Lectures on Faith – D&C 88
September 10, 2003
The
Lectures on Faith used to be in the D&C, they were removed in 1921. These are considered adult education classes
not revelations. Sidney Rigdon gave most
of the lectures along with the Prophet Joseph, but Joseph approved what was
taught. Joseph was there to learn, a
sign of his humility, he would go home and teach his family what he learned.
The School
of the Prophets was one of the first schools that had adult education classes
in rural
President Marion G. Romney
Conference Report, Apr. 1977, p. 59-63;
or Ensign, May 1977, p. 43-45
My brethren, I pray, and ask
you to join in that prayer, that while I speak we will enjoy the Spirit of
Christ. If we don't enjoy it, we won't enjoy these remarks, because my topic is
"The Light of Christ." There are three phases of the light of Christ
that I want to mention.
The first one is the light which enlighteneth
every man that cometh into the world;
The second phase is the gift of the Holy Ghost;
And the third is the more sure word of prophecy.
The Light of Christ
In the eighty-eighth section
of the Doctrine and Covenants, the Lord says, "The light of Christ . . .
proceedeth forth from the presence of God to fill the immensity of space."
([D&C 88:7, 12].)
In another revelation, it is
written that this light, which is "the Spirit of Jesus Christ . . . giveth
light to every man that cometh into the world; and the Spirit enlighteneth every man through the world, that hearkeneth to the voice of the Spirit." (D&C 84:45-46.)
This Spirit is, no doubt,
the source of one's conscience, which Webster defines as "a knowledge or
feeling of right and wrong with a compulsion to do right."
Mormon was alluding to this
Spirit when he wrote to his son
"Wherefore, take heed, my beloved brethren, that ye do not
judge that which is evil to be of God, or that which is good and of God to be
of the devil.
"For behold,
my brethren, it is given unto you to judge, [and that gift is because the light
of Christ enlighteneth every man that cometh into the
world], that ye may know good from evil; and the way to judge is as plain, that
ye may know with a perfect knowledge, as the daylight is from the dark night.
"For behold,
the Spirit of Christ is given to every man, that he may know good from
evil." ([
President Joseph F. Smith
says that this Spirit of Christ "strives with . . . men, and will continue
to strive with them [if they will resist the enticings
of Satan], until it brings them to a knowledge of the truth and the possession
of the greater light and testimony of the Holy Ghost." (Gospel Doctrine,
Deseret Book Co., 1973, pp. 6768.)
Gift of the Holy Ghost
Now, this statement of
President Smith's brings us to a consideration of the second phase of our
subject: the gift of the Holy Ghost.
The Holy Ghost is a person,
a [Ensign, p. 44] spirit, the third member of the Godhead. He is a messenger
and a witness of the Father and the Son. He brings to men testimony, witness,
and knowledge of God the Father, Jesus Christ His Son, and the truths of the
gospel. He vitalizes truth in the hearts and souls of men.
"There is a
difference," said the Prophet Joseph Smith, "between the Holy Ghost
and the gift of the Holy Ghost. Cornelius received the Holy Ghost before he was
baptized, which was the convincing power of God unto him of the truth of the
Gospel, but he could not receive the gift of the Holy Ghost until after he was
baptized. Had he not [been baptized], the Holy Ghost which convinced him of the
truth of God, would have left him." (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph
Smith, p. 199.) That's not my statement; that's the statement of the Prophet
Joseph Smith. But I know it's true.
The gift of the Holy Ghost
confers upon one, as long as he is worthy, the right to receive light and
truth.
Obtaining the gift of the
Holy Ghost is preceded by faith, repentance, and baptism. Retaining the spirit,
power, and guidance of the Holy Ghost requires a righteous life--a dedicated
effort to constantly comply with the laws and ordinances of the gospel.
Member of the Godhead
The Holy Ghost is, as we
have said, the third member of the Godhead. Of Him the Prophet Joseph said:
"The Holy Ghost has not
a body of flesh and bones [as we know that God and Jesus Christ have], but is a
personage of Spirit." (D&C 130:22.)
The Holy Ghost is the great
witness of, the messenger for, and testifier of the Father and the Son. The
Savior, speaking of Him as the "Spirit of truth," said:
"When he, the Spirit of
truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of
himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
"He shall glorify me:
for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto
you." (John 16:13-4.)
By the witness and power of the Holy Ghost we receive
personal testimonies of the truths of the gospel, including knowledge of God
the Father and His beloved Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Redeemer.
Notwithstanding the availability of the gifts of the Holy
Ghost, there are many people who live within reach of them who fail to see
them. Concerning such tragedy, the Lord said:
"Behold, I am Jesus Christ, the Son [CR, p. 61] of God.
I am the same that came unto mine own, and mine own received me not. I am the
light which shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehendeth it not." (D&C 6:21.)
Comprehending the light
All three of the synoptic
Gospel writers record the following classic illustration of the difficulty one
in darkness has in comprehending the light. Matthew's version reads:
"When Jesus came into
the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men
say that I the Son of man am?
"And they said, Some
say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets." (Matt. 16: 13-14.)
Now, the people who
expressed these opinions were Christ's contemporaries. Their conclusions
evidenced the fact that they knew something about His mighty works. No doubt
they were aware of His claim that He was the Son of God. Their minds, however,
were opaque to the light of His true identity. Although the light was shining
brightly about them, they "comprehended it not."
Having heard their answer as
to who men said He was, Jesus directed to His disciples the question, "But
whom say ye that I am?" ([Matthew 16:15].)
Then Peter, speaking for
himself and presumptively for the others, answered, "Thou art the Christ,
the Son of the living God." ([Matthew 16:16].) In this declaration, Peter
evidenced the fact that he and his fellow disciples did comprehend the light
shining in the world of spiritual darkness around them.
In His response to Peter's
answer, Jesus declared a truth understood only by those who comprehend the
light by and through the gift and power of the Holy Ghost, for Jesus' answer
was:
"Flesh and blood hath
not revealed it unto thee," He said, "but my Father which is in
heaven, . . . and upon this rock"--meaning, upon the rock of revelation,
which comes by means of the Holy Ghost--"I will build my church; and the
gates of hell shall not prevail against it." ([Matthew 16:17-18].)
How difficult it is to get
one in darkness to comprehend the light or to believe that there is such light
is illustrated by John's account of the interview between Jesus and Nicodemus.
"There was," says
John, "a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:
"[Who] came to Jesus by
night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God:
for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.
"Jesus answered and
said . . . Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he
cannot see the
"Nicodemus saith unto
him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into
his mother's womb, and be born?
"Jesus answered,
Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the
Spirit, he cannot enter into the
One is born again by actually
receiving and experiencing the light and power inherent in the gift of the Holy
Ghost.
"More sure word of
prophecy"
Now, concerning the third
phase of our theme, "the more sure word of prophecy" (D&C 131:5),
which is obtained by making one's "calling and election sure" ([2
Peter 1:10]), the Prophet Joseph said:
"After a person has
faith in Christ, repents of his sins, and is baptized for the remission of his
sins and receives the Holy Ghost, (by the laying on of hands) . . . then let
him continue to humble himself before God, hungering and thirsting after
righteousness, and [CR, p. 62] living by every word of God, and the Lord will
soon say unto him, Son, thou shalt be exalted. When the Lord has thoroughly
proved him, and finds that the man is determined to serve Him at all hazards,
then the man will find his calling and his election made sure, then it will be
his privilege to receive the other Comforter, which the Lord hath promised the
Saints, as is recorded in the testimony of
In the eighty-eighth section
of the Doctrine and Covenants is recorded a revelation in which the Lord,
addressing some of the early Saints in
"I now send upon you
another Comforter, even upon you my friends, that it may abide in your hearts,
even the Holy Spirit of promise; which other Comforter is the same that I
promised unto my disciples, as is recorded in the testimony of John.
"This Comforter is the
promise which I give unto you of eternal life, even the glory of the celestial
kingdom." (D&C 88:34.)
I should think that all
faithful Latter-day Saints "would want that more sure word of prophecy,
that they were sealed in the heavens and had the promise of eternal life in the
Anchor to men's souls
As I read the sacred
records, I find recorded experiences of men in all dispensations who have had
this more sure anchor to their souls, this peace in their hearts.
Lehi's grandson Enos so
hungered after righteousness that he cried unto the Lord until "there came
a voice unto [him], saying: Enos, thy sins are forgiven thee, and thou shalt be
blessed." ([Enos 1:5].) Years later Enos revealed the nature of this
promised blessing when he wrote:
"I soon go to the place
of my rest, which is with my Redeemer; for I know that in him I shall rest. And
I rejoice in the day when my mortal shall put on immortality, and shall stand
before him; then shall I see his face with pleasure, and he will say unto me:
Come unto me, ye blessed, there is a place prepared for you in the mansions of
my Father." ([Enos 1:27].)
To
To His twelve Nephite
disciples, the Master said:
"What is it that ye
desire of me, after that I am gone to the Father?
"And they all spake, save it were three, saying: We desire that after we
have lived unto the age of man, that our ministry, wherein thou hast called us,
may have an end, that we may speedily come unto thee in thy kingdom.
"And he said unto them:
Blessed are ye because ye desired this thing of me; therefore, after that ye
are seventy and two years old ye shall come unto me in my kingdom; and with me
ye shall find rest." ([3 Nephi 28:13].)
As
"Thou hast been
faithful; wherefore, thy garments shall be made clean. And because thou hast
seen thy weakness thou shalt be made strong, even unto the sitting down in the
place which I have prepared in the mansions of my Father." ([Ether 12:37].)
Paul, in his second epistle
to Timothy, wrote:
"I am now ready to be
offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.
"I have fought a good
fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:
"Henceforth there is
laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge,
shall give me at that day." ( [2 Timothy 4:68].)
Assurances in our day
In this dispensation many
have received like assurances. In the spring of 1839, while the Prophet Joseph
and his associates were languishing in Liberty Jail, Heber C. Kimball, our
president's grandfather, labored against great odds caring for the Saints and
striving to free the brethren who were in jail. On the sixth of April he wrote:
"My family having been
gone about two months, during which time I heard nothing from them; our
brethren being in prison; death and destruction following us everywhere we
went; I felt very sorrowful and lonely. The following words came to mind, and
the Spirit said unto me, 'write,' which I did by taking a piece of paper and
writing on my knee as follows: . . .
"Verily I say unto my
servant Heber, thou art my son, in whom I am well pleased; for thou art careful
to hearken to my words, and not transgress my law, nor rebel against my servant
Joseph Smith, for thou hast a respect to the words of mine anointed, even from
the least to the greatest of them; therefore"--listen to this--"thy
name is written in heaven, no more to be blotted out for ever." (Orson F.
Whitney, Life of Heber C. Kimball, Bookcraft, 1975,
p. 241; italics added.)
To the Prophet Joseph Smith
the Lord said:
"I am the Lord thy God,
and will be with thee even unto the end of the world, and through all eternity;
for verily I seal upon you your exaltation, and prepare a throne for you in the
kingdom of my Father, with Abraham your father." (D&C 132:49; italics
added.)
Witness of truths
Now my beloved brethren, by
way of summary and conclusion, I bear witness to the verity of these great
truths. I know that the Spirit of Christ enlighteneth
"every man that cometh into the world; and [that] the Spirit enlighteneth every man through the world, that hearkeneth to the voice of the Spirit." (D&C
84:46.)
I know that everyone who,
following the whisperings of the Spirit, develops faith, is baptized, and
receives the Holy Ghost through the laying on of hands by those having
authority, may, by compliance with the teachings of the gospel, receive the
gifts and the power of the Holy Ghost.
And I bear further witness
that every such person who, having come this far, will follow the Prophet's
admonition to "continue to humble himself before God, hungering and
thirsting after righteousness, and living by every word of God" (Teachings
of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 150), may obtain the more sure word of prophecy.
That the Lord will bless all
of us priesthood bearers that we will so understand these great truths, that in
the end we shall, by making our calling and election sure, enjoy the full light
of Christ, I humbly pray, in the name of Jesus Christ, our Redeemer. Amen.
The 12
Apostles did not have much formal education; (Brigham Young had 3 days of
formal education) they needed the training to go on missions. Today the 12 are very educated men.
(Doctrine and Covenants
38:1-4.) – Read Moses 7 along with D&C 38, they go together.
1 Thus saith the Lord your
God, even Jesus Christ, the Great I AM, Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the
end, the same which looked upon the wide expanse of eternity, and all the
seraphic hosts of heaven, before the world was made;
2 The same which knoweth all things, for all things are present before mine
eyes;
3 I am the same which spake, and the world was made, and all things came by me.
4 I am the same which have
taken the Zion of Enoch into mine own bosom; and verily, I say, even as many as
have believed in my name, for I am Christ, and in mine own name, by the virtue
of the blood which I have spilt, have I pleaded before the Father for them.
God’s view
is on eternity, we are in a revolutionary state from intelligence to Godhood,
and we are involved in the plan that insures that.
On the day the Church was organized,
the Lord revealed to Joseph Smith the instructions recorded in Doctrine and
Covenants 21. It has one theme: follow the prophet. I do not think it is
coincidental that this exhortation was given on 6 April 1830. The Church was
given the following commandment, stated in words traditionally associated with
a commandment—"thou shalt":
"Wherefore, meaning the church,
thou shalt give heed unto all his words and commandments which he shall
give unto you as he receiveth them, walking in all
holiness before me;
"For his word ye shall receive,
as if from mine own mouth, in all patience and faith.
"For by doing these things the
gates of hell shall not prevail against you; yea, and the Lord God will
disperse the powers of darkness from before you, and cause the heavens to shake
for your good, and his name's glory." (D&C 21:4-6; italics added.)
Notice that the Lord instructed the
Church to give heed to all his words, not just to his commandments. The
Lord promised that the powers of darkness and the gates of hell would disperse
and not prevail. Verse 7 indicates that God "inspired" Joseph Smith
"to move the cause of
The persecution they suffered is a
large part of our heritage and legacy. If the early Saints had given "heed
to all his words and commandments," Joseph Smith would have led them to
"move the cause of
We must not be too judgmental of
those wonderful early Saints. We have the advantage of hindsight and easy
access to the scriptural record. Gratitude for their experiences should be our
response. We can learn from them the crucial lesson that every word spoken by a
seer should be attended to with great solemnity.
In December 1830, Joseph Smith
received the revelation we know as Moses 7. It is a very beautiful chapter
dealing with Enoch and his city, who are described as being "of one heart
and one mind, and dwelt in righteousness; and there was no poor among
them." (Moses 7:18.)
This revelation led directly to Doctrine and Covenants 38 and others that
followed. The date of section 38 is 2 January 1831. It is the foundation for
the law of consecration, which the Saints were expected to live if they were to
become a
(Susan
Easton Black et al., Doctrines for Exaltation: The 1989 Sperry Symposium on
the Doctrine and Covenants [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1989], 246.)
(Doctrine and Covenants
88:14.) – By how we live in mortality, we choose the resurrection we will
receive.
14
Now, verily I say unto you, that through the redemption which is made for you
is brought to pass the resurrection from the dead.
Types
of Resurrection
We Reap the Resurrected Body We Sow
Erastus Snow
I
wish to call the attention of the congregation to the preaching of the gospel
and ministering in behalf of the dead--and will read the first verse of the
epistle of Paul in his letter to the Corinthian churches, wherein he is
speaking of the subject of the resurrection of the dead and bringing forth
sayings, arguments and reasonings in favor of the
doctrine of the resurrection of the dead, and explaining how it is that they
are to be raised, and using the figure of the sowing of grain; that grain
produces its own kind, and whatsoever is sown that is also gathered, whether it
be wheat, oats, barley or other grain--every seed of its own kind. So also, in
relation to the resurrection of the dead. There will be bodies celestial,
bodies terrestrial and bodies telestial. And the glory of one class is as the
glory of the sun, another class is as the glory of the moon, and the other
class is as the glory of the stars. And as one star differeth
from another star in glory, so also will the bodies differ in glory in the
resurrection. Those enjoying the celestial spirit, by obeying the celestial
laws and are sanctified by that spirit, will be raised celestial bodies. Those
who do not abide the celestial law, yet may abide the terrestrial law and
sanctified by that spirit, will be raised terrestrial bodies, and those abiding
the laws of the telestial, in which there will also be a variety, the lesser
and the greater, as is represented by the difference in the brightness of the
stars, will be raised telestial bodies, and as each seed bringeth
forth its kind, so will each body be quickened by the spirit which has governed
and controlled it. And in the order of the resurrection those who are Christ's
will be the first fruits of the resurrection and then afterwards they that
shall be, or are, Christ's at his coming. And all will be raised in their
order, intimating that there is a class which is already fitted and prepared,
and these are Christ's, that will be the first fruits of the resurrection, and
the other class who are Christ's at His coming. (Collected Discourses,
Vol.1, October 8, 1887)
The Law
of Restoration
Dallin H. Oaks
The
assurance of resurrection also gives us a powerful incentive to keep the
commandments of God during our mortal lives. Resurrection is much more than
merely reuniting a spirit to a body held captive by the grave. We know from the
Book of Mormon that the resurrection is a restoration that brings back “carnal
for carnal” and “good for that which is good” (
The
principle of restoration also means that persons who are not righteous in
mortal life will not rise up righteous in the resurrection (see 2 Ne. 9:16; 1
Cor. 15:35-44; D&C 88:27-32). Moreover, unless our mortal sins have been
cleansed and blotted out by repentance and forgiveness (see
Different
Kinds of Resurrected Bodies
Jeffery R. Holland
Furthermore,
although the breaking of the bonds of mortal death by the resurrection of the
body is a free and universal gift from Christ, a product of his victory over
death and the grave, the kind or nature of the body (or "degree of
glory" of the body), as well as the time of one's resurrection, is
affected very directly by the extent of one's faithfulness in this life. The apostle Paul made clear, for example,
that those most fully committed to Christ will "rise first" in the
resurrection (1 Thes. 4:16). Paul also speaks of different orders of
resurrected bodies (1 Cor. 15:40). The
bodies of the highest orders or degrees of glory in the resurrection are
promised to those who faithfully adhere to the principles and ordinances of the
gospel of Jesus Christ; they will not only enjoy immortality (a universal gift
to everyone) but also eternal lives in the Celestial Kingdom of glory (D&C
88:4; 132:24). [Encyclopedia of Mormonism, Vol.1, ATONEMENT OF
JESUS CHRIST]
Joseph Smith
Paul
says, "There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and
another glory of the stars; for one star differeth
from another star in glory. So also is
the resurrection of the dead.” They who
obtain a glorious resurrection from the dead, are exalted far above
principalities, powers, thrones, dominions and angels, and are expressly
declared to be heirs of God and joint heirs with Jesus Christ, all having
eternal power. (Teachings of the
Prophet Joseph Smith, p.374)
George Albert
Smith
And may I say
that there are comparatively few people in all the world who understand that
there will be a resurrection. The Lord
has again revealed this in our day. He
has impressed it upon us and has given us to understand that when the time
comes for that resurrection, if we are worthy that we will be quickened
celestial bodies, and from then on, we will dwell in the celestial kingdom, the
highest of all kingdoms. But he has
taught us also that there are other places where we may go. If we don't want to go to the celestial
kingdom, by being less careful and particular about keeping the commandments of
God, we may go into the terrestrial kingdom, and if we are still more careless,
we may find our way into the telestial kingdom, which is the least of the
kingdoms of glory. There are some people who have supposed that if we are
quickened telestial bodies that eventually, throughout the ages of eternity, we
will continue to progress until we will find our place in the celestial
kingdom, but the scriptures and revelations of God have said that those who are
quickened telestial bodies cannot come where God and Christ dwell, worlds
without end. (Conference Report, October
1945, p.172)
The Lord has informed us that there are three degrees of glory. One is known as the
Then there is another kingdom known as the
But
to those who desire the highest and best of all, our Heavenly Father has made
known that there is another Kingdom, known as the
In order that we
might be prepared for that kingdom, the Lord, in his mercy, in the latter-days,
restored the gospel of Jesus Christ, and placed in it divine authority, and
then gave understanding to his children that certain ordinances may be received
and performed. For this purpose temples
were built, and into those temples those who desire a place in the
Joseph Fielding Smith
In
section 88 of the Doctrine and Covenants, we are taught that there is a
difference in the kinds of resurrection.
Some will be raised with celestial bodies; some with terrestrial bodies,
and some with telestial bodies; and yet others will be raised with bodies
without any qualification or power of glory, and these will be sons of
perdition. Read verses 17-33. (Doctrines of Salvation, 2:33)
Bruce R. McConkie
Telestial
law is the law of evil, carnality, and corruption. Those who so live develop telestial bodies,
which can stand telestial glory, which is found in a telestial kingdom. Terrestrial law is the law of decency and
uprightness from a worldly standpoint. Those
who conform to this higher order thereby create for themselves terrestrial
bodies, which in turn can stand terrestrial glory and go to a terrestrial
kingdom. Celestial law is the law of the
gospel; it is the law of Christ. It
calls upon men to forsake the world and rise above every carnal and evil thing. It calls upon men to repent and be baptized
and receive the sanctifying power of the Holy Spirit of God. It requires that they become new creatures of
the Holy Ghost. Only those who so live
acquire thereby celestial bodies; only such bodies can stand celestial glory,
and this glory is found only in a celestial kingdom. Since the final destiny of this earth is to
become a celestial globe, it thereby becomes the ultimate and highest heaven
for all the faithful who have lived on its surface. (The Millennial Messiah, pp. 697-698)
Charles W. Penrose
But the time is to come, away in the distant future, when the
inhabitants of the earth, all who have dwelt upon it, with the exception of a
few who are unredeemable, will be brought to bow the knee willingly; not by
compulsion, not by coercion, not by constraint, but willingly bow the knee to
King Immanuel and worship God, the true God, the Father, in Christ's holy name,
and be willing, perfectly willing, to render obedience to his commandments. Of course, the condition in which they will
dwell will be consequent upon their doings when they were in the flesh. They cannot all be in the same class; that is
impossible. There is a difference in the
degrees of intelligence. Every one of
them has his own identity. Every son or
daughter of God has a special identity, and that will always be had. We will not all be of the same height or
breadth, nor be exactly of the same outward appearance or of features, but
every one will be himself, and we will be cultivated and advanced and developed
on our own lines. If sinners are only
fit, after punishment, to enter into the Telestial world, there will be no end
to the progress along telestial lines; but those who thus come forth will be
"bodies’ telestial and not bodies’ celestial," and there will be
progress on every line and kind of being, for that is the order of the universe. Light and truth will come to us as fast as we
are willing to receive it and obey it and put it into practice. (Conference Report, October 1913, p.19)
The
Apostle Paul goes on to reason that if Christ was not risen, then we will not
rise from the dead; but that if He has been raised from the dead then we also
shall be raised; and he goes on to show how universal that resurrection shall
be--some to come forth in the resurrection of the just, and some in the
resurrection of the unjust, and that there are to be different grades of glory
among those that are resurrected. If you
want to learn a little more about that, in greater plainness, read the 88th
section of the D&C and you will find there something that may be called
philosophical as well as theological. Those
that obey celestial laws will so improve and purify and sanctify their bodies
that those bodies will be fit to come forth in "the first
resurrection" to celestial glory, and that they will then be "bodies
celestial;" while those who would not receive the laws of God which are
celestial, that is, receiving every word that comes from the month of God, but
will obey a terrestrial law, will be quickened by a portion of the terrestrial
glory and receive of the same in a fullness; and, as we learn also in The
Vision, they will not be bodies celestial but "bodies terrestrial," a
different class, but raised from the dead and quickened by the power of that
vital spirit which quickeneth all things. And they
who do not receive the terrestrial laws but only the telestial, will come forth
in the resurrection, raised with a telestial body and be quickened by the
telestial glory. In the revelation that
I referred to, in the 88th section, we learn that they will improve, as all
things will have to, for progress is the law of the universe, and all beings,
all intelligences will have an opportunity of progressing along certain lines. Those who are of a celestial body shall come
forth and have a body like unto the glorious body of the Son of God, and will
dwell in His presence and be with Him in glory in the presence of the Father,
while those who only obey the terrestrial or the telestial laws, after they are
redeemed will come forth in the way that is described, "but where God and
Christ dwell"--so it is said of the telestial--"they never can come
worlds without end.” That may answer
some queries that are made in some of our theological classes. (Conference Report, April 1915, p.36)
In
mortality, we have the Holy Ghost with us, in the Millennium, we will have
Jesus Christ with us and in the celestial kingdom, and we will live in the
presence of our Heavenly Father.
The bodies
of each kingdom are different. We cannot
abide where God is as we are now, we need to be transfigured to endure His
presence.
(Doctrine and Covenants 76:95.) – To Joseph, power and faith is the same
thing.
95
And he makes them equal in power, and in might, and in dominion.
D&C
88:42-61 – This refers to the Millennium.
Every world has a Millennium. We
want to qualify to be there so we can continue our growth and be in the
presence of Christ, He prepares us to be with our Heavenly Parents. Christ visits every earth in its Millennium.
Joseph Smith Inspired
Elder Orson Pratt called attention to
verses 42 through 68 of Section 88 as evidence that Joseph Smith, who had
little formal schoolroom education, and was but a youth, was inspired to give
information concerning the reign of law in the universe, that other worlds are
inhabited, and that it is man's opportunity to be in harmony with eternal law. Brother Pratt said:
. . . Yet these words were given to
him, and they contain information and knowledge far beyond that which you will
find recorded in the writings of the learned, information expressed so simply
that a common mind can, in some degree, grasp it, and yet so sublime and so
great that when we come to investigate its depths, it requires greater powers
and greater understanding than what man naturally possesses. . . .
. . . We are also told that God is in
the stars, those worlds so distant from ours, those great centers around which,
no doubt, millions on millions of opaque bodies revolve as our planets revolve
around our central body, the sun; that he is in those stars, that he is their
light, and the power by which they are governed; or to come home directly to
our earth, he is in the earth, and is the power and light and glory that is
attached to the elements of our globe.
This would seem to exhibit before us
the nature of that Being whom we worship.
We worship him because of his glory, greatness, goodness, justice,
mercy, knowledge, and wisdom. We worship
him, because he has the power to govern and control the universe, and because
he has commanded us to do. He is a
personage. . . . (Journal of
Discourses, 17:324.)
The Lord likened the various kingdoms
(worlds) to a parable in which the owner of a field sent his servants into the
field at a different hour, even to the twelfth servant, and then the Lord
visited each one of his servants at an appointed time. Each servant received the light of the Lord's
countenance in the hour in which he was visited. (D&C 88:42-60.) Then the revelation represents the parable as
applying to other worlds and their inhabitants:
Therefore, unto this parable I will
liken all these kingdoms, and the inhabitants thereof—every kingdom in its
hour, and in its time, and in its season, even according to the decree which
God hath made. (D&C 88:61.)
We know by revelation that the Lord's
creations are numerous. (Moses 1:33-35;
7:30.) In their time each is to be visited
by the Lord, that the inhabitants thereof will find the joy and blessing of the
light which only he can give to them. In
the sermon quoted above from Elder Pratt, we learn that our own earth will be
visited by the Lord during the time prophesied as the millennium. As pointed out in the revelations, he shall
reign upon the earth for the thousand years.
(Ibid. 7:64-65; D&C 43:29-30.) Thus, from world to world will the Lord visit
the pure in heart, who make up
But there is another thing I want you
to understand. This will not be kept up
to all eternity; it is merely a preparation for something still greater. And what is that? By and by, when each of these creations has
fulfilled the measure and bounds set and the times given for its continuance in
a temporal state, it and its inhabitants who are worthy will be made celestial
and glorified together. Then, from that
time henceforth and for ever, there will be no intervening veil between God and
his people who are sanctified and glorified, and he will not be under the
necessity of withdrawing from one to go and visit another, because they will
all be in his presence. It matters not
how far in space these creations may be located from any special celestial
kingdom where the Lord our God shall dwell, they will be able to see him at all
times. Why? Because it is only the fall, and the vail that has been shut down over this creation that keep us
from the presence of God. Let the vail be removed, which now hinders us from beholding the
glory of God and the celestial kingdom; let this creation be once perfected,
after having passed through its various ordeals, after having enjoyed the light
of the countenance of our Lord, in our hour and in our season, and let all
things be perfected and glorified, and there will be no necessity for this vail being shut down.
(Journal of Discourses, 17:332.)
Who are these inhabitants of other
worlds? The revelations are clear in
this regard. These inhabitants "are
begotten sons and daughters unto God.” (D&C
76:24.)
(Roy W. Doxey, The Doctrine and Covenants Speaks [Salt Lake
City: Deseret Book Co., 1964], 2: 121.)
(Doctrine and Covenants
88:62.)
62
And again, verily I say unto you, my friends, I leave these sayings with you to
ponder in your hearts, with this commandment which I give unto you, that ye
shall call upon me while I am near—
D&C
88:62 – This verse has reference to education.
We are trying to get the knowledge of God.
(Doctrine and Covenants
84:19.) – The temple is the key to the
knowledge of God. We go to learn of God.
19
And this greater priesthood administereth the gospel
and holdeth the key of the mysteries of the kingdom,
even the key of the knowledge of God.
In the gospel sense, to be perfect,
whole, or complete is to exercise our agency to receive all that God wants us
to receive. Speaking of the priesthood,
the Savior revealed: "And this greater priesthood administereth
the gospel and holdeth the key of the mysteries of
the kingdom, even the key of the knowledge of God. Therefore, in the ordinances thereof, the
power of godliness is manifest. And
without the ordinances thereof, and the authority of the priesthood, the power
of godliness is not manifest unto men in the flesh.” (D&C 84:19-21.) To be perfect, a person must receive the
priesthood and have the mysteries of godliness revealed through the ordinances
of the priesthood. When a man receives
the higher priesthood and a man and woman go to the temple to make covenants
and to receive their washings and anointings,
endowments and sealings, they become whole.
They are complete; they have received all that God will give them in
mortality. Perfection is achieved when
people keep the covenants they make with God.
In this sense, Ezekiel's description of Job becomes clearer.
Job had received all the blessings of
the priesthood; he kept his covenants; thus, he was whole, or complete. It is then necessary to fear God and to
eschew evil, as Job did. Those who fear
God keep his commandments; they love, respect, and revere him. In addition, those who fear God
"eschew" or shun evil
(Richard D.
Draper, ed., A Witness of Jesus Christ: The 1989 Sperry Symposium on the Old
Testament [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1990], 97.)
The brother of Jared's experience
dramatizes the difference between faith and knowledge. We can see
that the brother of Jared did not have a perfect knowledge before he went
through the veil because he expressed fear and surprise at what he saw and
learned. The Lord says that it was not the brother of Jared's perfect knowledge
that dissolved the veil; rather, it was his exceeding faith (see Ether 3:6-9).
It seems that
The knowledge given by the Holy
Ghost, the first comforter, is not a perfect knowledge, though it prepares and
draws the seeker to that perfect knowledge. Faith, produced by the revelations
of the Holy Ghost, is an assurance or pre-knowledge that what the Lord
says is true (see
Faith is not an end in itself, it is
a means to an end, and that end is to be like and to be with the Lord. When we
say in our testimony meetings, "I know that the Lord Jesus lives,"
without having actually seen him, we mean that the Holy Ghost has given that
assurance to our souls. But we do not have a perfect knowledge until, after an
extended period of probation, we see for ourselves as the brother of Jared did.
Joseph Smith observed, "Men at the present time testify of heaven and of
hell, and have never seen either—and I will say that no man knows these
things without this." fn Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ leads in one
direction and that is into the Lord's presence.
1 Nephi 5:4: "If I had not seen
the things of God in a vision I should not have known the goodness of
God."
3 Nephi 11:15: "The multitude . .
. did see with their eyes and did feel with their hands, and did know
of a surety." [The Prophet Joseph said, "No one can truly say he
knows God until he has handled something and this can only be in the Holiest of
Holies." fn]
D&C 45:46: "You now behold
me and know that I am."
D&C 50:45: "And the day cometh
that you shall hear my voice and see me, and know that I
am."
D&C 93:1: "Every soul who forsaketh his sins and cometh unto me, and calleth on my name, and obeyeth
my voice, and keepeth my commandments, shall see
my face and know that I am."
The Lectures on Faith make it clear that seeing the Lord is a
pivotal point in a comment on 1 Peter 1:3-5:
[Peter] says that all things that pertain to life and godliness were
given unto them through the knowledge of God and our Savior Jesus
Christ. And if the question is asked, how were they to obtain the knowledge of
God? (for there is a great difference between believing in God and knowing him.
. . . And notice, that all things that pertain to life and godliness were given
through the knowledge of God) the answer is given—through faith they
were to obtain this knowledge; and, having power by faith to obtain the
knowledge of God, they could with it obtain all other things which pertain
to life and godliness. fn
Joseph Smith says similarly in another place: "The Lord will teach
him [the receiver of the second comforter] face to face and he may have a perfect
knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom of God, and this is the state and
place the ancient saints arrived at." fn And the Prophet Joseph again:
"Then Knowledge through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is the grand key
that unlocks the glories and mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven." fn
Joseph speaks of the kind of experience that the brother of Jared had and makes
a connection to temple ordinances:
God hath not revealed anything to
Joseph, but what He will make known unto the Twelve, and even the least Saint
may know all things as fast as he is able to bear them, for the day must come
when no man need say to his neighbor, Know ye the Lord; for all shall know Him .
. . from the least to the greatest. How is this to be done? It is to be done by
this sealing power, and the other comforter spoken of, which will be
manifest by revelation. fn
Moroni says that "there never were
greater things made manifest than those which were made manifest unto the
brother of Jared" (Ether 4:4), but he says that they will not go forth to
us, the Gentiles, until the day that we repent and become clean and sanctified
and exercise faith like the brother of Jared. Then he says that the Lord will
manifest unto the Gentiles the things the brother of Jared saw, even to the
unfolding all his revelations (see Ether 4:6-7):
Come unto me, O ye Gentiles, and I
will show unto you the greater things, the knowledge which is hid up because of
unbelief. Come unto me, O ye house of Israel, and it shall be made manifest
unto you how great things the Father hath laid up for you, from the foundation
of the world; and it hath not come unto you, because of unbelief. Behold, when
ye shall rend that veil of unbelief . . . then shall ye know (Ether
4:13-15; italics added).
These possibilities pertain perhaps to this
life, perhaps to the life to come, but the pattern of the brother of Jared
points the way. Having rejected all counterfeit worship, having pushed on past
all comfortable way-stations, having sacrificed to come up to the full measure
of obedience to the Lord, the brother of Jared received his endowment on the
top of mount Shelem, where the Savior of the world
sealed him his. President Benson taught: "God bless us to receive all the
blessings revealed by Elijah the prophet so that our callings and election will
be made sure. I testify with all my soul to the truth of this message and pray
that the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob will bless modern Israel with the
compelling desire to seek all the blessings of the fathers in the House of our
Heavenly Father." fn
(Donald W.
Parry, ed., Temples of the Ancient World: Ritual and Symbolism [Salt
Lake City and Provo: Deseret Book Co., Foundation for Ancient Research and
Mormon Studies, 1994], 394.)
Keys are referred to often in the
Doctrine and Covenants in the context of God's power to govern and the means
"whereby something is revealed, discovered, or made manifest": fn
"This greater priesthood [the Melchizedek Priesthood] administereth
the gospel and holdeth the key of the mysteries of
the kingdom, even the key of the knowledge of God. Therefore, in the ordinances
thereof, the power of godliness is manifest. And without the ordinances
thereof, and the authority of the priesthood, the power of godliness is not
manifest unto men in the flesh; for without this no man can see the face of
God, even the Father, and live." (D&C 84:19-22.) In the temple,
therefore, the keys symbolically take us into the presence of God, into the
celestial room, which represents the place where God himself dwells. If we keep
our covenants, these keys will someday admit us to God's celestial kingdom.
Thus, we gain a sense of the divine
presence at the culmination of the endowment. As President Kimball stated,
there is an "aura of deity" in the temples that the worthy members
feel. fn The endowment session concludes in the celestial room, a place
of aesthetic splendor and quiet contemplation. The celestial room
"represents the highest degree of heaven, a return to the presence of God,
a place of exquisite beauty and serenity, where one may feel and meditate 'in
the beauty of holiness' (Ps. 29:2)." fn Here the endowed, committed Saint
can meditate upon the mysteries of God and his holiness in a sacred place
erected to his glory. (See D&C 88:119.)
(Victor L.
Ludlow, Principles and Practices of the Restored Gospel [Salt Lake City:
Deseret Book Co., 1992], 367.)
(Doctrine and Covenants
88:64.)
64
Whatsoever ye ask the Father in my name it shall be given unto you, that is
expedient for you;
Doctrine and Covenants 88:65
How can we avoid praying for the wrong things?
In the revelation in which the Savior
outlined the gifts of the Spirit, he stated that the Holy Ghost can direct us
to pray for the right things (see D&C 46:30; compare 50:30). "Therefore, we should not be too
insistent" in demanding of the Father our own wishes, cautioned President
Joseph Fielding Smith, "but should pray earnestly . . . to know the will
of the Lord" (Church History and Modern Revelation, 1:371). If,
like Nephi of old, we fearlessly and selflessly keep the commandments, the Lord
might be able to give us the same remarkable promise made to him: "All
things shall be done unto thee according to thy word, for thou shalt not ask
that which is contrary to my will" (Helaman 10:4-5).
(Richard O.
Cowan, Answers to Your Questions About the Doctrine and Covenants [Salt
Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1996], 107.)
We want the
knowledge that saves; we focus on God and His glory.
(Doctrine and Covenants
88:74-77.) – No distinction between secular and religious truth, the doctrine
of the kingdom is all truth.
74 And I give unto you,
who are the first laborers in this last kingdom, a commandment that you
assemble yourselves together, and organize yourselves, and prepare yourselves,
and sanctify yourselves; yea, purify your hearts, and cleanse your hands and
your feet before me, that I may make you clean;
75 That I may testify unto
your Father, and your God, and my God, that you are clean from the blood of
this wicked generation; that I may fulfil this
promise, this great and last promise, which I have made unto you, when I will.
76 Also, I give unto you a
commandment that ye shall continue in prayer and fasting from this time forth.
77 And I give unto you a
commandment that you shall teach one another the doctrine of the kingdom.
Doctrine and Covenants 88:76-80
Why is education important? What
should we study? How?
Many in the world have justified
obtaining education on the grounds that it enables us to earn higher incomes.
The Lord, however, suggested a more lofty reason: that we might be better
prepared to serve (see D&C 88:80). To this end he directed us to study a
wide variety of subjects (compare v. 79 with 90:15 and 93:53). Nevertheless,
Elder John A. Widtsoe acknowledged, "God does
not require all His servants to become doctors, or professors, or even profound
students of these subjects, but He expects them to know enough of these things
to be able to magnify their calling as His ambassadors to the world" (Priesthood
and Church Government, 55-56).
Our learning of these secular
subjects, however, must be bathed in the light of the gospel. "Now,
there's only one reason why this church is in the school business," asserted
Elder Harold B. Lee. "We're not in the education field just to teach
science and philosophy and athletics. We
are in the educational world today because we want to teach the spiritual side
along with the intellectual side, that when we have graduates from this
institution [Brigham Young University], please God that they might come out
with a degree in science, or philosophy, or languages, or whatnot, but still
having faith in the living God" (Teachings of Harold B. Lee, 352).
The Lord put "the doctrine of
the kingdom" first in his list of subjects we should study (D&C
88:77-78). President Brigham Young pointed out that "there are a great
many branches of education: some go to college to learn languages, some to
study law, some to study physic [medicine], and some to study astronomy, and
various other branches of science. We want every branch of science taught in
this place that is taught in the world. But our favourite
study is that branch which particularly belongs to the Elders of Israel—namely,
theology. Every Elder should become a profound theologian" (in Journal
of Discourses, 6:317).
The Master instructed that we should
learn "by study and also by faith" (D&C 88:76, 118). Regardless
of what subject we are studying, we need to do all we can to gain an
understanding of it and prepare ourselves to receive the additional insights
available by revelation from our Father who knows all things. "The things
of God cannot be learned solely by study and reason," Elder Dallin H. Oaks
taught. "Despite their essential and beneficial uses, the methods of study
and reason are insufficient as ways of approaching God and understanding the
doctrines of his gospel" (Lord's Way, 56).
(Richard O.
Cowan, Answers to Your Questions About the Doctrine and Covenants [
In order to
study properly we must have the Gift of the Holy Ghost. Otherwise, we acquire intelligence without
wisdom.
When we
have clean hands and a pure heart and control our environment, we are then ready
to receive revelation to help govern our lives in order to conform our will to
the will of God, (Exercising faith)
The Olive Leaf: D&C 88:1
Background to the Revelation
As noted in the heading of the 1981
edition of the Doctrine and Covenants, the content of D&C 88 was received
in portions on at least three different dates. Verses 1-126 were received on 27
and 28 December 1832 (how much on the first day is not known), and verses
127-37 were received on 3 January 1833.1 the date for verses 138-41 is not
known.
Those present on at least the first
two dates were Joseph Smith Sr., Sidney Rigdon, Orson Hyde, Joseph Smith Jr.,
Hyrum Smith, Samuel H. Smith, Newel K. Whitney, Frederick G. Williams, Ezra
Thayer, and John Murdock. Brother Williams served as scribe.
This revelation (or collection of
revelations) came only two days after the vivid communication now identified as
Doctrine and Covenants section 87, which deals with the wars and destructions
about to come upon the earth and which will eventually lead to a "full end
of all nations" (D&C 87:6; see also 130:12-17). After the stern
warnings and declarations found in the revelation on war, it is interesting
that the Prophet identified this revelation as "the olive leaf . . .
plucked from the Tree of Paradise, the Lord's message of Peace to us."
This document, which has a strong doctrinal content, contains some of the most
marvelous instructions we have on record and is calculated not only to inform
but also to inspire every person who carefully examines it. To study it is a
mind-stretching experience. The language is simple and direct, but the meaning
has such depth that a mortal cannot grasp its entirety.
Every reader will notice at the outset that
the subject matter of D&C 88 changes frequently. This increases the
difficulty of discussion in a written treatment of the scripture, but we are
greatly assisted by the voluminous footnotes and cross-references placed in the
edition of the Doctrine and Covenants published in 1981. By following these
study aids, we can facilitate our understanding and will need a minimum of
other written materials. Moreover, as one's familiarity and understanding
increases, he will sense that the revelation flows naturally from one doctrinal
concept to another and that the various subjects are vitally related to each
other. This revelation, in its many topics, holds out promises and
encouragement by giving a glimpse of what the purposes of God are and what our
own future can be.
We will, in the pages that follow,
present some of the more significant features of D&C 88 and endeavor to
show relationships to the larger doctrinal and historical setting of the Church
in this dispensation. Since not every verse can be dealt with in detail,
attention will be given to concepts that seem necessary to enable us to grasp,
at least to some degree, the depth and sublimity of the revelation. The format
is a commentary, intended to be read in connection with the scriptural text.
Let it be remembered, moreover, that these are the personal opinions of the
writer and not necessarily the official position of the Church.
Significant Doctrinal Contributions
Lord of Sabaoth (v. 2)
The term "Lord of Sabaoth" is also
found in the New Testament (Rom.
The Comforter or Promise of Eternal Life (vv. 3-4)
The Comforter here spoken of is
identified as the Holy Spirit of Promise and is thus the Holy Ghost. He is the
"first Comforter." The second Comforter, as explained by the Prophet
Joseph Smith, is the Lord Jesus Christ, and that phrase has reference to a
personal visit.2 the wording "another Comforter" has led some to
wonder if this passage in 88:3-4 has reference to the Second Comforter and not
to the Holy Ghost. However, the personage spoken of is clearly the Holy Spirit
of Promise, and "the Holy Spirit of Promise is not the Second
Comforter."3
Friends (v. 3)
The close relationship of the Lord to
his faithful servants is shown in his greeting them as friends. A servant
carries out orders as he is commanded. A friend, however, is one with whom the
Lord confides his purposes and plans. This subject is touched upon again in
D&C 93:45-46 and is more fully explained in John 15:13-15: "Henceforth
I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I
have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have
made known unto you." The knowledge about to be entrusted to the Saints in
this revelation is characteristic of that which would be shared by the Master
with his faithful friends.
Church of the Firstborn (v. 5)
This term occurs in the New Testament
(Heb.
The Light of Christ (vv. 6-13)
In some manner that we do not fully
understand, these verses state that the light of Christ is in the sun, moon,
stars, and in the earth also, and this light gives life to all things and is
the law by which all things are governed. This light shines and is also called
the "light of truth" (v. 6) and "is the same light that quickeneth your understandings" (v. 11).
Elder Orson Pratt commented on these
verses as follows:
"Who is there in this
congregation, or upon the face of the earth, that can tell how that light
operates in quickening the understandings of men? . . . Do you know how that is
done? I do not; yet this is what God has revealed. He is the light that is in
all things. Do you or I comprehend how that light is connected with all things?
No. These are lessons which we have got to learn in the future, when we ascend
in that scale of knowledge and intelligence now possessed by celestial beings. .
. . We are told in this revelation that the light that quickens the
understandings of the children of men and that lighteth
all things is one and the same and that it is also the life of all things. What
are we to understand by this? Have we life? Yes, we certainly have. Where did
we obtain this life? When was it created or made? There is a revelation upon
this subject which says that intelligence, or the light of truth was not
created, neither indeed can be [D&C 93:29]. Is it then eternal? Yes. Then
this light that shines is eternal in its nature is it? Yes, because it is the
same light that gives light to all things."4
The Redemption of the Soul (vv. 14-17)
The technical definition is that a
"soul" consists of a spirit and a physical body. This is helpful in
clarifying other passages of scripture dealing with the Creation, such as Moses
3:7-9 and Abr. 5:7. The scriptures are not always consistent with the use of
the word soul, and sometimes it is used to mean only the spirit (
Purpose and Destiny of the Earth (vv. 17-20, 25-27)
The revelations of God frequently talk about
the earth on which we live. In Abr. 3:24-25 we are told that one purpose for
the earth is to provide a place where man may dwell and be proved—a probationary
place. D&C 88:1 deals with yet another factor, the fact that the eternal
destiny of the earth is to be a celestial world, "sanctified from all
unrighteousness," even worthy of the presence of God the Father (v. 18).
Those who live on this earth who are meek and are redeemed and sanctified shall
live on and possess this earth forever and ever in a resurrected
state—resurrected bodies on a resurrected earth. For this intent the earth was
made, and will die, and will be quickened.
The Earth Filleth
the Measure of Its Creation (vv. 19, 25)
This phrase appears twice in the
revelation (vv. 19, 25). A similar
phrase is used in D&C 49:16-17 with the explanation that to answer the
purpose of its creation the earth must be filled with man (see 1 Ne. 17:36).
These references (combined with Abr.
• In their creation
• In their present continuance
• In their eternal destiny
The revelation also reads as though
the earth were intelligent. For example: "Verily I say unto you, the earth
abideth the law of a celestial kingdom . . . and transgresseth not the law" (v. 25). Furthermore, in
Moses
Resurrection and Glory According to the Law Which Is Obeyed (vv. 21-24,
28-33)
These verses explain that every soul
will be resurrected, some to glory and some to no glory, depending upon the law
each person chose to obey. The law of Christ—the gospel—leads to a fulness of
celestial glory. Any deviation leads to less. In these passages,
"quickened" has reference to resurrection, and this quickening comes
to all. Verses 24, 32, and 33 clearly indicate that the class of persons known
as sons of perdition shall be "quickened"—that is, they will be
resurrected in their physical body—but not to a place of glory, for they failed
to receive the only gift (the atonement of Christ) that could have redeemed
them. This is a clarification of D&C 76:38-39, which some have
misinterpreted to mean that the sons of perdition would not receive the resurrection
of the body.5
All Kingdoms Are Governed by Law (vv. 34-45)
A key sentence in this passage states that God
"hath given a law unto all things, by which they move in their times and
seasons; and their courses are fixed, even the courses of the heavens and the
earth . . . and all the planets" (vv. 42-43). At least two basic concepts
are emphasized here:
1. God is the Author and the Giver of
the law, not just a user of it.
2. There is obedience in the
universe.
These are both fundamental to the
existence of the Lord's kingdoms. Only a limited discussion of these matters is
presented here.6
As to the "obedience" of
the planets and especially of the earth, the question arises whether it is
forced obedience or if there is agency and intelligence in nature (other than
in man). Elder Orson Pratt felt there was intelligent choice:
"There does not seem to be any
agency on the part of these materials [inanimate things], so far as we
naturally comprehend it; at least, if there is an agency, it seems to be very
obedient instead of disobedient. . . . At least [we] do not know of any
disobedience. . . . There are some sayings in this same revelation, which seem
to indicate that there is a degree of intelligence even in these materials
[referring to the earth as in v. 25]. . . . Some . . . might say that the earth
is obliged to follow this course. I do not know about this, I am not so sure. I
think if we could see a little further, we would understand that, connected
with the materials of the earth is a living principle . . . that acts according
to certain laws, intelligently, not blindly; and that our earth, in performing
its course . . . does so according to law, as much as we do when we go forth
and are buried in the waters of baptism."7
Man Shall Eventually Comprehend Even God (vv. 47-50, 66-69)
There are some wonderfully descriptive
concepts about God in these verses, such as majesty, power, light, truth,
Spirit, wilderness, and the unveiling of his face to man. Concerning our
relationship to God, we are told in these verses that as we witness the pattern
and order of the cosmos, we have already seen him moving in his majesty and
power; that eventually righteous men shall comprehend God by "being
quickened in him and by him" (v. 49); and that God sustains man by his
(God's) light. It is also stated that God's voice is Spirit and that mortal man
hears it as a voice in the wilderness—"in the wilderness, because you
cannot see him" (v. 66). The Lord continues the instruction by saying that
if we have an eye single to his glory, our whole bodies shall be filled with
light, and by that means we shall be able to see God and also be able to
comprehend all things. These verses are a continuation of the revelation on
light (given in vv. 6-13 already discussed), and they also add to an earlier
exposition about light given in D&C 50:23-30. This is such an important
subject that yet a further revelation about light is to be found in D&C
93:26-32. The frequency of the instruction about light suggests that it is
important for us to know about it, that the Lord wants us to know, and that it
is a subject difficult for us to understand in our mortal state.
These passages speak of man seeing
the face of God and even comprehending him (which means understanding him), and
of man himself knowing all things. Such accomplishments are not by intellectual
learning or by research alone, great as these are as aids to arriving at the
truth. A careful reading of the above passages shows clearly that man obtains
great spiritual heights and privileges only by having an eye single to the
glory of God, obeying the commandments, hearing the voice of the Spirit, and
being "quickened" by the Lord. This is not secular but spiritual. To
obtain these blessings, man must lift his thoughts from nature (the things that
are created) up to nature's Author (the Creator). This is the special role of
revealed religion and the purpose of the gospel of Jesus Christ, as contrasted
with the pursuit of other kinds of truth. Secular learning is an aid but is separate
and distinct from the kind of learning that leads mankind to a full knowledge
and acquaintance with God. A study of nature (the earth and all things in the
earth or connected with the earth) and the creations beyond the sphere of this
earth (that is, a study of the physical things that God has
created)—astronomy—is an honorable and necessary pursuit; but to realize his
potential, man must do more than that; he must also comprehend even God. The
things of God are such that they can be learned only by revelation; therefore,
a study of the revelations that make known the character of God and what he
requires of man are absolutely essential for salvation (see Mosiah 4:9; Job
11:7). Man will not comprehend God unless he becomes like him, and this is not an
easy accomplishment and cannot be obtained outside of the gospel of Jesus
Christ. As the Prophet Joseph Smith explained:
"A fanciful and flowery and
heated imagination beware of; because the things of God are of deep import; and
time, and experience, and careful and ponderous and solemn thoughts can only
find them out. Thy mind, O man! If thou wilt lead a soul unto salvation, must
stretch as high as the utmost heavens, and search into and contemplate the
darkest abyss, and the broad expanse of eternity—thou must commune with God.
How much more dignified and noble are the thoughts of God, than the vain
imaginations of the human heart!"8
And again from the Prophet:
"Let us here observe, that after any
portion of the human family are made acquainted with the important fact that
there is a God, who has created and does uphold all things, the extent of their
knowledge respecting his character and glory will depend upon their diligence
and faithfulness in seeking after him, until, like Enoch, the brother of Jared,
and Moses, they shall obtain faith in God, and power with him to behold him
face to face."9
And yet again from the Prophet:
"We consider that God has
created man with a mind capable of instruction, and a faculty which may be
enlarged in proportion to the heed and diligence given to the light
communicated from heaven to the intellect; and that the nearer man approaches
perfection, the clearer are his views, and the greater his enjoyments, till he
has overcome the evils of his life and lost every desire for sin; and like the
ancients, arrives at that point of faith where he is wrapped in the power and
glory of his Maker and is caught up to dwell with Him. But we consider that
this is a station to which no man ever arrived in a moment: he must have been instructed
in the government and laws of that kingdom by proper degrees, until his mind is
capable in some measure of comprehending the propriety, justice, equality, and
consistency of the same."10
Perhaps two further points should be
discussed relative to verse 66. The Lord here states that his voice is Spirit
and that his Spirit is truth. The revelation says that man hears the voice of
the Lord by hearing the Spirit. This is similar to D&C 18:34-36, in which
the Lord says that those who have felt and heard his Spirit "can testify
that you have heard my voice, and know my words" (
The other point is occasioned by the
Lord stating that he is a voice in the wilderness—in the wilderness because we
cannot see him (v. 66). These words are followed two verses later by the
explanation that if one sanctifies himself so that his mind becomes single to
God, the day will come when he will see God. Note the contrast between mortal
man being in the wilderness at first but growing in light until he sees God.
That is, when the Lord unveils his face to a friend, that person is in the
wilderness no longer. What beautiful imagery!
A Parable about the Inhabitants of Other Worlds (vv. 51-65)
After declaring the existence, harmony, and
relationship of the various bodies that constitute the heavenly machinery,
including the sun, moon, stars, and planets, the Lord asked: "Unto what
shall I liken these kingdoms that ye may understand? Behold, all these are
kingdoms" (vv. 46-47). In answer to his own question the Lord gives a
parable of a man sending his servants into the field and visiting each of them
in turn. He would withdraw from one to visit another. Each servant saw his
Lord's countenance and was made glad—"every man in his hour, and in his
time, and in his season. . . . Every man in his own order" (vv. 51-60).
"Therefore," said the Lord, "unto this parable I will liken all
these kingdoms [the worlds he has created], and the inhabitants thereof—every
kingdom in its hour, and in its time, and in its season, even according to the
decree which God hath made" (v. 61).
This parable is one of the plainest
assertions in the scriptures that there are inhabitants on other worlds and
that Jesus Christ is their Savior and Lord, visiting each in its time (see
D&C 76:23-24). 11
The Solemn Assembly, and a Great and Last Promise (vv. 69-76)
The Lord instructed the Prophet to
call a solemn assembly of the "first laborers in this last kingdom."
This was to be held in Kirtland and was to include a spiritual manifestation to
those who were worthy. Much needed to be done in anticipation. They were to
prepare their hearts and minds, rid themselves of idle thoughts and of excess
laughter. Those expecting to be invited to attend were to organize themselves
and sanctify their lives, purify their hearts and cleanse their hands and feet,
in order that they would be "clean from the blood of this wicked
generation" (vv. 69, 74-75).
The instruction to hold a solemn assembly
comes immediately following the promise that the day will come when the
faithful will see the face of the Lord, and thus it is clear these two
circumstances are related. That the Lord would show himself to his servants and
give them the transcendent joy that accompanies a personal visit from their
Savior is called "the great and last promise" (vv. 69, 75), and the
Lord said he would fulfill it if his people would prepare themselves.
The phrase "great and last
promise" attracts our attention, and we wish the revelation provided a
direct definition of how the word last is used in this instance.
Certainly the meaning is not that this was the final (or chronologically last)
promise he would make to his servants. The meaning therefore seems to be that this
was the ultimate promise—that is, that when they were ready, they would
see his face and stand in his presence. The feeling is also contained in the
passage that this was the last reminder until they had accomplished the
preparation needed to obtain the promise the Lord had given them.
A few days after receiving D&C
88, the Prophet Joseph Smith sent a copy of the revelation to the Brethren in
"You will see that the Lord commanded us,
in Kirtland, to build a house of God, and establish a school for the Prophets,
this is the word of the Lord to us, and we must, yea, the Lord helping us, we
will obey: as on conditions of our obedience He has promised us great things;
yea, even a visit from the heavens to honor us with His own presence. We
greatly fear before the Lord lest we should fail of this great honor, which our
Master proposes to confer on us; we are seeking for humility and great faith
lest we be ashamed in His presence."12
Subsequently the Prophet gave
repeated instruction to the Brethren about the preparation they must make to be
ready for the assembly, which would not be held for some years in the future. We
note one such instance in the following letter, dated
"We must have all things
prepared, and call our solemn assembly as the Lord has commanded us. . . . The
endowment you are so anxious about, you cannot comprehend now . . . but strive
to be prepared in your hearts. . . . When we meet in the solemn assembly . . .
we must be clean every whit. . . . If we are faithful . . . I will venture to
prophesy that we will get a blessing that will be worth remembering, if we
should live as long as John the Revelator; our blessings will be such as we
have not realized before, nor received in this generation. . . .
"All who are prepared, and are
sufficiently pure to abide the presence of the Savior will see him in the
solemn assembly."13
The assembly was not held until the
temple was completed. Finally on
The term "solemn assembly"
is mentioned several times in the Old Testament, one notable occurrence being
just after the dedication of the temple by King Solomon (2 Chr. 7:9). Other
occurrences had to do with special events and fast days in the history of
An Informed Ministry, Knowledge by Study and by Faith (vv. 77-86,
117-18)
In order that the servants of the Lord might effectively
carry the message of the Restoration to the inhabitants of the earth, the Lord
specified that they should study and become acquainted with many branches of
knowledge in addition to the doctrines of the kingdom (vv. 77-80). They were to "seek learning, even by
study and also by faith" (v. 118). What
it means to seek learning "by study" we already know something about,
but how to seek learning "by faith" requires even more experience and
serious contemplation. Whatever else is
required in order for one to seek learning by faith, at least two factors have
to be recognized. First, the individual
seeking the learning must have an eye single to the glory of God; his motives
cannot be selfish. Second, he has to
trust the revealed word of God as being true.
If he wants to gain spiritual knowledge for himself, he has to believe
that what the Lord has already revealed in the scriptures is correct,
especially the latter-day scriptures. He
then proceeds to study, using the scriptures as the standard by which to
measure and interpret whatever knowledge he may gain in the other branches of
learning. This would seem to be true in
all subject matter areas but especially in the study of fields closely related
to human behavior and potential.
Although all truth is valuable, some
areas are more critical for preparing the elders for their ministry to the
nations of the earth and also for their own salvation and spiritual welfare. President Brigham Young spoke of a
"perfect celestial science," which he defined as the study of all
truth and useful information gained through books, experience, and revelation. He emphasized, however, the single importance
of theology:
"Do the Elders of Israel
understand all that the Lord requires of them?
They do not. . . . They can learn
from themselves—from the world—from the government of heaven—from the
management, government, control, doctrines, and laws of eternity, which will
yet be exhibited before us. The Lord has
established the world, with its varied productions, for the education of his
children. . . .
" . . . There are a great many branches of education:
some go to college to learn languages, some to study law, some to study physic,
and some to study astronomy, and various other branches of science. We want every branch of science taught in
this place that is taught in the world. But
our favourite study is that branch which particularly belongs to the Elders of
Israel—namely, theology. Every Elder
should become a profound theologian—should understand this branch better than
all the world. There is no Elder who has
the power of God upon him but understands more of the principles of theology
than all the world put together.” 15
The types of individuals which the
Lord requires for his ministry are those persons whose garments are clean from
the blood of this generation. Those not
yet clean were to wait for another time to be called. Those who were called were to labor
diligently to warn the people of the judgments to come. The brethren were told in the revelation that
not everyone will accept the message, and that one aspect of their teaching was
to issue a warning voice so as to leave the world "without excuse";
in this way "their sins are upon their own heads" (vv. 81-82). The number of converts one makes is not the
measure of success of the mission. The
Prophet Joseph Smith explained:
"It is not the multitude of preachers
that is to bring about the glorious millennium!
But it is those who are 'called, and chosen, and faithful.' . . . Remember that your business is to preach the
Gospel in all humility and meekness, and warn sinners to repent and come to
Christ. . . . If you do your duty, it
will be just as well with you, as though all men embraced the Gospel.” 16
Signs, Earthly Commotions, and Angels Prepare the Way for the Second
Coming (vv. 87-116)
This large segment of D&C 88
bears a striking similarity to chapters 7-22 in the book of Revelation. It is a prophecy of destruction and calamity
but also a message of hope. It is, as
with all revealed scripture, an assurance that in the end righteousness will
triumph over evil, Christ over the devil, and the Saints over their oppressors. Ultimate victory will come through the Lord
Jesus Christ.
The Prophet had been involved for
many months with making an initial draft of an inspired translation of the New
Testament, concluding with the book of Revelation in March 1832. In the process of making the translation,
many important things were revealed to him about the gospel and in this case
about future events to take place on the earth (see D&C 45:60-62). The history of the earth, the ministry of
seven angels who play a prominent part in the final judgment scenes, and the
opening of the seven seals are significant aspects of the Revelation of John. These were reiterated and partially explained
in D&C 77 as a consequence of the translation and were further enlarged upon
in these verses from D&C 88. Thus we
regard this part of D&C 88 as a further clarification and explanation of
the Revelation of John. These are
eschatological items—the winding-up events to take place on the earth before it
is prepared for the celestial glory. All
nations must hear the proclamation of the gospel and be informed of the means
of redemption. The earth must die and
wickedness be cleansed from off its face.
There will be a resurrection of all mankind and a final judgment. Through faith in Jesus the Saints will have
gained the victory over sin and death and will be crowned with eternal glory
(vv. 106-7). The calamities and convulsive
quaking of the earth, along with the wars and the pestilences spoken of in
these verses, are the "details" involved in the larger concept of the
earth being prepared for its eternal celestial destiny.
Before these final things occur,
however, the servants of God must prepare themselves for their mission to the
world. Therefore, the Lord again took up
the subject of the temple and the school, because without these, the
missionaries could not be prepared for their ministry. Without the servants of God bearing
testimony, the honest in heart would not be gathered and the unrepentant would
not be warned and left without excuse.
A House of Learning, a House of
God (vv. 117-37)
In the remaining verses of the
revelation, the Lord outlined the procedure for the School of the Prophets and
the establishment of a house—a temple—for the school and other sacred purposes. The house is referred to as a place of
prayer, fasting, faith, learning, glory, and order, which is therefore "a
house of God" (v. 119).
One of the most apparent factors of
this part of the revelation is that knowledge, wisdom, books, learning, faith,
prayer, glory, and fasting are all closely associated. Learning and wisdom are not solely
intellectual pursuits but are linked with faith, prayer, and fasting. The School of the Prophets thus presents the
highest and the best ideal in education.
It is a symbol of inspired learning and shows that true education cannot
be separated from a spiritual and divine purpose.
In order for mortal men and women to
be able to learn essential truths, there has to be a certain mind-set and
spiritual preparation. This revelation
states that intellectual attainment is inseparably connected with both physical
and spiritual characteristics. Thus the
instructions are given that those who were to participate in the school were
also to cease from light-mindedness, loud laughter, pride, lustful desires,
covetousness, idleness, uncleanness, fault finding, and excessive sleep (vv.
122-24). In addition, they were to
practice diligence, study, faith, prayer, love for one another, and charity;
and they were to retire to bed early and arise early (vv. 118, 123, 125-26).
The School of the Prophets called for
a mix of hard intellectual effort and inspiration from the Holy Ghost, and
characterized a very particular kind of educational process. Learning was to be assisted by the light of
the gospel and the light of inspiration.
The role the Holy Ghost plays in enabling one to learn was explained
dramatically by Elder Orson Pratt:
"What does [the Holy Ghost] do for the
education of men? Far more than our
academies do. Our children have, by hard
study, year after year, to acquire their learning in these human institutions;
hard thinking is necessary, reasoning, gaining little by little, and it
frequently requires many years of close application to become what is termed a
learned man—a man that understands the sciences, that has worked his way
through the various departments of mathematics, and perhaps geology, and mineralogy,
and all the sciences, such as are usually taught in universities. But the man filled with the Holy Ghost has
got the advantage of students who graduate at our universities. Why? Because
he can learn more in ten minutes, in regard to many things, than another, not
so favored, can in all his life. Indeed,
he can learn some things by the operations of the Holy Ghost, which no natural
man or woman could learn, however gifted they might be. You may inquire where they could learn these things. I answer, by the revelations of the Holy
Ghost, which brings to light many things that are past, and shows things that
are in the future. The Lord . . . opens
the past and future to the minds of men, just as Jesus promised his disciples,
when he was about to leave them. 'Howbeit
when he, the Spirit of Truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth; and he
will show you things to come' (John
With verse 126 the original
revelation is concluded. The portion
from verse 127 onward was added on
The order of the school in the house
of God is presented, showing proper greetings of the Brethren. The president of the school is to enter the
room first and hold a place of honor. With
uplifted hands, the president shall greet the members in the name of the Lord
in token of the everlasting covenant (vv. 127-37).
The School of the Prophets first met
in an upstairs room of the Gilbert and Whitney store in Kirtland. Later it met in a building near the temple,
and finally in an upstairs room of the temple (see D&C 95:17). A similar school was held in
It was while the school was meeting
in the store that a question arose about the use of alcohol and tobacco in the
school. On
As noted, the School of the Prophets
was to include only those who were totally dedicated to the Lord and who were
clean from sin. In June 1833, the Lord
rebuked the Brethren because "contentions arose in the school," which
the Lord said was "a very grievous sin" (D&C 95:10). It was also in the School of the Prophets
that the seven excellent lessons known as the "Lectures on Faith"
were taught.19
The schools were eventually discontinued in
Kirtland and in
The Washing of Feet (vv. 138-41)
Membership in the School of the
Prophets was specifically declared to be reserved for those who are "clean
from the blood of this generation" (v. 138); they were to be received into
the school by the washing of feet, administered by the president of the Church. This ritual was to be preceded by partaking
of the sacramental emblems of the Savior's flesh and blood (vv. 139-41). Concerning the washing of feet, the Prophet
Joseph Smith said:
"The item, to which I wish the
more particularly to call your attention tonight, is the ordinance of washing
of feet. This we have not done as yet,
but it is necessary now, as much as it was in the days of the Savior; and we
must have a place prepared, that we may attend to this ordinance aside from the
world. . . .
"We must have all things
prepared, and call our solemn assembly as the Lord has commanded us, that we
may be able to accomplish His great work, and it must be done in God's own way. The house of the Lord must be prepared, and
the solemn assembly called and organized in it, according to the order of the
house of God; and in it we must attend to the ordinance of washing of feet. It was never intended for any but official
members. It is calculated to unite our
hearts, that we may be one in feeling and sentiment, and that our faith may be
strong, so that Satan cannot overthrow us, nor have any power over us here.” 20
Conclusion
It cannot be emphasized too greatly that D&C
88 is one of the most glorious documents given to man for his spiritual
progress and attainment. It speaks of
things in a simple, straightforward manner yet deals with concepts so profound
and far-reaching that it takes extensive study and contemplation just to
appreciate its grandeur. The careful
reader is literally bathed in light as a consequence of the experience. One of the things this revelation does for
the reader is to lay before him the high priority the Lord has placed on
learning and the acquisition of knowledge.
Yet it makes unmistakably clear that this is not a cold intellectual
pursuit but a spiritual attainment.
Another characteristic that becomes
clear from a study of this revelation is the consistency of its content with
earlier revelation and an awareness that later revelations continue to expand
upon the same themes.
The student of D&C 88 is rewarded
with an enlarged view of the purposes of God, the coming of future events on
the earth, and the role of the servants of the Lord in helping to prepare for
the Second Coming of the Savior. The
reader also senses more fully the promises that are made to individuals. When one begins to understand these things,
he is encouraged to prepare himself, by study and by faith, to contribute
whatever he can to help the eternal purposes of the Lord roll forward. We thus appreciate a little of what the
Prophet had in mind when he named it the "Olive Leaf, the Lord's message
of peace to us.” 21
Notes
From Robert L. Millet and Kent P.
1. A discussion of this is found in
Robert J. Woodford, "The Historical Development of the Doctrine and
Covenants" (Ph.D. dissertation, Brigham Young University, 1974), and 1127-28.
2. Teachings of the Prophet Joseph
Smith, 149-51.
3. Doctrines of Salvation,
1:55.
4. Orson Pratt, address given in
5. See Larry E. Dahl, "The
Vision of the Glories," in Robert L. Millet and Kent P. Jackson, eds., Studies
in Scripture: Volume 1, The Doctrine and Covenants (Salt Lake City: Randall
Book, 1984), 279-308; see also the footnote to D&C 76:39, 1981 edition, which also clarifies this
point.
6. See LaMar
E. Garrard, "What Is Man?" Hearken, O Ye People: Discourses on the
Doctrine and Covenants (Salt Lake City: Randall Book, 1984), 133-49.
7. Orson Pratt, in Journal of
Discourses, 21:233-34.
8. Teachings of the Prophet Joseph
Smith, 137.
9. N. B. Lundwall,
comp., Lectures on Faith (
10. Teachings of the Prophet
Joseph Smith, 51.
11. See Joseph Smith's poetic version
of the Vision of the Glories, vv. 19-20, in Dahl, "The Vision of the
Glories."
12. Teachings of the Prophet
Joseph Smith, 19.
13. Ibid., 91-92.
14. History of the Church, 2:432-33.
For a colorful and informative account of the spiritual manifestations
connected with the
15. Brigham Young, in Journal of
Discourses, 6:317.
16. Teachings of the Prophet
Joseph Smith, 42-43.
17. Orson Pratt, in Journal of
Discourses, 19:284.
18. For a discussion of the School of
the Prophets, see Lyndon W. Cook, The Revelations of the Prophet Joseph
Smith (Provo: Seventy's Mission Bookstore, 1981), 185-90.
19. For a brief account of these
"Lectures," see John A. Widtsoe, "Historical Sketch of the
Lectures on Faith," 3-6 in Lundwall, comp., Lectures
on Faith.
20. Teachings of the Prophet
Joseph Smith, 90-91.
21. History of the Church,
1:316.
(Robert J.
Matthews, Selected Writings of Robert J. Matthews: Gospel Scholars Series [Salt
Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1999], 411.)
Lectures on Faith #1
September 17, 2003
Glory=my
capacity to learn, my law, my kingdom.
How do we
prepare for the Millennium? D&C
88:51-62 – Command to build the temple, and school of the prophets. We are supposed to ask, seek, knock, looking
for further light and knowledge, God’s light, being one with Him, John 17, the
family of God.
Joseph Fielding McConkie, Robert L.
Millet, and Brent L. Top, Doctrinal Commentary on the Book of Mormon, Vol. 4, Third Nephi
Through Moroni (Darrell L. Matthews), FARMS Review of Books,
vol. 5 (1993),, p.183
The authors
write, "A study of 3 and 4
Nephi is of inestimable worth in our
coming to understand how to prepare for the second coming of the Son of Man,
and also what life will be like during the Millennium" (p. 35). The
calamities and disasters that occurred prior to Christ's visit to this
continent are similar to what will precede Christ's Second Coming. The account
in 4 Nephi also does give a good indication of what life will be like during
the Millennium.
Susan Easton Black and Larry C.
Porter, eds., Lion of the Lord, p.374
Themes such
as these usher the listener down some of the main hallways of Brigham Young's
sermons: (1) how to live or how to form a good and righteous society, (2) how
to make ourselves comfortable or how to properly utilize the untapped resources
and talents given to us by the Lord, (3) how to purify ourselves or how to
become clean and sanctified through the powers of the gospel and the priesthood
of God, (4) how to prepare for the Millennium or how to lead the way for the
Lord's reign on this earth, and (5) how to return to the presence of God and
Christ in the celestial kingdom. If Brigham Young were to give his own
description or overview of his teachings, these themes would probably be foremost
on his list of key topics.
Bruce R. McConkie, The Millennial
Messiah: The Second Coming of the Son of Man, p.619
What will
the transfigured earth be like? Unto what shall we compare it? And how shall we
find words to describe the glory and beauty of all things in that day?
Providentially the prophetic word gives us glimpses of the future. Using the
best language at their command, our inspired forerunners have recorded some of
the visions vouchsafed to them relative to the new heaven and the new earth,
and they have written down some of the revelations they received about the
wonders of the Millennium. In their accounts we read of mountains becoming
plains, of valleys ceasing to be, and of the very landmasses of the earth
uniting into one grand continent. We read of deserts becoming gardens and of
the whole earth yielding her fruit as in
Kent P. Jackson, ed., Studies in
Scripture, Vol. 4: 1 Kings to Malachi, p.101
In the
millennial day, men and women will be instructed in divine programs and
actions, making the Millennium into God's great finishing school, in which he
will prepare his faithful children to rule and reign in the eternities. Nothing
will be withheld. They will learn about the powers and dominions of the Gods,
how and why they make worlds, and the laws that govern the universe. Thus, as
foreseen by Isaiah, the earth will be enveloped in "the knowledge of the
Lord," as fully "as the waters cover the sea" (Isa. 11:9; see
also D&C 101:25-34; 121:26-32; Jer. 31:31-34; 2 Ne. 27:7-11; Ether 3:21-28;
4:6-8; Rev. 5:1).
D&C
84:19-22 – To receive power from on high, the temple experience
D&C
88:63 - We are commanded to look for a particular type of knowledge, the
knowledge that saves.
D&C
88:69-70 – This section was given in March 1832, the temple was dedicated in
April 1836, it gave them time to prepare, verses 74-82, are about establishing
a School of the Prophets.
The Lord
makes no distinction between truths; however some truth is more important than
another.
We are
getting ready for the next existence, the Millennium; we are to warn the world,
verse 84.
Bruce
reviewed the history of the classes held at the school in 1835, Sidney Rigdon
taught these classes. But the lectures
were approved by Joseph Smith, or they wouldn’t be found in the D&C until
1921. They ARE NOT SCRIPTURE however,
they are lessons of instruction and that is why they were removed from the
D&C in 1921.
Learning
comes by study and faith
Study=Intellect
(work, homework)
Faith=Inspiration
(revelation)
D&C 88:119-141
– they had a Code of Honor to conduct themselves.
Look at the
order of verse 119-126 – House =
If I can’t
justify my motives to build up the
If I quit
prayer you will quit the Church, hold to the rod. Control yourself and your surroundings, don’t
let them control you.
D&C 89
was an extension of D&C 88, the Code of Honor.
LF 1:3 –
Opening of the 7 lectures, faith, what is it?
LF 1:4 –
Lectures 2-6, LF 1:5 – Lecture 7.
Look at
doctrine from all points of view; he
gave the example of the house, looking at it from one side only, get a clear,
complete picture of the doctrine taught.
Bruce
poised this question: Does God have
faith? There are 3 points of view, yes, no; I never thought about it, he said
the last answer is very unfortunate.
