If Ye Love Me, Keep My Commandments

"If ye love me, keep my commandments." ¶

These words were addressed by the Master to his disciples but a few hours before his death, as he had assembled with them to eat the passover, and give them the final instruction before he should suffer for the sins of the world. On that same occasion, and shortly before these remarks were made, he referred to the same subject, when he said: ¶

Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek me; and as I said unto the Jews, Whither I go ye can not come; so now I say to you. A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. ¶

I believe that I can do no better than to read other instructions that were given by our Lord and by his disciples, in regard to the same subject, because they have said it so much better than I could say it, and I firmly and faithfully believe all that is written. In this same discourse the Lord continued saying: ¶

He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. ¶

Judas said unto him, (not Iscariot) Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world? ¶

Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep -my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. ¶

He that loveth me not, keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me. ¶

We Are Here for the Truth Which Makes Us Free

I look over this congregation and I see before me men and women who have been gathered from all parts of the earth, or whose parents before them have been gathered out, by the preaching of the gospel. We have come to these valeys of the mountains, and our fathers before us, that we might be established in the truth which makes men free. Because here an ensign has been raised to the nations and the declaration has gone forth that in Zion may be found the word of the Lord, and so we came with the hope and desire of keeping his commandments, making covenants, taking upon ourselves obligations that would bring us eternal life. It would be a shame, after we have been gathered out in this manner, according to the predictions of the prophets of old, if now, because of prosperity, or for any other cause, we should let the adversary find a place in our hearts to destroy the truth and the love we should have, one for another; for we are indeed the disciples of the Lord. If we love him we will keep his commandments. No question about that. And should there be in Zion any who offend or who fail to keep the commandments of the Lord, then it is evidence sufficient that they do not love him. I cannot have hatred in my heart for my fellow men, whether they be in the Church or out of it, if I abide in the commandment of the Lord. I must obey them, and I show by my works that I love the Lord my God with all my heart, with all my might, mind, and strength; and in the name of Jesus Christ I serve him and love my neighbor as myself. This is the word of the Lord as it has been revealed in these modern times for the guidance of Israel. Therefore, I should have in my heart a feeling of love for my fellowmen, and especially for those who have made covenant with the Lord to observe his laws and walk before him in righteousness. What right have I to complain, or find fault, or endeavor to destroy the usefulness of my brother? It matters not what the occasion may be, why should I engender feelings in my heart of enmity for one that I am called upon and commanded by the Lord to treat as a brother? We are not merely friends; we are brothers and sisters, the children of God, who have come out, as I have said, from the world to enter into covenants, to observe his laws and to abide by all things which are given us by inspiration. We are commanded to love one another. "A new commandment," the Lord has said, and yet like ¶

many other commandments it is as old as eternity. There never was a time when that commandment did not exist and was not essential to salvation, and yet it is always new. It never grows old, because it is true. ¶

The New and Everlasting Covenant

I am reminded of an expression that occurs in one of the early revelations (section 22) shortly after the organization of the Church, when the Lord said that he had given unto the Church "a new and everlasting covenant, even that which was from the beginning." Those words are very significant. It was a new and everlasting covenant, and yet it had always existed, for it was from the beginning, and so this new commandment that we should love one another has always been. The truth does not grow old. Some people, you know, are extremely progressive. They want a change in this and a change in that, and a change in the other thing, but the principles of the gospel never change. The principle of love is the same today that it was yesterday and will endure the same tomorrow, If I am not in harmony with that principle, which is a principle of eternal truth, then I am under condemnation before the Lord and have no fellowship with him. ¶

Further Quotations and Illustrations on the Power of Love

There are some other expressions of this nature that I desire to read, as I say, because they are stated so much better than I would be able to express them. John, known as the revelator, and the beloved disciple of the Lord, has borne witness likewise to this commandment. There is no wonder that the Lord loved him. He is spoken of, you know, in the scriptures, as the disciple whom the Lord loved. Why did the Master love him? Because he loved the Master; because he loved his fellowmen. Now I do not mean to say that the other disciples did not love the Lord, and that they had anything in their hearts but love for one another, but John stands out among them in this regard as one who had this gift in larger measure, perhaps, than did some of his fellows. Let me read to you one or two things that he has written. In his First Epistle, 3rd chapter and 14th verse, I read this: ¶

