Articles of Faith: What Do Latter-day Saints Believe About the Godhead 6?

Article of Faith 1

We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ,

                                and in the Holy Ghost.

This is the sixth and last article on the Godhead in my series on the Articles of Faith of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The past few weeks, I discussed the character of God the Father or Elohim, and last week I discussed Jesus Christ or Jehovah. Since Jesus Christ taught that His disciples “he that hath seen me hath seen the Father” (John 14:9), we can know that He has the same character traits as His Father.

Through latter-day revelation, we know that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ each have a physical body made of flesh and bone, but the Holy Ghost is a spirit personage. Doctrine and Covenants 130:22-23 teaches as follows:

22 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.

23 A man may receive the Holy Ghost, and it may descend upon him and not tarry with him.

My essay for this week will use the words of Elder Bruce R. McConkie to explain clearly who the Holy Ghost is.

There are several ways in which the labors and ministry and status of “God the third,” who is the Holy Ghost, are separate from the other members of the Godhead. Chief among them are these:

1. He is a personage of spirit.

The Father and the Son have tangible bodies of flesh and bones, while “the Holy Ghost has not a body of flesh and bones, but is a personage of Spirit.” That is, he is a spirit person, a spirit entity, a spirit man. He is the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of the Lord. Why this difference between him and the other two members of the Godhead? With reference to his status as “a personage of Spirit,” the scripture says: “Were it not so, the Holy Ghost could not dwell in us.” (D&C 130:22.) That is to say, according to the eternal laws ordained by the Father, there are certain separate and distinct things to be done by a spirit member of the Godhead. He is to dwell, figuratively, in the faithful, and he is to speak to their spirits in a special and particular way, which he can do because he himself is a spirit.

2. He is the Testator, Revelator, Comforter.

The Holy Ghost is God’s minister; he is appointed to teach and testify, to bear witness of the Father and the Son, and to reveal all needful things to men. As the Testator, he bequeaths salvation, through an eternal testament, to the heirs of God. The Holy Ghost is a Revelator. Almost always the first great revelation received by any person is a testimony of the truth and divinity of the Lord’s work on earth. “And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.” (Moroni 10:5.) He is the Comforter. Those who enjoy his companionship find their whole souls are filled with comfort and joy. And the very reason men are commanded to repent and be baptized is so they “may be sanctified by the reception of the Holy Ghost, that [they] may stand spotless before [the Lord] at the last day.” (3 Nephi 27:20.)

 3. He uses the light of Christ in his ministry.

The light of Christ (also called the Spirit of Christ and the Spirit of the Lord) is a light, a power, and an influence that proceeds forth from the presence of God to fill the immensity of space. It is the agency of God’s power and the law by which all things are governed. It is also the agency used by the Holy Ghost to manifest truth and dispense spiritual gifts to many people at one and the same time. For instance, it is as though the Holy Ghost, who is a personage of spirit, was broadcasting all truth throughout the whole universe all the time, using the light of Christ as the agency by which the message is delivered. But only those who attune their souls to the Holy Spirit receive the available revelation. It is in this way that the person of the Holy Ghost makes his influence felt in the heart of every righteous person at one and the same time. (Bruce R. McConkie, A New Witness for the Articles of Faith [1985], 69-70)

Articles of Faith: What Do Latter-day Saints Believe About the Godhead 5?

Article of Faith 1

We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ,

                                and in the Holy Ghost.

This is the fifth article on the Godhead in my series on the Articles of Faith of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The past few weeks, I discussed the character of God the Father or Elohim. Since Jesus Christ taught that His disciples “he that hath seen me hath seen the Father” (John 14:9), we can know that He has the same character traits as His Father. This essay will use the words of Elder Bruce R. McConkie to explain clearing who Jesus Christ is.

There are numerous ways in which the labors and ministry and status of “God the second,” who is the Son, are distinct and separate from the other members of the Godhead. Chief among them are these:

1. He is the Firstborn.

Our Blessed Lord is the firstborn spirit child of the Father of Spirits; all others are junior to him. His is the eternal birthright and the everlasting right of presidency. “I was in the beginning with the Father,” he says, “and am the Firstborn.” (D&C 93:21.) Paul says he is “the image of the invisible God, the first born of every creature.” (Colossians 1:15.) The body he then possessed was a spirit body, a body made of spirit element, a body like those of all the spirit hosts of heaven. Appearing to the brother of Jared, he said: “This body, which ye now behold, is the body of my spirit.” (Ether 3:16.) In that spirit state he advanced and progressed until, in power, dominion, and intelligence, he became, “like unto God.” (Abraham 3:24.) It was then that he created all things and was foreordained to be the Savior and Redeemer.

2, He is the Creator.

Under the Father, Christ is the Creator of this earth, of worlds without number, of all things. Paul says: “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: and he is before all things, and by him all things consist.” (Colossians 1:16-17.) Being “like unto God,” he became and was the GREAT I AM, the I AM THAT I AM, the Eternal One, the Lord Jehovah. He operated and ministered in his Father’s name and by his Father’s power.

