When I read these verses this morning, they were more deeply impressed upon my mind:
But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;
And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. (2 Timothy 3:14-15)
Life is not about what we accomplish; it is about who we become. There are those, both in and out of the Church, who love God and, for a lifetime exercise their senses within the sphere that God has placed them to discern good from evil, the stated purpose for casting Adam and Eve out of the Garden. Of such, the apostle Paul elsewhere taught that "strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil" (Hebrews 5:14).
Being of "full age" may denote something of being more elderly. Thus, within the Church, those called to serve as stake patriarchs are of "full age" (generally older than 55) and have, by use of the scriptures, exercised their senses to discern good and evil. But I prefer to think of being of "full age" in a spiritual context. Thus, although a mere boy, Joseph Smith was one who the apostle Paul would consider to be of "full age". Note that the apostle uses the conjunction "even" to define what it means to be of "full age"--even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. There are those who, at a very young age, learn to use the gospel to exercise their senses to discern good and evil. Mormon was a sober child and, although 10 years of age, had already used the scriptures (the learning of his fathers) to exercise his senses in like manner (Mormon 1:2).
Thus, the stated-purpose for our being cast out of the Garden, or learning by our own experience to discern good from evil, substantially finds fulfillment in using the truth, as discovered in the scriptures, to discern good from evil. The gospel of Jesus Christ is truth, or good, and comes of God. Therefore, it provides the means to discern that which is evil; for that which is not of God comes of the devil and is evil (Moroni 7:11-22). In the scriptures is a fulness of the everlasting truth. Thus, whatsoever is not found in them must be tested (see 2 Nephi 28:31) to determine whether it cometh of God or cometh of the devil, who is the father of all lies (2 Nephi 2:18).
In sum, learning the scriptures is fundamental to providing us with the ability to discern good from evil and becoming as God is. In fact, there can be no discernment of either good or evil without them, for they are the foil on which good and evil are imprinted.
However, the knowledge obtained from them will not cause one to become as God is. Rather, such knowledge must be used so as to exercise our senses to their right and lawful purposes. In short, a knowledge of the scriptures must be combined with priesthood ordinances and the making and keeping of covenants if the seed of the gospel is to bring forth unto its own likeness (see Alma 32:31).
Although not generally understood, the promise and responsibility of becoming like God is discovered in the Oath and Covenant that belongs to the Holy Priesthood. In D&C 84, this promise and responsibility is summarized:
For whoso is faithful unto the obtaining these two priesthoods of which I have spoken, and the magnifying their calling, are sanctified by the Spirit unto the renewing of their bodies.
They become the sons of Moses and of Aaron and the seed of Abraham, and the church and kingdom, and the elect of God.
Those who receive TWO PRIESTHOODS by ordinance and magnify their CALLING (i.e., their singular calling as noted in Alma 13:3-9) by service are sanctified unto the resurrection, or renewing of the body. In this process, they become:
1) the sons of Moses and of Aaron,
2) the seed of Abraham,3) the church,4) the kingdom (i.e., the kingdom of our God and of His Christ, or Zion, see JST Revelation 12:2-3, 7 and D&C 105:32), and5) the elect of God.
Few things are more important for us to understand than these things. It is my prayer that each of us will use the scriptures so as to exercise our senses to discern good from evil. In our search of the truths found in them, may we be diligent to discover the five things that we are to become, how each relates to us, and how, by progressively becoming each, we may become a man in the likeness and stature of the fulness of Christ:
For the word of the Lord is truth, and whatsoever is truth is light, and whatsoever is light is Spirit, even the Spirit of Jesus Christ.
And the Spirit giveth light to every man that cometh into the world; and the Spirit enlighteneth every man through the world, that hearkeneth to the voice of the Spirit.
And every one that hearkeneth to the voice of the Spirit cometh unto God, even the Father.
And the Father teacheth him of the covenant which he has renewed and confirmed upon you, which is confirmed upon you for your sakes, and not for your sakes only, but for the sake of the whole world. (D&C 84:45-48)
We have a Heavenly Father who desires to teach His children individually and personally (see 1 John 2:20, 27)! The opportunity for this to happen, however, must be according to His way. It cannot happen without the scriptures and by using them to exercise our senses in discerning good and evil, without the ordinances of the temple, and without making and keeping sacred covenants to the end that we become the elect of God.
