Our Savior Jesus Christ has many roles and responsibilities, all of them eternal in scope. The prophets and apostles have given countless addresses about the Savior, His life, mission, and roles. As John said, “even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written” about Jesus Christ (John 21:25).

The Living Christ

The prophets and apostles issued a statement about Jesus Christ entitled “The Living Christ,” in which they declare their witness of the Savior’s life and mission. They identify some of His roles and responsibilities: “He was the Great Jehovah of the Old Testament, the Messiah of the New. Under the direction of His Father, He was the creator of the earth.” From these two sentences, we learn that Jesus was the Jehovah worshipped by the Jews in the Old Testament. It was He who instructed Abraham, and gave the Law to Moses. He is also the Messiah to whom the Jews looked for and still look for today. He is also the creator of the world; God the Father was still involved in the creation, but He directed Jesus, who did the creating. Later, the document states: “He was the Firstborn of the Father, the Only Begotten Son in the flesh, the Redeemer of the world.”

Although this statement says that Jesus was the “Firstborn of the Father,” Jesus is eternal and uncreated.  This may sound confusing, but we know from modern revelation that God, the Eternal Father is the organizer of our spirits, but that we existed as individual intelligences before our spiritual creation.  Jesus’ spirit was organized first, and that could have happened billions of years ago.

Roles of Jesus Christ

Elder Russell M. Nelson, an apostle of Jesus Christ, talks about ten of the Savior’s many roles. He lists the following responsibilities: “Creator, Jehovah, Advocate with the Father, Immanuel, Son of God, Anointed One, Savior and Redeemer, Judge, Exemplar, and Millennial Messiah” (“Jesus the Christ, Our Master and More,” Ensign April 2000). Elder Nelson discusses each responsibility in further detail, but is careful not “to imply any order or priority because all He accomplished was equally supernal in scope”:

• Creator. Jesus Christ, under the direction of the Father, created the earth and everything on it. Elder Nelson says, “This hallowed Creator provided that each of us may have a physical body, uniquely individual . . . We honor Jesus as our Creator, divinely directed by His Father.”
• Jehovah. Elder Nelson cites numerous scriptures in both the Old and New Testament, showing that Jesus Christ of the New Testament is indeed the same God worshipped by Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
• Advocate with the Father. An advocate is “one who pleads for another.” The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ, speaks clearly about Jesus’ role as our advocate: “He shall make intercession for all the children of men; and they that believe in him shall be saved” (2 Nephi 2:9). Elder Nelson says, “Comprehending Him as our Advocate, Intercessor, and Mediator with the Father gives us assurance of His unequaled understanding, justice, and mercy.”
• Immanuel. The Hebrew name Immanuel means “with us is God.” Jesus was born in fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy that “a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14).
• Son of God. Latter-day Saints believe that Jesus is literally the Son of God. Elder Nelson speaks about Jesus’ unique parentage: “From His Heavenly Father, Jesus inherited His potential for immortality and eternal life. From His mother, Jesus inherited death.”
• Anointed One. The titles “Christ” and “Messiah” both mean the anointed in Greek and Hebrew, respectively. Elder Nelson says, “One may add either of these titles . . . both signifying an anointed by God for that supernal responsibility” of saving all mankind.
• Savior and Redeemer. These roles refer specifically to Jesus’ Atonement. He saved all mankind from sin and death, and redeems us, making it possible for us to return to God.
• Judge. Jesus will preside at the final judgment. The Book of Mormon states: “The keeper of the gate is the Holy One of Israel; and he employeth no servant there; and there is none other way save it be by the gate; for he cannot be deceived, for the Lord God is his name” (2 Nephi 9:41).
• Exemplar. Jesus is our ultimate example in all things. He lived a perfect and flawless life, and we need to strive to become more like Him. In Matthew He instructs us, “Be ye therefore perfect” (Matthew 5:48). Elder Nelson says, “His hopes are for your full potential to be realized: to become as He is!”
• Millennial Messiah. This responsibility of Millennial Messiah is yet in the future. Here, Elder Nelson speaks of the day when Christ will come again, and “direct the affairs of His Church and kingdom.”  

