The term consonant has reference to the harmony of musical notes and the pleasing arrangement of like, complimentary sounds. When one is consonant with something, it means that one is in accord or in line with that thing. So what does it mean for one's personal revelations to be consonant with the Lord and His prophets? Let us take a look at some considerations:
The teachings of Jesus Christ are often summarized in what is called the gospel of Jesus Christ. For one's revelations to be consonant with the Lord then may be no more nor less than receiving revelation that does not oppose or contradict the gospel of Christ. For example, if someone attempts to teach that baptism is not necessary per their personal revelation, it would contradict the Lord's teachings on the matter (see John 3:3) and thus be inconsonant with the Lord.
But what of consonance with 'His Prophets'? It should be self evident that the teachings of the prophets in consideration are those that are themselves consonant with the Lord, Christ being the "sure foundation" upon which the prophets must build (see Isa. 28:16, Hel. 5:12). In fact, the scriptures state that "the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy" (Rev. 19:10, emphasis added), so anyone claiming to be a prophet who is not built upon Christ, or He who sent Christ, is not to be regarded as a prophet. As the scripture states regarding this inconsonance:
"If a prophet, or one who foretells by dreams, appears among you and announces to you a sign or wonder, and if the sign or wonder spoken of takes place, and the prophet says, 'Let us follow other gods' (gods you have not known) 'and let us worship them,' you must not listen to the words of that prophet or dreamer. The Lord your God is testing you to find out whether you love him with all your heart and with all your soul. It is the Lord your God you must follow, and him you must revere. Keep his commands and obey him; serve him and hold fast to him" (Deut. 13:1 – 4, NIV).
But sometimes prophets (especially modern prophets) who all claim allegiance to Christ will be at variance one with another in their teachings. How then do you judge the consonance of your personal revelations if they align only with certain prophets but are otherwise consonant with the gospel of Christ? Paul, in the course of giving instruction on how to worship with the gifts of the spirit in an orderly fashion, gives the hard but unsurprising truth:
"Well, my brothers and sisters, let’s summarize. When you meet together, one will sing, another will teach, another will tell some special revelation God has given, one will speak in tongues, and another will interpret what is said. But everything that is done must strengthen all of you.
"No more than two or three should speak in tongues. They must speak one at a time, and someone must interpret what they say. But if no one is present who can interpret, they must be silent in your church meeting and speak in tongues to God privately.
"Let two or three people prophesy, and let the others evaluate what is said. But if someone is prophesying and another person receives a revelation from the Lord, the one who is speaking must stop. In this way, all who prophesy will have a turn to speak, one after the other, so that everyone will learn and be encouraged. Remember that people who prophesy are in control of their spirit and can take turns. For God is not a God of disorder but of peace, as in all the meetings of God’s holy people....
"If you claim to be a prophet or think you are spiritual, you should recognize that what I am saying is a command from the Lord himself. But if you do not recognize this, you yourself will not be recognized" (1 Cor. 14:26 –33, 37 – 38, NLT, emphasis added).
In other words, when a prophet contradicts a prophet they cannot both be correct; one of their teachings is necessarily truer than the other's. As the scriptures say, "truth is knowledge of things as they are, and as they were, and as they are to come; and whatsoever is more or less than this is the spirit of that wicked one who was a liar from the beginning" (D&C 93:24 – 25). Additionally, the scriptures warn against the deadly influence of those prophets who think they have the spirit of God in their utterances but who do not, a situation against which Joseph Smith decreed "nothing is a greater injury to the children of men" (STPJS, p. 205):
"If thine eye which seeth for thee, him that is appointed to watch over thee to shew thee light, become a transgressor and offend thee, pluck him out. It is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire: for it is better that thyself should be saved, than to be cast into hell with thy brother, where their worm dieth not and where the fire is not quenched.
"For every one shall be salted with fire; and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt; but the salt must be good. For if the salt have lost his saltness, wherewith will ye season it (the sacrifice)? Therefore, it must needs be that ye have salt in yourselves and have peace one with another" (Mark 9:46 – 50, JST, emphasis added).
Note the instruction at the end that it is the responsibility of every individual to obtain light and truth for themselves, which, if it is indeed light and truth, will bring peace, or be consonant, 'one with another' who also possess the truth.
Truth then is the major chord with which we seek to be in tune, or in consonance, in our personal revelations. To be consonant with this is to be consonant with the Lord and His prophets who possess the spirit of truth, for "the Spirit of truth is of God. [Jesus Christ is] the Spirit of truth" (D&C 93:26).
Truth is not to be defined by its having proceeded out of the mouth of those who claim allegiance to Christ and his restored gospel. Just because a man may stand at the head of a large body of Christians does not mean that his counsel becomes truth. It is incumbent upon him, as with all others beneath him who claim 'the testimony of Jesus,' to be consonant with the spirit of truth as the Lord himself commanded:
"And I now give unto you a commandment to beware concerning yourselves, to give diligent heed to the words of eternal life. For you shall live by every word that proceedeth forth from the mouth of God. For the word of the Lord is truth, and whatsoever is truth is light, and whatsoever is light is Spirit, even the Spirit of Jesus Christ" (D&C 84:43 – 45).
Consonance with 'the Lord and His prophets' then is not so simple a task as accepting "whole cloth" the words spoken over a pulpit or written in a committee-approved curriculum, for it is prophesied that not all those who will profess to know God in the church will actually have known him (see D&C 112:24 – 26). We then are each under a sacred responsibility to discover the truth as we encounter it and align our hearts and personal revelations to it. We must distinguish the truth as the disciples on the road to Damascus who were taught by the Lord in secret and who recognized the key to that consonant chord of truth: "Didn’t our hearts burn within us as he talked with us on the road and explained the Scriptures to us?" (Luke 24:32).
"If it is right I will cause that your bosom shall burn within you; therefore, you shall feel that it is right. But if it be not right you shall have no such feelings" (D&C 9:8).
When people who claim to represent the Lord denounce "the desires of our hearts," we must be careful to ensure that that which burns in our hearts is not thrown out with the bathwater!
Comments