Brigham Young University Lecture Series

Joseph Smith An American Prophet

CHRIST'S MESSAGE THROUGH A MODERN-DAY PROPHET

by HYRUM L. ANDRUS, D.S.S. Professor of Religion

Brigham Young University

The Basic Foundation of the Gospel.To the question, "What are the fundamental principles of your religion?" Joseph Smith said:

The fundamental principles of our religion are the testimony of the Apostles and Prophets, concerning Jesus Christ, that He died, was buried, and rose again the third day, and ascended into heaven; and all other things which pertain to our religion are only appendages to it. But in connection with these, we believe in the gift of the Holy Ghost, the power of faith, [and] the enjoyment of the spiritual gifts according to the will of God.... (History of the Church 3:30; hereafter cited DHC.)

Here are the essential principles in the message that Joseph Smith gave to the world. They consist, first, in the testimony that Jesus is the Christ, who wrought out his perfect atonement for the redemption of men; second, in the testimony renewed and confirmed through a modern prophet that by accepting Christ in the true exercise of faith man may be changed from a sinful state to a state of righteousness in which he can enjoy the gift of the Holy Ghost with its several spiritual endowments, as they are given to men governed by the will of God.

Christs Message through a Modern-Day Prophet 2 These fundamental principles constitute the foundation of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Actually, the gospel is a divine formula designed to give man a remission of sins through the atonement of Christ and endow him with the spiritual truth and power to acquire eternal life. Thereby, man may attain a true spiritual union with the glorified Christ and mature in acquiring His divine powers until he receives a fulness of the truth and light of celestial glory.

This divine formula which we call the gospel has certain constituent principles and ordinances. Explained the Prophet Joseph Smith:

There is no other way beneath the heavens whereby God hath ordained for man to come to Him to be saved, and enter into the Kingdom of God, except faith in Jesus Christ, repentance, and baptism for the remission of sins, and any other course is vain; then you have the promise of the gift of the Holy Ghost. (DHC, 4:555.)

Nephi, a great Book of Mormon prophet, whose words were translated for our benefit by Joseph Smith, also said of the way that leads to eternal life:

... The gate by which ye should enter is repentance and baptism by water; and then cometh a remission of your sins by fire and by the Holy Ghost.

And then are ye in this straight and narrow path which leads to eternal life; yea, ye have entered in by the gate; ye have done according to the commandments of the Father and the Son; and ye have received the Holy Ghost, which witnesses of the Father and the Son, unto the fulfilling of the promise which he hath made, that if ye entered in by the way ye should receive. (2 Nephi 31:17-18.)

Here, then, is the gospel: that divine formula by which men can come unto the crucified and glorified Christ and through him receive a remission of sins and those divine powers of truth and light by which they can acquire eternal life. A revelation through the Prophet Joseph Smith, therefore, declared:

Christs Message through a Modern-Day Prophet 3 And this is my gospelrepentance and baptism by water, and then cometh the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost, even the Comforter, which showeth all things, and teacheth the peaceable things of the kingdom. (D&C 39:6.)

Becoming Children of Jesus Christ.By embracing the gospel and partaking of its divine power, men enter into a new relationship of life in which they are given power to become the sons and daughters of Jesus Christ. It is in this way that Jesus becomes the Father of Eternal Life to those who obey him. In a modern revelation given to us through Joseph Smith, the Lord has explained:

Hearken and listen to the voice of him who is from all eternity to all eternity, the Great I AM, even Jesus Christ

The light and the life of the world; a light which shineth in darkness and the darkness comprehendeth it not;

The same which came in the meridian of time unto mine own, and mine own received me not;

But to as many as received me, gave I power to become my sons; and even so will I give unto as many as will receive me, power to become my sons. (D&C 39:1-4; italics added.)

By obeying the gospel, we become sons and daughters of God, even of Jesus Christ. When Adam was baptized, we are told in a revelation through the Prophet Joseph Smith that the power of the Holy Ghost came upon him and transformed him in the inner man. He then heard a voice out of heaven saying:

... Thou art baptized with fire, and with the Holy Ghost....

Behold, thou art one in me, a son of God; and thus may all become my sons. (Moses 6:66, 68.)

