Everything Centers Upon the Atonement of Christ

To atone means to reconcile a person to God by paying the price for the person’s sin, freeing the person from sin’s effects, enabling the person to return to God’s presence. The act of the Atonement includes Jesus Christ’s infinite suffering and offering Himself a ransom in the Garden of Gethsemane and on Calvary, His death, and resurrection.

The fall of Adam and Eve from the presence of God brought death and sin into the world. The effects of the Fall were overcome by the Atonement. The Atonement promises resurrection, the reuniting of body and spirit after death, to all who are born on earth. To be forgiven of sins, a person must have faith in Christ and repent of his or her sins.

The following quote by Church leader James E. Talmage about the need for a Savior impacted me so deeply that I wrote it in my scriptures and refer to it often:

Such then is the need of a Redeemer, for without Him mankind would forever remain in a fallen state, and as to hope of eternal progression would be inevitably lost. The mortal probation is provided as an opportunity of advancement, but so great are the difficulties and the dangers, so strong is the influence of evil in the world, and so weak is man in resistance thereto, that without the aid of a power above that of humanity, no soul would find its way back to God from whom it came. The need of a Redeemer lies in the inability of man to raise himself from the temporal to the spiritual plane, from the lower kingdom to the higher. (Talmage, Jesus the Christ, pg 25).

Christ’s Atonement impacts mankind, but the effects it has on an individual life is truly remarkable. A parable and two scriptural stories illustrate my path in understanding and applying the Atonement in my life: the prodigal son, the woman with an issue of blood, and Abigail and David.

Sins Are Forgiven Through the Atonement

In several ways, the story of the prodigal son is my story. A son demanded his portion of the father’s inheritance.  The father compassionately complied with his son’s rude request.  The son took the inheritance and quickly squandered it. Eventually, he survived by feeding swine. Then, according to the Savior’s words, “when he came to himself, he said…I will arise and go to my father…” (Luke 15:17-18). When he came to himself, he thought of his father.  How often have I repeated that process!  I do not think of God, when I am in the midst of sin, but when I “come to myself,” my thoughts can turn again to Him.

Generally, the younger son is considered the prodigal in need of repentance and forgiveness, but I see myself sinning much more egregiously as the older son in the story.  The older son stayed with the father fulfilling his obligation.  When the repentant younger son returned to a robe, a ring, and the fatted calf, however, the older son’s pride and anger were as disrespectful to the father as the younger son’s impudence. The father implored the eldest son to join the him in celebrating the younger son’s return. The last line of the story is, “for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found” (Luke 15:32).  I have often wondered if the son joined the family celebration or not.  The open ended-ness of the story enabled me to see myself as the older brother.  I have a choice.  Do I swallow my pride and return to the Father?  His open invitation invites both brothers to return to Him.  His great mercy and compassion to the youngest son demonstrates His unfailing love and desire for every child to return.  His patient appeal to the oldest son entreats us to throw off our self-righteousness and pride and become like Him.

The parable of the prodigal son teaches me of God’s great love for me when I choose to run away from Him or become prideful and self-righteousness.  I can repent of my sins and through the Atonement’s grace can be forgiven for those sins.

The Atonement Heals All Injustices

The Savior also promises that His Atoning power heals all wounds, griefs, and injustices. The story of the woman with an issue of blood illustrates the power of the Savior to heal all wounds.

Behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment: For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole. But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour (Matthew 9:20-22 ).

The unnamed woman sought out Jesus believing that He could heal her affliction. She humbly approached Him and reached for His healing power. Her faith in Him enabled Him to heal her. I struggled with a victim mentality for years.  I could not find peace. I took my “issue” to the Lord many times. When I was finally willing to drop it at His feet determined that it would not define me anymore, and walk away, He healed me. While my wound was not instantly healed, over time I grew stronger and my perception of the world changed. One day my mother asked me about the incident and I realized I had not even thought of it in months. The wound was absolutely healed!  Through subsequent years, the Savior has even healed the scar. I have been reborn, a new creature.

Applying the Atonement’s Merciful Grace To Others

While in the wilderness of Paran, David and his band protected the shepherds and flocks of Nabal.  David sent messengers to Nabal requesting food and water. Nabal refused hospitality to David. Furious, David determined to kill Nabal’s household. A servant told Nabal’s wife, Abigail.  She hurriedly prepared food and sent the offering to David. She and her servants met David on his way to destroy them.

Abigail fell on her face at David’s feet and said the most remarkable thing, “Upon me, my lord, upon me let this iniquity be…I pray thee, forgive the trespass of thine handmaid…” (1 Samuel 25:24, 28).

Without bitterness or anger, like the Savior, she took Nabal’s sin upon herself to save the lives of her household, and ultimately shielded David’s soul from a rash decision’s effects. I’m glad this story is not open ended.  David immediately came to himself and said, “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel which sent thee this day to meet me: And blessed be thy advice, and blessed be thou, which hast kept me this day from coming to shed blood, and from avenging myself with mine own hand” (1 Samuel 25:32-33).

As the Savior takes upon Himself the sins of others, He stands in their place before us and says, “upon me let this iniquity be: and…forgive the trespass…”  Just as I believe the Atonement can be efficacious in my life, I believe that the Atonement can be efficacious in the lives of everyone around me.  The Savior, and Abigail, teach me to see beyond sin and defensive pride into the heart of him who has offended me. Like me, he or she is also a child of God. The Savior’s Atonement enables me to become more like the Him and share the mercy He gives me with those around me.