These ten roles are not an all-inclusive list of Jesus’ responsibilities. All of the other prophets and apostles have talked about and testified of Jesus Christ and His divine roles. The following addresses are some of what living prophets and apostles have said about our Savior:

“He is Risen!” President Thomas S. Monson

“The Mediator,” Elder Boyd K. Packer

“The Seven Christs,” Elder Bruce R. McConkie

“The Doctrine of Christ,” Elder D. Todd Christofferson

megan

Megan is a graduate of BYU-Idaho and recently married member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She is a writer and avid reader, and loves music, hiking, and her family.

Spirit Paradise and Spirit Prison

Latter-day Saints believe that when a person dies, he or she goes to either paradise or spirit prison. People who have accepted the gospel of Jesus Christ and made and kept the necessary covenants while on earth go to paradise. People who have not accepted and lived the gospel, either because they did not live it, rejected it, or did not have the opportunity to hear it, go to spirit prison. Paradise and spirit prison are active places. Spirits from paradise go to teach other spirits the gospel. Spirits in spirit prison can accept the gospel of Christ, and their ordinances (religious ceremonies) can be done vicariously for them by people on earth.

Paradise and spirit prison aren’t permanent. Jesus Christ will return to the earth, and all the people whose spirits are in paradise or spirit prison will be resurrected (reunited with their perfected physical bodies). Eventually, all people who have lived, do live, or will live on earth will be judged by Jesus Christ, and then “receive an eternal dwelling place in a specific kingdom of glory.” [1]

Kingdoms of Glory

Latter-day Saints believe that heaven is split into three degrees or kingdoms: the Celestial, Terrestrial, and Telestial Kingdoms. We also believe in perdition, a kingdom that is not a kingdom of glory. The Church of Jesus Christ teaches that “the glory we inherit will depend on the depth of our conversion, expressed by obedience to the Lord’s commandments. It will depend on the manner in which we have ‘received the testimony of Jesus’ (Doctrine and Covenants 76:51).” [1] Latter-day Saints believe that Jesus taught the principle of kingdoms of glory in John 14:2 when He said, “In my Father’s house are many mansions,” and that the prophet Joseph Smith received further revelation about the kingdoms of glory. Joseph Smith’s revelation is recorded in Section 76 of the Doctrine and Covenants.

• Celestial Kingdom. The celestial is the highest of the three degrees of glory, and is where Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ live. People who inherit this kingdom of glory will dwell forever in the presence of God and Jesus Christ. This is the ultimate goal: to inherit celestial glory. The Doctrine and Covenants states that people who inherit the celestial kingdom are “just men made perfect through Jesus the mediator of the new covenant” who “received the testimony of Jesus” (D&C 76:51, 69). A person cannot reach the celestial kingdom through works alone; the grace of Jesus Christ is also necessary. Latter-day Saints also believe that to inherit celestial glory, one must have made all of the necessary covenants (promises with God) and performed the ordinances that He has commanded. These include the baptismal covenant and other sacred temple covenants, including marriage.

• Terrestrial Kingdom. The Church of Jesus Christ teaches: “Individuals in the terrestrial kingdom will be honorable people ‘who were blinded by the craftiness of men’ (D&C 76:75).” Included in this group are members of The Church of Jesus Christ who were less valiant in following the Savior, and individuals who rejected the gospel in mortality but accepted it in the spirit world. Individuals who did not have the opportunity to receive the gospel on earth but accept it in the spirit world will not inherit this kingdom; they can still inherit the celestial kingdom.

• Telestial Kingdom. The telestial kingdom is for people who “received not the gospel of Christ, neither the testimony of Jesus” (D&C 76:82). They rejected the gospel and did not accept Jesus Christ.

• Perdition. Perdition is not a kingdom of glory and is reserved only for people who accepted the fulness of the gospel and then willfully rejected their knowledge. There will not be many individuals who meet the requirements to be sent to perdition.

Works and Grace

Jesus Christ will judge all of us according to our actions, and then we will go to a kingdom to dwell eternally. It is up to us to do all we can in this life to reach the celestial kingdom; but not one person, except the Savior, can reach the celestial kingdom alone. Latter-day Saints believe in the importance of both works and grace; we need both to reach celestial glory.

The Importance of Faith

Latter-day Saints have a lot of additional revelation about heaven, which is very comforting, especially upon the death of a loved one. It is comforting to know that our ancestors can dwell in the same glory we can and that the gospel of Jesus Christ includes everyone. It is also humbling to realize that we cannot attain our goal of celestial glory without the grace of our Savior.

