Symbols of Our Faith

With the recent celebration of Easter my mind has been turned to the symbols of our faith.

Why?  As most who are Christians know the Easter celebration is about the final week of the life of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.   Unfortunately, some of the activities he was involved in during that last week are over looked.   Much emphasis is placed on the Crucifixion.  To some degree the Last Supper and time he spent in the Garden of Gethsemane, where he atoned for our sins, is downplayed.   The whole week has to be taken into context and then remembered that all of it like a package has to considered together.  We can't take the time in the garden out, or the other elements and still get the whole Infinite and Eternal Atonement of Christ.


"The cross is used in many Christian churches as a symbol of the Savior's death and Resurrection and as a sincere expression of faith. As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we also remember with reverence the suffering of the Savior. But because the Savior lives, we do not use the symbol of His death as the symbol of our faith."  Topics - Cross

With all of this you begin to say hey what do you use as a symbol to represent that you are a Christian?  Most would say they use the cross.  But, that indicates they put a lot of emphasis on the crucifixion.  I would rather put more emphasis on the resurrection.  That glorious moment when he overcame physical death, due to the consequences of Adam and Eve partaking of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.  I would rather dwell on the suffering of Jesus in the Garden, where he sweat from every pore drops of blood, than the dying on the cross.    For Christ is alive as so many of us believe, why is it then that they use the cross (symbol of his death), to represent that they are Christian?

Gordon B Hinckley a special witness of the Savior Jesus Christ relays the following experience.

"Following the renovation of the Mesa Arizona Temple some years ago, clergy of other religions were invited to tour it on the first day of the open house period. Hundreds responded. In speaking to them, I said we would be pleased to answer any queries they might have. Among these was one from a Protestant minister.

Said he: “I’ve been all through this building, this temple which carries on its face the name of Jesus Christ, but nowhere have I seen any representation of the cross, the symbol of Christianity. I have noted your buildings elsewhere and likewise find an absence of the cross. Why is this when you say you believe in Jesus Christ?”

I responded: “I do not wish to give offense to any of my Christian colleagues who use the cross on the steeples of their cathedrals and at the altars of their chapels, who wear it on their vestments, and imprint it on their books and other literature. But for us, the cross is the symbol of the dying Christ, while our message is a declaration of the Living Christ.”

He then asked: “If you do not use the cross, what is the symbol of your religion?”

I replied that the lives of our people must become the most meaningful expression of our faith and, in fact, therefore, the symbol of our worship."

"And so, because our Savior lives, we do not use the symbol of His death as the symbol of our faith. But what shall we use? No sign, no work of art, no representation of form is adequate to express the glory and the wonder of the Living Christ. He told us what that symbol should be when He said, “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15)."

President Gordon B Hinckley - Symbol of our Faith

You see the best thing we can use as Christians in not a symbol per say.  Not something like a cross around our neck, not a fish representation, not a dove with some words about prince of peace as a bumper sticker.  Not even a silhouette of a temple or the Angel Moroni commonly found a top one.

No the symbol we need to use as a representation of our faith is our lives.  Our lives lived in such a way that we emulate the teachings of Christ.  Especially, the commandment found in Matthew 5:44

... ^aLove your ^benemies, ^cbless them that ^dcurse you, do ^egood to them that ^fhate you, and ^gpray for them which despitefully use you, and ^hpersecute you;

"Our lives must be the expression of our faith. When we are baptized and confirmed, we covenant to take upon ourselves the name of Jesus Christ. The way we live our lives should demonstrate our love for the Savior and His work." Topics - Cross

You see the best way we can show we are Christians is to act like a true follower of Christ.  It does not good to put up a good appearance at church on Sunday and then turn around and do unspeakable things during the week.   We really, need to turn the other cheek when smitten, to pray for those that do harm to us, and treat people like we want to be treated.

I know I'm guilty of this a much as the next.  Have you found it hard to seed space to someone in the middle of rush hour traffic?  Are you complaining when you have to wait for someone to cross the street, or have issues at the store and must wait extra because the person ahead of you in line is taking what seems like forever?   All of these small things we can work on , and eventually get ourselves to a point of being more Christ like.   Then with time we will have more and more people attracted to us..... for the crass, and judgemental will not have to many people wanting to hang our with them.  Act more Christ-Like and you will have more friends.

For this is what Christ purpose on earth was.  To ransom us from the pains of physical and spiritual death.  For only through and by him can we have any chance of returning to live with our Father in Heaven.  It is by and through him that we are alive, so we shall not dwell on his death by use of the cross.

"And now, as pertaining to this perfect atonement, wrought by the shedding of the blood of God—I testify that it took place in Gethsemane and at Golgotha, and as pertaining to Jesus Christ, I testify that he is the Son of the Living God and was crucified for the sins of the world. He is our Lord, our God, and our King. This I know of myself independent of any other person.

I am one of his witnesses, and in a coming day I shall feel the nail marks in his hands and in his feet and shall wet his feet with my tears.

But I shall not know any better then than I know now that he is God’s Almighty Son, that he is our Savior and Redeemer, and that salvation comes in and through his atoning blood and in no other way.

God grant that all of us may walk in the light as God our Father is in the light so that, according to the promises, the blood of Jesus Christ his Son will cleanse us from all sin."

The Purifying Power of Gethsemane Bruce R. McConkie

Jesus Cristo vive and por meio dele podemos novamente voltar para viver com nosso Paí Celeste.  Por Ele pagou por nossos pecados e venceu a morte causado por Adâo e Eve no Jardim.
Jesus é nosso Salvador e intermediario com Deus.

Buaidh - NO - Bas

Pondering Easter

What does Easter mean to you?

Do it mean simple the Easter bunny coming and leaving some eggs with treats and other goodies?  Or does it hold the religious meaning?
Maybe your like me and it hold a little bit of both.....

For me Easter hold both the religious and secular meanings.  I revile in the fun a child has as they search for eggs left behind by the "Easter Bunny" and the joy of getting a nice little present.  It can affirm the being good aspects of childhood.  But, Easter is so much more.  It is that celebration of the final atoning acts performed by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

It all started with the Passover supper held by Jesus with his disciples in that upper room.  What we now call the "Last Supper".  That final of times when he had the ability to instruct and teach to his apostles.  The time when he instituted the sacrament and gave some parting words or advice and council.

Short there after he went to the Garden of Gethsemane and bleed for our sins.

 41 And he was withdrawn from them about a stone’s cast, and kneeled down, and prayed,

 42 Saying, Father, if thou be willing, ^aremove this cup from me: nevertheless not my ^bwill, but thine, be done.

 43 And there appeared an ^aangel unto him from heaven, strengthening him.

 44 And being in an ^aagony he prayed more earnestly: ^band his sweat was as it were great drops of ^cblood falling down to the ground.

Luke 22: 41-44 

Then after had finished bleeding from every pore for our sins he was betrayed into the hands of the Romans and the Chief Priests who had conspired against him.

We all know of his illegal trial before the priests and his scourging by a multi-pronged  whip.  His eventual other trials before Herod and Pontius Pilate where he became a political hot potato.

Then the final capstone to the whole Atoning process.  His death on the cross at Golgotha, after many long agonizing hours of hanging there in pain that one can not even imagine.  Which after three days lead to his resurrection and final glorious act of the Atonement.

I have many a time thought what would have happened if Christ has not been crucified or if he had not bleed for our sins in the garden.  Would the Atonement be whole? The answer is simple - NO.
We have the need for both portions of the Atonement.  The conquest of physical and spiritual death.  And both of these Jesus Christ the Only Begotten Son accomplished in less then a week's time.  Both parts are necessary to be able to accomplish our final goal of returning to live once again with our Heavenly Father.

So take this time to dwell on the good news that Christ brought us.  Do no dwell on the fact that he died on the cross.  Dwell on the fact that Mary found his tomb empty.  Dwell on the fact that he arose and over came physical death and has thus imparted this gift unto us all saint and sinner alike.

"Jesus Christ was the only one capable of performing the magnificent Atonement because He was the only perfect man and the Only Begotten Son of God the Father. He received His commission for this essential work from His Father before the world was established. His perfect mortal life devoid of sin, the shedding of His blood, His suffering in the garden and upon the cross, His voluntary death, and the Resurrection of His body from the tomb made possible a full Atonement for people of every generation and time.

The Atonement makes the Resurrection a reality for everyone. However, with respect to our individual transgressions and sins, conditional aspects of the Atonement require our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, our repentance, and our compliance with the laws and ordinances of the gospel."

What Does the Atonement Mean to You? By Elder Cecil O. Samuelson Jr. 

He Is Not Here

“Our Savior lived again. The most glorious, comforting, and reassuring of all events of human history had taken place—the victory over death. The pain and agony of Gethsemane and Calvary had been wiped away. The salvation of mankind had been secured. The Fall of Adam had been reclaimed.

He is Risen a Prophet's Testimony - President Thomas S Monson


So take some time out and find out the most recent words from the modern day prophets.  For the gospel of Christ is not on that has since been left to the dust and past.  It is a living gospel and we have the opportunity to feed from the living waters each 6 months at general conference. 

April 2012 general Conference Sessions

Be filled this is much to be thankful for this Easter Season.

Buaidh - NO - Bas