A friend of mine recently described his dislike of a practice among many Mormons: the practice of describing their church as 'true'. It seems an odd term for describing a church. It seems equally confusing for describing many other things. Can a stone be 'true'? Or perhaps it can only be 'true' if it is a literal stone and not a figurative one? The term can be confusing.
The most common time when hearing the affirmation "I know this church is true" in an LDS meeting is during a testimony. On the first Sunday of each month (with some exceptions for conferences or other special occasions), in place of calling upon members to speak (which can be its own problem), members of the congregation are invited to come to the pulpit and share a brief testimony of what they know to be true regarding the gospel of Jesus Christ. While there are people that do not follow this council, many people stand and declare that they know that Jesus is real, that Joseph Smith is a prophet, that the Book of Mormon is true, that God answers prayers, and a variety of other topics. Almost without exception, individuals include in their testimony that they 'know this church is true'.
The phrase is so often used that it seems more a cultural practice than a statement of actual testimony. In many cases, "I know this church is true" amounts to vain repetition. (see Matthew 6:7)
For those that do not operate under the assumptions that Jesus Christ is real and the Bible is correct, the concept can be even more confusing. This is probably due to the inclusion of the term "know." An agnostic or atheist would point out that knowledge when used by a Christian is not actual knowledge. A Mormon might mean that they have strong faith, or they have been convinced of the reality of something rather than actually knowing it.
This is not entirely inaccurate, but only when accepting that humanity is not capable of knowledge.
Even in a scientific sense, proof relies on trusting tangible sources of information. A secularist trusts the information they see, hear, touch, taste, or smell, and assume that their senses are giving them the truth. More complicated scientific evidence is generally accepted if the tools used in gathering the evidence are trusted. Even mathematical formulae are based fundamentally on assumptions. Trust is often placed in instruments and senses when experiments are able to be duplicated, although in truth, duplication can only be shown to be precise. Accuracy involves either knowing the truth, or showing respect to established assumptions.
With this understanding, a person cannot know that the earth is round. A person can however trust that satellites, airplanes, ships, explorers, and the evidence collected by them via measurements, photographs, logs, or other sources enough to be convinced that the earth is round.
For those that do not trust the Bible or spiritual sources of information, it is not likely that the rest of this post will be fulfilling. I do trust the Bible and prophets as sources of correct information. I can only emphasize that if these sources are correct, then the knowledge derived from these sources is more important than any other knowledge. They should be carefully and seriously considered by everyone.
For those that do trust the Bible and spiritual sources of information, the term true can still be confusing, particularly with its use among Mormons. Its use did not begin as vain repetition. In the introductory section of the Doctrine and Covenants, Jesus Christ declares "And also those to whom these commandments were given, might have power to lay the foundation of this church, and to bring it forth out of obscurity and out of darkness, the only true and living church upon the face of the whole earth, with which I, the Lord, am well pleased..." (D&C 1:30)
This reveals an important implication of the term 'true'. It implies that other churches are not 'true'. While is is bold, and may even seem presumptuous, it is consistent with the origin of the church.
Before Joseph Smith became a prophet, he lived in an area and in a time of great religious revival. Different churches competed one with another for membership, and many people were concerned what church God would want them to join. Joseph searched the Holy Bible for answers when he came across a verse that represented the key to finding the truth. The verse is in James 1:5: "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him."
Joseph Smith went to a quiet grove of trees and prayed to God that he might know what church was right. Our Heavenly Father and his son Jesus Christ appeared in answer to his prayer. Joseph explains what Jesus said by saying "I was answered that I must join none of them, for they were all wrong" (JSH 1:19)
While this may seem harsh to call all other churches wrong in the age of modern political correctness, churches traditionally have been very exclusive. Protestants were not only excommunicated from the Catholic church, but in many cases were labeled heretics and killed. Protestants could be equally cruel in their treatment of others.
While the efforts of individuals to purify the religion of their fellow men are easily labeled as simplistic and barbaric today, these efforts were in some cases honest and based on a pattern laid by God himself. Consider the example of Korah in the Old Testament. He gathered several men of renown and peacefully came to Moses telling him he should share his power and not lift himself over the congregation of Israel. In modern times, this might have seemed a sensible and legitimate request, but God disagreed. He caused the earth to open up and swallow up these men and their families and their belongings. (Numbers 16)
Even in New Testament times, God recognized only those that legitimately had power given of him, not those that claimed it of themselves. Consider the story of the seven sons of Sceva who tried to emulate the Apostle Paul. Paul had cast out devils in the name of Jesus Christ. These sons of Sceva found a man possessed of an evil spirit and said "We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth." (Acts 19:13) The evil spirit was not compelled by them, and answered saying "Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye?" (Acts 19:15) They were then stripped and beaten by the possessed man.
Jesus himself warned of false prophets. (Matthew 7:15, 24:11) Those that follow his true Apostles and prophets follow him. (Matthew 28:19-20)
This forms the basis for calling a church 'true'. The concept might more clearly be expressed. Instead of saying "I know this church is true," perhaps Mormons should say what they actually believe. We are saying that Jesus Christ himself leads the church. We are saying that his true priesthood is in the church. We are saying that his true prophets and apostles guide the church.
It is bold statement, but it should not be so strange to Christians. If Jesus Christ is real, and the Bible is true, would he be accepting of a conglomeration of bickering sects that doctrinally contradict one another? Or would it be as his Apostle Paul taught, "One Lord, one faith, one baptism." (Ephesians 4:5) If a person believes that he is the way, the truth, and the life, would it not be prudent to find out what he wants and if he has a church? (John 14:6)
Ultimately, everyone ought to be on a quest to find the truth. Everyone ought to be searching for trustworthy sources of information. I truly believe that all truth will eventually lead to an accepting of Jesus Christ, and his true church.
