Jesus Christ – Page 5 – What Do Mormons Believe?

The Mormon Secrecy Code

Question from the box: “I have a mormon friend and he doesnt like to talk about what goes on when he goes to church. Is there a secrecy code or something? Once you are a mormon can you “un-become” a mormon??”

We try to practice the teaching of Christ when he said “hold up your light that it may shine unto the world… I have commanded that none of you should go away, but rather have commanded that ye should come unto me.” Most faithful members of our church are more than willing to share their beliefs with any soul who shows even a little interest. Try letting your friend know that you really are curious, and ask specific questions. Hopefully he’ll open up.

We certainly have no secrecy code. That being said, if an experience is very sacred (e.g. temple worship), it “must be spoken with care, and by constraint of the Spirit” (D&C 63:64).

Members can be removed from the church in one of two ways. They can request that their names be removed, or they can be ex-communicated. The latter is usually due to willful disobedience of major commandments.

Does Everyone Get a Chance?

We recently had a comment here on What do Mormons Believe, that caught my eye. In the comment it asked the following questions.

What would happen to people who didn’t have the chance to hear the gospel, such as people in third world countries? Even if they’ve lived good lives, but never even heard the name of Christ, do they still end up in hell? What about small children who die?

The reason that these comments caught my eye is because I’ve asked these very same questions myself. Now in this article, I will share the answers I have learned with you.

Sadly, there are still places in the world, where the name of Christ is foreign and his teachings are not taught. Think of a tribe of people in sub-Saharan Africa, where they’ve never even heard of Jesus and where there are no scriptures to learn from. But they are still good people. They help their fellow men, they look after their families. They respect the earth and work hard to improve life for themselves and those around them. These are the types of people who would accept the Gospel of Christ if it was presented to them and would strive to follow Him. Is it fair that because they were born in Africa, instead of another part of the world, that they are doomed to Hell?

The answer to this question is No. We know that God is a just God. Where would the justice be if these people were assigned to eternal damnation by no act of their own?

But we also know that in order to return to God, we must have faith in Jesus Christ, repent of our sins, be baptized and receive the Holy Ghost through confirmation.

How can God be fair, while having faith, repenting, baptism and confirmation are required?

In the scriptures we learn that everyone will have the chance to be taught and accept the gospel of Jesus Christ. For some people, it will take place in this life. But for others, it will occur after they die.

The apostle Peter spoke of this in 1 Peter 3:18-19

“For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirt:

By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison”

And in 1 Peter 4:6

“For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.”

These people will get a chance to learn and accept the gospel while in this “spirit prison”. They can develop faith in Christ and repent of their sins. They will also be able to receive the ordinances of baptism and confirmation by proxy. Here is a link to further explain that.

The last question was about small children who die. Some babies are born with severe conditions that only allow minutes of life to them. Other children pass away at an older age, but are still too young to have really understood who Christ was.

These children are also not punished for their brief lives, but are saved through the atonement of Jesus Christ. We learn from the scriptures that “children who die before they arrive at the years of accountability are saved in the celestial kingdom of heaven.” (D&C 137:10) What a truly comforting promise to those who have lost young loved ones.

God is a just and loving God. He loves and cares for his children. That is why he sent his son, Jesus Christ, to make it possible that we can return to live with him someday. And that is why he has given everyone a chance to learn of Christ, have faith in him, repent of their sins, be baptized and receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

The Sons and Daughters of God

While studying the scriptures recently, one particular point was brought to my attention that I would like to share with you today. In the book of Revelation it is often mentioned that in the midst of all the plagues, destruction, and ruin, that there will be those that overcome the world.

“He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels” (Rev. 3:5).

“He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son” (Rev. 21:7).

There are numerous other references to those great people who were clothed in white, who praised God and who were blessed by Him. What stuck out to me, however, was the statement, “and he shall be my son.” In a previous article titled, “Is Jesus the only son of God?” on this site, the nature of our relationship between God the Father and Jesus Christ was explained. Our opportunity to become sons and daughters of God was listed as the third point. This is the entire reason behind our beliefs and the purpose of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. As the apostle John wrote, “Now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is” (1 John 3:2). To become a son of God, in this sense, is to be like our Savior. This is our ultimate goal for this life and all that we do ought to progress us further in pursuing that goal.

