Every Man an Agent for Himself
Every man lives for himself.12 Adam was made to open the way of the world, and for dressing the garden.13 Noah was born to save seed of everything,14 when the earth was washed of its wickedness by the flood;15 and the Son of God came into the world to redeem it from the fall.16 But except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.17 This eternal truth settles the question of all men’s religion. A man may be saved, after the judgment, in the terrestrial kingdom, or in the telestial kingdom,18 but he can never see the celestial kingdom of God, without being born of the water and the Spirit.19He may receive a glory like unto the moon,20 [i.e., of which the light of the moon is typical], or a star,21 [i.e., of which the light of the stars is typical], but he can never come unto Mount Zion,22 and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels; to the general assembly and Church of the Firstborn,23which are written in heaven,24 and to God the judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,25 and to Jesus the Mediator26 of the new covenant, unless he becomes as a little child,27 and is taught by the Spirit of God.28 Wherefore, we again say, search the revelations29 of God; study the prophecies,30 and rejoice that God grants unto the world Seers and Prophets.31 They are they who saw the mysteries of godliness;32 they saw the flood before it came;33 they saw angels ascending and descending upon a ladder34 that reached from earth to heaven; they saw the stone cut out of the mountain,1 which filled the whole earth;2 they saw the Son of God come3 from the regions of bliss4 and dwell with men on earth;5 they saw the deliverer come out of Zion, and turn away ungodliness from Jacob;6 they saw the glory of the Lord when he showed the transfiguration of the earth on the mount;7 they saw every mountain laid low and every valley exalted8 when the Lord was taking vengeance upon the wicked;9 they saw truth spring out of the earth,10 and righteousness look down from heaven11 in the last days, before the Lord came the second time12 to gather His elect;13 they saw the end of wickedness14 on earth, and the Sabbath of creation15 crowned with peace; they saw the end of the glorious thousand years,16 when Satan was loosed for a little season;17 they saw the day of judgment18 when all men received according to their works,19 and they saw the heaven and the earth flee away20 to make room for the city of God, when the righteous receive an inheritance21 in eternity. And, fellow sojourners upon earth,22 it is your privilege to purify yourselves23 and come up to the same glory,24 and see for yourselves,25 and know for yourselves. Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.26—E&MS August, 1832. DHC 1:282–284.
Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith page 12 and 13
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