God will reveal His face to any who become completely purified and cleansed from all sin. In this greatest of all revelations possible to vouchsafe to men, the removal of the final veil will have to be accomplished through the individual's inner righteousness. The final, last veil is the one which conceals the face of God. When each individual is prepared through that inner purification and unfolding to receive this unspeakable blessing, so definitely promised by all the great and holy prophets from the beginning of time, God will fulfill His part. He will reveal Himself to the individual who has sought Him diligently. "If ye do as I say, then am I bound." This great, final revelation of unspeakable glory will be fulfilled when the individual has been tested and tried in all things and has been completely proved. It will be when he has proved his devotion and his love by his willingness to serve God at all hazards.
"For this is life eternal to know thee, the only true and living God and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent."
The full expressing and the living of the great, all-inclusive law of love, which automatically fulfills all other laws and all righteousness, has prepared the individual to receive all the promises. These promises include every promise ever given by God through His prophets, through His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ, or by Himself in direct revelation to the individual. This power to receive individual revelation is given to every man.
"We consider that God has created man with a mind capable of instruction, and a faculty which may be enlarged in proportion to the heed and diligence given to the light communicated from heaven to the intellect; and that the nearer man approaches perfection the clearer are his views, and the Greater his enjoyments, till he has overcome the evils of his life and lost every desire for sin; and like the ancients, arrives at the point of faith where he is wrapped in the power and glory of his Maker and is caught up to dwell with him."
It is quite necessary for the individual to progress into the state where he can contact that divine Light of Christ, so he can be personally instructed. This individual, personal contact must be made and developed before one can reach the point where he can actually know God. The time is at hand when all men must be prepared to be taught of God or be left behind. "And the weak things of the world shall come forth and break down the mighty and strong ones, that man shall not counsel his fellow man, neither trust in the arm of flesh -- (mortal teachers).
"But that every man might speak in the name of God the Lord, even the Savior of the world:
"That faith might also be increased in the earth;" (D. & C. Sec 1). This promise is verified in the fifty-fourth chapter of Isaiah, verse thirteen. It is also given in John, chapter six, and forty-five. Then Paul makes this marvelous statement, proving that not only his instruction, but his divine ordination had come direct from God: "For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ." (Gal. 1:12)
As the last, final step of righteousness, or the "right use" of love and the laws of God has been fulfilled, the last veil will be removed and God will not only be able to teach His chosen ones, which are always the ones who choose Him; He will unveil His face to them and henceforth they will KNOW Him.
As man purifies himself all the veils will gradually be removed from the very first one, unbelief, which causes the hardness of heart and the blindness of mind, to that final one of the complete revelation of God. Each overcoming will reveal a higher vision and make apparent more light as one grows, like Christ, from grace to grace, into the very "Fullness of God."
To digress for an instant, let it be here noted that the more wicked a man is the more he bears witness to the living reality of God, as he constantly and continually calls upon His holy name in blasphemous profanity. The more defiled a man is the more he testifies to the eternal reality of God, as he continually calls upon the Name of God in vain. For whosoever uses the name of God, except in love and in blessing, is using it in vain. The curses he places upon all things In His Holy Name he is but placing upon himself.
Those who are fanatical speak His Name in a different way. They speak it as though they alone had a special right and claim upon His holy favors and His divine approval. And in shutting out the rest of humanity they are but excluding themselves from the pure inflow of His Holy Spirit and His eternal love and power.
Those who KNOW God remain silent. The awe and the wonder of God fills their entire beings with a knowledge so divine, so sacred and so pure it is almost impossible to analyze it even to themselves. They need not go about crying it aloud. Their very beings and their works bear witness.
When the final veil is removed one learns, as Christ learned, that the Father is within. And when the individual knows this the Father and the individual are truly ONE. "Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? The words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. Believe me that I am the Father, and the father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake." . . . . . "In that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you." In that day when you will have reached the state of complete purification you will know fully that God abides in you -- and that you abide in Him, otherwise you could not abound. (John 14:10-11, 20).
