Faith in Jesus Christ

To better serve as a full-time or member missionary it’s important to have a basic understanding of the fundamental principles of the gospel.

The first principle of the gospel is faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are often accused of not being Christians even though the name Jesus Christ is included in the title. The reason some claim we are not Christians is because of our belief that Lucifer and Jesus are brothers.

Other religions do not believe in the pre-existence where we all enjoyed relationships as brothers and sisters, and children to heavenly parents before mortality. We believe that we were all created as spirits before we were born. We learned and grew spiritually while in the pre-existence and for a time we lived in harmony and peace.

We believe that before Adam was placed on this earth we had a war in heaven. Lucifer, a spirit brother also known as Satan, presented a plan which included forcing all of mankind to keep the commandments while they sojourned in mortality. He promised not a soul would be lost because everyone would be compelled to live the gospel and in so doing would return to live with God after they left mortality.

Jesus, on the other hand, presented a plan that allowed each of us to make our own choices while on earth and to live the gospel at our own discretion. It would be up to each individual to make his own choices and then to live with the consequences of those choices. We would not be forced nor compelled. Only those who chose of their own free will to keep the commandments would be able to return to live in God’s presence after mortality.

Lucifer’s plan was rejected in favor of Jesus’ plan. Lucifer, or Satan, and his spirit followers were cast out of heaven and will never be allowed the opportunity to receive a mortal body.

Jesus and Satan are spirit brothers just like the rest of us. We all share the same Heavenly Father who created our spirits. It is only through faith on the Lord Jesus Christ that we may return to live with Heavenly Father again some day, “ . . . for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12)

It is this faith that drives us to live the gospel as we seek to replace our natural tendencies with spiritual ones. It is this faith that motivates us to make righteous choices even when they are difficult. It is this faith that induces us to sacrifice our time and selfish desires to serve God and share the gospel. It is this faith that refines us and perfects us as we live in mortality.

The most important thing we can teach others is to have faith in Jesus Christ. It is our message to invite everyone, everywhere to come unto Christ.

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