The Bible

C. S. Lewis, in a letter to T. S. Eliot, made this observation:

“Odd, the way the less the Bible is read the more it is translated! (The Collected Letters of C. S. Lewis 3:1346)

Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (also known as the Mormon Church) cherish the Bible. They hold it sacred and revere its words. In fact, it was a Bible passage that started the Church.

Joseph Smith, the founder of the Church, said his spiritual odyssey began this way:

“I was one day reading the Epistle of James, first chapter and fifth verse, which reads: If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.”

“Never did any passage of scripture come with more power to the heart of man than this did at this time to mine. It seemed to enter with great force into every feeling of my heart. I reflected on it again and again.” (JS-History 1:11-12)

The Bible overpowered his mind. It was these words that drove him into a grove of trees and to pray to God. Such is the power of the Bible.

Members of the Church of Jesus Christ use the King James Version (KJV). This is the version I grew up using. The cadence of the language is sublime, capturing the essence of Shakespeare and the Renaissance. That era was one of the most crucial for civilization and humanity. Our world, it seems, is as prosperous as it is because of the Renaissance. The energy and zest of that age are crystallized in the words of the Bible.

However, some people are critical of the KJV. I heard a radio pastor once refer to the KJV as “an antique.” This was more of a tongue-in-cheek sarcasm than anything else. But his point is taken: the KJV is archaic, and to the untrained ear, it sounds like high-faluting pidgin.

C. S. Lewis loved the KJV, but he also saw the necessity for new translations. He asserted that we outgrow translations as we outgrow clothing (See The Quotable Lewis, 73-73). But the problem is not so much one of outgrowing translations as it is outgrowing doctrines.

Speaking in 1970, Howard W. Hunter, an apostle and later president of the Church, made this statement:

“What of spiritual values and the religious ideals of past generations, which have been the great stabilizing influence on society? Modern thinkers claim these have been the great deterrents to man in the freedoms he now seeks.”

“There is a great effort on the part of so-called modernists to change religious beliefs and teachings of the past to conform to modern thought and critical research. They deemphasize the teachings of the Bible by modern critical methods and deny that scripture is inspired.”

“The modernist teaches that Christ is not the Son of God. He denies the doctrine of the atoning sacrifice by which all men may be saved. He denies the fact of the resurrection of the Savior of the world and relegates him to the status of a teacher of ethics. Where, then, is hope? What has become of faith?”

“There are those who declare it is old-fashioned to believe in the Bible. Is it old-fashioned to believe in God, in Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God? Is it old-fashioned to believe in his atoning sacrifice and the resurrection?”

“If it is, I declare myself to be old-fashioned and the Church is old-fashioned. In great simplicity the Master taught the principles of life eternal and lessons that bring happiness to those with the faith to believe. It doesn't seem reasonable to assume the necessity of modernizing these teachings of the Master. His message concerned principles that are eternal. Following these principles, millions of persons have found rich religious experiences in their lives.” ("Where, Then, Is Hope?" Improvement Era, December 1970, 115-116)

As we learned in Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four, behind each translation there is a specific philosophy. The philosophy of Newspeak was anti-God. That is why Ampleforth, the poet-translator, got into so much trouble: in translating Kipling’s poem into Newspeak, he left the word “God” intact. An affront to Big Brother.

Not that I am accusing the Biblical translators of setting up a “Room 101” or a police state, but what will happen to the faith of Christians if we dilute, denature, or delete the doctrine of the Christ's divinity? As President Hunter pointed out, Modernist Philosophy, and now Post-Modernist Philosophy, is in vogue. Any translator who subscribes to these atheistic and anti-theistic philosophies will reflect that secular bias in their word selection.

Thomas Jefferson, for example, had his own version of the New Testament. It is called The Life and Morals of Jesus of Nazareth. Essentially it is a cut-and-paste—with emphasis on cut—of the New Testament. But what he cut from the New Testament was all the references to Jesus’ divinity and miracles.

As Jefferson explained in a letter:

“I should proceed to a view of the life, character, & doctrines of Jesus, who sensible of incorrectness of [the ancient Jew’s] ideas of the Deity, and of morality, endeavored to bring them to the principles of a pure deism, and juster notions of the attributes of God, to reform their moral doctrines to the standard of reason, justice & philanthropy, and to inculcate the belief of a future state. This view would purposely omit the question of his divinity, & even his inspiration.”

