Excerpt from “Man—A Child of God” by Marion G. Romney
“The theory that man is other than the offspring of God has been, and, so long as it is accepted and acted upon, will continue to be, a major factor in blocking man’s spiritual growth and in corrupting his morals. …
The truth is, my beloved brethren and sisters, man is a child of God—a God in embryo. Every righteous soul responds with empathy to the children singing:
“I am a child of God,
And he has sent me here, …
If I but learn to do his will
I’ll live with him once more.
“Lead me, guide me, walk beside me,
Help me find the way.
Teach me all that I must do
To live with him some day.”
—Naomi W. Randall
That man is a child of God is the most important knowledge available to mortals. Such knowledge is beyond the ken of the uninspired mind. Neither logic, science, philosophy, nor any other field of worldly learning has ever been, or ever will be, able to find it out. Those who limit their search to such learning techniques will continue to be as they have always been, “Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (2 Tim. 3:7.)
The only means by which such knowledge can be had is divine revelation. Fortunately for us, as has already been shown, it has been so revealed repeatedly from Adam until today.
The aspirations, desires, and motivations of one who accepts, believes, and by the power of the Holy Spirit obtains a witness to the truth that he is a begotten son or daughter unto God differs from the aspirations of him who believes otherwise, as the growing vine differs from the severed branch.
Knowing that he is a child of God, one does not doubt whether to “deem himself a God or Beast.” He is not of “chaos … thought,” driven by “passion” and “all confused.” He is not “fix’d like a plant on his peculiar spot, to draw nutrition, propagate, and rot.” He thinks of himself, as the scriptures teach, possessed of the innate ability, as are all other reproducing offspring, to reach in final maturity the status of his heavenly parents and have “glory added upon [his] head for ever and ever.” (Abr. 3:26.) This is his goal.”
by Marion G. Romney Address delivered Sunday morning, April 8, 1973 partial excerpt from Man – A child of God April 8th 1973