Rays of Living Light on the One Way of SalvationPenrose, Charles W. (Charles William)
Religion
Rays of Living Light on the One Way of Salvation
Penrose, Charles W. (Charles William)
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints -- Doctrines; Latter Day Saint churches -- Doctrines
IN PREVIOUS tracts of this series it has been shown that there can
be but one true religion, because there is but one supreme God, that
it must be revealed from him instead of being made by man, and that
the first principle of that religion is faith, which can be made
manifest only by works. Let us now see what those works are which
are essential to salvation. The first fruit of faith in God and in
Jesus Christ is repentance of sin. Sin against God is the
transgression of his law. Conviction of sin comes through faith in
God and his law. Conviction leads to humility and repentance and
obedience. Sorrow for sin is not of itself true repentance, which
comprehends not only regret for the past, but reformation for the
future. It includes determination to forsake and refrain from sin.
As the Apostle Paul expressed it, "For godly sorrow worketh
repentance to salvation not to be repented of" (II Corinthians
7:10). When the sinner is sorry because he has been found out, that
is not true repentance. Grief is an element of repentance, because
when a believer perceives that he has broken a law of God, he feels
remorse. But unless he resolves to turn away from that transgression,
and not repeat it, he does not reach full repentance.
"Cease to do evil, learn to do well," has been the word of God and
his inspired servants through all the ages. It is a step forward in
practical religion. It is absolutely necessary to salvation. Without
it belief in Christ is vain. He said himself, "Except ye repent, ye
shall all likewise perish" (Luke 13:3). "God commandeth all men
everywhere to repent" (Acts 17:30). Jesus instructed that
"repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name
among all nations" (Luke 24:47). The idea that people may sin
against God and against humanity, and by mere belief in the merits
of the Savior, be absolved from all the consequences of their guilt,
is one of the greatest of the many absurdities which have been
grafted by the hand of man upon the tree of religion.
Christ gave himself a sacrifice to save mankind from their sins, not
in their sins. His work is to redeem humanity by lifting it up to
Deity. His gospel teaches purification from sin and exaltation into
the righteousness of God. The atonement wrought out on Calvary is as
much misunderstood by modern divines who preach it as were the
teachings of Moses and the prophets by the sectaries who rejected
the Nazarene. That atonement was for a dual purpose. First, to
redeem mankind from the consequences of the original sin committed
in the Garden of Eden, and second, to open the way to salvation from
the actual sins committed by the posterity of Adam.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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