Life and Immortality

"Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish." ¶

We have just listened to a splendid discourse on the gospel of repentance by Brother George Albert Smith. The whole world must repent or they shall perish. It is of universal application. It applies to you, and to me, and to every living soul. ¶

"Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish." ¶

That is sometimes referred to as the law of carnal commandments — the law of the Lord with reference to our moral lives. It is the law by which we can liberate ourselves from the bondage of sin. It must however be supplemented by that higher law, the law of grace, the law of the Lord Jesus Christ. In the law it is written: "Thou shalt not commit adultery." In that higher law it is written that whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. We must watch and pray, and eliminate from our beings these elements of sin with which humanity is afflicted. ¶

If there be any man who thinketh himself without sin he deceiveth himself and the truth is not in him. A Pharisee came to the Lord at one time and said: "Good Master, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?" The answer came from the Lord: "Why callest thou me good?" ¶

This universal law of practicing repentance from sin is a principle of progress, of eliminating sin and sanctifying our hearts from all unrighteousness. Let no one think that he has no further need of this saving principle of repentance from sin. ¶

The great difficulty with which our missionaries meet in the world is the feeling that people have that "you do not need to come and preach repentance to us, we are already Christians." It is the right principle of life to practice faith in God and repentance from sin as a means of progress. We need it. Every day we have occasion to apply these principles to our individual lives. They have to do with everything that we have anything to do with. Every business transaction, every political scheme, every transaction of our lives, every amusement and everything that we engage in. We have need to apply these principles, for the simple reason that there is a right way and a wrong way to do everything, and it is incumbent upon us to eschew the things that are evil, and that is an obligation that has rested upon mankind from the very day that our first parents partook of the tree of knowledge of good and evil and our minds were awakened to a sense of what is right and wrong. ¶

As this young man, the Pharisee to whom I have alluded, persisted in his question as to what good thing he should do in order to obtain eternal life, the Savior replied by quoting the commandments as Brother George Albert Smith has quoted them here today. He said — this Pharisee — "All these things have I kept from my youth up; what lack I yet?" And Jesus said unto him: "If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven ; and come and follow me." ¶

That was the word — the higher law applied as well. The Savior did not do away with that lesser law, the law of carnal commandments ; those commandments are still in vogue and apply to every creature. But those who comply with the higher law live above the law of carnal commandments, with all the penalties attached. The principle of love supercedes the other : "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God, with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength ; and thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. These constitute the law and the prophets." ¶

What man will do an injury to his neighbor, steal his property, take his life, or desire his wife? Not one who loves his neighbor as he loves himself, or if he loves God with all his heart. ¶

So, my brethren and sisters, we who have entered into covenant with the Lord and received that higher law; let us live above the law of carnal commandments and render obedience, not in fear of the penalties which are attached, but out of the love of God and the love of our fellowmen, which will sanctify and purify our hearts from all unrighteousness. Let us not think that we are good enough just as we are, for we can go on to perfection by the application of these saving principles which God has revealed, and it is his desire that his people should sanctify themselves from all unrighteousness. Hence this great work with which we are identified ; hence the sending of our missionaries to preach the Gospel to the people throughout the world ; hence the organizations of the Church in the stakes and wards of ¶

Zion; hence our auxiliary organizations, all having for their purpose the sanctifying of our hearts from all unrighteousness. ¶

There is a condition in the world that needs to be corrected. What is that condition? The Prophet Isaiah said a long time ago, many thousands of years ago : ¶

"The earth is defiled under the inhabitants thereof, because they have transgressed the law, changed the ordinances, and broken the everlasting covenant." ¶

What is that everlasting covenant? It is the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Its ordinances have been changed, the covenant has been broken and the world has corrupted and defiled the earth upon which we live ; but the Lord desires that it shall be sanctified from all unrighteousness, as we read in the Doctrine and Covenants where it says in the 88th section thereof : ¶

"And the spirit and the body are the soul of man. ¶

"And the resurrection from the dead is the redemption of the soul. ¶

"And the redemption of the soul is through him that quickeneth all things, in whose bosom it is decreed that the poor and the meek of the earth shall inherit it." ¶

Why? Because they are humble, because they are meek and teachable. They will listen to the glad tidings of great joy and be brought to repentance. But the proud and the haughty will not. This earth is to be inherited and inhabited by the poor and meek of the earth that are willing to do the will of the Father. ¶

"Therefore, it [this earth upon which we live] must needs be sanctified from all unrighteousness, that it may be prepared for the celestial glory." ¶

The destiny of this earth is to be sanctified from all unrighteousness. It is to receive as we believe its paradisiacal glory. It is to be celestialized and the habitation of beings who are sanctified from all unrighteousness. That is the work of the ministry, for the purpose of sanctifying the hearts of the children of men, that this earth upon which we dwell may be sanctified. This earth that has been defiled under the inhabitants thereof must be sanctified from all unrighteousness in order that it may be prepared for its celestial glory. That is what is to come. ¶

But will they all accept that? No. Then what will become of those who receive not this Gospel and do not sanctify themselves from all unrighteousness by the application of these principles of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, that new and everlasting covenant? What will become of them? They shall be swept off from the face of the earth, for the time is coming when sin and iniquity shall be banished from the earth and when righteousness shall prevail and predominate and cover the earth even as the waters cover the mighty deep. ¶

May we be numbered among those who have sanctified themselves from all unrighteousness by obedience to these principles that have within them the power of God unto salvation, I pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. ¶