I Would Like To Talk With You...

I would like to talk with you tonight about the relationship we have to our Father in heaven and the great responsibility we have of living in such a way as to be worthy of that responsibility and that great opportunity. ¶

The sad plight of today's world is but a reflection of the willfulness and selfishness of mankind. ¶

And sad to say, both willfulness and selfishness in the last analysis are born of deep, dark ignorance, which is nothing less than amazing in this enlightened age. ¶

Mankind Drifting Aimlessly

As a race, mankind is drifting aimlessly, with no overall purpose, and the reason most people have no real purpose is that few of them know the basic facts of life — who we are, or even why we exist. ¶

These are unanswered questions for many, and as a result they seek activities which in many respects are harmful to themselves as well as to their fellowmen. ¶

With no understanding of the deeper meaning of existence, some sink into almost brute-like conditions where they almost sadistically destroy each other. ¶

That is why we have riots. ¶

That is why we have crime. ¶

It is the basic reason behind immorality, and to a large extent is responsible for much of our drunkenness, with all its sorrow and distress. ¶

It is why man's inhumanity to man continues to make countless thousands mourn. ¶

World Of Contrasts

We are in a world of peculiar contrasts. ¶

We live in what is doubtless the most affluent period of the history of man, and yet in our midst we have poverty and starvation. ¶

Similarly, we live in what is probably the greatest period of intellectual — and certainly the greatest period of technological — advancement the world has ever known. ¶

But in the midst of it all there still remain roots of ignorance that stimulate selfishness and breed crime, violence, war, and every other abuse. ¶

True Purpose Of Life

If man understood his true purpose in life as it is revealed in the gospel, and if he knew the secret of his origin, he could begin to free himself from the shackles of this ignorance. ¶

Who are we? ¶

What is the purpose of our existence? ¶

Can a man who thinks that life came about by chance on a globe that was made by accident have any overlying purpose to guide him? ¶

Can a man who thinks he evolved from the lowest forms of life have any lofty aspirations? ¶

Does the idea that we are descendants of ape-like ancestors inspire us to any great heights of achievement? ¶

The importance of having purpose in life cannot be overstated. ¶

The discovery of an obvious purpose in creation is what now begins to open the eyes of our greatest scientists to the facts of our existence. They are learning that creation could not possibly exist, nor could it have come into being initially, without a definite purpose. These scientists now say they are convinced that creation came by the act of a supreme Intelligence, that he had a purpose in creation, and since he has purpose he therefore must be a person. Furthermore, they tell us that this Creator also had a definite purpose in creating man to be like himself. ¶

Statements Of Scientists

Listen to some of them. ¶

Dr. Arthur H. Compton, Nobel Prize winner, writing in the Los Angeles Times, said: ¶

"Where there is plan, there is intelligence, and an orderly unfolding universe testifies to the truth of the most majestic statement ever uttered — 'In the beginning, God. . . .' " ¶

In a volume entitled The Freedom of Man, published by Yale University Press, Sir John Arthur Thomson says: ¶

"We feel compelled — and it is a glad compulsion — to say with the most philosophical of the disciples, 'In the beginning was Mind, and the Mind was with God, and the Mind was God.' " ¶

Alfred G. Fisk, in his book The Search for Life's Meaning, says: ¶

"Just as the ordered structure of the universe implies a creative Intelligence, Architect or Orderer, so a belief in the objectivity or purpose in the universe leads to a belief in a Purposer or Divine Agent who is the source and spring of purpose in the Universe." ¶

Sir Ambrose Flemming, in his Origin of Mankind, wrote: "The ultimate cause of things and events is a self-conscious and personal living Being . . . Life can only proceed from already living matter. It cannot be derived spontaneously from non-living matter. We can obtain energy only from some source or body already possessing it. It cannot arise spontaneously from nothing. . . . Accordingly we can infer that the Cause which gave rise to our self-consciousness and powers of thought, must have been itself self-conscious and intelligent, or a Thinker. Hence we may infer that the thought of the Intelligent First Cause was not identical with ours, and therefore this separateness constitutes that First Cause a Person." ¶

Dr. Compton, writing for This Week magazine, said: ¶

"Few scientific men today defend the atheistic attitude. Design in the Universe presumes an intelligence. Evidence points to a Beginner, a Creator of the Universe. A physicist's studies lead him to believe this Creator to be an Intelligent Being. The intelligent God has an interest in and relation to man, and it is reasonable to assume that He would be interested in creating a being intelligent like himself." ¶

