"I KNOW THAT MY REDEEMER LIVES."[A]
_President Joseph F. Smith on the "Mormon" Doctrine of Deity._
[Footnote A: This discourse was delivered in the Tabernacle, Salt Lake
City, March 16,1902, and by the kind permission of President Smith I am
allowed to reproduce it here.]
My beloved brethren and sisters, while listening to the singing of the
last hymn, my mind reverted to a revelation contained in the Book of
Doctrine and Covenants, and I feel impressed to read a portion of it,
and then make a few remarks concerning it, if I am led to do so. This
revelation was given through the Prophet Joseph Smith, at Kirtland, in
May, 1833:
Verily, thus saith the Lord, it shall come to pass that every soul
who forsaketh his sins and cometh unto me, and calleth on my name,
and obeyeth my voice, and keepeth my commandments, shall see my
face and know that I am.
You will remember that the hymn which was sung by the choir begins thus:
I know that my Redeemer lives,
What comfort this sweet sentence gives!
He lives, he lives, who once was dead;
He lives, my ever-living Head.
It occurs to me that in the words I have just read from the revelation
there is a key given to us, as the people of God, by which we may
know how to obtain the knowledge which is spoken of by the poet in
this hymn--"I know that my Redeemer lives." The conditions are stated
by which we may secure this knowledge. Furthermore, every soul who
observeth these conditions shall not only know that he is, but he shall
know also--
That I am the true light that lighteth every man that cometh into
the world;
And that I am in the Father, and the Father in me, and the Father
and I are one.
This is not speaking of the greater light which is especially bestowed
upon those who are born again; for not every man that cometh into the
world is born again and entitled to receive the greater light by the
gift of the Holy Ghost. Perhaps it may be well for me to make a few
remarks in relation to this distinction between the light of Christ
that lighteth every man that cometh into the world, and that light
which comes after repentance and baptism for the remission of sins.
It is by the power of God that all things are made that have been made.
It is by the power of Christ that all things are governed and kept in
place that are governed and kept in place in the universe. It is the
power which proceeds from the presence of the Son of God throughout
all the works of his hands, that giveth light, energy, understanding,
knowledge, and a degree of intelligence to all the children of men,
strictly in accordance with the words in the Book of Job, "There is
a spirit in man; and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them
understanding." It is this inspiration from God, proceeding throughout
all his creations that enlighteneth the children of men; and it is
nothing more nor less than the spirit of Christ, that enlighteneth
the mind, that quickeneth the understanding, and that prompteth the
children of men to do that which is good and to eschew that which is
evil; which quickens the conscience of man and gives him intelligence
to judge between good and evil, light and darkness, right and wrong.
We are indebted to God for this intelligence that we possess. It is by
the spirit which lighteth every man that cometh into the world that our
minds are quickened and our spirits enlightened with understanding and
intelligence. And all men are entitled to this. It is not reserved for
the obedient alone; but it is given unto all the children of men that
are born into the world.
Gift of the Holy Ghost.
But the gift of the Holy Ghost, which bears record of the Father and
the Son, which takes of the things of the Father and shows them unto
men, which testifies of Jesus Christ, and of the ever-living God, the
Father of Jesus Christ, and which bears witness of the truth--this
Spirit, this intelligence is not given unto all men until they repent
of their sins and come into a state of worthiness before the Lord.
Then they receive it by the laying on of the hands of those who are
authorized of God to bestow His blessings upon the heads of the
children of men. The Spirit spoken of in that which I have read is
that Spirit which will not cease to strive with the children of men
until they are brought to the possession of the greater light and
intelligence. Though a man may commit all manner of sin and blasphemy,
if he has not received the testimony of the Holy Ghost he may be
forgiven by repenting of his sins, humbling himself before the Lord,
and obeying in sincerity the commandments of God. As it is stated here,
"Every soul who forsaketh his sins and cometh unto me, and calleth on
my name, and obeyeth my voice, and keepeth my commandments, shall see
my face and know that I am." He shall be forgiven, and receive of the
greater light; he will enter into a solemn covenant with God, into a
compact with the Almighty, through the Only Begotten Son, whereby he
becomes a son of God, and heir of God, and a joint heir with Jesus
Christ. Then, if he shall sin against the light and knowledge he has
received, the light that was within him shall become darkness, and oh,
how great will be that darkness! Then, and not till then, will this
Spirit of Christ that lighteth every man that cometh into the world
cease to strive with him, and he shall be left to his own destruction.
This is in accordance with the doctrine of Christ as it is revealed
in the New Testament; it is in accordance with the word of God as it
has been revealed in the latter-day through the Prophet Joseph Smith.
God will not condemn any man to utter destruction, neither shall any
man be thrust down to hell irredeemably, until he has been brought to
the possession of the greater light that comes through repentance and
obedience to the laws and commandments of God; but if, after he has
received light and knowledge, he shall sin against that light and will
not repent, then, indeed, he becomes a lost soul, a son of perdition!
The question is often asked, Is there any difference between the
Spirit of the Lord and the Holy Ghost? The terms are frequently used
synonymously. We often say the Spirit of God when we mean the Holy
Ghost; we likewise say the Holy Ghost when we mean the Spirit of God.
The Holy Ghost is a personage in the Godhead, and is not that which
lighteth every man that comes into the world. It is the Spirit of God
which proceeds through Christ to the world, that enlightens every
man that comes into the world, and that strives with the children of
men, and will continue to strive with them, until it brings them to
a knowledge of the truth and the possession of the greater light and
testimony of the Holy Ghost. If, however, he receive that greater
light, and then sin against it, the Spirit of God will cease to strive
with him, and the Holy Ghost will wholly depart from him. Then will he
persecute the truth; then will he seek the blood of the innocent; then
will he not scruple at the commission of any crime, except so far as he
may fear the penalties of the law, in consequence of the crime, upon
himself.
Jesus, the Father of this World.
I will read a little further:
And that I am in the Father, and the Father in me, and the Father
and I are one.
I do not apprehend that any intelligent person will construe these
words to mean that Jesus and his Father are one person, but merely that
they are one in knowledge, in truth, in wisdom, in understanding, and
in purpose; just as the Lord Jesus himself admonished his disciples to
be one with him, and to be in him, that he might be in them. It is in
this sense that I understand this language, and not as it is construed
by some people, that Christ and his Father are one person. I declare to
you that they are not one person, but that they are two persons, two
bodies, separate and apart, and as distinct as are any father and son
within the sound of my voice. Yet, Jesus is the Father of this world,
because it was by him that the world was made. He says:
And the Father and I are one:
The Father because he gave me of his fulness, and the Son because I
was in the world and made flesh my tabernacle, and dwelt among the
sons of men.
I was in the world and received of my Father, and the works of him
were plainly manifest;
And John saw and bore record of the fulness of my glory: and the
fulness of John's record is hereafter to be revealed:
And he bore record, saying, I saw his glory that he was in the
beginning before the world was;
Therefore in the beginning the Word was, for he was the Word, even
the messenger of salvation.
The light and redeemer of the world; the Spirit of truth, who came
into the world, because the world was made by him, and in him was
the life of men and the light of men.
The worlds were made by him: men were made by him: all things were
made by him, and through him, and of him.
And I, John, bear record that I beheld his glory, as the glory of
the Only Begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth, even the
Spirit of truth, which came and dwelt in the flesh, and dwelt among
us.
And I, John, saw that he received not the fulness at first, but
received grace for grace;
And he received not of the fulness at first, but continued from
grace to grace, until he received a fulness:
And thus he was called the Son of God, because He received not of
the fulness at the first.
Glorious Possibilities of Man.
What a glorious thought is inspired in the heart when we read
sentiments like this, that even Christ himself was not perfect at
first; he received not a fulness at first, but he received grace for
grace, and he continued to receive more and more until he received a
fulness. Is not this to be so with the children of men? Is any man
perfect? Has any man received a fulness at once? Have we reached a
point wherein we may receive the fulness of God, of his glory and his
intelligence? No; and yet if Jesus, the Son of God, and the Father of
the heavens and the earth in which we dwell, received not a fulness at
the first, but increased in faith, knowledge, understanding and grace
until he received a fulness, is it not possible for all men that are
born of women to receive little by little, line upon line, precept
upon precept, until they shall receive a fulness, as he has received a
fulness, and be exalted with him in the presence of the Father?
