God the Third: The Witness or Testator
01/06
“Everlasting covenant was made between three personages before the organization of this earth, and relates to their dispensation of things to men on the earth; these personages, according to Abraham’s record, are called God the first, the Creator; God the second, the Redeemer; and God the third, the witness or Testator.” (Joseph Smith, TPJS, pg. 190)
(D&C 130:22-23; John 20:21-22, 16:7)
01 – “...the Holy Ghost is a man; he is one of the sons of our Father and our God; and he is that man that stood next to Jesus Christ.” (Heber C. Kimball, JD, 5:179)
02 – “Holy Ghost is the third member of the Godhead. He is a Personage of Spirit, a Spirit Person, a Spirit Man, a Spirit Entity. He can be in only one place at one time and he does not and cannot transform himself into any other form or image than that of the Man whom he is, though his power and influence can be manifest at one and the same time through all immensity.” (Bruce R. McConkie, MD, pg. 358)
03 – “No member of the Godhead dwells in us in the literal sense of the word, but all of them dwell in us figuratively....” (Bruce R. McConkie, New Witness for the Articles of Faith, pg. 271)
04 – “But the Holy Ghost is yet a Spiritual body and waiting to take himself a body, as the savior did or as God did, of the gods before him took bodies.” (Joseph Smith; George Laub’s Discourse, June 16, 1844, Words of Joseph Smith, pg. 382)
05 – “Joseph also said that the Holy Ghost is now in a state of probation which if he should perform in righteousness he may pass through the same or a similar course of things that the Son has.” (Joseph Smith; Franklin D. Richards, Words of Joseph Smith, pg. 245)
06 – “THE HOLY GHOST DURING CHRIST'S MINISTRY. While Christ was here in his ministry, his disciples did not have the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost. He told them they could not have that Spirit while he was with them, but when he went, he would send the Comforter to be their guide.” (Joseph Fielding Smith, DS, 1:46)
07 – “THE HOLY GHOST IN A FUTURE ETERNITY. This does not mean that when we come into the presence of God after the resurrection or in the millennium, we will not have the gift of the Holy Ghost, although Christ is there. When things come to that perfect state, and especially after the resurrection, I think we will be in the presence of all three-Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.” (Joseph Fielding Smith, DS, 1:46)
(D&C 11:12)
08 – “The world in general have been grossly ignorant in regard to this one thing, and why should they be otherwise—for ‘the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.’” (Joseph Smith, TPJS, pg. 202)
09 – “All things whatsoever God in his infinite wisdom has seen fit and proper to reveal to us, while we are dwelling in mortality, in regard to our mortal bodies, are revealed to us in the abstract, and independent of affinity of this mortal tabernacle, but are revealed to our spirits precisely as though we had no bodies at all; and those revelations which will save our spirits will save our bodies. God reveals them to us in view of no eternal dissolution of the body, or tabernacle.” (Joseph Smith, TPJS, pg. 355)
10 – "The Holy Ghost as a personage of Spirit can no more be omnipresent in person than can the Father or the Son, but by his intelligence, his knowledge, his power and influence, over and through the laws of nature, he is and can be omnipresent throughout all the works of God. Thus when it becomes necessary to speak to us, he is able to do so by acting through the other Spirit, that is, through the Light of Christ.” (Joseph Fielding Smith, DS, 1:40)
11 – “As children, we learned how to keep darkness away by turning on a light. Sometimes, when our parents went away for the evening, we would turn on every light in the house! We understood the physical law that is also spiritual law: light and darkness cannot occupy the same space at the same time. Light dispels darkness. When light is present, darkness is vanquished and must depart. More importantly darkness cannot conquer light unless light is diminished or departs. When the spiritual light of the Holy Ghost is present, the darkness of Satan departs.” (Robert D. Hales, Ensign, May 2002, pg. 70)
12 – “This [the Light of Christ] is the true light, which in some measure illuminates all men. It is, in its less refined existence, the physical light which reflects from the sun, moon, and stars, and other substance; and by reflection on the eye, makes visible the truth of the outward world.
It is, also, in its higher degrees, the intellectual light of our inward and spiritual organs, by which we reason, discern, judge, compare, comprehend, and remember the subjects within our reach.
