Who Are Christians?

The name Christian was first given to believers in Jesus Christ: “The disciples were called Christians first in Antioch” (Acts 11:26). The name may have been a slur initially, but followers of Jesus Christ accepted it (see 1 Peter 4:16). Earlier, however, it appears that those who followed Jesus Christ were called Saints (see Acts 9:32, 41).

Christians, then, are those who follow and believe in Jesus Christ. They generally believe that He is the Son of God, that He was born of the Virgin Mary, that He performed miracles, that He atoned for the sins of the world, and that He was crucified and then resurrected.

 At the heart of the Christian faith are the life, teachings, and ministry of Jesus Christ. But the Christian world is vast, with great variations of doctrine. Despite their universal acceptance of Jesus Christ, Christian churches (there are over 30,000 sects) do not always accept each other as Christian if their doctrinal beliefs are different. It is common for many Christians to reject members of The Church of Jesus Christ as Christians. However, members of The Church of Jesus Christ consider themselves devout Christians and call themselves Latter-day Saints.

What Is Pure Christianity?

Webster’s dictionary has several definitions for the word “pure,” some of which seem pertinent to this discussion: “being thus and no other,” “containing nothing that does not properly belong,” “free from  . . . taint.”

Christianity, in general, is divided by variations of doctrine. Consequently, Christians are divided in what defines Pure Christianity. What properly belongs? Has it been tainted?

What Happened to Change Pure Christianity?

In March 2012, Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, one of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ, was invited to speak at Harvard Law School during the Latter-day Saint Student Association’s annual Mormonism 101 series. His remarks explain some of the doctrine variations that occurred after the death of Jesus Christ.

“There was a true church once in the meridian of time, in which Jesus Christ was the chief cornerstone and the personification of its divinity, with mortal men called as prophets and apostles to form a foundational footing around Him. These apostles, with other teachers and priests, pastors, and members in general constituted a figurative building, a church, which Paul described as being ‘fitly framed together  . . . for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, [and] for the edifying of the body of Christ.’ . . .

“So what ensued was a millennium and a half of destroying Paul’s hope that there would be a ‘unity of the faith, and [a] knowledge of the Son of God, . . . that we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive.’ [Ephesians 4:13–14.] It is commonplace to note that in the Christian world we now see anything but ‘a unity of faith’ or any real Christian cohesiveness that could remotely be called ‘the building fitly framed together’ that would reaffirm ‘one Lord, one faith, one baptism’ [Ephesians 4:5].”¹

Elder Holland also explained the Christian doctrine of The Church of Jesus Christ and how it varies from other churches:

 “We are not considered Christian by some because we are not fourth-century Christians, we are not Nicene Christians, we are not creedal Christians of the brand that arose hundreds of years after Christ. No, when we speak of ‘restored Christianity’ we speak of the Church as it was in its New Testament purity, not as it became when great councils were called to debate and anguish over what it was they really believed. So if one means Greek-influenced, council-convening, philosophy-flavored Christianity of post-apostolic times, we are not that kind of Christian. Peter we know, and Paul we know, but Constantine and Athanasius, Athens and Alexandria we do not know. (Actually, we know them, we just don’t follow them.)”²

 Elder Gary J. Coleman, of the First Quorum of the Seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ, grew up as a devout member of another Christian faith. He had thought he would enter the full-time ministry of that church. When he was 21 years old, however, he learned about The Church of Jesus Christ. He said that “he began to learn about the doctrine of the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ in these latter days” and learned truths that he had not known before that changed his life and how he viewed the gospel. “After much studying, prayer, and faith,” he “chose to embrace beautiful restored truths found only in this Church.”³

The Pure Doctrine in The Church of Jesus Christ

The Church of Jesus Christ teaches and believes that restored truths from Christ’s church include:

• · “God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, are separate and distinct beings with glorified bodies of flesh and bone.”

• · “The scriptural canon is not closed, . . . the heavens are open with revelatory experience.”

• · “Divine priesthood authority to provide the saving sacraments—the ordinances—of the gospel of Jesus Christ . . . has been restored to the earth by those who held it anciently.”⁴ “Everypriesthood holder in this Church can trace his priesthood authority directly to Jesus Christ.”⁵

Other Christians usually disagree with Latter-day Saints, but “Mormons” believe that they are devout Christians ho believe that the pure gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored and can be found in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

1. http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/harvard-elder-holland-mormonism-remarks.
2. http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/harvard-elder-holland-mormonism-remarks.
3. http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2007/04/mom-are-we-christians?lang=eng.
4. http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/harvard-elder-holland-mormonism-remarks; see http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2007/04/mom-are-we-christians?lang=eng.
5. http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2007/04/mom-are-we-christians?lang=eng.