It is only in this final purification and this ineffable revelation of God that one can fulfill the great hope and the prayer of Christ wherein He asked that "all might become ONE with Him, even as he and the Father were one."
As one completely purifies himself and is prepared to have that final veil removed and to receive the very "Fullness of the Father", he learns that God is indeed Omnipresent, Omnipotent and Omniscient. He actually becomes filled with this knowledge and with this power. He knows that God abides in him. And it is then that he actually KNOWS God and is no longer separated from Him.
This is life eternal. This is power ineffable. This is glory unspeakable. And from henceforth the individual no longer needs to go through life batting his head against stone walls and muddling everything he undertakes to accomplish by his own blundering. Henceforth the Father doeth the works -- and nothing is then impossible -- or imperfect.
If you have a desire to know and the courage to face it, if you are willing to open up your heart, your soul, and your mind to let God reveal Himself, I promise that never again will you need to be taught by fallacious mortals as you trust in the arm of flesh. It takes stupendous courage to throw off the binding shackles of a lifetime. It is painful indeed to begin to tear away the seals of years. It is as painful and as all-engrossing as the struggle the chick must put forth to free itself from its shell that it might step forth into a new realm, free, unhampered and unencumbered.
There is only one way to KNOW God and that is to "Seek Him diligently". This diligence means: without ceasing, with continued effort and with great energy and persistence. To seek truly and without bias it is necessary that one seeks as He instructed, through LIVING His laws. Only as His laws are LIVED is it possible to have the seals removed so that mind can be opened to permit God to reveal Himself. Those seals on the mind and heart and soul are the veils which must be overcome by humble, individual prayer asking, seeking and searching. The first veil is always the veil of unbelief. When unbelief is overcome Faith can be established. And when Faith is established KNOWLEDGE can become an eternal reality. "And knowledge is power."
I am not seeking to reveal God to you. I am only seeking to help you to open your own glorious mind -- to give you a glimpse of the road of overcoming and what is waiting at the end of that journey of perfection as you purify yourself and seek to be perfect, even as He is perfect. The great, glorious revelation which unveils the Face of God can only be accomplished by God Himself. It will be when the individual has prepared himself to receive it. I am only commanded to write these things that your mind might in a measure be prepared to comprehend Him so He will be able, when you are prepared, to unveil His face unto you.
"Verily, thus saith the Lord; It shall come to pass that every soul who forsaketh his sins and cometh unto me, and calleth on my name, and obeyeth my voice, and keepeth my commandments, shall see my face and KNOW that I am;
"And that I am the true light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world;
"And that I am in the Father, and the Father in me, and the Father and I are one --
"The Father because he gave me of his fullness, and the Son because I was in the world and made flesh my tabernacle, and dwelt among the sons of men.
"I was in the world and received of my father, and the works of him were plainly manifest.
"And John saw and bore record of the fullness of my glory, and the fullness of John's record is hereafter to be revealed.
"And he bore record, saying: 'I saw his glory that he was in the beginning, before the world was:
" 'Therefore, in the beginning the Word was, for he was the Word, even the messenger of salvation.
" 'The light and the Redeemer of the world; the Spirit of Truth, who came into the world because the world was made by him, and in him was the life of men and the light of men.
" 'The worlds were made by him; men were made by him; all things were made by him, and through him; and OF him.
" 'And I, John, bear record that I beheld his glory, as the glory of the Only Begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth, even the Spirit of Truth, which came and dwelt in the flesh, and dwelt among us.
" 'And I, John, saw that he (Christ) received not the fullness at the first, but received grace for grace.' " (Or, for each grace developed and fulfilled he received another grace to add to his gradually increasing virtues and perfection.)
" 'And he received not the fullness at first, but continued from grace to grace until he received a fullness.
" 'And thus he was called the Son of God, because he received not of the fullness at the first.
" 'And I, John bear record, and lo, the heavens were opened, and the Holy Ghost descended upon him in the form of a dove, and sat upon him, and there came a voice out of heaven saying: this is my beloved Son.
