THE CHRIST: SON OF THE LIVING GOD

Jesus asked, “Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?”

13 When Jesus came into the coasts of Cæsarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?

14 And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some,Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets.

15 He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?

16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.

--Matthew 16:16

Click here to see "Thou Art the Christ"

Jesus Christ is the Messiah, the Son of the living God. He is the Only Begotten Son of God the Father in the flesh. Jesus is the firstborn of the Father in the spirit realm, the Father’s first spirit offspring.

Jesus lives and loves. He ransoms man from the fall of Adam to give man life here on this earth, mortality. This mortal life is the time for people to prepare themselves to meet God at judgment day, the day of reckoning. Judgment Day will be great-for those prepared for Celestial glory, but it will be a dreadful day-for those not prepared for Celestial glory.

JESUS CHRIST: CELESTIAL KINGDOM INHERITANCE

Jesus Christ and the Plan of Salvation

God, the Father, said,  “I am God, and have sent mine Only Begotten Son into the world for the redemption of the world, and have decreed that he that receiveth him shall be saved, and he that receiveth him not shall be damned.”

God, our Heavenly Father, sent His Only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to redeem all from sin and death, to establish a path and pattern for happy and successful living now and how to prepare for eternal life in the hereafter. The plan and pattern that God established is for those who believe in Christ and receive Him with all their hearts, will be rewarded, and this reward is salvation in the Celestial Kingdom of Heaven. On the contrary, those who reject Christ and His true gospel, will not gain eternal life in the Celestial Kingdom, but they will inherit another degree of glory, either Terrestrial or Telestial, lesser degrees of Glory. We have the freedom to choose  which path we will follow.

 “Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and all things are given them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself. (2 Nephi 2:27).

God forces no one to choose righteousness or evil; for, He grants us our agency to act for ourselves. Herein, all have equal opportunity for freedom of choice whether to follow Christ or not. Choose wisely,

“Decisions Determine Destiny” (Thomas S. Monson)

Jesus Christ: What Manner of Men Ought Ye to Be?

The Great I AM

Mosiah 16:15

Redemption cometh through Christ the Lord.

Jesus said, "What manner of men ought ye to be? Verily I say, 'Even as I Am.' " (See 3 Nephi 27:27) 

Redemption, freedom from sin, comes through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. He was foreordained in the councils of heaven before this world was created to come down and be the Savior of all mankind. He is the Firstborn of Heavenly Father in the pre-earth life, and is the Only Begotten Son of God in the flesh. Jesus removes our every sin and spot from our hearts and lives as we turn to Him through  prayer and repentance.

Repentance means to improve. To repent means to feel or express sincere regret or remorse for one’s wrongdoing or sin, to feel humble and contrite over  one’s misconduct against God’s laws. Repentance is a gift from Almighty God. As we are improving, we are repenting. Our goal is to become Christlike. We should constantly be in a state of improving ourselves in becoming more like Christ. As we do, then we are in the spirit of repentance always, and this is pleasing to God and Jesus.

Jesus Christ: Lamb of God

John 1:29

The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

Jesus is the Lamb of God. Just like followers of the Law of Moses sacrificed lambs on the altar of sacrifice, God sacrificed His only Begotten Son on the Altar of Sacrifice, the cross. Jesus became the sacrificial lamb, for He was without blemish and without spot. He was the firstborn and perfect in every way. His atonement, the shedding of His blood and giving of His life, takes away sins of the world as we repent. We apply the power of the Atonement by repenting. We access the Power of the Atonement through faith in Christ and repenting. We feel the power of the Atonement as we repent and improve, as we love and serve.  

Jesus Christ: Chief-Servant-Leader-Teacher

Matthew 20:26-28

26 But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister;

27 And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant:

28 Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

Jesus was a servant-leader, and He came to minister, teach, and uplift people. He came to give and not receive, to offer and not to take. He gave His all, even His life as a ransom for those who would believe on His name. A ransom is a payment, a price. The price He paid was the sacrifice of His own life for the benefit of all. Jesus’ sacrifice was the ultimate sacrifice; for no other could offer the sacrifice that He did. He was the Only Begotten of the Father having a mortal mother and an immortal Father. His sonship was divine. Jesus ministered to the people. He was a teacher of righteousness. Since He was The Teacher, He was a servant to all.

The greatest people are those  who righteously and selflessly serve others, who seek to bless the lives of others. Serve others with love and be great!

The Sacrifice of the Only Begotten of the Father

Moses 5:5-7

5 And he (The Lord-See verse 6) gave unto them (Adam and Eve) commandments, that they should worship the Lord their God, and should offer the firstlings of their flocks, for an offering unto the Lord. And Adam was obedient unto the commandments of the Lord.

6 And after many days an angel of the Lord appeared unto Adam, saying: Why dost thou offer sacrifices unto the Lord? And Adam said unto him: I know not, save the Lord commanded me.

7 And then the angel spake, saying: This thing is a similitude of the sacrifice of the Only Begotten of the Father, which is full of grace and truth.

God the Father sacrificed Jesus, His Firstborn spirit child and His Only Begotten Son in the flesh, as an infinite and eternal sacrifice for all mankind. Just like Adam and Eve offered sacrifices on the altar, God the Father offered Jesus as a sacrifice on Jesus’ altar of sacrifice--the Cross. The blood of animals was shed and sacrifices on the altar, and this was a similitude of Jesus shedding His blood on His altar of sacrifice. It pleased the Father to sacrifice His Son Jesus in fulfillment of the requirement for all mankind to receive forgiveness of sins upon repentance and eventually gain exaltation, if they would endure faithfully to the end of mortality. Jesus’ blood was shed and His life was sacrificed for reconciliation and atonement for all the living and the dead and those who would yet be born into mortality. Jesus’ atonement was infinite in scope, neverending in its influence.