Choice 5: Murmuring in the Wilderness

Exodus 33:11 clearly states that Moses spoke with the Lord face-to-face.  There is doubt that Joseph Smith could see God because of Exodus 33:20 and John 1:18.  Exodus 33:20 states that no man could see Him and live.  John 1:18 states that no man has seen God at any time. 

The JST for John 1:19 corrects this verse and states “except he hath born record of the son; for except it is through him no man can be saved”. 

The JST for Exodus 33:20 states “And he said unto Moses, Thou canst not see my face at this time, lest mine anger be kindled against thee also, and I destroy thee, and thy people, f or there shall no man among them see me at this time, and live, for they are exceeding sinful.  And no sinful man hath at any time, neither shall there be any sinful man at any time, that shall see my face and live.

 John 6:46 says “Not that any man hath seen the Father, save he which is of God, he hath seen the Father”.  

D&C 67:11-12 says “For no man has seen God at any time in the flesh, except quickened by the Spirit of God.  The foot note states “No man hath seen God at any time, except them who believe.  Neither can any natural man abide the presence of God, neither after the carnal mind”.  Mosiah 3:19 states “For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father.   The footnotes say that the natural man is a spirit that has not been reborn.     

The institute manual for Exodus 33:19-23, “Is it possible for anyone to see the face of God and live?”  It is believed that the verse was translated wrong because it was not believed that God could be a personage and therefore could not be seen.  Elder Joseph Fielding Smith said that there are too many scripture versus that declare that God has appeared to men.    We cannot see God if we have not borne record of Christ, and believe in him.