The Church vs. The People that Profess to Belong to it

 If the church is really “true,” why are there so many imperfections in it?

When people take stock of their testimony or membership in the church, one of the central questions is usually whether “the church is true.” Many events occur or questions pop up that might make us question whether the church is as “true” as we thought. Perhaps someone who seems to be a strong member of the church does something clearly against Christ’s teachings or leaves the church behind. Perhaps a leader or member of the church says something that comes off as judgmental. Perhaps some unsavory story from church history surfaces. Perhaps the current teachings of the church do not seem sufficient to answer a personal challenge or question. Does this mean that the church isn’t “true”?

Recently, a phrase from the Book of Mormon struck me. The context is that pride is beginning to grow at the time. Notice a subtle distinction that Mormon makes as to where the pride enters: “...there was peace also, save it were the pride which began to enter into the church—not into the church of God, but into the hearts of the people who professed to belong to the church of God… even to the persecution of many of their brethren” (Helaman 3:33).

There are many different types of people that profess to belong to the church of God. Most are sincerely striving to improve, follow Christ, and be good. However, inevitably, sometimes we act or speak in ways that are not in line with our covenants or with Christ’s teachings. When that happens, we must remember that there is a difference between the church of God and the imperfect people that profess to belong to it.

The question, “Is the church true?” can mean lots of different things to each of us and can therefore easily be called into question. However, nothing that anyone that professes to belong to the church of God does can call into question more specific truths such as the following:
1. There is a God. He is the father of our spirits and he loves us. We lived with him before, and the purpose of this life is to prepare to return to him, having become more like him through experiences that change and refine us here on Earth. His plan and work is perfect, even if the way that we try to assist him in carrying it out is not.
2. Our Father in Heaven loves us so much that he sent Jesus Christ to the world to help us on our way back to him. Christ willingly chose to experience every hardship, burden, and temptation that we experience. Because of his sacrifice, we can get over our mistakes and live again after we die. He still lives, and is Savior and Redeemer and wants to be our friend and have a personal relationship with each of us. He is full of enabling grace and truth. He is the way, the truth, and the life. When there’s no peace on earth, there is peace in Christ.
3. The way that we access all that Christ has power to offer us (including the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost) and develop a personal relationship with him is by living his gospel which is focused on preparing for, making, and honoring covenantal commitments with God.
4. The priesthood authority and additional knowledge of God necessary to open and maintain the channels of a covenant relationship with Christ through ordinances such as the sacrament, baptism, and temple ordinances was restored in our time through Joseph Smith. Christ continues to guide and direct us through a prophet. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is the organization which Christ has established (and continues to utilize) to help all of God’s children to come unto him and receive the fullness of his blessings.
5. The Book of Mormon (along with the Bible) is unequivocally the word of God. It talks of Christ, its words are the words of Christ, and it teaches people to do good. By studying, pondering, praying about, and sincerely applying (or experimenting upon) its precepts, our faith in all of the above truths can become unshakeable.

I pray that when we notice imperfections or experience injustices in the church of God–not really the church itself, but the fallible, mortal people that compose it–we can respond as the “more humble part of the people” did in a similar situation in ancient America: “Nevertheless they did fast and pray oft, and did wax stronger and stronger in their humility, and firmer and firmer in the faith of Christ, unto the filling their souls with joy and consolation, yea, even to the purifying and the sanctification of their hearts, which sanctification cometh because of their yielding their hearts unto God” (Helaman 3:34-45).