Lord’s Anointed

In the broadest sense, anyone who has been through an anointing in the temple.¹ In the narrowest sense “the Lord’s anointed” would be those whom the Lord anoints. It would be those whom the Lord makes His, sealing them up to eternal life. It only takes a moment of reflection to see that the Lord’s anointed would be those whom He has Himself anointed.² In regard to “evil speaking of the Lord’s anointed,” the following things are relevant: First, it is not evil to say what is true. Second, it cannot be “evil speaking” when it comes from an accepted prophet and is found in the Scriptures (as in 2 Nephi 12:3). Third, if the Spirit underlays the concept or thought, it is not man speaking but is the Spirit. If the message comes from the Lord or the Spirit, then it is not the individual who is speaking; he is the voice, but it is another who speaks. Fourth, a call to repent is not evil speaking; if it was, then humanity could never be urged to repentance because the issues involved in repentance are always going to be somewhat personal, cutting, and difficult.³