One of the most common attacks against the Restoration is because we claim new scripture. In this Oct. 1964 sermon Elder Mark E. Petersen, who was at the time serving as both a member of the quorum of the twelve apostles and as the Mission President of Western Europe, addressed this common attack against the Church. Using the Bible, he completely flips this attack against the Restoration and new scripture into evidence for the Restoration and the need for new scripture!! Here is this 1964 Classic from the conference archives:
Three New Volumes of Scriptures Revealed by Mark E. Petersen
I would like to talk with you today about a subject which is very important to the missionaries of the Church as well as to ourselves and address my remarks very largely to those who are investigating our great Church and studying with our missionaries.
The Bible—the Word of God
We Latter-day Saints believe the Bible to be the word of God. We love it, and we use it continuously. We also believe the Book of Mormon and other modern scriptures to be the word of God. Some people who study the gospel with us are concerned by this latter fact because they are of the opinion that the Bible contains all of the word of God and that there can be no more scripture. They turn to the last chapter of the book of Revelation, which is also the concluding part of the Bible, and say that it proves that there should be no scripture other than the Bible. The words of John the Revelator to which they refer read as follows: “For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book” (Rev. 22:18)
John’s Order Follows Precedent of Moses
Of course a careful reading of this text shows very clearly that John the Revelator was speaking only of the book of Revelation and not of any collection of other sacred writings. Moses used a similar expression in speaking to ancient Israel when he said: “Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it . . .” This is found in the fourth chapter of the book of Deuteronomy, verse 2. In the 12th chapter of the same book, verse 32, Moses said this: “What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it”
Can anyone suppose that in these words Moses laid down a prohibition against all subsequent revelations and against all books which might be called scripture in years to come? Did he have the power to silence all future prophets and forbid them to speak or write as God intended that they should? Of course not, or we would be without most of the Old Testament and would have none of the New Testament at all.
It was the same with John the Revelator. In warning against additions to the book of Revelation he spoke of that book only, insisting that no one attempt to change or corrupt what he had said. The Bible was not compiled when John wrote the book of Revelation, so he could not possibly have referred to it. Furthermore, scholars tell us that the Gospel of John was written after the book of Revelation, and if this be true it becomes another indication that John had no thought of precluding other writings but only of protecting this particular book of Revelation from change or corruption.
Then what about subsequent revelation? What about additional scripture? Should earnest readers of the Bible look for additional scriptures? Or should they be content with what they now have? All students of Holy Writ know that the Bible itself refers to a number of other books which the compilers did not include in it, either because they did not have access to them or because they did not consider them to be canonical.
No one who understands the facts believes that the Bible contains all that God has ever revealed to human beings, and the Bible itself confirms this stand. It is interesting to ask ourselves how we obtained the Bible, how it was written originally, and by what means it was handed on down to us.
Scriptures After Moses
The Bible is a record of the work and writings of the prophets of God throughout the ages, together with a history of their time. It begins with the writings of the Prophet Moses, who is the accepted author of the first five books of the Old Testament. When Joshua was called to lead Israel, he received revelations also, and they were recorded with the history of his time. This record became known as the book of Joshua. It was new scripture for that day and was placed with the writings of Moses. The book of Judges came next. It was new scripture also and was added to the existing volume. Then came the Prophet Samuel. He received many revelations and wrote much history. His record was new scripture for his day and was added to the existing and now fast-growing volume of God’s word.
Who among us would discard the writings of Samuel because in earlier years Moses had said, “Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you” (Deut. 4:2) It is obvious that Moses spoke only of his own writings and not of anything written in subsequent times by men called to be prophets like unto himself.
When Ezra and Nehemiah came on the scene, they received revelations which were recorded as scripture and placed with what Moses, Joshua, and Samuel had written. This became a pattern by which we obtained the entire Old Testament. Whenever God had a people on the earth, he raised up prophets who spoke in his name. Their writings became our scriptures. New scripture came with each new prophet, and each of these new books was included with the scripture already in hand.
This pattern held true for the New Testament also. As the sacred word of the Christian era was written, it became scripture. Even the letters of Peter, James, John, Paul, and little-known Jude became scripture, new scripture. And they were so accepted by the people of that day and added to the final volume of scripture as it was at last compiled.
Divine Guidance Through Continuous Revelation
That is the way in which the Bible was prepared originally. It came out of a well-ordered procedure of the Lord. It was always the purpose of God to guide his people and not let them drift, but that guidance constituted new revelation every time it was given. Prophets were there to receive it, and as they wrote, their record became new scripture.
Don’t you see that one of the greatest marks of identification of the true Church of God in all the ages has been that it constantly produced new scripture? When there was no new scripture, it was a sign that there was no new revelation, and when there was no new revelation, there was no divine guidance. And when there was no divine guidance, the people drifted into error and darkness. Continuous revelation was essential to the life and survival of the true Church. So were the records of those new revelations, and each new record became new scripture.
New Scripture Evidence of True Church
The true Church must always produce new scripture according to this pattern. If it does not, we must admit that it has drifted from the path of truth and right. It was Isaiah who explained such a situation which existed anciently when he said: “. . . the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: For your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and you sins have hid his face from you” (Isa. 59:1-2)
To say that there can be no new scripture is itself unscriptural and contrary to the teachings of the Bible. If we truly believe the Bible, we must expect additional scripture from time to time, and to do so we must look for living prophets to receive the revelations which are to become that new scripture. We cannot escape this conclusion. It is a well-established pattern of God’s hand-dealings with men all down through the ages.