The no
group use
The yes
group use Hebrews 11:3 and the 1st Lecture on Faith 1:15-17, these
describe GOD’S faith. It is the same as
power, authority, and dominion; it is perfect like his knowledge is perfect.
Faith as Exercised by God
What is Faith?
Joseph
Smith
A. . . . faith is . . . the principle
of action in all intelligent beings. (Lectures
on Faith, 1:9)
B. But faith is not only the principle of
action, but of power also, in all intelligent beings, whether in heaven or on
earth. (Lectures on Faith,
1:13-14)
J. Reuben Clark, Jr.
As I think about faith, this
principle of power, I am obliged to believe that it is an intelligent force. Of
what kind I do not know. But it is superior to and overrules all other forces
of which we know. It is the principle, the force, by which the dead are
restored to life. (Conference Report, April 1960)
Bruce R. McConkie
But faith in its true
signification is more than the moving cause pursuant to which men and angels
act. It is also a principle of power. Faith is power. And where there is power,
there is faith; and where there is no power, there is no faith. (A New Witness for the Articles of Faith,
p.164)
Faith, As Exercised By God
Joseph
Smith
A. But faith is not only the principle
of action, but of power also, in all intelligent beings, whether in heaven or
on earth. Thus says the author of the epistle to the Hebrews, 11:3 --
"Through faith we
understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God; so that things which
are seen were not made of things which do appear."
By this we understand that
the principle of power which existed in the bosom of God, by which the worlds
were framed, was faith; and that it is by reason of this principle of power
existing in the Deity, that all created things exist; so that all things in
heaven, on earth, or under the earth exist by reason of faith as it existed in
Him.
Had
it not been for the principle of faith the worlds would never have been framed
neither would man have been formed of the dust. It is the principle by which
Jehovah works, and through which he exercises power over all temporal as well
as eternal things. Take this principle or attribute -- for it is an attribute
-- from the Deity, and he would cease to exist. (Joseph Smith, Lectures on Faith, 1:13-16)
B. Faith, then, is the first great governing principle which has power,
dominion, and authority over all things; by it they exist, by it they are
upheld, by it they are changed, or by it they remain, agreeable to the will of
God. Without it there is no power, and without power there could be no creation
nor existence! (Joseph Smith, Lectures on
Faith, 1:24)
C. We here observe that God is the only
supreme governor and independent being in whom all fullness and perfection
dwell; who is omnipotent, omnipresent and omniscient; without beginning of days
or end of life; and that in him every good gift and every good principle dwell;
and that he is the Father of lights; in him the principle of faith dwells
independently, and he is the object in whom the faith of all other rational and
accountable beings center for life and salvation. (Joseph Smith, Lectures on Faith, 2:2)
Bruce R. McConkie
God is God because faith dwells
in him independently; and faith is power, the very power of God himself. (A New Witness for the Articles of Faith,
p.163)
God the Father, in the ultimate and final sense, is the Creator of all things.
He is the creator of spirit men, of mortal men, and of immortal men. He created
life and death and immortality and eternal life. He made the laws whereby
spirit men gain mortality, and mortal men gain immortality, and faithful men
gain eternal life. The power he uses in these and in all things is faith. Faith
is power, and the power of God is the faith of God. (A New Witness for the Articles of Faith,
p.168)
Godhood
- Acquiring Independent Faith
Bruce R. McConkie
God the Father is an eternal
being. The very name of the kind of life he lives is eternal life, and thus
eternal life consists in living and being as he is. In other words, eternal
life is to gain the power of God, which power is faith, and thus to be able to
do what he does and to live as he lives. And the great and eternal plan of
salvation that he has ordained and established consists of those laws,
ordinances, and powers whereby faith is acquired and perfected until it is
possessed in the same degree and to the same extent that it exists in Deity.
Faith will thus dwell independently in every person who gains eternal life. (A New Witness for the Articles of Faith,
p.169)
Faith Cannot Be Exercised in Untruths; we can’t have a testimony of a
falsehood.
21. And now as I said
concerning faith-faith is not to have a perfect knowledge of things; therefore
if ye have faith ye hope for things which are not seen, which are true.
21. Faith is not to have a perfect
knowledge] Faith and
perfect knowledge are not incompatible, else how would God, whose knowledge is
perfect, possess the attribute of faith? (See Hebrews 11:3.)
Faith is a process, a divine process
built upon knowledge and understanding of eternal righteousness. One may
possess a slight amount of faith-having but little understanding of the
principles of the gospel and living but a portion of the gospel law; or one may
possess that quality and kind of faith which Joseph Smith called "faith
unto life and salvation." We must remember that
On the other hand, to those
who already possess enough faith to have come out of the world, to have
believed in the Lord Jesus and accepted the words of his anointed servants-to
such the process of faith is grander and more expansive. These come to
understand the nature and kind of being that God is, and in so doing they come
to appreciate that faith is a principle of power which characterizes the work
of God. God has all knowledge. God has all faith. By virtue of his omniscience
and his omnipotence he, commands that things come to pass. By virtue of his
perfect faith, this virtue and principle of power, he has absolute confidence
that his word will be fulfilled and his command realized. "In the eternal
sense," Elder Bruce R. McConkie has written, "because faith is the
power of God himself, it embraces within its fold knowledge of all things. This
measure of faith, the faith by which the worlds are and were created and which
sustains and upholds all things, is found only among resurrected persons. It is
the faith of saved beings. But mortals are in process, through faith, of
gaining eternal salvation. Their faith is based on knowledge of the truth,
within the meaning of
According to Joseph Smith, faith is built upon knowledge of three
things: (1) the idea of the existence of God; (2) a correct idea of his
character, perfections, and attributes; and (3) an actual knowledge that the
course in life one is pursuing is according to God's will (see Lectures on
Faith 3:2-5).
The first two prerequisites for faith in God have to do with knowledge of God.
They may be had through studying and searching and pondering the word of the
Lord and the testimonies of those who have known him. The third prerequisite
has to do with ourselves. A person may have the assurance from the Lord that he
is on course only if he is indeed on course! There exists in the souls of the faithful
a constant yearning to improve, to repent, to bring their lives into harmony
with the heavens. There also exists in those souls a quiet confidence born of
the Spirit a consciousness of increasing victory over self a subtle but certain
assurance and peace that the Lord is pleased. Such knowledge, such a victory,
comes only through an unconditional surrender to the will of the Master, only
through a willingness to sacrifice all things for the kingdom's sake (see
D&C 97:8; Lectures on Faith 6:7).
21. Which are true]
Joshua charged the children of
President N. Eldon Tanner explained:
'The scriptures give us evidence of the reality and personality of God and his
Son, Jesus Christ. In order to believe in God it is necessary for us to
understand his nature and attributes. Our faith in him must be based on true
principles. Faith will avail us nothing if it is based on a false premise. For
example, some of the early American colonists in dealing with the Indians gave
them gunpowder to plant with the promise that they could raise a crop of
gunpowder. In explicit faith the Indians planted the gunpowder, but of course
they harvested nothing from their efforts because their faith was based on
falsehood." (CR, April 1978, p. 20.)
There is another facet to faith which
is often misunderstood. Faith is not the power of positive thinking. One does
not have faith simply because he is positive or optimistic. Faith is based on
the truth, the truth as God knows it, the truth as a manifestation of the will
and pleasure of the Lord. We do need to be positive, for there is no virtue in
being long-faced and dreary. But faith is another matter entirely. If a
priesthood bearer is called upon to heal a dying man, for example, he does not
command the sick one to rise from his bed of affliction in the name of faith,
when that "faith" is no more than wishful thinking or hope that the
man will live. "Working by faith is not the mere speaking of a few
well-chosen words," Elder McConkie wrote. "Anyone with the power of
speech could have commanded the rotting corpse of Lazarus to come forth, but
only one whose power was greater than death could bring life again to the
brother of Mary and Martha. Nor is working by faith merely a mental desire,
however strong, that some eventuality shall occur. There may be those whose
mental powers and thought processes are greater than any of the saints, but
only persons who are in tune with the Infinite can exercise the spiritual
forces and powers that come from him.
"Those who work by faith must
first have faith; no one can use a power that he does not possess, and the
faith or power must be gained by obedience to those laws upon which its receipt
is predicated.... And then-when the day is at hand and the hour has arrived for
the miracle to be wrought-then they must be in tune with the Holy Spirit of
God. He who is the Author of faith, he whose power faith is, he whose works are
the embodiment of justice and judgment and wisdom and all good things, even he
must approve the use of his power in the case at hand. Faith cannot be
exercised contrary to the order of heaven or contrary to the will and purposes
of him whose power it is. Men work by faith when they are in tune with the
Spirit and when what they seek to do by mental exertion and by the spoken word
is the mind and will of the Lord." (New Witness, pp. 191-92.)
(Joseph
Fielding McConkie and Robert L. Millet, Doctrinal Commentary on the Book of
Mormon, 4 vols. [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1987-1992], 3: 227.)
Bruce
described the danger of superficial knowledge, it is better to have a deep
understanding of doctrine.
The
Dangers of
Superficial Church Membership
____________________________
President Ezra Taft
Benson
Heed
the Lord’s counsel to the Saints of this dispensation: “Prepare yourselves for
the great day of the Lord” (D&C 133:10). This preparation must
consist of more than just casual membership in the Church. You must learn to be
guided by personal revelation and the counsel of the living prophet so you will
not be deceived. (“Prepare Yourself for the Great Day of the Lord,” New
Era, May 1982, p. 50)
Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin
Many years ago, large
packs of wolves roamed the countryside in Ukraine, making travel in that part
of the world very dangerous. These wolf packs were fearless. They were not
intimidated by people nor by any of the weapons available at that time. The
only thing that seemed to frighten them was fire. Consequently, travelers who
found themselves away from cities developed the common practice of building a
large bonfire and keeping it burning through the night. As long as the fire
burned brightly, the wolves stayed away. But if it were allowed to burn out and
die, the wolves would move in for an attack. Travelers understood that building
and maintaining a roaring bonfire was not just a matter of convenience or
comfort; it was a matter of survival. (See Mary Pratt Parrish, Ensign,
May 1972, p. 25.)
We do not have to protect
ourselves from wolf packs as we travel the road of life today, but, in a
spiritual sense, we do face the devious wolves of Satan in the forms of
temptation, evil, and sin. We live in dangerous times when these ravenous
wolves roam the spiritual countryside in search of those who may be weak in
faith or feeble in their conviction. In his first epistle, Peter described our
"adversary the devil, as a roaring lion [that] walketh
about, seeking whom he may devour." (1 Pet. 5:8.) The Lord told the
Prophet Joseph Smith that "enemies prowl around thee like wolves for the
blood of the lamb." (D&C 122:6.) We are all vulnerable to attack.
However, we can fortify ourselves with the protection provided by a burning
testimony that, like a bonfire, has been built adequately and maintained
carefully.
Unfortunately, some in the Church may believe sincerely that their
testimony is a raging bonfire when it really is little more than the faint
flickering of a candle. Their faithfulness has more to do with habit than holiness, and
their pursuit of personal righteousness almost always takes a back seat to
their pursuit of personal interests and pleasure. With such a feeble light of
testimony for protection, these travelers on life's highways are easy prey for
the wolves of the adversary. ("Spiritual Bonfires of Testimony," Ensign,
Nov. 1992, p. 34)
Elder Maxwell said:
From Men and Women of
Christ:
If we enlist and take the
Savior's yoke upon us we "shall find rest unto [our] souls" (Matthew
Strange as it seems, a
few of the partially yoked, undeservedly wearing the colors of the kingdom, are
just close enough to the prescribed path and process to be able to observe in
others some of the visible costs of discipleship. Sobered by that observation,
they want victory without battle and expect campaign ribbons merely for
watching; but there is no witness until after the trial of their faith (see
Ether 12:6).
These same Church members
know just enough about the doctrines to converse superficially on them, but
their scant knowledge about the deep doctrines is inadequate for deep
discipleship (see 1 Corinthians
From "Overcome ...
Even As I Also Overcame":
Events and circumstances
in the last days make it imperative for us as members of the Church to become
more grounded, rooted, established, and settled (see Col. 1:23; Col. 2:7; 2
Pet. 1:12). Jesus said to His disciples, "settle this in your hearts, that
ye will do the things which I shall teach, and command you" (JST Luke
Some Church members,
alas, are neither reconciled to the will of God nor are they sufficiently
settled as to their covenants. . . .
Some give of their time
yet withhold themselves, being present without giving of their presence and
going through the superficial motions of membership instead of the deep
emotions of consecrated discipleship.
Some try to get by with
knowing only the headlines of the gospel, not really talking much of Christ or rejoicing
in Christ and esteeming lightly His books of scripture which contain and
explain His covenants (see 2 Ne. 25:26).
Some are so proud they
never learn of obedience and spiritual submissiveness. They will have very
arthritic knees on the day when every knee shall bend. There will be no gallery
then to play to; all will be participants!
Maintaining Church
membership on our own terms, therefore, is not true discipleship.
Real
disciples absorb the fiery darts of the adversary by holding aloft the
quenching shield of faith with one hand, while holding to the iron rod with the
other (see Eph.
LF
LF
Faith as Exercised
by Man (Part 1)
Bruce R. McConkie
Queries: Which comes first faith or
knowledge? Is faith a vague and uncertain hope in something unseen that, as a
sprouting seed, may grow into knowledge? Or is faith based on truth and
knowledge? Is faith something that grows out of and comes because of a prior
knowledge of the truth?
Answers: Faith is the child of knowledge. It
is reserved for those only who first have knowledge; there neither is nor can
be any faith until there is knowledge. No one can have faith in a God of whom
he knows nothing. Faith is founded on truth; it is the offspring of truth; it
can never exist alone and apart from the truth. No one can have faith unto life
and salvation in a false god; no idol ever had power to raise the dead or stop
the sun. And faith is power. It is true that faith in some doctrine or on some
theological point may be imperfect; it is true that sproutings
of either faith or knowledge can become perfect relative to that doctrine or
concept. But faith itself - the great and eternal power that creates and
governs and saves, faith unto life and salvation - saving faith grows out of
knowledge and cannot come in any other way.
"Faith cometh by
hearing," Paul says, "and hearing the word of God" taught by the
power of the Holy Ghost. (Romans 10:17.) Faith comes to those only who receive
the word of truth. Hence the gospel truism that "it pleased God by the
foolishness of preaching to save them that believe." (1 Corinthians 1:21.)
The gospel embraces all truth, and truth - nothing else -- can bring salvation.
Thus Alma says, "If ye have faith ye hope for things which are not seen,
which are true." (Alma 32:21.) Indeed, faith is a hope in that which is
not seen that is true, and there can be no faith in an unseen thing that is
false. There is no power in falsehood. No one can have faith unto life and
salvation in a god who is believed to be a spirit nothingness, or in a doctrine
that denies the resurrection, or in a philosophy that postulates man's
evolutionary evolvement from lower forms of life, or in anything that is not
true.
Truth, diamond truth, is the
rock foundation upon which faith rests, and no one can have faith in God or in
any gospel truth unless and until he comes to a knowledge of whatever truth is
involved. (A New Witness for the Articles
of Faith, p.166-167)
The faith
exercised by man is God’s power
Three Things
Necessary to Exericise Faith unto Life and Salvation
“Let us here
observe, that three things are necessary in order that any rational and
intelligent being may exercise faith in God unto life and salvation.
"First, the idea that he actually exists.
"Secondly, a correct idea of his character, perfections, and
attributes.
"Thirdly, an actual knowledge that the course of life which he is pursuing
is according to his will.
"For without an acquaintance with these three important facts, the faith
of every rational being must be imperfect and unproductive; but with this
understanding it can become perfect and fruitful, abounding in righteousness,
unto the praise and glory of God the Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.”
(Lectures on Faith, 3:2-5)
Idea that He
Actually Exists
Correct Idea
of Character, Perfections and Attributes
Respecting
the Character of God
A List
13. First,
that He was God before the world was created, and the same God that He was
after it was created.
14. Secondly, that He is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, abundant in
goodness, and that He was so from everlasting, and will be to everlasting.
15. Thirdly, that He changes not, neither is there variableness with Him; but
that He is the same from everlasting to everlasting, being the same yesterday,
today, and forever; and that His course is one eternal round, without
variation.
16. Fourthly, that He is a God of truth and cannot lie.
17. Fifthly, that He is no respecter of persons: but in every nation he that fears
God and works righteousness is accepted of Him.
18. Sixthly, that He is love. (Lectures on Faith, Lecture 3)
Discussion
of List
19. An
acquaintance with these attributes in the divine character, is essentially
necessary, in order that the faith of any rational being can center in Him for
life and salvation. For if he did not, in the first instance, believe Him
to be God, that is, the Creator and upholder of all things, he could not center
his faith in Him for life and salvation, for fear there should be greater than
He who would thwart all His plans, and He, like the Gods of the heathen, would
be unable to fulfill His promises; but seeing He is God over all, from
everlasting to everlasting, the Creator and upholder of all things, no such
fear can exist in the minds of those who put their trust in Him, so that in
this respect their faith can be without wavering.
20. But secondly; unless
He was merciful and gracious, slow to anger, long-suffering and full of
goodness, such is the weakness of human nature, and so great the frailties and
imperfections of men, that unless they believed that these excellencies existed
in the divine character, the faith necessary to salvation could not exist; for
doubt would take the place of faith, and those who know their weakness and
liability to sin would be in constant doubt of salvation if it were not for the
idea which they have of the excellency of the
character of God, that He is slow to anger and long-suffering, and of a
forgiving disposition, and does forgive iniquity, transgression, and sin.
An idea of these facts does away doubt, and makes faith exceedingly strong.
21. But it is equally as
necessary that men should have the idea that he is a God who changes not, in
order to have faith in him, as it is to have the idea that He is gracious and
long-suffering; for without the idea of unchangeableness in the character of
the Deity, doubt would take the place of faith. But with the idea that He
changes not, faith lays hold upon the excellencies in His character with
unshaken confidence, believing He is the same yesterday, today, and forever,
and that His course is one eternal round.
22. And again, the idea
that He is a God of truth and cannot lie, is equally as necessary to the
exercise of faith in Him as the idea of His unchangeableness. For without
the idea that He was a God of truth and could not lie, the confidence necessary
to be placed in His word in order to the exercise of faith in Him could not
exist. But having the idea that He is not man, that He cannot lie, it
gives power to the minds of men to exercise faith in Him.
23. But it is also
necessary that men should have an idea that He is no respecter of persons, for
with the idea of all the other excellencies in His character, and this one
wanting, men could not exercise faith in Him; because if He were a respecter of
persons, they could not tell what their privileges were, nor how far they were
authorized to exercise faith in Him, or whether they were authorized to do it
at all, but all must be confusion; but no sooner are the minds of men made
acquainted with the truth on this point, that He is no respecter of persons,
than they see that they have authority by faith to lay hold on eternal life,
the richest boon of heaven, because God is no respecter of persons, and that
every man in every nation has an equal privilege.
24. And lastly, but not
less important to the exercise of faith in God, is the idea that He is love;
for with all the other excellencies in His character, without this one to
influence them, they could not have such powerful dominion over the minds of
men; but when the idea is planted in the mind that He is love, who cannot see
the just ground that men of every nation, kindred, and tongue, have to exercise
faith in God so as to obtain eternal life? (Lectures on Faith,
Lect. 3)
Respecting
the Attributes of God
A List
5. First -- Knowledge. Acts 15:18:
"Known unto God are all His works from the beginning of the world,"
Isaiah 46:9, 10: "Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there
is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the
beginning, and from ancient time the things that are not yet done, saying 'My
counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure.'"
6. Secondly -- Faith or power. Hebrews 11:3: "Through faith we
understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God." Genesis
1:1: "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth."
Isaiah 14:24, 27: "The Lord of hosts hath sworn, saying, 'Surely as I have
thought, so shall it come to pass: and as I have purposed so shall it stand.
For the Lord of Hosts hath purposed, and who shall disannul it? and his
hand is stretched out, and who shall turn it back?'"
7. Thirdly -- Justice. Psalms 89:14: "Justice and
judgment are the habitation of thy throne." Isaiah 45:21: "Tell
ye, and bring them near; yea, let them take counsel together; who hath declared
this from the ancient times have not I the Lord? and there is no God else
beside me; a just God and a Saviour."
Zephaniah 3:5 "The just Lord is in the midst thereof."
Zechariah 9:9: "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of
Jerusalem; behold thy King cometh unto thee; he is just and having
salvation."
8. Fourthly -- Judgment. Psalms 89:14: "Justice and
judgment are the habitation of thy throne." Deuteronomy 32:4
"He is the Rock, His work is perfect; for all His ways are judgment: a God
of truth and without iniquity, just and right is He." Psalms 9:7:
"but the Lord shall endure forever. He hath prepared His throne for
judgment." Psalms 9:16: "The Lord is known by the judgment
which he executeth."
9. Fifthly -- Mercy. Psalms 89:14: "Mercy and truth
shall go before His face." Exodus 34:6: "And the Lord passed by
before Him, and proclaimed, 'The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and
gracious.'" Nehemiah 9:17: "But thou art a God ready to pardon,
gracious and merciful."
10. And sixthly -- Truth. Psalms 89:14: "Mercy and truth
shall go before thy face." Exodus 34:6:
"Long-suffering and abundant in goodness and truth."
Deuteronomy 32:4: "He is the Rock, His work is perfect; for all His ways
are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is He."
Psalms 31:5: "Into Thine hand I commit my
spirit; thou hast redeemed me, O Lord God of Truth." (Lectures on
Faith, Lecture 4)
Discussion
of List
11. By a little reflection it will be seen that the idea of
the existence of these attributes in the Deity is necessary to enable any
rational being to exercise faith in Him; for without the idea of the existence
of these attributes in the Deity men could not exercise faith in Him for life
and salvation; seeing that without the knowledge of all things, God would not
be able to save any portion of His creatures; for it is by reason of the
knowledge which He has of all things, form the
beginning to the end, that enables Him to give that understanding to His
creatures by which they are made partakers of eternal life; and if it were not
for the idea existing in the minds of men that God had all knowledge it would
be impossible for them to exercise faith in Him.
12. And it is not less
necessary that men should have the idea of the existence of the attribute power
in the Deity; for unless God had power over all things, and was able by His
power to control all things, and thereby deliver His creatures who put their
trust in Him from the power of all beings that might seek their destruction,
whether in heaven, on earth, or in hell, men could not be saved. But with
the idea of the existence of this attribute planted in the mind, men feel as
though they had nothing to fear who put their trust in God, believing that He
has power to save all who come to Him to the very uttermost.
13. It is also
necessary, in order to the exercise of faith in God unto life and salvation,
that men should have the idea of the existence of the attribute justice in Him;
for without the idea of the existence of the attribute justice in the Deity,
men could not have confidence sufficient to place themselves under His guidance
and direction; for they would be filled with fear and doubt lest the judge of
all the earth would not do right, and thus fear or doubt, existing in the mind,
would preclude the possibility of the exercise of faith in Him for life and
salvation. But when the idea of the existence of the attribute justice in
the Deity is fairly planted in the mind, it leaves no room for doubt to get
into the heart, and the mind is enabled to cast itself upon the Almighty
without fear and without doubt, and with the most unshaken confidence, believing
that the Judge of all the earth will do right.
14. It is also of equal
importance that men should have the idea of the existence of the attribute
judgment in God, in order that they may exercise faith in Him for life and
salvation; for without the idea of the existence of this attribute in the
Deity, it would be impossible for men to exercise faith in Him for life and
salvation, seeing that it is through the exercise of this attribute that the
faithful in Christ Jesus are delivered out of the hands of those who seek their
destruction; for if God were not to come out in swift judgment against the
workers of iniquity and the powers of darkness, His saints could not be saved;
for it is by judgment that the Lord delivers His saints out of the hands of all
their enemies, and those who reject the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. But no
sooner is the idea of the existence of this attribute planted in the minds of
men, than it gives power to the mind for the exercise of faith and confidence
in God, and they are enabled by faith to lay hold on the promises which are set
before them, and wade through all the tribulations and afflictions to which
they are subjected by reason of the persecution from those who know not God,
and obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, believing that in due time
the Lord will come out in swift judgment against their enemies, and they shall
be cut off from before Him, and that in His own due time He will bear them off
conquerors, and more than conquerors, in all things.
15. And again, it is
equally important that men should have the idea of the existence of the
attribute mercy in the Deity, in order to exercise faith in Him for life and
salvation; for without the idea of the existence of this attribute in the
Deity, the spirits of the saints would faint in the midst of the tribulations,
afflictions, and persecutions which they have to endure for righteousness'
sake. But when the idea of the existence of this attribute is once
established in the mind it gives life and energy to the spirits of the saints,
believing that the mercy of God will be poured out upon them in the midst of
their afflictions, and that He will compassionate them in their sufferings, and
that the mercy of God will lay hold of them and secure them in the arms of His love,
so that they will receive a full reward for all their sufferings.
16. And lastly, but not
less important to the exercise of faith in God, is the idea of the existence of
the attribute truth in Him; for without the idea of the existence of the attribute
the mind of man could have nothing upon which it could rest with
certainty -- all would be confusion and doubt. But with the
idea of the existence of this attribute in the Deity in mind, all the
teachings, instructions, promises, and blessings, become realities, and the
mind is enabled to lay hold of them with certainty and confidence, believing
that these things, and all that the Lord has said, shall be fulfilled in their
time; and that all the cursings, denunciations, and
judgments, pronounced upon the heads of the unrighteous, will also be executed
in the due time of the Lord; and, by reason of the truth and veracity of Him,
the mind beholds its deliverance and salvation as being certain.
17. Let the mind once
reflect sincerely and candidly upon the ideas of the existence of the
before-mentioned attributes in the Deity, and it will be seen that as far as
His attributes are concerned, there is a sure foundation laid for the exercise
of faith in Him for life and salvation. For inasmuch as God possesses the
attribute knowledge, He can make all things known to His saints necessary for
their salvation, and as He possesses the attribute power, He is able thereby to
deliver them from the power of all enemies; and seeing, also, that justice is
an attribute of the Deity, He will deal with them upon the principles of
righteousness and equity, and a just reward will be granted unto them for all
their afflictions and sufferings for the truth's sake. And as judgment is
an attribute of the Deity also, His saints can have the most unshaken
confidence that they will, in due time, obtain a perfect deliverance out of the
hands of their enemies, and a complete victory over all those who have sought
their hurt and destruction. And as mercy is also an attribute of the Deity,
His saints can have confidence that it will be exercised towards them, and
through the exercise of that attribute towards them comfort and consolation
will be administered unto them abundantly, amid all their afflictions and
tribulations. And, lastly, realizing that truth is an attribute of the
Deity, the mind is led to rejoice amid all its trials and temptations, in hope
of that glory which is to be brought at the revelation of Jesus Christ, and in
view of that crown which is to be placed upon the heads of the saints in the
day when the Lord shall distribute rewards unto them, and in prospect of that
eternal weight of glory which the Lord has promised to bestow upon them, when
He shall bring them in the midst of His throne to dwell in His presence eternally.
18. In view, then, of
the existence of these attributes, the faith of the saints can become
exceedingly strong, abounding in righteousness unto the praise and glory of
God, and can exert its mighty influence in searching after wisdom and understanding,
until it has obtained a knowledge of all things that pertain to life and
salvation. (Lectures on Faith, Lecture 4)
An Actual Knowledge That the Course of Life Which
He is Pursuing is According to the Will of God
Bruce R. McConkie
How do men exercise faith?
If they have an occasion to heal the sick, raise the dead or move mountains,
how is it done? Faith is power, but what causes the power to flow forth and
accomplish the desired result? As an introductory explanation, the account we
are studying asks: "What are we to understand by a man's working by
faith?"
By way of answer, the
account says: "We understand that when a man works by faith he works by
mental exertion instead of physical force. It is by words, instead of exerting
his physical powers, with which every being works when he works by faith. God
said, `Let there be light: and there was light.' Joshua spake
and the great lights which God had created stood still. Elijah commanded, and
the heavens were stayed for the space of three years and six months, so that it
did not rain: he again commanded and the heavens gave forth rain. All this was
done by faith. And the Saviour says: `If you have
faith as a grain of mustard seed, say to this mountain, "Remove," and
it will remove; or say to that sycamine tree,
"Be ye plucked up, and planted in the midst of the sea," and it shall
obey you.' Faith, then, works by words; and with these its mightiest works have
been, and will be performed." (Lectures on Faith 7:3.)
But working by faith is not
the mere speaking of a few well-chosen words; anyone with the power of speech
could have commanded the rotting corpse of Lazarus to come forth, but only one
whose power was greater than death could bring life again to the brother of
Mary and Martha. Nor is working by faith merely a mental desire, however
strong, that some eventuality should occur. There may be those whose mental
powers and thought processes are greater than any of the saints, but only
persons who are in tune with the Infinite can exercise the spiritual forces and
powers that come from him.
Those who work by faith must
first have faith; no one can use a power that he does not possess, and the
faith or power must be gained by obedience to those laws upon which its receipt
is predicated. These we have set forth. Those who work by faith must believe in
the Lord Jesus Christ and in his Father. They must accept at face value what
the revealed word teaches as to the character, attributes, and perfections of
the Father and the Son. They must then work the works of righteousness until
they know within themselves that their way of life conforms to the divine will,
and they must be willing to lay their all on the altar of the Almighty.
And then -- when the day is
at hand and the hour has arrived for the miracle to be wrought -- then they
must be in tune with the Holy Spirit of God. He who is the Author of faith, he
whose power faith is, he whose works are the embodiment of justice and judgment
and wisdom and all good things, even he must approve the use of his power in
the case at hand. Faith cannot be exercised contrary to the order of heaven or
contrary to the will and purposes of him whose power it is. Men work by faith
when they are in tune with the Spirit and when what they seek to do by mental
exertion and by the spoken word is the mind and will of the Lord. (A New Witness for the Articles of Faith,
pp.191-192)
Marion G. Romney
It is also clear from the
scriptures that one must pray in faith. It is apparent that there is a direct
relationship between the strength of one's faith and the effectiveness of his
prayer. There is, however, a principle associated with this matter of faith
that we should all understand. I used to feel that if I could develop enough
faith, I could receive in every instance exactly what I prayed for. This belief
was based upon such scriptures as Matthew 17:20, in which Jesus said to his
disciples, "If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed ye shall say unto
this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing
shall be impossible unto you." But at that time I had not learned that
this promise was made upon the implied condition that one's request be made in
harmony with the will of God.
We learned this principle in
our home through a rather trying experience. During the early years of our
married life, my wife and I intensely desired a particular blessing that we
thought would be a great blessing, and we set about to obtain it by faith. We
asked, we believed, we thought we had faith, but though we fasted often and prayed
fervently, the years rolled by without bringing us the object of our prayers.
Finally we concluded that
there must be something that we had not fully understood. Further research and
prayerful study of the scriptures revealed the fact that we were not giving
proper consideration to the will of the Lord, that we were concentrating our
faith and prayers solely upon receiving the particular thing which by
predetermination we had set our hearts upon. We had to reconsider the
conditions of the promise. We found that Jesus had stated them in full in
several places. For example, to the Nephites he said,
". . . whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, which is right, believing that ye shall
receive, behold it shall be given you." (3 Nephi 18:20. Italics added.) In
the light of this and other scriptures, we came to realize that pending the
time we could know what is right and what is expedient, we had to learn to be
as earnest in praying "if it be thy will" as we were in presenting
our request.
We further learned that the
time will come when we shall know the will of God before we ask, and then
everything for which we pray will be right and expedient. And that will be
when, as a result of righteous living, we shall so enjoy the companionship of
the Holy Spirit that he will dictate what we ask. On this point the Lord has
said:
"And if ye are purified
and cleansed from all sin, ye shall ask whatsoever you will in the name of
Jesus and it shall be done.
"But know this, it
shall be given you what you shall ask." (D&C 50:29-30; also D&C
46:30 and Helaman 10:5.) (Improvement Era,
April, 1966, pp. 274-276, 301, 302, 304)
Faith as Exercised by Man
(Part 2)
Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin
Member of the Quorum
of the Twelve Apostles
Faith exists
when absolute confidence in that which we cannot see combines
with action that is in absolute conformity to the will of
our Heavenly Father. Without all three--first, absolute confidence;
second, action; and third, absolute conformity--without these three all we have
is a counterfeit, a weak and watered-down faith. Let me discuss each of these
three imperatives of faith. . (“Shall He Find Faith On the Earth,” Ensign,
Nov. 2002, pp. 82-84)
Three
components of faith:
·
Absolute
confidence in that which we cannot see ...
·
Combined
with action ...
How do we get absolute confidence?
Confidence is the child of testimony born by the Holy
Ghost!
Elder M. Russell Ballard
Of the Quorum of the
Twelve Apostles
Personal
testimony is the foundation of our faith. ... Simply stated, testimony -- real testimony, born of the Spirit and confirmed by
the Holy Ghost—changes lives. It changes how you think and what you do. It
changes what you say. It affects every priority you set and every choice you
make. [From “Pure Testimony,” Ensign, Nov. 2004, p. 40]
Brigham Young:
I am more
afraid that this people have so much confidence in their leaders that they will
not inquire for themselves of God whether they are led by him. I am
fearful they settle down in a state of blind self-security, trusting their
eternal destiny in the hands of their leaders with a reckless confidence that
in itself would thwart the purposes of God in their salvation, and weaken that
influence they could give to their leaders, did they know for themselves, by
the revelations of Jesus, that they are led in the right way. Let every
man and woman know, by the whispering of the Spirit of God to themselves,
whether their leaders are walking in the path the Lord dictates, or not.
(Discourses of Brigham Young, p.135)
How do you come to know
the will of God?
Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin
How do we know when our faith conforms to the will of our Heavenly Father and
He approves of that which we seek? We must know the word of God.
One of the reasons we immerse ourselves in the scriptures is to
know of Heavenly Father’s dealings with man from the beginning. If the desires
of our heart are contrary to scripture, then we should not pursue them further.
Next, we must heed the counsel of latter-day prophets as they
give inspired instruction.
Additionally, we must ponder and pray and seek the guidance of the Spirit.
If we do so, the Lord has promised, “I will tell you in your mind and in your
heart, by the Holy Ghost, which shall come upon you and which shall dwell in
your heart” (D&C 8:2).
Only when our faith is aligned with the will of our Heavenly Father will we be
empowered to receive the blessings we seek. (“Shall He Find Faith On the
Earth,” Ensign, Nov. 2002, pp. 82-84; emphasis added)
An example of exercising this kind of faith:
Boyd K.
Packer
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
Put your homes in order. If
Mother is working outside of the home, see if there are ways to change that,
even a little. It may be very difficult to change at the present time. But
analyze carefully and be prayerful. Then expect to have inspiration,
which is revelation. Expect intervention from power from beyond
the veil to help you move, in due time, to what is best for your family.
(“Do Not Fear,” Ensign, May 2004, p. 7; emphasis added)
The Importance of Timing
Elder Dallin H. Oaks
My first point on the
subject of timing is that the Lord has His own timetable. "My words are
sure and shall not fail," the Lord taught the early elders of this dispensation.
"But," He continued, "all things must come to pass in their
time" (D&C 64:31--32).
The first principle of the
gospel is faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Faith means trust--trust in God's
will, trust in His way of doing things, and trust in His timetable. We should
not try to impose our timetable on His. . . . Indeed, we cannot have true faith
in the Lord without also having complete trust in His will and in His timing. .
. .
The Lord's timing also
applies to the important events of our personal lives. A great scripture in the
Doctrine and Covenants declares that a particular spiritual experience will
come to us "in his own time, and in his own way, and according to his own
will" (D&C 88:68). This principle applies to revelation and to all
of the most important events in our lives: birth, marriage, death, and even our
moves from place to place. . . .
It is not enough that we
are under call, or even that we are going in the right direction. The timing must be right, and if
the time is not right, our actions should be adjusted to the Lord's timetable
as revealed by His servants. . . .
Someone has said that life
is what happens to us while we are making other plans. Because of things over
which we have no control, we cannot plan and bring to pass everything we desire
in our lives. Many important things will occur in our lives that we have not
planned, and not all of them will be welcome. The tragic events of September
11th and their revolutionary consequences provide an obvious example. Even our
most righteous desires may elude us, or come in different ways or at different
times than we have sought to plan.
For example, we cannot be
sure that we will marry as soon as we desire. A marriage that is timely in our
view may be our blessing or it may not. . .
The timing of marriage is
perhaps the best example of an extremely important event in our lives that is
almost impossible to plan. Like other important mortal events that depend on
the agency of others or the will and timing of the Lord, marriage cannot be
anticipated or planned with certainty. We can and should work for and pray for
our righteous desires, but, despite this, many will remain single well beyond
their desired time for marriage.
So what should be done in
the meantime? Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ prepares us for whatever life
brings. This kind of faith prepares us to deal with life's opportunities--to
take advantage of those that are received and to persist through the
disappointments of those that are lost. In the exercise of that faith we should
commit ourselves to the priorities and standards we will follow on matters we
do not control and persist faithfully in those commitments whatever happens to
us because of the agency of others or the timing of the Lord. When we do this,
we will have a constancy in our lives that will give us direction and peace.
Whatever the circumstances beyond our control, our commitments and standards
can be constant. . . .
Wise are those who make this
commitment: I will put the Lord first in my
life and I will keep His commandments. The performance of that
commitment is within everyone's control. We can fulfill that commitment without
regard to what others decide to do, and that commitment will anchor us no
matter what timing the Lord directs for the most important events in our lives.
Do you see the difference
between committing to what you will do,
in contrast to trying to plan that you will be married by the time you graduate
or that you will earn at least X amount of dollars on your first job?
If we have faith in God and
if we are committed to the fundamentals of keeping His commandments and putting
Him first in our lives, we do not need to plan every single event--even every
important event--and we should not feel rejected or depressed if some
things--even some very important things--do not happen at the time we had
planned or hoped or prayed.
Commit yourself to put the
Lord first in your life, keep His commandments, and do what the Lord's servants
ask you to do. Then your feet are on the pathway to eternal life. Then it does
not matter whether you are called to be a bishop or a Relief Society president,
whether you are married or single, or whether you die tomorrow. You do not know
what will happen. Do your best on what is fundamental and personal and then
trust in the Lord and His timing. (Dallin H. Oaks,
"Timing," Ensign, October 2003, pp. 10 ff).
Faith
Exercised By:
GOD
MAN
Faith
= Power, Authority , Real Faith
= Abstract thought
Perfect
Faith & Perfect Knowledge
God’s will
Hebrews
11:1 – Assurance to act comes by revelation from God. As I obey His will I increase my faith,
D&C 8:2-3, Moses was told what to do, he did it and the
What we ask
for MUST be in accordance with the will of God for the event to happen.
LF
Bruce told
a story about a friend with cancer who was very sick from an ear
infection. The man’s wife called for him
to come over right away, Bruce said he would come later. He went and counseled with God on what was
His will on the matter. God said to
bless him to be healed of the infection but leave the part about the cancer
alone, Bruce did so and the ear healed but the man died of cancer in a few
weeks.
LF 1:19 –
It was very rare for the early church leaders to quote from the Book of Mormon,
thus the condemnation the Church is under, D&C 84:56-58, President Benson’s
1987 talk and Elder Oaks conference talk.
Mormon
(Mormon 3:12.)
12 Behold, I had led them,
notwithstanding their wickedness I had led them many times to battle, and had
loved them, according to the love of God which was in me, with all my heart;
and my soul had been poured out in prayer unto my God all the day long for
them; nevertheless, it was without faith, because of the hardness of their
hearts.
LF 1:22-24 – Agreeable to the will of
God. We can’t impose our will; we must
be in agreement with God. 1 Nephi 3:7,
Nephi let his brothers act twice and fail, before he did God’s will, 1 Nephi
4:6, faith in God, then revelation on what to do. He carried out the Lord’s plan, as the Lord
wanted.
GOD
His will is given to
man Find
out the will of God
Prophets Prayer, personal revelation
MAN
Discussions of the Lectures on Faith
A Discussion of Lecture 1
What Faith Is
Dennis F. Rasmussen
I first met the Lectures on Faith
twenty-five years ago as a young missionary. I have returned to them often
since. I have learned that to understand the Lectures on Faith we must be
prepared to read and to ponder them prayerfully. We must seek to trace out
their latent ideas. We must be patient. By sincere searching we may gain more and
more of the deep wisdom they offer us.
The first lecture announces the
three-fold division of the lectures taken together: Lecture 1 concerns the
nature of faith; Lectures 2 through 6, the object of faith; and Lecture 7, the
effects of faith. The first lecture introduces the topic and lays a basis for
what follows. The later lectures expand and clarify the teaching of the first.
My purpose is to provide some reflections concerning Lecture 1, which treats
faith in its most general sense. To speak of faith in general, without
reference to its object or effects, is to give but a preliminary and partial
account. The teachings of the other lectures are essential to a proper
understanding of the first lecture, for the part cannot be grasped without the
whole. But the whole cannot be presented all at once. So the diligent student
of the Lectures on Faith must read them all many times. Only in the course of
this kind of study will their comprehensive unity and meaning become clear.
What, then, is faith? Lecture 1
quotes Hebrews 11:1, adding the word "assurance": "Now faith is
the substance [assurance] of things hoped for, the evidence of things not
seen" (LF 1:8). In other words, faith sustains hope for things not yet
obtained and grants assurance that they will be. What is the practical import
of this assurance? What is the nature of faith? The lecture affirms that faith
is "the principle of action in all intelligent beings" (LF 1:9).
These few words provide a new viewpoint from which to study the nature of faith.
We may approach this viewpoint in
terms of hope. Hope is confidence in the future, the time when the things not
yet seen will appear. Hope, then, requires an awareness of time and a power to
conceive what has not yet occurred. We say "tomorrow" or "next
week" or "next year," and often fail to note the marvel: we can
speak and think about what has not yet happened and does not yet exist. All the
world is immersed in time, but only intelligent beings understand this, and
they alone can hope. This power to look forward to the future is two-sided. We
may face the future with hope but also with fear. Those creatures that cannot
conceive the future as we can do not share our plans and purposes, but neither
do they bear our worries and cares. To be filled with hopeless thoughts of the
morrow is surely more painful than to have no awareness of the future at all.
But human beings do face the future,
an unknown yet all-embracing realm toward which and into which every path of
life leads. By means of our power to consider the future, we may introduce
purpose and aim into the course of our lives. We may, if we will, guide our
lives by thoughtfulness and hope. But hope alone is not enough. Faith gives
confidence or assurance to hope that it can find the things it seeks. By giving
assurance concerning the future, faith helps us to plan our present actions
with an eye to the future. Faith sustains our imagination and strengthens our
will. For faith is the principle of action. This means that faith is the
beginning or origin of action. Because we are intelligent beings who possess
faith as well as hope, the things we seek in the future can affect our present
plans. These plans, when faith puts them into action, can in turn help to
secure what we seek. As the very "substance of things hoped for,"
faith thus makes genuine hope possible. We may, perhaps, believe we can do
something without hoping to do it. But we cannot hope to do something without
believing we are able to do it. In the words of Mormon, "without faith
there cannot be any hope" (
We not only consider the future but
also remember the past—both our own and that of others. The past contains the
lessons mankind has learned. We ignore it at great risk. But of the two, past
and future, the future must be regarded as the more vital. The idea of
progress, so important in the gospel and in Western civilization where
Christianity took root, is clearly a product of faith and hope. We keep the
ideal of progress vivid and strong when we seek to go forward and do better
than we have. If ever we begin to think more about past deeds than about future
deeds, then progress has ceased to beckon us. But though we look to the future,
we live in the present, which is the time for action, the day, as scripture
says, in which our labors are to be performed (see
What, then, is action? An action
occurs when an intelligent being living in a world of time carries out a choice
or plan first conceived in his mind. The idea precedes the act. Even actions
performed by habit, which seem to involve no aim, were not always so. They were
once subject to choice, and they became habits by choice, even if the choice
was simply a passive refusal to prevent them. To choose something actively
means to pursue it as an end to be achieved in the future, even if that future
reaches no further ahead of the present than a brief moment. An action is
voluntary, chosen, done on purpose. The aims of actions may vary, but every
action has an aim, some result intended. Because faith is the principle of
action, action has faith as its source. Action is faith at work; without faith,
there would be no action. In the words of the first lecture,
If men were duly to consider
themselves and turn their thoughts and reflections to the operations of their
own minds, they would readily discover that it is faith, and faith only, which
is the moving cause of all action in them; that without it both mind and body
would be in a state of inactivity, and all their exertions would cease, both
physical and mental (LF 1:10).
Faith, then, "is not only the
principle of action, it is also the principle of power in all intelligent
beings, whether in heaven or on earth" (LF 1:13). These words imply that
even God himself acts by faith, and the lecture goes on to assert that
we understand that the principle of
power which existed in the bosom of God, by which he framed the worlds, was
faith; and that it is by reason of this principle of power existing in the
Deity that all created things exist; so that all things in heaven, on earth, or
under the earth exist by reason of faith as it existed in him (LF 1:15).
Modern revelation declares that
"the glory of God is intelligence" (D&C 93:36). The first lecture
teaches that faith is the principle and power of intelligence in action.
Insofar, then, as man is an intelligent being who acts by the principle of
faith within him, he partakes of a divine principle. When God gave man dominion
over the earth, he did so because man, as an intelligent being, had the power
to act by faith, and thus to act like God. Man's task, within the sphere of his
stewardship, is to continue the work of creation by the principle of faith,
shaping the future in accordance with this principle.
In the foregoing I have tried to give
an account of the teaching of the first lecture on faith. I want now to turn to
what I called at the beginning its latent ideas about faith. In other words, I
wish to discuss some of the ideas that seem to follow from the first lecture.
We have seen that faith is "the principle of action in all intelligent
beings." Faith prompts them to plan, to prepare, and then to act so as to
obtain some purpose or end which lies yet in the future. But what end?
Intelligent beings are equipped by the principle of faith with power to act and
hence to realize the ends they hope for. Is there any final or ultimate end
toward which all their actions ought to aim? Is one end just as much worth
pursuing as any other, or, among all the ends which intelligent beings might
imagine and pursue, is there one that includes all others? Is there some end
that is proper for man to seek? The great thinkers of the ages have combined in
agreement with the rest of mankind in their answer. All have answered, yes.
There is an ultimate end for which all men naturally search. Its name is
happiness. The right of men to pursue happiness is one of three rights called
"inalienable" in the Declaration of Independence.
What is happiness? Here the agreement
which answered the former question vanishes. Who could count the multitude of
answers to the question, what is happiness? But is it not strange that there
should be agreement about the name for man's highest end and none about its
content? Some people today answer, no. They see nothing strange at all in this,
and they encourage what they sometimes refer to as alternative experiments in
living. They urge each man to find his happiness as he will, alleging that as
men differ, so should their aims. All around us we find people who seem to
believe such ideas, people crisscrossing the human landscape in every direction
seeking their own kind of happiness. Unheard or unheeded are those who warn
that most of these paths will lead to a wrong and bitter end. Unstudied is the
gospel teaching that speaks of a strait gate and a narrow way. But the fact
remains, happiness is not whatever anyone chooses to call it. Happiness is not
wherever anyone tries to find it. Real happiness has its own unchanging nature,
and the wise, at least, remain agreed on what it is. In the words of Aristotle,
written over 2,300 years ago, happiness is "an activity of soul in
accordance with virtue" (I:vii). This idea will sound familiar to
Latter-day Saints, who believe in being virtuous, and who read in the Book of
Mormon that life should be guided by "the great plan of happiness,"
and that "wickedness never was happiness" (Alma 42:8; 41:10). I want
for a moment to emphasize just the first part of Aristotle's statement, because
it too should be familiar to Latter-day Saints, and also because it can shed
light on one of the profound ideas latent in the first lecture. Aristotle says
that happiness is an activity. This means that happiness is not the sort of end
that can be obtained and held. It is an end that literally must be lived; it is
the highest kind of existence, the highest way of living for human beings.
We know from the teachings of Lehi
that there are two kinds of beings, those that act and those that are acted
upon (2 Nephi 2:14). Man is a being who acts. He acts by faith, which is the
principle of action within him. The final aim of all his action is happiness.
But as Aristotle saw, happiness is not an object, not a thing to be acted upon,
not something to be kept, hoarded, or defended against thieves. Happiness is
activity. How could it be otherwise and still be a proper end for a being whose
nature is to act? But happiness is not just any activity. It is "an
activity of soul in accordance with virtue." Joseph Smith said almost the
same thing: "Happiness is the object and design of our existence; and will
be the end thereof, if we pursue the path that leads to it; and this path is
virtue, uprightness, faithfulness, holiness, and keeping all the commandments
of God" (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith 255-256). In
agreement with Aristotle, the Prophet taught that happiness can be achieved
only through virtuous action. Drawing upon revelation as well as reason, he
could give a fuller account of such action than the ancient philosopher could.
But both men understood that happiness is man's highest end and that it depends
on acting in the proper way.
The next question to be raised is how
do we show that we are truly acting in accordance with virtue? What will
indicate that our actions are right, so that we may look back and say with
Nephi that "we lived after the manner of happiness" (2 Nephi 5:27)?
Because faith is the principle of action, its presence will only be disclosed
in some action. It shows itself in the deed. Imagine a very young boy at play.
You can see by looking that he is small, that his hair is brown, that his eyes
are blue. But can even the keenest eye tell by looking whether or not he can
walk? No, because an ability or power cannot be seen or discovered in advance
of the action in which it displays itself. So, too, faith is revealed in the
action that it calls forth. Prior to that action, faith, like ability, remains
hidden and unused. It exists as a capacity, as a potential action. It is
there—it can be used or put to work—but that will require action.
In our actions we not only show others
our faith, but we show it to ourselves as well. Returning for a moment to the
young child, he himself does not know he can walk until he actually does. His
power to walk is revealed to him too at the moment of action. But faith is more
than an optimistic state of mind or a good feeling or a warm sense of security;
it is the beginning of action; it is the power to act. As such it can never be
found just by looking within. It cannot be found by looking at all. It can only
be found by acting, because it only displays itself in action. The real test of
our faith is how we act. There is deep wisdom, then, in a familiar idiom of
Latter-day Saints. When we want to speak of someone's religious commitment, we
do not usually say he is pious or observant or devout. Instead we say he is
faithful, or, more commonly, we say he is active. A faithful member of
the Church is an active member, because faith is the principle of
action. Faith finally reveals itself in action and nowhere else. The Apostle
James was being ironic when he wrote, "shew me
thy faith without thy works." In fact, this is impossible. Everyone, like
James, must say, if there be any doubt about it, "I will shew thee my faith by my works." (James 2:18).
The words of Aristotle speak of
happiness as an activity of the soul. The soul, of course, directs the body,
and thus far I have mentioned only activities that might be called physical or
external. But there is an internal or mental activity of the soul that must
also be mentioned if we are to understand correctly and fully what faith is. I
will return to this inward work of faith after treating some other matters
first.
I have said that we show our faith
even to ourselves by our works. This should give both assurance and reassurance
to those who are sometimes inclined to reflect or even to doubt. As faith is
the principle of action, so the opposite of faith, which we usually call doubt,
is the principle of inaction. Faith is not just a state of mind; doubt is not
just a state of mind either. In the end it matters little what kind of
reluctance I may happen to feel. What does matter is how I act. However
uncomfortable it may be, a feeling of bewilderment or uncertainty, which may
occasionally trouble the best of us, is no reliable measure of our faith or lack
of it. The real measure is always the same. As King Benjamin taught, "if
you believe all these things see that ye do them" (Mosiah 4:10). Turning
this statement around, we may also say, if you do all these things, see (or
recognize or acknowledge to yourself) that ye believe them. We need to trust
what our own good deeds tell us about ourselves. The unexpected and amazed
hero, after the crisis has passed, may truly say, "I can't believe I did
it." The fact remains that he did. And he did because he could, even
though he did not know it until the need of the moment led him to draw on a
source of action deep within himself, a source whose full strength he had never
before measured. None of us really knows in advance how much he can do. So we
can rarely, if ever, say with complete certainty, "I did my best."
"Faith is the principle of
action in all intelligent beings." Does it follow that faith is the
principle of all their actions? If so, shall we be forced to say that
faith leads to evil actions as well as good ones? To answer these questions we
need to consider more closely what it means to be intelligent in the scriptural
sense of this word.
Because intelligence, as scripture
says, is identical with light and truth, it seeks these in all things (see
D&C 93:36; 88:40). To be intelligent also includes insight into the
rational ordering of things. It includes an understanding of logical
structures, causes and effects, laws, and principles. But most of all,
intelligence always embraces what is true, just, and virtuous. In matters of
conduct it looks for the right way to join means and ends. It wants to choose
what is good in its quest for happiness. Now faith in its widest possible sense
is the principle of all actions of all intelligent beings, but only to the
degree that these actions are truly intelligent and do in fact seek light and
truth. Unfortunately, an intelligent being is capable of acting in
unintelligent ways. He is capable of willfully rebelling against his own
intelligence and following something else instead—appetite, passion, whim,
momentary desire, and, at the extreme, evil itself. But when he does this, he
no longer acts by means of the principle of faith as an intelligent being. To
the degree that anyone seeks evil, he loses, to that same degree, his
intelligence, for "light and truth forsake that evil one" (D&C
93:37). Anyone bereft of intelligence because he prefers darkness to light can
have no faith by which to act, but only a degenerate desire that will lead
finally not to happiness but to hell. If for a time he may claim to "take
happiness in sin," the time will be short, and the illusory happiness will
quickly turn, in Mormon's terrible words, into the "sorrowing of the
damned" (Mormon 2:13).
Insofar as intelligence governs
someone, he will seek by faith to obtain his highest end, which is happiness.
Now since happiness is "an activity of soul in accordance with
virtue," not just acting, but acting in a certain way is required for
happiness. We perform the actions that will finally yield happiness only by
choosing first to follow virtue. In the words of the 18th-century philosopher
Immanuel Kant, "virtue (as the worthiness to be happy) is the supreme
condition . . . of all our pursuit of happiness" (Book II:II). Only the
virtuous, only those who seek the good, only those who keep God's commandments
are worthy of happiness. And only those who are worthy of happiness can achieve
it. This is not because God or anyone else would seek to withhold it, but
because happiness is "an activity of soul in accordance with virtue."
Happiness is not something which another can give or take away. Neither is it
something that can be achieved when sought directly and solely for itself. It
only comes when its proper condition is met. That condition is virtue.
Happiness requires, happiness is a virtuous or moral way of acting.
Everyone finally decides for himself, by how he acts throughout his life,
whether or not he will be happy. Only the worthy can be, and only the worthy
will be.
To the early Christians the apostle
Peter declared, "add to your faith virtue" (2 Peter 1:5). We now need
to clarify just how faith helps us develop virtue or the moral worthiness that
is the condition of all true happiness. Faith, as the principle of activity,
looks to the future. The future is a realm of ends, but some of them exclude
each other. An action that will achieve one end, such as traveling, excludes
another, that of staying home instead. In facing the future, then, faith is
always confronted with choices. It must seek one end or another, but it cannot
seek all ends. And even though it sets for itself as its highest end the
achievement of happiness, faith must still choose among various particular
actions. But how can faith be sure it will choose the right one? Not knowing in
advance all that an action involves, but hoping to reach happiness, how can
faith choose wisely?
When we ponder this question, we see
that faith needs something more than its highest end, happiness, to guide its
choices and actions. Without in any way renouncing happiness as our daily and
also our eternal goal, we see that by itself happiness is not a sure guide. We
do not always clearly know in advance what will make us happy. We can look
forward to the new day or to the distant future, hoping it will reward our
search for happiness, but how it will do this lies beyond our own unaided
powers. We cannot, then, act wisely upon the basis of what we think the future
will bring. Neither can we follow those who advise us to forget the future and
live only in the present, savoring its delights while we can. Were we to try
this, we would soon find that all our actions have consequences, whether or not
we intend them or seek to ignore them. Though we try not to look beyond the
moment, our actions will carry us beyond it, and soon cause us to wish we had
looked and considered what might follow from what we did. But even if we had,
we still might have missed our aim. We cannot by ourselves foretell the future.
And so we need to guide our lives by reference to something other than the
happiness we hope to attain.
"Faith is the principle of
action in all intelligent beings," and its final end is happiness. The
immediate guide for faith, however, is not happiness, but virtue or worthiness
to be happy. Such worthiness means, as we have seen, uprightness, goodness,
holiness, obedience to God's commandments. So we must give up happiness as our
direct end if we are to attain it as our final end. Like many other worthwhile
things, happiness cannot be obtained as a direct end. Earning a diploma,
mastering a skill, building a house, raising a child—these are worthy ends, but
each one follows from certain kinds of activities and cannot be achieved except
by means of those activities. To obtain the end we must undertake the proper
activity, because the end cannot be separated from that activity. The end
cannot be had directly, but it will follow if we do our work well. So faith
understands those earnest words, "Do what is right; let the consequence
follow" (Hymns #237). It is not for us to foretell the precise
arrangement of things yet future. It is for us each day to follow steadfastly
the guidance of virtue, full of hope and faith that as we do, as we make
ourselves worthy of happiness, that end will follow. Faith gives us confidence
that virtuous conduct and happiness can never long be kept apart. But for now,
during the moment at hand, faith repeats the message of the Preacher,
"Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of
man" (Ecc1 12:13).
At its highest level faith as the
principle of action thus becomes the principle of duty to keep the commandments
of God. These have been given to us. We know what they require, we know how to
obey them. The commandments give us what we need: a constant and ever-present
standard by which to guide our lives. And as we seek to obey them, our faith
once again supports our hope. Anyone who has a sense of duty to keep the
commandments also has hope that duty can, indeed, be done. It would be
pointless to speak of a duty that bids us to do what we cannot do. What we
ought to do we can do, in spite of all appearances to the contrary. Such faith
and hope sustained young Nephi as he said, "I will go and do the things
which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments
unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may
accomplish the thing which he commandeth them"
(1 Nephi 3:7).
Some observers have claimed that a
life of duty and virtue limits men and hampers their spontaneous powers. They
bid men to leave their fetters behind and to follow their natural inclinations.
But faith regarded as the call to virtue, to duty, to keeping the commandments,
does not limit or bind us. It liberates our power to act. Alone and unguided, we
all too often defeat our own best plans because we are divided against
ourselves. We are halfhearted, torn by conflicting impulses. Undisciplined
spontaneity only scatters and wastes our lives. But duty calls in an urgent
voice that demands a response from our whole being. When heeded it gathers and
magnifies all our powers like a lens focusing the rays of the sun. Nothing else
can create the intensity of life that obedience to duty can. Such willingness
to obey fills the soul with strength and allows the pure principle of faith to
guide its course. Latter-day Saints, of all people, know first-hand what men
and women filled with the spirit of obedience to duty can achieve. Our history
is replete with examples of those whose faith became invincible because they
never doubted that they could do what they were commanded to do.
When we think of action, we think
first of outward deeds that can be seen, and up to this point I have sought to
clarify the nature of faith in terms of such deeds. Emphasis on the outward
deed prevents us from substituting mere good wishes for actual performance. It
reminds us that we are not pure spirits but embodied spirits, and that we must
teach our bodies as well as our hearts to be kind, our lips as well as our
thoughts to be clean.
We have seen that faith never demands
anything less than external acts or works. But it always demands something
more. Important as outward works may be, they remain outward expressions of
another, inward way of working. The inward works of faith are the true source
and soul of all the outward works. For as a man "thinketh
in his heart, so is he" (Prov 23:7). "What
are we to understand by a man's working by faith?" asks Lecture 7.
"We answer: we understand that when a man works by faith he works by mental
exertion instead of physical force" (LF 7:3).
What does this mean? In what sense
does faith involve a kind of inward action and how is this action related to
outward deeds? Human faith as we encounter it in our everyday lives may be
compared to art. We often use the phrase "work of art," as when we
say, "that is a beautiful work of art." When we speak in this way we
are describing something which is the result of external action. But what are
we saying about it? We are saying that the object embodies a particular kind of
action. What kind? An action governed or directed by art. In other words, we
are saying that the object has in some way captured what we might call art at
work.
Now where does art dwell in the first
place? Not in an object, but in an artist. Art is first of all a principle
within an artist that guides him in fashioning an external object so as to
embody in it his art. We often call the principle of art that some people have
a gift. But it is not a visible thing, and there is a sense in which it
possesses the artist just as much as he possesses it. Art acts within the
artist as his master, an inward voice that guides and disciplines his outward
work. Truly speaking, a man does not paint with his hand but with his soul. The
brush, the palette, the hand, the body—these are all tools directed by the
inward working of the artist's soul in accordance with his art. So the work of
art is first of all an inward activity that later expresses itself in some
outward object. No outward work of art, no object to delight the eye or ear,
can be created unless that object emerges from a prior inward work of art, from
the labor of the soul.
Now let us turn from the work of art
to the work of faith. Whatever the specific outward action may be, the work of
faith has its origin, like the work of art, in the principle that dwells and
works within. The work of faith, like the work of art, begins in the soul.
Faith as the principle of outer action is first of all the principle of inner
action that provides the basis for the outward one. This fact needs to be
remembered and constantly emphasized in an age such as ours, which tends so
much to prize tangible results and observable consequences. The point is not
that these are unimportant but that in order to have real worth they must
follow from a virtuous inward action of the soul that intended them. That is
why Aristotle spoke of happiness not just as an activity of the body, but as an
activity of the soul in accordance with virtue. This virtuous inward activity
is the "real intent" spoken of by
As a single example of the kind of
commitment made by this inward activity of the soul in accordance with virtue,
think of the act of promising. Only intelligent beings, beings capable of
faith, can make a promise. But what is a promise? A promise is more than a
spoken utterance and more than a written agreement, though these external
things may manifest it. First and foremost, a promise is a self-chosen act of
will that remains fixed and unchanging over a span of time reaching into the
future. Some promises, such as legal contracts, have a specified period of
duration. Other promises, such as those we call sacred covenants, have no
temporal limit. They reach out into the future forever. How much faith and hope
does it take to make and then to keep such covenants? When people make
unbreakable covenants, they perform the ultimate act of faith. The principle of
faith working within them rises far above all merely human considerations of
circumstance, risk, and reward, and reveals what the English poet Gerard Manley
Hopkins called "true virtue . . . that chastity of mind which seems to lie
at the very heart and be the parent of all other good, the seeing at once what
is best, the holding to that, and then of not allowing anything else whatever
to be even heard pleading to the contrary" (406).
In a world filled with uncertain
outcomes and merely provisional commitments, only being true to covenants, only
keeping faith, can lift the soul beyond the reach of doubt and worry and lead
it to the source of perfect confidence which is God. Before us all lies a
journey that began at our birth and will go on till our death. We live in the
time between and act each day as best we can. Some days bring gladness; others
force upon us heavy burdens. At times we may question how our path can lead to
happiness or if our faith has reached its limit. We know that strength is
gained in struggles; we wonder if we can survive on our own. But so long as we
seek to do good, so long as we choose the right, deep within us our faith is
working, and our hope still lives. Let us believe this. Let us then continue to
act as duty bids. As we do, our faith will be sufficient, and our happiness
will be assured.
NOTES
Dennis F. Rasmussen is associate
professor of Philosophy at
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Aristotle. The Ethics of
Aristotle: The Nicomachean Ethics. Trans. J. A.
K. Thomson. Rev. ed.
Hopkins, Gerard Manley. A
Hymns.
Kant, Immanuel. Critique of
Practical Reason. Ed. and trans. Lewis White Beck.
Teachings of the Prophet Joseph
Smith. Comp. Joseph
Fielding Smith.
(Larry E.
Dahl and Charles D. Tate, Jr., eds., The Lectures on Faith in Historical
Perspective [Provo: BYU Religious Studies Center, 1990], 163.)
D&C
50:29-30- Little children are pure and clean, there prayers are inspired.
Prayer
Circle – the voice of the prayer is NOT
from the company, but comes from the other side of the veil, inspired, knows
what to ask. It was a very interesting nugget from Bruce.
Lectures on Faith # 2
September 24, 2003
We had a
quick review of last week’s lesson, what is and is not faith. We have a problem when we don’t center our
faith appropriately, it must be centered on God.
Have Faith in Christ
The most important thing we can do as
we seek to communicate with our Heavenly Father is to have faith in Jesus
Christ. If we have faith in Christ, we will have faith in our Father in Heaven,
because Christ so clearly testified of him.
Some people think of faith as a
positive attitude. That's only a small part of what faith really is. Faith is
the power that holds the worlds in place. Faith is the power by which God
works. When we have faith, we have access to his power.
But remember that the commandment is
not just to have faith in a general sense. We are to have faith in a person,
faith in Jesus Christ. When we seek to understand that better, we'll understand
why we are to end all of our prayers "in the name of Jesus Christ."
When we pray in that manner, we're asking for the grace of the Lord Jesus
Christ to intervene on our behalf. If we can keep our faith centered in him it
will help us to have much more power than if we pray without such faith.
(Gene R.
Cook, Receiving Answers to Our Prayers [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book
Co., 1996], 17.)
Faith and
belief are not the same, I can believe in God, yet not have faith that He can
do anything for me. Belief is passive
while having faith is active; it needs action to be effective.
Certainly there is great difference
in degree, even if no essential distinction in kind be admitted between the
two. As shall be presently demonstrated, faith
in the Godhead is requisite to salvation; it is indeed a saving power, leading
its possessor in the paths of godliness, whereas mere belief in the existence
and attributes of Deity is no such power. Mark the words of James, fn in
his general epistle to the saints wherein he chided his brethren for certain
empty professions. In substance he said: You take pride and satisfaction in
declaring your belief in God; you boast of being distinguished from the
idolaters and the heathen because you accept one God; you do well to so
profess, and so believe; but, remember, others do likewise; even the devils
believe; and so firmly that they tremble at thought of the fate which that
belief makes plain to them. Satan and his followers believe in Christ; and
their belief amounts to knowledge as to who He is, and as to what constitutes
His part, past, present, and to come, in the divine plan of human existence and
salvation. Call to mind the case of the man possessed by evil spirits in the
land of the Gadarenes, a man so grievously tormented
as to be a terror to all who came near him. He could be neither tamed nor
bound; people were afraid to approach him; yet when he saw Christ, he ran to
Him and worshiped, and the wicked spirit within him begged for mercy at the
hands of that Righteous One, addressing Him as "Jesus, thou Son of the
most high God." fn Again, an unclean spirit in the synagogue at Jerusalem
implored Christ not to use His power, crying in fear and agony: "I know
thee, who thou art, the Holy One of God." fn Christ was once followed by a
multitude made up of people from Idumaea and Jerusalem,
from Tyre and Sidon; among them were many who were
possessed of evil spirits, and these, when they saw Him, fell down in the
attitude of worship, exclaiming: "Thou art the Son of God." fn Was
there ever mortal believer who confessed more unreservedly a knowledge of God
and His Son Jesus Christ than did these servants of Satan? Satan knows God and
Christ; remembers, perchance, somewhat concerning the position which he himself
once occupied as a Son of the Morning; fn yet with all such knowledge he is
Satan still. Neither belief nor its superior, actual knowledge is efficient to
save; for neither of these is faith. If belief be a product of the mind, faith
is of the heart; belief is founded on reason, faith largely on intuition.
(James E.
Talmage, Articles of Faith [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1981],
88.)
There is a difference between faith
and belief. Belief is a mere mental or intellectual assent or acceptance of a
particular principle or assumption. On the other hand, faith is the power to act
in and through the Holy Spirit in a true expression of belief in God. As the
first principle of revealed religion, faith is the basis of all right action.
It is based upon evidence, particularly that evidence of God which is given to
man when his mind is enlightened by the Holy Spirit.
The faith which leads to salvation
must center in Jesus Christ. God is an independent being, and faith dwells
independently in God in its fulness. But man as a dependent being must center
his faith in Jesus Christ if he is to acquire divine mercy and power unto
salvation. Faith is the assurance of things for which man hopes, and it is
preceded by the expression of desire. In the acquisition of faith, evidence
stimulates desire, desire brings forth hope, and hope matures into faith, which
is a principle of action and of power.
As a principle of action and of
power, faith produces divine fruits of a miraculous nature. These are the
natural effects of faith. Faith also leads to knowledge until, by the
application of faith, man is able to penetrate the veil and stand in the
presence of God. Faith therefore leads man to salvation.
(Hyrum L.
Andrus, Principles of Perfection [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft,
1970], 101 - 102.)
LF 2:2 - We here observe that God is the only
supreme governor and independent being in whom all fulness and perfection
dwell. He is omnipotent, omnipresent, and omniscient, without beginning of days
or end of life. In him every good gift and every good principle dwell, and he
is the Father of lights. In him the principle of faith dwells independently,
and he is the object in whom the faith of all other rational and accountable
beings centers for life and salvation.
(Larry E.
Dahl and Charles D. Tate, Jr., eds., The Lectures on Faith in Historical
Perspective [Provo: BYU Religious Studies Center, 1990], 39.)
God is
independent from all others, even His own Father; we are dependant on Him for
quite awhile. In time we will be like
Him, and will possess light, life, law, power.
(Doctrine and Covenants
88:13.)
13
The light which is in all things, which giveth life to all things, which is the
law by which all things are governed, even the power of God who sitteth upon his throne, who is in the bosom of eternity,
who is in the midst of all things.
Light of Christ
The Light of Christ refers to the spiritual
power that emanates from God to fill the immensity of space and enlightens
every man, woman, and child. Other terms sometimes used to denote this same
phenomenon are Holy Spirit, "Spirit of the Lord," and "Spirit of
Truth," but it is different from the Holy Ghost. The scriptures are not
always precise in the use of such terminology, and several attempts have been
made to describe the various aspects of this important manifestation of God's
goodness and being.
Jesus Christ is the light and life of
the world (John
This light manifests itself in
different ways and degrees. In its "less refined existence," wrote
Parley P. Pratt, it is visible as sunlight. It is also the refined
"intellectual light of our inward and spiritual organs, by which we
reason, discern, judge, compare, comprehend, and remember the subjects within
our reach." It is revealed as instinct in animals, reason in man, and
vision in the prophets (p. 25).
John A. Widtsoe gave this general
description of the emanation of God's power: "God is a personal being of
body-a body limited in extent. He cannot, therefore, at a given moment be
personally everywhere…. By his power, will and word, [he] is everywhere
present…. The Holy Spirit permeates all the things of the universe, material
and spiritual" (Widtsoe, pp. 68-69).
Since God possesses a fulness of this
power and man only a small portion, it becomes a goal of Latter-day Saints to
receive more of this light, which for the faithful grows "brighter and
brighter until the perfect day" (D&C 50:24). Initially, this
"Spirit giveth light to every man that cometh into the world"
(D&C 84:46; see also John 1:9; Moro.
(Encyclopedia
of Mormonism, 1-4 vols., edited by Daniel H. Ludlow (New York: Macmillan,
1992), 835.)
Heavenly
Father delegates many responsibilities to Christ and the Holy Ghost, yet He
keeps prayer for Himself, He is very involved in our lives. The Holy Ghost can help us in our prayers, so
we can give proper thanks for our blessings and ask for the things we need.
For example, the following scriptures
concerning the nature of petitionary prayer, when clustered together, provide
so much more critically needed candlepower than when considered apart:
And all things, whatsoever
ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive (Matthew
Ye ask, and receive not,
because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts (James 4:3).
Yea, I know that God will
give liberally to him that asketh. Yea, my God will give me, if I ask not amiss
(2 Nephi.
And whatsoever ye shall
ask the Father in my name, which is right, believing that ye shall receive,
behold it shall be given unto you (3 Nephi
And now, if God, who has
created you, on whom you are dependent for your lives and for all that ye have
and are, doth grant unto you whatsoever ye ask that is right, in faith,
believing that ye shall receive, O then, how ye ought to impart of the
substance that ye have one to another (Mosiah 4:21).
Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should
pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh
intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered
(Romans
He that asketh in the
Spirit asketh according to the will of God; wherefore it is done even as he
asketh (D&C 46:30).
Prayer is petitioning, but it also
involves tutoring. Imprisoned Joseph pleaded with God, "Let thine anger be
kindled against our enemies" (D&C 121:5). But God counseled patience
and said, in effect, "not yet"; he had "in reserve a swift
judgment in the season thereof" (see D&C 121:12, 15, 24).
(Neal A.
Maxwell, But for a Small Moment [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1986], 43.)
Bruce went
through Luke 11, about the Lord’s Prayer, verse by verse.
(Luke 11:1-4.)
1 And it came to pass,
that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his
disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his
disciples.
2 And he said unto them,
When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy
kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.
3 Give us day by day our
daily bread.
4 And forgive us our sins;
for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into
temptation; but deliver us from evil.
Prayer to
heaven puts us in proper perspective in our lives, from earth to heaven! Our problems become manageable when we think
of who we are counseling with.
Heavenly
Father has authority and power; I can’t do anything without Him. D&C 63:61-63, Elder Oaks April 1985 Conference,
(temples and exaltation)
Intelligence
– Spirit (Divine Potential) – Mortality – Spirit World – Millennium –
We pray for
the
We pray to
be cleansed from sin and have mercy toward others, give mercy to receive mercy.
Elder
McConkie April, 1984 Conference address “Patterns in Prayer” We move ourselves
from earth to His heavenly presence, this raises our vision.
Bruce
covered this talk in great detail, in fact, he read it to us; it’s on the web
site.
Patterns
of Prayer
Elder Bruce R. McConkie
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
Ensign, May 1984, pp. 32-34
I rejoice in the call of
Russell Nelson and Dallin Oaks to stand from this time forth as special
witnesses of the Lord Jesus Christ. They were called by the Lord through the
spirit of inspiration and will stand as pillars of righteousness in his house
from this time onward forever.
I am quite overwhelmed by
deep feelings of thanksgiving and rejoicing for the goodness of the Lord to me.
He has permitted me to
suffer pain, feel anxiety, and taste his healing power. I am profoundly
grateful for the faith and prayers of many people, for heartfelt petitions that
have ascended to the throne of grace on my behalf.
It is pleasing to that
God whose we are when we fast and pray and seek his blessings; when we plead
with all the energy of our souls for those things we so much desire; when, as
Paul says, we "come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain
mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." (Heb. 4:16.)
Prayer is the way and
means, given us by our Creator, whereby we can counsel and communicate with
him. It is one of the chief cornerstones of pure and perfect worship.
In prayer we speak to the
Lord, and he speaks to us. It is our privilege to have our voices heard in the
courts above and to hear the answering voice of the Lord conveyed by the power
of his Spirit.
Prayer changes our lives.
Through it we draw near to the Lord, and he reaches out his finger and touches
us, so we never again are the same.
Prayer is a great tower
of strength, a pillar of unending righteousness, a mighty force that moves
mountains and saves souls. Through it the sick are healed, the dead are raised,
and the Holy Spirit is poured out without measure upon the faithful.
In prayer we bind
ourselves by solemn covenants to love and serve the Lord all our days. In it we
pay our devotions and offer our sacraments to the Most High.
Now, there are special
prayers reserved and offered for those who drink the still waters and lie down
in green pastures, prayers which are not uttered for those who yet dwell in the
deserts of sin.
