Why a Trial is required
Why is a trial of your faith required before evidence is given? - Ether 12:6
Introduction:
Today I have the opportunity to speak unto a pattern of faith, evidence, belief and hope, and by what means these things turn into a knowledge of the truthfulness of the Gospel can be received.
In Ether 12:6 it says that:
faith is things which are hoped for and not seen; wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith.
Many times people don’t read this scripture in context and understand why Mornoni is saying this... here let us do so.
Ether was a prophet of the Lord - and could not be restrained because of the Spirit of the Lord that was in him.
3 For he did cry from the morning, even until the going down of the sun, exhorting the people to believe in God unto repentance lest they should be destroyed, saying unto them that by faith all things are fulfilled—
4 Wherefore, whoso believeth in God might with surety hope for a better world, yea, even a place at the right hand of God, which hope cometh of faith, maketh an anchor to the souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast, always abounding in good works, being led to glorify God.
5 And it came to pass that Ether did prophesy great and marvelous things unto the people, which they did not believe, because they saw them not.
6 And now, I, Moroni, would speak somewhat concerning these things; I would show unto the world that faith is things which are hoped for and not seen; wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith.
Thus we see that this taken in context is describing a missionary who is teaching a group of individuals that they might: (vs4) Look forward to a better world, even a place at the right hand of God! which hope maketh an anchor to the souls of men in doing good. However, the people that he taught would not believe his words.
Because they saw them not.
Why must there be a trial of faith before evidence is given?
Doesn’t this seem opposite of how we learn things today?
In today’s society we believe and have been taught that the “Scientific Method” is the means of gaining truth.
Some skeptics have said:
Michael Shermer, “What Skepticism Reveals about Science,” Scientific American, July 2009
I conclude that I’m a skeptic not because I do not want to believe but because I want to know. I believe that the truth is out there. But how can we tell the difference between what we would like to be true and what is actually true? The answer is science.
What is the scientific method?
1. Observe a phenomenon or activity
2. Develop a hypothesis to explain the phenomenon - the hypothesis is assumed to be false
3. Test your hypothesis through experimentation to prove the hypothesis correct or incorrect
4. Analyze your data and draw a conclusion based upon empirical results
5. Communicate your results to others.
Michael Shermer, “What Skepticism Reveals about Science,” Scientific American, July 2009
Science begins with the null hypothesis, which assumes that the claim under investigation is not true until demonstrated otherwise. The statistical standards of evidence needed to reject the null hypothesis are substantial. Ideally, in a controlled experiment, we would like to be 95 to 99 percent confident that the results were not caused by chance before we offer our provisional assent that the effect may be real. Failure to reject the null hypothesis does not make the claim false, and, conversely, rejecting the null hypothesis is not a warranty on truth. Nevertheless, the scientific method is the best tool ever devised to discriminate between true and false patterns, to distinguish between reality and fantasy, and to detect baloney.
The null hypothesis means that the burden of proof is on the person asserting a positive claim, not on the skeptics to disprove it.
(Interesting article - why reasonable people don’t believe science - Nationalgeographic.com)
What can be learned through this process?
Can we actually come to a “Truth” about anything? Pilot when talking with Christ said a profound thing... “What is truth!”
Section 93:24 Truth is knowledge of things as they are, and as they were and as they are to come.
You will notice that this method does not actually come up with “Truth” it comes up with a possibility of truth that seems to match the current test/experiment. There is never any guarantee that what the current understanding of a given principle is actually “the truth”. It is even a basic tenet of science that any and all conclusions are valid only until/if they are shown/proven to be false at some later time.
Should we then discount facts/information determined through Science? No!
However we need to understand that this information although it seems to be “true” may not in reality be in correct based upon additional knowledge we learn later.
Alma when teaching the people of Amoniahah taught:
Alma 32:16
16 Blessed are ye that do humble themselves without being compelled to be humble
Blessed is he who believes the word of god - without being compelled to believe
Have you ever considered what it means to be Compelled to believe?
What if we had sufficient evidence to be able to “Prove” the doctrines of God were true? To prove the Book of Mormon was true, etc.
