The Mormon Doctrine of Deity: The Roberts-Van Der Donckt Discussion / To which is added a discourse, Jesus Christ, the revelation of God; also a collection of authoritative Mormon utterances on the being and nature of God

by B. H. Roberts

CHAPTER VIII.

"I KNOW THAT MY REDEEMER LIVES."^[A]

President Joseph F. Smith on the "Mormon" Doctrine of Deity.

[Footnote A: This discourse was delivered in the Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, March 16,1902, and by the kind permission of President Smith I am allowed to reproduce it here.]

My beloved brethren and sisters, while listening to the singing of the last hymn, my mind reverted to a revelation contained in the Book of Doctrine and Covenants, and I feel impressed to read a portion of it, and then make a few remarks concerning it, if I am led to do so. This revelation was given through the Prophet Joseph Smith, at Kirtland, in May, 1833:

Verily, thus saith the Lord, it shall come to pass that every soul who forsaketh his sins and cometh unto me, and calleth on my name, and obeyeth my voice, and keepeth my commandments, shall see my face and know that I am.

You will remember that the hymn which was sung by the choir begins thus:

I know that my Redeemer lives,
What comfort this sweet sentence gives!
He lives, he lives, who once was dead;
He lives, my ever-living Head.

It occurs to me that in the words I have just read from the revelation there is a key given to us, as the people of God, by which we may know how to obtain the knowledge which is spoken of by the poet in this hymn—"I know that my Redeemer lives." The conditions are stated by which we may secure this knowledge. Furthermore, every soul who observeth these conditions shall not only know that he is, but he shall know also—

That I am the true light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world;

And that I am in the Father, and the Father in me, and the Father and I are one.

This is not speaking of the greater light which is especially bestowed upon those who are born again; for not every man that cometh into the world is born again and entitled to receive the greater light by the gift of the Holy Ghost. Perhaps it may be well for me to make a few remarks in relation to this distinction between the light of Christ that lighteth every man that cometh into the world, and that light which comes after repentance and baptism for the remission of sins.

It is by the power of God that all things are made that have been made. It is by the power of Christ that all things are governed and kept in place that are governed and kept in place in the universe. It is the power which proceeds from the presence of the Son of God throughout all the works of his hands, that giveth light, energy, understanding, knowledge, and a degree of intelligence to all the children of men, strictly in accordance with the words in the Book of Job, "There is a spirit in man; and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding." It is this inspiration from God, proceeding throughout all his creations that enlighteneth the children of men; and it is nothing more nor less than the spirit of Christ, that enlighteneth the mind, that quickeneth the understanding, and that prompteth the children of men to do that which is good and to eschew that which is evil; which quickens the conscience of man and gives him intelligence to judge between good and evil, light and darkness, right and wrong. We are indebted to God for this intelligence that we possess. It is by the spirit which lighteth every man that cometh into the world that our minds are quickened and our spirits enlightened with understanding and intelligence. And all men are entitled to this. It is not reserved for the obedient alone; but it is given unto all the children of men that are born into the world.