On pp. 6-7 of a lecture presented by Joseph Fielding Smith entitled “The Twelve Apostles” (given to seminary and institute teachers at BYU, June 18, 1958), we read the following, which shows the importance of the spiritual witness of the Holy Spirit, as well as the precarious position those who knowingly reject it place their souls into, as well the "divine calling" of an apostle:
Let us consider briefly the great responsibilities, which devolve upon the Apostles. They are special witnesses for Jesus Christ. It is their right to know the truth and have an abiding witness, and this is an exacting duty upon them, to know that Jesus Christ is indeed the Only Begotten Son of God, the Redeemer of the world, and the Savior of all those who will confess their sins, repent, and keep His commandments. The question frequently arises: Is it necessary for a member of the Twelve to see the Savior in order to be an Apostle? It is their privilege to see Him if occasion requires, but the Lord has taught that there is a stronger witness that seeing a personage, even of the Son of God, in a vision. I wish we could get this clear in the minds of the members of the Church. The Savior said:
“Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men.
“And whomsoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come” (Matthew 12:31-32)
Therefore the seeing, even the Savior, does not leave as deep an impression in the mind as does the testimony of the Holy Ghost to the spirit. Both Peter and Paul understood this. Here are the words of Paul:
“For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
“And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,
“If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame” (Hebrews 6:4-6).
“And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,
“If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame” (Hebrews 6:4-6).
What is the lesson to be learned from this That the impressions on the soul that come from the Holy Ghost are far more significant than a vision. It is where Spirit speaks to spirit, and the imprint upon the soul is far more difficult to erase. Every member of the Church should have the impressions on his soul made by the Holy Ghost that Jesus is the Son of God indelibly pictured so that they cannot be forgotten. We read that it is the Spirit that giveth life. (as cited by Dennis B. Horne, I Know He Lives: How 13 Special Witnesses Came to Know Jesus Christ [Springville, Utah: CFI, 2017], 34)
