Sermon 2 - Avoiding Sin and the Resurrection
My brothers and sisters, I have some things to say to you that may be hard for you to hear and understand, but if you bear with me, I shall show you some of the mysteries of heaven.
I have tried to set a good example for you. I have tried to teach you and exhort to good works and to live a sinless life that you might present yourselves to God as worthy servants. However, some of you did not give much heed to my words as did some of your other brothers and sisters. Now, these are some of the things that concern me. Some of you have been boasting in your own strength and your own wisdom, and this is not all. Some of you did things which caused me great pains in my souls on your account. Some of you did forsake the promise you made to God and have done things that are an abomination in the sight of the Lord. Sins most abominable above all sins save it be the shedding of innocent blood or denying the Holy Ghost.
If you deny the Holy Ghost when it once has had place in you, and you know that you deny it, behold, this is a sin which is unpardonable, and whosoever commit murder against the light and knowledge of God, it is not easy for him to obtain forgiveness. I say unto you, my brothers, and sisters, that it is not easy for him to obtain forgiveness. I would to God that some of you had not been guilty of so great a crime. I would not dwell upon your crimes, to harrow up your soul, if it were not for your good. Behold, you cannot hide your crimes from God, and except you repent they will stand as a testimony against you at the last day.
Now, my brothers and sisters, I would that you should repent and forsake your sins and go no more after the lusts of your eyes. Except you do this you can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God. Remember your promise to God, and take upon you the name of Christ, and serve him in all things. I urge you to take it upon yourselves to counsel with your brothers and sisters in your undertakings; for some of you stand in need to be nourished by your brothers and give heed to their counsel.
Suffer not yourselves to be led away by any vain or foolish thing; suffer not the devil to lead away your heart again after those most abominable sins. My brothers and sisters, how great iniquity that you brought upon your fellow man; for when they saw your conduct they would not believe in the words of the Lord. Therefore, I beg you, my brothers, and sisters, that you refrain from your iniquities. I would that you turn to the Lord with all your mind, might, and strength; that you no longer lead away the hearts of your fellow man to do wickedly; but rather return unto them, and acknowledge your faults and the wrong which you have done. Seek not after riches nor the vain things of this world; for behold, you cannot carry them with you.
Now my brothers and sisters, there is something more I would say to you concerning the resurrection of the dead. For this is part of the cause of my worrying on your behalf. There was a time when there was no resurrection, or in other words, that mortality could not put on immortality, and corruption could not put on incorruption until after Christ came in the flesh. Behold, he brought to pass the resurrection of the dead, but behold the resurrection is not yet. Now, I unfold unto you a mystery; nevertheless, there are many mysteries which are kept, that no one knows them all save God himself. But, I will show unto you one thing which I have inquired diligently of God that I might know, that is concerning the resurrection.
There is a time appointed that all shall come forth from the dead. Now when this time comes no one knows; but God knows the time which is appointed. Whether there shall be one time, or a second time, or a third time, that men shall come forth from the dead, it does not matter. God knows all these things; and it sufficient for me to know that this is the case. There is a time appointed that all shall rise from the dead.
Now there must needs be a space between the time of death and the time of the resurrection. I would inquire what becomes of the souls of men from this time of death to the time appointed for the resurrection? Whether there is more than one time appointed for men to rise it matters not; for all do not die at once. This concern is not important. All is as one day with God, and time is only measured unto men. When the time comes when all shall rise, then shall they know that God knows all the times which are appointed unto man. Therefore, there is a time appointed unto men that they shall rise from the dead; and there is a space between the time of death and the resurrection.
Now, concerning this space of time, and what becomes of the souls of men. The state of the soul between death and the resurrection is that the spirits of all men, as soon as they are departed from this mortal body, whether they be good or evil, are taken home to that God who gave them life. Then the spirits of those who are righteous are received into a state of happiness, which is called paradise, a state of rest, a state of peace, where they shall rest from all their troubles and from all their cares, and sorrows. The spirits of the wicked and all who are evil, they have no part nor portion of the Spirit of the Lord; for they chose evil works rather than good. The spirit of the devil did enter into them, and took possession of their body, and these are they shall be cast out into outer darkness; there shall be weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth, and this because of their own iniquity, being led captive by the will of the devil.
This is the state of the souls of the wicked, they live in darkness, and a state of awful, fearful looking forward to the fiery indignation of the wrath of God to come upon them; thus, they remain in this state, as well as the righteous in paradise, until the time of their resurrection. There are some that have understood that this state of happiness and this state of misery of the soul, before the resurrection, was a first resurrection. I admit it may be termed a resurrection, the raising of the spirit or the soul and their consignment to happiness or misery, according to their faith and deeds in this life.
