D&C 11 - Taste Tests and the Scriptures

Doctrinal Taste Test Challenge

“This is good doctrine. It tastes good. I can taste the principles of eternal life, and so can you. They are given to my by the revelations of Jesus Christ; and I know that when I tell you these words of eternal life as they are given to me, you taste them, and I know that you believe them. You say honey is sweet, and so do I. I can also taste the spirit of eternal life. I know it is good; and when I tell you of these things which were given me by inspiration of the Holy Spirit, you are bound to receive them as sweet, and rejoice more and more.” (Joseph Smith, Teachings, p. 355.)

Joseph Smith, Sr., who had a dream similar to Lehi and Nephi, said this once he and his family were at the Tree of Life eating the fruit: “The more we ate, the more we seemed to desire, until we even got down upon our knees and scooped it up, eating it by double handfuls.” (History of Joseph Smith by His Mother, p. 50.)

Importance of Using Scripture when Teaching

“Those who preach by the power of the Holy Ghost use the scriptures as their basic source of knowledge and doctrine. They begin with what the Lord has before revealed to other inspired men. But it is the practice of the Lord to give added knowledge to those upon whose hearts the true meanings and intents of the scriptures have been impressed. Many great doctrinal revelations come to those who preach from the scriptures. When they are in tune with the Infinite, the Lord lets them know, first, the full and complete meaning of the scriptures they are expounding, and then he ofttimes expands their views so that new truths flood in upon them, and they learn added things that those who do not follow such a course can never know. Hence, as to "preaching the word," the Lord commands his servants to go forth "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.) In a living, growing, divine church, new truths will come from time to time and old truths will be applied with new vigor to new situations, all under the guidance of the Holy Spirit of God.” (Bruce R. McConkie, Promised Messiah, 515-16.)