Hales - Being a More Christian Christian - October 2012

Elder Hales speaks about what it means to be called a Christian in today's world.  He starts by giving us some basic beliefs of what a Christian understands.

• A Christian has faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, that He is the literal Son of God, sent by His Father to uffer for our sins in the supreme act of love we know as the Atonement.
• A Christian believes that through the grace of God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, we can repent, forgive others, keep the commandments, and inherit eternal life.
• The word Christian denotes taking upon us the name of Christ. We do this by being baptized and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands by those holding His priesthood authority.
• A Christian knows that throughout the ages, God’s prophets have always testified of Jesus Christ. This same Jesus, accompanied by Heavenly Father, appeared to the Prophet Joseph Smith in the year 1820 and restored the gospel and the organization of His original Church.
  

He speaks about how we can make the call to follow the Savior personal in our lives.  He also tells us that when we make a commitment to follow the Savior, some of the characteristics that come with discipleship.

• As Christians today, we have the opportunity to act straightway, immediately, and decisively, just as Peter and Andrew did: “they forsook their nets, and followed him.” We too are called upon to leave our nets, to reject worldly habits, customs, and traditions. We are also called to forsake our sins. “When [Jesus] had called the people unto him … , he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” Denying ourselves of ungodly behavior is the beginning of repentance, which brings a mighty change of heart until “we have no more disposition to do evil.”
  

He reminds us that as we take upon us the name of Christ, we change from our old ways to the new ways that Christ would have us live.

• As we are made new in Christ, our very natures change and we no longer want to go back to our old ways.

One of the key changes that we make in our lives when we commit to be disciples of Jesus Christ is that we want and desire to share the happiness we have found with others.  Our responsibility it to share with others the bread of life that we have found.

• This is the call of Christ to every Christian today: “Feed my lambs. … Feed my sheep”—share my gospel with young and old, lifting, blessing, comforting, encouraging, and building them, especially those who think and believe differently than we do. We feed His lambs in our homes by how we live the gospel: keeping the commandments, praying, studying the scriptures, and emulating His love. We feed His sheep in the Church as we serve in priesthood quorums and auxiliary organizations. And we feed His sheep throughout the world by being good Christian neighbors, practicing the pure religion of visiting and serving the widows, the fatherless, the poor, and all who are in need.
• For many, the call to be a Christian can seem demanding, even overwhelming. But we need not be afraid or feel inadequate. The Savior has promised that He will make us equal to His work. “Follow me,” He said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” As we follow Him, He blesses us with gifts, talents, and the strength to do His will, allowing us to go beyond our comfort zones and do things we’ve never before thought possible. This may mean sharing the gospel with neighbors, rescuing those who are spiritually lost, serving a full-time mission, working in the temple, raising a child with special needs, loving the prodigal, serving an ailing companion, enduring misunderstandings, or suffering affliction. It means preparing ourselves to answer His call by saying, “I’ll go where you want me to go; I’ll say what you want me to say; I’ll do what you want me to do; I’ll be what you want me to be.”

Elder Hales gives us several examples of how we can be more Christian in our lives.

• Consider the following Christlike qualities. How are we doing in strengthening them within ourselves?
  
  • Christian love. The Savior valued everyone. Kind and compassionate to all, He left the ninety and nine to find the one, for “even the very hairs of [our] head are … numbered” to Him.
    
  • Christian faith. Despite temptations, trials, and persecutions, the Savior trusted our Heavenly Father and chose to be faithful and obedient to His commandments.
  • Christian sacrifice. Throughout His life the Savior gave of His time, His energy, and ultimately, through the Atonement, gave Himself so that all of God’s children could be resurrected and have the opportunity to inherit eternal life.
  • Christian caring. Like the good Samaritan, the Savior was continually reaching out to rescue, love, and nurture people around Him, regardless of their culture, creed, or circumstances.
    
  • Christian service. Whether drawing water from a well, cooking a meal of fish, or washing dusty feet, the Savior spent His days serving others—lifting up the weary and strengthening the weak.
    
  • Christian patience. In His own sorrow and suffering, the Savior waited upon His Father. With patience for us, He waits upon us to come to ourselves and come home to Him.
    
  • Christian peace. Throughout His ministry He urged understanding and promoted peace. Especially among His disciples, He taught that Christians cannot contend with other Christians, notwithstanding their differences.
    
  • Christian forgiveness. He taught us to bless those who curse us. He showed us the way by praying that those who crucified Him would be forgiven.
    
  • Christian conversion. Like Peter and Andrew, many recognize the truth of the gospel as soon as they hear it. They are instantly converted. For others it may take longer. In a revelation given through Joseph Smith, the Savior taught, “That which is of God is light; and he that receiveth light, and continueth in God, receiveth more light; and that light groweth brighter and brighter until the perfect day,” the perfect day of our conversion. Jesus Christ is “the light and the Redeemer of the world; the Spirit of truth.”
    
  • Christian endurance to the end. In all His days, the Savior never gave up doing His Father’s will but continued in righteousness, goodness, mercy, and truth to the end of His mortal life.

The question I get asked the most is what do you believe as a Mormon.  When I answer, I always talk about my commitment to the live my life the way the Savior would like me to live it.  I share that I want to live the values that Christ taught us in the Bible.  I then explain that God gives us direction on how to be better people and introduce the need for a prophet and how the Prophet Joseph Smith is part of God's plan for happiness.  My desire in starting this blog was to look for things in my life that I can do to be a better disciple of Jesus Christ.  I know that the prophets of our time, have taught about how to follow the Savior and I am looking for key attributes that I can place in my life that will give me the ability to be a better disciple of Christ.  I guess another way of saying that is that I am looking for ways to be a more christian Christian as Elder Hales has shared.  This talk highlights how we can be better disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ.