Understanding Christianity
Contrary to popular belief, members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints are devout Christians. In addition to the Holy Bible (King James Version), we read from The Book of Mormon, which is another testament of Jesus Christ; a compilation of records of ancient civilizations in the Americas thousands of years ago. While both books of scripture are powerful assets to understanding Christ’s nature and applying his teachings, the New Testament is irreplaceable because of the unique firsthand accounts of the Savior’s ministry. The Gospels; Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, contain some of the most famous biblical verses of all times, and this is because of their simplicity and clarity, such as John 3:16; “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” At the same time, in these books we also find many allegories and parables, such as the Parable of the Sower, found in Matthew 13. Regardless of complexity, one thing is consistently true: The lessons Christ taught in the Holy Land thousands of years ago are absolutely applicable to us in our present day. The world around us is very different, but the Gospel is timeless. This is one of the beauties of studying the scriptures: we are given a clear and eternal reference book to life’s problems, no matter what the current time proclaims popular or acceptable. I know that it is through dedicated study of the scriptures that we come to understand not only Christ’s teaching, but we come to know Christ himself. As we do so, we desire to become more like him and make the necessary changes to come closer to him. This is what christianity is all about.
