Do Latter-day Saints believe in a Different Jesus?
I am grateful for the great simple truths of Christianity and for the foundation of Old and New Testament prophets. I believe they knew and preached of Jesus Christ, but the more I have studied and read the Book of Mormon and the teachings of the Restoration, the more I have come to know how little the rest of the Christian world really understands of the magnitude of Christ's role. I don not mean to belittle, demean, or offend those good Christians or the truths they hold dear, but as many of those Protestants and Catholics have accoused us of believing in a "different Jesus," I am beginning to think they are right. Though we share emphatically with them the same words of the Old and New Testaments- these words that testify of Jesus of Nazareth, we have a testament of Jesus Christ they do not share. It is the Book of Mormon and the revelations of the Restoration prophets that accompany it.
The Book of Mormon prophets reveal a more majestic, more powerful, more compassionate, more complete Jesus Christ than any other book, creed, treatise, or sermon ever has.
Christ died for us, yes. Jesus redeems us, yes. He saves us from death and from our sins. But Jesus did so much more than die for us. He did (and does) so much more than redeem us. The atoning power of His blood extends deeper and farther even than the miracle of payment for our sins and the victory over death. His atoning blood sustains us through every suffering, weakness, pain, temptation, inadequecy, grief, and affliction any man or woman has or ever will experience. We can't even fathom the depths of the miracle that is Christ Jesus.
I am sure that the Biblical prophets and apostles knew this Jesus. I think they knew and understood much more than I. I think, however, that the remains, the precious remains, of their writings contain only a fraction of what they knew and what our Savior would and has done.
Isaiah gives us a small tast of it (Isaiah 53:4). Job saw it (Job 19:25). Luke implies it (Luke 4:18). Paul scratched its surface (Romans 5:10). Clearly John understood it, but his record is but a glimpse of its true magnitude (St. John 3:16-17, 1 John 2:1-2, Revelation 13:8). It is refered to in Romans 5:11 and Hebrews 5:9 and 7:27. We see it in Christ's example, recorded in places like John 13:15 and Luke 22. But none of these priceless accounts reveal the ultimate depth and fulness of Jesus's divine love and atonement.
Then comes the Restoration and with it a deeper, more complete understanding of Christ. It opens with a glorious vision in which a fourteen year old boy sees God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. It continues with a remarkable thrid testament of the Savior. From this, the Book of Mormon, we gain more magnificent accounts of the Redeemer and His atonement.
The Prophet Alma taught and prophesied that Jesus "shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people.
And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmitiesNow the Spirit knoweth all things; nevertheless the Son of God suffereth according to the flesh that he might take upon him the sins of his people, that he might blot out their transgressions according to the power of his deliverance; and now behold, this is the testimony which is in me." (Alma 7:11-13)
Amulek likewise taught and testified "And now, behold, I will testify unto you of myself that these things are true. Behold, I say unto you, that I do know that Christ shall come among the children of men, to take upon him the transgressions of his people, and that he shall atone for the sins of the world; for the Lord God hath spoken it. For it is expedient that an atonement should be made; for according to the great plan of the Eternal God there must be an atonement made, or else all mankind must unavoidably perish; yea, all are hardened; yea, all are fallen and are lost, and must perish except it be through the atonement which it is expedient should be made. . . And thus he shall bring salvation to all those who shall believe on his name; this being the intent of this last sacrifice, to bring about the bowels of mercy, which overpowereth justice, and bringeth about means unto men that they may have faith unto repentance."(Alma 34:8-9, 15).
The prophet Lehi teaches the magnitude and necesity of Christ's sacrifice, "Wherefore, redemption cometh in and through the Holy Messiah; for he is full of grace and truth. . . how great the importance to make these things known unto the inhabitants of the earth, that they may know that there is no flesh that can dwell in the presence of God, save it be through the merits, and mercy, and grace of the Holy Messiah, who. . . shall make intercession for all the children of men" (2 Nephi 2:6-9). Lehi's son Nephi echoed his father's sentiments, saying, "O how great the goodness of our God, who prepareth a way for our escape from the grasp of this awful monster; yea, that monster, death and hell, which I call the death of the body, and also the death of the spirit." (2 Nephi 9:10).
King Benjamin describes so vividly the literalness of this sacrifice, "And lo, he shall suffer temptations, and pain of body, hunger, thirst, and fatigue, even more than man can suffer, except it be unto death; for behold, blood cometh from every pore, so great shall be his anguish for the wickedness and the abominations of his people. . . And lo, he cometh unto his own, that salvation might come unto the children of men even through faith on his name; and even after all this they shall consider him a man,. . . and shall scourge him, and shall crucify him. . . " (Mosiah 3:7-9).
This is our God. This is the Creator of the world, the Master of ocean and Earth and skies. This ist he Lord of all, the King of kings. This is a magnificent being, omnipotenant and Etertnal, and yet he condenscended to suffer. He descended to experience mortal flesh and the pains thereof. Why? What love this Jesus had for us.
Through the Restoration we learn that He is our advocate with the Father. We learn that He is the great Mediator. He spoke to the prophet Joseph Smith and said, among other things, "I am Christ, and in mine own name, by the virtue of the blood which I have spilt, have I pleaded before the Father for them." (D&C 38:4). On another occasion He said, "Listen to him who is the advocate with the Father, who is pleading your cause before him—Saying: Father, behold the sufferings and death of him who did no sin, in whom thou wast well pleased; behold the blood of thy Son which was shed, the blood of him whom thou gavest that thyself might be glorified; Wherefore, Father, spare these my brethren that believe on my name, that they may come unto me and have everlasting life." (D&C 45:3-5).
Surely this Jesus of which we preach is more than mortal men can comprehend. And so when these contenders and accousers claim we believe in a "different Jesus," maybe we do. We have more information on our Jesus. We have a whole other Testament plus modern manefestations of Him. Through these things we have come to know Him, the same born to the Virgin Mary, on a deeper level.
Please don't get me wrong. This is not a "my Jesus is better than your Jesus" statement. I know you love your Jesus, and rightly so. What I am saying is that if you love Jesus, come and read more His words. Come and accept the Book that reveals more of His love and devotion- more of our dependence on Him, and more of His grace and mercy. As you do so, you will grow closer to this Jesus. You will see more of His power in your life. You will come to know the Divine Nazarene, even the Son of God. This I say in His name, Amen.
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