A Savior Is Born

With the busyness of the holiday season, I'm taking a little bit of a break from blogging, but I have some topics in mind to tackle in the new year.  I'll be back with a more substantive blog post in 2016, but in the meantime, please enjoy this video celebrating Jesus Christ's birth during this Christmas season!

See more at christmas.mormon.org.  Merry Christmas!

"Hang on, it's going to get bumpy!"

Last night, the media learned that local leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints recently received updated instruction relating to homosexuality and same-sex marriage.  For those who are familiar with the Church and follow its movements, it was perhaps not all that surprising that policies were clarified to confirm that homosexual cohabitation will subject participants to Church discipline and entering into same sex marriage is defined as apostasy.  But the new policy regarding children living with same sex couples was surprising and, for many Latter-day Saints, confusing and disturbing.  I don't want to misquote so here is the policy in full, as leaked to the media and confirmed by Church spokesman, Eric Hawkins:

A natural or adopted child of a parent living in a same-gender relationship, whether the couple is married or cohabiting, may not receive a name and a blessing.

A natural or adopted child of a parent living in a same-gender relationship, whether the couple is married or cohabiting, may be baptized and confirmed, ordained, or recommended for missionary service only as follows:

A mission president or a stake president may request approval from the Office of the First Presidency to baptize and confirm, ordain, or recommend missionary service for a child of a parent who has lived or is living in a same-gender relationship when he is satisfied by personal interviews that both of the following requirements are met:

1.       The child accepts and is committed to live the teachings and doctrine of the Church, and specifically disavows the practice of same-gender cohabitation and marriage.

2.       The child is of legal age and does not live with a parent who has lived or currently lives in a same-gender cohabitation relationship or marriage.

Last night, I was among those confused and unsettled by this news.  I still have some questions that I hope are clarified in the coming days.  Even for one who has come to peace with this policy (spoiler alert), there are still some ambiguities surrounding the language of the policy.  (Perhaps intentionally so as to provide flexibility in execution of the policy?)  For example: 

1. What exactly is required to “disavow” the practice of same-gender cohabitation and marriage?  Is it simply an acknowledgement that these practices are contrary to God’s commandments or is there more required?
2. The requirements 1 and 2 speak of “the child” taking certain actions.  Is there a cutoff for when an individual who grew up with same-sex parents must get First Presidency approval for baptism?  i.e., does a 45 year old still have to get approval?  Or only 18 year olds?  Maybe the cutoff is age 21?
3. Is there a new baptismal interview question to reflect this new policy or does it only apply if the interviewer is aware of a situation triggering this requirement (less likely to be an issue for an 18 year old, but if it applies to the 45 year old, an interviewer won’t necessarily be aware of the baptismal candidate’s background).
4. Does this apply in situations where a child’s non-custodial parent is in a same-sex cohabitation/marriage but the custodial parent is not gay (i.e., the child doesn’t live with the gay parent)?  What if the child lives with the gay parent some of the time?  Does it make a difference if it’s half the time, a quarter of the time, or just every other weekend?
5. How stringently is the “has lived” language to be read in the second requirement?  For example, let’s imagine a circumstance where a child has two parents, both of whom have participated in homosexual cohabitation.  At the time of the child’s 18^th birthday, the parent with whom the child lives is still cohabitating but with another partner.  The other non-custodial parent has repented and is in full fellowship with the Church.  Technically, this requirement would be read to exclude the child from going to live with the parent that has repented and is in full fellowship with the Church because the parent "has lived" in a same-gender cohabitation.  Is that how this requirement is to be understood?

Well, after pondering these questions and reading some initial reactions of peers online last night, I finally knelt down and prayed.  I prayed for understanding, peace, and resolve.  The thoughts contained in this post are a result of those prayers, and I wanted to share in case it helps anyone else who may be struggling with this news.

First, let’s be clear what this instruction is and what it isn’t.  It is policy and not doctrine.  While doctrines are eternal, policies in the Church come and go.  (Though it is true that our understanding of doctrine may change over time.)  I have seen a lot of changes in policy in the Church even in my relatively short lifetime.  Because of this, I would be surprised if during my lifetime this new policy is not changed in some way, whether it be clarifications, exceptions, complete reversal, or otherwise.  

