Monday, January 18, 2016

YOU CANNOT BE SAVED IN IGNORANCE.....

Teachings of the Prophet Joseph
“… A man is saved no faster than he gets knowledge, for if he does not get knowledge, he will be brought into captivity by some evil power in the other world, as evil spirits will have more knowledge, and consequently more power than many men who are on the earth. Hence it needs revelation to assist us, and give us knowledge of the things of God.”
“As far as we degenerate from God, we descend to the devil and lose knowledge, and without knowledge we cannot be saved, and while our hearts are filled with evil, and we are studying evil, there is no room in our hearts for good, or studying good. Is not God good? Then you be good; if He is faithful, then you be faithful. Add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, and seek for every good thing."

Nor alone - or in a relationship where one or the other is in ignorance:

Erick Von Sporck to Testimonies of Christ's Gospel The Parable of the Treasure & Keys
Once a man received as his inheritance two keys. The first key, he was told, would open a vault which he must protect at all cost. The second key was to a safe within the vault which contained a priceless treasure. He was to open this safe & freely use the precious things which were stored therein. He was warned that many would seek to rob him of his inheritance. He was promised that if he used the treasure worthily, it would be replenished & never be diminished, not in all eternity. He would be tested. If he used it to benefit others, his own blessings & joy would increase.The man went alone to the vault. His first key opened the door. He tried to unlock the treasure with the other key, but he could not, for there were two locks on the safe. His key alone would not open it. No matter how he tried, he could not open it. He was puzzled. He had been given the keys. He knew the treasure was rightfully his. He had obeyed instructions, but he could not open the safe.
In due time, there came a woman into the vault. She, too, held a key. It was noticeably different from the key he held. Her key fit the other lock. It humbled him to learn that he could not obtain his rightful inheritance without her. They made a covenant that together they would open the treasure &, as instructed, he would watch over the vault & protect it; she would watch over the treasure. She was not concerned that, as guardian of the vault, he held two keys, for his full purpose was to see that she was safe as she watched over that which was most precious to them both. Together they opened the safe & partook of their inheritance. They rejoiced for, as promised, it replenished itself.
With great joy they found that they could pass the treasure on to their children; each could receive a full measure, undiminished to the last generation.
Perhaps some few of their posterity would not find a companion who possessed the complementary key, or one worthy & willing to keep the covenants relating to the treasure. Nevertheless, if they kept the commandments, they would not be denied even the smallest blessing.
Because some tempted them to misuse their treasure, they were careful to teach their children about keys & covenants.
There came, in due time, among their posterity some few who were deceived or jealous or selfish because one was given two keys & another only one. “Why,” the selfish ones reasoned, “cannot the treasure be mine alone to use as I desire?” Some tried to reshape the key they had been given to resemble the other key. Perhaps, they thought, it would then fit both locks. & so it was that the safe was closed to them. Their reshaped keys were useless, & their inheritance was lost.
Those who received the treasure with gratitude & obeyed the laws concerning it knew joy without bounds through time & all eternity.
Apostle Boyd K. Packer

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