You either move forwards or backwards

A common thread in the scriptures is that one is either moving forward or moving backwards regarding spiritual progression. When I use the word spiritual, I mean what a man does to either comprehend the things of God more fully or less fully. We are sometime deceived by our own preceived enlightenment when this enlightment is really a way to rationalize or justify our actions. What do I mean by rationalize? Anything that keeps us from being completely blameless or guiltless is something that we have retionalized. If you can be blamed for hurting yourself or others in anyway you are not blameless. For example, someone entreats you for assistance and you say no when you could have assisted. If you honestly can say that you give not because you have not then you stand blameless. Rationalizing any kind of sin causes us to no longer stand blameless. You also comprehend less and less of the things of God. A person who presists in fighting against goodness will unknowingly find himself in state called the chains of hell. This person thinks faith is foolish; he mocks things that he may have believed in the past; he can't receive counsel; he is in a state of unbelief.

The scriptures are the repository of what God has communicated to His children. God is not silent! He has told us His will. Why doesn't God reveal himself to me directly? Why should He? He has given us His scriptures. But, He will do something for you! As you study His words through His holy prophets with real intent, He will witness the truth of them to your heart. As you apply a teaching, you will know it is true. First faith, then the witness. It never goes the other way. Sincerity and real intent also have be part of the sacred search.

I like this scripture in Mosiah 1:5. It expresses the importance of having an unchanging base to work from (in contrast to all sorts of modern ideas).

I say unto you, my sons, were it not for these things, which have been kept and preserved by the hand of God, that we might read and understand of his mysteries, and have his commandments always before our eyes, that even our fathers would have dwindled in unbelief, and we should have been like unto our brethren, the Lamanites, who know nothing concerning these things, or even do not believe them when they are taught them, because of the traditions of their fathers, which are not correct.

Isn't it the same thing if we don't read and apply what we have? The Lamanites didn't have God's commandments and dwindled in unbelief. Anyone who doesn't read and ponder and pray in this day and age will have the same thing occur. You get to this point that you "even do not believe them when [you] are taught them, because of the [modern] traditions, which are not correct. And this is the sad truth. Let's all start progressing forward, not falling backward!

-Scott