" 'And I, John bear record that he received a fullness of the glory of the Father.
" 'And he received all power, both in heaven and on earth, and the glory of the Father was with him, for he dwelt in him.'
"And it shall come to pass, that if you are faithful you shall receive the fullness of the record of John.
"I (Jesus Christ) give you these sayings, THAT YOU MAY UNDERSTAND AND KNOW HOW TO WORSHIP, AND KNOW WHAT YE WORSHIP: THAT YE MAY COME UNTO THE FATHER IN MY NAME, AND IN DUE TIME RECEIVE OF HIS FULLNESS.
"FOR IF YE KEEP MY COMMANDMENTS YE SHALL RECEIVE OF HIS FULLNESS, AND BE GLORIFIED IN ME AS I AM IN THE FATHER.
"And now, verily I say unto you, I was in the beginning with the Father, and am the Firstborn.
"YE WERE ALSO IN THE BEGINNING WITH THE FATHER: THAT WHICH IS SPIRIT, EVEN THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH.
"THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH IS OF GOD. I AM THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH. And John bore record of me saying, He received a fullness of truth, yea, even of all truth.
"AND NO MAN RECEIVETH A FULLNESS 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."
The foregoing, great and unspeakable truths must begin to be comprehended by man in order that the final revelation of God might be given.
In the following scripture is revealed the same pattern and the same possibility for man as Christ accomplished through His divine achievement of overcoming the flesh: "He that is ordained of God and sent forth, the same is appointed to be the greatest, notwithstanding he is the least and the servant of all.
"WHEREFORE, HE IS POSSESSOR OF ALL THINGS: FOR ALL THINGS ARE SUBJECT UNTO HIM, BOTH IN HEAVEN AND ON EARTH, THE LIFE AND THE LIGHT, THE SPIRIT AND THE POWER SENT FORTH BY THE WILL OF THE FATHER THROUGH JESUS CHRIST HIS SON.
"BUT NO MAN IS POSSESSOR OF ALL THINGS EXCEPT HE BE PURIFIED AND CLEANSED FROM ALL SIN.
"And if ye are purified and cleansed from all sin, ye shall ask whatsoever you will in the Name of Jesus and it shall be done."
Man, on this earth, is the very least of all the advancing Spirit children of God in regard to power and understanding, because his spiritual intelligence has been so clouded with the mortal seals and veils of darkness caused by sin and transgression. When man overcomes the desires of the flesh the seals will drop away. Then will the blindness be removed from his mind and the darkness from his heart and his understanding will expand until he will be able to comprehend all things -- even God. Man will then be prepared to receive of His Fullness -- and with that Fullness of God he truly becomes the greatest, though he becomes the most humble, the most selfless and the most self-effacing as he seeks to glorify only God.
Would that I were permitted to reveal to you at this time the complete meaning of the foregoing scripture. All I am permitted to give is the following: "Therefore it is given to abide in you: the record of heaven; the Comforter; the peaceable things of immortal glory; the truth of all things; that which knoweth all things, and hath all power, according to wisdom, mercy, truth, justice and judgment." Could the foregoing powers be anything less than the very powers of God Himself? Analyze them. Ponder them in your heart. And begin to lay claim to them.
I am permitted to point out another clue which leads to the unveiling of the face of God: "And the Light which shineth, which giveth you light, is through him who enlighteneth your eyes, which is the same light which quickeneth your understandings:
"Which light proceedeth forth from the presence of God to fill the immensity of space --
"The light which is in all things, which giveth life to all things, which is the law by which all things are governed, even the power of God, who sitteth upon his throne, who is in the bosom of eternity, who is in the MIDST of all things."
These are the promises and the powers that go beyond all orthodox rituals and conformity. They have nothing whatsoever to do with apparel or styles, beards or the length or style of either one's dress or one's hair, or with any outside emptiness. These great powers mentioned are the powers of God. And these powers are a very part of man, for "All that the Father has is yours". These powers are centered in man. They are given to abide in him. They are only awaiting man's awakening vision and his acceptance of them to become operative.
