Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my
name. He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your
remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you." The Holy Ghost, then,
is a special witness to Jesus; and the Holy Ghost is a member of the
Godhead in heaven. When Jesus commissioned the apostles after His
resurrection to preach the Gospel, He said to them, "Go ye therefore,
and teach all nations, baptizing {43} them in the name of the Father,
and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." It is further clear that, as a
member of the Godhead, the Holy Ghost is a member separate and distinct
from God and the Son; for at the baptism of the Son, all three were
individually and separately present.
[Sidenote: The mission of the Holy Ghost.]
The duties of the Holy Ghost are many. When Nicodemus came by night
to be instructed by Jesus, Jesus assured him that, "except a man be
born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of
God;" for, said He, "that which is born of the Spirit is spirit." This
means, of course, that when one receives the gift of the Holy Ghost,
one enters upon a new spiritual life. And in bringing about such a new
spiritual life, the Holy Ghost convinces the sinner of his evil deeds,
and leads him to the truth, testifying as we have already learned of
the Christ.
[Sidenote: The Holy Ghost in Jesus and the apostles.]
Jesus, himself, was "full of the Holy Ghost." After the ascension. His
promise of a Comforter was literally fulfilled to the Apostles. On the
day of Pentecost, they "were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began
to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance."
[Sidenote: The Holy Ghost amongst the Nephites.]
On the American continent, too, as you must remember, Jesus chose
twelve apostles. The Holy Ghost rested mightily upon them, and the
way in which Jesus conferred the Holy Ghost on them is interesting.
The third Nephi records the incident in these words: "It came to pass
that when Jesus had made an end of these sayings, {44} He touched with
His hand the disciples whom He had chosen, one by one, even until He
had touched them all, and spake unto them as He touched them." Moroni
describes the incident more fully: "The words of Christ, which He spake
unto His disciples, the twelve whom He had chosen, as He laid His hands
upon them. And He called them by name, saying, ye shall call on the
Father, in my name, in mighty prayer; and after ye have done this, ye
shall have power that on him whom ye shall lay your hands, ye shall
give the Holy Ghost; and in my name shall ye give it, for thus do mine
apostles."
[Sidenote: How to confer the Holy Ghost.]
As Jesus Himself did, then, amongst the Nephites, and as He instructed
the Nephite apostles to do, so also did the Jewish apostles. They
conferred the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands. It
is the proper way. When the Church was re-established by the great
American, Joseph Smith, the ordinance of the laying on of hands was
restored with it.
[Sidenote: Nature of the Holy Ghost.]
Now, you may be wondering, what kind of being is the Holy Ghost,
that it may be conferred by the laying on of hands? Many people have
wondered about the same thing. Indeed, even learned men have wondered
so much that they have become utterly confused. Yet, here again, the
truth is very simple. Jesus said to Joseph Smith, "The Father has a
body of flesh and bones as tangible as man's; the Son also; but the
Holy Ghost has not a body of flesh and bones, but is a personage of
Spirit. Were it not so, the Holy Ghost could not dwell in us."
{45} [Sidenote: Importance of the Holy Ghost.]
You can readily see that the Holy Ghost is a very important personage.
First, He is a member of the Godhead. Then, through His influence we
are led from darkness into light, and are thus enabled to recognize
the truth. Then He testifies of Jesus Christ, and of God who sent
Him. Indeed, so important is the testimony of the Holy Ghost that
Jesus Christ Himself asserted that all sins may be forgiven except
the sin against the Holy Ghost. And to Joseph Smith, Jesus said that
the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost consisted in the denying of the
testimony that Jesus is the Christ, after having once received that
testimony, and thus approving of His death. The denial of such a
testimony would be the denial of the Holy Ghost also; for "no man can
know that Jesus is the Christ, but by the Holy Ghost."
THE REFERENCES
Matt. 3:13-16. John 3:34.
John 1:32-35. Acts 2:1-4.
John 16:7, 8, 13. 3 Nephi 18:36, 37.
John 14:26. Moroni 2:1,2.
Matt. 28:19. Doc. and Cov. 33:15.
John 6:53. Doc. and Cov. 130:22.