I invite you to apply the Savior’s Atonement more fully in your own life.  If you have questions about the Atonement or how to repent, please contact the Mormon Missionaries.

Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (sometimes mistakenly called the “Mormon Church”) are Christian, and as such most emphatically celebrate the Easter holiday. Yes we “Mormons” do enjoy the fun commercialized aspect of Easter with the egg hunts, Easter bunny baskets, candy, etc. But more importantly we celebrate it for what it truly is—the day that our Lord Jesus Christ was resurrected from His tomb.

What Exactly is the Resurrection?

The Resurrection is “the reuniting of the spirit with the body in an immortal state, no longer subject to disease or death” (see Gospel Topics). We know that the Savior’s spirit was reunited with his body because of scriptural accounts in both the Bible and the Book of Mormon. An example of this is found in the record of Luke where Jesus Christ said, “Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have” (Luke 24:39).

Will I Be Resurrected?

Because of our Savior’s resurrection, we also will be resurrected! Isn’t that glorious? Again, this truth has scriptural backing. We read in the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ, that through the Atonement (Christ’s selfless acts made it possible for man to be reconciled with God) “he breaketh the bands of death, that the grave shall have no victory, and that the sting of death should be swallowed up in the hopes of glory” (Alma 22:14). And then in the Bible it states, “But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive (1 Corinthians 15: 20-22).

How did the Savior make the Resurrection possible?

To be perfectly honest, my brain can’t even comprehend the true greatness of this miracle to adequately answer this question. I do know, however, that He did make it possible. While in the Garden of Gethsemene, and again on the cross of Calvary, Christ felt all of the pains, sicknesses, and sorrows that have ever been felt or that will ever be felt (see Alma 7:11-12). In essence, His Atonement was truly infinite. Because He stuck with the plan, without giving up, even during the moment when He was completely alone, even uttering the solitary words, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (Mark 15:34). And again, His “never quit” attitude kept persevering when the Adversary himself tempted in the climax of it all, “If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross” (Matthew 27:40). He still pressed on, carrying out His divinely appointed mission, perfectly and with exactness. Because He did this, the resurrection was made possible! And He rose triumphantly. Allowing Easter to be truly a day of celebration.

What Does the Mormon Prophet Say about the Resurrection and Easter?

President Thomas S. Monson said this in a General Conference address in April 2010, titled, “He is Risen:”

No words in Christendom mean more to me than those spoken by the angel to the weeping Mary Magdalene and the other Mary when, on the first day of the week, they approached the tomb to care for the body of their Lord. Spoke the angel:

“Why seek ye the living among the dead?

“He is not here, but is risen” (Luke 24:5-6).

Our Savior lived again. The most glorious, comforting, and reassuring of all events of human history had taken place—the victory over death. The pain and agony of Gethsemane and Calvary had been wiped away. The salvation of mankind had been secured. The Fall of Adam had been reclaimed.

The empty tomb that first Easter morning was the answer to Job’s question, “If a man die, shall he live again?” To all within the sound of my voice, I declare, If a man die, he shall live again. We know, for we have the light of revealed truth.

My Testimony of Easter

Yes, I do enjoy the Easter Bunny. But my whole life is different because of my knowledge of this—that Jesus Christ was resurrected with a “body of flesh and bone.” I know that Jesus Christ is the Savior of world. I know that the physical ailments that we have in this life will be made whole when we are resurrected, and that we will be resurrected because of the selfless One, even Jesus Christ. I believe with all of my heart that Jesus Christ is our Redeemer and He has made it possible for all of us to return to live with our Heavenly Father as eternal families—what glorious truths.

I invite you to meet with Mormon missionaries, to learn more about the Gospel of Jesus Christ in its fullness. Learn about Jesus Christ’s Atonement and all that it means for you and all those whom you associate with. It is truth that “if a man die, he shall live again” and what a reassuring truth that is. Read also, the Book of Mormon (a companion to the Bible) and feast upon the account of the Resurrected Lord’s ministry on the American continent.

This article was written by Ashley Bell, a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

The atonement of Jesus Christ is the center of Mormon belief.  Everything we are and do hinges on that.  Mormons believe that the entire work of God is “to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man” (Pearl of Great Price, Moses 1:39).  Immortality is guaranteed through the universal resurrection of all living things, brought about by the atonement of Christ.  In the resurrection, we will all enjoy perfect, immortal, and whole bodies that cannot age, become diseased, or die.  Therefore, Christ has overcome physical death; He has overcome the grave.

Eternal life is to dwell forever in God’s very presence.  This is not the same as salvation, which is to be saved into one of the myriad mansions in heaven.  This is exaltation into God’s presence, and it is conditional upon our righteousness, thoughts, deeds, intents, and in fulfilling requirements of eternal covenants and ordinances.  Through doing work for the dead in holy Mormon temples, Latter-day Saints provide those ordinances, that the dead may choose to accept them or reject them.  Thus, they can move from salvation to exaltation, should they choose and qualify to do so.

On normal Sundays, Mormons attend church for three hours.  Sacrament meeting, during which the sacramental emblems (Eucharist) are passed, is different on Easter.  Mormons sing hymns about the resurrection of Christ, (some of which are old Christian standards) and the congregation’s choir may sing special hymns.  Sermons (presented by lay members, who call them “talks”) deal with the resurrection and atonement of the Savior.

