Jesus Christ was and is the Lord God Omnipotent (see Mosiah 3:5). He was chosen before He was born. He was the all-powerful Creator of the heavens and the earth. He is the source of life and light to all things. His word is the law by which all things are governed in the universe. All things created and made by Him are subject to His infinite power. (Come unto Christ, p. 128.)
Jesus was a God in the premortal existence. Our Father in Heaven gave Him a name above all others-the Christ. We have a volume of scripture whose major mission is to convince the world that Jesus is the Christ. It is the Book of Mormon. It is another testament of Jesus Christ. In its pages we read "that there shall be no other name given nor any other way nor means whereby salvation can come unto the children of men, only in and through the name of Christ, the Lord Omnipotent" (Mosiah 3:17).
As far as man is concerned, we must build "upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ" (Helaman 5:12). The first and great commandment is to love Him and His Father. Jesus Christ is "the Father of heaven and earth, the Creator of all things from the beginning" (Mosiah 3:8).
"Wherefore," declared Jacob in the Book of Mormon, "if God being able to speak and the world was, and to speak and man was created, O then, why not able to command the earth, or the workmanship of his hands upon the face of it, according to his will and pleasure?" (Jacob 4:9.) God, the Creator, commands His creations even at this very moment. ("Joy in Christ," Ensign 16 [March 1986]: 3.)
A fundamental doctrine of true Christianity is the divine birth of the child Jesus. This doctrine is not generally comprehended by the world. The paternity of Jesus Christ is one of the "mysteries of godliness" comprehended only by the spiritually minded. (See 1 Timothy 3:16; D&C 19:10.)
The Apostle Matthew recorded: "Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost" (Matthew 1:18).
Luke rendered a plainer meaning to the divine conception. He quoted the angel Gabriel's words to Mary: "The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy [being] which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God" (Luke 1:35).
Some six hundred years before Jesus was born, an ancient prophet had a vision. He saw Mary and described her as "a virgin, most beautiful and fair above all other virgins." He then saw her "carried away in the Spirit . . . for the space of a time." When she returned, she was "bearing a child in her arms . . . even the Son of the Eternal Father." (1 Nephi 11:15, 19-21.)
Thus the testimonies of appointed witnesses leave no question as to the paternity of Jesus Christ. God was the Father of Jesus' mortal tabernacle, and Mary, a mortal woman, was His mother. He is therefore the only person born who rightfully deserved the title "the Only Begotten Son of God." (Come unto Christ, pp. 2-3.)
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints proclaims that Jesus Christ is the Son of God in the most literal sense. The body in which He performed His mission in the flesh was sired by that same Holy Being we worship as God, our Eternal Father. Jesus was not the son of Joseph, nor was He begotten by the Holy Ghost. He is the Son of the Eternal Father. (Come unto Christ, p. 4.)
He was the Only Begotten Son of our Heavenly Father in the flesh-the only child whose mortal body was begotten by our Heavenly Father. His mortal mother, Mary, was called a virgin, both before and after she gave birth. (See 1 Nephi 11:20.) ("Joy in Christ," Ensign 16 [March 1986]: 3-4.)
Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He came to this earth at a foreappointed time through a royal birthright that preserved His godhood. Combined in His nature were the human attributes of His mortal mother and the divine attributes and power of His Eternal Father. As the Son of God, He inherited powers and intelligence that no human has ever had before or since. He was literally Immanuel, which means "God with us." (Come unto Christ, p. 128.)
Nearly two thousand years ago a perfect Man walked the earth-Jesus the Christ. He was the Son of a Heavenly Father and an earthly mother. He is the God of this world, under the Father. In His life, all the virtues were lived and kept in perfect balance; He taught men truth-that they might be free; His example and precepts provide the great standard-the only sure way-for all mankind. Among us He became the first and only one who had the power to reunite His body with His spirit after death. By His power all men who have died shall be resurrected. Before Him one day we all must stand to be judged by His laws. He lives today, and in the not too distant future shall return, in triumph, to subdue His enemies, to reward men according to their deeds, and to assume His rightful role to rule and reign in righteousness over the entire earth. (An Enemy Hath Done This, pp. 52-53.)
To qualify as the Redeemer of all our Father's children, Jesus had to be perfectly obedient to all the laws of God. Because He subjected Himself to the will of the Father, He grew from "grace to grace, until He received a fulness" of the Father's power. Thus He had "all power, both in heaven and on earth." (D&C 93:13, 17.)
Once this truth about the One we worship as the Son of God is understood, we can more readily comprehend how He had power to heal the sick, cure all manner of diseases, raise the dead, and command the elements. Even devils, whom He cast out, were subject to Him and acknowledged His divinity. (See Matthew 8:28-32.) (Come unto Christ, pp. 128-29.)
Even though He was God's Son sent to earth, the divine plan of the Father required that Jesus be subjected to all the difficulties and tribulations of mortality. Thus He became subject to "temptations, . . . hunger, thirst, and fatigue" (Mosiah 3:7). (Come unto Christ, p. 128.)
Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson, p.8-9
Today some unbelievers among us spread seeds of heresy, claiming that Jesus could not cast out evil spirits and did not walk on water nor heal the sick nor miraculously feed five thousand nor calm storms nor raise the dead. These would have us believe that such claims are fantastic and that there is a natural explanation for each alleged miracle. Some have gone so far as to publish psychological explanations for His reported miracles. But Jesus' entire ministry was a mark of His divinity. He spoke as God, He acted as God, and He performed works that only God Himself can do. His works bear testimony to His divinity. (Come unto Christ, p. 6.)
Because His Father was God, Jesus Christ had power that no other human had before or since. He was God in the flesh-even the Son of God. He therefore, as scripture records, had power to do many miracles: raise the dead, cause the lame to walk and the blind to receive their sight, and cast out evil spirits (see Mosiah 3:5-6).
He provided His gospel as a source of constant sustenance and nourishment to keep each individual's spirituality alive forever. His own testimony is: "Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life" (John 4:14). (Come unto Christ, pp. 75-76.)
As the great Lawgiver, He gave laws and commandments for the benefit of all our Heavenly Father's children. Indeed, His law fulfilled all previous covenants with the house of Israel. Said He: "Behold, I am the law, and the light. Look unto me, and endure to the end, and ye shall live; for unto him that endureth to the end will I give eternal life." (3 Nephi 15:9.) (Come unto Christ, p. 129.)
