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Chapter One
The Eternal Father
The great and grand plan of the Eternal Father for ALL
creation is Eternal Life which is available according to our
faith. Therefore, it is essential that we have a true
concept of this First Source and Center of all other beings
that we will be able to have the confidence necessary to
eventually develop perfect faith. Joseph Smith explains this
in his Lectures on Faith which were taught in the School of
the Prophets:
JSBHW, Vol. 11, Section IV, Page 45, Para. 3
"....HOW NECESSARY CORRECT IDEAS OF HIS (GOD'S! ATTRIBUTES
ARE. TO ENABLE MEN TO EXERCISE FAITH IN HI M. For
without these ideas being planted in the minds of men, IT
WOULD BE OUT OF THE POWER OF ANY PERSON OR PERSONS TO
EXERCISE FAITH IN GOD SO AS TO OBTAIN ETERNAL LIFE."
Page 43 ".... because without this. he would not
know how soon the mercy of God might change into cruelty!
his long suffering into rashness, his love into hatred and
in consequence of which doubt. man would be incapable of
exercising faith in him. but having the idea that he is
UNCHANGEABLE! man can have faith in him continually.
believing that what he was yesterday he is today. and will
be forever."
Section III, Page 40, Para. 22 "....having the idea that
HE IS NOT MAN that he can lie, it gives
power to the minds of men to exercise faith in him."
And being not a man we find He is a Personage of Spirit who
is everywhere present with no limits or bounds to his
existence. He has all fullness, perfection, knowledge, glory
and power and being eternal had no beginning or end. There
is no one above him and no one greater. He is the Supreme
Ultimate:
Section V, Pages 52 and 53, Para. 2 "There are two
personages who constitute the great, matchless, governing
and supreme power over all things.... They are the Father
and the Son: THE FATHER BEING A PERSONAGE OF SPIRIT.
GLORY and POWER: POSSESSING
ALL PERFECTION AND FULLNESS. "
Section 11, Page 12, Para. 2 " God is the only supreme
governor, and independent
being, in whom all fullness and perfection dwells; who is
OMNIPOTENT (Dictionary possessing
unlimited power), OMNIPRESENT
(Dictionary - present in ALL places at the same
time) OMNISCIENT (Dictionary - having
knowledge of all things); WITHOUT BEGINNING OF DAYS
OR END OF LIFE: and that in him every good
gift, and every good principle dwells; 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 centers for life and salvation." Section III, Page
40, Para. 24 "And lastly....that he is
LOVE;"
We have leaned at the Supreme Being does not fluctuate
between acceptance and rejection for the inhabitants of
earth according to their obedience or disobedience but is
stable and unchangeable in his PERFECT
UNCONDITIONAL LOVE
forever. 1
1 There are
many scriptures that use the term "FEAR GOD" which seems to
promote the concept that we must be afraid of God. The
following clarifies the term "FEAR" where God is
concerned:
Proverbs 8:13 "The FEAR of the Lord IS TO
HATE EVIL:. This is consistent with the dictionary meaning
of "fear" when it pertains to the
Divine: Extreme REVERENCE or AWE, as toward a supreme
power..
Therefore, the term "fear God" is not meant to denote
anxiousness or apprehension in our attitude toward God but
TO PAY HOMAGE TO THAT WHICH SHOULD BE RESPECTED AND
HONORED.
The scriptures verify He is a PERSONAGE OF SPIRIT (Alma
18:26, 1 Tim. 1:17, Eph. 4:6); describe his PERFECTION (1
John 1:5;4:8, James 1:17;3:17, Acts 10:34, 1 Ne. 10:18, Alma
26:35, Matt. 5:48, Pro. 30:5) and inform us that he is NOT A
MAN (Nu. 23:19), but in my search to find something that
will do complete justice to all of his attributes I can only
offer you the following:
D & C 88:41 He comprehendeth all
things, and all things are before him. and all things are
round about him; and he is above all things. and IN ALL
THINGS, and is THROUGH ALL THINGS, and is round about all
things; and all things are by him, and of him, even God.
forever and ever."
