There are many other Christians who speak against the use of feelings in regards to faith and the discernment of truth. Some Christians use the Bible to deny the idea that impressions from the Holy Ghost are felt based on the idea that we cannot trust feelings. Others denounce the idea of feelings because it has no basis in fact or logic, claiming that feelings about Mormonism is far too subjective.
Bible passages used by others to discredit the use of feelings are, Proverbs 3:5 ; 14:12 ; 28:26 and James 2:24, to name a few. It appears that religious beliefs about feelings fall into two basic camps. The ones who deny feelings to promote facts and logic and the other camp that declares feelings as a means to determine if they are saved. Either way, when reading the beliefs of these two camps, I see that there is no real understanding of the scriptures and what God teaches about feelings.
Many of the members of this Church are converts and some of these converts came from both camps, the “fact” camp and the “feeling” camp. It is reasonable to believe that either convert would likely experience some degree of struggle with their past beliefs in the face of the doctrines and teachings of this Church. With the ties to their past still affecting them, it can be difficult to make the transition. The “fact” believers would have to learn the spiritual truth (facts) about feelings and the believers from the feeling camp would need to learn and develop a better perspective of “feelings” in reference to spiritual truth and the gospel.
Both the Bible, Book of Mormon, Doctrine of Covenants and Pearl of Great Price teach about good and bad feelings. The one that comes to mind is DC 129:8, where we are taught that the devil can be detected in his angel of light garb by shaking his hand and feeling nothing. This is of particular note, because to shake a hand speaks of the hand having substance. To feel nothing is the impression one gets by shaking the hand. This is the feeling part. If feeling was never to be trusted, why would God ever give us this counsel?
Feelings are part of our existence. Feelings range from love to hate, joy to fear. Feelings are a large part of someone’s sense of completeness or sense of emptiness. Our successes stem from the right feelings and our failures from the wrong feelings. The world itself promotes the idea of positiveness, which is a state of mind, but with that they suggest all sorts of things to create an “atmosphere” of positiveness, so they would “feel” good. In many ways the idea of “feel good” has taken precedence over right and wrong, but the point I am making is that “feelings” are a big part of life and our being.
In life, there is good and there is bad. This is what God teaches in the scriptures. God warns us about our hearts deceiving us (Prov. 3:5), God also teaches us of a good spiritual heart (Ps. 73:1). God speaks about evil coming from the heart (Matt 15:19) and light coming from the heart (2 Cor. 4:6). The scriptures speak of two sides, good and evil, light and dark. To study further we learn that there is a carnal heart (Mosiah 4:2 / of the flesh) and a spiritual heart (Alma 5:15 / of the Spirit). We are born into the world and carry the carnal heart, then through baptism, repentance, affliction and spiritual change and growth, we change our carnal hearts to a spiritual heart and it is that heart that becomes the basis of all good feelings and all good works and faith.
When the Holy Ghost speaks to us, we can “feel the burning” in our hearts (bosom) and from this we know it is the Spirit of God. The feeling of peace is felt in the chest area, which refers to the heart. To feel this peace also causes a feeling of expansion. The burning of the bosom is a Biblical reference (Prov. 6:27). The teachings from God in these latter days clearly speaks of how God can cause us to “feel it is right” (DC 9:8).
The key is to learn about these feelings and do what is necessary, with God, to change ourselves to become better at discerning feelings. To learn how to discern between what you caused yourself, what Satan promotes and what God provides. Any claim that Satan can produce the same burning bosom is a lie. To accept this means God leaves us in confusion which is the belief or doctrine that says God does not provide us a means to discern good from evil in all things. This would be a teaching of the devil.
Whether it be the written word, signs or feelings, there are distinct differences between what the Lord provides as to feelings and what Satan provides. Neither are the same and neither provide the same results, but the task is to learn the difference. If you want to learn more about the workings of the Holy Ghost, please read this Church article Entitled “Have I Received an Answer from the Spirit?“. An excerpt from this article says,
“The feeling of peace is one of the most common manifestations of the Spirit. Feelings associated with peace are calmness and tranquility”
If you find anyone who tries to teach or claim that the devil can produce the same peaceful feelings or any of the feelings the Spirit of God provides, is a person who has been fooled by the devil, apart from showing a serious ignorance of God’s word.
IN the scriptures, Jesus Christ clearly taught that an evil tree cannot bear good fruit, that a good tree bears good fruit (Matt 7:17–18 / 3 Nep. 14:17-18). The existence of peace, joy, patience, trust, etc are fruits of a good tree and thus only the Spirit of God can bring these good fruits to bear within our hearts. This is the distinction between right and wrong, good and evil, the Holy Ghost and Satan.
Some may counter using a scripture that says Satan can appear as an angel of light, claiming that Satan can fool us and feelings are therefore deceptive.
When faced with counter claims from other Christians or from “Turncoat Mormons“, please keep in mind that these others have little or no understanding of the doctrines of God, having no experience with the Holy Ghost.
The Lord teaches that we are not to judge by appearances (John 7:24). If Satan appears as an angel of light and you have learned to discern between good and evil, having proper faith and knowing the scriptures, then what is the likelihood you will discern and feel the “light of that false angel” to be of Satan? I would say it is pretty good.
The claim that our feelings are untrustworthy with the example of Satan appearing as an angel of light does not discount feelings, it discounts “appearances”. It is how Satan appears that can fool many people if they depend on what things may look like. This is why God gave us the key to discern appearances to determine if it a false angel of light or a real Angel of God.
God’s manner of teaching promises results that really enlightens us. When a person receives personal revelation from God, he/she will feel peace, sureness, truth, an enlightened mind, raised heart and will “feel” a desire to further him/herself toward God. A person learns through spiritual experiences and learns how truth is given and received, in a logical sense and “feeling” sense. With the aid of the Holy Spirit, a person will learn to feel truth and by this have a greater ability to discern truth from falsehoods. After a time a person who is taught by the Holy Spirit of God will develop an ability to feel truth and feel falsehoods.
The ability to discern by feelings that someone is a liar or a deceptive person is quite a skill. This speaks about the ability to discern the word spoken by others and this is a scriptural “fact”. Biblically it is known as the spiritual word (see John 6:63). To know it, is not only to hear it but to feel (or sense) it. Spiritual things are “not seen”, but they are experienced and “felt”. Thus, spiritual things do not depend on appearances and a person who can discern by way of feeling is a person who can also discern “appearances”.
The ability to discern feelings is also spiritual ability to communicate. It is this very method that the Holy Spirit uses to speak to us, individually or all of us at the same time. He touches ours hearts and minds. Feelings are real and is a large part of being in tune with God and his Holy Spirit. Feelings are real and when properly understood, provides truth.
As an ending note, here is something to ponder.
All things of God are real, all spiritual things of God are real. Truth is light and light is truth and God’s light is real, but it is not seen with our mortal eyes. When God gives his light to a person, that is what a person feels.
Amen