The Articles of Faith Part 6

[122] Doctrine and Covenants, xxix, 35.

=3.= When the brothers Cain and Abel brought their sacrifices before the Lord, the elder one became angry because his offering was rejected; then the Lord reasoned with Cain, and endeavored to teach him that he must expect results of his actions to follow in kind, good or evil, as he might elect:--"If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door."[123]

[123] Genesis iv, 7.

=4.= A knowledge of good and evil is essential to the advancement which G.o.d has made possible for His children to achieve; this knowledge can be best gained by actual experience, with the contrasts of good and its opposite before the eyes; therefore has man been placed upon the earth subject to the influence of good and wicked powers, with a knowledge of the conditions surrounding him, and the heaven-born right to choose for himself. The words of the prophet, Lehi, are particularly explicit: "Wherefore, the Lord G.o.d gave unto man that he should act for himself. Wherefore, man could not act for himself, save it should be that he was enticed by the one or the other.... Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and all things are given them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great mediation of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself."[124]

[124] II Nephi ii, 16 and 27; x, 23. See also Alma iii, 26; xii, 31; xxix, 4, 5; x.x.x, 9; Hel. xiv, 30.

=5.= Alma, another Nephite prophet, in speaking of those who had died, said they had gone "that they might reap their rewards, according to their works, whether they were good or whether they were bad, to reap eternal happiness or eternal misery, according to the spirit which they listed to obey, whether it be a good spirit or a bad one; For every man receiveth wages of him whom he listeth to obey, and this according to the words of the spirit of prophecy."[125]

[125] Alma iii, 26-27.

=6.= Samuel, the converted Lamanite, upon whom the spirit of the prophets had fallen, admonished his wayward fellows in this wise: "And now remember, remember my brethren, that whosoever perisheth, perisheth unto himself; and whosoever doeth iniquity, doeth it unto himself; for behold, ye are free; ye are permitted to act for yourselves; for behold, G.o.d hath given unto you a knowledge, and He hath made you free; He hath given unto you that ye might know good from evil, and He hath given unto you that ye might choose life or death."[126]

[126] Helaman xiv, 30-31.

=7.= When the plans for creating and peopling the earth were under discussion in heaven, Satan sought to destroy the free agency of man, by obtaining power to force the human family to do his will, promising the Father that by such means he would redeem all mankind, and that not one of them should be lost.[127] This proposition was rejected, while the original purpose of the Father,--to use persuasive influences of wholesome precept and sacrificing example with the inhabitants of the earth, then to leave them free to choose for themselves, was agreed upon, and the Only Begotten Son was chosen as the chief instrument in carrying that purpose into effect.

[127] Moses iv. 1; see also Abraham iii, 27-28; and "Jesus the Christ," ch. ii.

=8. Man's Responsibility= for his individual acts is as complete as is his agency to elect for himself. The natural result of good deeds is happiness; the consequence of evil is misery; these follow in every man's life by inviolable laws. There is a plan of judgment[128]

divinely fore-ordained, by which every man will be called to answer for his deeds; and not for deeds alone but for his words also, and even for the thoughts of his heart. "But I say unto you, that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment."[129] These are the words of the Savior Himself. "And let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbor, and love no false oath: for all these are things that I hate, saith the Lord."[130] John the Revelator was permitted to learn in vision something of the scenes connected with the last judgment; he says: "And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before G.o.d; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and h.e.l.l delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works."[131]

[128] Matt. x, 15; xi, 22; II Peter ii, 9; iii, 7; I John iv, 17.

[129] Matt. xii, 36.

[130] Zech. viii, 17.

[131] Rev. xx, 12, 13.

=9.= The judgment of G.o.d is not always made to follow immediately the acts of men; good deeds may not be at once rewarded, evil is rarely peremptorily punished; and this is according to Divine wisdom; were it appointed otherwise, the test of individual nature, and the trial of human faith, for which purposes this mortal probation was primarily ordained, would be greatly lessened; for the certainty of immediate pleasure or pain would almost universally determine human acts to secure the one and to avoid the other. Judgment, therefore, is postponed, that every one may fully prove his nature, the good man increasing in righteousness, and the evil doer possessing opportunity of repentance and reparation before the great and terrible day. On rare occasions, speedy judgment of a temporal nature has been executed, the physical results of worldly blessing for good,[132] and calamity for evil deeds[133] following swiftly upon the acts. Whether such retribution entirely satisfies the claims of justice, or a further visitation of judgment is to take place beyond this world, matters not. Such acts are exceptional in the Divine administration.