“To do him justice, it would be necessary to remark the disadvantages his doctrines have to encounter, not having been committed to writing by himself, but by the most unlettered of men, by memory, long after they had heard them from him; when much was forgotten, much misunderstood, & presented in very paradoxical shapes.”

“Yet such are the fragments remaining as to show a master workman, and that his system of morality was the most benevolent & sublime probably that has been ever taught, and consequently more perfect than those of any of the ancient philosophers. His character & doctrines have received still greater injury from those who pretend to be his special disciples, and who have disfigured and sophisticated his actions & precepts, from views of personal interest, so as to induce the unthinking part of mankind to throw off the whole system in disgust, and to pass sentence as an impostor on the most innocent, the most benevolent, the most eloquent and sublime character that ever has been exhibited to man. (Thomas Jefferson to Dr. Joseph Priestley, Washington, 9 April 1803.)

As he explains in the letter, he began with the assumption that Jesus was not divine, but just a Palestinian Plato. Christ’s message, therefore, was merely one of ethics and Deism, which, coincidentally, was what Jefferson himself happened to believe.

Jefferson’s circular reasoning is apparent: Deism first, the facts second. We are more than grateful for the Declaration of Independence, but in this matter, Thomas Jefferson was clearly off-base.

Joseph Smith taught:

“The fundamental principles of our religion are the testimony of the Apostles and Prophets, concerning Jesus Christ, that He died, was buried, and rose again the third day, and ascended into heaven; and all other things which pertain to our religion are only appendages to it." (“Chapter 3: Jesus Christ, the Divine Redeemer of the World,” Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith, [2007], 45–56.)

The Atonement, which is the Miracle of Miracles, is the linchpin of Christianity. If this doctrine is deleted, or obscured by a soft-ball translation of the Bible, what happens? If Christ’s divinity is not obvious—painfully obvious—in the Bible, then what good is the Bible? And what become of our souls and salvation?

The King James Version keeps these core doctrines intact. The Encyclopedia of Mormonism explains:

“Twentieth-century Church leaders have given a variety of reasons for the continued use of the KJV: it was the common translation in use in the English-speaking world at the time of the Restoration; its language prevails in all the standard works; a large number of passages in the Book of Mormon, which parallel the Bible, were translated into the English style of the KJV; the Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible (JST) was based on the KJV, with 90 percent of the verses unchanged. All latter-day prophets have used the KJV, and using the KJV in all Church publications has made it possible to standardize annotations and indices.”

“The KJV is viewed by many as a masterpiece of English literature. It has been called "the noblest monument of English prose," and it is certainly the most influential; its translators "showed great sensitivity," and the result was "destined for extraordinary influence and acclaim" (Speiser, pp. lxxiii-iv). H. L. Mencken praised it as "probably the most beautiful piece of writing in all the literature of the world" (Paine, p. viii). … ”

“After studying many modern English translations … President J. Reuben Clark, Jr., a counselor in the First Presidency, said in 1956 [in his book Why The King James Version?] that the KJV was "the best version of any yet produced". For example, he felt that the KJV translators clearly portrayed Jesus as the promised Messiah and as the Son of God, and accepted the gift of prophecy, the reality of miracles, and the uniqueness of the love of Christ; whereas modern translations have tended to promote naturalistic explanations for divine action, preferred the word "sign" instead of "miracle," and used "love" in place of "charity," and "appoint" instead of "ordain." His views have been influential among most Latter-day Saints. Not all alternative translations, of course, suffer from the problems identified by President Clark.” (Encyclopedia of Mormonism 1:109-110)

Admittedly, this is a bit of a technical matter. I read President J. Reuben Clark’s April 1954 General Conference talk about the King James Version. There is a lot of intricate evidence which does not lend itself for use in an introductory blog such as this. But President Clark’s objections were about doctrinal matters. The new-fangled translations dropped doctrinal matters. The crucial doctrines of the miracles, divine Sonship, atonement, resurrection, etc., were diluted.

Latter-day Saints are Christians through and through. We believe that Christ rose form the dead, and atoned for our sins. That is why Latter-day Saints have a certain zeal about having a having a Bible that reflects these truths. We must always keep in the forefront our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Thomas S. Monson, the sixteenth president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, often referred to as the Mormon Church, counseled members to read good books.

