Articles of Faith: The Strait Gate

4 We believe that the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel are: first, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, Repentance; third, Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; fourth, Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost.
5 We believe that a man must be called of God, by prophecy, and by the laying on of hands by those who are in authority, to preach the Gospel and administer in the ordinances thereof.

As mentioned in the previous post about the Atonement of Jesus Christ, we are expected to follow the laws and commandments that Jesus laid out during His earthly ministry. So this begs the question, what essential teachings did Jesus leave with us during His mortal lifetime? The New Testament of the Bible tells us of many of the teachings of Christ during His mortal ministry, through the perspectives of some of His closest disciples and followers.

Before diving into some scriptures, I want to define two of the words in the fourth Article of Faith. First is the word principle. According to dictionary.com, a principle is "a fundamental, primary, or general law or truth from which others are derived." Another definition they give is, "a fundamental doctrine or tenet." So a principle is an essential truth.

The next word I want to define is "ordinance." This is defined as "an established rite or ceremony," but also as "an authoritative rule or law; a decree or command." So within the Gospel setting, an ordinance is an essential ceremonial act.

Now to the scriptures to explore the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel...

Jesus taught, as recorded in Matthew 7:13-14, "Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it."

In John 3:5, Christ also taught us an important lesson about one of the essentials steps to obtain eternal life, or life in the presence of our Heavenly Father. He told an inquiring man that "...Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God."

From these two scriptures we learn that there is a strait (narrow) entrance to the kingdom of God and that in order to enter through that gate we must be baptized by water and by the Holy Ghost. But before we get baptized, we must show that we are ready to be baptized. We can show that we are ready by living the first two principles of the Gospel: faith and repentance.

The essential truths of faith and repentance are the prerequisites to being baptized and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost. Faith in Jesus Christ is the first of these two principles. We need to believe that we can repent. We need to believe that Jesus is real, that He suffered and died for our sins, and that He is a resurrected being. Once we have that faith, we will have a desire to align our lives with the teachings of Jesus. Only through the Atonement of Jesus Christ can we repent.

Repentance is a process by which we recognize our sin, turn away from it, make attempts to repair the damage of our sin, ask for forgiveness for our sin (both from those we hurt and from our Heavenly Father, through the Atonement of Jesus Christ), and commit to not repeat the sin. The enabling power of the Atonement can help us through this process. When we repent, we feel a calming peace and a fleeing of guilt.

When we show our faith in Jesus Christ and repent of the things in our lives that are inconsistent with His teachings, we are ready for baptism. Baptism is the first ordinance of the Gospel. Jesus was our example in the manner of baptism. When Jesus went to be baptized, he traveled from Nazareth to Bethabara to be baptized of a specific man: John the Baptist. If you look on maps.google.com and do a search from Nazareth, Israel to The Baptismal Site (Bethany beyond the Jordan), Jordan you get results such as the following:

So for Jesus to go out of His way to be baptized by John, He traveled about 125 km, which is about 78 miles. That is at least a 4 day journey by foot, assuming 20 miles a day. Why would Jesus go that far to be baptized? Authority. That is why.

Jesus knew that baptism was, and is, a requirement for the kingdom of heaven. He knew that for a baptism to be valid in the eyes of Heavenly Father, it had to be performed by someone with the proper authority. This is the priesthood authority. I will write a post about the priesthood at a later time, but if you want to read more about it, you can look here and here. John the Baptist had the authority to perform baptisms.

If someone is performing baptisms without the authority of the priesthood, it is like some person who is printing counterfeit tickets to a concert and giving them out to people. They may look just like the original, but when the ticket is scanned, it will not register as a proper ticket. Likewise, if we receive baptism by someone who doesn't have the priesthood authority, it is like they are trying to give passage to the kingdom of heaven without any right to do so.

Another important part of baptism is the form of the baptism. John the baptist was baptizing in the River Jordan, "because there was much water there." When he baptized Christ, it says that Jesus "went straightway out of the water." From dictionary.com (or any other dictionary that gives origins of words), we see that the Greek origin of baptize is baptízein, which means to immerse (plunge into liquid). Since Christ is our perfect example, we should do things in the same manner that He did them. Christ was baptized by immersion, meaning He was placed completely underneath the water, and then lifted back out. This is symbolic of death and rebirth from a life of sin (though Christ had no sin, but we surely do).

