Prophetic commentary on selected verses from New Testament Lesson 32:

re: Acts 18:26, President George Albert Smith shared the gospel by saying:  “We have come not to take away from you the truth and virtue you possess…. Keep all the good that you have, and let us bring to you more good, in order that you may be happier and in order that you may be prepared to enter into the presence of our Heavenly Father.” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: George Albert Smith, 152.)

re: Acts 19:8–9,  “… disputing … [dialegomai (Greek): conversing, reasoning].”

Elder Marvin J. Ashton of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught: “When others disagree with our stand we should not argue, retaliate in kind, or contend with them. … Ours is to explain our position through reason, friendly persuasion, and accurate facts. Ours is to stand firm and unyielding on the moral issues of the day and the eternal principles of the gospel, but to contend with no [person] or organization. Contention builds walls and puts up barriers. Love opens doors. … Contention never was and never will be an ally of progress.” (April 1978 Conference Report; quoted in New Testament: Gospel Doctrine Teacher’s Manual, 134.)

re: Acts 19:23–28, President Ezra Taft Benson recounted how a young man “was killed in a railroad accident. [His mother] could not be consoled…. One day, soon after the funeral, [she] was lying on her bed in a state of mourning. The son appeared to her and said, ‘Mother, do not mourn; I am all right.’  He then related to her how the accident took place. Apparently there had been some question—even suspicion—about the accident because the young man was an experienced railroad man. But he told his mother that it was clearly an accident.

“He also told her that as soon as he realized that he was in another sphere, he had tried to reach his father but could not. His father was so busy with the details of his … work that he could not respond to the promptings…. He then said, ‘Tell Father that all is well with me, and I want you not to mourn any more.’ President McKay and President Lee used this experience to teach that we must always be responsive to the whisperings of the Spirit.” (See April 1988 Ensign.)

re: Acts 20:33–35, President Spencer W. Kimball said: “As givers gain control of their desires, and properly see their own wants in light of others’ needs, … the powers of the gospel are released in their lives. They learn that by living the great law of consecration they insure not only temporal salvation but also spiritual sanctification.” (See October 1977 Conference Report.)

re: Galatians 3:2, 5 . . .

…Elder James E. Talmage explained, “If we comprehend fully the meaning in which the authors of the scriptures use the word 'faith' we shall see that … faith includes works…. To 'believe [in Christ]' is to live by the laws of the gospel.” (Articles of Faith, 480-81.)

… Elder Bruce R. McConkie explained, “Faith does not and cannot exist unless works are present… [D]ead things do not exist…. Does salvation come, then, by works? No, not by the works of the law of Moses… not even by the more perfect works of the Gospel. Salvation comes through Christ's atonement … without this no good works on the part of men could redeem them.” (Doctrinal New Testament Commentary 3:245, 261; 2:231.)

. . . President Dieter F. Uchtdorf has said: “Salvation cannot be bought with the currency of obedience; it is purchased by the blood of the Son of God” (April 2015 Conference Report).

re: Galatians 3:6-7,  “In our language 'to believe' certainly admits of degrees of assurance from the slightest perception of truth, or error, to the fullest assurance.  But that is not the way it is used in the Bible by the original authors.  In their vocabulary 'belief' is full assurance and 'to believe' is to live accordingly.” (Elder James E. Talmage, Articles of Faith, 479.)  “[T]he scriptures use belief as a synonym for faith. The two terms are interchangeable; they mean the same thing . . . . Faith is belief, and belief is faith.” (Elder Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, 78.)

re: Galatians 3:19, 24, “[W]hen the Israelites came out of Egypt they had the Gospel preached to them, according to Paul in his letter to the Hebrews [4:2]: ‘For unto us was the Gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.’ [Paul also said,] in Galatians 3:19, that the law of Moses was added because of transgression [see also D&C 84:19-27]. . . .  [W]henever the Lord revealed Himself to men in ancient days, and commanded them to offer sacrifice to Him, it was done that they might look forward in faith to the time of His coming and rely upon the power of the atonement for a remission of their sins.” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, 59.)

re: Galatians 3:26, Paul also said: “[O]ur faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God”(1 Corinthians 2:5).

. . .  “[W]ithout faith both mind and body would be in a state of inactivity, and all exertions would cease, both physical and mental” (See Lectures on Faith 1:7-8). 

. . . Elder Orson Pratt said, “[T]raditional evidence often begets a false faith…. Paul, previous to his conversion … went forth, being governed by his faith, to persecute the Church of the living God….  He had a false faith, founded upon insufficient evidence.  By-and-by he received a testimony for himself that Jesus was really and truly the Christ ...  His faith now became correct.” (JD 7:259-260.)

. . . Elder B. H. Roberts stated, “[F]aith in false doctrines, based on false testimony, cannot savor of salvation” (The Gospel and Man's Relationship to Deity, 40).

. . . Elder John A. Widtsoe observed: “The first principle of human action … is faith … for in science as in religion, belief in unseen realities is necessary” (Handbook of the Restoration, 218).

. . .  Elder Bruce R. McConkie stated: “In the broad, generic, and universal sense of the word, the Prophet tells us that faith ‘is the moving cause of all action in all intelligent beings.’  All accountable and intelligent beings have faith… Because [of] faith [farmers] plant with the hope of harvesting; [and students] exert them-selves in the pursuit of knowledge...” (A New Witness for the Articles of Faith, 163-164.)

. . . Elder Dallin H. Oaks has said: “If we think we have faith, we should ask, faith in whom or faith in what? For some, faith is merely faith in themselves. That is only self-confidence or self-centeredness. Others have faith in faith, which is something like relying on the power of positive thinking [to] get what we want…. The first principle of the gospel is not faith.  The first principle of the gospel is faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.” (April 1994 Conference Report [CR].)

“Faith is a choice” (Bishop Richard C. Edgley October 2010 CR; also Elder Neil A. Andersen, Oct 2008 CR), but faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is also “a gift of the Spirit” (Elder Dallin H. Oakes, Sept 1986 Ensign; see also President Heber J. Grant, Apr 1934 CR).

re: Galatians 5:6 . . .  

. . . “Love is the driving force behind faith” (Elder Robert F. Orton, October 2001 CR). 

. . .  Our works “should be for the love of God and the love of fellowmen rather than for … any other lesser motive” including “hope of earthly reward” or even “the hope of an eternal reward” (Elder Dallin H. Oaks, Oct 1984 CR).