Mormons do not have a Lenten season leading up to Easter.  They fast one Sunday each month throughout the year and donate the funds they would have spent on food to the poor.  They repent constantly of their sins and strive to do better. There is no carnival season, either, just normal, diligence and humility.  The Mormon laws of health guarantee that Mormons live circumspectly and in moderation all their days, and not just during Lent.

The peripheral trappings of Easter observed by Latter-day Saints vary from family to family and culture to culture.  In the United States, Latter-day Saints may join their neighbors for Easter egg rolls, or coloring eggs.  In Greece Latter-day Saint families will dye Easter eggs blood red, as their neighbors do, and bake festive breads.  Gathering the family together for a feast is common everywhere.

Mormons perceive the atonement of Christ as the central event in all of history and the one that is most powerful and meaningful in the lives of all who have ever dwelt on earth.  Therefore, they try to minimize the peripheral and more worldly trappings of Easter to focus on the Savior and His sacrifice for us.

http://youtu.be/JVxhp2HATB0

In the scriptures, we are told by Jesus Christ Himself that He is “the way, the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the Father, but by [Him]” (John 14:6). The same thought is reiterated several times throughout scripture. There is no way back to God but through Jesus Christ.

In our lives, there are many different paths we can go down. Ultimately, however, there are really only two choices: God’s plan or Satan’s plan. If we do not choose God’s plan—which, remember, is laid out so specifically that there is no room for error—then we are choosing Satan’s plan. So, not all roads lead to the summit; there is only one road that leads to God.

Paul Warnick, a wise ecclesiastical leader of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (which church is often mistakenly called the “Mormon Church”) said in a stake conference of the Orem Stake in 2012, that there is only one ship that will get us to the shore. God’s plan, His “ship,” is the only ship that is not going to sink. At times it may seem like all the other ships are firing on it (which, in effect, they are), and that there is no way it can remain afloat amidst so much opposition. However, we have been told time and again that God has already won the battle; we simply have to decide which side we are going to be on in the end.

I draw a great deal of comfort from the fact that God’s plan is the only way that works. I know the specifics of the plan, at least what is expected of me, so there is no doubt in my mind about what I need to do in order to remain on that path. There are a lot of other options which seem to be not bad choices. Indeed, there are many options which are not inherently evil, but they are also not what God has in mind for me. Thus, those are not the right paths for me to go down. I can know through study, faith, prayer, and even trial and error, what God’s plan for me is.

Knowing God’s plan does not make following that one road easy, quite the contrary. The whole point of God’s plan is that we are stretched to our limits. Many times we even fail, but through our failures and experience, we grow and can repent and become more like God.

The atonement of Jesus Christ, the living Son of God, is what enables us to repent and ultimately have the opportunity to return to God. The atonement was part of God’s plan from the very beginning. God knew that we would not be able to follow His path in one try. We would need multiple tries. The only way we could be given multiple tries was if someone else took the fall for us, because justice is an eternal principle and must be met. When we sin, there is a consequence that must be met. When we turn to Jesus Christ, the only road which leads to the summit, we can use the power of His atonement to be cleansed and get ourselves back on the path headed in the right direction.

I am grateful for the knowledge I have of God’s plan for His children. I am grateful that I know from the scriptures that there is only one road which leads to God: Jesus Christ. I know that by following His commandments and by applying His atonement in my life I can be cleansed and eventually perfected through Him. This will not happen in this life, but if I do the best I can in this life, His grace will be sufficient to help me continue in my eternal progress, on that one road to the summit.

This article was written by Doris White, a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Additional Resources:

www.mormonchurch.com

Basic Mormon Beliefs and Real Mormons

The Meaning of Life

Jesus Christ in Mormonism

The average American spends about 48 hours a year volunteering for charity. That’s a lot, but Mormons volunteer for 427.9 hours per year. Much of that is spent teaching or leading or working in church positions that largely benefit other church members, but 151.9 hours are spent volunteering in church programs that are not religious in nature. They volunteer in the Boy Scouts of America or participate in non-sectarian humanitarian work or welfare programs.

Programs carried out within the Church are often open to people who are not Mormon and benefit the community as a whole. For instance, the literacy program, run by the Mormon women, certainly benefits the entire community, as does the employment program. When anyone in a community gets a better job, learns to read or to speak the native language, or improves his parenting skills, everyone in the entire community benefits and future generations are blessed. Mormon welfare programs, carried out largely for Latter-day Saints (Mormons), mean that Mormons are not taking money from the government or community charities, leaving those resources for those who cannot get them elsewhere. The Humanitarian Aid program provides initiatives that serve people regardless of faith. Donations to that fund are used exclusively to provide the actual care, with the administrative costs paid for through other church funds. The totals of moneys spent listed on the LDS website do not represent the full cost of services given, since it does not include those administrative costs, nor does it include the many other programs operated by the Church.

Mormons also donate 1,821 dollars a year to non-LDS charities and causes. These donations are in addition to their tithing. 88.8 percent of Mormons who are active in the Church pay a full ten percent tithe, as taught in the Bible.

