Jesus Is the Christ

JESUS IS THE CHRIST.

By Dr. James E. Talmage, of the Council of the Twelve of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Two national histories, separate and distinct, written on opposite hemispheres, unite in circumstantial testimony of the Lord Jesus Christ as the world's Redeemer: and these are embodied in independent volumes of Scripture—The Holy Bible and Book of Mormon.

The evidence of witnesses, whether individuals, coteries or nations, refutes itself if it fail in consistency, mutual support, and agreement in all substantials. The most critical examination of these two compilations of Scripture as to this vital feature is invited.

Among the outstanding facts of profoundest import recorded in the Bible concerning Jesus Christ and His mission are these:

1. His preexistence and antemortal Godship.

2. His foreordination as the Redeemer and Savior of mankind.

3. Predictions of His embodiment in the flesh, as the Son of the Eternal Father and of mortal woman.

4. The fulfilment of these predictions in His birth as Mary’s Child.

5. The sending of a forerunner, John the Baptist, to prepare the way for the Lord’s public ministry.

6. Christ’s earthly life, covering about a third of a century, characterized by beneficent service, by authoritative administra­tion, and by unexceptional example.

7. The establishment of His Church with duly ordained Apostles, who, with other ministers invested with the Holy Priesthood, carried forward the work of salvation after the Lord’s departure.

8. The specific and authentic enunciation of the fundamental principles and ordinances of the gospel, by which ( he way of sal­vation has been opened to all, and without which none can abide in the kingdom of God, these comprising: (1) Faith in Him as die Son of God and die Redeemer of the world: (2) Repentance of sin; (3) Baptism by immersion for die remission of sins; and (4) Bestowal of the Holy Ghost by the authoritative laying on of hands.

9. The Lord’s sacrificial and atoning death.

10. His actual resurrection, whereby His spirit was reunited with the crucified body, and He became a glorified and immortal­ized soul.

11. His ministry as a Resurrected Being among men.

12. His exaltation to the place He had won at the right hand of God the Eternal Father.

13. The general apostasy of mankind from the gospel of Christ bringing about an era of spiritual darkness.

14. The restoration of the Holy Priesthood in the latter days, by which the gospel would be again preached in power, and its ordinances administered for the salvation of men.

15. The assurance of our Lord's yet future return to earth, in glory and judgment, to inaugurate the predicted Millennium of peace and righteousness.

16. His eternal status as Judge of both quick and dead, and the eventual Victor over sin and death.

In every particular, even to circumstantial detail, the Scriptures of the West accord with those of the East in their solemn witness to these portentous developments of the divine plan, which has for its purpose “the immortality and eternal life of man.” The voice of the continents, the independent testimonies of Judah and Ephraim, the Scriptures of the Jews and those of the Nephites, are heard in tuneful harmony bearing true witness to the world of the everlasting gospel of Jesus Christ.

In vindication of the prophets of both East and West, the Holy Priesthood has been restored to the earth in this latter age, and the saving ordinances of the Lord's House are again administered for the salvation of souls. In this glorious restoration, coupled with the miraculous bringing forth of the Book of Mormon, is found a rich fulfilment of ancient prophecy; for verily, “Truth has sprung out of the earth, and righteousness has come down from heaven” (See Psalm 85:11).

Now, in olden times at least two witnesses were required to establish the truth of any important fact; and thus spake the Lord respecting the independent testimony of nations concerning Him­self: “Wherefore murmur ye, because that ye shall receive more of my word? Know ye not that the testimony of two nations is a witness unto you that I am God, that I remember one nation like unto another? Wherefore, I speak the same words unto one nation like unto another. And when the two nations shall run together, the testimony of the two nations shall run together also * * * Wherefore, because that ye have a Bible, ye need not suppose that it contains all my words; neither need ye suppose that I have not caused more to be written. * * * For behold, I shall speak

unto the Jews, and they shall write it; and I shall also speak unto the Nephites, and they shall write it: and I shall also speak unto the other tribes of the house of Israel, which I have led away, and they shall write it; and I shall also speak unto all nations of the earth, and they shall write it * * * And it shall come to pass

that my people which are of the house of Israel, shall be gathered home unto the lands of their possessions; and my word also shall be gathered in one” (II. Nephi 29).

The theme of this unified anthem of divine ministry is the prep­aration of the race for the impending advent of the Lord, who shall stand in bodily Presence upon the earth, to subdue wicked­ness and reign in righteousness in company with all who shall have become His.