3. He is the Promised Messiah.

The ancient prophets testified that God would send his Son into the world to save and deliver his people, to save them from the temporal and spiritual death brought upon all mankind through the fall, to be their Deliverer and Redeemer. The prophetic word acclaimed him as the Messiah, the Anointed One, the Son of David, who would reign on the throne of his Father….

4. He is the God of our Fathers.

Because God is known only by revelation, because the knowledge of God and of salvation was revealed to our father, and because there is only one God and one plan of salvation for all men in all ages, how appropriate it is to call Christ (by whom salvation comes) the God of our fathers. He was their God and he is our God….

5. He is the Son of God.

All men (Christ included) were born as the sons of God in the spirit; one man (Christ only) was born as the Son of God in this mortal world. He is the Only Begotten in the flesh. God was his Father; Mary was his mother. His Father was an immortal man; his mother was a mortal woman. He is the Son of God in the same literal, full, and complete sense in which he is the son of Mary. There is nothing symbolic or figurative about it. He is God’s Almighty Son and as such is distinguished from the Father in the same way any son is a separate person from his father.

6. He is our Redeemer, Savior, Mediator, Intercessor, and Advocate.

Salvation comes because of Christ and his atoning sacrifice. He is the Redeemer who ransoms men from the effects of Adam’s fall. He brings immortality to all men, thus redeeming them from temporal death through the resurrection. Those who believe and obey his laws are redeemed from spiritual death and have eternal life. In like manner he is the Savior….

7. He manifests and reveals the Father.

There are two concepts here. First, God was in Christ manifesting himself to the world. That is, because the Son was in the express image and likeness of the Father, and because he was one with the Father in all things, insomuch that he did and said what the Father would do and say in like circumstances, anyone who saw the Son also the Father. To know the Son is to know the Father. Second, Christ reveals the Father to the faithful, as it is written, “Neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.” (Matthew 11:27.) …

8. He is the Eternal Judge.

“The Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: that all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father.” (John 5:22-23.) And this Son of Man, in a not far-distant day, shall come again, in all the glory of his Father’s kingdom, to take vengeance upon the ungodly and to give glory and honor to the righteous.

9. He is the Father.

There are three ways in which Christ the Son is properly called the Father. First, he is “the Father of the heavens and of the earth, and all things that in them are.” (Ether 4:7.) That is, he is the Maker, Organizer, and Creator of all things; he fathered them in this sense. Second, he is the Father of all who believe and obey his law. Those who receive the gospel have “power to become [his]sons.” (D&C 39:4.) they thus become “the children of Christ, his sons, and his daughters”; they are “spiritually begotten” by him; they take upon them “the name of Christ.” (Mosiah 5:7-8.) They are born again and have a new Father. Third, he is the Father by divine investiture of authority. “In all His dealings with the human family Jesus the Son has represented and yet represents Elohim His Father in power and authority.” The Father, accordingly, places his own name upon the Son so the Son can speak in the first person as though he were the Father. “And so far as power, authority and Godship are concerned His words and acts were and are those of the Father.” (“The Father and the Son,” exposition of the First Presidency, June 30, 1916.)

Articles of Faith: What Do Latter-day Saints Believe About the Godhead 4?

 

Article of Faith 1

We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ,

                                and in the Holy Ghost.

 

This is the fourth article on the Godhead in my series on the Articles of Faith of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The past few weeks, I discussed a statement by the Prophet Joseph Smith in a lecture on faith titled “The Character of God.” Early in the lecture, he shared three things that are necessary to have faith in God strong enough to lead to salvation. The statement is important enough to repeat in this discussion. 

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.

Two weeks ago, I discussed the personality of each member of the Godhead, or Trinity. Last week, I used the words of Elder James E. Talmage to share some of the divine attributes of the Godhead (The Articles of Faith [1890], pp. 42-44). This week, I will share the words of Elder Bruce R. McConkie (A New Witness for the Articles of Faith [1985], 45-50) to discuss how God is or can be known to everyone.

1. God is known by instinct.

All men are spirit children of God the Eternal Father. In the premortal life we all dwelt in his presence, saw his face, and heard his voice. We were as well acquainted with him in that day as we are with our earthly fathers in this. The spirit within us is the offspring of God. Now housed in a tabernacle of clay, it is the intelligent, sentient, believing, knowing part of the human personality. The mind of man is in the spirit.

The probationary nature of our mortal estate calls for us to forget the life we lived and the experiences we had when we dwelt in the courts of the Eternal King. But it does not divest us of the spiritual and mental talents we acquired while in that eternal world. We are born into mortality with every innate capacity, every instinct to believe truth and cleave unto light, every faculty and ability with which we were then endowed.

