Why Do We Believe What We Believe?

Understanding why we believe what we believe helps us keep the fire burning, even when the rains come pouring down. With everything the world has to offer, and everything the spirits have to echo, it can be difficult for us to find our way. The darkness shrouds, and the voices pierce.

Where is it I need to go?

Arriving at the destination may seem most important to some, but how we get there shapes the character we're to become, while where we come from creates the reason for the journey.

What's the reason?

Jesus Christ. We are members of His Church, and all things are done in His name. It is only through faith in Christ that we can come unto the Father. And it is only through faith in Christ that we can receive a remission of our sins, and receive eternal life (John 14:6).

But why Christ?

That's the question. Why Jesus Christ? Why do we believe in Jesus Christ? Because He is the Son of

God, the Saviour and Redeemer of the World. How do we know that? How do we even know that there is a God, much less a Saviour?

Because everyone does? Because it's history? For most Christians, the reason to their faith is the Bible. But there's got to be more. Why? Because we live in a world that interprets the Bible according to the dictates of their own understanding.

Consider the number of Christian denominations worldwide - 41 000 (excluding overlapping denominations), according to the Center for the Study of Global Christianity at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary.

Wait, what?!

Fourty one thousand?

That's fourty one thousand different ways of interpreting the Bible. Some saying that Christ was a man, some saying that He was an inspired man, some saying that He was a Prophet, some saying that He was the Son of God, some saying that He was God, and all manner of other variations.

Then comes the application of truths taught in the Bible. Take baptism for example; some say that it's by immersion, some by sprinkling, some by oil, some by prayer, some say it's optional, others say it's compulsory, for infants, for adults, etcetera, etcetra.

And then, we live in a world where many regard even the Bible as simply a book written by man, passed on, and translated, edited, and corrected to suit the wants of those in religious authority.

So there needs to be more.

Fortunately for us, Latter-day Saints, we have the witness of Joseph Smith. A young boy who wanted to know the truth, and in turn saw God, the Eternal Father, and His Son Jesus Christ. Another witness.

We also have The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ. Another record to clarify, and verify the truths of the Bible, and to testify of the divinity of Christ.

And, to be blunt, we have living apostles and prophets who exist as special witnesses of our Saviour and Redeemer. To put it plainly, they too have seen Him.

But most important is the witness of the Spirit of God. For the Holy Ghost bears witness to our spirit, and allows us to know without a shadow of a doubt that these things are true.

The other day my companion and I met with a large Pentecostal family, and although the idea of

scripture other than the Bible was hard for them to swallow, they did admit feeling the Spirit, power, anointing, and seriousness of our calling as representatives of Christ both times they met with us. That was enough, in fact the only thing, for them to keep on going with learning more. This is His work.

So why Christ? Because the Bible, Book of Mormon, Joseph Smith, living apostles and prophets, and Spirit declares that it is true.

Why do we believe what we believe? Because it is true. Plain and simple. And because we know this, it becomes our duty to share it with others. We KNOW. This is eternity we're talking about. It's important.

There is a poem that says we find our God, and ourselves, only when we seek to find our brother. And, if we pay attention, it all makes sense.

I tried to find myself, but myself I could not find.

I tried to find my God, but He alluded me.

I tried to find my brother, then I found all three.

He speaks, not spake. He lives, not lived. He is, not was. It is time we did everything in our power to live according to that knowledge we have been given. Trust in Him.