Gospel Principles
Unit 5: The Church of Jesus Christ
Chapter 16: The Church of Jesus Christ in Former Times
Concept 2: Some Features That Identify the Church of Jesus Christ; Revelation
"When Jesus established his Church, he personally instructed and directed it's leaders. He, in turn, received his instructions from his Father in Heaven. Thus the Church of Jesus was directed by God and not by men (Hebrews 1:1-2 "1 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,
2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;"). Jesus taught his followers that revelation was the "rock" upon which he would build his Church (Matthew 16:16-18 "16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.
17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.
18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.").
Before Jesus ascended into heaven after his resurrection, he told his Apostles, "I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen." (Matthew 28:20). True to his word, he continued to guide them from heaven. He sent the Holy Ghost to be a comforter and revelator to them (Luke 12:12 "For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say";
John 14:26 "But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.").
He spoke to Saul in a vision (Acts 9:3-6 "3 And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:
4 And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
5 And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.
6 And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do."). He revealed to Peter that the gospel should be taught not only to the Jews but to the whole world (see acts 10, Peter in a vision is commanded to take the gospel to the Gentiles). He revealed many glorious truths to John, which are written in the Book of Revelation. The New Testament records many other ways in which Jesus revealed his will to guide his Church and enlighten his disciples."