With these things in
mind, may I tell you some of the prayers in my heart, prayers that I think will
join with like feelings in your hearts, and will unite in one mighty chorus of
praise and petition, of adoration and thanksgiving, as they ascend and are
heard in the courts above.
We do not give memorized,
ritualistic, or repetitious prayers. We seek the guidance of the Spirit and
suit every prayer to the needs of the moment, with no thought of using the same
words on successive occasions. But it would be appropriate for us to use words
that convey such thoughts [page 33] as these in our prayers:
Father, we ask thee, in
the name of Jesus Christ, to hear the words of our mouth, to discern with thy
all-seeing eye the thoughts and intents of our heart, and to grant us our
righteous desires.
We feel it is a great
privilege to come into thy presence, to bow before thy throne, to address thee
as Father; and we know thou wilt hear our cries. May we speak by the power of
thy Holy Ghost.
Then, in thanking the Lord for the blessings of mortal life,
and the hope of immortality and eternal life, we might properly say such things
as:
Father, we thank thee for
life itself, for this mortal probation in which we as pilgrims, far from our
heavenly home, are gaining experiences that could be gained in no other way.
We thank thee that thou
didst ordain and establish the great and eternal plan of salvation whereby we,
as thy spirit children, are given power, if faithful and true in all things, to
advance and progress and become like thee.
We thank thee for sending
thy Holy Son Jesus to be the Savior and Redeemer; to put into full operation
all of the terms and conditions of thy great and eternal plan of salvation; to
save us from death, hell, the devil, and endless torment.
O how we glory in him and
in his blessed name, rejoicing everlastingly that he has ransomed us from
temporal and spiritual death; that he is the one Mediator between us and thee;
that he has reconciled us unto thee, not imputing unto us our sins, but healing
us with his stripes!
We thank thee, O our
Father, that thou gavest thine
Only Begotten Son so that we, believing in him, shall not perish, but have
everlasting life; that he, amid the blood and agonies of Gethsemane, and the
blood and cruelties of Calvary, bore our sins on condition of repentance.
O how we love the Lord
Jesus, who is called Christ and who is the Holy Messiah; who also is our Lord,
our God, and our King, whom we worship in the full majesty of his godhood; and
in whose blood we shall yet wash our garments, so as to stand spotless before
him and thee in that great day!
With reference to the restoration of the glorious gospel in
our day, prayers might include expressions along these lines:
And now, O thou God of
our Fathers, we are grateful and rejoice in what thou hast done for us in our
day.
With all our hearts we
thank thee for the restoration of the gospel; that the voice of God is heard
again; that the heavens, long sealed, have been rent; that holy angels,
bringing priesthoods and keys and light and truth, now minister among us.
We stand in reverent awe
at the realization that thou and thy Beloved Son came to Joseph Smith in the
spring of 1820 to usher in the dispensation of the fulness of times.
We marvel that thou didst
send Moroni to reveal the Book of Mormon; Moses to empower us to gather Israel
from the Egypt of the world into the Zion of God; and Elijah to confer upon us
the power to bind on earth and have our acts sealed everlastingly in the
heavens.
How grateful we are that
Elias brought back the gospel of Abraham, so that we, as children of the
covenant, might have a continuation of the family unit in eternity!
Of our reconciliation with the Father, through the atonement
of his Son, it would be proper to say such things as:
Father, thou hast given
us the word of reconciliation and hast poured out revelations and visions upon
us. We are thy people, and we desire to be worthy of the [page 34] calling and
election that is ours.
Thou hast wrought
miracles in our midst; given us the holy scriptures, particularly thy word
manifest in our day; conferred upon us the gift of the Holy Ghost by which we
are guided into all truth, and by which our souls are sanctified.
For all these things we
are grateful beyond any measure of expression, and because of them we shall
praise thy holy name forever.
We confess our sins
before thee and seek remission thereof, lest anything stand between us and thee
in receiving a free flow of thy Spirit.
With reference to building up the
Wilt thou bless thy
Church and kingdom on earth. May we be effective instruments in thy hands to
build anew the
May we gather the lost
sheep of
Give us thy power in
preaching thy restored gospel to every nation and kindred and tongue and
people. Open the doors of all nations.
Let us fulfill our divine
commission to prepare a people for the coming of thy Son. May we discover who
our ancestors are and perform the ordinances of salvation and exaltation for
them in sacred sanctuaries dedicated to thy holy name.
O have mercy on us; bear
with us in our weakness, for our trust is in thee. Thou art our God, and there
is none other like unto thee; and it is unto thee we turn in worship and
adoration and thanksgiving.
As to our own temporal needs, I would feel no hesitancy in
saying such things as:
We cry unto thee over our
flocks and our herds, over the fruits of our fields and the increase of our
vines and trees. Wilt thou temper the elements and preserve us from disasters,
that our basket and store may be full.
We need food, clothing,
and shelter; we need schooling and proper employment; we need wisdom in our
business and professional enterprises.
Grant us according to our
needs, giving us neither poverty nor riches, but feeding us with food
convenient for us.
As to the personal blessings that prepare us for salvation,
our thoughts might be couched in expressions along this line:
Bless us in our families
that husbands and wives may love each other and cleave unto each other; that
parents may bring up their children in light and truth; that children, thus
brought up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, may honor their fathers
and their mothers by living as their righteous ancestors lived.
O Father, there are those
among us, not a few in number, who desire and are worthy to have eternal
companions. Wilt thou prepare the way before them that they may have the
desires of their hearts in righteousness.
There are those among us
who are sick and afflicted, who suffer from disease, and who are not appointed
unto death. O thou Great Physician, pour out thy healing power upon thy Saints.
O Lord, increase our
faith, and let the sick be healed and the dead raised even in greater numbers
than at present.
But above this, O thou
God of healing, wilt thou cause him who came with healing in his wings also to
heal us spiritually.
We would be clean; we
desire to be a pure people; we need and desire and seek, above all, the
companionship of thy Holy Spirit. We pray, as did they of old, that we might
receive the Holy Ghost.
O Father, we rejoice in
the gifts of the Spirit and seek them in greater abundance. Let testimony and
revelation and visions and miracles multiply among us.
Let us know the wonders
of eternity, even those things which eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have
yet entered into the heart of man.
And then by way of capstone, covenant, and petition, it
would be appropriate for us to choose words that express these thoughts:
And finally, Father, we
would be one with thy Son, even as he is one with thee. We seek salvation; we
desire eternal life; we long to return to thy presence, and there, sitting down
with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets and holy men of old, go no
more out forever.
Let us see the face of
thy Son while we dwell here as mortals. Let us hear him say: Come ye blessed of
my Father; ye shall enter into the joy of thy Lord; thy calling and election
has been made sure; thou art a joint-heir with me, and shall yet receive,
possess, and inherit all that my Father hath.
And now, O our God, thou
Everlasting Elohim, knowing thy mind and will with reference to all these
expressions of thanksgiving and all these petitions for blessings, we covenant
before thee that we will keep thy commandments and love and serve thee all our
days.
Let this, then, be our
covenant, that from this hour we will walk in all thy ways, blameless,
obedient, faithful, true to every trust, having love one for another,
testifying in word and in deed that we are thy people, the sheep of thy
pasture, thine elect and chosen children.
Language along these
lines sets forth feelings and desires that well might be expressed to the Lord
in prayer.
It is my faith that all
who join in such choruses of praise and petition, of adoration and
thanksgiving, and who strive to live as they pray, will gain peace in this life
and eternal life in the world to come.
And such is my prayer for
myself and my family and for all
After we receive all of our covenants
in the temple, THEN we are taught how to pray properly.
(Doctrine and Covenants
88:63-68.)
63 Draw near unto me and I
will draw near unto you; seek me diligently and ye shall find me; ask, and ye
shall receive; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.
64 Whatsoever ye ask the
Father in my name it shall be given unto you, that is expedient for you;
65 And if ye ask anything
that is not expedient for you, it shall turn unto your condemnation.
66 Behold, that which you
hear is as the voice of one crying in the wilderness—in the wilderness, because
you cannot see him—my voice, because my voice is Spirit; my Spirit is truth;
truth abideth and hath no end; and if it be in you it
shall abound.
67 And if your eye be
single to my glory, your whole bodies shall be filled with light, and there
shall be no darkness in you; and that body which is filled with light comprehendeth all things.
68 Therefore, sanctify
yourselves that your minds become single to God, and the days will come that
you shall see him; for he will unveil his face unto you, and it shall be in his
own time, and in his own way, and according to his own will.
LF 2:54-56
54. We have now shown how it was by
reason of the manifestation which God first made to our father Adam, when he
stood in his presence and conversed with him face to face at the time of his
creation, that the first thought ever existed in the mind of any individual
that there was such a being as a God who had created and did uphold all things.
55. Let us here observe that after
any members of the human family are made acquainted with the important fact
that there is a God who has created and does uphold all things, the extent of
their knowledge respecting his character and glory will depend upon their
diligence and faithfulness in seeking after him, until, like Enoch, the brother
of Jared, and Moses, they shall obtain faith in God and power with him to
behold him face to face.
56. We have now clearly set forth how
it is, and how it was, that God became an object of faith for rational beings,
and also, upon what foundation the testimony was based which excited the
inquiry and diligent search of the ancient Saints to seek after and obtain a
knowledge of the glory of God. We have also seen that it was human testimony,
and human testimony only, that excited this inquiry in their minds in the first
instance. It was the credence they gave to the testimony of their fathers, it
having aroused their minds to inquire after the knowledge of God. That inquiry
frequently terminated, indeed always terminated when rightly pursued, in the
most glorious discoveries and eternal certainty.
(Larry E.
Dahl and Charles D. Tate, Jr., eds., The Lectures on Faith in Historical
Perspective [Provo: BYU Religious Studies Center, 1990], 50 - 51.)
Like the
ancients, we are to seek to see. The 1st
comforter (Holy Ghost) introduces us to the 2nd comforter (Jesus
Christ). This was one of the purposes of
this lecture. There is a direct link
between faith and prayer. Eternal life
is coming to know the Lord.
My focus
should be on building up the kingdom here on earth, LF 2:144-148
144. Q—What testimony did men have,
in the first instance, that there is a God?
A—Human testimony, and human
testimony only (Lecture
145. Q—What excited the ancient
Saints to seek diligently after a knowledge of the glory of God, his
perfections, and attributes?
A—The credence they gave to the
testimony of their fathers (Lecture
146. Q—How do men obtain a knowledge
of the glory of God, his perfections, and attributes?
A—By devoting themselves to his
service, through prayer and supplication incessantly, strengthening their faith
in him, until, like Enoch, the brother of Jared, and Moses, they obtain a
manifestation of God to themselves (Lecture 2:55).
147. Q—Is the knowledge of the
existence of God a matter of mere tradition founded upon human testimony alone
until persons receive a manifestation of God to themselves?
A—It is.
148. Q—How do you prove it?
A—From the whole of the first part of
Lecture 2.
(Larry E.
Dahl and Charles D. Tate, Jr., eds., The Lectures on Faith in Historical
Perspective [Provo: BYU Religious Studies Center, 1990], 63.)
The
foundation of our faith rests on the 1st vision. It was imperative that Joseph see the Father
and the Son, like the opening of other dispensations, you need an actual
witness, to see. That is why the 1st
vision is so crucial. Don’t be ashamed
be excited, who cares what the world thinks, look how they live!
Topics and lessons associated with
the First Vision which have theological significance include: knowing the
character of God, placing new wine in new bottles, opening the dispensation of
dispensations, the reality of the devil, creeds and professors of corrupted
religion, and Christ as our advocate with the Father. However, the factor of
primary theological significance associated with the First Vision is that it
happened! Joseph Smith testified:
I had actually seen a
light, and in the midst of that light I saw two Personages, and they did in
reality speak to me; and though I was hated and persecuted for saying that I
had seen a vision, yet it was true; and while they were persecuting me,
reviling me, and speaking all manner of evil against me falsely for so saying,
I was led to say in my heart: Why persecute me for telling the truth? I have
actually seen a vision; and who am I that I can withstand God, or why does the
world think to make me deny what I have actually seen? For I had seen a vision;
I knew it, and I knew that God knew it, and I could not deny it, neither dared
I do it; at least I knew that by so doing I would offend God, and come under
condemnation (JS-H 25).
How important is it whether the First
Vision happened? How important is it that one believes that it really
happened? Is it not enough to acknowledge that Joseph Smith was a remarkable,
charismatic leader with some demonstrably effective ideas: that applying the
principles he espoused has in fact brought about a vibrant church, the members
of which are on the whole decent, successful, happy people? If one can
"belong" to the Church and serve others through it, enjoy the fruits
of gospel principles, establish a soul-satisfying sense of comradery,
love, and friendship, what does it matter whether he believes that Joseph
Smith's testimony is true concerning the First Vision? The same kinds of
questions may be asked concerning the Savior. Was he really the Son of
God? Did he really perform miracles—make the blind see and the lame walk
and the dead rise? Did he really suffer for the sins of the world? Did
he really rise from the dead a resurrected being? Did he really
appear to his apostles and others with his body of flesh and bones after his
resurrection? What difference does it make whether one believes all these
things, as long as he accepts Christ as a great teacher whose ideas, when
applied, bring a measure of purpose, peace, and happiness to life? The truth
is, it does matter. It matters immensely. It matters because spiritual
power in this life and the fulness of salvation in the next come only through
Jesus Christ—through belief in him and obedience to the principles and
ordinances that comprise his gospel (see John 15:1-16; D&C 132:1-14;
D&C 1:11-17; 3 Ne. 27:13-27; Matt. 7:19-21). A critical part of that gospel
is that he calls prophets, reveals himself and the truths of heaven to them,
confers priesthood upon them, and commissions them to bear witness of him, to
teach gospel principles, and to administer the ordinances of salvation to all who
are willing to receive them. Joseph Smith was such a prophet. To reject him is
to reject the fulness of the gospel offered by the Savior. President J. Reuben
Clark, Jr., has eloquently stated the importance of accepting both Jesus Christ
and Joseph Smith and the reality of the events of which they bore solemn
witness:
In all this there are for the Church
and for each and all of its members, two prime things which may not be
overlooked, forgotten, shaded, or discarded:
First: That Jesus Christ is the Son
of God, the Only Begotten of the Father in the flesh, the Creator of the world,
the Lamb of God, the Sacrifice for the sins of the world, the Atoner for Adam's
transgression; that He was crucified; that His spirit left His body; that He
died; that He was laid away in the tomb; that on the third day His spirit was
reunited with His body, which again became a living being; that He was raised
from the tomb a resurrected being, a perfect Being, the First Fruits of the
Resurrection; that He later ascended to the Father; and that because of His
death and by and through His resurrection every man born into the world since
the beginning will be likewise literally resurrected. This doctrine is as old
as the world. Job declared: "And though after my skin worms destroy this
body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: whom I shall see for myself, and mine
eyes shall behold, and not another" (Job 19:26-27).
The resurrected body is a body of
flesh and bones and spirit, and Job was uttering a great and everlasting truth.
These positive facts and all other facts necessarily implied therein, must all
be honestly believed, in full faith, by every member of the Church.
The second of the two things to which
we must all give full faith is: That the Father and the Son actually and in
truth and very deed appeared to the Prophet Joseph in a vision in the woods;
that other heavenly visions followed to Joseph and to others; that the Gospel
and the holy Priesthood after the Order of the Son of God were in truth and
fact restored to the earth from which they were lost by the apostasy of the
Primitive Church; that the Lord again set up His Church, through the agency of
Joseph Smith; that the Book of Mormon is just what it professes to be; that to
the Prophet came numerous revelations for the guidance, upbuilding,
organization, and encouragement of the Church and its members; that the
Prophet's successors, likewise called of God, have received revelations as the
needs of the Church have required, and that they will continue to receive
revelations as the Church and its members, living the truth they already have,
shall stand in need of more; that this is in truth the Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter-day Saints; and that its foundation beliefs are the laws and
principles laid down in the Articles of Faith. These facts also, and each of
them, together with all things necessarily implied therein or flowing there
from, must stand, unchanged, unmodified, without dilution, excuse, apology, or
avoidance; they may not be explained away or submerged. Without these two great
beliefs the Church would cease to be the Church.
Any individual who does not accept
the fulness of these doctrines as to Jesus of Nazareth or as to the restoration
of the Gospel and Holy Priesthood, is not a Latter-day Saint; the hundreds of
thousands of faithful, God-fearing men and women who compose the great body of
the Church membership do believe these things fully and completely; and they
support the Church and its institutions because of this belief.
I have set out these matters because
they are the latitude and longitude of the actual location and position of the
Church, both in this world and in eternity. Knowing our true position, we can
change our bearings if they need changing; we can lay down anew our true
course. (President J. Reuben Clark, Jr., "The Charted Course of the Church
in Education," Aspen Grove, 8 August 1938, cited in David H. Yarn, Jr.,
ed., J. Reuben Clark—Selected Papers (Provo, Ut.:
Brigham Young University Press, 1984), pp. 243-56).
(Robert L.
Millet and Kent P. Jackson, eds., Studies in Scripture, Vol. 2: The Pearl of
Great Price [Salt Lake City: Randall Book, 1985], 333.)
Without the
1st vision the church is simply a
way of life, not the way to eternal
life.
Harold B. Lee
What is the gospel then? . . . So often I hear my brethren saying something
that I wish we would not say quite that
way -- that the gospel is
a way of life. It is not a way of life -- it is the way to eternal
life. It is the science of salvation.
[Conference Report, April
1959, p.68]
The
Gospel is More than a Way of Life,
It is the Very Key To Eternal Life
Elder Marion G. Romney
Of the Council of the Twelve Apostles
Conference Report, October 1958, p.94-97
My beloved brothers and
sisters and friends: I have sought earnestly to prepare myself for this
occasion and now that it has come my hope and prayer, in which I ask you to
join, is that we may continue to enjoy the sweet influence we have felt while
listening to the great message of President McKay.
As I stand before you this
morning I realize that many of you, unseen by me, are listening in on radio and
television You are most welcome. Indeed, we feel complimented by your
participation with us. As I speak I shall have you in mind, particularly you
who may not be members of the Church of Jests Christ of Latter-day Saints.
If you have been with us
during the last hour you have heard, and perhaps seen, President David O. McKay
deliver a most timely and inspirational address. Moved by it, as I know you
were, perhaps you will be even more impressed if I tell you something about his
high and holy calling.
You have already observed
that he is an unusual personality-tall, straight, dignified, and gracious.
Through a devoted lifelong service to his God and to his fellow men he has
partaken so deeply of the divine nature that he is filled with that charity
defined by one of the Book of Mormon prophets as the pure love of Christ.
Fine as he is in his own
right, the great office to which he has been called adds to his stature. For he
is not just the presiding officer of an ordinary church, he is the rightful
successor to the Prophet Joseph Smith, Jr. He is God's prophet and personal
representative in the earth. Just as Peter was the president of the
In 1906, under divine
inspiration, President Joseph F. Smith, then God's personal representative and
mouthpiece in the earth, laid his hands upon President McKay and conferred upon
him the holy apostleship with all its gifts and powers. Pursuant to the order
of God's Holy Priesthood which is the government operative in the
President Joseph F.
Smith, who conferred the apostleship upon President McKay, had received his
authority in like manner from President Brigham Young. President Young had
received his authority from Oliver Cowdery and Joseph Smith, Jr.
And who was Joseph Smith,
Jr.? He was none other than God's great prophet of the restoration.
At the head of every
gospel dispensation the Lord has placed one of his mighty sons--Adam, Noah,
Abraham, for example. Jesus Christ, himself, stood at the head of the
Dispensation of the Meridian of Time. Joseph Smith, Jr., than whom none of
these save Jesus only was greater, was appointed and ordained in the heavens to
head this last and greatest dispensation, the Dispensation of the Fulness of
Times, into which, as rivers into a mighty ocean, flow all former
dispensations. Joseph Smith was and is to modern
You will recall that John
the Beloved saw in vision an ". . . angel fly in the midst of heaven,
having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and
to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people." (Revelation 14:6.)
Joseph Smith was the person to whom that angel came.
Born of humble parents,
he lived less than thirty-nine years. In June 1844, he died a martyr, sealing
with his own blood his witness to the truth, even the gospel of Jesus Christ,
which through him God had restored to earth for the benefit of all men.
This gospel has often
been spoken of as a way of life. This however is not quite accurate. Consisting
as it does of the principles and ordinances necessary to man's exaltation it is
not just a way of life, it is the one and only way of life by which men may
accomplish the full purpose of their mortality.
The gospel begins with
God and man's relationship to him.
In the early 1800's, the
days of the Prophet's youth, no living man had a correct understanding of God.
Professed believers knew no more about him than did the Athenians who posted
inscriptions to the "Unknown God."
Stirred by a religious
revival, moved with a sincere desire to know which, if any, of the contending
sects was right and relying upon the promise of James that, "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), Joseph Smith in simple faith and earnest prayer sought wisdom from God.
The time was spring,
1820. Joseph was then in his fourteenth year.
The place was
The result: God the
Eternal Father and his Son Jesus Christ appeared to him. "I saw two
Personages," he said, "whose brightness and glory defy all
description." These two Personages spoke to him and called him by name. He
heard their voices and asked them questions. They gave him answer. (
When he came out of that
sacred interview he knew with certainty the nature of God. He had seen and
conversed with him. From him he had received a personal introduction to his
resurrected Son Jesus Christ.
In after years Joseph
referred to God as an "exalted man," and said that both he and the
Son were personages of flesh and bone, as tangible as man. (D & C 130:22.)
Through subsequent
revelations he learned that the relationship between God and men is that of
parent and children. "The inhabitants" of the "worlds" . .
. "are begotten sons and daughters unto God," said the Lord to him in
one of the revelations. (Ibid., 76:24.)
The Prophet further
learned through communication from heaven that as the begotten children of God
we are endowed with the potential to become like him, even as mortal children
may become like their mortal parents. He came to understand the high ideal
projected by the Savior, "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father
which is in heaven is perfect." (Matt. 5:48.)
Not only did Joseph Smith
receive through divine revelation knowledge concerning God, man's relationship
to him, the doctrine of eternal progression, and all the other glorious
principles and ordinances of the gospel of Jesus Christ upon obedience to which
man's exaltation is conditioned, he was also divinely commissioned to organize,
and again establish upon earth, the Church of Jesus Christ; the organization
through which these principles and ordinances can be authoritatively taught and
administered. To enable him to do so he was endowed with the Holy Priesthood
which is delegated authority to act in the name of God.
John the Baptist, who
held the keys of the Aaronic Priesthood in the days of Jesus, now a resurrected
person, came to earth and laid his hands upon the heads of Joseph Smith and
Oliver Cowdery and conferred upon them "the Priesthood of Aaron, which
holds the keys of the ministering of angels, and of the gospel of repentance,
and of baptism by immersion for the remission of sins." (D & C 13.)
Peter, James, and John,
who as the presidency of Christ's Church in the apostolic dispensation held the
keys of the Melchizedek Priesthood, came and conferred this priesthood and the
keys thereof upon Joseph and Oliver. Other holy beings delivered to them gospel
keys which they had received and held in former dispensations. For example, in
April of 1836, Moses committed unto. . . [them] the keys of the gathering of
Having thus received from
heavenly beings the foregoing and other endowments, Joseph Smith the prophet
and his associate Oliver Cowdery conferred them upon the members of the Quorum
of the Twelve Apostles as they were directed by the Lord to do. Brigham Young,
one of the original Twelve succeeded the Prophet Joseph as president of the
Church. President David O. McKay, as already pointed out, is today the rightful
successor to the Prophet Joseph Smith. He now holds all the priesthood, keys,
and powers received by the Prophet Joseph Smith.
Now, my beloved brothers
and sisters and friends, it is our solemn obligation and great joy to testify
to you that these things are so. They are not cunningly devised fables."
They are realities of the utmost significance. We know them to be true with the
same certainty that Peter knew Jesus was the Christ when, in answer to the
Master's question, "But whom say ye that I am?" he boldly declared,
"Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God." This he knew, said
Jesus, because his Father in heaven had revealed it unto him. The conviction
with which we speak was obtained in the same way. (Matt. 16:15-16.)
In like manner every
child of God if he will but do the work as Jesus said, may know of the divinity
of the mission of the Prophet Joseph Smith and that President David O. McKay is
now his legal successor; he may likewise know that the gospel as restored
through the Prophet Joseph is the gospel of Jesus Christ, that the Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the repository of that gospel, that the
Church possesses the priesthood of God and the gifts of the Holy Spirit of God
and that to the Church God has given the commission and the power to preach the
gospel and administer all the ordinances necessary to the salvation and
exaltation of us, his children.
The Lord is no respecter
of persons. He himself has said that, ". . . every soul who forsaketh his sins and cometh unto me, and calleth on my name, and obeyeth
my voice, and keepeth my commandments, shall see my
face and know that I am." (D & C 93:1.)
If enough people can be
brought to this knowledge they will exercise such power for righteousness that
the strifes and contentions of this world will melt
away as the hoarfrost before the burning rays of the rising sun. Upon the slim
prospect that such will be the case hangs the issue of the preservation or
termination of our present civilization.
To provide an escape from
our threatened destruction was one of the reasons specified by the Lord for
restoring the gospel. ". . . knowing the calamity which should come upon
the inhabitants of the earth," he said, "I the Lord, called upon my
servant Joseph Smith, Jun., and spake unto him from
heaven, and gave him commandments."(Ibid., 1:17.) Obedience to the
commandments here referred tithe principles and ordinances of the gospel
constitute the sure and only means of escaping the impending calamity. That the
peoples of the earth will avail themselves of this means of escape is by no
means certain. But whether they do or whether they do not they who know the
truth are not dismayed, for they know that the promised blessings do not depend
upon the conduct of others and that that peace promised by the Savior flows
into the heart of every soul who keeps his commandments regardless of what
others do. Even as Jesus "endured the cross" "for the joy that
was set before him," (Hebrews 12:2) so his true disciples are sustained in
their trials by an inner peace and the glorious hope and assurance of eternal
life. Such are the fruits of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Of these glorious gospel
truths
I bear humble and solemn
witness.
To each of you I extend
an urgent invitation to
"Come listen to a
prophet's voice,
And hear the word of God,
And in the way of truth
rejoice,
And sing for joy aloud.
We've found the way the
prophets went
Who lived in days of
yore;
Another prophet now is
sent
This knowledge to
restore."
-Joseph J. Daynes
God bless you, I pray, in
the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
LF 2:18-19 – The world has abandoned faith,
Adam and Eve kept the knowledge and intelligence they obtained in the
Garden. They knew God and Jesus.
18. Two important items are shown
from the former quotations: First, after man was created, he was not left
without intelligence or understanding to wander in darkness and spend an
existence in ignorance and doubt on the great and important point which
effected his happiness as to the real fact by whom he was created, or unto whom
he was amenable for his conduct. God conversed with him face to face: in his
presence he was permitted to stand, and from his own mouth he was permitted to
receive instruction. He heard his voice, walked before him, and gazed upon his
glory, while intelligence burst upon his understanding and enabled him to give
names to the vast assemblage of his Maker's works.
19. Secondly, we have seen that
though man did transgress, his transgression did not deprive him of the
previous knowledge with which he had been endowed relative to the existence and
glory of his Creator; for no sooner did he hear his voice than he sought to
hide himself from his presence.
LF 2:22-25 -
Angels help develop faith by teaching doctrine.
One of the major functions of the Gift of the Holy Ghost is to bear
witness of the Father and the Son.
22. After Adam had been driven out of
the garden, he "began to till the earth, and to have dominion over all the
beasts of the field, and to eat his bread by the sweat of his brow, as I, the
Lord had commanded him. . . . And Adam called upon the name of the Lord, and
Eve also, his wife; and they heard the voice of the Lord, from the way towards
the Garden of Eden, speaking unto them, and they saw him not; for they were
shut out from his presence. And he gave unto them commandments, that they
should worship the Lord their God; and should offer the firstlings of their
flocks for an offering unto the Lord. And Adam was obedient unto the
commandments of the Lord.
23. "And after many days, an
angel of the Lord appeared unto Adam, saying, Why dost thou offer sacrifices
unto the Lord. And Adam said unto him, I know not, save the Lord commanded me.
24. "And then the angel spake, saying, This thing is a similitude of the sacrifice
of the Only Begotten of the Father, which is full of grace and truth;
wherefore, thou shalt do all that thou doest, in the name of the Son. And thou
shalt repent, and call upon God, in the name of the Son for evermore. And in
that day, the Holy Ghost fell upon Adam, which beareth
record of the Father and the Son" (JST Gen 4:1, 4-9; see also Moses 5:1,
4-9).
25. This last quotation shows this
important fact: even though our first parents were driven out of the Garden of
Eden and were separated from the presence of God by a veil, they still retained
a knowledge of his existence, and that sufficiently to move them to call upon
him. And further, no sooner was the plan of redemption revealed to man and he
began to call upon God, than the Holy Spirit was given, bearing record of the
Father and Son.
LF 2:30-34
30.
The object of the foregoing
quotation is to show to this class that the way by which mankind were first
made acquainted with the existence of a God was by a manifestation of God to
man. Also after man's transgression God continued to manifest himself to him
and to his posterity. And notwithstanding they were separated from his
immediate presence so that they could not see his face, they continued to hear
his voice.
31. Adam, thus being made acquainted
with God, communicated the knowledge which he had unto his posterity. And it
was through this means that the thought was first suggested to their minds that
there was a God, which laid the foundation for the exercise of their faith,
through which they could obtain a knowledge of his character and also of his
glory.
32. Not only was there a
manifestation made unto Adam of the existence of a God, but Moses informs us,
as before quoted, that God also condescended to talk with Cain after his great
transgression in slaying his brother. And Cain knew that it was the Lord who
was talking with him, so when he was driven out from the presence of his
brethren, he carried with him the knowledge of the existence of a God. And
through this means, doubtless, his posterity became acquainted with the fact
that such a being existed.
33. From this we can see that the
whole human family in the early age of their existence and in all their
different branches had this knowledge disseminated among them; so that the
existence of God became an object of faith in the early age of the world. And
the evidence which these men had of the existence of a God was the testimony of
their fathers, in the first instance.
34. The reason we have been thus
particular on this part of our subject is that this class may see by what means
it was that God became an object of faith among men after the Fall, and also
may see what it was that stirred up the faith of multitudes to feel after him,
to search after a knowledge of his character, perfections, and attributes,
until they became extensively acquainted with him. Not only were they to
commune with him and behold his glory, but they were also to be partakers of
his power and stand in his presence.
(Larry E.
Dahl and Charles D. Tate, Jr., eds., The Lectures on Faith in Historical
Perspective [Provo: BYU Religious Studies Center, 1990], 45.)
Heavenly
Father is no respecter of persons; the visits have not stopped in our day. Adam is telling his posterity about God, like
verse 34, to feel after Him, Adam is trying to develop faith among his
children, we are no different today. We
are to develop faith (power) to see God.
D&C 107
– The gathering at Adam-ondi-Ahman, see President Benson’s talk on teaching our
children about the
D&C
88:119 – The temple helps develop faith, the temple walks us through the
process of meeting God, covenants are the key to the process.
1 Nephi
5:4-5, 2 Nephi 1:5 – Lehi knew he obtained a land of promise, because he kept
the covenant promising him that he would receive it!
Become more
righteous and build up the kingdom, keep your covenants, THEN the visit will come, in His own time and in His own way.
How great the power of God, the
majesty of God, the glory of God!
Again, as, Jehovah came to call Saul
of Tarsus to his mission, the vision was given to him only.
And the men which journeyed with him
stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man. (Acts 9:7.)
But Saul of Tarsus saw Jehovah, the
glorified Christ, and heard his voice and conversed with him. Even partially
protected as he was from the brilliance of light from heaven greater than the
noonday sun, Paul collapsed to the earth trembling, shocked. The voice said:
"I am Jesus whom thou persecutest. . . ."
(Acts 9:5.) So intense was the light that even with protection he was blinded.
He said: "And when I could not see for the glory of that light, being led
by the hand of them that were with me, I came into
The glory of the Lord! How great and
magnificent!
Paul told Timothy:
. . . Christ . . . is the blessed and
only Potentate, the King of kings, and the Lord of lords;
Who only hath immortality, dwelling
in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can
see. . . . (1 Timothy 6:14-16.)
Enoch also needed protection, for the
Lord speaking to Enoch said:
Anoint thine eyes with clay, and wash
them, and thou shalt see. . . .
And he beheld the spirits that God
had created; and he beheld also things which were not visible to the natural
eye. . . . (Moses 6:35-36.)
The godless dared not touch him
"for fear came on all of them that heard him; for he walked with
God."
Daniel was worried so much that he
mourned for three weeks and took no pleasant bread nor meat nor wine. Then came
his vision, which he alone saw:
. . . there remained no strength in
me . . . Yet heard I the voice of his words . . . then was I in a deep sleep on
my face, and my face toward the ground.
And, behold, an hand touched me,
which set me upon my knees and upon the palms of my hands.
And when he had spoken such words
unto me, I set my face toward the ground, and I became dumb. (Daniel 10:8-10,
15.)
There is another world with which we
mortals are little acquainted. It may not be far from us.
Peter, James, and John, the
Presidency of the Church, came to know the power of God.
These three central figures climbed
the high mountain with the Lord, Jehovah, while he was yet in the mortal world
before his crucifixion. In the high mountain was solitude, apartness, privacy.
What a glorious experience! The Son
of God, their Master, "was transfigured before them: and his face did
shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light." Heavenly
beings, Moses and Elias, appeared to them, and "a bright cloud
overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, this is my
beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him." (Matthew 17:2-3, 5.)
The glory of the contact was more than they could bear and they collapsed,
falling on their faces. While they were in this state, indescribable things
were said and done.
The three mortals thus protected
survived even this withering fiery experience.
Realizing that death by martyrdom was
imminent, that a verbal witness could be forgotten, and that his important
knowledge must be perpetuated down through the ages, Peter bore his solemn
witness in writing. No fable was this, no conjuring of the imagination, no
imagination of human minds—it was real and certain:
[We] . . . were eyewitnesses of his
majesty.
For he [Christ] received from God the
Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice
to him from the excellent glory, this is my beloved Son, in whom I am well
pleased.
And this voice which came from heaven
we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount. . . . (2 Peter 1:16-18.)
The pattern was established, the
chart made, the blueprint drawn. Under special need, at special times, under
proper circumstances, God reveals himself to men who are prepared for such
manifestations. And since God is the same yesterday, today, and forever, the
heavens cannot be closed except as men lock them against themselves with
disbelief.
In our own dispensation came another
similar grand experience. The need was imperative; an apostasy had covered the
earth and gross darkness the people, and the minds of men were clouded and light
had been obscured in darkness. The time had come. Religious liberty would
protect the seed until it could germinate and grow. And the individual was
prepared in the person of a youth, clean and open minded, who had such implicit
faith in the response of God that the heavens could not remain as iron and the
earth as brass as they had been for many centuries.
This budding prophet had no
preconceived false notions and beliefs. He was not steeped in the traditions
and legends and superstitions and fables of the centuries. He had nothing to
unlearn. He prayed for knowledge and direction. The powers of darkness preceded
the light. When he knelt in solitude in the silent forest, his earnest prayer
brought on a battle royal that threatened his destruction. For centuries,
Lucifer with unlimited dominion had fettered men's minds and could ill-afford
to lose his satanic hold. This threatened his unlimited dominion. Let Joseph
Smith tell his own story:
. . . I was seized upon by some power
which entirely overcame me to bind my tongue. Thick darkness gathered around
me, and it seemed to me for a time as if I were doomed to sudden destruction.
. . . at the very moment when I was
ready to . . . abandon myself to destruction—not to an imaginary ruin, but to
the power of some actual being from the unseen world I saw a pillar of light
exactly over my head above the brightness of the sun. . . .
. . . I found myself delivered from
the enemy which held me bound. When the light rested upon me I saw two
Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me
in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by
name and said, pointing to the other—This is my Beloved Son. Hear Him! (Joseph
Smith 2:15-17.)
Young Joseph finally recovered his
voice and asked the pertinent questions for which he had come and a
conversation ensued, most of which he was forbidden to write. He continues:
. . . When I came to myself again, I
found myself lying on my back, looking up into heaven. . . . (Joseph Smith
2:20.)
Joseph had had the same general
experience as Abraham and Moses and Enoch, who had seen the Lord and heard his
voice. In addition, he heard the Father, bearing witness of the Son, as had
Peter, James, and John on Transfiguration's mount. He had seen the person of Elohim.
He had fought a desperate battle with the powers of darkness as had Moses and
Abraham. And like them all, he was protected by the glory of the Lord. This
young man gave a new concept to the world. Now, at least one person living knew
God without question, for he had seen and heard.
And eternal life again was made
available to men in the earth, for as the scripture says:
And this is life eternal, that they
might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. (John
17:3.)
In light of the testimony of Joseph Smith, the ancient scriptures take
on new meaning, their literal verity confirmed by the experience of modern man
who, quickened and protected by the Spirit, actually saw the Father and the
Son. How great a blessing to see God and commune directly with him while yet in
mortality! Though few of us will have that blessing, we can, through
understanding the scriptures and by humble prayer, come in impressive measure
to know God. We have the promise that if we sufficiently purify our hearts we
shall surely see God and know him as he is!
(Spencer W.
Kimball, Faith Precedes the Miracle [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co.,
1972], 89.)
Bruce ended
class with the above reference from Pres. Kimball, he didn’t read it, just said
to look it up and read it.
A Discussion of Lecture 2
Chosen Vessels and the Order of the
Priesthood
Joseph Fielding McConkie
It is of God we speak and how one
comes to know him. The subject commands attention. There is no knowledge of
greater importance. Surely there is no salvation to be found in the worship of
false gods. Certainly no benefit can accrue from spurious or delusive doctrine.
Even that which is innocently ignorant is without the power to bless.
Sincerity, however pure it may be, cannot remit sins, raise the dead, or create
a celestial kingdom. Salvation is not the child of darkness, it is not the
child of stern and heartless justice, nor is it the child of indulgent and
intemperate mercy. Christ addressed the issue in his intercessory prayer: "And
this is life eternal," he said, "that they might know thee the
only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent" (John 17:3;
emphasis added). The bloodline must be pure— eternal life can only be the
offspring of eternal truth.
Anciently it was said that all roads
led to
My purpose here is to follow Joseph
Smith's lead. Having become a perfect witness of God the Father and his Son,
Jesus Christ, the Prophet proceeds to show us the way whereby we too can share
that same knowledge. How fitting it is that Joseph Smith himself is the
crowning example of the principle that he taught in the School of the Elders.
He is God's witness, and it is through his testimony that we are encouraged to
seek God's divine presence. Such is the system. We learn of God from those who
know him (LF 2:35). If there were none who knew of God, if we had no testimonies
of him, we would have little inclination to seek after him. It is because of
the testimony of one who knows him that we seek to know him. Initially, we are
all dependent on someone else's testimony. Thus, we grow spiritually as we do
physically; both body and spirit are born dependant, both require careful
nurturing, both are intended to grow to a state of maturity and independence,
and then both are expected to assume a parenting role to others that the
process may begin anew. All who obtain a knowledge of saving truths, a
knowledge of God and his plan for the salvation of his children, have that
knowledge because of the goodness and grace of others and therefore assume the
obligation to extend that blessing to as many as they properly can.
Adam: Earth's First Apostle
It was not intended that man dwell in
darkness. Long before the first of our race was placed upon the earth the Lord
had given the command: "Let there be light" (Gen 1:3). Nor was it
intended that Adam wander in doubt or uncertainty relative to the nature and
purpose of his creation or to whom he was answerable for his conduct. "God
conversed with him face to face: in his presence he was permitted to stand, and
from his own mouth he was permitted to receive instruction. He heard his voice,
walked before him, and gazed upon his glory, while intelligence burst upon his
understanding and enabled him to give names to the vast assemblage of his
Maker's works" (LF 2:18).
Obviously Adam's transgression did
not deprive him of the knowledge with which he had previously been endowed (LF
2:19). Upon hearing God's voice, Adam, knowing his shame, sought to hide
himself. Nor did the expulsion of Adam and Eve from the Garden of the Divine
Presence bring an end to communion with their Father (LF 2:20). Their
circumstance in the lone and dreary world immediately evoked the desire for
divine assistance. Nor did their prayers go unheeded, for we read,
and they heard the voice of the Lord
from the way toward the Garden of Eden, speaking unto them, and they saw him
not; for they were shut out from his presence. And he gave unto them
commandments, that they should worship the Lord their God, and should offer the
firstlings of their flocks, for an offering unto the Lord. And Adam was
obedient unto the commandments of the Lord. And after many days, an angel of
the Lord appeared unto Adam, saying, Why dost thou offer sacrifices unto the
Lord? And Adam said unto him: I know not, save the Lord commanded me. And then
the angel spake, saying, This thing is a similitude
of the sacrifice of the Only Begotten of the Father, which is full of grace and
truth. Wherefore, thou shalt do all that thou doest in the name of the Son, and
thou shalt repent, and call upon God, in the name of the Son forevermore. And
in that day, the Holy Ghost fell upon Adam, which beareth
record of the Father and the Son (Moses 5:4-9).
The quotation clearly establishes two
points: first, the Fall did not cause Adam and Eve to lose their knowledge of
God; and second, "no sooner was the plan of redemption revealed to man and
he began to call upon God, than the Holy Spirit was given, bearing record of
the Father and Son" (LF 2:25). How then did the family of Adam obtain a
knowledge of God? Adam and Eve communicated that knowledge to them (LF 2:31).
How did Adam and Eve obtain that knowledge? God manifested himself to them in
the Garden and he continued to speak to them after their transgression and
expulsion from
Adam and Eve establish the pattern to
be followed in all subsequent dispensations and in all generations. This
pattern is that the posterity of Adam in all ages first learn of God or have
the seeds of faith planted in their hearts by special witnesses chosen of God
for that purpose. It is for one man to plant the seed in the heart of another.
Most properly it is for parents to plant the seed in the hearts of their
children, for previous to the time that any of "Adam's posterity had
obtained a manifestation of God to themselves, Adam, their common father, had
testified unto them of the existence of God and of his eternal power and
Godhead" (LF 2:35).
Thus the whole human family partakes
of the fruit of the tree of faith because father Adam planted the tree. Each
dispensation in its turn has had its special witness or witnesses—its "
Though one may plant the seed in the
heart of another, each must nourish the seed for himself. The Prophet said
that after any members of the human
family are made acquainted with the important fact that there is a God who has
created and does uphold all things, the extent of their knowledge respecting
his character and glory will depend upon their diligence and faithfulness in
seeking after him, until, like Enoch, the brother of Jared. and Moses, they
shall obtain faith in God and power with him to behold him face to face (LF
2:55).
Chosen Vessels
"Thus the Gospel began to be
preached, from the beginning, being declared by holy angels sent forth from the
presence of God, and by his own voice, and by the gift of the Holy Ghost"
(Moses 5:58; see LF 2:24, 30). Adam and his posterity had no reason to be in
doubt as to the nature of that being in whom they were to exercise faith or as
to what God expected of them. It is recorded that "all things were
confirmed unto Adam, by an holy ordinance, and the Gospel preached, and a
decree sent forth, that it should be in the world, until the end thereof"
(Moses 5:58-59; LF 2:33-36). Further, we are told that the "same
Priesthood, which was in the beginning, shall be in the end of the world
also" (Moses 6:7). Adam, then, is the pattern; his dispensation the
example; and the order or system of heaven is everlastingly the same.
Mormon testified,
Wherefore, by the ministering of
angels, and by every word which proceeded forth out of the mouth of God, men
began to exercise faith in Christ; and thus by faith, they did lay hold upon
every good thing; and thus it was until the coming of Christ. And after that he
came men also were saved by faith in his name; and by faith, they became the
sons of God (
As to the matter of who it is the
angels appear to, Mormon explained that they manifest themselves to
"chosen vessels," teaching them the "word of Christ," so
that those chosen ones can in turn bear testimony to all others.
And the office of their ministry is
to call men to repentance...by declaring the word of Christ unto the chosen
vessels of the Lord, that they may bear testimony of him. And by so doing, the
Lord God prepareth the way that the residue of men
may have faith in Christ, that the Holy Ghost may have place in their hearts,
according to the power thereof; and after this manner bringeth
to pass the Father, the covenants which he hath made unto the children of men
(Moroni 7:31-32).
Lecture 2 shows how Adam taught his
descendants and they taught theirs, all the way to Abraham (LF 2:37-53). Let us
look at our dispensation to find a similar example. With the appearance of that
God known to Adam in Eden and his Only Begotten Son, our Lord and Savior Jesus
Christ, to the youthful Joseph Smith, a dispensation was born. Though only a
boy fourteen years of age, Joseph Smith then knew more about God and the truths
of salvation than any other man on earth. He was earth's most competent witness
on the nature and purposes of God. No other man could bear the testimony he
bore, for he alone had stood in the divine presence. He was the vessel chosen
in heaven from which the truths of salvation were again to be poured out to the
generality of mankind.
When we speak of dispensations, as
Elder Bruce R. McConkie explained, we speak
of those designated portions of the
earth's history when the Lord, through one man, gives his word to the whole
world and makes all the prophets, and all the seers, and all the
administrators, and all the apostles of that period subject to, and exponents
of, what came through that individual....Every prophet is a witness of Christ;
every dispensation head is a revealer of Christ for his day; and every other
prophet or apostle who comes is a reflection and an echo and an exponent of the
dispensation head. All such come to echo to the world and to expound and unfold
what God has revealed through the man who was appointed for that era to give
his eternal word to the world. Such is the dispensation concept ("This
Generation" 4-5).
Thus when we find the Lord saying to
Joseph Smith, "this generation shall have my word through you"
(D&C 5:10), he means our dispensation, fn the period from the First Vision
to the Second Coming. "Shall" means "must"; it is
mandatory, it is the bold assertion that there are no options. You accept
Joseph Smith's testimony or you are damned. "My word" means the
"gospel of salvation; the word is the plan of salvation; the word is the
mind and will and purposes of the Lord as pertaining to his children on earth;
the word is all the truths and rights and powers and doctrines and principles
that are needed by men so they can take the souls they possess and transform
them into the kind of souls that can go where God and Christ are"
(McConkie, "This Generation" 3).
Revelation is in no way limited only
to the Prophet Joseph Smith, who was called to stand as the dispensation head.
Our faith embraces "all that God has revealed, all that He does now
reveal" and the promise that "He will yet reveal many great and
important things pertaining to the
In our day the faithful Latter-day
Saint stands in fast and testimony meeting and testifies that God lives, that
Jesus is the Christ, that Joseph Smith is the great prophet of the Restoration,
that whoever is presiding over the Church at the time is his lawful successor,
and that this is the only true and living Church on the face of the whole earth.
Had we attended a testimony meeting in the days of Adam, Enoch, Noah, or any of
the other gospel dispensations, the nature of the testimonies would have been
essentially the same. In Adam's day, for example, we might have listened to a
testimony to this effect: "I know that God lives, that he will yet have a
Son in the flesh who will work out an atoning sacrifice and thereby redeem us
from the effects of the Fall. I know that Adam is the chosen vessel of the
Lord, the one called and ordained to stand at the head of the Church in this
dispensation and reveal to us the laws and ordinances necessary for our
salvation."
The Order of the Priesthood
Although the words
"Priesthood" and "order" are not used in Lecture 2, it is
clear that the transmittal of the gospel message from Adam to later generations
was patterned and orderly (LF 2:43-44, 52-53). The gospel, that is the revealed
knowledge of God and his plan for the salvation of his children, by its very
nature bespeaks system and order. There is no disorder in the kingdom of
heaven. God does not get confused, he does not forget, he is not the author of
contention, his ways are not capricious, he does not act with irregularity, his
kingdom is not one of disunity, disarray, or dishevelment. He is a God of order.
Indeed, we have been told that "he hath given a law unto all things, by
which they move in their times and their seasons; and their courses are fixed,
even the courses of the heavens and the earth, which comprehend the earth and
all the planets" (D&C 88:42-43). He has done all this that man might
be taught the gospel. Are we then to suppose that God forgot to ordain a system
whereby this would be done—a system that would allow all men in all ages equal
opportunity to hear the message of salvation and lay claim to the blessings of
heaven?
Surely the system whereby the message
of salvation is to be declared must be worthy of the principles it espouses. It
must be a system of order, consistency, and unity. It must be a system of God's
ordination, not man's. Pure water cannot be housed in impure vessels. What then
is the system that God has ordained by which his gospel is to be taught? The
scriptures, as we shall see, respond with plainness.
In response to the question of how
the gospel is to be taught, let me cite two classic scriptural texts—one from
the Book of Mormon, the other from the Doctrine and Covenants.
Note particularly the language
ordained an high priest after the order
of the covenant which God made with Enoch, it being after the order of the
Son of God; which order came, not by man, nor the will of man;
neither by father nor mother; neither by beginning of days nor end of years;
but of God; and it was delivered unto men by the calling of his own voice,
according to his own will, unto as many as believed on his name (14:27-29;
emphasis added).
In Section 107:3-4, we learn that
anciently the priesthood
was called the Holy Priesthood,
after the Order of the Son of God. But out of respect or reverence to the
name of the Supreme Being, to avoid the too frequent repetition of his name,
they, the church... called that priesthood after Melchizedek" (emphasis in
original).
Mechizedek's name was used because he "was
such a great high priest" (v 2).
Now the thrust of all this is that
the doctrine of "order" is inseparable from the functioning of the
priesthood and that priesthood is inseparable from the declaration of the
gospel. This is why we have Joseph Smith saying, "Where there is a
prophet, a priest, or a righteous man unto whom God gives His oracles, there is
the
Returning to our text in
Do ye not suppose that I know of
these things myself? Behold, I testify unto you that I do know that these
things whereof I have spoken are true. And how do ye suppose that I know of
their surety? Behold, I say unto you they are made known unto me by the Holy
Spirit of God. Behold, I have fasted and prayed many days that I might know
these things of myself. And now I do know of myself that they are true; for the
Lord God hath made them manifest unto me by his Holy Spirit; and this is the
spirit of revelation which is in me. And moreover, I say unto you that it has
thus been revealed unto me, that the words which have been spoken by our
fathers are true, even so according to the spirit of prophecy which is in me,
which is also by the manifestation of the Spirit of God. I say unto you, that I
know of myself that whatsoever I shall say unto you, concerning that which is
to come, is true (Alma 5:45-48).
And now I say unto you that this is
the order after which I am called, yea, to preach unto my beloved brethren,
yea, and every one that dwelleth in the land; yea, to
preach unto all, both old and young, both bond and free; yea, I say unto you
the aged, and also the middle aged, and the rising generation; yea, to cry unto
them that they must repent and be born again (Alma 5:49).
In summary,
began to declare the word of
God...according to the revelation of the truth of the word which had been
spoken by his fathers, and according to the spirit of prophecy which was in
him, according to the testimony of Jesus Christ, the Son of God...and the holy
order by which he was called" (Alma 6:8; see also 8:4, 24).
Our second example is a revelation
directed to a young elder by the name of Orson Hyde. It is important to note
that this revelation was given some three and half years before Elder Hyde was
called to the Apostleship. It announced that he was "called by his
ordination [to the priesthood] to proclaim the everlasting gospel, by the
Spirit of the living God." It further stated that he was to reason with
those to whom he preached, "expounding all scriptures unto them"
(D&C 68:1). Elder Hyde was then told to be an "ensample" (v 2),
meaning he was to be the pattern or model for all others who held the same
priesthood.
And this is the ensample unto them,
that they shall speak as they are moved upon by the Holy Ghost. And whatsoever
they shall speak when moved upon by the Holy Ghost shall be scripture, shall be
the will of the Lord, shall be the mind of the Lord, shall be the word of the
Lord, shall be the voice of the Lord, and the power of God unto salvation.
Behold, this is the promise of the Lord unto you, O ye my servants (D&C
68:3-5).
The revelation then directs "all
the faithful elders of [the] church" to be of good cheer, to preach
without fear, and to testify of the Christ, and it states that the promises
given therein are directed to them (vv 6-7).
This is what
A modern Apostle articulated this
principle in this very instructive language:
Those who preach by the power of the
Holy Ghost use the scriptures as their basic source of knowledge and doctrine.
They begin with what the Lord has before revealed to other inspired men. But it
is the practice of the Lord to give added knowledge to those upon whose hearts
the true meaning and intents of the scriptures have been impressed. Many great
doctrinal revelations come to those who preach from the scriptures. When they
are in tune with the Infinite, the Lord lets them know, first, the full and
complete meaning of the scriptures they are expounding, and then he ofttimes expands their views so that new truths flood in
upon them, and they learn added things that those who do not follow such a
course can never know (McConkie, The Promised Messiah 515-16).
We must keep all the commandments of
God. "But," as Joseph Smith observed, "we cannot keep all the
commandments without first knowing them, and we cannot expect to know all, or
more than we now know unless we comply with or keep those we have already
received" (TPJS 256). If we are to receive more and thus know more,
we must master and live by what we have been given. We reduce the realm of the
unknown, not by wandering in it, but rather by feasting on and expanding our
knowledge of that which God has already revealed. Hence, we have the
commandment to teach from the scriptures with the attendant promise that by so
doing we will be granted understanding that goes beyond the written word. This
is the reason the canon of scripture can never be complete. To argue for a
closed canon is to defeat the very purpose of scripture, it is to contend with
the Spirit of truth, and offend the Holy Ghost.
The Book of Mormon has been
criticized because its prophets quote so frequently from Bible texts. Well of
course they do. It is the holy order of God. It is the manner after which their
prophets were commanded to preach. Only if they didn't do so could it be argued
that the Book of Mormon was not authentic scripture. Those prophets whose
teachings are recorded for us in the scriptures are our patterns; chief among
them is Christ himself. He commenced his mortal ministry with a quotation from
Isaiah (Luke 4:16-21), constantly quoted the scriptures in his teaching
(Matthew 19:4; Mark 12:10), challenged his detractors to search the scriptures
(John 5:39), and even in his appearances as a resurrected being continued to
expound "in all the scriptures the things concerning himself" (Luke
24:27, 44-45).
While he was among the Nephites, the
glorified Christ not only quoted Old World scriptures, including the words of
Moses, Isaiah, Habakkuk, Micah, and Malachi, but he "expounded all the
scriptures unto them which they had received" (3 Nephi 23:6). That is, he
expounded their own Nephite scripture, then "expounded all the scriptures
[both the New World and the
A Word of Caution
As we emphasize the fact that the
gospel is to be taught by chosen vessels, there is a tendancy
to say that only one chosen vessel, the president of the Church, can interpret
and expound scripture. Some contend that no one but the head of the Church
should declare or write doctrine. Let us briefly consider the implications of
such a notion. If, for instance, we are to state that no one but the president
of the Church can write scripture or can speak to the whole Church, what are we
to do with the New Testament? Of its twenty-seven books, it can be argued that
only those written by Peter and John were written by "the prophet";
and it is highly doubtful that the writings of John and Peter were all done
while they presided over the Church. Be that as it may, certainly Matthew,
Mark, and Luke never presided over the Church; yet, we have accepted their
writings as scripture. Paul, of course, is the major contributor to the New
Testament, generally credited with fourteen of its books. No one argues that
Paul presided over the Church. The discussion as far as Paul is concerned is
whether or not he was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve. It seems evident
that he was, but there is no clear proof even of this. As to James and Jude,
according to the standard suggested, they obviously had no business writing
"general" epistles either. And be there no mistake about the fact
that they intended their writings to go to all the world. James addressed his
epistle "to the twelve tribes...scattered abroad" (1:1); Jude
addressed himself to all who have been "called," and
"sanctified" (1:1).
This is not to suggest that there was
no discipline in the meridian Church relative to who could write and preach.
Certainly there was. The house of God in every dispensation must be a house of
order. The writings of both Paul and John indicate that all within the faith,
both men and women, were entitled to the spirit of prophecy and
revelation—indeed, they were expected to be prophets or prophetesses (See 1 Cor 14:29-32; Rev 19:10). The commonality of prophets among
the congregations of the meridian Saints is seen in the frequent warnings
against false prophets that would arise among their number (see Matt 7:15;
24:11; 2 Peter 2:1; 1 John 4:1). Though it was believed to be within the
providence of all to prophesy, some were specifically identified as holding the
office of a prophet in the ecclesiastical hierarchy of the Church (see 1 Cor 12:28-29; Eph 2:19-20; 4:11).
Paul's doctrine was that when Saints
met together they were all to share the fruits of their spiritual gifts. One
could come having written an inspired hymn, another with doctrinal
understanding, another speaking in tongues, another to interpret, and still
another with the spirit of revelation. "All things to be done unto
edifying" (1 Cor 14:26). "For ye may all
prophesy one by one," Paul declared, "that all may learn, and all may
be comforted" (v 31) that "all may be edified of all" (D&C
84:110), or as another modern revelation states, "that every man may have
an equal privilege" (D&C 88:122). "And the spirits of the
prophets are subject to the prophets," Paul said (1 Cor
14:32). That is, the doctrine espoused by any who truly have the spirit of
prophecy will be in harmony with that doctrine revealed through those whose
office it is to officially establish the doctrines of the kingdom. By way of
illustration, Paul's epistle is regarded as scripture. His office and calling
as an Apostle granted him the right to speak as one having authority, as a
chosen vessel, to the Corinthian Saints. In turn all the members of the church
in
As to our own day, there are many
revelations relative to proclaiming the gospel and teaching one another the
doctrines of the kingdom. The revealed word tells us that the gospel and the
priesthood were restored so "every man might speak in the name of God the
Lord, even the Savior of the world" (D&C 1:20). As already quoted,
whatever is spoken by any elder when moved upon by the Holy Ghost is scripture
and is the mind and will and voice of the Lord. Joseph Smith said that God
would not reveal anything to him that he would not reveal to the Twelve, and to
the least and last Saint as soon as he was able to bear it (TPJS 149).
He further declared that even those holding office in the Aaronic Priesthood
were "to preach, teach, expound, exhort," with the scriptures by the
spirit of revelation (D&C 20:46; 42:14).
To join the Church is, in a sense, to
join a School of the Elders. To receive the priesthood is to accept the
responsibility to teach and testify of those truths revealed to that vessel
chosen as the instrument of restoration in the particular dispensation in which
one lives. To those of our dispensation the Lord has said: "You shall
declare the things which have been revealed to my servant, Joseph Smith,
Jun." (D&C 31:4). Thus it is for us to teach the message of the
restoration and to do it from those scriptures the Lord has given us for that
purpose. We are without the right or the authority to preach any other gospel
than that restored to us. Our commission is to "declare the word with
truth and soberness," that is to faithfully declare the gospel as it has
been revealed, without distortion of any sort to please either the speaker or
the listener (see
Now just what does it mean to declare
doctrine? Are we speaking of adding to, augmenting, and changing doctrinal
concepts? Or, do we mean preaching and interpreting the doctrines now found in
the standard works? Is the President of the Church the only General Authority
who can declare doctrine in the sense that he alone writes doctrinal books; or
is his position unique in that he alone can announce new doctrine and stand as
the final arbiter upon differing doctrinal views? Certainly there is a
difference between writing by wisdom and writing by commandment, as illustrated
by the divine command to Oliver Cowdery: "If thou art led at any time by
the Comforter to speak or teach, or at all times by the way of commandment unto
the church, thou mayest do it. But thou shalt not
write by way of commandment, but by wisdom" (D&C 28:4-5).
Surely it is not intended that only
ordained prophets write all the inspired books, poetry, plays, or music in the
Church. Neither is it intended that they give all the patriarchal blessings,
deliver all the inspired addresses, teach all of the classes, or lead all of
the choirs. Indeed, it may never be their lot to paint the great paintings,
sculpt with inspiration, or design chapels and temples. The kingdom of God is
to be built as the tabernacle in the wilderness or the temple in Jerusalem
were, that is, by the revelation of God as it manifests itself through a
prophet, and also a nation of artists and craftsmen. All who labor to build the
house of the Lord, be it temporal or spiritual, be it ancient or modern, are to
do so with the spirit of revelation. And it goes without saying, that as the
greatest of temples awaits building, so the best of books, music, art, and all
things that testify of our God still await the day of their earthly creation.
Conclusion
How then have men learned of God and
what they must do to please him? From the days of Adam to our own, the only
answer that can satisfy is revelation (LF 2:13). Unless God chooses to reveal
himself as he did to Adam and has to his other chosen vessels through the
centuries, men are forever without a sure and certain knowledge of him. They
would therefore be unable to exercise faith in him for they can hardly exercise
faith in uncertainty. Thus God has chosen to manifest himself and his plan for
the salvation of his children to certain chosen vessels who stand as witnesses
of him in all the world.
All but Adam first learned of God by
human testimony (LF 2:30-31). Thereafter it is the right of every living soul
through faith and obedience to obtain a personal manifestation of the verity of
that testimony communicated to them. Thus they stand independent and become the
source of first testimony to others (LF 2:34).
For our day, Joseph Smith was the
chosen vessel through whom the dispensation was established and the pure
knowledge of God was again restored to the earth. Those who listen in faith to
his testimony come to know by the manifestation of the spirit of prophecy and
revelation that he is a competent and reliable witness and that the authority
of heaven rests with him. Having obtained such a testimony, members then become
witnesses themselves and aid in taking the message of the restored gospel to
the ends of the earth. The spirit of this divinely ordained system—outlined in
Lecture 2 and known to us in the scriptures as the order of the priesthood—is
beautifully captured in Parley P. Pratt's poetic tribute to the Prophet Joseph
Smith:
He has organized the
We will extend its dominion.
He has restored the fulness of the
Gospel.
We will spread it abroad.
He has laid the foundation of Nauvoo.
We will build it up.
He has laid the foundation of the
We will bring up the topstone with shouting.
He has kindled a fire.
We will fan the flame.
He has kindled up the dawn of a day
of glory.
bring it to its meridian splendor.
He was a "little one," and
became a thousand.
We are a small one, and will become a
strong nation.
He quarried the stone from the
mountain.
We will cause it to become a great
mountain and fill the whole earth (151-52).
NOTES
Joseph F. McConkie is professor of
Ancient Scripture at
BIBLIOGRAPHY
McConkie, Bruce R. The Promised
Messiah.
———-. "This Generation Shall
Have My Word Through You." Hearken, O Ye People.
Pratt, Parley P. "Proclamation."
Millennial Star (Mar 1845) 5:149-53.
Teachings of the Prophet Joseph
Smith. Comp. Joseph
Fielding Smith.
Footnotes
1. The word "generation" is
used with a wide range of meanings in the scriptures. For instance, it is used
to describe an indeterminate period or age, as in the declaration that the
priesthood is found in the Church "in all generations" (D&C
84:17), or in the Savior's statement that it is a "wicked and adulterous
generation [that] seeketh after a sign" (Matthew
16:4). Similarly, it is used as a synonym for a dispensation, as in the
statement that the Book of Mormon is given to prove that God will call prophets
in this "age and generation, as well as in generations of old" (D&C
20:11). By contrast it is also used to describe more limited periods, for
instance, the time necessary for children to grow to maturity and have
offspring of their own (see (D&C 98:28).
The question in the present text is
how it can confidently be asserted that "generation" is being used as
a synonym for "dispensation," when it is used with a different
meaning in the previous verse. Such an interpretation conforms to a significant
number of other texts. For instance, a revelation given on the day the Church
was organized directed its members to "give heed" to all of Joseph
Smith's words with the promise that the gates of hell will have no power over
those who do so and cause the heavens to shake for their good (D&C 21:6-7).
Indeed, we are told that we are to declare the things revealed to Joseph Smith
for they are "glad tidings of great joy unto this generation"
(D&C 31:3), obviously meaning dispensation.
(Larry E.
Dahl and Charles D. Tate, Jr., eds., The Lectures on Faith in Historical
Perspective [Provo: BYU Religious Studies Center, 1990], 179.)
Lectures on Faith # 3
October 1, 2003
LF 3:23 –
God is no respecter of persons; the plan of salvation is available for
all. God places no bounds on who can
hear the gospel. Man puts limits on whom
or where the gospel can be heard.
The debate
in western
Election
of Grace
Joseph
Fielding Smith
SOME SPIRITS
GREATER THAN OTHERS. The spirits of men had their free agency, some were
greater than others, and from among them the Father called and foreordained his
prophets and rulers. Jeremiah and Abraham were two of them. . . . The spirits
of men were not equal. They may have had an equal start, and we know they were
all innocent in the beginning; but the right of free agency which was given to
them enabled some to outstrip others, and thus, through the eons of immortal
existence, to become more intelligent, more faithful, for they were free to act
for themselves, to think for themselves, to receive the truth or rebel against
it.
CHILDREN OF
"Remember
the days of old, consider the years of many generations: . . . When the Most
High divided to the nations their inheritance, when he separated the sons of
Adam, he set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children
of
A similar
passage to this occurs in Acts where Paul declares to the Athenians that the
Lord "hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the
face of the earth, and hath determined the times, before appointed, and the
bounds of their habitation."
These
passages clearly indicate that the numbers of the children of
Harold B. Lee
Now then, to
make a summary of what I have just read, may I ask each of you again the
question, "Who are you?" You are all the sons and daughters of God.
Your spirits were created and lived as organized intelligences before the world
was. You have been blessed to have a physical body because of your obedience to
certain commandments in that premortal state. You are now born into a family to
which you have come, into the nations through which you have come, as a reward
for the kind of lives you lived before you came here and at a time in the
world's history, as the Apostle Paul taught the men of Athens and as the Lord
revealed to Moses, determined by the faithfulness of each of those who lived
before this world was created.
Hear now the
significant words of that powerful sermon to "The Unknown God"
preached by the apostle Paul, to those who were ignorantly worshipping images
of stone and brass and wood, and I quote:
"God that
made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and
earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;
"And hath
made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth
[now mark you this], and hath determined the times before appointed, and the
bounds of their habitation;
"That they
should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though
he be not far from every one of us." (Acts 17:24, 26-27.)
Here then again
we have the Lord making a further enlightening declaration to Moses as recorded
in the Book of Deuteronomy:
"When the
most High divided to the nations their inheritance, when he separated the sons
of Adam, he set the bounds of the people according to the number of the
children of
Now, mind you,
this was said to the children of Israel before they had arrived in the
"Promised Land," which was to be the land of their inheritance.
Then note this
next verse: "For the Lord's portion is his people; Jacob is the lot of his
inheritance." (Deut. 32:9)
It would seem
very clear, then, that those born to the lineage of Jacob, who was later to be
called Israel, and his posterity, who were known as the children of Israel,
were born into the most illustrious lineage of any of those who came upon the
earth as mortal beings.
All
these rewards were seemingly promised, or foreordained, before the world was.
Surely these matters must have been determined by the kind of lives we had
lived in that premortal spirit world. Some may question these assumptions, but
at the same time they will accept without any question the belief that each one
of us will be judged when we leave this earth according to his or her deeds
during our lives here in mortality. Isn't it just as reasonable to believe that
what we have received here in this earth [life] was given to each of us
according to the merits of our conduct before we came here? (From Conference
Report, Oct. 1973, pp. 6-8; or Ensign, January 1974, pp. 4-5)
Melvin J. Ballard
There was a group of tested,
tried and proven souls before they were born into the world and the Lord
provided a lineage for them. That lineage is the House of Israel, the lineage
of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and their posterity. Through this lineage were to
come the true and tried souls that had demonstrated their righteousness in the
spirit world before they came here. We came through that lineage. Our
particular branch is the House of Joseph through his son Ephraim. That is the
group from whence shall come the majority of the candidates for celestial
glory. (Three Degrees of Glory, p. 20)
Election of Grace
D&C 84:99
The
Lord hath brought again
The Lord hath redeemed his people,
According to
the election of grace,
Which was
brought to pass by the faith
And covenant
of their fathers.
"Election"
in LDS Bible Dictionary
A
theological term primarily denoting God’s choice of the house of Israel to be
the covenant people with privileges and responsibilities, that they might
become a means of blessing to the whole world (Rom. 9: 11; Rom. 11: 5, 7, 28).
Election is an opportunity for service and is both on a national and an
individual basis. On a national basis the seed of Abraham carry the gospel to
the world. But it is by individual faithfulness that it is done.
The elect are chosen even “before the foundation of the world,” yet no one is
unconditionally elected to eternal life. Each must, for himself, hearken to the
gospel and receive its ordinances and covenants from the hands of the servants
of the Lord in order to obtain salvation. If one is elected but does not serve,
his election could be said to have been in vain, as Paul expressed in 2 Cor. 6:
1.
We see that elections are not all of the same kind. Since election has to do
with God’s choice of persons or groups to accomplish his purposes, some may be
elected by him to one thing and some to another. Although the Lord uses certain
individuals to accomplish his purposes, it does not necessarily follow that
these persons will automatically receive a fulness of salvation thereby. For
instance, Nebuchadnezzar and Cyrus fulfilled certain purposes in the economy of
God, but they apparently did it for their own reasons and not as conscious acts
of faith and righteousness. On the other hand, salvation of one’s soul comes
only by personal integrity and willing obedience to the laws and ordinances of
the gospel of Jesus Christ. Thus there are some elections to be desired over
others. An “election
of grace”
spoken of in D&C 84: 98-102 and Rom. 11: 1-5 has reference to one’s
situation in mortality; that is, being born at a time, at a place, and in
circumstances where one will come in favorable contact with the gospel. This
election took place in the premortal existence. Those who are faithful and
diligent in the gospel in mortality receive an even more desirable election in
this life, and become the elect of God. These receive the promise of a fulness
of God’s glory in eternity (D&C 84: 33-41).
The concept held by many that God unconditionally elected some to be saved and
some to be damned without any effort, action, or choice on their part is not
correct, for the scriptures teach that it is only by faith and obedience that
one’s calling and election is made sure (2 Pet. 1; D&C 131: 5).
Bruce R.
McConkie
George Q. Cannon
Hence, as it is a great advantage to be born in
the covenant, it is but reasonable to suppose that noble spirits will seek the
opportunity to come into families where they will have all the blessings and
promises which pertain to the covenant. The Latter-day Saints will undoubtedly
become a great people, for God has made promises to them, and this will be one
of the means by which their greatness will be developed. (Gospel Truth,
2:87)
LF 3:1 –
Certain knowledge must exist in order to exercise faith. The knowledge of God’s existence was taught
in the Garden, and kept by Adam and Eve after they were removed from the
Garden.
3 Precepts must exist
to gain Salvation
1. IDEA – THOUGHT
An example
of this would be the retrieving of the Brass Plates from Laban. Lehi had actual knowledge they existed, but
the boys only had an idea of their existence.
Finally, after 2 failed attempts, Nephi listened to the Spirit and
received revelation on what to do. Revelation
gives us specific answers to our lives.
(1 Nephi 4:6.)
6
And I was led by the Spirit, not knowing beforehand the things which I should
do.
We must have
revelation to know that the course I am taking is in accordance to the will of
God.
The reason we live far beneath our
spiritual privileges is because we live by ideas and not by actual knowledge
(revelation from Heavenly Father).
Many of us are not guilty of
violations of the law of chastity or the Word of Wisdom or the law and order of
the Church in general. But too often, perhaps, we are guilty of preoccupation
or distraction; the blessings of the Spirit of the Lord, the consummate
blessings of spiritual rebirth, are not enjoyed by us as they could be, simply
because we do not seek earnestly for them.
President Brigham Young taught: "There is no doubt, if a person lives
according to the revelations given to God's people, he may have the Spirit of the
Lord to signify to him His will, and to guide and to direct him in the
discharge of his duties, in his temporal as well as his spiritual exercises. I
am satisfied, however, that in this respect, we live far beneath our
privileges" (in Journal of Discourses, 12:104).
President George Q. Cannon likewise
offered this counsel and plea: "We
find, even among those who have embraced the Gospel, hearts of unbelief. How
many of you, my brethren and sisters, are seeking for these gifts that God has
promised to bestow? How many of you, when you bow before your Heavenly Father
in your family circle or in your secret places, contend for these gifts to be
bestowed upon you? How many of you ask the Father, in the name of Jesus, to
manifest Himself to you through these powers and these gifts? Or do you go
along day by day like a door turning on its hinges, without having any feeling
on the subject, without exercising any faith whatever; content to be baptized
and be members of the Church, and to rest there, thinking that your salvation
is secure because you have done this? I say to you, in the name of the Lord, as
one of His servants, that you have need to repent of this. You have need to
repent of your hardness of heart, of your indifference, and of your
carelessness. There is not that diligence, there is not that faith, there is
not that seeking for the power of God that there should be among a people who
have received the precious promises we have. . . . I say to you that it is our
duty to avail ourselves of the privileges which God has placed within our
reach. . . .
"I feel to bear testimony to you, my brethren and sisters . . .
that God is the same to day as He was yesterday; that God is willing to bestow
these gifts upon His children. . . . If any of us are imperfect, it is our duty
to pray for the gift that will make us perfect. Have I imperfections? I am full
of them. What is my duty? To pray to God to give me the gifts that will correct
these imperfections. If I am an angry man, it is my duty to pray for charity, which
suffereth long and is kind. Am I an envious man? It
is my duty to seek for charity, which envieth not. So
with all the gifts of the Gospel. They are intended for this purpose. No man
ought to say, 'Oh, I cannot help this; it is my nature.' He is not justified in
it, for the reason that God has promised to give strength to correct these
things, and to give gifts that will eradicate them. If a man lacks wisdom, it
is his duty to ask God for wisdom. The same with everything else. That is the
design of God concerning His Church. He wants His Saints to be perfected in the
truth. For this purpose He gives these gifts, and bestows them upon those who
seek after them, in order that they may be a perfect people upon the face of
the earth, notwithstanding their many weaknesses, because God has promised to
give the gifts that are necessary for their perfection" (Millennial
Star 56 [1894]: 260-61).
(Robert L.
Millet, Alive in Christ: The Miracle of Spiritual Rebirth [Salt Lake
City: Deseret Book Co., 1997], 198 - 199.)
Doubt
creates fear, fear destroys faith. Power
(faith) comes by adopting the view of God on specific matters in our lives;
this will give strength and divine purpose in our lives.
Teaching
correct doctrine will bring in the presence of the Holy Ghost, who will show
each of us what we need to apply in our personal lives. Elder Oaks said the following in the October,
1999 Conference:
There are many
different ways to teach, but all good teaching is based on certain fundamental
principles. Without pretending to be exhaustive, I wish to identify and comment
on six fundamental principles of gospel teaching.
The first is love. It has two
manifestations. When we are called to teach, we should accept our calling and
teach because of our love for God the Eternal Father and His Son, Jesus Christ.
In addition, a gospel teacher should always teach with love for the students.
We are taught that we should pray "with all the energy of heart,. . .
[to] be filled with this love" (Moro.
Second, a gospel teacher, like the Master we
serve, will concentrate entirely on those being taught. His or her total
concentration will be on the needs of the sheep--the good of the students. A
gospel teacher does not focus on himself or herself. One who understands that
principle will not look upon his or her calling as "giving or presenting a
lesson," because that definition views teaching from the standpoint of the
teacher, not the student.
Focusing on the
needs of the students, a gospel teacher will never obscure their view of the
Master by standing in the way or by shadowing the lesson with self-promotion or
self-interest. This means that a gospel teacher must never indulge in
priestcrafts, which are "that men preach and set themselves up for a light
unto the world, that they may get gain and praise of the world" (2 Nephi.
