https://abn.churchofjesuschrist.org/stu ... d?lang=engA man once told me about his struggles to stabilize his family’s financial situation. He had the idea to embezzle funds as a solution, prayed about it, and felt he had received affirmative revelation to do so. I knew he had been deceived because he sought revelation contrary to a commandment of God. The Prophet Joseph Smith warned, “Nothing is a greater injury to the children of men than to be under the influence of a false spirit, when they think they have the Spirit of God.”22
The point being that any revelation contrary to a commandment = false spirit.
He goes on...
The point being that a revelation contrary to a commandment = God giving revelation. Wait...what?Some might point out that Nephi violated a commandment when he slew Laban. However, this exception does not negate the rule—the rule that personal revelation will be in harmony with God’s commandments. No simple explanation of this episode is completely satisfactory, but let me highlight some aspects. The episode did not begin with Nephi asking if he could slay Laban. It was not something he wanted to do. Killing Laban was not for Nephi’s personal benefit but to provide scriptures to a future nation and a covenant people. And Nephi was sure that it was revelation—in fact, in this case, it was a commandment from God.23
He also makes the point that only the Prophet can receive revelation about scriptures, the Church etc.
Yet he also explains that Nephi received revelation on behalf of the whole church despite the fact he wasn't the Prophet at that time, his Dad Lehi was.Years ago, I received a phone call from an individual who had been arrested for trespassing. He told me it had been revealed to him that additional scripture was buried under the ground floor of a building he tried to enter. He claimed that once he obtained the additional scripture, he knew he would receive the gift of translation, bring forth new scripture, and shape the doctrine and direction of the Church. I told him that he was mistaken, and he implored me to pray about it. I told him I would not. He became verbally abusive and ended the phone call.18
I did not need to pray about this request for one simple but profound reason: only the prophet receives revelation for the Church.
Here's a footnote to his talk that underpins his point that only the Prophet can receive a revelation contrary to an established commandment...Killing Laban was not for Nephi’s personal benefit but to provide scriptures to a future nation and a covenant people.
But in the Nephi example God did a u-turn on Thou Shalt Not Kill through someone who wasn't God's duly appointed Prophet.The Lord often does change, amend, or make exceptions to His revealed commandments, but these are made through prophetic revelation and not personal revelation. Prophetic revelation comes through God’s duly appointed prophet according to God’s wisdom and understanding.
Did Renlund skip seminary and basic logic lessons when he was younger?
The basic internal inconsistencies and contradictions within his talk are staggering. Does nobody sense check this stuff?