I Am He Who Liveth

One of the major points of emphasis of The Living Christ proclamation given in 2000 by modern apostles in the Quorum of the Twelve and First Presidency is just that: Christ is living. It states, “We solemnly testify that His life, which is central to all human history, neither began in Bethlehem nor concluded on Calvary.” Though Christ died on the cross at Calvary, the great triumph of Christianity is that He rose from the grave and still lives. They continued this theme as they testified of how “as Risen Lord, He visited among those He had loved in life. He also ministered among His ‘other sheep’ (John 10:16) in ancient America.” Christ also “appeared to the boy Joseph Smith” in modern times, once again confirming the witnesses of ancient days that He is risen from the dead. Joseph Smith’s words quoted in this document affirm that Christ lives today: “His eyes were as a flame of fire; the hair of his head was white like the pure snow; his countenance shone above the brightness of the sun; and his voice was as the sound of the rushing of great waters, even the voice of Jehovah, saying: I am the first and the last; I am he who liveth, I am he who was slain; I am your advocate with the Father.” He declared Himself, “I am he who liveth.” Though He is the Christ who died, more importantly He is the Christ who liveth today. He has eyes and hair and a voice that literally speaks to God’s children today.

                The apostles continued their declaration by again quoting Joseph Smith as He gave another witness of the reality that Christ is alive: “And now, after the many testimonies which have been given of him, this is the testimony, last of all, which we give of him: That he lives! For we saw him, even on the right hand of God; and we heard the voice bearing record that he is the Only Begotten of the Father—That by him, and through him, and of him, the worlds are and were created, and the inhabitants thereof are begotten sons and daughters unto God.” His sure testimony was that Christ lives because Joseph had seen and spoken with Him. He is even now on the right hand of His Father and He can speak as He sees fit. The apostles bore witness of yet future actions He will take when “He will someday return to earth.” His works are not all in the past—He acts today and will act more in the future. Their last paragraph leaves us this powerful testimony: “Jesus is the Living Christ, the immortal Son of God. He is the great King Immanuel, who stands today on the right hand of His Father. He is the light, the life, and the hope of the world. His way is the path that leads to happiness in this life and eternal life in the world to come.” Again their witness, as His living apostles, is that He lives.

               As I consider their testimony, it is a reminder that He knows me and the details of my life and my choices. The fact that He is living should motivate us to live as He would have us live, for, as the proclamation states, “Each of us will stand to be judged of Him according to our works and the desires of our hearts.” Towards the end of the Book of Mormon when Moroni was alone after the destruction of his people he wrote this to those who would one day receive his words: “Each of us will stand to be judged of Him according to our works and the desires of our hearts” (Mormon 8:35). This tells us not only that Moroni knew of us and saw our deeds in this generation, but also that Christ has known us for a very long time and knew of what we would do even before we were born. He declared in the opening verse of the Doctrine and Covenants that His “eyes are upon all men.” We should strive to always act as if He were alive and watching us, for He is. And as we do so, striving to live according to His teachings, we will be on the “the path that leads to happiness in this life and eternal life in the world to come.” Just as He lives even today, so too we will all live again after this life and will inherit eternal life with Him and His Father if we but follow Him.