It’s inspiration constitutes instinct in animals life, reason in man, vision of the Prophets, and is continually flowing from the Godhead throughout all his creations.” (Parley P. Pratt, Key to the Science of Theology, pg. 46-47)
13 – “The Holy Ghost should not be confused with the Spirit which fills the immensity of space and which is everywhere present. This other spirit [the Light of Christ] is impersonal and has no size, nor dimension; it proceeds forth from the presence of the Father and the Son and is all things. We should speak of the Holy Ghost as a personage as ‘he’ and this other Spirit as ‘it,’ although when we speak of the power or gift of the Holy Ghost we may properly say ‘it.’
The Holy Ghost, as we are taught in our modern revelation, is the third member in the Godhead and a personage of Spirit. These terms are used synonymously: Spirit of God, Spirit of Truth, Holy Spirit, Comforter; all having reference to the Holy Ghost. The same terms largely are used in relation to the Spirit of Jesus Christ, also called the Light of Truth, Light of Christ, Spirit of God, and Spirit of the Lord; and yet they are separate and distinct things. We have a great deal of confusion because we have not kept that clearly in our minds.” (Joseph Fielding Smith, DS, 1:48-50)
14 – “The symbolism of receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost is that of lighting a perpetual flame within the soul, one which provides light and warmth while constantly purging that which is unclean from it. This is very different from the notion in the sectarian world that some supposed spiritual experience brings the assurance of salvation. That is more like being struck with lightning than the scriptural imagery of a flame that was to perpetually burn within the temple, fueled with works of righteousness.” (Joseph Fielding McConkie, Gospel Symbolism, pg. 197)
15 – “While they were thus praying Zebedee recorded:
‘I saw a personage passing through the room as plainly as I see you now. Joseph asked us if we knew who it was and answered himself, that Jesus, our elder brother, the son of God.’
After the vision closed Joseph told those present to again resume their former position of prayer which they did.
‘Again I saw passing through the same room, a personage whose glory and brightness was so great, that I can liken it to nothing but the burning bush that Moses saw, and its power so great that had it continued much longer I believe it would have consumed us.’
After this personage had disappeared from the room Joseph announced to the elders present that it was the Father of Jesus Christ whom they had just seen.
After relating the vision of seeing the Father and the Son ...Coltrin was asked about the kind of clothing the Father had on, to which he replied:
‘I did not discover His clothing, for He was surrounded as with a flame of fire, which was so brilliant that I could not discover anything else but the person. I saw His hands, His legs, His feet, His eyes, nose, mouth, head and body in the shape and form of a perfect man. He sat in a chair as a man would sit in a chair, but His appearance was so grand and overwhelming that it seemed I should melt down in His presence and the sensation was so powerful that it thrilled through my whole system and I felt it in the marrow of my bones.’
When asked about the Savior and how He was clothed, Zebedee replied that he was ‘clothed in modern clothing, apparently of gray cloth.’ Zebedee Coltrin ; Calvin Stephens, The Life and Contributions of Zebedee Coltrin, Masters Thesis, pg. 25-27)
16 – “The sign of the dove was instituted before the creation of the world, a witness for the Holy Ghost, and the devil cannot come in the sign of a dove. The Holy Ghost is a personage, and is in the form of a personage. It does not confine itself to the form of the dove, but in the sign of the dove. The Holy Ghost cannot be transformed into a dove; but the sign of a dove was given to John to signify the truth of the deed, as the dove is an emblem or token of truth and innocence.” (Joseph Smith, TPJS, pg. 275-76)
(Moses 6:61)
17 – “The Holy Ghost takes of the Father, and of the Son, and shows it to the disciples. It shows them things past, present, and to come. It opens the vision of the mind, unlocks the treasures of wisdom, and they begin to understand the things of God; their minds are exalted on high; their conceptions of God and His creations are dignified, and "Hallelujah to God and the Lamb in the highest," is the constant language of their hearts. They comprehend themselves and the great object of their existence. They also comprehend the designs of the wicked one, and the designs of those who serve him; they comprehend the designs of the Almighty in forming the earth, and mankind upon it, and the ultimate purpose of all His creations. It leads them to drink at the fountain of eternal wisdom, justice, and truth; they grow in grace, and in the knowledge of the truth as it is in Jesus Christ, until they see as they are seen, and know as they are known.” (Brigham Young, JD, 1:241)
18 – “After you have been immersed, as this earth was, in the water, and been cleansed and received the remission of your sins, you also have the promise of baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost, by which you are purified, as well justified and sanctified from all your evil affections, and you feel to love God and that which is just and true, and to hate that which is sinful and evil. Why? Because of this sanctifying, purifying principle that comes upon you, by the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost.” (Orson Pratt, JD, 16:319)
19 – “Through water baptism is obtained a remission of past sins; but even after the sins of the past are forgiven, the one so pardoned will doubtless feel the force of sinful habits bearing heavily upon him. He who has been guilty of habitual untruthfulness, will at times find himself inclined, perhaps, to yield to that habit. He who has stolen may be sorely tempted, when opportunity arises, to steal again. While he who has indulged in licentious practices may again find himself disposed to give way to the seductive influence of the siren. So with drunkenness, malice, envy, covetousness, hatred, anger, and in short all the evil dispositions that flesh is heir to.