Several years ago, a number of prominent theologians were asked the question, What do you think of Jesus? Their replies startled many professed Christians. One asserted that a "true Christian" must reject the Resurrection. Another admitted that New Testament scholars were so divided on the question that one cannot say anything certain about the historical Jesus. Another scholar and teacher of Jesuit priests explained, "It is difficult to say in our age what the divinity of Jesus can mean. We are groping now for a way to express it-we just don't know." ("Easter 1966-A Quest for the True Jesus," Newsweek, April 11, 1966, p. 72.)
In a public opinion poll conducted by George Gallup, Jr., seven in ten adult American respondents said they believed in the divinity of Christ. But 90 percent of these said that Jesus is divine only in the sense that He embodies the best that is in all men (Church News, October 23, 1983). The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints consents to no such ambiguity in relation to our position regarding the divinity of Jesus Christ. (Come unto Christ, p. 2.)
The question is sometimes asked, "Are Mormons Christians?" We declare the divinity of Jesus Christ. We look to Him as the only source of our salvation. We strive to live His teachings, and we look forward to the time that He shall come again on this earth to rule and reign as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. In the words of a Book of Mormon prophet, we say to men today, "There [is] no other name given nor any other way nor means whereby salvation can come unto the children of men, only in and through the name of Christ, the Lord Omnipotent" (Mosiah 3:17). ("A Promised Lord-A Promised Land-A Promised People," Wichita, Kansas, 11 November 1976.)
As witnesses of the Lord Jesus Christ we proclaim that He truly is the Savior of all. He whose birth the Christian world celebrates is indeed the Son of God, the Redeemer, the Promised Messiah. No message is more significant than the one He brought. No event is of greater importance than His atoning sacrifice and subsequent resurrection. And no mortal tongue can express sufficient thanks for all that Jesus has done for us. ("First Presidency-Christmas Message," Church News [15 December 1985]: 3.)
We need to know that Christ invites us to come unto Him. "Behold, he sendeth an invitation unto all men, for the arms of mercy are extended towards them, . . . Yea he saith: Come unto me and ye shall partake of the fruit of the tree of life." (Alma 5:33-34.)
Come, for he stands "with open arms to receive you" (Mormon 6:17).
Come, for "he will console you in your afflictions, and he will plead your cause" (Jacob 3:1).
"Come unto him, and offer your whole souls as an offering unto him" (Omni 1:26).
As Moroni closed the record of the Jaredite civilization, he wrote, "I would commend you to seek this Jesus of whom the prophets and apostles have written" (Ether 12:41).
In Moroni's closing words written toward the end of the Nephite civilization, he said, "Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, . . . and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you" (Moroni 10:32).
Those who are committed to Christ "stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places" that they may be in "even until death" (Mosiah 18:9). They "retain the name" of Christ "written always" in their hearts (Mosiah 5:12). They take upon themselves "the name of Christ, having a determination to serve him to the end" (Moroni 6:3).
When we live a Christ-centered life, "we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ" (2 Nephi 25:26). We "receive the pleasing word of God, and feast upon his love" (Jacob 3:2). Even when Nephi's soul was grieved because of his iniquities, he said, "I know in whom I have trusted. My God hath been my support." (2 Nephi 4:19-20.)
We remember Alma's counsel: "Let all thy doings be unto the Lord, and whithersoever thou goest let it be in the Lord; yea, let all thy thoughts be directed unto the Lord; yea, let the affections of thy heart be placed upon the Lord forever. Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings." (Alma 37:36-37.)
"Remember, remember," said Helaman, "that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, . . . that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, . . . they shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery" (Helaman 5:12).
Nephi said, the Lord "hath filled me with his love, even unto the consuming of my flesh" (2 Nephi 4:21). Those who are consumed in Christ "are made alive in Christ" (2 Nephi 25:25). They "suffer no manner of affliction, save it were swallowed up in the joy of Christ" (Alma 31:38). They are "clasped in the arms of Jesus" (Mormon 5:11). Nephi said, "I glory in my Jesus, for he hath redeemed my soul" (2 Nephi 33:6). Lehi said, "I am encircled about eternally in the arms of his love" (2 Nephi 1:15).
Now, my beloved brethren and sisters, let us read the Book of Mormon and be convinced that Jesus is the Christ. Let us continually reread the Book of Mormon so that we might more fully come to Christ, be committed to Him, centered in Him, and consumed in Him. (CR October 1987, Ensign 17 [November 1987]: 84-85.)
We should like to reaffirm to all the world that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is led by our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. We believe in Christ. We accept and affirm His teachings as revealed truths from God. We know Him to be the literal Son of God. We love Him as our resurrected Lord and Savior. We believe there is "none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved" (see Acts 4:12).
We invite all men, as the Book of Mormon declares, to "come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; . . . and love God with all your might, mind and strength" (Moroni 10:32). (Statement upon becoming President of the Church, 11 November 1985.)
Without Christ there would be no Christmas, and without Christ there can be no fulness of joy. ("Keeping Christ in Christmas," Christmas Devotional, Salt Lake City, Utah, 1 December 1985.)
The babe of Bethlehem became the Nazarene, the Man of Galilee, the Life and Light of the world, the Savior and Redeemer of mankind, the miracle of all time. More books have been written about Him, more buildings have been erected to His honor, more men have died with His name on their lips than any other person who ever lived. (God, Family, Country, p. 12.)
I bear witness to you that Jesus is the Christ, the Savior and Redeemer of the world-the very Son of God. He was born the babe of Bethlehem. He lived and ministered among men. He was crucified on Calvary. His friends deserted Him. His closest associates did not fully understand His mission, and they doubted. One of the most trusted denied knowing Him.
A pagan governor, struggling with his conscience after consenting to Jesus' death, caused a sign to be erected over the cross proclaiming Him "JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS" (John 19:19). He asked forgiveness for His tormentors and then willingly gave up His life. His body was laid in a borrowed tomb. An immense stone was placed over the opening. In the minds of His stunned followers over and over echoed some of His last words, "Be of good cheer; I have overcome the world" (John 16:33).
On the third day there was a great earthquake. The stone was rolled back from the door of the tomb. Some of the women, among the most devoted of His followers, came to the place with spices "and found not the body of the Lord Jesus" (Luke 24:3). Angels appeared and said simply, "Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen." (Luke 24:5-6.) There is nothing in history to equal that dramatic announcement: "He is not here, but is risen." (CR April 1964, Improvement Era 67 [June 1964]: 503-4.)
