Article of Faith 7: Spiritual Gifts

At First Glance

This statement sounds vibrant and alive. It speaks of:

• Spiritual gifts
• Miracles
• Revelation
• The active work of God

And in this, there is real agreement. The Bible clearly teaches that God works through His Spirit— guiding, empowering, and gifting His people.

So what’s the concern? The concern is not whether spiritual experiences are real. The concern is how those experiences are defined—and how they are tested.

Why This Matters

Spiritual experiences can feel powerful, personal, and deeply convincing.

But Scripture gives a clear warning: Not every spiritual experience comes from God.

Which means we must ask: How do we know what is truly from God—and what is not?

Because if experience becomes the standard… truth can quietly shift without us realizing it.

What This Means in LDS Teaching

Mormonism places a strong emphasis on spiritual gifts and personal revelation.

These include:

• Feelings of confirmation (“a burning in the bosom”)
• Personal impressions from the Holy Ghost
• Guidance through inner prompting

The Gift of Tongues

While miraculous language may be acknowledged, LDS teaching often emphasizes a more practical than supernatural application:

Missionaries who quickly learn foreign languages are said to be exercising the “gift of tongues.”

Missionaries “learn to speak… many languages… through the gift of tongues.”
(Gene R. Cook, Ensign, Nov 1980)

The gift may be seen as missionaries learning languages “with ease.”
(Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine)

In many cases, what is called a spiritual gift is closely tied to effort, training, and development.

Prophecy and Revelation

Mormonism teaches that:

• God gives revelation to church leaders for the entire church
• Individuals may receive personal revelation for their own lives

However, there is an important boundary:

Personal revelation must never contradict official church teaching.

If it does, it is considered false.

Visions and Spiritual Experiences

Experiences such as visions or impressions are considered valid… as long as they align with existing LDS doctrine. In other words, the experience is real—but it is filtered through the system.

Healing

Healing is often practiced through priesthood authority:

• Anointing with oil
• Laying on of hands
• Pronouncing a blessing

The outcome may vary depending on what the priesthood holder believes the Spirit is indicating.

Healing is also closely tied to priesthood authority in LDS practice. Only male priesthood holders are authorized to give healing blessings, and individuals are often encouraged to seek these blessings from a husband, father, or designated church authority. This creates a structure in which access to healing ministry is mediated through specific individuals, rather than shared among all believers.

The Critical Difference

Here is where the distinction becomes important.

The difference is not whether God speaks. It is how we discern His voice.

What Scripture Reveals

Not Every Spiritual Experience Is from God

“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits…”
(1 John 4:1)

This is a direct command. We are not told to trust every impression—but to test it.

God’s Word Is the Standard

“To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.”
(Isaiah 8:20)

Scripture—not experience—is the final authority.

The Holy Spirit Points to Christ—Not an Institution

“He will glorify Me…”
(John 16:14)

The Holy Spirit does not draw attention to a system, a church, or a set of ordinances. He points to Jesus.

Spiritual Gifts Are Given — Not Manufactured

“One and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.”
(1 Corinthians 12:11)

Spiritual gifts are not the result of training or persistence. They are given by God according to His will.

Why This Changes Everything

This comes down to a simple but crucial question:

What do you trust most?

Your experience… or God’s Word?

Because if experience becomes the foundation:

• It can be shaped
• It can be influenced
• It can even be misinterpreted

But if Scripture is the foundation:

• It remains steady
• It does not shift
• It gives clarity to every experience

A Gentle but Important Question

If a spiritual experience feels real… but points you somewhere different than Scripture—

which one do you follow?

Final Thought

God does speak.
He does guide.
He does move in the lives of His people.

But He has also given us something steady and unchanging: His Word.

And every experience—no matter how powerful—must be tested against it.

Because truth is not defined by what we feel.

It is revealed by who God is.