"I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.
"Even so, Father; for it seemed good in thy sight." (Matt. 11:25-26.)The Lord has consistently chosen to bypass the wise and learned of the day, instead revealing His plain truths to babes, weak things, and the innocent by the power of the Holy Ghost.
Through such revelation, taught President Ezra Taft Benson, "The Lord will increase our knowledge, wisdom, and capacity to obey when we obey His fundamental laws. This is what the Prophet Joseph Smith meant when he said we could have `sudden strokes of ideas' which come into our minds as `pure intelligence.'
"This is revelation. We must learn to rely on the Holy Ghost so we can use it to guide our lives and the lives of those for whom we have responsibility." (April 1983 general conference.)
Elder Marvin J. Ashton of the Council of the Twelve observed, "The truths of the gospel are plain, precious, and powerful. . . .
"Plainness is best comprehended by the humble, the teachable, the intelligent, the wise, and the obedient. Often plain truths are perverted by the pretentious, the crude, the low, the critical, the contentious, the haughty and the unrighteous." (April 1977 general conference.)
Daniel H. Ludlow wrote: "Spiritual realities, gospel truths, the doctrines and principles of salvation, come only by revelation; they are only known to and understood by the spiritually literate, those who so live as to attune their souls to the spirit of revelation; they are withheld from and remain unknown to the worldly wise and those who trust in the arm of flesh." (A Companion to Your Study of the New Testament, p. 88.)
In modern revelation, the Lord indicated that although the recipients of this revelation may be weak and innocent, they shall have great power: "That men might be partakers of the glories which were to be revealed, the Lord sent forth the fulness of his gospel. . . .
"And by the weak things of the earth the Lord shall thrash the nations by the power of his Spirit." (D&C 133:57-59.)
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(ADDITIONAL INFORMATION)
Articles on this page may be used in conjunction with the Gospel Doctrine course of study.
Information compiled by John L. Hart
Sources: Jesus the Christ, by Elder James E. Talmage; and April 1977, October 1982, April 1983, and April 1985 Conference Reports.