No other single influence has had so great an impact on this earth as the life of Jesus the Christ. We cannot conceive of our lives without His teachings. Without Him we would be lost in a mirage of beliefs and worships, born in fear and darkness where the sensual and materialistic hold sway. We are far short of the goal He set for us, but we must never lose sight of it; nor must we forget that our great climb toward the light, toward perfection, would not be possible except for His teachings, His life, His death, and His resurrection. (CR April 1971, Ensign 1 [June 1971]: 33.)
I testify that Christ is the light to all mankind. He has pointed, marked out, and lighted the way. Sadly, many individuals and nations have extinguished that light and have attempted to supplant His gospel with coercion and the sword. But even to those who reject Him, He is "the light which shineth in the darkness" (John 1:5). ("The Light of Christmas," Temple Square Christmas Lighting Ceremony, Salt Lake City, Utah, 26 November 1982.)
To be like the Savior-what a challenge for any person! He is a member of the Godhead. He is the Savior and Redeemer. He was perfect in every aspect of His life. There was no flaw or failing in Him. Is it possible for us as priesthood holders to be even as He is? The answer is yes. Not only can we, but that is our charge. (3 Nephi 27:27.) He would not give us that commandment if He did not mean for us to do it. (CR October 1986, Ensign 16 [4 October 1986]: 45.)
May we be convinced that Jesus is the Christ, choose to follow Him, be changed for Him, captained by Him, consumed in Him, and born again. (CR October 1985, Ensign 15 [November 1985]: 7.)
Atonement. The Lord testified, "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." (3 Nephi 27: 13-14.) And so He was. In Gethsemane and on Calvary, He worked out the infinite and eternal atonement. It was the greatest single act of love in recorded history. Thus He became our Redeemer-redeeming all of us from physical death, and redeeming those of us from spiritual death who will obey the laws and ordinances of the gospel. ("Keeping Christ in Christmas," Christmas Devotional, Salt Lake City, Utah, 1 December 1985.)
On the night Jesus was betrayed, He took three of the Twelve and went into the place called Gethsemane. There He suffered the pains of all men. He suffered as only God could suffer, bearing our griefs, carrying our sorrows, being wounded for our transgressions, voluntarily submitting Himself to the iniquity of us all, just as Isaiah prophesied (see Isaiah 53:4-6).
It was in Gethsemane that Jesus took on Himself the sins of the world, in Gethsemane that His pain was equivalent to the cumulative burden of all men, in Gethsemane that He descended below all things so that all could repent and come to Him. The mortal mind fails to fathom, the tongue cannot express, the pen of man cannot describe the breadth, the depth, the height of the suffering of our Lord-nor His infinite love for us. (Come Unto Christ, pp. 6-7.)
Because He was God-even the Son of God-He could carry the weight and burden of other men's sins on Himself. Isaiah prophesied our Savior's willingness to do this in these words: "Surely he has borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows. He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed." (Isaiah 53:4-5.)
That holy, unselfish act of voluntarily taking on Himself the sins of all other men is called the Atonement. How one could bear the sins for all is beyond the comprehension of mortal man. But this I know: He did take on Himself the sins of all and did so out of His infinite love for each of us. He has said: "For behold, I, God, have suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer if they would repent; . . . Which suffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body and spirit-and would that I might not drink the bitter cup, and shrink." (D&C 19:16, 18.)
In spite of that excruciating ordeal, He took the cup and drank. He suffered the pains of all men so we would not have to suffer. He endured the humiliation and insults of His persecutors without complaint or retaliation. He bore the flogging and then the ignominy of the brutal execution-the cross. ("Jesus Christ: Our Savior, Our God," San Diego, California, 21 December 1979.)
No mortal being had the power or capability to redeem all other mortals from their lost and fallen condition, nor could any other voluntarily forfeit His life and thereby bring to pass a universal resurrection for all other mortals. Only Jesus Christ was able and willing to accomplish such a redeeming act of love. (Come unto Christ, p. 130.)
As was so characteristic of His entire mortal experience, the Savior submitted to our Father's will and took the bitter cup and drank. He suffered the pains of all men in Gethsemane so they would not have to suffer if they would repent. Only then did He voluntarily submit to death. Again, He explained: "No man taketh [my life] from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father." (John 10:18.) (Come unto Christ, p. 130.)
We may never understand nor comprehend in mortality how He accomplished what He did, but we must not fail to understand why He did what He did. All that He did was prompted by His unselfish, infinite love for us. (Come unto Christ, p. 130.)
Resurrection. The greatest events of history are those which affect the greatest number for the longest periods. By this standard, no event could be more important to individuals or nations than the resurrection of the Master. The eventual resurrection of every soul who has lived and died on earth is a scriptural certainty. And surely there is no event for which one should make more careful preparation.
Nothing is more absolutely universal than the Resurrection. Every living being will be resurrected. "As in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive" (1 Corinthians 15:22). Yes, the resurrection of Jesus Christ is a glorious reality. He became the first fruits of them that slept. He truly rose from the tomb the third day, as He and His prophets foretold, and became, in very deed, "the resurrection and the life" (John 11:25). He broke the bonds of death for all of us. We, too, will be resurrected-our spirits will be reunited with our bodies. (So Shall Ye Reap, p. 4.)
If we live good lives on earth and keep the commandments of the Lord, life on the other side of the veil will be glorious. The Lord described it as paradise-a place where there is much joy and happiness instead of worries and heartaches. But as beautiful as the spirit world is for those who are righteous, life does not endlessly continue there. In time, our spirits must be joined again to our bodies to obtain complete joy. This is called the resurrection.
Three days after Jesus' body was laid in a tomb, He took His body up again. By doing so He overcame death for every other individual so that we, too, will live after this life. This is what He meant when He said that "because I live, ye shall live also" (John 14:19). ("He Is Risen," Friend 11 [April 1981]: 6.)
Christ's resurrection was abundantly verified. The witnesses are many. Throughout the forty days following His resurrection the Lord manifested Himself at intervals and gave instructions in the things pertaining to the kingdom of God. Much that He said and did is not written, but such things as are of record, John assures us, "are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name" (John 20:31). (CR April 1964, Improvement Era 67 [June 1964]: 504.)
And when Christ and the disciples had gone "as far as to Bethany," where Mary, Martha, and Lazarus lived, the Lord lifted up His hands and blessed them. And while He yet spoke He rose from their midst until a cloud received Him out of their sight.
As the Apostles stood gazing steadfastly upward, two personages, clothed in white apparel, appeared by them; these spoke unto the eleven, saying: "Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven." (Acts 1:9-11; also Luke 24:50-51.)
