What “Looking Beyond the Mark” Really Means

I’ve been accused by other members of the LDS church of looking beyond the mark since being on the path. To me, being on the path means seeking your own revelation. That’s very different than relying solely on the leaders of the church to go to the Lord for you. Those who accuse me of wrongdoing believe President Nelson is “the mark.” 

I can see their point. On the surface, going around the brethren and seeking for your own revelations sounds like a prideful overreach. The church does encourage members to seek for personal revelation. But what’s the point if God has already revealed to the church every truth needed for salvation? There are several logical responses to this question. 

Why Seek Personal Revelation?

1. To seek help with personal matters
2. To confirm what the church has taught is true
3. Because you don’t believe all of the church’s teachings
4. Because you believe you can receive truth that the church has not yet received

The church would agree that it is always good to pray and ask for God’s help when you need it. They would also say option #2 is acceptable, as long as you don’t receive answers that contradict anything the church has taught. The third option makes you a heretic. The fourth, makes you an apostate because you consider yourself more able to speak to God than the prophet.

These four options were the exact progression of my own revelatory experiences. I began as a child asking for assistance in tough situations, which resulted in several incredible faith building experiences. Then, as a teenager, I began praying to know if the things I learned in church were true.

When I first started exploring option #3, I did so completely innocently. It made sense to me that it would be impossible for the church to be 100% correct on everything. Even so, I still believed the church could be true even if it potentially got some things wrong (blacks in the priesthood and polygamy, for example). Option #4 is the one that changed everything for me. Once I began receiving revelations that contradicted things the church taught, I knew something was seriously wrong. From then on, I knew I was going to have to make some tough choices about how to proceed.

The Dividing Line

Many people have told me, “don’t get ahead of the prophet!” I’ve also heard, “If God hasn’t yet revealed something to the prophet, then we are not ready for it yet.”

I still get frustrated when someone says something like this to me. But my response to people is probably just as annoying to them. I boldly proclaim that Jesus Christ is the mark. Following anyone’s council rather than His, is precisely what it means to “look beyond the mark”. In fact, looking to any source for truth rather than the Lord is relying on the arm of flesh.

Once you accuse someone of “looking beyond the mark,” you are no longer on common ground. Suddenly, you become enemies. The better approach, in my opinion, is probably to back up and figure out where you agreed before moving forward. My intent of this post is to see if we can find common ground. Perhaps that will help us drop the accusations against each other. That may be impossible, but we’ll see.

The Origin of “Looking Beyond the Mark”

The phrase “looking beyond the mark” was introduced by Jacob in his sermon to his brethren in Jacob 4:14. The trouble started by each of us choosing to interpret this phrase differently.

If the Jews looked beyond the mark “because of their blindness” (they were very devout and studious people), then how can this apply to us in the latter days? These are some arguments that are common as to

Argument #1 – The Prophet is the Mark

I accept that the Lord reveals His will to us through the voice of the spirit and the voice of His servants. Regardless of the source, it is the same. If you reject either of these voices for any reason, you are “looking beyond the mark”. Killing the prophets as the Jews did is the result of willful blindness and the fruit of stiff-necked people. That applies to either literal murder or figurative murder by disregarding their calling as His servants.

I also accept that searching for things beyond your current level of understanding can be an act of pride. Looking for additional doctrine beyond what applies to our salvation is a slippery slope. Nephi commented on such behavior, saying “there will be no more doctrine given until after he shall manifest himself unto you in the flesh” (2 Nephi 32:6).

The Lord commands us to declare the glad tidings of his gospel to all the world. But when we do so, we should not talk about the tenets or revile against revilers. Instead, we should declare “repentance and faith on the Savior, and remission of sins by baptism, and by fire, yea, even the Holy Ghost” (D&C 19:31). The footnote for the word “tenets” points to 2 Timothy 2:23.

Arguing about tenets can lead to contention and strife, which does not bring the spirit. President Nelsen implements policies for the church meant to bring members together, not divide them. I understand that as a member, I have no right to argue about the policies he institutes. He speaks for the church, not me.

Argument #2 – Jesus Christ is the Mark

How can a prophet, possibly adapt his message to fit the unique backgrounds of all who hear his words? When a prophet admonishes us to repent, what is he suggesting we repent off? Those things that are a sin for me might not be a sin for anyone else. The path of salvation is a completely different journey for each person who walks it. 

When a true servant of the Lord tells you to repent, he is encouraging you to reconcile yourself with the Lord. He doesn’t know your heart. He can’t judge you personally unless the spirit puts the correct judgement into his mind. But how can he do that for thousands and thousands of people at the same time?

In the sermon on the mount, the Lord gave much more direct and specific commandments to those who were listening. Instead of “thou shalt not kill,” He instructed them to not even be angry with their brother. This more personalized approach is indicative of how the Lord leads His sheep. 

