Cowley's Talks on DoctrineCowley, Matthias F. (Matthias Foss)
Religion
Cowley's Talks on Doctrine
Cowley, Matthias F. (Matthias Foss)
Latter Day Saint churches -- Doctrines
The following passage of Scripture is often cited to prove that the
Savior is the only personal being in the Deity: "Neither pray I for
these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their
word; that they all may be one; as Thou, Father, art in me and I in
Thee, that they also may be one in us; that the world may believe that
Thou hast sent me. And the glory which Thou gavest me I have given
them; that they may be one, even as we are one." (John xvii:20-22.)
The very wording of this Scripture shows that the Father and the Son
are not one in person, because He prays that all the disciples may
be one in the same manner that the Father and the Son are one, and
one in that sense only, for the simple reason that the oneness of the
Father and the Son is perfect and complete. Their unity consists in
being one in wisdom, one in knowledge, one in power, one in council,
having a unity of purpose in the accomplishment of man's salvation to
the tallest extent and in every conceivable respect. The disciples of
Jesus could not be one in person, for each of himself is a separate
individuality; they can be one, however, as the Father and Son are
one, in the accomplishment of one great purpose--the salvation of
mankind--because they are baptized by one Spirit into one body, even
the church of Christ; they have one Lord, one faith and one baptism,
and are all taught of God, having "access by one Spirit unto the
Father" (Eph ii:18), who is not the author of confusion, and cannot
consistently, with His own attributes, contradict Himself.
When Jesus sent His disciples into the world He commanded them to
baptize penitent believers "in the name of the Father, and of the Son,
and of the Holy Ghost." (Matt. xxviii:19.) These three personages are
understood by believers in the Bible to constitute the Godhead. We have
shown that the Father and Son are separate personages. It is just as
evident, from the Scriptures, that the Holy Ghost is as much a separate
and distinct personage as are the other two. Concerning the enormity of
sinning against the Holy Ghost, Jesus said: "Wherefore I say unto you,
all manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the
blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men. And
whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven
him; but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be
forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come."
(Matt. xii:31-32). Again, "Verily I say unto you, all sins shall be
forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemies wherewith soever they
shall blaspheme; but he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost
hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation." (Mark
iii:28-29.)
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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