1. In the second lecture it was shown, how it was that the knowledge
of the existence of God, came into the world, and by what means the
first thoughts were suggested to the minds of men, that such a Being
did actually exist: and that it was by reason of the knowledge of his
existence that there was a foundation laid for the exercise of faith
in him, as the only Being in whom faith could center for life and
salvation. For faith could not center in a Being of whose existence we
have no idea; because the idea of his existence in the first instance,
is essential to the exercise of faith in him. Rom. 10:14 How then shall
they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they
believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear
without a preacher? (or one sent to tell them?) So then faith comes by
hearing the word of God. [New Translation.]
2. Let us here observe, that three things are necessary, in order that
any rational and intelligent being may exercise faith in God unto life
and salvation.
3. First, the idea that he actually exists.
4. Secondly, A _correct_ idea of his character, perfections, and
attributes.
5. Thirdly, An actual knowledge that the course of life which he is
pursuing, is according to his will.--For without an acquaintance with
these three important facts, the faith of every rational being must be
imperfect and unproductive; but with this understanding it can become
perfect and fruitful, abounding in righteousness, unto the praise and
glory of God the Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.
6. Having previously been made acquainted with the way the idea of his
existence came into the world, as well as the fact of his existence,
we shall proceed to examine his character, perfections and attributes,
in order that this class may see, not only the just grounds which they
have for the exercise of faith in him, for life and salvation, but the
reasons that all the world, also, as far as the idea of his existence
extends, may have to exercise faith in him the Father of all living.
7. As we have been indebted to a revelation which God made of himself
to his creatures in the first instance, for the idea of his existence,
so in like manner we are indebted to the revelations which he has given
to us, for a correct understanding of his character, perfections, and
attributes; because, without the revelations which he has given to
us, no man by searching could find out God. Job 11:7,8,9. First Cor.
2:9,10,11: But as it is written, eye has not seen, nor ear heard,
neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath
prepared for them that love him; but God hath revealed them unto us by
his Spirit, for the Spirit searches all things, yea, the deep things
of God. For what man knows the things of a man, save the spirit of man
which is in him? Even so, the things of God knows no man but by the
Spirit of God.
8. Having said so much, we proceed to examine the character which the
revelations have given of God.
9. Moses gives us the following account in Exodus, 34:6 And the Lord
passed by before him, and proclaimed, 'The Lord God, the Lord God,
merciful and gracious, long suffering and abundant in goodness and
truth. Psalm 103:6,7,8 The Lord executeth righteousness and judgment
for all that are oppressed. He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts
unto the children of Israel. The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow
to anger and plenteous in mercy: Psalm 103:17,18: But the mercy of
the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him,
and his righteousness unto children's children, to such as keep his
covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them. Psalm
90:2: Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed
the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, you are
God. Heb. 1:10,11,12 And you, Lord, in the beginning, have laid the
foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of your hands:
they shall perish, but you remain; and they shall wax old as a garment;
and as a vesture shall you fold them up, and they shall be changed;
but you are the same and your years shall not fail James 1:17: Every
good gift, and every perfect gift, is from above, and comes down from
the Father of lights; with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of
turning. Malachi 3:6. For I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye
sons of Jacob are not consumed.
10. Book of Commandments, chpt. 2nd, commencing in the third line of
the first paragraph: For God does not walk in crooked paths, neither
does he turn to the right hand or the left, or vary from that which he
has said, therefore his paths are strait, and his course is one eternal
round: Book of Commandments, chapt. 37:1. Listen to the voice of the
Lord your God, even Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, whose
course is one eternal round, the same yesterday to-day and forever.
11. Numbers, 23:19. God is not a man, that he should lie, neither the
son of man that he should repent. First John, 4:8. He that loves not,
knows not God; for God is love. Acts 10:34: Then Peter opened his mouth
and said Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons, but
in every nation he that fears God and works righteousness is accepted
with him.
12. From the foregoing testimonies, we learn the following things
respecting the character of God.
13. First, That he was God before the world was created, and the same
God that he was, after it was created.
14. Secondly, That he is merciful, and gracious, slow to anger,
abundant in goodness, and that he was so from everlasting, and will be
to everlasting.
15. Thirdly, That he changes not, neither is there variableness with
him; but that he is the same from everlasting to everlasting, being the
same yesterday to-day and forever; and that his course is one eternal
round, without variation.
16. Fourthly, That he is a God of truth and cannot lie.
17. Fifthly, That he is no respecter of persons; but in every nation he
that fears God and works righteousness is accepted of him.