Christs Message through a Modern-Day Prophet 4 When Enoch later referred to this incident, he explained to the people of his day: "Behold, our father Adam taught these things, and many have believed and become the sons of God." (Moses 7:1.) This is also the point that the Apostle John made in New Testament times when he said of Christ:

He came unto his own, and his own received him not.

But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. (John 1:11-13.)

Note that this birth to which John refers is into a new relationship of life that is not physical, but divine. Those who accept Christ are born againnot of blood, nor by the will of the flesh, nor of man, but they are born of God.

The end purpose of this new birth by which we may enter into this new relationship of life is to give men those divine powers by which the can be made like unto Christ, who is a tangible, glorified Being of brilliance and power above the light of the sun. To again quote the Apostle John:

Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.

Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. (I John 3:1-3; italics added.)

Here is the hope and faith of true Christians. It consists of an understanding that by embracing the gospel of Jesus Christ they might enter into a new and divine relationship of life; and by maturing in this new element of life, they might eventually be made like Christ.

Christs Message through a Modern-Day Prophet 5 Baptism and the reception of the Holy Ghost actually constitute a new birth into a new element of lifethat divine element that makes Christ a celestial Being of supreme glory and power. We begin to partake of this divine element by being born into the kingdom of God and thereby becoming the sons and daughters of Christ.

The great plan of life thus requires that men on earth must be twice born. The Lord therefore admonished Adam to teach his children, saying:

That by reason of transgression cometh the fall, which fall bringeth death, and inasmuch as ye were born into the world by water, and blood, and the spirit, which I have made, and so became of dust a living soul, even so ye must be born again into the kingdom of heaven, of water, and of the Spirit, and be cleansed by blood, even the blood of mine Only Begotten; that ye might be sanctified from all sin, and enjoy the words of eternal life in this world, and eternal life in this world, to come, even immortal glory. (Moses 6:59; italics added.)

From this statement it is evident that being born into the kingdom of God is designed to bring about certain purposes. First, it is in this way that we may be sanctified from all sin. Second, by being born again we begin to receive the revelations of the Holy Spirit to where we can enjoy the words of eternal life and the hope of eternal life in this world. Finally, for those who are faithful, this is the pathway that leads to eternal life in the world to come, even immortal glory.

But to receive eternal life man must begin to acquire those divine powers that center in Christ as a glorified Being. To stress this point, Adam was commanded to instruct his children that, by being born by baptism and the reception of the Holy Ghost into the kingdom of God,

... it is given to abide in you; the record of heaven; the Comforter; the peaceable things of immortal glory; the truth of all things; that which quickeneth all things, which maketh alive all things; that which knoweth all things, and

Christs Message through a Modern-Day Prophet 6 hath all power according to wisdom, mercy, truth, justice, and judgment.

Having made these explanations, the Lord concluded:

And now, behold, I say unto you: This is the plan of salvation unto all men, through the blood of mine Only Begotten, who shall come in the meridian of time. (Moses 6:61-62.)

What, then, constitutes the great plan of life and salvation? It consists of undergoing two birth processes and maturing thereafter in each of these two relationships of life. In the first of these two births, man acquires a physical body; and by maturing properly therein, he may develop all the physical endowments of life. But in the second birth, he may be cleansed from all sins and partake of those divine elements of truth and power that will eventually give him eternal life. One birth is as much a part of the plan of life and salvation as the other. By birth into mortality, man may acquire the attributes of a physical being; by birth into the kingdom of God, he may partake of the divine attributes of Christ and mature therein until he becomes like Christ. No man can become a glorified Being like Christ without being born into the kingdom of God, for just as acquisition of a physical body is dependent upon birth into mortality, so also it is necessary to be born again to acquire the divine truth and power to become a celestial being. This is the plan of salvation, according to the Lord's definition.

This is one of the most dynamic concepts associated with the gospel. Let me explain it this way. When I was born into mortality, I was born into the Andrus family. Thereby, I took upon myself the name of that family. I inherited, generally speaking, its physical, intellectual, and other characteristics. As a member of that family, I was given certain privileges and immunities; and I inherited the general social status that our family had in the community.

Now the whole point that should be stressed is this: When I am born again, I am born into a new family relationship, for I am born into the family of Jesus Christ. In this new relationship of life, I become His son, and He becomes my Father. Thereby, I take upon myself His

Christs Message through a Modern-Day Prophet 7 name, even the name of Christ; for thereafter I am called a Christian. As a member of His divine family, I am given certain immunities and privileges. For example, as His son I partake of the benefits of His great atonement and am given a remission of my sins. I am also given access to the powers of His Holy Spirit by receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, which He bestows upon me when I am baptized. Finally, by being born again, I may begin to partake of the divine attributes and powers of Christ, so that as I mature therein, I am made like Christ, to possess all the intelligence and power that he possesses.

