Commentary for Doctrine and Covenants: Section 93

 

The Holy Trinity by Pierre Mignard

Section 93

Background Information 

Next to sections 76 and 88, section 93 is one of the greatest doctrinal revelations received in this dispensation.  Section 93 was received on May 6, a few weeks after the School of Prophets adjourned for the warm season.  As Matthew McBride remarked, section 93 "departed from traditional Christian ideas about the nature of humankind, opening startling new vistas on our premortal past, our future potential, and our relationship to God." He goes on to further explain: 

Since the fifth century, Christian orthodoxy had imposed an almost impassable gulf between the Creator and His creations. Humankind, Christians came to believe, was created from nothing. God was not a craftsman who refashioned existing materials but wholly different and apart from His creation—mysterious and unknowable. The Bible’s parent-child description of God’s relationship to us was understood largely as a metaphor instead of a literal kinship. To suggest otherwise, in the estimation of most Christian thinkers, blasphemously lessened God or dangerously elevated humankind.

The Jospeh Smith Papers also explained: 

[Section 93] directly challenged several prevailing Christian beliefs of the time, including doctrines regarding the nature of Jesus Christ, especially his humanity and divinity, that most Christians believed had been settled by the Council of Chalcedon in AD 451. That council held that Jesus Christ was both fully human and fully divine, “that in Christ two distinct natures were united in one person, without any change, mixture, or confusion.”This revelation instead describes Jesus as having “received not of the fulness at the first but received grace for grace and he received not of the fulness but continued from grace to grace until he received a fulness.”

...

[Section 93] revelation also challenged the general Christian concept of creation ex nihilo by stating that “inteligence or the Light of truth was not created or made.” In an even greater contrast to the prevailing belief in the omnipotence of God, this revelation expressly stated not only that intelligence was “not created or made” by God, but also that it could not, in fact, be created by him.         

Section 93 was first published in the 1835 edition of the Doctrine and Covenants.  And by 1939, JS appears to have enlarged the teaching of section 93.  In sermon that year, he was recorded as teaching: 

The spirit of man is not a created being: it existed from Eternity and will exist to Eternity. Any thing created cannot be eternal and Earth, water, &c all these had their existence in an elementary state from Eternity. Our Savior speaks of children and says their Angels always stand before my Father. The Father called all spirits before him at the creation of man and organized them.

A few years later he further explained: 

God was a self exhisting being, man exhist upon the same principle. God made a tabernacle & por spirit in it and it became a Human soul, man exhisted in spirit & mind coequal with God himself. . . . God has power to institute laws to instruct the weaker intelligences that they may be exhalted with himself. 

Indeed, section 93 had such an impact on JS that he spent the remainder of his life pondering its meaning and implications, later teaching, based on the the truth contained in section 93, that men and women were co-eternal with God and could become like Him by "“going from a small capacity to a great capacity,” until eventually they dwell “in everlasting burnings.”

This is perhaps the greatest contribution of 93.  Showing that man's destiny is to dwell amongst the great creator and become as he is, to inherit thrones, principalities, dominions, and kingdoms, ascending from exhalation to exhalation,  by line upon line and precept upon precept.  

Section 

1 Verily, thus saith the Lord: It shall come to pass that every soul who forsaketh his sins and cometh unto me, and calleth on my name, and obeyeth my voice, and keepeth my commandments, shall see my face and know that I am; 2 And that I am the true light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world; 3 And that I am in the Father, and the Father in me, and the Father and I are one— 4 The Father because he gave me of his fulness, and the Son because I was in the world and made flesh my tabernacle, and dwelt among the sons of men. 5 I was in the world and received of my Father, and the works of him [the Father] were plainly manifest [God's works were plainly manifested through Christ because Christ openly showed his goodness to the people].

