Preface: Who is there, that has not wondered who God is? Where did He get His power? Why is it that even the elements obey His voice? Why did He tell us to be perfect even as He is; is that even possible? Why are humans so special that He tries to improve us and asks us to obey His commands? Why did Jesus, the perfect man, have to die in order to save us? What did He save us from? If all that we need to know about God is in the scriptures, why don’t scriptorians, or bible scholars, answer these seemingly simple questions for us? The mysteries of Godliness are mysteries only because we haven’t been enlightened. “No man can reveal to you aught but that which already lies half asleep in the dawning of your knowledge.” (Kahlil Gibran)
The following information is not a discourse but rather a series of scriptures that I have found in a variety of places. I have put them together to help us understand the nature of God, in relation to man, scriptures that hopefully enlighten and encourage man to live better, to have faith and to be more ‘resonant’. He with great faith has won it through blood and tears – has worked his way from doubt to truth as one who reaches a clearing through a thicket of brambles and thorns. Think carefully about the following.
Apparently, we can learn only what we have prepared ourselves to learn. As stated by Alma 12:9. “And now Alma began to expound these things unto him, saying: It is given unto many to know the mysteries of God; nevertheless they are laid under a strict command that they shall not impart only according to the portion of his word which he doth grant unto the children of men, according to the heed and diligence which they give unto him.” Some may be given very little, if any, and others a fullness, depending on their diligence and desire to be faithful and willing to learn as found in Alma 12:10-11. “And therefore, he that will harden his heart, the same receiveth the lesser portion of the word; and he that will not harden his heart, to him is given the greater portion of the word, until it is given unto him to know the mysteries of God until he know them in full.” It is important to learn these things. If we do, it will be beneficial in the next stage of life. ”Whatever principle of intelligence we attain unto in this life, it will rise with us in the resurrection. And if a person gains more knowledge and intelligence in this life through his diligence and obedience than another, he will have so much the advantage in the world to come.” D & C 130:18-19 “Behold, I am Jesus Christ, the son of God….I am the light which shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehended it not.” D & C 6;21 Melvin Cook, a scientist, expanded on that: “A particularly interesting feature of light interaction with matter is the principle of resonance… When a ray of light strikes a body, if it happens that the frequency of the light is in exact synchronism (or resonance) with the matter it strikes, the light will be absorbed by the matter. The correlation, “The light shineth in darkness and the darkness comprehended it not.” D.& C. 6:21. This is in reference to those who fail to be activated by the spirit of God. Those who adhere to the truth and obey divine law receive the light of truth because they are attuned to the source of truth or are in resonance with it. When attuned, a person receives more and more light, until the perfect day. Obedience and recognition of the hand of the Lord in all things are the key to spiritual resonance.
Alma, a prophet writing in the Book of Mormon, describes the process by which we attain intelligence through attunement (resonance) and the mechanism whereby we lose it. “And they that will harden their hearts, to them is given the lesser portion of the word until they know nothing concerning His mysteries, and then they are taken captive by the devil.” II Nephi 28:29-30 One cannot absorb light if he is not in tune with it. Our job is to attune ourselves to the source of all truth. When one has reached the ‘perfect day’ and has a direct source of light then he will be a source of light himself, as found in D&C 93:27-28. “No man receiveth a fullness unless he, himself, keepeth the commandments and receiveth truth and light until he is glorified in truth and knoweth all things.” Alma 12: 9-11. “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.” D & C 88:13 “I am (God) the light and the law.” 3 Nephi 15:9 God’s intelligence is based on His “Light and truth” as found in D & C 93:29. “The Glory of God is Intelligence” (or light and truth). Light has been given to man ever since the beginning. “Adam sought further light and knowledge from God.” Duet. 30: 10-16. I love “Wo” scriptures. Not because they are negative but because I think that it is awesome that God, our Father, warns us about very specific things that can lead us away from Him. An example is found in 2 Nephi 28:29-30. “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father in Heaven is perfect”, can be an overwhelming challenge. He is saying that we should try to become as He is, full of light. “And no man receiveth a fulness unless he keepeth his commandments. He that keepeth his commandments receiveth truth and light, until he is glorified in truth and knoweth all things.” D&C 93: 24 Man was also in the beginning with God, as an intelligence. That is the mystery of Godliness. Intelligence or light and truth, was not created or made, neither indeed, can be. D & C 93:28 – 29 “For man is spirit, the elements are eternal and spirit and element inseparably connected receive a fullness of joy” (immortality) D & C 93:33 Eternalism is the idea that the mind of man or the essence of his personality has neither beginning or ending. That doctrine, or knowledge, makes men better husbands and fathers than they might have been without it. The husband – wife relationship is generally on a much higher plane. Women are better mothers, etc. To know the eternal nature of man and his relationship to His infinite and eternal Father requires that we continually strive for characteristics, attributes and perfections like our Eternal Father in Heaven. The prophet Moroni wrote; “Pray unto the father with all the energy of heart; That ye may become the sons (daughters) of God…that when He shall appear we shall be like Him.” When men begin to live by faith they begin to draw near to God; and when faith is perfected they are like Him. Christ prayed that we may become one with the Father. “That they all may be one; as thou, Father art in me and I in thee. That they also may be made perfect in one. John 14:20-24 To be one with God requires that we develop within ourselves His characteristics and attributes including: Mercy and grace, … He is always the same, He is truthful and He cannot lie. He is not a respecter of persons, but He treats us all equally. He is full of love. His attributes are: omniscient- all knowing, Omnipotent- all powerful, just, merciful and truthful. That may seem overwhelming. If you want a quality, behave as though you already had it and you will obtain it. The worst widespread disease in the world is an inferiority complex. We have to believe that foreheads can get broader and that hearts can get bigger. Pray unto the Father with all the energy of your heart and soul that you may grow just a little more like Him each day. Constantly be aware that you need to improve. Jesus thought it not blasphemous to be perfect, even as our Father in Heaven is perfect.
No need to say more. If a man will not be stimulated by the few scriptures mentioned and the many other scriptures available, he will not be motivated to know more about his God. As Nephi said, “The Spirit stoppeth mine utterance, and I am left to mourn because of the unbelief, and the wickedness, and the ignorance, and the stiffneckedness of men; for they will not search knowledge, nor understand great knowledge, when it is given unto them in plainness, even as plain as word can be.” 2 Nephi 32:7