26:29). A gospel teacher does not preach "to become popular" (
Third, a superior teacher of the gospel will
teach from the prescribed course material, with greatest emphasis on teaching
the doctrine and principles and covenants of the gospel of Jesus Christ. This is
commanded in modern revelation, where the Lord said:
"Teachers of
this church shall teach the principles of my gospel, which are in the Bible and
the Book of Mormon, this is the fulness of the gospel.
"And they
shall observe the covenants and church articles to do them, and these shall be
their teachings, as they shall be directed by the Spirit" (D&C 42:12-13).
Teachers who are commanded to teach "the
principles of [the] gospel" and "the doctrine of the kingdom"
(D&C 88:77) should generally forgo teaching specific rules or applications.
For example, they would not teach any rules for determining what is a full
tithing, and they would not provide a list of dos and don'ts for
keeping the Sabbath Day holy. Once a teacher has taught the doctrine and the associated
principles from the scriptures and the living prophets, such specific
applications or rules are generally the responsibility of individuals and
families.
Well-taught doctrines and principles have a more
powerful influence on behavior than rules. When we teach gospel doctrine and
principles, we can qualify for the witness and guidance of the Spirit to
reinforce our teaching, and we enlist the faith of our students in seeking the
guidance of that same Spirit in applying those teachings in their personal
lives.
The subject
being taught in the Melchizedek Priesthood quorums and Relief Societies of the
Church during the second and third Sundays of each month is the Teachings of
Presidents of the Church. During the last two years we have studied the teachings
of President Brigham Young. For the next two years we will be studying the
teachings of President Joseph F. Smith. The books containing these teachings,
which are being given to every adult member of the Church as a permanent
personal library resource, contain doctrine and principles. They are rich and
relevant to the needs of our day, and they are superb for teaching and
discussion.
As I have
visited in quorums and Relief Societies, I have generally been pleased and
impressed at how these Teachings of Presidents of the Church are being
presented and received. However, I have sometimes observed teachers who gave
the designated chapter no more than a casual mention and then presented a
lesson and invited discussion on other materials of the teacher's choice. That
is not acceptable. A gospel teacher is not called to choose the subject of the
lesson but to teach and discuss what has been specified. Gospel teachers should
also be scrupulous to avoid hobby topics, personal speculations, and
controversial subjects. The Lord's revelations and the directions of His
servants are clear on this point. We should all be mindful of President Spencer
W. Kimball's great instruction that a gospel teacher is a "guest":
"He has
been given an authoritative position and a stamp of approval is placed upon
him, and those whom he teaches are justified in assuming that, having been
chosen and sustained in the proper order, he represents the Church and the
things which he teaches are approved by the Church. No matter how brilliant he
may be and how many new truths he may think he has found, he has no right to go
beyond the program of the Church."6
Fourth, a gospel teacher will prepare diligently
and strive to use the most effective means of presenting the prescribed
lessons. The new Teaching the Gospel course and the new teacher improvement
meetings are obviously intended to assist teachers in this effort.
The fifth fundamental principle of
gospel teaching I wish to stress is the Lord's command, quoted earlier, that
gospel teachers should "teach the principles of my gospel. . . as
they shall be directed by the Spirit. . . . And if ye receive
not the Spirit ye shall not teach" (D&C 42:12-14). It is a gospel teacher's
privilege and duty to seek that level of discipleship where his or her
teachings will be directed and endorsed by the Spirit rather than being rigidly
selected and prearranged for personal convenience or qualifications. The
marvelous principles of "Gospel Teaching and Leadership" in the new Church
Handbook of Instructions include the following:
"Teachers and class members should seek the
Spirit during the lesson. A person may teach profound truths, and class members
may engage in stimulating discussions, but unless the Spirit is present, these
things will not be powerfully impressed upon the soul. . . .
"When the
Spirit is present in gospel teaching, 'the power of the Holy Ghost carrieth [the message] unto the hearts of the children of
men' (2 Nephi 33:1)."7
President Hinckley stated an important corollary
to the command to teach by the Spirit when he issued this challenge:
"We must. . . get our teachers to
speak out of their hearts rather than out of their books, to communicate their
love for the Lord and this precious work, and somehow it will catch fire in the
hearts of those they teach."8
That is our objective--to have love of God and
commitment to the gospel of Jesus Christ "catch fire" in the hearts
of those we teach.
That leads to
the sixth and final principle
I will discuss. A gospel teacher is concerned with the results of his or her
teaching, and such a teacher will measure the success of teaching and
testifying by its impact on the lives of the learners.9
A gospel teacher will never be satisfied with just delivering a message or
preaching a sermon. A superior gospel teacher wants to assist in the Lord's
work to bring eternal life to His children.
President Harold
B. Lee said: "The calling of the gospel teacher is one of the noblest in
the world. The good teacher can make all the difference in inspiring boys and
girls and men and women to change their lives and fulfill their highest
destiny. The importance of the teacher has been beautifully described by Daniel
Webster when he said, 'If we work upon marble, it will perish; if we work upon
brass, time will efface it; but if we work upon immortal minds, if we imbue
them with principles and the just fear of God and love of our fellowman, we
engrave upon those tablets something that will brighten through all
eternity.'"10
I testify that
this is God's work, and that we are His servants with the sacred responsibility
of teaching the gospel of Jesus Christ, the greatest message of all time. We
need more teachers to match that message. I pray that we will all become
superior gospel teachers, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
An IDEA of mercy, even a CORRECT IDEA of mercy is not the same
as ACTUAL KNOWLEDGE received from
the Holy Ghost by REVELATION. This produces faith – power.
1 Nephi
LF
The reason
is, because we cannot comprehend a person having these qualities as God
possesses.
20. But secondly, unless God was
merciful and gracious, slow to anger, long-suffering and full of goodness, such
is the weakness of human nature and so great the frailties and imperfections of
men that unless they believed that these excellencies existed in the divine
character, they could not have the faith necessary to salvation. For doubt
would take the place of faith, and those who know their weakness and liability
to sin would be in constant doubt of salvation if it were not for the idea
which they have of the excellency of the character of God, that he is slow to
anger, long-suffering, and of a forgiving disposition, and does forgive
iniquity, transgression, and sin. Having an idea of these facts does away with
doubt and makes faith exceedingly strong.
21. But in order to have faith in
him, it is equally as necessary that men should have the idea that he is a God
who does not change as it is to have the idea that he is gracious and long-suffering.
For without the idea of unchangeableness in the character of the Deity, doubt
would take the place of faith. But with the idea that he does not change, faith
lays hold upon the excellencies in his character with unshaken confidence,
believing he is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and that his course is
one eternal round.
(Larry E.
Dahl and Charles D. Tate, Jr., eds., The Lectures on Faith in Historical
Perspective [Provo: BYU Religious Studies Center, 1990], 68.)
Bruce gave
the example of 3 Nephi 3, of how the robbers tried to intimidate the Nephites
and Lamanites and create doubts and fears in the people they also used flattery
which focuses attention on us and not on our higher source of power, see verse
2. But the leader of the people Lachoneus, was a just man and had the people prepare all
they could both physically and spiritually, the rest was left up to the Lord,
see verses 12-26. The people were united
in faith and purpose. Satan knows he
cannot defeat God, but if he is successful against us by destroying our faith
he can defeat us, see verse 19 on how to battle back.
The
Story of Lachoneus: A Pattern of Defense
Against Evil in the Last Days
Bruce Satterfield
Brigham Young University-Idaho
I. The Forces of Evil
in the Last Days
To the Relief Society
General Conference in September 1998, Pres. Hinkley
declared, "The home is under siege." Further, "Never before, at
least not in our generation, have the forces of evil been so blatant, so
brazen, so aggressive as they are today. Things we dared not speak about in
earlier times are now constantly projected into our living rooms. All
sensitivity is cast aside as reporters and pundits speak with a disgusting
plainness of things that can only stir curiosity and lead to evil. . . ."
He then gave this admonition: "Sisters, guard your children. They live in
a world of evil. The forces are all about them." (Ensign, Nov.
1998, pp. 98-99)
II. War between the
Church of the Devil and the Church of the Lamb
Prophets in the Book of
Mormon foresaw the siege of wickedness in the last days and taught how we can
defend our families against it. In a vision concerning the last days, Nephi
witnessed the war between good and evil. He saw evil as a "the church of
the devil" trying to destroy "the church of the Lamb" or the
saints of God. He saw the church of the devil spreading its influence over the
whole earth. And though the church of the Lamb had also spread its influence
over all the earth, its numbers and influence were small because of the overwhelming
wickedness of the church of the devil. However, against such staggering odds
and influence, God's people "were armed with righteousness and with the
power of God in great glory" (1 Nephi 14:10-14). How are the saints of God
in the last days armed with righteousness and with the power of God?
III. The Story of Lachoneus (3 Nephi 3-4)
President Benson taught:
"in the Book of Mormon we find a pattern for preparing for the Second
Coming. A major portion of the book centers on the few decades just prior to
Christ's coming to
By studying the story of Lachoneus we learn a pattern of how to defend our families
against the wickedness that has besiege every home in the last days. The steps Lachoneus took to prepare his people against the Gadianton robbers are as follows:
(1) He could not be
frightened. (3 Ne. 3:12) Fear comes from doubt. Doubt is spawned by
lack of knowledge. To overcome fear and doubt, one must study the doctrines of
the kingdom, particularly those concerning God and his plan of salvation.
(2) He gathered his
people into one place. (3 Ne. 3:13) Unity within the family, ward,
stake, and Church are essential in the combat against evil. We must be unified
in doctrine and our allegiance to the prophet.
Quotes on Unity
(3)
One who had the spirit of revelation and prophecy was placed as their
general. (3 Ne. 18-19) The Church is unified under the direction of a
prophet. From him we receive instructions and warnings necessary in the fight
against evil. Adherence to the teachings of the prophets is essential in the
combat against evil.
(4) He had
fortifications built and guards set up to protect his people. (3 Ne.
3:14) The prophets have instructed us how to fortify our homes through things
as family home evening, family prayer, family scripture study, etc. Fathers and
mothers are to be in the home to guard their children against evil.
(5) He caused his
people to repent. (3 Ne. 3:15) Repentance is key in the war against
evil. Repentance can be defined as the change of heart and mind that comes when
one learns of and adopts a new view. As one studies the doctrines of the
kingdom, he comes to understand God's view regarding "the world and the
wisdom thereof" (1 Nephi 11:35). When that view is adopted, his behavior
will change. Rather than living the ways of the world, he will follow the
teachings of God. The Lord blesses those who have repented with the gift of the
Holy Ghost that empowers God's children against evil.
Bruce
quoted Pres. Joseph Fielding Smith by saying:
No man can stand at judgment without living the Book of Mormon. Of course, you have to know it in order to
live it!
There are legions now living who have
received this testimony and know that the record is true. There are others who
have also read the Book of Mormon, but without the sincere desire to know the
truth, but with the object in view of opposing it. All such are under heavy
condemnation and will answer for it at the judgment seat of God. Nephi warned
them (2 Nephi 33.), and likewise
And I exhort you to remember these
things; for the time speedily cometh that ye shall know that I lie not, for ye
shall see me at the bar of God; and the Lord God will say unto you: Did I not
declare my words unto you, which were written by this man, like as one crying
from the dead, yea, even as one speaking out of the dust?
I declare these things unto the
fulfilling of the prophecies. And behold, they shall proceed forth out of the
mouth of the everlasting God; and his word shall hiss forth from generation to
generation.
And God shall show unto you, that
that which I have written is true. (
(Joseph
Fielding Smith, Man, His Origin and Destiny [Salt Lake City: Deseret
Book Co., 1954], 321 - 322.)
It’s our
preparation manual for the 2nd Coming.
The
scriptures and talks at General Conference at very important to us, but the
Holy Ghost shows us how to apply their teachings to our lives, 2 Nephi 32
There is
also a timing issue with our faith; it’s on the Lord’s timetable not ours,
Elder Oaks talk, “Timing”.
Bruce said
to study mercy over and over and over again, we don’t understand it nearly
enough.
As all of Adam's children are natural
heirs to the Fall, so all are rightful heirs to the grace of Christ in
overcoming its temporal effects. In the language of scripture, the corruptible
will become incorruptible, meaning that death, aging, and pain will end for all.
The promise is without limit or qualification. The full blessings of Christ's
mercy and grace, however, become ours only through the exercise of agency.
Salvation must be a matter of choice. It grows out of a covenant relationship.
In making covenants, we choose to take upon ourselves the name of Christ and to
keep his commandments. Conditioned upon our doing so, we are adopted his sons
and daughters and become heirs, as he is an heir, to the fulness of the Father.
No one can force salvation upon us, nor can blessings of such matchless worth
be given to us without the consecration of our efforts in return. Thus the Lord
says: "I, the Lord, am merciful and gracious unto those who fear me, and
delight to honor those who serve me in righteousness and in truth unto the
end" (D&C 76:5). The full measure of his mercy and grace become ours
as we seek to serve him "in righteousness and in truth." Again, we
have been commanded to "reconcile" ourselves "to the will of
God, and not to the will of the devil and the flesh; and remember, after ye are
reconciled unto God, that it is only in and through the grace of God that ye
are saved" (2 Ne. 10:24). Nephi stated the principle in these words:
"For we labor diligently to write, to persuade our children, and also our
brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God; for we know that
it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do" (2 Ne. 25:23).
In so saying, I am aware that it has
been argued that the word after in the preceding text can be interpreted
as a preposition of separation rather than one of sequence—that is, that it
carries the meaning "apart from" rather than "as a result
of." The purpose of such an interpretation is to emphasize that the grace
of God is not the crown upon our labors but rather the heart and soul of our
hope of salvation. That such is the case is beyond dispute. Yet it is equally
true that only those who do all that they can do can receive the fulness of
God's grace. And the fulness of God's grace comes only to those who are exalted.
It was never supposed that Christ atoned for the sins of the world so that we
might have the option of finding some measure of happiness in the lower
kingdoms. The atonement of Christ was first and foremost to bring us back into
the presence of God in a glorified and exalted state. Christ atoned for our
sins so that we might become as God is. We become so by advancing from grace to
grace, or from one labor to a greater labor, until we have received the fulness
of the Father (see D&C 93:6-20). As we comply with the laws and ordinances
of the gospel, we obtain the full effects of Christ's grace in a sequential
manner, for that is the manner in which we receive the ordinances of salvation.
(Joseph
Fielding McConkie, Answers: Straightforward Answers to Tough Gospel
Questions [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1998], 68 - 69.)
Justice and Mercy
Justice and mercy are attributes of
deity. They are also eternal principles. The "justice of God" (Alma
41:2; 42:14) is a principle so fundamental that without it, "God would
cease to be God" (
On one hand, justice rewards
righteousness. "And when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by
obedience to that law upon which it is predicated" (D&C 130:21, see
also D&C 82:10). On the other, justice requires penalties as a consequence
of disobedience to the laws of God, for "I the Lord cannot look upon sin
with the least degree of allowance" (D&C 1:31). Just as obedience to
divine law leads to blessings, justice affixes a punishment to each violation
of the Lord's commandments (Alma 42:17-18, 22), and men and women will be
"punished for their own sins" (A of F 2). Each person will thus be
judged according to his or her works (
Not just any person may invoke mercy
on behalf of another: "Now there is not any man that can sacrifice his own
blood which will atone for the sins of another…therefore there can be nothing
which is short of an infinite Atonement which will suffice for the sins of the
world" (
Mercy is not extended arbitrarily. To
protect individuals from the undeserved effects of sins for which they are not
responsible, the Atonement unconditionally paid the penalty for the
transgression of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. It pays similarly for sins
committed in ignorance (Mosiah 3:11; see also Moses 6:54). However, the
Atonement removes the penalty for personal sins for which one is accountable
only on the condition of individual repentance.
In this way, the concepts of justice,
mercy, and the Atonement retain both a specific integrity and a logically
consistent relationship: "The plan of mercy could not be brought about
except an Atonement should be made; therefore God himself atoneth
for the sins of the world, to bring about the plan of mercy, to appease the
demands of justice, that God might be a perfect, just God, and merciful God
also…. But there is a law given, and a punishment affixed, and a repentance
granted; which repentance mercy claimeth; otherwise,
justice claimeth the creature…. For behold, justice exerciseth all his demands, and also mercy claimeth all which is her own; and thus, none but the truly
penitent are saved" (
Mercy is thus rehabilitative, not
retributive or arbitrary. The Lord asks repentance from a transgressor, not to
compensate the Savior for paying the debt of justice, but to induce the
transgressor to undertake a meaningful process of personal development toward a
Christlike nature.
At the same time, mercy depends
ultimately on the Lord's extension of unmerited grace. Even though conditioned
on repentance for personal sins, mercy is never fully "earned" by its
recipients. Repentance is a necessary, but not a sufficient, condition of
salvation and exaltation. "For we know that it is by grace that we are
saved, after all we can do" (2 Ne. 25:23). The unearned nature of mercy is
demonstrated by the Atonement's having unconditionally compensated for the
disabilities imposed on mankind by the Fall of Adam. Adam and Eve and their
posterity were utterly powerless to overcome the physical and spiritual deaths
that were introduced by the Fall. Moreover, transgressors do not
"pay" fully for their sins through the process of repentance. Even
though repentance requires restitution to the extent of one's ability, most
forms of restitution are beyond any person's ability to achieve. No matter how
complete our repentance, it would all be to no avail without a mediator willing
and able to pay our debt to justice, on condition of our repentance. Thus, even
with sincere and complete repentance, all are utterly dependent on Jesus Christ.
Through the Atonement of Jesus
Christ, justice and mercy are interdependent and interactive, demonstrating
that God cannot be just without being merciful, nor merciful without being
just.
Bibliography
Hafen, Bruce C. "Justice, Mercy, and
Rehabilitation." In The Broken Heart, pp. 143-54.
Oaks, Dallin H. "The Atonement
and the Principles of Justice and Mercy." Unpublished manuscript, from May
1, 1985, General Authority training meeting.
Roberts, B. H. The Atonement.
Taylor, John. Mediation and
Atonement.
BRUCE C. HAFEN
(Encyclopedia
of Mormonism, 1-4 vols., edited by Daniel H. Ludlow (New York: Macmillan,
1992), 775.)
Men and Women of Faith
______________________
Shall He Find Faith On The Earth?
Luke 18:8
Nevertheless
when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?
In other
words, the Saviors pointed question is, "In the last days, in an ever-increasingly wicked
world, shall the Son of Man find people of faith on the earth?"
Elder
Richard G. Scott
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
Excellent
suggestions to combat the deteriorating world environment have been given in
this conference. As a prophet of God, President Gordon B. Hinckley put world
conditions and
our opportunities into crystal clear perspective. Two of his recent comments to
priesthood and
auxiliary leaders illustrate that prophetic vision. First, regarding the
challenge we face:
“The traditional family is under heavy attack. I do not know that things
were worse in the times of
Now concerning our extraordinary opportunities:
“Who in the earlier days could have dreamed of this season of
opportunity in which we live? … The Church is in wonderful condition. … It will
grow and strengthen. … It is our opportunity and our challenge to continue in
this great undertaking, the future of which we can scarcely imagine.”
You have a choice. You can wring your hands and be consumed with concern
for the future or choose to use the counsel the Lord has given to live with
peace and happiness in a world awash with evil. If you choose to concentrate on
the dark side, this is what you will see. Much of the world is being engulfed
in a rising river of degenerate filth, with the abandonment of virtue,
righteousness, personal integrity, traditional marriage, and family life.
Now the brighter side. Despite pockets of evil, the world overall is
majestically beautiful, filled with many good and sincere people. God has
provided a way to live in this world and not be contaminated by the degrading
pressures evil agents spread throughout it. You can live a virtuous,
productive, righteous life by following the plan of protection created by your
Father in Heaven: His plan of happiness. It is contained in the
scriptures and in the inspired declarations of His prophets. He clothed
your intelligence with spirit and made it possible for you to enjoy the wonder
of a physical body. When you use that body in the way He has decreed, you will
grow in strength and capacity, avoid transgression, and be abundantly
blessed. (“How to Live Well amid Increasing Evil,” Ensign,
May 2004, p.100; emphasis added)
The answer to the question of how can we live righteous lives in and
increasingly wicked world is answered in the Savior's question:
"Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith
on the earth?"
It is by Faith that we can both survive and righteously grow in
our wicked world.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
What is Faith?
Faith--A concrete doctrine!
President J. Reuben Clark, Jr.
First Counselor in the First Presidency
As I think about faith, this principle of power, I am
obliged to believe that it is an intelligent force. Of what kind
I do not know. But it is superior to and overrules all other forces of which we
know. It is the principle, the force, by which the dead are restored to
life. (Conference Report, April 1960, p.21; emphasis added)
Joseph Smith in Lectures on Faith
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Luke 18:8 Re-worded
[Original] Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh,
shall he find faith on the earth?
[Re-worded] Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall
he find men and women full of the power of God upon the earth?
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
How do men and women exercise faith?
Or, in other words . . .
How do men and women get access to the power of God?
Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin
Member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
Faith exists when absolute
confidence in that which we cannot see combines with action
that is in absolute conformity to the will of our Heavenly Father.
Without all three--first, absolute confidence; second, action; and third,
absolute conformity--without these three all we have is a counterfeit, a weak
and watered-down faith. Let me discuss each of these three imperatives of
faith. . (“Shall He Find Faith On the Earth,” Ensign, Nov. 2002, pp.
82-84)
Three components of faith:
How do we get absolute confidence?
Confidence is breed by testimony born
by the Holy Ghost!
Elder M. Russell Ballard
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
Personal testimony is the foundation of our faith.
... Simply stated, testimony
-- real testimony, born of the Spirit and
confirmed by the Holy Ghost—changes lives. It changes how you think and what
you do. It changes what you say. It affects every priority you set and every
choice you make. [From “Pure Testimony,” Ensign, Nov. 2004, p. 40]
How do you come to know the will of God?
Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin
How do we know when our faith conforms to the will of our Heavenly Father and
He approves of that which we seek? We must know the word of God.
One of the reasons we immerse ourselves in the scriptures is to
know of Heavenly Father’s dealings with man from the beginning. If the desires
of our heart are contrary to scripture, then we should not pursue them further.
Next, we must heed the counsel of latter-day prophets
as they give inspired instruction.
Additionally, we must ponder and pray and seek the
guidance of the Spirit. If we do so, the Lord has promised, “I will
tell you in your mind and in your heart, by the Holy Ghost, which shall come
upon you and which shall dwell in your heart” (D&C 8:2).
Only when our faith is aligned with the will of our Heavenly
Father will we be empowered to receive the blessings we seek. (“Shall He
Find Faith On the Earth,” Ensign, Nov. 2002, pp. 82-84; emphasis added)
An example of exercising this kind of faith:
Boyd K.
Packer
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
Put
your homes in order. If Mother is working outside of the home, see if there are
ways to change that, even a little. It may be very difficult to change at the
present time. But analyze carefully and be prayerful. Then expect to have
inspiration, which is revelation. Expect intervention from power
from beyond the veil to help you move, in due time, to what is best for your
family. (“Do Not Fear,” Ensign, May 2004, p. 7)
Luke 18:8 Re-worded
[Original]
Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the
earth?
[Re-worded]
Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find men and women on
the earth who have absolute confidence in that which they cannot see combinded with action that is in absolute conformity to the
will of God?
The Power of the Word
President Ezra Taft Benson
President of the Church
The word of God, as found in the scriptures, in the words
of living prophets, and in personal revelation, has the
power to fortify the Saints and arm them with the Spirit so they can
resist evil, hold fast to the good, and find joy in this life. (“The Power of
the Word,” Ensign, May 1986, p. 80; emphasis added)
Personal Example From Bro. Satterfield
Carol and I were married in August 1979
President Spencer W. Kimball was the prophet of the Church at the time Carol
and I were married.
Two teachings of the prophet caused us to exercise faith in the manner we have
taught:
[1] After marriage young wives should be occupied in bearing and rearing
children. I know of no scriptures or authorities which authorize young wives to
delay their families or to go to work to put their husbands through college.
Young married couples can make their way and reach their educational heights,
if they are determined. (“The Marriage Decision,” Ensign, Feb.
1975, p. 4)
[2] My thoughts go back to one of the scriptures that is well known to
you, and one which we have apparently almost forgotten in our day. The Lord
said women have claim upon their husbands for their maintenance until their
husbands be taken (see D&C 83:2). Women are to take care of the family—the
Lord has so stated—to be an assistant to the husband, to work with him, but not
to earn the living, except in unusual circumstances. Men ought to be men indeed
and earn the living under normal circumstances. (“Sisters, Seek Everything That
Is Good,” Ensign, Mar. 1979, p. 4)
Personal Example from Sis. Satterfield
The role of a mother.
President Ezra Taft
Benson
Address given at a Fireside for Parents, 22 February 1987
There
is no theme I would rather speak to than home and family, for they are at the
very heart of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The Church, in large part, exists for
the salvation and exaltation of the family.
At
a recent general priesthood meeting, I spoke directly to the young men of the
Aaronic Priesthood regarding their duties and responsibilities. Shortly
thereafter, at a general women's conference, I spoke to the young women of the
Church, discussing their opportunities and their sacred callings.
Tonight,
at this fireside for parents, seeking the sweet inspiration of heaven, I would
like to speak directly to the mothers assembled here and throughout the Church,
for you are, or should be, the very heart and soul of the family.
No More Noble Work
No
more sacred word exists in secular or holy writ than mother. There is no more
noble work than that of a good and God-fearing mother. This evening I pay
tribute to the mothers in
President
David O. McKay declared: "Motherhood is the greatest potential influence
either for good or ill in human life. The mother's image is the first that
stamps itself on the unwritten page of the young child's mind. It is her caress
that first awakens a sense of security; her kiss, the first realization of
affection; her sympathy and tenderness, the first assurance that there is love
in the world" (Gospel Ideals, p. 452).
President
McKay continues: "Motherhood consists of three principal attributes or
qualities: namely, (1) the power to bear, (2) the ability to rear, (3) the gift
to love . . . . This ability and willingness properly to rear children, the
gift of love, and eagerness, yes, longing to express it in soul development,
makes motherhood the noblest office or calling in the world. She who can paint
a masterpiece or write a book that will influence millions deserves the
admiration and the plaudits of mankind; but she who rears successfully a family
of healthy, beautiful sons and daughters, whose influence will be felt through
generations to come, . . . deserves the highest honor that man can give, and
the choicest blessings of God" (Gospel Ideals, pp. 453-54). With
all my heart I endorse the words of President McKay.
A Mother's Role is
God-ordained
In
the eternal family, God established that fathers are to preside in the home.
Fathers are to provide, to love, to teach, and to direct. But a mother's role
is also God-ordained. Mothers are to conceive, to bear to nourish, to love, and
to train. So declare the revelations.
In section 132 of the Doctrine
and Covenants, the Lord states that the opportunity and responsibility of wives
is "to multiply and replenish the earth, according to my commandment, and
to fulfil the promise which was given by my Father
before the foundation of the world, and for their exaltation in the eternal
worlds, that they may bear the souls of men; for herein is the work of my
Father continued, that he may be glorified" (D&C 132:63).
Husbands and Wives are
Co-creators
With
this divine injunction, husbands and wives, as co-creators, should eagerly and
prayerfully invite children into their homes. Then, as each child joins their
family circle, they can gratefully exclaim, as did Hannah, "For this child
I prayed, and the Lord hath given me my petition which I asked of him; therefore
also I have lent him to the Lord: as long as he liveth
he shall be lent to the Lord" (1 Samuel 1:27-28). Isn't that beautiful? A
mother praying to bear a child and then giving him to the Lord.
I
have always loved the words of Solomon: "Children are an heritage of the
Lord: and. . . happy is the man [and woman] that hath [their] quiver full of
them" (Psalm 127:3-5). I know the special blessings of a large and happy
family, for my dear parents had a quiver full of children. Being the oldest of
eleven children, I saw the principles of unselfishness, mutual consideration,
loyalty to each other, and a host of other virtues developed in a large and
wonderful family with my noble mother as the queen of that home.
Young
mothers and fathers, with all my heart I counsel you not to postpone having
your children, being co-creators with our Father in Heaven. Do not use the
reasoning of the world, such as, "We will wait until we can better afford
having children, until we are more secure, until John has completed his
education, until he has a better paying job, until we have a larger home, until
we have obtained a few of the material conveniences," and on and on. This
is the reasoning of the world and is not pleasing in the sight of God. Mothers
who enjoy good health, have your children and have them early. And, husbands,
always be considerate of your wives in the bearing of children.
Do
not curtail the number of children for personal or selfish reasons. Material
possessions, social convenience, and so-called professional advantages are
nothing compared to a righteous posterity. In the eternal perspective,
children--not possessions, not position, not prestige--are our greatest jewels.
Brigham Young emphasized: "There are multitudes of pure and holy spirits
waiting to take tabernacles, now what is our duty?--To prepare tabernacles for
them; to take a course that will not tend to drive those spirits into the
families of the wicked, where they will be trained in wickedness debauchery,
and every species of crime. It is the duty of every righteous man and woman to
prepare tabernacles for all the spirits they can" (Discourses of
Brigham Young, p. 197). Yes, blessed is the husband and wife who have a
family of children. The deepest joys and blessings in life are associated with
family, parenthood, and sacrifice. To have those sweet spirits come into the
home is worth practically any sacrifice.
Special Promises of God
We
realize that some women, through no fault of their own, are not able to bear
children. To these lovely sisters, every prophet of God has promised that they
will be blessed with children in the eternities and that posterity will not be
denied them. Through pure faith, pleading prayers, fasting, and special
priesthood blessings, many of these same lovely sisters, with their noble
companions at their sides, have had miracles take place in their lives and have
been blessed with children. Others have prayerfully chosen to adopt children,
and to these wonderful couples we salute you for the sacrifices and love you
have given to those children you have chose to be your own.
Rearing Children the
Lord's Way
Now,
my dear mothers, knowing of your divine role to bear and rear children and
bring them back to Him, how will you accomplish this in the Lord's way? I say
the "Lord's way," because it is different from the world's way.
The
Lord clearly defined the roles of mothers and fathers in providing for and
rearing a righteous posterity. In the beginning, Adam--not Eve--was instructed
to earn the bread by the sweat of his brow. Contrary to conventional wisdom, a
mother's calling is in the home, not in the marketplace.
Again
in the Doctrine and Covenants, we read: "Women have claim on their
husbands for their maintenance, until their husbands are taken" (D&C
83:2). This is the divine right of a wife and mother. She cares for and
nourishes her children at home. Her husband earns the living for the family,
which makes this nourishing possible. With that claim on their husbands for
their financial support, the counsel of the Church has always been for mothers
to spend their full time in the home in rearing and caring for their children.
We
realize also that some of our choice sisters are widowed and divorced and that
others find themselves in unusual circumstances where, out of necessity, they
are required to work for a period of time. But these instances are the
exception, not the rule. In a home where there is an able-bodied husband, he is
expected to be the breadwinner. Sometimes we hear of husbands who, because of
economic conditions, have lost their jobs and expect their wives to go out of
the home and work even though the husband is still capable of providing for his
family. In these cases, we urge the husband to do all in his power to allow his
wife to remain in the home caring for the children while he continues to
provide for his family the best he can, even though the job he is able to
secure may not be ideal and family budgeting will have to be tighter.
Counsel of President
Kimball
Our
beloved prophet, Spencer W. Kimball, had much to say about the role of mothers
in the home and their callings and responsibilities. I am impressed to share
with you some of his inspired pronouncements. I fear that much of his counsel
has gone unheeded, and families have suffered because of it. But I stand as a
second witness to the truthfulness of what President Spencer W. Kimball said.
He spoke as a true prophet of God.
President
Kimball declared: "Women are to take care of the family--the Lord has so
stated--to be an assistant to the husband, to work with him, but not to earn
the living, except in unusual circumstances. Men ought to be men indeed and
earn the living under normal circumstances" (Teachings of Spencer W.
Kimball, p. 318).
President
Kimball continues: "Too many mothers work away from home to furnish
sweaters and music lessons and trips and fun for their children. Too many women
spend their time in socializing, in politicking, in public services when they
should be home to teach and train and receive and love their children into security"
(Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, p. 319).
Remember
the counsel of President Kimball to John and Mary: "Mary, you are to
become a career woman in the greatest career on earth--that of homemaker, wife,
and mother. It was never intended by the Lord that married women should compete
with men in employment. They have a far greater and more important service to
render" (Faith Precedes the Miracle, p. 128).
Again
President Kimball speaks: "The husband is expected to support his family
and only in an emergency should a wife secure outside employment. Her place is
in the home, to build the home into a haven of delight.
"Numerous
divorces can be traced directly to the day when the wife left the home and went
out into the world into employment. Two incomes raise the standard of living
beyond its norm. Two spouses working prevents the complete and proper home
life, breaks into the family prayers, creates an independence which is not
cooperative, causes distortion, limits the family, and frustrates the children
already born" (Spencer W. Kimball, San Antonio Fireside, 3 December 1977,
pp. 9-10).
Finally,
President Kimball counsels: "I beg of you, you who could and should be
bearing and rearing a family: Wives, come home from the typewriter, the
laundry, the nursing, come home from the factory, the cafe. No career
approaches in importance that of wife, homemaker, mother--cooking meals,
washing dishes, making beds for one's precious husband and children. Come home,
wives, to your husbands. Make home a heaven for them. Come home, wives, to your
children, born and unborn. Wrap the motherly cloak about you and,
unembarrassed, help in a major role to create the bodies for the immortal souls
who anxiously await.
"When
you have fully complemented your husband in home life and borne the children,
growing up full of faith, integrity, responsibility, and goodness, then you
have achieved your accomplishment supreme, without peer, and you will be the
envy [of all] through time and eternity" (Spencer W. Kimball, San Antonio
Fireside, 3 December 1977, pp. 11-12). President Kimball spoke the truth. His
words are prophetic.
Ten Ways to Spend Time
with Children
Mothers
in
Be at the Crossroads. First, take time to always be at the crossroads when your children are
either coming or going--when they leave and return from dates--when they bring
friends home. Be there at the crossroads whether your children are six or
sixteen. In Proverbs we read: "A child left to himself bringeth
his mother to shame" (Proverbs 29:15). Among the greatest concerns in our
society are the millions of latchkey children who come home daily to empty
houses unsupervised by working parents.
Be a Real Friend. Second, mothers, take time to be a real friend to your children.
Listen to your children, really listen. Talk with them, laugh and joke with
them, sing with them, play with them, cry with them, hug them, honestly praise
them. Yes, regularly spend unrushed one-on-one time with each child. Be a real
friend to your children.
Read to Your Children. Third, mothers, take time to read to your children. Starting from the
cradle, read to your sons and daughters. Remember what the poet said:
You may have tangible wealth
untold;
Caskets of jewels and coffers of gold.
Richer than I you can never be--
I had a mother who read to me.
(Strickland Gillilan, "The Reading
Mother").
You
will plant a love for good literature and a real love for the scriptures if you
will read to your children regularly.
Pray with Your Children. Fourth, take time to pray with your children. Family
prayers, under the direction of the father, should be held morning and night.
Have your children feel of your faith as you call down the blessings of heaven
upon them. Paraphrasing the word of James: "The . . . fervent prayer of a
righteous [mother] availeth much" (James 5:16).
Have your children participate in family and personal prayers and rejoice in
their sweet utterances to their Father in Heaven.
Have Weekly Family Home Evenings. Fifth, take time to have a meaningful weekly home evening.
With your husband presiding, participate in a spiritual and an uplifting home
evening each week. Have your children actively involved. Teach them correct
principles. Make this one of your great family traditions. Remember the
marvelous promise made by President Joseph F. Smith when home evenings were
first introduced to the Church: "If the Saints obey this counsel, we
promise that great blessings will result. Love at home and obedience to parents
will increase. Faith will be developed in the hearts of the youth of Israel,
and they will gain power to combat the evil influences and temptations which
beset them" (James R. Clark, comp., Messages of the First Presidency of
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 4:339). This wonderful promise
is still in effect today.
Be Together at Mealtimes. Sixth, take time to be together at mealtimes as often as
possible. This is a challenge as the children get older and lives get busier.
But happy conversation, sharing of the day's plans and activities, and special
teaching moments occur at mealtime because mothers and fathers and children
work at it.
Read Scriptures Daily. Seventh, take time daily to read the scriptures together as a family.
Individual scripture reading is important, but family scripture reading is
vital. Reading the Book of Mormon together as a family will especially bring
increased spirituality into your home and will give both parents and children
the power to resist temptation and to have the Holy Ghost as their constant
companion. I promise you that the Book of Mormon will change the lives of your
family.
Do Things as a Family. Eighth, take time to do things as a family. Make family outings and
picnics and birthday celebrations and trips special times and memory builders.
Whenever possible attend as a family events where one of the family members is
involved, such as a school play, a ball game, a talk, a recital. Attend Church
meetings together and sit together as a family when you can. Mothers who help
families pray and play together will stay together and will bless children's
lives forever.
Teach Your Children. Ninth, mothers, take time to teach your children. Catch the teaching
moments. This can be done anytime during the day--at mealtime, in casual
settings or at special sit-down times together, at the foot of the bed at the
end of the day, or during an early-morning walk together. Mothers, you are your
children's best teacher. Don't shift this precious responsibility to day-care
centers or baby-sitters. A mother's love and prayerful concern for her children
are her most important ingredients in teaching her own.
Teach
children gospel principles. Teach them it pays to be good. Teach them there is
no safety in sin. Teach them a love for the gospel of Jesus Christ and a
testimony of its divinity. Teach your sons and daughters modesty and teach them
to respect manhood and womanhood. Teach your children sexual purity, proper
dating standards, temple marriage, missionary service, and the importance of
accepting and magnifying Church callings.
Teach
them a love for work and the value of a good education.
Teach
them the importance of the right kind of entertainment, including appropriate
movies, videos, music, books, and magazines. Discuss the evils of pornography
and drugs and teach them the value of living the clean life.
Yes,
mothers, teach your children the gospel in your home, at your own fireside.
This is the most effective teaching that your children will ever receive. This
is the Lord's way of teaching. The Church cannot teach like you can. The school
cannot. The day-care center cannot. But you can, and the Lord will sustain you.
Your children will remember your teachings forever, and when they are old, they
will not depart from them. They will call you blessed--their truly angel
mother.
Mothers,
this kind of heavenly, motherly teaching takes time--lots of time. It cannot be
done effectively part-time. It must be done all the time in order to save and
exalt your children. This is your divine calling.
Truly Love Your Children. Tenth, and finally, mothers, take the time to truly love
your children. A mother's unqualified love approaches Christlike
love.
Here
is a beautiful tribute by a son to his mother: "I don't remember much
about her views of voting nor her social prestige; and what her ideas of child
training, diet, and eugenics were, I cannot recall. The main thing that sifts
back to me now through the thick undergrowth of years is that she loved me. She
liked to lie on the grass with me and tell stories, or to run and hide with us
children. She was always hugging me. And I liked it. She had a sunny face. To
me it was like God. Of all the sensations pleasurable to my life nothing can
compare with the rapture of crawling up into her lap and going to sleep while
she swung to and fro in her rocking chair and sang. Thinking of this, I wonder
if the woman of today, with all her tremendous notions and plans, realizes what
an almighty factor she is in shaping her children. I wonder if she realizes how
much sheer love and attention count for in a child's life."
Mothers,
your teenage children also need that same kind of love and attention. It seems
easier for many mothers and fathers to express their love to their children
when they are young, but more difficult when they are older. Work at this
prayerfully. There need be no generation gap. And the key is love. Our young
people need love and attention, not indulgence. They need empathy and understanding,
not indifference from mothers and fathers. They need the parents' time. A
mother's kindly teachings and her love for and confidence in a teenage son or
daughter can literally save them from a wicked world.
Blessings of the Lord
upon Parents
In
closing, I would be remiss this evening if I did not express my love and
eternal gratitude for my sweetheart and companion and the mother of our six
children. Her devotion to motherhood has blessed me and our family beyond words
of expression. She has been a marvelous mother, completely and happily devoting
her life and her mission to her family. How grateful I am for Flora!
May
I also express my gratitude to you fathers and husbands assembled this evening.
We look to you to give righteous leadership in your home and families and, with
your companions and the mothers of your children, to lead your families back to
our Eternal Father.
Now God bless our wonderful
mothers. We pray for you. We sustain you. We honor you as you bear, nourish,
train, teach, and love for eternity. I promise you the blessings of heaven and
"all that the Father hath" (see D&C 84:38) as you magnify the
noblest calling of all--a mother in
Lecture on Faith # 3 cont.
October 8, 2003
Bruce asked
about our impressions of General Conference this past weekend.
Remember
that the lectures were given in 1835; there was an incomplete understanding of
many doctrines at this time. For
example, a complete understanding of the Godhead was not received until the
spring of 1843, see D&C 130:22, and the King Follett discourse. So, be careful with interpreting their
doctrinal teachings with what we know today.
We have a
more complete set of scripture then they, continuing revelation to our
prophets, (D&C 138, Pres. Kimball 1978, etc.), also, the constant teaching
and direction from the Holy Ghost.
A survey of the sermons preached by
Joseph Smith at Nauvoo and some neighboring communities, as well as articles
and epistles he sent to the Saints, indicates he made great use of the body of
new scriptures he had made available to the Church. If we review his sermons
and writings, we might figuratively say that he took a huge canvas and on it,
as would a master artist, painted a panorama of the pre-mortal life of man and
his progress to a mortal existence, in which his preexisting spirit was clothed
in a mortal body. Then he presented glimpses of the disembodied state following
death, the re-embodiment of the spirit and body through the resurrection, and
the various estates attained in the degrees of exaltation or damnation. Up to
the Nauvoo period, these gradations or phases of life in the totality of
eternal existence had never been clearly defined. As the Prophet undertook to
delineate relationships between these on-going phases of life into a coherent
pattern, he refined LDS theology in several key areas: (1) Concepts of God and
Man, (2) Man in the World, (3) Salvation for the Dead, (4) Eternal Nature of
Priesthood Covenants, (5) Temple Ordinances for the Living, (6) Celestial and
Plural Marriage, and (7) Eternal Progression. He also prepared the Wentworth
Letter from which we have the Articles of Faith. All these doctrines were not
presented at once, but came as the Saints proved they could accept and try to
live them.
The Concepts of God and Man
The Lectures on Faith,
published in the forepart of the 1835 edition of the Doctrine and Covenants,
stated that there were two members of the Godhead, the Father and the Son. fn
The Father was defined as a personage of Spirit, and the Son as a personage of
Tabernacle. The Lectures also stated the Father and Son possessed the
same mind, and this mind was the Holy Ghost.
During the years between its
publication in 1835 and the settlement of the Saints at Nauvoo, there had been
some speculation concerning this statement among the Saints, especially after
the publication of Joseph Smith's dictated account of the First Vision. At a
conference held at Ramus,
The Father has a body of flesh and
bones as tangible as man's; the Son also; but the Holy Ghost has not a body of
flesh and bones, but is a personage of Spirit. Were it not so, the Holy Ghost
could not dwell in us. (D&C 130:22)
After Joseph Smith's death, this
later teaching was incorporated in the Doctrine and Covenants and became a
foundation of Mormon theology. It marks a permanent theological landmark in the
development of the doctrine of the Godhead among Latter-day Saints and in time
contributed to the deletion of the Lectures on Faith from the Doctrine
and Covenants. This doctrine has done much to clarify the understanding of the
Saints and their relationships to their Eternal Father.
This relationship needed to be clearly
understood because the great majority of the converts to the Church during the
lifetime of Joseph Smith had been reared as Episcopalians, Methodists, Roman
Catholics, Congregationalists, Baptists, members of the Reformed churches,
"Campbellites" (reformed Baptists or
Disciples of Christ), members of the Society of Friends (Quakers), as
Unitarians, or Universalists. With the exception of the latter three, and the
Methodists, all of them predicated their doctrines of salvation on one or more
variations of predestination by God. The Episcopalians and Roman Catholics
taught a less stringent version of predestination which upheld God's power to
save or damn, but conceded that it was not an unchanging absolute. They
believed God could change his earlier decision if something in the way a person
lived had shown the first decree would have been unjust. The Calvinistic bodies
of the day (Presbyterians, Congregationalists, Baptists, and the Reformed
churches) accepted a doctrine of absolute predestination. Regardless of which
of these absolute predestinarian doctrines one
believed there was little a mortal could do to change the decree which God had
already made for the elect. The Methodists alone maintained that man enjoyed a
freedom of the will which would base salvation on personal righteousness.
In revelations to Joseph Smith, the
Lord had stressed the importance of man's free will in accepting the salvation
offered by the Savior. However, it was inevitable that converts would bring
with them into the Church some of their former doctrines and that these would
survive in their minds and color their thinking about salvation. At Nauvoo
Joseph Smith preached sermons in which he gave a new dimension to the concept
of man which apostate Christianity had lost fn. These sermons had their roots
in the doctrine of preexistence. Very little had been written or printed on
this subject in the first decade of the existence of the Church. fn While the
Bible and Book of Mormon have accounts which are now used to support the doctrine
of a pre-earthly existence, little use was made of these verses by the Saints
prior to the Nauvoo period.
The Book of Moses, which was further
augmented by the teachings of the Book of Abraham, provided Joseph Smith with
material by which he interpreted the relationship of mortals to God as one of
true kinship. He taught that God the Father had created an eternal spirit which
inhabited the body of every mortal on earth. Thus, we are actually children of
God in a literal sense, being offspring of Deity. Hence, we have inherited from
our creator-parent some of his capacities, just as we inherited certain
characteristics from our earthly parents. Joseph Smith would not believe that a
loving, just, and fair God would place his children on earth in a mortal body
that was depraved and often damned before birth. Nor would he believe that God
would have created spirit children and then damned them for eternity. No mortal
parent would be so unjust. He rejected completely the timeworn errors of
Christianity concerning mortal beings and their destiny.
Instead of teaching that man's nature
was inclined toward anti-godly behavior, Joseph Smith taught that mortals could
identify themselves as spirit children of a God who loved them and that they
had the potential to become like their eternal parent. If they failed in this,
it would be because of their own evil choices, whether by their willful
disobedience of God's law, ignorance, or rebelliousness toward law and order.
(Doctrinal
Development of the Church During the Nauvoo Sojourn, 1839-1846 by T. Edgar Lyon
Fn, BYU Studies, vol. 15 (1974-1975), Number 4 - Summer 1975 437.)
Bruce told
the story in Joshua of the defeat of
Why would
the Lord ask such a harsh punishment? He
was teaching
7:1-5 Achan...took of the accursed
thing
Trouble arose when one man disobeyed
orders and kept some valuable contraband. As
a lesson, divine help was withdrawn, and
7:6-15 Get thee up; wherefore liest thou thus upon thy face?
Joshua tore his clothes, fell to the
earth before the ark, and asked why this failure had occurred after all the
promises. The answer was a sharp reprimand for Joshua's implication that the
Lord had failed
7:16-26 Achan, the son of Carmi, the
son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah,
of the tribe of
The dramatic procedure must have
caused everybody to suffer in apprehension of possible guilt, and they would
have learned thereby.
There is some ambiguity in the
account of the punishment that followed; the alternation of the pronouns him
and them make it difficult to tell whether or not the whole family
suffered as accomplices in the sin of Achan. Most likely the Israelites stoned
him only and burned the contraband things. Unless the whole family had been
accomplices, it would have been a breach of the principle of justice to stone
all of them for his sin (Deut. 24:16).
Note the word-play on the Hebrew
names Achan and Achor, which
mean "trouble." Achor was thereafter
remembered as the place where he who had caused
(Ellis T.
Rasmussen, A Latter-day Saint Commentary on the Old Testament [Salt Lake
City: Deseret, 1993], 209.)
Whatever He
does is for the benefit of His children; this is a correct idea of God’s
nature.
(2 Nephi 26:24.)
24
He doeth not anything save it be for the benefit of the world; for he loveth the world, even that he layeth
down his own life that he may draw all men unto him. Wherefore, he commandeth none that they shall not partake of his salvation.
LF
(Larry E.
Dahl and Charles D. Tate, Jr., eds., The Lectures on Faith in Historical
Perspective [Provo: BYU Religious Studies Center, 1990], 68.)
In our
perspective, God is everlasting to everlasting, there is nothing more powerful
than He. From the teachings of Joseph
Smith we learn of God’s true character and attributes. His life has been like ours, it is very
important that we understand this; it’s essential to our own progress.
Bruce
described the scene of the King Follett discourse, it was a 2 ½ hour talk, and
we only have 45 minutes of it! Also, it
is a composite of several note takers made into one copy. A lot of doctrine came from that talk.
The King Follett Discourse:
A Newly Amalgamated Text
By Stan Larson
The King Follett Discourse of
Thomas Bullock's account is the
longest, and there are indications that it was written down at the very time
that Joseph Smith was speaking. Bullock was able to keep up as well as he did
because he used a personal kind of shorthand with many abbreviated words. There
are a few places where his pen ran out of ink, and because he had to dip his
pen, he lost a few words as Joseph continued speaking, but picked up again a
few phrases later. For example, in one place Bullock recorded: "when we
find to know how to come to him," with the ink suddenly becoming dark
again at the words "to know." An interesting observation of this is
that at this very point Clayton's account fills in material missed by Bullock.
This segment is recorded by Clayton thus: "when we. . . find out God--what
kind a being we have got to worship--when we begin to know how to come to
him."
William Clayton provides a very full
coverage of the discourse until the last fourth which he merely summarized in
two lines. fn Evidence seems conclusive that Clayton also wrote his account as
he was listening to the discourse. For example, in one place where Clayton left
one-half line blank, Bullock's account fills in the information. The
correlations between Bullock's and Clayton's accounts support the position that
both were written at the time the discourse was given.
Willard Richards left a quite sketchy
account, often with disjointed sentence fragments. He seems to have merely
taken down various points during the discourse that he felt were particularly
important. He often leaves spaces or inserts dashes to indicate he is not
taking down every word. His report is "minutes" in the strict sense
of the word since the sermon, which lasted a little over two hours, has been
reduced to be read in just a few minutes.
Wilford Woodruff recorded in his
journal a more nearly complete account, but only after a formal introduction in
which he described the sermon in terms that could only be known after it was
finished. Though Woodruff claimed in 1877 to have recorded the King Follett
Discourse "on the crown of his hat, standing in the congregation," fn
he must have meant no longer extant notes which he later transferred to, and
expanded in, his journal since his neatly-printed journal account has no
abbreviated words, no gaps in the recording, and no unclearly written words.
This transfer could have occurred that same day, or as much as a week or two
later. Often the Woodruff account has synonyms and a slightly different word or
phrase order when compared to the other accounts, but it is compatible to the
other three versions in terms of the basic sense of the message. These
considerations seem to indicate the need for a slightly different use of the
Woodruff account.
Accuracy of the Reports
It may, in all fairness, be wondered
just how accurate the reports of the King Follett Discourse are. In an absolute
sense, it is impossible to determine since there is no way to recover the words
actually spoken that day in April of 1844 and thereby judge the accuracy of the
reports. However, it should be noted that the reports have no irreconcilable
parts--no contradictory statements--and it is sometimes quite amazing how
easily the various accounts combine. A high degree of agreement and harmony
exists among them. There is no evidence that any account was made by copying
and/or expanding any other account. Every indication points to the Bullock,
Clayton, and Richards versions, being written as Joseph spoke; this fact
deserves emphasis. Of all the speeches given by Joseph Smith, this one has the
greatest contemporary manuscript support, which certainly strengthens claims of
its reliability and authenticity.
The Grimshaw Amalgamation
Though a version of this sermon was
published only four months later in the Times and Seasons, the version
in general use today is an "amalgamation" made in 1855 by Jonathan
Grimshaw. fn It has been pointed out that when several reports were made of the
Prophet's discourses "the editors faced the task of dove-tailing differing
reports together to make a single, cohesive summary." fn How the Grimshaw
amalgamation differs from this newly amalgamated text in both approach and
result can best be seen by a specific example, showing how each of the four
independent manuscript sources read, how they were combined in 1855, and how
they have been combined in the present version.
Thomas Bullock--1844
how does it read in the Heb. that God
made man c put intois Adams Spirit c so became a
living Spirit--the mind of man--the min mind of man is as immortal as God
himself--hence while I talk to these mourners--they are only separated from
their bodies for a short period--their Spirits coexisted with God c now
converse one another same as we do--does not this give your satisfact.
fn
William Clayton--1844
(--refers to the bible) don't say so
in the old Hebrew--God made man out of the earth and put into him his spirit
and then it became a living body. The mind of man--the intelligent part is
coequal with God himself I know that my testimony is true. hence when I talk to
these mourners what have they lost--they are only separated from their bodies
for a short season. but their spirit existed co-equal with God and they now
exist in a place where they converse together as much as we do on the earth. fn
Willard Richards--1844
in Hebrew put into him his
spirit.--which was created before. Mind of man co-equal with God himself=
friends separated. for a small moment. from their spirits. coequal with God.
and hold converse when they are one with another.-- fn
Wilford Woodruff--1844
God made a tabernacle & put a
spirit in it and it became a Human soul, man existed in spirit & mind
coequal with God himself, you who mourn the loss of friends are ownly seperted for a moment, the
spirit is seperated for a little time, they are now
conversant with each other as we are on the earth. fn
Jonathan Grimshaw Amalgamation--1855 (Published in 1857)
God made a tabernacle and put a
spirit into it, and it became a living soul. [Refers to the old Bible.] How
does it read in the Hebrew? It does not say in the Hebrew that God created the
spirit of man; it says, 'God made man out of the earth and put into him Adam's
spirit, and so became a living body.'
The mind or the intelligence which
man possesses is coequal with God himself. I know that my testimony is true;
hence when I talk to these mourners, what have they lost? Their relatives and
friends are only separated from their bodies for a short season; their spirits
which existed with God have left the tabernacle of clay only for a little
moment as it were, and they now exist in a place where they converse together
the same as we do on the earth. fn
New Amalgamation--1978
[He refers to the Bible.] How does it read in
the Hebrew? It doesn't say so in the old Hebrew. God made the tabernacle of man
out of the earth and put into him Adam's spirit (which was created before), and
then it became a living body or human soul. Man existed in spirit; the mind of
man--the intelligent Part--is as immortal as, and is coequal with, God Himself.
I know that my testimony is true.
Hence, when I talk to these mourners,
what have they lost? You who mourn the loss of friends are only separated for a
small moment from their spirits, and their spirits are only separated from
their bodies for a short season. But their spirits existed coequal with God and
they now exist in a place where they hold converse together one with another
the same as we do on the earth. Does not this give you satisfaction?
Comparing the Grimshaw amalgamation
of this passage against the original reports reveals a number of differences.
The words underlined in the Grimshaw amalgamation indicate what was added with
no manuscript authority; the words underlined in the new amalgamation on the
right indicate what the Grimshaw amalgamation deleted from the original
accounts. Notice also that sentences one and five in Grimshaw are essentially
the same in meaning, but were derived from separate accounts; in the present
amalgamation these have been combined as a single statement to avoid
redundancy. Yet the opposite is true in the second paragraph where Grimshaw
ends with a single thought; the present amalgamation has a double one--the
mourner is separated from the loved one, and the spirit of the loved one is
separated from his own body.
Since the Grimshaw amalgamation was
made over eleven years after the discourse was given, there may be some concern
about the questionable process of expanding or "fleshing out" the
text, as well as the propriety of eliminating material from the original
manuscript accounts. fn From a historical point of view, it is preferable to
use primary sources and not reminiscences of over a decade later.
The Newly Amalgamated Text
The following procedure was used in
making the present amalgamation. The account of Thomas Bullock was used as the
basic running text. William Clayton's version was then superimposed, adding a
number of refinements such as extra clauses and clearer development of ideas.
Afterwards, the parts recorded by Willard Richards were compared with what had
already been developed; generally the Richards account merely confirmed various
parts, though it added a number of new elements also. Finally, the Wilford
Woodruff account was considered, and its new material was added, with the
understanding that his material may not be as likely to represent the words
actually spoken by Joseph Smith, though the basic meaning would likely be
preserved.
This amalgamation has been edited in
matters of spelling, capitalization, punctuation, sentence structure, paragraph
division, foreign language transliterations, fn plurals, and in the addition of
junctions and transitions needed for coherence, but it can be read with the
confidence that only the barest minimum has been added. Because the editorial
additions do not change the meaning, it has not been thought necessary to
indicate where they are added. fn While it is true that there are still parts
of the sermon that are inexplicable and "there are some imperfections in
the report of this discourse, which one here and there feels, since at some
points the matter is not absolutely clear or the thought not completely rounded
out", fn still it is not deemed justified to go beyond extant manuscript
evidence of the four sources. Since these accounts have been meshed together as
much as possible and not just tacked onto each other, the repetition of
overlapping parts has been eliminated. When synonyms occur, the best attested
is used or sometimes both are used.
The following are included to assist
in the reading of this newly amalgamated version: Those words found only in
Woodruff are indicated by the use of italics, so there is a ready distinction
between these parts and the rest of the discourse as found in the other three
accounts. Parenthetical comments spoken by Joseph are indicated by parentheses.
Notations made by the scribes as to what Joseph did and the editorial expansion
for the quotation from the Hebrew fn are indicated by brackets.
(The King
Follett Discourse: a Newly Amalgamated Text by Stan Larson Fn, BYU Studies,
vol. 18 (1977-1978), Number 2 - Winter 1978 193.)
We are
Saviors on
(Colossians 1:15-20.)
15 Who is the image of the
invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:
16 For by him were all
things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and
invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or
powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
17 And he is before all
things, and by him all things consist.
18 And he is the head of
the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that
in all things he might have the preeminence.
19 For it pleased the
Father that in him should all fulness dwell;
20 And, having made peace
through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by
him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.
Christ was
the 1st creation of our Heavenly Parents; they needed an heir before
creating worlds without number. As
joint-heirs with Christ (Romans
Why? Because they have no selfishness toward
anyone, only love for all of their creations.
CELESTIAL – Complete unity, love, charity, no
selfishness, and families only
OTHER KINGDOMS –Degrees of selfishness,
individuals only (orphans), progression only in that kingdom
The war in
heaven was an act of open rebellion against God. Christ’s act had to be voluntary, agency had
to be used, and no force was used.
(Revelation 12:11.)
11
And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their
testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.
How did we
make the choice to come? Because we had
faith and a testimony that Christ would not fail us, we knew He would fulfill
His mission and complete the atonement (Jarom 11).
(Jarom
1:11.)
11
Wherefore, the prophets, and the priests, and the teachers, did labor
diligently, exhorting with all long-suffering the people to diligence; teaching
the Law of Moses, and the intent for which it was given; persuading them to look
forward unto the Messiah, and believe in him to come as though he already was.
And after this manner did they teach them.
(
1 And again, my brethren,
I would cite your minds forward to the time when the Lord God gave these
commandments unto his children; and I would that ye should remember that the
Lord God ordained priests, after his holy order, which was after the order of
his Son, to teach these things unto the people.
2 And those priests were
ordained after the order of his Son, in a manner that thereby the people might
know in what manner to look forward to his Son for redemption.
3 And this is the manner
after which they were ordained—being called and prepared from the foundation of
the world according to the foreknowledge of God, on account of their exceeding
faith and good works; in the first place being left to choose good or evil;
therefore they having chosen good, and exercising exceedingly great faith, are
called with a holy calling, yea, with that holy calling which was prepared
with, and according to, a preparatory redemption for such.
4 And thus they have been
called to this holy calling on account of their faith, while others would
reject the Spirit of God on account of the hardness of their hearts and
blindness of their minds, while, if it had not been for this they might have
had as great privilege as their brethren.
5 Or in fine, in the first
place they were on the same standing with their brethren; thus this holy
calling being prepared from the foundation of the world for such as would not
harden their hearts, being in and through the atonement of the Only Begotten
Son, who was prepared—
6 And thus being called by
this holy calling, and ordained unto the high priesthood of the holy order of
God, to teach his commandments unto the children of men, that they also might
enter into his rest—
7 This high priesthood
being after the order of his Son, which order was from the foundation of the
world; or in other words, being without beginning of days or end of years,
being prepared from eternity to all eternity, according to his foreknowledge of
all things—
8 Now they were ordained
after this manner—being called with a holy calling, and ordained with a holy
ordinance, and taking upon them the high priesthood of the holy order, which
calling, and ordinance, and high priesthood, is without beginning or end—
9 Thus they become high
priests forever, after the order of the Son, the Only Begotten of the Father,
who is without beginning of days or end of years, who is full of grace, equity,
and truth. And thus it is. Amen.
See also
Abraham 3:23, D&C 138:55, and Mosiah 4:3.
The
character of God and Christ is the same, it is LOVE, and Christ worships the Father, so must we!
What it
means to WORSHIP Heavenly Father and
Christ.
Worship
In every age God has
commanded his children to worship him. (See Moses 1:17; Moses 5:5; Exodus
34:14; Mosiah 18:25; Matthew 4:10; Luke 4:8.) Modern revelation reemphasizes
"that all men must repent and believe on the name of Jesus Christ, and
worship the Father in his name. . . . or they cannot be saved in the
Worship often includes actions, but
true worship always involves a particular attitude of mind.
The attitude of worship evokes the
deepest feelings of allegiance, adoration, and awe. Worship combines love and
reverence in a state of devotion that draws our spirits closer to God.
President Spencer W. Kimball said that the reason God commanded us to worship
him is that this would bring us closer to him (The Teachings of Spencer W.
Kimball [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1982], p. 30).
Jesus taught that we should worship
the Father "in spirit and in truth" (John
The Savior explained further:
But the hour cometh and
now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in
truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
For unto such hath God
promised his Spirit. And they who worship him, must worship him in spirit and
in truth. (JST, John 4:25-26.)
In order to worship "in
spirit," we must have the right attitude of mind. We must know how to
worship. In order to worship "in truth," we must know what we
worship.
An episode recorded in the Book of
Mormon shows the importance of knowing what we worship. The Zoramites
worshipped a god who was a spirit and would be a spirit forever, who had made
known to them that there would be no Christ, and who had "elected"
them that they all would be saved (see
Elder James E. Talmage taught:
"Man's capacity for worship is a measure of his comprehension of God. The
fuller the acquaintance and the closer the communion between the worshipper and
Deity, the more thorough and sincere will be his homage." (The Articles of
Faith [Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1924],
pp. 395—96.)
We worship God the Father, the great
Elohim. Though there be "gods many, and lords many" (1 Corinthians
8:5), his position is unique. He is the Father of our spirits, the creator of
all things, and the author of our salvation. God taught Moses: "Mine Only
Begotten is and shall be the Savior, for he is full of grace and truth; but
there is no God beside me" (Moses 1:6). As the object of our worship, God
the Eternal Father "stands supreme and alone." ("Only One God to
Worship," Improvement Era [April, 1912], 15:483—85; also in Messages of
the First Presidency, ed. James R. Clark [
We also worship the Lord Jesus
Christ, the Son of God, the Great Jehovah, the Holy One of Israel (see Bruce R.
McConkie, The Promised Messiah [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1978], pp.
562-66). At the direction of God the Father, the Son accomplished the work of
creation, spoke with the prophets, and completed the glorious work of
redemption. We worship him as our Savior and our Redeemer. The scriptures
sometimes refer to him as the Father, because when we have claimed the benefit
of his atoning sacrifice by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the gospel
and he has redeemed us from our sins, we become his spiritually begotten sons
and daughters (Mosiah 5:7-8; 15:1012).
Do we worship? Examples of worship in
action include prayers, sermons, testimonies, gospel study, service, and
singing. For example, who has not thrilled with the singing of "Oh, Come,
All Ye Faithful"? Each verse has a thrilling, worshipful message, but none
more beautiful than this conclusion:
Yea, Lord, we greet thee, born this
happy morning;
Jesus, to thee be all glory given.
Son of the Father, now in flesh
appearing;
Oh, come, let us adore him ;
Oh, come let us adore him ;
Oh, come, let us adore him, Christ,
the Lord.
(Hymns, 1985, no. 202.)
We also perform acts of worship when
we obey the commandments of God. Elder Bruce R. McConkie called obedience
"the true measure of true worship" (Mormon Doctrine, 2d ed. [Salt
Lake City: Bookcraft, 1966], p. 849).
Although there are actions that we
associate with worship, no act constitutes worship unless it is accompanied by
a particular state of mind, the attitude of worship. True worshippers, as Jesus
taught, "must worship [him] in spirit and in truth" (JST, John
Elder James E. Talmage taught that a
person who has the true and heartfelt attitude of worship can worship without
outward action:
Worship is not a matter of form any
more than is prayer. It consists not in posture, in gesture, in ritual or in
creed. Worship most profound may be rendered with none of the artificial
accessories of ritualistic service. (The Articles of Faith, p. 396.)
Neither is worship a matter of place.
The prophet Alma condemned the Zoramites' limitation
of worship to set prayers offered from a holy stand in the center of their
synagogues (see
Worship cannot be forced, and it is
not casual or indifferent. Worship requires the wholehearted intent of a loving
spirit. Worship, like prayer, is the soul's sincere desire:
Worship is the voluntary homage of
the soul. Under compulsion, or for purposes of display, one may insincerely
perform all the outward ceremonies of an established style of adoration; he may
voice words of prescribed prayers; his lips may profess a creed; yet his effort
is but a mockery of worship and its indulgence a sin. God asks no reluctant
homage nor unwilling praise.
Continuing, Elder Talmage explains
the importance of the inward desire:
Formalism in worship is acceptable
only so far as it is accompanied by an intelligent devoutness; and it is
genuine only as it is an aid to the spiritual devotion that leads to communion
with Deity. The spoken prayer is but empty sound if it be anything less than an
index to the volume of the soul's righteous desire. (James E. Talmage, The
Articles of Faith, p. 397.)
Actions that we associate with
worship, while not constituting worship in themselves, suggest the attitude of
mind that constitutes true worship. Such actions include kneeling, bowing the
head, professing faith, and participating in public worship services.
Scriptural accounts of worshippers
often describe their bowing down before the Lord. When the wise men came from
the east and found the young child with Mary his mother, they "fell down,
and worshipped him" (Matthew
Hosanna! Blessed be the
name of the Most High God! And they did fall down at the feet of Jesus, and did
worship him. . . .
And Nephi . . . went
forth, and bowed himself before the Lord and did kiss his feet. (3 Nephi
11:16-19. See also 3 Nephi 17:10; D&C
Professions of faith and testimony
are also acts of worship. There are many such in the scriptures. After the
Sermon on the Mount, "There came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord,
if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean" (Matthew 8:2). After Jesus had
calmed the waves and walked upon the water, "Then they that were in the
ship came and worshipped him, saying; Of a truth thou art the Son of God"
(Matthew
The most familiar acts of worship
take place in public worship services. Perhaps because of that familiarity,
many worshippers fail to get far enough beyond the level of mere attendance to
make their worship a matter of attitude and spirit. To worship in spirit requires
preparation. Elder Mark E. Petersen advised that we should "cleanse
ourselves in preparation for that [Sabbath] worship by confessing our sins and
repenting of them" ("The Sabbath Day," Ensign, May 1975, p. 49).
The sacrament has the central place in
our public worship. Elder David B. Haight has taught: "Associated with the
partaking of the sacrament are principles that are fundamental to man's
advancement and exaltation in the
Partaking of the sacrament is an act,
but each portion of the sacrament service carries strong emphasis that this
form of worship requires a particular attitude of mind.
We begin with a sacrament hymn. These
two verses of "Jesus of Nazareth, Savior and King" are illustrative
of the worshipful thoughts and attitudes that sacrament hymns encourage in
those who participate:
While of this broken bread humbly we
eat,
Our thoughts to thee are led in
reverence sweet.
Bruised broken, torn for us on
Thy suff'ring
borne for us lives with us still.
As to our lips the cup gently we
press,
Our hearts are lifted up, thy name we
bless!
Guide us where'er
we go, till in the end
Life evermore we'll know through
thee, our Friend.
(Hymns, 1985, no. 18 1.)
Next, the elder or priest blesses the
emblems of the sacrament. His prayers should be audible to all who will
partake. He prays to God the Eternal Father that all who will partake of the
bread "may eat in remembrance of the body of thy Son," and that all
who drink of the water "may do it in remembrance of the blood of thy Son,
which was shed for them" (D&C 20:77, 79).
During the passing of the sacrament,
we all have the opportunity to worship by pondering on the sacrifice of the Son
of God, who suffered and died for our sins and who is our Savior and Redeemer.
In order for the act of partaking of
the sacrament to constitute an act of worship, it must be done with the
"remembrance" specified in these prayers of the priesthood holders
who officiate at this sacred ordinance. This is clear from the following
revelation, given in the first year of the restored Church:
For, behold, I say unto
you, that it mattereth not what ye shall eat or what
ye shall drink when ye partake of the sacrament, if it so be that ye do it with
an eye single to my glory—remembering unto the Father my body which was laid
down for you, and my blood which was shed for the remission of your sins
(D&C 27:21.)
Though worship may be encouraged and
informed by meeting with others, true worship is an individual act and an
individual responsibility. Worship occurs in the mind of the worshipper.
President Spencer W. Kimball taught this principle of individual responsibility
with this memorable example:
We attend sacrament meetings to
worship the Lord. If the meeting is conducted or if we attend with any other
thought, we have missed the spirit of the occasion. Those who attend meeting
only when the speaker is eloquent, the lecturer is noted, or the music is excellent,
are far ahead of the high purpose and loftiness of this meeting in the house of
prayer. It should be worship from the first announcement to the Final prayer,
consisting of the singing of sacred songs, prayers of gratitude, the partaking
of the sacrament with appropriate thoughts, and the expounding of the gospel
and bearing testimony of its divinity. . . .
. . . Worship is an individual
matter. The best choir, the best speaker, the most noted lecturer, cannot bring
true worship into your soul. It must proceed from within, out of a deep sense
of love and devotion and dependence and humility. . . .
One good but mistaken man I know
claimed he could get more out of a good book on Sunday than he could get in
attending church services, saying that the sermons were hardly up to his
standards. But we do not go to Sabbath meetings to be entertained or even
solely to be instructed. We go to worship the Lord. It is an individual
responsibility, and regardless of what is said from the pulpit, if one wishes
to worship the Lord in spirit and in truth, he may do so by attending his
meetings, partaking of the sacrament, and contemplating the beauties of the
gospel. If the service is a failure to you, you have failed. No one can worship
for you; you must do your own waiting upon the Lord. (The Teachings of Spencer
W. Kimball [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1982], pp. 514-15.)
Elder Gene R. Cook expresses this same principle in terms of an attitude
of giving:
The more enlightened member of the Church goes to church in order to
give, to give strength, to feel, to inspire, to help. . . . They sit in the
congregation and pray intently for the speaker. They find that as they do so in
a sacrament meeting that the Lord will speak to them using that speaker,
however weak he may be in his knowledge and understanding of the gospel, to
open additional spiritual doors for the one seated praying.
The speaker, for example, may mention the concept of faith and give the
most elemental description of what it is. The faithful man in the audience is
praying to help him, the speaker, and listening intently to what is said. If he
so does, the Lord will open up numerous other more profound ideas about faith
to the one praying for instruction from the real source of all learning, namely
the Lord. (Unpublished memorandum, "The Purpose of the Church,"
February 24, 1985.)
The purpose of worship is to draw
closer to God, in order to enlarge our knowledge of him and strengthen our
efforts to keep his commandments.
The effects of perfect worship are
described by Elder Bruce R. McConkie:
Perfect worship is emulation. We
honor those whom we imitate. The most perfect way of worship is to be holy as
Jehovah is holy. It is to be pure as Christ is pure. It is to do the things
that enable us to become like the Father. The course is one of obedience, of
living by every word that proceedeth from the mouth of God, of keeping the
commandments.
How do we worship the Lord? We do it
by going from grace to grace, until we receive the fulness of the Father and
are glorified in light and truth as is the case with our Pattern and Prototype,
the Promised Messiah. (The Promised Messiah, pp. 568—69.)
In the remarkable revelation known as
section 93 of the Doctrine and Covenants, the Lord revealed a portion of the
truths recorded in the record of John. The Lord explained that he gave this
knowledge to his children in this dispensation "that you may understand
and know how to worship, and know what you worship" (D&C 93:19). John
recorded the premortal existence of Christ, his role in the creation, his
mortal ministry, and his continuing "from grace
to grace, until he received a fulness" (D&C 93:13). John then
bore record that the Only Begotten of the Father
"received a fulness of the glory of the Father," including "all
power, both in heaven and on earth" (D&C 93:16-17). This
knowledge of the exaltation of the Son tells us "what" we worship. It
also tells us "how" to worship and why we worship:
That you may come unto the
Father in my name, and in due time receive of his fulness.
For if you keep my
commandments you shall receive of his fulness, and be glorified in me as I am
in the Father; therefore, I say unto you, you shall receive grace for grace.
(D&C 93: 19-20.)
In truth, as God revealed to his
prophet, Moses, "This is my work and my glory—to
bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man" (Moses
(Dallin H.
Oaks, Pure in Heart [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1988], 125.)
Elder
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
In word and in deed Jesus
was trying to reveal and make personal to us the true nature of His Father, our
Father in Heaven.
|
|
Of the many magnificent
purposes served in the life and ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ, one great
aspect of that mission often goes uncelebrated. His followers did not
understand it fully at the time, and many in modern Christianity do not grasp
it now, but the Savior Himself spoke of it repeatedly and emphatically. It is
the grand truth that in all that Jesus came to say and do, including and
especially in His atoning suffering and sacrifice, He was showing us who and
what God our Eternal Father is like, how completely devoted He is to His
children in every age and nation. In word and in deed Jesus was trying to
reveal and make personal to us the true nature of His Father, our Father in
Heaven.
He did this at least in
part because then and now all of us need to know God more fully in order to
love Him more deeply and obey Him more completely. As both Old and New
Testaments declare, "The first of all the commandments is . . . thou shalt
love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all
thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first [and great]
commandment."1
Little wonder then that the
Prophet Joseph Smith taught: "It is the first principle of the gospel to
know for a certainty the character of God." "I want you all to know
Him," he said, "and to be familiar with Him."2 We must have "a correct
idea of his . . . perfections, and attributes," an
admiration for "the excellency of [His]
character."3 Thus the first phrase we utter in the
declaration of our faith is, "We believe in God, the Eternal Father."4 So, emphatically, did Jesus. Even as
He acknowledged His own singular role in the divine plan, the Savior
nevertheless insisted on this prayerful preamble: "And this is life
eternal, that they might know thee the only true God."5
After generations of
prophets had tried to teach the family of man the will and the way of the
Father, usually with little success, God in His ultimate effort to have us know
Him, sent to earth His Only Begotten and perfect Son, created in His very
likeness and image, to live and serve among mortals in the everyday rigors of
life.
To come to earth with such
a responsibility, to stand in place of Elohim—speaking as He would speak,
judging and serving, loving and warning, forbearing and forgiving as He would
do—this is a duty of such staggering proportions that you and I cannot comprehend
such a thing. But in the loyalty and determination that would be characteristic
of a divine child, Jesus could comprehend it and He did it. Then, when the
praise and honor began to come, He humbly directed all adulation to the Father.