Here, then, is that dynamic concept to which I have referred: that just as I have an earthly father and can mature physically to be like him in general stature and personality, so also I have Christ as a divine Father; and by maturing in the truths and powers of his gospel, I can eventually be made like him, possessing all his divine attributes and powers.

Christ Satisfies the Requirements of Eternal Justice for His Children.Let me be a little more explicit in discussing the results that may be received by being born by baptism and the reception of the Holy Ghost into the kingdom of God. First, this is the way appointed of God for man to be cleansed from all sin. God is the great ordainer and sustainer of law. As a God of law, he must require that penalties be attached to his laws, in the event of transgression thereof. This means that sometime, somewhere, somehow, every debt of sin must be paid with the payment that is required by eternal Justice. Otherwise, God would not be a just God, and, according to Alma's declaration in the Book of Mormon, he would not then be God. (See Alma 42.)

There are three basic ways, theoretically speaking, by which man can be justified before the eternal bar of God. First, he can live perfectly the law of God. If he could do so, man could then stand at the bar of eternal justice and say, "Lord, I have been to mortality where I have been tempted to do wrong, but I have never transgressed one of your divine laws. Therefore, I am justified. The demands of eternal justice have no hold upon me." If it were possible for man to do this, he would be justified by keeping the law of God.

Christs Message through a Modern-Day Prophet 8 The second way man can be justified is to sin and then pay the debt of justice for his own transgressions. In this event, he might then stand at the bar of eternal justice and say, "Yes, Lord, I did sin while I was in mortality. But I, myself, by my suffering and torment in a state of hell, have paid fully the debt of justice for my transgressions. Hence, justice has been paid and I now stand free of any further obligation to its requirements." This is a rough road to travel, as those who suffer the agonies of hell will find to their sorrow. And in traveling this road, they largely forfelt the opportunities for growth and development that lead to celestial glory.

To establish the third way by which man might be justified required that Christ, as the God of this earth, endowed with the infinite indwelling powers of eternal life from his Father, come to earth and, having lived a sinless life, offer himself as an infinite sacrifice for sin. (See Alma 34:9-14.) By the withdrawal of the divine elements of life within Christ, commencing at Gethsemane, the agony which he experienced was so great that the tissues of his body broke down and blood came from every pore. Though Christ was born with the divine elements of eternal life within himself (which he received from his Father by his divine conception), he consented to have these elements of life withdrawn from himself, that he might pay the debt of sin for all men, and that he might pass downward through the portals of death. But having done this, He was given power from the Father to break the bands of death and come forth in a resurrected state, to stand as a Savior and a Redeemer to all men, offering them a remission of sins and the powers of eternal life through the Holy Ghost.

Because Christ paid the debt of justice, he stands in a position to offer the remission of sins to men, that he might save them fromnot intheir sins. But for Christ to pay the debt of justice for man's sins, man must first have faith in him as a personal Savior; second, man must repent of his sins by relying upon the strength and power of Christ's Holy Spirit and, finally, man must enter by baptism into a sacred covenant with Christ, promising that he will take upon himself the name of Christ and keep His commandments. Baptism must be performed by one who has authority from Christ; and as an immersion in water, this ordinance is symbolic of Christ's death, burial, and resurrection. It is also symbolic of a birth, by which one

Christs Message through a Modern-Day Prophet 9 comes forth into a new element of lifethat spiritual element that is the foundation of Christ's kingdom.

Having accepted Christ in the true way that He has ordained, man might then come up before the bar of eternal justice and say, "Yes, I sinned while in mortality, but when I heard Christ's gospel, I had faith in him as my personal Redeemer; I repented of all my sins and was baptized by immersion for the remission of sins. Having been true to my covenant with Christ, I am now justified, for his infinite atonement has paid for my sins."

