PRINCIPLES AND ORDINANCES.
In this chapter I shall deal briefly and collectively with those
principles that must be accepted, the ordinances that must be observed,
the precepts that must be followed and the kind of a life that must be
led in order to secure a forgiveness of individual sins, and obtain and
grow in the favor of heaven--in short, what laws and ordinances man is
required to obey in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
I shall enter into no analysis of the respective principles spoken
of, but shall merely point them out, and enter into a more particular
consideration of them further on in the work.
Certain it is that faith enters into and forms a part of the Gospel.
Men are required to believe in God, and in Jesus Christ: and by that
I mean, not merely an assent to their existence, but an acceptance of
the whole system of truth revealed by them for man's salvation. Faith
of necessity is a factor in the Gospel, because it is the incentive
to all action; for unless men believe in God's existence, and in
the revelations and commandments which he has given them, they will
consider themselves under no obligations to obey him; and hence will
neglect the things which concern their salvation. It was the knowledge
of this fact, doubtless, which led Paul to say: "He that cometh to God
must believe that he is (i.e. exists), and that he is a rewarder of
them that diligently seek him."[A] And Jesus, too, when he said: "If ye
believe not that I am he (the Redeemer, the Son of God), ye shall die
in your sins."[B]--had the same thing in his mind.
[Footnote A: Heb. xi: 6.]
[Footnote B: John viii: 24.]
Hence, I say, faith is of necessity a part of the Gospel, a fundamental
principle of it; and therefore much importance is given to it by the
writers of Scripture. How great that importance is may be learned from
the fact that Jesus said, on the one hand, "He that heareth my word,
and believeth on Him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not
come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life":[C] while
on the other hand He said, "He that believeth not shall be damned."[D]
[Footnote C: John v: 25.]
[Footnote D: Mark xvi: 16.]
Belief in God and in Jesus Christ--in the sense I have described in
the foregoing--when once fixed in the mind and heart, leads men to
obedience to God's laws. It leads them to repentance and every other
good work.
Repentance is made particularly prominent in the scheme of man's
salvation. It was taught by John the Baptist in the wilderness of
Judea; the main feature of his mission seemed to have been to call men
to repentance. It was taught, too, by Messiah himself. On the occasion
of some telling him of certain Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled
with their sacrifices, he said: "Suppose ye that these Galileans were
sinners above all Galileans, because they suffered these things? I tell
you nay; but except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish."[E]
[Footnote E: Luke xiii: 1, 3.]
Going to the time when the Apostles began to fulfill the mission
given to them to preach the Gospel, it will be found that this same
principle, in connection with others, is urged upon the acceptance
of the people. On that occasion Peter preached a discourse in which
he proved from the old Scriptures that Jesus was the Messiah, and in
answer to the cries of the people, "Men and brethren, what shall we
do?" he answered, "Repent and be baptized every one of you, in the name
of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the
gift of the Holy Ghost."[F]
[Footnote F: Acts ii: 38.]
Following this case is another, also recorded in the Acts of the
Apostles, in which the Gospel was taught and obeyed by the people of
Samaria, under the teachings of one Philip and the apostles Peter and
John. In this latter case there is a development of the same principles
that were taught on the day of Pentecost. I can do no better than quote
the passage which gives the history of the circumstance: "Then Philip
went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ unto them. And the
people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake,
hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. For unclean spirits,
crying with loud voices, came out of many that were possessed with
them; and many taken with palsies, and that were lame, were healed. And
there was great joy in that city: * * * [and] when they believed Philip
preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of
Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. * * * Now when
the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received
the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John: who, when they
were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost
(for as yet he was fallen upon none of them; only they were baptized in
the name of the Lord Jesus). Then laid they their hands on them, and
they received the Holy Ghost."[G]
[Footnote G: Acts viii: 5-8, 12, 14-17.]
The same principles that are here taught--the same ordinances
that were observed by the people of Samaria--are enumerated in
another scripture, as the "principles of the doctrine of Christ."
The language is: "Therefore not[H] leaving the principles of the
doctrines of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the
foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith towards God,
of the doctrines of baptisms, and of the laying on of hands, and of
resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment, and this will we do
if God permit."[I]
[Footnote H: I quote the passage here as it stands in the inspired
translation of the Bible--or, rather, what should be called the
inspired revision of the Bible--by the Prophet Joseph, that is, "not
leaving the principles," etc.; and it seems to me that all must agree
that that is right. For, admitting that faith, for instance, is a
principle of the doctrine of Christ--and it is enumerated as one in
this very passage--how can that principle be left and we go on unto
perfection? It is a principle that enters into religious life, no
matter how far advanced in all that is excellent the individual may be.
It is a principle that underlies the actions of the Gods, and enters
into their life and work--"by faith the worlds were made." We might as
well admonish the mathematician to leave the fundamental principles of
his science and expect him to go on unto perfection. But he cannot do
it. The simple principle of addition, subtraction, multiplication and
division, enter into his calculations, whatever his advancement in the
science of numbers; and in like manner the fundamental principles of
the gospel are connected with our spiritual advancement, and we cannot
leave them, and go on to perfection--hence Joseph Smith's rendering
must be correct.]
[Footnote I: Heb. vi: 1-3.]
It is scarcely necessary for me to say that these doctrines must be
accepted, and the ordinances observed by those who would obtain favor
with God, and the remission of their sins; for I have already pointed
out the fact, that implicit obedience to the law of Christ--the
Gospel--is the only means of salvation for man. And furthermore it is
written: "Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of
Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he
hath both the Father and the Son."[J]
[Footnote J: II. John ix.]
It would seem, then, that it is binding upon man to receive the whole
Gospel, with all its principles, precepts, ordinances and sacraments.
And not only are they to be received but the candidate for eternal
life should continue therein. He must not be content with being born
of the water and of the spirit into the kingdom; he should not forever
remain in his childhood in spiritual things: but as the natural child
gradually obtains control over the limbs, and makes them obey his will,
either to stand erect, walk, or run; and so continues until he develops
into the skillful workman whose hand is able to execute whatever his
brain conceives--so in spiritual things--those born into the kingdom
of God should grow in grace and in the knowledge of the truth. The
injunction placed upon those who accept the faith of the Gospel[K] is
that they add to their "faith, virtue; and to virtue, knowledge; and
to knowledge, temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience,
godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly
kindness, charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make
you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of
our Lord Jesus Christ."[L]
[Footnote K: The reader will observe that the words of Peter which I
quote in the above are addressed by him "to them that have obtained
like precious faith" with himself--to the Saints (see 1st verse of
the chapter quoted), hence I say the injunction is to those who have
accepted the Gospel--to the children of the Kingdom.]
[Footnote L: II. Peter i: 5-8.]
Such, in brief, is the Gospel of Jesus Christ as taught by the Messiah
and his apostles in Palestine. The same was taught by the prophets and
apostles among the Nephites on the western hemisphere. The same is
restored to the earth in our day through the revelations of God and
the inspired teachings of Joseph Smith, and other men whom the Lord
has raised up in this generation. Such are the principles which in
the aggregate constitute the power of God unto salvation to those who
believe and obey them.