"The
Father . . . doeth the works," He said in earnest.
"The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth
the Father do: for what things soever [the Father]
doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise."6 On another occasion He said: "I
speak that which I have seen with my Father." "I do nothing of
myself; but as my Father hath taught me." "I came down from heaven,
not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me."7
I make my own heartfelt
declaration of God our Eternal Father this morning because some in the
contemporary world suffer from a distressing misconception of Him. Among these
there is a tendency to feel distant from the Father, even estranged from Him,
if they believe in Him at all. And if they do believe, many moderns say they
might feel comfortable in the arms of Jesus, but they are uneasy contemplating
the stern encounter of God.8 Through a misreading (and surely, in
some cases, a mistranslation) of the Bible, these see God the Father and Jesus
Christ His Son as operating very differently, this in spite of the fact that in
both the Old Testament and the New, the Son of God is one and the same, acting
as He always does under the direction of the Father, who is Himself the same
"yesterday, today, and forever."9
In reflecting on these
misconceptions we realize that one of the remarkable contributions of the Book
of Mormon is its seamless, perfectly consistent view of divinity throughout that
majestic book. Here there is no Malachi-to-Matthew gap, no pause while we shift
theological gears, no misreading the God who is urgently, lovingly, faithfully
at work on every page of that record from its Old Testament beginning to its
New Testament end. Yes, in an effort to give the world back its Bible and a
correct view of Deity with it, what we have in the Book of Mormon is a uniform
view of God in all His glory and goodness, all His richness and
complexity—including and especially as again demonstrated through a personal
appearance of His Only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ.
How grateful we are for all
the scriptures, especially the scriptures of the Restoration, that teach us the
majesty of each member of the Godhead. How we would thrill, for example, if all
the world would receive and embrace the view of the Father so movingly
described in the Pearl of Great Price.
There, in the midst of a
grand vision of humankind which heaven opened to his view, Enoch, observing
both the blessings and challenges of mortality, turns his gaze toward the
Father and is stunned to see Him weeping. He says in wonder and amazement to
this most powerful Being in the universe: "How is it that thou canst
weep? . . . Thou art just [and] merciful and kind forever;. . . Peace . . . is
the habitation of thy throne; and mercy shall go before thy face and have no
end; how is it thou canst weep?"
Looking out on the events
of almost any day, God replies: "Behold these thy brethren; they are the
workmanship of mine own hands. . . . I gave unto
them . . . [a] commandment, that they should love one
another, and that they should choose me, their Father; but behold, they are
without affection, and they hate their own
blood. . . . Wherefore should not the heavens weep, seeing
these shall suffer?"10
That single, riveting scene
does more to teach the true nature of God than any theological treatise could
ever convey. It also helps us understand much more emphatically that vivid
moment in the Book of Mormon allegory of the olive tree, when after digging and
dunging, watering and weeding, trimming, pruning, transplanting, and grafting,
the great Lord of the vineyard throws down his spade and his pruning shears and
weeps, crying out to any who would listen, "What could I have done more
for my vineyard?"11
What an indelible image of
God's engagement in our lives! What anguish in a parent when His children do
not choose Him nor "the gospel of God" He sent!12 How easy to love someone who so
singularly loves us!
Of course the
centuries-long drift away from belief in such a perfect and caring Father
hasn't been helped any by the man-made creeds of erring generations which
describe God variously as unknown and unknowable—formless, passionless,
elusive, ethereal, simultaneously everywhere and nowhere at all. Certainly that
does not describe the Being we behold through the eyes of these prophets. Nor
does it match the living, breathing, embodied Jesus of Nazareth who was and is
in "the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his
[Father]."13
In that sense Jesus did not
come to improve God's view of man nearly so much as He came to improve man's
view of God and to plead with them to love their Heavenly Father as He has
always and will always love them. The plan of God, the power of God, the
holiness of God, yes, even the anger and the judgment of God they had occasion
to understand. But the love of God, the profound depth of His devotion to His
children, they still did not fully know—until Christ came.
So feeding the hungry,
healing the sick, rebuking hypocrisy, pleading for faith—this was Christ
showing us the way of the Father, He who is "merciful and gracious, slow
to anger, long-suffering and full of goodness."14 In His life and especially in His
death, Christ was declaring, "This is God's compassion I am showing
you, as well as that of my own." In the perfect Son's manifestation of the
perfect Father's care, in Their mutual suffering and shared sorrow for the sins
and heartaches of the rest of us, we see ultimate meaning in the declaration:
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that
whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For
God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world
through him might be saved."15
I bear personal witness
this day of a personal, living God, who knows our names, hears and answers
prayers, and cherishes us eternally as children of His spirit. I testify that
amidst the wondrously complex tasks inherent in the universe, He seeks our
individual happiness and safety above all other godly concerns. We are created
in His very image and likeness,16 and Jesus of Nazareth, His Only
Begotten Son in the flesh, came to earth as the perfect mortal manifestation of
His grandeur. In addition to the witness of the ancients we also have the
modern miracle of
I bear witness of a God who
has such shoulders. And in the spirit of the holy apostleship, I say as did one
who held this office anciently: "Herein [then] is love, not that we loved
God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our
sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another"18—and to love Him forever, I pray. In
the sacred name of Jesus Christ, amen.
NOTES
1. Mark 12:29–30; see also Matthew 22:37–38; Deuteronomy 6:5.
2. History of the Church, 6:305.
3. Lectures on Faith (1985), 38, 42.
4. Articles of Faith 1:1.
5. John 17:3.
6. John 14:10; 5:19.
7. John 8:38, 28; 6:38.
8. See William Barclay, The Mind of Jesus (1961),
especially the chapter "Looking at the Cross" for a discussion of
this modern tendency.
9. For example, 1 Nephi 10:18; 2 Nephi 27:23; Moroni 10:19; D&C 20:12.
10. Moses 7:29–33, 37.
11. Jacob 5:41; see also vv. 47, 49.
12. Romans 1:1.
13. Hebrews 1:3; see also 2 Corinthians 4:4; Colossians 1:15.
14. Lectures on Faith, 42.
15. John 3:16–17.
16. See Genesis 1:26–27; Moses 2:26–27.
17. Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, sel. Joseph
Fielding Smith (1976), 257, 240–41.
18. 1 John 4:10.
A Discussion of Lectures 3 and 4
The Imperative and Unchanging Nature
of God
Rodney Turner
In the winter of 1834-35, the Prophet
Joseph Smith instructed the "school of the Elders" in
Thirty-nine verses from the Bible and
two from the Doctrine and Covenants are quoted to "prove" the
premises of these lectures. In the Lectures on Faith, God's moral nature is
extrapolated from the Bible, not the Book of Mormon or other modern scriptures.
An even stronger argument can be made using these latter-day sources. However,
we must understand that such proof is textual, not empirical. No wholly
spiritual or otherworldly proposition can, in the scientific sense, be
demonstrated. This is necessarily the case. If the validity of scripture was,
like gravity, self-evident, there would be no need for faith, virtue, or the
witness of the Holy Spirit. Hence
True Faith Versus False Faith
But the trial of faith is only as
valid as the faith itself. A vain or false faith can only produce erroneous
results. Still, many religious people view faith pragmatically as an end in
itself: faith in faith. It does not matter what you believe as long as you
believe in something. This utilitarian approach to faith is the
equivalent of whistling past the graveyard—a psychological crutch for limping
through a dark world. The notion that one god, or one religion, is as good as
another is an attempt to democratize the principle of faith. But faith has no
saving power if it is directed toward false gods or false religious concepts
and practices. Jesus taught: "This is life eternal, that they might know
thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent" (John
17:3; emphasis added). No matter how fervent one's supposed faith, to be
ignorant of that God and his will is to be without a valid hope of salvation. A
faith compounded from religious error is the ultimate "vanity of
vanities" (Eccl 1:2).
"If men do not comprehend the
character of God, they do not comprehend themselves. . . . It is the first
principle of the gospel to know for a certainty the Character [sic] of
God" (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith 343, 345; hereafter TPJS).
These remarks by Joseph Smith, alluding to God's material character as a
resurrected being, summarize the central issue of religion. God is the key to
man's true identity; to know who and what God is, is to know who and what we
are. Conversely, ignorance of God is ignorance of oneself.
False gods beget false religions. The
primary reason contemporary Christianity is riddled with misconceptions about
the gospel of Jesus Christ is that it is blind to the essential truth about the
God it purports to worship. The gospel is an extension of God's nature. It is
precisely what it is because God is what he is. How can we understand the
gospel if we do not understand the God who authored it?
God's Existence
Faith cannot exist in a vacuum; a
measure of knowledge—real or imagined—must precede it. We must know about
before we can believe in. We cannot have faith in someone or something
of whom, or of which, we have no knowledge (LF 2:18; 3:6). Paul asked:
"How shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard?" (Rom
10:14). Contrary to the views of most social anthropologists, the origin of
belief in a supreme being was not human reason, but divine revelation. Man did
not rationalize God into existence; man did not invent God as an explanation
for the then- mysterious workings of nature. Rather, the Almighty appeared to Adam
and Eve "and it was through this means that the thought was first
suggested to their minds that there was a God" (LF 2:31). The almost
universal belief in God originated with the patriarch of the human family.
The "great first cause" has
never been identified; indeed, there probably never was such a
"cause." God not only exists, he has always existed. He—like his
priesthood—is "without beginning of days or end of years" (Alma 13:7;
Moses 1:3). He is "God over all, from everlasting to everlasting" (LF
3:19). In this timeless sense, "God" is not one solitary being, but
the sum total of all those men and women who achieve a fulness of exaltation.
President Brigham Young spoke to this point: "How many Gods there are, I
do not know. But there never was a time when there were not Gods and worlds,
and when men were not passing through the same ordeals that we are now passing
through. That course has been from all eternity, and it is and will be to all
eternity" (Journal of Discourses 7:333; hereafter JD). William
W. Phelps, a close associate of Joseph Smith, reflected this sentiment in
verse:
If you could hie to Kolob in the twinkling of
an eye,
And then continue onward with that same speed to fly,
Do you think that you could ever, through all eternity,
Find out the generation where Gods began to be?
(Hymns #284).
However, in speaking only of
the Father of Jesus Christ, the Prophet Joseph Smith said: "We have
imagined and supposed that God was God from all eternity. I will refute that
idea, and take away the veil, so that you may see." The Prophet then
explained that the Father once lived as a mortal on another earth and
"worked out his salvation with fear and trembling"—presumably under his
Father and his God (TPJS 345, 347). When understood in their
contexts, the statements of Brigham Young and Joseph Smith are in perfect
harmony. While we know of no identifiable personage who has always existed as
God, yet God—at least in principle—has always existed. As far as has
been revealed, "God" simply is.
The Material Nature of God
Zophar, one of Job's
"comforters," asked: "Canst thou by searching find out God?
Canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection?" (Job 11:7). The answer
is no (LF 3:7). God's divine nature cannot be discovered by human reason. His genuine
nature was no more a product of human reason than was belief in his existence.
Indeed, reason at its presumed best (as represented by the ancient philosophers
and the Christian creedmakers) defined God as a
totally transcendent, formless, immaterial, spirit essence, which definition
Parley P. Pratt once called "a pious name for atheism." This type of
"piety" suited the unembodied spirit
Lucifer perfectly: unable to overthrow the Almighty, he sought to redefine him
out of existence.
Unfortunately many have wrested the
Bible into a game of "Trivial Pursuit." In spite of the preponderence of passages describing God in anthropomorphic
terms, one brief verse in John, "God is a Spirit" (4:24), is seized
upon to prove the contrary. However, the Son of Man came into the world
to manifest both the spiritual and material natures of the Father. The
resurrected Lord told Mary Magdalene: "I ascend unto my Father, and your
Father; and to my God, and your God" (John 20:17). The evening of the same
day he invited his astonished disciples to: "Behold my hands and my feet,
that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones,
as ye see me have" (Luke 24:39).
Yet Christian theologians ignored the
plain doctrines of these scriptures and twisted the identities of the Father
and the Son into a philosophical pretzel—endowing the Son of God with two
totally distinct natures—one divine, one human. His divine nature was with the
Father in heaven at the same time his human, incarnate, nature was with mankind
on earth! Unable either rationally or scripturally to explain how God can be
absolutely one supreme being of immaterial essence, and yet be absolutely three
distinct persons (one having a corporeal body of flesh and bone), fn the
theologians resolved the dilemma by begging the question and declaring the
doctrine an incomprehensible mystery. Thus the subjective creeds of men were
given precedence over God's objective revelation of himself. Thanks to the
learned philosophers who chose to ignore the plain teachings of Jesus and Paul,
False Gods
Ancient Gods
What ungodly gods Satan, the
"god of this world" (2 Cor 4:4), has
concocted! Sin, ignorance, and devilish revelation filled the ancient world
with a pantheon of sightless, soulless idols. Because these dumb horrors were
symbols of power rather than principle, religious morality as we think of it
played a very minor role in the overall scheme of things. The result was a
nightmare of fanaticism, cruelty, and depravity: torture, human sacrifice,
prostitution, and incest figured prominently in the work of the devil's
"priesthoods."
For example, in homage to the Mother
Goddess of
The cruel gods of the ancient world
were fashioned in the image of their cruel worshippers. But inhumane acts were
not limited to the idolatrous nations of antiquity. The histories of
Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, and other contemporary world religions are rife
with devilish chapters of fanaticism, torture, murder, and immorality. Only God
knows the full catalogue of crimes committed in his name.
Modern Gods
If the gods of Greece and
Rome—tempered somewhat by philosophy—were somewhat less immoral than those of
earlier millennia, still they were far from patterns of piety. The Olympian
myths ascribe to Zeus (or Jupiter in the Latin myths) and his celestial
entourage many of the same weaknesses and vices common to mankind. The ten
commandments were not an issue for these gods and the men they ruled. Ritual,
not righteousness, was the central issue.
Such is often the case even now among
the world's religions, sects, and cults. Millions of Christians and billions of
non-Christians not only continue to worship false gods (Hinduism has thirty
million deities), but often with a credulous emphasis on man-contrived rituals.
They flourish along a continuum from the very simple and prosaic to the most
outlandish and bizarre. Light the candles, burn the incense, bang the gongs,
bathe in sacred rivers, parade the images, intone the mystical formulas, and
pray the prayers—all this serves to meet the demands of whatever gods there be.
And so confusion abounds as a result of mankind's efforts—eagerly abetted by
the god of this world—to fashion gods in his own kaleidoscopic image.
For others, God is either dead,
irrelevant, or his existence is highly questionable. Some prominent scientists,
intellectuals, and even religionists are secular humanists whose creed states:
As secular humanists . . . we find
that traditional views of the existence of God either are meaningless, have not
yet been demonstrated to be true, or are tyrannically exploitative. Secular
humanists . . . find insufficient evidence for the claim that some divine
purpose exists for the universe. They reject the idea that God has intervened
miraculously in history or revealed himself to a chosen few, or that he can
save or redeem sinners. They believe that men and women are free and are
responsible for their own destinies and that they cannot look toward some
transcendent Being for salvation. We reject the divinity of Jesus, the divine
mission of Moses, Mohammed, and other latter-day prophets and saints of the
various sects and denominations (Kurtz 17-18).
For such thinkers, man has not simply
created a god in his own image; man is his god. Man is the author of moral law
and the determiner of what is morally acceptable. Science has presumably
emancipated mankind from the ancient myths that kept it in bondage to foolish
illusions about the supernatural. There is no supernatural, metaphysical, or
spiritual opposition to temporal or physical reality. All reality is circumscribed
by the natural order—the experiential order that can be weighed, measured,
analyzed, and controlled by man.
The secular humanists believe that,
while man, of necessity, must work in harmony with such manifest natural laws
as gravity and electromagnetism, he does not need a corresponding moral order,
and indeed it does not exist. Man—individually and collectively—will provide
the moral framework for human happiness and security. Such is the position of
secular humanism, pure existentialism, and naturalism. These philosophies
permeate much of higher education in Europe and
The One and Only True God
As we are indebted for the idea of
his existence to a revelation which God made of himself to his creatures, in
the first instance, so in like manner we are indebted to the revelations which
he has given to us for a correct understanding of his character, perfections,
and attributes. Because without the revelations which he has given to us, no
man by searching could find out God (LF 3:7).
Regardless of who or what men
worship, the fact remains that they can only be as moral as their gods.
Likewise, their faith is only as valid and their salvation is only as assured
as their gods and religions are true. A false faith may have a certain pragmatic
value in time, but it is of very questionable worth in eternity.
Christ declared the creeds an
abomination because they produced an abominable harvest of religious tares
choking and obscuring the wheat of truth—especially the truth about the literal
fatherhood of God upon which the doctrine of eternal marriage and exaltation is
based. For if God is not an exalted man, he can have no children to aspire to a
like glory. But he is the Man of all men, the measure by which they will be
judged. To the extent that any life falls short of his perfection, it is a less
successful, less significant, and less glorious life than a life can be. We
will look now at the character and some attributes of the one and only true God
as listed in Lectures 3 and 4, and will show how latter-day revelations and
prophets support the teachings of the Lectures.
An Almighty God
For unless God had power over all
things . . . men could not be saved (LF 4:12).
Nothing exists outside of God. As
Paul told the Athenians: "For in him we live, and move, and have
our being" (Acts 17:28; emphasis added). His Spirit emanates from his
presence "to fill the immensity of space" (D&C 88:12). His
dominions are coextensive with all matter, space, and time. And matter, space,
and time are subject to his will; he can compress, expand, or modify them as he
sees fit. The Almighty is as omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent as it is
possible to be.
To know all that can be known is to
possess all the power that can be possessed. Knowledge is the source of power.
Knowing all things enables the Almighty to organize, control, and sustain all
things. His faith in himself is absolute: "There is nothing that the Lord
thy God shall take in his heart to do but what he will do it" (Abr 3:17).
The seventh lecture on faith states:
"Faith, then, works by words; and with these its mightiest works have been
and will be, performed" (LF 7:3). God's own works are works of pure faith,
unadulterated by physical effort on his part. He speaks and "the
power of his voice" causes all creation to obey: "Yea, and if he say
unto the earth—Move—it is moved. Yea, if he say unto the earth—Thou shalt go
back, that it lengthen out the day for many hours—it is done. . . . And behold
also, if he say unto the waters of the great deep—Be thou dried up—it is
done" (Hel 12:13, 16). Jehovah told Abraham: "I stretch my hand over
the sea, and it obeys my voice; I cause the wind and the fire to be my chariot;
I say to the mountains—Depart hence—and behold, they are taken away by a
whirlwind, in an instant, suddenly" (Abr 2:7).
Truly, the Almighty is a
miracle-worker whose ways and works remain a yet-to-be-revealed mystery to the
most knowledgeable of mortals. The recognition of this fact is one definition
of humility. Unfortunately this quality is sadly lacking in a growing number of
self-ordained "intellectuals" who persist in defining the Creator's
moral and intellectual character in their own finite image. Joseph Smith noted:
"It is the constitutional disposition of mankind to set up stakes and set
bounds to the works and ways of the Almighty" (TPJS 320). In other
words, men seek to shrink God down to their own intellectual size, to
de-miracle-ize the Miracle Worker. But
Having the power to organize,
control, and sustain all things, the Lord can also sanctify, immortalize, and
exalt all things. Our faith in God is contingent upon God's faith in himself.
The motivating confidence we have in the reality of those as-yet-unexperienced immortal wonders which "eye hath not
seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man" (1 Cor 2:9), together with our hope of attaining them, rests
upon our unshakeable trust in that divine power resulting from God's own
perfect faith and knowledge.
The Moral Attributes of God
Jesus said: "There is none good,
but one, that is, God" (Matt 19:17; TPJS 303). In every way, the
Most High is infinitely more than man at his best. Because of the vast gulf
created by that essential, but cataclysmic, event called the Fall, the noblest
of men only approximate his glory. Being holy, God's ways are not our ways, and
his thoughts are not our thoughts. And yet the Lord is a man of passions. He really
loves, and he really hates. He does not speak in monotones. His
reactions are not impersonal, mechanical, or contrived. He feels. And
those feelings run the gamut from love and compassion to wrath and judgment.
He is responsive to the ever-changing
circumstances stemming from the moral agency he has given his children. The
Redeemer told some Saints in
The Lord, not man, is the ultimate
determiner of what is right and wrong. Joseph Smith wrote:
That which is wrong under one
circumstance, may be, and often is, right under another. . . . God said,
"Thou shalt not kill"; at another time He said, "Thou shalt
utterly destroy." This is the principle on which the government of heaven
is conducted—by revelation adapted to the circumstances in which the children
of the kingdom are placed. Whatever God requires is right, no matter what it
is, although we may not see the reason thereof till long after the events
transpire (TPJS 256).
It is for the Lord with his
"all-searching eye" to judge men; it is not for myopic men to judge
the Lord, or even to presume to judge in his stead. To do so is "the
greater sin" (D&C 64:9).
God Is Unchanging
For without the idea of
unchangeableness in the character of the Deity, doubt would take the place of
faith (LF 3:21).
God is "the same yesterday,
today, and forever" (1 Nephi 10:18; Heb 13:8). He "changes not";
he is ever the same, and "his course is one eternal round" (D&C
3:2). That course is centered in his never-ending work: "to bring to pass
the immortality and eternal life of man" (Moses 1:39). Mormon testified:
"For I know that God is not a partial God, neither a changeable being; but
he is unchangeable from all eternity to all eternity" (
Because God is ever the same, his
government—wherever it may be found in the eternities—is ever the same. It is
government by unchanging principles—government by priesthood. The plan of
salvation reflects heaven's government and is likewise ever the same. As there
is but one God, so is there but one priesthood, and one plan of salvation.
Favoritism is not shown one eternity or one world over another anymore than it
is shown one person over another.
If God Changed
Since God's fundamental nature cannot
be improved upon, it follows that his nature must remain what it has always
been if he is to remain a perfect God (see
Applying this purely theoretical
argument to the aggregate of the gods in eternity, if one of them were to
modify or discard even a single attribute, the perfect unity that makes all
gods one god would be violated (see D&C 38:27). To restore that unity, such
a fallen being would, like Lucifer, have to be cast down (see Isa 14:12-15).
A God of Truth
For without the idea that he is a God
of truth . . . men could not have the confidence in his word necessary to
exercise faith in him (LF 3:22).
For without the idea of the existence
of this attribute [truth] . . . all would be confusion and doubt (LF 4:16).
Truth is the sum of reality or, as
John Jaques wrote, "the sum of existence" (Hymns
#272). God is omniscient in part because he is omnipresent via his Spirit
throughout all reality or existence. He is above, in, through, and round about
all things (D&C 88:41). He possesses a fulness of truth, being the very
"Spirit of truth" (D&C 93:26). He is the Supreme Intelligence
whose wisdom excelleth that of all other organized
intelligences combined (see Abr 3:19; also TPJS
353). He is the totality of that light and truth constituting his immortal
glory (see D&C 93:36).
Unlike his rebellious son Lucifer
(who was "a liar from the beginning"—D&C 93:25), God, by nature
and by definition, "cannot lie" (Enos 1:6; Ether 3:12; D&C 62:6).
A lie is a contradiction of the truth. A God of truth cannot be a selfcontradiction. Nor does he deal in illusions. His
"Spirit speaketh the truth and lieth not. Wherefore, it speaketh
of things as they really are, and of things as they really will be" (Jacob
4:13).
The Lord is a holy being because he
is a whole being. He is, in every sense, the mature
A God of Mercy
For without the idea of the existence
of this attribute [mercy] in the Deity, the spirits of the Saints would faint
in the midst of the tribulations, afflictions, and persecutions which they have
to endure for righteousness' sake (LF 4:15).
God is a merciful God: gracious,
compassionate, slow to anger, patient, and long-suffering. If he were not,
human nature—a relative compound of ignorance, immaturity, instability, and
impotence—would render the hope of eternal life an impossible dream. The gulf
between divinity and humanity, holiness and unholiness,
is so vast that any faith we might muster would eventually be swallowed up in
paralyzing doubt. How could we ever become acceptable to a flawless God with
his "all-searching eye" (Mosiah 27:31)? How could we ever be at ease,
much less happy, in his presence? But because of our faith in the redemptive
power of Christ, we can "come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may
obtain mercy, and find grace to help [us] in time of need" (Heb 4:16).
Without divine mercy, heaven would be
hell.
Paradoxically, it is his very
holiness which makes mercy essential if we are "to be received into the
kingdom of the Father to go no more out, but to dwell with God eternally in the
heavens" (3 Nephi 28:40). For salvation depends far more upon what God is
and does, than upon what we, of ourselves, are or can do. Hence, Nephi's words:
"It is by grace [mercy] that we are saved, after all we can do" (2
Nephi 25:23). We are hopelessly lost unless a higher nature overwhelms and
transforms our fallen natures. This higher nature—with its attendant powers—is
found in Jesus Christ. Elder James E. Talmage wrote:
Without Him mankind would forever
remain in a fallen state, and as to hope of eternal progression would be
inevitably lost. The mortal probation is provided as an opportunity for
advancement; but so great are the difficulties and the dangers, so strong is
the influence of evil in the world, and so weak is man in resistance thereto,
that without the aid of a power above that of humanity no soul would find its
way back to God from whom it came. The need of a Redeemer lies in the inability
of man to raise himself from the temporal to the spiritual plane, from the
lower kingdom to the higher (26-27).
When we have demonstrated all of the
faith, repentance, and obedience required of us, it will still be insufficient;
we must still rely "wholly upon the merits of him who is mighty to
save" (2 Nephi 31:19). Jesus Christ is the embodiment of God's
indispensible mercy. The Father can be merciful only because the Son atoned for
the sins of his fallen brothers and sisters.
Divine mercy is not limited to those
moral and spiritual issues which dictate our destiny in some future life; he is
merciful in the here and now. His invisible hand is extended to us far more
often than we realize. Only at the last judgment when the full account of God's
dealings with mankind—collectively and individually—are revealed, will we learn
the full extent of his providential care. But that this care is available to us
all is unquestionable.
Human nature being what it is, there
is a danger that God's mercy will be interpreted as divine weakness or
indifference (see Rom 2:4-6). This would be a fatal error. We must not be
slothful simply because God is merciful. The Almighty has infinite patience,
but he will not extend it to us infinitely. "For the Spirit of the Lord
will not always strive with man. And when the Spirit ceaseth
to strive with man then cometh speedy destruction" (2 Nephi 26:11). There
comes a day when—where repentance is concerned—there is "time no
longer" (D&C 88:110). We are given adequate opportunity to reveal our
true selves to ourselves, to establish what we everlastingly are. God can do no
more; he will not coerce us into being what we do not choose to be. The last
judgment is the finish line. When we reach it, the race with ourselves is over,
and "the night of darkness wherein there can be no labor performed" (
A Law-abiding and Just God
For without the idea of the existence
of the attribute justice in the Deity, men could not have confidence sufficient
to place themselves under his guidance and direction (LF 4:13).
Whether by necessity or design, the
fact remains that God operates within a framework of law. And law—to be
law—must be constant and consistent. It must be dependable. There is a network
of independent, but harmoniously interlocking systems of law governing all
things, organic and inorganic, in the numberless kingdoms filling the immensity
of space: "And unto every kingdom is given a law; and unto every law there
are certain bounds also and conditions. All beings who abide not in those
conditions are not justified. . . . [God] hath given a law unto all things, by
which they move in their times and their seasons; and their courses are fixed"
(D&C 88:38-39, 42-43; emphasis added; compare Abr
3:6-10).
Law did not create God; God created
law. The Almighty did not begin his career as a cosmic Columbus who stumbled
upon supposedly self-existing natural laws. If there was "a great first
cause" of all things, he was it. He is, as President Spencer W. Kimball
said: "The Creator who originated every law" (5). The Prophet Joseph
Smith is quoted as saying that God, "finding he was in the midst of
spirits and glory, because he was more intelligent, saw proper to institute
laws whereby the rest could have a privilege to advance like himself"
(TPJS 354).
Justice—the righteous, impartial application
of law—is God's quintessential attribute. Whereas mercy, redeeming grace, is
contingent upon an infinite atonement, justice is a noncontingent
principle. From the divine perspective, God—to be God—need not always be
merciful, but he must always be just. He gives the unrepentant sinner justice,
but not mercy (see
In the administration of his laws and
their attendant blessings, the Lord is "no respecter of persons"
(Acts 10:34;
Although Jesus Christ labors in every
possible way to save mankind, he will not forever continue to do so. In time,
even God finally gives up on the incorrigible among us. He told Joseph Smith:
"I will take vengeance upon the wicked, for they will not repent; for the
cup of mine indignation is full; for behold, my blood shall not cleanse them if
they hear me not" (D&C 29:17; compare 133:51-52). The Prophet warned:
"God . . . passes over no man's sins, but visits them with correction, and
if His children will not repent of their sins He will discard them" (TPJS
189). The democratic notion that one individual's deeds are as noble and
deserving as any other's is clearly false. We hear much about the sacredness of
life, but life is only as sacred as we make it. The life of a murderer of
rapist is a defiled life and will remain so unless there is repentance. To
equate such a life with that of a virtuous person is a mockery of reason.
While the Lord is impartial, yet
heaven has its "favorites" (LF 6:4). They are spoken of as the
"noble and great" (Abr 3:22-23), the
"chosen" (D&C 121:40), the "sanctified" (D&C
20:34), and so forth. They constitute what Elder Matthew Cowley called
"the aristocracy of righteousness" (253). But they are not born
aristocrats, they are exalted by merit, not by chance. "Behold, the Lord esteemeth all flesh in one; he that is righteous is favored
of God" (1 Nephi 17:35). We read that "Nephi was more faithful in
keeping the commandments of the Lord—therefore he was favored of the Lord, for
the Lord heard his prayers and answered them" (Mosiah 10:13). And James
wrote: "The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much" (James 5:16).
Justice is a minority voice in this
world. Although moral agency is a gift of God, because of wickedness it comes
at a high price and continues to take a fearsome toll among the innocent. But
the Lord hears the cries of the oppressed. They are assured of eventual
deliverance via divine judgments. One of the greatest evidences of true
conversion is the ability to accept injustices with the grace with which Jesus
accepted them (see 1 Peter 2:19-25).
Faith embodies the conviction that,
despite any notions to the contrary, when the members of the spirit family of
the Almighty stand before him at the last judgment, "every nation,
kindred, tongue, and people shall see eye to eye and shall confess before God
that his judgments are just" (Mosiah 16:1).
A God of Love
And lastly, but not less important to
the exercise of faith in God, is the idea that he is love (LF 3:24).
"God is love" (1 John 4:8).
Every act of God is an act of love. Every act is dictated by his benign wisdom.
Love encapsulates all godly virtues even as it sums up all human duties. Jesus
equated love with doing good to all men, friend and enemy alike (see Matt
5:44). Paul wrote the Romans: "Love is the fulfilling of the law" (13:10;
compare Gal 5:14.)
Agape or divine love is a quality of the
spirit. It is more than mere sympathy or concern, it is a personal, emotional
identification with someone or something outside one's self. It is garnished
with a profound sense of compassion. God could be holy, just, unchanging,
impartial—even merciful—and still remain dispassionate. But love weeps (see 3
Nephi 17:21-22; Moses 7:28-40; John 11:35). It is acquainted with grief. It was
personified in Jesus. He not only died for love's sake, but was its greatest
living exemplar. Both as a mortal and as a resurrected being, he involved
himself in the pains of a sick and suffering humanity (see D&C 133:53). He
was a caring Christ.
The Lord expresses his love for us as
much as we permit him to. As with any parent, the Father's love can be rejected
and rendered impotent. The question then, is not does God love us, but do we
love God? For while God is a loving Father, he is not an indulgent one. He
practices law-abiding love. So it is a false idea that love forgives all and
conquers all. If it did, the sacrifice of the Son of God would bring the whole
human race to its knees, and there would be no need for perdition. But goodness
has its limits; its ability to triumph over evil is not absolute. The sin of
sins is not only to reject, but to betray, the sacrifice of love offered up by
the Father in the person of his Beloved Son (see D&C 76:35; 132:27).
As spirit is drawn to Spirit, so is
love drawn to Love (see D&C 88:40). John wrote: "We love him, because
he first loved us" (1 John 4:19). Above all other attributes, it is the
love of the Father and the Son that ultimately draws the souls of men and women
to them "without compulsory means" (D&C 121:46). It is a
compelling power. Few men have experienced such visions, revelations, and
angelic visitations as were granted Joseph Smith. If ever a man would seem unneedful of others it was he. And yet the Prophet
remarked: "When persons manifest the least kindness and love to me, O what
power it has over my mind" (TPJS 240). The pure love of Christ is
at the very heart of the Father's plan of salvation. It illuminates every
divine attribute in the sanctified until they are ablaze with light and truth
and become one with love as God is one with love.
A Happy God
To the character and attributes
listed in Lectures 3 and 4, I would add the characteristic that God is a happy
God and that happiness is man's goal. Lehi taught, "men are, that they
might have joy" (2 Nephi 2:25).
The Father—the happiest of
men—endowed his Beloved Son with a "fulness of joy" (3 Nephi 28:10).
He is in the business of "happifying" his
children by sharing his own nature with them. Heber C. Kimball remarked:
I am perfectly satisfied that my
Father and my God is a cheerful, pleasant, lively, good-natured Being. Why?
Because I am cheerful, pleasant, lively, and good-natured when I have His
Spirit. That is one reason why I know; and another is—the Lord said, through
Joseph Smith, "I delight in a glad heart and a cheerful countenance."
That arises from the perfection of His attributes; He is a jovial, lively person,
and a beautiful man (JD 4:222).
Our individual capacity for happiness
was first developed in the premortal estate. It was there that we learned the
rudiments of joy from the gods set over us. As we partook of their spirit, we
experienced a measure of the happiness righteousness produces. In this world of
oppositions, joy is veiled; it cannot be experienced in its fulness—a fulness
of joy comes only with resurrection (see D&C 93:33; 101:36). But, from time
to time we can—like Elder Kimball—partake of the joy of the Spirit. Indeed, we
not only have the opportunity, but the obligation, to do so. A perpetually
unhappy Saint is an oxymoron, a self-contradiction. President Spencer W.
Kimball remarked: "If you are not happy today, you may never be happy"
(Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball 173). "Happiness," said the
Prophet Joseph, "is the object and design of our existence" (TPJS
255). Righteousness alone can bring it to pass. To the degree that each of us
acquires the divine nature, we will enter into "the joy of the Lord"
(see D&C 51:19). Consequently, when all is said and done, each of us will
be as happy as we have chosen to be, which is to say, we will be as much one
with God as we have chosen to be.
Conclusion
The Lectures on Faith testify that
the great plan of salvation is compatible with, and a reflection of, the
virtues and powers of the one and only true God. To that testimony I add my
own. We have every reason to exercise faith in him unto salvation. Our gracious
Father has revealed himself through his Son, his Spirit, his prophets, and his
scriptures. To that extent we know him. And, to the extent that we know him, we
know ourselves (see TPJS 343). It only remains for us to magnify that
knowledge until we are perfected and glorified in him.
NOTES
Rodney Turner is emeritus professor
of Ancient Scripture,
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Cowley, Matthew. Matthew Cowley
Speaks.
Durant, Will. Our Oriental
Heritage. Vol 1 of The Story of Civilization.
10 vols.
Frazer, James G. The Golden Bough.
Abridged ed. in 1 vol.
Hymns.
Journal of Discourses. 26 vols. 1854-86.
Kimball, Spencer W. "Absolute
Truth." Ensign (Sep 1978) 8:3-8.
Kurtz, Paul. A Secular Humanist
Declaration. N.p.:n.p. 1980. Pamphlet reprinted
from Free Inquiry (Win 1980) vol 1.
McConkie, Bruce R. Mormon
Doctrine. 2nd ed.
Pratt, Orson. The Great First
Cause or the Self-Moving Forces of the Universe.
——. "The Pre-existence of
Talmage, James E. Jesus the
Christ.
Teachings of the Prophet Joseph
Smith. Comp. Joseph
Fielding Smith.
The Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball. Ed. Edward L. Kimball.
Footnotes
1. Scripture teaches that the
physical universe is a witness for Christ. See Moses 6:63; Alma 30:44; Hel
8:24; D&C 88:41-47.
2. The JST reads: "For unto such
hath God promised his Spirit" (John 4:26).
3. Catholic doctrine is to the effect
that the resurrected corporeal body of Christ became transcendently
spiritual—though still real—when (as recorded in Acts 1:9) he ascended into
heaven.
4. "God" is a general or
generic title as well as a specific one. In LDS thought it may pertain to one
Being or to all of those achieving any degree of divinity—from the lowest to
the Most High—even as the Melchizedek priesthood pertains to one or all of
those ordained to any office therein. A renegade individual such as Lucifer
(D&C 76:25-27) is subject to being cast down by the Gods. However, in
saying that God would cease to be God,
5. That God is ever the same is
stated six times in the Book of Mormon (1 Nephi 10:18; 2 Nephi 2:4; 27:23;
29:9; Mormon 9:9; Moroni 10:19), twice in the Doctrine and Covenants (20:12;
35:1), and once—in reference to Christ—in the Bible (Heb 13:8).
(Larry E.
Dahl and Charles D. Tate, Jr., eds., The Lectures on Faith in Historical
Perspective [Provo: BYU Religious Studies Center, 1990], 199.)
Lecture on Faith # 5
October 22, 2003
In my judgment, it is one of the most
comprehensive, intelligent, inspired utterances now existing in the English
language which defines, interprets, expounds, announces, and testifies of the
kind of being God is. It was written by the power of the Holy Ghost, by the
spirit of inspiration. It is, in effect, eternal scripture; it is true.
(Bruce R.
McConkie, Sermons and Writings of Bruce R. McConkie [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft,
1998], 21.)
Does that remind you of what the Lord
said to John about those who overcome—that
they will sit with him in his throne even as he also overcame and now sits with
his Father in his throne (see Rev. 3:21)? Does that remind you of what the
resurrected Lord said to certain Nephites: "Ye shall be even as I am, and
I am even as the Father; and the Father and I are one" (3 Ne. 28:10)? May
I say that the whole purpose involved in the mind of God in revealing what kind
of a being he is, is to enable us, his children, to chart a course and pursue
it with the fidelity and devotion that will lead us to the same state of power
and dominion and eminence that he possesses. The whole purpose and thrust of
the plan of salvation is to enable us to advance and progress and become like
God. The beginning of that advancement, the beginning of that eternal
progression, is a knowledge of the nature and kind of being whom we worship.
(Bruce R.
McConkie, Sermons and Writings of Bruce R. McConkie [Salt Lake City:
Bookcraft, 1998], 23.)
Some of us do not so live that we can
get in our hearts the assurance, born of the Spirit, that the course we are
pursuing accords with divine standards.
(Bruce R.
McConkie, Sermons and Writings of Bruce R. McConkie [Salt Lake City:
Bookcraft, 1998], 24.)
Bruce
mentioned he has a few articles coming out this year in
Remember
the principle of line upon line in learning gospel principles. Joseph knew a great deal about the nature of
God, which he couldn’t share because the people weren’t ready to hear it. There was a significant chasm between what
the Prophet Joseph knew and what the Saints knew, as well as between what the
Prophet Joseph knew and what he taught.
The Book of
Mormon should be the center of our study, but not to the exclusion of other
scripture.
Pres.
Benson – Keystone – Book of Mormon
Capstone – Doctrine
and Covenants
LF 3-4 and
Mosiah 4:3-5 – King Benjamin didn’t want to proceed with his talk until the
people were spiritually reborn.
Mosiah 4:6
– They understood the characteristics of God, they were prepared for further
light and knowledge, to be taught by the Spirit. Understanding the nature of God is found
throughout the scriptures, read to get understanding.
Bruce
described the story of Elijah and the widow.
(1 Kings 17:9-24.)
9 Arise, get thee to Zarephath, which belongeth
to Zidon, and dwell there: behold, I have commanded a
widow woman there to sustain thee.
10 So he arose and went to
Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city,
behold, the widow woman was there gathering of sticks: and he called to
her, and said, Fetch me, I pray thee, a little water in a vessel, that I may
drink.
11 And as she was going to
fetch it, he called to her, and said, Bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of
bread in thine hand.
12 And she said, As
the LORD thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an
handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am
gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we
may eat it, and die.
13 And Elijah said unto
her, Fear not; go and do as thou hast said: but make me thereof a little
cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy
son.
14 For thus saith the LORD
God of
15 And she went and did
according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, did eat many
days.
16 And the barrel
of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of
the LORD, which he spake by Elijah.
17 ¶ And it came to pass
after these things, that the son of the woman, the mistress of the
house, fell sick; and his sickness was so sore, that there was no breath left
in him.
18 And she said unto
Elijah, What have I to do with thee, O thou man of God? art thou come unto me to call my sin to remembrance, and to slay my
son?
19 And he said unto her,
Give me thy son. And he took him out of her bosom, and carried him up into a
loft, where he abode, and laid him upon his own bed.
20 And he cried unto the
LORD, and said, O LORD my God, hast thou also brought evil upon the widow with
whom I sojourn, by slaying her son?
21 And he stretched
himself upon the child three times, and cried unto the LORD, and said, O LORD
my God, I pray thee, let this child's soul come into him again.
22 And the LORD heard the
voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came into him again, and he revived.
23 And Elijah took the
child, and brought him down out of the chamber into the house, and delivered
him unto his mother: and Elijah said, See, thy son liveth.
24 ¶ And the woman said to
Elijah, Now by this I know that thou art a man of God, and that
the word of the LORD in thy mouth is truth.
Bruce said
the widow was an Israelite who married out of the covenant that was her
sin. I looked but I couldn’t find that
interpretation.
The point
of this story was that God is concerned about everyone, not just the Kings and
There is
also the story in Moses 8:13-17, when the Daughter of God married the Sons of
men.
(Moses 8:13-17.)
13 And Noah and his sons
hearkened unto the Lord, and gave heed, and they were called the sons of God.
14 And when these men
began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them,
the sons of men saw that those daughters were fair, and they took them wives,
even as they chose.
15 And the Lord said unto
Noah: The daughters of thy sons have sold themselves; for behold mine anger is
kindled against the sons of men, for they will not hearken to my voice.
16 And it came to pass
that Noah prophesied, and taught the things of God, even as it was in the
beginning.
17 And the Lord said unto
Noah: My Spirit shall not always strive with man, for he shall know that all
flesh shall die; yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years; and if men
do not repent, I will send in the floods upon them.
LF 5:1 and
A of F 1 – the belief in a separate and distinct Godhead
1. In our former lectures we treated
the being, character, perfections, and attributes of God. What we mean by
perfections is the perfections which belong to all the attributes of his
nature. We shall, in this lecture, speak of the Godhead: we mean the Father,
Son, and Holy Spirit.
2. There are two personages who
constitute the great, matchless, governing, and supreme power over all things,
by whom all things were created and made, whether visible or invisible, whether
in heaven, on earth, in the earth, under the earth, or throughout the immensity
of space. They are the Father and the Son: the Father being a personage of
spirit, glory, and power, possessing all perfection and fulness. The Son, who
was in the bosom of the Father, is a personage of tabernacle, made or fashioned
like unto man, being in the form and likeness of man, or rather man was formed
after his likeness and in his image. He is also the express image and likeness
of the personage of the Father, possessing all the fulness of the Father, or
the same fulness with the Father; being begotten of him, and ordained from
before the foundation of the world to be a propitiation for the sins of all
those who should believe on his name. He is called the Son because of the
flesh. And he descended in suffering below that which man can suffer; or, in
other words, he suffered greater sufferings and was exposed to more powerful
contradictions than any man can be. But notwithstanding all this, he kept the
law of God and remained without sin, showing thereby that it is in the power of
man to keep the law and remain also without sin. And also that by him a
righteous judgment might come upon all flesh, that all who walk not in the law
of God may justly be condemned by the law and have no excuse for their sins.
He, being the Only Begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth, and having
overcome, received a fulness of the glory of the Father, possessing the same
mind with the Father, which mind is the Holy Spirit that bears record of the
Father and the Son. These three are one; or, in other words, these three
constitute the great, matchless, governing, and supreme power over all things,
by whom all things were created and made. And these three constitute the
Godhead and are one. The Father and the Son possess the same mind, the same
wisdom, glory, power, and fulness—filling all in all. The Son, being filled
with the fulness of the mind, glory, and power, or in other words, the spirit,
glory, and power, of the Father, possesses all knowledge and glory and the same
kingdom, and sits at the right hand of power in the express image and likeness
of the Father. He is a mediator for man, being filled with the fulness of the
mind of the Father, or, in other words, the Spirit of the Father, which Spirit
is shed forth upon all who believe on his name and keep his commandments. And
all those who keep his commandments shall grow from grace to grace and become
heirs of the heavenly kingdom, and joint-heirs with Jesus Christ. They will
possess the same mind, being transformed into the same image or likeness, even
the express image of him who fills all in all, being filled with the fulness of
his glory and becoming one in him, even as the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are
one.
(Larry E.
Dahl and Charles D. Tate, Jr., eds., The Lectures on Faith in Historical
Perspective [Provo: BYU Religious Studies Center, 1990], 83.)
LF 5:2 –
there is a controversy of what Joseph meant by describing Heavenly Father as a
personage of spirit. Did Joseph know He
had a body of flesh and bone? Here is an
article from Bro. Robert Millet:
Discussion of Lecture 5
The Supreme Power over All Things:
The Doctrine of the Godhead in the Lectures on Faith
Robert L. Millet
Not long before his death, Elder Bruce
R. McConkie wrote the following concerning the fifth Lecture on Faith:
Using the holy scriptures as the
recorded source of the knowledge of God, knowing what the Lord has revealed to
them of old in visions and by the power of the Spirit, and writing as guided by
that same Spirit, Joseph Smith and the early brethren of this dispensation
prepared a creedal statement on the Godhead. It is without question the most
excellent summary of revealed and eternal truth relative to the Godhead that is
now extant in mortal language. In it is set forth the mystery of Godliness;
that is, it sets forth the personalities, missions, and ministries of those
holy beings who comprise the supreme presidency of the universe. To spiritually
illiterate persons, it may seem hard and confusing; to those whose souls are
aflame with heavenly light, it is a nearly perfect summary of those things
which must be believed to gain salvation (A New Witness 72).
After many years of concentrated
study of the Lectures on Faith, and particularly Lecture 5, I have come to
appreciate Elder McConkie's assessment; I believe the doctrines taught therein
to be true and the concepts presented—though difficult and in some cases
seemingly at odds with more traditional discussions of God and the Godhead—to
be deep, penetrating, and, when fully grasped, soul inspiring. I believe them
to be in harmony with other doctrines found in the standard works and the
teachings of living apostles and prophets.
Because the Prophet was not at
liberty to reveal all he knew, we are under solemn obligation to read, study,
teach, and take seriously that which God did see fit to make known to
the Latter-day Saints through him. Because Joseph Smith was given the mind of
Deity, and because he was given the unique power and authorization of
"expounding all scriptures" (see D&C 24:5, 9) unto the people of
this dispensation, it is both fitting and proper that as we search and
prayerfully consider matters pertaining to the Godhead, we give solemn and
ponderous thought to insights provided by "the choice seer" of the
last days.
God and the Godhead: Some Preliminary Observations
The nature of God—his character and
attributes and perfections—has been treated at length by others in this
symposium. I would like here to simply draw attention to a few matters which
have some doctrinal bearing on a more detailed discussion of the Godhead.
First of all, it is important to note
that there is no distinction made in the lectures between faith in God the
Father and faith in his Son, Jesus Christ. This is as it should be, for faith
in one is faith in the other. "Christ and his Father are one," wrote
Elder McConkie.
They possess the same powers, are of
the same character, embody the same attributes, and stand as beacons to all
others with reference to the same eternal perfections. The words and acts of
one are the words and acts of the other. The Father was in Christ manifesting
himself to the world. Hence, faith in the Son is faith in the Father. And as
Christ is the way to the Father, faith centers in him and in his redeeming
sacrifice and goes thereby to the Father, who is the Creator (A New Witness
185).
Secondly, a careful study of all of
the lectures reveals a profoundly deep concept of God. These teachings relative
to God—despite some claims to the contrary—are neither primitive nor
Protestant. We are made privy to a divine Being who is omnipotent, omniscient,
and omnipresent: fn he has all power, all knowledge, and is, by the power of
his Spirit, everywhere present. At the same time, we are given insights into a
Being who can be approached, a God who communicates freely with his people and
reveals himself to those who, like Enoch, the brother of Jared, and Moses, seek
after him with diligence and faithfulness (see LF 2:55). Most profoundly, we
come face to face with the reality later taught in the King Follett Sermon—that
men and women can mature spiritually to the point where they can become even as
their exalted Sire (see LF 5:2-3; 7:8-9, 16). As indicated, these lectures are
not primitive: they contain doctrinal pronouncements and allusions which would
normally be associated with the mature Joseph Smith in Nauvoo. These lectures
are not Protestant: indeed, we learn of a truly infinite Being—a totally
independent Being (see LF 2:2) who possesses every godly attribute in
perfection (see LF 3:12-24; 4:3-16, 19; 5:1). But in no way do we encounter the
utterly transcendent Deity of the creeds. God's infinity does not preclude
either his immediacy or his intimacy.
The Father: A Personage of Spirit
"There are two personages,"
Joseph Smith explained, "who constitute the great, matchless, governing,
and supreme power over all things, by whom all things were created and made
.... They are the Father and the Son" (LF 5:2). The Father and the Son are
indeed the central members of the heavenly hierarchy, but as the Prophet later
observed in the same lecture, the Holy Spirit is also a vital part of this
eternal presidency. "These three are one," he stated; "or, in
other words, these three constitute the great, matchless, governing, and
supreme power over all things, by whom all things were created and made. And
these three constitute the Godhead and are one" (LF 5:2).
Again quoting from the Prophet:
"They are the Father and the Son: the Father being a personage of
spirit, glory, and power, possessing all perfection and fulness. The
Son, who was in the bosom of the Father, is a personage of
tabernacle" (LF 5:2; emphasis added). This is a perplexing passage,
perhaps one of the two most enigmatic passages of Lecture 5, fn a segment of
the lecture which seems to have resulted in confusion on the part of members
and may have contributed eventually to the deletion of the Lectures on Faith
from the Doctrine and Covenants in 1921. The problem lies in the fact that the
Prophet appears to be teaching that God the Father is a "personage of
spirit" while Jesus is "a personage of tabernacle." The latter
proposition is, of course, no problem. It is the notion of the Father as a
personage of spirit which is unsettling. Let us consider some possible
explanations for this statement.
We cannot avoid the possible
conclusion that Joseph Smith simply did not understand the corporeal or
physical nature of God at the time the Lectures on Faith were delivered in the
winter of 1834-35. His knowledge of things—like that of all men and women—was
often incremental, and his development in understanding was thereby accomplished
in "line upon line" fashion. When he left the grove of trees in 1820,
Joseph Smith, Jr. did not have the doctrinal grasp or spiritual maturity that
he would have when he died a martyr's death in
A second possibility is that Joseph
Smith did indeed understand that God has a body but that the passage in Lecture
5 under consideration has simply been misunderstood. If so, what could the
phrase mean? To begin with, we should note that the complete expression is not
"a personage of spirit," but rather "a personage of spirit,
glory, and power." This may well be intended more as a
description of God's divine nature—a statement regarding his exalted and
glorified status—than of his physical being. The word "spirit," as
used for example in Moses 1, is a synonym for glory or power: his Spirit is his
glory. Thus the account indicates that after a marvelous vision "the presence
of God withdrew from Moses, that his glory was not upon Moses" (v
9). When Satan came tempting and taunting, the Lawgiver found that he was still
possessed of sufficient spiritual power and discernment to distinguish between
the true God of glory and the "god of this world" (v 20; see also 2 Cor 4:4). "Blessed be the name of my God," Moses
exulted, "for his Spirit hath not altogether withdrawn from
me" (Moses 1:15; emphasis added). To speak of the spirit, glory, and power
of the Father is to speak of his greatness, of his omnipotence, of his majesty.
Thus it is that later in this lecture the Prophet says, "The Father and
the Son possess the same mind, the same wisdom, glory, power, and
fulness—filling all in all. The Son, being filled with the fulness of the
mind, glory, and power, or in other words, the spirit, glory, and power, of the
Father, possesses all knowledge and glory" (LF 5:2; emphasis added).
Please note that the phrase "spirit, glory, and power" is used here
to describe that which makes the Son one with the Father—the attributes of
Godhood. Note the equation of spirit with light in the following verse
from the Doctrine and Covenants: "For the word of the Lord is truth, and
whatsoever is truth is light, and whatsoever is light is Spirit, even the
Spirit of Jesus Christ" (D&C 84:45).
Elder Bruce R. McConkie has suggested that the phrase "a personage
of spirit" has reference to God's spiritual nature—the fact that he
is a resurrected and immortal being and as such is not subject to death, ie, a spiritual body. "They are the two personages who
came to Joseph Smith in the spring of 1820"; he also wrote:
They are exalted men. Each is a personage of spirit; each is a personage
of tabernacle. Both of them have bodies, tangible bodies of flesh and bones.
They are resurrected beings. Words, with their finite connotations, cannot
fully describe them. A personage of tabernacle, as here used, is one whose body
and spirit are inseparably connected and for whom there can be no death. A
personage of spirit, as here used and as distinguished from the spirit children
of the Father, is a resurrected personage. Resurrected bodies, as contrasted
with mortal bodies, are in fact spiritual bodies (A New Witness 72-73;
see also Penrose 12-13; 1 Cor 15:44; D&C 88:27;
It is interesting to read the catechism following Lecture 5. In response
to the question, "What is the Father?" the answer is given: "He
is a personage of glory and of power." Note the rather obvious omission of
any reference to the Father as a personage of spirit. I suggest that
there is no reference to his being a personage of spirit because to say such is
repetitious; we have already established that he is a personage of power and
glory, which in the mind of Joseph Smith is the same as saying that he is a
personage of spirit. It is also worth noting in the catechism that in the
scriptures cited to establish the Father as a personage of power and glory, all
of them speak of his attributes and his exaltation. Noticeably absent is John
4:24—the one passage from the Bible that might have been used to establish
clearly that God is a spirit. "God is a spirit," the King James
Version has Jesus explaining, "and they that worship him must worship him
in spirit and in truth." But of course Joseph Smith would not cite this
passage from the King James Bible, since he had previously learned by
revelation—some time between November 1831 and 16 February 1832 (Matthews
96)—that this verse was a mistranslation. The inspired translation reads as
follows: "And the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall
worship the Father in spirit and in truth; for the Father seeketh
such to worship him. For unto such hath God promised his Spirit. And they who
worship him, must worship in spirit and in truth" (JST John 4:25-26). One
cannot help but wonder whether the inspired revision did not have some impact
on the Prophet's thought regarding the nature of God; that is to say, if he did
not know of the corporeality of God at the time of the First Vision, did he
know it by the time he had translated these verses in John?
I am indebted to my colleague
Professor Milton Backman for bringing to light an important document—a
description of Mormonism by a Protestant clergyman in Ohio. Truman Coe, a
Presbyterian minister who had for four years lived among the Saints in
Kirtland, published the following regarding the Mormons in the 11 August 1836 Ohio
Observer: "They contend that the God worshipped by the Presbyterians
and all other sectarians is no better than a wooden god. They believe that
the true God is a material being, composed of body and parts; and that when
the Creator formed Adam in his own image, he made him about the size and shape
of God himself" (Backman, "Truman Coe's 1836 Description of
Mormonism" 347, 354; emphasis added). If a non-Mormon had observed as
early as 1836 that the Latter-day Saints were teaching that God has a body, it
is certainly not inconceivable that such things were known by Joseph Smith a
year or so earlier at the time of the School of the Elders. It is interesting
to note in D&C 93:33 the Lord states that "man is spirit." This
would appear to be a reference to man's eternal nature, and certainly not an
allusion to his physical person. Perhaps the phrase "personage of
spirit" also has reference to God as a being who is from everlasting to
everlasting.
The Son: A Personage of Tabernacle
Jesus Christ the Son is described in
Lecture 5 as having been "in the bosom of the Father ... a personage of
tabernacle, made or fashioned like unto man, being in the form and likeness of
man, or rather man was formed after his likeness and in his image. He is also
the express image and likeness of the personage of the Father, possessing all
the fulness of the Father, or the same fulness with the Father" (LF 5:2).
The section of this lecture dealing with Christ is a statement of the
Incarnation, a reaffirmation of what the Book of Mormon prophets knew as
"the condescension of God" (see 1 Nephi 11; Mosiah 3:1-11; 7:26-28).
He who had been in the bosom of the Father—who had been the Lord God
Omnipotent, the Holy One of Israel and the God of Abraham, Isaac, and
Jacob—came to earth; he chose to "descend from his throne divine" (Hymns
193) to accomplish his mission of mercy. The Son is called a "personage of
tabernacle" here because his assignment on earth pertained to the
redemption and regeneration of the flesh. Thus Elohim is designated as the
Father, a being of spirit, glory, and power, while Jesus Christ is called the
Son, "because of the flesh" (LF 5:2). These words are in harmony with
the doctrines of the condescension of God in the Book of Mormon. Abinadi thus
prophesied that because Jesus the Messiah would dwell "in the flesh he
shall be called the Son of God" (Mosiah 15:2). King Limhi
explained to Ammon concerning Abinadi:
And because he said unto them that
Christ was the God, the Father of all things, and said that he should take upon
him the image of man, and it should be the image after which man was created in
the beginning; or, in other words, he said that man was created after the image
of God, and that God should come down among the children of men, and take upon
him flesh and blood, and go forth upon the face of the earth—and now, because
he said this, they did put him to death (Mosiah 7:27-28).
The language of Lecture 5 regarding
the relationship of the Father to the Son is also highly reminiscent of the
language of the 93rd section of the Doctrine and Covenants. In this revelation,
for example, Christ explained that he is called "the Father because [Elohim]
gave me of his fulness, and the Son because I was in the world and made
flesh my tabernacle, and dwelt among the sons of men" (D&C 93:4;
emphasis added). Further, in regard to the divine indwelling relationship that
exists between the Father and the Son—the manner in which in the resurrection
the fulness of the glory of the Father came to be centered in the Son—the
revelation continues with an excerpt from the record of John. It is stated that
Christ was called the Son of God "because he received not of the fulness
at the first," but that in the resurrection "he received a fulness of
the glory of the Father; and he received all power, both in heaven and on
earth, and the glory of the Father was with him, for he dwelt in him"
(D&C 93:14, 16-17).
The divine Sonship
of Christ—the fact that Jesus possessed the powers of immortality while he
dwelt in the flesh—is also affirmed in Lecture 5. Jesus "descended in
suffering below that which man can suffer; or, in other words, he suffered
greater sufferings and was exposed to more powerful contradictions than any man
can be" (LF 5:2). The conclusion: Jesus of
Notwithstanding all the sufferings and
the infinite opposition faced by the Infinite One, the Prophet testified that
the Savior "kept the law of God and remained without sin, showing thereby
that it is in the power of man to keep the law and remain also without sin. And
also that by him a righteous judgment might come upon all flesh, that all who
walk not in the law of God may justly be condemned by the law and have no
excuse for their sins" (LF 5:2). Jesus never took a backward step nor a
moral detour. He "was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without
sin" (Heb 4:15; see also 1 Peter 2:22). As the Sinless One, he is thus the
perfect Prototype (see LF 7:9), the standard against which all others are
judged. The standard of perfection is fixed. It is in place. It is irrevocable.
Because God himself is the embodiment of "truth, justice, judgment, mercy,
and an infinity of fulness, from everlasting to everlasting" (D&C
109:77), he could not expect less from his children. What is possible, however,
is not always probable. Though the standard is set and the example a matter of
history, the Prophet recognized that ultimate perfection is a matter toward
which men and women reach even beyond this life (Words 345, 358).
"Where is the man that is free from vanity?" Joseph Smith asked on a
subsequent occasion. "None ever were perfect but Jesus," he taught,
"and why was he perfect? because he was the Son of God, and had the
fulness of the Spirit, and greater power than any man" (Words 72).
Similarly, Elder Bruce R. McConkie declared in an address at
We have to become perfect to be saved
in the celestial kingdom. But nobody becomes perfect in this life. Only the
Lord Jesus attained that state, and he had an advantage that none of us has. He
was the Son of God, and he came into this life with a spiritual capacity and a
talent and an inheritance that exceeded beyond all comprehension what any of
the rest of us was born with. Our revelations say that he was like unto God in
the premortal life and he was, under the Father, the creator of worlds without
number. That Holy Being was the Holy One of Israel anciently and he was the
Sinless One in mortality. He lived a perfect life, and he set an ideal example.
This shows that we can strive and go forward toward that goal, but no other mortal—not
the greatest prophets nor the mightiest apostles nor any of the righteous
saints of any of the ages—has ever been perfect, but we must become perfect to
gain a celestial inheritance. As it is with being born again, and as it is with
sanctifying our souls, so becoming perfect in Christ is a process ("Jesus
Christ and Him Crucified" 399-400).
Christ is the Way, the Truth, and the
Life (John 14:6). To the Nephites he said: "I am the law, and the light.
Look unto me, and endure to the end, and ye shall live" (3 Nephi 15:9).
The Holy Spirit: The Mind of the Father and Son
Though the Prophet began the fifth
lecture by stating that the Father and Son were the supreme power over all
things, he also observed that the Holy Spirit is the third member of the
eternal presidency and that these three—the Father, Son, and Holy
Spirit—"constitute the great, matchless, governing, and supreme power over
all things, by whom all things were created and made. And these three
constitute the Godhead and are one" (LF 5:2). It is true, as some have
pointed out, that the Prophet did not refer in Lecture 5 to the Holy Spirit as
a personage. Some have further suggested that this doctrine was not
clarified until the administration of President Joseph F. Smith (Alexander,
"The Reconstruction of Mormon Doctrine" 25-26; also Mormonism in
Transition 272-306). As we will discuss later, what Joseph Smith knew and
taught and what the Saints understood may be two different matters. One of the
earliest references to the personage status of the Holy Spirit in the documents
now available to us is from a sermon delivered some six years later, on 9 March
1841, a portion of which I cited earlier. In speaking of the separate and
severable functions of the members of the Godhead, Joseph Smith explained that
"the Son had a tabernacle and so had the Father, but the Holy Ghost is a
personage of spirit without tabernacle" (Words 64). The most famous
statement in Latter-day Saint theology regarding the mission of the Spirit is
that recorded by Willard Richards in Ramus, Illinios:
The Father has a body of flesh and
bones as tangible as man's; the Son also. But the Holy Ghost is a personage of
spirit. And a person cannot have the personage of the Holy Ghost in his heart.
He may receive the gift of the Holy Ghost; it may descend upon him but not
tarry with him (Words 173).
On 11 June 1843 Wilford Woodruff
recorded the following remarks by the Prophet:
There is much said concerning God the
Godhead. And the scripture says there are Gods many and Lords many. The
teachers of the day say that the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy
Ghost is God and that they are all in one body and one God. Jesus says or prays
that those that the Father had given him out of the world might be made one in
us as we are one, but if they were to be stuffed into one person that would
make a great God. If I were to testify that the world was wrong on this point
it would be true. Peter says that Jesus Christ sat on the right hand of God. Any
person that has seen the heavens opened knows that there are three personages
in the heavens holding the keys of power (Words 214; emphasis added).
Finally, perhaps the most explicit
statement as to the role and mission of the Holy Ghost is recorded by George Laub. According to Brother Laub,
Joseph Smith taught on 16 June 1844 that God, Christ, and the Holy Ghost are
separate persons but that they "all agree in one or the self same thing.
But the Holy Ghost is yet a spiritual body and waiting to take to himself a
body as the Savior did, or as God did, or the Gods before them took
bodies" (Words 382).
The matter in Lecture 5 is
complicated somewhat by the unusual manner in which the Prophet describes the
work of the Spirit. Jesus Christ is said to have "received a fulness of
the glory of the Father, possessing the same mind with the Father, which
mind is the Holy Spirit that bears record of the Father and the Son"
(LF 5:2; emphasis added). Not only is the Holy Spirit not accorded personage
status in this reference, but he seems to be relegated to some type of mystical
connecting link between the other two members of the Godhead. The Son is said
to be "filled with the fulness of the mind, glory, and power, or in
other words, the spirit, glory, and power, of the Father." The Son
is "filled with the fulness of the mind of the Father, or ... the Spirit
of the Father, which Spirit is shed forth upon all who believe on his name and
keep his commandments" (LF 5:2; emphasis added). It appears to me that the
difficulty here is heightened by the lack of distinction between what we would
call the Light of Christ and the Holy Ghost. Joseph Smith is speaking in the
broadest of terms and simply refers to the Holy Spirit as the mind of God.
"It is true," stated President Charles W. Penrose, "that the
Holy Spirit conveys the mind of God; that is, I am speaking now of this
universal spirit which is the life and the light of all things, which is in and
through and round about all things, and God says he made the world by the power
of that spirit. That is his agent; but the personage, the Comforter, which
Jesus Christ said he would send when he went away, that was a personage of the
Trinity" (Penrose 16). Elder Bruce R. McConkie likewise wrote that the
Savior
possesses the same mind with the
Father, knowing and believing and speaking and doing as though he were the
Father. This mind is theirs by the power of the Holy Ghost. That is, the Holy
Ghost, who is a personage of spirit (a spirit man!), using the light of Christ,
can give the same mind to all men, whether mortal or immortal. The saints who
are true and faithful in all things have, as Paul said, "the mind of
Christ" (1 Corinthians 2:16), which means also that they have the mind of
the Father (A New Witness 75).
It would not be difficult to suppose
that at the time the Lectures on Faith were delivered the Prophet Joseph Smith
had not yet learned of the personage status of the Holy Ghost and thus made no
doctrinal distinction between the Spirit's person and powers. There is,
however, one major difficulty with drawing the conclusion that the personage
status of the Holy Ghost was not taught until after the turn of this
century—Joseph Smith himself made a statement just eleven days before his death
that disproves such a proposition. "I have always [taught]," Thomas
Bullock quoted Joseph Smith as saying, "in all congregations when I have
preached, it has been the plurality of Gods. It has been preached fifteen
years. I have always declared God to be a distinct personage, Jesus Christ a
separate and distinct personage from God the Father. The Holy Ghost was a
distinct personage and or spirit, and these three constitute three distinct
personages and three Gods" (Words 378). Rather than contradicting
the Prophet—rather than concluding that Joseph did not preach something when he
said he had—I choose to believe, with Elders Penrose and McConkie, that Joseph
Smith did know the difference even though that difference is not clear in the
records we have. Or it may have been that he thought it unnecessary to make
that distinction every time he spoke because he had made it before. As we shall
discuss shortly, there was, no doubt, a significant chasm between what the
Prophet knew and what the Saints knew, as well as between what the Prophet knew
and what he taught.
Becoming Heirs of the Heavenly Kingdom
In Lecture 5 Joseph Smith lifted our
vision of man's eternal possibilities. Simply stated, he taught at this early
date that man may become even as God. He instructed the School of the Elders
that the Saints "who keep [the Lord's] commandments shall grow from grace
to grace and become heirs of the heavenly kingdom, and joint-heirs with Jesus
Christ. They will possess the same mind, being transformed into the same image
or likeness, even the express image of him who fills all in all, being filled
with the fulness of his glory and becoming one in him, even as the Father, Son,
and Holy Spirit are one" (LF 5:2). We see reflected once again the
doctrine of D&C 93, wherein Christ's pathway to Godhood is laid out, and
the Saints are taught how to worship and what to worship. The
essence of true worship is emulation, the imitation of the works and labors of
Christ (McConkie, The Promised Messiah 568-69). Just as their prototype
received divine assistance from the Father as he gave of himself to his fellow
men (ie, he received "grace for grace");
just as Christ "received not of the fulness" of the glory of the
Father at the first, but "continued from grace to grace"—grew line
upon line, developed from one level of spiritual grace to a higher; and just as
Christ received in the resurrection the fulness of the Father, so may all men
and women follow such a path and grow in spiritual graces until they inherit
all that the Father has (see D&C 93:12-20).
To say that men may possess "the
same mind" as God, that they may be "transformed into [his] same
image or likeness," or that they may partake "of the fulness of the
Father and the Son through the Spirit" (LF 5:2, 3), is to say that men may
come unto God in more than metaphorical fashion. To be a "joint-heir with
Christ" is to be a co-inheritor with him, to possess on equal standing
with the Holder of the birthright. fn Elder McConkie has stressed that the
fifth Lecture on Faith teaches "that we, as fallible, weak, mortal
men—subject to all the ills, difficulties, and vicissitudes of life—have power
to advance and progress and become like our exalted and eternal Father and his
beloved Son." It thus sets forth "the same doctrine that concludes,
'As God now is, man may become.' This thing was announced, in principle, in the
School of the Prophets and did not have to wait for a King Follett sermon,
although, I suppose, the Saints did not fully grasp what was involved in this
language initially" (McConkie, "The Lord God of Joseph Smith" 5).
"Here then is Eternal life," the Prophet would teach at the
theological peak of his ministry,
to know the only wise and true God.
You have got to learn how to be a God yourself and to be a king and priest to
God, [the] same as all have done, by going from a small capacity to another,
from grace to grace, until the resurrection, and sit in everlasting power as
they who have gone before.... How consoling to the mourner when they are called
to part with a wife, mother, father, daughter, relative, to know that although
the earthly tabernacle shall be dissolved that they shall be heirs of God and
joint-heirs of Jesus Christ, to inherit the same power ... the same as those
who are gone before" (Words 350).
Again I am eager to affirm that the
Lectures on Faith are not primitive; I do not see them as being out of harmony
in any way with what Joseph the Prophet later taught; they are certainly not
something beyond which he and the Church later evolved. All the Lectures on
Faith, and Lecture 5 in particular, contain much that is meaty, much that
requires pondering and prayer and comparison and contemplation. They "were
given to the saints and not the world, to enable the apostles, elders, and
righteous people of the kingdom to fulfill the same plea made by the prophets
of old—'Lord, Increase our faith'" (McConkie, "Lord, Increase Our
Faith" 5).
The Knowledge of God: The Prophets and the People
"Brother Joseph," observed
Wilford Woodruff,
used a great many methods of testing
the integrity of men; and he taught a great many things which, in consequence
of tradition, required prayer, faith, and a testimony from the Lord, before
they could be believed by many of the Saints. His mind was opened by the
visions of the Almighty, and the Lord taught him many things by vision and
revelation that were never taught publicly in his days; for the people could
not bear the flood of intelligence which God poured into his mind (Journal
of Discourses 5:83-84; hereafter JD).
Five months before his death, Joseph
Smith lamented that
there has been a great difficulty in
getting anything into the heads of this generation. It has been like splitting
hemlock knots with a corn-dodger for a wedge, and a pumpkin for a beetle. Even
the Saints are slow to understand.
I have tried for a number of years to
get the minds of the Saints prepared to receive the things of God; but we
frequently see some of them, after suffering all they have for the work of God,
will fly to pieces like glass as soon as anything comes that is contrary to
their traditions: they cannot stand the fire at all. How many will be able to
abide a celestial law, and go through and receive their exaltation, I am unable
to say, as many are called, but few are chosen (History of the Church
6:184-85; hereafter HC).
We simply are unable to gauge how
much the Prophet knew—how much God had revealed to him personally—using only
the basis of what the Saints knew. It would be a serious historical error to
suppose that because the average member of the Church did not understand the
nature of the Godhead—whether, for example, the Father had a corporeal body or
whether the Holy Ghost was a personage—that Joseph the Prophet did not
understand, and that the Lectures on Faith reflect that lack of understanding.
This would also apply to some of the leaders of the Church, even some of the
first Apostles. Because Parley P. Pratt failed to distinguish the Light of
Christ from the personage of the Holy Ghost in his masterwork, Key to the
Science of Theology, fn does not reflect one way or another on what Joseph
Smith comprehended or what he intended in the School of the Elders. Few would
argue against the proposition that Parley's brother, Orson, was one of the
great theological minds of this dispensation. And yet we find Orson Pratt, as
late as 1855, still wondering about the personage status of the Holy Ghost (JD
2:337-38), when, in fact, Joseph Smith had revealed clearly, as early as 1841,
that the Holy Ghost was a personage of spirit as has already been noted above.
The fact that the people did not fully grasp the intricacies of the doctrines
is totally unrelated to what their leader was able to grasp and thus is
unrelated to what he taught and what he intended to be understood. We must not
be guilty of setting bounds for God or his prophet-leaders, subscribing them on
the basis of our present view of things.
Conclusion
In my view the Lectures on Faith have
not received the positive attention they ought to have received by the
Latter-day Saints. They were, in fact, acknowledged by the members in 1835 as
the "doctrine of the Church of the Latter Day Saints." I find the
doctrine and scope of the Lectures to be stimulating and the perspective to be
harmonious with traditional theology of the 20th-century Church. Like the Book
of Mormon, I find their contents to be profound, even though they come from an
early period in the Church's history. Truly "one of the flaws in the
reasoning of some ... is an over-reliance upon a linear view of history, an
acceptance of the principle that phenomena evolve from previously existing circumstances.
Such is certainly not the case in all situations; many events or
movements"—and, without question, many doctrines—"[are] more
revolutionary than evolutionary" (Millet 189). The Lectures on Faith are
illustrative of this phenomenon: they come from a formative period of our
history but make known truths which, when carefully studied and fully
appreciated, would be considered a part of the mature Joseph Smith and the
"In my own judgment," said
President Joseph Fielding Smith, "these Lectures on Faith are of great
value and should be studied.... They were not taken out of the Doctrine and
Covenants because they contained false doctrine, and I consider them to be of
extreme value in the study of the gospel of Jesus Christ" (194). Perhaps
Elder McConkie voiced my own feelings best when he spoke of Lecture Five to a
Brigham Young University audience in 1972. "In my judgment," he said,
"it is the most comprehensive, intelligent, inspired utterance that now
exists ... in one place defining, interpreting, expounding, announcing, and
testifying what kind of being God is. It was written by the power of the Holy
Ghost, by the spirit of inspiration. It is, in effect, eternal scripture; it is
true" ("The Lord God of Joseph Smith" 4).
NOTES
Robert L. Millet is associate
professor and chairman of Ancient Scripture at
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Alexander, Thomas G. Mormonism in
Transition.
———. "The Reconstruction of
Mormon Doctrine: From Joseph Smith to Progressive Theology." Sunstone
(Jul-Aug 1980) 5:24-33.
Backman, Milton V., Jr. Joseph
Smith's First Vision. 2nd ed.
———. "Truman Coe's 1836
Description of Mormonism." BYU Studies (Spring 1977) 17:347-55.
Ehat, Andrew F., and Lyndon W. Cook. The
Words of Joseph Smith.
History of the Church. 7 vols.
Hymns.
Journal of Discourses. 26 vols. 1854-86.
McConkie, Bruce R. Doctrinal New
Testament Commentary. 3 vols.
———. "Jesus Christ and Him
Crucified." Devotional Speeches of the Year, 1976.
———. "The Lord God of Joseph
Smith." Speeches of the Year, 1971-1972.