This is the doctrine of "justification by grace," about which Joseph Smith wrote by way of revelation: "We know that justification through the grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is just and true." (D&C 20:30,)

It should be stressed that to be justified before the bar of God, man must have faith in Christ, repent, and be baptized. But it is the atonement of Christ that paid the debt of justice. Man, in complying with the above requirements, does not save himself. Christ is the Savior. Justification by grace is like a common coin: it has two sides. One side contains the program by which Christ reconciled the demands of divine law by paying the debt of eternal justice. On the other side is the program by which man must be reconciled to Christ. Man's good works do not pay the debt of justice; they merely reconcile man to Christ. Christ pays the debt of justice. Hence, justification is by grace and not by man's works.

In making the atonement, Christ not only paid the debt of our sins, but he opened up the way for us to become his sons and daughters. His travail and agony are symbolic of the pain and anguish required to bring forth physical life into this sphere. Isaiah therefore wrote that when He made His soul an offering for sin He would see His seed. (See Isaiah 53:1-10.) To the question of who would be His seed, Abinadi explained:

Behold I say unto you, that whosoever had heard the words of the prophets, yea, all the holy prophets who have prophesied concerning the coming of the LordI say unto you, that all those who have hearkened unto

Christs Message through a Modern-Day Prophet 10 their words, and believed that the Lord would redeem his people, and have looked forward to that day for a remission of their sins, I say unto you, that these are his seed, or they are the heirs of the kingdom of God.

For these are they whose sins he has borne; these are they for whom he has died, to redeem them from their transgressions. And now, are they not his seed? (Mosiah 15:11-12.)

Acquiring the Divine Attributes and Powers of Christ.But the benefits of Christ's atonement go further than this; and his relationship as the Father of those who accept his gospel extends beyond the work of granting a remission of sins to true believers. Christ is the Father of Eternal Light and Life; and for those who receive a remission of sins through his atonement, he stands as the great source of those divine endowments by which man can be made a celestial beingthose spiritual endowments and powers that lead to eternal life. For this reason, Jesus said to the brother of Jared:

. . . Behold, I am Jesus Christ. I am the Father and the Son. In me shall all mankind have light, and that eternally, even they who shall believe on my name; and they shall become my sons and my daughters. (Ether 3:14; italics added.)

The plan by which man is give a remission of sins through Christ's atonement is sometimes called the "preparatory gospel" (See D&C 84:26-27.)that is, it is the way by which man is prepared for the greater blessings and endowments of the gospel. Actually, acquiring a remission of sins merely dissolves the barriers between man and Godthose barriers that never should have been there in the first place but for man's sins. The maturing power of the gospel of Jesus Christ lies largely beyond that program which grants men a remission of sins.

To acquire the divine nature and power of Christ, man must obey the necessary ordinances of the gospel. Having been baptized for the remission of sins, he must receive the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands by those commissioned with the Holy

Christs Message through a Modern-Day Prophet 11 Melchizedek Priesthood. This ordinance is the basic channel through which the attributes and powers of Christ are given unto men. In addition, there are other channels of divine power open to men, but these higher channels are reserved for those who are worthy to go to the House of the Lord.

Having received the requisite ordinances, man must then apply himself in faith and in dedication to do the will of the Lord. In direct proportion to the degree that man then yields his heart to God, he can expect to receive those spiritual powers that are necessary to develop him in that divine pathway that leads to eternal lifeto immortal glory. This point is well illustrated by a group of Nephite Saints who were faithful to the gospel under conditions of adversity. In the Book of Mormon we read:

They did fast and pray oft, and did wax stronger and stronger in their humility, and firmer and firmer in the faith of Christ, unto the filling their souls with joy and consolation, yea, even to the purifying and the sanctification of their hearts, which sanctification cometh because of their yielding their hearts unto God. (Helaman 3:35; italics added.)

In order that those who received the ordinances of the gospel might better apply themselves to develop the divine powers of the gospel in their lives, the Lord gave his disciples that great statement of principles contained within the Sermon on the Mount. According to the Book of Mormon, the high ideal of Christian life set forth in the Sermon on the Mount is only to be attained by first obeying the ordinances of the gospel and acquiring the divine powers of the Holy Spirit. Within this framework the Sermon on the Mount fits as a statement of the ideals one must achieve by utilizing the spiritual powers made available by the gospel.

To the Nephites, the resurrected Christ also delivered this great sermon. But first He told them the formula of His gospel, stating:

And this is my doctrine, [that] ... whoso believeth in me, and is baptized, the same shall be saved; and they are they who shall inherit the kingdom of God....