There is an absolute necessity for some additional sanctifying grace that will strengthen poor human nature, not only to enable it to resist temptation, but also to root out from the heart concupiscence — the blind tendency or inclination to evil. The heart must be purified, every passion, every propensity made submissive to the will, and the will of man brought into subjection to the will of God.
Man’s natural powers are unequal to this task; so, I believe, all will testify who have made the experiment. Mankind stand in some need of a strength superior to any they possess of themselves, to accomplish this work of rendering pure our fallen nature. Such strength, such power, such a sanctifying grace is conferred on man in being born of the Spirit — in receiving the Holy Ghost. Such, in the main, is its office, its work.” (B. H. Roberts, The Gospel and Man's Relationship to Deity, pg.170)
20 – “Sanctification = To become clean, pure, and spotless; a state of attained saintliness.” (Bruce R. McConkie, MD, pg. 675)
21 – “Justification = The ratification or approval of the performances entered into.” (Bruce R. McConkie, MD, pg. 408)
22 – “The Holy Spirit of Promise is the power by which ordinances and other righteous acts performed on this earth, such as baptism and eternal marriage, are ratified, validated, and sealed in heaven as well as on earth. Paul taught the Ephesians that after acting on their faith in Christ they ‘were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise,’ which was the surety of their ‘inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession. The sealing of earthly covenants and performances is conditional and depends upon the recipien’s personal commitment and worthiness. If a person who has received the Holy Spirit of Promise subsequently becomes unrighteous, the seal is broken until full repentance and forgiveness occur.” (Joseph Fielding Smith, DS 1:55; 2:94-99)
23 – “The Spirit of God speaking to the spirit of man has power to impart truth with greater effect and understanding than the truth can be imparted by personal contact even with heavenly beings. Through the Holy Ghost the truth is woven into the very fibre and sinews of the body so that it cannot be forgotten.” (Joseph Fielding Smith, DS, 1:47-48)
24 – “The Holy Ghost is the testifier of truth, who can teach men things they cannot teach one another.” (Gordon B. Hinckley, Ensign, November 1986, pg. 51)
25 – “I believe the Spirit of the Holy Ghost is the greatest guarantor of inward peace in our unstable world. It can be more mind-expanding and can make us have a better sense of well-being than any chemical or other earthly substance. It will calm nerves; it will breathe peace to our souls. This Comforter can be with us as we seek to improve. It can function as a source of revelation to warn us of impending danger and also help keep us from making mistakes. It can enhance our natural
class=Section2>senses so that we can see more clearly, hear more keenly, and remember what we should remember.” (James E. Faust, Ensign, May 1989, pg. 32–33)
26 – “These gifts are infinite in number and endless in their manifestations because God himself is infinite and endless, and because the needs of those who receive them are as numerous, varied, and different as there are people in the kingdom.” (Bruce R. McConkie, New Witness for the Articles of Faith, pg. 270)
(Galatians 5:22-26; James 3:17)
27 – “No man can receive the Holy Ghost without receiving revelations. The Holy Ghost is a revelator.” (Joseph Smith, TPJS, pg. 328)
