I have been thinking about this for a long time, and I find it to be quite important to me. One of my friends and I like to discuss the differences in our beliefs. (I know she will not mind me talking about it) As I am a Mormon there are many things that are different. Although really there are also many things that are very similar. One time when talking to me she called my religion "Mormonism" and hers "Christian." I was, of course, quick to say that I too, am Christian. She then explained what she meant by using the word "Christian," and i did not seem to fit that description. We talked a bit about how there are many different ways that people use the word, and that was her way. No offence is taken, I know that she meant no disrespect, or anything near it. And I guess that by her definition it is very easy to say that I am not Christian. However, it still bothers me, to think that to anyone I am not Christian.
No disrespect intended towards anyone or their religion, I am simply defending my right to be called Christian.
I have found several definitions of the word. Among them are- of, pertaining to, or derived from Jesus Christ or His teachings: a Christian faith. exhibiting a spirit proper to a follower of Jesus Christ; Christlike: She displayed true Christian charity. Professing belief in Jesus as Christ or following the religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus. Most definitions are almost exactly like these. And I see, that my church fits all of them.
It is called the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. We strive to be as Christlike as is possible for flawed human beings to be.
Although the words "Mormon," and "Mormonism" are not exactly wrong, they are only nick-names, based on the fact that we believe in the Book of Mormon. However, they are not the correct word used to describe our church. Feel free to use them if you wish, but do not say that we are not Christian, and "LDS" is preferred if you want to use a shortened name.
There is a good talk I found by Elder Robert E. Wells that gives a list of reasons for calling us Christian. I have given a shortened version of it, if you want the full version here it is: http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=0bd805481ae6b010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&hideNav=1
We are Christian because:
1. we believe Jesus Christ is an important member of the Godhead, and We have no other gods before us. (in other words, God the Father is the only God we believe in)
2. like the early Christians, we have no graven images or any other objects of idolatrous worship.
3. like the early Christians, we do not take the name of the Lord in vain
4. we keep the Christian Sabbath day holy.
5. we honor our fathers and our mothers, our grandparents and all other generations, in the Christian way.
6. we strive to obey both the Judeo-Christian commandment “Thou shalt not kill”
7. we strive to obey both the Judeo-Christian commandment “Thou shalt not commit adultery”
8. we strive to obey the Judeo-Christian commandment “Thou shalt not steal.”
9. we strive to obey the Judeo-Christian commandment never bear false witness against our neighbors (see Ex. 20:16), to which we add our Christian responsibility to bear a true witness at all times.
10. we strive to obey the Judeo-Christian commandment, “Thou shalt not covet”
11. “we believe that men will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam’s transgressions.”
12. “we believe that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel.”
13. “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.”
14. we believe in the Christian lay ministry, established in the original Church. “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.”
15. “we believe in the same organization that existed in the Primitive [Christian] Church, namely, apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, evangelists, and so forth” (A of F 1:6), as well as all other offices mentioned in the New Testament, such as deacons, bishops, and high priests.
16. we believe in the same spiritual gifts that existed in the Primitive Christian Church, namely, “the gift of tongues, prophecy, revelation, visions, healing, interpretation of tongues, and so forth.”
17. “we believe the Bible [both the Old Testament and the New Testament] 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.
18. “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.” (A of F 1:9.) We believe in Christian prophets
19. we believe in the second coming of Christ in all his glory, that he will “reign personally upon the earth; and, that the earth will be renewed and receive its paradisiacal glory.”
20. we believe in all the Christian ideals for living: “We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men. … If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things.”
There it is, a list of 20 reasons that I am Christian! Another good talk is http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=f318118dd536c010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=f72a414ef1032110VgnVCM100000176f620a____&hideNav=1
this one and of course http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp? vgnextoid=f318118dd536c010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=00d51b3e50cf5110VgnVCM100000176f620a____&hideNav=1
this one.
I believe in Christ, that He is the Son of God. I strive to serve and follow Him, and bring glory to God through my actions. And I bear His name. I am Christian!
“we believe in Christ, … and look forward with steadfastness unto Christ. … We are made alive in Christ. … We talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we … look forward unto that life which is in Christ. … For the right way is to believe in Christ. … Christ is the Holy One of Israel; wherefore [we] … bow down before him and worship him with all [our] might, mind, and strength, and [our] whole soul.” (2 Ne. 25:24–29.)
[to my friend: I love you and thank you so much for how much you have strengthened me. If you want to respond to this post go ahead, I just didn't know if you'd like me using your name on my blog. =)]
7 comments:
Tiffany, I love you very much. I'm so glad you are striving to be as Christlike as you can. I think you do a great job of it, and you are a very good example to me. I'm so proud of you. I wish you was here so I could hug you right now.
