One of the most quoted verses from the Doctrine and Covenants is “if ye are not one ye are not mine” (D&C 38:27). The ‘oneness’ Christ commands us to cultivate in this verse is not sameness, but unity. This is a tall task in one of the largest global and most diverse churches on earth. As we seek to apply and live this verse, we will have two main questions to answer: Unity on what? And how do we create this unity?
Unity for the Sake of Unity
Before I can address how to create unity, I want to clarify what type of unity is godly. AKA Unity on what. I run a Facebook Page, “Latter-day Saints Standing United.” And whenever I share quotes from the general authorities on any issue addressed in the Family Proclamation, I get comments like, “This is not producing unity!” or “I am unfollowing, this page does not promote unity!” One recent comment went so far as to suggest I delete the posted quote because it was upsetting people. To all of these comments, I reply with some variation of: “Unity itself is not a principle of the gospel; we could all be united in following Satan, and it would be wrong. The unity this page strives to create is unity in the truths of the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ.” For more on this topic, see “Unity for the sake of unity is NOT a gospel principle!“
Now that we have fixed in our minds that we need unity, but not just any unity, but unity in the truths of the gospel, the question is raised, “How?” How do we create this unity on gospel truths?
Unity From Christ?
Our go-to thought when we think “How do we get unity?” is to think “JESUS!” Whereas that sounds great, it does not work. Because Jesus is not living on earth with us today, we only have our conception of Christ, or what we think Christ is/would do. Both sides of almost every ‘issue’ in the Church today cite the idea that they believe Jesus would side with them. Let alone if one takes a look at Christianity as a whole, and you will find that literally, they have a church supporting each side of every issue, all claiming to follow Jesus.
Because we do not have a correct understanding of Jesus, only our perception, following what WE think Jesus would do, cannot unify us. Hence, the 45,000+ different Christian denominations.
Unity From Scripture?
A popular protestant belief is in sola Scriptura, or ‘by Scripture Alone.’ Just like with Jesus, this sounds great at first! Surely with the scriptures we can regulate and unify? Once again, the answer is “Nope.” All we need to do is look at the account of Joseph Smith. He stated, “the teachers of religion of the different sects understood the same passages of scripture so differently as to destroy all confidence in settling the question by an appeal to the Bible.” (JSH 1:12).
Now, you might be thinking, “But Jeremy (my real name), that was only with the Bible, we also have the Book of Mormon and the D&C! Surely with the additional scriptures we can find unity!” Once again, you only need to look to the fruits. Over 400 different Churches have at one point or another believed/still believe in the Book of Mormon. I ran into this first hand on my mission to New England, I would try to pass out a copy of the Book of Mormon and get a reply back, “Oh, I already have that book. My church uses it.” Unity does not come in books.
Unity From Joseph Smith?
Just like unity from Jesus Christ or Scriptures, unity from Joseph Smith sounds reasonable! But just like Jesus and the Scriptures, Joseph Smith is not alive today. And thus, his words and teachings, like any other dead prophet, can be selectively quoted and used to back up both sides of most arguments. Almost all the different Churches that believe in the Book of Mormon also believe Joseph Smith was a prophet. Like all dead prophets, unity cannot come from the words and teachings of Joseph Smith alone.
Unity From Personal Revelation?
Surely, if unity cannot be found from Jesus, Scripture, or dead prophets alone, one can find it in personal revelation? Because, unlike the others, personal revelation is direct communication from God to us! Right? Well, once again, you would be mistaken. Personal Revelation is merely direct communication. There is Divine Personal Revelation, as well as False Personal Revelation. (To read the masterclass talk on this subject, see “Joseph F. Merrill: Divine and False Revelation – April 1941” (if you would prefer to listen to this talk, click HERE instead). I cannot recommend this talk enough!!
As Elder Merrill explains, false revelations are real. Because many members do not authenticate their revelations, they often mistake the imitations of Satan for the authentic Divine Personal Revelations from God. If this error were eliminated, and all of us only received Divine Personal Revelation, then yes, it would produce unity as it would all be coming from the same source and would be consonant. But if I were given $5 every time I had someone declare they had a personal revelation that X prophet had fallen, to leave the Church, or that the Church was wrong on a subject (LGBTQ), I would be able to retire a wealthy man. Dallin H. Oaks has warned us that “Satan stands ready to mislead through sophistry or spurious revelation.” (Ensign, Oct. 1994) Therefore, ‘Personal Revelation Alone’ cannot produce unity.
Following the Living Prophet is the ONLY way to Produce Unity.
The only thing that will produce the unity we are commanded to have by Christ is to follow the prophet. Now I want to be clear: We do not worship the prophet, nor is he the head of the Church. Jesus Christ is the head of the Church. But the LIVING prophet is Jesus Christ’s authorized representative. He has the authority and obligation to lead and guide the Church on earth in accordance with Christ’s direction. And in turn, we have been given the assurance by Christ that HE will not allow the prophet to lead us astray. (This promise has been given both in scripture as well as over the pulpit dozens and dozens of times, see “25+ Times We Have Been Promised That The Prophet Will Not Lead Us Astray“).
Now you might be thinking, but the prophet is fillable! This is true, but it is not an excuse to ignore Christ’s mortal captain. The resolution to this concern is its own whole article (see “Why I Follow A Fallible Prophet, And You Should Too!“). This concern is born out of a misunderstanding of how revelation actually works. The above article details this very clearly, and if you struggle with this subject, I highly recommend reading it.
Ultimately, each of us must decide: Will I trust in my own arm of flesh? Or in the promises of God? If we are to ever have or wish to maintain our unity, it will only ever come as we learn this truth taught by President Jeffrey R. Holland: “In such basic matters of faith, prophets do not apologize for requesting unity, indeed conformity, in the eloquent sense that the Prophet Joseph Smith used that latter word. In any case, as Elder Neal Maxwell once said to me in a hallway conversation, ‘There didn’t seem to be any problem with conformity the day the Red Sea opened.'” (GC: Apr. 2003)
“But I follow Jesus!”
Whenever I have explained these principles, I always get someone who retorts, “I follow Jesus.” This is used as a tactic to say it is either the prophet or Jesus. To them I simply reply with the words of Ezra Taft Benson: “If we want to know how well we stand with the Lord then let us ask ourselves how well we stand with His mortal captain—how close do our lives harmonize with the Lord’s anointed—the living Prophet—President of the Church, and with the Quorum of the First Presidency.” (First Presidency Message, June 1981)
How can we claim to follow Jesus if we are not fully following HIS mortal Captain? Simple, you can’t. If we are “Hearing Him,” then we will hear His direction to follow the prophet. This truth was taught by Marion G. Romney, “the spirit of the Lord will never direct a person to take a position in opposition to the counsel of the Presidency of His Church.” (GC: Apr. 1942). But because of false personal revelation, many Saints, as Elder Merrill put it, “have been blinded [and] have been led to believe that they are serving the cause of the Master when the fact is they are dupes of the devil.” (GC: Apr. 1941)
Therefore What?
Let us seek to establish the unity in the truths of the restored gospel as Christ has commanded us. Let us realize that this unity comes ONLY as we follow Christ’s mortal captain. That by following the prophet we put ourselves in true harmony with the Savior, and thus, by following His servants, we will in fact be following Christ. If this requires repentance, then so be it. For as Marion G. Romney also taught, “all who are out of harmony in any degree with the Presidency have need to repent and to seek the Lord for forgiveness and to put themselves in full harmony.” (GC: Apr. 1942).
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