Next, I want to clarify that I believe that it is possible to have reservations about certain policies of the Church and still sustain the leaders of the Church.  Church leaders have long admitted that they are not infallible.  As recently as this last General Conference in October 2015, Elder M. Russell Ballard said, “Too many people think Church leaders and members should be perfect or nearly perfect.  They forget that the Lord’s grace is sufficient to accomplish His work through mortals.  Our leaders have the best intentions, but sometimes we make mistakes.”

So, I conclude that it is possible that this policy is more manmade than divinely appointed.  However, an important part of my testimony is that I know that I don’t know everything.  I am in no position to state conclusively that this policy is not God’s will.  “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.  For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.”  (Isaiah 55:8-9)  There are a lot of good ideas bouncing around the Internet today to brainstorm possible reasons for the policy.  Most of the ideas I have seen are from individual Facebook comments and posts, which I won’t re-hash here.  But here is one example of some insights:

http://wellbehavedmormonwoman.blogspot.com/2015/11/response-to-new-church-policy-gay-marriage-children-baptism.html?m=1

[EDIT: shortly after I published this post, the Church released an interview clarifying some of the confusion surrounding the policy and explaining reasons for the policy: http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/handbook-changes-same-sex-marriages-elder-christofferson]

[EDIT 2: one week after I published this post, the Church released additional insights clarifying the new policy.  See here: https://www.lds.org/pages/church-handbook-changes?cid=HP_WE_11-11-2015_dPFD_fCNWS_xLIDyL1-A_&lang=eng and here: http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/commentary-understanding-the-handbook.]

And, still a third possibility is a combination of the two, that the policy reflects God’s will to weigh carefully the baptism of children living in homes with same-gender parents but the specifics are limited by man’s execution of the policy.  I don’t know if the policy was drafted intentionally ambiguous to enable flexibility in its execution, but as stated above, there are a lot of unanswered questions from my perspective.  Perhaps the policy will be further refined to become more clear, if nothing else.

So, if I am willing to entertain the idea that this policy could be more manmade than divinely appointed, does that put in jeopardy the claim that the Quorum of the Twelve and the First Presidency are prophets?  Many would attempt to make this a zero sum game, but I submit that the answer to this question is "No."  I believe that the Church, being led by imperfect people, is much like us as individuals striving to better ourselves in that our progression has an upward arc (hopefully), but there are little (or big) valleys on the line of our progression where we may get a little (or a lot) off track.  Similarly, prophets and apostles are leading the work of God forward, refining and progressing, but the Church may have taken some missteps in its nearly 200 year history.  

Truth be told, I have a strong conviction that the Church is led by prophets called of God.  Back to Elder M. Russell Ballard (long quote, but important in my view):

"The Church of Jesus Christ has always been led by living prophets and apostles.  Though mortal and subject to human imperfection, the Lord’s servants are inspired to help us avoid obstacles that are spiritually life threatening and to help us pass safely through mortality to our final, ultimate, heavenly destination. 

During my nearly 40 years of close association, I have been a personal witness as both quiet inspiration and profound revelation have moved to action the prophets and apostles, the General Authorities, and the auxiliary leaders.  While neither perfect nor infallible, these good men and women have been perfectly dedicated to leading the work of the Lord forward as He has directed. 

. . . .

Too many people think Church leaders and members should be perfect of nearly perfect.  They forget that the Lord’s grace is sufficient to accomplish His work through mortals.  Our leaders have the best intentions, but sometimes we make mistakes . . . .

Looking for human weakness in others is rather easy.  However, we make a serious mistake by noticing only the human nature of one another and then failing to see God’s hand working through those He has called. 

Focusing on how the Lord inspires His chosen leaders and how He moves the saints to do remarkable and extraordinary things despite their humanity is one way that we hold on to the gospel of Jesus Christ and stay safely aboard the Old Ship Zion.”

