THE GOSPEL.
AN
EXPOSITION OF ITS FIRST PRINCIPLES.
BY
ELDER B. H. ROBERTS,
Author of Life of John Taylor; Outlines of Ecclesiastical History; New
Witnesses, Etc.
Revised and Enlarged Edition.
PUBLISHED BY
GEORGE Q. CANNON & SONS CO.,
Salt Lake City, Utah.
1893.
"Religion, my honored friend, is surely a simple business, as it
equally concerns the ignorant and the learned, the poor and the rich."
--Burns.
PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION.
This work has been written for the purpose of instructing the youth of
Zion in the first principles of the gospel.
For the most part our parents have been converted to the gospel while
living in the various States of this country, or in foreign lands, by
the preaching of the servants of God sent forth of him to proclaim the
ushering in of the Dispensation of the Fullness of Times, and to call
mankind to repentance. They carefully and thoroughly examined every
principle advanced by them; for notwithstanding the doctrines taught by
the Elders were older than the earth, and in various dispensations have
been expounded by prophets and apostles whose testimony is recorded in
the Bible, yet something in the spirit by which they were proclaimed,
and the manner in which they were combined, made them a new gospel--a
new religion.
Not only did our parents hear the public discourses of the servants
of God, but in the home circle--to which they invited the teachers of
the seemingly New Faith--the gospel, the harmony and beauty of its
principles, the consistent blending in it of justice, and mercy, its
sanctifying influence upon the human character, its spirit and powers,
were all common topics of their conversation; until they not only
intellectually assented to it as a grand system of truth, but also
became imbued with its spirit, and felt and enjoyed its powers.
With the youth of Zion it has been different. Being removed from the
errors of the sectarian world, it has been thought they would accept
the gospel as a matter of course. It may be stated as a general truth,
that too much in this respect has been taken for granted; and in too
many instances our youth have not been instructed so thoroughly in
the things of God as they ought to have been. Many have grown up in
lamentable ignorance of even the First Principles of the gospel--which
ignorance is often confounded with unbelief, or mistaken for infidelity.
To such the gospel has only to be presented intelligently, and in its
native simplicity, to be accepted. "Whoever examined our religion,"
said one of the Fathers of the early Christian Church, "but what he
accepted it?" So now: the Gospel has only to be understood to be
admired and believed.
It is to place within their reach a thorough exposition of the First
Principles of the gospel that this work has been prepared, and is now
presented to the youth of Zion: and it is the earnest hope of the
author that by a patient perusal of these pages those who now believe
the gospel will find their faith strengthened and confirmed; and those
who do not believe it, be convinced of its truth.
It is but fair to the writer to say that the work has been written amid
the busy scenes of missionary life in a foreign land. Its preparation
has been frequently interrupted by travel, and the performance of many
other duties requiring the writer's attention. If this work, therefore,
in point of excellence shall fall below what was desired by the General
Superintendency of the Mutual Improvement Associations, at whose
instigation it was written, it is hoped these circumstances will in
some degree excuse it.
The Author.
PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION.
I had determined in the second edition of this work to very much alter
its general plan and enlarge it; but a number of friends who have used
"The Gospel" as a text-book in our Church schools, in Improvement
Associations and theological classes, persuaded me not to materially
change or too much enlarge it. Their experience in using the little
work as a text-book gives weight to their opinions, and I have so far
yielded to their judgment that I have made but few changes, and those
merely verbal, in this edition of the book.
I have, however, added as a supplement, a series of articles originally
written for _The Contributor_, on "Man's Relationship to Deity." Those
articles were intended in the first place to be supplemental to "The
Gospel," and as the theme has a close relation to the subject of which
the work treats, I thought it would increase the interest in the whole
subject to publish them in this edition.
The Author.
CONTENTS.
Chapter I.--Introductory
Chapter II.--General Salvation
Chapter III.--General Salvation
Chapter IV.--General Salvation
Chapter V.--Individual Salvation
Chapter VI.--Principles and Ordinances
Chapter VII.--Faith
Chapter VIII.--Faith.--The Bible
Chapter IX.--Faith.--The Old Testament
Chapter X.--Faith.--The New Testament
Chapter XI.--Faith.--The New Testament
Chapter XII.--Faith.--The New Testament
Chapter XIII.--Faith.--Tradition
Chapter XIV.--Faith.--Revelation
Chapter XV.--Faith.--The Character of God
Chapter XVI.--Faith.--Course of Life
Chapter XVII.--Repentance
Chapter XVIII.--Repentance
Chapter XIX.--Repentance.--Historical Illustration
Chapter XX.--Repentance.--Historical Illustration
Chapter XXI.--Baptism
Chapter XXII.--Object of Baptism
Chapter XXIII.--The Subjects for Baptism
Chapter XXIV.--The Mode of Baptism
Chapter XXV.--The Holy Ghost
Chapter XXVI.--The Holy Ghost.--Who May Receive It
Chapter XXVII.--The Holy Ghost.--How Imparted
Chapter XXVIII.--The Holy Ghost.--Character and Source
Chapter XXIX.--The Holy Ghost.--Its Power
Chapter XXX.--Authority
Chapter XXXI.--Laws of Spiritual Development
Chapter XXXII.--History of the Gospel
Chapter XXXIII.--Salvation for the Dead
Conclusion
Supplement.--Man's Relationship to Deity
THE GOSPEL.
CHAPTER I.
INTRODUCTORY.
In the investigation of any subject, it is of first
importance that the terms employed be thoroughly understood; hence, I
begin the subject in hand by asking and answering the question, What
is the Gospel? The definition to the term I shall derive from the
scriptures; not from one passage alone, but from the consideration of a
number of passages.
The Apostle Paul, in defining the Gospel, calls it: "The power of God
unto salvation to every one that believeth".[A]
[Footnote A: Rom. i: 16.]
From other scriptures, to be considered presently, we shall see that
Paul could not have meant a mere intellectual assent to the truth of
the several principles composing the Gospel, but an active, living
faith in them--a belief which accepts them, not in theory only, but
in practice also--a belief which leads up to an implicit obedience to
the ordinances and precepts of the Gospel. It is only such a belief
that can make the Gospel the power of God unto salvation. In proof of
this I call attention to the following scriptures: "Not every one that
saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but
he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven * * * Therefore
whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken
him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: and the rain
descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that
house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every
one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be
likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: and
the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat
upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it."[B]
[Footnote B: Matt. vii: 21, 24-27.]
"Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and
receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your
souls. But be ye doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving your
own selves."[C]
[Footnote C: James i: 21,22]
And now to come to a passage which must set at rest forever all
controversy on the question. In speaking of Jesus, the writer of the
book of Hebrews says: "Though he were a son, yet learned he obedience
through the things which he suffered, and being made perfect, he became
the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him."[D] Not to
those who do not obey him.
[Footnote D: Heb. v: 8,9.]
From these scriptures we deduce the following definition: The Gospel is
the power of God unto salvation unto every one who believes and obeys
it.