“Gaining Knowledge of Eternal Truths,” New Era, Apr. 2009, 9
What Joseph Smith Taught
Gaining Knowledge of Eternal Truths
The Prophet Joseph Smith understood the breadth of eternal truth and how to gain a knowledge of it.
Though he was relatively uneducated, the Prophet Joseph Smith received schooling from the Lord throughout his life. He learned the importance of knowledge (see D&C 130:18–19), and he obtained a clear understanding of what we must do to acquire knowledge of God and the eternities. Here are some of his teachings on this subject.*
Embrace All Truth
“Mormonism is truth; and every man who embraces it feels himself at liberty to embrace every truth. … The first and fundamental principle of our holy religion is, that we believe that we have a right to embrace all, and every item of truth.”
“When things that are of the greatest importance are passed over by weak-minded men without even a thought, I want to see truth in all its bearings and hug it to my bosom.”
Gain Knowledge for Salvation
“In knowledge there is power. God has more power than all other beings, because He has greater knowledge; and hence He knows how to subject all other beings to Him.”
“A man is saved no faster than he gets knowledge, for if he does not get knowledge, he will be brought into captivity by some evil power in the other world. … Hence it needs revelation to assist us, and give us knowledge of the things of God.”
Seek Knowledge
“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 imaginings of the human heart!”
“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.”
The Lord Appears in the Kirtland Temple, by Del Parson