One unique humanitarian program carried out by Mormons is the Fast Offering. One Sunday a month, Mormons go without food or drink for twenty-four hours—skipping two meals—and then donate the money saved to assist people in their congregation who are in need of food or shelter. This is an important aspect of the commandment to take care of our own. Mormons believe we should take care of those in our circles whenever possible. By going hungry for 24 hours, Mormons are able to prevent long-term hunger among their friends. This also helps them to gain a small understanding of what it means to be hungry in a world that seems to have plenty. Their temporary and voluntary hunger each month increases their compassion for those in need.

Mormon charitable giving of time and money is rooted in a commandment to become more like the Savior. Again and again, the Bible tells of the Savior’s concern for those who had the greatest need  He commanded His followers to be like Him and to love their neighbors as themselves. This motivates Mormons to serve others, both in and out of the church, with their time and their money.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, inadvertently called the Mormon Church by some people, believes in the gift of resurrection for all, and in the gift of eternal life for those who repent and follow the Lord Jesus Christ. But there are still individuals who doubt the Savior’s resurrection and set this precious gift at naught. But the scriptures coupled with diligent study and fervent prayer reveals that this thing is true.

The word ‘resurrection’ means the reuniting of the spirit body to the physical body in perfection, which will never be separated again.

The spirit and the body shall be reunited again in its perfect form; both limb and joint shall be restored to its proper frame, even as we now are at this time; and we shall be brought to stand before God, knowing even as we know now, and have a bright recollection of all our guilt. Now, this restoration shall come to all, both old and young, both bond and free, both male and female, both the wicked and the righteous; and even there shall not so much as a hair of their heads be lost; but every thing shall be restored to its perfect frame, as it is now, or in the body, and shall be brought and be arraigned before the bar of Christ the Son, and God the Father, and the Holy Spirit, which is one Eternal God, to be judged according to their works, whether they be good or whether they be evil (Book of Mormon, Alma 11:43-44).

Evidence of the resurrection of the Lord is replete in all the scriptures. There have been many witnesses to the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

One biblical testimony of the resurrection of the Savior in addition to the original apostles is the vision of Stephen, a righteous man and servant of God who saw the Lord Jesus Christ and God the Father.

But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God (New Testament, Act 7:55-56).

Stephen’s testimony also revealed that God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ are two distinct and separate Beings but united in purpose and in mission. Aside from Stephen’s vision, there are other occasions in the scriptures that illustrate this truth: the Lord’s baptism (New Testament, Matthew 3), the Transfiguration in the mount (New Testament, Matthew 17), the Lord’s visitation to the Book of Mormon Israelites in America (Book of Mormon, 3 Nephi 11), and the First Vision of the prophet Joseph Smith (Joseph Smith-History) in which God the Father testified of the divinity of His Son Jesus Christ, both of them appearing together as resurrected men.

Although all of us are entitled to the promise of resurrection, it is not a guarantee that one can live with God. Resurrection is a gift to everyone because of the Atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ. This gift enables us to never experience death again, and then those who follow the Lord’s commandments will be able to dwell with God for eternities. “And, if you keep my commandments and endure to the end you shall have eternal life, which gift is the greatest of all the gifts of God.” (Doctrine and Covenants, 14:7).

References:
1) Book of Mormon, Alma 11:43-44
2) New Testament, Acts 9:3-6
3) New Testament, Act 7:55-56
4) New Testament, Matthew 3; New Testament, Matthew 17; Book of Mormon, 3 Nephi 11; Joseph Smith-History
5) Doctrine and Covenants, 14:7

Additional References:

Mormon Beliefs and Testimonies

Beliefs and Practices of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

The Bible in Mormonism

In response to a high school student looking for answers about the “Mormon Church” (as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is frequently misnamed), a member of the Church gave the following answers:

What is the origin of the universe and man?

Mormons believe that the origin of the universe and man is God. The cycles of seasons, the regeneration of life, planets moving in their orbits; all these things denote an Author of order and intelligence. The over-arching attribute of God is love; love typified by the ability and tendency to sacrifice self for the well-being of another. God is a corporeal being; that is, He has a physical body. He lives in the family unit. If we could see Him, He would seem familiar to us as a father naturally would to a child. We are literally His spirit offspring, His children.

In this sphere of existence, we are all familiar with the phenomenon of a man and a woman falling in love, marrying and raising a family. In the ideal, both parents are devoted to each other and, united, devoted to their children. They work, they sacrifice, organize, and build to provide an environment wherein their children can learn and grow. Their supreme satisfaction is to see their children mature and perpetuate the labor of love that is family. This is the basic model of God’s purpose and activity. His love is the driving cause of His creative enterprises.

What is the purpose of mankind?

Mormon doctrine teaches that the basic purpose of mankind is to have a fullness of joy. If God has such fullness, is it not because He possesses the attributes of perfection in their fullness? Thus it is that the purpose He has ordained for us is simply to be like Him and thus enjoy what He enjoys. He is love, and if we choose also to become love with the means He has provided, He can perfect us sufficiently to enable us to work as He works and have a fullness of joy therein. Take the joys you see in the best family you have ever known and multiply them by a factor beyond comprehension. That is God—and the purpose of mankind. What loving father of such capability would want less for his children?

What is satisfaction and how do I obtain it? How can I be happy?

It is almost universally noted that, at some point in a long life, the human body ceases to be the instrument of satisfaction it was in youth. Its appetites have faded, and the soul is fed and warmed only by the love it has chosen over the appetites of the body. I speak of the choice of love typified in remaining faithful to a spouse in the face of temptation, or of sacrificing pleasure or worldly honor to attend to the needs and wants of a spouse and children. No doubt the appetites of the physical body are powerful and the opportunities for indulgence rich and compelling. In our youth, we are easily deluded into believing indulgence without restraint will always be satisfying. It won’t. Nevertheless, our mortal bodies are not the enemy of satisfaction and joy, but are a requirement thereof. Satisfaction comes in using them vigorously within the bounds God has set.