However, with all that Latter-day Saints know about heaven and life after death, there is and will always be some uncertainty. What can be frightening about life after death is that it is unknown, and we can be unsure of exactly what it will be like. We may be uncertain how complicated family relationships might be worked out, or unsure of what our family members are doing on the other side of the veil.

I believe that these worries, while they may be legitimate, needn’t worry us right now. Heavenly Father is ultimately in charge and with His perfect knowledge and understanding will work everything out. I believe that we know enough to help us get back to Heavenly Father. Sure, there are things about heaven we don’t know. But that’s okay, because if we knew everything right now, we wouldn’t need faith.

megan

Megan is a graduate of BYU-Idaho and recently married member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She is a writer and avid reader, and loves music, hiking, and her family.

Elder Dallin H. Oaks, an apostle and leader of The Church of Jesus Christ, stated concerning the Second Coming of Christ:

Four matters are indisputable to Latter-day Saints: (1) The Savior will return to the earth in power and great glory to reign personally during a millennium of righteousness and peace. (2) At the time of His coming there will be a destruction of the wicked and a resurrection of the righteous. (3) No one knows the time of His coming, but (4) the faithful are taught to study the signs of it and to be prepared for it. (“Preparation for the Second Coming,” Ensign, May 2004).

When Will He Come?

Matthew 24:36 says of the Second Coming: “Of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.” Only Heavenly Father knows when the Second Coming will happen; not even the angels know when. Neither Latter-day Saint prophets nor members predict the day of the Second Coming. We know that it will happen, but not exactly when. However, the scriptures have given us some signs of the Second Coming so we can know when it’s getting closer.

What Are the Signs of His Coming?

Matthew 24 gives many signs of Jesus’ Second Coming. Some of these signs include: false Christs who will deceive many; wars, and rumors of wars; famines, pestilences, and earthquakes; abundant iniquity; and the love of many growing cold. Other less discouraging signs include: the restoration of Jesus Christ’s gospel; the gospel being preached to all the world; the coming of Elijah (see Malachi 4:5–6); and the building of a city called the New Jerusalem (see 3 Nephi 21:23–25).

Some of these signs have already been fulfilled, while others are yet to be fulfilled. For example, the coming of Elijah as prophesied in Malachi has been fulfilled with the appearance of Elijah to Joseph Smith in April 1836 (see Doctrine and Covenants 110:13–16). Some signs, such as wars, famine, and earthquakes, could be said to be fulfilled, but they are also continuing to be fulfilled. It’s often difficult to put checkmarks beside each sign of the Second Coming.

What are the Prophecies of His Coming?

Isaiah prophesied that “the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6); that “the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together” (Isaiah 40:5). In Acts, after Jesus ascended into heaven, two angels came to the apostles and said: “This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven” (Acts 1:11). This foretells the day when the Savior will come to earth again. These and many other prophesies in the Bible, Book of Mormon, and from our own day, prophesy of the day when Jesus will come again. 

What Will Happen When He Comes?

Paul wrote to the Thessalonians:

For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord (1 Thessalonians 4:16).

Latter-day Saints take this to mean that all those who have died who were righteous will be resurrected first. All people who are on earth at the Second Coming will be caught up into heaven, while the wicked will be destroyed (2 Thessalonians 2:8). The earth will be cleansed with fire, and then Christ will rule and reign on the earth for a thousand years, a period known as the Millennium. Isaiah prophesied of the Millennium, speaking of a time when “a king shall reign in righteousness” and “my people shall dwell in peaceable habitation” (Isaiah 32:1, 18). The Millennium will be a wonderful time, when there will be no wickedness or evil on the earth, and we will dwell in peace and love.

Preparing for the Second Coming

For many people, reading the signs and prophecies of the Second Coming can be a bit frightening. While some of the signs of the Second Coming are wonderful, many speak of destruction and desolation. It can be easy to be frightened of what the future holds, especially as the world grows more evil and dark. However, prophets have promised us that “if ye are prepared ye shall not fear” (D&C 38:30). If we are following the Savior, we have nothing to fear from the Second Coming. In fact, for the righteous, the Second Coming and Millennium will be joyful and wonderful. Even as the world becomes more evil, the gospel is continuing to spread across the globe, bringing light and happiness to thousands. We must do all we can to prepare ourselves both spiritually and physically for the Second Coming, knowing that if we are prepared, we need not fear, but should rejoice.

megan

Megan is a graduate of BYU-Idaho and recently married member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She is a writer and avid reader, and loves music, hiking, and her family.

