In considering the principles of the gospel, it will not be difficult
to see that faith occupies the first place in the catalogue of
righteous principles which, as a whole, go to constitute the plan of
salvation. It is the principle existing in the human soul which goes
before all action and leads to good works. It pleases God that man
should repent of all sin by ceasing therefrom, thus accomplishing
a reformation of life without which remission of sins would not be
granted; and as repentance and good works are pleasing to God, we
must accept of faith first, for Paul says: "But without faith it is
impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that
He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him."
(Heb. xi:6.)
"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things
not seen." (Heb. xi:1.) The inspired translation by the prophet Joseph
Smith renders the word "assurance" instead of "substance," which
appears more consistent with the latter clause in the passage, which
says, "the evidence of things not seen," not the substance itself, for
that would amount to knowledge or the actual possession of the object
hoped for. This assurance of things hoped for must come through some
evidence, either of a character which can be demonstrated in a tangible
manner, or through some impression which gives an assurance to the mind
of the individual possessing it, if to no other. This faith prompts to
action all intelligent beings. Without the assurance of reaping, the
farmer would not sow; the laborer would not commence his daily task
unless he believed he would accomplish it; and so it is in religious
matters.
Upon the day of Pentecost the multitude never would have appealed to
the apostles to know what they should do to be saved unless they first
believed in God and in His Son, Jesus Christ--so recently crucified in
their midst--and also in the authority of the apostles to teach and
administer in the ordinances of eternal life. This faith was based upon
the evidence presented by Peter that Jesus was the Christ, sealed upon
their hearts by the Spirit of God, and not by the wisdom or ability
of man. The result was obedience, and a knowledge of the truth for
themselves; for the promise is: "If any man will do His will, he shall
know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of
myself." (St. John vii:17.) If Peter had been an impostor, deceiving
the people, he might, perchance, have persuaded some to accept his
theories; but what would have been the result? The evidence being
false, the faith or assurance would have a false foundation to act
upon, and disappointment would have been the result. When the evidence
is true, the faith resulting and acted upon will bring knowledge.
When Columbus discovered America, and the use of gunpowder was
displayed to the astonishment and fear of the Indians, some of the
Europeans told the natives that all they had to do was to procure some
powder and sow it like grain, and it would grow. The poor natives
believed the lie, acted upon their belief, and disappointment was the
result, to the destruction of their confidence in the white man. This
illustrates that belief may be built upon false evidence, and no matter
how sincere the believer, the laws of sincerity cannot be changed to
vindicate the dishonesty of the deceiver nor to avoid disappointment
befalling the deceived. Why should it be otherwise regarding the law
of God? Sincerity is not evidence that the believer will obtain the
good for which he seeks, for if his religious devotion is based upon
his confidence in the preaching or teaching of false guides, God will
not change His laws and ordinances, neither will He acknowledge the
authority of impostors, and thus become accessory to the deception, in
order to satisfy those who allow themselves to be led astray.
It is a maxim of skeptics that "We doubt all things in order to prove
all things"; and thus doubting, they reject the means which God
has designated as the way to become acquainted with and prove for
themselves the truth of the promise: "If any man will do His will, he
shall know of the doctrine."
The history of the world proves that in the advancement made in
science, in arts, in human government, the leaders and promoters of all
that is good, in the majority of instances, have been believers in God;
and their faith in Him and the ultimate success of their enterprises
have prompted them to action. In the language of Paul on this subject
of faith: "By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as
yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by
the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness,
which is by faith": "By faith Abraham, when he was called to go
out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance,
obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went." (Heb. xi:7, 8.)
I might add numerous testimonies from the Scriptures that faith is
the assurance of things hoped for, and the principle which prompts to
action all intelligent beings, and that when based upon the promises
of the Lord, unmixed with the theories of men, and acted upon, it has
never failed to bring knowledge and rest to the weary mind in that
security which comes from a pure knowledge of God.
Having shown something of the nature of faith in a general way, as a
principle existing in the human mind and as directing all human action,
whether religious or secular, let us now draw the line of distinction
between faith in its general sense, and faith as a principle of power
as enjoyed and exercised by those who are truly the people of God.