Hey Tiff, I can see why you would say you are a Christian, I think this would make a very interesting discussion. I'm up for one, however if you don't want to, I can completely understand.
Hey Tiff,
Yeah, I don't mind you using my name on here, but thanks for caring enough not to use it since you didn't know.
Okay, maybe I do need to refer to my faith as "born-again Christian" to eliminate confusion.
A lot of the examples you gave are good and definitely Biblical (like the ten commandments), but many other religions (whose beliefs often have nothing to do with the Bible or the One True God) also hold a lot of these same beliefs, and there are some beliefs you mentioned that are very much not Christian beliefs.
The two that really stick out to me are numbers twelve and thirteen:
12. “we believe that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel.”
Yes, any person can be saved through the atoning power of Jesus Christ's death, burial, and resurection as He took the punishment of death that we deserved for our sins - including spiritual death, as the Bible says that Jesus was in hell for the three days before He arose (sorry, I can't remember the reference) - then defeated the power of death in His resurrection. But we are not saved by following the Laws. In the Bible, which any Christian belief must be based on, it says in Ephesians 2:8-9, "For it is by grace we are saved, through faith, and that not of ourselves, it is the gift of God; not of works lest any man should boast" (italics added) and I really can't say anything more about that without it running into the next one (and I guess this is running into that email that I keep forgetting to finish since for some reason my computer sent it in the middle of a sentence... I guess I can finish it here though)...
13. “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.”
The Bible says in another place (akk.. I can't remember this reference either, but I *think* it's in Romans) "If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you shall be saved." He doesn't require anything else in order to receive His gift of Salvation. Yes, He tells us to be baptized after we are saved, as an announcement that we have accepted His gift, but it is not required for salvation. No outward works are required in order to be saved, except for confessing Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord of your life. Yes, God wants and expects us to follow His commandments. And yes, Christians do, to the best of their ability, as God gives them that ability, follow God's commands and serve Him. But it is not in order to be saved. It is an act of gratitude to the Lord showing our love to Him - because He *has* saved us. Yes, "Faith without works is dead," not because we are not saved if we do not do the works, but because if you truly do have your faith and trust in Jesus Christ, the works will follow because the Holy Spirit will lead you to want to serve Him.
Oh, by the way, this is totally an aside, but I had to laugh when I read the name of that elder you mentioned - because my dad's name is Robert Wells too!!! (only he's Robert H. Wells rather than Robert E. Wells)
Hurrah for you, Tiffany, for expressing and defending your beliefs and faith so beautifully! I'm so proud of the wonderful and spiritual young woman you are and the strength of your testimony that you are willing to share with others. You are a bright and strong example to your old grandma! Thank you for being so beautiful inside and out! Love-Grandma Terry
Hey Tiff, two other places I noticed a difference in the beliefs of your church, and that of the beliefs of Christi and I's, in #11 Elder Robert E. Wells said: “we believe that men will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam’s transgressions.” I'm not totally sure what he meant by that, but if I am correct on what he meant, there is a difference there. We believe that Adam's sin brought sin into the world, and gave man a sinful nature, but we are held accountable for what we do. The Bible says in Romans 5:9-19 (and I strongly suggest you read the whole chapter):
"Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. 10 For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. 11 And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation. 12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned-- 13 (For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. 14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come. 15 But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man's offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many. 16 And the gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned. For the judgment which came from one offense resulted in condemnation, but the free gift which came from many offenses resulted in justification. 17 For if by the one man's offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.) 18 Therefore, as through one man's offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man's righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. 19 For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man's obedience many will be made righteous.
The other point was #17:
“we believe the Bible [both the Old Testament and the New Testament] 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."
We believe the Bible (both the New and Old Testaments) to be the perfect and infallible Word of God, not just as long as it matches the Book of Mormon (as I'm sure Christi has told you, we do not believe the Book of Mormon).
One really quick question, what is your definition of "grace"?
wow, this is the first time I actually comment on you blog, and it's about something that could be taken the wrong way so easily.... Please don't take it wrong!
oh, and btw, I'll try to remember not to call you Mormon ;)
^ That last comment was by my sister, by the way
I knew when I posted this that I would get plenty of answers, haha. And thank you for your comments. Believe me, Christi and I have discussed these issues plenty. However, I felt the need to publicly declare these things for all to read.
And one thing more. I didn't mean to make it sound as if calling me Mormon is offensive, I don't mind that. But please do not call me unchristian, at least not to my face. I do mind that, very much.
I'm glad I have so many friends with such strong faith in the Lord. Thanks for sharing your differences in opinion.
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