I have received a witness from the Holy Spirit that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is led by prophets of God.  I have made a covenant with God to sustain and support them.  So, what does that mean for me personally in this case, where I admittedly have reservations about this new policy?  How do I sustain them in spite of this issue?

• Whether or not this policy is manmade or divinely appointed, I pray for these fifteen men and I will continue to pray for them.  Whether or not this policy is manmade or divinely appointed, I firmly believe that this policy is not motivated by animus, and these men are doing the best they can in a calling they did not seek.  I cannot fathom the incredible burden they carry to lead the Church and teach the world correct principles, particularly in light of the intense scrutiny and criticism they face.  
• Whether or not this policy is manmade or divinely appointed, and despite my admitted reservations with the policy, I support them in their decision to implement the policy.  While I acknowledge the possibility that this policy is more manmade than divinely appointed, I acknowledge that I just don't have the ability to conclusively say that is the case.  Again, I don't know all the reasons behind the policy, and I trust that the prophets and apostles (1) are doing the best they can and (2) see things from their vantage point that I haven't even considered.  Again, Isaiah 55:8-9.

And that's what God has told me as I have prayed and pondered about this over the last 24 hours.  Also, interestingly to me, one of the first impressions I had as I was praying about this was that the gap between the position of the Church and the accepted view of society is only going to continue to widen.  And these words entered my mind and heart: "Hang on, it's going to get bumpy in the last days!"  No one knows when Christ will return again, but each day is one day closer to that event, and based on God's message to me, it sounds to me like the coming days will require me to have a tight grip on the iron rod and healthy spiritual reserves!

As a final thought, I want to turn back to the dichotomy between policies and doctrines.  I note that for me, it was focusing on the doctrine of Christ that ultimately helped me to come to peace in the face of this new policy.  As I turn to the fundamental doctrines of the gospel, it leads me to the Atonement of Jesus Christ.   I readily acknowledge that for many, this policy strikes much more close to home than it does for me.  There are people who are hurting over this policy in principle, and there will undoubtedly be people hurt by this new policy as it is put into practice.  I sympathize with these people, and I strive my best to empathize with them.  From one point of view, it looks unfair to put additional hurdles to baptism for people who did not choose their parentage.  Nonetheless, I do believe that "all that is unfair about life can be made right through the Atonement of Jesus Christ," (See Lesson 2 in Preach My Gospel) or in other words, as Elder Ballard said, "the Lord’s grace is sufficient to accomplish His work through mortals."   Whether in this life or the next, Christ's grace will right all wrongs.  It is my conviction of the fundamental principles of the gospel that helps me to navigate issues such as this new policy from the perspective of faith.  And I suspect this won't be the last time – because it's going to get bumpy!  Hang on!

Let the Holy Spirit Guide

This is Part 3 of a three part series on the Holy Trinity.  Here are links to Part 1 and Part 2.

The Holy Ghost, or the Holy Spirit, is the third member of the Godhead and works together with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ in perfect harmony, “to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life” of each one of us.[i]  Unlike God the Father and the Son Jesus Christ, the Holy Ghost does not have a body of flesh and bones.  The scriptures teach us that the Holy Ghost does not have a body in order to allow Him to be able to “dwell in us.”[ii]   Heavenly Father has provided the Holy Spirit to us to help us navigate this life while we are experiencing the tests of mortality, separated from the presence of our Heavenly Father.  As described in further detail below, the Holy Ghost is also a key player in the sanctifying process we must go through in order to prepare to return to our Heavenly Father.  Through the Holy Ghost, we experience the benefits of Jesus Christ’s atonement. 