Further, as part of life itself, all mortals are endowed with a heavenly gift called the light of Christ. This divine endowment manifests to us the difference between good and evil. We do not need to be taught what is right and wrong. This knowledge is bred in our bones; it is hereditary; it is innate, inborn, and intuitional in nature. Call it conscience, if you will, say that it is a divine inheritance from a Divine Parent; identify it as a spark of divinity sent by Deity to fire the soul with the flames of righteousness; call it the Spirit of Christ – it has many names. But what counts is that it is real. It is “the true light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world.” (D&C 93:2.) Of it Mormon said: “The Spirit of Christ is given to every man, that he may know good from evil.” (Moroni 7:16.) In a revelation to Joseph Smith the Lord called it “the Spirit of Jesus Christ, and the Spirit giveth light to every man that cometh into the world.” All receive a divine inheritance at birth. It is a free gift as far as any act performed in mortality is concerned….

2. God is known by reason.

Man’s instinctive belief in God and his inborn desire to worship a Supreme Being is strengthened by reason. The seeds of belief are watered from the wells of reason, and the tree of faith soon sprouts in the believing soul. And the more man learns about himself and all the mysteries and marvels of the human body; the more he knows about life in all its forms and varieties; the greater his knowledge becomes about the planets and suns that sweep through the starry heavens – the more he knows about all things, the clearer it becomes to him that there is a divine hand, an omnipotent power, a supreme person, a ruling law that first created and now governs all that is. Truly, all things attest that there is an Almighty God. “All things denote there is a God,” Alma said, “yea, even the earth, and all things that are upon the face of it, yea, and its motion, yea and all the planets which move in their regular form do witness there is a Supreme Creator.” (Alma 30:44.)

But seeking God by reason alone and through intellectual processes without more is fraught with peril. It is easy for a rational mind to see order in the system of creation and to learn of the laws by which worlds and galaxies are controlled. There are evidences of design on every hand; cause and effect operate in the animal and vegetable kingdoms as well as with the rocks and the rains. The peril lies in assuming that the laws and powers are God, in worshipping and serving “the creature more than the Creator.” (Romans 1:25.)

Neither instinct nor reason, nor the two combined, sets forth the nature and kind of being whom men must worship to gain salvation. Both simply lay a foundation and chart a course leading to a knowledge of the true and living God. Every rational person knows there is some supreme power, some first great cause, some omnipotent force in the universe. The reasoning step that follows this recognition is that the design is not the designer, the contrivance is not the contriver, the law and power are not the being by whom these came. The existence of created things simply bears witness that there is a Creator….

3. God is known through history and tradition.

Because God created man in his own image and likeness and placed him on earth as an essential requirement for gaining salvation, because salvation is gained through a knowledge of God and an obedience to the laws of his gospel, and because eternal life itself consists of knowing the Father and the Son, it follows that God must in necessity reveal himself and his laws to man. This he did. Adam our father, the first man of all men, the primal parent of the human race, received a knowledge of God by revelation. God the Eternal Father walked and talked with him in the Garden of Eden; the Lord Jehovah appeared to him after the fall; and from angelic ministrants and by the gift of the Holy Ghost he learned the saving truths of the gospel. This was the beginning of the knowledge of the true God among man. “And Adam and Eve blessed the name of God, and they made all things known unto their sons and their daughters.” (Moses 5:12.)

Adam is the pattern. He stands as earth’s first prophet, and among his righteous descendants a host of prophets are numbered. At least eight generations of descendants lived to hear his teachings. Presiding high priests representing seven of these generations (Seth, Enos, Cainan, Mahalaleel, Jared, Enoch, and Methuselah) were all with him at Adam-ondi-Ahman when the Lord Jehovah appeared and ministered among them. (D&C 107:53-55.) To see and commune with either the Father or the Son is to know them both, for hey are in the express image of each other and are one in all they do….

4. God is known by revelation.

Though every man in his inner being, by instinct and in the very marrow of his soul, knows there is a God; though logic and sense and reason, and the persuasive voice of nature, and the thunderous trumpet of creation, all bear witness that there is a God; though the voice of our fathers, carried to us by history and tradition, speaks the common consensus of all men that there is a God --- yet, in the final and supreme sense, there is only one way to know God. That way is by revelation. Where religion and divine beings are concerned, we are in the realm not of the mind and of the human senses, but of the Spirit. God stands revealed or he remains forever unknown. The Holy Ghost is a revelator. His mission is to reveal truth and to bear witness of the Father and the Son. There is no other way to gain knowledge of the true and living God; revelation alone is the source of that perfect wisdom….

“How do men obtain a knowledge of the glory of God, his perfections and attributes?” the Prophet [Joseph Smith] asked. His answer: “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.” (Lectures on Faith 2, Questions and Answers.) “Verily, thus saith the Lord: It shall come to pass 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.)

Articles of Faith: What Do Latter-day Saints Believe About the Godhead 3?

