“knowledge of things as they are, and as they were, and as they are to come.”2These words were actually recorded as a description for truth, but what better definition of consciousness than to be increasing in awareness of what is true? And that is the tricky part: discovering, deciphering, discerning what is true, the difficulty of which is frankly acknowledged in the very next sentence that follows truth:
And whatsoever is more or less than this [i.e., things as they are, as they were, as they are to come] is the spirit of that wicked one who was a liar from the beginning.3So does this mean that in any given moment, we are either in a state of consciousness or in a state of deception? I suspect so. I also suspect (for those who seek the first state as opposed to the second) that the rest of the abbreviated text that surrounds this pithy description may contain more truth than most of us are prepared for or are willing to understand.4
So, is there any safe place to find truth? books? observation? experience? archives? artifacts? records? journals? science experiments? eye-witnesses? psychedelics? revelation? scripture? It seems obvious that not one of these is foolproof. Not just because we all have our own over- and under-lays of bias, opinion, interpretation, emotional investment, imprinting, indoctrination, faith, belief, etc., etc., but because in this fallen world, that “liar from the beginning” is and has been at work seeking to destroy the Plan and the souls of men. Distortion, co-opting, the turning of things upside down are just a few of the nefarious tools applied in the desolation agenda.
Here one can see my own over- and under-lays — my attempt at finding a “truth” place by running everything I can through the prism of scripture. But since I also believe that even scripture has not escaped the insertions and redactions5 of the “liar,” I try to sense / discern what feels right and cohesive (which is, of course, impacted by all those over- and under-lays). Sometimes, it feels like a no-win situation.
Nonetheless, we live in this physical world (though some dispute “physical” alleging that we live in a digital, virtual, non-matter simulation) with an urge to know what is, what was, and what is to come.
So, here are a few things to read (amongst many) from the prism of scripture that might help in knowing of things: “as they are” | “as they were” | “as they are to come.” (Suggestion: make three columns and fill them as you read. As you do, you may see the recycling, déjà vu pattern that has brought us to this day and age.)
● Old Testament | Isaiah 59What if the prism of scripture (even with its and our flaws) is the testing site where we are to:
● New Testament JST6 | Matthew 24 | John 15 | Romans 8 | 2 Timothy 3 | Jude 1
● Book of Mormon | 1 Nephi 13, 14 | 2 Nephi 2, 9, 28-30 | Mosiah 3 | Alma 12, 32, 41 | |Helaman 12 | Ether 8
● Doctrine and Covenants 19, 76, 88, 93
● Pearl of Great Price | Moses 7 | Abraham 3
Prove all things; hold fast that which is good7?------------------/
1. Just google or wiki "physicists exploring consciousness" (One example I have commented on is at https://dejavu-times.blogspot.com/2020/03/my-foot-toms-big-toe-step-one.html
2. Doctrine and Covenants | Section 93:24 ~ And truth is knowledge of things as they are, and as they were, and as they are to come;
3. Doctrine and Covenants | Section 93:25
4. Doctrine and Covenants | Section 93:23-40 ~ Ye were also in the beginning with the Father; that which is Spirit, even the Spirit of truth; And truth is knowledge of things as they are, and as they were, and as they are to come; And whatsoever is more or less than this is the spirit of that wicked one who was a liar from the beginning. The Spirit of truth is of God. I am the Spirit of truth, and John bore record of me, saying: He received a fulness of truth, yea, even of all truth; And no man receiveth a fulness unless he keepeth his commandments. He that keepeth his commandments receiveth truth and light, until he is glorified in truth and knoweth all things. Man was also in the beginning with God. Intelligence, or the light of truth, was not created or made, neither indeed can be. All truth is independent in that sphere in which God has placed it, to act for itself, as all intelligence also; otherwise there is no existence. Behold, here is the agency of man, and here is the condemnation of man; because that which was from the beginning is plainly manifest unto them, and they receive not the light. And every man whose spirit receiveth not the light is under condemnation. For man is spirit. The elements are eternal, and spirit and element, inseparably connected, receive a fulness of joy; And when separated, man cannot receive a fulness of joy. The elements are the tabernacle of God; yea, man is the tabernacle of God, even temples; and whatsoever temple is defiled, God shall destroy that temple. The glory of God is intelligence, or, in other words, light and truth. Light and truth forsake that evil one. Every spirit of man was innocent in the beginning; and God having redeemed man from the fall, men became again, in their infant state, innocent before God. And that wicked one cometh and taketh away light and truth, through disobedience, from the children of men, and because of the tradition of their fathers. But I have commanded you to bring up your children in light and truth.
5. Pearl of Great Price | Articles of Faith 1:8 ~ We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly; we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God.
Book of Mormon | 1 Nephi 13:24-29 ~ And the angel of the Lord said unto me: Thou hast beheld that the book proceeded forth from the mouth of a Jew; and when it proceeded forth from the mouth of a Jew it contained the fulness of the gospel of the Lord, of whom the twelve apostles bear record; and they bear record according to the truth which is in the Lamb of God. Wherefore, these things go forth from the Jews in purity unto the Gentiles, according to the truth which is in God. And after they go forth by the hand of the twelve apostles of the Lamb, from the Jews unto the Gentiles, thou seest the formation of that great and abominable church, which is most abominable above all other churches; for behold, they have taken away from the gospel of the Lamb many parts which are plain and most precious; and also many covenants of the Lord have they taken away. And all this have they done that they might pervert the right ways of the Lord, that they might blind the eyes and harden the hearts of the children of men. Wherefore, thou seest that after the book hath gone forth through the hands of the great and abominable church, that there are many plain and precious things taken away from the book, which is the book of the Lamb of God. And after these plain and precious things were taken away it goeth forth unto all the nations of the Gentiles; and after it goeth forth unto all the nations of the Gentiles, yea, even across the many waters which thou hast seen with the Gentiles which have gone forth out of captivity, thou seest—because of the many plain and precious things which have been taken out of the book, which were plain unto the understanding of the children of men, according to the plainness which is in the Lamb of God—because of these things which are taken away out of the gospel of the Lamb, an exceedingly great many do stumble, yea, insomuch that Satan hath great power over them.
6. JST = Joseph Smith Translation (Suggested source: https://www.amazon.com/Joseph-Smith-Translation-Kenneth-Lyndell-ebook/dp/B00BLDICL4 )
7. New Testament | 1 Thessalonians 5:21
New Testament | 1 Corinthians 2:10-14 ~ But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. (Bold emphasis added.)
