Latter Day Saints' Messenger and Advocate/Volume 1/Number 2/Millennium
MILLEN[N]IUM edit
No. IX.
[Continued from the Star, No. 23.]
There can no difficulty exist in any candid mind in relation to the true state of the Gentile world at present, having the Jews for their pattern. The apostle Paul, in the 11th chapter to the Romans, after he had told the Gentiles upon what principles it was, that the Jews both stood and fell, warned them to take care; for they, (the Gentiles,) like the Jews, must stand by faith; and if they lost their faith as the Jews did their's, that they like the Jews, should be cut off, also. See the 19th, 20th, and 21st verses: "Thou wilt say then, the branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in. Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not high minded but fear: for if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he spare not thee." So that the Gentiles must either stand by faith, or else they must fall; for so the Jews had to stand by faith, or else they must fall for want of faith. And the Gentiles, when they became fellow-heirs, and fellow-citizens, with the Jews, must stand as they stood, or fall as they fell, after the same example of faith, or of unbelief. "Thou standest by faith, be not high-minded but fear." The apostle knew that the Gentiles were in great danger of falling after the same example of unbelief, therefore he warns them to fear, lest this should be the case.
Let us enquire whether the Gentiles have continued in faith, or whether like the Jews they have fallen into unbelief? for if the Gentiles have continued in faith, then will the fruits of faith be found among them. We have previously seen what these fruits are; that they consist in prophesyings, healings, miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, in all their various forms; in tongues, and the interpretation of tongues; that when men were living under the influence of faith there were apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, evangelist, &c. &c. that all these were nothing more than the fruits of faith, and were always enjoyed in every age of the world, and among every people who lived by the faith of the Son of God; and were always enjoyed by every people whom God acknowledged to be his. And when any people it mattered not how righteous they might have been, ceased to bring forth these fruits, they stood disapproved of in the sight of heaven. On this subject there is no dispute in relation to the present Gentile world: all agree that the fruits of the kingdom of heaven are not found among them; that the fruits brought forth by their fathers, when the kingdom was given to them, have ceased to exist, and are at this time not to be found among any people. I say, on this subject, there is no dispute: there is a universal agreement—all the difference is this, that this generation of Gentiles, believe that both the Jews and Gentiles of this age, can be saved without these fruits; as well as the others among whom they were found, could be with: but as to the fact of the fruits having ceased, it is no where disputed; or at least among the sects.
That the Gentiles have fallen from their high standing before God, and incurred his displeasure, cannot be doubted by any man acquainted with the scriptures: all the grand distinguished characteristics of the kingdom of heaven have disappeared among them; that faith which Paul said should abide with hope and charity, is not known among them; all the powers of the spiritual kingdom have ceased to exist, and all their glory has faded; God is no more known among them, and they are wandering in darkness, and in blindness; lashing against one another like a troubled sea; crying lo here is Christ; and lo he is there! But in truth, there are none of them, who know any thing about him. There are no apostles among them to administer in the name of the Lord Jesus, nor no prophets to reveal unto them the things which await them. In short, every thing which rendered the kingdom of heaven desirable, has fled away. And they are in the same situation as the Jews were when it was said to them, "The kingdom shall be taken from you and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof." Let an inspired man make his appearance among them, and with one consent they will cry imposture! false prophet! knave! villain! and every other evil epithet that malice can invent; so done the Jews; and for this the Gentiles upbraided them in the bitterest terms, and yet they themselves, are doing the same things. If God cut off the Jews because they did not bring forth the fruits of the kingdom, surely the Gentiles must share the same fate, if God is no respecter of persons.
This subject is so clearly set forth in the 11th chapter to the Romans, that none need mistake it. The apostle says that the severity of God towards the Jews in cutting them off was goodness towards the Gentiles, if they [the Gentiles] continued in his goodness: if not, they, like the Jews, should be cut off. See the 22nd verse. "Behold, therefore, the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity: but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou shalt also be cut off." Now let the reader particularly mark the apostle's expression, "otherwise thou shalt be cut off." That is, unless they "continued" in his goodness they should be cut off. There is no allowance made for them, that they might apostatize, and corrupt the kingdom of heaven, and then be reclaimed, and reformed, and still retain the goodness of God, previously bestowed on them, in giving to them the kingdom of heaven: but if they continued not in his goodness they should be cut off. So the matter stands thus: That if the Gentiles continued in the situation in which God placed them, when they received the kingdom, they should partake of his goodness; but if they did not continue in that situation, they should be cut off. So says Paul, and who will say to the contrary! If we ask, how were the Gentiles to continue in his goodness? the answer is at hand, by faith; for says the apostle, in the 20th verse, of this same 11th chapter to the Romans, (speaking to the Gentiles,) "and thou standest by faith." Mark reader that the apostle had said in the preceding part of this 20th verse, that the Jews had fallen because of unbelief; and then told the Gentiles that they were to stand by faith. For the sake of having the subject clearly understood even by the most careless, I will here quote both the 19th and 20th verses at full length. The apostle is speaking to the Gentiles and says, "Thou wilt say then, the branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in. Well, because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not high minded but fear."—Who cannot see that the apostle shows plainly to the Gentiles, that their standing before God, depended on their faith; and that if their faith failed, they would lose their standing before him, and like the Jews, be cut off? Another thing to be particularly noticed is, that they [the Gentiles] must continue in his goodness, and if so, must continue in faith: for unless they continued in faith, they could not continue in the goodness of God; for the goodness of God could alone be enjoyed by faith. So that the apostle has made the subject exceedingly plain, that all may understand, who have the least discernment.
