Excerpt: 'Gospel Themes' by Orson F. Whitney (1913)

Elder Orson F. Whitney

By Elder Orson F. Whitney (1855-1931)

CHAPTER I
A Divine Plan for Human Progress...

The Gospel Defined.—The English word "Gospel" comes from the Anglo-Saxon "Godspell," or God-story—the story of God. It derives its significance from that great central idea of the Christian faith—the coming of God as the Son of God to redeem and save mankind. The joyful intelligence of the advent of the world's Redeemer, proclaimed by the angels to the shepherds on the Judean hills (Luke 2:10), furnishes another name for the gospel—"good tidings," or, as it is otherwise rendered, "glad tidings of great joy."

God the Savior.—"God himself shall come down among the children of men, and shall redeem his people, and because he dwelleth in flesh he shall be called the Son of God" (Mosiah 15:1,2). prediction by Abinadi the prophet, centuries before the birth of the Savior, had been preceded by a This similar prophecy from King Benjamin, another Nephite seer (Mosiah 3:5). The fulfilment of these foretellings is recorded in the opening verses of the gospel according to St. John, where reference is made to "the Word" that was in the beginning "with God"—the Word that "was God," and was "made flesh" and dwelt among men. In him, as Paul affirms, "dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily" (Col. 2:9).

Foundation and Superstructure.—When we speak of the gospel, therefore, we should bear in mind that the term means something more than faith, repentance, baptism, the laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost, and other rituals and requirements in the Church of Christ. We must not isolate "the laws and ordinances of the gospel" from the basic principles upon which they rest—the mighty foundation stones of sacrifice and redemption, without which all this sacred legislation would be aimless and of no effect. Nor can the basic principles which make operative those laws and ordinances be dissociated from the idea of eternal progression, the great and paramount purpose for which the gospel code was framed, the gospel in its fulness instituted.

Fulness of the Gospel.—The phrase, "fulness of the gospel," should be understood in a relative sense, as pertaining to the revealed will of God. There can be no absolute fulness, with man, until all things are made known to him. The fulness of the gospel as delivered to the Nephites and other ancient peoples, and told of in the inspired records that have come down to us, differed from, in that it was not so complete as is the fulness of the gospel which the Latter-day Saints enjoy. Truth is always the same; it never contradicts itself; but more of its principles have been revealed in modern times than at any previous period. Never before, upon this earth, has there been such a gospel fulness as that delivered to the Prophet Joseph Smith. And the end is not yet; for, as he himself said in one of his latest recorded utterances: "Those things which never have been revealed from the foundation of the world, but have been kept hid from the wise and prudent, shall be revealed unto babes and sucklings in this the dispensation of the fulness of times" (D&C 128:18).

It may help the reader to understand how there can be more than one "fulness of the gospel" by bearing in mind what has been made known concerning the final judgment, or the various awards of glory to be meted out to redeemed souls after the resurrection. Their glory shall be that by which their bodies are quickened, and whether quickened by a portion of the celestial, the terrestrial, or the telestial glory, they shall "receive of the same, even a fulness" (D&C 88:28-31). But one fulness can differ from another, even as differ the glories, and even as capacities differ—the power to receive and contain. The absolute fulness of the gospel can only come to a people prepared to receive and make a wise use of it. Until the Latter-day Saints are in that condition, they must be content with a comparative fulness, or all that they can contain of the divine wisdom. Paul the apostle was contemplating this subject when he wrote: "For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away" (1 Cor. 13:9,10).

Gospel Features.—The gospel, in its fullest sense, signifies everything connected with the redemptive career of that glorious and divine Being known among men as Jesus of Nazareth, but who was and is no other than Jehovah, the God of Israel (D&C 110:1-4), who "came unto his own" and was rejected by them, was crucified at their instigation, and died to redeem the world. The accounts given by Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, are properly termed "gospels," because they are narratives of the personal ministry of our Lord; but they are only parts of the complete God-story. The Savior's life, death, resurrection and ascension, with the conditions prescribed by him upon which fallen man might profit further from his sacrifice for human redemption,—these are all gospel features, but not the gospel in its entirety. The full "story" of the Redeemer and Savior—the God who died that man might live—involves events both past and future, events premortal and post-mortal, scenes in which he was chosen to play his mighty part in the great tragedy of human experience, and scenes yet to come in which he will make another and a more glorious appearing upon the stage of time, enacting the illustrious role of King of kings and reigning over the earth a thousand years.

