The Mormon Doctrine of Deity: The Roberts-Van Der Donckt Discussion: To which is added a discourse, Jesus Christ, the revelation of God; also a collection of authoritative Mormon utterances on the being and nature of GodRoberts, B. H. (Brigham Henry)
Religion
The Mormon Doctrine of Deity: The Roberts-Van Der Donckt Discussion: To which is added a discourse, Jesus Christ, the revelation of God; also a collection of authoritative Mormon utterances on the being and nature of God
Roberts, B. H. (Brigham Henry)
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints -- Doctrines; God (Christianity); Jesus Christ -- Mormon interpretations; Latter Day Saint churches -- Doctrines
These three, the Father, Son, and the Holy Ghost, it is true, are
spoken of in the most definite manner as being God; but the distinction
of one from the other is also clearly marked in the scriptures. Take
that circumstance to which I have already alluded--the baptism of
Jesus. There we may see the three distinct personalities most clearly.
The Son coming up out of the water from his baptism; the heavens
opening and the Holy Spirit descending upon him; while out of heaven
the voice of God is heard saying, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I
am well pleased." Here three Gods are distinctly apparent. They are
seen to be distinct from each other. They appear simultaneously, not as
one, but as three, each one doing a different thing, so that however
completely they may be one in spirit, in purpose, in will, they are
clearly distinct as persons--as individuals.
In several instances in the scriptures these three personages are
accorded equal dignity in the Godhead. An example is found in the
commission which Jesus gave to his disciples after his resurrection,
when he sent them out into the world to preach the gospel to all
nations. He stood in the presence of the eleven, and said:
All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye, therefore
and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father,
and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.[A]
[Footnote A: Matt. 28:18-20.]
Each of the three is here given equal dignity in the Godhead. Again, in
the apostolic benediction:
May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the
communion of the Holy Ghost be with you all.
In one particular, at least, Jesus came very nearly exalting the
Holy Ghost to a seeming superiority over the other personages in the
Godhead; for he said:
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.[A]
[Footnote A: Matt. 12:31,32.]
I take it, however, that this seeming superior dignity accorded to
the Holy Ghost by the Son of God, is owing to the nature of the third
personage in the Trinity, and the kind of testimony he can impart unto
the soul of man because of his being a personage of spirit--a testimony
that is better than the seeing of the eye, more sure than the hearing
of the ear, because it is spirit testifying to spirit--soul communing
with soul--it is the soul of God imparting to the soul of man; and if
men, after receiving that Witness from God shall blaspheme against him,
farewell hope of forgiveness for such a sin, in this world or in the
world to come!
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