Thank you so much to those of you who shared your testimonies. They touched and inspired me. I hope more of you will share your testimonies as time goes on. I want to share my testimony of the Atonement of Christ. I know that although I am imperfect, although I am weak and make mistakes, I will be able to live with my Father in Heaven again. I will be able to be with my family forever. I will be able to experience perfect joy. I know that all this is possible because Christ atoned for my sins. Through the power of His atonement, I can be made clean. I can rise above the world and be pure. This purifying process may be painful, but it will be effective because of the Atonement. Somehow, Christ sacrificed Himself for all of us. He experienced everything that we experience. He knows our pains and our sorrow. He died for us. I love Him for this. I love Him for showing us the way back to our Heavenly Father. I love Him for being the perfect example. All we must do is come unto... Read the rest of this entry »
Archive for the ‘The Atonement’ Category
The Power to Change
My heart breaks for those who thought that suicide was the only way to escape same-sex attraction. My heart reaches out to anyone who is thinking that now. I know that Pres. Packer feels far more compassion for these people than I am even capable of. But shying away from the truth is does not show our love for them, nor is it the solution to their struggles. The answer comes, as Pres. Packer said in his talk, through the atonement of Christ. We all feel things that are not in line with the gospel. We feel natural things, like anger, lust, envy, fear, and despair. Just because they are natural feelings does not mean they are right. Feeling these things do not make us bad people, but it is a sin to nurture these emotions or to willfully act on them, (murdering, adultery, stealing, being faithless, or giving up hope.) So when we tell those who struggle with same-sex attraction that they can change, it is a message of hope. It is not singling them out or telling them that they are less... Read the rest of this entry »
Why is Jesus Christ Called the Son of Man?
Why is Jesus Christ called the Son of Man? While others in the Scriptures (particularly the Old Testament) who are called “son[s] of man” (Jeremiah 49:18, Ezekiel 4:16, Psalms 8:4), the word “son” is uncapitalized. Elder James E. Talmage, a Biblical scholar, sheds light on the answer in his renown work, Jesus the Christ. He says, “In applying the designation to Himself, the Lord invariably uses the definite article. ‘The Son of Man’ was and is, specifically and exclusively, Jesus Christ. While as a matter of solemn certainty He was the only male human being from Adam down who was not the son of a mortal man, He used the title in a way to conclusively demonstrate that it was peculiarly and solely His own. It is plainly evident that the expression is fraught with a meaning beyond that conveyed by the words in common usage. The distinguishing appellation has been construed by many to indicate our Lord’s humble station as a mortal, and to connote that He stood... Read the rest of this entry »
The Insights of Passover
Thanks to my darling son, I have been listening to some really cool “Podcasts” lately from some of our Jewish brothers. The insights I have gained from hearing their commentary, or point of view, on the Old Testament have been very enlightening. The most recent one I listened to was by Ari Goldwag. His topic was a comparison of Passover with that of Sukkot, or the Feast of Tabernacles. I loved the insights he shared. Passover is a sacred memorial celebration reminding us of the power by which Israel was saved. I have written about this topic before, and find the symbolism very beautiful. Passover is celebrated in the first month of the religious Hebrew calendar which is known as Nissan, beginning on the 15th day and ending on the 22nd day. This year, 2010, the Passover was celebrated on March 30 through April 6. For those of us who are members of the LDS Church, this time period holds great significance too. This year we were privileged to not only celebrate Easter during... Read the rest of this entry »
What do Mormons Believe About the Fall of Adam?
Mormon beliefs treat the fall of Adam differently than do most religions, and their teachings about Eve are greater still, an affirmation that God values the wisdom and spiritual contributions of women. The Fall of Adam refers to the time Adam and Eve lived in the Garden of Eden. God told them they could eat from any tree in the garden except one, the tree of knowledge of good and evil. However, he reminded them they had agency and could decide for themselves, but they must remember they would die if they ate from it. Eventually, they chose to eat from that tree and were cast out of the garden into the mortal world. Death became possible and their bodies became mortal. They had to begin to work for the things they needed. This has been referred to as the fall of Adam.Many people see this event as a great tragedy that caused all of us who came afterwards to face hardship and trials. However, Mormons understand that Adam and Eve acted in great wisdom when making their choice. While in the... Read the rest of this entry »
What Did Jesus Teach About Grace?
