Clarifying the Gift of the Holy Ghost: Responding to Life After Ministry's Assertions

 

Introduction

Joseph Smith’s teaching that the Holy Ghost would leave Cornelius if he had not accepted the invitation of baptism is often misunderstood. Life After Ministry’s blog post titled "LDS: Holy Ghost Will Leave Without Baptism" presents a quip response to a quote from the Encyclopedia of Joseph Smith's teachings, contrasting the Holy Spirit with the Gift of the Holy Spirit. However, their argument appears to rely on a fundamental misinterpretation.

Firstly, the blog post engages in a pedestrian strawman argument and begging the question, distorting the LDS teachings to fit their own narrative. They utilize eisegesis in their interpretation of Acts 2:37-41 and John 14:16, cherry-picking verses to support their preconceived notions while ignoring the broader context.

Life After Ministry's argument that a person receives the "gift of the Holy Spirit" solely by accepting Jesus into their heart is a simplified view that doesn't account for the full biblical narrative or LDS theology. They claim that Joseph Smith misinterpreted God's workings, but this argument overlooks the depth and breadth of LDS teachings about the Holy Ghost and its role.

BECOME A PATREON MEMBER AND READ THE FULL RESPONSE HERE