively use to defeat the Lord’s plan. This should enable us to understand more easily what the living prophets are saying.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life , Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness. (Declaration of Independence)
No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury,…nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation. (U.S. Constitution, 5th Amendment)
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