Quote:
Originally Posted by ceeboo
Hello again Vanhin,
I must admit, you were probably a great missionary  ( To be clear that was truly a compliment )
I realize concerning " abomination " JS claimed to be only the mouthpiece but I promise you, my new friend Vanhin, because of my opinion on the matter, it would not add anything of use to all who are involved in this thread to beat on that horse.
Your 4 options that you offer me, ok I will play ( because you have been more than fair and generous with me ) I will choose # 3 with no hesitation.
God bless,
Carl |
Thanks Carl. I think #3 is the the wise choice. Because if it is true, ignoring or rejecting the message could be as consequential as it was for the people at the time of Noah, who rejected his message.
For his own purposes, God has opted to bring about the restoration in this manner. He prepared and called a prophet, and revealed his will to him. Then, He commanded his prophet to share the message with others. From that stand point, Joseph Smith's experience is not unique. The Bible is full of the same pattern. Moses, for example, was called as a prophet, and given a message to share with the Israelites, and ultimately the world at large. So, if the Bible is used as a guide, then we must at least admit that an event like the First Vision is not only possible, but probable considering how long it had been since God had called a prophet.
It is evident from the scriptures that God reveals his will through righteous men called prophets. Indeed, the Bible plainly teaches us this fact:
Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets. (Amos 3:7)
Even the early Church, established by Jesus Christ, would be built upon a foundation of
apostles and
prophets, Christ himself, being the chief corner stone.
Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; (Eph. 2:19-20)
God, of course, has not left us without a way to know for ourselves that what the prophets teach us is from him. Whenever we read or hear something that is claimed to be from God, we can receive a witness directly from God that the message is true. Obviously there are many things having to do with faith and religion, that have no physical proof, yet they are true. Paul taught that
faith "is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." (
Heb. 11:1).
How do you suppose God reveals truth to us?
Sincerely,
Vanhin