The satisfaction you query is really joy. It is to be found neither in a monastic nor a hedonistic environment but in a family environment. The path of this satisfaction is one and the same as a commitment to follow Jesus Christ in a life spent in service of others, including family, and particularly God. The manner of Jesus’ birth gave him unique capacity to receive a fullness of his Father’s glory while on the earth. Thus he said to Philip, “He that hath seen me hath seen the Father” (John 14:9). Mormons believe that Jesus Christ was and is in the express likeness and image of His Father, having the same attributes, the chief of those attributes being love. Again, if there is any good model of satisfaction it is God. God is love. Our lasting satisfaction is the sum of the love that fills us as we follow Jesus Christ by keeping his commandments, by serving others, and by living in the family covenant.

What has gone wrong with the world? Why is there evil in the world? Why do bad things happen to good people?

What has gone wrong with the world is the sum of all the selfish choices members of the human race have made. Agency—or real freedom of choice—is a fundamental constant in God’s purpose that His children have joy. What becomes of a child who never faces opposition, who never learns restraint or work? He remains a child, never knowing joy, because for him joy has no context, no reference to an opposite. If a parent wants a child to mature to strength and capability, sooner or later that child must face opposition.

The basic facts of the story of the Garden of Eden answer your question. How could an omniscient God place two people in a defined circumference with a forbidden element right in the middle of it, allow an opposing agent to persuade them to partake of that element, and then be surprised at the outcome? Or how can we say of an omniscient God that He fully intended that they should remain forever as they were in the Garden; that His basic intent was completely thwarted?

God intended that His children learn, in the laboratory of mortality, where real choice exists in a sphere of moral opposites. He did not force the Fall; that would have destroyed the crucial principle of agency inherent in His purpose of creation: to provide a space in which His children could learn and grow by experience. But He provided a way. God did not create, nor does He cause, evil. If He did not allow evil to exist in the same sphere with the force of good, we could not really choose for ourselves; we could never grow as God intended, could never learn to really love. The evidence that we really are free to choose good over evil is that many choose selfish evil ranging from shoplifting to genocide. We are just as free to choose the horrible as we are the sublime.

Choices have consequences. The sum of selfish choice ripples through the world in an awful way. Bad people are free to choose to do bad things to good people. But good people often unite to fight the forces of evil by their own free will and choice. That is the other side of the equation. Hard things like illness and accident happen to good people and bad alike. We will all taste of the loss of death. None of these things are evidence of a God who does not love or one who simply does not exist. They are evidence of a God who provided a way for His children to face opposition and to choose for themselves. As we suffer, we gain empathy for others and know better how to lift and serve others.

At the other pole, the cause of the availability of good as a choice is God’s provision of a Savior, His Son, Jesus Christ. Christ bore the weight of all the horror and suffering in this world in Gethsemane and on the cross. He rose with a resurrected body in complete triumph over death and sorrow. Those who suffer unjustly in this life go home to meet Him and prepare for the day of their own resurrection. They are free from pain and fear and remember their suffering no more. Their state is the polar opposite of tragedy.

What is the solution to the problems we face? What happens when I fail and how do I make things right?

The solution is to repent and follow Jesus Christ: In the name of Christ, offer to God a humble and remorseful heart; seek to make a restoration for any wrong we have committed; promise to abandon the error completely; ask for forgiveness. He is generous and quick to forgive a sincere heart. Following that, Mormons believe we must abandon a life of selfishness and live to lift and bless others.

What is right and wrong? Is moral truth absolute or relative?

Truth doesn’t change, because God doesn’t change. No modifications to the Ten Commandments or the Sermon on the Mount. Wrong is as the Savior defined it; Right is as He taught and lived.

Is there a universal moral law? Does everyone know the difference between right and wrong?

There is; and everyone of all nations, faiths, and traditions is born with the light of that law. We refer to that light as the light of Christ. Others sometimes refer to it as conscience. Good Buddhists, Muslims, Christians, and Jews alike are born with this light. We know instinctively that it is wrong to harm another. But prevailing traditions and, again, the ability to choose selfish satisfaction, can dim the light to the point that an entire society is capable of horror.

What happens at death? Where are we going when we die? How do we know and what does it look like, and if it is heaven, then how do we get there?

Mormons teach that if we have been righteous, we go home to the God who gave us life, and we rest from all our earthly cares and sorrow. We enjoy a reunion with family and friends who have preceded us. We await the day of our resurrection. In the resurrection our spirits are united with our bodies in the same manner as Jesus’ resurrection. It is in the resurrection that we gain the capacity to receive the fullness of Joy and satisfaction—in an eternal family unit—that God and Christ have prepared for us. We don’t need to worry about travel arrangements. We get there by patterning ourselves after the Savior in all that we do.

What does it look like? I had a glimmer once. I have been to some beautiful places on the Earth: the mountains near my home, the lush garden of Kauai (scented with plumeria) that meets a blue ocean teeming with fish in a variety of shape and color that defy description. I have thought that these places are heavenly, but my glimmer was the sense that they are only pale shadows of what the Savior has prepared for those who love Him.