As one contemplates this Supreme Intelligence may I ask the
question, "Can that which is infinite be completely
comprehended by a finite mind (mortal man)?H For those who
feel they are into understanding let me offer the following
example of one aspect of the characteristics of the Divine
for a mental exercise which is the power of God given to
Moses while "in the Spirit: "
Moses 1:27 "And it came to pass, as the voice was
still speaking, Moses cast his eyes and b
eheld the earth, yea, even all of it; AND THERE WAS
NOT A PARTICLE OF IT WHICH HE DID NOT BEHOLD. DISCERNING IT
BY TH E SPIRIT OF GOD.
28 And he beheld also the inhabitants
thereof, AND THERE WAS NOT A SOUL WHICH HE BEHELD NOT; AND
HE DISCERNED THEM BY THE SPIRIT OF GOD; and their
numbers were great, even numberless as the sand upon the sea
shore.
29 AND HE BEHELD MANY
LANDS; and each land was called earth, and there were
inhabitants on the face thereof."
2. The Eternal Son
Quoting again from the Lectures on Faith:
JSBHW, Vol. II, Section V, Page 53 "The Son, who was in the
bosom of the Father, A PERSONAGE OF TABERNACLE, made,
or fashioned like unto an, or BEING IN THE FORM
AND LlKENESS 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 was ordained from before the foundation of the world to
be a propitiation for the sins of all those who should
believe on his name, and IS CALLED THE SON BECAUSE OF THE
FLESH - and descended in suffering below that which man
can suffer; or, in other words, 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: And also, that by him a
righteous judgment might come upon all flesh, and that all
who walk not in the law of God, may justly be condemned by
the law, and have no excuse for their sins. And 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 - "
We find the scriptures consistent with the
foregoing:
He is called THE SON "BECAUSE HE DWELLETH IN
FLESH," Mosiah 15:2 (Gal. 4:4, Ro. 8:3, Phil. 2:6-8, 1 Ne.
11 :18);is THE ONLY BEGOTTEN "from the
beginning. henceforth and forever," which
time spectrum pretty well verifies his being the "Only
Begotten," Moses 5:9 (John 3:16, Heb. 1:4 & 5);
SUFFERED, Mosiah 3:7 (Heb. 5:8, 2 Ne. 9:5); went from GRACE
TO GRACE (D & C 88:6); and was the FIRST TO SUBDUE THE
WEAKNESSES OF AN EARTHLY TABERNACLE thus becoming the first
to qualify for the distinguished title "FIRSTBORN," being
the first to be REBORN SPIRITUALLY and receive the glory of
the Father (RB, Ro. 8:29 & 30, Col. 1:15-19); and being
the first to achieve this righteous status was chosen as the
" Perfect Sacrifice" TO APPEASE THE LAW OF JUSTICE (Alma
42:15), FOR IF JUSTICE WERE IMMEDIATELY EXECUTED FOR THE
LAWBREAKER TIME COULD NOT BE ALLOTTED SUFFICIENTLY FOR THE
STUDENT OF THIS EARTHLY EXPERIENCE TO LEARN AND CHOOSE.
We have learned that the Divine Eternal Father is
Omnipresent (everywhere present) beyond Alpha and Omega
(beginning and end). Out of His Divine Plan He extended
Himself through His Divine Son - His Christ - the only
begotten Son from Eternity - and ORIGINATOR
OF THE OFFICE OF DIVINE SONSHIP.
And every Savior (Christ) who fills this office under this
Divine Sonship follows the same pattern.
3. The Holy Spirit (Holy
Ghost!)
JSBHW, Vol. II, L on F, Section III, Pages 36 & 37
"First Cor. 2:9,10,11: "But as it is written, eye has not
seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of
man, the things which God has prepared for
them that love him; but God has revealed them unto us by his
Spirit: for the Spirit searches all
things! yea, the deep
things of God. For what man knows the things of a man, save
the spirit of man which is in him? Even so,
THE THINGS OF GOD NO MAN KNOWS
BUT BY THE SPIRIT OF GOD."
