Mankind has a continual quest for knowledge and truth. It marks our progression as a society. It creates progress as we move forward with new insight into old problems. Everyone seeks knowledge of some kind: whether it is the ultimate spaghetti and meatball recipe or the secrets of metaphysics.
Perhaps some of the most important answers we all need to find, the most basic truths, are spiritual in nature. We all yearn to know where we came from, what our purpose is here in this life, and where we go when we leave this world. We are all born with a spirit, a light of Christ, which hints at wonderful things if we come to know God and work to become like His son, Jesus Christ. Charity rejoices in these truths.
It rejoices in the knowledge that each of us is loved in a personal and eternal way by a Heavenly Father who gave His Son so that we could overcome sin and death and return to Him again.
D&C 84:45-47 “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.”
Truth is light and goodness, it fills us with the Spirit. It gives us purpose and hope in a world that can sometimes be very dark. The knowledge we gain as we seek out Jesus Christ guides our actions toward goodness, it leads us to more light.
As members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we are encouraged to seek out these truths for ourselves. One of the most quoted scriptures from the Book of Mormon is found in
Moroni 10:4-5 “And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost. And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.”
It’s a powerful promise of truth from the best source of light I know of.
Elder Robert S. Wood states that there are four stages to any person’s search for truth.
(1) An urgent search for the truth.
(2) A willingness to obey the truth we discover.
(3) A disposition to bear witness to the truth in all places and at all times, and
(4) A motivation to serve others in truth.
A search for truth requires a hunger and thirst for answers, and a willingness to follow through with what is found out. We seek out learning and knowledge in the scriptures, our prayers, our worship, our personal relationship with God. The testimony we gain fills us with joy and a conviction for goodness. As indicated in the scriptures:
D&C 11:13 “Verily, verily, I say unto you, I will impart unto you of my Spirit, which shall enlighten your mind, which shall fill your soul with joy;”
John 8:32 “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
This freedom comes from finding the answers that can lay the course of our lives. It opens up possibilities beyond what we can see for ourselves. It gives us a higher reason for our choices and a conviction to be the best person we can be.
It requires us to live up to our roll as disciples of Christ, being His witness and serving others with the knowledge we have gained.