If you read certain commandments in the scriptures such as, “thou shalt not kill,” you might be tempted to think you have no need to repent. On the other hand, a living prophet might admonish you more particularly to control your anger, which command may cut a little bit closer to home. But if you seek the Lord directly, He might even be more specific. For example, the Lord might command you to, “forgive your older brother that took advantage of you over the last few months and offer to help him find another job.”  

Only the Lord can work with you one-on-one in such a personalized manner. Only He knows your heart and current level of understanding. If you love Him, you will keep His commandments to you. This is why He is the mark. Looking beyond Him to anyone else, is missing the mark entirely.

Argument #3 – The Doctrine of Christ is the Mark

Jacob talks about the Jews looking beyond the mark in Jacob 4:14. However, in the verse right before that, he explains what the mark really means. 

What are the “things” mentioned in Jacob 4:13 that Jacob says will lead to the salvation of our souls? They are the same “words of plainness” Jacob talks about in verse 14, which the Jews despised. These “words of plainness” are what the Jews looked beyond which caused their blindness and led them to kill whatever prophet spoke these things. 

Jacob talks about the “words of plainness” similarly to how Nephi did in 2 Nephi 31:

Surely Jacob’s sermon about “words of plainness” was influenced by Nephi’s sermon where he used the exact same plainness to describe the Doctrine of Christ. Is it possible that the “things” Jacob mentions that the Jews despised are in fact the teachings within the Doctrine of Christ? Considering both prophets centered their preaching and prophesying around this doctrine, it’s a fair assumption. In other words, the true “mark” is really the Doctrine of Christ. Whether it is taught by the Lord or His servants, it doesn’t matter. It’s the same. This Doctrine is what the Jews rejected and tried to look beyond.

Finding Common Ground in the Doctrine of Christ

It doesn’t feel right to me any longer to argue about who the mark is. Whether it’s the Lord or His servants, they are the same. Both speak the truth. What Jacob seems to be saying is that the Jews were looking beyond the mark by looking beyond the Doctrine of Christ. This makes sense because he repeatedly refers to them as stiff-necked and blind. Both of those characterizations are the exact opposite of entering into the new covenant with the Lord. Our part of that covenant is to offer Him our broken heart and contrite spirit. This is the first step outlined in the Doctrine of Christ.

Four Steps in the Doctrine of Christ:

1. Broken heart & contrite spirit (faith, repentance, baptism by water)
2. First comforter (baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost)
3. Endure to the end (feasting on the words of Christ)
4. Second comforter (eternal life)

There are many people today who desire a path that does not require humbling themselves and following the Lord’s commandments. The Jews refused to come unto Christ. For this reason, God took His doctrine away from them and He gave them many things they could not understand. That caused them to stumble.

Laman and Lemuel said the same thing when Nephi tried to explain to them the Doctrine of Christ. He taught them how each symbol in the tree of life vision is a part of the path. And they said, “Thou hast declared unto us hard things, more than we are able to bear” (1 Nephi 16:1). 

There was a reason Laman and Lemuel didn’t understand the Doctrine of Christ. They refused to go to God and ask for the meaning themselves. They told Nephi they didn’t believe that God would make these things known to them (1 Nephi 15:9). I suspect there was more to it than that. Their pride and selfish desires had already begun to harden their hearts. In that state, the last thing you want to do is give up your self-will and repent.

How Do You Know a True Servant?

If the Doctrine of Christ is the real “mark,” then anyone who teaches it with power and authority is the Lord’s true servant. It is the same as if the Lord was teaching it Himself. True servants “prophesy of things to come, and testify of things they have heard and seen” (Enos 1:19). This includes their own experiences with receiving the first comforter and the second comforter.

These promises are a part of the oath and covenant (D&C 84:39) which is contained in the Doctrine of Christ. If you hearken to the voice of the Spirit, you will come unto God, even the Father. He will teach you about the new covenant. This is the same covenant He has renewed with us for the sake of the entire world (D&C 84:47-48). Only by entering into this covenant can we see the face of God. This is how we can gain a true knowledge of Him for ourselves (D&C 84:19-22).

Moses taught the children of Israel how to enter into this covenant. Unfortunately, they hardened their hearts and rejected his words. In its stead, they sought their own paths. Lehi called them “forbidden paths” or “strange roads” in his vision of the tree of life. This is what it means to look beyond the mark. It’s following your own will, instead of the Lord’s. All prophets in the scriptures teach the same true path.

How Do You Know a True Revelation?

Seeking the Lord’s will through personal revelation takes time and dedication to distinguish between your own thoughts, the voice of the Lord, and deceptive whispers from the adversary. Ultimately, the way you can tell a true revelation is the same way you can tell a true servant. Both will be teaching you and encouraging you to enter into the new covenant. They will always point you to Christ and His doctrine.

Let’s not argue about who or what the mark is anymore. Instead, let’s encourage each other to enter into the new covenant. Let’s offer the Lord our broken hearts and contrite spirits. We all need to repent and come unto Him. We are all equally undeserving before God of His love and mercy. Disputations arise among people who have different goals. When seeking His presence becomes our highest priority, we should all happily accept His truth from any source. 

Justin