Let us follow the apostle a little further, and see how he disposes of the whole matter. After he had warned the Gentiles to beware lest they should fall after the same example of unbelief by which the Jews had fallen, continues his discourse, speaking to the Gentiles concerning the Jews; in the 23 verse he says, "And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be grafted in: for God is able to graft them in again. For if thou wert cut out of the olive-tree which is wild by nature, and wert grafted contrary to nature into a good olive-tree; how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive-tree? For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, (lest ye should be wise in your own conceits,) that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, there shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins." See from the 22 to the 28 verse. In the above quotation, the apostle carries the subject to its proper issue, and shows how God will eventually dispose of the whole concern. He says that blindness in part has happened unto Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in; then all Israel shall be saved. When? why; when the fulness of the Gentiles shall be come in. Observe that the apostle had said in the 23 verse, that they, if they continued not in unbelief, should be grafted in again; for God was able to graft them in. When will the Jews be grafted in again? the answer is at the time when they are all to be saved. And when is that time? When the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. But when will the fulness of the Gentiles be come in? The answer is again at hand.—That is; when they all shall have ceased to bring forth the fruits of the kingdom of heaven, of all parties, sects, and denominations, and not one of them standing in the situation in which God had placed them: so that like the Jews, there is none of them doing good, no not one: for though there be hundreds of sects, and parties, yet all of them have gone out of the way, so that the fruits of the kingdom of heaven, or of God, have ceased to exist among them; then is the time that the world may prepare themselves to see the God of heaven set his hand the second time to recover the remnant of his people that shall be left from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the Islands of the sea. And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the out casts of Israel; and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth. Isa. 11:11, & 12.—But why? we ask? Shall Israel be gathered from all the lands whither the Lord God had scattered them? because, all Israel shall be saved, says the apostle; and this cannot be done unless they are gathered together: and not a small part of them, but all; for all Israel is to be saved. Let it here be observed, that it was the judgments of God which scattered them, and while they continue in their present scattered condition, the judgment of God rests on them; and whenever the mercy of God returns to them, they will also return from their dispersion, and be gathered from all countries whithersoever they have been scattered, or else all Israel will never be saved. But they will not only return, but the kingdom which their fathers lost, by reason of transgression, will be given to them; for before this time, the Gentiles shall have rendered themselves unworthy of it, and it shall be taken from them, and they devoted to destruction, while all Israel shall be gathered, and saved in the kingdom of God, or of heaven, which is the same thing.
The question is this, have the Gentiles continued in the goodness of God? for if they have, they have nothing to fear; for while their services are in righteousness before the Lord, the powers of darkness cannot overthrow them, neither can the gates of hell prevail against them: but if on the contrary, they have departed from the doctrine of Christ, and are following after fables, as certain as the testimony of the prophets is true, so certain they will suffer an overthrow, and be cut off in the displeasure of the Lord; for so says the spirit of inspiration, and who, that believes in the Lord Jesus, dare deny it? Peter says, in his second epistle 2:1, that if the false teachers among the Gentiles, should introduce heresies, or sects among them, as the false prophets did among the Jews, that it would bring on their heads swift destruction. Paul says, that if the Gentiles did not continue in the goodness of God, they should also be cut off. And in another place he says, that when Christ should be revealed from heaven in flaming fire, he should take vengeance on them that know not God, and obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Now, if the Gentiles have departed from the foundation of the apostles and prophets, they do not obey the gospel, and must be destroyed when the Lord shall be revealed in fire.
But to bring this subject to an immediate decision, where is the sect or party but confesses that the Gentiles have not continued in the goodness of God? I answer, there is none; no, not so much as one. All the Catholics declare that the protestants have departed from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; while all the protestants say, that the Catholics have corrupted the kingdom of heaven at the very root, so that there is no fruits of righteousness among them. And each sect and party among the protestants, charges the other sects with error, and a want of strict conformity to the truth. So that we have got the testimony of both Catholics, and protestants, in all their various sects, and parties, all testifying to the same thing, and that is, that the Gentiles have not continued in the goodness of God. And what settles the question forever is, that Jesus, and the apostles, have concluded the whole in unrighteousness. And every man who has eyes to see, or ears to hear, must set to his seal and say AMEN: for who that has read his bible through once, but must see that the religion of the whole Gentile world is very different from the religion of the new testament, and the churches very different, from the churches mentioned in the new testament so that all parties agree that there are no such churches now as mentioned in the scriptures, and the conclusion is inevitable, that if the churches are not the same, they cannot both be equally approved of in the sight of heaven: and if the churches mentioned in the new testament were in the goodness of God, those in modern times have not continued in that goodness: for if they had they would have continued to have been as those were.