Baptism by immersion, from someone with the authority of the priesthood, is the "strait gate" referred to in the scripture near the beginning of this post. Once we have been properly baptized, we are eligible for the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost is distinct from feeling the Holy Ghost. Anyone can feel the Holy Ghost when they are learning about eternal truths. It is one of the Spirit's roles to testify of all truth. The difference between the Spirit telling us when we have learned something that is true and the gift of the Holy Ghost is that with the latter we are promised that we can have the Spirit with us always. When we are baptized and receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, we make a promise that we will always remember Jesus Christ, we will take His name upon ourselves, and keep His commandments. As we do this, we are promised to always have the companionship of the Spirit. This constant companionship will help us to make correct choices. It will be a comfort to us and a strength in hard times. Having the Spirit with us will help us to complete the fifth step, which is not actually found in the fourth article of faith: endure to the end.

In 3 Nephi 15:9 Christ says, "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." What is the point of doing all of the first four steps if we don't continue to follow Christ throughout our lives? If we simply enter in the gate and stop, we won't arrive at the mansion that lies beyond. We must continue to keep the commandments and repent until the end of our lives to show Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ that we really want to return to live with them.

In summary, we must follow the four steps in the fourth article of faith as well as endure to the end to live with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. I know that through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, we can become clean from our sins and be pure. The priesthood power that is necessary for a proper baptism has been restored to the earth and we can each make the choice to follow Christ's example by being baptized.

Articles of Faith: The Atonement of Jesus Christ

3 We believe that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel.

As the third of the Articles of Faith explains, we believe that all mankind may be saved. A scripture from the Book of Mormon states, in reference to Jesus Christ, "he cannot save them in their sins...no unclean thing can inherit the kingdom of heaven; therefore, how can ye be saved, except ye inherit the kingdom of heaven? Therefore, ye cannot be saved in your sins." In another scripture, this one found in the book of Moses, it says "that all men, everywhere, must repent, or they can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God, for no unclean thing can dwell there, or dwell in his presence."

As explained in these scriptures, as well as in the second Article of Faith, disobeying the commands of Heavenly Father means that we cannot be in His presence. We are also taught from the Bible that "all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." So if everyone is a sinner, once they are held accountable for their mistakes, then who can be in the presence of God? No one! Unless they make amends for their disobedience. As the third Article of Faith explains, "we believe that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved." So what is the Atonement mentioned here?

According to dictionary.com, atone means: to make amends or reparation, as for an offense or a crime, or for an offender; to make up, as for errors or deficiencies; to become reconciled (reconciled means to be brought into agreement or harmony; made compatible or consistent); agree. So basically, to atone means to make up for a mistake and to be brought back into harmony with the rule, law, or commandment that was deviated from during the commitment of that mistake.

We believe that Jesus Christ was the literal Son in the flesh of our Heavenly Father.We believe that Christ alone was able to pay the price for sin. While He was on the earth, He spent time in the Garden of Gethsemane and on the Cross of Calvary suffering for the sins of each person that ever did live and ever will live on the earth. He paid the price for each and every mistake that I have made (and will surely make in the future). He paid the price for YOUR sins. There is no greater act of love that any person has ever performed in the history of this world.

But why did Christ pay for our sins. Why don't we pay for our own sins? Because in the great plan of our Heavenly Father, we don't have to suffer the price of our sins if we will repent: "For behold, I, God, have suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer if they would repent." Only Christ, who was the son of a woman and the Son of God, was able to perform such a sacrifice. He completed His atoning sacrifice as He died on the cross and was resurrected the third day. Christ has provided a way to overcome the Fall of Adam and Eve. Death and sin were consequences of the Fall, but both were overcome by the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

The price has been paid, but we haven't all returned to the presence of our Heavenly Father, yet. As the third article of faith states, "all mankind MAY be saved." It does not state that all mankind WILL be saved. Those who will be saved are those who are "[obedient] to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel." So what are the laws and ordinances of the Gospel that are necessary for our salvation? I will discuss this in greater depth in my next post, but in short, we must follow the laws and commandments that Jesus Christ laid out during His earthly ministry.

