Three Paramount Identifiers

This weekend President Nelson spoke to young adults and highlighted three fundamental truths that should be foundational in our spiritual education but which are ignored in standard academic training: “1) Each of us will die; 2) because of Jesus Christ, each of us will be resurrected and become immortal; and 3) we will each be judged for the choices we make now.” Indeed, the world in its teachings and prescriptions are ignorant of or ignore these three facts, but they make all the difference for disciples of Jesus Christ as we decide how to live. As we live with the knowledge that this life is not the last and that we will live again, we are led to make choices that will help us prepare for that life after death when we will be resurrected and will stand before God. Mormon highlighted this last point—that we will be judged of our actions—as one of the main reasons he wrote the Book of Mormon: “And these things doth the Spirit manifest unto me; therefore I write unto you all. And for this cause I write unto you, that ye may know that ye must all stand before the judgment-seat of Christ, yea, every soul who belongs to the whole human family of Adam; and ye must stand to be judged of your works, whether they be good or evil” (Mormon 3:20). The secular teachings of the world would, in most cases, help us to succeed temporally in this life; the scriptures and all of the teachings of the gospel help us be happy not just in this life but to be ready for that great day when every one of us will stand before Jesus Christ to be judged of how we lived this life. President Nelson highlighted that this life is “hardly a nanosecond” in the context of eternity, but “what a crucial nanosecond it is!”   

              One of the things that President Nelson highlighted was the labels and identifiers that we and the world use to describe ourselves. He suggested the three labels that should be more important to us over all others: child of God, child of the covenant, and disciple of Jesus Christ. He urged us, “Tonight, I plead with you not to replace these three paramount and unchanging identifiers with any others, because doing so could stymie your progress or pigeonhole you in a stereotype that could potentially thwart your eternal progression.” These three labels are highlighted in the scriptures. Paul declared, “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God” (Romans 8:16). The story of the creation highlights how we were made in the image of God just as earthly children are made in the image of their parents: “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them” (Genesis 1:27). It was this truth that Moses relied upon when faced by the adversary: “Behold, I am a son of God, in the similitude of his Only Begotten” (Moses 1:13). We must all rely upon that truth when faced with the trials of this life and the temptations of the devil. The second label that President Nelson highlighted was what the Savior taught the Nephites: “The Father having raised me up unto you first, and sent me to bless you in turning away every one of you from his iniquities; and this because ye are the children of the covenant.” He told them that they are “children of the prophets” and “of the house of Israel” (3 Nephi 20:25-26). As we enter the waters of baptism and commit to following the Savior’s gospel, we are children of the covenant and are bound to live accordingly. President Nelson taught 27 years ago: “We are also children of the covenant. We have received, as did they of old, the holy priesthood and the everlasting gospel. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are our ancestors. We are of Israel. We have the right to receive the gospel, blessings of the priesthood, and eternal life.” As we focus on our covenants with Him, we will be led to live our lives in a way that will prepare us to receive all the blessings of that covenant now and in eternity. President Nelson’s final label for us to remember was that we are disciples of Jesus Christ. Mormon declared, “Behold, I am a disciple of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. I have been called of him to declare his word among his people, that they might have everlasting life” (3 Nephi 5:13). While he was perhaps referring to his role as an ordained witness of the Savior, surely this statement can be each of ours as we decide to truly follow Him. The Lord declared in our dispensation: “He that receiveth my law and doeth it, the same is my disciple” (Doctrine and Covenants 41:5). As we choose to receive His law through our covenants and then to live accordingly, we are His disciples. As we focus on living according to these three labels—child of God, child of the covenant, and disciple of Christ—we will indeed prepare ourselves for death, the resurrection, and the final judgment so that He can invite us forever into His presence.