Would this cause people to be even more fully condemned?
What if you refused to believe even though the evidence was so great you felt compelled to believe?
Alma 32:17-18 There are many who do say: If thou wilt show unto us a sign then we shall know and believe
18 is this faith? no - no cause to believe - he already knows
Alma 32:19-20 How much more cursed is he that knoweth the will of God and doeth it not than he that only believes
20 This you should judge - it is one way or the other :)
Empirical proof vs a Sign
What does it mean to Prove something to someone else?
What is Proof - can you be compelled to believe something that you don’t want to believe because the evidence is so overwhelming that you must believe?
Has this same concept then been overturned at some later date - and shown yet again that it was incorrect?
Classical mechanics -> Special Relativity -> General Relativity
Rules about what a person should eat or not has massively changed over time.
Plate Techtonics - Solar System structure - Shape of the Earth - Spontaneous generation of life -
(Interesting Links on the Story of Galileo The Myth of Galileo The Galileo Legend Galileo and the Church May not have happened as we have been taught lol.
Yet again another example of “Truth” not quite adding up in the end.)
Alma then continues:
Alma 32:21- Now as I said concerning faith - it is not to have a perfect knowledge
It is a hope for things which are not seen - which are true.
22 God desires in the first place you should believe
23 He imparts his word by angels unto men, women, and children - confound the learned
Notice the difference here - instead of disbelieving first and having it proven via empirical evidence he wants us to believe first because of the testimony of angels and testimony of others, and then gain additional witnesses and evidence.
This is different than in Science ... in science “the claim is assumed to be not true unless sufficient evidence is found”.
Why is this significant?
Science even warns us against this type of belief before experiment through a bias known as an expectancy bias:
Observer - expectancy bias: Wiki
The observer-expectancy effect is a form of reactivity in which a researcher’s cognitive bias causes them to subconsciously influence the participants of an experiment. Confirmation bias can lead to the experimenter interpreting results incorrectly because of the tendency to look for information that affirms their hypothesis, and overlook information that conflicts with it. It is a significant threat to a study’s internal validity, and is therefore typically controlled using a double-blind experimental design.
Why does God want us to believe first?
I think its a matter of agency - he wants us to choose to believe and then he will confirm that belief and not condemn us. If he were to prove that it was true, and we refuse to believe/obey it we would be under a greater condemnation.
Alma 32:26-27 Now as I said concerning faith - it is not a perfect knowledge
So with my words - you cannot know of their surety at first unto perfection
27 arouse your faculties even unto an experiment upon my words
exercise a particle of faith
No more than a desire to believe
Let this desire work in you
that you give place for a portion of my words
We cannot know for a surety when we first hear the gospel if it is true.
We must: Arouse your faculties - exercise a particle of faith - even if it is only a desire to believe.
Once again it is a requirement for this experiment to Believe first - before evidence is given.
28 Now I will compare the word unto a Seed
Give place that the seed may be planted in your heart
If it is a good/true seed
If you do not cast it out by unbelief
That ye resist the spirit of God
It will begin to swell within your breasts
When you feel these motions
You will say within yourselves this is a good seed or the word is good
It begins to enlighten my understanding
It is delicious to me
Why do you think he chose the symbolism of a seed?
Just looking at a seed you don’t know if it is good or bad - you have to plant it first to find out.
Effort is required before the evidence is given - instead of the opposite.
You don’t know the seed is good - before you plant it. it is only after it grows you know...
29 Now does this increase your faith Yea - but not unto a perfect knowledge
30 as the seed swelleth and sprouteth and grows
will not this strengthen your faith - Yeah
I know that the seed is good
for it sprouteth and beginneth to grow
You now know the seed is good - it has to be or it wouldn’t have grown.
You are compelled to believe - since there is no alternative - it must be good.
What then if you don’t follow through - and take care of it now you know? He covers that in a bit...