He said:

May our homes be a library of learning.

An essential part of our learning library will be good books. Reading is one of the true pleasures of life. In our age of mass culture, when so much that we encounter is abridged, adapted, adulterated, shredded, and boiled down, it is mind-easing and mind-inspiring to sit down privately with a congenial book.

James A. Michener, prominent author, suggests: “A nation becomes what its young people read in their youth. Its ideals are fashioned then, its goals strongly determined.”

The Lord counseled, “Seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom; seek learning, even by study and also by faith” (D&C 88:118).

Of course, the standard works offer the ultimate library of learning of which I speak. Let us read from them often, both privately and with our families, that we may be enlightened and edified and draw closer to the Lord. (President Thomas S. Monson, "A Sanctuary from the World." Worldwide Leadership Training Meeting: "Building Up a Righteous Posterity" February 9, 2008.)

I appreciate President Monson’s call to return to the scriptures. Go into any bookstore. Inside are thousands of books. Each book is a promise of an exciting adventure, a study of a great life, or a source of new information. I sometimes weep because I do not have time to read all of what I wish.

But that is the real question: What do we do with our reading time? Which books should we be reading? President Monson suggests going back to the scriptures.

J. Golden Kimball, a leader in the church, made this observation:

“I am familiar with the Bible, a little, and the Book of Mormon, the D&C and the Pearl of Great Price [all books of scripture]. I have wished, sometimes, that there would be a big fire and burn all the rest of the books so that we would read these books more. Sometimes I feel that a man ought to be imprisoned for writing any more books; because I got my experience mostly by reading the books which contain the revelations of the Lord. … ”

“I want to say to the Latter-day Saints that according to my judgment and experience—I am old enough to know a few things, and I am old enough to remember some things—some of the greatest inspired men we have ever had in the history of this Church have been men who have read the Bible, the Book of Mormon, the D&C and the Pearl of Great Price.”

“Now, brethren, I do not want to say anything to hurt anyone's feelings about books that are written. I read the Bible through once, and when I got through I said: ‘I will never tackle it again in the flesh;’ but I have read in it, and I am acquainted with it, and I have marked it. I would not give my Bible for all the Bibles in the world, because it is the only Bible I can find anything in.” (J. Golden Kimball, Conference Report, October 1921, p.84.)

Of course his comments are clearly tongue-in-cheek. But his wit underscores his wisdom. We find Bible study hard, and a daunting task. But still, we should do it. As Elder Kimball suggested, we should read in it, become acquainted with it, and mark it.

The Bible has so much to offer us. We have the law, or the commandments form God. These are guides for belief and rules of behavior. We also have the prophets, or the teachings of people whom God called to lead. We also have the historical sections of the Bible. We learn of David, Elijah, Elisha (I would love to meet him), and the kings of Israel and Judah. Each one of these people provides a pattern for us. We have both good and bad examples, and we can learn how to live now by seeing how they lived then.

President Monson once spoke about personal halls of fame.

In the interior of our consciousness, each of us has a private Hall of Fame reserved exclusively for the real leaders who have influenced the direction of our lives. Relatively few of the many men who exercise authority over us from childhood through adult life meet our test for entry to this roll of honor. That test has very little to do with the outward trappings of power or an abundance of this world’s goods.

The leaders whom we admit into this private sanctuary of our reflective meditation are usually those who set our hearts afire with devotion to the truth, who make obedience to duty seem the essence of manhood, who transform some ordinary routine occurrence so that it becomes a vista whence we see the person we aspire to be.

He suggested several people from the Bible as candidates:

For a moment, perhaps each of us could be the qualifying judge through whom each Hall of Fame entry must pass. Whom would you nominate for prominent positions? Whom would I? Candidates are many—competition severe.

I nominate to the Hall of Fame the name of Adam, the first man to live upon the earth. His citation is from Moses: “And Adam was obedient unto the commandments of the Lord.” (Moses 5:5.) Adam qualifies.

For patient endurance there must be nominated a perfect and upright man whose name was Job. Though afflicted as no other, he declared: “My witness is in heaven, and my record is on high. My friends scorn me: but mine eye poureth out tears unto God.” (Job 16:19–20.) “I know that my redeemer liveth.” (Job 19:25.) Job qualifies.

