The Vitality of Mormonism: Brief Essays on Distinctive Doctrines of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day SaintsTalmage, James E. (James Edward)
Religion
The Vitality of Mormonism: Brief Essays on Distinctive Doctrines of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Talmage, James E. (James Edward)
Latter Day Saint churches; Latter Day Saints
THE spirit of man is in the image of God, whose child it is, and every
human body conforms, in the measure determined by its perfection or
physical defects, to the spirit that tenants it. Furthermore, we know
that the spirit existed in the ante-mortal state, that after death it
lives as a disembodied individual, and that later it shall be reunited
with the body of flesh and bones in an everlasting union through the
resurrection inaugurated by our Lord Jesus Christ.
If man be the spirit offspring of God, and if the possibilities of
individual progression be endless, to both of which sublime truths the
Scriptures bear definite testimony, then we have to admit that man
may eventually attain to Divine estate. However far away it be in the
eternities future, what eons may elapse before any one now mortal may
reach the sanctity and glory of godhood, man nevertheless has inherited
from his Divine Father the possibilities of such attainment--even as
the crawling caterpillar or the corpse-like chrysalis holds the latent
possibility, nay, barring destruction, the certainty, indeed, of the
winged imago in all the glory of maturity.
Progression in mortality, that is true progression, advancement of
the soul in developing the attributes of godliness, achievement in
righteousness that shall endure beyond death and resurrection, is
conditioned upon compliance with spiritual law, just as bodily health
is dependent upon the observance of what we call natural law. Between
the two there may be difference of degree, but not essentially of kind.
Physical exercise is indispensable to the development of body, and
quite as certainly is spiritual activity requisite to the healthful and
normal development of the soul.
Through valiant service, by unreserved obedience to the requirements
embodied in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, never-ending advancement is
made possible to man. Thus, within the soul are the potentialities
of godhood. Such high attainment is specifically the exaltation of
the soul as distinguished from salvation. Not all who are saved in
the hereafter shall be exalted. One may refrain in large measure
from committing particular sins or sin in general, and so gain title
to a degree of salvation far above the lot of the gross offender,
nevertheless his goodness may be merely passive, and thus distinctly
apart from the active, aggressive, positive godliness of him who is
valiant in righteous service.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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