History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Volume 1Smith, Joseph, Jr.
Religion
History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Volume 1
Smith, Joseph, Jr.
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; Smith, Joseph, Jr., 1805-1844
That there have been many dispensations of the Gospel, many times that
divine authority has been conferred upon men, is apparent from the
Scripture narrative of such events. And yet, strange as it may seem, in
the face of such Scripture narratives, there are those among professing
Christians who hold that the Gospel had no earlier origin than the time
of Messiah's ministry in the flesh. As a matter of fact, however, the
Gospel of Jesus Christ has existed from the very earliest ages of the
world. There are, indeed, certain passages of Scripture which lead us
to believe that even before the earth was made or ever man was placed
upon it, the Gospel had been formulated and was understood by the
spirits which inhabited the kingdom of the Father; and who, in course
of time, would be blessed with a probation on the earth--an earth-life.
If this be not true, of what significance is the Scripture which speaks
of Jesus as the Lamb ordained before the foundation of the world, but
revealed in this day for the salvation of man? [2] What of the "Lamb
slain from the foundation of the world"? [3] And further: "They that
dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the
Book of Life from the foundation of the world." [4] "Where wast thou,"
asked the Lord of Job, "when I laid the foundations of the earth? * * *
When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted
for joy?" [5] There is evidence in these expressions found in Scripture
that before the foundations of the earth were laid the sacrifice
necessary to the redemption of men was understood, and the "Lamb" for
the sacrifice was chosen, Jesus, the Messiah. There is evidence in
these expressions from Scripture of the pre-existence of the spirits
of men, and the names of some of them at least were written in the
"Book of Life" from the foundation of the world, and it is not unlikely
that the shouting of all the sons of God for joy, at the creation of
the earth was in consequence of the prospects which opened before them
because of the earth-life and the salvation that would come to them
through the Gospel--even in the prospects of that "eternal life, which
God that cannot lie, promised before the world began."
_The Gospel Revealed to Adam_.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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