                                                             Article of Faith 1

We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ,

                                                        and in the Holy Ghost. 

This is the third article on the Godhead in my series on the Articles of Faith of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The past two weeks, I discussed a statement by the Prophet Joseph Smith in a lecture on faith titled “The Character of God.” Early in the lecture, he shared three things that are necessary to have faith in God strong enough to lead to salvation. The statement is important enough to repeat in this discussion. 

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.

Last week I discussed the personality of each member of the Godhead, or Trinity. This week I will use the words of Elder James E. Talmage about some of the divine attributes of the Godhead (Elder James E. Talmage, The Articles of Faith [1890], pp. 42-44).

God is Omnipresent

There is no part of creation, however remote, into which God cannot penetrate; through the medium of the Spirit the Godhead is in direct communication with all things at all times. It has been said, therefore, that God is everywhere present; but this does not mean that the actual person of any one member of the Godhead can be physically present in more than one place at one time. The senses of each of the Trinity are of infinite power; His mind is of unlimited capacity; His powers of transferring Himself from place to place are infinite; plainly, however, His person cannot be in more than one place at any one time. Admitting the personality of God, we are compelled to accept the fact of His materiality; indeed, an “immaterial being,” under which meaningless name some have sought to designate the condition of God, cannot exist, for the very expression is a contradiction in terms. If God possesses a form, that form is of necessity of definite proportions and therefore of limited extension in space. It is impossible for Him to occupy at one time more than one space of such limits; and it is not surprising, therefore, to learn from the scriptures that He moves from place to place. Thus we read in connection with the account of the Tower of Babel, “And the Lord [i.e., Jehovah, the Son] came down to see the city and the tower” (Gen. 11:5). Again, God appeared to Abraham, and having declared Himself to be “the Almighty God,” He talked with the patriarch, and established a covenant with him; then we read “And he left off talking with him, and God went up from Abraham” (Gen. 17:1, 22).

God is Omniscient

By Him matter has been organized and energy directed. He is therefore the Creator of all things that are created; and “Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world” (Acts 15:18). His power and His wisdom are alike incomprehensible to man, for they are infinite. Being Himself eternal and perfect, His knowledge cannot be otherwise than infinite. To comprehend Himself, an infinite Being, He must possess an infinite mind. Through the agency of angels and ministering servants He is in continuous communication with all parts of creation, and may personally visit as He may determine.

God is Omnipotent

He is properly called the Almighty. Man can discern proofs of the divine omnipotence on every side, in the forces that control the elements of earth and guide the orbs of heaven in their prescribed courses. 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.

God is kind, benevolent, and loving – tender, considerate, and long-suffering, bearing patiently with the frailties of His children. He is just and merciful in judgment, yet combining with these gentler qualities firmness in avenging wrongs. He is jealous of His own power and the reverence paid to Him; that is to say, He is zealous for the principles of truth and purity, which are nowhere exemplified in a higher degree than in His personal attributes. This Being is the author of our existence, Him we are permitted to approach as Father. Our faith will increase in Him as we learn of Him.

Articles of Faith: What Do Latter-day Saints Believe About the Godhead 2?

Article of Faith 1

We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ,

                                and in the Holy Ghost.

This will be the second article on the Godhead in my series on the Articles of Faith of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Last week, I discussed a statement by the Prophet Joseph Smith in a lecture on faith titled “The Character of God.” Early in the lecture, he shared three things that are necessary to have faith in God strong enough to lead to salvation. The statement is important enough to repeat in this discussion. 

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.

Last week I discussed how the Godhead, or Trinity, consists of three separate Beings with the same purpose. They have such powerful unity that they would, “Under any given conditions each would act in the same way, guided by the same principles of unerring justice and equity.” (Elder James E. Talmage, The Articles of Faith [1890], p. 41).

This week, I choose to use the words of Elder Talmage to discuss the “personality of each member of the Godhead.”

From the evidence already presented, it is clear that the Father is a personal being, possessing a definite form, with bodily parts and spiritual passions. Jesus Christ, who was with the Father in spirit before coming to dwell in the flesh, and through whom the worlds were made, lived among men as a man, with all the physical characteristics of a human being; after His resurrection He appeared in the same form; in that form He ascended into heaven; and in that form He has manifested Himself to the Nephites, and to modern prophets. We are assured that Christ was in the express image of His Father, after which image man also has been created. Therefore we know that both the Father and the Son are in form and stature perfect men; each of them possesses a tangible body, infinitely pure and perfect and attended by transcendent glory, nevertheless a body of flesh and bones.

The Holy Ghost, called also Spirit, and Spirit of the Lord, Spirit of God, Comforter, and Spirit of Truth, is not tabernacled in a body of flesh and bones, but is a personage of spirit; yet we know that the Spirit has manifested Himself in the form of a man. Through the ministrations of the Spirit the Father and the Son may operate in their dealings with mankind; through Him knowledge is communicated, and by Him the purposes of the Godhead are achieved. The Holy Ghost is the witness of the Father and the Son, declaring to man their attributes, bearing record of the other personages of the Godhead (The Articles of Faith [1890], pp. 41-42).