Christs Message through a Modern-Day Prophet 12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, that this is my doctrine, and I bear record of it from the Father; and whoso believeth in me believeth in the Father also; and unto him will the Father bear record of me, for he will visit him with fire and with the Holy Ghost. (3 Nephi 11:32-33, 35.)

Then, having stressed that this is the basic formula of his gospel, Jesus prefaced the Sermon on the Mount with an additional preliminary beatitude, stating to his disciples:

... Blessed are they who shall believe in your words, and come down into the depths of humility and be baptized, for they shall be visited with fire and with the Holy Ghost, and shall receive a remission of their sins. (3 Nephi 12:2.)

Here, then, is the essential context in which the Sermon on the Mount properly fits. To achieve its standard of Christian conduct, one must be assisted by the enlightening, regenerating, and uplifting powers of the Spirit. Having received the channels of this divine power, man must apply himself to develop the Spirit in his life, by complying with the principles of action set forth in the Sermon on the Mount. Under these circumstances, those who hunger and thirst after righteousness "shall be filled with the Holy Ghost." (3 Nephi 12:6.)

By-products of the Holy Spirit.There are certain by-products that result from the proper application of the gospel in the lives of men. First, the gospel is a source of revelation to man. "No man can receive the Holy Ghost without receiving revelations," declared the Prophet. "The Holy Ghost is a revelator." (DHC, 6:58.) Said the Prophet by way of promise to the Saints: "God shall give unto you knowledge by his Holy Spirit, yea, by the unspeakable gift of the Holy Ghost." (D&C 121:26.) A Book of Mormon prophet said of the Nephite Saints:

There are many among us who have many revelations, for they are not all stiffnecked. And as many as are not stiffnecked and have faith, have communion with the Holy Spirit, which maketh manifest unto the children of men, according to their faith. (Jarom 4.)

Christs Message through a Modern-Day Prophet 13 If one has received the gospel and is abiding in its law, that person should be partaking of the fruits of the Holy Spirit. The Apostle Paul wrote that "the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, [and] temperance." (Galatians 5:22-23.)

Charity, which is the pure love of Christ (See Moroni 7:47.), is probably the most precious fruit of the Spirit; and without charity, men cannot inherit a place in the celestial kingdom. (See Ether 12:34.) This pure and perfect love does not originate with man, but with God. It is given to man as an endowment of the Holy Spirit, as an anointing from above. Mormon, a Nephite prophet and general, therefore wrote to his son Moroni that the Holy Ghost "filleth with hope and perfect love, which love endureth by diligence unto prayer, until the end shall come, when all the saints, shall dwell with God."(Moroni 8:26.) It follows that if one has received the gospel and is abiding in the Holy Spirit, that person should begin to express that great attribute of pure love in his daily lifein his home, in his work, and in his association with others.

To develop man in the pathway of the gospel, the Holy Ghost must also endow him with its supernatural gifts. These gifts of the Spirit were enumerated by Paul in his letter to the Corinthians. The Book of Mormon contains a similar list, as does a revelation given through Joseph Smith. (See Moroni 10:9-17; D&C 46:13-29.)

The gifts of the Holy Ghost are indispensable by-products of the gospel, without which it is evident that the power of redemption is not manifest in behalf of men. They are given to those who manifest true faith in Christ and who truly desire to do his will. Consequently, if saving faith exists among men, the gifts of the Spirit will be manifest. Mormon therefore reasoned:

No man can be saved, according to the words of Christ, save they shall have faith in his name; wherefore, if these things [the gifts and endowments of the Spirit] have ceased, then has faith ceased also; and awful is the state of man, for they are as though there had been no redemption made. (Moroni 7:38.)

Christs Message through a Modern-Day Prophet 14 Moroni also stressed in his final testimony to men:

And now I speak unto all the ends of the earth...that if the day cometh that the power and gifts of God shall be done away among you, it shall be because of unbelief.

And wo be unto the children of men if this be the case; for there shall be none that doeth good among you, no not one. For if there be one among you that doeth good, he shall work by the power and gifts of God. (Moroni 10:24-25.)

