Jesus Christ

This title represents the words that Jesus prayed to the Father in Gethsemane. Mormons wholeheartedly believe in the oneness of the Father and the Son. But what is the meaning of this truth? How are the Father and His Son . . . one?

Heavenly truths are not established or fully understood by logical debate, intellectual reasoning, or by the vote of majority opinion. Instead, truths of heaven come from heaven, and are directly revealed to authorized servants of God:

"Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets” (Amos 3: 7).

In times past, when the followers of God had a question about the truths of God, they would look to a prophet for understanding:

“and the people stood by Moses from the morning unto the evening. And when Moses’ father in law saw all that he did to the people, he said, What is this thing that thou doest to the people? why sittest thou thyself alone, and all the people stand by thee from morning unto even? And Moses said unto his father in law, Because the people come unto me to enquire of God: When they have a matter, they come unto me; and I judge between one and another, and I do make them know the statutes of God, and his laws” (Exodus 18: 13-16).

In contrast to this orderly way of knowing the statutes and laws of God (the way that God Himself established), there was a religious creed that came forth by debate and the vote of majority opinion in 325 A.D. It is called the Nicene Creed and here is a key excerpt:

“We believe in one God, the Father Almighty, maker of all things visible and invisible; and in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the only-begotten of his Father, of the substance of the Father, God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father”

With the phrase "being of one substance with the Father," the creators of the creed offered a conception of God that is not given in the Bible--an idea that could have been easily expressed, if it were true. The Trinitarian interpretation of "one substance," then, represents a doctrine determined by man, not given by God.

Clearly, those who authored the Nicene Creed were trying to supply an interpretation of the Biblical words “one God”--they were trying to define how God the Father, His Son Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are “one.”

At the level of logic and reason, it is curious why the creed creators didn’t simply reinforce the meaning of oneness explicitly given by the Son, as He prayed in Gethsemane to His Father:

“Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: . . . that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one” (John 17: 20-23).

Was Jesus praying that a oneness of “substance” should be realized in the resurrection for all believers? Such Nicene Creed implications contradict the clear pattern by which all humanity will be resurrected--in the same manner by which Christ was resurrected:

“And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit. And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts? Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have” (Luke 24: 36-39).

Further, the Nicene Creed contradicts the witness of Stephen:

“But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God” (Acts 7: 55, 56).

The previous Bible passages are presented to show that the doctrines of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the beliefs of the Mormons) are in harmony with the teachings of the Bible. Yet, Mormons do not solely rely upon logical evidence from the Bible for clarity of doctrine. Instead, Latter-day Saints (Mormons) rely upon the words of living prophets for the ultimate interpretation of God's word. This is the order that God has established (Amos 3: 7; Hebrews 1: 1-3).

Direct clarification concerning the oneness of the Godhead was explained by Jeffrey R. Holland, a living Apostle of the Lord, Jesus Christ:

Our first and foremost article of faith in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is “We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost.”

We believe these three divine persons constituting a single Godhead are united in purpose, in manner, in testimony, in mission. We believe Them to be filled with the same godly sense of mercy and love, justice and grace, patience, forgiveness, and redemption.

I think it is accurate to say we believe They are one in every significant and eternal aspect imaginable except believing Them to be three persons combined in one substance, a Trinitarian notion never set forth in the scriptures because it is not true (General Conference, October 2007).

Because Latter-day Saints do not accept the Trinitarian interpretation of divine oneness, upon this doctrinal difference, some maintain that Mormons are not Christian. To this conclusion, the Apostle responds:

Indeed no less a source than the stalwart Harper’s Bible Dictionary records that “the formal doctrine of the Trinity as it was defined by the great church councils of the fourth and fifth centuries is not to be found in the [New Testament].”

So any criticism that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints does not hold the contemporary Christian view of God, Jesus, and the Holy Ghost is not a comment about our commitment to Christ but rather a recognition (accurate, I might add) that our view of the Godhead breaks with post–New Testament Christian history and returns to the doctrine taught by Jesus Himself (General Conference, October 2007).

