“The glory of God is intelligence.” (D&C 93:36-37) Our intelligence has always existed and always will. (D&C 93:29) Our intelligence + our spirit body + our physical body + resurrection = redemption through the Infinite Atonement. Notice I capitalize Infinite Atonement because of its sacredness.
Our intelligence participates in a grand chiasmus: ETERNITY to EARTH to ETERNITY. How we use our intelligence to deal with the law of opposition in all things (2 Nephi 2:11) determines our destiny. Ancient scriptures tell us so.
Intelligence, Mind, and Brain
At the birth of our spirits from our infinitely love Heavenly Parents, our intelligence coupled to our spirit brain. Then when we were born to our loving earthly parents, our intelligence and spirit mater brain downloaded to our physical brain. This coupling allows our mind to operate both within and without our body. In God’s physics, as we pray sincerely, we couple into the Eternity Domain.
Quoting from my book, It’s About Time, this “allows us to couple into
God’s Time and His perfect plan of happiness, which is often hard for us to
see in this very imperfect world. One of the main purposes of my books is to
show how God’s plan can bring about perfection and a fullness of joy out of all the imperfections we see in this world… This coupling between our physical sphere of existence and God’s Time utilizes our intelligences, the feelings of our hearts and of our “guts.” It is interesting that recently science has discovered brain cells’ neurons in the
heart and in the bowels.
“In the scriptures, it has been there all along. Perhaps you have heard the touching phrases, ‘Listen to your heart,’ or ‘I have a gut feeling that this is not right!’ Perhaps you have heard the following scriptural phrases: ‘…his bowels did yearn upon his brother …’ ‘Let your bowels be full of charity toward all mankind…’; ‘The Lord looketh upon the heart…’; ‘Thoughts of thy heart…’; ‘Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.’ and ‘God is a discerner… of the thoughts and intents of the heart.'”
Our mind does our rational thinking. The Spirit of Christ dwells in our hearts to know good from evil. Following His Spirit leads us to be pure in heart. Those so doing will enter celestial realms of glory. Jesus is the “Son of Righteousness.” As we come unto Christ in our thoughts, words, and deeds, He will help us be the same. Partaking of the full blessings of His perfect and Infinite Atonement is the path to a fullness of JOY!
The Right To Choose
As Joseph Smith was in horrible conditions in the Liberty jail, the Lord told him: “All these things shall give thee experience and be for thy good.” ( D&C 122:7) “If thou endure it well, God shalt exalt thee on high.” (D&C 121:8) Let us use our intelligence to bring about eternal good in spite of mortal challenges. As I explain in Chapter 6 of my book, Time & Eternity, The End-Times & Beyond Revealed, the Lord honors the desires of our hearts. We have a perfect God with infinite love for each of us, who fully understands our challenges. He gave us agency (the right to choose) — a precious gift. He will force no one to heaven. If He were to do so, it would make it not heaven.
His plan is perfect amid all our imperfections; “He is more intelligent than they all.” (Abraham 3:19-28) The heaven and hell model of the afterlife misses the glorious perfect plan of happiness. The Apostle Paul describes the three degrees of glory in the resurrection (1 Cor. 15:40-42). Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery were shown details of these three degrees of glory (Celestial, Terrestrial, and Telestial). (D&C Section 76) How we use our intelligence matters greatly in His perfect plan of happiness.
Section 88:27-33 of the Doctrine and Covenants shares that we will be in the eternities where we will be the happiest. Moroni explains, “ye would be more miserable to dwell with a holy and just God, under a consciousness of your filthiness before him, than ye would to dwell with the damned souls in hell.” (Mormon 9:4)
When the Lord asks us to be perfect like our Heavenly Father is perfect, He asks us to use our intelligence to take the path to a fullness of joy. (Matt. 5:48) After the Savior completed His infinite atonement, He visited North America as a resurrected being (John 10:16; 3 Nephi Chapter 11).
There, Jesus shared a very similar sermon with the Nephites as the sermon on the mount. (3 Nephi 12-14) He said to them. “Therefore, I would that ye should be perfect even as I, or your Father who is in heaven is perfect.” (3 Nephi 12:48; Galatians 4:19) By using His intelligence to do the will of the Father, He had become perfect. The Hebrew meaning of perfect is “complete.”
Use Our Intelligence Wisely
As we use our intelligence to best use our time and talents, we also can become complete. But, because of mortality, only Christ can bring us to perfection and completeness. (Moroni 10:32-33) Those in the Celestial Kingdom enjoy the presence of our Heavenly Parents and our Savior. Also, a fullness of joy is not possible without our family members who have also chosen to follow our Savior. If we use our intelligence to choose less, that is our choice. In the final judgment, the Apostle John shares a very important perspective. A fundamental truth is how we use our intelligence determines the works we do.
“And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.” (Rev. 20:12,) The bolding is mine.
In my book, It’s About Time, I share how grace and works go together. The primitive saints believed in grace and works. In the Lord’s perfect plan, we use our intelligence to harmonize grace and works as we look to Christ. In a podcast, I share how perfect justice and perfect mercy motivated by God’s love make His perfect plan. (Scroll down to 2021 #33): Podcasts – Book of Mormon Evidence.
