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▪ Home ▪ Links ▪ LDS Stuff ▪ Iconic Alphabet ▪ The Legend of Zelda		Three Spirits, Three Churches LDS Stuff » Three Spirits, Three Churches This whole thing started with two questions I had, back in the summer of 2003. The Church of the Lamb My first question came from reading 1 Nephi 14:10. There are save two churches only; the one is the church of the Lamb of God, and the other is the church of the devil; wherefore, whoso belongeth not to the church of the Lamb of God belongeth to that great church, which is the mother of abominations; and she is the whore of all the earth. I wondered if "the Church of the Lamb" was the same thing as "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints" and whether Nephi meant that everyone who had not been baptized a member of the restored Church was consequently a member of the church of the devil. I suspected that interpretation wasn't right. Elder Bruce  R. McConkie defined the church of the devil this way: The titles church of the devil and great and abominable church are used to identify all churches or organizations of whatever name or nature—whether political, philosophical, educational, economic, social, fraternal, civic, or religious—which are designed to take men on a course that leads away from God and his laws and thus from salvation in the kingdom of God.1 Perhaps we could take the reverse as a definition for the Church of the Lamb—any organization that leads toward God and His laws. Those seem to be the definitions derived by Stephen E. Robinson: In either the apocalyptic sense or the historical sense, individual orientation to the Church of the Lamb or to the great and abominable church is not by membership but by loyalty. Just as there Latter-day Saints who belong to the great and abominable church because of their loyalty to Satan and his life-style, so there are members of other churches who belong to the Lamb because of their loyalty to him and his life-style. Membership is based more on who has your heart than on who has your records.2 The Church of the Firstborn My second question came after reading the Vision, in section 76. Several times, the Prophet mentions "the Church of the Firstborn" (verses 54, 67, 71, 94). I wanted to know what that was, so I looked up every instance of it in the scriptures. I found the following clues helpful. Heb. 12:22–23. "Ye are come unto . . . the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, to the . . . church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven. . . ." D&C 76:70–71. "These are they whose bodies are celestial, whose glory is that of the sun. . . . And again, we saw the terrestrial world, and behold and lo, these are they who are of the terrestrial, whose glory differs from that of the church of the Firstborn who have received the fulness of the Father, even as that of the moon differs from the sun in the firmament." D&C 76:92, 94. "And thus we saw the glory of the celestial. . . . They who dwell in his presence are the church of the Firstborn." GS Firstborn.3 "Faithful Saints become members of the Church of the Firstborn in eternity (D&C 93:21-22)." Bruce R. McConkie explained, "The Church of the Firstborn is the church among exalted beings in the highest heaven of the celestial world. It is the church among those for whom the family unit continues in eternity. In a sense it is the inner circle within the Lord's church on earth. It is composed of those who have entered into that patriarchal order which is called the new and everlasting covenant of marriage. As baptism admits repentant souls to membership in the earthly church, so celestial marriage opens the door to membership in the heavenly church." From those statements, it seems that the Church of the Firstborn consists of those who have passed through the Judgment and live in the celestial kingdom. In other words, if the Church of Jesus Christ is the body of the saints on earth, the Church of the Firstborn is the body of the saints in heaven. We might summarize the definition of each of the three churches as follows: Church of the Lamb Those whose lifestyle shows that they seek after "God and His laws." Church of Jesus Christ Those who make a covenant with the Lord through the priesthood ordinances of baptism and confirmation. Church of the Firstborn Those who die faithful to the covenant and have entered the celestial kingdom. I find it interesting that we have here three "churches" mentioned in the scriptures, and each bears a name of the Savior: the Lamb, Jesus Christ, and the Firstborn. Just as those three names give a rough chronlogy of the Savior's ministry (He was born as a baby, He taught