Luke 4:1-20. Doc. and Cov. 132:27.
THE QUESTIONS
1. How old was Jesus when He went to John to be baptized?
2. Why was Jesus baptized?
3. How did John recognize Jesus as the Son of God?
4. Who is the Comforter?
5. What is His relation to God and to Jesus?
6. What is the mission of the Holy Ghost?
7. How is the Holy Ghost conferred?
8. What kind of being is the Holy Ghost?
9. Why is the Holy Ghost of special importance?
{46} PICTURE: CHRIST HEALING THE BLIND MAN, Bida
{47}
VI
BEFORE THERE WAS AN EARTH
[Sidenote: A remarkable vision.]
The brother of Jared had cut from Mount Shelem sixteen small stones,
clear and transparent as glass. The barges in which his people were to
cross the ocean were prepared; but he had been unable to devise a means
of lighting them. So, with childlike faith and complete confidence he
called upon the Father.
"I know, O Lord," said the brother of Jared, "that Thou hast all power,
and can do whatsoever Thou wilt for the benefit of man; therefore touch
these stones, O Lord, with Thy finger, and prepare them that they may
shine forth in darkness; and they shall shine forth unto us in the
vessels which we have prepared, that we may have light when we shall
cross the sea . . . .
"And it came to pass that when the brother of Jared had said these
words, behold, the Lord stretched forth His hand and touched the
stones, one by one with His finger; and the veil was taken from off
the eyes of the brother of Jared, and he saw the finger of the Lord;
and it was like the finger of a man, like unto flesh and blood; and
the brother of Jared fell down before the Lord, for he was struck with
fear."
You may easily imagine that such a vision would amaze any man. And the
brother of Jared, though he was a very good and righteous man, and a
prophet of God, seems not to have suspected before this time that God
and Jesus Christ had bodies of flesh as material {48} and tangible as
man's. What the brother of Jared thought God to be, we do not know. But
when the Lord saw that he had fallen to the ground in amazement, He
said, "Arise, why hast thou fallen?"
"And he saith unto the Lord, I saw the finger of the Lord, and I feared
lest He should smite me; for I knew not that the Lord had flesh and
blood."
But much as the brother of Jared was astonished at this marvelous
revelation, there remained for him yet greater wonders. The Lord
commended him for his great faith, which had made it possible for him
to see the finger of the Lord. Then the Lord asked, "Sawest thou more
than this? And he answered Nay; Lord, show Thyself unto me."
"Behold, the Lord showed Himself unto him, and said....Behold, I am He
who was prepared from the foundation of the world to redeem my people.
Behold, I am Jesus Christ. I am the Father and the Son. In me shall all
mankind have light, and that eternally, even they who shall believe
on my name; and they shall become my sons and my daughters. And never
have I shown myself unto man whom I have created, for never has man
believed in me as thou hast. Seest thou that ye are created after mine
own image? Yea, even all men were created in the beginning, after mine
own image.
"Behold, this body which ye now behold, is the body of my spirit, and
man have I created after the body of my spirit; and even as I appear
unto thee to be in the spirit, will I appear unto my people in the
flesh."
{49} [Sidenote: The pre-existence of Jesus.]
This marvelous vision, the brother of Jared beheld many hundreds of
years before Jesus was born in Bethlehem. Do you think you understand
the great truths that Jesus here revealed to the Jaredite prophet?
First, it must be evident to everyone that Jesus had existence--that
He lived and worked--before He was born in the flesh upon the earth.
But what kind of existence was this pre-existence? It was an existence
in the spirit state. And the spirit body of Jesus is in form and shape
just like the mortal body; so that, when Jesus helped to form man. He
formed him after the image of His own body. This is the second great
truth we learn from the remarkable vision. And a third is, that Jesus
was appointed "from the foundation of the world" to redeem mankind. In
the pre-existence He labored for us; there He was chosen to redeem us.
His mission upon the earth, and the sacrifice of His noble life, were
but the completion of a plan formulated long before He was born.
[Sidenote: The spirits of all men eternal.]