28 – “The gift of the Holy Spirit adapts itself to all these organs or attributes. It quickens all the intellectual faculties, increases, enlarges, expands and purifies all the natural passions and affections; and adapts them, by the gift of wisdom, to their lawful use. It inspires, develops, cultivates and matures all the fine-toned sympathies, joys, tastes, kindred feelings and affections of our nature. It inspires virtue, kindness, goodness, tenderness, gentleness and charity. It develops beauty of person, form and features. It tends to health, vigor, animation and social feeling. It develops and invigorates all the faculties of the physical and intellectual man. It strengthens, invigorates, and gives tone to the nerves. In short, it is, as it were, marrow to the bone, joy to the heart, light to the eyes, music to the ears, and life to the whole being.” (Parley P. Pratt, Key to the Science of Theology, pg. 101-103)
29 – “I will tell you a rule by which you may know the Spirit of God from the spirit of evil. The Spirit of God always produces joy and satisfaction of mind. When you have that Spirit you are happy; when you have another spirit you are not happy. The spirit of doubt is the spirit of the evil one; it produces uneasiness and other feelings that interfere with happiness and peace.” (George Q. Cannon, JD, 15:375)
30 – “The Holy Ghost causes our feelings to be more tender. We feel more charitable and compassionate with each other. We are more calm in our relationships. We have a greater capacity to love each other. People want to be around us because our very countenances radiate the influence of the Spirit. We are more godly in our character. As a result, we become increasingly more sensitive to the promptings of the Holy Ghost and thus able to comprehend spiritual things more clearly.” (Ezra Taft Benson, Ensign, April. 1988, pg. 4)
31 – ‘Mormonism’ keeps men and women young and handsome; and when they are full of the Spirit of God, there are none of them but what will have a glow upon their countenances; and that is what makes you and me young; for the Spirit of God is with us and within us.” (Brigham Young JD, 5:210)
32 – “You will see plenty of the world-it will be before you all the time—but if you live so as to possess the Holy Ghost you will be able to understand more in relation to it in one day than you could in a dozen days without it, and you will at once see the difference between the wisdom of men and the wisdom of God, and you can weigh things in the balance and estimate them at their true worth.” (Brigham Young, JD, 12:34)
33 – “[T]he effect of the Holy Ghost upon a Gentile is to purge out the old blood, and make him actually of the seed of Abraham. That man that has none of the blood of Abraham (naturally) must have a new creation by the Holy Ghost. In such a case, there may be more of a powerful effect upon the body, and visible to the eye, than upon an Israelite, while the Israelite at first might be far before the Gentile in pure intelligence.” (Joseph Smith, TPJS, pg. 150)
34 – “I recently recalled a historic meeting in Jerusalem about 17 years ago. It was regarding the lease for the land on which the Brigham Young University’s Jerusalem Center for Near Eastern Studies was later built. Before this lease could be signed, President Ezra Taft Benson and Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, then president of Brigham Young University, agreed with the Israeli government on behalf of the Church and the university not to proselyte in Israel. You might wonder why we agreed not to proselyte. We were required to do so in order to get the building permit to build that magnificent building which stands in the historic city of Jerusalem. To our knowledge the Church and BYU have scrupulously and honorably kept that nonproselyting commitment. After the lease had been signed, one of our friends insightfully remarked, ‘Oh, we know that you are not going to proselyte, but what are you going to do about the light that is in their eyes?’ He was referring to our students who were studying in Israel.
