Holy Spirit, Part 2

Shawn McCraney critiques Mormonism by contrasting its teachings on the Holy Spirit with biblical interpretations, emphasizing that Mormonism places conditions on the presence of the Holy Spirit, requiring faithful obedience to commandments for the Spirit to be with them but not in them. He argues that the Holy Spirit, according to the Bible, resides in believers by faith in Christ, which he believes is a concept overlooked by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

The teaching emphasizes the role of the Holy Ghost as a Comforter, offering peace and hope, while its presence and influence can be accessed through adherence to covenants and ordinances, including baptism and confirmation. Additionally, the Holy Ghost is viewed as the Spirit of God rather than a separate person, facilitating a deep connection with Heavenly truth beyond natural senses.

Discernment of heavenly truth is grounded in observing whether a teaching or belief aligns with the "fruit of the Spirit" outlined in Galatians 5:22, which includes love, joy, peace, and other positive qualities; teachings not aligned with these characteristics are likely of human origin. Additionally, any claim of spiritual truth should be examined through a reasonable, contextual understanding of Scripture, asking whether the teaching truly reflects selfless love as defined by biblical standards.

When examining religious teachings, it is essential to employ a contextual and reasonable scriptural exegesis while measuring them against the Fruit of the Spirit to determine their validity, particularly in contrast to doctrines such as those in Doctrine and Covenants 132. Additionally, discerning the inspiration of biblical texts involves recognizing that not every word in translations of the Bible is divinely inspired, as exemplified by Paul's writings, which suggest that only scriptures inspired by God hold doctrinal, corrective, and instructional value, ultimately urging readers to be open to evolving understanding as guided by the Spirit.