What does it mean to be the "true" church?

I came across this article and quite agree with it.

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A Different Way To Say “The Church Is True”

BY GREG TRIMBLE

For as long as I can remember, I have heard the same phrase regurgitated over and over again at church. It’s likely you’ve heard it thousands of times over the course of your life in the church as well.

That phrase is: “I know the church is true…”

I’ve used that phrase hundreds, maybe even thousands of times throughout my own life. But what does it all mean to say “the Church is true?” There are other related phrases you’ll be familiar with as well such as “I know I belong to the true church” or “I’m so glad I found the one and only true church.” But nothing might annoy a member of another Christian denomination more than when a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints makes that statement or claim. A new friend of mine and an adult convert to the church recalled that phrase almost as nails on a chalkboard during his investigative process.

Though an LDS member may not come out and say it, another person may interpret this “one true church” claim as an assault on their own faith or an attempt to make another’s faith or church irrelevant or inferior. A sort of Rameumptum if you will… with the insinuation of “I’m so glad I wasn’t born where you were born or raised in one of those other false churches.”

I don’t think that’s the intent of most of the members who use the phrase. I know when I have used that phrase, it has always been out of gratitude for my understanding of the fullness of the gospel and the restoration. But still, I can see how others might not interpret it the way I meant it when I said it.

So where did this language of “the one true church” come from anyway and why did we begin saying it so often?

It came out of Doctrine and Covenants Section 1, and in this case, the oft repeated phrase comes from the Lord. He says that this church is the “only true and living church upon the face of the whole earth with which I the Lord am well pleased.” Seems pretty cut and dry, right? The Lord is pleased with one church… the only true and living church. The restored Church. It’s kind of difficult to run away from or discount that language if you believe that the Doctrine and Covenants is indeed scripture, and if the Lord is saying it… then we should be able to say it too, right?

But I don’t think the Lord meant it in the way that it is so frequently conveyed over the pulpit and then interpreted by others.

If one says, “the Church is true”… what do they mean? Do they mean that the people are true? Or do they mean that the institution is true? Or maybe both?

If you say anything is “true,” what does it actually mean?

The etymology of the word “true” in the form of an adjective describes something as being “accurate or exact in relation to the direction.” That is key. “In relation to the direction.” It denotes making something “correctly positioned, balanced, or aligned; upright or level.” As a verb, the word “true” denotes “bringing something (an object, wheel, or other construction) into the exact shape, alignment, or position required.” A plane bearing 20 degrees west of north at 325 mph that has been calibrated to reach it’s intended destination, for example.

In effect, making something “true” is the act of taking something and correctly positioning it and then pointing it in the right direction. It’s less about where the church is now and more about the direction the church is headed in the future.

This is what the Lord is explaining to Joseph Smith in Hiram Ohio on November 1, 1831. He, (the Lord) is “well-pleased” that He was able to “position,” organize and restore an institution out of a broken, fragmented, and confused religious world, (obscurity and darkness) and then set a course for that church to go on. But even after having charted a “true” course, He knew that this church would have to make course corrections over time. So the Lord coupled the word “true” with the word “living” in order to further describe the nature of that church. The “living” part of the church is what continues to make that church move in a “true” direction. The “living” part of the church is what continually provides the course corrections, and without that, the church would no longer be true. The direction of the church is everything. Any institution that loses its direction becomes an institution that is not on a “true” course or trajectory. For instance, the Lord placed the whole church under condemnation for it’s neglect of the Book of Mormon in 1832. I’m assuming that the Lord was not well pleased with the direction of the church at that time, and his 1832 revelation to Joseph Smith about their neglect of the Book of Mormon is an example of a course correction made by the Lord through his “living” prophet in order to steer the ship back in a “true” direction.

That’s really what sets the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints apart from other denominations. Revelation. Living prophets. Direction. Direction. Direction. God picked up his church, out of the wilderness, out of the dust, out of the darkness… placed it on a secure and steadfast foundation of apostles, prophets, and revelation… and then pointed that church in the right direction. That is how the church became “true” in relation to the direction it was moving.

I believe we should specify what we mean when making a statement about the truthfulness of the church. If someone stands up and says that “we have all truth” contained within this church, then that is in direct contradiction to our basic beliefs. We don’t claim to have all truth, but in accordance with our articles of faith, we claim to be seekers of all truth. We are continually seeking after and embracing all truth from wherever it can be found. The church cannot be completely “true” in the sense of completeness or perfection. How can it be when we are anxiously waiting for more light and knowledge? “We believe that He (God) will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God.” More truth, if you will. That is the “living” part of the church that keeps the church moving in a “true” direction.