The Holy Ghost has many roles.  I will highlight a few of His roles here, though this list is undoubtedly not a comprehensive list of the roles and activities of the Holy Spirit.[iii]  

Teacher and Revealer of Truth

The Holy Ghost speaks to us to teach us.[iv]  It is through the Holy Ghost that we can know if something is true.[v]    So, how does the Holy Ghost teach us and confirm truth to us?  In a lot of ways, it is difficult to describe how the Holy Ghost communicates to our souls.  President Boyd K. Packer once related that describing the way we gain spiritual knowledge to a skeptical non-believer is like trying to describe what salt tastes like to someone who has never tasted salt.[vi] President Packer continued:

“We cannot express spiritual knowledge in words alone. . . . We do not have the words . . . which perfectly describe the Spirit. The scriptures generally use the word voice, which does not exactly fit. These delicate, refined spiritual communications are not seen with our eyes, nor heard with our ears. And even though it is described as a voice, it is a voice that one feels, more than one hears.”[vii]

Paul similarly described to the Galatians that certain feelings were the fruits of the Spirit: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance. . . .”[viii]  Another passage of scripture indicates that the Holy Ghost communicates through our “mind” and in our “heart.”[ix]  My understanding of this scripture through my own experiences is that the Holy Ghost may communicate to us through distinct thoughts and even logic[x] (i.e., the mind) and through tender feelings described by Paul above (i.e., the heart).  

The Holy Spirit will “speak” to us and guide us as we seek answers to questions.  Questions as big as the existential variety (i.e., “Who am I, where do I come from, and where am I going?”), questions on a smaller day-to-day scale (i.e., “Should I do X or Y on this work project?”), and everything in between.  But receiving these communications from the Holy Spirit usually requires slowing down and listening, which can be difficult in our fast-paced, always-plugged-in society. 

As we seek truth, it is through the Holy Ghost that Heavenly Father will confirm truth to us.  For those who “experiment upon the word” in patience and humility (as I described in an earlier post), the Holy Ghost does confirm eternal truths to us.  I can attest to that from my own experience.  And as we gain knowledge of eternal truths through the Holy Spirit and appropriately act upon that knowledge, we draw closer to our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.[xi]

Sanctifier

In addition to a baptism of water, the scriptures make reference to a “baptism of the Holy Ghost,” also referred to at times as a “baptism by fire.”[xii]  Jesus taught that both baptism by water and the Holy Ghost were necessary to return to our Heavenly Father’s presence.[xiii]

The scriptures also sometimes refer to the process of receiving the baptism of the Holy Ghost as a sanctifying process.[xiv]  One definition for the word “sanctify” is “to free from sin; purify.”[xv]  In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the Gift of the Holy Ghost is conferred upon individuals after baptism in water.  Both baptisms are part of the process to become cleansed from our sins.  One explanation (though certainly not the only explanation) of the symbolism of these ordinances is that both water and heat are used as cleansing agents in our natural world.  When something is dirty, we generally use water to clean it.  When something is impure, we might apply heat to purify it (for example, when water is exposed to enough heat, the water boils and it is purified; fire can also be used to sterilize a needle).  In a similar manner, baptism by water and the Holy Ghost (i.e., baptism by fire) are necessary parts of the process whereby we accept Christ and receive the cleansing and purifying powers of the atonement of Jesus Christ.

When we receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost, it prepares us to return to the presence of our Heavenly Father.  Those who have received the Gift of the Holy Ghost are invited to return to worship services each Sunday to reflect on the Atonement of Jesus Christ, to partake of the sacrament, and to renew covenants with Heavenly Father.  Those covenants include witnessing our willingness to take upon us the name of Jesus Christ, to always remember Him, and to keep His commandments.  The promised blessing associated with this weekly ordinance is that we will always have the Spirit to be with us.  The effort to more fully comply with the covenants of the sacrament is certainly an ongoing effort for all participants, but as participants continue to qualify to have the Spirit with them, they receive the sanctifying effects of the atonement of Jesus Christ that were bestowed upon them when they were baptized and received the Gift of the Holy Ghost.  This process draws us closer to our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and enables us to become more prepared to return to our Heavenly Father’s presence. 

Much of the way I strive to live my faith is a daily struggle to try to keep the companionship of the Spirit with me. This means both that I try to fill my soul with those things that invite the Spirit into my life and I try to avoid those things that offend the Spirit.   

