Faith
The First Step to Opening Our Eyes to True Understanding
Dallas Bruce

Religion 121 – Sec. 076
Brother C. Robert Line
December 6, 2012

How can members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints begin to see the spiritual warnings and cautions that our loving Heavenly Father desires to offer to each and every one of His children? Jesus Christ taught so simply to his fellow brethren and disciples of the power and guidance of his gospel, The Gospel of Jesus Christ. He clearly explained the necessary knowledge to lead us back home to our Heavenly Father and which path to take. The first of these steps we as human beings must take is the great step of Faith. Faith is a principle of action and power. Whenever we work toward a worthy goal, we exercise faith. We show our hope for something that we cannot yet see. Faith is an important doctrine to be understood, it is clearly taught to us to be the first principle of the gospel in The Book of Mormon in Lehi’s vision, and by reviewing this vision we can see that this doctrine is vital to impact both our attitudes and our behaviors in life.
The prophet Joseph
Smith added in his Lectures on Faith: “Faith
is the first principle in revealed religion, and
the foundation of all righteousness”. He
then went on to state the following which is
extremely important: “Faith is the principle
of action in all intelligent beings”. [1] Hence, if we are not acting, doing, and responding then we are either lacking faith or we are unintelligent beings. In addition, Elder David A. Bednar teaches that one of the best methods of learning is what the scriptures call “learning by faith” a type of true spiritual learning that involves “the exercise of moral agency to act” bringing confirmation by the Spirit of the Lord. [2]
In the Book of Mormon, Lehi has a vision that can provide an understanding of how faith may help one progress and gain elevated discernment into how the Spirit might work and allow a more eternal perspective on one’s efforts. With something so familiar, so well read, so well studied, it is believed that there are many concepts, doctrines, ideas and interpretations that one could provide that would expand personal understanding. Alternatively, I want to discuss a few designs, characteristics, and constructs that have caught my attention with regards to Lehi’s vision such as the following: Inspired invitations, Nephi’s interpretation of Lehi’s vision, The Doctrine of Christ and how it relates to Lehi’s vision, and other ideas that allow greater insight into what I am thinking. But here are a few concepts, questions and interpretations that I want to be thought about as one reads and re-reads 1 Nephi 8 that might allow an enlarged view of the great principle of Faith. I watch Lehi throughout his dream and follow his faith inspired action the entire chapter! He follows, prays, looks, goes forth, partakes and ponders. Interestingly, each action brings light to the next scene of the revelatory dream as it allows the Holy Ghost to speak to Lehi’s heart and mind (see Doctrine and Covenants 82:2-3).
The beginning of Lehi’s dream experience is symbolically significant and parallels the journey to mortality. Like Lehi, all people on this earth once chose to follow the “invitations” of a “white-robed man” (see Daniel 10:2-12). This man stood before us in the premortal world and “bade us” follow him. Those who did so found themselves born into a place that may seem dark and dreary, even purposeless. Memories of the world before and the man followed there were wiped clean, and many wandered in darkness, some for numerous hours and others for a lifetime. As frightening and scary as walking or wandering in darkness is, at times such may be the case and we must eventually come to the resolution that Joseph Smith came to (as Lehi explains so well) who concluded: “I must either remain in darkness and confusion, or...ask of God”. It is my testimony that the power of sincere