• Verse 1: Know That I Am
• To actual and personally know the Lord is the objective of all followers of Christ.  This is one of the messages of the Book of Mormon and is reinforced in the Doctrine and Covenants throughout many of the sermons that JS gave during his lifetime.  From the beginning of the world, starting from the patriarchs of Adam to Noah, the righteous of mankind was in association with God.  After the flood, that knowledge was lost until Abraham restored it through his covenant with God.  And then some point after Jacob and his twelve sons settled in Egypt, that knowledge was lost again.  
• The Israelites knew about the God of Abraham, Issac, and Jacob during their captivity, but they did not know him like their progenitors.  It was this knowledge which Moses sought to distill, but due to their hard hearts, they rejected it, desiring that Moses to speak to God on their behalf.  From then, the knowledge of God was known, but only by those individuals who sought him out.  These were the prophets, such as Samuel, Nathaniel, Elijah, and Elisha, etc. Each of these strove to teach the knowledge of God to their people, only to be met with rejection and scorn.  After the Jews returned to their ancestral land, God through Ezra and Nehemiah, worked to restore what was lost.  But the Jews were unable to humble themselves to receive what was for them.  Eventually God's revelation of himself would have to wait. 
• When it finally came, it came through the birth of Jesus Christ.  Christ sought to restore the knowledge of God to the largely apostate Jews.  He did this by manifesting the power of God and reaching out the lost.  Upon his resurrection, he returned and ministered to his disciples for 40 days, assuring them he will abide with them as the other comforter. 
• Interestingly enough, expect for the end of the Nephite civilization, the Nephites did not fall into the kind of apostasy as did the Israelites in the old world.  One wonders if being separated on a different content allowed the Lord to preserve his truth among them.  The Nephites were fortunately to have prophet after prophet, and missionary after missionary, take the effort to call them to repentance, so they would not lose the precious knowledge of Christ. 
• JS's ministry was to restore.  But much of this restoration was centered on restoring lost truths, not knew knowledge.  One of these truths was to redirects man aim towards coming into Christ's presence.  For, as the Lord told the Brother of Jared, it is by coming into his presence that we are redeemed from the fall, ensuring us a inheritance in the heavenly mansions above. 
• Given this context, it is telling that the first thing the Lord says in section 93, when talking about the nature of progression, is that we can see and know him as he is.  And this is not only for the leaders of the church, but "every soul" who:
• Forsakes his sins; 
• cometh unto him; 
• calleth upon his name; and
• keep his commandments 
• Cometh Unto Me: To come unto Christ is to enter into the covenants of the gospel and thereby become one with Christ as his son or daughter in his kingdom (see D&C 25:1; John 17:21-23).  Through coming to Christ and becoming one with him in this way, we cease to belong to this fallen world and become “fellowcitizens with the saints” (Ephesians 2:19-20).
• Calleth Upon My Name: To call upon the name of Christ is to seek his power and authority in our lives in our prayers and in our ordinances by doing all that we do “in the name of Jesus Christ.” In this way we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Master and our Mediator with Father.
• Know That I Am: President Spencer W. Kimball said: “I have learned that where there is a prayerful heart, a hungering after righteousness, a forsaking of sins, and obedience to the commandments of God, the Lord pours out more and more light until there is finally power to pierce the heavenly veil and to know more than man knows. A person of such righteousness has the priceless promise that one day he shall see the Lord’s face and know that he is” (Ensign, March 1980, 4).
• Verses 3-4: I Am In the Father, and the Father In Me
• Christ has fully assumed the character of God, his presence and actions manifest that of the Father.  Hence why the Lord told his disciples "he that hath seen me hath seen the Father.  The will of the Father and Christ is inseparable and indivisible.  Similarly, we are one in Christ we our character is like his. This is what it means to take upon his name.  We act as Christ would act in any situation we're placed in. 
• Christ is the Father, because he has obtained a fulness.  Father is a title.  Those who are fathers are those who have obtained a fullness of God's glory.  Christ is the son because he condescended to earth and took upon a mortal tabernacle and "dwelt among the sons of men." 

From verses 6 -18, the Lord quotes the record of John

6 And John saw and bore record of the fulness of my glory, and the fulness of John’s record is hereafter to be revealed. 7 And he bore record, saying: I saw his glory, that he was in the beginning, before the world was; 8 Therefore, in the beginning the Word was, for he was the Word, even the messenger of salvation— 9 The light and the Redeemer of the world; the Spirit of truth, who came into the world, because the world was made by him, and in him was the life of men and the light of men. 10 The worlds were made by him; men were made by him; all things were made by him, and through him, and of him [This repeats what we learned in section 88 -- that all things in the universe were created by Christ].

