Bishop Richard C. Edgley on using faith instead reason
Beware of placing man’s wisdom over divine direction
”We must guard against letting our worldly successes or earthly learning become a substitution for spiritual wisdom and divine direction given through the prophets,” said Bishop Richard C. Edgley of the Presiding Bishopric in a general conference address in April 1993.
”In the Book of Mormon, Mormon explains the deteriorating condition of the Nephites resulting from their misplaced sense of achievement in earthly matters: ‘For they saw and beheld with great sorrow that the people of the church began to be lifted up in the pride of their eyes, and to set their hearts upon riches and upon the vain things of the world, that they began to be scornful, one towards another, and they began to persecute those that did not believe according to their own will and pleasure.’ (Alma 4:8.)
”The Lord further warns us against relying solely upon man’s strength and wisdom. He said, ‘Cursed is he that putteth his trust in man, or maketh flesh his arm, or shall hearken unto the precepts of men, save their precepts shall be given by the power of the Holy Ghost.’ ” (2 Ne. 28:31.)
Bishop Edgley further said: ”There are the so-called ‘learned’ that have let their intellect undermine their spiritual moorings and who would also attempt to lead the faithful away from those who are appointed by the Lord to lead. There are those who feel that our leaders are out of touch with the realities of the day. They would attempt to lead members by substituting their own knowledge for the revelations from God to His prophets. And, unfortunately, there are those who would so follow. Christ warned, ‘Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.’ ” (Matt. 7:15.)
Published 10 February, © 1996 LDS Church News