Gospel Principles Ch1 Our Heavenly Father

8/8/2019 Gospel Principles Ch1 Our Heavenly Father

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Our Heavenly Father

C h a p t e r 1

There Is a God

WhataresomethingsthattestifytoyouthatthereisaGod?

Alma, a Book o Mormon prophet, wrote, All things denote there is

a God; yea, even the earth, and all things that are upon the ace o it,yea, and its motion, yea, and also all the planets which move in theirregular orm do witness that there is a Supreme Creator (Alma30:44) We can look up at the sky at night and have an idea o what

Alma meant There are millions o stars and planets, all in perectorder They did not get there by chance We can see the work oGod in the heavens and on the earth The many beautiul plants, the

many kinds o animals, the mountains, the rivers, the clouds thatbring us rain and snowall these testiy to us that there is a God

The prophets have taught us that God is the Almighty Ruler o theuniverse God dwells in heaven (see D&C 20:17) Through His Son,

Jesus Christ, He created the heavens and the earth and all thingsthat are in them (see 3 Nephi 9:15; Moses 2:1) He made the moon,the stars, and the sun He organized this world and gave it orm,motion, and lie He lled the air and the water with living thingsHe covered the hills and plains with all kinds o animal lie Hegave us day and night, summer and winter, seedtime and harvestHe made man in His own image to be a ruler over His other cre-ations (see Genesis 1:2627)

God is the Supreme and Absolute Being in whom we believe andwhom we worship He is the Great Parent o the universe, andHe looks upon the whole o the human amily with a atherly care

For teachers: Use questions at the beginning o a section to start a discussion and sendclass members or amily members to the text to fnd more inormation. Use questions atthe end o a section to help class members or amily members ponder and discuss themeaning o what they have read and apply it in their lives.


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and paternal regard (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: JosephSmith [2007], 39)

The Nature of God

WhataresomeofGodsattributes?

Because we are made in His image (see Moses 2:26; 6:9), we knowthat our bodies are like His body His eternal spirit is housed in a tan-gible body o fesh and bones (see D&C 130:22) Gods body, how-ever, is perected and gloried, with a glory beyond all description

God is perect He is a God o righteousness, with attributes such aslove, mercy, charity, truth, power, aith, knowledge, and judgmentHe has all power He knows all things He is ull o goodness

All good things come rom God Everything that He does is to helpHis children become like Him He has said, Behold, this is my

work and my gloryto bring to pass the immortality and eternallie o man (Moses 1:39)

WhyisitimportantforustounderstandthenatureofGod?

Coming to Know God

HowcanwecometoknowGod?

Knowing God is so important that the Savior said, This is lie eter-nal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ,

whom thou hast sent ( John 17:3)

The rst and greatest commandment is Thou shalt love the Lordthy God with all thy heart (Matthew 22:37)

The more we know God, the more we love Him and keep His com-mandments (see 1 John 2:35) By keeping His commandments wecan become like Him

We can know God i we will:

1 Believe that He exists and that He loves us (see Mosiah 4:9)

2 Study the scriptures (see 2 Timothy 3:1417)


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3 Pray to Him (see James 1:5)

4 Obey all His commandments as best we can (see John 14:2123)

As we do these things, we will come to know God and eventuallyhave eternal lie

PonderwhatyoucandotodrawnearertoGod.

Additional Scriptures

Acts7:5556(SonattherighthandoftheFather)

D&C88:4144(attributesofGod)

Psalm24:1(theearthistheLords)

Moses1:3039(Creation)

Alma7:20(Godcannotdowrong)

JosephSmithHistory1:17(FatherandSonareseparatebeings)

Alma5:40(goodcomesfromGod)

John14:69(SonandFatherarealike)

Mormon9:1520(Godofmiracles)

Amos3:7(Godofrevelation)

John3:16(Godoflove)

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Gospel Principles Ch1 Our Heavenly Father