Every Christian would nominate the man Saul, better known as Paul the Apostle. His sermons are like manna to the spirit, his life of service an example to all. This fearless missionary declared to the world: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation.” (Rom. 1:16.) Paul qualifies.

Then there is the man called Simon Peter. His testimony of the Christ stirs the heart. “When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of Man am? And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God.” (Matt. 16:13–16.) Peter qualifies. ...

President Monson also included women from the Bible in his hall of fame:

In our selection of heroes, let us nominate also heroines. First, that noble example of fidelity—even Ruth. Sensing the grief-stricken heart of her mother-in-law, who suffered the loss of each of her two fine sons, feeling perhaps the pangs of despair and loneliness that plagued the very soul of Naomi, Ruth uttered what has become that classic statement of loyalty: “Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God.” (Ruth 1:16.) Ruth’s actions demonstrated the sincerity of her words. There is place for her name in the Hall of Fame.

Shall we not name yet another, a descendant of honored Ruth? I speak of Mary of Nazareth, espoused to Joseph, destined to become the mother of the only truly perfect man to walk the earth. Her acceptance of this sacred and historic role is a hallmark of humility. “And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word.” (Luke 1:38.) Surely Mary qualifies.

These are the people from the Bible that he would include. But what is the standard by which we select them? What is it that makes a great person great? President Monson explains:

Could we ask, What makes of these men heroes and these women heroines? I answer: Unwavering trust in an all-wise Heavenly Father and an abiding testimony concerning the mission of a divine Savior. This knowledge is like a golden thread woven through the tapestry of their lives.

Who is that King of Glory, even the Redeemer, for whom such heroes and heroines faithfully served and valiantly died? He is Jesus Christ, the Son of God, even our Savior.

His birth was foretold by prophets; angels heralded the announcement of His earthly ministry. To shepherds abiding in their fields came the glorious proclamation: “Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:10–11.)

This same Jesus “grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him.” (Luke 2:40.) Baptized of John in the river known as Jordan, He commenced His official ministry to men. To the sophistry of Satan, Jesus turned his back. To the duty designated by His Father, He turned His face, pledged His heart, and gave His life. And what a sinless, selfless, noble, and divine life it was! Jesus labored. Jesus loved. Jesus served. Jesus wept. Jesus healed. Jesus taught. Jesus testified. On a cruel cross, Jesus died. From a borrowed sepulchre, to eternal life Jesus came forth.

The name of Jesus of Nazareth, the only name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved, has singular place and honored distinction in our Hall of Fame. ... (Thomas S. Monson, “My Personal Hall of Fame,” Ensign, July 1991, 2.)

We have all of these Biblical notables. But Christ is the center of the Bible. He is the sum and substance of the events. He is the “why?” of the Bible, which is why we emphasize the Bible. It is a testament of Jesus Christ, the Son of God and Savior of the World. He has changed my life for the better, and I know He will do that for everyone.

In my previous blog, "Antemortal Appearances of Jesus Christ," I shared some exciting Biblical accounts of those who saw the risen Lord after His crucifixion. In this blog, I desire to share additional witnesses, both immediately after the Lord's resurrection and in modern-day. For the exciting news is that Jesus Christ lives and leads His church today!

One of my favorite stories from the New Testament is the following. Mary had just seen the risen Lord. I can only imagine the joy that flooded her heart as she looked upon His face and presence. In fact, she apparently went to embrace Him in that same joy, for He had to caution her not to - he had not yet gone to meet the Father (see John 20:16-17).

Instead, Mary did as Jesus bid. She ran to tell the disciples. And in the evening of that same day, when they were assembled in private "for fear of the Jews", the following occurred (just imagine the emotions that flooded their souls!):

"Then the same day ate evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.

"And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord" (John 20:19-20).

Later on Thomas, who had been absent earlier, was given the opportunity for an amazing experience:

"And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst...

"Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side [this was where the spear had pierced Him while on the cross]; and be not faithless, but be believing..." (John 20:26-27).

Thomas had the opportunity to actually thrust his hand into the mark left by the spear and to touch the Savior's hands! Can you imagine looking into the face of the Savior, who had gone through so much to pay for humanity's sins?

But the ancient witnesses weren't the only ones to testify that Jesus lives. There have been modern witnesses called to testify to our weary world that Jesus actually is real. He really does live!

