Jesus Faith

The Widow's Mites by Liz Lemon Swindel

Faith is to “hope for things which are not seen, which are true.”  Jesus Christ lived a life guided by strong faith and encourages us to do the same.

Mormons believe in the Fourth Article of Faith which says the “first principles and ordinances of the Church are first faith in the lord Jesus Christ, second repentance, third baptism by immersion for the remission of sins, fourth laying on of hands for the gift of the holy ghost.”  Faith in Jesus Christ is a core doctrine of the Mormon Church.

Jesus Christ was a faithful servant to His Father in Heaven.  He suffered for the sins of the world because His father asked Him to.  Did he want to endure such pain?  No, He did it because His father asked Him to.  He knew that His crucifixion was a vital part of His father’s plan, so He went forward in faith.

Jesus showed faith in everything he did on earth.  He showed faith in Heavenly Father by obeying the commandments and teachings of his Father and encouraged others to do the same.  Jesus Christ taught His people to follow leaders and apostles in faith.  Jesus had faith in others.  He continually chose to see the good in people.

Jesus Christ not only encouraged his followers to have faith in God but encouraged people to live according to their faith or act upon it.  In the Book of Mormon we read that “faith without works is dead.”  Faith is not real unless it prompts a person to action.  Jesus Christ took His strong faith and used it to serve others.  His earthly ministry was dedicated to healing the sick and comforting the weary.  Jesus used His faith to suffer to the limit of His ability to bear it, in order that we might be saved.

One must gain a testimony of Jesus Christ as our Redeemer and Savior of the World.  In Acts 4:12, we read that “there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”  Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ can be attained by reading the scriptures and praying to Heavenly Father to gain a testimony of Jesus Christ and His gospel.

Throughout life, our faith in Jesus Christ is going to be tested.  That is one of the main reasons we were sent to earth.  Although illness, tragedy, or hard times will fall upon us, we must not lose faith in Jesus Christ as the redeemer.  These difficult times will try one’s faith in the Lord and hopefully make it stronger.

We are to have faith in our Savior Jesus Christ.  We need to trust him to lead us and care for us.  As members of the Mormon Church, we do many things out of faith in the Lord.  We are baptized and confirmed members of the Church in faith.  We pay tithing out of faith.  We serve others out of faith.  Our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ has a deep impact on who we are and what we do here on earth.

For it was by faith that Christ showed himself unto our fathers, after he had risen from the dead; and he showed not himself unto them until after they had faith in him; wherefore, it must needs be that some had faith in him, for he showed himself not unto the world (Ether 12:7).

For if there be no faith among the children of men God can do no  miracle among them; wherefore, he showed not himself until after their faith (Ether 12:12).

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the  evidence of things not seen (Hebrews 11:1).