"The earth rolls upon her wings, and the sun giveth his light by day and the moon giveth her light by night, and the stars also give their light, as they roll upon their wings in their glory, in the midst of the power of God.
"Unto what shall I liken these kingdoms, that ye may understand?
"Behold, all these are kingdoms, and any man who hath seen any of the least of these hath seen God moving in his majesty and power.
"I say unto you, he hath seen HIM; Nevertheless, he who came unto his own was not comprehended.
"The light shineth in darkness, the darkness comprehendeth it not; Nevertheless, the day shall come when you shall comprehend even God, being quickened in him and by him.
"Then shall ye know that ye have seen me, that I am, and that I am the true light that is in you, and that you are in me, otherwise ye could not abound" (or exist).
"Inasmuch as you strip yourselves from jealousies and fears, and humble yourselves before me, for ye are not sufficiently humble, the veil shall be rent and you shall see me and know that I am -- not with the carnal neither natural mind, but with the Spiritual (mind).
"For no man has seen God at any time in the flesh except quickened by the Spirit of God.
"Neither can any natural man abide the presence of God, neither after the carnal mind.
"Ye are not able to abide the presence of God now, neither the ministering of Angels, wherefore, continue in patience until you are perfected."
One becomes "quickened" by the process of purification and in fulfilling the great law of love. Only when this has been completely accomplished is one prepared to abide the presence of God or receive of His Fullness. The promise is that those who are purified shall receive of the very Fullness of God. Many receive only a degree of His Holy Spirit and are completely satisfied. No one should ever be satisfied with less than that promised FULLNESS.
"If ye abide in me, I will abide in you."
"If a man love me he will keep my words; and my Father will love him, and we will come into him and make our abode with him." (John 14:23).
"Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come into him --"
There are numerous passages of scripture which man has completely ignored in his searching for partial truths. Man has only desired to find that which conforms to his own pre-conceived ideas or his orthodox beliefs.
If one is to comprehend God through the quickening of his being and comprehend Him with the Spiritual mind, man must become spiritualized through purification, which is not accomplished through outward forms but through a sanctification of his very life through Living the higher laws. He must be prepared, through a complete inner dedication and a divine love that rises above the little mortal "self" and all its past conformities.
"If no man has seen God at any time in the flesh, except quickened by the Spirit of God"; then the flesh must be exalted and spiritualized by the power of God and lifted into a higher vibration of glory. In this higher, quickened vibration, which must also exalt the flesh to the status of the Spirit, one can be prepared to behold the face of God.
I started to write a very self-evident fact, but was forbidden. And so I shall only make this remark: God has stated, "This is my Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." Any individual who has learned to contact that Light of Christ, through the great quieting of his inner being, will begin to be filled with that Light. In that great inner stillness of man's own soul his being becomes quickened and lifted into a higher vibration of glory. In that individual, the Great I am, God, is indeed well pleased. And when that I am, God, who has been contacted through the great inner stillness, is well pleased through the sanctification of that individual's life, that individual becomes "His Beloved Son." . . . . . "This is my Beloved Son, in whom the I am, is well pleased."
This great revelation is not just something which happens to the individual. This could not possibly be. The laws must be fulfilled. The laws have been waiting forever and forever, even from the beginning, for man to believe, to live and to fulfill. When man is willing, or when his individual will is exalted and completely purified, man happens to it.
When the individual's will is purified and exalted to blend with the Divine Will they become as One, perfect, powerful and all-fulfilling.
When one has developed the power of being able to turn to God in every thought, the mind becomes purified and love-filled. It is then one begins to think as God thinks. It is then God's thoughts begin to express in glorious perfection through that purified mind of the individual. And God's thoughts are all-powerful, they are all-knowing, infinite and eternal. It is then one not only comprehends all things but actually knows all things and has all power. "All things become subject unto him, both in heaven and on earth; the light and the life; the Spirit and the Power." And one becomes the greatest. This is where mortality is left behind.