Tag: Son of God

On This Wise Shall Ye Baptize

~ Richard Rowley

Christ called priesthood holders in the Americas (around 34 A.D.) and taught them the specific way in which baptisms should be performed:

“Verily I say unto you, that whoso repenteth of his sins through your words, and desireth to be baptized in my name, on this wise shall ye baptize them—Behold, ye shall go down and stand in the water, and in my name shall ye baptize them. And now behold, these are the words which ye shall say, calling them by name, saying: Having authority given me of Jesus Christ, I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen. And then shall ye immerse them in the water, and come forth again out of the water. And after this manner shall ye baptize in my name; for behold, verily I say unto you, that the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost are one; and I am in the Father, and the Father in me, and the Father and I are one. And according as I have commanded you thus shall ye baptize.” (3 Nephi 11:23-28)

Questions:

-Why did Christ, while visiting a group of Lehi’s descendants, focus on teaching the correct manner of baptism?

-What does this say about how important the proper baptismal ordinance is to God?

I Am the Light and the Life of the World

~ Richard Rowley

After a massively destructive natural upheaval, Christ speaks to the surviving descendants of Lehi living in the Americas about who He is and what He has done::

“Yea, verily I say unto you, if ye will come unto me ye shall have eternal life. Behold, mine arm of mercy is extended towards you, and whosoever will come, him will I receive; and blessed are those who come unto me. Behold, I am Jesus Christ the Son of God. I created the heavens and the earth, and all things that in them are. I was with the Father from the beginning. I am in the Father, and the Father in me, and in me hath the Father glorified his name. I came unto my own, and my own received me not. And the scriptures concerning my coming are fulfilled. And as many as have received me, to them have I given to become the sons of God; and even so will I to as many as shall believe on my name, for behold, by me redemption cometh and in me is the law of Moses fulfilled. I am the light and the life of the world. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end.” (3 Nephi 9:14-18)

Questions:

-How does a person receive Christ?

He will Gather in from the Four Quarters of the Earth All the Remnant of the Seed of Jacob

~ Richard Rowley

Mormon, a Nephite prophet and historian, prophesies about the literal physical gathering of Jacob’s descendants in the last days.

“As surely as the Lord liveth, will he gather in from the four quarters of the earth all the remnant of the seed of Jacob, who are scattered abroad upon all the face of the earth. And as he hath covenanted with all the house of Jacob, even so shall the covenant wherewith he hath covenanted with the house of Jacob be fulfilled in his own due time, unto the restoring all the house of Jacob unto the knowledge of the covenant that he hath covenanted with them. And then shall they know their Redeemer, who is Jesus Christ, the Son of God; and then shall they be gathered in from the four quarters of the earth unto their own lands, from whence they have been dispersed; yea, as the Lord liveth so shall it be. Amen.” (3 Nephi 5:24-26)

Questions:

-Clearly the Jews have gathered (and continue to gather) to the nation of Israel. Have other descendants of Jacob begun to be gathered to their homelands?

Looking to the Son of God with Faith and a Contrite Spirit Prepares One for Eternal Life

~ Richard Rowley

The raising of the brass serpent by Moses portended the raising of Christ upon the cross and His glorious resurrection. Having risen from the grave, He prepared the way for us all

“…As [Moses] lifted up the brazen serpent in the wilderness, so shall [the Messiah] be lifted up who should come. And as many as should look upon that serpent should live, even so as many as should look upon the Son of God with faith, having a contrite spirit, might live, even unto that life which is eternal.” (Helaman 8:15)

Questions:

-Is it possible to “look” to Christ without faith and without a contrite spirit?

-Do different Christian faiths (and their individual congregations) influence their adherents, either negatively or positively, toward having a contrite spirit and having faith when looking to Christ?  

Christ is a Foundation Whereon if Men Build They Cannot Fall

~ Richard Rowley

The prophet Helaman teaches his sons about the one sure Foundation upon which a person can build.

“…Remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall.” (Helaman 5:12)

Questions:

-If one builds his or her foundation on anything or anyone besides Christ, are they sure to fall sooner or later?

-How can a person build his or her foundation on Christ?

-Are spiritual foundations the deepest foundations?

There Can Be Nothing Short of An Infinite Atonement Which Will Suffice for the Sins of the World

~ Richard Rowley

Amulek (in about 74 B.C.) teaches that only Jesus Christ (a God filled with infinite and eternal power) could make the sacrifice necessary to offer salvation to the inhabitants of the Earth.  