• Verse 6: John Saw and Bore Record
• It is unclear which John verse 6 is referring to.  It could be either John the Baptist or John the Beloved.  In any case, whoever this John is, he recorded about the progression of the Lord, as I'll discuss more in verse 11.  
• Personally, I'm inclined to believe that the John being referred to in verse 6 refers to John the Baptist.  My reason for this is because John, who was the cousin of Jesus, would have the most intimate knowledge of the Savior -- from birth until his baptism.  He would have observed Christ's growth as he matured from a boy to a man, observing his acquiring of light and truth.  Moreover, it was John the Baptists mission to prepare the way for Christ.  What better way to do that than to bear record of who the Christ was and is. 
• Some may counter that verses 8-9 come from John's gospel.  To that, I suggest that perhaps John the Beloved borrowed that phrase from John the Baptist.  This is possible, given that John the Beloved was a disciple of John the Baptist.  

11 And I, John, bear record that I beheld his glory, as the glory of the Only Begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth, even the Spirit of truth, which came and dwelt in the flesh, and dwelt among us. 12 And I, John, saw that he received not of the fulness at the first, but received grace for grace; 13 And he received not of the fulness at first, but continued from grace to grace, until he received a fulness; 14 And thus he was called the Son of God, because he received not of the fulness at the first.

• Verse 11: Received Not A Fulness At First
• Verse 11 lays out one of the most profound doctrines: Christ did not possess a fulness of God's glory at first, but gained that glory incrementally by acquiring light.  Thus he, like all of us, started out as a spirit and he progressed through his diligence and heed.  The difference between he and us is that he desired light and truth more than we did. 
• Interestingly, it seems that the Book of Mormon prophets knew about this doctrine.  Alma taught the people of Ammonihah that all started out on the same level, "being left to choose good or evil."  And in 2 Nephi the Lord taught: 
• "I will give unto the children of men line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little; and blessed are those who hearken unto my precepts, and lend an ear unto my counsel, for they shall learn wisdom; for unto him that receiveth I will give more; and from them that shall say, We have enough, from them shall be taken away even that which they have."
• Returning to Alma he also explained:
• 9 It is given unto many to know the mysteries of God; nevertheless they are laid under a strict command that they shall not impart only according to the portion of his word which he doth grant unto the children of men, according to the heed and diligence which they give unto him. 10 And therefore, he that will harden his heart, the same receiveth the lesser portion of the word; and he that will not harden his heart, to him is given the greater portion of the word, until it is given unto him to know the mysteries of God until he know them in full. 11 And they that will harden their hearts, to them is given the lesser portion of the word until they know nothing concerning his mysteries; and then they are taken captive by the devil, and led by his will down to destruction. Now this is what is meant by the chains of hell. (Alma 12) 
• Like Christ, we grow into a fulness step by step.  This growth requires diligence and a willingness to receive more.  JS warned about what he termed "setting up stakes".  To set up stakes is to essentially draw a line in the sand, saying that "I will believe but only up to this point and I will reject anything that contradicts my current belief system of makes me feel unconformable." 
• We have to understand that the mysteries of God are much more expansive than we can even perceive and they can only be taught by God himself (see D&C 76).  The current teachings we have in the church are not enough to exalt us.  They are the fundamentals.  A basis upon which we can rest our faith.  To receive the same glory as Christ, however, requires us to seek out and obtain truth that exalts.  
• We when diligently apply ourselves to acquiring more truth within our sphere of understanding, God will give us more light.  The term used in verse 11 to describe this is "grace for grace".  To be understand this concept, consider what one scholar wrote: 
• If individuals have been given added light and knowledge because of their obedience, they are required to be more obedient than they were before they received the added light. If they, in turn, increase their obedience, humility, and repentance to match the new added light, they receive additional light, which requires them to live a higher level of obedience. If they increase their obedience, they receive an increase in light, and so on. This cycle continues “until,” as the Lord stated, the individual “is glorified in truth and knoweth all things” (D&C 93:28). (see Bryce L. Dunford, Religious Educator Vol. 3 No. 2 · 2002) 

15 And I, John, bear record, and lo, the heavens were opened, and the Holy Ghost descended upon him in the form of a dove, and sat upon him, and there came a voice out of heaven saying: This is my beloved Son. 16 And I, John, bear record that he received a fulness of the glory of the Father; 17 And he received all power, both in heaven and on earth, and the glory of the Father was with him, for he dwelt in him. 18 And it shall come to pass, that if you are faithful you shall receive the fulness of the record of John [We have not received this record yet, what does that tell us about our faithfulness as a church to the Lord].