———. "Lord, Increase Our
Faith." Speeches of the Year, 1967-1968.
———. A New Witness for the
Articles of Faith.
———. The Promised Messiah.
Matthews, Robert J. A Plainer
Translation: Joseph Smith's Translation of the Bible, A History and Commentary.
Millet, Robert L. "Biblical
Criticism and the Four Gospels: A Critical Look." To Be Learned Is Good
If.... Ed. Robert L. Millet.
Penrose, Charles W. Conference
Report (Apr 1921) 9-17.
Pratt, Parley P. An Answer to Mr.
William Hewitt's Tract Against the Latter-Day Saints.
Smith, Joseph Fielding. Seek Ye
Earnestly.
Talmage, James E. Articles of
Faith.
Footnotes
1. I should distinguish here between
and LDS view of God's omnipotence, omniscience, and omnipresence, and that held
by many in Catholicism or Protestantism. We do not believe in the utterly
transcendent Being of the creeds, nor do we subscribe to the notion of a
creation ex nihilo. God has all power but works within established
parameters. "Whatever His wisdom indicates as necessary to be done God can
and will do. The means through which He operates may not be of infinite
capacity in themselves, but they are directed by an infinite power. A rational
conception of His omnipotence is power to do all that He may will to do"
(Talmage 44). Latter-day Saints attest to God's corporeality and thus his
inability to be, in person at least, everywhere at the same time. He is able,
however, through his holy Spirit (also called the Light of Christ) to be in and
through all things.
2. The other troublesome passage
deals with the role of the Holy Spirit as the "mind" of the other two
members of the Godhead (LF 5:2), and will be discussed below.
3. Quotations from Words of Joseph
Smith have been modernized and corrected in this article.
4. At an even earlier date (Nov-Dec
1830), the Prophet's inspired revision of Genesis resulted in the following
scripture: "In the day that God created man, (in the likeness of God made
he him,) in the image of his own body, male and female created he them,
and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were
created, and became living souls, in the land, upon the footstool of God"
(JST Gen 6:9; emphasis added; see also Moses 6:8-9).
5. Thus those who are entitled to
membership in the "Church of the Firstborn" are not simply those who
are members of the Lord's earthly church, but rather those who with Christ
become joint-heirs to all the Father has; they are entitled to all of the
blessings of the Firstborn and thus inherit them as though they were the
firstborn. As such they are not just sons and daughters of Jesus Christ but
sons and daughters of God, meaning the Father (see McConkie, Doctrinal New
Testament Commentary 2:471-75; See also D&C 76:58).
6. See Alexander's discussion in Mormonism
in Transition (280-81). See also Parley P. Pratt's An Answer to Mr.
William Hewitt's Tract Against the Latter-Day Saints, wherein even Elder
Pratt gives evidence that he was struggling to understand the corporeality of
God the Father.
(Larry E.
Dahl and Charles D. Tate, Jr., eds., The Lectures on Faith in Historical
Perspective [Provo: BYU Religious Studies Center, 1990], 221.)
The Holy Ghost is a personage of
Spirit and not an heir like Christ, he does not have the same role as Christ,
as Joseph explained; the Holy Ghost speaks the mind of the Father and the Son.
Bruce stressed the importance of
women throughout this process, read Elder Packer’s conference address in
priesthood meeting titled A Tribute
to Women. We cannot
attain the highest degree in the Celestial kingdom without each other.
A
Tribute to Women
Elder Boyd K. Packer
Of the Quorum of the Twelve
Ensign, July 1989, pp. 72-75
This talk was delivered at the Priesthood Commemoration Fireside
broadcast
by satellite from
It is with reverence that
I speak of the restoration of the priesthood. We commemorate the restoration,
not the creation of it. The priesthood existed before the Lord appeared with
others in the
It did not begin when
Peter, James, and John conferred the Melchizedek Priesthood and the keys of the
kingdom upon Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery. (See D&C 27:12-13.) Nor when
John the Baptist ordained them to the Aaronic Priesthood and gave them the keys
to the ministering of angels. (See D&C 13.)
It was formed before
Peter, James, and John received keys on the Mount of Transfiguration. It
existed before Moses received it under the hands of his father-in-law, Jethro
(see D&C 84:6), and before Abraham sought his "appointment unto the
Priesthood according to the appointment of God unto the fathers" and paid
tithes to Melchizedek. (See Abr. 1:3-4; JST Gen. 14:25-40.)
It was present before
Enoch, even before Adam.
The Prophet Joseph Smith
revealed that the priesthood "existed with God from eternity, and will to
eternity, without beginning of days or end of years" and that Adam
obtained it "in the Creation before the world was formed." (Teachings
of the Prophet Joseph Smith, sel. Joseph Fielding Smith, Salt Lake City:
Deseret Book Co., 1938, p. 157.)
The Lord revealed that
the priesthood and its ordinances were "instituted from before the
foundation of the world" (see D&C 124:33-34), and commanded that a
temple be built at Nauvoo as a place to "restore again that which was lost
unto you, or which he hath taken away, even the fulness of the priesthood"
(D&C 124:28). Sacred ordinances could then be performed, for "therein
are the keys of the holy priesthood ordained." (D&C 124:34.)
The scriptures reveal
much about the priesthood, but they are not a handbook with references all
gathered together in one place. They are scattered through the scriptures and
were revealed at different times and in different places. Revelation continues:
consider the recent announcement on the Seventy.
One must prospect through
and dig into the scriptures like a miner searching for precious metal.
Scattered here and there are nuggets, some pure, and [page 73] some alloyed
with other doctrines. Occasionally one strikes a rich vein which will yield all
that you are willing to earn, for the scriptures do not explain nor interpret
themselves.
If I were to draw a
prospector's map showing where I have found treasures on the priesthood, these
are among the places I would mark: the Old Testament contains many choice
nuggets, including references to Melchizedek, King of Salem (now known as
In the Book of Mormon,
the thirteenth chapter of
The Doctrine and
Covenants holds veins of the richest and purest kind; sections 20, 76, 84, 107,
121, and 124 are examples. [D&C 20; D&C 76; D&C 84; D&C 107;
D&C 121; D&C 124]
In section 84 there is a
genealogy which traces the priesthood back to Adam. (See D&C 84:6-17.)
Another in section 107 (D&C 107:40-57) was included in instruction to the
Twelve.
The Pearl of Great Price
reveals how Adam received the priesthood. (See Moses 6:67.)
The priesthood, once
defined as the authority given to man to act in the name of God, is not ours to
remodel or change or modify or abridge. It is ours to honor and magnify.
From the beginning the
priesthood has been conferred only upon the men. It is always described in the
scriptures as coming through the lineage of the fathers. (See D&C 84:6,
14-16; D&C 107:40-41; Abr. 1:3-4.)
While fathers and sons
bear the burden of the priesthood, it was declared in the very beginning that
it was not good for man to be alone. A companion, or "helpmeet," was
given him. The word meet means equal. Man and woman, together, were not to be
alone. Together they constituted a fountain of life. While neither can generate
life without the other, the mystery of life unfolds when these two become one.
From the very beginning
the power to beget life was unlawful to express except there be a marriage
between the man and the woman. Marriage is a covenant of lifelong fidelity and
devotion which, by ordinance, may last for eternity.
The whole physical
universe is organized in order that man and woman might fulfill the full
measure of their creation. It is a perfect system where delicate balances and
counter-balances govern the physical, the emotional, and the spiritual in
mankind.
The Lord revealed that
the purpose of it all is "to bring to pass the immortality and eternal
life of man." (Moses 1:39.) Ordinances and covenants were ordained to
protect this power to generate life. When laws are obeyed, happiness follows,
for "men are, that they might have joy." (2 Ne. 2:25.)
Ever and always there is
the destroyer waiting to disturb and disrupt, to scatter abrasives into this
marvelous system. His purpose is to rupture those circuits which interconnect
the physical, the emotional, and the spiritual, or to cross-connect them in
ways that never were intended. His purpose is to pollute that sacred fountain
of life and to generate, if he can, unnatural affections. (See 2 Tim. 3:2-3.)
The process by which life
is conceived belongs only to those who have been legally and lawfully married.
It was meant from the beginning to be veiled in total privacy. It was never to
be degraded in idle conversation or to be the subject of unworthy humor. It was
never to be exposed to public view, detailed in novels, illustrated in books,
or acted out upon the stage or in films. It is never to involve children. And
it is never to be perverted, never to be sold, never to be bought for money.
The compelling need which
draws a husband back to his wife is always to be expressed in tenderness and
love. It is through this process that a wife may give her husband, and a
husband his wife, a gift which can be received in no other way--the gift of
children.
The separate natures of
man and woman were designed by the Father of us all to fulfill the purposes of
the gospel plan.
Never can two of the same
gender fulfill the commandment to multiply and replenish the earth. No two men
or any number added to them, no matter how much priesthood they may think they
possess, can do it. Only a woman can bestow upon man that supernal title of
father.
She in turn becomes a
mother. Can anyone dispute that her part is different from and more demanding
than his? The mother must endure limitations while nature performs the miracle
of creation.
Through her sacrifice,
once [page 74] again another spirit clothed in a mortal body crosses that frail
footpath of life to experience mortality and the testing required in the plan
of salvation.
The well-being of the
mother, the child, the family, the Church, indeed of all humanity depends upon
protecting that process. The obligations of motherhood are never-ending. The
addition of such duties as those which attend ordination to the priesthood
would constitute an intrusion into, an interruption to, perhaps the avoidance
of, that crucial contribution which only a mother can provide.
The limitation of
priesthood responsibilities to men is a tribute to the incomparable place of
women in the plan of salvation.
The prophet who said that
"no success [in any field of endeavor] can compensate for failure in the
home" (David O. McKay) did not exempt callings in the Church.
Men and women have
complementary, not competing, responsibilities. There is difference but not
inequity. Intelligence and talent favor both of them. But in the woman's part,
she is not just equal to man; she is superior! She can do that which he can
never do; not in all eternity can he do it. There are complementing rewards
which are hers and hers alone.
And blessings bestowed
impartially upon man and woman alike include:
--Baptism;
--The gift of the Holy Ghost;
--The testimony of Jesus;
--Personal revelation;
--The ministry of angels;
--The responsibility to teach, to testify, to exhort, to edify and to comfort;
--The faith to be healed;
--And many other spiritual gifts.
All under a uniform
standard for worthiness.
And the highest
ordinances in the House of the Lord they receive together and equally or not at
all!
It should not disturb
either men or women that some responsibilities are bestowed upon one and not
the other. Duties of the priesthood are delegated to men and are patriarchal,
which means "of the father." From the very beginning this has been
so. The scriptures plainly state that they were "confirmed to be handed
down from father to son. … This order was instituted in the days of Adam."
(D&C 107:40-41.)
Many in the world now
press for a melding of the identities of man and woman, claiming that the
virtue of equality requires a homogenization of all relationships. Following an
absolutely hopeless quest, some seek for an enduring physical and spiritual
relationship with one of the same gender. That wicked deception has unleashed a
pestilence which now threatens the whole of humanity. There can be no
fulfillment there. To find fulfillment, they must--and praise be to God, they
can--find it where it has been from the beginning.
Some in the Church,
following that trend in the world, have written doctrinal treatises trying to
show that the scriptures provide for an exchange in the identities and
responsibilities of men and women. They express concern that the leaders of the
Church do not respond to their recommendations.
Lest they bring sorrow
upon themselves and their loved ones, I call to their attention a caution in
section 121, beginning with verse 16, part of which I will quote.
"Cursed are all
those that shall lift up the heel against mine anointed, saith the Lord, and
cry they have sinned when they have not sinned before me, saith the Lord, but
have done that which was meet in mine eyes, and which I commanded them. … They
shall be severed from the ordinances of mine house. … They shall not have right
to the priesthood, nor their posterity after them from generation to
generation." (D&C 121:16, 19, 21.)
"They themselves
shall be despised by those that flattered them." (D&C 121:20.)
A similar caution applies
to every man and boy who holds the priesthood. Have we not been told that
"the rights of the priesthood are inseparably connected with the powers of
heaven, and that the powers of heaven cannot be controlled nor handled only
upon the principles of righteousness" and that "no power or influence
can or ought to be maintained by virtue of the priesthood, only by persuasion,
by long-suffering, by gentleness and meekness, and by love unfeigned"?
(D&C 121:36, 41.)
Ought not those virtues
by which the priesthood must govern apply first and always to our wives and
children, to our families?
Jacob rebuked the
brethren of his day, saying, "ye have broken the hearts of your tender
wives, and lost the confidence of your children, because of your bad examples
before them; and the sobbings of their hearts ascend
up to God against you." (Jacob 2:35.)
It was not meant that the
woman alone accommodate herself to the priesthood duties of her husband or her
sons. She is of course to sustain and support and encourage them.
Holders of the
priesthood, in turn, must accommodate themselves to the needs and
responsibilities of the wife and mother. Her physical and emotional and
intellectual and cultural well-being and her spiritual development must stand
first among his priesthood duties.
There is no task, however
menial, connected with the care of babies, the nurturing of children, or with
the maintenance of the home that is not his equal obligation. The tasks which
come with parenthood, which many consider to be below other tasks, are simply
above them.
Sister Packer and I have
seven sons and three daughters. And that, I have often been heard to say, is
about equal value. They, in turn, have given us daughters- and sons-in-law, and
grandchildren.
When our sons were
growing up, they enjoyed a very broad tolerance from their father toward their
mischief and mistakes. But there was no tolerance for even the slightest
disrespect toward their mother.
And the question our
daughters-in-law have heard most often from me has been, "Is he being good
to you?"
As our sons have matured,
I have ordained each in turn to the priesthood. Somehow that seems the lesser
part. I have but ordained them. She has borne them, then trained and nurtured
them.
They are not my children
and my grandchildren. They are our children and grandchildren. They all share
in the blessings of the priesthood.
I could not possibly
express the depth and the intensity of love and gratitude that I feel toward my
wife, the mother of our children.
Without her, I could not
have the highest and most enduring blessings of this "priesthood … after
the holiest order of God" (D&C 84:18), this "Holy Priesthood,
after the Order of the Son of God" (D&C 107:3). For, "in order to
obtain the highest, a man must enter into this order of the priesthood [meaning
the new and everlasting covenant of marriage]; And if he does not, he cannot
obtain it." (D&C 131:104.)
I know that the Son of
God is our Redeemer. Reverently I give thanks to God the Father for the
consummate blessing: a sweetheart, wife, companion, friend, a helpmeet, a
woman! In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
In the temple there is a great deal
of symbolism, here is an illustration of this principle:
God
Jesus
Christ Satan
Adam Serpent
(Priesthood) (Ways
of the world)
Eve
(Church)
Adam’s role
Eve’s
role
2. In sorrow you are to
provide 2.
Desire to be ruled by Husband
Pay attention to the level of DEVOTION in the temple. Eve watches and listens to Adam, Adam watches
and listens to God, and Jesus Christ also listens and obeys His Heavenly
Father. There is total DEVOTION to each other, remember the
symbolism of God > Priesthood > Church.
The manner of rule is Celestial in
nature; Satan has hoodwinked us to his way of rule here in the mortality!
(Abraham 5:11-17.) – Adam
receives instruction alone, then he teaches Eve correct doctrine
11 And the Gods took the
man and put him in the Garden of Eden, to dress it and to keep it.
12 And the Gods commanded
the man, saying: Of every tree of the garden thou mayest
freely eat,
13 But of the tree of
knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it; for in the time that thou
eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die. Now I,
Abraham, saw that it was after the Lord's time, which was after the time of
Kolob; for as yet the Gods had not appointed unto Adam his reckoning.
14 And the Gods said: Let
us make an help meet for the man, for it is not good that the man should be
alone, therefore we will form an help meet for him.
15 And the Gods caused a
deep sleep to fall upon Adam; and he slept, and they took one of his ribs, and
closed up the flesh in the stead thereof;
16 And of the rib which
the Gods had taken from man, formed they a woman, and brought her unto the man.
17 And Adam said: This was
bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh; now she shall be called Woman, because
she was taken out of man;
Revelation comes to the priesthood,
then to the church, not the other way around.
Also, the prophet does not listen to the ways of the world, even though
there is tremendous pressure to move in that direction, we won’t, of course!
Moses 4:21-23 – Eve is addressed 1st,
then Adam.
Moses 4:22-26 – The separate but
EQUAL roles of Adam and Eve, and us!
(Moses 4:21-26.)
21 And I will put enmity
between thee and the woman, between thy seed and her seed; and he shall bruise
thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
22 Unto the woman, I, the
Lord God, said: I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception. In
sorrow thou shalt bring forth children, and thy desire shall be to thy husband,
and he shall rule over thee.
23 And unto Adam, I, the
Lord God, said: Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and
hast eaten of the fruit of the tree of which I commanded thee, saying—Thou
shalt not eat of it, cursed shall be the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt
thou eat of it all the days of thy life.
24 Thorns also, and
thistles shall it bring forth to thee, and thou shalt eat the herb of the
field.
25 By the sweat of thy
face shalt thou eat bread, until thou shalt return unto the ground—for thou
shalt surely die—for out of it wast thou taken: for
dust thou wast, and unto dust shalt thou return.
26 And Adam called his
wife's name Eve, because she was the mother of all living; for thus have I, the
Lord God, called the first of all women, which are many.
Mosiah 14:2-5 – Root out of dry
ground = there was no Holy Ghost in Judaism, sorrow (pain) grief (sickness)
Christ had complete sacrifice and devotion to us, His children. Bruised (crushed) = the olive press at
Mosiah 14:8-10 – Who are His
generation? His children who obey, His
seed, Matthew 26:36, Mosiah 15:10-12 was Abinadi’s reply.
(Mosiah 15:10-13.) - Thus
the seed of Christ are those who are adopted into his family, who by faith have
become his sons and his daughters. (Mosiah 5:7.) They are the children of
Christ in that they are his followers and disciples and keep his commandments.
(4 Ne. 17; Morm. 9:26; Moro. 7:19.)
(Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, 2d ed. [Salt Lake
City: Bookcraft, 1966], 700.)
10 And now I say unto you,
who shall declare his generation? Behold, I say unto you, that when his soul
has been made an offering for sin he shall see his seed. And now what say ye?
And who shall be his seed?
11 Behold I say unto you,
that whosoever has heard the words of the prophets, yea, all the holy prophets
who have prophesied concerning the coming of the Lord—I say unto you, that all
those who have hearkened unto their words, and believed that the Lord would
redeem his people, and have looked forward to that day for a remission of their
sins, I say unto you, that these are his seed, or they are the heirs of the
kingdom of God.
12 For these are they
whose sins he has borne; these are they for whom he has died, to redeem them
from their transgressions. And now, are they not his seed?
13 Yea, and are not the
prophets, every one that has opened his mouth to prophesy, that has not fallen
into transgression, I mean all the holy prophets ever since the world began? I
say unto you that they are his seed.
Messiah Shall See His Seed
Of the Messiah who shall come, Isaiah
says: "When thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his
seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in
his hand." (Isa. 53:10.)
He shall see his seed! How aptly, in
poetic and prophetic language, this reminds all who believe that they are the
children of their Messiah. Seed is the progeny of the species. Among us men it
is our children. The children of the Lord Jesus Christ are those who believe in
him and obey his gospel, those who exercise the power given them to become his
sons and his daughters, and who as a consequence are adopted into his family.
It is to Abinadi that we turn for the
inspired interpretation of Isaiah's prophecy about Christ's seed. Our Nephite
friend has just quoted all of the 53rd chapter of Isaiah. He is now expounding
on verse 10. "Behold, I say unto you," he says, "that when his
soul has been made an offering for sin he shall see his seed. And now what say
ye? And who shall be his seed?"
By way of definition and in language
that cannot be misunderstood, Abinadi now identifies Messiah's seed.
"Behold I say unto you," he continues, "that whosoever has heard
the words of the prophets, yea, all the holy prophets who have prophesied
concerning the coming of the Lord—I say unto you, that all those who have
hearkened unto their words, and believed that the Lord would redeem his people,
and have looked forward to that day for a remission of their sins, I say unto
you, that these are his seed, or they are the heirs of the kingdom of God. For
these are they whose sins he has borne; these are they for whom he has died, to
redeem them from their transgressions. And now, are they not his seed? Yea, and
are not the prophets, every one that has opened his mouth to prophesy, that has
not fallen into transgression, I mean all the holy prophets ever since the
world began? I say unto you that they are his seed. And these are they who have
published peace, who have brought good tidings of good, who have published
salvation; and said unto
Included in this group of whom
Abinadi speaks are all those who have been faithful from the day of father Adam
to that moment; all are members of their Messiah's family. They are his
spiritual progeny, his seed, his children. In principle the same thing will
apply to all the faithful yet to come, all who shall be spiritually born of
him. But Isaiah's prophecy and Abinadi's
interpretation speak only of those who have been and not of those who shall yet
believe and who shall gain the adoption of sonship in
a future day. A clear awareness of this fact is essential to a full
understanding of what Isaiah and Abinadi really mean.
With our Lord's seed thus clearly
identified, let us note the time and circumstances under which he will see
them. Abinadi's rendition of Isaiah's inspired
utterance says: "When his soul has been made an offering for sin he shall
see his seed." In other words, he shall see his seed after he has worked
out the infinite and eternal atonement. He shall see his seed after he has
sweat great drops of blood in
What was it that then occurred which
enabled him to see his seed? His own declaration, made while on the cross
itself, was that he would go that very day to paradise. (Luke 23:40-43.) Peter
affirmed that he did in fact go to a world of waiting spirits, to those who
were awaiting the day of their resurrection, to those who felt themselves
imprisoned because of the long absence of their spirits from their bodies, and
that there he preached the gospel. (1 Pet. 3:18-20; 4:6.) In his glorious
vision of the redemption of the dead, President Joseph F. Smith saw what
transpired when the Messiah visited the departed dead. "The eyes of my
understanding were opened, and the Spirit of the Lord rested upon me," he
said, "and I saw the hosts of the dead, both small and great. And there
were gathered together in one place an innumerable company of the spirits of
the just, who had been faithful in the testimony of Jesus while they lived in
mortality. . . . All these had departed the mortal life, firm in the hope of a
glorious resurrection, through the grace of God the Father and his Only
Begotten Son, Jesus Christ." (JFS-V 11-14.) The promise was that when his
soul should be made an offering for sin, then he would see his seed, which seed
consisted of all the righteous persons who had departed this life up to that
time. How wondrously this prophecy was fulfilled reminds us anew of the depth
and glory of the Messianic utterances which deal with Him who has adopted us
into his family.
This vision of what Isaiah meant by
the Messiah seeing his seed gives sense and meaning to the balance of the
prophetic statement: "When thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin,
he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord
shall prosper in his hand." (Isa. 53:10.) If this prophecy was meant to be
fulfilled during his mortal sojourn on earth, we would list it as having
failed. He did not prolong his days; a voluntary death overtook him in the
prime of life. Nor did the pleasure of the Lord find full fruition while he
dwelt in a state where death lies in wait for the weary pilgrim. It is only in
the resurrection that the pleasure of the Lord is perfected, for it is only
when "spirit and element" are "inseparably connected" that
either God or man can "receive a fulness of joy." (D&C 93:33.)
Thus, having made his soul an offering for sin; having seen his seed—all the righteous
dead from the days of Adam to that moment—as they assembled to greet and
worship him in the paradise of their Lord; and having thereafter risen in
glorious immortality to live and reign forever, our Messiah truly fulfilled the
prophetic utterance, for then his days were prolonged forever and the pleasure
in his hand was infinite.
There is one other Old Testament
passage that speaks of Christ's seed, this time with a different emphasis. It
is not a prophecy in which our Lord sees and rejoices in his righteous family
members, but one in which they pledge allegiance to him as he is loved, served,
and worshiped by them. As part of a great Messianic Psalm, David looks forward
from the sorrow and seeming defeat of the cross to the millennial triumph of
truth and righteousness. He speaks of the praise the Crucified One shall
receive when "all the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the
Lord: and all the kindreds of the nations shall
worship before" him; when "the kingdom is the Lord's: and he is the
governor among the nations." In that day—"A seed shall serve him. . .
. They shall come, and shall declare his righteousness." (Ps. 22.)
Needless to say, those who are now his seed look forward with rejoicing and
fervently pray that his kingdom may come and that there will soon be ushered in
that day in which all shall love and serve him without molestation or hindrance
of any sort.
(Bruce R. McConkie, The Promised
Messiah: The First Coming of Christ [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co.,
1978], 359.)
The focus is to the Family of God;
there we find complete devotion, unity, oneness between the Father and the Son,
but also oneness with us! John 17.
1st – Devotion to our own
family
2nd – Devotion to the
Church of the Firstborn
Bruce answered the question about
how Heavenly Father is omniscience, omnipotent, etc. It is NOT solely that He knows us so well
that He knows what we will do in a given situation. The real reason is the principle of ETERNAL NOW
The Omniscience of an Omnipotent and Omniloving
God
Few doctrines, save those pertaining
to the reality of the existence of God, are more basic than the truth that God
is omniscient. "O how great the holiness of our God! For he knoweth all
things, and there is not anything save he knows it." (2 Nephi. 9:20.)
Unfortunately, this truth is sometimes only passively assented to by
individuals who avoid exploring it and coming to understand its implications.
Later on, such believers sometimes have difficulty with the implications of
this core doctrine—which connects with other powerful doctrines such as the foreknowledge
of God, foreordination, and foreassignment.
The all-loving God who shapes our individual growing and sanctifying
experiences—and then sees us through them—could not do so if He were not
omniscient.
The word omniscient has, at times,
been used carelessly, unnecessarily blurring our understanding of this very
fundamental attribute of God. We read in the Prophet Joseph Smith's Lectures
on Faith that God is perfect in the attributes of divinity, and one of
these is knowledge: ". . . seeing that without the knowledge of all
things, God would not be able to save any portion of his creatures; for it is
by reason of the knowledge which he has of all things, from the beginning to
the end, that enables him to give that understanding to his creatures by which
they are made partakers of eternal life; and if it were not for the idea
existing in the minds of men that God had all knowledge it would be impossible
for them to exercise faith in him." (Lecture 4, paragraph 11.)
Joseph Smith also declared, "God
is the only supreme governor and independent being in whom all fullness and
perfection dwell; who is omnipotent, omnipresent and omniscient." (Lecture
2, paragraph 2.)
God, who knows the beginning from the
end, knows, therefore, all that is in between. He could not safely see us
through our individual allotments of "all these things" that shall
give us experience if He did not first know "all things."
Below the scripture that declares
that God knows "all things" there is no footnote reading "except
that God is a little weak in geophysics"! We do not worship a God who
simply forecasts a generally greater frequency of earthquakes in the last days
before the second coming of His Son; He knows precisely when and where all
these will occur. God has even prophesied that the Mount of Olives will cleave
in twain at a precise latter-day time as
There are no qualifiers, only flat
and absolute assertions of the omniscience of God such as these: "The Lord
searcheth all hearts, and understandeth
all." (1 Chronicles 28:9.) The psalmist said that the Lord's
"understanding is infinite." (Psalm 147:5.) "Now we are sure
that thou knowest all things." (John 16:30.)
"The Lord knoweth all things which are to come." (Words of Mormon
1:7.)
Mortals should not aspire to teach
God that He is not omniscient by adding qualifiers that He has never used in
the scriptures. Job rightly asked, "Shall any teach God knowledge?"
(Job
The Lord could not know all things
that are to come if He did not know all things that are past as well as all
things that are present.
The Lord Himself said that He
"knoweth all things, for all things are present" before Him. (D&C
38:2.) We read, too, that "all things are present with me, for I know them
all." (Moses 1:6.)
Therefore, God's omniscience is not solely a function of
prolonged and discerning familiarity with us—but of the stunning reality that
the past and present and future are part of an "eternal
now" with God! (Joseph Smith, History of the Church 4:597.)
(Neal A. Maxwell, All These Things
Shall Give Thee Experience [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1979], 6.)
Plan of Salvation Before the World Was
The great Jehovah contemplated the whole of
the events connected with the earth, pertaining to the plan of salvation,
before it rolled into existence, or ever "the morning stars sang
together" for joy; the past, the present, and the future were and are, with
Him, one eternal "now;" He knew of the fall of Adam, the
iniquities of the antediluvians, of the depth of iniquity that would be
connected with the human family, their weakness and strength, their power and
glory, apostasies, their crimes, their righteousness and iniquity; He
comprehended the fall of man, and his redemption; He knew the plan of salvation
and pointed it out; He was acquainted with the situation of all nations and
with their destiny; He ordered all things according to the council of His own
will; He knows the situation of both the living and the dead, and has made ample
provision for their redemption, according to their several circumstances, and
the laws of the kingdom of God, whether in this world, or in the world to come.
(Joseph Smith, Teachings of the
Prophet Joseph Smith, selected and arranged by Joseph Fielding Smith [Salt
Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1976], 220.)
We discussed about how the Holy
Ghost fits in. He does the will of the
Father and the Son; He speaks the mind of God.
Don’t worry about His physical state, He will be taken care of in due
time.
The Holy Ghost is
Waiting to Take to Himself a Body
Joseph Smith
From: The Words of Joseph Smith:
The Contemporary Accounts of the Nauvoo Discourses of the Prophet Joseph.
(Andrew F. Ehat, and Lyndon W. Cook,
eds..
[Original source: George Laub Journal: 16 June 1844
(1) (Sunday Morning); spelling and punctuation are original]
The Scripture Say I and my father are one & again that the father son &
holy ghost are one I John 5 ch. 7 vers But these
three agree in the Same thing & did the Saviour
pray to the father. I pray not for the world but those [w]home he gave me out
of the world that we might be one, or to Say be of one mind in the unity of the
faith.
but Every one being a diffrent or Seperate
person & So is god & is god & Jesus Christ & the holy ghost. Seperate persons. but the all agree in one or the Self Same
thing But the holy ghost is yet a Spiritual body and waiting to take to
himself a body. as the Savior did or as god did or the gods before them took
bodies for the Saviour Says the work that
my father did do i also & those are the works he
took himself a a body & then laid down his life
that he might take it up again & the Scripture Say those who will obey the
commandments shall be heirs of god & Joint heirs with of Jesus Christ we
then also took bodys to lay them down, to take them
up again & the Sperit itself bears witness with
our Spirits that we are the children of god & if children then heirs and
Joint heirs with Jesus Christ if So be that we Suffer with him in the flesh
that we may be also glorified to gether. See Romans 8
ch 16 & 17 Vers. (emphasis added).
Bruce told us over and over to
remember the time period these lectures were given, 1834-1835, not all of the
information was given to the members at that time. Joseph may or may not have known, but it is
clear the members didn’t know concerning the true nature of the Godhead,
D&C 130:22. Don’t be critical of them;
line upon line, the endowment was still 7-8 years away, 1842-43, in the Red
Brick store!
We in the current church have to
remember A of F 9; we don’t have all knowledge yet either!!!
We don’t know the names of God or
Christ or the Holy Ghost for that matter, but it isn’t important for us to
know.
Lecture on Faith # 6
October 29, 2003
We discussed faith and authority of
the name of Jesus Christ. Bruce used
I cannot enter the
Elder Dallin Oaks Conference talk in
1985:
Taking
upon Us the Name of Jesus Christ
Elder Dallin H. Oaks
of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
Ensign, May 1985, pp. 80-83
On this Easter Sunday we
rejoice in the resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. This is a
holy day for all of Christianity. Countless Christians attend worship services
on this day to partake of the sacrament of the Lord's Supper, which many call
communion. (See 1 Cor. 10:16.)
Members of The Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are commanded to partake of the sacrament
each week. (See D&C 59:9, 12.) In doing so, they witness unto God the
Eternal Father, as stated in the prayer on the bread, that they are
"willing to take upon them the name of thy Son, and always remember him and
keep his commandments which he has given them." (D&C 20:77; Moro.
4:3.) We should ponder these sacred covenants during the sacrament service.
On this Easter Sunday it
is appropriate to reflect on what it means to partake of the sacrament. I will
focus on the first of these solemn "witnesses" to God the Eternal
Father: that we are willing to take upon us the name of his Son. What does this
mean?
Our witness that we are
willing to take upon us the name of Jesus Christ has several different
meanings. Some of these meanings are obvious, and well within the understanding
of our children. Others are only evident to those who have searched the
scriptures and pondered the wonders of eternal life.
One of the obvious
meanings renews a promise we made when we were baptized. Following the
scriptural pattern, persons who are baptized witness before the Church that
they have truly repented of all their sins, and are willing to take upon them
the name of Jesus Christ, having a determination to serve him to the end."
(D&C 20:37; see also 2 Ne. 31:13; Moro. 6:3.) When we partake of the
sacrament, we renew this covenant and all the other covenants we made in the
waters of baptism. (See Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation,
comp. Bruce R. McConkie, 3 vols., Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1954-56, 2:341,
346.)
As a second obvious
meaning, we take upon us our Savior's name when we become members of The Church
of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. By his commandment, this church bears his
name. (See D&C 115:4; 3 Ne. 27:7-8.) Every member, young and old, is a
member of the "household of God." (Eph. 2:19.) As true believers in
Christ, as Christians, we have gladly taken his name upon us. (See
We also take upon us the
name of Jesus Christ whenever we publicly proclaim our belief in him. Each of
us has many opportunities to proclaim our belief to friends and neighbors,
fellow workers, and casual acquaintances. As the Apostle Peter taught the
Saints of his day, we should "sanctify the Lord God in [our] hearts: and
be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh [us] a reason of the
hope that is in [us]." (1 Pet. 3:15.) In this, we keep the modern
commandment: "Take upon you the name of Christ, and speak the truth in
soberness." (D&C 18:21.)
A third meaning appeals
to the understanding of those mature enough to know that a follower of Christ
is obligated to serve him. Many scriptural references to the name of the Lord
seem to be references to the work of his kingdom. Thus, when Peter and the
other Apostles were beaten, they rejoiced "that they were counted worthy
to suffer shame for his name." (Acts
In these three relatively
obvious meanings, we see that we take upon us the name of Christ when we are
baptized in his name, when we belong to his Church and profess our belief in
him, and when we do the work of his kingdom.
There are other meanings
as well, deeper meanings that the more mature members of the Church should
understand and ponder as he or she partakes of the sacrament.
It is significant that
when we partake of the sacrament we do not witness that we take upon us the
name of Jesus Christ. We witness that we are willing to do so. (See D&C
20:77.) The fact that we only witness to our willingness suggests that
something else must happen before we actually take that sacred name upon us in
the most important sense.
What future event or
events could this covenant contemplate? The scriptures suggest two sacred
possibilities, one concerning the authority of God, especially as exercised in
the temples, and the other--closely related--concerning exaltation in the
celestial kingdom.
The name of God is sacred. The Lord's Prayer begins with the
words, "Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed by thy name." (Matt.
6:9.) From Sinai came the commandment, "Thou shalt not take the name of
the Lord thy God in vain." (Ex. 20:7, Deut. 5:11.) Latter-day revelation
equates this with using the name of God without authority. "Let all men
beware how they take my name in their lips," the Lord declares in a modern
revelation, for "many there be who … use the name of the Lord, and use it
in vain, having not authority." (D&C 63:61-62.)
Consistent with these references, many scriptures that refer
to "the name of Jesus Christ" are obviously references to the
authority of the Savior. This was surely the meaning conveyed when the seventy
reported to Jesus that "even the devils are subject unto us through thy
name." (Luke 10:17.) The Doctrine and Covenants employs this same meaning
when it describes the Twelve Apostles of this dispensation as "they who
shall desire to take upon them my name with full purpose of heart."
(D&C 18:27.) The Twelve are later designated as "special witnesses of
the name of Christ in all the world," and as those who "officiate in
the name of the Lord, under the direction of the Presidency of the
Church." (D&C 107:23, 33.)
By way of further
illustration, the Old Testament contains scores of references to the name of
the Lord in a context where it clearly means the authority of the Lord. Most of
these references have to do with the temple.
When the children of
Similarly, in modern
revelations the Lord refers to temples as houses built "unto my holy
name." (D&C 124:39; D&C 105:33; D&C 109:2-5.) In the inspired
dedicatory prayer of the
All of these references
to ancient and modern temples as houses for "the name" of the Lord
obviously involve something far more significant than a mere inscription of his
sacred name on the structure. The scriptures speak of the Lord's putting his
name in a temple because he gives authority for his name to be used in the
sacred ordinances of that house. That is the meaning of the Prophet's reference
to the Lord's putting his name upon his people in that holy house. (See D&C
109:26.)
Willingness to take upon us the name of Jesus Christ can
therefore be understood as willingness to take upon us the authority of Jesus
Christ. According to this meaning, by partaking of the sacrament we witness our
willingness to participate in the sacred ordinances of the temple and to
receive the highest blessings available through the name and by the authority
of the Savior when he chooses to confer them upon us.
Another future event we may anticipate when we witness our
willingness to take that sacred name upon us concerns our relationship to our
Savior and the incomprehensible blessings available to those who will be called
by his name at the last day.
King Benjamin told his
people, "There shall be no other name given nor any other way nor means
whereby salvation can come unto the children of men, only in and through the
name of Christ, the Lord Omnipotent." (Mosiah 3:17; see also 2 Ne. 31:21.)
Peter proclaimed "the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth" to the
leaders of the Jews, declaring that "there is none other name under heaven
given among men, whereby we must be saved." (Acts
The scriptures proclaim
that the Savior's atoning sacrifice was for those who "believe on his
name."
Thus, those who exercise
faith in the sacred name of Jesus Christ and repent of their sins and enter
into his covenant and keep his commandments (see Mosiah 5:8) can lay claim on
the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Those who do so will be called by his
name at the last day.
When the Savior taught
the Nephites following his resurrection, he referred to the scriptural
statement that "ye must take upon you the name of Christ." He
explained, "For by this name shall ye be called at the last day; and whoso
taketh upon him my name, and endureth
to the end, the same shall be saved at the last day." (3 Ne. 27:5-6.) That
same teaching is repeated in a modern revelation, which adds the caution that
"if they know not the name by which they are called, they cannot have
place in the kingdom of my Father." (D&C
The Book of Mormon
explains the significance of being called by the name of Jesus Christ. When the
Savior showed his spirit body to the brother of Jared, he introduced himself as
the Father and the Son, declaring that through his redeeming sacrifice all
mankind who believed on his name should have life eternal through him,
"and they shall become my sons and my daughters." (Ether 3:14.)
Abinadi said of those who believed in the Lord and looked to him for a
remission of their sins "that these are his seed, or they are heirs of the
"For these are they
whose sins he has borne; these are they for whom he has died, to redeem them
from their transgressions. And now, are they not his seed?" (Mosiah
15:12.)
Speaking through the prophet Alma, the Lord explained the
significance of this relationship: "For behold, in my name are they
called; and if they know me they shall come forth, and shall have a place
eternally at my right hand." (Mosiah 26:24.)
In these great scriptures from the Book of Mormon, we learn
that those who are qualified by faith and repentance and compliance with the
laws and ordinances of the gospel will have their sins borne by the Lord Jesus
Christ. In spiritual and figurative terms they will become the sons and
daughters of Christ, heirs to his kingdom. These are they who will be called by
his name in the last day.
According to this meaning, when we witness our willingness to
take upon us the name of Jesus Christ, we are signifying our commitment to do
all that we can to achieve eternal life in the
Those who are found
worthy to take upon them the name of Jesus Christ at the last day are described
in the great revelations recorded in the ninety-third and seventy-sixth
sections of the Doctrine and Covenants. Here the Savior revealed to Joseph
Smith that in due time, if we keep the commandments of God, we can receive the
"fulness" of the Father. (D&C 93:19-20.) Here the Savior bears
record that "all those who are begotten through me are partakers of the
glory of the [Father], and are the church of the Firstborn." (D&C
93:22.) "They are they into whose hands the Father has given all things. …
Wherefore, as it is written, they are gods" who "shall dwell in the
presence of God and his Christ forever and ever." (D&C 76:55, 58, 62.)
"And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God,
and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent." (John 17:3; see also D&C
88:4-5.) This is the ultimate significance of taking upon us the name of Jesus
Christ.
When the priest offers the scriptural prayer on the bread at
the sacrament table, he prays that all who partake may "witness" unto
God, the Eternal Father, "that they are willing to take upon them the name
of thy Son." (D&C 20:77; Moro. 4:3.) This witness has several
different meanings.
It causes us to renew the covenant we made in the waters of
baptism to take upon us the name of Jesus Christ and serve him to the end. We
also take upon us his name as we publicly profess our belief in him, as we
fulfill our obligations as members of his Church, and as we do the work of his
kingdom.
But there is something beyond these familiar meanings,
because what we witness is not that we take upon us his name but that we are
willing to do so. In this sense, our witness relates to some future event or
status whose attainment is not self-assumed, but depends on the authority or
initiative of the Savior himself.
Scriptural references to the name of Jesus Christ often
signify the authority of Jesus Christ. In that sense, our willingness to take
upon us his name signifies our willingness to take upon us the authority of
Jesus Christ in the sacred ordinances of the temple, and to receive the highest
blessings available through his authority when he chooses to confer them upon
us.
Finally, our willingness to take upon us the name of Jesus
Christ affirms our commitment to do all that we can to be counted among those
whom he will choose to stand at his right hand and be called by his name at the
last day. In this sacred sense, our witness that we are willing to take upon us
the name of Jesus Christ constitutes our declaration of candidacy for
exaltation in the celestial kingdom. Exaltation is eternal life, "the
greatest of all the gifts of God." (D&C 14:7.)
That is what we should ponder as we partake of the sacred
emblems of the sacrament. As we do so, we glory in the mission of the risen
Lord, who lived and taught and suffered and died and rose again that all
mankind might have immortality and eternal life. Of this I testify in the
sacred name of the Lord Jesus Christ, whose witness I am, amen.
Bruce reviewed a few chapters of
Moses
Elder Maxwell April 2003 Ensign said the following:
In June 1830 the first
chapter of Moses was revealed. Joseph Smith called the first chapter of Moses a
“precious morsel.”
3 This precious morsel expanded upon the Bible’s meager but still helpful
verses concerning the plurality of worlds (see Gen. 1:1; Heb. 1:2).
Our planet, we know from the revelations, is but one among “worlds without
number” (Moses 1:33),
which “worlds are and were created, and the inhabitants thereof are begotten
sons and daughters unto God” (D&C 76:24).
How many planets are there
with people on them? We don’t know. There appear to be none in our own solar
system, but we are not alone in the universe. We see the universe differently
and correctly. God is not the God of only one planet! We see how the
perspective we have is expanded dramatically by the revelations of the
Restoration.
Because of the Restoration,
we see God’s character and capacity differently and correctly.
Joseph Smith taught that God
sees the past, the present, and the future as if they were an “eternal now.”
God foresaw human wickedness, and He has made “ample provision” for that
wickedness so that He is still able to bring to pass His purposes.
4 There are a lot of people who believe in a kind of god, but they are not
sure he has the character or capacity to do anything that matters. Because they
lack an understanding of God’s character and purposes, their faith is weak.
Through the Restoration we
learn the following:
• Joseph Smith said, “If men
do not comprehend the character of God, they do not comprehend themselves.”
5
• God’s capacity is such
that two times in two verses in the Book of Mormon, He reassures us in a very
polite but pointed way, “I am able to do mine own work” (2 Ne.
27:20-21). Is He ever!
• We are told in the book of
Abraham about divine determination. “There is nothing that the Lord thy God
shall take in his heart to do but what he will do it” (Abr. 3:17). In
the times that lie ahead, this should be part of our faith in His capacity. It
is part of our faith in His character. It is part of our understanding of His
purposes.
• God’s attributes include
perfect goodness and perfect mercy. We can come to have a knowledge of His
goodness and His mercy. This is why Nephi, in the very first verse of the Book
of Mormon, speaks of how he had “a great knowledge of the goodness … of God” (1 Ne. 1:1).
May I submit to you that people who don’t know that fact are terribly deprived
doctrinally. They call into question the purposes and trials of life. When we
know that God is perfect in His goodness, it will sustain us through the
vicissitudes of life.
Without this vital knowledge
about God’s character and purposes, skepticism swells! President George Q.
Cannon (1827-1901) identified one root cause of today’s skepticism, saying,
“There is in the plan of salvation, which God our heavenly Father has revealed,
perfect love; mercy and justice, and every other attribute which pertains to
the character of Deity are perfectly illustrated in the plan of salvation which
he has revealed for man’s guidance.”
6
However, President Cannon
lamented, “The difficulty to-day is, that the people do not believe that God is
a being of this character.”
7 We are so blessed to know so much more about not only His purposes but
His character.
Actual knowledge comes only by
revelation, by the Holy Ghost.
I must have a testimony of all
things in order to exercise faith.
Brigham Young said the following.
I am more afraid that this people
have so much confidence in their leaders that they will not inquire for
themselves of God whether they are led by him. I am fearful they settle down in
a state of blind self-security, trusting their eternal destiny in the hands of
their leaders with a reckless confidence that in itself would thwart the
purposes of God in their salvation, and weaken that influence they could give
to their leaders, did they know for themselves, by the revelations of Jesus,
that they are led in the right way. Let every man and woman know, by the
whispering of the Spirit of God to themselves, whether their leaders are
walking in the path the Lord dictates, or not.
JD 9:150
(Brigham Young, Discourses of
Brigham Young, selected and arranged by John A. Widtsoe [Salt Lake City:
Deseret Book Co., 1954], 135.)
The application of this concept is
to ASK the Lord in prayer if this is what He wants. For example:
Lord, is this the person you want in this calling? Or, Lord, give me a testimony of FHE, Fasting
or Home teaching, etc. A correct idea or
belief is not enough, actual knowledge and a testimony is needed.
With a correct heaven sent answer
would you view that person or responsibility differently?
Gain the testimony to accept what
the Lord wants you to do. This isn’t
QUESTIONING faith its BUILDING faith.
1 Nephi 2:2 – Nephi had a hardened
heart just like his brothers, but he wanted to know if the request from his
father was correct, so he asked and received his answer. The Lord answered his prayer, see verses
16-19. He didn’t murmur like his
brothers, which was the worst thing to do, since it leads to personal apostasy.
Questioning leads to more knowledge.
2 Nephi 5 – Laman and Lemuel waited
until Lehi died until they tried to kill Nephi, they respected Lehi as the
Patriarch, commandment # 5. The Lord
told Nephi to get out of Dodge!
Someone asked where Sam was
throughout all of the family turmoil.
Bruce said he was right there with Nephi, and Sam was like Hyrum.
Lecture 6
ON FAITH
1. Having treated the ideas of the
character, perfections, and attributes of God in the preceding lectures, we
next proceed to treat the knowledge which persons must have that the course of
life which they pursue is according to the will of God, so they may be enabled
to exercise faith in him unto life and salvation.
2. This knowledge supplies an
important place in revealed religion; for it was by reason of it that the
ancients were enabled to endure "as seeing him who is invisible" (Heb
11:27). It is essential for any person to have an actual knowledge that the
course of life which he is pursuing is according to the will of God to enable
him to have that confidence in God without which no person can obtain eternal
life. It was this that enabled the ancient Saints to endure all their
afflictions and persecutions and to take joyfully the spoiling of their goods,
knowing (not believing merely) that they had a more enduring substance (Heb
3. Having the assurance that they
were pursuing a course which was agreeable to the will of God, they were
enabled to take not only the spoiling of their goods and the wasting of their
substance joyfully, but also to suffer death in its most horrid forms, knowing
(not merely believing) that when this "earthly house of this tabernacle
[was] dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal
in the heavens" (2 Cor 5:1).
4. Such was and always will be the
situation of the Saints of God. Unless they have an actual knowledge that the
course they are pursuing is according to the will of God, they will grow weary
in their minds and faint. For such has been and always will be the opposition
in the hearts of unbelievers and those who know not God against the pure and
unadulterated religion of heaven (the only thing which ensures eternal life).
They will persecute to the uttermost all who worship God according to his
revelations, receive the truth in the love of it, and submit themselves to be
guided and directed by his will. And they will drive them to such extremities
that nothing short of an actual knowledge of their being the favorites of heaven
and of their having embraced that order of things which God has established for
the redemption of man will enable them to exercise that confidence in him
necessary for them to overcome the world and obtain that crown of glory which
is laid up for them that fear God.
5. For a man to lay down his all—his
character and reputation, his honor and applause, his good name among men, his
houses, his lands, his brothers and sisters, his wife and children, and even
his own life also, counting all things but filth and dross for the excellency
of the knowledge of Jesus Christ—requires more than mere belief or supposition
that he is doing the will of God. It requires actual knowledge, realizing that
when these sufferings are ended, he will enter into eternal rest and be a
partaker of the glory of God.
(Larry E. Dahl and Charles D. Tate,
Jr., eds., The Lectures on Faith in Historical Perspective [Provo: BYU
Religious Studies Center, 1990], 94.)
LF 6:2 – Revelation is available to
all, we need to seek for it. As we
receive His confirming voice we will have the surety that He knows our doubts
and fears.
D&C 46:13 – One of the gifts of
the Spirit is a testimony, it needs to be nourished, you can have added
strength to endure, Matthew 13:4, the 4 types of soil. Obedience, prayer, study, revelation
45 And this is not all. Do
ye not suppose that I know of these things myself? Behold, I testify unto you
that I do know that these things whereof I have spoken are true. And how do ye
suppose that I know of their surety?
46 Behold, I say unto you
they are made known unto me by the Holy Spirit of God. Behold, I have fasted
and prayed many days that I might know these things of myself. And now I do
know of myself that they are true; for the Lord God hath made them manifest
unto me by his Holy Spirit; and this is the spirit of revelation which is in
me.
47 And moreover, I say
unto you that it has thus been revealed unto me, that the words which have been
spoken by our fathers are true, even so according to the spirit of prophecy
which is in me, which is also by the manifestation of the Spirit of God.
48 I say unto you, that I
know of myself that whatsoever I shall say unto you, concerning that which is
to come, is true; and I say unto you, that I know that Jesus Christ shall come,
yea, the Son, the Only Begotten of the Father, full of grace, and mercy, and
truth. And behold, it is he that cometh to take away the sins of the world,
yea, the sins of every man who steadfastly believeth on his name.
49 And now I say unto you
that this is the order after which I am called, yea, to preach unto my beloved
brethren, yea, and every one that dwelleth in the
land; yea, to preach unto all, both old and young, both bond and free; yea, I
say unto you the aged, and also the middle aged, and the rising generation;
yea, to cry unto them that they must repent and be born again.
The Holy Ghost can also prompt us to
improve upon areas where we are weak.
LF 6:3 – Receiving the assurance
that the life I’m leading is in accordance with God’s will, it is a testimony
to me.
Ask the Lord the following
question: Can I make it? See what He says. What are we seeking? Eternal Life, exaltation, our calling and
election made sure, read the following hymns, 81, 134, 284. Do I EXPECT to be in the Celestial kingdom
with my family? YES!!
Patterns of Prayer by Elder Bruce R.
McConkie:
I am quite overwhelmed by
deep feelings of thanksgiving and rejoicing for the goodness of the Lord to me.
He has permitted me to
suffer pain, feel anxiety, and taste his healing power. I am profoundly
grateful for the faith and prayers of many people, for heartfelt petitions that
have ascended to the throne of grace on my behalf.
It is pleasing to that
God whose we are when we fast and pray and seek his blessings; when we plead
with all the energy of our souls for those things we so much desire; when, as
Paul says, we "come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain
mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." (Heb. 4:16.)
Prayer is the way and
means, given us by our Creator, whereby we can counsel and communicate with
him. It is one of the chief cornerstones of pure and perfect worship.
In prayer we speak to the
Lord, and he speaks to us. It is our privilege to have our voices heard in the
courts above and to hear the answering voice of the Lord conveyed by the power
of his Spirit.
Prayer changes our lives.
Through it we draw near to the Lord, and he reaches out his finger and touches
us, so we never again are the same.
Prayer is a great tower
of strength, a pillar of unending righteousness, a mighty force that moves
mountains and saves souls. Through it the sick are healed, the dead are raised,
and the Holy Spirit is poured out without measure upon the faithful.
In prayer we bind
ourselves by solemn covenants to love and serve the Lord all our days. In it we
pay our devotions and offer our sacraments to the Most High.
Now, there are special
prayers reserved and offered for those who drink the still waters and lie down
in green pastures, prayers which are not uttered for those who yet dwell in the
deserts of sin.
With these things in
mind, may I tell you some of the prayers in my heart, prayers that I think will
join with like feelings in your hearts, and will unite in one mighty chorus of
praise and petition, of adoration and thanksgiving, as they ascend and are
heard in the courts above.
We do not give memorized,
ritualistic, or repetitious prayers. We seek the guidance of the Spirit and
suit every prayer to the needs of the moment, with no thought of using the same
words on successive occasions. But it would be appropriate for us to use words
that convey such thoughts [page 33] as these in our prayers:
Father, we ask thee, in
the name of Jesus Christ, to hear the words of our mouth, to discern with thy
all-seeing eye the thoughts and intents of our heart, and to grant us our
righteous desires.
We feel it is a great
privilege to come into thy presence, to bow before thy throne, to address thee
as Father; and we know thou wilt hear our cries. May we speak by the power of
thy Holy Ghost.
Then, in thanking the Lord for the blessings of mortal life,
and the hope of immortality and eternal life, we might properly say such things
as:
Father, we thank thee for
life itself, for this mortal probation in which we as pilgrims, far from our
heavenly home, are gaining experiences that could be gained in no other way.
We thank thee that thou
didst ordain and establish the great and eternal plan of salvation whereby we,
as thy spirit children, are given power, if faithful and true in all things, to
advance and progress and become like thee.
We thank thee for sending
thy Holy Son Jesus to be the Savior and Redeemer; to put into full operation all
of the terms and conditions of thy great and eternal plan of salvation; to save
us from death, hell, the devil, and endless torment.
O how we glory in him and
in his blessed name, rejoicing everlastingly that he has ransomed us from
temporal and spiritual death; that he is the one Mediator between us and thee;
that he has reconciled us unto thee, not imputing unto us our sins, but healing
us with his stripes!
We thank thee, O our
Father, that thou gavest thine Only Begotten Son so
that we, believing in him, shall not perish, but have everlasting life; that
he, amid the blood and agonies of Gethsemane, and the blood and cruelties of
Calvary, bore our sins on condition of repentance.
O how we love the Lord
Jesus, who is called Christ and who is the Holy Messiah; who also is our Lord,
our God, and our King, whom we worship in the full majesty of his godhood; and
in whose blood we shall yet wash our garments, so as to stand spotless before
him and thee in that great day!
With reference to the restoration of the glorious gospel in
our day, prayers might include expressions along these lines:
And now, O thou God of
our Fathers, we are grateful and rejoice in what thou hast done for us in our
day.
With all our hearts we
thank thee for the restoration of the gospel; that the voice of God is heard
again; that the heavens, long sealed, have been rent; that holy angels,
bringing priesthoods and keys and light and truth, now minister among us.
We stand in reverent awe
at the realization that thou and thy Beloved Son came to Joseph Smith in the
spring of 1820 to usher in the dispensation of the fulness of times.
We marvel that thou didst
send Moroni to reveal the Book of Mormon; Moses to empower us to gather Israel
from the Egypt of the world into the Zion of God; and Elijah to confer upon us
the power to bind on earth and have our acts sealed everlastingly in the
heavens.
How grateful we are that
Elias brought back the gospel of Abraham, so that we, as children of the
covenant, might have a continuation of the family unit in eternity!
Of our reconciliation with the Father, through the atonement
of his Son, it would be proper to say such things as:
Father, thou hast given
us the word of reconciliation and hast poured out revelations and visions upon
us. We are thy people, and we desire to be worthy of the [page 34] calling and
election that is ours.
Thou hast wrought
miracles in our midst; given us the Holy Scriptures, particularly thy word
manifest in our day; conferred upon us the gift of the Holy Ghost by which we
are guided into all truth, and by which our souls are sanctified.
For all these things we
are grateful beyond any measure of expression, and because of them we shall
praise thy holy name forever.
We confess our sins
before thee and seek remission thereof, lest anything stand between us and thee
in receiving a free flow of thy Spirit.
With reference to building up the
Wilt thou bless thy
Church and kingdom on earth. May we be effective instruments in thy hands to
build anew the
May we gather the lost
sheep of
Give us thy power in
preaching thy restored gospel to every nation and kindred and tongue and
people. Open the doors of all nations.
Let us fulfill our divine
commission to prepare a people for the coming of thy Son. May we discover who
our ancestors are and perform the ordinances of salvation and exaltation for
them in sacred sanctuaries dedicated to thy holy name.
O have mercy on us; bear
with us in our weakness, for our trust is in thee. Thou art our God, and there
is none other like unto thee; and it is unto thee we turn in worship and
adoration and thanksgiving.
As to our own temporal needs, I would feel no hesitancy in
saying such things as:
We cry unto thee over our
flocks and our herds, over the fruits of our fields and the increase of our
vines and trees. Wilt thou temper the elements and preserve us from disasters,
that our basket and store may be full.
We need food, clothing,
and shelter; we need schooling and proper employment; we need wisdom in our
business and professional enterprises.
Grant us according to our
needs, giving us neither poverty nor riches, but feeding us with food
convenient for us.
As to the personal blessings that prepare us for salvation,
our thoughts might be couched in expressions along this line:
Bless us in our families
that husbands and wives may love each other and cleave unto each other; that
parents may bring up their children in light and truth; that children thus
brought up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord may honor their fathers
and their mothers by living as their righteous ancestors lived.
O Father, there are those
among us, not a few in number, who desire and are worthy to have eternal
companions. Wilt thou prepare the way before them that they may have the
desires of their hearts in righteousness.
There are those among us
who are sick and afflicted, who suffer from disease, and who are not appointed
unto death. O thou Great Physician, pour out thy healing power upon thy Saints.
O Lord, increase our
faith, and let the sick be healed and the dead raised even in greater numbers than
at present.
But above this, O thou
God of healing, wilt thou cause him who came with healing in his wings also to
heal us spiritually.
We would be clean; we
desire to be a pure people; we need and desire and seek, above all, the
companionship of thy Holy Spirit. We pray, as did they of old, that we might
receive the Holy Ghost.
O Father, we rejoice in
the gifts of the Spirit and seek them in greater abundance. Let testimony and
revelation and visions and miracles multiply among us.
Let us know the wonders
of eternity, even those things which eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have
yet entered into the heart of man.
And then by way of capstone, covenant, and petition, it
would be appropriate for us to choose words that express these thoughts:
And finally, Father, we
would be one with thy Son, even as he is one with thee. We seek salvation; we
desire eternal life; we long to return to thy presence, and there, sitting down
with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets and holy men of old, go no
more out forever.
Let us see the face of
thy Son while we dwell here as mortals. Let us hear him say: Come ye blessed of
my Father; ye shall enter into the joy of thy Lord; thy calling and election
has been made sure; thou art a joint-heir with me, and shall yet receive,
possess, and inherit all that my Father hath.
And now, O our God, thou
Everlasting Elohim, knowing thy mind and will with reference to all these
expressions of thanksgiving and all these petitions for blessings, we covenant
before thee that we will keep thy commandments and love and serve thee all our
days.
Let this, then, be our
covenant, that from this hour we will walk in all thy ways, blameless,
obedient, faithful, true to every trust, having love one for another,
testifying in word and in deed that we are thy people, the sheep of thy
pasture, thine elect and chosen children.
LF 6:4 – We need a testimony of the
course I am pursuing is correct. Bruce
mentioned Elder Oak’s talk on Timing, it is the Lord’s will not mine be
done.
Bruce said that this time in Church
history is no different then
We had a long discussion on personal
testimony and judging. I need to find
out for myself that so and so is the Bishop or Elders Quorum President, etc, if
the Lord called them, and then I am obligated to obey.
LF 6:5 – We are required to lay down
all not a portion. Law of Consecration,
D&C 132:29, Abraham’s life.
A Discussion of Lecture 6
Great Faith Obtained Only Through
Personal Sacrifice
Robert J. Matthews
It is an honor to be involved with
this symposium which is sponsored by the
The orderly progress of ideas in the
Lectures on Faith makes them one of our greatest possessions for explaining a
systematic theology. The catechism for Lecture 1 defines "theology"
as a "revealed science." We do not ordinarily think of theology or of
religion as a "science," but it can be so regarded. And if the
concepts are given by revelation, theology is the truest of sciences. President
Brigham Young called it a "celestial science" (Journal of
Discourses 6:318; hereafter JD). He also said:
We want every branch of science
taught in this place that is taught in the world. But our favourite
study is that branch which particularly belongs to the Elders of Israel—namely,
theology. Every Elder should become a profound theologian—should understand
this branch better than all the world (JD 6:317).
I am reminded also that the complete
title to Elder Parley P. Pratt's popular work, Key to Theology, is
actually The Key to the Science of Theology. In that light I would
define the Lectures on Faith as lessons in the revealed science of theology.
They are in a class by themselves and are literally "designed to unfold to
the understanding the doctrine of Jesus Christ" in a rational, scientific
manner (LF 1:1).
The earlier presentations in this
symposium have emphasized what faith is and what it rests upon. It has been
shown that in order to exercise true faith in God we need to know something of
his perfect character and attributes. When we learn of the perfections and
attributes of Deity, we are then able to develop unshaken confidence in God,
because our minds can be at rest and be assured that God can and will fulfil all his promises. When we become men and women of
faith, we can have this unshaken confidence and trust because the scriptures
guarantee that the true God is perfect and is therefore an unchangeable,
complete, and living God.
Such is the message of the first five
of the Lectures on Faith. I have been asked to discuss the content of Lecture
6, which is a sobering task, and I feel a great need for the help of the Holy
Ghost in order to present it in the proper perspective and spirit. I cannot
speak for the Church or for the University, but I believe what I have written
is correct. So that this paper will continue the unity and purpose of this
symposium, it is necessary to quote briefly from two of the preceding lectures.
First, from Lecture 4:2:
Let us here observe that the real
design which the God of heaven had in view in making the human family
acquainted with his attributes was that they might be enabled to exercise faith
in him through the idea of the existence of his attributes.... The God of
heaven, understanding most perfectly the constitution of human nature and the
weakness of men, knew what was necessary to be revealed and what ideas needed
to be planted in their minds to enable them to exercise faith in him unto
eternal life.
And also paragraph 3 of Lecture 5:
From the foregoing account of the
Godhead, which is given in his revelations, the Saints have a sure foundation
laid for the exercise of faith unto life and salvation through the atonement
and mediation of Jesus Christ. By his blood they have a forgiveness of sins....
As the Son partakes of the fulness of the Father through the Spirit, so the
Saints are, by the same Spirit, to be partakers of the same fulness, to enjoy
the same glory ... through the love of the Father, the mediation of Jesus
Christ, and the gift of the Holy Spirit. They are to be heirs of God and
joint-heirs with Jesus Christ.
The sixth lecture, building on the
foundation established by the earlier ones, introduces two major items: first,
the necessity of each person's knowing (not merely believing or hoping) that
his/her life is acceptable to God; and second, the necessity of our being
willing to sacrifice all earthly possessions and honors as the means to obtain
the knowledge of and the approval of the Lord Jesus Christ. We will discuss
these items in that order.
Knowing That One's Life Is Acceptable to God
In the sixth Lecture on Faith,
paragraphs 2 and 3, we read the following:
It is essential for any person to have
an actual knowledge that the course of life which he is pursuing is according
to the will of God to enable him to have that confidence in God without which
no person can obtain eternal life. It was this that enabled the ancient Saints
to endure all their afflictions and persecutions and to take joyfully the
spoiling of their goods, knowing (not believing merely) that they had a more
enduring substance.
Having the assurance that they were
pursuing a course which was agreeable to the will of God, they were enabled to
take not only the spoiling of their goods and the wasting of their substance
joyfully, but also to suffer death in its most horrid forms, knowing (not
merely believing) that when this "earthly house of this tabernacle [was]
dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in
the heavens" (2 Cor 5:1).
What is there about living in this
mortal fallen world that makes this kind of knowledge so important and
necessary? We read from the next paragraph:
Such was and always will be the
situation of the Saints of God. Unless they have an actual knowledge that the
course they are pursuing is according to the will of God, they will grow weary
in their minds and faint. For such has been and always will be the opposition
in the hearts of unbelievers and those who know not God against the pure and
unadulterated religion of heaven (the only thing which ensures eternal life).
They will persecute to the uttermost all who worship God according to his
revelations, receive the truth in the love of it, and submit themselves to be
guided and directed by his will. And they will drive them to such extremities
that nothing short of an actual knowledge of their being the favorites of
heaven and of their having embraced that order of things which God has
established for the redemption of man will enable them to exercise that
confidence in him necessary for them to overcome the world and obtain that
crown of glory which is laid up for them that fear God (LF 6:4).
The matter is stated even more
clearly in paragraph 5:
For a man to lay down his all—his
character and reputation, his honor and applause, his good name among men, his
houses, his lands, his brothers and sisters, his wife and children, and even
his own life also, counting all things but filth and dross for the excellency of the knowledge of Jesus Christ—requires more
than mere belief or supposition that he is doing the will of God. It requires
actual knowledge, realizing that when these sufferings are ended, he will enter
into eternal rest and be a partaker of the glory of God.
The foregoing is so plain, so well
stated, and so reasonable that I feel confident that anyone who reads it will
understand it and will almost automatically want to have that same knowledge
and testimony. It just naturally follows that after we learn of the perfect
character and nature of God, what kind of a being he is, there wells up within
our own hearts an intense desire, a craving and thirsting, a longing to be in
harmony with him. That is why repentance, followed by baptism for the remission
of sins and the laying on of hands for the baptism of fire or the Holy Ghost,
accompany true faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. These are sequential steps that
inch us along the pathway towards having our own lives conform to the
revelations and commandments of God. Such a course of life feeds the soul, and
comforts and gives it rest. Only a very calloused nature would not long for
that unity and joy that come as a result of our knowing that we have the Lord's
specific, precise, and particular approval.
Faith begins by hearing the word of
God as it is preached by an authorized person through the testimony of the Holy
Spirit. That Spirit kindles a desire for repentance and urges us to remove from
our lives every deed and thought that would be offensive to God. Repentance
brings unity and wholeness, whereas sin is fractious and divisive.
"Wickedness never was happiness," and it jars the spirit of man (Alma
41:10). We cannot do wrong and feel right. These principles operate in everyone's
life because we all came from God in the beginning and are his sons and
daughters. Sometimes it takes a little longer for some of us to be touched and
moved by the principles of eternal life, but we can be certain that sooner or
later every human being will be so touched. With some it may be at the day of
judgment, when it is too late to gain full benefit.
An example of how the preaching of
the gospel and the workings of the Spirit move a people to repent and to seek
divine approval is shown in
The effect these teachings and the
testimony of Aaron had on the king's mind illustrates the doctrine we are
examining in Lecture 6:
And it came to pass that after Aaron
had expounded these things unto him, the king said: What shall I do that I may
have this eternal life of which thou hast spoken? Yea, what shall I do that I
may be born of God, having this wicked spirit rooted out of my breast, and
receive his Spirit, that I may be filled with joy, that I may not be cast off
at the last day? Behold, said he, I will give up all that I possess, yea, I
will forsake my kingdom, that I may receive this great joy.
But Aaron said unto him: If thou desirest this thing, if thou wilt bow down before God, yea,
if thou wilt repent of all thy sins, and will bow down before God, and call on
his name in faith, believing that ye shall receive, then shalt thou receive the
hope which thou desirest.
And it came to pass that when Aaron
had said these words, the king did bow down before the Lord, upon his knees;
yea, even he did prostrate himself upon the earth, and cried mightily, saying:
O God, Aaron hath told me that there
is a God; and if there is a God, and if thou art God, wilt thou make thyself
known unto me, and I will give away all my sins to know thee, and that I may be
raised from the dead, and be saved at the last day (Alma 22:15-18).
It is not difficult to see that the
king wanted to be in favor with God. He didn't know a great deal about the
scriptures or of the science of theology, but when he heard the gospel properly
taught, his soul hungered for righteousness.
We have a similar example with Enos,
who said his "soul hungered" because he had often heard his father
Jacob speak "concerning eternal life, and the joy of the saints," and
these things "sunk deep into [his] heart" (Enos 1:3-4). He had great strugglings in the spirit, a "wrestle" (v 2) he
called it, until he gained a remission of his sins and obtained the voice of
the Lord to his mind. Then he said "my guilt was swept away" (v 6),
and "my soul did rest" (v 17). When he asked how it was done, the
Lord said, "thy faith hath made thee whole" (v 8).
By reading the accounts of the
Lamanite king and of Enos, we obtain a glimpse of what they felt. But what about
we who live now? How can we feel what they felt and gain what they gained?
The great question for us, therefore,
is: How do we today go about getting that individual assurance and actual
knowledge that we are pursuing a course of life that is acceptable to the will
of God? The answer is that we have to do the same things that were required in earler dispensations. The gospel has not changed. Faith is
the same, the requirements are the same, and the rewards are the same. There
are no special sales, no bargain days.
Being Willing to Sacrifice All Things
There is greater clarity given to us
on the need to be willing to sacrifice all things than we have perhaps
realized. We read in Lecture 6:7:
Let us here observe that a religion
that does not require the sacrifice of all things never has power sufficient to
produce the faith necessary unto life and salvation. For from the first
existence of man, the faith necessary unto the enjoyment of life and salvation
never could be obtained without the sacrifice of all earthly things. It is
through this sacrifice, and this only, that God has ordained that men should
enjoy eternal life. And it is through the medium of the sacrifice of all
earthly things that men do actually know that they are doing the things that are
well pleasing in the sight of God. When a man has offered in sacrifice all that
he has for the truth's sake, not even withholding his life, and believing
before God that he has been called to make this sacrifice because he seeks to
do His will, he does know, most assuredly, that God does and will accept his
sacrifice and offering and that he has not sought nor will he seek His face in
vain. Under these circumstances, then, he can obtain the faith necessary for
him to lay hold on eternal life.
Why Faith and Knowledge Are Dependent upon Sacrifice
A major consideration at this point
is why perfect faith can be obtained only by the willingness to
sacrifice all earthly things. The quick answer may be: "God has so ordered
it." No doubt this is true, but we may want to understand more about it. A
large factor inherent in the willingness to sacrifice all earthly possessions
is the knowledge that the plan of redemption neither begins nor ends with this
mortal life. It began in the premortal world and extends to the postmortal one. This plan is founded in God's wisdom, God's
knowledge, and God's power. Through the fall of Adam all mankind have become
subject to two deaths—the physical death of the body, which is caused by the
separation of the body and the spirit; and the spiritual death, which is caused
by the separation of the person from the things of God, that is, to
"die" as to things of righteousness.
Because of these two deaths, all
human beings are cut off from a knowledge of God; they have no conscious memory
of God, and no memory of a premortal life, nor any understanding of a postmortal one after this mortal probation. Our knowledge
in this natural, mortal, fallen state is earthbound. Our affections, interests,
ambitions, and desires are centered on this present mortal life. The natural
man knows none of the things of God. Neither can he know them for they are only
obtained by the Holy Ghost (1 Cor 2:14). As we learn
the first principles of the gospel, the Holy Ghost gives us a testimony of the
reality of God, of heaven, and of Jesus Christ. As we advance in righteousness,
there comes a time when we will be asked to consecrate all that we have for the
In view of the conditions that exist
with the natural, mortal world, it is obviously the right thing for the Lord to
require of those of us who would partake of the fulness of salvation to
consecrate all that we have to his work, and to be willing to serve him at all
costs. Anything short of that would not be a complete and adequate test of our
confidence and faith in the Almighty God. Nor could anything less measure the
progress we have made in overcoming the natural man. It is in this way that
mortality serves most effectively as a probationary and preparatory state.
Why the Miraculous Is Necessary in the Gospel
Due to the nature of fallen man, a
true revealed religion must of necessity be miraculous in its nature. The
knowledge, blessings, communications, and powers of a heavenly, divine system
have to be extra-terrestrial. The power and the knowledge to save fallen
mankind must come from outside the earth itself; outside of us ourselves. It
cannot originate with us. It must come from God, or there can be no salvation
or redemption in it. Hence God tests his children by asking them to do
something entirely outside of the natural style of mortality. All of the
commandments of God are that way. Baptism, ordination, faith, sacrifice,
prayer, repentance, obedience to specified commandments, personal cleanliness
of thought, etc.—all are contrary to what comes naturally to us. Acts of
obedience are responses that we must learn and do deliberately; they cannot
happen by chance, happenstance, or accident. And obeying the commandments is
not the kind of thing we would do naturally. Doing what comes naturally does
not lead to celestial glory and godhood. Only by doing what is not natural,
because of our faith, do we find salvation. We wouldn't consistently keep all
the commandments if we didn't have faith, and that is why we can see the truth
of Paul's declaration, "Without faith it is impossible to please
[God]" (Heb 11:6).
Natural man, with the natural, unregenerated mind, is given to rationalization and to
discounting the validity of divine revelation and the importance of obedience,
and even the need for a redemptive sacrifice and death of a God.
Rationalization thus becomes the great usurper, the eroder
and the robber of our faith. This is demonstrated very clearly in the book of Helaman
just previous to the time of Jesus' birth. Even though so many "signs ...
[had been] wrought among the people," those who did not believe in the
gospel said: "It is not reasonable that such a being as Christ
shall come" (16:18-23; emphasis added). The unbelievers' idea of
"reasonableness" caused them to miss the message of redemption
through Jesus Christ.
The Role of Revelation and Testimony
It is totally clear from the content
of the Lectures on Faith that there can be no true religion among men and women
on this earth without revelation and testimony from God. Without revelation
from heaven, mankind would not know what kind of being God is, and any ideas
about his attributes and perfections could only be guesswork. The God of heaven
must reveal himself, or he must remain forever unknown. First, as we have seen,
we could not exercise true faith in a God we knew nothing about. True faith
cannot take root and thrive in ignorance. Second, our faith would not be strong
and unshaken unless we knew by continuing revelation that our lifestyle was
pleasing to God. It would simply be impossible for any of us to exercise the
kind of pure faith that is described in these lectures in the absence of
direct, immediate, and personal revelation.
Such necessary revelation does not
often come by an angelic visitor or personal open vision, but it comes most
often by the personal manifestations and whisperings of the Holy Ghost. The
Prophet Joseph Smith explained, "the Holy Ghost is a revelator," and
"no man can receive the Holy Ghost without receiving revelations" (Teachings
of the Prophet Joseph Smith 328; hereafter TPJS). Revelation and
testimony come to us through the Holy Ghost and are miraculous occurrences,
outside the normal realm of man's five natural senses.
A religion without revelation is but
a philosophical network of human ideas, no matter how ingenious and astute it
may be. Without revelation its adherents and believers could not know whether
the God they worshiped even existed—much less whether or not he was pleased
with the way they worshipped him or even whether he cared. When it comes to the
matter of man's relationship to God, not to have any revelation from him leaves
everything to supposition and opinion. This is the idea given in Doctrine and
Covenants 93:19, wherein the Lord says: "I give unto you these sayings
that you may understand and know how to worship, and know what you worship,
that you may come unto the Father in my name, and in due time receive of his
fulness."
