Jesus Christ
Mormons worship Jesus Christ as their Savior and
Redeemer. He is considered to be the head of their Church and their actual name
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
reflects this belief. They believe that their prophet Gordon B. Hinckley
receives direct revelation from Jesus Christ to guide and direct their Church.
Joseph Smith, founder of The Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter-day Saints, said, "the fundamental principles of our religion
are the testimony of the Apostles and Prophets, concerning Jesus Christ, that
He died, was buried, and rose again the third day, and ascended into heaven;
and all other things which pertain to our religion are only appendages to
it." 1
The Book of Mormon is another testament of Jesus Christ. In
the Book of Mormon,
Nephi says, "And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of
Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that
our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their
sins." 2 The
Book of Mormon is used in conjunction with the Bible to convince the world of
the Divinity and mission of Jesus Christ.
President Gordon B. Hinckley has declared, "We
may be somewhat different from the traditional pattern of Christianity. But no
one believes more literally in the redemption wrought by the Lord Jesus Christ.
No one believes more fundamentally that He was the Son of God that He died for
the sins of mankind, that He rose from the grave and that He is the living
resurrected Son of the living Father. All of our doctrine, all of our religious
practice stems from that one basic doctrinal position." 3
Mormon
doctrine teaches that
Jesus Christ is the literal Son of God, both physically and spiritually. That
He was born of an earthly mother Mary. That He lived a perfect life and is an
example to all of us. They believe that it is through the Atonement of Christ
that a person's sins can be forgiven and that they can eventually achieve
eternal life. They also recognize that His death on the cross and subsequent
resurrection broke the bands of death. Because of Christ all mankind will be
resurrected, with their bodies reuniting with their spirits at the great
resurrection day.
Just like other Christian religions members of the Mormon
Church take the sacrament each
week. In the prayer it states that members who are taking the sacrament agree
to "take upon
them the name of thy Son, and always remember Him, and keep His commandments
which He hath given them, that they may always have His Spirit to be with them." 4 Members
try to emulate Jesus Christ in their daily life. They
strive to continually be more Christ-like. They uphold His example as the
perfect life and continually look to it for guidance in their actions and
lives.
(1) Teachings of
the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 121
(2) 2 Nephi 25:26
(3) Interview
with Religion Newswriters Association, Albuquerque, New Mexico, Sept 14, 1997
(4) Moroni 4:3