A little about faith...

After a recent conversation with Jennifer, I thought it appropriate to post a little of what I have learned about faith as a principle of power. Joseph Smith taught that "the principle of power which existed in the bosom of God, by which the worlds were framed, was faith; and...it is by reason of this principle of power existing in the Deity, that all created things exist; so that all things in heaven, on earth, or under the earth exist by reason of faith as it existed in Him." It may therefore be concluded that faith is the power which God possesses as a glorified being to express His will in creative activities and to sustain that which He has created, a power based upon the assurance which He has that the righteous application of truth will exalt Him and others in the scale of organized existence.

When man's faith is centered in Christ, it becomes a principle of power, and here it differs from mere belief in God. Man may accept a principle as true and sustain it as something in which he believes, but he cannot possess saving faith unless, or until, his action upon that principle results in a release of divine power in his life or through his administration. When man begins to act by and through the Holy Spirit, true faith is born within him as a principle of power.

The expression of saving faith requires mental and spiritual, not physical, exertion. Because God is a divine being who acts by and through the agency of His glory, His Holy Spirit is His word, which is His power. For this reason, the Lord said of the many worlds which He has organized: "By the word of my power have I created them." Joseph Smith explained: "God spake, chaos heard, and worlds came into order by reason of the faith there was in Him." He also declared that when a man works by faith he works by mental exertion instead of physical force. "It is by words, instead of exerting his physical powers, which every being works when he works by faith."

If man is to grow in faith as a principle of divine power, he must begin by exerting the faith which he has in Christ to surmount the immediate obstacles that confront him on the path to eternal life. At first he may not have power to move a mountain or pluck up a sycamore tree. But by applying the faith which he has to meet the challenges which confront him and by taking advantage of the opportunities for service open to him in the gospel, man can obtain faith to do greater things until eventually he has power to do all things which are expedient to and consistent with divine wisdom and truth. Moroni therefore promised: "Behold, I say unto you that whoso believeth in Christ, doubting nothing, whatsoever he shall ask the Father in the name of Christ it shall be granted him; and this promise is unto all, even unto the ends of the earth."

These writings on faith were taken from "Principles of Perfection," Volume II from the series "Foundations of the Millenial Kingdom of Christ," by Hyrum L. Andrus.