Joseph Smith recorded:

"We saw the Lord standing upon the breastwork of the pulpit, before us; and under his feet was a paved work of pure gold, in color like amber.

"His eyes were as a flame of fire; the hair of his head was white like the pure snow; his countenance shone above the brightness of the sun; and his voice was as the sound of the rushing of great waters, even the voice of Jehovah, saying:

"I am the first and the last; I am he who liveth, I am he who was slain; I am your advocate with the Father" (D&C 110:1-4).

When my days get difficult, as they sometimes do, all I need to think about are the many witnesses, both ancient and modern, of Jesus Christ. He is live. He is present in our lives. And one day, we too will have the opportunity to worship at His feet and thank Him for what He has done.

To learn more of Christ's church and about Him, visit Mormon.org.

As Mormons (or members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) we believe in Jesus Christ. We worship Him and are grateful for His grace toward us. We know that through no other means can we return to the Father save by Jesus Christ.

In the Book of Mormon, a companion volume to the Bible of scripture, we read of Jesus Christ:

"Yes, every knee shall bow, and every tongue confess before him. Yea, even at the last day, when all men shall stand to be judged of him, then shall they confess that he is God;..." (Mosiah 27:31)

Certain people at the time of Christ's crucifixion may have thought they'd ridded the world of the Lamb of God. But they didn't. On the third day after the crucifixion, Christ rose! He rose from the tomb, a resurrected being! Oh, what glorious thought.

Here is an easy to understand definition of resurrection, as stated at the LDS.org site:

"Because of the Fall of Adam and Eve, we are subject to physical death, which is the separation of the spirit from the body. Through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, all people will be resurrected and saved from physical death (see 1 Corinthians 15:22). Resurrection is the reuniting of the spirit with the body in an immortal state, no longer subject to disease or death" ("Resurrection," LDS.org).

There were many after Jesus Christ's resurrection who testified they had seen the risen Lord. One of Jesus Christ's antemortal appearances was recorded in Matthew 28:1-9. For sake of brevity, I will just share a few verses:

"And the angel answered and said....Fear ye not: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified.

"He is not here: for he is risen, as he said....

"And go quickly, and tell his disciples..."

"And they departed quickly...and did run to bring his disciples word.

"And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him" (Matthew 28:1-9).

They held him by his feet! This is a resurrected Christ, complete with a resurrected body - never to feel death again.

Another witness was Mary.

"And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus...."

As soon as Mary discovered it was the Lord, she went to embrace him. But here is what Christ said:

"Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren..." (for the complete account, see John 20:1-18).

There were many more antemortal appearances of Jesus Christ, where individuals saw and (eventually) were able to touch the Savior. They all witnessed of the miracle of the Resurrection. This link will take you to a listing of many of Jesus' postmortal / antemortal appearances. Simply click on the references at that linked page to read the many witnesses of the resurrected Christ!

Jesus Christ broke the bands of death; he vanquished sin in our behalf. And He still lives! Joseph Smith, the prophet of the restoration of Christ's gospel and church, bore witness to this himself. This is why as Mormons we worship the risen Lord.

To learn more, visit the Mormon.org website.

Apostles serve as very special witnesses for Jesus Christ. As such, they have responsibility to carry the gospel of Christ to every nation. They also, just like the ancient Apostles, are responsible for clarifying gospel truths whenever misunderstandings arise.

Elder Russell M. Nelson is an Apostle for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (sometimes nicknamed the Mormon church). Elder Nelson gave a talk to the church November 2007 in a special setting called General Conference. His message was titled, "Scriptural Witnesses."

The theme from Elder Nelson's talk was essentially that "the scriptures of the Restoration do not compete with the Bible; they complement the Bible." The talk serves as an aid to help people, whether inside the church or out, to understand why the Lord has given more scripture than that just contained in the Bible.

Why would it be necessary to clarify this? Perhaps people have misunderstood the difference between the Bible's purpose and the purpose of the "scriptures of the Restoration."

The Bible as a Witness

Essentially, we as Mormons believe the Bible to be the word of God, as it is translated correctly, of course. There are countless translations of the Bible and some are closer to the original text than others. As Mormons, we love the Bible. We revere its teachings. We testify of its importance. Its message is urgent, as it contains witnesses from many different prophets to God's children on the earth in the ancient area of Israel.

