9
Believe in God; believe that he is, and that he created all things, both in heaven and in earth; believe that he has all wisdom, and all power, both in heaven and in earth; believe that man doth not comprehend all the things which the Lord can comprehend.
10
And again, believe that ye must repent of your sins and forsake them, and humble yourselves before God; and ask in sincerity of heart that he would forgive you; and now, if you believe all these things see that ye do them.
• • •
21
And now, if God, who has created you, on whom you are dependent for your lives and for all that ye have and are, doth grant unto you whatsoever ye ask that is right, in faith, believing that ye shall receive, O then, how ye ought to impart of the substance that ye have one to another.
3
And they answered the king, and said: Whether he be the Great Spirit or a man, we know not; but this much we do know, that
he cannot be slain by the enemies of the king; neither can they scatter
the king’s flocks when he is with us, because of his expertness and
great strength; therefore, we know that he is a friend to the king. And now, O king, we do not believe that a man has such great power, for we know he cannot be slain.
• • •
24
And Ammon began to speak unto him with boldness, and said unto him: Believest thou that there is a God?
• • •
26
And then Ammon said: Believest thou that there is a Great Spirit?
• • •
28
And Ammon said: This is God. And Ammon said unto him again: Believest thou that this Great Spirit, who is God, created all things which are in heaven and in the earth?
29
And he said: Yea, I believe that he created all things which are in the earth; but I do not know the heavens.
7
And Aaron answered him and said unto him: Believest thou that there is a God? And the king said: I know that the Amalekites say that there is a God, and I have granted unto them that they should build sanctuaries, that they may assemble themselves together to worship him. And if now thou sayest there is a God, behold I will believe.
• • •
11
And he said: Yea, I believe that the Great Spirit created all things, and I desire that ye should tell me concerning all these things, and I will believe thy words.
• • •
16
But Aaron said unto him: If thou desirest this thing, if thou wilt bow
down before God, yea, if thou wilt repent of all thy sins, and will bow
down before God, and call on his name in faith, believing that ye shall receive, then shalt thou receive the hope which thou desirest.
35
Then why sayest thou that we preach unto this people to get gain, when thou, of thyself, knowest that we receive no gain? And now, believest thou that we deceive this people, that causes such joy in their hearts?
• • •
37
And then Alma said unto him: Believest thou that there is a God?
• • •
41
But, behold, I have all things as a testimony that these things are true; and ye also have all things as a testimony unto you that they are true; and will ye deny them? Believest thou that these things are true?
• • •
48
Now Korihor said unto him: I do not deny the existence of a God, but I do not believe that there is a God; and I say also, that ye do not know that there is a God; and except ye show me a sign, I will not believe.
• • •
53
But behold, the devil hath deceived me; for he appeared unto me in the
form of an angel, and said unto me: Go and reclaim this people, for they
have all gone astray after an unknown God. And he said unto me: There
is no God; yea, and he taught me that which I
should say. And I have taught his words; and I taught them because they
were pleasing unto the carnal mind; and I taught them, even until I had
much success, insomuch that I verily believed that they were true; and for this cause I withstood the truth, even until I have brought this great curse upon me.
1
We believe that governments were instituted of God for the benefit of man; and that
he holds men accountable for their acts in relation to them, both in
making laws and administering them, for the good and safety of society.
2
We believe that no
government can exist in peace, except such laws are framed and held
inviolate as will secure to each individual the free exercise of
conscience, the right and control of property, and the protection of
life.
3
We believe that all governments necessarily require civil officers and magistrates to enforce the laws of the same; and that
such as will administer the law in equity and justice should be sought
for and upheld by the voice of the people if a republic, or the will of
the sovereign.
4
We believe that religion is instituted of God; and that
men are amenable to him, and to him only, for the exercise of it,
unless their religious opinions prompt them to infringe upon the rights
and liberties of others; but we do not believe that
human law has a right to interfere in prescribing rules of worship to
bind the consciences of men, nor dictate forms for public or private
devotion; that the civil magistrate should
restrain crime, but never control conscience; should punish guilt, but
never suppress the freedom of the soul.
5
We believe that all
men are bound to sustain and uphold the respective governments in which
they reside, while protected in their inherent and inalienable rights by
the laws of such governments; and that sedition and rebellion are unbecoming every citizen thus protected, and should be punished accordingly; and that
all governments have a right to enact such laws as in their own
judgments are best calculated to secure the public interest; at the same
time, however, holding sacred the freedom of conscience.
6
We believe that
every man should be honored in his station, rulers and magistrates as
such, being placed for the protection of the innocent and the punishment
of the guilty; and that to the laws all men
show respect and deference, as without them peace and harmony would be
supplanted by anarchy and terror; human laws being instituted for the
express purpose of regulating our interests as individuals and nations,
between man and man; and divine laws given of heaven, prescribing rules
on spiritual concerns, for faith and worship, both to be answered by man
to his Maker.
7
We believe that
rulers, states, and governments have a right, and are bound to enact
laws for the protection of all citizens in the free exercise of their
religious belief; but we do not believe that
they have a right in justice to deprive citizens of this privilege, or
proscribe them in their opinions, so long as a regard and reverence are
shown to the laws and such religious opinions do not justify sedition
nor conspiracy.
8
We believe that the commission of crime should be punished according to the nature of the offense; that
murder, treason, robbery, theft, and the breach of the general peace,
in all respects, should be punished according to their criminality and
their tendency to evil among men, by the laws of that
government in which the offense is committed; and for the public peace
and tranquility all men should step forward and use their ability in
bringing offenders against good laws to punishment.
• • •
10
We believe that all
religious societies have a right to deal with their members for
disorderly conduct, according to the rules and regulations of such
societies; provided that such dealings be for fellowship and good standing; but we do not believe that
any religious society has authority to try men on the right of property
or life, to take from them this world’s goods, or to put them in
jeopardy of either life or limb, or to inflict any physical punishment
upon them. They can only excommunicate them from their society, and
withdraw from them their fellowship.
11
We believe that men
should appeal to the civil law for redress of all wrongs and grievances,
where personal abuse is inflicted or the right of property or character
infringed, where such laws exist as will protect the same; but we believe that
all men are justified in defending themselves, their friends, and
property, and the government, from the unlawful assaults and
encroachments of all persons in times of exigency, where immediate
appeal cannot be made to the laws, and relief afforded.
2
We believe that men will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam’s transgression.
3
We believe that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel.
4
We believe that the
first principles and ordinances of the Gospel are: first, Faith in the
Lord Jesus Christ; second, Repentance; third, Baptism by immersion for
the remission of sins; fourth, Laying on of hands for the gift of the
Holy Ghost.
5
We believe that a
man must be called of God, by prophecy, and by the laying on of hands by
those who are in authority, to preach the Gospel and administer in the
ordinances thereof.
• • •
9
We believe all that God has revealed, all that He does now reveal, and we believe that He will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God.
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