What does your faith do with the person of Jesus?

My faith encompasses a witness that Jesus is as He ministered in the flesh, both before and after His resurrection. He is, literally, the Son of God. Although they are physically separate, they are One. As an end note, for me there can be no ultimate “satisfaction” without being one with Jesus as He is One with the Father – as he prayed in John 17. My faith orients me toward obsession with His person, character, and attributes. It is an obsession that can only be quenched with the Holy Ghost as He taught and prayed in John 14–17.

Additional Resources:

Mormon Doctrine on Families

Mormon View of Jesus Christ

MormonBeliefs.org

This comes on the heels of earlier surveys indicating that 32 percent of non-LDS U.S. adults say the LDS Church is not a Christian religion, and an additional 17 percent are unsure of LDS Christianity. The theological and semantic reasons for this can be complex, but for the 1,019 self-identified Mormons who participated in the Pew survey, their theological position is clear: Mormons believe in Jesus Christ, and they consider themselves to be Christian.

“Certainly in Latter-day Saint theology is this idea that if you understand who you are, you understand that there’s a purpose in life, you understand your connection to God, that certainly has an impact on how you live your life and what you do, but also how you feel about your life and what you are doing,” said Michael Purdy of the LDS Church Public Affairs office.

For the vast majority of Latter-day Saints surveyed, those life choices have much to do with their religious beliefs. Eighty-two percent of survey respondents indicate that religion is “very important” to them, 83 percent say they pray every day and 77 percent say they attend church at least once a week. Beyond that, a stunning 69 percent of respondents fit all three descriptions, saying that religion is very important to them, that they pray every day and that they go to church every week.

“By this measure,” the report says, “Mormons exhibit higher levels of religious commitment than many other religious groups, including white evangelical Christians.”

Part of the explanation for these high numbers may be that the survey focused only on those who self-identified as Latter-day Saints.

“The method they used tended to identify people who are strongly committed,” said BYU sociologist Marie Cornwall , who advised the Pew Forum on the new survey. “They don’t have the people who are kind of marginal. But that’s okay; we just have to be careful with the way we interpret the findings.”

One such finding is the relationship between religious commitment and education among Mormons.

David Campbell, a University of Notre Dame associate professor and another adviser on the survey, noted that the more educated respondents were, the higher their levels of religious commitment.

“I was a little surprised by that,” said Campbell, who is LDS and who has extensively studied on the role of religion in the public square. “The more educated a Mormon is, the more likely they are to be wholehearted in their commitment to the church and its teachings.”

That is different from other churches, he said, where more education tends to lead to more religious skepticism.

Pew Research Center officials also noted “a significant gender gap in religious commitment, with more Mormon women than men exhibiting a high level of religious commitment (73 percent vs. 65 percent).”

According to the Pew report, a similar “gender gap” is seen among the general public. A 2007 survey found 36 percent of U.S. women exhibited a high level of religious commitment, compared with 24 percent of men.

One series of questions asked about what it means to be a good Mormon. According to the respondents, in order to be a good Mormon it is “essential” to believe Joseph Smith saw God the Father and Jesus Christ (80 percent), work to help the poor (73 percent), hold regular family home evenings (51 percent), not drink coffee and tea (49 percent) and not watch R-rated movies (32 percent).

Combining those who said “essential” with those who said “important but not essential,” the order changes a little bit: working to help the poor (97 percent), holding regular family home evenings (96 percent), believing Joseph Smith saw God the Father and Jesus Christ (93 percent), not drinking coffee and tea (81 percent) and not watching R-rated movies (79 percent).

“I think that result is rather interesting,” said Cornwall. “Mormons are known for not drinking coffee or tea and not watching R-rated movies. But compared to believing that Joseph Smith saw God and working for the poor, Mormons don’t seem to focus on the coffee and tea as much as people probably think.”

Other manifestations of religious commitment in the survey included:

The number of respondents (65 percent) who say they hold a current temple recommend (a certificate from local ecclesiastical leaders, issued every other year, indicating that an individual has permission from the church to enter LDS temples and participate in temple rites and sacraments)

The number (79 percent) who say they pay tithing (donating 10 percent of their income to the church)

The number (27 percent) who have served full-time missions for the church (this number includes 43 percent of men and 11 percent of women and varies significantly according to the age and education of the respondent, as well as whether or not the respondent was raised Mormon)

The number (82 percent) who keep food in storage for emergencies or disasters, as they have been counseled to do by LDS Church leaders (This number includes 23 percent who say they have three months’ worth, 35 percent who say they have more than three months’ worth and 23 percent who say they have less than three months’ worth)

The percentage who pay tithing is especially interesting to break down. According to the survey tabulations, “tithing is most common among Mormons with the highest levels of religious commitment (96 percent) … fully 91 percent of college graduates say they pay tithing … compared with 66 percent of those with a high school diploma or less education. And among those whose family income exceeds $30,000, 83 percent say they pay tithing, compared with 69 percent of those with incomes of less than $30,000.”

While previous surveys have clearly established LDS agreement with certain key Christian doctrines — 90 percent of Mormons believe in God, 91 percent believe the Bible is the word of God and 98 percent believe in life after death — the new survey explores Mormon confidence in points of doctrine that are unique to LDS theology. And in these points of doctrine, Mormons proved to be unified and believing. They believe overwhelmingly that God and Jesus Christ are separate physical beings (94 percent), that the president of the LDS Church is a prophet of God (94 percent), that families can be bound together eternally in temple ceremonies (95 percent) and that the Book of Mormon was written by ancient prophets and translated by Joseph Smith (91 percent).

