"Behold, thou art one in me, a son of God; and thus may all become my sons. Amen."[A]
[Footnote A: Book of Moses (Pearl of Great Price), ch. vi:48-68.]
3. One Faith and One Baptism—But Two Ordinances: The foregoing scriptures at once establish the absolute necessity for both water and Spirit baptism—being really but two phases of one fact—one baptism, but both phases essential to the one fact, the one baptism.[A] Without this baptism of water and of Spirit, it is evident, first, one cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven; and of course, outside of the kingdom of heaven there can be no salvation, nor perfect happiness; second, its necessity appears from the very nature of things.
[Footnote A: Eph. iv:4-6. "One Lord, one faith, one baptism." "I further believe in the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands. . . . . You might as well baptize a bag of sand as a man, if not done in view of the remission of sins and getting of the Holy Ghost. Baptism by water is but half a baptism, and is good for nothing without the other half—that is, the baptism of the Holy Ghost." (Joseph Smith's Discourse at Nauvoo, July 9th, 1843, History of the Church, Vol. V, p. 499.)]
Through water baptism is obtained a remission of past sins; but even after the sins of the past are forgiven, the one so pardoned will doubtless feel the force of sinful habits bearing heavily upon him. He who has been guilty of habitual untruthfulness, will at times find himself inclined, perhaps, to yield to that habit. He who has stolen may be sorely tempted, when opportunity arises, to steal again. While he who has indulged in licentious practices may again find himself disposed to give way to the seductive influence of the siren. So with drunkenness, malice, envy, covetousness, hatred, anger, and in short, all the evil dispositions that flesh is heir to.
There is an absolute necessity for some additional sanctifying grace that will strengthen poor human nature, not only to enable it to resist temptation, but also to root out from the heart concupiscence—the blind tendency or inclination to evil. The heart must be purified, every passion, every propensity made submissive to the will, and the will of man brought into subjection to the will of God.
4. Insufficiency of Man's Strength—Need of God's Grace: Man's natural powers are unequal to this task; so, I believe, all will testify who have made the experiment. Mankind stand in some need of a strength superior to any strength they possess of themselves to accomplish this work of rendering pure our fallen nature. Such strength, such power, such a sanctifying grace is conferred on man in being born of the Spirit—in receiving the Holy Ghost. Such, among other things, is its office, its work.
I do not draw such a conclusion directly from any one passage of scripture, but from the whole tenor of the teachings of the servants of God, in both ancient and modern times.
We have seen that it is this spirit which reproves the world of sin, of righteousness, and judgment,[A] that guides into all truth, takes of the things of the Father and reveals them unto the children of men, and testifies that Jesus is the Christ. These things increase knowledge and faith; and as the foundations of knowledge and faith are broadened and deepened so are the powers to work righteousness increased.
[Footnote A: John xvi:8-11.]