Latter Day Saints' Messenger and Advocate/Volume 1/Number 2/Faith of the Church. No. VIII.

FAITH OF THE CHURCH. No. VIII.
[Continued from the last No. of the Star.]

There is no subject, I have thought, and now think, about which the religious world seems to be more bewildered, than that of spiritual blessings: and truly it is of the first importance that we should be correct on this subject above all others; for it was that we might be made partakers of spiritual blessings, that the Lord ever revealed himself to man; it was that we might be made partakers of the Spirit of God, that the gospel was ever proclaimed to the world: it is because of the Holy Spirit dwelling in us, that we are raised from the dead, to enjoy the glories of the heavenly kingdom; and indeed, every thing we enjoy in relation to eternal life, is through and by the Holy Spirit, working in us, and through us, until by the power of that Spirit we are made meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light. Let me here observe, that it is by reason of the Holy Spirit which our heavenly Father sends down among men, that any portion of the world is made heirs of God and joint heirs with Jesus Christ: men are dependant [dependent] on it for salvation: without it, the death and sacrifice of Jesus would have been in vain: for no creature would have been benefitted thereby. All the wisdom and knowledge that is worth enjoying among men, is by reason of this gift bestowed upon men in the flesh; for it is the province of this Spirit to convince, or reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment; so says the Savior. John, 16:8.—So that the knowledge which we have of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment, is a fruit of the Holy Spirit, brought forth by reason of its influence on men in the flesh. For says the Savior, If I go not away the Comforter will not come unto you, but if I depart I will send him unto you. John, 16:7. In order that we may have the subject of spiritual blessings, or of the work of the Holy Spirit, in the salvation of men, fully before us, let us examine first what the Savior said to his disciples at the last feast of the passover, previous to his crucifixion. The discourse alluded to, is found in the 13, 14, 15, 16, & 17 chapters of John's gospel, or testimony. In the 14 chapter, 15, 16, and 17 verses, the Savior thus addresses his disciples: "If ye love me, keep my commandments: and I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever: even the spirit of truth whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him; but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you and shall be in you." In the 26 verse he says: "But the 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." In the 15 chapter and 26 verse we have the following sayings: "But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you, from the Father, even the Spirit of truth which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me."—In the 16 chapter, from the 6 to the 15 he said: "Nevertheless, I tell you the truth; it is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And when he is come he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment. Of sin, because they believe not on me: of righteousness; because I go to my father, and ye see me no more: of judgment: because the prince of this world is judged. I have yet many things to say unto you, but you cannot bear them now. Howbeit, when he, the Spirit of truth is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak; and he shall shew [show] you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you."

In the preceding quotations the following things are very clearly set forth.

First, The spirit of truth, which the apostles were to receive was to be in them.

Second, It was to abide with them forever.

Third, It was to teach them all things, and bring all things to their remembrance whatsoever Jesus had said unto them.

Fourth, It was to testify of Jesus.

Fifth, It was to be a spirit of prophecy in them, teaching them things to come. And,

Sixth, It was to reprove the world.

These six things are clearly manifest in the above quotations. It may be necessary here for the sake of clearness, to examine some other things in the course of the address of the Savior to his disciples, form whence we have taken the above quotations, in order that we may see the true light in which the Savior sets forth the gift of the Holy Ghost, and the vast importance he attaches to it.

In the 17 chapter, which records his prayer for his disciples, which he offered up unto his Father, he said, concerning those disciples to whom he gave the promise of the gift of the Holy Spirit, "I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word. Now they have known, that all things whatsoever thou hast given me, are of thee: for I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I have come out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me." See 6, 7, and 8 verses.—Now reader notice particularly, that the Savior says to his heavenly Father concerning his disciples, that he had manifested his name, (the Father's,) unto them, & he says, that they have kept thy word, and they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee. And again, he says, I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I have come out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me; and yet with all this, they had not received the gift of the Holy Ghost: so that a man may believe on Jesus Christ; receive his words, acknowledge his testimony, and keep his words, and yet not have received the gift of the Holy Spirit. For after all this, the disciples had the promise, that after that time they should receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, which should be in them, and teach them and refresh their memories of past things, and make them acquainted with future things, and lead them into all truth; and make them acquainted with things past, present, and to come; I say reader, is it not marvelous, that after the disciples had known surely that the Savior had come out from God, and had received his word, and kept it, and had had the name of God manifested unto them, that they still needed this gift of the Holy Spirit, distinct from all this, to teach them ALL things? not some things, but ALL things? but so it was, for so says the Savior, and you and I are not at liberty to deny it. From these sayings of the Savior, we have learned this important fact: that the gift of the Holy Spirit, is separate from believing the word of God, and receiving it, and keeping it; for after a man does all this, he is then entitled to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Such was the case with the disciples who lived in the days of the Savior.

Another fact equally as plain is, that notwithstanding a man may have the name of God manifested unto him; his word given unto him, and he believe it, and receive it, and keep it, still, he needs the gift of the Holy Spirit after all this, to teach him all things; to take the things of Jesus and show them unto him; or at least, it was the case with the disciples in the days of the Savior.

A third fact is, that the object of giving the Holy Spirit, is, that it may dwell in a man, and teach him all things; to strengthen his memory, and bring past things back to his recollection, and unfold future events to his view. In a word, to be in him a spirit of revelation, and prophecy: or it was so in the days of the Savior and his apostles.

And the conclusion from all these facts is, that the knowledge, which is necessary in order that a person may be saved, is not attainable, only by the Holy Spirit dwelling in a man, and teaching him the all things necessary to be known: enlightening his mind into the knowledge of all truth; extending his acquaintance with futurity, and being in him an instructor, a teacher, a revealer of hidden things; and in this way enriching his mind with divine knowledge.

TO BE CONTINUED.