Bahá’u’lláh proclaims in the Hidden Words that God inspires
His servants and is revealed through them. He says, “Thy heart is My home;
sanctify it for My descent. Thy spirit is My place of revelation; cleanse it
for My manifestation.” Therefore, we learn that nearness to God is possible
through devotion to Him, through entrance into the Kingdom and service to
humanity; it is attained by unity with mankind and through loving-kindness to
all; it is dependent upon investigation of truth, acquisition of praiseworthy
virtues, service in the cause of universal peace and personal sanctification.
In a word, nearness to God necessitates sacrifice of self, severance and the
giving up of all to Him. Nearness is likeness.
- ‘Abdu’l-Baha (From a talk, 26
May 1912, New York, ‘The Promulgation of the Universal Peace’)