The Book of Mormon as a Witness

But we as Mormons believe that God loves all of His children. And just as the Lord called prophets to the Jerusalem portion of the earth, the Lord called ancient prophets in the Americas to testify of Christ to those people also. These prophets' words make up the book of scripture called The Book of Mormon. We as Mormons testify of that book's authenticity and urgent message; it stands as a companion to the Bible testifying that Christ really IS the Lord and Savior of the earth - and that salvation can only come through Him and of Him. People may be able to ignore one witness, but add another witness and the testimony becomes that much more insistent. Together the Bible and the Book of Mormon make it pretty hard to deny that the Savior is real, with so many ancient prophets testifying of Christ's reality.

Additional Witnesses

We also as Mormons believe that God is all-powerful and capable of calling prophets now, just as He did then. And He has done so, beginning first with Joseph Smith and proceeding through fourteen other prophets (President Gordon B. Hinckley was the 15th prophet for the Mormon church and passed away January 27, 2008). A sixteenth prophet will soon be called through inspiration from God.

It is precisely because of the power of witnesses for Jesus Christ that we do NOT feel the Book of Mormon competes with the Bible, nor do any of the other prophetic utterances given in these latter days. They all work together much as three hinges on a door - those hinges keep a door securely in place and allow it to swing functionally.

The Bible, the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine & Covenants, etc. all act as scriptural "hinges" to teach God's children that He is there and acts on behalf of ALL God's children. God's power is not shortened in His ability to talk with His children. He does so today through prophets as He did back then. And good thing! Can you think of any other time with as many conflicting thoughts, beliefs, and lifestyles? Surely God has an opinion and loves us enough to share. He does so through prophets. What a thing to celebrate!

Additional Reading Material:

"Elder Nelson's talk, Scriptural Witnesses."

"Mormons' Reverence for the Bible

What Mormons believe.

I did not grow up in the Mormon church (officially known as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints). Thus, I had a rather confused image of God the Father, Jesus Christ the Son, and the Holy Ghost.

But no wonder. Modern-day voices declare many different things about God - and the Godhead. This dissension has evolved throughout history. When Christ was on the earth His church, His gospel, His teachings were all quite clear.

But Christ was crucified. After resurrection, He returned to His disciples to continue to instruct them in the saving ordinances of the gospel. But eventually the people of the time also rejected them and murdered them. The remaining Christians were left to their own interpretations of God's will, since no prophets nor apostles now remained on the earth.

Interestingly, though, it wasn't until the 4th century that Christians began believing in the "Trinity." Up until that point, doctrine was rather clear that God the Father and His Divine Son were two distinct individuals.

But apostasy had set in and eventually by the 4th century, the Christian church held much contention within its ranks. Finally, a forced convention or council was called and church leadership were required to come up with a definition of God that pleased everyone.

What resulted was the Nicene Creed - a brief and, to me, murky statement established in 325 A.D. It attempted to declare that God the Father and Jesus Christ were "God of God" - one essence. Even after its establishment, there continued to be arguments amongst different branches of churches.

This continuing argument is why another document eventually surfaced in 385 A.D. These documents required people to believe as the council had established "belief." If one did not follow this belief of the time, he was declared a heretic and could be murdered for such utterance.

But even after its establishment, the controversial document continued to cause disagreement. Today not all Christians accept the Nicene Creed, some stating rejection of it because it was not part of the original Bible.

Mormons also do not accept the Nicene Creed as correct. In fact, Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, serving as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, declared in October 2007,

"We declare it is self-evident from the scriptures that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost are separate persons, three divine beings" (October 2007).

The one way to figure this out on your own is to study the scriptures and to ask God which of all these beliefs are correct. The Lord answers all sincere prayers.

In fact, is was just such a sincere prayer that initiated the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Joseph Smith was a young man living in the 1800s. He too saw the confusion amongst the churches, some proclaiming "truths" that conflicted completely with "truths" of other churches in the area.

To learn how he resolved his confusion, click here. But I testify to you that God the Father and His Divine Son Jesus Christ are two different individuals. The New Testament is full of examples of this. But you do not have to take my belief as your own. That is the exciting part of the gospel - the Lord answers all sincere prayers and He will answer yours!

[For further reading, feel free to read the talk, "The Only True God and Jesus Christ Whom He Hath Sent," given by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, October 2007.]