It should be clarified that not all spiritual gifts are immediately or outwardly manifest so that others might see their tangible effects. Joseph Smith explained that "the greatest, the best, and the most useful gifts would not be known about by an observer." Among these, he listed the gift of wisdom, knowledge, faith, and the discernment of spirits. It takes time and circumstances to call these gifts forth and to manifest them among men. (See DHC, 5:29-30.) Let us not assume if we do not see the gift of tongues or some other phenomenal gift that is outwardly expressed that we have not seen the power of the Spirit in action. The gifts of the Spirit are not to be flaunted before the world, but they come to the faithful, often in the still, quiet moments of life, or when the Saints are gathered in humility to seek the blessings of God.

But whatever may be the nature of the spiritual gift, its manifestation will be according to the will of God. Nevertheless, each recipient of the gospel should, by the exercise of righteous desires, possess one or more gifts of the Spirit. Their manifestation in the lives of men is necessary to true spiritual growth. When an inquirer asked Joseph Smith, "May I not repent and be baptized, and not pay any attention to dreams, visions, and other gifts and graces of the Spirit?" the Prophet likened these divine endowments to the food required to sustain the physical body and cause it to grow, concluding that likewise spiritual gifts are necessary to develop the divine nature in man. (See DHC, 5:218-219.)

Finally, if men exercise saving faith, with a proper desire to do the will of God, these inner qualities that are built into the soul by the

Christs Message through a Modern-Day Prophet 15 Holy Spirit will manifest themselves outwardly in works of righteousness. This is what the Apostle James was speaking about when he said, "Shew me thy faith with thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works." (James 2:18.) He was not teaching that works alone would save man, but that true faith will manifest itself in good works. In his treatise on works, he was talking about the kind and quality of faith that men should have to be saved. If man's faith does not manifest itself in good works, it is not saving faith. Hence, faith without works is dead. Such faith cannot bring the soul to salvation if it cannot motivate the individual to do good works.

The Saints to be Glorified in Christ.The end result to be achieved by that divine plan that has been restored through Joseph Smith as a modern prophet is to glorify the Saints in Christ, as he has been glorified in his Father. In a revelation to the Prophet, the Lord explained this objective, stating:

I give unto you these sayings that you may understand and know how to worship, and know what you worship, that you may come unto the Father in my name, and in due time receive of his fulness.

For if you keep my commandments you shall receive of his fulness, and be glorified in me as I am in the Father; therefore, I say unto you, you shall receive grace for grace. (D&C 93:19-20; italics added.)

It is by being glorified in Christ that those who become the sons of God attain that union for which Christ sought. As the Lord said in another revelation:

I am Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who was crucified for the sins of the world, even as many as will believe on my name, that they may become the sons of God, even one in me as I am one in the Father, as the father is one in me, that we may be one. (D&C 35:2.)

Note that this union implies an indwelling relationship like that which exists in the relationship that Christ has with his Father. When the Holy Spirit is developed in those who truly accept Christ, so that they become his sons and his daughters and mature in the divine

Christs Message through a Modern-Day Prophet 16 attributes and powers of Christ, the full and complete union is produced for which Jesus prayed when he desired of his Father that all his disciples might be one. In that famous prayer, as given in John, chapter 17, Jesus qualified that his disciples were to be one, he said, "as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us." Of how this indwelling union was to be achieved, Jesus then explained: "And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one." (John 17:21-23; italics added.) Thus we see that it is when men receive the glory of the Father through Christ that they are made one in the indwelling relationship of celestial life.

To see the point Jesus is making, let me come back to the illustration we used to show how the Father is in Christ and Christ is in the Father. You may recall that we said that the divine relationship that exists between the Father and the Son is something like a great electrical circuit, where divine elements of intelligence and power are extended from the Father and pass from him in and through Christ and back again. Now let us extend that same relationship from Christ to man.

Suppose, for example, that we had every person in this room hold hands, producing a complete connection of hands from those on my right to those on my left. Now let us suppose that the last person on my right should take hold of a wire where there is an electrical circuit of about a million volts or so and the last person on my left should take hold of the other wire in that circuit. When I pull the switch, what will happen, if all goes wellfor the experiment, that is? Well, you would get a good lesson in group dynamics.

Let us use this little illustration as an example. Suppose man could be purified and enlarged in his capacity to where these divine, intelligent powers of God's glory could be centered fully in him from Christ. Would we not then have an indwelling relationship with Christ, like that which he has with his Father? Would not Christ be in us? Would not His divine mind, intelligence and power indwell within us? Finally, would not this indwelling truth or intelligence produce that union and oneness for which Jesus prayed? Here is the grand

Christs Message through a Modern-Day Prophet 17 objective of the gospelto glorify man in Christ, as He has been glorified in the Father.