Worshipfully and with great joy the Apostles returned to Jerusalem. The Lord's ascension was accomplished. It was as truly a literal departure of a material being as His resurrection had been an actual return of His spirit to His own physical body. Now the disciples began to comprehend more fully that He had truly "overcome the world"-not that He had displaced Caesar, or even Pilate who ruled over Judea (see John 16:33). The great majority of the world's peoples had still not even heard of Him. But there was victory over the grave. (So Shall Ye Reap, p. 5.)
The Book of Mormon records the resurrected Lord's appearance on the American continent. To those people He said, "Behold, I am Jesus Christ, whom the prophets testified shall come into the world. Arise and come forth unto me, that ye may thrust your hands into my side, and also that ye may feel the prints of the nails in my hands and in my feet, that ye may know that I am the God of Israel, and the God of the whole earth, and have been slain for the sins of the world." One by one, about twenty-five hundred people "thrust their hands into his side, and did feel the prints of the nails in his hands and in his feet." And they did "cry out with one accord, saying: Hosanna! Blessed be the name of the Most High God! And they did fall down at the feet of Jesus, and did worship Him." (3 Nephi 11:10-17.) ("Keeping Christ in Christmas," Christmas Devotional, Salt Lake City, Utah, 1 December 1985.)
Since the day of resurrection when Jesus became the "firstfruits of them that slept" (1 Corinthians 15:20), there have been those who disbelieve and scoff. They maintain there is no life beyond mortal existence. Some have even written books that contain their fanciful heresies to suggest how Jesus' disciples perpetrated the hoax of His resurrection. I give you my testimony: The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the greatest historical event in the world to date. He lives! He lives with a resurrected body. There is no truth or fact of which I am more assured than the truth of the literal resurrection of our Lord. (Come unto Christ, pp. 9-10.)
There has been considerable publicity and media coverage recently on the reporting of experiences that seemingly verify that "life after life" is a reality. The ancient prophet's question asked centuries ago has been revived: "If a man die, shall he live again" (Job 14:14)? In other words, what happens to a person once he dies? A definite answer to that question is provided by the Savior's ministry in the spirit world following His crucifixion, death, and burial (see D&C 138). (Come unto Christ, p. 117.)
This great thing that we refer to as the Resurrection has partly been accomplished. Part of those who have been in the graves arose at the time the Master broke the bonds of death. There are some who feel that the resurrection is going on continually and has been since that time. That is not scripturally true, but we do know that it is possible for our Father to call from the graves those whom He needs to perform special missions and special service. For example, we know of at least three who have been called up since the resurrection of the Master and since that first mass resurrection when the graves were opened and many of the Saints arose.
Peter and James who came and laid their hands upon the Prophet Joseph and ordained him to the Melchizedek Priesthood were resurrected beings who lived and ministered after the time that the Master was upon the earth. Moroni, who lived and died many years after the time of the resurrection of the Master, was a resurrected being. So we know that there are some that have been resurrected, and we know that certain promises are made that if the Lord needs the help of certain special messengers they may be called up. We are trying to live so that we will be worthy to come forth in the morning of this resurrection that will come preceding the great millennial period. The righteous will be caught up to meet the Savior as He comes in glory and makes His second appearance to rule and reign here in the earth when the millennial period will begin. (Washington D.C. Stake Conference, 8 March 1959.)
This power to revive His own life was possible because Jesus Christ was God-even the Son of God. Because He had the power to overcome death, all mankind will be resurrected. "Because I live, ye shall live also," He testified (John 14:19). (Come unto Christ, p. 130.)
Second Coming. This is the last and great dispensation in which the great consummation of God's purposes will be made, the only dispensation in which the Lord has promised that sin will not prevail. The Church will not be taken from the earth again. It is here to stay. The Lord has promised it and you are a part of that Church and kingdom-the nucleus around which will be builded the great kingdom of God on the earth. The kingdom of heaven and the kingdom of God on the earth will be combined together at Christ's coming-and that time is not far distant. How I wish we could get the vision of this work, the genius of it, and realize the nearness of that great event. I am sure it would have a sobering effect upon us if we realized what is before us. ("I'll Go Where You Want Me to Go," Church News [23 November 1946]: 8.)
I solemnly declare that the Lord has established His latter-day kingdom upon the earth in fulfillment of prophecies uttered by His ancient prophets and Apostles. Holy angels have again communed with men on the earth. God has again revealed Himself from heaven and restored to the earth His holy priesthood with power to administer in all the sacred ordinances necessary for the exaltation of His children. His Church has been reestablished among men with all the spiritual gifts enjoyed anciently. All this is done in preparation for Christ's second coming. The great and dreadful day of the Lord is near at hand. In preparation for this great event and as a means of escaping the impending judgments, inspired messengers have gone forth to the nations of the earth carrying this testimony and warning. (Stockholm Sweden Area Conference, 18 August 1974.)
This great time is drawing near. There is every evidence that His second coming is near at hand. I do not say that wars are over. I wish I could tell you that permanent peace is with us. I wish you would read that revelation given to Joseph Smith on Christmas day in 1832 regarding wars to come and in which the Civil War of my own country was predicted-in which it is recorded that war will continue to be poured out until nations will be no more (see D&C 87). Then the great theocracy, with Christ at the head, will be established. ("I'll Go Where You Want Me to Go," Church News [23 November 1946]: 8.)
Not many years hence Christ will come again. He will come in power and might as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. And ultimately "every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is the Christ" (Romans 14:11; D&C 88:104; Mosiah 27:31). ("Joy in Christ," Ensign 16 [March 1986]: 5.)
All nations will see Him "in the clouds of heaven, clothed with power and great glory; with all the holy angels…. And the Lord shall utter his voice, and all the ends of the earth shall hear it; and the nations of the earth shall mourn, and they that have laughed shall see their folly. And calamity shall cover the mocker, and the scorner shall be consumed; and they that have watched for iniquity shall be hewn down and cast into the fire." (D&C 45:44, 49-50.)
When the Savior spoke of these signs and prophecies to His disciples in Jerusalem, they were apprehensive. He said to them, "Be not troubled, for, when all these things shall come to pass, ye may know that the promises which have been made unto you shall be fulfilled" (D&C 45:35). Do we realize we are living in the days of the fulfillment of these signs and wonders? We are among those who will see many of these prophecies fulfilled. Just as certain as was the destruction of the temple at Jerusalem and the scattering of the Jews, so shall these words of the Savior be certain to our generation. We know not the day nor the hour of His coming, but of this we may feel assured: We stand close to the great day of the Lord! (Come unto Christ, pp. 114-15.)
