New Testament LDS Institute Manual

Acts 27:10–44. Safety in Following Prophetic Counsel

            Paul’s warnings of impending danger were ignored. President Henry B. Eyring spoke of people today who choose to disregard prophetic counsel: “Every time in my life when I have chosen to delay following inspired counsel or decided that I was an exception, I came to know that I had put myself in harm’s way. Every time that I have listened to the counsel of prophets, felt it confirmed in prayer, and then followed it, I have found that I moved toward safety. Along the path, I have found that the way had been prepared for me and the rough places made smooth. God led me to safety along a path which was prepared with loving care, sometimes prepared long before” (“Finding Safety in Counsel,” Ensign, May 1997, 25).

Acts 27:11–12. Rejecting the Counsel of Apostles

            Acts 27:11–12 illustrates several reasons why individuals sometimes choose to reject the counsel of Apostles or other Church leaders. (1) Worldly experience and training. Just as “the centurion believed the master and the owner of the ship” (Acts 27:11) rather than the counsel of Paul, a tentmaker, people today sometimes reject the words of seers or other Church leaders because their counsel does not coincide with the opinions of “experts” in the world. (2) Convenience. The ship’s crew contended that they should continue their journey because “the haven was not commodious to winter in” (Acts 27:12), meaning it was not a convenient location to spend the winter months. Likewise, adhering to the counsel of Church leaders is not always convenient. (3) Majority mentality. “The more part” of the passengers advised the centurion “to depart” (Acts 27:12). For many individuals, it makes more sense to agree with the majority than to agree with a servant of God, whose words are not meant to be popular.

President Ezra Taft Benson taught the following regarding prophetic teachings:

            “The prophet is not required to have any particular earthly training or credentials to speak on any subject or act on any matter at any time.

            “Sometimes there are those who feel their earthly knowledge on a certain subject is superior to the heavenly knowledge which God gives to His prophet on the same subject. They feel the prophet must have the same earthly credentials or training which they have had before they will accept anything the prophet has to say that might contradict their earthly schooling. …

            “… The prophet tells us what we need to know, not always what we want to know. …

            “How we respond to the words of a living prophet when he tells us what we need to know, but would rather not hear, is a test of our faithfulness. …

            “… The prophet can receive revelation on any matter--temporal or spiritual” (“Fourteen Fundamentals in Following the Prophet,” in Brigham Young University 1980 Speeches [1981], 3–4; speeches.byu.edu).