Let us first remember that it is one thing to believe in the power
of God as manifested by revelation, prophecy, healing, etc., when
presented to us merely as the events of history, and altogether
another thing to be confronted with the testimony of living apostles,
presenting to the world doctrines that are unpopular and with which the
cherished creeds of men have never failed to conflict--apostles who ask
us to believe them to be servants of God, called by new revelation,
and testing our faith by the promise that "if you will repent and
be baptized" with honest hearts, you shall know for yourselves the
truth, and need not depend upon the assertions of any other man for
your knowledge concerning it. It is an undeniable fact of history that
God has never sent a prophet to warn the world but He found thousands
professing belief in the dead prophets, yet ready to reject and slay
the living. It cannot be said that this generation is an exception,
for the religious education they receive from the so-called Christian
pulpit is that apostles and prophets, together with the ancient gifts
and powers of the gospel, are no longer needed; and if any come
professing the ancient apostleship, they may reject them without
investigation as "false prophets." They apparently forget that it would
be difficult, if not impossible, to produce a counterfeit coin unless
the genuine existed.
In speaking of faith as a principle of power, the apostle Paul said to
the Hebrews: "Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed
by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of
things which do appear. * * * And what shall I more say? For the time
would fail me to tell of Gideon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of
Jephthae, of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets: Who through
faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises,
stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped
the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant
in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. Women received
their dead raised to life again," etc. (Heb. xi:3 32-35.) Besides
these, innumerable other events have been brought about through faith
exercised by men having authority to speak and act in the name of God.
Jesus promised that "these signs shall follow them that believe. In my
name shall they cast out devils, they shall take up serpents, and if
they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay
hands on the sick and they shall recover."
These are only a few of the characteristics associated with true faith,
the "faith that was once delivered to the saints," and so much in
striking contrast to the weak yet high-sounding pretensions of modern
professors who have a form of godliness, yet deny the power thereof.
As a contrast to the wisdom and learning of men, we are promised as
the result of acting upon true faith, that to one is given the word
of wisdom, to another knowledge. Tongues, prophecy, etc., all are
characteristic of that faith which emanates from God. These gifts are
not merely to satisfy curiosity or to convince skeptics.
As a principle of eternal truth it is a necessity that not only must
the administrator have faith, but the one who is the recipient of the
blessings also must exercise it so far as he is capable. Therefore, as
a rule, when Jesus healed the sick and opened the eyes of the blind,
He said to the individual: "Go thy way, _thy_ faith hath made thee
whole." As a further testimony of this He told unbelievers when they
sought a sign: "An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign,
and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet
Jonas; for as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's
belly, so shall the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the
heart of the earth." (Matt. xii:39, 40.) Yet be it remembered that this
sign of Christ's three days' rest in the tomb was not given to convince
skeptics, for it was an event ordained of God before the foundation of
the world, in the plan of human redemption, and would have occurred if
all the world had received Him gladly. But they did not receive Him
even when He was resurrected, for the same class who sought a sign
circulated the fabrication that the body of Christ was not risen from
the dead, but that His disciples had come in the night and stolen Him
away.
There are sign-seekers today, even among those who profess Christ,
and may we not say the same of them as Jesus said of the ancient
sign-seekers, from the fact that what was true then is true now, and
what is true of a generation is true of the individuals which compose
it. Further, the Savior said to His apostles when they failed to cast
out the devils and sought Him to know the reason: "Because of your
unbelief, for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of
mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, 'Remove hence to yonder
place,' and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you."
(Matt. xvii:20.)
To these quotations might be added many others, but this will suffice
to show the effects of faith, that it is a principle of power. We ask,
has God changed? Is not faith, being a principle emanating from Deity,
as unchangeable as God Himself? Who, professing to believe in Christ,
will say, if we believe and are baptized by rightful authority in this
age, that Jesus will fail in His part of the contract to bestow the
promised blessings?
In view of all that is written in the Bible concerning this true faith
and the effects which flow therefrom, and the reverse of that pure
faith of the Bible which characterizes the "Christianity" of today, is
it wonderful that the Savior exclaimed: "When the Son of Man cometh,
shall He find faith on earth?" (Luke xviii:8.)