Jesus was a God in the premortal existence. Our Father in Heaven gave Him a name above all others-the Christ. We have a volume of scripture whose major mission is to convince the world that Jesus is the Christ. It is the Book of Mormon. It is another testament of Jesus Christ. In its pages we read "that there shall be no other name given nor any other way nor means whereby salvation can come unto the children of men, only in and through the name of Christ, the Lord Omnipotent" (Mosiah 3:17).
As far as man is concerned, we must build "upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ" (Helaman 5:12). The first and great commandment is to love Him and His Father. Jesus Christ is "the Father of heaven and earth, the Creator of all things from the beginning" (Mosiah 3:8).
"Wherefore," declared Jacob in the Book of Mormon, "if God being able to speak and the world was, and to speak and man was created, O then, why not able to command the earth, or the workmanship of his hands upon the face of it, according to his will and pleasure?" (Jacob 4:9.) God, the Creator, commands His creations even at this very moment. ("Joy in Christ," Ensign 16 [March 1986]: 3.)
A fundamental doctrine of true Christianity is the divine birth of the child Jesus. This doctrine is not generally comprehended by the world. The paternity of Jesus Christ is one of the "mysteries of godliness" comprehended only by the spiritually minded. (See 1 Timothy 3:16; D&C 19:10.)
The Apostle Matthew recorded: "Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost" (Matthew 1:18).
Luke rendered a plainer meaning to the divine conception. He quoted the angel Gabriel's words to Mary: "The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy [being] which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God" (Luke 1:35).
Some six hundred years before Jesus was born, an ancient prophet had a vision. He saw Mary and described her as "a virgin, most beautiful and fair above all other virgins." He then saw her "carried away in the Spirit . . . for the space of a time." When she returned, she was "bearing a child in her arms . . . even the Son of the Eternal Father." (1 Nephi 11:15, 19-21.)
Thus the testimonies of appointed witnesses leave no question as to the paternity of Jesus Christ. God was the Father of Jesus' mortal tabernacle, and Mary, a mortal woman, was His mother. He is therefore the only person born who rightfully deserved the title "the Only Begotten Son of God." (Come unto Christ, pp. 2-3.)
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints proclaims that Jesus Christ is the Son of God in the most literal sense. The body in which He performed His mission in the flesh was sired by that same Holy Being we worship as God, our Eternal Father. Jesus was not the son of Joseph, nor was He begotten by the Holy Ghost. He is the Son of the Eternal Father. (Come unto Christ, p. 4.)
He was the Only Begotten Son of our Heavenly Father in the flesh-the only child whose mortal body was begotten by our Heavenly Father. His mortal mother, Mary, was called a virgin, both before and after she gave birth. (See 1 Nephi 11:20.) ("Joy in Christ," Ensign 16 [March 1986]: 3-4.)
Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He came to this earth at a foreappointed time through a royal birthright that preserved His godhood. Combined in His nature were the human attributes of His mortal mother and the divine attributes and power of His Eternal Father. As the Son of God, He inherited powers and intelligence that no human has ever had before or since. He was literally Immanuel, which means "God with us." (Come unto Christ, p. 128.)
Nearly two thousand years ago a perfect Man walked the earth-Jesus the Christ. He was the Son of a Heavenly Father and an earthly mother. He is the God of this world, under the Father. In His life, all the virtues were lived and kept in perfect balance; He taught men truth-that they might be free; His example and precepts provide the great standard-the only sure way-for all mankind. Among us He became the first and only one who had the power to reunite His body with His spirit after death. By His power all men who have died shall be resurrected. Before Him one day we all must stand to be judged by His laws. He lives today, and in the not too distant future shall return, in triumph, to subdue His enemies, to reward men according to their deeds, and to assume His rightful role to rule and reign in righteousness over the entire earth. (An Enemy Hath Done This, pp. 52-53.)
To qualify as the Redeemer of all our Father's children, Jesus had to be perfectly obedient to all the laws of God. Because He subjected Himself to the will of the Father, He grew from "grace to grace, until He received a fulness" of the Father's power. Thus He had "all power, both in heaven and on earth." (D&C 93:13, 17.)
Once this truth about the One we worship as the Son of God is understood, we can more readily comprehend how He had power to heal the sick, cure all manner of diseases, raise the dead, and command the elements. Even devils, whom He cast out, were subject to Him and acknowledged His divinity. (See Matthew 8:28-32.) (Come unto Christ, pp. 128-29.)
Even though He was God's Son sent to earth, the divine plan of the Father required that Jesus be subjected to all the difficulties and tribulations of mortality. Thus He became subject to "temptations, . . . hunger, thirst, and fatigue" (Mosiah 3:7). (Come unto Christ, p. 128.)
Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson, p.8-9
Today some unbelievers among us spread seeds of heresy, claiming that Jesus could not cast out evil spirits and did not walk on water nor heal the sick nor miraculously feed five thousand nor calm storms nor raise the dead. These would have us believe that such claims are fantastic and that there is a natural explanation for each alleged miracle. Some have gone so far as to publish psychological explanations for His reported miracles. But Jesus' entire ministry was a mark of His divinity. He spoke as God, He acted as God, and He performed works that only God Himself can do. His works bear testimony to His divinity. (Come unto Christ, p. 6.)
Because His Father was God, Jesus Christ had power that no other human had before or since. He was God in the flesh-even the Son of God. He therefore, as scripture records, had power to do many miracles: raise the dead, cause the lame to walk and the blind to receive their sight, and cast out evil spirits (see Mosiah 3:5-6).
He provided His gospel as a source of constant sustenance and nourishment to keep each individual's spirituality alive forever. His own testimony is: "Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life" (John 4:14). (Come unto Christ, pp. 75-76.)
As the great Lawgiver, He gave laws and commandments for the benefit of all our Heavenly Father's children. Indeed, His law fulfilled all previous covenants with the house of Israel. Said He: "Behold, I am the law, and the light. Look unto me, and endure to the end, and ye shall live; for unto him that endureth to the end will I give eternal life." (3 Nephi 15:9.) (Come unto Christ, p. 129.)