In visiting the Nephites here upon the Western Hemisphere, Jesus illustrated this final objective of the gospel. After He taught them the gospel, they were baptized and received the Holy Ghost. Said the record:

And it came to pass when they were all baptized and had come up out of the water, the Holy Ghost did fall upon them, and they were filled with the Holy Ghost and with fire.

And behold, they were encircled about as if it were by fire; and it came down from heaven, and the multitude did witness it, and did bear record. (3 Nephi 19:13-14.)

The Nephites having received these great spiritual endowments that are made possible through the gospel, Jesus then prayed unto his Father, stating:

And now Father, I pray unto thee for them, and also for all those who shall believe on their words, that they may believe in me, that I may be in them as thou, Father, art in me, that we may be one. (3 Nephi 19:23; italics added.)

The record then continues, illustrating in some measure the blessings to be received when the glory of Christ is with those who truly believe:

And it came to pass that when Jesus had thus prayed unto the Father, he came unto his disciples ... and his countenance did smile upon them, and the light of his countenance did shine upon them, and behold they were as white as the countenance and also the garments of Jesus; and behold the whiteness thereof did exceed all the whiteness, yea, even there could be nothing upon earth so white as the whiteness thereof. (3 Nephi 19:24-25.)

Christs Message through a Modern-Day Prophet 18 Here was but a partial illustration of what it means to be endowed with the glory and power of Christ. Having extended his glory in some measure to his disciples, Jesus then thanked his Father for the blessings they had received and expressed his desire that one day they might realize the full endowments of eternal life by being fully glorified in him. Said He:

Father, I pray not for the world, but for those whom thou hast given me out of the world, because of their faith, that they may be purified in me, that I may be in them as thou, Father, art in me, that we may be one, that I may be glorified in them. (3 Nephi 19:29; italics added.)

To summarize and conclude, let me list the important points I have tried to explain in these two lectures.

1. By the revelations which were given to Joseph Smith, we learn that God is a tangible Being; and that there are three separate and distinct Personages in the Godhead.

2. The Father and the Son are more than tangible Beings of flesh and bones. They are divine Beings of great glory and power.

3. This divine element which we call glory is essentially divine intelligence.

4. The Father's divine intelligence or glory has been extended to dwell in Christ in its fulness.

5. An understanding of God's glory is the key to many important concepts that pertain to God and to the gospel, including how God is every where-present, all-knowing, and all-powerful.

6. Because Christ is the center of these divine elements of truth and life for all things on earth, he is the God of this earth; and in certain relationships, he may be referred to as the Father.

7. Christ is the Father because, having the intelligence and power of his Father within himself, he can act by divine investiture of authority as the Father.

Christs Message through a Modern-Day Prophet 19 8. Christ is the Father (or source) of creative and quickening life for all things on earth.

9. Christ is the Father of that divine relationship of life which we call eternal life.

10. The gospel is the divine formula by which man may receive a remission of sins and be matured spiritually to where he can be endowed fully with God's glory through Christ.

11. Those who enter into this new relationship that leads eventually to eternal life become the sons and daughters of Jesus Christ.

12. For those who become his sons and daughters, Christ pays the debt of justice, thereby giving them a remission of sins.

13. To them He also extends the spiritual powers of his glory, through the appropriate channels of the gospel.

14. These divine powers which man may receive through the gospel are powers of revelation that endow men with the attributes of love, mercy, and joy; and they express themselves in bestowing upon man the supernatural gifts of the Holy Spirit. They also create within man a desire to do good works.

15. It is the hope of true Christians that they will one day be glorified in Christ by the reception of these divine powers in their fulness, even as Christ has been glorified in the Father.

There is no greater message that could be given to a sin-racked world that is torn with strife and hatred than the message of the gospel that has been reclarified and confirmed to us through a latter-day prophet, Joseph Smith. This message is divine; it is real. It can be applied by every conscientious soul; and those who apply the formula are blessed with the blessings of the gospel, so that they know for themselves of its divine origin.

This is my testimony to you, that I know that it is true by the enlightening manifestations of the Holy Spirit unto myself. I bear this testimony in humility and in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.