19 I give unto you these sayings that you may understand and know how to worship, and know what you worship, that you may come unto the Father in my name, and in due time receive of his fulness. 20 For if you keep my commandments you shall receive of his fulness, and be glorified in me as I am in the Father; therefore, I say unto you, you shall receive grace for grace [obedience to God's commands is how we grow receive grace for grace]. 

• Verse 19: Know What Your Worship
• The purpose of giving these teaching in section 93 is so that we actually know the kind of person we are worshipping.  When we worship Christ, we are worship a being who has started at the same level we all did, but who, through is love of truth and light, ascended above all things to sit at the right-hand of God.  Knowing that the is the being we worship, gives us proper perspective about the nature and working of God.  True worship is not done once a week in the chapel, but is the emulation of the son in our daily lives.  The purpose of the law of Moses were to rituals and physical acts to instill within the Israelites that we are to emulate God within our lives and to the world at all times and all places. One who properly worships the Lord is one who constantly has his eyes fixed upon him. 
• Consider Alma's teaching to his son Helaman, 
• 35 O, remember, my son, and learn wisdom in thy youth; yea, learn in thy youth to keep the commandments of God. 36 Yea, and cry unto God for all thy support; yea, let all thy doings be unto the Lord, and whithersoever thou goest let it be in the Lord; yea, let all thy thoughts be directed unto the Lord; yea, let the affections of thy heart be placed upon the Lord forever. 37 Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and he will direct thee for good; yea, when thou liest down at night lie down unto the Lord, that he may watch over you in your sleep; and when thou risest in the morning let thy heart be full of thanks unto God; and if ye do these things, ye shall be lifted up at the last day.
• Adopting this type of worship is the only way we can come unto Father and receive his fulness, because in order to receive all the he has, all of us (that is, all of us which does not share the character of God) must be emptied out.  After all, one who has a glass full of water, can't receive additional water.  True worship empties us.  

21 And now, verily I say unto you, I was in the beginning with the Father, and am the Firstborn; 22 And all those who are begotten through me are partakers of the glory of the same, and are the church of the Firstborn. 23 Ye were also in the beginning with the Father; that which is Spirit, even the Spirit of truth; 24 And truth is knowledge of things as they are, and as they were, and as they are to come; 25 And whatsoever is more or less than this is the spirit of that wicked one who was a liar from the beginning. 26 The Spirit of truth is of God. I am the Spirit of truth [Christ is the Spirit of Truth because his spirit has assimilated all truth -- his spirit is full of truth], and John bore record of me, saying: He received a fulness of truth, yea, even of all truth; 27 And no man receiveth a fulness unless he keepeth his commandments. 28 He that keepeth his commandments receiveth truth and light, until he is glorified in truth and knoweth all things.

• Verse 22: Begotten of Me 
• To be begotten of the Lord is to become his son or daughter.  We become his son or daughter through baptism of water and fire.  
• 17 And as many as have received me, to them have I given to become the sons of God; and even so will I to as many as shall believe on my name, for behold, by me redemption cometh, and in me is the law of Moses fulfilled. (3 Nephi 11) 
• The baptism of fire gifts us the Holy Ghost, which purify us, causing us to be born in the spirit.  We are "born in the spirit" because our spirits are given the gift of the Holy Ghost.  The Holy Ghost (or Holy Spirit) is the mind of the Father and the Son. 
• Quote
• Baptism of Fire is when our Spirits are infused by the mind of the Father and the Son.  It is here that Christ becomes our father and we his sons and daughters.  And it is here that we take upon his name because we begin to adopt his character.  It is here that we are part of God's family. 
• Verse 24: Truth 
• This passage declares that there is an objective reality in the universe.  Things are not merely whatever they are perceived to be, or believed to be, or interpreted to be.  Reality is not subjective.  Truth is revealed to us when we are obedient to the Lord's commands, which becomes integrated within and changes us to become like God. 
• Noteworthy with verse 24 is that it teaches that there is no such thing as independent categories of truth.  To God, truth is one great whole. We cannot say, for example, that “there is scientific truth and spiritual truth, and the two conflict.” 
• Truth is communicated non-verbally between intelligences. Each constantly communicates his state—present, past, and future. For one who can receive this communication perfectly, all truth is before him continually.

29 Man was also in the beginning with God. Intelligence, or the light of truth, was not created or made, neither indeed can be. 30 All truth is independent in that sphere in which God has placed it, to act for itself, as all intelligence also; otherwise there is no existence. 31 Behold, here is the agency of man, and here is the condemnation of man; because that which was from the beginning is plainly manifest unto them, and they receive not the light. 32 And every man whose spirit receiveth not the light is under condemnation. 

• Verse 29: Intelligence 
• The precise meaning of intelligence is unclear.  But verse 29 teaches us that it was something that can't be created and the man is it.  Intelligence is something that exists eternally.  Since man is intelligence, it means that a part of us always existed.  What that "part" is is not entirely clear.  The Lord's use of the term "intelligence" is his attempt to use our language to describe a certain concept.  Unfortunately, our language is unable to convey it fully.  According to the 1828 dictionary, the word "intelligence" could refer to a spiritual being.  Thus, although the word intelligence seems vague to us, it appears to have been a term used in JS' day to refer to spiritual beings.  The Lord then worked through that framework when teaching about the metaphysical realm. 
• In addition to this, we learn that the intelligence, which is part of us, is truth.  
• Verse 30: There Is No Existence
• The essence of man, which we call intelligence, is truth. Truth consists of things as they are and will always be.  Another way to express it is that which exists within reality is true.  We are true because we have an existence.  Falsehood is that which doesn't exist.  Satan is the father of falsehood because everything he teaches is an illusion.  Satan's master lie is that we can find lasting happiness in whatever we want -- in our imagination.  Hence why one major characteristic of a wicked society is that of being caught up in "vain imaginations." The wicked find comfort in a lie instead of letting the light shine and show them how they are mistaken. 
• Today we see this attitude transpiring in our society, where the new philosophy is that things don't have to be the way they are and that by placing our trust in the esteemed intellectuals who know the answer and by crafting the right policy, we can live in a world void of poverty and suffering.  This philosophy seeks to outsource responsibility onto individuals it believes are responsible for the suffering of others.  
• Although a world without suffering is possible,  but it must be brought about according to reality, not mere wishing.  And this is where society falters.  By pursing this false ideas, they remove the foundation of reality. And when that happens the house crumbles. 
• In some sense, which is not entirely clear, we, who are beings of truth, have been placed in a "sphere" -- a realm, a domain -- to act for ourselves.  I'm inclined to believe that this "sphere" could be the pre-mortal life and/or it can be on earth.  And it is within that sphere we are to act.
• To act is to exist.  We choose by our action whether we will grow in light and truth and therefore progress upwards, or to accept falsehood and regress into lower levels of being.  This is what it means to be agent -- man has the power to act in the sphere in which he was placed.    We properly act by receiving light.  The acquiring of light and truth leads to greater knowledge, and thus greater ability to act.  With more knowledge, we have greater awareness of reality -- and its limitations.  Such knowledge allows to engage with reality at a greater level than before.  God is completely free because is completely aware of reality and its laws, and uses those laws to bless others and further his work. 
• This is why we came to earth, as alluded in D&C 27, to learn how to distinguish between good and evil and then choose the good.  Apparently, our progression in the pre-existence was limited until we received a body (see verses 33-35 below).  Our progression was limited because our joy was limited.  It's possible that by having a body, with its desires and weaknesses, we were given a new dimension of good and evil that our had spirits never comprehended. To advance in further light, we needed to learn how to use our body as an instrument to acquire more light and truth. 

33 For man is spirit. The elements are eternal, and spirit and element [in other words, body -- see verse 35], inseparably connected, receive a fulness of joy [see D&C 88]; 34 And when separated [when spirit and body are separated], man cannot receive a fulness of joy. 35 The elements are the tabernacle of God; yea, man is the tabernacle of God, even temples; and whatsoever temple is defiled, God shall destroy that temple. 36 The glory of God is intelligence, or, in other words, light and truth. 37 Light and truth forsake that evil one. 

• Verse 35: Man Is the Tabernacle of God, Even Temples
• The physical temple structures that we attend and worship in represent what we are to be personally.  The endowment we go through represents the endowment that we are to experience in our personal lives.  The visiting of angels, the parting of the veil, is to happen to us. Our bodies our to progress the different stages of glory with the celestial kingdom as our end destination.  As we recall from section 88, in order to inherit a celestial glory, the body and spirit (soul) must be sanctified. 
• Verse 37: Forsake the Evil One
• The Lord section 50 explained the following: 
• 23 And that which doth not edify is not of God, and is darkness. 24 That which is of God is light; and he that receiveth light, and continueth in God, receiveth more light; and that light groweth brighter and brighter until the perfect day. 25 And again, verily I say unto you, and I say it that you may know the truth, that you may chase darkness from among you;

38 Every spirit of man was innocent [without sin] in the beginning; and God having redeemed man from the fall, men became again, in their infant state, innocent [without sin] before God. 39 And that wicked one cometh and taketh away light and truth, through disobedience, from the children of men, and because of the tradition of their fathers.