Differing definitions of being Christian can be conjured up in the minds of mere mortals, yet the meaning of being Christian has already been set forth by the Savior. True Christians will hear Him and follow Him; and in answer to His Gethsemane prayer, . . . they will be one with Him.

It is inspiring to realize that every admonition to which Christ invites, He has lead the way. Jesus gently implored "come follow me" (Luke 18: 22) and then provided the perfect example of how we should live.

Jesus taught that we should lose our lives for His sake (Matt. 10: 39), and then He practiced this same humble submission in relationship to the Father:

"I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me" (John 5: 30). "I do always those things that please him" (John 8: 29).

When we think of Christ and the attributes that he possessed and expressed, we may first think of His love and compassion. Of all His attributes of perfection, it is fascinating to note the aspects of character that Christ assigned to Himself. He identified two traits within this sweet invitation:

"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls” (Matt. 11: 28, 29).

The New International Version of the Bible translates the words “meek and lowly in heart” to mean “gentle and humble in heart.” These particular attributes reaffirm the prominent theme of Christ’s life: His consistent willingness to humbly yield to the will of the Father.

Jesus taught the disciples that obedience to His Father was more vital than daily food:

“In the mean while his disciples prayed him, saying, Master, eat. But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of. Therefore said the disciples one to another, Hath any man brought him ought to eat? Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work” (John 4: 31-34).

Christ completely relied upon His Father for strength to fulfill His mortal mission; Jesus said "I can of mine own self do nothing" (John 5: 30). Perfectly parallel to the life that He lived in relationship to His Father, the Savior implores us to wholly rely upon Him:

"I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing" (John 15: 5).

This same sentiment of subordination and obedience was also taught to “other sheep” (John 10: 16) living in the western hemisphere in 34 A.D. After His crucifixion and resurrection, Christ appeared to the inhabitants of ancient America and taught His gospel:

"And this is the gospel which I have given unto you--that I came into the world to do the will of my Father, because my Father sent me. And my Father sent me that I might be lifted up upon the cross; . . . that I might draw all men unto me" (3 Nephi 27: 13, 14).

There is no controversy in Christian concepts about honor and obedience, humility and willingness. These Christlike ways are simple to conceive. Clearly, the core of being Christian is about how we live our lives in the pattern of our Exemplar--Paul called this priority “the work of faith” (2 Thes. 1: 11, 12).

Of lesser importance is a debate about doctrinal details. It is claimed by some, that latter-day saints worship a “different Jesus,” and that certain conceptions about His resurrected body should determine whether one is called “Christian.”

It is true that latter-day saints conceive of Christ’s tangible nature in a way that is different from Christian traditions, from the 4th century on; nevertheless, Mormons conceive of Christ’s resurrected body precisely as the Bible has established (Luke 24: 39). This Biblical witness of Jesus as a glorified, resurrected being, in whose express image we are created (Gen. 1: 26, 27), is indeed different from the unembodied God of 4th century tradition, but it is not different from Christian teachings in the 1st century A.D.

Correctly conceiving the resurrected Christ is important, but not as important as the weightier matters of His new law: How we should exercise faith in the Savior and live according to His meek and compassionate pattern with humble hearts. Investing time to logically conjure up correct conceptions of doctrinal details of lesser weight, takes time away from the opportunities of “charity” (1 Cor. 13: 1-3).

Central concern for the weightier matters of “the work of faith” (2 Thes. 1: 11, 12) is about, . . . what Christ was about: Doing the will of the Father and showing care and compassion for others. What it means to be Christian has a clear emphasis and priority:

Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself. (Luke 10: 27).

Latter-day saints believe that a central aspect of being Christian goes to following the example of the Savior, who is gentle, meek, and humble of heart--and to do “always those things that please Him” (John 8: 29).