FAQ Archive
In the first verse of the first gospel as it appears in our New Testament, Matthew calls Jesus Christ “the son of David” as if it were a sort of preface to the genealogy he is about to write, and perhaps, a preface to Matthew’s entire testimony of the Savior. Following this preface is the line of royal descent from Joseph, Mary’s husband, back to David, King of Israel (Cf. Matthew 1:1-16). Because Joseph is listed as a descendant of David, Joseph can also be called a son of David.
Joseph treated Jesus as if He were his own son, and by those who knew not of His divine origin Jesus was presumed to be “the son of Joseph” (Luke 3:23), or “the carpenter’s Son” (Matthew 13:55). It may be said, then, that Jesus is the adopted son of Joseph. However, Joseph was not Jesus’ literal Father. As James E. Talmage explained,
“That Child to be born of Mary was begotten of Elohim, the Eternal Father, not in violation of natural law but in accordance with a higher manifestation... Read the rest of this entry »
When we think about what it means to be born, we usually think of being given life and a mortal body from a father and a mother. Therefore, when asking “What does it mean to say that Christ is the Firstborn?” another question usually comes up: “How can Christ be the firstborn if he lived in what is sometimes called the meridian of time?” In order to answer these questions, we must rethink our definition what it means to be born.
The scriptures speak of receiving a rebirth when one receives a remission of sins. But since Christ never sinned, this cannot be the case. “They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick” (Matthew 9:12). At any rate, when people are born, they are thought of as receiving life. Hence, to be reborn is to receive life anew. One way in which Jesus is the firstborn is because he “is risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept” (1 Corinthians 15:20). By calling Christ the Firstborn... Read the rest of this entry »
The end of Jesus‘ life was very difficult. He was persecuted, and, at critical moments, abandoned by many who loved Him. In the Garden of Gethsemane He endured pain beyond what we can imagine, and He followed it by a painful death on the cross. Why was all this necessary? Read the rest of this entry »
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For someone who has just decided to learn about God and come to some decisions, it can be a bit overwhelming to know where to start. There are so many books, articles, and churches to choose from. Where should the search begin?
The best place to begin is always with God’s own words. For most people, this will mean turning first to the Bible. The Old Testament of the Bible tells us the story of the creation of the world and the beginnings of God’s church. He teaches us what He wants us to know about truth through his prophets, who received revelation directly from God and then shared that information with the world. In the New Testament, we learn of God’s great gift to us: His only begotten Son. The New Testament tells us of the birth of Jesus Christ and His ministry. During His ministry, we have God’s word directly from His Son. After Jesus was crucified, the records continued for a time with the teachings of His chosen apostles.
People often hear of a Mormon Bible.... Read the rest of this entry »
It’s human nature to want to stay in charge of our own lives. Turning decisions that affect us can be very frightening. However, we see the world with a very limited vision. There is no way for us to see what will happen in the long term.
The scriptures contain many stories of people who were forced to trust God’s advice even when the advice’s wisdom wasn’t obvious. As is often pointed out, it wasn’t raining when Noah built the ark. Living where he did, it’s likely he couldn’t even imagine what a flood would look like.
The Bible tells of the widow of Zarephath. The prophet Elijah was commanded by God to go to Zarephath during a serious drought and famine, explaining that He had instructed the widow to feed Elijah. When Elijah found her, he asked her for water and bread. She responded, “As the Lord thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that... Read the rest of this entry »
Could Jesus have sinned? If He could not sin, what was the point of the temptation?
Every person who was ever created by Heavenly Father was given the gift of moral agency, which is the right to make choices. This includes Jesus Christ. The Savior’s gift to us was one He gave willingly, which was a necessary part of the gift. This means that when Satan tried to tempt Him, Jesus could indeed have given into temptation. God knew, when He sent Jesus, that His Son would not sin, but Jesus had the ability to do so if He chose.
Howard W. Hunter, a former prophet of the Mormons, spoke on this subject before he was a prophet. Elder Hunter, as he was then called, said, “It is important to remember that Jesus was capable of sinning, that he could have succumbed, that the plan of life and salvation could have been foiled, but that he remained true. Had there been no possibility of his yielding to the enticement of Satan, there would have been no real test, no genuine victory in the result.... Read the rest of this entry »
One teaching that makes the Mormons unique is that of being able to see God. When Joseph Smith was fourteen years old, he became concerned about how to choose which church to join. He was studying the Bible one day, when he found his answer. James 1:5, written by the Savior’s own brother, instructed us to turn to God if we sought wisdom. Joseph saw this was the only way to obtain an answer, because only God could be trusted to tell him the truth. He had received too many differing instructions from the various ministers of his area.
He went into the woods and began to pray. After a time, God and Jesus Christ both appeared to him. God introduced Joseph to Jesus and Jesus instructed him not to join any of the churches currently on the earth, because they were incomplete. Joseph followed this counsel, and later, when he was grown, he was taught by an angel and prepared to help bring the restored gospel to the earth.
Is it possible for a mortal to see God? The Bible records many instances... Read the rest of this entry »
The teaching mode of the Savior was varied. He used a number of different ways to teach the people He encountered about God the Father.
One of His favorite methods was to tell a story. These stories are often called parables. Jesus Christ used parables to reach people at a variety of levels. Those who knew how to and were willing to listen with their hearts were able to pull deep meanings from the stories. Others at least heard a good story. Jesus often used the story to hold his audience’s attention. After the story was told, it was frequently explained. Other times he used them to keep those who did not come with honest intent from learning things they would be held accountable for if they understood. He could give the teachings that brought the most blessings only to those who listened with their hearts.
10 And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?
11 He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries... Read the rest of this entry »
The Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is not a part of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They came into being following the death of Joseph Smith at the hands of assassins.
The church’s structure, under Joseph, as it is today, was that he served as the prophet and the president of the church. He was assisted by counselors. There was also the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Joseph had previously explained that the First Presidency existed only as a unit; if the president died, the First Presidency was dissolved and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles would lead the church until the new president was put into position.
However, when he died, there was great confusion over what should happen next. Of the First Presidency, only Sidney Rigdon remained. Rigdon had already shown signs of weakness, and the members of the church, against Joseph’s desires, had sustained him into the First Presidency. The church was still young and God allows it to learn... Read the rest of this entry »
Gordon B. Hinckley, a former Mormon prophet, talked about the importance of cornerstones in the Mormon religion. He outlined four cornerstones, critical parts of the faith. To help listeners understand why cornerstones matter in the Mormon religion, he discussed a tradition associated with Mormon temples:
“In each new temple we have had a cornerstone ceremony in harmony with a tradition that goes back to ancient times. Before the general use of concrete, the foundation walls of the building were laid with large stones. A trench would be dug, and stones would be placed as footings. Starting at a point of beginning, the foundation wall would be run in one direction to a cornerstone; then the corner would be turned and the wall run to the next corner, where another stone was placed, from which the wall would be run to the next corner, and from there to the point of beginning. In many instances, including the construction of early temples in the Church, cornerstones were used at each... Read the rest of this entry »