[132] Job xlii, 10-17.

[133] Numbers xii, 1-2; 10-15; xv, 32-36; xvi; xxi, 4-6; I Sam.

vi, 19; II Sam. vi, 6-7; Acts v, 1-11.

=10.= It is the prerogative of Jesus Christ[134] to judge the children of men, and He will do it as His own purposes, which are likewise the purposes of His Father, may be best served. John records the words of Christ: "For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son; that all men should honor the Son even as they honor the Father."[135] And Peter, while expounding the gospel to the devout Gentile, Cornelius, declared concerning Jesus Christ, that "it is He which was ordained of G.o.d to be the Judge of quick and dead."[136] Of the dread fate of the wicked reserved for the judgment day, many prophets have borne record[137] and the presiding Judge of that awful tribunal has given in His own words descriptions[138] so vivid and forceful, as to leave no shadow of doubt that every living soul will be called to acknowledge the record, and to accept the results of his acts. The Lord's words and those of His prophets are unequivocal, that He is no respecter of persons,[139]

and that any species of favor foreign to justice is unknown to Him.

This judgment none but the unrepentant wicked need fear; to the righteous it is a time of triumph.[140]

[134] John v, 22-27; Acts x, 42; xvii, 31; Rom. ii, 16; II Cor. v, 10; II Tim. iv, 1, 8; Doc. and Cov. cx.x.xiii, 2.

[135] John v, 22.

[136] Acts x, 42.

[137] Dan. vii, 9; II Thess. i, 7, 8; III Nephi xxvi, 3-5; Doc.

and Cov. lxxvi, 31-49; 103-106.

[138] Matt. xxv, 31-46; Doc. and Cov. i, 9-12.

[139] Acts x, 34, 35; Rom. ii, 11; Eph. vi, 9; Colos. iii, 25.

[140] II Tim. iv, 8.

=11. Sin.=--What is the nature of sin? To this question the Apostle John replies, "Sin is the transgression of the law."[141] In the original language of the Bible records, many words occur for which our single term sin is used, all however conveying the common idea of opposition to the Divine will.[142] As G.o.d is the embodiment of purity and perfection, such opposition is a rebellion against the principles of advancement, and an acceptance of the practices that lead to degradation. Sin is any condition, whether consisting in omission of things required, or in commission of acts forbidden, which tends to prevent or hinder the development of the human soul. As a righteous course leads to eternal life, so sin tends toward the darkness of the second death. Sin was introduced to the world by the arch-fiend Satan;[143] yet it is by Divine permission that mankind is brought in contact with sin, the contrast between evil and good thus being learned.

[141] I John iii, 4.

[142] See Note 2.

[143] Pearl of Great Price: Moses iv, 4; Genesis iii.

=12.= According to the technical definition of sin, it consists in the violation of law, and in this strict sense sin may be committed inadvertently or in ignorance. It is plain, however, from the scriptural doctrine of human responsibility, and the unerring justice of G.o.d, that in his transgressions as in his righteous deeds, man will be judged according to his ability to comprehend law. To him who has never been made acquainted with a higher law, the requirements of that law do not apply in their fulness. For sins committed without knowledge,--that is, for laws violated in ignorance, a propitiation has been provided in the atonement wrought through the sacrifice of the Savior; and sinners of this cla.s.s do not stand condemned.

=13.= Nephi, prophesying to the ancient inhabitants of the western continent, taught them this doctrine:--"Where there is no law given, there is no punishment; and where there is no punishment, there is no condemnation; and where there is no condemnation, the mercies of the Holy One of Israel have claim upon them, because of the atonement; for they are delivered by the power of him; For the atonement satisfieth the demands of his justice upon all those who have not the law given to them, that they are delivered from that awful monster, death and h.e.l.l and the devil, and the lake of fire and brimstone which is endless torment; and they are restored to that G.o.d who gave them breath, which is the Holy One of Israel."[144] And then, in contrast with the lot of those who are thus pardonable, the prophet adds:--"But wo unto him that has the law given; yea, that has all the commandments of G.o.d, like unto us, and that transgresseth them, and that wasteth the days of his probation, for awful is his state!"[145] This is in strict agreement with the teachings of Paul to the Romans, "For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law; and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law."[146] And the word of modern scripture is to the same effect, for we are told through recent revelation to the Church, that among those who are to receive the blessings of redemption are "they who died without law."[147] These will include the heathen nations, whose redemption is promised, with the added declaration that "they that knew no law shall have part in the first resurrection."[148]

[144] II Nephi ix, 25-26.

