| 1 TIMES AND SEASONS
"TRUTH WILL PREVAIL"
Vol. IV. No. 1] CITY OF NAUVOO ILLINOIS, NOV. 15. 1842 [Whole No. 61.
From the Millennial Star.
ELECTION AND REPROBATION.
"Do you believe in Election and reprobation?"
To prevent the necessity of repeating a thousand times what may be said at once, we purpose to answer this oft asked question in writing; so that the saints may learn doctrine, and all who will, may understand that such election and reprobation as is taught in the old and new Testaments, and other revelations from God, we fully believe, in connexion [connection] with every other principle of righteousness; and we ask this favor of all, into whose hands our answer may come, that they will not condemn till they have read it through, in the spirit of meekness and prayer.
The Lord (Jehovah) hath spoken through Isa. (42,1) saying, behold my servant, whom I uphold, mine elect in whom my soul delighteth; evidently referring to the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God chosen or elected by the Father, (1 Peter, i:20, who verily was fore-ordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, who by him do believe in God,) to serve him the redemption of the world, to be a covenant of the people, (Isa. xlii:6.) for a light of the Gentiles, and the glory of his people Israel; having ordained him to be the judge of the quick and dead, (Acts, x:42) that through him forgiveness of sins might be preached (Acts xiii:38) unto all who would be obedient unto his gospel.
Every high priest must be ordained (Heb. v:1.) and if Christ had not received ordination, he would not have had power to ordain others, as he did when he ordained the twelve (Mark iii:14) to take a part in the ministry which he had received of his father: also, (John xv:16) ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you that ye should go and bring forth fruit, (Heb. v:4) for no man taketh this honor unto himself but he that is called of God as was Aaron, (v:5.) So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest, but he that said unto him thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee.
No being can give that which he does not possess; consequently no man can confer the priesthood on another, if he has not himself first received it; and the priesthood is of such a nature that it is impossible to investigate the principles of election, reprobation, &c. without touching upon the priesthood also; and, although some may say that Christ as God needed no ordination, having possessed it eternally, for Christ says (Matt. xxvii:18) all power is given unto me in heaven aud [and] on earth; which could not have been if he was in eternal possession: and in the previously quoted verse we discover that he that said unto him, i. e. his father glorified him to be made an high priest, or ordained him to the work of creating the world and all things upon it; (Col i:16) for by were all things created that are in heaven and that are in the earth, and of redeeming the same from the fall; and to the judging of the quick and dead; for the right of judging rests in the priesthood; and it is through this medium that the father hath committed all judgment unto the Son (John v:22) referring to his administration on the earth.
If it was necessary that Christ should receive the priesthood to qualify him to minister before this father unto the children of men so as to redeem and save them, does it seem reasonable that any man should take it upon him to do a part of the same work, or to assist in the same priesthood, who has not been called by the spirit of prophecy or revelation as was Aaron, and ordained accordingly? And can it be expected that a man will be called by revelation who does not believe in revelation? Or will any man submit to ordination, for the fulfilment [fulfillment] of a revelation or call in which he has no faith?-We think not.
That we may learn still further that God calls or elects particular men to perform particular works, or on whom to confer special blessings, we read (Isa. xlv:4) for Jacob my servant sake, and Israel mine elect, I have called thee (Cyrus) by thy name: to be a deliverer to my people Israel, and to help to plant them on my holy mountain, (Isa. lxv:9, see connexion [connection] for mine elect shall inherit it, and my servants shall dwell there; even on the mountains of Palestine, the land of Canaan, which God had before promised to Abraham and his seed; (Gen. xvii:8) and the particular reason why Abraham was chosen or elected to be the father of this blessed nation, is clearly told by the Lord, (Gen. xviii:19) for I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him; and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice aud [and] judgment; that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him; and this includes the general principle of election, i. e. that God chose, elected or ordained, Jesus Christ, his son, to the Creator,
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