That goal, however, is impossible to achieve alone. In and of ourselves, we do not merit anything remotely approaching a return to our Father in Heaven or to be called sons of God. In spite of everything we could ever do, our mistakes and imperfections prevent us from ever returning to our God. He did not send us out from His presence for the purpose of losing us though. His perfect plan accounted for our weakness by including the infinite sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

It is through Christ’s suffering in Gesthemene and His death on the cross that He became our advocate to the Father. Without Christ, we would have to accept all the consequences of our actions, that includes being forever separated from God. Christ paid the price of justice on our behalf, making us debtors to Him and no longer to sin. Sin would condemn us forever, but Christ has set His own conditions that allow us to obtain mercy. Those conditions that He gave us are simple enough. He wants us to give Him our will, the only thing we really have of ourselves to give Him. He asked us to believe in His name, love Him, keep His commandments, enter into covenants, and to repent.

To fulfill those requirements He has given us, it first requires faith on our part. Faith in His name and in His word causes us to follow His teachings, repenting when necessary. Repentance leads to baptism which prepares an individual to receive the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost provides the guidance we need to further emulate Christ, particularly in serving our fellow man.

When baptized, an individual makes certain covenants or agreements with the Lord. We agree to take His name upon ourselves and to always remember Him. Taking His name upon us is a major step in becoming a son or daughter of God. It means to act in His behalf and do as He would do. If we are true and faithful to His name throughout our lives, we will become like He is. We will be like our Father, just as we are commanded to be (Matt 5:48).

This is a great truth that has sustained me in this life. We have infinite potential! Even the lowest, meanest person on earth is spiritually a son of God and can become like Him. We should all take strength in this knowledge and be faithful to it. The greatest blessings of Heaven and Earth are available to the faithful.

Behold I say unto you, that whosoever has heard the words of the prophets, yea, all the holy prophets who have prophesied concerning the coming of the Lord—I say unto you, that all those who have hearkened unto their words, and believed that the Lord would redeem his people, and have looked forward to that day for a remission of their sins, I say unto you, that these are his seed, or they are the heirs of the kingdom of God. For these are they whose sins he has borne; these are they for whom he has died, to redeem them from their transgressions. And now, are they not his seed? -Abinadi (Mosiah 15:11-12)

Taking the Sacrament

When investigating the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the question often arises, “What do I do when the Sacrament comes around? Am I allowed or even supposed to take it?” Taking the Sacrament

The LDS sacrament is known to other Christians as the Eucharist, Communion, or generally, the Lord’s Supper. Two priesthood holders, usually young men, bless first the broken bread and then the water, which have been placed in trays. After the respective prayers, these trays are passed to the seated congregation.

When it comes to you, you can either take one and pass it, or just pass it. Either way, no one will fuss.

In my personal opinion, there is no harm in taking the Sacrament without being a member. No one is going to look at you like you’ve blasphemed their faith by partaking. I, along with many other members, allow my children to take the Sacrament and they haven’t been baptized as members yet.

However, it is important to understand why we take the Sacrament: 1) It reminds us of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ and His great sacrifice on our behalf. 2) It serves as a renewal of the covenants we made at our baptism.

Regarding the first, I feel that most visitors would have no problem viewing the bread and water as symbolic of the body and blood of our Redeemer. The second reason just doesn’t apply though. Without having been baptized, you can’t renew those covenants.

Essentially, it’s up to you. You’re certainly under no obligation to take the Sacrament. If you feel more comfortable passing the tray along, that’s perfectly acceptable. If you’d like to take it, you’re welcome to do so, though it will mean far more to you after baptism. This weekly ordinance allows baptized and confirmed saints to maintain the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost, the greatest gift we can have in life.

The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ

In 1830, a young man named Joseph Smith published a book that he claimed was sent from God. That book, the Book of Mormon, contained teachings and prophecies centered on Jesus Christ. It was written for the purpose of “convincing Jew and Gentile that Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God, manifesting Himself to all nations” (Title Page). It continues to be published to this day and is distributed worldwide in every major language. To me, the Book of Mormon adds an extraordinary amount of spirituality, peace, and insight to my life. It is through the Book of Mormon that I came to understand more clearly the Bible and the role of Jesus Christ.