“…It is expedient that there should be a great and last sacrifice; yea, not a sacrifice of man, neither of beast, neither of any manner of fowl; for it shall not be a human sacrifice; but it must be an infinite and eternal sacrifice…there can be nothing short of an infinite atonement which will suffice for the sins of the world…and that great and last sacrifice will be the Son of God, yea, infinite and eternal.” (Alma 34:10-14)

Questions:
-Do you believe God forgives sin without reference to the demands of justice?

-Does Christ’s willingness to meet those terrible demands help you understand how deeply He loves all who have ever lived?

All Must Perish Except It Be through Christ’s Atonement

~ Richard Rowley

Amulek teaches about the power and necessity of Christ’s Atonement.

“…The word is in Christ unto salvation…redemption cometh through the Son of God…Behold I say unto you that I do know that Christ shall come among the children of men, to take upon him the transgressions of his people, and that he shall atone for the sins of the world; for the Lord God hath spoken it. For it is expedient that an atonement should be made; for according to the great plan of the Eternal God there must be an atonement made, or else all mankind must unavoidably perish; yea, all are hardened; yea, all are fallen and are lost, and must perish except it be through the atonement which it is expedient should be made. (Alma 34:6-9)

Questions:

-How does a heart stray from God during a lifetime?

-How can a heart be softened after it has hardened (spiritually speaking)?

God Breaketh the Bands of Death

~ Richard Rowley

The prophet Abinadi foretold (in about 148 B.C.) how Jesus Christ, during His mortal life on earth, would unfailingly do His Father’s will—even as doing so would lead to Christ’s suffering and death which He would endure in our behalf. Christ now stands, with great compassion and mercy, between all mankind and justice.

“…He shall be led, crucified, and slain, the flesh becoming subject even unto death, the will of the Son being swallowed up in the will of the Father. And thus God breaketh the bands of death, having gained the victory over death; giving the Son power to make intercession for the children of men—Having ascended into heaven, having the bowels of mercy; being filled with compassion towards the children of men; standing betwixt them and justice; having broken the bands of death, taken upon himself their iniquity and their transgressions, having redeemed them, and satisfied the demands of justice.” (Mosiah 15:7-9)

Questions:

-Will justice still be applied to those who rejected Christ in this life (after coming to a full knowledge of His gospel) and who will reject Him at the time of the Final Judgement? Will He apply His merciful power against anyone’s will?

They Are One God, Yea the Very Eternal Father of Heaven and of Earth

~ Richard Rowley

The prophet Abinadi teaches how God the Father and Jesus Christ are one God in the sense that Christ never did anything but the Father’s will despite taking on the temptations of mortality.

“I would that ye should understand that God himself shall come down among the children of men, and shall redeem his people. And because he dwelleth in flesh he shall be called the Son of God, and having subjected the flesh to the will of the Father, being the Father and the Son—The Father, because he was conceived by the power of God; and the Son, because of the flesh; thus becoming the Father and Son—And they are one God, yea the very Eternal Father of heaven and of earth. And thus the flesh becoming subject to the Spirit, or the Son to the Father, being one God, suffereth temptation, and yieldeth not to the temptation, but suffereth himself to be mocked, and scourged, and cast out, and disowned by his people.” (Mosiah 15:1-5)

Questions:

-Is Heavenly Father and Christ being in perfect harmony, in terms of purpose, the same as their somehow being one in form?

-When God asks us to be one (see Doctrine and Covenants 38:27), is He asking us to somehow be the same person? Or, is He asking us to be one in righteous purpose?

-Who are the children of Christ?

These Things are Done That a Righteous Judgment Might Come upon the Children of Men

~ Richard Rowley

In about 124 B.C., King Benjamin relates the words he received from an angel foretelling Christ’s life and mission.

“He shall be called Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Father of heaven and earth, the Creator of all things from the beginning; and his mother shall be called Mary. And lo, he cometh unto his own, that salvation might come unto the children of men even through faith on his name; and even after all this they shall consider him a man, and say that he hath a devil, and shall scourge him, and shall crucify him. And he shall rise the third day from the dead; and behold, he standeth to judge the world; and behold, all these things are done that a righteous judgment might come upon the children of men.” (Mosiah 3:8-10)

Questions:

-Would it be possible for God the Father to oversee a righteous Judgment if he hadn’t sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to prepare the way for the Judgment to be performed perfectly?

-Do you believe that Christ now stands, with a resurrected body, perfectly prepared to mete a righteous judgment to all who have lived on the Earth?

-Could anyone else stand in perfect judgment of God’s children?

-How is Christ, the Son of God, also the Father of heaven and earth?