Several years ago, a number of prominent theologians were asked the question, What do you think of Jesus? Their replies startled many professed Christians. One asserted that a "true Christian" must reject the Resurrection. Another admitted that New Testament scholars were so divided on the question that one cannot say anything certain about the historical Jesus. Another scholar and teacher of Jesuit priests explained, "It is difficult to say in our age what the divinity of Jesus can mean. We are groping now for a way to express it-we just don't know." ("Easter 1966-A Quest for the True Jesus," Newsweek, April 11, 1966, p. 72.)
In a public opinion poll conducted by George Gallup, Jr., seven in ten adult American respondents said they believed in the divinity of Christ. But 90 percent of these said that Jesus is divine only in the sense that He embodies the best that is in all men (Church News, October 23, 1983). The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints consents to no such ambiguity in relation to our position regarding the divinity of Jesus Christ. (Come unto Christ, p. 2.)
The question is sometimes asked, "Are Mormons Christians?" We declare the divinity of Jesus Christ. We look to Him as the only source of our salvation. We strive to live His teachings, and we look forward to the time that He shall come again on this earth to rule and reign as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. In the words of a Book of Mormon prophet, we say to men today, "There [is] no other name given nor any other way nor means whereby salvation can come unto the children of men, only in and through the name of Christ, the Lord Omnipotent" (Mosiah 3:17). ("A Promised Lord-A Promised Land-A Promised People," Wichita, Kansas, 11 November 1976.)
As witnesses of the Lord Jesus Christ we proclaim that He truly is the Savior of all. He whose birth the Christian world celebrates is indeed the Son of God, the Redeemer, the Promised Messiah. No message is more significant than the one He brought. No event is of greater importance than His atoning sacrifice and subsequent resurrection. And no mortal tongue can express sufficient thanks for all that Jesus has done for us. ("First Presidency-Christmas Message," Church News [15 December 1985]: 3.)
We need to know that Christ invites us to come unto Him. "Behold, he sendeth an invitation unto all men, for the arms of mercy are extended towards them, . . . Yea he saith: Come unto me and ye shall partake of the fruit of the tree of life." (Alma 5:33-34.)
Come, for he stands "with open arms to receive you" (Mormon 6:17).
Come, for "he will console you in your afflictions, and he will plead your cause" (Jacob 3:1).
"Come unto him, and offer your whole souls as an offering unto him" (Omni 1:26).
As Moroni closed the record of the Jaredite civilization, he wrote, "I would commend you to seek this Jesus of whom the prophets and apostles have written" (Ether 12:41).
In Moroni's closing words written toward the end of the Nephite civilization, he said, "Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, . . . and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you" (Moroni 10:32).
Those who are committed to Christ "stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places" that they may be in "even until death" (Mosiah 18:9). They "retain the name" of Christ "written always" in their hearts (Mosiah 5:12). They take upon themselves "the name of Christ, having a determination to serve him to the end" (Moroni 6:3).
When we live a Christ-centered life, "we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ" (2 Nephi 25:26). We "receive the pleasing word of God, and feast upon his love" (Jacob 3:2). Even when Nephi's soul was grieved because of his iniquities, he said, "I know in whom I have trusted. My God hath been my support." (2 Nephi 4:19-20.)
We remember Alma's counsel: "Let all thy doings be unto the Lord, and whithersoever thou goest let it be in the Lord; yea, let all thy thoughts be directed unto the Lord; yea, let the affections of thy heart be placed upon the Lord forever. Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings." (Alma 37:36-37.)
"Remember, remember," said Helaman, "that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, . . . that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, . . . they shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery" (Helaman 5:12).
Nephi said, the Lord "hath filled me with his love, even unto the consuming of my flesh" (2 Nephi 4:21). Those who are consumed in Christ "are made alive in Christ" (2 Nephi 25:25). They "suffer no manner of affliction, save it were swallowed up in the joy of Christ" (Alma 31:38). They are "clasped in the arms of Jesus" (Mormon 5:11). Nephi said, "I glory in my Jesus, for he hath redeemed my soul" (2 Nephi 33:6). Lehi said, "I am encircled about eternally in the arms of his love" (2 Nephi 1:15).
Now, my beloved brethren and sisters, let us read the Book of Mormon and be convinced that Jesus is the Christ. Let us continually reread the Book of Mormon so that we might more fully come to Christ, be committed to Him, centered in Him, and consumed in Him. (CR October 1987, Ensign 17 [November 1987]: 84-85.)
We should like to reaffirm to all the world that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is led by our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. We believe in Christ. We accept and affirm His teachings as revealed truths from God. We know Him to be the literal Son of God. We love Him as our resurrected Lord and Savior. We believe there is "none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved" (see Acts 4:12).
We invite all men, as the Book of Mormon declares, to "come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; . . . and love God with all your might, mind and strength" (Moroni 10:32). (Statement upon becoming President of the Church, 11 November 1985.)
Without Christ there would be no Christmas, and without Christ there can be no fulness of joy. ("Keeping Christ in Christmas," Christmas Devotional, Salt Lake City, Utah, 1 December 1985.)
The babe of Bethlehem became the Nazarene, the Man of Galilee, the Life and Light of the world, the Savior and Redeemer of mankind, the miracle of all time. More books have been written about Him, more buildings have been erected to His honor, more men have died with His name on their lips than any other person who ever lived. (God, Family, Country, p. 12.)
I bear witness to you that Jesus is the Christ, the Savior and Redeemer of the world-the very Son of God. He was born the babe of Bethlehem. He lived and ministered among men. He was crucified on Calvary. His friends deserted Him. His closest associates did not fully understand His mission, and they doubted. One of the most trusted denied knowing Him.
A pagan governor, struggling with his conscience after consenting to Jesus' death, caused a sign to be erected over the cross proclaiming Him "JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS" (John 19:19). He asked forgiveness for His tormentors and then willingly gave up His life. His body was laid in a borrowed tomb. An immense stone was placed over the opening. In the minds of His stunned followers over and over echoed some of His last words, "Be of good cheer; I have overcome the world" (John 16:33).
On the third day there was a great earthquake. The stone was rolled back from the door of the tomb. Some of the women, among the most devoted of His followers, came to the place with spices "and found not the body of the Lord Jesus" (Luke 24:3). Angels appeared and said simply, "Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen." (Luke 24:5-6.) There is nothing in history to equal that dramatic announcement: "He is not here, but is risen." (CR April 1964, Improvement Era 67 [June 1964]: 503-4.)
No other single influence has had so great an impact on this earth as the life of Jesus the Christ. We cannot conceive of our lives without His teachings. Without Him we would be lost in a mirage of beliefs and worships, born in fear and darkness where the sensual and materialistic hold sway. We are far short of the goal He set for us, but we must never lose sight of it; nor must we forget that our great climb toward the light, toward perfection, would not be possible except for His teachings, His life, His death, and His resurrection. (CR April 1971, Ensign 1 [June 1971]: 33.)
