The first of the Articles of Faith declares a belief "in God the Eternal Father, and in His Son Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost." That is, that the Father is a personage of spirit, glory and power, possessing all perfection and fulness; the Son a personage of tabernacle also, who is the express image of His Father, and possesses the same fulness with the Father, in whose image also man is created; and the Holy Ghost, that which bears record of the Father and the Son, the life-giving element in all nature, the agent of God's power, by which, through faith, all things are controlled. These three constitute the Supreme governing power, the Godhead, and are one—above all, and in all, and through all—omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent.
The idea thus set forth is that in form man is the image of his Creator. The Bible contains no suggestion of a similarity in form with any of the other creations of the Almighty. But with respect to man it is distinctly expressed in Genesis i: 26, 27: "And God said, Let us make man in our own image, after our likeness, and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in His own image; in the image of God created He him; male and female created He them."
Paul, in writing of God, says that Jesus was the "express image of His person" (Hebrews i: 3), being "in the form of God" (Phil. ii: 6). In the record which Matthew has made of the Lord's baptism, he describes the action of the three who constitute the Godhead: Jesus receiving the baptism of water, the "Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting upon Him," and a voice—the voice of the Father—uttering from heaven, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased" (Matt, iii: 16, 17). The Redeemer of the world Himself testifies of their individuality: "For as the Father hath life in Himself; so hath He given to the Son to have life in Himself; and hath given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of man" (John v: 26, 27); "Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I" (John xiv: 28); "Nevertheless, I tell you the truth; it is expedient for you that I go away; for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you" (John xviii: 7); "But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of Truth, which proceedeth from the Father, He shall testify of me" (John xv: 26).
In the solemn prayer offered up before His betrayal, the Divine Master besought His Father, in behalf of His disciples, "That they all may be one; as Thou, Father, art in me, and I in Thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that Thou hast sent me. And the glory which Thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one" (John xvii: 21, 22). The unity of purpose and action in all things constitutes the oneness. This union Jesus sought to bring to His Apostles, that, each having his distinct personality, they might be one, "even as we are one."
MEN JUDGED BY THEIR WORKS.
"We believe that men will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam's transgression."
By this transgression death came into the world, that men might gain the experience of a mortal probation. But that man should be held responsible for an act in which he had no agency would evidently be an injustice. Our Father, being a just God, must therefore deal justly with His children. What is the doctrine of the Scriptures respecting the responsibility of men? In Jeremiah xvii: 10, it is announced: "I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings." As the laws of truth and justice are inflexible in their operation and effect, judgment as certainly follows evil as blessings result from good deeds.
The beloved Apostle, in recording his vision of the judgment, tells us: "And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; 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 hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works" (Rev. xx: 12, 13). Language can be no plainer to inform mankind of the evidence that will be adduced for or against them at the judgment-seat of Christ. It will be their deeds; and from the judgment they will make no appeal, for they cannot but realize its justice.
By the divine law, man is answerable for his own sins.
He is not compelled to bear the wrongs of another in the reward which he will receive at God's judgment. The transgression of Adam was not ours, and can have no ill effects upon us; it rather becomes a blessing by the mercy of Jehovah. The Latter-day Saints believe that, as by Adam death came into the world, without our action, so is life the free gift to all men, through the atonement of the Lord Jesus. This is the doctrine of the Bible. Paul expresses it thus: "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life" (Romans v: 12, 18). The Lord has permitted no doubt to remain respecting the sins for which men will be punished and the good for which they will be rewarded. His word is: "For the Son of man shall come in the glory of His Father with His angels; and then He shall reward every man according to his works" (Matt. xvi: 27). The testimony which He gave to John the Divine on the Isle of Patmos was: "I will give every one of you according to your works" (Rev. ii: 23). "And behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be" (Rev. xxii: 12).