We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. ¶

I can not afford, therefore, to have enmity in my heart, to speak disparagingly of one of my brethren or of one of my sisters, because that is death to me. Now the next verse says: ¶

Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer; and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. ¶

I do not know that I would dare say a thing like that of myself, ¶

and yet it is true. That is to say, a man who has hatred in his heart for one of his brethren, not only for his own flesh and blood, but also for a brother in the covenant of the gospel, has the same spirit which exists in the heart of one who has murder in his heart. It is a murderous spirit and there is no eternal life for such a man. ¶

"Beloved, if God so loved us," John has said, "We ought also to love one another." ¶

Again: ¶

Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. ¶

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear; because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not miade perfect in love. ¶

We love him, because he first loved us. ¶

If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? ¶

And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also. ¶

In Harmony with the Keynote of the Conference

These words which I have read are in harmony with the kev note of this conference. I endorse the remarks that have been made here by all the brethren. I rejoice that there is harmony and love in the hearts of the presidency, one for another, and the members of the council of the Twelve. We are not divided. We do not see differently, but we accept the same thing, and in the love of God have but one desire in our hearts and that is to serve him and keep his commandments. ¶

Now, I want to say a few words in regard to this phase of the subject, and I will repeat one of these verses: "He that loveth me not, keepeth not my sayings; and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me," and the preceding verse: ¶

On Keeping the Commandments

"Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him and make our abode with him." Now, do we fully understand just what that means? The great promise that is made to the members of this Church who are willing to abide by the law and keep the commandments of the Lord is that they shall not only receive a place in the kingdom of God, but that they shall have the presence of the Father and the Son; and that is not all, for the Lord has promised that all that he hath shall be given unto them. In section 84 of the Doctrine and Covenants this truth is very clearly set forth, and notwithstanding the fact that I may weary you, I shall read one or more verses: ¶

For whoso is faithful unto the obtaining these two priesthoods of which I have spoken, and the magnifying their calling, are sanctified by the Spirit unto the renewing of their bodies; ¶

They become the sons of Moses and of Aaron and the seed of Abraham, and the church and kingdom, and the elect of God. ¶

Now, I am not going to take time to explain all "of that which I have read, but I want to read a little more and give some explanation: ¶

And also all they who receive this priesthood receiveth me, saith the Lord; ¶

For he that receiveth my servants receiveth me; And he that receiveth me receiveth my Father; ¶

And he that receiveth my Father, receiveth my Father's kingdom; therefore all that my Father hath shall be given unto him; ¶

And this is according to the oath and covenant which belongeth to the priesthood. ¶

That is in harmony with this expression which I have read here from John's gospel, that if we keep the commandments of the Lord -- and I apply this to us, although he declared it unto his disciples then, it is just as true today -- if we keep the commandments of the Lord, then we shall have both the Father and the Son and we shall dwell in their presence, we shall receive his kingdom as the elect and shall be heirs of God, joint heirs with our elder Brother in receiving the fulness of the kingdom, for all things are ours. O how wonderful, how great the blessings of the Lord to the Latter-day Saints and to all who are willing to go through the waters of baptism and abide by the law and keep the^commandments of the Lord! ¶

The Whole Duty of Man Is to Keep the Commandments

A more timely thing could not be said than that which was uttered here as the keynote of this conference that we as Latter-day Saints should keep the commandments of the Lord. That is the whole duty of man. I have no right to do anything else. You have no right to do anything else. We have the privilege, but because we are servants, who have gone through the waters of baptism and taken upon ourselves obligations, there is nothing else that we should do. Woe unto the man who has made covenant with the Lord in the waters of baptism and in the temple of the Lord to keep his laws and his commandments and then violates them! ¶