• Verse 38: Innocent in the Beginning 
• Because some essence of us has always existed, the term beginning, as used in section 38, doesn't refer to creation, as in being created from nothing, but refers to a point in time.  What this point is, is not clear.  However, it could be referring to the moment where our essence become formed into a spiritual personage.  In any case, it is at this beginning (whatever that beginning is) that we were innocent, and in the words of Alma, left to choose between good and evil.  Some chose only evil, some a little of both, and others sought out goodness by choosing to exercise faith and repent (see Alma 13). 
• We also become innocent again when we were born into the earth as infants.  Thus despite our wrong choices in the pre-existence, we all once again started from ground zero, once again left to choose between good and evil.  However, those who, through their heed and diligence to light in the preexistence, are more apt to recognize and seek for it on earth because their Spirit was acquainted with it is the pre-existence.  The veil does not remove our recognition of light, only our memory.  This is why Christ was able to grow to a fulness on earth, because his soul hungered and thirsted for it. 
• Verse 39: Taketh Away Light and Truth
• We lose light and truth through disobedience and false traditions.  Each time we ignore and don't respond to a commandment given to us from God, we lose light.  This is because each commandment given by God is designed to give us light.  
• False traditions are another way we lose light.  The terms false traditions is often used in the Book of Mormon to refer to the Lamanites’ traditions (aka Traditions of the Fathers).  However, even though it's used to refer to the Lamanites, this term is more encompassing and more nuanced than distinguishing Christians from Non-Christians.  Before we can talk about why they cause us to lose light, we first need to set a clear definition.  To do this, we need to identify how this phrase is used in the scriptures. 
  • First, the term tradition can apply to both correct and false practices or systems of thought. (see 2 Thess 2:15 and 2 Thess 3:6, respectively)  
  • Second, false traditions concern a system of thought that contain a set of beliefs (see Alma 9) 
  • Third, those set of beliefs direct our conduct towards God, and are often disseminated through religious hierarchies. (see Mark 7)
• Combining these bullet points, we come up with the following definition: false traditions (or traditions of the fathers) are systems of belief, often perpetuated by religious leaders or hierarchies, that falsely prescribe our conduct towards God.  Because the definition of false traditions is a broad one, this means that the meaning of false traditions applies across the board.  For instance, it can apply to false traditions of the world, but it can also apply to false traditions in religion -- even our own.  As a result, no one is immune from adopting false traditions -- Christians included.  
• Now that we have a solid and scriptural definition, let's explore why they cause us to lose light.  The reason why false traditions are so pernicious is because it gives us the incorrect framework to approach God.  Nephi, who saw the Gentiles before the restoration observed that because many "plain and precious" truth were taken out of the Bible, the Gentiles stumbled. (cite).  Furthermore, as Christ explained to the scribes and Pharisees, their false traditions made God's commandments of "none effect." (Matthew 15: 6).  
• As we learned above, we can only progress by acquiring light and truth.  Any falsehood we've acquired is a hinderance to our progression.  False tradition, consequently, are false belief systems that we've adopted and assimilated into our life. These falsehoods influence the way we see and act within the world, as well as how we come unto God. 
• For instance, if I grow up believing that some people are predestined to salvation and others to hell, then I might not make much of an effort to truly seek after God, because I can chalk up my outcome to fate. Moreover, this false belief will distort my understanding of God's true character, causing me, in essence, to worship a false God. 
• Quote by JS
• Or if I believe that a certain group has wronged me, I may develop animosity and reject what they have to tell me. Such was the case with the Lamanites, and that tradition caused many to reject the word of God because of what they grew up believing. 
• In short, false traditions block us from accessing truth unless we discard them. But doing so is difficult because we can only identify what is false by comparing it to truth.  Enter the restoration.  The purpose of the restoration was to restore truth to the earth so people could come more fully unto God.  The works brought forth by JS is the standard by which we measure our traditions.  Consider Alma's statement to his son about the importance of the brass plates: 
• 8 And now, it has hitherto been wisdom in God that these things should be preserved; for behold, they have 1) enlarged the memory of this people, yea, and 2) convinced many of the error of their ways, and 3) brought them to the knowledge of their God unto the salvation of their souls. 9 Yea, I say unto you, were it not for these things that these records do contain, which are on these plates, Ammon and his brethren could not have convinced so many thousands of the Lamanites of the incorrect tradition of their fathers; yea, these records and their words brought them unto repentance; that is, they brought them to the knowledge of the Lord their God, and to rejoice in Jesus Christ their Redeemer. (Alma 37: 8-9, Emphasis and Numbering Added). 
• We also discard false traditions by seeking out revelation and seeking out those who have acquired more light than we possess. We use the scriptures to flesh-out what true traditions are and we go to the Lord in prayer asking him to show us were we err.  

