A Fulness

One of the themes in the scriptures is that we have yet to obtain “a fulness” of what God has for us and expects of us.  For example, Paul taught the Ephesians that apostles and prophets were sent to perfect the saints and perform the Lord’s work “Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:13).  We are all undoubtedly far off from reaching “the stature of the fulness of Christ,” but it is to be fully like Him that we are to seek.  Paul said to the Romans on another occasion: “And I am sure that, when I come unto you, I shall come in the fulness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ” (Romans 15:29).  Surely having the “fulness” of Christ’s blessings come as we seek to fully pattern our lives after Him.   

                Many other latter-day scriptures speak of the “fulness” that we can receive from God if we are faithful.  Even after the Book of Mormon and many other revelations had been given, the Lord spoke of how “the fulness of my scriptures” was yet to come to the Saints (D&C 42:15).  Given the fact that there is much that we know about that the Lord has not given us it is safe to say that we do not yet have that fulness of the scriptures He promised.  For example, in Ether 4:7 we read about the marvelous record of the brother of Jared which the Lord promised to “manifest unto [the Gentiles” when they had the faith of the brother of Jared.  We also know that “the fulness of John’s record is hereafter to be revealed” and so it appears there is much scripture that we should be preparing to receive (D&C 93:6).  Another verse tells us that even with the Melchizedek Priesthood we may have something to do in order to receive “the fulness of the Priesthood” which the Lord associated with the temple (D&C 124:28).  In the dedicatory prayer of the Kirtland Temple Joseph prayed that the Saints would “receive a fulness of the Holy Ghost” (D&C 109:15).  Even with the Gift of the Holy Ghost as members of the Chuch we still must strive for the ideal of having the Holy Ghost “always” with us.  Another type of fulness that we seek for but have not yet obtained is a fulness of joy.  The Lord said to us in a revelation, “In this world your joy is not full, but in me your joy is full” (D&C 101:36).  During mortality our joy will not be full, but as we seek the Savior we can ultimately have this fulness when reunited with Him just as He promised the Nephite disciples: “And for this cause ye shall have fulness of joy; and ye shall sit down in the kingdom of my Father; yea, your joy shall be full, even as the Father hath given me fulness of joy; and ye shall be even as I am, and I am even as the Father; and the Father and I are one” (3 Nephi 28:10).  Joseph Smith’s revelation on the degrees of glory also speaks of the fulness of the blessings of God that we can receive at that day.  He wrote, “And we beheld the glory of the Son, on the right hand of the Father, and received of his fulness.”  Those in the celestial kingdom are “they who are priests and kings, who have received of his fulness, and of his glory” and who “have received the fulness of the Father” (D&C 76:20, 56, 71).  We look forward to the fact that if we remain faithful in Christ we can receive the “Father’s kingdom” and Christ can say of us, “all that my Father hath shall be given unto him” (D&C 84:38).  Surely that is the fulness of the Father. 

                So it seems that there is much yet to be obtained for those who seek to be the followers of Christ.  We yearn for and seek after a fulness of the scriptures, a fulness of Christ, a fulness of joy, a fulness of the Priesthood, a fulness of the Holy Ghost, and ultimately a fulness of all that the Father hath.  Like Abraham we must always desire “to be a greater follower of righteousness, and to possess a greater knowledge” as we strive to receive all “the things which God hath prepared for them that love him” (Abraham 1:2, 1 Corinthians 2:9).