Nature of the Godhead

                Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believe that the Godhead includes God the Eternal Father, the Savior, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost (Pearl of Great Price, Articles of Faith 1:1).  The members of the Godhead are distinct beings with distinct roles, but they are one in purpose and work in perfect unity to do the work of God.  When we understand the Godhead, we can know who we really are.

                We learn from the Old Testament that God looks like us:  “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them” (Genesis 1:27).

                We learn from the New Testament that all three members of the Godhead were manifested at the baptism of Jesus Christ.  “And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water:  and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:

                “And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:16-17).

                The New Testament also tells us that the members of the Godhead are united as one:  “That they all may be lone; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us:  that the world may believe that thou hast sent me” (John 17:21).  This information was reconfirmed in our day by revelation to Joseph Smith:  “Which Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are one God, infinite and eternal, without end.  Amen” (Doctrine and Covenants 20:28).

                We know the Father and the Son are separate beings because we have reports from two individuals who saw them.  Stephen saw the Father and the Son while he was being killed:  “But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,

                “And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God” (Acts 7:55-56).

                Joseph Smith also saw the Father and the Son:  “… 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!” (Pearl of Great Price, Joseph Smith – History 1:17).

                Still another report comes from the Book of Mormon - Another Testament of Jesus Christ.  Some ancient Americans heard a voice from heaven but could not understand it until the third time when they had both their eyes and their ears turned in its direction.  They heard a voice declaring:  “Behold my Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, in whom I have glorified my name – hear ye him.

                “And it came to pass, as they understood they cast their eyes up again towards heaven; and behold, they saw a Man descending out of heaven; and he was clothed in a white robe; and he came down and stood in the midst of them; and the eyes of the whole multitude were turned upon him, and they durst not open their mouths, even one to another, and wist not what it meant, for they thought it was an angel that had appeared unto them.

                “And it came to pass that he stretched forth his hand and spake unto the people, saying:

                “Behold, I am Jesus Christ, whom the prophets testified shall come into the world” (Third Nephi 11:3-10).

                The latter-day scriptures also describe the bodies of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ:  “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” (Doctrine and Covenants 130:22).

                Elder Jeffrey R Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught the following about the three divine beings:  “Our first and foremost article of faith in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is `We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost.’  We believe these three divine persons constituting a single Godhead are united in purpose, in manner, in testimony, in mission.  We believe them to be filled with the same godly sense of mercy and love, justice and grace, patience, forgiveness, and redemption.  I think it is accurate to say we believe They are one in every significant and eternal aspect imaginable except believing Them to be three persons combined in one substance, a Trinitarian notion never set forth in the scriptures because it is not true….

                “It is not our purpose to demean any person’s belief nor the doctrine of any religion.  We extend to all the same respect for their doctrine that we are asking for ours.  (That, too, is an article of our faith.)  But if one says we are not Christians because we do not hold a fourth- or fifth-century view of the Godhead, then what of those first Christian Saints, many of whom were eyewitnesses of the living Christ, who did not hold such a view either?

                “We declare it is self-evident from the scriptures that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost are separate persons, three divine beings, noting such unequivocal illustrations as the Savior’s great Intercessory Prayer just mentioned, His baptism at the hands of John, the experience on the Mount of Transfiguration, and the martyrdom of Stephen – to name just four” (“The Only True God and Jesus Christ Whom He Hast Sent,” Ensign, Nov. 2007, 40-42).

                President Gordon B. Hinckley also taught the doctrine of the Godhead.  “And so I believe in God the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost.

                “I was baptized in the name of these three.  I was married in the name of these three.  I have no question concerning Their reality and Their individuality.  That individuality was made apparent when Jesus was baptized by John in Jordan.  There in the water stood the Son of God.  His Father’s voice was heard declaring His divine sonship, and the Holy Ghost was manifest in the form of a dove (see Matthew 3:16-17).

                “I am aware that Jesus said they who had seen Him had seen the Father.  Could not the same be said by many a son who resembles his parent? 

                “When Jesus prayed to the Father, certainly He was not praying to Himself!

                “They are distinct beings, but They are one in purpose and effort.  They are united as one in bringing to pass the grand, divine plan for the salvation and exaltation of the children of God” (“In These Three I Believe,” Liahona, July 2006).  

                I too believe that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost are three separate Beings united in the same cause.  I know we can learn to understand the true nature of the members of the Godhead and the roles of each in fulfilling Heavenly Father’s plan of salvation.  I know that this knowledge will help us come to understand our own divine identity and our individual purposes as children of God.  

