We believe that the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel are: first, faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, repentance; third, baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; fourth, Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost. (Articles of Faith 1:4)
Another of the unique doctrines of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the gift of the Holy Ghost as our constant companion, received following our baptism and during our confirmation as a member of the Church.
Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost. (Acts 8:17)
…The gift of the Holy Ghost is the right to have, whenever one is worthy, the companionship of the Holy Ghost. More powerful than that which is available before baptism, it acts as a cleansing agent to purify a person and sanctify him from all sin. (Bible Dictionary, Holy Ghost:Entry)
When we are close to the Holy Ghost, we can expect to receive personal revelation for ourselves and our family, special promptings to act, and confirmation of truth. At times, when our personal worthiness is in question, we may feel far from the Holy Ghost and not receive the answers we seek.
But what happens to those who, through acts of sin, unbelief, or other reasons, distance themselves from the companionship of the Holy Ghost? After all, it is the very first commandment we are given after our baptism, to “Receive the Holy Ghost.”
And there were no gifts from the Lord, and the Holy Ghost did not come upon any, because of their wickedness and unbelief.” (Mormon 1:14)
When the Spirit leaves:
- Can a person discern the things of God without the Holy Ghost as their guide?
- Do we lose our eternal perspective?
- Do we allow the things of lesser consequence to overshadow the things of greatest consequence?
- Do we feel a sense of loss from not having the Spirit with us constantly?
- Do we care?
- How do we get it back when we are troubled by doctrinal and historical issues?
Spirituality—being in tune with the Spirit of the Lord—is the greatest need of Latter-day Saints. We should strive for the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost all the days of our lives. When we have the Spirit, we will love to serve, we will love the Lord, and we will love those whom we serve. Spiritual-mindedness does not come without effort. We live in a very wicked world. We are surrounded with propaganda that evil is good and good is evil. False teachings abound that affect us. Almost everything that is wholesome, good, pure, uplifting, and strengthening is being challenged as never before. One reason we are on this earth is to discern between truth and error. This discernment comes by the Holy Ghost, not just our intellectual faculties. (Ezra Taft Benson, Come unto Christ, p22)
And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things. (Moroni 10:5)
(Originally published on Mormon Matters 6/25/2009)
Wheat & Tares 
…we may feel far from the Holy Ghost…distance themselves from the companionship of the Holy Ghost. Thank you for phrasing this correctly, contrary to popular belief and what is often heard from LDS pulpits the Spirit does NOT withdraw from us, we withdraw from him! Worthiness has absolutely nothing to do with it except that if you believe it does have an affect it can become a self fulfilling prophesy. I walked in the Spirit for years as a beer and coffee drinking porn using adulterer and reception was excellent! I am not the only one to report this. If the Spirit were as easily offended as church leaders would have us believe how would he ever lead a sinner to Christ? Regardless of how apologists attempt to spin it the LDS church has no monopoly on the Spirit and no proprietary gift of the Spirit, the “gift” amounts to a formal invitation to engage the Holy Ghost just as being ordained to the priesthood amounts to a formal invitation to engage God’s power. The Spirit will communicate with anyone capable of receiving his signal who will listen regardless of so called worthiness.
@Howard…
Thank you for that comment. It was a long time before I would believe the spirit when it told me the truth about the things you said above. Once I did I found the the spirit was able to teach me many other things as well. It’s hard for us to overcome our preconceived notions, and when we let them dictate what we will and won’t accept from the voice of the spirit then we’re stunted and will fall short of the redemption we seek. (Ether 3: 11-13)
Howard,
I thought about putting in the idea that it is use who withdraw our companionship with the Holy Ghost rather than the other way around but in the end left it out to make room for discussion.
You and I do diverge in our thinking when it comes to a difference in the companionship of the Holy Ghost and the “Spirit.”
I like this quote from Joseph F Smith:
“The question is often asked, Is there any difference between the Spirit of the Lord and the Holy Ghost? The terms are frequently used synonymously. We often say the Spirit of God when we mean the Holy Ghost; we likewise say the Holy Ghost when we mean the Spirit of God. The Holy Ghost is a personage in the Godhead, and is not that which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. It is the Spirit of God which proceeds through Christ to the world, that enlightens every man that comes into the world, and that strives with the children of men, and will continue to strive with them, until it brings them to a knowledge of the truth and the possession of the greater light and testimony of the Holy Ghost.” (Gospel Doctrine:pg 67)
Jeff,
Well I was baptized and confirmed as a child, excommunicated as a young adult and rebaptized and reconfirmed as an older adult. I have enjoyed easy access to the Spirit and profound personal revelation beginning during my excommunication period and continuing through today and in practice I cannot tease out the distinction JFS is referring to, can you? In any case this appears to be a distinction without any practicle difference.
Howard,
I certainly cannot dispute your own experience and tell you what it was or was not that you experienced.
I am glad you made it back.
Jeff-
This is an excellent post. I’m disappointed that more W&T readers haven’t commented on this important topic.
Well, maybe they will flock in later.
Thanks again.
“Originally published on Mormon Matters”
I thought this rung a bell…
The distinction Jeff makes between the light of Christ and the Spirit is interesting to consider. I’ve long felt that it seems completely unloving for God (God the Spirit?) to abandon someone in the very moment they need the Spirit the most.
Yet if we ignore the Spirit or turn our hearts towards dark things for decades, it makes sense that our spiritual intuition would be damaged.
I dunno. Ultimately I think we’ll always have spiritual guidance available to us, even if we don’t want it or don’t “deserve” it, simply because God won’t give up on us.
Well, Trevor, is it case that God abandons His children or His Children abandon Him.
Yet, there are billions of people who have never heard of the Gospel, let alone the Holy Ghost. Perhaps they have the Light of Christ, and it may help them discern right from wrong, but not necessarily put them in contact with the Missionaries.
So where does it leave them in the end? i have my theory, but I’d love to heard yours and others’ view.
My view is that the LDS church is just one of many of God’s marketing channels. So is Christianity.
Keeping the Spirit in one’s life involves work, whether one is in the church or out of it. Those who are walking with Christ will have His presence, even if they don’t have the ordinances to help. Those who refuse to walk with Christ can only rely so much and for so long for the helps the ordinances provide — even if they have participated in them.
Sure ordinances are a good reminder but it is also good to remember that ordinances are symbolic rituals with no intrinsic power beyond the Spirit and the meaning we assign to them. Did our example Christ require repeatitive ordinaces to keep the Spirit? Did Joseph? Ordinances are reminders but if we enjoy open channel communication with the Spirit we become free agents; if you are of the Spirit you are not under the law.
Btw, the way one learns to “keep” the Spirit is via. meditation, something Pres.McKay was doing and something I wish the church would teach.
Howard:
I think we are in agreement on comment 11. In the CofChrist, ordinances are viewed as present helps for the individual’s spirit, which is why we don’t make a big deal about baptism by proxy.
When someone is troubled by historical or doctrinal issues, the difficulty in feeling the spirit is not wanting to because of the issue one is wrestling with. If you want to be open to the spirit, even though you don’t want to be open to the ludicrous white-washed version of events the church put forward (which is what is troubling you), you can still feel the spirit. You just have to let go for a time of the thing that is bothering you. It’s the same if you are holding a grudge. I think it’s the reason we ask people to withdraw from the prayer circle if they have unkind feelings. Often the one who gave offense is totally unaware that they did so.