Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints

By Jim Greer

LW contributor

Elder David A. Bednar reminds us that “in our personal lives, in our families, and in the Church, we can and will receive the blessings of spiritual strength, direction, and protection as we seek by faith to obtain and apply spiritual knowledge.” The leveraging of faith in pursuit of spiritual knowledge is an often-misunderstood process that Elder Bednar explained in a satellite broadcast to Church Education System educators in February 2006.

He noted that in defining faith, three prophets provided profound insight. First, the Apostle Paul described faith as “the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen.” The Book of Mormon prophet Alma declared that faith is not a perfect knowledge; instead, if we have faith, we “hope for things which are not seen but are true.” In his Lectures on Faith, the Prophet Joseph Smith taught that faith is “the first principle in revealed religion and the foundation of all righteousness.” Brother Joseph went on to identify faith as “the principle of action in all intelligent beings.”

As a principal of action, faith permits us to “walk to the edge of the light and take a few steps into the darkness—expecting and trusting the light to move and illuminate the way.” As we step with faith into the darkness clinging to assurance and hope, we receive evidence and confirmation as the light moves with us and provides the illumination we need. These steps taken in darkness are our trials of faith. As we know, it is after the trial of faith that learning occurs with the Spirit providing a witness of the truth.

This learning by faith requires spiritual, mental, and physical exertion and not just passive reception. The sincerity and consistency of our faith-inspired action indicate to the Lord, our willingness to receive further light and knowledge from the Holy Ghost.

An example of enlarging and strengthening assurance is evident in the first vision account of the young Joseph Smith. After reading verses about prayer and faith in the New Testament book of James, Joseph was inspired to pray in a grove of trees near his home. His question focused not just on what he needed to know but also on what he needed to do. His question of faith was which church he should join, fully intending to take action after receiving further light and knowledge.

Joseph taught, “the best way to obtain truth and wisdom is not to ask it from books, but to go to God in prayer, and obtain divine teaching.” It’s the action of seeking the truth for one’s self, the Prophet Joseph explained, not “reading the experience of others or the revelation given to them” that gives us “a comprehensive view of our condition and true relation to God.”

“Learning by faith involves the exercise of moral agency to act upon the assurance of things hoped for,” explained Elder Bednar. Active faith reveals “the evidence of things not seen from the only true teacher, the Spirit of the Lord.” This type of learning causes us to put off the natural man. To change our hearts, to be converted unto the Lord, and to never fall away. Learning by faith requires both “the heart and a willing mind.” Learning by faith occurs when the Holy Ghost carries the power of God’s word unto and into our hearts. Learning by faith requires faithful action. And, faithful actions qualify us to receive through the Holy Spirit that further light and knowledge that we seek from the source of all truth, our Heavenly Father.