Thursday, January 4, 2024

John A. Widtsoe on God the Father being "The Highest Intelligence"

  

God, The Highest Intelligence. (D. & C. 76:92, 93; 88:40; 109:77.) The foremost intelligence in the universe is God, Him whom we address in our prayers as Father. (D. & C. 20:17.) he is infinite to finite minds, yet he may be understood in part by moral man. To expect to comprehend Him in full would be futile; to hope to know Him in essence is within the reach of all who would follow the path laid out.

 

God, the highest Intelligence, possesses supreme knowledge and power. Indeed, we have reason to believe that His knowledge is the sum of the knowledge possessed by all existing personal intelligences and His power the sum of the powers of such personal beings. (Abraham 3:19.)

 

Moreover, God is the goal of all other intelligences. To become like Him, in every attribute, is the highest human goal. To become increasingly more God-like is the aim of every person with a will tempered for righteousness. (John A. Widtsoe, Program of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints [Salt Lake City: The Deseret News Press, 1937], 198-99)