that He was the Messiah, He was the first to resurrect), those three churches give a rough chronology of our progression toward God in this life (we are born with the desire to know and seek God, we find His Church and join it, we eventually return to live with Him). "The Spirit" President Marion G. Romney once spoke of another type of progression. It has to do with the Spirit. The term "the Spirit" is used to mean several different things, depending on the speaker and the context. President Romney gave a wonderful talk entitled "The Light of Christ" that helped sort out the ambiguities. There are three phases of the light of Christ that I want to mention. The first one is the light which enlighteneth every man that cometh into the world; the second phase is the gift of the Holy Ghost; and the third is the more sure word of prophecy.4 President Romney goes on to define each phase and show how one leads to the next in progression. Let's look at each one. The Spirit of Christ The light of Christ, sometimes called the Spirit of Christ, is the divine influence of God that tells us what is right. Mormon says, "The Spirit of Christ is given to every man, that he may know good from evil. . . . The light by which ye may judge . . . is the light of Christ" (Moro. 7:16, 18). The Guide to the Scriptures says the following of the light of Christ: Divine energy, power, or influence that proceeds from God through Christ and gives life and light to all things. . . . It also helps people understand gospel truths and helps to put them on that gospel path which leads to salvation. The light of Christ should not be confused with the Holy Ghost. The light of Christ is not a person. It is an influence that comes from God and prepares a person to receive the Holy Ghost. It is an influence for good in the lives of all people. One manifestation of the light of Christ is conscience, which helps a person choose between right and wrong. As people learn more about the gospel, their consciences become more sensitive. People who hearken to the light of Christ are led to the gospel of Jesus Christ.5 The Gift of the Holy Ghost President Romney said the second phase is the gift of the Holy Ghost. He quoted President Joseph F. Smith saying that the Spirit of Christ "strives with . . . men, and will continue to strive with them [if they will resist the enticings of Satan], until it brings them to a knowledge of the truth and the possession of the greater light and testimony of the Holy Ghost."6 Brigham Young spoke of the Holy Ghost as "the increased rays of that light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world,"7 which makes sense, since "the Spirit of Christ [or light of Christ] is the agency [or medium] through which the Holy Ghost operates."8 This is my understanding of the difference: While the light of Christ teaches the general nature of right and wrong, the Holy Ghost testifies of the doctrines of Christ in their fulness as they are taught by the Lord's servants. For example, everyone feels intuitively that stealing is bad—through the light of Christ. However, we don't feel intuitively, "Hey, I feel the imperative urge to donate one-tenth of my income to a church organization." But when we are taught the law of tithing, we can know it is a true commandment—through the Holy Ghost. And of course, as Joseph Smith said, There is a difference between the Holy Ghost and the gift of the Holy Ghost. Cornelius [Acts 10] received the Holy Ghost before he was baptized, which was the convincing power of God unto him of the truth of the Gospel, but he could not receive the gift of the Holy Ghost until after he was baptized. Had he not taken this . . . ordinance upon him, the Holy Ghost, which convinced him of the truth of God, would have left him.9 Therefore, the gift of Holy Ghost is the next step that brings us closer to God (in fact, it gives us the ability to have the constant presence of a member of the Godhead with us at all times). And we can only get it by making covenants with God through priesthood ordinances—being baptized and confirmed members of the Church. The Holy Spirit of Promise The result of those covenants depends on the third phase. President Romney mentions several names for it: "the more sure word of prophecy," "making one's 'calling and election sure,'" "the Holy Spirit of promise."10 "The Holy Spirit of Promise is one of many descriptive name-titles of the Holy Ghost and refers to a specific function of the Holy Ghost."11 The Lord explains this function in section 132. "All covenants . . . that are not . . . sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise . . . are of no efficacy, virtue, or force in and after