"There is only One in whom your faith is always safe, and that is in the Lord Jesus Christ"
--- Russell M. Nelson (President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints; 2018 - Present)
There is no collection of parchment nor database on this Earth large enough to cover everything that could be said of Jesus Christ in full. His love is infinite. As is His wisdom. No life has been or ever will be like His but His own. The Son of God, He came to Earth as a mortal being with power from His Heavenly Father to redeem mankind and to elevate us to a higher state, where Heavenly Father is. And that is what matters most to us. And so, faced with the impossibility of writing indefinitely, I instead cut to the chase and write that which matters most for now and trust that you understand. Besides, this book as a whole will have much more to say.
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6.1 --- THE MISSION OF MISSIONS
Knowing that hardships would prevail, Heavenly Father prepared us a Savior to live to show us the way and to die and be resurrected to redeem us from our physically fallen state (1 Cor. 15:20-22; See "Return of the King -- Part 1"). Thanks to the Savior, the only begotten Son of God, Jesus Christ, all people both good and bad will one day be resurrected as He was (John 5:29). Death will no longer sting (1 Cor. 15:55-56) and we shall thereon be immortal beings with our same but then perfected bodies of flesh and bone that we now inhabit. That is why the resurrection is so monumental. It was the ultimate victory evidence of a perfect sinless sacrifice. It was what no one else could do --- break the chains of death and satisfy justice by supplying infinite mercy.
These are free gifts— salvation unto immortality (Romans 5:18). Salvation will be discussed in a later chapter in this book, "The Plan of Salvation and Happiness". Scripture continues to explain, however, the greatest of all gifts of God, that being, eternal life --- the kind of life that God the Father lives (See "Return of the King -- Eternal Life: As God Is"). It is immortality while in the presence of God the Father himself, to be as He is. Eternal life includes being reunited with loved ones forever and receiving all the blessings that the Father has (D&C 84:38). This is what we aspire toward. This ultimate gift, for all it encompasses and is worth, is not a cheap experience, and rightly so. As previous chapters have expressed, it requires we embark on and remain on the "Covenant Path" (See "More Than Good"). Without Jesus Christ, neither Salvation nor Eternal Life would be attainable.
6.2 --- HE WENT ABOUT DOING GOOD
During His life, illustrated in the four gospels of the New Testament in the Holy Bible, Jesus did many marvelous works (See "The Holy Bible: A Testament of Jesus Christ"). He traveled many miles in three short years ministering unto the House of Israel. His was a life dedicated to helping others both physically and spiritually. He made the blind to see (Ps. 146:8; Matt. 9:27-30; 20:30-34; Mark 8:22-25; John 9), the lame to leap (Matt. 15:31; Luke 7:22; Acts 3:2-11), the deaf to hear (Isa. 35:5; Matt. 11:5; Mark 7:32-35), the dumb to speak (Mark 7:37), the sick to be made whole. He forgave the repentant of their sins (Matt. 9:2; Luke 7:47; Col. 3:13), cast out devils (Matt. 4:23; 8:16; 17:18), and taught His gospel. He performed other miracles, fed the multitudes (Matt. 14:15-21), raised Lazarus from the tomb (John 11), cleansed the temple twice (Matt. 21:12-13; Luke 19:45; John 2:13-16), confounded the Pharisees and Sadducees, and established His kingdom on the Earth. He laid His hands on the heads of twelve laymen that He selected himself and gave them priesthood authority to become Apostles (See "Priesthood") and commanded them to go unto all nations preaching baptism unto repentance. (Matt. 28:19)
6.3 --- MIRACLE OF MIRACLES
In His last night in mortality, Jesus departed a way off alone in the Garden of Gethsemane while the others slept. He fell on His face and offered up words of supreme emotion in prayer (See "Knowest Thou the Condescension of God?"). Such sorrow, fear, and pain for what was about to come caused blood to be shed from each pore in His body (Luke 22:44; D&C 19:18). No man has felt the magnitude of the suffering that He felt (Alma 7:11-12). He submitted Himself to the will and plan of the Father and allowed Himself to be taken, accused, beaten, and crucified on a cross at Calvary (Luke 23:33). Although all-powerful, He willingly let His spirit depart from His mortal body for a period of three days (John 10:18). His spirit went to the spirit world, initiating missionary work for the dead (D&C 138). On the following Sunday morning of the new week, the tomb where His body was laid was found vacant. The heavy stone sealing His resting place was turned over. Then came the resurrected Lord Jesus Christ anew, this time as an immortal and perfected being to Mary. He soon showed Himself to His Apostles and to faithful others (Luke 24:13-43, 48; 1 Cor. 15:5-8). They knew of His reality as the forever Living Christ. Others doubted. Never before had such a miracle been known to mankind and never again would there be one as miraculous as this. This sacrifice and blessing beginning in Gethsemane and finishing with the resurrection is an event called the Atonement of Jesus Christ (See "Great Sacrifice"). You will see if you haven't already that everything pivots on the Atonement.
6.4 --- COME UNTO CHRIST
At the risk of sounding redundant because similar remarks were given in recent previous chapters, I must reiterate that we believe that it is by grace that we are saved, and not on our merits alone (See "More Than Good"). But we do consider good works important, and essential if we want Eternal Life. Jesus Christ is an irreplaceable key to Heavenly Father's plan for us. The price has been paid. What is left for us to decide is if we are going to take full advantage of His grace. Are we going to keep His commandments? Are we going to repent? Are we going to be baptized? He taught us that there is work to be done in this life! And He is willing to help us along the way as we strive to follow Him as best as we can. This is His invitation: Come Unto Christ and be perfected in Him. (Moroni 10:32)
Christ said, “Take my yoke upon you” (Matt. 11:29). He wants to make our burden light. He wants to share the load. He wants to walk with us, so to speak, and to be an active participant in everything we do. That is the enabling power of grace.
Maybe a more modern-day example of a yoke would be a three-legged race. You have to move together. Both teammates have to be in sync. You can't have the one racer sit back while the other does it all because you'll trip. We must each do our part if we want to move forward. This is a pattern I see often, a pattern of going through life two-by-two, with a companion.
Allow me to quote President Thomas S. Monson, past prophet of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints: “Work Will Win When Wishy Washy Wishing Won’t”. Desire alone seldom produces results. I for one am a believer in hard work. I find joy in having the freedom to set my own course of action, and I find fulfillment when my efforts pay off. First, I establish a goal for myself and then plan how I will accomplish that goal, then I follow through with it. A person with a good work ethic can accomplish great things in life. Idleness, on the other hand, can impede us from maximizing our potential. We cannot expect to skip work and receive a paycheck. God intends for us to be doing many good things of our own free will and not wait to be told to do something. What a supreme gift to be given the reins to determine our own destiny!
I know that Heavenly Father will magnify our efforts as we strive to follow Jesus Christ. With Him, all things are possible. His grace is sufficient. There is nothing that we can't accomplish together.
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