There is another passage of scripture here in explanation of one of the parables. You know the Savior spoke of the parable of the, wheat and the tares. It is not necessary for me to read it because you are familiar with it. But I want to read one verse of the interpretation. The Lord said: ¶

The field is the world; The good seed are the children of the kingdom, but the tares are the children of the wicked one. ¶

The enemy that sowed them is the devil; The harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. ¶

As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. ¶

The Son of man shall send forth his angels and they shall gather out of the kingdom all things that offend and them which do iniquity. ¶

Now, he is not speaking of the world in that passage of scripture. He is speaking of Israel. If I have enmity in my heart, or hatred, then I offend. If I do not have a love for the principles of the gospel then I am an offense before the Lord. If I am not willing to live up to every word that proceedeth from the mouth of God, but make exception in my case, because, perhaps, I think I may hav weaknesses and may be different from other men, then I offend and am in danger. If we are not in harmony with the Church and Kingdom of God in all things, and faithful in keeping the commandments of the Lord, the time may come when we shall be removed, for the angels of heaven will take a hand and all that give offense, all things that are impure, unholy, and stand in the way of progress and advancement and the establishment of truth in the hearts of the people shall be removed. ¶

I never did learn to deliver a discourse without referring to the scriptures so you will have to pardon me. I will read one more passage and this I expect will be the last that I will read. In the preface to the Lord's revelations he said this: ¶

And the arm of the Lord shall be revealed; and the day cometh that they who will not hear the voice of the Lord; neither the voice of his servants, neither give heed to the words of the prophets and apostles, shall be cut off from among the people. ¶

How are they to be cut off? By being gathered out as the Lord declared in his explantion of the parable of the wheat and tares, when the angels shall go forth and cleanse and remove from Israel and the kingdom of God all things that offend. We have been commanded to stand in holy places. We can not stand in a holy place, even though it be in the temple of the Lord, if our thoughts, our desires, and our feelings, are impure, because we would desecrate the house of the Lord, and to stand in holy places we must be in harmony with the truth and observe and keep all of the commandments that have been given unto us. ¶

Greater Comprehension of the Gospel Much Needed Among the Latter-day Saints

I was in one of our northern stakes not long ago. I made the remark there that I thought the thing that was needed as much as anything else among the Latter-day Saints was a better understanding or comprehension of the gospel. And after I sat down we called upon one of the bishops and he got up and endorsed what I had said and put it to a vote of the people and it was adopted in that stake of Zion as a slogan, that we stand for a better comprehension of the gospel through study and by faith. I say to you, my brethren and sisters, you cannot keep the commandments of the Lord and walk in righteousness unless you know what they are. The Lord has commanded us to search the scriptures, for the things which they contain are true and shall be fulfilled, and so I say to you, and this is my closing message: Search the scriptures; make yourselves familiar with that which the Lord has revealed for your salvation, the salvation of your house, and of the world. Do not procrastinate the day of repentance. Let us walk humbly, righteously, diligently before the Lord and let, above all things, this spirit of love dwell in our hearts for all men and more especially for our brethren. If we see them going wrong, if we see them doing that which they ought not do, there is a proper way to correct them. The Lord has pointed out the way and we can make the matter right nearly every time and if we can not make it right with the offending brother there is a procedure which we may take to make it right, and I have no right to backbite, to faultfind, to condemn before others one of my brethren unheard, whether he be high or lowly. The Lord has pointed out the procedure in all of these matters for our guidance. ¶

Let us love the Lord for this is the foundation of all things. It is the first commandment, and the second commandment, to love our neighbors as ourselves, is like unto it, and when we have done that we have fulfilled the law, because there is nothing that will be left undone. The Lord bless you, my brethren and sisters, let us stand together united in the service of the Lord, I pray in his name. Amen. ¶

A solo entitled, "The way of life," was rendered by Ellen Copening. ¶