18. Sixthly, That he is love.
19. An acquaintance with these attributes in the divine character,
is essentially necessary, in order that the faith of any rational
being can center in him for life and salvation. For if he did not, in
the first instance, believe him to be God, that is, the Creator and
upholder of all things, he could not _center_ his faith in him for life
and salvation, for fear there should be greater than he, who would
thwart all his plans, and he, like the gods of the heathen, would be
unable to fulfill his promises; but seeing he is God over all, from
everlasting to everlasting, the Creator and upholder of all things, no
such fear can exist in the minds of those who put their trust in him,
so that in this respect their faith can be without wavering.
20. But secondly: unless he was merciful and gracious, slow to anger,
long-suffering and full of goodness, such is the weakness of human
nature, and so great the frailties and imperfections of men, that
unless they believed that these excellencies existed in the divine
character, the faith necessary to salvation could not exist; for doubt
would take the place of faith, and those who know their weakness and
liability to sin would be in constant doubt of salvation if it were
not for the idea which they have of the excellency of the character of
God, that he is slow to anger and long-suffering, and of a forgiving
disposition, and does forgive iniquity, transgression, and sin. An idea
of these facts does away doubt, and makes faith exceedingly strong.
21. But it is equally as necessary that men should have the idea that
he is a God who changes not, in order to have faith in him, as it is
to have the idea that he is gracious and long-suffering. For without
the idea of unchangeableness in the character of the Deity, doubt
would take the place of faith. But with the idea that he changes not,
faith lays hold upon the excellencies in his character with unshaken
confidence, believing he is the same yesterday, to-day and forever, and
that his course is one eternal round.
22. And again, the idea that he is a God of truth and cannot lie, is
equally as necessary to the exercise of faith in him, as the idea of
his unchangeableness. For without the idea that he was a God of truth
and could not lie, the confidence necessary to be placed in his word in
order to the exercise of faith in him, could not exist. But having the
idea that he is not man that he can lie, it gives power to the minds of
men to exercise faith in him.
23. But it is also necessary that men should have an idea that he is no
respecter of persons; for with the idea of all the other excellencies
in his character, and this one wanting, men could not exercise faith
in him, because if he were a respecter of persons, they could not
tell what their privileges were, nor how far they were authorized to
exercise faith in him or whether they were authorized to do it at all,
but all must be confusion; but no sooner are the minds of men made
acquainted with the truth on this point, that he is no respecter of
persons, than they see that they have authority by faith to lay hold on
eternal life the richest boon of heaven, because God is no respecter of
persons, and that every man in every nation has an equal privilege.
24. And lastly, but not less important to the exercise of faith in God,
is the idea that he is love; for with all the other excellencies in his
character, without this one to influence them, they could not have such
powerful dominion over the minds of men; but when the idea is planted
in the mind that he is love, who cannot see the just ground that men of
every nation, kindred, and tongue, have to exercise faith in God so as
to obtain eternal life?
25. From the above description of the character of the Deity which is
given him in the revelations to men, there is a sure foundation for the
exercise of faith in him among every people, nation and kindred, from
age to age, and from generation to generation.
26. Let us here observe that the foregoing is the character which is
given of God in his revelations to the Former Day Saints, and it is
also the character which is given of him in his revelations to the
Latter Day Saints, so that the saints of former days, and those of
latter days, are both alike in this respect; the "Latter Day Saints"
having as good grounds to exercise faith in God, as the former day
saints had; because the same character is given of him to both.
Q. What was shown in the second lecture?
A. It was shown how the knowledge of the existence of God came into the
world--[§ III. ¶ 1.]
Q. What is the effect of the idea of his existence among men?
A. It lays the foundation for the exercise of faith in him.--[§ III. ¶
1.]
Q. Is the idea of his existence, in the first instance, necessary in
order for the exercise of faith in him?
A. It is. [§ III. ¶ 1.]
Q. How do you prove it?
A. By the tenth chapter of Romans and fourteenth verse. [§ III. ¶ 1.]
Q. How many things are necessary for us to understand, respecting the
Deity and our relation to him, in order that we may exercise faith in
him for life and salvation?
A. Three. [§ III. ¶ 2.]
Q. What are they?
A. First, that God does actually exist; secondly, correct ideas of his
character, his perfections and attributes; and thirdly, that the course
which we pursue is according to his mind and will. [§ III. ¶ 3,4,5.]
Q. Would the idea of any one or two of the above-mentioned things
enable a person to exercise faith in God?
A. It would not, for without the idea of them all, faith would be
imperfect and unproductive. [§ III. ¶ 5.]
Q. Would an idea of these three things lay a sure foundation for the
exercise of faith in God, so as to obtain life and salvation?