As we have discovered in the Lectures
on Faith, revelation from God must cover several subject areas. First, it must
reveal that there is a God. Second, it must reveal the traits of his
character and attributes, and show that these attributes are perfect in him.
Third, it must reveal what God wants man to do and what he wants him not to do.
And fourth, it must assure us that what we are doing is what God would have us
do. Receiving this last revelation is the basic message of the sixth lecture.
For a person to receive a direct,
individual and personal revelation from God is an experience not obtained
merely for the asking. To be told by the Almighty God, the Creator of the
Universe, that he has noticed us and that he is pleased by our service and
obedience is a blessing worth years of search and toil. Such a reward is the
theme of both the parable of the "treasure hid in a field" and that
of the "pearl of great price" (Matt 13:44, 45-46). The message of
both parables is that giving all that we have would not be giving too much to
gain such favor with God. Heaven, knowing the proper price to place on all its
goods, has so ordained that the kind of faith that is powerful enough to enable
us to lay hold on eternal life is available only on the basis of our being
willing to sacrifice all earthly goods and honors.
There are records in the scriptures
of those who have made this kind of sacrifice. Jesus is the greatest example.
He said to the Nephites:
I am the light and the life of the
world; and I have drunk out of that bitter cup which the Father hath given me,
and have glorified the Father in taking upon me the sins of the world, in the
which I have suffered the will of the Father in all things from the beginning
(3 Nephi 11:11).
Saul of Tarsus, later known as Paul,
was a learned man, accepted within his own Pharisee group, valiant above those
his own age, and had position, power, and influence. He was determined to
prevent Christianity from destroying the religion of the Jews. He was not an
evil man; he simply did not understand. And in his error he viewed the doctrine
of Christ as an enemy to the revelations God had given to Moses and to Abraham.
What did the Lord require of Paul? The same thing that he requires of all who
seek salvation and a place with him in eternity. He required total obedience
and the willingness to sacrifice all things. When Paul was first converted by a
vision of Jesus on the road to
Paul had many visions, many
revelations and many trials, and suffered intense persecution and hardship,
including imprisonment, whippings, character assassination, loss of friends,
privation, and illness. Yet he stayed true to his testimony and came off
victorious. In speaking of himself and of his companions who were thus tried
and tested to the uttermost, Paul wrote:
We are troubled on every side, yet
not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not
forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed (2 Cor 4:8-9).
Later, while in a Roman prison, he
wrote:
But what things were gain to me,
those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss
for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus
my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but
dung, that I may win Christ (Philip 3:7-8).
Why was Paul willing to continue on
in the face of so much opposition? It was because he knew what God required,
and that the God of heaven had accepted his efforts, and that his salvation was
sure. We read from 2 Timothy 4:6-8, as Paul wrote from a prison cell in
For I am now ready to be offered, and
the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have
finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a
crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at
that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.
Paul knew that his life was
acceptable to God and that his calling and election were sure.
Paul's convert, Timothy, whom he
affectionately called "my own dear son in the faith," was a man like
Paul, dedicated to the work of the Lord above his own interests. Paul, writing
to the Church at
For I have no man likeminded, who will
naturally care for your state. For all seek their own, not the things which are
Jesus Christ's. But ye know the proof of him, that, as a son with the father,
he hath served with me in the gospel (Philip 2:20-22).
The Book of Mormon also is a record of
faithful disciples who sacrificed all things. We read of Nephi, that righteous,
wondrous prophet-son of Helaman who lived just before the advent of Jesus among
the Nephites, that he was absolutely single-minded to God. In return for his
obedience, the Lord trusted him and gave him power in the ministry and promised
to bless him forever. We read from Helaman 10:3-5:
And it came to pass as he was thus
pondering—being much cast down because of the wickedness of the people of the
Nephites, their secret works of darkness, and their murderings,
and their plunderings, and all manner of
iniquities—and it came to pass as he was thus pondering in his heart, behold, a
voice came unto him saying:
Blessed art thou, Nephi, for those
things which thou hast done; for I have beheld how thou hast with unwearyingness declared the word, which I have given unto
thee, unto this people. And thou hast not feared them, and hast not sought thine own life, but hast sought my will, and to keep my
commandments.
And now, because thou hast done this
with such unwearyingness, behold, I will bless thee
forever; and I will make thee mighty in word and in deed, in faith and in
works; yea, even that all things shall be done unto thee according to thy word,
for thou shalt not ask that which is contrary to my will.
There can be no question that after
receiving this revelation, Nephi knew his life was acceptable to God and he
would be saved.
These valiant souls (Jesus, Paul,
Timothy, and Nephi, among many others) gave all that they had, their time,
talents, possessions, and desires, to the building up of the
But not all the heroes were in olden
times. Those who lay in Richmond Jail, Liberty Jail, and Carthage Jail suffered
in like manner as did the former prophets. And the Latter-day Saints who were
driven out of
It was in this light that the Prophet
Joseph Smith viewed the sufferings of the Latter-day Saints in the early days
of this Church:
Such inhumanity, and relentless
cruelty and barbarity as were practiced against the Saints in
We also read in the Prophet's epistle
to the Church, written 25 March 1839 from Liberty Jail,
And now, beloved brethren, we say
unto you, that inasmuch as God hath said that He would have a tried people,
that He would purge them as gold, now we think that this time He has chosen His
own crucible, wherein we have been tried; and we think if we get through with any
degree of safety, and shall have kept the faith, that it will be a sign to this
generation, altogether sufficient to leave them without excuse; and we think
also, it will be a trial of our faith equal to that of Abraham, and that the
ancients will not have whereof to boast over us in the day of judgment, as
being called to pass through heavier afflictions; that we may hold an even
weight in the balance with them; but now, after having suffered so great
sacrifice and having passed through so great a season of sorrow, we trust that
a ram may be caught in the thicket speedily, to relieve the sons and daughters
of Abraham from their great anxiety, and to light up the lamp of salvation upon
their countenances, that they may hold on now, after having gone so far unto
everlasting life (TPJS 135-136).
We now continue from Lecture 6:8:
It is in vain for persons to fancy to
themselves that they are heirs with those, or can be heirs with them, who have
offered their all in sacrifice, and by this means obtained faith in God and
favor with him so as to obtain eternal life, unless they in like manner offer
unto him the same sacrifice and through that offering obtain the knowledge that
they are accepted of him.
Trials and Tests Are Custom-made
We do not mean to imply by all these
examples that only martyrs will be saved or that only those who are driven out
of their homes or who lose their farms, businesses, and health to a mob are
saved. What we find in the revelations and in the teachings of the brethren is
that the Lord requires such undivided allegiance, that a person who expects to
inherit a celestial glory must be willing to sacrifice all things if called
upon to do so. The gospel provides a way for a person to show that willingness
by solemn oath and covenant, in the Lord's own way and according to his plan of
redemption. This is a covenant of total consecration. The Prophet Joseph Smith
has said:
When we consecrate our property to
the Lord it is to administer to the wants of the poor and needy, for this is
the law of God; it is not for the benefit of the rich, those who have no need;
and when a man consecrates or dedicates his wife and children, he does not give
them to his brother, or to his neighbor, for there is no such law.... For a man
to consecrate his property, wife and children, to the Lord, is nothing more nor
less than to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, visit the widow and fatherless,
the sick and afflicted, and do all he can to administer to their relief in
their afflictions, and for him and his house to serve the Lord. In order to do
this, he and all his house must be virtuous, and must shun the very appearance
of evil (TPJS 127).
The Lord's plan of redemption
requires men and women to consecrate all their belongings and abilities to the
service of God. This they do by covenant. The Lord may then test them to see
how sincere they are and how much they are willing to sacrifice.
We cannot say what, in the economy of
God, he will require of any one of us individually. There is a universal
requirement of all mankind to "endure to the end," and we also know
that "where much is given much is required." Some commandments
pertain to everyone. Some individual tests, however, are
"tailor-made" and suited to the particular person and circumstances.
When a person has been obedient to the first principles and the universal
requirements, it appears that the Lord then devises more searching,
individualized tests for a specific purpose in relation to a specific
individual. The most popular example of this is the commandment God gave to
Abraham to offer his son Isaac as a sacrifice. It seems to have had at least
two immediate purposes. One was to test Abraham's faith and obedience; and the
other was to give Abraham experience whereby he would learn something about himself
and about godliness that he had not understood sufficiently before. We read
from President John Taylor:
I heard the Prophet Joseph say, in
speaking to the Twelve on one occasion: "You will have all kinds of trials
to pass through. And it is quite as necessary for you to be tried as it was for
Abraham and other men of God, and (said he) God will feel after you, and He
will take hold of you and wrench your very heart strings, and if you cannot
stand it you will not be fit for an inheritance in the Celestial Kingdom of
God" (JD 24:197).
And again from another talk by
President Taylor:
I heard Joseph Smith say and I
presume Brother Snow heard him also—in preaching to the Twelve in Nauvoo, that
the Lord would get hold of their heart strings and wrench them, and that they
would have to be tried as Abraham was tried....And Joseph said that if God had
known any other way whereby he could have touched Abraham's feelings more
acutely and more keenly he would have done so. It was not only his parental
feelings that were touched. There was something else besides. He had the
promise that in him and in his seed all the nations of the earth should be
blessed; that his seed should be multiplied as the stars of the heaven and as
the sand upon the sea shore. He had looked forward through the vista of future
ages and seen, by the spirit of revelation, myriads of his people rise up
through whom God would convey intelligence, light and salvation to a world. But
in being called upon to sacrifice his son it seemed as though all his prospects
pertaining to posterity were come to naught. But he had faith in God, and he
fulfilled the thing that was required of him. Yet we cannot conceive of
anything that could be more trying and more perplexing than the position in
which he was placed (JD 24:264).
Speaking also of the test given to
Abraham, President George Q. Cannon said:
Why did the Lord ask such things of
Abraham? Because, knowing what his future would be and that he would be the
father of an innumerable posterity, he [sic] was determined to test him. God
did not do this for His own sake for He knew by His foreknowledge what Abraham
would do; but the purpose was to impress upon Abraham a lesson and to enable
him to attain unto knowledge that he could not obtain in any other way. That is
why God tries all of us. It is not for His own knowledge for He knows all
things beforehand. He knows all your lives and everything you will do. But He
tries us for our own good that we may know ourselves; for it is most important
that a man should know himself.
He required Abraham to submit to this
trial because He intended to give him glory, exaltation and honor; He intended
to make him a king and a priest, to share with Himself the glory, power and
dominion which He exercised. And was this trial any more than God himself had
passed through? (89).
We Receive No Witness Until After the Trial of Our Faith
There is always a spiritual reward
and benefit from obeying any commandment of God, and there is always a divine
reason for that commandment, although the one so commanded may not be able to
comprehend it until later. If we fail the small tests, we may never have the
opportunity to take the large ones. Consequently, we may not realize what was
really taking place. I think this is the point the prophet
Sacrifice Is an Educational Experience
A significant reason for the Lord's
requiring the willingness to sacrifice all things is the experience it gives
those who do it. It is not only necessary that we have confidence in God, but
there is also a dimension to be gained about ourselves through the experience
and the discipline of making a sacrifice. Our own acts tell us something about
ourselves. Sacrificing all that we have in obedience to the Lord's commandments
greatly increases our own self-confidence. We know for ourselves that we can
keep the commandments—we have done it. This has a powerful effect upon our
attitude about ourselves. Notice the language of the Lord given in Doctrine and
Covenants 97:8-9:
Verily I say unto you, all among them
who know their hearts are honest, and are broken, and their spirits contrite,
and are willing to observe their covenants by sacrifice—yea, every sacrifice
which I, the Lord, shall command—they are accepted of me. For I, the Lord, will
cause them to bring forth as a very fruitful tree which is planted in a goodly
land, by a pure stream, that yieldeth much precious
fruit.
In speaking on this same subject—of a
person's knowing and being aware that he or she has been obedient, even at a
cost—President David O. McKay said that "spirituality is the consciousness
of victory over self" (351).
Anciently, King David understood
something of the importance of sacrifice, when on one occasion a friend wanted
to give him oxen to sacrifice to the Lord. David's reply was:
I will surely buy it of thee at a
price: neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the Lord my God of that which
doth cost me nothing. So David bought the threshingfloor
and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver (2 Sam 24:24).
The concept of customized tests is
very important. We do not all have the same tests, and we can benefit from what
Elder Boyd K. Packer said on this theme in the October 1980 General Conference:
Our lives are made up of thousands of
everyday choices. Over the years these little choices will be bundled together
and show clearly what we value.
The crucial test of life, I repeat,
does not center in the choice between fame and obscurity, nor between wealth
and poverty. The greatest decision of life is between good and evil.
We may foolishly bring unhappiness
and trouble, even suffering upon ourselves. These are not always to be regarded
as penalties imposed by a displeased Creator. They are part of the lessons of
life, part of the test.
Some are tested by poor health, some
by a body that is deformed or homely. Others are tested by handsome and healthy
bodies; some by the passion of youth; others by the erosions of age.
Some suffer disappointment in
marriage, family problems; others live in poverty and obscurity. Some (perhaps
this is the hardest test) find ease and luxury.
All are part of the test, and there
is more equality in this testing than sometimes we suspect.
It is possible to be both rich and
famous and at the same time succeed spiritually. But the Lord warned of the
difficulty of it when He talked of camels and needles (see Matt 19:24) (21).
Elder Neal A. Maxwell spoke along the
same lines to some students at
God knows what his children can
become and tries them to help them reach their potential.... In time each
person will receive a "customized challenge" to determine his
dedication to God ("Link Truths" 11).
Trials and adversities may often be
blessings in disguise and are part of the "sacrifice of all things"
required for the development of true faith. Several great prophets of this
dispensation have spoken on this subject. President Harold B. Lee said the
following in addressing Church Office employees at the annual Christmas
Devotional in the Tabernacle on
We are tested, we are tried.... We
don't realize perhaps the severity of the tests that we are going through. In
[the early days of the Church], there were murderings,
there were mobbings.... [The Saints] were driven out
into the desert, they were starving and they were unclad, they were cold. We
are the inheritors of what they gave to us. But what are we doing with it?
Today we are basking in the lap of luxury, the like of which we've never seen
before in the history of the world. It would seem that probably this is the
most severe test of any ... we've ever had in the history of this Church (4-5).
And President Ezra Taft Benson (then
President of the Council of the Twelve) told the Regional Representatives on 30
September 1977:
Every generation has its tests and
its chance to stand and prove itself. Would you like to know of one of our
toughest tests? Hear the warning words of President Brigham Young: "The
worst fear I have about this people is that they will get rich in this country,
forget God and His people, wax fat, and kick themselves out of the Church and
go to hell. This people will stand mobbing, robbing, poverty and all manner of
persecution and be true. But my greatest fear is that they cannot stand
wealth."
Ours then seems to be the toughest
test of all for the evils are more subtle, more clever. It all seems less
menacing and it is harder to detect. While every test of righteousness
represents a struggle, this particular test seems like no test at all, no
struggle, and so could be the most deceiving of all tests.
Do you know what peace and prosperity
can do to a people—it can put them to sleep (2).
Sacrifice Seen in Perspective
In this paper we have spoken much of
sacrifice and the spiritual influence it has on those who do it and the loss to
those who do not. In one sense, however, there is no lasting sacrifice as
President George Q. Cannon explained:
If we expect to attain the
fulfillment of the promises God has made to us, we must be self-sacrificing.
There is no sacrifice that God can ask of us or His servants whom He has chosen
to lead us that we should hesitate about making. In one sense of the word it is
no sacrifice. We may call it so because it comes in contact with our
selfishness and our unbelief (89).
And Elder Bruce R. McConkie said:
Sacrifice pertains to mortality; in
the eternal sense there is none. Sacrifice involves giving up the things of
this world because of the promises of blessings to be gained in a better world.
In the eternal perspective there is no sacrifice in giving up all things—even
including the laying down of one's life—if eternal life is gained through such
a course (664).
We conclude and summarize this
discussion by quoting excerpts from Lecture 6:9-12:
In the last days before the Lord
comes, he is to gather together his saints who have made a covenant with him by
sacrifice.
... Those who do not make the
sacrifice cannot enjoy this faith, because men are dependent upon this
sacrifice in order to obtain this faith. Therefore, they cannot lay hold upon
eternal life, because the revelations of God do not guarantee unto them the
authority so to do; and without this guarantee faith could not exist.
All the Saints of whom we have
account in all the revelations of God which are extant obtained the knowledge
which they had of their acceptance in his sight through the sacrifice which
they offered unto him. And through the knowledge thus obtained, their faith
became sufficiently strong to lay hold upon the promise of eternal life....
But those who have not made this
sacrifice to God do not know that the course which they pursue is well pleasing
in his sight. For whatever may be their belief or their opinion, it is a matter
of doubt and uncertainty in their mind; and where doubt and uncertainty are,
there faith is not, nor can it be. For doubt and faith do not exist in the same
person at the same time. So persons whose minds are under doubts and fears
cannot have unshaken confidence, and where unshaken confidence is not, there
faith is weak. And where faith is weak, the persons will not be able to contend
against all the opposition, tribulations, and afflictions which they will have
to encounter in order to be heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ Jesus. But
they will grow weary in their minds, and the adversary will have power over
them and destroy them.
Making a serious study of the
Lectures on Faith is a sobering experience. I can assure you that one cannot
examine and absorb these lectures and afterwards be flippant or indifferent
about what God requires of us in this life. To study these lectures and to
prepare a paper on them is a deep spiritual experience.
NOTES
Robert J. Matthews is dean of
Religious Education and professor of Ancient Scripture at
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Benson, Ezra Taft. "Our
Obligation and Challenge." Address given at Regional Representative
Seminar, 30 Sep 1977.
Cannon, George Q. Gospel Truth.
Ed. Jerreld L. Newquist.
Journal of Discourses. 26 vols. 1854-86.
Lee, Harold B. Address given at
Christmas Devotional for LDS Church Employees, 13 Dec 1973.
"Link Truths, Students Told
Wednesday." Daily Universe (7 Oct 1983) 37:11.
McConkie, Bruce R. Mormon
Doctrine. 2nd ed.
McKay, David O. "Choose You This
Day Whom Ye Will Serve." Improvement Era (May 1949) 52:270-71,
350-51; also in Conference Report (Apr 1949) 10-17.
Packer, Boyd K. "The
Choice." Ensign (Nov 1980) 10:20-22; also in Conference Report
(Oct 1980) 26-30.
Pratt, Parley P. The Key to the
Science of Theology. 3rd ed.
Teachings of the Prophet Joseph
Smith. Comp. Joseph
Fielding Smith.
(Larry E. Dahl and Charles D. Tate,
Jr., eds., The Lectures on Faith in Historical Perspective [Provo: BYU
Religious Studies Center, 1990], 241.)
Personal Revelation
November 12, 2003
Last weeks class was on personal
revelation and Bruce wanted to cover the subject further tonight.
D&C 109:15 – We learn to receive
revelation step by step, the Lord WANTS to reveal His will to us!
Luke 17:5 – Lord increase our faith
The story of Enos is a great example
of personal revelation.
1 – The beginning of faith comes by
hearing the word of the Lord, but there is so much more to come.
2 – Forgiveness and remission of
sins is not the same thing.
3 – Jacob, his father taught him
pure doctrine.
4 – Revelation does not come unless
you are spiritually reborn! Personal
revelation is one of the gifts of the Spirit; we must be clean to receive the
Spirit.
8-9 – Like Enos, once I have focused
on myself and received a forgiveness of sin, I must reach out to help others,
even though it may be a struggle, and they don’t respond to the gospel message.
10-11 – He wasn’t struggling for
himself, but for the Nephites and Lamanites.
His faith was strong. He worked
hard in the effort, it wasn’t just by prayer!
Helping others is essential in receiving forgiveness, like King
Benjamin’s address, Mosiah 3-5.
12-13 – He is prompted to pray for
these things, the prayers were according to the will of God.
We reviewed in great detail a talk
by Elder L. Lionel Kendrick on Personal Revelation, Ensign, May 1999, pp.
7-13
PREPARATION - Pres.
Kimball, Conference Report, April 1964, pp. 97, D&C 93:1
Repent –
Ask through prayer – D&C 50:29, Guide me in what I should be asking in
prayer.
Be obedient – D&C
130:21, 63:23, working on our progression.
Search the scriptures – Alma 17:2, 2 Nephi 32:3, Holy Ghost and the ministry of
angels.
Fast –
Think pure thoughts – D&C 121:45, Mormon 7, clear our minds, distractions,
winds of the world.
Doctrines of the priesthood covers
everything in the gospel, also, dew from heaven cannot form in a stormy
life! Peaceful
Develop a spirit of reverence – Elder Packer “Reverence Invites Revelation,” Ensign, Nov.
1991, pp 21. Revelation is the will of
God to me. We access His words in many
forms. D&C 84:54,
PRAYER – To pray is to have a conversation
with Deity. Continual prayer brings
continual revelation
Pray often –
D&C
Ponder before you pray – D&C 9:8, 76:19, we must study, meditate, and seek for
enlightenment concerning the matters for which we seek personal revelation.
Ask for the right things – D&C 8:10, 88:65, what is best for the kingdom? Worldly means to be working for things that
have nothing to do with the kingdom. A
new car, house, TV, etc, does it aid the building of the kingdom for my family
or distract? ASK!!
Avoid vain repetitions – 3 Nephi 13:7,
Ask in faith
– 3 Nephi 18:20
Ask in humility – D&C 112:10, 3:4
Ask in sincerity –
Ask with intensity – Enos 4,
Wait for answers – D&C 101:16.
PROMPTINGS – The ability to recognize the
means by which He speaks to us through the promptings of the Spirit.
Nature of promptings – Teachings, 355, revelation is spiritual not physical, Spirit to
spirit. Capacity of communicate; we must
be spiritually alive for this to happen, “Revelation” Elder Marion G. Romney,
BYU,
The Spirit cannot be compelled – we cannot force the answer, He responds to invitations
not impositions. Elder Packer, Ensign,
Nov 1991, pp. 21, Elder Widtsoe, “
“Line upon line” – 2 Nephi 28:30, D&C 98:12, 93:13, Teachings, 297
Frequency of revelation – It is a misconception to believe that we should consult
Heavenly Father on every matter in life.
We should daily petition for the companionship of the Holy Ghost. Elder Dallin Oaks, “Teaching by the Spirit”
Receiving Revelation – D&C 8:2-3,
PROMPTINGS TO THE MIND - Manifestations of the Spirit come to
the mind in a variety of ways.
Enlightenment
– D&C 6:15, an increase in light, knowledge, and understanding.
Light and Understanding – D&C 76:12, 19, Teachings, 151, Pres. Lee: “When there
come to you things that your mind does not know, when you have a sudden thought
that comes to your mind, if you will learn to give heed to these things that
come from the Lord, you will learn to walk by the spirit of revelation.” Conference in
Role of scriptures – 2 Nephi 32:3, JS----H 1:12.
Instant recall
– John 14:26
Audible voice
– Helaman 5:30
Leaders’ counsel – D&C 1:38, General Conference, Stake Conference, and Bishops
Interviews.
Dreams or visions – 1 Nephi 8:2
Visitations
– 1 Nephi
PROMPTINGS TO THE HEART – 1 Nephi 17:45, also 1 Nephi 4, Nephi
and Laban!
Peaceful feelings – D&C 6:23, 36:2, 39:6, 42:61, and 111:8. BY quoting JS: “They can tell the Spirit of
the Lord from all other spirits---it will whisper peace and joy to their souls.”
Warm, spiritual feelings – D&C 9:8, 3 Nephi 11:3.
Compelling feeling – 1 Nephi 4:10, D&C 128:1, Pres. Benson felt compelled to teach us
to study the Book of Mormon.
Dark and confused feeling – D&C 9:9, stupor of thought
Promises –
D&C 29:6, 42:61, 88:64, 1 Nephi 10:19, Enos 15, Mormon 9:21, Moroni 7:26,
Matt 21:22.
It is a tender experience to
petition our Heavenly Father in sincere, heartfelt prayer and know that He will
respond with personal revelation. His
promises are sure, but we must properly prepare to be receptive to the
promptings of the Spirit in receiving this guidance.
Lecture # 6 Continued
November 19, 2003
Sacrifice is part of the gospel plan
for each of us, however they are times when we don’t see our trials as such, it
depends on our obedience, no complaining allowed!
D&C 132:29 – Abraham’s life was
full of trials and commands from the Lord that tried his soul, Genesis
12-22. He knew the will of God and acted
upon it. Revelation gave strength to him
to make the sacrifice.
After the death of Joseph and Hyrum the saints needed a testimony
(revelation) that Brigham Young was the one to lead them (the will of God).
The Spirit of the Lord
rests mightily upon me and I feel to bless you in the name of Jesus Christ. I
promise you that the climate will be moderated for your good. I can see these
great sagebrush prairies, as far as the eye can reach, turned into fertile fields.
I bless the land that it shall yield forth in its strength. Flowers and trees
and fine homes shall grace this great valley from one end to the other. Schools
and colleges of higher learning shall be built to serve you that you may learn
the mysteries of God’s great universe. I see churches and meetinghouses dotting
the landscape, where the God of
I rejoice in the growth and in the
advancement of the work of God here on earth. In hearing the remarks that have
been made in this conference of the great growth of the people I was reminded
of being with President Wilford Woodruff, standing in a wagon in Idaho, some
fifteen years ago next May, and talking to a half a dozen, or a dozen young
people that were located there, and I was also very forcibly reminded of the
remarks of that prophet of God who made them. I remember that the young people
were somewhat discouraged on Sand Creek, as they looked around over land
without a tree, without a shrub except sagebrush, without so much as a log
cabin. Brother Woodruff said to the
young people: "Be not discouraged; be not disheartened, because God's
blessing is upon this land. It will only be a little time before there will be
prosperous and happy settlements of the Latter-day Saints here. You feel that
you have gone away from your friends, that you are almost out of the world, but
it will be only a short time when you will have a meetinghouse, and a
schoolhouse and all of the facilities here that you had at home before you came
here. God will bless and multiply the land." What is the result today?
On that spot of ground stands the town of Iona, the headquarters of one of the
stakes of Zion, with about five thousand people instead of six or seven young
people; the words of the Prophet Wilford Woodruff have been fulfilled to the
very letter.—CR, April, 1899: 28.
(Heber J. Grant, Gospel Standards:
Selections from the Sermons and Writings of Heber J. Grant, compiled by G.
Homer Durham [Salt Lake City: Improvement Era, 1981], 84.)
LF 6:7 – Look at the examples of the
lives of the Saints, Heber C. Kimball and his wife Vilate, celestial marriage.
(Doctrine and Covenants
97:10-18.)
10 Verily I say unto you,
that it is my will that a house should be built unto me in the land of Zion,
like unto the pattern which I have given you.
11 Yea, let it be built
speedily, by the tithing of my people.
12 Behold, this is the
tithing and the sacrifice which I, the Lord, require at their hands, that there
may be a house built unto me for the salvation of
13 For a place of
thanksgiving for all saints, and for a place of instruction for all those who
are called to the work of the ministry in all their several callings and
offices;
14 That they may be
perfected in the understanding of their ministry, in theory, in principle, and
in doctrine, in all things pertaining to the kingdom of God on the earth, the
keys of which kingdom have been conferred upon you.
15 And inasmuch as my
people build a house unto me in the name of the Lord, and do not suffer any
unclean thing to come into it, that it be not defiled, my glory shall rest upon
it;
16 Yea, and my presence
shall be there, for I will come into it, and all the pure in heart that shall
come into it shall see God.
17 But if it be defiled I
will not come into it, and my glory shall not be there; for I will not come
into unholy temples.
18 And, now, behold, if
The saints didn’t build the temple
because they didn’t want to sacrifice (time, money etc) so they were punished.
(Doctrine and Covenants
101:1-9.)
1 Verily I say unto you,
concerning your brethren who have been afflicted, and persecuted, and cast out
from the land of their inheritance—
2 I, the Lord, have
suffered the affliction to come upon them, wherewith they have been afflicted,
in consequence of their transgressions;
3 Yet I will own them, and
they shall be mine in that day when I shall come to make up my jewels.
4 Therefore, they must
needs be chastened and tried, even as Abraham, who was commanded to offer up
his only son.
5 For all those who will
not endure chastening, but deny me, cannot be sanctified.
6 Behold, I say unto you,
there were jarrings, and contentions, and envyings, and strifes, and
lustful and covetous desires among them; therefore by these things they
polluted their inheritances.
7 They were slow to
hearken unto the voice of the Lord their God; therefore, the Lord their God is
slow to hearken unto their prayers, to answer them in the day of their trouble.
8 In the day of their
peace they esteemed lightly my counsel; but, in the day of their trouble, of
necessity they feel after me.
9 Verily I say unto you,
notwithstanding their sins, my bowels are filled with compassion towards them.
I will not utterly cast them off; and in the day of wrath I will remember
mercy.
Bruce reminded us of the story of
Joseph Smith and Eliza R. Snow concerning obeying the law of Celestial marriage
The Doctrine Of Plural Marriage
The Doctrine of Plural Marriage
Revealed
The revelation which Joseph Smith
dictated July 12, 1843, on the new and everlasting covenant of marriage fn
contained more than the basic law of eternal marriage. It also set forth the
law of God governing the taking of plural wives within the divine patriarchal
order. But this was merely the date of the writing of the revelation. The
Prophet understood the principle of plural marriage as early as 1831. fn
William W. Phelps stated that on Sunday morning, July 17, 1831, he and others
were with Joseph Smith over the border west of Jackson County, Missouri, when
the latter-day Seer received a revelation, the substance of which said in part:
"Verily I say unto you, that the wisdom of man in his fallen state knoweth not the purposes and the privileges of my Holy
Priesthood, but ye shall know when ye receive a fulness." According to
Elder Phelps, the revelation then indicated that in due time the brethren would
be required to take plural wives. fn
Others also testified that Joseph
Smith knew the doctrine of plural marriage as early as 1831. Orson Pratt, who
traveled about that time as a missionary companion to Lyman Johnson, son of
John Johnson, in whose home the Prophet then lived, said: "Lyman Johnson .
. . told me himself that Joseph had made known to him as early as 1831, that
plural marriage was a correct principle, . . . that God had revealed it to him,
but that the time had not [then] come to teach or practice it in the church,
but that the time would come." fn
Joseph F. Smith gave some indication
of the nature of the initial revelation on plural marriage. He stated at the
funeral services of Elizabeth Ann Whitney, who gave her daughter Sarah Ann to
Joseph Smith as a plural wife, that when the Prophet "received the
revelation in relation to the eternity of the marriage covenant, which includes
plural marriage, in 1831, the Lord showed him those women who were to engage
with him in the establishment of that principle in the Church, and at that time
some of these women were named and given to him, to become his wives when the
time should come that this principle should be established." fn
The beginning of the practice of
plural marriage by Joseph Smith is somewhat obscured by a lack of detailed
evidence, but he apparently started while he lived in the vicinity of
Though Joseph Smith may have had
other women in mind to be plural wives at an earlier time, evidence can only be
found to support the claim that Fanny Alger was the first woman with whom he had
a plural connection. Benjamin F. Johnson said: "Without doubt in my mind,
Fanny Alger was, at Kirtland, the Prophet's first plural wife, in which, by
right of his calling, he was justified of the Lord." fn The Prophet
probably entered into this relationship sometime during the latter part of
1836, or early in 1837, fn and in doing so he sought the aid of some trusted
men. fn
Joseph Smith's first plural wife at
Nauvoo was Louisa Beamon, daughter of the Alvah Beamon who, in 1827, had
helped the Prophet preserve the Gold Plates from mob elements before they were
translated. fn Joseph B. Noble, whose wife was a sister to Louisa, testified
that the latter was "a woman of irreproachable morality, who entered into
the plural marriage relation on a deep-seated conviction that the doctrine was
from God." Her marriage to the Prophet took place April 5, 1841, with
Elder Noble officiating. "The Prophet gave the form of the ceremony,"
and Elder Noble repeated "the words after him." fn
Though several men other than the
Prophet married plural wives at Nauvoo, fn it is not known specifically how
widespread the practice was or how many plural wives Joseph Smith married
before his death in June, 1844. fn By July of 1843, the Prophet had disclosed
the doctrine to several people. His first wife, Emma, had also given her
consent for him to marry other women. fn But her feelings on plural marriage
fluctuated from humble acceptance of the principle to bitter opposition to it.
After the Prophet dictated the
revelation setting forth the law of eternal and plural marriage, July 12, 1843,
William Clayton stated that it "was read to several of the authorities [of
the Church] during the day." fn About that time it was also read to the
High Council at Nauvoo. Being a member of that body, Thomas Grover later said:
The High Council of Nauvoo was called
together by the Prophet Joseph Smith, to know whether they would accept the
revelation on celestial marriage or not. . . .
Brother Hyrum was called upon to read
the revelation. He did so, and after the reading said, '"Now, you that
believe this revelation and go forth and obey the same shall be saved, and you
that reject it shall be damned."
Of the Presidency of the Stake, Wm.
Marks and Father [Austin] Cowles rejected the revelation; of the [High] Council
that were present, Leonard Soby rejected it. fn
Though the men named above rejected
the revelation, Charles C. Rich, the other counselor in the Stake Presidency
sustained it, as did the remaining eleven councilors in the High Council.
Technically, the revelation on
eternal and plural marriage which was later published was not the one Joseph
Smith dictated, but an exact copy of it. Towards evening on July 12, 1843,
"Bishop Newel K. Whitney asked Joseph if he had any objections to his taking
a copy of the revelation." When the Prophet consented, it "was
carefully copied the following day by Joseph C. Kingsbury," who later
testified that he made an exact copy which was carefully checked against the
original. Shortly thereafter Emma Smith destroyed the original copy of the
revelation. But the authenticated copy was carefully preserved by Bishop
Whitney, who later gave it to President Brigham Young. This copy became the
source of the published revelation on eternal and plural marriage. fn
The written copy was but "a
portion of the revelation" which Joseph Smith had received. fn Having
dictated it, he "remarked that there was much more that he could write, on
the subject, but what was written was sufficient for the present." fn In
stating that the Prophet gave him "lengthy instructions and information
concerning the doctrine of celestial or plural marriage" when he first
disclosed that doctrine, William Clayton added:
After the revelation on celestial
marriage was written Joseph continued his instructions, privately, on the
doctrine, to myself and others, and during the last year of his life we were
scarcely ever together, alone, but he was talking on the subject, and
explaining that doctrine and principles connected with it. He appeared to enjoy
great liberty and freedom in his teachings, and also to find great relief in
having a few to whom he could unbosom his feelings on
that great and glorious subject. fn
The Importance of the Spiritual and Ideological Setting
No feature of the society of
But those who viewed and practiced
the doctrine of plural marriage in its proper spiritual and ideological setting
saw it in a different light. John Taylor held that eternal, including plural,
marriage was "one of the greatest principles that God ever developed to
the human family, whether men believe it or not." fn Heber C. Kimball also
expressed the opinion of the Saints when he declared that the revelation on
taking plural wives was "as sacred a revelation as was ever given to any
people, and fraught with greater blessings to us than we can possibly conceive
of, if we do not abuse our privileges and commit sin." fn
Monogamy, the Basic Law of Marriage
The basic law of eternal marriage was
that of monogamy. fn "There shall not any man among you have save it be
one wife; and concubines he shall have none," the Nephite prophet Jacob
commanded his people. Speaking as the Lord's mouthpiece to the people, he then
explained: "For if I will, saith the Lord of Hosts, raise up seed unto me,
I will command my people; otherwise they shall hearken unto these things."
fn Joseph Smith stressed the same law and doctrine: "I have constantly
said no man shall have but one wife at a time, unless the Lord directs
otherwise." fn These statements make it evident that there has been no
change in the law of God governing marriage down through the ages or in this
dispensation. A man can legally have but one living wife at a time unless the
Lord directs him otherwise through the constituted channels of His Holy
Priesthood.
The Keys of Plural Marriage
Besides holding the keys to
administer the basic covenant of eternal marriage, the living prophet and
president of the Church controlled the practice of giving plural wives.
"There is never but one on earth at a time on whom the power and its keys
are conferred," Joseph Smith declared. fn In the first public discourse on
the subject of plural marriage, Orson Pratt reaffirmed this fact. "The
Lord has set bounds and restrictions to these things," he declared;
"He has told us . . . that only one man can hold these keys upon the earth
at the same time; and they belong to that man who stands at the head to preside
over all the affairs of the Church and kingdom of God in the last days."
fn
The practice of taking plural wives
was strictly regulated. "Behold, mine house is a house of order, saith the
Lord, and not a house of confusion," the revelation on plural marriage
stated. "Will I receive at your hands that which I have not
appointed?" fn Orson Pratt said:
How are these things to be conducted?
Are they to be left at random? Is every servant of God at liberty to run here
and there, seeking out the daughters of men as wives unto themselves without
any restrictions, law, or condition? No. We find these things were
restricted in ancient times. Do you not recollect the circumstances of the
Prophet Nathan's coming to David? He came to reprove him for certain
disobedience, and told him about the wives he had lost through it; that the
Lord would give them to another; and he told him, if he had been faithful, that
the Lord would have given him still more, if he had only asked for them. Nathan
the Prophet, in relation to David, was the man that held the keys concerning
this matter in ancient days; and it was governed by the strictest laws.
So in these last days . . . there is
but one man in all the world, at the same time, who can hold the keys of this
matter, but one man has power to turn the key to enquire of the Lord, and to
say whether I, or these my brethren, or any of the rest of this congregation,
or the Saints upon the face of the whole earth, may have this blessing of
Abraham conferred upon them; he holds the keys of these matters now, the same
as Nathan, in his day. fn
There was a moral reason for placing
restrictions on the taking of plural wives. George Q. Cannon explained that
this was "a principle which, if not practiced in the greatest holiness and
purity, might lead men into great sin." For this reason he argued that the
priesthood was "necessary to guide and control men" in the practice
of taking plural wives. fn
The Law of Plural Marriage
Consistent with the fact that
monogamy was the basic law of marriage within the
Now, as touching the law of the
priesthood, there are many things pertaining thereunto.
Verily, if a man be called of my
Father, as was Aaron, by mine own voice, and by the voice of him that sent me,
and I have endowed him with the keys of the power of this priesthood, if he do
anything in my name, and according to my law and by my word, he will not commit
sin, and I will justify him. . . .
And again, as pertaining to the law
of the priesthood—if any man espouse a virgin, and desire to espouse another,
and the first give her consent, and if he espouse the second, and they are
virgins, and have vowed to no other man, then is he justified; he cannot commit
adultery for they are given unto him; for he cannot commit adultery with that
that belongeth unto him and to no one else.
And if he have ten virgins given unto
him by this law, he cannot commit adultery, for they belong to him, and they
are given unto him; therefore is he justified. fn
The Taking of Plural Wives
Joseph Smith held that the act of taking
more than one wife was to be governed strictly by revelation from God through
the Prophet and President of the Church. About the year 1834, William W. Phelps
asked the Prophet how a man could take wives in addition to his first one. The
reply was instantaneous: "In the same manner that Abraham took Hagar and Kuturah; and Jacob took Rachel, Bilhah and Zilpah, by revelation:
the Saints of the Lord are always directed by revelation." fn On a
later occasion the latter-day Seer declared emphatically that no man should
"have but one wife at a time, unless the Lord directs otherwise."
fn The Prophet further stated that he then held the keys of this power and that
plural marriages were to be contracted only under his direction. fn
Joseph Smith repeatedly stressed this
basic, underlying principle. Having started to introduce the ordinances of the
temple by which the divine patriarchal order is organized, he admonished:
"Let the Saints be diligent in building the Temple, and all houses which
they have been, or shall hereafter be, commanded of God to build; and wait
their time with patience in all meekness, faith, perseverance unto the end, knowing
assuredly that all these things . . . are always governed by the principle of
revelation." fn The revelation which disclosed the doctrine of eternal
and plural marriage within the divine patriarchal order reaffirmed this
cardinal principle. "Abraham received all things, whatsoever he received, by
revelation and commandment, by my word." fn Then the Lord explained:
"God commanded Abraham, and Sarah gave Hagar to Abraham to wife." fn
Moses, David, Solomon, and many others "from the beginning of
creation" also took plural wives. "And in nothing did they sin,"
the revelation concluded, "save in those things which they received not
of
This was the law God gave to the
Nephites. "If I will, saith the Lord of Hosts, raise up seed unto me, I
will command my people." fn Having quoted this statement, Orson Pratt
observed: "Thus we see, that a man among the Nephites, by the law of God,
had no right to take more than one wife, unless the Lord should command
for the purpose of raising up seed unto Himself." fn Elder Pratt also
explained: "The Book of Mormon does absolutely forbid a man to have
more than one wife, unless God shall command otherwise." fn
The same law applied to the Saints in
this dispensation. Elder Pratt continued:
So it is in this
The Law Governing the Taking of Plural Wives
Joseph Smith stressed in a clear and
forceful way that there was a difference between the principle of plural
marriage and the practice of taking plural wives. The correctness of the
principle did not justify the practice, unless it was commanded of God through
the living prophet and president of the Church. This was a vital point
governing why, at a given time, some saints practiced the principle and some
did not, and why at times the principle was practiced and at other times it was
unlawful. On the basis of these points, there were those in the days of Joseph
Smith and Brigham Young who were severed from the Church for taking plural
wives, even when others were practicing the principle at the time. fn
The point is that the practice of
plural marriage is a matter of law—the immediate law governing
individuals and the law governing the people as a whole. As a specific
illustration of this point, the Lord said in the revelation which disclosed the
doctrine of eternal and plural marriage:
Abraham was commanded to offer his
son Isaac; nevertheless, it was written: Thou shalt not kill. Abraham, however,
did not refuse, and it was accounted unto him for righteousness. fn
In stressing again that the principle
of law governed the taking of plural wives, the Lord said in the same
revelation: "Abraham received concubines, and they bore him children; and
it was accounted unto him for righteousness, because they were given unto him,
and he abode in my law; as Isaac also and Jacob did none other things
than that which they were commanded; and because they did none other
things than that which they were commanded, they have entered into their
exaltation, according to the promises, and sit upon thrones." fn
Obedience, not the practice of the principle, was the primary reason for their
exaltation.
In a letter to Nancy Rigdon on the
subject of plural wives, Joseph Smith explained more fully the legal basis of
the doctrine. His statement merits careful and thoughtful study. Within it are
several important principles which govern the practice of plural marriage. The
Prophet wrote:
That which is wrong under one
circumstance, may be, and often is, right under another.
God said, "Thou shalt not kill;"
at another time He said, "Thou shalt utterly destroy." This is the
principle on which the government of heaven is conducted—by revelation adapted
to the circumstances in which the children of the kingdom are placed. Whatever
God requires is right, no matter what it is, although we may not see the reason
thereof till long after the events transpire. If we seek first the
A parent may whip a child, and
justly, too, because he stole an apple; whereas if the child had asked for the
apple, and the parent had given it, the child would have eaten it with a better
appetite; there would have been no stripes; all the pleasure of the apple would
have been secured, all the misery of stealing lost.
This principle will justly apply to
all of God's dealings with His children. Everything that God gives us is lawful
and right; and it is proper that we should enjoy His gifts and blessings
whenever and wherever He is disposed to bestow; but if we should seize upon
those same blessings and enjoyments without law, without revelation, without
commandment, those blessings and enjoyments would prove cursings
and vexations in the end, and we should have to lie down in sorrow and wailings
of everlasting regret. But in obedience there is joy and peace unspotted,
unalloyed. . . .
Our heavenly Father is more liberal
in His views, and boundless in His mercies and blessings, than we are ready to
believe or receive; and, at the same time, is more terrible to the workers of
iniquity, more awful in the executions of His punishments, and more ready to
detect every false way, than we are apt to suppose Him to be. He will be
inquired of by His children. He says, "Ask and ye shall receive, seek and ye
shall find;" but, if you will take that which is not your own, or which I
have not given you, you shall be rewarded according to your deeds; but no good
thing will I withhold from them who walk uprightly before me, and do my will in
all thing—who will listen to my voice and to the voice of my servant whom I
have sent; for I delight in those who seek diligently to know my precepts, and
abide by the law of my kingdom; for all things shall be made known unto them in
mine own due time, and in the end they shall have joy. fn
The Law of Abraham and Sarah
In the revelation to the Prophet on
eternal and plural marriage, the Lord repeatedly made reference to the law as
being the same that was given to Abraham in ancient times. fn He also spoke of
the "law of Sarah." fn The law God gave to Abraham under the Holy
Priesthood fn was the full law of the divine patriarchal order of marriage,
including the law of plural wives. Under this law a righteous man was required
to take additional wives when he was so commanded of the Lord. The law of Sarah
governed the expected actions of a man's first wife when her husband was
directed to take other wives.
"God commanded Abraham, and
Sarah gave Hagar to Abraham to wife," the Lord said of Sarah's actions.
"And why did she do it? Because this was the law; and from Hagar sprang
many people." fn The same obligation rested upon the first wife of every
man who was commanded of God to practice plural marriage. She was expected to fulfil "the law of Sarah." fn The revelation
setting forth that law said:
Verily, verily, I say unto you, if
any man have a wife, who holds the keys of this power, and he teaches unto her
the law of my priesthood, as pertaining to these things, then shall she believe
and administer unto him, or she shall be destroyed, saith the Lord your God;
for I will destroy her; for I will magnify my name upon all those who receive
and abide in my law.
Therefore, it shall be lawful in me,
if she receive not this law, for him to receive all things whatsoever I, the
Lord his God, will give unto him, because she did not believe and administer
unto him according to my word; and she then becomes the transgressor; and he is
exempt from the law of Sarah, who administered unto Abraham according to the
law when I commanded Abraham to take Hagar to wife. fn
The first wife's right to give or
withhold consent was the right to be considered and consulted by her husband in
taking a second wife. It was also the right to express her judgment about
whether her husband had been faithful to his covenant with her, was a true
father according to the standard required by the gospel, and conformed to the
law of God in the way he was taking another wife. If he did not adequately meet
these requirements, his first wife's refusal to give her consent could prevent
him from taking another wife.
But a wife could not use this right
to prevent her husband from taking a second wife if he was fulfilling his
obligations to her and his family, and if he proceeded to take another
companion according to the law of God. Her failure to give consent under these
circumstances released him from the obligation to act with her approbation.
Here was a delicate, but important, reconciliation of authority and consent in
the affairs of the home. Orson Pratt explained:
When a man who has a wife, teaches
her the law of God, as revealed to the ancient patriarchs, and as manifested by
new revelation, and she refuses to give her consent for him to marry another
according to that law, then it becomes necessary for her to state before the
President the reasons why she withholds her consent: if her reasons are
sufficient and justifiable, and the husband is found in the fault or in
transgression, then he is not permitted to take any step in regard to obtaining
another. But if the wife can show no good reason why she refuses to comply with
the law which was given unto Sarah of old, then it is lawful for her husband,
if permitted by revelation through the Prophet, to be married to others without
her consent, and he will be justified, and she will be condemned, because she
did not give them unto him, as Sarah gave Hagar unto Abraham, and as Rachel and
Leah gave Billhah and Zilpah to their husband, Jacob.
fn
Plural Marriage Outside of God's Law—a Serious Transgression
Joseph Smith made it clear that to
practice plural marriage except in the way ordained by divine law was a serious
transgression of such magnitude that it jeopardized the offender's eternal
salvation. The revelation on eternal and plural marriage stressed that men who
were not given plural wives properly through God's prophet committed sin. fn In
delivering the word of the Lord to his people, the Nephite prophet Jacob
classified unlawful practices of taking plural wives as "whoredoms" and declared that they were "an
abomination" before God. fn Consistent with this view, Joseph Smith
"gave instructions to try those persons who were preaching, teaching, or
practicing the doctrine of plurality of wives," unless they were
explicitly commanded of God to do so through him as the Prophet and President
of the Church. fn Because they were perverting the marriage relationship and
setting aside the Lord's constituted authority on earth, they were to be
severed from the Church.
Joseph Smith followed this policy in
dealing with those who taught or practiced the principle of plural marriage
without authority from him to do so. Having been "credibly informed"
of an Elder who was "preaching Polygamy," the Prophet and his brother
Hyrum published the following notice in the Times and Seasons:
"This is to notify him and the Church in general, that he has been cut off
from the church, for his iniquity." fn When another Elder taught that
"having a certain priesthood" entitled a man to have as many wives as
he pleased, Hyrum Smith wrote:
I say unto you that that man teaches false
doctrine, for there is no such doctrine taught here; neither is there any
such thing practiced here. And any man that is found teaching privately or
publicly any such doctrine, is culpable, and will stand a chance to be brought
before the High Council, and lose his license and membership also; therefore he
had better beware what he is about. fn
Those who received their instructions
on the doctrine of plural marriage from Joseph Smith also strongly denounced
the unlawful practice of that principle. Orson Pratt said that its improper
practice was a serious transgression, and that without a revelation
"through the President and Prophet of the Church" directing a man to
take other wives "it would be sinful." fn Members of the Church, he
declared, were restricted "by the severest penalties" to one
wife, "unless in individual cases where the Lord shall, by revelation
[through the prophet], direct otherwise." fn Were the Saints to vary from
the basic law of monogamy, except by specific commandment through the prophet
and president of the Church, they would "come under the curse and
condemnation of God's holy law." fn
Plural relationships improperly
formed were adulterous. Helen Mar Whitney, a daughter of Heber C. Kimball and a
plural wife of Joseph Smith at Nauvoo, stated that "there was only one
true course which the Lord has marked out [for the practice of plural
marriage] and no other will be acceptable to Him. To live with more than
one woman, except you are sealed by one holding the Priesthood and authority
from the Great Master, is nothing less than adultery." fn
The transgression of Oliver Cowdery
was a case in point. Brigham Young explained that soon after the Prophet
received the initial revelation on plural marriage he made known the principle
to Oliver Cowdery "under a solemn pledge that he would not reveal it, nor
act upon it, until the Lord otherwise commanded." But Oliver "did not
keep his pledge, but acted upon it in a secret manner, and that was the cause
of his overthrow." fn President Young reportedly quoted Oliver as saying:
"Br. Joseph, why don't we go into the order of polygamy, and practice it
as the ancients did. We know it is true, then why delay?" The Prophet
replied: "I know that we know it is true and from God, but the time has
not yet come." When this did not satisfy Cowdery, Joseph Smith said:
"Oliver, if you go into this thing it is not with my faith or
consent." But disregarding the warning, Cowdery "took to wife Miss
Anne Lyman, cousin to Geo. A. Smith [and] from that time he went into
[spiritual] darkness and lost the Spirit." fn
George Q. Cannon and George A. Smith,
as counselors in the First Presidency, expressed the view that Oliver Cowdery's adulterous relationship was the root cause of his
excommunication from the Church. President Cannon said: "He transgressed
the law of God; he committed adultery; the Spirit of God withdrew from
him, and he . . . was excommunicated from the Church." fn In referring to
this case as "a grievous sin" by which Oliver Cowdery was under
"condemnation," President Smith concluded: "The Lord will be
honored by His people, and if they desire his blessings, they must not run
before they are sent." fn
The Spiritual Foundation of Plural Marriage
If the basic program of eternal marriage
required that a man be a father spiritually as well as physically, the practice
of taking plural wives made it even more mandatory. "It is upon the
principle that you are a man of God—that you have the Holy Ghost and desire to
raise up a holy seed to the name of the Most High—that your wives have been
sealed to you," Daniel H. Wells explained; "they would not upon any
other principle have come to you." fn Technically and consistent with the
will and order of God, man had no right to even one wife, if his life did not
exemplify true Christian principles of righteousness and love. "If I am
not a good man," Heber C. Kimball declared, "I have no just right in
this Church to a wife or wives, or to the power to propagate my species."
He then added: "I am telling you solemn truths." fn On this
assumption, Charles W. Penrose declared: "None but the good deserve the
fair." fn
Brigham Young even more emphatically
stressed the need for men to be spirtually
regenerated, and to dedicate themselves to the principles of eternal truth
before they were worthy of plural wives. He declared with great emphasis:
I tell you here, now, in the presence
of the Almighty God, it is not the privilege of any Elder to have
even ONE wife, before he has honored his Priesthood,
before he has magnified his calling. If you obtain one, it
is by mere permission, to see what you will do, how you
will act, whether you will conduct yourself in righteousness
in that holy estate.. . .
Whose privilege is it to have women
sealed to him? It is his who has stood the test, whose integrity
is unswerving, who loves righteousness because it is right, and the truth
because there is no error therein, and virtue because it is a principle
that dwells in the bosom of Him who sits enthroned in the highest
heavens; for it is a principle which existed with God in all eternities,
and is a co-operator, a co-worker betwixt man and his Maker, to exalt
man, and bring him into His presence, and make him like
unto Himself! It is such a man's privilege to have wives and children,
and neighbors, and friends, who wish to be sealed to him. Who else? No one.
I tell you nobody else. Do you HEAR IT? fn
It was only because men in general
did not obey the gospel and become fathers in the living powers and attributes
of the Holy Spirit that the practice of taking plural wives was considered to
be a necessity. "We would believe this doctrine entirely different from
what it is presented to us, if we could do so," Brigham Young said.
"If we could make every man upon the earth get him a wife, live
righteously and serve God, we would not be under the necessity, perhaps, of
taking more than one wife." "But," he concluded, "they will
not do this; the people of God, therefore, have been commanded to take more
wives." fn
The Challenge of Plural Marriage
The nature of plural marriage, with
the requirements which it imposed upon those who would engage in its successful
practice, made it a great challenge: requiring purity of heart, true charity,
and considerable wisdom and administrative ability, particularly for the men.
One of Joseph Smith's plural wives reported that he "said that the
practice of this principle would be the hardest trial the Saints would ever
have to test their faith." fn The Prophet himself was extremely reluctant
to begin the practice of plural marriage until commanded to by a heavenly
messenger. Mary Elizabeth Rollins Lightner, who
joined the Church in 1830 and was a confidante of the Prophet in some of these
matters, quoted him as saying that the angel came "three times between the
years of [18]34 and [18]42." Joseph endeavored to reason with the heavenly
being, stating that the Book of Mormon taught that to take plural wives was
"an abomination in the eyes of the Lord, and they were to adhere to these
things except the Lord speak." fn But the angel declared: "Thus saith
the Lord, the time has now come that I will raise up seed unto me as I spoke by
my servant Jacob, as is recorded in the Book of Mormon." fn
The Prophet's associates initially
looked upon the doctrine of plural wives with a similar reaction. John Taylor
recalled that "it was one of the greatest crosses that ever was taken up
by any set of men since the world stood." fn "It was the first time
in my life that I had desired the grave, and I could hardly get over it for a
long time," Brigham Young declared. "When I saw a funeral, I felt to
envy the corpse its situation, and to regret that I was not in the
coffin." fn Likewise, when Heber C. Kimball heard the Prophet teach the
doctrine of plural marriage, "he said the shock was similar to that of an
earthquake." And when the latter-day Seer commanded Elder Kimball "to
take another wife, if it had been his death sentence he could not have felt
worse." fn
It was only after Elder Kimball was
directed three times to practice plural marriage, then commanded in the name of
the Lord, that he obeyed. fn Having married Sarah Noon, an English convert, he
wrote to his wife, Vilate, October 23, 1842, while on a mission in the southern
part of Illinois: "My heart aches for you, and sometimes I can hardly
speak without weeping and that before my brethren; for I have a broken heart
and my head is a fountain of tears." fn Two days later he again wrote:
My feelings are of that kind that it
makes me sick at heart, so that I have no appetite to eat. My temptations are
so severe it seems sometimes as though I should have to lay down and die, I
feel as if I must sink beneath it. I go into the woods every chance I have, and
pour out my soul before God that he would deliver me and bless you my dear
wife, and the first I would know I would be in tears weeping like a child about
you and the situation that I am in; but what can I do but go ahead? My dear
Vilate do not let it cast you down for the Lord is on our side; this I know
from what I see and realize and I marvel at it many times. You are tried and
tempted and I am sorry for you, for I know how to pity you. I can say that I
never suffered more in all my life than since these things came to pass; and as
I have said, so say I again, I have felt as if I should sink and die. Oh my
God! I ask thee in the name of Jesus to bless my dear Vilate and comfort her
heart and deliver her from temptation, and from all sorrow and open her eyes
and let her see things as they are. fn
The introduction of plural marriage
was a severe test in four major ways: First, there was the challenge of
overcoming the force of tradition. To Lorenzo Snow, the Prophet "described
the repugnance of his feelings, the natural result of the force of education
and social custom, relative to the introduction of plural marriage." fn
The idea of proposing marriage to a woman when he already had a wife was to
John Taylor "a thing calculated to stir up feelings from the inmost depth
of the human soul." fn Eliza R. Snow said: "It seemed as though all
the prejudice of my ancestors for generations past congregated around me."
fn
Second, there was the challenge of
engaging in the new practice with pure motives, on the basis of principle
rather than passion. The Prophet reportedly declared that the new principle
"would cause the damnation of all who entered into it with impure
motives, and none who acted unrighteously could
stand, the trial would be so great." fn It "would damn more than it
would save, because it was a holy principle that could not be trifled
with." fn
Third, there was the challenge of
practicing the new marital order in the setting of the pure love of Christ.
Only then could it be practiced with success and become a refining and maturing
influence in the lives of those who engaged in it. Of an interview with an
inquirer from the East, Helen Mar Whitney wrote:
I did not try to conceal the fact of
its having been a trial, but confessed that it had been one of the severest of
my life; but that it had also proven one of the greatest of blessings. I could
truly say it had done the most towards making me a Saint and a free woman, in
every sense of the word; and I knew many others who could say the same, and to
whom it had proven one of the greatest boons—a "blessing in disguise."
fn
Finally, the practice of plural
marriage presented an administrative challenge, particularly for the men.
"'Those who think that men have no trials in the plural order of marriage
are greatly deceived," one who was involved in the practice all her mature
life wrote. "The wives have far greater liberty than the husband, and they
have the power to make him happy or very unhappy." Helen Mar Whitney
observed:
For this cause, among others, there
are not many men who are willing to take upon themselves these extra burdens
and responsibilities, even for the sake of a higher glory hereafter. It
certainly takes considerable religion and faith to stimulate a man who loves a
quiet, easy-going life, to take up this cross, even with the hope of a future
crown. fn
The Spirit of Obedience
Despite the challenges which
confronted the Saints, those who were commanded by revelation to practice
plural marriage were given the spirit of obedience through the promptings of
the Holy Ghost. Not a spirit of lust, but of enlightenment prompted faithful
individuals to obey the will of the Lord. Of his own experience, George Q.
Cannon said:
When I had taken one wife, after I
had returned from one of my missions, a spirit rested upon me that I could not
resist; I felt that I should be damned if I refused or neglected to obey that
law of God. It was not prompted by any improper feeling; it was not prompted by
a feeling of lust, or a desire for women; but it was an overpowering anxiety to
obey the commandments of God. . . . I have done that which I conscientiously
believe to be the will of God; and I believe the majority of my brethren and
sisters have done the same, have obeyed the principle in the same way. fn
The fact that a person had to be born
of the Holy Spirit to see the
Bishop Newel K. Whitney had a similar
experience. He "was not a man that readily accepted of every doctrine, and
would question the Prophet very closely upon principles if not made clear to
his understanding." Like several others, he "was doubtful concerning
the righteousness of this celestial order." So the Prophet "told him
to go and inquire of the Lord concerning it, and he should receive a testimony
for himself." Thereupon the Bishop and his wife "retired together and
unitedly besought the Lord for a testimony whether or
not this principle was from Him; and they ever after bore testimony that they
received a manifestation and that it was so powerful they could not mistake it."
"The Lord . . . revealed unto us His power and glory," Mrs. Whitney
said. "We were seemingly wrapt in a heavenly
vision, a halo of light encircled us." They never doubted thereafter. And
they willingly gave Joseph Smith their daughter, Sarah Ann, as a plural wife,
Bishop Whitney performing the ceremony, "which was the strongest proof
that they could possibly give of their faith and confidence in him as a true
Prophet of God." fn
When some leading members of the
Twelve returned from a mission to
Other reports also reveal the spiritual
witness which was given of the new law, when the Saints met the challenge to
obey the Prophet's counsel. Mary Elizabeth Rollins Lightner
related her introduction to the law of plural marriage to the appearance of the
angel who directed Joseph Smith to begin its practice. In a signed statement,
she reported that the angel promised him that she "should have a
witness" of the divine nature and origin of plural marriage. She then
said:
And an angel came to me, it went
through me like lightning. I was afraid. Joseph said he came with more
revelation and knowledge than Joseph ever dare[d] reveal. fn
In a more detailed explanation, she
said of the Prophet:
I talked with him for a long time,
and finally I told him I would never be sealed to him until I had a witness. .
. .
"'Well," said he,
"pray earnestly, for the angel said to me you should have a witness."
. . .
I made it a subject of prayer, . . .
and if ever a poor mortal prayed, I did.
A few nights after that an angel of
the Lord came to me and if ever a thrill went through a mortal, it went through
me. I gazed upon the clothes and figure, but the eyes were like lightning. They
pierced me from the crown of my head to the soles of my feet. I was frightened
almost to death for a moment. I tried to waken my aunt, but I could not. The
angel leaned over me and the light was very great although it was night. When
my aunt woke up, she said she had seen a figure in white robes pass from our
bed to my mother's bed and pass out of the window.
Joseph came up the next Sabbath. He
said, "Have you had a witness yet?"
"No."
"Well," said he, "the
angel expressly told me you should have."
Said I, "I have not had a
witness, but I have seen something I have never seen before. I saw an angel,
and I was frightened almost to death. I did not speak."
He studied a while and put his elbows
on his knees and his face in his hands. He looked up and said, "How could
you have been such a coward?"
Said I, "I was weak."
"Did you think to say, 'Father,
help me?'"
"No."
"Well, if you had just said that
your mouth would have been opened, for that was an angel of the living God. He
came to you with more knowledge, intelligence and light then I ever dared to
reveal." fn
Having obtained an interview with
Lucy Walker, Joseph Smith said: "I have been commanded of God to take
another wife, and you are the woman." While she was still struggling with
her feelings at the announcement, he explained: "If you pray sincerely for
light and understanding . . . you shall receive a testimony of the correctness
of this principle." fn This she finally received.
It was near dawn of another sleepless
night when my room was lighted up by a heavenly influence. To me it was, in
comparison, like the brilliant sun bursting through the darkest cloud. My soul
was filled with a calm, sweet peace that "I never knew." Supreme
happiness took possession of me, and I received a powerful and irresistible
testimony of the truth of plural marriage, which has been like an anchor to the
soul through all the trials of life. I felt that I must go out into the morning
air and give vent to the joy and gratitude that filled my soul. As I descended
the stairs, President Smith opened the door below, took me by the hand and
said: "Thank God, you have the testimony. I too have prayed." He led
me to the chair, placed his hands upon my head, and blessed me with every
blessing my heart could possibly desire. fn
Finally, Benjamin F. Johnson gave a
similar testimony. When Joseph Smith informed him that he was "required to
take other wives" and desired him to ask his sister, Almira,
to be one of them, Elder Johnson exclaimed, "But how can I teach my sister
what I myself do not understand, or show her what I do not myself see?"
"When you open your mouth to
talk to your sister," the Prophet promised, "light will come to you
and your mouth will be full and your tongue loose."
The promise was abundantly fulfilled.
"When with great hesitation and stammering I called my sister to a private
audience, and stood before her shaking with fear," Elder Johnson
testified; "'just as soon as I found power to open my mouth, it was
filled, for the light of the Lord shone upon my understanding, and the subject
that had seemed to [be] dark now appeared of all subjects pertaining to our
gospel the most lucid and plain; and so my sister and myself were converted
together." fn
The Limited Practice of Plural Marriage
The spiritual prerequisites of plural
marriage placed obvious restrictions on the scope of its practice. As a feature
of the marriage program of the divine patriarchal order, Charles W. Penrose
stated that it was "confined to the priesthood." fn "This law
was never given of the Lord for any but his faithful children," Brigham
Young stressed; ". . . no man has a right to a wife, or wives, unless he
honors his Priesthood and magnifies his calling before God." fn John
Taylor thus explained that the practice could not be extended to the world in
general, for it was a principle "connected with the Saints alone." fn
And within the membership of the Church it was a limited practice. "None
but the more pure, virtuous, honorable and upright" were to engage in the
practice. fn
Reasons For Plural Marriage
Raising up Seed unto Christ
Joseph Smith taught that the practice
of plural marriage was "a commandment of God for holy purposes." fn
The Lord stated to the Nephite prophet Jacob that it was to "raise up
seed" unto Himself. fn This required more than the mere begetting of
physical children. The Lord only directed men to take plural wives who would
develop in their children the divine powers and attributes by which they could
become His sons and daughters in eternal life. This is what it meant to raise
up seed unto Christ. Orson Pratt said:
The multiplication of human beings is
not the only object of marriage, but connected with this is the righteous
government of those beings. If increase alone were the design, then it
could be accomplished through the wicked, as well as the righteous. fn
Heber C. Kimball referred to plural
marriage as the means by which God designed "to raise up for himself a
pure seed" who would keep "His laws and walk in His statutes."
fn Those within the system would be "a royal Priesthood," Brigham
Young declared, "a holy nation." fn Of the Lord's design concerning
His people, Orson Pratt also said: "He intends to make them a kingdom of
Kings and Priests, a kingdom unto Himself." fn
Fulfilling God's Promises to Abraham
The Saints believed that another
purpose for plural marriage was to fulfil the
promises which God made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Orson Pratt explained:
"The promises were, Lift up your eyes, and behold the stars; so thy seed
shall be, as numberless as the stars." Continuing he said: "Go to the
sea-shore, and look at the ocean of sand, and behold the smallness of the
particles thereof, and then realize that your seed shall be as numberless as
the sands." These ancient patriarchs had "a foundation laid for this
mighty kingdom" in their plural wives. fn Being descendants of Abraham,
the Saints were to be recipients of the same blessings, through the covenants
of the new marital order; fn and through them God was to continue fulfilling
Abraham's promises. Elder Pratt reasoned that those who did "the works of
Abraham" ought to "be blessed with the blessings of Abraham," through
a "continuation of . . . posterity." fn The practice of taking plural
wives was introduced, he said, that the Saints might "inherit the
blessings and promises made to Abraham" and their posterity "become
as numerous as the sand upon the seashore." fn
Providing Tabernacles for Noble Spirits
In many respects the doctrine of
plural marriage had its basis in the Latter-day Saint view of man's pre-earth
existence. Orson Pratt observed that when the foundations of the earth were
laid the spirit children of God shouted for joy at the prospect of receiving
physical bodies. fn But some among them "were more noble and great than
others, having more intelligence." fn Among these was Abraham, fn and
other great and noble spirits who were to come to earth through his lineage.
Many of these were reserved "until the dispensation of the fulness of
times," Elder Pratt explained, "to come forth upon the face of the
earth, through a noble parentage that shall train their young and tender minds
in the truths of eternity, that they may grow up in the Lord, and be clothed
upon with His glory, be filled with exceeding great faith; that the visions of
eternity may be opened to their minds; that they may be Prophets, Priests, and
Kings to the Most High God." fn Brigham Young agreed: "There is a
reason why the doctrine of plurality of wives was revealed, that the noble
spirits which are waiting for tabernacles might be brought forth." fn He
taught that under the divine law he and his brethren were "preparing tabernacles
for those spirits which have been preserved to enter into bodies of honor, and
be taught the pure principles of life and salvation." fn Heber C. Kimball
added: "I tell you that some of the most noble spirits are waiting with
the Father to this day to come forth through the right channels and the right
kind of men and women." fn
Reforming Society Morally and Spiritually
Strange as it seemed to some, Joseph
Smith expected plural marriage to be a powerful instrument to reform society
morally and spiritually. He said to Brigham Young: "You will have to take
more than one wife, and this order has to spread and increase until the
inhabitants of the earth repent of their evils and men will do what is right
towards the females." fn When a United States Senator was apprised of the
system, he reportedly exclaimed: "Joseph Smith has introduced the best
plan for restoring and establishing strength and long life among men, of any
man on the earth." fn
The Prophet was deeply concerned with
the degree of infidelity and sexual perversions that existed in the world, and
he transmitted that concern to his associates. The most frequent argument they
gave to justify plural marriage was that it would reform society and raise
family life to a high spiritual and moral standard. George Q. Cannon stated
that the law sanctioning plural wives had been "revealed for the salvation
of women." fn "We are solving the problem that is before the world
to-day, over which they are pretending to rack their brains," he said, "I
mean the 'Social Problem.'" fn Brigham Young expressed a broader view of
its benefits. "This principle," he explained, "will work out the
moral salvation of the world." fn Heber C. Kimball and Daniel H. Wells,
his counselors in the First Presidency, agreed. "This doctrine is a holy
and pure principle," President Kimball stressed, "in which the power
of God for the regeneration of mankind is made manifest." fn "In this
way only may we rise from corruption, through the Holy Priesthood of God,"
President Wells asserted. Speaking of plural marriage in relation to women, he
said: "By it they are redeeming themselves and their posterity from the
corruptions of man, that have been in existence for many generations before us,
and from which they have been brought out by the sound and proclamation of the
Gospel." fn
Several features which promoted
reform were built into the order of plural marriage. First, by maintaining its
underlying spiritual program, the families of men within the system would be
established upon a high spiritual and moral plane.
Second, the program of regenerated
men taking plural wives to raise up seed unto Christ assured that this class of
men would propagate more rapidly than others. The multiplication of such
families would raise society to a higher spiritual and moral standard.
Third, the new order was designed to
remove single women from the sphere where they could be preyed upon by perverse
men. It would, as Charles W. Penrose explained, place them "in that
position for which they were created—to give them the opportunity to become
wives and mothers, so that there might be 'no margin left for lust to prey
upon,' no field for the tricks of the seducer and the adulterer, the corrupt
and the ungodly." fn
Finally, plural marriage introduced a
competitive principle into the marital scene (not found in monogamy), designed
to persuade men to upgrade their lives morally and spiritually. The fact that a
righteous and capable man was married did not eliminate him from the field of
possible husbands a woman could consider as she made the decision to marry.
Women had no need to marry an inferior man, or a worldly one. If a man who
would otherwise exploit women or be content to live a single life wanted a
desirable companion, he had to repent and seriously consider a marriage in
which he would be a true and faithful husband. No woman would have to settle
for less. Having affirmed that the true practice of plural marriage would
"work out the moral salvation of the world," Brigham Young further
explained:
If the women, not only in this
congregation, Territory and government, but the world, would rise up in the
spirit and might of the holy gospel and . . . show them [men] that they will be
under the necessity of marrying a wife or else not have a woman at all, they
would soon come to the mark. . . .If this course be pursued, and we make this
the rule of practice, it will force all men to take a wife. fn
Even after marriage a woman was not
obliged to follow her husband in unrighteousness. By taking such a course, a
man might lose his wife and family, and she could then select another mate. fn
For each man the choice was continually between growth and development, or that
which would bring destruction. He could never get out of the reach of divine
justice and equity—where he could treat with disrespect the rights and
interests of his wife and family and not be brought to account for his actions.
In that way also, the plural marriage system had an uplifting influence upon
men and society. fn
Suspension Of The Law Of Plural Marriage
Prevailing conditions governed man's
responsibility to practice plural marriage. In 1878, Joseph F. Smith expressed
the basic dictum underlying that practice when he said: "It is a law of
the Gospel pertaining to the celestial kingdom, applicable to all gospel
dispensations, when commanded and not otherwise, and neither acceptable to
God or binding on man unless given by commandment." fn Nor was the
principle of plural marriage to be practiced when circumstances prevented the
Prophet and President of the Church from administering that law. This point
became significant when the federal government of the
Though an eternal principle could not
be altered or changed, it could be suspended. "God has a right to suspend
His law," Lorenzo Snow stated, "as He has done in the inspiration
under which Pres. Woodruff wrote the manifesto." To illustrate, he
explained: "The very important law concerning baptism is at times
suspended as in the case of married women whose husbands are opposed to the
gospel, or minors whose parents object to the baptism of their children."
fn
The suspension of the law of plural
marriage, when the Saints were not responsible for that action, left worthy
individuals without the challenge and blessing of that law, but uncondemned and with a claim upon it in the Lord's due
time. Speaking of the manifesto, President Woodruff gave reassurance: "If
you are curtailed in any of your privileges you may know that God will hold
responsible those who cause the curtailment." fn Lorenzo Snow explained in
greater detail. "The Lord will not permit any faithful Saint to lose
blessings through the acts of the wicked, or because of circumstances over
which the individual has no control." He then gave an example of a
missionary who died without being married. "Now, though he died without
any wife he will not be the loser thereby, for the Lord will supply all that is
necessary to give him the salvation he merits. So also will it be with those
who are prevented by no act of their own from fulfilling all the requirements
of the gospel." fn
The action of Wilford Woodruff was
consistent and reasonable, since it was the Lord who authorized the suspension
of the principle of plural marriage. That this suspension, like the original
initiation of the principle, was done as a result of a revelation, was made
clear by President Woodruff in an address he gave on November 1, 1890, shortly
after the manifesto was issued:
The Lord is with . . . this people.
He has told me exactly what to do, and what the result would be if we did not
do it. . . . The God of heaven commanded me to do what I did do; and when the
hour came that I was commanded to do that, it was all clear to me. I went
before the Lord, and I wrote what the Lord told me to write. fn
Summary
Marriage in the divine patriarchal
order had its basis in the gospel of Jesus Christ. It was ordained of God, with
the design that the union should continue in Christ throughout eternity.
Because illicit sexual relations contaminated the fountain of life and
disrupted divine intent, they were grievously sinful, next to murder and the
sin against the Holy Ghost. Under
The revelation setting forth the law
of eternal marriage also contained the law which governed the taking of plural
wives. This feature of the new and everlasting covenant of marriage, in
particular, had to be seen in the spiritual and ideological setting of the
divine patriarchal order. Monogamy was the basic law of the system, and the
Prophet and President of the Church held the keys to perform plural marriages.
Such marriages were to be contracted only when directed by the Lord through His
living prophet. When a man was so commanded, his wife was expected to fulfil the law of Sarah, that is, to participate in the
additions that were made to her husband's family. To practice the principle of
plural marriage except by commandment in the right way was adultery. But when
done in righteousness, the faithful were given the spirit of obedience from
God.
Plural marriage was designed to raise
up children to Christ within the divine patriarchal order, and to fulfil the promise of God to Abraham that his posterity
would be innumerable. It was also designed to be a powerful instrument of
social reform. But because of outside pressure, the practice of plural marriage
among the Saints was officially suspended.
(Hyrum L. Andrus, Doctrines of the
Kingdom [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1973], 451.)
Source: Mary Elizabeth Lightner, Address at
TESTIMONY OF MARY ELIZABETH LIGHTNER
Remarks by Sister Mary E. Lightner who was sealed to Joseph Smith in 1842. She is 87
years of age.]
