Behold the Man

To my son, 

                In a conference talk over five years ago, Elder Uchtdorf asked this question: “What day most changed the course of history?” He searched the internet to see what kind of responses he would get, and there were of course many opinions on it! Lots of people throughout history have made very important discoveries that greatly impacted humanity, from Gutenberg’s printing press to Newton’s laws of motion and Edward Jenner’s vaccine for smallpox. Inventions such as the internal combustion engine, antibiotics, and the modern computer have all also changed the world significantly for the better. But none of these compare to what truly was the most important event in history: the atonement and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Elder Uchtdorf declared, “On that most important day in history, Jesus the Christ opened the gates of death and cast aside the barriers that prevented us from passing into the holy and hallowed halls of everlasting life. Because of our Lord and Savior, you and I are granted a most precious and priceless gift—regardless of our past, we can repent and follow the path that leads to celestial light and glory, surrounded by the faithful children of Heavenly Father.” Jacob helped us to understand what would have happened if Jesus had not fulfilled his mission as our Savior: “O the wisdom of God, his mercy and grace! For behold, if the flesh should rise no more our spirits must become subject to that angel who fell from before the presence of the Eternal God, and became the devil, to rise no more. And our spirits must have become like unto him, and we become devils, angels to a devil, to be shut out from the presence of our God, and to remain with the father of lies, in misery, like unto himself.” He added, “O how great the goodness of our God, who prepareth a way for our escape from the grasp of this awful monster; yea, that monster, death and hell, which I call the death of the body, and also the death of the spirit” (2 Nephi 9:8-10). Jesus Christ helped us to overcome two great barriers to our eternal progression: physical and spiritual death. Without His resurrection, we would die and never live in our bodies again. And without His atoning sacrifice which, through repentance, we can become sanctified, we would be shut out forever from the presence of our Father in Heaven. Because of Him, death will not be permanent and we can be forgiven of our sins and live forever with God and our families.

                When Pilate judged Jesus and presented Him to the people the day He was crucified, he said, “Behold the man!” (John 19:5) Most of the people on that day didn’t truly behold Him for they would not understand or accept who He truly was. But we can in our day see Him with spiritual eyes. Using these words, Elder Uchtdorf concluded his message with this powerful testimony and invitation: “My beloved brothers and sisters, I testify that the most important day in the history of mankind was the day when Jesus Christ, the living Son of God, won the victory over death and sin for all of God’s children. And the most important day in your life and mine is the day when we learn to ‘behold the man’; when we see Him for who He truly is; when we partake with all our heart and mind of His atoning power; when with renewed enthusiasm and strength, we commit to follow Him. May that be a day that recurs over and over again throughout our lives.” So how do we “behold Him” today? We behold Him as we study careful the words of sacred scripture that testify of Him. We behold Him as we sincerely repent and pray for forgiveness of our sins in His name. We behold Him as we worship in the temple and turn our hearts to Him there. And we behold Him as we strive to love and serve others as He would do. I invite you to strive to behold Him in your life each day and to follow this earnest invitation of Moroni: “And now, I would commend you to seek this Jesus of whom the prophets and apostles have written, that the grace of God the Father, and also the Lord Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost, which beareth record of them, may be and abide in you forever” (Ether 12:41). 

 

Love,

Dad