Comforter

Christ frequently referred to the Holy Ghost as the Comforter.[xvi]  Near the end of Christ’s life, he promised his apostles that when he was departed, Heavenly Father would send the Comforter and the peace that accompanies the companionship of the Holy Ghost: “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.  Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you.  Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”[xvii]

The promise of peace and comfort of the Holy Spirit did not apply only to the apostles to whom Christ was speaking.  As we face the sometimes agonizing path of mortality, Heavenly Father sends us the Spirit to comfort us and to provide us peace in the face of death and sickness, depression and sorrow, temptation and sin.  When we turn to Him at times of major and minor difficulties, He sends us the Comforter to assist us along the way.  The Comforter provides us the hope that “all that is unfair about life can be made right through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.”[xviii] 

This peace and comfort has come to me at difficult times in my life.  I have seen it come into the lives of people who have suffered unimaginable tragedy and heartache.  As I have discussed in Part 1 and Part 2 of this series about the Holy Trinity, part of the main purpose of our life experience is to learn and to grow in an environment separate from the presence of our Heavenly Father.  In this life we gain experience that we could not otherwise gain.  But He has not left us alone.  Christ has atoned for our sins and has felt all the pain and sorrow we have experienced and which will ever experience.  From the most miniscule annoyance to the most profound sorrow, He has felt it.  And it is through the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, that we can feel the peace and comfort, the “succoring,”[xix] the hope and love[xx] and encouragement of our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.

*****

The experiences I have had with God throughout my life have come through the Holy Ghost, sometimes powerfully and sometimes subtly.  The feeling I get after I help someone in need.  The joy I had the day I married my wife and the love I felt when my son was born.  The peace and encouragement that comes to me as I read and ponder the scriptures.  The confirming witness I feel as I listen to General Conference.  And the thoughts that come to my mind as I pray about and weigh in my mind important personal decisions.  These are all ways, among many others, in which I have felt the Spirit in my life.  It is through my experiences with the Holy Ghost that my faith has developed and been affirmed. 

I conclude with a series of videos about the Spirit produced by my Church.  In these videos, various individuals share, among other things, their thoughts about how they feel the Spirit, what they do to invite the Spirit into their lives, how the Spirit comforts them, and other experiences with the Spirit.

Feeling the Holy Ghost: Power of the Holy Spirit 

Comfort in Trials

Receiving Revelation

 Having the Holy Ghost

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[i] Moses 1:39.

[ii] D&C 130:22: “The Father has a body of flesh and bones as tangible as man’s; the Son also; but the Holy Ghost has not a body of flesh and bones, but is a personage of Spirit.  Were it not so, the Holy Ghost could not dwell in us.”

[iii] For example, I will not go into detail here about the many Gifts of the Spirit described in the scriptures (see 1 Corinthians 12:4–11). 

[iv] John 14:26 states, “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things….”

[v] Moroni 10:5 in the Book of Mormon reads, “And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.”

[vi] See Boyd K. Packer, “The Candle of the Lord,” Ensign, January 1983, available at https://www.lds.org/ensign/1983/01/the-candle-of-the-lord?lang=eng. 

[vii] Id.

[viii] Galatians 5:22–23. 

[ix] See D&C 8:2.  Elsewhere the scriptures say that the Holy Ghost may communicate to us through a "burning" in our "bosom" and we will feel that something is right.  See D&C 9:8.

[x] One caveat: though God may use logic to help us understand truth, God’s messages may sometimes appear illogical from our limited, finite perspective.

[xi] Which is our ultimate goal, to become one with the Father and the Son.  See John 17:3.

[xii] See Matthew 3:11; 2 Nephi 31:13, 17; and D&C 19:31.

[xiii] John 3:5: “Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.”

[xiv] See 3 Nephi 27:20: “Now this is the commandment: Repent, all ye ends of the earth, and come unto me and be baptized in my name, that ye may be sanctified by the reception of the Holy Ghost, that ye may stand spotless before me at the last day.”  See also Alma 13:12.

[xv] See http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sanctify.  Another listed definition is “to set apart to a sacred purpose or to religious use; consecrate.”  I also find this definition compelling since when we enter into the “gate” (see 2 Nephi 31:17) through baptism and the reception of the Gift of the Holy Ghost, we are in essence setting ourselves apart to serve God and to consecrate our lives to Him.

