Discovering someone’s character requires more time and effort as their sophistication increases. As the most sophisticated being, God’s character is significantly more difficult to comprehend than anyone else’s. One way of measuring how well you know someone is counting how often you have to ask them what they think about something. The better you know someone, the more accurately you can anticipate their thoughts, feelings, and actions in and about any given situation. The more you know God’s character, the more clearly you will know his will without the need for immediate and new revelation. The more you do not know God’s will, the more depth or breadth you need in your model of Jesus. Your model of Christ will not be complete until it includes, explains, and predicts all observations possible in life—all of creation and every circumstance.
Improving your model of Christ is described in the scriptures as “proving what is good” or “laying hold of every good thing.”3 It is a process of learning everything you can, applying it every way you know, and assessing the results. It is a never-ending search for improvement.
The completeness and correctness of your model of the Lord’s character will increase line upon line through the following cycle:1062
- You apply observations of God to your model by hypothesizing about or adjusting descriptions of his character.
- You test the model and gain new observations about God by living it.
- You repeat the process.
Incrementally, you better understand what God would do in your place, why he would do it, what he would not do, and why he would not do it. Over time and through experience, you can increase the coherence, sharpen the accuracy, widen the breadth, and deepen the depth of your model.
Footnotes
- 1. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. (2 Timothy 3:16-17) ↩
- 2. ...I did liken all scriptures unto us, that it might be for our profit and learning. (1 Nephi 19:23) ↩
- 3. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. (Romans 12:2) Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. (1 Thessalonians 5:21) Wherefore, I beseech of you, brethren, that ye should search diligently in the light of Christ that ye may know good from evil; and if ye will lay hold upon every good thing, and condemn it not, ye certainly will be a child of Christ. (Moroni 7:19) ↩