What was that light in their eyes which was so obvious to our friend? He Lord Himself gives the answer: ‘And the light which shineth, which giveth you light, is through him who enlighteneth your eyes, which is the same light that quickeneth your understandings.’ Where did that light come from? Again the Lord gives the answer: ‘I am the true light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world.’ The Lord is the true light, ‘and the Spirit enlighteneth every man through the world, that hearkeneth to the voice of the Spirit.’ This light shows in our countenances as well as in our eyes.” (James E. Faust, Ensign, November 2005, pg. 20)
(Acts 10)
35 – “GIFT OF HOLY GHOST FOR CHURCH MEMBERS ONLY. We may after baptism and confirmation become companions of the Holy Ghost who will teach us the ways of the Lord, quicken our minds and help us to understand the truth. The people of the world do not receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” (Joseph Fielding Smith, DS, 1: 42)
(D&C 50:2-3; Moroni 7:16-17)
36 – “...it is my judgment that there are many members of this Church who have been baptized for the remission of their sins, who have had hands laid upon their heads for the gift of the Holy Ghost, who have never received that gift, that is, the manifestations of it. Why? Because they have never put themselves in order to receive these manifestations. They have never humbled themselves. They have never taken the steps that would prepare them for the companionship of the Holy Ghost. Therefore they go through life without that knowledge, and they have not the understanding. Therefore when those cunning and crafty in their deceit come to them, they disturb them in their faith, if they have faith left. They criticize the Authorities of the Church. They criticize the doctrines of the Church, and these weak members do not have understanding enough, information enough, and enough of the guidance of the Spirit of the Lord to resist the false doctrines and teachings of those who come to them, the wolves in sheep's clothing, and they listen to them, and think that perhaps after all they have made a mistake, and first thing you know they find their way out of the Church, because they do not have understanding.” (Joseph Fielding Smith, CR, October 1958, pg. 21-22)
37 – “A person may get converted in a moment, miraculously. That is what happened to Alma the younger. He was baptized in his youth, he had been promised the Holy ghost, but he had never received it. He was to worldly-wise...” (Bruce R. McConkie, BYU address, February 11, 1968)
38 – “There is no doubt, if a person lives according to the revelations given to God's people, he may have the Spirit of the Lord to signify to him His will, and to guide and to direct him in the discharge of his duties, in his temporal as well as his spiritual exercises. I am satisfied, however, that in this respect, we live far beneath our privileges.” (Brigham Young, JD, 12:105)
39 – “...nothing is a greater injury to the children of men than to be under the influence of a false spirit when they think they have the Spirit of God.” (Joseph Smith, TPJS, pg. 205)
40 – “Every…Latter-day Saint in the Church has not only the right but the obligation to understand what the gift of the Holy Ghost is. We use the gift so little and so infrequently, but it is ours, and if we prepare ourselves, that voice will speak to us.” (Boyd K. Packer, CES address, March 5, 2000, pg. 5)
(1 Corinthians 2:11)
41 – “In December 1839 he was in Washington in company with others trying to obtain redress of grievances for the Saints. In corresponding with his brother Hyrum, he stated that they had had an interview with the president of the United States and reported, and I quote: ‘In our interview with the President, he interrogated us wherein we differed in our religion from other religions of the day. Brother Joseph said we differed in mode of baptism, and the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands. We considered that all other considerations were contained in the gift of the Holy Ghost’” (Joseph Smith, HC, 4:42)
42 – “There is no greater blessing that can come into our lives than… the companionship of the Holy Spirit.” (Gordon B. Hinckley, TGBH, pg. 259)
43 – “Now, if you have the Holy Ghost with you-and every one ought to have-I can say unto you that there is no greater gift, there is no greater blessing, there is no greater testimony given to any man on earth. You may have the administration of angels; you may see many miracles; you may see many wonders in the earth; but I claim that the gift of the Holy Ghost is the greatest gift that can be bestowed upon man.” (Wilford Woodruff, DFPT, 229)
44 – “The Spirit is the most important matter in this glorious work.” (Ezra Taft Benson, TETB, pg.198)
45 – After the death of the Prophet Joseph Smith, Brigham Young had a dream in which Joseph Smith appeared to him with the following advice: “Tell the brethren to keep their hearts open to conviction, so that when the Holy Ghost comes to them, their hearts will be ready to receive it. They can tell the Spirit of the Lord from all other spirits; it will whisper peace and joy to their souls; it will take malice, hatred, strife and all evil from their hearts; and their whole desire will be to do good, bring forth righteousness and build up the kingdom of God. Tell the brethren if they will follow the spirit of the Lord they will go right. Be sure to tell the people to keep the Spirit, he said.” (Elden J. Watson, comp., Manuscript History of Brigham Young 1846--1847, Salt Lake City; 1971, pg. 529-30; Loren C. Dunn, Ensign, May 1979, pg. 71-72)
