D&C 1 - Introduction

As part of my study of the Doctrine and Covenants, I am also reading "Companion To Your Study of the Doctrine and Covenants" by Daniel H. Ludlow. I opted for this commentary because it includes many quotes by general authorities of the Church. In the introduction of this commentary of the Doctrine and Covenants, I particulary liked the words of President Spencer W. Kimball -

"Brethren and sisters, my purpose in preparing this message is to encourage you to study the scriptures. As the Lord has said, "Search the scriptures; for . . . they are they which testify of me." (John 5:39 )

Perhaps you will have noticed that for many years the General Authorities have urged us all with increasing frequency and in a spirit of love to adopt a program of daily gospel study in our homes, both as individuals and as families. Also, the standard works have replaced all other materials as texts in the adult curriculum of the church, and scarcely a meeting comes to a close without an inspired admonition from priesthood leaders to read and study the scriptures...

Nevertheless, we are saddened to learn, as we travel about the stakes and missions of the Church, that there are still many of the Saints who are not reading and pondering the scriptures regularly, and who have little knowledge of the Lord's instructions to the children of men...

Besides the almost constant encouragement and prompting which we receive from our present-day Church leaders, the prophets of old seem to cry out to us in almost every page of the scriptures, urging us to study the word of the Lord, the holy scriptures, "which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus." (2 Tim. 3:15.) But we do not always hear, and we might well ask ourselves why.

Sometimes it seems we take the scriptures too much for granted because we do not fully appreciate how rare a thing it is to possess them, and how blessed we are because we do have them...

Lest the foregoing be lightly passed over, let me pause here to point out a common error in the mind of man—that is, the tendency, when someone speaks of faithfulness or success in one thing or another, to think "me," and when someone mentions failure or neglect, to think "them." But I ask us all to honestly evaluate our performance in scripture study. It is a common thing to have a few passages of scripture at our disposal, floating in our minds, as it were, and thus to have the illusion that we know a great deal about the gospel. In this sense, having a little knowledge can be a problem indeed. I am convinced that each of us, at some time in our lives, must discover the scriptures for ourselves—and not just discover them once, but rediscover them again and again." (September 1976 Ensign)

The Prophet Joseph Smith instructed -

"Search the scriptures—search the revelations which we publish, and ask your Heavenly Father, in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, to manifest the truth unto you, and if you do it with an eye single to His glory nothing doubting, He will answer you by the power of His Holy Spirit. You will then know for yourselves and not for another. You will not then be dependent on man for the knowledge of God; nor will there be any room for speculation. No; for when men receive their instruction from Him that made them, they know how He will save them. Then again we say: Search the Scriptures, search the Prophets and learn what portion of them belongs to you." (Joseph Smith, TPJS, p. 11)