New Volumes of Scripture
The Latter-day Saints offer to the world three new volumes of scripture: the Book of Mormon, which is a sacred record of the ancient Americans, the Doctrine and Covenants and the Pearl of Great Price, which contain many of the revelations to the Prophet Joseph Smith. They are books of priceless value. They sustain the truthfulness of the Bible and give testimony of the divinity of Mormonism. They declare in no uncertain terms that God has spoken in our day and has made many of his gospel principles clear and understandable through these modern revelations.
Would you like to hear a message from God as given in our day? What would you give to hear his word as revealed in modern times, fully supporting and sustaining what was given anciently? It is here. We have it. We offer it freely to all mankind, and what we offer is fully authentic as were the writings of Joshua and the other prophets when added to those of Moses, and as was the New Testament when added to the Old. The teachings of these new scriptures will bring you divine strength and heavenly light. They will dissipate the doubts and fears that have arisen in honest minds for centuries and will answer gospel questions which have caused many misunderstandings about God’s word.
Baptism is Essential to Salvation
Some have wondered, for example, about the necessity of baptism. Is baptism really essential to salvation, and if so, how should it be administered? If the Bible leaves you in doubt on these points let the modern scriptures help you. A Book of Mormon prophet, in discussing baptism, said at one time:
“. . . if the Lamb of God, he being holy, should have need to be baptized by water, to fulfil all righteousness, O then, how much more need have we, being unholy, to be baptized, yea, even by water!
. . . he showeth unto the children of men that, according to the flesh he humbleth himself before the Father, and witnesseth unto the Father that he would be obedient unto him in keeping his commandments” (2 Ne. 31:5,7)
After hearing these words can anyone doubt the necessity of baptism? And would you like to know how baptism should be performed? By what method? In the Book of Mormon the Savior himself explained this as he instructed the men whom he authorized to perform baptisms in ancient America. Said he:
“. . . ye shall go down and stand in the water, and in my name shall ye baptize them. And now behold, these are the words which ye shall say, calling them by name, saying: Having authority given me of Jesus Christ, I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.
And then shall ye immerse them in the water, and come forth again out of the water. . . On this wise shall ye baptize; and there shall be no disputations among you” (3 Ne. 11:23-26,22)
How unmistakably clear this is!
The Lord Lives
Do you ever doubt the actual existence of the Lord Jesus Christ? Would you like some modern assurance that he really lives? Modern revelation provides it. Listen to this testimony given by Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery after a personal visitation of the Savior in a sacred temple built by the Mormon people in Kirtland, Ohio. They said:
“The veil was taken from our minds, and the eyes of our understanding were opened. We saw the Lord standing upon the breastwork of the pulpit, before us; and under his feet was a paved work of pure gold, in color like amber. His eyes were as a flame of fire; the hair of his head was white like the pure snow; his countenance shone above the brightness of the sun; and his voice was as the sound of the rushing of great waters, even the voice of Jehovah, saying: I am the first and the last; I am he who liveth, I am he who was slain; I am your advocate with the Father” (D&C 110:1-4)
Or listen to the testimony given by Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon when they said: “. . . this is the testimony, last of all, which we give of him: That he lives! For we saw him, even on the right hand of God; and we heard the voice bearing record that he is the Only Begotten of the Father—That by him, and through him, and of him, the worlds are and were created, and the inhabitants thereof are begotten sons and daughters unto God” (D&C 76:22-24)
Modern Revelation Beckons You
Isn’t that thrilling? Modern revelation beckons you. It can enlighten your mind and revitalize your whole soul. It will bring you the pure and simple gospel taught by Paul and Peter. It will give you the power to know for yourselves that God really lives, that Jesus is the Christ, and that he has a modern ministry.
We Latter-day Saints are the custodians of that modern ministry. We humbly announce to the world that we are the ordained servants of Jesus Christ. We labor for him and in his name. We have living prophets among us now. They speak, they write, they testify in a great new revelation of God.
We do not teach the commandments or the doctrines of men. We have fully in mind the warning of the Apostle Paul that if anyone preach any other gospel than that which he preached such a one shall be accursed (Gal. 1:8) And we remember too the teachings of the Savior when he said that we shall be judged by every word that we speak, even every idle word (Matt. 12:36) Knowing all of this, we bear solemn and earnest testimony to you that what we teach is God’s own truth.
The Almighty Speaks Again to Man
The Almighty has reopened the heavens. He has appeared to modern men and spoken to them personally, face to face, even as he did unto Moses (Ex. 33:11) He has reestablished his true Church on the earth, even as it was in ancient times. He has raised up new prophets on the earth and speaks through them. He has sent to the earth heavenly messengers who ordained these modern prophets to the Holy Priesthood and gave them the divine power to officiate in the ordinances of the gospel and make them valid.
These are facts. They are true, and we lie not. We do not ask you to take our word alone. We urge you to go to the Lord in humble prayer and seek his guidance. He will not lead you astray. He loves you. He is your Father. He has taught us that he will give us enlightenment and give it generously.
But he sets up one condition. We must “. . . ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed” (James 1:6) And yet if our search is honest and our desire sincere, he promises us rich rewards. He invites us to come to him and says: “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you” (Matt. 7:7)
We testify to you of the truth of these things, and we do it in the name of the Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
Mark E. Petersen, Conference Report, October 1964, pp. 120-124
If you liked this conference talk on “Three New Volumes of Scriptures Revealed” from the archives, you might enjoy these other articles from the archives too!