Salvation and Exaltation.—Paul defines the Gospel of Christ as "the power of God unto salvation" (Rom. 1:16). He might have gone further, had he so desired, or had it been timely, and shown that the Gospel of Christ is the power of God unto exaltation—a plan devised by Omnipotent Wisdom whereby man, the child of God, may advance from stage to stage of soul development, until eventually he becomes like unto his Heavenly Parent, inheriting eternal thrones and dominions, and receiving "a fulness of joy."

This is exaltation. It is more than salvation, being an extension of that idea or condition—salvation "added upon;" just as salvation is an extension of, or an addition to, redemption. A soul may be redeemed—that is, raised from the dead, and yet condemned at the final judgment for evil deeds done in the body. Likewise may a soul be redeemed and saved, and yet come short of the glory that constitutes exaltation. To redeem, save, and glorify, is the threefold purpose of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Origin and Antiquity of the Gospel.—The gospel originated in the heavens, before this earth was organized, and was revealed to man, out of eternity, at the very beginning of time. It was the means by which Adam, our great ancestor, after his expulsion from Eden, regained the divine presence from which he had been banished. It is the means by which his posterity, such as are obedient to the gospel's requirements, have been or will yet be able to follow him into the heavenly kingdom. The same ladder that Adam climbed, until beyond the reach of the fatal consequences of his transgression, the whole human race, inheriting from him the effects of the fall, must likewise climb, or they will never see the face of God in eternal glory.

The Paramount Purpose.—Let us keep in mind, however, that the gospel, even in a limited sense, is more than a means of escape from impending ills. It is the way of progress, the path to perfection, and as such was devised by the wisdom of the Gods, before this world rolled into existence. The origin of the gospel, and the grand purpose for which it was instituted, are briefly yet clearly outlined by the Prophet Joseph Smith in the following language:

Eternal Progression.—"The first principles of man are self-existent with God. God himself, finding he was in the midst of spirits and glory, because he was more intelligent, saw proper to institute laws whereby the rest could have a privilege to advance like himself. The relationship we have with God places us in a situation to advance in knowledge. He has power to institute laws to instruct the weaker intelligences, that they may be exalted with himself, so that they may have one glory upon another."—("Times and Seasons," August 15, 1844; "Improvement Era," January, 1909.)

Power and Benevolence of Deity.—Here are pointed out both the power and the benevolence of Deity. Our Father in heaven is no monopolist. While omnipotent and all-possessing, he is likewise altruistic and philanthropic. Instead of keeping to himself the glory that he found himself possessed of, he used his superior intelligence "to institute laws" whereby the lesser spirits surrounding him might advance toward the lofty plane that he occupies. He proposed to lift them to his own spiritual stature and share with them the empire of the universe.

Plato's View.—Our prophet's simple yet sublime setting forth of the divine power and benevolence, as exemplified in the establishment of a plan for man's eternal progress, is far more pointed and specific than the presentment made by Plato, the Greek philosopher, of a doctrine somewhat similar. Plato, as quoted by Emerson, says: "Let us declare the cause which led the Supreme Ordainer to produce and compose the universe. He was good; and he who is good has no kind of envy. Exempt from envy, he wished that all things should be as much as possible like himself. Whosoever, taught by wise men, shall admit this as the prime cause of the origin and foundation of the world, will be in the truth."—("Representative Men," Lecture II.)

Man's Destiny.—There is a fitness, a propriety, in man's becoming like his Maker—God's child, fashioned in his image and endowed with divine attributes, developing to the fulness of the parental stature, as taught by Joseph; but how the same can be predicated of "all things"—beasts, fish, fowl, trees, plants, etc., as Plato implies, is not so clear. That the lower animals, as well as man, in fact all forms of life, animate and inanimate, are to be perpetuated and glorified, is a plain inference from the teachings of the prophet (D&C 77:2-4) but undoubtedly all will retain their identity, in their respective orders and spheres. No creature of God's, except man, is destined to become like God, in the fullest and highest sense. "As much as possible" is a saving clause, however, and Plato, therefore, is not committed to any contradictory proposition.

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