The Book of Mormon is about a people who left Jerusalem and lost their connection to the prophets of the Bible that lived there. In order to teach this separate people, God called prophets among them. Through their history, each wrote down their own experiences, prophecies and sermons. All the writings were condensed and compiled into a single volume a thousand years later by a prophet named Mormon. That volume, written on gold plates, was buried anciently and retrieved by Joseph Smith by commandment of God. He translated the work though the power of God into English and worked to distribute the book to as many of God’s children as would receive it.

It is through the Book of Mormon that we can more clearly see that Jesus Christ has been known to all of His followers, no matter where or when. The power of the Book of Mormon comes from its witness that Jesus is the savior and redeemer of the world. That witness is given by every one of the prophets in the Book of Mormon. One of those prophets, named Nephi, expressed his reason for writing of Christ.

And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophecy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins (2 Nephi 25:26).

Nephi’s brother, Jacob, expressed similar feelings. “For this intent have we written these things, that they may know that we knew of Christ, and we had a hope of his glory many hundred years before his coming; and not only we ourselves had a hope of his glory, but also all the holy prophets which were before us” (Jacob 4:4).

With such a purpose of this book, it is important to understand clear what it is. I’ve seen that some people refer to our scriptures as the Mormon Bible. This term is confusing because it implies that the Book of Mormon replaces the Holy Bible, which it doesn’t. We believe in and study the Holy Bible (in English, we usually read the King James version) along with the Book of Mormon. The two are inseparably combined and go hand in hand. With both of these resources available, a greater clarity of the scriptures can be understood by those willing to study it out.

For example, in the gospel of Matthew we read that Christ went to John the baptist to be baptized. John realized that if there was anyone ever who never needed baptism for remission of sins, it was Jesus. Yet Jesus was supposed to be baptized, saying, “Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness” (Matthew 3:15). What exactly does it mean “to fulfill all righteousness”? A prophet from the Book of Mormon explains it for us: “And now, I would ask of you, my beloved brethren, wherein the Lamb of God did fulfil all righteousness in being baptized by water? Know ye not that he was holy? But notwithstanding he being holy, he showeth unto the children of men that, according to the flesh he humbleth himself before the Father, and witnesseth unto the Father that he would be obedient unto him in keeping his commandments” (2 Nephi 31:6-7). This is just a single example of many such topics. We learn about Christ’s sacrifice and suffering, the priesthood, faith, the purpose of the law and many others in this book.

The Book of Mormon also teaches us that a testimony of Jesus Christ will protect us. It demonstrates very vividly the promise that the Lord has made to His people as He said, “If ye shall keep my commandments, ye shall prosper in the land, but inasmuch as ye do not these things, ye shall be swept off the face of the land.” (See 2 Nephi 1:9-11) This seems to be the overarching theme that is shown by periods of prosperity followed by periods of war and famine, ending ultimately in the complete destruction of a people that had fully rejected Christ in their lives.

In short, every single prophet taught the people about Christ, His mission on earth, His atonement and our eternal indebtedness to Him. They were taught to humble themselves before Him, to learn of Him, to pray to Him, to do His will, and above all, to be as He is. We too can learn the lessons the people of the Book of Mormon were taught, with the added benefit of perspective. Consequences of embracing or leaving behind the gospel of Christ are put in plain view in scripture.

Any way you look at it, the Book of Mormon is phenomenal. In just over 500 pages, a history of a people, spanning about a thousand years, is presented. It is complete with personal stories of its authors, societal issues of an ancient people and above all, prophecy after prophecy and principle after principle relating to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. If you have not yet read it, please do so at your first possible chance.

“Hearken unto these words and believe in Christ; and if ye believe not in these words believe in Christ. And if ye shall believe in Christ ye will believe in these words, for they are the words of Christ, . . . and they teach all men that they should do good. And if they are not the words of Christ, judge ye—for Christ will show unto you, with power and great glory, that they are his words, at the last day.” 2 Nephi 33:10-11

http://www.whatdomormonsbelieve.com/2009/02/the-bible/