[xvi] See, for example, John 14:26, John 15:26, and John16:7.

[xvii] John 14:26–27.

[xviii] Preach My Gospel, Lesson 2: The Plan of Salvation, available at https://www.lds.org/manual/preach-my-gospel-a-guide-to-missionary-service/lesson-2-the-plan-of-salvation?lang=eng. 

[xix] See Alma 7:12.

[xx] Moroni 8:26 states, “And the remission of sins bringeth meekness, and lowliness of heart; and because of meekness and lowliness of heart cometh the visitation of the Holy Ghost, which Comforter filleth with hope and perfect love, which love endureth by diligence unto prayer, until the end shall come, when all the saints shall dwell with God.”

I Know That My Redeemer Lives

In my last post about God the Father, I wrote that I would dedicate a blog post to each of the members of the Holy Trinity.  As I sat down to write this post about the Son, Jesus Christ, it occurred to me that I may have bitten off more than I can chew!  Volumes upon volumes have been written about Jesus Christ.  And rightfully so.  Jesus Christ is central to Heavenly Father’s plan for us, and He deserves our time, attention, reverence, love, and worship.

With this in mind, I will not attempt to say everything that can be said about Jesus Christ.  But I will share a few doctrines accompanied by some of my own personal thoughts and feelings. 

The Living Christ is a document that was issued on January 1, 2000, to commemorate Jesus Christ at the new millennium and is a “testimony of the reality of [Christ’s] matchless life and the infinite virtue of His great atoning sacrifice.”  I invite you to read the entire document (located here), but I will also use excerpts from this document (italicized text below) as a springboard for this discussion about Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

[Jesus Christ] was the Great Jehovah of the Old Testament, the Messiah of the New. Under the direction of His Father, He was the creator of the earth. “All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made” (John 1:3).

…
We solemnly testify that His life, which is central to all human history, neither began in Bethlehem nor concluded on Calvary. He was the Firstborn of the Father, the Only Begotten Son in the flesh, the Redeemer of the world.

Like each of us, Jesus Christ lived with Heavenly Father before this life.[i]  Jesus Christ is the Firstborn of our Heavenly Father’s children and was light years more spiritually developed than each of us.[ii]  He worked closely with Heavenly Father to execute the plan that would allow us to come to this earth to gain bodies, be tried and tested, and develop the characteristics of our Father.[iii]  Because we all knew we would fall short of perfection in this process, He volunteered in the pre-earth life to be our Savior.[iv]  Under the direction and in perfect unity with our Heavenly Father, He was the creator,[v] and He was Jehovah in the Old Testament.[vi] 

This Supreme Being condescended to this world and took upon himself mortal characteristics.[vii]  While Heavenly Father is the father of each of our spirits, Heavenly Father is also the earthly father of Jesus Christ.[viii]  Thus, with a mortal mother (Mary), and a divine Father (our Heavenly Father), Jesus Christ was both mortal and immortal.  Through Mary, He was subject to death, temptation, sickness, and the other frailties of mortality, but as the literal Son of God, He also had power over this same death, temptation, sickness, and the other frailties of mortality.  Because of this special nature, He was able to effect the atonement in which He overcame death so that we all will be resurrected,[ix] He felt all our pains and sicknesses[x], and He paid the price for our sins so that (on the condition of our repentance) we may return to our Heavenly Father’s presence.[xi]

He “went about doing good” (Acts 10:38), yet was despised for it. His gospel was a message of peace and goodwill. He entreated all to follow His example.  He walked the roads of Palestine, healing the sick, causing the blind to see, and raising the dead.

Christ performed miracles during his mortal ministry,[xii] and He continues to perform miracles today for those with faith in Him.[xiii] 

Christ provides the perfect example.[xiv]  He taught us and showed us what it is to love and to serve.[xv]  He condemned sin, but balanced this with complete compassion for the sinner.[xvi]  One of the goals of this life is to study His words and works and to strive to emulate Him.[xvii]

He instituted the sacrament as a reminder of His great atoning sacrifice.  He was arrested and condemned on spurious charges, convicted to satisfy a mob, and sentenced to die on Calvary’s cross. He gave His life to atone for the sins of all mankind. His was a great vicarious gift in behalf of all who would ever live upon the earth.