Section V, Page 54, Para. 3 "....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; for as the Father
and the Son are one, so in like manner the saints are to be
one in them, 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 following describes the Holy Spirit:
The Holy Spirit is EFFECTIVE ACCORDING TO OUR FAITH, Moroni
10:7 (RB John 7:39, 1 Ne. 10:19); TEACHES US all things that
are expedient, D & C 75:10 (Ex. 31:3, Luke 12: 12, Alma
7: 13, Neh. 9:20); is PURE INTELLIGENCE, Words of JS, Page 4
(1 Cor. 2:912, 12:3, Moroni 10:3-5); is a REVELATOR, Words
of JS, Page 256 (1 Cor. 2: 10, Alma 5:45 & 46; 12:3);
brings things past TO OUR REMEMBRANCE, leads us into ALL
TRUTH, and shows us of THINGS TO COME, Teachings, Page 243
(John 14:26; 16:13, Luke 1:67 & 68, Nu. 11:25, Acts 2:17
& 18); ENLIGHTENS OUR MIND which shall fill our soul
with joy, D & C 11:13 (Gal. 5:22, Ezek. 36:26 & 27,
Acts 13:52, Ro. 14:17); unfolds the MYSTERIES OF GOD, 1 Ne.
10: 19 (1 Cor. 2:9 & 10); BEARS RECORD of the Father and
the Son, Moses 5:9 (John 15:26, Acts 7:55, Ether 12:41, 3
Ne. 11:35 & 36; 28:11) and, we are WROUGHT (worked) UPON
and CLEANSED by its power, Moroni 6:4 (1 Sam. 10:6).
Through the Holy Spirit we become aware of OUR "gift" that
is given us of God:
2 Tim. l :6 "Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou
stir up the gift of God, WHICH IS IN
THEE by the putting on of my hands. "
Joseph Smith restored this power and it is again
accomplished through "the laying on of hands" by
those given authority to give Patriarchal Blessings:
D & C 46:11 "For all have not every gift given
unto them; for there are many gifts, and TO EVERY
MAN IS GIVEN A GIFT BY THE SPIRIT OF GOD. " (D & C 6:
10, 1 Cor. 7:7; 12:411, Alma 9:21, Heb. 2:4)
And these gifts are UNCONDITIONAL:
Ro. 11 :29 "For the gifts and calling of God are
WITHOUT repentance. "
The Holy Spirit is the means through which God is everywhere
present and, as a gift to you, is something that you MUST
EXPERIENCE THROUGH "BEING" (FEELING) THE GOD WITHIN:
D & C 121:45 "Let thy bowels also be full of CHARITY
towards all men, and to the household of faith, and let
VIRTUE garnish thy thoughts unceasingly; then shall thy
confidence wax strong in the presence of God; and the
doctrine of the Priesthood shall distill upon thy soul as
the dews from heaven.
46 THE HOLY GHOST SHALL BE THY CONSTANT COMPANION
AND THY SCEPTER AN UNCHANGING SCEPTER OF RIGHTEOUSNESS AND
TRUTH; AND THY DOMINION SHALL BE AN
EVERLASTING DOMINION, AND WITHOUT COMPULSORY MEANS
IT SHALL FLOW UNTO THE E FOREVER AND
EVER. "
One witness WITHIN from this Spirit of Truth removes all
doubt. An example is:
When Jesus was among his disciples they saw, heard and were
a witness to many of His spoken truths and miracles. Yet,
when their testimony would have helped sustain him in his
darkest hour, they failed. After the Savior's ascension into
heaven, the Comforter (Holy Spirit)
came and bore witness IN THEM and then they, even unto
death, proclaimed His Divinity.
The scripture states: "They see and don't see," and "Hear
and don't hear," and how true it is, BUT WHEN SPIRIT (God's
spirit) SPEAKS TO SPIRIT (God's spirit within mankind) THEY
NOT ONLY SEE AND HEAR BUT THEY KNOW.
The foregoing has informed us of the Supreme Eternal Godhead
- the First Source and Center.
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