Now, you may say, "Of course, we know that Jesus lived before He was
born in the flesh, and that He had a spirit of the same form and shape
as His mortal body, and that He was chosen in that pre-existent life to
redeem the world from sin. But it may not be so with man."
That is one of the wonderful things about life. We are here passing
through only one small stage of it. Jesus taught that the spirits of
all men are eternal just like His own. For Jesus truly recognized and
understood His own pre-existence. Said He, once, as He prayed, "And
now, O Father, glorify Thou me with {50} Thine own self with the glory
which I had with Thee before the world was." And at another time He
asked, "What and if Ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where He
was before? I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world:
again, I leave the world, and go to the Father." Thus, with complete
assurance He spoke of the time that had been before; and with the same
assurance He accepted the teaching that man, too, existed before he was
born in the flesh.
[Sidenote: The man born blind.]
One day, in the temple, Jesus had taught this very doctrine to the
Jews. In answer to one of their questions. He had replied, "Verily,
verily, I say unto you. Before Abraham was I am." The answer provoked
the Jews, and they took up stones to stone Him. "But Jesus hid Himself,
and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so
passed by."
Then follows a remarkable little story, touching the doctrine He had
just presented in the temple, and here discussed in this chapter. "As
Jesus passed by, He saw a man which was blind from his birth. And His
disciples asked Him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man or his
parents, that he was born blind?"
Now, we must remember that in those days people believed affliction to
be always a punishment for some sin or other. We can easily understand
that the parents of the man might have sinned; and through their sin,
they might have brought blindness upon their son. But since he was born
blind, how could the affliction have come as the result of his own sin?
In only one way. If the man had had an existence before he was {51}
born in the flesh, he might there have sinned. The Lord might then have
punished him for his sin by causing him to be born blind.
Evidently, the disciples understood that there is a pre-existent state.
But were they right? If they were not, surely Jesus would correct them.
Listen. Jesus answered, "Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents:
but that the works of God should be made manifest in him." Jesus, then,
did not rebuke them. He, too, accepted the doctrine. At least, the
affliction of blindness was not because of sin committed in the spirit
world. And the works of God were truly made manifest in the miracle
which Jesus then performed.
[Sidenote: Conclusion.]
From the teachings of Jesus, in the spirit and in the flesh, it is
clear, then, that the spirits of all men existed in the spirit world
long before they were born into bodies of flesh in this world; that the
body of the spirit is like the mortal body in form; and that Jesus was
chosen before the earth was organized to redeem mankind from sin.
"We have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them
reverence: Shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of
Spirits, and live?"
THE REFERENCES
Ether 3:4-16. John 17:28.
John 17:5. John 9:1-7.
John 6:62. Heb. 12:9.
{52} THE QUESTIONS
1. Relate the story of the vision of the brother of Jared?
2. What was it that enabled the brother of Jared to behold so
remarkable a vision?
3. What three important points are taught in the vision?
4. How did Jesus show in His teachings in the flesh that He believed in
a pre-existence?
5. What lesson do you derive from the story of the healing of the man
born blind?
6. What is the teaching of Jesus brought out in this lesson?
7. How should this knowledge of a spirit existence affect our lives on
the earth?
{53}
{54} PICTURE: THE SOWER, Millet
{55}
VII
THE PRESENCE OF EVIL
[Sidenote: A review.]
Let us stop now for a moment and think before we proceed to the special
subject of this chapter. It is clear, from what we have learned, that
Jesus had a very specific mission to perform on the earth. He did not
come merely to display miraculous power. He came to save mankind--to
teach them to know God and His commands, and to show them, further,
how to keep the commands. And the wonderful thing about the mission
of Jesus is that He was willing to suffer as no other man has ever
suffered and finally to lay down His life in order to bring about the
purpose of God.
And the great purpose of God in this world is to bring to pass the
immortality and eternal life of man. For just as Jesus did not come
merely to show how He could perform wonders, so God did not organize
the earth and put living things upon it only to display His power.
He had a far greater and higher purpose. That the purpose may be
accomplished, man must learn to know God and Jesus Christ whom He hath
sent.
[Sidenote: The problem of evil.]