31 Now behold are ye sure that this is a good seed?
Yeah - for every seed bringeth forth its likeness
Therefore if a seed grows it is good
but if it groweth not it is not good - and cast away
33 Now behold ye have tried the experiment
Planted the seed It swelleth and sprouteth
it beginneth to grow you know the seed is good
34 Is your knowledge perfect Yes your knowledge is perfect in that thing
Your faith is dormant
You know the word swelled your souls
You know that it hath sprouted
your understanding doth enlighten
your mind doth expand
35 Is this not real?
Yeah it is light,
it is discernable
You know it is good
When your knowledge is perfect in a thing - why is your faith dormant?
Is it possible to have perfect knowledge - and yet exercise faith? Yes.
God does this - it is how he works.
36 Is your knowledge perfect Nay
Neither must you lay aside your faith
You have only exercised your faith to plant the seed
That you might try the experiment to know if the seed was good
Why isn’t your knowledge perfect?
Notice he is no longer talking about a seed - he is talking about a Tree. What does a tree produce...?
Fruit - which is in and of itself yet another seed!
This is an iterative process that as we grow our trees of faith - we will be given fruit which contains yet more seeds. Each of these seeds can then be planted which tree will eventually be a tree springing up to everlasting life. As we learn, and grow from the partaking of each fruit confirming it through faith and becoming exalted.
Section 93:28 He that keepeth the commandments receive light and truth until he knoweth all things
Because there are a lot of other things you need to know besides if the seed is good. This is just the beginning of your “Trial” of faith.
37 And behold as the tree beginneth to grow
Let us nourish it with great care
that it may get root
that it may grow and bring forth fruit unto us
If ye nourish it with much care
it will get root
and grow up and bring forth fruit
Even after you know the seed is good - without care you will not harvest any fruit.
38 But if ye neglect the tree
and take no thought for its nourishment
it will not get any root
when the heat of the sun cometh - and scorcheth it
because it has no root
it will wither away
Ye pluck it up and cast it out
39 Now this is not because the seed was not good
Neither was the fruit bad
Your ground is barren
ye will not nourish the tree
therefore ye cannot have the fruit thereof
If ye will not nourish the word
looking forward to an eye of faith to the fruit
you can never pluck of the fruit of the tree of life
The lord requires us to nourish the truth within our hearts.
What do you think it means to nourish the truth?
Can doubts nourish the truth - how do doubts play a part in our truth garden?
Why does he say their ground was barren - because the fruit didn’t grow?
How do you nourish the word of God - the tree of life? (see the rest of the next couplet)
If ye will nourish the word yea nourish the tree
as it beginneth to grow
by your faith with great diligence
and patience looking forward to the fruit thereof
it shall take root and shall be as a tree
spring up unto everlasting life
and because of your diligence and your faith
and your patience with the word
nourishing it that it may take root in you
behold by and by ye shall pluck the fruit thereof
which is most precious
which is sweet above all that is sweet
which is white above all that is white
and pure above all that is pure
ye shall feast upon this fruit until ye are filled
that ye hunger not neither shall ye thirst
then my brethren ye shall reap the rewards of
your faith and diligence
patience and long-suffering
waiting for the tree to bring forth fruit unto you
Notice the adjectives he uses here describing the individuals characteristics in nourishing the tree.
Faith, diligence, patience, long-suffering - waiting for the tree to bring forth fruit.
Notice that even in this case the evidence - the actual fruit did not come until after the work was done to nourish the tree.
Conclusion: What is it that we must have faith in - before evidence is given?
Alma 33: 22-23
Plant this word - that through the Son of God we may receive a remission of our sins and a glorious ressurection. That all mankind will stand to be judged at the great and last day according to their works. Let this seed grow up into a tree of eternal life.
Religious faith comes through a trial of faith - then evidence is presented to the individual to strengthen their faith. This is not empirical evidence that can be used to prove to another that what has occurred is true. If it were it would destroy their opportunity to live by faith - learn by faith, and eventually partake of eternal life through the trial of their faith.
The difference between a sign and evidence of faith is the time in which the evidence is given. A sign is given before the individual has exercised faith and passed through his trial of faith - thus leading to his/her condemnation. Evidence of faith through the spirit occurs after the person has exercised faith used great patience, and diligence waiting for the truth to become manifest to their eyes. Then this evidence strengthens their faith in this thing so that their faith becomes dormant and they “Know” it is true.