Intelligent obedience characterizes members of Church
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God reveals His will to mankind and to the Church in an orderly way; those who follow exercise an "intelligent obedience," said Elder L. Tom Perry of the Quorum of the Twelve.
"We declare to the world that the heavens are not closed," said Elder Perry, speaking in the Sunday afternoon session. "This fact should be familiar to all of our Father in Heaven's children, for the scriptures give abundant evidence of this."
He explained that while inspiration is a form of revelation, revelation is a broader term that includes visions, dreams, the spoken word and other spiritual manifestations.
"We all have the right to petition the Lord and receive inspiration through His Spirit within the realm of our own stewardship," he said. "Parents can receive revelation for their own family, a bishop to his assigned congregation, and on up to the First Presidency for the entire Church. However, we cannot receive revelation for someone else's stewardship."
He cautioned that "a person who petitions the Lord for guidance must be worthy to receive it." This person's life must be "in good standing before God and His people. It must be in harmony with the teachings of the scriptures, the prophets and the order of the Church."
If a person were to claim a revelation to improve a financial situation, or to direct the Church, "we would immediately know that such a claim would not be from God."
"There is great strength and power in the fact that millions throughout the world share the same testimony of God, the Savior and the calling of the Prophet Joseph Smith," he asserted. "We have never been encouraged to be blindly obedient; it is an intelligent obedience that characterizes us as members of the Church."
In establishing His kingdom on earth, "the Lord set forth fundamental principles and laws to govern His children here. Obedience to those laws and principles yields blessings that He has covenanted to bestow on them." Elder Perry related an example from the Old Testament about how the children of Israel built a golden calf to worship while Moses was away on Mt. Sinai. Later, after they repented, they received the Ten Commandments.
"Obedience finally brought the law of the Lord to the children of Israel," he said. "Disobedience only delayed the progress of the children of Israel towards their promised land. They had to be worthy to receive the law of the Lord."
Elder Perry continued: "The Lord knows what will bless His children, and to that end, He delivers laws through His prophets to the people. If obeyed, these laws will lead us back to God. We do not determine for ourselves what those laws are."
He said the channel of communication comes from the Lord to the people. "So many times in our history, in our self-justification, we have attempted to reverse that channel and change God's laws. We find no record of this ever working.
Rather, when this happens, divine consistency is interrupted with disobedience and destruction.
"No committee, assembly, or any other authority has the right to dictate to Him doctrine that is contrary to His law," he said. "God's eternal blessings are contingent upon our obedience and adherence to the word of the Lord that is revealed to us through His holy prophets."