In a previous blog, I mentioned how Jesus Christ is the cornerstone of my faith. And yet, when I was a youth I barely knew who He was.

I remember as a child belonging to another denomination, another faith, and being so terrified of God. During that time, I had a little turtle. He would crawl around on his rocks in his terrarium, helpless and defenseless. I was fully aware of my size and that this tiny turtle could never defend himself against my monster-sized child's fist.

I was only five at the time, but was amazed that I held such power in comparison to the tiny little being of my turtle. I never did hurt him, because I adored him. But even as a young girl, I knew that my ability to harm or destroy was far greater than that tiny turtle could defend against.

And thus was my perspective of God. I sometimes wondered if He looked down upon us puny mortals, toying with the thought that He could crush us with one blow, instantaneously. The thought unnerved me. Yet no-one existed in my young life to teach me otherwise, to teach me that both God and His Son Jesus Christ contained a fulness of love, of sweetness, of tenderness.

It wasn't until my family began attending the Mormon church that I began learning a clearer understanding on the true character of Jesus Christ and that of His Father who sent Him.

Now my understanding has been broadened. Not only is Jesus Christ patient (think of Him on the cross forgiving those who nailed Him there), but He is tender.

In fact, one of my most favorite scriptures illustrates so beautifully the tender nature of the Savior of this world:

"Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus...

"...when Jesus came, he found that [Lazarus] had lain in the grave four days already..."

The scriptures then describe the following scene, when Jesus arrived at Lazarus' tomb:

"When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled,

"And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see.

"Jesus wept" (John 11).

Jesus wept, even knowing He was going to momentarily raise Lazarus from the dead! He is so in tune with the feelings of His friends that He weeps with them. Is this not tender?

The Character of Jesus Christ is beyond approach. Not only is He without sin, but He weeps with those who are His friends. He loves us first, thereby teaching us how to love others. How could anyone not worship this perfect Lamb of God?

Indeed, the Character of Jesus Christ inspires me to reach to Him and to reach out to others. I only hope some day I can be ever more like Him than I am today.

To learn more about Jesus Christ and His church, feel free to visit Mormon.org.

There is a hymn that moves me each time I hear it. It is called "Dear to the Heart of the Shepherd." Even when I first joined the Mormon church (officially called The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints), I noticed this hymn.

The melody called to me; its beautiful lilting shape comforted me with its 6/4 time signature (feeling like a gentle waltz). Yet not only the melody was (and is) beautiful to me. The text was just as amazing. Here are some sample lines:

"Dear to the heart of the Shepherd,
Dear are the sheep of his fold;
Dear is the love that he gives them,
Dearer than silver or gold."
(Hymn #221 Dear to the Heart of the Shepherd)

Are those words not inspiring ... and oh, so truthful!

Later on in the hymn we read:

"Some from the pastures are straying,
Hungry and helpless and cold.
See, the Good Shepherd is seeking,
Seeking the lambs that are lost" (Ibid.).

How this hymn comforts my heart on dark and dreary days. I don't know about you, but there are times when I wander, disconsolate and adrift in my purpose on this earth.

But all I need to is to hum a few stanzas from this hymn, "Dear to the Heart of the Shepherd," and a spirit of peace begins to enter in to my heart. My soul returns to seeking guidance from the true Shepherd.

Not only does the Good Shepherd, our dear Savior Jesus Christ love the ninety-nine sheep that stay within his fold, but He concerns Himself with those who stray - whether because of mistakes or even through their deliberate, willful choices.

How this comforts me as a parent! To know that the Lord cares for my children - most likely more than I do! He watches over them. He hears those who earnestly call him. He responds to those who tenderly plead to Him for rescue.

He will do this for them; He will do this for you; He has done this for me. And I am most grateful.

There is a scripture that is a perfect companion to the lyrics of "Dear to the Heart of the Shepherd." It is found in the New Testament in Luke 15: 4-6:

"What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it?

"And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing.

"And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbors, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost" (Luke 15:4-6).

How comforting to know factually about the Good Shepherd; but even better, how awesome it is actually to know the Good Shepherd. He cares about you; He cares about your family and friends, as He does mine.

He will rescue those who are lost, when the time is right.

Have you heard of the expression, "The Lamb of God"? It is a very important phrase, for it refers to Jesus Christ.