What we do claim is that this church has been given the proper authority to administer the saving ordinances for the living and for the dead. That, coupled with a living prophet and continued revelation is what provides “direction” in a perplexed world. That is what most people mean when they say “the church is true.” But not everyone is going to understand that, especially if they’re visiting us for the first time.

Imagine how much more helpful and meaningful it would be for people if we were more precise in explaining what it means for our church to be “true” instead of just repeating the cliche over and over again. Imagine if we adopted phrases that were more effective in conveying the “true” value of what we derive from this restored Church of Jesus Christ.

Things like: “I am brought closer to Christ through the restoration of the gospel for these reasons…” (Direction = brought closer to Christ)

“I love that the doctrine of families brings me closer to my loved ones and closer to God.” (Direction = closer to family and God)

“I’m grateful for the temples that help me learn about my worth and potential in teaching me who I am and what I can become.” (from the Latin templum which denotes a “cutting” or intersection of two lines at right angles, or a place for one to get their bearings, or to chart a course to go in the right “direction”). (Direction = moving toward my greater potential.)

If Doctrine and Covenants 1:30 is going to be taught and reiterated in public places, then it should never be taught out of context and without the correct definitions. Most of all, it should never be taught without great humility and additional explanation. Being a part of the church doesn’t make anyone better than the next person or more important in the eyes of God. God is no respecter of persons… “But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.”

Being a member of this church just means that you have a great responsibility to seek after and apply truth. To stay on the directional path of truth and to stay open to the “living” part of the church that keeps us on the correct course toward God. Just as the Jews have long felt like it was their calling and duty to spread the Ten Commandments abroad, it is our duty and responsibility to administer the saving ordinances and share with the world the “living” truths that have come from and continue to come from this ongoing restoration.

There are boundless ways to describe our joy and excitement for the restoration. Unfortunately, for too long, we’ve used those four traditional words, “the church is true” to describe our feelings about the church and left many an interested investigator in a quandary.

I hope we can find a better way to describe and convey the truthfulness and beauty of the restoration in our conversation with the world.

Toscanini and the Shepherd Violinist

This is a short anecdote shared by Elder David B. Haight at General Conference in 2001 regarding the musical director Toscanini. It shows the humility of the man, and reminds us to be mindful of how our actions can bless others' lives. It also reminds us to look to appropriate directors so that we can make sure our own lives are in tune.

"A few years ago, when Arturo Toscanini was musical director of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra in New York City, he had a Saturday afternoon radio broadcast. And one day he received in his mail a crumpled little note on some brownish paper which read:" 'Dear Mr. Toscanini, I am a lonely sheepherder in the mountains of Wyoming. I have two prized possessions: an old violin and a battery radio. And the batteries are getting weak and beginning to run down on my radio, and my violin is so out of tune I can't play it anymore. Would you please sound an A next Saturday on your program?'"The next week on the program, Arturo Toscanini announced: 'To a newfound friend in the mountains of Wyoming, the New York Philharmonic Orchestra is now, all together and in unison, going to sound a perfect A.' And they sounded the perfect A. Then that lonely little man was able to tune the A string and then the E string and the D and the G from that perfect A." Isn't it interesting to reflect in our own lives and in the lives of the many people who may hear me at this time—those whose violin or lives may be a little out of tune—that we are able to come to a general conference of the Church and hear the marvelous messages that are spoken?"

David B. Haight, "Faith of Our Prophets", Ensign, Nov. 2001, 22

Beware of Pride

This is the first talk that had a significant impact in my life. More than 20 years later, I still feel its weight and power as I read it, and recognize that pride is my sin and my great vice. It may be that President Benson gave this talk just for me....

Ezra Taft Benson, “Beware of Pride,” Ensign, May 1989, 4

My beloved brethren and sisters, I rejoice to be with you in another glorious general conference of the Church. How grateful I am for the love, prayers, and service of the devoted members of the Church throughout the world.

May I commend you faithful Saints who are striving to flood the earth and your lives with the Book of Mormon. Not only must we move forward in a monumental manner more copies of the Book of Mormon, but we must move boldly forward into our own lives and throughout the earth more of its marvelous messages.

