Acquiring Spiritual Knowledge, Part 1

Think about which of the following answers apply to this question:

• Which of the following are possible reasons someone might have questions about the gospel or the Church of Jesus Christ?

  1. They don’t have a testimony of the gospel yet.

  2. They care about the gospel enough to want to understand more.

  3. They doubt the faith they once had.

  4. God might be inspiring them to think about something He wants to teach them.

     The answer depends on each person’s attitude and reasons for asking questions. Read paragraph 3 of the “Acquiring Spiritual Knowledge” section of the Doctrinal Mastery Core Document (2023), looking for how our approach to gospel questions can either strengthen or weaken our faith in Jesus Christ.

• What stood out to you in this paragraph? Why?

Everyone has questions and concerns. We should be careful not to judge the faith of others when they have questions, and we need not doubt our own faith when we have questions. Our faith in Jesus Christ and our testimony of the restored gospel can be strengthened or weakened depending on how we approach our questions and concerns. As you study today, think about the role your questions play in your spiritual progress. What questions do you have about the gospel or the Church of Jesus Christ? Do you feel that your questions are drawing you closer to the Savior and His Church?

Throughout your experience in seminary, you will have the chance to practice using the principles of acquiring spiritual knowledge. The following three principles can help you to draw closer to Jesus Christ when questions or concerns arise in your life:

1. Act in faith.

2. Examine concepts and questions with an eternal perspective.

3. Seek further understanding through divinely appointed sources.

The remainder of this lesson will focus on the principle of acting in faith in Jesus Christ.

Read paragraphs 5–7 of the “Acquiring Spiritual Knowledge” section of the Doctrinal Mastery Core Document, looking for several ways you could finish the following sentence.

When questions or concerns arise, we can act in faith in Jesus Christ by… .

Image

icon, record

1. Answer at least two of the following questions:

   • Which of the ways that you selected do you think best applies to teenagers today or even to your life? Why?

   • How could choosing to act in faith in this way affect someone’s relationship with the Savior?

   • Who do you know who has acted in faith when dealing with questions or concerns? What did she or he do?

Consider watching the video “Act in Faith: The Stonemason” (4:57), available on ChurchofJesusChrist.org. Look for how the youth in the video acted with faith in the Savior when they faced important questions and concerns.

The scriptures contain many accounts of those who faced difficult questions or concerns with faith in Jesus Christ. One of these is the prophet Nephi. Read the following examples from Nephi’s life, looking for how he acted in faith in Jesus Christ when facing questions and other issues.

• 1 Nephi 2:16—Some of his loved ones were angry about what his father, the prophet Lehi, asked them to do.

• 1 Nephi 3:7—He was asked to do something difficult.

• 1 Nephi 9:5–6—The Lord commanded him to do something for reasons he did not understand.

• 1 Nephi 10:17; 11:1–5—He wanted his own witness of what his father, the prophet, taught.

• 1 Nephi 11:17—He didn’t fully know the answer to a question he was asked about the gospel.

• Which elements of acting in faith did Nephi best exemplify?

Image

icon, record

2. Complete the following:

   Describe a modern question or concern that could affect someone’s faith in Jesus Christ or His Church. How could someone act in faith when faced with that question or issue?

   • How could choosing to act in faith or not to act in faith affect his or her relationship with the Savior?

   • What do you most want to apply in your life from what you studied today? How could this help you in your life?