Jesus Christ did not actually use the word grace in His earthly ministry. Only two verses reference this word in the four gospels, and these were both spoken by others. Luke tells us the grace of God was on Jesus as a child. John taught: “For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ (John 1:17, King James Version of the Bible). Therefore, our understanding of the word grace comes from others. Let’s look at a few uses of the word grace in the Bible. Although these were spoken after the Savior’s death, they were spoken by His apostles. The first New Testament reference that gives real information about grace is found in Acts, chapter 15. Paul was listening to church members arguing over the issue of circumcision for gentiles. In the past, the gospel had not been taught to the gentiles, and so this was a fairly recent issue. Paul, deciding he’d heard enough or perhaps was tired of the debate, stood up and reminded them they had been instructed to teach... Read the rest of this entry »
The Law of Sacrifice Part III – In Remembrance
The evening before the Lamb of God was to be crucified for the sins of the world and hours before He was betrayed, the Lord Jesus was sitting with his Apostles in a “large upper room” (Mark 14:15). It was here that He first instituted the sacrament: “And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and [...] Read More →
The Law of Sacrifice: Part II – A Great and Last Sacrifice
Jesus the Christ fulfilled the law of Moses as the great and last sacrifice. All believers before His sacrifice looked forward to Him by offering blood sacrifices which were types and shadows of the ultimate sacrifice that would later end blood sacrifices. Now, we look back to this great event by taking the emblems of His flesh and His blood. Read More →
The Law of Sacrifice: Part I – Looking Forward
The atonement of Jesus Christ is the central doctrine of Christianity, and all other Christian doctrines come out of and are appendages to it.1 Not only can these other doctrines be connected back to the Savior and His Atoning Sacrifice, but if they are not, “there will be no life nor substance nor redemption in [...] Read More →
The Fruit of Secular Humanism
On February 17, 1981 Elder Bruce R. McConkie of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles gave a BYU devotional address called, The Three Pillars of Eternity. In it he expounds upon the doctrine of the three pillars, the creation, the fall and the atonement. He also beautifully connects three persons who are involved in all aspects of the three as Elohim, Michael, and Jehovah. These three are interconnected in a way that will ultimately “bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.” Leaving one part of the equation, or one of the three participants out, would thwart the plan of the Father. There is an additional one, we are taught of, who eternally will oppose the plan, although he has become an active participant through his opposition of it, for “he knows not the mind of God.” According to the LDS Bible dictionary this slanderer, demon, adversary, and spoiler is the “enemy of righteousness and of those who seek to do the will of God.” “Latter-day revelation confirms... Read the rest of this entry »
Elder Bednar and the Four Phases of Creation
A couple of weeks ago I had the opportunity to watch a CES Fireside featuring David A. Bednar as the main speaker. The discourse he gave was titled, “Things as They Really Are.” As always I believe that Elder Bednar beautifully used the proper teaching techniques to instruct us on so many levels that night. The transcripts for his talk are available at this link. Please make sure you read and study this master sermon and be taught by the spirit the fine points of doctrine that Elder Bednar shared with us. Most would probably proclaim that Elder Bednar’s talk was about becoming too involved in a virtual world through the Internet and video games. At one level that is exactly what he was speaking about. I would like to discuss another level that I perceived by hearing his teachings. I believe that Elder Bednar used this forum to teach us the different phases of the Creation in a way that I have never seen before. The doctrine of The Creation is truly an important one to study.... Read the rest of this entry »
Why is Jesus Called the Son of God?
Jesus the Christ is the Son of God. He came down to earth, His footstool, and voluntarily submitted Himself as an offering for all mankind. Read More →