Becoming one with Christ

In John chapter 17, we read some of the most beautiful words of scripture ever recorded. Known as the great intercessory prayer, Jesus Christ prays to the father on behalf of all those who would follow him. In verse 20, “Neither pray I for these alone (meaning his apostles), but for them also which shall believe on me through their word (which is us); That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us… And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one”.

This principal of being one is repeated many times through the scriptures. We read often that the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit are one.

Understanding and abiding by these principles is imperative for our growth as saints and as a church. So, let’s consider the many ways we must work to become one, first by understanding

1.   How Jesus Christ is one with the Father?

2.   How we can become one with Jesus Christ?

3.   How we can become one with our families?

4.   How we can become one as a church?

How is Jesus Christ one with the Father? In Mosiah chapter 15 we read the words of Abinadi teaching Kind Noah and his priests, Alma being among them.

“And now Abinadi said unto them: I would that ye should understand that God himself shall come down among the children of men, and shall redeem his people. And because he dwelleth in the flesh he shall be called the Son of God, and having subjected the flesh to the will of the Father, being the Father and the Son – The Father, because he was conceived by the power of God; and the Son because of the flesh; thus becoming the Father and the Son… And thus the flesh becoming subject to the Spirit, or the Son to the Father, being one God, suffereth temptation, and yieldeth not to the temptation, but suffereth himself to be mocked, and scourged, and cast out, and disowned by his people. Yea, even so he shall be led, crucified, and slain, the flesh becoming subject even unto death, the will of the Son being swallowed up in the will of the Father.’

In these verses there is a repeated principle, described as one thing being subject to another – the flesh becoming subject to the spirit, the Son of God having subjected the flesh to the will of the Father and finally the will of the Son being swallowed up in the will of the Father.

Jesus Christ, did only the will of his father. He allowed the will of his Father be become his own. In this way is the Son one with the Father.

It is no wonder that we call Charity the “pure love of Christ”, Charity being described as “suffering long, and is kind; charity envieth not; and seeketh not her own” – 1 Cor 13:4-5

In following this example, we can also become one with Jesus Christ allowing his will to become ours. D&C section 35 a revelation given to Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon says in verse 2 “I am Jesus Christ, the son of God, who was crucified for the sins of the world, even as many as will believe on my name, that they may be come the sons of God, even one in me as I and one in the Father, and the Father is one in me, that we may be one.

Return again to Mosiah in the address King Benjamin gave to his people, in chapter 5 he taught “And now, because of the covenant which ye have made ye shall be called the children of Chirst, his sons, and his daughters; for behold, this day he hath spiritually begotten you; for ye say that your hearts are changed through faith on his name; therefore, ye are born of him ad have become his sons and daughters.”

It is through the covenant of baptism and obedience to his gospel that we become one with Christ.

And so I would ask you as Alma did “have ye spiritually been born of God? Have ye received his image in your countenance? Have ye experienced a mighty change in your hearts?

If there is anything about our current nature that might prevent us from experiencing this change, the allows us to feel that we are not one with Christ, or even prevents us from having this desire we must remember, that Christ has not forgotten us. Christ has said, “Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me” – Isaiah 49:16

“… Something rises up within me, at times[,] that … draws a dividing line between my interest and the interest of my Father in heaven; something that makes my interest and the interest of my Father in heaven not precisely one.

“… We should feel and understand, as far as possible, as far as fallen nature will let us, as far as we can get faith and knowledge to understand ourselves, that the interest of that God whom we serve is our interest, and that we have no other, neither in time nor in eternity”

Becoming one with Christ is necessary for us to be able to return to the presence of the father, for he is the only means by which we may do so.

We recently learned in General Conference of the importance of gospel learning in the home, too long have we relied only on the sabbath day and our wonderful teachers here at church to be our primary source of gospel instruction. Gospel learning at church only is no longer sufficient to achieve the strength in our testimonies that is required of us.

For our home to become a place of gospel learning, we must become one with our family. How may we become one with our families? 

How can we become one with the church?

After the resurrection of Jesus Christ and his ascension into heaven, his apostles were obedient to his commandment to go and teach all nations his gospel. As the Church of Jesus Christ spread, it is evident that the saints were in need of direction and instruction. To that end the apostle Paul wrote many letters to various groups of saints. In his letter to the Romans, in chapter 15, Paul teaches of the importance of unity, patience and consolation through Jesus Christ. Listen to the words of Paul, and think of how you as a saint in the Church of Jesus Christ might follow them -

“We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves… for even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me.”

 “Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus: That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

There are several aspects of doctrine that can be learned from these verses, but let’s consider the message of unity, “That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God” writes Paul.

Similarly, in 1832 the restored church of Jesus Christ was experiencing growth and was in need of leadership and direction.

In 1832 the third conference of the restored church of Jesus Christ was being convened in Fayette, New York. Joseph smith received a revelation, recorded in Section 38 of Doctrine and Covenants. In this revelation the Lord commands “let every man esteem his brother as himself… I say unto you, be one; and if ye are not one ye are not mine.”