(1/21/02)
"The personal recognition and confession of God's preeminent position is the beginning point of religious experience. It encompasses all else. Practically every interview in the Church from baptism to priesthood advancement begins with this confession. It is likewise reflected in the first article of faith: 'We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost.' [A of F 1:1] All else proceeds from this first and fundamental truth. Without this first confession of God, no confession to Him can have full meaning." — Dennis B. Neuenschwander, "The Path of Growth," "Ensign," Dec. 1999, p. 13

(1/22/02)
"We maintain that the concepts identified by such nonscriptural terms as 'the incomprehensible mystery of God' and 'the mystery of the Holy Trinity' are attributable to the ideas of Greek philosophy. These philosophical concepts transformed Christianity in the first few centuries following the deaths of the Apostles. For example, philosophers then maintained that physical matter was evil and that God was a spirit without feelings or passions. Persons of this persuasion, including learned men who became influential converts to Christianity, had a hard time accepting the simple teachings of early Christianity: an Only Begotten Son who said he was in the express image of his Father in Heaven and who taught his followers to be one as he and his Father were one, and a Messiah who died on a cross and later appeared to his followers as a resurrected being with flesh and bones." — Dallin H. Oaks, "Apostasy and Restoration," "Ensign," May 1995, p. 84-85

(1/23/02)
"A fourth area of misunderstanding among some of our friends in Christianity is that they refer to us as 'polytheists,' meaning that we believe in a plurality of Gods. Much misunderstanding would be avoided if they understood that we worship only one Godhead, consisting of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost. We believe that the biblical record teaches that God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost are separate persons. When the Savior was baptized, the Father spoke His approval from heaven, and the Holy Ghost was witnessed to be present by the sign of a dove (see Matt. 3:16-17). Likewise the Bible records the prayers of Jesus Christ to our Father in Heaven, a separate being (see John 17:3). We believe this doctrine is taught in the Bible despite what the creeds of other Christian denominations may teach." — M. Russell Ballard, "Building Bridges of Understanding," "Ensign," June 1998, p. 67-68

(1/24/02)
"The first article of faith is familiar to all members of the Church. It is the pivotal position of our religion. It is significant that in setting forth the primary elements of our doctrine, the Prophet Joseph put this number one..." — Gordon B. Hinckley, "The Father, Son, and Holy Ghost," "Ensign," Mar. 1998, p. 2

(1/25/02)
"In this final, glorious, gospel dispensation we have received the most basic truth of all eternity, and that truth concerns the nature and kind of being that God is. It is eternal life to know the Father and the Son. (See John 17:3.) There is no possible way to go degree by degree, step by step to the high exaltation we seek unless and until we come to a knowledge of the nature and kind of being that God is. Thus, when we talk about eternal life, we are talking about the kind of life that God our Father lives; and when we speak of him, we are speaking of a holy, perfected, exalted, ennobled man--an individual, a personage, a being with 'a body of flesh and bones as tangible as man's.' (D&C 130:22.) We are talking about someone who is a literal parent, who is the Father of the spirits of all men. You and I were born as members of his family. We have seen his face; we have heard his voice; we have received his counsel, personally, as well as through representatives and agents; we knew him in the pre-existence. Now a curtain has been dropped and we do not have the remembrance that we had then, but we are seeking to do the things that will enable us to be like him." — Bruce R. McConkie, "Celestial Marriage," "New Era," June 1978, p. 12, 14