Have ye inquired of the Lord?

2 Tim. 3: 7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

Paul foretold that in the Last Days men's hearts would wax cold, and that they would be ever learning, but never able to come to a knowledge of the truth. In modern western culture, we pride ourselves on our great institutions of learning and in the way we educate and become educated. But, according to Paul in the Bible, Paul didn't have such laudatory praise for our modern learning. That said, Paul doesn't give more detail about what it is about our modern learning that fails.

That is when the Christian can turn to the Book of Mormon for some further clarification and explanation of how God would have us learn and teach. 1 Nephi 15 describes the occasion after Nephi is shown a vision of God similar to that shown to his Father. In addition to the profound prophecy in the vision which foretells the coming of the Messiah, the account is instructive afterwards in how Nephi describes his interaction with his brothers.

After Lehi had shared the vision with his family, several sons, namely Laman and Lemuel, began arguing and debating among themselves about what the vision could mean. Nephi on the other hand took an entirely different approach.

1 Ne. 15: 1 And it came to pass that after I, Nephi, had been carried away in the spirit, and seen all these things, I returned to the tent of my father. 2 And it came to pass that I beheld my brethren, and they were disputing one with another concerning the things which my father had spoken unto them.. . . 8 And I said unto them: Have ye inquired of the Lord?. . . 11 Do ye not remember the things which the Lord hath said?—If ye will not harden your hearts, and ask me in bfaith, believing that ye shall receive, with diligence in keeping my commandments, surely these things shall be made known unto you.

Today, world problems are disputed over and debated ad nauseum without arrival at substantive solutions presented or conclusions made. It seems every opinion is presented on equal grounds and no tools are given to weigh the value of each option. But, according to Nephi, the endless debating and disputinig is one main way by which we today are ever learning but never quite able to arrive at the truth. According to Nephi, we as a society need to turn the the Lord Jesus Christ in prayer for answers.