Overall, 77 percent say they believe “wholeheartedly” in all of the teachings of the LDS Church. That number increases to 82 percent among Mormons ages 18-49, and to 85 percent among Mormons who are college graduates.

“Ultimately, I suppose other Americans will judge our church — and perhaps all churches — by their relevance in how they touch and improve human lives right here on Earth as well as what they offer in the life to come,” wrote Michael Otterson, Public Affairs director for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, in his “On Faith” blog in the Washington Post. “Meanwhile, we welcome the friendship and regard of all groups, even as we retain our commitment to a unique identity. In the end … Latter-day Saints will strive to be good Mormons, true believers, kind neighbors and faithful friends.

Pew Study Reflects Mormons’ Religious Commitment to Christ, Mormon Beliefs in Tithes and Temples

Mormons in America

Crucifixion, common during the time period of the New Testament, was one of the most cruel forms of execution used by the Romans. The person being crucified was usually scourged first, whipped with leather thongs tied with pieces of flesh-tearing metal.

The person was then forced to carry his cross to the execution site. The clothing of the person was most often taken by the soldiers who would execute him. The person’s hands and feet were then tied or nailed to the cross. The cross was then driven into the ground so that the person’s feet were only one or two feet above the ground. This type of execution could take as long as three days to kill the victim, and sometimes the guards would break the legs of the prisoner to speed up the process. People that were hung on a cross usually died of asphyxiation.

Jesus Christ’s imprisonment and crucifixion was in nearly every way illegal. Christ was arrested at night. His trial with the Sanhedrin did not include all of its members and was not conducted in its proper place or time. The court was held before morning sacrifice and on a holy day, which was also illegal. Christ was denied a “friend in court,” one of the mandates of the Law of Moses, had improper witnesses, and the testimony of the Chief Priest, which was also illegal.  In addition anyone that was convicted by total agreement, was given a retrial.

When the voice of the people asked that Jesus Christ be crucified, He had already been beaten, humiliated, and whipped. Former President of the Mormon Church Spencer W. Kimball spoke of the Savior’s reaction to these events: “In quiet, restrained, divine dignity he stood when they cast their spittle in his face. He remained composed. Not an angry word escaped his lips. They slapped his face and beat his body. Yet he stood resolute, unintimidated.”

Jesus Christ was then made to carry the cross. He was weak, especially since He had already suffered in Gethsemane, and could not carry it, so Simon of Cyrenia carried it for him. Spencer W. Kimball further explained what happened:

”The nails are hammered into his hands and feet, through soft and quivering flesh. The agony increases. The cross is dropped in the hole; the flesh tears. What excruciating pain! Then new nails are placed in the wrist to make sure that the body will not fall to the ground and recover. And now they taunt him again: ‘He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him’ (Matthew 27:42). What a temptation it must have been for the Lord who could have stepped down whole and well without scars or bruises! What a challenge it must have been, yet he had set his mind and had sweat great drops of blood in his anguish as he faced his mission-to move forward through all gross indignities and meet death at the end, to bring life to these very men and their children, if they would heed.”

Even in agony Jesus Christ said, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34). Christ died, having remained perfect, fulfilling his mission. Jesus Christ’s crucifixion was an essential part of His mission. In John 10:17-18, Christ said to the Roman leader Pilate “I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again.” For Jesus Christ to freely give of His life was essential to our being saved from death.

The birth of Jesus Christ was a miraculous event and the turning point of human history.  Mormons believe in the Christmas story, as do other Christians, that Jesus was born in a Bethlehem stable, the Son of God and His mortal mother, Mary.  Mormonism differs from Catholicism, in that Mormons do not believe in an “immaculate conception.”  This belief holds that Mary was sinless.  Mormons believe that Jesus Christ is the only sinless person ever to have lived on the earth.  However, Mormons, believing in a pre-mortal life before life on earth, believe Mary was highly favored even before she was born, chosen in the pre-mortal life and fore-ordained to her calling on earth.  As the mother of Our Lord, she must be one of Heavenly Father’s most stellar spirit-children.

Mary was the espoused wife of Joseph at the time of the Condescension of God. Condescension means the lowering of oneself voluntarily. Elder Bruce R. McConkie states “The condescension of God (meaning the Father) consists in the fact that … he became the personal and literal Father of a mortal Offspring born of mortal woman.” (Mormon Doctrine, 2nd ed. [1966], 155).

The fact that Jesus Christ had both heavenly and mortal characteristics meant that he could fulfill his mission as Savior of the World. Elder McConkie further explains, “And the condescension of God (meaning the Son) consists in the fact that … he [Jesus Christ] submitted to all the trials of mortality, suffering ‘temptations, and pain of body, hunger, thirst, and fatigue, even more than man can suffer, except it be unto death’ (Mosiah 3:5–8), finally being put to death . . .” (Mormon Doctrine, 2nd ed. [1966], 155).  That Jesus Christ was human, meant that He could die; that Jesus Christ was God, meant that He could take up His life again.

Nephi, a prophet of ancient America who contributed to The Book of Mormon, wrote of a vision of Mary and the birth of Jesus revealed to him by an angel:

And he said unto me: Knowest thou the condescension of God? And I said unto him: I know that he loveth his children; nevertheless, I do not know the meaning of all things.

