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(1/21/02)
"The personal recognition and confession of God's preeminent
position is the beginning point of religious experience. It
encompasses all else. Practically every interview in the Church
from baptism to priesthood advancement begins with this
confession. It is likewise reflected in the first article of
faith: 'We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son,
Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost.' [A
of F 1:1] All else proceeds from this first and
fundamental truth. Without this first confession of God, no
confession to Him can have full meaning." — Dennis B.
Neuenschwander, "The
Path
of Growth," "Ensign," Dec. 1999, p. 13
(1/22/02)
"We maintain that the concepts identified by such
nonscriptural terms as 'the incomprehensible mystery of God' and
'the mystery of the Holy Trinity' are attributable to the ideas
of Greek philosophy. These philosophical concepts transformed
Christianity in the first few centuries following the deaths of
the Apostles. For example, philosophers then maintained that
physical matter was evil and that God was a spirit without
feelings or passions. Persons of this persuasion, including
learned men who became influential converts to Christianity, had
a hard time accepting the simple teachings of early
Christianity: an Only Begotten Son who said he was in the
express image of his Father in Heaven and who taught his
followers to be one as he and his Father were one, and a Messiah
who died on a cross and later appeared to his followers as a
resurrected being with flesh and bones." — Dallin H.
Oaks, "Apostasy
and
Restoration," "Ensign," May 1995, p. 84-85
(1/23/02)
"A fourth area of misunderstanding among some of our friends
in Christianity is that they refer to us as 'polytheists,'
meaning that we believe in a plurality of Gods. Much
misunderstanding would be avoided if they understood that we
worship only one Godhead, consisting of God the Father, God the
Son, and God the Holy Ghost. We believe that the biblical record
teaches that God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost
are separate persons. When the Savior was baptized, the Father
spoke His approval from heaven, and the Holy Ghost was witnessed
to be present by the sign of a dove (see Matt.
3:16-17). Likewise the Bible records the prayers of Jesus
Christ to our Father in Heaven, a separate being (see John
17:3). We believe this doctrine is taught in the Bible
despite what the creeds of other Christian denominations may
teach." — M. Russell Ballard, "Building
Bridges
of Understanding," "Ensign," June 1998, p. 67-68
(1/24/02)
"The first article of faith is familiar to all members of
the Church. It is the pivotal position of our religion. It is
significant that in setting forth the primary elements of our
doctrine, the Prophet Joseph put this number one..." — Gordon B.
Hinckley, "The
Father,
Son, and Holy Ghost," "Ensign," Mar. 1998, p. 2
(1/25/02)
"In this final, glorious, gospel dispensation we have
received the most basic truth of all eternity, and that truth
concerns the nature and kind of being that God is. It is eternal
life to know the Father and the Son. (See John
17:3.) There is no possible way to go degree by degree,
step by step to the high exaltation we seek unless and until we
come to a knowledge of the nature and kind of being that God is.
Thus, when we talk about eternal life, we are talking about the
kind of life that God our Father lives; and when we speak of
him, we are speaking of a holy, perfected, exalted, ennobled
man--an individual, a personage, a being with 'a body of flesh
and bones as tangible as man's.' (D&C
130:22.) We are talking about someone who is a literal
parent, who is the Father of the spirits of all men. You and I
were born as members of his family. We have seen his face; we
have heard his voice; we have received his counsel, personally,
as well as through representatives and agents; we knew him in
the pre-existence. Now a curtain has been dropped and we do not
have the remembrance that we had then, but we are seeking to do
the things that will enable us to be like him." — Bruce R.
McConkie, "Celestial
Marriage," "New Era," June 1978, p. 12, 14
8/7/11
We say, “We believe in God, the Eternal Father.” Do we
really believe that he is the Father of our spirit, and act
accordingly? We say, “We believe in … His Son, Jesus Christ.” Do
we really believe that Jesus Christ is our Savior, and act
accordingly? Would we live the way we do if we were conscious of
that all the time? - N. Eldon Tanner, "Remember Who You Are,"
Ensign (CR) October 1981
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