I testify that Christ is the light to all mankind. He has pointed, marked out, and lighted the way. Sadly, many individuals and nations have extinguished that light and have attempted to supplant His gospel with coercion and the sword. But even to those who reject Him, He is "the light which shineth in the darkness" (John 1:5). ("The Light of Christmas," Temple Square Christmas Lighting Ceremony, Salt Lake City, Utah, 26 November 1982.)
To be like the Savior-what a challenge for any person! He is a member of the Godhead. He is the Savior and Redeemer. He was perfect in every aspect of His life. There was no flaw or failing in Him. Is it possible for us as priesthood holders to be even as He is? The answer is yes. Not only can we, but that is our charge. (3 Nephi 27:27.) He would not give us that commandment if He did not mean for us to do it. (CR October 1986, Ensign 16 [4 October 1986]: 45.)
May we be convinced that Jesus is the Christ, choose to follow Him, be changed for Him, captained by Him, consumed in Him, and born again. (CR October 1985, Ensign 15 [November 1985]: 7.)
Atonement. The Lord testified, "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." (3 Nephi 27: 13-14.) And so He was. In Gethsemane and on Calvary, He worked out the infinite and eternal atonement. It was the greatest single act of love in recorded history. Thus He became our Redeemer-redeeming all of us from physical death, and redeeming those of us from spiritual death who will obey the laws and ordinances of the gospel. ("Keeping Christ in Christmas," Christmas Devotional, Salt Lake City, Utah, 1 December 1985.)
On the night Jesus was betrayed, He took three of the Twelve and went into the place called Gethsemane. There He suffered the pains of all men. He suffered as only God could suffer, bearing our griefs, carrying our sorrows, being wounded for our transgressions, voluntarily submitting Himself to the iniquity of us all, just as Isaiah prophesied (see Isaiah 53:4-6).
It was in Gethsemane that Jesus took on Himself the sins of the world, in Gethsemane that His pain was equivalent to the cumulative burden of all men, in Gethsemane that He descended below all things so that all could repent and come to Him. The mortal mind fails to fathom, the tongue cannot express, the pen of man cannot describe the breadth, the depth, the height of the suffering of our Lord-nor His infinite love for us. (Come Unto Christ, pp. 6-7.)
Because He was God-even the Son of God-He could carry the weight and burden of other men's sins on Himself. Isaiah prophesied our Savior's willingness to do this in these words: "Surely he has borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows. He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed." (Isaiah 53:4-5.)
That holy, unselfish act of voluntarily taking on Himself the sins of all other men is called the Atonement. How one could bear the sins for all is beyond the comprehension of mortal man. But this I know: He did take on Himself the sins of all and did so out of His infinite love for each of us. He has said: "For behold, I, God, have suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer if they would repent; . . . Which suffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body and spirit-and would that I might not drink the bitter cup, and shrink." (D&C 19:16, 18.)
In spite of that excruciating ordeal, He took the cup and drank. He suffered the pains of all men so we would not have to suffer. He endured the humiliation and insults of His persecutors without complaint or retaliation. He bore the flogging and then the ignominy of the brutal execution-the cross. ("Jesus Christ: Our Savior, Our God," San Diego, California, 21 December 1979.)
No mortal being had the power or capability to redeem all other mortals from their lost and fallen condition, nor could any other voluntarily forfeit His life and thereby bring to pass a universal resurrection for all other mortals. Only Jesus Christ was able and willing to accomplish such a redeeming act of love. (Come unto Christ, p. 130.)
As was so characteristic of His entire mortal experience, the Savior submitted to our Father's will and took the bitter cup and drank. He suffered the pains of all men in Gethsemane so they would not have to suffer if they would repent. Only then did He voluntarily submit to death. Again, He explained: "No man taketh [my life] from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father." (John 10:18.) (Come unto Christ, p. 130.)
We may never understand nor comprehend in mortality how He accomplished what He did, but we must not fail to understand why He did what He did. All that He did was prompted by His unselfish, infinite love for us. (Come unto Christ, p. 130.)
Resurrection. The greatest events of history are those which affect the greatest number for the longest periods. By this standard, no event could be more important to individuals or nations than the resurrection of the Master. The eventual resurrection of every soul who has lived and died on earth is a scriptural certainty. And surely there is no event for which one should make more careful preparation.
Nothing is more absolutely universal than the Resurrection. Every living being will be resurrected. "As in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive" (1 Corinthians 15:22). Yes, the resurrection of Jesus Christ is a glorious reality. He became the first fruits of them that slept. He truly rose from the tomb the third day, as He and His prophets foretold, and became, in very deed, "the resurrection and the life" (John 11:25). He broke the bonds of death for all of us. We, too, will be resurrected-our spirits will be reunited with our bodies. (So Shall Ye Reap, p. 4.)
If we live good lives on earth and keep the commandments of the Lord, life on the other side of the veil will be glorious. The Lord described it as paradise-a place where there is much joy and happiness instead of worries and heartaches. But as beautiful as the spirit world is for those who are righteous, life does not endlessly continue there. In time, our spirits must be joined again to our bodies to obtain complete joy. This is called the resurrection.
Three days after Jesus' body was laid in a tomb, He took His body up again. By doing so He overcame death for every other individual so that we, too, will live after this life. This is what He meant when He said that "because I live, ye shall live also" (John 14:19). ("He Is Risen," Friend 11 [April 1981]: 6.)
Christ's resurrection was abundantly verified. The witnesses are many. Throughout the forty days following His resurrection the Lord manifested Himself at intervals and gave instructions in the things pertaining to the kingdom of God. Much that He said and did is not written, but such things as are of record, John assures us, "are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name" (John 20:31). (CR April 1964, Improvement Era 67 [June 1964]: 504.)
And when Christ and the disciples had gone "as far as to Bethany," where Mary, Martha, and Lazarus lived, the Lord lifted up His hands and blessed them. And while He yet spoke He rose from their midst until a cloud received Him out of their sight.
As the Apostles stood gazing steadfastly upward, two personages, clothed in white apparel, appeared by them; these spoke unto the eleven, saying: "Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven." (Acts 1:9-11; also Luke 24:50-51.)
