Lessons Learned from the First Vision

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Joseph Smith was only fourteen years old when he had the glorious “First Vision” when God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ appeared to him. From this vision the world changed. For hundreds of years the misconceptions and different interpretations of the Bible dictated the christian world. The first vision gave answers from God, calling a prophet and establishing The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints back on the Earth again.

The death of Jesus Christ, along with His apostles, ramped apostasy spread throughout the world and the First Vision changed everything for this world. Answers and revelation came, all thanks to a God who loves His children, and a young boy asking with faith.

This list of insights comes from the book “Joseph, Exploring the life and ministry of the Prophet”. The book is composed of a series of articles written by different Church historians. This information comes from chapter four is titled “The Youth of the Grove and the Prophet of the Restoration” by Larry C. Porter. In this article the author goes into detail on how the world is changed from the First Vision.

The First Vision gave us the most information on God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ, then anything that had been received for years. Here is the list of information received from the Fist Vision, from Larry C. Porter:

First Vision Insight

God hears and answers prayers.

2. The power of evil is real and strong.

3. The power of God is stronger than the influence of evil.

4. Joseph was enclosed in a pillar of light and filled with unspeakable joy-the spirit of God.

5. Joseph beheld two personages who resembled each other in features and likeness.

6. The two personages were distinctly identified as the Father and the Son.

7. Man was created in the image of God.

8. Joseph’s concern for the status of his immortal soul was recognized by Deity.

9. He sought for and received forgiveness of his sins.

10. God’s true Church was not on the earth

11. The sectarian world held incorrect doctrines and denied the power of God.

12. Jesus Christ was crucified for the world and all those who believe in Him will have eternal life.

13. Apostasy, restoration, and Second Coming were announced.

14. Joseph was called to restore the fullness of the gospel.

“There are but very few being in the world who understand rightly the character of God. If men do not comprehend the character of God, they do not comprehend their own character. They cannot comprehend anything that is past or that which is to come; they do not know- they do not understand their own relationship to God.”

”First, God Himself who sits enthroned in yonder heaven is a Man like unto one of yourselves- that is the great secret! If the veil were rent today and the great God that holds this world in its sphere and the planets in their orbit and who upholds all things by His power- if you were to see Him today you would see Him in all the person, image, fashion and very form of a man like yourself. For Adam was a man formed in his likeness and created in the very fashion and image of God. Adam received instruction, walked, talked, and conversed with Him as one man talks and communicates with another.”

References:

“Joseph, exploring the life and ministry of the prophet” by Black and Skinner p42