This sacred volume was written for us—for our day. Its scriptures are to be likened unto ourselves. (See 1 Ne. 19:23.)

The Doctrine and Covenants tells us that the Book of Mormon is the “record of a fallen people.” (D&C 20:9.) Why did they fall? This is one of the major messages of the Book of Mormon. Mormon gives the answer in the closing chapters of the book in these words: “Behold, the pride of this nation, or the people of the Nephites, hath proven their destruction.” (Moro. 8:27.) And then, lest we miss that momentous Book of Mormon message from that fallen people, the Lord warns us in the Doctrine and Covenants, “Beware of pride, lest ye become as the Nephites of old.” (D&C 38:39.)

I earnestly seek an interest in your faith and prayers as I strive to bring forth light on this Book of Mormon message—the sin of pride. This message has been weighing heavily on my soul for some time. I know the Lord wants this message delivered now.

In the premortal council, it was pride that felled Lucifer, “a son of the morning.” (2 Ne. 24:12–15; see also D&C 76:25–27; Moses 4:3.) At the end of this world, when God cleanses the earth by fire, the proud will be burned as stubble and the meek shall inherit the earth. (See 3 Ne. 12:5, 3 Ne. 25:1; D&C 29:9; JS—H 1:37; Mal. 4:1.)

Three times in the Doctrine and Covenants the Lord uses the phrase “beware of pride,” including a warning to the second elder of the Church, Oliver Cowdery, and to Emma Smith, the wife of the Prophet. (D&C 23:1; see also D&C 25:14; D&C 38:39.)

Pride is a very misunderstood sin, and many are sinning in ignorance. (See Mosiah 3:11; 3 Ne. 6:18.) In the scriptures there is no such thing as righteous pride—it is always considered a sin. Therefore, no matter how the world uses the term, we must understand how God uses the term so we can understand the language of holy writ and profit thereby. (See 2 Ne. 4:15; Mosiah 1:3–7; Alma 5:61.)

Most of us think of pride as self-centeredness, conceit, boastfulness, arrogance, or haughtiness. All of these are elements of the sin, but the heart, or core, is still missing.

The central feature of pride is enmity—enmity toward God and enmity toward our fellowmen. Enmity means “hatred toward, hostility to, or a state of opposition.” It is the power by which Satan wishes to reign over us.

Pride is essentially competitive in nature. We pit our will against God’s. When we direct our pride toward God, it is in the spirit of “my will and not thine be done.” As Paul said, they “seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ’s.” (Philip. 2:21.)

Our will in competition to God’s will allows desires, appetites, and passions to go unbridled. (See Alma 38:12; 3 Ne. 12:30.)

The proud cannot accept the authority of God giving direction to their lives. (See Hel. 12:6.) They pit their perceptions of truth against God’s great knowledge, their abilities versus God’s priesthood power, their accomplishments against His mighty works.

Our enmity toward God takes on many labels, such as rebellion, hard-heartedness, stiff-neckedness, unrepentant, puffed up, easily offended, and sign seekers. The proud wish God would agree with them. They aren’t interested in changing their opinions to agree with God’s.

Another major portion of this very prevalent sin of pride is enmity toward our fellowmen. We are tempted daily to elevate ourselves above others and diminish them. (See Hel. 6:17; D&C 58:41.)

The proud make every man their adversary by pitting their intellects, opinions, works, wealth, talents, or any other worldly measuring device against others. In the words of C. S. Lewis: “Pride gets no pleasure out of having something, only out of having more of it than the next man. … It is the comparison that makes you proud: the pleasure of being above the rest. Once the element of competition has gone, pride has gone.” (Mere Christianity, New York: Macmillan, 1952, pp. 109–10.)

In the pre-earthly council, Lucifer placed his proposal in competition with the Father’s plan as advocated by Jesus Christ. (See Moses 4:1–3.) He wished to be honored above all others. (See 2 Ne. 24:13.) In short, his prideful desire was to dethrone God. (See D&C 29:36; D&C 76:28.)

The scriptures abound with evidences of the severe consequences of the sin of pride to individuals, groups, cities, and nations. “Pride goeth before destruction.” (Prov. 16:18.) It destroyed the Nephite nation and the city of Sodom. (See Moro. 8:27; Ezek. 16:49–50.)