Now, it may seem to you that, if God were so desirous of saving mankind
that He was willing to give His only Begotten Son to accomplish the
desire, He could have made it very easy for men to keep His commands.
Indeed, He might have made His will the only possible thing to do. But
it is not so. It is not ever really difficult to keep the commands of
God if one sets his mind to keep them; but there are always so many
other things {56} possible to do that one is tempted to neglect the
word of God. Evil is always in the way. We wonder why there should be
evil in the way, and how evil came to be. Men have wondered about the
same thing for many ages. It would be so much easier to be good if
there were no wrong. In this lesson, therefore, we want to learn how
evil came into the world; in the next one, we shall learn why it is
here.
[Sidenote: The parable of the sower.]
One day, when a great multitude of people had assembled about Him,
Jesus related the parable of the sower. Said He, "A sower went out to
sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the wayside; and it was
trodden down and the fowls of the air devoured it. And some fell upon
a rock; and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it
lacked moisture. And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprang up
with it, and choked it. And other fell on good ground, and sprang up,
and bare fruit an hundredfold....
[Sidenote: The meaning.]
"Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. Those by the
wayside are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the
word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. They
on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with
joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of
temptation fall away. And that which fell among thorns are they, which,
when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches
and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection. But that
on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good {57} heart,
having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience."
[Sidenote: The devil the power of evil.]
It is the devil, then, who, in this world, is the power of evil.
Directly or indirectly he gets between man and the path of duty.
Although a man may know the way of righteousness, the devil tempts him
to neglect it, or even to depart from it and to walk in the way of
evil. But who is the devil? Whence did he get such power? How came he
to be the devil?
[Sidenote: A council of the spirits.]
In the pre-existent state, of which we learned in the preceding lesson,
all the spirits of men lived together in a world of spirits. It was
there that they first heard of the plan of salvation--the Gospel. The
plan was explained at a great meeting, or council, of the spirits. God
Himself presented the plan to them, and showed them how, in order to
carry out the plan, there would be needed a Savior--someone to perform
the very mission that Jesus has actually performed for us. Then, when
he had fully presented the Gospel plan, God asked, "Whom shall I send?"
[Sidenote: Jesus Volunteers.]
There was present at the council a spirit of supreme intelligence and
humility. He was Immanuel, the Son of God. This spirit stepped forward
and volunteered unselfishly, "Father, here am I, send me. Thy will be
done, and the glory be Thine forever."
[Sidenote: Lucifer volunteers.]
But there was present at the assembly a proud and haughty spirit
named Lucifer, the Light-bringer, a Son of the Morning. Lucifer also
volunteered, saying, "Behold--here am I, {58} send me, I will be Thy
son and I will redeem all mankind, that one soul shall not be lost, and
surely I will do it; wherefore give me Thine honor."
One can easily imagine that not only God, but the whole multitude of
spirits also, must have been astounded at the selfishness and the
arrogance of Lucifer. He was willing to try to save mankind--to force
their salvation, in fact--but as reward he would thrust God from His
throne, and claim for himself the honor and glory of God. It was as if
he had said in his heart, "I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my
throne above the stars of God."
[Sidenote: Lucifer rebels.]
It is no wonder, then, that God said simply, "I will send the first."
Naturally, Lucifer became angry, and rebelled against God, carrying
with him one-third of the spirits of heaven. But in the war which
followed, Lucifer and his host were defeated, and were cast out of
heaven. "And he became Satan, yea, even the devil, the father of lies,
to deceive and to blind men, and to lead them captive at his will, even
as many as would not hearken unto (God's) voice."
[Sidenote: The declaration of Jesus.]
That is how evil came into the world; and that is why Jesus said once
to the Jews who rejected Him, "If God were your Father, ye would
love me: for I proceeded forth and am come from God: neither came I
of myself, but He sent me. Why do ye not understand my speech? even
because ye cannot hear my word. Ye are of your father the devil,
and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the
beginning, and abode {59} not in the truth, because there is no truth
in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a
liar, and the father of it."
THE REFERENCES
Luke 8:4-15. Isa. 14:12, 13.
Moses 4:1-4. Doc. and Cov. 29:36-38.
