Past Feeling - Why Signs Don’t Create Conversion

1 Nephi 17:45 - "Ye are swift to do iniquity but slow to remember the Lord your God. Ye have seen an angel, and he spake unto you; yea, ye have heard his voice from time to time; and he hath spoken unto you in a still small voice, but ye were past feeling, that ye could not feel his words; wherefore, he has spoken unto you like unto the voice of thunder, which did cause the earth to shake as if it were to divide asunder."

Bishop Keith B. McMullin - "A millennium of experience through sight, sound, touch, taste, smell, and all the powers of the universe combined cannot approach the sublime and complete experience of one brief moment under the influence of the Holy Ghost"

Elder Boyd K. Packer - "I have come to know that inspiration comes more as a feeling than as a sound,” and that "it is a voice that one feels more than one hears"

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Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:12

Welcome to Seek This Peace, a daily podcast dedicated to drawing closer to the Savior through the powerful truths found in the Book of Mormon. Each episode, we focus on one verse that helps us walk more faithfully in his footsteps. Today's verse is one of the clearest examples in the Book of Mormon that spiritual experiences alone, even dramatic ones, do not change the heart. Laman and Lemuel had seen an angel, heard the voice of the Lord, and received warnings and commandments. Yet Nephi described them as past feeling, unable to feel God's words, even when he spoke by thunder. This gives us a chance to look deeply at why outward signs are not enough, and why the Holy Ghost is the true source of conversion. There is lots of information in this verse, so we will cover this over two days. Here is part one of first Nephi seventeen forty five, which reads Ye are swift to do iniquity, but slow to remember the Lord your God. Ye have seen an angel, and he spake unto you. Yea, ye have heard his voice from time to time, and he hath spoken unto you in a still small voice, but ye were past feeling, that ye could not feel his words. Wherefore he has spoken unto you like unto the voice of thunder, which did cause the earth to shake as if it were to divide asunder. Nephi's words reveal a profound spiritual truth. Miracles do not automatically produce faith. Laman and Lemuel had seen an angel, they had heard the voice of the Lord, they had witnessed God's power on multiple occasions, yet Nephi says they were slow to remember the Lord and past feeling. This raises an important question. Why is seeing an angel sometimes not enough to soften a person's heart? The answer lies in the verse itself, because they could not feel his words. Their hearts were closed to the influence of the Holy Ghost. The sign was visible, but the spirit could not penetrate. Let's listen to Keith B. McMullen explain why spiritual influences surpasses even miraculous manifestations. This is what he taught.

SPEAKER_00 2:55

A millennium of experience through sight, sound, touch, taste, smell, and all the powers of the universe combined cannot approach the sublime and complete experience of one brief moment under the influence of the Holy Ghost.

SPEAKER_01 3:13

This is remarkable. We often think dramatic manifestations, angels, visions, signs would fix everything. But Bishop McMullen teaches that even a thousand years of sensory experience cannot compare to a single moment of true conversion through the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost changes the heart in a way signs never can. Signs may impress, but the spirit transforms. Layman and Lemuel experienced signs. Nephi experienced the spirit. That made all the difference. One of the most profound teachings about spiritual communication comes from Elder Boyd K. Packer. He taught I have come to know that inspiration comes more as a feeling than as a sound, and that it is a voice that one feels more than one hears. This helps explain why Laman and Lemuel struggled. God tried to reach them through the still small voice, a voice meant to be felt spiritually, but because they were not spiritually receptive, they could not perceive it. When that failed, God spoke like unto the voice of thunder. Yet dramatic signs did not produce lasting change. Why? Because the heart must be humble and willing. Spiritual things are discerned spiritually, and spiritual communication requires spiritual preparation. Elder Packer's words remind us that God's primary language is feeling, prompting, and spiritual impression, not volume, not spectacle, not force. If our hearts are not soft, we can miss the voice one feels even when it is speaking directly to us. This becomes an important reminder for us. We cannot expect louder signs to fix what requires a softer heart. The scriptures teach repeatedly that signs do not produce faith, faith precedes signs. Why? Because signs do not change our desires, our priorities, or our character. Only the Holy Ghost can do that. Laman and Lemuel saw an angel, but they did not repent. They heard the voice of God, but they did not obey. They witnessed miracles, but they did not change. Why? Because signs can be explained away, feelings can be ignored, spiritual imitations can be resisted. This is why Jesus said a wicked generation seeks after signs. Signs may momentarily awaken us, but they cannot sustain us. True conversion happens when the Spirit writes truth into our hearts. That cannot be forced by angels or thunder, it must be chosen. So the lesson becomes clear. If we want to feel God's words, we must prepare our hearts, not wait for signs. Now we turn inward. Nephi's words are not just about layman and lemuel, they are about us. Are there times when we become past feeling? Not intentionally, but through distraction, noise, sin, pride, or spiritual neglect. Sometimes we hope for a dramatic answer from God, a miracle, a clear sign, something irrefutable. But God's pattern is consistent. He speaks in the still small voice. He invites us to slow down. He invites us to listen. He calls us back to humility, repentance, and sensitivity to the Spirit. Why isn't seeing an angel enough to change someone's behavior? Because real change is an inward transformation, not an outward observation. This means today's application is simple but powerful. We can invite the Spirit by softening our hearts. We can feel his words by choosing quiet moments. We can avoid being past feeling by staying close to Christ every day. Our ability to feel the Holy Ghost is not determined by the dramatic nature of the moment. It is determined by the condition of the heart. If we want deeper spiritual feelings, deeper revelation and deeper connection with God, we must nurture the conditions in which the Spirit speaks. We cannot force spiritual experiences, but we can prepare for them. The more we soften our hearts, the more we will feel his voice, and the less we will rely on outward signs. So here is today's challenge. Take five minutes today in complete quiet, no screens, no music, no distractions. Simply sit with the Lord and ask him, Father, what do I need to feel from thee today? Then give the Spirit room to speak. Thank you for listening to Seek This Jesus. I hope this message helps you draw a little closer to the Savior, Jesus Christ. Please, don't let this podcast be your only scripture time today. I encourage you to open your scriptures, because when you study God's word personally, the Spirit will teach you things no podcast ever could. I invite you to come back tomorrow for another verse and message to help you keep focused on Jesus Christ. Until next time, keep seeking this Jesus.