The LDS.org website explains:

"Jesus Christ was foreordained to carry out the Atonement, becoming 'the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world,' (Revelation 13:8; see also 1 Peter 1:19-21" ("Foreordination," LDS.org).

When you think of the expression "Lamb of God," what comes to your mind?

I know that for me, I think of baby sheep in the spring. Soft tender animals that know no ill; animals that are symbolic of the freshness of spring; creatures that would not harm another creature.

All of this is also how I think of the Christ. His feelings are tender. For example, He cried before raising Lazarus from the dead - even knowing His power to bring Lazarus back. This is tenderness in its finest hour! Yes, just as a baby sheep is tender, so too is Christ. I am sure He weeps with us when we weep.

Baby sheep are symbolic of the freshness of spring, of a new beginning. Christ is symbolic of new beginnings. He represents new life through faith on His name and through baptism, as He was baptized. Everything He did was to bring us new birth, a new life, a joy that comes - similar to the feeling one gets on a new spring morning.

Baby sheep would not harm another. Neither would the Christ. He came to bring life; not take it. And so it is most instructive to me to read in the Bible how Christ was designated to become the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world (again, see Revelation 13:8 and 1 Peter 1:19-21).

Now for just a moment, let us think of the ancient Israelites, Abraham's people. They used unblemished lambs as a sacrificial symbol of Jesus Christ's future sacrifice of His life.

The animal sacrifice of their lambs may seem repugnant to us now, but remember - they slaughtered their animals for food. They didn't have grocery stores around the corner for their meats. Thus, it was a true sacrifice to give up the firstlings of their flock as an offering to God - when normally they needed that for food.

Their ancient sacrifices were performed as instructive ceremonies that one day a Savior would come and be offered up to redeem all of mankind. The Israelites' sweet little lambs represented the future Lamb of God.

If it were not for sin, Christ would not have needed to be offered up as an atonement for those sins. How it pains me that I brought Him to that sacrificial altar. But how grateful I am that He followed through, partook of the bitterness of that experience, and was brought forth on that resurrection morn in the spring.

Because of the Lamb of God, I can be brought home to my God. How tender, how amazing a thought!

I have the privilege of teaching early morning Mormon seminary. Seminary is a terrific opportunity to participate in each day. During the daily seminary hour teens study the scriptures in a classroom setting under the guidance of a seminary teacher. As stated at the Church's website, BeSmart.com, "Seminary will give you gospel knowledge and insights that will be invaluable in college and beyond."

In some locations Mormon seminary classes are offered during the day, and high school kids can opt to take seminary then. But in other areas, the only time seminary is taught is in the wee hours of the morning before most people even get up.

I have the privilege of serving as one of those early morning seminary teachers; it is a privilege to study the gospel of Jesus Christ with today's terrific teens. And often as I return home each day, after seminary, I'll pause in my car and take a few moments to think. Usually I'll open my scriptures to ponder what I might find there.

Today my scriptures fell open to Romans 1:16:

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek."

As I sat in my car, I mused on the power of this verse. Can you imagine a world of individuals with reverence for the Messiah? Can you imagine society so fully converted to Jesus Christ and His teachings that no-one would be ashamed of living His word or His ways?

Then we could all experience the "power of God unto salvation." What a society that would be!

But our world is not there yet. There are still those who ridicule all things Christian. And there are still those who have not yet heard of Him who saves. That is why sharing the good news of the gospel is so essential. If you yourself had not heard about the gentle love and kindness of Christ - and all He holds out to you - wouldn't you want someone to share that with you?

This is why, for me, daily scripture study is so important - because potent verses will touch my heart and highlight impressions in my mind to serve others and to carry the word of the Lord to others - just like Romans 1:16 did for me today in the New Testament.

In the very next verse, verse 17 to be precise, we read that "the just shall live by faith." And how true this is. Until we can all come to the same understanding - that God is real and that He has a plan for each one of us - it can be challenging to live in today's society.

But as we live in faith, as we study God's word in the scriptures, and as we manifest that faith through good and kind application of those very scriptures, not only are we ourselves strengthened, but we also are making it possible for more and more to know of Christ, His ways, and His joyful gifts He waits to give everyone!

This is the power of the scriptures ... and especially the power of Romans 1:16 as it came to me today. So glad I took the time to read it after teaching seminary so early in the morning!

(To learn more about seminary, feel free to visit here or here. To visit the scriptures, click here.)