[145] The same, paragraph 27.

[146] Rom. ii, 12.

[147] Doc. and Cov. lxxvi, 72.

[148] Doc. and Cov. xiv, 54. See p. 404, Note 4.

==14. Punishment for Sin.--As rewards for righteous deeds are proportionate to deserving acts, so the punishment prescribed for sin is made adequate to the offence.[149] Punishment is inflicted upon the sinner, for disciplinary and reformatory purposes, and in support of justice. There is nothing of vindictiveness or of desire to cause suffering in the Divine nature; on the contrary, our Father is cognizant of every pang, and permits such to afflict for beneficent purposes only. G.o.d's mercy is declared in the retributive pains which He allows, as in the blessings of peace which issue from His hand. It is scarcely profitable to speculate as to the exact nature of the spiritual suffering imposed as punishment for sin. Comparison with physical pain,[150] such as the tortures of fire, in a sulphurous lake, serve to show that the human mind is incapable of comprehending the depth of these dread penalties. The sufferings entailed by the awful fate of condemnation are more to be feared than are any possible inflictions of purely physical torture; the mind, the spirit, the whole soul is doomed to suffer, and the extent of the torment no man knoweth.

[149] Doc. and Cov. lxxvi, 82-85; lx.x.xii, 21; civ, 9; lxiii, 17; II Nephi i, 13; ix, 27; xxviii, 23.

[150] Doc. and Cov. lxxvi, 36, 44; Jacob vi, 10; Alma xii, 16-17; III Nephi xxvii, 11-12.

=15.= Consider the word of the Lord regarding those whose sin is the unpardonable one, whose transgression has carried them beyond the present horizon of possible redemption; those who have sunk so low in their wickedness as to have lost the power and even the desire to attempt reformation.[151] "Sons of Perdition" is the terrible designation by which they are known. These are they who, having learned the power of G.o.d, afterward renounce it; those who sin wilfully, in the light of knowledge; those who open their hearts to the Holy Spirit, and then put the Lord to a mockery and a shame by denying Him; and those who commit murder, wherein they shed innocent blood;[152] these are they of whom the Savior has declared that it would be better for them had they never been born.[153] These are to share the punishment of the devil and his angels--punishment so terrible that the knowledge is withheld from all except those who are consigned to this dread doom, though a momentary glance at the awful picture is permitted to some.[154] These sinners are the only ones over whom the second death hath power, "Yea, verily, the only ones who shall not be redeemed in the due time of the Lord."[155]

[151] See Doc. and Cov. lxxvi, 26, 32, 43.

[152] Doc. and Cov. cx.x.xii, 27.

[153] John xvii, 12; II Thess. ii, 3; Doc. and Cov. lxxvi, 32.

[154] Doc. and Cov. lxxvi, 45-48.

[155] Doc. and Cov. lxxvi, 38-39.

=16. The Duration of Punishment.=--As to the duration of such punishment, we may take a.s.surance that it will be graded according to the sin; and that the popular interpretation of scriptural pa.s.sages to the effect that every sentence for misdeeds is interminable, is entirely false.[156] Great as is the effect of this life upon the hereafter, and terrible as is the responsibility of opportunities lost for repentance, G.o.d holds the power to pardon beyond the grave. And yet the scriptures speak of eternal and endless punishment. Any punishment ordained of G.o.d is eternal, for He is eternal.[157] His is a system of endless punishment, for it will always exist as a place or condition prepared for disobedient spirits; yet the infliction of the penalty will have an end in every case of willing repentance and attempted reparation. And repentance is not impossible in the spirit world.[158] Yet, as seen, there are some sins so terrible that their consequent punishments are not made known to man;[159] these extreme penalties are reserved for the "Sons of Perdition."