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
Adam had his agency, and chose to use it in disobeying the Lord's
injunction. Of the commandment and the alternative we read: "And I, the
Lord God, commanded the man, saying: Of every tree of the garden thou
mayest freely eat, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil;
thou shalt not eat of it. Nevertheless, thou mayest choose for thyself,
for it is given unto thee; but, remember that I forbid it, for in the
day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die." (Pearl of Great Price,
pp. 13-14.)
The same principle applies to persons and to the Church as a whole
today. God has not established His Church to make of its members
irresponsible automatons, nor to exact from them blind obedience.
Albeit, blessed is the man who, while unable to fathom or comprehend in
full the Divine purpose underlying commandment and law, has such faith
as to obey. So did Adam in offering sacrifice, yet, when questioned
as to the significance of his service, he answered with faith and
assurance worthy the patriarch of the race: "I know not, save the Lord
commanded me."
-- 9 --
THE HOLY TRINITY
Unity of the Godhead
"WE believe in God the Eternal Father, and in His Son Jesus Christ, and
in the Holy Ghost."
So runs the first of the "Articles of Faith" of the Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints. A similar asseveration of belief has place
in most creeds or churches called Christian. The Scriptures affirm
the existence of the Supreme Trinity, constituting the Godhead, the
governing Council of the heavens and the earth.
The very name "Trinity" which is commonly current in the literature
of Christian theology, connotes three distinct entities, and such we
believe to be the scriptural signification and therefore expressive of
the actual constitution of the Godhead. Three Personages are comprised,
each designated by the exalted title "God", and each of whom has
separately and individually revealed Himself to mankind; these are (1)
God the Eternal Father, (2) God the Son, or Jesus Christ, and (3) God
the Holy Ghost.
That the three are individually separate and distinct Personages is
evidenced by such Scriptures as the following. As our Lord Jesus Christ
emerged from the baptismal waters of Jordan, John, the officiating
priest, recognized the visible sign of the Holy Ghost, while he saw
before him the Christ with a tangible body of flesh and bones, and
heard the voice of the Eternal Father saying: "This is my beloved Son,
in whom I am well pleased." (Matt. 3:16, 17). The three Personages were
there present, each manifesting Himself in a different manner to mortal
sense, and plainly, each distinct from the others.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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