Worshipfully and with great joy the Apostles returned to Jerusalem. The Lord's ascension was accomplished. It was as truly a literal departure of a material being as His resurrection had been an actual return of His spirit to His own physical body. Now the disciples began to comprehend more fully that He had truly "overcome the world"-not that He had displaced Caesar, or even Pilate who ruled over Judea (see John 16:33). The great majority of the world's peoples had still not even heard of Him. But there was victory over the grave. (So Shall Ye Reap, p. 5.)
The Book of Mormon records the resurrected Lord's appearance on the American continent. To those people He said, "Behold, I am Jesus Christ, whom the prophets testified shall come into the world. Arise and come forth unto me, that ye may thrust your hands into my side, and also that ye may feel the prints of the nails in my hands and in my feet, that ye may know that I am the God of Israel, and the God of the whole earth, and have been slain for the sins of the world." One by one, about twenty-five hundred people "thrust their hands into his side, and did feel the prints of the nails in his hands and in his feet." And they did "cry out with one accord, saying: Hosanna! Blessed be the name of the Most High God! And they did fall down at the feet of Jesus, and did worship Him." (3 Nephi 11:10-17.) ("Keeping Christ in Christmas," Christmas Devotional, Salt Lake City, Utah, 1 December 1985.)
Since the day of resurrection when Jesus became the "firstfruits of them that slept" (1 Corinthians 15:20), there have been those who disbelieve and scoff. They maintain there is no life beyond mortal existence. Some have even written books that contain their fanciful heresies to suggest how Jesus' disciples perpetrated the hoax of His resurrection. I give you my testimony: The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the greatest historical event in the world to date. He lives! He lives with a resurrected body. There is no truth or fact of which I am more assured than the truth of the literal resurrection of our Lord. (Come unto Christ, pp. 9-10.)
There has been considerable publicity and media coverage recently on the reporting of experiences that seemingly verify that "life after life" is a reality. The ancient prophet's question asked centuries ago has been revived: "If a man die, shall he live again" (Job 14:14)? In other words, what happens to a person once he dies? A definite answer to that question is provided by the Savior's ministry in the spirit world following His crucifixion, death, and burial (see D&C 138). (Come unto Christ, p. 117.)
This great thing that we refer to as the Resurrection has partly been accomplished. Part of those who have been in the graves arose at the time the Master broke the bonds of death. There are some who feel that the resurrection is going on continually and has been since that time. That is not scripturally true, but we do know that it is possible for our Father to call from the graves those whom He needs to perform special missions and special service. For example, we know of at least three who have been called up since the resurrection of the Master and since that first mass resurrection when the graves were opened and many of the Saints arose.
Peter and James who came and laid their hands upon the Prophet Joseph and ordained him to the Melchizedek Priesthood were resurrected beings who lived and ministered after the time that the Master was upon the earth. Moroni, who lived and died many years after the time of the resurrection of the Master, was a resurrected being. So we know that there are some that have been resurrected, and we know that certain promises are made that if the Lord needs the help of certain special messengers they may be called up. We are trying to live so that we will be worthy to come forth in the morning of this resurrection that will come preceding the great millennial period. The righteous will be caught up to meet the Savior as He comes in glory and makes His second appearance to rule and reign here in the earth when the millennial period will begin. (Washington D.C. Stake Conference, 8 March 1959.)
This power to revive His own life was possible because Jesus Christ was God-even the Son of God. Because He had the power to overcome death, all mankind will be resurrected. "Because I live, ye shall live also," He testified (John 14:19). (Come unto Christ, p. 130.)
Second Coming. This is the last and great dispensation in which the great consummation of God's purposes will be made, the only dispensation in which the Lord has promised that sin will not prevail. The Church will not be taken from the earth again. It is here to stay. The Lord has promised it and you are a part of that Church and kingdom-the nucleus around which will be builded the great kingdom of God on the earth. The kingdom of heaven and the kingdom of God on the earth will be combined together at Christ's coming-and that time is not far distant. How I wish we could get the vision of this work, the genius of it, and realize the nearness of that great event. I am sure it would have a sobering effect upon us if we realized what is before us. ("I'll Go Where You Want Me to Go," Church News [23 November 1946]: 8.)
I solemnly declare that the Lord has established His latter-day kingdom upon the earth in fulfillment of prophecies uttered by His ancient prophets and Apostles. Holy angels have again communed with men on the earth. God has again revealed Himself from heaven and restored to the earth His holy priesthood with power to administer in all the sacred ordinances necessary for the exaltation of His children. His Church has been reestablished among men with all the spiritual gifts enjoyed anciently. All this is done in preparation for Christ's second coming. The great and dreadful day of the Lord is near at hand. In preparation for this great event and as a means of escaping the impending judgments, inspired messengers have gone forth to the nations of the earth carrying this testimony and warning. (Stockholm Sweden Area Conference, 18 August 1974.)
This great time is drawing near. There is every evidence that His second coming is near at hand. I do not say that wars are over. I wish I could tell you that permanent peace is with us. I wish you would read that revelation given to Joseph Smith on Christmas day in 1832 regarding wars to come and in which the Civil War of my own country was predicted-in which it is recorded that war will continue to be poured out until nations will be no more (see D&C 87). Then the great theocracy, with Christ at the head, will be established. ("I'll Go Where You Want Me to Go," Church News [23 November 1946]: 8.)
Not many years hence Christ will come again. He will come in power and might as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. And ultimately "every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is the Christ" (Romans 14:11; D&C 88:104; Mosiah 27:31). ("Joy in Christ," Ensign 16 [March 1986]: 5.)
All nations will see Him "in the clouds of heaven, clothed with power and great glory; with all the holy angels…. And the Lord shall utter his voice, and all the ends of the earth shall hear it; and the nations of the earth shall mourn, and they that have laughed shall see their folly. And calamity shall cover the mocker, and the scorner shall be consumed; and they that have watched for iniquity shall be hewn down and cast into the fire." (D&C 45:44, 49-50.)
When the Savior spoke of these signs and prophecies to His disciples in Jerusalem, they were apprehensive. He said to them, "Be not troubled, for, when all these things shall come to pass, ye may know that the promises which have been made unto you shall be fulfilled" (D&C 45:35). Do we realize we are living in the days of the fulfillment of these signs and wonders? We are among those who will see many of these prophecies fulfilled. Just as certain as was the destruction of the temple at Jerusalem and the scattering of the Jews, so shall these words of the Savior be certain to our generation. We know not the day nor the hour of His coming, but of this we may feel assured: We stand close to the great day of the Lord! (Come unto Christ, pp. 114-15.)
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