I am grateful each week that I have to attend church, reflect upon the atonement of Jesus Christ, and commemorate his sacrifice by partaking of the sacrament.  It is rejuvenating to weekly reflect on my own life, weaknesses, strengths, and personal progress and to express gratitude to my Heavenly Father for Jesus Christ’s incomparable gifts of resurrection, repentance, redemption, and renewal.

Among my favorite scriptures is Isaiah 1:18: “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.”  I love this scripture because of the imagery it brings to my mind.  Not just the imagery of “scarlet to white as snow” and “crimson to wool,” which are definitely part of the appeal of this scripture to me, but also the imagery of a merciful Savior, beckoning to me – and to each of us – to “come” and “reason together” with Him.  I have made many mistakes throughout my life, and over and over again, I have felt guilt swept away and replaced with renewing hope as I have come to Christ and repented of my sins.  Christ is truly the Healer of spiritual wounds.

We bear testimony, as His duly ordained Apostles— that Jesus is the Living Christ, the immortal Son of God. He is the great King Immanuel, who stands today on the right hand of His Father. He is the light, the life, and the hope of the world. His way is the path that leads to happiness in this life and eternal life in the world to come. God be thanked for the matchless gift of His divine Son.

I shared in my last post that one of the pillars of my faith is “the knowledge that Heavenly Father loves me, cares about me, and is keenly aware of me and my needs.” Similarly, my knowledge of Jesus Christ and his role as my personal Savior as “the light, the life, and the hope of the world” is another foundational pillar of my faith.  The experiences I describe above of repenting and having guilt swept away serve as the primary basis for this pillar of faith.  I have reflected on these experiences when doubt threatens to overcome my faith. 

As the video below describes, it is because of Jesus Christ that I can hit the reset button when I make mistakes (and I make my fair share of them).  It is because of Him that in a world fraught with turmoil, anger, violence, and despair, I have peace and hope.  It is because of Him and His example that I know what will bring me happiness in this life and in the life to come.  It is because of Him that I can feel and experience true love and joy.  He lived for us, He died for us, and He lives again.  I echo the oft-repeated words: “I know that my Redeemer lives.”[xviii]

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[i] See John 1:1; John 8:58; John 16:28.

[ii] See John 1:1-4; D&C 93:21.

[iii] See Abraham 3:22-27.

[iv] See Abraham 3:27; 1 Peter 1:18-20.

[v] See Abraham 3:24; John 1:1-3; John 1:10; Hebrews 1:2, 10; Mosiah 3:8.

[vi] See, for example, Isaiah 43:11 and Isaiah 49:26. 

[vii] See John 1:14; 1 Nephi 19:10; Ether 3:8-9.

[viii] In the scriptures, Christ is often referred to as the “Only Begotten Son” (see, for example, John 3:16 and 1 John 4:9).  See also Luke 1:34-35; Alma 7:10. 

[ix] See 1 Corinthians 15:20-22; Mosiah 16:7-8; Alma 11:41.

[x] See Alma 7:11-12; 2 Nephi 9:21; Mosiah 3:7.

[xi] See Alma 7:13; Matthew 20:28; John 1:29; 2 Nephi 2:6-7; Alma 42:15.  For a good analogy of the intersection between justice, mercy, and redemption, please see this brief video, The Mediator, found here: https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/the-mediator?lang=eng.

[xii] See 1 Nephi 11:31; Matthew 4:23; Mark 1:34.

[xiii] See Mormon 9:15; Ether 12:18; Moroni 7:27-29; 33.

[xiv] See 3 Nephi 12:48.

[xv] See, for example, Matthew 5:44; John 13:34; John 15:13.

[xvi] See, for example, the account of the woman caught in adultery found in John 8:1-11.

[xvii] See Moroni 7:48.

[xviii] See Job 19:25.  See also https://www.lds.org/music/library/hymns/i-know-that-my-redeemer-lives?lang=eng.