Well, my young brethren, I can say I
never was more surprised in my life than to be called upon to speak to you
young men who are called upon to go into the mission field to preach the gospel
to the nations of the earth. It is true I have been in the Church from its
beginning. Just six months after it was organized, I joined it. I have been
acquainted with all of those who were first members of this Church, with all of
those who saw the plates and handled them, with even those who saw the angel
The Smith family was driven from
Said he, "There are enough here
to hold a little meeting." They got a board and put it across two chairs
to make seats. Martin Harris sat on a little box at Joseph's feet. They sang
and prayed. Joseph got up and began to speak to us. As he began to speak very
solemnly and very earnestly, all at once his countenance changed and he stood
mute. Those who looked at him that day said there was a search light within
him, over every part of his body. I never saw anything like it on the earth. I
could not take my eyes off him; he got so white that anyone who saw him would
have thought he was transparent. I remember I thought I could almost see the
cheek bones through the flesh. I have been through many changes since but that
is photographed on my brain. I shall remember it and see in my mind's eye as
long as I remain upon the earth.
He stood some moments. He looked over the
congregation as if to pierce every heart. He said, "Do you know who has
been in your midst?" One of the Smiths said an angel of the Lord. Martin
Harris said, "It was our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ." Joseph put
his hand down on Martin and said: "God revealed that to you. Brethren and
sisters, the Spirit of God has been here. The Savior has been in your midst
this night and I want you to remember it. There is a veil over your eyes for
you could not endure to look upon Him. You must be fed with milk, not with
strong meat. I want you to remember this as if it were the last thing that
escaped my lips. He has given all of you to me and has sealed you up to
everlasting life that where he is, you may be also. And if you are tempted of
Satan say, 'Get behind me, Satan.'"
These words are figured upon my brain
and I never took my eye off his countenance. Then he knelt down and prayed. I
have never heard anything like it before or since. I felt that he was talking
to the Lord and that power rested down upon the congregation. Every soul felt
it. The spirit rested upon us in every fiber of our bodies, and we received a
sermon from the lips of the representative of God.
Much has come and gone from me through
the powers and vicissitudes of this Church. I have been in almost every mob. I
have been driven about and told I would be shot and had a gun pointed at me,
but I stayed with the Church until it was driven from Nauvoo. The words of the
Prophet that had been revealed to him always have been with me from the
beginning to the end of the gospel. Every principle that has been given in the
Church by the prophet is true. I know whereon I stand, I know what I believe, I
know what I know and I know what I testify to you is the living truth. As I
expect to meet it at the bar of the eternal Jehovah, it is true. And when you
stand before the bar you will know. He
preached polygamy and he not only preached it, but he practiced it. I am a
living witness to it. It was given to him before he gave it to the Church. An
angel came to him and the last time he came with a drawn sword in his hand and
told Joseph if he did not go into that principle, he would slay him. Joseph
said he talked to him soberly about it, and told him it was an abomination and
quoted scripture to him. He said in the Book of Mormon it was an abomination in
the eyes of the Lord, and they were to adhere to these things except the Lord
speak. I am the first being that the revelation [D&C 132] was given to him
for and I was one thousand miles away in Missouri, for we went up to Jackson
County in 1841 [1831].
I was there in all the tribulations
and trials. I have been in the houses that have been stoned. The rocks have
been thrown criss-cross in every direction. I have
seen the brethren shot and ruined for life. I saw the first martyr dead and a
more heavenly corpse I never saw or expect to see on the face of the earth. His
face was so happy. I have seen our bishop tarred and feathered in the streets
of
I asked him if Emma knew about me,
and he said, "Emma thinks the world of you." I was not sealed to him
until I had a witness. I had been dreaming for a number of years I was his
wife. I thought I was a great sinner. I prayed to God to take it from me for I
felt it was a sin; but when Joseph sent for me he told me all of these things.
"Well," said I, "don't you think it was an angel of the devil
that told you these things?" Said he, "No, it was an angel of God.
God Almighty showed me the difference between an angel of light and Satan's
angels. The angel came to me three times between the years of 1834 and 1842 and
said I was to obey that principle or he would slay me. "But," said
he, "they called me a false and fallen prophet but I am more in favor with
my God this day than I ever was in all my life before. I know that I shall be saved
in the
(Mary Lightner,
Address To Brigham Young University, 1905, BYU Archives and Manuscripts,
Writings of Early Latter-day Saints.)
Pres. Lorenzo Snow on the Blessings
of the Gospel:
Blessings
of the Gospel
Only Obtained by Compliance to the Law
Lorenzo Snow
Ensign, Oct. 1971, pp. 16-22
[This talk, delivered at general conference in
"And when Abram was
ninety years old and nine, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am
the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect." [Gen. 17:1.]
In connection with this I
will quote part of the words of the Savior in his Sermon on the Mount, as
contained in the last verse of the 5th chapter of Matthew.
"Be ye therefore
perfect, even as you’re Father which is in heaven is perfect." [Matt.
5:48.]
In occupying a short time
this morning, I desire an interest in your faith and prayers.
We learn that the Lord
appeared to Abraham and made him very great promises, and that before he was
prepared to receive them a certain requirement was made of him, that he should
become perfect before the Lord. And the same requirement was made by the Savior
of his disciples, that they should become perfect, even as he and his Father in
heaven were perfect. This I conceive to be a subject that concerns the
Latter-day Saints; and I wish to offer a few remarks by way of suggestion, for
the reflection of those whom it concerns.
The Lord proposes to
confer the highest blessings upon the Latter-day Saints; but, like Abraham, we
must prepare ourselves for them, and to do this the same law that was given to
him of the Lord has been given to us for our observance. We also are required
to arrive at a state of perfection before the Lord; and the Lord in this case,
the same as in every other, has not made a requirement that cannot be complied
with, but on the other hand, He has placed for the use of the Latter-day Saints
the means by which they can conform to His holy order.
When the Lord made this
requirement of Abraham, He gave him the means by which he could become
qualified to obey that law and come up fully to the requirement. He had the
privilege of the Holy Spirit, as we are told the [page 18] Gospel was preached
to Abraham, and through that Gospel he could obtain that divine aid which would
enable him to understand the things of God, and without it no man could arrive
at a state of perfection before the Lord.
So in reference to the
Latter-day Saints, they could not possibly come up to such a moral and
spiritual standard except through supernatural aid and assistance. Neither do
we expect that the Latter-day Saints, at once will or can conform to this law
under all circumstances. It requires time; it requires much patience and
discipline of the mind and heart in order to obey this commandment. And although
we may fail at first in our attempts, yet this should not discourage the
Latter-day Saints from endeavoring to exercise a determination to comply with
the great requirement.
Abraham, although he
might have had faith to walk before the Lord according to this divine law, yet
there were times when his faith was sorely tried, but still he was not
discouraged because he exercised a determination to comply with the will of
God. We may think that we cannot live up to the perfect law, that the work of
perfecting ourselves is too difficult. This may be true in part, but the fact
still remains that it is a command of the Almighty to us and we cannot ignore
it. When we experience trying moments, then is the time for us to avail
ourselves of that great privilege of calling upon the Lord for strength and
understanding, intelligence and grace by which we can overcome the weakness of
the flesh against which we have to make a continual warfare.
Abraham was called to
leave his kindred and country. Had he not complied with this requirement, he
would not have been approved of the Lord. But he did comply; and while he was
leaving his home, he no doubt was living in obedience to this divine law of
perfection. Had he failed in this, he certainly could not have obeyed the
requirements of the Almighty. And while he was leaving his father's house,
while he was subjecting himself to this trial, he was doing that which his own
conscience and the Spirit of God justified him in doing, and nobody could have
done better, providing he was doing no wrong when he was performing this labor.
When the Latter-day
Saints received the Gospel in the nations afar, and when the voice of the
Almighty to them was, to leave the lands of their fathers, to leave their
kindred as Abraham did, so far as they complied with this requirement, so far
they were walking in obedience to this law; and they were as perfect as men
could be under the circumstances, and in the sphere in which they were acting,
not that they were perfect in knowledge or power, etc.; but in their feelings,
in their integrity, motives and determination. And while they were crossing the
great deep, providing they did not murmur nor complain, but obeyed the counsels
which were given them, and in every way comported themselves in a becoming manner,
they were as perfect as God required them to be.
The Lord designs to bring
us up into the celestial kingdom. He has made known, through direct revelation,
that we are His offspring, begotten in the eternal worlds, that we have come to
this earth for the special purpose of preparing ourselves to receive a fullness
of our Father's glory when we shall return into his presence. Therefore, we
must seek the ability to keep this law, to sanctify our motives, desires,
feelings and affections, that they may be pure and holy, and our will in all
things be subservient to the will of God, and have no will of our own except to
do the will of our Father. Such a man in his sphere is perfect, and commands
the blessing of God in all that he does and wherever he goes.
But we are subject to
folly, to the weakness of the flesh, and we are more or less ignorant, thereby
liable to err. Yes, but that is no reason why we should not feel desirous to
comply with this command of God, especially seeing that he has placed within our
reach the means of accomplishing this work. This I understand is the meaning of
the word perfection, as expressed by our Savior and by the Lord to Abraham. A
person may be perfect in regard to some things and not others. A person who
obeys the word of wisdom faithfully, is perfect as far as that law is
concerned. When we repented of our sins and were baptized for the remission of
them, we were perfect as far as that matter was concerned. Now we are told by
the Apostle John, that we are "the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear
what we shall be: but we know that, when he [page 19] shall appear, we shall be
like him; for we shall see him as he is.
"And every man that
hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he
[Christ] is pure." [1 Jn. 3:2-3.]
The Latter-day Saints
expect to arrive at this state of perfection; we expect to become as our Father
and God, fit and worthy children to dwell in his presence; we expect that when
the Son of God shall appear, we shall receive our bodies renewed and glorified,
and that these vile bodies will be changed and become like unto his glorious
body. [See Philip. 3:21.] These are our expectations.
Now let all present put
this question to themselves. Are our expectations well founded? In other words,
are we seeking to purify ourselves? How can a Latter-day Saint feel justified
in himself unless he is seeking to purify himself even as God is pure--unless
he is seeking to keep his conscience void of offense before God and man every
day of his life. We doubtless, many of us, walk from day to day and from week
to week, and from month to month, before God, feeling under no condemnation,
comporting ourselves properly, and seeking earnestly and in all meekness for
the Spirit of God to dictate our daily course; and yet there may be a certain
time or times in our life, when we are greatly tried and perhaps overcome; even
if this be so, that is no reason why we should not try again, and that, too,
with redoubled energy and determination to accomplish our object.
There was the Apostle
Peter, for instance, a man valiant for the truth, and a man who walked before
God in a manner that met with his divine approval; he told the Savior on a
certain occasion that though all men forsook him he would not. But the Savior,
foreseeing what would happen, told him that on that same night, before the cock
crowed, he would deny him thrice, and he did so. He proved himself unequal for
the trial; but afterwards he gained power, and his mind was disciplined to that
extent that such trials could not possibly affect him.
And if we could read in
detail the life of Abraham, or the lives of other great and holy men, we would
doubtless find that their efforts to be righteous were not always crowned with
success. Hence we should not be discouraged if we should be overcome in a weak
moment; but, on the contrary, straightway repent of the error or the wrong we
may have committed, and as far as possible repair it, and then seek to God for
renewed strength to go on and do better.
Abraham could walk
perfectly before God day after day when he was leaving his father's house, and
he showed evidences of a superior and well-disciplined mind in the course he
suggested when his herdsmen quarreled with the [page 21] herdsmen of his
nephew,
"Let this mind be in
you," says the Apostle Paul, "which was also in Christ Jesus: Who,
being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God."
[Philip. 2:5-6.]
Now every man that has
this object before him will purify himself as God is pure, and try to walk
perfectly before him. We have our little follies and our weaknesses; we should
try to overcome them as fast as possible, and we should inculcate this feeling
in the hearts of our children, that the fear of God may grow up with them from
their very youth, and that they may learn to comport themselves properly before
him under all circumstances. If the husband can live with his wife one day
without quarreling or without treating anyone unkindly or without grieving the
Spirit of God in any way, that is well so far; he is so far perfect. Then let
him try to be the same the next day. But supposing he should fail in this his
next day's attempt? That is no reason why he should not succeed in doing so the
third day. If the Apostle Peter had become discouraged at his manifest failure
to maintain the position that he had taken to stand by the Savior under all
circumstances, he would have lost all; whereas, by repenting and persevering he
lost nothing but gained all, leaving us too to profit by his experience.
The Latter-day Saints
should cultivate this ambition constantly which was so clearly set forth by the
apostles in former days. We should try to walk each day so that our conscience
would be void of offense before everybody. And God has placed in the Church
certain means by which we can be assisted, namely, apostles, and prophets, and
evangelists, etc., "for the perfecting of the Saints," etc. And he
has also conferred upon us his Holy Spirit which is an unerring guide,
standing, as an angel of God, at our side, telling us what to do, and affording
us strength and succor when adverse circumstances arise in our way.
We must not allow
ourselves to be discouraged whenever we discover our weakness. We can scarcely
find an instance in all the glorious examples set us by the prophets, ancient
or modern, wherein they permitted the Evil One to discourage them; but on the
other hand they constantly sought to overcome, to win the prize, and thus
prepare themselves for a fulness of glory. The Prophet Elijah succeeded. He so
walked before God that he was worthy to be translated. And Enoch was found
worthy to walk with God some 300 years, and was at last, with his people, taken
up to heaven.
We are told that in the
latter days "there shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old
man that hath not filled his days: for the child shall die an hundred years
old." [Isa. 65:20.] And in another scripture we are told that the age of
the infant shall be as the age of a tree, and that it shall not die until it
shall be old, and then it shall not slumber in the dust but be changed in the
twinkling of an eye. [See D&C 101:30-31.] But in those days people must
live perfectly before the Lord, for we are told in the same passage "the
sinner," instead of being favored, "being an hundred years old, shall
be accursed." [Isa. 65:20.]
When we once get it into
our minds that we really have the power within ourselves through the gospel we
have received, to conquer our passions, our appetites and in all things submit
our will to the will of our Heavenly Father, and, instead of being the means of
generating unpleasant feeling in our family circle, and those with whom we are
associated, but assisting greatly to create a little heaven upon earth, then
the battle may be said to be half won.
One of the chief
difficulties that many suffer from is, that we are too apt to forget the great
object of life, the motive of our [page 22] Heavenly Father in sending us here
to put on mortality, as well as the holy calling with which we have been
called; and hence, instead of rising above the little transitory things of
time, we too often allow ourselves to come down to the level of the world
without availing ourselves of the divine help which God has instituted, which
alone can enable us to overcome them. We are no better then the rest of the
world if we do not cultivate the feeling to be perfect, even as our Father in
heaven is perfect.
This was the exhortation
of the Savior to the former-day Saints, who were a people of like passions and
who were subject to the same temptations as ourselves, and he knew whether the
people could conform to it or not; the Lord never has, nor will he require
things of his children which it is impossible for them to perform. The Elders
of Israel who expect to go forth to preach the gospel of salvation in the midst
of a crooked and perverse generation, among a people who are full of evil and
corruption, should cultivate this spirit especially. And not only they, but
everybody, every young man and woman belonging to this Church who is worthy to
be called a Saint should cultivate this desire to live up to this requirement
that their consciences may be clear before God. It is a beautiful thing, either
in young or old, to have this object in view; it is especially delightful to
see our young people take a course that the light and intelligence of God can
beam in their countenances, that they may have a correct understanding of life,
and be able to live above the follies and vanities of the world and the errors
and wickedness of man.
May God bless you,
brethren and sisters, and pour out His Holy Spirit upon you, that you may be
blessed in all your acts, in your incomings and your outgoings and in the
performance of every duty, and be blessed in calling upon the Almighty, that
His Spirit may be in you as a well of water springing up to everlasting life,
to guide you in His fear through all the scenes of life, is my prayer, in the
name of Jesus. Amen.
SACRIFICE >>>>>>>>>>SACRAMENT >>>>>>>>>> SACRED = DEDICATION (LATIN ROOT)
Elder Ballard’s talk on the media,
Is my activity leading me toward my eternal goal or away from it?
Elder M. Russell Ballard
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
Let us speak out and
encourage a more uplifting, inspiring, and acceptable media.
|
|
The fall of the year is
when television airs its season premieres and introduces its new shows. A
friend told me that there are 37 new TV series being inaugurated this fall. As
he has read the reviews, he has found few if any of them that he would want his
children to watch. Most of the sitcoms, dramas, and reality shows contain
immorality, violence, and subtle ridicule of traditional values and traditional
families. Each year the new shows seem to get worse, pushing the envelope of
what the public will accept. What comes out of
Church leaders have the
responsibility to speak out on moral issues and to counsel individuals and
families. The family is the basic unit of society; it is the basic unit of
eternity. Thus, when forces threaten the family, Church leaders must respond.
The family is at the heart
of Heavenly Father's plan because we are all part of His family and because
mortality is our opportunity to form our own families and to assume the role of
parents. It is within our families that we learn unconditional love, which can
come to us and draw us very close to God's love. It is within families that
values are taught and character is built. Father and mother are callings from
which we will never be released, and there is no more important stewardship
than the responsibility we have for God's spirit children who come into our
families.
Within this context of the
preeminent importance of families and the threats families face today, it is
not surprising that the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
used strong words in the proclamation to the world on families: "We warn
that individuals . . . who fail to fulfill family
responsibilities will one day stand accountable before God. Further, we warn
that the disintegration of the family will bring upon individuals, communities,
and nations the calamities foretold by ancient and modern prophets."1 One such prophet was Malachi, who
admonished parents to turn their hearts to their children and children to their
parents, lest the whole earth be cursed (see Malachi 4:6).
To these warnings, ancient
as the Old Testament and current as the proclamation on the family, I add my
own voice of warning, specifically concerning today's media and the powerful
negative effect it can have on families and on family life.
Because of its sheer size,
media today presents vast and sharply contrasting options. Opposite from its
harmful and permissive side, media offers much that is positive and productive.
Television offers history channels, discovery channels, education channels. One
can still find movies and TV comedies and dramas that entertain and uplift and
accurately depict the consequences of right and wrong. The Internet can be a fabulous
tool of information and communication, and there is an unlimited supply of good
music in the world. Thus our biggest challenge is to choose wisely what we
listen to and what we watch.
As the prophet Lehi said,
because of Christ and His Atonement, we are "free forever, knowing good
from evil," able to act for ourselves rather than be acted upon,
"free to choose liberty and eternal life . . . or to
choose captivity and death" (2 Nephi 2:26–27).
The choices we make in
media can be symbolic of the choices we make in life. Choosing the trendy, the
titillating, the tawdry in the TV programs or movies we watch can cause us to
end up, if we're not careful, choosing the same things in the lives we live.
If we do not make good
choices, the media can devastate our families and pull our children away from
the narrow gospel path. In the virtual reality and the perceived reality of
large and small screens, family-destructive viewpoints and behavior are
regularly portrayed as pleasurable, as stylish, as exciting, and as normal.
Often media's most devastating attacks on family are not direct or frontal or
openly immoral. Intelligent evil is too cunning for that, knowing that most
people still profess belief in family and in traditional values. Rather the
attacks are subtle and amoral—issues of right and wrong don't even come
up. Immorality and sexual innuendo are everywhere, causing some to believe that
because everyone is doing it, it must be all right. This pernicious evil is not
out in the street somewhere; it is coming right into our homes, right into the
heart of our families.
To be strong and happy,
families need to be nourished by the truths depicted in the thirteenth article
of faith—by a belief "in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous,
and in doing good to all men." Gratefully, there are many like-minded men
and women of all cultures and faiths who also seek that which is
"virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy."
But we live in the
"perilous times" to which the Apostle Paul referred when he warned
about our day as one when "men shall be lovers of their own selves,
covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful,
unholy, without natural affection, . . . false
accusers, . . . despisers of those that are
good, . . . heady, highminded,
lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God" (2 Timothy 3:1–4).
Conspiring men and women,
intent on gain rather than goodness, "stir up the people" to
"all manner of . . . wickedness" (see Alma 11:20), preventing the noble uses to
which the media could be employed.
The new morality preached
from the media's pulpit is nothing more than the old immorality. It attacks
religion. It undermines the family. It turns virtue into vice and vice into
virtue. It assaults the senses and batters the soul with messages and images that
are neither virtuous, nor lovely, nor of good report, nor praiseworthy.
The time has come when
members of the Church need to speak out and join with the many other concerned
people in opposition to the offensive, destructive, and mean-spirited media
influence that is sweeping over the earth.
According to the Kaiser
Family Foundation, the percentage of television prime-time shows with sexual
content jumped from 67 percent in 1998 to 75 percent in the year 2000.2 Media with this kind of content has
numerous negative effects. It fosters a callous attitude toward women, who are
often portrayed as objects of abuse and not as precious daughters of God who
are essential to His eternal plan. The long-cherished values of abstinence from
intimate relationships before marriage and complete fidelity between husband
and wife after marriage are denigrated and derided. Children and youth are
confused and misled by the deviant behavior they see demonstrated by so-called
stars they admire and want to emulate. In the moral confusion created by the
media, enduring values are being abandoned.
We see a rapid increase in cyberporn, involving sexual addiction over the Internet.
Some become so addicted to viewing Internet pornography and participating in
dangerous online chat rooms that they ignore their marriage covenants and
family obligations and often put their employment at risk. Many run afoul of
the law. Others develop a tolerance to their perverted behavior, taking ever
more risks to feed their immoral addiction. Marriages crumble and relationships
fail, as addicts often lose everything of real, eternal value.
According to one social
observer: "Television . . . has replaced the family,
the school, and the church—in that order—as the principal [instrument] for
socialization and transmission of values. . . . Greed,
debauchery, violence, unlimited self-gratification, absence of moral
restraint . . . are the daily fare glamorously dished up to
our children."3
We must be concerned with
the violent and sexually charged lyrics of much of today's popular music and
the relatively new "art form" of the music video. According to
industry observers, 40 percent of the music video audience is under the age of
18.4 One study reports that approximately
three-fourths of all the music videos that tell a story utilize sexual imagery,
and nearly half involve violence.5 And the fashion trends spawned in
their images are about as far away from being "virtuous, lovely, or of
good report or praiseworthy" as you can get. Ours surely is a time when
men "call evil good, and good evil" (Isaiah 5:20).
Let me say again that the
family is the main target of evil's attack and must therefore be the main point
of our protection and defense. As I said once before, when you stop and think
about it from a diabolically tactical point of view, fighting the family makes
sense to Satan. When he wants to disrupt the work of the Lord, he doesn't
poison the world's peanut butter supply, thus bringing the Church's missionary
system to its collective knees. He doesn't send a plague of laryngitis to
afflict the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. He doesn't legislate against green Jell-O
and casseroles. When evil wants to strike out and disrupt the essence of God's
work, it attacks the family. It does so by attempting to disregard the law of
chastity, to confuse gender, to desensitize violence, to make crude and
blasphemous language the norm, and to make immoral and deviant behavior seem
like the rule rather than the exception.
We need to remember Edmund
Burke's statement: "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is
for good men to do nothing."6 We need to raise our voices with other
concerned citizens throughout the world in opposition to current trends. We
need to tell the sponsors of offensive media that we have had enough. We need
to support programs and products that are positive and uplifting. Joining
together with neighbors and friends who share our concerns, we can send a clear
message to those responsible. The Internet Web sites and their local affiliates
will have their addresses. Letters and e-mails have more effect than most
people realize, especially those like one sent by a Relief Society sister that
stated, "I represent a group of over a hundred women that meets every week
and often talks about the harm your program is doing to our children."
Of course the most basic
way to protest negative-impact media is simply not to watch it, see it, read
it, or play it. We should teach our family members to follow the First
Presidency's counsel to young people. From the For the Strength of Youth
pamphlet, their instruction regarding entertainment and the media is very
clear:
"Do not attend, view,
or participate in entertainment that is vulgar, immoral, violent, or
pornographic in any way. Do not participate in entertainment that in any way
presents immorality or violent behavior as
acceptable. . . .
"Have the courage to
walk out of a movie or video party, turn off a computer or television, change a
radio station, or put down a magazine if what is being presented does not meet
Heavenly Father's standards. Do these things even if others do not."7
Brothers and sisters,
refuse to be used. Refuse to be manipulated. Refuse to support those programs
that violate traditional family values. We may be a small voice to begin with;
nevertheless, let us speak out and encourage a more uplifting, inspiring, and
acceptable media.
Besides making our voices
heard, let me conclude with seven things that every parent can do to minimize
the negative effect media can have on our families:
1. We need to hold family
councils and decide what our media standards are going to be.
2. We need to spend enough
quality time with our children that we are consistently the main influence in
their lives, not the media or any peer group.
3. We need to make good
media choices ourselves and set good examples for our children.
4. We need to limit the
amount of time our children watch TV or play video games or use the Internet
each day. Virtual reality must not become their reality.
5. We need to use Internet
filters and TV programming locks to prevent our children from "chancing
upon" things they should not see.
6. We need to have TVs and
computers in a much-used common room in the home, not in a bedroom or a private
place.
7. We need to take time to
watch appropriate media with our children and discuss with them how to make
choices that will uplift and build rather than degrade and destroy.
May God bless us with
courage and wisdom in doing what each one of us can to help turn the tide in
the media away from darkness toward truth and light. And may God bless our
families to be strong and true to the principles of the gospel is my humble
prayer, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
NOTES
1. "The Family: A Proclamation to the
World," Liahona, Oct. 1998, 24; Ensign, Nov.
1995, 102.
2. See Dale Kunkel and others, Sex on TV 2003: A Biennial
Report to the Kaiser Family Foundation (2003), 40.
3. Zbigniew Brzezinski, "Weak
Ramparts of the Permissive West," in Nathan P. Gardels,
ed., At Century's End: Great Minds Reflect on Our Times (1995), 53.
4. See National Institute on Media and the Family, "Fact
Sheet," Internet, http://www.mediafamily.org/facts/facts_mtv.shtml.
5. See Barry L. Sherman and Joseph R. Dominick, "Violence
and Sex in Music and Videos: TV and Rock 'n' Roll," Journal of
Communication, Winter 1986, 79–93.
6. Attributed in John Bartlett, comp., Familiar Quotations,
15th ed. (1980), ix.
7. For the Strength of Youth (2001), 17, 19.
Check the actions of yourself &
family on the internet, TV, music, movies, etc
LF 6:8 – Vain = Empty, not Conceit.
LF 6:9 – If you receive blessings,
it’s God’s way of saying you are on the right track, keep going, don’t stop!
LF
Receive the peace, testimony that
the course you are pursuing is in accordance to the will of God.
Bruce told a story about his 15 year
old daughter at a movie that was unacceptable, she got up and left and called
her parents to pick her up. She knew she
had the power to leave; she had no doubt in her mind what she must do.
Elder Oak’s talk on Timing
December 10, 2003
Bruce had his friend a Muslim from
Bruce answered a few questions about
the Lectures on Faith, review mainly.
Then he covered Elder Oak’s talk on Timing.
Timing
Elder Dallin H. Oaks
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
A devotional address given on
(With Full Purpose of Heart: Messages by Dallin H. Oaks.
The most significant
academic talks I heard during my service at BYU had one common characteristic.
Instead of providing new facts or advocating a particular position, as many
lectures do, the most significant talks changed the listeners' way of thinking
about an important subject. Though I am a devotional speaker rather than a
lecturer on an academic subject, I am going to make that same attempt today. I
will attempt to change some listeners' ways of thinking about an important
subject--the matter of timing.
I begin with a story I
heard many years ago at the inauguration of a university president. It
illustrates the importance of timing in university administration. One
university president had come to the end of his period of service, and another
was just beginning. As a gesture of goodwill, the wise outgoing president
handed his young successor three sealed envelopes. "Hold these until you
have the first crisis in your administration," he explained. "Then
open the first one and you will find some valuable advice."
It was a year before the
new president had a crisis. When he opened the first envelope, he found a single
sheet of paper on which were written the words "Blame the prior
administration." He followed that advice and survived the crisis.
Two years later he faced
another serious challenge to his leadership. He opened the second envelope and
read: "Reorganize your administration." He did so, and the
reorganization disarmed his critics and gave new impetus to his leadership.
Such later the
now-seasoned president encountered his third major crisis. Eagerly he opened
the last envelope, anticipating the advice that would provide the solution for
his troubles. Again he found a single sheet of paper, but this time it read,
"Prepare three envelopes." It was time for new leadership.
The familiar observation
that "timing is everything" surely overstates the point, but timing is
vital. We read in Ecclesiastes:
To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose
under the heaven:
A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck
up that which is planted; . . .
A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; .
. .
[A] time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; . . .
[A] time to keep silence, and a time to speak. [Ecclesiastes 3:1--2,
4--5, 7]
In
all the important decisions in our lives, what is most important is to do
the right thing. Second, and only slightly behind the first, is to do
the right thing at the right time. People who do the right thing at the
wrong time can be frustrated and ineffective. They can even be confused about
whether they made the right choice when what was wrong was not their choice but
their timing.
I. The Lord's Timing
My first point on the
subject of timing is that the Lord has His own timetable. "My words are
sure and shall not fail," the Lord taught the early elders of this
dispensation. "But," He continued, "all things must come to pass
in their time" (D&C 64:31--32).
The first principle of
the gospel is faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Faith means trust--trust in God's
will, trust in His way of doing things, and trust in His timetable. We should
not try to impose our timetable on His. As Elder Neal A. Maxwell has said:
The issue for us is trusting God enough to trust also His
timing. If we can truly believe He has our welfare at heart, may we not let His
plans unfold as He thinks best? The same is true with the second coming and
with all those matters wherein our faith needs to include faith in the Lord's
timing for us personally, not just in His overall plans and purposes. [Even As I Am (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1982),
93]
More recently, during
last April conference, Elder Maxwell said: "Since faith in the timing of
the Lord may be tried, let us learn to say not only, 'Thy will be done,' but
patiently also, 'Thy timing be done'" (CR, April 2001, 76; or
"Plow in Hope,"Ensign, May
2001, 59).
Indeed, we cannot have
true faith in the Lord without also having complete trust in the Lord's will
and in the Lord's timing.
Among the persons who
violate this principle are those who advocate euthanasia. They are trying to
take an essential matter that we understand to be determined only by God and
accelerate its occurrence according to their own will or preference.
In our service in the
Lord's church we should remember that when is just as important as who,
what, where, and how.
For a vivid illustration
of the importance of timing we can look to the earthly ministry of the Lord and
His succeeding instructions to His Apostles. During His lifetime the Lord
instructed the Twelve Apostles not to preach to the Gentiles but "rather
to the lost sheep of the house of
As this example shows,
continuing revelation is the means by which the Lord administers His timing. We
need that revelatory direction. For example, many of us or our descendants will
doubtless participate in the fulfillment of prophecies about the building of
the city of
We prepare in the way the Lord has directed. We hold
ourselves in readiness to act on the Lord's timing. He will tell us when the
time is right to take the next step. For now, we simply concentrate on our own
assignments and on what we have been asked to do today. In this we are also
mindful of the Lord's assurance: "I will hasten my work in its time"
(D&C 88:73).
People who do not accept
continuing revelation sometimes get into trouble by doing things too soon or
too late or too long. The practice of polygamy is an example.
The importance of the
Lord's timing is also evident in His dietary laws. The Lord gave one dietary
direction to ancient
The Lord's timing also
applies to the important events of our personal lives. A great scripture in the
Doctrine and Covenants declares that a particular spiritual experience will
come to us "in his own time, and in his own way, and according to his own
will" (D&C 88:68). This
principle applies to revelation (see Oaks, "Teaching and Learning by the
Spirit," Ensign, March 1997, 11) and to all of the most important
events in our lives: birth, marriage, death, and even our moves from place to
place.
Here is an example from
the life of a prominent pioneer ancestor of many in this audience. Anson Call
was in the initial exodus from Nauvoo. He and his family crossed
After traveling more than
130 miles through what is now
What is the meaning of
this pioneer experience? It is not enough that we are under call, or even that
we are going in the right direction. The timing must be right, and if the time
is not right, our actions should be adjusted to the Lord's timetable as
revealed by His servants.
The Lord's timing is
often revealed in this way. Several years ago President Hinckley announced the
construction of a large number of new temples, essentially doubling the number
of operating temples of the Church from about 50 to about 100 in just a few
years. Having additional temples has always been the direction to go, but until
the prophet of the Lord signaled this as a major initiative, no one could have
properly urged such a sudden and dramatic increase for the Church and its
people. Only the Lord's prophet could move the whole Church west. Only the
Lord's prophet could signal the Church to double its operating temples in just
a few years.
In my conference talk last October I gave another
illustration--the importance of following the Lord's timing with those we try
to interest in hearing the gospel message. Proclaiming the gospel is His work,
not ours, and therefore it must be done on His timing, not ours. There are
nations in the world today that must hear the gospel before the Lord will come
again. We know this, but we cannot force it. We must wait upon the Lord's timing.
He will tell us, and He will open the doors or bring down the walls when the
time is right. We should pray for the Lord's help and directions so that we can
be instruments in His hands to proclaim the gospel to nations and persons who
are now ready--persons He would have us help today. The Lord loves all of His
children, and He desires that all have the fulness of His truth and the
abundance of His blessings. He knows when groups or individuals are ready, and
He wants us to hear and heed His timetable for sharing His gospel with them.
II. The Agency of Others
The achievement of some important goals in our lives is
subject to more than the timing of the Lord. Some personal achievements are
also subject to the agency of others. This is particularly evident in two
matters of special importance to young people of college age--missionary
baptisms and marriage.
Last summer Sister Oaks and I were in
I reminded the missionaries that some of our most important
plans cannot be brought to pass without the agency and actions of others. A
missionary cannot baptize five persons this month without the agency and action
of five other persons. A missionary can plan and work and do all within his or
her power, but the desired result will depend upon the additional agency and
action of others. Consequently a missionary's goals ought to be based upon the
missionary's personal agency and action, not upon the agency or action of
others.
But this is not the time
to elaborate on what I told the missionaries about goals. Instead I will share
some other applications of the principle of timing, giving illustrations from
our personal lives.
III. Applications to Our
Lives
Someone has said that life is what happens to us while we
are making other plans. Because of things over which we have no control, we cannot
plan and bring to pass everything we desire in our lives. Many important things
will occur in our lives that we have not planned, and not all of them will be
welcome. The tragic events of September 11th and their revolutionary
consequences provide an obvious example. Even our most righteous desires may
elude us, or come in different ways or at different times than we have sought
to plan.
For example, we cannot be
sure that we will marry as soon as we desire. A marriage that is timely in our
view may be our blessing or it may not. My wife Kristen is an example. She did
not marry until many years after her mission and her graduation. Older singles
have some interesting experiences. While she was at her sister's place to
celebrate her fiftieth birthday, her sister's husband shared something he had
just read in a newspaper. "Kristen," he said, "now that you are
a single woman over 50, your chances of marrying are not as good as your
chances of being killed by a terrorist."
The timing of marriage is
perhaps the best example of an extremely important event in our lives that is
almost impossible to plan. Like other important mortal events that depend on
the agency of others or the will and timing of the Lord, marriage cannot be
anticipated or planned with certainty. We can and should work for and pray for
our righteous desires, but, despite this, many will remain single well beyond
their desired time for marriage.
So what should be done in
the meantime? Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ prepares us for whatever life
brings. This kind of faith prepares us to deal with life's opportunities--to
take advantage of those that are received and to persist through the
disappointments of those that are lost. In the exercise of that faith we should
commit ourselves to the priorities and standards we will follow on matters we
do not control and persist faithfully in those commitments whatever happens to
us because of the agency of others or the timing of the Lord. When we do this,
we will have a constancy in our lives that will give us direction and peace.
Whatever the circumstances beyond our control, our commitments and standards
can be constant.
Sometimes our commitments
will surface at unexpected times and be applied in unexpected circumstances.
Sometimes the principles we have taught to others come back to guide our own
actions when we think we don't need them anymore. A personal experience
illustrates this reality. Most Latter-day Saint parents know the importance of
giving their children reminders as they go out on a date. I did this with our
children, and I think they heeded my counsel. During the time I was getting
acquainted with Kristen, when I left the house to meet her, one of my children
said to me with a twinkle in the eye: "Now Dad, remember who you
are!"
The commitments and
service of adult singles can anchor them through the difficult years of waiting
for the right time and the right person. Their commitments and service can also
inspire and strengthen others. The poet John Greenleaf Whittier wrote of this
in his wonderful poem "Snow-Bound," which contains this description
of a dear aunt who never married:
The sweetest woman ever Fate
Perverse denied a household mate,
Who, lonely, homeless, not the less
Found peace in love's unselfishness,
And welcome whereso'er she went,
A calm and gracious element.
[John
Greenleaf Whittier, "Snow-Bound: A Winter Idyl,"
in Snow-Bound: Among the Hills: Songs of Labor: and Other Poems (Boston;
New York: Houghton, Mifflin and Company, 1898), lines 352--57]
Wise are those who make
this commitment: I will put the Lord first in my life and I will keep His
commandments. The performance of that commitment is within everyone's
control. We can fulfill that commitment without regard to what others decide to
do, and that commitment will anchor us no matter what timing the Lord directs
for the most important events in our lives.
Do you see the difference
between committing to what you will do, in contrast to trying to plan
that you will be married by the time you graduate or that you will earn at
least X amount of dollars on your first job?
If we have faith in God
and if we are committed to the fundamentals of keeping His commandments and
putting Him first in our lives, we do not need to plan every single event--even
every important event--and we should not feel rejected or depressed if some
things--even some very important things--do not happen at the time we had
planned or hoped or prayed.
Commit yourself to put
the Lord first in your life, keep His commandments, and do what the Lord's
servants ask you to do. Then your feet are on the pathway to eternal life. Then
it does not matter whether you are called to be a bishop or a Relief Society
president, whether you are married or single, or whether you die tomorrow. You
do not know what will happen. Do your best on what is fundamental and personal
and then trust in the Lord and His timing.
Life has some strange
turns. I will share some personal experiences that illustrate this.
When I was a young man I
thought I would serve a mission. I graduated from high school in June 1950.
Thousands of miles away, one week after that high school graduation, a North
Korean army crossed the 38th parallel, and our country was at war. I was 17
years old, but as a member of the Utah National Guard I was soon under orders
to prepare for mobilization and active service. Suddenly, for me and for many
other young men of my generation, the full-time mission we had planned or
assumed was not to be.
Another example: After I
served as president of BYU for nine years, I was released. A few months later
the governor of the state of
I had my 69th birthday
last summer and was vividly reminded of that important plan. If things had gone
as we planned, I would now be submitting papers to serve a mission with my wife
June.
Four years after we made
that plan I was called to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles--something we never
dreamed would happen. Realizing then that the Lord had different plans and
different timing than we had assumed, I resigned as a justice of the Supreme
Court. But this was not the end of the important differences. When I was 66, my
wife June died of cancer. Two years later--a year and a half ago--I married
Kristen McMain, the eternal companion who now stands
at my side.
How fundamentally
different my life is than I had sought to plan! My professional life has
changed. My personal life has changed. But the commitment I made to the
Lord--to put Him first in my life and to be ready for whatever He would have me
do--has carried me through these changes of eternal importance.
Faith and trust in the
Lord give us the strength to accept and persist, whatever happens in our lives.
I did not know why I received a "no" answer to my prayers for the
recovery of my wife of many years, but the Lord gave me a witness that this was
His will, and He gave me the strength to accept it. Two years after her death,
I met this wonderful woman who is now my wife for eternity. And I know that
this also was the will of the Lord.
I return to the subject
with which I began. Do not rely on planning every event of your life--even
every important event. Stand ready to accept the Lord's planning and the agency
of others in matters that inevitably affect you. Plan, of course, but fix your
planning on personal commitments that will carry you through no matter what
happens. Anchor your life to eternal principles, and act upon those principles
whatever the circumstances and whatever the actions of others. Then you can
await the Lord's timing and be sure of the outcome in eternity.
The most important
principle of timing is to take the long view. Mortality is just a small slice
of eternity, but how we conduct ourselves here--what we become by our actions
and desires, confirmed by our covenants and the ordinances administered to us
by proper authority--will shape our destiny for all eternity. As the prophet
Amulek taught, "This life is the time for men to prepare to meet God"
(
Why waste your time, your talents, your means, your
influence in following something that will perish and pass away, when you could
devote yourselves to a thing that will stand forever? For this Church and
kingdom, to which you belong, will abide and continue in time, in eternity,
while endless ages roll along, and you with it will become mightier and more
powerful; while the things of this world will pass away and perish, and will
not abide in nor after the resurrection, saith the Lord our God. [CR, June 1919, 37]
I pray that each of us
will hear and heed the word of the Lord on how to conduct ourselves in
mortality and set our standards and make our commitments so that we can be in
harmony and in tune with the timing of our Father in Heaven. I testify of Jesus
Christ, our Savior, who’s Church this is, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
A Discussion of Lecture 7
Fruits of Faith
Ardeth G. Kapp
I pray earnestly that my message, with
a specific focus on Lecture 7 from the Lectures on Faith, may increase
understanding of the fruits of faith and point our hearts toward earnestly
seeking the greatest of all the gifts of God.
An ancient writer once asked the
question:
"Who is man ... that he should
take his place before thy face.... How can the clay and the potter sit
together; or who understands thy wonderful plan of God?" And he supplies
the answer: "For eternal glory he has chosen me, and for that he teaches
me...." the Way of Light itself is "the spirit of the understanding
of all the Plan.... Without thee nothing came into existence—and he instructed
me in all knowledge" (Nibley 33).
It is through the gospel of Jesus
Christ, the plan of salvation, that the way is provided for each of us one day
to sit down with the potter, the Creator, even God our Father and his Son Jesus
Christ and to be one with them and to be like them, the ultimate fruit of faith.
I would like to discuss and
illustrate some principles which relate to the fruits of faith as presented in
the seventh lecture:
First, faith brings an eternal perspective
to our mortal life;
Second, salvation is the result of faith;
and
Third, perfection comes through faith.
Faith Brings an Eternal Perspective
to Our Mortal Life
Faith Is the First Principle in the
Science of Theology
In Lecture 7:5-6, we read:
It is only necessary for us to say
that the whole visible creation as it now exists is the effect of faith. It was
faith by which it was framed, and it is by the power of faith that it continues
in its organized form.... So, then, faith is truly the first principle in the
science of theology, and, when understood, it leads the mind back to the
beginning, and carries it forward to the end, or, in other words, from eternity
to eternity.... All the blessings of eternity are the effects of faith.
Expanding this concept further, we
read in paragraph 20:
From this we may extend as far as any
circumstances may require, whether on earth or in heaven, and we will find it
the testimony of all inspired men or heavenly messengers that all things that
pertain to life and godliness are the effects of faith and nothing else. All
learning, wisdom, and prudence fail, and everything else as a means of
salvation but faith.
Power by Which God Operates
Faith is literally the power by which
God himself operates in earthly and heavenly affairs. Miracles are the fruits
of faith; faith precedes the miracle. Behind each miracle is divine power, and
that power is faith.
As a young girl who had just had a
serious mastoid operation, I overheard the doctors explain to my parents that I
would not only lose my hearing but also my equilibrium and thus the ability to
walk. With my name on the prayer roll in the temple and my father's hands
placed on my head, assisted by another Melchizedek Priesthood bearer, I knew
that with faith in God I would be healed.
We read in the scriptures, "And
neither at any time hath any wrought miracles until after their faith;
wherefore they first believed in the Son of God" (Ether 12:18). Truly, as
the Lord Jesus said: "All things are possible to him that believeth"
(Mark 9:23). "For if there be no faith among the children of men God can
do no miracle among them; wherefore, he showed not himself until after their
faith" (Ether 12:12).
Faith is a principle, a key of power,
that opens the door to our progress. The abundance of life and salvation can
come to us only through our faith. It is the source of our feeling of
well-being, of courage, and of peace both in this life and in the world to
come. If we begin with Adam and look through the history of the generations of
this earth, we see his descendants (ourselves included) receiving blessings and
privileges according to the degree of faith that they possess. We read in
Lecture 7:17, "Every man [has] received according to his faith: according
as his faith was, so were his blessings and privileges. And nothing was
withheld from him when his faith was sufficient to receive it."
By the Power of Faith the Heavens Are Opened
The restoration of the gospel of
Jesus Christ began with the faith of one young boy. He had studied the
scriptures. He had implicit trust in the words of God: "If any of you lack
wisdom, let him ask of God.... But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering"
(James 1:5-6). Of that scripture he recorded, "Never did any passage of
scripture come with more power to the heart of man than this did at this time
to mine" (JS-H 1:12). One beautiful spring morning in a grove of trees
near his home, Joseph Smith knelt in prayer. He prayed vocally for the first
time in his life and asked God a specific question. His prayer of faith
unlocked the heavens. By the power of faith, the Father and his Son Jesus
Christ appeared to Joseph Smith, called him by name, and instructed him. That
same invitation to ask God in faith is extended to each of us today; and
because of the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ, we know of the nature
of God, the love of God, the reality of God and the great plan of salvation
provided for us, his children, to return and once again dwell with him.
Some time ago, I was asked to speak
to a group of young women on an early morning in the high
"Each one of you, sometime
before returning home, find a quiet spot in nature where you can experience
reverence for life all around you, and talk with your Father in heaven and
share with him the things that are in your heart. He is always there, and he
will hear you."... Two weeks later, in a fast and testimony meeting, [in
her own ward,] Becky [the assistant youth camp director] stood [to bear] her
testimony.... "Something about the feelings I had that special morning
made me want to be alone for a while. [So I] found a private spot where there
was a little opening in the trees. When I knelt down on the ground, thick with
pine needles, I didn't know for sure what to say, so I closed my eyes and said,
'Heavenly Father, do you know I am here?' I waited and waited, and I could hear
the wind in the trees. Then I opened my eyes and saw the sun coming through the
leaves, and I felt all warm inside." She paused a moment and then, in a
reverent whisper, added, "You may not think it was anything, but I know he
knew I was there" (Kapp, Miracles 39-40).
Becky, like the Prophet, had faith in
God. She felt her request was appropriate. She had simply asked, "Do you
know I'm here?" and she received an immediate answer. When she left the
mountains, she was never the same again. She knew more about God than she had
ever known before. She could better understand the testimony of the Prophet
Joseph Smith, that God did hear and answer his prayer.
Do we know he knows we are here? Have
we asked? From Becky's communication with God and by the power of faith, she
learned for herself that God is real. He cares about us, his children. He hears
our prayers. He answers with a message to our spirit that speaks louder than
words. While others may not be impressed or believe, we can know he
knows we are here by the power of our faith. And with that assurance, we have
the first requirement necessary to develop the faith that leads to salvation—we
know for ourselves that God lives.
Our Need for Greater Faith
We live in a time when people's
hearts are failing them and they need greater faith in God and a deeper
understanding of his eternal purposes. The burdens of life can be lifted
through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, but without faith people are unsettled,
unsure, and unsaved. Skepticism, cynicism, and doubt run rampant as the world
ripens in iniquity and would, if possible, destroy faith and its fruits like
hoards of black crickets devouring tender shoots. In the absence of faith, the
darkest clouds of fear and depression close in and put out the light.
These are no ordinary times.
President Ezra Taft Benson, speaking recently to the youth of the Church,
stated, "While our generation will be comparable in wickedness to the days
of Noah, when the Lord cleansed the earth by flood, there is a major difference
this time: God has saved for the final inning some of His stronger and most valiant
children, who will help bear off the kingdom triumphantly.... You are the
generation that must be prepared to meet your God" (Benson 73).
Our young Latter-day Saints are
showing evidence of the quality of faith that will carry them through difficult
times and prepare them to meet their God. Rosanna, a young girl from Anchorage,
Alaska, one of many thousands of young women of the Church who wrote a message
tied to a balloon and set it aloft on 11 October 1986, shared her testimony:
I am 15 years old and a member of The
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I know that God lives and loves
us. Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world. I love them with all my heart. If
I could wish for anything for the world, I would wish that everyone had a sure
knowledge that God lives and that he hears and answers prayers. I'm thankful
for the answers I've received to my prayers. You too can receive answers to
your prayers. All you have to do is ask. No matter who you are or what you have
done, God will listen (The Rising Generation 44).
With faith in God and a knowledge
that he listens to the prayers of his children, this young woman, with hundreds
of others, is bearing strong testimony. Their faith will keep them on course as
they walk the straight and narrow path leading to salvation.
Salvation Is the Result of Faith
Lecture 7:17, reads:
Salvation is the effect of faith....
All the heavenly beings work by this principle; and it is because they are able
so to do that they are saved, for nothing but this could save them. And this is
the lesson which the God of heaven has been endeavoring to teach to the world
by the mouth of all his holy prophets. Hence we are told that "without
faith it is impossible to please him [God]" (Heb 11:6), and that salvation
"is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be
sure to all the seed" (Rom 4:16).
The understanding of grace is
essential to our faith as we face our own limitations and weaknesses. The Bible
Dictionary of the LDS edition of the scriptures explains grace as "an
enabling power that allows men and women to lay hold on eternal life and
exaltation after they have expended their own best efforts" (BD 697).
Again from the seventh lecture we
read that the plan of salvation is offered to every child of God and is
referred to as a "system of faith" that "begins with faith ...
continues by faith, and every blessing which is obtained in relation to it is
the effect of faith, whether it pertains to this life or that which is to
come" (LF 7:17).
What is the relationship between
faith and salvation? The answer is found in the teachings of the Savior.
Lecture 7:16 explains what Jesus proposed to the human family when he provided
a means to save them. "He proposed to make them like unto himself, and he
was like the Father, the great prototype of all saved beings. For any portion
of the human family to be assimilated into their likeness is to be saved, and
to be unlike them is to be destroyed. On this hinge turns the door of
salvation."
Our diligent effort to plant the seed
of faith and nourish it daily is the most significant thing we can pursue in
this life. It gives us life. It is the very breath of life. It is the purpose
of life. Elder Bruce R.McConkie states, "We are
on a course that calls for us to pursue faith, and we have to pursue it until
that faith is perfected in us, meaning until we have the degree and quality and
kind of power that God our Father possesses" ("Lord, Increase Our
Faith" 6).
The Gradual Nature of Attaining Salvation
The plan of salvation revealed in
these latter days includes all that is needed for us to return to our Father in
Heaven and live with him once again, but it unfolds gradually to each of us
according to our diligence and faith in following the plan. Faith and salvation
are linked together. As mortals we are in the process of ultimately gaining
salvation. Faith possesses qualities that move us forward toward that ultimate
goal. Wendell O. Rich writes:
Faith is active.... [It] "will
impel to action." ... Faith is specific. ... [It] is vested in, and has force and power as it
relates to particular individuals, teachings, principles, and relationships. Faith
is individual. ... As a principle of growth and action it must be won, with
the help and power of God, by each within himself. ... Faith is spiritual
insight. [It is] "the evidence of things not seen" (Hebrews 11:1)
... Faith is assurance. It is a feeling of inner certainty.... From such
a feeling of assurance the ancient psalmist exclaimed, "The Lord is my
light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life;
of whom shall I be afraid." (Psalms 27:1) Faith is creative. ...
[It] moves men to solve problems, to find solutions, to ask questions believing
that there are answers to be found.... Faith is divine companionship. He
who has faith in a Divine Father is never alone. Faith in God carries with it
the promise of divine companionship (70-73; emphasis in original).
Fruits of Faith Bring Power to Endure Trials
It is the remarkable reality of the
promise of this divine companionship that fills our souls in peaceful and
troubled times and assures us we are never alone. We have covenanted with God
and he with us. When we went into the waters of baptism and covenanted to keep
his commandments, he also covenanted with us that he would never desert us,
never leave us, but that we could always have his Spirit to be with us. It is
faith in this companionship with the Lord Jesus Christ and obedience to his
commandments that allow us to endure all of the vicissitudes of this mortal
sojourn so necessary for our spiritual growth.
We see the great power of faith in
the lives of our brothers and sisters in various degrees and in various
circumstances. This unseen but very real force often appears more evident
during times of trial and testing. President Pablo Choc of the Patzicia Branch of the
But ... his service to his fellowman
was never greater than during the 1976 Guatemalan earthquake. At the same time
the fearsome earthquake was knocking the supporting beam on top of Elder
Randall Ellsworth while the young missionary was sleeping in the Patzicia Branch cultural hall, it was tumbling the walls of
Pres. Choc's home, killing his wife, a young son and
daughter. After he had seen to the needs of his family, and taken care of the
bodies of his wife and two children, Pres. Choc immediately went to the branch
chapel to check on the damage there. At the building he assisted in freeing
Elder Ellsworth and helped transport the missionary to
[Later, President Choc shared his
feelings.] "I am of course saddened by the death of my wife and children,
... and I will miss her in helping to raise our six remaining children. We were
married very young, and in all those years of marriage we never had a real
problem. Then in the three weeks after her death I did a lot of praying to the
Lord, more than I had ever done before, and I found a lot of strength in my
prayers and felt myself getting closer to the Lord.... Because of this I don't
think my faith ever weakened or wavered for a moment."
During this time the Choc's eldest son, Daniel, had been called on a mission and
had been teaching the American missionaries the Mayan dialect so proselyting could be stepped up in the mission district. As
a result of the earthquake, the missionaries had been assigned to assist in the
cleanup work with the members of the Church in their area. Elder Choc was
cleaning up the inside of a home as an aftershock occurred. His companion and
two other missionaries scrambled to safety, but Elder Choc was trapped by a
falling wall and killed. As Pres. Choc talked about the deaths in his family,
tears began to well in his eyes and slowly slide down his dirt-stained face.
"I was sad, very sad when Daniel
was killed, but in a way I am very happy. There are so many of my Mayan people
on the other side that Daniel, his mother and the other two children are
spending their time teaching them the Gospel message in their native language,
and they are spending their time serving the Lord.... This is really the Lord's
work" (Livingood 5).
It is only with faith in God that we
are able to face the events of this life.
We often face the daily basic routine
happenings, hardly recognizing the vital moving force that accompanies our
comings and goings. However, like the ebb and flow of the waters on the shoreline,
there come occasions of high tide when the power of faith is activated in ways
that we recognize as miraculous, and they become the very fruits of faith. They
bear evidence of the realities of God and our relationship to him. It is then
that we can draw deeply from a reservoir of faith gradually accumulated over
years of learning and living the gospel and coming to know the Savior. With
unwavering faith in God and the righteous desire of our hearts, we can call
upon the Lord and actually witness his hand in our own personal lives. I know
this to be true.
President Harold B. Lee, speaking to
seminary leaders at
Yes, the Savior, too, is in our
midst. His eyes are upon us, but we can't always see him. But the day can come when
we could see him. It isn't the Lord who withholds himself from us; it is we who
withhold ourselves from him. And if we were living completely worthy, we could
see him and have a personal visitation and we would have the assurance, even
though we couldn't see him, that he was there, walking, talking, listening,
aiding, directing. Make no mistake—this is his work (Goates
319-20).
We would expect to see such faith
among the prophets. But we also see it in the lives of all of his children who
truly believe.
I recently received a letter from a
thirteen-year-old Beehive class president. This young girl, called of God and
set apart by the authority of his holy priesthood, wrote the following:
This past month has been a real trial
for me. Dealing with my grandfather's death, then my mother is in the hospital,
and then my grandma died. All within a month's time.
I now realize the power and influence
that I have with the Beehive girls, and the difference I can make in their
lives. I love this gospel, and I will strive to live the commandments of God
all my life.
I know that I'm a daughter of a
Heavenly Father who loves me, and I love him. I will stand as a witness of God
at all times, in all things, and in all places.... I will be prepared to make
and keep sacred covenants, receive the ordinances of the temple, and enjoy the
blessings of exaltation! I hope that I can always be an example to others that
they might be touched by my strong testimony of the gospel.
I hope that I can find the lost sheep
of the Lord's flock. I will stand for truth and righteousness. I will
hold my torch high for everyone to see that I love the Lord and his gospel.
How plentiful the fruits of faith can
be, even in one so young.
Knowledge of God as One of the Fruits of Faith
In the process of gradually growing
in faith, we gain a sure knowledge of God. It is in coming to know God in the
full and true sense of the word that we gain all things pertaining to life and
godliness. And so we each ask the question posed in Lecture 7:18:
How were they to obtain the knowledge
of God? (For there is a great difference between believing in God and knowing
him—knowledge implies more than faith. And notice that all things that pertain
to life and godliness were given through the knowledge of God.) The answer is
that through faith they were to obtain this knowledge; and, having power by
faith to obtain the knowledge of God, they could with it obtain all other
things which pertain to life and godliness.
This experience of gradually growing
in faith should never be viewed as a casual half-hearted endeavor. President
Lee gave specific advice. He said: "'Learning by faith is no task for a
lazy man. Someone has said, in effect, that such a process requires the bending
of the whole soul [through worthy living]—the calling up from the depths of the
human mind and linking them with God. It makes those who follow this course
great in the sight of the Lord'" (Goates 539).
It is a great comfort to know
firsthand that we can walk by faith on a daily basis. We should never get
discouraged by thinking that it requires a mighty leap of faith before God will
respond to our earnest supplication. The prophet Alma speaks words of hope and
encouragement as he counsels, "But behold, if ye will awake and arouse
your faculties, even to an experiment upon my words, and exercise a particle of
faith, yea, even if ye can no more than desire to believe, let this desire work
in you, even until ye believe in a manner that ye can give place for a portion
of my words" (Alma 32:27).
Then comes the glory and absolute
promise—
And because of your diligence and
your faith and your patience with the word in nourishing it, that it may take
root in you, behold, by and by ye shall pluck the fruit thereof, which is most
precious, which is sweet above all that is sweet, and which is white above all
that is white, yea, and pure above all that is pure; and ye shall feast upon
this fruit even until ye are filled, that ye hunger not, neither shall ye
thirst. Then, my brethren, ye shall reap the rewards of your faith, and your
diligence, and patience, and long-suffering, waiting for the tree to bring
forth fruit unto you (
Praying and Pondering
The example of Enos provides a guide
for each of us as we seek diligently. First, he remembered what he had been
taught; then he went before God with a specific desire. The words of his father
regarding eternal life sank into his heart. His soul hungered. He cried out in
mighty prayer. He was answered by the voice of the Lord and received a remission
of his sins. He asked how it was done and was told that it came because of
faith in Christ. His faith in the Lord became unshaken. He continued to pray,
now in behalf of his brethren. The Lord said, "I will grant unto thee
according to thy desires, because of thy faith. . . . Whatsoever thing ye shall
ask in faith, believing that ye shall receive in the name of Christ, ye shall
receive it" (Enos 1:12, 15). Enos followed these steps, and we read his
final testimony:
And I soon go to the place of my rest,
which is with my Redeemer; for I know that in him I shall rest. And I rejoice
in the day when my mortal shall put on immortality, and shall stand before him;
then shall I see his face with pleasure, and he will say unto me: Come unto me,
ye blessed, there is a place prepared for you in the mansions of my Father
(Enos 1:27).
The fruit then comes as a witness
after our diligence, our faith, our patience, and may be more important,
"after the trial of [our] faith" (Ether 12:6).
After praying and pondering, we
become attuned to promptings which help us discern truth from error and bring
thoughts to our minds. Promptings come as surely as we live from day to day; to
this I testify. We can hear the words and thoughts as they are formulated in
our minds. We can learn to recognize promptings when they come. They are
usually fleeting and faint, never imposed.
President Lee repeated instruction
given by President David O. McKay concerning the promptings and impressions of
the Spirit. He reported,
The President made the statement that
... when we are relaxed in a private room we are more susceptible to those
things [spiritual promptings]; and that so far as he was concerned, his best
thoughts come after he gets up in the morning and is relaxed and thinking about
the duties of the day; that impressions come more clearly, as if it were to
hear a voice. Those impressions are right. If we are worried about something
and upset in our feelings, the inspiration does not come. If we so live that
our minds are free from worry and our conscience is clear and our feelings are
right toward one another, the operation of the Spirit of the Lord upon our
spirit is as real as when we pick up the telephone; but when they come, we must
be brave enough to take the suggested actions (Lee 15-16).
I have always known the power of
faith and prayer. But since my call as Young Women General President, I know it
more surely than I have known before, perhaps because I have sought more
diligently, more earnestly, more fervently. My prayers have been more specific.
There are occasions after inquiring of the Lord in prayer concerning important
matters that words and thoughts have filled my mind. I take a pencil and pad
and attempt to record all the insights and impressions as quickly as I can. Many
times those very thoughts and words have been significant to my assignment. As
we, our Father's children, have these undeniable experiences, is it any wonder
we find ourselves striving, yearning, reaching to feel the operation of the
Spirit of the Lord upon our spirit regularly and, if possible, constantly?
How do we develop faith? Faith
requires effort and every individual can qualify to receive this gift. The
process is simple and clear but requires diligence. It involves study, prayer,
and obedience to the commandments.
First, we study. In the 88th section of the Doctrine
and Covenants, the Lord instructs: "And as all have not faith, seek ye
diligently and teach one another words of wisdom; yea, seek ye out of the best
books words of wisdom; seek learning, even by study and also by faith" (v
118).
Second, we pray. The promise of the Lord is that
"the Spirit shall be given unto you by the prayer of faith" (D&C
42:14). The Spirit enlightens our minds and teaches gospel truth. It witnesses
the truth to us and carries it into our hearts.
Third, we strive to keep the
commandments. The
Savior gives us this glorious promise and insight in the Doctrine and
Covenants: "I give unto you these sayings ... that you may come unto the
Father in my name, and in due time receive of his fulness. For if you keep
my commandments, you shall receive of his fulness, and be glorified in me
as I am in the Father; therefore, I say unto you, you shall receive grace for
grace" (93:19-20; emphasis added).
Spiritual Confidence
As we strive to increase our faith in
God and gain knowledge through our own experience, often the hardest thing to
do is to believe in our own worthiness, our personal righteousness. Is there a
soul alive who has not had an occasion to cry out and plead with God at some
time, with a burning desire to increase in personal righteousness, to reach and
stretch far enough to connect? We yearn to know not only how to call upon the
Lord in faith, but desire to do everything possible to activate the power of faith.
Often, after extended periods of fasting and prayer, have we not asked,
"But, Father, what more can I do? What should I understand about working
by faith?" At those very times when we may feel least worthy and least
comfortable in calling upon the Lord in faith, when we have a keener sense of
our imperfections, when the flesh is weak and our spirit suffers
disappointments knowing the frailties of our lives are shouting at us, in those
moments our faith may waiver. It is then that we must trust in the Lord
completely to compensate for our weaknesses after we have expended our own best
efforts.
Our Savior, in his great
understanding and love for each of us, has promised, "I will not leave you
comfortless" (John 14:18). Through the process of cleansing our souls,
when we have become meek and lowly of heart, then "cometh the visitation
of the Holy Ghost, which Comforter filleth with
hope" (
To increase in righteousness and in confidence
before the Lord, Elder Bruce R. McConkie counseled:
Treasure up the words of light and
truth. Hear the gospel taught by legal administrators. Study the revelations
and believe what they say. Actually believe the recorded word from God and his
prophets, with the result that the hearing of the word is taken into your soul.
Then build on that foundation by righteousness and devotion and seeking the
Lord, by compliance with his law—and the inevitable result will be to grow in
faith ("Lord, Increase Our Faith" 10).
As we face each day and seriously
consider those things that are worthy of our attention, we learn to exercise
our faith every day. These matters of concern calling for increased faith might
include such things as a desire to strengthen our faith, strengthen family
relationships, increase understanding and sensitivity to the gift of the Holy
Ghost, increase physical health, study the scriptures, magnify Church callings,
continue in education, or increase employment skills. Through prayer and the
promptings of the Spirit, we can develop our own personalized list according to
our individual needs.
In the same talk, Elder McConkie
counseled further:
Don't go out and try to move
mountains, but go out and start in a small degree to do the thing you need to
do in your life to get what you ought to have temporally and spiritually....
Work on the projects ahead, and when you have taken one step in the acquiring
of faith, it will give you the assurance in your soul that you can go forward
and take the next step, and by degrees your power or influence will increase
until eventually, in this world or in the next, you will say to the Mt. Zerin's in your life, "Be thou removed." You will
say to whatever encumbers your course of eternal progress, "Depart,"
and it will be so (11).
Perfection Comes Through Faith
Mental Exertion
Let us consider those things that may
not move a mountain right away but will move us forward toward a more complete
faith. Again we must ask, "What should I understand about working by
faith?" To that searching supplication, we find this answer in Lecture
7:3:
We understand that when a man works
by faith he works by mental exertion instead of physical force. It is by words,
instead of by exerting his physical powers, with which every being works when
he words by faith. God said, "Let there be light: and there was
light" (Gen 1:3). Joshua spake and the great
lights which God had created stood still (Joshua 10:12-13). Elijah commanded
and the heavens were stayed for the space of three years and six months, so
that it did not rain; he again commanded and the heavens gave forth rain (1
Kings 17:1; 18:1, 41-45). All this was done by faith. And the Savior says:
"If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say to this mountain,
Remove . . . and it shall remove (Matt 17:20); or "say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up . . . and . . . planted
in the sea; and it should obey you" (Luke 17:6). Faith, then, works by
words; and with these its mightiest works have been and will be performed.
Prayer (thoughts and words)
represents mental exertion. We need to learn to access power by pleading our
cause in words that are specific to our needs.
Elder Bruce R. McConkie encouraged us
to learn how to pray "boldly and efficaciously, not in word only but in
spirit and in power, so that we may pull down upon ourselves . . . the very
powers of heaven" ("Why the Lord Ordained Prayer" 9).
There are times when we may even feel
at a loss to know for what we should pray. On those occasions, we read from the
scriptures, "Likewise the Spirit also helpeth
our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the
Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered" (Rom 8:26).
Pondering and meditating are
additional ways of learning through mental exertion. We first have the desire,
then we seek and draw upon our personal experiences. We search for additional
enlightenment and edification in an effort to expand our understanding. We
study the principles of the gospel and consider how they might be related to
the question at hand. Our Father in Heaven has promised that when we seek
diligently, ask, and knock, "it shall be opened unto [us]" (D&C
88:63).
Thought allows us to create, to
envision, to experience something in our mind. When we see clearly and become
specific about what it is we are seeking and feel it is a righteous desire and
according to the will of God, we can focus our thinking with a concentration of
power so that we can bring our faith, the energy of our mental processes, to
bear upon the thing for which we are praying. Through prayer we can then call
upon the powers of heaven, the enabling power that allows us to exercise our
faith. It is why we are counseled in the Doctrine and Covenants that our
"eye be single to [his] glory" and that our "minds become single
to God" (D&C 88:67-68). In a very literal sense, we see in our mind as
with an "eye of faith" (Ether 12:19).
As we learn to control our mind and
our thoughts through mental exertion and set aside all doubts and fears and ask
in faith, we can experience personal revelation through direct communication
with God.
I am impressed by the words of Orson
Pratt. On this subject he writes, "If a person trains his mind to walk in
the spirit, and brings his whole mind to bear upon its operations, and upon the
principles of faith which are calculated to put him in possession of the power
of God, how much greater will be his faculties for obtaining knowledge" (Journal
of Discourses 7:155-56).
I remember one time as a young girl
worrying about the importance of gaining knowledge. In anguish I asked my
father, "If the glory of God is intelligence and you are not smart, what
will happen to you?" And my very wise and learned father, who never
graduated from high school but was self-taught and intelligent through diligent
study and great faith, eased my concern as he explained, "My
dear child, if you are diligent in your studies and do your very best and are
obedient to God's commandments, one day, when you enter the holy temple, the
university of the Lord, you will be prepared in your mind and spirit to learn
and know all you need to know to return to your Father in Heaven." It was
faith in that promise that seemed to unlock my mind. Study and faith were then
put to work together. And I emphasize the relationship of work to both study
and faith—plodding toil, whole-souled devotion,
mental exertion. Over time, the realization of the Lord's promise came:
"Seek me diligently and ye shall find me; ask and ye shall receive; knock,
and it shall be opened unto you" (D&C 88:63).
Being One with Christ
Let us anticipate the consequence of
this gradual unfolding of faith that takes us over mountain peaks and into
valleys, allowing us to be tried and tested in all things. And after the trial
of our faith, what can we expect? Salvation is the greatest gift of all the
gifts of God, the most glorious of all the fruits of faith. And this is what we
can expect. This is a promise if we choose to qualify. In describing saved
beings, Lecture 7:9 states:
They must be persons who can work by
faith and who are able, by faith, to be ministering spirits to them who shall
be heirs of salvation. They must have faith to enable them to act in the
presence of the Lord; otherwise, they cannot be saved. And what constitutes the
real difference between a saved person and one not saved is the difference in
the degree of their faith. One's faith has become perfect enough to lay hold
upon eternal life, and the other's has not.
Paragraph 8 of that lecture states:
When men begin to live by faith, they
begin to draw near to God; and when their faith is perfected, they are like
him. And because he is saved they are saved also; for they will be in the same
situation he is in, because they have come to him. And "when he shall
appear we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is" (1 John 3:2).
Elder McConkie taught:
To be saved is to be like Christ,
inheriting, receiving, and possessing as he does. To gain salvation is to grow
in faith until we have the faith of Christ and thus are like him. Our nearness
to him and to salvation is measured by the degree of our faith. To gain faith
is to attain the power of Christ, which is God's power. To believe in Christ in
the full and true sense is to "have the mind of Christ" (1 Cor 2:16), that is, to believe what he believes, think what
he thinks, say what he says, and do what he does. It is to be one with him by
the power of the Holy Ghost (New Witness 206-07).
Lest we become discouraged, it is
important to understand and remember the process by which we grow spiritually.
It is not intended that we reach perfection in this life. On one occasion
Joseph Smith made the following declaration:
When you climb up a ladder, you must
begin at the bottom, and ascend step by step, until you arrive at the top; and
so it is with the principles of the gospel—you must begin with the first, and
go on until you learn all the principles of exaltation. But it will be a great
while after you have passed through the veil before you will have learned them.
It is not all to be comprehended in this world; it will be a great work to
learn our salvation and exaltation even beyond the grave (Teachings of the
Prophet Joseph Smith
348; emphasis in original).
So many scriptures make reference to
the Savior's statement that he came to fulfil his
Father's will. Our purpose is to make our will the same as his will, even as
expressed by Mary, "Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me
according to thy word" (Luke 1:38).
As we feast upon the words of Christ
through earnest study to know his will, then humble ourselves and learn to bend
our will as well as our knees, our faith increases, becoming stronger and
stronger. We have an ever-increasing desire to know his will and to carry it
out, and we become able and anxious to follow the pattern set by the Nephites
as recorded in the book of Helaman: "Nevertheless they did fast and pray
oft, and did wax stronger and stronger in their humility, and firmer and firmer
in the faith of Christ, unto the filling their souls with joy and consolation,
yea, even to the purifying and the sanctification of their hearts, which
sanctification cometh because of their yielding their hearts unto God"
(3:35).
As we learn to yield our hearts to
God in all things, we can experience the glorious promise given by our Savior
as he comforted his disciples just prior to his crucifixion: "Peace I
leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto
you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid" (John
14:27).
As we continually strive to make our
will the same as that of our Father and his Son, Jesus Christ, we will
gradually begin to think as they think, speak as they speak, do as they do.
Through faith our hearts will not be troubled, and we will be free of fear.
To the reality of this principle and
power of faith leading us to salvation, I bear my personal witness. I watched a
man of great faith experience the precious fruits of quiet submission, peace,
and spiritual confidence as he faced the final stages of his mortal probation.
Not many years ago, my father, who
then lived with us, was diagnosed as having cancer. Following his surgery, he
came home from the hospital weak in body but undaunted in spirit.
Over the next many weeks I saw his
body steadily weaken. It was as though his spirit was magnified by his
increased faith as his body steadily wasted away. Sometimes I would wait
outside his bedroom door while he was on his knees for what often seemed a very
long time and pondered the two-way communication I knew was taking place. His
meals consisted of a spoonful of baby food-all he could manage. But he
expressed thanks for it and gratitude for the lessons of each day.
He taught us continually as he
prepared himself for what he referred to as his graduation. At his last fast
and testimony meeting, he spoke only briefly, quoting Mosiah concerning the
need to yield to the enticings of the Holy Spirit and
to become "as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love,
willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth
fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father"
(Mosiah 3:19).
A few days later Dad stayed in bed,
sleeping off and on during the day.
I had decided to sit with him. It
seemed his eyes were open, yet he wasn't seeing me. I took his hand in mine, a
hand that had spanked me and blessed me and caressed me throughout my life.
"Dad," I whispered. He didn't respond. "If you know I'm here,
please squeeze my hand." I wasn't sure if there was a squeeze, but it
didn't seem like it. I bent over and put my cheek next to his very bony cheek,
with my hand on the other side of his face. I waited just a second, then
straightened up. It was as though his gaze returned from a long way [off]. He looked
at me just a moment, and in his eyes I saw complete peace. Joy, trust,
confidence, and anticipation all mingled together in that look. A tear escaped
from the corner of his eye. I pressed my cheek to his again. There are things
we cannot find words or even sounds to express, but in that moment we spoke
spirit to spirit, [and I knew he knew God was near].
Shortly after, ... [my] father's
eternal spirit left his mortal body. [We as a] family gathered together. I [had
seen] what had taken place, but what I felt was more real than what I saw. Dad
was not there in the body, but he was there with us extending his great
strength that had sustained us over the years. We knelt by his bed to give
thanks. With tears of gratitude binding us together as a family, we knew that,
because of what we had experienced but could not explain, we understood and
felt that peace of which he had so often spoke [—that peace that passeth all understanding] (Kapp,
Echoes 111-12).
Many times after this experience, I
returned to my father's room to remember and to try to recapture the tangible
warmth of the Spirit that had been there to comfort and reassure us of the
reality of the plan and ultimately the promise of salvation, the greatest of
all the fruits of faith.
Brothers and sisters, the plan of
salvation gives meaning and direction, vision and hope. It is with faith in God
that we begin and end this mortal life. God is our Father. We are his children
and to become like him is our eternal quest, our destiny. While this striving for
perfection will continue on after this life, we can witness evidence of the
great saving power of faith and its fruits all along the journey. Of these
eternal truths, I bear my personal witness.
NOTES
Ardeth G. Kapp is
the Young Women General President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Benson, Ezra Taft. "'You Are a
Marked Generation.'" Ensign (Apr 1987) 17:73-74.
Goates, L. Brent. Harold B. Lee, Prophet
and Seer.
Journal of Discourses. 26 vols. 1854-86.
Kapp, Ardeth G.
Echoes from My Prairie.
——. Miracles in Pinafores and Bluejeans.
Lee, Harold B. "Prayer."
Unpublished Address to Seminary and Institute Teachers (6 Jul 1956). Copy in
Church Historical Department.
Livingood, Jay. "Quake's Heavy Hand
Didn't Crush Testimony." Church News (23 Apr 1977) 5.
McConkie, Bruce R. "Lord,
Increase our Faith." Speeches of the Year, 1967-1968.
——. A New Witness for the Articles
of Faith.
——. "Why the Lord Ordained
Prayer." Ensign (Jan 1976 6:7-12.
Nibley, Hugh W. Nibley on the
Timely and the Timeless.
Rich, Wendell O. Our Living
Gospel.
The Rising Generation.
Teachings of the Prophet Joseph
Smith.
(Larry E. Dahl and Charles D. Tate,
Jr., eds., The Lectures on Faith in Historical Perspective [Provo: BYU
Religious Studies Center, 1990], 263.)