Having explained the nature of progression, the Lord then directs his attention to the JS and his counselors, who have failed to teach their kids light and truth. 

40 But I have commanded you to bring up your children in light and truth. 41 But verily I say unto you, my servant Frederick G. Williams, you have continued under this condemnation; 42 You have not taught your children light and truth, according to the commandments; and that wicked one hath power, as yet, over you, and this is the cause of your affliction. 43 And now a commandment I give unto you—if you will be delivered you shall set in order your own house, for there are many things that are not right in your house. 

• Verse 42: You Have Not Taught Your Children Light and Truth 
• There are a few important insights we can gleam from the Lord's reprimand of Williams (and also SR and JS).  First, is that church leaders are not infallible.  There is only one perfect being that lived on this earth and that was Christ.  Everyone else is subject to err and mistake.  Thus we should not elevate our leaders.  Leaders have their purpose to teach, instruct, and guide.  But they are not to be relied upon
• Second, the highest priority for us to to rear our children in the gospel.  This is particularly pertinent to those who are have young families.  Because advancement to higher degrees of glory is predicated solely upon acquiring light and truth, parents have a moral duty to impart their knowledge of the gospel so kids have a basis upon which to establish their beliefs.  Children are blank states when they come into the world.  They are impressionable. And they absorb information like a sponge, as parents can attest.  To set our kids on the right path early on will yield tremendous benefit to them. 
• Third, failure to teach our children light and truth means that they will, by contrast, accept darkness.  Satan's power over people is commensurate with the darkness they have acquired.  Consequently, Satan will have power over those children who are deficient in light. And power having power, he'll have an easier time tempting them and they'll have a harder time resisting.  In sad truth, in some cases parents who have to deal with a wayward child might have brought that affliction upon themselves because they failed to properly instruct their child in light and truth. 
• Forth, the responsibility of the parents is to ensure that they have set their house in order.  To set one's house in order requires that the family be the focus of the parents.  To achieve this might require sacrifices.  If one's church calling is eating up time away from his family, then he might need to forgo other activities to make up for the lost time.  This may mean watching less sport or doing less recreating to ensure that sufficient time is devoted to his family.  And this devotion will require time dedicated to studying the gospel so one can then teach that knowledge to his children.  The same applies to one's career.  Yes, we are to earn a living and provide for our family, but if our career interferes with "serving" and "teaching' our family, then we may have to give up those ambitions.  After all, the money and wealth earned from being a workaholic, which wealth can't be taken to heaven, can't compensate for the cost of wayward children. 

44 Verily, I say unto my servant Sidney Rigdon, that in some things he hath not kept the commandments concerning his children; therefore, first set in order thy house. 45 Verily, I say unto my servant Joseph Smith, Jun., or in other words, I will call you friends, for you are my friends, and ye shall have an inheritance with me— 46 I called you servants for the world’s sake, and ye are their servants for my sake— 47 And now, verily I say unto Joseph Smith, Jun.—You have not kept the commandments, and must needs stand rebuked before the Lord; 48 Your family must needs repent and forsake some things, and give more earnest heed unto your sayings, or be removed out of their place. 49 What I say unto one I say unto all; pray always lest that wicked one have power in you, and remove you out of your place. 

• Verse 45: I Will Call Your Friends
• The Lord addresses the Prophet and his associates as “friends.”  This indicates that the relationship of these brethren to the Lord goes beyond just Master and servant, and the Lord holds out to them the real hope of their eventual exaltation. 
• Verse 48: Your Family Must Needs Repent 
• We don't know what sins JS' family was guilty of, but given that JS' children were very young, the Lord's rebuke likely applied to his relationship with Emma and/or his extended family. 