the resurrection from the dead . . ." (D&C 132:7). He then gives an example of someone failing to have their covenant sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise. "If a man marry a wife, and make a covenant with her for time and for all eternity, if that covenant . . . is not sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise, . . . then it is not valid neither of force when they are out of the world" (D&C 132:18). In other words, even if we receive an ordinance and are promised all kinds of blessings, we will not actually get those blessings unless our covenant is sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise, and that only comes through continual obedience and repentance. Those "who overcome by faith . . . are sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise, which the Father sheds forth upon all those who are just and true (D&C 76:53). Continuing with the Lord's example, the promises we receive by getting sealed in the temple are listed in D&C 132:19. "Ye shall come forth in the first resurrection . . . and shall inherit thrones, kingdoms, principalities, and powers, dominions." In the past there have been people who, on hearing these promises, thought, "Wow, did you hear that? It's a done deal! I can kick back and relax now. No more is needed—I've been promised eternal life." Such a person does not understand the doctrine of the Holy Spirit of Promise. Another example is patriarchal blessings. We receive the ordinance, and a lot of promises with it. The blessing constitutes the words of a covenant between us and the Lord. We only obtain the promised blessings to the degree that our covenant is continually sealed by the Spirit, which happens "by obedience to that law upon which [the blessing] is predicated" (D&C 130:21). This is symbolized very graphically in the Eden story. When Adam and Eve were cast out of the Lord's presence, represented in part by the tree of life,12 the path that leads back to the tree is guarded by an angel with a flaming sword (Gen. 3:24). The word of God is frequently compared to a sword (Eph. 6:17), especially a two-edged sword (Heb. 4:12; Rev. 1:16; D&C 6:2; 11:2; 12:2; 14:2; 33:1). One way to interpret the sword symbol is as a covenant—it cuts both ways, it has both blessings and cursings, you "cut a deal" between two people, it's made by people giving their "word." But not only is the angel wielding a covenant—it's on fire. Fire is explicitly used to represent the Spirit in scripture (e.g., Ps. 104:4; Heb. 1:7; Rev. 4:5; Hel. 5:45; 3 Ne. 9:20). What might a covenant on fire represent? I think a likely guess would be a covenant sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise. In other words, for mankind (Adam and Eve) to walk back into the presence of God (the tree), they will only be admitted (by the angel-guards) when they have not only made a covenant (the sword), but kept it throughout their life so that it is sealed by the Spirit (the flame). And what is the result of the that sealing? The ultimate manifestation of the Holy Spirit of Promise is in connection with having one's calling and election made sure—that is, receiving "the more sure word of prophecy" testifying that an individual is sealed up to eternal life (D&C 131:5). The Holy Spirit of Promise validates this blessing or seals it upon the person. Referring to the Holy Spirit of Promise the Lord says, "This Comforter is the promise which I give unto you of eternal life, even the glory of the celestial kingdom" (D&C 88:4).13 For our purposes here, we might define each of these uses of "the Spirit" as follows: the Spirit of Christ A universally inborn quality that leads all people to seek God and live morally. the gift of the Holy Spirit A gift given to those who are baptized and confirmed. the Holy Spirit of Promise A ratification given to those who are faithful to their covenants so that they may enter the celestial kingdom. The Connection By now, you've probably already seen the connection. Each of the three churches mentioned in scripture seems to correspond to one of the phases of the Spirit that President Romney spoke of. The light of Christ leads all people to do good and seek for further truth about God; those who follow it are the Church of the Lamb. The gift of the Holy Ghost is given to everyone who is baptized and confirmed; those who do so are the Church of Jesus Christ. "The Holy Spirit of Promise [falls] upon all those who are just and true; they are they who are the church of the Firstborn" (D&C 76:53–54). Spirit Church Light of Christ Church of the Lamb Holy Ghost Church of Jesus Christ Holy Spirit of Promise Church of the Firstborn What does that mean to me? It means that the Lord yearns to give us as much of His Spirit as we are ready for, and He will gather us to whatever level of communion we are prepared for. I'm grateful for His willingness to work with me where I am. It motivates me to not stay where I am, but to keep progressing along His path till I can be where He is. Notes All bolded emphasis in the quotes were added by me. 1. Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, 2nd ed. (1966), p. 137–38). 2. Stephen E. Robinson, "Warring against the Saints of God," Ensign, Jan 1988, p. 34. Great article—I highly recommend it. 3. GS stands for the Guide to the Scriptures, which can be found online. . Bruce R. McConkie, A New Witness for the Articles of Faith, p.337. 4. Marion G. Romney, "The Light of Christ," Ensign, May 1977, p. 43. 5. GS Light of Christ. Scripture references omitted. 6. Joseph F. Smith, Gospel Doctrine, Deseret Book Co., 1973, p. 67–68. 7. Journal of Discourses 6:315. 8. Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, 2d ed., Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1966, p. 314. 9. Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 199. 10. Romney, "The Light of Christ." 11. Lawrence R. Flake, Encyclopedia of Mormonism, Vol. 2, "Holy Spirit of Promise." 12. Jeffrey R. Holland taught that the tree of life represents Jesus Christ. "The images of Christ and the tree [are] inextricably linked." Christ and the New Covenant (1997), 160. 13. Flake, "Holy Spirit of Promise." Copyright © 2005 by Nathan Richardson. All rights reserved. First posted 26 Apr 2005.
		Comments and Feedback I eagerly welcome comments and feedback (nathan000000@yahoo.com). The following are comments made by people who have read this article on the three churches. Special thanks to the members of the Nauvoo Forum for taking the time to read my article. Bunkum. –'WenU'   2 Jan. 2006 I found the essay to be thought provoking and clearly organized and written. I'm not sure I agree with the conclusions, but it has sparked me to want to do my own research. What part of it is "bunkum" to you, WenU? –'Sparky'   2 Jan. 2006 Thanks Sparky. I'm not sure how much I agree with the conclusions either. :-) It might be a dead-end. But I'm glad it sparked some thoughts—that's why I like to write these things up and share them. I tend to disagree with the conclusions reached. Three is a common theme within the scriptures, but that doesn't mean that everything that occurs in threes is related. –'Jason'   2 Jan. 2006 I agree that a threesome does not a connection make. For example, I don't think the three phases of the Spirit that President Romney mentions could be correlated to the three-fold mission of the Church or to the three degrees of glory or to faith, hope, and charity. I've hit a lot of dead ends in my attempts to relate groups of three to each other. That's the fun part about studying the scriptures. The more dead ends you hit, the more exciting it is when you find something that might actually be a genuine connection. There is nothing doctrinally unsound in what you have written. And in general I believe that the way you have drawn the two concepts together may well be a beneficial way of thinking about it. However, I believe that what was referred to in 1 Nephi 14:10 as the "Church of the Lamb of God" is in fact the Church of Jesus Christ (of Adamic Saints, of Nephite Saints, of Meridian of Time Saints) of Latter-day Saints. That is not to say that there are not those influenced by the light of Christ and power of the Holy Ghost who are not being led to the truth. It should be noted though that there are not "three" spirits. The light of Christ is some part of our pre-existence knowledge that is *not* behind the veil of birth. The power of the Holy Ghost is that part of the Holy Ghost's mission/work that allows His influence to touch the hearts and minds of all God's children. Once baptised, we receive a greater portion of the Spirit—the gift of the Holy Ghost—but it is the SAME Holy Ghost. And entrance into the Church of the Firstborn comes as a result of the more sure word of prophecy (Holy Spirit of Promise) the ratifying role of the Holy Ghost (the same Spirit again). –'AndrewR'   3 Jan. 2006 Andrew, you're right that I need to clarify that it's not three spirits, but rather three uses of the term "the Spirit." I never intended to make it seem like there is more than one Holy Spirit. In all honesty, I think the weakest point is the idea of the Church of the Lamb being different from the Church of Jesus Christ. I'm not sure if that's true. It might be, but Stephen Robinson is not a general authority, so unless I find a GA quote expressing the same idea, the rest is shakey.