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TED - If our church is named after Jesus Christ why is our center of worship to God the Father and not Christ. Do we worship Jesus Christ, or is that idolatry?
JOEL - Our church is called the Church of Jesus Christ because of a revelation given to Joseph Smith.
For thus shall amy church be called in the last days, even The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints(D&C 115:4).
Also, because it is a restoration of the same church and gospel that Jesus first brought to the earth during His earthly ministry. He is the God of this earth and it was He who personally established His Church here to help us learn the Gospel; to learn how to worship God the Father; and to help get us through this life and back to our Father in Heaven. When we do return to Him in Heaven we will probably no longer even need a church; at least not like we have here now.
Idolatry is the worship of a physical object or any thing or person in place of God the Father or Jesus. We worship the living eternal God the Father in the name of Jesus Christ.
"And we know that all men must repent and believe on the name of Jesus Christ, and worship the Father in his name, and endure in faith on his name to the end, or they cannot be saved in the kingdom of God." (D&C 20:29)
"I give unto you these sayings that you may understand and know how to worship, and know what you worship, that you may come unto the Father in my name, and in due time receive of his fulness" (D&C 93:19).
Jesus said:
"But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him." (John 4:23)
Actually our "center of worship" is not just God the Father. The scriptures tell us to worship Jesus Christ as well:
"And now behold, I say unto you that the right way is to believe in Christ, and deny him not; and Christ is the Holy One of Israel; wherefore ye must bow down before him, and worship him with all your might, mind, and strength, and your whole soul; and if ye do this ye shall in nowise be cast out." (2 Nephi 25:29)
Worshipping both the Father and Jesus is not idolatry. Some might call us polytheists for claiming they are two separate beings and worshipping both of them; however we do recognize that God the Father is the supreme being of the Godhead, and that is why it is to Him our prayers are directed. We also believe that they act together as one God; one in purpose. So in essence when we worship one of them we are actually worshipping both of them together.
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