It was through pride that Christ was crucified. The Pharisees were wroth because Jesus claimed to be the Son of God, which was a threat to their position, and so they plotted His death. (See John 11:53.)

Saul became an enemy to David through pride. He was jealous because the crowds of Israelite women were singing that “Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands.” (1 Sam. 18:6–8.)

The proud stand more in fear of men’s judgment than of God’s judgment. (See D&C 3:6–7; D&C 30:1–2; D&C 60:2.) “What will men think of me?” weighs heavier than “What will God think of me?”

King Noah was about to free the prophet Abinadi, but an appeal to his pride by his wicked priests sent Abinadi to the flames. (See Mosiah 17:11–12.) Herod sorrowed at the request of his wife to behead John the Baptist. But his prideful desire to look good to “them which sat with him at meat” caused him to kill John. (Matt. 14:9; see also Mark 6:26.)

Fear of men’s judgment manifests itself in competition for men’s approval. The proud love “the praise of men more than the praise of God.” (John 12:42–43.) Our motives for the things we do are where the sin is manifest. Jesus said He did “always those things” that pleased God. (John 8:29.) Would we not do well to have the pleasing of God as our motive rather than to try to elevate ourselves above our brother and outdo another?

Some prideful people are not so concerned as to whether their wages meet their needs as they are that their wages are more than someone else’s. Their reward is being a cut above the rest. This is the enmity of pride.

When pride has a hold on our hearts, we lose our independence of the world and deliver our freedoms to the bondage of men’s judgment. The world shouts louder than the whisperings of the Holy Ghost. The reasoning of men overrides the revelations of God, and the proud let go of the iron rod. (See 1 Ne. 8:19–28; 1 Ne. 11:25; 1 Ne. 15:23–24.)

Pride is a sin that can readily be seen in others but is rarely admitted in ourselves. Most of us consider pride to be a sin of those on the top, such as the rich and the learned, looking down at the rest of us. (See 2 Ne. 9:42.) There is, however, a far more common ailment among us—and that is pride from the bottom looking up. It is manifest in so many ways, such as faultfinding, gossiping, backbiting, murmuring, living beyond our means, envying, coveting, withholding gratitude and praise that might lift another, and being unforgiving and jealous.

Disobedience is essentially a prideful power struggle against someone in authority over us. It can be a parent, a priesthood leader, a teacher, or ultimately God. A proud person hates the fact that someone is above him. He thinks this lowers his position.

Selfishness is one of the more common faces of pride. “How everything affects me” is the center of all that matters—self-conceit, self-pity, worldly self-fulfillment, self-gratification, and self-seeking.

Pride results in secret combinations which are built up to get power, gain, and glory of the world. (See Hel. 7:5; Ether 8:9, 16, 22–23; Moses 5:31.) This fruit of the sin of pride, namely secret combinations, brought down both the Jaredite and the Nephite civilizations and has been and will yet be the cause of the fall of many nations. (See Ether 8:18–25.)

Another face of pride is contention. Arguments, fights, unrighteous dominion, generation gaps, divorces, spouse abuse, riots, and disturbances all fall into this category of pride.

Contention in our families drives the Spirit of the Lord away. It also drives many of our family members away. Contention ranges from a hostile spoken word to worldwide conflicts. The scriptures tell us that “only by pride cometh contention.” (Prov. 13:10; see also Prov. 28:25.)

The scriptures testify that the proud are easily offended and hold grudges. (See 1 Ne. 16:1–3.) They withhold forgiveness to keep another in their debt and to justify their injured feelings.

The proud do not receive counsel or correction easily. (See Prov. 15:10; Amos 5:10.) Defensiveness is used by them to justify and rationalize their frailties and failures. (See Matt. 3:9; John 6:30–59.)

The proud depend upon the world to tell them whether they have value or not. Their self-esteem is determined by where they are judged to be on the ladders of worldly success. They feel worthwhile as individuals if the numbers beneath them in achievement, talent, beauty, or intellect are large enough. Pride is ugly. It says, “If you succeed, I am a failure.”

If we love God, do His will, and fear His judgment more than men’s, we will have self-esteem.

Pride is a damning sin in the true sense of that word. It limits or stops progression. (See Alma 12:10–11.) The proud are not easily taught. (See 1 Ne. 15:3, 7–11.) They won’t change their minds to accept truths, because to do so implies they have been wrong.

