Christ the First Fruits of the Resurrection

I will read a verse or two from the fifth chapter of the Gospel according to St. John: ¶

"For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth; and he will shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel. ¶

"For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will. ¶

"For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: ¶

"That all men should honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. ¶

"He that honoreth not the Son honoreth not the Father which hath sent him. ¶

"Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life." ¶

CHRIST THE FIRST' FRUITS OF THE RESURRECTION ¶

During this conference we have had presented the evidence from the scriptures that Jesus Christ arose from the dead and was the first fruits of the resurrection. The witnesses of this wonderful occurrence cannot be impeached. In this day the tendency of the religious world is away from this fundamental truth, and ministers and teachers are denying that Jesus is the Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God. I have read this passage to show that the Savior taught that no man can testify of God and reject his Son; and that no man can deny that Jesus Christ is the Redeemer of the world and believe in the Father who sent him. We must honor the Father through the Son, and he who rejects the Son and denies the power of the resurrection knows not God. Again the Savior said: ¶

"He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life, and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him." ¶

This does not mean that those who reject the Son shall not come forth in the resurrection, for all shall be raised from the dead, but the unbeliever shall not partake of eternal life in the kingdom of God where dwell the Father and the Son. It is, however, the purpose of the Father to extend the power of the resurrection to all men, through the atonement of the Son, and thus give immortality to all his children. The fact remains, however, that we cannot be in fellowship with God and not accept the Sonship of Jesus Christ and believe in his power to redeem us from the grave. Therefore all who reject the authority of the Son have the wrath of God abiding on them. ¶

WHY THE RESURRECTION? ¶

At this point the question arises in my mind: Why the resurrection? That it is a fact we know, that is, we who are Latter-day Saints, for the Lord has revealed it unto us, and the scriptures on this truth are clear. We know that Christ appeared to his disciples after his resurrection and they have testified of his appearance unto them. Now, why should there be a resurrection and the promise made that all men shall come forth from their graves? A great many people believe that the mortal body has served its purpose in this life and will not come forth from the dead, but that the spirit rises to dwell with God. Then why did Jesus Christ come into the world to die? Was it because the plan that the Father had arranged in the beginning had been frustrated, or destroyed, through the fall of man? Adam had a body before death came upon him and his fall was a part of the great plan of man's salvation. Mortality, and consequently death is due to the fall, and Jesus Christ came into the world to make reparation and to give man, through the resurrection, immortality and eternal life. In the Book of Mormon we are informed that man partakes of mortality that he may obtain experiences that could not come to him in any other way, and that through his obedience to the gospel of Jesus Christ, which is based on the infinite sacrifice of the Son of God, he may obtain salvation and exaltation in the presence of the Father and the Son. ¶

Surely the Lord understood the end from the beginning, and it was perfectly understood in the councils in the heavens before the world was made, that Jesus Christ was to come into this world to die and thus repair a broken law and again restore life to mankind that they might have it more abundantly. Peter testifies of this in the following words: ¶

"Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; ¶

"But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: ¶

"Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you." ¶

So Peter has testified that Christ was called and foreordained to come into the world to bring to pass the resurrection and the redemption of man through the shedding of his blood; and this is according to a plan devised before the foundation of the world was laid. Moreover, the Lord, speaking to John on the Isle of Patmos, says: ¶

"Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory and blessing." ¶

Then again in the same vision it is written: ¶

"And it was given unto him (the beast) to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. ¶

"And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world." ¶

By these scriptures we are informed that Christ was chosen before man was on earth to make atonement for death and sin in this world and thus give to man immortal life through the resurrection. This doctrine was fully understood by the prophets of old. The Redeemer, himself, while walking along the road with his two disciples after his resurrection instructed them in these things, as follows: ¶

"And he said unto them, O fools and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: ¶

"Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? ¶

"And beginning with Moses and the Prophets, he expounded to them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself." ¶

EXISTENCE IN MORTALITY MOST IMPORTANT ¶

After this conversation he met with the eleven apostles and again repeated these prophecies and later sent his disciples forth as witnesses to testify of him in all the world. ¶

When men deny the resurrection of Christ and the coming forth from their graves of all mankind, it is a confession on their part that they are ignorant of the work of the Lord regarding the destiny of man. Our existence in mortality is most important. It is not accidental. It was never intended that we should pass through this life without coming in contact with sin, without temptation, without mortality. Adam was sent into the world to perform a mission including the bringing to pass these very things that we in the mortal state might obtain experiences by coming in contact with all the vicissitudes of mortal life. In this way we receive an education that could not be obtained in any other way. So mortality came through the will of God, and through the fall of man death has passed upon all men. Through the atonement of Jesus Christ life is restored again and death is overcome and destroyed. Immortality and eternal life constitute the great work of the Father and the last enemy to be destroyed, we are informed, is death. When Christ has destroyed death by bringing to pass the resurrection of all mankind from the grave, he will have finished his work and then he will deliver up the kingdom to his Father. ¶

MAN'S RESURRECTION ASSURED ¶

These bodies which we have received are not to be laid away in the grave never to be taken up again. Those who believe such a doctrine have no understanding of the work of salvation. These bodies were given us that the spirit might dwell in them, and after passing through this mortal life, and death, they will be brought forth in the resurrection, spirit and body inseparably united -- "Never to be divided" -- and in this condition the righteous shall receive a fulness of joy. Those who have not been righteous and have failed to heed the counsels of God shall then receive such rewards as they are entitled to receive according to their works, but even they shall die no more the temporal death. ¶

The great work of the Lord is to bless all men and to do by them the very best that he can; but our Father in heaven is governed by law, as his children are subject to law, and he, therefore, will measure out to each man that which he is entitled to receive according to his works. ¶

Without these bodies a spirit could not be made perfect, for it is incomplete. The body without the spirit is dead. It takes both the spirit and the body to constitute a perfect soul. We came here to this earth to obtain the greatest boon that could be given, physical bodies to clothe our spirits. The punishment of Satan and his angels is that they were denied the privilege of mortal existence in bodies of flesh and bones because of their rebellion. The spirit of man, clothed in a tabernacle of flesh and bones, as Jesus Christ was after his resurrection, will have power through obedience to the laws of the gospel to advance in righteousness, truth, wisdom and power, to the fulness, and thus become a son of God. ¶

So, we see, our lives here in the flesh, where we endure all the ills and the joys of mortality is not accidental, but a part of the great plan of eternal progression according to the decrees of our Father in heaven before this world came into being. Here we are proving ourselves through our free agency for a place in eternity. If we are faithful and live in keeping with the laws that govern in the kingdom of God, accepting the mission of our Lord, Jesus Christ, the Redeemer of all mankind from the grave, and, on condition of our repentance, our Redeemer from our individual sins, we shall be counted worthy of a place in the Celestial Kingdom of God. ¶

May we as Latter-day Saints be faithful in the discharge of all obligations, commandments and principles that pertain to our salvation, that we may obtain these great blessings which are promised by the Father, through his Only Begotten Son, and which cannot be received only through obedience, I pray, in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen. ¶