Friday, June 5, 2020

Eliza R. Snow's Record of a Conditional Prophecy Uttered by Joseph Smith

In the minutes she took for the Relief Society meeting in Nauvoo, 31 August 1842, Eliza R. Snow recorded a discourse delivered by Joseph Smith. During his discourse, Joseph Smith is recorded as having said the following:

 

He said he expected the heavenly Father had decreed that the Missourians shall not get him— if they do, it will be because he does not keep out of the way. (source)

 

The following is interesting as it supports contingent, not exhaustive foreknowledge, as Joseph Smith believed that God would preserve him unless “he does not keep out of the way” and also that God “decreeing” something does not mean it will, no ifs, ands, or buts about it, take place—genuine free-will decisions could thwart such.

 

Of course, this flies in the face of a lot of false theologies, especially Calvinism. On this, see, for e.g.:

 

An Examination and Critique of the Theological Presuppositions Underlying Reformed Theology 


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