Pride adversely affects all our relationships—our relationship with God and His servants, between husband and wife, parent and child, employer and employee, teacher and student, and all mankind. Our degree of pride determines how we treat our God and our brothers and sisters. Christ wants to lift us to where He is. Do we desire to do the same for others?

Pride fades our feelings of sonship to God and brotherhood to man. It separates and divides us by “ranks,” according to our “riches” and our “chances for learning.” (3 Ne. 6:12.) Unity is impossible for a proud people, and unless we are one we are not the Lord’s. (See Mosiah 18:21; D&C 38:27; D&C 105:2–4; Moses 7:18.)

Think of what pride has cost us in the past and what it is now costing us in our own lives, our families, and the Church.

Think of the repentance that could take place with lives changed, marriages preserved, and homes strengthened, if pride did not keep us from confessing our sins and forsaking them. (See D&C 58:43.)

Think of the many who are less active members of the Church because they were offended and their pride will not allow them to forgive or fully sup at the Lord’s table.

Think of the tens of thousands of additional young men and couples who could be on missions except for the pride that keeps them from yielding their hearts unto God. (See Alma 10:6; Hel. 3:34–35.)

Think how temple work would increase if the time spent in this godly service were more important than the many prideful pursuits that compete for our time.

Pride affects all of us at various times and in various degrees. Now you can see why the building in Lehi’s dream that represents the pride of the world was large and spacious and great was the multitude that did enter into it. (See 1 Ne. 8:26, 33; 1 Ne. 11:35–36.)

Pride is the universal sin, the great vice. Yes, pride is the universal sin, the great vice.

The antidote for pride is humility—meekness, submissiveness. (See Alma 7:23.) It is the broken heart and contrite spirit. (See 3 Ne. 9:20; 3 Ne. 12:19; D&C 20:37; D&C 59:8; Ps. 34:18; Isa. 57:15; Isa. 66:2.) As Rudyard Kipling put it so well:

The tumult and the shouting dies;
The captains and the kings depart.
Still stands thine ancient sacrifice,
An humble and a contrite heart.
Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet,
Lest we forget, lest we forget.
(Hymns, 1985, no. 80.)

God will have a humble people. Either we can choose to be humble or we can be compelled to be humble. Alma said, “Blessed are they who humble themselves without being compelled to be humble.” (Alma 32:16.)

Let us choose to be humble.

We can choose to humble ourselves by conquering enmity toward our brothers and sisters, esteeming them as ourselves, and lifting them as high or higher than we are. (See D&C 38:24; D&C 81:5; D&C 84:106.)

We can choose to humble ourselves by receiving counsel and chastisement. (See Jacob 4:10; Hel. 15:3; D&C 63:55; D&C 101:4–5; D&C 108:1; D&C 124:61, 84; D&C 136:31; Prov. 9:8.)

We can choose to humble ourselves by forgiving those who have offended us. (See 3 Ne. 13:11, 14; D&C 64:10.)

We can choose to humble ourselves by rendering selfless service. (See Mosiah 2:16–17.)

We can choose to humble ourselves by going on missions and preaching the word that can humble others. (See Alma 4:19; Alma 31:5; Alma 48:20.)

We can choose to humble ourselves by getting to the temple more frequently.

We can choose to humble ourselves by confessing and forsaking our sins and being born of God. (See D&C 58:43; Mosiah 27:25–26; Alma 5:7–14, 49.)

We can choose to humble ourselves by loving God, submitting our will to His, and putting Him first in our lives. (See 3 Ne. 11:11; 3 Ne. 13:33; Moro. 10:32.)

Let us choose to be humble. We can do it. I know we can.

My dear brethren and sisters, we must prepare to redeem Zion. It was essentially the sin of pride that kept us from establishing Zion in the days of the Prophet Joseph Smith. It was the same sin of pride that brought consecration to an end among the Nephites. (See 4 Ne. 1:24–25.)

Pride is the great stumbling block to Zion. I repeat: Pride is the great stumbling block to Zion.

We must cleanse the inner vessel by conquering pride. (See Alma 6:2–4; Matt. 23:25–26.)

We must yield “to the enticings of the Holy Spirit,” put off the prideful “natural man,” become “a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord,” and become “as a child, submissive, meek, humble.” (Mosiah 3:19; see also Alma 13:28.)

That we may do so and go on to fulfill our divine destiny is my fervent prayer in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.