46 – “One morning, while we were at Winter Quarters, Brother Brigham Young said to me and the brethren that he had had a visitation the night previous from Joseph Smith. I asked him what he said to him. He replied that Joseph had told him to tell the people to labor to obtain the Spirit of God; that they needed that to sustain them and to give them power to go through their work in the earth.” (Wilford Woodruff, Collected Discourses, October 19, 1896, pg. 5)
47 – While Wilford Woodruff was crossing the ocean on his final mission to Great Britain, he testified that the martyred Prophet, Joseph Smith, and his brother Hyrum appeared to him in his cabin aboard the ship. The vessel had been caught in a terrible storm, which had abated as a result of the prayers of the brethren. Hear Brother Woodruff’s own words of what happened: “The night following [the storm] Joseph and Hyrum visited me, and the Prophet laid before me a great many things. Among other things, he told me to get the Spirit of God, as we all needed it.” (Wilford Woodruff; Henry D. Taylor, Ensign, July 1973, pg. 48)
48 – “I believe the eyes of the heavenly hosts are over this people; I believe they are watching the elders of Israel, the prophets and apostles and men who are called to bear off this kingdom. I believe they watch over us all with great interest…. I have had many interviews with Brother Joseph until the last fifteen or twenty years of my life; I have not seen him for that length of time. But during my travels in the southern country last winter I had many interviews with President Young, and with Heber C. Kimball, and George A. Smith, and Jedediah M. Grant, and many others who are dead. They attended our conference, they attended our meetings. And on one occasion, I saw Brother Brigham and Brother Heber ride in carriage ahead of the carriage in which I rode when I was on my way to attend conference; and they were dressed in the most priestly robes. When we arrived at our destination I asked President Young if he would preach to us. He said, ‘No, I have finished my testimony in the flesh. I shall not talk to this people any more.’ ‘But,’ said he, “I have come to see you; I have come to watch over you, and to see what the people are doing.’ Then, said he, ‘I want you to teach the people—and I want you to follow this counsel yourself—that they must labor and so live as to obtain the Holy Spirit, for without this you cannot build up the kingdom; without the spirit of God you are in danger of walking in the dark, and in danger of failing to accomplish your calling as apostles and as elders in the church and kingdom of God.’ And, said he, ‘Brother Joseph taught me this principle.’” (Wilford Woodruff, Discourses of Wilford Woodruff, pg. 289)
(D&C 132:26-27)
49 – “The sin against the Holy Ghost is a sin against God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost that bears record of them. A man cannot sin against the Holy ghost until the Holy Ghost has revealed unto Him the father and Son and a knowledge of eternal things in a great degree. When he has a knowledge of these things, [and] with his eyes open, he rebels against God and defies His power, he sins against all three [members of the Godhead].” (Wilford Woodruff; Scott G. Kenney, Wilford Woodruff Journal, 4:95)
50 – There is an unpardonable sin, a sin for which there is no forgiveness, neither in time nor in eternity. It is blasphemy against the Holy Ghost; it is to deny Christ, to come out in open rebellion, to make open war against the Son of Man—after gaining, by the power of the Holy Ghost, a sure and perfect knowledge of the truth and divinity of the Lord's work. It is to shed innocent blood, meaning to assent unto the death of Christ—to crucify him afresh, Paul says fn—with a full and absolute knowledge that he is the Son of God. It is to wage open warfare, as does Lucifer, against the Lord and his Anointed, knowing that the course so pursued is evil. It is to deny—to say the sun does not shine while seeing its blazing light—it is to deny Christ after a sure and irrevocable testimony has been received by the power of the Holy Ghost. Hence, it is a scurrilous and evil declaration against the Holy Ghost, against the sole and only source of absolute and sure knowledge. It is blasphemy against the Holy Ghost.
Let men without this sure knowledge speak even against Christ himself; let them commit all manner of sins and blasphemies, even murder, and yet when the penalties have been paid and a proper repentance granted, men shall come forth in immortality and gain an inheritance in whatever kingdom of glory they merit. Only the sons of perdition shall be cast out eternally to live and reign with Lucifer in hell forever.” (Bruce R. McConkie, Mortal Messiah, 2:216)
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