Lesson 22 Teacher Material

Protecting Ourselves against the False Doctrines of the Last Days

President Ezra Taft Benson taught that “the Book of Mormon exposes the enemies of Christ [and] confounds false doctrines” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Ezra Taft Benson [2014], 132). In this lesson, students will identify tactics the adversary uses to destroy faith in Jesus Christ and His gospel. Students will also determine how they can access the Savior’s help to fortify themselves against such tactics.

Suggestions for Teaching

Nephi prophesies of false teachings in the last days.

Ask students to think of a time when they (or someone they know) were exposed to ideas or teachings that undermined or challenged their faith in Jesus Christ and His restored gospel. Invite one or two students to briefly share their experiences.

• How do you think the Book of Mormon can protect us against ideas or teachings that can undermine our faith in Jesus Christ and His gospel? (Consider reviewing the statements by President Benson and President Russell M. Nelson in section 1 of the preparation material.)

Write the phrase False Teachings on the board. Invite students to review 2 Nephi 28:7–9, 20–22, 29–30 and look for teachings that would fit under this heading. Then write students’ answers below the heading on the board.

• What are some examples of these teachings that you have recognized in our day? In what ways do these teachings seek to undermine faith in Jesus Christ and His gospel?

• What have you done to protect yourself against these false ideas?

Sherem, Nehor, and Korihor seek to destroy faith in Jesus Christ.

Point out that among those in the Book of Mormon who taught false doctrines were three antichrists: Sherem, Nehor, and Korihor. Each attempted to destroy the faith of those who believed in Jesus Christ.

Give students a few minutes to review the account they focused on in section 2 of the preparation material. Invite students who did not study one of these accounts to do so during this time.

After sufficient time, invite students to form small groups with those who studied the same account. Ask each group to designate one group member as the leader of the group. Give each group leader a copy of the accompanying handout, “Exposing the Tactics of Satan.”

Exposing the Tactics of Satan

Teachings and Doctrine of the Book of Mormon Teacher Material—Lesson 22

Note to discussion leader: Lead your group in discussing the following questions. Invite group members to draw from the scriptures and statements by Church leaders in section 2 of the preparation material. Encourage all members of your group to participate. However, no one should feel pressured to share their thoughts.

1. What tactics did this antichrist use to destroy people’s faith in Jesus Christ and His gospel?

2. What are some modern-day examples of the false ideas taught or approaches used by the antichrist in this account? How does Satan spread these ideas in our day?

Be prepared to share one tactic and a modern-day example of that tactic with the rest of the class.

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Exposing the Tactics of Satan

teacher handout

After students have discussed the questions on the handout, invite each group leader to write on the board one or more tactics of Satan that their group identified and discussed. Encourage each group leader to briefly share a modern-day example of one of these tactics. They may write some truths similar to the following:

• Satan uses flattery and power of speech to lead people away from exercising faith in Jesus Christ and following His prophets (see Jacob 7:4). (It may be helpful to point out that often those attacking our faith do so with half-truths, alarming language, imbalanced arguments, faulty premises, and facts taken out of context. These arguments often surprise hearers and sound quite logical but are calculated to create doubt. [See Dallin H. Oaks, “Reading Church History” (address to Church Educational System religious educators, Aug. 16, 1985), 1–27.])

• Satan uses lies mixed with truth to deceive people (see Alma 1:4; see also Jacob 7:7).

• Satan uses false doctrines to entice us to disregard God and rationalize committing sin (see Alma 1:4; 30:17–18).

• Satan seeks to dismiss people’s faith in Jesus Christ by mocking their intelligence or their beliefs (see Alma 30:13–16, 27–28).

Note: If students share modern-day examples that could cause misunderstandings or contention, follow the Spirit in clarifying any incorrect statements and guiding the discussion back to the truths taught in this lesson.

After group leaders have presented, consider asking:

• What stood out to you most about how Jacob, Gideon, and Alma responded to the words and actions of the antichrists?

Consider writing the following incomplete statement on the board: We can overcome challenges to our faith in Jesus Christ and His gospel by …

Improving Our Teaching and Learning

Identifying and understanding principles and doctrine. Allow students to identify truths from the scriptures and words of the prophets. Invite them to explain why particular truths stood out to them. Also ask students to consider what the principles and doctrine teach them about the Lord Jesus Christ. Doing so will help them understand the importance of the truths and feel inspired to apply them.

Invite students to complete this statement using what they have learned from the words and actions of Jacob, Gideon, and Alma. Students might complete the statement in some of the following ways:

• … remembering past experiences that have strengthened our faith in Him (see Jacob 7:5).

• … relying on guidance from the Holy Ghost (see Jacob 7:8).

• … relying on the words of prophets and sharing our testimonies of Jesus Christ and His gospel (see Jacob 7:9–12; Alma 1:7; 30:39–44).

• … trusting in God and leaving the outcome in His hands (see Jacob 7:13–14).

Ask students to ponder which of the completed statements on the board they have experienced personally. Invite some students to share what they know and feel about their selected statement.

To encourage students to take righteous action, consider displaying the following questions and inviting students to reflect on the set of questions they find most relevant to their situation. You might also invite students to record their thoughts and feelings.

• Is there a person, blog, or website I follow that is undermining my faith in Jesus Christ and His restored gospel? Considering what I have learned and felt today, what should I do to better protect my faith against those who seek to undermine it?

• Who do I know who is struggling with his or her faith because of the influence of messages or people who oppose Jesus Christ and His restored gospel? Considering what I have learned and felt today, what could I say or do to help this person strengthen his or her faith?

• How could a more faithful study of the Book of Mormon increase my power to resist people or messages that seek to undermine my faith? What can I do to improve my current approach to studying the Book of Mormon?

• What are some specific ways I can invite the Savior to help me build or fortify my faith in Him and His gospel?

For Next Time

Invite students to consider what the most difficult test of obedience has been for them in their lives so far. Then show them a picture of the Savior in Gethsemane, and invite them to study the next lesson’s preparation material with the goal of learning from Jesus Christ about how to trust and obey directions from Heavenly Father.