The revelation continues:
And I, John, bear record, and lo, the heavens were opened, and
the Holy Ghost descended upon him in the form of a dove, and sat
upon him, and there came a voice out of heaven saying, This is my
beloved son.
This voice out of heaven came from God, the Father of our Lord and
Savior Jesus Christ.
And I, John, bear record that he received a fulness of the glory of
the Father;
And he received all power both in heaven and on earth, and the
glory of the Father was with him, for he dwelt in him.
And it shall come to pass, that if you are faithful you shall
receive the fulness of the record of John.
I give unto you these sayings that ye may understand and know how
to worship, and know what you worship, that you may come unto the
Father in my name, and in due time receive of his fulness.
For if you keep my commandments you shall receive of his fulness,
and be glorified in me as I am in the Father; therefore, I say unto
you, you shall receive grace for grace.
And now, verily I say unto you, I was in the beginning with the
Father: and am the first-born.
And all those who are begotten through me are partakers of the
glory of the same, and are the church of the first-born.
Ye were also in the beginning with the Father, that which is
Spirit, even the Spirit of truth,
And truth is knowledge of things as they are, and as they were, and
as they are to come;
And whatsoever is more or less than this, is the spirit of that
wicked one who was a liar from the beginning.
The spirit of truth is of God. I am the spirit of truth, and John
bore record of me, saying--He receiveth a fulness of truth, yea,
even of all truth.
And no man receiveth a fulness unless he keepeth his commandments.
He that keepeth his commandments receiveth truth and light, until
he is glorified in truth and knoweth all things.
Man was also in the beginning with God. Intelligence, or the light
of truth, was not created or made, neither indeed can it be.
All truth is independent in that sphere in which God has placed it,
to act for itself, as all intelligence also, otherwise there is no
existence.
Behold, here is the agency of man, and here is the condemnation of
man; because that which was from the beginning is plainly manifest
unto them and they receive not the light.
And every man whose spirit receiveth not the light is under
condemnation.
For man is spirit. The elements are eternal, and spirit and
element, inseparably connected, receive a fulness of joy:
And when separated, man cannot receive a fulness of joy.
Man to Become Like Christ.
In other words, the spirit without the body is not perfect, and the
body without the spirit is dead. Man was ordained in the beginning to
become like Jesus Christ, to become conformed unto his image. As Jesus
was born of woman, lived and grew to manhood, was put to death and
raised from the dead to immortality and eternal life, so it was decreed
in the beginning that man should be, and will be, through the atonement
of Jesus, in spite of himself, resurrected from the dead. Death came
upon us without the exercise of our agency; we had no hand in bringing
it originally upon ourselves; it came because of the transgression of
our first parents. Therefore, man, who had no hand in bringing death
upon himself, shall have no hand in bringing again life unto himself;
for as he dies in consequence of the sin of Adam, so shall he live
again, whether he will or not, by the righteousness of Jesus Christ,
and the power of his resurrection. Every man that dies shall live
again, and shall stand before the bar of God, to be judged according
to his works, whether they be good or evil. It is then that all will
have to give an account for their stewardship in this mortal life. The
word of God is spoken to the children of men. It has been revealed
from the heavens. It is extant in the world. It is in force upon the
people. Those that reject it will have to answer for it before God, the
judge of the quick and the dead; while those that receive and obey the
word of the Lord and keep his commandments, as I have read, shall not
only come to a knowledge of the truth, but shall look upon the face of
the Redeemer and shall see and know him as he is. Furthermore, they
will acknowledge that it is through the atonement and power of the
Savior that they are brought again unto life immortal, to enjoy eternal
felicity in the celestial kingdom of God, provided they have been
obedient to his commandments. The Lord continues:
The elements are the tabernacle of God; yea, man is the tabernacle
of God, even temples; and whatsoever temple is defiled, God shall
destroy that temple.
The glory of God is intelligence, or, in other words, light and
truth.
Light and truth forsake that evil one.
Every spirit of man was innocent in the beginning, and God having
redeemed man from the fall, men became again in their infant state,
innocent before God.