50 My servant Newel K. Whitney also, a bishop of my church, hath need to be chastened, and set in order his family, and see that they are more diligent and concerned at home, and pray always, or they shall be removed out of their place.

51 Now, I say unto you, my friends, let my servant Sidney Rigdon go on his journey, and make haste, and also proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the gospel of salvation, as I shall give him utterance; and by your prayer of faith with one consent I will uphold him [Likely refers to a mission call, but it appears either he did not serve or it was short, because he was back in Kirtland by June 21.  Section 93 was received on May 6, 1833]. 52 And let my servants Joseph Smith, Jun., and Frederick G. Williams make haste [referring to JS' work on the JST] also, and it shall be given them even according to the prayer of faith; and inasmuch as you keep my sayings you shall not be confounded in this world, nor in the world to come. 53 And, verily I say unto you, that it is my will that you should hasten to translate my scriptures, and to obtain a knowledge of history, and of countries, and of kingdoms, of laws of God and man, and all this for the salvation of Zion [the Lord points out the importance of secular education (“history, “countries,” kingdoms,” “laws of . . . man”) as well as the importance of divine revelation (“laws of God”) in the salvation of Zion]. Amen.

Further Discussion About Truth Seeking 

Because our objective is to acquire light and truth, this means that we seek after whatever is true -- regardless from where it comes.  This is what makes Mormonism theology so unique and special and it truly follows the admonition of Paul to seek after whatever is virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things.  

To provide even greater elucidation on what this means, consider President John Taylor's statement about seeking after truth and what that means: 

In regard to our religion, I will say that it embraces every principle of truth and intelligence pertaining to us as moral, intellectual, mortal and immortal beings, pertaining to this world and the world that is to come. We are open to truth of every kind, no matter whence it comes, where it originates, or who believes in it. Truth, when preceded by the little word "all", comprises everything that has ever existed or that ever will exist and be known by and among men in time and through the endless ages of eternity. And it is the duty of all intelligent beings who are responsible and amenable to God for their acts, to search after truth, and to permit it to influence them and their acts and general course in life, independent of all bias or preconceived notions, however specious and plausible they may be.

If any person in the religious world, or the political world, or the scientific world, will present to me a principle that is true, I am prepared to receive it, no matter where it comes from.

We are after the truth. We commenced searching for it, and we are constantly in search of it, and so fast as we find any true principle revealed by any man, by God, or by holy angels, we embrace it and make it part of our religious creed.

A man in search of truth has no peculiar system to sustain, no peculiar dogma to defend or theory to uphold. He embraces all truth, and that truth, like the sun in the firmament, shines forth and spreads its effulgent rays over all creation. If men will divest themselves of bias and prejudice, and prayerfully and conscientiously search after truth, they will find it wherever they turn their attention.

If there are any good principles, any moral philosophy that we have not yet attained to, we are desirous to learn them. If there is anything in the scientific world that we do not yet comprehend, we desire to become acquainted with it. If there is any branch of philosophy calculated to promote the well-being of humanity, that we have not yet grasped, we wish to possess ourselves of it. If there is anything pertaining to the rule and government of nations, or politics, if you please, that we are not acquainted with, we desire to possess it. If there are any religious ideas, any theological truths, any principles pertaining to God, that we have not learned, we ask mankind, and we pray God, our Heavenly Father, to enlighten our minds that we may comprehend, realize, embrace, and live up to them as part of our religious faith. Thus our ideas and thoughts would extend as far as the wide world spreads, embracing everything pertaining to light, life, or existence pertaining to this world or the world that is to come.

There is no man nor set of men who have pointed out the pathway for our feet to travel in, in relation to these matters. There are no dogmas nor theories extant in the world that we profess to listen to, unless they can be verified by the principles of eternal truth. We carefully scan, investigate, criticize, and examine everything that presents itself to our view, and so far as we are enabled to comprehend any truths in existence, we gladly hail them as part and portion of the system with which we are associated.

If there is any truth in heaven, earth, or hell, I want to embrace it; I care not what shape it comes in to me, who brings it, or who believes in it; whether it is popular or unpopular, truth, eternal truth, I wish to float in and enjoy. 

(Teachings of Presidents of the Church: John Taylor, page 209) (Emphasis Added)