So to finish with an analogy, let's say that for many years we have all been wanting to return to our home, in a distant country, to live with our parents, other family, and close friends. Our parents sent us to where we currently live to get the best education possible. Even with our great education and careers, we cannot afford to buy a ticket because it costs 10 quadrillion dollars. We do as much as we can to save our money, but in the end, our efforts are insignificant to purchase that 10 quadrillion dollar passage.

Someone comes to tell us that they have purchased a ticket for each one of us to return to see our parents. In disbelief, we ask what we can do to repay them. They ask us to be loyal to them and to do whatever they ask, so that we will be ready to return to our parents, because the country in which our parents live has very strict rules that must be learned and mastered before entering the country.

All of us begin by doing all of the things that are asked of us, but some of us begin to forget that we need to be prepared for this trip and we stop doing some of the important things to prepare. Some people even get to a point where they say they don't want to go on the trip anymore. Others of us keep doing what is asked; we get our visas, we make sure our clothing and our behaviors will be appropriate for this majestic country we are soon to reach.

As the day of the journey comes, some people are not yet ready for the trip. Some people don't have the proper documents to be able to enter the country. Others haven't learned the traditions and rules of the culture and will not be allowed to enter the country upon arrival. Their tickets have already been paid for, but they will not be allowed to use them since they didn't properly prepare. They longingly look around them at those who are boarding the plane.

YOU were valiant. You followed all of the instructions and requests of the One who purchased your ticket. As you board the plane you see the person who purchased your ticket in the cockpit of the plane. You go over and give them a big hug and thank them for their kindness in purchasing the ticket and preparing you to enter that great country where your parents live. You fly with the others that are also fully prepared, you arrive at that distant country, and you are permitted to enter to see your parents.

Now this is not a perfect analogy, but I hope that it has helped you to understand a bit better that we each need Christ to be able to return to live with our Heavenly Father. I know that Christ is our Savior and that if we do what He has asked of us, we can all return to live with Him and our Heavenly Father.

Articles of Faith: Original Sin

2 We believe that men will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam’s transgression.

This is the second of the Articles of Faith of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Adam and Eve lived in the Garden of Eden and were given two commandments, among other assignments. The first of these commandments was for Adam and Eve to "be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it." The second was that while Adam and Eve could eat anything they wanted in the garden, they should not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, because it would cause them to spiritually die.

Lo and behold, the serpent (Lucifer, aka Satan) beguiled (led by deception) Eve to eat the forbidden fruit. Eve then gave the fruit to Adam who also ate. Thus Adam and Eve had both disobeyed Heavenly Father. The consequence for this disobedience had been laid out to them when the command was given to not eat of the specific tree. That consequence was death. Adam and Eve did not physically die upon eating of the fruit, but were instead immediately questioned of their actions and then cast out of Heavenly Father's presence. To be separated from Heavenly Father's presence is called spiritual death.

As a result of Adam and Eve's decision to eat of the fruit that was forbidden them, they were not only cast out of the Garden of Eden, but were also subject to pain, suffering, and physical death. They could now die. This was a consequence of their disobedience. But it wasn't a consequence that affected just them; we are all subject to pain, suffering, physical death, and living away from God's presence because of the transgression (infringement or violation of a law, command, or duty) of Adam and Eve.

We are not, however, held responsible for the decision that they made. By this, I mean that we will not be punished for the actual act of them disobeying. We are "punished" by the consequences of their action, but we are not expected to pay for their action.

Let me give an example that may help to clarify this concept. If I, as a husband and father, decide to look at pornography and that leads me to cheat on my wife, it will likely destroy my marriage and have long lasting effects on my wife, my son, the person with whom I cheated, and potentially others (my other family and friends, one of the 8-year-old kids in my Sunday school class, etc.). My wife would not be held responsible for my decision to look at pornography or my decision to be unfaithful, but she would most definitely be affected by the consequences of my decision.