Father and Son

                    For this Freedom Friday I thought that I would write an article defending freedom of religion.  As there are two men known as "Mormons" currently running for the office of President of the United States, their religion has been much in the news.  As a member of the same church, I take this opportunity to write a few of our beliefs about Heavenly Father, His Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost.

                    I am a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints - known by some people as the Mormon Church.  The name "Mormon" was a derogatory name when first given to people who believe in the Book of Mormon - Another Testament of Christ, and it may still be used in derision.  We do not resent that name, but we prefer to be known as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints or simply as Latter-day Saints.  As you can see from the name of our Church, we believe in Jesus Christ.  We believe that He stands at the head of our Church and leads it in these last days.  Thus the name:  The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 

                    The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints considers four sacred books to be scripture:  Bible, Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and Pearl of Great Price.  There are many quotes from these books in this article.

                    Members of other Christian churches sometimes claim that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a cult because our beliefs about Jesus Christ are different from theirs.  I am not quite sure what kind of Jesus Christ they believe in, but we believe that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ are glorified resurrected Beings and the Holy Ghost is a Spirit.  We believe that "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." (See Doctrine and Covenants 130:22.)

                    In a letter listing the main beliefs of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the Prophet Joseph Smith wrote the following statement known as the first Article of Faith:  "We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost."  (See Pearl of Great Price, Articles of Faith.) 

                    This belief comes directly from an event that Joseph Smith experienced.  The Prophet Joseph wrote that he went into the woods to pray on a "beautiful, clear day, early in the spring of eighteen hundred and twenty.  It was the first time in my life that I had made such an attempt … to pray vocally.

                    "After I had retired to the place where I had previously designed to go, having looked around me, and finding myself alone, I kneeled down and began to offer up the desires of my heart to God….

                    "… I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me.

                    "… 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!"  (See Pearl of Great Price, Joseph Smith-History 1:14-17.)

                    Everyone who studies the Bible, particularly the New Testament, should not be surprised to know that Joseph saw two Individuals - the Father and the Son.  Let me share just a few scriptures with you to explain other reasons why we believe that the Father and the Son are separate and distinct Beings.

                    Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believe that this earth was created by Jesus Christ (Jehovah) and Michael (Adam) under the direction of God the Father.  The first chapter in the Bible describes the creation.  Near the end of the chapter, we read:  "And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness:

                    "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them" (See Genesis 1:26-27."

                    God had to have a body with an image for man to be created like it!  Numerous prophets and others in the Old Testament saw God.  "And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him" (Genesis 5:24).  "These are the generations of Noah:  Noah was a just man and perfect [complete, whole, having integrity] in his generations, and Noah walked with God" (Genesis 6:9).  "Thus I, Abraham, talked with the Lord face to face, as one man talketh with another" (Pearl of Great Price, Abraham 3:11).  "And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved" (Genesis 32:30).  "And Jacob said unto Joseph, God Almighty appeared unto me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and blessed me" (Genesis 48:3).  "Then went up Moses, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel:  And they saw the God of Israel" (Exodus 24:9-10). "And the Lord spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend" (Exodus 33:11).  Since the God of the Old Testament was Jehovah (or Jesus Christ), these prophets would have seen the pre-mortal Christ because He had not yet been born to Mary.

                    Another man saw the pre-mortal Christ, a man known as the brother of Jared in the Book of Mormon.  The brother of Jared saw the finger of God when it touched some stones and became afraid.  "I saw the finger of the Lord, and I feared lest he should smite me; for I knew not that the Lord had flesh and blood.

                    "And the Lord said unto him:  Because of thy faith thou hast seen that I shall take upon me flesh and blood….

                    "And the Lord said unto him:  Believest thou the words which I shall speak?

                    "And he answered:  Yea, Lord, I know that thou speakest the truth, for thou art a God of truth, and canst not lie.

                    "And when he had said these words, behold, the Lord showed himself unto him, and said:  Because thou knowest these things ye are redeemed from the fall; therefore ye are brought back into my presence; therefore I show myself unto you."  (See Ether 3:8-14.)

                    There appears to be little doubt that a Man known as Jesus Christ came to earth to receive a body.  He was born of Mary and protected by his stepfather Joseph.  A description of Jesus as a youth is found in the New Testament:  "And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man."  (See Luke 2:52.)  Jesus Christ is considered to be the Son of God and the Savior and Redeemer of the world by Christians; he is considered to be a great Prophet by Jews and Muslims. 

                    When Jesus came to John the Baptist to be baptized in the Jordan River, John was hesitant to do so because he knew that Jesus was greater than he.  Nevertheless, John performed the baptism.

                    "Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.

                    "But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?

                    "And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now:  for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness.  Then he suffered [baptized] him.

                    "And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God [the Holy Ghost] descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:

                    "And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased" (Italics added.)  (See Matthew 3:13-17; see also Mark 1:9-11 and Luke 3:21-22.)

                    The account in John is a little longer.  "The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

                    "This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me:  for he was before me.