Albert Einstein, in his book The World as I See It, says on pages 267-68: "The harmony of natural law reveals an Intelligence of such superiority that compared with it, all the scientific thinking and acting of human beings is an utterly insignificant reflection." ¶

Origin And Destiny Of Man

Now, what is the truth about the origin of man? Paul gave it to us: We are the children of God. We are his offspring. We are heirs of God and joint heirs with Jesus Christ. (See Rom. 8:16-17.) ¶

And what does that mean? ¶

It means that we have a mighty purpose in life, which purpose is that we may become like God! ¶

Jesus commanded us to achieve this purpose, saying: "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." (Matt. 5:48.) ¶

Then, being children of God, we can see our true destiny. And being thus related to him, as his children, we now see ourselves in an entirely new light — not as the descendants of ape-like creatures living an aimless existence, but as the descendants of Almighty God, with the possibility of becoming like him! ¶

Now we can understand the true place and dignity of man. Now we can see his infinite potential. ¶

As members of the family of God, we can know that he has placed us here on earth in a type of school that will help us to become like him, if we are willing to follow the curriculum. ¶

This is the light the world needs. ¶

This is the impetus we require to rise above the worldliness that brings heartbreak and degradation through sin, selfishness, and endless conflict. ¶

Patterns To Live By

God gave us a pattern to live by — his own Son, Jesus the Christ. ¶

Since we can become like him, we should therefore measure all our acts in terms of whether they are Christlike or not. ¶

That which helps us to become like him we should accept. All which tends to remove us from him we must reject. ¶

Let us take a moment to measure some of the conditions and influences about us and see whether we become Christlike by indulging in them. ¶

High Estate Of Woman

To understand the true dignity of man, we must accept the high estate of woman. Every girl and woman is a daughter of God. She has within her the spark of true divinity. She has been given one of God's own creative powers — the ability to bring forth human life. ¶

Recognizing her as a co-creator with God, will any of us attempt to seduce her, or defile her, or abuse her? Identifying her as a daughter of God, and a co-creator of life with him, do we not see why the Almighty places sex sin next to murder in his category of crime? ¶

Is there anything Christlike in any act that would degrade womanhood or cheapen the true concept of motherhood? ¶

Or is it Christlike to be cruel or unkind to any woman, or even discourteous, whether in public or in private? Which of us has the right to belittle his wife in or out of the home, as some habitually do? ¶

Man is no less a child of God than is woman. He too has a divine heritage to be realized through proper living. ¶

His standards must be as high as those of any woman. Before God, there is only one standard of good conduct. ¶

Practices That Demoralize

Dishonesty is another of the major afflictions of the world today. When we recall that the Savior instructed us to do to others as we would be done by, and to love our neighbors as ourselves, can we find anything Christlike in unfair dealing? ¶

One of the most conspicuous of our indignities comes through the use of alcoholic beverages. Is there anything more pitiable than men and women who have lost their senses in drunkenness? ¶

Observe any intoxicated person; listen to his babbling. Does liquor improve his opportunity of becoming an heir of God and a joint heir with Jesus Christ? ¶

Liquor can only lower the dignity and honor and respectability of man. ¶

Any effort to make it more available aids and abets the moral breakdown that always accompanies intoxication. ¶

I ask you frankly, is there anything Christlike in it? Would your Savior encourage you to make liquor any more available than it already is? ¶

And what of the use of tobacco? Is there anything sanctifying in it? If you use the weed in any form, look at yourself in a mirror and ask how you enhance the divinity within you as you smoke or chew it. ¶

One of the widespread demoralizing practices of the present day is the telling of obscene stories. It is satanic to place evil thoughts in the minds of others. Truly the Lord taught that what comes out of the mouth reflects what is in the heart, and when corruption issues from the lips, it is but the effervescent bubbling of a wicked heart. ¶

Purity of mind alone can lead us to God. Nothing but corruption is spread by evil stories. ¶

If you gamble, if you violate the Sabbath day or put pleasure before God, if you lower your standards to meet the popular demands of the world, ask yourself if Christ is pleased. Ask yourself if such retrogression will bring you any nearer your purpose in life, that of becoming like our Savior. ¶

Man's Relationship To God

Since we are the children of God, we should deport ourselves as such. We should maintain the honor and dignity that relationship with the Almighty demands of us. ¶

We should be willing to follow the Christ into that perfection which only consistent righteous living can bring. ¶

I testify to you that God is a reality and that it is equally true that we can become like him. ¶

We are his sons. Let us bear the mantle of sonship and apply ourselves to the work he has given us in all diligence. For this I humbly and earnestly pray in the sacred name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. ¶