History

The patriarch Jacob gave a blessing to each of his sons before he died: “And Jacob called unto his sons and said, Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you that which shall befall you in the last days” (Genesis 49:1). The Prophet Joseph Smith, the first president of the Church of Jesus Christ, taught that “wherever the Church of Christ is established in the earth, there should be a Patriarch for the benefit of the posterity of the Saints, as it was with Jacob in giving his patriarchal blessing unto his sons, etc.”1

Patriarchs

The Church of Jesus Christ is organized into wards and stakes. Thinking of the Church as a big tent, stakes support the weight of the tent and help it perform its function to protect the people inside. A stake is organized into several thousand members of the Church, depending upon the number of members living in a geographical area.  A stake patriarch is called to serve in each stake. They are chosen by the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ. They are ordained to the Melchizedek priesthood and are specially appointed to give patriarchal blessings.

What Is a Patriarchal Blessing?

Similar to the blessings Jacob gave to his sons, a patriarchal blessing in the Church of Jesus Christ is a priesthood blessing that includes a “declaration of a person’s lineage, stating that the person is of the house of Israel—a descendant of Abraham, belonging to a specific tribe of Jacob.” Mormons believe that it doesn’t matter if “a person’s lineage in the house of Israel is through bloodlines or by adoption. Church members are counted as descendants of Abraham and heirs to all the promises and blessings contained in the Abrahamic covenant.”2

The blessing also contains “personal counsel from the Lord” to guide the recipient throughout his or her entire life.3

How to Obtain a Patriarchal Blessing

Members of the Church of Jesus Christ who would like to receive a patriarchal blessing talk to their ward bishop to obtain a recommend that they will give to the stake patriarch. (A stake is made up of several smaller congregations called wards. A bishop is the presiding high priest in his ward.) The bishop will ask a few questions in his interview to make sure the member is ready for a patriarchal blessing. He will also answer any questions the member may have.

After the member has received a recommend, he or she calls the patriarch to schedule an appointment. Most members of the Church prepare themselves spiritually to receive this priesthood blessing by fasting—not eating a meal or drinking water—prior to the appointment (if physically possible).

The patriarch prays for divine guidance before he pronounces each blessing. He speaks to the member briefly before he begins giving the blessing. The blessing is recorded and transcribed, and a printed copy of the blessing is given to the member and archived at Church headquarters in Salt Lake City, Utah.

The Purpose of the Printed Copy of the Blessing

Receiving the blessing is a spiritual experience. Members feel the presence of the Holy Ghost and feel close to their Heavenly Father while the patriarch speaks words of inspired comfort and counsel, and prophesy of their life mission. Members are often told the fulfillment of the blessing is dependent upon their faithfulness to the Lord Jesus Christ and obedience to His commandments.

Once a member receives a printed copy of the blessing, he or she is encouraged to read it often.

Church of Jesus Christ President and Prophet Thomas S. Monson said:

“Your patriarchal blessing is yours and yours alone. It may be brief or lengthy, simple or profound. Length and language do not a patriarchal blessing make. It is the Spirit that conveys the true meaning. Your blessing is not to be folded neatly and tucked away. It is not to be framed or published. Rather, it is to be read. It is to be loved. It is to be followed. Your patriarchal blessing will see you through the darkest night. It will guide you through life’s dangers. . . . Your patriarchal blessing is to you a personal [compass] to chart your course and guide your way.”4

Most Mormons regularly read their blessings. Many connect their life experiences with the promises, admonitions, and cautions found in their blessings and write in their journals about them. Many members of the Church have memorized at least part of their blessings. They consider them as sacred and prayerfully consider if or when to share the contents.

Notes:

1. Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, comp. Joseph Fielding Smith (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1973), 151.

2. Patriarchal Blessings

3. Patriarchal Blessings

4. “Your Patriarchal Blessing: a Liahona of Light,” Thomas S. Monson, Ensign, November 1986.

Reference:

Living as a Latter-day Saint: Your Patriarchal Blessing

This article was written by Paula Hicken, a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Paula Hicken was an editor with the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship from 2000 to 2013. She earned her BA degree in English from Brigham Young University. She edited Insights, the Maxwell Institute newsletter, and was the production editor for Faith, Philosophy, Scripture, Hebrew Law in Biblical Times (2nd ed.), Third Nephi: An Incomparable Scripture, and was one of the copy editors for Analysis of the Textual Variants of the Book of Mormon. She also helped manage the Maxwell Institute intellectual property and oversaw rights and permissions. She has published in the Ensign, the Liahona, the LDS Church News, and the FARMS Review.

Additional Resource:

Patriarchal Blessings

http://youtu.be/-9pbAch6cMw

“People fell in love with this little boy, who had first been diagnosed with this ravaging disease when he was only a three-year-old toddler.”