There is a real resurrection, a resurrection of all those who have been, or who are, or who shall be upon the earth. We should not suppose that this resurrection, which is spoken of in this manner, can be the resurrection of the souls and their consignment to a state of happiness or misery. This is not the meaning of the resurrection. Resurrection means the reuniting of the soul with the body, of all those from the days of Adam down to our time and beyond. Whether the souls and the bodies of those of whom has been spoken shall all be reunited at once, the wicked as well as the righteous, I shall not go into at this time. Let it suffice, that I say that they shall all come forth to be resurrected so they may stand before God in judgement. I give it as my opinion, that the souls and the bodies of the righteous are reunited at the coming of Christ with his army of angels. It is not a concern as to the moment of our resurrection. It is enough to say that there is a space between death and the resurrection of the body, and a state of the soul in happiness or in misery until the time which is appointed of God that the dead shall come forth, and be reunited, both soul and body, and be brought to stand before God, to be judged according to their works.
This resurrection brings about the restoration of things. The soul shall be restored to the body, and the body to the soul, and every limb and joint shall be restored to its body. Not even a hair on your head shall be lost; but all things shall be restored to their proper and perfect frame. This is the restoration of which we read about in the scriptures. Then shall the righteous shine forth in the kingdom of God.
It is an awful death that comes upon the wicked; for they die as to things pertaining to things of righteousness; for they are unclean, and no unclean thing can inherit the kingdom of God. They are cast out and consigned to partake of the fruits of their labors or their works, which have been evil, and they drink the dregs of a bitter cup.
I have somewhat more to say concerning the restoration of which I have spoken. Some have wrestled with the scriptures and have gone far astray because of this thing. I perceive that some have been worrying also concerning this thing as of late. I will try to explain it to you.
The plan of restoration is requisite with the justice of God; for it is requisite that all things should be restored to their proper order. It is requisite and just, according to the power and resurrection of Christ, that the soul of man should be restored to its body, and that every part of the body should be restored to itself. Also, it is requisite with the justice of God that men should be judged according to their works; and if their works were good in this life, and the desires of their hearts were good, that they should also, at the last day, be restored unto that which is good. And, if their works are evil, they shall be restored unto them for evil.
Therefore, all things shall be restored to their proper order, everything to its natural frame. Mortality raised to immortality, corruption to incorruption. Raised to endless happiness to inherit the kingdom of God, or to endless misery to inherit the kingdom of the devil, the one on one hand, the other on the other. One is raised to happiness according to his desires of happiness, or good according to his desires of good; and another to evil according to his desires of evil; for as he has desired to do evil all the day long even so shall he have his reward of evil when the night comes. So, on the other hand if one has repented of his sins, and desired righteousness until the end of his days, even so he shall be rewarded unto righteousness. These are the faithful that are redeemed of the Lord. These are they that are taken out, and are delivered from that endless night of darkness; and thus, we stand or fall; for behold, we are our own judges, whether to do good or do evil.
The decrees of God are unalterable; therefore, the way is prepared that whosoever will, may walk upon the path and be saved. Now, my brothers and sisters, do not risk one more offense against your God upon those points of doctrine, which you have risked to commit sin. Do not suppose, because it has been spoken concerning restoration, that you shall be restored from sin to happiness. I say unto you, wickedness never was happiness.
My brothers and sisters, all men that are in a natural state, or as Paul said, in a carnal state, and in the gall of bitterness and in the bonds of iniquity. They are without God in the world, and they have gone contrary to the nature of God; therefore, they are in a state contrary to the nature of happiness. Is this the meaning of the word restoration to take a thing of a natural state and place it in an unnatural state, or to place it in a state opposite to its nature? No, this is not the case. The meaning of the word restoration is to bring back again evil for evil, or carnal for carnal, or devilish for devilish -- good for that which is good; righteous for that which is righteous; just for that which is just; merciful for that which is merciful.
Therefore, my brothers and sisters, see that you are merciful unto your brethren; deal justly, judge righteously, and do good continually; and if you do all these things then you shall receive your reward. You shall have mercy restored unto you again, you shall have justice restored unto you again, you shall have a righteous judgment restored unto you again, and you shall have a good rewarded. For that which you do send out shall return unto you again and be restored. Therefore, the word restoration more fully condemns the sinner, and justifies him not at all. So, take heed to the promises you make with God. Abstain from all ungodliness. Take up the cross and follow Jesus that you may be resurrected to stand with the righteous on the right hand of God on the last day.
Amen.