                    "And I knew him not:  but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water.

                    "And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit [Holy Ghost] descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him.

                    "And I knew him not:  but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.

                    "And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God."  (See John 1:29-34.)

                    I have some questions of those who do not believe that the Godhead consists of three separate Beings with one, united purpose:  If Jesus Christ was standing in the water with John the Baptist, who was it that descended like a dove and who spoke from heaven claiming that Jesus was His Son?  How can there be a Son without a Father?

                    There is another experience in Acts 7:55-56 that describes the Father and the Son as two separate, distinct Individuals.  Stephen, one of the seven men chosen to help the Apostles, was on trial for teaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  At the end of the trial, the elders "gnashed on him with their teeth" - whatever that means.  The next verse says:  "But he [meaning Stephen] being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God.

                    "And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God."

                    Following this testimony, Stephen was taken out and stoned to death.  Stephen died while calling upon God:  "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.

                    "And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge.  And when he had said this, he fell asleep [died]."  (See Acts 7:59-60.)  It is very obvious that some people did not like Stephen's testimony that God the Father and Jesus Christ are two separate and distinct Beings! 

The New Testament contains many testimonies that Jesus died on the cross and was resurrected on the third day.  There were others besides Stephen who saw the resurrected Jesus Christ.  In 1 Corinthians, the Apostle Paul testified:  "For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;

"And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

"And that he was seen of Cephas [Peter], then of the twelve:

"After that, he was seen of above [more] that five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep [died].

"After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles.

 "And last of all he was seen of me also…." (See 1 Corinthians 15:4-8.)

"The resurrection consists in the uniting of a spirit body with a body of flesh and bones, never again to be divided."  (See Bible Dictionary, p. 761.)  Jesus Christ was the first to be resurrected, and, because of His victory over death, resurrection will come to all mankind.  Since resurrection is the "uniting of a spirit body with a body of flesh and bones, never again to be divided," we know that Jesus Christ is a resurrected Being with a body of flesh and bones.

In modern days Joseph Smith testified that he saw Jesus Christ standing on the right hand of God the Father in answer to his prayer in the early spring of 1820.  In addition, Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon testified that they saw Jesus Christ on February 16, 1832:  "Of whom we bear record; and the record which we bear is the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ, who is the Son, whom we saw and with whom we conversed in the heavenly vision….

"And now after the many testimonies which have been given of him, this is the testimony last of all, which we give of him:  That he lives!

"For we saw him, even on the right hand of God; and we heard the voice bearing record that he is the Only Begotten of the Father -

"That by him, and through him, and of him, the worlds are and were created, and the inhabitants thereof are begotten sons and daughters of God."  (See Doctrine and Covenants 76:14, 22-24.)

I have used scriptures from the Old Testament, New Testament, Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price to provide testimonies of Jesus Christ having a body - a glorified, resurrected body of flesh and bone - separate from the body of the Father.  Since Christ has a body of His own, we can know that the Father also has a body.  It would only be fair for the Holy Ghost to also receive a body of flesh and bone after He has completed His work as a Spirit because having a body is one of the purposes why Heavenly Father sent His spirit children to earth and one of the greatest blessings God gives to His children. 

I have not seen Heavenly Father or Jesus Christ, but I have felt the presence of the Holy Ghost with me many times.  The Holy Ghost has testified to me that the scriptures about the Father and the Son are true.  For this reason I know that They live!

NOTE:  For reasons why The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is not a cult, see my article about this subject, dated October 11, 2011.  

There Is A God

I know that there is a God in heaven. I have felt His presence many times and have received many answers to prayers. I have many reasons why I believe in God. I look at the world around me and see everywhere proof that God exists. I see the sun rise and set every day without exception. I see the seasons follow in order - winter, spring, summer, fall - every year. In the spring I see my tulips and other flowers come back as well as the grass turn green and the leaves come out on the trees and on my raspberry bushes. Summer brings much more sunshine and warmth, which brings even more plants out of the ground. When the summer is over, I see the leaves turn beautiful colors and fall to the earth. Then I see the snow fall to insulate the earth from the bitter cold of winter. I see proof that God is in control whenever I look at the sky at night and see the millions of stars and constellations, all organized and in perfect order. I saw the hand of God in my life on the day that my first grandchild was born. It was a wonderful blessing to be able to watch this miracle take place! I see evidence of God whenever I look into the faces of my little grandchildren and see their sweet spirits shining out through their eyes. I consider that it is a major miracle that all of my grandchildren were born with all of their parts in the proper places and in good health and strength. God, through His Son Jesus Christ, created this earth and everything on it for the benefit of all His children. He also created the universe and other worlds. He did this in order that His children might have a place to go to obtain bodies and to learn to be like Him. I believe that all of us are created in the image of God as taught in Genesis 1:26-27 and as Stephen saw in Acts 7:55-56. We look like Him because we are His children. I believe that He is an eternal spirit with a tangible body of flesh and bones, a body that is perfected and glorified. I believe that His glory is beyond description. I believe that God is perfect, has all power, and knows all things. I believe that He is full of goodness, love and mercy. I believe that all good things come from God. The Savior taught the importance of our knowing about God and becoming like Him. He said, "This is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent" (John 17:3). I believe that the more we know God, the more we will love Him and keep His commandments. I believe that we can become like Him. Some specific actions we can take to learn to know God better are: 1) Believe that He exists and loves us; 2) Study the scriptures; 3) Talk with Him in prayer; 4) Obey all of His commandments as best we can. By doing all these things we can come to know God and eventually return to live with both the Father and the Son.