Despite legitimate assessments by many people that social media, such as Facebook, create a false sense of intimacy, the chronicles of Mitchell’s journey testified of his parents’ faith in their Heavenly Father’s plan and faith in the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

His parents, Chris and Natalie Jones, are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, often mistakenly called the Mormon Church. They “believed the burden would be lightened if they shared their anguish—and so they did in photos, videos that include doctor’s reports and their vivid reactions, and journal entries.” Their experiences resonated with readers and comments on their Facebook page “reflect that those thousands who followed this heartbreaking story learned something more about faith, enduring tragedy with grace, and how to love their children with more intensity.”

Chris Jones’s entries are compelling:

I’ll never forget the look of bewilderment on Natalie’s face upon hearing the diagnosis. I remained stoic and collected, but after leaving the doors of he hospital I stayed behind and sat on a bench that looked over the valley and wept.

Today, knowing what we know (after seeing the doctor), we see some of the things he does with a different perspective—and we are now recognizing what were before silent indications that this disease was already taking grasp on his little body.

He also shares his faith and trust in our loving Father in Heaven—a closeness with God that helps Latter-day Saints through the trials of life:

Something happened a few years ago and I don’t completely understand why  . . . and I suppose in time that it will be revealed; but, since the day Mitchell was born, I have had a recurring and persistent impression that his life on this earth would be short. This feeling came long before this devastating news about his disease–and when we had no reason to believe such a thing. Over time I told only a few people about this impression . . . . But for reasons I don’t completely understand at this point—I had this persistent uneasiness about him. I now see (at least) that our loving Heavenly Father wanted me to know something was wrong. And indeed—something is. He warned us . . . in effect prepared us to some degree. And if He did that, He will also carry us places we don’t have the strength to go ourselves.

Members of the Church of Jesus Christ understand that Jesus Christ’s Atonement provided resurrection and redemption for all of God’s children. Through life’s painful experiences, they grow to understand the enabling and healing power of the Atonement. Chris Jones wrote:

“I am grateful to have learned something of the Atonement—and while I have much to learn about that sacred topic, I know enough about the hope it provides to keep from sinking.”

The funeral address given by Mitchell’s father appears on the Facebook page. He shares six tender mercies that were “extended to our family during this journey” and he thanks Heavenly Father for them. His concluding words reflect his continued trust and faith in God and his belief that he will be reunited with Mitchell:

As our little boy approached death, I began to sense that Mitchell was much older than I realized. Beneath the veneer of a little 10-year-old’s broken body was a spirit that was older and wiser than I appreciated. And while I miss his tender face, his soft voice, and his beautiful soul . . . so very much . . . every-so-often I am beginning to get a sense of things as they really are. His spirit existed long before he came to this earth—as did all of ours. . . .

But as painful as this separation is, I know that my redeemer lives. And because He lives, so also, does my son.

And I will spend the rest of my days chasing after them—so that I might enjoy that sacred reunion and all that Heavenly Father would offer.

This article was written by Paula Hicken, a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Paula Hicken was an editor with the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship from 2000 to 2013. She earned her BA degree in English from Brigham Young University. She edited Insights, the Maxwell Institute newsletter, and was the production editor for Faith, Philosophy, Scripture, Hebrew Law in Biblical Times (2nd ed.), Third Nephi: An Incomparable Scripture, and was one of the copy editors for Analysis of the Textual Variants of the Book of Mormon. She also helped manage the Maxwell Institute intellectual property and oversaw rights and permissions. She has published in the Ensign, the Liahona, the LDS Church News, and the FARMS Review.

Reference:

Thousands followed Mitchell’s Journey on Facebook

Additional Resource:

Mitchell’s Journey

History of the Selection of President

Sixteen men have served as President of the Church.  Each served as President until his death. After the assassination of the first President, Joseph Smith, some Latter-day Saints thought that his son or his counselor should be appointed President. However, the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, the second highest governing body in the Church, knew that the Apostles held the keys of the priesthood and that the Senior Apostle, also known as President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, should preside. Brigham Young led the Church for over three years in this capacity. He was then sustained as President of the Church. Second and third church presidents John Taylor and Wilford Woodruff followed the same pattern. All other Presidents of the Church began serving after a much shorter period of time after the death of the previous President.

Process for Appointing the President

Latter-day Saints believe that the Lord Jesus Christ is the head of the Church and that He has established an orderly method for changing the leadership. The First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ consists of the President and his two counselors. Each is typically selected from the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. When the President of the Church dies, the First Presidency is dissolved and the counselors return to their places in the Quorum of the Twelve according to their seniority, or the dates of their ordinations as Apostles. The Quorum of the Twelve, led by the Senior Apostle, or President of the Twelve, then preside over the Church until a new President and First Presidency are chosen.