So to reiterate, Adam and Eve disobeyed a rule that Heavenly Father gave to them. They were given consequences for their disobedience. Some of those consequences affect us. Adam and Eve are expected to repent and use the Atonement of Jesus Christ (see the next post for more on this topic) to be forgiven of their disobedience. We do not have to pay for their act of disobedience.

For these reasons, we believe that children are born sinless. We believe that children are not held responsible for their actions until they reach a stage of development that allows them to reason and recognize the difference between good and evil. The Lord revealed to a modern prophet, a man similar to Adam, Enoch, Noah, Moses, and Abraham, that this age of accountability is eight years old. Thus, in the Church of Jesus Christ, baptism is not necessary before the age of eight.

I'm grateful for a Heavenly Father who loves us so much that He only holds us responsible for our own actions and not for the actions of all those who affect us. Can you imagine if you were required to pay for the decisions of all those who decide to mistreat you, hurt you, abuse you, and even kill you? I know that we don't have to suffer in that way, because Jesus Christ did suffer in that way, and as the Son of God, He was able to overcome the consequences of Adam and Eve's disobedience. He overcame both physical and spiritual death, and for that, we are all eternally indebted to Him.

Articles of Faith: The Godhead

1 We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost.

This is the first of the Articles of Faith for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It contains several very simple truths that even a child can understand, yet, the truths are so profound that it can take a lifetime (or longer) to learn what they truly mean.

We believe in God. We believe that He is the Father of our spirits. We believe that He has a body of flesh and bone (Doctrine and Covenants 130:22). We believe that He is the creator of all things in our universe (Mosiah 4:9). We believe that He loves us infinitely. We believe that He has made laws for our protection and happiness. We believe that if we follow the laws that He gives us, we can return to live in His presence after we die.

We believe that God is the literal Father of Jesus Christ's mortal body. We believe that as the Son of God, Jesus Christ was able to live a perfect life. We believe that as the Son of Mary, Jesus Christ was then able to die for the sins of the world. We also believe that as the Son of God, He was able to take His body again as a glorified being. We believe that Christ now has a resurrected body of flesh and bone. We believe that He is one with our Heavenly Father in purpose, yet they are two separate beings with distinct roles (Mark 9:7).

We believe that the Holy Ghost testifies of God, the Father and of Jesus Christ, our Savior. We believe that the Holy ghost has a spirit body. In this way, the Spirit can enter our hearts and tell us of the truth of all things (Moroni 10:5).

We believe in the Godhead. We believe that they are three distinct beings. We believe that they share a common purpose, which is to bring all people back to live with them. We believe that our Heavenly Father has a perfect plan that through Jesus Christ's sacrifice, all of us can return to live with them. We believe that we can know that this is a true plan by the confirming witness of the Holy Ghost.

I invite you to pray to our Heavenly Father in the name of Jesus Christ. I promise that if you are sincere, the Holy Spirit will give you an answer to your prayer.

Articles of Faith: Introduction

In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, there are 13 statements that give an overview of many important doctrines. These statements are collectively known as the Articles of Faith.

These articles were written with a focus on explaining the church's beliefs in contrast to other churches of the early 19th century. The articles also draw connections to the original Church of Jesus Christ, the one that Christ established while he walked the earth. I plan to write a post on each of these articles. The articles are as follows:

1 We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost.

2 We believe that men will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam’s transgression.

3 We believe that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel.

4 We believe that the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel are: first, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, Repentance; third, Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; fourth, Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost.

5 We believe that a man must be called of God, by prophecy, and by the laying on of hands by those who are in authority, to preach the Gospel and administer in the ordinances thereof.

6 We believe in the same organization that existed in the Primitive Church, namely, apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, evangelists, and so forth.

7 We believe in the gift of tongues, prophecy, revelation, visions, healing, interpretation of tongues, and so forth.

8 We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly; we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God.

9 We believe all that God has revealed, all that He does now reveal, and we believe that He will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God.

10 We believe in the literal gathering of Israel and in the restoration of the Ten Tribes; that Zion (the New Jerusalem) will be built upon the American continent; that Christ will reign personally upon the earth; and, that the earth will be renewed and receive its paradisiacal glory.

11 We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may.

12 We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law.

13 We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men; indeed, we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul—We believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things. If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things.