American Prophet

December 23 marks the birthday anniversary of Joseph Smith (1805-1844), the Prophet. He organized The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and became its first president. Several other churches consider him to be their founder, and his followers regard him to be a prophet of God. Joseph was born December 23, 1805, in Sharon, Vermont, the fourth child born to his parents, Joseph and Lucy Mack Smith. The family eventually included six sons and three daughters. The Smiths moved from Vermont to Palmyra, New York, before Joseph was eleven. Four years later the family moved to nearby Manchester where they continued to farm. When Joseph was fourteen, there was an unusual excitement about religion. Joseph and other members of the family listened to many sermons from several different preachers. Each preacher claimed to have the truth, but they were all teaching different doctrines. Joseph was caught up in the excitement and wanted to join one of the churches, but he was confused as to which church he should join. While studying the scriptures one day, he read, "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 was aware that if anyone needed wisdom, he did, and he decided that he would ask God. On a beautiful, clear morning in the early spring in 1820, Joseph went to a nearby wooded area to offer his first vocal prayer. After some early difficulties, he called upon God for help. He saw a pillar of light, brighter than the sun, in the air above him. The light gradually descended until it fell upon Joseph. "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 - History 1:17). When Joseph recovered from his shock, he remembered the reason he had gone to the grove to pray. He asked the Personages which of all the sects he should join. He was answered that he must not join any of them because all of them were teaching false doctrine. Joseph shared his vision of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ with his family and other people. The members of his family believed him and accepted his report as the truth. When he told a preacher of his experience, the preacher ridiculed him, saying it was of the devil. Soon after his conversation with the preacher, Joseph became the object of great persecution. No amount of persecution or hatred could cause Joseph to disbelieve. "… 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 …. 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" (Joseph Smith - History 1:25). Joseph prayed and received an answer from God. He did not join any of the churches and continued to be persecuted. On September 21, 1823, Joseph was again praying for direction when he received another vision. This time he was visited by an angel named Moroni. Moroni quoted scriptures and taught him many things before disappearing into heaven in a conduit of light. Moroni returned two additional times during the night and again the next morning. The reason for Moroni's visits was to instruct Joseph about a record written upon gold plates and recorded by the ancient inhabitants of the American continent. Moroni told Joseph that he would have to wait to receive the plates until the time was right. When it was the right time, Joseph would receive the plates for the purpose of translating the information written on them. Many things happened in the next few years: Joseph's oldest brother, Alvin, died. Joseph married Emma Hale. Persecution continued as did the necessity for laboring to earn a living. During this same period of time, Moroni continued to instruct Joseph. At length the time to receive the plates arrived on September 22, 1827. Amidst increased persecution and several moves, Joseph translated the necessary information from the plates and returned the plates to Moroni. "The ancient record thus brought forth from the earth as the voice of a people speaking from the dust, and translated into modern speech by the gift and power of God as attested by Divine affirmation, was first published to the world in the year 1830 as THE BOOK OF MORMON (Final paragraph of "Testimony of the Prophet Joseph Smith" in the Book of Mormon. Concerning this record, the Prophet Joseph Smith said, "I told the brethren that the Book of Mormon was the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book" ("Introduction" in Book of Mormon). I have read the Book of Mormon many times myself. I have asked God to tell me if it is His word. I know the Book of Mormon to be true because the Holy Ghost has borne witness to me that it is true; therefore, I also know that Joseph Smith is a true prophet of God. Joseph, his family, and his followers continued to be persecuted. Joseph with five associates organized The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Fayette, New York, on April 6, 1830. He continued to be an instrument in the hands of God. He lived as a prophet of God for all of his remaining days on earth. He died as a prophet, along with his brother Hyrum, on June 27, 1844, about 5:00 P.M., when an armed mob with blackened faces broke into the Carthage, Illinois, jail and killed them. Each man was shot four different times. John Taylor, the third president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, wrote the following: "Joseph Smith, the Prophet and Seer of the Lord, has done more, save Jesus only, for the salvation of men in this world, than any other man that ever lived in it…. He lived great and he died great in the eyes of God and his people; and … has sealed his mission and his works with his own blood…." (Doctrine and Covenants 135:3).