The Aquarian Gospel of Jesus Christ by Levi has some great ancient insights on using our intelligences properly; I list here the chapters and verses:
95:43 “The letter of the law deals with the acts of man; the spirit of the law takes note of his desires.”
96:27 “This day is consecrated unto God; but man serves God by serving man.” (In Mosiah 2:17, King Benjamin shares the same great counsel.)
131:22 “Your thoughts and words and deeds will all be tried by fire.”
135:23 “If you sin not then you are free; but if you sin in thought, or word, or deed, then you are slaves, and naught but truth can set you free; if you are free through Christ, then you are free indeed.” (See John 8:32, 36)
158:34-41 “Behold, when he will come with all his messengers of light, the Book of Life, and that of Records, shall be opened up—the books in which the thoughts and words and deeds are written down. And everyone can read the records he has written for himself, and he will know his doom before the judge shall speak, and this will be the sifting time. According to their records, men will find their own. The judge is Righteousness, the king of all the earth, and he will separate the multitudes as shepherds separate the sheep and goats. The sheep will find their places on the right, the goats on the left, and every man will know his place. And then the judge will say, to those upon the right. You blessed of the Father-God, come unto your inheritance, which was prepared for you from times of old. You have been servants of the race; and I was hungry and you gave me bread; was thirsty and you gave me drink; was naked and you gave me clothes; Was sick, you ministered to me; and was in prison and you came to me with words of cheer; I was a stranger and in your homes I found a home.”
158:43 “And then the judge will say, You served the sons of men, and whatsoever you have done for these, that you have done for me.”
158:44 “The judge will say to those upon the left. Depart from me; you have not served the sons of men.”
I believe the Lord gave me the following poem:
The Opportunity to Repent
Most people don’t know that if their words, and deeds, and thoughts are contrary to God’s will, they will condemn them at the last day unless they repent. (Alma 12:14; Mosiah 4:30) How grateful we are for faith in the Lord and for the opportunity to repent. When the Lord says in Section 58 of the Doctrine and Covenants: “42 Behold, he who has repented of his sins, the same is forgiven, and I, the Lord, remember them no more. 43 By this ye may know if a man repenteth of his sins—behold, he will confess them and forsake them.” True repentance is the permanent eraser of our sins! THANK YOU, LORD! The Lord erases those sins which we have forsaken from our Book of Life. The Bolding mine.
Like the Savior, let us use our intelligence to go about doing good. Most people, also, don’t know that Satan is real with the intent to bring bad thoughts to whoever will be open to the same. Let us continually have a prayer in hearts to look to Christ and not listen to Satan. (D&C 10:5) We can choose to ignore him; he has no power unless we give it to him. Let us look to Jesus in every thought. (D&C 6:36) Let us be wise and use our intelligence to fully repent and to exercise faith in our Lord and Savior. Let us fill up our “Book of Life” with glorious acts of service. The best thing we can do is to lovingly help as many as we can, who are willing to listen, and ourselves to come to know the Father and the Son. To know them is eternal life. (John 17:3)
As the Prophet Joseph taught, faith “Is a principle of action.” We first have faith to know that God is there. Then we use our intelligence to look at His characteristics and attributes and strive to emulate them. Then know that our Creator created us to also be creators, we use our intelligence to lovingly best serve humankind using our creative abilities. This we do to build His Kingdom and seek His Righteousness. Again, He is the Son of Righteousness. (Matt. 6:33; 2 Nephi 26:9; 3 Nephi 25:2; and Ether 9:22)
To Act For Themselves
Again, let us help others do the same. I have written my books and blog articles with that intent under His inspiration and am working on more. There is nothing greater than the worth of a soul. Let us realize that when a baby is born it brings a new intelligence to the planet. Adding intelligence to the planet brings the potential for more creativity. And this is to God’s glory, for “the glory of God is intelligence.” (D&C 93:36) “Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.” (John 15:8)
One of my favorite scriptures in this regard and the message of intelligence is Lehi’s great sermon to his family before he died. (2 Nephi) 25 Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy. 26 And the Messiah cometh in the fulness of time, that he may redeem the children of men from the fall. And because that they are redeemed from the fall they have become free forever, knowing good from evil; to act for themselves and not to be acted upon, save it be by the punishment of the law at the great and last day, according to the commandments which God hath given. 27 Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and all things are given them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life [use your intelligence wisely; He honors your desires.], through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself. The bolding is mine.
We Have A Promise
Satan and his minions are doing everything they can to deter us from Christ. “[Christ] is the way, and the truth, and the life.” (John 14;6) We have this great promise (D&C 130:18): “Whatever principle of intelligence we attain unto in this life, it will rise with us in the resurrection.” Let us use our intelligence to BEST SERVE! Let us be true disciples and “bear much fruit.” (John 15:8) Let us partake fully of His Infinite Atonement and receive the greatest of all the gifts of God, ETERNAL LIFE (D&C 14:7). “The glory of God is intelligence.”
David W. Allan
Photo: Robert Smith