I’ve often wished for step-by-step instructions telling me exactly how to pray and get answers. I’ve wanted a list to go through, with the promise that when I got to the end of the list, I would have my answer. No such luck.

Prayer Isn’t Like Aspirin

When I have a headache, I take a break. I rest, lie down, relax. If that doesn’t work, I might try a dark room or a cold cloth. And if that doesn’t work, as a last resort, I’ll take some medicine. This tried and true method of headache relief works for almost everyone; if not, they have different method. But prayer isn’t like aspirin. It’s not a last resort. It’s not something we do only when we’re in pain. It’s also not an instant cure-all.

Prayer is the exact opposite of aspirin. Instead of a last resort, prayer should be something we turn to every single day. Instead of waiting until a problem is beyond our control, or we’re in serious trouble to pray, we should pray always, even when we’re feeling great. Instead of an instant solution to our problems, sometimes we have to continue to pray for the same things for a long time before we receive answers or help.

Guidelines and Counsel

Although there isn’t really a step-by-step instruction manual on prayer, there are guidelines and counsel concerning prayer. In Jeremiah 29, the Lord instructs: “Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:12-13). How exactly can we call upon God, seek Him, and receive the answers we so desire?

• Be heartfelt and sincere. Our prayers are more powerful when we truly pour out our hearts to the Lord. Prayer is more than blandly repeating the same worn-out phrases over and over; it’s about what’s really in our hearts. Prayer becomes so much more powerful for us when we really talk to God, and tell Him how we really feel.
• Use appropriate language. It’s important to remember that we’re speaking to God, the most powerful Being in the universe. Using proper and respectful language is easier when we remember with whom we are speaking.
• Have spirit of gratitude. God, our Heavenly Father, has given us everything. I know sometimes it seems like we’re left with nothing, but stop for a minute. We have a body. We have a life on this earth. We have the hope of our Savior Jesus Christ. There is always something to be thankful for.
• Pray like everything depends on God and then work like everything depends on you. It’s wonderful and important to pray fervently and sincerely. But we can’t expect God to do everything for us. We must work our hardest to make what we’ve prayed for happen, because it shows Heavenly Father that we are serious.
• Remember to pray for others. No matter how bad things get, there are always people who need our prayers. Our family members, friends, neighbors—many people need prayers. Additionally, praying for others increases our love for them. Trouble with a roommate or friend? Pray for that person, sincerely, and it will be easier to love him or her.

Have You Tried Prayer?

President Thomas S. Monson, president and prophet of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, shares the following anecdote:

One human resource officer assigned to handle petty grievances concluded an unusually hectic day by placing facetiously a little sign on his desk for those with unsolved problems. It read, ‘Have you tried prayer?’ What he may not have realized was that this simple counsel would solve more problems, alleviate more suffering, prevent more transgression, and bring about greater peace and contentment in the human soul than could be obtained in any other way (“Come Unto Him in Prayer and Faith,” Liahona March 2009).

Prayer seems like such a simple solution, and to many people seems like a waste of time. After all, we can’t see God, and He has billions of people praying to Him every day. But all it takes is a little bit of faith. Faith that Heavenly Father loves each of us, because He does. Faith that He listens to each of our prayers, because He can. Faith that He answers prayers, because He will.

To the critics who believe that prayer is outdated, a practice for a simpler time, President Monson replies:

Don’t we today, as always, love our children and want them to live righteously? Don’t we today, as always, need God’s divine, protecting care? Don’t we today, as always, continue to be at His mercy and in His debt for the very life He has given us? Times have not really changed. Prayer continues to provide power—spiritual power. Prayer continues to provide peace—spiritual peace (“Come Unto Him in Prayer and Faith,” Liahona March 2009).

We can turn to the Lord always, whenever and wherever we are. He loves us—we are His children. He wants us to pray to Him, and will answer us. Prayer isn’t like aspirin. It’s better.

megan

Megan is a graduate of BYU-Idaho and recently married member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She is a writer and avid reader, and loves music, hiking, and her family.