Joseph Smith on the Holy Ghost

[ute4ever]

Originally Posted by Sleeping in EQ

I've been doing a little investigating of Joseph Smith's teachings about the Holy Ghost, and came across something unusual. The following is from Franklin D. Richards' notes on Joseph Smith's Aug. 27, 1843 sermon in Nauvoo. According to Richards, Joseph Smith taught:

"That the Holy Ghost is now in a state of Probation which if he should perform in righteousness he may pass through the same or similar course of things that the Son has."

That is interesting. I found this statement from someone named Kent P. Jackson in his book From Apostasy to Restoration, who elaborates a bit:

The Holy Ghost has a body of spirit. "The Son has a tabernacle and so has the Father. But the Holy Ghost is a personage of spirit without tabernacle." Although "tabernacle" in this statement from the Prophet means physical body, the Holy Ghost is not without a body; he has a body of spirit. Joseph Smith taught: "There is no such thing as immaterial matter. All spirit is matter, but it is more fine or pure, and can only be discerned by pure eyes; we cannot see it; but when our bodies are purified we shall see that it is all matter" (D&C 131:7-8). Further, "the Holy Ghost is yet a spiritual body and [is] waiting to take to himself a body, as the Savior did." fn And "the Holy Ghost is now in a state of probation, which if he should perform in righteousness, he may pass through the same or a similar course of things that the Son has." fn

In that context, it makes sense that all people who have not attained their celestial finality of celestial flesh and spirit would be in a "state of probation," the Holy Ghost included.