The Mysteries

by Art Bulla

Tue, April 17, 2012

Hence, if men do not receive...revelation, or knowledge, they may not be worthy of eternal life... Again, the Lord gave the parable of the bridegroom which pertained only to the children of His kingdom. Part of them came to meet the Savior and said, "Lord, Lord, open up unto us," but he rejected them by saying, "Ye know me not." Matt. 25:11 To "know" the Lord means one has proved worthy to receive this knowledge of God. The Prophet adds: Here, then, is eternal life--to know the only wise and true God; and you have got to learn how to be Gods yourselves, and to be kings and priests to God, the same as all Gods have done before you...by going from one small degree to another, and from a small capacity to a great one; from grace to grace, from exaltation to exaltation, until you attain to the resurrection of the dead...and to sit in glory, as do those who sit enthroned in everlasting power. (TPJS, pp. 346-347)

Many people think their salvation is assured merely by saying "I believe", while others feel the same sense of security by saying they "follow the prophet". These are faithless excuses for not gaining their own knowledge and understanding of the Gospel. Some argue that we are to stay away from the "mysteries", but this was nowhere advocated except to the missionaries who were sent out among the gentiles to "declare the first principles, and let mysteries alone". (TPJS, p. 292) Jesus gave similar advice by telling his ministers to "give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine". (Matt. 7:6) There is nothing wrong with searching out and gaining knowledge of the mysteries of God, for Nephi claimed to have a "great knowledge of the goodness and the mysteries of God" (I Nephi 1:1), and advised that "he that diligently seeketh shall find; and the mysteries of God shall be unfolded unto them". (I Nephi 10:19) (Taken from Works of Ogden Kraut)

The Revelations of Jesus Christ: http://www.iuniverse.com/bookstore/book_detail.asp?isbn=0-595-28287-3
"But we ask, does it remain for a people who never had faith enough to call down one scrap of revelation from heaven, and for all they have now are indebted to the faith of another people...does it remain for them to say how much God has spoken and how much He has not spoken?" Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, Section Two 1834-37 Pg.60
Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, Section Six 1843-44 Pg.365
When a man goes about prophesying, and commands men to obey his teachings, he must either be a true or false prophet.
Our website: http://www.artbulla.com
"All men are liars who say they are of the true Church without the revelations of Jesus Christ and the Priesthood of Melchizedek, which is after the order of the Son of God." Joseph Smith; TPJS p. 376
"He that can mark the power of Omnipotence, inscribed upon the heavens, can also see God's own handwriting in the sacred volume: and he who reads it oftenest will like it best, and he who is acquainted with it, will know the hand wherever he can see it...." (T.P.J.S., p. 56)

· 10 For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.
11 But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.
12 For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ. (New Testament | Galatians 1:10 - 12)