The church has traditionally believed in the
literal interpretation of the scriptures. Joseph Smith said
that a latter-day saint is liberal toward all and literal in his
understanding of the scriptures. While human investigation and
rigorous reasoning have increased our knowledge about our world and
the affairs of both people and nations, they cannot peer into the
mind of God. We may see some of His characteristics in
creation and discover some of His attributes in His handiwork, but
we cannot know His motives or discover His purposes unless He
discloses them. Our knowledge of spiritual matters is
completely dependant on the revelation of God.Because we must
depend on God's revelation for any understanding of His intentions
or any insights into His presence, His revelations are extremely
valuable. Past generations have placed an extremely high value
on their content. Today, many people discount their worth and
some dismiss them altogether. At best, such a dismissal
discounts God. At worse, it rejects Him. Since any
understanding of God's person or purposes must depend on His
declaration, any dismissal of any of His revelations seems foolish
and arrogant.
We understand that the medium through which information comes
effects the quality of any signal. Lightening and sunspots can
affect communication transmissions. Cell phones can disturb
sensitive medical equipment. Matter, even gravity, influence
light rays. When God speaks, the instruments through which his
depositions come may affect the clarity of those revelations, but
they do not invalidate them. Understanding the medium through
which divine declarations come can help expand the revelation, but
ignorance of the method does not devalue it. Light is still
and divine pronouncements remain divine utterances.
Like every parent, our Creator loves each person equally,
revealing himself to them according to their willingness to receive.
For that reason, we maintain that God reveals himself to every
nation and kindred that seeks his counsel. The Hebrews were
one such nation, but God is not powerless to disclose His will to
others. Just as ancient Israel recorded pertinent
declarations, it is possible that other peoples in different
cultures received and recorded the word of God. For this
reason, latter day saints believe and accept scriptures from the
God's prophets in past and present dispensations. They are
recorded in the Bible, the record of the
Jews, the Book of Mormon, the record of
the tribe of Joseph separated from the rest of Israel at the
beginning of the Babylonian captivity, and the
Doctrine and Covenants, the record of latter revelations.
These three sacred books from the tri-fold chord of our scriptures.
