Glorious Possibilities of Man.
What a glorious thought is inspired in the heart when we read sentiments like this, that even Christ himself was not perfect at first; he received not a fulness at first, but he received grace for grace, and he continued to receive more and more until he received a fulness. Is not this to be so with the children of men? Is any man perfect? Has any man received a fulness at once? Have we reached a point wherein we may receive the fulness of God, of his glory and his intelligence? No; and yet if Jesus, the Son of God, and the Father of the heavens and the earth in which we dwell, received not a fulness at the first, but increased in faith, knowledge, understanding and grace until he received a fulness, is it not possible for all men that are born of women to receive little by little, line upon line, precept upon precept, until they shall receive a fulness, as he has received a fulness, and be exalted with him in the presence of the Father?
The revelation continues:
And I, John, bear record, and lo, the heavens were opened, and the Holy Ghost descended upon him in the form of a dove, and sat upon him, and there came a voice out of heaven saying, This is my beloved son.
This voice out of heaven came from God, the Father of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
And I, John, bear record that he received a fulness of the glory of the Father;
And he received all power both in heaven and on earth, and the glory of the Father was with him, for he dwelt in him.
And it shall come to pass, that if you are faithful you shall receive the fulness of the record of John.
I give unto you these sayings that ye may understand and know how to worship, and know what you worship, that you may come unto the Father in my name, and in due time receive of his fulness.
For if you keep my commandments you shall receive of his fulness, and be glorified in me as I am in the Father; therefore, I say unto you, you shall receive grace for grace.
And now, verily I say unto you, I was in the beginning with the Father: and am the first-born.
And all those who are begotten through me are partakers of the glory of the same, and are the church of the first-born.
Ye were also in the beginning with the Father, that which is Spirit, even the Spirit of truth,
And truth is knowledge of things as they are, and as they were, and as they are to come;
And whatsoever is more or less than this, is the spirit of that wicked one who was a liar from the beginning.
The spirit of truth is of God. I am the spirit of truth, and John bore record of me, saying—He receiveth a fulness of truth, yea, even of all truth.
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.
Man was also in the beginning with God. Intelligence, or the light of truth, was not created or made, neither indeed can it be.
All truth is independent in that sphere in which God has placed it, to act for itself, as all intelligence also, otherwise there is no existence.
Behold, here is the agency of man, and here is the condemnation of man; because that which was from the beginning is plainly manifest unto them and they receive not the light.
And every man whose spirit receiveth not the light is under condemnation.
For man is spirit. The elements are eternal, and spirit and element, inseparably connected, receive a fulness of joy:
And when separated, man cannot receive a fulness of joy.