Abraham 3:27, 28. Doc. and Cov. 76:25-27.
John 8:42-44.
THE QUESTIONS
1. Why is one tempted to neglect the word of God?
2. What is the lesson of the parable of the sower?
3. Who is the sower of evil in the world?
4. How did Satan come to be the devil?
5. What is the devil's mission on the earth?
6. How did Jesus characterize the devil?
{60} PICTURE: TEMPTATION OF CHRIST, Scheffer
{61}
VIII
WHY EVIL IS IN THE WORLD
[Sidenote: The devil's desperate hope.]
No better illustration of the mission of the devil on the earth can be
found than the story of the temptation of Jesus. You remember, that,
when Jesus was grown to manhood He went to the river Jordan and was
baptized by John. "Then," we are told, "was Jesus led up of the Spirit
into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. And when He had fasted
forty days and forty nights, He was afterward an hungered."
This was a very important and a critical moment in the history of the
world. Jesus was about to begin the splendid ministry which was to
culminate in His death on the cross for the redemption of the world. If
He should succeed in His mission, the power of evil would be broken,
and it would become possible for man to return to the presence of God.
Of course, Satan was much disturbed at such a thought. He had gained
such power on the earth that he had come to be called the prince of
this world. It angered him to think that he might lose that power.
In desperation, he determined to try his strength with Jesus. If he
could but bring about the downfall of the Son of God, God's plan would
certainly be thwarted, and Satan might hope utterly to possess the
earth. It was a wicked ambition; but it was in fulfillment of his
mission among men. So Satan set about to tempt even the Only Begotten
of the Father.
[Sidenote: The temptation of Jesus.]
"And when the tempter came to Him (Jesus), he said, If thou be the
Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. But He (Jesus)
answered and {62} said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread
alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
Then the devil taketh Him up into the holy city, and setteth Him on a
pinnacle of the temple, and saith unto Him, If Thou be the Son of God,
cast Thyself down: for it is written. He shall give His angels charge
concerning Thee: and in their hands they shall bear Thee up, lest at
any time Thou dash Thy foot against a stone. Jesus said unto him, It is
written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. Again, the devil
taketh Him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth Him all the
kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; and saith unto Him, All
these things will I give Thee, if Thou wilt fall down and worship me.
Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written.
Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve.
Then the devil leaveth Him, and, behold, angels came and ministered
unto Him."
[Sidenote: The application.]
This impressive story of the strength and ultimate victory of innocence
and purity is full of significance. In the performing of his mission of
evil, Satan never stops with one kind of temptation alone. He attacks
man at every point where weakness may lie. First he appealed to the
appetites of the flesh. But though Jesus had fasted forty days and
forty nights, and was hungry, yet He resisted the evil suggestion of
the tempter. Then Satan appealed to the love of glory and the praise of
men. But Jesus was content to wait, knowing that the glory and praise
which would come to Him, from {63} honest and worthy endeavor, would
be greater and far more lasting than that which might come from mere
display. Finally, Satan appealed to the love of riches and power. But
Jesus had the will and the strength to command him to depart; for the
riches and the power gained through evil are necessarily but fleeting,
whereas the blessings derived through the service of God endure
forever. Thus did Jesus overcome the great temptation, and show all men
how to resist evil.
[Sidenote: Guard against suggestions of the devil.]
You may readily understand, that because of His own experience, Jesus
appreciated fully the tempting power of the devil. In the parable
of the sower, you remember, Jesus urges men to guard against the
suggestions of the devil. It is because of the hearkening to those
suggestions that so much of the seed fails to bear fruit. And not only
do those suggestions withhold men from good deeds, but they inspire
evil thoughts and draw men into sin. There are in history many examples
of this truth; but there is none more shocking than the example of
Judas Iscariot, who betrayed the Christ to His enemies. "When He
(Jesus) had dipped the sop," we read in the Gospel of St. John, "He
gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon. And after the sop (the
devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son,
to betray Him) Satan entered into him." Judas had not the strength to
resist the suggestions of the devil, and thus brought condemnation upon
himself.
[Sidenote: Why there is evil.]