Faithful testimonies can express belief and knowledge. For example, two beloved hymns we often sing during fast and testimony meetings are “I Know That My Redeemer Lives” and “I Believe in Christ.”
So, what does it mean to say, “I know,” versus, “I believe”? And how is it that someone could say “I know” when it comes to spiritual things?
Through God’s pattern for spiritual learning, we can come to say, “I know,” with complete integrity and intellectual honesty—even as our testimonies grow.
Believing vs. Knowing
Author and medical oncologist Tyler Johnson defines knowledge and belief as distinct concepts, suggesting:
“1) To know is to accept a truth-claim when compelled to do so by overwhelming evidence in favor of the claim.
“2) To believe is to accept the validity of a claim even though your current understanding of the evidence does not compel you to do so.”
Both concepts involve accepting principles as truth—but within different conditions.
In a world where we must “walk by faith, not by sight,” as the Apostle Paul wrote (see 2 Corinthians 5:7), belief is an essential part of developing a testimony. Believing is a choice that we can always control, even when the evidence around us ebbs and flows.
As we make this choice, God makes it possible to not just believe but also know spiritual truth—in His perfect timing. In Moroni 10:5, we learn that “by the power of the Holy Ghost [we] may know the truth of all things” (emphasis added).
So, how can we work toward receiving this spiritual gift of knowledge?
Faith: ‘The Greater Knowledge’
In order to understand what it means to say, “I know,” we need to recognize the meaning of faith. Faith must be based on correct principles and divine truth, while belief can be based on things that are true or false.
Having faith doesn’t mean having “a perfect knowledge of things”—we often must rely on belief as our knowledge grows, maintaining “hope for things which are not seen, which are true” (see Alma 32:21).
At the same time, faith is not simply a naïve trust or blind belief. As we wait for further light and understanding, we can receive “assurance of things hoped for” and “evidence of things not seen” (see JST, Hebrews 11:1) that empower us ultimately to say with confidence, “I know.”
These divine assurances build faith, which one hymn writer defined as “the greater knowledge.” This knowledge grows as we demonstrate belief and receive assurances from God in His timing—“line upon line, precept upon precept” (see 2 Nephi 28:30).
Action Leads to Knowledge
Faith also grows when we put our belief and knowledge of true principles into action.
When we live the gospel and test its principles, we can observe its impact on both our own and others’ lives. As Christ taught about discerning true prophets, “[we] shall know them by their fruits” (see 3 Nephi 14:16, emphasis added), seeing evidence of spiritual goodness.
While investigating spiritual truth, we should keep in mind that evidence in a spiritual context doesn’t always involve visible or tangible assurances.
“Remember that overwhelming evidence may be of the kind the seeker finds personally convincing,” Dr. Johnson writes in When Church is Hard. “The rules here [related to spiritual knowledge] differ from those of the scientific method. Thus, one truly transcendent experience may outweigh a great deal of supposedly more objective evidence.”
Fruits of the Spirit, like feelings of peace, joy, and a desire to be better (see Galatians 5:22–23), can confirm spiritual truths in a powerful way, helping us build knowledge as we put our faith into action.
What If I Don’t Know Enough?
Sometimes, people worry that they don’t know enough to be able to say, “I know,” in a testimony. But a comforting reality is that we don’t need to know everything to be able to testify of spiritual truths we’ve learned. Brother Brad Wilcox of the Young Men General Presidency wrote:
“Though we may sometimes feel like our knowledge is incomplete, that doesn’t mean that we don’t know. Just because a gas tank isn’t full doesn’t mean it’s empty. With every new drop of experience, study, and revelation, we fill our tanks—we can say, ‘I know.’”
Gaining spiritual knowledge isn’t a one-time effort—it involves demonstrating diligence and patience and seeking learning “by study and also by faith” (see Doctrine and Covenants 88:118). Sometimes, as the Book of Mormon teaches, we will “receive no witness until after the trial of [our] faith” (see Ether 12:6, emphasis added).
Believing is Courageous
We shouldn’t become discouraged if we feel we can’t yet say, “I know,” with confidence. As Dr. Johnson writes:
“[Many] committed disciples spend the majority of their lives firmly in the terrain of belief. Furthermore, believing is not spiritually or morally inferior to knowing. Indeed, to choose belief when evidence does not yet compel you requires, if anything, greater courage and discipline.”
And if we can “no more than desire to believe,” God can help us develop our spiritual knowledge from even “a particle of faith” (see Alma 32:27). He will meet us where we are and guide us as we grow, helping us work through unbelief.
As the Savior taught, “If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth” (see Mark 9:23).
To learn more about strengthening your testimony, check out the articles below:
▶ Want to bear your testimony but feel too nervous? Use this simple truth as a pep talk
▶ Ever felt like your ‘testimony bucket’ is empty? Here is some advice from a mother who’s been there
▶ 3 ways we may misunderstand ‘Moroni’s promise’ (and how the truth helps build testimony)
When Church Is Hard
If you are struggling with questions and seeking to square your intuitive sense of the good found in the Church with questions about its history, doctrine, culture, or practices, this book is for you. Available at Deseret Book and deseretbook.com.
