Teaching and Doctrine 1

I have the opportunity to be taking an Institute of Religion class on line with my Pathway Connect program.  Every other week we have the assignment to share what we are learning that week.  I have usually done it with my family in a small group setting but I thought I would try to share some of my learning here.

One of the things most unique the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is the fact that we understand the Godhead to be three separate and individual beings.  When we say Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, we understand that those are three beings who work together in one purpose.

Article of Faith 1

We believe in God the Eternal Father and in His Son Jesus Christ and in the Holy Ghost. 

 That purpose being the immortality and eternal life of man.  God literally sent His son to redeem the world.  Jesus is the Son of God.  Because of his parentage, he was able to be born on earth and also have a divine father.  This unique parentage qualifies Him as the only one that can atone for our sins. He is the only one that can provide a way for us to be resurrected and live again.  The gift of resurrection is for all people ever born on the earth.  He also provides the opportunity for exaltation.  That gift requires us to opt in, to choose Him, to follow His commandments and example, to accept the gift that repentance is, use that gift and strive to become more like Him.  We are here to learn heaven. We are here to learn obedience, sacrifice, family life, consecration and enduring to the end through whatever we are asked to endure. Through it all we are to exercise faith and come to know Jesus, to depend on Him, to trust Him.

So why does it say in one of our canonized books of scripture, the Book of Mormon, does it say, "they are one God"?  Well when we take time to read all the verses surrounding this verse (verses 1-7 of Mosiah 15), we get a clearer picture. Jesus is a member of the Godhead. He came to earth. He obeyed the will of His Father.  Part of their plan was to provide a Savior. Jesus came to be our Savior.  He provided a way for us to be born again by receiving His atonement.  Because of the Atonement of Jesus, we can become born again.  In this way of providing a way for us to be clean, born again, He becomes our father.  We also get to take on His name as we accept him as our Savior. Another way he becomes our father.  He is the Son of God and a father for us in being our Redeemer. 

Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God
Elder John M. Madsen

Of the Seventy

“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder; and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” (JST, Isa. 9:6.)

But who is this “child”? Who is this “son”? And “whose son is he”? (Matt. 22:42.) Who is this “mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace,” spoken of by Isaiah? The Book of Mormon “verifies and clarifies” who he is! (Ezra Taft Benson, A Witness and a Warning, Salt Lake City, Deseret Book Co., 1988, p. 13.)

He is Jesus Christ, born into this world, as the “Only Begotten Son” (Jacob 4:5, 11; 2 Ne. 25:12; Alma 5:48; Alma 9:26; Alma 12:33–34; Alma 13:5) of God “the Eternal Father,” and the Son of Mary, “after the manner of the flesh.” (1 Ne. 11:18–24; 2 Ne. 2:4, 8; 2 Ne. 31:7; 2 Ne. 32:6; Mosiah 3:8.)

He is Jesus Christ, the long-awaited “Messiah,” “the Savior” and “Redeemer of the world” (1 Ne. 1:19; 1 Ne. 10:4–17; 1 Ne. 15:13–14; 2 Ne. 2:6–10), of whom all “the prophets testified” (3 Ne. 11:10; Mosiah 3:13; Hel. 8:13–23), who came into the world so “that salvation might come unto the children of men even through faith on his name.” (Mosiah 3:9; 2 Ne. 31:2–21; Alma 32:21–43.)

He is Jesus Christ, the “Lamb of God,” who was “judged of the world, … lifted up upon the cross” (1 Ne. 11:32–33) and “crucified” (1 Ne. 19:9–10, 13–15; 2 Ne. 6:9; 2 Ne. 10:3–5; 2 Ne. 25:12–13; Mosiah 3:9; Mosiah 15:7–9) “to atone for the sins of the world” (Alma 34:8; Alma 22:14; Alma 33:22–23; Mosiah 3:11–18.)

He is Jesus Christ, who, before condescending to “come down from heaven” to dwell “among the children of men” (Mosiah 3:5), was none other than the “Great Jehovah” (Moro. 10:34; D&C 110:3–4; Abr. 1:16; Abr. 2:6–8), “the God of Abraham,and … Isaac, and … of Jacob” (1 Ne. 19:7–15; Mosiah 7:19–20; Hel. 8:13–23), “the Holy One of Israel” (2 Ne. 6:9), who gave “the law” unto Moses on the mount! (3 Ne. 15:5.)

He is Jesus Christ, “the Father of heaven and earth, the Creator of all things from the beginning” (Mosiah 3:8; 2 Ne. 9:6; Alma 11:39; 3 Ne. 9:15; D&C 38:1–3; D&C 76:24), whose “infinite atonement” (2 Ne. 2:6–10; 2 Ne. 9:5–10; Alma 34:8–16; Alma 36:17–18) brings the “resurrection of the dead” (2 Ne. 9:10–13, 21–22; Jacob 4:11–12; Alma 11:42–45; Alma 40:23; Hel. 14:15–19).

He is Jesus Christ, “the Eternal Judge of both [the] quick and [the] dead.” (Moro. 10:34; 2 Ne. 2:9–10; 2 Ne. 9:13–17, 41; Mosiah 3:10, 18; 3 Ne. 27:13–15; 3 Ne. 28:31; Morm. 3:20–22.)

He is Jesus Christ, “the Lord Omnipotent who reigneth, who was, and is from all eternity to all eternity.” (Mosiah 3:5.)

“O ye my servants … , be of good cheer, and do not fear, for I the Lord am with you, and will stand by you; and ye shall bear record of me, even Jesus Christ, that I am the Son of the Living God, that I was, that I am, and that I am to come.” (D&C 68:5–6.)