A Rational Theology, as Taught by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day SaintsWidtsoe, John Andreas
Religion
A Rational Theology, as Taught by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
Widtsoe, John Andreas
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints -- Doctrines; Latter Day Saint churches -- Doctrines; Theology
**God's Attributes.** To analyze the supreme intelligence of the
universe, the God whom we worship, is a futile attempt, to which men
of shallow minds, only, give their time. That which is infinite
transcends the human understanding. The Gospel accepts this condition,
calmly, knowing that, in the scheme of things, greater truths will
come with increased power, until, in the progress of time, we shall
understand that which now seems incomprehensible. For that reason,
eternal, or everlasting, or infinite things are things understood by
God, the supreme and governing Power, but not understood by us. Thus,
"eternal punishment is God's punishment; endless punishment is God's
punishment." Likewise, everlasting joy or endless blessings are God's
joy and God's blessings. Man acknowledges in this manner that all
things are relative to God.
Man does not understand God fully, yet an understanding between man
and God does exist in that, God in the course of his progression has
gone over the road that we are traveling and therefore understands us
fully. He understands our difficulties, our hopes, our sorrows, our
faults and our follies. God is supreme, and his justice is perfect;
his love is unmeasurable and his mercy without end; for his justice
and love and mercy are tempered by the memory of his own upward
career. God's relation to man is, in a literal sense, that of father
to son, for we are of the same race with God. We may rest secure that
God's attributes are, with others, those that man possesses, made
great and beautiful. He is our Father who knows and understands us.
CHAPTER 7.
MAN IS THAT HE MAY HAVE JOY.
Is the increasing power of man a sufficient reward for the effort and
struggle that must accompany progression? This is a question that
comes to every student of the Gospel. Power in itself may not be the
ideal end of existence. It becomes necessary, therefore, to determine
if there is associated with power, gifts that make worth while the
eternal searching out of knowledge in order that greater power may be
won.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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