And that wicked one cometh and taketh away light and truth,
through disobedience, from the children of men, and because of the
tradition of their fathers.
The word of the Lord is truth. You ask, What is truth? It is the truth
that God lives. What more is truth? It is the truth that Jesus Christ
is the Son of God, the Redeemer of the world; that he atoned for the
sin of Adam, and that through our repentance and obedience to him we
shall receive a forgiveness of our own sins, and shall be cleansed
therefrom, and exalted again in the presence of God, from whence we
came. It is truth that God has revealed to the world that except a man
be born again he cannot see the kingdom of heaven. It is eternal truth
that except a man be born of the water and of the Spirit he cannot
enter into the kingdom of heaven. These are the Almighty's truths
that he has revealed to the children of men, and upon these we will
stand. We propose to bear our testimony to these truths, and to declare
these principles to the children of men, as long as God will give us
his Spirit, and we are entrusted with this mission to declare Jesus
Christ and him crucified and risen from the dead, and Joseph Smith
raised up by the power of God to restore the fulness of the everlasting
Gospel and the authority of the Holy Priesthood to the earth in the
dispensation of the fulness of times. We bear this testimony to the
world, and we know that our testimony is true; for we have received of
that Spirit of truth which is of God, and of which Jesus speaks here
through the Prophet Joseph Smith. Therefore, our testimony is in force
upon the world. Especially is it in force upon those who have yielded
obedience to the message of salvation as it has been restored to the
earth and declared unto you.
Personal Testimony.
Now, my brethren and sisters, I know that my Redeemer lives. I feel it
in every fiber of my being. I am just as satisfied of it as I am of my
own existence. I cannot feel more sure of my own being than I do that
my Redeemer lives, and that my God lives, the Father of my Savior. I
feel it in my soul; I am converted to it in my whole being. I bear
testimony to you that this is the doctrine of Christ, the Gospel of
Jesus, which is the power of God unto salvation. It is "Mormonism." But
there is much more that could be said in relation to these matters.
"Mormonism" has been interpreted by one who was inspired to mean "more
good." We have accepted the term "Mormon." It having been applied to
us by our enemies simply because we believed in the Book of Mormon,
and we are not ashamed of it--we are not ashamed of "more good." We
believe in every principle and precept of the Gospel, and in all the
law of God. We believe that every principle is essential. We believe
that we should do our duty to God and to our fellowmen. We should do
unto others as we would have them do to us. We should observe the laws
of chastity, honesty and uprightness, deal justly with our neighbors,
and kindly and mercifully with the erring. We should seek to do good at
all times and under all circumstances. The feeling should predominate
in our hearts that we are here, not to do evil, but to do good; not to
increase error, but to diminish it and to increase the knowledge of the
truth; to make men happy, and to spread happiness abroad in the world
by persuading men to do that which is right. There is no real happiness
in wickedness. There is no real enjoyment in sin and transgression.
The only source of real enjoyment and perfect happiness is in the
observance of the laws of truth and righteousness.
The Lord bless you and help us all to live our religion and to keep the
commandments of God, that we may look upon his face, and that we may
see the Redeemer when he shall come to the earth again; for he will
come, and when he does come again he will not come as the meek and
lowly Nazarene, without "where to lay his head," and without respect
and honor, but he will come as God out of heaven, clothed with power,
glory, justice, judgment and truth. He will come with the hosts of
heaven, and he will receive those who have kept his commandments in the
earth as the church prepared for the Bridegroom, while he will take
vengeance upon the ungodly.
This is not my doctrine; it is the declaration of the Bible, of the
ancient prophets, and also of the modern prophets, who have spoken by
inspiration. I am but repeating their words, and I tell you nothing
new. God bless you and keep you in the path of duty, and deliver us all
from evil, and help us to be steadfast and faithful to the covenants
that we have made, and to the cause of Zion and of redemption for the
living and the dead, is my prayer in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Transcriber's Note
Some apparent printer's errors, especially spelling errors and unclosed
quotation marks where a correct reading was obvious, have been resolved
as seemed reasonable. (The 'scanctity' of the Pharisees was a personal
favorite.)
End of Project Gutenberg's The Mormon Doctrine of Deity, by B. H. Roberts