Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1896-09-05

aggregation this afternoon. aud
earnestly desire in doing so
u may be assisted by the
hit Of light and truth, and that
same spirit may rest upon all the
gregaiion. so that our assembling
ether may be profitable to us.
&c no desire to venlilaie any views or
aions OF my own in reference to the
Of salvation aud the dealings OF
q with mankind; but have desire
,xplain that which God has revealed,
so much OF Il as may be wisdom to
ssre this afternoon and as the Lord
1y give me- u,,erance.
will read text OF scripture which
been the foundation Tor grea,
ny sermons among the various relig.
dcnominations-one which perhaps
people who profess to be Christians
'e heard at some time. may, how.
,r, take an altogether different view
regard to the meaning OF this
Usage Of scripture from that which
entertained by many Christian
sachefs and which has been pro.
lmed to the people almost entirely
loughou, Christendom. II is found In
third chapter OF the Gospel accord.
to St, John. aud the roth verse:
Tor God 20 loved the world. tha, he gave hi,
begotten Sou. that Whoever helirycih in
should not perish, but have everlasting lie.
Take that verse as II stands and II OK.
sses the essence OF modern Christian
aching. The burden OF the preach.
sof most OF the ministers Of religion
bat all people have to do to be saved
70 believe that Jesus OF Nazareth was
eSu OF God and that lie died Tor the
demption of mankind. Taking this
rne as II stands, without comparison
u other sayings OF the Lord Iesus
hist, Il would appear that this is true
cifine-that all that is necessary Tor
human family In order TO obtain
tflasiing life Is simply to believe In
BUS Christ Now, there are various
as in the religious world in reference
theology; but when you bring II down
the very essence oil their teachings,
compfchended In this verse. Only
leye, they say to the people, "and
shall be saved, and heaven is yours
syer"
Now, when Jesus Christ uttered this
ling that have read TO you, He did
intend 10 convey TO the people that
that was necessary for them to do In
Ter 10 obtain eternal life was to be.
be in Him, In His atonement and In
divine mission. That idea is not in
mony with other sayings OF our Si.
d's, For instance, in the same chap.
irom which ! have read this verse,
hnd the following:
vtily. verify, / say unto thee. Eseept a man
born Of water and Of the Spirit, he eanno,
Nc into the kingdom Of 0od.-w S.
This saying Of Jesus Chris, was in an.
ef to n question from Nicodemus, a
Ter among the Jews. who came TO Him
night that he might learn Of Him.
was afraid TO 10 IN the day time, for
OF the Jews, lie would have been
iiculed aud despised. Tor the religion
Jesus Christ was not very popular In
pose times, and so he went by night,
RI asked Jesus TO explain to him some
,ngs pertaining 20 the kingdom OF God.
sus said;
lsenly, verify, say unto thee. Except a man
eoin again, he cannot see the kingdom OF
DIV ).
This was a puzzle to Nicodemus. lie
ald not comprehend IL. So In explain
on, after he had asked Jesus whether
vas possible Tor a man TO be born
aln the second time, the Savior re-
,'nly, verify, say unto thee, Except man
ON o. water and Of the Spirit. he cannot
ne kingdom OF God.
compare these two texts,-the 10Th
SUI verses-out OF the same chapter,
Hlsn by the same writer, expressing
sayings Of Jesus Christ on the same
asion, and you will ind that they
not harmonic, u the idea Is correct
all that 10 necessary to be done is TO
'eve in Jesus Christ. The Apostle
pes, IN an epistle to the Saints. which
will find in the New Testament,
e'e on the subject OF faith and works.
he ohowed that faith without works
aead; that as the body without the
ny IS dead, so faith without works is
''d also lie says;
man may say. Thou hast faith, and have
~ show ne thy faith without thy works,
lvll show thee my faith BY my works.
aa wa.
lie showed also that the devils be.
Ns, THE devils also believe" said
and tremble." SO that the idea
~ lallh alone is all that is necessary
A' be mistake. view II as fatal
sake believe |, has done more
sIm IN the world to preach that doc
nea as viewed by modern dlvines than
aosl any error that has been promul.
%ui because II people come TO the
Oellel that all they have need to do
y believe In Jesus Christ and in His
uement, and That there is Iothing
ior them to do themselves, they
DC lulled into sleep which is the
pol spiritual death. They will not
ne works which are essential 10 sal
~pn u they adopt the belief that
IN are not necessary ON their part,
!. ma' Jesus has done il all; they will
TO Him ana 60 on their way In
"sad road that ieadelh unto de.