Upon the death of the President, the Twelve Apostles meet to prayerfully seek the will of the Lord in selecting the next President. This prayerful selection follows the pattern explained in the Church’s fifth Article of Faith: “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.”  The new President is nominated by unanimous vote. The President then selects his two counselors to form the First Presidency, who are also approved by the Twelve Apostles. Any vacancies in the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles are also filled by revelation. At the next general conference of the church (held semiannually), each member of the Church is given the opportunity to sustain or oppose these men.

Each of the Apostles holds the keys of the priesthood to be the President of the Church because of his ordination as an Apostle, but only the Apostle selected as President exercises those keys. This means that the president “holds the power and authority to govern and direct all of the Lord’s affairs on earth in the church.”

Mormons believe that the Lord knows all the men who will serve as President of His Church and that He calls them to be Apostles. When the time comes for a new President to be selected, he is already serving as Senior Apostle. Twelfth President of the Church, Spencer W. Kimball, explained, “Since the death of his servants is in the power and control of the Lord, he permits to come to the first place only the one who is destined to take that leadership. Death and life become the controlling factors.”  [1]

Callings in the Church of Jesus Christ

Latter-day Saints are called to serve in the Church of Jesus Christ continually.  [2]  Through prayer, priesthood leaders seek the will of the Lord in their selection of members to serve. Each member serving is accepted by other members of the Church through a sustaining vote, also known as Common Consent (Doctrine and Covenants 26:2). Mormons are not obligated or constrained to accept the responsibility and can ask to be released from their calling at any time for any reason. Most members of the Church of Jesus Christ accept a variety of callings to serve in the Church during their lifetimes and serve until their priesthood leaders prayerfully decide to release them. The length of service time varies widely. Only those men called to serve in the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles are expected to serve for life and are not released because of failing health or advanced age. The President of the Church serves under the same expectation, and each of the men serving in that calling have continued to serve despite poor health. For example, Thirteenth President, Ezra Taft Benson, suffered poor health in the last years of his life and was rarely able to leave his home. In the general conference of the Church held the month prior to President Benson’s death, Gordon B. Hinckley, who was then serving as the First Counselor in the First Presidency, spoke directly about President Benson’s health and reaffirmed the governing roles of the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve:

“The President of the Church holds the authority to exercise all of the keys of the priesthood at any given time. He may delegate, and in the present instance has delegated, to his Counselors and to those of the Twelve the exercise of various of those keys.

“This brings me to a matter of which I have spoken before from this pulpit. I do so again because of what some are writing and saying incident to the condition of President Benson’s health.

“People throughout the Church are naturally anxious to know of the President’s condition. President Benson is now in his ninety-fifth year. As we have previously said from this and other pulpits, he suffers seriously from the effects of age and illness and has been unable to fulfill important duties of his sacred office. This is not a situation without precedent. Other Presidents of the Church have also been ill or unable to function fully in the closing months or years of their lives. It is possible that this will happen again in the future.

“The principles and procedures which the Lord has put in place for the governance of His church make provision for any such circumstance. It is important . . . that there be no doubts or concerns about the governance of the Church and the exercise of the prophetic gifts, including the right to inspiration and revelation in administering the affairs and program of the Church, when the President may be ill or is not able to function fully.

“The First Presidency and the Council of the Twelve Apostles, called and ordained to hold the keys of the priesthood, have the authority and responsibility to govern the Church, to administer its ordinances, to expound its doctrine, and to establish and maintain its practices. Each man who is ordained an Apostle and sustained a member of the Council of the Twelve is sustained as a prophet, seer, and revelator. . . .

“God is at the helm. . . . Jesus Christ is our Redeemer. He is the head of this church. He makes known His will and will continue to make known His will concerning it. Joseph Smith was a prophet through whom all the keys of the priesthood under which we operate were restored in this dispensation of the fullness of times. Each man who has succeeded him as President of the Church has been a prophet. We have a prophet today. He may not be able to speak to us as he once did. He need not. . . . When the Lord calls him home, there will be another to take his place”(Gordon B. Hinckley, “God Is at the Helm,” Ensign, May 1994).

Can the President of the Church of Jesus Christ resign? Yes. But no President has ever resigned or been released. The order of governance for the Church enables him to continue to serve until his death.

(See also: The Presidents of the Church, teacher’s manual (Salt Lake City: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1996).

This article was written by Paula Hicken, a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Additional Resources:

Everything About the Church of Jesus Christ

Meet Mormons

Famous Mormons

http://youtu.be/6p-s00HsrnM?t=7m41s