That the light of God's holy countenance should shine upon His children, and that they should not be left alone, in ignorance of the Plan of Salvation which in itself revealed Christ and His goodness, God sent messengers from His presence to minister to them, and acquaint them "concerning the coming of" their Redeemer in Whom should come every good thing.
In every age of the world, and all parts of the Earth, holy angels sent from God and commissioned by Him, have declared Salvation to all men through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Those who lived before His coming looked forward to that great event; we look back. Both visions are effectual to the working of grace in the hearts of men. These Heavenly messengers, sent from God's presence, were commissioned by Him to minister unto the children of men, as Mormon says, making known to them the power and authority of God, and His great love for them in that He gave His Only Begotten Son, through Whom, we repeat, "should come every good thing."
Heavenly manifestations became man's constant guide. Men were taught to pray to God, to rely on His justice and mercy, to do His will; and inasmuch as they did so, they were rewarded with greater knowledge of Christ and His Plan of Redemption.
Having transgressed God's holy laws by partaking of the Forbidden Fruit, men became as Gods, "knowing good from evil." In committing that same act, they were empowered to tell right and wrong, and were given the freedom to choose between them. Discretion, to this end, increased within them. Not only did they see and recognize the truth, but also they had power to act "according to their wills and pleasures, whether to do good or to do evil." (Alma 12:31)
When the Lord God saw that the children of men were capable in and of themselves to distinguish between truth and error, right and wrong, and also that they had the power or ability to choose good or evil, He gave unto them, by His holy prophets whom He sent among them, laws and certain commandments that by keeping them they would be benefited and blest. He also called priests and teachers and appointed them to instruct those among whom they labored all things concerning Himself and His Immortal Plans. In this way, by preachment and by example, the priests so set apart were able to guide and direct their brethren aright, and always hold before them the proper manner by which they were to look forward to the coming of Christ, Who was their Redeemer and Lord. Indeed, the Atonement of Christ, and the whole Plan of Salvation, God's grace and His loving-kindness, were proclaimed by holy prophets to whom God Himself "declared, by His Own mouth, that Christ should come." (v. 23)
"Wherefore, by the ministering of angels, and by every word which proceeded forth out of the mouth of God"-for God said through Moroni when speaking of the words of His holy prophets, "I am He Who speaketh."-"Men began to exercise faith in Christ; and thus by faith, they did lay hold upon every good thing; and thus it was until the coming of Christ." (v. 25)
After Christ came among men, they, Mormon so enlightens us, were saved by faith just as had those who lived before His glorious advent. We have said earlier in this discussion that they who lived before, looked forward to His coming; we look back. We noted that both visions were effectual to the working of faith in our hearts.
Here, we will not enter into a discussion of what faith is, except to say that it is the power or force which makes real the things we hope for, but cannot see. With an eye of faith we look forward continually, having in view those things which God's servants, the angels and His prophets, have placed verbally before us.
Christ said that if ye have faith in Me, that means if you believe earnestly, not doubting, that I Am, or that I live, that I am the Son of God, "Ye shall have power to do whatsoever thing is expedient in Me." (v. 33) Whatsoever thing is expedient in Me, means those things which will add to the glory of God by advancing the cause of righteousness; the cause of righteousness is His cause.