CES commissioner teaches BYU-Idaho students about the foundation of righteousness

 

Elder W. Rolfe Kerr, a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and commissioner of the Church Education System, spoke about faith and the foundation of righteousness at a Brigham Young University-Idaho devotional address on Tuesday, September 19.

Elder Kerr emphasized the important relationship between faith and righteousness.  "Faith is the foundation of righteousness, and righteousness is the power by which each one of us can withstand, control, and bind the evil influences of Satan," he said.  "Faith and righteousness empower us to withstand the powers of Satan and to face life without fear."

Elder Kerr further discussed three principles of the foundation of righteousness: the foundation of faith, the fundamentals of faith, and the fruits of faith.

In the first principle of righteousness, Elder Kerr encouraged students to construct a house built with a foundation of faith.  He named the Savior Jesus Christ, the Prophet Joseph Smith, the Book of Mormon, and priesthood authority as the cornerstones of the house of faith.  He also reminded students that the Spirit was necessary to nourish their faith.

"The Spirit can be felt by all of us, no matter what our age or station in life," Elder Kerr said.  "We all need to feel that feeling, and we need to feel it with some regularity and some frequency.  We need to put our lives in a position by how we live to experience a closeness to the Spirit and receive his confirming witness.  This will most likely secure our faith forever."   

Elder Kerr continued by discussing the fundamentals of personal faith. He gave ten fundamentals of faith that would act as walls and a roof for the house: God the Father, Jesus Christ, Joseph Smith, the Book of Mormon, the Restoration, living prophets, continuing revelation, scriptures, salvation, priesthood, and families.

Finally, Elder Kerr reminded students that once they have given adequate focus to the fundamentals of faith, they can begin enjoying the fruits of faith.  He listed eight of those fruits with scriptural references: joy (Doctrine & Covenants 11:13-14), power (Moroni 7:33), healing (Doctrine & Covenants 42:48), testimony (Moroni 10:4-5), peace of mind (Mosiah 4:3), hope in the future (Ether 12:3-4), the reality of miracles (Ether 12:12, 15, 18, 28-29), and a sense of safety and security.

 "I believe each one of you has the capacity to develop a faith equal to the power necessary to bind Satan, avoid his evil influence, and experience the incomprehensible joy that comes from a deep and abiding faith in our Lord and Savior," Elder Kerr said.

Next week's devotional speaker will be Sister Coleen Menlove, former Primary General President. Devotionals are held every Tuesday at 2 p.m. in the Hart Auditorium with additional seating in the Hinckley Chapel, Taylor Chapel and Kirkham Auditorium. Devotionals are broadcast on KBYI-FM 100.5 at 2 p.m. and rebroadcast Tuesday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 5 p.m.