A. It would; for by the idea of these three things, faith could become
perfect, and fruitful, abounding in righteousness unto the praise and
glory of God. [§ III. ¶ 5.]
Q. How are we to be made acquainted with the before mentioned things
respecting the Deity, and respecting ourselves?
A. By revelation. [§ III. ¶ 6.]
Q. Could these things be found out by any other means than by
revelation?
A. They could not.
Q. How do you prove it?
A. By the scriptures. Job 11:7,8:9. 1 Corinthians 2:9,10,11. [§ III. ¶
7.]
Q. What things do we learn in the revelations of God respecting his
character?
A. We learn the six following things: first, that he was God before
the world was created, and the same God that he was after it was
created. Secondly, that he is merciful and gracious, slow to anger,
abundant in goodness, and that he was so from everlasting, and will
be so to everlasting. Thirdly, that he changes not, neither is there
variableness with him, and that his course is one eternal round.
Fourthly, that he is a God of truth and cannot lie. Fifthly, that he
is no respecter of persons; and sixthly, that he is love. [§ III. ¶
12,13,14,15,16,17,18.]
Q. Where do you find the revelations which give us this idea of the
character of the Deity?
A. In the bible and book of commandments, and they are quoted in the
third lecture. [§ III. ¶ 9,10,11.]
Q. What effect would it have on any rational being not to have an idea
that the Lord was God, the Creator and upholder of all things?
A. It would prevent him from exercising faith in him unto life and
salvation.
Q. Why would it prevent him from exercising faith in God?
A. Because he would be as the heathen not knowing but there might be a
being greater and more powerful than he, and thereby he be prevented
from fulfilling his promises. [§ III. ¶ 19.]
Q. Does this idea prevent this doubt?
A. It does; for persons having this idea are enabled thereby to
exercise faith without this doubt. [§ III. ¶ 19.]
Q. Is it not also necessary to have the idea that God is merciful, and
gracious, long-suffering and full of goodness?
A. It is. [§ III. ¶ 20.]
Q. Why is it necessary?
A. Because of the weakness and imperfections of human nature, and the
great frailties of man; for such is the weakness of man, and such his
frailties, that he is liable to sin continually, and if God were not
long-suffering, and full of compassion, gracious and merciful and
of a forgiving disposition, man would be cut off from before him in
consequence of which, he would be in continual doubt and could not
exercise faith; for where doubt is, there faith has no power, but
by man's believing that God is full of compassion and forgiveness,
long-suffering and slow to anger, he can exercise faith in him and
overcome doubt, so as to be exceedingly strong. [§ III. ¶ 20.]
Q. Is it not equally as necessary that man should have an idea that
God changes not, neither is there variableness with him, in order to
exercise faith in him unto life and salvation?
A. It is; because without this, he would not know how soon the mercy
of God might change into cruelty, his long-suffering into rashness,
his love into hatred, and in consequence of which doubt man would be
incapable of exercising faith in him, but having the idea that he is
unchangeable, man can have faith in him continually, believing that,
what he was yesterday he is to-day, and will be forever. [§ III. ¶ 21.]
Q. Is it not necessary also, for men to have an idea that God is a
being of truth before they can have perfect faith in him?
A. It is; for unless men have this idea they cannot place confidence
in his word, and not being able to place confidence in his word, they
could not have faith in him; but believing that he is a God of truth,
and that his word cannot fail, their faith can rest in him without
doubt. [§ III. ¶ 22.]
Q. Could man exercise faith in God so as to obtain eternal life unless
he believed that God was no respecter of persons?
A. He could not; because without this idea he could not certainly know
that it was his privilege so to do, and in consequence of this doubt
his faith could not be sufficiently strong to save him. [§ III. ¶ 23.]
Q. Would it be possible for a man to exercise faith in God, so as to be
saved, unless he had an idea that God was love?
A. He could not; because man could not love God unless he had an idea
that God was love, and if he did not love God he could not have faith
in him. [§ III. ¶ 24.]
Q. What is the description which the sacred writers give of the
character of the Deity calculated to do?
A. It is calculated to lay a foundation for the exercise of faith
in him, as far as the knowledge extends among all people, tongues,
languages, kindreds and nations and that from age to age, and from
generation to generation. [§ III. ¶ 25.]
Q. Is the character which God has given of himself uniform?
A. It is, in all his revelations, whether to the Former Day Saints,
or to the Latter day saints, so that they all have the authority to
exercise faith in him, and to expect by the exercise of their faith, to
enjoy the same blessings. [§ III. ¶ 26.]
LECTURE FOURTH.
Of Faith.