THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD.
1. A Knowledge of God Is Essential, for
JOHN 17:3.—"This is life eternal, that they might know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent."
2. Personality of the Godhead—In the Godhead there are three personages—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. These are separate individuals, proved by
MATT. 3:16, 17.—The baptism of Jesus; the Father speaking from heaven; the sign of the Holy Ghost descending from above.
ACTS 7:55, 56.—Stephen sees Jesus standing on the right hand of God.
JOHN 16:28.—Jesus came from the Father, and went back to Him.
JOHN, CHAP. 17.—Jesus prays to His Father.
DOC. & COV. 130:22.—The Father and the Son have bodies of flesh and bone; the Holy Ghost is a personage of spirit.
PEARL OF GREAT PRICE; WRITINGS OF JOSEPH SMITH.—The Father and the Son visit Joseph Smith.
3. The Unity of the Godhead—consists in a oneness of powers, attributes, purpose, etc.
JOHN 10:30-38.—Jesus and the Father are one.
JOHN 17:20-22.—Jesus prays that His disciples may be one, even as He and the Father are one.
4. The Father is Revealed through the Son; for
JOHN 14:6.—"No man cometh to the Father, but by me" (the Son).
MATT. 11:27.—No man knows the Father save he to whom the Son will reveal Him.
JOHN 5:37.—The Jews had not seen God the Father's shape, nor heard His voice; but
JOHN 1:18.—The Son hath declared Him. Therefore, we receive our knowledge of the Father, not directly, but through a study of the Son. "As the Father, so the Son."
5. Jesus Christ the Son
JOHN 1:2.—He was in the beginning with God.
JOHN 1:3; COL. 1:16; DOC. & COV., 38:1-4.—All things were created by Him.
P. of G. P. MOSES, 1:33.—God has created worlds without number by the Son.
P. of G. P. MOSES, 4:1-4; ABR. 3:22-28.—Jesus in the council and the rebellion in heaven.
I NEPHI 19:10.—He is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
I COR. 10:4.—He is the Spiritual Rock that was with the children of Israel.
III NEPHI 15:5.—Jesus gave the law of Moses.
ETHER 3:4-16.—Jesus shows His spiritual body to the brother of Jared. Jesus is born into the world, and lives as a man, this earth life. In His personal form and appearance He is
HEB. 1:3.—"In the express image of His (the Father) person."
PHIL. 2:6.—He is in "the form of God."
COL. 1:15.—He is "the image of the invisible God."
After His resurrection, Jesus is still in human form; for
LUKE 24:39-43.—He said, "Behold, my hands and my feet, that it is I myself; handle me and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have." He also eats with His disciples.
JOHN 20:20-27.—He shows His body with its marks to His disciples.
B. of M. III NEPHI 11.—He visits the Nephites.
ACTS 1:11.—As He went to heaven, in like manner will He return.
JOHN 4:24.—"God is a spirit." As the Father is like the Son, the Father's spirit must also dwell in a glorified body of flesh and bones.
JOHN 5:19.—"The Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise."