The Palm of His Hands

Who Shall Declare His Generation?

I just watched, in my  opinion, one of the greatest devotional addresses. It was given by Bruce R. McConkie on December 2, 1975 at Brigham Young University. Many believe that we, the Mormons, do not believe in Jesus Christ or they do not understand what we believe.  If anyone has wondered what the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (commonly known as the Mormons) believes about Jesus Christ, this is the address you want to watch (I will provide a link at the end of today’s blog so you can watch it.

In that address he testifies to the world of the divinity of Jesus Christ. Many in the world question who Jesus Christ was. Many, even professed Christians, do not believe in his divine birth but Elder McConkie gives the greatest testimony that Jesus Christ is literally the only begotten Son of God, Our Heavenly Father, after the manner of the flesh.

We believe that all who have been born on this earth lived as spirits children of our Heavenly Father before we came here to live as mortals. Jesus Christ was the first begotten Son of God in that spirit world. Christ under the direction of Heavenly Father created this earth and everything on it for us as part of Heavenly Father’s plan for our progression. Prior to this, a council was held in heaven where God presented his plan for us. We were to be born and have physical bodies and live on the earth in a probationary state. Essential in that plan was our agency, the right to choose to obey God’s commandments or not. God’s plan included that a Savior would be provided and he would atone for the sins of all of God’s children thus providing a way to come back and live in His presence after this probationary period was over.

In that council God asked: “Whom shall I send?” Meaning who will be the Savior of mankind? Jesus Christ responded: “Hear am I, send me” and thus he became our Savior (Abraham 3:27). After the heavens and the earth were created and mortality began; Jesus Christ was Jehovah, the God of the Old Testament.  It was Jesus Christ that spoke to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He was the one that appeared to Moses in the burning bush and gave him the commandments and the Old Testament law. It was of Jesus Christ that all the prophets testified that a Messiah would come to save his people. Isaiah said:

“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6)

Matthew and Luke record their stories of the birth of Jesus Christ (see Matthew 1 and Luke 1). Nephi, in the Book of Mormon also sees a vision of Christ’s birth (see 1 Nephi 11:15-21). Jesus Christ’s mother was Mary, a mortal person, and from her he had the power to give up his life and die. Christ’s Father was God our Heavenly Father, and from him he had to power of eternal life or the ability to take his life again after he was crucified as a sacrifice for our sins. Jesus Christ was the only person who had the ability to be our Savior, no other person could have the power over life and death as he did. He willingly came to earth and was born of Mary as his mother and with God as his father after the manner of the flesh. He willingly suffered for our sins in the Garden of Gethsemane and he willingly suffered at the hands of the Jews and was tried for crimes that he did not commit. He willingly allowed the Romans to crucify him and suffer death. On the third day he rose from the grave because he had power over death and thus has provided all of us the ability to overcome death as well. The resurrection is a free gift to all of God’s children.

The Atonement of Jesus Christ provides those who willingly repent and keep God’s commandments and receive the saving ordinances of baptism and the temple sealing ordinances the opportunity to live eternally with our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ as families.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are the ones that declare the true generation of Jesus Christ. We know who Jesus Christ truly is and we worship him in truth and in spirit after the manner that he has revealed through his ancient and modern prophets.

To watch Elder Bruce R. McConkie’s devotional address click on the link below.

Your questions and comments are welcome.