And he said unto me: Behold the virgin whom thou seest is the mother of  the Son of God, after the manner of the flesh.

And it came to pass that I beheld that she was carried away in the Spirit; and after she had been carried away in the Spirit for the space of a time the angel spake unto me, saying: Look! And I looked and beheld the virgin again, bearing a child in her arms.

And the angel said unto me: Behold the Lamb of God, yea, even the Son of the Eternal Father!” (1 Nephi 11: 17-21)

The Book of Mormon teaches that all prophets from the time of Adam have testified of the coming of the Savior.  Mormons believe that clear, unmistakable prophecies regarding Christ were originally part of the Old Testament.  Prophecies are still to be found there, but they are somewhat obscure.

The Book of Mormon prophets taught of and looked forward to the birth of Jesus Christ. The people lived according to the Law of Moses, but understood the atonement and were bapized in the name of Christ who should come.  Five years before Jesus’ birth, a prophet named Samuel, who lived in the Americas, was called by God to prepare the people for the birth of Jesus Christ. He warned them to repent and believe in the Savior. Samuel explained that certain things would happen that would tell them that Jesus had been born in Bethlehem. The night before Jesus was born there would be great lights in the sky. They would be so bright that during the night there would be no darkness. At night it would be as light as if it were daytime.

“And behold, there shall a new star arise, such an one as ye never have  beheld; and this also shall be a sign unto you.

And behold this is not all, there shall be many signs and wonders in heaven.

And it shall come to pass that ye shall all be amazed, and wonder, insomuch that ye shall fall to the earth.

And it shall come to pass that whosoever shall believe on the Son of God, the same shall have everlasting life.” (Helaman 14:5)

The star signaling the Savior’s birth was seen in the Americas as well as in Jerusalem. The Savior had been born. Even though the inhabitants on the American continent were unable to go see the child, they knew his birth was important to them.

The Lord revealed to the Prophet Joseph Smith that Christ was born in the spring, at the beginning of April, which fits the biblical account.  The Church was organized on April 6th, which would have been the date of Christ’s birth according to our calendar.  That Christ was born at the Passover season confirms the image that He is the paschal lamb. (See 1 Corinthians 5:7.)

Childhood of Jesus Christ

Very little is known of Jesus Christ’s early years, until he left home to begin his mortal ministry. In the New Testament it is recorded by the apostle Luke that, guided by the Father, Jesus grew and prepared in his youth for his ministry. Luke 2:40 states: “And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him.”

It is recorded in the same chapter of Luke that every year Joseph and Mary and other faithful Jews celebrated the Feast of the Passover in Jerusalem. Their son Jesus accompanied them at the age of 12 (Luke 2:41–42).  It probably was His thirteenth birthday, the age of bar mitzvah, when Jewish boys begin to read from and expound upon the scriptures, that Christ began to teach in the temple  (Luke 2:43–45). It is written that “all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers” (Luke 2:47). When asked what he was doing, Jesus answered, “I must be about my Father’s business” (Luke 2:49), referring to the spiritual work of Heavenly Father.

It is understood that as a youth, Jesus was an obedient son to Mary and Joseph. Luke 2:51 states that he “was subject unto them,” even though he was the Son of God. Also Jesus “increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man” (Luke 2:52). Otherwise stated, he developed intellectually, physically, spiritually, and socially.

Mortal Ministry

During His mortal life and before His atoning sacrifice, Jesus Christ taught the gospel to all who would hear Him within His commanded jurisdiction.  The Lord had sent Him to teach the Jews.  Jesus healed the sick and performed other miracles, and organized His church on the earth. Jesus Christ lived a perfect life that all mankind may look to as an example.

The Sermon on the Mount, a gospel lesson Jesus gave to a multitude of people, is recorded in Matthew 5 and serves as an example of Jesus’ desire to teach His gospel to all.

Records of the miracles the Savior performed are scattered throughout the New Testament. Specifically in Matthew 14:14 it reads, “And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude and was moved with compassion toward them and he healed their sick.”

Jesus Christ also organized His church. Matthew 3:14 states, “And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach.” The calling of these twelve disciples was an integral part of the organization of Christ’s church, which was necessary for Him to complete his final act as Savior of the world, the Atonement. This great sacrifice included the taking upon Himself all the sins and sorrows of mankind in the Garden of Gethsemane, and later, the crucifixion and death of His mortal body on the cross at Calvary.

Death of Christ

Scholars are beginning to realize that Christ was crucified on Thursday afternoon (though this is not a proclaimed doctrine of the Church), so that He did fullfil the “sign of Jonah,” who was in the belly of the “Great Fish” for three days and three nights.

As recorded in the Book of Mormon, there were huge storms and earthquakes at the time of Christ’s crucifixion that lasted three hours and cause extreme destruction and caused the more wicked of the people to perish.  Afterwards, while Christ was in the tomb, there were three full days of “thick darkness.”  The voice of Christ was heard just before He appeared, and the darkness dispersed:

And behold, the third time they did understand the voice which they heard; and it said unto them:

During the three days Christ’s body was in the tomb, Christ’s spirit was instructing the spirits of the deceased in the Spirit World.  This was seen in vision by Prophet Joseph F. Smith, and recorded in Doctrine and Covenants, section 138.