The Lectures on Faith are very basic doctrinal teachings written by the Prophet Joseph Smith. These “Lectures” were used in the first School of the Prophets in Kirtland, Ohio in the 1830’s. Among the topics covered in the Lectures on Faith include the importance of having a correct idea of the nature of God in order to have true faith in him, how this faith is to be applied in our lives unto gaining salvation, and the correct definitions of terms related to faith, such as knowledge, power, justice, judgment, mercy, and truth which enable us to properly understand more advanced doctrinal concepts.
The Sixth Lecture on Faith discusses the fruits of having true faith and knowledge of one’s faith in God and testimony of the Savior, which is the ability to sacrifice all things because of the knowledge of the truth–obtained through proper application of faith. This Sixth Lecture on Faith, the shortest one, teaches some of the most important gems of truth as it applies to our earthly lives, yet these concepts are among the least understood and least applied among most Latter-day believers in Joseph Smith and the restoration.
The Lectures on Faith are replete with concepts expressed in the ancient Hebrew tradition, as is the Book of Mormon, which is a foot print of truly inspired writings–which indeed these Lectures on Faith are. They were formerly included in the LDS Doctrine and Covenants as part of the “Doctrine” implied from the title. The Lectures on Faith were removed from the LDS Doctrine and Covenants early in this century, as they were considered “not inspired” at that time by the LDS Church.