The Holy Bible
We view the Old and New Testaments of the Bible as primary witnesses of Jesus Christ. They anchor every major claim in both volumes of Words of Plainness writings. When we write about the character of Jesus Christ, the nature of repentance, the call to discipleship, or the hope of resurrection, we begin with what the Bible says — and we trust that the Bible says it plainly enough to be heard by any honest reader.
We use the King James Version as our primary text. This is not a claim that it is the most literal translation available. It is the translation that most Latter-day Saint readers encounter in worship and study, and its cadences are woven into the manuscript from which these chapters were authored. We quote the KJV unless a passage’s meaning is genuinely obscured by its language, in which case we may note an alternative rendering in the citation panel itself. The most frequent alternate translations used for clarity are the NKJV, NIV, and NLV. When clarity between translations is still needed, we often turn to interlinear lexicon tools for studying the Greek and Hebrew texts. It must be honestly admitted that sometimes, even an appeal to the Bible does not resolve all questions nor settle all differences of opinion.
We do not treat the Bible as a locked document whose interpretation and final meaning has been settled by the tradition of any single religious denomination. Instead, we read it as a living record — one that the Spirit of God uses to reveal truth and inspiration to those who humbly and honestly seek answers.
“If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.” — James 1:5
Universality of the Gospel of Salvation
The breadth of our scriptural citations reflects a conviction, not a diplomatic posture. We cite from multiple traditions because Christ’s universal reach requires it. The writer of Hebrews declared that He is “able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him” — to the uttermost — which leaves no room for the assumption that any honest seeker is beyond His grace or outside the scope of this ministry (Hebrews 7:25). Paul confirmed the same truth in language that crossed every boundary of his world: “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28 NIV). And God said it plainly to Peter: “God is no respecter of persons: but in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him” (Acts 10:34–35).
This is the doctrinal ground on which Words of Plainness stands. Christ is the subject. His reach determines the scope of our welcome.
The behavioral standard that follows from this is equally clear. The spirit of contention — the impulse to exclude, to condemn, to guard the gates of grace as if they were ours to manage — is not the Spirit of Christ. “He that hath the spirit of contention is not of me, but is of the devil, who is the father of contention” (3 Nephi 11:29). Paul wrote it to Timothy: “The servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient” (2 Timothy 2:24). And in Romans 14, he addressed directly the fractures that occur between believers of different practices and convictions: accept one another without quarreling over disputable matters, for God has accepted them (Romans 14:1, 3). “Make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification” (Romans 14:19). These are not suggestions for maintaining pleasant conversation. They are commandments about how disciples of Christ are to treat one another — and those who have not yet decided whether they belong.
We have no interest in the in-fighting over doctrines and creeds that has divided Christianity since its earliest centuries. The Pharisees were meticulous students of scripture and equally meticulous in their contempt for those who did not meet their standard. Jesus reserved His strongest words of condemnation for them. We take that warning seriously.
Our pastoral invitation is simple: if you are searching for God, keep going — we are glad you are here. If you believe in Jesus Christ, you are not our adversary. If you have felt the healing grace of God at work in your life and you are not sure what to do with it, this is a safe place to bring that. “The manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all” (1 Corinthians 12:7). Whatever measure of light you carry, it belongs in this conversation.
You will find, as you read, that the sources we cite do not all come from the same tradition. That is not an accident. It is the point.
Restoration Scriptures
The authors of Words of Plainness are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. That membership shapes how we read scripture and what we believe about the restoration of Christ’s Church in the latter days.
The Restoration scriptures — the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price — appear in these chapters as additional witnesses of Jesus Christ. They are never used as replacements for the Bible or as corrections to it. They are brought in where they speak most clearly to a truth the Bible has established — deepening it, confirming it, or articulating it from a different angle. It’s okay if you reject these scriptures. This won’t offend nor deter our determination to follow Jesus Christ as honestly as we know how.
A reader who does not accept the Book of Mormon as scripture will still find every major claim in this ministry grounded in Old and New Testament sources. The Restoration citations are offered as gifts to those who receive them as such, not as barriers to those who do not.
In Volume 1, which is written for readers of any Christian background or none, Restoration scriptures are cited in parallel with Biblical sources, and always for purposes of amplification or clarification. In Volume 2, which is written specifically for Latter-day Saint disciples who want a deeper study of their own theology, Restoration scriptures take a more prominent role — because that is the audience and the purpose of that volume.
The Citation Panel
Every scripture reference in these chapters is marked with a dagger symbol (†) in the text. Clicking the dagger opens the citation panel on the left side of your screen, where you will find the full reference, a brief note explaining the context in which it is cited, and a link to the passage in the Church of Jesus Christ scripture tool for reading and study.
Citations are grouped by the section of the chapter in which they appear. The color-coded badges in the panel identify the source type at a glance:
- Old Testament — the Hebrew scriptures
- New Testament — the four Gospels, the Epistles, and Revelation
- Book of Mormon — a second witness of Jesus Christ, held as scripture by Latter-day Saints
- D&C / Pearl — the Doctrine and Covenants and the Pearl of Great Price, additional Latter-day Saint scriptures
Our aim is not to overwhelm you with references but to make it easy to go deeper whenever the text draws you there. The citations are an invitation, not an examination.
A Word from Brother Aaron
I came to the scriptures as a young man looking for God — not looking to win arguments about Him. That search has never ended. The chapters in this ministry are written by someone still in the middle of it.
The Old Testament and New Testament of the Bible testify of Jesus Christ. I believe the Book of Mormon is Another Testament of Jesus Christ. I believe that God has moved to restore Christ’s Church in these latter days and continues to manifest Himself through revelation to prophets and apostles.
I don’t require you to agree with me to still think of you as a brother or sister in Christ. I hold my convictions without apology and without aggression. I also know that many sincere people hold different convictions — some close to mine, some far from mine — and that God is patient with all of us in our searching. I believe as Paul that no one “can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost,” even if they hold different creeds and theologies (1 Corinthians 12:3).
My aim in citing scripture is not to prove a point or score a doctrinal victory. It is to show you what I have seen — what passages stopped me, what verses I have carried for years, what words arrived in my heart like light in a room that had been dark.
The reason this ministry draws from more than one scriptural tradition is theological, not ecumenical. I am a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I was born again in Jesus Christ within that tradition, and I do not apologize for it, excuse it, or explain it away. My religious affiliation is not the subject of this ministry. Jesus Christ is.
Every source cited in these chapters points to Him. Three witnesses from across the scriptural canon declare the same truth:
“The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works.” — Psalm 145:9
He “denieth none that come unto him, black and white, bond and free, male and female… all are alike unto God.” — 2 Nephi 26:33
“Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: but in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.” — Acts 10:34–35
Three witnesses. One testimony. The path to God through Jesus Christ stands open to every soul without exception. That is the conviction this ministry was built on, and it is why every source cited here — regardless of tradition — points to the Son of God, Jesus Christ.
Words of Plainness · Aaron Powner Publishing