Jesus Christ: No Ordinary Man — a Paradox and a Blessing!
In the pre-existence before the world was, he was the most intelligent of all the children of God. Abr 3:18–22
He was with them from the beginning in the eternities before time. They all grew and developed — he alone among all his siblings was perfect, for he was like unto the most High God even before he was born. Then a plan was presented wherein all of us would be placed in new bodies and put into a situation of darkness and lack of knowledge. All of us would fail in this test save one, and on that one would be placed the hope of us all. Thus he volunteered to be our redeemer, our savior, and our God.
But then he began to realize a few things:
- It would be he who would save us — or we would not be saved.
- He who was like unto the most High God would have to suffer more than any of his siblings. He would be the one who deserved it the least, and yet would suffer the most.
But Father: “All of my siblings will be put into the power of Satan, our enemy?”
Father: “Yes, my son.”
But Father: “There is but one way to redeem them?”
Father: “Yes, my son.”
But Father: “If I were to fail, they will all be damned to an eternal hell, having no resurrection and becoming like our enemy, if I fail…” 2 Nephi 9:8–9
Father: “Yes, my son.”
Jesus: “Very well, I will be thy son and will perfectly live that we might redeem them ALL.” Abr 3:24–28
And we, knowing him, shouted for joy that he would do so. We believed it!!! We exercised Great Faith in him and believed and accepted that He would surely do it!
Then he and his friends created this universe so that we could experience suffering, so that we could learn to walk by faith, so that we could be brought under the power of his enemy… For ALL of us fall short of the glory of God SAVE HIM. ONLY he will not!
Then the creator of this universe comes to earth — experiences a veil of forgetfulness and becomes as any other man. He suffers hunger, pain, fatigue, and weakness… He is tempted in all ways as are we all — and yet more so…
He goes into the wilderness to fast for 40 days… and he is hungry.
But Father: “I could produce food; I’ve done it before.”
Father: “No, my son, you need to suffer hunger.”
He is taken to the tops of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” his enemy says to him again and again… He had the power to free himself in every case — yet CHOSE not to do so. Why? Because it wasn’t God’s will that he do so, but rather that he should suffer.
He is told who he should choose for his apostles.
But Father: “One of them is a devil and will betray me.”
Father: “Yes, my son, but he has done what is required. He has left all and follows you… you must allow him to choose.”
He teaches the people — a man more intelligent than them all. At the age of 12, he had confounded the wise and taught them.
But Father: “I could confound them, and teach in words as clear as words can be so that they have no excuse…”
Father: “Teach them in parables that seeing they see not and hearing they hear not.”
Is he accepted by the people? In general, no. He is rejected of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.
“How often would I gather you,” he cries… and they would not…
For Charity, the pure love of Christ:
45 And charity suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. 46 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, if ye have not charity, ye are nothing, for charity never faileth. Wherefore, cleave unto charity, which is the greatest of all, for all things must fail — 47 But charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him. 48 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ; that ye may become the sons of God; that when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we may have this hope; that we may be purified even as he is pure. Amen.
God sent his son into the world not to condemn it because of his perfection, but by him that the world might be saved!
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. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
Are we greater than him? D&C 122:5–9
We must as Joshua choose you this day whom you will serve… but for me and my house we shall serve the God of Israel, the Redeemer of mankind, our lord and Master Jesus Christ he who is mighty to save.
There will come a time when we will be able to judge between the wicked and the righteous. In the day he makes up his jewels — his resurrected sons and daughters — then will the righteous, the ones who have availed themselves of his atonement, shine forth like the Son/SUN. They will fall at his feet and proclaim “thank you my redeemer what now would you have me do.”
Moroni said it well:
32 Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God. 33 And again, if ye by the grace of God are perfect in Christ, and deny not his power, then are ye sanctified in Christ by the grace of God, through the shedding of the blood of Christ, which is in the covenant of the Father unto the remission of your sins, that ye become holy, without spot. 34 And now I bid unto all, farewell. I soon go to rest in the paradise of God, until my spirit and body shall again reunite, and I am brought forth triumphant through the air, to meet you before the pleasing bar of the great Jehovah, the Eternal Judge of both quick and dead. Amen.
May we remember what the test of this life truly is… and rely on him who is mighty to save and overcome as he has overcome… and choose life and not be deceived — is Moroni’s prayer as well as the prayer of all who seek another country, another place, a place on the right hand of God.